Release Date: 19 July 2015 p/back; 29 July 2015 e-book
Publisher: Silverwood Books
London, 1917. Lizzie Fenwick is young, ambitious, and in love. At least, she thinks she’s in love with the soldier who answered the note she concealed in a box of ammunition shells. She spends her days filling shells with TNT, and her nights dreaming of the mysterious Harry Slater.
Eunice Wilson knows the exact moment her marriage to Jack began to fracture. He refused to enlist, and their patriotic neighbours never let her live it down. Now he’s been conscripted and she can’t help but feel regret for shunning Jack before his departure.
As separate tragedies cause Lizzie to make hard choices and Eunice to cope with loss, the two women are unsure how to adjust when peace finally returns. Little do they know that an earlier war-time betrayal will force Lizzie and Eunice to confront everything they knew about friendship, loyalty, and love.
A Kiss From France is a historical fiction romance novel set in London’s East End during World War I. If you like compelling human stories, believable female protagonists, and the suspense and intrigue of war-time London, then you’ll love this heartfelt tale of two women who yearn to feel alive in a broken world.
Susan Hughes grew up near a small mining village in Northumberland, England. When she didn’t have her nose in a book and, careless of the class and gender expectations of her upbringing, she was climbing trees, catching water boatmen in a jar from a nearby burn or go-karting round country lanes with the kids next door before taking herself off to University.
A career in the City of London during the frenetic ‘Big Bang’ boom of financial de-regulation was followed my marriage, children and a desire for a change of gear. A move to the rural West Country enabled her to raise her sons near the coast and indulge her penchant for visiting stately piles while finding time to keep up her reading habit.
After she found a handful of WW1 silk postcards among her grandmother’s possessions, the romantic greeting on one of them inspired her to weave a story around its imagined sender and recipient. It became her first novel, A Kiss from France. She is now working on her second book send in inter-war London.
Today we were off to Dundee to wander the streets and see the locations my crime-writer friend, Chris Longmuir, used in her novels.
We decided to take the 10:34 train from Broughty Ferry into Dundee so we would have the entire day to see and do things. The only train that stops there on the return trip leaves Dundee at 17:22 so we’d have plenty of time and not feel rushed.
The station in Broughty Ferry is unmanned and not even a machine to buy your tickets before boarding the train. This meant having to purchase them after we got on. We chose the last carriage because that’s usually where the conductor starts coming through to sell tickets. And since you need your ticket to get out of the station, the idea (while somewhat appealing) to ride for free doesn’t work. Since we were only going one stop, it made no sense to try to find a seat so we stood. The conductor started toward the front end of the carriage then stopped, turned and headed back the other way. Hubby followed him and in so doing, found Chris. What were the chances of the three of us meeting on the train instead of trying to find each other somewhere in the station?
Our first stop was at the RRS Discovery. Being Sunday, Discovery Point didn’t open until 11:00 so we had some time to kill before we could purchase our tickets and tour the ship. RRS Discovery is mentioned in Chapter 1 of Night Watcher.
Warning sign on fence by the RRS Discovery
I’m not sure exactly where the underwater hazards are because there was no water. RRS Discovery was in drydock!
RRS Discovery
Once Discovery Point opened, we went in and bought our tickets. We bought the pass that would also give us access to Verdant Works (a former jute mill turned museum).
Before we toured the indoor exhibits, we found a table in the cafe where we could make the exchange… sounds sinister doesn’t it? Not really, I bought print copies of Chris’s books and she’d brought them with her. I got the books, she got the money and hubby got to carry the books in our ‘jute’ Aberdeen bag.
Chris ‘steering’ the shipDon at the wheelDundee Law in the distance from the RRS Discovery
Before we went inside, we saw the domed building Chris used in Night Watcher and the close across the street that graces the cover of the same book.
The domed building on the right is used in Night Watcher
I’m not sure who dressed the penguins but it looks like a wedding and bridesmaid dresses. Apparently, this happens frequently and their attire chances.
The penguins at Steeple Church
Once inside the Overgate, our first order of business was to find the EE store. I had bought a pay as you go sim card that came with what I was led to believe, a prepaid top up card when we were in Huntly for my unlocked iPhone but could never get the top up card to work. I had followed all the instructions from the packaging and on their website. Come to find out, the £10.00 I paid was only for the sim card and I had to pay another £10.00 to be able to use the card to top up the phone. That wasn’t how it was explained in the shop where I bought it so needless to say, I wasn’t best pleased. At least the kid working in the EE store was helpful but the whole experience left a bad taste.
