A figure creeps out of the shadows. Chains rattle in a vacant attic. A man carrying a dagger outside in a storm charges toward a window. Nearby, a car teeters on the edge of a cliff. We’re on the edge of our seats, holding our breaths. And the person who put us there most often — Alfred Hitchcock.

Known as the master of suspense, he was born on August 13, 1899, and lost his father at the age of fourteen. By then, according to the Wikipedia, his father had sent him numerous times to the police station with a note asking the officer to lock him away for ten minutes to punish him for behaving badly. His mother often asked him to address her from the foot of her bed, forcing him to stand there for hours. These experiences were used by Hitchcock later in the character of Norman Bates in his movie, “Psycho.” While “Psycho” and “The Birds” fall into the category of horror films, Hitchcock’s main objective was to create suspense. In a film directed by him the audience becomes anxious when they expect something bad to happen. While they either know or think they know about the impending disaster, they are powerless to do anything about it.

Also according to Wikipedia, in 1935, Hitchcock popularized the “MacGuffin” device when he used it in his movie, “The 39 Steps.” It’s an element to grab the attention of the audience in movies or to drive the plot in books. While the “MacGuffin” may be ambiguous, open to interpretation or generic, it’s something the characters want, such as money, victory or power. While it’s important in the beginning of the story as the characters’ struggles and motivations are revealed, it loses its relevance as the story progresses. Even though it usually comes into play again at the climax, it could be completely forgotten by the end of the movie or book. In a lecture at Columbia University in 1939, Hitchcock said, “In crook stories it is almost always the necklace and in spy stories it is most always the papers.”

Some quotes from Alfred Hitchcock included in “Alfred Hitchcock Wit & Wisdom” are as follows:
On why people were fond of his thrillers:
“They like to put their toe in the cold water of fear.”
On the relationship with his audiences:
“Always make the audience suffer as much as possible.”
On his movies and his method:
“We try to tell a good story and develop a hefty plot. Themes emerge as we go along.”
“Drama is life with the dull bits left out.”
On violence:
“There is no terror in the bang, only in the anticipation of it.”

In case anyone’s ever wondered why the actions of the birds never were explained in the movie by the same name, novelist Evan Hunter, whose pseudonym is Ed McBain, tells us. In “Writing for Hitchcock: An Interview with Ed McBain” by Charles L. P. Silet Hunter (McBain) explains that he worked on the script with Hitchcock. “We made, if you’ll forgive the expression, an “artistic” decision early on that we were never going to explain the bird attacks, never. Otherwise the film would become science fiction and we didn’t want to do that,” he says.

On working with Hitchcock, Hunter says, “He was like the father anyone wished he would have. He was intelligent, he was world-traveled. He knew everybody, he was famous, he was a star in his own right.” Alfred Hitchcock died in 1980. Twenty-seven years after his death, in a poll of film critics in Britain’s Daily Telegraph newspaper, he came in first in film name recognition.
content/uploads/2010/07/GPallotta-LoveTurnstheTide-200×3002.jpg”>[/caption]

Since he was known to like the combination of romance and suspense, I can’t help but wonder what he would have done with my Christian romance with a bit of suspense. In Love Turns the Tide Cammie O’Shea faces a traumatic split-up with her fiancé and has to leave her friends and family to take a job in Destin, Florida. Heartbroken and alone, she needs God more now than she ever has. But for some reason she can’t explain she feels more estranged from him. A feature writer, she dreads meeting her boss, the editor of The Sun Dial, a new newspaper. But, her real source of angst turns out to be Vic Deleona, the influential real estate tycoon she must write about to generate interest in the paper. While she refuses to open herself to another painful relationship he attempts to court her. Trying to get over her heartache, she reads her Bible and says prayers. One day she reads Romans 8:28, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him…” Afterward she ponders how living in Destin possibly could be good for her. Then, break-ins occur at her friend’s condo and her unit, making her doubt the wisdom of living in Destin even more. But Vic comes to their rescue. He even launches his own investigation into the crimes, and Cammie sees a different side of him. Then she gets an offer to return home to her old job. Will Vic solve the crimes and win her heart or will she leave Destin?

