The Mysticism of Cornwall - The Cheesewring

 I had never written a historical fantasy before, but time travel has always interested me. My novel, Beyond the Fall, was my first fantasy, sending a woman from the 21st century back to the 18th c. after she explores a neglected graveyard in Cornwall, England.

Cornwall became an obsession of mine. I've set several books there and read about the mysteries attached to this portion of England. My husband I traveled to North Cornwall for the first time to research one of my historical novels. On a misty, foggy day (how appropriate) we walked on the Bodmin Moor. The first sign we encountered was a tiny one that said Cheesewring with an arrow. In those dark ages days before the internet was so readily available, we scratched our heads, wondering what this could be.

Traipsing the mysterious moor over scrubby grass, glared at by disturbed sheep, I saw a strange rock formation in the distance and insisted my husband take my picture with it. Only when we arrived home, and I researched in a book I had, did I find that this granite tor had been the Cheesewring.

 

Located on the southern edge of the Bodmin Moor, the Cheesewring, or in Cornish, Keuswask, is a geological formation on Stowe’s Hill formed by centuries of weathering—harsh winds and rain. The name is derived from the piled slabs that resemble a cheese press.

Thirty-two feet in height, the tor is top-heavy, the fifth and sixth rocks of immense size and thickness. Four lower rocks support them, all perfectly irregular, the towering formation having no lateral support as it clings to the steep hill. It’s said the formation spewed from the earth, and crystallized as tubular granite.

 In local legend, the Cheesewring is the result of a contest between a man and a giant. The giants who dwelled in the Cornish caves were angry when Christianity was first introduced to the British Islands. The Saints had invaded their land, and the largest giant Uther was sent to chase them out. The frail Saint Tue proposed a rock throwing contest. If he won, the giants had to convert to Christianity. If Uther won, the Saints would leave Cornwall.

Uther easily threw a small rock to the top of Stowe’s Hill. Tue prayed for assistance. He picked up a huge slab, and found it miraculously light. They continued throwing, stacking the stones in perfect piles. When the score was twelve each, Uther tossed a thirteenth, but it rolled down the hill. Tue picked up his fallen stone, and as he lifted it an angel appeared to carry the slab to the top of the rock pile. At seeing this, Uther conceded, and most of the giants converted to Christianity.

In a book on Arthurian Legend, it’s said that the slabs turn and twist at certain times of the year. Or when the tor hears a cock crow.

Located adjacent to the Cheesewring Quarry and surrounded by other granite formations, this landmark was threatened with destruction in the late nineteenth century by the proximity of blasting operations, but was saved as a result of local activism.

 Later, to indulge in my time travel fantasy, I wrote Beyond the Fall.

Blurb: In Cornwall, England, Tamara researches her ancestors. Among gravestones she tumbles back to 1789 in the midst of grain riots. Will she fall for the secretive farmer, Colum, or struggle to return to her own time? Highly Recommended ~ History and Women

To purchase Beyond the Fall click HERE

For more on Diane Scott Lewis and her Cornish novels:

http://www.dianescottlewis.org

A woman hurtled through time, Beyond the Fall

Yesterday my first time travel adventure was released. In BEYOND THE FALL, Tamara Ledbetter struggles to reorder her life after her husband leaves her for another woman.

In my extensive research of the eighteenth century for my other novels, I wondered what it would be like to take a modern woman from San Francisco, have her travel to England, fall back to 1789, and have to deal with a primitive life with few rights of her own.

Novel blurb:

Tamara Ledbetter, dumped by her arrogant husband, travels to Cornwall, England to research her ancestors. A trip first planned with her soon-to-be ex. In a neglected cemetery, she scrapes two fallen headstones together to read the one beneath, faints, and wakes up in 1789. Certain she’s caught up in a reenactment, she fast discovers she’s in the year of the French Revolution, grain riots in England, miners out of work, and she’s mistrusted by the young farmer, Colum Polwhele, who’s come to her aid. Can a sassy San Francisco gal survive in this primitive time where women have few rights? Could she fall for Colum, a man active in underhanded dealings that involve stolen grain, or will she struggle to return to her own time before danger stalks them both?

