This Crazy Year and My Garden

(Cyclamen in my window garden)

How can I describe 2020? Covid turned our world on its head in March and it flipped again in May with daughter Alison’s cancer diagnosis. The big C is bad anytime, but Covid makes it worse. These past six months I’ve supported her as she underwent emergency surgery and a grueling course of Chemo for colon cancer–stage 3. Her three children, especially two–year-old Charlie, needed a lot of attention (still do). Only a few of us, like her husband and the other grandma, could help with the kids because of their tight covid circle. Our area continues to be a hotspot. But we were amazed by the stream of faithful friends and neighbors who brought meals, ran errands, and did loads of laundry for the family. This generous outpouring made a huge difference, as did the countless prayers. We are eternally grateful. Shortly before Christmas, the oncologist declared Alison’s latest scans good. Thank God. She’s free from cancer treatment, apart from follow up scans and tests. It’s hard to believe this challenging episode is done. It seemed endless.

My indoor Window Garden.

In addition to helping Alison and the kids, I threw myself into the garden. Planting, pruning, digging–all that goes with gardening–lifts my spirts and calms my mind. Every time events threatened to send me up a tree, I ordered a rose for the Memorial Garden. I’d already planted a great many, but the number swelled with such a memorable year. When it got too late for rose planting, I ordered a LOT of bulbs and added tulips, hyacinths, crocus, daffodils, and lilies to the many lying dormant in the ground. When spring comes, they will burst forth with abundant color and fragrances.

When the weather grew too frigid to plant bulbs outside I turned to my indoor garden. Geraniums and rosemary brighten the sunspace and I add new amaryllis bulbs each fall. I’ve been given four orchids, several cyclamen, and acquired a variety of succulents. Bringing hyacinths into bloom early is on the agenda and I always grow paperwhites. Gardening, indoors or out, helps keep me sane. Hubby Dennis is putting up a greenhouse outside the sunspace which will give me more room for starting seeds. The dahlias daughter Elise and I dug are overwintering in an unused bedroom and I’ve ordered a few more flamboyant tubers. And tuberous begonias. *Of course.

Cyclamen in my window garden.

I’m still an author, guess I always will be, but writing has been on the backburner these past months. I felt as if I’d been holding my breath since Alison’s diagnosis and didn’t have the heart to venture into the writing world. I’ve relaxed a bit since her recent good news. Maybe I’ll finish that time travel I began B. C. –Before Covid. Meanwhile, two of my novels are free this week from Sunday through Thursday at Amazon. Promo has been nonexistent for me, so I figured I’d better do something.

Kindle Links (Free thru Thursday):

Historical Romance Novel Through the Fire: (Native American Warrior Book 2) – Kindle edition by Trissel, Beth, Trissel. Literature & Fiction Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com. (Free thru Thursday)

Will love inflame these two natural-born enemies in fiery destruction?

Passions run deep in the raging battle to possess a continent, its wealth and furs. Both the French and English count powerful Indian tribes as their allies.
English lady Rebecca Elliot, having eloped to America with a British captain, finds herself a widow. When she ventures into the colonial frontier with the militia to seek her uncle, she unwittingly enters a dangerous world of rugged mountains, wild animals, and even wilder men. The rules are different here and she doesn’t know them, especially those of the savagely handsome warrior who captures her body and her heart.

Time Travel Romance Novel Somewhere My Lass (Somewhere in Time Book 2) – Kindle edition by Trissel, Beth, Trissel. Paranormal Romance Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com. (Free thru Thursday)

Will Mora and Neil be too late to save a love that began centuries before?

‘‘The MacDonald comes’ warns Mora Campbell when Neil MacKenzie finds the young Scotswoman lying unconscious at the top of his stairs after he discovers his murdered housekeeper slumped at the bottom. Mora’s claim that she’s his fiancé from 1602 and was chased to the future by clan chieftain, Red MacDonald, through ‘the door to nowhere’ seems utter nonsense. Neil thinks she’s addled from the blow to her head until his life spirals into chaos and the avenging Highlander shows up wanting blood. Mora knows the Neil of the future is truly her beloved Niall who disappeared from the past, but he must also remember. And fast.

Visit my Amazon Author Page at: https://www.amazon.com/Beth-Trissel/e/B002BLLAJ6/

See you next year!

