Fool for Love by Merry Farmer @MerryFarmer20

Chapter Four

The Majestic rose up out of the water in its Liverpool dock with all the glory of its name.  Amelia held one hand to her hat and stared at its iron sides, its two dun-colored funnels and three tall masts.  The ship was a strange thing to her, a mixture of old and new, progress with hints of the past.  It had sails that could be unfurled in a pinch, but with its powerful new engines, the ship could cross the ocean in a week.

Seven days to a new world.  It was an exact description of everything her life had become.  It was every bit as daunting.

“What am I doing?” Amelia whispered, staring at the hopeful monstrosity in front of her.  It was one thing to accept an offer for a new life.  It was another thing entirely to go through with it.

She turned away from the ship, swallowing the nausea that had plagued her since she’d left her mother’s house.  This time it wasn’t morning sickness.  That was long past.  At the moment, the baby was the least of her worries.  Her stomach rolled over the idea that she was about to board a ship heading for a new life at the mercy of a stranger, a man, no less.  The last time she had trusted her life and her future to a man had been a disaster.

She paced, purse clutched to her chest, scanning the busy dock in search of her American savior.  Men, women, and children crowded the gangplanks, eager to start their journeys, excited and hopeful.  Many of the third-class passengers carried bundles that indicated theirs was a one-way trip as much as hers was.  Eric had left her there to go buy her ticket, but there was nothing stopping him from running off and leaving her stranded.  Like her father.  Like Nick.  She was a fool to agree to this.  She pivoted and marched away from the ship.

No, she stopped herself after a handful of steps, this was the best decision she could have made.  She may have felt small and lonely standing by herself, waiting, heart and stomach fluttering, but she was as much a part of the intrepid adventurers seeking a new life in America as any of her fellow passengers.  This was right.

Maybe.

“Well, we got a minor problem on our hands.”

The twang of Eric’s accent shocked Amelia from her worries.  She spun to face him as he approached her with wide strides, scratching his head and looking as guilty as a schoolboy.

“A problem?” she asked, voice fluttering.

“Yeah.  I went to buy you a ticket, but they’re plumb sold out.”

Amelia’s chest tightened and her tender stomach lurched.  “Oh.  Oh dear.  Well I suppose….”

She lowered her eyes, heart aquiver.  As quickly as it started, her chance for a new life was over.  All that worrying for nothing.

She squared her shoulders to face her fate.  “I … I thank you for your efforts on my behalf regardless, Mr. Quinlan.”

Eric’s brow crinkled into a curious frown.  “Regardless?”

“I suppose I could find work here in Liverpool,” she explained.  “Surely there must be a shop somewhere that would look the other way from….”  She lowered her hand to the mound of her stomach.

Eric’s lips twitched.  The morning sunlight caught in his eyes.  “I didn’t want to have to put you in third-class, so I told them you were my wife.”

Amelia blinked.  “You what?”

“I told them we’re newlyweds.  I reserved my stateroom in first class last year when I came over.  Good thing I paid for it then too, ‘cuz after this fiasco of a trip I’ll never ride first-class again.  Anyhow, when they said they didn’t have any more rooms, I told them you were my wife and that we would be staying in the same stateroom.  They sold me a ticket for that.”  He handed her a fresh, clean ticket with her name written as ‘Mrs. Amelia Quinlan’.  “Sorry.”

Amelia held perfectly still on the outside, but on the inside her heart pounded and her stomach rolled with guilt for questioning him.  He wasn’t abandoning her.  He had gone out of his way to help her.  Her heart squeezed as it never had before.  She took the ticket from him with a trembling hand, hardly noticing when her fingers brushed his.  She was rescued after all.

“Thank you, Mr. Quinlan.  You have no idea how much this kindness means to me.”  She had to concentrate on breathing, standing straight, and looking up into his handsome eyes with a smile to keep her tears at bay.

“You don’t mind sharing then?” he asked her.

