Happy Samhain (Halloween) – novel extract, book news & a new price
As a writer of Scottish romances, I thought I’d blog about a halloween party featured in my Girl in the Castle –
I hope you enjoy the extract. I’ve also added some photos taken at a recent Halloween party I attended to celebrate Halloween. Make a note – Girl in the Castle is 99p from today for a VERY limited time. You can download and read FREE if you subscribe to Kindle Unlimited.
Extract – When Henri entered the Great Hall, it had been completely transformed by the purple gloaming outside the windows, strategically placed candles and the roaring twin fires. A harpist was playing a selection of melodies on a clarsach, and in another corner, children were dookin’ for apples in a barrel of water, supervised by nannies or older siblings. The young guisers, dressed as ghouls, spirits or favourite superheroes, took great delight in frightening the grown-ups with turnip lanterns hanging from sticks and fake Dracula fangs.
Henri had dressed so as not to draw attention to herself, however, the other guests showed no such restraint. They were celebrating Samhain in style; the men in kilts, ‘Bonnie Prince Charlie’ jackets over matching waistcoats, dress shirts, black tie, and brogues. The women in long plaid skirts/kilts, silk blouses with lace jabots or, like herself, in simple black dresses worn with clan tartan in the form of a shawl or a sash. Clearly, this was an evening for showing off, because heirloom tiaras, necklaces and bracelets had been taken out of the bank vault. The jewels caught the candlelight and added extra glamour to the evening. One man stood apart from the rest, and it took several seconds before Henri realised that it was Keir. She’d never seen the Master of Mountgarrie other than in his work clothes. But this Keir, wearing full Highland dress with unconscious grace and style was every inch the laird she’d dreamed about in the library. In her dreams. Grasping her silver caman for good luck, she stepped out of the shadows and into the hall.
If you’d like to read the opening chapters of Girl in the Castle on your kindle, click on this link. You can also buy a paperback for your bookshelf.
Here are the hallowe’en photos – (thank you, hostess with the mostess, Adrienne Vaughan)- lots of spooks and demons, but not a kilt in sight. Unfortunately. You might also catch a glimpse of fellow New Romantics Press’s June Kearns hiding behind one of the masks (!)
If you like spooky stories then check out the best selling anthology Adrienne and I contributed to.
Alternatively, check out my blog post about a real life spooky event which happened to me and my siblings in the sixties.
Just to bring you up to date, Adrienne and I have published a new novel apiece since this blog post was written. Check out TAKE ME, I’M YOURS and That Summer at the Seahorse Hotel . As for June, she’s finally come out from behind that mask and hopes to publish her new novel summer 2020.
Posted on October 29, 2017, in Lizzie's Scribbles and tagged #amwriting, Adrienne Vaughan, Clan.com, downloads, Girl in theCastle Scotweb, halloween, hocus pocus, June Kearns, promotion, Samhain, Scotland, sisters, spooky, writing. Bookmark the permalink. 13 Comments.
Superb blog, Lizzie! I just love Halloween as you can tell. Feel another ghost story coming on … much inspired by our recent shenanigans … thanks for the shout out! X
LikeLiked by 2 people
Funny how often that word – shenanigans – crops up in our correspondence /conversations! Thanks for popping by and for a great party last night.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Great post, Lizzie!! Those first pictures are exactly how I imagined your main characters from Girl in the Castle!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks June. I don’t always post photos but I think that Girl in the Castle has been out there long enough to warrant some.
LikeLike
Oh, look at you all, ladies you look fabulous in your Halloween attires! Looks like a fantastic party 🙂 Great blog post, Lizzie, Happy Samhain to everyone, from a now reasonably cold Italy (it looks a lot more like Autumn)
LikeLiked by 1 person
Quite cold here today. I’ve just been to buy sweets for the children who will call tomorrow night. Just wondering if I will scare the bejesus out of them if I greet them wearing my ‘wig’.
LikeLike
Reblogged this on New Romantics Press and commented:
Just wanted to share what 3 of New Romantics Press got up to last night – great fun, even if my halloween makeup didnt look much different to my everyday.
LikeLiked by 1 person
What brilliant photos. It looks as if you all had a ball! Great outfits. Love the extract and pics re Girl in the Castle – brought back fond memories of reading it. Xx
LikeLiked by 2 people
Many thanks for commenting Jan. I enjoyed writing that scene and I hope it shows. I suppose I shouldn’t of looked quite so happy when I was being bitten by a vampire. Lol.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Super blog post, Lizzie. Loved the photographs. Great fun. x x
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Maddie- it was a great opportunity to let our hair down and celebrate the start of the winter writing season.
LikeLike
Still love reading this, such a great excerpt from a wonderful story. X And we’re still writing … great isn’t it? X
LikeLike
They don’t call us the Crazy Celts for nothing !!!!
LikeLike