25 Jun Nancy Jardine Novice Threads #VictorianSaga #HistoricalFiction #Scotland #WomensFiction #BlogTour #TheCoffeePotBookClub @nansjar @cathiedunn

FEATURED AUTHOR: NANCY JARDINE

I‘m delighted to introduce Nancy Jardine as the featured author in The Coffee Pot Book Club Blog Tour being held between June 5th – 26th, 2024. Nancy Jardine is the author of the Victorian Scotland Saga / Historical Fiction / Women’s Fiction, Novice Threads (Silver Sampler Series), released by Nancy Jardine with Ocelot Press on 15^th May 2024 (356 pages).

Below are highlights of Novice Threads, Nancy Jardine’s author bio, and an excerpt from her book 

Tour Schedule Page: https://thecoffeepotbookclub.blogspot.com/2024/04/blog-tour-novice-threads-by-nancy-jardine.html

HIGHLIGHTS: NOVICE THREADS

Novice Threads
(Silver Sampler Series)
by Nancy Jardine

Blurb:

A thirst for education.  Shattered dreams. Fragile relations.

1840s Scotland

Being sent to school is the most exhilarating thing that’s ever happened to young Margaret Law. She sharpens her newly-acquired education on her best friend, Jessie Morison, till Jessie is spirited away to become a scullery maid. But how can Margaret fulfil her visions of becoming a schoolteacher when her parents’ tailoring and drapery business suddenly collapses and she must find a job?

Salvation from domestic drudgery – or never-ending seamstress work – comes via Jessie whose employer seeks a tutor for his daughter. Free time exploring Edinburgh with Jessie is great fun, but increasing tension in the household claws at Margaret’s nerves.

Margaret also worries about her parents’ estrangement, and the mystery of Jessie’s unknown father.

When tragedy befalls the household in Edinburgh, Margaret must forge a new pathway for the future – though where will that be?

Buy Links:

This title is available to read on #Kindle Unlimited.

Universal Buy Link: https://mybook.to/NTsss

AUTHOR BIO: NANCY JARDINE

Nancy writes historical and contemporary fiction. 1^st Century Roman Britain is the setting of her Celtic Fervour Series. Victorian and Edwardian history has sneaked into two of her ancestry-based contemporary mysteries, and her current Silver Sampler Series is set in Victorian Scotland.

Her novels have achieved Finalist status in UK book competitions (People’s Book Prize; Scottish Association of Writers) and have received prestigious Online Book Awards.

Published with Ocelot Press, writing memberships include – Historical Novel Society; Romantic Novelists Association; Scottish Association of Writers; Federation of Writers Scotland; Alliance of Independent Authors.

Author Links:

Website: http://www.nancyjardine.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/nansjar

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NancyJardinewrites/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nancy-jardine-a919b03a/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nansjar2023/

Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/nansjar23.bsky.social

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.co.uk/nanjar/

Book Bub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/nancy-jardine

Amazon Author Page: viewauthor.at/findmybookshere

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5139590.Nancy_Jardine

EXCERPT: NOVICE THREADS

How To Console Your Best Friend.

September 1847

Margaret skipped her way down South Street in the hope that Jessie would already be outside and down at the Queich Bridge. It had been weeks since they’d been able to play together, poor Jessie having to do even more work at home since Ruth was really poorly now. The cough that had plagued Ruth for years had got a lot worse. Ruth had never been able to go back to the mill as a Fine Drawer. The mill wouldn’t employ her in any capacity, not even for sweeping the floor.

For a few months, Ruth had been doing some sewing work when she could get it, but it wasn’t for Miss Reid. It was just poorly-paid mending that other women couldn’t find time to do. Worst of all, Jessie had said that her mother had stopped going outside the house in the evenings and was now like a shadow moping around all the time.

“She nivver gets oot her bed noo, except to go tae the necessary,” Jessie had said the last time they’d seen each other. “She mends a bit, here and there, propped up oan pillows. But she maistly falls asleep.”

That meant that Jessie had to lie on the floor to sleep on a couple of old blankets because there was only room for her granny at the edge of the bed, since Ruth took up most of the space.

Margaret didn’t think that sounded very comfortable. Or fair.

July had been cold and all-the-time rainy, August not much better. That wasn’t fair either, because school had stopped at the end of May for the younger children and Margaret was bored. When it rained and she couldn’t get out to play, Peggy made her do even more sewing. It was so repetitive that the only thing that stopped her from falling asleep was the needle stabbing into her fingers.

It wasn’t the actual rain that kept Margaret from playing outside, it was more that Peggy got so cross when she returned home soaked. It was worse for Jessie if her clothes got wet because Jessie didn’t have a Sunday dress to change into dry clothes.

As soon as she got closer to Jessie’s house, Margaret knew that something was going on. Jessie was sitting outside on her doorstep and looked as if she’d been crying for days on end. Her blonde hair was all mussed up like a haystack.

Margaret didn’t say anything at first. She just sat next to Jessie and took her hand into her own, giving it a very gentle squeeze. Jessie didn’t even look at her. Big tears leaked out of her eyes and slid down to drip off her chin, her gaze focused straight ahead at the cottage on the other side of the road, but since Margaret could see nothing happening over there, she didn’t think that Jessie was seeing anything at all. After a tiny while she couldn’t keep quiet.

“Is your ma very bad?” She kept her voice to a whisper.

Eventually, Jessie’s anguished blue gaze turned towards her. “Ruth’s gone.”

Margaret didn’t know what to say. She had a feeling that the ‘gone’ wasn’t to Kinross, or any other place that she knew of. Her fears were confirmed when Jessie hiccupped, her eyes overflowing with distress.

“I dinnae think she’s gone tae heaven.” Big sobs now racked poor Jessie’s body. Margaret snuggled in even closer and put her arm around Jessie’s shoulder.

“Why would she not go there?” She wasn’t sure how to console.

“Ma granny told Ruth last night tae prepare hersel’. Because she’d never repented properly, heaven wisnae where she’d eventually be bidin’.”

Margaret felt her mouth gape open. Hell was for terrible people. Ruth had seemed a bit selfish, but surely, she wasn’t that bad?

“I’ve been telt to sit outside but I’ve no tae move frae the step. There’s a wifie wha’ bides up the street called Mistress Byers. She’s a freen o’ ma granny and she’s in there jist noo. Granny says that she’s the best at the laying-out duties in Milnathort, whitiver that means. They’re getting ma mither into her best Sunday dress, though I dinnae ken how they’re doing that, because she cannae move or talk ony mair.”

Margaret thought about that. “Your mother always liked to wear her best clothes when she went to your Parish Kirk on a Sunday. And you said she always did her hair all fancy. Maybe it’s because she’s not managed to go there for a while, and…” she hesitated before continuing, not sure about her words, “…because she’ll not be going again.”

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