Historical Romance Novel Enemy of the King for the 4th of July!

“Passion Governs and she never governs wisely.” ~ Benjamin Franklin

Years ago, I was researching my early American Scots-Irish forebears when I often came across references to a battle fought during the Revolution called The Battle of Kings Mountain. The name alone drew me. I vowed to go back later and research that battle more in-depth. When I did, I uncovered fascinating fodder for the imagination.
I learned about the gallant, ill-fated British Major Patrick Ferguson who lost his life and Loyalist army atop that Carolina Mountain called King’s back in the fall of 1780. Ferguson is buried there beneath a stone cairn, possibly along with his mistress who also fell that day. He had two, both called Virginia. But it is believed one mistress made her escape on a horse by betraying his whereabouts to the advancing–and really angry–Patriots.

The hardy, sometimes downright mean, Overmountain men of Scots heritage, didn’t take kindly to Ferguson’s warning that they desist from rebellion or he’d bring fire and sword upon them and hang all these ‘enemies of the King!’

‘Book title,’ I said to self. And Enemy of the King sounds cooler than The Patriot. So I began what came to be my version of that famous movie, though I started my novel before it even came out. Whew, that WAS a while ago. I’ve invested years of research into the high drama and romance of the Revolution and gone on to write two more novels in what became The Traitor’s Legacy Series, with three novels set during and just after the war.

The Battle of King’s Mountain, a mega conflict that altered the course of a nation, plays a prominent role in the fast-paced historical romance that is Enemy of the King. And, being drawn to mysterious old homes and the notion that those who’ve gone before us are not always gone, I included a paranormal element.

I suspect my ancestors are speaking to me as I have a colonial forebear named Jeremiah Jordan and I discovered an early Meriwether in the family. My journey back through time gathers intrigue, and I wondered how the people who lived through anything as all-consuming as the American Revolution ever got their lives back to normal. The ripples from that enormous upheaval are still flowing out in concentric circles. They’ve certainly encompassed me.

Step into the elegant parlor of Pleasant Grove, an eighteenth century Georgian plantation built high on the bluff above the Santee River. Admire the stately lines of this gracious brick home and its exquisite décor. Stroll out into the expansive garden between fragrant borders of lavender and rosemary. Bask beneath the moss-hung branches of an enormous live oak, then saunter back indoors to dress for a candlelight dinner in the sumptuous dining room. But don’t plan on a lengthy stay, you’re about to be snatched away for a wild ride into Carolina backcountry.

Jeremiah Jordan is a Patriot and Meriwether Steele a Tory. She risks a traitor’s death if she fights for the one she loves.

Blurb: 1780, South Carolina: While Loyalist Meriwether Steele recovers from fever in the stately home of her beloved guardian, Jeremiah Jordan, she senses the haunting presence of his late wife. When she learns that Jeremiah is a Patriot spy and shoots Captain Vaughan, the British officer sent to arrest him, she is caught up on a wild ride into Carolina back country, pursued both by the impassioned captain and the vindictive ghost. Will she remain loyal to her king and Tory twin brother or risk a traitor’s death fighting for Jeremiah? If Captain Vaughan snatches her away, he won’t give her a choice.
‘South Carolina, spies and intrigue, a vindictive ghost, the battle of King’s Mountain, Patriots and Tories, pounding adventure, pulsing romance…
ENEMY OF THE KING.’

The year is 1780, one of the bloodiest of the American Revolution. The entire Southern garrison has been captured and Lord Cornwallis is marching his forces deep into South Carolina. ‘Bloody Ban’ Lieutenant Major Banestre Tarleton and his infamous Legion are sweeping through the countryside. Revenge is the order of the day on both sides and rugged bands of militia are all that stand between crown forces and utter defeat.

“I thoroughly enjoyed Enemy of the King…the characters are memorable, the setting beautifully described…the action riveting & the romance tender…for anyone who loves a well crafted historical romance.” ~ Long and Short Reviews by Poinsettia

Publisher’s Weekly BHB Reader’s Choice Best Books of 2009
2010 Best Romance Novel List at Buzzle

“An amazing and vibrant look into the American Revolution…this sexy historical is a must read!” ~ Coffee Time Romance and More by Danielle

Get Enemy of the King in Kindle or print at Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/Enemy-King-Beth-Trissel-ebook/dp/B002C73OZW

Enemy of the King will soon be an audiobook. Traitor’s Legacy, the sequel to Enemy of the King, is an audiobook now. The narrator did an excellent job!

