Grianán of Aileach

Grianán of Aileach was one of our stops while visiting Innishown this past summer. I say "one of our stops" but it was actually right next door to the hotel where we stayed, An Grianán Hotel, so it wasn't so much a stop as a visit next door.

The hotel was first on the agenda to gather some information about the local area and was partially handy since it has a visitors center right on site. As you can see from the a above picture, the region is steeped in folklore of the The Tuatha Dé Danann, the ancient people featured in Shades of Atlantis. The hotel hosts Celtic Feast Nights a few times a year. Unfortunately, and much to my disappointment, our visit wasn't going to coincide with one of these dates. However, I was able to console myself with breakfast in stunning surroundings of The Old Church Restaurant, a magnificent building dating back 150 years, before the boy and I set about exploring the visitors center.

For someone like me with a genuine passionate interest in folklore, The Old Church Visitors Center is something of a spectacular find tucked away at the top of Ireland. I was in my element. The boy was pretty excited too.  

Walking around the back of the hotel, we were greeted by none other the King Nuada, examples of standing stones and a Celtic cross, all with voiced information. Then onto the hut, where we met a hologram of Danu, Goddess of the Dé Danann. 

Passing through a door into the Old Church, we proceeded up the stairs to the presentation beneath the rafter, wandering around for a solid hour as colored light filtered through stained glass windows and chandeliers sparkled overhead. Among the exhibits are replicas of  Dé Danann's magical weapons, costumes, and an informative history of the local area. They boy even got to stand on Lia Fáil (The stone of Destiny also featured in Shades of Atlantis), which folklore says scream when touched by the rightful ruler of Ireland.

Unfortunately, according to Nuada's Hologram, his was not destined to rule Ireland. However, in an amusing twist, it seems I am. You can just call me Queen Carol.

My photos don't do the visitor's center justice but for more, you might like to check out this Youtube video from the offical site. Absolutely worth a visit while visiting Innishowen.

 

As instructed by Dagda, off we went to visit the Ring Fort.

Grianán of Aileach sits on top of a steep hill and is open to the public for a part of the year. It's not a big distance from the hotel, but walking it wouldn't be for the faint of heart. It's up, up, up, narrow winding roads all the way. I was glad we took the car. There is ample parking before a very short walk to the fort. Even in the car park, the views into the distance were something else. As you can see, we didn't get great weather. It is Ireland after all.

 

The ringfort dates back to sixth or seventh century and is thought to be the seat of the Kingdom of Aileach, and built by the Uí Néill. Finds at the site suggest it was of some importance long before the structure was built. The fort was destroyed in 1101 according to the Irish annals. In the 19th century the site was excavated and the ringfort rebuilt.

Outside, the ringfort dominates the hillside, with walls 16 feet high and 15 feet thick. Inside, there are three terraces with stone steps. If you are brave enough to climb the steps in windy Irish weather, the 360 degree view is worth it.

Bride Without A Groom

I went to a wedding fair this weekend. Honestly. I've been to two this year. Yes, yes, I can practically hear the shocked laughter from those who know me in real life. Me at a wedding fair with my track record! Let's just say I've heard more proposals than the panel at Dragon's Den. I joked with my sister-in-law that I was getting a head start on things for my next ex-finance.

I was actually there for the cake. My sis-in-law runs a small but successful home bakery, Vanilla Valley Cakes, catering everything from treats and desert tables to birthday and wedding cakes.

 

She was checking out the fair to see if it might be something she could attend as a vendor in the future. 

The Wedding and Honeymoon Show had everything you'd expect, with fashion shows, hotels, entertainers, and lots and lots of cakes. What I didn't expect to meet was an author with a stand featuring her debut novel. A spot of genius to promote a book about the ultimate bridezilla at a wedding fair. So, of course I had to stop and say hello. I had a lovely chat with Amy Lynch. Bride Without Groom is now on my To Read List.

