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Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, nisl elit viverra sollicitudin phasellus eros, vitae a mollis. Congue sociis amet, fermentum lacinia sed, orci auctor in vitae amet enim. Ridiculus nullam proin vehicula nulla euismod id. Ac est facilisis eget, ligula lacinia, vitae sed lorem nunc. Orci at nulla risus ullamcorper arcu. Nunc integer ornare massa diam sollicitudin.Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, nisl elit viverra sollicitudin phasellus eros, vitae a mollis. Congue sociis amet, fermentum lacinia sed, orci auctor in vitae amet enim. Ridiculus nullam proin vehicula nulla euismod id. Ac est facilisis eget, ligula lacinia, vitae sed lorem nunc. Orci at nulla risus ullamcorper arcu. Nunc integer ornare massa diam sollicitudin.Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, nisl elit viverra sollicitudin phasellus eros, vitae a mollis. Congue sociis amet, fermentum lacinia sed, orci auctor in vitae amet enim. Ridiculus nullam proin vehicula nulla euismod id. Ac est facilisis eget, ligula lacinia, vitae sed lorem nunc. Orci at nulla risus ullamcorper arcu. Nunc integer ornare massa diam sollicitudin.Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, nisl elit viverra sollicitudin phasellus eros, vitae a mollis. Congue sociis amet, fermentum lacinia sed, orci auctor in vitae amet enim. Ridiculus nullam proin vehicula nulla euismod id. Ac est facilisis eget, ligula lacinia, vitae sed lorem nunc. Orci at nulla risus ullamcorper arcu. Nunc integer ornare massa diam sollicitudin.Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, nisl elit viverra sollicitudin phasellus eros, vitae a mollis. Congue sociis amet, fermentum lacinia sed, orci auctor in vitae amet enim. Ridiculus nullam proin vehicula nulla euismod id. Ac est facilisis eget, ligula lacinia, vitae sed lorem nunc. Orci at nulla risus ullamcorper arcu. Nunc integer ornare massa diam sollicitudin.
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Jen: Today we welcome Nolwynn Ardennes to Book Talk. Nolwynn, will you please share a short bio with us?
Nolwynn: Hey Jen, hello everyone! It’s really awesome to be here with you all today – thanks for this opportunity.
So about me – I’m married and a stay-at-home mom, clocking close to the big 3-0, though I gotta say that on most days this teeny little fact doesn’t really faze me. The reason, which most moms will understand, is that kids really make you feel old, and they do not hesitate to let you know quite forcefully that you’re, well, old. This comes from the mouth of a precocious six-year old boy (aren’t they all precocious today?). My buffer and anchor then comes through said six-year-old’s father, my wonderful husband of eight years. I know I define myself a lot through the relationships I uphold in my life, but that’s something I strongly believe in – relationships. They’re our glue and our strength.
Other than that, well, I’m a writer (I’m trying hard to forget the laundry-cleaning-cooking-housekeeping part of me I should be better acquainted with!)
Jen: Tell us about Storms in a Shot Glass and where it's available.
Nolwynn: Storms in a shot Glass is a contemporary romance set in the quirky world of the London rich and famous. It’s a story that strongly features everything that could go wrong in two people’s lives when they meet and this meeting happens to take place before the eyes of rabid paparazzi and tabloid reporters.
The heroine, Jane Smithers, is a personal assistant who is single and quite lonely. Imagine her surprise then when she finds out through a random doctor’s appointment that she is pregnant! A baby fits nowhere into her plans— wait, what plans? Jane has no plan, except to get on with every day as it comes. The reason behind this sad fact – an immature boss who thinks Jane should be his therapist, lunatic Russian twins and models who think Jane is their makeover/good deed permanent project, and a mother who would make the biggest villain of a soap opera appear like a saint.
Enter the hero – Michael Rinaldi. Michael, a corporate lawyer, has a plan – get his estranged father out of his mother’s life when it looks like the old cad is trying towards reconciliation. How to do this – enlist the help (through blackmail, coercion, whatever hostile tactic) of said cad’s PA, who happens to be Jane Smithers. Tunnel vision has never more applied to a man than to Michael!
But what happens when it turns out that the Rinaldi heir is in fact one of the most eligible and rich bachelors in all of England? And what happens when the tabloids get a whiff that he is ‘seeing’ a woman on the sly? And then too, what happens when these reporters find out that the woman in question is… pregnant?
A lot of trouble, and lives turned upside down!
Here’s the blurb for the story:
Storms in a Shot Glass
A little bump is about to cause a lot of ripples...
Personal Assistant Jane Smithers needs a baby as much as she needs the immature boss, bitchy mother and lunatic Russian models who cohabit peacelessly around her. What she also doesn’t need is a man who pops out of nowhere and wants to take over her unexpected pregnancy.
Cold logic and hard facts rule the world of millionaire corporate lawyer Michael Rinaldi. Until he meets Jane, and the insignificant-looking woman plunges him head first into the churning waters of tempestuous emotion and hot-blooded impulse.
Unlikely feelings crop up at the same time relentless gossip escalates. Both realize their respective world has irredeemably changed. The question is - will they be able to live with this reality?
The book, which released on Friday January 8, is available at the following link:
http://www.eirelander-publishing.com/stormsinashotglass.htm
Jen: At what age did you discover writing and when were you first published? Tell us your call story.
Nolwynn: I had always been fascinated by the power of words. When I was little, too young to still be able to read, I listened to audio tapes of the Ladybird Classics books, and the words always captivated me. When I learned how to read, I fell even harder in love.
From then on I dabbled in story-writing. But then too, it didn’t make me a writer. It’s like cooking doesn’t make you a chef, nor does knowing how to sew make you a dressmaker or a designer. I never really thought I’d write for a career one day, and it all really happened without me realizing actually. At a crossroads in my life, the dream of writing a full novel just reaffirmed itself and I grabbed it and plunged head first into the word pool. It was like, what have I got to lose? Nothing actually (except some time, during which I welcomed a family of dust bunnies into my home!).
The call actually came from that first story I penned, which came out under a different name. Storms in a Shot Glass is my first published book as Nolwynn Ardennes.
Jen: How does your family feel about your career?
Nolwynn: I’m not sure they totally ‘get’ it. I think my husband tunes out whenever I start talking of books and stories and this idea and that one. I don’t mind really – poor bloke would go mad if he really listened to my incessant ramblings actually. My son, being a total lad who’s into action, car and motorbike racing and extreme sports (yes, at six! Told you he was precocious!) just pulls a face when he talks about how Mom writes ‘sweet’ stuff (he makes a very good imitation of going out of air when he says that, go figure).
