Today I share with you an excerpt from the short story “The Valentineās Card” which features inside the Redcliffe short story anthology, “My Vampire Boyfriend.” You can download the book today for just 99p!
Consider it my Valentineās Day gift to youā¦
LGBT fantasy short stories set in Cornwall. My Vampire Boyfriend (The Redcliffe Novels) by Catherine Green.
Excerpt from “The Valentine’s Card” short story
The card was white with a vase of pink roses printed on the front, glittered for effect. It didnāt feel like something Jack would send. It looked garish and dated. I opened it up, feeling a strange sense of dread. There was a message inside, printed by hand in blue Biro. It read, āHappy Valentineās Day Jessica. See you tonight, my little witch.ā
I gasped. There was only one person who had called me ālittle witch,ā and she was dead. I destroyed her myself several months ago. I felt sick, picked up my phone, and called Jack.
Buy the book
This anthology contains adult themes, and scenes of a sexual nature. The short stories offer a glimpse into the sexual adventures of a fledgling witch, her vampire and werewolf, and their friends in various situations.
LGBT werewolf fantasy story “It’s Complicated (The Redcliffe Novels)” by Catherine Green
Did you enjoy this article? Download your FREE copy of LGBT fantasy short story Itās Complicated (The Redcliffe Novels) and meet the werewolves of Cornwall, England.Ā Ā Click here.Ā
You might have seen in my recent blog posts that life has been very challenging recently. My mood has been low, I feel under pressure with the millions of tiny but important jobs that I am responsible for, and there has been nothing to look forward to. There still isnāt, although I am pleased that we have the school half-term holiday next week.
It is such a relief that we wonāt have to drag ourselves out of bed and get to school on time every morning for a few days. I havenāt planned any exciting events; indeed my children donāt seem keen to go anywhere. They are tired, and they want to stay at home. That suits me and my mood.
How to Hold Sacred Space for Yourself
How to Hold Sacred Space for Yourself
How do you feel right now? Are you stressed, unhappy or simply unfeeling? Are you relatively calm and collected, just plodding on with life? Perhaps you have recently experienced or are experiencing something very exciting, and I would be happy to hear your good news. We need some good news stories to lift the gloom. And to that end, we need to hold sacred space for ourselves. We spend our lives doing things for other people. We raise our children, educate them, entertain them, keep them healthy and nurse them when they are sick. We work our jobs, busily trying to fulfil an often-impossible list of tasks every day. We help our friends and family members when they are struggling, and we try to help our communities by volunteering time and/or money to local projects and schemes. Then we are put under pressure to always ābe our best,ā which means keeping physically fit and active, having a long list of hobbies, having a social life. It is all too much to cram into 24 hours every single day.
What do you do when you feel overwhelmed?
What do you do when you feel overwhelmed? Do you retreat into your home, cancel all social plans, and sit in front of the TV worrying about what people will say about you? Or are you too busy to think about yourself? Remember that we cannot help other people if we do not help ourselves first. I have retreated a little in my family and social circles, closed myself off while I deal with my personal mood swings and battle my demons. Fortunately, I have the connection to reiki healing energy and a wonderful support network of friends that are helping me through the challenges I face. But they can only do so much.
Most of the work to self-heal must come from me. I need to stop and listen to my body and my mind and decide what is in my best interest at this moment in time. This week I have focused on a project for redecorating our home because it makes me feel better. I have a sense of achievement and pride in my work. Today I am focusing on meditation and writing work, because that is important to me too. It is all part of me holding sacred space for myself, to do what is important for me. What makes you feel better? Iām sure you could fit in five minutes of sacred space to help with your holistic health and wellness. Have a lovely week!
LGBT fantasy book series set in Cornwall. “Love Redeems (The Redcliffe Novels)” #3 by Catherine Green.
Did you enjoy this article? Download your FREE copy of LGBT fantasy short story Itās Complicated (The Redcliffe Novels) and meet the werewolves of Cornwall, England.Ā Ā Click here.Ā
My husband just bought me a brand-new car. He wonāt make any grand gestures for Valentineās Day, and neither will I. Valentineās Day will be just a normal Friday in our house.
