BOOK REVIEW: A Modern Midlife Christmas Carol by Alana Oxford

A Modern Midlife Christmas Carol

Christmas cheer was dead, to begin with.

The world rests on Eliza’s shoulders. The kids, her husband, work, her elderly mother, and don’t forget her newest friend: perimenopause. It’s too much to carry, but she’s been doing it for years. It’s just what a good wife and mother does, isn’t it? 

When another Christmas rolls around, Eliza is drained by all the expectations and logistics of the holiday season. She’s fast approaching her breaking point, but no one around her notices she’s on the edge.

After an incident at her in-laws on Christmas Eve brings things to a boiling point, she finds herself with three unexpected visitors. The spirits of the past, present, and future take her on a journey through her life to shake her out of the rut she’s got into. Their messages leave her with new possibilities: reconnect with her past, reclaim her present, or forge a new future.  

And you, the reader, decide which option is best! 

Purchase Links

https://books2read.com/u/3kw7gO
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0DDHX2854

I've always been a huge fan of Charles Dickens' classic A Christmas Carol, not just in book form but also in its many and varied film and TV adaptations.  This feel-good Christmas ghost story has a powerful message - one which stays with the reader or viewer long after the last page has been read or the closing credits have finished rolling.

And so it is with Alana Oxford's wonderful modern interpretation of the story.  The protagonist in this tale is not a grumpy and miserly old man, but an exhausted, overworked and unappreciated middle-aged woman - someone who represents the experiences of any member of the so-called "sandwich generation".  Like Scrooge, Eliza has come to dread Christmas - not because she doesn't believe in it, but because she has lost the ability to enjoy it.  

But like Scrooge, one Christmas Eve she receives three ghostly visitations, representing Christmases past, present and future, cleverly presented in ingenious ways.  In all three cases what she discovers shocks and surprises her, changing her - and our - perception of her situation for ever.

The book is short enough to read in one sitting.  One thing I particularly loved about it is how the author offers three alternative endings, and invites the reader to decide which one is the most likely or most appropriate outcome of the story.  I am still trying to make up my mind about it!

Highly recommended.

 

Alana Oxford is a Michigan author of romcoms, sweet romance, and humorous women's fiction. She wants her stories to bring sunshine and smiles to her readers. She enjoys improv comedy, moody music, everything book related, and has an ongoing love affair with the United Kingdom.

Social Media Links –  

https://twitter.com/AlanaOxford  

https://instagram.com/AlanaOxford   

https://www.facebook.com/AlanaOxford

https://www.tiktok.com/@alanaoxford

 

Giveaway to Win an ebook of The Gingerbread Christmas Village by Kiley Dunbar (Open to UK & US Only).

Alana Oxford has kindly said that she would like to do an ebook giveaway for another author who writes charming and cozy Christmas books. A Kindle copy of The Gingerbread Christmas Village by Kiley Dunbar, which is a lovely holiday romance featuring a protagonist in her early 60s. 

*Terms and Conditions:

UK & US entries welcome.  Please click HERE to enter.  The winner will be selected at random via Rafflecopter from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then Rachel’s Random Resources reserves the right to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over.  Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. This will be passed to the giveaway organiser and used only for fulfilment of the prize, after which time Rachel’s Random Resources will delete the data.  I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.

Sincere thanks to Rachel's Random Resources for the opportunity to take part in this blog tour.

LLANDDWYN LOVERS

In Wales, today is a very special day for lovers. It is the feast of St Dwynwen (in Welsh: Llanddwyn), who is regarded by many as the Welsh equivalent of St Valentine – the patron saint of lovers.  Her feast day (25 January) is often celebrated by the Welsh with flowers and cards.

I’ve always loved the Isle of Anglesey (or, to give it its Welsh name, Ynys Môn) - so much so that for the past thirty years it has been my second home.

As well as boasting a rugged natural beauty, Anglesey is also steeped in history and folklore.  So when I was looking for a setting for my novel Never on Saturday, Anglesey was the obvious choice.