To listen to the Traitor’s Legacy audiobook at Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Traitors-Legacy/dp/B07BH7WC4P/

At Audible: https://www.audible.com/pd/Romance/Traitors-Legacy-Audiobook/B07BH7B5D6

Traitor’s Legacy is also in kindle and print at Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Traitors-Legacy-Beth-Trissel-ebook/dp/B00MNTXQUW/

Historical Romance Series–The American Revolution

***The three novels in The Traitor’s Legacy Series are sold individually or as a box set from all online booksellers. The three novels have been reduced in price.

In Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/Traitors-Legacy-Beth-Trissel-ebook/dp/B01L5PSE1K/

***If you are interested in reading and reviewing Enemy of the King, or any of the stories in the Traitor’s Legacy Series please contact me: bctrissel@yahoo.com

Seeking Honest Reviews for Ghostly, Gothic Historical Romance Novel Traitor’s Curse

If you’re interested in reading Traitor’s Curse and leaving it a review at Amazon or Barnes & Noble, and Goodreads (if you’re a member of that community) leave me a comment or contact me: bctrissel@yahoo.com

The novel is coming out on November 6th from The Wild Rose Press and is already available for pre-order. I’m seeking 5–10 possible volunteers, so if you’re interested, speak up. I will provide the story in eBook format, not print (unless you’re a big-time reviewer. Then you get whatever you want.)  Although Traitor’s Curse is the third book in my Traitor’s Legacy series, it’s written to stand alone. However, if you are interested in reading and reviewing Traitor’s Legacy or Enemy of the King, please let me know that too.

Thanks in advance. Also, I’m cutting it a bit fine, since the book is out on Nov. 6th, so a review as near to that date as possible would be super.

Story Blurb for Traitor’s Curse:

Halifax, North Carolina, 1783.
Captain Stuart Monroe returns home from the Revolutionary War to find Thornton Hall threatened by a peacetime foe: debt. He knows the location of a treasure amassed to pay for the capture of Benedict Arnold that would restore his manor to its former glory. The catch, it’s hidden in the graveyard, and coveted by old enemies.

Hettie Fairfax inherited the Sight from her Cherokee ancestors, and her otherworldly visitors warn her, and Stuart, away from the buried treasure. Half-dead from fever, she delivers a message: the treasure is cursed. But will he believe a girl half out of her mind with illness? Even when a very real enemy attempts to poison her?

Stuart soon wants to marry Hettie, but she fears her “odd ways” will blemish his reputation. The spirits have their own agenda, however, and the battle against darkness tests everything the couple holds dear, including their love for each other.

For more on me, visit my Amazon Author Page where ALL my books reside for shooting sure.

Historical Romance Kira, Daughter of the Moon Re-Released by Amazon Encore!

Can a beautiful Scots-Irish healer suspected of witchcraft and a renegade white warrior find love together and avoid the hangman’s noose in the colonial frontier?

Set among the superstitious Scots in the rugged Alleghenies, Kira, Daughter of the Moon is an adventurous romance with a blend of Celtic and Native American flavors. Although written to stand alone, Kira, Daughter of the Moon is the sequel to my award-winning historical romance novel, Through the Fire, and book 4  in my Native American Warrior series.

The series loosely ties together based more on time and place and strong Native American characters than as a traditional series that follows the storyline, except for Kira, Daughter of the Moon and Through the Fire. In addition to Native Americans, hardy Scots-Irish frontiersmen and women, colonial Englishmen and ladies, and even a few Frenchmen also play an important role in this series. So far, it spans the gamut from the dramatic era of the French and Indian War, through Pontiac’s War, The American Revolution and shortly thereafter.

Foothills of the Alleghenies

Kira, Daughter of the Moon  opens in the spring of 1765, about six months after the close of Red Bird’s Song in the fall of 1764. Through the Fire takes place the summer of 1758 at the height of the French and Indian War. For those of you interested in this obscure but vital era of American history, a second war led by Chief Pontiac (who united a number of the tribes) followed on the heels of the French and Indian, a sort of part two. That’s the war wrapping up in Red Bird’s Song, but to  anxious settlers, the Indian Wars just flowed together with times when attacks were more prevalent than others. These harried folk trying to survive didn’t keep track of the names of the wars. They didn’t always even know which tribe was attacking them, and some war parties were a mix of allied warriors. But the Shawnee gained the distinction of being the most feared tribe in the Shenandoah Valley and the Virginia frontier—the ultimate badass. The French officers who lead some of these attacks were particularly hated, to this day in some mountainous regions of Virginia and now West Virginia. Memories run deep. Bear in mind that Virginia used to be vast and encompassed states.

