Back in the summer, when I was walking through local woodland, my attention was drawn to a hollow tree.  Clambering through the undergrowth and across a small ditch, curiosity led me to investigate further.  There, I found a small plastic container with a screw lid, which I cautiously opened.

At first, I actually thought I’d found a drugs stash!  Inside was a pad of rolled up paper and a packet of love heart sweets – you can understand why my overactive writer’s imagination kicked in!  Reality quickly reasserted itself and I realised I had inadvertently discovered a geocache – the phenomenon of which had entirely passed me by, before that point.

Just in case you also weren’t aware, Geocaching is an outdoor recreational activity which takes place across the globe.  Participants use GPS (Global Positioning System) devices, or other navigational techniques, to locate hidden containers located at specific coordinates.  Once the container, known as a geocache, is located, the log inside is signed as proof it has been found.  It is then replaced in exactly the same position, ready for the next participant.

Although I wasn’t immediately inspired to become a geocacher myself, the plot for my next erotic romance fiction novel was very quickly formed in my head.  And so, ‘Better Fate Than Never’ was written.

Amazon.com	Amazon.co.uk	Amazon.ca	Amazon.com.au

In this book, the male lead (Finn Jacobs), finds a long-forgotten time capsule within the structure of a property he has recently inherited from an elderly relative.  As the story progresses, it becomes clear that the time capsule was originally hidden, just prior to World War Two, in an attempt to prevent the family valuables potentially getting into the hands of the Axis powers.

Individual British families weren’t the only ones taking such measures, at this turbulent period in history; similar activities were also taking place on a national scale.  News quickly spread through Europe that the Nazis were creating a super museum, for their leader in Austria.  Thousands of paintings had already been stolen from Russia, Poland, Italy, France and Greece, to fulfil this request.  For Britain, significant effort was expended, to protect their national cultural heritage (particularly London’s National Gallery collection) from the threat of both invasion and bombs.

Much debate took place, as to where this secret location should be.  One suggestion was to ship two thousand of the world’s greatest masterpieces to Canada for safety, but this was rejected for fear of the transport boat being sunk, and the items ending up on the sea bed.  It was Winston Churchill who instructed that they should be hidden “in caves and cellars.  But not one picture shall leave this island.”

A vast abandoned slate quarry, beneath a mountain in Manod, North Wales, provided the perfect location.  Other items ended up at various other locations in Wales, including the National Library of Wales and Penrhyn Castle.  There, billions of pounds worth of the treasures we remain in awe of today, were provided with a temporary hideaway.  Shrouded in secrecy, the existence of this refuge remained an official secret for decades, long after the second world war had concluded.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Better Fate Than Never

When Finn Jacobs inherited the dilapidated Orchard Farm from a distant relative, his immediate strategy was to sell it and pocket the profit. Falling in love with the property at first sight and deciding to restore it, had never been part of his grand plan.

Discovering a long-forgotten time capsule during the renovation work set Finn on a fateful path, to identify its original owner. And that’s when Jenny Hargreaves appeared, snapping and snarling, into his life. From the first moment they laid eyes upon each other, sparks were destined to fly. He had certainly never been part of her grand plan either….

“This style of writing is EXACTLY WHY I READ! I loved how you took the time to have the romance, drama, love and a little sex all mixed together.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Fenella Ashworth

Fenella Ashworth is a British author of contemporary erotic fiction.  All of her stories are available from Amazon and free for those with Kindle Unlimited access.  Her bestselling novels are ‘To Love, Honour and Oh Pay’ and the Daniel Lawson series.
Fenella also releases stories on BooksieSilk, Booksie, Lush Stories and Literotica, and is often visible in the Literotica ‘Erotic Couplings’ Hall of Fame (Top Rated).
Please sign up to her newsletter for the latest news, and access to freebies, including a copy of the recently published ‘Bad girls go to Heaven’.