The Ravine of the Wild Woman, Algiers - Family Memories by Marie Laval

Our romantic anthology ESCAPE TO AFRICA is published today! This latest offering from the World Romance Writers is a collection of six very different romantic suspense short stories, all set in Africa, and available here for the special price of £0.99.

Let your wild side free and Escape to Africa! Come along on an adventure through these 6 stories brought to you by 6 best-selling, award-winning authors. You will uncover tales of an undercover operative in Casablanca, a safari guide in the Serengeti, students on holiday in Morocco, time-traveling agents in Tripoli, vengeance in Algeria, and deadly secrets in Carthage. Each of these stories will captivate you with love, danger, intrigue, and excitement. What better way to Escape?

When I was asked if I wanted to write a story for the anthology, I didn't hesitate for one second. Africa, and particularly Algeria in North Africa, always held a special place in my heart, and I hope that one day I will be able to visit and see the wonderful landscapes I have dreamt and written about.

Renée Cantrel, my mother, 1950s

My mother was born and brought up in Algiers, the sixth child of the Cantrel family. There was Marcel, who died at Dunkirk on June 1st 1940, Roger, Christiane, and twins Georgette and Guy.

Famille Cantrel, 1940. My mother is standing on the chair. Marcel is in his uniform. 

 My great-grandparents had a mixed and colourful background, since they came from Spain, France and Italy to settle in Algeria in the nineteenth century. They were what French people call 'Pied-Noirs'. They weren't wealthy at all but worked as builders and engineers, although there was always that story that my grandmother's family - the Di Bernardis - were aristocrats and had left their castle near Turin to emigrate to Algeria. I strongly suspect this was just one of those family fantasies handed down from generation to generation...

Paul in his Zouave uniform and his wife Noelie Cantrel

 My grandfather, Paul Cantrel, fought in the Zouaves regiment during the First World War.

Whilst in the trenches in Verdun he formed a friendship with a director from the Maison Godin de Guise - who still to this day manufacture stoves and cookers. They kept in touch after the war and he was appointed sales representative for Godin in Algeria.

The company gave him a car, which I believe the family was exceedingly proud of. Incidentally, the Godins were also 'visionaries' or 'utopian industrialists' who in 1846 built an ideal industrial city for their workers in the North of France, the Familistère, a fascinating building and project which is open to the public (details here).

Marcel, Roger, Christiane and twins Georgette and Guy Cantrel in the Godin company car, some time in the early 1930s

The Cantrel family lived in the Robertsau district of Algiers, and shared a cabanon (literally, a shack) on the coast where my mother said she spent the most carefree and wonderful holidays, swimming and fishing for sea urchins and mussels with her brothers and sisters. Like I said, the family weren't rich, and my mother was often sent to the local grocery shop to get supplies to put on a tab because she was small and cute and the grocer had a soft spot for her. She remembered that tea often consisted of slices of stale bread rubbed with garlic and softened with olive oil.

(I had posted a photo here which I genuinely thought was the summer house my mother's family came on holidays to in the seaside in Suffren, but I was apparently wrong and the copyright holder demanded I removed it, so there you are...)

She came to live in Amiens in the North of France after Algeria became independent in 1962, and found it really hard to adjust to the climate and the 'strange accent' and 'funny ways' of people there. It would be fair to say that people found her strange too. All her life she kept her Pied Noir accent, full of sunshine and quirky words and phrases taken from the Spanish, Arabic or Italian languages. This Pied Noir dialect even has a special name - the Pataouète.

She often talked to my sisters and I about her youth, and filled our heads and imagination with her memories of the Mediterranean sea sparkling under the midday sun, of hidden coves where pirate Barberossa's treasures were rumoured to be buried, of exotic scents, foods and colours. At times it was almost as if we'd been there ourselves.

Garden in Algiers, courtesy of Pixabay

My inspiration for The Ravine of the Wild Woman is a real place in Algiers, close to the Birmandreis Forest, named after a wild woman who lived there in the 1840s. Who was she really? Some said she was a melancholic young woman who had been abandoned by her lover and lived in a cave on the charity of locals. Others claimed she was a young mother who had lost her mind after her children vanished in the forest one day...

