CHARACTER INTERVIEW WITH ANTOINETTE FOURNIER

By Caroline Clemmons 

As I mentioned earlier this week, all my characters are alive to me. My goal is to bring them alive to you! Today I've invited Antoinette Fournier, the heroine of SIDNEY AND THE MAIL ORDER BRIDE, Book 6 in the Texas Hill Country Mail Order Bride Series. Won't you grab the beverage of your choice  (mine is hot tea) and join me here in my small office.

CC: Come in, Miss Fournier. Thank you for joining us today.

A beautiful woman glides gracefully in wearing a lavender silk pongee dress. She is regal as a queen, but wears a wide smile that sets her dark eyes sparkling. Her pale skin appears flawless. Her coal black hair is thick and glossy and she's left it hanging loose so the curls tumble down ger back.

AF: Thank you so much for having me. I must remind you that I'm now Mrs. Garton, but no matter. Please call me Antoinette.

CC: Of course, Antoinette. Tell us something about your family and where they live.

AFG: I'm from New Orleans. (She pronounced it N'Orleans.) My sisters Cappucine and Ottillie and I attended Miss Robichaux's Academy for Exceptional Young Ladies, where we learned almost nothing of a practical nature. Our younger brother Gaspard Jr. was more fortunate. Our father was a successful businessman who provided all the comforts money could buy. He and Maman met and married in New Orleans.

ANTOINETTE

CC: Does that mean you traveled widely?

AFG: To the contrary, our father was far too consumed with his business to take any time away and he insisted the family stay together.  We did through the war and various hurricanes.

CC: Still, it sounds as if you had a nice lifestyle. What prompted you to become a mail order bride?

AFG: Maman insisted my sisters and I attend her favorite social functions. Believe me, that means hundreds a year. She always chose the designs her dressmaker used to sew our gowns, regardless of what we wanted or our protests that the ballgown bodices were too... um, well, revealing. An odious man named Declan Venables decided to court me even though I assured him he wasted his time. Then at a ball at his home, he told me about a fabulous new rose his mother had acquired and offered to show it to me. I am a keen flower gardener, especially roses. Fool that I was, I allowed him to show me the rose.

CC: Oh, no. It was a trap?

AFG: Fortunately, my sisters followed at a discrete distance behind us. Declan ripped my dress from neck to bodice and tried to assault me. My sisters and I screamed and people rushed to the garden.

CC: I suppose that fixed the blackguard. Did your father beat him to within an inch of his life?

AFG: (Tears glistening in her eyes.) Quite the opposite. My father chose to believe Declan over me. He and Declan set a wedding date only two weeks away. Papa insisted I remain in my room until I consented to the marriage. Instead, my sisters and brother helped me become a mail order bride.

CC: Either way, you took a terrible chance.

AFG: That is so true, and so many things went wrong. (She rolled her eyes) I could never have imagined the problems we'd have. All the same, it was definitely the right choice for me. Sidney agrees and we're the happiest of couples now. I'm very fortunate!

CC: Readers, to read the exciting complete story of Antoinette and Sidney Garton, please go to Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DNTP95FD

This book is also available in paperback. It is enrolled in Kinde Unlimited.

Thanks for stopping by. Stay safe and be kind.

 

Not For The Faint Of Heart by Rene Vecka

 

 

What would you do to free the love of your life from prison?

 

Not For the Faint of Heart

Madcap Adventures Book 1

by Rene Vecka

Genre: Epic Fantasy Mystery Romance Adventure 

What would you do to free the love of your life from prison?

Magic and mayhem meet mystery and humor in a four-way rumble. Romance gets a few licks in as well. Set in a post-Ragnarok world with dual protagonists. If you loved the Dresden Files, you'll love Madcap Adventures.

As Rory proposes to Ingefær, the Shrine they're visiting is set ablaze. Ingefær is jailed and threatened with hanging. Rory investigates, but is hounded at every step by soldiers. While Ingefær searches for ways to defeat the jail's magic wards, the Shrine's healer vanishes in a puff of smoke.

