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BOOKS
Writing as Gwen Kirkwood
CALL OF THE HEATHER
The sequel to Secrets in the Heather.
Andrew and Victoria Pringle are expecting their second child when war is declared,
threatening the peace and future of their beloved glens. Young Libby Pringle
inherits her parents’ love of the land but with two younger brothers she
realises she will need to earn her own living. She is determined to go to agricultural
college where she becomes one of the most promising students, until an unfortunate
meeting with Billy Lennox in Blackpool threatens her whole future.
William (Billy) Lennox is also a child of the glens but his grandfather’s
death resurrects a bitter family feud. He reads malicious gossip in the newspapers
and realizes he is illegitimate. He loves Home Farm and knows he has a duty
towards his mother, but he feels a lack of identity and dark moods assail him.
He moves to Yorkshire but can he stay away from the glens and friends of his
childhood?
Call of the Heather is published
in October 2007 by Severn House and is available from Amazon.co.uk
Due for publication in Large Print in December 2008
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SECRETS IN THE HEATHER
A new family saga set in South West Scotland.
Little Victoria Lachlan, orphaned at birth, has been raised by her great-grandmother in a cottage on the Darlonachie Estate. When Jane McCrady dies Victoria is offered a home by the Pringle family, tenants of Sir William Crainby, Laird of Darlonachie. The Pringle brothers, especially Andrew, take her under their wing, and she is allowed to work in the kitchens of the castle, once the domain of Mistress McCrady.
Times are changing in the years since the First World War. At the castle a new generation is holding sway, both above and below stairs. As Victoria grows into a beautiful young woman, and a talented cook, she must face up to new choices and opportunities, and come to terms with a long buried secret in her past.
Secrets in the Heather is published
by Severn House in January 2007
and is available from Amazon.co.uk
Now available in Large
Print [ISBN 978727876706]
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HOME TO THE GLEN
Fourth novel in the Lochandee series.
Home to the Glen brings us to the 1980’s
with a new generation of the Maxwell family farming Wester Rullion.
Paul Maxwell and his cousin Ryan are determined they will rebuild
the dairy herd and restore the farm to its former standards. First
they need to overcome the bureaucratic hurdles of European farming
regulations and the new limitations of milk quotas. They will need
help from their grandparents, as well as a lot of hard work.
Ryan has set his heart on marrying Molly Nairne, daughter of a
prosperous local farmer, but Paul, abandoned by his mother as a
young boy, is adamant that he will never fall in love. He faces
challenges on every front.
Home to the Glen is published by
Severn House in December 2005
[March 2006 in the US]
and is available from Amazon.co.uk
and Amazon.com
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CHILDREN OF THE GLENS
Third novel in the Lochandee series.
Changes are coming to Scottish farming as we approach the 1960’s
but Rachel and Ross Maxwell have every reason to be proud of their
children and grandchildren. Daughter Bridie is happily married to
Nick and building up the herd at Lochandee, while son Conan is making
a success of his transport business with the help of his wife, Fiona.
Clouds appear on the horizon with Gerda Fritz-Allan, who has captured
the interest of Ewan, the Maxwells’ youngest son. Beautiful,
ambitious and utterly selfish, Gerda has the power to wreak untold
damage, causing far reaching changes to all the members of Maxwell
family.
Children of the Glens is published
by Severn House in August 2004 [November 2004 in the US] and is
available from Amazon.co.uk
and Amazon.com |
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A TANGLED WEB
A sequel to The Laird of Lochandee.
Conan Maxwell and Nick Jones have returned to the Glens of Lochandee
now that the war is over. Ross and Rachel are growing older, farming
traditions are changing and the young folk of the glen experience
the frustrations, hates and loves of life in a post war Scottish
Village. When a secret from the past is revealed it brings complications
which need to be resolved and arouses surprising emotions in the
people affected.
A Tangled Web is published by Severn
House and available from Amazon.co.uk
and Amazon.com
A Large Print edition is also available in both the US and the UK. |
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THE LAIRD OF LOCHANDEE
Winner of the Romantic Novelists’ Association Elizabeth Goudge
Trophy.
At sixteen Rachel O’Brian finds herself alone in the world
and accepts a home with an old friend of her father’s, but
she is unprepared for his wife’s malice and cannot guess at
the secret which feeds the woman’s hatred. Fortunately the
younger Maxwells welcome Rachel to their Ayrshire farm, especially
Ross, but he too has earned Gertrude Maxwell’s spite.
