The birds that visit my organic garden know spring is in the air. The male blackbird and a pair of jays bathed in the water around the rim of my small pond, and then shook the water off their feathers.
While I get on in the garden I pause to admire butterflies and a narrow border filled with daffodils, white single and double tulips and narcissi, which have a wonderful fragrance.
The bluebells are almost in flower, but beautiful as they will be they grow like weeds and are overtaking the rose bed. I dug up loads last year but they are persistent so and sos.
Tomorrow I shall pot up runner beans and French beans, sow cucumbers, squash and pumpkins as well as moving plants from the greenhouse to the garden.
Thursday, 16 April 2015
Wednesday, 15 April 2015
Publisher's Contract for Monday's Child
My day began really well. The contract for my new Romantic Regency Novel, Monday's Child, set in Brussels during the hundred days between Napoleon's escape
Monday's Child is a follow on novel from my published novel Sunday's Child. I hope my readers will enjoy becoming reacquainted with some of the characters they met in Sunday's Child.
Monday's Child is a follow on novel from my published novel Sunday's Child. I hope my readers will enjoy becoming reacquainted with some of the characters they met in Sunday's Child.
Tuesday, 14 April 2015
Watford Writers
Watford Writers, the group, which I belong to, has moved from Cha Café in Cassio Park to Oddfellows in Watford, Hertfordshire.
We met there for the first time yesterday to offer constructive critiques on whatever members chose to share. As usual I am amazed by the talent of published and unpublished writers and enjoy the get togethers with an opportunity to chat during the tea break.
Anyone who would like to join this friendly, vibrant group and receive good advice and be sure of a warm welcome.
We met there for the first time yesterday to offer constructive critiques on whatever members chose to share. As usual I am amazed by the talent of published and unpublished writers and enjoy the get togethers with an opportunity to chat during the tea break.
Anyone who would like to join this friendly, vibrant group and receive good advice and be sure of a warm welcome.
Monday, 13 April 2015
Plotting New Novel - Tuesday's Child
After my visit to The National Portrait Museum I jotted down my ideas for Tuesday's Child, a follow on Regency Romance from Sunday's Child and Monday's Child. This morning I typed my notes, the first step to writing my new novel. Afterwards I completed some preliminary research.
I don't plan my novels in detail because I like my characters to surprise me, but I do consider how to begin, what might happen in the middle and possible endings that leave no unravelled threads.
Before I write the first sentence I complete profiles of my main characters. These not only include their appearance, their likes and dislikes, their eccentricities and much more, such as their family trees, where they were educated and their life experience. I don't reveal some of the information about the protagonists but it helps me to create believable characters.
I don't plan my novels in detail because I like my characters to surprise me, but I do consider how to begin, what might happen in the middle and possible endings that leave no unravelled threads.
Before I write the first sentence I complete profiles of my main characters. These not only include their appearance, their likes and dislikes, their eccentricities and much more, such as their family trees, where they were educated and their life experience. I don't reveal some of the information about the protagonists but it helps me to create believable characters.
Sunday, 12 April 2015
New Novel - Tuesday's Child
I knew who the heroine of Tuesdays Child, the sequel to Sunday's and Monday's Child, Regency Romances, will be, and what her circumstances are, but until I visited the National Portrait Gallery's Wellington Exhibition I didn't have an inkling of the plot. After viewing the exhibition I jotted down the outline while I ate lunch. All in all a satisfying day. I now plan to visit The Regency Exhibition at The National Gallery.
Friday, 10 April 2015
Chiltern Open Air Museum
I took three of my grandchildren to Chiltern Open Air Museum to see reconstructed historical buildings, which include an Iron Age House, Leagrave Cottage, 18th Century, Leagrave Cottage 19th Century and also a working farm, to name only a few.
My small granddaughter was fascinated by the rag dolls on one of the beds and by a patchwork quilt. The boys were interested in machinery, chimney sweeps brushes, bellows and fire irons and much more.
We enjoyed making friends with the shire horses and marvelled at the size of the oxen.
The weather was perfect, neither too hot nor too cold. W e appreciated our picnic, cheese and cucumber sandwiches, crisps, grapes, small squares of millionaires shortbread and apple juice, which we ate in a clearing in the woods to the tune of birdsong and chattering squirrels.
Tired but happy we went home and decided to return to watch jousts later in the year.
My small granddaughter was fascinated by the rag dolls on one of the beds and by a patchwork quilt. The boys were interested in machinery, chimney sweeps brushes, bellows and fire irons and much more.
