Thursday, December 23, 2021

December - You’re amazing! Happy Birthday.


 

As promised, on the 23rd of every month I will post a list of literary author birthdays. I came across the list on Book Lover Gifts website. Feel free to add your favorite authors special day. Put it in the comments section, just wait for their birth month.

 


  • 09 Dec 1608 – John Milton, author of Paradise Lost
  • 12 Dec 1821 – Gustave Flaubert, author of Madame Bovary
  • 16 Dec 1775 – Jane Austen, author of Pride & Prejudice
  • 30 Dec 1865 – Rudyard Kipling, author of Jungle Book

 

December Facts:

  • The first day of Winter, the Winter Solstice, is December 21 or 22 and is the shortest day and the longest night.
  • In 700 BCE, December was shortened to 29 days. It was changed to 31 days with the advent of the Julian calendar.
  • December’s full moon is known as the Cold Moon, a Mohawk name that conveys the frigid conditions of this time of year.
  • Folklore: December changeable and mild, the whole winter will remain a child.

 


This is the end of the year. It’s been fun. Have a wonderful New Year!

 

Sources:

http://projectbritain.com/year/march.htm

https://www.almanac.com/content/month-january-holidays-facts-folklore

https://www.ducksters.com/history/decemberinhistory.php


Tuesday, November 23, 2021

November - Today’s your birthday–time to celebrate!

 


As promised, on the 23rd of every month I will post a list of literary author birthdays. I came across the list on Book Lover Gifts website. Feel free to add your favorite authors special day. Put it in the comments section, just wait for their birth month.


 

  • 08 Nov 1847 - Bram Stoker, author of Dracula
  • 11 Nov 1821 - Fyodor Dostoyevsky, author of Crime and Punishment
  • 13 Nov 1850 - Robert Louis Stevenson, author of Treasure Island
  • 29 Nov 1898 - C. S. Lewis, creator of Narnia
  • 30 Nov 1835 - Mark Twain, author of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer

 

November Facts:

  • Most, if not all, of the leaves have fallen off the trees in the Northern Hemisphere by the end of November.
  • Throughout much of history, November has often been thought of as a somber month because it signaled the start of winter. People would spend the month storing up their harvest and preparing their food and homes in order to survive the winter.
  • Folklore: If there’s ice in November that will bear a duck, there’ll be nothing after but sludge and muck.

 

See you next month!


Sources:

http://projectbritain.com/year/march.htm

https://www.almanac.com/content/month-january-holidays-facts-folklore

https://www.ducksters.com/history/decemberinhistory.php


Saturday, October 23, 2021

October - Happy, happy birthday! Time to blow out the candles and make a wish.

 


As promised, on the 23rd of every month I will post a list of literary author birthdays. I came across the list on Book Lover Gifts website. Feel free to add your favorite authors special day. Put it in the comments section, just wait for their birth month.

 


  • 04 Oct 1884 – Damon Runyon, author of Little Miss Marker
  • 16 Oct 1854 – Oscar Wilde, author of The Happy Prince and Other Tales
  • 27 Oct 1914 – Dylan Thomas, the stormy Welsh poet

October Facts: 

  • In the Northern Hemisphere, the leaves on trees begin to change color.
  • The Saxons called October Wintirfylith because it had the first full moon of the winter season.
  • Halloween, celebrated on the last day of the month originated with the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, when people would light bonfires and wear costumes to ward off ghosts. Samhain marks the end of the harvest season and beginning winter.
  • Folklore: A warm October means a cold February.

 

See you next month!



Sources:

http://projectbritain.com/year/march.htm

https://www.almanac.com/content/month-january-holidays-facts-folklore

https://www.ducksters.com/history/decemberinhistory.php


Thursday, September 23, 2021

September - Time to enjoy a birthday cake and the company of loved ones. Happy Birthday!

 


As promised, on the 23rd of every month I will post a list of literary author birthdays. I came across the list on Book Lover Gifts website. Feel free to add your favorite authors special day. Put it in the comments section, just wait for their birth month.

 


  • 09 Sept 1828 - Leo Tolstoy, author of War & Peace
  • 13 Sept 1916 - Roald Dahl, author of Matilda
  • 21 Sept 1947 - Stephen King, The Master of Horror
  • 21 Sept 1866 - H. G. Wells, author of The War of the Worlds
  • 24 Sept 1896 - F Scott Fitzgerald, author of The Great Gatsby
  • 25 Sept 1897 - William Faulkner, author of The Big Sleep
  • 26 Sept 1888 - T. S. Eliot, author of The Cocktail Party

 

September Facts:

It is the first month of Autumn.

  • Many children begin the school year in September.
  • September is often associated with fire because it was associated with Vulcan, the Roman god of fire and the forge.
  • In 1752, the British changed from the Julian calendar to the Gregorian calendar. The change required an adjustment to some days because the seasons were off. To fix it, they moved 11 days from September. They went from September 3 to the 14th. To the Britain in 1752 the days between September 3 and 13 just never happened.
  • Folklore: Married in September’s golden glow, smooth and serene your life will go.

 

See you next month!

Sources:

http://projectbritain.com/year/march.htm

https://www.almanac.com/content/month-january-holidays-facts-folklore

https://www.ducksters.com/history/decemberinhistory.php


Monday, August 23, 2021

August - Wishing you the happiest of birthdays and a fantastic year ahead!


 

As promised, on the 23rd of every month I will post a list of literary author birthdays. I came across the list on Book Lover Gifts website. Feel free to add your favorite authors special day. Put it in the comments section, just wait for their birth month.

 


  • 01 Aug 1819 – Herman Melville, author of Moby Dick
  • 22 Aug 1920 – Ray Bradbury, author of Fahrenheit 451
  • 24 Aug 1899 – Jorge Luis Borges, author of The Library of Babel

 

August Facts:

  • It is the last month of summer.
  • It is the month of summer vacations and holiday for many around the world.
  • Many cultures call August the harvest month.
  • Folklore: If the first week of August is unusually warm, The winter will be white and long.

 

 See you next month!


Sources:

http://projectbritain.com/year/march.htm

https://www.almanac.com/content/month-january-holidays-facts-folklore

https://www.ducksters.com/history/decemberinhistory.php


Friday, July 23, 2021

July - Wishing you all the best on your special day!

 


As promised, on the 23rd of every month I will post a list of literary author birthdays. I came across the list on Book Lover Gifts website. Feel free to add your favorite authors special day. Put it in the comments section, just wait for their birth month.

 


  • 21 July 1899 - Ernest Hemingway, author of A Farewell to Arms
  • 28 July 1866 - Beatrix Potter, author of Peter Rabbit
  • 30 July 1818 - Emily Bronte, author of Wuthering Heights
  • 31 July 1965 - J K Rowling, author of Harry Potter

 

July Facts:

  • July is the warmest month in the Northern Hemisphere.
  • Sometimes the long, hot days of July are called the “dog days of summer.”
  • The ruby, July’s birthstone is associated with contentment, love, passion and integrity.
  • Originally call Quintillis on the Roman calendar, the name was changed to honor Julius Caesar who was born July 12.
  • Folklore: As July, so next January.

 

See you next month!


Sources:

http://projectbritain.com/year/march.htm

https://www.almanac.com/content/month-january-holidays-facts-folklore

https://www.ducksters.com/history/decemberinhistory.php


Wednesday, June 23, 2021

June - Happy Birthday! May today be filled with laughter and joy.

 


As promised, on the 23rd of every month I will post a list of literary author birthdays. I came across the list on Book Lover Gifts website. Feel free to add your favorite authors special day. Put it in the comments section, just wait for their birth month.

