Quick little check in today. Time has gotten away from this week. I’m trying to get some kind of fall routine going.
I wanted to share some of my inspiration for my hero, Ridge Bennett. A landscaper with a heart of gold and a troubled past who’s looking to reconnect with his teenage daughter. The hero and heroine in this book are forty years old and have been around the block, so to speak. Both of them are starting over from very different places. It’s been fun finding a middle ground where they can be together.
March is flying by. Not much to tell you about except that the writing is going well. So, yay!
Mood Board
My heroine is not only looking to open up her family home as a bed and breakfast. She has a sideline gig as a baker. She also makes petit fours, which are delicate little cakes, for her friend, Clare, and her ladies aid group to sell at the Whisper Creek farmer’s market.
So, if you’re in the mood for tiny cakes inspiration, check out this recipe tutorial for stencilled petit fours from Cake Journal. Aren’t they adorable? And made with store bought pound cake!
The great thing about being a writer is getting to incorporate ideas into a book that I can’t make happen in my everyday life. I love the idea of stepping through a large metal ring into another part of a garden. I’ve given Charlotte that dream and Ridge, the hero, is just the person to make her landscape dreams happen. I love the idea of a moon gate leading to a midnight garden. It sets a very romantic mood. Who knows what can happen when one finds themselves in such a garden? Nudge, nudge, wink, wink.
Landscape Design: Davis Dalbok & Tim O’Shea Photo Credit: Davis Dalbok Source: SFGate
There is both a parlour and a library in the book. Below is my inspiration for the library. I love the dark blue colour of the builtins combined with the rug and the light. I could spend hours in this room curled up with a good book. In the early days of Darcy House, which was built in the early 1900s, this room would have been Charlotte’s great great grandfather’s office. I like to think this maintains the mood of what would have been his domain and turns it into something that appeals to everyone looking for a cozy spot.
Winter is in full swing. There is still a lot of snow on the ground in these parts. Lots. But the sun is shining and the days are getting longer. And in my work-in-progress it’s May and spring. Writing about spring is giving me a break from winter.
My heroine, Charlotte Darcy, has inherited Darcy House, her historic family home, from her grandmother and she has plans to turn it into a bed and breakfast. First she needs to tend to the neglected and overgrown grounds. She’s hired Ridge Bennett, a local landscaper, to manage the project. Ridge has grand plans for the grounds.
Here’s my rudimentary sketch of Ridge’s vision.
I’m in a bit of a reading slump right now. I started a couple of books that I didn’t end up finishing. So, it’s been too much television and not enough reading. I need my daily break from reality and to be utterly immersed in a book. Things are looking up though, I was approved of two ARCs (advance reader copies) that I’m very excited about: VenCo by Cherie Dimaline and Homecoming by Kate Morton.
Until next time…
Who else is feeling the February blahs? And what are you doing to get through February?
This gorgeous book was a heartbreaker, in the best way. Kennedy Ryan‘s writing gives you something different each time. In Before I Let Go, we meet Yasmen and Josiah Wade, whose marriage was supposed to last forever. But, as we find out, grief can rip the best of intentions to shreds. At the beginning of the story they have been divorced for two years. Moving forward means moving on from each other. But to do that they have to confront the grief that tore them apart. Sensual, angsty, and raw, this book has it all.
I’m going to leave you with another sneak peek at the first book in my Whisper Creek series. Charlotte has moved into her family home and has plans to turn it into a bed and breakfast. Four generations have lived in Darcy House, which was built by Albert and Louise Darcy in 1907. Rumours also swirl around The Darcy Diamonds. Jewelry given to Darcy brides on their wedding day and on the birth of children.
It’s one month till Christmas which means November is almost over. I’ve not watched one Christmas movie, Hallmark or otherwise. But we did see Bryan Adams in concert and it was fabulous. My Mom and I went to see our first Globe Theatre of the 2022/2023 season. Also, wonderful. And I’ve been busy with my watercolours and watching The Great Canadian Baking Show. And the sunsets and sunrises the last couple of days have been gorgeous.
Favourite Small Business Mention: Ell and Kay Clay Designs made in Saskatchewan. I love their earrings!
I’m leaving you with a tiny snippet from Charlotte and Ridge’s story (Whisper Creek Series, Book One). For a guy who’s trying to keep a low profile he’s not doing a very good job. It’s been a lot of fun throwing him into the deep end of the pool and figuring out what comes next.
I hope you find a moment of calm to read a great book in the amidst of the storm that is Christmas shopping, baking and socializing, oh my. I’ve recommended some great reads in previous posts. I also share bits of this and that on Instagram and Facebook, in case you’re interested.
This is the book I picked for October because, you know, Halloween. And it has vampires and werewolves and soulless humans (?) and the typical mortal kind. And they’ve found a way to co-exist in Victorian England. Mostly.
Soulless by Gail Carriger a combination of urban fantasy, victorian, romance, steampunk and mystery. I’ve never read anything like it. I enjoyed it. Alexia Tarabotti is an outspoken, sarcastic delight. She may have no soul but she’d got character in spades. Though I have to admit I had to do some backtracking. That doesn’t necessarily bother me, especially if it’s a genre I don’t regularly read. And there was a lot going on in this story. And a lot of characters. And layered world building to sort through. It’s not for everyone but if you’re curious definitely give it a try.
Here’s a sneak peek at a book I’m writing which may or may not have a ghostly character.
Speaking of baking, the heroine of my work-in-progress bakes cakes for people. Aside from getting ready to open up a bed and breakfast, she has a little side hustle called Buttercream. New in town, she’s getting to know the people of Whisper Creek one cake at a time. Or at least, she’s trying…
Sometime during the earth plague, I decided I enjoy baking. Weird. But yummy. I think my favourite thing to make is galettes, or pies. But I’m on a snacking cake kick at the moment. Today I’m going to make my Mom’s apple crumb cake. I’ll let you know how it goes. Hopefully, as good as my Aunt Alma’s Chicken casserole, which I made with leftover turkey, despite the rather sparse instructions. It’s from back in the day when you recited the recipe from memory to the person requesting. Like throw in a few peas. Add maybe 1/2 cup of milk – or maybe a 1/4. No indication of baking times or oven temperatures. Because if you have to ask you aren’t worthy. I made it anyway.
