Tuesday, May 21, 2019

The Haunting of Fraser Castle & Spirit of the Knight in Audio!


Are you a fan of audio books and adore sweet, ghostly romances? If so, check out the end of this post!

But First, let's get to the Haunting of Fraser Castle...

In the year 1575, the construction of Castle Fraser was begun. A man by the name of Michael Fraser, who was the 6th Laird of Fraser, oversaw the creation of his castle. However, it took sixty-one years before the Fraser clan deemed the castle finished. Perhaps because of the great care that went into this castle, many consider it to be one of the grandest castles in all of Aberdeenshire. And, just as in all castles, this one has quite a history.

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Karora


The castle was built as the home of the Frasers of Muchalls and then later became the Frasers of Castle Fraser. This lovely structure was passed down through the ages to all the Lords’ Fraser. Afterward, it was owned by the Frasers of Inverallochy and then finally the Mackenzie family took possession. Possibly, it was in honor of this edifice that they then took the name “Mackenzie Fraser.”

Frederick Mackenzie Fraser, the last male in this direct line, died in 1897. Unfortunately, he didn’t produce an heir during his lifetime. Therefore, his widow, Theodora, unable to shoulder the financial burden alone, sold the castle in 1921. Weetman Pearson, the 1st Viscount Cowdray bought it. His family restored the castle and then turned it into a shooting lodge. In 1976 they gave it to the National Trust for Scotland.

It all sounds so normal. Yet, all castles have ghosts, don’t they?

Most certainly, or so they say.

The most famous ghost of Fraser castle is a princess who, for unknown reasons, was murdered as she slept. Not very hospitable for one who was just a guest, wouldn’t you agree? Nonetheless, one night as she lay sleeping in the upstairs Green room an assailant came in to her room and murdered her most foully.

They say the blackguard dragged her bloody body down the stairs in an attempt to cover up his hideous misdeed. He didn’t get very far as he was discovered and quickly executed. However, his crime would be forever noted by the blood stains on the stairs. You see, despite many, many attempts, the blood just couldn’t be removed. Finally, in desperation, the stains were covered by the wooden paneling which can still be seen to this day. As for the princess? Though she was gently buried, her restless spirit still lingers at Fraser castle. Many have seen her ghostly form floating silently through the hallways.

In addition to our princess, one can at times, hear ghostly piano music coming from the Hall. There is also the unsettling sound of whispers that are nowhere and everywhere. It is also said that the ghost of Lady Drummond, who died in 1874, is frequently seen on the staircase, dressed in a long black gown. Finally, if the staff is to be believed, the kitchen is also haunted. They often hear the laughter of children or their whispered songs in empty kitchen corners. 

Yep... that's what they say. Care to drop by for a visit?

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Are you still with me?

If so, I am so pleased to give some audio book lovers the opportunity to get a free copy of Spirit of the Knight, while they last (and they are going fast),  courtesy of and narrated by the phenomenal Dawson McBride! 








Monday, January 7, 2019

Heart of the Storm, Where Past Meets Present...







Myths and legends can draw me in faster than almost anything else. They always have. So do the mysteries that have no irrefutable answer. The thing is—the imagination can take you so many places as it forms its own possibilities, its own answers to the world’s legends and mysteries. And in this wondrous place, my novels are born.

In "Heart of the Storm," published by The Wild Rose Press, I took on the mysteries of the Bermuda Triangle. Over the years, I have watched many documentaries concerning this oceanic area between Florida, Puerto Rico, and Bermuda (although the area varies by author). I have read books and several recorded testimonies. Many of those accounts share common events: A sudden unusual storm; bizarre cloud formations; flashes of light; loss of visible horizon, and malfunction of navigational equipment to name a few.

Throughout it all there were things I wanted to know.

Like:


What happened to all the ships and planes that disappeared without a trace? Why didn’t anyone ever find a piece of wreckage? And what about that abandoned schooner the Ellen Austin encountered in 1881. The captain ordered a skeleton crew to man the deserted ship. Although they sailed alongside each other, a sudden but brief storm separated them. No one ever saw the schooner or her crew again. Where could they have gone in such a short amount of time? What about all of the other ships, planes, and missing crews that have been lost to history?


Hence, Heart of the Storm, a sweet paranormal/fantasy romance was born:


Blurb: