When Leslie Met the Dudes

Here’s the blurb from the back cover:

“How well can a wife ever know her husband?

Paula Arnett would swear she knows everything about hers, that is, until she gets the call that the love of her life was involved in a freak accident. She doesn’t think things could possibly get any worse. But, after his funeral, she’s blindsided when their lawyer informs her that, several months before, her husband liquidated their assets and purchased a run-down fishing resort in East Texas!

Worse yet, while searching for answers, Paula discovers a note from a mysterious woman whose name gives her reason to believe that her husband may have actually been married to this woman at the same time he was married to Paula! Determined to learn the truth, Paula enlists the help of her best friend, Cassie, and together they go undercover on the road trip of a lifetime.”

I grew up in a small Texas farming community very much like the one my main character, Paula Jean Purdy Arnett, resides in. Floydada, Texas, is one of those places where everybody knows your business, and where people pull together in times of need. I’m very lucky to have been raised there by two loving parents.

A second grade teacher in Floydada put the idea in my head that I should become a writer, and while it took me most of my life, I’ve finally accomplished that goal. In the meantime, I’ve been a secretary, a dental assistant, a teacher, and a research assistant. I married my high school sweetheart, who I affectionately call Studly Doright, many, many years ago, and we have two beautiful, brilliant, grown children, and five equally beautiful and brilliant grandchildren. My cup truly runneth over.

https://nananoyz5forme.com/

Now for a little snippet:

From Chapter Eight:

    Paula turned off the radio mid-song.  “Tell me the story of why Cal called me Goldilocks.”

    Cassie’s eyes twinkled. “You know darned good and well why.”

    “I know.  I just need to hear it today.”

    Cassie shifted in her seat.  “The fishing guys came up with it. Cal, Delbert, Mel, and someone else, I can’t remember who, went fishing right after you two got married.  Cal couldn’t stop talking about you. Everything you did was just right.  Finally, Delbert or Mel, one of the two, said, “Sounds like you found yourself a Goldilocks.  Everything is always just right.” Cal thought that was hilarious and started calling you that. The name stuck.”

    Paula shook her head.  “I still can’t imagine what it was he thought I was doing right.”

    Cassie rolled her eyes.  “C’mon now, Goldilocks, even you can’t be that innocent.”

    A rosy blush covered Paula’s cheeks.  “Oh my gosh!  Surely Cal didn’t talk to the guys about—you know—sex!”

    “Probably not, but then again, men will be men.  I’m sure they ribbed him about it.  And he really thought you could do no wrong.  That never changed as far as I could tell.”

    Paula hung her head.  “I always thought that about him, too.  Until yesterday.  Yesterday kind of changed everything, even if I’m willing it to be otherwise.”

    “It’s all going to be okay.  It really is.  Hey, could you pull over at the next rest stop? I need a potty break.”

    A few minutes later, they came to the town of Gallo and Paula pointed to a Dairy Queen sign. “How about there?  It’s a little early for an ice cream, but we could get a little snack.”

    “Suits me, but who says it’s too early for ice cream?”

    Paula parked and raised an eyebrow.  “First burritos, now ice cream, and all before noon.  None of my pants are going to fit.”

    Cassie opened the door.  “It wouldn’t hurt you to put on a few pounds, Goldilocks.  I’ll bet you’ve lost five just since…Well, since Cal’s—Um, speaking of that, have you heard from the highway patrol?”

    Paula pulled the Dairy Queen door open.  “They’re still investigating, but the preliminary report is that he just went to sleep and drove off the road.  Apparently, the way his car landed in that ditch, his airbag didn’t deploy.

    They remained silent as they took their place in line.  Paula gestured to a narrow corridor down the side of the dining area.  “You go on to the ladies’ room.  I’ll order your usual:  Hot fudge sundae, extra fudge, a smidge of whipped cream and a cherry on top.  No nuts. Right?”

