Special Offer

If you have managed to miss the exciting news that The Story Collector was reviewed in The Irish Times last weekend, then well done to you because I have been telling everyone I know and many people I don’t! To celebrate, The Story Collector is available to download for 99p all weekend on Amazon and if you fancy bagging yourself a signed copy, check out my Twitter page for a chance to win.

What’s that? You’d like to see the review? Well, I mean if you really think it’s necessary, I suppose I could see if I have a copy somewhere…

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Honestly, this is something I will treasure for the rest of my life. I remember years ago, my sister saying “oh you should be writing for the Irish Times”. She may as well have said, you should write your novels from space. It seemed so far-fetched. Even now it feels surreal. I keep wondering, how did this happen? I think a lot of writers tend to overlook the years of hard slog when something amazing suddenly happens, as if it has nothing to do with us. Also it feels a bit indulgent and most of us have been taught not to indulge in our own success. Irish people are renowned for being utterly crap at taking compliments and we are brought sharply back down to earth if we even show signs of having ‘notions’. But when your peers tell you that your achievements are ‘well deserved’, maybe it’s okay to take a moment and say, ‘I did it!’ So sod it, my book is in the Irish bleedin’ Times and I’m flippin’ delighted!!

My Book Has A Face!

Up until this week, my novel was a manuscript bound by little more than hope and a dream.  But now, The Story Collector has been enveloped by a design that I have to say, I love!  So without further ado, here it is…

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I am not exaggerating when I say my publisher (Urbane Publications) was AMAZING during this process.  Sooo open trying new ideas and making sure everyone was happy with the design.  This was beyond what I had expected and I just knew when I saw this cover, it was the one.  It was love at first sight!

But more importantly, it is the perfect introduction to the story.  It has a dreamlike quality that sets the tone for what is to follow.  In fact, that has been the overwhelming feedback I’ve received so far – that it draws you in, which is exactly what a cover should do.  So, what am I drawing you in TO?  Well you may ask!  Set in Ireland and wrapped in folklore, this book is very dear to my heart… but don’t take my word for it, read the blurb.

A beautiful and mysterious historical romance from the author of The Heirloom and The Mysterious Bakery on Rue de Paris.

Thornwood Village, 1910. Anna, a young farm girl, volunteers to help an intriguing American visitor, Harold Griffin-Krauss, translate ‘fairy stories’ from Irish to English.

But all is not as it seems and Anna soon finds herself at the heart of a mystery that threatens the future of her community and her very way of life…..

Captivated by the land of myth, folklore and superstition, Sarah Harper finds herself walking in the footsteps of Harold and Anna one hundred years later, unearthing dark secrets that both enchant and unnerve.

The Story Collector treads the intriguing line between the everyday and the otherworldly, the seen and the unseen. With a taste for the magical in everyday life, Evie Gaughan’s latest novel is full of ordinary characters with extraordinary tales to tell. Perfect for fans of Jess Kidd and Eowyn Ivey.

So there you have it folks, after months (nigh, years!) of banging on about this book, I can finally say that publication is imminent!  14th June to be precise, but for the impatient ones of the bunch, here is a link to pre-order a paperback version right this very minute on Amazon.

I have been so lucky to meet some fantastic and supportive writers and readers since my last publication and I just want to say thanks for all the shares and for helping me to spread the word.  I hope I’ve played my part in this process too, writing reviews, sharing links or just being a cheerleader when someone’s having a wobble.  It takes a village to make a book, so I guess that makes you the village people 😀

The Heirloom Giveaway

‘Tis almost the season to start thinking about giving and to celebrate the launch of the new paperback version of The Heirloom, I am giving away 3 signed copies over on Goodreads.  This is open to residents in Ireland only this time, just so I can make the Christmas post!

Goodreads Book Giveaway

The Heirloom by Evie Gaughan

The Heirloom

by Evie Gaughan

Giveaway ends December 10, 2016.

See the giveaway details
at Goodreads.

Enter Giveaway

But the giving doesn’t stop there.  If you like your books a little more on the electronic side, I’m also running a Kindle Countdown Sale for the princely sum of 99p.  I’ve even gone to the trouble of creating this lovely graphic with all the deets!

heirloom-sale

THE HEIRLOOM

Haunted in her dreams by a past she cannot remember, Amanda Morrison avoids close relationships, sentimentalism and above all, any notion of fate or destiny. That is, until she receives a strange heirloom from a long lost aunt that sets her on a journey to find her true self… in another life.

