Harmony Kent's Blog, page 17
November 15, 2022
#Poetry Showcase at Sally’s #Christmas Book Fair with @YouAreTheExpert @BetteAStevens @harmony_kent #poetry #poetrylovers @sgc58
Hi everyone!
I had a lovely surprise this morning 
Sally has my book of poetry and a fantastic review from Beem Weeks showcased on her Christmas Book Fair post today!
I’m thrilled to appear alongside great writers and poets Bette Stevens and Annette Rochelle Aben.
You can find Sally’s awesome post HERE.
Thanks for all your support! Hugs 
November 14, 2022
#NewBook: Natural Selection by Jacqui Murray @WordDreams #DawnofHumanity #series
Hi everyone. Today, it gives me great pleasure to have Jacqui Murray, fellow author and blogging friend, over to visit. Jacqui has some exciting news to share with us … she has a new book coming out! Natural Selection is the 3rd book in her Dawn of Humanity series. This prolific writer has over 60 books published, both in fiction and non-fiction. And her love of research and education comes across delightfully. I’ll let Jacqui tell you all about her latest release …
About the Book:
In this conclusion to Lucy’s journey, she and her tribe leave their good home to rescue former tribe members captured by the enemy. Lucy’s tribe includes a mix of species–a Canis, a Homotherium, and different iterations of early man. In this book, more join and some die, but that is the nature of prehistoric life, where survival depends on a combination of our developing intellect and our inexhaustible will to live. Each species brings unique skills to this task. Based on true events.
Set 1.8 million years ago in Africa, Lucy and her tribe struggle against the harsh reality of a world ruled by nature, where predators stalk them and a violent new species of man threatens to destroy their world. Only by changing can they prevail. If you ever wondered how earliest man survived but couldn’t get through the academic discussions, this book is for you. Prepare to see this violent and beautiful world in a way you never imagined.
A perfect book for fans of Jean Auel and the Gears!
Excerpt:
Chapter 1
One Pack Ends, Another Begins
Africa
The Canis’ packmates were all dead, each crumpled in a smeared puddle of blood, Upright killing sticks embedded where they should never be. His body shook, but he remembered his training. The killers’ scent filled the air. If they saw him—heard him—they would come for him, too, and he must survive. He was the last of his pack.
He padded quietly through the bodies, paused at his mate, broken, eyes open, tongue out, pup under her chest, his head crushed. A moan slipped from his muzzle and spread around him. He swallowed what remained in his mouth. Without a pack, silence was his only protection. He knew to be quiet, but today, now, failed.
To his horror, a departing Upright looked back, face covered in Canis blood, meaty shreds dripping from his mouth, the body of a dead pup slung over his shoulder. The Canis sank into the brittle grass and froze. The Upright scanned the massacre, saw the Canis’ lifeless body, thought him dead like the rest of the decimated pack. Satisfied, he turned away and rushed after his departing tribe. The Canis waited until the Upright was out of sight before cautiously rising and backing away from the onslaught, eyes on the vanished predators in case they changed their minds.
And fell.
He had planned to descend into the gully behind him. Sun’s shadows were already covering it in darkness which would hide him for the night, but he had gauged his position wrong. Suddenly, earth disappeared beneath his huge paws. He tried to scrabble to solid ground, but his weight and size worked against him and he tumbled down the steep slope. The loose gravel made gripping impossible, but he dug his claws in anyway, whining once when his shoulder slammed into a rock, and again when his head bounced off a tree stump. Pain tore through his ear as flesh ripped, dangling in shreds as it slapped the ground. He kept his legs as close as possible to his body and head tucked, thankful this hill ended in a flat field, not a river.
Or a cliff.
When it finally leveled out, he scrambled to his paws, managed to ignore the white-hot spikes shrieking through his head as he spread his legs wide. Blood wafted across his muzzle. He didn’t realize it was his until the tart globs dripped down his face and plopped to the ground beneath his quaking chest. The injured animal odor, raw flesh and fresh blood, drew predators. In a pack, his mate would purge it by licking the wound. She would pronounce him Ragged-ear, the survivor.
Ragged-ear is a strong name. A good one.
