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Sunday, November 17, 2013

Guest Post with Author Lecia Cornwall and Giveaway

Meet author Lecia Cornwall.

Lecia Cornwall lives in Calgary Alberta, in the foothills of the beautiful Canadian Rockies, with two grown children, four cats, a chocolate lab and a husband who puts up with all of the above with remarkable patience. Lecia's debut novel was published by Avon in April 2011. And, she is, of course, busy working on yet another book.

Places to find Lecia:

A Trip Through Bonny Scotland

Many readers may be wondering why a writer who has a reputation for writing English Regency Romances has suddenly penned a Scottish ghost story.

The truth is that I am a creature of diverse interests, dear reader, but one rather special day convinced me to tell the story of ONCE UPON A HIGHLAND SUMMER.

Way back when I first decided to write romance, in the days when my children were small (my eldest is now 22), I thought I would write medieval tales of knights and ladies. I read every single medieval romance I could find in the three local libraries near my home. When I ran out of those, I discovered Regency romances, and fell in love with the rules, the gowns, and the settings. Somewhere in between, I found the wonderful Scottish romances by Shannon Drake and Julie Garwood. Those books still hold pride of place on my keeper shelf.

I actually began writing ONCE UPON A HIGHLAND SUMMER way back in 2003. It was filed away, half completed with a few other manuscripts during the days when my children took precedence over my plans to become an author.

When I brought it out again after a family vacation to Scotland in 2009, it was like meeting an old friend, long lost, and much missed, and better understood for all the adventures we’d had since we saw each other last. We hugged, we cried, and over a cup of tea, I began to alter the living love story, to add some humor, new characters and a to-die for hero and heroine. The only thing that didn’t change was my ghosts.

Well, as life goes, and ONCE UPON A HIGHLAND SUMMER had to be put aside yet again when my first English Regency romance found a loving home at Avon shortly after we returned from holiday, and there were other books to write. But my ghosts haunted me, reminding me of chance meeting in Scotland, which led to an unforgettable, magical day in the Highlands. After that day, I really understood just what I was writing about.

We had been on the road for weeks, and Scotland was our last stop before returning to Canada. We’d seen Paris, London, and England, saving Scotland—where my husband was born—for last. We were staying in Inverness, and desperately looking for a place to have dinner late one evening, since the hotel was hosting a party and couldn’t accommodate us in the dining room. After driving up and down the shore of Loch Ness (if we’d seen Nessie, we would have asked her for a restaurant recommendation), we found a little restaurant called the Oakwood. It was very quiet inside, and the host was grim faced and cool—until we ordered the leg of lamb, that is. At that moment, he grinned broadly, clapped his hands with delight and all but hugged us “You’re Canadians!” he cried. It turned out we had pronounced the French term for leg of lamb, “gigot de mouton”, in the French/Scottish (and apparently Canadian) way, “she-go”, instead of the English “giggott”. My Scottish mother-in-law explained all this to us when we arrived home.

Gus asked us where we were heading next, but when we told him we were bound for the Isle of Skye the next day, he frowned.

“Too many tourists. You dinna want to go there!” he insisted. He rushed away and returned with a map. The plates were pushed aside, and we leaned over the map like conspirators.

He stabbed it with his finger. “This will suit ye better,” he promised, and drew a half-circle around a large swath of Western Scotland, an area of forests and lochs and coastline and almost no roads at all.

“From Castle Urquhart, go along up through Drumnadrochit—” The magical place names rolled off his tongue as he pointed out the route we were to take—Kinlochewe, Torridon, Apple Cross—from Apple Cross we could look across the Inner Sound and see the Isles, including Skye, “And that,” Gus said, his eyes gleaming, “is the very best way to view them.”

The next day was misty, with thick clouds riding low over the green and gray slopes of the Highlands. It seemed hard to imagine people living there now, but it was easy to picture a troop of kilted clansmen on ponies riding over the hills.

The roads here are so narrow that the few cars that used them must take turns allowing each other to pass, the drivers nodding to each other. The way wound up into the clouds, and we travelled into a dense white mist, unable to see a thing. Then suddenly, magically, it cleared, and we came out on the edge of breathtaking views across endless hills and shining lochs.

Ancient castles stood on crags and hilltops, black and crumbling against the silver mist, mysterious, promising secrets and stories they’d gathered over centuries. It’s easy to imagine ghostly lovers roaming those towers. To this day I wonder, was it really just weather, or was it truly magic?

We drove down the length of Scotland that day, along the Great Glen, past Ben Nevis, through Glen Coe, Loch Lomond, and the Trossachs, and finally ended up in Glasgow, my husband’s birthplace, for the last few days of our trip.

Now I ask, dearest reader—what better inspiration for a story in the Highlands is there than a trip like that, taken at the height of Midsummer, with all the ghosts and magic just waiting to be brought to life?

So if you happen to be in Inverness some day, and stop for supper at the Oakwood restaurant by the shore of Loch Ness at Dochgarroch, be sure to order the “Shee-go” de Mouton, and tell Gus that Lecia Cornwall sent you.



An ancient curse, a pair of meddlesome ghosts, a girl on the run, and a case of mistaken identity make for the perfect chance at true love.