BUY ON AMAZON

“Evie Gaughan’s attention to detail is amazing, particularly when writing about the historical part of the story.”

 Goodreads Reviewer *****

“I was adopted and so this book was a good read for me because I could REALLY relate to Amanda as a character.”

Boundless Book Reviews ****

“Overall, this book has a little bit of everything; an epic romance, adventure, great locations, well researched historical fiction… The mixture of the two stories leads to a snappy, well paced story that kept me excited and invested in the plot.”

Between My Lines ****

A Tale Of Two Timelines

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Copyright

I enjoy a challenge.  And if I can do it sitting down, all the better.  Cue my obsession with reading and writing dual timelines.   The marmite of the literary world, dual timelines can either thrill or annoy a reader and as a writer of the genre, I’ve found myself oscillating between both emotions on more than one occasion!  (Often at the same time, but that’s duality for you).

First things first:  What is the difference between dual timelines, time-slip and time travelling?  Like branches on a family tree, they all bear a close resemblance, but have their own individualistic quirks that mean Sunday dinner will always be a tricky affair.  Dual timelines do exactly what they say on the tin; there is a story with roots in the past that affect the present, so both stories are told side by side.  A good example is Diane Setterfield’s The Thirteenth Tale, where a famous writer tells her life-story to a biographer.  Time-slip tends to involve a twist of the paranormal, where a character has flashes of a past life or in the case of Susanna Kearsley’s novel, The Firebird, the protagonist has a kind of psychic ability that means she can sense stories from the past merely by touching an object.  Time-travelling hardly requires any explanation, but I’ll just say Outlander and leave it at that!

My first introduction to this genre was when I read Labyrinth by Kate Mosse (who, it turns out, is not a supermodel but a highly successful author). Instantly, I knew that this was my kind of book. It had mystery, intrigue and… shut the front door – two parallel stories in different time periods! It felt like I was getting two books for the price of one – a bargain. As a writer, ‘time-slip’ opened up a whole new world of story-telling to me.  It’s such a dynamic genre, allowing you to trace the influence of the past on the future, creating layers to draw the reader in.  But how do you go about writing what are essentially two separate stories and deftly weaving them together?

The most obvious feature of a dual timeline novel is the parallel narrative that runs throughout the book. It’s vital that the narrative is equally engaging for both the contemporary and historical sections of the book, otherwise you risk losing the reader’s interest for large portions of the book. While both stories are connected, they must have enough appeal in their own right to engage the reader. When writing my debut novel The Heirloom, the most important aspect for me was providing each section with its own unique ‘voice’ in order to convince the reader that they are really moving from one time period to another. The whole atmosphere of the story changes – the dialogue used in 16thCentury Ireland is very different to that of the present day, so it can be a challenge, almost like writing two completely different novels at once.

The next feature of time-slip writing is research. Historical fiction is a genre that requires meticulous researching and the dual timeline genre is no different. The setting for my first novel was medieval Ireland, 1588 to be precise, when the Spanish Armada wrecked upon our rocky shores in one of the deadliest storms ever recorded. I probably spent the best part of a year researching 16th Century Europe and the battle of the Armada against the Royal Navy. I also had to research life in Ireland at that time, which was under foreign rule but, especially in the West, remained quite independent in their laws and culture. Everything from what they ate, what they wore and what they believed in (Brehon Law still existed at that time) was crucial to create a realistic picture. I didn’t just stick to books and websites; I watched movies set in and around that time, documentaries and visited museums. You simply cannot know enough about your setting, which brings me nicely on to my next point.

Try not to force-feed the facts to your reader – they will not appreciate it! It can be so tempting, after months of researching your subject, to thrill (or bore!) your readers with every minute detail you picked up along the way. But you have to know when enough is enough. It’s important for you to know the background to the story, but the reader doesn’t need a history lecture, so you have to find a way to weave the facts into the story and keep the reader entertained as well as informed. The time-slip genre does tend to have some paranormal plot devices which require the reader to suspend belief to a certain degree, so when you’re writing fiction, make sure you get your facts straight!  A good piece of advice is to know more than you put on the page.

