Love-in-a-Mist, the Wildflower

Like all of my recent books, my new novel, LOVE IN A MIST, is named after a wildflower. Love-in-a-Mist isn’t a wildflower that most people are familiar with. It is common to Provence, France, where the book starts, but tends not to grow naturally in Scotland. It has fluffy blue wildflowers surrounded by airy white bracts and delicate foliage with a distinctive black seed pod. Nigella, Latin for black, is the botanical name for Love-in-a-Mist. The fact that Love-in-a-Mist is known to be toxic to humans gives my main character, Misty, a bit of a complex about her name.

More fun facts to know – in France, there’s a tradition that dates back to the Renaissance, where Love-in-a-Mist is called the plant Devil in the Bush because of the way the plant’s spiky seeds deceive people. It’s a beautiful-looking flower that attracts people, but it hides dangerous spikes, like an enticing devil. Other names for Love-in-a-Mist include Kiss Me Twice Before I Rise, Bird’s Nest, Blue Crown, Blue Spiderflower, Lady in the Bower, Love-in-a-puzzle, and Love-in-a-tangle. Even Bayn, another main character, is lured into thinking that he never envisioned he would be the one tangled in the spider’s laces, or trapped in the puzzle, unsure if the lady (Misty) was a queen with a crown or a devil in disguise.

But Love-in-a-Mist is a bit more complex than that. It’s seeds are used as a spice in Indian and Middle Eastern cuisine. The seeds are known as kalonji. They have a slightly bitter and nutty flavor similar to that of black cumin and are used in curries, chutneys, and bread. They’re poisonous only when ingested in vast quantities. The oil extracted from the seeds has been shown to have a calming effect on the body and help alleviate pain and discomfort. In traditional Indian and Middle Eastern medicine, Love-in-a-Mist seeds are used as a natural remedy for asthma, bronchitis, and coughs. The seeds have anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties.

I love researching wildflowers for my Wildflower series and weaving the attributes and associations of the flower with whom the main character shares a name into the book.

Thistles (THISTLE DOWN) are associated with protection and pride, bravery, devotion, durability, strength and determination. But in the Midwest, farmers and gardeners alike hate thistles. They’re considered a noxious weed, and most people will do anything to get rid of them. To them, the thistle is associated with aggressiveness and pain. No matter which perspective you adhere to, I think we can all agree that thistles demand respect. Wild roses (WILD ROSE) symbolize perfect happiness, love at first sight, joy and gladness, and happy, forever love. Bluebells (BLUE BELLE) are one of my favorite flowers. The first harbingers of spring, they’re known for their humility, kindness and constancy. Violets (SHY VIOLET) are associated with the virtues of modesty and faithfulness – particularly faithful love. Sweet William (SWEET WILLIAM) is equated with gallantry, childlike awe, and the sensation of getting lost in a whole new world of wonder and enchantment.Goldenrod flowers (GOLDEN ROD) are thought to hold many symbols – from caution to encouragement, luck to good fortune. Superstitious folklore advises people to carry a bouquet of goldenrod flowers when seeking out treasure or venturing forth on new, but risky, ventures.

Seaside daisies (SEASIDE DAISY) may look fragile with their thin, tender-looking petals and pale colors, they’re so strong that they’re the perfect plant for coastal zones and seaside gardening. Wind and salt spray won’t affect them; in fact, these robust little plants grow well in sandy, dry soils and even prefer soil that isn’t too fertile.

I loved weaving the sweet, sentimental fragrance of an iris native to Czechia through my book, PLUM TART IRIS. The purple, narrow-petaled flowers of the plum tart iris nestle in grasslike-leaved foliage and can’t be seen without parting the leaves, but the fragrance, which has been described between grapes and plum tarts, wafts out to the passerby.

RAGGED ROBIN is a common flower in Scotland, a cousin of the bachelor button. It’s said that ‘it is said to be unlucky to pick the flowers of this species and take them indoors as bad weather (thunder) may follow.

