Wednesday Writers –The Art of Rivers by Janet W. Ferguson

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Catherine Castle Wednesday Writers series, Excerpt from The Art of Rivers, Janet Ferguson, pets, The Art of Rivers

Wednesday Writers  welcomes Janet W. Ferguson to the blog today. Janet will be talking about the inspiration behind one of the more unusual characters in  her newest release, The Art of Rivers. Welcome, Janet.

 

Thanks, Catherine.

We have a whiney-needy cat named White Kitty and a treat-loving dog named Remi. They pretty much follow me around the house, one meowing and the other begging. The cat always wants to sit on me when I write. Because of this, I end up being inspired to write animals into my fiction. In my first novel I had an ugly dog. In the next, I had a cat named Hairy. In my fourth book, my heroine had allergies so she had a hairless cat named Mr. Darcy.

The Art of Rivers deals with a tough issue—addiction. I wanted the comic relief that pets can add. I’d written cats and dogs. I wanted to branch out. Neither of my main characters seemed the type to have a pet, so I decided to give the animal to one of my secondary characters. One of my best friends is a vet, and I asked her opinion for a new kind of pet. She had a friend with… a pet possum (or opossum depending on where you come from.) I thought that sounded crazy-interesting! I interviewed the owner and wrote a fictional version of her baby into the story.

Image by Mario Hernandez from Pixabay

Here’s a little from our interview: He is very gentle. The only sound I have ever heard him make is when he was asleep, because he snores. He is so domesticated that he doesn’t hiss at anything. He loves other animals and thinks he’s just like them. He does stay in a nice size kennel when I’m gone during the day, but he has a bed and he loves his cover. He uses a litter box, but I take him outside regularly, and he sometimes goes outside. When I get home, I let him wander around the house. He is actually pretty lazy. I find him asleep a lot. He gets a bath once a week and he loves it. His hands and feet are very soft. He loves to be held, and he likes to hold onto my thumb when I’m holding him. His vision is very poor but his sense of smell is phenomenal. I had him neutered when he was six months old which took a lot of the aggression out of him. It tamed him down to the point he is a better pet than my cats. He knows his name and will come when you call him. He loves to eat. He eats cat food and various fruits. His favorite is strawberries. His little mouth is pink when he finishes with them. He smacks louder than any kid I have ever known. He has played possum on me several times and has scared me to death because I thought something had happened. He gets in trouble when he does that.

There you have! The inspiration for Phoenix in The Art of Rivers.

 

The Art of Rivers

by Janet Ferguson

​Rivers Sullivan bears both visible and invisible scars—those on her shoulder from a bullet wound and those on her heart from the loss of her fiancé during the same brutal attack. Not even her background as an art therapist can help her regain her faith in humanity. Still, she scrapes together the courage to travel to St. Simons Island to see the beach cottage and art gallery she’s inherited from her fiancé. When she stumbles upon recovering addicts running her gallery, she’s forced to reckon with her own healing.

After the tragic drowning of his cousin, James Cooper Knight spends his days trying to make up for his past mistakes. He not only dedicates his life to addiction counseling, but guilt drives him to the water, searching for others who’ve been caught unaware of the quickly rising tides of St. Simons. When he rescues a peculiar blond woman and her sketch pad from a sandbar, then delivers this same woman to his deceased grandmother’s properties, he knows things are about to get even more complicated.

Tragic circumstances draw Cooper and Rivers closer, but they fight their growing feelings. Though Cooper’s been sober for years, Rivers can’t imagine trusting her heart to someone in recovery, and he knows a relationship with her will only rip his family further apart. Distrust and guilt are only the first roadblocks they must overcome if they take a chance on love.

 

 

Excerpt

Dark eyes and black, careless hair to match, her rescuer stared at her as if she were insane. Maybe she was. A current pulled her, launching her deeper into the rising tide. She could barely stand. Salty water splashed into her eyes and mouth. “Take this pad now! It’s getting wet!” She stretched her hand as high as she could, dog-paddling with the other to stay erect.

The man finally grabbed the tablet from her. Once both arms were free, she tried to swim toward the boat ladder, but a swell slapped her in the face. A moment later, strong hands grabbed her, pushed a red floating device under her, and pulled her toward the vessel.

“Just relax. But help me kick if you can.” He stayed close, guiding them along a rope tied to the hull.

At the ladder, he pushed her forward. “You go first. I’m right here. Let me know if you’re too tired to climb, and I’ll give you a shove from behind.”

The last thing she wanted was this stranger shoving her behind. “I got it.” She began her ascent, one waterlogged step at a time. “And I hope you put my sketchbook someplace dry.” The last sentence, she mumbled, since she probably should be thankful he’d come by at all.

“What?” The voice behind her sounded incredulous.

On board, she spied the pad lying on the passenger seat intact. “I said thanks for putting my sketchbook someplace dry.” She stood there dripping while he vaulted onboard.

“That is not what you said.” His brows furrowed under dripping strands of black hair.

Rivers took in the angle of his nose, observed the contoured lips leaving a small shadow above the scruff on his chin. There was something familiar and almost mesmerizing about his bone structure.

Want to read more? The Art of Rivers is available on  Amazon   Nook   Kobo  iBooks

 

About the Author

Janet W. Ferguson grew up in Mississippi and received a degree in Banking and Finance from the University of Mississippi. She has served as a children’s minister and a church youth volunteer. An avid reader, she worked as a librarian at a large public high school. She writes humorous inspirational fiction for people with real lives and real problems. Janet and her husband have two grown children, one really smart dog, and a few cats that allow them to share the space.

Connect with Janet on her webpage, Facebook, or Bookbub.

 

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Wednesday Writers–Dreams Deferred by June Foster

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Christian romance, Dream Deferred, drug abuse, excerpt from Dreams Deferred, June Foster, Wednesday Writers

Wednesday Writers welcomes June Foster back to the blog. June will be talking about The Story Behind the Story of her contemporary romance novel Dreams Deferred. Welcome back, June!

 

Thanks, Catherine.

Dreams Deferred is inspired by the true-to-life story of my great grandfather and great grandmother. I chose to set it in contemporary times, nevertheless, I borrowed many of the story elements from the true story.

Frances Mathew Halbedl grew up in the European Austrian Empire and followed tradition in which the oldest son became a priest in his family’s Catholic faith. After being ordained in Moravia, he immigrated to the United States in 1866 to serve in a parish in the state of Louisiana.

My aunt and mother always told the story of how one Sunday while saying Mass, he spotted a young teen, much younger than my Mary Louise. He waited several years for her to grow up then stepped down from the priesthood to marry her. I wish I knew some of those rich details of their courtship, but since I don’t, I fictionalized their romance.