Will the couple get the chance to solve the Shrine fire mystery before the law postpones their nuptials forever?

Kirkus Reviews: ...In Vecka’s fantasy novel, lovers are torn apart by a false accusation and must prove one’s innocence before a rigged trial...Vecka creates compelling difficulties and character challenges that help drive the fast-paced plot and add to the already exciting mystery narrative...A fun and entertaining fantasy that will keep readers guessing.

 

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The alvae sergeant guided me to one of two green cushioned chairs, hands still tied. I sat. 

Smergasil placed a cheek on the corner of his desk while the sergeant came around to sit behind it. Parchment was brought forth, and the sergeant found a quill. 

The green-skinned lieutenant spoke in Realm’s Tongue. “What is your name?” 

“Ingefær vod Renku.” 

“Place of residence?” 

That proved difficult. I hadn’t lived in one place for almost a year. Rory and I, once we were married, planned to call Slangeh Buktah home—well, his parents’ farm some three days’ ride north of the human city. 

“Place of residence? Why is this difficult for you?” 

“Rory and I intend to live near Slangeh Buktah. But right now, we are without a home. My last fixed residences were Rohd Mina and Hjulstadt. I guarded a supply wagon that traveled between those two cities.” 

“How long ago?” 

“A year.” 

Smergasil narrowed his eyes. “That is quite a long time to be without a home.” 

I shrugged. “We traveled. All over the Realm.” 

And had we. From Hjulstadt to Asken de Gulles to Himmel Drakken to Soolv Spyda, then north across the Dreki Mountains in the heart of winter to Kral Fal Is, Kobber Unter Smuss, and Kral Bar Aggen. I smiled, “I’ve been to Is Vann.” 

Smergasil pshaw’d. “Lying exacerbates your circumstances.” 

How much worse could it get? I lifted my chin high. “I don’t lie. You’ll see. Rory will tell you the same thing.” 

That took a little green off his face. 

Smergasil pointed. “Search her.” 

Uh-oh. Two males pawing me. I didn’t like the sound of that. Good thing Rory wasn’t here. 

The lieutenant’s lips curled into a thin, cruel smile. “Resisting an officer in the line of duty is punishable by up to ten years in the swamps. If the officer is wounded in the process, the death penalty may be invoked.” 

My breathing quickened. Without my hands, I couldn’t cast a spell. 

The sergeant worked quickly, yet efficiently. The knife in my boot was the first item. Then he unbuttoned my green tunic and pulled free my mage belt, setting it on the lieutenant’s desk. I must say, he had patted me down with care and consideration. 

Smergasil took the mage belt and opened the pouches. When he came to the sawdust—an ingredient in summoning a fireball—he looked up at me and smiled. 

Yeah. I was in trouble. 

From underneath my green frock, the sergeant pulled out a coin sack inside a hidden pocket and two folded up parchments I had placed between my frock and chemise. I didn’t think he had felt the paper. Maybe he’d heard it crinkling. 

The sergeant rifled through the coin bag. He whistled and said something in Alvaesh. 

I had a combined purse of a thousand silver coins, nine hundred of which came in the form of forty-five gold coins, which were rare. Somehow, my wealth made my situation worse. 

The lieutenant stared down his nose at me. “That is quite a lot of money for someone who doesn’t have a place to call home.” 

“We did very well at Is Vann. And had a bit of luck inside a necromancer’s tomb.” I smiled at his rolled eyes. 

He snapped his fingers, and the sergeant handed over the folded-up parchments. Smergasil read the first and his thin lips spread into a wide grin. “A letter of credit for four thousand more silver? Which jarls did you rob?” 

“Earned every single coin,” I said, jutting my jaw forward. “Rory’s the best swordsman in the Realm.” 

“Hmph.” Smergasil threw the letter of credit toward the sergeant, whose green eyes were as big as marbles. The lieutenant read the second letter, which I knew to be a decree from Foremost Aerica of the Tyrrell Order granting Rory and me the right to pursue criminals wherever the Warriors for Justice had an agreement in place. 

Of all the luck. Vanaby wasn’t one of them. 