Blurb

Algeria, North Africa, 1865.
Lenora Sharp is Azerwal's perfect woman. Brave, determined and unconventional, she is also related to the man who stole his name, his childhood and his identity - the very man and he has vowed to destroy, even if it takes him all the way to hell. Will love get in the way of revenge, or will Azerwal lose his soul before he loses his heart?

Author Bio

Originally from Lyon in France, Marie has lived in Lancashire, Northern England, for the past twenty-five years. A member of the Romantic Novelists Association and the Society of Authors, Marie loves dreaming up romantic heroes and writing love stories. Her native France very much influences her writing and gives her novels 'a French twist'!

You can find more about my novels on

https://www.facebook.com/marielavalauthor/

http://marielaval.blogspot.co.uk/

and https://twitter.com/MarieLaval1

EXCERPT FROM 'THE DREAM CATCHER'

I am delighted to publish an excerpt from my Scottish Historical Romance THE DREAM CATCHER, Book 1 in the DANCING FOR THE DEVIL TRILOGY which was published by Accent Press last December. Book 2 - BLUE BONNETS - will be released on January 28th. I hope you enjoy it!

Excerpt

A giant stepped in front of her. Dressed in black riding boots, black breeches and riding coat, he was so tall and his shoulders so broad the already dark horizon darkened further.

     ‘Silence.’

     His voice was deep and calm, the voice of a man used to be obeyed. The crowd hushed at once.

     He bent down in front of her.

     ‘Well, well, who do we have here?’

     Even though she could hardly see his face, she felt his eyes bore into hers, and it was enough to make her mind go blank.

     ‘Rose…Rose Saintclair.’

     ‘Where are the others, your servants, your maids?’

     ‘I… I don’t have any.’

     ‘Really? That’s a surprise. All right then, come up.’ He held both his hands out.

     She hesitated a moment before placing her hands in his. He pulled her up and she flew straight into his arms, landing with a bump against his broad, hard chest. He was so tall she had to tilt her face all the way back to look at him. Her heart skipped a beat, then started bumping fast and loud.

     His eyes were grey and framed by dark eyelashes, his nose straight and strong, his cheekbones high and sharp. Thick black stubble covered his cheeks and chin, and his hair flew around his face, the colour of a raven’s wing. There was something dangerous about him, something reminiscent of a brutal warrior from days long gone by.

     She wriggled to free herself but he didn't let go and his mouth curved into a mocking smile.

     ‘Well, Fàilte, my sweetheart. ‘I’ll say this for McRae. If there’s one thing the rascal can do, it’s pick his fancy women.’

     His hand slid from her waist and he patted her bottom.

     Her reaction was instinctive. She swung her arm and lifted her hand to slap him. She didn’t have the chance. Without batting an eyelid he caught her wrist.

     ‘Steady on, sweetheart. You have a nasty little temper.’

     ‘And you have no right to insult me in this way, you vile brute,’ she hissed. ‘I am not Lord McRae’s fancy woman, as you so elegantly put it, I’m his wife!’

     She had expected at least a shocked response or a groveling apology but he merely smiled.

     ‘It’s all right, gràidheag, you don’t have to pretend.’

     ‘Pretend what?’

     ‘Pretend you’re married to the man. I don’t care if you’re McRae’s mistress or his laundry maid, if you scrub his back or his dirty shirts.’

     ‘I am telling the truth, you stubborn macaque,’ she shouted in frustration. ‘I married Lord McRae in Algiers four weeks ago.’

     ‘Please don't scream quite so loud. I heard you the first time. I just don’t believe you.’

     ‘What?’

     ‘First you introduce yourself as Rose Saintclair, now you’re spinning me a tale about being married McRae. Make up your mind, sweetie.’

     He glanced at her hand. ‘I don’t see any wedding band on your finger.’

     ‘That’s because Cameron wanted to keep the wedding a secret. Never mind, I don’t have to explain anything to you. Now let go of me.’

     She wriggled to break free, but he was still holding her wrist, leaving her no choice but to kick him hard in the shin with the tip of her boot – the very pointy tip of the fashionable new boots she had made in Algiers.

     ‘Ouch. Steady on, sweetheart.’

     ‘Let go of me, you deranged baboon! And stop calling me sweetheart.’

     She kicked him again, harder. He muttered something in a strange, guttural language she didn’t understand and let go of her so suddenly she staggered backward and fell on her bottom on the hard, wet cobbles.

