Natalina Reis's Blog, page 19
August 21, 2020
Shadows, Maps, and other Ancient Magic-Review
Shadows, Maps, and Other Ancient Magic by Meghan Ciana Doidge
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Fun as always. I was sad that Kett barely made an appearance in this book but very excited about a new character who looks very promising, the new dragon sentinel. Jade’s friendship with Candy continues to develop and plays a big role in this book as well. My only pep peeve with this series is that I am always craving sugar because of Jade’s own obsession with chocolate and cupcakes. Fun and action-packed. Highly recommend.
August 9, 2020
A Happy Place
The year 2020 will go down in history as a first. Not a good “first” but still something that had never happened before. Not to this scale and definitely not in the modern age. Hard to believe that a microscopic creature could stop the world, but it sure did.
There’s no way of thinking of this pandemic as a good thing for all kinds of obvious reasons. However, the positive has actually emerged in unexpected ways. Some families have reconnected by being forced to come up with ways to entertain themselves rather than relying on friends and outside resources. Some people have seen the resurfacing of old and forgotten hobbies like puzzle-making (I’m one of those), reading, exercising, gardening, baking, etc.
For me, this pandemic brought me a few unexpected benefits, the best one being to provide me with the opportunity to reconnect with my family in Portugal (yes, the country across the ocean). What? How can that be when international travel has been nonexistent for months?
[image error] My sister and I in 2019
Both my sister and my mom (and the rest of my family) live in Portugal. For years we relied on the phone to communicate in between visits, which often were two or more years apart. The advent of technology-assisted video messaging got me excited, but neither my mom or sister were familiar with the tech, so nothing happened for years. And with the time difference and both me and my sister working, it was nearly impossible to find a common meeting time even with messaging and phone calls.
Enter the pandemic. My sister worked at a restaurant which closed briefly after this whole mess started. I’m a teacher, and schools suddenly closed as well. All of a sudden we were both home and available. My sister and I had been chatting on Facebook messenger for a few months but it was just texting. At some point during this crisis, I managed to convince her to try the video chat feature. And bingo! I now get to see my family almost everyday.
I can’t tell you what being able to talk, really talk with facial expressions and contextual surroundings, with my sister, mom and nephews means to me. For the first time in over thirty years of living an ocean apart from them, I feel like we’re close again. I get to share my stuff with my best friend and she gets to share with me. I know it’s not the same as if we were actually in the same room, but it is so much better than a phone call a week or a few text messages here and there.
As a bonus, my cousin (who I always think of as another sister since we grew up together) and uncle, moved to Portugal from Canada right as the Pandemic hit. So now I get to see and talk to her every week as well after such a long time with little or no communication.
[image error]My sister, mom, cousin, and uncle
As strange as it sounds, this pandemic brought me to a very happy place. What about you? Has this crisis brought you any positive things? I would love to hear from you in the comments.
[image error]Me, my cousin, and my sister a lifetime ago
July 26, 2020
Poisoned Primrose- New Release
Poisoned Primrose
Motts Cold Case Mystery Book 1
by Dahlia Donovan
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Autistic, asexual, and almost forty, Pineapple “Motts” Mottley flees London with her cat and turtle to a quaint cottage in Cornwall. She craves the peace of life in a small village. The dead body buried in her garden isn’t quite what she had in mind, though.
Unable to resist her curiosity, she falls directly into a mess of trouble and runs head-first into the attractive detective inspector, Teo Herceg. She tries to balance her business with the investigation, but as the killer focuses on her, staying alive becomes trickier than advanced origami.
Will Motts survive the onslaught of murderously bad luck?
Can she solve the mystery before it all spins out of control and off a cliff?
Add to Goodreads
Amazon * Apple * B&N * Kobo * Books2Read
Dahlia Donovan wrote her first romance series after a crazy dream about shifters and damsels in distress. She prefers irreverent humour and unconventional characters. An autistic and occasional hermit, her life wouldn’t be complete without her husband and her massive collection of books and video games.
