Living the Dream

Congratulations to all of the authors who’ve made the IWSG the success that it is these last 12 years. Your hard work is appreciated.

This month’s question is: The IWSG celebrates 12 years today! When did you discover the IWSG, how do you connect, and how has it helped you?

I connected with the IWSG during one of the A to Z activities a few years back. I participate in that each year and have learned many things about writing in general. I’ve even picked up a few friends along the way. What has stayed with me and lifted me up when things weren’t going well was knowing that I wasn’t the only one struggling to find readers and make a name for myself. Sometimes a few words of support made all the difference.

Another thing that being part of the IWSG group has done is give me the courage to take the path less taken, to write what I want to write, even if it doesn’t fit in Amazon’s perfect and limited little boxes.

So thank you to those who co-host each month and those who read the various posts. Here’s hoping the group goes on for at least another 12 years!

As always, check out the other posts here: https://www.insecurewriterssupportgroup.com/p/iwsg-sign-up.html

Welcome to September. Years ago, for me, that meant a return to the classroom. Now, it’s just the last few weeks of summer. This week, the authors from Tuesday Tales have another word prompt for their scenes. I’m continuing with Listen to the Stones. As always, my cover artist has provided me with an inspiring cover. Enjoy this snippet and your first look at our hero.

Nathan chuckled. “I’m not surprised. The man might’ve been a good businessman, but he was as foolish and stubborn as they come. He and his brother had a falling out over a woman some seventy years ago. He might be the eldest and the Fraser heir, but she chose his younger brother. The men never spoke again. But as to the great-niece, Angus might not have displayed the photographs, but his estranged brother, Iain had a son, Hugh Fraser. The young man, a reporter, was killed during The Troubles in Northern Ireland, just a few weeks after his daughter was born. He never got around to marrying the mother of his child. The woman stayed on the island for three years looking after Iain who’d suffered a stroke and was paralyzed. When the man died in his sleep, Angus wanted nothing to do with her or her bastard child whom he denied could be a Fraser. She packed up her three-year-old and went back to Canada. She never came back.”

“I wouldn’t have taken him to be such a small-minded man,” Jerome mused.

“It seems the old man mellowed with age,” Nathan added. “Ewen MacDonald and I are friends, so when I approached him about buying the land, he shared more than he would’ve with a stranger. When he was diagnosed with lung cancer last spring, Angus tried to reach out to the girl, but Eileen Harrington died four years ago from complications with COVID. The old man made a new will leaving everything to the grand-niece he hadn’t seen in more than thirty years. I hate it when stuff like this comes across my desk. It’s both petty and tragic.”

Jerome shook his head. “Aye, tragic in more ways than one.”

He’d hoped to be settled in Fraser Hall before winter and to take his time studying the stones—after all, he might be a successful writer, but he was still an archeologist. Those particular stones were on Fraser land, and while he could probably get permission from the historic society responsible for preserving all historic sites in Scotland, he wanted to do this on his own, not be required to publish papers and report to bureaucrats. His interest in the stones had nothing to do with their age, mineral content, layout, or purpose. It was all about the power they possessed.

That’s it. Stay safe, and don’t forget to check out the other Tuesday Tales.

Welcome to the last post for the month of August. This week, our word prompt is PITCH. I’m a few words over the 400 word limit, but I wanted to finish the scene.

Cell phone to his ear, Jerome Gillies listened to the disembodied voice and paced his study. Inverness had been his home for fifteen years now, but he never felt as though he truly belonged here. Trained as an archeologist, he’d worked on several digs in and around Scotland, Ireland, and England as well as Northern Ireland, eventually hired by the University of the Highlands and the Islands to work on the restoration of Urquhart Castle, once the home of Robert the Bruce, first king of Scotland. The ruins on Loch Ness drew thousands of visitors each year. This was only a place to work and live until he could return permanently to the island that called to him.

He stopped and stared at the collection of photographs decorating his office wall, all pictures he’d taken on his last visit to the Isle of Lewis. In one, there were the ruins of a few of the black houses on the island; in another, black houses that had been modernized and maintained. The stone buildings had been called black houses because they were essentially houses without windows, the only source of natural light coming from the small doors in their sides. Pitch black inside, the homes had been specifically built in that fashion to keep out the cruel winds and bitter cold of winter storms that assaulted the island each year. The wind never stopped blowing on Lewis, although at times it was nothing more than a comforting breeze keeping the tiny gnats from driving a man crazy.

