Robyn Echols's Blog, page 9

Wednesday Wonders: HAUNTED BY LOVE

This week's Wednesday Wonders features  Haunted by Love  by Zina Abbott 
SHORT BLURB:
Turned out by her guardian, Hazel Jessup is sent to live with her sister she hasn’t seen in over a year. A night spent in the Leavitt’s inn puts her in contact with the famed specter of the White Lady, a lonely ghost whose name is Charlotte. Charlotte speaks of a man who is waiting to love her—can it be Luther Caldwell, the handsome freight wagon driver who is seeing her to her sister’s home? 
EXCERPT:      Hazel knew she had a long day ahead of her the next morning. She decided she might as well put on her nightgown, brush out her hair and prepare for bed. She noticed when she walked toward the opposite side of the room to pick up her valise, the feeling of sadness faded. But, when she walked back toward the dressing table, it increased slightly. Her curiosity aroused, Hazel once again walked toward the side window of the room. The feeling of sorrow again intensified.     “Go away.”     Hazel froze in place. Someone was speaking to her. She quickly stepped back until she reached bottom corner of the bed. The sense of sadness once again diminished. But that did not answer the question now in Hazel’s mind. A tingle of fear coursed through her as she realized she was not alone in the room.     “Who’s there?”     “Go away. Leave me alone.”     Her legs trembling, Hazel clung to the post at the foot of the bed. She had heard the voice twice now. Only, it wasn’t a voice she heard. The words entered her mind as plainly as if someone stood next to her and spoke to her, but they did not come through her ears first. And, in spite of the two lamps casting their soft glow throughout the room, she could not see anyone.
The first four novellas in the Eastern Sierra Brides 1884 series, Big Meadows Valentine , A Resurrected Heart , Her Independent Spirit and Haunted by Love were published by Prairie Rose Publications and are now available for sale on Amazon including on Kindle Unlimited.
  ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Zina Abbott is the pen name used by Robyn Echols for her historical novels. 
The author is a member of Women Writing the West, American Night Writers Association, and Modesto Writers Meet Up. She currently lives with her husband in California near the “Gateway to Yosemite.” She enjoys any kind of history including family history. When she is not piecing together novel plots, she pieces together quilt blocks.


Zina Abbott Author Links:
Website   |  Blog   |  Facebook   |  Pinterest   |  Goodreads   |  Google+   |  Twitter    

Names & Timelines for My Dec 1941 Story

My latest writing project will be under my actual name, not my pen name. It is a novelette which will be part of a boxset being published to commemorate the 75th anniversary of this war.
My interest in writing stories about World War II started with my desire to share a bit of my father’s experiences in that war. However, he did not serve until the end of the war. Also, he fought in the European Theater. 
This project deals with the month the United States became involved after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. To citizens of the United States, Pearl Harbor seems to be the outstanding event of that month and year. However, this collection is being written by authors from around the world. Included stories will share events that happened worldwide that month.
For my offering, I chose an event close to home connected to the war in the Pacific.
I had been researching, but realized after becoming familiar with the names of the big players involved, and the general timelines of the era and place, the next thing I needed to do was select the names of my characters and work out their timelines.
Here is the timeline for my Kaufmann family:

Florence Kaufmann may have had ancestry on her mother’s side that dated back to the American Revolution, but her father was a first-generation American. His parents immigrated to the United States shortly after the formation of Germany as a united country when there was still a lot of upheaval in that part of the world. I didn’t need to do a lot of research on those particulars since that is a situation that affected the German (Prussian) line of my family.
Here is the timeline for my Osaki family:

This family took a little more work to put together. It is entirely fictional, although the Yamato Colony in California’s Central Valley where this family in my story lives and works is not. There were more than one Yamato Colonies (Yamato means “Japan”) in the United States, but this one was near the west coast.
These timelines were important in helping me get the details of my story correct. For example, I had hoped I could write Ellen as a second generation (sansei) Japanese-American. However, based on when this colony was formed, it didn’t work. She is a first-generation citizen born in the United States (nisei), but her father who came from Japan as a child is not a citizen (issei). These distinctions made a difference in how I wrote the story.
Another note about naming practices at this time: I noticed as I looked at 1940 U.S. Census records and other records of Japanese-American families from that era many of the children had been given both an anglicized name and a Japanese name. For example, although I didn’t write it on this timeline, Ellen’s full name is Ellen Naoko Osaki and her brother is John Hikeo Osaki.
Speaking of names, this topic and style of writing will be entirely different than my stories already written under Robyn Echols. I am considering using Robyn Hobusch Echols for my World War II books. What do you think? Please feel free to leave a comment about what author name I should use.