Lady Caroline Forrester is on the run from her brother's scheme to marry her off to the highest bidder. An escape to Scotland offers a chance at employment as a governess and freedom from an unhappy marriage—it's the perfect solution. But Caroline wasn't prepared for the feelings that her new employer brings out in her.

Alec McNabb, the reluctant Earl of Glenorne, never expected to return home to Scotland. But now that he's there, he realizes he has obligations that he cannot escape. Alec needs to marry well, and quickly.

When a case of mistaken identity coupled with the sensual, magical atmosphere of Glenorne castle results in a passionate encounter, Caroline and Alec must decide whether their attraction is enough to overcome the problems of their pasts. Or whether their one chance at true love was over before it began...

Purchase: | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iTunes |

Check out what's up for grabs.

Up For Grabs:
  • 1 copy of The Price of Temptation
  • 1 copy of Once Upon a Highland Summer

To Enter: 
  • Please leave a comment or question for Lecia.
  • Please fill out the Rafflecopter form.

Good Luck! 

Special thanks to Lecia Cornwall for sponsoring this giveaway.
a Rafflecopter giveaway

58 comments :

  1. Hi Lecia,

    I loved reading about your trip to Scotland. I went there several years ago, , and have to say that I was really taken with it. The views were absolutely amazing.

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    1. It was an unforgettable trip. My husband was born in Scotland, so my kids got to visit places they'd heard their granny tell stories about for years—the Highlands, Glasgow, The Kelvingrove Museum, Culzean Castle ... it was a lovely trip!

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  2. Your trip to Scotland sounds amazing. You must have seen sites that very few tourists get to see.

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    1. I don't know about that, but I felt very privileged the day we drove through the Highlands. There was hardly anyone there, so it felt magical!

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  3. I love Highlander stories, probably because I've been there. Where have you been in Scotland?

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    1. Well, we drove up the east coast of England to Edinburgh. We visited Sterling, Inverness, Culloden (one of the saddest,most haunted places I've ever been), The Western Highlands, Glasgow and Ayrshire. We were there about ten days, but no matter how much you see, there's so much more!

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  4. I've always wanted to see Scotland. I love you description!

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    1. Thanks Sharlene—I hope you get to go to Scotland someday soon!

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  5. Maybe one day I'll get to visit Scotland. My son's in-laws are Irish - Scots and have stories to tell. I also collect comedic romances based out of Scotland both past and present, many with resident ghosts.

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    1. That's why I fell in love with Julie Garwood's books I think—the humor, the wonderful characters. I wanted ONCE UPON A HIGHLAND SUMMER to have that flavour—the tang of whisky, the sweetness of Tablet, the wonderful thrill of hearing the pipes ....

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  6. Hi, i want to go to Scotland so so bad ,i loved reading about your trip. Makes me want to go so much more.

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  7. Congrats Lecia on the new release! Thanks for sharing your awesome trip with us! I'm dying to go to Scotland which is one of the reasons why I read romance. It's a great escape even though it's in the past :)

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  8. I am so very glad that you didn't give up on this book. I adore the historical romances about Scotland especially the highlands and Highlanders!

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    1. Thanks, Betty. Two more stories will follow this one, and then there are a few more outlines and notebooks under the basement stairs ... so many stories, so little time!

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  9. Scotland has such a rich history! I also loved how modern and exciting the cities were. My mother-in-law told stories about her past as well as ancient history—about Glasgow in World War II, for example. Her home was bombed when she was a little girl.My father-in-law proposed at a famous golf course where they had summer jobs. And Culzean, the Kennnedy seat, where the family portraits resemble my kids so much it's spooky.

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  10. I've always wanted to see Scotlandm my mother was born in glascow and half my family is from there. I love your description!

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    1. Hi Laurie—my husband was born in Paisley, just outside Glasgow. We have a wonderful photo of us searching for the house he lived in. His grandmother always swore she could smell natural gas, but it was checked and checked and nothing found. Six months after the family moved to Canada, the house blew up. On our visit, we saw the vacant lot where the house once stood. Granny was always right!

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  11. Oooh....this book sounds fabulous. It combines all the right elements: historical romance with Scotland, highlanders, independent heroines, and the supernatural. Congratulations on your new book release. I'm looking forward to reading it.
    Thanks for sharing :)
    Lori

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    1. I hope you enjoy it, Lori! I had such fun writing it.

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  12. Going to Edinburgh and the surrounding areas us on my bucket list. Ever since I read my first Highland romance I've wanted to visit.
    Love the blurb for the book, definitely adding to my to read list.

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    1. I read and imagined and read some more for years before I went. Scotland is even better than books can make it!

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  13. Congrats Lecia on the new release and thanks for sharing. Love Scotland and would go back in a minute. Have a few other manuscripts that you may finish like this?

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  14. Hi Sherry— there are two more stories planned, this time for Alec's sisters, both of which will be releases next year. Megan will help find a long lost lost treasure, and lose her heart in the process. Alanna will find herself lost in a snowstorm on the eve of her Christmas wedding. I'm just finishing a manuscript for yet another book due out next year (What a Lady Most Desires), part of my current Regency series. There's an excerpt from WLMD included with ONCE UPON A HIGHLAND SUMMER if you're curious about that story.

