After corona, war???

At last, the corona virus is disappearing from our regions. You'd think that life would become normal once more - and now Putin has invaded Ukraine!

I have the feeling that is what the old Israeli's experienced - the seven plagues of Egypt! For good two years our life was taken over by a nasty virus. We weren't allowed a thing in the beginning, had to stay indoors as much as possible. Next came a plague of crickets in Africa. Now there's the war in Ukraine, and we don't know where Putin will stop. When he invades a country that belongs to the EU and the NATO, World War Three will commence, as the Americans will be obliged to join. 

What will be next???

We had planned a roadtrip to the Baltic states and Finland for July. We'll have to view the situation and await what happens, if these states are threatened or not. And if the flights will be carried out. Otherwise, it'll mean another cancellation and chosing a destination that's not in a danger zone.

The Most Eligible Bride in London

 Today we welcome back author Ella Quin who is doing a virtual book blast tour for The Most Eligible Bride in London, a Regency romance available February 22nd from Zebra Publishing. This book blast tour will take place Monday, February 21st - Friday, February 25th.

Ella Quin will be awarding a $20 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Please use the following link to place your comment:

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/28e4345f4111/

Blurb

Love conquers even the most unlikely lord in USA Today bestselling author Ella Quinn’s delightful Lords of London series, as a reformed rogue endeavors to prove himself worthy of his chosen bride . . .

Mistakes happen, to be sure. Rarely are those mistakes as unfortunate as the one made by Nathanael, Viscount Fotherby, when he abducted the now Lady Merton to save his friend from marriage. Nate has been trying to make amends ever since, leaving behind his self-centered ways to fulfill his duties—and that includes finding a wife of his own. One woman sparks his interest above all others—a lady he helped when she was rescuing a child. Alas, there is a devilish complication . . .

Miss Henrietta Stern, Lady Merton’s younger sister, is intrigued by the stranger who comes to her aid—until she learns his identity. Nate’s stunt could have ruined her sister’s reputation, and her family may never forgive him. With beauty, connections, and a sizeable dowry, Henrietta has plenty of admirers. Yet no other suitor quickens her pulse quite like Nate does. Her heart insists that the gentleman has changed for the better. But can a renowned scoundrel possibly prove himself to be the perfect husband?

Excerpt

Nate glanced back over his shoulder, but the lady’s coach was already turning around. When she’d first faced him with her brows imperiously raised, he’d thought she was Dotty Stern, but that was impossible. Miss Stern had married the Marquis of Merton shortly after Nate had left Town four years before. Surely Merton would not allow his wife to engage in that type of activity. Also, the lady looked like Miss Stern had four years ago.

Whoever she was, she was beautiful. Her hair was as black as night, and her eyes appeared as if they might be light. But what struck him most was her courage. He’d never met a female who had so little fear of using a weapon to shoot a man. Yet even though she was a lady—a fact that had been clear once she’d abandoned her country accent—she was not dressed like a female who would be attending the Season. The cloth was good enough, but the styling was not that of a London modiste. At one time, when he’d been a well-known dandy, those things had actually mattered to him. He was still able to recognize the differences, but he didn’t care about them anymore. Now, he was much more interested in the person instead of the way they dressed.

Yet, because he was a gentleman and she was a lady, he could not insult her by introducing himself. That was unfortunate.

He hoped the infant lived. Most babes would have given a loud screech when tossed. This one had only a small, pathetic cry.

Her carriage traveled up the street at a smart pace, and he went around to the door of his coach and found Mr. Odell, the young woman, and her child already inside. “I see you are ready to leave.”

“We are.” Odell’s smile was wider than Nate had ever seen it as he gazed at the infant in his arms. “Mary has agreed to be our daughter, just as if she and John had wed.”

Mary’s tears were gone and she too was smiling broadly. “From now on I am Mary Odell.”

“What is the child’s name?” Nate climbed into the coach.

“John for his father. Papa”—she looked shyly at Mr. Odell—“said that he was to have the same rights as if John and I had married.”

