Welcome Allison Knight

What is Mardi Gras and when and where did it start?

Mardi Gras is the Tuesday before the Lenten season begins. The word is French and means Fat Tuesday. The French brought their customs to the new world when they

explored the country, so now you know what it is. What most people don't know is that Mardi Gras began in Mobile, Alabama. nor do they know why.

When the French arrived, they made Mobile, Alabama the capital of the Louisiana Territory way back in 1703. So from Epiphany, or twelfth  night until the beginning of Lent, the French ate, partied and got ready to observe the Lenten fast. All the goodies had to be consumed before the start of Lent, so the day before they ate and ate, hence, Fat Tuesday because Lent began the next Wednesday.

At the time the French arrived in Louisiana, masked balls were all the rage in Europe, so even today those who participate in the parades wear masks. And the weeks before the day, there are still masked balls, all kinds of parties and celebrations.  It's the one time of the year you pull out the long gowns and the tuxedos and prepare to forget the calories.

Since the French located primarily in the Gulf region of the US, that's mostly where you'll find Mardi Gras celebrated.

Did you know there are special colors for Mardi Gras? The colors are purple, gold and green in that order. The story behind those colors will probably remain a mystery forever, but they were chosen by nobility from Russia who led the parade back in the 19th century. He claimed they stood for justice, faith and power. He had the nickname  'Rex' and to this day, Rex is the name given to the king of the parade.  There's even a cake associated with the season called King Cake and it too is decorated with purple, gold and green frosting or sugar, often both.

Again this is a custom brought here by the Europeans. Hidden in the Cake was originally a coin, or a bean, but today we hide the plastic figure of a baby. Getting the piece of cake with the coin, bean or baby meant a whole year of good luck. It also meant you had to bring the cake to the next party. They are filled with cinnamon and sugar, or fruits or cream cheese, so rich but oh so good. If you celebrate Mardi Gras, you might want to try making one. It's a yeast cake and you can find any number of decent recipes on the 'net'.  Believe it or not, there are bakeries all over the Gulf Coast who make and ship King Cakes all over the country for Mardi Gras celebrations.

So next year, after Twelfth night why not plan to hold your own Mardi Gras celebrations. I'm told calories at this time of year don't count and you'll have the next 40 days of Lent to lost all the weight you gained while you partied.

Windsong by Allison Knight

Champagne Books

www.ChampagneBooks.com

Alwyn ab Brynn Ffrydd wants revenge against a powerful Baron without losing his king's support. What better way to exact revenge than to kidnap the Baron's long time mistress. But she is not what he thinks she is.

Shy, unworldly Milisent Mortimore has been confined for nine years by a brother who now demands she agree to wed a cruel, heartless man. Thanks to her father's will, she has the right to chose her mate or her spouse will lose her inheritance.

When Alwyn kidnaps her desires flares and together they must struggle against the treachery of Alwyn's current mistress, her brother and the man he wants her to marry.

In defying all three, Alwyn places his life at risk. Milisent saves him from certain death and together they celebrate their life of love.

Excerpt:

 Alwyn ap Brynn Ffrydd leaned away from the woman mounted in front of him. He never expected Chelse’s whore to be so young, nor so beautiful, nor to carry such a fragrant scent, like a spring garden just warming in the morning sun. She dressed so simply at first he thought she was the companion, not the woman he sought.

            Those blue eyes, bright like the sky of a perfect summer day, had snapped at his commands. Her concern for her companion had been a bigger surprise. In his experience, a woman who was held only to satisfy her master’s desires did not hold much concern for another woman.

            Usually these women carried a hard, used expression, not the innocent stare of this one. Mayhap that was part of her appeal for Chelse, her naive look. Alwyn was angry with the knowledge he too felt desire and held a groan of frustration behind his teeth. She should not have an effect on him for he knew what she was.

            Oh how Chelse must have enjoyed her. His man told him she had been in the castle for at least eight summers. He glanced at her profile and 12 gritted his teeth as warmth invaded him. Nay, she should not—could not— arouse him. She had belonged to his enemy.

            Think of Sybil, the woman who waits for you at Throsle.  He tensed for the woman who waited for him was also just a bedmate, and she was there because he had not the courage to send her away. She shared his bed for a year, and was hinting she wanted a better position. Much as she might desire the title of wife he would never consider her for that position. He already had a wife. Her broken body carrying his unborn child lay under the cold rocky soil of Wales. And Chelse was the cause.

            While the thought of Essylt chilled him, it strengthened his resolve. He had not loved her but he liked her; she made his life comfortable. 

            His hold on the woman in front of him tightened. He wanted to challenge Chelse and kill him if he could, but Edward did not approve of his knights fighting to the death. The king would not like to have a favorite of his die by another’s hand.

            Although Chelse deserved death, this woman would have to be Alwyn’s revenge. It would be through her that Chelse would know pain, mayhap not the kind of pain Alwyn had suffered but a sense of loss all the same.

            He banished the thoughts racing through his mind. Maintaining his control now that he had almost achieved the first part of his revenge was foremost. One moment of inattention could destroy his plans. Already his plan had suffered, for Chelse’s mistress was not what he expected.  Her perfect oval face was framed with curls of silken hair the color of a fawn. Despite the lack of sun, what he could see of the delicate brown was highlighted with streaks of gold.

            He leaned away from her trying to dismiss that part of her allure. Aye, those eyes! They were bright, without guile, with an intelligence he had not anticipated. Of course, she would have to be smart to keep Chelse at her side for the sum of more than eight years and also keep him from wedding another.

            He would not hurt her, however, for now she could not know that. His task was to make certain Chelse knew who held her but not what was happening to her. Chelse had to know also he would never have her again. 

            After he had his revenge, he would find her a husband, someone who would not mind that she had once been the bed partner of Chelse, someone who would keep her from him. It was only fortunate for him his enemy had not married her, for then Edward would not overlook these actions.

About Allison Knight

Award winning author, Allison Knight claims she's married to the world's greatest husband because he's her greatest supporter and works with her on all her projects. The mother of four children, she retired from teaching to move south to warmer climes. She has written and published nineteen romances for both paperback and digital  publishers. Her third medieval romance from her 'song' series and a short story are available from Champagne Books, Inc.

Because she can never quite step out of teaching mode, she blogs often sharing the knowledge she gained writing and publishing in the romance genre. She also loves to talk  about the growing digital market.

You can find her at:

www.AllisonKnight.com

www.AllisonKnight.blogspot.com

www.facebook.com/AuthorAllisonKnight

She blogs once a month for The Writers' Vineyard, http://thewritersvineyard.com