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  15. Congratulations on the new book. Is there still a big tourist industry for the Loch Ness Monster or has that faded with modern technology?

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    1. Oh, I think that will always be a draw for people. Plus, when you're there, you can't help but look, just in case! No matter how many scientists prove it isn't true, I think Nessie will always have her fans.

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  16. I love the story of your trip to Scotland. It just proves that there is nothing better than talking to the locals for ideas of where to go!! Can't wait to read it!

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  17. I agree—the locals always know the secrets, and the best spots to visit, fish, walk the dog, picnic, etc. And a chat with someone new can be worth the whole trip.

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  18. Sounds and looks like a very interesting read.

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  19. Sounds good. I love Scottish romance.

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  20. I loved your post Lecia, a visit to Great Britain, including Scotland, has always been a dream that I will fulfill one day. I love the description of Once Upon a Highland Summer and look forward to reading it and the rest of the books in the series.

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    1. Thanks, Barbara—I know you'll love Scotland, and I hope you enjoy Once Upon A Highland Summer!

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  21. I've never been to Scotland (in this life) but I "feel" it deep inside me. If ever a place is filled with magick, it's Scotland. I love that those ghosts continued to speak to you and that you let them be heard. Really looking forward to reading Once Upon A Highland Summer! I saw above where you mentioned there will be more to follow. That has me smiling. :)

    Thank you for the chance in the giveaway!

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    1. Hi Leah, I've always felt the world is filled with signs and symbols and messages if you listen and watch for them.

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  22. That sounds like a lovely trip to Scotland - I was there many years ago and would love to get back and wander at my leisure - suggestions from locals would be wonderful.

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    1. I'm hoping that something will draw me back to Scotland again soon. There's a show on TV here in Canada called "Live Here, Buy That" where participants choose 3 places in the world they'd like to live, and are shown homes there based on the value of their current home in Canada. Scotland is definitely tops on my list (a haunted castle, perhaps?)

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  23. Having never travel outside of my state, I am always fascinated to read books about other countries. Scotland has definitely been on the top of my list after reading so little highlander books but because they are so intriguing. I have to give Julie Garwood credits because The Bride was the first historical romance that I read and it was about Scotland too!

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  24. Hi Sandy. Travelling to other countries is so exciting! After years of reading so much history, I was almost surprised to see how modern Europe was. There's something about Scotland, though, that feels absolutely timeless.

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  25. Congrats on the new release, Leica! I love the description of your trip to Scotland. One of these days I'd like to travel there myself. I'd heard so much about Scotland from one of my old co-workers, who grew up there and came to the US as an adult (she was from Glasgow). I hope to get out there before I'm too old to enjoy it (hey, it took me until I was 40 to get out of my own time zone!) Thanks for posting here today and writing your books--your book blurb sounds awesome, btw!

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    1. Thanks, Sandra —may you find yourself in the Highlands someday soon!

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  26. That sounds like the best inspiration for completing your story... I can't imagine anything better. Thanks for sharing. lisagk(at)yahoo

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  27. Have always wanted to visit Scotland. Since I can't go, love reading Highlander romances. Congrats on the new release!

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    1. Thanks, Janice—I've always found that reading can be the best escape (writing,too!). Books have taken me to so many wonderful times and fantastic places.

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  28. Ah, Lecia, your stories are lovely! I'm so glad you've a Scottish historical just released...I just bought it on Amazon! A birthday present for me (that way I get what I want). :-) Congratulations to you, Lecia. Keep up the writing and I'll keep reading your stories. jdh2690@gmail.com

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  29. Janice, you've made my day! Thank you for your kind words —and a very, very Happy Birthday!

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  30. I'd love to visit Scotland some day but I need a vegetarian option for the “Shee-go” de Mouton :)

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  31. Well, we did have the most wonderful breakfast in Scotland—porridge with a tot of whisky poured over it instead of cream. It made for a very interesting (and tasty) way to start the day!

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  32. Hi Lecia! What kind of research did you do to write a Highlander novel?

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    1. Hi Meghan—I did a lot of research on Midsummer celebrations, and looked into the laws regarding the wearing of tartan (it was outlawed after Culloden), and read about the Highland Clearances. The trick with research is knowing the facts, but not letting them take over the story. They just sit quietly in the background to add authenticity and atmosphere.

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  33. I would love to get to go to Scotland some day!
    Thanks for the chance to win!

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  34. When travelling it's always wise to listen to what the locals have to say. They know!!!

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  35. My hubby and I have always tried to take "the road less traveled" when we travel. You see and experience way more than you could ever hope to in touristy places. I am bookmarking this post to use when we finally take our dream trip to Scotland to visit ancestral places!! This whole post grabbed my attention and I loved reading about your experience. Thank you!
    lattebooks at hotmail dot com

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  36. I love Scotland. I hope to go there one day, it's on my bucket list. Love your stories. Thanks for the chance

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  37. NICE cover - love highlanders!!!
    would LOVE to go to Scotland

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