.99 Sale #Ghostly #Christmas #Romance Somewhere the Bells Ring

About Somewhere the Bells Ring: The old Virginia homeplace where my father was born and raised, and I grew up visiting over the holidays, has inspired more than one story I've written. I spent some wonderfully memorable Christmas's in that beautiful home (circa 1816) but the ones I'm most sentimental about were in the late 1960's. Drawn to that era, I set my Christmas romance, Somewhere the Bells Ring, in 1968 during the tumultuous age of hippies, Vietnam, and some of the best darn rock music ever written.  

 
Not only did that nostalgic time period beckon to me but also an earlier one, 1918 and the end of World War One. Not in the way of battle scenes, but in the form of a wounded soldier recently returned from war-weary France who lives in the house. Having a Marine Corps Captain grandfather who distinguished himself during the thick of the fighting in France during The Great War, and then tragically died when my father was only three, definitely influenced this story-dedicated to the grandfather I never knew, but grieved all the same. 

But the biggest influence was the poignant dream I had years ago about a young woman visiting this house during the Christmas holidays and the mysterious gentleman she met. That dream nagged at me every Christmas until I finally wrote their story.  If you enjoy an intriguing mystery with Gothic overtones and heart-tugging romance set in vintage America then Somewhere the Bells Ring is for you.

Blurb:
Caught with pot in her dorm room, Bailey Randolph is exiled to a relative's ancestral home in Virginia to straighten herself out. Banishment to Maple Hill is dismal, until a ghost appears requesting her help. Bailey is frightened but intrigued. Then her girlhood crush, Eric Burke, arrives and suddenly Maple Hill isn't so bad.

To Eric, wounded in Vietnam, his military career shattered, this homecoming feels no less like exile. But when he finds Bailey at Maple Hill, her fairy-like beauty gives him reason to hope--until she tells him about the ghost haunting the house. Then he wonders if her one experiment with pot has made her crazy.

As Bailey and Eric draw closer, he agrees to help her find a long-forgotten Christmas gift the ghost wants. But will the magic of Christmas be enough to make Eric believe--in Bailey and the ghost--before the Christmas bells ring?

***Available in Kindle and Nook for .99 thru 8-05-2017

My New Furry Publicist

Puppy Cooper excitedly joins Kitty Peaches and Cream on my dynamic publicist team. All three are super psyched to promote my new release, ghostly time travel romance, Somewhere My Lady (Book 1, Ladies in Time).  

***The team has an announcement: Somewhere My Lady is on a book blog tour with sweet prizes. Pick up the tour at Romance Novel Giveaways:
http://romancenovelgiveaways.blogspot.com/2017/07/somewhere-my-lady-by-beth-trissel-book.html

Story Blurb:

Lorna Randolph is hired for the summer at Harrison Hall in Virginia, where Revolutionary-War reenactors provide guided tours of the elegant old home. She doesn't expect to receive a note and a kiss from a handsome young man who then vanishes into mist.

Harrison Hall itself has plans for Lorna – and for Hart Harrison, her momentary suitor and its 18th century heir. Past and present are bound by pledges of love, and modern science melds with old skills and history as Harrison Hall takes Lorna and Hart through time in a race to solve a mystery and save Hart's life before the Midsummer Ball.

"Quite simply, one of the best paranormal, time slip stories I’ve ever had the pleasure to read," ~Splashes Into Books

‘Somewhere My Lady is a fun supernatural romance that will have you slipping in and out of the past and future as if you were a spirit yourself.’’ ~Colleen’s Book Reviews

Somewhere My Lady is available from all online booksellers. In kindle and print at Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Somewhere-Lady-Ladies-Time-Book-ebook/dp/B071VTNC7V/

In order of appearance: Puppy Cooper, Kitty Cream, Kitty Peaches beneath my perpetually Christmas mantel. He's a little peachier than this pic shows.

Release day for Somewhere My Lady–Ladies in Time Book 1

Somewhere My Lady, Book 1 in my exciting new Ladies in Time series, is out!  This series is similar to my Somewhere in Time Series. A ghostly time travel romance with a deadly mystery unfolds in a wonderful old house on the James River in Virginia. Can you solve the mystery? Took me a while.

Story Blurb:

Lorna Randolph is hired for the summer at Harrison Hall in Virginia, where Revolutionary-War reenactors provide guided tours of the elegant old home. She doesn't expect to receive a note and a kiss from a handsome young man who then vanishes into mist.
Harrison Hall itself has plans for Lorna – and for Hart Harrison, her momentary suitor and its 18th century heir. Past and present are bound by pledges of love, and modern science melds with old skills and history as Harrison Hall takes Lorna and Hart through time in a race to solve a mystery and save Hart's life before the Midsummer Ball.

Excerpt:

Something about him held her spellbound…the tilt of his head, arch of his brow, glimpse of his profile… She followed his every move with the fixity of an owl.