“Rory and I are bounty hunters.” 

“Good cover for thieves, don’t you think?” Smergasil threw the parchment at the sergeant and stood. “A forgery. Why did you burn the Shrine?” 

I shook my head. “I didn’t.” 

“Yet you’re a thaumaturge.” 

“Technically, I’m a battle wizard, not a thaumaturge. I can wield both air and fire from the elemental planes by the same name, as well as summon power from the Aether plane, which comes in handy for utilitarian incantations like find or dispel magic.” 

He covered a yawn. “No matter. You burned the Shrine. Why?” 

“I didn’t.” 

The inane conversation devolved from there. I met his unfounded accusations with strident denials. We went round and round for a dozen minutes. 

“Lieutenant,” I said. “I can do this all day. The decree before you clearly informs anyone with reading comprehension that Rory and I are on the side of good…the same side as you.” 

“Cover.” 

Obstinance in the face of facts could only be maintained by a dimwit. I shifted tactics and mimicked his earlier one. I yawned. He peppered questions at me, demanding I confess. I slouched in my chair and pretended to nod off. 

I risked a beating for my insolence, but I wasn’t going to argue banalities and innuendo. Not with someone who had already made up their mind. 

“Take her to holding,” Smergasil said. 

 

I've been a reader of fantasy and science fiction since I was ten. Lord of the Rings is still my favorite. I now read Butcher (Dresden) and Salvatore (Drizzt), as well at Sanderson and others. The Mid Dreki Realm got its start with a comment with my then fifteen year old son. That kernel grew into a book, which split into two, and is now a five book series. I retired at 57 and began the process of becoming a writer. I've attended a half dozen conferences, read numerous books on the art of writing, joined critique groups, and immersed myself in the craft. I'm a member of Apex, a group founded by David Farland (Runelord).

I live in the foothills between Colorado Springs and Denver with my wife. Deer, turkeys, bear, coyotes, and my three children and 2 grandchildren occasionally drop by.

 

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Series Rock by Caroline Clemmons

 As an author, I know my series are easier to write because I know some of the characters from the previous books.  While all my characters are alive to me, I get to watch them grow and change more in a series than in an individual book.  As a reader, I love to find a series by a writer I enjoy because I know I won't have to hunt for a book until I finish the series.  Here are a few of my series to help you find your next read.

The Kincaids Series

Amazon Link

The Kincaids series starts with The Most Unsuitable Wife. There are five books in this series. 

A woman being targeted for a fortune she doesn't know exists; a rancher running out of time; the marriage of convenience that can save them both.

Pearl Parker needs to get her and her two younger siblings she has been raising away from Piper's Hollow TN. Targeted by an unknown person, Pearl is desperate to find someplace far away from those that want to do her and her siblings harm. When she meets Drake Kincaid, he offers a solution that might be the answer to her prayers.

Drake isn’t ready to get married, especially by command. But, now he is in danger of losing the successful family ranch where he has worked most of his life. His parents’ will stipulates he must marry by the age of thirty or forfeit his claim to the ranch. While on a horse buying trip, he meets Pearl.

Pearl and Drake realize that each might be exactly what the other needs. Pearl believes that she will have a safe place in Texas to raise her siblings, with protection from the people that want to harm them. Drake is relieved to meet the marriage clause, allowing him to keep the ranch.

What happens when Drake realizes that Pearl isn't the meek wife he envisioned? Will Pearl blossom or be crushed by restrictions? Can Drake protect Pearl and her family when the people who threatened her arrive in Kincaid Springs? Is there a way love can bloom in this sensual romance with a touch of humor and adventure?

Men of Stone Mountain Texas Series

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Man of Stone Mountain Texas Series

The first book in the Man of Stone Mountain Texas series is Brazos Bride.  There are five books in the series.  

