Thank you to Eliza for inviting me to guest post here today!
I’m very excited. I LOVE reading historical romances and I even tried writing
one. Tried is the key word. I was overwhelmed with the amount of research I’d
have to do, with the pressure to be completely accurate, and I ended up
quitting after writing only 20 pages in 2 months. (For my contemporary stories,
I can complete a novella and a short story in that same amount of time!)
So what does a contemporary romantic suspense writer have to
share on an historical blog? Well, my next novella, Simple Treasures, takes
place in Edinburgh, Scotland during Hogmanay and so I thought I’d share some
information about the holiday.
Hogmanay is the Scots word for the last day of the year. In
Edinburgh, it has become a major event over the years and often sells out
early. It includes a Ferris wheel, stalls selling knickknacks and food, a
skating rink, colored lights, the Torchlight Procession, and lots of live music
as people ring in the New Year. And of course, there are fireworks and the
traditional singing of Auld Lang Syne while holding hands with the people close
to you…or the strangers who happen to be partying right next to you.
The Torchlight Procession, which takes place on December 30th,
is a version of the Up Helly Aa Fire usually associated with the Shetland.
Originally, the event began in the 1880s to mark the end of the Yule season. It
grew out of the older tradition of tar barreling, where young men would drag
tarred barrels through the streets and raise hell. Gradually it became more
civilized, with people walking through the streets with torches blazing. At the
end of the walk, everyone would throw their torches into a replica of a Viking
ship. For more information on the festival, visit www.uphellyaa.org.
Today, the Torchlight Procession begins on the Royal Mile
where thousands of people line up behind bagpipers to carry lit torches through
the streets of Edinburgh up to Calton Hill. Once at the top, people watch while
a replica of a Viking ship burns in the distance, music plays and then
fireworks signal the end of the procession. See? Not much has changed in the
last 135 years.
On the last day of the year, there is much music, dancing
and drinking throughout the streets of Edinburgh. Surprisingly, even with an
average of over a quarter million people, it never really feels crowded.
One holiday event that has always interested me is
First-Footing. This event is popular in Scotland and northern England. Once the
New Year has rung in, a dark haired man walks through the front door. This
usually means those who live there will have good luck. The man usually brings
gifts, such as coins (for financial
success), bread (for food), salt (for flavor), coal (for warmth), or whisky
(for good cheer). In some places, a fair-haired man or a female first
through the door is considered unlucky!
Thank you to Eliza for allowing me to join you all today!
I’ve had fun sharing my favorite holiday traditions with you.
ALEXA
BOURNE- SIMPLE TREASURES
Author
Bio:
Alexa Bourne is a teacher by day and a
romantic suspense writer by nights, weekends, and all school holidays. She also
teaches online classes for writers throughout the year. She is thrilled to be
writing for Decadent Publishing and to have the chance to share her love of
Great Britain with readers everywhere.
Book
Blurb:
Coming soon...
Take-charge bodyguard Colin Munro believes working
for the International Protective Network will be the perfect occupation for
him. Unfortunately, his trial assignment is protecting a woman who has no
intention of blindly following orders. Aye, he’ll bring the bonnie lass in line
because there’s no way he’ll allow her to ruin his chance of securing his dream
job.
Physically and emotionally scarred during her stint
as a U.S. soldier, Joanna Grainger wants nothing more than to enjoy life. New
Year's Eve in Edinburgh marks the beginning of her transformation. But when she
witnesses a crime no one believes occurred, her plans come to a screeching
halt. To make matters worse, her sexy but headstrong bodyguard has no
compassion for her or the victim.
As danger hunts them during one of the busiest time
of the year, Joanna must convince Colin she's a worthy partner. But first, can
she convince herself?
Excerpt:
Joanna
bolted upright. Darkness wrapped her in its hideous embrace. And silence
reigned. Her heart raced. She flattened her hands on the mattress beneath her.
Mattress.
Bed. Colin’s hotel room.
Rustling
sounds came from the floor. The bedside lamp flickered on. Colin propped
himself up, one knee bent and an arm dangling over it. He squinted against the
brightness. “Are you all right?”
“I’m
sorry. I didn’t mean to wake you.” She brushed her fingers under her eyes.
“Don’t be
daft, lass.”
“I had a
bad dream.” She smoothed her hair back off her face. Moisture beaded at her
temples.
“Here we
call it a nightmare.” He smiled, and at once she relaxed her shoulders.
“Americans
do, too.” After another deep breath, she said, “I’ll be all right.” Once her
heart rate slowed to normal. With her forearm, she wiped perspiration from her
forehead.
He stood,
padded into the bathroom, and ran the faucet. When he returned, he sat beside
her, tucked his finger under her chin, and pressed the cloth to her cheek. The
cool moisture soothed her burning skin.
She
reached up and covered his hand with hers. “I can do that.”
“I know.”
He brushed her fingers away. “But you’ll not.”
After a
few seconds, he moved the wet towel across her forehead and to her other cheek.
When he
reached her neck, she sighed and closed her eyes for a few valuable seconds.
“Thank
you.”
His gentle
caress reminded her how much she’d missed simple comfort…from anyone.
“You’re
welcome.” The cloth soon disappeared. “Now, will you tell me what you dreamed
about?”
“Mark
Rawlings. I dreamed I was back in the train car and he was bleeding out on the
floor. The guy with him faded into the background, but I could see the man’s
hands and lips moving. I couldn’t hear anything, though. Then somebody jabbed
me with something, and my blood drained out of my body, but there was nothing I
could do. The guy standing stayed in front of me. There was another voice, but
the words were garbled.”
“Did you
see anyone else?”
“No, but
at the end I wasn’t paying attention. I was losing consciousness.” She tilted
her head to one side and into her palm. “Colin, what am I going to do if we
don’t find the professor’s attacker soon?”
“We’ll take
it one day at a time.” Strong, confident, able to leap tall buildings and
all…even in the middle of the night.
Read it! Amazon / Barnes and Noble
Website: www.alexabourne.com
Twitter:
@AlexaBourne
2 comments:
The torchlight procession is something I would love to partake in!! Personally, I am starting to see the Novella benefits in our fast-paced lifestyles...never time to read and write....ugh...
Exciting excerpt and thank-you!!
Jennifer,
JC Page
Jennifer, if you ever get the chance you should DEFINITELY participate! It was magical!
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