In Love Turns the Tide I imagine Alfred Hitchcock would have created a scary scene on the beach one night when Cammie and Vic walked by the shore. “A man with his head down appeared in the beam of Cammie’s flashlight, his blue shirt caught in the wind. As he trudged closer and closer, he quickened his pace until finally he brushed past them.” Afterward Cammie says, “He seemed to come out of nowhere. He must have been hiding behind a dune.”

I’m thrilled to be here at the Classic Romance Revival Blog to promote my “sweet” romantic suspense, “Destination: Berlin.”

Just a little about me: I was born and raised in Manchester, NH with a hungry appetite for reading gothic romance, especially by Victoria Holt. I served in the Army for 11 years from 1986-1997 and spent 7 years in Germany. My time in Europe inspired two passions – my love of history and the paranormal. Currently, I live in California and work for LAPD as a 911 Dispatcher.

Jacob Young, inspiration for Jr. Sgt. Dimitri Nagory

One of the things I love to do is cast my characters. For me, as a writer, the visual allows me to go deeper into the character. Maybe it’s the twinkle in the eye, or the pensive expression in the face that captures the essence of the character which appeals to me. Casting is as essential to me as drafting the character bio. The face fills out the character.

For Corporal Sharon Cates, I picked Claire Danes. She’s got that all American everyday girl look. She’s athletic and can do action (Terminator 3)

Jr. Sgt. Dimitri Nagory is Jacob Young. He captures that Slavic, blond-haired looked and his facial features hint at the exotic European look.

James Earl Jones, inspiration for Gen. Adolphus Blaze

Shannon Doherty, inpiration for Sgt. Mary Bates

General Blaze is James Earl Jones to me. James has such a commanding vocal presence, I can see General Blaze talking and issuing orders.

I picked Shannon Doherty for Sgt. Mary Bates. Mary is a hard working soldier who knows her mind. Shannon brings grit and edge to Mary’s character.

For Hauptman Hans Gruber I envision Roger Howarth (a soap opera actor) . Roger brings an athleticism to the character which he has to have to chase Sharon and Dimitri through East Germany.

I hope you enjoyed my casting choices for the novel.

Here’s an excerpt:

Roger Howarth, inspiration for Hauptman Hans Gruber

Sharon stuck her head out the window, pointed the gun, and pulled the trigger. A burst of bullets fired, but after three rounds, the gun stopped. Sharon drew her head back inside the car just as another volley of bullets flew around her. Quickly, she checked the chamber. Empty. She lunged for Dimitri’s duffle bag in the rear seat, trying to keep a low profile. As Dimitri continued his aggressive driving, Sharon withdrew a box of ammo and slid back into her seat. She opened the box up and shoved a new set of bullets into the gun, locking and loading. Out of the corner of her eye, she spied a construction site ahead of them. Dimitri spun the wheel and they made a hard right onto a gravel road.

“You’re only going to get one more chance to shoot at them,” said Dimitri. His voice was as hard as steel.

Sharon took a deep breath, poked her head out the window, and aimed lower than her previous shots. It was in that second she looked into the eyes of the officer sitting in the passenger seat. They were cold, devoid of all emotions except determination and envy.

“I’m not afraid of you,” she muttered.

He fired first.

Here’s a link to Destination: Berlin’s Book Trailer on You Tube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cuav1ZTlWOA

Here’s a link to a video about the Berlin Duty Train on You Tube:

Destination: Berlin is a Print book only. Here’s where you can buy it: Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/Destination-Berlin-S-Cardin/dp/0595164196/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1277131006&sr=8-3

Barnes and Noble:

http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Destination/S-G-Cardin/e/9780595164196/?itm=1&USRI=Destination%3a+Berlin

IUniverse: http://www.iuniverse.com/Bookstore/BookDetail.aspx?BookId=SKU-000008175

Goodie Time: Post a comment. I’ll pick two lucky winners out of a hat to receive an autographed postcard of the cover.  Follow me on my blog tour and earn a chance to win an autographed copy of Destination: Berlin. To find out the dates on the blog tour visit my blog, “Romance Under the Moonlight.”

Visit me at:

SG Cardin/Stephanie Burkhart Online

http://sgcardin.tripod.com

Romance Under the Moonlight

http://sgcardin.blogspot.com

CRR Publishing celebrates a red letter day – our first release has hit the shelves and we’re happy as Larry. And Larry’s very happy. (He’s my cat, rescued from a life on the street and trust me, Phat Larry defines happiness!)