     Her breath caught in her throat, her heart beat hard, erratic. Tears blurred her vision as people sneered and clapped around her. She knew McRaes and McGunns were enemies, but she had nothing to do with their feud, so why did everybody here seem to hate her so much? And why was the big hairy brute intent on humiliating her and not believing a word she said?

     He stepped closer and offered his hand.

     ‘Come on, now, sweetheart. Let’s start again. I think we got off on the wrong foot.’

     He sounded contrite but she wasn’t ready to forgive to forgive him. Ignoring his hand, she scrambled to her feet, and straightened her back. Attack was the best defence, her brother often said, and Lucas knew what he was talking about. He was the best scout in the whole of the Barbary States – or Algeria as the French now called her country.

     ‘Take me to your master immediately,’ she started in a voice as cold and steady she could manage, ‘so I can ask him to have you whipped for your insolence.’

     There was a collective gasp from the people around them. Not looking in the least impressed, the man crossed his arms on his broad chest and arched his eyebrows.

     ‘Really?’

     She took another deep breath.

     ‘That’s what I do to disrespectful servants on my estate, and I can assure you they stop smirking after five lashes.’ That was an outrageous lie, of course, but no one here was to know.

     'If what you said earlier is true, then I see McRae chose his bride well.’ The man’s eyes were now hard as steel. ‘You and he are indeed a match made in heaven, or in hell. I’m sure you’ll be very happy together.’ He paused. ‘I’m sorry to disappoint you, sweetheart, but I don’t approve of whipping people, or beasts, for that matter.’

     ‘And I don’t care a fig if you approve or not. It is for your master to decide your punishment, and from what I’ve heard of Lord McGunn, he is neither a patient nor compassionate man.’

     He arched his eyebrows. ‘I didn’t know I had such a bad reputation.’

     Rose’s heart stopped. He wasn’t… he couldn’t be…

     ‘I realise I failed to introduce myself. I am Bruce McGunn.’ He bowed his head in a military salute.

     ‘You are?’ The words came out as a squeak.

     His lips stretched into a tight smile that didn’t warm his eyes.

     ‘At your service, my lady. Now the introductions are over, shall we make our way to the Lodge?’

Rose's and Bruce's story continues in BLUE BONNETS, which is now available for pre-order.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Blue-Bonnets-Dancing-Devil-Book-ebook/dp/B019E15RTE/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8

 

BLUE BONNETS available to pre-order!

I am delighted to announce that BLUE BONNETS, Book 2 of my historical romance trilogy DANCING FOR THE DEVIL, is now available for pre-order! It will be released by Accent Press on 28th January 2016.

BLUE BONNETS follows on from THE DREAM CATCHER, http://www.amazon.co.uk/Dream-Catcher-Dancing-Devil-Book-ebook-y/dp/B017D73N0Q/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8

Blurb

Cape Wrath, Scotland, November 1847.

Bruce McGunn, laird of Wrath in the far North of Scotland, is as brutal and unforgiving as his land. Discharged from the army, haunted by the spectres of his fallen comrades and convinced he is going mad, he is running out of time to save his estate from the machinations of Cameron McRae, heir to the McGunn's ancestral enemies.

When the clipper carrying McRae’s new bride docks at Wrath harbour, McGunn decides to hold the woman to ransom and use her to get more time to repay his debts. However, far from the spoilt heiress he expected, Rose is genuine and funny - a ray of sunshine in the long winter that has become his life. She is also determined to escape.

As Rose runs away to be reunited with her husband, she discovers there is a sinister side to the dazzlingly handsome aristocrat she married after a whirlwind romance. Why was Cameron so desperate to get her father's military journal? Why did he insist on keeping their wedding a secret? She is even more confused when Bruce catches up with her and she starts to feel irresistibly attracted to him. Soon she risks her marriage to help Bruce find the truth about his past and solve the mystery of the brutal murders committed on his land. Will her love be enough to heal his haunted heart?

Rose's and Bruce's story will conclude in SWORD DANCE, available in March 2016!

