Cathie Dunn writes...

Today, I'm delighted to welcome my friend Sue Barnard – terrific author, award-winning poet, and editor extraordinaire – to my blog. Her wonderful novella, Never on Saturday , is released through  Ocelot Press today.  Over to Sue to tell us more about Never on Saturday !  Today (15th December 2020), a new title joins the Ocelot Press catalogue.  Never on Saturday is a timeslip romance novella with a hint of mystery and a touch of the paranormal.  It is set partly in medieval France and partly in present-day North Wales, and is based on an old French legend. Unfortunately I can’t be more specific at this stage about the legend itself, as that would give away too much about the story.   Blurb: Two stories, two heartbreaks: one past, one present… Leaving her native France and arriving in North Wales as a postgraduate student of History and Folklore, Mel is cautiously optimistic that she can escape from her troubled past and begin a new and happier lif...

Join me as I celebrate the release of  The Shadows of Versailles , the first novel in a new series of loosely-linked stories set during the Affair of the Poisons, is now available in Kindle format!  Seduced at Versailles. Broken by tragedy. Consumed by revenge. Follow me to the glamorous court of Louis XIV, the Sun King. But beneath all the glitter of his impressive new palace lurks a danger, and not only to his own life.  The Affair of the Poisons is a fascinating time when dark dealings came to light, involving not only ’lowly’ midwives, alchemists and fortune-tellers, but also high-ranking officials, courtiers and even the king's longterm mistress, Madame de Montespan. We only meet La Montespan briefly in The Shadows of Versailles , as the focus is on Fleur, my fictional heroine, who discovers that Versailles reveals more hidden dangers than she'd expected.  Fleur falls victim to a serial seducer in the picturesque gardens – an act that leads her into trouble as h...

I’m so thrilled to share my new cover and the title of the first Loup de Foix Mystery with you: The Monk’s Secret Historical background: Loup de Foix was the illegitimate son of Raymond-Roger, count of Foix. The town of Foix lies in the south-west of France, and the counts held some sway, politically. Raymond-Roger in particular was known to be a flamboyant character, with an outrageous dress sense (for his time) and a glib tongue. He was a great orator, and his speeches are well-recorded. Raymond-Roger (’Roger’ in the novel, to avoid confusion with other Raymonds – a popular name at the time!) had at least four children: Roger-Bernard (’Bernard’ in the novel, for obvious reasons) and Cécile were legitimate. Amongst his illegitimate children were Loup and Esclarmonde (named after her famous aunt).  The count’s sister, Esclarmonde de Foix, was a well known Perfect in the Bon Chrétien  religious movement, now known as the Cathars. And his wife, Philippa, ran a h...

I'm so thrilled to celebrate my new release today: Love Lost in Time ! I'm out of bubbly, but a nice G&T with blueberries will suffice! Later, of course...  A dual-timeline mystery, Love Lost in Time takes you to sunny Carcassonne, in the south-west of France.  For the historical part of the story, I chose the late 8th century – a time when the Franks under Charlemagne expanded and solidified their presence in Septimania (today's Languedoc-Roussillon) on the Mediterranean Coast. The locals were a mix of Visigoths, Merovingians and descendants of the Romans. After decades of upheaval, the Franks brought some stability into the region, and fortifications like Carcassonne helped to beat back any Saracen incursions.  But not all dangers came from the enemies. Some lay much closer to home... A tale of love, death and redemption… AD 2018 Languedoc, south-west France Madeleine Winters discovers ancient female bones under her kitchen floor. How did t...

Welcome to this second instalment in our Meet the Ocelots Blog Hop! We hope you enjoy our posts and meeting our characters. I’m delighted to introduce you to a handsome, well-mannered Frenchman, Frédéric Grandcourt. He is an important character in Vanessa Couchman ’s wonderful novel, Overture , which tells us about how Marie-Thérèse, a country girl from rural Aveyron, ends up in Paris and pursues her love of singing. You can discover which role Frédéric plays in Marie-Thérèse’s life in the book. It’s well worth a read! I’m welcoming him into my salon which I have designed to meet his approval. Imagine beautiful French furnishings, cushioned chairs and chaise longues and damask drapes surrounding the double doors to the garden.  Bonjour, Frédéric. How lovely to meet you! I have heard many great things about you from Marie-Thérèse. Please make yourself comfortable.  May I offer you a refreshment?  Frédéric: Thank you, Madame, or may I call you ...

