tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-54215466204865794462024-03-15T21:12:17.407-04:00Cheryl Brooks BlogspotCheryl Brookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11464377381132807409noreply@blogger.comBlogger298125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5421546620486579446.post-45288684777186267392023-07-19T11:26:00.001-04:002023-07-19T11:26:56.546-04:00Chicken and Yellow Squash Casserole<p>I returned from the weekend in Peoria for Writers on the River to find my garden hadn't taken the weekend off. This was what was waiting for me on Monday morning. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDsFEnhy6h7e1rSED0Qe78j25bcR2lPzhkp211toK3OW4qI9x2k9Eg7rItTZtEWhYOndo2lmMcItqVIOsSqBR7JGeU_4YDJR7O8pStBxrFAwHaWgnRiN9k1O0jz-axoteNQ3_UzmVqD36zeJ85JqiqrUupEqzjdV21Z2q5q0ZhGD6WVcaSbnlFztmtLjE/s4032/20230717_095723.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1960" data-original-width="4032" height="195" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDsFEnhy6h7e1rSED0Qe78j25bcR2lPzhkp211toK3OW4qI9x2k9Eg7rItTZtEWhYOndo2lmMcItqVIOsSqBR7JGeU_4YDJR7O8pStBxrFAwHaWgnRiN9k1O0jz-axoteNQ3_UzmVqD36zeJ85JqiqrUupEqzjdV21Z2q5q0ZhGD6WVcaSbnlFztmtLjE/w400-h195/20230717_095723.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>I haven't posted a new recipe in ages, but this one was so good, I thought I should share. I based it on my Hamburger Zucchini Souffle recipe, which uses saltines instead of stuffing mix and added the cream of chicken soup. I could only take a picture of a single serving this morning because most of it is gone!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxeOb2Hg9y9DoB_KFfRMkefQb6uV9V2EpRxx0s2tPJI0B1w_Qt3MhF6LNPyX_fAeesmJ7dMPvJK0rtwikl04ylxArQiqgglOBWQFkMlhSexvcMx0xo3-r6FLcRfyWxPTE_OEoS2gaS-4j5MdCd3mQeMsm33ykjRENL9XMFwD84K9tWmRqkFbB0pIYwxhE/s4032/20230719_110319.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1960" data-original-width="4032" height="195" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxeOb2Hg9y9DoB_KFfRMkefQb6uV9V2EpRxx0s2tPJI0B1w_Qt3MhF6LNPyX_fAeesmJ7dMPvJK0rtwikl04ylxArQiqgglOBWQFkMlhSexvcMx0xo3-r6FLcRfyWxPTE_OEoS2gaS-4j5MdCd3mQeMsm33ykjRENL9XMFwD84K9tWmRqkFbB0pIYwxhE/w400-h195/20230719_110319.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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</p><p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Chicken and Yellow Squash Casserole</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Ingredients:</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">1 (12.5 oz) can chicken, drained</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">2 cups grated yellow squash</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">1 can cream of chicken soup</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">1 cup shredded cheese (Colby Jack)</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">½ tsp salt</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">1 (6oz) box of Stove Top stuffing (chicken flavor)</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">¾ cup evaporated milk</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">2 eggs</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">½ tsp poultry seasoning</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">½ onion, grated</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">4 Tbsp melted butter</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Directions:</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Mix all together and bake in greased casserole dish at 350
for 45 min to 1 hour until set and edges lightly browned.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
Cheryl Brookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11464377381132807409noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5421546620486579446.post-32699635336903281972023-05-10T00:30:00.007-04:002023-05-10T00:30:00.162-04:00Release Day for Valkyrie!<p> May 10th is finally here, and Valkyrie (ebook) is available to order! I published the print version last night, so it should be available soon, if it isn't already. Read on for a sneak peek!<br /></p><p><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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</p><h1 style="line-height: 150%;"><a name="ch1"></a><a href="#toc"><span style="mso-bookmark: ch1;"><span style="font-size: 22.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Chapter
1</span></span><span style="mso-bookmark: ch1;"></span></a><span style="mso-bookmark: ch1;"></span></h1>
<span style="mso-bookmark: ch1;"></span>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;"> <br /></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none;">“What do you mean, you can’t help me?” Zia demanded,
hoping the desperation in her eyes would assuage the rudeness of her question.
“I know I can’t pay you very much, but<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">—</span>”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">The tall Avian glared at her from
the doorway of his home, the startling gaze from his round, crystalline blue eyes
sending shivers up her spine. “I only deal with computer investigations. You
should know that.”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">She did know it, but she was at her
wit’s end. “My sister is dead, and the police haven’t been able to find a
single clue as to who did it.” She threw up her hands. “Please help me,
Valkyrie. You’re my only hope.”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">He leaned a shoulder against the
jamb. “I am aware of your situation, and you have my condolences. However,
unless there is some evidence to be found in an information system, I fail to see
how I can be of any help.” His expression softened ever so slightly as he
rustled his golden-brown wings. “I am not a private investigator. At least, not
in the strictest sense.”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">Her shoulders sagged. “But you’ve
been the one to find important evidence in so many cases. Kim talks about you
all the time. Says you’re the unsung hero of every adventure she and her family
have ever been a part of.”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">“She is exaggerating.”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">That was all he said, which wasn’t
too surprising. Zia had known Val for years—ever since taking refuge in the Palace
Orphanage as a teenager—yet she couldn’t have said she knew him well. In fact,
she doubted anyone could make that claim. She had only seen him when he made
one of his occasional visits to the orphanage where she now worked with Onca
and Kim Shrovenach, along with Rashe, the former star of the Pow Wow brothel, and
his wife, Celeste. In all that time, she had always had him pegged as a man of
few words. Absolutely gorgeous, of course—<span style="line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">long golden-brown locks, sensuous
lips, firm jaw, and cleft chin, not to mention the bare muscular chest and the skin-tight
leggings that left very little to the imagination—</span>but a bit on the stoic
side. And slightly…intimidating.<span style="line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"> </span>She swallowed hard,
straightened to her full, albeit diminutive, height and shook her head. “I can
read her pretty well. She was being perfectly truthful.”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">“Perhaps she only seemed that way
because that is what she believes, as opposed to an actual fact.”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">Zia folded her arms over her breasts
and raised a skeptical eyebrow. “Are you saying my Mordrial abilities are
faulty?”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">“No, I am not.”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">Unlike Kim, who was Zetithian, Val
had always been difficult for Zia to read—possibly because his mood, which was
rather flat, never seemed to change unless he was angry, which, in her
experience, wasn’t often. While people of nearly every species were like open
books when she bothered to read them, he remained an enigma. She thought it
might be due to his being a genetically manipulated human clone, although never
having met anyone else quite like him, she couldn’t be sure. “I suppose we
could argue that point for days, but I’d rather not waste time. Enough has been
wasted already.”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">That was one point with which she
knew he couldn’t argue. Letsa had been dead for more than a month, and if there
were any clues as to her killer’s identity or the motive, they were fading with
each passing moment. Since the police had completed their investigation of the
crime scene—Letsa’s flat—it hadn’t been touched; Zia had seen to that. Not that
there was much to go on, aside from the laser burn in the wall, which matched the
one in Letsa’s forehead. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">“I suggest you talk with her
friends. With your Mordrial talents, you should be able to tell if anyone is
lying.”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">She let out an inelegant snort. “I
could if I knew where to start. The best I can tell, she didn’t have any
friends. At least, none that were what you’d call close.”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">It was his turn to raise a brow.
“Acquaintances, then.”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">“The people she worked with, you
mean? Yeah. The police talked to them, but apparently they didn’t get anywhere.
She did most of her work from home on her computer.”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">“Which the police have no doubt
confiscated as evidence.”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">“Yeah.” Yet another strike against
Val being the one to consult. She’d known that asking for his help was probably
an exercise in futility. Too bad she had no other options. None she could
afford, anyway. Helping out in an orphanage wasn’t exactly the highest-paying
job in Damenk.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">“Without that, I would have nowhere
to start.”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">She peered up at him, fighting the
urge to avoid his piercing gaze. “You’re really making this hard, aren’t you?”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">“I am sorry if you feel that way.
You may never know what happened to your sister. If we had something more to go
on”—he spread his wings in what Zia could only assume was his version of a
shrug—“but we do not.” He waited a moment before prompting her. “Do we?”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">“No. We’ve got less than nothing.” With
a sigh, she recounted what the police had told her. “No sign of forced entry.
No sign of a struggle. No murder weapon. No fingerprints other than Letsa’s own.
Not even a trace of another person’s DNA.”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">“Makes it a tough case to solve,
doesn’t it?”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">“No kidding. I just wish I could figure
out why,” Zia grumbled. “I mean, I could understand if she could read people’s
thoughts and pick up on something she shouldn’t have, but her telepathic ability
wasn’t all that great. She was better with animals, although she mainly sensed
their emotions.” Which, in Zia’s opinion, anyone could read from the animal’s body
language, not to mention how loudly they squealed, barked, or purred. “Even her
elemental talents were…indistinct.”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">Zia had never been able to decide
which Letsa could control best, wind or water. Anyone who excelled at both could
potentially affect the local weather; Letsa had never been able to summon up
more than a few sprinkles or a light breeze, let alone a thunderstorm. But
then, Letsa had never shown much interest in developing her talents, seeming to
prefer being taken for a Terran rather than a Mordrial.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">Another rustling of Val’s wings
suggested he was anxious for her to be gone. She blew out a breath and summoned
up a weak smile. “Oh, well. I had to give it a try. Thanks for your time.”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">Anyone else would have at least
given her a gracious “You’re welcome.” All Val did was nod and shut the
door—not quite in her face, but close enough.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">“That was a waste of my time and
his,” she muttered as she turned and walked away.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">She had only gone a few steps when
she stopped and whirled around to catch him watching her from the narrow window
beside the door.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Making
sure I’m leaving? Or just…I don’t know. Something… </i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">She frowned and shook her head.
“Yeah. I’m going. You don’t have to stand there to make sure.”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">One thing she did know about Val was
that his hearing and eyesight were incredibly good. She’d never witnessed these
abilities firsthand, but Kim’s reports were proof enough—which meant he could
probably hear her mutterings quite clearly.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Too
bad I can’t read his thoughts as well as he can hear me.</i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">Then again, that might have been a
good thing. She’d been privy to enough random thoughts she wished she hadn’t
heard. For all she knew, he could be mentally cursing her in six different
languages. His Stantongue was a tiny bit hesitant—stilted, even—which suggested
it wasn’t his primary language.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Yet
another thing I don’t know about him.</i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">Not that it mattered. As far as she
was concerned, any facts about Val and his life were nothing more than useless
bits of information.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">With an air of resignation, she
began the long walk back to the orphanage.</p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: center;"> * * *</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none;"> Val knew he should feel more compassion toward a girl
who’d lived on the streets of Damenk before coming to the orphanage at the age
of fifteen. She and her sister had been among the earliest residents, and also
the eldest of that initial group. Letsa had been the more ambitious of the two,
continuing her education beyond what she’d learned in the orphanage. Zia, on
the other hand, had opted to stay on as a staff member when she came of age—ten
years ago, or was it eleven? He knew what it was like to grow up in difficult
circumstances; his own background was even more troubled than theirs had been.
He ought to have felt some push to help them.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">I
ought to at least have said I would try.</i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">Although interfering in an ongoing
murder investigation could land anyone in hot water.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">If
they can catch me at it.</i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">For Val, practically anything online
was fair game, and he’d never been prosecuted for digging into files to which
he had no legal access. He could at least get into Letsa’s messages and emails
and find out who she’d been in contact with. Of course, the police had probably
already done that and found it to be a dead end.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">If
they bothered to try.</i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">The murder of a woman who’d grown up
in an orphanage with no family other than her younger sister and no connections
to anyone in high places would’ve been considered a low priority. Whoever was
running the investigation was probably a novice detective who might easily miss
something a more experienced officer would catch.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">He hadn’t been entirely truthful
with Zia. He didn’t need Letsa’s computer. All he really needed was a list of
any accounts she used, and even that wasn’t a requirement. Bypassing security was
easily done except in highly classified accounts, and even then it wasn’t
impossible.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">He stepped away from the window once
she was out of sight. He’d heard her mutterings well enough to know she was
disappointed in him. Letting her down had been…difficult. Something about her
deep brown beseeching eyes had almost touched—</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">No.</i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">She was a pretty woman—thick dark
brown hair and a figure that would move a much sterner man than he—yet she had
an elfin quality that made her seem younger than her years. Until he looked in
her eyes. There was age there—the kind of wisdom that spoke of a painful past.
Perhaps that was why she’d stayed on at the orphanage rather than setting her
sights on a more lucrative career. She had a need to help others who’d lived on
the streets the way she had.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">Onca and Kim had hoped that one day
there would no longer be a need for their orphanage. Unfortunately, that day
had yet to come. New children arrived on a regular basis, wandering in after
fear and hunger made them desperate enough to place their trust in complete strangers.
Many weren’t truly orphans; some were runaways from abusive households. Val had
never been able to understand why some people felt the need to harm those in
their care. The young should be cherished and nurtured, not beaten or starved.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">He realized now why he’d refused Zia’s
request. She made him feel…strange. She always had. Her mind-reading ability
was unnerving. He didn’t like the idea that anyone could read his thoughts and
learn about his past, which was best left buried. Reminders of it cropped up
often enough. He didn’t need someone else delving into his mind to find them.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">Did Zia know about his past? If so,
she’d never even hinted at it. But perhaps she was simply as good at keeping
secrets as he was. Maybe even better.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">Still, she had come to him for help
when no one else could provide it, and he knew how it felt to need help.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">Striding across the room, he flung open
the door and then slammed it shut behind him. Spreading his wings, he flapped
them once…twice…three times, quickly gaining altitude until he was soaring
above the neighborhood.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">From his bird’s eye view of the streets,
she was easy to spot, her gait slow and her head down while a breeze lifted her
hair from her shoulders. As his shadow passed over her, she stopped and looked
up.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">Her startled glance was quickly
replaced with a hopeful gaze as he swooped down to street level and landed
lightly beside her.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">A tilt of her head and a quirk of her
lips told him she understood—both his initial reluctance and his ultimate
capitulation. “Change of heart or change of mind?”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">“Both,” he replied. “I will help
you. I cannot promise to find out what happened to your sister, but I will do
my best. She deserves that much, especially since she did not deserve death.”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">Zia held out her hand. “I can’t ask
for any more than that.”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">Val was a stranger to intimacy—even a
simple handshake was something to be avoided—but he took her hand anyway.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">In that instant, he felt a peculiar
sensation overtake him—a feeling of…</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">He blinked, unable to even identify
what that feeling was. All he knew was that he had never felt it before in his
life.</p>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">And he liked it.</span><span class="css-901oao"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"> </b></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Valkyrie
Link<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b><a href="https://books2read.com/u/3R0rxR"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">https://books2read.com/u/3R0rxR</span></b></a></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="css-901oao"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"> </b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="css-901oao"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">For the month of May, the Lucky Valentine Anthology is on sale for only 99 cents! 13 stories for less than a dollar!<br /></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="css-901oao"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxgWVEwXjMFxMgdX1CC4BXZuYwlpC0kechkK2-8IozhV5RLj4r9v1mebIZABE47vHAHMe7jbp5BjQAAvo-46g9dUxUOBGq-oK9YbQwOS7nAdWo55FExn9vsj-ppTkVPFrzbYlIOt-GGCAMqdDiizCpp7p1c-eURxadYyIsmzq_sB4Uh3ZTIuF8j1GH/s1080/337667160_781074286692798_2448341337733907950_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxgWVEwXjMFxMgdX1CC4BXZuYwlpC0kechkK2-8IozhV5RLj4r9v1mebIZABE47vHAHMe7jbp5BjQAAvo-46g9dUxUOBGq-oK9YbQwOS7nAdWo55FExn9vsj-ppTkVPFrzbYlIOt-GGCAMqdDiizCpp7p1c-eURxadYyIsmzq_sB4Uh3ZTIuF8j1GH/s320/337667160_781074286692798_2448341337733907950_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></b></div><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><br /> </b><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="css-901oao"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Lucky
Valentine link </b></span><a href="https://books2read.com/luckyvalentine"><b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">https://books2read.com/luckyvalentine</span></b></a><span class="css-901oao"></span></p><p><br />
</p><p><br /></p>Cheryl Brookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11464377381132807409noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5421546620486579446.post-44087275405058204922023-03-25T14:23:00.000-04:002023-03-25T14:23:49.239-04:00Cover Reveal For Valkyrie!<p>Those of you who have read the later books in the Cat Star Chronicles and the Cat Star Legacy series will be familiar with Valkyrie, the Avian clone computer hacker extraordinaire. Well, I've finally written his book, which is, hopefully, the first of a six book series, The Avian Clone Chronicles!</p><p>The cover is so perfect, I have to wonder whether Kim Killion, the cover designer, knows Val personally. This wasn't the my initial design idea, but what she was able to come up with is nothing short of fabulous!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo78tlj5ESveItW8-w1O7yn2kuamxAD61p4ozWfG4cpXr9def6wRfF3kuxrNUiKOyXlJaVLPo3Z4QQ4byVIP5yrqAtvPX0IVQB-1bX5sssZRu23XQUSfWqwazufCvs5fgv5amEkziq20lVm7HXA5nUhQh7-h0xPK6eg-EfREnP_WxbU2Z3iL-Ndwlp/s1200/CherylBrooks_Valkyrie_800.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo78tlj5ESveItW8-w1O7yn2kuamxAD61p4ozWfG4cpXr9def6wRfF3kuxrNUiKOyXlJaVLPo3Z4QQ4byVIP5yrqAtvPX0IVQB-1bX5sssZRu23XQUSfWqwazufCvs5fgv5amEkziq20lVm7HXA5nUhQh7-h0xPK6eg-EfREnP_WxbU2Z3iL-Ndwlp/w426-h640/CherylBrooks_Valkyrie_800.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><br /><p><i><b> A telepath and an Avian computer hacker find love when they
join forces to catch a killer. </b></i></p><p><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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</p><p class="MsoNormal">Stunningly handsome Avian clone Valkyrie is highly
intelligent with superior senses and a pair of golden wings, but he has one
trait that allows his horrific past to haunt him<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">—</span>he can’t forget anything. </p>
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by an unknown assailant with an illegal laser weapon. The police are stumped,
and Zia hopes Val’s legendary computer skills can help her crack the case. </p>
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<p></p><p>The best part of this reveal is that I already have the book up for pre-order! </p><p>
</p><p class="MsoNormal">Amazon <a href="https://tinyurl.com/ytchrm93">https://tinyurl.com/ytchrm93</a></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Nook <a href="https://tinyurl.com/2mf2p5dm">https://tinyurl.com/2mf2p5dm</a></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Kobo <a href="https://tinyurl.com/4vznwn5m">https://tinyurl.com/4vznwn5m</a></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Google Play <a href="https://tinyurl.com/mrpfbde2">https://tinyurl.com/mrpfbde2</a></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Smashwords <a href="https://tinyurl.com/3my23wee">https://tinyurl.com/3my23wee</a>
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<p><br /></p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">Don't forget the Lucky Valentine Anthology is still available! Thirteen Valentine-themed stories for just $4.99! Includes my story, Anything But Flowers.<br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0aod4K_nazQL68T2KWbyxXEJWZewgdzgz6N6I-mI2sgIFlCDRONYn5UzDO84MemSWk1HQLL2ofsroMNWsrOZjuGeqrhFSA5NBO2icjn-WESVqbU4HIujGVOcW0zppA0pgqx6IEUmfieGYUC7cawQyGQ7fLc5rmvLZRALnYRhnNs6v4XHb0xsABZxq/s565/lucky-valentine-a-limited-edition-romance-anthology.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="565" data-original-width="353" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0aod4K_nazQL68T2KWbyxXEJWZewgdzgz6N6I-mI2sgIFlCDRONYn5UzDO84MemSWk1HQLL2ofsroMNWsrOZjuGeqrhFSA5NBO2icjn-WESVqbU4HIujGVOcW0zppA0pgqx6IEUmfieGYUC7cawQyGQ7fLc5rmvLZRALnYRhnNs6v4XHb0xsABZxq/w400-h640/lucky-valentine-a-limited-edition-romance-anthology.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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a wealthy oil man’s true identity destroy the possibility of romance with a
lovely florist?</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .3in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgorlH7wp4M5ZZ3uCYWhflXWFK0v5YGOHC_LM6OIzweAMMNxL9kLnyH0qGfOSi2pFrk4_FEIfekrlR1wOiScS1CtxvOCd-JRhz67o4r2CJTO_rbh8FfrK2UaaepjZnXxPuQ-tdzJpYUCT40bAcOAJqEOcfGHz8oVEWkrFn8uErBxL_zMNZMjkXxsFJt/s640/AnythingButFlowers-400.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="400" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgorlH7wp4M5ZZ3uCYWhflXWFK0v5YGOHC_LM6OIzweAMMNxL9kLnyH0qGfOSi2pFrk4_FEIfekrlR1wOiScS1CtxvOCd-JRhz67o4r2CJTO_rbh8FfrK2UaaepjZnXxPuQ-tdzJpYUCT40bAcOAJqEOcfGHz8oVEWkrFn8uErBxL_zMNZMjkXxsFJt/w400-h640/AnythingButFlowers-400.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .3in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">For
Brooklyn florist Caroline Kendall, flowers represent business rather than
pleasure. That is, until a handsome customer piques her interest, causing her
to speculate about his relationship to the recipient of the bouquets he sends
on a regular basis.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .3in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Kahlil
Omar Mahlik Al-Shammari is wealthy enough to buy anything a woman might want,
but his family’s reputation isn’t the finest. Although smitten with Caroline,
his inherent shyness and a history with women who are only interested in his
money make him reluctant to take the first step.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .3in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">When
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But is their mutual attraction enough to overcome the pitfalls of romance
between a small-business owner and a super-rich oil tycoon? </span></p>
<br /><a href="https://tinyurl.com/2p8tuykz" target="_blank"> Books2Read</a><br /><p></p><br /><p></p>Cheryl Brookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11464377381132807409noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5421546620486579446.post-20439947939804558192023-02-14T19:50:00.000-05:002023-02-14T19:50:42.026-05:00Happy Valentine's Day!<p>Just goes to show you how much an author can forget when she hasn't published a book in a while. This one was actually released on February 1, 2023. So here I am, writing a blog for the first time since Captive was released. I don't even know if anyone reads this blog anymore, but here goes! </p><p>The anthology contains 13 stores and is now available in print and ebook formats, and let me tell you, the print book is huge!!! You get a lot of bang for $22.99! <br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD1vrqgr33ysqYn1SangiImrw16cLsJsV4JiXvPcX2G8eVqT7YktYfA2vK9pZgNFirUKYpLM5_6ozRPop4L3Gpprp2AeI-3GJJjwGNKq_CG_VhA0hUnDs1p20LsakSMKnOiIm6uvQCciQDloYX0HbsXVpriMszlhevcfYNeBysdDCsRTpNZwXcFZL5/s565/lucky-valentine-a-limited-edition-romance-anthology.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="565" data-original-width="353" height="378" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD1vrqgr33ysqYn1SangiImrw16cLsJsV4JiXvPcX2G8eVqT7YktYfA2vK9pZgNFirUKYpLM5_6ozRPop4L3Gpprp2AeI-3GJJjwGNKq_CG_VhA0hUnDs1p20LsakSMKnOiIm6uvQCciQDloYX0HbsXVpriMszlhevcfYNeBysdDCsRTpNZwXcFZL5/w236-h378/lucky-valentine-a-limited-edition-romance-anthology.jpg" width="236" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>The Lucky Valentine Anthology was dreamed up several months ago by my IRWA buddies, and my contribution is <b><i>Anything But Flowers. </i></b></p><p><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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a wealthy oil man’s true identity destroy the possibility of romance with a
lovely florist?</span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .3in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"></span></b></p>
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Brooklyn florist Caroline Kendall, flowers represent business rather than pleasure.
