Free download 26th to 30 October 2015

Another Free download from Monday to Friday 26th to 30th October 2015. Originally published by My Weekly and Chivers Large Print, now published as an e-book by Endeavour Press.

Sheana Lyon is determined to give her young brother the best family life she can after they lose their parents in a car accident. She is working hard to keep their small farm beside the Solway Firth and has plans to diversify to improve their income.
 Dean Fawcette is a stranger who has returned to his grandfather's old home of Fingaeli, bordering Creagbowie land. Will his ideas, and the ambitions of his ruthless secretary, Charlene, threaten the plans that are so vital to Sheana and her family?
Dean's business empire is successful and expanding but he feels there is something missing in his life while Sheana will stop at nothing to realise her dream for her brother's future, but what will it cost her?


 

Another FREE download 14th to 18th September 2015

 

A New Beginning by Gwen Kirkwood http://amzn.to/1ifrQpJ free to download 14 to 18 September2015  Published as an e-book by Endeavour Press and available from Amazon at the above link.

This is a shorter more gentle romance than my usual sagas. It was originally published  by My Weekly under the title Shattered Dreams. I thought that sounded a little depressing, especially as I like all my books to end with optimism and hope, and in the case of light romances they usually end in love - even if the journey is sometimes a struggle.

Roni has been brought up by loving grandparents but they did not realise she is dyslexic, and feels inadequate without them. She loves the small market garden and she enjoys painting the plants and flowers around her but she needs to know something of accounts to run a business on her own. She badly needs help. The lecturer and his wife are kindly people and take her under their wing but their son makes her feel unwelcome in his home. In the past he has enjoyed helping young people but he is bitter since his formerly active life has been turned upside down.


Here is a reminder of another  bargain. Download Secrets in the Heather for 99p re-published by Accent Press available for the month of September 2015.

This is the first in a series of three novels beginning shortly after the First World War. More details in previous blog

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Moorland Mist published September 2015 - the first in a new series by Gwen Kirkwood

Moorland Mist by Gwen Kirkwood published by Robert Hale Ltd.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/0719817056? qid=1441030087&ref_=olp_product_details&sr=1-1

link shortened by Bitly http://amzn.to/1JGSJbK

 

 

Emma Greig has seen little of the world beyond her own small village when she leaves school at fourteen to become a maid at Bonnybrae Farm. It is the 1880’s and her new life is very different from her carefree school days. The Sinclair Family welcome and reject her: Maggie Sinclair is kind and friendly and the two girls become close. Brothers, Jim and William, gently tease her for her youthful innocence. Emma works hard and begins to find satisfaction and happiness in her new life.

 Unfortunately Mrs Sinclair is haughty and aloof. She is infuriated by her family’s friendship with the new maid. She reminds Emma of her lowly status in the household.

When Emma and William are unexpectedly thrown together a bond develops between them but unforeseen circumstances cause Emma to be sent away without a reference while William is banished from the Scottish farm he loves. Will the connection they share be enough to draw them together again? Can they ever become part of a different  hardworking farming community in Yorkshire when Emma considers it is as remote as the moon from her own loving family.

 

Moorland Mist is published in hardback and should be available in many libraries in various parts of the country. When I request books from my own local library they are very good at obtaining them for me for a request fee of 75p, especially if a book is already circulating in the region. I consider the 75p  excellent value and frequently request one of my favourite authors, mainly because he writes in a series and I never want to miss the next book. 

 

Moorland Mist will be available worldwide as an e-book to download in October 2015

 

The next book in this series will be Moorend Farm. It is already with the publishers and expected to be available in spring 2016.

 

Now I need to get on with writing the third book.....

 

 

Free and reduced prices for downloads

I have neglected this blog for far too long but this morning a new follower on Twitter has spurred me on to return. Sorry for my absence old friends and welcome to new ones.

This seems to be the time of year when publishers hold sales or do their best to promote our books. All of my books have now been re-published as e-books and my sagas are available as large print and audio books.

Last week there were free downloads of Coming Home. This week from 25th to Saturday 29th August 2015 Endeavour Press are offering a free download of

Love's Ransom

 

Love’s Ransom  by Gwen Kirkwood Free to download from Tuesday 25^th to Saturday 29^th Aug.

This is not my usual kind of story but I enjoyed writing it. It is set in the Scottish Borders in the 1600’s when the Border Reivers are a law unto themselves. Isabella Ellwood loves her brother dearly. When he is taken prisoner she offers her life in exchange for his but the clan chief, William Douglas, recognises her courage, as well as her youthful beauty. He demands a different ransom instead of a life for a life. Isabella is dismayed but feels she has no choice if she is to save Jamie, and surely no fate could be worse than falling into the hands of Neb Truddle, the hateful neighbour who is the instigator of all their troubles.

http://amzn.to/1EbaUdT

 

 

 

While I am here I will give a little advance notice of a book which will be available throughout the month of September to download for 99p. This has been re-published as an e-book by Accent Press and is the first in a series of three.

 

The Series follows the life and fortunes of Victoria Pringle who is orphaned at birth and raised by Jane McCrady, her great grandmother, who is cook at Darlonachie Castle. When Jane dies Young Victoria is taken in by the Pringle family who live in the gardener's cottage and also work on the estate. The young Pringles, especially Andrew, take Victoria under their wing. She is allowed to work in the Castle kitchens but times change after the First World War and the new mistress is jealous of the talented young cook who is blossoming into a beautiful girl. Victoria must face new choices and come to terms with a long-buried secret from her past. 

 

 

 

First six weeks of 2015 - photos & a recipe

View of Criffel from my window with snow highlighting the peaks and slopes

Wood pecker eating nuts while hungry sparrows fight over a fat ball

Winter sunset

Hazel catkins,

Viburnum in blossom

and snowdrops in flower



Now a recipe for a winter's day.

Miracle Pudding or Shepherds’ Pudd.

Lightly butter an oven proof dish which will hold at least 2 pints of liquid. This mixture does not look much but it rises and expands during cooking. You should end up with a golden brown topping, succulent sultanas and a rich butterscotch sauce underneath. Serve hot. 4 persons (or six if you serve with custard or ice cream). It is quite filling for a cold day – hence the Shepherd’s Pudding.

 Rub 3 ounces of margarine or butter into

5 oz self raisng flour and add

4 ozs sultanas.

Mix with milk until it forms an elastic dough.

Place in greased bowl.

Sauce

Dissolve 4ozs brown sugar and

3 ozs butter (or marg) in

2 cups of boiling water (15 fluid ounces)

Poor over the dough. Do NOT stir or mix.

Bake 35 to 40 minutes at 180 C or 350 F until well risen,

crisp and brown on top.