The dudes meet Destiny.

Tags

Cornwall, Depression, heroines, O'Roarke's Destiny, Shehaanne Moore, Smugglers

Destiny Rhodes – Seriously? And I’ve nothing better to do than sit  chewing the fat with a lot of moaning skunks?

 

Destiny Rhodes- Looking at you? Well, maybe that’s cos there’s sod all else to eat in the God-forsaken place now Divers O’Roarke is running the show.  Mind you, him and that sidekick, that Gil Wryson, have never had hamsters on the menu. Yet anyhow. Otherwise you can it as read, the ceiling is a lot more interesting.

Destiny Rhodes- Won’t I what? Sorry, I wasn’t listening there. Give tips? What on? Something I don’t have? I mean you see me sat here, with a smile pasted to me face and all? Ask yourselves, why don’t you, would I be able to do that if I had what you say?

Destiny Rhodes– of course I can. And I can get on with all me tasks too. Right now these in order include, mending the bedroom footstool, sewing the dining room cushions, getting the wassail bowl out of the attic, it’s not THAT long till Christmas after all, and hopefully not having Divers O’Roarke, that Wryson man–don’t get me started on how fanatical he is–me brother, or please call me John, that Lyon creep, getting in me face. So that then I can go lie down and dream of my husband, Ennis. Anything less makes me a bad person. And while I don’t mind being thought of as that locally,  I’m sure you can appreciate that I don’t want to think of myself that way where he is concerned. But doing all that in the day, you can see how much I need that rest? And when I don’t get it, well my thoughts retreat.  My head feels panned in.

 

Destiny –When they are my life, the things I cling to in order to cling to something and assure myself that my world is set? Maybe. I don’t know. Life is an unknown journey after all. But I tell you it won’t be for want of the times Divers O’Roarke gets in my face. Breaking the best china, insulting me Grandfather Austell’s stuffed parrots, throwing out Sir Tredwynne. Oh   and other things. All manner of things actually. Messes I got myself in.

Destiny Rhodes – Damaged goods with a death wish  that one. And such a man of mystery. Do you know that’s why I’m here today without him. He’s not allowed to be interviewed because you wouldn’t know what to interview him as.  And there’s games not going to be given away here. But thank you for having me and now, if you don’t mind I’ve a new shortbread recipe to write down.  May I just say that looking at you lot has quite fired me imagination that way….  Made me feel a bit more like my old self….

Destiny Rhodes– Me? Dance? Not since my Ennis died…. That ship has sailed. Nah. I’m thinking how tasty that recipe might be….

Extract.

“Well, I’d ask you in—properly, that is–but I’m afraid, as things stand, I wouldn’t know which parts of the house are mine to ask you in to.”

”And why is that?”

“You mean Divers O’Roarke hasn’t told you?”

“He hasn’t.”

”Yes. And pigs fly all over Cornwall. High in the sky. When we all know he probably has. And if he hasn’t–got to you yet that is–he’s probably on his way as we speak. It will be to tell you what a liar I am and how he’s split the house because of it.  Obviously I didn’t come to Penvellyn sooner because I had to wait for me opportunity to do so. Anything more would have aroused his suspicions when he caught me talking to you earlier.”

“You are going on rather a lot about Divers O’Roarke, Miss Rhodes.”

“Only because he is a skunk.”

She set her coat on a chair, smoothed her hair back from her face. Actually she wasn’t going on about him half as much as she could.

“But you did have something to tell me? It’s why I’m here,” Lyon said.

Did she? When what she really wanted was to go upstairs and look out her recipe for lavender shortcake too. Maybe find some way of lighting the fire when her nose was pinched by the cold. The distance was there, spread like a long road in front of her.  But really, she wasn’t getting much chance to go it. Not with the kitchen probably barred to her now the house had been sawn in half.  In fact the way this was going, that recipe was about as much as she was going to get.

“Tell me something I don’t know.”

“I hope so.”