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speculate about his relationship to the recipient of the bouquets he sends on a
regular basis.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .3in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Kahlil
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but his family’s reputation isn’t the finest. Although smitten with Caroline,
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money make him reluctant to take the first step.</span></p>
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But is their mutual attraction enough to overcome the pitfalls of romance
between a small-business owner and a super-rich oil tycoon? </span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span>You can find the links to all platforms where the book is sold at <a href="https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fbooks2read.com%2Fluckyvalentine%3Ffbclid%3DIwAR2hD94x5oDwze9K7PGL6scgBCvqBLRZLTnZ20t0wbIvm1-d3x5VptTClkg&h=AT0_66tlWMPtun_xLCImYaYrddSM14civAmiXw3ZrWgpxs8QajQL9-bCQaUCY1X0zgUw_zX6x6JzADjWSKCQ1WpyyR_K7EFXlmn2uElHg6XLqF-Vg_vsk9i_WoF6To4Png&__tn__=-UK-R&c%5b0%5d=AT3pubaNV4qKLjNOoT8llSylDJ8I3kDT_ltANmMv3NbB81T6jp3x1TWzr0DNycbii1eTFfrt6oA9juhy724ql1HBWBloeZH54MMc24zm8tTnvyjJjI53u5g0tvtE2SGFKh-LP31bV_W1P69EdF5bIzhSLpApT1oC2VeyNxf8uFo13K5uDPX5cOBvTTE0MU3u3dD3uOmcurkLpsN6hBjVtw" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">https://books2read.com/luckyvalentine</span></a> </p><p></p><p>This is a limited-edition anthology, which will be unpublished in July, at which time I will self-pub my story with this cover. </p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvF1iqYuAs_8h7RNbHtENAQCezGWqUhcEBfIyfQcYKWUSDy4o2aBoRkXKZ_9RWENjP4mos-I54NqoVOYZa5RxlOZenNzR2SIepbW_bhVdzyAyt6xJZJeHwQvJQ9xFaXjPfmW7I0q77d3iEh56FFepf9I4I-IzwchmWPv7HQQi13KUsf_e-mEwIqadO/s480/AnythingButFlowers-300.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="300" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvF1iqYuAs_8h7RNbHtENAQCezGWqUhcEBfIyfQcYKWUSDy4o2aBoRkXKZ_9RWENjP4mos-I54NqoVOYZa5RxlOZenNzR2SIepbW_bhVdzyAyt6xJZJeHwQvJQ9xFaXjPfmW7I0q77d3iEh56FFepf9I4I-IzwchmWPv7HQQi13KUsf_e-mEwIqadO/s320/AnythingButFlowers-300.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><p></p><p><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I also built a new website recently, and even though it is still cherylbrooksonline.com--I went to a lot of trouble to transfer the domain name--the old links don't work. The new one is now a secure site--I couldn't get a SSL certificate for the other one because it was too old! So check it out when you have the time! <a href="https://www.cherylbrooksonline.com/">https://www.cherylbrooksonline.com/ </a><br /></span></p>
<p></p>Cheryl Brookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11464377381132807409noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5421546620486579446.post-35672733906303943712020-12-28T00:00:00.001-05:002020-12-28T00:00:03.471-05:00Captive Release Day!<p>It's finally here! I'm now 65 years old, and <i>Captive</i> is available for purchase in ebook and print! To celebrate, I'm giving away two ebook versions of <i>Captive.</i> To enter, use the Rafflecopter and post a comment below telling us how your holidays have changed this year. </p><p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM5gSUmS7bgX_xYxKs7ITO1i1BCltnZqhyphenhyphenPyXzNfbuGaKOG-7PNx7tIXCRfT57lLKzqxcDjGFPH8LjQdLfd8Ipse4Qupgye8khFS25ryK9va2T9wkdn3OXDwYm-Pj87oZsvMqBKLeu73w/s750/Captive_eCover_500.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="750" data-original-width="500" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM5gSUmS7bgX_xYxKs7ITO1i1BCltnZqhyphenhyphenPyXzNfbuGaKOG-7PNx7tIXCRfT57lLKzqxcDjGFPH8LjQdLfd8Ipse4Qupgye8khFS25ryK9va2T9wkdn3OXDwYm-Pj87oZsvMqBKLeu73w/w266-h400/Captive_eCover_500.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><p></p><p><br /><xml>
</xml></p><p class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">She stole his freedom…
He captured her heart</i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Moriconthan “Moe” Tshevnoe finds an outlet for his anger
when a brawl breaks out in a dusty barroom on Haedus Nine. He joins in the
melee with enthusiasm, until he is taken prisoner by a beautiful Zetithian woman
with electric blue eyes. </p>
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Tavock must do whatever she can to survive. Impressed by Moe’s pugilistic
talent, she captures him, intending to sell him as a gladiator slave. But
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that could destroy them all…</p>
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<a class="rcptr" data-raflid="973de47b11" data-template="" data-theme="classic" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/973de47b11/" id="rcwidget_9fu07w0g" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a>
<script src="https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js"></script>
</p><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Captive-Cheryl-Brooks-ebook/dp/B08MWFN7LL/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=Cheryl%2BBrooks&qid=1606069727&s=digital-text&sr=1-1">Amazon</a></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Cheryl_Brooks_Captive?id=wv0FEAAAQBAJ&hl=en">Google
Play</a></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1052968">Smashwords</a></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Cheryl_Brooks_Captive?id=wv0FEAAAQBAJ&hl=en">Google
Play</a></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1052968">Smashwords</a></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/captive-165">Kobo</a></p>
</script></xml></p>Cheryl Brookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11464377381132807409noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5421546620486579446.post-77754740525486876662020-11-23T00:00:00.008-05:002020-11-23T00:00:05.813-05:00And the winner is...<p> Hey, Brenda! </p><p>You're the winner of the advance copy of Captive! Send your snail mail address to cheryl.brooks52@yahoo.com, and I'll get that out to you ASAP! Congrats!</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhapLRODA-q8_7c1hdrYwO-MVZhzs9lrdWyX7uBvRpRt5Umf2rgx74Nn_uAxvHqEOP4dLQp8edAiefMAXv0yqzAAQI_BNi-ZwkDXAx6yOTliBNhZUT7nUd02N_AOWi6kMpwEto_T1-G9Eg/s750/Captive_eCover_500.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="750" data-original-width="500" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhapLRODA-q8_7c1hdrYwO-MVZhzs9lrdWyX7uBvRpRt5Umf2rgx74Nn_uAxvHqEOP4dLQp8edAiefMAXv0yqzAAQI_BNi-ZwkDXAx6yOTliBNhZUT7nUd02N_AOWi6kMpwEto_T1-G9Eg/w266-h400/Captive_eCover_500.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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</p><p class="MsoNormal">She stole his freedom… He captured her heart</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Moriconthan “Moe” Tshevnoe finds an outlet for his anger
when a brawl breaks out in a dusty barroom on Haedus Nine. He joins in the
melee with enthusiasm, until he is taken prisoner by a beautiful Zetithian woman
with electric blue eyes. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Forced into hiding by the cruel tyrant who covets her, Klara
Tavock must do whatever she can to survive. Impressed by Moe’s pugilistic
talent, she captures him, intending to sell him as a gladiator slave. But
there’s something about this sexy Zetithian she simply can’t resist.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The attraction between them is powerful and undeniable, but
when Moe and Klara join forces with the local rebels, they trigger a revolution
that could destroy them all…</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Or set them free.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08MWFN7LL/ref=as_li_ss_tl?dchild=1&keywords=cheryl+brooks+captive&s=books&sr=1-1&linkCode=sl1&tag=cherybrookaut-20&linkId=b334867b5a07cfd85fa2a026d3ceb0d9&language=en_US" target="_blank">Amazon</a></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/captive-cheryl-brooks/1138055359?ean=2940162734734&fbclid=IwAR0bqto56fdetSwSOqjsNhCvcm-aupxlWJiw--ZkWTUAkRrBJvVxtU6FUBE" target="_blank">Nook </a></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><a href="https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Cheryl_Brooks_Captive?id=wv0FEAAAQBAJ&hl=en" target="_blank">Google Play</a> </b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://books.apple.com/us/book/captive/id1539499122" target="_blank"><b>Apple Books</b> </a></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1052968" target="_blank">Smashwords</a></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><a href="https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/captive-165" target="_blank">Kobo </a></b> <br /></p>
Cheryl Brookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11464377381132807409noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5421546620486579446.post-49519865798890100502020-11-08T09:02:00.006-05:002020-11-11T15:53:59.300-05:00New Cat Star Legacy Release!<p>I know. It's been a long time since anyone has heard from me. But then, we've all been a bit withdrawn for several months. Covid has us locked in, locked down, and scared to go out, even with all the masks and hand sanitizers that are now so readily available, unlike a few months ago when there were none to be had. During that time, I submitted Cat Star Legacy 3: Captive to my Sourcebooks editor. Due to the lackluster sales of Maverick and Mystic, they opted to pass on it, which means you'll be getting your Cat Star fix much sooner (and cheaper!) than you would have if they had chosen to publish it. </p><p>The release date will be December 28, 2020, which is my birthday, one that is something of a milestone in my life. The book is now available for preorder from <span style="color: red;"><b><a href="https://tinyurl.com/y2h638lv" target="_blank">Amazon</a></b></span>, <b><span style="color: red;"><a href="https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/captive-165" target="_blank">Kobo</a></span></b>, <b><a href="https://books.apple.com/us/book/captive/id1539499122">Apple Books</a></b>, and <span style="color: red;"><b><a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/captive-cheryl-brooks/1138055359?ean=2940162734734&fbclid=IwAR0bqto56fdetSwSOqjsNhCvcm-aupxlWJiw--ZkWTUAkRrBJvVxtU6FUBE" target="_blank">B&N</a></b></span>. The print version will not be available until the release date because Amazon doesn't offer preorders for print on demand books. I have, however, ordered a proof copy of the print book, which I am raffling off to one lucky reader! To enter, post a comment below telling how books have helped you during the pandemic. The winner will be chosen on November 23, 2020. Good luck!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5Y5lUacKICoJOFJt8yVvaVmlFTIlzP990X3wabsBWg5WRHD1Lwb2-hc0_jy4NcswDmvMmAdHohisZL-u-v5mCgPnOZdaUv1Oz8bR98lpaZdEuNZJ9kbHv4_sYia_KQBcjy1f921G1ssg/s450/CherylBrooks_Captive_eCover_300.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="300" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5Y5lUacKICoJOFJt8yVvaVmlFTIlzP990X3wabsBWg5WRHD1Lwb2-hc0_jy4NcswDmvMmAdHohisZL-u-v5mCgPnOZdaUv1Oz8bR98lpaZdEuNZJ9kbHv4_sYia_KQBcjy1f921G1ssg/w266-h400/CherylBrooks_Captive_eCover_300.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p><b><i>She stole his freedom… He captured her heart.</i></b><br /><br />Moriconthan “Moe” Tshevnoe finds an outlet for his anger when a brawl breaks out in a dusty barroom on Haedus Nine. He joins in the melee with enthusiasm, until he is taken prisoner by a beautiful Zetithian woman with electric blue eyes.<br /> </p><p>Forced into hiding by the cruel tyrant who covets her, Klara Tavock must do whatever she can to survive. Impressed by Moe’s pugilistic talent, she captures him, intending to sell him as a gladiator slave. But there’s something about this sexy Zetithian she simply can’t resist.<br />The attraction between them is powerful and undeniable, but when Moe and Klara join forces with the local rebels, they trigger a revolution that could destroy them all…<br /> </p><p>Or set them free.</p><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Chapter 1<br /></div> <br />Moriconthan “Moe” Tshevnoe sat alone at a table in a dusty bar on Haedus Nine choking down beer that smelled more like vrelnot piss than lager. He truly hated Haedus Nine. The climate was hot, dry, and oppressive, and its natives were ugly, devious, and inherently dishonest, which made it as good a place as any to pick a fight.<div dir="ltr"> He’d been spoiling for a fight for months, an irritation of mood he couldn’t explain. But whatever it was, it made him want to beat the shit out of some deserving lowlife scumbag—or at least bite something. Hard. He was not a fighter by nature; nonetheless, his jaws clenched in anger for no other reason than the disgusting smell emanating from the occupants of the nearest table.</div> This much anger wasn’t normal for him. He’d always been considered the most sensible of his littermates, the lone voice of reason on many of his brothers’ escapades. He was cautious and methodical—traits that made him an excellent navigator—but his gut instincts were usually spot-on. Not that anyone ever actually listened to him. Over the years, he’d become quite adept at choking back the words <i>I told you so</i> to anyone foolish enough not to follow his suggestions.<br /> Perhaps that was his problem. He’d just come from a run to Alpha Marcos where his current pilot, a Vessonian named Nevid Kairn, had ignored Moe’s reminder that the ship had a rather large communications dish on its forward hull. Having been scraped off by a low hangar bay door, that dish was now a crumpled mass of steel, useful only as scrap metal rather than a salvageable component.<br />Moe could easily fly the ship himself—having grown up on a starship, he’d been capable of manning every duty station by the age of seven—but being alone in space was, well, lonely. Unfortunately, Nevid wasn’t terribly good company. Maybe he was to blame for Moe’s current mood.<br /><i> No. I felt like this even before he signed on. </i><br /> The conversation at the next table had reached the ear-splitting level. A fistfight was imminent. Perhaps he could find an excuse to get into the fight. That’s what he needed. A good old-fashioned barroom brawl. It wouldn’t take much. One more tiny little annoyance and his anger would explode.<br />The lone Herpatronian in a group that boasted no less than three Haedusians, two Kitnocks, and a Vetla took a swing at one of the Haedusians and missed, inertia causing his ape-like body to spin out of his chair, the fist on the end of his long, simian arm connecting with Moe’s shoulder.<br /><i> Thank the gods.</i><br /> Moe pushed back his chair and tore into the Herp like a fiend: fangs bared and hands balled into fists. Rather than join in the fray, the Haedusians actually started cheering. As Moe pummeled the momentarily astonished Herp, his companions tossed handfuls of credits on the table and began taking bets. <br />He couldn’t blame the others for leaving the Herp to face him alone. With tall, cylindrical heads and limbs like toothpicks, Kitnocks tended to avoid altercations with species more sturdily built than they were. Vetlas were humpbacked with short arms that gave them virtually no reach whatsoever. The Haedusians themselves reminded him of birds, even to the extent that the males’ clothing—if such tattered rags could be called that—was more colorful than the robes worn by the females. Overall, they were quite scrawny with long, spidery fingers, huge hooked noses, and beady little eyes. They seldom engaged in fisticuffs, evidently preferring to profit from the outcome rather than participate.<br /> Moe didn’t give a damn. After a brief protest that he had no bone to pick with Moe—a highly unusual statement for a Herp—the creature was finally fighting back. Moe took a punch to the jaw that should’ve at least broken a fang. He tasted blood and renewed his attack. He knew if he didn’t knock him out soon, the Herp would eventually overpower him. Getting in close was the best way to deal with a Herp, canceling their longer reach, but putting Moe’s sensitive Zetithian nose much too close to his opponent’s stinking brown pelt.<br /> Pouring months of pent-up rage into his fists, Moe didn’t bother pulling a knife or a pulse pistol. The Herp wasn’t unarmed, but that didn’t matter. Yet.<br /> “Take it out in the street!” the bartender roared as the Herp snatched a bottle from a nearby table and attempted to smash it over Moe’s head. With his catlike reflexes, Moe easily dodged the bottle, which went smashing into a row of bottles above the bar. Booze mixed with blue Morwellian cream oozed down the wall as two hulking Terrans shouldered through the gathering crowd.<br /> “He said, take it outside,” snarled a heavily muscled bald man whose body was covered with more leather and tattoos than actual fabric. That was another thing Moe didn’t like about Haedus: the excessive heat tended to reduce the amount of clothing worn by offworlders, some of which should never have been seen in such a disgusting state of undress. Herps were the worst. The long cloths they wore wrapped around their pelvic areas looked more like diapers than anything and didn’t cover nearly enough of them.<br />One of the Terrans grabbed the Herp from behind just as his diaper came undone, leaving an already hideous creature completely naked.<br /> “What has been seen cannot be unseen,” Moe muttered as a push from behind sent him sprawling, but only for a moment. With a quick roll, he jumped to his feet.<br /> As the bouncer wrestled the Herp toward the door, Moe ran after them, yelling, “I’m not done with him yet!”<br /> “Oh, yes, you are,” said a feminine voice from behind him.<br /> Spinning around, Moe came face-to-face with a tall woman in a black hooded robe. At least, he assumed it was a woman. A pair of electric-blue eyes stared at him from inside the hood. However, unlike the usual Davordian, which was what he took her to be, her pupils were glowing vertical slits like those of his own feline eyes.<br /> “Who the devil are you?” he snapped.<br /> “Why, the devil, of course.” The woman let out a hiss as the nozzle of a pulse pistol emerged from her robes. “Nighty-night.”<br /> Without another word, she fired.<br /> The last thing Moe saw was her fangs as she smiled.<div style="text-align: center;">* * *</div> Klara Tavock motioned for her henchmen to gather up her latest catch. “A fighter brave enough to go up against a Herpatronian—or stupid enough, take your pick—should bring a nice price on the open market, don’t you think?”<br /> She said this to no one in particular, nor did she expect an answer, mainly because her gang members had learned the wisdom of keeping their mouths shut long ago, especially when she was on the hunt.<br />Except this one particular gang member. The Norludian glanced up as he rolled their captive over onto his back. “You know, boss, he kinda looks like—”<br /> “Like what?”<br /> “Well…sort of like you.”<br /> Klara raised a brow, the only indication of anger she ever allowed herself to display. “A <i>man</i> looks like <i>me</i>?” She tipped her head to the side, trying to decide if Temfilk was serious or simply hoping to get a rise out of her, as he so often did. “How so?”<br /> “He might not have an orange streak in his hair.” He pulled a mass of black curls away from the unconscious man’s face. “But check out the slanted eyebrows and pointed ears. You could be the same species. Might even be related.”<br /> “Don’t be ridiculous. There are none like me anywhere in the quadrant, let alone on this”—she sneered as she squeezed a large measure of disdain into the word—“planet.” At least, none she’d ever seen. She waved a dismissive hand. “Just put him in the speeder. I’ll decide what to do with him later.” A brief sweep of the dusty barroom with her keen eyes showed several patrons making a big show of pretending they hadn’t seen a thing.<br /><i> Typical. </i>Although she wouldn’t put it past any of them to figure out how to profit from the event. <br />Still, she’d reacted quickly with this one. She normally took longer to study her quarry, weighing their possible worth against their likelihood of causing trouble. This one was trouble, all right. But something about him made her shoot first and ask questions later. His speed and agility were only part of it.<br />Perhaps Temfilk was right.<br /> However, this was not the time for contemplation. A low whistle brought her speeder to the door, along with Nexbit.<br /> “Might want to morph into something strong for this one,” she advised the Sympaticon. “He’s bigger than our usual catch.”<br /> Aside from the fact that Nexbit’s resting state was rather ugly, it had never struck Klara as being particularly strong. His thin body was covered with pale gray skin, and wispy hair sprouted from a pair of flat, round ears. Long yellow nails studded the tips of fingers like weak bamboo. Beady eyes, a bulbous nose, and a nearly nonexistent chin completed a face only a mother could love. Clad in a tunic made of coarse brown fabric that was belted at the waist, he reminded Klara of the trolls from the stories her mother had read to her as a child.<br /> “Sure thing, boss.” Nexbit opted for a Terran form this time, duplicating the bouncer right down to his tattoos. Only his head remained unchanged—which was fortunate because the bouncer was even uglier than the Sympaticon.<br /> “That’s a good look for you, Nex,” Temfilk remarked. “You should stick with it.”<br /> “Too much trouble.” Nexbit hefted the unconscious man onto his shoulder with ease. “And besides, Terrans stink.”<br /> Temfilk glanced at Klara. “Going to sell this one or recruit him? He’d be an asset to the team.”<br /> “Haven’t decided,” Klara replied. “No more questions. Let’s get out of here.”<div style="text-align: center;">* * *</div><p> Moe awoke with an ache in every bone in his body, and not only where his Herpatronian opponent had hit him. When he realized he was bound and gagged, his anger flared again, even though that anger had probably been responsible for his current predicament. He didn’t know why he’d been captured, but there were only two options.<br /> Being sold into slavery was one. His father had been a slave for twenty years, and that history appeared to be repeating itself in his son. The fact that he’d been taken by a woman made the slavery issue even more appalling. Lynx, one of six Zetithian prisoners of war who had been sold as slaves in lieu of execution, had been a harem slave for ten years. Cooped up with fifty women at any given time, those women had simply worn him out—physically, mentally, and sexually. That Moe had been captured while in a fight with a Herp was another factor. There were still gladiator-type entertainments on a few backward planets—including Haedus Nine—and those were only the ones he’d heard about.<br /> The other possible option was being turned over to a Nedwut bounty hunter. The bounty on Zetithians hadn’t been paid in twenty years, but that didn’t mean everyone had heard the news that Trag Vladatonsk had killed Rutger Grekkor, thus ending the Terran man’s jealous vendetta against Zetithians. In his zeal for exterminating their species, he’d even destroyed their planet. And all because Grekkor’s wife had taken a Zetithian lover.<br /><i> Why does it always have to be about sex?</i><br /> Moe sometimes wished he’d favored his Terran mother instead of appearing to be a clone of his Zetithian father.<br /><i> Curse those dominant genes.</i><br /> Finally, his fury had a focus.<br /><i> That woman. </i><br /> So what if she had the most incredible eyes he’d ever seen. Clear, electric blue with a startling black rim around the iris. At least, that was what he remembered seeing—right before she shot him.<br />Whatever she was planning for him couldn’t be good. This wasn’t like any courtship ritual anyone had ever told him about, unless it was a shoot-first-and-have-sex-later approach, which meant he needed to get the heck out of Dodge.<br /> What his captor couldn’t have known was that Moe could escape from almost any form of restraint. Harry Houdini had nothing on him. He could dislocate various joints and then put them back in place with ease. Sure, he might be a little sore afterward, but thanks to his Zetithian blood, a good night’s restorative sleep fixed him right up. The only limiting factor was the width of the space between any bars on the doors and windows with respect to size of his head. However, given enough time and access to the locks, he didn’t have to resort to squeezing between bars. Considering the lack of creativity with which he’d been tied up, he doubted the locks were any better. Getting past a guard was a little tougher, but it could be done. Being conscious was the only requirement.<br /><i> I should’ve been a thief. </i><br /> Except he wasn’t a thief—wasn’t even the tiniest bit dishonest. His escape artist routine was more of a hobby than training for his life’s work. Some people played video games or engaged in sports. Others painted or played music. Moe played with locks and handcuffs.<br /> On the other hand, if he’d been imprisoned aboard a starship, there really wasn’t anywhere to go, unless he could find an escape pod. Even if he couldn’t get to a pod, he could tap into a ship’s navigational controls, alter the course to suit his needs, and lock the controls so no one could reset the course.<br />He set aside his anger for the few minutes it took to extricate himself from his bonds. Given how measly these were, he suspected the windowless cell in which he was being held was where the security lay.<br />There were two possibilities for escaping the cell. He could wait behind the door and attempt to overpower anyone who entered, or he could go to work on the lock. Fortunately, he didn’t need much in the way of tools to do the job, although a quick check of the pockets of his jacket and trousers was enough to inform him that he had undergone a thorough search prior to being deposited there. Even his belt and boots had been removed.<br /><i> Waiting behind the door, it is.</i><br /> A hidden camera would nullify that tactic, although being free to move still gave him an advantage. He took a few moments to study his surroundings, which didn’t take long because except for him, the room was empty. The only light came from a single overhead fixture. A camera could be hidden there, but as archaic as the fixture appeared to be, he doubted it was equipped with anything that sophisticated.<br />He checked the lock anyway. Since it was sonic operated, he could’ve altered his comlink signal to override it, but of course, that was gone too.<br /><i> Nothing to do but wait. </i><br /> Hungry, thirsty, and in dire need of a trip to the restroom, he could’ve called out to his captors that he needed to relieve himself, which would’ve been a good idea if he hadn’t been gagged as well as bound. Once he started talking, they would know he was loose.<br /> He settled down beside the door, noting that it was at least hinged. A door that opened inward was a mark in his favor. A sliding door or one that opened outward would severely diminish the element of surprise. Nor, he now realized, was he being held aboard a starship—unless the stardrive engines were currently shut down. Having lived on a ship for nearly his entire life, he was attuned to changes in the engine’s hum and the barely perceptible vibrations of space travel. These were, however, absent, suggesting that he probably hadn’t left Haedus Nine—might even still be in Srekatoa, the same crappy city in which he’d been captured.<br /> He should’ve known better than to let his temper get the better of him. Nothing good ever came from throwing a tantrum, no matter the age of the person involved. Anger made you do things you wouldn’t ordinarily do, like breaking things that were sometimes irreplaceable. Still, when the mood struck, ignoring it was just as unhealthy. <br /> He was about to give up and go pee in the corner when the lock finally disengaged. Moe leaped to his feet in a silent move only a cat could have duplicated. He waited until the robed figure had cleared the doorway before kicking the door shut and pouncing on his prey.<br /> That his adversary was female didn’t give him any advantage whatsoever, especially given that she had a pistol in her hand. Moe had learned several forms of martial arts during his formative years. But so, apparently, had his captor. Every move he made was met with the appropriate countermove—almost as though they’d had the same teacher.<br /> The fight went on far longer than it should have, and Moe was forced to admit that she was an even match for him in technique, if not in speed. He knew he was holding back, although he wasn’t sure why. He should’ve simply beaten the crap out of this woman, recovered his belongings, and high-tailed it back to his ship before leaving Haedus Nine forever. What was stopping him?<br /> With no clear answer for that, he dropped to the floor. A quick spin on his belly brought his feet up against her legs, knocking them out from under her. The moment she fell, Moe pounced.<br />Her breath went out with a whoosh as he landed on top of her. Pinning her hands to the floor above her head, he wrestled the pistol from her grip. Despite knowing he should take advantage of this momentary lead and start running and not stop until he reached the spaceport, curiosity, which had been known to kill cats in the past, got the better of him.<br /> Straddling her hips, he sat up and jerked the hood from her head. For a long moment, all he could do was stare as his gaze darted from her pointed ears to her catlike eyes, long curly hair, and sharp fangs and back again until her snarl of frustration brought him back to his senses.<br /> “Mother of the gods,” he said with a hoarse whisper. “You really are Zetithian.”<br /> Moreover, she looked oddly familiar.<br /> “Half Zetithian,” she said with a contemptuous snort. “My mother was Davordian.”<br /> That explained the eyes, but not much else. “That orange streak in your hair… It reminds me of someone I know. His hair is exactly the same as yours—black with an orange streak near the temple. It’s even on the same side as his.”<br /> Her eyes narrowed with disdain. “You don’t say.”<br /> He nodded. “Yeah. I do say. His name is Trag Vladatonsk, and I’ve known him all my life.” Moe had never been quite sure how to refer to the men who’d once been his father’s comrades in arms before their unit had been captured and sold into slavery. Despite the lack of blood ties, Trag and the others were like uncles to him.<br /> “I’ve heard the name before,” she said. “Which isn’t too surprising. He is, after all, the one who sired me.”</p>Cheryl Brookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11464377381132807409noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5421546620486579446.post-77068922061152601232020-02-04T07:13:00.002-05:002020-02-04T07:13:36.038-05:00Out of Bounds Release Day!<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<b><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The day is finally here...my mother's 90th birthday, and the release day for Out of Bounds! I wasn't sure I had another book in me, but here it is. I hope you have as much fun reading it as I had writing it. Enjoy!</span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbiIkdDnGf8peXS-NzbNPPf1rvNF7GxrfkZpF9Jub3C93QJPACvCTB8Kl27-fRyUFXGrhdWaeqDQF7DlPWHM6nVz1DFEvXJzsBy-mssV5YQcBS5LaqYUrepOvnT2nynpwjD32V_aZqrj4/s1600/OOB200.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="319" data-original-width="201" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbiIkdDnGf8peXS-NzbNPPf1rvNF7GxrfkZpF9Jub3C93QJPACvCTB8Kl27-fRyUFXGrhdWaeqDQF7DlPWHM6nVz1DFEvXJzsBy-mssV5YQcBS5LaqYUrepOvnT2nynpwjD32V_aZqrj4/s400/OOB200.jpg" width="250" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: auto; mso-pagination: widow-orphan;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">He fell for another man.</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: auto; mso-pagination: widow-orphan;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Then he met the perfect woman…</i></div>
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<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="ref_ch1"></a><span style="mso-bookmark: ref_ch1;"><span style="font-size: 22.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Chapter 1</span></span><span style="mso-bookmark: ref_ch1;"></span><span style="mso-bookmark: ref_ch1;"><span style="font-size: 22.0pt; line-height: 150%;"></span></span></div>
<span style="mso-bookmark: ref_ch1;"></span>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: center;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Kickoff</i></div>
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<br /></div>
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I stole another peek at him, praying
to God I could keep my ass in the chair instead of grabbing him and kissing him
senseless. </div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Yep.</i> He was still there and still as
irresistible as ever. Those big, brown puppy-dog eyes and dark, tousled hair drove
me absolutely wild—every single day. I was dying to tangle my fingers in that
hair when I kissed him, gliding my tongue between his soft, sensuous lips. Lying
with my head on his stomach while I devoured him would be sheer heaven. I
wanted his cock hard and slick in my mouth. Wanted to feel his body tighten
right before he came in my face. Then I wanted to get lost inside him and never
find my way out. </div>
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I would be
careful—never hurt him or be too rough. I would take time to explore his body,
making love with him gently at first, and then harder and harder until he was
groaning and screaming in ecstasy. I wanted him to be mine—all mine—forever. I
wanted him <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">bad</i>.</div>
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Of course, if he’d
had any idea what I was thinking he’d probably punch my lights out—and who
could blame him? The best I could tell, he wasn’t into guys. He liked girls,
and it was my tough luck that I happened to be a guy. I usually liked girls
myself, but this guy, this delightful David, made me wish we were both gay. But
we weren’t, and knowing we could never be more than friends was just about to
kill me. </div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">David.</i> It wasn’t even a name I
particularly cared for, being a bit overused. I wouldn’t name my son that, for
example, preferring something a bit less traditional, although for some reason it
suited him perfectly. His last name was Adams, which was also fairly common,
but what’s in a name? David, by any other name, would have been every bit as
sweet, every bit as enticing, and every bit as irresistible.</div>
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He was beautiful.