We finished our tour of the shopping centre and headed off to the Verdant Works. In The Death Game, Kirsty comes here to see her father who worked at the mill.
Don and Chris near Verdant WorksVerdant Works
I was amazed at how soft the jute fibres felt. At one of the displays in the museum, you could feel the softened and combed strands. I thought I was stroking hair!
Chris told us that she worked in one of the jute mills for a time operating a spinning machine. She explained what you had to do if one of the strands broke to us and the interpreter working in this area.
Spinning machineSheriff Court
We walked by the Sheriff Court and the police station tucked away behind and made our way to The Howff – a cemetery that was used from 1564-1857. I love a walk through a graveyard and the older the better. This fit that bill perfectly.
Path through the HowffThe monument featured in The Death Game
You can get a feel for Chris’s historic crime novel, The Death Game, from the prologue.
Interesting stone in the Howff
The McManus Galleries were nearby so we wandered through the various galleries. The Making of Modern Dundee, Dundee and the World, and the Pictish sculptured stones were my favourites.
The McManus GalleriesPictish stone on display at the McManusPictish stone on display at the McManusPictish stone on display at the McManus
We made a stop at Waterstone’s where I picked up a novel by another one of my favourite crime novelists and one I’d not heard of before returning to the Overgate with a stop for photos at the Dragon Sculpture
The Dragon Sculpture
and further up the High Street with Desparate Dan.
Desperate Dan
There were demonstrations going on in the City Square so we went over. One tent was set up with Raspberry Pi computers connected to weather stations. We had to try it out. Another was reading a weather forecast in front of the green screen which was recorded for the readers but those watching could see it live. It was primarily kids doing this and their performances were priceless.
On the other side of the square, a tent was set up with a display of computers over the years. Two of the ones that stood out to me were the Commodore 64 and the Commodore PET.
In another tent, you could get your photo taken with a Dalek but we didn’t bother, although I did get a photo of said Dalek before we moved on.
A Dalek
By now it was time to walk back to the railway station. On the return trip, we were able to get three seats together so it was nice to be able to chat about the day before having to say our goodbyes at the Broughty Ferry Station.
Over breakfast we decided to visit a few more Pictish Stones and Stone Circles on our way south to Broughty Ferry, stopping first at The Maiden Stone.
After we said our goodbyes and got on the road, I remembered when we were over in 2013 David asking if we had driven all the way up to Wardhouse Mansion. We hadn’t but when I drove by the road this morning, I made the turn. It was posted as 15 mph. You would have to be nuts to even think of going that fast! Two gravel tire tracks and grass growing up in the middle – not to mention ruts and potholes. Still the drive was worth every jostled body part.
The ruins of Wardhouse mansion (Weetshill in my novel)The middle section of WardhouseLooking towards “Gordonsfield” from “Weetshill”. The patch of grass in the centre of the photo (to the right of the trees) is where the stone circle is located
We wandered around the mansion and I took pictures from every angle but from inside its walls. The chapel is nestled into the back of the mansion (extreme left in the top photo).
The chapel at Wardhouse
I am so SO glad I drove up here. I’ve been in love with this place since I first set eyes on it in 1993. After spending about an hour at Wardhouse – getting our feet wet in the process from the heavy overnight dew – we got back on the road to what was going to be our initial stop, the Maiden Stone.
Folklore says that the notch in the stone is from where the devil grabbed the maiden’s arm. You can read the full story here.
The Maiden Stone
The other side of the stone has carvings on it as well. Unfortunately, the sun was in the wrong place so they didn’t show up well.
The Maiden Stone
From here, we went to another place we’d been before – the Easter Aquorthies Stone Circle. When we arrived there was a woman a young boy (presumably her son) there and she was letting him climb on the stones and were oblivious to the fact that others were about. I hoped they would soon clear off so I could get some good photos but, alas, they were still there when we left. Grrr…
Easter Aquorthies Stone Circle
Our next stop was the Cullerlie Stone Circle near Garlogie. Another couple came at almost the same time and the dog from the farm next door but they held back and let us have our time around the stones to take photos and watch the sheep in the field behind the circle.