Hope Montoya knows someone is poisoning her, but who? She suspects her mother was also poisoned and knows her father was murdered. Who wants her family eliminated? She vows to fight! She realizes she won’t last the eight months until she turns twenty-five and her uncle no longer controls her or her estate. Never will she be dominated by a man as she was by her father, as she has seen her mother and grandmothers dominated. If she marries, she gains control now, but only if she weds a man she can trust. Only one man meets her requirements. Can she trust him to protect her and capture the killer...but then to leave?

Micah Stone has been in love with Hope since the first time he saw her. But he was accused of her father’s murder and surely would have hung if not for his two brothers’ aid. Most in the community still believe him guilty. But the drought has him too worried about water for his dying cattle to care about his neighbors’ opinions. When Hope proposes a paper marriage in exchange for land on the Brazos River and much needed cash, her offer rubs his pride raw. His name may be Stone, but he’s not made of it. He can’t refuse her for long, and so their adventure begins.

Pearson Grove Trilogy

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Pearson Grove Trilogy

The first book in the Pearson Grove Trilogy is Mail Order Moriah.  A woman desperate to begin a new life, a mercantile owner besieged by problems, and the disaster that brings them together . . .

Moriah Singleton faced hardship to get from England to America but met more problems once she arrived. The only solution she could find was to become a mail-order bride in far away Texas. How will she ever save enough to bring her sister to America?

After a disastrous brief engagement ended badly, Scott Ferguson sent for a mail-order bride. He needs her help in his mercantile. He hopes his wife will also be his life’s helpmate.

Danger, family entanglements, and disaster await the couple. Can Moriah fit into Pearson Grove? Can she help her sister? Will their problems bring Moriah and Scott closer? Will trouble drive them apart?

A sweet western historical romance, first of the exciting Pearson Grove series.

Bride Brigade Series

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The Bride Brigade Series has seven books in it.  

Josephine Nailor is desperate to escape a terrible situation. When the opportunity arises via a newspaper ad, she and her best friend slip away from their oppressive fathers and head for Richmond. Neither can relax until they’re far away from their tiny hometown. With wealthy young widow Lydia Harrison’s help, Josephine and six other young women have a new life waiting in Tarnation, Texas.

Michael Buchanan is fairly content running his mercantile and being mayor of Tarnation. The town is dusty and tiny, but it’s growing. He believes it holds all he needs to be happy—except a wife. There are no available women in town, but he hopes Lydia Harrison’s Bride Brigade will offer a woman he can wed. He is immediately attracted to Josephine.

But Josephine has every reason to mistrust men in general and politicians in particular. Will her misgivings ruin her chance at happiness?

I hope you enjoy these series.  I have more, but will save them for another post.

Brewing Up A Bad Boy by Katherine Garbera

 

 

A tea shop owner good girl and a reformed microbrewer bad boy reunite in this wonderfully wicked love story.

Sometimes the second sip is sweetest.

Brewing Up a Bad Boy

WiCKed Sisters Book 3

By Katherine Garbera

Genre: Small Town Cozy Romantic Comedy 

A tea shop owner good girl and a reformed microbrewer bad boy reunite in this wonderfully wicked love story.

Sometimes the second sip is sweetest.

In the cozy town of Birch Lake, tea shop owner Poppy Kitchener thought she’d left her mistakes, and her failed marriage, in the past. But when her ex-husband, Alistair Miller, turns up—as charming and irritatingly handsome as ever—those old feelings float to the surface. To top it off, he has a puzzling proposition: pretend they’re still married for his cousin’s wedding in exchange for a lucrative business deal with his family.

Easy enough, right? After all, this could be Poppy’s last chance to get closure, grow her business and use Alistair’s knowledge of microbrewing to help her finish that winning recipe for the tea competition.

But even after all this time, he still knows how to make her laugh. And he’s changed in ways that make Poppy wonder about the man he’s become… Can she trust this new Alistair with her heart, or will a second chance brew up disaster?

From showing up to glowing up, the characters in Afterglow Books are on the path to leading their best lives and finding sizzling romance along the way. Don’t miss any of these other fun titles…

 

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It was all well and good that Alistair wanted to help her get a fair deal from his family, but it was also a lot sus. He’d literally never cared about her position in the family before this. Part of why her marriage hadn’t been the love match she’d believed it to be. 