But yet I know they’re a hundred and fifty percent behind me. When I’m on a deadline or bitten by the writing bug, they won’t question and will quietly order take-away (biggest gift hubby can give me – no need to cook!). Kiddo for all of the fact that he takes the mickey out of me, when asked what his mom does will clearly and proudly say, she writes books.
Jen: Describe your writing in three words.
Nolwynn: Vibrant. All-encompassing. Intense.
Jen: Do you have a writing routine?
Nolwynn: Not really, no. I work in writing bursts actually. Most of my ‘writing’ work goes into preparing and laying down a full and detailed outline of the story. Before I even write it I will have seen pretty much all the scenes of the story from start to end run through my head. I’m a very visual writer in that sense that I conceptualize the location, set and cast in my mind and then just unleash the characters to perform when the time comes. I do try to write a little every week, even if that may not be possible all the time. My writing is more about taking out blocks of weeks from a year and assigning them to actually sitting with the laptop and typing. The rest of the time is dedicated to ‘day-dreaming’ the story into place, with all its intricacies and twists. My mind is always ‘writing’ thus, even if my fingers may not actually be typing anything for a while.
Jen: What’s the most challenging aspect of writing? Easiest?
Nolwynn: The most challenging is to keep it fresh. It is so easy to fall into cliché or overdone plot lines. Needing to keep the reader on her toes works the same for me too – I need to keep myself on my toes with what happens in the story and how it takes place. There always needs to be something different, totally unexpected, in stories, and that’s what I find is the biggest and most fulfilling challenge of writing – to break through these done-to-death aspects.
The easiest? I swear I don’t have a sadistic streak in me but my writing flows best in that black moment scene when the hero and heroine will fight and break up and all looks lost. I don’t know why but this is the scene when I feel most alive in the book, like I too have reached a culmination along with the characters and it’s insane how this gets translated to paper (or screen actually!)
Jen: What’s the most rewarding aspect?
Nolwynn: Someone else reads your story and either goes, I loved it, or telling you that they started reading and couldn’t put it down and just had to know what happened to the protagonists. It feels like this to me when I’m writing two people’s story – to have someone else experience this feeling through what I have written is just the biggest boost a writer could get.
Jen: Do you become attached to your characters and have a hard time letting them go, or are you happy that their story is told and you can move on?
Nolwynn: I’m happy their story is told, and that they’re together, finally. I tend to have really twisted roads for them to get to that happy ending and I don’t want to be a biatch to them and put them through the wringer yet again! I like moving on, because there are usually other people who are waiting to have their stories told, and yes, waiting to be thrown through that wringer of mine! I do become attached to them, in the sense that you’ve met someone and just know that you’ve made a life-long friend. But life goes on, for me and for them too, and we all gotta look forward.
Jen: Is there a genre that you’d like to write? Is there a genre you’ll probably stay away from and why?
Nolwynn: I would love to write sci-fi, ashamedly admitting it’s because I was a complete zero at science in school and it’s only now when my neurons are starting to die that I’m suddenly ‘getting’ some scientific concepts (thanks Internet and complete idiot’s blog posts to scientific topics). I’d like to try my hand at this, see if I’ve really been able to master some principles of physics and other such laws, and then weave them with a romance and see if what comes out is a tapestry or a totally knotted yarn.
A genre I’ll stay away from? I’m not sure I could do noir well. Writing is about fulfillment to me, both as a writer and in what I deliver to the world. I don’t think I could write something that doesn’t have a happy ending, and some genres, like noir, cannot have a happy ending however much you’d want to slap one on. So I’d stay clear of that one.
Jen: Most people only dream of becoming a published writer. Now that you’ve accomplished that goal, is there anything else you dream of doing?
Nolwynn: Yes – I dream of becoming a domestic goddess. Naught but a dream though. I don’t exactly burn water but I’m no fantastic cook or homemaker either. But seriously though, I dream of becoming a writer the kind people immediately think of when they turn to look for a good story. That’s my goal, and I hope I am on the way there, even if I’ve just started taking stumbling steps in that direction.
Jen: Who are some of your favorite authors and books? What are you reading now?
Nolwynn: Judith McNaught, Sidney Sheldon, Martina Cole, Jill Mansell, Sophie Kinsella, Philippa Gregory, among many others. I’m a total bookaholic and would split my time equally between family, writing and reading if I could (bye bye laundry and cooking!). I have too many favourite books to mention here, though let’s follow the theme and go with The Undomestic Goddess by Sophie Kinsella. Could so totally relate with the heroine in that one! Bridget Jones's Diary is also a rainy day’s pick.
I am currently reading Slow Burn by Julie Garwood, an author I’d heard tons about and which I’m discovering right now.
Jen: What's next for you?
Nolwynn: More books written and hopefully, accepted for publication! I’m on that road with a new release set for June, a suspense/mystery thriller with romantic threads titled Walking on the Edge. And I am writing that sci-fi, all while trying to make sense of some laws of quantum physics (really good blog posts on the Net explaining these in a way a total science idiot like me can understand). I’ll keep on indulging my muse as long as she deems she’ll stick around!
Jen: Where can you be found on the web?
Nolwynn: website, blog, email, Facebook Here’s the links:
Website: http://www.aasiyah-nolwynn.webs.com/
Blog: http://aasiyah-nolwynn.blogspot.com/
Email: aasiyah.nolwynn@gmail.com
Facebook: Aasiyah Qamar Nolwynn Ardennes – Authors is the name of my group there.
Jen: Is there anything you’d like to ask our readers?
Nolwynn: Yes – do get in touch with us writers. We’re people just like you and we definitely do not bite. Even though it may take us a few days to reply you, we love it when you contact us.
So if ever you wanna friend up, ask a question, talk about one of my books, do not hesitate – an email is so easy to type and send today!
Thanks Jen for this opportunity to be here today on your blog to present my latest release. Really a pleasure and an honour!
Jen: And many thanks to you Nolwynn! Readers, we have an ebook copy of Storms in a Shot Glass up for grabs this week. To enter the drawing, you first need to leave a comment or question for Nolwynn. Then to finish your entry, you need to leave your email address in your comment or send a message to contests.bookblog@gmail.com. The contests ends on Sunday, January 17.