Hell, he even smelled nice. Not like some guys I’d hung out with over the
years. Made me wonder how they ever got laid. Women don’t like shit like that. They
like their men fresh and clean, not stinky and scuzzy. At least, that was my
take on the subject.</div>
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Women liked me
okay. I’d dated quite a few in my time—maybe not as many as I had during my
playing days when the media referred to me as Kyle “Golden Arm” Sorenson—but
several. Sometimes a woman would hang around for a while, although most of them
didn’t. Of course, I’d never loved any of them, which was probably why they
never stayed very long. I’d been alone for a couple of years now, and lately I
hadn’t even been looking—mainly because of the distraction sitting at the desk
beside me. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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I tried to figure
out exactly what it was about him that was so fascinating, but I had no idea,
really. He was beautiful in the male sense of the word—not feminine at all—so
that wasn’t it. I only knew that every time I’d try to tear my eyes away from
him, almost before I realized it, they’d go creeping back in his direction. He
was so cute, so hot, so <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">adorable</i>. </div>
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I’d never
considered men to be adorable—or cute. Babies were adorable. Baby rabbits and
puppies were cute, but not you-make-me-want-to-fuck-you cute. </div>
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The worst part was
the office we shared was so damned small, I couldn’t help bumping into him once
in a while. Well, okay, so maybe I was starting to look for ways to do it on
purpose, because I sure as hell couldn’t tell him how much I craved his touch. I
wanted him naked in my lap while I fondled his cock or leaning back against my
chest with my arms around him, his dick in one hand and his balls in the
other—in <i>my</i> hands, I mean. He could put his own anywhere he wanted. </div>
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Hearing David
saying to me, “Man, you are so hot. I’d love to get my hands on you sometime,”
would be a dream come true. </div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Dream on, Kyle. Not gonna happen. No way, no
how.</i> </div>
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Even that pearl of
wisdom didn’t stop me from fantasizing. The trouble was with my penis in fucking
mode all the time, I was having difficulty concentrating on anything else. After
all, David and I <span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">did</span> have work
to do, but I couldn’t help wishing maybe someday we could take a break and go
suck each other off in the men’s room. Or maybe the women’s room. That would
freak them out, wouldn’t it? Then again, some of them might stay to watch
us—might even help out a bit. Maybe that hot, leggy blonde who worked down the
hall. We could both go down on him together. She could suck his balls while I
sucked his cock. </div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">No.</i> That was no good, because I really
didn’t want to share him with anyone. I wanted his hot little ass all to
myself.</div>
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My attraction to
him wasn’t only about sex. I really, truly liked him. He was kind, he was
funny, and the way he cut through the bullshit was refreshing. He was lovable,
warm, and—charming? Is that the right word? I think so—either that or engaging.
I had no idea what other people thought of him, but I couldn’t understand why
the whole damn world wasn’t as crazy about him as I was. </div>
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I toyed with the
idea of putting in for a transfer so I wouldn’t have him in my face every day,
having to look at him, smell him, hear his voice, listen to the rhythm of his
breathing—even the tap of his fingers on the keyboard. Blocking him out was impossible.
Besides, I didn’t want him to think I was ignoring him or didn’t like him. The
fear of hurting his feelings had kept me quiet so far, and I certainly wasn’t
going to mess it up by blabbing about it now. I tried to be a good friend,
because I wanted him to think of me kindly, even if I couldn’t hope for more. I
spent a good, solid hour at the gym every night trying to work him out of my
mind—and I’d still go home to my empty house and jack off thinking about him. </div>
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I tried checking
out the other men at the gym—believe<i> </i>me<i>,</i> I tried—but they didn’t
do a damned thing for me. They never had, and God knows I’d seen plenty of
naked jocks in locker rooms through the years. I mean, I normally liked women
as much as the next guy, and I still did, so why David? What the hell was wrong
with me? Was I gay, straight, bisexual, or confused?</div>
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The Friday before
Labor Day was long and frustrating. My damned computer kept spitting things
back at me, locking up, or shutting down altogether. I’d missed lunch, was
starving to death, and the back of my neck felt like it was on fire. I had my
fingers on the keyboard and had dropped my head down to stretch my neck in a
desperate attempt to get some relief, when I felt his hands on me. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .3in;">
“Hurts right here,
doesn’t it?” he asked as his fingers ran intuitively over the center of my
pain. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .3in;">
“Yeah,” I replied,
which was about all I could say, because his touch was sending a wave of
thrills throughout every fiber of my being. My brain turned to pulp and I
couldn’t think of another thing to say. Nothing remarkable or witty, which
wasn’t too surprising since I’d never been known for my clever tongue. My
post-game interviews were notorious for being composed of one cliché after
another.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .3in;">
He didn’t ask if I
wanted it, didn’t ask my permission, but began a slow, deep massage of my neck
and back, and before long, I was practically in tears with relief, along with a
healthy dose of sexual arousal. And then David, my charming, adorable David,
had the audacity to say, “You need to loosen up, Kyle. You’re way too tense.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .3in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Understatement of the year.</i> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .3in;">
“No shit. I work
out all the time and it doesn’t do any good. What do you suggest? Herbal tea? Meditation?”
I knew what <i>I</i> would have liked to suggest, although going down on him at
that point was totally out of the question.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .3in;">
“Might help,” he
conceded. “But I was thinking more along the lines of going home and having a
beer or something.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .3in;">
“Yeah, well, that
couldn’t hurt either. I—what time is it?”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .3in;">
“Quarter ’til
five.” His gurgle of laughter brought a warm flush to my face. “We’re almost
out of here for the long weekend, buddy. Got any plans?”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .3in;">
“Nope.” This was
nothing new. I never seemed to have “plans” anymore. “Just gonna go home and
crash, I guess. Although I have plenty of work to do there.” I <i>always</i>
had work to do at home. Sometimes I wondered if it wasn’t the only thing keeping
me sane. There’s a lot to be said for hammering and drilling and sawing and
painting and—</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .3in;">
“Want some
company?”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .3in;">
“Sure,” I replied
before I had the chance to register what he’d meant. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .3in;">
“Got beer?”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .3in;">
“Some.” I shrugged.
“Might not be what you’d like, though.” David still had his hands on my neck,
and I was almost to the wet rag stage—except for my dick, which was as hard as
ever and oozing all over my shorts. I shifted uncomfortably in my chair.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .3in;">
“I’m not
particular,” he said. “Any beer will do.” </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .3in;">
“We can always get
more,” I said, although I knew that getting drunk with David around was a bad
idea—a <i>very</i> bad idea. I might end up doing something really stupid, and
the devastation I would feel when I saw the horrified look on his face if I’d
ever come on to him wouldn’t be worth it. Then again, since it took several
beers to get me even the slightest bit tipsy, I could probably risk drinking
one or two. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .3in;">
“Think it’ll take
that much?” he asked.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .3in;">
“What do you
mean?”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .3in;">
David shrugged. “To
loosen you up.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .3in;">
“Shit, I don’t
know,” I mumbled. “Actually, you’re doing a pretty good job there, David. I don’t
think I’ll need any beer if you’ll do more of that when we get to my place.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .3in;">
“Sure, Kyle,” he
replied. “Anything you like.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .3in;">
I choked back a
sob. He couldn’t possibly have known what I wanted—his nonchalant response
proved that much—and I’d certainly be the last one to ever tell him. Women
usually seem pleased if you act like you’re interested, but this was <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">so</i> different. Guys don’t ever want
anyone thinking they’re gay, and they don’t want to attract the interest of
anyone who is. I didn’t consider myself to be gay—at least, not in the
strictest sense of the word. Like I said before, I didn’t prefer men in
general; I only had the hots for David.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .3in;">
“Actually, one
beer is plenty for me,” David said. “More than that and I get—well, I’ll tell
you about that some other time.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .3in;">
I couldn’t imagine
anything worse than what I was thinking of doing to him, although everyone has their
limits. I began to rethink the idea of letting him come over. I should have
come up with some excuse, should have lied… </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .3in;">
“Aren’t you going to
ask me to explain that?” He gave my shoulders a squeeze. “Aren’t you the least
bit curious?”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .3in;">
I dropped my head
again. Of course I was curious. I wanted to know everything about him, right
down to how often he trimmed his fingernails. I wanted to know every detail—from
the momentous to the mundane—especially the things no one else would ever know.
His deepest secrets, his hopes and dreams, his failings and his strengths. I
wanted to know all of those things, but in all honesty, I hardly knew anything
about him—including how to reply to what he’d just asked me without saying the
wrong thing.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .3in;">
“I figure you’ll
tell me when you want to,” I said with what I hoped was an indifferent shrug. “I
can’t force you to talk.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .3in;">
“True.” His
fingers trailed over my back, up my neck, and then into my hair, almost as
though he’d forgotten what he was doing. “So, what do you say? We spend the
weekend crashing at your place?”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .3in;">
The entire Labor
Day weekend? How could I possibly get through three days with David in my
house?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .3in;">
The answer was
quite simple, because if I drank even one beer, he’d probably be gone within
moments, owing to the fact that I didn’t think I’d be able to keep my hands off
him. Simply being alone with him in my house would probably be enough; I
wouldn’t have to take that first sip to be all over him. David had his hands on
me already and all I could think of was how much I wanted to turn around, wrap
one arm around his hips and unzip his fly with the other hand. Then I’d play
with his dick, licking and sucking it until he shot his load. The mere thought
sent an involuntary shudder of desire through me. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .3in;">
His hands froze on
my back. “Don’t like that idea?” </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .3in;">
“N–no, yes,” I
stammered. “That’s not what I meant. I think it sounds great. I haven’t done
that sort of thing since college.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .3in;">
“Me, either.” The
wistful note in his voice was impossible to miss. “I used to love hanging
around the dorm with the guys on weekends, doing whatever we felt like. I miss
that.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .3in;">
I’d have been
willing to bet he’d never done any of the things that I was thinking about
doing with him while he lived in the dorm. No, the guys he’d hung out with had
probably gone out chasing girls all weekend. That’s what I’d done—when I wasn’t
studying, or working out, or going to football practice, that is. We all wanted
to get laid back then, but we liked being together too. Goofing off and doing
stupid stuff. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .3in;">
“Yeah,” I agreed. “Those
were the days.” Viewed from the perspective of the ripe old age of thirty-six,
my college days were on the verge of becoming a distant memory. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .3in;">
“So, can I take
that as a yes?”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .3in;">
“Sure,” I replied.
“Like I said, it sounds great.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .3in;">
“Okay, then,” he
said with the most exuberance yet. “I’ll run by my place, pick up a few things,
and be right over.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .3in;">
I wrote down my
address and told him how to find it. Then I went home and spent the next hour
or so trying to convince myself that I wasn’t about to make the biggest mistake
of my life.</div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: center;">
***</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
When I opened the door for him, I
couldn’t help staring. He had on an ancient sweatshirt with <span style="font-variant: small-caps;">Whatsamata U</span> and a picture of Bullwinkle
the Moose on the front of it. Somewhere along the line he’d cut out the neck
and the waistband and chopped the sleeves off just below the elbow. My eyes
swept downward, taking in the chinos and flip-flops that completed his
ensemble. Carrying some spare clothes stuffed into a grocery bag, a sack full
of snacks, and a six-pack of Michelob Lager, he was simply irresistible. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .3in;">
He flashed a warm,
ingenuous smile at me, let out an enthusiastic, “Hey, Kyle!” and I fell in love
with him all over again. Fighting an overwhelming urge to take him in my arms
and kiss him until he melted, I stood back from the door while he breezed on
past me, chatting the whole way. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .3in;">
He walked straight
into my kitchen as though he’d known exactly where it was. “I didn’t know what
you’d like, so I got whatever looked good to me. We can always go shopping for
more. Oh, yeah, and this beer is cold.” He plunked it down on the counter. “No
time like the present.” </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .3in;">
I watched,
spellbound, as David pulled out a bottle, twisted off the cap and chugged it
down faster than many a college frat boy. Of course, that was essentially what
he was—or had been—and not so long ago either, since I guessed him at somewhere
in his late twenties. The smile I received after that was even bigger than the
first one. Honest to Pete, it was all I could do to keep breathing.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .3in;">
“Haven’t done that
for a while.” He chuckled. “And you can’t make me leave now, ’cause I’d be too
drunk to drive.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .3in;">
Clearing my
throat, I asked in a voice that sounded a lot like it had when I was going
through puberty, “Why would I make you leave?” Now that he was there, I toyed
with the idea of locking the door and swallowing the damned key so he couldn’t
get away. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .3in;">
He gave me a mischievous
smile. “Well, I did warn you about what I’d do after one beer.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .3in;">
“No, you didn’t,”
I said. “You told me you’d tell me later.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .3in;">
“Oh, yes, I guess
I did.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .3in;">
After a long,
silent moment, I finally asked, “Well, are you?” </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .3in;">
“What?”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .3in;">
“Going to tell
me?”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .3in;">
“In a minute,” he
replied. “It hasn’t had time to hit me yet.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .3in;">
I let out a long
groan. “Oh, please don’t tell me you’re a mean drunk. I can’t stand that shit.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .3in;">
He pitched the
bottle into the trash can. “Me, either. Nasty drunks are the pits. And, no, I
don’t get mean.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .3in;">
I stood there
staring at him, waiting for him to go on, or get drunk enough to tell me, or
something. When he didn’t, I shrugged and picked up the shopping bag and opened
it. Chips, hot dogs and buns, summer sausage, pretzels and—my personal
favorite—Cheez-Its. The BIG ones, and a can of sharp cheddar Easy Cheese to go
with them. I came within a heartbeat of asking him to marry me right then and
there. He’d even gotten the right kind of beer. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .3in;">
“Everything okay?”
He peered into the bag. “Like I said, I wasn’t sure what you might like.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .3in;">
He was so close,
the scent of him filled my head, sending it spinning off to God knew where. Somehow,
I managed to speak. “No, you did great. All the right stuff.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .3in;">
His shoulders
dropped in apparent relief as he pulled another beer from the carton, twisted off
the cap, and handed it to me. “You need to get started. I don’t like to drink
alone.” He cleared his throat and continued in a much deeper tone, “Never drink
alone, Kyle. Someone always finds out and it ruins your reputation.”<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> </i>Obviously noting my blank expression,
he said, “Rhett Butler in <i>Gone With the Wind—</i><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">with a few modifications<i>. </i></span>Haven’t you ever seen that
movie?”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .3in;">
“No,” I replied. “I
guess I should, though.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .3in;">
“It has everything
in it you need to know—or quote. The only movie that’s got more quotable lines
is <i>The Godfather</i>, except I don’t like that one. Too violent. Of course,
my personal favorite for quotes is <i>The Frisco Kid.</i> Not as universally
recognized, but loads of fun.” His voice changed again, switching to something
sort of Yiddish. “So, wha’do ya say we go out an’ have a little fun?”<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> </i>In his normal voice, he added, “Not a
direct quote, of course, but close.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .3in;">
I was still
staring at him, completely and utterly fascinated as he moved briskly about my
kitchen, making himself right at home as he stowed all the things he’d brought
either in the fridge or the cabinets. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .3in;">
“Hey, aren’t you
going to drink that?” He gestured toward my bottle of Michelob. “Come on now,
Kyle. Drink it all down. You’ve got some catching up to do. We’re gonna have
fun, remember?”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .3in;">
I felt like I’d
been dropped into an episode of <i>The Twilight Zone</i>. Even though I’d
worked side by side with him for a good while now, this was an aspect of his
personality I’d never known existed, and I liked it—a lot. If he’d been
actively trying to make me fall for him, he couldn’t have adopted a better
strategy. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .3in;">
Then a terrifying
thought struck me. He wouldn’t get nasty the more he drank; he would simply become
more and more adorable. Would I be able to stand it? I was about to blurt out
something—I have no idea what—when he started giggling. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .3in;">
“Oh, here it comes,”
he announced. “The hot flash.” </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .3in;">
And with that, as
I stood there watching him with my eyes practically popping out of their
sockets, he pulled off his sweatshirt, laid it across the back of a kitchen
chair, kicked off his flip-flops, and had his pants around his feet in less
time than it takes to tell it. For a moment, I was convinced that my daydreams had
taken on a life of their own. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .3in;">
“Hope you don’t
mind,” he said, “but after one beer, I get hot and have to take off all my
clothes.” I couldn’t imagine what else he might need to add to that, but,
unbelievably, he went on. “After two beers, I’ll be sucking your cock, and
after three”—he stopped there and gave me a huge grin—“I’ll be down on my hands
and knees begging you to fuck me in the ass.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .3in;">
I blinked and
glanced down at the bottle in my hand. I couldn’t possibly have taken more than
a couple of swallows so there was no way I was intoxicated enough to hallucinate.
I had to be insane. I stole another peek at him, and David, my adorable David,
was standing before me with the most stunning hard-on this world has ever seen,
and he’d just said… “What?”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .3in;">
He tossed me
another grin before repeating his words slowly and distinctly, “One beer:
naked. Two beers: sucking your cock. Three beers: begging you to fuck my ass.” He
paused a second or two before adding with a sweeping gesture that encompassed
his entire, gorgeous self, “You get all this, and HIV negative. Guaranteed.”</div>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Lucida Sans Unicode"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Without hesitation, I held out my beer. “Drink up.”</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Lucida Sans Unicode"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">For buy links and other info, visit my website. <a href="http://www.cherylbrooksonline.com/id25.html">http://www.cherylbrooksonline.com/id25.html</a></span>Cheryl Brookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11464377381132807409noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5421546620486579446.post-34760023400263950982020-01-26T16:09:00.001-05:002020-01-26T16:09:08.271-05:00It's nearly February...Holy cow... I finally discovered how to get Blogger to let me comment on my own blog. Had to Google it to find out how. So if you're having the same problem, this is how to fix it. See that little shield up there next to the padlock on the https thing? You have to click on it and then grant permissions for a site so you can comment. I've had to undo it and redo it more than once. Maybe it's a Firefox thing, or maybe it's my Bitdefender security, but it's kind of annoying. This is probably old news to a lot of people, but I wasn't blogging much when this update happened, which is partly why I never really started posting again.<br />
<br />
I just sent out a newsletter announcing the pre-orders for <i>Out of Bounds</i>. Got a few clicks, one pre-order and several unsubscribes. Those unsubscribes are the main reason I don't send newsletters very often. I know most of the unsubscribes come from people who signed up in order to qualify during a giveaway and really don't have any interest in what's happening with me or any books I might have written, but it's still depressing to think that the only response my newsletters get is to say that they're unwanted. The last newsletter I sent was for Maverick's release, which was in September of 2018--I didn't bother to send out a newsletter for Mystic's release--so no one can say I've been spamming them. Although the test emails I sent to myself wound up in my spam folder, which possibly means I've been spamming myself. <br />
<br />
Maybe this writer thing is getting too be too much for an old woman. I'm 64 now, the thought of which makes the Beatles' "When I'm 64" start playing in my head. I don't mind that so much, because I've always liked that song, but it makes me think about the differences between what I enjoy now and what I've enjoyed in the past. Right now, I just want to make things, and it doesn't seem to matter whether they're things to eat, read, or use. I've been making soap for a while, but lately I've been making various skincare concoctions, most of which I wouldn't need if I wasn't 64. My skin has lost much of its elasticity, and I have a sneaking suspicion that I'm losing hair faster than I can regrow it. As a result, I've been spending more time scrolling through Pinterest looking for recipes and diy stuff than I do writing romance novels.<br />
<br />
All of this adds up to a case of the wintertime blues, which is why I believe Valentine's Day was deemed necessary. By the time March rolls around, you know spring is getting close, but in February, the only sign of spring will be that my one remaining horse, Jadzia, (Kes died in December *sniff*) will start shedding. In fact, here in the final days of January, she's already started, just as I have started making Valentine's soap.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpP1-C1ifunAYv_2fCAaX2GJ5nIjIguwYyI6YnGkJUhmG5VZ34eLbvdjTPY3x5vs575JnusTtSMJ0eiO-Ncu_wxoKeInFeHpkOMbo28V7FeGrV6DQoSXXUlnWcFJf9I3UoLpVms2dxW5w/s1600/Heart+Soap.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="960" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpP1-C1ifunAYv_2fCAaX2GJ5nIjIguwYyI6YnGkJUhmG5VZ34eLbvdjTPY3x5vs575JnusTtSMJ0eiO-Ncu_wxoKeInFeHpkOMbo28V7FeGrV6DQoSXXUlnWcFJf9I3UoLpVms2dxW5w/s320/Heart+Soap.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
I guess there's hope for us yet. <br />
<br />Cheryl Brookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11464377381132807409noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5421546620486579446.post-64449507389934270542020-01-22T15:09:00.003-05:002020-01-22T19:13:55.396-05:00Where have I been????Oh, my...<br />
It's been a long, damn time since I posted a blog here. So long, in fact, that I doubt if anyone will even see this. <br />
<br />
2019 wasn't the best year of my life. Last Christmas, I started having stomach trouble and was diagnosed with gastritis. I had an EGD for that, and then a CT scan and all sorts of other tests after blood showed up in my urine, for which no cause was ever found. To treat the gastritis, I was told not to eat spicy food, chocolate, caffeine, or acidic foods, which, as you know, are many of the things that make life worth living. I was also instructed to take sucralafate 1 hour before meals, which is kinda tricky, especially on those days when I had no idea exactly when my next meal would be. I got a little better, but the problem never really went away. Most days I felt tired and nauseated, and the very last thing I felt like doing was sitting down at my computer to write. I read a lot, but tended to fall asleep in my recliner on most afternoons.<br />
<br />
At the RWA conference in NYC this past July, I received some motivation
and encouragement from my writer pals to work on an old manuscript since I
couldn't seem to finish a new one. I pulled out the file for <i>Out of
Bounds,</i> an MMF romance I'd written several years ago. At the time, it
was a departure for me to write a menage, but it was also written in
first person from the point of view of an ex pro quarterback. I had a
lot of fun writing it, but because Sourcebooks wasn't quite ready to
publish an MMF romance, it's been languishing in my files ever since. When
I started working on it, I discovered that even if I couldn't write anything
new, I could at least edit what I'd already written. I gave it a good
polish and sent it through a round of edits from my team of excellent critique
partners.<br />
<br />
Then, on a follow up visit a couple of months ago, my doctor decided that since I was still having periodic episodes of stomach trouble, I likely had gastroparesis from being diabetic for roughly ten years, rather than gastritis. Basically, the vagus nerve, which does a lot of other important stuff, is responsible for telling the stomach when to empty, and with gastroparesis, it occasionally forgets to do its job, and anything I've eaten just sits there, causing an assortment of symptoms. He told me to wean off the sucralafate and eat small frequent meals. It's taken a while, but the stomach thing finally settled down to the point that I didn't feel queasy anymore, although I was still tired all the time and more than a little depressed.<br />
<br />
After a bit of research, I discovered that the metformin I've been
taking for years to control my diabetes was probably the cause of my
mental fog. Without a small dose of caffeine in the morning, I didn't
feel like doing anything, and even though metformin is reputed to increase life expectancy, the thought of living another twenty years in a fog wasn't terribly appealing. Then about a week ago, I decided my stomach could probably handle a fourth of a caffeine pill, and, surprise, surprise, my brain started working again. I finished the formatting and uploading and tweaking of <i>Out of Bounds</i> today, and hit the publish button on all the usual sites.<br />
<br />
<i>Out of Bounds</i> will be released on February 4, 2020, which would have been my mother's 90th birthday had she not died from lung cancer at the age of 47. I doubt that the subject matter would've been a favorite with her, but it seemed fitting, somehow. It's already available for <a href="https://amzn.to/2sKCpvA"><b>preorder</b> </a>from Amazon. B&N says it's ready, but as I write this, the <b><a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w?ean=2940162884989">link</a></b> they sent me doesn't work. Maybe by tomorrow. <br />
<br />
Anyway, here's a little bit about the book...<br />
<br />
"Captivating!