Grimacing while he nervously kneaded his own legs, Alistair took his time answering. 

Over his shoulder, she noticed Sera and Liberty coming closer to them. The doubts that she’d been struggling to contain were assuaged by their presence. The warmth of that bond and friendship gave her strength. 

“If you can’t answer me, then we’re done,” she said. Merle had been right about her needing closure, but she wasn’t getting back on the hamster wheel that had been her life with Alistair. 

“I’m trying.” 

“Good for you. Try harder. You and I don’t speak the same language.” 

He inhaled deeply, making his chest flex, something she noted and tried to ignore. But Alistair had always been a physical guy, working out, and it was hard to ignore how ripped he was. One of the things that had originally drawn her eye to him was his body. He looked like a sexier version of Harry Styles, mixed with Timothée Chalamet, with a little old-school Chris Pine—Princess Diaries era. One look at him, and she’d fallen hard. 

“Fine. I am on a leave of absence—” 

“You need me to get you back in?” Disappointed in herself for believing for half a second that he might be here for some other reason. Of course it was about pleasing his father and reclaiming his place in the family company. 

“No. NO. Let me start over. I don’t want to get back in. I am trying to right past wrongs. I should have read that contract before I told you to sign it. I want you to get what you deserve, not continue being screwed over by Lancaster-Spencer Tea Makers as you have been.” 

If what he was saying was true… But how could she trust Alistair again? What did it say about her that she really wanted to? It had taken her five long years to start repairing that damage, and it was only the bond she had with Sera and Liberty that made the healing easier. “That’s nice,” she said. 

“If you’re going to be like that, then don’t bother.” 

“Like what?” she demanded, feeling her own anger building for the first time. Something she hadn’t allowed since she’d walked out of their flat in Kensington. 

“Treating me like I deserve to be treated. If this isn’t the time and you’re not ready to let go of the past, well, I respect that. But my father is going to come for you, and he’s got good corporate solicitors that rarely lose.” 

“Tell me something I don’t know,” she said. But his honesty here was appreciated. “How would us pretending to be married help?” 

“As my wife, you have some sway on the board. Mum and George will stand with us when we go up against Dad.” 

“If I went, when would we leave and return? I can’t just jet off and leave my store,” she said. 

“I thought we’d leave on Sunday—” 

“In two days?” 

He had the grace to look sheepish. “I was afraid if I gave you too much time to think, you’d say no.” 

“Legend,” she said sarcastically. 

He pushed his hand through his hair and looked down at the table before locking eyes with her. “I get it. I’m an ass, and I treated you poorly. I am sorry. You know that. I’ve apologized. I’m trying to at least get something good for you out of the mess that our marriage was.” 

Her heart tugged. She couldn’t resist Ali when he was sincere, which wasn’t as often as she would have liked. But now…when the change in him flashed… 

“I accepted your apology in that email. But I didn’t expect… Well I had no idea what it would be like seeing you in person again,” she said. 

Damn Ali. At this moment, he embodied all the things she liked about him, owning his mistakes in a way that he’d only done when they were dating. She wouldn’t deny that hearing him say she deserved better than Lancaster-Spencer made her melt a little. 

“Me either,” he admitted. 

“I need some time to think.” But she already was leaning toward going with him. Did that make her the most pitiful woman on the planet? Luckily, she had “Bad Idea Right?” by Olivia Rodrigo on replay in her head.  

Cutting herself a break, she was going to send him on his way. Chances were, she was going to the UK on Sunday for a week, which meant she needed to get more staff in. That didn’t mean that Alistair shouldn’t sweat a little. Things came too easily to him the first time… 

“I’ll give you my answer tomorrow,” she said, standing. 

Alistair gave her a tight nod and then turned to walk out of the shop. 

She had to be careful she wasn’t all hello, love when she should be goodbye, lover. It was a delicate balance, and one only she could weigh and decide on. 

How To Charm a Nerd

WiCKed Sisters Book 2

She’s kind of a witch. He’s definitely a nerd. And this Halloween they’re letting their geek flags fly in this playful romantic comedy from USA TODAY bestselling author Katherine Garbera.