Never on Saturday is a paranormal dual-timeline romance novella, set partly in medieval France and partly in present-day North Wales.  And one of the key scenes in the novel takes place at one of Anglesey’s most picturesque locations: Llanddwyn Island.

Llanddwyn Island (in Welsh: Ynys Llanddwyn) is a remote rocky promontory, about a mile long, situated at the south-west corner of Anglesey, and forms part of the Newborough Warren nature reserve.   It is not, strictly speaking, an island, although if the tide is exceptionally high, as can be seen in this photo, it can become one for a few hours:  

According to tradition, the original Dwynwen was a fifth-century Welsh princess, one of the daughters of Brychan, a prince of Brecon.  She fell in love with a young chieftain named Maelon, but rejected his advances.  The reasons for this vary according to which version of the story you read, but the popular belief is either that Maelon tried to seduce Dwynwen before they were married, or that Dwynwen’s father had plans for her to marry someone else.  But whatever the reason, the outcome was the same: Dwynwen prayed to be released from her doomed love affair.

In answer to her prayer Dwynwen was visited by an angel, who instructed her to concoct a potion which would dispel all thoughts of love.  One source tells that the potion was made from rare herbs from Newborough Forest, mixed with a lover’s tears and beads of dew from the petals of the snapdragon.  She and her lover both drank the potion, at which point Dwynwen immediately forgot her love for Maelon.  Maelon, unfortunately, fared rather worse: he was transformed into a block of ice.

The angel appeared to Dwynwen again and granted her three wishes.  Dwynwen’s first wish was that Maelon should be restored to life.  Her second wish was that she herself should never again wish to marry, and her third wish was that all faithful lovers should find true happiness.  She then retreated to what is now Llanddwyn Island and spent the rest of her life in isolation.

Meanwhile, Maelon was restored to life in accordance with Dwynwen’s wish, and the spot where the block of ice had stood, according to tradition, became a spring of clear water.  This spring became St Dwynwen’s Well, and it soon became a popular place of pilgrimage for lovers.  It was said that a woman could test the fidelity of her lover by scattering breadcrumbs on the water then laying her handkerchief on the surface.  If the handkerchief was disturbed by one of the eels living in the well, this foretold that the lover would be faithful.

The place of pilgrimage was so popular that during Tudor times it became the richest in the area, and in the early sixteenth century a church was built on the site of Dwynwen’s original chapel.  Sadly, the church fell victim to the Dissolution of the Monasteries in 1536, but its remains can still be seen today.

As for what happens on Llanddwyn Island in Never on Saturday, and why it is pivotal to the story, click here to find out more...

A Large Print edition, featuring a beautiful cover image of Llanddwyn Island, was released last year by Ulverscroft Books and should be available in libraries.

Never on Saturday is also available in French as Jamais le Samedi, and as an Audible audiobook, beautifully narrated by Sarah Pogson.

HALLOWE'EN BOOK PROMO: THE UNFORTUNATE SIDE EFFECTS OF HEARTBREAK AND MAGIC by Breanne Randall

 

For fans of Practical Magic and Gilmore Girls, this charming debut novel and TikTok sensation is packed full of romance, charm and plenty of magic…

Revelare witches are cursed. As long as they use their magic, they are doomed to four heartbreaks.

So far, Sadie Revelare has experienced three – the devastating departure of her mother and the loss of her brother. And the most painful heartbreak of all: Jake McNealy, her first love. Ever since, Sadie has done everything she can to protect herself from more pain.

But now Sadie's beloved grandmother is sick. And without her, Sadie isn't sure she will have the strength to keep her family and her magic together.

As Sadie’s carefully structured life begins to unravel, Jake returns to town after a decade away. And in the face of a final heartbreak that could tear Sadie apart, she must decide once and for all: is love more important than magic?

The perfect read for anyone looking for a cosy and warm witchy novel to curl up with this autumn.

