Tag Archives: 5th November

Remember, Remember … Bonfire Night Memories with Jane Cable

Guest Post, Writing & Reading, , , , , , , , , , ,

Continuing the celebration of a special bonfire night in my novel The Purrfect Pet Sitter, I am delighted to welcome fellow Chindi and Apricot Plots author, Jane Cable to my blog to share her bonfire night memories. Jane made the move from West Sussex to Cornwall in 2017 and reflects on her first bonfire night in Cornwall.

Cornwall does winter really well. When the tourists go home the celtic heart of the county seems to re-emerge; firework displays followed by Christmas lights – community events in just about every town and village – chasing away the darkness in a way that even our distant ancestors would recognise.

In the past I’ve dreaded the short days but here it seems different. Here people seem more in touch with the land, the sea and the sky. That’s not to say it’s talked about – it just kind of is.

Last year was my first bonfire night as a Cornish resident and it also marked the time of year when we take back our beach house in Porthtowan, which we let to holidaymakers from Easter to the autumn half term, and make it our own again. So it was particularly special to wrap up in coats and scarves and walk down the hill to the low sand dunes behind the beach, knowing we were back in the village for winter.

The whole village – and more – turned out. The bar nearest the beach was overflowing and there was total traffic chaos, but we found a place on the edge of the dunes and waited. All around us children played with sparklers and glo-sticks, families mingling as we waited for the main event.

Photograph by Blue Six Photography

The firework display itself was spectacular; multi-coloured rockets launching from the beach, illuminating the cliffs and filling the sky before sparkling down to the waiting waves. It was spell-binding, breath-taking – all the more because we were home.

Your Cornish bonfire night celebrations sound perfect, Jane. Thank you so much for sharing them and I hope this year’s celebrations are as spectacular. x

About Jane Cable:

Jane writes romance with a twist of mystery and has recently signed a deal for two timeslip novels with Sapere Books. Find out more at www.janecable.com or follow Jane on Twitter.  Jane is also a member of the Chindi Authors and Apricot Plots. She has published two previous novels with Matador:

The Cheesemaker’s House

When Alice Hart’s husband runs off with his secretary, she runs off with his dog to lick her wounds in a North Yorkshire village. Battling with loneliness but trying to make the best of her new start, she soon meets her neighbours, including the drop-dead gorgeous builder Richard Wainwright and the kindly yet reticent café owner, Owen Maltby.

As Alice employs Richard to start renovating the barn next to her house, all is not what it seems. Why does she start seeing Owen when he clearly isn’t there? Where – or when – does the strange crying come from? And if Owen is the village charmer, what exactly does that mean?

“I desperately want to find out about Owen; a fascinating character… the gift here is to make you want to read on.” Jeffrey Archer

Genre: Romantic Suspense | Publisher: Matador
Buy the book.

The Faerie Tree

How can a memory so vivid be wrong?

In the summer of 1986 Robin and Izzie hold hands under The Faerie Tree and wish for a future together. Within hours tragedy rips their dreams apart.

In the winter of 2006, each carrying their own burden of grief, they stumble back into each other’s lives and try to create a second chance. But why are their memories of 1986 so different? And which one of them is right?

With strong themes of love, grief and family relationships, The Faerie Tree is a contemporary women’s novel as gripping and unputdownable as Jane Cable’s first book, The Cheesemaker’s House, which won the Suspense & Crime category of The Alan Titchmarsh Show’s People’s Novelist competition. It is a story that will resonate with fans of romance, suspense, and folklore.

Genre: Romantic Suspense | Publisher: Matador
Buy the book.

Don’t miss more fabulous firework memories from fellow authors between now and November 5th, and as always, do get in touch. I’d love to hear your firework memories too. x

Remember, Remember … Bonfire Night Memories with Morton S Gray

Guest Post, Writing & Reading, , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Continuing the celebration of a special bonfire night in my novel The Purrfect Pet Sitter, I am delighted to welcome fellow Choc Lit and Apricot Plots author, Morton S Gray to my blog to share her bonfire night memories. 