We enjoyed making friends with the shire horses and marvelled at the size of the oxen.
The weather was perfect, neither too hot nor too cold. W e appreciated our picnic, cheese and cucumber sandwiches, crisps, grapes, small squares of millionaires shortbread and apple juice, which we ate in a clearing in the woods to the tune of birdsong and chattering squirrels.
Tired but happy we went home and decided to return to watch jousts later in the year.
Agatha Christie and Syria
I am reading 'Come Tell Me How You Live' by Agatha Christie Mallowan.
In 1930 Agatha Christies married Max Mallowan a young archaeologist. According to the foreword by Jacquetta Hawkes 'Agatha did not see her own renown as any bar to sharing in her husband's work. From the first she took full part in every one of Max's excavations in Syria and Iraq.'
After the 2nd World War Agatha wrote: 'My thoughts turning more and more to those days spent in Syria, and at last I have felt impelled to get out my notes and rough diaries and complete what I had begun....For I love that gentle fertile country (Syria) and its simple people, who know how to laugh and enjoy life; who are idle and gay, and who have dignity, good manners, and a great sense of humour, and to whom death is not terrible.
'Inshallah, I shall go there again, and the things that I love shall not have perished from this earth...
Spring 1944.
Yet, seventy years late, moved to tears by her words in the knowledge of recent events in Syria, I ask myself if anything remains of the Syria she knew and loved.
In 1930 Agatha Christies married Max Mallowan a young archaeologist. According to the foreword by Jacquetta Hawkes 'Agatha did not see her own renown as any bar to sharing in her husband's work. From the first she took full part in every one of Max's excavations in Syria and Iraq.'
After the 2nd World War Agatha wrote: 'My thoughts turning more and more to those days spent in Syria, and at last I have felt impelled to get out my notes and rough diaries and complete what I had begun....For I love that gentle fertile country (Syria) and its simple people, who know how to laugh and enjoy life; who are idle and gay, and who have dignity, good manners, and a great sense of humour, and to whom death is not terrible.
'Inshallah, I shall go there again, and the things that I love shall not have perished from this earth...
Spring 1944.
Yet, seventy years late, moved to tears by her words in the knowledge of recent events in Syria, I ask myself if anything remains of the Syria she knew and loved.
Wednesday, 8 April 2015
Young at Heart
Yesterday, I took my granddaughters to see the new Disney production of Cinderella. The ten, nine and five year-olds loved every minute of it, and so did I. It's very enjoyable to recapture one's childhood by immersing oneself in a fairy tale.
Monday, 6 April 2015
Easter Monday
Nothing exciting on Easter Monday, but the sunshine was very welcome.
I fitted in a lot of writing and enjoyed a satisfactory day. My daughter's 13 year-old son very kindly came round to help me to finish clearing a garden shed in which son number two had stored a lot of junk, some of it too heavy for me to shift. By now, the rubbish, which included ancient tins of paint, rusted tools etc., etc., filled about ten dustbins. My grandson insisting on sweeping away all the cobwebs and the floor while muttering, 'disgusting,' at regular intervals.
After my grandson left, I moved a pot of lilies, which will be scarlet when they flower, to the front garden and then planted a rose bush, which will have red blooms, and some polyanthas at the front of the border. I then picked curly kale from the garden and made colcannon topped with grated mature cheddar cheese for lunch.
I fitted in a lot of writing and enjoyed a satisfactory day. My daughter's 13 year-old son very kindly came round to help me to finish clearing a garden shed in which son number two had stored a lot of junk, some of it too heavy for me to shift. By now, the rubbish, which included ancient tins of paint, rusted tools etc., etc., filled about ten dustbins. My grandson insisting on sweeping away all the cobwebs and the floor while muttering, 'disgusting,' at regular intervals.
After my grandson left, I moved a pot of lilies, which will be scarlet when they flower, to the front garden and then planted a rose bush, which will have red blooms, and some polyanthas at the front of the border. I then picked curly kale from the garden and made colcannon topped with grated mature cheddar cheese for lunch.
Sunday, 5 April 2015
Ashridge Estate on Easter Sunday
Yesterday, it was a little chilly at Ashridge Estate but my daughter, my twin sons and nine grandchildren enjoyed giveing and receiving Easter eggs and cards, and each other's company. After a long walk we sat outside the café having hot drinks and scones full of cream and strawberry jam. From our seats we were entertained by the sight of my two taller grandsons trying to hoist my daughter's shorter son up into a huge tree. Eventually, my twin sons heaved him up and then helped the other two into the tree. The branches spread out leaving a hollow where the three of them sat and chatted for ages. The three girls entertained themselves, climbing another smaller tree and the two younger boys found plenty to do.