I will take the children to school, come home and work on my books or my DIY projects. My husband will leave early in the morning for work and return late at night, falling asleep on the sofa once he has eaten his reheated dinner that I prepared earlier. There will be no excitement, no fanfare, nothing. And if Iām honest, that makes me sad.
Why We Don’t Celebrate Valentine’s Day
Why We Donāt Celebrate Valentineās Day
I know that the world has turned into a huge commercial monster machine, and we are bombarded constantly with invitations and demands to buy products (do you want to buy my books?!), and this makes a lot of people angry. We make ourselves ill by trying to prove our love on this one day of the year, or by trying to catch the attention of someone we like. We are told that our husbands or partners should take us out for a romantic meal, bring us expensive gifts, and worship us.
I would love for my husband to worship me, but not in the commercial, stereotypical sense. He is exhausted from the hamster wheel of working life. He has mental illness and refuses to ask for help because he fears he will lose his job if he admits this weakness. So, he tries to ignore it, and I take the brunt of his stress. I am left alone to raise our children, run our household, support our family members through their challenges, and try to grow my career in the background somewhere. I am exhausted too.
I want to celebrate Valentine’s Day
This year I would like to celebrate Valentineās Day. It would be lovely to have quality time with my husband, away from the stresses of work and family. I want to know that he cares, and that I do mean something to him. For the past seven years I feel that he has put professional work before everything else in his life, and I feel like a single parent. We tried marital counselling, and he tried personal counselling. The therapist eventually concluded that she had done all she could with him, and it was down to him to make changes. He doesnāt want to make changes. He is stuck. And I am stuck also. We do still love each other, but sometimes I wonder if that is enough? I donāt feel appreciated, and I donāt think he does either. Happy Valentineās Day, if you celebrate it!
LGBT fantasy book series set in Cornwall. “Love Hurts (The Redcliffe Novels)” #1 by Catherine Green.
Did you enjoy this article? Download your FREE copy of LGBT fantasy short story Itās Complicated (The Redcliffe Novels) and meet the werewolves of Cornwall, England.Ā Ā Click here.Ā
This week we celebrate Imbolc, the pagan festival for Spring.
Whilst the weather is still cold and we still feel the grip of winter, we may now see Mother Nature waking up as the season turns. You might notice daffodils, snowdrops and crocuses appearing in your garden or on public green areas. Some trees are beginning to grow leaves again, and others are displaying berries. The birds are waking up and returning from their winter homes.
The air feels fresh and full of promise.
Decorating Ideas for Imbolc
Decorating ideas for Imbolc
A simple decorating idea for Imbolc is to display a vase of Spring flowers in your home. Daffodils are easy to find and will brighten up any room or dark space. You could light a colourful candle, maybe a scented one, or try some refreshing incense. Add a couple of bright crystals to your Imbolc altar, maybe amethyst, citrine or lapis lazuli, and you are all set to celebrate the turn of the season.
For my part I have cleaned the room where I perform my rituals (our dining room area), and I have moved a few ornaments around and changed the layout and feel of my altar shelf. It now has photos of family members that need distance healing so I may focus on them during my reiki practice. I have also returned to the mammoth task of stripping away the old wallpaper in our house. Having abandoned the welded-on anaglypta nightmare in our living/dining room, I am now clearing the hall, stairs and landing area. It feels wonderful to make way for new beginnings. Imbolc blessings, my friends!
Contemporary adult Gothic fairytale “The Wolf and the Fairy” by Catherine Green.
Did you enjoy this article? Download your FREE copy of LGBT fantasy short story Itās Complicated (The Redcliffe Novels) and meet the werewolves of Cornwall, England.Ā Ā Click here.Ā
“Return of the Vampire Hunter” is pure urban fantasy with a hint of seduction thrown in for good measure. Set in Manchester, Northern England, it is a contemporary story with all the darkness of classic Gothic monsters.
Just your average Cheshire housewife ā who used to hunt vampires!
LGBT fantasy novel set in Manchester, England. “Return of the Vampire Hunter” by Catherine Green.