“Here’s what I suggest,” he said. “From now on, you’ll make sure every attempt he makes to contact my mother ends in failure.”
She pressed her back into the seat of the booth and crossed her arms in front of her chest. “And pray tell how I will achieve that?”
He threw his hands up. “How do I know? Any way you care to, just do it.”
Silence grew between them. Jane’s gaze locked with his and their eyes settled in a clash of wills. Somewhere along the way, he saw her blink, but he didn’t drop his gaze until she finally closed her eyes for a second.
Bringing her hands to her temples, she stared straight at him. “In other words, you’re telling me to sabotage Umberto’s every attempt to contact your mother.”
“That’s right.”
“And if he sidesteps me?”
Michael chuckled. “You really think he can afford to do that?”
Jane gave a small, contrived smile. “I guess you’re right.” She paused, letting the hum and drone of the conversation in the room surround them.
“What if I don’t agree to this?” she said.
He winced inwardly. That’s what he hoped it wouldn’t come to. He didn’t want to employ hostile tactics but it was his mother they were talking about.
He picked up his cup of coffee and took a sip, his eyes never leaving her. Putting the cup back in its saucer, he crossed his arms in front of him on the table.
“Jane,” he said, “I’m sure you know half the business Vista Standard Bank handles comes straight from my clients.” He paused for effect. “As their lawyer, it wouldn’t be hard for me to tell them to take their accounts elsewhere.”
Jane paled and her lips tightened in a nervous gesture. But she didn’t flinch or gasp, and for that he gave her credit. This girl had balls.
“That’s blackmail,” she said softly.
“I don’t want it to come to that, but I will if I have to. Think about it, Jane. Deflect a few calls, invent a few excuses. It doesn’t take more than that.”
She stared at him for a long time, her narrowed gaze travelling over him before coming back to rest on his face. He wondered what was going on in her head, but like any good legal negotiator knew, you should never betray what was going on in your head. So he simply allowed her to peruse him while he settled back and took small sips of his coffee.
As the seconds ticked by, he saw perusal turn to disbelief and finally to something remarkably like spite on her features. Her lips pursed to a tight line, stretching the skin over her cheekbones and making her bone structure appear formidable as the soft shadows in their secluded corner played upon her face.
Michael didn’t flinch, not even when she opened her mouth and said calmly,
“You’re a bloody arse, you know that?”
He acknowledged her comment with a small smile. He had her where he wanted, he knew it. She wouldn’t have been so vehement if she hadn’t thought herself cornered.
“Excuse me, my dears,” Tabitha’s sing-song voice broke through.
They both glanced at the woman who stood close to their table. How long had she been there listening to them? Michael knew this was the least of their concerns right now though. It wasn’t the first time he was called an arse. He’d been called worse, actually. Putting on a proper appearance to greet Tabitha, he watched as Jane sat up straighter and pasted a smile on her face.
The older woman came to a standstill at his side, her hand settling lightly on his shoulder. Facing Jane, she said, “Have you managed to eat anything, dear? Michael told me about your condition.”
He caught the almost imperceptible second when Jane winced and bit her lip before smiling even wider at Tabitha. She was flustered, that was obvious. Why? Wasn’t she used to being in social circles?
“The food was lovely,” she said, the sound of her voice that of a proper debutante addressing her hosts for lunch at the country club. Did she have such background? He found himself wondering.
“Thank you for the consideration,” Jane added.
“It’s a pleasure, dear. Michael was very worried, if I may add.” Tabitha let the sentence hang, and Michael knew it was a ploy to extract a juicy tidbit of gossip.
“Was he now?” Jane wondered aloud, her gaze travelling to him.
He clenched his jaw in reply. So she wanted to play now, didn’t she? What did she think? That she’d make him feel embarrassed by discussing his emotional side with their host? She was in for a surprise then, because feelings and he didn’t mix.
“It really isn’t like him to be so concerned, is it?” Jane further directed at Tabitha.
The woman laughed. “You got that right, dah-ling.” She paused. “Oh, how impolite of me. I am Tabitha, my dear. We haven’t been introduced.”
Jane held her hand out. “Jane Smithers. Pleasure to finally meet the woman behind this renowned eatery.”
Tabitha clasped her hand in both of hers. “So,” she said, “I guess congratulations are of the order.” Her pointed gaze landed on Michael.
Here it comes – the Inquisition.
“Thank you, luv,” he replied, watching Jane’s face paling and her mouth opening before she caught herself and closed it.
Tabitha patted his shoulder. “You must be really happy at this wonderful news,” she said.
Time to aim for the kill and be done with it. “Of course we are,” Michael replied. “Now, Tabby darling, it’s still rather early, and nobody really knows about it.”
“Oh, my lips are sealed. Don’t worry.” She turned to Jane and squeezed her hand. “I am really happy for both of you. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I must see to my other patrons.”
“It’s okay, darling. We know you’re much in demand here.” He smiled at her and watched as she blushed under the attention.
Tension hung heavy in the air while they both waited for Tabitha to walk out of earshot.
“You let her believe I’m expecting your baby?” Jane finally hissed as she leant forward towards him, anger slashing her cheekbones with a dark stain.
Jen: This weekend we welcome Mark Freeman to Book Talk. Mark, will you please share a short bio with us?
Mark: Sure. Well, I have my Bachelors and Masters in Wildlife Biology and have studied grizzles in Alberta, bobcats in Vermont, black bears in Connecticut, tracked cougars in Arizona, and most recently reintroduced an endangered species of grouse here in Vermont. However, I’ve also been writing since early high school. I’ve always been a big reader and a wonderful English teacher my sophomore year of high school really got me hooked on writing. I could sooner stop breathing than writing now. Now a days I find myself a stay at home dad taking care of my two daughters and write whenever they allow me a chance!
Jen: Tell us about The Kindling of GreenFyr and where it's available.
Mark: The Kindling of GreenFyr is a YA fantasy novel in the vein of the Narnia books or Gregor the Overlander
The Kindling of GreenFyr is the story of Owen McInish, an awkward fourteen year old, bullied at school, and friendless except for his pet cat, Piper. That is, until a snow leopard is chased through the woods behind his house by three huge gray dogs with glowing green eyes.
Owen saves the leopard from her pursuers, but the animal escapes him as well, only to return later. The cat’s behavior is peculiar, nothing like a wild animal, making Owen even more curious as to its origin. But only when the animal finally allows Owen to touch it, does Owen’s adventure truly begin.
