Ham House near Richmond Surrey by Rosemary Morris

Click on the cover to discover more about The Captain and the Countess.

Built in 1610 for Sir Thomas Vavasour, Knight Marshal to James 1st, and subsequently owned by the Duke and Duchess of Lauderdale, Ham House is now owned by the National Trust.
During my visit, I imagined the hero, Captain Howard, and the heroine, Kate, Countess of Sinclair, in my novel, The Captain and The Countess, taking the air in the magnificent formal gardens, which stretch down towards the River Thames, and treading the floors of Ham House.
I also imagined them in small rooms called closets. There are six closets at Ham House, which are more intimate than the larger ones such as the North Drawing room. One is ‘The Green Closet’ the walls hung with green damask and furnished with display cabinets that contain exquisite miniatures. Another is ‘The Private Closet’ which contains lacquered furniture, where the Duchess of Lauderdale, who inherited Ham House, kept books, tea and valuables.

www.nationaltrust.org.uk/hamhouse

Extract from The Captain and The Countess

Kate, Countess of Sinclair, attired in a pretty nightgown, sat by the fireside in her closet, where she kept money and jewelry in a strong box. Before settling down to work, she glanced around the small room crowded with chairs, a desk, sofa, bookshelves, and her sewing basket, the contents of which she occupied herself on rare occasions.
With impatient fingers, Kate sorted her correspondence: a sheaf of bills, invitations, begging letters, and other communications. After arranging them in four groups, she rose and placed them on her desk, a pretty piece of red-lacquered furniture from China inlaid with mother of pearl.

Five Star Review by N.N. Light

From the moment Captain Edward Howard lays eyes on Kate, Countess of Sinclair, he realizes he must do everything in his power to make her happy. There’s pain behind Kate’s façade and he’s determined to help her in any way he can.
Kate likes Captain Howard immediately, even when he’s forward with her and seems to disregard propriety in search of the truth. The attraction scares her, and she guards her heart against the young Captain’s desire. Her past comes calling and she must choose between what her heart wants and what society expects of her. Will she and Edward have a future or will her past continue to haunt her?
This is the first book I’ve read from Morris and I really enjoyed it. Morris is a historian at heart, and it shows in her writing. I kept pinching myself, to make sure I wasn’t in 18th century England. Every detail, from English customs to costume and speech was historically accurate. The dialogue was spot-on, and I found myself caught up in the emotional tension between the characters.
If you’re a fan of historical romance (especially Pre-Regency), you’re in for a treat with The Captain and the Countess. The writing style of Rosemary Morris is reminiscent of Edith Wharton (The Age of Innocence) and I look forward to reading more from her.

Favorite Character: Kate. I loved everything about her, from the way she carried herself in society to the way she cared for her children to the way she fell in love with Edward. She’s a victim of an abusive husband yet that didn’t stop her from living life to the fullest. A woman after my own heart.

Favorite Quote: “She was a lady without comparison, beautiful, mysterious, and vivacious. After he dined, he would take the air in Hyde Park in the hope of encountering her.”

Rosemary Morris
Best-Selling Novelist

There is a gigantic canvas for a historical novelist to choose from. My novels are set in the early 14th century during the reign of Edward II, in that of Charles II’s niece, Queen Anne Stuart, who reigned from 1702 to 1714, and the ever-popular Regency era.
I chose those periods because each of them affected the course of history. world. If Edward II had won the Battle of Bannockburn, it is feasible that he would have conquered Scotland and, perhaps he would not have been deposed. Had the Duke of Marlborough lost The War of Spanish Succession, and The Duke of Wellington had been defeated by Napoleon at The Battle of Waterloo, the history of Britain and that of Europe would be different. Defeat would also have had far-reaching consequences for the rest of the world.
The more I read about my chosen eras the more fascinated I become, and the more aware of the gulf between the past and present. Those who lived in the past shared the same emotions as we do, but their attitudes and way of life were in many ways very different to ours. One of the most striking examples was the social position of women and children in in bygone ages.
My characters are of their time, not men, women and children dressed in costume who behave like 21st century people.
Research of my chosen eras sparks my imagination. The seeds of my novels are sown, and from them sprout the characters and events which will shape their lives.



Novels by Rosemary Morris

Early 18th Century novels: Tangled Love, Far Beyond Rubies, The Captain and The Countess

Regency Novels False Pretences, Sunday’s Child, Monday’s Child, Tuesday’s Child, Wednesday’s Child and Thursday’s Child. Friday’s Child to be published in June 2019

Mediaeval Novel Yvonne Lady of Cassio. The Lovages of Cassio Book One

www.rosemarymorris.co.uk
http://bookswelove.net/authors/morris-rosemary

A Question of Salt by Katherine Pym

 Buy Here

~*~*~*~

Our Earth from Space

I am not a conspiracy theorist but I wonder if our earth has had more incarnations than previously thought. 

