It's Christmas Eve...

StudioSarah Lou knows how to party on Christmas in Australia. CC 2.0

Checklist for Christmas Eve in Australia:

1. Ensure the kids get LOTS of exercise during the afternoon so they're worn out and will actually go to sleep tonight. Know that it is only a few days after the Summer Solstice, and the sun doesn't actually set in Australia until about 8pm.
2. Dress kids in the Jammies from Grammy's, as that's a family tradition. Tell youngest that yes, it's okay to sleep with just the top on, as it is too hot for bottoms.
3. Set out cookies for Santa, and convince kids that yes, Santa does want a cold glass of Passiona and not a glass of milk, because Santa is lactose-intolerant. Besides, this is Australia and the middle of summer. If you leave a glass of milk out, guaranteed it will be yoghurt by the time Santa arrives.
4. Read my loverly blog entry about Christmas in Australia on the Long and Short Reviews Blogfest and comment for a chance to win a prize. This is what you do while you wait for the kids to fall asleep.
5. Tell the kids you'll play lots of Christmas music that night for them as long as they stay in bed.
6. After checking on kids for the tenth time and finding out that yes, they're finally asleep, "Santa" lays out all the gifts, eats half the cookies, drinks all the tepid Passiona, and finally goes to bed. After all, the kids are gonna be up at 4:30am (along with that Australian Summer sun) to see what Santa brought them.
7. Lay on your bed under the air conditioning and dream of a winter Christmas because it's frickin' hot!

Lovely review of "The White Feather"

Mosey on over to Cupcakes and Popcorn to see their lovely review of "The White Feather".

Part I like the best:

"With no small amount of witty dialogues – courtesy of our dear ghost – and beautiful, innocent romance, this book is certainly something else. While ghost romance has become quite popular recently, I found this one to be a much better choice than other titles of this kind I’ve read."

My thanks to Anastasia and Lydia for this happy review.

As for the rest of you? Have you read it yet? If you have, do me a solid and post your honest review to Amazon, Goodreads or wherever you prefer to review.

Haven't got your copy yet?! (Surely not! Time to rectify.)

Amazon |  B&N | KoboBooks | TWRP

Also available in paperback for those who like heft.

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Her Grace plans on having more witty dialogue in "The Charm of Truth", out soon.

First Sentence Friday - The White Feather Ch 8

First Sentence Friday - The White Feather Chapter 8 - Final chapter!

The day of their wedding delivered on its promise of rain.

Is it a spoiler to announce a wedding at the end of a Romance novel?

I hope you've enjoyed First Sentence Friday for The White Feather. If you've had the opportunity to read it, I ask a favour; please leave an honest review on Amazon or Goodreads or wherever you purchased your copy. Honest reviews help authors more than you know and help your fellow readers find great books.

If you haven't read it yet, get The White Feather now from Amazon or your favourite ebook retailer.

Out now from The Wild Rose Press.

Amazon | Barnes and Noble | KoboBooks | The Wild Rose Press

Never be afraid to tell me what you think of my  novels. Loved it? Great! My job here is finished. Didn't love it? Any reason why? Any feedback you give me helps me improve on later books.

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Her Grace thanks you.

First Sentence Friday - The White Feather Ch 7

First Sentence Friday - The White Feather Chapter 7

His future bride was not the only lady in his life he needed to keep happy.

Here's a brief word about Church of England Special Licenses. It seems that nearly every Regency Romance novel features Our Hero fetching a special license for marriage.

In reality, they were rather rare. In novels, it seems that Special Licenses were more a way to get married quickly--say, that day.

Historically, when getting married in the Church of England, There were three ways of going about it:

1. Calling the Banns: this was the cheapest (free) and easiest way. In your parish of residence, announcements of your forthcoming marriage were made each Sunday for three weeks. If nobody objected, you and your betrothed could get married.

2. Common License: issued by an bishop, archbishop or archdeacon, a common license waived the three-week bann-calling period. However, you could only get married in the jurisdiction of the clergy who issued it. All licenses cost money. Sometimes a couple got a license for no other reason than a financial status symbol.

3. Special License: these could only be issued by the office of the Archbishop of Canterbury, but allowed the wedding to take place in any parish.

How do you think James went about it?

Get The White Feather now from Amazon or your favourite ebook retailer.

Out now from The Wild Rose Press.

