Lottery for Life #MFRWauthor

 

Welcome to the MFRW challenge. This month's topic is "An event where Luck played a part."

The tale of Mirabeesh, Empress of Eruichin, immediately came to mind when I read the topic. Before the rule of dragon law, the head daxa, the one who spoke for the god Tagachim, was second in power to the emperor. And he was the one who controlled what female would be chosen to marry the mountain god either by being thrown into a volcano or sealed in an ice cave.

A woman between the ages of seventeen and fourty was chosen by lottery, which is where luck comes in. Tiles bearing the names of unwed females or those who have failed to produce a child in five years of marriage were mixed and a random pick made.  Or at least it was supposed to be random. However, the head daxa had a specific woman in mind to be selected diovi.
 

Excerpt from Fire and Ice:

Xelme pulled a jade cube from the bowl and held it aloft. “Tagachim’s demands must be obeyed or fire will flow from the mountain. The ice will melt and rivers of burning rock shall submerge the city.” He spun to show the token to the crowd and returned his attention back onto Mirabeesh. “There is one here who meets the age—and is childless.”  

Mirabeesh wanted to run, but couldn’t move. The urge to plunge her blade into the daxa’s heart ballooned into life. Anything to silence Xelme, to stop him from saying the name associated with the token. In the end, she remained still.

Xelme radiated satisfaction as he announced his selection, “Mirabeesh, come forth.”

Roars ripped from the throats of the palace guards and the assembled townspeople prevented Kai’s low growl from being heard by any but her. She lay her hand over the fingers tight on her arm. “My lord, it is the law.” 

Tendons bulged, his grip turned into bands of iron. He let out his breath in a gush, releasing his grip.  

“It is all right, my love,” Mirabeesh whispered. “I understand.” She walked to stand at the end of the line of white. The embroidery and light blue color of her gown stood out, a flare against other diovi. 

Two red-robed men grabbed for her.  

Her glare stopped them in mid-action. They dropped their arms and stood in attentive silence. Instead of presenting the image of captive and captor, they became humbled servants.

Xelme grunted his displeasure, but kept any other response he wanted to make to himself. He dropped the green token into the tube. Making a show of his movements, he tied the lid in place with gold wire and held the container above his head. Despite the crowd of thousands, except for the pounding of her heart, Mirabeesh only heard the clatter of the diovi markers. Instead of reflecting the sun, the wood absorbed it. No longer a tube it became a black arrow, the symbol of destiny—and death.  

A drumbeat and two acolytes stepped from the shadows. The youths carried a metal globe mounted in a wooden frame. Light flashed on the polished bands. Xelme adopted a solemn demeanor. “No hand of man will decide who will be diovi. Tagachim will select his own bride.” After the prelate’s gaze raked each of the women before him, he slid the container of tokens into a slot in the middle of the wire cage and secured it with more gold wire. Deft movements slid a long handle into an open slot in the frame. One by one, first the acolytes, then their masters took three turns at the handle. Rattles accompanied each spin of the globe.

 Mirabeesh closed her eyes and wanted to cover her ears. Each clash of token against wood sounded like a death knell. An eerie silence forced her to open her eyes. Xelme held the tube in one hand, the lid in the other. Smiling, he tossed the lid back into the selecting globe. His tongue licked his lips. “Let those presented for sacrifice prepare to meet their god Tagachim.” 

 Slowly, inch by inch, the temple leader tilted the container until a single cube dropped into his hand. He raised his hand above his head, but kept the marker hidden. A cat with a trapped mouse he toyed with the crowed. Although his expression reflected the solemn occasion, Xelme’s eyes sparkled with pleasure. “Tagachim has selected his new bride,” the daxa intoned. 

 Inevitability darkened Mirabeesh’s soul. Even before the ruler of the temple revealed the cube, she knew the color—and whose name it bore.

  ~ ~ ~ 

 

First Change: Legends From The Eyrie
Print and ebook  - Amazon
More ebook  sites


~till next time, Helen

Be sure to see how the other authors answered the question. https://mfrw52week.blogspot.com/

Why Read Romance? by Guest Author Jacqueline Seewald

My guest blogger today is multiple award-winning author, Jacqueline Seewald.

Welcome, Jacqueline. Why do romance novels continue to attract readers?

There are a number of good reasons. In Dangerous Men and Adventurous Women, a nonfiction anthology edited by Jayne Ann Krentz, she observes: “With few exceptions, the women who write romance were romance readers first. They had already discovered that they enjoyed the novels before they tried to write them.”

