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O’Roarke’s Destiny – by Shehanne Moore
A REBLOG OF ARTGOWNS, DESTINY GOWNS AND A REVIEW FROM RESA BY RESA
Is the line between love and hate so fine you can’t see it? If you can’t see it, can you cross it?
Some women are attracted to bad boys. Are some men attracted to bad girls? What if a good boy became a bad boy? What if a bad girl became a good girl, even when she was bad?
That’s just part of the passion play in O’Roarke’s Destiny. The intrigue, mystery and small matter of an effective curse cast by Diver’s O’Roarke is the story’s action.
It’s 1801, Cornwall; a time when women needed men, more than men needed women. Or, so society knew. 1801, Cornwall; Destiny Rhodes needs no one, nor anything: save Doom Bar Hall, its servants, Aunt Modesty’s porcelain, Lord Tredwynne’s antique armour, Grandfather Austell’s stuffed parrots, garlands in the hall at Christmas, her garden and all the embroidered pillows sewn up mended. At least that’s what Destiny was thinking.
However, it all seems somewhat moot after Divers O’Roarke wins Doom Bar Hall, from Destiny’s drunkard brother, Orwell.
It’s a world of smugglers, pirates, excisemen and extreme danger, yet, Destiny needs only her instincts. She’s in over her head, but owns a drive to do what has to be done to get to the bottom of what is going on, and retain a position to remain at Doom Bar Hall.
Still, Lyons busted her illegal casks of spirits. Who tipped him off? Mostly, why did Divers O”Roarke take the fall for her?
💥 BREAKING NEWS! 💥
There’s gowns in the story.
Tragically, Destiny’s dear husband Ennis, while in his carriage, had cascaded to his death into a ravine.(credit to the curse) Now, Destiny is in an eternal mourning in black. On top of it all, she has pined away her body’s curves, and chopped off her luscious long black hair.
Divers O’Roarke wants her, but black is for widows. He has won Doom Bar Hall … fair & square? So, her gowns are his, to sell at his pleasure. Yet, his pleasure is far from the few bits of coin he could get for the gowns. What he wants is to see Destiny, in any gown other than widow’s black.
Eventually, Destiny must wear a gown for him. She dons her least sexy gown, which is in Egyptian blue. (I don’t have that colour in my caddy, but I came up with an eau de nil). This colour is not her best, possibly her worst, definitely her most disliked.
Yet, what Divers O’Roarke wants is to see her in her most vibrant and glorious red gown. Will she wear it?
1. How did the idea of a curse come up? Are you superstitious, dabble in say; Tarot or Astrology? How/why did the curse entail everything turning to dust? Why not turn to toads, a lowly insect or even a hamster? (a little cheek)
Oh, now there was a time I did some work for a psychic journalist. I did once say what haven’t I done writing wise and other way wise when it comes to earning a crust. And yes I also did some Tarot work for her too as part of that. So I did learn the cards. At that time I also could do card readings from playing cards. I had a great aunt who could do the tea leafs. That totally fascinated me growing up. I think much as we may mock it, we do want to know a bit about what’s ahead, that HOPEFULY there’s a corner that will be turned or some good luck coming. As for the curse idea? Well, the book started about a house that the heroine had lost. And that idea came from us having to sell up our family home and me jokingly saying to a friend, I should just have flung myself in with it as a housekeeper. Then I thought BINGO idea for a book here. And it started out as fun and frothy but there were things on the table that weren’t right. Like why didn’t the hero just put her out? How can he be so besotted with this family when they were horrible to him as a child? Was light and frothy going to sustain a book? Then for some reason I saw their pasts and how and why he had cursed her and how everything had then gone wrong in her life since. Everyone she cared about has died. So she gets this name locally that way. Now if only I had thought beyond the box though, you are right. He should have said may everything you touch turn into a hamster dude. But then she’d have been overrun. That might have been a worse curse. 2. Your use of humour helps in feeling the underlying intense emotional states of Destiny and O’Roarke. With Destiny it’s the simple practical day to day things she plans to do the next day. With O’Roarke, it’s what to dig his grave with. Did you intend these character’s personal thoughts to be a humorous relief? Or did it just turn out that way?
