Featured Author Joanie MacNeil

 

I’m a BWL Publishing Inc. author and you can find me at

https://bookswelove.net/macneil-joanie/

 

I am a contemporary romance author from the Australian Capital Territory (ACT). My novels, range from sweet to sexy stories about new love and second chances. I love to travel and have set my novels and short stories in a range of places: Australia; Scotland; on a Pacific Island cruise; and on the Greek Island of Rhodes, the perfect setting for a romantic short story.

The Trouble with Natalie, No Boundaries and Desperate and Dateless are set in Canberra, the city where I live, and once nicknamed The Bush Capital, because of its abundance of open space. When I came here in March 1971 the population was 137,000. Now it’s nearing 500,000.

For most of my career, I worked as an Executive Assistant. The city and office settings provided ideal backdrops for my city-set stories.

Loving Nick…Again, Sapphire Kisses, and Sweet Temptations are set on the Sapphire Coast, south of Canberra, about a three hour drive over the mountains.

At the beginning of my writing journey, and when the children were young, our family would occasionally escape Canberra’s icy winter chill for a weekend break in a slightly more temperate climate. My son and daughters would go fishing with their dad while I sat nearby in the sand with pen and paper. After dinner, I’d type my notes on a borrowed laptop. These weekends were time out for me as well as family time. Escapism. And isn’t that why we like to read romance stories?

The Sapphire Coast, known for its clean beaches and clear water, inspired me to write my first novel, Loving Nick…Again, as the area is diverse in scenery, from coast to mountains, lakes, state forest, and lovely little historical villages…a refreshing change when compared to life in the city. I love the ocean and just couldn’t get enough of that wonderful fresh sea air and relaxed coastal lifestyle away from the daily grind. What better way to write descriptions and setting than when you’re actually seeing them for real; hearing the lap of the water while walking along the lake’s edge; listening to possums nightly clambering over the roof of the cabin, or seeing them sitting around the base of a large tree while walking through the park at night. I can still hear the wind blowing through the tops of the enormous eucalyptus trees.

As a result of those weekends, I wrote two more novels set around that same area, the northern end of the Sapphire Coast…Sapphire Kisses and Sweet Temptations.

Sadly, the quaint little town of craft shops, Cobargo, a short drive inland, was severely damaged in the catastrophic firestorm on New Year’s 2019/2020.

The thriving little town of Bermagui, situated on Horseshoe Bay, is famous for its deep-sea fishing and fishing competitions. The caravan park there is named after the American author, Zane Grey, not because of his fame as a western novelist, but because he wrote about his big game fishing experiences in Australia.

Loving Nick…Again

Feeling a thousand times better after a long hot shower, Nick grabbed a beer from the fridge and moved out on the deck to relax.  Curiosity overcame him as he watched the new arrival, a woman, unload her car.  He wondered again what brought her to such a quiet coastal resort at this time of year.

Her straight russet hair hung loosely around her face.  She looked soft and nicely rounded, a pleasant change from the pencil thin females he was used to—like Pammy, or like Belinda with her long legs.

This woman was small, about five feet, he estimated, and compact—tantalizingly so.  Perhaps that's what caught his eye.  Nick smiled, reassured he still appreciated feminine charms, and she was definitely built for comfort, not speed.

Now that was a phrase he hadn't thought of in quite some time.

"Nick my friend, there's still hope for you yet," he muttered.  In between sips of beer, he puzzled why, all of a sudden, he'd begun to think like his former amorous self.

But there was something else...the movement of her hips when she walked caused Nick to look more closely as she lugged an armful of linen into the cabin and re-appeared seconds later.

"It can't be," he mumbled distractedly as he rose from his chair on the deck.  "It just can't be."

Long forgotten images, which held a special place deep in his heart, teased at his memory.  He had to know.  Right now.

If he made a fool of himself, well, perhaps the woman would understand and laugh with him when he explained.  Or perhaps she'd think he was coming on to her.  Whatever, he had to know.

He tossed the empty beer can in the trash and headed down the stairs.

His gaze never left her as he walked slowly down the gravel path.  In the crisp afternoon air, the last rays of the sun filtered through the tall eucalypts scattered throughout the park.

He focused on the woman as she moved to the back of her car.  Nick smiled.  It could be.  It just could be.  Though the eighteen-year old woman whose image appeared in his mind hadn't been as shapely as this one, there was something about the way she walked that urged him on.  The beat of his heart began to gather speed with each forward step.

The woman was busy shoving bits and pieces from the back of her car into a plastic laundry basket.  He stopped a few meters away, rested his forearm against a tree and observed her quietly.

It wasn't until she turned and lifted her head, allowing him a clear view of her face, that he could be absolutely certain he was right about her identity.  He nodded and smiled, then moved in for the kill.

"Hello Tiger," he said, and grinned when her blue eyes flashed at him.