I enjoy reading books I can feel passionate about which equates to main characters who are passionate people. I want to read a novel in which I truly care about those main characters. For me, that means romantic fiction.

Don’t get me wrong, I like many different kinds of fiction but enjoy most a novel with a happy ending. Part of the reason I read is to escape the hum-drum of everyday existence. I want to read a great love story with characters I can care about. I especially enjoy an exciting plot carried out against a lush or exotic setting.

My novel Highland Heart was just published by Luminosity on November 1st. I’d like to share some information about it:

HIGHLAND HEART - Love in the time of war.

Highland Heart is a sensual historical romance set in England and the Scottish Highlands in 1745 at the time of the second Jacobite Rebellion. (Think Tom Jones!) The romantic involvement is between a French aristocrat who is part Scottish and a British army officer who finds her as desirable as she finds him. Try as hard as they might, their overwhelming passion for each other cannot be denied. But people and events come between them nearly destroying their relationship since they are politically on opposite sides.

Excerpt:

“What will you do with him?” Madeleine asked, her face pale, lower lip trembling.

“He’ll be our prisoner until we’re well out of here. I’ll not be hung as a traitor by the English.”

Andrew turned to Gareth. “They say you’re a brave soldier and that your men respect you. We’ll do you no harm. Unlike your people, we’re not butchers.”

But Gareth wasn’t accepting what her cousin said. It took the same four men to subdue him, and finally, the giant, Fergus, rendered Gareth unconscious with a hard blow to the jaw.

“Is he all right?” she asked with a wavering voice.

“He’ll be fine, lassie,” Andrew reassured her.

“There was no other way to get the bonds on him,” Fergus said. “The mon has the strength of a demon.”

She remained in the cave, waiting for Gareth to regain consciousness, unable to bring herself to leave until she knew for certain that he would truly be all right. As he began to moan softly, she brought a cloth and some water to wash the blood from his face.

When his eyes opened, Gareth at first looked puzzled. Then a flicker of memory came into those glittering sapphire eyes and he seemed to recall the circumstances which brought him into his current situation.

“Untie me,” he demanded of her in a soft, urgent voice.

She shook her head. “I cannot do it. They won’t hurt you. Andrew promised.”

“The promise of a barbarian? And what’s that worth?” He sounded bitter and cynical.

“At least as much as yours,” she countered, pressing his bruised face a little too gingerly with the cloth. “My cousin is a man of honor.”

“Careful!” he said, squirming from the pain.

“You’ve nothing to fear.”

“As if I could trust you!” he spat out angrily.

She stared at him in surprise. “You think I betrayed you in some way?”

“Didn’t you? You knew I followed you here and you told them.”

“I did no such thing! I never dreamed you’d follow us. Why would I? And why did you follow us anyway?” She eyed him suspiciously.

“I thought you might be coming to your cousin.”

“How clever you are,” she said.

“Not near clever enough.”

Her heart hurt; she felt a deep sense of regret and disappointment. He obviously held a low opinion of her.

Andrew joined them at that moment. “Madeleine, I think we might try a bit of a ploy. Tell my mother what has happened. Ask her what she thinks about telling the English soldiers that we hold Eriksen. We could promise to return him if they leave here.”

“They have orders, MacCarnan. If I die, the next man in line will take command, and so forth. It will never end until you’re taken into custody or dead. I’m a worthless hostage to you.” Gareth’s voice was quiet and tightly controlled.

“We’ll see,” her cousin said.

Madeleine saw that Andrew’s face had grown paler and he looked very weak. Gently, she helped him to lie down. He pressed his cheek to hers and kissed her affectionately on the lips. She felt Gareth’s accusing eyes upon her and could hardly breathe as if a granite weight were pressed against her chest.

“Someday, there will be a time for us. I promise ye that, my bonnie lass.” Andrew’s smile was warm as the sun on a summer’s day.

“Rest now,” she said. “Grow strong that you may leave this place.”

His hand held hers until he finally slept. Turning away from Andrew, she saw Gareth’s eyes coldly watching her. His expression was so closed, she hardly knew what he was thinking. The extent of the control he could exercise over his emotions truly amazed her. It also frightened her. He gave away nothing.

“Come here,” he said in a voice that was deadly calm. His hooded eyes possessed her own the way a cobra would mesmerize its victim.

She did not want to move, yet her legs seemed to carry her of their own volition.

“Tell my men where I am,” he said quietly. “Help me escape from here.”

“I cannot do that and you know it!”

