Midsummer Mischief at Caynham Castle
Five new stories by five authors to welcome summer!
A new Caynham Castle anthology titled Midsummer Mischief at Caynham Castle is to be released on the first day of summer, also known as the Summer Soltice, also known as Midsummer. To be honest, I didn’t realize that “midsummer” represented the first day of the season. When I hear “midsummer,” I think of Shakespeare’s play “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.” Which is why my contribution to the anthology, “The Play’s the Thing” is a contemporary novella with a story that runs parallel to that play and that affects the cast of the outdoor production. While that sounds confusing, the excerpt should make it all clear.
The first day of summer is also the Summer Soltice, the longest day when the earth is physically closest to the sun. In the mythical word, it’s said that the veil between the real word and the mythical one is thin, allowing fairies and such creatures access. Shakespeare’s play involves a whole host of fairies that exist hidden from the mortals. In my story, two mischievous fairies use a love portion to code the eyelids of one of the actors in the outdoor production. Just as in Shakespeare’s play, that action causes all kinds of chaos – but my “chaos” is a little different than his. I hope you read “The Play’s the Thing,” and find it as fun and enjoyable as I did.
I should mention that the gargoyles introduced in “Dancing with Gargoyles” in the Ring in the New at Caynham Castle anthology are back – but in a minor way. That story was so much fun, I decided to utilize the Gargoyle network to help out my dazed and confused hero. Yep. Nothing like strange voices that no one else can hear speaking in your head to straighten out a mystery. 
You don’t need to read “Dancing with Gargoyles” to understand and appreciate “The Play’s the Thing,” but it might enrich the story for you and double the magic.
Read More about Midsummer Mischief at Caynham Castle
Welcome!
Dukes, Rakes, and Rogues...and Gargoyles?
Yes. You read that correctly. While I’m mainly known for my seductive historical romances, every now and then I need to break out of that strict world of rules and manners to write something completely different. Participating in the Caynham Castle anthologies came to my rescue with the opportunity to try something new – Gargoyles. My last two anthology novellas have played with human consciousness in those creative stone carvings. I hope to write a full novel in the future using a gargoyle brought to life, but in the meantime, I’m working on another Victorian historical set in the far islands of Scotland. It will be book four of the Rake Patrol Series and I’m making it laugh-out-loud fun and sexy enough to pop your laces so you’ll long for more. At least, that’s my plan. Enjoy!
