When day meets night and stars reach the heavens,
When the swallow sings and waves roar,
I hear your voice in the wind,
And see your smile when I close my eyes.
Beyond the horizon and above the sky,
In the twilight,
You are with me.
****
For Elsa, dec. 20th August 1989.
Someone came into my room last night while I was sleeping. He opened a drawer, took something out, and left the room. Neither my husband nor I woke up. Anything could have happened while we were unconscious. It could have been a thief, a murderer, or a kidnapper. We could be missing, dead, or have suffered a burglary.
Fortunately, everything’s fine, except it isn’t, because now, for the first time in my life, I’m aware of my vulnerability. It might have happened before, but if it ever has, I was oblivious. The knowledge that this can happen to me any night, wherever I happen to be sleeping, is frankly terrifying.
Creating Suspense
Thrillers thrive on suspense, especially those of the domestic and psychological types. Suspense is the building up of an uneasy feeling in the reader, usually because the main character is in danger and we don’t know what’s going to happen next. A writer can create suspense by making the reader feel the character’s fear. Both the reader and the character want to find out what happens next, but both are also terrified of what they may discover.
At the moment I’m halfway through Just Like The Other Girls by Claire Douglas. And there’s a scene where a character believes someone might have entered their bedroom in the middle of the night.
This paragraph is taken from Part One, Chapter 14.
A noise wakes me. I blink in the darkness, feeling disoriented for a few seconds. I hear it again. The creak of floorboards. I rub my eyes, propping myself on my elbows and notice that my door is ajar, letting in a sliver of silvery light from the landing. I remember locking it before I went to sleep. I know I did. Is someone in my room? I’m wide awake now and sit up straighter. I start when I see a figure by my wardrobe…
****
The use of present tense makes the events occur in real time for both the reader and narrator. Neither knows what is going to happen, and both are terrified of the events which will take place in the next few minutes. I’m thoroughly enjoying this novel, which has plenty of similar nail-biting moments. A full review will be coming soon.
In chapter 10 of my latest novel, Ghost Wife, there is also a scene where the protagonist believes someone has entered her room while she was sleeping.
I rub my eyes, lick my lips, and stumble to the dressing table for my glass of water, but before it reaches my lips, I freeze. There’s a leather-bound book—a Bible that wasn’t there last night. A flower is pressed between its pages like a bookmark. I pull it open, and my heart races as I read the words scrawled along the top and side margin of the page.
I am the ghost of Rosewood Hall. Welcome. Be careful of the others.
I refuse to believe in ghosts, because if I let them in, they’ll destroy me again. I replace the Bible and wring my trembling hands. Someone must have come into my room while I was asleep. I stride towards the door, because they may still be here, but the handle turns. They’re back and I’m trapped.
****
There are plenty of surprises and thrilling moments in Ghost Wife. Especially for readers who enjoy romantic suspense novels. International buy link for Ghost Wife.
By the way, if you were wondering who came into my room in the middle of the night, it was my son-in-law who needed to get a change of clothes for my sixth and most recent grandson, Carlos. You’ve guessed it, I’m on granny duty again this summer! I’m trying to keep up with blogging and writing, with limited success, so far! I’m a stressed writer and blogger, but also a very happy granny!
An uplifting, contemporary tale of tragedy, love, and second chances, by Sara Downing.
On a summer night in London, art teacher Eve Chapman finds herself in a hospital emergency room. She watches surgeons desperately operate on a young woman with a terrible head injury. But when the bandages are removed, Eve is horrified to find her own body on the operating table.
Trapped in a coma, Eve struggles to cope with the fact that no matter how hard she tries, her family and friends cannot see or hear her. But then she meets Luca Diaz, a handsome and comatose lawyer who can see her. He takes Eve under his wing and teaches her how to use her new abilities to help the living.
As the weeks pass, Eve struggles to find a way back to her body and to Nathan, the man she loves. But the more time she spends with Luca, the more she wonders if her old life is worth going back to at all.
My Review
I haven’t read such an emotional and inspiring novel in a long time.
Readers are invited to suspend disbelief and experience amazing accounts of coma patients’ experiences in and beyond a hospital ward. The actions, thoughts and behaviours of an array of varied and well-drawn characters, and a tightly spun plot, raise thought-provoking questions on the meaning of life and death, the mind, body, and soul connection, as well as the power of goodness, and our search for love.
Reading I Let You Fall is an uplifting experience. It was like taking an emotional holiday and visiting a magical place where the boundaries between space and time, and life and death are blurred, good things happen to good people, and love will always find a way.
Whatever you believe, think you believe, or would like to believe about these existential themes, I Let You Fall will surprise and inspire you.
I almost forgot to mention that it’s set in London, and I really enjoyed revisiting the sights of the city where I was born and used to live.
Sara Downing writes across several genres, including romance and historical fiction. More recently she has become fascinated with the supernatural. Her first book in this genre, ‘The Lost Boy’, was followed up by ‘I Let You Fall’, published by TCK Publishing/Quilla books in June 2022.
Sara lives in rural Worcestershire with her husband, three almost grown-up children, a Labrador and a cat. Before children she was a Chartered Accountant, but always knew her dream career lay elsewhere. She started writing in 2009 and hasn’t since yearned to return to the world of accountancy.
Sara loves to hear from her readers. You can contact her via her website.
Luccia Gray is the author of The Eyre Hall Series, the sequel to Jane Eyre and Wide Sargasso Sea. She has also written Ghost Wife, a contemporary, romantic suspense. Luccia’s Internacional Amazon Author Page
I wrote the first version of Ghost Wife between June and September, 2017, five years ago. I wrote the first draft in four months, and I’ve been rewriting it, on and off, ever since. The initial idea and characters has remained constant throughout, although the novel has undergone many revisions and minor changes along the way until it developed into the final version which I have just published on Amazon kindle.
These are the facts, but they don’t reflect the reality of my writing process. The initial idea for Ghost Wife took root 50 years ago, and it has been growing since then.
Real Timeline
Initial Inspiration: The Seeds
Stage Two
An Author is Born: The Writing Begins
Stage Three
Reviews, Paperback, and Marketing
Now Ghost Wife is free from the confines of a folder on my computer and it is lodged out on a massive cloud on the Internet, called Amazon, for readers to like, dislike, criticise, praise, or ignore.
I’ve had plenty of doubts along the way. I enjoy writing historical fiction. I had never thought of writing a contemporary novel, and yet I’ve enjoyed the challenge and the process.
That said, I’m going to admit I almost didn’t publish it because of my insecurities, but in December 2021, I decided that this year, my word of the year would be ‘Dare’; Dare to dream, Dare to step out of my comfort zone, Dare to write what I want to write and publish it, so that’s what I’ve done!
I’ve published the kindle version, but there’s still a lot more to do. I hope to have the print version ready by the end of the summer, and I have the daunting chores of marketing to look forward to. I’m planning on booking blog tours, social media posts, and hopefully getting some help from friends, readers, and fellow bloggers.
Meanwhile, if you enjoy reading contemporary romantic suspense, with a gothic setting, I’m sure you’ll love Ghost Wife, and it’s only 0.99!
International buy link for Ghost Wife
International Amazon Author Page
Antiheroes are protagonists with a dark side, which is frequently unknown to the other characters, especially the heroine, at least at the outset of the novel. Antiheroes are complex characters who have an inclination for using dishonest methods to achieve their goals. They also have positive attributes, which are the reason their weaknesses are so often overlooked.
Some authors have distinguished between the antihero as someone who has no regard for right or wrong; he does bad things irresponsibly and unpredictably, just because he can, and the Byronic antihero, who does bad things for good reasons.
A Byronic hero is a bad good guy. He does bad things, makes his own rules, operates outside of the law. But his goal is to do good. He’s tormented. He’s introspective. He hurts. He takes full responsibility. He’s Batman.
Author Kay Camden in Is Your Hero Anti or Byronic?