They later moved to San Antonio, Texas, and had five children, three girls and two boys—Ida, Mamie, Alice, Roy, and Clifton, who was my grandfather. Just for fun in one scene, I imagined that Matt had a dream he was riding in a car with Mary Louise and the three youngest kids. In my story, the dream helped him realize how much he loved Mary Louise.

Mathew taught music both in the public school and privately. Later he became the first principal of a high school in San Antonio. In December of 2005, my husband and I visited San Antonio and looked up Matthew and Mary Louise’s house. The large, two-story home is still there on Roseborough Drive. We weren’t able to go in because it’s a private residence. But I had so much fun envisioning Matt and ML’s lives as they lived there with their children.

We also visited Clifton Halbedl’s home, which I remember from childhood. I also had the address for Mamie’s home, and we were able to go inside. A gracious lady who spoke no English invited us in. I have tons of pictures and hope to share them on my blog.

In the story, Matt gets a job at Jefferson High School. This is patterned after Thomas Jefferson High School where my mother went to school. Her name was Mary Louise, as well, named for her grandmother.

If I’ve learned anything from writing this book, I wish I’d probed for more information when my mother and aunt were still alive, but I’m grateful for what I do know.

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

 

Dreams Deferred

By June Foster

Father Matt Hall wants to serve the Lord. School teacher Mary Louise Graham needs freedom from her unforgivable past. They never expect to fall in love.

Excerpt:

The evening breeze lifted a strand of his dark hair, and he ran his hand over the back of his neck. “I’ve always loved music, especially the violin and performing with the symphony. I believe God can use our talents for what He wants to accomplish.”

“How could God use the San Antonio Symphony for His purpose?”

“I don’t mean specifically the symphony.” He stared at something over her shoulder. “But music in general.”

“I don’t understand.”

He lowered his gaze and captured hers, his eyes magnetic. “I haven’t discussed this with many people, but I have a heart for teenage kids. Especially those who’re destroying their lives with drugs.”

“Hmm. How does that relate to music?”

A slow smile worked its way over Father Matt’s lips. “I’ve always wanted to begin a ministry teaching underprivileged kids to play an instrument and involve them in an orchestra. To instill in them the joy and transforming power of music. If teens are busy learning the trombone or flute, they might not have time to hang out on the streets and become vulnerable to drug use.”

She hadn’t heard of the concept before, but it sounded wonderful. Something or Someone must’ve put the desire in his heart. “Have drugs impacted your life?”

“Yes, you might say that. It was in high school. I had a friend who overdosed and died.” He turned his back to her a moment, maybe in an attempt to hide his emotion. After a few seconds, he faced her again, his gaze focused on something over her shoulder. “Carlos and I were good friends but not close enough, apparently. I thought I knew him, but I didn’t. He never told me he took street drugs.”

Mary Louise reached toward him then yanked her hand to her side again. How could she think of touching a priest, even if she’d only wanted to comfort him? “I’m so sorry.”

“I think God used the incident to put the desire in my heart. The memory is always with me, and the longing to help young people is stronger than ever.”

“You’re very close to God.” A position she’d give anything to enjoy.

“Yes, but anyone can draw near to Him.”

Mary Louise didn’t care if she stared now, searching every inch of his beautiful face—from his short, dark hair to his prickly cheeks to his masculine lips. If only she had access into his heart and the treasures he stored there.

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

 

Want to read more? You can find Dreams Deferred here.

 

About the Author:

June Foster is an award-winning author who began her writing career in an RV roaming around the USA with her husband, Joe. She brags about visiting a location before it becomes the setting in her next contemporary romance or romantic suspense. June’s characters find themselves in precarious circumstances where only God can offer redemption and ultimately freedom. To date June has seen publication of 19 novels and 1 devotional. Find June at junefoster.com.

Connect with June at Amazon Twitter Facebook

 

 

 

 

 

Free June 22-24 — Dangerous Works by Caroline Warfield

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Caroline Warfield, Dangerous Works, excerpt from Dangerous Works, Free Book, Historical Regegency Romance

 

FREE June 22, 23, 24

 

Dangerous Works, Caroline Warfield’s Regency Historical Romance is free on Kindle beginning today, June 22  through June 24 on Amazon. Warfield is an award-winning author of family centered romance set in the Regency and Victorian eras. Take a peek at the excerpt.

Warning for readers of sweet romance: this book does contain mild language, moderate sensual content and behind closed door love scenes.

Dangerous Works

by Caroline Warfield

 

A little Greek is one thing; the art of love is another. Only one man ever tried to teach Lady Georgiana Hayden both. Now she has taken on a body of work; translating the poetry of the women of ancient Greece. If it takes a scandalous affair to teach her what she needs to complete her work, she will risk it.

 

Major Andrew Mallet returns to Cambridge a battle scarred hero and would be scholar. His last encounter with Georgiana cost him eleven years of his life. Determined to avoid her, he seeks work to heal his soul and make his scholar father proud. The work she offers risks his career, his peace of mind, and (worst of all) his heart. Can he protect himself from a woman who almost destroyed him? Does he want to?

 

Excerpt:

She attempted to make her work, as always, her sturdy bulwark against the blows of life. This time, the work only added to her emotional vortex. She read the epigrams with new eyes, and what she found there disturbed her. “Erotos” she knew meant love, certainly, and romantic love at that. How should I translate this line? she wondered.

“‘Nothing is sweeter than love.’”

“‘Nothing is sweeter than Eros.’” In English the meaning tilted slightly with the change of wording. The next phrase appeared to be about delight or pleasure.

“Definitely Eros,” she said to the empty room. Whatever it is, Nossis prefers it to honey. Yesterday, Georgiana wouldn’t have understood. Love has a taste; she knew that now. She recalled the feel of Andrew’s mouth on hers, and the taste when he opened and let her explore. The taste was sweeter than honey, indeed. She felt warmth rise again deep within her. Heat colored her neck and pooled deep in her belly.

The words of Nossis hadn’t changed since yesterday, but Georgiana had. Andrew had kissed her when she was a girl, sweet innocent kisses, not like he had kissed her the day before. The raw pleasure of it opened her eyes to Nossis. She understood nuance and meaning she didn’t see before. What other secrets do they hold? With these distractions, how will I ever finish the translations?

 

About the Author:

Award winning author of family centered romance set in the Regency and Victorian eras, Caroline Warfield has been many things: traveler, librarian, poet, raiser of children, bird watcher, Internet and Web services manager, conference speaker, indexer, tech writer, genealogist—even a nun. She reckons she is on at least her third act, happily working in an office surrounded by windows where she lets her characters lead her to adventures in England and the far-flung corners of the British Empire. She nudges them to explore the riskiest territory of all, the human heart.