He panted, tail sweeping side to side, and his indomitable spirit re-emerged.
I live.
But no one else in his pack did.
Except, maybe, the female called White-streak. She often traveled alone, even when told not to. If she was away during the raid, she may have escaped. He would find her. Together, they would start over.
Ragged-ear shook, dislodging the grit and twigs from his now-grungy fur. That done, he sniffed out White-streak’s odor, discovered she had also descended here. His injuries forced him to limp and blood dripping from his tattered ear obstructed his sight. He stumbled trying to leap over a crack and fell into the fissure. Fire shot through his shoulder, exploded up his neck and down his chest. Normally, that jump was easy. He clambered up its crumbling far wall, breaking several of his yellowed claws.
All of that he ignored because it didn’t matter to his goal.
Daylight came and went as he followed White-streak, out of a forest onto dry savannah that was nothing like his homeland.
Why did she go here?
He embraced the tenderness that pulsed throughout his usually-limber body. It kept him angry and that made him vicious. He picked his way across streams stepping carefully on smooth stones, their damp surfaces slippery from the recent heavy rain, ignoring whoever hammered with a sharp rock inside his head. His thinking was fuzzy, but he didn’t slow. Survival was more important than comfort, or rest.
Ragged-ear stopped abruptly, nose up, sniffing. What had alerted him? Chest pounding, breathing shallow, he studied the forest that blocked his path, seeking anything that shouldn’t be there.
But the throbbing in his head made him miss Megantereon.
Ragged-ear padded forward, slowly, toward the first tree, leaving only the lightest of trails, the voice of Mother in his head.
Yes, your fur color matches the dry stalks, but the grass sways when you move. That gives away your location so always pay attention.
His hackles stiffened and he snarled, out of instinct, not because he saw Megantereon. Its shadowy hiding place was too dark for Ragged-ear’s still-fuzzy thinking. The She-cat should have waited for Ragged-ear to come closer, but she was hungry, or eager, or some other reason, and sprang. Her distance gave the Canis time to back pedal, protecting his soft underbelly from her attack. Ragged-ear was expert at escaping, but his stomach spasmed and he lurched to a stop with a yowl of pain. Megantereon’s next leap would land her on Ragged-ear, but to the Canis’ surprise, the She-cat staggered to a stop, and then howled.
While she had been stalking Ragged-ear, a giant Snake had been stalking her. When she prepared her death leap, Snake dropped to her back and began to wrap itself around her chest. With massive coils the size of Megantereon’s leg, trying to squirm away did no good.
Ragged-ear tried to run, but his legs buckled. Megantereon didn’t care because she now fought a rival that always won. The She-cat’s wails grew softer and then silent. Ragged-ear tasted her death as he dragged himself into a hole at the base of an old tree, as far as possible from scavengers who would be drawn to the feast.
He awoke with Sun’s light, tried to stand, but his legs again folded. Ragged-ear remained in the hole, eyes closed, curled around himself to protect his vulnerable stomach, his tail tickling his nose, comforting.
He survived the Upright’s assault because they deemed him dead. He would not allow them to be right.
Sun came and went. Ragged-ear consumed anything he could find, even eggs, offal, and long-dead carcasses his pack normally avoided. His legs improved until he could chase rats, fat round ground birds, and moles, a welcome addition to his diet. Sometimes, he vomited what he ate and swallowed it again. The day came he once again set out after what remained of his pack, his pace more sluggish than prior to the attack, but quick enough for safety.
Ragged-ear picked up the female’s scent again and tracked her to another den. He slept there for the night and repeated his hunt the next day and the next. When he couldn’t find her trace, instinct drove him and memories of the dying howls of his pack, from the adults who trusted their Alpha Ragged-ear to protect them to the whelps who didn’t understand the presence of evil in their bright world.
Everywhere he traveled, when he crossed paths with an Upright, it was their final battle.
Book information:
Title and author: Natural Selection by Jacqui Murray
Series: Book 3 in the Dawn of Humanity series
Genre: Prehistoric fiction
Editor: Anneli Purchase
Available print or digital) at: http://a-fwd.com/asin=B0B9KPM5BW
Author bio:
Jacqui Murray is the author of the popular prehistoric fiction saga, Man vs. Nature which explores seminal events in man’s evolution one trilogy at a time. She is also author of the Rowe-Delamagente thrillers and Building a Midshipman , the story of her daughter’s journey from high school to United States Naval Academy. Her non-fiction includes over a hundred books on integrating tech into education, reviews as an Amazon Vine Voice, a columnist for NEA Today, and a freelance journalist on tech ed topics.
Social Media contacts:
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Jacqui-Murray/e/B002E78CQQ/
Blog: https://worddreams.wordpress.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jacquimurraywriter/
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/askatechteacher
Twitter: http://twitter.com/worddreams
Website: https://jacquimurray.net
The post #NewBook: Natural Selection by Jacqui Murray @WordDreams #DawnofHumanity #series first appeared on Welcome to Harmony Kent Online.November 13, 2022
Harmony is Vocal! #ShortStory: Perspective and a #Haiku in @Vocal_Creators #Fiction and #Poetry #challenge #WritingCommunity
Good luck? Bad luck? Who knows?
Hi everyone. I’ve written short story (1430 words) called Perspective, and another Haiku poem, Turmoil, for Vocal’s The Aquarium and High-ku Challenges.
You can find my short story HERE 
and my new Haiku HERE.
At 17 syllables for the Haiku, and just 1430 words on the fiction piece, they’re nice short reads I’d love to know what you think! And I would be delighted if you could read and heart. To heart and/or comment, you’ll need to sign in to Vocal, which is free to do.
Thanks for all your support! Hugs
November 11, 2022
Harmony is Vocal! 3 #Haiku in @Vocal_Creators #Poetry inspired by a #mountain #High-ku #challenge #WritingCommunity #poetsoftwitter #poetrylovers
Inspired by a Mountain …
Hi everyone. I’ve written three Haiku poems for Vocal’s High-ku Challenge.
You can find my poems …
and
HERE.
At 17 syllables each, they’re nice and short I’d love to know what you think! And I would be delighted if you could read and heart. To heart and/or comment, you’ll need to sign in to Vocal, which is free to do.
Thanks for all your support! Hugs
November 9, 2022
#BookReview: Cyber Sparks by Robert Appleton @robertappleton @bookroar_tweets #SciFi
Hi everyone! Today, I have a book review for an author new to me, Robert Appleton. I picked up this read via the BookRoar review site and am so glad I did >>>
About the Book:My name is Allegra Mondebay, and this is the story of my last days on Earth…
Unlike my sparsely populated home, on Earth everything and everyone is plugged in. As a blacklisted model who needs to reboot my career, I can no longer resist the ultimate in virtual-reality networking: the omnipod. At first, altering the sights, sounds and scents around me seems harmless. Then I hear the voice.
Do not adjust your headset. You are in danger…
He says I must help him warn the public about the perils of the omnipod. I think he’s just a hacker—until innocent people start dying, and the police want to hold me responsible. Now, I’m on the run in a stolen shuttle, trying to figure out why he needs me. And if I don’t do as he says, he’ll kill the woman I love.
My Review:
A profound, deep, moving, and amusing read.
I haven’t read this author before, but I’ll be sure to check out more of his books.
‘My strange fall from fame and rise to notoriety began on the day I forgot to take my umbrella to work.’ … from this intriguing opening line, the author takes us on a journey into a futuristic world, which contains all the greed and manipulation of today’s world. Despite the sci-fi elements–on which the writer has done his homework–the world building and plot feel all too real and possible.
The characterisations are done well and made me care about the main character and supporting protagonists. Oh, and I loved the reference to A Thousand and One Nights with the name of the Omnipod shop: Scheherazade’s.
Despite the at times heavy plot events and issues, this is a story told with sympathy and much humour, as well as some wonderful interplay via dialogue between the characters. Much of this had me chuckling away. Here are some lines I loved …
‘Remember your brain is not a plug’n’play.’
And …
‘… the worst over. That was usually when the world cocked its leg up on you.’
And …
‘… telling her had been rather like trying to post a house through a letterbox–one way or the other, the doorway ended up blocked.’