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Genre – Western Historical Romance

Rating – R

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Website http://merryfarmer.net

Jesse James & the Secret Legend of Captain Coytus by Alex Mueck @alexmueck #historical #humor

Bob Younger, who was younger than the other Younger brothers, put both hands up. “You’re trying to tell us bedding a girl is more fun than whipping a Negro? How dumb do you think I am?”

“Did you ever meet the Swedish skier living in Booneville, Ingemar Skidmark?”

Bob’s eyes seemed to reverse, as if he was looking within himself. “No,” he finally said.

“Hey.” Little Archie scowled. “He’s the village idiot.”

The Captain shrugged.

Jesse James clapped his hands. “I’ll tell you what’s better than sex. Gold. When you’re rich, you can have all the women you want.” He cast a friendly and charming smile at the Captain, who was torn between hatred and smiling back.

Edwards refilled his plate and said proudly, “Remember, the gold is for our future, the Knights of the Golden Circle.”

The Captain squinted at him. “Can we vote on a name change? This Golden Circle doesn’t sit well with me. I had a few thoughts. How about A.S.S.E.S? Alliance of Southern Sons Equals Success.” His face gleamed with pride.

“I don’t think so,” Edwards muttered.

“S.S.S. The Southern Stud Service?”

Edwards shook his head.

The Captain nodded. “True. Not with this crowd.”

He chewed as he spoke. “The Knights of the Golden Circle is a fine name.”

“I disagree. You’re not knights, for starters.”

Edwards’s face flushed like he’d never considered such. He composed himself and said, “At the top of the command, there are rituals that foster knighthood.”

“Until I see a sword and shield, I’m calling that bogus.” The Captain dismissed him with a wave of his hand. “And why a golden circle instead of silver square?”

Edwards dropped his fork and bit his lip in thought.

The Captain filled the void. “The Pseudo-Knights of the Red Rhombus would make a welcome change.”

“I don’t think so.”

“Tangerine Triangle?”

Frank James snapped his fingers. “I like that!”

“A historical fiction comedy that packs as much heart as humor.” —Michael Dadich, award-winning author of The Silver Sphere

When a Harvard history professor receives a thesis paper titled Jesse James and the Secret Legend of Captain Coytus, from Ulysses Hercules Baxter—an underwhelming student—he assumes the paper must be a prank. He has never read such maniacal balderdash in his life. But after he calls a meeting with the student, Professor Gladstone is dismayed when Baxter declares the work is his own. As he takes a very unwilling Professor Gladstone back in time via his thesis, Baxter’s grade hangs in the balance as he attempts to prove his theory.

It is 1864 as philanderer and crusader Captain Coytus embarks on a mission to avenge his father’s death and infiltrates the Confederate Bushwacker posse looking for the man responsible, Jesse Woodson James. Accompanied by the woman of his dreams, Coytus soon finds himself temporarily appointed to be the sheriff of Booneville and commissions his less-than-loyal deputy to help him carry out his plan.

But when tragedy strikes, the Captain is forced to change his immature ways and redefine his lofty mission—more or less."

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Genre - Humor, Historical Fiction

Rating – R

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Yellow Crocus by Laila Ibrahim

In 1837, Lisbeth Wainwright is born to the white mistress of a sprawling Virginia plantation. Seconds later, she is delivered into the arms of her black wet nurse, Mattie. For a field hand like Mattie, her transfer to the big house is supposed to be considered an honor—except that the move tears Mattie away from her beloved grandfather and her infant son, Samuel. But Mattie is a slave, with no say in the matter, and so she devotes herself to her master’s daughter, though she longs to be raising her own child. Growing up under Mattie’s tender care, little Lisbeth adopts the woman’s deep-seated faith in God, her love of music and black-eyed peas, and the tradition of hunting for yellow crocuses in the early days of spring.