 

Contemporary Romance 

 HarperCollinsUK

Rebecca has chosen the most luscious, five tiered, wedding cake – as featured in Hello! Magazine. The engagement ring that she has selected is celebrity inspired. The wedding singer is on speed dial. He doesn’t usually do Michael Bolton, but as it’s for a first dance he’ll make an exception. Father Maguire is checking dates for the parish church as we speak. The deposit on the white sand honeymoon is paid for in full on Barry’s card. Sure, the resort was good enough for Pierce Brosnan when he tied the knot. She has fallen for an ivory lace couture gown that is to die for. The down payment may require her to sell a left kidney, but it will be worth it. Isn’t that why you have two?

There’s one teeny problem. It’s nothing, really. No need to panic! It’s just that Barry has yet to propose. Says he’s not ready! He can be a bit of a kill joy that way. It’s time to face the harsh reality – she is a bride without a groom.

Truth be told, Barry’s had enough. There’s only so much wedding talk that one man can take. Discovering the credit card statement is the final straw. Now he’s leaving for a conference in Bangkok and frankly, he’s looking forward to the peace and quiet. He says he needs time to think about their relationship. As the Tiger beer flows and the tie loosens, his colleague Shelley is providing more than a shoulder for him to cry on. Maybe Shelley is right. Maybe Rebecca only wants the big day.

Back in Dublin, Rebecca worries. Maybe she has pushed Barry too far this time. Best mates Pam and Emer are on hand for counseling and cocktails. With the help of family, friends and a well stocked drinks cabinet, Rebecca puts her cunning plan together. Operation ‘Win Back Barry’ is in full swing. She needs to convince Barry that she’s not crazy – just crazy about him. But wait… who is the mysterious woman that is so keen to talk to her, and what is it that Barry needs to get off his chest? 

Buy it on Amazon UK  

Buy it on Amazon.com

Find Amy on Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads, or 

AmyLynchAuthor.com

 

Amazing Grace in Inishowen

Writers find their inspiration in many ways. For me, it's mostly been Ireland. We have a rich heritage and a stunning landscape which has provided me with an endless supply of ideas over the years.

One of the few remaining places I've always wanted to visit, but have never had the opportunity, is Innishowen in Donegal. So, imagine my delight when my son picked it as one of the places his wanted to explore this summer. From the area's connection to the Tuatha Dé Danann from Shades of Atlantis and providing me with the name of a character in Something Wicked, Innishowen translates to The Island of Eoghan, I couldn't wait to get exploring. 

Innishowen is a peninsula in Donegal on the northern coast of Ireland, tucked between Lough Foyle and Lough Swilly.

I am not the only writer to find inspiration there. Even if you've never heard of Innishowen, you've no doubt heard of the hymn, Amazing Grace.

Many Years ago, a man named John Newton, a former slave trader and rogue, was traveling aboard a ship to England. The ship got caught up in a violent storm. The ship, already in disrepair upon setting sail, was in no condition to weather the storm. Crew used everything and anything on hand to try and keep the ship together despite a gaping hole in the side. With little hope of rescue because they'd been blown off course, Newton, a man who had already brushed death on several occasions was sure he was about to die and prayed to God for mercy.

Although he was convinced God's mercy was beyond reach for a man such as him, it arrived in strong winds that pushed the ship onward. Eventually they came within the sights of Tory Island off the north coast of Ireland. The ship limped as far a Lough Swilly and Newton was saved.

Later he reflected on the almost shipwreak as being a metaphor for how his life and how he had been lost as sea long before boarding that ship. He wrote the first verse of the famous song while awaiting repairs of the ship.

Amazing grace (how sweet the sound)
That saved a wretch like me
I once was lost, but now am found,
Was blind, but now I see.

 

Coming up -- Grianan of Aileach

Stepping back from Publishing - Update.

So, it's probably about time I catch up on blogging. And, a good way to do that is to catch up on what we got up to this summer.
Back in May I wrote about why I felt I needed to take a break from publishing. Things were slightly different on the home front this summer. For one thing, stepping back from the pressure I was putting myself under for publishing turned out to be the right decision and I now feel ready to start dipping my toes back in.
I never planned to stop writing, but initially felt I needed a little break to recharge. As any writer knows, taking a break isn't as easy as it would first appear. In the beginning, I promised myself no new projects, but it was very difficult to let go of the habit of carrying a notebook and pen. I didn't exactly manage it. Even when I wasn't writing on paper, I found my mind was still whirling with ideas. I was still processing what my next moves would be in this great adventure of publishing. I was still drawn to places that inspire my writing.
What was a girl to do? Okay, so I gave in a little. More on that in upcoming blog posts. I also took out my crochet and knitting needles.

