Ellen Read's Blog, page 2

A re-imagining of the Ancient Irish legend of Brigid, the Triple Goddess.

An enchantment protects her and imprisons her. Bree accepts her life. Áine, her aunt, has told her they must endure their quiet existence in their cave home to protect the ancient fire of the Tuatha Dé Danann, the race from whom she and Áine are descended. Bree enjoys reading of the exploits of the ancient people but their tales of heroism seem far removed from her life.

Then Bree’s world is torn apart. Lu, a god of the Tuatha Dé Danann, with his hound, Kuon, breach their cave’s enchantments and tells them they must go with him. The Outer Veil has been breached and Mór, an evil goddess, and her fiends, are determined to breach the Inner Veil.

Eighteen year old Bree finds herself thrust into the role of leader of her people. She has days to learn the ways of the Tuatha Dé Danann and become the Triple Goddess, so she can face Mór in battle.

To prove to her people of gods and goddesses, immortals, fairies, giants and centaurs, that she is worthy of ruling them, Bree must stand on the Stone of Fál – it will cry out if she is worthy of being the triple goddess. 

The day of battle arrives – Samhain. Bree and her army face the horde of the dead. Bree, using her powers, makes fire burn in her palms.

Yet she must face Mór once again in the ultimate struggle for her life.

https://mybook.to/theancientfire

https://linktr.ee/ellenreadauthor

Hello, and welcome. 

I’m Mrs Preston, the cook at Thornton Park from the cosy mystery series, The Thornton Mysteries by Ellen Read.

It’s 1927, in Australia, in case you’re wondering.

I might not be one of those fancy chefs, but I’m proud of my culinary achievements, as any chef in a restaurant would be. After all, I manage the menus and the kitchen staff to perfection. Even though I discuss the family menus with Miss Alexandra, who is mistress of the house. Thornton Park is a lavish mansion, with house servants and outside staff who work in the gardens. I only cook meals for the inside staff. The home farm is managed by the Parry family; the Brady family look after the grounds, and live in the gate-house.

Royal Albert Tea Set

The kitchen is a good size for a large household. I have help in the kitchen, of course. A kitchen maid, Sylvie, who is my daughter—her father and my husband, Mr Preston, is the butler. He’s only ever called Preston. Then there’s Dot Brady who is the scullery maid. She’s a good girl. She’s only sixteen, and always thinking of something else. Off with the fairies, I reckon. Of course, the job of a scullery maid is a hard one. She has to wash and dry all the dishes from the family dining room and the servants’ dining room. The family use crystal glasses, silver cutlery and fine bone China crockery, so the utmost care has to be taken.  Dot is not as careful as I’d like. She frays my nerves with worry sometimes. One day she’s going to break some Royal Albert.

We start with breakfast for the staff, and then after that the family—they have breakfast in the morning room. After that is morning tea, luncheon, which is served on the wide veranda, weather permitting,  and then afternoon tea, and dinner.

Now, can you imagine the extra work when the family entertain! I’m not really grumbling. After all, I can try new dishes, and it’s an achievement cooking for twenty or more people. Not that they entertain a lot since Mrs Thornton passed away, but now Miss Alexandra is a young woman, I’m sure there will be more parties held. Young Mr Benedict Archer has been invited to dine. We, in the servants’ hall, all think he’s keen on Miss Alexandra. Not much escapes Preston. As butler, he gets to see it all.

Benedict ArcherAlexandra Thornton

In many cases, I serve the same dishes in the servants’ dining room, as the family have, albeit after the family has finished their meals. However, we have less refined tastes, and don’t enjoy hor d’oeuvres and other fancy things. We’d much prefer a hearty Beef and Barley Soup, or a Cottage Pie or Roast Beef with gravy and dumplings. 

After dinner, coffee is served in the drawing room with a selection of cheeses. The men, in particular, enjoy brandy at this time. The ladies usually prefer port or liquor.

By the time we reach the end of the day, we’re all tired, exhausted you might say. Glad to go to our beds. The staff wing is above the kitchen. I have to give credit to the first Thomas Thornton, who built the house. He certainly didn’t stint on the size of rooms for the staff.

Well, cheerio for now. I’ll have a chin-wag again with you soon. I might share some of my recipes.

‘There will always be Stardust in my eyes when I look at you, my love.’ by Ellen Read

Cosy mystery series set in Australia in the late 1920s.