Right. Well, she didn’t. Did he have a point though? Was she perhaps going on about Divers O’Roarke instead of applying herself to what was important, like finding that recipe? She’d given him his chance. And very good of her it was too, even if she wasn’t sure what she’d have done if he’d taken it.  Some might say she’d never have gotten Doom Bar Hall for a start. And she was inclined to agree. Maybe for that matter Divers O’Roarke had banned her from half the house in order to spark a reaction in her?  In which case she’d be failing in her duty not to give him one, now she’d gone to the wire and he wouldn’t come off the fence? Lyon hadn’t come all this way to leave empty handed. Had he? He wasn’t here for a cup of tea either. And it was time to deal with that fact. Whatever she’d determined earlier, living or dying required a roof over her head. She passed her tongue over her lip.

 

 

 

The Dudes are in the kitchen with Dolly

Tags

cookbook, Dolly Aizenman, Kool Kosher Kitchen, Newbook, recipes

 

Dolly. As I am more attuned to cat diet, rather than hamster food, I consulted with Mona, my granddaughter’s hamster.  She complained that she wasn’t getting any chocolate, and she would love some! Even though Mona is a dudette, rather than a dude, I am totally ready to offer you guys plenty of chocolate – how do you like the idea?

Dolly –Hey dudes, do you think Ivan the Terrible was a part of my family? Or Henry VIII? Caligula,

G-d forbid? Shame on you! And I thought you were a friendly bunch…

But seriously, it’s the loss of my father that started this blog idea to begin with, and his birthday that came so soon after his passing. I described it in one of my first posts: https://koolkosherkitchen.wordpress.com/2016/05/05/hello-beautiful-people/

Dolly. Much easier than you think! You want to join the next Lasting Joy club meeting? We’ll be making delicious CHOCOLATE no-bake pastries. Dudes also want to be happy, I am sure, and chocolate goes a long way towards happiness!

 

Dolly. It really is! You think you are the first ones asking this question? My mother is to blame, together with idiotic communist policies. I explained it in my About page https://koolkosherkitchen.wordpress.com/contact/about-kookkosherkitchen/

Dolly That’s a million dollar question – do you have a million dollars?

Beautiful, terrible, fun, harrowing, exciting, dangerous, and all of the above. I was 27 when I left, so in addition to growing up, I managed to get good education, get married, have a son, get divorced, get in trouble with communist government, write for newspaper and TV, and make some very dear friends.

Dolly -Yes! Cuba Libre / Morena Cake https://koolkosherkitchen.wordpress.com/2016/08/26/cuba-libre-or-morena-cake-vote/

But that’s because I am drinking a Cuba Libre right now. Otherwise, who knows… as long as it has chocolate in it, and the more chocolate, the better!

Dolly – We just started the Lasting Joy club (https://lastingjoyclub.wordpress.com/2018/02/05/welcome/), and I opened a blog dedicated to it. Each monthly club meeting will be combined with a culinary class, and since there is no facility to cook or bake, it presents a fascinating challenge in itself.

 

Hopefully, it will result in a new book, tentatively called Recipes for Joy.

 

‘They say that to properly review a cookbook you should try to make at least five of the recipes. I have to confess that I’ve not made any YET,  because Kool Kosher Kitchen is no ordinary cookbook.  It’s like sitting down at the table with a friend–wine coffee, whatever your poison–and having a long, warm chat about all kinds of everything. Did you know, for example that some of the French non military personnel stayed in Russia after 1812 and this led to the creation of Apple Charlotte? It’s one story at least. Dolly Aizenman doesn’t just share recipes, every page brims with the story, anecdote or family history, connected to the dish. A tall order but one she doesn’t fail to deliver.  Soups, sides, main courses, desserts and  bread. Indian, Italian, Jewish, whatever. There’s something for everyone here. Dolly’s gift is in making you believe you’re making the dish as you chat.’ 