Tamara tries to make sense of her situation, thinking she's being tricked, it must be a reenactment. Here an excerpt when she's fist met Colum and he wonders why she's alone:

“I have a sister, and my father isn’t well.” Tamara sighed and wished Eva was with her now.  She glanced again at his face, and he had large turquoise eyes full of intelligence. He smelled of horse and a faint, spicy cologne. “We lost our mother three years ago.”

“My condolences. If you’re a single lady, who is protectin’ you then?” His dark eyebrows drew together. He was a good actor, she'd give him that.

“No one since...” Since her rat-bastard of a husband had run off with a slut, but she thought better of mentioning that. Her heart felt heavy for a moment, but more in irritation than sadness. “I protect myself. I’m perfectly capable.” At least she’d thought so, until a few minutes ago.

“That’s not advisable, for a woman to be on her own. Is your sister near? Do you have an abigail?” He dropped his horse’s reins, and the large animal stopped and stilled.

“My sister is across the ocean.” Tamara began to grow slightly annoyed by this farce. “And I don’t know anyone named Abigail.”

They climbed the stairs, which also looked less neglected. If there sat a cart and horse instead of her car on the hill, she’d scream.

       At the top, Tamara sucked in her breath. The car park was gone, no cars, no asphalt to park on, only a field. The nausea bubbled up once more. What was happening!

To purchase from Amazon, click HERE

For more info on me and my novels, please visit my website: dianescottlewis.org

Diane Scott Lewis grew up in California, traveled the world with the navy, edited for magazines and an on-line publisher. She lives with her husband in Pennsylvania.
 

A young woman braves remote New Brunswick, by Diane Scott Lewis

In my novel, On a Stormy Primeval Shore, a young woman is sent far from home to marry a stranger and forge a new life in a dangerous land.

During the American War for Independence, or American Revolution, the people who remained loyal to Great Britain were called Loyalists. They were persecuted for not joining the 'Patriots', their homes confiscated or burned, some of the men hanged.

When England lost the war, the Loyalists escaped north to the last held British territory--mainly to the western portion of the colony of Nova Scotia (New Brunswick) below Lower Canada.

My heroine, Amelia, arrives in this remote colony from England in 1784, just after hordes of Loyalists have flooded into a wilderness soon to be renamed New Brunswick. Amelia is to marry a lieutenant chosen by her father who is a captain at Fort Howe situated at the mouth of the St. John River on the Bay of Fundy.

Amelia knows at the grand old age of four and twenty that she's no beauty and will the lieutenant even like her. She's also strong-minded and refuses to be intimidated. Her 'betrothed' turns out to be a "Horrid man!" and she rejects him. Out in the wilderness she is growing fond of, she meets an Acadian man named Gilbert. The Acadians inhabited this colony, once called New France, until the British conquered the territory in 1763, expelling the French for refusing to assimilate. Later, they were allowed to return, but their brutal treatment has given Gilbert a hate for the English. He's also furious that his land might be stolen and given to the Loyalists who now invade and seek restitution from the British government.

The Coming of the Loyalists, by Henry Sandham

 Amelia and Gilbert face many obstacles, prejudices, and turmoil. They also must fight their inappropriate attraction.

On a Stormy Primeval Shore is available on: Amazon
For more on my books, please visit my BWL Author Page
or my website: dianescottlewis.org

Diane Scott Lewis grew up in California, traveled the word with the navy, edited for magazines and an on-line publisher. She lives in Pennsylvania with her husband.

Interview: Diane Scott Lewis

Today at Historical Belles and Beaus we welcome historical author Diane Scott Lewis.

Diane has a new historical release, Elysium, a story about Napoleon and his exile on the island of St Helena and the people who went with him, including the delightful Amélie Perrault.

Diane, what inspired you to write this book?