Dread of Indian attacks, of being killed or captured, of what happened to captive loved ones, and mistrust of white men who turned renegade and ran with war parties was on the minds of these mistrustful and superstitious Scots-Irish. Not that all settlers were Scots. Some were German/Swiss and English, but the clannish Scots tended to band together. And they were ever on their guard for witches.  This is the volatile background for Kira, Daughter of the Moon.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Blurb: Logan McCutcheon returns to colonial Virginia after seven years in the hands of Shawnee Indians. But was he really a captive, as everybody thinks? He looks and fights like a warrior, and seems eager to return to those he calls friends and family.

Kira McClure has waited for Logan all those years, passing herself off as odd to keep suitors at bay––and anyone else from getting too close.  Now that he’s back, he seems to be the only person capable of protecting her from the advances of Josiah Campbell and accusations of witchcraft.  And to defend the settlers against a well-organized band of murderous thieves.~

Kira, Daughter of the Moon is available for pre-order now and officially out on 9-22-2015 in kindle at Amazon through their Encore Publishing Division. Red Bird’s Song was re-released by Amazon in August. Both novels are also available in print. Amazon has all  my books.. For more visit my Amazon Author Page.

Ghostly Romance Novel Somewhere My Love .99 for the Holidays

A Night Owl Top Pick: “The story will draw a reader in and will not let go until the very last page. It is a novel that will live in the hearts of its readers for a very long time.”

I conceived the idea for my Somewhere in Time series years ago while watching one of my favorite British mysteries, Midsomer Murders.  I enjoy the historic setting of these modern day mysteries, but especially when the story flashes back to an earlier time period in an old manor house to get to the root of the mystery. So I thought, why not incorporate that with my love of romance and history.

Moreover, I’m intrigued by ghost stories, and Virginia has more tales than any other state. I find myself asking if the folk who’ve gone before us are truly gone, or do some still have unfinished business in this realm? And what of the young lovers whose time was tragically cut short, do they somehow find a way?  Love conquers all, so I answer ‘yes.’  The theme behind ghostly, murder mystery romance Somewhere My Love, the first story in the series.

Julia’s in love with a ghost

Blurb For Somewhere My Love:

Fated lovers have a rare chance to reclaim the love cruelly denied them in the past, but can they grasp this brief window in time before it’s too late?

 

Two hundred years ago Captain Cole Wentworth, the master of an elegant Virginian home, was murdered in his chamber where his portrait still hangs. Presently the estate is a family owned museum run by Will Wentworth, a man so uncannily identical to his ancestor that spirit-sensitive tour guide Julia Morrow has trouble recognizing Cole and Will as separate. As Julia begins to remember the events of Cole’s death, she must convince Will that history is repeating, and this time he has the starring role in the tragedy.

The blade is about to fall.~

“As I read Somewhere My Love, I recalled the feelings I experienced the first time I read Daphne DuMaurier’s Rebecca long ago. Using the same deliciously eerie elements similar to that Gothic romance, Beth Trissel has captured the haunting dangers, thrilling suspense and innocent passions that evoke the same tingly anticipation and heartfelt romance I so enjoyed then, and still do now.”

~joysann for Publisher’s Weekly

 ***Somewhere My Love is available in eBook and print at Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

The novel is reduced to .99 in kindle and nookbook for the holidays.

