Wednesday, December 19, 2018

Winter Solstice


Earth would be a dead planet without the sun. All life on earth, plants, animals, people, everything depends on the sun to live. The sun gives us light and warmth. Also, we use the sun to keep track of the time of day and of the year.

Earth...more than that...our entire solar system...revolves around the Sun. So, at the Winter Solstice, the longest night of the year, the ancient Celts celebrated the return of the sun’s trek back towards earth with traditions we still observe today. 

Mistletoe and oak were sacred to the ancient Celts. Therefore, the mistletoe that grew on oak trees was highly prized. Mistletoe was called all-heal for its medicinal properties. The Celts looked upon mistletoe as a symbol of peace and goodwill. It was a used as a sign to warring tribes to observe a temporary truce with each other until the next day.

Druids picked mistletoe from oak trees five days after the new moon following the Winter Solstice. One druid climbed the tree and cut the mistletoe with a sickle, while others held an open a sheet beneath him to catch the sacred plant since it was taboo to let it touch the ground. The druids handed out sprigs of mistletoe to the tribe members, who then hung them over entranceways for protection.

The Celts built and danced around huge bonfires and also burned a Yule log in their central fireplace, which was like bringing the blessing of the sun-god into their home. A Yule log could be a gift, or it could be taken from your land, or found in the woods. But if you bought or sold a Yule log its magic would be obliterated.

The ancient Celts would decorate the Yule log with evergreens and bring it home in a cart pulled by an ok. Usually, they sprinkled ale or mead over the log before they lit it. They kept it slowly, yet steadily burning for 12 days in the fire place before extinguishing it. To pass the light on from one year to the next, they kept part of the unburned log safely to one side and used it to light next year’s Yule log. Also, they stashed the log's ashes away until spring, at which time they mixed them with seeds and scattered them on the fields, spreading the sun-god's magic contained in the Yule log over the land.

For the Winter Solstice, ancient Celts decorated the Yule logs and their homes with holly and ivy, which are linked to the God Bran. He had a club made of holly and the gold-gold-crest wren, his sacred bird, nests in ivy.

Last but not least is the food. Feasting was a part of the Winter Solstice festival just like the big Christmas day dinners we enjoy in the 21st century.

In conclusion, let me which you a merry Winter solstice, Christmas, or whatever winter holiday you observe, full of warmth, lush evergreens, kissing under the mistletoe, yummy food, peace and goodwill, and a great time with your tribe (friends and family.)

Also you can spend an Iron age Winter Solstice with Druidess  Bronwen  in my novella, The Bear and the Druidess.


Winter is Coming...The Winter Solstice that is...and the Romans are causing problems as well in The Bear and the Druidess.
Sometimes a secret must be revealed to move from the winter of love into its spring.
Romans stole all the winter grain from Druidess Bronwen's tribe. Now, pursued by Romans, she ducks into a cave to hide. There she finds a handsome warrior who offers to help. He ignites a fiery spark of attraction within her but she can tell he's keeping something from her.

The prayers of a beautiful druidess he can't resist lead the Bear God Artaois into the cave where Bronwen is hiding. He pretends to be asleep until she finds him.

Artaois (Art) is determined to spend the longest night of the year with her. But Bronwen doesn't realize he's a god. He keeps his secret from her and even though he can transform into a bear, he only reveals himself in human form.

With the Winter Solstice upon them, can Artaois (Art) find a way to save her tribe from starvation? And, when Bronwen finally discovers his secret, will she leave the romance building between them out in the cold?







Saturday, November 3, 2018


Hello readers,
Welcome back to my monthly newsletter. 
The free book this month is A Fine Cauldron of Fish—about Manx Vampiric Fey on the Isle of Man. Also, what is a better Halloween Read than the box set of my 6 book novella series—Dancing Vampires.

And if you love sci-fi romance and you love pets, some great bestselling authors, some who are friends of mine, are releasing the 3rd Pets in Space book. All of the Pets in Space books benefit the charity of Hero Dogs. Hero Dogs provides service dogs to veterans of the U.S. Military and first responders with disabilities. There is no cost to the recipient for the service dogs they raise, train, and place, or for the training they provide. 
Embrace the Passion: Pets in Space 3 will be released November 9, 2018, but you can preorder it now.  It’s a win-win because you get to help our veterans and first responders and get eleven wonderful sci-fi romance stories to read!
 Happy Reading,

Cornelia Amiri


HERE'S A TREAT FOR HALLOWEEN
FREE BOOK OF THE MONTH 

A FINE CAULDRON OF FISH


It's summer on the Isle of Man and Andrew is looking for hot girls and good times. So when he meets the dreamy and seductive Margaid, he thinks he's hit the jackpot. There are only a couple of minor problems: Margaid lives in a cave under the sea, is invisible, and thinks that only Andrew's blood can save her from turning into a water horse! But hey, whoever said love was perfect?



OUR AMERICAN THANKSGIVING IS ALL ABOUT THE PILGRIMS—EARLY SETTLERS OF THE COUNTRY THAT CAME TO BE AMERICA.  SO, HERE IS A NOVELLA ABOUT PEOPLE FROM THE SAME ERA (BUT AN ALTERNATIVE  DIMENSION) WHO  SETTLE A DISTANT PLANET.

STARRY CONQUEST



Forbidden love...so strong...it spans the universe.

Ana, a milkmaid disguised as a rich widow, boards a rocket to be blasted out of a huge cannon. Thrown off the Spanish estate she worked at, she's headed to the newly discovered planet X to start a new life. Sparks fly when Ana finds Ramon, the only man she ever loved and heir of the estate she worked on, is flying to Planet X as well. 