We finished the day off with a delicious, vegetarian meal at an Indian restaurant down the road from me. By the time I reached home at half past eight I thought I would drop off to sleep while watching Poldark but managed to stay awake.
Today, after I finish writing and 'writerly' matters,I plan to get on in the garden, planting out more broad beans which are in the greenhouse etc., etc.
We finished the day off with a delicious, vegetarian meal at an Indian restaurant down the road from me. By the time I reached home at half past eight I thought I would drop off to sleep while watching Poldark but managed to stay awake.
Today, after I finish writing and 'writerly' matters,I plan to get on in the garden, planting out more broad beans which are in the greenhouse etc., etc.
Saturday, 4 April 2015
Eyes Which Do Peculiar Things
I don't like eyes which do peculiar things.
She dropped her eyes. I have a vision of her taking her eyes out of their sockets and dropping them. Why not write; She looked down.
His eyes darted. Where did they dart to/
She fixed her eyes on him. Did he appreciate her fixing her eyes on him. With what did she fix them?
His eyes stabbed her. Weird eyes, did he sharpen them?
Also, I'm not keen on body parts which do peculiar things.
She dropped her eyes. I have a vision of her taking her eyes out of their sockets and dropping them. Why not write; She looked down.
His eyes darted. Where did they dart to/
She fixed her eyes on him. Did he appreciate her fixing her eyes on him. With what did she fix them?
His eyes stabbed her. Weird eyes, did he sharpen them?
Also, I'm not keen on body parts which do peculiar things.
Friday, 3 April 2015
Cottage Garden, Lilies.
After the rain stopped while I got on with 'writerly' matters, I worked in the garden. I tidied the back yard and the greenhouse and planted some scarlet lilies in a tall terracotta pot. The lilies will be 18 inches high and look beautiful at the back of the border beneath my sitting room window. I'm also looking forward to the stargazer (pink lilies), which I potted up earlier in the year, flowering. Pots of perennials are useful. They fill gaps year after year and need little more than an annual feed.
Thursday, 2 April 2015
Writing,Cinderella, Garden Centre, Grandchildren Peach and Nectarine Trees etc.
I was shattered on Tuesday and even more shattered by yesterday evening. I devoted four hours to 'writerly' matters and went out at 11 a.m. I bought tickets for Cinderella for next Tuesday when I and three granddaughters will see it. The tickets bought, I went to the Garden Centre where I bought, 2nd early seed potatoes, red geraniums for the window boxes and red lily bulbs. They will be 2ft high and look good at the back of the border beneath my sitting room window. I also b...ought golden rod that will make a splash of colour next to the Michaelmas daisies in the autumn.
The pot in which I had planted a bay tree broke so I chose a heavy clay pot that I hope the wind won't blow over and planted the bay tree in it. What else? Oh yes, some succulents two green ones and a dark red one which are now on the kitchen window sill. I like the rosettes the leaves form. After unch out I went to the library to collect books I had reserved.
My daughter had an early appointment in London this morning, so I stayed at her house for the night. I gave the children their dinner, heard my 5 year-old granddaughter's reading, put her to bed and read a story about Aladdin, a princess, a genie, a villain and a baby camel to her. Then I played draughts with my 10 year old grandson until it was time for him to go to bed. Afterward, while waiting for the 13 year-old to go to bed I got on with some more 'writerly' matters. When he went to bed I read for a while before going to sleep.
This morning was busy after we all had porridge for breakfast and the children went to school. I worked on writing projects, then sorted out my mini peach and nectarine trees. Last year there was loads of fruit on them but it dropped off before it ripened. I've re-potted them in John Innes No 3 and pollinated them with a paintbrush. The pink flowers are so promising and pretty that, fingers crossed I will enjoy the fruit this year. Any advice about their nurture would be welcome.
Made a vegetable curry for lunch and then read until I returned to the laptop.
Hopefully the weather will be good for two days and I'll be able to do much more in the garden - but I must remember to wrap up all the Easter eggs.
My daughter had an early appointment in London this morning, so I stayed at her house for the night. I gave the children their dinner, heard my 5 year-old granddaughter's reading, put her to bed and read a story about Aladdin, a princess, a genie, a villain and a baby camel to her. Then I played draughts with my 10 year old grandson until it was time for him to go to bed. Afterward, while waiting for the 13 year-old to go to bed I got on with some more 'writerly' matters. When he went to bed I read for a while before going to sleep.