Dungeons and dragons and nerds, oh my…

The spooky season is almost here, and occultist and tarot reader Liberty Wakefield is already feelin’ it. But ever since her sick nan muttered the name of Liberty’s mysterious biological father, nothing feels normal. Not her friends, her family, nor the quirky shop she runs with her besties. So maybe it’s time for Liberty to track down the father she’s never met. Of course, that means getting a little help from the sexy nerd she’s been not-so-secretly vibing since last summer…

Merle Rutland hasn’t met anyone like the vivacious, bubbly Liberty. Part of him wishes he was more like her—instead of hiding his geekery from his hyper-athletic family. The other part just wants to pull the curvy redhead close, steal a kiss and hope he doesn’t roll a critical fail.

Only, somewhere between Dungeons & Dragons campaigns, pumpkins and a few ridiculously hot sexy-times, Liberty and Merle discover their respective weirds might be a match. Yet as Halloween draws closer, it seems everyone has skeletons in the closet…and nothing spells disaster quite like being haunted by the past…

 

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The Bookbinder’s Guide to Love

WiCKed Sisters Book 1 

A witchy, witty, wickedly sexy romance about love, books, friendship and the unexpected connections that bind us together…

Bookbinding (verb): the art of creating something magical out of fabric, leather and paper.

As a lonely foster kid, Serafina Conte sought refuge in handmaking journals—and writing her wishes within their pages. Now, in the quirky new age store she shares with her two best friends, Sera’s intentions have paid off. Her journals are in the spotlight—and rumored to manifest great things. Whether it’s witchy skills, real magic or not, Sera’s finally ready to be the leading lady of her life story…

Until her plot hits a twist.

After the death of her mentor, Ford Sitwell, all the loneliness and insecurity of her past returns. The only balm is the box of antique books he left to her. But Ford’s suspicious brooding grandson, Wes, is ready to think the worst of her—and get his grandfather’s books back! The first part doesn’t bother her. The second? Forget it. Sera won’t give Wes the books so easily. But it’s clear he’s seeking something more, an emotional connection no book can replace. So she offers a deal—work in her store for six weeks, and in return, she’ll help him get closure by sharing memories of his late grandfather.

Yes, Wes seems grumpy, but actually he’s hot…and maybe kind? Deep down? And when desire and vulnerability work their charms, Sera begins to wonder if the best stories aren’t the ones you intend, but the ones that take you where you least expected…

From showing up to glowing up, these characters are on the path to leading their best lives and finding sizzling romance along the way.

 

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Katherine Garbera is bestselling author of more than 100 novels which have been translated into over two dozen languages and have sold millions of copies worldwide. A strong believer in happy endings, her love of books led her to her dream career writing novels.  She is the mother of two incredibly creative and snarky grown children, Katherine enjoys champagne, reading, walking, and travels with her husband. A Florida native, Katherine now lives in the UK.

 

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Gentry On Sale by Caroline Clemmons

 

Gentry and the Mail Order Bride:

Texas Hill Country Mail Order Brides 1

by Caroline Clemmons

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Happy New Year!  Gentry is the first book from my Texas Hill Country Mail Order Brides series.  There are currently six books in the series.  Since so many of you have new ereaders, I put Gentry on sale this weekend for only 99 cents.  The whole series is also in Kindle Unlimited.

Book Blurb:

Nothing much riles Gentry McRae. He works hard on the ranch he co-owns with his best friend, and is content with his life. He’s proud of all they’ve accomplished in the ten years since the war. That is, until his partner dies and leaves his half of the ranch to his mail-order bride—and wills the bride to Gentry. “Now just a doggone minute, I don’t plan to marry for years!” But, a single woman can’t reside on a ranch where four men live without ruining her reputation. What’s a good man to do, except marry the woman when she arrives?

