Announcing the Best Ever Summer Blog Tour! Second Stop: Corinne Davies

 

 

It’s week two of the Best Ever Summer Blog Tour. Nine fabulous authors in mixed genres trading blog space for eight weeks for your enjoyment. It’s a chance to meet great authors and discover exciting new books. Someone on the blog tour is giving a prize every week – I’ll leave it for you to discover whose blog is featured – with more prizes to come at the end of the tour. What will the big prize be – a Kindle, a hefty gift certificate, a unique needlepoint Kindle cover? Enjoy the blogs and leave comments for the opportunity to be the grand prize winner! Today I am thrilled that author Corinne Davies is visiting. Welcome!

Hi everyone and welcome to the second week of the Best Ever Summer Blog Tour. I’m Corinne Davies and I first off want to give Regina a BIG thank you for hosting me here today!

 

One of the things that drew me to this blog hop is that we all write a variety of genres. Touring around the blogs on this tour you get to experience a wide variety of styles and perhaps find something new to tempt you.

 

 It’s very easy to get lodged into reading the same genre. I associate it to drinking wine, (like, I do most things in life LOL). You might love Cabernet Sauvignon and experimenting with one from a different country is fun but every once in a while it’s a nice to have a big rich Shiraz or really shake things up and go for a  Gewürztraminer. You never know when you might find a new favourite.

 

When I started writing I really didn’t have a genre in mind. I started writing and let the characters dictate where they belonged. Because of that, I have a variety of genres in my portfolio that, coincidentally, they reflect my reading habits as well. 

 

The Believing series were my first two books and they’re heavily influenced by my love of Greek mythology. I had a great time working in some of the lesser known or recognized gods and goddess from the Parthenon.

 

Then I tried my hand at a classic romance with Haunted Hearts. I originally planned that Mac and Gwen would have a third. As I started writing, I realized that they were only interested in each other. My obsession with ghosts and ghost stories heavily influenced some of the situations that they faced.

 

          Then came, Steampunked Lust. I’m not sure if you are familiar with Steampunk but think of it as all the glamour of the Regency/Victorian time period with advanced technology. This style/genre has always fascinated me and in the world I’ve been creating the skies over the Atlantic ocean are ruled by pirates and their flying ships. William Wallace was never killed and the New World battle the Old World for moral superiority.

 

          Then while hiking through Algonquin Park one day, I discovered Ecstasy Lake, a small tourist town in Northern Ontario that is home to a variety of shape shifters and other magical beings. 

I’ve loved getting to know the inhabitants of this small town who are free to live their ménage relationships. (Which is why someone keeps vandalizing the sign outside of town by painting a 3x over Ecstasy.) Ever since I was a kid, I loved the idea of being able to shape shift into an animal. Writing stories about werewolves and tigers and bears, (Oh my! ) I get to live that existence vicariously through my characters.  

 

          And that is a little peek into the genres I have found myself playing in. I’m always on the lookout for a new favourite book, to enjoy along with a new favorite wine, of course 😉 I’ve found a few with the great authors that I’m sharing this blog tour with.

 

 

Excerpt from Believing is Seeing.

 

“Pasithea…”

“That’s not my name. It’s Amy or Amaryllis.” If her dream kept going this way, she wanted to hear her own name, not that of a long gone goddess.

 “Little flower, one would never be enough for you.”

Amy stood between the two men feeling petite. At five foot ten, she hadn’t experienced such an unusual feeling before. The hands on her shoulders gently kneaded, as another pair slid over her ribs and down her back in soothing circles. Sighing she could feel the anger and sadness drain out of her. The winds calmed down and the clouds dissipated until it seemed as though the storm had never happened. Color flooded back into the world around them, seeming so much more intense after her eyes had become accustomed to the gray.

She would have commented on the weather, but when she lifted her face and opened her mouth to talk, a pair of lips gently brushed against her own. “Let us take care of you.”

“This is a dream.” The thought floated down to subdue the rising nervousness.

“If you would just believe, it could be so much more,” Hypnos gently kissed her shoulder, his words a soft caress against the sensitive skin under her ear.

“But, I don’t know where to start.”

“Then look at me, Amy.” A finger pressed gently on the underside of her chin tilting her head. She looked over her shoulder and up into Death’s warm chestnut eyes. Hypnos took advantage of her arched neck to slide his satiny lips along it.

“A life time ago, you called us Nos and Than. Why don’t you start there?

 

http://www.bookstrand.com/believing-is-seeing

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Announcing the Best Ever Summer Blog Tour! First Stop: Ann Tracy Marr

 

 

It’s the Best Ever Summer Blog Tour. Nine fabulous authors in mixed genres trading blog space for eight weeks for your enjoyment. It’s a chance to meet great authors and discover exciting new books. Someone on the blog tour is giving a prize every week – I’ll leave it for you to discover whose blog is featured – with more prizes to come at the end of the tour. What will the big prize be – a Kindle, a hefty gift certificate, a unique needlepoint Kindle cover? Enjoy the blogs and leave comments for the opportunity to be the grand prize winner!

 

Ann Tracy Marr is the world’s worst book promoter. She has published three, but when it comes time to promote – to urge someone to lay out money for her books – she falls apart.

 

Ann lacks promoting talent but she does have a gift for storytelling. She writes for the love of it and it shows. Her view of life is a little off the wall, sometimes class clown, but with an underlying thread of realism. She likes to read about real women looking for joy, so that is what she writes.

 

Knowing we wouldn’t learn much about her books, I asked Ann questions that would reveal something about her approach to writing and life.

 

Question: Who was the toughest character for you to “get right”?

Ann: The hero in Round Table Magician took a long time to evolve. Brinston started out as a conventional Regency hero, but when I added a paranormal twist to the plot, he demanded he be a magician. Magic fit with his reclusive tendencies, giving him reasons to hide his true nature from the ton. Other than that, I struggled to cleverly convey his motives in ignoring Martha. It was a matter of finding the best tailoring for the story. Once the jacket fit, Brinston himself filled it out.

 

Question: Is there a genre that you love to read but don’t want to write?

Ann: I love the Sookie Stackhouse novels. Funny and all about vampires, you know. But I doubt I will ever write a vampire novel. I don’t have anything to add to their mystique; they scare more than attract me.

 

Question: What profession other than yours would you like to attempt?

Ann: I would make an excellent Rich Bitch. It’s a full time job, but I wouldn’t mind getting up at 10 am, donning the haute couture uniform, jetting past rush hour traffic in my Maserati on my way to a five star restaurant. I’d donate freely to charity and spend money all over the place to keep the economy going.

 

Question: Can you tell us about your books?

Ann: Awestruck published my three book series set in Regency England. King Arthur and Merlin are not myth, but history. They are traditional Regencies with the addition of a splash of magic.

 

Where can readers find you?

Website: www.AnnTracyMarr.com

Purchase the books (e-book or trade paperback) on Amazon.com:

http://tiny.cc/7p0xew

 

And where can readers find Lynn Hones this week?