Anyhow, we’re thrilled to have the opportunity of releasing A Second Splendor by Barri Bryan. Working with Barri in preparing her book for release was a privilege – enthusiastic, professional and focused, she made the process enjoyable and remarkably easy. Thank you Barri, and here’s to lots of sales and many more opportunities!

Buy the Book
View the Trailer

Let’s Hear From Barri Bryan:

“I began my writing career relatively late in life. I didn’t start to write seriously until after I had marked the milestone of my sixty-fifth birthday. I was soon to discover that because I was over sixty, a few individuals assumed that I was sliding into illness, impotence and immobility. I confronted those beliefs and disregarded those assumptions. That was almost twenty years ago.

Beginning a new career at such an august age taught me some valuable lessons. I learned to be tenacious. That’s another word for stubborn. I discovered that one grows old, not by living, but by losing interest in living. I have become skilled at coping with occasionally being spoken to as if I were somewhere between three and thirteen or being viewed as an asexual creature. I can bear with those who, for all their knowledge, are bereft of wisdom.

I have learned not to let negative reviews and comments about your work get you down. My first experience with a book review was horrendous! Remember, dear reader, nothing is more subjective than reviewing and judging a work of fiction. Granted, I maybe a little out of step at times. That’s okay. I have found my writing voice. I write what I know and have lived. My greatest discovery is that for me, it is better to fail striving for the magnificent than to succeed in achieving the mediocre.”

A Second Splendor: Blurb

Julie Anderson is not happy that her ex-husband is coming home to attend their daughter’s wedding. Max has broken her heart in the past – not once, but twice. Thank goodness she’s too wise to fall under his spell again, or is she?

Max Anderson has some reservations about his daughter’s coming marriage to the son of his ex wife’s business partner. He shows up early and walks into a situation that begs him to intervene. When he does all hell breaks loose.

Read An Excerpt:

Julie held onto Max’s arm as they walked through the front door of the Community Center. “Isn’t it a lovely night? She lifted her head and stared toward the heavens. Now and then a stray star spiked through the murky darkness. “Look, there’s a lovely star.” She swayed as she turned to ask, “Isn’t it lovely?”

“Yes, lovely,” Max agreed, and then said, “Watch your step.”

A cool night breeze ruffled Julie’s hair and blew across her flushed face. “That’s good advice.” She danced down the steps. “I had a lovely time.” Her unsure feet missed the last step causing her to stumble.

Max caught her just in time. “Julie, sweetheart, I do believe you’re tipsy.”

Maybe she was, a little. She was also more relaxed than she’d been in a long time. “I’d forgotten how lovely it is to forget your worries and go out and have fun. I could almost—” Julie stopped. Even in her present euphoric state, she realized it would not be wise to let her defenses down with Max so near.

He laughed low in his throat. “You did have fun tonight, didn’t you? So did I. It was almost like old times.” He felt in his pocket for his car keys.

Julie waved her arms in an all-encompassing gesture. “This was a lovely party.” Somewhere in the back of her mind came the troubling thought that she would be sorry tomorrow for some of the things she’d said and done tonight. “Did you mind me telling Mitzi to get lost when she asked you to dance a second time?”

Max smiled as he helped Julie into the car. “I didn’t mind at all. But I don’t think Mitzi appreciated being told to find her own man.”

Julie giggled. “Did I really say that?”

Max closed the door and came around the car. As he slid under the wheel, he chuckled. “That and much more.”

Julie laid her head on the back of the seat. “She had it coming; she’s been insulting me for years.”

Max wheeled the car out of the parking lot and onto the street. “The town is deserted. Where has everyone gone?”

“Home, I imagine.” Julie put her hand over her mouth to stifle a yawn. “We were the last ones to leave the dance. I think the band was about to ask us to go when we decided to call it a night.”

Max shook his head. “You are a little out of it. They did ask us to go. They said their gig was supposed to end at one o’clock.” The clock in the courthouse tower struck two.

“I have to get up in two hours.” Julie giggled. “How can I get up if I don’t go to bed?”

“That would present a problem.” Max looked around the dark, deserted street. “Is there an all-night diner around here where we can get some coffee?”

“There’s a place out on Highway Sixteen.” Julie didn’t know if she wanted coffee. Tomorrow seemed soon enough to face sobriety and remorse.

