While attending a writing retreat several years ago, Sir Stephan MacQuistan woke me up, told me that he was a Knights Templar, and demanded that I write his story. I wasn’t surprised to be awoken by a strong character, Alexander MacGruder, the hero of, “His Captive,” book #1 in the bestselling MacGruder brothers, woke me up ordering that I write his story as well.
It’s the holidays again, an emotion-filled time where it seems there are not enough hours in each day to fit everything in. In this busy time, I ask each of you to please consider one more stop on your crazy to do list, that of making a donation to a local food bank. Your donation can be a dollar, a can of food, whatever you can give. With the hurricanes, fires, and flooding that have affected so many this year, anything you can offer is a gift to those working to rebuild their lives.
I volunteer for Habitat For Humanity, and something amazing happens when you allow a person a flicker of hope, that somehow, incredibly, even a stranger understands that at times life shoves us on a road we never asked for.
Several years ago, in addition to my personal donation to my local food bank, I decided to start a Food Bank Challenge. Except, it kind of wonderfully got out of hand. Amazingly, once I posted The Food Bank Challenge on my Facebook page and my Facebook reader page, people from across the U.S. began donating to their local food banks and sharing on my Food Bank Challenge post. Then, I read posts of donations from Canada. Holy cow, the Food Bank Challenge had gone international! And you know what, this is truly a blessing. In this venture, we all win. Gifts from the heart do that, they fill you, remind you there is good in the world, and that you can make a positive as profound difference in others lives.
How it works: Starting November 3rd, when you donate to a local food bank or food drive, write beneath my International Food Bank Challenge post on my Facebook page, or, Facebook Author page, that you donated. ( https://www.facebook.com/Diana-Cosby-Romance-Author-150109024636/?ref=ts ) Continue reading “Diana Cosby’s International Food Bank Food Drive Challenge”
In addition to growing up with my mom who is a wonderful cook, I spent a lot of time baking with my grandmother in the mountains of Vermont. I cherish the memories of creating recipes, of the stories I’d listen to as we’d mix the ingredients, and the scents of warm cookies, cake, bread, and more. A tradition that I shared with my children as they grew up.
Through baking I taught my kids how to measure, to count, and to be artistic in thinking beyond the recipe and create something new, and to have fun as I’d place a small dollop of frosting on the tip of their noses. For birthday’s they’d pick themes for their cakes, and on holidays they’d help place special effects, usually created with chocolate, candy, or toys. In addition, they learned about sharing what they baked with friends and neighbors, and how to help the community by donating their creations to bake sales.
I’m a huge believer in giving back and helping others, a trait I wanted my kids to embrace in their lives. For several years I made cakes for Make-A-Wish. As I’d decorate the cake, with my children giving me suggestions on what colors to use or details to ad, we’d talk about the challenges of life, and how important it was to thank God for each day.
As I look back, I’m grateful for those special moments of baking with my children, it was more than teaching them life lessons, but a way to create special memories that will forever touch their, as my heart.
“Diana Cosby is superbly talented.” —Cathy Maxwell, New York Times bestselling author
In battle-torn Scotland, a castle’s mistress awaits her groom, a warrior she has never met . . .
Lady Gwendolyn Murphy’s fiancé has finally arrived at Latharn Castle, but she expects no joy in their introduction. Gwendolyn is well aware of Bróccín MacRaith’s cold reputation. Yet from first glance, she is drawn to the intimidating stranger. Impossible! How could she be dazzled by such a callous man?
Little does she know, Bróccín is dead. The man Gwendolyn believes to be her intended is actually Sir Aiden MacConnell, a member of the Knights Templar and her enemy, masquerading as the earl to gain access to the castle. His soul is dedicated to God and war; he has no time for luxuries of the flesh. But Gwendolyn’s intoxicating beauty, intellect, and fortitude lures him to want the forbidden.
With the wedding date quickly approaching and the future of Scotland at stake, Aiden gathers critical intelligence and steels himself for his departure, vowing to avoid an illicit liaison. But a twist of fate forces him to choose—move forward with a life built on a lie, or risk everything for the heart of one woman?
