tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-87674487989813459692024-02-13T00:39:45.762-08:00Lily Silver's Romancing HistoryCelebrating Love in Another Time! A blog discussing timeless lovers throughout history, myth, legend and literature.lsilver60http://www.blogger.com/profile/07932215293781615986noreply@blogger.comBlogger134125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8767448798981345969.post-82072616010102313972017-05-06T14:00:00.001-07:002017-05-06T14:00:12.745-07:00Beauty and the Beast Movie Review<br />
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I recently went to the movie "Beauty and the Beast", starring Emma Watson and Dan Stevens.<br />
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All I can say is "Wow". It is a stunning big screen experience. <br />
I am a big fan of this storyline, a classic tale of love and romance, of a gentle, beautiful woman taming a beast. Isn't that what marriage is all about? <br />
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Yeah, in real life, the wild man bachelor is tamed when he weds and succumbs to civilization by his gentle spouse. Caveman becomes Gentleman. Gotta love it! <br />
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The story was first brought to life in the eighteenth century, written in 1740 by Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve, and published in <i>The Young American and Marine Tales</i>. It was later rewritten, abridged and published by Jeanne-Marie LaPrince de Beaumont in 1756 in a book called Children's Collections. The original story has been changed and morphed into various adaptations in recent years.<br />
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Basically, the beast is actually a handsome prince, cursed to take the shape of a beast for some transgression. Tradition holds that it is because he was cruel to an old woman who was actually a witch. His punishment is that he must bear the shape of a beast until someone can love him and set him free of the curse. <br />
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There is a merchant in the story, with a lovely daughter. The merchant loses his way one night during a storm, and takes refuge in a palace. He picks a rose, and is cursed by the beast to be imprisoned forever for trespassing. The beautiful daughter offers to take her father's place as the beast's prisoner. So, the story is set up for beauty to tame the beast. You know the story, classic, they gradually fall in love, and the beast is freed from his curse.<br />
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In 1991, Disney remade the tale into a cartoon movie. I bought it for my kids for Christmas that year. This version is a musical, and it was stunning, beautiful, incomparable, so far above any other rendition--until now. The 1991 Disney version sort of the gold standard for any true Beauty and the Beast Fans. <br />
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In March of 2017, the world was given a new version, a live action version with actors instead of carton characters. Emma Watson of Harry Potter fame is Belle, and she executes her role superbly. I was impressed. She brings Belle to life with exceptional skill. Dan Stevens plays an impressive Beast. His British accent and his voice are charming, but the makeup he had to endure to become the Beast is also worthy of an Oscar nomination.<br />
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The musical big screen version is the same as the 1991 version, pretty much word for word. Yes, I know this because it was watched obsessively in my house when my kids were little, so I pretty much have the musical version burned into my memory. <br />
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The sets are stunning, and the castle is truly a masterpiece. I loved the Gothic feel of the castle. The Castle and land surrounding it seems to be frozen in winter, while in the outside world, it's June.<br />
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To retrace my steps back to the plot, Beauty (Belle), agrees to take her father's place as the Beast's prisoner. At first the Beast is very harsh with her, but his staff treat her well and coax the Beast into being nicer to her. The staff has been enchanted with him, and all have been changed into objects that signify what their role was in Castle. Mrs. Potts is the housekeeper, and she becomes a teapot. The butler is changed into a clock, and the head footman into a candelabra, and so forth. They are cursed with the Beast so they have a vested interest in helping the Beast win her heart so they all can be free of the curse.<br />
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As a movie goer, I was impressed. This is one movie that you must see on the big screen. It's a classic fairytale. The director and producers did a wonderful job of bringing the story to life in a live action film.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i>When the Beast gives Belle the ultimate gift of his library as her own, I think we all swoon a little!</i></span><br />
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In Belle, Emma Watson's beauty is not the Razzle Dazzle Sparkly Hollywood kind, it's a refreshing natural woman kind of beauty. She's not showy, she's intelligent, brave as she faces the beast and confronts him to save her father, and she's a role model for young girls. Learning is good, reading is good, so is standing up for what you believe in! This is a heroine for little girls to root for.<br />
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Dan Stevens plays the Beast with grace and aplomb. He's known for his character in Downton Abbey, Matthew Crawley, and I believe he brings some of that grace into this role. At first the Beast is angry and cruel, but he can't keep it up for long. His humanity keeps slipping through. The Beast is an educated man, a well read man inside, and this love of literature between both Belle and the Beast is the thing that brings them together.<br />
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And this is the part of the story that is so fantastic. It's not Barbie and Ken, or The Kardashians! It's the brainy, intelligent girl, the class nerd who doesn't fit into the crowd finding love and acceptance. It's Alex Dunphy of Modern Family finding romance and good fortune instead of her older sister, Haley. Yay Alex, and Yay Belle! Remember, the townspeople all think Belle is odd. She doesn't fit in because she likes to read so much, to learn, and she doesn't want to just marry Gaston and become a wife and mother. She wants more out of life. She's different then her peers, and yet, she's given the chance of a happily ever after.<br />
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I love Belle. The character, from the Disney version of 1991, and the new Live Action version of 2017 is a fantastic Heroine for modern times. Belle fights for her family, she is kind, patient, and intelligent. She craves knowledge, and when the Beast gives her the ultimate gift of his library as her own, I think we all swoon a little! <br />
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Special Gift for readers here: Pick up a free copy of Dark Hero, A Gothic Romance, on Smashwords.
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<script async="async" id="smashwords-widget-js" src="//www.smashwidgets.com/1/widgets.js"></script>lsilver60http://www.blogger.com/profile/07932215293781615986noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8767448798981345969.post-84072057312342507132017-04-15T19:09:00.000-07:002017-04-15T19:09:02.758-07:00New Gothic Movie Review: Crimson Peak<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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As you know, I adore Gothic literature. Anne Radcliffe, Jane Austen, Bram Stoker, Mary Shelley, and the new Gothic offerings of this generation of writers. <br />
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<i>Finding a Gothic Movie that's worth watching is another matter. There are a lot of bad ones. </i><br />
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I recently watched Crimson Peak, a new Gothic tale starring Tom Hiddleston (Loki), and Mia Wasikowski (Jane Eyre, Alice in Wonderland). I missed it in the theater, and bought it a while back, but never managed to get around to watching it. I had bought season six of Downton Abbey along with this one, so of course I watched Downton first.<br />
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All I can say is . . . . wow! This is what a Gothic flick should be. </h3>
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The elements were all there, mysterious, dangerous love interest (Hiddleston), and the spooky, isolated home with an intriguing atmosphere that will bring chills---literally, as there is constantly snow or rain falling through the roof. Brrr. You feel cold just watching Edith (Wasikowski) trying to find warmth in this odd and ill maintained Gothic mansion. Add to that the constant uncertainty about what is actually happening, the many ghostly appearances to Edith at the old manor, and the odd relationship between brother and sister, and you're kept on the edge of your seat. Something is very wrong at Allendale Estates, but you aren't sure what. The plot, and the danger is slowly revealed with very subtle and clever clues.<br />
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The story starts with Edith as a rich girl in America who wants to be a writer. It's about 1880. She's born into a wealthy home. Her father is a businessman and worked his way up from nothing, no silver spoon in his mouth. He's successful, and Edith lives in luxury in his well maintained, well staffed manor house. Edith tells us in the opening segment that "Ghosts are real!" <br />
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She then goes on to share her one encounter with a ghost, her mother's ghost, after her mother's funeral. She was just a little girl when this occurred, and it's creepy scary. Mom appears, but in a state of decay, not the pretty type of ghosts we usually see. And this is where this movie is so unique for a Gothic Horror Romance. The ghosts are UGLY, creepy and gross. They are scary because they are so ugly, they reflect their physical form, as in badly decayed and decomposed. But, I'm getting ahead of myself here. <br />
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Back to Edith, and the opening. After we are introduced to her world, rich girl, mother is dead, daddy is rich, we learn that she doesn't just want to go to dances like other young women her age and see and be seen. No, Edith has a passion, a dream. She wants to be a writer. She's written a manuscript, a ghost story, and her father arranges for her to see a publisher with it. She goes, and is turned away, as the old gentleman suggests maybe she should write a romance, instead. Edith sighs and leaves, but continues to work on her manuscript at home. <br />
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She has a childhood friend who is a doctor, and he's sweet on her. She doesn't see him as anything but a friend, to his chagrin. A handsome stranger from England comes to her father's company asking for a loan, for support in an invention for mining that he needs backing for. This man is a baronet, Sir Thomas Sharpe. He charms Edith, and after a few meetings, he wants to marry her. But Daddy interferes, and then Daddy dies mysteriously.<br />
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Edith marries Sir Thomas, and goes to England to live at his estate. When you see the house, you'll be struck dumb with amazement! The movie crew built this house just for the movie. It's not a movie set, its a bonafide Victorian mansion, complete with working bathrooms and an elevator. It's very, very Gothic! Atmospheric as you've never encountered before. The house has a distinct personality. As I said before, it's in disrepair. So our heroine, Edith, goes from a cozy mansion that is well maintained to a shoddy mansion where the roof is open and the weather actually comes in. Rain, snow, and what appears at times to be soot. Sir Thomas owns a mine, and the earth around his home is blood red. It's clay. The locals call the place Crimson Peak in the winter, as the red clay bleeds through the snow, giving the landscape an eerie feel. Blood red. There's a metaphor there.<br />
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Of course, Sir Thomas and his sister, Lucille, are hiding something sinister there at the old manor. They are the only ones at the home, aside from Edith. Strangely, there are no servants at the house, at least none shown in the movie, aside from Finlay, the outside servant. Lucille, the sister, is cold and distant. She constantly is making Edith tea, however, and after a while, you get a little creeped out by that. A little too eager to hand over a cup a tea whenever Edith is upset.<br />
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There is plenty to be upset about, by the way. Edith is in a strange land. Well, England, but this version of England is anything but welcoming. The landscape around the estate is stark. Nothing much grows, due to the red clay. She's in a big, big house that is empty, save her husband and his sister, and the house is falling apart. It seems to be sinking slowly into the earth, a nod to Poe's Fall of the House of Usher here. The house actually groans at times, and pipes rattle. Edith is rattled. She can't put her finger on what is wrong with the place, or her new family. And then there are the ghosts who pop up and try to warn her. At least, after a while she and you will realize that's what they are doing. At first it seems they are just trying to scare her.<br />
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And make no mistake, Edith is in grave danger. Is it the house that is trying to harm her? Sir Thomas, who seems genuinely enthralled with her but has a deeper motivation for marrying her than love? Or is it that demented sister of his? Something is very wrong in this place, and if you love atmospheric Gothic Suspense and horror, you'll be thrilled. As all good Heroines in Gothic Stories, Edith starts to investigate her surroundings, in secret, of course. She travels the dark corridors with candlestick in hand, fearful but determined to make sense of her situation.<br />
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Silver Lining; Edith's childhood friend, the doctor, is suspicious over her father's death, and decides to investigate. We are told in an early segment that he likes Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's works, as in Sherlock Holmes. Will he arrive in time to save Edith from the horrors of Crimson Peak?<br />
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My rating: A+. There is so much to love about this flick! Good storyline that is NOT too obvious. You'll be struggling to put together the pieces here, like a good mystery. Stellar cast, EPIC setting and filming, and some pretty scary and creepy ghosts to keep you jumping out of your seat. Destined to become a classic.<br />
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If you'd like to see some to the set images, click the link below:<br />
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Image Gallery for the Movie Crimson Peak <a href="http://collider.com/crimson-peak-images/" target="_blank">http://collider.com/crimson-peak-images/</a><br />
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Video Trailer:<br />
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<br />lsilver60http://www.blogger.com/profile/07932215293781615986noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8767448798981345969.post-31025575517321504112017-03-05T14:20:00.000-08:002017-04-18T16:52:42.580-07:00Undead Romance: Excerpt from Strictly Gothic<br />
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Preorder Strictly Gothic on iTunes and other platforms<br />
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Got Gothic? I do. I have loved Gothic romance stories since I was a teen. I loved the old Dracula movies, and I fell in love with Louis in Interview with the Vampire by Anne Rice.<br />
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I'm currently completing my own Gothic Romance featuring a feisty Gothic Photographer and a Vampire. It's been fun, and challenging. <br />
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Here is an excerpt from my upcoming release: Strictly Gothic, Copyright Lily Silver 2017<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Light was slowly being devoured by the encroaching
shadows. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">It was Serena’s favorite time of day:
twilight. A time for reflection and renewal as the last few rays of sunlight gasped
and sputtered beneath the ominous grip of the night. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Serena leaned against the red jeep parked
on the cracked tar road in the remote Louisiana woods. She inhaled the crisp
October air, reveling in the cool caress of night as it filled her lungs.
Twilight whispered seductive promises as scant tendrils of mist curled around
the rows of ancient stones. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">The moon was rising over the trees. The
moon made Serena feel energized, empowered. She was almost finished with her
three month shoot of abandoned cemeteries in the Old South. And then she would have
to come up with a new subject capture with her camera.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">She surveyed the eerie landscape,
searching for anything unusual in the historic site. <i>Hallowed Horror, </i> her most
recent body of work, received awards and ecstatic reviews in the art world
after the exhibition last Halloween. Gothic imagery was in her blood and it
showed in her portfolio. Serena couldn’t do warm, fuzzy and sunny if her life
depended on it. For her life was all about danger, seduction, and intrigue. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">It paid well. In college as a photography undergrad, Serena
quickly learned that safe, warm fuzzy pictures didn’t gain photographers
entrance into the elusive, high paying and ultra-critical art world. Oh, cute
babies and smiling brides could land a girl a job in a local portrait studio,
but it didn’t win you invitations to exhibit your body of work at the Chicago
Art Institute. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">The other alternative, magazine photography
was equally unappealing. The thought of cranking out thousands of images of
smiling people in restaurants, in parks, or in business suits posed in
corporate situations in order to fulfill an assignment turned her stomach. Mind-numbing.
She had enough of that scene in college while working as the staff photographer
for the university newspaper. It was the same dreck every week. The faces might
change, but the assignments were so much dead wood. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Dead. Now there was something she could
get excited about. Death seduced her. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6or-HX6yAG3sBEGRA51_7BZLp_wml4jv914LtRFv3DzfhcqFf2Es4f7k4in0XKNWDCZQfJwzJQldwT2Td_5uyB3aRfiOt4e6GU3FNnPRraBGyt-W9Yuknphxx8xiuj1YA2ApHJXtWylo/s1600/stone+prayers_sepia+tone_ls.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6or-HX6yAG3sBEGRA51_7BZLp_wml4jv914LtRFv3DzfhcqFf2Es4f7k4in0XKNWDCZQfJwzJQldwT2Td_5uyB3aRfiOt4e6GU3FNnPRraBGyt-W9Yuknphxx8xiuj1YA2ApHJXtWylo/s320/stone+prayers_sepia+tone_ls.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">And that was how she’d found her
muse. In today’s art market, images had
to be edgy, scintillating, and different to gain recognition. It was how
Serena’s photography studio, <i>Strictly
Gothic</i>, had gained her a solid reputation as a Gothic photographer. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“Where do you want the Strobes?” Damien, her apprentice, asked. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Serena scanned the grey surroundings.
The flash strobes needed to be positioned off camera but the cables to the
light sources needed to be close enough to her during the shoot so she could tweak
the metered settings if needed. It wasn’t something she could leave to an
assistant as the fine balance of light and dark that could only be achieved
through intuition. Her eyes came to rest on the sunken, moss encrusted low stone
wall three feet to the left of her tripod. “Over there, prop the case against
that wall, with the strobe control console opened for easy access.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Damien hefted the heavy strobe light on
his muscular shoulders and hurried to do her bidding. Not too hard on the eyes,
she thought, watching as Damien meandered around the scattered gravestones to
the wall she’d indicated. Too bad Damien was just a kid. He was barely twenty,
with a mop of spiky black hair and a dog collar on his neck. He wore black
eyeliner around his chocolate warm eyes. He had a ring in his lip and a stud in
his nose. Serena didn’t mind body piercings, but she drew the line at mouth
hardware. Definitely a turn off. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Damien was an undergrad student who
signed on to be her personal assistant for the fall semester. An exuberant Goth,
but a kid just the same, much as the
sweet boy tried to insinuate he’d not mind assisting her in other ways. She
agreed to take him under her wing as a favor to Sarah, her mentor. Sarah had
been instrumental in helping Serena launch her photography career. At twenty
eight, Serena hardly found such spring pups intriguing. <o:p></o:p></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">The sun had fled the darkening
landscape. Serena pulled herself from the Jeep Cherokee she’d been leaning
against and took position in front of the tripod holding her Leica. She removed
the lens cap and surveyed the eerie scene unfolding before her. Perfect. The
light of the moon caressed the glistening white stones as the luminous orb rose
in the black velvet sky. The full moon would give just enough light to
illuminate the sinister image on silver gel.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">She would shoot a few preliminary shots
with her digital camera as she waited for the moon to rise to that exact point
she wanted to capture in black and white film. The mausoleum was breathtaking,
framed by twisted, angst ridden angels poised on either side of the arched
entrance. The green tile roof reaching up
to the sky had a European feel. Resting atop the roof was a medieval spire.
Whoever built this had been old world, probably eastern European. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"> She’d been shocked to discover a Gothic
revival mausoleum existed in America. Gothic revival architecture had been all
the rage in England during the latter years of the eighteenth century and for a
couple of decades into the nineteenth. It was a period that spawned Mary Shelly,
the creator of Frankenstein and Ann Radcliffe, the first woman writers to
embrace the Gothic romance genre and make it popular two centuries before Anne
Rice.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">In America during that same period, men
were fighting to gain a nation’s independence, not building romantic monuments
to a by-gone era in history. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Snap, click. Serena came to life. The
lens was her only reality as she moved between the three tripods set up in a
semi-circle at strategic places near the tomb and captured the swiftly changing
scene. The fog was thickening, winding sultry fingers about the angel’s bare
feet, along the stone path leading to her center tripod holding the expensive
Leica. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Serena froze, her finger posed over the
shutter cable. Was that a figure lingering beneath the tree behind the mausoleum?