Wednesday Wonders: A HEART BROKEN

This week's Wednesday Wonders features  A Heart Broken  by Sara Barnard
About the Book:

At last, the War Between the States is over! Sanderson Redding is finally home, and for Charlotte, life is good. Until the Army comes knocking. 

Sanderson's old captors have charged him with the murder of Lieutenant Lantz, who died mysteriously on the streets of St. Louis when the South surrendered. With help from the most unlikely sort, can Sanderson convince the Yankee jury of his innocence?
Left alone when Sanderson is carted off for murder, newly pregnant Charlotte is despondent. However, when the stress of their predicament threatens the life of their unborn child, Charlotte is more grateful than ever to have Minerva as her sister-in-law, and roommate.
When the judge sentences Sanderson to a suicide mission in lieu of hanging by the neck until dead, Charlotte knows she can't go along on this adventure. Between a hard pregnancy and a rash of hydrophobia that threatens the entire Arkansas countryside, Charlotte wonders if Sanderson will have a home waiting for him, if he survives the mission, and if he wants to come home at all. However, a freakish dog bite in the midst of the outbreak may well be the end of them all. 
EXCERPT:
     “Don’t die till we get to have some fun, girl.” Samuel’s whiskey-ruined voice was hot in Charlotte’s ear. Somewhere behind her, Dean’s maniacal laughter pulsated with cruelty. The Bowie knife grew closer to her face, but with her arms lashed behind her, Charlotte could only watch in helpless terror as the promise of death drew nearer.      “Sanderson!” she screamed, just before the icy blade met the skin of her neck.      “I’m here. I’m not going to let anything happen to you,” Sanderson murmured into her hair. His arm, muscled and tanned, tightened around her middle. His voice was thick with sleep. “Was it that dream again?”      She sat up and traced the knife scar at the base of her neck. The air was crisp in their loft and a rash of goose bumps cropped up on her exposed skin. “It was one of them. The knife one. I always wake up before they kill me, but I swear,” Charlotte shook her head to clear the nightmare from her mind, “it gets scarier every time.”      “They’ll get worse before they get better.” Sanderson propped himself up on an elbow and ran his hand down her thigh. “Mine are pretty bad right now, too. But when I wake up and look at you, I know that I’m finally home.” 


About the Author:
Sara Barnard is mother to four beautiful children, daughter to a pair of awesome parents who have become two of her best friends over the years, wife to a handsome Texan, student to her Master's of Arts in European History classes, and friend to many. Oh, she writes some, too. 

Sara began writing in the third grade, but became serious about becoming published after watching Eclipse with her friend, Rochelle. Rochelle mentioned that Ms. Meyer was a housewife with many children, so Sara decided that since she was back home while her husband was deployed, she would put pen to paper and see what happened. Wow. She started writing in 2009 and hasn't stopped since! This has led to her finding her publisher, 5 Prince Publishing, and her awesome Warrior Princess editor! Her debut novel, A Heart on Hold, was published in 2012 and quickly became a series. Books 2 and 3, A Heart Broken and A Heart at Home, were published in January 2013 and June 2013 respectively, with book 4, A Heart Forever Wild, forthcoming! Book 1, A Heart on Hold, made it to the top three finalists for the best of 2012 American Historical RONE award and became an Amazon bestseller! Book 2, A Heart Broken, appears to be following in the same path. On a different note, set to release in November is Sara's debut Amish romance novella, Rebekah's Quilt.
Author Links:
Website  ~  Facebook  ~  Twitter  ~  Amazon Author Page
Purchase Links:
Amazon  ~  Smashwords  ~  iTunes  ~  Kobo  ~  Barnes & Noble

Wedneaday Wonders: BELONG TO ME

 This week's Wednesday Wonders features  Belong to Me  by Kit Morgan

Book Description:  
The Cooke brothers, Duncan, Colin and Harrison, lived in a little town out west called Clear Creek. They moved to America as young boys and helped tame the Wild West with not only their fists, but impeccable manners! In all that time, they kept hearing bits and pieces of a tale their mother told them. Over the years however, not to mention the loss of their mother, they lost most of the story and could only remember one major detail. A crocodile. Oh, and their third cousin the earl of course, who later became a duke, and whose duchy eventually fell to Duncan – but that’s another tale. This tale is something else entirely … 
Anthony Sayer had toiled for the East India Company for many years and after the death of his father was more than happy to return to England once and for all. Unfortunately, the Company had other ideas for Anthony, ones he wasn’t too thrilled to take on. Little did he know he’d be taking on so much more.

