Medieval Monday, Week 4

Medieval Monday, autumn-style

WEEK 4

Another week of Medieval Monday!

Check out Medieval Romance Lovers as we share in the fall theme of "Nature" in our excerpts from our medieval stories. You’ll see weekly snippets each Monday on our blogs. And since I live in New England, home to memorable fall foliage, I will continue to try to post some photos!

I apologize for the tardiness of this post, as our family had a health emergency this week.

I encourage you to follow along with all the other Medieval Monday authors on the Facebook page here. You will find the links to their blogs where they are sharing their snippets. There may be even be some giveaways on the page…

You can also find us on Twitter at #MedMonFall20

This week’s snippet…

Set-up:

Domhnall is a Seer who descends from powerful Ancients with mystical abilities. He suffers from terrible visions of the Sight, an affliction that comes with each touch, except with Rosalie. He is taking Rosalie on a stroll through the village. They come upon the loch shore and he suggests they collect pebbles for her necklace-making. Rosalie is a crafter and fortune-teller, scrimping to make ends meet and support her uncle and aunt, but she is also on the run from a vengeful noblewoman not pleased with her readings. She tells lies for a living. Domhnall believes her to be a true seer.

Last week’s snippet is here. Now week 4…

Rosalie squealed with delight. “Look at this one!” She hovered intently over a pool, turning over rocks, not a care in the world as the hem of her simple gown grew soppy and her fingers muddy. She held a pebble up, face brimming with pride.

He drew nearer. “Bonnie. I see blue and opal.”

“Why are the unique ones here? They’re all round and smooth. So different from other places.”

He continued digging, thoroughly enjoying himself. “Not sure why. There’s plenty of lore about our region of Scotland. Magic in stones, some say,” he said, echoing his earlier statement. “I believe it’s rooted in nature. The lochs and rivers flow to this spot, and perhaps it has something to do with water’s movement and the rock composition. Others proclaim this area as gateway to the isles. My grandfather always told me stories of Norse warriors, battles and the like. It’s a mystical place, some say. Even the mountains have a story to their creation.”

“Maybe the water is magical, too?” She toyed with a sweet smile. Her dimple appeared again.

He wanted to kiss it.

Stay Tuned….

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Medieval Monday, Week 3

Medieval Monday, autumn-style

WEEK 3

Another week of Medieval Monday!

Check out Medieval Romance Lovers as we share in the fall theme of "Nature" in our excerpts from our medieval stories. You’ll see weekly snippets each Monday on our blogs. And since I live in New England, home to memorable fall foliage, I will continue to try to post some photos! It’s been a busy fall (in home) as my kids and I juggle work and remote schooling…trying to get out there and enjoy the sights and sounds of autumn!

I encourage you to follow along with all the other Medieval Monday authors on the Facebook page here. You will find the links to their blogs where they are sharing their snippets. There may be even be some giveaways on the page…

You can also find us on Twitter at #MedMonFall20

This week’s snippet…

Set-up:

Domhnall is a Seer who descends from powerful Ancients with mystical abilities. He suffers from terrible visions of the Sight, an affliction that comes with each touch, except with Rosalie. He is taking Rosalie on a stroll through the village. They come upon the loch shore and he suggests they collect pebbles for her necklace-making. Rosalie is a crafter and fortune-teller, scrimping to make ends meet and support her uncle and aunt, but she is also on the run from a vengeful noblewoman not pleased with her readings. She tells lies for a living. Domhnall believes her to be a true seer.

The setting for this scene: the edge of Loch Duich, along Eilean Donan Castle (the central seat of the clan in my trilogy). Also, this was one of the few sunny days I enjoyed on my adventurous trip to Scotland!

Last week’s snippet is here. Now week 3…

Brazenly, he traced a finger over the embellished stone necklace she wore around her slender neck, its length dropping above her décolletage. The crinkle extended from her brows to the middle of her forehead, forming a wee crease in a sea of pale softness. What had he said wrong?

He laid one hand softly on the small of her back, drew himself closer. He kissed the deepening crease. He preferred her smile to her frown. He brushed feather lips upon her skin. A spark jolted him, but he absorbed it. He inhaled her scent, retreated slowly, and then moved a drawing finger from necklace to cheek.