SEA SHELL GINGER has long, graceful leaves that give off a ginger aroma when crushed. Waxy white, or pinkish, shell-like, fragrant flowers hang in clusters from the ends. Sea Shell Ginger is grown as a spice, food, medicine and ornamental flower in tropical regions.

Heather’s symbolic meanings are good luck, admiration, protection, independence, confidence, beauty, admiration, solitude, with the purple color symbolizes beauty, strength, and adoration. Purple heather flowers are considered an ideal gift for telling someone how beautiful and essential they are to you and how much you respect and admire them. Perfect for HIGHLAND HEATHER. 

Alpine meadow rue is an elusive flower, rare, and hard to find whether you’re looking in a tundra or online. It’s resistant to deer and rabbits, and it attracts many bees and butterflies. You’ll have to read ALPINE MEADOW to find out what other associations I found, but they played right into the plot.

Now that I’m done with LOVE IN A MIST, I’m ready to write the last of the HIghland Homecoming novels, TRAVELLER’S JOY. I’ve already started to research the flower, Traveller’s Joy. Don’t you love that name? I can’t wait to develop Joy’s character. Traveller’s Joy has delicate white flowers that attract bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds, and feathery seed heads that provide a food source for birds during the winter months. It also acts as a pioneer plant in the process of ecosystem succession. It’s one of the first plants to establish itself in an area that has been disturbed, such as a cleared forest. One of the most remarkable features of Traveller’s Joy is its adaptability. In folklore, the plant was believed to have the power to protect travellers on their journeys. The leaves were applied to wounds to speed up the healing process. I see all kinds of potential, especially since Joy is an Irish Traveller, and like Misty, in need of healing.

I hope you’re as intruigued as I am! LOVE IN A MIST is available for preorder and will officially arrive on March 28th.

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Love in a Mist by Sherrie Hansen – coming March 28th

Here’s a short excerpt from Chapter One of Love in a Mist, my new Murder Mystery, to whet your appetite for your upcoming trip to Provence, France. (Those of you who have read Highland Heather or Alpine Meadow will recognize Finn and Meadow’s names. Although Love in a Mist will read just fine as a stand-alone, you may want to pick up copies soon so you’re all set to begin Love in a Mist on March 28th.)

EXCERPT from Love in a Mist by Sherrie Hansen:

“When she was young, Misty had dreamed that her father would come for her. But in her dream, when he had appeared, the night was so dark, and the moon so dim, that he hadn’t seen Misty. She’d faded into the night, her black hair becoming one with her surroundings. Instead, he’d spied her sister’s rich auburn hair, aglow in the moonlight. It made perfect sense. Kezia looked just like their mother. Kezia had reminded him of Clementina, who he had loved. Her father hadn’t wanted a little black-haired girl who looked like him.

From that time on, Misty had worn bright colors. Yellow, pink, blue. She’d wanted to be a brightly shining star in the night, a moonflower, a blue moon. She’d wanted to capture her father’s attention. She’d wanted him to love her, want her, and be around her. But he’d never come for her. He’d lived only in her dreams.

How stupid that she was jealous of a sister who was dead, and a father who didn’t have a name, a father who she’d never met and never would. She glanced at her niece, Meadow. Kezia’s daughter. It didn’t take a genius to figure out why Misty didn’t like redheads.

Meadow was talking. Her lush auburn hair was as animated as her words. “Our gypsy caravan has been the perfect honeymoon cottage for the two of us, but we’re in the process of building a house so if we have a family one day, we’ll have more room. Maybe our children can use the caravan as a playhouse.”

Lucky kids. They would know their father. Not that Misty cared who her father was at this point in her life. Really. She didn’t even want to know. Not even a small part of her. Her mère had always told her she’d taken after her father. Except she hadn’t known who her father was. If her mère knew, she’d never told her. Which was fine. Who had fathered her was the least of her worries.

Meadow was still rambling on about their life in the Highlands, and McKnight Farms, and the woods where they’d parked their caravan and made their home, which, sorry to say, didn’t interest Misty in the slightest. Misty may have been born in Scotland, but her life was here now. Her eyes refocused on the grass green wall behind Meadow and Finn. 

