Hello, and welcome to my November Newsletter.  

Given that it was Halloween a day or two ago, I thought I would include this photo that I took in our village the other day. This is a sight I am familiar with, and I thought it might amuse some of you.

This bench is outside one of the cottages on the main road through the village, and I have no idea why there are three skeletons sitting on a bench, but they’ve been there for a long time, and it always makes me smile.

 I know our bus services are not great in Devon, but they’re not that bad!

Talking of Halloween, some time ago, I wrote a blog about High Days and Holidays, and one of the dates is Halloween.

In researching this topic, I came across several interesting facts that were new to me, so I thought you might like to read it: 
https://marciaclayton.co.uk/high-days-and-holidays/

Old Saying of the Month

I’m sure we’ve all heard of someone swinging the lead, but I never knew where the saying originated. You can find out here:

Swinging the Lead
We all know the saying Swinging the Lead means someone feigning illness to avoid work. However, this isn’t quite how it originated. On board ships, a lead weight was attached to a long rope, and a knot was tied every six feet (a fathom) in the rope. The lead weight was swung and thrown overboard, where it sank to the seabed. The sailors then counted the number of knots that disappeared and knew how deep the sea was. Many sailors felt this was an easy job and so swinging the lead came to mean avoiding hard work.

My Writing News

A Woman Scorned
I’m happy to say that my latest book, A Woman Scorned, is doing well. I’m grateful to all my followers who downloaded the book as a pre-order and especially to those of you who have contacted me to say you have enjoyed it and left a review. I always find it nerve-racking when I release a new book, so it’s reassuring to get a few good comments. Here’s a bit about the book:

1886 North Devon, England
Lady Lilliana Grantley has been seriously ill with typhoid, a disease that recently claimed her husband Edgar’s life and that of his long-time lover, Rosemary Gibbs. Now recovering at last, the lady wastes no tears on her husband but is determined to wreak revenge on his two illegitimate children. Embarrassed for years by his affair with Rosemary, a childhood sweetheart living nearby, she has falsely accused Sir Edgar’s daughter, Millicent, of the theft of a precious brooch and wants to see her jailed or hung.

Fortunately for Millie and her little brother, Jonathan, their granny, Emily, insisted they leave home as soon as she heard of Sir Edgar’s death, for she knew his widow would seek revenge. The old lady was soon proved right, and Lady Lilliana, furious the two youngsters were nowhere to be found, evicted the old woman despite the fact she, too, was dangerously ill. After a long and hazardous journey to North Devon, Millie and Jonathan were united with some long-lost family members who made them welcome and gave them a home. However, aware that Lady Lilliana has put a price on Millie’s head, they know they are not yet out of danger. Despite this, they are determined to find their granny, Emily, who seems to have disappeared.

Aided by her long-time lover, Sir Clive Robinson, Lady Lilliana is determined to find Millie and Jonnie and get them out of her life once and for all, but how far will the embittered woman go? You can find the book here: https://mybook.to/AWomanScorned

Best Book Editors Review

I was pleased to receive this lovely review from
https://www.bestbookeditors.com/ for The Mazzard Tree, and also the banner which was posted on social media.

You can read the review here:
The Mazzard Tree by Marcia Clayton – Best Book Editors

The Coffee Pot Book Club

I’m delighted to have been accepted as a Blog Tour Host for The Coffee Pot Book Club: https://thecoffeepotbookclub.blogspot.com/

A blog tour is when several hosts (usually other authors) write a post about a particular book and feature it on their websites. The Coffee Pot Book Club specialises in blog tours for historical fiction books. For authors, it’s important to get as much exposure as possible for their books, and for the hosts, it increases the audience for their websites. Anyway, my first blog post was for The King’s Intelligencer by Elizabeth St John, and you can read all about it here:

https://marciaclayton.co.uk/the-kings-intelligencer-discovering-the-missing-princes-in-the-tower-by-elizabeth-st-john/


I haven’t had a chance to read the book yet, but it looks intriguing.

Book Bargains This Month

The Angel Maker: the ebook will be reduced to 99p from 1st – 8th November: 
http://mybook.to/TheAngelMaker

The Angel Maker

When carpenter, Fred Carter, finds a young woman in dire straits by the roadside, he takes her to the local inn where she gives birth to a daughter. Charlotte Mackie is an unmarried mother and has run away from home where she would have no sympathy from her strict parents. A few days later, Fred takes Charlotte to her aunt’s house and does not expect to see her again.
 
When their paths unexpectedly cross once more, Fred finds Charlotte is distraught as her aunt has arranged an adoption behind her back. Charlotte is desperate to find her baby, and Fred promises to help. However, they are unprepared for the sinister discoveries that lay before them. Set alongside the absorbing detail of country life and budding village romances, dark forces are at work, which ultimately test the bravery and resourcefulness of the whole community.

My Book of the Month

A Gentleman’s Promise by Penny Hampson

About the Book
A docile wife is what he wants. A husband is the last thing she needs. Can a quest for a killer teach them that they are both wrong? Emma Smythe and her brother arrive at Easterby Hall to discover that a handsome stranger has laid claim to their ancestral home and the family title. Have her relatives been murdered, and is her brother next? Determined to find the answers, she has no option but to trust the gentleman who insists that he will help. But danger appears in many guises, and for a woman intent on remaining single, her intriguing protector may prove the biggest threat of all.

The attempts on Richard Lacey’s life begin when he inherits a title and a rundown estate. A coincidence? He’s not so sure. Problems multiply with the unexpected arrival of Jamie and Emma Smythe. Long thought dead, they too are potential targets. Richard thinks he wants a docile, obedient wife, but will the task of keeping headstrong Emma safe from danger change his mind? Embroiled in a sinister mystery, can Richard and Emma work together to catch a killer? And will this dangerous quest teach them that what they both wish to avoid is exactly what they need? Filled with intrigue, unexpected twists, and faultless period detail, this slow-burn romance is a must-read for lovers of classic Regency fiction.

My Review
Emma Smythe is a resourceful young lady and dressed as a boy; she successfully survives a hazardous journey home from war-torn Greece with her younger brother, Jamie. When they arrive at Easterby Hall, they find that a handsome stranger has laid claim to their ancestral home and the family title. Richard Lacey, a landowner from Cornwall, was just as surprised as Emma and Jamie to discover he was the only living and somewhat distant relative of the late marquis. However, after learning of his inheritance, there are attempts on his life, and he is desperate to discover the reason. Before her death, Emma’s mother advised her never to marry and allow a man to rule her life. Richard is seeking a docile and obedient wife, something Emma will never be. However, as they work closely together to expose the culprit behind the attacks, they find themselves irresistibly drawn to each other. This is an enjoyable book which I recommend to fans of historical romance. You can find the book here:
A Gentleman’s Promise by Penny Hampson

Well, that’s all for now, so thank you for continuing to follow me. Until next time, I hope you keep safe and well.

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