Elin Gregory

Another Saturday, don’t they roll round fast?

It’s snippet time again – a time when 30+ authors of LGBT themed fiction post six[ish] sentences of published works or WIPs and share them around through the magical medium of Facebook *rolls eyes a bit*. Click on the link about to go to the Facebook group where all the links are collected.

Okay, still with me?

I’m posting the next consecutive six from Calon Lan – a title taken from the old Welsh hymn which means Pure Heart – which is set during the Great War an shows a romance through the eyes of the married sister of one of the protagonists. Last week Alwyn had gone to the station to fetch his friend, leaving Bethan and Nye alone in the house.

They were tidy again and Bethan had prepared supper while Nye finished his work in the yard, before Bethan saw the first glimmer of light from the lamp on the trap. She peered into the gathering dark, wondering if she should call Nye in from where he was shutting up the fowls for the night, but then she saw him striding down the yard to open the gate. Bethan admired the spring in his step, knowing that she had put it there, then went to stir up the fire. She hung the kettle and swung it into the flames while listening to try and guess how long she would have before they came inside. Nye called a welcome, his voice small in the distance and she heard no reply that carried over the ring of Polly’s hooves and the grate of iron shod wheels on the cobbles.
She heard a soft mutter of voices, a louder comment from Nye then Nye appeared at the door with a canvas bag in his arms. He kicked the door shut behind him and rolled his eyes. “Your bloody brother,” he muttered and set the bag aside so he could stoop to remove his boots.

In case you want to know what Calon Lan sounds like this is the shortest vid I can find. The Welsh Youth Choir amusing other passengers at Buenos Aires airport on their way back from a series of gigs commemorating the 150th anniversary of the Welsh arriving in Argentina and settling in Patagonia.

If you don’t mind a longer version with pretty pictures of Wales there’s this one:

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It’s that time of week again, where a couple of dozen authors writing books of LGBT interest post short excerpts of their published work or WIPs. Click on the graphic above to be taken to the Facebook group where all the links are compiled into a handy dandy time saving list!!

Oh yeah.

I didn’t manage to get as many read last week as I wished and don’t think I managed to comment to any, but this week I’ll try to do better.

I’m continuing with my snippets from Calon Lan, though I suspect that might have to just be a working title. Calon Lan is set during the Great War and tells of a male male romance seen through the uncomprehending eyes of the married sister of one of the protagonists. Apologies to purists but this week, to keep on with the strict as it comes approach, there’s a suggestion of m/f. You may wish to avert your eyes.

They worked hard that morning, ate an early dinner, then Alwyn went out to put the mare to the trap. Polly had been curried until her bay sides shone and her harness gleamed with oil. Alwyn had even taken the trouble to rub up the brasses and that made Bethan smile. So much had been done lately that had to be done and barely a thing for the joy of it.
Bethan watched from the window as Alwyn set off, holding Polly to a steady walk, though from the set of her ears she would have preferred to step out into the bold high-kneed trot she had been bred for.
Nye put his hands on her shoulders and ducked his head to look as well, his chin on her shoulder, breath warming her neck. “He’s not like to be home much before dark and Georgie is fast asleep.”
Bethan grinned. “And you’ve got an itch that needs scratching, is it?” she asked and chuckled as he chased her upstairs.

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Here’s my snip for this week’s Rainbow Snippets.

Rainbow Snippets is a Facebook group where interested parties can share 6, approx, sentences of a published work or a WIP and other interested parties can read them. The only rule is that the protagonists of the book have to feature somewhere on the LGBTI+ spectrum.

So technically my story Calon Lan probably shouldn’t count because my POV character is a straight woman! But maybe it does because she’s observing the development – or is it a continuation – of a romance between her brother Alwyn and a friend. Here Alwyn is making a case for his friend to come and help on the farm, and it’s illegally long so it can finish off the section.

“A miner? What use will a miner be?”

“He worked with the ponies.” Alwyn glanced at Bethan. “He’s sleeping at his sister’s. There’s eight of them in the house. And he’s a good man. A worker.”

“And he’s a friend,” Bethan said. “Nye, why not? We could see how he does? Even if it’s only a few weeks?”

Nye’s fork paused on its journey to his mouth then lowered to his plate. He turned from brother to sister, his mouth tightening in the exasperated moue he always made when they ganged up on him. “Well.” His tone was grudging until she reached to touch his hand. “Ponies, horses – all the same, isn’t it, apart from the size.”

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