Who Inspired Me to Write? Not Who You Might Think...

Normally we deal with the paranormal around here, especially during a book tour. However, every now and again, I'll venture off on something else.

Today is one of those days.

One of the questions I'm often asked during interviews is: What author or authors inspired you to write? My answer is always the same. The person who must take the credit, or the blame -- according to your perspective -- is not an author. He is my beloved husband. He encouraged--and gave me the courage--to write down my stories and submit them for publication. When I finally received my first contract, no one celebrated my success more than he did—and that's when it started!

What, you might ask, am I talking about? I'm talking about the thoughtful, special little gifts I received in commemoration of each book I wrote and published.  

Whittington Inn and the Ghosts That Dwell Therein...

In the South Staffordshire District of Staffordshire, England, is a very lovely village known as Kinver. Within this village one can find The Whittington Inn. According to some, this old manor house was built in 1310 by Sir William De Whittington, knight at arms. Believe it or not, according to the genealogy charts, Sir William is a many times great grandfather of my husband. More than likely, okay very likely, this is why I chose to share the ghostly goings on at Whittington Inn... Well, that and the fact that my novel, Bound by Oath and Honour, now in Audio, begins in Staffordshire.

Whittington Inn, Photograph by Peter Broster

Anyway, as you might expect, the inn boasts a rich history. I'll give you just a few examples.

The Ghosts of Tutbury Castle

Since Bound by Oath and Honour begins in a creepy (inspired by Cannock Chase) forest in beautiful county Staffordshire, I thought it appropriate to write a little something paranormal in Tutbury...like the castle for instance.

Photograph of Tutbury Castle by Dave Harris

For a time, the great de Ferrers family called this castle home. Later it became a center for some very powerful earls and dukes, such as the great John of Gaunt, 2nd Duke of Lancaster. 

What? You don’t recognize the name? Well somewhere along the way you might have heard of his son, King Henry IV; his grandson, King Henry V; and his great grandson, King Henry VI.

Ahem... moving right along...

Deep in Romania, the Spooky Forest of Hoia-Baciu

For all of those who have asked and asked (thank you so very much, you don't know how happy that makes me...) Bound by Oath and Honour, is now available in paperback, audio (narrated by the amazing Andrew McDermott) and ebook format, all published by The Wild Rose Press!

Beautiful Cover by Debbie Taylor!

And so it is with great pleasure I bring you the world's most haunted forest...or so they claim. And why not? In Bound by Oath and Honour, quite a bit happens inside a creepy forest in Romania.

Okay... here we go.

Very near the city of Cluj-Napoca, you'll find--if you choose--the Hoia-Baciu Forest. Now this particular forest is often referred to as the Bermuda Triangle of Romania. Over the passing decades, many people who have visited the woodland have reported some really bizarre paranormal activity and unexplained events.

Creepy, Crawly, Rustling, Bustling by Theodor Kittlesen

Like what you ask?

What Lurks Inside the Forest of Cannock Chase...

So, you might ask, "Where on earth have you been, Debbie? I mean you haven't posted a thing for well over a month now...and really...how boring is that?"

Well, the answer to that question is---I've been busy catching up with life, and working on my latest work in progress. What could be better than all that? However, I do want to take a minute and tell you all that we now have an audio version of my sweet fantasy Romance, Bound by Oath and Honour, narrated by the fabulous Andrew McDermott! Do you love that "warms you all the way to the bone, spine tingling in a most fabulous way Irish accent? Then this audio book is definitely for you!

Cover created by Debbie Taylor! What do you think?

Yep!

Anyway, since malevolent shifters are the antagonists in this book, I thought I'd share some of the crazy goings on in England--all purported to be true--that inspired the villains in my book.

In central England there is a lovely, but spooky forest known as Cannock Chase. There are those who will tell you encounters with enormous felines, ghostly canines, werewovles, and even creatures akin to Bigfoot have become a common thing for those who venture inside the woodland. We even have a newspaper report as recorded in the Stafford Post, April 26 in the year 2007 relating to this that states:

Of Supermoons and Lovespoons...

By the light of the silvery moon,

I want to spoon, to my honey I'll croon love's tune,

Honeymoon keep a-shining in June,

Your silvery beams will bring love dreams, 
we'll be cuddling soon,

By the silvery moon.

With all the excitement building for the first "Supermoon Lunar Eclipse" to occur in over thirty years--coming to a place near you on September 27th-- this old song popped into my head. 

My mom still sings this song on occasion, but I heard her sing it most often in my childhood. I got to wondering then about “spooning,” which, in my mother’s generation meant showing love and affection by kissing... a lot... and most often in a car parked high on a hill while gazing at the sparkle of city lights below or taking in the glimmering luster from the stars and moon overhead. Most especially a full moon, harvest moon, blue moon and maybe even a supermoon!

Did you know there's even a black moon, which is sort of important in my fantasy romance, Bound by Oath and Honour...