Charlie Cochrane’s top ten
Christmas things (in no particular order)
1.
Anything with dried
fruit in. Christmas cake, Christmas pudding, mince pies. *hyperventilates* I
particularly like getting a mince pie, slipping off the lid, inserting a knob
of blue cheese, replacing the lid, and warming the pie up. Delicious.
2.
The Cochrane
family Christmas quiz, as supplied by our eldest daughter. This is
traditionally done after the Christmas dinner main course, while the pudding is
cooking, and is as cut throat competitive as the Olympic 100m final. It has
been known for people to try to nobble each other with excess alcohol.
3.
In the run up to
Christmas, helping with the local charity Christmas toy and gift project,
putting together packages of goodies for children you’ll never meet but putting
as much effort in as though you’ll be there when they open the presents!
4.
Christmas lights.
Whether on the tree or in the shopping centre, they make me go all gooey eyed.
There is something magical about them, that takes me straight back to
childhood.
5.
Christmas
markets. We’re lucky to have an excellent one near us at Winchester, but I have
a particular fondness for the one by the cathedral in Exeter. May have
something to do with the amazing quality of the food, including the best spiced
nuts in the universe.
6.
Arthur Christmas. I’ll fight anybody who doesn’t put this among their top ten seasonal
films. Such wit, such warmth, such cleverness. And even though I’ve seen it a
dozen times I still spot new details in the background. All hail the power of
Aardman.
7.
Animals, animals
and more animals. Wherever one goes during Advent, there seem to be our furry
friends, just sitting or standing and generally being adorable. From the
reindeer who charmed us when we got our tree to the little snoring piglet at
the Victorian event, they warm the cockles of my heart.
8.
Christmas carols,
whether I’m listening to them or singing along. I’ve always loved the
traditional ones, especially O Come All
Ye Faithful, but have recently discovered some newer ones, especially the
marvelous works of John Rutter. The
Shepherds’ Pipe Carol is stunning.
9.
Sitting round the
firepit with family – on Christmas day – or friends (usually on New Year’s eve)
wrapped up in blankets, watching the stars come out and enjoying the chat or
the silence equally.
10.
Bells – which is
pretty appropriate given the book featuring here. Bells twinkling on the tree,
bells tinkling on harnesses, or deeply resounding church bells working through
an intricate peal. Especially church bells on a cold, clear night illuminated
with stars.
Title: Wild Bells
Author: Charlie Cochrane
Genre: Two m/m historical
romantic novellas
Buy links: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01NA785ID
Blurbs:
The
Shade on a Fine Day
Curate William Church may set the hearts of the parish's young ladies aflame, but he doesn't want their affection or presents, no matter how much they want to give them to him. He has his sights set elsewhere, for a love he's not allowed to indulge. One night, eight for dinner at the Canon's table means the potential arrival of a ghost. But what message will the spirit bring and which of the young men around the table is it for?
The Angel in the Window:
Two officers, one ship, one common enemy.
Alexander Porterfield may be one of the rising stars of the British navy, but his relationship with his first lieutenant, Tom Anderson, makes him vulnerable. To blackmail, to anxieties about exposure—and to losing Tom, either in battle or to another ship. When danger comes more from the English than the French, where should a man turn?
Curate William Church may set the hearts of the parish's young ladies aflame, but he doesn't want their affection or presents, no matter how much they want to give them to him. He has his sights set elsewhere, for a love he's not allowed to indulge. One night, eight for dinner at the Canon's table means the potential arrival of a ghost. But what message will the spirit bring and which of the young men around the table is it for?
The Angel in the Window:
Two officers, one ship, one common enemy.
Alexander Porterfield may be one of the rising stars of the British navy, but his relationship with his first lieutenant, Tom Anderson, makes him vulnerable. To blackmail, to anxieties about exposure—and to losing Tom, either in battle or to another ship. When danger comes more from the English than the French, where should a man turn?
Excerpt:
Benjamin Swann couldn’t sleep
at all. Dinner, excellent as it had been, lay heavy on his stomach, while
thoughts oppressed his mind. He looked out over the fields, their thick coating
of frost resembling snow in the moonlight. He loved winter, the white and grey
tones, the clear light and sharp air all helping to bring his life into a
clearer focus. Not that it needed to be brought much further into focus after
tonight. He wandered down to the library, where a fire was always kept burning
low on cold nights. He coaxed it into life, laying another log on, then found
his favourite pack of cards, dealing out hands without thinking.
Queen of hearts. He
considered the ladies sleeping in houses and cottages all over the parish, lost
in dreams of suitors and admirers, then held the pack to his head in an attempt
to cool his restless, guilty thoughts.
Queen of clubs. His sister
too, not thirty yards up the stairs and along the corridor of the big house,
asleep and no doubt dreaming, like the other maids who frequented St.
Archibald’s, of a pair of blue eyes and a flashing smile.
Jack of hearts. The only
decision William Church could make which wouldn’t disappoint any of them would
be the offer of his hand.
Jack of spades. Well,
whatever the man chose to do, there would be many a long face in the parish.
Everyone with any sense had seen the risk of that eventuality from the moment
the curate had arrived and swept the spinsters off their feet, and the likely
number of potentially broken hearts seemed to increase weekly.
King of hearts. Only one
person could win the man’s lasting affection—Benjamin was sure William was no
cad and wouldn’t seek to play the field. Whether he’d be brave enough to go
where Benjamin felt his conscience might lead him was another thing.
Joker. Why did life have to
be so ridiculously complicated?
Author bio: Because Charlie Cochrane couldn't be trusted to do any of
her jobs of choice—like managing a rugby team—she writes. Her mystery novels
include the Edwardian era Cambridge Fellows series, and the contemporary
Lindenshaw Mysteries. Multi-published,
she has titles with Carina, Samhain, Riptide, Lethe and Bold Strokes, among
others.
A member of the
Romantic Novelists’ Association, Mystery People and International Thriller
Writers Inc, Charlie regularly appears at literary festivals and at reader and
author conferences with The Deadly Dames.
Links: Website: http://www.charliecochrane.co.uk
Twitter: https://twitter.com/charliecochrane
1 comment:
Thanks for hosying me!
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