Max made a left onto Main Street and drove in the direction of the highway. “Remember when we used to sneak off from school and park by the gravel pit off Highway Sixteen?”

Nostalgia swept over Julie. They had called that ugly, land scarred place their secret haven – and for them, it had been. “We missed a lot of classes parked on the side of that pit.” It was beside that gravel pit that Max and Julie had first made love. “The place is deserted now but the pit’s still there. It’s full of water.”

Max frowned in her direction before looking back at the road. “Don’t tell me you still go there.”

Julie made an admission that wild horses couldn’t have dragged from her if she had been sober. “I used to go there often.”

“With whom?” Max’s frown deepened.

“I went with Shannon sometimes. Mostly, I went alone.”

“Why?” Max asked incredulously.

In her present state it didn’t occur to Julie to lie. “I went to remember and to wish and to think, once in a while to pray.” She sat up in her seat. “I just had a lovely idea! Let’s drive out there now. I want to see if it still looks the same.”

Max seemed uncomfortable with that suggestion. “I don’t think we should. It’s late.”

“It’s never late until two and then it’s too late and it’s already too late because it’s past two.” Julie’s giggle surfaced again. “Does that make any sense?”

Max was still frowning. “How many champagne cocktails did you have?”

Julie wagged a finger in his direction. “I don’t remember.”

“Don’t you have to open the restaurant tomorrow,” Max corrected himself, “Today?”

“We can be back in time for me to do that.”

Max shifted gears and pulled off the highway onto a deserted farm-to-market road. “Now that I think about it, I’d like to see the old place myself.” “How long since you’ve been out here?”

Julie closed her mind and her heart to a torment too painful to bear, even now. “I’ve forgotten.”

Visit Barri at her Website: http://barribryan.com
Or at her Blog: http://barribryan.com/blog

See you soon!
Jude

Since July is Contemporary/Suspense Month here at CRR, I thought I’d share my shelf with you. To be quite honest, I haven’t read too many romantic suspense stories. My passion, when it comes to being a reader, has always been historical, followed by paranormal and fantasy.

So, what do I love about suspense? The pulse-pounding, edge-of-your-seat feeling I get as I flip the page.

What’s on my shelf? No Second Chance by Maggie Toussaint and Prime Suspect by Melanie Atkins. Not much, I know, but I enjoyed these stories very much.

In “No Second Chance, Hope is a horse trainer who falls for Devlin. He owns the company that supports a horse charity she’s involved with. Someone is after Devlin to pull his support and that someone targets Hope and her horses. Things get scary when a wooden fence is broken and some horses get loose. Later on Hope’s horse wagon becomes loose when she’s on the road. Devlin comes to her aid, but is it too late? “No Second Chance” is a clever who-done-it.

In “Prime Suspect,” someone targets the Assimov family, killing them assassination style. ADA Marisa Cooper is drawn into the investigation when her ex-husband is killed in her garage. The story kept me on the edge of seat throughout. That’s the ultimate question.

Suspense has that uncanny ability to keep the reader biting their nails as they turn the page. Will the hero and heroine have a chance to be together despite their problems?

Gritty. Edgy. Tiptoes on a precipice. Nail biting. Thrill to thrill. Fast pace. Mix it all together and you’ve got suspense.

Does anyone want to share their favorite suspense novels or authors with me? I’d love to throw up a couple more books on my suspense shelf.

Smiles
Steph

Oh, my. Welcome CRR readers–you get a double whammy of Danielle, posting twice in a row. Hope you’re not worn out from hearing from me!

As my new release, BY HEART AND COMPASS, becomes available this week, my thoughts are with the people and animals in the Gulf, struggling to withstand the environmental tragedy that struck this April. Only a few days after this event, I joined my husband and college roommates on a trip to the Western Caribbean. We had a lovely time taking in the blue sea and pristine beaches off the coast of Mexico. Never for a moment did I understand the implications of what was happening around us.

I saw the ocean for the first time when I was twenty years old. The impact it had on me drove me to read about it, learn and eventually try scuba diving. Now forty, I made my second salt water dive this spring and had a wonderful experience. On that day, I was more concerned about the lionfish species that is invading the Caribbean. I watched the dive master who accompanied us catch several off the reefs. Who would have thought a much worse predator would threaten the sea life that has moved me to write stories centered around our beautiful oceans?

