Yorkshire and Paris
February: A Month Of Reading Romance #respectromfic #romanticnovels #proudtoreadromfic #romfic #reading
Time to Love and Respect Romantic Fiction It won’t surprise you to know that as well as writing romantic fiction, I also love reading it. And while I…
February: A Month Of Reading Romance #respectromfic #romanticnovels #proudtoreadromfic #romfic #reading
If you’re looking for a great romance to read this month, check out – mybook.to/WintetStar
Happy New Year or, as we say in Scotland . . . lang may yer lum reek
My novel, WINTER STAR IN THE SCOTTISH HIGHLANDS, published mid-December, has been well received. It’s a sequel to Dark Highland Skies and continues the love story of Tor and Halley as they prepare for the birth of their first child. I’m happy to say it’s one of my best-selling novels and due to readers’ feedback, I plan to write one last book in the trilogy.
As one of my lovely readers put it: “This is a superbly written story, easy to follow with fine details and explanation which are second to none. You will laugh, cry and sense all the emotions that the characters do in this snow-covered Christmas setting with an ending not to be missed. I’ve learnt so much from Lizzie Lamb’s portrayal of this magical place. As always, it’s best to read both books, but Winter star in the Scottish Highlands can be read as a standalone.”
This is Ballindalloch Castle which I visited a couple of summers ago and which inspired the castle in my book – Creag na h-lolaire, which means Eagles Crag in Gaelic. Everything about it is romantic and if you’re ever in the Trossachs its well worth a visit.
If you would like to know what the novel is about. here’s the blurb
If you’d like to read the opening chapters of Winter Star in the Scottish Highlands FREE, click here
. . . A Winter’s tale to warm your heart from the Queen of Highland Romance Wrap up and snuggle down, this is the perfect winter read, whatever the weather
if you’d like to know what readers thought of Winter Star in the Scottish Highlands – see below –
. . . A captivating and heartwarming sequel to Dark Highland Skies. Fall in love with Halley & Tor and the glorious Scottish Highlands all over again! A Winter Wonderland of love, family feuds and friendship – a gorgeous read
. . . As usual Lizzie Lamb writes a compelling and heart-warming story of love, friendship and at times difficult family relationships, with great characters and a few scheming villains too! Tor is a wonderful hero and Halley is a strong heroine and their love for each other really shines throughout the story.
And, finally, before you go, please consider leaving a rating/review for Winter Star. Short written reviews matter on Amazon and just a few sentences is enough. More importantly, enjoy the story and look out for the last book in the trilogy which I hope to publish at the end of the year.
Bliadhna Mhath Ùr
Happy New Year from Lizzie and her kilted hero
We might be a long way from the highlands but we know how to party.
An extract from the Ghillies’ Ball in Winter Star in the Scottish Highlands –
Lights and music greeted them as they disembarked from the Land Rover and entered the barn, transformed under Lady Strachan’s expert guidance. Industrial-size machines pumped heat into the air of the cathedral-like building, melting the snow on its slate roof. In lieu of seating, straw bales draped in rugs and tartan shawls were arranged around three sides of the barn. As the temperature rose the scent from the bales reminded them of the successful harvest gathered in thanks to unseasonably good weather.
The Ghillies’ Ball was the family’s way of thanking their staff and tenants for their hard work and looking forward to the new year with hope and enthusiasm.
Behind the bales, along the bottom edge of the barn, large trestle tables had been erected and staff, under the critical gaze of Mrs Robinson, were unloading food from catering vans. At the opposite end of the barn on a temporary stage draped with a large saltire, musicians were tuning their instruments in readiness for the ceilidh: bagpipes, snare drums, accordion, fiddle, electric guitar and a small Celtic harp.
Chains of fairy lights, strung along the sides of the barn and as high as staff could safely reach, made everything festive and inviting. Soon folk arrived, stamping their feet to clear their boots of snow, and blowing on frozen hands to ward off chilblains. Arranging their coats over individual bales to reserve their place for the night and exclaiming at the barn’s transformation they greeted friends noisily. Once they’d bagged their spot, they removed outdoor shoes and replaced them with trainers. Or, in the case of the older generation, dancing shoes.