 

 

Wednesday Writers–How Do You Recognize True Love? by Ada Brownell

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1918 Influenza Pandemic, Ada Brownell, excerpt from Love's Delicate Blossom, Love's Delicate Blossom, romance, Wednesday Writers, WWII

Today’s Wednesday Writers guest is Ada Brownell and she’s tackling an age old question: HOW DO YOU RECOGNIZE TRUE LOVE?

Welcome Ada!

 

Thanks, Catherine

Where does true love come from?

Ritah O’Casey’s beau wants to get married, but she’s headed to college. She’s quite fond of Edmund Pritchitt III, but does she love him like she loves her brother Bud? Or does she love him enough to give up her dreams and her opportunity to intervene in the life of a friend who has been kidnapped?

The beautiful redhead doesn’t know how or why she’ll be sure Eddie is her true love, the one person God created for her to marry. But she believes because she dedicated her life to the Lord, God will direct her path and show her if Eddie is the one.

Ritah O’Casey is the leading lady of my historical romantic suspense novel Love’s Delicate Blossom. I also have a non-fiction book, Imagine the Future You and one chapter talks about falling in love, the problem that has Ritah confused.

Here’s what I wrote in the Imagine book about marriage and how we fall in love, and I should know something about it. I’ve been married 65 years..

• Falling in love is an act of the will. Cupid doesn’t shoot you with an arrow and “twang!” you’re a goner, although it could be love at first sight.
• You are around the person of the opposite sex frequently. That’s called propinquity—what happens when you are near in time and space.
• You are lonely and desire someone in your life.
• Your God-given instincts are telling you to create a family.
• The person will build your ego.
• Because you decide to create excitement in your life.
• Because no one better is available.
• Because you have similar interests.
• Because someone else thinks it’s a good idea.
• Because while you were in the womb God had a plan for both of you, and your love is so strong you feel you can’t live without one another (Jeremiah 1:5 and Psalms 37:33).There may be dozens of other reasons you fall in love, but even if you aren’t conscious of why it is happening, you allow yourself to love someone else. It’s a decision. That’s why arranged marriages often work.While Edmund waits for Ritah to accept the diamond he’s bought for her finger, another young fellow catches her attention. Will she know who she loves enough to commit herself to him for life?
• If love happened spontaneously without your will being involved, people who are greatly overweight would have as many proposals for marriage as others. So would the handicapped or someone with facial deformities or pure physical ugliness.

 

Love’s Delicate Blossom

By Ada Brownell

It’s 1917 and Ritah Irene O’Casey knows the war and sickness will make widows of many. Mothers already are sending their teir children to orphanages.

As she prepares to leave for college, Ritah hopes to learn herself and then teach women how to manage money, start a business, run a farm, and even prevent and treat illness and injuries in an era where few have access to a doctor.

Ritah is nearly ready to board the train when she discovers her friend Tulip, whose parents died of cholera, was kidnapped by a man who wants to make her work in a brothel.

She battles with all these things on her mind while wealthy Edmund Pritchitt III pressures her to stay home and get married.

Will Edmund be successful in changing her mind? Will Ritah go to college and accomplish her dreams? Or will she meet another handsome man who makes her heart skip?

EXCERPT FROM LOVE’S DELICATE BLOSSOM

 

She smiled. They always had such interesting conversations.

“I’ve read that scripture.”

Joe squeezed her hand, his blue eyes reflecting moonlight. “I should read the Bible more. My father and I work so many hours in the fields besides keeping everything in repair, seems I don’t have much time to read. Well, I guess I do read the newspaper.”

Every time their eyes connected, her heart skipped a beat. “It doesn’t take long. Just pick the Bible up and read a few verses –

a Psalm, or a chapter every night.”

Joe pulled her closer and slid his arm around her waist as they ambled through tall grasses. “I’d like to read some of those love stories in there again. Our pastor preached not too long ago about the arranged marriage of Isaac and Rebecca. Abraham actually sent a servant to another country to find his son Isaac a wife. It’s a most amazing story.”

His grin was wide, and he held Ritah a little closer.

She smiled back, and she was tempted to link her arm around him too. “I remember that story, but I forgot some of the details.”

“The servant asked God to help him find the correct wife for Isaac. The servant took ten camels and a bunch of gifts to a far country to give to the bride’s father. As I recall the camels needed watered. The servant took them to a well in the city where Abraham directed him. Women surrounded the well, and drew and carried water. The servant prayed God would show him which one should become Isaac’s wife. He prayed the young lady would not only agree to draw water for him, but she would water his camels too.”

“Uh, huh,” Ritah murmured. “So, how did that work out?”

“She looked at him like he was crazy.” Joe laughed so hard he could hardly get the words out.

Ritah frowned. That wasn’t how she remembered it. “She did?”

Laughing, Joe touched his finger to the tip of her nose. “No. Just kidding. But do you know how much water a thirsty camel can drink?”

She shook her head. “I have no idea.”

Frogs croaked from the river bed. A roaming tomcat’s eyes glowed as he cried for a mate, but Joe touched his finger to her nose again “Well the preacher said they can drink about twenty gallons. It’s not stored in the hump either. It’s stored in the camel’s blood stream.”

They climbed an upslope bringing them near to the house, and then turned back toward each other.

“Sure enough the young maiden the servant chose for Isaac drew water for him, and also offered to water his camels from her pitcher. So Abraham’s servant told the girl about his mission, and she took him to meet her family. The family gave permission and she agreed to go with the servant and marry Isaac.”

Ritah couldn’t keep from gazing into the face of the tall dark-haired man before her. “Nice.”

“But that’s not the romantic part.” He slid his hands onto her shoulders and looked into her eyes. “The maiden, whose name was Rebekah…”

Ritah nodded her head. She began to remember.

“Rebekah put together an entourage of servants and camels and mounted a camel herself, and followed the servant to the land of Abraham. In the distance, Rebekah saw Isaac coming to meet her and she asked. ‘Is that him?’”

Joe hesitated, then continued. “The servant verified it was. Rebekah veiled her face, jumped off the camel, and started running toward Isaac. Apparently, they met on the road. I imagine he hugged her and maybe even twirled her around. Right away, they had a wedding. That’s probably when he kissed her for the first time.”

Joe’s arms pulled Ritah close and he touched his lips to hers.

Thunder rumbled near her heart. Lightning flashed through her, and rainbow colors filled her brain.

The gasp she released came from her experience, not Rebecca’s. But she said, “What a sweet story.”