Book Signing at the Royal White Hart Lodge No. 2 in Historic Halifax, NC

Chartered in 1767, but in operation much earlier, the Royal White Hart Lodge No. 2 is the second oldest Masonic lodge in North Carolina, after St. John’s Masonic Lodge No. 1, in Wilmington (chartered in 1756). Before the hall was erected in Halifax, lodge founders met in homes and rented rooms in inns. One of the earliest taverns mentioned as a meeting place was The Sign of the Thistle. Because of prominent Halifax resident Joseph Montfort, the Royal White Hart Lodge has special significance in the history of Freemasonry, and the history of North Carolina. On January 14, 1771, Joseph Montfort was appointed “Provincial Grand Master of and for America” by the Duke of Beaufort, Grand Master of England. He then established early masonic lodges across the state. Montfort held many titles, among them: Treasurer of the Province of North Carolina, Colonel of Colonial troops, patriot and Freemason. He is the only Grand Master in America. Born in England in 1724, he died in NC on March 25, 1776 and is buried east of the Royal White Hart Lodge. 1776 seems a rather propitious time to die with the dramatic events unfolding in America.

Rarely open to the public, the Royal White Hart Lodge is hosting the book signing for my new release, Traitor’s Legacy, in Historic Halifax, on Oct. 11th. Not only that, but the lodge is being repainted inside and out in colonial colors and appropriately decorated for the event. Sumptuous refreshments will be served inside the lodge, while the old town comes to life with 18th century music, reenactors, and other period displays, I am honored by the privilege of having my signing here. For more information on the event visit: http://www.nchistoricsites.org/halifax/halifax.htm

Colonial American historical romance novel

Story blurb: 1781. On opposite sides of the War of Independence, British Captain Jacob Vaughan and Claire Monroe find themselves thrust together by chance and expediency.

Captain Vaughan comes to a stately North Carolina manor to catch a spy. Instead, he finds himself in bedlam: the head of the household is an old man ravaged by madness, the one sane male of the family is the very man he is hunting, and the household is overseen by his beguiling sister Claire.

Torn between duty, love, and allegiances, yearning desperately for peace, will Captain Vaughan and Claire Monroe forge a peace of their own against the vagaries of war and the betrayal of false friends?

***Traitor’s Legacy is available in eBook and print from Amazon and The Wild Rose Press, Nook Book and from other online booksellers.

 

Writing Elves

I’m hard at work on the sequel to historical romance novel, Traitor’s Legacy, entitled Traitor’s Curse, and in need of writing elves. Some might think these elusive beings are imaginary. Nope. Peaches and Cream happily left their box and came to my aid. However, they’re not as much help as I’d hoped.

“Cats are dangerous companions for writers because cat watching is a near-perfect method of writing avoidance”

Dan Greenburg (Kitten watching is even more addictive.)It is impossible to keep a straight facein the presence of one or more kittens. ~Cynthia E.VarnadoA catless writer is almost inconceivable. It’s a perverse taste, really, since it would be easier to write with a herd of buffalo in the room than even one cat; they make nests in the notes and bite the end of the pen and walk on the typewriter keys. ~Barbara Holland

I had to put the kittens back in their box. They were not happy about it. The writing bug has bitten. As has their desire to have the run of the house. But they’re too little, I told them, so must visit in spurts.

Cats can work out mathematically the exact place to sit that will cause most inconvenience. ~Pam Brown

There is no more intrepid explorer than a kitten. ~Jules Champfleury

Cats seem to go on the principle that it never does any harm to ask for what you want. ~Joseph Wood Krutch

Here’s a sample of their work. I hate to be critical, but I don’t think it has a lot of promise. Looks like I’m on my own with this novel.

 

Kitten Rescue and My New Book Release

Wednesday, my new historical romance novel, Traitor’s Legacy, came out. Authors know, and readers can guess, the effort needed to spread the word. But two tiny kittens also need me. Monday, my feline loving granddaughter, soon to be 7-year-old, Emma, found a minute, very mad, abandoned kitten. About two weeks old, I guessed, which involves feedings every 3-4 hours round the clock (I use a small syringe from the vet because he hates the bottle) and bottom cleaning because kittens can’t ‘go’ themselves at this age. And very young kittens must be kept warm. I use a canning jar with a tight lid and refill the bottle every few hours with hot water, and keep him in a small cloth-lined box, covered with a towel.

This seemed like enough of a challenge, then on Tuesday, Emma and her younger brother Owen found an even tinier kitten (the runt brother of the first little guy) soaking wet, muddy, hollering its head off and looking like a drowned mouse. Turns out, their farm cat mama had four in the litter and wasn’t interested in the two smaller kittens. And, I discovered they had a respiratory thing. So, first thing Wednesday morning of my release day, I’m at the vet’s office, so tired from being up worrying over the kittens I tried to answer my phone by just saying hello without hitting the on button. The brothers (the vet says they’re boys) are on an antibiotic (a little drop in a syringe) twice a day for two weeks and a vet approved supplement for their feedings. The formula from our dairy cows that I usually whip up using a cup of  whole milk, an egg yolk, and teaspoon of vegetable oil, recommended by an old country vet years ago, was deemed to be too iffy for these guys.