“Return of the Vampire Hunter” by Catherine Green
Hannah Oakley used to be a vampire hunter. She retired from active service when she fell in love with the female vampire she was hunting, but old wounds refuse to heal. She and the vampire fought almost to the death, and now it seems that the vampire has tracked her down. Hannah must return to work, grudgingly accepting help from a new hunting partner, and she is determined that this time she will finish the job. But can she ignore the old lust for her vampire lover? Is the mother able to be a vampire hunter one more time? And will her marriage survive the ordeal?
“Return of the Vampire Hunter” is available from Amazon US; Amazon UK and in your favourite eBook store ā Click here.
Excerpt:
We were on the motorway and I was in the passenger seat. I had been passing food to the children in the back seat, and as I twisted back round to face forward, I glanced at James. My heart skipped a beat and then pounded heavily as the world spun around me.
āWhat is that on your neck?ā I asked sharply.
James glanced at me and then checked his mirrors as he moved into the middle lane.
āWhat?ā he asked absently.
āThat,ā I said, āOn your neck.ā
I reached across and gently touched the mark on his skin. It looked like two small, neat puncture wounds. A vampire bite. Shit.
James touched the bruise, winced, and then shook his head.
āI donāt know,ā he said, āI must have cut myself shaving.ā
āThat is not a shaving wound,ā I said.
He glanced at me again and frowned.
āWhy are you so upset about it?ā he asked curiously, āItās nothing.ā
I stared at the tiny wound as my whole world flipped upside down. Was it Elaine? Had she finally found me? Or was it another stray vampire? One thing was certain; I had to return to work. This one had to be destroyed before it came for my whole family. Gathering my senses, I shook my head and smiled.
āOh, forget it,ā I said lightly, āIt looked more serious at first, thatās all. But if it doesnāt hurt then it doesnāt matter. Can you see the sea yet, girls?ā
LGBT werewolf fantasy story “It’s Complicated (The Redcliffe Novels)” by Catherine Green
Did you enjoy this article? Download your FREE copy of LGBT fantasy short story Itās Complicated (The Redcliffe Novels) and meet the werewolves of Cornwall, England.Ā Ā Click here.Ā
Thank you for being my Friend! The past few months have been tough, and I have been badly let down by someone close to me. I can always count on my friends, though, and never more so than when I am stuck at home nursing a sick child and I need help getting my older child to and from school safely.
We Are the World BlogFest (#WATWB) celebrates special people and small stories of inspiration and hope in the world. This month I celebrate my friends.
Thank You for Being my Friend #WATWB
Thank You for being my Friend #WATWB
My mum friends are a close-knit community. We came together when our children were babies, and we have supported each other through lots of troubling times. We have also celebrated the achievements of ourselves and our children, celebrated birthdays and festivals, and enjoyed social time to simply be adults. Even though we all lead busy lives, with the responsibility of family, work and home to navigate, we find time to be with each other, even if it is just for a quick chat at the school gate. And I know we are not alone.
All over the world there are networks of friends that work together, play together and support each other when they need to. These communities are vital to our survival as human beings. Some people mistakenly choose work over life. These people invariably find themselves exhausted and ill, and often left alone because their friends and family give up trying to support them. We must work together and take turns to help each other when we need to. I know that I have been there for friends in the past, and I will continue to do so in the future. Last week I felt very emotionally and physically drained, and my friends were there to step in and help. They gave me company, they allowed me to take the dog for a walk while they babysat, and they bought flowers to cheer me up. Thank you, my friends. I love you, and I am very grateful for your friendship.
We are the World BlogFest (#WATWB)
We are the World BlogFest (#WATWB) focuses on positive stories no matter where theyāre found. It is all about spreading peace and humanity on social media. All participants post on the last Friday of the month, sharing a positive news story that contributes to making our world a happier, safer, and better place to live.