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$5 Amazon
Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
July 9, 2020
Crescent City- Review
House of Earth and Blood by Sarah J. Maas
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I have recently become a fan of Sarah J. Maas’ books and was curious about this more adult-oriented story. I loved it, but let me first touch on what I didn’t like as much. I thought that profanity, however appropriate to the characters and the situations was used in excess. There is no need for that frequency of f-bombs in any story, in fact I think it kind of dilutes the power of the word when used only sporadically. Maas was able to deliver equally powerful and intense scenes in her more YA-targeted books with much less profanity. Her sex scenes (which admittedly are not frequent in this book) are also a bit jarring and crass. But these are all personal preferences.
That said, the story was amazing. I had a little trouble in the beginning because the two main characters are not exactly likable at first. But don’t give up on them. There are many layers to Bryce and her angel and I really enjoyed the development of their relationship from one of extreme hostility to love. The mystery was great and kept the readers on their toes and holy crap! I love when the author can surprise me. And Maas definitely did that. It’s raw, intense, and extremely touching and humane at times. The cast of side characters is fascinating and I can’t wait to learn more about them too. Highly recommend, just don’t listen to it in public, lol.
July 1, 2020
Heart of Dracula – New Release
Immortal Soul: Part One
The Vampire King has come to Victorian Boston…and has his sights on an empath. Caught in a war between the living and the dead, Maxine must choose.
Boston, 1897.
Death comes to the city heralded by a crimson moon and screams in the night. The Vampire King has come to claim the city, unless he can be stopped…
Maxine Parker has lived a solitary life. Not because she wishes to, but because she has no choice. Her empathic ability has rendered it impossible for her to touch anyone without killing them.
But as she is thrust into the middle of a war between the enigmatic and alluring Vampire King and three stalwart hunters, she learns she cannot kill what is already dead.
Buy Links
Available on KU
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About Kathryn Ann Kingsley
Kat has always been a storyteller.
With ten years in script-writing for performances on both the stage and for tourism, she has always been writing in one form or another. When she isn’t penning down fiction, she works as Creative Director for a company that designs and builds large-scale interactive adventure games. There, she is the lead concept designer, handling everything from game and set design, to audio and lighting, to illustration and script writing.
Also on her list of skills are artistic direction, scenic painting and props, special effects, and electronics. A graduate of Boston University with a BFA in Theatre Design, she has a passion for unique, creative, and unconventional experiences. In her spare time, she builds animatronics and takes trapeze classes.
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June 18, 2020
The Pet and His Duke – New Release
New MM sci fi space opera romance
“The Pet and His Duke.”
by Beryll and Osiris Brackhaus
Robert is a pet, a human pleasure slave, and well past his prime.
So when teenage Duke Thomar of Aylian buys him via mail order, Robert first suspects a dreadful misunderstanding. The duke is young, handsome and headstrong, and the very last thing he needs while struggling to secure his reign over his planet is an aging bargain bin pet by his side.
Only, the more time Robert spends with Thomar, the more he learns that the young duke rarely makes mistakes. Unless, of course, Thomar dashes off on one of his mad adventures, which Robert increasingly becomes a part of…
‘The Pet and his Duke’ is a standalone m/m romance novel in the ‘Virasana Empire’ universe. Written by Rainbow Book Award winners Beryll and Osiris Brackhaus, it is a story of self-determination and love, and Happily-Ever-Afters in the most unlikely places.
Publisher | Amazon US | Amazon UK | Amazon CAN | iBooks | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | QueeRomance Ink | Smashwords | Goodreads
Author Bios
We are Beryll and Osiris Brackhaus, a couple currently living our happily ever after in the very heart of Germany, under the stern but loving surveillance of our cat.
Both of us are voracious but picky readers, we love telling stories and drinking tea, good food and the occasional violent movie. Together, we write novels of adventure and romance, hoping to share a little of our happiness with our readers.