Isabelle Bainbridge – better known as Isabelle Painbridge (or Hurricane Isabelle, depending on which circles one ran in) had given up any hopes of marriage. At twenty-six she was considered “on the shelf” by most of the ton and began to despair of ever finding a husband. Enter one Anthony Sayer. He was handsome, an earl and, better yet, available! But when a diary is delivered to her, its secrets turn Isabelle’s life upside down. Wishing to escape the horrible truths of the diary, she heads for India hoping to escape the scandal that will surely follow should anyone learn the book’s secrets. Unfortunately she runs into something else while abroad. Namely, one Anthony Sayer. And he isn’t exactly glad to see her. After all, Anthony has secrets of his own ...

Enjoy this clean and wholesome romance full of fun, adventure, and a few critters to boot! 
Excerpt: 
   Anthony allowed himself to be ushered along. “She’s horribly ugly, isn’t she?” he stated more than asked.“On the contrary!”Anthony stopped again, this time causing Nigel to lose his grip and stumble ahead a few feet before he could right himself. He quickly apologized to several guests before turning to him. “Really, she’s quite beautiful. In fact, of the three Bainbridge daughters, she’s by far the most lovely.”“Then why haven’t you danced with her? In fact,” Anthony added, knowing Nigel’s reputation for being a horrible rake, “why haven’t you …”“Oh, but I have!” Nigel retorted and held one arm at the memory as if it were broken. “But I would never consider being anything but a gentleman with the lady. I value my life.”Anthony could only stare. Value my life? Nigel smiled anew. “Tell you what, I’ll just make you a wager. Five quid says you can’t make it through one dance with Miss Bainbridge and leave here in one piece.”Anthony scowled. He needed to get out of there, not play some foolish game with Nigel. “What the devil are you getting at? Just get me out of here!” he hissed.“I cannot. But Miss Bainbridge can.”Anthony could see a blur of bright yellow with a smaller blur of green in tow, approaching quickly. “Fine,” he groaned. “Where is she?”Nigel pointed toward the refreshment table.The usual guests were milling about. Men of lower rank and status that the matrons wouldn’t target until later, after they’d first run their daughters through the gauntlet of the higher-ranking bachelors in attendance. Married men and women, there for the entertainment that the Amesburys so graciously provided. And, of course, Mrs. Amesbury herself, at the end of the table near a massive punch bowl with an incredible ice sculpture of some sort of nymph climbing from its sugary depths.Chatting with Mrs. Amesbury was a delectable-looking woman with the most striking chocolate-brown eyes he’d ever seen. Their warmth was unmistakable even at this distance and in stark contrast to her blonde hair. Pity she was probably the wife of one of the men nearby, as she was a touch older than most of the ladies in attendance. Most of them, Mrs. Amesbury had enthusiastically informed him, were in either their first or second season.“There, talking to our beloved hostess,” Nigel informed him. “That’s Isabelle Bainbridge. Now be quick and save yourself! You haven’t much choice at this point.” He tossed his head at the women that almost had them surrounded.The one in the lead caught her breath, then rushed at him in a mass of yellow silk and sweat. “Ohhhh, Lord Sayerrrrrr!”Anthony nodded politely at her as he turned, glared one last time at the now-smirking Nigel, and charged toward the refreshment table and Isabelle Bainbridge.“Lord Sayer, a moment if you please!” the woman in yellow screeched after him.Anthony made his legs move faster. “Mrs. Amesbury!” he shouted over the din of his baying pursuers. It felt very much like a fox hunt – from the fox’s point of view.His tone startled Miss Bainbridge, who jumped at the sound and dropped her glass of punch. It fell to the floor and shattered, spraying drink and glass everywhere. In response, she jumped away from the table and out of the mess.Anthony didn’t have a prayer. Between his momentum from fleeing the herd of women behind him and the now-slippery floor, he slid headlong into the refreshment table, right beside the punch bowl. Being the trained officer he was, however, he managed to stop himself by grabbing either side of the massive bowl as he careened into it. The ice sculpture rocked dangerously, threatening to crash onto the table. What a pity to lose such a glorious creation, he thought as he got his booted feet under him and, still bent over the punch bowl, glared in Nigel’s direction.The look of horror on Nigel’s face and Mrs. Amesbury’s scream of warning were the last things Anthony Sayer, the new Earl of Stantham, saw or heard before everything went black.
 