As the years pass, Lisbeth is drawn slowly back into her white parents’ world and begins to learn the ins and outs of life for a high-born young lady. Still she retains her connection to Mattie, befriending Samuel and drifting comfortably between the two worlds. She accepts her parents’ assertion that their slaves depend upon them for guidance and protection, yet that notion becomes more and more difficult to believe as she gains awareness of the inequality of life in the big house versus the slave quarters. When, on the threshold of her society wedding to debonair Edward Cunningham, Lisbeth bears witness to a shockingly brutal act, the final vestiges of her naiveté crumble around her. Just twenty-one years old, she is forced to choose between what is socially acceptable and what is right, a decision that will change her life forever.

This compelling historical novel chronicles young Lisbeth Wainwright’s coming-of-age during one of the most difficult chapters of American history. Lisbeth’s powerful bond with Mattie makes her loss of innocence in the face of society’s ugly secrets all the more heartbreaking, and yet it is the courage she learns from her stand in mother that enables Lisbeth to blaze a new path for herself. Yellow Crocus offers moving proof of how the greatest social change often blooms forth from small personal acts of love.

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Genre - Historical Fiction

Rating – PG-13

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Working Through Self-Doubts & Fears with Joshua Silverman @jg_silverman #amwriting #fantasy

How do you work through self-doubts and fear?

Usually I tell myself to shut up. But in all seriousness, every artist, whether you’re a painter, sculptor, illustrator, or writer has self-doubt and fear. We’re putting ourselves and emotions on display when we present our work to the public. As a life-long reader of science fiction and fantasy books, I know that I don’t love every author I come across so it’s unrealistic of me to expect everyone to love my writing and books. I just try to shrug it off because for every naysayer or harsh criticism, there’s always that one email I always go back to that a reader wrote me about how much my work means to her. That makes it all worth it.

Have you always enjoyed writing?

I started writing poetry when I was sixteen. Then song lyrics while I was learning to play the guitar. From there I progressed to short stories and finally, at 29 years old, novels.

What motivates you to write?

Belief in my story and my characters. Knowing that they have something to say.

What are you most proud of in your personal life?

Getting married to my awesome wife.

What books did you love growing up?

When I was in high school, I would stay up all night reading Terry Goodkind and the Sword of Truth series or John Sanford’s murder mysteries, the “Prey” novels.

What book genre of books do you adore?

Although I love fantasy and science-fiction for an escape as much as anybody, I read far more non-fiction historical work than I do fiction.

Is there any books you really don’t enjoy?

Bad YA romance about a girl who can’t decide between two guys, who, cliché as the genre can be, are dark and brooding characters but have sensitive soft spots for the damsel in distress.

Location and life experiences can really influence writing, tell us where you grew up and where you now live?

I was born in Washington DC but moved to southern California when I was very young. Like most kids, I grew up with a huge helping of comic books, loving Superman, Batman, Spider-Man, just about any hero I could get my hands on. I collected their cards, played the fantasy games, Magic: The Gathering and Diablo. But at the same time, I also played sports, starting baseball when I was four and continuing up until my sophomore year of college. My grandfather was heavily into history, which influenced my father, who was also heavily influenced in history, who subsequently tucked me into bed at night recounting stories of Julius Ceaser or Augustus of the Roman Empire.

How did you develop your writing?

As uncomplicated as it sounds, I read a lot and I wrote a lot. That’s the only real way to do it.

Where do you get your inspiration from?

Mostly historical events or myths.

What is hardest – getting published, writing or marketing?

I kind of joke that if you can’t write a novel, then you shouldn’t be an author (assuming you want to write for a profession and not a hobby). To me, the writing is the easiest part – it only gets more difficult from there. Getting a publisher is ten times harder than writing your manuscript. Selling your book is ten times harder still. One only needs to go to a used bookstore to see how many authors got published but failed to sell. You don’t see the best books on used bookshelves.

The ancient powers lost to Potara have returned. The Brotherhood of the Black Rose rises to bring Thoth into disorder. And, while the Brotherhood reclaims their power, chaos reigns among the survivors. Six individuals have emerged from the aftermath struggling for control over their lives and a divided land. Kem and Shirin, who abolished the five thousand year reign of the Amun Priests, rule from the golden throne of the Oracle’s Chair in the Hall of the Nine. Dio and Axios struggle to piece together a resistance worthy to challenge the ancient magic which resides in the Great Temple of Amun, and Leoros and Atlantia try to remain true to their hearts and their cause despite tragedy.