Prepare to read in one sitting." --TC Winters<br />
<br />
He fell for
another man.<br />
Then he met
the perfect woman...<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
After a
career-ending injury, ex-quarterback Kyle Sorenson finds himself crammed into a
tiny office with the adorable David Adams. Falling for another man is a first
for Kyle, and he is determined to hide his feelings until David makes a play
for him.<br />
<br />
With David
as his partner, Kyle is happier than he's ever been-until Linda Nelson comes on
the scene. Once again, Kyle resolves to deny the attraction, but David insists
that the three of them can have it all.<br />
<br />
Happiness is
almost within reach when unforeseen events threaten to destroy everything. Now
the men must prove to Linda that taking on two husbands won't be the biggest
mistake of her life.</div>
<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv-TDYpzLdh_fmeqYFAMOiW20UBCezn64XbR2NVAsf5TwQeZf4s28RozfO4VNQ9PFrmEFa-CFqjIa4AcPjYCcJ1FnO6sg1t9ej826TknL9wiFOE4c_jcLPnj_Uov4SCke4ojv371gydIA/s1600/OOB_300.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="479" data-original-width="300" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv-TDYpzLdh_fmeqYFAMOiW20UBCezn64XbR2NVAsf5TwQeZf4s28RozfO4VNQ9PFrmEFa-CFqjIa4AcPjYCcJ1FnO6sg1t9ej826TknL9wiFOE4c_jcLPnj_Uov4SCke4ojv371gydIA/s640/OOB_300.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />Cheryl Brookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11464377381132807409noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5421546620486579446.post-23442217042369991832019-01-29T00:00:00.000-05:002019-01-29T00:00:01.852-05:00Mystic Launch!<br />
<b><i>Mystic</i> </b>may
be the second book in the Cat Star Legacy series (the twelfth in the
Cat Star Chronicles world), but it marks the first to have a guy on the
cover who actually looks like an alien! Granted, he doesn't have the
long spiral curls of the typical Zetithian, but check out the cat-like
eyes and pointed ears! <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTsC7qNb2aE2aUi77B73BVOzbomUjAGmBPHg2HFcFRLB97I-_Uz5UryL2xT-dvYmnfYb_-PlDywRsWK-vFa4KyVzWwjQpK9yhq-ueZiaHzYQYmioRldaAlV1mveAKQzQGyd4LzPV7m23_d/s1600/Mystic_300.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="492" data-original-width="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTsC7qNb2aE2aUi77B73BVOzbomUjAGmBPHg2HFcFRLB97I-_Uz5UryL2xT-dvYmnfYb_-PlDywRsWK-vFa4KyVzWwjQpK9yhq-ueZiaHzYQYmioRldaAlV1mveAKQzQGyd4LzPV7m23_d/s1600/Mystic_300.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
Not only that, it's also the first of my books to get a reasonably good review from Publishers Weekly. (Read the full review <a href="https://www.publishersweekly.com/9781492661634" target="_blank">here</a>).<br />
<br />
I've
been having some health issues lately, so perhaps I haven't been as
enthusiastic about this release as I have been with other books, but the
release of a new book is still a big deal, and spotting your book in
Barnes & Noble or Walmart is pretty damn cool. I recall getting a
bit weak in the knees when I first found <i><b>Slave</b></i> (Cat Star Chronicles #1) in my local B&N. That doesn't happen anymore, and although <i><b>Mystic</b></i>
could end up being my last published book (I'm working on a third in
the series, but it's nowhere near ready to send to an editor), I believe
it's one of my best. <br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-size: large;">A</span></span>nthropologist Sulaksha Enduran
is still reeling from the death of her lover, who died as they studied the
primitive inhabitants of a newly discovered planet. Sula is determined to find
answers on her own—until an impossibly sexy Zetithian saves her life and joins
her quest.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-size: large;">D</span></span>espite the prescient abilities
and power over the wind that enable Zetithian mystic Aidan Banadänsk to rescue the
human woman from certain death, he couldn’t predict Sula’s unique effect on him.
It shrouds her future in mystery…and fills him with unparalleled desire. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-size: large;">B</span></span>ut Sula’s investigation has put
her in the crosshairs of a deadly conspiracy. With an entire planet’s population
at stake, Sula and Aidan must risk it all to save the planet, the galaxy…and
each other…</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-size: large;">Chapter 1</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="pf">
In a vision, Aidan had watched her fall, disappearing through a
fissure in the rock as the ground gave way beneath her, her screams
reverberating through his mind like the tumbling roar of an avalanche.</div>
<div class="p">
Although most people would’ve dismissed it as a dream, he knew the
terrifying vision for what it was: a portent of a future event, which was not
uncommon among his kind. Therefore, she hadn’t fallen—yet. The trouble was he
didn’t know whether he was supposed to prevent the accident or rescue her after
she fell.</div>
<div class="p">
He’d spent the last week flying over the cliffs, his keen eyes
searching the jumbled boulders for any sign that she’d ever been there. Thus
far, he’d found nothing. No trace of any life aside from the cliff-dwelling
condors and the assorted rodents that were widespread in the remote mountains
of Rhylos.</div>
<div class="p">
But the vision… He’d seen it four times now. This was the right
place. He was certain of it. More certain, perhaps, than he’d ever been of
anything.</div>
<div class="p">
He skimmed over the plateau before swooping down over the edge of
the cliffs—jagged rock fit only as a nesting place for the huge condors, which
had been named for an extinct Terran species. Some said they looked similar,
and, having seen pictures, he agreed. However, these birds were even larger than
the original condors had been, and they defended their nests with a ferocity
few avian species could match.</div>
<div class="p">
His vision had been maddeningly vague. He should’ve at least known
why she was there. Was she studying the condors? Or was she simply trying to find
their nests in order to steal the eggs? He couldn’t think of any other reasons
why anyone would venture so far from civilization to this, one of the few
uninhabited regions of the planet. Neither of those reasons seemed important
enough to warrant a vision. Visions came when they wished; he had no control
over their timing or their topics. The only thing he could control was the
wind, enabling him to don a pair of wings and create updrafts strong enough to
carry him aloft.</div>
<div class="p">
Only Valkyrie, the Avian clone, knew of his flights. Val would’ve
hidden his own talent if he’d been able to remove his wings, but his were as
much a part of him as his other limbs. No genetic manipulations could undo what
had already been done to him.</div>
<div class="p">
As Aidan flew back up the cliff face, a flash of light on the
plateau caught his eye—the effect of sunlight on metal. Something was moving
down there. Something he’d only seen because of his vantage point high in the
sky.</div>
<div class="p">
<span class="i"><span style="border: none; color: windowtext;"><span style="border: none;"> <i>And there she is…</i></span></span></span></div>
<div class="p">
How he’d missed her before he couldn’t imagine, especially on the
open mountainside, unless it wasn’t quite as open as it appeared. As she
climbed up the edge of the plateau as though ascending a staircase, the air
crackled around him like a thousand tiny lightning bolts. The moment had come.</div>
<div class="p">
He flew lower, hovering effortlessly, letting the wind do the work
while he studied her approach. A backpack and other accoutrements were strapped
to her upper body. Everything she wore—from her wide-brimmed hat, leather
jacket, and khaki trousers, down to a pair of dusty boots suitable for
climbing—was the same color as the rocks, causing her to blend in with her
surroundings in a manner that seemed strangely covert.</div>
<div class="p">
A visual sweep of the plain revealed no speeder or other conveyance
nearby. Had she hiked into the wilderness?</div>
<div class="p">
When she looked up, his eyes met hers—huge, expressive, and
brown—with an impact that nearly caused him to fall out of the sky.</div>
<div class="p">
In the split second before he shouted a warning, she slipped from
view, leaving nothing behind beyond a puff of dust that feathered away to
nothingness even as he plummeted toward her, his heart pounding like a drum. He
chastised himself as he flew; he’d assumed he was there to save her when, in
all probability, he’d actually been the cause of her misstep.</div>
<div class="p">
A condor’s harsh cry made him alter his route from the plateau where
she’d disappeared down to the opening in the cliff face and the cavern into
which she had undoubtedly fallen. He soared through the opening just as he’d
seen the condors do. Unfortunately, he’d only come prepared to rescue her,
carrying a knife, a length of rope, a sling made of leather straps and
carabiners, and a comlink. He hadn’t counted on having to get past an angry
condor with murderous talons and a razor-sharp beak.</div>
<div class="p">
<span class="i"><span style="border: none; color: windowtext;"><span style="border: none;"> <i>Correction. Make that two con<span style="border: none;">dors
and a nest full of eggs. </span></i></span></span></span>At least he assumed there
were eggs in the nest. He couldn’t see for sure, although given the female’s
protective stance, he deemed it a safe bet. “Son of a <i><span class="i"><span style="border: none; color: windowtext;"><span style="border: none;">bitch</span></span></span></i>.”</div>
<div class="p">
Fortunately, the female seemed disinclined to move from her position
on the nest. The male, however, was already advancing on the woman’s crumpled
body. Against the far wall of the cave below the crack in the plateau, she lay
unmoving amid the rubble that had fallen with her. A soft moan told him she
still lived.</div>
<div class="p">
No doubt the condor, which was easily twice her size, intended to
change that.</div>
<div class="p">
Focusing his attention on the huge bird, he created a gust of wind
with a sweep of his arm, sending the condor fluttering to the side of the cave
where his nest and mate were situated between two upright slabs of rock.</div>
<div class="p">
Undaunted and angrier than ever, the condor hissed and began
stalking toward him. Aidan really didn’t like the idea of killing or even
injuring the bird, but he might not have a choice. Taking advantage of the
bird’s position, which was now between him and the mouth of the cave, he
created another gust that sent the bird flapping out into the open air.</div>
<div class="p">
One glance was enough to inform him that this woman was quite small.
Val could’ve carried her easily. Never having flown with more than his own
weight, Aidan wasn’t sure he was up to the task. His own physical strength
wasn’t the only factor. The wings and their harness were sturdy but not
unbreakable. Not for the first time, he wished his wings were a part of him the
way Val’s were, although when it came to sitting and sleeping, wings large
enough to enable a man to fly tended to get in the way.</div>
<div class="p">
Upon reaching her side, he recoiled immediately when he spotted what
he took to be a snake but was actually a leather bullwhip.</div>
He almost laughed aloud. “Who do
you think you are? Indiana Jones?”
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="p">
Upon closer inspection, her outfit was exactly the same as that worn
by the fictional archaeologist. For trekking through the mountains, such garb
was quite practical, although the resemblance to “Indy” ended there. She was
small and undeniably female, with shiny black hair that had been braided back
from her face and pinned into a twisted knot at her nape. His gaze swept over
her exotically beautiful face, taking in the rich brown of her skin, the
fullness of her lips, and the lovely arch of her brows.</div>
<div class="p">
“No,” she murmured. “I am Sula.” Her eyelids fluttered, and she let
out a gasp. “Are you an angel, come to take me to Raj?”</div>
<div class="p">
Given his feathered wings and long, golden curls, her assumption was
reasonable enough, although not many people believed in angels anymore.</div>
<div class="p">
“Hadn’t planned on it,” he replied. “Who’s Raj?”</div>
<div align="center" class="p" style="text-align: center; text-indent: 0in;">
***</div>
<div class="p" style="text-indent: 0in;">
An angel wouldn’t have asked who Raj was. An
angel would’ve <i><span class="i"><span style="border: none; color: windowtext;"><span style="border: none;">known</span></span></span></i>.</div>
<div class="p">
Then again, he hadn’t said whether he was an angel. He’d only claimed
he wasn’t planning to take her to Raj.</div>
<div class="p">
Pain soon expunged any doubts from Sula’s mind. Had she been on her
way to the afterlife prior to being reincarnated into another form, she doubted
the body of her current life would’ve troubled her quite so much. Therefore, he
was no angel—certainly not like any angel she’d ever heard about.</div>
<div class="p">
Nor was he like any living being she’d ever seen. A man with pointed
ears, feline eyes, and enormous wings? Unless the wings weren’t real. They’d
certainly looked real when he’d been sailing through the sky above her. Plenty
of black and gray white-tipped feathers, arranged row upon row like those of a
bird. Or was she confusing him with the birds in the cave? In the short time
before she’d passed out, she’d seen drawings of them on the cave wall, being
hunted by primitive humanoids. She’d finally found the evidence she’d been
searching for.</div>
<div class="p">
The question was, could she ever find it again?</div>
<div class="p">
The warm sunshine beating down on her face was proof enough that she
was no longer in the cave. She wasn’t lying in a pile of stones, either. The
ground beneath her was relatively soft, and a gentle breeze carried the
fragrance of fresh, green grass to her nose—a smell quite unlike the dank odor
peculiar to caves, particularly those inhabited by birds.</div>
<div class="p">
Her leg still pained her, although she could tell that it was at
least lying straight. The initial shock of the break that had brought on her
fainting spell had passed. She was thirsty, almost to the point that her tongue
seemed cemented to the roof of her mouth. An attempt to moisten her lips
failed.</div>
<div class="p">
Within moments, a hand slipped behind her head, and a cup was held
to her lips. As the cool water soothed her parched mouth, she recalled doing
the same for Raj in the last hours of his life.</div>
<div class="p">
Dear, sweet Raj. So intelligent, such a promising student, and the
one man she would never forget. The love of her life—or rather, the <i><span class="i"><span style="border: none; color: windowtext;"><span style="border: none;">lost</span></span></span>
</i>love of her life—and she’d had to watch him die.</div>
<div class="p">
She’d been helpless to prevent his death or even ease his suffering.
The aftereffects of the disease were nearly as bad. Within hours, even his body
was gone; nothing remained of him aside from the clothes he’d been wearing and
a pile of dust that was soon scattered by the wind.</div>
<div class="p">
Surrounded by an eerie silence, she’d returned to their ship. Purely
out of habit, she’d gone through the decontamination process. The scanner
proclaimed her to be free of disease, although she hadn’t been sure she could
trust even that. She and Raj had gone through a similar process prior to their
departure, and yet Raj had been among the first to fall ill. They’d had minimal
contact with the natives, observing rather than interacting with them directly.
Granted, they’d barely begun their study before Raj began to feel sick, but on
the whole, the natives had seemed industrious and intelligent and appeared to
live together in relative harmony. Rather strange in appearance, perhaps, but
that was to be expected.</div>
<div class="p">
Not nearly as strange as her rescuer. Despite being somewhat afraid
to take another look, she opened her eyes a teensy bit.</div>
<div class="p">
The wings were gone.</div>
<div class="p">
<span class="i"><span style="border: none; color: windowtext;"><span style="border: none;"> <i> So they weren’t real after all.</i></span></span></span></div>
<div class="p">
The long golden curls remained, as did the peculiar eyes. Rather
than the usual dark, round pupils, his were vertical slits that emitted a soft,
golden glow. His ears came to a point like those of a storybook elf, and a pair
of straight brows slanted up toward his temples.</div>
<div class="p">
“Glad you’re awake,” he said. Then he smiled, revealing his sharp
fangs.</div>
<div class="p">
A scream had nearly left her throat when she remembered something
from her studies that caused her to gasp instead—a textbook description of a
nearly extinct species of feline humanoids.</div>
“You’re Zetithian.”
<b> </b><br />
<br />
<b>Buy Links: </b><a href="https://amzn.to/2DjVo2u">Amazon</a>| <a href="http://bit.ly/2CxmkKL">Barnes & Noble</a>| <a href="https://apple.co/2S0JTFG">iBooks</a>| <a href="http://bit.ly/2CzIZpA">Indiebound</a>
Cheryl Brookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11464377381132807409noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5421546620486579446.post-81848776390826325652019-01-01T17:39:00.001-05:002019-01-01T17:39:51.023-05:00Happy New Year!This year, instead of the more traditional holiday fare, I went with a family favorite that I discovered in a copy of Midwest Living many years ago. I hope you'll enjoy it as much as we do!<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Mrs. C’s Sausage and Spinach Pie<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij152VwkgqYMPeIYvP58r8Ktc9pV1H_WBDqKPTpVWOCupcF2Ltfulhg7vsVlEaaMC8GFJpOCWbQIz21UQUpa1R7vpi1tsvIdUNio1AbWrZzuCOz6ldjGsHEY0Jux7_K6Xdvqhapn30fuI/s1600/Sausage+and+Spinach+Pie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="506" data-original-width="660" height="306" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij152VwkgqYMPeIYvP58r8Ktc9pV1H_WBDqKPTpVWOCupcF2Ltfulhg7vsVlEaaMC8GFJpOCWbQIz21UQUpa1R7vpi1tsvIdUNio1AbWrZzuCOz6ldjGsHEY0Jux7_K6Xdvqhapn30fuI/s400/Sausage+and+Spinach+Pie.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Ingredients:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
1 lb bulk Italian sausage</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
6 eggs</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
20 oz chopped frozen spinach, thawed and drained well</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
2/3 cup ricotta or cottage cheese</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
½ tsp salt</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
1/8 tsp garlic powder</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
1/8 tsp pepper</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Pastry for a two-crust pie</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
1 tbsp water</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Directions:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="text-align: left; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->In skillet, brown sausage, drain off fat.</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: left; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Separate one of the eggs. Set yolk aside. In a
large mixing bowl, stir together the remaining eggs, the egg white, spinach,
mozzarella, ricotta, salt, garlic powder, and pepper. Stir in cooked sausage.</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: left; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Line a large pie dish, at least 10 inch, with
bottom crust. Transfer sausage mixture to pie crust. Trim bottom crust to ½
inch beyond edge of pie plate. Place top crust over filling. </div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: left; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Trim top pastry to ¾ inch beyond edge of pie
plate. Fold top crust under bottom crust. Flute edges. Combine reserved yolk
and the water. Brush over the crust. Cut slits for steam.</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="text-align: left; text-indent: -0.25in;">
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</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Bake in a 375 oven for 75 min. or until crust is
golden and filling is set. Cool for 10 min on rack. Serve warm. Serves 10 to
12. </div>
<br />Cheryl Brookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11464377381132807409noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5421546620486579446.post-61376373889614351932018-10-02T15:50:00.000-04:002018-10-02T15:50:36.649-04:00Slave is on sale!The ebook version of Slave is now on sale for only $1.99! This book was already hot, but that price makes it hotter than ever! Don't miss out!<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.cherylbrooksonline.com/id19.html">http://www.cherylbrooksonline.com/id19.html</a><br />
<br />
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Look for Maverick on the New in Paperback tower in your local Barnes & Noble. It's also available in your local Walmart!<br />
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<br />Cheryl Brookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11464377381132807409noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5421546620486579446.post-29260902501701139462018-09-18T10:28:00.000-04:002018-09-20T08:25:06.385-04:00Special Cat Star Chronicles Price Promotion!<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
For a limited time, the ebook versions of every Cat Star Chronicles title are on sale! The new prices should be posted by the end of this week. You'll find links to most platforms on my Cat Star Chronicles <a href="http://www.cherylbrooksonline.com/id19.html">website page.</a> </div>
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<b>Title</b></div>
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<b>EBook Price</b></div>
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Fugitive </div>
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$ 2.51</div>
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$ 2.99 </div>
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Outcast </div>
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$ 2.99 </div>
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<td nowrap="nowrap" style="border-color: currentcolor windowtext windowtext; border-image: none 100% / 1 / 0 stretch; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt; height: 14.2pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; text-align: center; width: 121.1pt;" valign="top" width="161"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
Rebel </div>
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$ 3.99 </div>
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Rogue </div>
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$ 1.99 </div>
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<td nowrap="nowrap" style="border-color: currentcolor windowtext windowtext; border-image: none 100% / 1 / 0 stretch; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt; height: 14.2pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; text-align: center; width: 121.1pt;" valign="top" width="161"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
Slave </div>
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<td nowrap="nowrap" style="border-color: currentcolor windowtext windowtext currentcolor; border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; height: 14.2pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; text-align: center; width: 85.5pt;" valign="top" width="114"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
$ 2.99 </div>
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Stud </div>
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$ 2.99 </div>
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<td nowrap="nowrap" style="border-color: currentcolor windowtext windowtext; border-image: none 100% / 1 / 0 stretch; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt; height: 14.2pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; text-align: center; width: 121.1pt;" valign="top" width="161"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
Virgin </div>
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$ 2.99 </div>
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</tr>
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<td nowrap="nowrap" style="border-color: currentcolor windowtext windowtext; border-image: none 100% / 1 / 0 stretch; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt; height: 14.2pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; text-align: center; width: 121.1pt;" valign="top" width="161"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
Warrior </div>
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<td nowrap="nowrap" style="border-color: currentcolor windowtext windowtext currentcolor; border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; height: 14.2pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; text-align: center; width: 85.5pt;" valign="top" width="114"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
$ 1.99 </div>
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</tr>
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<td nowrap="nowrap" style="border-color: currentcolor windowtext windowtext; border-image: none 100% / 1 / 0 stretch; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt; height: 14.2pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; text-align: center; width: 121.1pt;" valign="top" width="161"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
Wildcat </div>
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$ 2.99 </div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
<br /></div>
Cheryl Brookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11464377381132807409noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5421546620486579446.post-89110634066767489182018-07-29T10:10:00.002-04:002018-07-29T10:10:59.131-04:00Five Star Review of Maverick! There may be others out there, but this is the first one I've run across, and it's a good one! Thanks to Mari Davis of Fashion Windows for the terrific review!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkEUy3d85K3Wk4eg3vM-ppvTgN_UGV598T1-NMJEq7asEj3710QAifDMZPaKB3hoYwcZVJKYZyr9wbXy_bXh4sb7damoJ-aQCCesfsyfJaSMmZagTgX8xACDixYvVFY_zpT2Vym2hcu2Y/s1600/Maverick_FinalCVR300.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="492" data-original-width="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkEUy3d85K3Wk4eg3vM-ppvTgN_UGV598T1-NMJEq7asEj3710QAifDMZPaKB3hoYwcZVJKYZyr9wbXy_bXh4sb7damoJ-aQCCesfsyfJaSMmZagTgX8xACDixYvVFY_zpT2Vym2hcu2Y/s1600/Maverick_FinalCVR300.jpg" /></a></div>
Check it out! <a href="https://www.marienela.net/book-bubbly-4-maverick-by-cheryl-brooks-blush-crush/">https://www.marienela.net/book-bubbly-4-maverick-by-cheryl-brooks-blush-crush/</a>Cheryl Brookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11464377381132807409noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5421546620486579446.post-32060818647832466242018-05-01T00:00:00.000-04:002018-05-01T10:37:01.378-04:00Cover Reveal and ARC Giveaway of Maverick!You've waited a long time for this, and in many ways, so have I. My detours into the Cowboy Heaven and the Soul Survivors series have given the second generation of Zetithian survivors time to grow up and be ready to fall in love.<br />
<br />
This release also marks the first Cat Star cover that actually shows the hero's face. Unfortunately, my requests for a guy who has been altered to look like a Zetithian fell on deaf ears (the first versions had a dude with a full beard!). I'm sure the powers that be know best, but I really would've liked to see an honest-to-god picture of one of my cats! I mean, my imagination is pretty good, but you know what they say about pictures being worth a thousand words apiece. <br />
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Anyway, without further adieu, meet Larry and Althea--all grown up and ready for adventure!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKKimB0n2t9KYko-ptcs_l0EOTgW1tVALoZcy9DbZ3uv9pQlSqbjfj0dnZ6LOjtMNHlxQuvHiFaoWlxdU_gKUuTWKswDfnX4VbgnkNzjyKyUrHL2YSiVkwLaeTKjn08BlD1UdZpHtfC-E/s1600/Maverick_FinalCVR300.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="492" data-original-width="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKKimB0n2t9KYko-ptcs_l0EOTgW1tVALoZcy9DbZ3uv9pQlSqbjfj0dnZ6LOjtMNHlxQuvHiFaoWlxdU_gKUuTWKswDfnX4VbgnkNzjyKyUrHL2YSiVkwLaeTKjn08BlD1UdZpHtfC-E/s1600/Maverick_FinalCVR300.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i><b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Being irresistible to every species in the galaxy isn't all it's cracked up to be. </span></b></i></span><br />
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<i><b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Having the Zetithian feline gene gives Larsanken "Larry" Tshevnoe awesome beauty and sensuality unmatched by any other males in the universe. But it can make the quest for true love...complicated. </span></b></i><br />
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<i><b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Enter childhood friend and fellow Zetithian Althea Banadänsk. Her empathic powers make her the only one who can know if a woman truly loves Larry for himself, and Althea would do anything to help her friend...even if that means hiding her own intense craving for him.</span></b></i><i><b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span></b></i><br />
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<i><b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">But when a distress call sends them off course—and into danger—they find more than their hearts are at stake. Now it's up to them to become the champions of truth and justice throughout the galaxy...or risk losing it all.</span></b></i><br />
<pre wrap=""><i><b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span></b></i></pre>
<pre wrap=""><span style="color: cyan;"><i><b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: lime;">Now available for preorder from <a href="https://amzn.to/2HWHx5p">Amazon</a> and <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/maverick-cheryl-brooks/1128305734?ean=9781492661603">Barnes & Noble</a>. It's probably available from some other sources, but I haven't gone looking for them yet. </span></span></b></i></span></pre>
<pre wrap=""><span style="color: cyan;"><i><b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span></b></i></span></pre>
<pre wrap=""><i><b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: red;">I have one advance copy to give away. Post a comment below for your chance to win! Contest closes Saturday, May 12, 2018 at 8pm EDT. I will post the winner at 9 pm that evening. Good luck!</span></span></b></i></pre>
Cheryl Brookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11464377381132807409noreply@blogger.com29tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5421546620486579446.post-67752629878335631762017-12-30T00:01:00.000-05:002017-12-30T00:01:06.549-05:00Potato Casserole Recipe!My grandmother used to make this casserole, but the version I have is in my sister's handwriting on a 3 X 5 card that has definitely seen better days. I used to make this with Ore Ida hash brown patties, but since I can never find them anymore, I've tried using hush puppies or the shredded hash browns. The shredded are easier, although the bag is bigger than 1 lb 8 oz original. If you want to use the full bag, you can use up to 2 cups of sour cream and increase the salt by about 1/4 to 1/2 tsp.<br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Potato Casserole</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: small;">Ingredients:</span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
1 pkg frozen
hash browns (1 lb. 8 oz.)</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
1 tsp salt</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
¼ tsp pepper</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
½ cup
chopped onion (sautéed if desired)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
1 can cream
of chicken soup</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
1 cup sour
cream</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
2 cups
grated sharp cheddar cheese</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>Topping:</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Mix together:</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