Head to www.daviesromance.blogspot.com

And, you all can find moi at http://www.regantaylorsworld.blogspot.com

 

Excerpt from “Round Table Magician“: Short, to conserve space!

 

Brinston watched Martha, aware of her every breath. He couldn’t help but smile at the infectious levity. He could see his brother Michael with his beloved through the window. That silly Maria must have done or said something to make Martha laugh so. But when she pulled a handkerchief from her sleeve and wiped her eyes, it shook him to his soul. Just so did the duchess leak tears when she was filled with mirth.

 

It was then he realized how much Martha resembled his adored mother. Brinston could almost feel his heart tightening. They were silken bonds, those bands clenching around his heart, not painful in the least. A man could get used to them, which was a good thing. They didn’t feel like they were going to dissolve any time soon.

 

He heard the echo of his father’s words. “I couldn’t resist the way she laughed.” It was always said with a chuckle and an underlying honesty that couldn’t be doubted. It was why his father had married his mother. They were devoted to each other, but it all started with her laugh.

 

Everyone, including Brinston himself, joked at how much the son resembled the father. He stared at the sky, silently begging Merlin to have pity on him.

 

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COUNTDOWN: “Glory of the Heart” Releases Tomorrow, June 1st!

Very exciting news! Tomorrow, June 1st, is the release date for my newest book, “Glory of the Heart”. This Inspirational Romance is book number 4 in the nine-book Sterling Lakes Series from Desert Breeze Publishing. Here’s a blurb and a link. Tell me, what do you think?

 

BLURB

Perrin Stafford, a war hero, has based his life on the ideals of his father and pursued a livelihood in the realm of stonework and masonry. Returning to Sterling Lakes, he finds the truth about his past in the attic of CC Cogshell’s house – and for CC, who has started a new life in the rural New England town, this seminal move in her life as she leaves a terrible relationship may lead her to places she never dreamed of going. It is through the past that they will both be able to move into their futures…will it be a future that they can share together? 

 

Link to purchase: http://bit.ly/KJGz9S

 

Link to my website: bit.ly/hL9LlO

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Welcome, Author Jillian Chantal!!

Today, it’s a real joy to welcome author Jillian Chantal to Romance Novels @Reginaandrews blog! I am thrilled! Jillian, thank you for visiting and I can’t wait to hear what you have been up to. “The Gambler” is your first book in “The Gambler’s Inheritance” Series. How exciting, congratulations! You are always so much fun, so talented..and, wow! So busy! Let’s hear everything, now!

RA: As an author, what makes a book great in your eyes?

An awesome beginning, middle and end. LOL!  No, seriously, I think a book is great if the characters are fully developed and make me care about what happens to them. There are a number of books I love because the characters almost become friends. Friends that I miss when I finish the book. I think this is vital as I’ve read a few books where I didn’t care at all about the protagonist and I usually don’t finish those. I used to feel compelled to finish any book I started but as I got older, I decided that was ridiculous and if I can’t get invested in the story, I need to move on to the next one.


RA: Tell us a little about what you are working on.

I’m starting a new novel that has a hero with a disability. The working title is Moon Dance.  It’s a romantic suspense. I like to have a lot going on in my stories and as a lover of thrillers and mysteries, I love to add those elements to my tales. It’s a very new story and I’m not far a long in it at all but I’m enjoying the journey of Gabriel and Olga.

RA: What is the hardest scene you had to write in this piece?

The opening scene. I couldn’t decide whether to start with the hero’s point of view or the heroine’s. I have two openings to choose from and have still not decided which will actually be chapter one, scene one.  It’s driving me a little bit insane but it’ll all come together in the end. It always does.

RA: Let’s talk about the book you’d like to promote today.  How did you come up with the title and where can we find it?

Titles are sometimes hard for me and this book was really no different. The book had two prior titles. I changed once as I thought I had a great idea for a different title. When I pitched the book to an editor, she said I needed to change the title as the one I had gave away too much information. So, I decided to use the hero’s nickname as the title. As this book is a series, I left it to the editor in chief at Desert Breeze Publishing to figure out a series title. She gave me some ideas and the one I chose was The Gambler’s Inheritance.

You can find it here: http://stores.desertbreezepublishing.com/-strse-286/Gambler’s-Inheritance-Book-One-cln-/Detail.bok

RA: What was your first reaction when you got a glimpse of your cover art?

Interestingly enough, I went through about four mock-up covers on this one before we hit on the right look for the book. The initial cover was lovely but looked too western. This book is called The Gambler, but none of it takes place in the western United States. When the cover artist sent me the mock-up of the gambling room that looked right for the era (1937), I was thrilled with it.

RA: Please give us a blurb and excerpt!

BLURB:  In 1937, Dirk McSwain, known as The Gambler, makes his living on the turn of a card. When his family home is in jeopardy of being lost, he boards the Queen Mary ocean liner, playground of both royalty and the wealthy alike. He hopes to win big to save his property. He meets three beautiful, unchaperoned, Irish sisters the first day at sea and determines to deprive them of some of their fortune. What he doesn’t count on is an obnoxious passenger accusing him of cheating at cards and then dying the next morning. At the captain’s request, he teams up with one of the sisters to try to solve the mystery of the man’s death
and gets more than he bargained for in the process.

EXCERPT

The man grabbed her by the shoulders. “Whoa there, filly. This ain’t no horse race here, ma’am.” She jerked back from him as if his hands had burned her. “Sorry, sorry.”

He didn’t let go. If anything, his grip got tighter. “Where’s the fire? I want to steer clear of it.”

Eden tried to jerk away from him as her two sisters came off the elevator themselves. As soon as the man saw the twins, he abruptly let go of her. She staggered across the lobby, trying to catch her balance.

The man looked Lilith and Eve up and down. “My, my, what do we have here? Double my pleasure?” His grin showed his dimples. Very deep dimples that Eden tried to ignore.

“We’re Lilith and Eve McGill. Twins, if you couldn’t tell,” Lilith said. She simpered and struck a pose. She patted her small hat perched over her left eye.

“Lilith and Eve? How interesting.” He tipped his hat and bowed. “Your mum and dad disagree on who was Adam’s wife?”

Lilith’s smile got larger. “They almost caused the Reverend to have a heart attack when they named me Lilith. People think it’s sacrilege. Even though we aren’t Jewish, my parents are into studying the religions of the world. I’m surprised you caught the reference. Most people don’t.” She stopped and patted her hair. “And I guess the name Lilith fits me. I’m a little bit sacrilege myself.”

Eden had recovered herself and stalked over to Lilith. “Stop it, Lil. Mum will kill me if I let you go wild, child.” She took Lilith’s arm. “Come on. Let’s go and leave this…” She looked the man up and down.

“Gentleman,” she paused for effect, “alone.”

The man looked down at the shorter Eden. “Who are you? You’re too young to be the mother. So, who could you be?” He put his index finger to his chin and tapped it. “Hmm. Maybe the serpent?” He slapped his forehead with his hat. “No. You can’t be. The serpent liked to lead people into sin. You seem like the prude of the group.” He turned back to Lilith. “Who’s the wet rag?”