That did not surprise Nate at all. Odell and his wife had several daughters, all of whom had married well, and one remaining son. The younger son was studying to be a lawyer and had taken little interest in the farm. And there were no entailments to stop Odell and his wife from leaving the property as they wished.

Today had definitely been a good day. Nate returned her smile. “I’m glad to hear it.”

“Papa”—Nate was pleased to see how comfortable she was calling Odell “Papa.” But she would have known them fairly well. Nate briefly wondered why she hadn’t gone to the Odells in the first place, but not only was it water under the bridge, it wasn’t his business —“told me how hard you looked for me,” Mary said as the coach started. “If I live to be a hundred, I don’t think I’ll find a lord as good as you are.”

A flush heated Nate’s neck. “Thank you. I’m glad I was able to help.” The coach had turned and was headed back up the street. “Mrs. Odell should be at Fotherby House by now.” He decided to ask a question that had been bothering him. “How did you survive?”

“My, my.” She straightened her shoulders. “Mr. Bywater made me leave. But my mother gave me all the money she had been able to save, and I got work sewing. But after the baby came . . . ”

“Well”—Odell’s voice was rough with emotion—“at least you had the sense to go to the workhouse. That’s the only way we found you." 

“Yes.” Her tone was barely above a whisper. “It was really my only choice.”

Nate and the older man exchanged a glance. They were both glad she thought that way. Too many young women and girls on their own were forced into prostitution.

Author bio and links

USA Today bestselling author Ella Quinn’s studies and other jobs have always been on the serious side (political science professor and lawyer). Reading historical romances, especially Regencies, were her escape. Eventually her love of historical novels led her to start writing them.

She is married to her wonderful husband of almost fourty years. They have a son and two beautiful granddaughters, a Great Dane named Lilibet, and a cat named Winnie. After living in the South Pacific, Central America, North Africa, England and Europe, she and her husband decided to make their dreams come true lived on sailboat for three years. After cruising the Caribbean and North America, she completed a transatlantic crossing from St. Martin to Southern Europe. She's currently living in Germany, happily writing while her husband is back at work, recovering from retirement. She expects to be back on the boat in 2022. 

Ella loves when readers connect with her.

 Author Contact and Social Media:

Website:  https://www.ellaquinnauthor.com

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/EllaQuinnAuthor

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/ellaquinnauthor

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7044274.Ella_Quinn

Bookbub:  https://www.bookbub.com/authors/ella-quinn

Amazon:  https://www.amazon.com/Ella-Quinn/e/B00CAE0FSQ 

Buy Links:

Amazon:  https://www.amazon.com/Most-Eligible-Bride-London-Lords-ebook/dp/B0964G21R4/

Apple Books:  https://books.apple.com/us/book/the-most-eligible-bride-in-london/id1569898918

Kobo:  https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/the-most-eligible-bride-in-london

Nook:  https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-most-eligible-bride-in-london-ella-quinn/1139544099?ean=9781420149722

Google Play:  https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Ella_Quinn_The_Most_Eligible_Bride_in_London?id=7IIwEAAAQBAJ 

Print:  https://www.amazon.com/Most-Eligible-Bride-London-Lords/dp/1420149717/

Amazon Audio:  https://www.amazon.com/Most-Eligible-Bride-London-Lords/dp/B09RM4XF1V/

Audible:  https://www.audible.com/pd/The-Most-Eligible-Bride-in-London-Audiobook/B09RLYR6PW

iTunes:  https://books.apple.com/us/audiobook/the-most-eligible-bride-in-london/id1599910014

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58229412-the-most-eligible-bride-in-london

BookBub:  https://www.bookbub.com/books/the-most-eligible-bride-in-london-the-lords-of-london-book-3-by-ella-quinn

 

Everybody wants to travel

The travel industry is getting a huge boost. These last weeks, there have been lots of bookings for holidays in the crocus period (the first time schools close in 2022).

Last year, people wanted to party. This year they want to travel. Now that corona is finally on the retreat, everybody wants to get away for a while. Travel organisation such as TUI get more than 7% more bookings than in this same period two years ago, 2019. 

During the crocus holidays of 2019 we were in South Africa, our last long trip before corona came. The rest of the year, we didn't go anywhere, and last year we only made two trips into France. 