After years of scribbling in notebooks every time I sat down for a coffee, or on a train, or bus, I couldn't stop writing. Not even for a week, never mind the summer months! Knitting and crochet turned out to be a way to keep my hands busy and following patterns kept my mind from wandering, prompting a barman in a hotel we stayed in to asked if I was a smoker trying to quit. I chuckled and explained smoking wasn't my particular addiction.

I also baked - A lot.

If anything, taking a break has reaffirmed to me that even though I love all this other creative stuff I get up to, my first love is writing and that I want to share my writing by throwing my hand back into publishing soon.

Another big change this summer was my son settling into his autism adult service. However, we still managed a bit of exploring. On my next blog post I'll be talking about our trip to Donegal and the connection to The Tuatha Dé Danann from Shades of Atlantis.

Review - Saving Evangeline by Nancee Cain

 Omnific Publishing 

Release date: May 26th 2015

Summary

Evangeline is the town pariah. Everyone knows she’s crazy and was responsible for the death of her last boyfriend. Even her mother left her and moved cross-country. Lonely and desperate, Evie decides to end her life.

Rogue angel Remiel longs to return to earth, but there’s just one problem. He tends to invite trouble and hasn’t been allowed back since Woodstock. The Boss sends him to save Evangeline, but there’s a catch: he can’t reveal his angelic nature, and he must complete the task as Father Remiel Blackson.

Forced together on a cross-country trip, a forbidden romance ignites and love unfolds. A host of heavenly messengers tries to intervene, but Remiel and Evangeline are headed on a collision course to disaster. Will his love save her, or will they both be lost forever?

My Review

This review has been a long, long time coming. I read this back in June but because of other commitments and taking a step back from writing for the summer, I haven't been blogging much. My apologies to Naccee Cain for the long delay in sharing my love of this stand out debut novel. 

Who over a certain age doesn't remember the allure and drama of The Thorn Birds, both the mini series and the book, and the captivating intrigue of  the priest torn between his love of God and his love of a woman?

Father Remiel isn't a young man like any other, he isn't even a priest, and not particularly happy with his lot. He is an angel in disguise...and I don't mean that metaphorically. There is every reason why this book shouldn't be a romance, neither of these two is in place or time in their existence that screams datable. However, love is not convenient, it's messy, stubborn and intrusive. It sometimes creeps into cracks that appear when someone is falling apart and helps to glue them back together. It's not people who find love, it's love that finds people. Which, let's face it, makes us root for Remiel and Evie even more. 

When an angel with rebellious streak is bored in Heaven, what's his boss to do? Send him on a mission to save a depressed young woman from herself. The catch, he has to do it in a guise of a priest. A battle of wins ensure after Remiel recuses Evie. Though I got a sense immediately that these two flawed characters would need to save each other if either is to survive. 

Well written, this novel is sharp, intriguing, and witty. The author doesn't shy away from sensitive subjects but handles them with care. I can sometimes be critical of books dealing with suicide and depression but felt this writing held up very well. The author clearly has a good insight. Not one moment of wanting to throw the book across the room.

It is full of angst and emotionally draining in some parts but perfectly balanced with the hope of a happy ending. The imagery immerses the reader in the story, so much so, I could easily image this on a big screen. It's adult so there is sex scenes. I felt they were a natural progression rather than something forced for the sake of squeezing sex into the book. 

All in all, this is an excellent debut and expect big things from Nancee Cain.   

Buy it now

Amazon 

 For a full list of stockists

Simon and Schuster

About Nancee Cain  

During the day, Nancee Cain works as a nurse in the field of addiction to support her coffee and reading habit. Nights are spent writing paranormal and contemporary romances with a serrated edge.

Authors are her rock stars, and she’s been known to stalk a few for an autograph, but not in a scary, Stephen King way. Her husband swears her To-Be-Read list on her e-reader qualifies her as a certifiable book hoarder.

Always looking to try something new, she dreams of being an extra in a Bollywood film, or a tattoo artist. (Her lack of rhythm and artistic ability may put a damper on both of these dreams.)

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Release Day! Saving Evangeline by Nancee Cain

I couldn’t be more delighted to bring you the news of this wonderful debut from Nancee Cain. It’s already gathering plenty of 5 star ratings, with many more sure to follow.
Evangeline is the town pariah. Everyone knows she’s crazy and was responsible for the death of her last boyfriend. Even her mother left her and moved cross-country. Lonely and desperate, Evie decides to end her life.
Rogue angel Remiel longs to return to earth, but there’s just one problem. He tends to invite trouble and hasn’t been allowed back since Woodstock. The Boss sends him to save Evangeline, but there’s a catch: he can’t reveal his angelic nature, and he must complete the task as Father Remiel Blackson.
Forced together on a cross-country trip, a forbidden romance ignites and love unfolds. A host of heavenly messengers tries to intervene, but Remiel and Evangeline are headed on a collision course to disaster. Will his love save her, or will they both be lost forever?

Buy the Book

Goodreads

Trouble Me by Beck Anderson–Release day!

Trouble Me is the follow up to Fix You, in which a film star and a young widow find their lives turned up side down by a chance meeting on a jogging trail. You can read my full review of Fix You here.

Omnific Publishing

Release 12th May 2015

In Fix You, movie star Andrew Pettigrew (Andy to his fans, Andrew to his friends) somehow found the level-headed love he was looking for in young widow and “regular girl” Kelly Reynolds. Now, as they work to mesh their growing relationship with his gold-statue ambitions, things go a bit sideways, in true Hollywood fashion.
Though they’re still wonderfully in love, it’s challenge enough for Andrew and Kelly to decipher what it means to be a family—and a growing family at that—between takes on set. But Andrew also brings history with a temperamental co-star, assorted paparazzi, and someone out there who has serious, perhaps obsessive, issues with him into the mix. Suddenly the Reynolds-Pettigrew clan must fight not just to stay together, but to stay safe.
In Trouble Me, the sequel to Fix You and third novel from Rita finalist Beck Anderson, Kelly and Andrew struggle to stay sane within their whirlwind life. It’s a life that’s equal parts amazing and amusing, less glamorous than you might expect, and spiked with very real fears no amount of stardom can overcome.
Will Andrew and Kelly be torn apart, or will they help each other stay strong at their broken places?

Goodreads

Amazon

About the Author

Beck Anderson believes in the power of perfectly imperfect women and in the healing power of love. Her first novel, Fix You, grew out of those beliefs and the time to write afforded by the worst Thanksgiving blizzard she’s ever witnessed in West Yellowstone.
Beck balances (clumsily at best) writing novels and screenplays, working full-time as an educator, mothering two pre-teen males, loving one post-40 husband, and making time to walk the foothills of Boise, Idaho, with Stefano DiMera Delfino Anderson, the suavest Chihuahua north of the border.

Website     Twitter     Facebook     Goodreads

 

While we are talking Omnific Publishing, let me introduce you to an upcoming debut release from Nancee Cain. This is one for the To Read list. Add it to your Goodreads shelves here.

 

Evangeline is the town pariah. Everyone knows she’s crazy and was responsible for the death of her last boyfriend. Even her mother left her and moved cross-country. Lonely and desperate, Evie decides to end her life.
Rogue angel Remiel longs to return to earth, but there’s just one problem. He tends to invite trouble and hasn’t been allowed back since Woodstock. The Boss sends him to save Evangeline, but there’s a catch: he can’t reveal his angelic nature, and he must complete the task as Father Remiel Blackson.
Forced together on a cross-country trip, a forbidden romance ignites and love unfolds. A host of heavenly messengers tries to intervene, but Remiel and Evangeline are headed on a collision course to disaster. Will his love save her, or will they both be lost forever?