“I know nothing of the sort. If you care about me at all then you must help me escape.”

She shook her head. “I do care, but what you ask is impossible.”

“Talk softly. They are paying no attention to us at the moment, but if you raise your voice again, you’ll alert them.”

She pressed a compress against his face and then to his lips which were also badly battered. His lips kissed her fingertips, sending queer little quivers through her belly and heat through her blood.

“Help me,” he whispered. “You must.” He began sucking on her fingertips.

She quickly pulled her hand away.

***   End of Excerpt   ***

Buy Links:  Amazon  /   Google Store   /   Publisher's Site 

 

*****

What sort of novels do you prefer to read? What constitutes a good book in your opinion? Who are some of your favorite authors? Leave your thoughts in the comments.

 

 

About Jacqueline Seewald

Jacqueline has taught creative, expository and technical writing at Rutgers University as well as high school English, and also worked as both an academic librarian and an educational media specialist. Twenty of her books of fiction have been published to critical praise including books for adults, teens and children. Her short stories, poems, essays, reviews and articles have appeared in hundreds of diverse publications and numerous anthologies. She enjoys painting landscapes and singing along to all kinds of music. 

 

Her website can be found at: http://jacquelineseewald.blogspot.com.

 

 

 

Find more of her books at:  

Amazon  /   Goodreads   /  Luminosity  

Tuesday's Ttitle - Sunday's Child by Rosmary Morris

Despite loss and past love, self-sacrifice, brutality and honour, will it be possible for Tarrant and Georgianne to find happiness?

Title:  Sunday’s Child 
(Heroines Born on Different Days of the Week Book 1)

Author:  Rosemary Morris

Date of Release:  September 4th, 2016
Genre:  Regency Romance

Publisher:  Books We Love

Buy Links: amazon.com 

Blurb:

Georgianne Whitley’s beloved father and brothers died in the war against Napoleon Bonaparte. While she grieves for them, she must deal with her unpredictable mother’s sorrow, and her younger sisters’ situation.

Georgianne’s problems increase when the arrogant, wealthy but elderly Earl of Pennington, proposes marriage to her for the sole purpose of being provided with an heir. At first she is tempted by his offer, but something is not quite right about him. She rejects him, not suspecting it will lead to unwelcome repercussions.

Once, Georgianne had wanted to marry an army officer. Now, she decides never to marry ‘a military man’ for fear he will be killed on the battlefield. However, Georgianne still dreams of a happy marriage before unexpected violence forces her to relinquish the chance to participate in a London Season sponsored by her aunt.

Shocked and in pain, Georgianne goes to the inn where her cousin Sarah’s step-brother, Rupert, Major Tarrant, is staying, while waiting for the blacksmith to return to the village and shoe his horse. Recently, she has been reacquainted with Tarrant—whom she knew when in the nursery—at the vicarage where Sarah lives with her husband Reverend Stanton.

The war in the Iberian Peninsula is nearly at an end so, after his older brother’s death, Tarrant, who was wounded, returns to England where his father asks him to marry and produce an heir.

To please his father, Tarrant agrees to marry, but due to a personal tragedy has decided never to father a child.

When Georgianne arrives at the inn, quixotic Tarrant sympathises with her unhappy situation. Moreover, he is shocked by the unforgivable brutal treatment she has suffered. Full of admiration for her beauty and courage he decides to help Georgianne.

Behind the Scenes: In order not to merely skim the surface of the Regency era in Sunday’s Child, I immersed myself in historical facts.

After I read a non-fiction book about the Napoleonic Wars, I wondered how men, who served under the Duke of Wellington, coped with post-traumatic stress, a condition not recognised at that time. After much thought, I filled in a detailed character profile for Rupert, Major Tarrant, an officer and a gentleman haunted by tragedy.

Aware of the position of unmarried, upper-class girls totally dependent on their families, my imagination gave birth the heroine, altruistic eighteen-year old Georgianne Whitley, who makes a sacrifice for her younger sisters.

By the way, my characters are shy so they keep their bedroom doors closed so there is no explicit sex in Sunday’s Child.

Special Offer: Books We Love will send a free copy of the novel to anyone who will agree to review it on Amazon and, if possible, on GoodReads. Contact Rosemary at her website (rosemarymorris.co.uk) for more information.


Author Bio:

As I write historical fiction, I am fortunate to be only a 20-minute train journey from London, which offers endless possibilities for research about times past. Many things spark my imagination. One of them was an open bus tour around London. Amongst the sky scrapers and modern buildings Old London can be discovered, including the street that J.K.Rowling used as a model for Diagon Alley in her Harry Potter series.

