Ceci Giltenan, Author

One year ago today, I was absolutely beside myself with joy. No it wasn’t quite like the day I was married, or the days my children were born, but it was darn close. Highland Solution, my debut novel, was released. I had achieved a dream that I had nurtured from childhood. It was absolutely thrilling but I had no idea what lay ahead.

A year later, I am much wiser perhaps even a bit jaded but still as giddy about being a published author as I was then. Since that time, among other things I have:

-published a second novel
-released audio versions of both novels
-parted ways with my publisher
-had new cover art created
-nearly finished my third novel
-joined a group of authors touched by magic (The Guardians of Cridhe)
-completed a novella that will be part of The Scrolls of Cridhe, Volume 1, Highland Winds.

And I have done all of this while managing another career.

Perhaps more important than these things, I have made some absolutely, incredible friends. I am not sure how I lived my life this long, without these people in it.

H.D. Smith (author of the absolutely amazing urban fantasy, Dark Hope), meeting you was the very best part of working with my former publisher. That alone made all of the stress worth it. You are brilliant, practical, driven and funny. I wish you lived a little closer, but I love having a reason to drive to Orlando.

Sue-Ellen Welfonder (USA Today bestselling author and sister Guardian), you have called me an angel but I know Highland Solution would not have been so well received had you not taken be under your impressive wings and helped launch it. The bond we have was immediate and strong. It feels as if you have always been a part of my life and I love you.

Kate Robbins (best selling author and sister Guardian), well missus, how the hell did we end up here? I felt compelled to send a message another new author who might be smarting, as I did, over a few ugly reviews. I’m not sure why I did. I have never done anything like that before. I can only believe it was the magic already beginning to sparkle.

Suzan Tisdale (bestselling author and sister Guardian), I still have trouble believing THE Suzan Tisdale is my friend, my sister and my partner in crime. Perhaps it is a good thing that we have only just found each other. If we had met thirty years ago, we might have wrought havoc. Now we know where to hide the bodies.

Tarah Scott (bestselling author and the master mind behind The Guardians of Cridhe), you asked me if I wanted to do a bundle. Getting my head around the fact that you asked me isn’t easy. Experiencing the magic that started swirling around us once you did is breathtaking. Thank you for believing in me and letting me be your co-conspirator in this. Great things await.

Lily Baldwin (bestselling author and sister Guardian), I am convinced that you, my precious, are the little sister I used to pray for. God finally brought you to me, just not in the usual fashion. You are sugar cookies, armfuls of wild flowers and hot chocolate all rolled into one lovely and talented package. To paraphrase Darth Vader, the magic is strong with this one.

Kathryn Lynn Davis (NYT bestselling author and sister Guardian). I firmly believe, we have passed this way before. Perhaps we all have, but I feel it very deeply with you. You are a truly gifted author and it is an honor to call you friend.

Thank you ladies for your help, support, shoulders to weep on, battle cries, confidence and adventurous spirits. Here’s to many years of friendship to come!

It has been a crazy summer for me. June started off with a bang when my publisher and I parted ways and I had to scramble to rerelease both books. This happened fairly seamlessly, all things considered, but I did have to rush my cover art a bit and had to use an image on the cover of Highland Solution that I didn’t love. The girl was pretty and blond, but didn’t look as sweet as I imagined Katherine and the man had dark hair–Niall is described as having sandy colored hair.

Readers may not know this but often authors have no input into their cover art if they are published by a traditional publisher. The man on the original cover of Highland Solution was dark haired, so the artist cut his head off. I actually used the same man on the rereleased cover in June–for the sake of consistency, but then I was stuck with his dark hair. The cover artist tried to lighten it a bit, but there is only so much that can be done.

Even once an author is self-published he or she may have little choice. Most people must search stock image sites where they can buy royalty-free art, to try to find something close to what they want. The choices for historical images are often slim, particularly medieval and Scottish historical images. That is why you see the same model again and again.

I decided that I would bite the bullet and pay for a professional photo shoot to get just the images I wanted for my next novel (Highland Intrigue), the upcoming novella with the Guardians of Cridhe (Highland Revenge) and while I was at it, I had photos taken to replace the image on Highland Solution.

I love the new cover!

If you are in the Orlando area on Saturday August 8, stop by the Buena Vista Palace for the Indie Bookfest Book Fair! I will be there signing books with H.D. Smith between 1 and 4 PM.