Purchase Link - https://amzn.eu/d/gbqaEhX

Author Bio – Breanne Randall is a freelance writer by trade and an author by vocation. She graduated with honours with degrees in English Literature, Psychology, and Religious Studies, and her articles have been published in national magazines such as Parents, Fit Pregnancy, Good Housekeeping, Family Circle et al. as well as regular contributions to sites such as Disney Family, SheKnows, Bustle, et al. A seasoned traveller, she imbues her stories with the magic and culture collected from the over forty countries she’s visited.

Breanne lives in the sleepy foothills of Northern California with her husband, two daughters, and a slew of farm animals. When she’s not writing, you can find her wandering the property searching for fairy portals or serving elaborate stuffed animal tea parties.

Social Media Links – Instagram: houseofrandall Twitter: @breanne_randall

 

 

THE LANGUAGE OF THE BORDER REIVERS - a guest post by Jennifer C Wilson

Today I'm thrilled to welcome back to my blog my dear friend and fellow-author Jennifer C Wilson, whose latest novel The Warriors' Prize has just been released by Ocelot Press. I've already had the pleasure of reading this book, and believe me, it's an absolute delight.

Jen is here to tell us about a fascinating aspect of the story, and how its influences are still evident today.

The Language of the Border Reivers

As creators of phrases go, I think it’s fair to say that the high seas take the win; between pirates and various navies, so many things we say without thinking today originated on the water. However, I’m glad to say that some also came from my neck of the woods – the Anglo-Scotland border region. Of course, given the nature of the border reivers, they aren’t necessarily the most sweet-natured of words… 

Blackmail: ‘Mail’ through the Middle Ages and into the Tudor era was another word for ‘tax’ or ‘rent’, and in the borders, this was often paid in silver coinage (‘white mail’, harmless enough). However, the borders weren’t exactly a cash-rich society, and sometimes, landlords would seek payment by other means, often taking goods or livestock which would be ultimately a higher value than if tenants had paid in coin. This became known as ‘black mail’. Charging extortionate rents to legitimate tenants was one thing; eventually, reiver gangs began essentially threatening local farmers into paying protection money, which also became known as blackmail. 

Being caught red-handed: A pretty literal one here – if you were caught with blood on your hands, either through murder or stealing livestock, you were deemed to have been caught red-handed, and could even be executed on the spot. 

Bereaved: Another obvious one; if the reivers killed one of your family (which happened a lot), then you were said to have been ‘be-reived’. It isn’t a huge step to the modern equivalent, and is a useful reminder that however much the reivers have been romanticised in fiction (including my own, I will admit), they were a ruthless bunch, and practically impossible to govern until King James VI/I joined the thrones of England and Scotland in 1603. 

Hot to trot: All right, so this one isn’t entirely proven, but I like the thinking behind it… The ‘hot trod’ was an immediate attempt at retaliation, giving borderers the opportunity to gather a group of neighbours and head out after reivers, to try and reclaim their stolen property. The symbol of the hot trod was the carrying of a burning sod of peat atop a lance, and it was considered a duty to help if a trod rode your way. If nothing else, helping others might give them cause to come to your aid when the time came. Although not as popular now, ‘hot to trot’ refers to being ready to go, and to spring into action, just as the reivers were when the call came for a hot trod. It’s not a huge leap of the imagination to see how the phrase might have morphed over the centuries. 

It's not just about the words which have stayed with us, though. Given the ‘independent’ nature of the borders and borderers (read ‘unmanageable’); in their heyday, those from the north of Scotland and south of England might have struggled to fully follow discussions between border residents, with Scots English emerging as a combined dialect all of its own. Given that it wasn’t rare for borderers to carry both English and Scottish flags, revealing whichever was the most prudent at any particular time, the fact that they had their own language is no surprise at all. 

MORE ABOUT THE BOOK:

The Warriors’ Prize

Stirling Castle, 1498

Visiting court for the first time since her father's death, Lady Avelina Gordon finds herself drawn to the handsome warrior, Sir Lachlan MacNair. But as a woman who has seen too many of her friends lose everything for 'love', she keeps her heart guarded.