Did you enjoy this article? Download your FREE copy of LGBT fantasy short story Itās Complicated (The Redcliffe Novels) and meet the werewolves of Cornwall, England.Ā Ā Click here.Ā
I have not worked with Tarot for many months, and it felt like the right time to do a reading. Picking up my notebook, I opened it to seek inspiration for what questions to ask, and I saw a spread called āLeaving the Past Behind.ā
This seemed appropriate given my current emotional and spiritual journey, so I decided that must be the spread for todayās reading. Do comment below if any of this resonates with youā¦
Daily Tarot reading by Catherine Green
Tarot Card Reading: Leaving the Past Behind
1, What I Need to Leave Behind
9 of Cups (Reversed) ā You have spent a lot of time working on your emotional health, and it was doing well. Donāt self-sabotage now by throwing it all away on a whim. Take some time to contemplate your feelings and why you feel this way. Are you contributing to the bad feeling with unhealthy behaviours and habits? Remember the bigger picture. Emotion is important and powerful. Let go of the desire to suppress how you feel. Keep filling those cups!
2, What I Need to Take with Me
3 of Wands (Reversed) ā This work has been hard, and you might look forward to a break from it. Be proud of your achievements, watch them take flight. Always remember how far you have come. Be advised that there is still some work to do before you can move forward in this situation. Think about your emotional responses, resolve your anger and frustration, and realise that you cannot progress until you have cleared the path. There is an end in sight, but you have a few more tasks to complete before you achieve your goal.
3, Negatives to Discard
Temperance ā You are trying to balance an uneven workload. We are only human. We cannot do everything at once. Choose your preferred tasks and do them one after the other. There is no need to hurry. All will be completed in time. You are happiest when you are busy, but sometimes it is ok to stop and rest. Moderation is key in this situation. Manage your time wisely and you will succeed.
4, Positives to look Forward To
9 of Swords ā I am wary of this card because it usually brings bad news. What positives does it show in this reading? I am confused about why it appeared in this position on the spread. Maybe it reminds me that I am not alone. I should reset my thought process and stop reading too much into a situation. Yes, the world is a scary place and I am trying to decide something that would change my life dramatically. But I am strong, and I will emerge victorious, whatever that looks like. Learn from your despair and your disappointment. Analyse your dreams, as they might hold some clues to your way forward.
5, Why a Fresh Start will be Good
The Tower ā We rise stronger and happier after a fall. Accept that change is coming, and open yourself to its violent, cleansing power. Brace yourself and prepare for battle, but do not resist the change. It must happen if you are to progress on your life journey. Attachment often brings disappointment. Free yourself. You need a change.
LGBT fantasy book series set in Cornwall. “Love Kills (The Redcliffe Novels) ” #2 by Catherine Green.
Did you enjoy this article? Download your FREE copy of LGBT fantasy short story Itās Complicated (The Redcliffe Novels) and meet the werewolves of Cornwall, England.Ā Ā Click here.Ā
I joined the social network for A Chronic Voice because I needed to find people who understand what life is like with chronic pain. Today I have written a post using the January link-up prompts, to show my experience of living with a chronic pain disorder.
Click here to find other blog posts from fellow chronic pain sufferers, or #spoonies as we call ourselves online.
Chronic Voice blog link-up for January
Is it Time to Make a Change in My Life?
Purging
I feel a bit lost right now, and I donāt know what I would purge given the choice. I wonder how much longer I can continue updating my blog when I donāt see a massive improvement in followers and page views. Maybe now is the time to reassess my activities and purge a few of the less productive ones. But then I am emotionally attached to my blog, so I canāt give it up just yet. Maybe there is something else I can purge in my life?
Seizing
This word makes me think of āseizing the opportunity.ā I have not been presented with any obvious opportunities at the moment, nor can I find a way to make them appear. I seem lost in a quagmire of sameness, desperate for change but unsure how to make that happen. Maybe I am seized with fear and I havenāt realized it yet. Perhaps I am simply being lazy, and my time will come when the season turns to Spring.
Opening
In terms of my chronic pain condition, opening my eyes has been both metaphorically and physically difficult. I have spent time in hospital with my youngest daughter with a query about her health that came about from a routine eye test. I had to explain all about my Lymphodoema Distichiasis to the pediatrician and nurse that treated us, and then it turned out to be completely unrelated to what I have. My congenital condition has apparently been watered right down in my children, and that is a huge relief.
Revamping
The new year has brought with it a vague sense that I need to revamp my space. I am in the middle of stripping old wallpaper in my home, and I abandoned the job some time before Christmas, exhausted and beaten. My eyes cannot cope with the dust that is created during home improvement work, they hurt when I strain to concentrate on a task, and they hurt because I am tired. I need help, and I have asked for it.