Beryll
An artist by heart, Beryll was writing stories even before she knew what letters were. As easily inspired as she is frustrated, her own work is never good enough (in her eyes). A perfectionist in the best and worst sense of the word at the same time and the driving creative force of our duo.
Osiris
An entertainer and craftsman in his approach to writing, Osiris is the down-to-earth, practical part of our duo. Broadly interested in almost every subject and skill, with a sunny mood and caring personality, he strives to bring the human nature into focus of each of his stories.
Contact us:
June 14, 2020
Thinking it over – New Release & Review
True Blue book four: “Thinking it Over.”
by Becca Seymour
When a young teacher connects with the principal of his school, work and ex issues, the possibility of happiness, and a chocolate Labrador called Penny means they have a lot to think over.
Newly appointed teacher, Jasper Taylor, can’t believe his luck. After a year, he’s found a job with the possibility of a permanent contract, which finally allows him to put his teaching degree to good use. After meeting the silver-haired principal of the school, Jasper discovers his new position offers an additional temptation. He knows he should retreat, but who said avoiding attraction was easy, especially when the man he’s crushing on seems too good to be true?
Well-respected and focused on his career, Austin Harrison is at the top of his game. He’s turned a struggling school around, has finally put up boundaries with his demanding ex, and may just have secured full custody of his chocolate Lab, Penny. The appointment of the new English teacher, Jasper, threatens to unsettle the stability he’s been working towards. Austin’s attraction is immediate, heady, and oh so complicated. But does complicated mean he has to walk away?
Join Jasper and Austin in Becca Seymour’s low-angst, feel-good LGBTQ series, True-Blue Book 4. In the small town of Kirkby, there are busybodies, dogs who cause chaos, families who have the “best” of timing, and where good men have the opportunity to find their perfect match.
Amazon US | Amazon UK | Amazon CAN | iBooks | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | QueeRomance Ink | Goodreads
Giveaway
Becca is giving away a $10 Amazon gift card with this tour. Enter via Rafflecopter:
Direct Link: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/b60e8d47127/?
My Review
Thinking It Over by Becca Seymour
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This my fourth Seymour book and, as usual, I fell in love with the characters. Ms. Seymour has a knack for writing truly lovable characters and Austin and Jasper are no exception. This a sweet and spicy romance with great side characters (Billy is very promising, wink wink) and, for those of us who have read the previous books in the series, cameos by characters we have come to love. Breezy read (I’m a terrible slow poke when it comes to reading and I read this one pretty quickly) with all the feels. Even though this is part of a series, you can read it as a standalone.
Excerpt
I smiled in greeting. “Morning.”
He yawned in answer, covered his mouth, and followed with “Morning.” As he edged further into the room, he cast a glance around the place. “You get in early?”
“Yeah.” I bobbed my head. “Woke early, so thought I’d head on in.” I continued piling bottles of milk in the counter fridge.
“Not sleeping well?” Concern lit his words.
“No, I am, usually. I had a late night with Ian. My own fault. Meant I was restless.” I closed the fridge door, stood, and stretched. I looked at Davis, who’d paused rather than heading directly into the kitchen like he usually did. His brows were high, expectancy written all over his face. I didn’t even need to ask what the look was for. Instead, I shook my head and said, “No.”
He opened his mouth to speak, but I shook my head again. He clamped his mouth closed, and I sighed in relief.
“But he’s such a nice guy.”
I groaned. I should have known better than to have thought he would let this go. Since I’d dragged Ian to his and Scott’s Thanksgiving get-together last year, Davis hadn’t let up about Ian and me being more than just friends.
But there was no way that would ever be happening.
What Davis didn’t know was that Ian and I had made out once. Albeit a sloppy, drunken version of lips mashing together. We’d ended up pulling away, noses scrunched, and laughing. The connection simply hadn’t been there. Open and honest, we’d agreed the chemistry wasn’t there and the last thing we wanted was to put our friendship at risk. That night, we drank a couple of shots and decided to stick to being friends.
And I was more than happy with that. He had become one of my best friends, and while he was a hot guy, my attraction didn’t go any further than simple admiration. And I knew him well enough to know my feelings were reciprocated.