Click—click—click—click. Full landscape shot, including the lonely tree. She
moved swiftly to the next camera, another film camera, her backup and turned
the lens toward the tree. Click—click-click. She adjusted the focus of the zoom
lens and shot several more close ups in quick succession. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">The tall, lean figure lingered before
her eyes, and then it was suddenly gone. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">She’d caught a few spirits over the
years without intending to. She wasn’t aware of them when she took the shots
but once she developed the film, she’d find a shadow that had an eerie
resemblance to a human being in the frame. Ghosts weren’t transparent white
fog, like in the movies. They were like black shadows, dark impressions on an
otherwise normal film negative or digital capture. This one had been a man, <span style="background-color: white;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">a cloaked</span> </span>figure leaning
against the tree. Serena would swear it was the same spirit who had been
following her for weeks, appearing in various cemeteries where she shot her
images. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Serena frowned as she looked through the
viewfinder. Sure enough, he was gone. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span>lsilver60http://www.blogger.com/profile/07932215293781615986noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8767448798981345969.post-24234981220673123272017-02-24T21:56:00.000-08:002017-04-02T12:40:15.114-07:00Undead Romance? <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5ZB8FerkrgpFYSG219XujbIIo4nCnamOLO6g2hGL3vF4vdpTc4bObwPDj-rU1LkTk4PgiM9UhWi03Y2opq-SOp8PZlRNw7wcLsRNr1t-uypD_qwUrtz0MeihWctXtVmOvZ6HrFt7Tb64/s1600/When+the+sun+dies-+Lily+Silver.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5ZB8FerkrgpFYSG219XujbIIo4nCnamOLO6g2hGL3vF4vdpTc4bObwPDj-rU1LkTk4PgiM9UhWi03Y2opq-SOp8PZlRNw7wcLsRNr1t-uypD_qwUrtz0MeihWctXtVmOvZ6HrFt7Tb64/s320/When+the+sun+dies-+Lily+Silver.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
<br />
Love Gothic? I do. <br />
<br />
Currently, I am working on a contemporary Gothic Romance that features Vampires! Yum. I'm loving it. <br />
<br />
It will be released later this year (2017).<br />
<br />
If you've not followed my blog, you probably aren't aware that Gothic is my first love as far as fiction. I've written three delicious Gothic Tales so far, all historical. <br />
<br />
Dark Hero, A Gothic Romance; Features a young woman who has descended from Druids, and is trying to hide her emerging powers from her scientist husband. Plenty of ghosts and magic in this one.<br />
<br />
Bright Scoundrel, the sequel to Dark Hero, takes place in early 19th Century Ireland. Wow, the Gothic implications here are endless. I set my hero in Black Rose Castle, a place where ghosts have congregated, and also a nasty elemental spirit that thirsts for human blood. The hero, being the brother of the heroine in Dark Hero, is also a practicing Druid sorcerer. Lots of magic, supernatural events, and Gothic atmosphere in that one.<br />
<br />
The Third book is a stand-alone, The Gypsy's Curse, A Gothic Tale of Romantic Suspense. The gypsy woman in the story is fleeing angry villagers. She decides to set up camp in an abandoned abbey for the winter. But, when the owner of the abbey returns, she's presented with a dilemma; stay or flee. He's one hot dude, but . . . he's also a werewolf. (Get this one free by subscribing to my email list, see offer to the right.)<br />
<br />
And now, I'm working on the Fourth Gothic Romance: Strictly Gothic, A Midnight Rose Gothic Romance! <br />
<br />
This will be a new series featuring Gothic characters in the modern age, and vampires. It's a natural for me. <br />
<br />
In the first book of the series, <b>Strictly Gothic</b>, Photographer Serena Cole is on a road trip in the old south with her intern photographing abandoned cemeteries for her upcoming art exhibition. She discovers an aberration on her captured images, a shadowy mi's st that takes the form of a man. A chance meeting with Simon Delacroix, a sexy Frenchman makes Serena question whether the spirit in her images is a ghostly ancestor or Simon himself. What is it about this handsome Frenchman that stirs her blood and threatens to capture her soul? Has she awakened something dark and dangerous? <br />
<br />
Simon Delacroix escaped France at the time of the Terror and settled in the Louisiana Territory. After two hundred and fifty years as an immortal, he fears the madness affecting his species will consume him. The only antidote to becoming a Revenant is in finding a human whose blood antigens match his. When Serena Cole comes along he recognizes her as his his blood mate. There's just one problem, his sworn enemy from the past wants to claim Serena as his own.<br />
<br />
A local murder and a vampire hunter complicate Simon's plans as Serena and her college intern explore the ruins of an old mansion where Simon's nemesis has made his lair.<br />
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<br />
In Book Two, <b>Gothic Legacy</b>, Serena's intern, Damien, struggles with his family legacy after discovering that not all vampires are evil, as he was brainwashed to believe. He was taught to hate vampires and other supernatural beings, and to kill them on sight. He wants to leave the elite corps of vampire assassins known as the Guardians of Mankind. If he leaves his post he will lose everything, his family, his freedom and most assuredly his life. No one leaves, they can only die in service. His awakening to the truth about vampires, the fey and other creatures of myth and legend is a danger the Guardians cannot risk, as it will shine light on their secret society and the havoc they have wrought through the ages. Damien must choose between what he was taught by his family and the unpopular reality regarding good and evil.<br />
<br />
In Book Three, <b>Gothic Destiny</b>, Destiny must come to terms with the life she left behind when she was changed into an immortal being. After a decade as an undead tourist, she wishes she could be human again. She wants to experience the love of a good man, have children and a career as a broadcast journalist. As a vampire, she might be able to find a mate, but having kids isn't possible, nor is her dream of becoming a journalist, as vampires must live in the shadows and remain a myth to humans or risk being hunted and destroyed Can she turn back time, find a cure for vampirism and reclaim the life that was lost to her forever? <br />
<br />
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<br />
In Book Four, <b>Gothic Promises</b>, Arabella Rabideaux struggles to reclaim her life and her sanity after a century and a half of mourning her beloved. Can she fight against the darkness claiming her soul, the dreaded curse vampires fear; becoming a demented Revenant? As a vampire scientist searches for a cure to reverse the disease that is slowly claiming her sanity, Arabella struggles with the increasing blood rage, visions from the past, and the fight for a future. After seeing Simon Delacroix's good fortune in finding his Blood Mate, hope is rekindled anew for Arabella to escape madness creeping over her soul by finding another Blood Mate.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
As you can see, I've a busy schedule ahead of me with these four new romances and a unique new Gothic Romance Series. I hope you'll check back in for updates, and for excerpts from these works. lsilver60http://www.blogger.com/profile/07932215293781615986noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8767448798981345969.post-4485699366843955232016-11-18T12:14:00.000-08:002016-11-18T12:14:07.290-08:00Christmas Romance; Always Hope and Always Heartwarming!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />
<br />
I love Christmas, and Christmas Romance Novels are my favorites.<br />
<br />
Christmas Romance always delivers joy, intrigue and a happily ever after!<br />
<br />
I've written a Christmas Trilogy, and I'm so excited to share them with you here. <br />
<br />
The trilogy is unique. It takes place in the sunny, warm Caribbean, not in the northern hemisphere where snow and cold weather accompany the holiday season. Even more unique is the fact that it's a Historical Romance, and you have the makings for a very refreshing and delightful holiday experience.<br />
<br />
Elizabeth Beaumont is a new bride in a strange new land. She's far from her home in England, and she's surrounded by family. Everyone is looking to her as the mistress of the household to provide a memorable holiday experience. But is she up to the task? Recent tragedy has left its mark. She's trying desperately to concoct a traditional Christmas in a very unconventional place. There's no mistletoe or holly, no snow, and the ingredients for a traditional Christmas Dinner are a scarcity. If that isn't hard enough, her new husband is acting peculiar. He seems to be hiding something from her, and playing pranks, which is not like Donovan at all. Elizabeth has much to overcome this Christmas, not the least of which is impressing her husband's mother! We've all been there, haven't we?<br />
<br />
<h4 style="text-align: center;">
Christmas with family . . . always dramatic! </h4>
<br />
Christmas at Ravencrest is the first book in my <i>Christmas Trilogy</i> <b>A Dark Hero Christmas</b>. If you've read Dark Hero, you know that the book ended on Christmas Eve. I wanted to give readers a peek into Elizabeth and Donovan's first Christmas together, so I wrote Christmas at Ravencrest.<br />
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<br />
Available at all digital retailers: <a href="http://books2read.com/" target="_blank">books2read.com/</a><br />
<br />
Amazon: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00AKQTJ92" target="_blank">https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00AKQTJ92</a><br />
Nook: <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/christmas-at-ravencrest-lily-silver/1113924248?ean=2940015717181" target="_blank">http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/christmas-at-ravencrest-lily-silver/1113924248?ean=2940015717181</a><br />
<br />
<br />
This book is also available in the box set <b>A Dark Hero Christmas Trilogy. </b><br />
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<b>Coming up next time, an excerpt from Christmas at Ravencrest. </b>lsilver60http://www.blogger.com/profile/07932215293781615986noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8767448798981345969.post-51463603601866486092016-06-25T13:13:00.002-07:002016-06-25T13:14:43.656-07:00New Look for a Timeless Love StoryI have a new look for my contemporary Romance! <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Awesome new cover for a Sweet Story</td></tr>
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The book was <u>previously published </u>as <i>The Rock Star Next Door, A Modern Fairytale</i>, by Lily Silver. </div>
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Recently, I decided to re-title the book, as it no longer fits into the Rock Star Romance Genre. That means I also had to have a new cover made. My reason for doing this is as follows. The story line is sweet. Yes, the hero is a Rock Star, but he is not the typical wild and crazy type that most rock star romance novels depict. Lex could just as easily have been a CEO of a company, a billionaire, a movie director, or a computer expert. It's the love story, not the hero's career choice that matters. I felt that the main theme of the healing power of love was a better fit with a new title, so that those who enjoy a really wild and erotic read in Rock Star romance would not be disappointed. And those who do not like to read hot and spicy rock star romances would not miss this wonderful and touching story because of it's title. </div>
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The story is about Jessie, an adult survivor of childhood emotional abuse. Her desire is to find a true, abiding love that stands the test of time. She's a runner, and yes, she's a rock guitarist in a band called Heartless. She is also the main songwriter and singer in the band, as she does most of the business dealings with their manager and the record company. Jessie rents a beach house in Malibu for the summer and gets finagled into going on a blind date with a reclusive rock star legend who lives next door, as a favor to a friend. Of course, for Jessie, this is exciting as she used to have posters of Lex on her wall and drool over him when she was in high school. She's now 24 years old, a rock success story in her own right, but still struggling with the demons of abuse from childhood. </div>
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Enter Lex, an enlightened man who is sure of himself. Lex is confident, successful, rich and handsome. Every woman would sell her soul to the devil to garner his attention, as he's a celebrity hottie. But for Jessie, who has had her share of heartache and abandonment, by her mother as a child, and by men she's dated, it's a dangerous experiment. One she's not sure her heart can survive. Not another rejection or nasty breakup. And certainly not one that will be plastered all over the tabloids. </div>
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Lex woos her patiently. He comes on strong at first, but then backs off when she gets skittish. And, when she is threatened by a dark force from their past, he's right there to bear her up and carry her to safety. So, that being said, I felt that the book was not a good fit for the "Rock Star" genre of romance. It's a dark book, but not for the reasons expected in the genre that features bad boy rockers as heroes. </div>
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Lex is a good guy, a true hero, and he's on a mission to redeem himself after messing up and losing the love of his life, Jessie, in a past life incarnation. He recognizes Jessie. She doesn't recognize him, and is uncertain if he's not a little crazy. And Jessie has dealt with crazy men in her life, and crazy parents. She's running away from crazy, has been since she was 16 years old. She's not sure if Lex is just another weird guy hitting on her since she's climbed the ladder of fame, or if his penchant for publicity stunts is to feed his ego. She's frightened by his persistence, but when she talks to her friends and her twin brother, they tell her to just go with it and not worry so much. As much as she wants to just let go of control and enjoy life, as her brother suggests, she cannot escape the fears of the past; fear of rejection, fear of getting hurt, fear of having another piece of her heart shaved away by trusting the wrong man. </div>
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So, the title "Jessie's Hero" seems to fit the story much more than the rock star theme. Yes, the hero and the heroine are both rock stars, but the main point of the story is sweet, poignant, and it depicts the emotional devastation of childhood abuse. The idea of reincarnation, where two lovers separated by tragedy in one life can find each other in the next, is a very deep spiritual concept. </div>
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Jessie is a wounded soul, a battered soul. She's dreaming of finding true love, but frightened at the prospect when a man comes forth claiming to be her soul mate from another age. She longs for a hero. Is Lex, the rock star living next door, her hero? Or is he just a deluded celebrity living on the edge? </div>
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If you've bought and read the book as The Rock Star Next Door, nothing has changed in the story. It's the same book, just a different branding, a different wrapping if you will. This has been done so that those who would be interested in the story are not put off by the bad boy rock star stereotype the old title implies. </div>
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If you have suffered deep scars of emotional abuse, you will find this story an accurate depiction of the lasting affects of childhood abuse. Many people have written me to say that they felt as if it were their story, and have thanked me for giving their pain a voice. I have also included self-help links for those still struggling with the black cloud of abuse. </div>
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I am a survivor of child abuse. My mother was mentally ill, and frequently let myself and my siblings know that we were not wanted. My mother threatened suicide repeatedly, and threatened to leave us. So, like Jessie in the story, I have abandonment issues. Many of the scenes in the story are true. Jessie's story is really my story, only I didn't marry a rock star. My hope is that others suffering the same kind of quiet, hidden abuse will find succor and hope in knowing they are not alone. </div>
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Lily Silver, Author, free spirit, artist, and survivor! </div>
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lsilver60http://www.blogger.com/profile/07932215293781615986noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8767448798981345969.post-87814590451335048862016-06-13T15:54:00.001-07:002016-06-18T12:15:33.141-07:00Hooray for Summer Reads, Hooray for Free! <h2 style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="color: blue;">FREE EBOOKS FOR YOUR SUMMER FUN! </span></b></h2>
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Summertime has always been about reading for me. Sun, surf, ice cold lemonade or something stronger, and I'm in heaven. </div>
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June marks a big anniversary for me, the 25 year anniversary of when I started writing historical romance. That's right, 25 years! Actually, I started in May of 1991 just as my kids were finishing school for the year, but I am counting 25 years as a romance writer, so let's celebrate! </div>
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I've recently made my first published novel, Dark Hero, also the first in the Reluctant Heroes series FREE. That's right, it's a 400 plus page historical romance novel full of suspense, mystery and magic, for free on me. You can download it from any of the digital platforms using the links below. </div>
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What's it about? An eighteen year old girl, a very troubled hero, and Celtic Magic! </div>
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When Elizabeth's mother is murdered, her Celtic Granny casts a spell to summon a Dark Hero to rescue them. Granny's spell works, bringing a very troubled hero to Elizabeth's doorstep. Before he can whisk his new bride safely away, Elizabeth kidnapped. Donovan rescues her only to find she doesn't remember falling in love with him, in fact, she doesn't even recall ever meeting him before awakening in his bed. </div>
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Her Dark Hero has no choice but to try to make her fall in love with him all over again. </div>
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Elizabeth struggles with emerging magical skills and tries to hide them from this stranger she married. If Donovan learns she can see and speak with the dead, she fears he'll drop her at the nearest asylum and wash his hands of her. So, what's an 18th century girl to do? She's stuck on a remote island in the West Indies with a dark, brooding hero harboring secrets of his own, isolated and alone with no family or friends to can help her. This is a Gothic Romance with plenty of supernatural events to keep you awake at night. And, it's free, the first book in the Reluctant Heroes Series! </div>
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Itunes Link: <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id603539195" target="_blank">Download a free copy</a></div>
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Nook Link: <a href="http://bit.ly/24rr9tY" target="_blank">Download for Free</a> </div>
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Amazon: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B007RIVFW0" target="_blank">Download for Free</a></div>
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<span style="color: blue;">And, there's more! </span></h2>
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You can also get another full length Historical Paranormal Romance FREE! If you like shapeshifter romance, werewolf romance, or just a good Gothic Romance, you'll love The Gypsy's Curse, A Gothic Tale of Romantic Suspense.<br />
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To receive your second free book, just fill in the details below and you will be able to download a second free full length novel by Lily Silver to enjoy this summer. <br />
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Happy Summer, and Happy Reading! </div>
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<br />lsilver60http://www.blogger.com/profile/07932215293781615986noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8767448798981345969.post-91191589549397609322016-04-08T15:11:00.000-07:002016-04-08T16:28:26.973-07:00Romance of the Flowers: A Greek Love Story<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivWUxCm1ojrmoeTU3bVCIEd-z7a7bB0qUPXPJ3OzE4eBoMxrWJuU8HpXIPudvkvlcw5XZJUDQ0GyFhpLF26kxyYbueTNm83-lXYu-7vyb2a7nhuYda8F7-3HWgZ17e41llSEzrizTWWKU/s1600/Botticelli-primavera.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="419" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivWUxCm1ojrmoeTU3bVCIEd-z7a7bB0qUPXPJ3OzE4eBoMxrWJuU8HpXIPudvkvlcw5XZJUDQ0GyFhpLF26kxyYbueTNm83-lXYu-7vyb2a7nhuYda8F7-3HWgZ17e41llSEzrizTWWKU/s640/Botticelli-primavera.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Primavera by Sandro Botticelli, ca 1482</td></tr>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;">As spring emerges we think of flowers. New growth in plants, whether its weeds we must pull, new grass that needs to be mowed or visiting the garden store to buy our flower plants for the season. </span></h4>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><br />In the Renaissance painting above, aptly called Primavera--a Celebration of Spring--we have Aphrodite in the center, or Venus to the Romans; the goddess of love. Above her is Cupid, his arrows at the ready. Surrounding her are other goddesses. The three muses are to her left, dancing in celebration of the coming of spring. Mercury is the man to the far left. He's a messenger of the gods, and is looking off into the distance, not joining the festivities. </span></h4>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;">To the right of Aphrodite/Venus (our central figure) are two female figures. The first one is clothed in a flowing floral gown and is known as Primavera. You'll notice the woman on the far right, next to Primavera, is about to be seized by a man with a bluish face who appears to be dropping down from the sky. The scantly clad woman is Khloris, a forest nymph. The man seizing her is Zephyrus, Greek god of the west wind. He is considered one of the gentlest of the wind gods, and is a messenger of spring. (think warm wind from the west, a spring zephyr, a gently flowing warm wind). He is a god, and yet, he is a sensual man. He's said to have had more than one wife. </span></h4>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><br />In this 15th century depiction by Botticelli, the god appears to be about to kidnap Khloris. I admit, he looks a little scary here, like a stalker, but his intent in the myth is more romantic than threatening. <br /><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="background-color: yellow;">As a</span> </span>nymph, Khloris is associated with springtime, and flowers. The Romans referred to her as Flora. But, this affiliation came about after she was taken away by Zephyrus. After their union, she becomes a goddess of the flowers. When Zephyrus abducted Khloris and married her, he gave her dominion over the flowers of the earth. They had a child together, named Karpos, which literally means fruit.<br />Okay, so the west wind pollinates the flowers and we have the result of that act in growing fruit. You can see the sexual parallels in this story. </span></h4>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;">In the painting above, it looks ominous for Khloris as the God of the West Wind drops down from the sky to seize her and carry her away to his lair. But, this is not the rape/abduction scenario as we might interpret it in modern times. Botticelli lived in the 15th century. This depiction idealizes the coming of spring, flowers, new growth, fertility, and the conception of fruit into a romantic allegory. In the world of the Renaissance, the male lover swoops in to gather the female in his arms, carries her away, makes love to her and gives her the power over all flora on the earth. The result of their union is 'fruit'. Not only is this a very sensual and primitive depiction of procreation, but it's a romanticized notion that Spring arrives because a man and a woman made love. </span></h4>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><br />Another illustration of the myth comes from a painting created in 1875 by William Adolph Bouguereau. In this depiction, we a see Khloris napping in the grass and Zephyrus comes upon her and kisses her cheek, here we have a romantic interlude instead of the more stark idea of seizure. </span></h4>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0T6pxfl6C_sFTE2lUYvsEpMjPc9LRktoJ0Ovt1Yxe07Rr-3cEKAD2xZ8KH1vJ9qAHTfHze919mtxOGuBAbkMR5-zSSLbKVcIMNcbEr-lLF-zYqQyaKqd3hAd8k_ld4m1cQoKcb_LWx68/s1600/William-Adolphe_Bouguereau_%25281825-1905%2529_-_Flora_And_Zephyr_%25281875%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0T6pxfl6C_sFTE2lUYvsEpMjPc9LRktoJ0Ovt1Yxe07Rr-3cEKAD2xZ8KH1vJ9qAHTfHze919mtxOGuBAbkMR5-zSSLbKVcIMNcbEr-lLF-zYqQyaKqd3hAd8k_ld4m1cQoKcb_LWx68/s320/William-Adolphe_Bouguereau_%25281825-1905%2529_-_Flora_And_Zephyr_%25281875%2529.jpg" width="314" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">By Stephencdickson - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=35503601</td></tr>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;">Either way, our idea of Springtime is a time for falling in love. Anyone recall the old adage about springtime being a time when young men abandon their school books because their mind is on romance? Ah, the Greeks and their mythologies!</span></h4>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;">Depending on the interpretations of this painting and the meaning of the characters in it, you'll find philosophical arguments that both women on the right of Venus, Primavera and Khloris, represent the same person. This interpretation embraces the idea that Khloris became Primavera, (or Flora), because of her love affair with Zephyrus. I was taught this interpretation in my Art History classes ca. 2004. However, each generation of art scholars discover new meanings in the symbolism of a painting so interpretations can change over time.</span></h4>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><br />Bottom Line: we have Spring being brought to us by an act of romance, the handsome god swooping down to gather the lovely maiden in his arms. He carries her away in a moment of passion. His act changes her, it gives her a new purpose in life. She becomes the goddess in charge of all the flowers of the earth, not just a meandering forest nymph.</span></h4>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><br />This Sweep-Me-Away story-line predates Harlequin Romance books by at least a few millennium. Despite the cultural stigma of reading romance, Romance novels still sell more than any other genre of books, meaning women still like the fantasy of being taken away from a dull life by the billionaire, or the bad boy, the rock star or the rogue. We still like a little escapism with our love stories. Doesn't matter if it's Edward in <i>Twilight</i> taking Bella away from her mundane life as a high school student and opening her up to a whole new world she didn't know existed consisting of vampires and werewolves, or a Greek god swooping down to embrace beauty and take her away to a new world with new opportunities, giving her power as a goddess in her own right.</span></h4>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;">Don't you just love the Greek myths! Romance abounds in those old stories. Betrayal and lust, too, but we're not going there today. </span></h4>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;">Happy Spring!</span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-weight: normal;">As I write this, it's snowing outside my window. Yes, that's right, snowing on April 8th in Wisconsin. The lovely green grass is covered with a fresh layer of snow. </span></h4>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;">Next time, more Greek Lovers. Here's a shot from my photography collection.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAJyTTqs1y5Y2a3U_1B703YSqlWZKGdmxqQbB8wn3fOSuHaV1Mc36smdK8mCpDLLgONmo6zf7tgK2L51zFe4Rl7QznKKNKr5ny2sC-10aejJON8WwXguEgFjozGFQT3hZiJmsjHJkOZd8/s1600/Purple-fringed-Irises-copy.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="251" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAJyTTqs1y5Y2a3U_1B703YSqlWZKGdmxqQbB8wn3fOSuHaV1Mc36smdK8mCpDLLgONmo6zf7tgK2L51zFe4Rl7QznKKNKr5ny2sC-10aejJON8WwXguEgFjozGFQT3hZiJmsjHJkOZd8/s400/Purple-fringed-Irises-copy.gif" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Irises by Lily Silver, 2007</td></tr>
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P.S. As it happens, Iris is said to be another wife of Zephyrus! lsilver60http://www.blogger.com/profile/07932215293781615986noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8767448798981345969.post-65916355633722200062016-03-16T16:24:00.001-07:002016-03-16T16:44:19.166-07:00St. Patrick's Day Fun: Darby O'Gill and the Little People<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Darby O'Gill and The Little People was released in 1959. I remember be taken to it as a four or five year old in the 1960's for a movie matinee and being so scared when the pooka scene came on, and crying so loudly that my older sister had to take me out of the movie theater. She was a teen, and was not very happy with me for ruining her Saturday at the matinee.<br />
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Well, since then, I've gotten over that childish fear, and this movie is one of my all time favorites for St. Patrick's Day. To see my other favorite movie, go here <a href="http://romancinghistorylove.blogspot.com/2016/03/st-paddy-day-romance-movies-luck-of.html" target="_blank">Luck of the Irish</a><br />
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In Darby O'Gill, Sean Connery plays an Irish caretaker to an estate in Rathcullen in what appears to be an early 20th century time. Mostly horses and wagons for transportation. Connery's character is not the main character, however.<br />
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Darby O'Gill is an aging caretaker to an estate in Rathcullen. The owner of the estate decides to hire a younger caretaker and pension Darby off at half pay. Darby is upset. He's not the best caretaker, to be honest. He spends most of his time in the pub drinking and telling stories about his encounters with the little people. He has tried to capture one for some time, and succeeds. But, when he opens the bag in the pub to show his companions, he finds that King Brian has turned himself into a rabbit, and so everyone thinks he's just a deluded old fool. Darby has a daughter, Katie, and he doesn't want Katie to know he's losing his job because he's ashamed. This means they have to move out of the cottage they live in as well. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reynold_Brown</td></tr>
