Welcome to my home on the web. You may have noted the mountains in the banner are the misty Blue Ridge of North Carolina. Did you know time traveling Highlanders live there? Read about them in the Highland Gardens series. Curious about the big cat? Florida panther~from the Crimson Storm paranormal novel, Sea Panther.

Monday, December 21, 2015

Winter Solstice and Twelvetide by Dawn Marie Hamilton

In 2015, the Winter Solstice takes place on December 21st at 11:48 P.M. EST—the shortest day of the year and the longest night of the year.

To many, the Twelve Days of Christmas fall between Christmas and the Epiphany. To others the festival of Yule begins on the eve of the Winter Solstice and continues for twelve nights ending on Twelfth Night—New Year’s Eve.
 

“During this time of Yule, we honor the beginning of the sun’s return and the breaking of winter. Let the evening’s feasting begin.”

~Lachlan Og, Chief of Clan MacLachlan

Excerpted from Twelvetide: Twelve Nights of Highland Magic,
 an Enchanted Highlands novella by Dawn Marie Hamilton
 

Twlevetide: Twelve Nights of Highland Magic, one of three holiday novellas in the Enchanted Highlands collection, begins on the eve of the Winter Solstice with the dark moment climaxing just prior to Twelfth Night. Twlevetide—the twelve nights of Yule.

A variety of celebratory diversions were enjoyed by the well-to-do during Yule and, perhaps, shared with their people or clan: feasting, storytelling, masking, music, and dance, along with other revelry,

‘Twas also considered a time when supernatural forces roamed freely—when the spirits of the dead returned to earth.
 

“Every year on the winter solstice the veil between realms thins and then tears and as Twelvetide progresses the breach between the earth and the otherworld allows all manner of supernatural creatures, including the spirits of the dead, like me, to travel through and roam the earth.”

“Aye. During the twelve days, the fiercest of spirits—men, horses, hellhounds—follow their leader on wild hunts, riding the stormy night skies, causing havoc and mayhem.”

~Caelan Innes

Excerpted from Twelvetide: Twelve Nights of Highland Magic,
 an Enchanted Highlands novella by Dawn Marie Hamilton

 

 
 
Enchanted Highlands is available at Amazon for 99 cents or free with Kindle Unlimited.

 

 

 

~Dawn Marie

 

Wednesday, December 16, 2015

New Release - Enchanted Highlands by Dawn Marie Hamilton, Victoria Zak, and April Holthaus

Three Holiday Novellas
Available at Amazon


Three magical holiday love stories...

 

Twelvetide (Twelve Nights of Highland Magic)
By Dawn Marie Hamilton

He has twelve nights to gain her love.
She has twelve nights to save his soul.

Fulfilling a childhood promise, Ashley Dumont returns to an ancient Druid garden in the Black Hills of Scotland on the eve of the winter solstice—a time when magic hums and the veil between realms thins and tears, allowing all manner of supernatural creatures through. Will the ghost who claimed to be her destiny still be there?

Caelan Innes awaits her arrival. Unjustly murdered in the sixteenth century, a second chance at life depends on this woman. The Druids grant them the twelve nights of Yule to find love and save Cael’s soul. Will a trip through time and the treachery of enemies make the sacrifice too dear?



Once upon a Winter Solstice
By Victoria Zak

What if all moments throughout time existed at once? What if you had a love that stood the test of time? Never faltering, never fading. What if one legend brought both time and love together as one? Once Upon a Winter Solstice is dedicated to those who believe in true love.


Stars and Stones
By April Holthaus

Riley Kincaid was a man who thought he had everything, until fate intervened. While traveling to London; only days before Christmas, a fierce storm blew in forcing Riley to land in Scotland instead. With treacherous winds and snow-covered roads, Riley found refuge at a small bed and breakfast as he waited out the storm. But little did he know that his arrival was not by mere chance.