I am at the Romance Novel Convention in Las Vegas. I have never been to Las Vegas before. I must admit, it is a tad overwhelming but exciting nonetheless. My friend author H.D. Smith (Dark Hope) arrived yesterday. I can’t wait to meet up with Suzan Tisdale and Kathryn LeVeque later today. Stay tuned–I will be posting photos.

My husband and I celebrated 23 years of marriage this past Saturday…at a wedding. Although I suspect having the opportunity to attend someone else’s wedding on one’s anniversary is rare, I highly recommend it. Memories of the day have never been stronger than they were as we celebrated with the newlyweds.

There were a few differences. Our wedding was held in Maryland and the temperature soared to 103°F (39.4°C) with greater than 90% humidity that day. Saturday’s wedding was held in Falmouth MA, on Cape Cod, where the evening was cool and dry. Our reception was held in a quaint, rustic, gristmill and attended by over 150 people, theirs was small and intimate, held in a beautiful Victorian manor.  Our caterer ran out of drinks (perhaps because of the heat) and the best man had to make a run to a nearby liqueur store for beer, wine and sodas while their caterer was fully stocked and glasses were never empty.

What wasn’t different was the love. The love the couple had for each other and the love the guests had for the couple. That celebration of love and commitment is, after all, the reason for a wedding whether it is held in a cathedral, a park or an Elvis wedding chapel in Vegas. We toast, we dance, we eat cake and we revel in the love that surrounds us. What better way to celebrate one’s anniversary? I suppose it didn’t hurt that our daughter asked the DJ to play Can’t Help Falling in Love, the song to which my husband and I danced our first dance and we danced to it again, soaking in the memories.

Twenty years ago, at a little after two in the afternoon, I held my princess for the first time. It wasn’t a tiara on her head, but rather one of those little stocking caps they put on all newborns but she was my princess, my little girl.

These twenty years have flown by. I don’t exactly know how that happens. We all live one day after the next, 24 hours followed by 24 more, and yet 7305 days have passed in what seems like a blur since my sweet daughter was born. How did she go from dolls and dress-ups to dances and dates?

The answer is one beautiful step and one glorious day at a time, but with our limited human abilities, we simply can’t remember them all. What is left is a collection of stunning impressions. Sure there are images of tee-ball games where she wore lace anklets with her cleats, dance recitals in beautiful costumes, birthday parties, and holidays. But there are also images of ordinary days, Catholic school uniform clad days, hot summer, sunburned-nose days. There are the occasional days of worry and sadness. There are days of heartbreak and great joy. These are the threads that make up the fabric of 7305 days of memories.

However, while the memories are very dear to me, more precious still is the exquisite young lady she has become. Yes, she is very lovely, but that isn’t what I’m referring to. Her beauty penetrates to her very soul. She is kind, compassionate, warm and genuine; the kind of person who sees the unnoticed and draws them in. She has confidence in her ability and her innate value while still nurturing a deep faith in God that grounds her.

Occasionally I miss the dolls and dress-ups, but not for long because I am so very proud of woman she is becoming. I have referred to her several times in this post and mine–my princess, my little girl, my sweet daughter. This will make her laugh. She is mine (and her father’s 🙂 ) but perhaps most significantly she is her own woman. She will make a mark on this world. She will touch people and change their lives. She already has.

I love you Meghan, with every fiber of my being. Happy Birthday.

The cat is officially out of the bag!

I have joined with six other truly wonderful authors of historical Scottish romance: Suzan Tisdale, Sue-Ellen Welfonder, Kathryn Lynn Davis, Lily Baldwin, Kate Robbins and Tarah Scott. Together we are the Guardians of Cridhe. Our first collection of new novellas, The Scrolls of Cridhe – Volume 1, Highland Winds will be released November 17, 2014. Join us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/groups/TheGuardiansOfCridhe/.

The Legend –
Long, long ago, in the time before time, seven sisters were called from the far reaches of the realm. Each brought unique talents, but had one common gift; the ability to weave ageless tales of love and courage. An evil witch coveted their gifts and locked them in a tower, silencing their voices upon threat of death. But the Highlands are enchanted, and magic will not countenance seven pure hearts such as theirs to be lost.

With no one else to hear them, they sang their stories to each other. Fate blew a braw Highland wind to their prison, and the sweet, high timbre of the sisters’ voices enthralled it. The wind gathered close their silver words as it raced past each day, and carried their love and goodness throughout the world…then across the ages.

Today, their words live on in the Guardians of Cridhe, seven sisters who have sworn to preserve those pure and musical hearts so long as they live. It is said these seven descend from those ancient female bards. Only their words can bear witness to that truth…

Be on Facebook tonight at 8:00 pm Eastern time to find out what!