The Cullerlie Stone Circle
After we left here, we tried to find the Clune Hill Stone Circle to no avail so decided with the time we might as well make tracks for the Hotel Broughty Ferry where we would spend three nights.
We stopped at the Aberlemno stones which we had seen before but this time we also drove down the single track road to the church to see the cross slab in the churchyard.
One of the Aberlemno Sculptured StonesAnother of the Aberlemno Sculptured stonesThe church at AberlemnoThe Cross Slab in the churchyardAn interesting headstone in the churchyard
One more diversion before we reached our final destination. We were driving straight by the sign posting for Restenneth Priory near Forfar so I had to go there.
Restenneth PrioryHotel Broughty Ferry
Wow! We were speechless when we walked into our room. It was huge! And the fixtures in the bathroom were gold plated! Talk about luxury!
Our room at Hotel Broughty FerryOur room at Hotel Broughty FerryOur room at Hotel Broughty Ferry
I’d ordered the champagne in our room on arrival and although it wasn’t there when we walked in, it was there straight away. We enjoyed our bottle of Moet and Chandon then walked over to the railway station to get an idea how long it would take us to get there since we would be taking the 10:34 from Broughty Ferry to Dundee the next morning. It was about a 10 minute walk at the most so now we could set out to explore.
From the railway station we walked to the Firth of Tay to Broughty Castle. It was too late to visit the museum located there but we had time before we moved on to our next destination so could work it in.
Broughty Castle
After a short pitstop at the hotel to use the toilet, we walked up Claypotts Road to take our time and see the castle there without cars running us over.
Claypotts Castle
I knew the hotel was in between these two castles and within walking distance but I’m really glad we took advantage of a nice evening to visit both.
We had supper in the hotel’s bar (the restaurant upstairs was full) and sat at a table next to a couple from Montrose. When we mentioned that we were meeting up with my crime-writer friend, Chris Longmuir, the next day for a tour of Dundee focusing on locations she used in her books, they knew her – well, at least knew of her.
We’d stopped at the derelict St Mary’s Kirk on previous visits to this area of Scotland but found ourselves back there again on our way to the Grampian Transport Museum.
St Mary’s Kirk near Rhynie
We stopped in at the museum in 2013 but it was late in the day (as in almost closing time) so we decided that the next time we would go early in the day so we could see all of the vehicles on display.
Billy Connolly’s trike that he rode on his World ToursTrojan 200 Bubble CarAustin Mini Cooper (1962)
This looks like a spaceship but it’s an HGV (heavy goods vehicle) simulator.
HGV Simulator
The Penny Farthing bicycle was one of the “hands on”… or should I say “bums on” displays. How people ever got on these is beyond me. It was hard enough despite it being securely fastened to the steps.
Don ‘riding’ a Penny FarthingMe ‘riding’ a Penny Farthing
I had to include this next picture because I remember my mum telling me about the Durant her father had and how the kids would pile into the rumble seat to go to Athens or Brockville with him. The museum plans on restoring this vehicle once they raise sufficient funds.
Durant Tourer (1924)
Before we left the museum, I picked up a leaflet for the Pictish Stone trail and the Stone Circle trail. Post codes and Ordnance Survey coordinates both were included in the information for each stop. Once we determined which ones we wanted to see, we began our Pictish Stones/Stone Circles tour. The first stop was at the Migvie Church to see the Migvie Stone.
Migvie StoneThe other side of the Migvie StoneThe Migvie Church
After this, we planned on going to the Kinord Cross because it was nearby but it wasn’t signposted well (not even from the car park that the sat nav took us to) so we decided to go on to the Midmar Kirk and see the recumbent stone circle in the churchyard.
Midmar KirkThe Midmar recumbent stone circleMe ‘semi’ recumbent on the recumbent stone
It took longer to find the churchyard in Kintore than the stone in it. The leaflet indicated a couple of places to park, but we found a nice place down behind the graveyard and walked up the narrow street. The Pictish stone was almost next to the gate.
Stone in the Kintore ChurchyardStone in the Kintore Churchyard
Since Inverurie was on our way back to Kennethmont, we stopped at the Churchyard there to find the stones. It took us some time (it’s a big place) but we found them.