No. Firstly I always like to use humour of thoughts. We all have them, let’s be clear. Maybe not about graves and what to dig them with etc., but we do have little idiosyncrasies and of course we are not always aware of them either. And I also know my readers expect to have a few giggles. So I couldn’t not. My characters always have some kind of wee saying or attitude. One heroine had sliding scales of things. Another would sooner swallow a crocodile than do whatever and as the book went on, that list grew and grew. One hero–my most impatient one–had Christ on various things. I did feel this book would be a bit dark if I didn’t have these bits. They are neither of them in the best place emotionally. However I then have the prob of her being a widow and I did NOT want to tackle it by having her thinking well, she was widow, thank God, because she had every reason not to have loved her husband. I felt that was a get out. So I thought if I had her, having been hit so hard that her way through is to line up tasks and tick the boxes, that that actually could prove quite humorous, especially if she’s so busy lining up these tasks, while people keep ‘getting in her face’ she doesn’t see how deep the waters are getting. It was like a wee you may think wink to my readers she’s going to be incandescent with rage the way my other ladies would be, but you are in for a surprise here. She’s too busy thinking she has that cushion cover to sew and that stool to mend. In a way these are the things that also need to be prised loose from her fingertips.
3. I’m fascinated by “Doom Bar Hall”. How did you come up with that name? Had you considered calling it “Rhodes Hall”?
Doom Bar Hall was called after Doom Bar sandbar in Cornwall. Given I wanted to write of curses and smuggling, and not such great emotional states, I wanted something dark sounding and it is quite a fearsome sandbar I gather, responsible for hundreds of ship wrecks down the years. Originally before I went from frothy to dark, from Hampshire to Cornwall geographically, the house was called Lavistock and the book title was the Lady of Lavistock. Divers wasn’t called Divers O’Roarke either at that point. I just felt all round this was stronger. I do like to create a pervading mood and landscape for each book. This became the one here.
Resa, I want to thank you not just for inviting me here today, but your wonderful friendship AND the talent and readiness to use it to create gowns, for all those you create gowns for AND that includes my ladies. They and I salute you.
Here’ s the first drawing I did of Destiny. I was trying too, hard with the chopped off hair look. Yet, I still like it, because she looks like a pirate courtesan, with hair for an eye patch. Yet, perhaps this is a more correct visual introduction to Destiny.
Shehanne Moore is a native of Scotland, Dundonian by birth. She is the author of many Romance novels.
Having read 3 (almost 4) of her books, I can say her attention to the details of an era puts one in a different time and place. You don’t question it. You are there.
As for the flame of love she burns with her words, I suggest you read a book to see the fire!
Click on the pic below, to buy O’Roarke’s Destiny on Amazon!
A cover for one’s book can be as daunting as writing it. After a great search, Shehanne found the image below. The colours were wrong, but they were made right.
Eye’d like to thank all who took the time to read this post. Love you all!

NOW ALL ABOUT RESA
My name is Resa McConaghy. I’m a Costume Designer for film and television.
“Art Gowns” is a creative project that has sprung from my old Blog, Queen’s end.
As “Art Gowns” continues on, I will Post other creative clothing ideas with the “Art Gowns” branding.
All of these ideas, of course, will revolve around the “Art of Glamorous Fantasy”. I’m thinking things like Poetry Shirts, DIY Gowns and DIY Crystaline Accessories.
This is all new to me, and should develop with time.
Ms S, I must confess I’m besotted with Destiny. What a gal. Time to take a pill, methinks. Regards, The Old Fool!
Mike…. behave you young person you xxxxxxxxx Sending Destiny to get you a pill as we speak/ Telling you now she is already going… if me head’s not too panned in I might. Obsessed with that is Destiny xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
She’s on her even as we speak, you say! Crumbs, this calls for swift action. I must get Svetlana…who as you will be aware tends to my every need…out of the house with haste. I need to make an impression on the gal, Destiny. Should I don the smoking jacket or the Arabic thobe and fez? Decisions, decisions! If only I could get out of this here wretched wheelchair…”Svet my dear, before you leave for the shops you wouldn’t mind giving me a hand, would you?”