And …
‘Would you ask sound to show itself? Or a thought to reveal its face?’
I loved this read, and Cyber Sparks gets a solid 5 stars from me.
***
NOTE ON RATINGS: I consider a 3-star rating a positive review. Picky about which books I give 5 stars to, I reserve this highest rating for the stories I find stunning and which moved me.
5 STARS: IT WAS AMAZING! I COULD NOT PUT IT DOWN! — Highly Recommended.
4 STARS: I WOULD PULL AN ALL-NIGHTER — Go read this book.
3 STARS: IT WAS GOOD! — An okay read. Didn’t love it. Didn’t hate it.
2 STARS: I MAY HAVE LIKED A FEW THINGS —Lacking in some areas: writing, characterisation, and/or problematic plot lines.
1 STAR: NOT MY CUP OF TEA —Lots of issues with this book.
I’d love to hear what you think of this review. Thanks for stopping by
For anyone interested, here are the Amazon links …
UK … https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B08R8XRTB2/
US … https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08R8XRTB2/
The post #BookReview: Cyber Sparks by Robert Appleton @robertappleton @bookroar_tweets #SciFi first appeared on Welcome to Harmony Kent Online.November 6, 2022
#CoverReveal: Sorrowful Soul … Book 3 in the Soul Poetry Series #NewBook #Poetry #Grief
Hi everyone! Exciting news today … I have a new book of poetry coming out 😁
Sorrowful Soul cover reveal-mp4
Pre Order Your Copy At: https://t.co/mHDZzX4bP8
About the Book
If we’re lucky, we meet twilight at the front door and old age creeps in on the night breeze
Even if we make it to our twilight years, the more we age, the more loss we must endure as part of the cycle of life. Many of these poems lament death, but they also relate to broken relationships, severed friendships, and the loss of youth. This book of grief poetry is as much about saying goodbye and working through loss as it is about death and love split asunder.
This heartfelt collection provides company and compassion through the devastating journey of loss and shows us we do not travel this lonely road alone. Within these pages we share shock, numbness and denial, catapult into anger, bargaining, depression, loneliness, and guilt, and—eventually—make the seismic shift into testing the possibility of a new normal and finding acceptance.
Blog Host Request
The book releases on December 2nd in eBook, Paperback, and Kindle Unlimited. I would be delighted if any of you could host me on my launch tour. If you can spare the time and space, please email me via harmonykent[at]gmx[dot]com. Thanks!
Pre Order Your Copy At: https://t.co/mHDZzX4bP8
The post #CoverReveal: Sorrowful Soul … Book 3 in the Soul Poetry Series #NewBook #Poetry #Grief first appeared on Welcome to Harmony Kent Online.
November 2, 2022
#BookReview: Keeper of Enchanted Rooms (Whimbrel House #1) by Charlie N Holmberg @CNHolmberg #Fantasy #Magic #Romance #Historical
Hi everyone! Today, I have a book review for an author new to me, Charlie N Holmberg. I picked up this read on a BookBub deal and am so glad I did >>>
About the Book:Rhode Island, 1846. Estranged from his family, writer Merritt Fernsby is surprised when he inherits a remote estate in the Narragansett Bay. Though the property has been uninhabited for more than a century, Merritt is ready to call it home—until he realizes he has no choice. With its doors slamming shut and locking behind him, Whimbrel House is not about to let Merritt leave. Ever.
Hulda Larkin of the Boston Institute for the Keeping of Enchanted Rooms has been trained in taming such structures in order to preserve their historical and magical significance. She understands the dangers of bespelled homes given to tantrums. She advises that it’s in Merritt’s best interest to make Whimbrel House their ally. To do that, she’ll need to move in, too.
Prepared as she is with augury, a set of magic tools, and a new staff trained in the uncanny, Hulda’s work still proves unexpectedly difficult. She and Merritt grow closer as the investigation progresses, but the house’s secrets run deeper than they anticipated. And the sentient walls aren’t their only concern—something outside is coming for the enchantments of Whimbrel House, and it could be more dangerous than what rattles within.