The houses still being used now boasted windows and skylights. They no longer housed animals along with their human hosts, and while natural light flooded them, they still did the job they’d been designed to do decades ago—keeping their occupants warm and dry despite whatever Mother Nature threw at them. While most no longer used peat as fuel, a few of the old crofters continued to do things the way their ancestors had. They harvested the peat, let it dry on the heather, and carted it home to fuel their fires all year long.

A third photograph showcased a herd of sheep grazing in a common pasture shared by the crofters, but it was the fourth one, the one of stones standing sentinel-like on a cliff that captured his attention. He’d stumbled across these years ago while hiking on the island. Every time he visited the area, he was pulled to the stones that had inspired him. Now, he was hellbent on buying the land they stood on, and nothing would stop him from reaching his goal.

That’s it. Stay safe, and don’t forget to check out the other Tuesday Tales.

Have you ever been searching for a book to read but not been sure if it’s what you want to read? Enter Book Bites: protectors. This collection features the first chapter and sometimes a few pages more of books selected by their authors to tempt and tantalize you. This collection of samples is free to read wherever you get your books.

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Mimi Barbour – Special Agent Walker
Patricia Rosemoor – Fake ID Wife
Rachelle Ayala – Preying Heart
Dani Haviland – The Midwife’s Son
Rebecca York – At Risk
Denise Devine – Small Town Girl
Susanne Matthews – Sworn to Protect
Calinda B. – Gravestones
Taylor Lee – Forbidden
Cynthis Cooke – Deadly Secrets, Loving Lies
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Seven IRRESISTIBLE couples risking it all for their second chance at love…

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TWO HEARTS CAPTURED by Tamara Ferguson, USA Today Bestselling Author: Injured severely and suffering from PTSD, wounded warrior Zander Atkinson is struggling to move forward with his life. When the girl that he rescued as a child appears in his life seventeen years later after her life is threatened by a stalker, can he be strong enough to save her—along with himself?

BEGIN AGAIN by Natalie Ann, USA Today Bestselling Author: They say you never forget your first. When everything changes in Liz’s life, she discovers returning home is the only option. She didn’t expect to run into Christian Butler again nor find out he’s still the same boy she’d fallen for as a teen.

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I LOST MY VIRGINITY AT THE CLOCK MOTEL by Suzanne Jenkins, USA Today Bestselling Author: Gina Perez lives a sheltered life in Mexicantown, a good Catholic girl protected zealously by her mother, Angel. When she meets Freddie Papadakis, captain of the rival high school football team, it’s going to take more than Angel’s overprotective radar to keep Gina safe.

WHERE LOVE ECHOES by Rachelle Ayala, USA Today Bestselling Author The last time Ava saw Cruz, he left her standing at a bus stop with a broken heart. Twenty years later, she is hired by Cruz’s ex-wife to orchestrate a lavish destination wedding at a secluded Caribbean resort, Unexpected Paradise.

IT’S A MATCH by Susanne Matthews, International Bestselling Author: They were a perfect match—until she caught him with another woman. When Marissa canceled the wedding and left her hometown, she refused to listen to Zak’s explanations. Now, she’s in the UK for her sister’s wedding and so is he, determined to set the record straight.

A DELICATE REUNION by Susan Jean Ricci, USA Today Bestselling Author: Melanie Hutchins, a widow with a young child, has recovered from a relationship with the CIA Agent who left her long ago until he strides up the sidewalk and back into her life. Does he really expect her to take up where they’ve left off and forgive him for leaving her to raise their child alone? Or is there a secret he needs to share about his long absence?

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Wow! Where did the summer go? We’re ten days away from the end of August. This week, our Tuesday Tales’ prompt is the word CONFIDENT. I’m continuing with Listen to the Stones. Enjoy.