“That’s not all.” His arms still held her. “The Bible says Isaac loved her.”

They stood there a moment and then she backed away. “I hope your parents or somebody from the school board didn’t see us.”

Want to read more? You can find Love’s Delicate Blossom by Ada Brownell at Amazon.

About the Author:

Ada Brownell blogs and writes with Stick-to-Your-Soul Encouragement. She is the author of nine books, more than 400 stories and articles in Christian publications, and she spent a large chunk of her life as a journalist, mostly for The Pueblo Chieftain in Colorado. She and her husband L.C., have five amazing children, one of them in heaven, eight wonderful grandchildren. and three great-grandchildren.

Her book, The Lady Fugitive, the first book in the Peaches and Dreams series was a finalist for the 2015 Laurel Award. She has four fiction books and five non-fiction, available from Amazon and some bookstores. The newest non-fiction is What Prayer Can Do, a collection of reprinted articles from the Pentecostal Evangel. Others include Facts, Faith and Propaganda; Swallowed by Life; Imagine the Future You, and Confessions of a Pentecostal.

Amazon author Page: https://www.amazon.com/author/adabrownell

Her blog: http://www.inkfromanearthenvessel.blogspot.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/#!/AdaBrownellWritingMinistries

Twitter: @adabrownell

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wednesday Writers–Lovely Digits by Jeanine Englert

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Excerpt from Lovely Digits, Jeanine Englert, Sweet historical romantic suspense, Wednesday Writers

Welcome to Wednesday Writers. Today’s guest is 2018 Golden Heart ® Finalist author Jeanine Englert. She’s going to be telling us about her sweet, historical romantic suspense debut novel, Lovely Digits. I have to admit this title intrigued me. Reading the background on her heroine was even more intriguing. Welcome, Jeanine!

  

Embrace the Unexpected

By Jeanine Englert

Thanks, Catherine.

Sometimes you just need permission to allow that crazy idea, the one you think no one will understand, free. That’s what happened to me at a Georgia Romance Writers meeting back in January of 2016. I’d been kicking around the idea of writing a book about a layer out of the dead, the Victorian equivalent to a modern day mortician. But I wanted my heroine to not be the old decrepit widow living alone in the woods I’d seen in other novels. I wanted her to be young, vibrant, and independent. But. . . I was terrified to write her that way.

Then, Stephanie Bond, one of our speakers at that meeting back in 2016 said exactly what I needed to hear. She encouraged us to turn the expected into the unexpected and to not be afraid to twist characters, their worlds, and their motivations into new and unusual stories that moved readers. Inspired and fueled by her words, I came home and drafted the first pages of what has now become my first published novel released on this very day, Lovely Digits. Embracing the unexpected led me to one of the most exciting moments of my career and my life as I hope it will for you.

 

Lovely Digits

by Jeanine Englert

When two murders strike the sleepy Victorian town of Clun, England, an unlikely partnership forms. But can the killer be found before there is a third?

Lovely Digits is the town oddity…

 But quirky spinster Lucy Wycliffe prefers to ignore gossip and embrace her position as the town’s layer out of the dead, despite how her parents’ deaths thrust her into such unlikely work. Lovely Digits, as she’s known to the local townspeople, no longer dreams of marriage, but takes pride in providing dignity to the dead. Desperate to hold on to her family’s cottage and support her widowed sister and young niece, an unexpected offer of employment as assistant to the constable arrives at the perfect time.

Former sailor John Brodie is the mysterious new constable…

But John Brodie is far from a stranger to Clun or the events of its past. Accepting the position as constable in the small town is a double edged sword meant to heal his past and redeem his future, but falling for the beautiful and intelligent Lucy Wycliffe was never part of his plan. As the killer closes in, will John reveal his secret and risk losing everything to save Lucy’s life?

Excerpt:

Clun, England

1849

A knocking on the cottage door above stairs startled Lucy, and she poked her finger with the thick sewing needle she held.

“Thistles,” she cursed, pressing her apron to her bleeding thumb. Evidently, repairing the tear at the hem of Becca’s dress would have to wait.

Who would be calling at such an early hour? It was hardly half past nine.

“Enter,” she called up from her root cellar.

She shuddered as the door squeaked open above her. She should oil the blasted hinges on the ancient door, but who had time for such nonsense? Her finger throbbed, but the blood had stopped. Shaking it in the air, she caught sight of the pale female form on her prepping table.

What am I complaining of?

Poor Becca. Lucy swallowed hard. Covering and repairing the girl’s wounds would prove difficult, but she’d try. Becca was her friend. Had been her friend.

“I hear if I need a body prepped, you are the person to see.” A deep rich baritone boomed against the cottage rafters.

The man’s neatly clipped tones screamed city. Londoner, most likely. What would he want here in Shropshire? Nothing of much import ever happened here.

Want to read more? You can find Lovely Digits at Amazon

About the Author:

Jeanine Englert is a teacher by day and writer by night. After years of writing in secret (despite having a master’s degree in writing), she joined Romance Writers of America and Georgia Romance Writers in 2013 and has been an active member ever since. She writes Scottish Highland historicals and historical romantic suspense novels. When she isn’t wrangling with her characters on the page, she can be found trying to convince her husband to watch her latest Masterpiece or BBC show obsession. She loves to talk about books, writing, her beloved pups, and of course mysteries with other readers on Twitter @JeanineWrites, Facebook, or at her website www.jeaninewrites.com.

Her debut novel, Lovely Digits, was released in June of 2019 by Soul Mate Publishing. It is a Victorian romantic suspense that won the 2017 Daphne du Maurier Award and was named a 2018 Golden Heart ® Finalist for best unpublished romantic suspense.

Connect with Jeanine on her social media Links:

Website: http://www.jeaninewrites.com/

Facebook: www.facebook.com/JeanineWrites

Twitter: https://twitter.com/JeanineWrites

 

 

Free Book Fridays–A Groom for Mama by Catherine Castle Free for a Limited Time

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A Groom for Mama, award winning book, Catherine Castle, Free Book Fridays, free book offer, romantic comedy

SALE!     SALE!    SALE!

A Groom for Mama, my award-winning sweet romantic comedy, with a touch of drama, EBook is free on Amazon now through June 10.

If you don’t know anything about the book let me fill you in.

Beverly Walters is dying, and before she goes she has one wish—to find a groom for her daughter. To get the deed done, Mama enlists the dating service of Jack Somerset, Allison’s former boyfriend.

The last thing corporate-climbing Allison wants is a husband. Furious with Mama’s meddling, and a bit more interested in Jack than she wants to admit, Allison agrees to the scheme as long as Mama promises to search for a cure for her terminal illness.