Some antiheroes, especially of the Byronic kind, are popular among readers who often excuse the antihero’s flaws, defending, justifying their actions, or even falling in love with the dark brooding antihero, because they supposedly had a good intention. Such is the case of Emily Bronte’s Heathcliff, Scott Fitzgerald’s Jay Gatsby, Mario Puzo’s Michael Corleone, Ian Fleming’s James Bond, Stephen King’s Roland Deschain, and David Nicholl’s Dexter, to name just a few of the most well-known.
One of literature’s most captivating and most famous Byronic antiheroes of them all is Charlotte Bronte’s Edward Rochester.
I have been obsessed with Charlotte Bronte’s novel, Jane Eyre, since I first read the novel as a teenager, and when I read the prequel, Wide Sargasso Sea, by Jean Rhys, as an adult, my obsession grew so much that the first novels I wrote and published are included in The Eyre Hall Series, the six-part sequel to Jane Eyre, which takes place twenty years after Jane Eyre’s marriage to Edward Rochester.
The first two novels in the series expose Rochester’s crimes, lies, and flagrant manipulation of Jane Eyre, as well as his criminal acts. The rest of the series deals with Jane’s subsequent marriages, travels, ordeals, and misfortunes, as well as her relentless pursuit of justice, integrity, love, and happiness.
As with all antiheroes, some readers claim Mr Rochester has some positive qualities, although I can’t appreciate any myself, unless his supposedly genuine love of Jane is considered a redeeming attribute, because ‘All’s fair in love and war.’
Some readers disagreed with my portrayal of Mr Rochester in The Eyre Hall Series and defended his behaviour, which I find surprising, to say the least, especially bearing in mind the cold-blooded and selfish way he treated his first wife, his mistresses, his daughter, and the way he manipulated his second wife.
If we agree with Nietzsche and ‘true’ love can justify any criminal or immoral action, then perhaps we can let Mr Rochester and all the other antiheroes off the hook, and call them simply heroes.
‘Whatever is done for love always occurs beyond good and evil.’
FRIEDRICH NIETZSCHE
What do you think? Can we justify a hero’s actions and behaviours because of his allegedly good or romantic intentions?
While I was writing The Eyre Hall Series, which is almost complete, I had the idea of writing a contemporary novel, with a similar plot, and that was how Ghost Wife was born, over five years ago. It has undergone several rewrites and transformations over the years before I published the final version yesterday.
Ghost Wife is a suspenseful, contemporary gothic romance, with engaging and complex characters, and many twists and turns. And, just so you know, Ghost Wife has three main characters and points of view, and one of them is a Byronic Antihero.
I’ll tell you more about these characters tomorrow!
Luccia Gray’s Amazon Author Profile with all her novels
International Amazon Buy Link for Ghost Wife
I’m thrilled to announce that my first contemporary novel, Ghost Wife, is live today and on special offer at 0.99!
Especially for readers who enjoy contemporary, romantic suspense novels, with complex and engaging main characters, gothic elements, and dark twists, because:
‘Whatever is done for love always occurs beyond good and evil.’
FRIEDRICH NIETZSCHE
From the Blurb:
Who is the dark presence at Rosewood Hall?
I’ll be posting more about Ghost Wife tomorrow. Meanwhile, pick up your copy and start reading! International Amazon link
Welsh psychologist Cliff Arnall, who identified Blue Monday (third Monday of January) as the saddest day of the year, also used a mathematical formula which identified 20th June as Yellow Monday, the happiest day of the year.
Arnall created a mathematical formula to reflect the factors that make this date the happiest. The research was sponsored by Wall’s, the British ice cream maker, in 2006 to coincide with the opening of a photographic competition capturing happy summer moments.
These are the six elements he included in his formula:
Comparing the two dates, and bearing in mind the elements of his formula, I’d agree that most people are probably happier on 20th June than on 17th January. The summer holidays, emotionally significant due to our childhood memories, are closer, the weather has improved, and the days are longer.
Yesterday I sent some friends a screenshot of Yellow Monday and wrote, “enjoy the happiest day of the year”. One of my friends’ reply made me think twice about what happiness means to me: She said, “I’ll try my best.”
And we started a conversation, because she’s absolutely right.
We often imagine happiness as something that appears out of the blue, suddenly, and although that may occasionally occur, that isn’t how happy moments usually happen.