~Dawn Marie

Tuesday, December 8, 2015

Enchanted Highlands FB Release Party - December 15 - 3:00 PM EST

https://www.facebook.com/events/427601364092510/
 
 
Join Dawn Marie Hamilton, Victoria Zak, and April Holthaus for a celebration of the release of their new box set of holiday novellas--Enchanted Highlands.
 
December 15th at 3:00 PM on Facebook.
 
 
 
~Dawn Marie

Monday, November 23, 2015

Cover Reveal - Twelvetide: Twelve Nights of Highland Magic by Dawn Marie Hamilton



Twelvetide

Twelve Nights of Highland Magic
An Enchanted Highlands Time Travel Novella

Featured in the Enchanted Highlands Collection
Releasing at Amazon in early December


He has twelve nights to gain her love. She has twelve nights to save his soul.

Fulfilling a childhood promise, Ashley Dumont returns to an ancient Druid garden in the Black Hills of Scotland on the eve of the winter solstice—a time when magic hums and the veil between realms thins and tears, allowing all manner of supernatural creatures through. Will the ghost who claimed to be her destiny still be there?

Caelan Innes awaits her arrival. Unjustly murdered in the sixteenth century, a second chance at life depends on this woman. The Druids grant them the twelve nights of Yule to find love and save Cael’s soul.

~Dawn Marie

Monday, June 22, 2015

Highland Charm: Now Available at an Introductory 99cents


Highland Charm, a Collection of First Fantasies. Highlanders,
Dragons, Fae and Time Travel Romances
from Kathryn Lynn Davis, April Holthaus, Victoria Zak,
and Dawn Marie Hamilton

Available at Amazon



~Dawn Marie

Sunday, June 14, 2015

Coming June 21st—Highland Charm, a Collection of First Fantasies. Romances from Kathryn Lynn Davis, April Holthaus, Victoria Zak, and Dawn Marie Hamilton


Four full length romance novels of Scottish myth, fantasy and legend!

Coming June 21st!

 Available only for the Summer.



CHILD OF AWE by KATHRYN LYNN DAVIS

From the moment of her birth, Muriella Calder is heiress to a great fortune many Highland clans desire to make their own. Touched by The Sight, she struggles to understand herself, while fighting those who threaten her world: the violent clans who relish war; her cunning guardian, Archibald Campbell, the powerful Earl of Argyll—callously ambitious, and bound by loyalty to the Crown; John Campbell, the Earl’s second son—a strong, experienced warrior on the battlefield—who cannot begin to understand the mysterious woman he is forced to wed; and Elizabeth Campbell Maclean, a gentle woman whose heart is forfeit in a treaty with a man her father hates.

Completely captivating, Child of Awe carries the reader from the wild beauty of mist-shrouded glens to the horrors of war, from the hatred of ancient feuds to the wonder of new love: enchanting us, heart and soul, with the seamless skill of a genuine storyteller.


LEGEND OF THE FAE by APRIL HOLTHAUS

The Legend begins…

After returning home from battle against a neighboring clan, Laird Galen Graham stumbles upon an injured woman in desperate need of care and protection. Wanting to return her to her family becomes a difficult task when he discovers the lass cannot speak. While trying to solve the mystery behind who she is, Galen finds himself falling in love with a lass he knows nothing about.

Ella of Andor, knows nothing but wickedness and blood thirst for power as she follows in the footsteps of her predecessor, Alaris; a dark Fae queen. But while heading on a quest to ensure her people’s victory against their enemy, she is led to the heart of the Highlands where she soon discovers the truth about her past that would change her life forever.


HIGHLAND BURN by VICTORIA ZAK

Will Love's Flame Quench the Dragon's Fire? ...

The past never stays in the past, it rears its ugly head eventually. James the Black Douglas knows this all too well. With a past that has left him vengeful and his dragon blood thirsty, his reputation as a ruthless warrior haunts his enemies in their sleep. As his allegiance stands with Robert Bruce, the King of Scotland, he must now repay a debt to the king and agrees to marry his daughter, Abigale Bruce. The problem is he doesn't want a wife. When flames start to burn out of control between him and the auburn-haired lass, he must decide to either kindle the flames of passion or shelter her from the truth and set her free.