She rubbed her hand over her thighs. Her sundress was bright yellow, with sky blue flowers and a few splashes of coral pink. The colors of Provence. Could any place be such a polar opposite to the cool green shade of the Highlands? Her mind flashed to Scotland for just a few seconds. She saw the red curls of a highland coo framed in green, bellowing, shaking its head, wanting to be brushed. Damn cow had better hair than she did. So did Meadow. That beautiful, auburn red hair. One of her few memories of Kezia was of their mother brushing her hair. Clementina had never brushed Misty’s hair. It was like her straight black locks were a horrible reminder of something – or someone.

One of her favorite songs started to come through the speakers. She might have black hair, and Meadow, red, but they had to have something in common besides a few stray genes. “I love this song,” she told Meadow, swaying to the disco beat. It was the song she and Jean-Luc were dancing to when she’d started to fall in love with him. “It’s How Deep is Your Love by the Bee Gees. Do you know it? Classic 70s disco.”

Meadow smiled at Finn. “When you said, How Deep, my mind leapt to one of our favorites, How Deep the Father’s Love.”

Finn laughed, a deep rumpling noise that stirred Misty’s heart with its sincerity. “It’s a far cry from disco.” Finn hesitated, like he was waiting for the Bee Gees to yield the stage.

    How deep is your love? How deep is your love?
          I really mean to learn
          ‘Cause we’re livin’ in a world of fools
          Breakin’ us down
          When they all should let us be
           We belong to you and me.

The Bee Gees took a breath and Finn started to sing, just loud enough to be heard over How Deep is Your Love. Finn’s voice rang true and clear.

    “How deep the Father’s love for us,
          How vast beyond all measure
          That He should give His only Son
          To make a wretch His treasure.”

And then he stopped. And the Bee Gees regained their momentum with,

    I believe in you, You know the door to my very soul
          You’re the light in my deepest, darkest hour
          You’re my savior when I fall.

Jean-Luc had been Misty’s savior, until he died. Sadly – or maybe she should say happily – if she knew anything about Finn and Meadow’s faith, and she did, thanks to her mother’s somewhat recent Come-to-Jesus moment, she knew that their Savior was alive.      

She was looking at Meadow’s hair and feeling an irrational flash of jealousy that Finn and Meadow had a living Savior when she saw auburn curls out of the corner of her eye.

What was her mother doing here? “Mère? How did you find…?” She looked up and saw Bayn Alexander just behind her mother. The one person she’d told where she was going. 

Misty’s mother rushed to Meadow’s side and gave her a hug the likes of which Misty had certainly never experienced. Long-lasting, full-bodied, filled with love. “Meadow? I’m Clementina Revel. Your grandmother. I’m so happy to meet you! That awful day when I said good-bye to you before they took you off to the Isle of Uist, I never dreamed I’d get the opportunity to see you again! And now look at you! You’ve grown up to be a beautiful young woman with a handsome husband and a bright future. God certainly works in miraculous ways, doesn’t He?”

Misty stifled a gag as Meadow relaxed into Clementina’s arms, obviously having found a kindred spirit, a family member with whom she was comfortable. Was it because her mother had mentioned God? It had always irked Misty that Christians seemed to have some sort of homing device that not only drew them to one another but inexplicably linked them together. The grandmother / granddaughter, both red-headed, Christian peas-in-a-pod bond was so tangible she could see it blossoming.

Meadow had tears in her eyes. So did Clementina. So did Bayn. What was that about? See? This was the reason she couldn’t return the man’s feelings. The proverbial clean cut, boy-next-door, Bayn was strong and very masculine in a Scottish-Highlander-of-old way, yet not afraid to be emotional. Bayn was the complete opposite of the men Misty was attracted to. At least he didn’t have red hair.

Their waitress popped by and took Clementina and Bayn’s orders. Clementina was peppering Meadow and Finn with questions about home, faith, and family. Meadow appeared to be pouring out her heart to Clementina. Bayn motioned for Misty to pull her chair up closer so she could hear what was being said. Misty hadn’t realized she’d scooted her chair back. She did things like that when her mother was around.

