Welcome to New Ocelot Miriam Drori!

We’re excited to announce that author and editor Miriam Drori has joined Ocelot Press.

Miriam’s novels and short stories cover several genres, including crime, romance and uplit. She has also published a non-fiction book about social anxiety.

Starting this autumn, Ocelot Press will publish her series of cosy crime mysteries set in Jerusalem, where Miriam lives.

You can find out more about Miriam on her author page, which gives all of her social media links.

Welcome to Ocelot Press, Miriam!

Copyright © Ocelot Press 2022. All rights reserved.

Never on Saturday Now in a French Edition

Sue Barnard’s Never on Saturday is now available in a French edition, entitled Jamais le Samedi. She tells us how this came about.

A few years ago, a friend in Paris suggested that my books ought to be available in French. It has taken a while, but it’s finally happening: my paranormal romance novella Never on Saturday is now available in a French version. 

Never on Saturday was first published in 2017, and a slightly revised version was issued in 2020. Jamais le Samedi tells the same story, but brings it a little closer to home. 

The story is set partly in medieval France and partly in present-day North Wales, and is based on an old French legend.  Unfortunately I can’t reveal here what the legend is, as that would give away too much about the plot – but rest assured that all will become clear by the end of the book. 

I’m hoping, in the fullness of time, to release French editions of some more of my titles.  I’ve recently made a start on The Ghostly Father (in French: Le Père Spiritueux), but that is a rather longer book and could take quite some time. But for now, please enjoy Jamais le Samedi. It has been a fun project!

Book Description in English

Two stories, two heartbreaks: one past, one present…

Leaving her native France and arriving in North Wales as a postgraduate student of History and Folklore, Mel is cautiously optimistic that she can escape from her troubled past and begin a new and happier life. 

She settles into her student accommodation and begins work on her thesis, concentrating particularly on one fascinating manuscript: a compelling and tragic tale of a cursed medieval princess. 

Then she meets Ray – charming, down-to-earth and devastatingly handsome. Within days, Mel’s entire world has transformed from lonely and frustrated to loving and fulfilled. Despite her failure with previous relationships, she allows herself to hope that this time, at last, she can make it work.

But Mel’s dreams of happiness are under constant threat. She is hiding a dark and terrible secret, which Ray – or indeed anybody else – must never ever discover… 

Description du livre en français

Deux histoires, deux crève-cœurs : un passé, un présent…

Quittant sa France natale et arrivant dans le nord du Pays de Galles comme étudiante de troisième cycle en histoire et folklore, Mel espère pouvoir s’échapper à son passé troublé et de commencer une vie nouvelle et plus heureuse.

Elle s’installe dans son logement d’étudiant et commence à travailler sur sa thèse, faisant attention spéciale à l’histoire fascinante et tragique d’une princesse médiévale maudite.

Puis elle rencontre Ray – charmant, intelligent, et d’une beauté dévastatrice. En quelques jours, le monde entier de Mel est transformé de solitaire et frustré à aimant et comblé. Malgré avoir échoué dans les relations précédentes, elle se permet d’espérer que cette fois, enfin, elle pourra faire réussir cette relation amoureuse.

Mais ses rêves de bonheur sont perpétuellement menacés. Elle cache un secret sombre et terrible, que Ray – ou même n’importe qui d’autre – ne doit jamais découvrir…

Copyright © Sue Barnard, Ocelot Press 2022. All right reserved.

Before Beltane is on its way!

This post is by Nancy Jardine.
Before Beltane, the Prequel to Nancy Jardine’s Celtic Fervour Series, is now a few days old and it has gained its first review on Amazon. The 5***** star review has come from a paperback book reader and is a brilliant start to sharing impressions of the stories with potential readers.

Here’s the review:

The Prequel to the Celtic Fervour Series by Nancy Jardine is a very enjoyable read which takes the reader back to the early years of the first century AD in Iron Age Britain before the full Roman invasion of Brigantia. The book gives an early sense of the Celtic people and has something for every reader of historical novels.

Nancy Jardine (and Ocelot Press) heartily thanks the reviewer. Receiving a review really helps to give the book visibility in online settings and it endorses the writer’s time, diligence and effort in creating the fiction.

Before Beltane is effectively Book 0 (Zero) and is the introduction to the Celtic Fervour Series of historical adventures set in late 1st Century Roman Britain.

Before Beltane and the other 5 novels in the series can be bought from Amazon in kindle and paperback formats. You can also order a paperback in bookstores like B&N, WH Smith, Waterstones or independent bookstores.

Happy Reading!

Before Beltane – A Prequel to the Celtic Fervour Series!

Ocelot Press has a new addition to its list of titles. Nancy Jardine’s Celtic Fervour Series, set in Late 1st Century Roman Britain/ Roman Empire, now has a Prequel to the series named Before Beltane.

Before Beltane was written to provide a deeper historical backdrop to the beginning of the series, to describe in more detail what was happening in Brigantia, northern Roman Britain, in AD 71. It also gives a glimpse into the lives of Lorcan of Garrigill and Nara of Tarras – the two main characters of Book 1 The Beltane Choice – prior to them meeting each other in Book 1.
Civil War between Queen Cartimandua and her ex-husband King Venutius caused strife amongst the Brigantes for some years, though by AD 71 it was time for all of the Brigantes to be at peace and to live together in harmony.
Unfortunately, the downfall of Queen Cartimandua (a Client Ruler of Rome) caused an escalation of the threat of Roman legionary invasion. The armies of General Cerialis, the Roman Governor of Britannia, not only invaded Brigantia, but by AD 71 they settled down and built wooden forts.
Before Beltane is a book of two intermingling halves. It presents an incident in Lorcan of Garrigill’s daily life, followed by an incident in Nara of Tarras’ daily life, a process that’s repeated throughout the book.

Two lives. Two stories. One future.

AD 71  Northern Britannia

At the Islet of the Priestesses, acolyte Nara greets each new day eager to heal the people at Tarras Hillfort. Weapon training is a guilty pleasure, but she is devastated when she is unexpectedly denied the final rites of an initiated priestess. A shocking new future beckons for Princess Nara of the Selgovae…

In the aftermath of civil war across Brigantia, Lorcan of Garrigill’s promotion of King Venutius is fraught with danger. Potential invasion by Roman legions from the south makes an unstable situation even worse. When Lorcan meets the Druid Maran, the future foretold for him is as enthralling as it is horrifying…

Before Beltane is now available in paperback format from AMAZON and can be ordered in bookstores.
The AMAZON eBook launch is April 29th 2022 and the eBook is on Pre-Order till then.

Wishing you Happy Reading!

One year on for Beathan The Brigante!

Beathan the Brigante,  Book 5 of the Celtic Fervour Series, by Ocelot Press author Nancy Jardine. has just passed the ‘one year since published’ mark. To celebrate, it’s having a little SPREE of FREE days across the Amazon network!

During 27th, 28th and 29th  Aug 2021, you’ll be able to pick up a kindle copy and read about young Beathan of Garrigill’s adventures when he is dragged all the way from Caledonia to Rome. Roman General Agricola might have ordered the fetters around his ankles but freedom from them eventually comes for Beathan – at a price.
Where is revenge all the sweeter? For a time the lives of Agricola and Beathan are intertwined but whose gods are doing the favouring? Is it Agricola’s, or Beathan’s?

You can get your #FREE copy HERE and find out those answers.

Enjoy!

p.s. You might also find, if you’re quick, that The Beltane Choice, Book 1 of the series, is also FREE this weekend!

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