You may purchase Belong to Me on Amazon by CLICKING HERE.
 About Kit Morgan: A consistent Top 100 lists bestseller, Kit Morgan, aka Geralyn Beauchamp, has been writing for fun all of her life. When writing as Geralyn Beauchamp, her books are epic, adventurous, romantic fantasy at its best. When writing as Kit Morgan they are whimsical, fun, inspirational sweet and clean stories that depict a strong sense of family and community. She hopes you will enjoy reading this first book in the The Bainbridge Sisters series. 
 Website: www.authorkitmorgan.com

Wednesday Wonders: THE COURAGEOUS BRIDES COLLECTION

 Today's Wednesday Wonders features  Debby Lee's novella Hearts of the Pony Express    part of the The Courageous Brides Collection
BOOK DESCRIPTION:



Ride into adventures alongside nine determined women of yesteryear whose acts of compassion and bravery attract male attention. Marcy helps displaced Indians. Emmy tends wounds at Fort Snelling. Ronnie stows away on a cattle drive. Daisy disguises herself as a Pony Express rider. Elinor becomes an abolitionist. Mae tames wild horses. Hannah gets help for accident victims. Lucy’s curiosity unnerves criminals. Kate nurses soldiers on the battlefield. Will real dangers douse the sparks of love?

EXCERPT from Hearts of the Pony Express: 
          Chapter 1   Daisy Hollister’s gaze fell on the slicked-up man in Army blue stepping down from the stage coach. The polished medals and shiny buttons on the officer’s uniform glistened in the summer sun like the thirty pieces of silver once held by Judas Iscariot. From a distance the man appeared to be Randall “Butch” Butchovick, the snake who had haunted her nightmares for a year. 
A slight breeze blew through the branches of a nearby tree causing the late afternoon shadows danced around the horse-drawn conveyance so Daisy couldn’t recognize the man for sure. For a closer inspection, she snuck forward a few steps. A small barrel of sugar sat atop a larger barrel of dried beans. They provided a measure of obscurity as she stepped behind them. Her gloved hands clutched her reticule so hard her fingers ached.
“See to it my trunks are delivered to the hotel.” The man called to the stage coach driver.
Air flew from Daisy’s lungs in a whoosh. That voice! This was Butch, all right. Her knees went weak with fear, and rebelled at the thought of holding her upright. Thank the Lord the barrel provided support. She leaned against the rough wooden container. What now? She couldn’t spend the rest of her days running from the goon, yet confronting him could mean a trip to the Pearly Gates. 
The sound of heavy boots clomping along the boardwalk jerked Daisy’s attention to the person approaching her.
The stage coach driver carried a mail sack. “Afternoon Ma’am.” He tipped his hat as he passed by.
Daisy nodded, but was too frightened to manage a reply. Two young boys lugging a large trunk followed the driver. Farther down the boardwalk she spied Butch. He puffed on a cigar and leered at a saloon girl who had just stepped through the establishment’s batwing doors.
 Daisy had to find a way out of town, fast.
About Debby Lee:
Debby Lee was raised in the cozy little town of Toledo, Washington. She has been writing since she was a small child, but never forgets home.

The Northwest Christian Writers and Romance Writers of America are two writing organizations she enjoys being a part of. She is represented by Tamela Hancock Murray of the  Steven Laube Literary Agency.
As a self professed nature lover, and an avid listener of 1960's folk music, Debby can't help but feel like a hippie child who wasn't born soon enough to attend Woodstock. She wishes she could run barefoot all year long, but often does anyway in grasses, and on beaches in her hamlet that is the cold and rainy southwest Washington.
During football season, Debby cheers on the Seattle Seahawks along with legions of other devoted fans. She's also filled with wanderlust and dreams of visiting Denmark, Italy, and Morocco someday.
Debby Lee loves connecting with her readers. Visit her website at www.booksbydebbylee.com

AUTHOR PLATFORM LINKS:
Website   |  Facebook  |  Blog
PURCHASE LINKS:
Amazon   |  Barnes & Noble  |  Barbour Publishing
 

Wednesday Wonders: THE CAPTAIN

Today's Wednesday Wonders features  The Captain   By Julie Coulter Bellon

Book description:

Captain Colt Mitchell is part of the elite Griffin Force team hunting down terrorist Nazer al-Raimi. After an attack on the Canadian Parliament buildings, the team gets good intel on Nazer’s whereabouts. They plan to grab him, but when the mission goes wrong, Colt is captured and dragged away. Bruised, restrained, and disoriented, Colt is stunned to see Brenna Wilson, the Canadian intelligence officer who broke his heart years ago, standing next to Nazer. But how deep is she in the operation and can she help Colt escape?