Our earth has vast, salty oceans, but what if, when earth had formed and cooled long before the dinosaurs, the oceans were Not salty? What if infant earth had not been saturated with this chemical compound? 

Pangaea

Perhaps, an intelligent species had settled on what is now called Pangaea more than 335 million years ago, and did not require salt to live. 

I put it before you there were other, long ago, well-formed civilizations that had prospered on this earth. There may be past civilization remnants no one will ever see due to massive changes in the environment and our landmasses. Our earth is always moving due to shifts in the tectonic plates, meteorites smashing into our oceans, and volcanoes. 

What if the advanced civilizations prior to the dinosaurs did not require salt to live? Why is science so biased this could never have happened? Because if you don’t see evidence of this, facts and hard data, it could not have been. 

Science realizes now mankind has been around a lot longer than previously thought. Buried cities are being unearthed, one of the most intriguing in Turkey today known as Göbekli Tepe. 7,000 years older than expected (and older than Egypt’s Early Dynastic Period by 8850 years), the city had been buried by its occupants. Why?

Göbekli Tepe dig

When did salt fill the oceans? Was it always there or did something happen that the chemical compound spread its crystal tentacles across the planet, sank into its oceans and penetrated deep in the land? God knows the earth has undergone massive changes over the eons. Maybe, salt came to us from outer space through an asteroid of something. What if the meteorite that killed the dinosaurs was saturated with salt and changed the earth’s entire chemical makeup?

Whatever, we require salt to live but if we ingest too much, it will kill us. Dilemma!

Ancient man learned to barter salt for revenue, goods and services. They learned to preserve food with it, live their lives around it. The Chinese discovered gunpowder trying to dig for salt. Kingdoms were built and destroyed over salt. 

Salt Mine (a nice one)

 A gift from the gods, strange beliefs survive from its importance, i.e., during the Medieval era, women salted their husbands’ genitals to make them more potent. Today, we throw salt over our shoulders. We salt our fish and make pickles with it. 

We are salt.

But have we always been?

 

~*~*~*~

Many thanks to: My thoughts and conjecture,

Salt by Mark Kurlansky, published by Penguin 2002

And Wikicommons, public domain

A Little Self Love for a Writer

Recently I edited a book written by an 82 year old man who has lived an incredible life. I can't wait to attend his book launch in April. One of the underlying themes of his story - his life story - was how he lived with the fear he was never good enough. This from a man who has amazing insights and has done amazing things in the world of Canadian dance and choreography.

So who am I compared to this extraordinary man?
First of all, I've stopped comparing myself to other people. Other writers.
I will never be like them.
I am me.

I have written many books.
I have published seven novels and submitted one more for publication.
I was a part of several anthologies.
I have published short stories in magazines.
All along, I knew all this in the back of my mind, but I've never let myself ENJOY my successes. I've always completed one project then bounced onto the next one with the drive to do more. To PROVE myself.

Prove myself to who?
To everyone in my life who ever said, "That's nice, but you should be a..."
To the guy who told me to give up and get a real job.
To the voices deep inside of me that's always told me, "You're not good enough," "You'll never get published," "You'll never be able to write full time."
Fear tells me all those things are true.
Logic dictates I keep the full-time job but write for the joy of it.

The writer in me says:

1. write
2. publish
3. take editing jobs
4. do a bit of freelance writing
5. marketing, marketing, marketing
6. surround myself with the positive - both people and inspiration

So what does a writer do to stay positive and not let the voices get her down?

1. Join a writing group. I've been a part of one for twelve years.
2. Join groups that will help with book exposure, events, information and recognition. I've joined the Crime Writers of Canada as well as Writers Community of York Region.
3. Send books to local libraries to get my name out and offer to do events.
4. Have books available in local bookstores.
5. Have an online presence.
6. Find people to review your books and host you on blogs.

So where to start? Take a deep breath, make a list, and take one baby step at a time.

Keep on reading and post a review for the books you love!

Diane Bator

Author of Wild Blue Mysteries & Gilda Wright Mysteries

Introducing:   Book4: The Painted Lady

The pieces of Christina Davidson's life have built up into place over the past few months, despite the one last secret she's trying hard to hide. When Leo Blue returns to town, then people from her past turn up, her carefully constructed walls begin to crumble and the only people who can help her now are the men of the Wild Blue Detective Agency.

Leo Blue can't escape Packham nor the life of a private detective no matter how hard he tries. Six months after the murder of artist DJ Gage, the prices of Gage's paintings soar. When a woman winds up dead and a forgery is discovered in the local art gallery, Leo has to find a murderer and a forger.