At first she frowned.  Her expression changed quickly from startled surprise at the sound of his voice to the shock of recognition.

"How are you, Claire?"  He stepped forward, his gaze roamed over her, took in her soft, feminine curves, the determined little chin, the pretty mouth which had always welcomed his kiss...

His heart lurched, more than it had a right to.  More than he wanted it to.

Claire dropped the basket.  Its contents scattered across the ground.  Her hand flew to her mouth.

         "You!"

The Trouble with Natalie

 

Still shocked, Natalie frantically scrubbed herself dry with a force that left her skin pink and tender. It wasn’t the spider that had sent her into such a spin. Her reaction to the huge Huntsman had been overruled by Luke’s presence. His touch. His gentleness and understanding over her silly feminine fear.

She’d never thought about Luke in any way other than as a younger brother. He’d practically lived with them, with her and Jake, and their father, when his own parents neglected him in favor of spending their time at the pub. She’d become the mother figure in his life, as she had for her own family, when her mother died from complications during Jake’s birth.

But now, fully grown, he was a far cry from the eight year old who’d stumbled into their lives, and the eighteen year old who seemed so unsure of himself as he headed off to university.

Luke DeMarco had grown into one sexy confident man and it was hard to relate the man he was now to the images she remembered of a distressed young boy and a troubled teenager. And at some stage during those missing years, his voice had grown rich and deep, and she liked the way it settled over her.

She tugged on jeans and a sweater and headed to the kitchen to make some hot chocolate. Not that she thought the hot drink would soothe her nerves or help her sleep. Another warm bath might do the trick, but the bathroom was occupied.

And so was the kitchen.

Fridge door open, Luke leaned into the light inside and searched the shelves. Though he wore well-fitting jeans that enticingly hugged his rear, he was shirtless, from what Natalie could see of his strong body. And his feet were bare.

She swallowed, remembering the feel of her fingertips on sculpted muscles. Even now her skin tingled with the memory. Having Luke share the house would certainly be an interesting challenge, to say the least.

He moved slightly, granting her a better view of powerful broad shoulders and an expanse of back that rippled with his movements. The tanned skin added to her perception of healthy fit male. He was taller than she remembered, but ten years could change a man. And those years had made a difference to Luke.

The package was virile, potent and sinfully sexy.

 

Full Moons have names by J. S. Marlo

 

J. S. Marlo's BWL Books

On October 31, 2020, we saw something we hadn't seen since March 31, 2018. A Blue Moon. 

A Blue Moon is not blue in color. It's the second Full Moon of a  calendar month. Since the  lunar cycle is roughly 29.5 days, a Blue Moon doesn't occur very often, thus the idiom, Once in a blue moon.

 

At 28 or 29 days, February is a special month. It can't have two Full Moons, and about once every 19 years, it doesn't even have one Full Moon. When there is no Full Moon in a month, we call it a Black Moon.  The last Black Moon occurred in February 2018, when there were two Full Moons in January and March, also known as a double Blue Moon. The next Black Moon will occur in 2037.

 

The Blue Moon isn't the only Full Moon with a name. For millennia, people across Europe, as well as Native American tribes, named the months after features they associated with the seasons in the Northern Hemisphere, and many of these names are very similar or identical. Some Native names are often attributed to tribes who lived in a vast area stretching from New England to Lake Superior, and whose languages are related.

 

All the Full Moons have names--many names. Here are some of them:

 

January -> Wolf Moon  named after howling wolves. Other names are Moon After Yule, Old Moon, or Ice Moon.

 

February -> Snow Moon named after the snowy conditions. Other names are Storm Moon, or Hunger Moon due to the scarce food sources during mid-winter.

 

March -> Worm Moon named after the earthworms that come out at the end of winter. Other names are Crow Moon, Crust Moon, Sap Moon, Sugar Moon, Death Moon, or Chaste Moon.

 

April -> Pink Moon named after the pink flowers – phlox – that bloom in the early spring. Other names are Sprouting Grass Moon, Fish Moon, Egg Moon, or Paschal Moon because it is used to calculate the date for Easter.

 

May -> Flower Moon named after the flowers that bloom during this month. Other names are Corn Planting Moon, Hare Moon, or Milk Moon.

 

June -> Strawberry Moon named after these little red berries ripen at this time. Other names are Hot Moon, Mead Moon, or Rose Moon.

 

July -> Buck Moon to signify the new antlers that emerge on deer buck's foreheads around this time. Other names are Thunder Moon, Wort Moon, or Hay Moon

 

August -> Sturgeon Moon named after the large number of fish in the lakes where the Algonquin tribes fished. Other names are Green Corn Moon, Barley Moon, Fruit Moon, Grain Moon, or Red Moon.

September -> Harvest Moon if the September Full Moon is the closest full moon to the September Equinox (around Sept 22). Other names are Corn Moon, Full Corn Moon, or  Barley Moon.