Just like the rest of the population, we also want to get away. It now looks like our plans for the coming weeks and months will become reality. We have planned several trips, in the crocus period, in April, May and July. Our longest trip will be one to the three Baltic states (Estland, Letland and Lithuania) and Finland. It'll become a road trip (albeit not with the car) but with airplane and bus. Two days, three days at a certain place and then move on to another. Will be fun!

For the coming holiday, most people want to go to sunny destinations. Spain comes first, then Egypt. And of course lots of folks want to go skiing. We go to the North Pole, a long time dream of my sister who wants to see the northern lights. 

St. Valentine

Tomorrow is February 14th, the day for all those in love. St. Valentine.

I'm not sure where this custom comes from. When I was young, there was almost no talk about it. We didn't send Valentine cards around to the boys we fancied (or vice-versa). Like most trends, it must have come from either the US or the UK. 

Nowadays it is big business. This year, all the restaurants and bistro's offer their Valentine lunch and dinner to couples. Last year they were still closed due to the corona measurements. Also our favorite restaurant here in Dendermonde, Barley's, has a special menu. It all looked very nice, but we can hardly go out dining now. People could think we're lesbians - well, I think they often think that, as we are very close, like a married couple. That happens when you've lived together all of your life. Only once someone openly asked us if we were a couple - and was very surprised to learn we were two sisters!

So wishing all my readers a happy Valentine!

Listen to the rhythm of the falling rain

So boring! I really don't like rain. When it's raining, I feel cold, even though the room is warm enough. And rain is rather depressing. I'm in a much better mood when the sun is out.

The past summer was one of the worst we had since decades. Lots of rain and clouded skies. And fall was only a bit better. We had one month when the weather was okay, that was September. Later on, the rain was dominant once more. 

You can claim that rain is better than bitter cold. In fact, temperatures haven't been low this winter yet. But I do prefer dry cold (even when it goes well beneath -10° C) to rain. Dry cold gives me warm feet, and that has always been like this.

I really hope that comes spring and summer we'll get some nicer weather. A long, hot summer would be appreciated. I remember some memorable ones, like the one of  1976, those of1994 and 1995, the one of 2003, and the last one of 2013. Luckily we have some travel plans that will give us some guarantees on sunshine. Late in May we'll head to Spain and in July we'll be in the Baltic states. The east of Europe has another climate than our parts, and their summers are hot and dry. At least then we'll be able to catch a bit of sun on our skin and some vitamine D.

What kind of person are you? Do you love the sun or the rain?

Better prospects

We're finally looking ahead to better times. The number of infections with Omikron is decreasing day by day, and also the intake of casulties in the hospital slows down. At the end of the week, there's a meeting of the crisis committee (consisting of experts, members of the government, etc.) and hopefully they'll decide we'll switch from code red to code orange (the step before yellow, which means all's back to normal). Code orange will allow more freedom - no closing hour for the cafés and restaurants, allowance for the nightclubs to open, more public at shows, football matches etc., ... 

Certain countries in Europe already have opened completely. Great-Britain and Denmark were the first to announce total freedom. In Denmark you don't even have to wear a facemask anymore. That's really the thing that bothers me most! Here you still have to wear one when you enter a shop, even though you're the only customer! And for almost two years now, it's forbidden to have a companion when you go to the hospital. Before that, my sister could keep my company when I had to go for my scan (which takes almost a day, because you have to wait for the results). All the patients in the day clinic brought along someone to talk to. 

So it looks like we're going to have a spring and summer which will almost be like they used to. 

Talk of Tokyo

 Today we welcome back author Heather Hallman. Heather is doing a Virtual Book Blast Tour for Talk of Tokyo, a Historical Romance available now from Boroughs Publishing Group. The Book Blast Tour will take place January 31, 2022 to February 4, 2022. 

 

Heather Hallman will be awarding a $25 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Please use the following link to place your comment:

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/28e4345f4063/

Blurb

CAREFUL WITH YOUR WORDS

 

1897 Tokyo is no different than anywhere else in the world: men are exploiting women. Specifically, Western men are exploiting Japanese women, and Suki Malveaux holds no punches in her condemnation of their behavior in her weekly column in the Tokyo Daily News.