Davis had other ideas.
“He is a nice guy. A good friend too. We don’t need pushing together.” I rolled my eyes at him.
“Hey,” he said with a smile, lifting his hands up and out before him, “You were the one a while back saying you’d like someone to snuggle up with at night.” He stepped around the counter and through the doorway into the kitchen. “And a dildo, a teddy bear, and hitting Private on your phone’s search engine is not the same thing.” He laughed his ass off as he disappeared from sight.
“If you weren’t my boss, you know I’d tell you to go screw yourself, right?” I threw over my shoulder, amused.
“It’s a good thing I’m your boss and don’t believe in interfering in employee’s lives then, huh?” His words reached me, followed by his snort.
“Yeah, good thing,” I jibed, turning to the cash register and checking the cash and making sure the card reader was set to go.
It was amazing how quickly time flew on by when you had a pretty awesome, down-to-earth boss and a job that relied on routine. The morning rush was long over, and we were getting things ready for the lunchtime crowd. It had been hectic, but we’d managed like we usually did.
I’d just restocked the muffins when my phone buzzed in my pocket. A quick glance around showed no customers waiting, so I pulled it out, expecting to see Mom’s name. A local number lit up the screen. I hovered my finger over Accept as I called out to Davis. “You okay out here a minute? I need to grab this call.”
“Yeah. Sure thing.”
I smiled my thanks as I hit the button. “Hello.”
“Good morning. Is that Jasper Taylor, please?”
I scrunched my brows, wondering who could be calling as I answered, “Yes, speaking.”
“Oh, wonderful. Hi, Jasper. It’s Barb here from Crescent High, Principal Harrison’s PA. I was hoping we could arrange some time for an interview, please.”
Adrenaline coursed through my veins, and my stomach lurched. Crescent High was only thirty miles away. I also knew it was a good school. Crescent was a slightly bigger town than Kirkby and was an easy commute. “Yeah, sure.” I paused for breath, trying like hell to control the high-pitched eagerness pouring forth. “What date were you looking at?”
I concentrated hard as Barb spoke, the pounding of my overeager heartbeat making it difficult. “Is tomorrow at 10:00 a.m. too soon? Principal Harrison is eager to get you in and start the process.”
I nodded eagerly, following up with “Absolutely, I can make that time.” Tomorrow was my day off, so it worked perfectly.
“Superb,” she said. “Just head to the visitors’ reception to sign in, and they’ll point you in the right direction.”
“Will do. Thanks. I’ll see you then.”
The line went dead, and I pulled it from my ear, staring at the device wide-eyed. For over a year I’d been looking for a position as a teacher, and there had been absolutely nothing. Crescent High was one of the first places I’d checked out. Admittedly, I bugged them at the beginning and the end of every term, letting them know my availability, but I was desperate to return to the classroom.
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Author Bio
Becca Seymour lives and breathes all things book related. Usually with at least three books being read and two WiPs being written at the same time, life is merrily hectic. She tends to do nothing by halves so happily seeks the craziness and busyness life offers.
Living on her small property in Queensland with her human family as well as her animal family of cows, chooks, and dogs, Becca appreciates the beauty of the world around her and is a believer that love truly is love.
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4 “People” Who Contributed to My Novel
Thinking It Over by Becca Seymour
It truly takes a village to prepare a book for publication. Not only does it take an incredible group of talented people behind the scenes post-writing a novel to support a publication, but sometimes it requires special individuals to help you when you’re struggling with the words.
These contributions aren’t always planned per se. Sometimes it’s not even a call for help or even procuring a professional’s service. Rather, it can be an old conversation, something witnessed at some point in my life that provides some element of contributing to my craft.
There’s a real mixture of how individuals contributed to my book Thinking It Over. Though all are absolutely valuable and valid in their own way.