½ cup melted
butter</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
1 ½ cup
crushed corn flakes</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>Directions:</b></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Thaw
potatoes. If using tater tots or hash brown patties, break them up after
thawing. Combine ingredients and mix well. Spread evenly in a greased 9 X 13
pan. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Spread corn flake and butter mixture on top of potatoes. Bake at 350 F for 45 minutes to 1 hour.</div>
Cheryl Brookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11464377381132807409noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5421546620486579446.post-257793682110380192017-12-23T13:43:00.000-05:002017-12-23T13:43:34.667-05:00Eggplant and Hamburger Casserole Recipe!Been meaning to post this recipe for a while now. Finally took a picture so I have no more excuses. <br /><br />
My mother used to make something like this, but it always seemed a bit watery to me, as did the recipe for Hamburger Eggplant Casserole I posted several years ago. I have recently discovered that pre-cooking the eggplant and adding the cornstarch solves the problem quite nicely. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
Enjoy!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMAfWeJ9942KvkzE47k_PTrQskslUx18411gVTFM-w9OViB2QFNXmjTVQpPornu8NBpDhKAqsLw9_w3aUjYykkC3rgLZZrwZKYQfJgbVRY_gAtVuRQeniDHeqQdgQ7oMjQkxfgH5TT9bA/s1600/20171213_180005a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1037" data-original-width="1600" height="257" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMAfWeJ9942KvkzE47k_PTrQskslUx18411gVTFM-w9OViB2QFNXmjTVQpPornu8NBpDhKAqsLw9_w3aUjYykkC3rgLZZrwZKYQfJgbVRY_gAtVuRQeniDHeqQdgQ7oMjQkxfgH5TT9bA/s400/20171213_180005a.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 18.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Eggplant
and Hamburger Casserole</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Ingredients:</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">1 lb hamburger (at least 85 % lean)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">1 onion, chopped<br />
1 green pepper, chopped</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">3 tbsp olive oil, divided (basil
flavored oil if available)<br />
1 eggplant, peeled and cubed<br />
1 ½ cups tomato puree <br />
4 garlic cloves, minced<br />
2 tsp salt, divided <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">½ tsp pepper <br />
½ tsp oregano</span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">¼ tsp red pepper flakes </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">6 sprigs fresh thyme (leaves stripped
from stems) or ¼ tsp dried thyme<br />
2 tbsp cornstarch dissolved in 2 tbsp water</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Topping:
</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Mix together:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">1/3 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano or
other parmesan cheese </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">¾ cup Panko breadcrumbs (may substitute
regular breadcrumbs or crushed Ritz crackers) </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">½ tsp Italian seasoning (omit if using
Italian seasoned breadcrumbs)<br />
<br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Directions:
</span></b></div>
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Cheryl Brookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11464377381132807409noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5421546620486579446.post-79167995561007436612017-06-02T19:12:00.000-04:002017-06-02T19:12:23.437-04:00Justice From the Deep Release Day!<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<![endif]-->Finally, book three is live on all platforms! Read on for the first two chapters. I hope you enjoy it!<br />
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<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">She’s
humankind’s last best hope for survival. If she fails to bring justice to the
world, the next generation could very well be the last. </span></div>
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A telepathic warning from the pilot
enables flight attendant Susan Maxwell to survive a terrifying plane crash. In
the wake of the disaster, she takes charge until the inevitable breakdown
occurs and her mind is filled with the voices of other passengers. When she contacts
her fellow survivors, she learns that they too have been hearing voices, and
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Seamus Quinn found the woman of his
dreams when he rescued Susan and her friends, but her initial reaction left him
with no hope of ever seeing her again—until she shows up on the dock asking to
hire his boat. </div>
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With his love and assistance, Susan
discovers the role that both Seamus and the sea will play in fulfilling her
destiny as the Bringer of Justice. Reuniting with her fellow survivors
culminates in a display of power that will alter the course of human history. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="ref_ch1"></a><span style="font-size: large;"><span>Chapter 1</span></span><span style="mso-bookmark: ref_ch1;"></span><span style="mso-bookmark: ref_ch1;"></span></div>
</div>
<span style="mso-bookmark: ref_ch1;"></span>
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<br /></div>
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The drive from the Cliffs of
Moher to Liscannor took only a few minutes, but to Susan Maxwell, the trip might
as well have taken a week. Her feet dragged as she walked down to the docks
when her step should have been springy and light. She should have been pleased
to see the boat and its crew. They had, after all, plucked her and two other
women from a life raft after their plane crashed into the sea off the west coast
of Ireland.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">“And there she is,” Susan muttered as she
approached the dock. The <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Branwyn Eostre</i>
</span><span class="style21">rocked gently at her moorings, her blue and white
hull reflecting off the waves. The two crewmen were busy on deck, undoubtedly
tucking their craft in for the night. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span class="style21"></span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Seamus Quinn and Ian</i>… Had she ever heard
Ian’s surname? She didn’t think so. If she had, it didn’t register. Not like
the name of the boat itself, <span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">which,
according to her captain, was derived from </span>Branwyn, the go<span class="style21">ddess of love, sexuality, and the sea and Eostre, the goddess of
spring, rebirth, fertility, and new beginnings.</span></div>
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<span class="style21"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">New beginnings, hell. </i></span></div>
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<span class="style21"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“Every ending is a new
beginning.”</i></span></div>
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<span class="style21">“Shut up,” Susan said absently. She hadn’t quite gotten the hang
of ignoring the voices that had taken up residence in her head in the wake of the
crash. Cleona Mahoney, one of her fellow survivors, had told her they would
help her to—Susan couldn’t help but chuckle—save the world. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .3in;">
<span class="style21"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Yeah, right. How can I save
the world when I couldn’t even save the man I love?</i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .3in;">
<span class="style21">“Forget that,” she whispered aloud. “He isn’t in the group.”</span></div>
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<span class="style21">That omission had been the unkindest cut of all. When she might
have drawn comfort from hearing Chuck’s voice, it had been denied her, save for
those few frantic moments before the plane went down. </span></div>
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<span class="style21">One of the first flights she’d been on as an attendant had been with
him. </span></div>
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<span class="style21">“You’re who?” she’d asked. “Chuck Yeager? Seriously?”</span></div>
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<span class="style21">It had seemed like such a joke at the time, one Chuck had used to
his advantage on frequent occasions, although he’d only been named after the
famous aviator. His last name was actually Travers, the “Charles Yeager” having
its source in his parents’ expectations of him—not that he’d ever had the
chance to be anything but a pilot, given the number of them in his family. </span></div>
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<span class="style21">She and Chuck had enjoyed an intense, passionate affair that
ended shortly before he met his future wife. Although he and Susan had remained
good friends, he had moved on to find love with another, whereas Susan never
had. Chuck and his wife lived with their two children in a big old house in
southern Maryland. Susan still lived alone in the same Newark apartment, partly
because she’d never met anyone who measured up to Chuck, but mostly because she’d
never really stopped loving him. </span></div>
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<span class="style21">She’d never met any of Chuck’s family, but at least they were
still alive to mourn him. Entire families had been aboard that plane, all of
them lost along with the 747’s full complement of passengers and crew—with
three exceptions. Four, if you included the dog. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .3in;">
<span class="style21">Susan still wished she’d been among the dead. Twice now, she’d
stood on the edge of the cliffs gazing down at the rocks while mentally calling
out to Chuck’s spirit. Refusing to accept the ensuing silence on her first
visit, she’d gone back there again. Redoubling her efforts, she concentrated on
him so hard she could almost see his face, but if he was there, he wasn’t
talking. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .3in;">
<span class="style21">How could she have received a telepathic communication from him when
he was alive and he not be among the others after his death? Both times, Cleona
had interrupted Susan’s attempts to contact him, although whether her
intervention was fortunate or unfortunate remained to be seen. </span></div>
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And now,
instead of airplanes, she’d been told to seek out a boat. </div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Great.</i></div>
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Seamus, the
younger of the two men, glanced up from his task and swept off his cap,
revealing a thatch of dark brown curls. “Well, now… I wouldn’t have thought
we’d be seeing you again.”</div>
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“Me either,”
Susan replied. “But here I am.” She drew in a fortifying breath. “I was told to
hire your boat.”</div>
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An eyebrow
rose as he strolled over to the port side. “And who would’ve told you that?”</div>
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Another sigh.
“Cleona. She said I was supposed to find you and hire your boat.”</div>
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“Did she
happen to say why?”</div>
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“No, she
didn’t.” Saving the world wasn’t going to cut it as an excuse. Not with this
guy—especially since she didn’t fully grasp the need herself. “I think…” She
straightened as an explanation suddenly occurred to her. “I think she thought
it would help me to, um…recover.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .3in;">
With a slow
nod, he rubbed his chin in a contemplative manner. “I see. Would you be wanting
it tomorrow? We’ve an hour or so free in the afternoon.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .3in;">
“Whenever,”
she said with a shrug. “I’m not really sure it matters.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .3in;">
He glanced
toward the horizon. “Or would now be a better time?”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .3in;">
She was still
staring at him when she realized her mouth had dropped open. “N<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">–</span>no. I don’t think so.” The
mere thought of being out to sea at night set off a shiver.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .3in;">
“Just as
well,” he said. “It’ll be getting dark soon, and there’s some weather moving in.”
He cocked his head. “You said you needed to recover. You look fine to me—a bit
pale, perhaps, but—”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .3in;">
“Please don’t
start that again.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .3in;">
A smile tugged
the corner of his mouth. “Start what?”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .3in;">
“That crap
about redheaded women being fierce.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .3in;">
“Ah, but it’s
true, isn’t it?” His eyes narrowed to a squint. “You were plenty fierce before.”
His gaze shifted toward the top of her head. “And you’re still a ginger.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .3in;">
“Hmm…” She
pressed her lips into a firm line. This was a conversation she truly didn’t
want to have. “How do you know the color didn’t come from a bottle?”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .3in;">
The boat
rocked as he took a step closer and peered up at her. “It’s been almost two
weeks since that plane went down, and the roots of your hair look to be the
same shade as the ends. Something tells me you wouldn’t have been in any mood
to dye your hair.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .3in;">
He was right,
of course. As adrift as she’d felt, she barely had the inclination to wash and
comb it. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .3in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“Adrift, hell. You’re clinically depressed.
And rightly so.”</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .3in;">
The shrink was
talking to her again. She had to bite her lip to keep from retorting aloud. She
took a moment to regroup before saying, “You’re probably right.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .3in;">
“So tomorrow,
then? At about three?”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .3in;">
She nodded.
“That should work.” Deeming the conversation over, she turned to go.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .3in;">
“Hold on.” Within
seconds, he’d climbed nimbly up the ladder and hopped onto the quay. “Can I get
a phone number in case we need to call you?”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .3in;">
She stood
there for a long moment. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">I’m gaping
again. </i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .3in;">
“You have a mobile
phone, don’t you?”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .3in;">
Actually, she
had two. One that worked, and one that didn’t. Oddly enough, she didn’t know
the correct number for dialing either of them. Nevertheless, she fished through
her purse for the phone the airline had given her. The other one was back at
her hotel in a bag of rice. She didn’t know what she’d hoped to accomplish by
trying to dry out some stranger’s phone, but it had given her something to
focus on at a time when her life had lost any semblance of order. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .3in;">
“Nice purse,”
he commented. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .3in;">
She glanced up
at him in surprise. Granted, it was a Gucci, but why a fisherman would notice
such a thing defied logic. “The airline people gave it to me in London.” Her
fingers touched on the smooth plastic of her phone. “Here it is. Hold on while
I look up the number.” Something as simple as a phone number should’ve been
easy to remember, but for some strange reason, she hadn’t been able to commit
it to memory. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .3in;">
“Why don’t you
just call mine?” he suggested. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .3in;">
Deeming it
easier than delving into the settings on her own device, she tapped in the
numbers as he rattled them off, then pressed the Send icon. Within moments, his
phone rang—playing an ordinary ringtone, as opposed to something more distinctively
Irish.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .3in;">
“We’re
connected,” he said, checking his phone. “All we have to do is look under
Recent Calls.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .3in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">So simple…</i> Unlike Cleona’s talents. She’d
been using Ireland’s stone towers to communicate with Susan, which was weird as
all get-out, but was, thus far, their only mode of contact, if somewhat
inconvenient. Not only did Susan have to climb to the top of O’Brien’s Tower,
she had to pay the two-euro admission fee every time they needed to talk. Still,
as a means of proving that something spooky was going on, such “calls” were
unsurpassed. At least it proved she wasn’t losing her mind. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .3in;">
Or did it? Perhaps
their peculiar abilities were a sign of mutual insanity. She waited a moment
for the shrink to chime in—which, of course, he didn’t. None of her ghostly
cohorts ever answered questions on demand. They only made random comments
whenever the spirit—her choice of words elicited a mental eye roll—moved them. They
hadn’t said anything when she’d stood at the edge of the cliff. She’d told
Cleona that the cliffs were the only place she could find peace, when what she’d
really meant was that the voices ceased as she approached the edge. Maybe it
was their way of trying <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">not</i> to goad
her into jumping—or holding their collective breath to see whether she would.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .3in;">
“Um…where are
you staying?”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .3in;">
“I’m at the Cliffs
of Moher Hotel.” The description had intrigued her—<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Unassuming lodging with restaurant and bar</i>. You couldn’t go wrong
with a place like that—aside from the fact that it was the only hotel in
Liscannor that wasn’t booked solid when she arrived. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .3in;">
“So you decided
not to stay on in London?”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .3in;">
She shook her
head. “I was there for about a week. I tried to avoid this place, but it kept calling
to me.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .3in;">
If he thought her
reasoning was strange, he was at least tactful enough hold his tongue. “It’s a
nice enough hotel,” he said. “And I’m not a bit surprised you came back here.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .3in;">
Susan waited
for the obvious quip about being anxious to see him again. But once more, he
didn’t comment. “Oh? Why is that?’</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .3in;">
His gaze swept
the bay and the surrounding village. “There’s a kind of magic to this place. I’ve
lived here all my life and I still can’t explain it—although the proximity of
St. Brigid’s well might have something to do with it.” His eyes met hers once
again. “Have you been to the well?”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .3in;">
“No—at least,
not yet.” She had passed by the site a number of times. Even without a sign to
point the way, the statue of St. Brigid standing in her glass case by the
roadside was hard to miss. Thus far, however, Susan’s only comfort had been
walking along the cliffs rather than visiting the local holy places. She
wondered why. In the wake of such a terrifying disaster, she ought to have sought
solace in every shrine in Ireland. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .3in;">
“You should
go,” he urged. “It’s not far from here. People visit from all over. Even
without the religious aspect, it’s an interesting spot. Very soothing to the soul.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .3in;">
She nodded.
“I’ll do that.” </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .3in;">
Ireland itself
had provided a measure of healing. The sweeping vistas of County Clare
contrasted with neat, whitewashed buildings, and a pub sat right beside the
site of the holy well, the perfect mix of magic, practicality, and natural
beauty. The air was clear and fresh, carrying with it the faint tang of the sea,
which was the only clue that the ocean was so near. No lawns sloped down to a
sandy beach; the land was well above sea level, as the height of the cliffs
demonstrated so vividly. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .3in;">
“I could take
you there now if you like,” Seamus said after glancing at the horizon once
again. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .3in;">
Susan smiled
to herself, thinking that perhaps it was a seaman’s habit to consult the sky
rather than his watch to mark the time of day. “That’s very kind of you, but I
know the way. And I have a car.” Truth be told, one of her excursions to the
cliffs had been accomplished on foot. Walking exercised the body and calmed the
mind—except when her hitchhiking ghosts decided to chime in. Would they be as
quiet at the well as they were on the cliffs? Either way, she’d have bet money
that her resident shrink would tell her that visiting the well was good
therapy. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .3in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“It is.” </i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .3in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Figured that would get you going again.</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .3in;">
Seamus shifted
from one foot to the other as his smile slowly broadened. “You misunderstand
me.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .3in;">
Deliberately,
perhaps. Cleona had seemed to think Seamus could aid them in their quest to
save the world; no doubt she would read Susan the riot act for pushing him
away. “Okay, then. If you really want to take me there, I have no objection to
allowing you to do so.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .3in;">
“Your enthusiasm
is bowling me over,” he said with a mocking grin. “But I’ll take that as a
yes.” </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .3in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“See now… That wasn’t so hard, was it?”</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .3in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Oh, hush up.</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .3in;">
He offered her
his arm. “Shall we?”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .3in;">
“Don’t you
have to do more, er…boat maintenance before you go?”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .3in;">
“Ian will take
care of the rest. We were nearly done anyway.” Turning toward the boat, he
waved at his shipmate. “Oy, Ian! We’ll be heading out now. I got us a three
o’clock for tomorrow.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .3in;">
Ian waved
back. “Is that the ginger Yank, then?”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .3in;">
“Aye, it is.
Told you she’d be back, didn’t I?”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .3in;">
“That you
did.” Ian nodded toward Susan. “Good to see you, lass. You look a mite better
than you did the last time we saw you.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .3in;">
“I’m doing
okay,” she said. “At least, as well as I can be.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .3in;">
With a wag of
his head, he went on, “A terrible business, that. Still amazed anyone survived.
The investigators talked to us the other day. Said it was a miracle, and I
didn’t argue with them.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .3in;">
“Investigators?
Really?”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .3in;">
“Aye. Asked us
to tell them everything we remember—not that our story would be any different
from what any other witnesses could’ve told them. Just checking the facts, I’ll
wager.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .3in;">
“I suppose
so.” Susan shouldn’t have been surprised. She’d been interviewed at length in
the aftermath, although “interrogated” would have been a more apt description. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .3in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">No.</i> That was too harsh. “Debriefed” was
closer to the truth. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .3in;">
“We’re going
up to St. Brigid’s well,” Seamus said, filling the gap in the conversation.
“She hasn’t seen it yet.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .3in;">
Ian nodded.
“An excellent notion. We could all stand a bit of spiritual guidance after such
a tragedy.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .3in;">
Susan nearly
laughed out loud at Ian’s choice of words. Somehow she doubted either man
suspected she was already carrying around her own private pack of spiritual
guides, none of whom had seemed particularly religious. Thus far, the shrink
had been the most vocal, leading her to assume he’d been charged with the task
of keeping her from offing herself long enough to—she cringed at the
thought—save the world. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .3in;">
Perhaps the
other spirits would help her with the actual planet-saving. </div>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br clear="all" style="mso-special-character: line-break; page-break-before: always;" />
</span>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="border-bottom: solid #4F81BD 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: accent1; mso-element: para-border-div; padding: 0in 0in 4.0pt 0in;">
<div align="center" class="MsoTitle" style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="ref_ch2"></a><span style="font-size: large;"><span>Chapter 2</span></span><span style="mso-bookmark: ref_ch2;"></span><span style="mso-bookmark: ref_ch2;"></span></div>
</div>
<span style="mso-bookmark: ref_ch2;"></span>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify;">
Seamus glanced at Susan before
adding, “Or spiritual comfort” to Ian’s comment. He would’ve given a lot to
have spent the past several days comforting her rather than carrying on with
business as usual. Not when meeting her meant that nothing would ever be the
same. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .3in;">
No one ever
told him what it would be like to finally find the right woman. He’d never
known what to expect—what signals to watch out for or how he would feel, let
alone that it would occur as the result of one of the all-time most improbable
chance encounters. He’d known she was the one from the moment he laid eyes on
her. Stripping off his sweater to wrap it around her shivering shoulders on the
day of the crash had seemed perfectly natural—to the point that he’d all but
ignored the other two women’s needs. He’d only been recalled to his senses when
the blond woman—Jillian Dulaine, her name was—had asked if he had any blankets.
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .3in;">
Their time
together had been brief, not allowing for much conversation. Even so, he could
scarcely mind what he was doing while she was aboard, and she hadn’t been far
from his thoughts ever since. He’d read every scrap of information about the
crash in the press and online, all the while hoping that someday, somehow, he
might reconnect with her. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .3in;">
And now, here
she was, asking to charter his boat. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .3in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">What are the odds?</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .3in;">
The offer to
take her to the well had been prompted by his needs rather than hers. She
intrigued him in a way he couldn’t begin to explain. He wasn’t about to let her
out of his sight now. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .3in;">
He gestured
toward the car park. “Shall we?” </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .3in;">
Susan replied
with a somewhat absent nod and turned away from the dock with a vague wave of
farewell at Ian. Despite his attraction to her, she obviously wasn’t feeling it
on her end. At least, not yet. Push her too hard and she never would. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .3in;">
He led the way
to his car, an aging Vauxhall Astra that was even less conducive to picking up
women than the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Branwyn Eostre</i>. He
opened the door for her and waited until she fastened her safety belt before
closing the door. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .3in;">
She shifted in
her seat, seeming hesitant and perhaps a bit uncomfortable before aiming a
brittle smile at him as he climbed in on the driver’s side. “Who’s the captain?
You or Ian?”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .3in;">
“The boat was my
dad’s. Ian used to work the boat with him, and I kept him on after Dad died, so
I guess you could say I’m the captain now.” He grinned as he started the
engine. “Ian is captain in practice, though. More experience.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .3in;">
She nodded,
her gaze drifting from his face as her smile faded. “I don’t know if I ever
thanked you guys for rescuing us. I’m sorry if I didn’t, but thank you. We
really appreciated you coming so quickly.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .3in;">
“No need to
thank us,” he said as he pulled out of the parking space. “It’s all a part of
life at sea. You help whenever you can, knowing it might be you that needs help
the next time.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .3in;">
“I suppose
so.” Her voice still sounded rather faint, lacking the firm diction that had
characterized her tone on the day of the crash. “It’s a shame everyone doesn’t
live by that code.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .3in;">
“I can’t argue
with that.” He fished around for a topic of conversation that wouldn’t be too
personal or too prying. “I’m assuming the airline gave you some time off. How
long will you be in Liscannor?”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .3in;">
“Maybe forever—although
I’ll have to find someplace else to stay if I do. I don’t know. I’d like to go
home—and I probably will. Just not yet.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .3in;">
Perhaps there
was hope for him after all. “Why the delay? Not wanting to get on another
plane?”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .3in;">
Her derisive
snort surprised him. “If that were the only issue, I’d have left already.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .3in;">
“How so?”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .3in;">
“I<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">–</span>I lost someone on that
plane. I’m not over it yet. I may never be, even though Cleona said we were—”
She stopped abruptly, catching her lower lip between her teeth.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .3in;">
“She said you
were what?”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .3in;">
Her laugh was
sharp and mirthless. “I’d better not say. You probably already think I’m about
to go off the deep end or else you wouldn’t be taking me to a shrine.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .3in;">
“I don’t think
anything of the kind, although healing <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">is</i>
St. Brigid’s specialty.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .3in;">
With another
absent nod, she turned toward the side window. “I finally figured out why this
place looks so strange to me.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .3in;">
After the
mention of insanity, Seamus thought it best to humor her abrupt change of topic.