As the Spanish governor of Plant X searches for gold, the treasure Ramon seeks is Ana. His conquest is challenging. Though he swears to protect and love her, as a noble he cannot marry a peasant. Ana cannot deny her desire for Ramon but she will not be his mistress. 

Will Ramon's conquest of her heart succeed or will Ana make a life alone, amid the wonders of Planet X?


My email address is: celticromancequeen@gmail.com

Tuesday, August 14, 2018

New Release, Moonless Night

new releases from Cornelia Amiri and Maeve Alpin
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Hello readers,
Welcome back.
I have a new release this month, Moonless Night, my 35th book and my 2nd YA book. It's a young adult fantasy romance set in pre-roman Britain, based on the Welsh Sea God Dylan and surviving child abuse.

And keeping with the Celtic sea creature theme,  (as Dylan is somewhat like a merman)  the free book of the month, The Scottish Selkie, is set in 9th century AD Scotland, against the backdrop of Kenneth Mac Alpin becoming King of the Picts and the Scots (therefore he is known as the first king of Scotland). 


 Happy Reading,

Cornelia Amiri 

NEW RELEASE
MOONLESS NIGHT

BY CORELLIA AMIRI 
Hope Swims In the Darkest Seas 

Vevay can’t escape her parents or see her future ending any other way than by dying at their hands. Then hope swims up to her in the form of a seaman. His legs extended in
normal fashion from his body, but he has two small fishtails instead of feet, and his forearms are covered in silver scales.

But Dylan’s more than a seaman…he’s a god. He understands the pain of not having a mother’s love. Born an unwanted child and a sea creature, his mother, goddess Arianrhod dropped him into the ocean to survive on his own.

By helping Vevay face the truth that she bears no responsibility for her parent’s crimes and cruelty, they both have a chance to heal through love, hope, and freedom.

But Vevay’s mortal and can’t live with Dylan in the depths of the ocean. And she can’t stay on earth with her parents. The only place he knows where they can be together is Annwn. But what dangers await a lonely sea god and a scared human girl in the home of the gods?
FREE BOOK OF THE MONTH

THE SCOTTISH SELKIE
BY CORELLIA AMIRI
From ancient druid lore, springs the tale of a mysterious, highlands warrior, a fiery Pict Princess, and the shadowy secret standing between them.

A bow and arrow carrying Pict beauty takes vengeance on a royal target but fails at her attempt to slay the Scot King, Kenneth Mac Alpin. To save her life, she is forced to wed the king's cousin, Malcolm. Just as the Scot warrior and the Pict Princess begin to forge a bond, Malcolm must reveal his incredible secret and choose between two worlds: one with Bethoc or one without.
THE SCOTTISH SELKIE
HOSTAGE 
DRUIDS IN
THE MIST
THE WARRIOR AND THE DRUIDESS

My email address is: celticromancequeen@gmail.com
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Hello readers,
Welcome back.
I don't have any new releases this month but my new Young Adult Celtic Fantasy Romance —Moonless Night—is with my editor now and I plan on an August release. 
I am switching all my books authored under my Maeve Alpin penname to my real name of Cornelia Amiri, but it takes time. I have just switched over The Brass Octopus from by Maeve Alpin to by Cornelia Amiri.  And I am giving that book away free to subscribers of this list. 
Also, my novel To Love a London Ghost is one of the 21 free books in the Steam Dreams Giveaway this month. 
Most of my books are now not only at Amazon but also at Barnes and Nobles, Itunes and Apple books, and Kobo. That’s another change I’ve been working on that involves taking them off of Kindle Unlimited.
And now…here's July's Newsletter!
Thanks,
Cornelia Amiri 
FREE BOOK OF THE MONTH
THE BRASS OCTOPUS
BY CORELLIA AMIRI 

 
Spinster Librarian Piety Plunkett is happy alone with her books, until her sister Polly transforms her with a bras octopus beautifying machine. With her new look, the librarian catches the lusty attentions of London’s most notorious rogue. Blake Blackmore enjoys the favors of beautiful women from the brothels of London to high society’s most fashionable debutantes but only the spinster librarian consumes his mind night and day. Piety insists she will not wed but devote her life to her position as head librarian, but Blake will stop at nothing to win her. He takes matters into his own hands and tutors her in carnal pleasure in three passion filled lessons. Now that she is sharing her body, instead of just her books, Piety is shocked yet pleased at how naughty she can be under Blake’s personal tutelage. But if anyone finds out about what goes on in the library after closing time, her reputation would be ruined. Is that Blake’ ultimate plan?
GET IT FREE
Alternate histories, airships, and adventure. These steampunk stories will have you dreaming of a world that's much more fantastical than our own. 

Here are 21 Steampunk books that are free until
Juy 28th. Chose ore or all of them.

One of the Free Books is my To Love A London Ghost

 
A Wild Ghost Chase
Queen Victoria orders the premiere phantom hunter, Sexton Dukenfield, to track down England’s missing ghosts. On the job, Sexton stumbles into Ceridwen, a phantom Celtic warrior woman. Not only does Sexton find her intriguing as a clue to the missing spirits, her sultry beauty haunts him as well. Though they both burn with desire, it’s difficult to quench their fiery passion since Ceridwen is so translucent. 
On a mission through the bustling narrow streets of London, to a dreary match factory, and to the Otherworld and back to stop a genius scientist and his phantasm debilitatermachine, the ghost and the ghost hunter also seek the secret …to freeing the boundaries of life and death. Is it possible…or just a wild ghost chase?
GET THEM FREE NOW
CODE OF LOVE
MORE
CODE OF MISCONDUCT
MORE
CODE NAME LOVE
MORE

My email address is: celticromancequeen@gmail.com
Copyright ©2016

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