Owen finds himself experiencing friendships as he has never before, adventures as he has never imagined, and political intrigue as two worlds, long separated, begin to collide.
The Kindling of GreenFyr is available from all the major distributors, so it’s available online from Amazon or BN.com and also available through Barnes & Noble and Borders bookstores. Local independent shops can order it as well.
Jen: At what age did you discover writing and when were you first published? Tell us your call story.
Mark: As I said before, I was in high school when I first started writing. I have published articles and papers in regional magazines and professional journals, but The Kindling of GreenFyr was my first fiction work to be published. It was released August 2008.
Jen: Describe your writing in three words.
Mark: Awe So Me. Just kidding, you got me there, I don’t know if I could classify how or what I write in three words. Any of my readers will tell you, I tend to be verbose!
Jen: How do you approach your writing? Do you plot or go with the flow?
Mark: Plot. I’m a pretty methodical outliner, but I will occasionally give way to persuasive characters wanting to stray from the plan.
Jen: What kind of research did you do for this book?
Mark: Well, there are a few different languages that occur throughout The Kindling of GreenFyr, so I spent quite a bit of time working and researching languages. There is also an underlying theme in the book connecting mythology, theology, folklore, and fantasy fiction, so I did spend a fair amount of time reviewing many different stories in these areas.
Jen: What’s the most challenging aspect of writing? Easiest?
Mark: Time. It’s a limited resource around my house and not always easy to come by. Ideas and stories come pretty easily to me. I’m continuously jotting down ideas, characters, and plots to write later when I have time.
Jen: What’s the most rewarding aspect?
Mark: When I get a letter or email from a teacher or parent telling me their student or child picked up The Kindling of GreenFyr and couldn’t put it down, or the classes I’ve visited and listened as the students interpreted and dissected my own work. It’s a tremendous privilege to be allowed in the classroom like that.
Jen: How do you pick the character’s names?
Mark: I keep a file of names I like, especially odd or unique names I come across. It’s come in handy many times. I’ve also flipped through baby name books when my file has let me down.
Jen: Is there a genre that you’d like to write? Is there a genre you’ll probably stay away from and why?
Mark: I honestly can’t see myself ever writing romance. Not to say that I haven’t written romance into my stories, but I don’t think I’d ever write for a romance novel.
Jen: If you could travel back in time for one year, what time and place would you choose? And if you could only take 3 things with you, what would they be?
Mark: Yeah, sorry, but I always cheat on this one. I think going back in time would be a total let down. I think the real thing would be a complete let down from the idealized and romanticized versions we hold dear. Instead, I’d much rather go into the future! And what 3 things would I take? That’s easy, my wife and two daughters. Done.
Jen: If The Kindling of GreenFyr was made into a movie, which actors would you choose to play the hero and heroine?
Mark: I think Michael Angarano (Will Stronghold in Skyhigh) or Logan Lerman (Percy Jackson) in the forthcoming Lightning Thief would each make a good Owen. I think either Kathryn Newton (Louise on CBS’s Gary Unmarried) or Molly Quinn (Alexis on ABC’s Castle) would make a great Orla.
Jen: What’s the most interesting comment you have received about your books?
Mark: Well, in general, the comparisons to other authors, I guess. It always blows me away when someone compares The Kindling of GreenFyr to classics in the Fantasy genre, books I’ve long adored. It’s surreal, really.
Jen: Who are some of your favorite authors and books? What are you reading now?
Mark: I’m currently reading Paper Towns by John Green and think he’s phenomenal. I’m always willing to pick up a new author and try something new. I think Suzanne Collins is fantastic and can’t wait to the follow up to Catching Fire. Some of my favs are The Once and Future King, The Lord of the Rings (particularly Fellowship), Looking for Alaska, The Catcher in the Rye, and What's Eating Gilbert Grape.
Jen: What's next for you?
Mark: Working on Book 2 of the ReUnification Conspiracy and putting the final touches on another project, an urban fantasy loose retelling of Beowulf.
Jen: Where can you be found on the web?
Mark: You can follow me on twitter @GreenFyr, follow my blog at my website www.greenfyr.com, or on Facebook.
Jen: Is there anything you’d like to ask our readers?
Mark: You bet! Enough of this Team Jacob, Team Edward stuff, let’s talk about something important. Tootsie Pops or Blow Pops? That’s the real question.
Jen: Readers, Mark is giving away a copy of The Kindling of GreenFyr to a random commenter. This contest is open to US and Canadian residents only. To enter, you first need to leave a comment or question for Mark. Then to finish your entry, you must either leave your email address in your comment or send a message to contests.bookblog@gmail.com. The winner will be chosen on Friday, January 15.
As the sun slowly crept across the flagstone floor, the Queen stirred beneath her silk sheets. The thick drapes were pulled back from the window frames to allow the night sky to show its moon, stars, and planets while breathing cool night air into her chambers. As the rays crept ever closer to the slumbering figure under the silk sheets and exotic fur blankets, it seemed to hesitate. The beam of light considered the figure lying beneath the bedding; her slender, lithe form, skin the color of rich soil, face hidden beneath the cascading raven hair. The sun stopped short of touching the bedposts and seemed to retreat at the recognition of whose chamber it had entered. As the burning orb rose higher into the morning sky, the light faded from the bedroom and slowly meandered its way back to the open window facing east. It lingered at the sill, as if it considered approaching the still figure once more, tempted to bath her in light, but the figure stirred slightly and the last of the light leapt from her presence into the bright morning sky.
The body under the sheets and canopy bed moved again, and in the first moments of awakening she felt it, the presence of a human, a boy bordering on manhood to be exact, a feeling she hadn’t felt in a very long time. Her eyes remained closed, but she rolled over in bed, her smooth skin sliding easily against the slick silk sheets. Her tongue flicked out like a serpent and tasted the power the child brought to her world, and a slow smile opened across her ageless face, still hidden behind her long, rich, black hair.
Slowly sitting up in bed, her hair fell away from her face, only to envelop her shoulders, back, and breasts to become a midnight shawl of hair. She opened coal colored eyes in the still dark morning room, and the smile played across her face.
“What a glorious morning,” Lilith the Dark Queen of Illenduell said in her slightly raspy voice. She stepped from her bed, the cool morning air quickly turning her naked skin to goose flesh. Lilith approached the window sill facing East and the light seemed to shrink from her approach, the darkness enshrouded her; the light avoided her. She surveyed her Kingdom from her tower bed chamber, the highest peak in her castle, Dunkeln’Tocht in the Thorne Mountains.