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B019E15RTE?keywords=blue%20bonnets&qid=1451913618&ref_=sr_1_1&s=digital-text&sr=1-1

 

Tin Hinan, the Tuareg Queen

My historical romance THE LION'S EMBRACE, which was published by Áccent Press last August, is mostly set in North Africa in 1845. The heroine, Harriet Montague, hires scout Lucas Saintclair to rescue her father, an archaeologist who she believes has been taken hostage in the far South of Algeria. Harriet's father, Oscar Montague, was on the trail of the legendary Garamantes' emerald mines when he discovered the tomb of Tuareg queen Tin Hinan.

I absolutely loved researching the many legends and tales associated with this mysterious queen who is said to have founded the Tuaregs.

Tin Hinan, the queen the Tuaregs still call ‘Our Mother’, is rumoured to have come from the country which would now be Morocco with her maid servant Takamat. They settled at Abalessa, an oasis in Southern Algeria, and their daughters are rumoured to be the founders of all the Tuareg tribes. Her tomb was discovered by archaeologist and adventurer Byron Khun de Prorok (what a name!) in 1925.

In ‘The Lion’s Embrace’, I have used my 'artistic licence' in that Oscar Montague discovers the tomb in 1845 but it is then closed up and left untouched.

However, I kept all the details of the artefacts, of the gold, silver jewellery, precious and semi-precious stones which were found as accurate as possible and stuck very closely to the description of the remains of the Tuareg queen.

When her burial chamber was opened, archaeologists found the queen lying on a bed of hand-carved wood, facing toward the East. She was wrapped in a leather shroud, and wore fifteen solid silver and gold bracelets, a diadem made of emeralds, ostrich feathers and a long cornelian necklace.

In the days before carbon dating, it was the imprint of a coin with the effigy of Emperor Constantine on a sculptured bowl which enabled historians to date the tomb from the 4^th century AD. The body of Queen Tin Hinan as well as all the artefacts found in her tomb are now in the Bardo Museum in Algiers.

From the top of the tomb, one can see the beautiful, mysterious Hoggar mountain range, particularly the great Koudia – which the Tuareg have named the ‘Roof of the Sahara’, and where according to local legends, the King of the Djins (the King of the Evil Spirits) lives. One can see the iconic Mount Illiman too.

Even before her tomb was discovered, the numerous legends surrounding Queen Tin Hinan inspired Pierre Benoit to write his classic novel ‘Atlantide’, published in 1919. His heroin, Antinea, and her followers are descendants of the people of ‘Atlantis’ who had taken refuge in the Hoggar after a great disaster destroyed their world. Antinea lives in a palace hidden in the mountains, where she seduced and entrapped lost explorers to the Sahara.

Recently there has been some controversy about the identify of the woman who was buried at Abalessa, with some historians now disputing that the remains belonged to Tin Hinan at all!

Whoever was buried there however was a woman of immense prestige and immense wealth.

Cover Reveal for DREAM CATCHER

Getting the cover for your latest novel is a very special moment indeed, and I was both a little apprehensive and excited yesterday when I opened the email from my editor with the photo of the cover for my historical romance DREAM CATCHER, which will be released on November 26th by Áccent Press.

 

The story is set in the winter of 1847 near Cape Wrath, in the far North of Scotland, and opens with a terrible storm at sea. As it turned out, I had absolutely no reason to feel apprehensive at all! I think that the cover artist has managed to capture both the atmosphere and harsh Scottish landscapes, and the lovely, sunny personality of the heroine.

 

What do you think?

Here is the blurb for the novel.

DREAM CATCHER

Can her love heal his haunted heart?

Cape Wrath, Scotland, November 1847.

Bruce McGunn is a man as brutal and unforgiving as his land in the far North of Scotland. Discharged from the army where he was known as the claymore devil, haunted by the spectres of his fallen comrades and convinced he is going mad, he is running out of time to save his estate from the machinations of Cameron McRae, heir to the McGunn's ancestral enemies. When the clipper carrying McRae’s new bride is caught in a violent storm and docks at Wrath harbour, Bruce decides to revert to the old ways and hold the clipper and the woman to ransom. However, far from the spoilt heiress he expected, Rose is genuine, funny and vulnerable - a ray of sunshine in the long, harsh winter that has become his life.

But Rose is determined to escape Wrath and its proud master - the man she calls McGlum.

DREAM CATCHER is the first of the DANCING FOR THE DEVIL trilogy and is followed by BLUE BONNETS and SWORD DANCE.

Can you speak camel?