BLURB:

Kool Kosher Kitchen literally draws recipes “from the four corners of the world,” presenting international fusion cuisine the kosher way. Cook Indian, cook Italian, cook Chinese and Japanese, or cook traditional Jewish; make it vegetarian, pescatarean, or vegan, make it festive and nutritious, always easy to make and delicious, for holiday and every day, but above all, have fun in your kitchen and make your kitchen a fun place to be!

What makes Kool Kosher Kitchen unique is a combination of great recipes and fascinating stories. Dolly’s stories are humorous and inspiring, sometimes based on solid research, and sometimes on questionable historical anecdotes, but always riveting and always entertaining.

BUY LINK:

Amazon.com/author/koolkosherkitchen

BIO:

Dr Dolly Aizenman, a prominent educator, retired a while ago and suddenly found herself with time on her hands. While still teaching both college and seminary part-time, she has used the extra time to combine the two great loves of her life: cooking and writing. She has just published a cookbook Kool Kosher Kitchen, available both in print and eBook version.

In Dolly’s own words, “It wasn’t easy to keep kosher in communist Russia, where I was born and lived for 27 years, until I was allowed to leave. You couldn’t go to a kosher store and buy anything, from soup to nuts, with a Hecksher (kosher certification), the way it is in the US. Here, chicken is already shechted (slaughtered) for you, and cows conveniently label their own parts as “beef for stew.” As Yakov Smirnov used to say in the eponymous TV sitcom, “What a country!” After teaching for almost 40 years, I am now semi-retired, I love to cook, and I have time to share recipes and new food ideas.”

I don’t do social media other than Facebook which I usually forget that it even exists. It’s Kool Kosher Kitchen.

 

Write a love letter with the Kabrini Message and the Dudes

Tags

Competition, J.R Egles, Love Letters, Marie Carhart, Sc-fi, The Kabrini Message, Write a love letter, writing

 

 

We begin with our Synopsis:

The Love Story of Lizabet and Rick

York, England 1617

Both working on a large estate in Northern England, exactly 400 years ago, Lizabet Sirene is a wash and kitchen maiden and Derrick (known as “Rick”) Moutarde is in charge of the horses and stables.

Both are madly in love with each other but already spoken for.  Their relationship, therefore, they believe is forbidden.  They make a pact that they will only express their feelings verbally; stoically vowing never to act upon them.  They are determined to be honorable, above all else.

There is such passion, however; such a magnetic and seductive quality surrounding them, that although they fight their feelings for as long as possible…one evening in the stables, the unexpected (though greatly desired) happens.

Tremendous guilt follows, leading to self-destructive behavior in the form of disproportionate self-punishment, the enabling of emotional blackmail, manipulation and ultimately for each of them…varying forms of exile and incarceration.

Yet, through all of this, their emotions only grow stronger.  The more Lizabet tries to move on, the more she cannot forget.  The more Rick tries to think of something…anything else, the more he can think of nothing and no one BUT Lizabet and their one night of passion in the stables.

Though separated, each endures a similar, confusing montage of mixed emotions:  The euphoria, the feeling of freedom, elation and perfection of their one encounter of ecstasy, unlike any either of them has ever known or even dreamed of before…juxtaposed against the torment from those seeking to advance their own vindictive agendas:  All out psychological warfare and exploitation of  already overwhelming and seemingly never ending burdens of nothing but guilt, duty and obligation.  Until finally, one day…an epiphany:  This is futile, pointless and unbearable as well as ultimately…unnecessary.

Eventually realizing it is impossible to deny their true feelings and inevitable destiny; against all odds and despite tremendous challenges, Lizabet and Rick begin to find creative ways to communicate – ultimately breaking free from their (ironically, mostly self-imposed) respective sentences of house arrest and imprisonment.

Notes:

Although there were other methods utilized as well, Lizabet and Rick’s primary means of communication was a hollow tree in which each left messages and small tokens for the other.  The messages they left were always seemingly innocent enough that should they be stumbled upon by the wrong set of prying eyes (in particular, their captors); no incriminating or self-identifying evidence could be found in them.  They were careful to express what they wanted to convey, but in a way only they knew the full meaning of.  This might seem to be a tricky situation, but being so in sync with each other; sharing one soul as twin flames do – they often entered each other’s dreams, read each other’s minds and felt what the other was feeling anyway, so it was not as challenging for them as one might think.