Well Mike… you can certainly try. Destiny is very hard to make an impression on. If you admire her ornamental vases, Aunt Modest’s porcelain, and refrain from breaking any of it, as Divers does, help her get the wassail bowl which has been in the Rhodes family for five generations, down from the attic, oh and her taste in interior design you never know. I think the last bit might be the hardest. ….. xxx
My grandmother didn’t read tea leaves, but coffee grounds from Greek coffee. She didn’t pass it on, probably because I was still too young for it when she died. Doesn’t stop me from trying though. 😘
I can do the playing cards xxxxxxxx There you go xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Of course you can!!!🥰🙌
I am really interested in the coffee grounds. Now I have read these were like tea leafs in their way
This is absolutely great. I love it when Literature and art work together in tandam to give a complete immersive experience. The dress designs are very oh la la- so romantic like something off an 18th century catwalk mixed with classic hollywood. and as for the cover. it is Dark brooding and throbbing with passion and rage. a brilliant representation of the book. Pxx
Resa did the most wonderful job and it was so kind of her. Being a gown addict, she loved the bits in the books with the gowns and the gowns were important to the book, Destiny’s clothes had a role to play, and so she wanted to voice them. I love the 18th century meets classic Hollywood in them. She did a gorgeous job. And I’m truly thrilled and touched she did all this. xxxxxxxxxxxx re the cover. The designer did a great job of giving me what I asked for from the images I gave her. I think passion and rage sums up the story. Thank you Paul. xxx
You are right Shey, Resa did a wonderful job with her fashion designs for Destiny. One of the things that struck me was her dresses are all Empire-line where the skirt flows straight from under the bust. Developed during Napoleon’s Empire it became the defining fashion of the Georgian period when Destiny is set. You can tell Resa is a professional when you see how effortlessly she gets it spot on… then she adds that extra bit of va va voom to appeal to modern readers (hence the bit of old Hollywood Glamour).
If you forgive my impertinance, this is exactly what you do with your novels. I always find your novels historically sound. But you make history the servant of the story, which keeps your work vibrant and allows modern readers to identify with the characters. (Just like Resa did with her designs). That’s a rare gift – the ability to communicate a period without bogging the reader down in its detail. After all if they wanted dry history they’d read a history book. (And I should know I do read them!) Pxx
Paul, you should know I forgive you anythingxx
Ok I have always thought when it comes to history, while people were bound by the corset, the codpiece whatever, it was no different in terms of emotions, goals, mistakes etc AND there is always Wikipedia if we want to cut and paste .. … //
You always do provide that oh so important humour. I love that you never quite know where your going to take us. At Uni I went out with a girl who read palms. So far she has been scarily accurate. xx
Gosh… I can read palms. I forgot that. Imagine that? I haven’t done it for years. Also I am subject to flashes as opposed to flushes. And these are seldom nice in terms of content or accuracy. I do try to get a giggle up here. Life without a laugh is no life at all. And as with my books when I start a blog I dunno where it is going…Although one like this is easier, since I was reblogging Resa’s wonderful work.
Have you ever tried reading your own palm. I guess that would be spooky. One more question. Do you have one place we’re you write, a sort of writing zone or can you do it anywhere.
Oh…I have never looked at my own. It’s enough I can sometimes tell you what will happen next and sometimes that is fine, I mean I once told one of my friends that her son would definitely have two children and she said no because his wife who had been married before couldn’t have any more. Like that I only get the bit and I said, well, I am never wrong, this is him I am talking about, not her. So I don’t know how this happens but it does. Six months later they burst up and yes he now does have two children to his second wife. But other times I get flashes and they are not good.
I do have a writing place. My eerie. Lol. One of the many reasons we went after this house was that it had this big attic room. It was the most terrible mess but now voila it’s our second sitting room and that is where I have my desk. Mind you, to quote one of my heroines, I do a lot in my head…
Oh yes, Shey, the humour is always one of the many delights of your books. Great gown sketches, Resa – Destiny is a tough one to pin down. Congrats to you both.
Kate, xxxxxx you. These words mean so much. Sometimes I am never sure re the humour and if it has gone a bit too cheeky far. So thank you. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Fabulously entertaining post. And what a gift to have Resa to design beautiful dresses for your characters – Fashion meets literature. ❤ xxxxx WW! 🙂
It wa swonderful of her. I almost feel a doll dressing book coming on… xxxxxxxxxx
Ooohlala! 🙂 xxxxx
I used to love paper dolls. xxxxxxx
Wonderful sketches and beautiful cover design and story …keep up great work … cheers!!!
Have an amazing day ☕
AW… xxxxxxxxxxxxx You too my friend xxxxxx
Dudes you all would look wonderful in a painting. I also had an aunt who read the tea leaves, people on the street would come to her for readings. The area in Dublin was huge. I read the cards, palms and started off with playing cards as well. lol are we related Shey? Wonderful interview and beautiful drawings of dresses I covet. xxx
Oh I have some Irish ancestry Adele, on my mum’s side. So we may well be xxxxxxxxx I do love the dresses. In fact I WANT THEM xxxxx
Have read this post at Resa’s, a beautifully illustrated review. Love the dark curly hair 😉
Inese xxx for coming by. I wanted to thank Resa by showing off her gorgeous drawings. She is amazing in every way xxxxxxxx
Oh she is xxxxxx
Resa’s original post was fantastic and you’re so deserving of every mention, Shey! I love that she used art to accompany her review, making it an all-around artistic treasure for you~!