My Review:
A heartwarming, funny, and moving read.
I haven’t read this author before, but I’ll be sure to read her other books.
‘The reading of a will was far more exciting when one hadn’t been disinherited thirteen years prior.’ … from this intriguing opening line, the reader is taken into the world of a possessed house–yes, you read that correctly!–and an unwitting main character who hasn’t had any previous exposure to the dying world of magic.
Whimbrel House, and its ghostly inhabitant, hasn’t had any company in a long time … say around a 100 years or so, and it (they) have gotten lonely. So when writer Merritt Fernsby arrives at the remote home he’s just inherited, he’s in for one heck of a surprise … especially when, just minutes after arriving, the house melts beneath his feet and won’t let him leave.
Not to worry, though, as Hulda Larkin of the Boston Institute for the Keeping of Enchanted Rooms comes to the rescue with her bag of tricks and knowledge of the arcane. Unfortunately, trouble of a different kind follows her.
What follows is a rip-roaring read full of magic, menace, humour, love, and wonderful interplay and dialogue between characters in a fantastical world the writer makes all too real. Honestly, I found myself alternately scowling at the bad guy, moved at the thwarted romantic feelings, and laughing at the humour threading throughout. Then there’s the wonderful world building and characterisations. What can I say?–The Keeper of Enchanted Rooms is an enchanting read. Here are some lines I loved (and it was difficult to choose just a few.) …
‘There was an enclosed porch just behind the kitchen, but with the floor bubbling like tar, she determined it best not to explore it at this time.’
And …
‘“And what spell does that have on it?” Mr. Fernsby nearly sounded entertained. “It is a crowbar, Mr. Fernsby. Simple as that.”’ … Teeehehee.
And …
‘Merritt stood in the cellar, hands on his hips, digging a shallow grave for his mounting despair and burying it messily.’
Okay, you’ve twisted my arm–here’s one more … ‘The wall rippled before him. He didn’t step back. Neither did the house.’
All right, I lied–one final pull quote: ‘The warmth wafting off him, enveloping her with spring when she was surrounded by winter.’
As you may have guessed, this read by Charlie N Holmberg gets a resounding 5 stars from me, and I’d give it more if I could. If you like magical/fantasy reads with a historical setting and a romantic subplot with plenty of humour, you’ll adore this book!
***
NOTE ON RATINGS: I consider a 3-star rating a positive review. Picky about which books I give 5 stars to, I reserve this highest rating for the stories I find stunning and which moved me.
5 STARS: IT WAS AMAZING! I COULD NOT PUT IT DOWN! — Highly Recommended.
4 STARS: I WOULD PULL AN ALL-NIGHTER — Go read this book.
3 STARS: IT WAS GOOD! — An okay read. Didn’t love it. Didn’t hate it.
2 STARS: I MAY HAVE LIKED A FEW THINGS —Lacking in some areas: writing, characterisation, and/or problematic plot lines.
1 STAR: NOT MY CUP OF TEA —Lots of issues with this book.
I’d love to hear what you think of this review. Thanks for stopping by
For anyone interested, here are the Amazon links …
UK … https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B08R8XRTB2/
US … https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08R8XRTB2/
The post #BookReview: Keeper of Enchanted Rooms (Whimbrel House #1) by Charlie N Holmberg @CNHolmberg #Fantasy #Magic #Romance #Historical first appeared on Welcome to Harmony Kent Online.October 26, 2022
#BookReview: Roam by C H Armstrong @C_H_Armstrong
Hi everyone! Today, I have a book review for an author new to me, C H Armstrong >>>
About the Book:Seventeen year-old Abby Lunde and her family are living on the streets. They had a normal life back in Omaha but, thanks to her mother’s awful mistake, they had to leave what little they had behind for a new start in Rochester. Abby tries to be an average teenager—fitting into school, buoyed by dreams of a boyfriend, college and a career in music. But Minnesota winters are unforgiving, and so are many teenagers.Her stepdad promises to put a roof over their heads, but times are tough for everyone and Abby is doing everything she can to keep her shameful secret from her new friends. The divide between rich and poor in high school is painfully obvious, and the stress of never knowing where they’re sleeping or where they’ll find their next meal is taking its toll on the whole family.As secrets are exposed and the hope for a home fades, Abby knows she must trust those around her to help. But will her friends let her down the same way they did back home, or will they rise to the challenge to help them find a normal life?