The Contest: Win a $50 Amazon Gift Card!

Pen your best Love Letter and deliver it to “the hollow tree”.

 

You may assume the role of either Rick to Lillabet or Lillabet to Rick – your choice.

For our purposes, to “hollow tree” will be a post office box.  OK, OK, I know…it’s not very romantic, but it works. And yes, old-fashioned “snail mail”!

In fact, if your letter is actually hand written on real stationery…better yet (We are traveling back to the year 1617…Helloooooo???…there were no computers, tablets, email, etc.!)

Choose one of these two themes for your Love Letter. Either:

• Passionate (throw caution to the wind and just LET IT FLY!
• Or…Loaded with “Dog Whistles”…meaning: Seemingly innocent if discovered, but containing lots of useful information as to possible ways to accomplish one or more of the following goals:

1. Communicate
2. Escape
3. Tryst

*Hollow Tree Address: 

 

Mr. Rick Moutarde

P.O. Box 630

Absecon, NJ 08201

The most fabulous Love Letter will be awarded a $50 Amazon Gift Card.

https://shehannemoore.wordpress.com/2013/04/07/maries-very-special-message-the-april-author-interview/

The Kabrini Message

J.R. Egles

mariecarhart@comcast.net

609-553-5652

Science Fiction/Adventure

Word count: 73,943

 

They had finally made contact. And the world would never be the same…

Jeffrey Driscoll is a rugged yet charming adventurer with a hidden consciousness: when he gazes through the eyepiece of his telescope, he senses someone is looking back. Haunted by the stars since boyhood, he sets off on an exhilarating quest that takes him across the planet.  Not quite sure what he seeks, Driscoll only knows he must keep moving. Throughout his reckless escapades, Driscoll is often accompanied by Mondo (a childlike, affable young African), Mohammed (a surly, sun-blasted Arab) and Goldstein (a cynical New York Jew), an unlikely trio that never fails to plunge face-first into hilariously perilous predicaments.

When an uptight British archeology professor hires the ragtag crew for a dig on the Greek island of Delos, Driscoll stumbles upon a miraculous find: ancient crystals with celestial coordinates that will connect mankind with the Kabrini, a highly advanced alien civilization.  Driscoll’s groundbreaking discovery ultimately leads to Planet Earth’s first global space effort, the Legacy mission.

Years later, when Driscoll Mining and the U.S. Army complete deep space construction of the Kabrini communications network, the Legacy mission is deemed a success. Mankind finally makes contact…only to discover the Kabrini Message isn’t exactly what we want to hear.  The Kabrini view our civilization as one of heightened intelligence yet no spiritual enlightenment—a dangerous combination.  Although the wise alien race has the ability to offer mankind limitless knowledge and staggering technological advances, they fear our barbaric people will only use the information for evil.

As if to prove the Kabrini right, a fanatical terrorist group’s hunger for revenge leads to an explosive turn of events, threatening the Kabrini network; but Driscoll will stop at nothing to save the project. As his obsession with the Kabrini grows and the Legacy mission spirals out of control, he risks losing it all—his company, his grasp on what’s most important and the one thing he’s ever truly loved: his wife, Carol.

This thrilling Adventure meets Sci-Fi saga takes readers across the globe and beyond, from the jungles of Africa to London, from Los Angeles to Greece, from Washington D.C. to Egypt, from Jamaica to Vienna and finally to the deepest depths of space.  Join Jeffrey Driscoll and all of mankind on an unforgettable journey to alien contact and universal enlightenment in The Kabrini Message.

BUY LINKS & FOLLOW INFO.:

Amazon.com

Amazon.co.uk

Barnes and Noble

Facebook

Blog

YouTube Video Trailer

Pinterest

Twitter

 

 

Story-Behind-The-Story

 

http://kabrinimessage.blogspot.com/2012/11/the-story-behind-story.html

 

When Glittering Shimmerling met the dudes. Conflict in writing.