We came to the conclusion that we have to actively create happy moments in our lives, as often as possible, embrace them, and bottle them up as wonderful memories.
We should plan to do things we enjoy and make an effort to enjoy the things we have to do.
The secret is to make sure we indulge in as many elements of his formula as we can as often as we can:
Go for a walk somewhere in nature. Take photographs of the sea, a tree, a blade of grass, a cloud, or a wildflower. Plan for an outing.
Contact or better still see someone you love face to face or on social media. Plan to meet up.
Do something you love. If you love even if it’s just for half an hour. Watch an episode of your favourite series, read a chapter of a book you love, or read a poem or two. Plan to do something you enjoy during the week.
Allow yourself to enjoy every little moment. You deserve it!
Life is all about the little-big things; hugging my grandchildren, chatting to those who live far away of whatsapp or other social media, reading an engaging novel or an enlightening personal growth book, making a delicious meal for someone I love, taking a pretty photograph, messaging a friend on her birthday, complimenting someone, going for a walk, singing my favourite song in the shower, watching youtube shorts by my favourite speakers, and the list could go on…
I’m happy today, because of hundreds of little-big things I relish in doing, and I’ll make an effort to be just as happy tomorrow, because I believe happiness is an attitude, not a fleeting feeling.
This is a special week for me. I’m on granny duty.
Today I’m happy because I took my granddaughter to school, after dressing her up as a butterfly for a school show, then I had a delicious coffee in a bar and a chat with my husband, then I cooked meat balls for lunch, which my grandkids love, in between I wrote this blog post, and this afternoon I plan to do many more fun things, because I choose to enjoy every little moment.
Let’s make every day the happiest day of the year enjoying the little big things in life and making them happen!
Share some of today’s happy moments in the comments!
Welcome back! It’s been almost two months since my last post, and the least I can do is offer an explanation and tell you what’s been going on in my life in the last few months.
January 2022
I’ll have to start in January. I spent most of this month in hospital with my mother, who died on the 31st. I’m not yet ready to share the feelings I struggled with at the time, but I’m sure I will, at a later date. I grew and learned a great deal from the experience, and when I’m ready, I’ll share some universal aspects which may resonate with some of my readers and fellow bloggers.
January and February flew by. Fortunately, my husband and my daughter helped me with practical matters, such as paperwork, donating my mother’s clothes, sorting out cupboards and the like.
I’ve also been helping my three children and five grandchildren as needed, which is wonderful, but time-consuming, although I wouldn’t change or give up a single moment I spend with my family.
February 2022
Snow Moon at Eyre Hall, Book Five in The Eyre Hall Series was published on 18th February. Fortunately all the pre-publication work, such as editing, cover design, kindle formatting, etc., was almost finished in January. So the publication went smoothly, although I did very little active promotion, which is probably why it only has few reviews.
Here’s Snow Moon at Eyre Hall on Amazon.com, and on Amazon UK.
Here’s the international link to my Amazon author page, where you can find all the novels in The Eyre Hall Series.
March 2022
Around March I started getting my bearings and some semblance of a ‘normal’ year started.
Last year, I finally decided it was time to publish my first novel in Spanish, Antes de que nacieras. Again, fortunately it was at the printers, ready to see the light in December, so, although it was published 10th March, all the pre-publishing work had been done during 2021. Here’s the cover and for those of you who read Spanish, here’s the Amazon.com link, Amazon.co.uk link, and the Amazon.es link There’s also an International Amazon link here
I haven’t said much about Antes de que Nacieras on Rereading Jane Eyre, because it’s in Spanish and I set up another blog for that purpose. Fortunately, I set up my Spanish blog in 2021. Here’s my Spanish Blog, where you can find out more about this novel, which I plan to translate into English in 2022.
My Spanish blog is called: Descubriendo paisajes infinitos, from a quote by the Chilean author, Isabel Allende. It means Discovering Infinite Landscapes.
I have been busy promoting my Antes de que nacieras (Before You Were Born) on my Spanish blog, facebook, twitter, Instagram, and doing a few book signings, and reading club meetings and discussions, and I admit, I’ve somewhat neglected actively promoting my Eyre Hall Series.