 


  • 13 June 1865 – William Butler Yeats, author of The Second Coming
  • 11 June 1572 – Ben Jonson, author of The Alchemist
  • 14 June 1811 – Harriet Beecher Stowe, author of Uncle Tom’s Cabin
  • 26 June 1892 – Pearl S. Buck, author of The Good Earth

 

June Facts:

  • It is the first month of the summer season.
  • June is known as a great month to get married.
  • June has the distinction of the longest day of the year June 21st or 22nd.
  • There were only 29 days in June on the early Roman calendar until Julius Caesar adding a day giving June 30 days.
  • Folklore: If June be sunny, the harvest comes early.

 

See you next month!

Sources:

http://projectbritain.com/year/march.htm

https://www.almanac.com/content/month-january-holidays-facts-folklore

https://www.ducksters.com/history/decemberinhistory.php


Sunday, May 23, 2021

May - You’re amazing! Happy Birthday.

 


As promised, on the 23rd of every month I will post a list of literary author birthdays. I came across the list on Book Lover Gifts website. Feel free to add your favorite authors special day. Put it in the comments section, just wait for their birth month.

 


  • 03 May 1469 Niccolò Machiavelli, author of The Prince
  • 22 May 1859 – Arthur Conan Doyle, author of Sherlock Holmes
  • 31 May 1819 – Walt Whitman, author of Leaves of Grass

 

May Facts:

  • May’s birthstone, the emerald symbolizes success and love.
  • Some consider May a bad month for weddings… “Marry in May and you’ll rue the day.”
  • Originally call Maius by the Romans, the name changed to May in the 1400s.
  • This year, Ramadan an Islamic holiday is celebrated from April 12 – May 12
  • Folklore: A warm January, a cold May.

See you next month!


Sources:

http://projectbritain.com/year/march.htm

https://www.almanac.com/content/month-january-holidays-facts-folklore

https://www.ducksters.com/history/decemberinhistory.php


Monday, May 10, 2021

Medieval Monday with Sophia Nye - Excerpt #14

 


Welcome back to Medieval Monday! This is week fourteen, the final week of the new round of authors, snippets, and fun. Our spring theme is the first kiss. Today I am hosting Sophia Nye and her terrific story, A Highland Autumn.

(For easy access to authors taking part in this round of Medieval Monday tales, visit the Medieval Romance Lovers Facebook page. Authors will post their blog links there.  You can also find us on Twitter at #MedMonSpring21.)

A murder, a mix-up, and a midnight missive make for one unforgettable Highland romance… See for yourself.

 

Excerpt 14

“I’m not marrying for love,” he replied, realizing it still didn’t explain a thing to her.

“But you are marrying,” she said sadly.

“Aye. I must,” Ronan answered, his resolve growing. He had been weak, but he would not make the same mistake again. “The kitchen is across the great hall, through the other door.”

Adelina said nothing, fleeing the room in search of Eby as quickly as she could without running. Ronan watched her go, unable to ignore the enticing sway of her hips and the shimmer of that red braid as she walked.

See last week’s snippet on Cathy MacRae’s blog: https://www.cathymacraeauthor.com/bits-n-bobs-author-blog

Follow the excerpt from the very beginning, starting with the first snippet on Sophia Nye’s blog: https://sophianyewrites.com/blog/

  A Highland Autumn

Seasons of Scotland Book 1

Sophia Nye

https://sophianyewrites.com/blog/


When a fiery, red-haired Englishwoman falls for the laird’s charming, off-limits son, their passion ignites a fire that threatens to engulf the clan.

Ronan Calder, eldest son of Clan Calder's laird, is going to stay as far away from marriage as he can get. After losing his mother and beloved sister during childbirth, Ronan knows there is no way he could ever inflict such a fate upon any woman. Things get a little complicated when he meets the enchanting new scholar and mistakes her for his future bride. 