A cross-country trip from Nevada to Ohio ensues, with a string of disastrous dates along the way, as the trio hunts for treatment and A Groom For Mama.

A Groom for Mama won the Contemporary category in 2109 Uncaged Book Review Raven Awards.

Here’s what Amazon readers are saying about the book:

• “I immediately fell in love with these delightful characters and had a hard time putting this book down….” Joanne Guidoccio
• “Castle writes with humor. The author excels at building romantic tension and also touching the hearts of readers with family drama. The novel moved me to tears a few times….” Sandy Hart
• “….This book is filled with a lot of love and heartfelt emotion. Beautifully written, it tugged on every one of my heartstrings and tickled my funny bone at the same time.” AuthorLady 8
• “What a sweet book. I even teared up towards the end. I devoured it in two nights. If you are looking for a sweet Hallmark-esque romance read, this one is for you.” Erin Clark:
• “A Groom for Mama is a well written, delightful romantic comedy penned by author Catherine Castle….I recommend this story if you’re in the mood for a one-of-a-kind story that entertains as well as delivers a refreshing message.” Virginia J Foster:
• “…This is a great romantic comedy you won’t want to miss!” Rose A MCCauley
• “An enjoyable read full of fun and wit and heart-felt emotions. You knew the hero and heroine would end up together, with a little help from ‘mama’, and it was fun to experience the journey. A wonderful story of love and friendship and caring.” Sandy’s Fire

Here’s an Excerpt to whet your appetite

A Groom for Mama

by Catherine Castle

Bounding down the stairwell as the bell rang, Allison shouted, “I’m coming! I’m coming. Keep your pants on!” She threw the deadbolt off and jerked open the door.

Jack Somerset stood in front of her, his chin perched on top of a stack of Chinese take-out cartons. Shoving down her tingling gut reaction, she commanded her heart to stop jumping like an overexcited puppy.

Except for a few more laugh wrinkles around his eyes, Jack hadn’t changed a bit since college. His brown hair still dipped over his forehead in a shaggy mane. A lopsided smile spread across his face when he saw her. He winked at her, his green eyes twinkling.

“Well, if it isn’t the bride-to-be. Nice to see you again, Allison.” He jiggled the cartons balanced in his arms. “I brought Chinese. I remember it was your favorite. Moo shu pork, right?” He pushed past her and headed toward the kitchen, apparently as well acquainted with her childhood home as she.

Grabbing her head between her hands, she squeezed her temples.

Chinese. Of all the things he could have brought, he brought Chinese.

She’d broken it off with him in a Chinese restaurant . . . over moo shu pork. Very loudly and very violently. The pork and the pot of hot tea had landed in Jack’s lap when he tried to keep her from leaving the table. Did his choice of entrees mean Jack hadn’t forgotten the incident? She hadn’t, and she’d been unable to eat that particular Chinese dish since.

Want to read more? Pop over to Amazon and get your copy! And, when you’re done reading consider leaving a review. Authors love reviews! I hope you love A Groom for Mama as much as the other readers have.

 

About the Author:

Multi-award winning author Catherine Castle loves writing, reading, traveling, singing, theatre, quilting and gardening. She’s a passionate gardener whose garden won a “Best Hillside Garden” award from the local gardening club. She writes sweet and inspirational romances. You can find her award-winning Soul Mate books The Nun and the Narc and A Groom for Mama, on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

Follow her on Twitter @AuthorCCastle, FB or her blog.

 

 

 

Wednesday Writers–Macy’s Dream by Tabitha Bouldin

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Contemporary Christian Romance, excerpt from Macy's Dream, Macy's Dream, Tabitha Bouldin, Wednesday Writers

 

Today’s Wednesday Writer’s guest is author Tabitha Bouldin. Tabitha’s treating us to a character interview with Justin from her Contemporary Christian Romance Macy’s Dream. She’s also sharing an excerpt so be sure to keep reading

 

Character Interview with Justin from Macy’s Dream.

Q: What prompted you to leave everything behind and head up to the mountain?

Well, I’ll be honest, I couldn’t write anymore. I don’t know if you’d call it writer’s block or something else, but I was tired of everything and nothing I wrote seemed to come out the way I wanted.

Q: But you’re a bestselling author. Surely you’ve experienced writer’s block before.

Not like this. I was suffocating in the city. Things that used to comfort me, the sights and smells of the city, they drove me crazy. I couldn’t write a comic strip in all that noise, much less another bestseller.

Q: Tell me about the Brindle family. I understand you’ve been staying with them since you left civilization.

The Brindles are great people. Contrary to most beliefs, I’m not living in a bark hut up on the mountain. They have gorgeous houses, electricity, running water. I’m living a better life there than I ever did here in the city.

Q: Yes, but what about the family, Justin, tell me about life now that you’ve lived on the mountain with Macy and her family.

That’s a lot of history to unpack in one interview, but I’ll try. Grandma and Grandpa were the first two to settle the high mountain with their sons, Robert, Cecil, and Wesley. Grandma and Grandpa have several grandkids, but the one’s I know best are, Lawrence, Robin, Eugene, and Macy. We live a simple life, but it’s a good life. Lawrence taught me how to hunt. Macy taught me how to ride horses. The family works together and no one is left struggling by themselves. They take the word ‘family’ seriously.

Q: Do you have any regrets?

Just one. I wish my parents could understand my decision.

Q: They don’t approve?

It’s not that they don’t approve, they simply don’t understand and won’t let me explain.

Q: What about Macy? Something tells me there’s more to her than you’re letting on.

There’s no explaining Macy. If you want to know her, you’ll have to come see for yourself. The first time I asked Grandpa that same question, he gave me the answer I gave you. I didn’t understand it until I spent a few days with her, but it’s true. There’s no way to explain Macy.

Macy’s Dream

By Tabitha Bouldin

Justin came to the mountain for a story. He was looking for a story about a past adventure, but what he found was a chance to live an adventure of his own. The Brindle family was unlike anyone he’d ever met before. Macy challenged his very beliefs, in himself, in life, and in love. She offered him the adventure of a lifetime by asking him one simple question. She offers him a mountain adventure, if he is strong enough to make the trip. Can Justin be someone else? Can he learn to love a life so different from what he’s always known? Macy can show him the way. She has lived on the mountain all her life. Justin will have to put his trust in her if he is to succeed.

Excerpt:

Macy lassoed a buckskin filly next, and they spent the next two hours working her the same way they’d worked the black colt. She was a little antsy and more high-strung than the colt had been, but by the time they released her in the corral where he waited, she’d become as calm as he was.