April 2022
I took part in two blogging challenges, one on YouTube channels on Rereading Jane Eyre and one on themes from my novel, Antes de que nacieras on Descubriendo Paisajes Infinitos.
I reached letter K on Rereading Jane Eyre and X on Descubriendo Paisajes Infinitos, which was a feat in itself, writing two blog posts a day, for most of the month, especially bearing in mind that I hadn’t prepared any of the posts before starting the challenges.
May 2022
I’ve been going to German classes for a year, some online, and others face to face, and May is final exam time. So here I am, at 63, learning one of the hardest European languages! I suffered greatly and passed my exam for the first A1 level, which means I’ll torture myself further next year and try for A2.
The reason I’m learning German is that my daughter is living in Munich, Germany, and will remain there for the foreseeable future, which means I spend summer months there and my grandchildren will speak German as well as English and Spanish. I’m hoping to learn enough to be able to interact with neighbours, shopkeepers etc, at a basic level. I’m a retired language teacher, so I know it takes time and patience to (really) learn a language, so I’m investing three years which I hope will be enough!
Kill Your Darlings!
May has also been word killer month! ‘Kill your darlings’ is a quote attributed to Stephen King, William Faulkner and Kurt Vonnegut, among others. It is a hard exercise for a writer, but so necessary.
This is why I’ve been re-revising Ghost Wife, a novel I started some years ago, on and off, and finished last year, but I wanted to tighten it up further, so I’ve completely revised it and reduced it by almost 3,000 words! Which, quite honestly, I never thought I could do without so many words!
June 2022
Ghost Wife is now at the final proof-reading stage, before it can be uploaded on Amazon as an ebook and paperback, to be published on 13th July.
Ghost Wife is a contemporary romantic mystery. I’ve subtitled it as a chilling romantic suspense. It’s available at a special launch price of 0.99. Here’s the International link.
Click on the image for Amazon UK link.
I’ll tell you more about Ghost Wife shortly, for the moment, I’ll leave you with the Blurb.
Ghost Wife: From the Blurb
They call me Maria, and I’m a ghost. Rosewood Hall is my mausoleum, and my room is a dank cell, hidden within its clammy walls.
There are other people in this house. They can’t see me. They know I’m here, but they pretend I’m not, because I don’t exist, not really, not at all, at least not for them. I’m part of the building, ignored but unmoveable, secured to the walls by invisible chains.
I’ve seen them glancing at my window. I’ve felt the terrified look on their faces when they dare to glance up before they shiver and walk away, and it gives me strength because it means I’m still powerful.
They can’t tell anyone about me because nobody believes in ghosts. I’m their dark secret, so they make sure no one comes anywhere near the attic. They don’t know you are coming to set me free.
*****
Lyra Leyton is sleeping on a friend’s couch after losing her job as an English teacher at a language school in Spain. When she receives a lucrative employment offer as home tutor and live-in nanny to 10-year-old Carla, at Rosewood Hall, in Yorkshire, she can’t believe her luck.
Life at the secluded residence is idyllic at first, until disturbing sounds from the attic, cryptic messages from an anonymous sender, and a visit from a private investigator searching for a missing girl, haunt Lyra’s sleepless nights.
A panic-stricken Lyra, hands in her notice, but Carla’s widowed stepfather, who lives in London, begs her to reconsider, claiming wild animals, local gossip, and creaking noises in the ancient house, have caused her unrest.
If Lyra stays, she could lose more than her mind, but can she afford to leave? And can she abandon her young pupil?
So, in spite of these first six months being very emotionally and professionally stressful (I mean it’s not every year an author publishes three novels in six months!!), a lot has been going on and I’m feeling reasonably satisfied.
The Next Six Months July to December
Firstly, as a mother and grandmother, I’m looking forward to holding my sixth grandson, Carlos, in my arms, in Munich, in July. I’d like to finish two children’s books I’ve started writing with my grandsons Miguel. and Alejandro.