He turned blue-gray eyes toward her and sensuous lips curved into a smile on his handsome face. Hands down. No contest. He was the hottest guy ever. Her heart beat a thrilling new rhythm.

He circled closer to where she stood rooted in the foyer, not moving a toe, scarcely drawing breath. Did he truly see her backed tremulously against the wall, or did it only feel that way?

Unlike the others in the ghostly assembly, his eyes didn’t skirt past her. He paused in the dance. Bending at the shoulders, he tipped his hand to her in a genteel flourish.

He’d freakin’ bowed. Her jaw dropped. He most definitely saw her. And she sure as heck saw him.

A sparking sizzle jumped between them, awakening her as she’d never been roused before. Even more than when the house charged through her at her arrival. It was as if she were plugged in—to him.

How that could be, she had no idea, but when he gazed into her eyes, time seemed to stop. She spiraled into moonless stars, and back again to this dizzying realm. To him. Even if she were dreaming, she’d never forget this moment.~

"Quite simply, one of the best paranormal, time slip stories I’ve ever had the pleasure to read," ~Splashes Into Books

‘Somewhere My Lady is a fun supernatural romance that will have you slipping in and out of the past and future as if you were a spirit yourself.’’ ~Colleen’s Book Reviews

***This book is dedicated to my dear little dog, Sadie--the last story she saw me through.

Somewhere My Lady is available from all online booksellers. In kindle and print at Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Somewhere-Lady-Ladies-Time-Book-ebook/dp/B071VTNC7V

My Somewhere In Time series is available at Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Somewhere-Time-4-Book/dp/B016DF8LJ2

LOVE, BETRAYAL, AND THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION--THE TRAITOR'S LEGACY SERIES!

Much of my writing features the early Scot-Irish, my ancestors among them, who settled in the Shenandoah Valley and surrounding mountains. My absorption with Colonial America extends to the high drama of the Revolution, the focus of award-winning historical romance novel Enemy of the King (Book 1, The Traitor's Legacy Series).

I have ancestors who fought and loved on both sides of that sweeping conflict. My research into the Southern face of the war was partly inspired by my great-great-great grandfather, Sam Houston, uncle of the famous Sam, who kept a journal of the Battle of Guilford Courthouse, North Carolina, 1781, used by historians today.

Stick around for a wild ride into Carolina Back County and the battle between Patriots and Tories. Our hero is the former and our heroine the latter.  Both of them bear names that belonged to my ancestors.

LOVE, BETRAYAL, AND THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION! THE TRAITOR'S LEGACY SERIES

The Boxed Set of all three novels in The Traitor's Legacy Series is available in eBook from ALL online booksellers. In Kindle at: https://www.amazon.com/Traitors-Legacy-Beth-Trissel-ebook/dp/B01L5PSE1K

 

Historical Romance Series series set during The American Revolution

Book One: ENEMY OF THE KING

 

Enemy of the King, historical romance with a paranormal element, is my version of The Patriot. A big fan of Daphne Du Maurier since my teens, I was also influenced by her mystery/ghost story, Rebecca. Our Virginia home place, circa 1816, and other early homes left deep impressions on me.

I’ve long harbored suspicions that those who’ve gone before us are not always entirely gone.  Most of all, I’m a Southern Virginia author, and it shows.

1780 South Carolina, spies and intrigue, a vindictive ghost, the battle of King’s Mountain, Patriots and Tories, pounding adventure, pulsing romance…ENEMY OF THE KING.

“I thoroughly enjoyed reading Enemy of the King. Not only are the characters memorable and the setting beautifully described, but the action is riveting and the romance between Meri and Jeremiah is tender. I highly recommend Enemy of the King to anyone who loves a well crafted historical romance.” ~Poinsettia for Long and Short Reviews

*Publisher’s Weekly BHB Reader’s Choice Best Books of 2009 

*2010 Best Romance Novel List at Buzzle

“An amazing and vibrant look into the American Revolution…this sexy historical is a must read!” ~Coffee Time Romance And More

“I love historical romances. They are one of my favorites and anymore when I think of a historical I think of Beth Trissel.”~Reviewed by Bella Wolfe, You Gotta Read Reviews

“Beth Trissel is a skilled storyteller and scene-builder. She immediately plunges the reader into  action and excitement with a vivid sense of time and place.” ~Historical Romance Author Kris Kennedy ( for Enemy of the King)

TRAITOR'S LEGACY--Sequel to ENEMY OF THE KING (The Traitor's Legacy Series)

Mystery, spies, a coded letter, and stirring romance fill the pages of Traitor’s Legacy. Bringing history to life.

Story Description: 1781. On opposite sides of the War of Independence, British Captain Jacob Vaughan and Claire Monroe find themselves thrust together by chance and expediency.

Captain Vaughan comes to a stately North Carolina manor to catch a spy. Instead, he finds himself in bedlam: the head of the household is an old man ravaged by madness, the one sane male of the family is the very man he is hunting, and the household is overseen by his beguiling sister Claire.