After the devastating attack on Canadian soil, Brenna is recruited to go undercover to find out what Nazer is planning next. She’s close to her goal until her former flame Colt Mitchell is taken hostage. Walking away from him has always been her biggest regret and she knows she has to save him, even if it blows her mission. Taking matters into her own hands, she pulls off a daring escape, but Colt and Brenna must learn to trust each other again if they want to stay alive. With their hearts and their lives on the line can they survive long enough to stop Nazer from ravaging another country’s sense of security?
Short Excerpt:
          She went to the side of the metal cot and looked down at his face.  Her heart rate sped up and she blinked, not believing what her eyes were seeing. The nose that was just a little crooked, the proud chin, the short dark hair.  A roar of blood rushed through her ears and she grabbed the side table for support.  She knew this man.  Once upon a time, she’d known his face almost as well as her own.            How can Colt Mitchell be here? When she left to join counter-intelligence and he joined Joint Task Force 2, she’d thought she’d never see him again.  Why was he here? She immediately reached for the bonds strapping him to the bed before she pushed her instinct down. She couldn’t untie him. She couldn’t help him at all.          Clenching her fists, she tried to quell the panic rising within her. Colt would recognize her and her cover would be blown. Not to mention that Nazer would kill them both.  She had to get him out. But helping him in any way would blow her cover as well. She was stuck.           What could she do?          Taking a breath and letting it out, she brushed his hair back.  His cheek was swelling, the eye above it already swollen shut, and he was covered in soot. He’d obviously been in a fire and a fight.  Turning him slightly she could see an angry burn on his neck. At least that was one thing she could help him with. Quickly grabbing the discarded cloth napkin from the side table, she dipped it in the water jug. She glanced back at the unconscious man, still trying to wrap her brain around the fact that Colt was here.  She wrung out the napkin and came back to his side, gently pressing the wet fabric against the burn. It wouldn’t do much, but at least it was something.           Standing there, offering such a small comfort, she felt tears clog her throat.  Once he was awake her hands would be tied, and she wouldn’t be able to even offer him water. Could she really watch him suffer?            her lip, she dipped the napkin in the cool water once more. So many memories of their time together, the flirting, the fun, the way he’d looked at her when they’d said goodbye. How could they have come to this?          “I’m sorry,” she whispered as she drew back and picked up the tray. Closing her eyes for a moment, she gathered herself, then left the room and shut the door.
About Julie Coulter Bellon:

Julie Coulter Bellon is the author of more than a dozen romantic suspense novels. Her book All Fall Down won the RONE award for Best Suspense and Pocket Full of Posies won a RONE Honorable Mention for Best Suspense.

Julie loves to travel and her favorite cities she's visited so far are probably Athens, Paris, Ottawa, and London. She loves to read, write, teach, watch Castle, Hawaii Five-O, and eat Canadian chocolate. Not necessarily in that order.

Julie offers writing and publishing tips as well as her take on life on her blog ldswritermom.blogspot.comYou can also find out about all her upcoming projects at her website juliebellon.com
Platform Links:
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Wednesday Wonders: THE DEBUTANTE BRIDE

This week's Wednesday Wonders features  The Debutante Bride  by Wendy May Andrews

About The Debutante Bride:

Miss Elizabeth Dunseith, Beth to her friends, grew up in genteel poverty, happy despite her abusive father and weak mother. When her father sells her to the highest bidder in order to pay off his gambling debts, she fears what her future will hold but is relieved to get away from home with her new, handsome husband.

Lord Justin Fulton, Earl of Westfield, is confused by the contradictory behavior of his purchased bride. One moment she is haughty and cool, the next she is warm and endearing. When his sister refuses to help establish his new bride in Society, Justin turns to a friend’s wife to show Beth the best way to navigate the politics of the ton.

Their growing attraction just seems to confuse matters even further. Will these two be able to see past their differences to make it to happily ever after?

Short Excerpt :

         As she came to wakefulness, Beth held herself very still, momentarily surprised to find herself in a strange bed, but then it all rushed back into her consciousness. She was a married lady. A countess at that. And she had only met her husband thirty-six hours before.          The thrill of freedom flowed through her as she reminded herself once more that she would never again have to return to the house she grew up in unless she so chose. Of course, she would want to see her mother again, but she allowed herself to bask in the contentment she was experiencing. She wiggled her toes and stretched her arms, reveling in the new sensation.          The unknown factor of her new husband was obviously of concern, but so far he had been remarkably even tempered. She would even go so far as to describe him as kind, at least what she had seen of him in their short acquaintance. Beth could not decide how she felt about how handsome he was. He was deliciously attractive, but she was unsure if that could be trusted. No doubt other women would find it to be a point in his favor.