Praise for the novels of Diana Cosby
“Cosby gives you it all—passion, danger, lush history and a touch of magic. Excellent reading.” —Hannah Howell, New York Times bestselling author
“A sexy new voice in historical romance. Scottish historicals have a bright new star.” —Sandra Hill, USA Today bestselling author
“Diana Cosby writes wonderful historical romance!” —Susan King
I enjoy doing many crafts, painting, gardening, and more, but one I’ve recently picked back up is quilting. I admit I had a strong motive, the arrival of my first grandchild, Laura. A momentous occasion, like a story, where a new character is brought to life, except in this special life moment, it’s the arrival of a precious little girl who has stolen my heart.
Until I started the process, I didn’t realize how much quilting and writing were in essence, cut from the same cloth. Like the fun of deciding upon a plot, I had a blast choosing a pattern and selecting various types of cloth. Then, as in researching the time-frame and preparing to write, I cut out numerous pieces of fabric, and set up my sewing machine. Similar to creating a hero and heroine’s journey, then came the time to place all of the sections together into a cohesive pattern and sew them together.
Except, what I hadn’t anticipated was that like crafting a story, where the characters dig in and I’m forced to alter the course of their journey that I had planned, at times the pattern that I had envisioned changed. Several times I ended up disassembling blocks, reorganizing them, then continue to piece the swaths together. Continue reading “Quilting & Writing ‒ Cut From The Same Cloth by Diana Cosby”
Romance readers are AMAZING! And, SO is Habitat For Humanity, a charity that I love supporting and volunteering for. So, I thought, why not pair the two and help a deserving family receive a home? And, the Diana Cosby’s Romance Reader’s Build A Habitat For Humanity House of Love fundraiser was born.
I contacted the Habitat For Humanity office in Grayson County, Texas, where I’ve had the honor of helping with several builds and spoke with Laurie Mealy, Executive Director. She embraced the project, and was thrilled at the thought of pairing romance readers, who love stories where heroes and heroines overcome challenges to make their dreams come true, with making the dream of home ownership for a deserving family a reality.
Goal: Fund an entire home – $55,000.
I kicked off the challenge by donating $200. As I write this, we’ve raised $12,590. Romance readers are amazing, and I have complete faith that as the stories they love, they will join together to raise the amount necessary to give a deserving family a home.
How it works:
As readers send donations to Habitat for Humanity of Grayson County for the ‘Diana Cosby’s Readers Build A House of Love,’ the total contributions are updated below the house graphic on the upper right side of the homepage. Donations can be sent via PayPal by ‘clicking’ on the house, which takes you to the donation page, or by mailing a check or money order to:
Habitat for Humanity of Grayson County Continue reading “Diana Cosby’s – Romance Reader’s Build A Habitat For Humanity House of Love”
An Oath Broken author Diana Cosby has another passion besides writing Scottish medieval romantic suspense, she loves photography. An amateur photographer, Diana enjoys unveiling nature in new and fun ways. To her, taking pictures is an opportunity to create art through the lens of the camera.
ALEXANDER MACGRUDER’S ORANGE-CHOCOLATE-PECAN BISCOTTI
INGREDIENTS:
2 cups flour
2 eggs
8 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips Continue reading “Recipes from The MacGruder Brothers with Diana Cosby”
INGREDIENTS:
Chocolate cookie pie shell
1 Quart Apple Pie ice cream
Whipped cream Continue reading “Apple Pie Ice Cream Pie with Diana Cosby”
I love creating characters and building a complex story, but I also enjoy making up the setting. I used to joke with one of my critique partners that I could write four pages describing a leaf falling to the ground. But, for me, there’s something magical about crafting the background for each scene.
As I write medieval romantic suspense, except for taking a trip to Scotland, Ireland, or England, or through viewing photographs, I’m left to create the setting for the story through my mind. Or, am I?
Regardless if the time frame of my stories is hundreds of years ago, the scent of flowers, the whisper of the wind through the trees, deer, hawks, and some of the other birds and animals that I see, and the brilliant sunsets would have existed back then.
So, as I move through the forest or walk into a clearing that exposes a scenic view, I take in the beauty of nature, the scents, and the sounds.
When I sit down to write, with the story running through my mind and thoughts for setting inspired from nature, I craft the next scene.