Seymour Books with Masterful Men, okay, so this is a group not a person, but the fabulous reader group Louisa Masters and I share is one of my favourite online places to hang out. The amazing people in our group offer such support, and actually two members of the group, Lizzie Snow and Jennie Sullivan, specifically contributed to my latest release. If you check out the dedication, you’ll see how. J Claire from BookSmith Design is such an incredible cheerleader as well as my cover designer. She captures my books so perfectly, so easily. The summary of so many email interactions legitimately are her sending me phenomenal concepts and me simply responding with “Nailed it!” Her vision for my series really helps with my planning and my characters. I’m so blessed to work with her. Liv Ventura, my incredible editor at Hot Tree Editing, wears so many hats (including that of Louisa Masters), and she rocks every damn one of them. She’s my writing wife (honestly, the better half), my confidant, my sanity. She also refuses to settle for anything other than my absolute best. Having her push me to be better makes me a better writer. She makes me want to give it my best. Her belief in me is something I’ll never take for granted.Okay, another nonperson, but this one is Belle, my Labrador dog as a child. I love dogs and have been lucky enough to always have dogs as part of our family. And Belle, a rescue dog we adopted when she was two, the same age I was, was such an incredible dog. She was loyal and mostly obedient. I used to take her for a walk from the age of eight by myself with the need for her to be on a lead as she remained rooted at my side. But that “mostly” was only impacted when it came to food. She was the greediest dog ever. LOL. In Thinking It Over, you’ll find a fun situation involving turkey and references to the delights of dog farts!
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May 29, 2020
Flowers of Flesh and Blood-New Release
Amy Tasukada’s new MM organized crime thriller, book five in the Yakuza Path: “Flowers of Flesh and Blood” has been released. And there’s a giveaway!
Blurb
A killer. A traitor. A deadly war that could take their love and their lives…
Ruling the Kyoto yakuza makes Nao Murata a perpetual target, especially with the Koreans encroaching into their territory. An attempt on his life at his mafia headquarters crosses a line. Setting up his beloved ally Aki as the would-be assassin crosses another. Nao knows the only way to save his friend’s life is to sever their growing bond and force Aki to fake his own death…
But Aki Hisona refuses to stay dead. Determined to expose Nao’s would-be killer and save the man he loves, Aki goes deep undercover in the Korean underworld. But when he’s asked to prove his loyalty, he risks becoming caught in a web of his own lies…
With Aki gone and the Kyoto mafia in grave danger, Nao fears his trust in others could be fatal.
Will Nao and Aki find the assassin in time, or will Nao’s rule end in bloody chaos?
Flowers of Flesh and Blood is the powerful fifth installment of The Yakuza Path thriller series. If you like gritty Japanese crime, richly nuanced characters, and slow-burning gay romance, then you’ll love Amy Tasukada’s high-octane novel.
Buy Flowers of Flesh and Blood to slice into the Japanese underworld today!
Amazon | Amazon UK | Amazon CAN | iBooks | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Universal Buy Link | Smashwords | QueeRomance Ink
Giveaway
Amy is giving away five eBook box sets of books 1-4 of The Yakuza Path with this tour. Enter via Rafflecopter
Direct Link: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/b60e8d47122/?
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Excerpt
Aki closed his fingers around the paper brim of his empty coffee cup and ripped another small piece off. Without looking, he added it to the pile on the table. Mindlessly stuck on repeat, he ripped, added, ripped, added, over and over.
He’d spent the night in the twenty-four-hour Korean café, trading off between sleeping in the bathroom and eating cake to justify staying. He’d been hoping to improve his Korean, but the speakers played nothing but pop songs. Aki learned a million new ways to tell Nao how he felt but doubted he’d gained the right words to impress Namjoon.
Another rip.
Another one on the pile.
Another turn of the mangled cup… Another rip.
His ribs tightened in his chest, crushing his heart until it screamed. He didn’t deserve to be by Nao’s side.
Another turn.
Another rip.
Another sugarcoated song about love.
Aki’s thumb hit the bottom of the cup. Nothing more to tear up but himself.