About Wendy May Andrews :

Wendy May Andrews has been in love with the written word since she learned to read at the age of five. She has been writing for almost as long but hasn’t been sharing those stories with anyone but her mother until recently. This is Wendy’s third book with Clean Reads.
Wendy can be found with her nose in a book in a cozy corner of downtown Toronto. She is happily married to her own real-life hero, who is also her best friend and favorite travel companion.
Being a firm believer that every life experience contributes to the writing process, Wendy is off planning her next trip.

           She loves to hear from her readers and can be found at her website, on twitter or Facebook.
Wendy’s online locations:
Website  |  Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Instagram
Buy Links:
Amazon  |  Barnes & Noble  |  Kobo
 

Wednesday Wonders: SUBSTITUTE BRIDE

Today's Wednesday Wonders features  Substitute Bride  by Margery Scott 
Book Description:
He married the wrong twin!  

Six years after Cole Berringer goes west to build a new life, he writes to his childhood sweetheart, Sarah Main, and proposes marriage. But instead of the woman he left behind, her twin sister, Elizabeth, arrives in Colorado to take her place. 

Elizabeth Main has loved Cole for years, but has always known she isn’t the woman he loves, so when her twin refuses his marriage proposal, she grabs at the chance to make her dreams come true. 

As the weeks go by, Cole and Elizabeth grow closer, and Elizabeth is convinced it’s only a matter of time until Cole returns her love. 

But then, Sarah arrives … 


Excerpt:
     “Eighty-seven, eighty-eight …” Elizabeth stifled a yawn as she sat at her dressing table later that night and ran the mother-of-pearl hairbrush through her long blonde hair.     Suddenly, the door burst open. Sarah hurried in and let out a distressed sigh as she flopped down on the bed, her frilly chemise and pantaloons flapping. Elizabeth turned from the mirror to face her sister. “What’s wrong? Is Aunt Meg trying to marry you off to old Lucius Grant again?”     Sarah grimaced and gave an exaggerated shudder. “I don’t understand why Aunt Meg is so insistent I marry him. Why not you? It’s not as if he’d even know the difference.”     “I don’t understand it either, but I admit I’m glad I’m not the target of her matchmaking at the moment. After her attempts to marry me off to Edgar Whittington, only to discover he has a wife and children tucked away in the country …”     “That was unfortunate for him, but providential for you,” Sara put in.     “It was, and since then, Aunt Meg has allowed me time to recover from my broken heart.” Elizabeth began to laugh, and within seconds, she and Sarah were lost in fit of giggles.     When they finally composed themselves, Sarah gave Elizabeth a stern look. “The problem is that since you’ve escaped her clutches for now, she’s turned her attention to marrying me off. I’m almost tempted to marry Cole just to avoid Aunt Meg’s matchmaking.”     Elizabeth’s throat tightened. Surely Sarah wasn’t serious. She’d made it very clear earlier that she’d rather wither away as a spinster than live in the Colorado wilderness.      “But even marriage to that fuddy-duddy couldn’t convince me to go to Colorado. Cole has been out in the sun too long if he thinks I’d ever consider his proposal,” Sarah said, running her braid through her fingers.      “But you were sweethearts,” Elizabeth said, as if she needed to remind Sarah of her relationship with Cole. “You must have loved him.”     Sarah waved away Elizabeth’s comment. “He loved me, and I must admit I was flattered by his attention. He was very handsome, after all. But love? Heavens, no. Can you imagine being married to a man like Cole? And worse, living on a ranch in the middle of nowhere?”     Yes, Elizabeth thought, her mind wandering. She’d imagined just that for years. Well, not the ranch part, but she had fantasized about being married to Cole and living with him in Colorado every night after she said her prayers.      Now, she could add a ranch into her imaginings along with space, fresh air, land. Working beside him on his ranch, raising his children, building a life together. Her heartbeat quickened at the thought. If only Cole had loved her instead of Sarah. If only the letter had been addressed to her …      “I’m going to bed,” she announced, slamming the brush on the silver tray on the dressing table.     Bounding up, she crossed the room, slipped out of her silk wrapper and draped it across the foot of the bed. Sliding under the sheets, she turned her back on her sister lest she see in her eyes the longing for something she’d never have. “Please turn down the lamp before you leave,” she muttered as she pulled the blanket over her shoulders and closed her eyes.     Hours later, Elizabeth’s eyes sprang open. The house was silent, the fire had died, and faint moonlight filtered through the curtains at the window.An idea had germinated somewhere in her subconscious as she slept. She and Sarah were twins. They’d spent many hours giggling about how they’d fooled not only their parents, but the servants, their tutors, their friends.      Why not Cole? Could she fool him, too? Her heart skittered inside her chest. It was a dangerous plan, one that could ruin her reputation and leave her homeless. Yet, excitement gnawed at her at the thought of becoming Cole’s wife.     Sarah didn’t love Cole, so Elizabeth’s actions wouldn’t hurt her. Sarah would never leave Summerton. So why couldn’t she take Sarah’s place and make her own dreams come true?      There was no doubt in her mind that what she was considering was wrong. Yet if it made Cole happy to think she was the woman he loved, and she was married to the man she’d dreamed of for years, how could it really hurt anyone?     She’d loved Cole since the day she’d discovered the difference between boys and girls, and her prayers that he’d somehow discover he loved her, too, had gone unanswered. Now, this opportunity had presented itself, an opportunity to make her dreams come true.     Yes, it was deceitful, and she was sure her plan was a sin, but the temptation was too strong to resist.     She would go to Colorado. She would become Sarah. And she would marry the man she’d always loved.
About Margery Scott:
Margery is the author of more than twenty romance novels, novellas and short stories. She lives on a lake in Canada with her husband, and spends as much time as possible travelling in search of the perfect setting for her next book. When she’s not writing, you can usually find her wielding a pair of knitting needles or a pool cue.