Adelina Matheson has every intention of becoming the first female scholar at Oxford, and the quick wit to prove it. The only thing she's missing is permission to attend lectures. When the masters challenge Adelina to serve as advisor to a Highland laird in exchange for entry, she is left with little choice. She agrees to the challenge - surely she can manage such a simple task to prove herself.

Except that once Adelina arrives at Calder Keep, she realizes that nothing about her task is simple. She must battle her alarming attraction to the laird's handsome son while enduring the laird’s beastly temper. The only other Englishwoman is also her competition for Ronan's affection, and the entire clan is under threat of attack at the upcoming Samhain celebration. Can Ronan and Adelina put aside their personal troubles and save Clan Calder, or will they doom the entire clan?

Buy link:

Amazon https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08L8PRG18

 

 


Monday, May 3, 2021

Medieval Monday with Bambi Lynn - Excerpt #13

 


Welcome back to Medieval Monday! This is week thirteen of the new round of authors, snippets, and fun. Our spring theme is the first kiss. Today I am hosting Jenna Jaxon and her terrific story, A Knight in Rusted Armor.

(For easy access to authors taking part in this round of Medieval Monday tales, visit the Medieval Romance Lovers Facebook page. Authors will post their blog links there.  You can also find us on Twitter at #MedMonSpring21.)

Let me catch you up. Allys and Thorin are at odds with each other. There is a silk thread that drags them together but, well both are independent and stubborn. Allys is on a picnic with Paul and has asked for a kiss. What is her plan? What is the outcome? What does his kiss prove? I must know what happens next!

Excerpt #13

Mais, non. It is just that I...I mean, you...” He gave up any hope of sounding logical, so he leaned over and gave in to her request, gave in with much enthusiasm.

Allys waited for the tingling feeling to pass from Paul’s lips to her own. 

Nothing.

She pulled away and frowned at him. “Try this,” she said before tilting her head the other way and kissing him again.

This time when she pulled away in confusion Paul grabbed her hand and kissed the palm. “Cherie,” he whispered as he held her palm against his cheek. “I have longed to kiss your lips. They are like cool water to a man dying of thirst.”

A Knight in Rusted Armor
by Bambi Lynn

https://bambilynnblog.wordpress.com

                                   Duty is the essence of manhood.


 
Allys Stone would risk repute as a ruined woman to gain control of her life. Thorin Svenson would battle the most skilled knights in the realm to win her. Theirs is a love story of fairy tales and wild passion, a battle of wills as well as brawn.

 Allys wants to choose her own husband, one who loves life and laughter as much as she does. One who considers her a partner instead of a possession. She has never had any choice but to live by her father’s decisions, and now he’s offering her as grand prize in a tournament.

 Thorin must win the hand of a nobleman’s daughter to regain the wealth and position of his family. Consumed by guilt, he will risk his very life to win. Not even her attempts to sabotage his victory will get in his way.

 BUY LINK: 

Amazon    https://www.amzn.com/dp/B08BGCJZBN

Monday, April 26, 2021

Medieval Monday with Jenna Jaxon

 


Welcome back to Medieval Monday! This is week twelve of the new round of authors, snippets, and fun. Our spring theme is the first kiss. Today I am hosting Jenna Jaxon and her terrific story, Betrayal.

(For easy access to authors taking part in this round of Medieval Monday tales, visit the Medieval Romance Lovers Facebook page. Authors will post their blog links there.  You can also find us on Twitter at #MedMonSpring21.)

Let me catch you up. After learning that her beloved Geoffrey has been forced to marry another woman, Alyse is talking to Geoffrey’s best friend, Thomas, about her best option going forward—marriage to him. Thomas will not force her, but at this point has convinced her to accept his proposal. Excerpt #11 left us brushing his lips against hers. With all that is holy, I must know what happens next!

Excerpt #12

She relaxed further. Then he pressed against her and flicked his tongue over her closed mouth. Startled at this audacity, Alyse drew a breath and opened her lips. He pressed his advantage at the invitation, sliding his tongue boldly into her mouth.