Eden gasped at his rudeness as Lilith laughed out loud. “That would be the big sister, Eden. Eden, bossy britches, McGill to be exact.”

The man laughed louder. “Eden? Really, your parents are a bit insane, aren’t they? They couldn’t get past Genesis?”

RA: Now for the fun stuff.  Do you have any guilty pleasures?

Yes, I do. My favorite comfort food is toast with butter and sugar on it. I can only make it when no one is home as they all think it’s gross. When I’m the only one home for dinner, I’ll make it for myself. My maternal grandmother who lived way out in the country always made it and it makes me think of childhood and cold winter days. Living in hot Florida, I sometimes need that escape to the past.

RA: OH, I love toast with butter and sugar, too! 🙂 Glad we share that, not many folks have heard of it, and it’s SOOOO good! Now, could you please name one (other) thing readers would be surprised to know about you?

I’ve been skydiving and I loved it. I was seriously considering doing it as a hobby until the friend who took me had an accident when his chute grabbed the wind the wrong way. He broke his pelvis. He was laid up for six weeks flat on his back as they can’t set a broken pelvis. I decided I’d better keep my klutzy self on terra firma.  BUT, it was amazing when I did it. I also love, love, love roller coasters.

RA: Yikes, thrill-seeker Jillian! So, if you didn’t have to worry about counting calories or fat, what’s the first food you’d reach for?

See above answer about the toast.  Also, an Oreo or two (or twelve!) would be good.

RA: Since you write romance, let’s talk.  Have you ever read the “Grande Dames” of the genre like Jane Austen, Barbara Cartland, Danielle Steel, Nora Roberts?  What do you really think of their books?

Yes, I’ve read some of each of them. I’ve read all of Jane Austen’s work. Barbara Cartland and Danielle Steele not since middle school. Nora Roberts? I’ve read a few. I like the Eve Dallas books, which of course, are written under a pseudonym, but I’ve only read the first few. I’m actually more of a thriller/mystery reader. I do like romance but I want a lot more going on than merely the journey of the love story. I guess I’m an armchair adrenaline junkie.

RA: If someone hasn’t read any of your work, what book would you recommend they start with and why?

It would depend on what era the reader  is interested in. I have two historicals which are both with Desert Breeze Publishing. I’d recommend either of them. I love both of those stories. One is The Gambler and it’s a murder mystery. The other is Redemption for the Devil. That one is more of a romantic adventure.  For a contemporary, Sebastian’s Salvation is one that’s a romantic suspense and has a pretty wicked villain as does Surfer Bride, which is another contemporary romantic suspense/adventure.

Thanks for spending a bit of time with Romance Novels @reginaandrews’ blog, Jillian! Best wishes for your continued success.  Where can readers find you on the Web?
Thanks for letting me pop in. It was fun!
http://www.jillianchantal.com
https://twitter.com/#!/JillianChantal <https://twitter.com/%23!/JillianChantal&gt;

http://stores.desertbreezepublishing.com/-strse-template/JillianChantal/Page.bok

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Welcome, Author Tina Pinson!

Today I am so happy and thrilled to have author Tina Pinson visiting! I can’t wait to hear about her new book, “When Shadows Fall,” Book One in her brand-new “Shadows” Series, presented by Desert Breeze Publishing.

Regina, first, let me say thank you for inviting me to your page and making me so very welcome.

RA: As an author what makes a book great in your eyes?

A great book, a truly great book, catches a reader’s interest and imagination then carries them into the story. So far, one can almost feel themselves in the storyline. A great book, takes one on a journey, transporting them to new worlds, new realms, with characters they learn to love and sometimes hate. A great book stands the test of time and criticism.

RA: Tell us a little about what you’re working on.
I am, of course, editing to get the next installments of the Shadow Series ready for print. Shadowed Dreams is slated for release in Nov. So I am also praying readers fall in love with my characters and story in When Shadows Fall. I am also working on a sequel to Touched By Mercy, a take on Taming of the Shrew called, Tamed By Mercy and another little story, a speculative fiction, Demon Chronicles. I have a few other stories to work on, but that’s where my energies have been vested as of late.

RA: What is the hardest scene you had to write in this piece?
Death scenes can be tough, emotionally draining, but I also had an attack scene to write and those can be hard.

RA: Let’s talk about the book you’d like to promote today. How did you come with the title and where can we find it?

When Shadows Fall, the first in the Shadow Series, was actually the full title, but the book was nearly a 900 pages sooo, had to cut it down. But the whole idea behind the name has to do with the shadows that come into our lives and how we walk through them. The opening poem from the stories heroine, Rebekah, hopefully says a lot about the meaning behind the name.

Life is a mixture of joy and sorrows. Where darkness and light mingle to cast shadows upon your soul. These shadows, often fleeting, touch us far deeper than their hazy essence ever deemed possible.

Some bring a happiness that shelters one in peace like the calm after a storm. Others bring a distinct source of pain. Pain that envelopes the spirit in a fog. It holds you and drags you on a seemingly endless downward spiral of hopelessness and despair, oft times, wrought and nourished in your own mind.
There’s the shadow of a smile, the cooling shadow of clouds on a hot summer day; the shadow of tree limbs dancing on walls in the moonlight. The long shadow of a man cast across a barren land, carried on the wings of a prayer — like a dream he means to possess.
There’s the shadow of memories, some dear, some not soon enough forgotten. The shadow of sorrow and the shadow of death, boring your heart and mind — lingering long after the soul has been seared.
There’s the shadow of a kiss, and the shadow of a hand across a weary brow. Whatever they are, in whatever form, know that shadows will come, and fall where they may. However they touch you, it is my prayer that you will have a hand to hold, and a hand to guide, When the Shadows Fall.

RA: What was the first reaction when you got a glimpse of your cover art?
It was very pleased, my cover artist, Caina Fuller, really listened to my vision and brought it to life on the page.

Please give us a blurb and excerpt.

Blurb:

As the Civil War rages, Rebekah fights to keep her world intact. But loss and sorrow has seeped into her heart and mind. She sets her sights on Oregon, praying this new Eden will allow her a place of peace and a place to put her life, and that of her son’s, back together again. She travels to Independence, Missouri ready to take the train west, but is denied the opportunity to join the train because she is woman alone. Matthew battles his way through one fight after another, all the while thinking of Rebekah. The woman who holds his heart. He longs to help her west, but fears his biggest battle lies ahead of him. Will Rebekah open up her heart to him and allow him to be the one to hold her When the Shadows Fall?