They walked to the gate side by side and Macy slung the rope over her shoulder. “Thanks for your help.”

Justin nodded his acceptance. “You could have done that without me.”

Macy grinned. “Yes, but having help makes it a lot easier, and don’t tell me you didn’t have the time of your life out there.”

“So, did I prove all these muscles are good for something?” He flexed one arm and Macy laughed.

“Yes, you sure did. I guess they’re there for more than just looks.”

Justin stopped walking halfway between the corral and the house, and Macy stopped beside him. She shielded her face from the lowering sun, and Justin put his hands in his pockets while he shifted uncomfortably. “Macy, about your question earlier. I really do want to learn about life up here, but I don’t know any of your family. How do I go about doing that?”

Macy winked at him, her face alight with mischief. “You let me take care of that. You’ll meet all of them tonight, but I doubt you’ll truly get to know any one of them right away. Tonight will be a madhouse, so just relax and enjoy the show.”

“What do you mean, madhouse?’

Macy gripped his forearm in comfort, her voice soothing his tension. “It’s not something I can explain, Justin. It’s something you have to experience, but don’t worry, we’re all relatively normal. Now, come on, we need to get washed up before everyone gets here.”

Justin felt the chuckle rumble through him. Everyone kept telling him that people in this family couldn’t be explained. Macy’s comment made twice he’d been told he needed to experience something instead of it being explained to him. He had to admit though; Grandpa had been right about Macy. There was no explaining her.

Want to read more? You can find Macy’s Dream at Amazon

About the Author:

Tabitha was born, raised, and still lives in the same small town in middle Tennessee. A member of ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writers), she has been writing for nearly five years but only recently began publishing her work. She is in her last year of college before obtaining her Bachelor’s in Creative Writing. Her books are meant to encourage others through the trials of life. While the stories are fiction, they come from situations that many of us face.

Social Media:

https://www.facebook.com/tabithabouldinauthor

https://www.twitter.com/tabithabouldin

https://www.instagram.com/tabithabouldin

 

Wednesday Writers–Until Then by Gail Kittleson

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Catherine Castle's Wednsday Writers blog series, Excerpt from Until Then by Gail Kittleson, Gail Kittleson, historical fiction, WW II fiction

Today, Gail Kittleson visits the Wednesday Writers blog with some very interesting background on her newest upcoming World War II release, Until Then. She also has an excerpt that caught my attention. I hope you’ll enjoy it as well. Welcome, Gail!

Thanks, Catherine

War divides nations and isolates people, but also brings individuals together in remarkable ways.

 

Until Then

 

Millions of Allied troops listened to popular music during World War II. “Keep smiling through, a phrase from the song Until Then, became a motto, and if anyone had reason to subscribe to this philosophy, it was Dorothy Woebbeking, a nurse from Waterloo, Iowa.

I met my heroine’s daughter on Pinterest when we “pinned” some of the same WWII nurse photos. We began to correspond, and the more I discovered about her mother, the more I knew this story was a must-write.

The horrific Battle of the Kasserine Pass in North Africa? Dorothy was there with the Eleventh Evacuation Hospital. The endless agony at Anzio? Dorothy was there.

The Battle of the Bulge? Dorothy served those battle-weary troops, too. She earned no less than six World War II theater ribbons. Visiting her home in Illinois, I touched her helmet, her radio, studied her service record, and read the Florence Nightingale pledge she took so seriously. Dorothy’s daughter eventually helped me name this novel.

At the same time, another wartime situation gripped me. When Dorothy was beginning her service, the worst civilian tragedy in England occurred in a London tube station. Neither story would let me go, so my challenge became to thread them together.

My research deepened a sense of amazement at the tremendous sacrifices made by medical staff in their trek behind American troops across North Africa, through Sicily, up the boot of Italy, and northward through France and into Germany.

Even a few years ago, I knew nothing about the tube station tragedy, but my husband and I viewed the memorial last year when we visited England for our fortieth anniversary. Now I hold the victims and survivors in my heart and believe the sufferings of this generation must not be forgotten.

PHOTO of tube station victims. CAPTION: Listing of victims at Memorial

I hope readers find new appreciation for the Greatest Generation and their tremendous sacrifices.

This book will release in June, the seventy-fifth anniversary of the D-Day invasion, and will be available on amazon.com bn.com  itunes  kobo.com  scribd.com  smashwords.com  and other sites. I will post the purchase links on my blog as soon as possible. (http://www.gailkittleson.com/)

Excerpt from Until Then:

 

The sparkling Mediterranean beckoned, so Dorothy tore across the beach and plunged in. After swimming the safety zone and back, she dropped down beside Millie, who leaned her head back.

“What a perfect day!”

“Out here, you’d never know how close the war is.” As Dorothy dried her hair, a tall redheaded pilot approached with a towel slung over his shoulders. He dipped his head and saluted.

“Houston Pinkstone, here—they call me Pinky. And you ladies are?”

“Millie and Dorothy.” Millie answered for them both, and Dorothy took in this fellow’s jovial smile.

“Nurses with the Eleventh Evac, I presume?”

“How did you guess? And you’re RAF?”

“Ah, ‘twas my hair that gave me away…” His grin highlighted his dimples.

“Quite the sunburn you’re developing.” Millie’s comment teased out another smile.

“One day soon, this will peel into the best tan in all of Scotland. Of course, it may be years before I get back there.”

His freckled nose and forehead, also burned, brought out the sea shades of his eyes as he turned to Dorothy. “Where did you learn to swim like that?”

“In the Cedar River back home in Iowa. The mud held me up when my brothers tried to drown me.”

“Jolly good. Here, the salt water attends to that, righto?” He pointed out to sea. “See the chap out there in that boat? Why not swim there? Maybe he’ll invite you in.”

“He’s past the safety line.”

“But you’re a strong swimmer, and he’s there to save you.” The dare in his eyes proved irresistible. In spite of the warning written all over Millie’s face, Dorothy took him on and jogged to the shoreline.

In minutes, she grabbed the rowboat’s worn gunnel, and a dark-haired, mustached occupant greeted her in an unfamiliar accent. “Lovely day, Miss. You must be with the American hospital unit?”

She answered his questions about her background, but when she asked about him, he merely squinted into the sun. He looked at least forty, with a bit of white above his ears. Seeing he had no intention of inviting her in, Dorothy swam back to Millie and the pilot, who chatted about Delbert, also a pilot.

Dorothy waited for a pause and asked, “Did you think he would ask me in?”

Pinky’s robust laugh declared good-natured trickery. “I had no idea, but thought finding out a worthy quest. You have encountered royalty, my friend.”

“What?”