Heidi Roth has been spurned for being too plainspoken and too tall. In addition, her sister constantly makes fun of her for those reasons. That’s why—with many doubts—she’s willing to travel for months from Bavaria to Texas to marry a man who once lived in her town. When she arrives, she learns her prospective groom is dead, but left her his share of a ranch. She has serious doubts, but agrees to wed Gentry to protect her reputation. Sure enough, from the next day, one event after the other happens to complicate her life—yet she is happy. Until she sees the will and learns they are not equal partners as Gentry had led her to believe.

Sometimes the perfect match is the one you didn’t expect.

https://www.amazon.com/Gentry-Texas-Country-Order-Brides-ebook/dp/B0B6YN6QHK

Excerpt:

Dietrichsburg, Bavaria, Germany, April 7, 1875

 Heidi Roth turned to face her mother. She longed to shout, but she kept her voice respectful. “Mama, why do you keep consulting the matchmaker for me? She’s tried twice and the men she found didn’t want me.” 

She turned back to concentrate on her dough and hide the pain the reminder created—like a stab to her heart. “I’m too tall or too old or they don’t want a wife who speaks her mind instead of letting them make all the decisions—or all of those.” 

She turned to face her mother, pleading for understanding, “Oh, Mama, do you not realize how humiliating that is? Please accept that there is no one for me.” She suspected her mother would continue her campaign.

Her mother crossed her arms, a sure sign she was not going to change her mind. “There’s a lid for every pot, Adelheid.” 

Just as Heidi had suspected, her mother was relentless.

Mama shook a finger at her. “You must go see Mrs. Heinz today. She assures me she has the perfect match for you.”

Although Heidi did not plan to consider consulting the matchmaker, she knew Mama would not give up. “I will think about it.” That should stall Mama for now. 

The Poseidon Project by E. William Podojil

 

 

Molly, accompanied by her son and his boyfriend, embarks on a high-stakes mission to rescue her kidnapped husband, unraveling secrets while racing against the clock to prevent a technology from falling into destructive hands.

The Poseidon Project

The Herb Society Mysteries Book 1

by E. William Podojil

Genre: Techno Thriller, Adventure, Romantic Suspense 

Molly Halloran and her friends have a secret past.

Their bucolic retirement is suddenly upended when Molly’s husband is abducted and held for a steep ransom. Now she, her friends, her tech executive son, Lukas and his Air Force pilot boyfriend must race against the clock and travel halfway around the world to meet the kidnappers’ demands.

But when they learn why her husband has been abducted, they realize how high the stakes truly are. Molly and her friends now must face their past in order to save the future. But not only their futures; the world’s.

 

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It was a map of currents in the Persian Gulf. Taylor studied the map and asked everyone to move closer so they could see the screen. “Okay, so this is the northeastern part of the Arabian Peninsula. There’s Qatar, Abu Dhabi, and up here toward the point is Dubai,” Taylor explained.  

“That’s the Strait of Hormuz, right?” Donna asked. 

“Yep, and right next door is Oman. Dubai is closer to Oman than it is to Abu Dhabi, the capital of the UAE,” Lukas pointed out.  

“So what does this have to do with John?” Linda asked. “Other than showing us where Dubai is located, what are you suggesting?”  

“Not suggesting anything right now, but wanted to show you something,” Taylor replied. “Lukas, can you click the animation on this map?” 

Suddenly the arrows within the map started to move as Taylor studied it. “See how the currents churn counterclockwise? That’s pretty consistent from what I remember. The current is affected by salinity and water temperature, so as it churns, it creates a system of lower pressure in the middle…more or less a gyre.”  

Lukas pointed his finger to follow the current. “So if Dad’s boat was found off the coast of Palm Jumeirah, his paddle and life vest would have likely circled this gyre and ended up right back where they started.” Taylor nodded.  

Molly jumped in. “The search is supposedly focused on where they found the kayak, but Taylor, you’re saying the boat had probably traveled a bit. John would have only been missing hours by this point, not days. How could his kayak still be relatively close to Dubai?” 

“I’m going to take a stab here,” Taylor jumped in. “If currents were relatively predictable and there were no storms, which I don’t imagine there were since John probably wouldn’t have ventured out. But let’s assume it was normal, in thirty-six hours, John’s boat would have been closer to the coast of Iran than to Dubai.”  