“How so?” </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .3in;">
“The houses
and barns are distinctively Irish, but it’s the lack of trees that makes it
seem so odd—almost like driving through Kansas or Colorado. A vast, treeless
expanse of gently rolling hills.” </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .3in;">
“I’ve never
thought about it, myself. That’s just the way it is around here.” </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .3in;">
She was right,
though. Except for the tree-covered hillside across the road from the well and
the small grove behind the well itself, there were no woods or forests to speak
of, only the occasional isolated tree scattered amid green pastures and the
ever-present gorse. Funny how he’d never considered it strange until now. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .3in;">
“There’s the
well.” He turned left onto the road that ran past the cemetery behind the well
and pulled into the tiny parking space by the steps. Continuing to play the
gentleman—his mum would’ve fussed if he’d been anything less—he got out and
went round the car to open the door for her. She took his hand without comment,
although considering the graceful manner in which she rose to her feet, she
hadn’t needed his help. Two weeks prior, she would’ve declined his offer with a
disdainful glance. She’d been angry back then, perhaps because of the loss of
the person she’d mentioned. Who was it? A lover? A friend? A family member? She
hadn’t said, and he debated the wisdom of asking her to explain. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .3in;">
Deeming it
best to avoid the cemetery for now, he steered her toward the gate in the stone
wall that encircled the well. St. Brigid stood in her glass case atop a dais of
stone with shrubs and flowers massed near her feet. He’d always thought of the
statue as being the saint herself, perhaps because of the serenity he felt
whenever he gazed up at her face. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .3in;">
Susan walked
around the statue, studying it from every angle and taking pictures as any
dutiful tourist would have done. When she followed him into the cave-like entrance
to the well, she seemed properly awed by the hundreds of tokens left there by
visitors and worshipers alike, but it was the water pouring into the well from
the niche in the stone wall that held her transfixed. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .3in;">
He knew the
feeling. The sunlight glinting on the water from the opening above and the
trickling sound echoing on the walls of the cave combined for an effect that
was as mesmerizing as it was soothing. He’d stood there for what had to have
been hours after his father’s funeral, and he wasn’t the least bit surprised
when Susan knelt down and cupped her hand to scoop up some of the water. As she
stood and held out her hand, allowing the water to sieve through her fingers, the
snapshot of his father that Seamus and his mother had placed on the wall caught
his eye. The photo had already begun to fade, but his father’s smile and
twinkling eyes were as warm and genuine as ever. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .3in;">
It wasn’t
until he felt Susan standing beside him that he realized he’d been staring at
the picture almost as long as she’d been captivated by the water. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .3in;">
With a smile
and a bit of a blush, he nodded toward the photo. “That’s my dad. Died about
four years ago. That was taken not long before he passed.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .3in;">
Susan peered
at the photo. “Died fairly young, then?”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .3in;">
“Aye. He was
only fifty-four. Lung cancer—most likely from smoking, they said. Never picked
up the habit myself.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .3in;">
“Neither did
I.” She laughed again, a self-deprecating, ironic sort of laugh. “Always tried
to live a healthy lifestyle and then nearly got myself killed in a plane crash.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .3in;">
“But you
didn’t die,” he pointed out. “Must be your reward for all that healthy living.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .3in;">
This time, her
laugh was more of a snort. “If you can call it a reward. I’m not so sure it
doesn’t qualify as a punishment.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .3in;">
“Mum felt the
same way. Always hoped she would pass before my dad. Said she didn’t want to
face living without him.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .3in;">
“And how is
she now?”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .3in;">
“Well enough,”
he replied. “Hasn’t found a new man yet, mainly because she hasn’t bothered to
look.” </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .3in;">
Seamus had a
similar problem himself. One severely broken heart had put him off the idea of
taking a wife. He might have dated and flirted a bit since then, but never once
had he felt the need to take the first step in a more serious direction. Susan,
however, had reawakened the inclination. He could scarcely believe his luck in
her actually seeking him out, especially since he’d already begun the process
of relegating her to the status of the one that got away. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .3in;">
“Four years,
you said. I wonder…how long does it take?” </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .3in;">
“Before your
heart mends, you mean?” With her nod, he thought for a moment before replying.
“Sometimes never, I suppose. But hopefully sooner rather than later.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .3in;">
“That sounds
pretty vague.” Her wry smile gave him a tiny ray of hope. “You’re not much
help, are you?”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .3in;">
“None at all,”
he declared, while at the same time marking her slight change of attitude with
approval. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">More like the fierce ginger I
remember.</i> “Would you like to see the rest of the grounds? It’s quite pretty
up on the hill.” Until you came to the cemetery, although as cemeteries went, St.
Brigid’s was more serene than spooky. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .3in;">
“I’d like
that,” she said, her voice whisper-soft once again.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .3in;">
Not missing another
opportunity to take her by the hand, he led her out into the sunlight and up
the steps, which were flanked by beds filled with more shrubs and flowers. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .3in;">
“It’s very
beautiful here,” she said. “Someone obviously tends the grounds with lots of
loving care.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .3in;">
“Aye, they do.
I’ve been known to lend a hand myself, although I’ve had less time of late.” He
should make that time, though. Simply being near the well had always improved
his sense of well-being. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .3in;">
On the other
hand, being near Susan had done something very similar.</div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: center;">
* * * *</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify;">
Seamus was a decent sort,
really. Susan had to admit she’d misjudged him. He wasn’t an obnoxious flirt.
He was a man who tended shrines and drew his livelihood from the sea. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .3in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The sea…</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .3in;">
Susan’s body had
flooded with warmth the moment she touched the water. Not the cross or the
stones or the statues or the flowering plants… No. The water was what had brought
the voices in her head back to the fore.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .3in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“Do you feel it?” </i>one of them asked.<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> “The oneness with our water planet?”</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .3in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Go away</i>, she admonished. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">I feel happier here, that’s all.</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .3in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“You feel the heat, though. Don’t you?”</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .3in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Yes, I do. But I don’t think it means what
you think it means.</i> She’d nearly laughed aloud when that quote from <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Princess Bride</i> resurfaced in her
mind, particularly since she never dreamed she would ever be amused by anything
again. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .3in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“You might be surprised,” </i>said one.<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> </i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .3in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“Let it flow,” </i>said another. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .3in;">
She’d stood
and turned abruptly away from the well only to find Seamus staring at one of
the many photographs adorning the wall of the grotto. His response to her
presence had given her an easy means to escape the nagging voices. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .3in;">
Now, as she
and Seamus strolled across the grassy hill above the well, she felt at peace, a
feeling similar the way she felt while standing at the edge of the cliffs. Except
that at the cliffs, the voices had let her be. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .3in;">
Cleona had
advised her to embrace the madness of hearing voices. Susan wanted to reject it
completely. She was being selfish, which was the only way she could view the
matter now that she knew she was supposed to help save the world.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .3in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Ridiculous. </i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .3in;">
Yet the
supernatural aspects of the crash and its aftermath continued to haunt her.
She’d heard Chuck’s voice as though he’d been standing right beside her, urging
her to do what she could to save herself and as many of the passengers as
possible. It didn’t seem fair that all she could have of him was his last ditch
attempt to save her when he seemed bent on destroying everyone else aboard that
plane—that and some stranger’s cell phone. She’d completely forgotten about the
phone until finding it in her pocket when they reached Inisheer. She probably
should’ve given it to the airline officials, but it was one of the last things
Chuck had touched, and she was reluctant to part with it. Being doused with
seawater had probably rendered it inoperable anyway—worthless to anyone except
her.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .3in;">
He’d
succeeded, though. She was alive and well, walking the green hills of Ireland.
Too bad she hadn’t been able to save any of the others, although she suspected
Cleona might have been in her section. She still wasn’t sure about that.
Perhaps she never would be. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .3in;">
Seamus was an
excellent guide, providing a running commentary on the saint and various
aspects of the shrine and the grounds. Unfortunately, Susan doubted she would
retain even half of the information. Crossing the small lawn, she laid a hand
on the tall, lichen-covered cross and felt nothing. No spiritual messages, no
supernatural powers. Clearly, water had to be involved for anything of that
nature. Had Cleona known how important water would be when she told Susan to charter
a boat? Perhaps she did, especially since she claimed to have her own set of
voices to tell her such things. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .3in;">
In a way,
Susan was envious of Cleona. Her voices had at least been helpful. Susan’s had
been annoying enough to make her consider jumping off a cliff.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .3in;">
Seamus had also
irritated her at first. Now his accent and cheerful demeanor seemed mildly therapeutic.
He was good company, and she had no need to wonder what his wife or girlfriend
might think about them being out together. At least, she didn’t think he was
involved with anyone. Had he told her he was single? She couldn’t remember.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .3in;">
Spending time with
Chuck had been completely different. Although neither of them had been attached
at the time, they’d been discreet to the point that very few people knew they
were seeing each other. Even if it <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">had</i>
been common knowledge, with the plethora of clandestine affairs going on around
them, their romance probably wouldn’t have raised any eyebrows, and it was ancient
history now. Nevertheless, she did her best to avoid drawing attention to the
number of his flights she bid on each month. She might only get one of her
choices, but simply being on the same plane with Chuck made her feel whole
again. Either way, they were still good friends—friends with a closeness of
spirit that had culminated in his last desperate plea.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .3in;">
Had he known
he was going to crash the plane before they boarded? Why hadn’t he warned her? For
that matter, why hadn’t he warned the airline or called the police? He could’ve
refused to fly, or at least delayed the flight in some way. All she’d gotten
from him was that he had to do it or more people would die, including his
family. How had he known that? For the thousandth time since the crash, she wished
his voice were among the others. He could’ve told her something useful, or at
least comforting. Her onboard shrink had been analytical and his advice was probably
sound, but for pity’s sake, why couldn’t he have been Chuck?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .3in;">
Seamus cleared
his throat in a you-really-aren’t-paying-attention-to-me-are-you manner.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .3in;">
“Sorry.
Woolgathering.” Did anyone ever use that term anymore? Sheep shearers, perhaps?
Maybe Cleona’s boyfriend the sheep farmer used it. Or—heaven forbid—one of her resident
voices. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .3in;">
“I asked if
you were hungry. I thought we might stop in at a pub.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .3in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Jesus.</i> First the excursion to the well
and now dinner. Wasn’t it enough that she’d hired his boat for the morrow? </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .3in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The morrow? </i>Yet another archaic phrase.
One of her voice buddies must be positively ancient. Or Irish, which would make
as much sense. An incredibly old Irishman. Or woman. Their genders weren’t
always easy to identify at first. In the beginning, she’d only assumed the
shrink was male because he tended to be somewhat condescending. She made
herself a promise to call Cleona as soon as she got back to her hotel. She
needed more particulars if she was going to be of any help at all in the “saving
the world” scheme.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .3in;">
“Hungry…” <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .3in;">
A tiny grin
quirked his lips. “You know… For food?” </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .3in;">
Truth be told,
she wasn’t hungry for much of anything. Food had lost most of its appeal, and she’d
picked at every meal since the crash, whether it was served in a fancy London
eatery or one of Liscannor’s excellent pubs. However, a glance at her watch at
least proved it was dinnertime. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .3in;">
“I should
probably eat something,” she conceded, frowning. “Now that you mention it, I’m
not sure I ever had lunch.” Breakfast was a bit of a blur—along with most
recent events. She blamed the extra souls she’d acquired, whether they were truly
responsible or not. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .3in;">
“Such
enthusiasm,” Seamus murmured as he steered her toward his car. “Good thing my
company isn’t responsible for your lack of interest.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .3in;">
“And how would
you know that?”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .3in;">
“I’m fairly
certain I wasn’t on your mind at lunchtime.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .3in;">
“Mmm… You’re
wrong about that. I <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">was</i> thinking
about you—and how much I dreaded seeing you again.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .3in;">
He drew back,
pressing a fist to his chest in dramatic protest. “You wound me, lass. You
truly do.” </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .3in;">
“Yeah, right,”
she drawled. “Like my opinion really matters.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .3in;">
Astonishingly,
he took her hand and raised it to his lips. “You’d be surprised how much.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .3in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .3in;">
<a href="http://amzn.to/2sbecJH">Amazon</a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .3in;">
<a href="http://tinyurl.com/y7uf47o8">Barnes & Noble</a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .3in;">
<a href="https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Cheryl_Brooks_Justice_From_the_Deep?id=l3AlDwAAQBAJ">Google Play</a> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .3in;">
<a href="https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/justice-from-the-deep">Kobo </a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .3in;">
<a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/726867">Smashwords </a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .3in;">
<a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/justice-from-the-deep/id1241551996?mt=11">iBooks</a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .3in;">
<a href="https://www.createspace.com/7179273">CreateSpace</a></div>
<br />
Cheryl Brookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11464377381132807409noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5421546620486579446.post-49989112291556887552017-04-28T00:01:00.000-04:002018-01-12T14:24:36.293-05:00Release Day! I've been kinda busy for the past week or so. Been mowing like a fiend, tilling and planting my garden, and getting <i>Dreams From the Deep</i> ready to publish.<br />
<br />
I took the tractor out for the first time this year and mowed the lower field. Didn't take long, then I gave the tractor a bath because the birds had been pooping on it all winter. Funny thing, I used to take my horses out for a ride and then give them a bath. Now I'm doing it with my tractor. Times change, I guess. Anyway, this is what it looked like after I'd finished mowing the big field last fall. I love it!<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxg3hoZrGpz36S7VrGLCP1epjBkD-kHr_5VPdXlQIrAEmS7SQ6ZsIePIHuVX8BywtxwZ0XbZc__ezA7rqSUfssQvAhre4U2c5oR0rCE3hNvTK3Rcqx4sfnHcK73aH7n4EznwY6Logwjy8/s1600/20161007_153851.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxg3hoZrGpz36S7VrGLCP1epjBkD-kHr_5VPdXlQIrAEmS7SQ6ZsIePIHuVX8BywtxwZ0XbZc__ezA7rqSUfssQvAhre4U2c5oR0rCE3hNvTK3Rcqx4sfnHcK73aH7n4EznwY6Logwjy8/s640/20161007_153851.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
I mowed the field on Monday, right after I'd gone in for a haircut. When Sherry asked me what I wanted to do, I said, "Dye it red." After her first incredulous response, she went and got her hair color samples and we picked one out. Any other time, she'd have had to schedule another appointment for me, but she didn't have another client for an hour, so we went for it. She said it was fate.<br />
<br />
Then I went home, put on my John Deere cap, and climbed aboard my trusty Kubota. I lead such a glamorous life! If you're one of my Facebook friends, you may have already seen this picture, which got more likes and comments than a new book cover. <img alt="*:D big grin" class="yahoo-ignore-inline-image" data-id="33d16c6e-d216-231f-c85f-49e1fe479217" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1492978814778_139847" src="https://s.yimg.com/ok/u/assets/img/emoticons/emo31.gif" title="*:D big grin" /><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwdeWVGOMwAqd7PG28fKkHXTh-fxBhGAhyuhQW4rTERGdDZ7saei5_TZkBp1lA9ys-8g76BmFR0fk39de_TNRqP3BT-Gbxj2ZFYwruKZzz3cQQ03hOXPPyaJf9QmDb9xKqqg6ihwyc714/s1600/Red+Hair.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwdeWVGOMwAqd7PG28fKkHXTh-fxBhGAhyuhQW4rTERGdDZ7saei5_TZkBp1lA9ys-8g76BmFR0fk39de_TNRqP3BT-Gbxj2ZFYwruKZzz3cQQ03hOXPPyaJf9QmDb9xKqqg6ihwyc714/s640/Red+Hair.jpg" width="478" /></a></div>
<br />
I'm slowly adjusting to seeing red hair when I look in the mirror. Of course, by the time I get used to it, the color will have faded. Don't know if I'll do it again, but it was fun for once. When you hang around with authors who have pink or purple hair, graying brown hair seems a bit dowdy. A temporary dye job was the best I could do to keep up. <br />
<br />
I'm releasing book 2 of the Soul Survivors today. This one reflects the time I spent in Ireland a few years back. Many of the places we visited in County Kerry wound up in the book, and I hope I was at least accurate with the details. I took a bajillion pictures while we were there, but even so, Google Earth has become my favorite research partner. <img alt="*:D big grin" class="yahoo-ignore-inline-image" data-id="33d16c6e-d216-231f-c85f-49e1fe479217" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1492978814778_139847" src="https://s.yimg.com/ok/u/assets/img/emoticons/emo31.gif" title="*:D big grin" /><br />
<br />
<br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Echoes From the Deep </span></b><br />
<br />
Here's the blurb:<br />
<br />
<br />
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<i><span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Marketing
assistant Cleona Mahoney survives a horrific plane crash only to discover that the
buzzing sound she hears is not a concussion but the voices of people who died
in the crash.</span></i></div>
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his parents. In recent months, several of Kevan’s sheep have been sliced open
and left on the hillside, the only clue being a mysterious symbol painted on
the fleece. </span></i></div>
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dangerous killer, and together they must strive to prevent a political assassination.</span></i></div>
<i>
</i><br />
<br />
And the cover: She had blue eyes and incredibly voluminous hair when we started. I really like the way she turned out, thanks to Beth at <a href="http://www.dragonflypressdesign.com/">Dragonfly Press Design</a>! <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYXYsLIgvUl1f4VFwygwkWC8jW8vRugCy79txNDywJ6pULV8EYpNTSwAwsYdjoqWSW1ORf2kfr6L4XdQC73DzQJJsKLVp97eFEgryxTO5kskRGv-xBoH0Hf3FAUbuUN1_1rFRwJlSY2RQ/s1600/Dreams_From_the_Deep_300.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYXYsLIgvUl1f4VFwygwkWC8jW8vRugCy79txNDywJ6pULV8EYpNTSwAwsYdjoqWSW1ORf2kfr6L4XdQC73DzQJJsKLVp97eFEgryxTO5kskRGv-xBoH0Hf3FAUbuUN1_1rFRwJlSY2RQ/s640/Dreams_From_the_Deep_300.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
And the first chapter and part of the second. Enjoy!<br />
<br />
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="ref_chapter1"></a><b><span style="mso-bookmark: ref_chapter1;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Chapter 1</span></span></b><span style="mso-bookmark: ref_chapter1;"></span><span style="mso-bookmark: ref_chapter1;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"></span></span></div>
<span style="mso-bookmark: ref_chapter1;"></span>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
Cleona Mahoney stepped out from
beneath the ancient trees and gazed up at a sky shrouded with clouds of quilted
gray. Despite the chilly wind, Ireland was a lovely, peaceful country—the
perfect cure for the horrors she’d recently endured. If nothing else, her
complexion had softened in the days since her arrival. Was the soap responsible
or was it the water? Perhaps it was simply the climate, but whatever the
reason, she felt more comfortable in her own skin than she had in many years.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
If only she could say the same for
her mind. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
The strange dreams began in Sneem, although
there was nothing remotely strange about the charming coastal town. Nothing
more sinister than a leprechaun should have lurked in the tiny patch of Irish wilderness
on the hill near the hotel. The dark hollow in the mossy tree stretching its
roots across the path wasn’t home to anything more frightening than squirrels
or rabbits. Tumbled stone fences, also blanketed with moss, lay hidden in the
shadows created by the dense canopy above—shadows that should have seemed ominous,
but somehow weren’t. Trailing ivy carpeted the ground as well as the trees, the
occasional violet blooming from between the leaves. Nothing strange about that
at all.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
Leaving the woods behind, she
strolled down the hill into town to meet her cousin, Sinead Mahoney, for
breakfast. Tourists had arrived by the busload in the town’s triangular center,
most of them licking ice cream cones and conversing in German or French. Funny
how they all <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">looked </i>so foreign—and
she rarely saw a smile among them. She’d passed a similar group on her way to the
round fort at Staigue; none of them had been smiling then either. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
“Dour folk,” Sinead had muttered in
an aside. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
Her cousin had been begging her to visit
Ireland for so long, Cleona had lost count of how many times she’d had to say
no. The last time she’d asked—four months ago, now—Sinead was understandably
incredulous.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
“D’you really mean it this time? No
joking?”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
“No joking,” Cleona had said. “I’m
really coming. It took some doing, but I got my vacation approved for the last
two weeks in May.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
She would undoubtedly pay for those
two weeks with a month of total chaos at the office, but she had deemed it
worthwhile. She was finally going to visit the home of her forefathers, although
until now, Cleona’s name was the only thing about her that hinted at her Irish ancestry.
Her accent was as American as apple pie with a touch of western twang, courtesy
of her mother’s east Texas heritage. Even so, she’d caught herself picking up a
slight brogue after only a few days on Irish soil. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
“Must come naturally,” Sinead had said
when she first noticed the change of inflection. “You’ll be sounding like a
true Irishwoman by the time you leave.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">By
the time I leave…</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
Cleona didn’t want to go home. The
flight from Newark had been miserable—and that was even before the doomed 747
had taken a dive into the North Atlantic. She’d never been able to sleep on a
plane, and that flight—the longest she’d ever been on—was no exception. She’d somehow
managed to block the horrific ending from her memory, yet tiny images kept
popping into her thoughts. Flying had never frightened her before, but having
experienced a plane crash firsthand had changed her perceptions, making her want
to remain in Ireland forever, never again setting foot inside any contraption
with wings. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
Unfortunately, her chances of staying
put were pretty slim. Her job was in Dallas, not Ireland, and although she’d
been issued temporary documents and could depart as scheduled, everything she’d
brought with her had gone down with that plane, everything except her life—and
the lives of two others.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">A
total of four, if you count the dog.</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
All three of the humans were American
women in their late twenties: flight attendant Susan Maxwell and two passengers,
Jillian Dulaine and Cleona. The three women had endured a bit of celebrity in
the wake of the disaster—along with the questions as to how they’d managed to
survive when no one else had. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
Cleona still had a hard time replying
to those queries. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
The last thing she remembered was a
tray flying up in her face. After that, holding her breath must have been
instinctive because after a lung-bursting eternity, her head finally broke
through the surface. Inexplicably, she was wearing a life jacket. The coast of
Ireland was visible in the distance, and a small flotilla of fishing boats had
sailed directly to the crash site as though they’d anticipated the event. Jillian
had released a dog from its cage—a cage that had somehow become entangled with
another life preserver, making it buoyant enough to float out of the hold.
Jillian said she’d been sitting next to the dog’s owner and had seen pictures. She
even knew the dog’s name. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
Something in Jillian’s expression
and Cleona’s own peculiar feelings ever since suggested there might be more to
it than that. Jillian had shouted the dog’s name with such certainty. The dog
had even seemed to know her. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
Cleona arrived in Sneem a day later
than she’d planned, having been issued a clean bill of health by the astonished
staff of a Galway hospital, save for a mild concussion and a strange buzzing
sound in her ears. Once settled at the hotel, she’d begun having flashbacks of
the crash almost immediately. Not of her own experiences, but some that had to
have been those of other passengers. Prior to that, she could only assume she’d
been too dazed—or sedated—to notice the eerie images. The persistent buzz had
since devolved into a cacophony of voices, each attempting to express different
thoughts, haunting her like ghosts from within her own mind. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
She’d done her best to force those ghosts
back into the depths of her psyche without mentioning them to anyone. But the expressions
on the faces of the two other survivors also haunted her, making her wonder
whether they might also have collected the spirits of those who had perished. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
Something Susan had said stuck with
her. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">That was no accident.</i> The flight
attendant’s baby-soft voice had seemed incongruous with her brusque statement, and
she spoke, not as though making a guess, but rather as a statement of fact. How
could she possibly know for certain unless the dead had been speaking to her?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
Cleona had quashed the notion as
quickly as it had surfaced, refusing to admit to that level of insanity. Any bizarre
imaginings were surely the result of post-traumatic stress—or perhaps survivor’s
guilt. Even her dreams had been invaded. Sinead must have known sleep wouldn’t
come easily in the wake of such a tragedy, and she seemed to have been actively
trying to wear her out—and her cousin didn’t even know the weirdest part.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
The dream was always the same. According
to his tag, the dog’s name was McKnight. Thin and tall with a long tail, he
looked like a greyhound and wore a saddle, of all things—a tiny saddle that was
small enough to have been a toy, yet appeared to be authentic. Beneath the
saddle were festering sores, and a small box labeled “Do not remove” was
embedded in his right flank. His collar was embossed with the symbol of a
castle with <span style="font-variant: small-caps;">Baja, California</span> written
beneath it. What did it mean? Where did he come from and why? In the dream,
she’d given the dog a bath and treated his sores. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
Then she woke up.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
If she’d had nightmares about the
crash, she could’ve understood. But this particular dream made no sense
whatsoever. Still, if any country could heal her soul and free her of her
troubling dreams, Ireland was perfect for the task. The pace in the west
country was gentle, although she doubted that Dublin would have the same
relaxed feel.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">So
much to see, so little time.</i> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
Sinead had taken her to places on roads
she never would’ve ventured down on her own, and she’d fallen into bed
exhausted each night. But now, she simply wanted to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">be</i> for a while. No rushing about, no obligations, and certainly no
travel. Staying put had more appeal than ever before. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
Today she and Sinead would set out
for the family’s farm near Kenmare. Cleona had finally figured out how
everything worked in the modern hotel—even the taps and electrical outlets
seemed odd at first, and operating the washer and dryer combo was an exercise in
futility. Now they would be living in a farmhouse that had been in the family for
so long, no one could even say when it was first built. She welcomed the new
learning experience as yet another means of diverting her attention from her disturbing
thoughts. She longed to focus on more mundane activities, such as how to use an
electric tea kettle, which was one of the handier appliances she had yet to run
across.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
They’d spent some time in Dingle during
their sight-seeing travels, having lunch and exploring the shops. Dingle might
have been larger than Sneem, but Cleona could still stroll from one end of town
to the other—something she’d certainly never done in Dallas—and she enjoyed the
small town atmosphere.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
Sinead had accompanied her on those
outings, but today, she must’ve sensed that Cleona needed some time alone,
having gone ahead to order breakfast, leaving Cleona to catch up after walking the
cobwebs from her mind. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
The restaurant’s neat stone
storefront welcomed her with its green and gold sign, charming her with its
petunia-stuffed flower pots. The sweet scent followed her inside, mingling
briefly with the aroma of sausages and baking bread before being overwhelmed as
the door closed behind her.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
“I ordered you the full Irish
breakfast,” Sinead announced. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
Cleona took her seat, the chair legs
screeching across the floor as she scooted up to the lacquered wooden table. “Can’t
quite get used to having black pudding with my eggs and bacon, but if you
insist…”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
“I do.” Sinead flipped out her
napkin. “All the good Irish meals you’ve been served have yet to put the roses
back in your cheeks. Of course, you actually have to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">eat </i>that food to gain any benefit from it.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
“I’ve eaten plenty,” Cleona protested.