When Ross disappears Rachel is dismayed to find herself without
home or food and expecting his child. Not until past secrets are
revealed can the two find each other again. They take up life at
the Glens of Lochandee where they must strive to build up the farm,
raise a family, and rear their animals despite the heart break of
diphtheria and foot and mouth disease. Their love of the land and
each other gives them strength and determination.
The Laird of Lochandee is published
by Severn House and available from Amazon.co.uk
and
Amazon.com A Large Print edition is also available in both the US and the UK.
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The Fairlyden novels
are published by Headline in hard and paper back, and reprinted by Brockhampton
Press. They are available from libraries and from Amazon.co.uk and abebooks.co.uk
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FAIRLYDEN
The first in a four novel saga set in Southern Scotland, beginning
in the nineteenth century moving to the end of the second world
war in the last novel.
To those who know and love her, Mattie Cameron is beautiful and
intelligent but she is vulnerable because she has been deaf since
childhood. It is her father’s dying wish that Sandy Logan
should protect her when his death ends the three life lease on Nethertannoch.
So Sandy plans to secure the tenancy of the farm himself. The laird
has other plans and violence ensues. Sandy is forced to flee with
Mattie.
Daniel Munro is severely crippled with arthritis and does not welcome
visitors to his rundown farm of Fairlyden, yet he gives the pair
refuge. They work hard to make a living at the farm and repay Daniel
but he is the illegitimate son of the Earl of Strathtod and Fairlyden
will return to the estate because he has no heirs. The present Earl
hates him and can’t wait for his death. Daniel devises a scheme
to thwart his half-brother but it involves Mattie and causes great
heart searching and far reaching consequences.
Fairlyden was published by Headline
and reprinted by Brockhampton Press and available from Amazon.co.uk
and abebooks.co.uk
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THE MISTRESS OF FAIRLYDEN
The second novel in the Fairlyden
saga.
Mattie’s daughter, Sarah, is now married to William Fairly
and is Mistress of Fairlyden. She is longing to share the news of
her pregnancy with her childhood friend, Beatrice Slater. She defies
her husband’s wishes and goes alone to Muircumwell Mill but
there she encounters the ruthless and vindictive Edward Slater.
The dreadful consequences, and the disturbing secret she discovers,
haunt Sarah for the rest of her life. When her son, Alex, is born
a cripple she blames herself.
William cannot bear the knowledge that his son will never be perfect
and a rift develops. Bored with farming he sets up in business with
Sir Simon Guillyman. Sarah welcomes his outside interest, until
Sir Simon dies and his attractive widow poses new problems.
The Mistress of Fairlyden was published by Headline
and reprinted by Brockhampton Press and available from Amazon.co.uk
and abebooks.co.uk
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THE FAMILY AT FAIRLYDEN
It is 1906 and Sarah has taken the motherless little girl, Beth Jamieson, into
her home and into her heart for Beth is as sweet natured as she is pretty. Sarah’s
own daughter, Sadie resents Beth and makes her life a misery at every opportunity.
As the years pass Beth’s friendship with Sarah’s son, Logan Fairly,
develops into a deep abiding love but war is looming in Europe. Logan loves
the farm and his horses and cattle but he feels he must fight for freedom. Problems
arise bringing clouds of doubt and sorrow and uncertainty but there has to be
hope for tomorrow and for the future of Fairlyden.
The Family at Fairlyden was published
by Headline and reprinted by Brockhampton Press and available from
Amazon.co.uk and abebooks.co.uk It is also available in Large Print |
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FAIRLYDEN AT WAR
It is the 1930’s with men desperate for work and food. Fairlyden has survived
due to Logan’s skill and his wife’s thrift. Their daughter, Kirsty
is proud of her father’s achievements but her brother, Luke is afraid
of animals and his fear leads to tragedy.
James MacFarlane has spent his first twenty three years learning all he can
from Logan Fairly at Fairlyden. So when he chooses to live with his great-uncle
at Nithanvale, the Fairly family’s greatest rival, Kirsty feels betrayed.
To make matters worse she is jealous of Mary MacFarlane, who is the last of
the MacFarlane line, along with her half cousin.
Kirsty’s responsibilities are heavy when the second world war breaks out
and they are increased when evacuees arrive at Fairlyden but her sense of humour
sees her through and her determination to keep the farm never wavers in the
face of threats
Fairlyden at War was published
by Headline and reprinted by Brockhampton Press and available from
Amazon.co.uk and abebooks.co.uk |
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The Family at Fairlyden will be published
by Magna Large Print from April 2003.