My good author friend and fellow Ocelot Press writer, Vanessa Couchman , has an offer for readers who love historical fiction set in beautiful places. Her novel, The Corsican Widow , is set on the island of Corsica. I thought it might be a treat for followers of My Place... Well worth a read! The Corsican Widow reduced to 99p on Amazon Kindle for a short time only Ocelot Press author Vanessa Couchman’s historical novel  The Corsican Widow   is taking part in an Amazon Countdown deal, starting on Friday 16 th November . Normally priced at £2.99/$3.99, the book will be reduced to 99p/99¢ on Friday and Saturday, rising by increments to the full price on Monday 19 th November. The novel is the latest in the Tales of Corsica series, stories inspired by and set in the same house on the enchanting island of Corsica. The Corsican Widow  is a sweeping tale of love, injustice and vengeance, set in the 18th century. Valeria Peretti must marry a muc...

Today, I welcome back my author friend, Vanessa Couchman , whose wonderful stories take you to rural France, in particular to the beautiful rugged Mediterranean island of Corsica. Reading her novels makes me want to visit, and I will, one day.  So, for now, escape this rainy autumn day to your summer destination – to Nonza on Corsica!  ~~~ Nonza, Corsica: Inspiration by Chance Sometimes you feel your footsteps are steered in a certain direction. We discovered the captivating Mediterranean island of Corsica in 2003. With its majestic, mountainous scenery and its clear blue waters and miles of beaches, it’s a wonderful place to spend a holiday.  Nonza, Corsica   But I soon found that Corsica is much more than just a holiday location. It also has a fascinating history and culture, stemming from its strategic position in the Mediterranean and its island customs. The island has been invaded and occupied countless times over thousands of years. Intermitten...

Belated Happy Easter wishes! 🐣 I hope you enjoyed precious time with your families. We did, with our four-legged 'babies’! Canal du Midi near Carcassonne On Sunday, we were fortunate enough to see the sun all day, so, after putting the washing on so it can dry outside, we took Ellie Dog on a 2-hour walkie along the Canal du Midi, close to our home. The path on one side is wide enough for us to walk and chat, however, the other side – our return from the lock – was narrow, and often overgrown. Still, quite an adventure, especially when we spotted the gorgeous views that reached as far as the snow-capped peaks of the Pyrenees. Ellie relaxing Ellie loved her exploration, but she was completely zonked out afterwards, enjoying the sunshine in the garden. One happy girl. And even hubby and I managed to relax a little in the garden on our return, with a delicious Aperol Spritz. I had a chance to catch up on re-reading Dark Deceit , alongside some r...

Hello again, bonjour & guten Tag! It's been a while, hasn't it? I know. Much has happened in the last 1 1/2 years. Writing, editing, teaching novel writing, moving house again, losing and gaining pets – where do I start?! I take it you've visited my website www.cathiedunn.com ? You'll have seen my latest updates. My new literary 'baby', Love Lost in Time , has a fabulous cover. Unfortunately, I've still some writing to do, but it'll be finished soon. As I'm about to embark on new adventures – expanding my editing business and looking to offer novel writing courses online and possibly here, in Carcassonne in the (usually) sunny south of France – my aim is also to finally write the sequel to Dark Deceit . Yes, I know. It's been a loooong time coming, but my lovely readers deserve to know what happens next. And I promise it won't take me nine years to write, like Dark Deceit ! Toby, much missed As for pets, we sadly lost gorgeous ...

Today, I'm being quizzed by fellow Crooked Cat author, Vanessa Couchman . She has the pleasure of living in France. I'm very envious. Vanessa has provided me with a list of fabulous questions. Somehow, we ended chatting about history, research (aka holidays), food and wines. Come on over and join us! It'd be lovely to see you there. https://vanessacouchmanwriter.wordpress.com/2015/03/27/on-the-chaise-longue-with-vanessa-meet-novelist-cathie-dunn-cathiedunn/?fb_action_ids=10206358911435071&fb_action_types=news.publishes&fb_ref=pub-standard ~reclines back on the chaise longue, sipping a glass of Sancerre~ PS: Dark Deceit is in parts set in Normandy... ;-)