It's amazing what you find out when you write a novel! While researching the background and setting of my historical romance THE LION'S EMBRACE, I came across fascinating material about North Africa - enchanting Tuareg poems and legends, accounts of expeditions in the Sahara, beautiful photos of the most breathtaking scenery...and this fabulous snippet of information about camels, taken from the anthology 'Contes et Légendes du Niger' by Pierre-Marie Decoudras and Laurence Rivaille and published by Karthala, Paris.

 

Why was I so interested in camels? Because much of the story is set in Southern Algeria where my hero Lucas Saintclair takes the heroine Harriet Montague in the hope of finding her missing father. On the way, they encounter danger and treason, adventure and passion - it is a romance after all! They also hook up with a Tuareg tribe to travel to Tamanrasset, and Harriet gets to find out a little about the nomads' way of life.



Image courtesy of Photokanok at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Camels aren't only essential to local tribes as a means of transport. They are also companions and 'an inexhaustible source of information'[1]. Not only do they know where to find pastures and water holes, but they also warn their owners of dangers and trouble ahead. Some nomads even claim that their camel can talk!

Here are a few examples recorded by the authors. When a camel walks around the campsite several times at dawn then kneels down in front of its master's tent and grunts, it is warning about unwelcome visitors. When it stands looking to the East sniffing the air for several hours, it announces a storm. And if a camel refuses to stand up whilst being harnessed, it's a sign that its owner shouldn't travel that day, but stay in his tent and drink tea.

I completely empathise with that camel. I often feel like that in the morning too!

 

 

---

[1] 'Contes et Légendes du Niger', Pierre-Marie Decoudras et Laurence Rivaille, Editions Karthala, Paris

ONE WEEK UNTIL ANGEL HEART IS PUBLISHED!

 ANGEL HEART will be released on 30th July by Accent Press.  
 I can't wait! In the meantime, here is the blurb and a short excerpt...

Blurb

Devonshire, 1815.
A mysterious Templar relic,
A web of intrigue and lies,
A woman about to lose her heart...

Marie-Ange, the young widow of an English officer, accepts an inheritance in France only to find that everything in Beauregard is not as it seems. Why is the sinister Malleval so obsessed with her family? And could her darling Christopher still be alive? Marie-Ange finds herself trapped in a dangerous web of lies, intrigue and mystical possession, and the only person to whom she can turn for help is Captain Hugo Saintclair. Yet the enigmatic Hugo represents a danger of a different kind …

‘Angel Heart’ is a lavish mix of romance, adventure and a hint of the supernatural, largely set in France against the turbulent background of Napoleon’s return from Elba.

Excerpt
Marie-Ange meets Capitaine Hugo Saintclair...

She pushed open the door to the drawing room and hurried inside. Splinter and Rusty ran under her feet, tripping her. Her cry of alarm died on her lips as two strong arms caught her. Surprised, she tilted her head up to look at the tall, dark-haired man holding her against his hard, wide chest. His intense blue eyes held her gaze and sent a shiver down her spine. One side of his weather-beaten face was barred by a long, ragged scar. The thin line of the mouth and the tightness in his jaw gave an impression of controlled anger. For a moment fear gathered in her chest. Then he smiled, a slow, confident smile, and he was transformed into the most handsome man she had ever laid eyes on.

The dogs barked at them furiously. Marie-Ange parted her lips to order them to stop but before she could speak Robert took a few steps forward, an angry scowl twisting his face, his fists clenched by his sides.

‘Let her go at once, sir,’ he warned, ‘or …’

‘Or what?’ The man arched his eyebrows, a mocking smile at the corner of his mouth, as if he dared Robert to come any closer. He shook his head and released her.

 ‘I will ask you to restrain your puppies, Madame. The three of them,’ he said as he looked down at her.

‘How dare you call me a puppy?’ Robert's face flushed a deep red, and he took another step forward.

Marie-Ange found her voice at last.

‘Rusty. Splinter. Lie down at once.’ She pointed to the rug in front of the fireplace. The dogs whimpered but obeyed. ‘Robert. That's enough. Monsieur was just helping me.’

Robert muttered an apology and crouched beside the dogs to stroke their wet, muddy coats.

‘You must be Capitaine Saintclair,’ she said, tilting her chin up to look at him again.