Good Lord. Could this be any more of a nightmare? Bayn’s eyes were glazed over with tenderness when he tore his eyes away from Meadow and gazed at Misty. Of course they would be. His heart had never been in France. He was more than ready to return to the Highlands to tend his own vineyard. All he needed was a woman who was ready to settle down and raise a family in Scotland. He wanted Misty to be that woman. The man was so accepting that he’d wanted it even when she’d been sleeping with Jean-Luc.

Her mother still hadn’t said a word to her or acknowledged her presence in any way. Misty stared at Clementina for a moment, hoping to get a response, or maybe hoping to intimidate her into not responding.

Misty was imagining a Provencal pattern for the line of fabrics, tablecloths, placemats and napkins that a friend of Jean-Luc’s was going to manufacture to match Misty’s pottery, when she heard her name. The words murder, and then, suspect, made a brief appearance and then faded into a mysterious chasm of silence that had formed between her and the rest of the table.

All eyes were on her. Meadow’s were filled with horror. Finn’s reflected a wary skepticism. Her mother’s – shame. Bayn was looking at her with the same love, acceptance, and compassion he always did. His reaction upset her more than all the other’s combined.

The waitress chose that moment to appear with their food, her face a cheery expression of pride in the plates she was delivering. They were lovely. Misty murmured her thanks.

Bayn finally broke the silence. “The police were by to visit earlier today. They’re not releasing any of the specifics, but they say Jean-Luc Lavigne’s death has been determined to be murder.”

Is There a Mysterious “Alpine Meadow” Looming in Your Future?

Today is the DAY! Congratulations to me! My book “Alpine Meadow” is live in the Kindle Store and has been enrolled in KDP Select. Kindle and paperback versions are now available for customers to purchase! EXTRA BONUS: “Alpine Meadow” is a great stand-alone, but if you’ve read “Highland Heather,” you’ll recognize return characters Finn, Jaelle, Munro, Heather, Brodie, and more… Better yet, if you’ve read “Sweet William,” you’ll get to see William and Lyndsie once again… And, there are guest appearances by Pastor Ian and Rose from “Wild Rose,” and Nathan and Violet from “Shy Violet.”

Here’s a wee peek: Travellers, standing stones, an abandoned baby, and icy water rushing over a lifeless body in an alpine stream – when Meadow’s dreams of a warm Highland homecoming become a real-life nightmare, Finn steps up to offer a helping hand. But Meadow is bent on going it alone.

Finn’s boss, Heather, thinks Finn is trying to take over while she’s on maternity leave, and Finn’s mum, Jaelle doesn’t need help from him now that she’s got Munro. What does a man do when his strength is helping others, but the unshakable women he’s surrounded by don’t need or want his help?

When heartache threatens their lives, working together to solve mysteries and uncover secrets may help fuse Finn and Meadow’s friendship. But can an old curse be broken before it breaks them?

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CBRNZNLY

A Handy Guide to Where Each of My Books Fits on the Steaminess Scale

Is There Such a Thing as Christian Love Scenes?

Age-old Legends, Modern Day Mysteries, and a Wee Bit of Romance…

A Window To the World: Here are some comments about my Wildflowers of Scotland Novels, where age-old legends shed light on modern day mysteries with a wee bit of romance…

“Hansen did a fantastic job making the words fly off the page. The world she created came to life and felt real, as if I was really there with the characters, seeing, feeling, and wanting everything they did. Bravo!”

“This story was full of well-developed characters and spectral shenanigans that had me cheering and boo-hissing at all the appropriate moments. One of those rare books that kept me up way past my bed time. I’m looking forward to reading more from this author.”

“Sherrie Hansen is such a good teller of stories. This book, like her others, is engaging and well-written, the dialogue is snappy and believable, and the characters are imperfect, which makes them all the more fun to read. The story flows well, kept me glued to the pages.”