Anne, thank you for having me here. When I wrote my first novel, The False Light, in my original ending (now deleted) I had my heroine travel to St. Helena to visit her old friend, Napoleon. I started to research his time on this rugged, remote, island, and became fascinated by his character, the politics that trapped him there, the people who traveled with him and the possibility he may have been poisoned. The island is intriguing with unusual flora and fauna and topographical features—a character in itself.

I decided I needed to write an entire book with Napoleon as a main character. I also created my heroine, Amélie, a strong-willed woman—the fictional daughter of the head chef—who would rally his soul and love him for himself. She suspects an assassin has been sent with their entourage to murder Napoleon, and ferrets out the culprit.

How did you choose the title?

In my research, Napoleon’s chamberlain—who took dictation and wrote the ex-emperor’s memoires—said he spoke like a spirit on the Elysian Fields. I chose the shorter, Elysium, which in Greek mythology is a “delightful paradise where the gods are sent to die.” Of course, it’s also very tongue-in-cheek, because St. Helena was far from delightful for Napoleon. To Amélie it was her paradise because she found love.

What is your writing process?

I rise early, because mornings are my best time with the most energy. I’m afraid I write by the seat-of-my-pants; in other words, I don’t follow an outline. All my early novels were conceived this way, just throwing ideas onto the computer screen, then researching as needed. This process led to long, rambling stories without enough focus. The False Light and Elysium were first created over ten years ago, and I had to trim them down after I learned about plot, theme and structure. From now on I plan to be more disciplined and at least have some idea where I need the story to go.

How hard, or easy, was the research for Elysium?

In the time before the internet, I spent hours at the Library of Congress researching books on Napoleon’s final exile. Some of the books were actually written during his time there, one in 1817, a marvellous resource. I purchased books recommended, such as historian Octave Aubry’s detailed Sainte-Hélène. I read books written by Napoleon’s valets who suffered with him on the island. I spoke regularly to a Napoleonic scholar who had visited St. Helena several times.
The research wasn’t easy, but I enjoyed the process.

Did you learn anything from writing and publishing this book? What?

I learned so much, I could have written another novel about the characters on St. Helena. In fact, I had to delete actual historical personages from the story because it grew too huge. Through my careful research, I learned that Napoleon wasn’t at all the extreme villain many have portrayed him as, and I tried to show that in this novel. I’m sure I’ll hear disparagement—as I did in one contest—over my effort to make him a rounded human being who desired love as we all do. I also discovered that many escape schemes were formulated to rescue the ex-emperor from his exile. I played on this theme in Elysium. Could Napoleon have escaped? In trying to publish Elysium, I found that mainstream agents and editors weren’t comfortable with me fictionalizing Napoleon, so I chose an innovative small press.

What is your favourite time of year?

The spring. I’m originally from California, where we had mild winters. Now I live in Virginia where it actually, gasp, snows! I run my heating bill up so high just to keep warm. When spring arrives, like now, and the flowers bud, the birds sing, I can stand on my front porch and not shiver, it’s like a reprieve from the Arctic.

What are you working on now?

Another historical—my favorite genre—Ring of Stone. The story is set in the late eighteenth century in Cornwall, England. My heroine, Rose Gwynn, aspires to practice as a physician, uncovers evil village secrets and finds love in the least expected place.

Do you have another release coming out soon?

I hope to have my sequel to The False Light, Without Refuge, out early next year.

Thank you for visiting us, Diane.

Elysium Blurb:
In 1815, Napoleon Bonaparte is exiled to remote Saint Helena. Amélie Perrault, the daughter of Napoleon’s head chef, is determined through healing herbs to rise in importance and is fascinated with the fallen French Emperor. After her beautiful singing voice catches Napoleon’s attention, she is drawn into his clash with their British jailers, court intrigues and a burgeoning sexual attraction.
Napoleon is soured on love. Since political maneuvers fail to release him, he desires freedom no matter the risk. Amélie suspects someone in their entourage is poisoning the emperor. Now she must uncover the culprit and join in Napoleon’s last great battle plan, a dangerous escape.

Elysium can be purchased here:
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=elysium+diane+scott+lewis

Or visit Diane’s website: http://www.dianescottlewis.com/