 The papers had been full of sketches and reports about the famous French cuirassiers and she had no difficulty imagining Saintclair in a dark blue uniform, his chest covered with shiny metal plates and his helmet topped by a black horse mane, charging onto the battlefield. His current attire of black breeches and tall leather riding boots topped by a short brown coat did nothing to dispel the heroic image conjured in her mind.

He clicked his heels together and bowed his head.

‘At your service, Madame.’

Links
http://www.accentpress.co.uk/Book/17119/Angel-Heart

Chocolate biscuits and Author Talks!

How to hold a successful author talk...Or 5 things I will do next time!

A few weeks ago, I held my first ever author talk at my local library, a very small, but very friendly place.  

 

In preparation for the event I designed a powerpoint presentation about how I became a published author, about my writing in general, and the inspiration behind A SPELL IN PROVENCE, my contemporary romantic suspense. I rehearsed and timed the talk to make sure it wouldn't be too long, and selected a couple of excerpts from the novel to read out. On the day of the talk, I went up to the library early to set up a display of books and postcards.  

All I needed was enough courage to get through the afternoon ... and an audience.

Sadly, if I managed to overcome my nerves, the audience did not materialise. Only three people came - and one of them made no secret of the fact he was only there for the librarian's offer of tea and McVities' chocolate biscuits!

Although disappointed at first, I decided to be positive. It was after all my very first chance to talk about myself as a writer, and the ideal opportunity to put into practice an excellent piece of advice I had been given: to make direct eye contact with as many members of the audience as possible. With only three people in attendance, this was going to be easy!

So what did I learn from the event and what would I do differently if I had the chance to do my talk all over again?

Next time...

1. I will be been less self-conscious and advertise the event more widely, for example by contacting local book clubs and other libraries in the area.

2. I will prepare for technology failure and have backup visuals. My powerpoint presentation didn't run as smoothly as planned because the library's computer froze several times.

3. I will not hesitate to tactfully interrupt people who are voicing opinions or talking about things which are not exactly relevant and tell them there will be time for questions and discussions later.

4. I will make the event a multi-sensory occasion. If the talk is about A SPELL IN PROVENCE once again, I will have a display of lavender sachets, scented savons de Marseille or samples of typical Provençal products. I could even have music in the background before and after the talk. 

 5. I will organise a giveaway or a competition to attract more people.

Of course, I could just forget all that and make sure I have plenty of chocolate biscuits!

What do you think of my tips for a successful author talk, and do you have any great tips you have used yourself?
 

Travel through the landscapes of A SPELL IN PROVENCE

A SPELL IN PROVENCE is set in the Lubéron region, near Bonnieux. I am not alone in finding that part of France incredibly beautiful and inspiring. Here are a few photos of the area for you to enjoy.

 

Fountains have a very special importance in the novel, but they are, and always were, very important in Provence. According to an old Provençal saying 'Eici, l'aigo es d'or', which translates by 'Here, water is gold' - and no wonder when you think how hot it can get in the summer and how parched the earth can be. Anyone who read the wonderful 'Jean de Florette' and 'Manon des Sources' by Marcel Pagnol, or who saw the films, can remember the struggles and hardship the characters faced and their anguish of the characters when the water supply ran dry.



There are so many beautiful villages dotting the countryside. Bonnieux, Saignon, Gordes, and Buoux, to name but a few. Several of them feature in the story.

My heroine buys Bellefontaine, a 'bastide' (an old farmhouse) she has renovated and she plans to open as a guesthouse....and where eerie things happen. But I don't want to give too much of the story away! I had a very precise image of the place in my mind. The photo below is almost exactly how I imagined Bellefontaine to be. I can almost smell the pink laurels and the herbs in the garden...

My hero is heir to an old aristocratic family and has turned his ancestral manor house into a luxury hotel. Once again, the location is based on a real place - the castle in Lourmarin - but I have of course changed a few details.

Lastly, there is the ancient village of 'Bories', these stone huts dating back from the Iron Age for some, and which were until a few decades ago, still used as shelter by shepherds. In A SPELL IN PROVENCE I used the bories as setting for a couple of dramatic scenes!

Some bories are scattered in the landscape, like this one.

 

I hope you enjoyed my photo tour of the locations of A SPELL IN PROVENCE.

Have you ever been in Provence? Which village or landscape did you find the most memorable?

I would love to hear from you!

