When I slowed down and wondered what next...

 Several years ago my lovely husband retired and I promised to slow down with regards to writing so we could spend more time together. Chill and take things easy

Go on holiday, actually have time to chat.

Life would be different.

While he worked I wrote a lot, especially in the winter, when he was away. Living where we did, in Scotland it got dark early and light late. I'd close the curtains and then...write. 

And often wake up to this. 

Beautiful but not easy to then get out and do stuff. It would be slide to the log store and back again. And write ( with a cup of coffee next to me)

So, as I said when he retired it was slow down and smell the daisies.

The funny thing is, I know I'm not as prolific as I was, but I'm enjoying my writing much more. I can't say if my writing is better now, or worse, I have no idea. But what I can say is that even though I've always loved making up stories, and the joy I get it someone likes what I write is indescribable, I feel like I'm now putting more of me into what I write.

Not more of myself as in I write about me, but without the pressure (self imposed) I used to have, I can enjoy the words, the 'script', the way the story comes together much more.

If that sounds crazy, I apologise. Here's me who is supposed to be a writer, lost for words. Well I know a lot of words but can't put them together to describe what I'm trying to say.

So I'll stop there and just add, that so far this year there's a few books due out. 

The Catch Up ( preorder Feb)

Book 2 in Happy Ever After at Romansa Castle

~~~~~

The Renaissance of Baird Drummond 

Book 3, The Castle on the Loch

 (May/June)

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The Duke's Lost Love co-authored with Cassie O'Brien

Book 3 in The Scots and the Sassenachs

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The Match Up

book 3 In Happy Ever After at Romansa Castle

Autumn no date as yet.

Theres a few hmm maybe's in the pipeline as well, and of course I have a book of notes and possible story lines. I'm a great eavesdropped ( my bad) but when someone id discussing tings loudly at a nearby table in a restaurant, you can't help but here can you? And if they are discussing their love life...? Well who wouldn't be interested to know how far down her shopping list someone gets when she and her partner are making love?

It was sprouts... she did it alphabetically. 

(source, pinterest)

Not sure if that was good or not. We had paid the bill and left!

And with a bit of luck Cassie and I will bring our Christmas Special out again.

Wherever you are, happy reading,

love Raven xxx

Frosty outside and warm in...lucky me.

 A couple of years ago I'd be looking out at a cold and frosty or snowy garden and have almost as many clothes on inside as I'd need outside.

Okay it was Scotland but even though we had double glazing, our house was shall we say, not exactly roasting hot—or even mildly hot. Warm eventually if the wind was in the right direction and the fire going full blast, and yes we had central heating. When they lived at home (and visited in winter) our children argued over who got to warm their bums on the Aga. Even in their twenties!

It took ages to get the place warm. Gorgeous on a nice day, chilly (understatement) most other times.

A couple of years ago we moved to near the Yorkshire coast, in England. To a new house. With superb insulation. Oh the difference. I haven't worn any of the thick as in t...h...i...c...k clothes since we moved. and today it says it was -5c when I got up. Not cold to a lot of you, (and it's gone up to -2c) but for this part of the country? That's cold. The ground is white over, the pond almost frozen except for a tiny bit where the fountain is bravely carrying on.

And me, inside?  Warm as toast and not a fleecy jumper in sight.

I know I'm lucky, and I can't help thinking of those poor people who live outside, or who can't heat their homes. Which is why I do my bit to help when I can.

Today though? I'm cracking on with my WIP,  catching up with the washing, and counting my blessings.

Wherever you are, I hope you have a good day, and if you can,

happy reading,

love, Raven xxx

Lucky and grateful A bit of a gluten free author's guide to lovely food in the Western Cape

 To say that until I was on the plane I didn't dare hope we'd actually get away is an understatement. After our holiday to South Africa had been cancelled two years running due to covid I could only hope and pray it would be third time lucky.

(Table Mountain from The Spice Route, Paarl)

It was. The joy and relief as the plane took off was indescribable. Okay it wasn't the new super duper seats with exits onto the aisle one we'd been due to have (technical problems) but, we were lucky. We didn't get downgraded like some poor people, I got my gluten free meal and it was more than edible and the fizz was excellent.

Before anyone says anything negative, I do know how fortunate I am. Believe me I do. We saved hard and until retirement the lovely husband worked long hours. This is our treat.

That we finally got to enjoy.

The first time we came here on holiday when I was gluten free, it was hard going. Someone even thought no bread had gluten in it! Thankfully I knew different. I ate a lot of biscuits brought from home that year.

Then I discovered Woolworth which sells Marks and Spencer food. Yee hah. Various G-F breads and rolls. Goodies like mince pies, hot cross buns, banana loaf and muffins and choc muffins. Pasta, biscuits, crackers, and in the chill cabinet, crumbed chicken escalopes. Probably a lot more, but that's what I can think of. perfect.

Plus, the two or three other biggest supermarkets sell a lot of biscuits and pastas these days, and so I am sorted. (I even got nan bread) I don't need to fill my case with food, just in case.

Some fabulous restaurants that when you say you need to be gluten free, reply no bother! I can only thank them.

(I'll make a list when I've finished writing my WIP which is due now...or last week!)

And joy of joys I got to see one of my great friends. (The other friend I didn't get close enough to, sadly.)

But we were near Cape Town and Jo and I met up. She knows all the best places to meet.

We sat above the beach and chatted for ages. It was perfect. 

I hope it's not another three years before we meet.

And darn it I forgot to take a photo of us. But whenever I look at my holiday pics, I have all the fabulous memories.

Springfield Winery in the Robertson Valley (and my favourite wine in the world, Life From Stone)

Freshline Fisheries in Knysna, The Hub in Scarborough, Protege in Franschhoek, The Aegir Project in Noordhoek, The Noisy Oyster in Paternoster, La Sosta in Swellendam...my list could go on and on. But it's not all eating out. There's nothing nicer than a braai and a nice glass of wine or beer in the garden.

Our children reckon we go around the world ( I wish) via wineries and breweries. It's an exaggeration but there is nothing nicer than sitting outside in the shade listening to live music or just looking at a lovely view. and it doesn't have to be alcohol. I'm partial to sparking water and whale watching.

We're home now, and as I watch the rain lash the patio and wonder if I'll soon be paddling to the car, I can pull up my memories.

That puts me in a good mood. (so does coffee) So I can crack on with my WIP and think, now where should I set my next book?

Happy reading,

love Raven xxx

The sun is shining and I am doing edits

 My lurgy is down to an odd sneeze and a ticklish cough now and then. 

*Glancing around and hope I haven't jinxed it* 

The sun is shining (fingers crossed no jinxing there, either)

I'm doing edits for the next Cassie O'Brien and Raven McAllan book. The last one in our Scots and the Sassenachs series. Though never say never about more books in the future. We have ideas.

The Duke's Lost Love is all about Nathan and Evanna, both who we meet in the first two books. It's set both sides of the border and hopefully ties in any loose ends from the other two couples love stories. As well as theirs of course.

It's great fun writing with someone else, especially someone whose ideas mesh with your own.  We each have our strengths and weakness and luckily it works out very well. We can pick up from each other, fill in the gaps and amiably argue if need be. Which to be honest is a rare occurrence. (Unless it's over the merits of gin or vodka.)

Of course we both work on our own work as well. I'm writing the last book in my romcom series, Happy Ever After at Romansa Castle. 

(source, pinterest)

The Fix Up is out, The Catch Up is available to preorder on Feb 14th, and the third book, The Match Up will be out later in the year. That's the one I'm working on. It's such fun to write, my lovely husband wanted to know why I was typing and sniggering. (It was something I remember being told years ago, about the comparisons between a man's index finger and a certain part of his anatomy. I was debating whether my heroine was going to hit the hero with it...the jury is out on that, at the moment!

I'm getting into the story, and hope when it is finished it works.

Apart from that ( and the odd hack and sneeze) life goes on petty much as you expect in January. The weather can't make it's mind up what to do, I have notes I hope I can read, for a Regency and a sort of an idea for a contemp, and another romcom.

Plus, I really need to get round to reissuing my Katy Lilley, Devon Trilogy. And my YA series as J Lilly. I've written the final book which has never seen the light of day, and for those people who read the original series i'd love them to know just how Struan the baddie ends up.

However all that is for the future. First off I need to finish the m/s I'm writing.

so I better get back to writing it,

happy reading,

love, Raven xxx

(all books mentioned can be found on Amazon)

Happy New Year and welcome to 2023.

 Welcome to January 1st. A new year

When I was 'wee' I thought the millennium was almost unreachable and here we are in 2023.

I'm not as sociable as I used to be. Growing up in a very Scottish town in England, Hogmanay was to many, more important than Christmas. Not me. I embraced them both!

In those days you worked on the 1st, so it was out all night, nip home so as to wash off the old slap, have a drink of milk and head to work. Not that I think much got done. Although one year I did start a new job on the 1st and had to go to bed and toss and turn listening to the revellers around.

Over the years it got shall we say gentler. Stay up, have a toast, watch some fireworks and had to bed in the wee small hours.

I admit this year, I took me and the lurgy that is clinging to me like a leech to bed 'afor the bells'. I woke up at 12.01 to mutter 'happy new year' to my snoring other half who of course didn't hear me. I then tossed turned, coughed sneezed and spluttered for the next few hours.

Not a pretty sight.

(source—pinterest)

During which I pondered—along with a perhaps plot for a book, edits that need doing and how to add a person into the current WIP who will upset the applecart—on a few not so pleasant thoughts. To whit, about pelvic floor muscles, unexpected coughing sessions and shoot, dash to the loo moments. Is it old age, slower reactions or sods law?

Probably a bit of all of them.

But I'm still here, albeit creakier, still writing, albeit slower, and still enjoying life (even with the darned lurgy) 

Stay safe everyone,

love and happy reading,

Raven xxx