He stood, bones aching from napping on the bathroom floor. He needed a bed, and the only way was with Namjoon’s help.
Author Bio
Amy Tasukada lives in North Texas with a calico cat called O’Hara. As an only child her day dreams kept her entertained, and at the age of ten she started to put them to paper. Since then her love of writing hasn’t ceased. When she is not penning her next book she can be found drinking tea in a frilly cup.
Amy Tasukada loves hearing from her readers. You can contact her through her website, and also find out how to be first to read her next book!
Social Media Links
May 28, 2020
Indulging an Obsession
You may or may not know this but I have been slightly (AKA a lot) obsessed with Chinese costume drama. It started out of boredom with the shows I was watching (which were not a lot) and the need to watch something more visually pleasing and firmly rooted in fantasy. I quickly got hooked. Since then I have watched amazing series with absolutely exquisite settings and costumes, great story lines, well-rounded characters, and as an unexpected side-effect I have even been learning a little Mandarin.
Some of the great ones (not all with happy endings) were “Eternal Love” (also titled Ten Miles of Peach Blossoms) with Yang Mi and Mark Chao (so handsome), Ashes of Love (which made me laugh and cry all at the same time) with Yang Zi and Deng Lun , The Rise of the Phoenix starring the very handsome Chen Kun and Ni Ni, Two Handsome Siblings with Hu Yi Tian and Chen Zhe Yuan (if you want to watch something light but with heart, watch this one), The Princess Weiyoung with Yan Tang and Jin Luo, Legend of Fuyau with the lovely Yang Mi and sizzling hot Ethan Juan, I Will Never Let You Go with Vin Zhang and Ariel Lin (another fun one), and the unforgettable The Untamed with Sean Xiao and Wang Yibo, two pretty boy band young men who proved to be amazing actors.
[image error]The Untamed
There were a few who were not as good. The Legend of the White Snake was a little boring and repetitive and had an unsatisfying ending (not bad, just didn’t hit the spot), not to mention too many loose threads. The Legend of Chusen never ended (I’m hoping they will bring more episodes) which was very frustrating. The love story is beautiful and I can’t wait to see how it ends.
[image error]Eternal Love
The one thing I find annoying in almost all of these is the translation. I’m a linguist so I know how hard it is to translate from any language because you have to take into account not only the meaning of the individual words but also its semantic and/or contextual meanings. The one I just finished watching, The Legend of the Phoenix with the extremely handsome Jeremy Jones and He Hongshan was a great story with kickass women who did not allow their traditional social roles to get in the way of becoming legends in their own right. But there were so many plot holes. Or at least that’s what it felt like; knowing how important language is for the comprehension of a story, I am wondering whether the terrible translation was not what created those holes.
[image error]Legend of the Phoenix
I just started a new one, Destiny of the White Snake with Yang Zi (who is quickly becoming one of my favorite Chinese actresses) and Ren Jialun and I am enjoying the beautiful settings already, not to mention all the mythology behind the story. And Yang Zi is an expert at playing clueless but charming characters. Lots of chemistry between these two from the get go.
[image error]Destiny of the White Snake
As obsessions go this one is pretty harmless and fills my head with ideas, not to mention what it does to soothe my spirit with its beauty. It is a festival for the senses. The images are so vivid that I swear I can smell the peach blossoms or the lotus blooms, the incense they burn in their Ancestral Shrines and the oils they diffuse in every room. If you have never tried it, check it out. Be prepared because the captions are often a nightmare, but you get used to it after a while. The beauty and magic of the plot, the characters, and the settings will take you out of this world and God knows we so need that right now.
May 21, 2020
CONNED – Cover Reveal
Kim Fielding has a new MM historical paranormal mystery coming out in the “Bureau” series: “Conned.” And we have the cover reveal!
World War I veteran Thomas Donne is new to San Francisco. Always a stoic man, shell shock and a lost love have nearly turned his heart to stone. No matter—a private eye has no room for softness. Almost broke, he takes on what appears to be a simple case: finding a missing young man.
