I notice when I send my newsletters out now that more and more emails are headed to people’s SPAM folder. 

Here’s how to make sure you are notified of any new releases I have. Choose one or all! 

1. Go to my Amazon Author Page and click FOLLOW under my name. They usually send out the new release notice within one week of release. Here’s the link: https://www.amazon.com/Keira-Montclair/e/B00E5JBC04/ref=dp_byline_cont_ebooks_1
2. Join Bookbub and follow me there. They promise to send the new release email within 7 days of release. Here’s the link: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/keira
3. Join my Facebook page (Like or follow) and be the first to know about anything new! Link: https://www.facebook.com/KeiraMontclair?ref=hl

Sorcha will be available by May 8th! I can’t wait for you to read it. 

 

Keira

I am both excited and nervous about the release of Trusting a Highlander!

Here are a few reasons why:

1. I love Graeme and Catherine.
2. This story flew from my fingertips. I wrote this first draft in a little over two weeks!
3. This series concept will allow me to write in different time periods OR in different countries. We’ll have to wait to see where Graeme and Catherine go next. HINT: Even I don’t know the answer to that question yet. 
4. It ventures into the paranormal and angels. It’s just a bit, but I love the idea of a world much like theirs. See what you think. 
5. As often happens, I have many young ones in this novel, and I adore all of them. 

I hope you love their story as much as I do! Please let me know what you think. 

Happy reading!

Keira

For My Readers:

So if you haven’t heard yet, my next release will be out by the second week of March. 

Trusting a Highlander, the first book in The Soulmates Chronicles, is NOT about a Grant or a Ramsay.

Why, Keira? Why? 

Well, here’s a few reasons why:

1. Every once in a while, I need a break from our lovable clan. 
2. I need to follow my muse. This story called to me, so I had to write it. I just fell in love with Graeme and Catherine. I hope you will, too.
3. I am writing another Summerhill novel #3-Lauren’s story, but the series doesn’t sell, so I’m writing it when I can fit it in.
4. The Regency did not sell for me either, so I basically am forced to abandon that…even though I loved the dowager. 🙁 
5. An explanation for #3 and 4? I find it difficult to invest a week into character arcs and plotting, a month of time into writing the story, and three weeks into editing a novel that doesn’t sell. If I did that with every story, I would have to return to teaching and/or nursing, and 
6. I’d rather be writing fulltime! 😉
7. Every once in a while, I like to try something new. 

So there you have it. Hmmm.  🙄 Didn’t one of my characters say that recently?

Here’s a peek at the cover:

 

I hope you will be willing to read something different for a change. I’m offering this at a lower price ($2.99) in the hopes you’ll try it. It has a touch of paranormal in it, so please go into this with an open mind. 

Will I write another novel in The Soulmate Chronicles? Yes, but next will be Sorcha’s story, #8 in The Highland Clan. 

We’ll be back with the Grants and the Ramsays and I’ll offer a wee teaser as an olive branch for holding Sorcha’s story off until now. The Highlands are bursting with rumors of the great Alexander Grant going down in battle…who knows what the result will be-buwhahaha…..

Keep reading and thanks for your patience! 

 

Keira

 

One of my greatest challenges after writing eighteen novels is coming up with true Scottish Gaelic names for my characters.

Historians tell us that the inhabitants of the Western Highlands during the 13th century were all Gaelic. That completely changed as the centuries passed. Lowland Scots spread their culture into the Highlands and the names became a mix of English, Celtic, and Norse.

But for my books? All Scottish Gaels. I have one great website, www.namenerds.com, that I use frequently, but after so many novels, I’m running out of names.

I haven’t used all the ones listed because I just refuse to use the ones that will take a reader out of the story. They are accurate, but I can’t imagine typing a name such as Fionnghuala or Amhalghaidh. Would you like your hero or heroine to be saddled with such a long name?

Many of the names I have used are truly Gaelic, such as Taran, Solas, Ros, Coll, and Osgar, but I also used Anglicized versions of classic Gaelic names. The following fit into that category:

Alexander for Alasdair

Roddy for Rodaidh

Rory for Ruaridh

Morna for Muirne

Bethia for Beathag

Even the Grants are slightly Anglicized. Their surname would be closer to Granndach.

I also admit that my first book, Rescued by a Highlander, has more Anglicized names. Who knew it would be so successful—yay! I named the twins James and John, which is fine because Maddie’s mother was English. But then I chose Jamie and Jake as their nicknames.

Jake? Just no. Jack would have been better …but it was too late, so I came up with the explanation that he’d earned his nickname because his siblings used to mispronounce his given name. And as long as I’m confessing, Jamie, while a Lowland Scots name, shouldn’t have been used that early.

We all make mistakes.

Any others? Kyla is not so true to the time period, though Kyle is, so I just made it the feminine form. I could have chosen better.