Excerpt:
Matthew’s voice was soft, and appealing. Too appealing. His closeness, and the warmth radiating from his body, caused her heart to thrum. Rebekah decided to go in.
Robert had been gone and thought dead for over a year. How easy it would be to fall into Matthew’s arms. Let him comfort her like he’d done when she was a girl. They seemed like such strong arms. But she wasn’t a child anymore. She was a married woman with a child and a sick husband who needed her.
Her first love could be nothing more than a precious memory. Her heart grew heavy. She turned and was about to take her leave when Matthew asked about Robert. “If you’d rather not talk about it, I’ll understand. I only wanted you to know if you need anything, I’m here for you. I’ll help in any way I can.”
“That’s very kind. Things are okay for now. Besides, I couldn’t expect you to help the enemy.” She stood still, afraid to face him. Afraid of the concern he’d show.
“Rebekah, if you love him, and he cares for you, he’s no enemy of mine.” His reply was tender. He caught her shoulders, turned her to face him. “I mean that with all my heart.”
Rebekah nodded. He meant it. Her eyes misted. Her tears were building. If she fell into his arms, it was wrong to even think it, but… would he hold her close? Or had time changed everything? Still, she wasn’t his to hold anymore. In reality she never had been, though she wanted to be. Did he wish it were different? She wished they could go back, but they couldn’t. She had to accept that she would never be his, and be grateful for the chance to see him again.
“I should go. Can I walk you to the house?”
Raising her head, she found his gaze in the moonlight. “You go on. It’s such a lovely evening I think I’d like to stay longer. I’ll look for you tomorrow.”
“Goodnight then.” Her heart lurched as she considered him leaving. She wondered when he’d have to say goodbye. Perhaps for forever.
“Goodnight,” she whispered as she watched him cross the yard to his horse and swing his tall body effortlessly into the saddle.
“Goodnight,” he called again. She waved, and watched him disappear into the darkness — melding with the shadows on the road. Then she went to the bottom of the oak, and kneeling, tenderly brushed the ground where her old friend lay.

RA: Now the fun stuff; Do you have any guilty pleasures?
Oh my goodness, I have so many and if you found out about them I’d really feel guilty. LOL  Sometimes I like to get up and sit down with a cup of hot tea flavored with cream and honey, and watch the world go by. Sometimes I like to stay in bed and veg and might not get dressed til afternoon. Hot baths are nice and so are chocolate covered donuts, my hips especially thank me for those and pretty much any chocolate covered dessert out there.

RA: Name one thing readers would be surprised to know about you.

I like to garden. If I could stop killing off some of my plants I might like it more. I can veggies and preserves. I like to sing and draw.

RA: If you didn’t have to worry about counting calories or fat, what’s the first food you’d reach for?

Hmm. The first? Well, I love homemade biscuits slathered with butter and honey. I love cheesecake and lemon tortes. And of course chocolate.

RA: Since you write romance, fess up. Have you ever read the “Grande Dames” of the genre like Jane Austen, Barbara Cartland, Danielle Steel, Nora Roberts? What do you really think of their books?

I have read the “Grande Dames”. And must say they have their formulas down. So much so, I can pretty much tell you how it will turn out and that begins to take the thrill of story away for me. As for Jane Austen, though, I’ve only started to read her works.

RA: If someone read any of your work, what book would you recommend they start with and why?

Wow! Well, I would like to say the first one in print. But my first one in print was self-pubbed and riddled with errors. But the story was still good. I did go on to redo that after I’d learned a bit more. So, I’d have to say read any one of my books, I’m growing in my craft with each one. I hope. When Shadows Fall is the first book I ever finished. So it is very dear to me. I love the characters and want people to do the same. I hope they fall in love with the story.

RA: Thanks for spending a bit of time with me, and all of us at Romance Novels @ReginaAndrews’ Blog, Tina! Best wishes for continued success.

                       
And here’s a brief biography of Tina, plus all her links and contacts.

 

Biography, Links and Contacts
Tina Pinson resides in Mesa, Arizona with her husband of thirty plus years, Danny. They are blessed to have three sons, and five grandchildren with one on the way.

Tina started her first novel in elementary school. Her love of writing has caused her to seek creative outlets be it writing poetry, songs, or stories.

In the Manor of the Ghost and Touched By Mercy were published through Desert Breeze Publishers.

When Shadows Fall, Shadowed Dreams, and To Catch a Shadow, the first three installments of the Shadow Series about the Civil War and the Oregon Trail, will be available through Desert Breeze May 2012, November 2012 and June 2012 respectively.

My website — http://www.tinapinson.com/
Twitter:@Tina_Pinson
Facebook– http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=754617103

Purchase my books at:

Desert Breeze Bookstore.
When Shadows Fall http://tinyurl.com/d93p77a
Touched By Mercy – http://ning.it/9OJZ5r <http://ning.it/9OJZ5r>
In the Manor of the Ghost http://tiny.cc/we4ul

Amazon:
Touched By Mercy http://tiny.cc/k5tgw
In the Manor of the Ghost http://tiny.cc/doc8w
When Shadows Fall

Barnes & Noble
Touched By Mercy— http://tinyurl.com/7ztzjno
In the Manor of the Ghost http://tiny.cc/oh767
When Shadows Fall

Christian Books Distributors
Touched By Mercy – http://tinyurl.com/72p4pml
In the Manor of the Ghost http://tiny.cc/4u5h9
When Shadows Fall

Thank you again, Tina! Now, let’s hear from everyone out there.

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Welcome, Anne Patrick, Author of “Kill Shot”

Today I’m so happy to welcome award-winning author Anne Patrick, who has a new release from Desert Breeze Publishing entitled “Kill Shot”. Welcome, Anne!

About “Kill Shot”:

Former combat medic Kory Wagner has been in four war zones, served three tours in Iraq, survived countless firefights, RPG’s, IED’s and even a helicopter crash. Now she’s home and out of the Army for good and someone is trying to kill her in her own backyard. Just as disturbing is the handsome sheriff who’s on the case.

Sheriff Sean Harding doesn’t quite know what to think of the decorated veteran that managed to outsmart an entire search party. What bothers him more is the body of a PI, whom she hired to find her sister’s killer, was found dead in a building Kory owns. And Kory isn’t being very cooperative with helping him find the answers as to why someone would kill her sister and want her dead. Will he be able to keep her alive along enough to discover the truth?

Excerpt

The steel door creaked as she pushed it open, the sound echoing throughout the metal building. “Mr. Urlik?” She waited for her eyes to adjust to the change in lighting before stepping all the way inside. A wide stream of light from the door spread out in front of her. “Mr. Urlik. Are you in here?”

Kory heard a sound a few yards in front of her. She quickly scanned the area. Three rows of huge metal shelves lined the interior. She inched forward, peering around the corner of the second row. Mr. Urlik lay on his side, facing her, clutching his chest. His eyes were opened and his mouth moved, but no sound came out. A heart attack? She ran to him, knelt down on the cement floor, and took his hand. It was wet, slimy. She looked down and saw his hand covered in blood. Her eyes shifted to his chest. A large crimson stain spread across the width of his white shirt from a small hole near the center. He was breathing erratically. Experience told her a bullet had pierced at least one lung and he didn’t have much time. She immediately pressed the heel of her right hand against the wound.

“I’m sorry,” he murmured.