“You just passed the time of day with King Zog of Albania. When the Italians invaded in ’39, he fled his country with his wife and son. He’d already become a pilot, and once he got his family settled in old Blighty, he joined the RAF.”

Maybe he was still joking—his laughing eyes made it impossible to tell. Dorothy circled her hair with a towel and settled on the welcoming sand, but Millie stared at Pinky in wonderment.

“The King of Albania?” Her shocked expression could have sold for thousands of dollars. “Blighty?”

“Our most affectionate term for old England, dear.” Pinky ignored her other inquiry as he surveyed the Mediterranean. “Strange how this war brings us all together, kings and paupers alike.”

 

About  the Author

Gail writes from northern Iowa, where she and her husband enjoy grandchildren, gardening and historical documentaries. After instructing college writing classes, Gail gave in to the writing bug.

Eight novels later, she’s hopelessly addicted to the World War II era. Her historical fiction honors Greatest Generation women who made a difference despite great odds.

Gail facilitates writing workshops and retreats, where she enjoys guiding and cheering others on in their endeavors.

 

 

 

Wednesday Writers–Stars in the Grass by Ann Marie Stewart

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Ann Marie Stewart, Excerpt from Stars in the Grass, Stars in the Grass, Wednesday Writers, Women’s Literary Fiction

 

 

Today’s Wednesday Writer’s guest is Ann Marie Stewart. Ann will be telling us about the story behind the story of her Womens’ Literary Fiction novel Stars in the Grass. Welcome, Ann!

 

 

 

Thanks, Catherine,

Sometimes not getting what we want can more fully prepare us for eventual success. After teaching for five years, I longed to have someone critique my writing instead of me critiquing my seventh graders’. Though I applied to the University of Michigan MA in Creative Writing, I was not accepted. However, I was accepted into Film and Television which also gave me the job teaching Public Speaking to undergraduates. Learning more about public speaking was an additional positive and took care of my tuition plus expenses. I called the two years at UM, “my all-expense paid vacation.”

Ironically, during that time, I took a variety of courses from the same UM writing teachers I would have if I had been accepted into the MA program. One of my favorites was Charlie Baxter who encouraged me to get my short story “Seeing from the Balcony” published.

Ten years later, I did just that, but as my first novel Stars in the Grass. With some background in film and television, I couldn’t wait to do a book trailer. I was thankful for the film and television experience. I could see the images and the motifs and hear the voiceover.

A filmmaker friend who had read the novel suggested I look at “The Tree of Life” movie trailer for ideas. We planned on making a book trailer, but thankfully, Barbour Publishing said they handle the book trailers. But did I want to send them my ideas? Gladly!

I sent selected text from the novel as voiceover and a collection of images to Barbour who turned it over to the filmmaker. I was STUNNED with the results. In 61 seconds, the book trailer captures the novel. The trailer now has 12,681 hits on YouTube. Do you have a minute to be #12,682? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6xb0UPeCUxY.

Or you can find it on my website as well! http://www.annmariestewart.com

 

Stars in the Grass

By Ann Marie Stewart

 

Nine-year-old Abby McAndrews has just experienced her greatest loss, and in its wake, her family is unraveling with guilt, grief, and anger. Her father, Reverend McAndrews, cannot return to the pulpit because he has more questions than answers. Her older brother Matt’s actions speak louder than the words he needs to confess, as he acts out in dangerous ways. Her mother tries to hold her grieving family together, but when Abby’s dad refuses to move on, the family is at a crossroads.

Stars in the Grass, set in a small Midwestern town in 1970, is an uplifting novel that explores a family’s relationships and resiliency. Abby’s heartbreaking remembrances are balanced by humor and nostalgia as her family struggles with—and ultimately celebrates—life after loss.

 

EXCERPT: Prologue

 

I spent the better part of my childhood sitting on a pew in the balcony of Bethel Springs First Presbyterian Church, listening to my dad’s long vowels as he preached on predestination. Sandwiched between my older brother, Matt, and my little brother, Joel, I counted bald heads, doodled on church bulletins, and studied the stained-glass Jesus.

Reverend McAndrews was godlike and mysterious. Definitely not the same man who read to us from Dr. Seuss, ran through the sprinkler on steamy Ohio summer afternoons, or smiled as we played hide-and-go-seek in his Father’s House.

Though I can’t remember many of his three-point sermons, I have other good memories. One Sunday during a hymn, Matt and I sang loudly, changing the words to our liking, “Gladly, the Cross-Eyed Bear,” and crossing our eyes for added effect. When we sat back down, I rested the hymnal on the railing and fanned myself by riffling through the pages. Then it happened. Onto one of the fifty-one shining bald heads below, I dropped the hymnal.

It clapped to the floor, and then in the congregational hush, Mr. Ludema winced in surprised pain. I only looked down long enough to see necks craning up toward the balcony and then turning toward my father and then back to the balcony. Dad squinted to see Mrs. Ludema as she nursed her husband’s head and then looked up at the cause of the disruption. Me.

Dad stared at me for fifteen seconds. I know because I counted every one of them. I did not look away; instead I memorized his sandy thick hair fringed with gray streaks. I couldn’t see his eyes because the sun was reflecting on the lenses of his glasses. His mouth was closed, his thick jaw tense. The congregation waited for the Reverend McAndrews, and so did I. At last he said, with a nod to the balcony and a sigh, “And the Word has come down from on high.”

During responsive reading, his voice rose and fell so predictably, I was nearly lulled to sleep unless I pulled out a pencil to sketch the hills and valleys. “‘O give thanks to the Lord, for he is gooood,’” Reverend McAndrews read from Psalm 136. His voice grew louder and the pitch higher until the word Lord, where he paused and let it fall off to a low, soft, long, concluding gooood. We echoed, “‘For his steadfast love endures for ever.’” After repeating it twenty-six times, what I thought everlasting was the psalm itself.

Want to read more? You can find Stars in the Grass at Amazon

 

About the Author:

Ann Stewart, Christy Award Winner for Debut Novel 2017, and her husband Will raise two daughters and a flock of sheep on their Virginia farm where fireflies light up the sky on warm summer nights. Ann originated three of AMG’s Preparing My Heart books (including Preparing My Heart for Advent) and writes a column “Ann’s Lovin’ Ewe” for the Country Register, contributes to Mentoring Moments and has written for Proverbs 31. Her background in drama and film bring her characters to life. When she’s not directing music or writing, she loves Madame Secretary, This is Us, and UVA Basketball.

 

Social media links:

Website: http://www.annmariestewart.com/ see book trailer!

