Of Haunted Castles and Book Covers....

I read it one more time for good measure, took a deep breath...and hit the submit key. That didn't stop the butterflies from swarming though. It happens each time I fill out the information sheet required for my cover art. And why? Because all the while I am writing my books, I envision the perfect couple in the perfect setting to grace the cover. To date, my covers haven't even come close to the one I imagined. 

Not unexpected, but  more often than not, somehow disappointing nonetheless.

Now, in regards to my newly contracted novel, "Spirit of the Knight",  I'm hoping a medieval castle graces the cover, if even off in the distance. After all, there were many such castles that influenced my fictional castle in the novel.  And in light of that fact, l decided to treat you to a couple of them today...

Eilean Donan  geograph.org.uk Anne Burgess

Eilean Donan, built in the 13th century, sits on an island and is surrounded by three lochs.  The castle is both breath-taking and mysterious. It's also haunted. According to a plethora of witnesses, a 17th century Spanish soldier, killed during the Jacobite rebellion is often seen carrying the head he lost in battle... Apparently his favorite place to haunt is the gift shop, so if you're not of a mind to encounter a ghost, perhaps you should do your shopping elsewhere. Oh, and Lady Mary still hangs around the castle as well. She is usually found in one of the bedrooms of the castle.

Roslin Castle Taken by r:Supergolden

Medieval Ghosts and the Haunting of Hermitage Castle...

For those who read "Spirit of the Revolution," fell in love with my Scottish knight,  Sir Cailen, (thank you) and wanted him to have a story of his own...

WISH GRANTED and Update!

"Spirit of the Knight" is now available in Ebook format, paperback and Audio! The audio book is narrated by the phenomenal Dawson McBride. His awesome Scottish Brogue quite literally gave me chills! for those who love audio, you won't want to miss it! 

Therefore, in celebration of this fact, and being in a medieval  frame of mind as you might guess, I thought we'd visit some haunted castles in Scotland  in the weeks ahead. (Blame the Scottish blood that flows through these veins, if you must. I have plenty of it...)

Hermitage Castle, by Martina L. Abel

One of the more frightening stories I've encountered concerns the Hermitage castle. This castle is said to have been built by Nicolas de Soulis somewhere around the year 1240.  His family retained ownership for almost a century. But then, according to legend, Sir William de Soulis, who possessed the castle during the reign of King Robert the Bruce, plotted to assassinate the famous king. This did not go over well as you can imagine. Shortly thereafter, they tossed him inside a wretched dungeon and eventually, he met his demise at the hand of the executioner.

Or did he?

Heroes of Faith Blog Tour with Marlene Bateman Sullivan...

Marlene Bateman Sullivan, best-selling author, is back for another visit and this time she's talking about her newest novel, Heroes of Faith!

Synopsis

Our fast-paced society loves adventure and it loves a hero—but what about Latter-day Saint heroes?  Are there any?  There are plenty!  Heroes of Faith, True Stories of Faith and Courage, is a collection of twenty-four riveting

stories about people who rose above difficulties and impossible odds to emerge triumphant.

Visiting with Shauna Wheelwright at "I love to Read and Review Books..."

I'm visiting with the lovely Shauna Wheelwright today at "I love to Read and Review books!"

Shauna has provided her readers with a review of "Spirit of the Revolution" in conjunction with an Ebook giveaway, now through August 6th. (Exciting stuff!)

She's also posted "10 Fun Things to Know about Debbie Peterson," so I hope you'll drop by for a visit. And while you're there, don't forget to enter to win! 

Motive for Murder by Author Marlene Bateman...

I am very pleased to welcome bestselling author Marlene Bateman, as we ask a few questions and  present her latest novel, Motive for Murder!

Synopsis of Motive for Murder:

Meet Erica Coleman—a gifted and quirky private investigator with an OCD-like passion for neatness and symmetry, a penchant for cooking, (ten terrific recipes are included), and a weakness for chocolate.

Erica imagined that her trip to Florida would be a slice of heaven—a chance to get away from it all and catch up with her best friend, Wendy. But one day into her vacation, all hope of fun in the sun is dashed when she stumbles, literally, over a dead man on Wendy’s driveway. With police closing in on her friend as their main suspect, Erica must find the real killer before Wendy ends up behind bars.

With Erica’s skill, solving the mystery should be a piece of cake but then a second homicide-attempt hits close to home andgenerates a whole new list of suspects. There’s no way to sugarcoat it, a murderer is on the prowl, and no one is above suspicion.

As the plot thickens, it appears Erica may have bitten off more than she can chew, but she forges on, sifting through mounting evidence until she hones in on the killer who has a surprising motive for murder. With a dash of romance and some surprising twists, this thrilling mystery will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very last page.

Meet Author Susan Aylworth as we present her latest novel... ZUCCHINI PIE: GRANNY'S RECIPE FOR LIFE...

I am so excited that author Susan Aylworth agreed to pay us a visit! She's going to tell us a little bit about herself and her newest novel, Zucchini Pie: Granny's Recipe For Life...

(And... for all of you cooks out there? Each chapter begins with a fabulous recipe used by her characters. These recipes include sourdough bread, homemade salsa, pasta carbonara, Amish Oat Breakfast, tamales, hummus and dolma! You wont want to miss that!)

What inspired you to write your first book?

Ghostly Shenanigans Aboard the USS Constellation....

Distinguished as the first U.S. navy vessel put to sea, and the first to engage and defeat an enemy ship, the USS Constellation set out on her maiden voyage, September 1, 1797.

 Navy History and Heritage Command PD-USGOV-MILITARY-NAVY.

After years of faithful service, she was decommissioned in the year 1853, and broken up for scrap material. But this was hardly the end of her life. In 1854, the navy constructed a new ship, possibly using bits and pieces of the old, and again christened her the USS Constellation. If nothing else, the name lived on. Under the command of Charles H. Bell, the navy launched this powerfully armed sloop-of-war on the 26th of August, 1854. The Constellation served in various capacities for a full century, until her final decommission on the 15th of August, 1955, when at long last, the navy removed her from the rolls.

Again, not the end of her life, though. You see, once removed from the naval rolls, the ship found a permanent berth in what is known as Constellation Dock, Inner Harbor at Pier 1 in Baltimore, Maryland. She was designated a National Historic Landmark and placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1966. She also has the distinction of being the last existing naval vessel from the American Civil War that remains intact.

Fully restored in 1999, the Constellation made her first trip out of Baltimore's Inner Harbor since 1955. In October of 2004, she set sail for the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis and this six day voyage marked her first trip to the city in 111 years.

PD-USGOV-MILITARY-NAVY.

All fine and good, but is it haunted?