Morton S Gray shares her bonfire night memories:

I have lots of fragments of memories from bonfire nights past:

  • my dad and uncle throwing ‘bangers’ under my aunt and mom’s feet – we wouldn’t dream of doing this now!!!!
  • using my childhood huge rag doll as a guy on a bonfire in our garden and the bonfire stopping the traffic in the road when the wind changed.

  • squashing into my sister’s pushchair at the first big firework display I went to, as I didn’t like the explosions.

I’ve always loved sparklers, writing names and drawing pictures with the light.

These days I’m not keen on fireworks, as my little dog gets so upset by them. We live near a Safari Park and they seem to delight in putting on huge firework displays that sound as if cannons are being fired over the house.

Thank you so much for sharing your memories Morton. I am pleased it wasn’t only my dad who seemed to have a blatant disregard for the Firework Safety Code; he always kept the fireworks in a cardboard box and read the instructions with a match! (Haha, it’s amazing we’ve all survived this long!)

I hope you and your gorgeous dog have a peaceful November 5th this year. It can be a stressful time for our pets can’t it. The display in the Purrfect Pet Sitter is an organised event on a set night, that is advertised well in advance – which I know is preferable to ad hoc firework displays. And  I should point out is the main characters who go along to enjoy the night. The pets Lisa Blake looks after are safely at home with their owners.

I am lucky that my own dogs have all been fine with fireworks, but I know there are many who find this time of year stressful.

For those seeking advice for keeping their pets safe and comfortable, I hope the following links are useful:

About Morton S Gray

Morton lives with her husband, two sons and Lily, the tiny white dog, in Worcestershire, U.K. She has been reading and writing fiction for as long as she can remember, penning her first attempt at a novel aged fourteen. She is a member of the Romantic Novelists’ Association and The Society of Authors. Her debut novel The Girl on the Beach was e-published in January 2017, after she won Choc Lit Publishing Search for a Star competition.

Morton previously worked in the electricity industry in committee services, staff development and training. She has a Business Studies degree and is a fully qualified clinical hypnotherapist and Reiki Master. She also has diplomas in Tuina acupressure massage and energy field therapy. She enjoys crafts, history and loves tracing family trees. Having a hunger for learning new things is a bonus for the research behind her books.

You can catch up with Morton on her website, on Twitter, Facebook and on Instagram. Morton is also a member of Apricot Plots.

Books by Morton S Gray

The Girl on the Beach

Who is Harry Dixon?

When Ellie Golden meets Harry Dixon, she can’t help but feel she recognises him from somewhere. But when she finally realises who he is, she can’t believe it – because the man she met on the beach all those years before wasn’t called Harry Dixon. And, what’s more, that man is dead.

For a woman trying to outrun her troubled past and protect her son, Harry’s presence is deeply unsettling – and even more disconcerting than coming face to face with a dead man, is the fact that Harry seems to have no recollection of ever having met Ellie before. At least that’s what he says …

But perhaps Harry isn’t the person Ellie should be worried about. Because there’s a far more dangerous figure from the past lurking just outside of the new life she has built for herself, biding his time, just waiting to strike.

Genre: Romantic Suspense | Publisher: Choc Lit
Read my review | Buy the book 

The Truth Lies Buried

 

Two children in a police waiting room, two distressed mothers, a memory only half remembered …

When Jenny Simpson returns to the seaside town of Borteen, her childhood home, it’s for a less than happy reason. But it’s also a chance for her to start again.

A new job leads to her working for Carver Rodgers, a man who lives alone in a house that looks like it comes from the pages of a fairy tale – until you see the disaster zone inside …

As Jenny gets to know Carver she begins to unravel the sadness that has led to his chaotic existence. Gradually they realise they have something in common that is impossible to ignore – and it all links back to a meeting at a police station many years before.

Could the truth lie just beneath their feet?

Genre: Romantic Suspense | Publisher: Choc Lit
Read my review | Buy the book

Christmas at Borteen Bay

Christmas has a way of bringing family secrets to the surface …

Christmas is a bittersweet time for Pippa Freeman. There are good memories, of course – but some painful ones too.

Then her mother is implicated in a mysterious occurrence in their home town of Borteen, and Pippa wonders if she’ll ever experience a happy Christmas again – especially when a family secret is revealed.

