Vanessa Brooks -

hello bloghoppers!
I wanted to write a book set in Scotland which holds a special place close to my heart! Hubby and I have spent many happy times in Scotland. Once on the Isle Of Skye we walked to The Old Man Of Storr (see pictures) and marvelled at the stunning scenery surrounding these amazing rock formations.

After the Masterful Husband books had been published under one cover, I felt that the ladies of the spanked wives club were all written out. However the characters showed me how I could write a cross over book into a new series to be called Masterful Scottish Husbands!  So that book five will now become book one of the new Scottish series!

Here is a snippet of my work in progress:

Stepping out onto the cool, eerie moonlit air, Isobel touched the balustrade lightly as she walked down shallow steps, relishing the cold stone beneath her feet. Out onto the lawn where she ran in dizzy circles about the topiary shrubs of cockerels and squirrels. Behind Rhododendrons she leapt, dancing like a crazy woman, like a Scottish woman. It was the only time she allowed her former self to emerge, hidden by a cloak of darkness she danced the way her ancestors had done time immemorial. Only under the cover of the night did she acknowledge her past, allowing her memory to run as freely as her limbs.
A young girl married to a handsome Laird. Heather in her hair, love in her heart. Blood, hand fasted in wedlock to become Isobel Craig, the happiest bride in Scotland. How short those golden days of happiness before she’d been taken hostage by the hated English. In the aftermath of Culloden many high born Scottish women were held, forcing their men folk to bend their knee to the English crown. Isobel was given as a gift, handmaiden to Queen Charlotte. Later, she had been forced into a political marriage with an Earl, senior to her by ten years, and she was reborn as Lady Isobel Haffenden. The Earl had been kind and she had to admit she’d come to love the old rascal but not in the way she’d loved John Craig. That wrench apart from the man who ruled her heart and soul had been devastating. The knowledge that she was to be forced to wed another, catastrophic. She had almost lost her reason.
Whirling and dipping as her tears cascaded unchecked, her mind filled with painful memories of that long ago heartbreak and eventual acceptance of her new role. Finally she’d found a degree of happiness as babies had come along and she’d become a mother, poring her time and energy into their welfare.
Collapsing onto the cool grass she remained seated until the chill seeped into her bones and her mind cleared. Rising, she walked back toward the bottom of the steps.
“What are ye greet-ing fer lassie?” Gasping she spun around. A dark massive highlander stood before her, his kilt swayed about his knees in the cool breeze.
“Hamish, is that you? You near frightened the life from me man,” she scolded. “What the devil are you doing here?”

I hope this has made you keen to read more – I will keep you all posted about how this sexy Scottish tale is progressing.

The taster images 3 and 4 are taken from the film 'Rob Roy' and the TV series 'Outlander'.

In the meantime perhaps you’d like to visit my Amazon page!