This morning was busy after we all had porridge for breakfast and the children went to school. I worked on writing projects, then sorted out my mini peach and nectarine trees. Last year there was loads of fruit on them but it dropped off before it ripened. I've re-potted them in John Innes No 3 and pollinated them with a paintbrush. The pink flowers are so promising and pretty that, fingers crossed I will enjoy the fruit this year. Any advice about their nurture would be welcome.
Made a vegetable curry for lunch and then read until I returned to the laptop.
Hopefully the weather will be good for two days and I'll be able to do much more in the garden - but I must remember to wrap up all the Easter eggs.
Tuesday, 31 March 2015
Visit Rosemary Morris
Some years ago, I thought I would never have a novel published. Today, I googled: Rosemary Morris at MuseItUp Publishing, and am impressed by my publisher's display of my mini author biography and details of my novels, etc. With pride I invite my followers to visit me.
Monday, 30 March 2015
Things To Do in My Shorthand Notepad
At last I have worked my way through many notes in my shorthand notepad. I visited some online sites which were interesting and others that had no significance for me. I transferred e-mail addresses into my on line address book and contacted people about 'writerly' matters.
Some things were fun. For example I googled and listened to the 7th Hussars Regimental Tunes. Canter, The Cambells are Coming, Quick Bannocks o’ Barley Meal, Slow The Garb of Old Gaul, which I decided I preferred hearing them played on the bagpipes.
I also added lots of books to my To Be Read List.
Some things were fun. For example I googled and listened to the 7th Hussars Regimental Tunes. Canter, The Cambells are Coming, Quick Bannocks o’ Barley Meal, Slow The Garb of Old Gaul, which I decided I preferred hearing them played on the bagpipes.
I also added lots of books to my To Be Read List.
Shorthand Note Pad Crammed With Notes on Things To Do.
At long last I have finished going through my shorthand notepad which was crammed with things to do. I had made a note of the
Sunday, 29 March 2015
5* Review of False Pretences
Roland,
hero of False Pretences, a traditional Regency romance, makes a low bow in
appreciation of Great Historical’s review. He is delighted because the reviewer
thinks he will linger in the reader’s memory.
Amazon
Review. 5.0 out of 5 stars. A sweet and
suspenseful Regency Romance. Kindle edition.
“Rosemary
Morris has penned a delightful romantic story about a young woman named
Annabelle in search of her family. Raised in a boarding school, with no contact
with any family, and in the charge of a guardian she has never met, she runs
away only to find herself in danger. Roland, a handsome man of means, saves her
from imminent danger. He takes her under his wing and together they unravel a
web of lies until the shocking truth of Annabelle's past life is revealed.
Rosemary Morris writes with ease and readability. Her characters are well rounded, evolving as the plot unfurls. This novel has a bit of everything - an endearing romance, a hint of mystery, dastardly villains, plenty of suspense, and a memorable hero and heroine who will stay with you long after you finish reading. The ending is intense as all the secrets are revealed, leading to a highly satisfying conclusion. A lovely sweet romance worthy of all age groups!”
Rosemary Morris writes with ease and readability. Her characters are well rounded, evolving as the plot unfurls. This novel has a bit of everything - an endearing romance, a hint of mystery, dastardly villains, plenty of suspense, and a memorable hero and heroine who will stay with you long after you finish reading. The ending is intense as all the secrets are revealed, leading to a highly satisfying conclusion. A lovely sweet romance worthy of all age groups!”
Saturday, 28 March 2015
False Pretences - A Traditional Regency Romance - Back Cover
False Pretences
By Rosemary Morris
Traditional Regency Romance
Five-year-old
Annabelle arrived at boarding school fluent in French and English. Separated
from her nurse, a dismal shadow blights Annabelle’s life because she does not
know who her parents are.
Although
high-spirited, Annabelle is financially dependent on her unknown guardian. She
refuses to marry a French baron more than twice her age.
Her life
in danger, Annabelle is saved by a gentleman, who says he will help her to
discover her identity. Yet, from then on nothing is as it seems, and she is
forced to run away for the second time to protect her rescuer.
Even more
determined to discover her parents’ identity, in spite of many false pretences,
Annabelle must learn who to trust. Her attempts to unravel the mystery of her
birth, lead to further danger, despair, unbearable heartache and even more
false pretences until the only person who has ever wanted to cherish her,
reveals the startling truth, and all’s well that ends well.
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