Castle Berradane, 1502

Lady Avelina is unceremoniously told to expect her new husband within the month. The man in question: Sir Lachlan.

Lachlan arrives in Berradane carrying his own secret, and a determination to control his heart. As attraction builds between the couple, they find themselves under attack and fearful of a traitor in their midst.

Can the teamwork they've shown in adversity so far pull them through one final test, and will they find the strength to risk their hearts, as well as their lives?

Purchase Link - https://mybook.to/TheWarriorsPrize

MORE ABOUT JEN:

Jennifer has been stalking dead monarchs since she was a child. It started with Mary, Queen of Scots, then moved onto Richard III. At least now it results in a story!

She won North Tyneside Libraries' Story Tyne short story competition in 2014 (no dead monarchs, but still not a cheerful read), and has been filling notebooks and hard-drives ever since. Her Kindred Spirits series, following the 'lives' of some very interesting ghostly communities, is published by Darkstroke, and her historical romances by Ocelot Press.

Jennifer is currently exploring some new ideas for historical romance, and hoping to visit Kindred Spirit friends old and new, north of the border...

Social Media Links –

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jennifercwilsonwriter/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/inkjunkie1984

Website: https://jennifercwilsonwriter.wordpress.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jennifercwilsonwriter/

Huge thanks to Rachel's Random Resources for the opportunity to take part in this blog tour.  Do check out the other posts over the next few days.  Details are on the banner below.

THE CASE OF THE MISSING PEKE - an interview with Kate Darroch

My guest today is the award-winning novelist Kate Darroch, who is here to talk about her new book The Case of the Missing Peke.

Welcome, Kate!  What prompted you to first start writing? What was the first thing you wrote?

When I was young I lived in Scotland, in the days when "the tawse" (a heavy leather strap) was used to beat misbehaving pupils. I was very quiet, but during a Latin lesson one day I was doodling on the cover of my jotter. Doodling helps me to think. For some reason that annoyed my teacher, and he gave me "six of the best" on my right hand. My hand was so swollen I couldn't hold anything in it. I was 13 years old.

After school I sat down and with my left hand I wrote a comic story about a boy who had a magic travelling ring. His headmaster would see the boy disappear from school corridors on his magic travels - and this made the headmaster fear for his own sanity. But one day the head is swept up in the magic field and arrives in Switzerland with the boy. The head is so relieved that he wasn't "seeing things" that he becomes a friend to the boy and they travel around magically together.

I was prompted to write the story because I respected my teacher's scholarship and wanted to do well in his class. I wished that he had understood that I was doodling to help me to understand his lesson, and I wished that he had been kind to me, as the headmaster in my story is kind to the boy.

Can you summarise your latest work in just a few words?

I'm writing a series of humorous mystery novellas - Huntingdon Hart Investigates: The Casefiles of an Occasional Detective. The first is The Case of the Missing Peke.  Hunt is a mid-30s retired MI5 hitman living quietly in an English village.  When he agrees to search for a missing puppy, Hunt meets the only woman he will ever love.

 What was the inspiration for this book?

I love Sherlock Holmes mysteries, and I adore send-ups. This is my comedy hommage to Sherlock Holmes.

Did you do any research for the book?

I had done a lot of research for a humorous spy series I intend to write next, and I adore going racing and once owned a part-share in a steeplechaser. Most of Hunt's cases are linked to Newmarket racecourse.

How do you decide on the names for your characters?

Usually they come to me from the Muse, but often I adapt what the Muse gives me.

For example, my heroine Màiri Maguire, whose book Death in Paris has won me 15 book awards, was originally called Maggie Maguire. But a publisher told me that there is already a female sleuth called Maggie Maguire, so I re-named her Màiribecause she is Scots Irish.  Màiri is both a Scottish name (pronounced Marrhi) and an Irish name (pronounced Moiyra).

Màiri's life is so upside-down that I thought it appropriate to give her a name that wasn't straightforward.

Hunt came to me from the Muse as Huntingdon MacSpeirin, but I had a reader contest to name him and so he became Huntingdon Hart, courtesy of the lovely Ami.