Amazon | Barnes and Noble | KoboBooks | The Wild Rose Press

First Sentence Friday - The White Feather Ch 6

First Sentence Friday - The White Feather Chapter 6

James couldn’t get away from St. Mary’s soon enough. While the village’s derision of him wasn’t news, the vicar’s opinion was a surprise.

Don't be afraid of change in your life. Change happens because it needed to happen. For good or ill, change brings an opportunity for personal growth.

You are guaranteed XP when change enters your life. Take advantage of it and level up.

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Get The White Feather now from Amazon or your favourite ebook retailer. If life's getting you down, grab a book and escape for a few hours. You'll feel better for it.

Out now from The Wild Rose Press.

Amazon | Barnes and Noble | KoboBooks | The Wild Rose Press

First Sentence Friday - The White Feather Ch 5

First Sentence Friday - The White Feather Chapter 5

The next morning James woke with the impression of being watched.

The White Feather is suitable for book clubs. A list of questions for book club discussion is available on request. Also, if you order your copies directly from The Wild Rose Press, a discount is available. Contact Lisa for more information on book club discounts.

Get The White Feather now from Amazon or your favourite ebook retailer.

Out now from The Wild Rose Press.

Amazon | Barnes and Noble | KoboBooks | The Wild Rose Press

Over on The Wild Rose Press blog...

Today I am featured on The Wild Rose Press blog: The Origin of Silver War Badges

On the back of every Silver War Badge is a Roman numeral explaining the reason for discharge under King's Regulations. These range from dishonourable to regular to heroic.

Which one do you think James Cowper from The White Feather was discharged under?


(i) References on enlistment being unsatisfactory.
(ii) Having been irregularly enlisted.
(iii) Not likely to become an efficient soldier.
(iv) Having been claimed as an apprentice.
(v) Having claimed it on payment of £10 within three months of his attestation.
(vi) Having made a mis-statement as to age on enlistment.
(vii) Having been claimed for wife desertion.
(viii) Having made a false answer on attestation.
(ix) Unfitted for the duties of the corps.
(x) Having been convicted by the civil power of_____, or of an offence committed before enlistment.
(xi) For misconduct.
(xii) Having been sentenced to penal servitude.
(xiii) Having been sentenced to be discharged with ignominy.
(xiv) At his own request, on payment of _____ under Article 1130 (i), Pay Warrant.
(xv) Free, after ____ years' service under Article 1130 (ii), Pay Warrant.
(xvi) No longer physically fit for war service.
(xvii) Surplus to military requirements (having suffered impairment since entry into the service).
(xviii) At his own request after 18 years' service (with a view to pension under the Pay Warrant).
(xix) For the benefit of the public service after 18 years' service (with a view to pension under the Pay Warrant).
(xx) Inefficiency after 18 years' service (with a view to pension under the Pay Warrant).
(xxi) The termination of his ____ period of engagement.
(xxii) With less than 21 years' service towards engagement, but with 21 or more years' service towards pension.
(xxiii) Having claimed discharge after three months' notice.
(xxiv) Having reached the age for discharge.
(xxv) His services being no longer required.
(xxvi) Surplus to military requirements (Not having suffered impairment since entry into the service).
(xxvii) At his own request after 21 (or more) years' service (with a view to pension under the Pay Warrant).
(xxviii) After 21 (or more) years' qualifying service for pension, and with 5 (or more) years' service as warrant officer (with a view to pension under the Pay Warrant).
(xxviv) On demobilization.

(source: Wikipedia)

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Her Grace is thankful the KRs were not printed on the front of the badge. That would have meant more trouble.

First Sentence Friday - The White Feather Ch 4

First Sentence Friday - The White Feather Chapter 4

Just like that, the ghost disappeared. No warning, no fading away, no last words.

Okay, I cheated. That's two sentences.

In The White Feather (and many of my other books), items can hold magic. How much is influenced by the material.

Iron is anathema to magic. It simply cannot hold it and in many traditions, can even negate magic.

Iron is even strong enough to kill stars.

Young stars are formed when a cloud of hydrogen collapses under its own gravitational weight and starts thermonuclear fusion. The hydrogen of a star fuses together into helium. When all the hydrogen is used up. the star undergoes a helium flash and starts fusing helium. Then it gradually works its way through the Periodic table until it gets to FE (iron). Iron does not undergo thermonuclear fusion the way the lighter elements do. When a star reaches iron stage, it pretty much blasts away its outer shell, leaving a slowly cooling core of iron. This is how many stars die.

As for elements heavier than iron (such as gold and uranium), these are create when certain types of stars go supernova. the powerful blast of a supernova fuses some iron into the heaver elements.