“What a glorious mourning indeed…”
Jen: For the next couple days, Sheila Boneham will be our guest at Book Talk. Sheila, will you please share a short bio with us?
Sheila: I have many interests, and have tried to follow a number of them throughout my life. In my teens and early 20s I competed in equestrian events. When I finished college, I went on for my master’s in linguistics, and was fortunate to be able to study, work, and travel in the Middle East and Europe in the 70’s and 80’s. I went back to school for my doctorate in folklore with lots of supporting work in cultural anthropology and linguistics, and then taught writing at several universities. I have also worked as an editor, both salaried and freelance, and I still enjoy editing on a freelance basis. I enjoy teaching writing workshops and classes from time to time, and I speak on writing and on pets to a variety of groups. (I’m always open to possibilities -- sheilaboneham@gmail.com )
Jen: Tell us about Rescue Matters: How to Find, Foster, and Rehome Companion Animals: A Guide for Volunteers and Organizers and where it's available.
Sheila: My most recent release – my 17th book – is Rescue Matters: How to Find, Foster, and Rehome Companion Animals: A Guide for Volunteers and Organizers, published by Alpine Publications and released in August 2009. It’s available from all the usual places – Barnes & Noble stores, Borders, and independent booksellers. Remember that booksellers are happy to special order if they don’t have the book in stock. Rescue Matters is also available on line at amazon.com, dogwise.com (a specialty vendor for dog books), and directly from the publisher at http://www.alpinepub.com/product_info.php/products_id/139?osCsid=a127f3b468d63cce6fb95eba53150945
Jen: At what age did you discover writing and when were you first published? Tell us your call story.
Sheila: Oh my! I think I’ve always been a writer. I wrote my first book when I was about 9. It was about a Cocker Spaniel – shades of things to come, I guess. My first publication was actually a poem published in a city magazine when I was in the 7th grade. I filled many notebooks with writing of all sorts throughout my school years. My first serious publications were academic articles for scholarly journals, published while I was in graduate school and, later, teaching writing at universities in the U.S. and overseas. Eventually I began writing articles about cultural topics and selling them to magazines. In the early 1990’s I founded a rescue program for Labrador Retrievers, the first formal group for Labs in my state, and I co-founded another group for Australian Shepherds. At that time there was very little information available, so I decided to write the book I needed myself. That resulted in Breed Rescue: How to Start and Run a Successful Program (Alpine, 1998), which won the Maxwell Award for Best General Interest Book of the year in the Dog Writers Association of America’s annual writing competition. I have been involved since the late 1980’s in many aspects of the dog world, and have had 13 more books about dogs, and 3 about cats, published since Breed Rescue came out. Two more of the dog books have won Maxwell’s; all 3 cat books won Awards of Excellence from the Cat Writers Association, and 2 won Muse Medallions for Best Health & General Care books in their publication years (the other book was a finalist). I have 2 more books about dogs coming out in 2010. I also had a short mystery story published in an anthology, and am working on a novel.
Jen: Are there any other writers, published or not, in your family?
Sheila: My maternal grandmother published quite a bit of poetry in the 1920’s-40’s, but she’s the only closely related writer I know of.
Jen: Describe your writing in three words.
Sheila: reader-friendly, down-to-earth, conversational
Jen: How do you approach your writing? Do you plot or go with the flow?
Sheila: With non-fiction I work from an outline, although I’m quick to rearrange anything that doesn’t work as I originally thought it would. I’ve written one mystery novel (it’s with my agent now) and am working on another. With those, I had a loose plot, but had to revise it more than once because the characters don’t always do what I expect! So I would say a combination – I’m pretty balanced in terms of being left- or right-brain driven.
Jen: What kind of research did you do for this book?
Sheila: Rescue Matters combines my personal experiences as a rescuer, shelter volunteer, dog breeder, buyer, adopter, trainer, competitor, and life-long animal lover with information acquired through interviews, observation, and reading. I interviewed a variety of people, including rescue organizers and volunteers, pet owners, veterinarians, breeders, exhibitors, and even a few people who really don’t care much for animals. I’ve been involved with animals all my life, have taught equitation and dog obedience, and have owned or fostered a lot of animals, so I have had many opportunities to observe and interact with people and pets of all kind – and it’s all research!
Jen: What’s the most challenging aspect of writing? Easiest?
Sheila: With non-fiction, the biggest challenge it making sure that information is accurate and up-to-date, especially information about health care, which is always changing and improving. For me, the easiest part is actually the writing itself – I love writing, and revising, so I’m lucky to work at something that is, for me, pleasurable in and of itself. I would write even if I didn’t write to publish, so getting paid is a bonus!
Jen: What’s the most rewarding aspect?
Sheila: Knowing that something I’ve written has helped a reader in some way.
Jen: Do you do anything special to celebrate a sale, new contract, or release?
Sheila: I don’t know that I would characterize it as a celebration, but I go into sort of a de-cluttering frenzy when I finish something, and right before I start the next project. I’m not a naturally tidy person, but at least I begin with the semblance of tidiness! I am, though, very fussy about tidying up my manuscripts before I send them, so I guess that’s where I spend my allotment of organizational energy!
Jen: What has been your highlight of your career to this point?
Sheila: Oh boy. You know, nothing beats the thrill of holding that first book in your hands. But I have been very honored to have my books win the Maxwell and Muse awards, which are peer judged and very competitive. So I guess that’s several highlights!
Jen: What’s the most interesting comment you have received about your books?
Sheila: A longtime friend read one of my books a few years ago, and she said, “I love reading your book – it’s just like talking to you!” I hope she meant it was like hearing me talk – that’s the way I took it. That was fun to hear because it means my writing voice is strong and natural – at least to her!
Jen: What's next for you?
Sheila: I’m finishing up a little book on Brittanys for pet owners, just turned in a proposal for a slightly different type of non-fiction book, and am looking forward to getting back to my second mystery, which is about half finished. I usually have my hands in several fires at once.
Jen: Where can you be found on the web?
Sheila: www.sheilaboneham.com and www.rescuematters.com
I also have a Facebook page which is linked to Twitter, and Rescue Matters has a FB Page of it’s own – fans always welcome! Just search Rescue Matters on Facebook, and it should come up.