Tags

conflict in writing, poetry, Robbie and Michael Cheadle, Robbie Cheadle, Sir Chocolate books, writing

 

Glitter Shimmerling meets the Hamstah Dudes by Robbie Cheadle.

Fairy Glitter Shimmerling,

had a “Bake and Write” blog,

the maintenance of which,

was a fun and exciting job.

***

On her blog she taught,

others how to bake,

her cakes were delicious,

make no mistake.

***

 

For each and every post,

she attempted a new creation,

her rose covered chocolate cake,

created quite a sensation.

***

One afternoon the Hamstahs,

came over to play,

they liked it so much,

they decided to stay.

 

***

The Hamstahs and Glitter,

became very good chums,

you could tell they were enjoying it,

from the trail of crumbs………………………………………………….

***

There were a few mishaps,

Sir Chocolate was nearly eaten,

The perpetrator was caught in time,

and his naughty urge beaten.

***

The blog’s protective cats,

were out for the day,

when they heard the news,

They rushed back without delay.

***

The kittens investigated,

with great precision,

and based on the evidence,

made their decision.

***

The two clever cats,

and the Hamstahs became mates,

together they nibbled,

every treat on the plates.

 

https://robbiesinspiration.wordpress.com/2017/07/16/glitter-shimmerling-meets-the-hamstah-dudes/

The dudes meet Brittany Carter and the Ba Bridge Monster

Tags

Glencoe, Incy Black, New book, Romance, Shehanne Moore, The Writer and the Rake, Time-travel

 

https://t.co/USdsZJm1XP

https://t.co/1mkvc3HGqn

 

 

Brittany : Darlings, I don’t steal. It’s called re-appropriation. And I am very generous towards myself that way.

Brittany. Mitchell is fanciful.  It’s a family trait.  You don’t want to believe a word he says.

Brittany. Me? Three slices of pork?  What do you think I am? Desperate? As for anyone helping themselves to anything, I hope you are going to ask him about my six packets of fags. All right it was three.

Brittany. A recipe? Are we kidding here? What do you think I am Mrs Beeton’s cookbook? As I said to Mitchell, ‘I think we’ve all got it that I’m not  a Georgian housewife,’ all right?’

Brittany. I thought I had.  I mean this speaks for itself doesn’t it?

 Brittany. Well darlings, where else would you be kept? I mean let’s face it, you have everything there, lovely little beds of straw, nice corners where you can play with your balls all day. What’s the problem? If Sebastian hadn’t done that I would have run a mile I tell you. But maybe he’d have liked that.

Brittany,  Oh now then dudes, there really is no need to get your little hamster knickers in a twist assuming you wear them.  Why do people always want to throw things at me?  Oh very well. So long as you don’t eat my fags or drink my voddie we’re good, little dudes and I swear to uphold the rights of little hamster dudes to fight for world domination.  Do we have a deal here?

 Brittany. All right darlings, it’s been lovely meeting you too. Now I really must go, you know pop off down to supper, even though it’s unlikely there will be anything to eat there… Unless…

Brittany. What’s that? Some sort of exotic cocktail? You know I thought you lot welcomed writers here?

Brittany Well darling here’s what I think.

Brittany-  and that goes for hamster dudes too. Unless you’re going to you know– open the vodka and do the Cossack dance for me like you do for everyone else? Hmm?? I don’t know about you but I am gasping. A shot of that Uzi would be nice…

3 Quotes Challenge —- the dudes and day two

Tags

3 day Challenge, New book, Quotes, quotes on writing, The Writer and the Rake, writing

 

https://iminionmind.wordpress.com/

 

 

http://jeanleesworld.wordpress.com/ Jean Lee

http://poeticparfait.com/  Christy Birmingham

https://aworldnamed.com/author/jessiemartinovic/ Jessie Martinovic

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In the Vampire’s Lair with the dudes and Carolee Croft

Tags

Book review, Carolee Croft, New book, New Concepts Publishing, Paranormal, Paranormal Romance, vampires

http://amzn.to/2dghe9G   http://amzn.to/2dzftaM

 

Carolee   – My writing is usually cute and funny, so I wanted to venture into the dark side as a sort of challenge.