“One thing I adored about this book was the author’s brilliant imagination and writing. I could envision the characters speaking in my mind and it made the story have more depth and character. There were genuine bits that made me laugh out loud… I really enjoyed this story and finished it in a few hours as I really wanted to know what would happen next. I was not disappointed. The writing was excellent and fast paced, hats of to Sherrie!”

The Mystery of Love

How To Get Your Hands on My Latest Novel

Blue Belle Inn B&B and Tea House

Many of you used to visit the Blue Belle Inn every summer and pick up my latest novel. I can’t give you the Blue Belle, but I can give you a great mystery with a wee bit of romance to make your summer more fun! You can contact me WordPress or via Messenger if you’re on Facebook, or give me a ring at 515-538-0294. Or, email me at sherrieh@wctatel.net. The books pictured below are my latest. Alpine Meadow should be out later this summer or early fall. I look forward to hearing from you!

ON SALE NOW! Highland Heather is a mystery with a wee bit of romance set in the Highlands of Scotland. It’s a great time to meet Heather and Brodie, Jaelle, Munro and Finn because they’ll all be reappearing in my new novel, Alpine Meadow, coming soon from Blue Belle Books. And… because the paperback is on…

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Take a Trip Around the World for Less than $20

Worry Free Travel – What Are You Waiting For?

Worry Free Travel – What Are You Waiting For?

No flight delays. No last minute cancellations. No construction zones. No long queues. No big credit card bills. No sunburns. No COVID worries. No midge bites. No sub-standard hotel mattresses.

Pick up a book by Sherrie Hansen and you can be in Ireland, Old Bohemia, Scotland, Northern Minnesota, Denmark, or Florida in minutes. Best travel bargain available!

“Hansen took me on a very enjoyable journey, far far from the maddening world.”

“The setting came to life as did the cultural flavor and small town charm. It’s not my first read by this author and won’t be my last, she has a wonderful voice that makes falling into her worlds a pleasure.”

“Sherrie’s writing takes me to a land where I’ve never been and makes me feel at home there.”

“The author has a talent for bringing her characters to life and making the reader feel they are actually in the places her stories are set.”

“The author does a great job creating the characters, their background and the location. You can easily believe that these people really exist.”  

What are you waiting for? All you have to do to take a trip around the world is find a comfortable chair, turn on the light, pick up a book by Sherrie Hansen, and go!

The Long-Awaited Blue Belle Inn B&B and Tea House Cookbook is Here!

Blue Belle Inn B&B and Tea House

COOKBOOK UPDATE: I am happy to announce that the spiral bound Blue Belle Inn B&B and Tea House Cookbook with color tabs is now available!!

The price is $25 each. If you buy 5 or more, the price will drop to $20 each. I have some appearances set up so you can buy my novels (Highland Heather and Sea Shell Ginger), and Blue Belle Inn Cookbooks (and hopefully taste a sample recipe from the cookbook.) May 9th 4 – 6 pm – St. Ansgar Nissen Library, May 11th 6 pm – Northwood Public Library, and June 8th 3 -5 pm -Thompson Public Library. I will announce others once dates are set. Kindle, Paperback, and Hardcover versions are available at Amazon. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C1J4L8T3 If you want a spiral bound cookbook with color tabs, they are available at Sweet Reads in Austin, MN, or Thymeless Treasures in Saint Ansgar.

I am also happy…

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Sea Shell Ginger is Now Available for Purchase!

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BVCPDPFR

When gangsters kidnapped Ginger’s great-aunt from the Pink Palace Hotel in 1939, few clues ever surfaced. Those that did pointed to the alligator-infested waters of the Florida Everglades. All anyone knows for sure is that neither her aunt, the gangster who kidnapped her, nor the ransom money were ever seen again.

Antonio has his own reasons for wanting to solve the mystery of why his great-uncle disappeared—and where he hid the ransom. While Antonio and Ginger work at trusting each other enough to deal with the truth, all they seem to unearth are secrets that are better left buried. Will the facts finally free their families from the clutches of the past, or will history repeat itself?