The man stood and came around his desk. “This is going to turn your life upside down, Marina. From what you said earlier, things haven’t been going well for you. This could be your chance for a fresh start. Don’t give me an answer yet. It’s a big decision. The island may be part of the British Isles, but the people don’t necessarily speak English, or a form of it you’re likely to understand. Most of the crofters and those not directly involved in tourism speak Gaelic, although the children are taught English as well in school. The fact that you were born there makes everything easier from a legal standpoint, but you’ll still be an outsider. Not everyone will be ready to welcome you with open arms, and some will be leery of you and your intentions.” He pulled a photograph out of the folder. … Here’s a photograph of the place. It’s certainly unusual. Should you decide to go…”

Marina reached for the photograph. The stone house with the large windows and what seemed to be a thatched roof looked like something out of a fairy tale. What else would you expect to find on an island that boasted mysterious monoliths? She stared at the image, recalling her mother’s words. “We didn’t belong there. They didn’t want us.” But that had been thirty years ago. Great-uncle Angus wanted her to come home. Better late than never. She didn’t need to think it over. Mom had told her to go home, and now she could do just that.

“There’s nothing to think over,” she said, confident that she’d made the only logical decision. “Please contact Mr. MacDonald and tell him that I intend to claim my inheritance as soon as I can make the arrangements to get to the Isle of Lewis.”

Mr. Harding glanced at the clock. “It’s after three which makes it past eight there. I’ll contact them first thing in the morning. Congratulations, my dear. You’re about to embark on a grand adventure. My wife and I visited Scotland ten years ago. We’ve always wanted to return. Where can we reach you?”

Marina stood. “I’ll be at home, getting myself organized. If you decide to visit the Isle of Lewis, let me know. I’ll make sure there’s a room waiting for you at Fraser Hall.” She extended her hand and shook his. “Thank you for your help with this.”

“My pleasure.”

No doubt he’d be cashing a healthy check for his troubles.

That’s it. Stay safe, and don’t forget to check out the other Tuesday Tales.

I’m back! I had a marvellous and eventful vacation and now I’m raring to go with a new book. Listen to the Stones.

This week, our scenes are based on the word LAMP. Enjoy!

Going into her bedroom, Marina turned on the lamp and opened the bottom drawer of her dresser, removing the small metal box in which she kept her important documents and photographs. These included her divorce decree, her mother’s death certificate, her Canadian passport, and citizenship papers her mother had applied for when she’d been three and had returned to Canada, and her own birth certificate. She unfolded the last document.

Date of Birth: June 21, 1990

First Name: Marina

Middle Name: Alice

Last Name: Fraser

Mother’s Name: Eileen Alice Harrington

Father’s Name: Hugh James Fraser

Place of Birth: Stornoway, Isle of Lewis, United Kingdom

“Go home.”

Was this what her mother had meant? Was it time for her to go back to the place where she’d been born? An island in Scotland’s Outer Hebrides? Was it time to learn about her father and his family? She knew the man had been a journalist and an artist. Mom had been traveling through Europe when she’d met Hugh Fraser and the two had fallen hopelessly in love. After six months together, her mother had gotten pregnant. Intending to do right by her, he’d taken her to his home and family where she’d given birth. A few months later, the paper had sent him to cover peace talks aimed at ending The Troubles in Northern Ireland as they’d been called. Sadly, he’d been killed in one of the last IRA bombings in Newry.

She reached for the photograph of a handsome man with dark hair and blue eyes, her eyes. The photo had sat in a frame beside her mother’s bed right up to the day she’d died. Digging through the other photos, she pulled out the only one she had of her parents together, the one she’d found after her mother’s passing. It showed the two of them, smiling and happy, standing in front of some stones, most likely the Standing Stones of Calanais. She’d seen other pictures of the monoliths. Her redheaded mother, very pregnant, looked up at the man holding her. Her father smiled down at her, his face filled with pride and love. They’d never gotten the chance to marry. After his death, Mom had stayed in Scotland, living with Hugh’s father until Iain Fraser had died in his sleep, leaving her alone once more. Adrift, without family, her mother had taken her and returned to Canada, to the brother she had here, the last of her own family.

That’s it. Stay safe, and don’t forget to check out the other Tuesday Tales.