BY HEART AND COMPASS is shipwreck romance adventure about trusting your heart when it matters most. Although it isn’t environmentally-themed as was my short novel, TURTLE SOUP, it means just as much to me because it is an opportunity for me to tell stories and most importantly, write about the things I care about.

You can find out more about BY HEART AND COMPASS today at my blog: www.thebalancedwriter.blogspot.com. You can find out more about me and my books at my website: www.daniellethorne.jimdo.com.

Sending prayers and well-wishes to those of you affected by this terrible tragedy. And for my beautiful sea turtles…

daniellethorne
www.daniellethorne.jimdo.com
www.thebalancedwriter.blogspot.com

Available July 1st

You are cordially invited to join me this Thursday, July 1st, at The Balanced Writer. Find out more about BY HEART AND COMPASS on its release day, enjoy excerpts from this sea-romance adventure, and be one of the first to see the new book trailer! Visitors who leave a comment between midnight Wednesday and midnight Friday will be entered in a drawing to win a free PDF copy.

Stop by and share your thoughts about the oil spill in the Gulf and what it means to you and your family. Ask me questions about my writing, research and anything else you’ve wondered about.

Tell all your friends and see you soon!

daniellethorne
www.daniellethorne.jimdo.com

We have a special guest today, and I’m thrilled to be able to introduce Amanda Forester to you. So, without further ado, over to Amanda….

Thank you for inviting me to join you today! Stay tuned for a chance to win a copy of THE HIGHLANDER’S SWORD. Also, my amazing agent, Barbara Poelle, is taking pitches today and is offering the winner a three-chapter critique!!!!

I love all things historical so I have been enjoying your posts with interesting facts about history. My favorite books are historical romance. I just adore being swept away to an age of shining knights or sophisticated gentlemen. Oh Mr. Darcy – take me away!

Ahem. Sorry, got carried away there. So I wrote this book and I thought I’d chat a bit about it. THE HIGHLANDER’S SWORD is a Scottish medieval adventure romance—because honestly is there anyone sexier than a Highlander wearing naught but a kilt?

My book opens about a year after the disastrous (at least for the Scots) battle of Neville’s Cross, in which the King of Scotland, David II, has been captured by the English. Times are hard for the Scots, who are being forced to pay a large ransom for David’s release. In my story, Lady Aila Graham was planning on entering the convent until her kin died in the battle leaving her a substantial heiress. Now she finds herself married off to a Highland warrior (MacLaren) who brings much needed soldiers to help protect the Grahams. Caught between a traitor, a hapless kidnapper, a murder plot, and a scheming Abbot, Aila and MacLaren slowly find their marriage becoming much more than just convenient.

As things heated up between Aila and MacLaren I struggled with how much of the smoochy smooch to write in the book. My heroine, being intended for the convent, was not exactly one to jump easily into a man’s bed. Stepping back a bit, I do love my historical romances, especially medievals and regencies, but one thing that sometimes irks me in books I read are descriptions of lots of premarital sex. Now I have nothing against sex per se, but it does not seem to me to be historically accurate to have young ladies of the upper classes being rather free in the bedroom department.

Let’s take a look at one of my all time romance favorites, one that has enthralled readers for over 200 years – I’m speaking of course of the incomparable PRIDE AND PREJUDICE. This story is full of humor and romance and the best leading man of all times Mr. Darcy (sigh). Now this novel focuses on the interesting bits (in my opinion) of the romance – how two very different people, Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy, fell in love. In that era, a woman’s reputation was her most valuable commodity. Without it, she would be shunned from polite society and would have no prospects for marriage. She would be an outcast, dependant on the charity of her family to keep her alive.

Thus, unlike many novels I read (happily I admit) I think it rather doubtful that a young lady of quality would be particularly free with her affections. I cannot imagine Mr. Darcy compromising Elizabeth in such a manner; he would have too much respect for her. And I can’t imagine Elizabeth allowing herself to be put in that circumstance. Now one of the sisters (Lydia) did run away with a man, but that situation was portrayed as being shameful and foolish and required vast sums of money to bribe her lover to marry rather than just abandon her.

Despite having not one single sex scene (or even anything close to it) P&P remains one of the greatest love stories of all time. Why? It’s all about the romance.