Fairlyden at War will follow at a later date.
WRITTEN
ON THE WIND - writing as Lynn Granger New
The director of a large development firm meets his match with the
feisty owner of a small caravan park on the Solway Firth. Sheana
Lyon is determined to secure a future for her young brother.
Written on the Wind is published
by My Weekly Story Collection.
My Weekly Story Collection novellas are available from:
My Weekly Story Collection
D C Thomson & Co Ltd
Subscription Department
80 Kingsway East
DUNDEE DD4 8SL
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SHATTERED
DREAMS - writing as Lynn Granger
The only thing they seemed to have in common was that fate had
dealt each of them a blow. Yet it slowly began to pull them together
and, without realising it, their feelings towards each other began
to change...
Shattered Dreams is published by
My Weekly Story Collection.
My Weekly Story Collection novellas are available from:
My Weekly Story Collection
D C Thomson & Co Ltd
Subscription Department
80 Kingsway East
DUNDEE DD4 8SL
Now also available in Large Print from Chivers/Thorndike
US
Softcover ISBN 0786276509
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Also writing as Lynn Granger
The following were published by Robert Hale Ltd. And also in LARGE PRINT
by F.A. Thorpe. They are available from public lending libraries and stockists
of out of print books such as Amazon.co.uk
, Amazon.com and abebooks.co.uk
LONELY IS THE VALLEY
Ceri Owen has all the passionate love of her Celtic ancestors for Tronfydd
- her home high in the Welsh valley. She is a part of the small community
and expects to marry her childhood friend and hero. Her grandfather’s
death brings changes and although she distrusts Mark Mackay, a newcomer
to the valley, she finds herself agreeing to a business arrangement. The
deal includes being married to the shrewd Scotsman for a year but she
is unprepared for the time she must spend at his farm in Scotland and
the deviousness she encounters there.
THE WARY HEART
Jan Carron owes her sister a favour so when Chris asks her to look after
her children at Shamlee, their Scottish farm, Jan agrees to travel from
her home in Yorkshire.
Johnathan White is so disgruntled by her decision that Jan wonders whether
he really is in love with her. She welcomes the separation - that is until
she realises the dark and moody Mike Maxwell is living at Shamlee. Mike
disapproves of Johnathan and of Jan’s friendship with Timothy Greig,
an eligible local vet. Yet Mike himself makes no secret of his own attachment
to his friend’s wife, Angela McCall, whose son bears an uncanny
resemblance to a certain four year old, Bobby Carron.
Available from Amazon.co.uk in Large Print.
THE LAIRD OF LOCHVINNIE
Robin Kelly desperately needs a job. She travels to Scotland for a month’s
trial as chauffeur/assistant to the laird of Lochvinnie, expecting him
to be an amiable, elderly employer. Instead she finds Callum McNeil -
young, eligible but blind and bitter. He wanted, and was expecting, a
male assistant to help run the lovely Lochvinnie estate. Robin has spirit
and tenacity. She also has a tragedy in her past which she refuses to
discuss.
One night she has a nightmare and cries out for her cousin, Roger Alder.
Annette, Roger’s widow, deliberately misleads Callum about Robin’s
relationship with her husband. Angry and frustrated, Callum seeks solace
in the company of Leila Gunn, much to Robin’s dismay.
Available from Amazon.co.uk
in Large Print.
THE SILVER LINK-THE SILKEN TIE
Elspeth is the last of the Elliots of Everanlea. She shares her grandmother’s
determination to preserve her Scottish heritage and the Elliot name, but
running a large hill farm presents problems.
Elspeth is dismayed when her father advises her to sell out to her neighbour,
especially knowing that feuds between the Elliots and the Armstrongs of
Arnhill are legendary.
Gran Elliot has engaged a manager to help. He is charming, handsome, an
eligible bachelor - and his name is Howard Elliot. But he is unfamiliar
with the ways of Border shepherds.
In spite of their stormy relationship, Robin Armstrong offers help - but
he admits he has ulterior motives. Do these include rustling Everanlea
sheep, or are the dwindling numbers Howard’s concern?
Since resuming my writing career I have been fortunate to have Dorothy
Lumley of the Dorian Literary Agency as my agent.
[Please note: The DLA client list is extremely full and can only take
on one or two clients per year out of 2000 submissions. The DLA only accepts
a first chapter plus a brief outline for reading. These must be sent by
royal mail, and include return postage.]
Content © Gwen
Kirkwood and design © Artemis
Web Design
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