“Maybe not as much as you, but then, I wasn’t blessed with your constitution.” </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
Tall, slender, and blond, Sinead
could put away meals that, inside a month, would have rendered Cleona the size
of a young whale. If that was indeed her cousin’s intention, she had a long way
to go. The amount of weight Cleona had lost since the crash would have
delighted any desperate dieter, leaving her as thin and pale as the ghosts
whispering admonitions to her. That is, if they’d bothered to materialize. So
far, all they’d done was talk, and their constant babble had ruined her
appetite.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">See
what you’ve done to me?</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
As if shamed into silence, they allowed
her a moment’s respite before resuming their persistent din. There might have only
been a handful of other patrons enjoying their breakfasts in the sunny room,
but the noise in her mind was like a sports bar during the World Cup finals. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
A waitress with warm brown eyes and
softly curling hair brought their plates. Cleona picked up her fork, focusing
on the tines before squeezing her eyes closed.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Shut
up! </i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
Thinking she might have spoken
aloud, she cast an apologetic glance at her cousin. “Sorry.” </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
“For saying I’m a bit piggish?” </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
Cleona frowned. “Is that what I
said?”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
“Not exactly,” Sinead replied. “But
no worries either way.” </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">No
worries?</i> Although Cleona envied her cousin’s attitude, she had yet to reach
that level of complaisance. About the best she could say was that the peculiar voices
had diminished over the past few days—in number if not in volume. Was that
evidence of her recovery? Perhaps. The doctor had warned her that she might
experience headaches and dizziness in addition to her memory loss. Thus far,
dizziness had only been a problem once, and though she’d had several headaches,
none had lingered long enough for her to take even the mild pain reliever he’d
recommended. Of course, he’d never mentioned the possibility that the buzz in
her ears might turn out to be voices. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
Sinead cleared her throat. “If
you’re not going to eat that, we should head back to the hotel and check out.” </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
Cleona glanced up from her
practically untouched meal, noting that Sinead had already finished her breakfast
and was sipping her tea, no doubt anxious to get back to her home. The frequent
phone conversations with her boyfriend during the past week proved how much
Sinead missed him. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
“Sorry.” Quickly downing the rest of
her egg, she took a bite or two of the bacon and sausage, unable to face even
the tiniest taste of the pudding before the waitress brought the bill. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
Sinead smiled at her efforts. “Is
there anything you want to do here in town before we leave?”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
“I just need to mail a postcard, and
I’d like to stop at a bookstore.” </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
In addition to the occasional phone
call, Cleona had been writing to her family almost daily, reassuring them that
she was still alive and well. Something about writing a note and putting a
stamp on a letter made her feel more alive. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
“I still think you need more
clothes,” Sinead said with an admonitory wag of her head.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
“Are you kidding me? We’ve already
been to every shop in Sneem and most of the stores in Dingle. Trust me, I have
plenty to wear. Right now, all I need are some books.” </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
The fact that the entirety of
Cleona’s belongings fit into one small suitcase was irrelevant anyway. If mere
clothing could have erased the residual chill of the North Atlantic, her Aran
sweater would have done it with ease. No, what she needed was a good book to
silence the voices in her head—something to read at bedtime to keep the
memories at bay long enough for her to fall asleep. She only wished she’d hit
on that notion sooner. In the wake of the crash, sleep had been hard to come by.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
The Irish countryside had helped
soothe her during the drive from Connemara to Galway, but the effect had only been
temporary. Memories somehow managed to slip past the barriers she’d erected to
protect her sanity—creeping thoughts, complete with sights and smells and other
sensations that brought it all back. The wake from fishing boats rocking the
life raft, simultaneously evoking nausea and hope. The firm grasp of the fisherman’s
strong, calloused hands as he hoisted her onto his vessel. The scratch of a rough
woolen blanket that smelled faintly of fish, but provided more comforting
warmth than the softest goose down quilt. The pleasing aroma of freshly brewed
tea, mixed with milk and sugar before being thrust into her trembling hands by
one of the men. The voices, the clamor, the shocked expressions on the faces of
those gathered at the dock at Inisheer. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
Then came the cameras, the
questions, the officials—concerned but nameless—assuring her that everything
would be taken care of and any costs or losses paid for by the airline. She’d
certainly had nothing to declare in Customs. Even the clothes she’d been wearing
were gone, left behind in an Inisheer hotel room. Only the rings on her fingers
and her watch remained—a testament to the water resistance of that particular brand.
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
The de-Americanization of Cleona had
begun. She smiled to herself, wondering how she would handle the culture shock
upon her return to Dallas—sprawling, bustling, and hot.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
The time spent at the farm would be
the vacation from the vacation, and she was looking forward to it far more than
touring the rest of County Kerry.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
“No problem,” Sinead said with a
sunny smile. “We can stop at the post office on the way, and there’s a bookshop
in Kenmare. It won’t take long to get there. Thirty minutes, tops.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
Cleona rose from her chair, biting
back a laugh as she went to pay the bill. She’d already discovered that what appeared
to be a short distance on a map took far longer to reach than anyone would
expect—that is, anyone who’d never traveled the roads that twisted through the
mountains and waterways of Ireland. Even excluding the visit to Bunratty Castle
and lunch at Durty Nelly’s, the drive from Galway to Sneem would have taken
more than three hours. Tours of the Ring of Kerry and the Dingle Peninsula had
each taken a full day, stopping at various towns and points of interest along
the way. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
She and Sinead strolled back to the hotel, chatting
about this and that while at the same time drinking in the flavor of the town.
Cleona had never seen such beautiful scenery in her life, but even the view
from Geokaun Mountain on Valencia Island hadn’t silenced the racket in her
head. In such a lonely, lofty spot, even ghosts should have had the decency to
leave a person alone with her thoughts. She had certainly felt small standing
up there—or rather, the world had seemed bigger. Either way, she hadn’t been as
alone as she’d hoped. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
The Fogher Cliffs had reminded her
too much of the Cliffs of Moher, which had been the only land visible from the
sea where the plane went down. Although she’d been in a life raft at the time
and the sight of land should’ve been encouraging, the mere thought of those
cliffs evoked images of lifeless bodies being pounded into nothingness by the
constant motion of the sea. Peering down at the churning waves had made her dizzy,
and she’d had to lean against the stone abutment until her head cleared.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
In those moments, the timeless
nature of the rocky island seemed to seep into her bones. Ireland was so steeped
in history; the culture, the traditions, and even the language seemed rooted in
the distant past. There were plenty of historic sites in Texas, some dating
back to the earliest inhabitants. But not even the Alamo had affected her in
quite the same manner.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
A plaque at the Fogher Cliffs told
how the women of Dohilla had traversed a path over Geokaun Mountain to harvest peat.
During the space of time it took her to read it, the voices in her head were momentarily
silenced as though they also stood in awe of that nearly forgotten time. Those
women were gone now, even their path eroded by the sea. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
Afterward, she’d had to remind
herself she’d actually read that account, and that it hadn’t originated with some
other source. Even so, the mere mention of peat evoked a long-buried memory of
the scent of smoke rising from those fires, a memory that couldn’t have come
from simply reading about them. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
Her thoughts returned to the present
as they entered the hotel lobby with its high ceilings, fresh flowers, and stone
fireplace. A glimpse of the bar and the elegant dining room through the open
doorway reminded Cleona of the dinner they’d enjoyed there the night before. Freshly
caught fish and crab in a creamy Parmesan sauce had tempted her appetite better
than anything she’d eaten thus far. Even so, she would’ve done just as well to
have ordered a child’s portion.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
Sinead paid the hotel bill,
promising to settle up with Cleona later. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
“It’s easier this way,” she
explained.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
Cleona doubted that, but for the
moment, she let it pass, being preoccupied with matters far more important than
mere money. Thus far, she hadn’t heard a word from her fellow survivors.
Perhaps they felt as strange as she did—apart from the world, somehow changed
forever.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
She hoped time spent on a peaceful farm
would eradicate that feeling. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
But she certainly wasn’t counting on
it.<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">
</span>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="ref_chapter2"></a><b><span style="mso-bookmark: ref_chapter2;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Chapter 2</span></span></b><span style="mso-bookmark: ref_chapter2;"></span><span style="mso-bookmark: ref_chapter2;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"></span></b></span></div>
<span style="mso-bookmark: ref_chapter2;"></span>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
Kevan <span style="line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">MacFinnin</span> cursed as he spotted yet another ewe lying dead
on the hillside, her blood a dull red against the ruffling whiteness of her
fleece. Anger mixed with despair as he picked his way through the rocks to
kneel beside her body. <span style="line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">He’d</span>
found three such ewes in recent months—their throats cut and their abdomens
laid open with surgical precision. Any natural predator would have ripped
through the fleece and devoured their kill. Those sheep had undoubtedly been
killed by humans, but leaving the meat to be picked apart by scavengers made no
sense at all. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
He hadn’t noticed the peculiar
design painted on the first ewe’s hip, but he’d seen it on the second and again
on the third. This one was no different. The design was so unusual he’d begun keeping
an eye out for it, but apparently someone else was either watching more closely
than he or only applied it after the slaughter.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
“Marked for death,” he muttered, although
only his dog, Mac, could’ve possibly heard him. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
The police and his neighbors had
voiced theories ranging from pranksters to ritual sacrifices, neither of which
was common in County Kerry. Nor could anyone explain why his farm had been singled
out from the others in the area. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
He glanced up as he heard a car
approaching on the road above him. Although he’d had the occasional loss from road
kill, most drivers tended to slow down for sheep. Tourists wanted a closer look
and the locals understood a sheep’s value. His pastures were near a main road
with no houses in sight, which might provide the opportunity, but motive? He
still hadn’t figured out that part, unless he had enemies he didn’t even know
about. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
A wave from the window caught his
eye as the car rounded the bend. Not surprisingly, he recognized the car before
the driver.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Sinead
Mahoney. </i>No doubt bringing her cousin Cleona home from Sneem. He waved back
before immediately returning his attention to the ewe, praying they would pass
by without stopping. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
They didn’t. Sinead had made no
secret of her wish that her cousin would remain in Ireland for good. Unfortunately,
introducing her to Kevan <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">now</i> would
doom those hopes to failure. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
His tall blond neighbor emerged from
the vehicle. “Hey, Kevan!” Sinead called. “Come meet my cousin Cleona.” A
moment later, her smile vanished. “Not another one!”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
“Aye, I’m afraid so,” he replied.
“Best not to come any closer.” </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
The dead ewe’s presence provided an
excellent excuse to put off meeting a woman who had survived what was being
called one of the most tragic terrorist attacks in recent years. Being a
survivor himself might have given them a common bond, but Cleona had witnessed
enough horrors before ever setting foot on Irish soil. She didn’t need to see a
scarred man and the bloody carcass of a sheep-killer’s latest victim.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Too
late.</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
“Oh, my…” The petite brunette paled
as she joined her cousin by the fence. “What happened to it?”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
Through force of habit, Kevan turned
the undamaged side of his face toward the newcomer without meeting her eyes. “Looks
like someone killed it using a very sharp knife,” he said, seeing no point in
elaborating on the sheep’s appalling injuries. “This is the fourth I’ve found dead
in as many months. If this keeps up, I’ll likely lose the farm.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
“D’you think someone’s trying to
force you to sell out?” Sinead asked. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
He combed his fingers through the dead
ewe’s fleece. “If so, I wish they’d make me an offer and be done with it.
There’s no need to go about murdering my sheep.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
Sinead spoke to Cleona in an aside
she obviously didn’t intend for him to hear. Sinead had never been one to show
pity toward Kevan, but he saw the same sort of behavior every time he was
introduced to someone new, no doubt a few quiet words about his tragic past and
the disfigured freak he’d become. Not that he truly cared what anyone thought.
His parents had been gone for ten years—killed in the same terrorist attack
that had maimed their only child—leaving him to carry on the family traditions alone
at the age of eighteen. Losing the farm was a far more significant loss than the
good opinion of others. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
He drew in a breath, reminding
himself why he’d kept on fighting when perseverance had seemed so pointless.
Because it <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">wasn’t</i> pointless. Everyone
had a life to live, a mark to make, no matter how obscure. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
Cleona’s ordeal hadn’t been as
devastating to her personally, but that episode was more recent, the pain still
raw. He had no call to be surly and remote toward her or any other stranger. But
then, Sinead had chided him for the melancholy side of his personality since
childhood. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
“You’ll never get a girl by scowling
like that,” she’d said. “You need to smile more and act friendly.” </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
She would know. Sinead had dated
many a smiling charmer, finally settling on Conall O’Mara, who had the most
engaging grin of them all. The two had yet to marry, but everyone knew it was
only a matter of time. Despite the hopes of their respective parents, Kevan and
Sinead had never connected in a romantic manner. Sinead was a friend, or the sister
he’d never had, never a lover. He wished her and Conall all the happiness in
the world, still hoping to find someone as special for himself someday.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
That is, if the thing that made him
good for nothing beyond spending time on lonely hillsides tending sheep hadn’t
happened. He wondered why Sinead would inflict him on her cousin, especially
now, in the wake of a disaster she had so miraculously survived. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
Cleona stood beside Sinead, her white-knuckled
grasp on a nearby fencepost demonstrating her need for support. She was a
stranger to Ireland, and the cousin of his best friend and closest neighbor. He
could at least shake her hand and make her feel welcome. Unfortunately, a downward
glance suggested this might not be the best time for that. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
He wiped away most of the blood before
starting up the hill with Mac at his heels, hoping Sinead had at least prepared
her cousin for this meeting. With a lively breeze feathering his hair over his
scarred cheek, he probably looked as he had in his youth. He was okay with
that. Better to let Cleona see the unblemished side first, before allowing a
gust of wind to reveal what he could never completely hide without wearing a
mask.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
Sinead had described her cousin as pretty,
but she had understated the matter. Cleona was lovely; her delicate features
and smooth, unblemished complexion suggesting an English rose type rather than a
stylish American. Kevan was about to chastise himself for his stereotypical
assumptions when he realized her Aran sweater and tweed skirt were more
classically Irish than Sinead’s jeans and sweatshirt—the sort of clothing a
tourist might buy and wear while vacationing in Ireland.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Or
someone who’d lost their luggage in a plane crash.</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
He tossed a glance over his left
shoulder, hoping to prolong the illusion of normalcy a few moments longer.
“Sorry you had to see that. It’s a bit gruesome.” </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
“Don’t worry about me.” Discounting any
reticence she might have felt about touching his bloodstained palm, her handshake
was unexpectedly firm. “I’m sorry about your sheep.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
Tingling warmth stole up his arm as
she shook his hand, and his eyes were focused on hers when the breeze finally
betrayed him. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
No shock or revulsion marred her
expression as she released his hand to stroke his cheek with a fingertip. “That
must’ve hurt.” Blushing, she dropped her hand to her side and her gaze from his
face. “Forgive me. That was rude.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
His lips parted in surprise before
he managed to stammer a denial. “N<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">–</span>not
at all. Although it <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">was</i> a first.” When
she didn’t respond, he felt compelled to add, “Most people are too grossed out
to even stare, much less touch.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
“And cause you that much more pain?”
She paused, frowning. “Seems unnecessarily cruel.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
“Yes, I suppose it is.” He glanced briefly
at Sinead, whose befuddled shrug disclaimed any advance coaching. He returned
his attention to Cleona. “I hear you’ve had a rough time of it yourself.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
Her blush deepened, reminding him
once again of the English rose analogy. She swept a lock of dark brown hair
from her face and raised her head, drawing his attention to the cleft in her
chin. “Not so much, really. Only a concussion and a few bruises.” </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
Why would she be embarrassed that
her injuries were so minor? Then he remembered. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Survivor’s
guilt. </i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
That was a feeling he knew all too
well. Quite often the psychological impact of a disaster was more crippling
than any physical effects. He’d suffered third degree burns, which reportedly
ranked among the more painful injuries, but witnessing the devastation, especially
his parents’ mangled bodies, had left far deeper scars. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
A cloud drifted overhead, dimming
the sunshine and adding darkness to his already dismal thoughts. “I’m glad you
made it.” He started to add more—something about what a blow her death would
have been to Sinead and her family—but decided against it. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
“I’m glad you did too,” she said.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
And then she smiled—a smile that sliced
through the veil of sadness that had obscured his vision for so long. To say
that the grass was greener and the sky more blue was not only trite but
inadequate. The air itself seemed more transparent, making every color more vibrant,
every edge more clearly defined. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
He blinked and found that the radiance
persisted even when his eyes were closed. Had her smile changed the world?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
Or had it only lightened his soul?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
</div>
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<b><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/719267">Smashwords</a></b><br />
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<b><a href="https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/dreams-from-the-deep">Kobo</a></b>Cheryl Brookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11464377381132807409noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5421546620486579446.post-21940266411172837762017-04-25T10:27:00.001-04:002017-04-25T10:28:58.267-04:00WordWranglers: Welcome Author Cheryl Brooks<a href="http://wordwranglers.blogspot.com/2017/04/welcome-author-cheryl-brooks.html?spref=bl">WordWranglers: Welcome Author Cheryl Brooks</a>: We're so pleased to welcome multi-published author Cheryl Brooks to the round pen today to talk to us about her new and exciting Soul Survivors.Cheryl Brookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11464377381132807409noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5421546620486579446.post-85354890292586914342017-04-24T00:01:00.000-04:002017-04-24T10:27:37.122-04:00Mediterranean Monday?This past Saturday, I attended our Indiana RWA's mini conference. Kristin Lamb was our speaker, and she advised us all to blog in order to connect with readers. Some of you may remember the days before I had to shut down the old Cheryl Brooks Erotic Blogspot because my family photos had gotten sucked into a XXX bookmark site. Prior to that date--somewhere around July 4th, 2013--I had blogged every single day for four years. That experience made me a bit blog shy, and I must admit I haven't missed sitting down to write a blog every day--or posting several day's worth in advance if I was going to be away from my computer. I'll never get back the countless hours I spent uploading photos and getting them to line up correctly on the page, not to mention writing the text, but those were good times, and I do miss all the fun we had.<br />
<br />
Anyway, after talking with Kristin after the event, she looked at the list of my likes and interests that I'd compiled as a part of the program, and because I had listed cooking as an interest, she asked me what sort of recipes I was currently using. When I told her I was on the Mediterranean diet, she suggested that I do a Mediterranean Monday post with my favorite recipes as a way to get back into blogging.<br />
<br />
The idea had merit, but perhaps I should first explain why was on the Mediterranean diet in the first place. Last September, my doctor left the group practice, so I had to find a new one. I saw the new guy for the first time in mid January. I told him I was tired all the time and just didn't feel good. He looked at my labs and previous CT scans and said that because the CT showed fatty liver disease and my liver enzymes were elevated, that I was at risk for developing cirrhosis of the liver, and that this was probably the cause of my fatigue. The main treatment, he said, was for me to lose weight.<br />
<br />
Well, I've been at roughly 220 pounds for a long, damn time, so I didn't have much confidence in my ability to lose a single ounce, but I told him I would try. He said the diet I should follow is essentially the same as the diet for diabetics--a condition I also have--which is to avoid potatoes, pasta, bread, and sugar. When I got home, I looked up the best diet for fatty liver disease, and the Mediterranean diet popped up. I'll leave it to <a href="https://oldwayspt.org/">others </a>to explain the diet overall, but I tried a few recipes, started eating more fresh vegetables (my favorites are red bell peppers and cucumbers), avoided those things he mentioned, and stopped eating (or buying) cheese almost entirely.<br />
<br />
I know it sounds hard, but it really wasn't. I found plenty of flavorful recipes and discovered foods I'd never even eaten before. As any dieter can tell you, the only real motivation for sticking to any diet is how well it works. I've been on a variety of diets in my 61 years, and most of the time, I either lost weight, then gained it all back plus ten more pounds, or I was starving to death all the time and didn't lose squat. For the first few days of this diet, however, I was losing roughly a half a pound a day, and not only that, I wasn't constantly hungry. <br />
<br />
When the rate of weight loss began slowing down, I got back on my Nordic Track for the first time in at least ten years, probably fifteen. I thought I was going to die after the first five minutes, but I've gradually increased the time and the tension to where I was the last time I used it regularly. I have a six-song playlist I listen to, and I try to think about anything else--what I'm going to fix for dinner, my to-do list, my current novel-in-progress, you name it--and the time passes pretty quickly. I stop between songs, get a sip of water and wipe off the sweat, climb back on and start again. I put my favorite of the songs last so it gives me something to look forward to. <br />
<br />
The result is, I feel better. I've lost twenty pounds, my liver enzymes are down in the low end of the normal range, my Hemoglobin A1C is in the normal range, and I can walk almost as well as I did twenty years ago. I did pretty well until Easter, when I sort of fell off the diet wagon for a day or two, but I haven't given up.<br />
<br />
One of the first recipes I found in my search was this one for <a href="https://oldwayspt.org/recipes/baked-sun-dried-tomato-cod">Baked Sun-dried Tomato Cod,</a> from the <a href="https://oldwayspt.org/">Oldways</a> site, which is baked in packets of parchment paper. I had to modify it slightly because the fish never seemed to get done when I baked it in the parchment packets, so I omit the parchment paper and just bake it in a glass baking dish at 400 F for about twenty to thirty minutes depending on the thickness of the fish. I also cut the recipe in half since my son, Sam, wouldn't eat something like this unless he was dying of starvation. <img alt="*:D big grin" class="yahoo-ignore-inline-image" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1492970293920_10706" src="https://s.yimg.com/ok/u/assets/img/emoticons/emo31.gif" title="*:D big grin" /> However, my husband, who doesn't particularly like baked fish, loves this recipe!<br />
<br />
The source of your cod also makes a difference. If you live near the coast, you're in luck, but I've been buying the cod fillets from the Kroger seafood counter, and I find that it has better flavor and texture than the frozen stuff. It smells horrible when you first unwrap it, but if you rinse it well and then dry it off with paper towels, it becomes more tolerable. <br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Baked Sun-dried Tomato Cod</b></span><br />
<br />
<b>Ingredients</b><br />
<div class="field field-name-field-ingredients">
1/3 cup julienned sun dried tomatoes<br />
1 chopped medium shallot<br />
½ cup baby bella mushrooms, cleaned and roughly chopped<br />
2 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar<br />
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice<br />
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing on cod<br />
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt<br />
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper<br />
2 (4-6-ounce) fresh or frozen cod fillets (thawed if frozen)<br />
2 lemon wedges<br />
4 fresh basil leaves, julienned, for garnish<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="block block-ds-extras last even" id="block-ds-extras-recipe-instructions">
<div class="block-inner">
<div class="content">
<div class="field field-name-body">
<div class="label-above">
<b>Instructions</b></div>
<ol>
<li>Preheat oven to 400°F.</li>
<li>Add chopped sun-dried tomatoes, shallots, and mushrooms to a medium
mixing bowl. Add vinegar, lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper. Stir
to combine.</li>
<li>Rinse each fillet well, dry with paper towels, then place them skin side down in a glass baking dish, brush with olive oil, and top with the sun-died tomato mixture. </li>
<li>Bake for 20-30
minutes, depending on the thickness of the cod until the fish is white and flakes easily with a fork. Garnish the fish with fresh basil, serve with lemon wedges if desired, and enjoy!</li>
</ol>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
Cheryl Brookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11464377381132807409noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5421546620486579446.post-48638778364772827562017-04-07T19:40:00.000-04:002017-04-22T20:35:15.131-04:00New Series! I finally have some news worth blogging about! Sourcebooks bought two books in a new series about the next generation of Zetithians. We're calling it <b>Cat Star Legacy</b>. The first book is about Althea (Tisana and Leo's daughter) and Larry (Jack and Cat's eldest son). I'm calling it <i><b>Empath</b></i>, which refers to Althea's character. No telling what the title will be by the time it's published sometime in the latter half of 2018.<br />
<br />
In the meantime, I finished writing the <b>Soul Survivors</b> paranormal romantic suspense trilogy, and the first book, <i><b>Echoes From the Deep</b></i>, is now available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Google Play, and Smashwords. The other ebook platforms (Kobo, iBooks, etc,) will have it whenever Smashwords decides to send it to them. It is also available in print from CreateSpace, which some of the other vendors will find eventually. The second book, <i><b>Dreams From the Deep</b></i> is ready to publish as soon as I get the cover from my terrific cover artist at Dragonfly Press Design.<br />
<br />
Here's a sneak peek!<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: blue;"><i><b><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Echoes From the Deep</span></span></b></i></span></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
A plane crash survivor acquires the souls of three women. </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Armed with their knowledge, she must solve a murder that points toward a global conspiracy. </div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOMIVnmpOL5uK4NUmVoDZikiJra8j8cjenhuv-ZxRKPQdhVz2vuwl7wt_25VhhJTUHdhQbBTfPwBQ1NKJZ7Af1rOBYLoNr5RftvvxIPLtsqWV00V8otJFZ8ROvZLhHx2hENeWGYDqTVcs/s1600/Echoes_300.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOMIVnmpOL5uK4NUmVoDZikiJra8j8cjenhuv-ZxRKPQdhVz2vuwl7wt_25VhhJTUHdhQbBTfPwBQ1NKJZ7Af1rOBYLoNr5RftvvxIPLtsqWV00V8otJFZ8ROvZLhHx2hENeWGYDqTVcs/s1600/Echoes_300.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
Jilted less than a week before her wedding, assistant bank manager Jillian Dulaine elects to go on her honeymoon to England alone. When the plane nose-dives into the sea off the coast of Ireland, she is one of only three survivors and is charged with delivering a message to the son of the woman seated beside her. <br />
<br />
When his mother’s dying words send Jillian to him, London Times reporter Ranjiv Tenali suspects her of matchmaking even after her death. His attraction to the lovely American woman cannot be denied, but he is shaken by the suspicion that she carries his mother’s spirit. <br />
<br />
The souls she acquired in the midst of the crash provide Jillian with talents and knowledge vital to her survival. But when she visits Stonehenge, her role as the one chosen to connect with Earth’s spirit is revealed, setting her on a path toward romance, conspiracy, and murder.<br />
<br />
<br />
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">One miraculous survivor becomes a life raft
for souls.</span></i><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="border-bottom: solid #4F81BD 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: accent1; mso-element: para-border-div; padding: 0in 0in 4.0pt 0in;">
<div align="center" class="MsoTitle" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="mso-bookmark: ref_chapter1;"></span><span style="font-size: large;">Chapter
1</span><span style="mso-bookmark: ref_chapter1;"></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">“Oceana Airways
Flight 2324 to London’s Heathrow Airport is now boarding at gate A22.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">For the space of perhaps ten seconds, Jillian Dulaine debated the
wisdom of ignoring the announcement. She didn’t have to leave Newark. She could
stay there for the next three weeks and no one back home in Memphis would ever
know she’d chickened out. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Her friends and family knew how much she hated flying, and they had all
applauded her decision to bite the bullet and make this trip alone—a trip that
should’ve been fun and exciting, not to mention romantic. But now, instead of
leaping up with all the eagerness a new bride ought to feel on her honeymoon,
Jillian gritted her teeth while mustering every ounce of willpower she
possessed simply to rise from her seat. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">An air of excited anticipation surrounded her, people chatting and
laughing while she took her place in the queue like a mindless drone. No one
else seemed to share her mood. No one else was only going through the motions,
pretending their entire world hadn’t fallen completely apart.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">After the gate official scanned her ticket, Jillian walked down the
ramp to board the plane, the clack of her new sandals muted by the carpeted
floor. Unlike many of the other passengers, all she carried was her purse, preferring
to let the baggage handlers deal with the bulk of her belongings. Losing her
luggage would be no great loss anyway Clothes could easily be replaced, and she
didn’t care what anyone thought of her fashion sense. Especially now, when she
was just another body in the herd that moved inexorably toward the door of the
huge jet.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">A smiling flight attendant welcomed her aboard. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">The smile Jillian gave her in return contained little in the way of
genuine warmth. She wasn’t the least bit thrilled to be embarking on her
honeymoon without a husband.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Why am I doing this?</span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Her sister had insisted she owed it to herself to enjoy the trip, if
only to spite Seth Nolan for practically jilting her at the altar. “It wasn’t
your fault, Jillian,” Nicola had said. “He led you on. You deserve better than
him.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">“Do I?” Jillian asked. What was that old saying? Something about not
getting what you deserve but deserving what you get? Or was it the other way
around? “Even after being stupid enough to believe he would actually go through
with a wedding?” Jillian didn’t think that belief was quite enough to recommend
her for greater things. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">“Even then,” Nicola replied. “You’re my big sister, and I love you. I
want you to be happy.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Jillian smiled to herself, this time with genuine warmth and affection.
