Today, I'm visiting with Celtic Hearts sister and good friend, author Nancy Lee Badger. I'm talking about the Scottish belted plaid or great kilt. Giveaway: $5 Starbucks e-gift card. Stop on by.
~Dawn Marie
Wednesday, June 12, 2013
Tuesday, June 11, 2013
'Just Beyond the Garden Gate' Tour Stop - Romance Junkies
I'm visiting Romance Junkies and talking about using Celtic folklore in romance. I'm giving away a PDF copy of 'Just Beyond the Garden Gate' to one lucky commenter. Stop by if you have a moment.
~Dawn Marie
~Dawn Marie
Sunday, June 9, 2013
Sneak Peek Sunday - 'Just Beyond the Garden Gate'
Sneak Peek Sunday is back after a brief break last weekend. Today we'll catch up with Patrick after he finds and kisses senseless the strange lass (Laurie) near the faerie mound. For more Sneak Peek fun, check out the other participating authors by clicking the link below. Hope you enjoy this wee snippet!
Clouds moved swiftly
across a starless sky, casting the land below in shadow. Every muscle in
Patrick’s body tightened with acute awareness of the woman who walked behind
him along the wooded path. Although she dressed in the fine cloth of a highborn
lady, when she stumbled over loose stones in her unsuitable shoes, she swore
under her breath like a low-bred whore.
Had inattentive guardians allowed her too much freedom, and she’d lingered more than she should within hearing of stable lads or foul-mouthed warriors?
He would forgive her the minor failing, though suspected she’d require a heavy hand to guide her. Who cared so little for the lass they allowed her to wander about unescorted?
She grabbed hold of his arm and tugged hard. “Stop.”
“What?” Patrick ignored the jolt from her touch, stopped in place, and twisted around to glare at her.
“How much farther? We’ve been walking a long time.” She puffed out a breath and brushed a stray hair from her face.
~Dawn Marie
Clouds moved swiftly
across a starless sky, casting the land below in shadow. Every muscle in
Patrick’s body tightened with acute awareness of the woman who walked behind
him along the wooded path. Although she dressed in the fine cloth of a highborn
lady, when she stumbled over loose stones in her unsuitable shoes, she swore
under her breath like a low-bred whore.Had inattentive guardians allowed her too much freedom, and she’d lingered more than she should within hearing of stable lads or foul-mouthed warriors?
He would forgive her the minor failing, though suspected she’d require a heavy hand to guide her. Who cared so little for the lass they allowed her to wander about unescorted?
She grabbed hold of his arm and tugged hard. “Stop.”
“What?” Patrick ignored the jolt from her touch, stopped in place, and twisted around to glare at her.
“How much farther? We’ve been walking a long time.” She puffed out a breath and brushed a stray hair from her face.
Click here
to join in the fun
and hop along
with Sneak Peek Sunday.
~Dawn Marie
Friday, June 7, 2013
Folklore Friday - Ghillie Dhu—Scottish Forest Faeries
TGIF. I'm at Voices From the Heart today, talking about recharging the muse and sharing a couple of waterfall photos from Shenandoah National Forest. And Paranormal Unbound is featuring the 2013 Golden Heart Finalists in Paranormal Romance, including me. Very excited! Stop by if you have a moment.
The following article was previously posted at Celtic Hearts and Castles & Guns.
Imagine a wee man of about three feet tall, dressed in garments made from leaves and moss, with hair black as a moonless night and eyes the deepest brown of a hazel nut. 'Tis said his skin color changes from green to brown to green with the seasons. He lives in the trees, preferring birch, and protects the woodland. He seems to be kind to children, with a nature both wild and shy. In Wonder Tales fromScottish Myth and Legend, Donald Alexander Mackenzie tells the tale of young Jessie Macrae who upon getting lost in the forest is directed home by a Ghillie Dhu.
Some accounts claim him to be a harmless sprite, while others recount a darker side. His name means dark servant to match his dark hair and dark eyes and darker temperament. Be wary of venturing into the forest at night when the Ghillie Dhu are known to be most active, for if offended by an adult human the wee man will reach out with thin, long arms and crush him in his angry embrace, leaving the human to rot into earthy compost. Instead, Ghillie Dhu might kidnap the human and drag him into faerieland to be enslaved.
An excellent depiction of a Ghille Dhu illustrated by Brian Froud can be found in the wonderful book, Faeries.
Are you afraid to walk in the forest alone at night?
The virtual tour for Just Beyond the Garden Gate continues...
The following article was previously posted at Celtic Hearts and Castles & Guns.
The Ghillie Dhu
The Ghillie Dhu or Ghillie Dubh are solitary faeries believed to reside within Scottish forests, especially near Gairloch in Ross-shire, though one account claims many emigrated to forests in Northern America after following Scottish fur trappers to French Canada in the late 1700's.
Imagine a wee man of about three feet tall, dressed in garments made from leaves and moss, with hair black as a moonless night and eyes the deepest brown of a hazel nut. 'Tis said his skin color changes from green to brown to green with the seasons. He lives in the trees, preferring birch, and protects the woodland. He seems to be kind to children, with a nature both wild and shy. In Wonder Tales fromScottish Myth and Legend, Donald Alexander Mackenzie tells the tale of young Jessie Macrae who upon getting lost in the forest is directed home by a Ghillie Dhu.
Some accounts claim him to be a harmless sprite, while others recount a darker side. His name means dark servant to match his dark hair and dark eyes and darker temperament. Be wary of venturing into the forest at night when the Ghillie Dhu are known to be most active, for if offended by an adult human the wee man will reach out with thin, long arms and crush him in his angry embrace, leaving the human to rot into earthy compost. Instead, Ghillie Dhu might kidnap the human and drag him into faerieland to be enslaved.
An excellent depiction of a Ghille Dhu illustrated by Brian Froud can be found in the wonderful book, Faeries.
Are you afraid to walk in the forest alone at night?
The virtual tour for Just Beyond the Garden Gate continues...
Next week's tour stops:
06/11/13 Romance Junkies - Guest Post
06/12/13 Nancy Lee Badger’s Blog - Guest Post
Thursday, June 6, 2013
Jewels in the Garden
We spent the morning over coffee, watching two hummingbirds
in our new yard. They seldom sit long enough for a clear shot. This photo is a
tad blurry, but shows its ruby throat. So much fun to watch the tiny birds flit
around the feeder. Another simple pleasure.
Today, I’m reviewing the current draft of Just Once in a Verra Blue Moon, the
second Highland Gardens novel, before I send it off to the editor for the first
round of edits. Hope to have the book ready for release in September.
Wednesday, June 5, 2013
'Just Beyond the Garden Gate' Tour Stop - Faeries, Dragons, and Spaceships
~Dawn Marie
Tuesday, June 4, 2013
Mountain Flowers and 'Just Beyond the Garden Gate' on Nook
We spent a long weekend at Shenandoah National Park. It's a great way for me to recharge my muse. The above flowers hung over our tent. Aren't they sweet?
We did a lot of hiking. These little beauties were along the South River Falls Trail. Precious.
Not sure what the above tiny babies are, but my husband named them Blue Flowers. Dabbled sunlight changed the color from blue to almost white.
No mater how much fun we have on trips we're happy to get home. And this week to exciting news.
Just Beyond the Garden Gate is now available on Nook.
Yay!
~Dawn Marie
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