Isn’t it strange how time seems to fly now? When we were kids, the passage of time was so painfully slow. It took FOREVER for Christmas and birthdays to come…it was horrible! Now, in the blink of an eye, another year is gone. #Adulting sucks. But there's a certain charm in reminiscing about those slow, carefree days, isn't there?
It’s hard to believe that my debut novel, Through the Mist: Restoration, was released in 2016. Where did the time go? It seems like only yesterday, as the saying goes.
Let’s take a walk down memory lane. Here’s an excerpt from that first book:
Benjamin waited for Tilly outside the formal state dining room on the second floor. She was taken aback at the sight of him. The man cleaned up well.
He looked as if he too had bathed, the grime of travel removed from his brow. He had shaved the light beard that formed on his face. He looked as ruggedly handsome in real life as he did in the portrait she saw during the castle tour. She lowered her gaze and decided to focus on his outfit. It was dangerous to stare into those moss green eyes.
His coat was navy and resembled a tuxedo jacket with tails. The shirt was more formal than his previous pirate shirt, as she called it. It was crisp, white linen with a fancy knot at the neck. He wore what appeared to be a light blue vest underneath his coat. It was embroidered with tiny gold leaves. His beige pants were skin tight and stopped at the knees, where they skimmed the tops of well-polished, brown leather boots.
She was so taken by his appearance that it took a moment for her to realize he offered her his arm. She blinked at first then pretended he was Mr. Darcy, and she was Elizabeth Bennet. She wrapped her hand around the crook of his arm and allowed him to lead her into the dining room.
As he helped her to her chair, she tried to remain calm. She was sitting in the same dining room where Beth took a ton of pictures the previous day. The crystal chandeliers she admired were now lit with a multitude of candles and looked just as beautiful as she imagined they would. Several silver candelabras that were carefully arranged on the table and sideboard provided soft light to the room.
From the gleaming silver of the candelabras to the sparkling chandeliers, Tilly was amazed at the extravagance on display. Even the tapestries looked richer. Since they were over two hundred years younger, it seemed appropriate. The Greek banquet scene depicted in the tapestries was easier to see without the protective layer of Plexiglas, and the color was not muted. The vivid blues, greens, and gold practically glowed in the warm candlelight. The scene was breathtaking.
The shift from one time to another gave Tilly a headache. She spotted a glass of wine in front of her and took a healthy gulp.
If you follow me on Facebook, you know that I am in the middle of writing a book. It combines two worlds, in a certain sense. The book is a contemporary romance, like Love at the Woolly Bookworm Shop, and parts of it take place in Scotland, the home of the Through the Mist series.
Keep watching both this page and Facebook. I'm thrilled to share that my goal for 2025 is to release the new book in March. Then, I’ll start working on the next book in the Through the Mist series. In the meantime, please enjoy the eight stories I have written so far. Happy reading!