Interesting note: the shockwave of a supernova can trigger star formation in a nearby nebula (cloud of hydrogen). Circle of life.

Love astronomy? So do I.

Get The White Feather now from Amazon or your favourite ebook retailer.

Out now from The Wild Rose Press.

Amazon | Barnes and Noble | KoboBooks | The Wild Rose Press

Happy Book Birthday, The White Feather

The White Feather

14 September 2016

The White Feather is out today! Have you got your copy yet?

Amazon | Barnes and Noble | KoboBooks | The Wild Rose Press | GoodReads

Crippled by a fear of firearms, James Cowper is rejected by the draft during the Great War. For this, the villagers mark him as a cowardly pariah. Cruelly shamed by them, James attempts a desperate deed by the tombstone of the village's most famous lady, Georgia Palmerton, also known as the Stoweham Ghost.

A hundred years ago, a romantic rival cursed Georgia Palmerton. Since then, she's wandered in phantom form, naked and alone, watching generations grow up, marry, live, and die. Georgia could be restored back to life, if someone had the courage to help her.

Freeing Georgia from physical death is a simple matter. Freeing James from social death is altogether more challenging, especially when he is asked to give up everything he's ever known. Now that the ghost and the pariah have found each other, will love and courage be enough to save them both?

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Her Grace asks that after you've read The White Feather, please leave an honest review on Amazon, GoodReads or wherever you purchased your copy. This helps more than you know.

First Sentence Friday - The White Feather Ch 3

First Sentence Friday - The White Feather Chapter 3

Several painful hours later, a contrite and tear stained James Cowper made his way through the grounds of Stoweham House to the wall that separated the far garden from the older part of St. Mary’s cemetery.

Acrostic jewelry is when a secret message is encoded in the gemstones set in the piece.

For example, a ring could be set with the following stones.

Hematite
Onyx
Peridot
Emerald

or 

Lapis
Opal
Vermeil (garnet)
Emerald

An acrostic ring makes a subtle appearance in The White Feather. Do you know what message it spells?

Pre-order from Amazon or your favourite ebook retailer.

Out 14 Sept 2016 from The Wild Rose Press.

Amazon | Barnes and Noble | KoboBooks | The Wild Rose Press

First Sentence Friday - The White Feather Ch 2

First Sentence Friday - The White Feather Chapter 2

A loud noise rumbling through his splitting headache brought James to consciousness.

Crippled by a fear of firearms, James Cowper is rejected by the draft during the Great War. For this, the villagers mark him as a cowardly pariah. Cruelly shamed by them, James attempts a desperate deed by the tombstone of the village's most famous lady, Georgia Palmerton, also known as the Stoweham Ghost.

A hundred years ago, a romantic rival cursed Georgia Palmerton. Since then, she's wandered in phantom form, naked and alone, watching generations grow up, marry, live, and die. Georgia could be restored back to life, if someone had the courage to help her.

Freeing Georgia from physical death is a simple matter. Freeing James from social death is altogether more challenging, especially when he is asked to give up everything he's ever known. Now that the ghost and the pariah have found each other, will love and courage be enough to save them both?


Pre-order from Amazon or your favourite ebook retailer.

Out 14 Sept 2016 from The Wild Rose Press.

Amazon | Barnes and Noble | KoboBooks | The Wild Rose Press

First Sentence Friday - The White Feather Ch 1

First Sentence Friday - The White Feather Chapter 1

James Cowper’s hand shook as he reached for the knob of the Stoweham Community Hall door.

Less than a month until the release of The White Feather from The Wild Rose Press.

Pre-order from Amazon or your favourite ebook retailer.

Out 14 Sept 2016 from The Wild Rose Press.

Amazon | Barnes and Noble | KoboBooks | The Wild Rose Press

Amazon offers free previews!

Totally awesome news: Amazon.com now offers a funky new doohickey called Kindle Instant Preview.  Now you can have a quick'n'easy look at all my books.

Sample, like, order, read, love! If you do read one (or all) of my novels, please be kind and leave an honest reveiw on Amazon. They help more than you know.

Never tried my books? Pick one and enjoy.


(A Lady of Many Charms is free to download and read the whole thing.)
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My latest release.
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(Marry Me is my most popular book!)
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My first The Wild Rose Press release.

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What, you say? Where is The White Feather?  Alas,  no Amazon preview for that until 14 Sept 2016. Feel free to pre-order it.