Jen: Is there anything you’d like to ask our readers?
Sheila: There are all sorts of studies of reader behavior and how people decide to buy or read books. Studies are nice, but I like to hear from individuals. How do you pick a non-fiction book when you want to learn?
Jen: Sheila is giving away a copy of The Multiple-Dog Family OR The Multiple-Cat Family to one random commenter. To enter the contest, you first need to leave a comment or question for Sheila. Then to complete your entry, your must either leave your email address in your comment or send a message to contests.bookblog@gmail.com. The contest winner will be chosen on Tuesday, January 12.
Jen: Please help me welcome Elizabeth Boyle to Book Talk! Elizabeth, will you please share a short bio with us?
Elizabeth: Short? Remember, I write looooong historical romances, so I am never very good with short. But if I must, I was born and raised in the Seattle area. Having lived around water all my life, it was normal that I would become a pirate hunter, as in a paralegal for a software firm hunting, what else, software pirates. This training ground proved to be a perfect place to gain my qualifications for writing about rakes, spies and privateers. I currently write full-time, have been married forever to the same wonderful man and have two busy heroes-in-training to keep up with.
Jen: Tell us about How I Met My Countess and where it's available.
Elizabeth: How I Met My Countess is the first book in a small spin-off series from my popular Bachelor Chronicles books. It all revolves around three widows who all married the various heirs to the Duke of Hollindrake. So they all have the same dowager title, Lady Standon and none of them get along. So the current Duchess of Hollindrake has them banished to live in the same house. If they want out, they have to get married. So it tells the story of how the best revenge is to marry and marry well—though of course by falling in love.
The fun part of this story is of course, the heroine. Because the hero is so positive what sort of lady he will eventually--marry, refined, aristocratic, elegant—and then he meets Lucy, who is anything but. At first they cannot stand each other, but of course, they fall in love. The other interesting part was bringing back two characters I’ve always found fascinating—The Earl of Clifton and his illegitimate brother, Malcolm Grey, who both worked as spies during the Napoleonic wars. We last saw the two of them in This Rake of Mine, and the fun part (or tragic, depending on if you’ve read the other book) is that How I Met My Countess takes place before This Rake of Mine and years later. So you see the two men before they became spies and then what the longs years of war wrought.
How I Met My Countess is available everywhere now. So watch for it in your local grocery store, favorite bookstore or order it online for convenience.
Jen: At what age did you discover writing and when were you first published? Tell us your call story.
Elizabeth: I’ve been scribbling and telling stories since I was a child. Starting with imaginary friends, to bad teenage poetry, to short stories in college. I got serious after college when I discovered that you have to get up to go to work. Every. Day. I thought writing would provide a way to sleep in. Eventually I had kids and ruined that fairy tale.
My call story? Oh, I have a very unique call story. I sold my first book, Brazen Angel, in a writing contest in 1996. Now first I got the call that I was one of five finalists—out of 200 entries, then I had to wait five months for the winner to be announced at a luncheon at the RWA National Conference. The problem was, when I got the call, I only had three chapters, not the entire book finished as the contest required. So I had about eight weeks to finish the book. The entire story of this remarkable tale makes up what I call, My Favorite Hero (http://elizabethboyle.com/fave-hero.html), which is truly the story of how my husband saved my writing career.
Jen: Are there any other writers, published or not, in your family?
Elizabeth: Family legend says I am related to Mark Twain, so I suppose that counts. But I am the first in recent memory, though storytellers abound in my family. We all tell stories, about family history, people we meet and the madcap things that happen. They all get embellished and enlivened and it makes family dinners a real adventure for the uninitiated. As for sitting down and typing out all those tall tales, I have a nephew who is an aspiring writer, and from the small amount I have seen, he has talent, so watch out for him.
Jen: How does your family feel about your career?
Elizabeth: My folks couldn’t be prouder, and my mom is the biggest booster of my books—she pushes them everywhere. My dad likes to go the grocery store and move my copies into the bestseller slots. My husband likes that I get to stay home and work, while my oldest son loves that fact that I travel from time to time and can often be convinced to take him with me. Now around deadline time, they all avoid me, which is probably for the best.
Jen: Describe your writing in three words.
Elizabeth: Adventurous, passionate, and surprising.
Jen: How do you approach your writing? Do you plot or go with the flow?
Elizabeth: Plot. I don’t believe in the flow or pants method. I liken that to taking a trip by showing up at the airport and expecting the entire adventure to be waiting for you in baggage claim.
Jen: Have you noticed your writer's voice has changed over the years due to your experience? If so, how?
Elizabeth: I think it has, but I’m not sure how. I would like to think it has matured, only because I started writing in my early thirties and I am now starting to get closer to fifty. Time flies, things change subtly and overnight. It is rather like how those ten or so pounds of weight creep up on you. I mean, you know how they got there, but not really. Make sense?
Jen: How do you pick the character’s names?
Elizabeth: I love names. I collect them like some people collect snow globes. There are names I find by meeting people who have a great name, (I love nametags on salesclerks, and am not above asking people about their name). I’ve also taken names from street signs, in fact, I built the entire Bachelor Chronicles series off a freeway exit sign! (Sedgwick, Tremont and Clifton, Right in half a mile). And some times characters just sort of arrive on the page, all named and ready to get busy.
Jen: Do you feel as if the characters live with you as you write? Do they haunt your dreams?
Elizabeth: Some do, some don’t. Depends on the book. Secondary characters seem to haunt me more than the primary characters. I love my secondary characters cause they can be such characters in the true sense of the word. I tend more to dream about living people, like Matthew Perry. Not sure, but I spend a lot of time with him in my dreams.
Jen: If you could travel back in time for one year, what time and place would you choose? And if you could only take 3 things with you, what would they be?
Elizabeth: Oh, I would love to spend a year at Queen Elizabeth’s court or Henry the VIIIth court. But during the early part of their reigns, when they were young and the court around them thrummed with excitement. And what would I take? Well since there would be no electricity, I suppose my espresso machine would be a waste. So probably antibiotics, my alphasmart—since it will run for a good year on AAs-- and instant coffee.
Jen: Who are some of your favorite authors and books? What are you reading now?