People who have never been to Norway don’t realize what a beautiful country it is with a rich history that goes back thousands of years. Our son married a Norwegian woman and now lives there. We’ve been lucky enough to visit twice and spend quality time with him and his family as well as see some of the country.

After a stressful departure from Canada, we made it to the first leg of our vacation, his summer house on the fjord. Handyman that he is, he fixed the place up, even building a gorgeous and very modern shower outside. We stayed in the guest house and had a wonderful time. It was cooler than we’d anticipated, but my husband got to go fishing at the mouth of the fjord, help catch the 20 mackerel that made up supper that night, and even go in swimming. Sorry, water that’s 14 degrees Celsius is too cold for me. A family of swans came by to say hello, and the jellyfish which looked to me like a raw egg out of the shell were fascinating. But, when it appeared, I took the time to bask in the sun and soak up some after dinner rays while polishing off my wine.

While we were in Norway, we took a trip along the historic Telemark Canal and spent a night at the Dalen Hotel. From the site, here’s a quick history of the place. Here’s the link. Check it out.

https://www.dalenhotel.no/en

The flow of tourists to Dalen was large already in the 19th century due to the completion of the Telemark Canal. The newly built Canal system became popular among royalty around the world, but Dalen lacked a luxury hotel to accommodate this prominent clientele. Inspired by stave churches and the Viking Age, the Dalen hotel was introduced to the world in 1894. The hotel became known throughout Europe and the English aristocracy came here. King Oscar II was a guest here, as were Emperor Wilhelm of Germany and King Leopold II of Belgium. King Haakon VII and Queen Maud also came here with the then Crown Prince Olav.

During World War II, the Germans took over the hotel, and the interior was removed while the buildings fell into disrepair. The preacher Aage Samuelsen had faith in the future of the hotel. He bought it, but did not succeed in raising capital for the restoration of the buildings. But he gave the hotel a lot of attention and PR. At the end of the 1980s, restoration was started and in 1992 the hotel reopened.

In 2000, the hotel received the conservation organization Europa Nostra’s highest award – a silver medal – for preserving the hotel as a unique cultural monument. Dalen Hotel has also been awarded Olavsrosa as a lighthouse in the Norwegian Cultural Heritage’s product range. Holders of the quality brand Olavsrosa have a strong profile in the dissemination of Norwegian cultural heritage. The motto “Olavsrosa – our best experiences” places high demands on product quality and maintenance of this quality. The National Heritage Board has described Dalen Hotel as the most powerful, magnificent and best-preserved of all the old dragon architecture hotels. 

The canal trip showcased the beauty of this part of Norway. From the sites along the water to the mouthwatering cinnamon rolls, everything about the experience and our night in Dalen was amazing. Note the quaint vehicle that met us at the dock, the exceptional cleanliness of the room, and the truly awesome meal, each course paired with the appropriate wine. If you ever get the chance to go to Norway, this is an experience not to be missed.

The week we spent in Norway with our son, granddaughter and other members of my daughter-in-law’s family who have become friends was truly a memorable one. We hope to be able to return in a couple of years. In the meantime, we have pictures and our memories to sustain us!

This is just a taste of what we experienced. Later this week, I’ll give you a peek at the wonderful things we saw on the second part of our vacation, a cruise around the UK!

Three weeks ago, I set off on my vacation. It was the first time we’d traveled outside of the country since COVID. We were going to Norway to see family and take an historic canal cruise, and then we were going to Southampton to take another cruise around the UK. Was I leery? Yes! I’d heard all about what a mess the airline industry was, about flight delays and missing luggage, but I knew friends who did a lot of traveling and they’d never had a problem, so why should we? And as for the cruise, well, I had my vaccines, 2 mild cases of the virus, and 4 boosters. If that didn’t protect me, nothing would.

Things started off well when we got to the airport–no line-up, checked in and through security in minutes, which gave us lots of time to settle in the business lounge until it was time to board the plane.

Unfortunately, the messages saying the flight was delayed started coming in regularly. We went to the gate four hours after the original departure time, only to be told the flight was canceled, and we would be rescheduled. In the meantime, we had to collect our checked baggage and present ourselves at a desk where we would be given a taxi voucher and a hotel room for the night. There was a mechanical problem with the plane, and by the time it got fixed, the crew would be unable to fly again because of the number of hours they’d been at work.