But when the Book of Breathings is discovered, the path to immortality is revealed. Leoros and Kem race to capture the Soul of the World unaware of the challenges awaiting them. This time, the gods themselves will intervene.

In a tale where boys become men and girls become women, where treachery and deception are around every corner, and where primeval mysticism finds its way back from the grave, victory is reserved for neither the good nor the evil, but the powerful.

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Genre – Science fiction, Fantasy

Rating – PG-13+

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Website www.legendsofamunra.com; www.joshuagsilverman.com

#Excerpt from #Thriller #Novel Beyond Neanderthal by Brian Bloom @BrianB_Aust

From Chapter 12 – Visit to a Blue Amber Mine

As Tara alighted from the vehicle, she found herself facing a ghostly white haze of wispy, low-lying clouds that hung as if suspended in time above the undulating hilltops. The peaks rose from the variegated emerald and olive valley below and stretched into the distance amid a virginal mixture of lush equatorial undergrowth. She drew a deep, involuntary breath.

‘Wow!’ There were no other words to describe the feeling of awe-inspired privilege that washed over her. The vista was about as far removed from Central Park as a New York city skyscraper was from the little pastel coloured huts lining the Carretera Turística.

Aurelio smiled. Intuitively, he seemed to understand that the most appropriate response to this magnificent sight was silence. It was a full two minutes before Tara gathered her thoughts.

‘Let’s get going,’ she said.

They made their way carefully—gingerly climbing over dead logs, negotiating their way around rocky outcrops, and grabbing onto available plant life to steady themselves as they walked and stumbled their way towards the valley below. On either side of the track, a mixture of tall, fronded plants grew in an array of shapes and sizes beside stunted and gnarled old trees with deep green foliage. Tara thought of the trees like friendly bystanders, their leafy branches protectively shading Aurelio and her from much of the glaring sunshine above. They came across a trickling stream, which they followed for a while; Tara ever mindful and vigilant, watching for any sign of wildlife in the undergrowth. Except for the background humming of insects, the occasional noisy squawking of a flock of parrots flying past overhead and, once, the silent imprint of a shoe sole on the muddy banks of the stream, they seemed to be alone.

Then, in a clearing, they came across a group of young men standing seemingly relaxed and chatting. A few feet away, under a lean-to made of branches and palm fronds, one of them squatted while cooking something on a small paraffin or gas stove. Aurelio and Tara had arrived at the mine.

Again, there was a short conversation in Spanish. Again, there was a wrinkling of noses followed by broad smiles of understanding and agreement. There were also some side comments and laughter amongst the men. The word ‘gringa’—foreigner from America—came up a couple of times. Tara thought she also heard the words ‘bonita’, and ‘sexual’, but she couldn’t be sure. She decided to keep a slight distance for the time being. They were in the middle of nowhere, miles from the nearest civilization.

Aurelio walked back towards her. ‘They will be happy to show you around, but we should remember our time limitations. We cannot spend more that half an hour here if we are to return to Santo Domingo before dark.’

‘Are you trying to protect me from these guys?’ she asked with a smile. Aurelio looked embarrassed.

‘What’s he cooking?’ she asked to change the subject. ‘It smells great.’

‘That is called arroz con abichuelas, a mixture of rice and beans. He is probably cooking some small pieces of beef with it, but it could be any meat.’

‘Can one buy that in a restaurant in Santo Domingo?’

‘Of course, but not exactly the same. This is a local dish for locals. To sell food like this to tourists would be like offering leftovers to your guests. It would not be right. In the restaurants it is much more carefully presented and is usually served with salads.’