‘There will always be Stardust in my eyes when I look at you, my love.’ by Ellen Read

Cosy mystery series set in Australia in the late 1920s.

https://linktr.ee/ellenreadauthor

Two timelines, one story. Gold, family secrets and an astrolabe bring them together across the years.

2023    When Danielle Roberts inherits a boarding house in Charters Towers, her first thought is that it’s a scam. Assured by the solicitor it isn’t, she decides to make a quick trip and sort everything out. She has no intention of staying. A pastry chef, she owns a café in Redcliffe. 

The first person she sees when she arrives, is the last person she wants to see.

Brett Bainbridge, her first boyfriend, broke her heart when he walked out on her.

Now, here he is, standing in her garden bed.

1872    Eloise le Gerseul has travelled from Jersey in the Channel Islands to Australia with her father and sister. Gold brought them to Charters Towers where Eloise meets William Hatton, the wealthiest goldminer in the north. Then her father dies and Eloise is left with her sister, Emily. 

Soon after her wedding to William, life takes a strange turn for Eloise. Her dear Bill goes away on business and Eloise waits and waits for his return. She worries that he’s had an accident. When he arrives home, he won’t speak to her. Eloise doesn’t understand what has happened. 

Eventually, Eloise realises that she’s dead.

LITERARY TITAN GOLD BOOK AWARD & 5 STAR REVIEW

Wings of Death

 

The Coffee Pot Book Club  – Book of the Year Awards 2022 

The Ghost Rider has been awarded a Silver Medal for Supernatural Historical Fiction

 

The Feathered Nest has been awarded a Bronze Medal for Historical Romance.

Thank you so much to The Coffee Pot Book Club

5 STAR REVIEW

Kate is a normal 26-year-old living in Australia when she unexpectedly moves back home with her parents. When she arrives home, she finds her old bedroom is full of her mother’s old things. Kate and her mother go through the ancient family treasures and find a diary that unveils an old family mystery. What happened […]

The Ghost Rider — LITERARY TITAN

My initial idea for The Ghost Rider was, what if a ghost was trapped by it’s past and it’s death, to travel the same path for eternity. This ghost became the ghost rider himself. I also wanted a second more malevolent ghost in the story.

Charlbury is a fictitious village in Wiltshire in the Cotswolds and is inspired by Castle Coombe.

I love flowers. I’d read about a few wildflower meadow projects that have been undertaken in the UK, and decided I wanted to bring one into the story. It became the Damselfly Meadow. I tend to bring things I love into my stories. So there is also Lady, the golden retriever, and Heru, a Peregrine Falcon. Birds of prey aren’t my favourite but I respect their power and there’s something majestic about them. When you see a wedge-tailed eagle fly, you have to admire and respect them.The peregrine falcon is an excellent falconry bird due to its strong hunting ability and it is easily trained. Their name comes from the Latin word peregrinus, which means “to wander.” Peregrine falcons are the fastest-flying birds in the world and are able to dive at 200 miles per hour. I named my falcon Heru after the Egyptian god Horus, often known as Heru. The god had the head of a falcon.

Music is another great love of mine and usually at least one character plays an instrument.

I hope you enjoy The Ghost Rider

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Buy link to AMAZON

http://mybook.to/TheGhostRider

 DIE FOR LOVE will be 99c in US and UK 4th-6th AugustRead my first ghost story before the second one is released on 7th August. (They are standalone books)

What happened to Edward Wallingford? His great-great nephew William is determined to find out.

England 1935.
Edward Wallingford, an artist, is on a solitary walking tour of the West Country. To recuperate from pneumonia, he wants to walk, paint and enjoy the countryside. When he stops at Claeg, a village in Dorset, he visits Marston Castle on the outskirts of the town. He becomes fascinated by Rose Marston who, with her two sisters, owns and lives in their family’s castle.

England Present Day.
William Wallingford has always heard tales of his great-great uncle Edward who disappeared on his walking tour in 1935. When Will’s mother discovers a letter written in Edward’s hand telling his family that he was in Claeg and intended staying at the castle, both Will and his mother are intrigued.

William, a professional photographer, has some free time between assignments, and determines to discover what happened to Uncle Edward. Why, when he went missing, could no one find any trace of him?

Will travels to Claeg and stays at the Clay Cutters Arms where he meets the owners, Natalie Pickering and her father.

Will soon hears local rumours that young men visiting Claeg disappear from time to time.

With Natalie’s help, Will meets a local witch, uncovers an unbelievable truth and nearly dies for love.

http://mybook.to/DieForLove

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