Do you plot your novels in advance, or allow them to develop as you write?

Both. The story comes to me from the Muse.  Out of respect for her gift, I write a very detailed outline.  Then I write the book. Very often, as I write, the story changes.

Now the book is published and ‘out there’ how do you feel?

I am having great fun writing more Hunt stories.  I chose to write them as Quick Reads to give readers of my earlier books a little fun while I write the next Màiri novel, Death in Rome.

Is there a message for the reader?

Yes. My message to the reader is: Have fun whenever you can.  When things are dark, Laughter is the Best Medicine.

Do you have any advice for new writers?

Yes. Write from the heart. Write in your own voice.  Do not listen to people who tell you that you should write "what the readers want".  Write what feels right to you, and it will find an audience.  Everyone has an audience. And thanks to this wonderful thing called the internet, today all artists can find their audience.

Your audience will be so glad that they found you, especially if yours is not a "popular" voice.

So be true to your Muse, and she will be kind to you.

What can we expect from you in the future?

If God spares me, many more Hunt stories, at least 4 more Màiri books, and some stories from Major Peverel (a popular character in the Màiri books).

Thank you, Kate, for a most interesting chat!

Thanks again, Sue.  It is an honour to be a Guest on your blog.

More about Kate:

Living in gorgeous Coastal Devon, Kate synergises her lifelong love of reading Cozy Sleuths with years of writing experience and her extensive knowledge of foreign climes to write Travel Cozies.

Her first Cozies were the 1970s-set Màiri Maguire Cozy Mysteries - fun, frothy, fast-paced mysteries, with just enough clues and twists to keep you guessing until the end.

Now Kate’s Quick Reads Cozy series is released:  Huntingdon Hart Investigates, Casefiles of an Occasional Detective

Kate hopes that her readers will get as much pleasure from reading Màiri’s adventures as she gets from Sherlock Holmes, Father Brown, Ellery Queen, Raffles, and Jana DeLeon's Miss Fortune series.

Huge thanks to Bittersweet Book Tours for the opportunity to take part in this blog tour.

FABERGÉ by Jo Fenton

Heist. Abduction. Blackmail.

Manchester detective Becky White and her friends at the White Knight Detective Agency take on a case involving the theft of a multi-million-pound Fabergé egg.

Events quickly escalate, and they find themselves dealing with unscrupulous villains who will stop at nothing - not even at kindapping or murder - to achieve their goals.

Can Becky solve the mystery before her hidden enemies catch up with her? 

Amazon UK: click here

Amazon US: click here  

Jo Fenton grew up in Hertfordshire, UK. She devoured books from an early age, particularly enjoying adventure books, school stories and fantasy. She wanted to be a scientist from aged six after being given a wonderful book titled “Science Can Be Fun”. At eleven, she discovered Agatha Christie and Georgette Heyer, and now has an eclectic and much loved book collection cluttering her home office.

Jo combines an exciting career in Clinical Research with an equally exciting but very different career as a writer of psychological thrillers.

When not working, she runs (very slowly), and chats to lots of people. She lives in Manchester with her husband, youngest son, a Golden Retriever/Husky cross and a tankful of tropical fish. She is an active and enthusiastic member of two writing groups and a reading group.

Jo can be found at her website www.jofenton137.com or on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest (links below):

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jofentonauthor/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/jl_fenton

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jo.fenton137/

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.co.uk/jofenton137/

Giveaway* to win a Fabergé mouse mat and notebook (Open to UK Only)

To enter the Giveaway, please click here. Good luck!

*Terms & Conditions:

UK entries welcome. The winner will be selected at random via Rafflecopter from all valid entries, and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then Rachel's Random Resources reserves the right to select an alternative winner. Open to all UK entrants aged 18 or over. Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winner's information. This will be passed to the giveaway organiser and used only for fulfilment of the prize, after which Rachel's Random Resources will delete the data. I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.