By now, it was almost midnight, and my hubby, not the most patient man, wasn’t a happy camper. We had a canal cruise booked in Norway, and if we didn’t arrive by Wednesday, we would lose it and the money we’d spent on it, not to mention, people would e waiting for us in Norway and I couldn’t get my damn phone to work. It had worked fine all day, but now, I couldn’t access any Wi-Fi or data.

It was after two in the morning by the time we got to our hotel in the east end of Montreal and managed to send our son a message. We had a voucher for the taxi and breakfast, and were told the airline was working on getting us another flight.

The next morning, it had — but with a different carrier which would take us to Nice before taking us to Norway where we needed to be. That wasn’t what we’d signed up for. Worse yet, we wouldn’t get to Norway until midnight the following day–assuming those planes were on time.

We decided to call our travel agent and see if she could do anything to help. She did! She managed to get us on the same flight we were supposed to take the following night, but we had to give up our business class seats we’d paid for.

The airline arranged for lunch at the hotel and then got a bus to take all of those staying at that hotel back to the airport were we checked in for the flight ready to wait again.

No longer in Business class presented another problem since our large bag was now overweight and we were allowed to check only two bags not three. When we explained that to the agents at the gate, somehow they were able to put us back in business class for the overnight flight to Amsterdam, but not for the flight to Norway, but since the bags were going on, it wouldn’t matter.

Back to the business class lounge we went and waited. Once again, the plane was delayed and I was afraid they would cancel this flight, too. The plane eventually took off only three and a half hours later than it should have, which cut our time down for our connection to Norway in the Amsterdam airport to three hours instead of six.

We made it to Norway, tired and jet lagged but happy to be there. We had a great time with family and friends. Tomorrow I’ll tell you more about that and the historic canal cruise.

Good morning. I hope you’re all having a wonderful time. Not only will this be the last post from It’s a Match, it will be my last post for the next three weeks. I’m taking a break but will be back on August fifteenth with a brand new story. This week, our word prompt is PLUG. Enjoy!

“Knowing Marissa, she has a bolt hold here somewhere. A hiding place where she can disappear for a few minutes to recharge. She’s always hated these kind of things, and we both know it,” Karen stated. “Remember the prom? She disappeared for a good hour. Where did we find her? The library, reading a book about circuits. God. Why was I always so mean to her? She was the closest thing I had to a sister and in my envy and jealousy, I pissed it all away.”

Karen had been envious and jealous of me? I found that hard to believe. She’d been the popular one with all the friends while I’d been the oddball.

“This place has to have a library,” Matt said. “Let’s start looking for it. If she’s not there, then we can try the conservatory. It could provide a quiet oasis for her.”

“Good idea. I’m sure one of the staff can point us in the right direction.”

“I agree,” Ken said. “In fact, one of them might know if she’d found another spot.”

“Are we friends again or do you still hate me?” The concern in Karen’s voice was real.

Ken chuckled. “I could never hate you, no matter what a bitch you can be. None of us is perfect. Yes, you lied to Marissa, Zak, and me about that night, but we weren’t exactly innocent. As you spoke, some of the night came back to me, specifically what I said to her. I may even have recalled some of it when I saw her in Brockton when she mentioned that horrible Ice Queen nickname I gave her.”

“I doubt she ever was an Ice Queen,” Matt said. “It seems to me that girl was simply shy but determined to pursue her dreams, which back then wouldn’t have been easy ones to achieve.”

“Yeah. She was always working her ass off, getting top grades, and ignoring the fun and games we considered critical. Then, out of nowhere, Zak turned up and everything changed. Marissa blossomed, and while Zak was my friend, I was jealous of the way Marissa looked at him and how happy they were. When he proposed and she accepted … Maybe I’ve always been a little in love with her and never realized it, but as much as I care for her now, she needs to know the truth about that night as does Zak. Once everyone knows what actually happened, we can all move on. Until then, I’m going to pull the plug on my plans to pursue Marissa. I don’t want to be her second choice.”

That’s it. Stay safe, and don’t forget to check out the other Tuesday Tales.