Stone in the Inverurie ChurchyardStone in the Inverurie ChurchyardStone in the Inverurie ChurchyardThe Bass in the Inverurie Churchyard
By now it was time to get back ‘home’. It was our last night at the farm in Kennethmont. We had planned from the first night we were there that we would have our second bottle of champagne and get a Chinese Takeaway for our meal.
The weather had finally been dry long enough that David was able to get out on the combine and make a start on cutting the grain so it would be a late supper.
Their youngest daughter surprised us by driving up from Aberdeen and their oldest came up with her husband to see us before we left. It was great to see everyone together again (the first time I stayed here, the girls were just wee things).
We had a wonderful night and toasted to good friends and family.
Our first stop on our “abbeys and castles” tour was the nearby railway station at Insch. If I recall correctly, it was mentioned in A Shadow in the Past and if not in it, definitely in the sequel – Shadows from Her Past– in the village of Duninsch. So, rather than need a photo for a book trailer after returning home, we stopped for a few photos.
The railway station at Insch
Historic Scotland has created sat nav maps and driving directions to their properties. We used this to get to the cathedral in Fortrose and Fort George. Now, it was to get us to Deer Abbey (sounds like an advice column).
The entrance to Deer Abbey
The porticoed entrance to the abbey is impressive. Most of the abbey was destroyed in 1854 when the land was owned by Admiral Ferguson. He used the stone to build a mausoleum for himself. But in 1926 the Roman Catholic Diocese came into possession of the property and they destroyed the mausoleum. Can we say karma?
The remains of Deer AbbeyThe Man-Trap at Deer AbbeyThe Man-Trap explanation
I’d wanted to go to Slains Castle for a long time and this year we finally made it. There is a small car park by the main A975 road and you can either walk or drive the rest of the way from there. We opted to leave the car and walk in.
At first glance, you think the road is gravel but it’s really crushed shells.
The road to Slains Castle
The place is massive! The picture below really doesn’t do the size of it justice.
Slains Castle near Cruden Bay
Even from this angle out on the cliffs, you don’t see all of the castle. It goes on and on through archways and doors. Rooms and still more rooms.
The side of Slains Castle facing the cliffs
You can see why this location inspired Bram Stoker. He penned the story while staying in a hotel in Cruden Bay.
The cliffs at Slains Castle near Cruden BaySpiral staircase to nowhere at Slains CastlePerhaps the hidden entrance to Dracula’s lair?Were there stairs here at one time leading down into the darkness of Dracula’s lair?
Vampires or no vampires, something bit me on the back of my wrist – not once, but twice. The bites were the perfect distance apart to be from the fangs of a vampire. Missing my neck by that much, I would have to say a very near-sighted vampire. Perhaps it was revenge for getting my wee piece of the castle to bring home?
My piece of Slains Castle
On our way back to the car park, we stopped at an entrance to the field and got some shells that were still 95-99% intact.
We drove to nearby Newburgh for a couple of pictures for book trailers then to Trinity Cemetery in Aberdeen… yup more book trailer photos. Then across the A944 (aka Westburn Road) to get photos of Aberdeen Royal Infirmary then a wee bit of a backtrack to Queens Road for a photo of one of the villas there and I had all my book trailer photos. I wanted to get these last two locations (hospital and villa) when we came in to Aberdeen on the train but we ran out of time.
Then it was back ‘home’ and an evening of convivial company with our friends… and consumed a few bevvies as we talked about our day.
We decided last night that today would be the day we went to Aberdeen. And for a change, we would get the train from Huntly. We’d never travelled the railway from Huntly to Insch so thought it would make for an interesting journey.
Our friend Fiona offered to drive us into Huntly to catch the train and pick us up at the station when we returned. The off-peak day return tickets cost £27.20. We decided to take 10:24 from Huntly (putting us in Aberdeen at 11:25) and return on the 15:27 from Aberdeen (and back in Huntly at 16:18).
Shopping wasn’t on the agenda (unless you count the Aberdeen map) what we picked up at WH Smith in the Union Square Shopping Centre.
