Poll time! Vote for your favourite quote 🤩🌹

Which room would you visit in Dormara? 👀✨

Dormara is a sanctuary where you can imagine all you desire within the safety of its rooms ❤️

The Lacuna (still waters), for those seeking to relax and stop thinking ~ each pool is equipped with multi-coloured bottles you select according to your fancy.

The Mimesis Court for those longing to dance all night in the masquarade ballroom, or just to live your best Bridgerton revelry!

The Ethereon, to stretch your imagination and imagine anything under the sun, from memories or bookish worlds (or the perfect place for a date!)

Beware though, in places where dreams come too easily, sometimes unwanted things lurk in the darkness. Add a secret romance and a mad creator and you have the perfect recipe for disaster…👀

Scroll down to read the quotes assigned to each room and vote for your favourite! 👇

Synopsis:

Dormara was built to heal.

A sanctuary where powerful algorithms sculpt your perfect dream, and nightmares are rewritten. But for those who enter its doors, waking isn’t always guaranteed.

Tristan Serrano grew up inside its walls, guiding guests through illusions crafted by AI. But the longer he serves the Institute, the more its seams begin to fray – and the more he begins to doubt the life he’s always known.

Serena Montclair came seeking peace. A way to move on from her past. But some shadows refuse to be forgotten. Dormara’s beauty is deceptive, and the closer she and Tristan are drawn to each other, the harder it becomes to ignore the quiet unraveling beneath it all – that not all love was built to endure.

As the borders between reality and dream dissolve, Serena and Tristan must face the secret at the heart of the sanctuary:

In Dormara, not everyone who dreams is meant to wake.

The novel is available now in all three formats ~ eBook, paperback and hardcover on Amazon. ❤️ The hardcover is by far the most popular and the best format for comfort and ease of reading! If you feel like the synopsis appeals to you, I’d be ever so grateful if you could follow the link below 🌹

Until next time friends, stay tuned for more exciting content, interviews, discussions, artwork and quotes! 🙂

✨MY NEW COVER REVEAL✨ DORMARA

I’ve been sitting on this secret for almost a year… 🤫 but finally here it is ~ my new novel ‘Dormara.’ Specially for all you gothic romance lovers out there! 😍

This project challenged me in a totally different way, pushing me to refine the themes I love even more and improve as a writer. I truly hope you fall in love with Tristan & Serena as much as I did while bringing their story (and this world!) to life 🥹

Synopsis:

Dormara was built to heal.

A sanctuary where powerful algorithms sculpt your perfect dream, and nightmares are rewritten. But for those who enter its doors, waking isn’t always guaranteed.

Tristan Serrano grew up inside its walls, guiding guests through illusions crafted by AI. But the longer he serves the Institute, the more its seams begin to fray – and the more he begins to doubt the life he’s always known.

Serena Montclair came seeking peace. A way to move on from her past. But some shadows refuse to be forgotten. Dormara’s beauty is deceptive, and the closer she and Tristan are drawn to each other, the harder it becomes to ignore the quiet unraveling beneath it all – that not all love was built to endure.

As the borders between reality and dream dissolve, Serena and Tristan must face the secret at the heart of the sanctuary:

In Dormara, not everyone who dreams is meant to wake.

The novel is available now in all three formats ~ eBook, paperback, and hardcover on Amazon. ❤️  

(No pre-release this time, I wanted to make sure the quality was perfect before you all got your hands on it!) The hardcover turned out beautifully though🥹(sneak peek in my stories) 👀

Over the next few weeks I’ll also be sharing more behind-the-scenes of writing ‘Dormara’, reflections on ‘Caskets of Ice’ and ‘Tales from the Manor’, and why I shifted from dark fantasy → horror → sci-fi romance ❤️‍🔥

Caskets of Ice, Tales from the Manor, Dormara

Would you enter Dormara? 👀

Stay tuned for more updates coming soon friends x

Tales’ Spring day out!

Happy Spring guys! Sharing with you Tales from the Manor’s first day out! 🌸🥰 Do you often bring books out with you on adventures? Spring & summer are ideal for those floral, or beachy ☀️ holiday shots, the perfect opportunity to get out and soak in the sunshine ~ and who can tell these are in London 😲 🙌🏻 (Specifically round the Hyde Park, Kensington Gardens area which should be in bloom for the following few weeks.)