It was the most wonderful post. I couldn’t get over just how wonderful. Obviously the poster of her gowns are on the way. They will be framed this week. I think she liked that gowns do feature big at one point in the story and had had featured before that, all to do with memories. I did use them as imagery and obvi you know Resa where gowns are concerned.!!!!
And YOU are very kind Christy. Hope your plans are forging ahead. xxxxx
I LOVE the hair for an eye patch! It looks soft and feminine but that’s only because it hides the tough edges underneath. And those gowns! A woman can say a lot in her dress, and it’s fascinating that Divers chooses to influence Destiny by wanting her in a different dress–a different mindset, speech, body language. xxxxx
Resa did a wonderful job. Gowns are…well Resa and gowns go hand in hand. I always try to make clothes part of my characters. And Destiny is not just a widow, she only just manages to get through the day. So her fancy gowns, that symbolise her past, are things she will never wear again because she’s not that woman. But Divers remembers her as that woman. It is one of the first things that undercuts him, partly because it makes him feel guilty. And he’s certainly not going to be turned to dust by touching someone who dresses the way Destiny does. So yeah, I looked at a scenario where the genie has to be prised loose from the bottle in terms of every aspect of her life, the trouble coming when it is.
Yes! I love your point here. There’s so much to read into a person’s appearance, especially when it’s tied to the past. xxxx
Oh aye…Just thinking there how clothes or/ and shoes have always played a part in my books. I think I must endow my heroines with what I was poor of growing up, it is prob the same reason that nowadays I need 40 scarves, 100 bags, ..will I go on re the biz of never wearing the same outfit the same way twice– all mainly given to me for nothing, or the boots and shoes? Need to write re that sometime soon with a heroine.. But yes, I guess when it comes to appearance, people don’t always read into the past when it comes to appearance xxxxx
Lovely discussion, and lovely designs. It’s fascinating hearing how the ideas for this book jelled. I’ve been reading Lorna Doone, lately, so I had wondered if you had that in mind when you came up with Doom Bar Hall. The sand-bar sounds intriguing.
Ah Lorna. Such a great story. Do you know one of our neighbours where we used to live had a daughter named Lorna and it was after Lorna Doone? Originally, when I started this book, it was a frothy comedy over a house called Lavistock and set in Hampshire. But early on I thought there’s only so many times there can be wrestling matches over the dolour of the dining room walls etc.. And really it wasn’t making much sense to me why he didn’t just put her out. Being besotted only went so far and the amount of rings she was running round him were endless. By degrees and inches this then moved to Cornwall and became a very different book. The house name wasn’t quite dark or doomed enough sounding. So one night when we were having.
a BBQ, I clocked the name of the Mr’s beer and it was called Doom Bar and a Cornish beer, he said. So I thought ..interesting. Then I looked up Doom Bar and there it was. A place with a history that sounded ideal for smuggling.
Such beautiful gowns and Doom bar it sounds perfect and fits in so nicely….A dastadly tale of smuggling methinks is coming…
Resa did a wonderful, wonderful job for my Destiny. and Empire line is most definitely what she’d wear, or rather did wear. I couldn’t resist renaming the house–it was called something else to start with– after I saw these immortal words…Doom Bar. That was it. I looked no further. And yeah there’s a lot of dastardly stuff goes on, a lot of cross and double cross and no-one being what they seem. I’d like to say I had such fun creating it all but at the time, my hair was something I tore a lot of.
Haha… I get you… Sounds like a great read.. I have been nerdy lately reading lots of climate change,science books and things… I think I need a bit of exciting reading.. Haha…
AW Carol, you are sweet. This climate change is ‘purty’ alarming stuff and everywhere you turn right now. I see you have well been doing your bit with your blog xxxx
I truly enjoyed reading your post, Shey. I always like the hammie’s interaction with each other and Destiny’s gowns by Resa was a lovely surprise. Very talented women, you two are! xxx
Awww, Carol, I know Resa is talented. The other one I am looking at here though is you xxxxxxxxxxxxx
On top of being very talented you are also so modest, Shey. 🙂
Oh my Carol, I just never think I am anything and that is the truth xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
My wife is a seamtress. I showed her the dresses. They are amazing.
I don’t know if you know Resa here in blogland but she is amazingly talented and when she’s not working at costume design she is busily making gowns she auctions for charity. I was so thrilled and touched she did this you know and I LOVE them. That is lovely you showed them to your wife. I often wish I could sew decently. I can knit and I sued to embroider but I have never had the patience for sewing x
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