This trip was to get photos for book trailers for the sequel to A Shadow in the Past and another book I’m working on (sort of – still in the plotting stage but the locations known). To make a long story short, I didn’t print my google map of our walking tour before we left Canada so had to resort to buying a small street atlas. At least I knew the street names and could visualize my google map so knew where all we had to go.
As always, we found our way into the Castlegate. But in addition to there, we were at the harbour, on Shiprow, Exchequer Row, Castlehill, Union Street, Rosemount Viaduct and beyond.
The Salvation Army Citadel and Mercat Cross in the CastlegateThe Central Library
And unlike our day trip to Aberdeen in 2013 when I only took the picture of the sign for “Donald’s Way” – this time I got “the Donald” pointing to his sign.
Don on the steps at Donald’s Way
We started for Queens Road (I needed a photo of one of the huge villas out there) but with the time of day and distance to walk there, we were afraid of missing our train and leaving Fiona sitting at the station waiting for us.
We made a stop at a different WH Smith when we returned to the station and picked up a couple of computer magazines and the book Scottish Murders.
I noticed when the train passed through Kennethmont that the B9002 (where there had been roadworks the previous day and this morning) was now open.
We woke to another day of sunshine. Since we were close to the sea, I thought it would be nice to drive along the coast of the Moray Firth for at least part of our journey.
Being the stinker that I can be (I know I hear you saying – “You? Never”) I really wanted to go through Cullen. Travelling from west to east, the 90 degree corner at the bottom of the hill isn’t so intimidating. When we were over in 1997, we came through Cullen from the opposite direction, my husband behind the wheel. After the sharp corner at the bottom of the hill after passing under the railway viaduct, he swore off driving in Scotland for good.
Moray Firth at Cullen and a section of the viaduct for the dismantled railwayThe smallest section of the viaductThe section of the viaduct over the main road
Can you imagine how loud the noise from the train would have been in these houses? How about the shaking every time a train went through? The little white one has a small gate separating it from the viaduct but the one across the street is attached.
Since we were so close to Ladysbridge (the site of the former asylum that I used in my novel, A Shadow in the Past) we drove by it to see if the two boarded up, almost derelict houses had been refurbished. Nothing had been done to either one of them, but two brand new houses now stood in between them. And the old school building on the opposite side of the street to the main asylum (now luxury flats) was in the process of being pulled down.
After seeing Ladysbridge, we headed off to Orbs Bookshop in Huntly. The lady who used to run the shop contacted me in Sept 2013 about getting copies of A Shadow in the Past after I’d returned home (timing is everything, eh?) so I reached out before this trip and arranged to drop copies my novel off and the possibility of a signing. Anyway, the two books the shop could definitely purchase were signed and the transaction completed. We also volunteered our friends who lived nearby to keep the remaining books and take them to Huntly as and when required.
While there, another woman came in. She was involved with the MacMillan Cancer Support organization so I signed and donated a copy to the cause.
Before we left Huntly, we went over to the castle – another Historic Scotland property. We’re members of Historic Scotland so we get in to their properties free of charge and manned properties have toilets… except they were out of order this day.
Huntly Castle
While we were at the castle at the top of the tower on the left side of the photo above, we met a couple from Belgium. She immediately noticed that she and my husband both wore the same trainers. Obviously, that brand is known world-wide. Anyway, we had a great conversation with them before going our separate ways.
the top of the tower where we met the young couple and scenery beyond
Since we couldn’t bring home our bottle of 18-year old Cardhu on our last trip, we went back to Knockando where the distillery is located. The plan was to cut across the A920. There was a diversion sign on the A96 just before the intersection but the grass was long enough that we couldn’t see exactly where it was on the road we planned on taking. We got most of the way across when the road was totally closed. Mind you we’d met a fair amount of traffic so didn’t give it much thought… until we came to the construction site and the hole in the road. A slight backtrack and across a single track road, and into familiar territory thanks to the diversion because we drove by Fernbank House B&B where we had stayed in 2013.
Our bottle of Cardhu safely in hand and toilets used at the distillery we were ready to drive to Kennethmont. In addition to the diversion due to the closure on the A920, there was also roadworks at Dufftown. To avoid this, we took the A95 to Keith where we hooked up with the A96 which would take us to Huntly.
We made a quick stop at Tesco for supplies – champagne (to toast our friends’ 30th wedding anniversary and our 40th), wine, something for supper, and a pay as you go sim card with top-up card for my unlocked iPhone.
