PUBLISHED TO YOUTUBE BY SERENE AMBIANCE ON NOVEMBER 30, 2020.
I’ve had several videos of fireplaces with Christmas instrumental music playing as I write lately. I picked this one because it is one of the shorter ones. (Some are up to eight or even eleven hours! I just pick up where I left off one day when I start the video again the next day. 🙂 )
Today, I am sharing a short excerpt from two books that have a specific location in common. So this post, like the video above, could be a longish one. 🙂
This first excerpt is from Two Days before Christmas.
Can you believe we are already at the end of the year? It’s been quite the year, hasn’t it? But before we bid farewell to 2020, let me tell you what I have been up to in my writing life this past month and what is on the horizon to happen (hopefully) before the year ends or just as the calendar turns.
Story Updates
Here are a few updates on stories I have been working on and what I am planning to work on next:
Christmas in Gracechurch Street: This story was supposed to be on preorder today. It’s not – which fits for this story. It has not been where I wanted it to be the whole time I was writing it. I am a person who likes schedules and routine. This year has been one of working on flexibility, whether I wanted to work on it or not. 😀 However, all the edits should be done by the end of next week, and I have penciled in December 15 as the release day for this book.
PUBLISHED TO YOUTUBE BY KATIE DOUGLAS ON DECEMBER 6, 2011.
I thought it might be time to delve once again into my Spotify “My Kinda Country” playlist. I mean, it has been at least a month since I last shared a country song with you. Emerson Drive is a Canadian group, and I like a lot of their music. A. Lot. (I know I have shared some of their music before, and I will probably share some in the future, too. 😉 )
When I was scrolling and listening in search of a song to pair with Mary: To Protect Her Heart, it was the title of this song that first grabbed my attention because Mary needs to learn to trust Gabe. (And then, the first few lyrics of this song… perfection.)
Growing up with the admiral was not pretty and has coloured Mary’s view of men. And, to be honest, her choice of friends up until now has not helped her with that view of men. However, Gabe it the complete opposite of the admiral and her friends, which Mary has come to know and appreciate.
The chapter below is the one where Mary finally realizes that she trusts Gabe, and it contains Gabe’s promise to her at the end that he’ll never let her “take on water.” (He was a privateer so taking on water is a significant thing to him.)
One more thing before you jump into this chapter, Mary: To Protect Her Heart is free until 11:59 PM PST today, Monday, March 30, 2020. So, if you don’t have this book yet, now is the time to get it. I’ve also got the first two books in this series (Henry: To Prove Himself Worthy and Charles: To Discover His Purpose) marked down to $0.99 until today as well.
Mary: To Protect Her Heart, Chapter 8
“You look lovely,” Gabe whispered as he and Mary approached the theatre’s entrance. “All will be well.”
He had been telling her that for the past two days – ever since Henry’s invitation to join him at the theatre had arrived during one of Gabe’s daily calls on Mary. The calls were not all made during regular calling hours. Gabe’s schedule did not always afford such luxuries, but Mary was happy to see him at any time of the day. Today, she had not seen him until now, and she had missed having him sit in the chair near the hearth, telling her about his day and inquiring after hers.
“Did you get the lace you needed?” he asked as they entered the building.
“No, Margaret and I were otherwise occupied today with a bit of knitting that the cat unravelled. We will get it tomorrow.”
“I will be unable to call tomorrow. There is still a matter to argue about concerning the new letter of marque, and then I am engaged with another matter after that.” He pulled her closer to his side as they reached the top of the stairs leading to the saloon where the private boxes were. “I will miss you.”
I hope this email finds you safe and well. Below you will find information about what I got done in my writing life this week and links to two books that are on sale and two books (one that is mine and one that is a friend’s) which are free this weekend. Oh! And there is also a first look at the cover for Cherishing Kitty.
Writing News
I pushed myself to complete a long list of items this week, and as soon as I get this blog post and my weekly email written and scheduled, every item on my to-do list will be done! I’m a little excited about that, and I must admit that my brain is tired! 🙂
Here’s an update on my writing projects with a short excerpt from a couple of them.
His Irreplaceable Belle: I am up to chapter 14, and I am not sharing a clip from this as no matter what I choose, it will be a spoiler. Sorry. You’re going to have to wait to find out what happens in this chapter.
PUBLISHED TO YOUTUBE BY HIGH VALLEY ON APRIL 29, 2019
I love this song, and I love this group’s music. Before you press play, you might want to know that the video, in my opinion, tells a lovely, but sad, story.
Now on to the reason I am sharing this song today. Every time I hear this play on the radio or my Spotify playlist, it always brings to mind the stories I have written where the “bad boy” finds his life of chasing a good time is just not as fulling as it once was.
And do you know which bad boy pops to mind first? Charles Edwards, the hero of Charles: To Discover His Purpose. That’s probably because he’s the most unapologetic about his roguish behaviour when the story starts. In fact, his whole purpose of hanging around the heroine, Evelyn, when the story begins is so that he can steal a kiss from her. Of course, this being a romance, you know he’s going to figure out that he wants a whole lot more than a kiss.
In the chapter I am sharing from that story today, Charles is still just that single man looking for a good time.
Charles breathed a sigh of relief as he entered the saloon on his way to the Lintons’ box. It had been a challenge to squeeze past people without being noticed too much.
“Edwards.” His long-time friend, Trefor Linton, drew up beside him. “You are not invisible no matter how you turn your collar or duck your head.” There was a hint of a laugh in his friend’s voice. “I have heard three young ladies tittering as you passed them.”
“I imagine I look a fright to them.”
“No,” said Constance, making her presence behind Charles known. “They seem to be in awe of your noble deed.”