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AnnMariStewart/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AnnMariStewart

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wednesday Writers–Lord of Her Heart by Sherrinda Ketchersid

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excerpt from Lord of Her Heart, historical romance, Lord of Her Heart, Sherrinda Ketchersid, Wednesday Writers

 

Today’s Wednesday Writers guest is Sherrinda Ketchersid. Sherrinda will talking about how research led her to the story plot of Lord of Her Heart. She also has an excerpt, so be sure to read the whole post for a peek at her historical romance. Welcome, Sherrinda!

 

 

 

 

Thanks, Catherine.

I often get asked how I came up with the story for Lord of Her Heart. When researching convents in the middle ages, I learned they were places of education for women. Girls from wealthy, noble families were sent to convents to be educated before getting married or taking their vows. These girls, as young as 7 years of age, went for a basic education that included Latin reading and writing, embroidery, weaving, spinning, morals, manners, and music. Women during these times were sometimes married off as young as 14 years old, and the skills learned at the convent enabled a woman to run a castle or manor house.

The question came to me while researching: What if a girl was sent to a convent for an education, but was forced to remain and take her vows? Or what if her family ceased all communication with her, and the abbess pressured her into taking her vows? This questioning led me to flesh out the story for Lord of Her Heart.

While Jocelyn Ashburne, the heroine in my story, wasn’t sent to a convent as a young girl, she was sent later for an education by Helen, her step-mother, and her father. The story begins when Jocelyn overhears a plot to either keep her at the convent or marry her off to any man willing to pay a price. Thus, the adventure starts, and Jocelyn flees, finding danger, deception, and romance along the way.

 

Lord of Her Heart

By Sherrinda Ketchersid

He’s fighting for his future—she’s running for her life.

Lady Jocelyn Ashburne suspects something is amiss at her family’s castle
because her father ceases to write to her. When she overhears a plot to
force her into vows—either to the church or a husband—she disguises
herself and flees the convent in desperation to discover the truth.

Malcolm Castillon of Berkham is determined to win the next tournament
and be granted a manor of his own. After years of proving his worth on
the jousting field, he yearns for a life of peace. Rescuing a scrawny
lad who turns out to be a beautiful woman is not what he bargained for.
Still, he cannot deny that she stirs his heart like no other, in spite
of her conniving ways.

Chaos, deception, and treachery threaten their goals, but both are
determined to succeed. Learning to trust each other might be the only
way either of them survives.

 

Excerpt:

Chapter 2, Scene 1 – When Jocelyn, dressed as a boy, has been rescued by Malcolm, a knight on his way to a tournament at Ramslea.

Malcolm laid the lad on the ground near his horse. Blood ran from a cut above the lad’s eye, and his swollen cheek promised a colorful bruise. Sitting back on his heels, Malcolm cursed his chivalrous self. What was he to do with this dirty, bruised pile of skin and bones lying before him?

By the saints, he had neither the time nor the energy to care for a scrawny boy. He had a se’ennight before the tournament, and he was not about to miss it on account of a malodorous halfling. This journey proved one ache in the head after another.

The boy stirred, groaning.

Malcolm gathered water from his supply and poured some into the boy’s mouth. Being chivalrous was not always convenient, but ’twas an oath he would not shirk.

The lad vaulted upright, sputtering as he whimpered. “Cease, please!” He rubbed his face, smearing dirt and blood across pale cheeks. As he looked up at his rescuer, his blue eyes grew wide.

Malcolm had to smile. Time spent in the lists honing his swordplay had made his shoulders broad and his arms well muscled. Boys stood in awe of him, men stood in fear of him, and women … well, women wanted him. He had long since been unaffected by the reactions his visage wrought.

“Little man, you are indeed fortunate I came when I did. Can you stand?”

Malcolm held out a hand, but the boy continued to gape. Malcolm grabbed the front of the boy’s tunic and hauled him upright.

The boy gasped, pushing his hand away. “I do not need your aid.” He teetered and fell on his backside. His bottom lip quivered, and his eyes glistened with tears.

“By the saints, I do not have time for this foolishness.” Malcolm’s shadow fell over the boy. “I have no need to be hindered by a filthy, ungrateful boy on this journey. I will gladly leave you be.”

Malcolm turned and walked toward his horse, wrestling between his sense of honor and his desire to be free of the trouble he knew the boy would undoubtedly be. He clearly needed help, regardless of his protestations. Nay, Malcolm had to get to Ramslea and gain another win. Mounting his steed, he turned his horse to leave, glancing back as he did. The boy struggled to his feet, wobbling like a newborn colt.

Malcolm cursed under his breath. Whatever had possessed him to take an oath of chivalry? While noble, at times chivalry interfered with well-laid plans. It was turning out to be a nuisance, to be sure. Steering his horse around, he pulled up in front of the lad.

“You may come with me or stay for the next pair of ruffians to accost you.” Malcolm held out his hand. ’Twas a pity he’d sold John’s horse earlier that morning, though he wondered if the lad before him could even ride. The boy clutched the neck of his tunic, eyes wide and jaw slack. By the saints, was the lad going to refuse him yet again? “Or perhaps you would prefer the company of a pack of wolves?”

The boy sucked in a deep breath, but he took Malcolm’s hand. Grunting as he was lifted up, the boy settled behind Malcolm and grabbed hold of the back of his tunic.

“Put your arms around me, boy, lest you fall off and knock yourself senseless again.” When the boy hesitated, Malcolm rolled his eyes. “You are a timid lad, for all your boasting.”

The boy sighed as he slid his arms around Malcolm’s middle, gripping tighter as Malcolm urged his horse to a gallop.

Most likely the child had not been trained in manly ways. Maybe he had only sisters, or maybe his sire was a weakling himself. Not everyone had the privilege of being raised among four brothers by a sire more fierce than a wild boar. At times too fierce, especially in the treatment of Malcolm’s mother.

Memories haunted him as Malcolm tightened his grip on the reins. He would rather petition the king for a title and serve him than serve his heavy-handed father. Malcolm could serve another lord or even join the church, but he wanted his own land to rule as he saw fit. Peace to do as he wanted.

First, he must see the weakling behind him to the next village. A small hiccup and a sniffle affirmed his resolve.

By the saints, being a man of honor would be the death of him if he continued aiding poor souls like the one snotting the back of his tunic.

Want to read more? You can find Lord of Her Heart at Amazon.

About the Author:

Sherrinda Ketchersid is a lover of stories with happily-ever-after endings. Whether set in the past or present, romance is what she writes and where her dreams reside. Sherrinda lives in north-central Texas with her preacher husband. With four grown children, three guys and a gal, she has more time and energy to spin tales of faith, fun, and forever love.

Connect with Sherrinda: Facebook: Twitter: Goodreads: