Historical Novel Society's review of Far Beyond Rubies

FAR BEYOND RUBIES published by MuseItUp Publishing has been reviewed in the Historical Novel Society's magazine "Historical Novels Review."
"Inside Riverside House in England in 1706 the seventh baron, William Kemp is heard shouting at his 18-year old attractive half-sister: "Bastards, Juliana! You and your sister are bastards." He plans to banish them from Riverside. William has not only inherited the title but is claiming the estate as well. Juliana knows that under her grandpere's will she was the rightful heir. Juliana has to prove her legitimacy and her claim.
Juliana and her sister flee Riverside to seek legal counsel in Loncon. With William in pursuit, Juliana meets a suave gentleman named Gervaise. He has recently returned from India, having amassed a fortune and a dark complexion to boot. He offers to help Juliana in her quest as he is immediately besotted by her, for she reminds him of his late Indian wife. His proposal leads to more than a helping hand.
Rosemary Morris has penned a magnificent historical romance with superb, intimate descriptions and politico-religious conflicts of the era which immerse us into an elite society. The inclusion of snippets about Indian customs, religion and cuisine give the story a unique flavour. While the ending is predictable, the plot twists in Juliana's and Gervaise's quest and the evocative narration of the sexual tension between them keeps us turning the pages. Highly recommended.
Waheed Rabbani
(Far Beyond Rubies is available as a paper book and an e-book from the publisher, Amazon and elsewhere.)

Runner Beans and A Massage

My runner bean plants survived a night out of the greenhouse. So, on this sunny day I transplanted them and also potted up my sweet potato plants.

This afternoon I went for a full body massage. It was very intense, and I swear there's not a bit of my body that does not hurt a lot when touched. The masseur thinks I need fiver treatments before the massages will become more enjoyable. I shall persevere. So far, this week's reaction is not as bad as last week's.

I had dinner with my daughter and grandchildren. Afterward, when I reached home and went out into the garden to examine my runner beans I noticed some of them look very unhappy. After all the trouble I've gone to, not to mention forking out for an expensive packet of self fertile seeds, I hope they will perk up.

Reading and Gardening

Yesterday, - unusually - I didn't have time to post anything. In the evening I stayed up until after midnight reading Stolen, Escape from Syria - A mother's terrifying journey to rescue her kidnapped child - by Louise Monaghan, who fell in love with a Syrian with terrible consequences. After he kidnapped their daughter, May, I was hoping against hope that Louise and May would escape.

I woke late and  gave up on writing my novel for today. Instead, I put up the bean poles for my runner beans.

The garden has been productive throughout the winter, and now there are plenty of herbs and the first spring vegetables, some of which I use to make a salad for lunch - the first broad beans dressed with homemade egg free mayonnaise and a little finely chopped sage, tender baby salad leaves with homemade salad dressing, and crisp radishes, delicious.

This evening I must go to bed early and get up earlier than usual to catch up with my writing.

Flash Fiction

No time to blog yesterday, after a busy weekend, and, yesterday, lunch at an Indonesian restaurant to celebrate my daughter's birthday, followed by this that and the other in the house and garden in the afternoon before going to Watford Writers in the evening.

Watford Writers had chosen the theme Shadows for a 300 word flash fiction competition. I wrote one that began: Only one thing in this material world is certain, we come into it and we leave it. To be honest, I don't have the time to devote to this difficult form of writing, but writing outside my usual box is challenging so I participated.

The authors of the winning stories deserved their prizes but I should imagine the marks awarded to the 16 stories were close.

I am very impressed by the varied plots, themes and originality in each short piece of flash fiction.

E-mails, Writing, Plans for the Day

I checked my e-mails this morning. One of them brought back a memory of a truck with a trailer full of sheep. The truck had broken down on one of the hottest days of the year. Without water the animals, were in obvious distress to I phoned the RSPCA. Even worse are cases of animals left in cars with no ventilation on very hot days.

 

It's 10 a.m. I've started to tidy up a file which contains notes on marketing from my publisherr and I've written another 800 pages of my novel, Monday's Child, the sequel to my published Regency Novel, Sunday's Child.

 

I enjoyed my breakfast - porridge with a handful of blueberries, some black grapes and a few strawberries.

 

 I’m now planning to spend an hour in the garden putting up poles for my runner beans, which are trying to reach the ceiling of the greenhouse and need to be planted out as soon as they have been acclimatised to the weather. They need warmth so, hopefully, the weather will improve,

 

 

Writing, Gardening and Cooking

Very successful writing session this morning. I wrote a thousand words and solved the problem of how to reveal the heroine's dilemma.

The weather forecast was bad but this morning it was mild and the rain held off. I'm growing first early new potatoes and second early potatoes in large containers. As I added covered them with more compost I remembered an incident with my late husband,  who knew nothing about growing fruit and vegetables.

I was chitting new potatoes i.e. waiting for them to sprout before I planted them. "Strange," I thought, "where are they?" So I asked my husband. He shifted from one foot to the other like a guilty schoolboy. He had cooked them for lunch.

Anyway, today I put my runner beans outside to harden off during the day before I return them to the   greenhouse for the night, re-planted my bay tree and stood the pot on the doorstep, I also planted
out a new hosta and put organic slug pellets around each of my hostas. Next I did some weeding and picked flowers for the house as well as  picking the first broad beans of the season and Swiss chard,
which has cropped since last year in the early summer.

I steamed the baby broad beans in their pods, and when the were ready cut them as I would cut French beans, and I steamed the Swiss Chard. I also cut the stalks into 3 quarter inch pieces, cooked them quickly and served them in a white sauce flavoured with parsley from the garden, salt, pepper and English mustard. Yummy.

Free copy of Tangled Love

If you would like to please visit my publisher: https://museituppublishing.com/bookstore
and click onto Mother's Day Super Specials.
Amongst the special offers is my novel Tangled Love set in the reign of Queen Anne Stuart - 1702 - 1714
The offer ends at midnight Sunday, May 11, 2014
In my publisher's words: "perfect time to stock up or give as a gift to that special someone in your life."

Computer Side-Effects

After spending long hours at either the laptop or the computer day after day, I became very stiff and sore. This morning I went for a full body, two-hour massage. The masseur was very thorough and only by taking deep breaths could I tolerate the pain when she found parts which I had not known were painful, such as the pads of my big toes and the arches of my feet. 

Spring is here.

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Ooops - Complete Review now posted
5* review of Far Beyond Rubies
Taking a Step Back
Miserable Day
Peach and Nectarine Patio Trees
Tomato Plants
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Blog

Rosemary's Blog has 454 Entries ' Spring Weather ' 07/05/2014 07:13:19 My greenhouse is full of edible goodies. Baby leaves - mizuna, lettuce and rocket they are delicious and would be very expensive in the shops. Something ate the tops of my first runner bean seedlings but I salvaged some and have some more coming up in a heated propagator. I also have French beans coming up in seed trays, and the broad beans I planted in the autumn are reaching up toward the sky. Outside I still have Swiss Chard which has been cropping since last summer and some lovely, crunchy radishes growing in homemade compost in an oblong container. I had a row of early carrot seedlings but while my back was turned my small granddaughter dug them up with her little spade. Never mind, she's more important than seedlings and enjoys digging, but I'll keep a close eye on her in future. I love this time of the year when I anticipate lots of tasty fruit and vegetables.

Bank Holiday Monday

Very quiet Bank Holiday for me, but I did pop round the corner to enjoy pancakes with my daughter and her children. I then spoiled the day by frightening myself with a list of everything I need to do.

Broken Resolution

Oh dear, yesterday I decided how many words per day I need to write if I am going to finish my novel Monday's Child, the sequel to Sunday's Child in the shortest time possible, as well as dealing with other 'writerly' matters. I wrote 'oh dear' because I woke at 6 a.m. checked my e-mails, dealt with some business on line, and then hurried around to my daughter's house at 9 o'clock. I shall be looking after her three children until 5 or 5 30 p.m.

At 11 o'clock I shall take them to Cassiobury Park where they can ride their scooters, after which the boys may play football - what is it about two boys and a football that attracts other children who want to join in the fun? - and my granddaughter can play on the swings, slides, climbing frame etc.  We will lunch at Café Cha Cha (please God don't let it be closed because it's Sunday) or elsewhere.

Must go, my granddaughter needs attention.

Clutter and Crisis

Tired of all the writing related clutter, notebooks, pens, notes etc., etc., I have bought some ornamental  box files, one set of three with pictures embellished with gold of peacocks and a second set in which I can put magazines and other items. I also bought an attractive box with pictures of Paris for the odds and ends on my desk.

Organising Clutter

I bought some ornamental box files some decorated with a magnificent peacock and others with butterflies and embellished with gold. I often work on my laptop in my comfortable bed. My notebook, notes, pens, highlighters, magazines etc. are all out of sight but to hand.

Time Management

Apart from fitting in shopping, cooking, cleaning etc., and spending time with family and friends, it is difficult to balance time spent writing and dealing with business matters pertaining to being an author. I'm almost two thirds through the sequel to Sunday's Child - Monday's Child and have worked out how many words a day I need to write to finish it quickly. The problem is that at this time of the year there's a lot to do in the garden. Today, I've found time to sow vegetable seeds, pull up the forget-me-nots which are past their best, and plant some lilies.
Can't help wondering how other authors organise their time.

Wounded Laptop

The screen on my laptop broke. To minimise my time at my computer, which I find uncomfortable, I continued writing my novels but did not post any messages. Thank goodness, the laptop has been repaired and I've come out of hibernation.

Bad Buy

I went shopping with my daughter. As well as some pretty china for the bathroom I bought some white, artificial roses to put in a favourite vase which I planned to put on the bathroom windowsill. The roses are too big and I broke the vase when I removed them. I was tempted to say a rude word or two but resisted temptation. Oh well, I can return the roses and get my money back.

As a rule, I'm not keen on artificial flowers but, sometimes, ones which look realistic are useful, particularly in the winter. Mind you, they don't rival those fantastic fresh flower arrangements in stately homes - the type of buildings which often feature in my historical fiction.

Critique at Writer's Group

I enjoy attending a writer's group on Monday Evening at which members often read poems, short stories, extracts from novels, anecdotes etc.

Unfortunately, to coin a cliché, there's always 'a fly in the ointment'. The fly at the group is a young woman who never, ever, praises anything anyone has written. She is so critical that I suspect she completely discourages new members who need some positive feedback as well as constructive suggestions. Yesterday, I was so irritated by her tearing someone's work to pieces that I asked: "Is there anything you like about X's short story." The gentleman who runs the group grinned and said: "Good question, Rosemary."

Recipe for a Perfect Mummy

The text from my 8 year-old grandson’s Mother’s Day card. I’m not ashamed to say that it brought tears to my eyes.

 

How to Make a perfect Mummy

 

1.      First beautifully cut the love into several pieces.

2.      Then crush the gentle kindness and mix it all in a bowl.

3.      After that mash the cuddles onto a plate until it’s like mashed potatoes.

4.      Cut the sympathy into little pieces until they are mini.

5.      Now mix all the ingredients together.

6.      Finally bake in the oven for 5 minutes.

 

Decorated with a heart with an arrow through it and framed in decorated yellow card.

 

All the best,

Rosemary Morris

www.rosemarymorris.co.uk

Mother's Day Today

It's Mother's Day in England. I'm admiring the gorgeous roses my youngest son and his family gave me when they came to lunch yesterday.

I think my other children will pop in this morning and then I'm going out to lunch with my daughter and her children at our favourite restaurant Zakoni's in Harrow. The sun is shining and I'm looking forward to a happy day.

Mind you, for those of you who do not have children, do bear in mind what my late mother always said: "If you don't have them to make you laugh, you don't have them to make you cry." Believe you me, I've had my fair share of laughs as well as more than my fair share of tears.

Spring Day

Son number 3 and his wife and family came to lunch today. I made a peas, potato, cauliflower and curd cheese curry, a lady's finger curry and urad  (black beans the size of moong beans but oval in shape) cooked with yoghurt and spices served with jaggery ( palm tree sugar) chappatis, flat breads,  brown rice, grated cucumber in spiced yoghurt and mango pulp,

After lunch we sat in the garden on the first real day of spring. Faint perfume came from a long narrow bed of daffodils, narcissi, yellow and white tulips. The first delicate blossoms on the bullace tree - wild plum tree - was silhouetted against a clear blue sky. Bliss!

New Review of Far Beyond Rubies

The following review of Far Beyond Rubies has 'made my day".

5.0 out of 5 stars Far Beyond Rubies is a Gem, March 27, 2014

By 

Nancy Jarrell - See all my reviews

This review is from: Far Beyond Rubies (Kindle Edition)

“Swounds, he thought, I am expected to marry and produce a male heir. An image of Juliana filled his mind. She would grace these ancient walls better than any other lady he knew. But what would she say whenhe revealed his past?”This is but a snippet of the delightful prose found in Far Beyond Rubies by Rosemary Morris. The author perfectly achieves the delicate balance of elegance and spice, humor and pathos, in this tale that takes place in England during the reign of Queen Anne.

The settings and characters are exquisitely detailed and described, from cruel and scheming relatives to determined orphans, and an unusual hero with mysteries of the orient in his silky, spicy past. Throw in some extremely amusing servants and landladies, and one is set for a thoroughly charming reading experience.

 

Rosemary goes beyond the mere surface of the era, rewarding the reader with an enchanting story set against a vivid backdrop of the of the culture, politics, and belief systems of the times, and the issues that developed when East met West: Fascinating. Lovingly and beautifully rendered throughout.

