WISHING YOU PEACE AND JOY IN THE HOLIDAY SEASON
Sunday, December 25, 2016
Saturday, October 29, 2016
Wednesday, March 16, 2016
Monday, February 8, 2016
Unholy Crossing by Pat McDermott
“Tell him I want that
picture of my grandmother!” she said. “It’s in Grannie’s old trunk! Bridgie
told me she put it there.” (Grannie was Michael’s grandmother, my grandmother’s
sister.)
Years
ago, my aunt lent a photo of her grandmother, my great-grandmother, to Michael’s
mother Bridgie for inclusion in a historical publication. My great-grandmother
was a schoolteacher, and the publishers wanted to feature her in a Who’s Who
type section. Sadly, by the time I went over, Bridgie had passed
away.
Undaunted
by family intrigue, Michael gave me a grand tour. We saw the remains of the
house where our grandmothers grew up, the ruins of the schoolhouse where our
great-grandmother taught, and the cemetery where many family members rest. He knew
nothing about the photo, though he knew about the trunk, stored in the ruins of a cottage near his childhood home.
“Look all you like,” he said. “But I’m telling you, my
father wouldn’t touch that trunk, and neither will I.”
Michael has a touch of the Blarney about him, yet he seemed quite serious when we reached the cottage. I'd no sooner opened the trunk when a
shrieking flock of
crows flew above us. The wind rose and tore off a piece of the old door. I
thought it was great fun, but Michael quickly left the place and said he’d wait
outside.
I
never found the photo, and I didn't care. The trunk had captured me. I closed it up and wondered where it came
from, how it got there, and what it had seen and heard. And let’s not forget
the sound effects. Whether the crows and the wind were a coincidence, or
whether Ireland had cast another of its spells, I had a story—if Grannie would
let me use her trunk.
Apparently, she didn’t mind. Here’s the Blurb and an Excerpt
from Unholy Crossing.
Blurb
A Spectral Stowaway Opens the Door to Ireland's Pagan Past...
A Spectral Stowaway Opens the Door to Ireland's Pagan Past...
It’s 1912, and America has lost its charm for Noreen
Carbury, an educated young lady from Ireland. For five long years, Noreen has
looked after the children of Boston’s well-to-do. Homesick and vexed by the
gentry’s demeaning views toward immigrants, she schedules a voyage to visit her
family in County Sligo.
Beneath the clothing and gifts she packs in her steamer
trunk, Noreen conceals a wooden box whose grisly contents she’s promised to
transport to Ireland. She boards a splendid new steamship expecting a crossing
fit for a queen, yet her trunk has somehow harbored a spirit who plagues her
during the week-long trip. She believes that once she delivers the box, the
phantom will leave her alone. Although she keeps her promise, the visitations
grow more sinister, pitting her strict Catholic upbringing against Ireland’s
pagan past.
To protect the reputation of the man she loves, Noreen says
nothing of the mysterious incidents. For decades, she bears the burden alone,
until the elderly woman she becomes confesses the spine-chilling tale of the Unholy Crossing.
Excerpt
The Laconia sailed east, past the islands in Boston
Harbor. Soon she would turn northeast. Toward Ireland.
Toward home.
I unlocked my cabin door and gasped at the room’s icy
temperature. Annoyed that the heater had failed to perform, I eyed the button
that summoned the steward. As I crossed the room to push it, I glanced at the
photos on the desk and froze.
What I’m telling you now is the truth, I swear. As I gazed
at the portrait of Ned and me, a golden glow rose from the top of the silver
frame. A dark-haired image appeared between us.
Had I drunk more wine than I should, you ask? On my word, I
did not. The woman was there, in the portrait, staring. Staring at me. Smiling.
* * * * *
Unholy Crossing - A Novella/Novelette Available in Print and
eBook from
Thursday, January 7, 2016
Enchanted Highlands by April Holthaus, Victoria Zak, and Dawn Marie Hamilton
Happy New Year! Now that the hustle and bustle of the holiday season is behind us, let's heat things up with a Highlander collection from three Celtic authors...
Twelvetide (Twelve Nights of Highland Magic)
By Dawn Marie Hamilton
He has twelve nights to gain her love.
She has twelve nights to save his soul.
Fulfilling a childhood promise, Ashley Dumont returns to an ancient Druid garden in the Black Hills of Scotland on the eve of the winter solstice—a time when magic hums and the veil between realms thins and tears, allowing all manner of supernatural creatures through. Will the ghost who claimed to be her destiny still be there?
Caelan Innes awaits her arrival. Unjustly murdered in the sixteenth century, a second chance at life depends on this woman. The Druids grant them the twelve nights of Yule to find love and save Cael’s soul. Will a trip through time and the treachery of enemies make the sacrifice too dear?
Once Upon a Winter Solstice
By Victoria Zak
What if all moments throughout time existed at once? What if you had a love that stood the test of time? Never faltering, never fading. What if one legend brought both time and love together as one? Once Upon a Winter Solstice is dedicated to those who believe in true love.
Stars and Stones
By April Holthaus
Riley Kincaid was a man who thought he had everything, until fate intervened. While traveling to London; only days before Christmas, a fierce storm blew in forcing Riley to land in Scotland instead. With treacherous winds and snow-covered roads, Riley found refuge at a small bed and breakfast as he waited out the storm. But little did he know that his arrival was not by mere chance.
Enchanted Highlands
 |
| Three Winter Novellas Available at Amazon for 99 cents or Free with Kindle Unlimited |
Three magical love stories...
By Dawn Marie Hamilton
He has twelve nights to gain her love.
She has twelve nights to save his soul.
Fulfilling a childhood promise, Ashley Dumont returns to an ancient Druid garden in the Black Hills of Scotland on the eve of the winter solstice—a time when magic hums and the veil between realms thins and tears, allowing all manner of supernatural creatures through. Will the ghost who claimed to be her destiny still be there?
Caelan Innes awaits her arrival. Unjustly murdered in the sixteenth century, a second chance at life depends on this woman. The Druids grant them the twelve nights of Yule to find love and save Cael’s soul. Will a trip through time and the treachery of enemies make the sacrifice too dear?
Once Upon a Winter Solstice
By Victoria Zak
What if all moments throughout time existed at once? What if you had a love that stood the test of time? Never faltering, never fading. What if one legend brought both time and love together as one? Once Upon a Winter Solstice is dedicated to those who believe in true love.
Stars and Stones
By April Holthaus
Riley Kincaid was a man who thought he had everything, until fate intervened. While traveling to London; only days before Christmas, a fierce storm blew in forcing Riley to land in Scotland instead. With treacherous winds and snow-covered roads, Riley found refuge at a small bed and breakfast as he waited out the storm. But little did he know that his arrival was not by mere chance.
Three Celtic Authors...
Dawn Marie Hamilton:
April Holthaus:
Victoria Zak:
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