 

A SPELL IN PROVENCE is published by Accent Press and is available from

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00RVQO8RM

and in print from http://www.accentpress.co.uk/Book/2529/13421/A-Spell-in-Provence.html







Finding my way with music...

Although I much prefer peace and quiet to write, I always have one or two special songs or pieces of music that help me through the process of writing a novel. They are never the same ones and vary with every story. For some reason every time I fear I am losing my way and I have got out of touch with the characters or I am stuck in an impossible dead end, listening to them it helps me get back into the mood and the heart of the story.  

Here are some of the songs which have inspired me so far. I hope you enjoy them too!

When I was writing A SPELL IN PROVENCE, soon to be published by Accent Press, I kept listening to Zaz and her poignant 'Eblouie par la nuit'. I love this song, it makes me cry every single time. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KDcgOpUp2nc

I was also playing Françoise Hardy's song 'En résumé, en conclusion...', probably because it made me think about Jacques Dutronc - her long term partner, and I just love, love him!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g_C21aXxuUk

ANGEL HEART
Laam is a French singer with a beautiful voice. There are many songs of hers I love. These two are my favourite:
'Que l'amour nous garde' https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i9yrkwHASEo
'De ton indifférence' https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hCb4uYi0JdY






THE LION'S EMBRACE
I completely fell in love with Tuareg music, in particular great guitarist Bombino and his song 'Tar Hani' (I love you). These words are actually spoken by my hero, Lucas Saintclair at the end of the novel.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Adfb17JQYtg

I also listened a lot to 'Welcome to Imzad' (the Imzad is the traditional string instrument played by Tuareg women). I have no idea what the song is about but I found the melody and the sound of the imzad really poignant and haunting. In fact, I wrote whole scenes of the novel while listening to this song in a loop, and I always promised myself that if I was lucky enough for the book to be turned into a film I would insist of this music for the soundtrack! (well, it costs  nothing to dream...)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E5z7AcjE-YI

DANCING FOR THE DEVIL, a historical romance to be published by Accent Press in the New Year
I rediscovered Fleetwood Mac 'Go your own way' and 'The Chain'. Now, this is going to sound very, very silly but I named my hero's horse after 'The Chain'... Of course, the song did inspire me in other ways too! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WjLaj2GROjU

What about you? Is music important when you write, and what music inspires you? I would love to hear from you!

New Cover for A SPELL IN PROVENCE

I am delighted to present the new cover for A SPELL IN PROVENCE which is to be published on December 19th by Accent Press. Although I loved the original cover, Rebecca Lloyd, my fantastic editor at Accent, felt that it was a little too carefree for the storyline and that a darker, more mysterious picture would suit the plot better. So this is it!  What do you think?

With few roots in England and having just lost her job, Amy Carter decides to give up on home and start a new life in France, spending her redundancy package turning an overgrown Provençal farmhouse, Bellefontaine, into a successful hotel.

Though she has big plans for her new home, none of them involves falling in love – least of all with Fabien Coste, the handsome but arrogant owner of a nearby château.  As romance blossoms, eerie and strange happenings in Bellefontaine hint at a dark mystery of the Provençal countryside which dates back many centuries and holds an entanglement between the ladies of Bellefontaine and the ducs de Coste at its centre. As Amy works to unravel the mystery, she begins to wonder if it may not just be her heart at risk, but her life too.  

http://www.accentpress.co.uk/Book/13421/A-Spell-in-Provence.html

A Spell in Provence soon to be published!

A SPELL IN PROVENCE is now available for pre-order at Accent Press. 

And here is the blurb!

With few roots in England and having just lost her job, Amy Carter decides to give up on home and start a new life in France, spending her redundancy package turning an overgrown Provençal farmhouse, Bellefontaine, into a successful hotel.

Though she has big plans for her new home, none of them involves falling in love – least of all with Fabien Coste, the handsome but arrogant owner of a nearby château.  As romance blossoms, eerie and strange happenings in Bellefontaine hint at a dark mystery of the Provençal countryside which dates back many centuries and holds an entanglement between the ladies of Bellefontaine and the ducs de Coste at its centre. As Amy works to unravel the mystery, she begins to wonder if it may not just be her heart at risk, but her life too.  

http://www.accentpress.co.uk/Book/13421/A-Spell-in-Provence.html