So getting back to my own story, while I definitely heat things up more than P&P, I also wanted to give my characters a smidgen of privacy (Aila was a little shy), and focus more on the relational aspects of their love. What interested me the most was how my hero and heroine were feeling, not specifically what their bodies were doing. In that respect my book would fall into your “sensual” category. Though I know there is a push for more chicka-chicka in your boom-boom within the current publishing mode, I do believe there is a market for stories that leave a little to the imagination.

What are your thoughts regarding intimate scenes in historical novels? Are you more “Bring it on!” or “Tone it down!”? I‘ve been both, depending on my mood! Comment about this or anything (like how cool kilt-wearing Highlanders are) on this blog for a chance to win THE HIGHLANDER’S SWORD (U.S. and Canadian residents only). Be sure to leave your e-mail!

Thanks so much for letting me join you today! Please visit me at www.AmandaForester.com or come find me on facebook.

Pitch Your Book – Win a Three-Chapter Critique from Barbara Poelle!!!!

Writers take note! Want to win a critique from a New York literary agent? As a special offer my agent is taking pitches!! The winner will receive a three-chapter critique of their manuscript from my super fabulous literary agent Barbara Poelle of the Irene Goodman Literary Agency! (Meet her here)

Pitching is difficult, and hard to put yourself out there for critique. So to break the ice, I’ll go first. Here is my pitch from THE HIGHLANDER’S SWORD:

Swept up in the turmoil of 14th century Scotland, Lady Aila Graham is destined for the convent until her brother’s death leaves her an heiress. Soon she is caught in the conflict between the hastily arranged marriage with a Highland warrior, the Abbot’s insistence that she take her vows, the Scottish Laird who kidnaps her, and the traitor from within who betrays them all. Her new husband, Padyn MacLaren, is a battle-hardened knight, scarred by betrayal, who seeks Aila’s fortune to save his clan. Yet Aila is not what he expected and has secrets of her own.

For a chance to win the critique simply comment on this blog with the following information:

Good luck!

I’m a historical author deep down in my soul. It’s the sub-genre of romance I’m particularly good at and I love being able transport not only myself back in time but also my readers. I love the old, formal language, the pageantry of different eras, the courtliness of manners and the wealth of history that serves as backdrops for my stories.

At this time, I have three and let’s say one half published historical books to my credit with two more to come later this year. Why? I think it’s because I can’t manage to tear myself away from telling a story from back in the past.

There’s so much depth, I think, when I write a hundred years or so ago. People were nicer, times were gentler, they lived for honorable things (or decidedly less honorable things as the case may be) and had less, well stuff to distract them from spending quality time together. I like this aspect because the interaction between a hero and heroine can be explosive and oftentimes powerful.

In my debut historical WINNER TAKES ALL I told the story with a lot of humor. My next stab in the historical world came in my novella THE HAUNTING OF AMELIA PRITCHART in which half of the story is told from a historical perspective with high emotion. In my novella ANGEL’S MASTER as well as my next full length book UNRAVELED SOULS I didn’t use humor so much but went for the emotionally gritty undercurrents of society at the time. In all of these books, the characters drove the plot which allows the reader to really connect with the main players on a base level in order to understand them. Of course, with the last two, I put fully realized love scenes in them as well. I have readers regularly tell they’re breathless and tired after reading my books, and that’s a very good thing.

And sometimes I think that’s a big key in writing in the historical genre. Making the characters come alive so the history can have new life. Please enjoy the opening paragraphs from some of these works.

Opening of Winner Takes All
Southern Indiana 1904

Zelma Farnsworth cackled with glee as she folded the thick ivory vellum letter she had just finished reading. “As that famous detective once said, ‘the game is afoot’!” She thumped the silver handle of her cane against the headboard of her massive four-poster bed. “Chrissy!” She waited on a cloud of impatience as her maid scampered into the room. “I need you to transcribe a letter for me. We must word it carefully so the players in my game will not be the wiser.”

A petite young woman in a serviceable gray dress and white apron quickly sat behind the delicate desk. “You may begin, ma’am. I’m ready.” She drew a sheet of jasmine scented stationery toward her and took up a pen.

“Let me gather my thoughts.” Zelma drummed her wrinkled fingers on the quilt. “Dear
Cynthia. While I was alarmed to hear about your recent flare of bursitis, I know you will not let it overcome your dedication to the pursuit of your doctorate. However, the most recent escapade of your great niece concerns me. I’ve heard enough stories of police treatment of suffragettes to know it couldn’t be a pleasant experience to be arrested — or almost, as in your great-niece’s case.”