Carolee – It still came out kind of cute, I think. I can’t help it. But I’d like to write more stories about demon hunters or vampire slayers one day, though I’m sure they’ll be funny and cute too.

Carolee – Yes, I love their style, mostly because it looks historical. I actually still have a couple of Goth outfits which I used to wear when I was younger.

Carolee – Yes! I think gothic hamsters are even scarier than regular hamsters, and I’d like to have a scary pet so it could double as a guard-dog… guard-hamster? My other pet would be an Italian greyhound, and they’re not very scary, so the gothic hamster will have its work cut out for it.

Carolee – Definitely. This is why I’ve stayed away from Scotland for so many years. It’s probably still out there among the trees… Though maybe it’s left its lair and is hiding somewhere in the shadows, watching us right now…

 

 

 

Carolee –Dameon is a vampire who is depressed and thinks he has nothing to live for, but of course he’s immortal so he has no choice but to live on. I think he may have had a tragic love affair that made him very solitary. But one day, he hires a maid to clean his house, and he starts to fall for her. Of course, she doesn’t believe that he’s a vampire even though he tells her so. She thinks he’s just a goth with a big imagination. He’s also a little kinky…

Carolee – I really liked Buffy the Vampire Slayer. I generally like movies where vampires are the bad guys, but I also liked the Twilight series.

 

 

 

Carolee – I like a good Bloody Mary, so this one seems appropriate:

6 ounces of quality vodka (approx. 6 fingers of spirits. hehee.); 6 ounces of tomato juice; 6 ounces of beet juice; 3 fresh lemons, juice of; 4 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce; 12 drops of Tobasco sauce; 1 teaspoon celery salt; 1 teaspoon prepared horseradish; ice. 

The “fingers” are made of purple carrots!

 

You can get all the detailed instructions at http://www.boredpanda.com/bloody-mary-halloween-cocktail/

Carolee – I’d like to dress up as a pirate because it’s pretty much the coolest costume ever, in my opinion. You can accessorize it with a sword or an eye patch or a pirate hat. It gives you lots of options. 

Thank you so much for having me! A pleasure to hang out on your blog, as always :

My review.

Never judge a book by its cover they say, which is kind of hard with a cover like this one!   I also know if it’s got Carolee Croft’s name on it it’s going to be certain things. Her other books are well crafted ‘shorts’ and this is no exception.  Liv Fairhaven needs a job and she’s not remotely fazed by her new employer’s strange habits, or his sleeping arrangements–a coffin. She might think them a little unusual but he couldn’t possibly be  a vampire, could he? Dameon is indeed a Lord of Darkness. However, Carolee Croft’s wonderful touches of humour make him a truly loveable one. This book may be a break from her historicals, she still creates a compelling, at times funny, world and  believable, completely fleshed out characters in a short space. I loved every page of this book and whether or not you’re a fan of paranormals, I’m sure you will too.

BLURB. Liv Fairhaven is intrigued by working for a man who calls himself Dameon, Lord of Darkness. He says he is a vampire, but he seems just an ‘adorkable’ guy. When she realizes that Dameon really does have supernatural powers, it is too late to back out as she is seduced by his dominant personality.

Links: 

My blog: http://caroleecroft.wordpress.com

In the Vampire’s Lair:

Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Vampires-Lair-Carolee-Croft-ebook/dp/B01LZ4Z9H3

Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/Vampires-Lair-Carolee-Croft-ebook/dp/B01LZ4Z9H3/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1475067757&sr=1-1

Smashwords: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/661766

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/31815922-the-vampire-s-lair

Miranda sings even if the dudes don’t.