Once the roses hit, I’ll try to capture some more to share with you, fitting for ‘Tales’, which incidentally is set during a cool, June day!🌹😍 But for now, let’s appreciate these beautiful cherry blossoms…

Tales’ & Cherry Blossoms

Hyde Park / Kensington Gardens

Behind the scenes 😂

What signs of Spring do you have in your area? Share down below! 👇

Until next time friends! ❤

‘Caskets of ice’ ~ vote for your favourite quote #1

Happy Thursday! How are you spending the day? The sun has decided to make its appearance, so for that I’m grateful! 🌞 How’s the weather where you are?

Coming to you today with a selection of quotes across my series, predominantly from Book 1 ‘Caskets of Ice‘ to start the ball rolling. (Quotes from ‘Tales from the Manor‘ were uploaded recently, see above in tabs!) Pop over to my Instagram post & stories and you’ll be able to vote for your favourites there too ❤

Hopefully they are able to provide an unbiased range (from different characters, different settings) for you to get a feel of my creations! Ha!

Here we go!

Peter

Alysia

A Dedication

Which was your favourite quote? If you’d like to see more of my writings let me know (especially in their poetry form and I can think about creating more art for them!) Stay tuned for more quotes coming soon 🙂

Stay safe friends! x

‘Tales from the Manor’ ~ vote for your favourite Quote! #1

Hello friends and happy end of Feb! Spring is in the air, and I for one cannot wait for the weather to warm up in chilly old England! To celebrate the arrival of Spring, I am starting a new series where I post some of my favourite quotes from ‘Tales of the Manor‘. For each of the characters, you’ll be given a chance to vote your favourites below in the comments! As the weeks pass, you’ll be seeing some unseen gems from the ‘Caskets of Ice’ series too. Hope you enjoy!

So without much ado, let us begin! ❤

For more info about ‘Tales from the Manor‘, the link to access is below:

Have a great rest of the week, and don’t forget to wrap up warmly! x

Home of the Book Stack

On this chilly, wintry Monday afternoon, what better way to celebrate all things cosy than with a book stack? If any of you follow my Instagram you’ll know I like to create (sometimes precariously tall!👀) leather bound stacks, and most recently, vintages (which, can also pose a risk as they’re all different sizes and weights!) 📚 Beware candles (and noses!) 🕯🐽

Here’s a selection that made it over the years. Which is your favourite? Vote below!

@canterburyclassics
Leather bounds
Vintages
Christmas Edition

If you have any questions about any of the books above then feel free to drop a comment or use the contact me page, and I’ll be happy to answer them! And especially for you vintage lovers, some of the titles may also be up for grabs (tab above)!

Stay warm and safe friends, until next time 🙂

Kate ❤

Reader Reviews for “Labyrinth of Souls” #2

“Thank you again to Kate, for gifting me a copy in exchange for a honest review.
Kate has done it again, her story is only growing stronger in this action-packed, whimsical world! I now know what it’s like to live in one’s dreams. The characters are still growing and the love for them is growing too, even the villains are perfect. There are a lot of new characters in this dark world, plus the comfort of regular ones, cannibal witches being a favourite of mine. This took me on a spectacular journey, which I will retake. And i cannot wait to see what comes next, as the ending of book 2 definitely leads the way to infinite possibilities. Again high praise to Kate, for this lovely, exquisite work of art. Can’t wait to dive back into Alden and Dinahs world.” Natalia (Goodreads)

“Looked forward to reading this sequel to Caskets of Ice and I wasn’t disappointed with the writers atmospheric writing. The author is also an accomplished poet and her ability to create a dark and menacing scene is second to none. The idea of dreams being an entrance to another world is a captivating one and I will certainly enjoy dipping into this book again from time to time. Highly recommend it.” Nicholas (Goodreads)

“The general flavor of this novel is like Inception/Interview with the Vampire with maybe just a splash of Jim Henson’s Labyrinth! In keeping with the tone and beautiful poetic, almost Gothic writing of the authors first book “Caskets of Ice” this sequel is set in a decadent dream world… but with Dinah’s presence things are not all dark in the dream world as before. You can tell the author took notes from her readers and included more narrative so I had a much easier time (and felt much less stupid 😅) reading Labyrinth of Souls comparitively. This sequel fills in details about the main characters from the previous story and also adds some new very imaginative creatures and foes. If you’ve ever imagined what it would be like to live in your dreams and maybe get a little lost in them too then this is a must read. As Alden might say…Well, what are you waiting for? 😏” Cerissa Sample (Goodreads)

For more reviews, or to post one: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58382076-labyrinth-of-souls

~ Feathers fall in the forest ~

Feathers fall in the forest,

through the cracks of the early morning sun,

footprints buffered by waves that hit shore- they too fade,

for like seasons that flitter past the underbelly of a tomb, she weathers it all,

weighed down with armour, past the-

obscene feathers glistening with an acid curling of poisoned dreams

Those doors locked shut should never be opened,

the storms of sorrow that pull the corners,

like phantom strings of a ventriloquist’s muse,

marooned on the shipwreck of her youth,

it grows roots, flames that lick the skin of furnished walls,

Porcelain figures, shaken loose from oiled pages kept in shadows

For Hell is here.