Zelma tapped a fingernail against the metal cap of the cane. “I think the best thing for her would be a change of scenery. I’ll issue her family an invitation to my estate here in the country. In order to keep her company, I’ll also invite my nephew and a few of his military friends out here. Please be sure to convince your dear Michael to finagle an invitation for dinner for my boy. The young people will need to meet before they travel down to me. And besides, it’s high time I had youth about me once more. Until we speak again, I remain your faithful friend, Zelma.”

“Will you want this mailed today?”

“Of course girl! No time like the present.” A smile snaked across Zelma’s thin lips. “Watch carefully, Chrissy. Consider this an experiment in human nature—high emotions and higher intelligence. Life is about to get interesting.”

Opening from Angel’s Master
Three days before Christmas, 1822—Florida Keys

With a swipe of a soft cloth along the dark, well-oiled wood of the counter, Jacqueline Massey gave the occupants of the bar another glance. The usual men congregated around scarred and pitted tables as they played cards or drank away their sorrows in mugs of ale or bottles of rum. She tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear and wondered if anything would ever change in the God-forsaken coastal village. The locals called it Nube Voladora, or Flying Cloud, because of the mists that obscured it in the evenings.

“What’s the news of the evening, Miss Massey?” The owner of the deep voice slipped up to her counter and sat on a stool.

“Alexander.” Jacqueline frowned. She wished he would leave her to work alone. “Why are you here?” With an eyebrow cocked, she studied the man her father wanted her to marry.

Tall, nearly six feet, and broad shouldered, Captain Alexander Caruthers had toiled his whole adult life in the Navy and carried himself as straight as one of the masts on his ship. He possessed eyes the color of an angry blue-gray sea, and wore his blond hair cut in short waves that clung to a high collar. His chin jutted out in an imposing way, but his manners were impeccable, and he’d never been less than pleasant and solicitous in her company.

Jacqueline couldn’t envision being tied to such a dull, conservative man, regardless of his looks. But he demanded an answer as his eyes bored into hers. “Nothing new to report. It’s been quiet all evening. The same as it has been for the last week.”

“Hopefully, it will stay that way.”

“Perhaps the pirates have been warned of your identity or my deception.”

“Perhaps, but it does not matter.” He accepted a pint of ale, then took a deep draw of the amber-colored brew before continuing. “The newly formed Mosquito Fleet will be down here by April at the latest. We will run the sea rats out of the water.”

Opening from Unraveled Souls

Blood everywhere.

The abstract splatter from the violent spray dotted the rose-patterned paper of an unfamiliar drawing room, blending a macabre design with the sedate ordinary. A thick pool of ruby liquid collected under the body of a blond-haired man, a dagger buried to the hilt in his chest, the inlaid jewels on the handle winked in the soft candlelight.

Dead.

Noelle Radliffe woke up, gasping for breath, as sweat drenched her body and molded her white cotton nightgown to her chest. Another dream, another death. She pushed the mop of brown curls out of her face and swung her legs over the side of the bed as her heart pounded. Not for the first time did she wonder why the visions came to her. Every night there was a new scene and a new body. When would it end?

At least she didn’t see a ghost, which is what usually followed such a dream. To make sure, she cast a wary glance around her darkened bedroom. Nothing but shadow-drenched furniture met her gaze. Relief chilled her skin as adrenaline spiked through her veins.

As her breathing returned to normal, she left her bed to pad across the room, grabbing a lace-trimmed robe of deep purple silk. Coolness seeped into her bare feet from the polished wooden floor. Even for early May, it seemed spring couldn’t quite gain a foothold and shake off the cloying mantle of winter. She threw open the heavy drapes of gold brocade, yanked apart the lace panels, and opened the French doors that led to a tiny patio.

In times of extreme stress, she always sought solace from the garden she lovingly planted each year. Too early in the season for anything but crocuses and the occasional daffodil to survive, it was only a matter of time before she would be able to manipulate the rich soil and create a living work of art. But for now, the darkened patch of green space imparted the necessary calm she needed to continue to live another day, put the horrors of the night behind her. Wrapping the robe about her body, she cinched the sash tight at her waist. A slight sound, no more than a pebble being disturbed against the cobblestone bricks, alerted her to another presence in the garden.