“The search was focused on the waters off Dubai. That’s what the embassy told me,” Molly responded.  

“Mom, add that question to your list when you call the embassy. Ask them where the search has been conducted and where it will go next.”  

Molly jotted that down. A question had been on her mind. “Isn’t the Persian Gulf pretty crowded with ships? I read there are traffic jams going through the Strait of Hormuz.”  

Taylor nodded. “You have hundreds of oil tankers from the UAE, Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, Iraq, Iran, and Saudi Arabia going in and out of the gulf every day. It’s a prime target for terrorists and also disputes between Oman, United Arab Emirates, and Iran. Iran has threatened to shut off the Strait due to sanctions imposed by the Americans.”  

“So it’s a pretty busy place,” Molly confirmed.  

“And a disaster waiting to happen,” Donna commented.  

“Which is why it’s so heavily patrolled,” Lukas added. “I read that about twenty five percent of the world’s oil passes through the Strait and Persian Gulf every day.” 

“Molly,” Taylor asked, “Lukas said the kayak was found by a pleasure boat out on a fishing trip, correct?”  

Molly nodded. “That’s what the embassy told me.”  

“Fishing areas usually begin about forty miles offshore. I wonder why the boat that found the kayak was closer to shore…five miles wasn’t it?” Taylor asked.  

“Maybe it was more like a booze cruise,” Linda commented.  

“Mom, I think that could be another question for your call tomorrow,” Lukas added. 

It was already ten p.m. and Molly and her guests were fading. “I’ve got my alarm set for three a.m. tomorrow so I can speak with the embassy during their business day. We spent so much time talking we didn’t have time to check flights.”  

“We can do that tomorrow,” Linda answered. “I’m way past my bedtime.”  

After cleaning up, Linda and Betty boarded Donna’s golf cart. “No way I’m walking home tonight,” Betty said. “Too many coyotes out. We’ll see you tomorrow, Molly. I hope the embassy has some good news.”  

Lukas walked Taylor to the door. Molly gave him a big hug. “Thank you for talking to us tonight. You sure know a lot about the world. I feel more informed, but there is something that doesn’t add up. You touched on it, Taylor, and it’s been nagging at me.”  

“And what part was that?” Taylor asked. 

“The paddle and the life vest. Why wouldn’t everything be in roughly the same place; the kayak, paddle, and the life vest, regardless of whether John’s body was in it,” Molly pointed out. “I can’t understand why search and rescue has not turned up anything else.  

“I don’t know, Molly. I thought about that, too. The search and rescue part of me is wired into my DNA.” 

“Well, good night and I hope to see you again, Taylor.” Molly returned back into the house leaving Lukas and Taylor alone on the front porch.  

“Well, you are a bountiful supply of information,” Lukas thanked him. “Thanks for engaging my mom and her friends. That was sweet of you. I think you gave my mom a bit of hope.”  

E. William Podojil is an international business executive and novelist. He has traveled extensively and visited over sixty countries while living in Europe and the United States. Podojil works as an executive business advisor, and strategist while also pursuing his love of storytelling and writing. Podojil's first novel, The Tenth Man, was published in 2004. His second novel, The Poseidon Project, was released in August, 2024 by The Wild Rose Press, and is the first in The Herb Society Mysteries, a series of adventure thrillers. His novels and other writing are showcased on his website www.ewpodojil.com. Here he also writes a personal blog with humorous stories of his life and travels with his husband and three sons. He and his family currently reside in Northeast Ohio.

 

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AS OUR YEAR ENDS

 By Caroline Clemmons

As 2024 draws to a close, looking back at the year’s events and progress is natural. For our family, the year was difficult due to our various illnesses and hospitalizations. We are hopeful for a healthier year in 2025.

At the same time, we are grateful for all we have. The Lord has been good to us. We never forget that.

May your coming year be blessed with health, prosperity, happiness, and a peaceful heart.

Thanks for stopping by to visit.