Tor and Halley’s party were as impressed as the other guests at the barn’s makeover and exchanged knowing looks as they recalled discussing the barn’s potential as a wedding venue. Leaving Halley in Lexie and Rowan’s capable hands, Tor walked over to the band to check everything was ready, keen to ensure Halley’s first Ghillies’ Ball would be a night to remember.
If you’ve enjoyed reading this extract from my novel then read a longer sample and maybe even download a copy of the novel. All my other Scottish themed romances are currently priced at 99p/99c.
Many thanks to Book Escape with Babs for this fabulous review of Winter Star in the Scottish Highlands.
You can download it here or buy both for under a pound
For me, the main draw is the unerring connection between Tor and Halley. Their determination to tackle everything head-on and not allow anything to create uncertainty in their lives is beyond powerful and a rare skill.
Keeping the love going . . .
I’m featured on the Australian Romance Readers’ Association’s website today talking about being awarded the #RNA’s Indie Champion of 2023 award. Do pop over and have a look if you have a moment. Any and all comments/likes are most appreciated. Thank you, Lizzie x
Valentine’s Day guest blog post and review – courtesy of Babs Wilkie of Book Escapes
I was lucky enough to meet Babs Wilkie at the RNA Industry Awards in November 2023 when I was named Indie Champion 2023. I have since discovered that Babs is married to a Scot (I hope he’s a kilt-wearing one) and that she is a great supporter of authors and their books. If you aren’t following Babs’s fabulous blog then you’re missing a treat. Do take time to read the whole interview, if you can.
To celebrate Valentine’s Day and Dark Highland Skies’s first birthday I have put the novel on #KindleCountdown for 99p/99c – but only until Tuesday 20th February. So get it while it’s hot. In the meantime, I’m writing a sequel to Halley and Tor’s love story and really enjoying moving the characters forwards. ?Towards another happy ending? You’ll have to wait until the end of the year to find out.
Have a wonderful Valentine’s Day whethere its with the one you love or reliving treasures memories of those you have loved. I’ll end this post by quoting Virgil – cras amet qui nunquam amavit; quique amavit, cras amet – which means: loveless hearts will love tomorrow, those who have loved will love again.
Caravanning and researching!
Back in the day my husband bought a ‘secret caravan’ off eBay for £300 because he was not sure I would take to the caravanning life. Talk about ‘ducks to water.’ We are now on caravan #5 (a Bailey Cartagena) which is 25 feet long, has a dedicated bathroom and a fixed double bed. A real home from home. Caravanning is ideal because we can combine research, writing away-from-home and having a fun time.
As you can see, its quite a big ‘van’ and I don’t travel light. Call me crazy but I don’t like staying in hotels (at least, not the ones I can afford), so the van suits us down to the ground.
At home, I have a study overlooking the garden. I have had a writing room/study since we married in 1973 and, occasionally, I allow my husband to enter, but he must knock first and wait for me to say: ‘Ye-es?’ before entering. Just kidding. To be fair, he brings me coffee and biscuits to fuel my writing sprints or, in the winter, a stiff gin and tonic and cashews nuts. Spoiled? Most definitely. But he knows that when I am writing I’ll leave him alone to get on with his ‘projects’. (mostly servicing his fleet of classic cars, if you really want to know.)
When we are at the caravan, I write at the pull out ‘card table’ or at a big table in the awning. The caravan is fully equipped, but – as I said above, I do not travel light . . . I take my iPhone (natch) printer/scanner, dongle, MacBook Air, packs of paper etc. I have commandeered one of the drawers at the front of the caravan as a dedicated ‘stationery drawer’ full of pens, notebooks, spare ink cartridges etc. I also keep my planning notes in there (made from a recycled Amazon folder). However, I find writing notes by hand takes too long and I easily lose the thread, so I do most of my planning on the MacBook, cutting and pasting once I’m happy with it.