I’m often asked about Loki, which means wee trickster in Norse. I chose that name for two reasons. Do you know why he is called Loki? There is another reason besides that he was a wee trickster as a lad…hmmmm…

I do keep some secrets intentionally.

Introductions in Gaelic were quite long, as the custom was to introduce a person as the daughter of someone and…I think it would be easier to show you.

Eliza (full name Elizabeth) would be: Ealasaid nighean Alasdair mhic Seathan.

This translates to Elizabeth, the daughter of Alexander, who is the son of John.

As you can see, my novels would be much longer, and I think I would lose a few readers.

Someday, I may take a class in Gaelic.

I love to learn new things, don’t you?



 I like to let my readers know what books they can expect to see in the coming year. Here’s what I have planned:

• January
  • Release of Jamie and Gracie
  • Release of Lords of the Highlands– an anthology with 8 authors. My contribution is Loki
• February
  • Release of the bundle –Clan Grant-Books 1-4.
• March
  • Release of the book I’m currently writing. A stand-alone Scottish historical written in the 15th century. Working title: Forbidden Love 
  • This is NOT part of The Highland Clan or Clan Grant
• May
  • Release of Sorcha-#8 in The Highland Clan.
• June
  • Anthology release –Mists and Moonrise: The Reluctant Brides Collection– a collection of NEW novellas with some of my favorite authors. More to come later.
• Sometime in the summer
  • Release of Lauren Grant’s story in the Summerhill Series-untitled yet.
• August
  • Release of Kyla-#9 in The Highland Clan
• October or November-#10 in The Highland Clan
• December-Hopefully a Christmas novella for an anthology

That’s all for now! Wow, that’s quite a bit of writing. I better get back to Forbidden Love. More about that story in a future blog post.

Have a great week and happy reading!

Keira

Here’s a wonderful anthology for you! I’ve teamed up with seven wonderful authors to offer one of our favorite Highland books: Kathryn Le Veque, Eliza Knight, Vonda Sinclair, Terry Brisbin, Victoria Roberts, Terry Spear, and Gwyn Brodie. My contribution is LOKI. (These are not new novels, but favorite novels).
LORDS OF THE HIGHLANDS. That’s 8 books, yes, 8, for 99 cents or free in Kindle Unlimited. Get your copy now. This is a limited edition.

That’s right, Jamie & Gracie (The Highland Clan Book 7) has been released to kick start the new year! And with this release comes a tear-jerking, heartfelt story of Jaime Grant and Gracie, two beloved Highland Clan characters. 

The reviews are already starting to come in, and here is what they are saying so far…

5 Stars by Melissa: Beautiful Story

What a fantastic story. Jamie is the second born in his family and after a near death experience starts to think about his life and question what he has done with it. Gracie is the second born in her home, sweet, beautiful and wonderful with children she looks forward to having her own family. Although cousins, they are not related by blood, and soon develop a growing attraction to each other. This is a beautiful love story. As a special bonus the reader gets lots of scenes with Laird and patriarch Alex Grant and his love Maddie. I was lucky enough to get this book as an ARC for a truthful review. Loved this story. Long live the Grant family.

5 Stars by Jeri: Brilliant

I received an advance copy in exchange for an honest review. Keira Montclair is a delightful writer. The plots in her stories always provide numerous twists that are generally unexpected, humorous and at times have left me sitting on the edge of my chair.

Although Jamie and Gracie is a stand alone novel, it honors its predessors in the series with a well thought out and continuing story line.

Well done Keira Montclair!

5 Stars by CJones: Never disappoints!!!!!

Keira Montclair never disappoints! This book stands on its own but is so much better when you have been following the families from the beginning. I would recommend every one of her books. Thank you again for such a wonderful heartfelt story!!!

To fall in love with this story, click on this link to download your copy or order one in print. Thank you for the continued love of the Grant and Ramsay Clans!

Holidays

No matter what holiday you celebrate, it’s usually about two things—religion and family.
I won’t go into the religious part of the holidays, but Christmas has always been a big holiday for my family. Now that we have my granddaughters, the twincesses, we know that these traditions will be carried on.
Here are some of my family traditions:
1. Get-togethers—On Christmas Eve, we always had huge family gatherings when I was a child. I love seeing my cousins, my aunts and uncles, and looking out the window hoping for falling snow in Western New York.
2. Food—Isn’t this everyone’s favorite part? It used to be roast beef (on weck, sometimes) for Christmas Eve and turkey for Christmas Day (my son’s fave), though we have tried ham a few times. The rest of our feast usually includes potatoes, rolls, corn soufflé, various sweet potato dishes, butternut squash (my fave), stuffing with the turkey (another fave), and too many other great foods. Green dishes are popular, too—broccoli, brussel sprouts, that whipped cream with pistachio pudding that everyone loves. And the red? Strawberry Jello with strawberries…yum! My son used to eat huge plates of turkey and mashed potatoes…still does.
3. Cookies—my favorite!!! I’ve tried too many different recipes—cut-outs, seven-layer bars (magic cookie bars, anyone?), peanut butter fudge, cocoa fudge, meltaways, thumbprints with jelly in the middle, and chocolate mint bars. My favorite? Frosted cut-outs. And my daughter still loves sprinkles. The twincesses will have sprinkles on everything this Christmas.
4. Gifts—This has been an ever-changing thing. Shopping for kids is the best. I remember when I was young and we had our big family gathering with all the cousins at our house (I was one of six kids) on Christmas Eve. We crept up the stairs while the adults were drinking their coffee and decided to peek at our gifts. We opened them all and re-wrapped them. Worst Christmas ever! I had no surprises the next morning.
5. The Christmas tree—We always had a fresh tree until we moved to Florida, then we bought an artificial one. I loved the smell of the pine whenever we ran downstairs. We had some interesting trips selecting our tree, including cutting down our own a few times.
6. Chocolate milk for Christmas, accompanied by a big breakfast. Always.

No matter what your financial situation, you can still have wonderful holidays. As one of six kids, I remember being so excited about Christmas that I thought I’d explode. Yet every year we each received the same gifts: one puzzle, one paper doll set (for the girls), one outfit for our Barbie dolls (also for the girls). Some years we would have an extra gift as a surprise. Oh, and we always got a pair of new pajamas from my aunt and uncle. I think back on how much I looked forward to it every year and the thing that stands out to me is this: how much did a puzzle, a paper doll set, and one outfit cost? Not much, yet I was still thrilled.
Every year. It’s all about family.
What are your favorite traditions?

Be sure to cast your vote on my Facebook page for either Sweet T (on the left) or Wee E’s holiday cute suit!

It’s time for a Merry Holiday with KEIRA’S CUTE SUITS! Not one, but TWO $25 gift cards to Amazon will be given out to randomly chosen readers. I will also be donating a gift basket to a family of multiples.
To be eligible, post a comment below on which costume is cuter. Sweet T (sparkling candy cane stripes) or Wee E (Mrs. Claus)?
Winners will announced on my Facebook page on Friday morning!

*Facebook is not affiliated with this giveaway.

QUESTIONS FOR MY CHARACTERS: ALEX Part 1

On my Facebook page, I asked my readers the following question:

If you could ask Alex Grant anything, what would it be?

Below are some of the wonderful questions you asked him, along with his answers. I couldn’t print all of them in this post, so I’ll save the rest for another day.

Thank you for all the great questions!

#1

Do you have any regrets in your life, or things you wish you had done? If so, what are they?

Alex: I do have one regret. I regret that I did not kill Maddie’s stepbrother, Kenneth, when I had him in front of my keep. My emotions got the best of me. I reacted to Niles Comming because of what he did to my Maddie, so Kenneth got away.

I also regret that I did not kill him with my bare hands when he had a dagger at my wee wife’s throat. Jumping out the window was a more merciful death than he deserved for what he’d done to Maddie. I’ll never banish that image of my wife with a dagger at her throat.

#2

What is your biggest fear for you children? What are your hopes for the future Grant Clan?

Nothing frightened me more than when our bairns were sick. The red throat, the rashes on their bellies, the heaving—all of it scared Maddie and me.

Watching members of your clan lose their young ones to illness is tragic and traumatizing. We’ve been blessed, and I’m grateful to have two sisters, Brenna and Jennie, and my brother’s wife, Caralyn, who are skilled in the art of healing.

My hope for Clan Grant is a future full of peace, health, and happiness. I wish that the land of the Scots would always be prosperous and free of outside domination. We are a strong people, capable of ruling our own land and having peaceful relations with others.

I would also like the Grants to beat the Ramsays at next year’s Ramsay festival.

#3

What piece of advice would you give to each of your children?

Hmmm. That’s an interesting question.

The advice I gave Jamie was not to be afraid of life. But you’ll read more about that in his story.

The advice I gave my lads was twofold, always respect women, and keep your emotions in check when you’re fighting or you could make a costly mistake.

To wee Maeve, someday I’ll tell her she’s as much a part of our family as our blood children. It does not matter who her true parents are.

And for Kyla and Eliza? You’ll have to wait for their stories.

#4

What did you first admire about Maddie?

Easy question…so easy I do not need to give it any thought. Her strength.

Aye, I admired her beauty, especially her blue eyes, but that was my initial response. When I saw her in that chamber with her stepbrother, I could not believe how strong she was, and I’ve seen it many times since that day.

She never yells out at physical pain, which, as you know, is why I knew something was wrong when she screamed during the lads’ birth. Even with a dagger at her throat, she thought of a way to get a message to me, one that I would comprehend immediately.

Aye, she’s been cautious and timid many times over the years, but always strong.