Hello, and welcome to my June Newsletter. 

Whilst we were in Kefalonia, we saw several swallows’ nests, and this nest was near our room so we stopped to look at it every day. We kept expecting to see that the babies had flown and the nest empty as they had grown so big, but they held on until the day before we travelled home. It was interesting to see that they returned to the nest to sleep that night.

Old Sayings

As you know, I like investigating old sayings, and here’s another one we all come across from time to time – but where did it come from?

The Cold Shoulder

Giving someone the cold shoulder is generally meant to ignore someone or treat them in an unfriendly way. It is thought this phrase is linked to the ancient custom of welcoming visitors by providing them with a warm meal. In the olden days, it was the practice to provide guests with a warm meal of roasted meat. However, for visitors who were not welcome, or who overstayed their welcome, they were often offered a cold shoulder of mutton for their dinner.

 A Visit to Clovelly

Having been away on holiday, I don’t have a great deal of writing news this month, so I thought I’d share my blog about a recent visit to Clovelly, a picturesque little village in North Devon. It really is unique and well worth a visit.

You can read about it here: 
https://marciaclayton.co.uk/a-visit-to-beautiful-clovelly/

My Writing News

A Woman Scorned – Book 6 of The Hartford Manor Series

I’ve completed the first draft of Book 6 which will be called A Woman Scorned. I was pleased to get it written in time to read it through on holiday, which was useful, and fortunately, I didn’t spot any major plot holes, which is always a worry. I’ve still got a lot of editing to do but should get it published in time for Christmas. My sister, Gill, is coming to stay for a week at the end of this month, and I’m hoping to have finished the first edit so that she can read it. Gill and my husband, Bryan, are usually the first to read my books, and they provide good feedback before I’m brave enough to let anyone else see it. For those of you who have read Millie’s Escape, the woman scorned is Lady Lilliana Grantley, who, as you know, is not a very nice person, though, to be fair, she has had a lot to put up with.

With that in mind, I’ve been trying to find a suitable picture of a woman to put on the cover. My daughter-in-law, Laura, has kindly produced two for me to choose from. I like the first one best, but does she look mean enough? I’d love to know what you think.

Lily urges Artie to take advantage of this generous offer, but there is nowhere for her to go but to the workhouse. The story follows their lives over the next few years and highlights the lack of opportunities available for women at the time. Although set in a period of great unrest and hardship, friendships are made, romances develop, and despite all their difficulties, the twins make their way in life. A very enjoyable read. You can find The Orphan Twins here: The Orphan Twins