Envisioning
My new year generally starts with grand ideas and visions for the future. This year I have had none of that. I have stumbled blindly into the new decade with a vague sense that something needs to change, but I donāt know what. Or rather, I do know what but Iām afraid to take that leap. I cannot envision anything changing in the near future, and I need to do something to make me feel happier. Hopefully a solution will present itself to me soon.
LGBT fantasy book series set in Cornwall. “Eye of the Tiger (The Redcliffe Novels)” #4 by Catherine Green.
Did you enjoy this article? Download your FREE copy of LGBT fantasy short story Itās Complicated (The Redcliffe Novels) and meet the werewolves of Cornwall, England.Ā Ā Click here.Ā
Jessica Stone used to be a normal human. Then she fell in love with a vampire, met his identical twin werewolf brother, and her life fell apart spectacularly.
Meeting Detective Jack Mason, and his brother Danny, brought about a powerful change, and Jessicaās magic was released. Now, in Redcliffe book 4, she must learn to control her ethereal animal familiar, who lusts after the alpha werewolf, and will stop at nothing to use her human mistress as a tool… Or is that a weapon?
LGBT fantasy book series set in Cornwall. “Eye of the Tiger (The Redcliffe Novels)” #4 by Catherine Green.
#BookTalk: “Eye of the Tiger (The Redcliffe Novels)” by Catherine Green
I looked at her and she gasped and stepped back, shielding the baby in her pram instinctively.
āJess,ā she whispered, āYour eyes are glowing.ā
I shook my head and blinked furiously, forcing Suri to back off and leave me alone. The tiger disappeared with a growl, but she knew she would get her way eventually. I focused on calming the energy that was whipping around my body in an invisible storm. I did not need this right now, and Liz definitely did not deserve it.
The Redcliffe Novels LGBT fantasy book series
The Redcliffe novels series follow the adventures of bookshop owner Jessica Stone as she meets a man and falls in love, only to discover the hidden werewolf secrets of her close friends. That includes Simon Bunce, manager of the Ship Inn, who turns out to be lieutenant to the Redcliffe werewolf pack, and lover to the wolf alpha Danny Mason. He fights to protect his master from the ethereal animal familiar who threatens to claim their pack. Who knew the Cornish coast could be so deadly?
Find the Redcliffe novels series in bookshops and online and request them in your local library.
LGBT werewolf fantasy story “It’s Complicated (The Redcliffe Novels)” by Catherine Green
Did you enjoy this article? Download your FREE copy of LGBT fantasy short story Itās Complicated (The Redcliffe Novels) and meet the werewolves of Cornwall, England.Ā Ā Click here.Ā
Today is my birthday (subdued cheer). I have decided to postpone my celebrations while I play Nurse Mummy to my younger daughter. She had a couple of medical procedures in hospital earlier this week, and her recovery is painful and difficult to watch.
There was nothing obviously wrong with her, but our optician referred her to the hospital for further tests following a routine eye check. You can never be too careful, and we are being well cared for by our NHS teams.
I’ve Got the January Blues
Iāve Got the January Blues
The stress of hospital visits, running a household, trying to give both my children equal attention while simultaneously training and settling our new dog has taken its toll. I donāt feel sad, but I donāt feel properly happy, and I am definitely not relaxed. I havenāt felt pure joy for a good few months if Iām honest. My family has experienced and continues to experience trauma, and we are simply wading through day by day. My experience is no worse or better than anyone elseās in similar situations. We have these challenges, and we learn to live with them.
My husbandās poor mental health certainly exacerbates my stress, because I feel partly like his carer and partly like a single parent most of the time. Who will take care of me? My friends. I am very lucky and very grateful to have a wonderful circle of mum friends who rally round to help me with childcare, dog care and everything else that needs attention. Life goes on.
LGBT fantasy book series set in Cornwall. “Love Kills (The Redcliffe Novels) ” #2 by Catherine Green.
Did you enjoy this article? Download your FREE copy of LGBT fantasy short story Itās Complicated (The Redcliffe Novels) and meet the werewolves of Cornwall, England.Ā Ā Click here.Ā
SpookyMrsGreen 