Connect with Margery Scott:
Newletter  |  Website  |  Facebook  |  Twitter
Purchase Links:
Amazon  |  iBooks  |  Nook  |  Amazon Author Page

 

Wednesday Wonder: BEYOND THE RISING TIDE

Today's Wednesday Wonders features Beyond the Rising Tide by Sarah Beard 
About the book:

Kai met Avery only once—in the moment he died saving her life. Now when he’s not using his new healing powers to help people, he watches helplessly as Avery’s life is unraveled by his death. To help her, he risks everything by breaking the rules, dangerously blurring the barriers between life and death.
 
Excerpt: 
(Kai’s point of view)
I’m not sure if I have a heart, but something in my ribcage swells at the sight of Avery. Her hair shimmers like spun gold in the sunlight, falling over her shoulder and hiding her face. She’s sitting on a sheet of black rock, head bent, and the flowery skirt of her sundress ripples in the breeze.          If she turns around, she’ll see me. If I speak, she’ll hear my voice. I open my mouth to do that, but it’s parched, hit with an unexpected drought of words.          I’ve been walking for hours, and I still don’t have a solid plan. I have an end goal, but it’s like looking up at the peak of a mountain when I’m still in the valley. I want Avery to find happiness again, but I have no idea how to get her there.           Luckily, improvising is what I’m best at. Writing songs on the fly, talking myself out of trouble, and ad-libbing life in general. When I had a life, I was dropped into a new environment every few months with no time for planning. Survival depended on my ability to improvise, because it was the only way to keep my head above water.           As I inch toward Avery, I turn phrases over in my mind, trying to choose the best way to introduce myself. I hate to think how she’ll react if she recognizes me, but I doubt she will. I saw her run across my picture on a missing persons report once, and she scanned right past it. Besides, I saw my reflection in the shop window this morning, and although my face is the same, I don’t exactly look like myself with my new Jack Frost hair.          Over her shoulder, I see she’s holding a fishing net in her lap. Her fingers are working with it like she’s trying to free something. A crab. Her hands tremble as she tries to unravel it, so she’s not really getting anywhere.           Without thinking, I fish the pocketknife from my shorts, unfold the blade, and lower it in front of her in offering. She flinches and whips around to look at me, eyes wide.           So much for improvising.           I nod toward the tangled mess in her lap. “For the crab.” Yes. Those are the words I’ve waited six months to speak to her. If Charles comes in the next moment to take back his ring, at least I can live in eternal peace knowing I was able to utter those three words.          Her brows pinch together, then she shakes her head and turns back to the crab. “I’m trying to free him, not eat him.”          For a few breaths, I’m speechless. In awe that she just talked to me. She can see me. And hear me. If I reach out and touch her shoulder, she’ll feel my fingertips on her skin. I don’t, of course. I’ve scared her enough for one day.           “I know,” I say, trying to keep my voice soft and non-threatening. I crouch down and offer the knife again, this time handle first. “It’s for the net.”          Her hands go still, and then she smiles sheepishly. “Oh. Right.” She takes the knife and goes to work, biting her lower lip as she concentrates on plucking away strands of netting. I wonder why she’s going to so much trouble to free a half-dead crab, but I say nothing because for some reason it seems really important to her.          The knife makes her task easier, but when the crab is free, she frowns at the water, swallowing hard. Seeing the reluctance in her face, I stand and open my hand. “Here. I’ll throw it in.”           She deposits the crab in my palm, and I carry the newly liberated creature to where the waves are pitching against the rock. I toss it back home, and it disappears beneath the marbled surface.          When I turn back, Avery is standing with her arms twined around her waist. As I stroll toward her, the wind kicks up and sends golden strands of hair flying around her. With the way she’s standing there on the rocks, she looks like some kind of mythical siren. I feel just as scared as if she were one, just as bewitched. The haunting song in her eyes lures me in until I’m standing right in front of her. She gazes up at me a long moment, searching my face as if she’s hunting for familiarity. For a minute I worry she recognizes me. But then she folds the knife and hands it back.  