The word ‘dignity’ popped into Tara’s mind. Aurelio seemed to have it, and that was what she had seen on the faces of the fruit vendor and the amber polisher and, now, even the miners as she approached them. Other than their initial jocularity, they seemed to consider her as their guest and themselves as hosts who happily welcomed visitors into their world. The men were just being men.
As they approached the entrance to the mine, a happy looking miner wearing a backward facing baseball cap sat with a short-handled pick in one hand, a lump of soft rock in the other.

‘Hola, señorita,’ he said, grinning broadly.

She smiled back at him, lifted her hand in greeting, but continued to follow Aurelio to the mine entrance. It was like standing at the entrance to the burrow of a large animal.

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Genre – Thriller

Rating – MA (15+)

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#Fantasy #Excerpt from Promised Land: A Galatia Novel (The Galatia #Series) by C. D. Verhoff

On the surface, everyone must work together in order to survive. Josie Albright is eager to do her part, but has the misfortune of being assigned to her nemesis’s foraging unit:

After Josie was assigned to a foraging unit, the morbid fate of her lost family members no longer overwhelmed her waking thoughts. Now she fantasized about slugging her former classmate, Lindsey Burning, right in the ole kisser.

Sure, Lindsey was an impressive shot. She always hit bull’s-eyes in archery classes in the bunker. In basketball—she tipped the scoreboard. During paintball, Lindsey came out fresh as sheets hot from the dryer, while her enemies returned splattered in gooey defeat.

That didn’t make up for all the bitchiness. Ever since Lindsey had been put in charge of the unit, the girl pranced around as if she was the Queen of Awesome. How did she get to be in charge, that’s what Josie wanted to know, when there were so many better people to choose from?

Josie eyed the light tan shoulder holster that Lindsey wore over her tight pink tank top. It wasn’t fair that she got to be the uber-cool gunman. Even in elementary school, Lindsey got all of the fun jobs, like using the Smart Board, reading the daily announcements, and wearing the official safety patrol arm band. Josie consoled herself that Lindsey got all those jobs because she was pretty, slender, tall, and a total brownnoser. It couldn’t possibly have anything to do with being deserving.

Lindsey led the group of twelve foragers into a clearing deep in the forest. Trees with smooth gray bark needled into the sky, their net of branches reserved only for the topmost quarter of their two hundred feet. The leaves were shaped like hearts and big enough to use as blankets. Back in camp, people put them to good use as sleeping mats and roofs for temporary shelters. According to the botanists, the trees weren’t California Redwoods, but a totally new variety of plant. In jest, the Galatians called them Ohio Lostwoods.

The forest floor was open and bright in this neck of the woods. Yellow and blue wildflowers competed for space. The botanist said some of the varieties, like the dandelions and violets, had been around forever. Others, like the pink ones that opened and closed like pursing lips to catch bugs, or fingers if you weren’t careful, were new variants on plants that had been around before the Galatians went into their bunker. The dandelions were edible. The Lippies were toxic to the liver, or so the botanists said.

Josie had been sent to find two missing unit members. She found them doing the nasty in the underbrush, too preoccupied with banging each other to hear her approach. Seeing their naked flesh pumping together like that, all sweaty and glistening, awoke in her a mixture of primal lust, the desire to love and be loved, and pure curiosity. Eighteen-year-old Jennifer Lin was engaged to a twenty-year-old hunter, Joey Law, but the guy with her now wasn’t Joey Law.

After living in a posh underground shelter his entire life, Lars Steelsun is plunged headfirst into a mind-blowing adventure on the surface of the Earth. As Lars and his displaced bunker mates are led across the grasslands by Mayor Wakeland, a man of questionable sanity who claims to talk with God, they discover a primitive world where human beings are no longer welcome. Even more mystifying is the emergence of new senses and abilities from within. Learning to use them has become a priority, but his biggest challenge comes from the vivacious Josie Albright. Her lust for glory is going to get them both into trouble. Sparks fly when her gung ho ways clash with his cautious personality. Can they overcome their differences to find love and a homeland for their people?

May not be suitable for younger readers. Contains mild profanity, sexual situations (infrequent), and violence. 