Tags

Books and Benches, Miranda Sings Award

 

 

 

 

https://wwwpalfitness.wordpress.com/

 

 

http://www.booksandbenches.com/our-story

 

 

 

 

http://t.co/NekQqtJiEc -Catherine Cavendish

http://t.co/DQrHOLWJah  Noelle Clark

Jean Lees  https://jeanleesworld.com/

Aquileana  https://aquileana.wordpress.com/

Inese Phtotgraphy https://inesemjphotography.com/

http://poeticparfait.com/ Christy Birmingham

Kate McClelland http://katemcclelland01.wordpress.com/

 

 

 

So you want to write smexy? Seven tips from the dudes.

Tags

New book, The Viking and The Courtesan, writing sex scenes, Writing tips

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Interview with Kate Furnivall and some dudes

Tags

Josephine Baker, Kate Furnivall, New book, Paris, The Betrayal

 

‘Hi there, Dudes, I am honoured and excited to be here.’

 

Kate. Well, BB, you know I go weak at the knees at the sight of that handsome phizog of yours.

 

and the infamous green hat. I used to hate green, my least favourite colour, it reminded me of school cabbage. But now it reminds me of your dashing self and I insist on wearing nothing but green these days. You are of course my fave dude but don’t tell Silv, will you? She’s a touchy little madam.

Kate. Elope? What happened to the big fancy wedding you promised to that Russian wench? Olga or Polga or Smolga or some such. And the gingerbread house? I must have a beautiful gingerbread house, you know. A fancy one. No skinflint stuff, my Bobbikins.

 

Kate. You are as sharp as a tack, BB. You got it in one! I just love that enchanting city. If it’s Paris you are planning on eloping to, then that’s a whole different ballgame. I am packing my bag as we speak. It’s true I have a huge fondness for Italy – and for Italian signori – and have set two of my books there, but Paris is the place I would choose for romance every time. It is the beautiful City of Love. La Ville de l’Amour.

 

Kate. Well now, that depends on how much time we have, mon ami,

but here are some must-sees. First, Montmartre. It’s my fave place in all Paris, the old artists’ arrondissement. With narrow cobbled streets climbing up to the breathtaking icing-sugar (frosting) white Basilica of Sacré Coeur,

which always puts me in mind of the Taj Mahal. And not far down the hill lies the ooh-là-là notoriously naughty Moulin Rouge cabaret on Boulevard de Clichy.

The dancing galz and their feathers are going to knock your little green socks off, BB.

Then we’ll head south to the stunning rose windows of Notre Dame Cathedral and the Impressionist Musée D’Orsay. And after an amble along the romantic quais, we can take a trip by moonlight on the Bateau Mouche on the Seine or head over for French 75 cocktails à deux at Le Fouquet’s on the Champs Elysées. I tell you, Bobby Bub, this is the start of a beautiful friendship.

Kate. My new book is called The Betrayal and it does what it says on the tin. Two sisters. Conspirators. Murderers. Betrayers.

But … are they? There are so many twists and turns, and nothing is what it seems. The action takes place against the gorgeous backdrop of Paris 1938 with the nightclubs playing crazy jazz and the drums of war sounding in the distance.

Even the real-life shocking danceuse, Josephine Baker, puts in an appearance.

The city is on edge, a wildness is in the air. My story is of twin sisters, Romy and Florence, who are hiding a terrible secret that tears them apart. My desire to write about this subject came from the fact that I am a twin myself and wanted to explore how that incredibly intense relationship can draw two people together against their will, bound by blood, even when they are driven apart by violent events.

Being a twin is strange. It creates a bubble around the two of you and isolates you from the rest of the world. Yet I know from my own experience of being a twin how different your ideas and ambitions can be despite the closeness. Romaine and Florence come at the world from opposing viewpoints, just as my sister and I did. At times this creates distance between them. But always the bond holds firm and the love – that is as much a part of them as the colour of their eyes – never falters. But the terrible secret about their father’s murder stretches their loyalty to breaking point.