 

October -> Harvest Moon if the October Full Moon is the closest full moon to the September Equinox (around Sept 22). Other names are Hunter’s Moon, Dying Grass Moon,  Blood Moon, or Sanguine Moon.

 

November -> Beaver Moon named after beavers who become active while preparing for the winter.  Other names are Frosty Moon, or Mourning Moon if it is the last full moon before the winter solstice,

 

December -> Cold Moon to signify the beginning of winter. Other names are Moon Before Yule, Long Night Moon, or Oak Moon.

 

To be honest, until today, I'd only heard of a few of them, but there are so many interesting names. Now I'm thinking I need a full moon in my next story--but which one?

Next month, I'll present my new novel, Mishandled Conviction. Until then Happy Reading & Stay safe.

Many hugs!

JS

 

J. S. Marlo's Website

A 19th Century New England Thanksgiving by Eileen O'Finlan

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Click here to visit Eileen O'Finlan's website

Thanksgiving figures heavily in my forthcoming novel, Erin's Children, sequel to Kelegeen. Why Thanksgiving? Why not Christmas? Erin's Children is set in Massachusetts in the 1850s. Thanksgiving was the quintessential New England holiday at that time. Sure folks had started celebrating Christmas to a degree, but it was nothing in comparison to the grandest holiday of all – Thanksgiving.

It was English Puritans who came to Massachusetts in the early 1600s bringing with them a great distaste for anything that smacked of the Church in Rome which meant December 25^th was just another day on the calendar. Anyone caught celebrating Christmas could find themselves in trouble with the law. But Thanksgiving? That was a different story.

Though Puritanism had died out by the 1850s some of the Puritans' ways remained. It wasn't until the American Civil War in the 1860s and beyond that Christmas gained the foothold that would eventually catapult the holiday into the commercialized juggernaut of today. Thanksgiving, on the other hand, took pride of place in the hearts of New Englanders.

As most know, the “First Thanksgiving” took place in 1621 in Plymouth Colony with the Pilgrims and Wampanoag Indians sharing an autumnal harvest feast. For the following two centuries days of Thanksgiving were celebrated at various times by several of the colonies. It wasn't until 1863 when President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed a national day of Thanksgiving to be held every November that it became uniform. Still, by the 1850s the holiday was pretty well set as a tradition, even to the point of always being observed on a Thursday in November. Lincoln just made it official.

Thanksgiving was a huge celebration which entailed a tremendous amount of work. Imagine the work of preparing for Thanksgiving today and multiply it by at least ten. A fresh turkey had to be purchased before dawn on Thanksgiving morning, scalded in boiling water to loosen the feathers, then plucked. The bird was beheaded, gutted, then roasted all day. As if turkey wasn't enough, a couple of chickens were often included. Mashed potatoes and gravy, cranberry sauce, and a multitude of pies, most of them baked weeks in advance and kept frozen in a closed off section of the house, rounded out the feast. Just thinking about the preparation and clean up makes me exhausted.

Often families traveled to spend the day – or if they traveled any real distance, several days or even a few weeks – with relatives. Or, they may have been the hosts, as are the Claprood family in Erin's Children, with relatives coming to stay with them. Not only was there the big Thanksgiving meal to prepare and enjoy, but other frolics that went on for days. In Erin's Children, Mrs. Claprood's brother and his family join them for a week at Thanksgiving. The young people are especially jolly, celebrating with sleigh rides and a taffy pull during the days following the big feast.

Here is a short snippet of the taffy pull scene in Erin's Children:

The scents of hot chocolate and taffy lured Oliver and Benjamin into the kitchen with Nancy and Ethan right behind.

“You've come at a good time,” Deborah announced. “We're ready to pull!”

Kathleen placed the baking pan on the table while Meg set the crock of butter beside it. Once each had thoroughly buttered their hands, they lifted the thickened mixture, each grabbing hold of a section. Meg and Kathleen watched as the young people stretched and pulled the taffy, then folded it in on itself to stretch and pull again. Laughter filled the room as they set themselves up in teams to see who could stretch it furthest. The combination of slippery butter and sticky molasses mixture made for plenty of adventures and a few mishaps.

“Don't you want to pull, too?” Alice asked Meg and Kathleen.

The sisters looked at each other. The thought had not crossed their minds.

“Try.” Pamela encouraged them.

Kathleen's wistful expression decided it for Meg. She held out the crock of butter to her sister who eagerly greased her hands. She and Kathleen each held an end of the taffy and began pulling. To Meg's surprise, the odd mixture of slippery and sticky along with the sweet aroma appealed. She and Kathleen were soon laughing along with the others. For a few moments she felt part of the family. When their stretch of taffy broke, the end snapping back to curl around Meg's hands, she and Kathleen dissolved in gales of laughter.

Available for Purchase on December 1, 2020