Elizabeth: Currently I am reading Silent On The Moor, by Deanna Raybourn. I love this Victorian series. I am also a huge fan of Georgette Heyer, having discovered her late in life—but lucky for anyone who finds her, she wrote a vast number of books so the shelves of her stories are taking me a while to get through. I also love Laura Joh Rowland, who writes the Sano Ichiro mystery series set in feudal Japan, as well as Margaret Frazier’s Dame Frevisse mystery series. I love historical mysteries, as well as romance. Picking a romance author I love is hard, because I read all over and love most of them.
Jen: What do you do in your free time?
Elizabeth: Knit. And then I cruise Ravelry (ravelry.com), which is Facebook for knitters, and then I knit more. But I also love to cook, garden, hang with the kids, watch movies and knit. You can probably see a theme here.
Jen: What's next for you?
Elizabeth: Finishing up the widow books. I am just putting the final touches on Book Two, Mad About the Duke, which is a mistaken identity story (I love these) and then will write the third one, which hasn’t got a title yet, but is spinning around in my head like a cross between The Thin Man, with a bit of mystery and one of those fabulous 30s screwball comedies.
Jen: Where can you be found on the web?
Elizabeth: At my website, on Facebook and MySpace, as well as Ravelry, if anyone is a knitter.
http://www.elizabethboyle.com
http://www.facebook.com/elizabeth.boyle
http://www.myspace.com/elizbo
http://www.ravelry.com/
Jen: Is there anything you’d like to ask our readers?
Elizabeth: Because I love having big goals, and lists and ideas that I am working toward, what are the ten things you want to do in 2010? Also check out the free 2010 calendar (http://www.elizabethboyle.com/books/main.html#calendar) you can download from my website.
Jen: Elizabeth, thank you for being our first guest of the new year. Readers, one lucky winner will receive hard back, special editions of Confessions of a Little Black Gown and Memoirs of a Scandalous Red Dress. To enter the contest, you first need to leave a comment or question for Elizabeth. Then to complete your entry, either include your email address in your comment or send a message to contests.bookblog@gmail.com. The winner will be chosen on Sunday, January 10.
“Still, you might consider returning to London for the Season,” Lucy continued blithering on like her sister, Mariana might, “so as to find a wife.”
“A wha-a-a-t?”
She swore his shudder ran all way down to his boots.
So the Earl of Clifton had a fear of matrimony. That might work in her favor.
“A wife,” she supplied. “A countess. A lady of good bloodlines to supply you with an heir and a spare.”
“Yes, yes,” he said. “I know what a wife is for.”
“Aren’t you worried about leaving your title without an heir?” She paused and lowered her voice. “If you don’t come back, that is.”
He glanced over at her, a hint of annoyance flashing in his eyes.
Oh, she’d hit the mark with that one.
“I have an uncle who is in line,” he said stiffly.
“Excellent. Is he married?”
“Yes.”
“A sensible fellow, then?”
There was a long, measured pause from the earl. “Not particularly.”
“How unfortunate. But perhaps he has heirs with the necessary qualifications?” she asked.
“Yes. Two sons.” The answer came out like a dog snapping at a bone.
Lucy pressed her lips together to keep from grinning. Oh, she had him now. Then she composed her next sally very carefully. If only so it landed like a cannonball at his feet.
“So you’ll marry when you return—that is to say if you return.”
His brows knit together and his arm stiffened.
Lucy wondered if, perhaps, she might have pushed him too far.
“I’ll return,” he said this with a finality that should have been enough right there to end the subject, that is if this had been an ordinary polite conversation.
But it wasn’t enough to stop Lucy.
“Of course you will, my lord. Most certainly,” she said, patting his arm as if consoling him over a lost wager. And a paltry one at that. Then she continued, “What sort of lady will you look for?”
“Excuse me?” He stumbled a bit and Lucy waited for him to get his footing and composure realigned before she once again thrust her question into his chest like a dagger.
“Your countess? However will you know her when you meet her?”
“I haven’t given it much thought.” Again his tone suggested that the subject was finished.
But oh, Lucy wasn’t. “That is where most men fail in these sort of things.”
“Fail?”
“Yes, fail. Utterly. You men don’t give enough consideration into the sort of woman you want to spend your life with. Instead you rather just sort of pick, like one might a race horse.”
“There is more to choosing a bride than that,” he said, in a stuffy sort of manner.
“How so?” she asked innocently, as if such matters were well beyond her ken. Then again, he hadn’t he least notion that she was leading him into a trap.
Both literally and figuratively.
“Well, I suppose I will have to consider a lady’s bloodlines,” he told her, in such a pompous manner that Lucy almost wished Rusty and Sammy would arrive now and save her from this lofty lecture. “Her education should be impeccable, and I will have to examine her suitability, her countenance, the way she holds herself in public.”
“Exactly as I said. Just as one chooses a racehorse,” Lucy pointed out.
“Not at all the same thing.”
She pulled to a stop. “By bloodlines, training and the turn of her lines. Isn’t that what you said?”
His jaws worked together, his gaze fixed and narrowed on the road ahead. “Yes.”
“Just like a racehorse, my lord.” And with that, she tugged him back into the track in the road and they continued on in silence.
Here are our December 2009 contest winners. All winners have been contacted (and all but the last one, which was just announced) and prizes have been claimed.
Rebbie Macintyre contest - Kayla, Virginia C, Tyler, Corrina, Renee
Aasiyah Qamar contest - Virginia H.
Mike Williamson contest - Melisende
Tierney O'Malley contest - Cate, Fedora
Eden Robins contest - Anna
Debbie Renner contest - Fedora
Jamie Cortland contest - Leiland
Suzannah Safi contest - Eva
Donna Grant contest - Gwyn
We hope that you have enjoyed our promos in 2009 and will continue to visit the blog in 2010. In January, we will have 3 promos a week, posting on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday. Then in February we will unveil our new blog, complete with new format and name. We'll keep you updated as we get closer to February 1.
Jen: This week we are excited to have Donna Grant back for another visit at the blog. Donna, will you please share a short bio with us?
Donna: Donna Grant has been praised for her "totally addictive" and "unique and sensual" stories. She's the author of more than twenty novels spanning multiple genres of romance - Scottish Medieval, dark fantasy, time travel, paranormal, and erotic. Grant's newest series, Dark Sword, promises to be her most addictive yet. Don't miss this intoxicating series with Druids, primeval gods, and immortal Highlanders that are dark, dangerous, and delicious.
She lives in Texas with her husband, two children, a dog, and three cats where she's weathered five hurricanes in the last three years. To learn more about Donna and her books, please visit www.donnagrant.com and www.donnagrant.com/blog.