I have to say here and now that it was seeing all the shenanigans that go on around your gingerbread house week after week that inspired me for much of the mayhem that takes place in The Betrayal.

Broken limbs, a fire, damaged documents and even an attempt at world domination. Exactly like Dudeland. Okay, no moss monster but there’s a really nasty character who comes close. Tragically, no hamsters. They’d soon be gobbled up by the rats that creep up from the Paris sewers at night.

Kate.  Romy and Florence are very different. Romy is a daredevil, a reckless pilot who flies aircraft to the left-wing Republicans in the Spanish civil war. She fights against Fascism, but she leads a dissolute life, using drink, gambling and men to help her forget the day that she woke up in her father’s study with him dead at her feet and his blood on her hands.

She has no memory of what happened that day. In contrast, her twin sister Florence is an elegant socialite in a position of power and privilege. She is married to a diplomat who works with the Germans to destroy the very people whom Romy is fighting to help. To save Romy’s slender neck from the guillotine, the sisters put the blame for their father’s murder on an innocent gardener, but their lies come back to haunt them.

Kate. My nice French recipe is to get you in the mood. It’s for a Soixante Quinze! A French 75! This lemon-hued cocktail is insanely good and was very fashionable in the 1920s. So grab your shaker. It is named ‘French 75’ because taking a sip of it feels like getting shelled by a French 75mm field gun. Aah, la vie est belle!

Ingredients

2oz champagne

½ oz lemon juice

1oz gin

2 dashes simple syrup

Lemon twist

Method

Add gin, champagne and syrup to a cocktail shaker filled with ice, shaking as hot-hot-hot as Tom Cruise to combine. Strain into an iced champagne glass. Top with more chilled champagne and a twist of lemon. Voilà!

 

 

Kate. My next book is The Truth. It is about lies. The lies people tell and the truth that is hidden in the dark places behind them. I am very excited about this one. This time I’m in Germany 1945. What a terrible chaotic period that was. The war was over and the Allies were trying to put the country back together again. A time of desperation but also of huge hope for the future. My character Klara is trapped with her young daughter in one of the Displaced Persons camps. Needless to say, danger stalks the camp and …. My lips are sealed!

Thank you for having me, Bobby Bub. It’s been a blast. I’ve got our Eurostar tickets to Paris in my hot little hand …..

 

 

Kate Furnivall had the shock proof of her life when she learned just over a decade ago that she was part Russian. Not a demure all-English rose after all then. It changed her life. Triggered those Russian genes into action. Inspired by her grandmother’s dramatic St Petersburg life-story at the time of the Soviet Revolution, Kate wrote her first historical novel, The Russian Concubine, which hit the New York Times Bestseller list and was sold in 25 countries.It hooked Kate into the thrill of setting powerful emotional stories in dramatic far-off locations. She took to travelling with a vengeance – Russia, China, Malaya, Egypt, Bahamas, Italy, France. All became backdrops for her sweeping tales set in the first half of the 20th century when the world was in turmoil.

Research trips were riddled with wonderful adventures and weird discoveries that enrich her books. She delves into dark themes as well as intense love stories, and strips her characters to the bare bones in times of crisis to see what they are made of. Her books are full of tension, twists and thrills, atmosphere and romance.

Kate was raised in Wales, went to London Uni and worked in advertising in London. She now lives in blissful Devon with her husband, snuggled up close to Agatha Christie’s house for inspiration. She has two sons and a manky cat.

Kate has written ten historical novels, two of which have been shortlisted for the RNA Historical Novel of the Year Award.

http://www.facebook.com/KateFurnivallAuthor

http://bit.ly/2yzPGJk

 

Could you kill someone? Someone you love?

Paris, 1938. Twin sisters are divided by fierce loyalties and by a terrible secret. The drums of war are beating and France is poised, ready to fall. One sister is an aviatrix, the other is a socialite and they both have something to prove and something to hide.
The Betrayal is an unforgettably powerful, epic story of love, loss and the long shadow of war.