 It's What Shines in the Dark That Brings Forth Your True Light...

Determined to keep his daughter safe and out of the hands of the English, Robert hides Abigale behind the safe walls of a nunnery. After eight long years of living her life in seclusion, Abigale is finally set free. But her new found freedom comes to an abrupt halt when she learns of her betrothal to the infamous Bogeyman - James the Black Douglas. She soon finds herself falling in love with the uncontainable and haunted man. Is her love enough to soften his hardened heart?


JUST BEYOND THE GARDEN GATE by DAWN MARIE HAMILTON

Determined to regain her royal status, a banished faerie princess accepts a challenge from the High-Queen of the Fae to unite an unlikely couple while the clan brownie attempts to thwart her.

Passion ignites when a faerie-shove propels burned-out business consultant Laurie Bernard through the garden gate, back through time, and into the embrace of Patrick MacLachlan. The arrogant clan chief doesn’t know what to make of the lass in his arms, especially when he recognizes the brooch she wears as the one his stepmother wore when she and his father disappeared.

With the fae interfering at every opportunity, the couple must learn to trust one another while they battle an enemy clan, expose a traitor within their midst and discover the true fate of the missing parents. Can they learn the most important truth—love transcends time?



I'm very excited about this collection of first fantasies romances. I hope you will be too!

~Dawn Marie

Wednesday, March 18, 2015

Get Deep and Personal with me at April Holthaus's blog: A Romantic Twist


I'm the March Featured Guest at April Holthaus's blog: A Romantic Twist. More of the interview with me is now available. Stop by, read the interview, and leave a comment for a chance to win one of my e-books.




~Dawn Marie

Monday, March 16, 2015

Cover Reveal: The Gentle Knight by Ashley York


The Gentle Knight

Book 2 in The Norman Conquest series

A medieval soldier returns home to find his lover died in childbirth just as his own mother had. Believing he is cursed, Peter of Normandy turns from love. When he must give escort to an Irish princess more noble than many knights, he struggles with his decision to live a solitary life. Can he take the chance that his love won't be a death sentence and possibly make them stronger?

Patrick MacNaughton's death bed decree regarding his daughter rips her from the shelter of her protective Clan. Forced to take vows at a Priory in England, Brighit finds herself in the hands of lecherous mercenaries with their own agendas. Dare she trust the Norman knight to see her safely to her new life as a nun? Even when she finds in him the fulfillment of all she's ever wanted?

Or will honor and duty eclipse their one chance for happiness?

For more information about The Gentle Knight and other books by Ashley York visit her website or Amazon author page.




Friday, March 13, 2015

Happy Friday the 13th

To celebrate Friday the 13th and all things paranormal, I'm sharing a passage from Sea Panther. This is from a scene where Kimberly and Robert are sailing through the Bermuda Triangle, searching for a time portal to the past...


A mirror image of the sky overhead, the Bahamian waters glistened in the sunlight. She loved the changing palette of color from clear blue to transparent turquoise, allowing glimpses of the coral below. A gentle wind blew out of the northwest. Kimberly inhaled the pleasant scented sea air.

Night Thrill made steady progress, flying only the main sail. Robert handled the helm as they rounded Andros Island on a heading for Bimini. She reveled in the indulgence of watching him. Robert had discarded his shirt when the sun rose and the temperature soared. Her gaze slid over his torso. Sleek tanned skin, glossy from a sheen of perspiration, pulled taut over tight muscles that flexed with every move. Desire gathered low in her belly.

He looked over from the wheel and smiled. Her breath hitched and she felt love for him in every cell of her body. She wished they could sail like this always. To somewhere else though, not to their current destination.

