“And man, whose heav'n-erected face The smiles of love adorn Man's inhumanity to man Makes countless thousands mourn!” ― Robert Burns On 25th January we celebrate the life and works of Scottish poet Robbie Burns. This year I’ve decided to join in the celebration with a book sale. My publisher, The Wild Rose Press has graciously agreed to put A Woman of Honour, set in the Scottish Highlands, on sale for $0.99 for two weeks starting today. I’m also going to repost some of my blogs to give you an overview of medieval life and share stories about two of medieval Scotland’s most inspirational women. Duncan Campbell wakes to discover he is imprisoned with a woman in his enemy's dungeon in the Highlands of Scotland. The disenchanted warrior hopes his last few moments on earth will be spent in the arms of the sweet-voiced Isabel. If only she will cooperate.
Isabel Douglas has no intention of obliging the crude captive. The penniless noblewoman considers herself too tall and thin to be desirable. She intends to become a nun. But first, disguised as a boy, she must deliver an important letter to Scotland's hero in hiding, King Robert the Bruce. Together, the pair make a daring escape that plunges them into the bleak countryside in the middle of winter. In the struggle to survive, they learn the true strength of their feelings for each other. But when Duncan's animosity towards the king becomes evident, Isabel must decide between her heart and her country. Did you make a New Year’s Resolution? Personally, I don’t believe in resolutions. Mainly because I’ve never been able to keep them and it feels as if I’m breaking a promise to myself, which makes me feel bad inside. But I have set goals I plan to add five minutes of jogging to my walk every day. I will do this in minute intervals. Jog for a minute and then walk for a minute, then jog for a minute…and so on until I’ve done five minutes of jogging then I will continue to walk for the rest of my exercise time. I also want to add some gut healthy foods to my diet. Please understand I’m not going to diet I just want to cultivate a healthy microbiome. Why? Because microbes help us digest food, harvest calories, provide us with energy, produce crucial vitamins, regulate appetite, and protect our immune system. This is a new approach to healthy eating spearheaded by Professor Tim Spector, author of the new book “The Diet Myth: The Real Science Behind What We Eat” Professor Spector’s work (Yes, he has a super villain’s name.) was recently featured in a CBC documentary It Takes Guts. Here are Tim Spector’s top ten foods for gut health:
Lastly, I plan to do more promos this year. This will be especially true in January, February and March. I’m planning giveaways, and sales to celebrate some special days, such as Robbie Burns day on 25th January, where we appreciate the Scots in all their glory. And what self respecting romance writer doesn’t celebrate Valentines Day 14th February with a giveaway. Finally, I have to do something special for St. Patrick’s Day.
So stay tuned for announcements. What are your goals? I'd love to hear about them? I want to take this opportunity to wish you and your loved ones a wonderful 2016.
I want to wish you and your family a safe and happy holiday season, but I also want to let you know that you don’t need an eReader or Kindle to enjoy your favorite ebooks.
The idea for this post came to me recently when I was visiting the doctor’s, nothing serious, just the normal mutant flu (Tis the season to be snotty, Fa la la la la, la la la la.) I was in the waiting room, reading a book on my phone, when another patient made a comment – something along the lines of – people today can’t put their phones down. He was shocked when I told him I was reading a book. That’s when it occurred to me that many people don’t know that if you have a computer, smart phone or tablet you can purchase and read eBooks. I’m not sure about Kobo or Barnes and Noble, but I do know that Amazon has a free app that allows you to download books to your device. Personally, I love the convenience of always having a book with me. I don’t have to remember to charge another device. And I can enlarge the font to make it easier to read. Some people think that the small screen would be a problem, but to be honest, it’s not. I’m too involved in the book to notice. So go ahead, treat yourself to a free app and ask for some ebooks for Christmas. You’ll be happy you did. Happy Holidays from my family to yours. For Christmas 2013 I wrote a post entitled Merry Christmas or a Happy Winter Solstice where I explored the fact that people of the northern hemisphere have celebrated the winter solstice for millennia. Then for Christmas 2014 I wrote about Oliver Cromwell, The Man Who Banned Christmas whose attempt to ban Christmas was doomed to fail. Why? Because I believe when the world is at it’s darkest we need to celebrate the light, and what better way to do that than with family, friends, good food and presents. But lets look at the trappings of our traditional Christmas. Where did they come from? Especially that icon of the season, the Christmas tree. St. Boniface is believed to be responsible for putting the Christmas tree into Christmas. He was an eighth century missionary sent to convert the Germanic tribes to Christianity. He came upon a human sacrifice at the foot of an oak. He chopped down the tree and pointing to an evergreen said, “This humble tree's wood is used to build your homes: let Christ be at the center of your households. Its leaves remain evergreen in the darkest days: let Christ be your constant light. Its boughs reach out to embrace and its top points to heaven: let Christ be your comfort and guide.” And so the tradition of using a fir tree to celebrate Christ’s birth was born. It wasn’t until German settlers came to the United States that the idea of a Christmas tree began to spread outside of Germany. Although we know that Pennsylvania German settlements had trees as early as 1747 they were still seen by some as a pagan tradition well into the 19th century. So what changed? Queen Victoria’s German consort, Prince Albert, brought his Christmas traditions with him to Windsor Castle. In the 1840's illustrations of the royals celebrating around a Christmas tree were published worldwide And let’s face it, if it’s good enough for the royal family it must be good enough for the rest of us. And so the modern tradition of the Christmas tree was born. I want to take this opportunity to wish you and your loved ones a very happy holiday. Please visit my fellow authors listed below. I believe that some stops are offering prizes. Trans Canada Romance Writers |