Jen: Tell us about Dangerous Highlander and where it's available.
Donna: Dangerous Highlander is the start of my Dark Sword series about primeval gods inside Medieval Highlanders, Druids, and magic. I have a little of everything in the series. You can find out more about the series, including a glossary, the Beginning, characters, and FAQs at www.donnagrant.com/darksword.
The book can be found anywhere books are sold as well as online.
Jen: Are there any other writers, published or not, in your family?
Donna: No, just me.
Jen: How does your family feel about your career?
Donna: They are very supportive. They’re all like my own special publicity department. I’m so blessed with that.
Jen: Do you have any “must haves” with you while you’re writing?
Donna: Oh, yes. I have two spiral notebooks that I keep with me to keep up with my daily page count, character descriptions, and series information. I can write without music, but I like to have it on.
Jen: Have you noticed your writer's voice has changed over the years due to your experience? If so, how?
Donna: The more an author writes, the more she changes. Its just the way of it, I think. We learn with every book we write, with every set of edits we go through, and with every discussion with our editors and agents. It’s a constantly changing process.
And yes, my voice has changed, I believe. I read my earlier works and cringe.
Jen: What kind of research did you do for this book?
Donna: Medieval is my preferred time period for my books, so I’ve done tons of research over the years. I don’t do as much as I used to because I’ve retained a lot of it, but I do go back and see if I can find any new kernels of information.
There always has been mixed information on Druids. Since Rome wrote the history the way they wanted, who knows how Druids really where? So, I made my Druids how I pictured them.
Jen: What’s the most challenging aspect of writing? Easiest?
Donna: The easiest for me is beginning a book, and in some ways ending it. The most challenging is ending it so that it prompts readers to want the next one in the series.
Jen: What’s the most rewarding aspect?
Donna: Putting that last period at the end and knowing that I’ve finished another book. That just never gets old.
Jen: How do you pick the character’s names?
Donna: This may sound really weird, but my characters pick them. Of course, there’s always the names I stay away from because they’re associated with people I know. Lol. But really, I’ll get my book of names out and read through them one by one until a name just pops out at me. That’s how I know which one to use.
Jen: Do you feel as if the characters live with you as you write? Do they haunt your dreams?
Donna: Most definitely. I’m immersed in their world while I’m writing their story. Even when I finish the book, they will stay with me letting me know if I missed a scene I should go and add or I didn’t quite get what they were trying to tell me.
Jen: What five authors or people, from the past or present, have been important to you as an author? What question or comment have you always wanted to say to them?
Donna: Every author I ever read has been important to me. They helped me develop into the writer that I am. Then there is my awesome agent who is just, well…awesome.
My comment to them would be “Thank you for the stories, thank you for the worlds you’ve taken me to. Without you, I wouldn’t be here today.”
Jen: If you could travel back in time for one year, what time and place would you choose? And if you could only take 3 things with you, what would they be?
Donna: Oh, easy. Medieval Scotland. It’d be difficult to give up hot water, electricity, toilets, toothbrushes, and the food I know, but I think it would be neat to see that time period for myself.
The three things I would take would be a toothbrush, my iPod, and a camera to take pictures.
Jen: What's next for you?
Donna: My next book out will be book two in the Dark Sword series, Forbidden Highlander (May 25, 2010).
I’ve been contracted for three more books, so I’m busying writing. Book four just got turned in and I’m working on book five now.
Jen: Where can you be found on the web?
Donna: My website: www.donnagrant.com
Blog: www.donnagrant.com/blog
Facebook: www.facebook.com/donnagrantauthor
Twitter: www.twitter.com/donna_grant
Danger: Women Writing: www.dangerwomenwriting.com
Jen: Is there anything you’d like to ask our readers?
Donna: Oh, yes! Tell me what romance series keeps you running to the bookstore as soon as the book comes out.
Jen: Donna is giving one lucky commenter their choice of a signed copy of Mutual Desire or The Pleasure of His Bed. To enter the drawing, you first need to leave a comment or question for Donna. Then to finish your entry, you must either leave your email address is your comment or send a message to contests.bookblog@gmail.com. The winner will be chosen on Sunday, January 3.
Lucan and his brothers were dangerous. Not to themselves, but to everyone else. There was great evil out there, and it wanted to use them.
Three hundred years of confinement in the castle. But what else was there? They couldn’t be seen, not as they were, the monsters they had become. As the middle son, he had always been there to make peace for his brothers. A rock, solid and steady to keep them all together his mother had called him. He didn’t allow himself to think what was becoming of him and his soul.
Fallon had taken the role as heir to the clan seriously. Everything he did, everything he thought about was their clan. He hadn’t known what to do with himself when there was no clan, and with the beast constantly hammering for control and no way to reverse what had happened, he turned to the wine.
As for Quinn, they had nearly lost him to the beast. Lucan snorted. Beast seemed such an understated name. There was no monster inside them. It was a primeval god banished to the pits of Hell. Apodatoo, the god of Revenge, was housed within each of the MacLeod brothers. A god so ancient, there were no records or tellings of him. And he was far worse than any beast.
Whenever this despondent mood struck him, as if often did when it rained, Lucan took himself off to his chamber away from his brothers. They had their own worries. They didn’t need to see him grappling with his inner demons. He could wallow in his self-pity the rest of the day if he allowed himself. But he couldn’t. His brothers needed him.
He took a deep breath and started to turn away from the window when he something caught his eye. Lucan’s gaze narrowed as he spotted a breathtaking vision. It was a woman, a very young, shapely woman who had dared to come close enough to the castle that he could see the comeliness of her face heart-shaped face. He wished he could see the color of her eyes, but it was enough that he saw her full lips that begged to be kissed and her high cheek bones that turned pink in the wind.
And the thick, dark braid that hung down her back to her waist. What he wouldn’t do to see that hair unbound and falling about her shoulders. He fisted his hands and he imagined running his fingers through the tresses.
Her gown was plain and worn, but they didn’t disguise her small waist and rounded breasts. She moved with a freedom of one who enjoyed being outdoors, of one who reveled in the beauty around her. The gentle curving of her lips as she looked out at the sea tugged at something inside him. As if she wanted the freedom to fly on the wind currents.
She picked the mushrooms with care, her fingers tender as she placed them in the basket. When she stared at the castle, she had looked as if it pained her, as if she had known what had taken place.