I’m calling the kittens Peaches and Cream, as the original brother is a pale apricot and fuzzy, and the runty kitten who was muddy brown has revealed himself to be a white kitten trying to be a Siamese with gold tipped ears, tail, and paws. There’s a wild Siamese Tom cat running around the farm I suspect to be the father. Or the mother’s father. Some connection. Cream is the hardest hit by the virus so requires extra care.

Yesterday was my big book blast blog tour day for Traitor’s Legacy. I faithfully tried to make the rounds, but was beat. Last night I slept on the couch to be near the kittens. If at all possible, they are NOT dying on my watch. Tiny Mite, the newborn kitten I rescued last fall and failed to save, still haunts me.

So hey, I have this new book out, and kittens to take care of. And I’m too tired to think straight or even know what day it is. But I’m told the eBook is half price off at The Wild Rose Press, available in pdf, ePub and Mobi (pocket) which means for Kindle. Traitor’s Legacy is also available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and from other online booksellers.  And I’ve maybe got another hour and a half until the next feeding and clean up session. Wish me luck! I try to tell myself not to get so attached to the kittens, not to care so much, because it’s awful when they don’t make it. But I do.

Proceeds from this novel will go toward vet bills. He’s seeing them again soon.

Romancing Colonial America in Historic Halifax!

Save the Date! Come one and all to Historic Halifax, NC on Oct. 11th for Romancing Colonial America and my book signing of historical romance novel, Traitor’s Legacy. Release date, August 13th, from The Wild Rose Press.

Historic Halifax to Host “Romancing Colonial America”
HALIFAX – Experience the best of colonial America during a special event packed with activities, demonstrations, tours, music, dance, a book signing, and more on Saturday, October 11th, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Historic Halifax State Historic Site. Romancing Colonial America will highlight the eighteenth century from pirate days through the revolution!

Help celebrate the release of author, Beth Trissel’s, newest historically-based fiction romance novel. The new book, Traitor’s Legacy, is the second title in a trilogy, and is largely set in Halifax during the eighteenth century! A book signing and reception will be held at the Royal White Hart Masonic Lodge, No. 2 (130 Saint David Street, Halifax, NC) 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Pre-order your copy of Traitor’s Legacy, available for $15 each, call (252) 583-7191 to reserve copies, and make checks payable to Historical Halifax Restoration Association, Inc. Pre-orders can be picked up on the day of the event.

A traveling exhibit, Blackbeard’s Queen Anne’s Revenge, 1718, featuring artifacts recovered from the wreck of the flagship of notorious early eighteenth century pirate, Blackbeard, will be on view in the auditorium of the Historic Halifax visitor center during the event. The ship ran aground at Topsail Inlet, now known as Beaufort Inlet, and has been having her vast treasures recovered in recent years and conserved at a lab in Greenville, NC. Over the past year, artifacts on loan for the traveling exhibit from the North Carolina Maritime Museum in Beaufort have been making their way around North Carolina to different historic sites, on view for all to see, learn about and enjoy! This exhibit is also on view until November 1st during Historic Halifax’s normal hours of operation (Tuesday – Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.).

From 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., lunch will be available for purchase in the Tap Room, one of the site’s eighteenth century taverns. Proceeds from the lunch fundraiser will support the efforts of Preservation Halifax, a non-profit group dedicated to the preservation and revitalization of Halifax, NC.
Enjoy colonial period musical performances and dances at various times throughout the historic site. Folk musicians, flutists, singers, and costumed dancers will provide eighteenth century entertainment in various locations on site. Also, throughout the day from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., colonial era living-history demonstrations performed by costumed re-enactors will take place along with tours of the site’s historic buildings which date from circa 1760 through the 1830s. Stop by the Historic Halifax State Historic Site Visitor Center to pick up a complete schedule of activities and an event map.