 

Suki knows firsthand when Western men arrive at Tokyo Bay there’s only one outcome for Japanese women: a child and new mother left behind as nothing more than discarded shrapnel from the heartless war on love.

 

Griffith Spenser is her latest target. He’s been seen with Natsu Watanabe, one of Tokyo’s esteemed war widows. Under full anonymity of the moniker “The Tokyo Tattler,” Suki makes sure Griffith knows exactly why his behavior with Natsu won’t be tolerated.

 

Away from her Japanese mask as a columnist, Suki never intended to meet the cad. When he seeks her out to hire as a tutor for his niece and nephew, she’s faced with seeing him day in and day out without him ever knowing who she really is.

 

Caught in her struggle for anonymity so she can keep battling for women’s rights, Suki’s about to learn the full impact of her words on the people behind the story, especially on Griff.

Excerpt

Tokyo 1897

Foreign Quarter of Tsukiji

Shaky hands and racing heart notwithstanding, Suki gave herself a fighting chance. The incorrigible rake might have accusations, threats, and plans for retaliation, but she had feminine cunning. While she lacked familiarity with the mechanics involved in that sort of cunning, she’d seen how furtive glances and teasing words reduced men to foolishness. The basics of flirtation rivaled neither the complexity of French verbs nor the convolutedness of English spellings, both of which she’d mastered with ease.

A maid hastened across the garden and opened the front gate. “Mr. Spenser is expecting you,” she said in the clear, precise English of servants in Tokyo’s foreign quarter of Tsukiji.

Suki followed the maid through Spenser’s front garden, past azalea bushes boasting radiant displays of scarlets, lavenders, and magentas. Flurries of pale pink temple bells burst forth in a graceful arrangement that bore a decidedly feminine touch.

Of course it did. Spenser’s gardens would’ve been planted by his former wife.

Suki pictured the fair-haired young woman vigorously fanning herself at last summer’s festival. She’d worn one of those heavy dresses that trapped sweat and exacerbated the summer itch. Several months later, news had traveled through Tsukiji that Spenser’s bride had returned to England for good.

As Suki stared up at the Japanese-style wooden beam home with the gingerbread trim and second-story dormer windows favored by Tsukiji’s British residents, dread once again grew in the pit of her stomach. If Spenser had seen fit to alienate the woman he’d pledged to honor and protect, what did he have in store for the woman he most certainly despised? 

Author bio and links

Heather Hallman writes witty, sensual, contest-winning romances set in Meiji-era Japan (1868-1912). She is the author of the Tokyo Whispers series that includes Scandals of Tokyo and Talk of Tokyo.

She is fluent in Japanese language, history, and culture, and earned a doctoral degree in cultural anthropology based on fieldwork research in Japan. She lives in Tokyo with her professor husband and two young daughters. In her free time, she can be found translating ancient Japanese poetry and observing the passing of seasons while sipping green tea. Just kidding, she has no free time. But she does watch something that makes her laugh while she does the dishes.

Perennial obsessions include the weather forecast (she checks three different apps at least three times a day, as no single app can be trusted), Baltimore Ravens football (hometown obsession), and making smoothies that taste like candy bars.

Feel free to chat her up about any of her obsessions, or, even better, about historical Japan—any era is fine, she loves them all. She also enjoys exchanging book recommendations, discussions about the craft of romance writing, and stories about life in present-day Tokyo.

 

Visit her website to learn more: https://www.heatherhallman.com/

Follow her:

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/22050466.Heather_Hallman

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/heather-hallma 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heatherhallman_author/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hallmanheather/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@writing_romance_in_japan?lang=en&is_copy_url=1&is_from_webapp=v1

  

Buy links for Talk of Tokyo:

Boroughs Publishing Group: https://boroughspublishinggroup.com/books/talk-tokyo

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09NF9NRPP

Apple iBooks: https://books.apple.com/us/book/talk-of-tokyo/id1599810827