Now the trickiest and most enjoyable part of writing dual timelines is connecting your stories, so that each has a bearing on the other. The pacing of both stories is paramount to the genre’s success, so you have to carefully develop the plots from both timelines at an even pace.  The switching needs to be seamless so the reader can keep up and transition easily from one timeline to the next.  That’s really where your characters and settings come into play, because you want your reader to anticipate each narrative as it unfolds.  In my current novel, the sections from the past are told in the first person, while the present day parts are told in the third person.  This automatically changes the tone and offers the reader a different perspective on each timeline. As I said, both timelines should be strong enough to stand on their own, yet contain all of the thematic links that bind the stories into one. It’s a delicate balancing act, but if done successfully, it’s a genre that can be a thrilling ride, for reader and writer alike.

Every author has their own approach to writing dual timelines and this can vary with each book.  The Heirloom was written in sequence, but my new novel (which is also dual timeline) was written in separate blocks.  I wrote the present day first and then focused entirely on the past.  I found that really allowed me to immerse myself completely in that era (which happens to be the early 1900’s, just before the war).  However, either approach has its challenges so you need to do whatever you can to get yourself into the zone.  One of the most powerful tools I have for getting into that head-space is music, and I listened to lots of traditional Irish music and folk songs written at that time.  Music has a timeless, ethereal quality that really helped me to let my mind drift back through the ages and channel the past.  Again I read biographies and other works written at that time in Ireland and hopefully I’ve achieved an authentic setting for my novel.  The real fun began when I had to try and weave the stories together!  But like I said, I enjoy a challenge.

The dual timeline genre is such an intriguing idea and in fact it was a book I read about past life regression that gave me the inspiration for my first novel. It offers endless possibilities for writers and there are no rules as such. But my one piece of advice is this: Write about a time period you are passionate about. I was fascinated by the Armada landing in Ireland and how the locals tried to help them hide from the authorities. I rented a cottage that overlooked the bay where the ship I was writing about sank. I visited the graveyard in Galway City where a plaque erected by the Spanish Marine Corps remembers the Spanish Soldiers who were executed by the English army. I don’t think I could have written this story if I wasn’t so passionate about the human story behind historical facts.

So while dual timelines might seem like a niche genre, I have seen its popularity grow over the years.  Writers like Kate Morton and (ahem) myself are bringing these kinds of stories to a wider audience of readers who like their history with a dash of contemporary on the side 😉

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Read my dual timeline novel The Heirloom on Amazon

 

Ye Olde Kindle Countdown Deal

Cross collage - Copy

It’s summer.  You all want a good read.  Something you can really get your teeth into, historical fiction with a modern twist?  I’m only too happy to oblige!  Get your peepers over to Amazon UK and Amazon US where you can download a copy of my novel, The Cross Of Santiago for only 99p/c until June 7th.  It’s got it all – Spanish knights, battles at sea, mystery, family ties, heirlooms and a love story that spans four centuries.  

Adopted as a baby, Amanda Morrison knows nothing of her biological family. But when a lawyer reveals that she has been bequeathed a mysterious heirloom from a long lost aunt, she unlocks the door to a distant past and a secret love. Can her past life really be haunting her present and what can she do to put things right?

The Cross Of Santiago is a tale of two women living in different centuries, whose lives seem to be entwined by fate. A perfect read for Outlander fans.

But don’t just take my word for it!  Readers have left the following reviews….

5 stars

Very good read and also an interesting change of times

Published 2 months ago by christine gaster

4 stars

An epic romance across the centuries!  This book has two settings and I loved both.
If you know nothing about the Spanish Armada and how so many of the ships were shipwrecked on the coast of Ireland and Scotland; then worry not, this book will fill you in. I had forgotten so much of this part of history that it was fantastic to revisit it and I ended up having great discussions about the battle and their mission with my husband who is a history fiend.

Trish @ Between My Lines


5 stars

Really enjoyed. Kept my interest.

Published 12 months ago by Martha Smith

“The Cross of Santiago” is an intelligent and well written historical romance book. I love historical fiction with a bit of romantic story-line thrown in and this book sure fits the bill.

OnlineBookClub.org full review here.

4 stars

This book has a lot of mystery. I was adopted and so I can relate to Amanda as a character. She wants to know about her past, about her birth family, and her family’s history. I have been there and so this book was a good read for me because I could REALLY relate to her. I think books that the reader can relate too are the best kind. They help you feel that the story is more REAL, rather than it just being a story that is being read.