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Darby's replacement arrives, a handsome Dubliner named Michael (Sean Connery). Darby begs Micheal to not tell his daughter Katie that he's being replaced. Michael agrees for the time being.<br />
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Meanwhile, the King of the Lephrechauns, Brian, kidnaps Darby. He's taken to the inside of a mountain and held as a guest of the little people. There is gold beyond imagination there, feasting and song. It seems a paradise, except for one thing, Darby can never return home. He soon tires of this and misses his daughter Katie. So, he begs the King so set him free. King Brian warns him that if he did so, others of the little people might be tempted to take their ire out on his daughter, Katie. Legend says that once someone is kidnapped by the little people, they can never go home.<br />
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Darby is a clever old fellow. He plays a song on the violin during a feast for the lephrechauns, stirring them up with a song of the hunt that makes them wish to leave the inside of the mountain and go out riding on the hunt. The mountain opens, and Darby escapes.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Darby in King Brian's lair inside the mountain</td></tr>
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Michael and Katie have been having a little romance. They go about exploring the countryside together, having fun. Michael (Sean Connery) sings to her, and they sing a cute song together "She's my dear, my darling one, my smiling and beguiling one, no other, no other, can match the likes of her!" My husband and I still sing it together today, it's catchy!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sean Connery as Micheal, Janet Munro as Katie</td></tr>
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So, handsome Michael is the romantic lead, and also a problem character for the main protagonist, Darby. He's younger, and has taken over Darby's job. Katie has a temper, and she and Michael end up sparring words. The lephrechaun's do their mischief against Darby by making Katie severely ill with a fever. The coiste-bodhar (the death coach) and the banshee make their appearance. Darby tries to bargain with the little people for Katie's life. Of course, once Katie recovers, Michael and Katie have a happily ever after. <br />
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This movie is fun, romantic, and PG. It's something kids can enough along with their parents. Granted, CGI had not been created at the time so the graphics might seem cheesy, but it is a treasure from the Disney vault and worth the effort to find. The little people are played by real people, not just special effects creations. <br />
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The movie is based on two books by Hermione Templeton Kavanagh; Darby O'Gill and the Good People, and Of Ashes and Old Wishes and Other Darby O'Gill Tales. The movie, of course, takes a few liberties with the books, but that is to be expected when books become films.<br />
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Two things I have to say about the folklore:<br />
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<li>The term 'little people' actually is used for the fey folk, fairies, not lephrechauns true Irish folklore, so in this film I see a blending of Lephrechaun lore and Fairy lore. Lephrechauns were little shoemakers who hoard gold. Fairies lived inside of mountains, and were known to kidnap humans in lore. They (fairies) were often called the 'Other Folk' or Other Crowd by the Irish. </li>
<li>For a discussion on The Other Crowd and reference to a good book on the subject, see this post <a href="http://romancinghistorylove.blogspot.com/2012/08/fairy-magic-have-you-met-any-of-good.html" target="_blank">Fairy Magic, have you met any of the good folk?</a></li>
<li>The idea of lephrechauns living in the mountains and taking on the characteristics of the fey is troublesome if you actually know Irish folklore. The fairies and the lephrechauns of legend are two very different types of magical beings. </li>
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That said, there is still a lot to enjoy in this very old movie that celebrates Ireland. Enjoy the trailer below: </div>
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If you are looking for an Irish Romance in books, I am offering my two historical romance novels for free on St. Patrick's Day. This offer is one day only, March 17th, 2016</div>
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Some Enchanted Waltz, a full length historical romance featuring an Irish rebel as a hero in 1798. </div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008C4QHJO?*Version*=1&*entries*=0" target="_blank">Some Enchanted Waltz Free on Amazon</a></div>
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Bright Scoundrel, a full length historical romance featuring an Irish rake returning to his ancestral home to find it full of ghosts and dark creatures. </div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00AVS0QO6?*Version*=1&*entries*=0" target="_blank">Bright Scoundrel Free on Amazon</a></div>
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Thanks for visiting my blog, and have a Happy St. Patrick's Day! </div>
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lsilver60http://www.blogger.com/profile/07932215293781615986noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8767448798981345969.post-51955779901698882412016-03-07T14:16:00.001-08:002016-03-07T14:43:59.903-08:00St. Paddy Day Romance Movies: Luck of the Irish! <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Shamrocks are everywhere, and the wearing of the green is upon us! I love this time of year. For many years I have indulged myself and my kids in Irish culture during this season. We've cooked the traditional Corned Beef and Cabbage popular with Irish Americans, and we've made homemade Irish Soda Bread. My Love of all things Irish extends to romance, naturally. I love to read romances set in Ireland, and I also devour movies with lovers set in Ireland. </h4>
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Let's take a look at one wonderful , fun, lighthearted Irish romance movie to get you in the mood while your Irish Soda Bread is baking in the oven. Irish Soda Bread Recipe at bottom of page. </h4>
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The Quiet Man, 1952</h3>
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This movie is my all time favorite. It's an oldie, being over sixty years old, but it's well worth the watch. It was filmed in Ireland, and stars John Wayne as an Irish American returning to his Irish roots after a traumatic event in his life. </h4>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shawn Thornton Arrives in Rural Ireland</td></tr>
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Shawn Thornton (John Wayne) arrives in the small village and sets out to buy the cottage he was born in. He meets an old companion, who aids him in settling in to his new life as an Irish farmer. This story is full of lovely Irish landscapes from the 1950's, and plenty of Irish bluster. Shawn makes an enemy in the village, another gruff, burly fellow who seems to run the town. And he meets a goddess in the hills, a lovely red haired woman herding sheep.<br />When he first sees her, he asks his companion, "Is she for real?" He's used to big city gals in America, not a simple, barefoot shepherdess strolling the countryside with her hair down in casual clothing. His friend assures him he's not imagining things. The woman is Mary Kate. A 'spinster', according to the village people and the times. She's unmarried, and past her first blush of youth. </h4>
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<br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0WPJ1Qoiux0PdjLIxgUwmzqKCjuBfElEQn-Y2ifW87tcrBgpLSOKNDz1LFxweyJJAM9F_Lm0qN-pKxkxBV4PBD9Yi8524CX8eWhEOcXpPJFNQrHE3yvdvlMk3NWgRzHtfzILE4wVxeRk/s1600/maureen+in+plaid+shawl.jpe" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0WPJ1Qoiux0PdjLIxgUwmzqKCjuBfElEQn-Y2ifW87tcrBgpLSOKNDz1LFxweyJJAM9F_Lm0qN-pKxkxBV4PBD9Yi8524CX8eWhEOcXpPJFNQrHE3yvdvlMk3NWgRzHtfzILE4wVxeRk/s1600/maureen+in+plaid+shawl.jpe" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lovely Maureen O'Hara as Mary Kate</td></tr>
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Shawn is so captivated with her that on his second encounter, as she is coming out of the church, he does something shocking. He cups water from the fount outside the church in his hand and holds it out to her to do her cross. This is shocking in the era because only a husband would be allowed to do such a thing, so it's a bold, flirty move. Mary Kate (Maureen O'Hara) responds to his brash behavior by dipping her fingers in and making the sign of the cross. Note, this is outside the church, not in public. So, she's a little embarrased and taken aback by her own response and shyly tugs her shawl close and runs off. It's cute, it's the fifties. She's shy because she's not had a suitor before.</h4>
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</h4>
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Shawn starts to court Mary Kate, and of course there are difficulties in their relationship. She's from the old world of Irish heritage and he's from America, the new world as it were. They are besotted with each other, and of course their personalities clash. Mary Kate has a temper and she has some high expectations about what is proper in a marriage contract. They have romantic moments, however, and share a few kisses in the rain at an old abbey. (Love that scene). </h4>
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<h4>
<br />The lovers encounter a big hurdle in the brother of Mary Kate, none other than the town bully. Shawn has a backstory that conflicts with taking the man on. Shawn was a prizefighter in America. He killed a man accidentally with his mighty paw during a fight, and since then has vowed to never fight again. So, he's required to fight a physical battle with Mary Kate's brother to win an argument and the man's respect, but won't do it. There are whispers from his adversary that he's a coward, which goads him on. </h4>
<h4>
Mary Kate is a complicated woman. She loves Shawn, but has such strict codes of honor regarding her marriage inheritance (some furniture of her mother's and a small monetary inheritance), that she makes it hard for Shawn. She marries him, but when her brother refuses to give her her due portion as her marital inheritance, Mary Kate refuses to sleep with Shawn. She says she will cook and clean for him but not share his bed until he gets up enough 'nerve' to fight (yes physically fight) her brother for what is rightfully hers. So, complicated romance, even after the marriage. Plenty of fun, and a good clean romance. </h4>
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The Quiet Man has plenty of scenes of Irish culture, including a very well cut scene displaying an annual horse race that is similar to Galway Races. It's fun, as are the pub scenes and the courting scenes. This is an idyllic Ireland, to be sure, as many critics say it's not authentic. However, it is a wonderful movie featuring Irish Lovers, and the breathtaking Irish countryside, including quaint whitewashed cottages and ruined abbeys. There's a happily ever after, of course, but I won't tell you what it is. </h4>
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Here's a Romantic view of the movie: </div>
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<h4>
Next Time, I'll talk about another wonderful Irish Romance from long ago you may have missed.</h4>
<h4>
<br />Irish Soda Bread Recipe:<br />I found this recipe over twenty years ago in an Irish cookbook. It's lovely.<br />2 pounds flour<br />2 teaspoons salt<br />3 teaspoons baking soda (bicarbonate of soda in Irish recipe)<br />17 fluid ounces of buttermilk<br />1 ounce of butter<br />Preheat oven to 425 degrees.<br />sift flour, salt and soda in large bowl with a wooden spoon. Gradually work in buttermilk.<br />Combine mixture thoroughly. The dough should be smooth but firmer than normal bread.<br />Turn onto lightly floured surface and kneed lightly for 3 to 4 minutes. Divide into two portions. Form each portion into a a firm ball then gently press with the palm of your hand to flatten round cake. Should be about 8 inches across and 1 and 1/2 inch thick.<br />Generously butter the two baking sheets and position a cake in the center of each. Cut a deep cross, extending to the edges, on the top of each cake. Place in the center of oven and bake for 35 minutes or until pale and golden. Transfer to a wire rack and cool for thirty minutes. Eat while still slightly warm.<br /> ** I came across this twenty two years ago in an authentic Irish cookbook that I found at my library. I cannot remember the name of the book, but I do hold that this is a authentic recipe from the old country. </h4>
lsilver60http://www.blogger.com/profile/07932215293781615986noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8767448798981345969.post-42660467151432552422016-02-12T00:00:00.000-08:002016-02-12T00:00:15.214-08:00A Dangerous Hero; Release Day for Noble Assassin! <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />
Just in time for Valentine's Day! A New Historical Romance Release from Lily Silver:<br />
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Hello everyone. I'm excited this weekend. It's Release Day for Noble Assassin, Book Four of my Reluctant Heroes Series! As a Valentine's Treat, take a peek at an Excerpt below from the First Scene;<br />
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The Governess meets the Assassin! Excerpt from Noble Assassin, Copyright Lily Silver 2016<br />
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<i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><br /></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The Island of
Ravencrest, West Indies, 1808<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Will you help me?” The lovely blonde
woman sat before him at his desk, her blue eyes pleading and fearful. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Ambrose was not a heartless man, but he
was as yet unimpressed by her tale of woe. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The glow of a candle flickered and
danced before him, although it was only mid- afternoon. The storm outside made
it necessary to light the candles to see. The tropical rainstorm brought an
additional sense of gloom to the atmosphere as Miss Wallingford sketched out
her story in the most obscure terms possible. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The light of the flame was entrancing, a
warm yellow golden glow that bathed his mind in calm. It was a trick he learned
in the East Indies, to focus on the simplest thing to clear his mind of all the
clutter that shadowed an issue and brought a thousand questions and concerns. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The warmth of the flame could comfort.
The heat could maim or kill. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">So it was with any object. It could be
used for good or evil. The intent was purely in the one wielding the object in
his hand. His childhood tutors trained him to see even everyday objects that
appeared harmless as potential weapons at his disposal. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Mr. Duchamp, will you help me?” The
whisper soft voice of his unexpected guest brought Ambrose back from his quiet
contemplation of the flame. Miss Wallingford was quite fetching by candlelight.
Her buttery blonde curls framed a face that could launch a thousand ships, if
the legend of Helen of Troy were to be given life. She was an English woman
with an English nose, a resolute English chin and prim, tight English lips. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Pink lips, to be precise. Lips that
needed kissing, but had likely never had the pleasure. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Miss Wallingford was the governess at
Ravencrest Plantation. He steepled his hands before him and studied the lovely
woman who had come to the island plantation just eighteen months ago. He studied her with ruthless silence,
ignoring her plea. Why would such a lovely, intelligent woman require the
lethal assistance of a man such as himself?
“I will think on it.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Her smooth English brow was pinched. She
appeared offended by his reluctance to entangle himself in her private affairs.
“I have no one else who can help me, sir. No one else to turn to.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“You might speak with his lordship,”
Ambrose suggested. Sharing her dilemma
with their employer was an unpleasant option, but an option, nevertheless.
“Count Rochembeau is a fair man. He has a soft spot for those trapped in
unfortunate circumstances. He might offer a better solution than I could. A
more civilized and honorable solution.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“His lordship would dismiss me and send
me back to England.” Miss Wallingford sat up straight in the chair. “And they
would find me easily if I were returned to English shores.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Ambrose sighed. He studied the candle
again, seeking the serenity of the silent flame. He knew what happened when a
target was located by a professional assassin. There <i>could</i> be a time of waiting to make the kill. If the assassin were
smart, he would strike quickly and leave the area before someone noticed him
and his cover were blown. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Pretty Miss Wallingford was putting him
in a very difficult situation by asking for his help with her would-be
pursuers. Suppose she was involved in political intrigue? His employer would not be pleased if Ambrose
brought trouble to the serene island refuge where both he and the count had
come to escape the horrors of France years ago. Count Rochembeau had finally found
peace after his ordeal in the Bastille. The count found refuge in the arms of
his beautiful wife and the bland domestic life they shared with their five
children. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">He picked up an apple from the bowl on his
desk and began peeling it with his favorite dagger. After twirling away the
skin with ease, he sliced it into quarters and picked up a piece with the tip
of his blade. He bit into the tasty fruit. He’d skipped lunch and he was
famished. He picked up another piece with the tip of his blade, about to shove
it into his mouth. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">She was watching him with fascinated
horror. So, she’d heard the stories about him and his fondness for sharp
instruments from the sailor’s wives. <i>Tres
bien</i>. A fierce reputation was not a flaw but a weapon of the mind. A weapon
he’d honed to full advantage. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Pardon, <i>mademoiselle</i>,” he said in a flat tone devoid of true regret. “I
have forgotten my manners. Would you care for a piece?” He extended his arm
across the desk, holding the dagger out to her with a chunk of fruit impaled on
the end. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Her eyes told the tale.
She was appalled by his casual savagery. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">End of Excerpt, Copyright Lily Silver, 2016</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">If you want a simmering, suspenseful historical romance with an unlikely hero set in the warm Caribbean, here is the link for the book on Amazon.com. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01BN8F4HG?*Version*=1&*entries*=0" target="_blank">Noble Assassin on Amazon.com</a></span></div>
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lsilver60http://www.blogger.com/profile/07932215293781615986noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8767448798981345969.post-65623458599052363692016-02-11T00:00:00.000-08:002016-02-11T00:00:13.070-08:00The beautiful side of Paradise; Setting of Noble Assassin<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Paradise, yes, that's the word we conjure when we think of the Caribbean.<br />
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My newest novel is set in the Caribbean, near St. Kitts. It takes place in 1808, and so, it is set in the backdrop of The West Indies. <br />
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You've met the characters, Ambrose Duchammp and Juliet Wallingford in previous posts, and toured the landscape to view the creatures on the islands, specifically the more imposing creatures. <br />
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Today I present another side, the more alluring side of the Caribbean, the romantic side, if you will.<br />
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Juliet is from England so to her, the island is a wonderful place unlike anything she's ever known.<br />
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Butterflies of every color and tropical blooms.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7DkWHGltlYD6lQ5Fc0o2tRc36LS3QUNyjfeUu8kGF1tH91qRA6TCV-zT5RfjakKlhV4MIM3uo7g0oOFokZqIN6awSW5dnGWDanKRUDtrRFTRYXN3Ch125kDBV7dzWcZHzY6HTZIF6F3k/s1600/hibiscus+flowers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7DkWHGltlYD6lQ5Fc0o2tRc36LS3QUNyjfeUu8kGF1tH91qRA6TCV-zT5RfjakKlhV4MIM3uo7g0oOFokZqIN6awSW5dnGWDanKRUDtrRFTRYXN3Ch125kDBV7dzWcZHzY6HTZIF6F3k/s320/hibiscus+flowers.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hibiscus flower after a tropical shower</td></tr>
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<h4>
<span style="font-weight: normal;">The landscape is dotted with exotic tropical flowers, such as hibiscus and bouginvilla creeping up the garden wall or along hedges. Bouginvilla can be white, pink, coral, red, or purple. Juliet sees it infringing everywhere. When she goes to the port city to shop, Ambrose gifts her with pink orchids. Does he know it's her favorite color? Who can resist the magic and beauty of the Caribbean landscape.<br />It's the perfect place to fall in love. </span></h4>
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Imagine the bright colored parrots flying about, landing on trees, greeting you with their sharp caws.<br />
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And imagine living in a land that is forever warm after spending your life in a damp, cooler climate such as England. The heat and humidity take some getting used to, but it's worth the discomfort. Every day, you can walk the beach if you wish, enjoy the sunshine and collect sea shells. Imagine taking a carriage ride at night with your sweetheart, and making love on the beach, beneath a canopy of stars. <br />
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So, if you are looking to get away from winter this February, slip into the romance of the Caribbean with a historical romance set near St. Kitts. Noble Assassin will be released this weekend.<br />
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Tomorrow, on release day, I'm posting an excerpt from the first scene of the book. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQtNtLMilV9rWB3k6NJ7ltpVVkDMqNc-XCp8OlhT3WK6SF1BhlUqnWXr8PAI5BoNODiwa3p6JikbCHZHT38iw60nkfm7aDRSObkesINsM3De1ej8gcPecDz7Blh68CEALi9sDXUeT7l70/s1600/11324546_s.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQtNtLMilV9rWB3k6NJ7ltpVVkDMqNc-XCp8OlhT3WK6SF1BhlUqnWXr8PAI5BoNODiwa3p6JikbCHZHT38iw60nkfm7aDRSObkesINsM3De1ej8gcPecDz7Blh68CEALi9sDXUeT7l70/s1600/11324546_s.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Happy Valentine's Day!</td></tr>
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<br />lsilver60http://www.blogger.com/profile/07932215293781615986noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8767448798981345969.post-68752230723280988092016-02-10T00:00:00.000-08:002016-02-10T11:25:34.487-08:00Jane Eyre in the West Indies: Meet Juliet, Heroine in Noble Assassin<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJUDV5a1ZvmSuCRGLwKDBnAiyixdvXZvYuoV-pVqqje0mqEZQGUvd7Lt6fO_yt5v5hrJVWOgqHqvV8y434p427JxWAw2wmCEmW-dJ4vDtIWhkXsQbfrKzfAb3CAVD3qf978VU9CSzKwrY/s1600/REG1137LOW.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJUDV5a1ZvmSuCRGLwKDBnAiyixdvXZvYuoV-pVqqje0mqEZQGUvd7Lt6fO_yt5v5hrJVWOgqHqvV8y434p427JxWAw2wmCEmW-dJ4vDtIWhkXsQbfrKzfAb3CAVD3qf978VU9CSzKwrY/s400/REG1137LOW.jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Juliet, Governess and Dreamer</td></tr>
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It takes guts to pack up your few belongings and flee to a strange land. It takes a lot of courage to sail across the ocean in 1807 and take a job as a governess in order to hide from a man stalking you. </h3>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;">Juliet Wallingford does not consider herself a heroine. In her own mind, she's not a brave soul. She's a bastard child of a nobleman and has not even met her father. When her mother died, she was taken to a school for girls, and spent her childhood there as a ward to a mysterious benefactor. Once she reached an age of adulthood, her father stopped paying for her lodgings. She had the choice of going out on her own to support herself, or staying at the school as a teacher to earn her keep. She chose the latter, with very bland results. A boring day job in an institution where she lived and ate as well as taught, a place where she has about as much chance of meeting a potential husband as meeting the Emperor of France. </span></h3>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;">She answers an ad for a governess and goes to a remote estate on the Yorkshire moors. A little like Jane Eyre, but with disastrous results. There is no Mr. Rochester waiting for her there, only a wicked man who preys upon her innocence, and has done so with former governesses coming to his home to fill the position. </span></h3>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcsboE8dYcfT3FY_9ujLjeuUg1ayg1T2B55SRukHiPhGGgucxeFzWT07jh621hzgKOL_UdU545pE-b2b62m6mQAa5KW66J8rpcZ8t9vGysAgp_nq76vX6cSHWEDZ-ObC1yUqaoMOQK2zA/s1600/dreamstime_xs_37471043.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcsboE8dYcfT3FY_9ujLjeuUg1ayg1T2B55SRukHiPhGGgucxeFzWT07jh621hzgKOL_UdU545pE-b2b62m6mQAa5KW66J8rpcZ8t9vGysAgp_nq76vX6cSHWEDZ-ObC1yUqaoMOQK2zA/s400/dreamstime_xs_37471043.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">hibiscus flowers from West Indies</td></tr>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;">After fending off his attack, Juliet plucks up her courage and flees to the Indies. She finds her new position most favorable as the family is loving and kind, to their children and to their staff. She's content. Sort of. She's also dreamed of having her own home, her own children to fuss over and a husband to share her life with. She had a slight crush on the sea captain who brought her to the Indies, as he was attentive and kind to her, asking her to join him for dinner in his cabin each night with his senior officers, and generally giving her an idea of what a true gentleman behaves like. She daydreams about marrying the captain, of joining him on his adventures at sea. It's a sweet dream for a lonely governess with no family or home of her own. </span></h3>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXd2iH1LQ1XBzhcKE4Fv3OtntpM1xySq4_LZQum6I2JM56_8EIxk4RSzNi3PsHtXXp16iS_7jqruozAh8xc_gPz7HVGAMeL2qCdpHimc_FD-30bHExiPBCxRw31v3BlVZN3tqtbpiHlTs/s1600/MED0058LOW.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXd2iH1LQ1XBzhcKE4Fv3OtntpM1xySq4_LZQum6I2JM56_8EIxk4RSzNi3PsHtXXp16iS_7jqruozAh8xc_gPz7HVGAMeL2qCdpHimc_FD-30bHExiPBCxRw31v3BlVZN3tqtbpiHlTs/s320/MED0058LOW.jpg" width="252" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not your typical Mr. Rochester</td></tr>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;">Our Jane Eyre doesn't know that Mr. Rochester is waiting for her in the Indies: Mr. Duchamp is blissfully unaware that his life is empty and lonely without her. He's an intimidating, dangerous man, rumored to be a killer. He'll teach her the art of self protection, instruct her in how to use a dagger, tease her, make sport of her, and offer a pretend courtship to protect her reputation while engaged in said lessons--something she finds insulting and humiliating but must play along out of fear her employers will let her go if they know the truth, that she's a fugitive from English shores. </span></h3>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;">Her penchant for dreaming of that knight in shining armor sweeping her away arises again, and she can't help but wonder what it would be like to be Mr. Duchamp's Bride. The only problem is, he's not in love with her, he's just pretending, she believes. </span></h3>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVOdvkqRQ6ABpigj4AhCAbDOysZTa8FhSy9nuqSiwUeTc8HWAAKtf0knSJq5v5rvWZFQDNYOkdxlRbn2mOki15zYCOeGgpAuW1byr_5cRX__MjvO-sE0Rp4BPQOSpxlpETyCTR9QkUyxU/s1600/heart+icon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVOdvkqRQ6ABpigj4AhCAbDOysZTa8FhSy9nuqSiwUeTc8HWAAKtf0knSJq5v5rvWZFQDNYOkdxlRbn2mOki15zYCOeGgpAuW1byr_5cRX__MjvO-sE0Rp4BPQOSpxlpETyCTR9QkUyxU/s200/heart+icon.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;">Juliet is tortured by the future, when the pretense is finished and she's left alone again, embarrassed to have not truly captured Mr. Duchamp's attentions. He's a hard man, with his heart locked away in a steel box. How could she ever hope to inspire a true affection in him? <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-weight: normal;">She might be surprised to learn she's not the drab little mouse she believes herself to be. Not in Mr. Duchamp's mind. But . . . that's not the whole story. It's her story, her perceptions in the matter. </span></h3>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;">Juliet is forced to trust him as her enemy closes in. Will her heart survive intact? </span></h3>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Available for Sale Feb. 12th, 2015</td></tr>
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lsilver60http://www.blogger.com/profile/07932215293781615986noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8767448798981345969.post-49302849057298855332016-02-09T00:00:00.000-08:002016-02-09T21:41:34.479-08:00Monkeys, Sharks and Snakes, Oh My! Creatures of Noble Assassin<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim-tZhHvkgSw9EUdbT1uPjq_zy59x3zpyPKXxBp4pSLsqlhD9ZD-KvieRfCwLZMtA3wZR95cG49Gsog8mTT1XEVoAZZw1KlvaqvUzcvzs7-p6wXPTIKaWT151XoXSuvbbXkbwCb2VdgkU/s1600/beach+on+Ravencrest.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="245" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim-tZhHvkgSw9EUdbT1uPjq_zy59x3zpyPKXxBp4pSLsqlhD9ZD-KvieRfCwLZMtA3wZR95cG49Gsog8mTT1XEVoAZZw1KlvaqvUzcvzs7-p6wXPTIKaWT151XoXSuvbbXkbwCb2VdgkU/s400/beach+on+Ravencrest.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Copyright: <a href="http://www.123rf.com/profile_violin">violin / 123RF Stock Photo</a>
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Noble Assassin is set in the Caribbean, so naturally, we think of sunsets, bright flowers, sandy beaches and benign surroundings. <br />
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The story is set on an imaginary island near St. Kitts. So, yes, there are sandy beaches, and tropical flowers, brilliant sunsets, and . . . snakes.<br />
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Copyright: <a href="http://www.123rf.com/profile_byrdyak">byrdyak / 123RF Stock Photo</a><br />