Book Review: ASCENT by Cathie Dunn

I've read a lot of Cathie Dunn's books in the past, and her novels bring history to life in a way that few writers can achieve.   Ascent is no exception - with the added bonus that it covers a subject about which comparatively little is known: the rise of the House of Normandy and its history before 1066, and in particular the women who helped to create it.

Ms Dunn has painted a vivid and compassionate picture of the period.  The characters and the settings leap off the page, and the book is both entertaining and educational.  Ascent is highly recommended, and I eagerly await the further novels in the series.

In the meantime, read on to find out more about the book, and a chance to win a signed paperback copy of this excellent novel.

More about Ascent:

A brutal Viking raid heralds the dawn of a new, powerful dynasty – the House of Normandy

Neustria, Kingdom of the West Franks, AD 890

Fourteen-year-old Poppa’s life changes when Northmen land near Bayeux. Count Bérengar, her father, submits to them, and she is handfasted to Hrólfr, the Northmen’s heathen leader, as part of their agreement.

To her relief, Hrólfr leaves immediately in search of further conquest, only returning to claim her years later. In the face of retaliating Franks, they flee to East Anglia, where she gives birth to their son and daughter.

When Hrólfr and Poppa return to reclaim Bayeux, his new campaign strikes at the heart of Frankish power, and King Charles of the West Franks offers him a pact he cannot refuse. In exchange for vast tracts of land in Neustria, Hrólfr must convert to Christianity and accept marriage to Gisela, the king’s illegitimate daughter.

Poppa’s world shatters. She remains in Bayeux, with her daughter, Adela. When Gisela arrives one day, demanding she hand over Adela to be raised in Rouen, Poppa’s patience is at an end. But Gisela makes for a dangerous enemy, and only one woman will survive their confrontation high up on the cliffs.

Will Poppa live to witness the dawn of a new era?

ASCENT is the first in a new series about the early women of the House of Normandy – women whose stories have been forgotten through time.

Until now!

Readers of Viking and medieval fiction will enjoy ASCENT, a fictional account of the life of Poppa of Bayeux, handfasted wife of Rollo the Viking.

Trigger warning: Loss of a child. Some battle and fighting scenes.

Purchase Links 

International Buy Link: http://mybook.to/NormandyAscent  

Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09RNB6N5L/

Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B09RNB6N5L/

Amazon CA: https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B09RNB6N5L/

Amazon AU: https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B09RNB6N5L/

More about Cathie:

Cathie Dunn is an award-winning author of historical fiction, mystery, and romance. The focus of her historical fiction novels is on strong women through time.

Cathie has been writing for over twenty years. She studied Creative Writing online, with a focus on novel writing, which she also taught in the south of France. She loves researching for her novels, delving into history books, and visiting castles and historic sites. A voracious reader, primarily of historical fiction / romance, she often reviews books on her blog, Ruins & Reading.

Cathie is a member of the Historical Novel Society, the Richard III Society, and the Alliance of Independent Authors.

After many years in Scotland, Cathie now lives in south of France with her husband, and rescued Charlie Cat and Ellie Dog. Discover more about Cathie at www.cathiedunn.com.

 

Social Media Links – 

Website: https://www.cathiedunn.com 
Amazon Author Page: https://author.to/CathieDunn 
Twitter: https://twitter.com/cathiedunn 
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CathieDunnAuthor/ 
Ruins & Reading FB group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/722966445318513 
Pinterest:  https://www.pinterest.com/cathiedunnwrites/_saved/ 
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5066224.Cathie_Dunn 

Giveaway to win a signed paperback copy of Ascent by Cathie Dunn. Please click here to enter.  

Terms and Conditions: Worldwide entries welcome.  The winner will be selected at random via Rafflecopter from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then Rachel’s Random Resources reserves the right to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over.  Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. This will passed to the giveaway organiser and used only for fulfilment of the prize, after which time Rachel’s Random Resources will delete the data.  I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.

Huge thanks to Rachel's Random Resources for the opportunity to take part in this blog tour.  Do check out the other posts - details are on the banner above.