My Review:
A heartwarming, and at times gut-wrenching, read.
I haven’t read this author before but I’ll definitely be reading more!
‘I HATE THIS TOWN ALREADY.’ … from this assertive opening line, the reader is plunged into the life of 17-year-old Abby, who’s existence has fallen apart in the most spectacular of ways. Right from the get-go this book had me hooked. The characters were so well formed, I felt as though I walked by their sides and lived and breathed the story with them.
Despite a few issues with the over use of unnecessary words such as ‘own’ and telling what’s just been shown in dialogue ‘I interrupt’, etc., as well as overly descriptive dialogue tags such as ‘Trish coos’ and ‘Nick corrects’, the narrative flows smoothly and is well written. I found myself laughing aloud as well as crying full-on tears. Not many books move me in the way this read did. Below are some lines I loved …
‘I’ve always imagined homeless people as unkempt vagrants in rags. What I find, instead, is a collection of people who look like us—normal.’
And …
‘It’s soon clear Mr. Zagan could make puppies on Christmas morning seem dreadful.’
And …
‘She runs a finger over the photo, and a thin layer of dust lifts from its surface.’
As well as wonderful descriptions and emotionally evocative writing, a delightful sense of humour threads throughout the narrative and dialogue. The character interactions are some of the most realistic I’ve come across, and the plot and pacing are well done.
This read covers some important social issues and offers valuable life lessons and insights without getting preachy about it. Roam is a heartwarming, and at times gut-wrenching, read that is sure to move you. It gets a solid five stars from me. Go and read this book!
***
NOTE ON RATINGS: I consider a 3-star rating a positive review. Picky about which books I give 5 stars to, I reserve this highest rating for the stories I find stunning and which moved me.
5 STARS: IT WAS AMAZING! I COULD NOT PUT IT DOWN! — Highly Recommended.
4 STARS: I WOULD PULL AN ALL-NIGHTER — Go read this book.
3 STARS: IT WAS GOOD! — An okay read. Didn’t love it. Didn’t hate it.
2 STARS: I MAY HAVE LIKED A FEW THINGS —Lacking in some areas: writing, characterisation, and/or problematic plot lines.
1 STAR: NOT MY CUP OF TEA —Lots of issues with this book.
I’d love to hear what you think of this review. Thanks for stopping by
For anyone interested, here are the Amazon links …
UK … https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B08R8XRTB2/
US … https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08R8XRTB2/
The post #BookReview: Roam by C H Armstrong @C_H_Armstrong first appeared on Welcome to Harmony Kent Online.
October 25, 2022
#CoverReveal: Secrets in the Blood by Unity Hayes @RoLuvsSims
Hi everyone! I hope you’re all well. I have an extra treat for you this week with yet another book and author! Fellow writer, blogger, and friend, Kymber C Hawke, is joining us to reveal the awesome new cover for her book, Secrets in the Blood, which she is re-releasing under her pen name, Unity Hayes. I do so love that name! Grab some snacks and a drink and sit back and relax while Kymber tells you all about her book >>>
About the Book:
Secrets have been buried in a steel town for many years, but someone is
about to blow the lid off them and rock this little town. Cassidy loves her life
just the way it is. But when mysterious and good looking West arrives, her
world is turned upside-down. West carries the secrets of the steel town.
Cassidy is attracted to the stranger but a relationship seems impossible as
West’s accusations make him appear crazy and bodies start to pile up. No one
wants to believe West; can Cassidy let her feelings go and trust him? Who is
the killer? How many bodies will pile up before the biggest secret of all is
revealed?
Prologue:
The bedroom was dark except for the muted yellow glow from the hall table
lamp. Although subdued, the light was bright enough to stab through the
partially open doorway like a spear. It cast a pie-shaped beam just inside on
the thick blue carpeting. But the rest of the room remained dim and sinister
as if the light had been swallowed by it.