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The hero of our story, Ambrose, has a cottage on the edge of the sea. Behind the cottage is jungle brush and a large, long lagoon. He has pets in his backyard paradise. There is a group of Vertvet Monkeys, or Green Monkeys as they are often called. Ambrose, our bad guy hero, has trained one among them to come when he calls. Titus Andronicus (Shakespeare, a dark story full of nasty murders) is the name our noble assassin has given his pet. Titus will sit on his shoulder and let him feed him by hand. Meet Titus<br />
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Copyright: <a href="http://www.123rf.com/profile_mattiaath">mattiaath / 123RF Stock Photo</a>
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The tropical landscape is beautiful of course, with vibrant blooms and green jungle foliage. There are parrots, and butterflies, lizards, and snakes. Tarantula's also live here, but don't make too much of a showing in our story. The nine year old twin boys in the story like to play with small lizards. Well, boys will be boys, after all.<br />
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Copyright: <a href="http://www.123rf.com/profile_magphoto">magphoto / 123RF Stock Photo</a>
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Ambrose also has pets in his backyard lagoon. Two tiger sharks swam in one day, infant sharks that slipped through the coral barrier. Ambrose kept feeding them, and made a barrier so they could not escape. The lagoon is fed fresh ocean water with the tides. He's named his two pet sharks, now nearly fully grown, Louis and Maria, after the French King and his queen who were executed by guillotine during the French Revolution. He's showing his sentimental side in the choice of names.<br />
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Copyright: <a href="http://www.123rf.com/profile_kiankhoon">kiankhoon / 123RF Stock Photo</a><br />
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These darlings are more than pets, they also provide backyard surveillance so that he's not attacked in the night by enemies trying to land in the lagoon. And land they do! Crunch, Crunch.<br />
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His monkey tribe also serves as an alarm system, as they screech warning whenever intruders enter their backyard habitat. Ambrose is adept at using the tools at hand as weapons or defense mechanisms, you see.<br />
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Copyright: <a href="http://www.123rf.com/profile_nirut123rf">nirut123rf / 123RF Stock Photo</a>
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Other creatures on the island that make an appearance in the book are jungle snakes. Yes, snakes play an integral part of the rescue event at the end of the story. Couldn't resist as my Gothic side kicks in. Dark Hero, the first book in the series is a Gothic Romance set in the Caribbean. Noble Assassin also has Gothic elements, such as a brooding hero, a woman in danger, an isolated estate and a sometimes forbidding atmosphere.<br />
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Most of the snakes on the island of St. Kitts and the mirror island of Ravencrest are not poisonous. However, with any rule there is always an exception. But, consider this; if you were confronted with a room with writhing snakes on the floor, would you want to take your chances by walking thru them?<br />
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Make no mistake, Noble Assassin is a historical ROMANCE. But it has some suspenseful elements, and a paranormal twist, as most of my romances do. You can pick up a copy this week, just in time for Valentine's Day. Escape to the Caribbean this winter and enjoy a romantic adventure with Ambrose and Juliet.<br />
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<br />lsilver60http://www.blogger.com/profile/07932215293781615986noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8767448798981345969.post-21831453832366483462016-02-08T00:00:00.000-08:002016-02-08T00:00:09.919-08:00Meet Ambrose; Assassin turned Hero<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">He likes sharp and pointy things!</td></tr>
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Writing an assassin as a hero took some work. Ambrose Duchamp cameoed in my first published novel, Dark Hero, as a support character. He frightened the heroine back then, and most of the crew of the hero's ship. He was known as a ruthless sort, the one guy you didn't want to piss off. He spent his time on deck playing with his dagger, showing off his skills to make his mark. This time, he's the hero in the romance. Meet Ambrose Duchamp, former royal assassin, retired pirate, all around bad boy when it comes to crossed swords. He likes sharp and pointy things, and is remembered from Dark Hero as the man with the sharp dagger at the ready. </h4>
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Ambrose escaped France at the start of the Revolution in 1798. After some wild and quite violent adventures in the East Indies as a pirate, he's contentedly spending his days in paradise, given the job of overseeing Ravencrest plantation as the steward for his long time friend. He likes the quiet life, and living on an obscure island plantation in the West Indies. He has a dark past and a heart crushing secret that makes him loathe himself. He's mystified when his housekeeper, Mrs. Fitz, says she worries about him. He hates himself so can't fathom that others would care for him. He believes he does not deserve to be loved. When his friend warns him that Aphrodite will find him regardless of where he hides, and will bring his true love across his path, he scoffs at the idea. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Juliet, a romantic dreamer</td></tr>
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<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: normal;">And then, fate knocks on his door in the form of a pretty but shy governess named Juliet. She's the opposite of him, soft, kind, tenderhearted, and naive. She's in danger. She has left England to hide in the Indies. She's asking him to to take an interest in her problems, without telling him the true reason for her flight from England. Should he help her? Why? What has she done that is so horrible that a nobleman would send men on a six week journey to the Indies to find her? She's hiding something very dark and disturbing and refuses to give him the particulars. She just wants him to protect her without giving him a good reason why she's being stalked by a vile man.</span></h4>
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Ambrose is the man to handle a dangerous mission. Dark is his middle name. We're talking about a man who was trained from childhood on a thousand ways to kill and then steal away in the night. A man who keeps sharks in his back yard lagoon as a security measure. Miss Juliet has sought out his valuable services and his honor will not allow him to walk away from a woman in jeopardy. </span></h4>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;">But will his heart survive? </span></h4>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Available Feb. 12th 2016</td></tr>
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<br />lsilver60http://www.blogger.com/profile/07932215293781615986noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8767448798981345969.post-4596961564667436762016-02-06T17:32:00.000-08:002016-02-07T10:17:50.178-08:00A tribute to Alan Rickman: AKA Colonel Brandon, the unsung hero in Jane Austen's Classic<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Alan Rickman as Colonel Brandon in 1995 Sense & Sensibility</td></tr>
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When I heard that Alan Rickman died a few weeks ago, my response was to watch Sense and Sensibility, the 1995 version where he plays a Regency Hero with finesse.<br />
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Sometimes a hero is unsung, unnoticed by the crowd. Sometimes, he slips away at the end of a book, overshadowed by another man with more flash and appeal. <br />
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This seems to be the case with Colonel Brandon, the gallant hero in Sense and Sensibility. He's there, in the background, waiting to rescue a lady. That lady is young, full of silly ideas about love, and about what makes a romantic hero.<br />
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I'm talking about Marianne Dashwood, of course. She's fancied herself in love with Mr. Willoughby. But Mr. Willoughby, a young, handsome and dashing man, is a terrible rake. She is obsessed with him, and disdains the noble hero waiting in the wings, our beloved Colonel Brandon.<br />
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As you might guess, our noble hero endures. He is taken with Marianne: her youth, her exuberance, her energy, as it reminds the Colonel of a lost love from his past.<br />
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As Marianne allows danger to court her, and takes risks based on her emotions, he watches her, and admires her while her older sister, Eleanor chides her for her actions. Eleanor, if you are familiar with the story, is the sensible sister, stoic and realistic, where Marianne is sensitive to her passions and does not apologize for her actions. She sees Eleanor as a prude.<br />
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Colonel Brandon first meets Marianne Dashwood at a friend's house. He walks into the room (in the movie) when Marianne is playing the piano and singing, and he is entranced.<br />
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Colonel Brandon's noble behavior is contrasted by that of Mr. Willoughby. Willoughby leads Marianne on, giving her the impression that he plans to marry her. Even her family is fooled by his 'devotion'. Eventually, the need for money overshadows his feelings for poor, penniless Marianne. He becomes engaged to a woman who can support him.<br />
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Marianne is crushed. Her heart is broken. My favorite scene in the whole movie is the one where Colonel Brandon goes out searching for her, and brings her in from the storm, bearing her in his arms. He still cares for her, even after she's been rude to him and pushed him off. His love for her endures. And this wonderful man is portrayed by Alan Rickman in the 1995 movie, with Kate Winslet playing the lovely and impetuous seventeen year old Marianne.<br />
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Okay, if your heart doesn't increase at the thought of Colonel Brandon and his quiet devotion, wait, there is more! <br />
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After Marianne is snubbed and hurt by Mr. Willoughby, Brandon agrees to take the sisters home from London. They stop at a friend's mansion to spend a day or so before continuing the journey (where the famous scene of his rescue takes place). Marianne learns she can see Willoughby's manor house from the estate she's staying on, and goes for a walk. She doesn't return for hours, and a storm sets in. Brandon goes off to find her and carries her home. After her despondent wandering in the cold rain, Marianne takes ill. She's in serious danger, and our hero, Colonel Brandon, is beside himself with emotion. He wants to do something to help. He needs to do something.<br />
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So he goes to Eleanor, gripping the doorknob behind him as he begs her in a serious mien<br />
"Give me a vocation (task) or I shall run mad!" Can you imagine Allen Rickman's deep British voice saying that? Gives one shivers, it does.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Colonel Brandon begging for a task while Marianne is ill. </td></tr>
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Eleanor sends him to her mother, feeling that Marianne will rest better during her fit of fever if her mother is present. The Colonel speeds to their home on his noble steed, and brings mama to the house by dawn the next day. Fortunately for him, after a hellish night where the doctor is uncertain the girl will live, Marianne pulls through and the fever abates. Her mother comes rushing to her side, and our dear Colonel lurks at the door, peeping in at his beloved Marianne.<br />
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<i>Finally..</i>.... <i>Finally! Marianne notices him, and the efforts he has made on her behalf. </i><br />
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And it gets even better. Once she is home but still recovering from the dangerous fever that nearly took her life, Brandon sits by her side and reads to her. Such devotion. And now that Marianne has grown up a little after her misadventures with Willoughby, she appreciates the attentions of an honest and honorable suitor, despite their age difference. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Brandon (Rickman) is an enchantingly noble hero! </td></tr>
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To sum up the rest of the story, he leaves her for a short time to go to London. And buys her a Broadwood piano small enough to fit her mother's small parlor. Needless to say, this handsome, mature, and noble hero gets his happily ever after in the end. <br />
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Yes, I know when the 1995 Sense and Sensibility was released, everyone was swooning over Hugh Grant as Mr. Edward Ferrars and Greg Wiese as Mr. Willoughby. If you look at the cover of the video or movie poster, you see Hugh Grant, Kate Winslet and Emma Thompson. Alan Rickman isn't even given a place on the cover, even though his character's noble actions play an important part of the plot of the story. It's a shame!<br />
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Granted, Hugh is hot, but, his character for the part is weak, and walks about rather confused by circumstances and is ordered about too much by his mother and elder sister. Hot but sort of a wimp, sorry to say. Edward takes no action to rectify his situation, he lets others do things for him. Rickman's character, on the other hand, Colonel Brandon, is strong man, a wealthy gentleman and a former officer of the Army. His actions--yes--actions to care for and protect those he loves are those of a true hero. <br />
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I salute Colonel Brandon, created by Jane Austen, and the wonderful actor Alan Rickman who first brought him to life for me in a movie. <br />
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It's clear that Rickman's most popular and most remembered role is Professor Snape in Harry Potter, and he did an amazing job in those movies. However, in my heart, I will always remember this talented, smooth, handsome British actor as Colonel Brandon, the unsung hero in Jane Austen's novellsilver60http://www.blogger.com/profile/07932215293781615986noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8767448798981345969.post-8382852702425592452016-01-09T21:28:00.000-08:002016-01-10T13:38:53.395-08:00A Tale of Three Suitors: Far from the Maddening Crowd<br />
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To start the New Year's New blog Posts, I wanted to give a Timeless Lovers's salute to a movie, and an old classic book I just discovered. This past weekend I watched an incredible romance movie, one that is also a '<i>costume drama'</i> that delighted both myself and my spouse. It was in theaters May of 2014, and is now out in DVD.<br />
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We didn't feel the story was too long or too slow. We didn't want it to end. In comparison, we watched the recent incarnation of Madame Bovary, and were so bored we turned it off nearly at the halfway point, so that just goes to show that every remake of a classic movie doesn't succeed.<br />
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Far from the Maddening Crowd is a novel written by Thomas Hardy and published in 1874. The story is set in Victorian England, a contemporary novel at the time it was written. It takes place in the lovely English countryside of Dorset.<br />
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Our heroine, Miss Bathsheba Everdene (yes, <i>Bathsheba!</i>) lives with her aunt and works the farm.<br />
She is a headstrong, independent woman who really isn't searching for a husband. She is made an offer of marriage by a neighboring farmer, a young, virile and handsome Gabriel Oak. Funny thing about the last name, as he ends up being as solid and reliable as an oak tree in the course the story. <br />
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She turns him down, because, well, she doesn't love him.<br />
And she doesn't wish to be a farmer's wife.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mr Gabriel Oak, a handsome and reliable man</td></tr>
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Gabriel Oak's fortunes turn bleak in one night. He's been training a sheepdog named George who is not as well behaved as a dog should be that has the singular responsibility of herding and guarding sheep. As Gabriel awakens in the night after hearing a noise, he finds the sheep pen open and the sheep are gone. His older dog, retired, leads him up to the cliffs where he discovers the younger dog has herded his entire flock off the cliffs.<br />
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He's ruined, and must leave the farm he's been renting and hoping to buy after the sheep shearing.<br />
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Meanwhile, after turning Mr. Oak's proposal down, plucky Bathsheba gets news of an inheritance. Her uncle has left her his farm in his will. She's thrilled, and packs right away to go claim her inheritance.<br />
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When she arrives at the farm, she is presented with a terrible situation. A fire nearly destroyed the barn, as a cart piled with hay near the edifice caught fire. A stranger happened upon the farm looking for shelter and work the night before her arrival, and he rallied to help the farm hands extinguish the fire. This bold stranger heroically climbs the roof of the barn to stamp out the flames on several of the shingles. Guess who this brave man turns out to be . . . Gabriel Oak.<br />
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Homeless and penniless, he's been wandering the countryside looking for work. In the movie version, Bathsheba arrives the morning after the fire and meets her rejected suitor. Since he helped save her barn, she hires him on as the master of the sheep.<br />
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But now, she's his boss, so there is tension between them.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mr. Boltwood, an older, mature suitor who is kind</td></tr>
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Along comes the second suitor, a neighboring landowner, Mr. Boltwood (played wonderfully by Michael Sheen). He is a mature man, a shy, introverted, but he is much more cultured and prosperous than our heroine. At first meeting, he snubs his nose at Bathsheba as he discovers her working on her land. She's shooting birds that are eating a harvest, so she appears somewhat bold for a woman as she greets him holding a loaded rifle. Mr. Boltwood is one of those 'gentlemen farmers' you see. He doesn't actually work on his farm, he has hirelings for that, so seeing a female landowner actually working the farm is a shock to his sensibilities.<br />
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As time goes on Boltwood is taken with our heroine. Carey Mulligan plays Bathsheba and does a superb performance in the leading role. (She was also in The Great Gatsby as Daisy). Bathsheba is bold, unconventional and independent for a Victorian Era woman. She's far ahead of her times. The scene with her shooting birds with a rifle, coupled with her refusal of Mr. Oak's offer and a clip of her riding hard across the countryside astride a horse tell us she is not a meek, easily managed woman.<br />
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Like the first suitor, Boltwood proposes to Bathsheba. His proposal is different. He keeps saying he wants to provide for her and protect her all her days. In other words, he wants to put her in a box or on a high pedestal. He even suggests she might still run her own farm as sort of a hobby. He offers her a huge manor house complete with a full staff, prestige as his wife, money, fancy clothing, jewels . . . . it's like a dream come true for most women, a Cinderella storyline.<br />
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Except Bathsheba is not a woman to be bought by the promise of pretty things and a life of ease.<br />
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Suitor number one, Mr. Oaks, wanted her to be his wife and help him run his farm.<br />
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Mr. Boltwood wants her to be his cherished doll to pretty up his mansion. She wants neither option.<br />
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She confides that she'd rather be tamed by a man, implying these two are no match for her bold temperament. Well, she does have a point with Mr. Boltwood. He appears to be quite the Milquetoast fellow. Dithering and blundering about.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sergeant Frank Troy, a bit riskier, but dashing all the same</td></tr>
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Be careful what you wish for, Bathsheba! <br />
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Enter suitor number three, Sergeant Frank Troy. He's a soldier who is at present not working. He comes in, all bold and dangerous, dashing in his regimental uniform and brandishing his sword. He appears to be everything she hoped for, dashing, brave, strong minded. They have a secret tryst in the village, and then she marries him impulsively. And soon learns her mistake; our dashing hero is a drunk and a gambler. Their marriage was based solely on passion and great sex. As the passion wanes, things sour. He keeps racking up debts, and siphons money she has saved up for farm business and repairs. She resists his plundering of her funds, and he starts berating her, threatening her verbally. Her two prior suitors, both actually still love her, are both appalled and worried about her. Abuse is hinted at in the movie.<br />
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There are numerous plot twists I won't go into. Sergeant Troy has secrets, one being a woman who carries his child. Bathsheba sees them together at the local fair, and confronts her husband about the woman. She is told by the cruel man that that woman is the one he truly loves, and that she (Bathsheba) means nothing to him. Well, that's quite a slap in the face. She now knows he married her only for her money. His lover dies and he goes off into a funk. We see him strip off his clothing and swim out to sea. He drowns.<br />
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Bathsheba is sad but also relieved to be free of him at last. Months go by. She dutifully wears black and attends his grave. Mr. Boltwood resumes his courtship, and she seriously considers his suite. After all, she married for passion the first time and it turned out badly. A good pushover in a man might be refreshing after what she's come through with her choice of a spouse.<br />
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Things are complicated when Mr. Oak is now interested her hand again. (He loves her and never really stopped pining for her throughout the story-line. But he works for her, so he is beneath her socially). So she has the choice oset before her again of Boltwood or Oak.<br />
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And just when you think her life has turned for the good, Sergeant Troy turns up alive, and angry. He faked his death months ago and now he's back, demanding money. He tries to force her to go home with him at Mr. Boltwood's magnificent Christmas Eve house party. A party, I might add, where Mr. Boltwood is expecting her to give him the decision about accepting his offer of marriage. Troy strikes Bathsheba in front of Mr. Oak and grabs her arm, dragging her away. And then Mr. Boltwood emerges from the house surprises everyone . . . . turning from a mouse into a fierce lion as he sees the woman he loves being mistreated by her suddenly returned from the dead husband.<br />
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I know, I know . . . sounds like a soap opera, doesn't it? But it was written one hundred and forty years ago! Not all classic literature is boring.<br />
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I won't reveal the ending, and spoil your enjoyment of the movie. But I will tell you that our heroine, Bathsheba, faces an emotional choice this time, and it will surprise you.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnI2bW8TvoZg7pJDOQAMsswk5WsKD4DfICTxBvLqeU_w85rhT8qUFALZkZGwYgYTCdcR8r11Xm3Geuz-JbZeeV_CoUqCQxDhUv_Wi8tWiV4NnKCTY7RR-Da5tV3AOJtD6jHt-jqaxHzk0/s1600/Far-from-the-Madding-Crowd---cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnI2bW8TvoZg7pJDOQAMsswk5WsKD4DfICTxBvLqeU_w85rhT8qUFALZkZGwYgYTCdcR8r11Xm3Geuz-JbZeeV_CoUqCQxDhUv_Wi8tWiV4NnKCTY7RR-Da5tV3AOJtD6jHt-jqaxHzk0/s320/Far-from-the-Madding-Crowd---cover.jpg" width="209" /></a></div>
Note: I have not read the book. It is classic English literature, but somehow I missed that one. I plan to read it soon. The book is much longer than the movie. In an interview in the bonus material, the directors said that if they tried to follow every plot thread in the book, that it would be a six hour miniseries, not a two hour movie. I enjoyed this new discovery more than I can express. This movie will go on my desert island keeper shelf, one to watch and fall in love with again and again.<br />
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The love story featuring three suitors vying for Bathsheba's hand, each one equally appealing in their own way, is incredibly romantic. The landscape where the film was shot is gorgeous, in Dorset where the story was originally set. So, the mix of a good, suspenseful romance, the depicted charm of country life in Victorian England, the lovely costumes and the setting make this a bewitching combination.<br />
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I highly recommend this film to those who love such period pieces as Jane Austen. You will be mesmerized by this lush romantic film.<br />
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Enjoy a sneak peek with the trailer below:<br />
<a href="https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=3&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwjGyLTTv57KAhWFlx4KHRDsBMwQtwIIKjAC&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.imdb.com%2Fvideo%2Fimdb%2Fvi2575019545&usg=AFQjCNEQDvzBSyxXekrZjgOhduQlEcfHvA&sig2=1c6s2tEFl1lgLKKGfmzK-w&bvm=bv.111396085,d.dmo" target="_blank">Far From the Maddening Crowd Movie Trailer</a><br />
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<br />lsilver60http://www.blogger.com/profile/07932215293781615986noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8767448798981345969.post-14488051575051991022015-12-31T15:50:00.001-08:002015-12-31T15:50:27.363-08:00Update on Books that Celebrate Paris Fundraiser<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS5jTToiQAjrvvrcpcTC4tYcmV8RiUM7bX90LMbQaNEfNqmVIFPE7Mjst4ST0W3yOXAIuV7NMSNhL8sVQwo-YA6IRckjN_4iYaCQyTDGwsqWc4OF_dYJt7oF7-oeQieGCqA7kn-7AdOUM/s1600/BOOKS+THAT+CELEBRATE+PARIS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS5jTToiQAjrvvrcpcTC4tYcmV8RiUM7bX90LMbQaNEfNqmVIFPE7Mjst4ST0W3yOXAIuV7NMSNhL8sVQwo-YA6IRckjN_4iYaCQyTDGwsqWc4OF_dYJt7oF7-oeQieGCqA7kn-7AdOUM/s640/BOOKS+THAT+CELEBRATE+PARIS.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<h3>
Update on our Paris Fundraiser after the November Terrorist Attacks. Today was the deadline for our book sales to be counted and the donations made from proceeds of the sales of our Paris themed books. If you are curious, bleow is the link to the main landing page of our Fundraiser and the list of authors participating. I'd </h3>
<h3>
<a href="http://www.avamiles.com/books-that-celebrate-paris/" rel="nofollow">http://www.avamiles.com/books-that-celebrate-paris/</a></h3>
<h3>
I am pleased to say that I donated $50 to the French Red Cross this afternoon from sales of Some Enchanted Dream. Thank you to all who participated in this fundraiser by buying my book or one of the seven other author's featured books. It was a huge success and we each made our donations separately to th FRC. </h3>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD2eKKrFNRrqsGRcWDIdyj3Gb_G2UFw3rePBm0X43pEcug196M95sEvJQoioZBfM4CybaLwe7Dx6wrlTNENwUoGoHNTNh83XN2IZvnbvbTxko0VscW3VDIeIFUW9nleZ5UJ-27fdaxeZ0/s1600/LilySilver_SomeEnchantedDream.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD2eKKrFNRrqsGRcWDIdyj3Gb_G2UFw3rePBm0X43pEcug196M95sEvJQoioZBfM4CybaLwe7Dx6wrlTNENwUoGoHNTNh83XN2IZvnbvbTxko0VscW3VDIeIFUW9nleZ5UJ-27fdaxeZ0/s400/LilySilver_SomeEnchantedDream.jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My featured book in th fundrasier</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<h2>
Best wishes for a Happy and Safe New Year! </h2>
<h2>
<i>Lily Silver </i></h2>
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lsilver60http://www.blogger.com/profile/07932215293781615986noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8767448798981345969.post-36063327819181488172015-12-27T16:44:00.002-08:002015-12-28T20:50:59.455-08:00A Peek into 2016: Excerpt from Noble Assassin<h4>
Hello everyone. I hope your Christmas was merry and your dreams were somewhat fulfilled. I received some wonderful gifts from my family, mainly my spouse who knows me well. And here is a gift to you, a sneak peek at my latest work that will be published in early February, </h4>
<h3 style="text-align: center;">
Noble Assassin, Reluctant Heroes Book Four</h3>
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It's the story of a former assassin, Ambrose Duchamp, and a lonely governess, Juliet Wallingford. Both have left their homes in Europe and reside at Ravencrest Plantation in the West Indies. Both feel love has passed them by. Juliet is hiding from someone in England, but we'll not worry about that in this excerpt. As they enjoy dinner with their benefactors, the Count and Countess du Rochembeau, the suggestion of Aphrodite finding them is just too difficult for either of them to believe. And yet, as the count and countess share their love story and the unique circumstance of their meeting--against all odds, hope is kindled anew. </h4>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Huge Thank You to Graphic Artist Kim Killion for this cover</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><b>This Excerpt is the complete Chapter Four of Noble Assassin, copyright Lily Silver.</b> </span></div>
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<h4>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"> <span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"> Juliet wiped her moist hands on her
skirt beneath the tablecloth so no one could observe her anxious movements. She
swallowed hard, and reached for the goblet of water before her. The slight
shake of her wrist might give her away, if one were measuring her closely. </span></span></span></h4>
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<h4>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: small; line-height: 150%;"> And <i>he </i>was doing just that. Dark brown,
nearly black eyes followed her movements as she lifted the goblet to her lips.
