First Kiss Friday with Sherry Ewing
Happy New Year, my lovelies, and welcome to a new year of my First Kiss Friday blog! I’m going to bend things to my will just a tiny bit and give you an excerpt from my upcoming release A Whisper of You: A Knights of the Anarchy Time Travel inside the boxset Lords of Midwinter’s Festival releasing tomorrow. Since this was a fast pace novella, the actual first kiss would give away the story so I’ve had to improvise. I know you’ll forgive me.
In this first scene, my hero and heroine are seeing each other in a dream. I have to admit, I loved everything about this little story and it’s probably the reason why enjoy writing time travel romances so much. Happy reading and enjoy!
Excerpt:
A heavy mist surrounded her, shrouding the landscape and making it difficult to determine where she was. Reaching out her hands, she blindly stepped forward, hoping to find the way out. At first, she felt the cold stone of something large. In the next moment, she was surprised when her hands were firmly grasped. There could be no doubt that the owner of the hands holding hers was a man—and one who was used to hard work, if the calluses on his palms were any indicator.
As the fog began to lift, she was finally able to determine who had given her his support. She had seen him in her dreams before. She stared into the forest green eyes of a man with jet black hair, tall and well built. For an instant she wondered why a stone wall separated them, but then her attention went back to the man still holding her hands. His clothes seemed oddly outdated, but she couldn’t give them much attention since she couldn’t stop staring at his face. On the one hand, she was sure she had never met this man before, which must mean she had conjured this man from her wildest imagination and yet… he certainly felt real.
“Is it you?” he finally whispered as their eyes locked. His thumb ran over the back of her hand causing her heart to flip inside her chest.
He was real! “How are you here? I thought you were only a dream ,” she rushed in excitement.
“I have only seen you when I slumbered, but to finally touch you… How is this possible?” he asked in startled surprise.
“I don’t know but I’m glad I’ve finally found you.”
She squeezed his hands to ensure that he was indeed standing in front of her. She could tell by the intensity of his stare that he was doing the same with her. She took a step closer, realizing that what she had taken to be a stone wall between them was actually a well. Looking down into it, she noted that far below, a deep hum could be heard from within its depths. Then a tingling sensation began where their hands touched and raced up her arms.
“Do not leave me,” he said, a hint of desperation in his voice.
“Never,” she vowed.
A woman’s breathy voice whispered around them. “What would you give to be together?”
The man scowled before pulling her around the well to stand beside him. He put one arm around her to shield her, gently placing his fingers around her wrist. “Tell me who you are,” he said in a commanding tone , ordering the voice to reveal herself.
“I am Anu,” the voice answered as the ghostly figure finally took shape. She was an ethereal beauty with her dark hair flowing around her as if an unforeseen breeze caressed it.
“The goddess of love,” Lorelai whispered, mostly to herself, but the goddess smiled at her and nodded.
“But I ask you again… What would you give to be together?”
“Anything!” they answered in unison .
This seemed to please the goddess for she nodded and pointed to the well. They both looked down and saw a basin where water would flow into it. Etched into the stone was the face of a woman.
Anu spread her arms wide before her shape vanished and the fog began to consume them once more. “Go to Midrummill and clasp hands before this well. Only then will you be able to find your heart’s desire.”
The man tightened his arm her about her waist, but she could already feel their connection fading as the fog surrounded them like a heavy blanket. “You cannot go,” he ordered as he pulled her fully into his arms.
“I don’t want to,” she cried out. She could hear an odd echo to her voice as their connection began to unravel.
“I will find you again even if it takes the rest of my life,” he declared taking her face in his hands.
“Tell me your name,” she yelled desperately as he began to vanish from her sight.
“Come back to me, my love…”
Suddenly a force slammed into her as though she was being yanked unwillingly through a tunnel. She stretched out her hands trying to find him again but came up with nothing but the sound of his voice, echoing faintly as though it was centuries away.
Lords of Midwinter’s FestivalReleases January 4, 2025
Preorder for $0.99 or read for FREE in Kindle Unlimited
Welcome to Lords of the Midwinter Festival collection, a set of historical romance novellas never before published, by some of your favorite historical romance authors.
Secret loves… secret crushes… unexpected loves and so much more in this epic anthology!
There’s nothing so glorious as an ancient legend and the promise of love…
Far to the north in England, along the Scottish borders, lies a village full of promise and lore. In the center of this village rests an ancient stone said to have ancient and powerful powers. Gràdh gaoil, they speak of. The Lovespell. It is said if a couple holds hands over the stone, they are destined to be married. Every year, a midwinter festival is held in celebration of the stone that draws lovers from far and wide.
But the difficulty is in actually coming to the stone for some couples. For others, it is the fear of the unknown, the fear of failure. Some come during the festival, some come at any time of the year. But for all of them, one thing is clear – they greatly desire a love that is legendary and the Gràdh gaoil is their best hope for a happily ever after!
A Whisper of You: A Knights of the Anarchy Time Travel
By Sherry Ewing
Anything is possible if you only believe…
Lorelai Crawford has a problem with the man she loves. He is a figment of her imagination. She has known him for several years–but only in her dreams. When her work at the museum leads her to a painting hanging in one of the galleries, the images of her mysterious medieval knight become more vivid as each night passes into the next. Her sister thinks Lorelai is losing her mind. Is Lyla right?
Lord Constantine Warin, Earl of Charlbury understands he is expected to wed. The Empress Matilda has already attempted to force his hand by requiring him to compete in a tourney where the prize was marriage to a lovely lady. But that lady’s heart was already spoken for. Constantine is not a man to take second place in his wife’s love. But ever since, he has been dreaming of a woman. She could be the lady to win his heart. If only she were real.
Connected through dreams and guided by the goddess Anu, Lorelai and Constantine travel to the village of Midrummil to seek out a legendary well said to unite couples for all time. The present and the past begin to merge as they see each other for the first time in broad daylight.
Can a miracle bring two lovers together across the centuries? Perhaps, if Lorelai and Constantine have enough faith, they can bend time to their will.
You can still preorder the boxset for only $0.99 or read for FREE in Kindle Unlimited.
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