But when police officer and old school friend Ethan Gibson offers his support, Pippa begins to realise that even though her life has been turned upside down, a happy and hopeful Christmas isn’t impossible …

Genre: Romantic Suspense | Publisher: Choc Lit
Buy the book here.

 

Remember, Remember … Bonfire Night Memories with Angela Barton

Guest Post, Writing & Reading, , , , , , , , ,

Continuing the celebration of a special bonfire night in my novel The Purrfect Pet Sitter, I am delighted to welcome fellow Apricot Plots author, Angela Barton to my blog to share her bonfire night memories. 

Angela Barton shares her bonfire night memories:

For many years my Topsy and Tim’s Bonfire Night would be read to me for a week before and after November 5th. Looking at the images of the book now makes me feel so nostalgic. I absolutely loved the pictures and the colours and can so clearly remember sitting on my dad’s knee, excitedly anticipating the moment when he’d turn to the page which was full of fireworks lighting up the sky. Dad’s not with us any more, but this book makes him feel close. Thank you for the opportunity to reminisce.

Thank you for sharing your lovely bonfire night memory, Angela. Topsy and Tim are a family favourite in our household too, but we’ve never read the Bonfire Night book.x

About Angela Barton:

Angela was born in London and grew up in Nottingham. She is married with three grown up children. Passionate about writing both contemporary and historical fiction, Angela loves researching for her books and is an avid reader. Having signed publishing contracts for three of her completed novels with Ruby Fiction, Angela is excited to be working alongside such a friendly and supportive publishing team. She is a member of the Romantic Novelists’ Association and Nottingham Writers’ Studio.

Having recently moved to France, Angela (alongside her husband, Paul) is now a lavender farmer, creating products from the oil that’s distilled. Angela says she’s looking forward to spending more time writing in the company of her two spaniels while sitting on her veranda overlooking the breath-taking countryside of Charente. Angela is also a member of Apricot Plots.

Discover more about Angela Barton here: Twitter | Facebook | Blog | Ruby Fiction

Angela’s debut novel, Arlette’s Story, was published by Ruby Fiction in 2018.

One woman’s struggle to fight back against the enemy in order to protect the ones she loves.

When Arlette Blaise sees a German plane fly over the family farm in 1940, she’s comforted by the fact that the occupying forces are far away in the north of the country. Surely the war will not reach her family in the idyllic French countryside near to the small town of Oradour-sur-Glane?

But then Saul Epstein, a young Jewish man driven from his home by the Nazis, arrives at the farm and Arlette begins to realise that her peaceful existence might be gone for good …

Genre: Women’s Fiction | Publisher: Ruby Fiction
Read my review | Buy the book.

Don’t miss more fabulous firework memories from fellow authors between now and November 5th, and as always, do get in touch. I’d love to hear your firework memories too. x

Remember, Remember … Bonfire Night Memories with Tora Williams

Guest Post, Writing & Reading, , , , , , , , , ,

Continuing the celebration of a special bonfire night in my novel The Purrfect Pet Sitter, I am delighted to welcome fellow Apricot Plots author, Tora Williams to my blog to share her bonfire night memories. 

Tora Williams shares her bonfire night memories:

November 5th in my childhood meant gathering round a huge bonfire on a nearby hilltop. In the days beforehand, my brothers and I made detours to the site on our way home from school, anticipation growing in proportion to the woodpile. On the night itself, we’d bundle up in coats, hats and gloves and dash out onto the hill in time to see the fire lit. We always gave a huge cheer when the wood started to blaze and, bloodthirsty imps that we were, shouted loudest when the guy finally burst into flames. There were fireworks too, of course, but the bonfire was the most exciting feature of the night.

Thank you for sharing your bonfire night memories, Tora. I love the anticipation that grows as bonfire night draws near, even now. x

About Tora Williams:

As a child Tora permanently had her nose stuck in a book and dreamt of one day becoming an author. However, the business of everyday life soon got in the way and it wasn’t until she was in her thirties that she rediscovered the joy of creative writing. For a long time, she wrote purely for pleasure, but in 2010 her old dream of becoming a published author resurfaced and she started writing novels. History has always fired her imagination, and it seemed natural to set her novels in the medieval castles she used to enjoy exploring on childhood holidays in Wales and the Welsh Marches. She was offered her first publishing contract with The Wild Rose Press in 2018. Tora is also a member of Apricot Plots.