    Cassie smiled.  “You know it.”

    As Cassie headed to the restroom, Paula watched a table of coffee drinking men turn their heads in admiration.  There was no doubt her friend was eye-catching.  She was a couple of inches taller than Paula and curvier.  Her gorgeous raven hair hung to her shoulders in soft waves, and the headband she wore added a touch of innocent sexiness. 

    Paula always joked that if she was Goldilocks, Cassie must be Snow White.  She always thought it was a shame that Cassie had never married.  She’d never even had a long-term boyfriend after high school, as far as Paula knew, and she knew Cassie better than anyone. 

    As the line moved along, she became caught up in her daydream….”There probably is a right man out there for her, but he’d have to be one perfect Prince Charming to match Cassie’s Snow White.”

    Paula was seated with their food by the time Cassie returned.  She nodded at the ogling men at the back and said, “Don’t look now, but those men are checking you out.”

    Cassie rolled her eyes.  “Yeah, I noticed, too.  Tried not to.  Obnoxious asshats.”

    Paula stifled a grin as she pushed Cassie’s sundae across the table, and they ate in silence until George Strait started singing about all of his exes living Texas as the juke box lit up in neon colors.

    Cassie pushed away her empty ice cream cup and wiped the corners of her mouth with a napkin.  “You want me to drive awhile?”

    “I’m good, but let’s plan on switching just before we get into too much Dallas traffic.  I sure don’t want to deal with that mess.”

    “No problem.  We’ll need to stop again anyway for gas pretty soon.  Maybe have a light lunch then you can nap while I navigate the jungle.”

    “We’re eating hot fudge sundaes at 11 a.m. and you’re already planning lunch?  I like the way you think.”

    They turned their heads when a man from the coffee drinkers’ table approached them.

    The man tipped his head and held his hat in his hand.  “Mornin’, ladies.  My name’s Derek Tuttle.  I’d like to welcome you to the fine town of Gallo, and invite you to attend services at the First Baptist Church on Sunday morning.  I’m the minister there.”

    Cassie pursed her lips.  “Thank you very much, Derek, but we’re just passing through.  And we’re heathens.”

    Paula’s hand covered her unexpected giggle.

    Derek’s jaw dropped open and he steadied himself on the back of the booth.  “Well, we welcome heathens.  Everyone is welcome.”

    Cassie collected her trash as she said, “Oh, we’re also communists.  Heathen commies.  And Wiccans, to boot.”

    Paula’s eyes grew large and she blushed.  “Uh, I think it’s time to go.  You know, before they bring out the pitchforks.”

    Cassie stood and batted her eyes at Derek then sashayed out the door.

    Paula, unable to make her feet move, or even find her voice, looked back and forth between Derek’s look of shock and Cassie’s confident strut out the door.  “Um, I’d better go chase after my heathen commie friend.”  She jingled her keys.  “It’s my car.”

I’m a terrible cook and baker, but this is one even I can’t mess up.

“Southern Pecan Balls”

1/2 cup margarine
3 T. Sugar
1 C. Flour, sifted
1 T. Vanilla
1 C. Chopped pecans

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit. (148.889 C)

Cream the margarine and sugar together.  Add vanilla, flour, and then the nuts and mix well.  Roll into 35-40 small balls.

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.

 

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.

Vienna’s Street of blood and some dudes.

Tags

Basilicks, Blood Streeet Vienna, Catherine Cavendish, fiction, Horror, Kensington Lyrical Press, New book, The Knights Templar, The wrath of the ancients, Vienna

Blutgasse, Vienna’s Street of Blood by Catherine Cavendish.

 

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My latest novel – Wrath of the Ancients – is mainly set in the endlessly fascinating city of Vienna, Austria’s imperial capital and one of the most architecturally beautiful cities in the world. This is largely due to the efforts of one of its most famous Emperors – Franz Josef – who reigned from the turbulent revolutionary year of 1848 until his death in 1916.