As a magician and medium, Abraam Ferencz cons his audiences into believing he can cheat death and commune with their dearly departed. Although his séances are staged, the spirits are very real, and they’ve brought him almost more pain than he can bear.
When Donne’s case becomes complicated and the bodies start to pile up, he and Ferencz must fight their way through a web of trickery and lies. The truth is obscured by the San Francisco fog, and in their uncanny world, anyone can catch a bullet.
Giveaway
Kim is giving away a $10 Amazon gift card AND eBook copies of The Bureau V1 and V2 to one lucky winner. For a chance to win, enter via Rafflecopter:
a Rafflecopter giveaway https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js
Excerpt
When Abe was done with the slates, he would ordinarily have turned to the third and final act of the séance. It involved darkening the room, asking the audience to concentrate on their loved ones beyond the veil, and then operating a series of trap doors and curtains via hidden controls. Masks and gauzy drapery covered in luminescent paint would make flickering appearances. One key here was for his accomplice to have the first sighting. Rosie would gasp or scream before Abe had yet showed a prop, making everyone else eager for their own glimpses. The other key was to do this illusion after the guests had lost any lingering doubts.
It was a wonderful illusion, one that would send his guests away feeling as if their money had been well spent. But today one guest continued to have doubts, and Abe’s curiosity was too strong to resist. He decided to postpone the finale.
“Friends, I vill now move among you and see if I receive any messages from beyond.”
Rosie lifted her eyebrows, clearly surprised he was going to do a cold reading. He generally did that only during séances where he’d given the guests a brief refreshment break and Rosie had the opportunity to slip him notes about the people she’d spoken with at the beginning. It certainly hadn’t been part of today’s plan.
Nonetheless, Abe moved among the chairs with his head atilt, as if he were listening for a faint sound. He stopped in front of Rosie and closed his eyes. “Ah. I’m hearing a voice…. A woman. Mary? No. Margaret.”
Rosie gasped and clutched her chest. “My sister Meg?” she asked tremulously. “She passed five years ago from rheumatic fever.”
In fact, Rosie had two sisters—neither named Margaret and both quite alive—who she didn’t especially get along with and spoke to only infrequently. But she wobbled her chin convincingly as Abe nodded. “Yes. She says she misses you. She remembers the… the necklace you gave her for her birthday. It vas such a lovely gift, she says.”
Tears started to leak from Rosie’s eyes. Crying convincingly on cue was one of her many strengths. “She loved that little thing. We buried her in it.”
“She vants you to know that she’s very happy vhere she is now. She knows your life vill be long, but someday you shall see her again.”
“Th-thank you, Mr. France. Tell her I love her too.”
“She knows.”
Abe moved down the row to a man in his fifties, a Mr. Van Goethem. He was dressed moderately well but not richly, and his weathered face and battered hands suggested he’d once labored outdoors. He had an accent—Dutch or Belgian; Abe wasn’t certain—but it wasn’t strong, so he’d been in the United States for a long time. These observations and a general knowledge of human beings allowed Abe to make some safe guesses.
“I am hearing a woman again. She is…. I see the letter A?”
“Anna?” Mr. Van Goethem seemed confused.
“I am not sure. I believe the A is not at the beginning of her name.”
Mr. Van Goethem let out a noisy sigh. “Johanna. My mother.”
Perfect. Abe had chosen A simply because it was common in feminine names; after that, he could get the guest to lead him on the right path. “Yes, your mother. She says…. Oh.” He frowned deeply as if distressed.
“What? What does she say? Mama, I—”
Abe held up a hand to silence him. “It’s…. Oh, I see.” He bent so as to put his eyes on level with Mr. Van Goethem’s and lowered his voice as if to tell a secret. He knew his words would carry nonetheless. “She says she forgives you, sir. She knows you are a good man at heart. She is proud of you.”
Mr. Van Goethem didn’t cry, but he clamped his lips together and his throat worked. He gave a jerky nod.
This had been nothing but a guess. In Abe’s experience, nearly everyone had disappointed a parent at one point or another.