As if a cup of cold water had been dashed on her face, the initial pleasure of his caresses fled. She pushed away from him, wiping her hand over her mouth. He must have expected such a reaction, for he withdrew from her without protest. He placed a brief kiss on her cheek and moved his hands to clasp hers.

Last week’s snippet on Cathy MacRae’s blog: https://www.cathymacraeauthor.com/bits-n-bobs-author-blog

Follow along next week on Sherry Ewing’s blog here: https://sherryewing.com/blog/

 

BETRAYAL

Time Enough to Love, Book 2

By Jenna Jaxon

https://jennajaxon.wordpress.com/

The worst betrayals come from within.


After a night of passion with her betrothed, Sir Geoffrey Longford, Lady Alyse de Courcy is eagerly looking forward to her wedding. But when Geoffrey is forced to marry another, a heartbroken and possibly pregnant Alyse finds herself in her own private hell. She must either gamble with her reputation or marry someone she does not love.

A reputed connoisseur of women, Thomas, Lord Braeton, has dallied with many ladies of King Edward’s court, although he has favored none. However, as Geoffrey’s best friend, Thomas has sworn to serve and protect Alyse, an oath now sorely tested when he agrees to marry her—in name only—to guard her reputation. Yet, as they grow closer, and Thomas discovers Alyse’s sweet but spirited nature, he comes to desire a marriage in truth. 

Can he overcome her memory of Geoffrey, or is Thomas doomed to burn with passion for a woman he can never possess?


Buy Links:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00I4IKQ8G/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i25

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/403200

B & N: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/betrayal-jenna-jaxon/1118591851?ean=2940045674331

iTunes: https://books.apple.com/us/book/betrayal-book-2-time-enough-to-love/id815348280

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/betrayal-book-2-time-enough-to-love

 


Friday, April 23, 2021

April - Happy, happy birthday! Cheers to you today, my friend.

 


As promised, on the 23rd of every month I will post a list of literary author birthdays. I came across the list on Book Lover Gifts website. Feel free to add your favorite authors special day. Put it in the comments section, just wait for their birth month.

 


  • 02 April 1805 – Hans Christian Andersen, author of The Emperor’s New Clothes
  • 03 April 1783 – Washington Irving, author of Rip Van Winkle
  • 05 April 1856 – Booker T. Washington, author of Up from Slavery
  • 21 April 1816  Charlotte Bronte, author of Jane Eyre
  • 23 April 1564 – William Shakespeare, author of Romeo & Juliet

 

April Facts:

  • The second month of spring, April is the time for planting and spring cleaning.
  • The diamond, the April birthstone symbolizes innocence.
  • The Boston Marathon is held in April.
  • April was a sacred month to the Ancient Roman goddess, Venus.
  • Folklore: A cold April, the bar will fill.

See you next month!


Sources:

http://projectbritain.com/year/march.htm

https://www.almanac.com/content/month-january-holidays-facts-folklore

https://www.ducksters.com/history/decemberinhistory.php


Monday, April 19, 2021

Medieval Monday with Judith Sterling - Excerpt 11

 


Welcome back to Medieval Monday! This is week eleven of the new round of authors, snippets, and fun. Our spring theme is the first kiss. Today I am hosting Judith Sterling and her great story, Return of the Raven.

(For easy access to authors taking part in this round of Medieval Monday tales, visit the Medieval Romance Lovers Facebook page. Authors will post their blog links there.  You can also find us on Twitter at #MedMonSpring21.)

Let me catch you up. Margaret and Griffin are in an embrace, a very hot embrace. Griffin is torn between lust and love. No, that’s not true. It’s love. He knows it is. So, what is he going to do?

Excerpt # 11

He wrenched himself from her embrace and took three steps back. Panting, they stared at one another for a brief, yet eternal moment.

“Well,” she breathed. “That sufficiently disproves my theory.”

A puff of breath escaped his lips, followed by an irrepressible grin. “To say the least. You’re dangerous, you know that?”

 

See last week’s snippet on Cathy MacRae’s blog: https://www.cathymacraeauthor.com/bits-n-bobs-author-blog

Follow along next week on Sherry Ewing’s blog: https://www.sherryewing.com/blog

Return of the Raven
by Judith Sterling

True love is eternal.


Margaret, Lady Ravenwood, is trapped in a loveless marriage and firmly entrenched in the medieval world. Along comes Griffin Nightshade, a historian from the future whose soul resonates with hers. He persuades her to return with him to the 1950s, but heeding her heart means courting danger from a curse that could spell her doom.

Haunted by his parents' sudden deaths, Griffin knows all too well the pain born of love lost. He guards his emotions, but Margaret delves deep and goes straight to the soul. She's hard to resist…and harder to set free.

The heart's desire and history's demands don't always agree. Yet true love is eternal.

Buy links:

Amazon https://amzn.com/B08RYD2GW8

Amazon UK https://www.amazon.co.uk/Return-Raven-Novels-Ravenwood-Book-ebook/dp/B08RYD2GW8

Barnes & Noble https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/return-of-the-raven-judith-sterling/1138556276

Apple https://books.apple.com/us/book/return-of-the-raven/id1547199256

Where you can find Judith Sterling: https://judithmarshallauthor.com/blog/

 

 

 

 


Monday, April 12, 2021

Medieval Monday with Sherry Ewing - Excerpt #10

 


Welcome back to Medieval Monday! This is week ten of the new round of authors, snippets, and fun. Our spring theme is the first kiss. Today I am hosting Sherry Ewing and her wonderful story, To Follow My Heart.

(For easy access to authors taking part in this round of Medieval Monday tales, visit the Medieval Romance Lovers Facebook page. Authors will post their blog links there.  You can also find us on Twitter at #MedMonSpring21.)

Let me catch you up. The bottom line… Fletcher has to leave Jenna alone and travel to see his dying father. She has surprised and stirred Fletcher. She has asked him to kiss her. So… any idea what he will do?

To Follow My Heart:

The Knights of Berwyck, A Quest Through Time (Book 3)

By Sherry Ewing

Love is a leap. Sometimes you need to jump…


After a gut wrenching break up with her fiancé, Jenna Sinclair heads to the coast to do a little soul searching. To say everything is subject to change is putting it mildly. Her world is not only turned upside down, but pretty much torn asunder when she is pulled through a time gate on the beach beneath the Cliff House and transported more than eight hundred years into the past.

Fletcher Monroe, captain of the garrison knights at Berwyck Castle, has wasted too much time pining for a woman who will never be his. When he finally decides to move on with his life and focus on his duties, he is suddenly confronted with a woman who magically appears at his feet. This could either be the best thing that has ever happened to him or another cursed event in a string of many.  He soon finds he is wildly attracted to her, but she’s scared to death of him - not a very encouraging beginning.

From the shores of California to twelfth century England and back again, Jenna and Fletcher must find a way to reconcile their two different worlds before Time forever tears them apart.

Buy Links:

Amazon US | Barnes & Noble | Apple Books | Kobo


Snippet #10

Forgetting any oath of chivalry he may have made to leave her untouched, he swooped down to devour her mouth as he all but claimed her. This kiss was nothing compared to the one they had shared earlier this day. Nay, ’twas possessive, demanding, as if they had been starved for the other their entire lives, and, perchance, therein lay the truth of what emotions she stirred in him. 

See last week’s snippet on Cathy MacRae’s blog: https://www.cathymacraeauthor.com/bits-n-bobs-author-blog


Follow along next week and find Sherry’s snippet on Anastasia Abboud’s blog: https://www.anastasiaabboud.com/grainsofsand

 

Here is where you can find Sherry: www.SherryEwing.com/blog