“Where’s your cell phone?” Hers was in her backpack but she didn’t want to waste valuable time digging it out.

“No time. Get out.”

“Who did this, Mr. Urlik?”

He grabbed her right hand and squeezed it tightly. “You were right — no accident.”

His hand went limp.

Kory felt something in the palm of her hand, looked down and saw it was a key. She shoved it into her jeans pocket. A whizzing sound buzzed past her, followed by the unmistakable clink of a bullet ricocheting off metal. She instinctively threw herself over his body as another bullet struck metal. Kory felt for a pulse. There was none. She lowered her hand to his chest and felt under both arms and along his waist. I thought all PIs carried guns. Just my luck this one didn’t.

She scrambled to her feet, as more shots ricocheted around her, and dove through an opening on the first row of shelves. A piercing pain sliced through her upper arm as she took cover behind some boxes. They wouldn’t shield her from the gunfire but they would conceal her presence while she figured out how she was going to get out of there. She paused long enough to grab her cell phone from her backpack, wishing she hadn’t when another bullet tore through a box beside her. She ducked lower to the floor.

Kory ignored the throbbing in her arm and slithered along the floor toward the back of the building. As a child, she and her sister, Callie, had often accompanied her grandfather to the warehouse where he worked on boats as a hobby. She remembered a back exit that led to the side parking lot and nearby woods. If she could reach the door, she had a chance of getting out of this alive. She looked down at the tear in her shirt, drenched with blood.
This isn’t good!

Kill Shot: Book One Wounded Heroes can be purchased at most online bookstores or from my publisher – Desert Breeze Publishing: http://stores.desertbreezepublishing.com/-strse-227/Wounded-Heros-Book-One/Detail.bok

Anne’s Bio: Anne Patrick is the author of more than a dozen novels of Romance, Mayhem & Faith, including the award-winning and best-selling Fire and Ash, Lethal Dreams and Sabotage. When she’s not killing off people or falling in love with dashing heroes, you can find her surfing the web or spending time with family and friends. Born and raised in Oklahoma, she now makes her home in Kansas.

To learn more about Anne, please visit her website: http://www.annepatrick.weebly.com or blog: http://www.suspensebyanne.blogspot.com .

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Welcome, Author Karen Wiesner — Tenth Stop in the 2011 Summer Blog-String Fest

Today I am so happy to welcome the fabulous, accomplished author Karen Wiesner, as she discussed her new release, SHARDS OF ASHLEY, Book 5 of the Family Heirloom Series. Karen will also be giving away a download of BABY, BABY, Book 1 of the Family Heirlooms Series to one commenter. Welcome, Karen and thank you so much for visiting today!
Here’s a story recap and a blurb from SHARDS OF ASHLEY for you to enjoy.

SHARDS OF ASHLEY, Book 5 of the Family Heirloom Series
Karen Wiesner
Inspirational Contemporary Romance
Whiskey Creek Press
978-1-61160-017-9 (trade paperback); 978-1-61160-016-2 (download)

Find out more about this series: http://www.angelfire.com/stars4/kswiesner/fiction9.html

Book Five Family Heirloom: Learning Trust

In order to reconcile her past, she must face the terrible truth she buried long ago…and, in doing so, she gambles with her heart and the salvation of her own soul.

Ashley Savage grew up in a troubled home with a competitive, pampered sister and an abusive, ridiculing mother who played at being a Christian when she needed to…and led Ashley to more addictions than one child could handle. As an adult, Ashley tells herself she’s put the extreme fears of the past behind her, but she spends most of her time repairing the crumbling wall holding back the horrors she’s not willing to face ever again. She’s become a woman against the world.

The one man who has the annoying habit of getting through her defenses is Jay Samuels, a military chaplain and soon-to-be pastor. Much as Ashley wants to leave him behind like she believes she has the rest of her past, Jay is ambitious to a fault where she’s concerned. He hears only what he wants to hear—and he doesn’t want to hear that she doesn’t love him as much as he loves her.

But even Jay doesn’t realize the extent of all she’s buried deep inside her own subconscious…and what keeps her from giving herself willingly to the God she knows is drawing her inexorably to Himself, to the one place she can’t run, where she can no longer hide…

Excerpt:
© Karen Wiesner

Jay Samuels knew exactly where to find his girlfriend. Not in the waiting area, eager to throw herself in his arms the minute he deboarded the plane and appeared. No, Ashley would be in the gift shop, trying to convey blaringly that picking him up was an afterthought. She’d act like coming to get him from the airport (twice a year or so) was a major inconvenience to her. Maybe it was. Maybe he’d prefer to have her tackle him with enthusiastic love. But he’d always delighted in Ashley’s mystery, her unfathomableness.

He smiled eagerly, making his way around other passengers in the tiny La Crosse airport. Even knowing he and Ashley would spend the entire week he was on leave butting heads, he couldn’t wait to see her. Since she’d moved to La Crosse when she was seventeen, he’d had to take charge to get what he wanted. She never made it easy, never fell in line with his plans without a good argument. He had a big one on his hands tonight, but he was up for it. He was spoiling for it.

Still grinning, he entered the gift shop and saw her immediately. A woman as elegant and breathtakingly gorgeous as Ashley Savage was hard to miss. She wore an utterly feminine, utterly sophisticated expensive business suit that she couldn’t have imagined even touching a decade ago. The suit she wore today was in shades of pink, a floral print, with a form-fitting jacket that followed her exquisite curves, and a little skirt. Three inch pumps showed off deeply tanned, mile-long legs. She was five-ten, only a few inches shorter than him, but taller than most women, especially in the heels. As usual, she wore her waist-length, champagne blond hair in a twist at the back of her head. Wisps hung around her delicate face. He had the feeling she thought tying up her hair the way she did made her unapproachable and unattractive to men. She couldn’t have been more wrong. While she didn’t need the make-up she wore, he had to admit she applied it with an expert hand. She looked completely natural, as if she wore no cosmetics at all. He wondered if she had any idea how beautiful…and intimidating…she was to men. Heck, she probably intimidated women just as easily. But he expected that was her goal. She didn’t allow anyone or anything to get to her.

An ache started inside him that he knew would only get stronger with every minute they spent together in this short time. Does she have any idea what she does to me? For him, no other woman could come close to her. That had never been what she intended, of course, and he’d well known it after they graduated high school and started independent lives. She’d purposed for them to become separate from each other in every conceivable way.

She’d met rich-from-birth humanitarian Amanda Grant, who’d hired Ashley at her interior design company and taught her the ropes. In a very short time, Ashley had obviously learned a lot from her mentor—she’d mastered how to dress and talk properly, but she’d also designed her own style and it was worth gold. Amanda’s clients had fallen for Ashley left and right, and she’d become a success in every sense of the word.