Nicola was such a sweet girl. If anyone deserved happiness, she did. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Following the directions from the flight attendants, she made her way
past the first class section and all those lovely alcove-like seats that could
actually be made into beds. Jillian’s last-minute request for an upgrade had
been turned down, and she proceeded on through the belly of the 747 to the
economy section. Reaching her assigned seat in the center row, she noted that
someone was already seated at the opposite end. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Seth’s seat.</span></i><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">When she and Seth had first booked the flight, the booking agency had
said they wouldn’t get to choose their seats, but that families would be seated
together whenever possible. Seth probably would have been placed on the aisle
so he wouldn’t rub shoulders with another woman during the night. Perhaps this
woman wouldn’t have even been on the plane if he hadn’t backed out. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Having canceled so late, he wouldn’t get a refund for that seat, which
gave Jillian some satisfaction, even if she would be the one footing the entire
bill for the hotel. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">“Think of it, Jill,” he’d said. “Three weeks to explore Britain—London,
Liverpool, the Cornish coast, Dover—anyplace we want to go.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Now she was doing it alone, with no desire to see anything. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">That wasn’t entirely true. She at least wanted to see Stonehenge. No
doubt all of Britain would seem fascinating and enjoyable once she arrived. Everyone
assured her this trip would be good for her, the perfect therapy for a broken
heart. The idea had seemed plausible, if only in theory. At the moment, she wasn’t
so sure.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">However, when her gaze met the smiling face of the older woman seated
on the aisle, she revised her opinion.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">This might not be so bad after
all.</span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">The woman was obviously Indian, right down to her dark brown eyes,
chignon hairstyle, and deep purple sari. The satiny folds surrounded her like rippling
water, giving her an air of serenity. Simply looking at her calmed Jillian’s
nerves. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Jillian removed the allotted pillow and blanket from her seat and sat
down with a sigh. Already she felt closed in, trapped by the high seat back in
front of her. Bile rose in her throat, and she took several deep breaths to
force it back down.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">“They don’t give us much room on these planes, do they?” the woman asked
with an accent as native as her style of dress.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">“No, they don’t.” Jillian forced out a laugh. “We’ll probably feel like
old pals by the time we get to London.” </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">“Then we should introduce ourselves now. My name is Kavya.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">“I’m Jillian. Nice to meet you, Kavya. I hope my fidgeting doesn’t
drive you crazy. I’m not used to sitting still for so long.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">“Nor am I. I try to think of other more pleasant things. It helps
sometimes.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Jillian knew that to be true. Unfortunately, finding a pleasant thought
had been difficult for the past few days. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">She should have known Seth would get cold feet. Anyone who’d resisted
marriage for as long as he had was bound to be the type to call the whole thing
off two days before the wedding. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Seth…</span></i><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> It would have been different if she hadn’t
loved him so much. She couldn’t even find it in her heart to hate him for
breaking up with her the way he had—only a phone call saying he couldn’t go
through with the wedding and wouldn’t be coming home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Sleep had been elusive since then. Unaccustomed to sleeping alone, she kept
turning over expecting to touch him while he slept, only to find nothing beside
her but empty space. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">As more passengers boarded, two women took their places to Jillian’s
left in the four-seat row. She thought it odd that none of them were men. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Then again, perhaps seats were assigned according to gender on
overnight flights. She had no idea. She was only thankful not to be seated next
to a strange man during what would most likely be a futile attempt to sleep. She
reminded herself that if this trip had gone as planned, she would’ve been
sitting next to a very <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">familiar </i>man, one
on whose shoulder she could’ve rested her head, perhaps even sharing a
goodnight kiss.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Closing her eyes, she was vaguely aware when Kavya shifted slightly in
her seat. Perhaps she was as uncomfortable as Jillian. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">“First trip to London?”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Jillian glanced up as the woman on her left spoke. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Middle-aged and plump with curly, dark red hair, she held out a hand. “The
name’s Anna. Figured we ought to get to know one another.” </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Anna’s firm handshake seemed incongruous somehow. Given the woman’s
appearance, she’d expected a softer grip. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Jillian introduced herself and Kavya before adding, “Yes, this will be
my first trip.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">“My third,” Anna said. “It’s a long flight, but definitely worth it. Kate
and I adore walking in the Pennines.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Jillian darted a questioning glance at the woman seated next to Anna, a
long, loose-limbed woman with short blond hair wearing capris and a sleeveless
blouse that displayed her muscular arms. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">“Oh, no,” Anna said with a chuckle. “Kate’s a miniature schnauzer.” Whipping
out her smart phone, she tapped the screen and aimed it at Jillian. “Placed
sixth at Westminster three years ago.” </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">A gray dog with perky ears and fluffy white whiskers stared back at her
from the phone. “Very cute.” She paused, frowning. “Where is she?”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">“Cargo hold,” Anna replied. “Rules, you know.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Jillian wasn’t much of a dog enthusiast, but a cage in the hold seemed
like cruel and unusual punishment for any animal. “How awful.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">“Kate doesn’t seem to mind, and they take good care of the dogs. Never
had a problem.” Anna flapped a casual hand. “Great traveler. Very well-behaved
and more easygoing than most schnauzers. Was a breeze to train.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">“You’re a trainer then?”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">“Trainer, handler, groomer, breeder… I do it all.” As quickly as she’d
retrieved her phone, Anna held out a business card. “If you’re in the market
for a pup, I’ll be breeding Kate in the fall.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Jillian scanned the card, which identified her new acquaintance as Anna
Lyles, breeder of champion miniature schnauzers, located in Syracuse, New York.
“Not in the market. Sorry.” </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Anna shrugged. “Hang onto the card. You never know…”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Jillian was pretty sure she would never need a dog, especially one that
would probably be priced in the thousands. No wonder Anna could afford multiple
visits to England. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">The woman at the end of the row leaned forward. “Got any more of those
cards?” she asked with an accent that was decidedly British. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">“Absolutely.” Anna produced another one so quickly Jillian wondered if
she moonlighted as a magician. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">“Thanks.” The blonde took the card and introduced herself as Shanda. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">“Pleasure to meet you,” Anna said, then repeated the name as though
something about it—or the woman herself—struck her as familiar. “Wait…you’re Shanda
Smythe, aren’t you? The champion swimmer?”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">That explains the arms.</span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">“<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Former</i> champion swimmer,”
Shanda said. “Retired from competition. Been living in the States for several
years now. I’m surprised you recognized me.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">“I’m something of an Anglophile,” Anna said with a shrug. “I follow all
sorts of British sports. Soccer, rugby, cricket. I seem to recall reading
something about—”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Shanda cleared her throat. “Yes, well, I’m in the process of moving
back home. Might need a dog to keep me company.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">The way Shanda cut off Anna’s recollection made it fairly obvious that
whatever Anna had read was something Shanda didn’t care to discuss. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Apparently Anna got the message. Without missing a beat, she resumed her
sales pitch. “My schnauzers are great companion dogs. More like a member of the
family than a pet.” </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Jillian’s attention drifted. She and Seth had never had any pets during
the five years they’d lived together, which was probably for the best. Dividing
up furniture was easy compared to a custody battle over a dog or a cat.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">At least we were spared that. </span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">The hours ahead seemed interminable.<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">
</i>That speech pilots always gave to the passengers was such a joke. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Enjoy the flight?</i> She’d never been on a
flight yet that she actually enjoyed. Endured perhaps, but never enjoyed.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">The safety instructions speech was already under way. Jillian barely
heeded it except that it meant they might be taking off soon. Emergency exits. Life
jackets under the seats. Oxygen masks. Place the mask over your nose and mouth
and breathe normally.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Yeah, right. </span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">An upward glance revealed that she didn’t even have her own reading
light or air flow control. The air was stuffy, almost unbearably so. She could
only hope it would improve after takeoff. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Following a difficult swallow, she inhaled deeply. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">I’m not afraid. I’m just… I don’t know.</i> Perhaps it was because everyone
else on board had reasons for taking the flight. She had lost hers. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Why am I here? I should’ve
stayed home. </span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">A moment of panic struck her. If she got up now, she could get off the
plane. Again, she could stay in Newark. No one would ever know the difference until
she returned home without any pictures of London to show her family or the crew
at the bank. With no one there to remind her why taking this trip was such a
wonderful idea, all the encouragement she’d received was fading fast. Was she
the only one on the entire plane who was unhappy? </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">A baby crying across the aisle answered her question. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Too late.</span></i><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> The plane was already moving, taxiing down
the runway, picking up speed. The sky outside was dark. She couldn’t even see a
window, yet she knew it was true. The roar increased, the acceleration pushing
her back against her seat. The nose of the huge plane rose into the air. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">These things are too damned big
to fly.</span></i><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> How many passengers?
Hundreds, surely. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">She clutched the pillow and blanket to her chest like a frightened
child, squeezing her eyes shut. The baby wasn’t crying anymore—probably too
stunned by the strange sensations to make a sound. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">The air cooled as the plane gained altitude and speed. Blissful,
cooling air. She swallowed around a strange lump in her throat. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">I’m okay… I’m okay. </span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Opening her eyes, she stared at the seat back in front of her where a TV
screen showed their location. She could watch a movie at some point—something
engrossing and thrilling enough to provide some distraction. Would she be able
to hear over the deafening engines? Anna still appeared to be chatting with
Shanda, but Jillian could barely even hear her own thoughts, let alone a word
of their conversation. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">As the jet leveled off, she took stock of the contents of the pocket in
front of her. Magazines filled with ridiculously expensive items that no one
sitting in the economy section could possibly afford. A tiny bag with a set of
ear buds. A large, stiff card printed with the safety instructions. She saw
nothing of interest but forced herself to focus her attention on everything she
found—anything to pass the time. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">After she’d flipped through every magazine and knew everything there
was to know about what to do in an emergency, she checked her watch. She’d
actually killed an hour. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Only six or seven more to go.</span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Flying east into the sunrise might shorten the hours of darkness, but
nothing would hurry the flight itself, except perhaps a stiff tail wind.
Sitting for so long was bound to be bad for the circulation. People got blood
clots in their legs on long flights, didn’t they? As wedged in as she was,
getting up for a stroll seemed impossible and yet sitting still was just as
difficult. Her fidgeting was bound to annoy everyone around her. She was used
to moving or standing. Not this endless sitting.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">A glance to her right revealed Kavya holding a faded, dog-eared
photograph of a man standing beside a small boy.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Not quite as high-tech as a camera phone—or as crisp an image—and yet
she held it reverently, like some sort of talisman or her most prized
possession.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Glancing up, the woman smiled and gestured with the photo. “My husband
and son.” </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Jillian replied with a nod. “Very handsome.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">“Yes, he was,” Kavya said softly. “He died many years ago.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Jillian’s curiosity got the better of her. “Your husband or your son?”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">“My husband, Ramesh. I still miss him very much.” A sigh escaped her.
“My son is grown now and is even more handsome than his father.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">“You’ve been visiting him?” Jillian prompted. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">“No,” she replied. “I’ve been to see my sister in Chicago. My son lives
in London, as do I.” </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">“You’re going home then?”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Kavya nodded. “Yes. I will be glad to get home. My son has had troubles
lately.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">“Oh?”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">“Woman troubles. He will never listen to me.” She shook her head sadly.
“Marriages should never be left to chance. Something so important should be
planned and arranged many years in advance.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Given her own recent brush with marriage, Jillian was beginning to
wonder if the Indian culture didn’t have the right idea—knowing from childhood
whom you would marry. She couldn’t decide if there would be comfort in that or
dread.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Dread, probably.</span></i><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> On the other hand, the whole dating thing
would become a non-issue. She tried to imagine high school without constantly
obsessing over her attractiveness to the opposite sex.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">How liberating.</span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">“My son, Ranjiv, does not believe in the old ways. Perhaps because the
marriage his father and I had planned for him was such a mistake. But he hasn’t
had much luck on his own.” She smiled. “Thirty years old, and so very, very
British.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Jillian stared at her. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">I’m a complete stranger, and
she’s telling me this?</span></i><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">“That doesn’t sound so bad.” Then again, Seth had been so very, very
American. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">“Ah, but my sister’s daughter already has two sons.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">“And Ranjiv—am I saying that right?—he’s your only child?”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">“Yes, and he is very dear to me. A good son in so many ways.” She
tucked the picture into the silken fabric wrapped around her waist. “I must be
patient.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Jillian knew all about being patient. She and Seth had been together for
five years before becoming engaged, and even then, it had been more of a
decision than a romantic episode. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">I’d say I was patient in the
extreme.</span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Having had the opportunity to mull it over for the past few days, she
concluded that her ticking biological clock had scared Seth away. Still, being
twenty-seven didn’t necessarily demand immediate conception. She had several
more years before it became imperative. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Truth be told, Seth was an excellent boyfriend and fiancé. He adored a
good time and seldom failed to cheer her up whenever she felt down—until now.
He just wasn’t cut out to be a husband or a father. At least he’d realized it
before it was too late. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Even so, five years was a long time to waste on a man. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Had that time truly been wasted? She wasn’t sure. She loved him so much.
They’d had fun, and the sex was great. Something had obviously been missing—but
what?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">His love, perhaps? </span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Not that it mattered now. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">“But enough about me and my troubles,” Kavya went on. “Do you have
business in London, or are you on holiday?”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Jillian smiled grimly. “To be honest, this was supposed to be my
honeymoon.” </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">“Oh my. What happened?”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Despite the whole “complete stranger” thing, Jillian suddenly found
herself telling Kavya things she hadn’t even confided to her sister. In many
ways it was cathartic, telling her story to someone so far removed from the
events, similar to talking to a counselor or a shrink. Either way, she felt
better afterward.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Kavya patted her hand. “Well, I am sure you will have a wonderful time
in London. Perhaps I should introduce you to my son. He will, of course, accuse
me of matchmaking.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Jillian grinned. “Can’t help it, can you?”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Kavya chuckled. “It has become something of a habit.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Time passed. Dinner was served. Kavya asked for the pasta. Jillian followed
suit, suddenly stricken with an intense abhorrence for eating any part of a
chicken. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Lowering her tray table, Jillian took the tray from the flight
attendant. Tiny containers of food. So uniform, so precise, so impersonal.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">“I’ll have the chicken,” Anna said. “It smells divine.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Divine? Seriously? A dead bird
could smell divine? </span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Jillian’s brain felt like a sponge—filled with holes and air—her
thoughts escaping like water through a sieve. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">She hadn’t shed a tear when Seth informed her of his decision not to
marry. Perhaps because deep down, she had expected it. And now, thousands of
feet above the Atlantic, her brain chose to go into meltdown mode. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Did they keep straightjackets on board for passengers who went nuts? </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Picking up her fork, she was momentarily at a loss to explain its
function. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Hours.</span></i><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> She had to sit there for hours when another
second was too much. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">“You’re still upset, aren’t you?” Kavya’s voice sounded odd, like she
had already said those words before and was having to repeat them. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Jillian finally found her own voice. “I’m not sure. I feel so strange.
I’m not sick. I’m—I can’t explain it.”</span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">“Perhaps you just need to eat something,” the older woman said. “The
pasta isn’t bad, although it’s nothing like my own cooking.” She smiled. “I’ve
never made anything remotely Italian in my life.” </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">And I’ve never made anything
remotely Indian, unless you count curried rice. </span></i></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">She squeezed her eyes shut. Rice flavored with curry powder. That was
Indian, surely. Opening her eyes again, she asked the only question she seemed
capable of putting into words. “Are you a vegetarian?” </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">“For the most part,” Kavya replied. “Although not strictly. I sometimes
eat seafood or chicken—never beef, of course—but I’m simply not in the mood for
chicken.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">“Neither am I.” At least, not <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">that</i>
chicken. Anna might think it smelled divine, but Jillian thought it
smelled…wrong—yet another thing she couldn’t explain. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Peeling back the cover on the pasta, she inhaled the aromas of
Parmesan, tomato, and basil… perhaps a touch of rosemary. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Nope. Nothing wrong with my
nose.</span></i></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Only her brain was messed up. </span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Jillian picked at her meal until someone finally took away the tray. Closing
her eyes, she listened to the jet engines—the dull roar that would fill her
ears for the next several hours. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">She hitched in her seat, feeling more claustrophobic than ever. With
nowhere else to put them except the floor, she held the blanket and pillow in
her lap. She didn’t need them. The cabin temperature was much too hot. Even
with so many sleepless nights behind her, sleep just wasn’t going to happen.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Her sidelong glance revealed Kavya sitting quietly, her eyes closed as
though lost in thought, perhaps even meditating. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Wish I knew how to do that. </span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Somehow she didn’t think this would be the best time to learn the
technique. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">The lights dimmed. She could still see, but the idea was obviously to
get everyone to go to sleep—or at least allow them to. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">The cabin temperature rose even further. Did they seriously think that
being hot would make everyone drowsy? Jillian was perfectly miserable. She stuffed
her blanket under the seat in front of her and picked up the emergency
instructions card to use as a fan. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Time crawled by. She tried to watch a movie but could scarcely hear the
words over the drone of the engines, even with ear buds. Now and then, she
glanced at the people sitting around her. Every one of them appeared to be
asleep. She rang her call light and asked for ice water. She had already
learned that among the Brits, one had to specify ice or receive a tepid beverage.
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">So civilized, and yet they
ignore ice.</span></i><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> It wasn’t that<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> </i>cold in Britain. Granted, their summers
were nothing like those back home in Memphis, but the temps got up to eighty
degrees or so now and then. She knew because she’d researched it. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Good thing I don’t mind
drinking hot tea.</span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">But not now. </span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">After what seemed like an eternity, the lights slowly brightened. Jillian
heaved a sigh of relief as the seat belt light came on and the announcement was
made regarding their approach to the British Isles. Someone handed her another
tray with juice and a muffin. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Ah, yes, a continental
breakfast.</span></i><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Odd, on a flight to London. Or maybe it wasn’t. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">She had just taken a bite of the dry muffin when the plane shuddered,
first rising and then falling through the air—straight down in a nose dive. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Plates and trays went flying. Screams sounded all around her. Her own
tray flew up and hit her in the face. Oxygen masks deployed, but the rate of
descent flung them against the ceiling rather than allowing them to dangle
within reach. Overhead compartments exploded, their contents now deadly
missiles. Blood splattered on the seat in front of her. She glanced at Anna, whose
mouth was open in a frozen scream. Kavya clutched her chest, her eyes wide and
staring in blank terror. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Were they over water or land? She had no idea. Either way, with such a
steep, rapid descent, they were doomed. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">I’m going to die. Right here.
Right now. </span></i></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Seth would read the headlines and know he’d made the right choice. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">For some ungodly reason, that thought sent her off in a peal of hysterical
laughter—laughing harder than she ever had in her life until tears flowed from
her eyes. </span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">She tried to lean forward and couldn’t. In fact, she could barely move
at all. In a crash, you were supposed to lean forward and clasp your hands
behind your head. That was the “crash position” wasn’t it? The best she could
do was to clutch the top of her head with both hands. Not that it mattered. She
was going to die anyway. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Someone shouted something about seat belts and life jackets. A flight
attendant, perhaps. Due to her study of the emergency procedures card, Jillian
knew precisely where her life jacket was. Not that she would ever be able to actually
reach it. Not that it would make any difference.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">This was no gentle glide to the surface, no floating freefall that
suggested that anyone might survive. Her life didn’t pass before her eyes the
way everyone claimed it would when death was imminent. All she could see was
the bloodstained surface above her head. The plane shuddered again, the
screaming engines and screeching metal joints drowning out the cries of the
passengers—or perhaps no one had enough breath left in them to scream. She
certainly didn’t. The air had been stripped from her lungs, as though a heavy
weight on her stomach had forced her diaphragm into her throat. </span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">She tried to think about her mother, her sister, and the sadness they
and the loved ones of everyone aboard the plane would feel. Kavya’s son,
Ranjiv, who would never see his mother’s face again, never hear her voice or
feel her arms around him. So much loss. So much death. </span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Including my own.</span></i></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">The impact was so horrific it should have snapped her neck, or at the
very least collapsed her spine. The crushing pressure from her seatbelt nearly
cut her in half, making her heave up what little she had eaten. Seawater gushed
in, quickly filling the fuselage, proving that they had indeed been flying over
the ocean. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Too late.</span></i><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> Now completely submerged, Jillian held her
breath in a futile attempt to remain alive. People were dying all around her. She
witnessed their death throes and tasted the blood and jet fuel mixed in with the
seawater, still not quite believing she wasn’t dead. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">I’m okay?</span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">For the moment, perhaps, but probably not for long. </span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Through the eerie underwater silence a voice that was strangely calm
amid the chaos spoke to her. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“Unbuckle
your seatbelt, Jillian. You’re going to make it.”</i></span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">With barely enough light to see, she turned toward Kavya. Her eyes were
open and staring, but were now completely lifeless.</span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></i></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“Tell my son I love
him. Now, go.”</span></i></div>
<br />
<br />
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<a href="http://tinyurl.com/lev7x9t">Barnes & Noble</a><br />
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<a href="https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Cheryl_Brooks_Echoes_From_the_Deep?id=2-2ODgAAQBAJ&hl=en">Google Play</a>Cheryl Brookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11464377381132807409noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5421546620486579446.post-91566003717291825412017-01-08T17:13:00.001-05:002017-01-08T17:13:38.963-05:00If you thought 2016 was bad...Despite the fact that I haven't posted anything here in a long, long time, this blog is getting about 200 hits every day. I'm guessing this is an automatic thing that pops up because I still have a few blog followers out there, but it seems strange that an essentially defunct blog would get so much traffic.<br />
<br />
Of course, there's a reason I haven't been posting or sending out newsletters. Both my agent and my Sourcebooks editor have passed on my Soul Survivors trilogy of paranormal romantic suspense. This lack of enthusiasm has crept into me like a virus, sapping my desire to write to the point that I'm having a very hard time finishing the third book. When she passed on that series, my editor asked for another Cowboy Heaven book, as well as another Cat Star book. I told her I didn't have any ideas for another cowboy story, but I did have four chapters and a synopsis for the first of a "Next Generation" Cat Star book. I also wrote a synopsis for a second book, but so far, interest has been lukewarm at best. I'm still waiting to hear from her after providing her with a better "hook" for the two books and the series as a whole, but I almost hope they say no.<br />
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The truth is, I'm tired. Tired of constantly trying to promote, promote, promote. Tired of checking my Amazon sales only to see that another day has gone by without a single sale. Tired of scrolling through Facebook and seeing nothing there to improve my mood. If you followed anything I posted before the election, you'll know I'm not a bit happy with the outcome. The general despair from that fiasco has had a negative impact on my overall outlook to the point that I've lost purpose. I'm bored and restless at the same time. I don't know what I want to do now, but writing isn't bringing me the joy it once did. I realized a few days ago that, aside from cooking, I no longer have any leisure activities that I enjoy. They've all dried up one by one as my writing career devoured every second of my spare time. <br />
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Perhaps what I'm feeling now is only the usual post-holiday blues, but I can't help believing it runs deeper than that. I turned 61 last week. I know that in today's world, that age doesn't seem very old--that is, until Carrie Fisher died at the age of 60 the day before my birthday. So many of our beloved actors and musicians died in 2016. I can't say that anything terrible has happened to my family directly--except the death of our fifteen-year-old cat on January 5th. It's more pervasive than that. There's a pall hanging over our world, and romance just doesn't lift the spirit the way it once did. Maybe someday I'll catch the writing bug again, but for now, I'm going to try to find something else. Cheryl Brookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11464377381132807409noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5421546620486579446.post-32826010274005341862016-03-29T08:56:00.003-04:002016-03-29T08:56:36.950-04:00Must Love Cowboys Blog Tour!The MLC tour begins this week. It's been a long time coming, and I know a lot of people have completely forgotten about me as an author, but if you're in the mood to win some free books, give it a shot!<br />
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Check the EVENTS tab on my website for the full schedule! <a href="http://cherylbrooksonline.com/">cherylbrooksonline.com</a><br />
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Cheryl Brookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11464377381132807409noreply@blogger.com2