Shrouded by grotesque wisps; eye sockets distorted; shattered,

don’t touch – don’t look,

through lantern flames she weaves through the deepest part of night,

whispering with strength beyond the raging of a tempest- ’follow me’,

and reflected beyond the seductive eyes of a devil- you do.

Copyright © 2019 by Kate W J White (All Rights Reserved)

~ The mystery of ‘The Phantom of the Opera’ ~ 🖤🌹

‘The Phantom of the Opera’ is definitely a tale about escapism- Christine spends her whole life being coached by a ‘mysterious voice’ that mentors her to do better and achieve beyond what she thought possible, when she finally steps through the mirror and meets the man behind the voice, her illusion shatters and she is repulsed by his deformed face. 💀

Instead, she goes for her childhood sweetheart Raoul, and, the phantom realises that despite all he’s given her, she still turns away in horror. She pities him and yet still agrees to lay a trap, by going along with his grand plans for her on the stage, but in the end, his jealousy still destroys them (and the opera house which is also his home.) 🎼🎭

We see him as the villain of the story, but we also feel sorry for him, hiding away with no love and kindness- and perhaps it’s this forced solitude & space to develop his talents that turns him into a musical genius. There are many things to learn from it, that you can’t force love, that you can’t expect too much from anyone, yet also the power of forgiveness and also dedication throughout a lifetime. 🖤🖤

Another thing I love about the Phantom are the aesthetics, the opulent backdrop & historical references- after all it’s a theatre, the masquerade balls, the grandness, and of course, the amazing soundtrack!! Andrew Lloyd Webber really transformed it and made it his own- hence why it still stands the test of time. 👰🏻👻🎞⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

~ 𝔔𝔲𝔬𝔱𝔢 𝔠𝔬𝔯𝔫𝔢𝔯~

“They played at hearts as other children might play at ball; only, as it was really their two hearts that they flung to and fro, they had to be very, very handy to catch them, each time, without hurting them.”

“And, despite the care which she took to look behind her at every moment, she failed to see a shadow which followed her like her own shadow, which stopped when she stopped, which started again when she did and which made no more noise than a well-conducted shadow should.”

The world of Beatrix Potter

The tales of Mrs. Tiggy Winkle & Mr. Jeremy Fisher are probably two of my favourite (who am I kidding they’re all my favourite, ha)

🐸’s solitary life, talking to himself, his fear of being swallowed up by a giant creature of the deep when he’s innocently fishing upon a tranquil pond; and the motherly Mrs Tiggy Winkle, 🦔 her hospitality and helpfulness to do others washing in her little snug home in the hillside … but she still lets a visitor in.

I had the fortune of visiting Beatrix Potter’s home Hill Top Farm in Ambleside a few summers ago… it was cozy, with a quaint garden, cabbage/ carrot 🥕 patch and little lanes leading to the village that gave inspiration for her characters! Well what struck me was that the post box was miles away & she was very isolated (Back in the day when she wouldn’t be driving around or waiting for an hourly bus!) the map 🗺 inside this book shows an overview of all the areas around…

It was interesting to wander around the dark wooden panelled corridors of her house, see the little toy figurines in their cabinets, it all struck me as quite small and dark…. and tightly fitted, she would have to stoop down to cross the thresholds of many a doorway. But the solitude and tranquility suited her best, and that’s where I can relate!

Her ability to illustrate using watercolour her stories and antidotes of her woodland pets really are an inspiration and she never lost faith in the wonderful world she brought to life. Not only this but the stories showcase the best of the British countryside (I also started learning the theme song to the 90’s TV show on the piano- “Perfect Day” by Miriam Stockley) 🤓

In the end, she left her legacy to the National Trust after her death, including almost all the original illustrations of her books. Definitely a recommend to visit her home if you’re also a Potter fan like me! And since I owned most (but not quite all) her stories in their traditional white covered versions, this collection will definitely hold a special place in my heart! 🙂

My old and very faded portrait I’ve had since a young kid! ☝️