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Rosemary Morris's Blog (40)

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I spend eight hours or more writing and dealing with matters related to writing.

While writing there is no one to metaphorically hold my hand, encourage me and help me to improve my work in progress.

From my first draft of a novel or article I try to write to the best of my ability and avoid the many pitfalls which plague authors. By the time I have written several drafts, revised and edited my work I know it inside out, upside down and back to front, and that is the…

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Added by Rosemary Morris on July 3, 2011 at 7:30pm — No Comments

Retro Centre Samuel Pepys

Retro Centre and Samuel Pepys

I always enjoy visiting St Albans. Yesterday I visited a treasure house of items from times past at a Retro Centre, which I will visit again, and I shall attend the Retro Fair next weekend.

The Retro Centre is divided into sections where different sellers arrange their wares. China, glass, curios, soft furnishings, clothes and a treasure house of books.

As I went round I yearned to own a…

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Added by Rosemary Morris on June 19, 2011 at 2:05pm — No Comments

A Novelist's aka Organic Gardener's Morning

As usual, when I woke at 6.am, I went downstairs to make a mug of green tea sweetened with organic honey, and flavoured with a wedge of unwaxed, organic lemon. While the kettle boiled I turned on the tap to water part of the vegetable plot. I then wasted a lot of time trying to adjust the spray.

By 6.20 I was checking my e-mails and replying to some of them. Recently, junk mail has been appearing. How do I get rid of it? I changed my password for one e-mail address but…

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Added by Rosemary Morris on June 6, 2011 at 1:02am — No Comments

Helen Hollick

It was a pleasure to attend the London Chapter Meeting of the Romantic Novelist’s Association on the 21^st May, 2011, at which our guest speaker was Helen Hollick, whose novels I enjoy.

For thirteen years Helen worked as a library assistant at Chingford library. During those years her interest in and passion for King Arthur and the Dark Ages grew. As a result she wrote the first of her trilogy, Pendragon’s Banner, which Heinemann accepted three days before her…

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Added by Rosemary Morris on June 6, 2011 at 12:57am — No Comments

Write With Style - Show Don't Tell

Show Don’t Tell…

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Added by Rosemary Morris on February 14, 2010 at 1:00am — No Comments

Seasonal Fruit from an Author's Organic Garden

Seasonal Fruit from an Author’s Summer Garden

I have gardened organically for the last twenty years in Hertfordshire, England. When I moved into a house with a medium size back garden overgrown with blackberries, thistles and nettles I knew I must invest time and money. So, I decided to make my money work for me. Instead of concentrating on ornamental plants I planted fruit trees. I now have a wild plum tree, a cooking apple tree, three eating apple trees, two pear trees, two plum… Continue

Added by Rosemary Morris on August 30, 2009 at 2:07am — 2 Comments

Murder Most Foul - A Classical Tale from Ancient India

Murder Most Foul

When the sun retired on cool evenings, purple shadows crept across the fields and villagers sat in stout, mud-brick houses either gossiping or telling stories. The elders sat closest to slow burning fires of cow-dung cakes dried during summer’s ferocity, and whenever they mentioned King Chitraketu’s name, they praised him.

Yet the king found his life more barren than a desert because he had not received a son from any of his wives. Whether he resided in… Continue

Added by Rosemary Morris on May 14, 2009 at 1:33am — No Comments

Tangled Hearts - Chapter Three

The Prologue, Chapter One and Two have already been posted.

Chapter Three

Richelda hurried along an overgrown woodland path, which meandered through Bellemont, her neglected estate, to a disused charcoal burner’s hut where Dudley Wynwood waited for her.

‘Thank God you are safe. Now, tell me what Lord Greaves said,’ Dudley called when she drew near him.

Her mouth quivered. ‘I made a sorry mull of my business. I presented the petition to the wrong… Continue

Added by Rosemary Morris on February 9, 2009 at 4:33am — No Comments

An Author' Garden in August

An Author’s Garden in August

I wish I could bottle the fragrance of my garden in Hertfordshire, South East England. When I open the windows, front or back doors the perfume of lavender and roses wafts through the air. I have introduced biodiversity into the garden which bees, butterflies and hoverflies visit.

Unfortunately slugs and snails also inhabit my garden. I garden veganically and combat their attacks on the vegetable patches by encouraging wildlife – flat stones on… Continue

Added by Rosemary Morris on August 4, 2008 at 3:03am — No Comments

A Writer's Plan for a Summer Day

A Writer’s Plans for a Summer Day

Two of my interests in life are writing fiction and gardening. These activities complement each other. For the first I need a fertile imagination, for the second fertile soil suitable for the requirements of various plants. Sometimes I think that I would be happy if I had nothing more to do than write and garden.