Since then, Jay had to concede that what they’d shared no longer fit—she’d been right about that, in not so many words. He’d ceased to harbor any more illusions about befriending someone who’d seen so much pain. Plain and simple, friendship could no longer satisfy him. Not when he’d seen her strength, the way she’d picked up the pieces of her shattered life and rebuilt herself from scratch. Wanting their relationship to move into something more romantic had become a priority to him, but she hadn’t made it easy for him. To this day, getting anything from her was a never-ending battle, but a worthwhile one that he hadn’t and wouldn’t tire of, not when she allowed him to be with her despite “the inconvenience.” I never made it easy for her either. Just the opposite. I was hell on her when we were younger—just because I enjoyed our sparring so much. Unfortunately, he couldn’t deny that he still derived pleasure from that. But sparring wasn’t all he desired anymore.

Jay’s hands clenched. He loved her, wanted her. While that desire felt old and familiar, the torture in his longing was new and nearly unbearable. The feelings between them used to be so light and fun. The last time he’d come home… Being with her constantly wasn’t enough. Having her next to me, allowing me to touch her…the ache to kiss and hold her won’t be satisfied until she belongs to me wholly. At the time, he hadn’t been sure how to make that happen. He’d wondered countless times what she would do if he told her the only future he could envision beyond being a chaplain and a minister outside the military was all about her. If his life didn’t include her forever, he wasn’t interested. This time, he’d discover one way or another what she would do when she learned he’d already taken a step into a permanent life with her. He planned to ask her to take a step of her own.

Looking at her guarded face now, he already knew the answer to that. She saw him standing here, aware he was watching her, but she wouldn’t admit it a moment sooner than she willed. She wanted to make him wait for her. That was all right with him. Her control issues had given him a chance to look at all he’d missed for months on end.

In a calculated move, she glanced up from the magazine she was perusing, pretended she’d just now realized he’d arrived, and murmured, “Oh, you’re here. Let me pay for these, then I’ll take you home.”

She dropped another fashion magazine into the basket she carried. Jay followed her to the checkout counter, stepping right in front of her just before she got there. Her expression was irritated, just as guarded as before, and it should have reminded him of something hard as ice or stone. Ashley’s intentions to keep everyone away no longer worked on him. Everything about her spoke of soft femininity to him.

“Not exactly the hello I was hoping for,” he said under his breath. He pressed up against her, and she glared at him.

“Can I help you?” the clerk called pleasantly.

Ashley stepped around him, effectively dodging his embrace to put the basket on the counter. Undeterred, Jay put his arms around her from behind. She stiffened defensively, but he held her a little tighter. He put his mouth right against the shell of her ear while the clerk went about the business of tallying her purchases. Breathing in her expensive, mesmerizing perfume, he murmured, “I’d rather not go to my parents’ right away.”

“They miss you.”

“I miss you.”

Impossibly, she stiffened even more. He nuzzled her neck, becoming increasingly intoxicated by the scent and feel of her so close. He wanted to get out of here. Now. I need to be alone with her. This wasn’t the time or place, but he couldn’t get himself to back off. Instinctively, his counselor brain started to analyze both of their actions, but he shook off the need to do that with her. When he was home, he wanted to relax and enjoy his time with her.

She paid and took the bag the clerk handed her. Gently, she nudged him away, turning to ask, “Have you gotten your luggage?”

“Nah.” Seeing Ashley had been his first and last thought when the plane landed.

She led the way to the baggage return across the lobby from the gift shop. When they arrived and watched the bags coming through, she said, “I have to drop off this fabric sample book with a client and then go back to the office…”

He didn’t care to hear the list of things she’d prepared to keep them apart. He slipped through her defenses and put his arms around her while she was still talking.

Read more:

Click to access SOAexcerpt.pdf

What’s coming next:

WORLDS COLLIDE, Book 6 of the Family Heirloom Series
Karen Wiesner
Inspirational Contemporary Romance
Whiskey Creek Press
978-1-61160-019-3 (trade paperback); 978-1-61160-018-6 (download)
Coming March 2012

Book Six Family Heirloom: Persevering in adversity

Dr. Marcus Samuels is a medical missionary in Japan, and his life has been God’s work despite a severe anxiety disorder associated with being far from home. After twelve years of watching his happily married siblings and their children, he can no longer deny the chronic ache inside him and knows he should start his own family life back in the States—though he has serious doubts about his wife-hunting abilities at the age of forty. Spurred into motion by his mother’s sudden illness, he’s caught off-guard when he realizes just how much he’ll miss Keiko Oichi and her brother Haruki, fellow pediatricians at the Children’s Christian Mission Hospital. The two have not only been his lifeline while in a foreign, distant place, but have also become family to him.

Keiko and Haruki grew up in the United States as foreign exchange students. It was through their host family that she and her older sibling became Christians. Her conversion to Christ, as well as getting to know Marcus, have radically altered her emotionally-detached acceptance of her traditional Japanese future. When Marcus says he’s leaving Japan for good, she feels lost at the prospect of living without her closest friend. Only with Marcus can she be the woman she truly is inside—if she can shed the cocoon of lifelong familial tradition and impossible expectations and be free.
Knowing Keiko has been betrothed since she was a child, Marcus had trained himself not to see her as a potential mate. But learning of her unhappiness and fear of being unequally yoked to an immoral man she can never love opens his eyes to possibilities he hasn’t allowed himself to consider. Who better to fall in love with than your very best friend? When Keiko’s parents learn of her conversion and feelings for a Christian man, the couple faces a crossroads in love and faith that will change both of their lives irrevocably.

Return to the quaint little town of Peaceful, Wisconsin, from Karen Wiesner’s award-winning Family Heirlooms Series, where you first met and fell in love with these colorful, lovable friends. Now you can read the stories of those secondary characters in an all-new spin-off series. Nuggets of faith can be passed down as heirlooms from friend to friend, heart to heart, soul-mate to soul-mate.
Check out this upcoming series (including back blurbs, covers, and details) here:
http://www.angelfire.com/stars4/kswiesner/fiction9a.html

About the Author:

Karen Wiesner is an accomplished author with 85 books published in the past 13 years, which have been nominated for and/or won 114 awards, and 13 more titles under contract. Karen’s books cover such genres as women’s fiction, romance, mystery/police procedural/cozy, suspense, paranormal, futuristic, gothic, inspirational, thriller, horror, chick-lit, and action/adventure. She also writes children’s books, poetry, and writing reference titles such as her bestsellers, First Draft in 30 Days and From First Draft to Finished Novel {A Writer’s Guide to Cohesive Story Building}, available from Writer’s Digest Books. Along with her writing, Karen enjoys designing Web sites, graphics, and cover art. For more information about Karen and her work, visit her Web sites at http://www.karenwiesner.com, http://www.firstdraftin30days.com, http://www.falconsbend.com and http://www.JewelsoftheQuill.com. If you would like to receive Karen’s free e-mail newsletter, Karen’s Quill, and become eligible to win her monthly book giveaways, send a blank e-mail to KarensQuill-subscribe@yahoogroups.com.