Without warning, the breeze quit. Completely stilled. Kimberly jumped into action, tending the sail while Robert engaged the engine. He shot her a strange unnerving glance as he shrugged into a black linen shirt.

She swallowed apprehensively and moved to stand beside him. “What is it?”

“The compass is going haywire. Spinning wildly.” His tone of voice revealed growing excitement.

Kimberly chewed on the edge of her lip, taut with anticipation. They’d been waiting for something to happen, though she hadn’t really believed the stories. The contents of her stomach shimmied. Was she ready to confront the unknown?

A cool mist advanced, quickly developing into dense fog, which expanded into an enormous semicircle not five hundred yards off deck.

“The RPM’s are dropping,” Robert reported.

The boat slowed to a near idle. Kimberly’s stomach lurched. She glanced at her watch. The second hand had stopped moving. She tapped on the crystal. Nothing.

She reached for Robert’s hand. “It’ll be okay,” she said, lacking true confidence.

Robert squeezed her fingers. “That’s my brave lass.”

The eerie fog swirled, encircling the sailboat yet kept a distance of about three hundred yards. Kimberly glimpsed the clear sky in the center—bright blue with no clouds. It was as if they were caught in the eye of a mellow storm.

Without warning, a large mass burst through the edge of the milky fog to hover about thirty feet above the surface of the water off their port side, throwing a huge shadow. The air smelled different. Like after a thunderstorm.

“What the hell is that?” Kimberly whispered.

“I dinnae ken.” Robert wrapped an arm around her shoulder, pulling her tight to his side.

The elliptical shaped thing began to vibrate. She held her breath. A soft whirring broke the unnatural quiet. Lights on the bottom of the object flashed, alternating between red, green, blue, and white.

Off the sailboat’s bow, a hole opened in the fog, exposing a tunnel of sorts with swirling mist walls. Before Kimberly could blink, the floating object entered the opening and vanished. Just as quick, the tunnel entrance closed.

“Wow. Was that real?” Kimberly asked.

“I am not certain, but I read an eyewitness report within Patrice’s notes describing a similar sighting.”

“Do you think it was a UFO?”

“I hope not. If it was, then this isn’t a time portal.” Robert gave her arm a squeeze.

“It could still be. If the portal could take us back in time, why couldn’t it also bring someone, or in this case, an object from the future to our time?”

Robert released her and rubbed the back of his neck. “This is all a wee unnerving, though, you make an excellent point. But then again, it could have been from another galaxy or a dimension of which we have nae knowledge.”

Kimberly retrieved the cell phone from a hidden pocket in the boy’s pants she wore. Robert’s eyes narrowed. He probably thought she planned to call for help. Even if she wanted to, they weren’t close enough to land.

“You shouldn’t have that. If we make it to the past... Ach, well, I hate to think what would happen to you if someone found your cell phone.”

“I didn’t plan to take it with me. Just wanted to see if it still worked.” She depressed the On button. Nothing. “It’s dead.” She tossed the useless phone into a small compartment under the wheel.

Time dragged. The fog slowly swirled closer. Kimberly kept checking her watch, but it wasn’t working. She took it off. “I guess I shouldn’t be wearing a watch either.”

“Get rid of anything from the present time.”

As she checked her pockets to ensure she hadn’t accidentally picked up something that didn’t belong in the past, the amount of blue sky overhead shrank to nothing more than a small circle over the cockpit. Then the milky haze overtook even that tiny bright spot.

A fine mist moistened her face, and she tasted salt on her lips. The fog rolled across the deck, thickening and becoming darker and heavier as strands of vapor swirled around equipment and through openings. Visibility declined to mere inches.

Kimberly felt as if chilly fingers reached for her from within the ominous fog. She grabbed Robert’s hand. “Please don’t let go of me. I’m frightened.”