Tora writes historical romance with a dash of intrigue and adventure:

Bound to her Blood Enemy:

Norman heiress, Matilda Comyn is desperate to escape her grasping guardian and reclaim her inheritance. After a lifetime of being let down by men, she wants to rule her lands on her own terms. She can’t escape without help and battles her mistrust when compelled to join forces with a Welsh spy.

Huw Ap Goronwy has a rival claim to Matilda’s castle and has sworn a blood oath against the Comyns. When his king rules they must marry, he struggles to reconcile his attraction with his need for revenge. But they must form a truce if they are to seize their castle.

Risking capture and death, they will only succeed if Matilda learns to trust, and Huw allows his love for Matilda to overcome his need for revenge.

Genre: Historical Romance | Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Buy the book.

The Gift of Time

Hoping to escape her dismal life, young widow Kat Beaumont throws a treasured coin into a lake. But how did a wish send her back in time? Now she’s in a snowbound medieval castle complete with vertigo-inducing staircases and smelly drains. While participating in the Christmas festivities, she continues to search for a way home and fights her attraction to the castle’s lord, Ralph d’Eyton.

Ralph needs an alliance through marriage to protect his lands and live up to his father’s legacy. But Kat, with no influential family, would not make a suitable wife. He resists his fascination with this mysterious and beautiful woman who appeared out of nowhere.

Can Ralph reconcile his dawning love with his need to protect his people, and can Kat let go of her fear of loss and surrender to love?

Genre: Historical Romance | Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
 Buy the book.

To keep up with Tora’s latest news, visit her website | Twitter 

Don’t miss more fabulous firework memories from fellow authors between now and November 5th, and as always, do get in touch. I’d love to hear your firework memories too. x

Remember, Remember … Bonfire Night Memories with Michael Parker

Guest Post, Writing & Reading, , , , , , , , ,

Continuing the celebration of a special bonfire night in my novel The Purrfect Pet Sitter, I am delighted to welcome fellow Chindi Author, Michael Parker to my blog to share his bonfire night memory. 

Michael Parker shares a bonfire night memory from the 1950s:

In the early fifties me, my brothers and mates would gather round the bonfire built on the estate by ‘responsible adults’ and watch it burn until it was low enough to throw potatoes in along the edge. The trick then was to retrieve them before they were burnt to a cinder. This often resulted in singed eyebrows and hair. Can’t imagine that happening these days. We all smelt of wood-smoke, char and almost burning flesh.

 I think you’re quite right Michael, health and safety wouldn’t let that happen these days, but I bet the potatoes tasted good! x

About Michael Parker:

Michael has been writing thrillers for many years and has experienced the highs and lows of being a writer since his first book was published in 1980.

He has been married to Patricia for fifty seven years and they have four sons, ten grandchildren and three great grandsons (when last he updated his profile). His main hobby is writing, of course, and to date he has thirteen novels to his credit, nine of which were traditionally published. His other hobbies are snooker, speedway, football and music.

Michael is a born again Christian and played keyboard in his church fellowship in Spain for several years. He has worked as a maintenance technician most of his adult life, serving sixteen years in the Royal Air Force, and about seventeen years with a food manufacturer. He retired in 1996 (at the age of fifty five) and moved to Spain a year later, where he lived with Pat for seventeen years.

Writing has been Michael’s hobby for as long as he can remember. When his first book was published by Macmillan in 1980, he was described as a “gifted narrator” in the Financial Times. Here are just some of his titles currently available on Amazon.

Michael is also a member of the Chindi Authors. You can keep up to date with news of his writing and new releases via his blog | website | Facebook | Twitter 

You can also discover more of Michael’s memories and gain an insight into his life in his rarely promoted book, The Sum of My Life, available on Amazon.

 Look inside or buy the book.

Don’t miss more fabulous firework memories from fellow authors between now and November 5th, and as always, do get in touch. I’d love to hear your firework memories too. x