For the price of honor, he must walk away from the woman he loves…
Orphaned young, a childhood of loneliness and brutality led Sir Ronan O’Connor to join the Knights Templar and vow never to return to Ireland. But now a mission to transport a cache of Templar armaments for King Robert the Bruce forces the knight back to his homeland. Under his protection on the journey is an Irish nobleman and his daughter, Lathir McConaghy. Trained in combat, Lathir will bend to no man . . .
After the death of her betrothed in battle, Lathir guards her heart fiercely. Until an attack at sea forces her and Ronan to rely on each other for their survival. In the storm-filled days adrift at sea, a passionate bond forms between Lathir and the fierce warrior. In a realm torn by treachery and turmoil, they fight for their future even as secrets threaten to destroy their mission, and any chance
at love.
About the Author: A retired Navy Chief, Diana Cosby is an international bestselling author of Scottish medieval romantic suspense. Books in her award-winning MacGruder Brothers series have been translated in five languages. Diana has spoken at the Library of Congress, Lady Jane’s Salon in NYC, and appeared in Woman’s Day, on USA Today’s romance blog, “Happy Ever After,” MSN.com, Atlantic County Women Magazine, and Texoma Living Magazine.
After her career in the Navy, Diana dove into her passion – writing romance novels. With 34 moves behind her, she was anxious to create characters who reflected the amazing cultures and people she’s met throughout the world. After the release of the bestselling MacGruder Brothers series, The Oath Trilogy, and the first four books of bestselling The Forbidden Series, she’s now preparing for the 14th of April, 2020 release of Forbidden Realm, the fifth book in the series.
Diana looks forward to the years of writing ahead and meeting the amazing people who will share this journey.
While attending a writing retreat several years ago, Sir Stephan MacQuistan woke me up, told me that he was a Knights Templar, and demanded that I write his story. Stephan’s story turned out to be, “Forbidden Legacy,” the first of five books in The Forbidden Series.
As I began my research, incredible events began to happen, the first, discovering it was the 700th Anniversary of the Scottish victory of the Battle of Bannockburn, which was rumored to be aided by the Knights Templar. In addition, information about Knights Templars appeared in numerous articles as well television programs.
Regardless if hundreds of years have passed, questions remain of where the Knights Templar fled, what treasure they took, and how so many valiant knights were able to disappear without a trace.
As a major plotter, I enjoyed weaving in my character’s journey, where they face challenges and in the end fall in love, around the mystery of where the Knights Templar fled, along with my speculation as to where their fleet and many of the Brotherhood could have escaped to prior to the arrests beginning in France on the 13th of October, 1307.
While creating The Forbidden Series, the most incredible thing happened. Whenever I struggled with writing one of the Templar stories, I’d see a ‘sign’ of a cross in nature that I interpreted as encouragement.
For the price of honor, he must walk away from the woman he loves…
Orphaned young, a childhood of loneliness and brutality led Sir Ronan O’Connor to join the Knights Templar and vow never to return to Ireland. But now a mission to transport a cache of Templar armaments for King Robert the Bruce forces the knight back to his homeland. Under his protection on the journey is an Irish nobleman and his daughter, Lathir McConaghy. Trained in combat, Lathir will bend to no man . . .
After the death of her betrothed in battle, Lathir guards her heart fiercely. Until an attack at sea forces her and Ronan to rely on each other for their survival. In the storm-filled days adrift at sea, a passionate bond forms between Lathir and the fierce warrior. In a realm torn by treachery and turmoil, they fight for their future even as secrets threaten to destroy their mission, and any chance
at love.
About the Author: A retired Navy Chief, Diana Cosby is an international bestselling author of Scottish medieval romantic suspense. Books in her award-winning MacGruder Brothers series have been translated in five languages. Diana has spoken at the Library of Congress, Lady Jane’s Salon in NYC, and appeared in Woman’s Day, on USA Today’s romance blog, “Happy Ever After,” MSN.com, Atlantic County Women Magazine, and Texoma Living Magazine.
After her career in the Navy, Diana dove into her passion – writing romance novels. With 34 moves behind her, she was anxious to create characters who reflected the amazing cultures and people she’s met throughout the world. After the release of the bestselling MacGruder Brothers series, The Oath Trilogy, and the first four books of bestselling The Forbidden Series, she’s now preparing for the 14th of April, 2020 release of Forbidden Realm, the fifth book in the series.
Diana looks forward to the years of writing ahead and meeting the amazing people who will share this journey.
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