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“Religion in the Middle Ages” by Author Nicole Zoltack

Today I am delighted to welcome author Nicole Zoltack. “Champion of Valor”, the third novel in her Medieval Fantasy Romance Series, Kingdom of Arnhem, has been released by Desert Breeze Publishing. Today she’ll be discussing Religion in the Middle Ages. Congratulations and welcome, Nicole.

Religion in the Middle Ages

The medieval people lived in trying times. Many children died before their first birthday. Many mothers died during childbirth. The plague. The Crusades. It comes as no surprise that the medieval people were extremely religious, with many attending daily mass.
Woman of Honor, the first book in my medieval fantasy romance series, is the most historical book in the trilogy. Aislinn is a young girl who wishes to be a knight – this book focuses on her knightly training and the love she finds along her journey.
Knight of Glory introduces different races like dwarves and wind-dancing trolls and focuses more on the fantasy aspect of the world as Sir Geoffrey finds himself torn between two different and mysterious women.
But I felt that I would have been remiss to ignore how religious the medieval world had been so Champion of Valor has religious undertones. The war between Arnhem and Speica mirrors the war between angels and demons as Lucifer tries to bring about the apocalypse before its time.

Excerpt:

Heaven

Christopher glanced down at Terra between the clouds. With the heightened sight of a warrior saint, he was able to see Arnhem castle, his home throughout his knightly training. The marketplace had come a long way since the horrific fire. A large smile graced his face when he saw the queen, his sister, help a young child to an apple from a market’s cart. She, too, had come a long way, her tenacity and determination earning Aislinn her shield and the heart of Arnhem’s young king.
“She has an even harder journey ahead of her.”
The deep voice of his commander, Saint Michael the Archangel, stirred Christopher from his thoughts, and his heart fell slightly. “Aislinn must face more hardship?” he asked, dreading but already knowing the answer.
“I am afraid so. She will survive it, do not fret.”
Christopher breathed a sigh of relief. Although he longed to one day be reunited with his beloved sister, he did not want to rush her death. “Do you want me to warn her again?”
As a soldier in the Battle for Heaven, Christopher was allowed, at certain times and with his Archangel’s consent, to visit one still on Earth about the trying times ahead, to prepare her, to ready her heart, and to increase her devotion to the Lord. He had already visited his sister several times.
“No.” Saint Michael’s large, ethereal wings glittered as he shook his head. “The war between Speica and Arnhem is rapidly engulfing the entire continent of Alethereia. If things continue at this rapid pace, Europe and the rest of the eastern world may come to grapple with the destruction as well.”
Christopher blinked and furrowed his brow. “But Europe and the other continents are still ignorant of magic.”
“Yes.” Saint Michael glided beside Christopher and gazed down upon Terra with a mild look of concern. “Now is not the time for magic to be revealed to them. We cannot allow that to happen.”
“How can we prevent this from occurring?”
“As you told Aislinn many years ago, the battles waged on Terra parallel those fought here in Heaven.”
Christopher nodded with understanding. “We must fight Lucifer and his demon angels.”
“We must win, and soon.” Saint Michael’s gaze shifted to Christopher. “Your time on Terra was cut short, and I am sorry for that, but the Lord had need of you here. You have proven yourself time and again in battle. It is time to ready the other warriors.” Saint Michael nodded his head and vanished in a brilliant flash of white.
Christopher stole one last look down on Terra, his eyes now drawn to the dark castle of Speica. The hint of black magic vibrated and hummed even across the great distance. He shuddered. At least in Heaven, Christopher did not have to worry about dying again, but those fighting for Arnhem, and the light, would have a dangerous road ahead of them. Christopher did not envy them.

Be sure to leave a comment to be entered to win some signed post cards and magnets. Each comment during the Champion of Valor Blog Tour gives you an entry for the grand prize: a copy of the entire Kingdom of Arnhem trilogy – Woman of Honor, Knight of Glory, and Champion of Valor.

Woman of Honor
Knight of Glory
Follow my writing journey

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Welcome Author Tami Dee: Part One of Three

Today I am thrilled to welcome author Tami Dee, whose book, “Under a Viking Mist” book four of her ‘Time Viking’ series, has just been released by Desert Breeze Publishing.

1. What’s your genre or do you write in more than one?

Right now, I writeTime travel, romantic adventure. I will be trying my hand at a Scottish Historical, Innocent Deception, to be released by Desert Breeze Publishing October 2011.

2. Did you choose your genre or did it choose you?

I would have to say it choose me. 🙂

3. Is there any genre you’d like to try? Or is there one you wouldn’t?

I would love to try and write romantic suspense, one of these days I will give it a shot.

4. What fiction do you read for pleasure?

A little bit of this, a little bit of that…. I have a wide variety of genres which I enjoy reading.

5. Tell me a bit about yourself and how long you’ve been writing,

I have been writing for about five or six years now. I have always wanted to write, since I can remember, but I have dyslexia and growing up, writing even the simplest of things was a struggle. But, one day, I just had to write the story that was sifting through my mind. I discovered ‘editors’ and, well, the rest is history. 🙂

6. Which of your characters is your favorite?

I can never, ever, pick a favorite. They each become such a part of me, my thoughts, my life, that I grow close to all of them.

7. Are there villains in your books and how were they created?

My stories are character driven, and I have to tell you, when I start a book, I never even consider who the villain will be, why he or she will be a villain, or what might motivate them. As the story unfolds they simply ‘become’.

8. What are you working on now?

Lots of promoting for the last book in my Mists of Time Viking Series, Through A Viking Mist, available now! lol. And I mentioned in an earlier question, I am writing my very first Scottish Historical. I am already at 15,000 + words, and still have not nailed down what date the book takes place in. I seriously have to figure that out before to much longer. haha.

9. What’s your latest release and how did the idea arrive?

My latest release is book four, the final book, in my Mists of Time Viking Series, Through A Viking Mist. The series started with a dream, and one book evolved into four. The series itself took five years to complete. It spans thirteen years of the Nabboddrson brothers’ lives. As you may suspect, by the time I typed the last line in book four, I felt as if I were saying good bye to members of my family, rather than fictional characters. I often become inspired by dreams, and also while I shower. haha I guess all that movement of the water spraying gets my brain moving also.

10. Tell me about your latest book and how it came about.

Through A Viking Mist takes the series full circle. Characters once lost will be found, new choices will be made, with each choice leading to a thrilling conclusion. I hope when the last page is turned, readers will blow out a heart felt sigh and that the Nabboddrson brothers and their wives sagas will live on in the readers minds and hearts for a good wile.

Blurb: Through A Viking Mist

Two enemies left standing on a blood drenched battlefield.
Who will take the as yet unclaimed land for their own?
Ofeig Nabboddrson, a warrior from his youth up, is determined to claim the rich land now stained with blood as his.
The only thing standing in his way is a magnificent Valkyrie, a woman who he has seen only in battle and who is called
‘The Protector’.
Eva Samsdottir, an extraordinary woman who singlehandedly saves the children of her village from slavery amidst a deadly raid.
Unbeknownst to her a bigger battle awaits her in a Time not her own.
Will she have the courage to survive the future?