For more information about Romancing Colonial America and any related activities, please call Historic Halifax at (252) 583-7191 or visit www.halifax.nchistoricsites.org. Historic Halifax is within the Division of Sate Historic Sites in the NC Department of Cultural Resources and is located at 25 Saint David Street, Halifax, NC 27839

Haunting Romance Novel Somewhere My Love .99 Thru May

A Night Owl Top Pick: “The story will draw a reader in and will not let go until the very last page. It is a novel that will live in the hearts of its readers for a very long time.”

Volumes and volumes of books have been written about the ghosts of Virginia. Apparently, we have more ghost stories than any other state in the Union. And not because Virginians have a more fertile imagination (although we may) but sadly because the Old Dominion has seen more bloody battles over the centuries than any other. Before you differ with me, think back.

Jamestown (founded 1607) was the site of the oldest successful English settlement and its history is a violent one. It’s also kind of creepy. And on we go to the many heart-rending wars fought with the usurped Indians, a number of them waged on Virginia soil. Virginia used to be a lot bigger than it is now, too. It spanned states.

And on we march to the Revolution. Anyone heard of Yorktown, to name just one famous battle? And let’s not forget that horrific most uncivil of wars, much of it fought in, you guessed it, Virginia. My ancestors took part in these wars, with the possible exception of James Town, although I’m thinking we came across a family account somewhere. Need to check.

Back to the ghosts: This plethora of paranormal activity doesn’t only feature soldiers caught in an endless fray who haven’t gotten word the war’s over–although some clairvoyant really should make the rounds of old battle fields and direct these poor souls to the light. Many tales center on the myriad of people who dwelt in our richly historic state. The old Virginia homes and plantations have accumulated a wealth of such stories. It was while touring some of these English styled manor homes with my dear mother that the kernel of a story first came to me for Somewhere My Love (Somewhere in Time Series).  

Added to this meld of vintage Virginia is my own heritage. On my father’s side, I descend from old Southern gentry, impoverished after the Civil War, Great Depression, and other misfortunes, including the untimely death of my brilliant grandfather. But the gracious Georgian home his ancestor built (circa 1816) still stands in the countryside near historic Staunton. My ghostly Christmas novella, Somewhere the Bells Ring (Somewhere in Time Series), was inspired by this wonderful old home.

Since childhood, I felt the family home place was haunted and wove stories through my fevered mind, along with my continual search for Narnia which entailed frequent treks into the old wardrobe. But I digress. Frequently. The magnificent ancestral portraits in my family and on display in other Virginia homes held me transfixed, wondering. And it was just such a portrait of a striking dark-haired gentleman who embedded himself in my thoughts. Who was he? Why did he die so young? That other painting of the fair young lady…did she love him?

Often, the guides at these old homes are brimming with tales. But other times we are left to wonder…and ask ourselves are these folk who’ve gone before us truly gone, or do some still have unfinished business in this realm? And what of the young lovers whose time was tragically cut short, do they somehow find a way? Love conquers all, and so I answer ‘yes.’

 

Blurb For Somewhere My Love:

Fated lovers have a rare chance to reclaim the love cruelly denied them in the past, but can they grasp this brief window in time before it’s too late?

 

Two hundred years ago Captain Cole Wentworth, the master of an elegant Virginian home, was murdered in his chamber where his portrait still hangs. Presently the estate is a family owned museum run by Will Wentworth, a man so uncannily identical to his ancestor that spirit-sensitive tour guide Julia Morrow has trouble recognizing Cole and Will as separate. As Julia begins to remember the events of Cole’s death, she must convince Will that history is repeating, and this time he has the starring role in the tragedy. The blade is about to fall.~

“As I read Somewhere My Love, I recalled the feelings I experienced the first time I read Daphne DuMaurier’s Rebecca long ago. Using the same deliciously eerie elements similar to that Gothic romance, Beth Trissel has captured the haunting dangers, thrilling suspense and innocent passions that evoke the same tingly anticipation and heartfelt romance I so enjoyed then, and still do now.”~joysann for Publisher’s Weekly

 ***Somewhere My Love is available in kindle and print at Amazon and Barnes & Noble and in eBook at Kobo.  

 

*Homes most prominent behind the inspiration for Somewhere My Love:

Berkely Plantation (On the James River & well worth a visit)

Family home place called Chapel Hill (Not open to the public)

Shirley Plantation (On the James River & well worth a visit)