“Domhnall, I don’t think…” She didn’t finish the sentence and, instead, held his gaze, then closed her eyes while he stroked her cheek.

He stopped, as difficult as it was. “Let’s find you stones, shall we?”

She opened her eyes and nodded. “Yes, please.”

He removed his boots and rolled his hose. Lacking modesty, she did the same, removing her work shoes and allowing clean toes to venture into the loch’s cool water. They spent the better part of an hour picking through rocks and pebbles and pond plants on the shore, locating unique pebbles. Domhnall shared stories of his youth, of trips with his father, and his explorations north and south. Rosalie chatted about her own travels, her passion for rocks, crafts, and numbers. He loved listening to her animated voice.

“Do you like visiting new places?”

She shrugged. “It’s all I know.”

“You don’t wish to settle?”

“One day.”

Stay Tuned….

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Goodreads ~ Kobo ~ Google

Finding Joy in Nature

It’s been a tough year for all. I don’t need to expound. Instead, I’ll share how I’m trying to find the joy around me. My muse has been hiding since very early 2020. My fingers are slowly finding their way back to the keyboard to write two new books in the wake of a year of promotion and marketing plus other small projects. It has been like pulling teeth to get that muse to come out of the shadows though. People ask about writer’s block a lot. It’s not that I don’t know what to write—it’s the emotional energy that goes into it and external factors (many mental) that prevent the words from reaching page.

The fingers are moving-so-slowly. I spent a lot of the summer reading, staying afloat with kiddos home 24/7 since March (and now we are on to remote learning), and doing house projects. Anything to avoid that nagging muse! I’ve gotten very good at avoiding, with my mantra being “maybe tomorrow.”

So back to that finding joy…

This summer my family did our best to keep it creative and regional by hopping around to states where travel is safe while heeding all precautions. It helps that we live in New England, home to meadows, forests, mountains, and beaches. It also helps we love nature! So hiking is our escape. The beach became our playground. Being inventive with social distancing while still exploring nature’s bounty became our norm.

I also gloried in caring for my flower gardens and fruit bushes/trees…plus I added my first ever vegetable garden! I took good notes to apply next year but I am pretty proud of my success! I grew zucchini, lettuce, cucumbers, carrots, snap peas, green beans, broccoli, two types of tomatoes, and basil. Not bad for a 4 x 8 raised bed. My raspberry bushes are on overdrive this fall. For the first time this year, I got a June yield (small) in addition to the monstrous September yield (that bowl below is from one day, and I get that much daily or every other day. They will keep on going until frost says no more!). I’ve frozen so many berries and given away just as many. My raspberries definitely found joy this summer. :) My apple trees are happy, too. Now to get those green tomatoes to ripen as frost is knocking on the door…

Some of my fall bounty. Applesauce and jam are in the near future!

In our bopping around New England during late summer/early fall, we visited the White Mountains in New Hampshire (my favorite place here after Maine, but Maine was off-limits this year for us), and the Berkshires in MA. We toured and dug in the Herkimer Mines of upstate NY for diamonds (okay, they are a special type of quartz, but so cool) and explored two caverns/caves. We hit the beach a half dozen times, strolled on farm and forest trails near our home, and my kiddos and hubs did some mountain biking adventures (while I drank coffee and read books).

Hands down, September is my favorite month of the year for many reasons. I think it is my “joy” month. Locals here love October, and I won’t argue it’s an equally nice month, but something about September entices me: late summer flowers, deep clear blue skies, early fall foliage, green grass, and the start of new schedules. It is the bridge between hot beachy days and crispy autumn evenings.

Some photos below of my walk with nature this summer/fall…

I found joy in nature this year. I’d love to hear from you where you find light in the darkness, where you find joy and hope in the daily.

‘til later

~Jean

P.s. My summer reading queue. Told you I did a lot of reading! I loved all these books! Learn more in my latest newsletter:

Medieval Monday, Week 2

Medieval Monday, autumn-style

WEEK 2

Another week of Medieval Monday!

Check out Medieval Romance Lovers as we share in the fall theme of "Nature" in our excerpts from our medieval stories. You’ll see weekly snippets each Monday on our blogs.