I’m not a great fan of the MacBook and wish now that I’d bought a Windows laptop.
I don’t take many reference books along with me, instead I keep all the information in a bookmarked folder on my pc. It’s backed up every day on Dropbox et al. I usually print out the relevant sections and take those with me for reference. I prefer to write the novel proper while I’m away and research is filed away for when we get home. Then I ‘colour in’ what I’ve written/make changes.
As I said, I do not take copious notes along with me, but two things are essential – a timeline and a cheap calendar. I use these to mark what happens when/where in my WIP. I know (roughly) how the novel ends and put little ‘pegs’ on the timeline to get me there. Each section of the timeline becomes a chapter. If inspiration or a new idea strikes, I glue post-it notes to the relevant section of the planner to remind me to add that information when I come to it.
All my photos are stored in the cloud for when I need them. I don’t write outside the caravan, unless its in the awning, because I find the light bothersome. When in the caravan I write with the blinds behind me drawn, as I find it easier on my eyes. Mostly I beaver away in the semi-darkness wearing a peaked cap to further shade my eyes. I have dedicated ‘computer glasses’ with a blue-light coating, I also use a screen filter on the MacBook, so my eyes don’t get tired.
We have a television, Blu-ray DVD player, stock of movies and an Amazon Firestick. That way, when I run out of inspiration, I can watch a favourite movie, zone out and give my imagination free rein.
In case you’re wondering what my husband Dave does while I’m writing, it’s simple. He lies on the double bed and watches DVDs (wearing headphones) or surfs the net on his iPad. He can shut the bedroom off from the front of the caravan via a sliding screen, so we do not distract each other. In fact, I am pleased that he can have down time as he works so hard towing the caravan and setting it up etc.
Sometimes, we will stumble upon a part of Scotland which is unfamiliar to us and take masses of photos for research and planning. For example, after discovering Castle Stalker on Loch Linnhe and booking a tour, Girl in the Castle was born. Several summers ago, we returned to the castle and presented the owner with a signed copy of the book and my heartfelt thanks. One of my favourite spots in Scotland is Plockton which inspired Harper’s Highland Fling – a ‘road trip to romance’, featuring a slightly older hero and heroine. I was able to draw upon my experience as a teacher when I created the heroine, a primary school headteacher who discovers that her niece has run away to Scotland – where else – with a boy who lives in the same village.
Usually, we explore the location where my books are set. I could do most of this research via Google Earth, But where is the fun in that? Visiting a place several times means that I can write about it with some authority. I particularly love Wester Ross and last summer we visited Inverewe Gardens which set me off thinking about/planning number nine. Readers tell me that they love my depiction of Scotland but I am careful not to let purple prose or descriptions of scenery get in the way of the romance.
Some days I do not write a word, but I’m always thinking about my novel when I’m not at the pc.
Well, that about wraps up my first blog post on Romancing the Plaid. I hope you’ve enjoyed it. Keep your eyes peeled because Dark Highland Skies will be available for 99p from Valentine’s Day – its book birthday, until February 20th. After that, it reverts to its usual price of £2.99.
Halley Dunbar has spent her entire career searching for the impossible – an exoplanet capable of sustaining life, a one-in-a-billion find. But when she’s forced to travel to Scotland to arrange her great-uncle’s funeral, Halley discovers something rarer, the one man capable of making her happy, Laird’s son Tor Strachan. However, obstacles stand in the way of their happiness. Tor, an Afghan veteran, has Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome and must confront his demons before he can be the man Halley deserves. Meanwhile, Halley has a secret of her own, one she can’t share with anyone – not even Tor. Will the two be able to find their happy ending or will their secrets be the downfall of them both?
See you soon,
The Broken Vow by LuisaAJones
The Broken Vow is set in the early months of the First World War. It’s a period I find fascinating, as it was a time of tremendous social and technological change. Victorian attitudes and morals were still entrenched, but young people especially started adopting more modern values.
The Great War left no one in Britain unaffected, and not only because of the catastrophic loss of men. For example, I hadn’t realised until I started researching the historicalbackground that this was the first war in 900 years to endanger civilians on the British mainland. Zeppelin airships dropped bombs and German ships shelled coastal towns. Air raids, blackout and rationing were features of the First World War, not just the Second.
Sea blockades meant that supplies of food were quickly threatened, and the cost of living rose. Refugees from occupied Belgium soon arrived in Britain, and were mostly made welcome: some of them built the Belgian Promenade in Anglesey, which I’ve visited several times on holiday.
I was particularly interested in the way women’s lives changed. The Edwardian ideal was for women’s place to be in the home, and this attitude was especially strong in my home country of Wales.
There were working women, of course, when the war started, mostly in domesticservice, shops and factories. But in the early months of the war, with prices rising, the upper classes started economising by letting their servants go and spending less on hats, clothes and hotel stays. Many women lost their jobs.
Soon, though, factories started employing women to take over from the men who had joined the armed forces. It’s easy to forget that at that time women had no say in the politics of their country going to war, yet they kept the country going. The war could not have been won without the supplies they manufactured, often at great risk to themselves as safety rules were relaxed to increase productivity. It must have left a bitter taste when they faced criticism for stealing men’s jobs. Middle- and upper-class women also did their bit through voluntary work, even in the face of patronising exhortations by men in government to “go home and sit still”.
In The Broken Vow, Charlotte Fitznorton converts her ancestral home into a convalescent home for shell-shocked officers, and working-class Maggie Cadwalader starts work in a munitions factory. I hope I’ve done justice to the women who kept the home fires burning, in reminding us of the significance of their contribution to the war.
Read the rest of this entryMany thanks to . . . Babs of Book Escapes for mentioning my books and those of fellow author Adrienne Vaughan in her latest blog.
Babs will be featuring Dark Highland Skies on her blog in February when it is the book’s ‘birthday’. I sent her a copy of the book after meeting her at the RNA Industry Awards when I was voted Indie Champion 2023. I hope she has enjoyed it. I’m trying to get back in to the writing groove after a fabulous Christmas as I have the sequel to Dark Highland Skies to write. However, there are unopened packets of mincepies and remnants of New Year’s Eve’s trifle trying to distract me with their siren call. I’d better resist otherwise nothing will fit me !
As well as the shout out on Bab’s blog I was super pleased to learn that Anne Williams had selected Dark Highland Skies as one of her favourite reads for 2023. She even posted her review of the book on her blog- https://beinganne.com/2023/03/review-dark-highland-skies-by-lizzie-lamb-lizzie_lamb-newrelease-scottishhighlands-romance-respectromfic-darkhighlandskies/
Adrienne was singled out for her latest novel Secrets of the Shell Sisters on Anne’s blog, too. Do check it out as I think it is one of her best novels so far. As I said in my review: The adventures of the Morgan sisters and the secrets they shared but kept to themselves kept me hooked right to the end
As Scot by birth, heritage and blood, New Year’s Eve or Hogmanay is always special to me. Usually, we have a houseful but this year it was just Dave and me as everyone has one form of the lurgy or another. However, he manfully donned his kilt and Leicester Tiger’s shirt and we toasted in 2024 with Nytimber and pizza! Sometimes, it only takes two to tango.
Just for fun I produced these two romanticised portraits of Dave and I through Photolab. If you’re a writer or blogger the site is worth exploring as it offers easy ways of making your book(s) look enticing to prospective readers. The tartan I have over my right shoulder is the Lamont – the Lambs claim kinship with that clan. We have Burns Night to look forward to at the end of the month and I hope my friends will have shrugged off their germs and will join us to hear Dave giving the Address to the Haggis (vegetarian, of course).
So, I’ll say farewell for now. But keep your eyes peeled for updates to the blog I hope to organise some prizes and giveaways once I shrug off a winter cold and Christmas excesses. Have a great day and keep reading.
Lizzie Lamb - author 