Book Four, Through A Viking Mist, ends this epic series with a thrilling battle for land between Ofeig Nabboddrson, a warrior, and a magnificent Valkyrie, Eva Samsdottir. They soon discover that Time has other plans for them as it sweeps both combatants to San Francisco, CA, 1991, where each face an even bigger battle just trying to survive the future world.
A world where old scores are settled new directions are chosen.
http://stores.desertbreezepublishing.com/-strse-147/tami-dee-mists-of/Detail.bok
ISBN:

978-1-61252-023-0
$5.99
Publisher: Desert Breeze Publishing Inc. http://www.desertbreeze.publishing.com
My web site: http://www.tamidee.com
Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?ref=profile&id=100000198842347
Twitter: http://twitter.com/AuthorTamiDee

Please enjoy an excerpt:

Ofeig brushed back Eva’s hair and kissed her forehead. Their bodies were still intertwined in the most intimate of embraces as he shifted his weight off her.
Her body hummed, slight trembles attested to the great passion she and her husband shared. Her mind and heart were not completely at peace as yet, there were too many unknowns regarding their future after the raiders were eliminated and her women and children were settled.
But she did not wish to think about that now. Now she relished the feel of her husband’s strong arms holding her so tenderly.
They both heard the sudden change of noises in the great hall. Good-natured laughter was suddenly relapsed by alarmed shouts and the scraping of benches as feet hurried about.
She and Ofeig looked at one another then silently dressed themselves and pushed out of their alcove.
Ofeig grabbed a young warrior by the scruff of his neck as he raced past. “What’s happening?” he demanded.
“It’s your brother-in-law,” the lad rasped. “He’s been shot while out on patrol.”
Eva gasped and slung the alcove door back open. She passed Ofeig his weapons and then strapped her own to herself before they ran from the keep and into the courtyard.
Singlee lay draped across his mount, the tip of his long braid brushed the ground. An arrow was embattled deep into his back. Blood stained his clothing and dripped to the dirt.
The courtyard was crowded with clansmen yet not a word was said. Alisa stood next to her husband’s body, as still as he, her face empty of emotion in her shock. Leif and Davyn eased Singlee’s limp form from his mount and Leif shifted him over his shoulder to carry him into the keep. Rosie and Kat wept openly, the women holding one another’s hands like a lifeline.
Balmung held Iris as she cried into his chest.
Eva could not take her eyes off the arrow. Dread rode heavy in her belly as she followed Leif. She waited until he laid Singlee onto the head table before approaching and running a trembling finger over the shaft of the arrow.
She felt the carving. She knew the symbol and who it belonged to.
She raised stunned eyes to Leif, then Ofeig.
Leif’s gaze pierced her. “This arrow did not come from the raiders, did it?” he asked in a dripping ice.
She shook her head. “Nay,” she choked out. “The carving marks it as Gyda’s.”
Without another word she strode from the great hall to the stables.
She did not know if the family would blame her for having brought the women here, to their land, and at the moment she did not care. She would find Gyda. She would take from her what she had taken from Singlee.
And if the other women were in involved in any way, they would pay the same price.
She went to mount her horse when Ofeig grasped her wrist.
“I am coming with you.”
She tugged her wrist, to no avail. “Your family needs you here.”
“You are my family,” he said, “and we will take care of this matter together.”
She nodded and waited as he readied a mount.
She only half heard Leif’s captain order a regiment of men to ride with them.
They rode into the forest in silence, heavily armed and ready for anything.
They pulled their horses to a halt at the edge of the women’s camp.
Eva noted the men from Singlee’s patrol spread out, surrounding the camp.
“If the other women were involved,” Eva said. “There is no way we will make it into the camp to confront Gyda.”
He nodded, scanning the trees. “Aye,” he said. “Are you ready?”
She nodded, a stiff jerk of her head. “Aye.”
They dismounted and walked their horses, keeping as close to the large shields as possible. Silence greeted them, but Eva knew their presence was known.
Not a woman was in sight, the trees remained free from the hiss of flying arrows.
The absolute stillness caused the fine hairs at the nape of her neck to stand on end as they searched for either women or a trap.
Jodis stepped from behind a wide tree trunk. “Eva,” she swallowed, her fair skin chalk white and her eyes wide with what looked like shock. “You have to come.”
Eva and Ofeig shared a quick look and followed her as she silently moved through the brush of the forest.
Gyda stood, pale yet clearly defiant, surrounded by several of the women, their arrows clutched in their hands and pointing in threat towards her.
Eva pushed through the women stopping a foot away from Gyda.
“What happened?”
Gyda’s mouth was set in a mutinous line and she refused to meet Eva’s eyes, staring instead at a point over her shoulder.
Eva leaned in until her face almost touched the other woman’s. “What happened?” she shouted.
“I know about you,” Gyda said, so softly Eva had to strain to hear. “I know where you went to recover. The only reason you came back was to take the women from me. I was their leader when you left!” She pounded a fist against her chest to punctuate her words. “I was the one who helped them survive. But the second you come back they all turned to you as their savior. You don’t deserve their devotion. You lied to us all. I know you did, Bennie told me!”
Eva’s heart slammed into her ribs. The blood rushed through her veins so fast and hard she could barely hear from the roaring of it.
She slanted a look at her husband.
Ofeig had gone pale as he listened to Gyda, his Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed.
“He told me to shoot someone, anyone, with my arrows.” Gyda confessed in a hiss. “He said that would get your attention, and I should tell you when you came that he wants to go home. And the blood of the man I shot is on your hands, and more would die if you did not figure out how to get him home.”
Eva shivered. Bennie had fed her facts, and lies, and whipped up her insecurities and fears.
Bennie.
How was it possible?
She shook her head.
The how of it did not matter. He was here, somewhere in this forest, likely close enough to watch the drama he had created. He had played Gyda in order to get to Eva, and somehow Gyda had lost her sanity along the way.
Eva placed her hand on Gyda’s shoulder. “Did Bennie tell you what would happen to you for killing the Jarl’s brother-in-law?”
Gyda’s eyes widened. “That man was not related to the Jarl, he was just a guard!”
Eva smiled sadly and shook her head. “That’s where your wrong, Gyda. But even if he had not been a family member, your punishment would be exactly the same.”
Gyda raised shocked eyes to Eva’s then dropped her gaze to her stomach. Gyda’s blood spilt over Eva’s hand in a hot rush. Eva twisted the blade expertly, ending the life of a woman she had once saved so many years before.
Gyda had taken the life of a good man, and Eva had obtained justice for that man in the direct way of her Time.
She tried to ignore the sick churning of her stomach.
Gyda’s knees buckled and her lifeless body fell to the earth. Ofeig took the knife from her hand without comment.
Singlee’s men had closed in on the women and stood at the ready.
“Take care of this,” her husband ordered.
The body was lifted from the ground and Eva did not turn to see who was moving her or where they were taking her.
She took a deep breath and squared her shoulders, then turned to the women surrounding them who had remained silent until now.

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