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Genre - Epic Fantasy

Rating – R

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Blog http://cdverhoff.blogspot.com/

#Historical #Excerpt form Riddle Of The Diamond Dove (Arkana Mysteries #4) by N. S. Wikarski

Chapter 19 - Eyes And Heirs

It was shortly after sunset when Joshua Metcalf drove his car down a deserted stretch of dirt road and parked it next to a cinderblock foundation sticking three feet out of the earth and capped with a tar paper roof. He walked up to the odd structure. Two metal doors were set into the concrete at a forty-five degree angle—like the entrance to an old-fashioned root cellar. Joshua swung the doors outward and revealed stone stairs leading down into darkness. The young man flipped a light switch on the side of the stairwell. He shut the doors behind him noiselessly. Clandestine behavior was now a part of his job but it had always been a part of his nature. The room at the bottom of the stairs was cloaked in shadow. He flicked another light switch on the wall and the shadows retreated before the glare of fluorescent ceiling lights.

Joshua gave a start when he saw his father seated behind a desk at the back of the room waiting for him. “I... I... didn’t realize you’d arrived before me, sir. I didn’t see your car.”

“That’s the point,” the Diviner replied gruffly. “No one is supposed to see us together. That’s why we’re meeting here at the training facility instead of the compound.” He gestured toward a folding chair which had been drawn up to the desk. “Sit down.”

Joshua complied. He noted that Abraham’s voice wasn’t as commanding as it had once been. The fluorescents gave his skin a greenish cast. Gossip swirled around the compound that the loss of his favorite wife had dealt a heavy blow to the Diviner. Joshua held a different opinion. It wasn’t pining for a lost love that was draining the life out of him. Rather, his father’s confidence must have been shaken to the core to know that a girl of fourteen could successfully defy him. Joshua suppressed a smile. Pride, not love, was the dominant emotion here. Nobody had ever dared thwart the Diviner’s will during his five decades as prophet. Joshua hoped that someday he might be in the enviable position of exacting unquestioning obedience from the brotherhood. He expected that his new position among the Nephilim would further that ambition.

‘You know why I’ve called you here?” Abraham demanded with a little of his imperiousness returning.

“Of course, father,” Joshua agreed smoothly. “I understand the need for secrecy. It wouldn’t do for the rest of the flock to know that I am the new head of the Order Of Argus—your eyes and ears among the people. A spy can’t be very effective without the element of secrecy, now can he?”

“And what about the men you’ve chosen as part of your team. Can they be depended upon to keep their mouths shut when among their own families?”

Joshua gave a self-satisfied smile. “I wouldn’t have chosen them if they had any such flaw.”

“Good,” Abraham said curtly.

It was the closest thing to a compliment Joshua was likely to get. The young man continued. “I have a dozen men deployed among the congregation at the main compound. During the past three months I’ve set up a similar configuration at each of the North American satellite compounds. Here are the names of the men involved.” He held a sheet of paper forward to Metcalf.

The old man scrutinized the list, murmuring or nodding in agreement when he chanced upon a name which he particularly favored. “Yes, this will do for a start. How do you communicate with them?”

“I had planned to hold our meetings and teleconferences right here in the secret training facility you constructed for Mr. Bowdeen. No one has been using it since he went overseas to provide the European communities with weapons instruction.”

Abraham nodded again approvingly. “Yes, this would be a good place to stage your operation. Speaking of Mr. Bowdeen, I wish you to follow him.”

Joshua drew a blank. “I don’t understand, sir. You want me to spy on him for you?”

“Of course not! Don’t be an idiot,” Metcalf retorted impatiently. “I mean I want you to follow in his footsteps. You are to set up an intelligence network at each of the European compounds once he has finished his training. At the moment, he’s in Germany. He’ll know who the best marksmen are and can guide you in deciding which of them might also make good candidates for the Order Of Argus.”

“So you wish me to take charge of the Order globally?” Joshua realized he’d just been promoted.