So far, this morning has been typical of an early summer day. Here in Hertfordshire, England the sun is shining but the air is cool.… Continue

Added by Rosemary Morris on June 17, 2008 at 3:38am — No Comments

That Charming, Plaguey Justin

When planning my novels I live on ‘Cloud Nine’ and give a lot of thought to my characters. (Of course, although, a lot of hard work lies ahead this part is nothing but fun.)

My new hero, Justin, is intrusive. He won't go away. He is so demanding that when thinking of him I nearly burned the spaghetti sauce.

Justin’s partner to be is taking shape in my mind - both her characteristics and physical appearance.

Oh dear, amongst other things, Justin wants me to go on… Continue

Added by Rosemary Morris on April 28, 2008 at 3:10am — No Comments

Queen Anne - 1702 -1714 - Part One by Rosemary Morris Author of Tangled Hearts

Queen Anne – Part 2

Princess Anne’s mother died and her father, James, Duke of York, had taken the unpopular step of becoming a Roman Catholic. Her uncle, the childless King Charles II, knew politics demanded his heirs, Anne and her elder sister, Mary, be raised in the Protestant faith. He appointed Lady Frances Villiers, a committed Anglican, as their governess and leased Richmond palace to Frances and her husband.

The princesses benefited from country air and were… Continue

Added by Rosemary Morris on April 24, 2008 at 11:08am — No Comments

Butterfly Farm

Recently, I visited a butterfly farm forty-five minutes from my house, on the way to the university town, Cambridge, England. A writer's mind is never idle. I imagined the land as it was once was with wildflower meadows over which butterflies flitted. Alas

there are fewer of these beautiful creatures today due to chemical sprays.

As well as butterflies there are other creatures on the farm amongst which is a peregrine falcon. I am writing a novel set in the reign of Edward IInd and… Continue

Added by Rosemary Morris on April 17, 2008 at 1:02am — No Comments

Visit to Ham House, Richmond, England

I research my romantic historicals intensively, reading, using the website and visiting places of interest. In the summer, Anita Davison, author of Duking Days, and I visited Ham House, near Richmond in Surrey, England.

Built in 1610 for Sir Thomas Vavasour, Knight Marshal to James 1st, and subsequently owned by the Duke and Duchess of Lauderdale, Ham House is now owned by the National Trust.

I imagined the hero, Chesney, and the heroine, Richelda, of my novel Tangled… Continue

Added by Rosemary Morris on April 16, 2008 at 2:28am — No Comments

Tangled Hearts Chapter Two

Tangled Hearts by Rosemary Morris

Chapter Two

Chesney stepped from Lady Ware’s spacious house into King Street and walked towards Whitehall. Although the proposal to marry Mistress Shaw took him by surprise, he gave further thought to accepting it. Yet he would not wait for Mistress Shaw to come to town and parade in the latest fashions, powder and patch. Where did she live? He searched his memory.

Ah, now he remembered. She lived at Bellemont. Lady Ware had… Continue

Added by Rosemary Morris on April 12, 2008 at 12:54am — No Comments

Tangled Hearts Authors Notes and Prologue

I am proud to announce that my historical novel Tangled Hearts, set in the reign of Queen Anne, will soon be available in bookshops. It is now available from my publisher, www.enspirenpress.com, Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk and barnesandnoble.com

Hoping you enjoy the extract.

Author’s Notes

When the outwardly Protestant Charles II died in 1685, he left a country torn by religious controversy but no legitimate children. The throne passed to his Catholic brother… Continue

Added by Rosemary Morris on March 10, 2008 at 6:00am — No Comments

Chapter One - Tangled Hearts by Rosemary Morris

TANGLED HEARTS

CHAPTER ONE

Fothering Place, London, England1702

Lord Chesney sat at ease in his lodgings and eyed his friend, Jack, Duke of Hertfordshire, whose tall frame was clad in extravagant silk and velvet. Gem set rings, illuminated by brilliant candlelight, adorned his long fingers and His Grace’s dark amber eyes were alert. His square face with its cleft chin looked tense while he toyed with his blond periwig.

His eyes keen, Jack spoke. ‘My bailiff… Continue

Added by Rosemary Morris on March 10, 2008 at 2:56am — No Comments

Reviews of Tangled Hearts

5 blue ribbon review from Romance Junkies.…

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Added by Rosemary Morris on January 16, 2008 at 2:27am — No Comments

Tangled Hearts by Rosemary Morris

I am delighted to announce that my novel Tangled Hearts by Rosemary Morris is now available from www.enspirenpress.com, Amazon and will soon be available in bookshops.

Tangled Hearts is set in the reign of Queen Anne the last Stuart monarch.

You can read extracts at my website. As one of my reviewers said: 'If you like historical fiction, Tangled Hearts by Rosemary Morris is a must,

All the best,

Rosemary…

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Added by Rosemary Morris on January 16, 2008 at 2:25am — No Comments