Boundless Book Reviews

4 stars

The historical parts based around the Spanish Armada seem particularly well researched and it was interesting to hear the story of the Armada crashing around the coast of Ireland. The characters all feel fleshed out and interesting enough to want to read about and the story doesn’t get bogged down by too much history, there is a nice balance.

The Bearded Bookworm

While you’re at it, you may as well pick up a copy of The Mysterious Bakery On Rue De Paris, also at the delectable price of 99p! 

Happy Easter Book Sale!

Easter sale

Fancy a good read while you’re stuffing your face with chocolate?  You’ve come to the right place!  Both of my books are on sale for Easter at the cracking price of €0.99/£0.99/$0.99/.  But what are they about?  Will I like them?  I hear you cry.  Hold on to your cream egg – here’s a little preview to help you decide.

 

The Mysterious Bakery On The Rue de Paris (6)

THE MYSTERIOUS BAKERY ON RUE DE PARIS

 

A charming bakery in a picturesque French town sounds like the idyllic place to escape her life, but Edith Lane soon discovers that some ghosts are harder to escape than others. A magical, heart-warming story that is sure to appeal to all of the senses, The Mysterious Bakery On Rue De Paris is a mouth-watering journey of love, liberty and la vie en rose.

 

*****  A wonderful, captivating story    *****  Terrifically written and researched

*****  Heartwarming story     *****  Magical read!

The Cross of Santiago-Amazon

THE CROSS OF SANTIAGO

A second chance to meet your first love’

Adopted as a baby, Amanda Morrison knows nothing of her biological family.  But when she receives a mysterious heirloom from a long lost aunt, she unlocks the door to a distant past and a secret love. Can her past life really be haunting her present and what can she do to put things right?

The Cross Of Santiago is an intriguing novel that tells the tales of women in two different eras and how their lives seem to be entwined by fate.

***** Epic romance across the centuries    *****  Intriguing story    

*****  Interesting mix of genres    *****  Unusual but enjoyable!

Betwixt short

And don’t forget, you can always download my short story Betwixt anytime of the year for free!

‘Catherine returns to Hollowbrook Cottage on a cold November night, looking to escape her present life and lose herself in the past. However, her journey crosses the path of a mysterious stranger who will change her life forever.’

 

 

 

 

 

Betwixt – Chapter 3

Betwixt short Betwixt – chapter 3

Here is another excerpt from my new short story, available to read for free on Wattpad.  Enjoy!

“Hello? Can you hear me?” Catherine shrieked, as she rushed to her knees and put her arms around the man. He was wearing a very large, thick woollen over coat. No wonder she didn’t see him, she thought.

“Please, are you alright?” It was a stupid question, considering she had just hit him with her car, but the mind is wired towards optimism, even in the direst of circumstances. As though possessed by a person far more clear thinking and efficient than herself, she ran back to the car and flicked on her hazard lights. She grabbed a blanket from the back seat; she must have seen someone doing it on TV. She ran back and spread the blanket around him, already feeling better for being useful.

To her infinite relief, she could feel his body moving as he started to come round.

Read the full chapter here.

Frostbitten!

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Okay, so I haven’t got frostbite just yet, but one of these days, this could be the headline in a local newspaper:

“Irish Writer found with fingers frozen to her keyboard…”

Being a writer in Ireland is a bitterly cold job, especially in the west of Ireland, because it’s so bloody damp!  I’ve tried to come up with ingenious new ways to keep warm while I’m writing (aside from keeping the central heating on all day, which only results in me nodding off into a dry heat coma).  These involve sipping lots of hot drinks throughout the day, stepping my feet into an electric ‘bootie’ type setup (that’s bootie for boots, not the other bootie, that’d just be weird), wearing Fagan ‘fingerless’ gloves (which sometimes leaves me hankering to do a theatrical rendition of ‘Consider Yourself’).  I’ve also been known to wear ear muffs too and when all else fails, I just light the fire and snuggle up with my laptop on the living room floor.  Not very structured or comfortable, which are two very important elements when trying to write a novel.

I read once that Marian Keyes used to do a lot of her writing in bed – another victim of the damp Irish chill, no doubt.  So I tried that too, tucked up with me hot water bottle AND electric blanket – now there’s a recipe for disaster (and another newspaper headline – “Writer electrocuted in efforts to keep warm!”).  There should be some kind of government grant – a payment for climatically challenged writers to see them through the winter months.