And the book trailer of the novel can be viewed on my website.

www.rosemarymorris.co.uk

Taking a Step Back

When writing a novel I usually forge ahead trying to write 2,000 words a day until, triumphant, I type The End. However, I have slowed down and put aside the sequel to Sunday's Child, Monday's Child set in the Regency period. for a few days. I have made notes on how the plot develops in the remaining third of the book, and on tying up loose ends, but I need to think them through. On Monday, refreshed by distancing myself from my hero and heroine for a few days, I hope to return to Monday's Child full of enthusiasm.

Miserable Day in More Ways Than One

This morning, I have no idea why the formatting on an important document changed. I struggled for over an hour to correct it. I then rewrote the entire document - 8 pages of single spacing with not wide margins. By then I was cross and more than ready to have breakfast. If my mother had not brought me up not to swear I can't imagine what I would have said.

The sun shone a little but it was very cold so I went shopping for groceries instead of getting on in either the greenhouse or the garden. I bought half of the items on my shopping list, had lunch, and then bought the other half. When I reach home hailstones rattled on the car, on the pavement and on me as I took the shopping in.

You up there far above the grey sky, if I pray very nicely, please may we have some nice weather.

Mini Peach and Nectarine Trees

The mini-peach and nectarine trees in my garden have flowered. The blossom is exquisite. Yesterday, I pollinated it with a fine paint brush and hope to have delicious fruit.

I also potted up half a dozen strawberry plants - old fashioned favourites called Cambridge, and sowed mustard and cress on damp kitchen towel, and rocket in a pot of compost. As my garden is on the small side, I grow a lot in pots.

Later in the day, I went through the gardening catalogues that arrive regularly in the post and ordered black-skinned tomato plants, which the supplier claims are blight resistant and a variety of sweet potatoes call Beauregard. I also ordered a tool to help with weeding. The bottom part is placed over the weed, the top is pressed down and, 'hey presto' the weed is removed, another press at the top and the weed plops out into a container. Finally, I treated myself to a 3 metre long ruler which helps to sow seeds at the correct spacing. My justification? Mother's Day is approaching and I'm a mother so I decided to treat myself.

Tomato Plants

Saturday Lunch

At the end of my novel, Far Beyond Rubies, is the recipe for Spinach, peas and Indian Curd Cheese curry. I have made it for my youngest son and his family who are coming to lunch today.

Rest of the menu.

Sweet potato, butter beans, tomato curry to which I added some greens a dry curry served with cucumber raita (grated cucumber in seasoned yoghurt).

Moong dahl, (an Indian version of soup spiced with powdered cumin, coriander, turmeric, salt and fresh coriander. 

Chappatis (Indian flat bread made with brown flour).

 Brown basmati rice.

 Mango pulp.

I defy anyone who thinks a vegetarian diet is unhealthy to find fault with the nutritional value of this meal. Incidentally, the spices have their own health-giving properties and moong is rich in iron,

All the best,
Rosemary Morris
Historical novelist published by MuseItUp Publishing

Beautiful Spring Day

The lawn has been cut, the flower beds are ablaze with daffodils and a raised bed has been prepared for runner beans. Good quality soil at the bottom, a layer of shredded junk mail to retain water topped by well rotted manure beneath homemade compost.

There are artichokes and strawberries in the greenhouse waiting to be planted out and the compost is waiting for me to sow seeds. The mini peach and nectarine tress are about to flower.

I really think my organic garden is a little piece of heaven. Deep, appreciative sigh.

Threatened with a Policeman

When reading this, please bear in mind that no one has ever threatened to report my 4 year-old granddaughter to the police. My only mention of the police was to explain that her chocolate drops had to be paid for, and if they were not the shop keeper might summon a policeman.

Today I took her out to lunch. I didn't finish all of my meal so she told me in no uncertain terms that a policeman would punish me for not eating up. I would be taken away and cry because I would never see her again.

The child not only provides me with material for novels, she is also a budding author. Due to her vivid imagination, her mother and I are very nervous about what she says to her teachers at pre-school

Regency - Weight Loss

While researching the Regency era I as amused when I discovered it was believed that salt meat caused profuse perspiration and thus aided weight loss!

Viking Exhibition at The British Museum

I phoned the British Museum to book tickets for the Viking Exhibition. I've never waited for an answer other than repeated requests to continue holding for the next available operator. After a long, long wait, which I should have timed, I booked tickets for the 5th of April for myself and a friend. Now that the booking is confirmed I am really looking forward to visiting the exhibition. I have an idea for a novel set in the Viking era and am sure I will  be inspired when I see the artefacts etc.