Secondly, as an author, I plan to keep up with both blogs, English and Spanish, translate my Spanish novel into English, Before you were born, complete another Spanish book I’ve started, finish my next Eyre Hall series novel, I’ve also started, plus Jane Eyre A to Z, which is almost ready for publication.
These are my plans, but nothing’s written in stone. Who knows what hurdles I’ll meet in the coming months? In the end I just try to enjoy and make the most of one day at a time.
Sorry for the two-month absence and I’m looking forward to keeping in touch with you during the next six months!
What have you been up to and what are your plans for the next six months?
I’m joining the AtoZ challenge sharing YouTube channels and Youtubers I follow as an independent author, researcher, learner, reader, and someone who is interested in emotional growth and physical wellbeing, as well as entertainment and current affairs.
I’ve enjoyed watching YouTube videos for years, but in 2020, when the pandemic broke out in Europe and the first lockdown was imposed as a security measure in most countries, I decided to go Premium on YouTube and I started watching even more videos on a wide variety of entertaining and informative topics, which I’d like to share with you over the coming month. I hope you enjoy!
Today I’m featuring Kindlepreneur a channel for self-publishing authors with videos on marketing, social media for authors, and lots of practical aspects independent writers need to know about to write and sell their books.
This is one of his latest videos on hashtags for authors on the different social media.
I hope you found these channels interesting or useful, and if you want to check out what other bloggers are writing about this month in the AtoZ Blogging Challenge check them out on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram.
Meanwhile, I hope you’re enjoying this chilly and rainy April!
By the way, if you’d like to check out my novels in The Eyre Hall Series, find out more by clicking on the image below which will take you to the information on this website.
I’m joining the AtoZ challenge sharing YouTube channels and Youtubers I follow as an independent author, researcher, learner, reader, and someone who is interested in emotional growth and physical wellbeing, as well as entertainment and current affairs.
I’ve enjoyed watching YouTube videos for years, but in 2020, when the pandemic broke out in Europe and the first lockdown was imposed as a security measure in most countries, I decided to go Premium on YouTube and I started watching even more videos on a wide variety of entertaining and informative topics, which I’d like to share with you over the coming month. I hope you enjoy!
Today I’m featuring cook and a Jamie Oliver is a world-famous British chef, restaurateur, author of cookery books, and media personality. I love watching his videos because they are short, clear and delicious! He makes cooking a special meal look really easy and fun and he has hundreds of videos on different types of food, from traditional to more contemporary. Creamy mushrooms is one of his latest easy, simple and mouth watering videos.
And I couldn’t resist sharing this one with you on four fabulous ways to make pancakes, which my grandchildren love.
Bestselling author Jerry Jenkins has a channel with plenty of useful videos on the craft of writing, such as this one on conflict.
I listen to everything Jordan Peterson says, because he expresses his ideas eloquently and clearly. He is a Canadian professor of psychology, clinical psychologist, YouTube personality, best-selling author and host of the #1 Education Podcast, “The Jordan B. Peterson Podcast”. His channel includes videos from his classes, his podcasts, interviews, book tours and lectures and they all include food for thought on a variety of topics such as current affairs, religion, politics, and personal growth, among others. This is one of his most recent videos on finding meaning in life.
I hope you found these channels interesting or useful, and if you want to check out what other bloggers are writing about this month in the AtoZ Blogging Challenge check them out on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram.
Meanwhile, I hope you’re enjoying this chilly and rainy April!
By the way, if you’d like to check out my novels in The Eyre Hall Series, find out more by clicking on the image below which will take you to the information on this website.
The Musings of a Writer / Freelance Editor in Training
Sharing is Learning
Finding spiritual enrichment in retirement
Fantasy Author
Delicately balancing the voice of the author with the needs of the reader
Loving books and reading
Writing to Inspire, Motivate, and to help finding Hopes
In search of Anne Brontë and her family
Books - They're what we do best!
books, life and other things...
Books, books and more books
The Official Website of Meg LaTorre
Aventuras y desventuras de una escritora "Independiente"
Children's book illustrator
The Home of Sherlock Holmes Lovers in Portland/Vancouver
Researching the House of Commons, 1832-1868
Personal. Inspiring. Long-lasting.
Rereading Jane Eyre 