It is a little after half past five in the morning at the end of a misty, starless night. Only it isn’t a starless night because it never is. They’re just hiding behind the clouds for now, but I know they’re there and will be back another night.
The family I love so much are peacefully asleep upstairs. The cats I love so much have volunteered to quality check the beef that’s now in the slow cooker with mustard and onions and stock and just a little redcurrant jelly all ready for lunch and are curled on the settee by my side as I type this, reminding me that they are loyal and domesticated purries not fearless rulers of the night who never, ever come when they're called by mere humans on principle.
The teacakes are having their second rise now that I’ve knocked back the dough from the bread maker and kneaded in more dried fruit than the recipe says because I hate the sort of toasted fruit bun where you can play ‘spot the raisin’. They’ve also got a lot more spice in them than the recipe says, but what can I say? My Welsh and Dorset heritages (one born, the other adopted) both go big on spices. It’s being near ports that does it and in Poole’s case, our very own Robin Hood used to share the cargos he brought back from the Indies. Not all the way back, I have to admit because Harry Paye sort of bumped into them when he was out at sea. The Spanish called him a pirate but then they tried to burn our town and killed his brother so I think they deserved to lose their ships. Anyway, they smell good.
Here in the living room, my LED candles are lit as I tell the world that if the sun’s light is going then I’ll make my own. So there. Maybe even ‘yah, boo, sucks.’ Because we’re past the equinox now, which means that here there is more dark than day. There again, my friends on the other side of the world will be celebrating the days being longer than the night and I like the feeling that the world is settling down to snooze at the end of a busy summer. It hasn’t exactly been a hot one, but it has been good and that is more than enough for me.
Actually, it’s so very, very much more than enough that I was feeling blessed while I pottered round. We’ve had our share of storms as a family, but for now we have fair winds and following seas as the fishermen say. A following sea is a current that takes you quickly and safely home and I love my home and have so many plans for this winter to make it comfier and homelier and filled with good food. My heart goes out to all those who can’t say that so I send you all my love and prayers that you’ll come through.
I was going to segue smoothly into the special offers but not today. Today is special and I don’t care that I don’t know why a wet Monday should be special. It’s more than enough for me that it is. Will I get out for a walk? I don’t know. I just have a strong feeling that something awesome is waiting and I will find it because I believe it’ll be there. I hope you find your awesome too.
So, on to the special offers.
There are the first three in my Christians Cross series, which are Bloody Murder,
Devil to Pay and the Missing Maiden. This is set in a gorgeous Dorset village with a lovely little village shop, an idyllic school and a pub with great food. So far, so usual for me, right? It’s just that this village guards the gateway between dimensions and there’s been so much magic for so long that people are drawn there to fight its fight whether or not they wanted to be there. Not just people either. Werecats, friendly vampires, a vindictive river spirit who only eats people who really deserve it and the Archangel Michael. Not like me at all, but it does fit the dark nights, so why not give it a try while it’s only 99p in the UK and 99c in the US?
Then there are 3 anthologies, and who could resist 3 books for 99p? There’s She didn’t mean to find trouble, which are the first 3 Amy Hammond books, Love by the Sea which are the first 3 Windy Bay books (and there’s a new one of those out next Thursday called Between the Sea and the Sky, and I’ll tell you more about that on Sunday. Finally, there’s The Scent of Lavender, which are the first 3 Lavender House books.
Today’s picture is one I’m rather proud of. At the time, I couldn’t work out why it was oddly blurry and misty. Then the rain swept across the Bay and I walked home with the wind lashing it against my face, and had hot coffee and home made cookies once I’d changed my clothes. Someday, I’ll remember to take a coat! For now, look closely and you’ll see Corfe Castle watching over us from a nice safe distance. Meanwhile, the Old Town of Poole, goes its own way, as it always has, and so shall I.
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