Thump.
The wind howled mercilessly as fat raindrops spattered against the second
story window.
Eight-year-old Kenton turned restlessly in his bed, his pillow falling to the floor
with a gentle thud. Somewhere, deep within the bowels of the cavernous
house, a woman moaned.
Or perhaps it was only the wind again.
Thump. Thump.
Kenton awoke with a start, sitting up suddenly and rubbing the sleep from his
blinking brown eyes. Had he heard something? He kicked frantically at the
bedcovers, his thin legs hopelessly entangled in them during his brief and
fitful sleep.
Thump.
It was louder, closer. How many times had his child’s imagination conjured up
images of monsters in that house? That colossal, hulking ogre of a house. He
feared that one day he would disappear; be swallowed up and forever lost in
the startling noises it made at night and the menacing shadows present in
every corner.
He wanted his mother. She would smile at him and tell him there were no
monsters. She would look in his closet and under the bed and tousle his curly
brown hair playfully as she tucked him back into bed. She would sit with him
until his breathing became even and steady and she knew for certain that he
was asleep again.
Finally freed of his bedding, Kenton peered through the ominous shadows at
his younger brother’s bed. Shane wasn’t there. Kenton rubbed his eyes again
as if that would make Shane reappear. Dropping his bare feet to the floor, he
padded cautiously to the door. The door that would either lead him to his
mother…or to the terrible noise he had heard.
He wiped his sweaty palms on his pajama pants and waited a moment before
pushing the six panel oak door open the rest of the way. The door squeaked
lightly on its hinges, but the sound seemed to reverberate through the entire
estate like an endless echo. He stood in the open doorway as if frozen, not
wanting to look into the corridor. Waiting. Listening. The feeling of
dread began to build in him, rolling in his stomach and threatening to
explode out of his mouth into a terrified scream.
He hesitated for what seemed to be hours, and then stepped into the soft
light of the immense hallway like a dead person would step toward the light
at the end of the proverbial tunnel. With cold sweaty beads trickling down his
back, he couldn’t shake the eerie feeling creeping over his flesh. He
shuddered.
Walking a few feet down, again out of the light but toward his mother’s room,
Kenton breathed a soft sigh when he saw Shane. The four-year-old was seated
on the floor at the edge of the balcony, completely unmoving, even at
Kenton’s approach. His feet, as his older brother’s, were bare, his bony legs
dangling through the spindle railing. As if entranced, his black-as-pitch eyes
stared oddly downward into the dark, marble floored foyer below.
A chill from an unknown source prickled the hairs on the back of Kenton’s
neck. Something was dreadfully wrong. Silently, his stomach tensing into a
knot, he sat beside the younger boy and squinted into the murkiness beyond
the balcony. He could see nothing except the faint shape of the mahogany
fern stand by the powder room door. The bulky fern, barely discernible, looked
to Kenton like a crazy octopus, arms waving, ready to eat them if they
ventured downstairs. He looked anxiously at his brother again. Shane seemed
mesmerized, watching fixedly as if he could actually see something.
Kenton tried to follow the intense stare. There was no sound now. No light. No
movement in the foyer. Only silence. A frightening silence that chilled his
blood.
“Momma’s gone,” Shane whispered so softly, Kenton wondered if he’d actually
heard the small boy speak at all.
“What?” Kenton whispered back fiercely, his emotions completely unraveling
by Shane’s disturbing stare into the blackness below them. His knuckles
turned white as he gripped the railing and strained once again, hoping to see
what so steadfastly held his brother’s attention.
Slowly, his pale face a mask of deep shock and horror, his onyx eyes glittering
in the hall light, Shane turned to face Kenton. “Momma’s gone. Daddy killed
her.”
About the Author:
Unity is the author of Secrets in the Blood (mystery/romance – August 1, 2013).
She has been writing since the age of 15 and has always dreamed of telling
stories through the craft of writing. Unity is a Registered Nurse who enjoys
small town living, antiquing, and spending time with her family.
Where to find Unity and her Book:
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00E50JO3A
GoodReads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18165857-secrets-in-the-blood
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/340354
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/secrets-in-the-blood
Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/secrets-in-the-blood-kymber-c-hawke/1116264451
October 24, 2022
#NewBook: Saddled Hearts by Jan Sikes @JanSikes3 @wildrosepress #RomanticSuspense #ContemporaryRomance #NewRelease @StoryEmpire
Hi everyone! Today, it gives me great pleasure to welcome author, friend, and fellow Story Empire contributor over to my place with some exciting news … Jan has a new book! Grab a drink and a snack, and sit back and relax while Jan tells you all about Saddled Hearts, the final book in the White Runes series 🙂 >>>
Thank you, Harmony, for allowing me to visit your blog today to talk about my new book, Saddled Hearts! I am deeply grateful for your generous hospitality. [It’s so wonderful to have you over to visit, Jan!]
Have you ever walked into a wine cellar that just blew your mind? In this story, my character, Sage Coventry, is just getting to know Colt Layne, and he is continually surprising her by stepping out of his rustic cowboy character.
And that is exactly what happened in this scene:
Colt pointed toward what resembled a barn door. “The wine is in there. You choose.”
Sage blinked when a light automatically came on as she opened the door.
Inside, she gaped at the wine fridge and large wooden rack filled with choices.
She turned back toward Colt. “Wow! How do you ever decide?”
He shot her a crooked grin. “I just close my eyes and grab one. I like surprises.”
Why did it feel like that statement carried a much deeper meaning? It told her more about this cowboy that continually shocked her.
He was a man of many contrasts who broke every stereotype.
As she turned back to the wine, Colt joined her.
Her heart thudded when he put an arm around her from behind. “Here. Like this. Close your eyes.”
She did as he instructed. His warm touch on her hand brought a gasp.
Never had she experienced anything as sensual and exciting. With his hand guiding, her fingertips brushed against the tops of the bottles.
The nearness of his chiseled body, his breath ruffling the top of her hair, and the scent of his earthy aftershave were almost more than she could take.
She fought for composure and whispered. “Are we there yet?”
“Almost.” His baritone voice reverberated against her neck. “There.” He stopped moving her hand. “You can open your eyes now.”
After a glance up at him, she pulled out the bottle. “Perfect. A Pinot Noir. One of my favorites.”
As if nothing had happened, Colt dropped his arm, flashed an irresistibly wicked grin, moved out of the pantry back to the counter, then picked up his knife.
Sage took a deep breath before closing the door.
***
I loved writing this. It is the most sensual scene in the book, in my opinion. I’d love to know what your reaction would be to such an out-of-character reveal, such as this amazing wine closet. Have you ever been surprised like that by someone you are just getting to know?
Let’s talk!
BOOK BLURB:
Colt Layne owns the Layne Horse Sanctuary. He lives an idyllic life between caring for the animals and playing music with his band. That is until a stranger appears with unreasonable demands. When someone murders the man, Colt is arrested. He’s been framed, but by whom and why?
He needs to talk with his deceased grandfather. But that’s impossible. Or is it?
Sage Coventry is gifted with the ability to communicate with the deceased. Skeptical but desperate, when Colt consults with her, he gets more than messages from beyond the grave as she breezes into his heart with sweet patchouli fragrance and tempting lips he longs to kiss.
The race against time to clear his name and save the ranch launches them on a mission that brings shocking revelations.
UNIVERSAL PURCHASE LINK: https://linktr.ee/Rijanjks
SOCIAL MEDIA:
WEBSITE: http://www.jansikes.com
BLOG: http://www.jansikesblog.com
TWITTER: http://www.twitter.com/jansikes3
FACEBOOK: http://www.facebook.com/AuthorJanSikesBooks
PINTEREST: https://www.pinterest.com/jks0851/
GOODREADS: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7095856.Jan_Sikes
BOOKBUB: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/jan-sikes
LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jansikes/
AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE: https://www.amazon.com/Jan-Sikes/e/B00CS9K8DK
The post #NewBook: Saddled Hearts by Jan Sikes @JanSikes3 @wildrosepress #RomanticSuspense #ContemporaryRomance #NewRelease @StoryEmpire first appeared on Welcome to Harmony Kent Online.