Far Beyond Rubies by Rosemary Morris - Book Trailer

I'm delighted to announce that the book trailer for Far Beyond Rubies is now on you tube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4NpGoKe3qjs&feature=youtu.be

Comments would be very welcome,

All the best,

Rosemary Morris

Saturday Lunch

I made a favourite vegetarian meal for Saturday lunch. It's Sweet Potato Balti, a mixture of sweet potatoes, spinach, butter beans and tomatoes spiced asofoetida, curry powder and soup stock. Delicious served with mint and cucumber raita i.e. grated cucumber drained in a tea towel for half an hour, finely chopped mint, salt and a tiny amount of sugar mixed with yoghurt. I made a double quantity of the balti to freeze and then enjoy it on another day.

Springtime

My back garden I shouting that spring is in the air and elsewhere. The delicate white blossoms of the bullace (wild plum tree) are flowering, masses of daffodils and crocus are in bloom and so is the forsythia. The rhubarb is pushing it's way up out of the ground, and the bluebells and forget-me-nots are about to flower.

I have a wonderful book that traces the history of gardens in the u.k. There is a section about monastery gardens in which it describes each monk being allocated a small plot in which they were allowed to grow whatever they pleased. I have another book which traces the history of plants native to the u.k. and the introduction of foreign species. One day I would like to marry the two in fiction.

Review of Taming a Gentleman Spy - Book 2 of The Spies of Mayfair Series

Taming A Gentleman Spy

 

Book 2 of The Spies of Mayfair Setries

 

By

 

Maggi Anderson

 

“If ever beauty I did see

Which I desired, and got, ‘twas but a dream of thee.”

The Good Morrow. John Donne.

 Taming A Gentleman Spy is an enthralling historical novel set in The Regency era after Napoleon has been defeated at the Battle of Waterloo and then exiled. At that time the Government feared the effect of The French Revolution and its supporters at home and abroad whose aim was to overturn law and order.

 John Haldane, 4^th Earl of Strathairn, a gentleman spy, returned to England after fighting the French in the Peninsula Wars and at the Battle of Waterloo. His experiences gathering information have marked him, and no one is more aware of this than Sibella, sister of the Marquess of Brandreth.

 Brandreth, who has heard rumours about Strathairn’s link with the war office and the spymaster, warns Strathairn not to pay particular attention to Sibella, “…who loves home and hearth. She looks for a husband who will sit by the fire with her at night.” Brandreth doubts Strathairn could make Sibella happy.

 Sibella is curious as to why Strathairn does not intend to marry in the foreseeable future. She thinks they are well-suited and his kiss thrilled her.

 Strathairn will not marry Sibella because he could be killed like his partner, Nesbit, whose widow is pregnant.

On the ground, next to Nesbit’s lifeless body, lay a cravat pin in the shape of an eagle like the one favoured by Count Fornay, a dangerous revolutionary who fermented rebellion in England, and is presumed dead. “And why,” Strathairn asked himself, does Passion, a lady’s perfume linger in the air at the scene of the murder.

 Urged on by her mother and brother, Sibella agrees to marry Lord Coombe in the hope that she will learn to love him. However, she is determined to discover the truth about his first wife’s death.

 Maggi Anderson does not overwhelm the reader with historical facts but she does impart ‘the flavour’ of the times

Reviews of Fiction. Phew!

Phew, perfectly expresses my feelings. I have reviewed each book in a tottering pile and posted my reviews to amazon.co.uk, amazon.com and good reads. It's amazing how good I feel after completing a task I have meant to tackle since mid-February.

I have one more novel to review for a friend, and then I'll be up to date with the fiction. However, I have a number of non-fiction books to review in the future, but I don't consider this urgent.

Reviewing Books

I have decided to focus on one 'writerly' thing a day, or during each writing session. This morning I have been catching up with reviews of the tottering pile of fiction and non-fiction. One of the books I have reviewed is Louise Allen's excellent non-fiction book, Walks Through Regency London. I might not complete all of the ten suggested walks on one occasion, but I will complete part of them when I visit London.

Time Management

I am trying to manage my time more efficiently. Instead of working on several things every day, I have decided to concentrate on one thing every day + blogging and dealing with e-mails. Yesterday, I caught up with critiques of submissions by members of writers' groups that I belong to. Today, I have concentrated on  critiques of my chapters.

 For the rest of the week I shall get on with writing my new novel Monday's Child and hope to write at least 6,000 words provided I don't need to do too much research.