“That’s right,” Abraham agreed curtly. “Use your best judgment in sorting out the details.”

“Father, I’m honored that you think so highly of my abilities.” Joshua tried to make his voice sound suitably modest.

The Diviner’s eyebrows shot up in surprise. “This has nothing to do with your abilities. It’s a simple matter of efficiency. I prefer a single point of contact. You will be my sole connection to the Order and will bear the brunt of my anger should anything go wrong.”

That thought sobered Joshua immediately. “Of course, sir.”

“I am writing out the information you will need to arrange your trip to Europe.” Abraham took up a pen and bent over a sheet of paper on the desk.

Joshua waited silently for him to finish scribbling his instructions. The young man speculated how this new international responsibility might serve his aims. Despite the downside of being Abraham’s scapegoat, Joshua couldn’t help thinking that this job would still elevate him in the hierarchy. Perhaps soon he would achieve the same rank as his brother Daniel.

Daniel! He felt a surge of contempt at the name. How they could be related at all much less share both a father and a mother was beyond his understanding. Despite his brother’s spineless nature, the Diviner favored him. For what? His ability to bury his nose in a book and read dead languages? Daniel had been named Scion—Abraham’s chosen successor to lead the Blessed Nephilim after the time of his passing into the celestial kingdoms.

Joshua studied his father through lowered lids. The old man’s shoulders were hunched and his hand trembled slightly as he held his pen. His passing might be approaching faster than anyone expected. Perhaps in the time remaining, he could have a change of heart about his successor. Joshua intended to help him rethink his decision about who the next Diviner ought to be.

THE ARKANA SERIES: Where Alternative History Meets Archaeology Adventure
Volume Four - Riddle Of The Diamond Dove

"From Kindle Nation fave N. S. Wikarski comes the long-awaited fourth book in her fascinating seven-part Arkana archaeology thriller series -- with more of the wonderful characters, sly humor, intrigue and mayhem that come together to create the absorbing world of her intricate, fast-paced mysteries." (Kindle Nation Daily)

Global Treasure Hunt
Where do you hide an ancient relic that has the power to change the course of history? As Cassie Forsythe and her Arkana team discover, you scatter clues to its whereabouts across the entire planet. Five artifacts buried among the rubble of lost civilizations point to the hiding place of a mythical object known as the Sage Stone. Thus far psychic Cassie, bodyguard Erik, and librarian Griffin have succeeded in recovering two of those artifacts.

Opposing Forces
Cassie and Company find their lives threatened at every turn by agents of a religious cult known as the Blessed Nephilim. The cult's leader, Abraham Metcalf, wants to exploit the power of the Sage Stone to unleash a catastrophic plague on the world. The quest for the next piece of the puzzle has led both sides to Africa. They must comb an entire continent--their only lead a riddle carved onto a mysterious dove sculpture. Even as the Arkana team struggles to decipher the clue, new dangers hover over their colleagues at home.

Other Dangers
Metcalf's child-bride Hannah has taken refuge at the home of the Arkana's leader Faye while mercenary Leroy Hunt creeps ever nearer to her hiding place. His search for the girl brings him dangerously close to the secret location of the Arkana's troves--a collection of pre-patriarchal artifacts which confirm an alternative history of the origins of civilization itself. While Hunt closes in on Hannah, Metcalf's son Daniel dogs the footsteps of the Arkana field team in order to claim the next artifact before they do. Daniel recruits a clever ally along the way who might be more than a match for the opposing side.

Collision Course
When the forces of the Arkana and the Nephilim converge on a ruined city in a forgotten corner of the dark continent, the shocking outcome is beyond even Cassie's powers to foresee. The quest for the Sage Stone will veer in an unexpected direction once both sides solve the Riddle Of The Diamond Dove.

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Genre - Alternative History Fiction

Rating – PG

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#Author Lohainne Eckhart on What Makes Her Happiest @LEckhart #Autism #MustRead

What makes you happiest?

My children, sunshine, my horse, my animals, nature, being in the country,helping out in the community, making people smile, and when my books sell really well.