At last, heart pounding, Abe moved to the back row and came to a halt in front of Donne. Standing this close, he could see a bit of pale stubble on those broad cheeks and stubborn chin. Donne’s eyes were more fog-like than ever: opaque and chilling. The type of eyes a man could get lost in. He sat straight-backed but not tense, heavy muscles relaxed beneath his cheap suit and good shirt. But his hands—yes. They hung over the armrests and moved with the hint of a tremor.
Interesting.
Without truly intending to, knowing it might even be dangerous, Abe reached out and settled a palm on Donne’s shoulder. Although Donne flinched slightly, he didn’t strike out or move away. His jaw tightened, though, and his eyes narrowed.
The war, Abe thought. Yes. Donne was the right age for it, and his accent thick enough to suggest he’d come of age in England instead of the United States. Besides, there was something about the set of his body and the creases around his eyes. “I hear… a man,” Abe began.
And then he did.
As clear as if the person stood next to him, a voice spoke in Abe’s ear. It sounded young and sad and thin. Tommy. Oh, my darling Tommy, what have they done to you?
Abe unwillingly echoed a phrase, the words tearing his throat. “My darling Tommy.”
Donne leapt to his feet, jerking back so violently that he toppled the chair. One hand went into his coat pocket, and Abe was certain he was about to be shot. The idea didn’t frighten him, mostly because he was too deeply awash in the spirit’s sorrow. “Don’t hurt him, Tommy.” From his own mouth, but it wasn’t his accent or his voice. “Please don’t.”
The spirit… the man had been in his early twenties, perhaps. A pointed chin and sharp nose, thin mobile eyebrows, a wide mouth always a moment away from a cheeky grin. Ears that stuck out a little. Abe knew this although he couldn’t see the spirit. Just as he knew the spirit’s name. “Albert,” he said in his own voice.
Donne jerked again but held his ground. He was breathing hard.
Abe’s knees felt weak, his head swam, and Albert whispered in his head: tiny snippets and phrases that Abe couldn’t quite catch. Reaching out for a chair back to support himself, he became aware of the wide eyes and gaping mouths of his guests.
With considerable effort, he gathered his wits, giving Donne a quick apologetic glance before striding to the front of the room. He cleared his throat before falling back into his faux accent. “I am sorry, friends. Today the spirits have qvite exhausted me. I hope you have found some of the answers you sought.”
The guests seemed pleased as they gathered their coats and hats and filed toward the hallway and the door. They thanked Abe as they shook his hand. Soon only two others remained: Rosie, looking about as if perhaps she’d mislaid a glove, and Donne, towering and jut-jawed in the back of the room.
“I need to talk to you,” Donne growled.
Abe simply nodded. He took Rosie gently by the arm and led her down the hall, surreptitiously offering her five dollars at the door. She took it but paused with her hand on the knob. “Are you all right?” she whispered.
“I’m fine.”
“That was—”
“I’ll explain another time, sweetheart.”
She scrunched her mouth together. “But that big fella, he don’t look too safe.”
“Nothing worthwhile ever is. I’ll see you tomorrow, Rosie.” He gave her a gentle push out the door and locked it behind her. Then he turned and walked back to face Donne.
Author Bio
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Kim Fielding is the bestselling, award-winning author of numerous m/m romance novels, novellas, and short stories. Like Kim herself, her work is eclectic, spanning genres such as contemporary, fantasy, paranormal, and historical. Her stories are set in alternate worlds, in 15th century Bosnia, in modern-day Oregon. Her heroes are hipster architect werewolves, housekeepers, maimed giants, and conflicted graduate students. They’re usually flawed, they often encounter terrible obstacles, but they always find love.
After having migrated back and forth across the western two-thirds of the United States, Kim calls California home. She lives there with her family, her cat, and her day job as a university professor, but escapes as often as possible via car, train, plane, or boat. This may explain why her characters often seem to be in transit as well. She dreams of traveling and writing full-time.
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