His lips were pursed pensively as if he'd never observed
an Englishwoman sipping a goblet of water before. </span></h4>
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<h4>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: small; line-height: 150%;"> The count had been speaking softly to his
wife. Lady Elizabeth answered with a lilting, almost sensual voice. </span></h4>
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<h4>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: small; line-height: 150%;"> It seemed they were teasing each other
over some private joke known only to them. </span></h4>
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<h4>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: small; line-height: 150%;"> Mr. Duchamp was seated directly across
from Juliet. It was unnerving. He wasn't speaking much. He was just watching
her like a hawk staring down a mouse. </span></h4>
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<h4>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: small; line-height: 150%;"> Oh dear, that would never do. She wasn't
a mouse and she would not let that image pollute her thoughts and make her feel
weak and vulnerable. </span></h4>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 150%;"> I
am a sleek feline, a proud tigress, not a shivering rabbit. I am a cat, not a
mouse. </span></i></span></h4>
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<h4>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: small; line-height: 150%;"> And yet, she was sitting next to the
most beautiful woman she had beheld in recent times. </span></h4>
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<h4>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: small; line-height: 150%;"> Juliet swallowed again, fearing her
throat had taken on the attributes of a desert. Compared to the vibrant Lady Elizabeth
Beaumont with her brilliant red hair and exotic sea green eyes, Juliet might as
well be a drab little grey mouse. </span></h4>
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<h4>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: small; line-height: 150%;"> She had dressed carefully for this
first dinner with her benefactors. She chose a pale shell pink muslin gown with
gold and beige cording along the sleeves, the neckline, and flounces of gold
lace on the edge of the hem. It was her best gown, purchased
here with funds from the countess when the woman realized she had
clothing suitable for England's climate and not the tropics. It was such light material Juliet felt as if she were floating on a cloud when she first tried it on.
It complimented her blond complexion, she believed. She'd even put a matching
band of gold cording around her hair. She felt pretty it in while gazing at her
reflection in her room. </span></h4>
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<h4>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: small; line-height: 150%;"> Now she realized the bland pastel pink
must make her look even more washed out as she sat beside the beautiful countess. Her
ladyship was wearing a dazzling gown of deep emerald silk, a perfect color to
highlight her vibrant hair, unusual eyes and alabaster complexion. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></h4>
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<h4 class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioAte7CWkyRJQuI6gZEBFqevAjEpgpjYbjv4wZMHzzgJBaBi4NK9DX8iezjuMW2Lub02yo28yh_XSCAy8ISh4YhNXMem_fWkBd6FcZaX-5Mgfxqe2tG1Mz0_23T8Mp3-xePkbwhzWfrVc/s1600/keeping-christmas10530-fairfax+house+dining+room+at++xmas.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioAte7CWkyRJQuI6gZEBFqevAjEpgpjYbjv4wZMHzzgJBaBi4NK9DX8iezjuMW2Lub02yo28yh_XSCAy8ISh4YhNXMem_fWkBd6FcZaX-5Mgfxqe2tG1Mz0_23T8Mp3-xePkbwhzWfrVc/s320/keeping-christmas10530-fairfax+house+dining+room+at++xmas.jpg" width="266" /></a></span></span></h4>
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<h4>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: small; line-height: 150%;"> The count took up the head seat at the
table. The odd arrangement struck her anew, as she'd not dined with the family
for some months. Lady Elizabeth was seated next to her spouse, on his left instead of the opposite end of the table, as was the expected
place for the mistress of the mansion. </span></h4>
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<h4>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: small; line-height: 150%;"> Juliet glanced at the couple. They did
seem devoted to one another. They spoke with a lightness and openness to each
other that seemed startlingly odd at first, and then refreshing once you
overcame the shock. Most of the nobles were stiff and aloof, being more concerned
with keeping up appearances even with their spouses. The countess was not like
other women of her class. She had natural warmth and did not try to stifle it
for the sake of English etiquette. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></h4>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: small; line-height: 150%;"> </span></h4>
<h4 class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: small; line-height: 150%;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2j3CSq19tpPbzU4wYQLTh9MMRf6sR7EGbGRiWSrM736wX0j_b6lyI6VJihiEFZFaLdb1lRWUmGZRq1bfYkt6Eg43gVhgCuwwhQawfjy7aLsBaPwtw68cuX59fCFsessw_0gN0Hal8eCg/s1600/wuthering-heights82.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2j3CSq19tpPbzU4wYQLTh9MMRf6sR7EGbGRiWSrM736wX0j_b6lyI6VJihiEFZFaLdb1lRWUmGZRq1bfYkt6Eg43gVhgCuwwhQawfjy7aLsBaPwtw68cuX59fCFsessw_0gN0Hal8eCg/s320/wuthering-heights82.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></h4>
<h4>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: small; line-height: 150%;"> It was obvious to any observer that the
count adored his younger wife. He smiled when he looked at her--and the man
almost never smiled that she could recall. That tender smile and those adoring
blue eyes would make any woman ready to swoon. The count had
reached his middle years, being just shy of forty. His hair
had streaks of silver running through it. It did not diminish his
attractiveness, but rather enhanced it. He sat poised on the edge of his seat
and was giving his wife a sweet look as he listened to her talk about something
their little girl said today. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></h4>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: small; line-height: 150%;"> Juliet pulled her gaze from the pair and
met the gaze of the man opposite her. </span></h4>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></h4>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYX1Ju5FUCWYXs3wbvlddcYRc96O2EtigT_oLS8gUc5qX1knob91j0xO2zbYex-g7vOGUiRAGBaZxbWZQQbJKTvdtHKsfxSdXzukBjKq52Tc1Vy1wqKFHHdTwkywDGjVezR0P74Il4sBY/s1600/iStock_000019145118XSmall.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYX1Ju5FUCWYXs3wbvlddcYRc96O2EtigT_oLS8gUc5qX1knob91j0xO2zbYex-g7vOGUiRAGBaZxbWZQQbJKTvdtHKsfxSdXzukBjKq52Tc1Vy1wqKFHHdTwkywDGjVezR0P74Il4sBY/s200/iStock_000019145118XSmall.jpg" width="133" /></a></span></span></h4>
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<h4>
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></h4>
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<h4>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: small; line-height: 150%;">Such dark eyes, deep pools of mystery.
He was staring at her openly again. Or had he been staring all along? As she
returned his unrelenting look, the side of his mouth twitched up in a sinister
smirk. A queer tingling in her chest made her place a hand there momentarily.
She had never 'tingled' before over a man's deliberate look. And yet, if truth
be told, there were not that many such looks to react to in her life. </span></h4>
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<h4>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: small; line-height: 150%;"> "The humidity is increasing,"
Mr. Duchamp said in that intoxicating French accent as he watched her hand retreat
from her bosom and drop to her lap. "It is always more pronounced after the
cooling rains have ceased." </span></h4>
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<h4>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: small; line-height: 150%;"> Juliet felt the color rise in her cheeks.
Did he think it proper to draw attention to her discomfort? The cad. She glared
at him, not grateful in the least for his comment. A gentleman should never
remark on a lady's condition in polite company. </span></h4>
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<h4>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: small; line-height: 150%;"> But then, he wasn't a gentleman, was he?
</span></h4>
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<h4>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: small; line-height: 150%;"> "You speak the truth," Lady
Elizabeth agreed, startling Juliet momentarily as she feared she'd spoken her
thoughts aloud. The countess signaled to the footman in the corner to start the
large fan above their table moving with the paddle. </span></h4>
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<h4>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: small; line-height: 150%;"> A rush of breeze cooled Juliet's face. She
sighed slightly, relieved to feel the gentle caress of moving air. Her
skin had a moist sheen. She resisted the urge to dab at her neck and face with
her napkin. </span></h4>
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<h4>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: small; line-height: 150%;"> Perhaps cad was a strong word after all.
She shot a quick glance in Duchamp's direction. He lifted his water glass to
her in a silent salute, and then took a sip with those full, sensual lips.
Juliet watched the movement of his Adam's apple as he swallowed, mesmerized by the masculine action. </span></h4>
</div>
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<h4>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: small; line-height: 150%;"> Oh, dear. This would never do. She must
not allow her sensibilities to be clouded by a pair of strong, tan hands or an
intriguing pair of deep, dark eyes. She could not allow herself the luxury of
an entanglement. She could not lose her situation here. She
had no place to go if they turned her out. </span></h4>
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<h4>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: small; line-height: 150%;"> The third course had been removed. A
light course of dessert cakes and fruits were being served. </span></h4>
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<h4>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: small; line-height: 150%;"> “I have the most wonderful news. You'll
never guess it!” The countess's light voice buoyed the atmosphere in the room
as the men focused their attentions upon her. </span></h4>
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<h4>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: small; line-height: 150%;"> Juliet felt her lips curve into a smile.
Yes, the news of Chloe and the captain. That should take the attention off her and her heated skin that must be shimmering in the candlelight. Her
complexion would also be mottled due to the heat. Her hair had
been upswept into a neat coil on her head, but it felt limp and clammy. The humidity rising, as Duchamp had said. Her
anxiety on this first evening dining as her ladyship's favored guest was making
her perspire more than usual. And having the man across the table bring attention
to her discomfort only unnerved her more. </span></h4>
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<h4>
</h4>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><h4>
<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSp5ri_Z2Ow0lwDLIN8tPBRlowshs6GBomfve2OICZBr-bDwLCFwqjxDGW0GXyS6koD0SpZPinLSJjZ6ULiYupP0Sm6Dg1oqT2y5AtJTy9rHLmx03U-Ke45U6Hn8D_1ABBXONsYDHsSy0/s1600/GallantRogue-thumbnail+for+web.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSp5ri_Z2Ow0lwDLIN8tPBRlowshs6GBomfve2OICZBr-bDwLCFwqjxDGW0GXyS6koD0SpZPinLSJjZ6ULiYupP0Sm6Dg1oqT2y5AtJTy9rHLmx03U-Ke45U6Hn8D_1ABBXONsYDHsSy0/s200/GallantRogue-thumbnail+for+web.jpg" width="133" /></a></span></h4>
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<h4>
</h4>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><h4>
<span style="font-size: small;">Jack & Chloe's Story</span></h4>
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<h4>
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<h4>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: small; line-height: 150%;">“Our dear Chloe has had quite the
adventure in Spain,” Lady Elizabeth sang out in a pleasing voice. The men eyed
her carefully. “I received a letter today from London.” She clapped her
ungloved alabaster hands together with glee at the last. </span></h4>
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<h4>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: small; line-height: 150%;"> Juliet was grateful the countess's
relaxed dress code for dinner, as gloves in this sultry climate would be sheer
torture. Light muslins and sheer cotton was de rigor in the tropics for
most women. How her ladyship could endure the silk she was wearing tonight was
a puzzle. </span></h4>
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<h4>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: small; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: small;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 150%;"> “I had a letter from Jack, my sweet,”
the count said. “I haven't opened it as yet, do go on.” </span></span></h4>
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<h4>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: small; line-height: 150%;"> Juliet was puzzled by the count's
behavior. He was being solicitous and attentive to his wife, more so than seemed proper.
He took her hand and gazed at her with tenderness. It was sweet.
It was also a painful reminder of her own status in the world; utterly alone
with no family and few friends. </span></h4>
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<h4>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: small; line-height: 150%;"> Lady Elizabeth paused dramatically and
gazed around the table at her audience. She gave Juliet a generous smile and
then turned to regard her spouse once more. "They arrived in
Spain only to find that her uncle was not at his home in Cadiz.
Jack advised her to stay in Cadiz and wait for her Uncle Miguel to return. And she refused to do so. Chloe was determined to go into the interior to meet him at his almond
plantation.” </span></h4>
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<h4>
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small; line-height: 150%;"> “That was foolish,” Mr. Duchamp sighed and
took a sip of his wine. “Dangerous. I hope he made her stay in Cadiz, my lady.”
He was talking, taking an interest in the conversation, which was not his usual
behavior at table, or so the footmen said in the servant’s hall. Duchamp was a
quiet man, and a dangerous man. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">H</span>e made most people uncomfortable. The
countess did not seem to be intimidated at all by Mr. Duchamp and his dark
aura<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"> of <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">menace.</span></span></span></h4>
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<h4>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: small; line-height: 150%;"> Lady Elizabeth gave a little huff of indignation.
“I beg to differ, Mr. Duchamp. Chloe is a grown woman, capable of making
prudent, intelligent decisions. She does not need a man to tell her what to do.
Miss Wollstonecraft says—“</span></h4>
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<h4>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: small; line-height: 150%;"> “Lizzie, my sweet,” the count
interrupted his wife, "can we skip the lessons from Miss Wollstonecraft
this once and move on with Chloe's adventures?” His voice was strained, having
an edge of impatience to it, yet he smiled at his darling with true affection. </span></h4>
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<h4>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: small; line-height: 150%;"> Juliet felt a little thrill. Lady
Elizabeth was a bluestocking, and she was quite the staunch supporter of the
late authoress who had written a treatise advocating equal rights for women.
She suppressed a giggle as she didn't wish to offend the count or his lady with her amusement. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></h4>
</div>
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<h4>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: small; line-height: 150%;"> “I suppose, just this once,” Lady
Elizabeth's voice had become hard as she replied to her spouse. “But if I were
to go into a battlefield, would you physically prevent me from doing so because
I am a woman?" </span></h4>
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<h4>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: small; line-height: 150%;"> The count did not respond. He appeared
to be choosing his words wisely. This must be the start of one of those
stimulating debates Chloe always spoke about with fondness. </span></h4>
</div>
<h4 class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVOdvkqRQ6ABpigj4AhCAbDOysZTa8FhSy9nuqSiwUeTc8HWAAKtf0knSJq5v5rvWZFQDNYOkdxlRbn2mOki15zYCOeGgpAuW1byr_5cRX__MjvO-sE0Rp4BPQOSpxlpETyCTR9QkUyxU/s1600/heart+icon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVOdvkqRQ6ABpigj4AhCAbDOysZTa8FhSy9nuqSiwUeTc8HWAAKtf0knSJq5v5rvWZFQDNYOkdxlRbn2mOki15zYCOeGgpAuW1byr_5cRX__MjvO-sE0Rp4BPQOSpxlpETyCTR9QkUyxU/s200/heart+icon.jpg" width="200" /></a></span></span></h4>
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<h4>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: small; line-height: 150%;">Juliet's heartbeat increased. She held
her breath, waiting to hear his reply. She hoped this would not turn into a
nasty argument. For all her sweetness, Lady Elizabeth was reputed to have a
temper and his lordship--well, no one crossed words with him and came out the
victor. She shot quick glance at Duchamp. He was gazing down at his fingers as
they outlined the stem of his water goblet. He, too, looked uncomfortable. His
eyes lifted, and caught hers. He grinned.</span></h4>
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<h4>
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></h4>
<h4>
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></h4>
<h4>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: small; line-height: 150%;"> Juliet’s insides did a queer little
twist in response. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Oh dear. Why does this
man affect me so? <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></i></span></h4>
</div>
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<h4>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: small; line-height: 150%;"> "My lady, if I may be so
bold," Duchamp began. "It is not a matter of what a woman is permitted
to do, but rather, if I may, what a man would do to protect his
beloved."</span></h4>
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<h4>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: small; line-height: 150%;"> </span></h4>
<h4 class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: small; line-height: 150%;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoAJQ-eD_SslZSPFMm-QbWlqRV25CFK4hyphenhyphenIl7GgSfrVrzztqqbmcsr0ZW7PFLr_rYBQ60X1x-45xM8zaLypU7aevhJxk6wC-BjZ56WAQ8g26t-AFeGBcWAtEzmbzvnoZveIithlefTUxo/s1600/dark+hero+red+text+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoAJQ-eD_SslZSPFMm-QbWlqRV25CFK4hyphenhyphenIl7GgSfrVrzztqqbmcsr0ZW7PFLr_rYBQ60X1x-45xM8zaLypU7aevhJxk6wC-BjZ56WAQ8g26t-AFeGBcWAtEzmbzvnoZveIithlefTUxo/s320/dark+hero+red+text+copy.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></h4>
<h4>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: small; line-height: 150%;"> "<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Yes</i>," the count agreed with an unnatural exuberance.
"Thank you, Ambrose, you've helped me clarify my thoughts. Lizzie,
dearest, if you were about to walk into a battlefield, I would run after you,
pounce upon you and push you to the ground in the hope that the cannons firing
would take my head off instead of yours. That's love, my darling, it isn't
prejudice." </span></h4>
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<h4>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: small; line-height: 150%;"> Juliet felt her eyes widen as she gazed
his lordship with awe. He diffused the situation, turned his response into an
act of love and sacrifice and managed not to offend his lady in doing so. </span></h4>
</div>
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<h4>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: small; line-height: 150%;"> “And,” Duchamp's lush French voice added
in the silence, “if the situation were reversed, I am confident you would do
the very same to protect his lordship. Now, please tell me how our Mrs.
O'Donovan fared in Spain. Did she find her father's family?”</span></h4>
</div>
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<h4>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: small; line-height: 150%;"> Lady Elizabeth was silent for a full
minute, perhaps two. </span></h4>
</div>
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<h4>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: small; line-height: 150%;"> “Were they accosted by soldiers? I have
read that the French are pressing Spain hard due to a question of their continued allegience,”
his lordship prodded. </span></h4>
</div>
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<h4>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: small; line-height: 150%;"> “And you told me earlier, my lady, that
they were forced to flee Spain.” Juliet tried to aid the men in soothing her
ladyship's ruffled feathers so they might hear the rest of the story. Much as she might enjoy a debate on the subject of
women’s rights, tonight she just wanted to get through this tense first dinner
without offending either the lord or lady of the manor. </span></h4>
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<h4>
</h4>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><h4>
<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQjxOxNGIbuTqJfHgZ_OY0Xv3UD-K-hrl6BT7OjP0yMd7RVUUyQfi0GqUiXyaKE35wCfBAP0hEeiKF_smVm4prZyc3Ylb5D_QpTAXbVFjrZFuEYEfOrsx8BXgMCWGdWlN6q6BfSFIApd8/s1600/1280px-El_Tres_de_Mayo%252C_by_Francisco_de_Goya%252C_from_Prado_thin_black_margin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="247" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQjxOxNGIbuTqJfHgZ_OY0Xv3UD-K-hrl6BT7OjP0yMd7RVUUyQfi0GqUiXyaKE35wCfBAP0hEeiKF_smVm4prZyc3Ylb5D_QpTAXbVFjrZFuEYEfOrsx8BXgMCWGdWlN6q6BfSFIApd8/s320/1280px-El_Tres_de_Mayo%252C_by_Francisco_de_Goya%252C_from_Prado_thin_black_margin.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></h4>
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<h4>
</h4>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><h4>
<span style="font-size: small;">Goya's painting depicting French troops in Spain, 1808</span></h4>
</td></tr>
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<h4>
</h4>
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<h4>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: small; line-height: 150%;"> “Yes, they searched the southwestern
portion of Spain for her Uncle Miguel. They traveled through a forest,
were set upon by Spanish highwaymen and they lost one guard to a stray bullet.
Jack hurried them through that dangerous place and set them up at a
monastery for the night. Chloe found it most uncomfortable as the monks
treated her and her maid as if they were harlots accompanying the men on their
journey.” </span></h4>
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<h4>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: small; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: small; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: small;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 150%;"> “Who did they lose?” Duchamp asked. “Not Jinx or Lt. Morgan?” </span></span></h4>
</div>
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<h4>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: small; line-height: 150%;"> “No, thank goodness,” Her ladyship was
quick to soothe him. “It was a Spaniard they hired to
ride atop the coach as an armed guard. Chloe was greatly troubled that
they were not able to bury the man properly, but had to flee immediately to save their own
lives.” <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></h4>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<h4>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: small; line-height: 150%;"> Juliet hadn't met either men Duchamp mentioned, but assumed they were members of Captain Rawlings crew. “Mrs. O'Donovan must have
been horrified by such an experience.” </span></h4>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<h4>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: small; line-height: 150%;"> “Yes.” Lady Elizabeth signaled for the footmen to remove their plates and
begin serving a special dessert she'd had prepared to celebrate news of Chloe’s
nuptials; English Trifle. The cake slices were mixed with local
fruits--pineapple, mango, guava--and clotted cream. Once the footmen began
placing their portions before them, their hostess continued her tale. </span></h4>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<h4>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: small; line-height: 150%;"> Lady Elizabeth spoke of other incidents
bedeviling the couple in Spain, giving a detailed report from her letter. The couple
had to hide in a deep ravine in the woods to escape capture by French soldiers, and Chloe ended
up losing her trunks of fine clothing. Lady Elizabeth ended her tale with
the announcement.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“And as to my
wonderful news, our dear Chloe and the captain have wed! We must
celebrate their nuptials.” </span></h4>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<h4>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: small; line-height: 150%;"> The men were silent. Both faces
registered surprise. </span></h4>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<h4>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: small; line-height: 150%;"> “Jack, married?” the count scoffed, and
looked at Duchamp. “Never thought he'd let down his guard regarding his prized
bachelorhood.” His gaze shot to the butler behind him. “Bring champagne. We
must celebrate Jack’s capture by the fairer sex.” <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></h4>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<h4>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: small; line-height: 150%;"> The butler nodded and left the room
quickly. </span></h4>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<h4>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: small; line-height: 150%;"> “Why would you say that?” Lady Elizabeth
asked with annoyance. “He would have married Chloe years ago, if Gareth hadn't
asked her first.” </span></h4>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<h4>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: small; line-height: 150%;"> The count rolled his eyes. “Jack has
been in mourning for his fiancée for twenty years. He'd never look at another
woman, mark me, I'm in his confidence, my sweet.” </span></h4>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<h4>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: small; line-height: 150%;"> “Oh?” Lady Elizabeth's voice rose with
mock surprise and a hint of superiority. “So Jack didn't come to you in private
during the first annual Christmas Eve Ball ten years back and ask your advice
on wooing Miss Ramirez and gaining her hand in marriage?” </span></h4>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<h4>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: small; line-height: 150%;"> That was something Juliet never knew
about, despite her friendship with Chloe. Of course she wouldn't, as Chloe
Ramirez had married the count's uncle and no lady would talk openly of another
courtship prior to her marriage. </span></h4>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<h4>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: small; line-height: 150%;"> “No . . ?” The count's eyes grew wide as
he gazed at his wife. “I suspect you are implying <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>he did so with you. You never shared that with
me, my sweet.” </span></h4>
</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody></tbody></table>
<h4>
</h4>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><h4>
<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbZjK2eBU7-s2ueKMpwW5td6EKtY87umoq27JPmdNw0ABGaou6t12lQxyTjZO5g3Y8ygbkSazlg3441PkLHyx2GXz2xDyd_Fy7hXr4V5pZq1U0hw4cN8R_uX3JvTBRu6wdcnf5HPUsBx4/s1600/Widow+cover+4-15+NOOK.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbZjK2eBU7-s2ueKMpwW5td6EKtY87umoq27JPmdNw0ABGaou6t12lQxyTjZO5g3Y8ygbkSazlg3441PkLHyx2GXz2xDyd_Fy7hXr4V5pZq1U0hw4cN8R_uX3JvTBRu6wdcnf5HPUsBx4/s200/Widow+cover+4-15+NOOK.jpg" width="140" /></a></span></h4>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<h4>
</h4>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><h4>
<span style="font-size: small;">The count's mother's story</span></h4>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<h4>
</h4>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody></tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<h4>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: small; line-height: 150%;"> The sensation of triumph radiated from
her ladyship briefly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She gave a light
laugh. “Oh, my lord, it was such a busy holiday that year I clearly forgot
about the incident until this moment.” </span></h4>
<h4>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: small; line-height: 150%;"> She turned to Juliet to explain further. “We were newlyweds, you see. My
grandfather, the earl, was here scowling at us all, and rumored to be at death's
door. My brothers were severely injured from a brutal attack days earlier
by an escaped indenture. The count’s mother arrived late on Christmas Eve and
she was furious with him for not writing her the news we had wed three months earlier. Chloe and Gareth were
married in secret at dawn on Christmas Day and then we had the count’s
mother's wedding a two weeks later. And I had learned just days before
Christmas that I was expecting the twins, and so sometimes I reflect on that
holiday as a time of supreme confusion."</span></h4>
</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody></tbody></table>
<h4>
</h4>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><h4>
<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH02Esp2pMy7ktkCis3gYtpJCd_eXfzV7BLozaTNW_CkGeekyv0YWGxskdV2EjVTV09BqpXy1KC_WadfYWUvmfZfwrP2cR8RJvzpY3QbDgjGl2l-6by4ChofJU3xdVx-qIc-usUNp1ETg/s1600/61b1z5VWfkL._SX341_BO1%252C204%252C203%252C200_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH02Esp2pMy7ktkCis3gYtpJCd_eXfzV7BLozaTNW_CkGeekyv0YWGxskdV2EjVTV09BqpXy1KC_WadfYWUvmfZfwrP2cR8RJvzpY3QbDgjGl2l-6by4ChofJU3xdVx-qIc-usUNp1ETg/s200/61b1z5VWfkL._SX341_BO1%252C204%252C203%252C200_.jpg" width="136" /></a></span></h4>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<h4>
</h4>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><h4>
<span style="font-size: small;">Elizabeth's first Christmas</span></h4>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<h4>
</h4>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody></tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<h4>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: small; line-height: 150%;"> “Our first Christmas as man and wife was
quite memorable.” His lordship seemed amused by the horrific list his wife had
just given him as her reasons for forgetting to tell him of his friend's
interest in Miss Ramirez, as Chloe was known then by all. </span></h4>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<h4>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: small; line-height: 150%;"> “Miss Ramirez was an intoxicating young
woman.” Duchamp had a wistful smile that softened his sharp features
considerably. “I might have courted her myself, back then.” </span></h4>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<h4>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: small; line-height: 150%;"> “You?” the count's voice rose with
disbelief. “I swear, the men I consider my trusted friends keep their
secrets well. I am the last to learn of these stray passions and private
desires.” </span></h4>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<h4>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: small; line-height: 150%;"> “You spend too much time with your
horses, my lord,” Lady Elizabeth chided playfully. “You miss the subtle nuances
between humans when they are attracted to one another.” </span></h4>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<h4>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: small; line-height: 150%;"> The men chuckled, and Juliet allowed
herself the indulgence of a light laugh as well. </span></h4>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<h4>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: small; line-height: 150%;"> “I fear you may have a point, my sweet.
And yet, none can claim to have the skills you possess in discerning these secrets of the heart.” His lordship took his wife's hand impulsively, another indication of
their relaxed attitudes regarding etiquette and showing affection in polite company.</span></h4>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<h4>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: small; line-height: 150%;"> “If I may be so bold, my lady,” Juliet
inquired carefully, “why did the captain come to you for aid in courting Mrs.
O'Donovan--before she was Mrs. O'Donovan, I mean?” </span></h4>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<h4>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: small; line-height: 150%;"> The countess turned to Juliet, her eyes
bright with reminiscence. Obviously, she was enjoying this dinner conversation,
and it had nothing to do with Juliet's presence at table. Her ladyship
had the full attention of the men and she was being praised and indulged by her
spouse. </span></h4>
</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody></tbody></table>
<h4>
</h4>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><h4>
<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq9m_-JDGtlcRwtYp4Pfa8te_exmpCmTTJ8t1fyHQwZwPJPuZjJtNnwn583C5Ddry9_62IuTwfDDW_H_wDNpjT7ykdI0DfTjxYfgxV0pjWqroKYsJI19mfQObA871nf7mGDFPj5iT_SRk/s1600/Xmas+Kiss+final+4-15+NOOK+.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq9m_-JDGtlcRwtYp4Pfa8te_exmpCmTTJ8t1fyHQwZwPJPuZjJtNnwn583C5Ddry9_62IuTwfDDW_H_wDNpjT7ykdI0DfTjxYfgxV0pjWqroKYsJI19mfQObA871nf7mGDFPj5iT_SRk/s200/Xmas+Kiss+final+4-15+NOOK+.jpg" width="137" /></a></span></h4>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<h4>
</h4>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><h4>
<span style="font-size: small;">Chloe's Christmas Story</span></h4>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<h4>
</h4>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody></tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<h4>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: small; line-height: 150%;"> “It was two hours past dawn on Christmas
morning, my dear Miss Wallingford,” the countess's voice floated amid the
sparkling crystal goblets and the warm candlelight. “We had just returned from
Chloe's secret wedding to Gareth. Only my lord and I were attendance. I was in
the library preparing myself to be hostess to a family holiday for the first
time in my married life. A knock came to my door, and the butler informed me
that Captain Rawlings sought a private audience with me.” </span></h4>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<h4>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: small; line-height: 150%;"> “Where was I?” his lordship
asked, offence in his voice.</span></h4>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<h4>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: small; line-height: 150%;"> Lady Elizabeth gave a slight shrug and
glanced at him thoughtfully. “The stables, I suspect, managing your horses or managing
young Mr. O'Reilly, your new stable master.” </span></h4>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<h4>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: small; line-height: 150%;"> Duchamp gave a low chuckle. He was amused by the countess's jest.</span></h4>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<h4>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: small; line-height: 150%;"> The butler returned with the champagne.
He opened it and began pouring glasses for them. Juliet gazed at the light liquid set before her. She never had a reason to taste the expensive beverage
as teachers at her school did not have reason to celebrate, nor had her past
employer been one to share such luxuries with the members of his staff. </span></h4>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<h4>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: small; line-height: 150%;"> “And the captain confessed his desire to
win Chloe’s hand and asked if I might speak well of him to her so she might
favor his suit. I had the unfortunate task of telling the poor man Chloe
had been wed but two hours earlier." </span></h4>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<h4>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: small; line-height: 150%;"> “What wretched timing. I wish I had
known of this." The count's voice was ladened with sadness. All signs of joy
were gone from his features. “I cannot imagine sitting at the table with the
woman you are secretly in love with and her spouse, month after month, year
after year, pretending you don't care. It had to have been hell for him.” </span></h4>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<h4>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: small; line-height: 150%;"> “He hid it well,” Duchamp added. “We had
our differences, but I would not
wish such a cruel fate upon the fellow. I always wondered why he never took a
wife.” </span></h4>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<h4>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: small; line-height: 150%;"> “I thought he was married to sea, as he
so often said," the count added. "And considering his tragic history with his fiancée dying years
ago, I thought him still in mourning for his lost love." </span></h4>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<h4>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: small; line-height: 150%;"> “But he has found his happiness!” Lady Elizabeth's
voice revived its prior joy. “As has our dear Chloe. Both had tragic pasts, and they have found true love." </span></h4>
</div>
<h4 class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzgshl8H1Bp3TDNN14Bta2lwog9lubgJteOz5_8KABD_KOrDJDgUXJbTOv0Ym4oAN7a2WWq58O20dxJ1ZWDagiKK_TdIpytNcME7mE3hpfzGfo2G1kc_VXBZbAqxhyi4WxLnuSljWn8z0/s1600/12491076_s.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzgshl8H1Bp3TDNN14Bta2lwog9lubgJteOz5_8KABD_KOrDJDgUXJbTOv0Ym4oAN7a2WWq58O20dxJ1ZWDagiKK_TdIpytNcME7mE3hpfzGfo2G1kc_VXBZbAqxhyi4WxLnuSljWn8z0/s320/12491076_s.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></span></h4>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<h4>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: small; line-height: 150%;"> “To true love. To Captain and Mrs.
Rawlings!” The count lifted his glass and the three of them did likewise. “May
they be blessed with every happiness and a brighter future.” </span></h4>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<h4>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: small; line-height: 150%;"> Juliet took a sip of the sparkling
beverage. She was amazed by the lightness of champagne, as wine was usually much
heavier on her palate. "Oh,” she giggled, and resisted the urge to wipe her
nose as the bubbles tickled it without mercy. </span></h4>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<h4>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: small; line-height: 150%;"> “To Jack and Chloe,” Mr. Duchamp made a
second toast. “A weather-hardened seaman wins the heart of an alluring
young widow. Proof that all men may find a safe harbor for their hearts, no
matter their age or disposition." </span></h4>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<h4>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: small; line-height: 150%;"> “To Jack and Chloe!” They all drank a
toast to the happy couple. </span></h4>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<h4>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: small; line-height: 150%;"> “And to the strange proclivities of
Aphrodite,” the count continued. “She stalks all men and makes them trip over their
true love when they least expect it.” </span></h4>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<h4>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: small; line-height: 150%;"> Again, they raised glasses to the
count's toast. This time, Juliet could not resist brushing her nose with her
napkin after taking a sip of the bubbly liquid. She was relieved to find the
countess doing the same beside her. </span></h4>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<h4>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: small; line-height: 150%;"> “And who will be next in our circle to
find love?” the count's deep voice became soft and slightly sensual. At least,
that was how Juliet perceived it after three sips of champagne following two
goblets of wine at dinner. “Ambrose, is there anything you wish to tell me?” </span></h4>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<h4>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: small; line-height: 150%;"> All eyes moved to the steward. He did
not appear amused by his lordship's jest, but irritated.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Juliet felt a pang of concern. What dark
secrets were hidden in his past life in France? </span></h4>
</div>
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<h4>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: small; line-height: 150%;"> “Aphrodite crossed me off her list of
favorites long ago, my lord.” </span></h4>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<h4>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: small; line-height: 150%;"> “You are too hard on yourself, Ambrose,”
the count replied. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“What happened in France
does not need to define you for a lifetime. Love will find you if you'll allow
her to lead you to your true heart's companion. You've spent enough years lurking in the shadows and sulking
like a ghoul.” </span></h4>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: small; line-height: 150%;"> The man actually grimaced at his
lordship's words. And then he looked directly at the count with his chin held
up and his eyes defiant. “And where were you, my lord, when Aphrodite
dropped from the sky and dragged you to your true love's door?” </span></h4>
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<h4>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: small; line-height: 150%;"> “The stables,” the count replied hastily
with a chuckle, “minding my own affairs.” </span></h4>
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<h4>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: small; line-height: 150%;"> “With Michael,” the countess added in
the same moment. The couple looked to each other and laughed together. “We’d fallen on
hard times Miss Wallingford. My brother worked at the stables to support us after his father
lost everything, including our home, to gambling.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></h4>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<h4>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: small; line-height: 150%;"> “If Fletcher hadn’t lost everything
and brought you with him to hide in the country, I might not have found you, my
darling lass.” The count clutched her hand and lifted it to his lips, shocking
Juliet with his bold display of affection. She was shocked by his forwardness, but not offended. </span></h4>
</div>
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<h4>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: small; line-height: 150%;"> The couple gazed at each other with deep affection. Her ladyship's girlish laugh brought a lighter note to the room
after Mr. Duchamp's dark comment about not being worthy of Aphrodite's magic. </span></h4>
</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody></tbody></table>
<h4>
</h4>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><h4>
<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1EGtQUXQ87GI9dhYUumYPGr7C1G4OmHEiuPKvMmmldiSrkBUihblJSD1lt-xll5ayDOfMObShls5TBU7ipy4PqPFKYS0hquIOU_bQcfUUy3URcBmxyD0BjjHghCdtvpFSz-1cYhw2cB8/s1600/DARK+HERO+8-14++pure+nook.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1EGtQUXQ87GI9dhYUumYPGr7C1G4OmHEiuPKvMmmldiSrkBUihblJSD1lt-xll5ayDOfMObShls5TBU7ipy4PqPFKYS0hquIOU_bQcfUUy3URcBmxyD0BjjHghCdtvpFSz-1cYhw2cB8/s200/DARK+HERO+8-14++pure+nook.jpg" width="133" /></a></span></h4>
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</tbody></table>
<h4>
</h4>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><h4>
<span style="font-size: small;">Donovan & Lizzie's Story</span></h4>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<h4>
</h4>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody></tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<h4>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: small; line-height: 150%;"> “Donovan was visiting Lord Hamilton's
stable in the hope of purchasing one of his mares as breeding stock.” Lady Elizabeth had the good
grace to explain further. </span></h4>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<h4>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: small; line-height: 150%;"> “--and Lizzie's younger brother invited
me to their home for dinner.” </span></h4>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<h4>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: small; line-height: 150%;"> “--it was my birthday. Michael brought
Donovan to me as a present.” </span></h4>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<h4>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: small; line-height: 150%;"> “I had no idea I was her gift,” the count quickly said.
</span></h4>
</div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: small; line-height: 150%;"> “Oh, it wasn't like <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">that”</i>" Lady Elizabeth corrected. “Michael knew I enjoyed witty
conversation so he brought home a clever new friend to liven my birthday
dinner. I was enchanted when my lord said hello to me in that delightful Irish
brogue he used back then. He was pretending to be an Irish commoner, you see, said he worked for a French count. I didn't know until the wedding that he was that same French lord. Donovan liked his disguises in those days, didn't you dearest.” </span></h4>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<h4>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: small; line-height: 150%;"> “Yes, and even incognito, I was struck down by cupid the moment I
saw Lizzie's sweet face.” The count pointed at Ambrose. “You see, I was
tending my affairs, in the stable in England, and the goddess found me. Have a care,
Ambrose, once the goddess of love has you in her sights, it won't matter where
you are hiding, she'll find you at drag you into your true love's path.” </span></h4>
</div>
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<h4>
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></h4>
</div>
<h4 class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_76H3iYBguDAfpgTqNKrUkRhs2UsGgS01gyMp2IhVJyokfxXgZlsENOt5lKIJbQOBBUg9worTGBo6vWLENPKJBTnkvvANlB_xdqbyYloG5LMtmXPnhv_zfRU6ffgUHKA7zndToOBehUQ/s1600/154464.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="128" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_76H3iYBguDAfpgTqNKrUkRhs2UsGgS01gyMp2IhVJyokfxXgZlsENOt5lKIJbQOBBUg9worTGBo6vWLENPKJBTnkvvANlB_xdqbyYloG5LMtmXPnhv_zfRU6ffgUHKA7zndToOBehUQ/s320/154464.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></span></h4>
<h4>
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></h4>
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<h4>
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<h4>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: small; line-height: 150%;"> Juliet could not restrain her wide
smile. It was not polite to grin so freely amid the upper classes, and yet, she could not contain her
pleasure in hearing the story of how the count and countess met, or their
teasing of the solemn man seated across from her. She glanced at Mr. Duchamp and found him
staring at her with such intensity it brought a chill to her skin and a light
fluttering of dragonfly wings inside of her belly. </span></h4>
</div>
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<h4>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: small; line-height: 150%;"> He was looking at her with accusation, as if she had somehow conspired with the fair Aphrodite
regarding his future. ~~End of Excerpt. Noble Assassin, copyright Lily Silver, 2015. </span></h4>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<h4>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: small; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></h4>
</div>
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<h4>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: small; line-height: 150%;">Noble Assassin is scheduled for release in early February. If you sign up for my mailing list, you'll receive first notice of the release and also receive a free copy of another full length historical romance. Check the subscription form on the upper right hand side of this blog for details. </span></h4>
</div>
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<h4>
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></h4>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></h4>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<h4>
<span style="color: blue; font-size: small;">Added Bonus, leave a comment below with your email address and you will receive a free copy of the first book in this series, Dark Hero, A Gothic Romance. Be sure to specify if you need an epub version or a kindle version for your e-reader. Happy Holidays to each of you.</span></h4>
<h4>
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></h4>
<h4>
<span style="font-size: small;">Lily Silver </span></h4>
</div>
<h4>
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: small; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br clear="all" style="mso-special-character: line-break; page-break-before: always;" />
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lsilver60http://www.blogger.com/profile/07932215293781615986noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8767448798981345969.post-87993012970704702702015-12-17T18:38:00.000-08:002015-12-17T18:51:16.535-08:00The Magic of the Season: Chloe's Magical Christmas Cookies<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<h4>
<span style="color: blue;">Tis the season for Christmas Cookies. Have you ever wondered if cookies could be imbued with magic? Grandma's Christmas Cookies, for example? We all have memories of those special hand crafted treats from a loved one. In celebration of the season, and of baking, a labor of love at Christmas time, I'm sharing an excerpt from one of my Christmas stories, A Christmas Kiss. In this story, Chloe is trying to get the man she loves to come forward and declare his affections. She's resorted to using magic in the form of cookies. She's baked cookies, and imbued them with some very special magical properties to make the recipient of her gift fall head over heels in love with her. The only problem is, she ends up giving away several samples to other men . . . . Will they be affected by her magic? </span></h4>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBnPu8V-yySh14b41vXZkh-dHuvlAFu59pApWob_39iF9DTSHjfzRy01z_pbVamIKI2Pnyjpf4YicrSkjjfRsoMPzrbISNtCfwOIAgY3-47sLTRBEFRrIbMPwQhHy_3whBWkCuAXSIkmU/s1600/20151214_190040-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="377" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBnPu8V-yySh14b41vXZkh-dHuvlAFu59pApWob_39iF9DTSHjfzRy01z_pbVamIKI2Pnyjpf4YicrSkjjfRsoMPzrbISNtCfwOIAgY3-47sLTRBEFRrIbMPwQhHy_3whBWkCuAXSIkmU/s400/20151214_190040-1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> Excerpt from A Christmas Kiss, Copyright Lily Silver, 2013: </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
Dressed
like a princess in a fairy tale, Chloe carefully carried the plate of biscuits
down the stairs. She didn’t dare leave them sitting in the kitchen for fear one
of the staff would eat them. She had asked Gareth to join her near the Gazebo,
so she might give him his gift. <br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Rupert
passed her in the hall and snatched up a biscuit. “Thanks, darlin’.” He winked
at her as he shoved it into his mouth. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> “Shame
on you!” She scolded him. “Those were not for you.” They stood facing each
other in the narrow hall leading to the kitchen. “They are a gift for someone
special.” </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> “Well,
hoity-toity, ma’am.” Rupert looked her up and down as if insulted. “What are
you complaining about? You’ve still got a pile of ‘em left, don’t you now?” </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> That
wasn’t the point. She made eight lemon biscuits, true, but they were for
Gareth, and none other. “I made these special. Don’t you have something to do?”
She gave him a scowl. He did look very nice this evening. He was dressed in his
own suit instead of his footman’s livery. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> “Aye,
I’ve been running hither and yon for that paunchy cook, setting up the feast in
the parlor, seeing to the musicians and you’d begrudge me one little biscuit.” </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> “<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Rupert</i>.” Mr. Ambrose Duchamp, the
count’s steward, stepped up behind them. “Off with you, that’s no way to
address Miss Ramirez.” He waved his hand and the head footman went striding off
quickly. The dark haired Frenchman had that affect on people. It was rumored he
had been the King’s assassin before joining the count’s brigade of pirates in
the East Indies. He grabbed a biscuit from the plate and popped it into his
mouth, without even asking first. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> “Mr.
Duchamp—I—I—“ Chloe sputtered, horrified by the implications of her magic
making this man fall madly in love with her. “I was just on my way.” </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> “Eh,
you wish an escort, ma petite?” He was gazing at her with too much curiosity,
more than she liked. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> “No,
I—I’m fine, thank you.” She curtsied to the fellow, something she didn’t
typically do, but she was so nervous over not one man but two stealing her
enchanted biscuits, she didn’t have hold of her senses. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> “Evenin’
Duchamp.” Mr. O’Leary, another of the count’s men, breezed past them. “And Miss
Ramirez?” He stopped, and turned about to gaze at her. “How lovely you look,
Miss. Ah, thank ye!” He snatched up a third disk, making Chloe’s heart sink
further. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6dcfDOr5bzufPWcMtemMNMMG3M4OkBcoi_6wUT7CFBFIn-g3Xt0C4IN-TQcvsstKr0BhRXOB7KZBTXJQX50LJ-7FXMavjrgs6V5a6HIRuSW64uhEIHbF_MFZD9gch6ocbZsgfa2Uu9XQ/s1600/DHC+12-14+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6dcfDOr5bzufPWcMtemMNMMG3M4OkBcoi_6wUT7CFBFIn-g3Xt0C4IN-TQcvsstKr0BhRXOB7KZBTXJQX50LJ-7FXMavjrgs6V5a6HIRuSW64uhEIHbF_MFZD9gch6ocbZsgfa2Uu9XQ/s320/DHC+12-14+copy.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A Christmas Kiss is part of this Trilogy</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
“Good
day, sir—I mean, sirs!” She whirled about and hurried away, holding the plate
gingerly in her palms, before they decided to make a meal of her remaining
hopes. Chloe made it to the gardens without losing any more of her precious
biscuits. She brushed past Sally, the maid, and ran right into Mr. O’Reilly. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> “Omphf,
Steady on, Miss Ramirez. Sally, wait, don’t be angry, Luv.” Mr. O’Reilly called
after the maid. He had stopped in front of Chloe, however, and was eyeing the
plate of golden yellow disks. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> “What’s this? Lemon biscuits, my favorite.”
Another one was felled by the cruel fates as he didn’t wait for her to offer
him one but grabbed one and popped it into his mouth. “Thank you, Good
Christmas, Miss.” </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> Chloe
groaned and hurried down the path toward the gazebo. She thought she was safe,
when Mr. Marceau stepped out from behind a statute. “Miss Ramirez, why how
pretty you look tonight.” </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> “Oh,
no you don’t!” She avoided his approach by stepping around the statue to keep
it between them. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> “Pardon?”
The tutor followed her, ducking back and forth as if he were playing a game of
hide and seek with a child. “Do not be offended, mademoiselle.” His nose was red
and his eyes watery. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Dios</i>, he’d been
at the wine again, he was more than a little silly at the moment. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> “I’m
meeting someone.” She said, holding the plate steady as she backed away from
him. “I will see you later, inside.” </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> “A
dance, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">sil vous plait</i>?” He followed
her retreat. He moved clumsily. “You will save a dance for me? <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Oui</i>, my little rose petal?” He snatched
a cookie, but in his awkward movement, his hand made her tip the plate. The
remaining three biscuits dropped to the cobblestones at her feet. She crouched
to pick them up and brushed them off with her fingertips. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> “Yes,
yes—of course. Excuse me, sir.” Marceau was drunk, and he had a lecherous look
in his eyes. He didn’t need any magic biscuits or fake mistletoe. She knew what
was on his mind. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY6Y_yGh6b4LP6Edr1eSp6drOJRY9zT6iwS0bWNwiUPvKP9_YgOZ5wiw8ZpDkeEC08CNrwTToGxgHUaEVXUNstzlLZw6eu8Y_2ELT5U-Q8Z7I1_1hpvV7uUsDdScv8JHirRXNaXMszlNg/s1600/Xmas+Kiss+2+NOOK.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY6Y_yGh6b4LP6Edr1eSp6drOJRY9zT6iwS0bWNwiUPvKP9_YgOZ5wiw8ZpDkeEC08CNrwTToGxgHUaEVXUNstzlLZw6eu8Y_2ELT5U-Q8Z7I1_1hpvV7uUsDdScv8JHirRXNaXMszlNg/s320/Xmas+Kiss+2+NOOK.jpg" width="202" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Original Cover, 2013</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
“Is
this great bag of wind bothering you?” Captain Rawlings came up the walk from
the terrace with his nephew in tow. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> “Captain!”
Chloe gasped. Apparently every guest invited to the party decided to linger
outside in the garden while they waited for the countess to open the parlor
doors at eight o’clock. Every male guest--except Gareth. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> “Oh,
look at these!” The little boy exclaimed, reaching for one of her biscuits. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> The
captain’s hand came out and caught his nephew’s wrist. “Mind your manners. You’ve
had enough sweets for one day, and the party hasn’t started yet.” He looked
from Peter to Chloe. “Are you all right, Miss Ramirez?” He drew close and gazed
at her with concern. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> “Yes.
I was looking for Mr. O’Donovan.” She said, backing away, lest the captain
snatch a biscuit and lower her chances of getting the magic into Gareth. “Thank
you. Good day, sir. I will see you later.” She made her way toward the gazebo. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> “Miss
Ramirez.” The captain called after her. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> “Yes.”
She turned about, her fingers holding the platter tight. The captain was one
who always intrigued her. If not for having her affections set upon Gareth, she
might have considered him a possible suitor. He was a fine man, a very fine
man. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> “I
hope we can have a dance later.” The captain said in a softened tone that was
not his usual brusque sea voice. “I should like that, very much.” </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> “Yes,
yes. I would as well.” She stood still, feeling awkward and torn. She wanted to
find Gareth, but for some reason, she felt drawn to the captain tonight. He had
dressed in finery for the evening. Perhaps that was it. His hair was gleaming
like burnished gold, and he had on a blue uniform jacket with brass buttons.
Typically, he was very informal when he visited the count’s home. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> “I
shall count upon it.” He nodded to her and moved up the path with his nephew. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Chloe
sighed and muttered a curse. The one man she might have wished would take one of
her magical biscuits did not even try to. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> “My
dear lady.” She whirled about, and nearly shrieked at the sight of Mr. Barnaby
rounding the cobbled path. A grandfatherly sort and she had no wish for him to form
an affectionate bent toward her. “I was just taking in the night air before the
festivities. Care for a walk with me.” </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> “I’m
meeting someone.” Chloe muttered, glancing about with hope that her target
might appear. “Mr. O’Donovan, have you seen him?” </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> “No,
I believe he is in the parlor, with Kieran and the others. Madame wanted family
in the parlor before they opened the doors. “Are those Fritz’s lemon biscuits?”
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> “No.”
Chloe lied. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Dios!</i> This was turning
into a nightmare. “They are old baking biscuits, for the dogs.” </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> Mr.
Barnaby smiled kindly at her. “The dogs have been locked in the stables for the
evening, I’m told. Shall we go inside the house. It’s nearly eight o’clock.” </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> “If
you would just wait one moment.” She said, and hurried to the gazebo. Gareth
was not there. The party was about to start. She had three little biscuits
left. What to do? She could hide them here, but an animal might eat them and
her spell would be wasted. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Perhaps
it was wasted, she thought, feeling the first stirrings of doubt. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip_vtxRFoQyc-eHsgOfn46qPWuhobOWxdT4uThGKAw-wm2F1SvrdYci03korP5UYD8jp6uuC5It8xx2OVF1Dmwx7srJdToAorVMwu8JzSZzLJKgdNRMtMoe-1XmB-kuLaNgmN6PHgSs7U/s1600/Xmas+Kiss+final+4-15+NOOK+.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip_vtxRFoQyc-eHsgOfn46qPWuhobOWxdT4uThGKAw-wm2F1SvrdYci03korP5UYD8jp6uuC5It8xx2OVF1Dmwx7srJdToAorVMwu8JzSZzLJKgdNRMtMoe-1XmB-kuLaNgmN6PHgSs7U/s320/Xmas+Kiss+final+4-15+NOOK+.jpg" width="220" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">New cover, 2015</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
“Miss
Ramirez?” Mr. Barnaby ducked beneath the hanging curtain of leaves and came
into the gazebo. He looked at her plate of biscuits and then at her, as if he
knew what was truly going on. “If I can be of assistance, you’ve only to ask,
my dear.” </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> “I
made these, for Mr. O’Donovan. I can’t find him, and the party is starting. I
cannot be late. What should I do? Five other men have helped themselves to my
labors, and I made these for Gareth alone, not for any of them.” </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> “I’ll
take them for you.” </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> “No,
you don’t understand . . .” She burst out, ready to fall into tears. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> “I
do, my dear. I do.” He said it with a gentleness that was compelling. “Love
magic is not always successful. Let us hope tonight that it is not successful.
But if you wish, I will keep these safe for you and give them only to the man
who is destined to become yours.” </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> “How
did you know?” Chloe looked away to hide her rising tears. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> “My
dear girl.” The old apothecary pulled his handkerchief from his vest and handed
it to her. “You were quizzing us today on magical herbs to secure a suitor. Now
you are rushing about like a serving maid at a party with a plate of wafers and
trying to keep everyone from eating them. Never try to fool an old wizard, Miss
Ramirez. You’ll only look the fool yourself.” </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> Chloe
took his handkerchief. She set the platter on the seat so she could repair her
appearance. “So, you admit to being a wizard, Mr. Barnaby?” </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> “Don’t
tell my young apprentice. Kieran likes to think he’s the only one with
intuitive powers. It pleases me to let him have his fantasies. I’m told you possess
a magical heritage as well, Miss Ramirez.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> The
beginning of a song echoed out through the garden. The musicians were tuning
their instruments, getting ready to begin. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> “Oh
dear!” Chloe gasped. “We have to go. What should I do with these?” </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> “Why,
I have a little case right here.” He pulled a small leather case from his inside
vest pocket. “I promise not to eat your love biscuits, but to only keep them
safe and hidden until the right man comes along.” </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> “But . . . Gareth promised to be here. He
promised me. What does it mean?” </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The
old man held her gaze, but didn’t speak for a moment. He took the three
remaining biscuits from the plate and placed them in his little case, and then
put it in his vest pocket. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> “Yes,
several men encountered you tonight, my dear. Each one was quite taken with
you, before tasting your love potion. Suppose one of them is destined to be
your true mate, the one who will complete your soul. Could it be you are
overlooking the obvious in your pursuit of the obscure?”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> “And
what is the obvious? Not Mr. Marceau?” </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> “I
doubt it. He is hardly the most gallant of the bunch. What does your heart tell
you, my dear girl?” </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> Her
heart was a confused mess, a roiling, churning sea of uncertainty. She sought only
reassurance from her beloved, security and the promise of forever. Was that too
much to ask? </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> “Come,
Miss Ramirez. The spell will wear off and Destiny will sort itself out, all in good
time.” The old gentleman offered her his arm. “Let’s go have a Christmas Dance,
shall we?” Excerpt from A Christmas Kiss, Copyright Lily Silver, 2013. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">A Christmas Kiss is on sale during the holiday<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";">s for .99 cents. It is a<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";"> short story<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";"> of about 57 pages. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00HGPM9RO?*Version*=1&*entries*=0" target="_blank">Buy A Christmas Kiss on Amazon</a></span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Chloe's mission seems to have failed. And yet, the Christmas Eve Ball is just about to begin. She still has time to maneuver Gareth O'Donovan under the mistletoe and steal a Christmas Kiss. And what about all those other men who stole her magical cookies? She may be in for a long, exhausting night on the dance floor. Merry Christmas to everyone, may your own Christmas dreams come true. </span></span></div>
<span style="color: blue;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
lsilver60http://www.blogger.com/profile/07932215293781615986noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8767448798981345969.post-89119248714902284762015-12-03T16:12:00.000-08:002015-12-03T16:22:08.211-08:00Christmas Romance: Gift yourself this Year! <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfS3he-418Jh2HfRyGfBEaOcRNpoXXoRD16Naq80gi_H5p8rDie82ZgpAmQskXAjImJJWhYO9YrV2mRi4sKtjAgAgf5ZENOiQkjjOfaYb1MULHEyfVKhHBcXHjVOkaIK9051HETUnZkZs/s1600/fb-banner-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfS3he-418Jh2HfRyGfBEaOcRNpoXXoRD16Naq80gi_H5p8rDie82ZgpAmQskXAjImJJWhYO9YrV2mRi4sKtjAgAgf5ZENOiQkjjOfaYb1MULHEyfVKhHBcXHjVOkaIK9051HETUnZkZs/s320/fb-banner-3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<div class="" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1448990958562_34788">
<span style="font-size: large;">There’s something magical about a Christmas Romance. All that
chilly weather cuddling, blazing fireplaces kisses, and cozy couch hugs.
They can’t help but make the blood heat on a cold winter’s night. </span></div>
<div class="" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1448990958562_34788">
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Who
wouldn’t want an exciting and passionate Christmas fling to go along
with their fudge and egg nog? </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">And who wouldn’t want to read a sweet or spicy Christmas romance on a frosty evening by the fireplace?</span></div>
<div class="" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1448990958562_34788">
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">I
am pleased to be one among twenty fantastic Indie romance authors have
combined their collective talents and blessed readers of Christmas
romance with the opportunity to win twenty tales of Christmas love
guaranteed to deliver an enchanted Happily Ever Christmas today and
forever.</span></div>
<div class="" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1448990958562_34788" style="text-align: center;">
<h2>
What can you win?</h2>
</div>
<div class="" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1448990958562_34788">
<span style="font-size: large;">We’re giving away a Kindle Paperwhite AND a FREE book from each of the
twenty authors on the list. Even Santa would say, “What a haul!”</span></div>
<div class="" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1448990958562_34788">
<span style="font-size: large;"> To
see this talent group of authors and learn what books they’re giving
away for a terrific Christmas romantic read, go to Indie Romance Authors
Christmas Kindle Giveaway <a href="http://christmaskindlegiveaway.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">http://christmaskindlegiveaway.blogspot.com/</a> and answer the fun
questions about each of the entries.</span></div>
<div class="" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1448990958562_34788" style="text-align: center;">
<h2>
<span style="font-size: large;">How To Enter:</span></h2>
</div>
<div class="" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1448990958562_34788">
<span style="font-size: large;">Click the link provided above. You will find a book question by each participating author to answer. You can find the answer to the
web hunt questions about each book by clicking the book link. Submit your answers through our
Google Docs form. There, done and dusted, it was at easy. Just answer each of the questions and submit them and you're in. The contest is open until midnight on Tuesday,
December 15, 2015. The winner will be randomly chosen from entrants who
correctly answer all questions, and notified on December 16.</span><br />
<h4>
</h4>
<span style="font-size: large;"> Check out these 20 Participating authors: </span><br />
<center>
<b><a href="http://www.allieboniface.com/" target="_blank">Allie Boniface</a> <img src="http://www.avabradley.com/cmasblog/dot.gif" />
<a href="http://www.aubreywynneauthor.com/" target="_blank">Aubrey Wynne</a> <img src="http://www.avabradley.com/cmasblog/dot.gif" />
<a href="http://www.avabradley.com/" target="_blank">Ava Bradley</a> <img src="http://www.avabradley.com/cmasblog/dot.gif" />
<a href="http://author.bethbarany.com/" target="_blank">Beth Barany</a> <img src="http://www.avabradley.com/cmasblog/dot.gif" />
<a href="http://carolmalone.net/" target="_blank">Carol Malone</a>
<br />
<a href="http://www.carolinemickelson.com/" target="_blank">Caroline Mickelson</a> <img src="http://www.avabradley.com/cmasblog/dot.gif" />
<a href="http://www.cheriallan.com/" target="_blank">Cheri Allan</a> <img src="http://www.avabradley.com/cmasblog/dot.gif" />
<a href="http://www.christaallan.com/" target="_blank">Christa Allan</a> <img src="http://www.avabradley.com/cmasblog/dot.gif" />
<a href="http://www.cynthiaclement.com/" target="_blank">Cynthia Clement</a> <img src="http://www.avabradley.com/cmasblog/dot.gif" />
<a href="http://www.jacquelinediamond.com/" target="_blank">Jacqueline Diamond</a>
<br />
<a href="http://www.janetmillerromance.com/" target="_blank">Janet Miller</a> <img src="http://www.avabradley.com/cmasblog/dot.gif" />
<a href="http://josieriviera.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Josie Riviera</a> <img src="http://www.avabradley.com/cmasblog/dot.gif" />
<a href="http://www.karenrosesmith.com/" target="_blank">Karen Rose Smith</a> <img src="http://www.avabradley.com/cmasblog/dot.gif" />
<a href="http://www.kathrynshay.com/" target="_blank">Kathryn Shay</a> <img src="http://www.avabradley.com/cmasblog/dot.gif" />
<a href="http://kittybucholtz.com/" target="_blank">Kitty Bucholtz</a>
<br />
<a href="http://www.facebook.com/LauraHaleyMcNeil" target="_blank">Laura Haley-McNeil</a> <img src="http://www.avabradley.com/cmasblog/dot.gif" />
<a href="http://lilysilver-romancinghistory.com/" target="_blank">Lily Silver</a> <img src="http://www.avabradley.com/cmasblog/dot.gif" />
<a href="http://www.lisabelcastro.com/" target="_blank">Lisa Belcastro</a> <img src="http://www.avabradley.com/cmasblog/dot.gif" />
<a href="http://minakhan.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Mina Khan</a> <img src="http://www.avabradley.com/cmasblog/dot.gif" />
<a href="http://www.ruthacasie.com/" target="_blank">Ruth A. Casie</a></b>
</center>
<h4>
</h4>
<h2 style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"> Lily Silver's Christmas Stories</span></h2>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"> I have three Christmas Stories published to date. They are in singles form, or in a handy boxed set. The three stories feature three very different women at the same house party. It takes place in the West Indies--a Tropical Christmas Experience--in 1798. It is the Colonial period in history. Three women from differing backgrounds experience Christmas and the magic of the season in a new way in each story. </span></div>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
</h3>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiursqgob86Q-K56k6BkYR-XQaf4mTmAH19aGtXO_dk07jprLIf-n0yXMiyDC4sz_vIjvW9kCgFpcmXmsaXtCr5_romqweYs-29R0LEIOA7bKY8B6x-Y8oroSPnuxKjeSVKEHgAF97q3NA/s1600/CAR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiursqgob86Q-K56k6BkYR-XQaf4mTmAH19aGtXO_dk07jprLIf-n0yXMiyDC4sz_vIjvW9kCgFpcmXmsaXtCr5_romqweYs-29R0LEIOA7bKY8B6x-Y8oroSPnuxKjeSVKEHgAF97q3NA/s320/CAR.jpg" width="217" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Book One: Christmas at Ravencrest</b>, features an English Bride recently arrived in the Indies who is struggling to create her very first Christmas party as a married woman in a strange land. As with all holidays spent with family, there is always plenty of drama. Elizabeth will try to make everyone happy, can will she succeed as a new bride in a strange land? This is a short story. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00AKQTJ92?*Version*=1&*entries*=0" target="_blank">Christmas at Ravencrest on Amazon</a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Book Two: The Widow's Christmas Wish</b>, features a widow from America visiting her adult son at Christmastime. As we all know, Christmas with relatives can be sweet or sour. Alicia's had the sour from her troublesome son for some years now, yet as a mother she endures. This time, she may be surprised by the changes in her childhood home. The Widow's Christmas Wish is just .99 cents during this Christmas Romance Event. It is a full length romance with adult situations and plenty of sizzle. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00H5WDFA8?*Version*=1&*entries*=0" target="_blank">Widow's Christmas Wish on Amazon</a></span></div>
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<h4>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVzsiYjslRTnDgw80XsR3LJd6SQNi77OB-j4AArNek2CunEIFbbSkJ7PIsuoSdYxJZ-rvfLklPZGO7DFRefw9zNMwVnaI0gGM6h7CBCUoiUbAJBt2lciQBKoblvKeAl7AzVMsN0D3x6yo/s1600/Xmas+Kiss+final+4-15+NOOK+.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVzsiYjslRTnDgw80XsR3LJd6SQNi77OB-j4AArNek2CunEIFbbSkJ7PIsuoSdYxJZ-rvfLklPZGO7DFRefw9zNMwVnaI0gGM6h7CBCUoiUbAJBt2lciQBKoblvKeAl7AzVMsN0D3x6yo/s320/Xmas+Kiss+final+4-15+NOOK+.jpg" width="220" /></a></div>
</h4>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Book Three: A Christmas Kiss</b>, features a single working woman, a paid companion with a multicultural background who has never experienced an English Christmas before. Chloe has a secret beau she's trying to entice out of hiding. She hopes to get him to declare his affections for her publicly at the first annual Ravencrest Christmas Ball. When her mistress tells her of a plant called mistletoe that is supposed to entice lovers to kiss at Christmas, Chloe decides to imbue her own Christmas kissing ball with a little extra Voodoo Magic. A meddling old wizard claiming to be a descendant of St. Nicholas causes Chloe's plan to go awry. This is a short story. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00HGPM9RO?*Version*=1&*entries*=0" target="_blank">A Christmas Kiss on Amazon</a></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Note: All three of these stories are also available in a box set, A Dark Hero Christmas Trilogy. Click on the book cover in the upper left hand corner to get a peek at the Box Set Edition. It's currently on sale this month for $2 off. </span></i></h4>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1jKOwtI_MFKB_MmYyP8y6HoiSqVgfvc3ksrpOvX5-WOsNWAMaOwihz-exbPlRLNdfc7aW375L1P8vNPDEhtUtlyuqPHlrS30ODw9HmaOcLbfKdRF1jvf5lRSlyW9RT4LbvajwTlUAW1g/s1600/Plum%252BPudding1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="307" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1jKOwtI_MFKB_MmYyP8y6HoiSqVgfvc3ksrpOvX5-WOsNWAMaOwihz-exbPlRLNdfc7aW375L1P8vNPDEhtUtlyuqPHlrS30ODw9HmaOcLbfKdRF1jvf5lRSlyW9RT4LbvajwTlUAW1g/s320/Plum%252BPudding1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hooray for Christmas Pudding! </td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span></i><span style="font-weight: normal;">What's coming up Next: </span></span></h4>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">As a historian and historical romance author I have been researching Christmas traditions, particularly food traditions, for a very long time. I am planning to share some of the recipes I've found for authentic Christmas foods from the 18th and 19th centuries, as well as a few special secrets from my own family kitchens. In the coming weeks, I'll share some lovely recipes and traditions with you that might surprise you. We think of the Georgians (18th Century English folk) as being rather somber and stiff at Christmas, but nothing could be further from the truth. They did celebrate, and celebrated well! </span></span></h4>
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<br />lsilver60http://www.blogger.com/profile/07932215293781615986noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8767448798981345969.post-44223040962069883772015-11-15T18:45:00.000-08:002015-11-25T16:34:32.755-08:00Support Paris with Books that Celebrate Paris!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy_ZFAQVD_ziIEuVVVyzO1QGBKBKIQf_CQJ3EiM5X1zfiLDxqBNK6W4YdJR76XOPBpXlDIKTRFRzduxSMKzGitFoe8-7Ya7ZtsvOJwyWCToYqnevGYrm-9VrMCnpFsLDIwEYJMd3caMEE/s1600/BOOKS+THAT+CELEBRATE+PARIS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy_ZFAQVD_ziIEuVVVyzO1QGBKBKIQf_CQJ3EiM5X1zfiLDxqBNK6W4YdJR76XOPBpXlDIKTRFRzduxSMKzGitFoe8-7Ya7ZtsvOJwyWCToYqnevGYrm-9VrMCnpFsLDIwEYJMd3caMEE/s400/BOOKS+THAT+CELEBRATE+PARIS.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">A moment when the whole world cries for a city. </span></h2>
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<span style="font-size: large; font-weight: normal;">The City of Love was attacked by terrorists November 13, 2015. </span></h3>
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</span><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">A few have dubbed this as France's 9/11. Yes, the images of this attack are graphic and disturbing. It was an attack coordinated to kill and maim people who were at leisure events--innocent citizens at a sports stadium, dining at Paris restaurants and those attending a concert where an American rock band was playing. It was an attack directed at people engaged in Friday night entertainment! It was an attack on youth, as many of the targets in the concert hall were young people out for an evening of fun. Citizens, not military targets, became the casualities, and we grieve with France this week</span>. </span></h3>
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<span style="font-size: large; font-weight: normal;">Please remember the victims and their families in your prayers and your intentions. I was in tears after seeing the video footage of this horrific event. Seeing young people at a concert being forced to run for their lives. Some dragging behind them a friend or loved one who was shot and could not walk or run. The image of young women hanging from outside the window ledges two stories up to avoid being shot like animals will forever haunt me. </span></h3>
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Help where you can: even small contributions add up! </span></h3>
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<span style="font-size: large; font-weight: normal;">How can we help, and where can we do it? </span></h3>
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<span style="font-size: large; font-weight: normal;">I've joined forces with several
other romance authors this weekend to make a difference, to help in time of crisis by
donating a portion of our book sales to help the victims and their families in this crisis.</span></h3>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"> <span style="color: blue;">Update: we now have a landing page which you can view here: </span></span></h2>
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<span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-size: large; font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://www.avamiles.com/books-that-celebrate-paris/" target="_blank">Romance Books that Celebrate Paris</a> </span></span></h3>
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<span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-size: large;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"> Update: Our Books that Celebrate Paris authors are donating a portion of our royalties to the French Red Cross for our books sold from November 13th thru December 31st. Shine the light, celebrate Paris and help support the victims and their families in this dark moment. </span></span></span></h3>
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<span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-size: large; font-weight: normal;">Books in this program: </span></span></h3>
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<span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-weight: normal;">Her Rules by C.C. MacKenzie</span></b></span></span></h3>
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<span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-weight: normal;">Some Enchanted Dream by Lily Silver </span></b></span></span></h3>
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<span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-size: large;"> Dare Valley Meets Paris Billionaire Series, The Billionaire's Gamble Volume 1 by Ava Miles</span></span></h3>
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<span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-weight: normal;">Billionaire in disguise by Blair Babylon</span></b></span></span></h3>
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<span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-weight: normal;">The promise of Provence by Patricia Sands</span></b></span></span></h3>
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<span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-weight: normal;">Learning Curves by Olivia Rigal </span></b></span></span></h3>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>What the Heart Remembers by Bette Lee Crosby</b></span></span></span></h3>
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<span style="font-size: large; font-weight: normal;">To view these titles with links to buy, please visit our main page; <a href="http://www.avamiles.com/books-that-celebrate-paris/" target="_blank">Books that Celebrate Paris</a></span></h3>
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<span style="font-size: large; font-weight: normal;">This is not about increasing book sales. It's not about promoting my books or anyone else's. It's about raising funds for a good cause, and using books we have written that celebrate the joy and beauty of Paris to raise money to help the French. </span></h3>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD2eKKrFNRrqsGRcWDIdyj3Gb_G2UFw3rePBm0X43pEcug196M95sEvJQoioZBfM4CybaLwe7Dx6wrlTNENwUoGoHNTNh83XN2IZvnbvbTxko0VscW3VDIeIFUW9nleZ5UJ-27fdaxeZ0/s1600/LilySilver_SomeEnchantedDream.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD2eKKrFNRrqsGRcWDIdyj3Gb_G2UFw3rePBm0X43pEcug196M95sEvJQoioZBfM4CybaLwe7Dx6wrlTNENwUoGoHNTNh83XN2IZvnbvbTxko0VscW3VDIeIFUW9nleZ5UJ-27fdaxeZ0/s320/LilySilver_SomeEnchantedDream.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large; font-weight: normal;">Starting on November 13th until December 31st 2013 if you buy Some Enchanted Dream in digital form on any ebook platform, my
royalties from sales will all go to the French Red Cross in this time of crisis. </span></h3>
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<span style="font-size: large; font-weight: normal;">Some Enchanted Dream takes place in Paris, and celebrates the
city as a magical place. The story is a time travel that takes place in
Paris of 1889 and is a celebration of the wonderful time period and the Paris Exhibition. For me, Paris
is a place of romance, magic and wonder. The city of love. </span></h3>
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Let's keep it that way, the City of Love and Romance, not the city of terror. </span></h3>
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As my author peeps and I become more organized I will post the details on our event. Until then, here are links to Some Enchanted Dream for purchase. From this point on, until December 13th, 2015, if not longer, all my earnings from the sale of this book will go to relief and aid to those affected by the Paris crisis. </span></h3>
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Amazon Links:</span></h4>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00YM8AEYI?*Version*=1&*entries*=0" target="_blank">Some Enchanted Dream USA</a> </span></h4>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00YM8AEYI?*Version*=1&*entries*=0" target="_blank">UK link Some Enchanted Dream</a></span></h4>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B00YM8AEYI?*Version*=1&*entries*=0" target="_blank">Canada Link Some Enchanted Dream</a></span></h4>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.amazon.de/gp/product/B00YM8AEYI?*Version*=1&*entries*=0" target="_blank">DE link Some Enchanted Dream</a> </span></h4>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.amazon.fr/gp/product/B00YM8AEYI?*Version*=1&*entries*=0" target="_blank">France link Some Enchanted Dream</a></span></h4>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.amazon.es/gp/product/B00YM8AEYI?*Version*=1&*entries*=0" target="_blank">Spain link Some Enchanted Dream</a> </span></h4>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><a href="http://www.amazon.it/gp/product/B00YM8AEYI?*Version*=1&*entries*=0" target="_blank">Italy link Some Enchanted Dream</a></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>ITUNES Link <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id1000671693" target="_blank">Itunes Some Enchanted Dream</a></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><a href="https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/some-enchanted-dream" target="_blank">Kobo Link Some Enchanted Dream</a> </b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/some-enchanted-dream-a-time-travel-romantic-adventure-lily-silver/1122056675;jsessionid=4E12D6CB310B904DF3F8B1EB6AD1A526.prodny_store02-atgap03?ean=2940151246590" target="_blank">Nook link Some Enchanted Dream</a> </b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>I understand if you do not wish to buy a novel as a means of support of the French during this time, but please do donate to a charity directed to aid for the French and the victims of this tragedy somewhere in the coming weeks. Thank you. </b></span>lsilver60http://www.blogger.com/profile/07932215293781615986noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8767448798981345969.post-48125354906837457172015-11-01T16:11:00.001-08:002015-11-01T16:17:54.621-08:00Jane Austen and ZombiesSorry, a day late in posting for Halloween.<br />
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I couldn't <b>not </b>share this. If you love Jane Austen and Pride and Prejudice, you'll be thrilled to see this next Jane Austen Movie. The movie trailer just became available. <br />
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<b><span style="font-weight: normal;">Pride and Prejudice and Zombies </span></b></h2>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSGkrU6NH6WQQsLuFWTQ2-68cwzick5tT_gcM4NIpXaFJTxEPGxURjYMAzliufnkaC5QMm6SFloApxov1Au3HpDmqsadorvlgUg59_LGNZDBrtzNUhiYYqOUHD7qV_UkaiyM7XFTOx5SM/s1600/270px-PrideandPrejudiceandZombiesCover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSGkrU6NH6WQQsLuFWTQ2-68cwzick5tT_gcM4NIpXaFJTxEPGxURjYMAzliufnkaC5QMm6SFloApxov1Au3HpDmqsadorvlgUg59_LGNZDBrtzNUhiYYqOUHD7qV_UkaiyM7XFTOx5SM/s640/270px-PrideandPrejudiceandZombiesCover.jpg" width="412" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pride_and_Prejudice_and_Zombies" target="_blank">For more info check Link to novel on Wikipedia</a> </h3>
FYI, I have not read the book. My husband, a monumental Austen reader (for a man), has and loved it. He keeps telling me I should read it. My kindle is ready to break as it is with books downloaded, so I've not stepped into this one yet.<br />
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<b>BUT NOW THERE IS A MOVIE! </b></h3>
Yay, another Austenesque Movie. Not by Austen, but based on Pride and Prejudice with a paranormal twist. Got Zombies in Regency England? Now we do! Lily James from Downton Abbey (Rose), plays Elizabeth Bennett. <br />
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Here is the exciting trailer for the upcoming movie, scheduled to be released in February 2016.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/foGraEVNI0s/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/foGraEVNI0s?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
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I can't wait. Elizabeth, Darcy, and a war against Zombies! Mark your calender if you dare.<br />
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<b>Other News: </b></h3>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEDFGkyDZir6W06D_pX4mRTJQnjURuZq1d6l_Ul6pEZxT3oB1Yn-5BjZg81mIFshOVTaKxuIExx8b1Br2skrER_I5TzizEcsT3AnT2G5dvlbdkbY46nO-FYQ-Yr7VwFUtegM4Jhh9JELw/s1600/Steampunk+Lily.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEDFGkyDZir6W06D_pX4mRTJQnjURuZq1d6l_Ul6pEZxT3oB1Yn-5BjZg81mIFshOVTaKxuIExx8b1Br2skrER_I5TzizEcsT3AnT2G5dvlbdkbY46nO-FYQ-Yr7VwFUtegM4Jhh9JELw/s400/Steampunk+Lily.jpg" width="260" /></a></div>
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My Halloween Costume this year. Steampunk Dark Lily.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYeZ58OFuB3pFUvJbiKL0RQ0Iqa8_6_TL2hEkA2Pyn-UrakJgVENi_wGUH1NWZfApVPzjuVOlnohKQG1xOe_Yi6MVX_Q9cLV4_qvKM_xnqosyrAQcp5nZcLeYMMiSozfMhfNmYDUooTQ0/s1600/Steampunk+Lily+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYeZ58OFuB3pFUvJbiKL0RQ0Iqa8_6_TL2hEkA2Pyn-UrakJgVENi_wGUH1NWZfApVPzjuVOlnohKQG1xOe_Yi6MVX_Q9cLV4_qvKM_xnqosyrAQcp5nZcLeYMMiSozfMhfNmYDUooTQ0/s640/Steampunk+Lily+2.jpg" width="315" /></a></div>
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Note my wonderful skull cane with horns! As I said, a day late, but I had a wonderful Halloween. Hope you did too.<br />
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Lily Silver, aka DarkLily <br />
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<br />lsilver60http://www.blogger.com/profile/07932215293781615986noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8767448798981345969.post-3198486266565002782015-10-22T14:04:00.001-07:002015-10-22T14:05:37.186-07:00No tricks, Just Treats: Jane Austen Gothics<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBmLqFWqyRVTL_vSie-w9yV8-Mq4JAsyVD_OM3v68Kqi_qBxwlmnq_baobk7OcOtc4yIo__F1lL2iUf2Bjo3OAoqwILlDZLUPBfvV8RPxw9u5m7XzI3y605QDC27P8307bFsvByANvmKc/s1600/12903286_s.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBmLqFWqyRVTL_vSie-w9yV8-Mq4JAsyVD_OM3v68Kqi_qBxwlmnq_baobk7OcOtc4yIo__F1lL2iUf2Bjo3OAoqwILlDZLUPBfvV8RPxw9u5m7XzI3y605QDC27P8307bFsvByANvmKc/s400/12903286_s.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
Jane Austen evokes images of ballrooms and cozy drawing rooms. Usually we don't think of Austen's works as having a Gothic flavor.<br />
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In the previous post I mentioned Jane Austen's nod to Gothic literature with her book, Northanger Abbey. It had the tropes of a good Gothic romance; woman in creepy castle with possible ghosts, a suspected murder, a very intimidating murderer in the form of the owner of the castle and a dashing hero.<br />
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While Jane Austen hereslf did not write more Gothics, we can enjoy the Gothic regencies that feature Austen characters thanks to modern authors who have written stories for our enjoyment.<br />
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Most of us love Elizabeth Bennett the most. So, it is a pleasure to introduce you to two Gothic novels featuring Mr. & Mrs. Darcy at Pemberley.<br />
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The first one I recommend is <i><b>Pemberely Shades; Pride and Prejudice Continues</b></i> a lightly Gothic romance featuring Elizabeth and Darcy after the marriage. I've read it and loved it. There is a mysterious death and the investigation that ensues is full of dark suspense and delight. This book was originally published in 1948 by author Dorthea Boniva Hunt. I enjoyed the Gothic flavor and the mystery that Elizabeth Darcy feels compelled to solve as it affects the townspeople in Darcy's county seat. It's worth a taste if you love Austen characters and Gothic flavors. You won't be disappointed if you are a true Austen fan.<br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Pemberley-Shades-Pride-Prejudice-continues/dp/1402214383/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1445544530&sr=8-1&keywords=pemberley+shades" target="_blank">Pemberely Shades on Amazon</a><br />
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The second book featuring Elizabeth and Darcy after the marriage is Death Comes to Pemberely, by P.D. James. I read this book when it first was published and enjoyed exploring the characters further, as well as being delighted by the mystery of the ghost in the woods at Pemberely and the murder of Captain Denny. Lots of Gothic Atmosphere in this one with the haunted woods, and to my delight, the book was made into a PBS movie. You can watch it on Netflix. I've watched it a few times now. Well done, Ms. James. Unfortunately, P.D. James died a few years ago. If you want a murder mystery involving the Darcys that complicates their relationship by straining it, and featuring Lydia and her notorious husband, then you'll enjoy this in book or movie form. I prefer the movie, to be honest, but I love the Austen movies so much as I get to feast my eyes on the British regency landscapes and mansions.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/BzezYWDb0zI/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/BzezYWDb0zI?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
Here is the trailer for the movie: Lydia's dramatic entrance to Pemberely <br />
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Check it out on Netflix, or purchase movie version on Amazon<br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Masterpiece-Death-Pemberley-Matthew-Rhys/dp/B00LLQ28LQ/ref=sr_1_2?s=movies-tv&ie=UTF8&qid=1445545240&sr=1-2&keywords=death+comes+to+pemberley" target="_blank">Dvd on Amazon</a><br />
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<b>Nachtsturm Castle</b></h4>
A third great story features another beloved character of Austen's books, Catherine Mooreland from <b>Northanger Abbey</b>! In this modern sequel to Northanger Abbey, you'll find Catherine has married her sweetheart, Mr. Henry Tilney. As they travel through Europe on a tour of Mrs. Radcliffe's Gothic story locations, they encounter their own Gothic adventure. Fun, and worth the time. This book is very rare. I was fortunate enough to purchase it in digital when it was new. It is now only available in paperback and those are rare collector's editions. Kudos to author Emily C. A. Snyder for this rare gem! <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Nachtst%C3%BCrm-Castle-Gothic-Austen-Novel/dp/1453638822/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1445546499&sr=1-3-fkmr0&keywords=Nachsturm+castle+by+Emily+C.+A.+Snyder" target="_blank">Purchase on Amazon</a><br />
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Happy reading this Halloween season. If you love Jane Austen and Gothic stories, here are three special treats for you to try out! lsilver60http://www.blogger.com/profile/07932215293781615986noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8767448798981345969.post-2854422189169584442015-09-16T16:18:00.000-07:002015-09-22T08:18:53.800-07:00Jane Austen's nod to Gothic Romance<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">1897 version book cover</td></tr>
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<i><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 18.4px;">“It is only a novel... or, in short, only some work in which the greatest powers of the mind are displayed, in which the most thorough knowledge of human nature, the happiest delineation of its varieties, the liveliest effusions of wit and humour, are conveyed to the world in the best-chosen language”</span><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 18.4px;"> <b>Jane Austen, Northanger Abbey. </b></span></i><br />
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Jane Austen's works usually conjure up images sunny drawing rooms and brightly lit ballrooms. Or a well maintained estate like Pemberly. Few people think of a remote castle, a dark mystery, and a young heroine alone in a remote place where danger lurks. <br />
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Northanger Abbey is Jane Austen's nod to the Gothic Romances that were so popular in her time. Gothic romances were contemporary romances in Jane's time. Jane met the famous Mrs. Ann Radcliffe, who you have likely never heard of. Jane admired Radcliffe's work, and her one Gothic story is a compliment to a writer she admired. Some say it is a spoof of Radcliffe's works, I disagree.<br />
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If you're hungry for Austen, and have read Pride & Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility and Emma until the pages are worn and the ink is fading, try this work as a taste of something different, yet so classically Jane Austen.<br />
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<b>The basic story</b>: Plain looking Catherine Moorland is 17 years old. She lives with her parents and numerous siblings in the country. They are not well off. Wealthy, childless friends of her parents, Mr. & Mrs. Allen, decide to take Catherine to Bath with them for a holiday. This is a boon for her as her family is not out about in society and Catherine will not have a season in London. At Bath, Mrs. Allen will introduce her to the society there. Off she goes to Bath with her patrons.<br />
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At Bath, Isabella Thorpe befriends her. Isabella also loves Gothic romances, so the girls bond over their shared joy in dark romance. Isabella's brother, John Thorpe, flirts with Catherine. She's never had a beau before, so she is a little flattered by his attention. But Thorpe is not well educated and is often quite rude and condescending. Catherine also meets a very handsome, quiet, intelligent man, Mr. Henry Tilney. Henry dances with Catherine at a ball and then invites her to go out walking with him and his sister. Catherine likes him a lot, as any 17 year old girl would when being courted by a handsome man in society. So, she has two suitors, one conniving, the other sunny and cheerful.<br />
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Her new friends, the Thorpe siblings, manipulate Catherine while she's in Bath. John is under the mistaken impression that Catherine is the Allen's heir, so he wants her for her money. Isabella is mischievous and vain. She uses Catherine to get closer to Catherine's older brother, James, by pretending friendship with her for her own reasons.<br />
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<b>Sounds like high school, doesn't it? </b>Well, for these young ladies, it sort of is. They adolescent girls out in society, young and hopeful, some of them very hopeful of making a good match so they can leave home and become mistress of their own home through marriage. Catherine is the dreamy, bookish type. She's always reading Gothic novels, which are all the rage at the time. She has an active imagination and her reading choices only fan the flames for trouble.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">1968 cover</td></tr>
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<b>After several mishaps in Bath, and learning that Isabella and John are not her real friends, she accepts an invitation to visit Northanger Abbey </b>from Eleanor, Henry Tilney's shy, quiet sister. Henry Tilney and his father have decided to leave Bath, and as the daughter is lonely, she asks to have Catherine accompany them to their isolated estate for an extended visit. <br />
Once Catherine arrives at the castle, her imagination goes into overdrive. She suspects Mr. Tilney murdered his wife years ago, and thus indulges herself in some amateur sleuthing activities and some heavy snooping about the castle. She is frightened by her surroundings as the castle appears to be haunted. So there you have it, romance with Henry, intrigue and dark suspicions, a girl alone, away from family in an isolated castle, and a dark, sinister host as once Mr. Tilney Sr. returns to his home he becomes a different man than the one she knew in Bath.<br />
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It's suspenseful, and it's Jane Austen. You can't miss. I've read the story several times, and watched a movie version several times. It is highly entertaining, and very Austen! <br />
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There are a couple of movie versions out if you are looking for a quick fix. I've only watched one of them, an older version from 1995. Unlike her more popular works, there aren't a bazillion film versions of this one. As far as I could find, there is only this one (photo below), and one made for TV by Masterpiece in 2008 which I have not watched. The best way is to read the book! Or listen to it in audio. I downloaded a free audio version from iTunes a few years ago and listened to it at bedtime on my Ipod....ah, how times change, now you can download it to your smart phone and listen or read!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">1995 BBC version</td></tr>
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<li><a href="http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/1196923-northanger_abbey/" target="_blank">2008 Northanger Abbey</a></li>
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lsilver60http://www.blogger.com/profile/07932215293781615986noreply@blogger.com0