About the author:


Sarah Beard is the author of “Porcelain Keys,” a YA contemporary romance. She has a degree in communications from the University of Utah and splits her time between writing and freelance editing. She is a cancer survivor and a hopeless romantic. She enjoys reading and composing music, and lives with her husband and children in Salt Lake City, Utah.



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Wednesday Wonders: WASP OF THE FERRY COMMAND

 This week's Wednesday Wonders features  WASP of the Ferry Command  by Sarah Byrn Rickman
About WASP of the Ferry Command : WASP of the Ferry Command is the story of the women ferry pilots who flew more than nine million miles in 72 different aircraft—115,000 pilot hours—for the Ferrying Division, Air Transport Command, during World War II.
These 303 women came from the first squadron — formed in the fall 1942 by Nancy Love and known as the Women’s Auxiliary Ferrying Squadron or “the Originals” — and from the first six classes who trained at the Army flight school for women conceived of by 1930s racing pilot Jacqueline Cochran. In the beginning they flew 175-horsepower single-engine primary trainer aircraft, then moved up to basic (450 hp) and advanced (600 hp) trainers. They went on to master ever-larger twin-engine aircraft and 130 of them eventually flew the single-engine, high-powered pursuit aircraft (fighters) — the dream of every WWII pilot male or female. These aircraft had one seat. The first flight was a solo. By January 1944, WASP were delivering P-51s, P-47s, P-39s and P-63s to destinations around the United States. Leading up to and after D-Day, P-51s became crucial to the air war over Germany. They, alone, had the range to escort the four-engine bombers from England to Berlin and back on bombing raids  — and that is ultimately what brought down the German Reich. Getting those pursuits from the factories to the docks in New Jersey for shipment abroad became the primary job of the WASP of the Ferry Command. The women ferry pilots tell their stories in their own words — thanks to letters and diaries left to the WASP Archive at Texas Woman’s University and through oral histories done by TWU in more recent Sarah Byrn Rickman is the author of seven books about the WASP — the women who flew for the U.S. Army in WWII. Two new nonfiction books are slated for publication this year (2016). WASP of the Ferry Command was released in March by the University of North Texas Press. Finding Dorothy Scott — Sarah’s third WASP biography — will be released this summer by Texas Tech University Press. Finding Dorothy Scott won the Vinnie Ream Award in Letters from the National League of American Pen Women, of Washington DC — presented for the first time this year. In 2009, the National Aviation Hall of Fame presented Sarah with the Combs Gates Award for her outstanding volume of work on the women pilots of World War II and the promise of what became WASP of the Ferry Command . Her other nonfiction books are: The Originals (2001), the story of the first WASP squadron of 28 women; Nancy Love and the WASP Ferry Pilots of WWII (2008), the biography of the Originals’ founder and leader; and Nancy Batson Crews: Alabama’s First Lady of Flight (2009), Sarah’s personal mentor who urged her to write The Originals.Both of her WASP novels are double winners. Flight From Fear (published 2002) was named a Women Writing the West WILLA Finalist in 2003 and Flight to Destiny (published 2014) won the Eudora Welty Memorial Award for 2016 from the National League of American Pen Women. Those two manuscripts won back-to-back First Places in Historical Fiction at the Pikes Peak Writers Conferences of 1999 and 2000, respectivelySarah currently serves as the editor of the official WASP newsletter, published by Texas Woman’s University and the WASP Archives. She is a former reporter/ columnist for The Detroit News and editor of the twice-weekly Centerville-Bellbrook Times in Ohio. She has worked as an independent contractor doing writing and editing for non-profits and she’s been writing books since 1986 and has two unpublished novels in the drawer. She earned her B.A. in English from Vanderbilt University and an M.A. in Creative Writing from Antioch University McGregor (1996). She earned her Sport Pilot certificate in 2011 in order to bring more first hand knowledge and credibility to her aviation writing.
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