Torn between duty, love, and allegiances, yearning desperately for peace, will Captain Vaughan and Claire Monroe forge a peace of their own against the vagaries of war and the betrayal of false friends?

"I would recommend this story for fans of historical romance and anyone who likes a sweet romance." ~By Brony83 Reviewer for Paranormal Romance and Authors that Rock

Historical Romance Novel TRAITOR'S CURSE (Sequel to TRAITOR'S LEGACY in the Traitor's Legacy Series)

Ghostly, Gothic, historical romance novel, Traitor's Curse, the sequel to Traitor's Legacy, and the third novel in the series, came out in print and eBook autumn 2015 from The Wild Rose Press.

Set in historic Halifax, NC, on the heels of the American Revolution, Traitor's Curse builds on the central theme in Traitor's Legacy.  Both novels center around the hidden treasure collected by a band of Patriots to bribe a Loyalist into revealing the whereabouts of the infamous traitor, Benedict Arnold, the man they badly wanted to hang.

Although America's most wanted ultimately fled to England, the treasure remained in Halifax where the haunting mystery in Traitor's Curse unfolds.

While the historical aspects of that era are authentically depicted in the story, intriguing paranormal elements are also interwoven; among them, a ghost. Other possibilities for his presence in the home are suggested, so choose as you will. It's kind of a mind game, but significant clues are given for the discerning reader. Bear in mind that the author believes in ghosts and cursed treasure.~

 "The supernatural interventions mixed with foreshadowing are well done and believable, whether or not the reader doubts the ghostly possibilities and curses, they work well in the story … and do keep the reader turning the pages. The rapidly developing love story carries with it some inner turmoil in matters of belief and trust, but the gripping external conflicts are laced with danger and evil intent.

The story draws the readers into the midst of the fray. And keeps them there. I readily recommend this novel, “Traitor’s Curse” to anyone who wants to settle into a captivating read created by Beth Trissel, as she weaves her knowledge of the South, herbs and history into this enjoyable love story." ~Marion Spicer

"A wonderfully spun novel that will keep a reader engaged till the end." ~Stephanie Lodes for InD'tale

Won Creme de la Cover monthly contest
Nominated for Reader's Choice at The Romance Review

Follow My Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Beth-Trissel/e/B002BLLAJ6

Inspiration from the Garden

We enjoyed a splendid June in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia until the past few days. Late June and July are hot and humid. Rains keep passing us by so I'm praying we get some of these storms soon, but not the really bad ones. The battle to survive without succumbing to nature's harsher side is here. I've prepared the gardens as best I can. The plants we grow are hardy wildflowers, heirlooms, and herbs, with some vegetables and fruits mixed in. Many of the flowers choose their own sites. 

Every single day in the garden is different and constantly changing from early spring through late fall. A perpetually altering world, magical in its way. I ordered more seeds from my favorite site and am expanding. I must have planted another pound of wild flowers this past week. There are many nooks and thistly spots on the farm that could use some magic. Coreopsis, hollyhocks, aster, evening primrose, and larkspur are prominent. I also have a lot of Shirley poppies and other varieties. Poppies are sacred to my people.

'In my garden there is a large place for sentiment. My garden of flowers is also my garden of thoughts and dreams. The thoughts grow as freely as the flowers, and the dreams are as beautiful.' ~Abram L. Urban

I do mightily love seeds, brimming with possibility. What wonders may come...all from a packet of tiny life-bearing seeds. If they grow. I can't stop planting them to see. Then watching, gleeful when they sprout. And waiting for the blooms, like an Easter egg surprise, because only I know what will be when the majesty unfolds. A wonderful secret to hold and tend, and to share. If it rains, or I must water like a mad woman.

Larkspur and miniature hollyhocks to the left in front of the house. I love the early summer flowers.

'The best place to seek God is in a garden. You can dig for him there.' ~George Bernard Shaw

This is very true. The garden is a deeply spiritual place. I find much inspiration there. Also for my stories. Scenes and plots come to me while I'm at work. The only problem is writing them down. I think I'll remember and sometimes I do.

(Heirloom poppies and Chinese Forget-Me-Nots)

It is good to be alone in a garden at dawn or dark so that all its shy presences may haunt you and possess you in a reverie of suspended thought. ~James Douglas, Down Shoe Lane

There is something magical about dawn or dusk in the garden. Both times of day are wonderfully special. Below is a pic I took a few days ago of the back garden at dusk. You can see my lovely hollyhock and the barn up above it.

 (Pale pink heirloom hollyhocks with the barn behind them)

How fair is a garden amid the trials and passions of existence. ~Benjamin Disraeli

Amen. I'm trying to beautify my bit of earth. 

 (My mini wildflower meadow)

 'You can bury a lot of troubles digging in the dirt.' ~Author Unknown 

One of our neighbors. Image by Hubby. Garden images by me

For more on my work follow my Amazon Author Page:

https://www.amazon.com/Beth-Trissel/e/B002BLLAJ6/