It must have been roadworks season because when we got the B9002 that would take us to Kennethmont, it was closed at the end where it joined the A97. Luckily, there was another road that would take us past the closure without having to go way our of our way.
We spent an enjoyable evening with our friends, drank one of the two bottles of champagne (deciding to keep the second one for our last night with them).
On October 4th I took part in the Friends of the Sanctuary‘s Nature and Wildlife Day at the Upper Canada Migratory Bird Sanctuary located between Morrisburg and Ingleside. It was my first time as this event and was pleased with my results.
Me wearing my warm, fur vest I bought on my recent trip to Scotland and my tartan boots from Sinister SolesMy display in the main tent
By the end of the day, I sold 3 copies of A Shadow in the Past, 2 copies of The Consequences Collection and 1 copy of Tim’s Magic Christmas. I also donated a copy of Tim to the silent auction which was to raise money for the sanctuary.
For $3.00 you could get your face painted and the money raised went to the sanctuary. It was mostly children having it done, but my husband is an overgrown kid at heart so he had it done, too. He was forewarned that if he did, he would be getting his picture taken and it would be posted on my blog… well guess what? Yup, he did.
Hubby with his face painted
What do you think? Would you get your face painted?
Inverness to Nairn isn’t much distance wise, if you were to go straight there and back but we rarely do anything in a direct route when we’re on vacation.
Our first stop this morning was to see the sixteen men of Tain at the Glenmorangie Distillery after a few photo ops along the way.
Bridge over the Cromarty Firth
Unfortunately, they were fully booked for tours because of two cruise ships. But we were each given a free dram of the amber nectar (not that I could drink mine because I was driving but I did let it touch my lips and had a wee sip).
The Glenmorangie Distillery
We bought a bottle to take to Kennethmont for our stay there along with a couple of other things from the gift shop before heading off to see Hilton of Cadboll stone.
The Hilton of Cadboll stone
Before making our way back to the main road, we found ourselves on another single track road and at the Shandwick Stone which is under glass to protect it from the elements.
The Shandwick Stone
We headed back towards the Dornoch Firth for a stop at the Tarbat Discovery Centre at Portmahomack.
The Tarbat Discovery Centre
Now that our thirst for sculptured Pictish stones had been temporarily quenched, we got back on the road. We weren’t the only ones who had a thirst needing quenched. Our car wanted petrol (not to the point we were on fumes or anything) so we drove into Invergordon to fill up. The two cruise ships that we had been told about at the distillery were docked here and the passengers were being shuttled by bus to Glenmorangie. Those who weren’t wandered about aimlessly like cattle.
Another reason we stopped here was on our way up, we had seen lots of rigs in the water and this put us right along the Cromarty Firth where we could get a good look.
Next stop was Fortrose Cathedral. Not as impressive as some of the ones we’ve visited over the years but filled with history and interesting artefacts.
Fortrose Cathedral
Fort George is almost directly across the Moray Firth from Fortrose but because there is no bridge, you have to double back to the main A9 road bridge. The fort is also a working military base so there are places where you can’t go. It reminds me a lot of The Citadelle in Quebec City.
It was late when we arrived here so we didn’t have a lot of time to explore but we did see the highlights (as suggested by Historic Scotland).
Fort George plaque
Cawdor House B&B was our destination for the night. Aside from street parking only, it was a lovely place. Our room was enormous! 4-poster bed, daybed and leather sofa and a spacious en-suite bathroom.
Our room at Cawdor HouseOur room at Cawdor HouseOur room at Cawdor House
Our hosts suggested a restaurant where we could have our evening meal that was within walking distance. That meant I could have a drink, too.
During our meal, I had been eyeing the cocktail menu so afterwards, I had not just one, but two Porn Star Martinis!
Me enjoying a Porn Star Martini
Whilst drinking Porn Star #2, a devilish thought came to me… Remember the movie Around the World in 80 Days? Well, I came up with with a twist on it. Around Scotland in 80 DLays. I know, I’m bad and stay out of the Porn Stars. LOL!
Throughout our time in school – primary, secondary, post secondary – we’ve all likely had a teacher who had a huge impact on who we are and the paths we’ve taken in life since.