It was Franz Josef who ripped up the cramped, unhealthy and unsanitary heart of the walled city and replaced it with the famous Ringstrasse, encircling inner Vienna and flanked by magnificent neo-classical Greek edifices housing the parliament, opera house, post office and much more besides.

Yet some of the narrow, winding cobbled streets remain. No longer unsanitary, these provide a romantic evening stroll and a peaceful daytime wander, away from the hustle and bustle of the main tourist areas.

 

One of the oldest of these streets is Blutgasse – Blood Street – which lies in the heart of the city, near to St Stefan’s Cathedral.

The street is home to a number of picturesque courtyards – most of which are open to the public to wander around. At night, with few people around, the silence can be quite uncanny. The tall buildings effectively soundproof the street and, with no traffic allowed, the sound of your footsteps can be the only noise to puncture the quiet. It becomes quite easy to believe some of the many legends surrounding this unique place.

It is said that, in 1312, the Knights Templar were brutally slain in this street. So many were killed that its cobblestones ran with blood, giving it the name it has been known by ever since.

 

The men had tried to hide, but in vain. It is said that they did manage to conceal their treasure there which, to this day, has never been found. Maybe this is why they return, still searching for that which was theirs.

Their headquarters can still be seen at Blutgasse 9. This leads to a courtyard called Fähnrichshof (Ensigns’ Court)  Here stands an ancient plane tree, said to house the remains of a Knights Templar’s sword, embedded deep within it.

For many years, those who were condemned to death had to walk along this street to their place of execution.

No wonder their cries echo as whispers to this day and take people by surprise. The ghosts don’t wait for nightfall. Many of them can be heard and even glimpsed in broad daylight.

Another legend which refuses to go away is that of a fearsome basilisk, which lived in a deep well along the street.

Such creatures were greatly to be feared as they could kill with one glance and their venom was so powerful, it left a deathly trail in its wake. Whenever anything went seriously wrong, you could be sure the basilisk was at the heart of it.

For one small street, Blutgasse packs a mighty punch. Stroll along it, stop, listen. Is that the sound of swords clashing? Or the hiss of the mighty basilisk, arising from its slumber?

 

 

Destiny In Death

Egypt, 1908

Eminent archaeologist Dr. Emeryk Quintillus has unearthed the burial chamber of Cleopatra. But this tomb raider’s obsession with the Queen of the Nile has nothing to do with preserving history. Stealing sacred and priceless relics, he murders his expedition crew, and flees—escaping the quake that swallows the site beneath the desert sands . . .

Vienna, 1913

Young widow Adeline Ogilvy has accepted employment at the mansion of Dr. Quintillus, transcribing the late professor’s memoirs. Within the pages of his journals, she discovers the ravings of a madman convinced he possessed the ability to reincarnate Cleopatra. Within the walls of his home, she is assailed by unexplained phenomena: strange sounds, shadowy figures, and apparitions of hieroglyphics.

Something pursued Dr. Quintillus from Egypt. Something dark, something hungry. Something tied to the fate and future of Adeline Ogilvy . . .

Wrath Of The Ancients

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About the Author:

Following a varied career in sales, advertising and career guidance, Catherine Cavendish is now the full-time author of a number of paranormal, ghostly and Gothic horror novels, novellas and short stories. She was the joint winner of the Samhain Gothic Horror Anthology Competition, with Linden Manor. Cat’s novels include the Nemesis of the Gods trilogy – Wrath of the Ancients, Waking the Ancients and Damned by the Ancients, plus The Devil’s Serenade, The Pendle Curse, Saving Grace Devine and many more. She lives with her long-suffering husband, and a black cat who has never forgotten that her species used to be worshiped in ancient Egypt. She sees no reason why that practice should not continue. Cat and her family divide their time between Liverpool and a 260-year-old haunted apartment in North Wales.

 You can connect with Cat here:

Catherine Cavendish

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