“I will keep you safe.” He wrapped muscular arms around her and pulled her back against his broad chest. “Remember to talk in the lad’s voice you practiced and if we get separated, tell anyone who finds you that you are my nephew, Ian, my cabin lad.”

“Okay.”

Abruptly, she heard whispering within the fog.

“Ahoy there. Is anyone aboard?” The disembodied voice made her shiver.

Kimberly pressed tighter against Robert and the heat of his body. “Did you hear that?”

“Aye,” he said, voice muffled against her damp hair.

Within the fog, someone whistled a jig-like tune. The haze dissipated slightly. Three men dressed in old-fashion aviator gear stood off the bow of the sailboat as if they walked on water. One saluted, and then they all vanished into the vaporous mist.

“Oh. My. God.” Gooseflesh prickled the length of Kimberly’s arms. She leaned into Robert’s strength. “You did see that, didn’t you? I read about flight crews being lost in the forties.”

“I saw.” He gave a gentle squeeze. “I am certain we will see more unusual sights before our adventure is complete. Are you still willing?”


~Dawn Marie

Wednesday, March 4, 2015

March Featured Guest at April Holthaus's blog: A Romantic Twist


I'm the March Featured Guest at April Holthaus's blog: A Romantic Twist. And Just Once in a Verra Blue Moon is the March Featured Book. Stop by, read the interview, and leave a comment for a chance to win one of my e-books.



~Dawn Marie

Saturday, February 28, 2015

Thursday, February 19, 2015

Now Available for NOOK too! - Just in Time for a Highland Christmas

 

Just in Time for a Highland Christmas
A Highland Gardens Novella
Book #2.5




Can a determined brownie craft a perfect match in time for Christmas?


E-book:
Amazon Amazon UK,
and Barnes&Noble.

Trade Paperback:
Amazon

When the Chief of Clan MacLachlan travels to the stronghold of his feuding neighbors to fetch his betrothed, she is gone. A year later, she is still missing. Making life more vexing, a band of reivers are stealing clan cattle, leaving behind destruction. Archibald MacLachlan determines to capture them and administer harsh punishment.

Though once in love with the man, Isobell Lamont refuses to wed her clan's enemy. After running away, she joins the band of reivers set on revenge.

Can Archibald forgive the raven-haired beauty? Will a journey through time bring them together for a Highland Christmas?

~Dawn Marie

Friday, January 30, 2015

Visiting AshleyYorkAuthor.com Today with a Cranberry-Apple Pie Recipe



I'm visiting medieval author Ashley York's blog today for Foody Friday and sharing the recipe for a tart cranberry-apple pie. Yum! Stop by for a visit:

Foody Friday – Cranberry Apple Pie with Dawn Marie Hamilton

~Dawn Marie

Thursday, January 29, 2015

Cover Reveal: The Highlander's Outlaw Bride by Cathy MacRae


The Highlander’s Outlaw Bride


Book 4 in The Highlander’s Bride series

Available March, 2015


Thrust into the role of laird upon his father's unexpected death, Connor MacLaurey returns home to learn his cousin has usurped his lands and title. Furthermore, his betrothed—a lass he barely knows and certainly did not agree to marry—is hunted by the sheriff, accused of stealing cattle. His plan is to petition the king for clemency for the foolish chit, break the betrothal, and take his castle back from his treacherous cousin. Marriage is not in his plans.

Brianna Douglas has no use for men. Widowed young, berated daily for failing to give her husband a child, and sent home in subsequent disgrace, she devotes her life to holding her family's land for her young brother as their sotted father drowns his sorrow in whisky over their mother's death. Raiders have hit her clan hard, and to save them, she finds herself betrothed to Laird MacLaurey's absent son to seal a pact of protection with the MacLaurey clan.

Forced into a marriage neither wants, it will take a king's edict and sacrifice from both to discover what love means. But can they accept their losses and learn from their mistakes before Brianna marries another?


For more information about The Highlander's Outlaw Bride and other books by Cathy MacRae visit her website or Amazon author page.