I encourage you to follow along with all the other Medieval Monday authors on the Facebook page here. You will find the links to their blogs where they are sharing their snippets. There may be even be some giveaways on the page…

You can also find us on Twitter at #MedMonFall20

This week’s snippet…

Set-up:

Domhnall is a Seer who descends from powerful Ancients with mystical abilities. He suffers from terrible visions of the Sight, an affliction that comes with each touch, except with Rosalie. He is taking Rosalie on a stroll through the village. They come upon the loch shore and he suggests they collect pebbles for her necklace-making. Rosalie is a crafter and fortune-teller, scrimping to make ends meet and support her uncle and aunt, but she is also on the run from a vengeful noblewoman not pleased with her readings. She tells lies for a living. Domhnall believes her to be a true seer.

Last week’s snippet is here. Now week 2…

He drew a finger down the hollow of her neck, softly. “Your necklaces? I saw the ones you sold in the market, and my mother told me about them. Lanie said you showed her how to make paints. You do fine work.”

“They’re just stones.”

“Even stones can hold power,” he whispered.

She crinkled her brows, but he didn’t clarify. He must have sounded like a fool…talk of Seers and magical stones.

“The Ancients?” she whispered.

He nodded. “Aye.”

“What exactly is a Feeler?”

“A person who can see inside you…your inner most lifeblood and your emotions. Each person emits a color. My mother can read people.”

“Lifeblood?”

“Hard to explain. We all emit a color, our life force?”

“Ahh…”

“She can discern intention from malice, truth from lie.”

Stay Tuned….

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Goodreads ~ Kobo ~ Google

Ushering in Autumn & Medieval Monday

Medieval Monday, autumn-style

Welcome to the start of Medieval Monday for autumn! For the next few months, I’ve joined up with the authors of Medieval Romance Lovers as we embark on the fall theme of "Nature" in our excerpts from our medieval stories. Snippets you'll see each Monday on our blogs will be from our own stories. I am no stranger to nature—I breathe in the scents, glory in the sights, and revel in the sounds, and as a result, nature always plays a role in my novels.

I encourage you to follow along with all the other Medieval Monday authors on the Facebook page here. You will find the links to their blogs where they are sharing their snippets. There may be even be some giveaways on the page…

You can also find us on Twitter at #MedMonFall20

This week’s snippet…

Set-up:

Domhnall is a Seer who descends from powerful Ancients with mystical abilities. He suffers from terrible visions of the Sight, an affliction that comes with each touch, except with Rosalie. He is taking Rosalie on a stroll through the village. They come upon the loch shore and he suggests they collect pebbles for her necklace-making. Rosalie is a crafter and fortune-teller, scrimping to make ends meet and support her uncle and aunt, but she is also on the run from a vengeful noblewoman not pleased with her readings. She tells lies for a living. Domhnall believes her to be a true seer.

“Look. We’re here.” He loosened his hold on her and hurried ahead to the water’s edge. He squatted, running fingers through a tidal pool.

She came closer, scrutinized. “What is it?”

“Thought you might like these stones. For some reason, this spot always has an abundance of unique stones, pearly, shiny, and interesting colors.” He swept a hand to the horizon as he stood.

“Fascinating.”

“Skye is that way, west, and then the deep wide sea. Then the isles from where my ancestors hailed.”

“I see.” She squinted in the distance. She didn’t crouch, and he turned to face her. Perplexed surprise crossed her expression. He wiped a wet hand on his tunic and took her hands in his. Cheeky. Tempting fate, repeatedly, like a child against a tyrannical parent. He was tired of living life on the periphery, protecting himself from the pain. It was time to live. Time to jump.

Is their love just one more lie?

1322, Scotland

Rosalie Threston's fortune-telling lies have caught up with her. Uprooted yet again, she's on the run from a ruthless English noblewoman. She flees to Scotland and seeks refuge in the arms of a laird's son who happens to be a real Seer.

A bloody past and inevitable future plague Domhnall Montgomerie. He avoids physical contact with others to ease the painful visions. When an accidental touch reveals only delight, he wonders if Rose is the key to silencing the Sight.

Mystical awakening unravels with each kiss. But can Domhnall embrace his gift in time to save her life, even if it means exposing her lies?

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Goodreads ~ Kobo ~ Google

If you love to see photos of nature, then check out my Instagram!