What’s your greatest character strength?

I’m the person who will always stop to help.

Why do you write?

I love to write, and I also have a need to write. And I have so many stories yet to be written that’s it’s finding the time to write.

What are you most proud of in your personal life?

Other than my children, who are respectful, kind and make me so proud every day. Is my career as an author.

 What books did you love growing up?

I loved the Little House on the Prairie books, and I couldn’t tell you how many times I reread them, over and over.

What book genre of books do you adore?

I love two well written romance, and romantic suspense.

Is there any books you really don’t enjoy?

Yes, unfortunately  I do not read science fiction.

What else do you do to make money, other than write? It is rare today for writers to be full time…

Guess what. I am a full time writer and it has been lucrative for me. I make a very decent income just from writing. And there are many successful Indie Authors that will tell you the same thing.

How do you write – lap top, pen, paper, in bed, at a desk?

I use laptop write, because that way I can write wherever I am.

Where do you get support from? Do you have friends in the industry?

My fellow authors and of course my loyal fans who are absolutely the best. And I do read and answer every email I receive.

 

How do you tell a man there is something wrong with his child?

This is by far one of the best books I have read. Lorhainne Eckhart proved herself yet again  by pulling you in with a heartfelt story and keeping your attention with the passion that fills   the pages. ~ ROMANCE JUNKIES

A Real Tear Jerker: Omg, I loved this book. I stayed up all night trying to finish it. I cried,  My heart broke, I have an 18 year old with autism. This would make a fabulous movie...  Tammy

Overview:

He wasn't looking to love again. But what he got was a woman who shook his lonely bitter world upside down, and touched him in a way no other woman could.

Emily Nelson, a courageous young mother, ends a loveless, bitter marriage and strikes out on her own. She answers an ad as a cook and live-in caregiver to a three-year-old boy on a local ranch. Ranch owner Brad Friessen hires and moves in Emily and her daughter. But Emily soon discovers something's seriously wrong with the boy, and the reclusive, difficult man who hired her can't see the behavior and how delayed his son is. So Emily researches until she stumbles across what she suspects are the soft signs of autism. Now she must tell him, give him hope, and help him come to terms with this neurological disorder--to take the necessary steps to get his child the help he needs.

As their lives become intertwined, their attraction is unavoidable--a connection sparks between them. But just as they're getting close, Brad's estranged wife, Crystal, returns after abandoning the family two years earlier. Among the shock and confusion is one disturbing question Brad can't shake: How does Crystal know so much of his personal business, the inner working of the ranch, and Emily's relationship with his son?

Crystal must've had a plan, as she somehow gains the upper hand, driving a wedge in the emotional bond forged between Brad, Emily, and the children. The primary focus for care and therapy of three-year-old Trevor is diverted. The lengths to which Crystal will go, the lies, the greed, just to keep what's hers, are nothing short of cold and calculating. Emily's forced out of the house. Brad fights to save his boy, to protect what's his, and struggles over his greatest sacrifice--Emily, and the haunting question: Has he lost her forever?

More Praise for THE FORGOTTEN CHILD...

"Brilliant, there is no other word for it, heart grabbing, heart warming, gut wrenching, well written well researched, wanted to read it over & over again." Amazon Reviewer – Maureen

BLACK RAVEN'S REVIEWS - Ms. Eckhart has crafted a delightful story with engaging  characters, enough drama for a Hallmark movie, and enough unconditional love to last a lifetime.  ~Rated 5 Ravens and a Recommended Read by AJ!~ 

READERS FAVORITE *5 Star Review A real page turner ~ fast moving plot ~ a must read!
Reviewed by Brenda C. For Readers Favorite

I didn't expect I'd fall for the four main characters as hard as I did, but The Forgotten Child is an amazing book, not just for a romance fan like myself, but for single parents who may or  may not have a child with autism. ~ Reviewer ~ Adria

Buy Now @ Amazon

Genre – Contemporary Western Romance

Rating – PG

More details about the author & the book

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