“Elle, are you sick? The sun will not rise for an hour yet. Go to bed.”

Noelle smiled, and turned to gaze at her cousin, Kitty. “Unfortunately, my body is in the top of health. It is my mind that refuses to conform to normalcy.”

And as a special treat, here’s the opening for my current work in progress. I won’t give you the title because in the past, I’ve had a title for a WIP stolen before it could be published.

Indianapolis, Indiana September 10, 1900

“Damn it, Kitty. Stop the babble. Get over here and clean this mess up!” The bellow resounded through the cramped quarters of the newsroom of The Indianapolis Sentinel office. Loud enough to cut through the frantic clacking of typewriter keys, the command demanded to be obeyed.

Kitty LaSalle blew out an irritated breath as her current stream of conversation died away. “It is quite unfair that you expect me to trail behind you and your sycophant pups simply because I am the only woman in this office.” Tendrils of strawberry-blonde hair escaped from her chignon and she tucked them back into place.

A barrel-chested man with a bristle-brush mustache shot up from behind his massive desk—her Uncle George, the junior editor of the paper. The quick movement dislodged even more paperwork from the precarious piles scattered across the top and they fell down in a raspy avalanche to add to the accumulation on the floor. “At least the pups bring in interestin’ stories. You, on the other hand, give me drivel about the latest fashions or the newest thing in home goods. Who the hell wants to read about that?” A marked Southern drawl trailed every sentence and well it should since her father and his brother came from the Atlanta area. They migrated to Indiana after the Reconstruction when she was a tike of five, but she’d never forget the journey.

A chorus of raucous male laughter erupted around the office.

Kitty’s cheeks burned at the insult. “Yes, but—” She sputtered to a halt when he put up his hand, palm outward.

“Spare me the excuses.” He came around the desk, and dropped a heavy arm around her shoulders. “Look, sweetness, I appreciate your efforts, but right now, we have real news to deal with. The hurricane that struck Galveston, Texas a couple days ago killed a bunch of people and—“

“If you would just listen—“

Uncle George’s bushy brown brows crashed low and his blue eyes glittered with barely controlled anger. “Damn, Kitty, if you want to be taken seriously as a journalist, you must remember to stop interruptin’. Otherwise, you’ll never learn enough information to dig into the good parts. You have to let people talk because there’s nothin’ folks like better than to brag about themselves.”

I hope you enjoyed the brief jaunts into my worlds. If you want more information on where you can purchase these books, please feel free to hop on over to my website http://www.sandrasookoo.com and take a look at my books.

Thanks for reading and have a great day!

Hi everyone! As you know, we at CRR can’t go for too long without a celebration…

Not so long ago, CRR released The Cupid Diaries: Moments in Time, a collection of short stories from some of our authors. (Find it here). The anthology covers different genres, from historical to futuristic, with everything in between, and it’s a wonderful showcase for the talent of each of the authors. Our second anthology, The Cupid Diaries: Forever Moments, is already in the pipeline.

Some of the authors who contributed to the anthology are running a mini-blog tour! Visit the blogs, find out more about the authors and on the stories they contributed… You’ll find the links below.

And we’ll be drawing 10 lucky winners from those commenting on the blogs over the next week. Each of you will win a copy of The Cupid Diaries: Moments in Time, so get commenting!








Finding Those Moments In Time – Judah Raine (http://judahraine.com/romancewriteup/?p=733)

Another Wild Weekend – Phoebe Matthews (http://phoebeblogpage.blogspot.com/)

Writing the short story – Capturing the Moments in Time – Jana Richards
http://prairiechickswriteromance.blogspot.com/2010/06/crr-blog-carnival-writing-short-story.html

Authors Contributing to The Cupid Diaries: Moments in Time:

Judah Raine
Lindsay Townsend
LK Hunsaker
Maggi Andersen
Phoebe Matthews
Jana Richards
Nicole Zoltack
Danielle Thorne
Stephanie Burkhart
Jamie Hill
Sandra Sookoo
Celia Yeary
Barri Bryan

So there you go – another chance for a little bit of fun! Oh and CRR is chatting today at Novelsisterhood group, so please join us!

Have fun,
Jude