So I’m considering drastic measures, my dear readers.  I’m thinking of (sharp intake of breath) going out!  Perhaps to a cafe or a local hotel.  I mean, if it’s good enough for J.K. Rowling, right?  But how do you focus on your work, when all about you is coffee machines, mummies and babies and pushchairs and business people on their mobile phones?  I’m not sure I’d get much writing done with all that din, but it’s that or stay at home freezing my bits off.

I’d love to hear where you do your writing and if you have any tips for a (brrrr) chilly writer.  If you feel the need to offer me the use of a rambling old estate in Southern France to complete my book, all the better 😉

My fingers thawed out just long enough to write these two novels, which you can buy here:

Sarah & Evan

 

*Cover Reveal* The Mysterious Bakery On Rue De Paris

 Here it is folks – my new novel set for release on 9th June, 2014!

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This is the magical tale of Edith Lane, who sets off to find her fortune in the beautiful city of Paris.  Fortune, however, is a fickle thing and Edith ends up working in a vintage bakery in the positively antique town of Compiègne.  Escaping heartache and singledom in Ireland, Edith discovers that the bakery on Rue De Paris is not exactly what it seems and that some ghosts from the past are harder to escape than others.  A heart-warming story that is sure to appeal to all of the senses, The Mysterious Bakery On Rue De Paris is a mouth-watering journey of love, liberty and la vie en rose.

 

Check out my author page on Amazon for updates!

Irish 4 Star Review

As many self-published authors will tell you, it can be a bit cringe-worthy having to blow your own trumpet, so it’s always nice when somebody else does it for you!  Trish at Between My Lines recently wrote such a wonderful review of The Cross Of Santiago that I had to share it here.  It really is the kind of reaction you hope for when writing a book; that a reader will be engaged, entertained and ultimately absorbed by the story.  Seeing as the novel is set in Ireland and I am an Irish author, it’s great to get a fellow Irish woman’s opinion.  So here it is – hope you enjoy reading Trish’s review as much as I did!

When I started my Green Giants (Irish Author Spotlight) feature, my hope was that I would help other readers find Irish Authors to enjoy. I didn’t realise that it would also introduce me to great writers that I might never have come across. Such as Evie Gaughan, who approached me to read and review The Cross of Santiago. She only had to mention the magic words, Galway and Time Travel, and I was in!

First Line of The Cross of Santiago:

“Wake up Amanda, wake up!”

My Thoughts on The Cross of Santiago:

This book has two settings and I loved both. The first is contemporary Galway – a small, vibrant city in the West of Ireland; a city that is full of fun and art, one I always love to visit. I feel the book really captured the tone of modern Galway really well. The second setting is the failed voyage of The Spanish Armada fleet in 1588. This setting has won this book a place in my heart forever.

If you know nothing about the Spanish Armada and how so many of the ships were shipwrecked on the coast of Ireland and Scotland; then worry not, this book will fill you in. I had forgotten so much of this part of history that it was fantastic to revisit it and I ended up having great discussions about the battle and their mission with my husband who is a history fiend.

I kept imagining this part of the book as a film. The vision of the ships taking 2 days just to leave the port of Lisbon due to sheer numbers is such a spectacular image. I love books that engage your brain and make you want to research more which is exactly what this book did to me.

However this book is not just a book about history (as amazing as the historical setting was); it is also full of intriguing characters. The main characters are Amanda and Xavier. And I have to say both of them have made some very dubious decisions in their lives and I find it hard to say which of their wrong turns I despise more. Despite that I can see how lost both of them are and how both are willing to grow and learn with a little guidance and inspiration from the past.

Their ancestors from the sixteenth century are a different matter. A knight and a peasant girl; their morals and sacrifices shine through the centuries. Annora and Miguel seem to encompass everything that Amanda and Xavier should be but they also hint at the potential that they will blossom into.

Overall, this book has a little bit of everything; an epic romance, adventure, great locations, well researched historical fiction and some dream interpretation. The mixture of the two stories leads to a snappy, well paced story that kept me excited and invested in the plot. And when I wasn’t reading the book, I was thinking about the book and talking about book; always a good sign!

Who should read The Cross of Santiago?

I’d strongly recommend this book to all who enjoy historical fiction, especially those who love romantic historical fiction. Also to anyone interested in Irish history or contemporary Ireland; you will find lots of facts here but they are wrapped up neatly in a well told story so it never becomes over-whelming.

You can follow Trish at Between My Lines and read this review on Goodreads or Amazon.