For as long as I can remember, I enjoyed studying history, reading historical non-fiction, historical fiction and its sub-genres. Today, I enjoy novels in which the characters’ behaviour is appropriate for the era in which they live.

The more I read the more fascinated I become, and the more aware of the gulf between historical periods and my own. Our ancestors shared the same emotions as we do, but their attitudes and way of life were different. One of the most striking examples is the position of women and children in society in bygone ages.

The characters in my novels are of their time, not ones dressed in costume, who behave like 21st century women. Of course, it is almost impossible to completely understand our ancestors, who did things differently in the past, but through extensive research I ensure my protagonists observe the social etiquette of their lives and times.

Although my published novels are set in the early 18th century and the ever popular Regency era, I plan to write fiction set in other periods of history.
Apart from writing, I enjoy time with my family and friends, classical Indian literature, reading, vegetarian cooking, growing organic fruit, herbs and vegetables and creative crafts.

Find Rosemary on the web at:  rosemarymorris.co.uk  and on Facebook at facebook.com/writerinagarret1/.

Tuesday's Title - Ghost Orchid

Ghost Orchid - A magical tale of love, betrayal and forgiveness

Author: D. K. Christi

Date of Release: October 31, 2015

Genre: General Literature - Fiction

Publisher: Vinspire

Buy Links:  Amazon 

Blurb:

Working for National Geographic, Neev is led to the Everglades swamp where a mysterious ghost orchid has bloomed. The flower’s roots are wrapped tightly around the trunk of an ancient cypress tree. For Neev the orchid has a healing, cleansing power.

Roger views the ghost orchid as a spiritual messenger. What is the connection between the ghost orchid and the death of Mel, the woman who died near the sanctuary where the ghost orchid has magically appeared and bloomed? How will this connect to Neev and change her life?

The novel's theme is positve: Love transcends death. The interrelationships are complex and the story is absorbing. The reader will not want to put the book down until the final page has been turned.

Author Bio:

D.K. Christi''s colorful background contributed to her storehouse of experiences, today expressed through her craft as an author and journalist with three novels and multiple short stories in anthologies.

A native of Michigan, she is most influenced by living in California, as well as in Europe, Asia, the Caribbean and other states. As the editor for all international financial reports published in English at a Big 10 CPA firm in Seoul, South Korea,she became fluent in Korean.

In Georgetown, Exuma, Commonwealth of the Bahamas, she lived solo on her 67-foot yacht, Lady Ace, while teaching. “A truly memorable and wonderful experience - a vignette from three years of blue water, live-aboard Caribbean sailing," she mused. Grant writing, public speaking and community advocacy filled a successful career as founding board member and/or CEO for several philanthropic organizations.

Find DK on the web at: www.dkchristi.com and http://www.amazon.com/D.-K.-Christi/e/B002BLQG4A

Tuesday's Titles - Beneath the Stones

Sins and secrets of the past lie buried deep beneath the stones.

BENEATH THE STONES by Susan Coryell

Date of Release: March 23, 2015

Genre: cozy mystery/Southern Gothic

Publisher: The Wild Rose Press

Buy Links:  Amazon print  Kindle

Blurb:  

Ashby Overton has everything to look forward to, including a promising writing career and her wedding at summer’s end. But, Overhome, her beloved historic family estate in Southern Virginia, is in financial peril and it is up to Ashby to find a solution.

Interfering with Ashby’s plans is a dark paranormal force that thwarts her every effort to save Overhome.  Supernatural attacks emanate from an old stone cottage on the property rumored to be a slave overseer’s abode, prior to the Civil War. As the violence escalates, Ashby begins to fear for her life. Who is this angry spirit and why is his fury focused on Ashby?

Mystery, suspense and romance flourish against a backdrop of Civil War turmoil and ancestral strife--where immortality infiltrates the ancient air breathed by all who inhabit Overhome Estate.

About Susan Coryell:
Susan has long been interested in Southern concerns about culture and society, as hard-felt, long-held feelings battle with modern ideas. The ghosts slipped in, she says to her surprise, while writing cozy mystery/Southern Gothic A Red, Red Rose and its sequel Beneath the Stones. Her first published work was the award-winning young adult novel Eaglebait. 

Find her on the Web at:

Website: www.susancoryellauthor.com.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Susan-Coryell-Author/149075331807592

Tuesday's Title - Starbound by Brenda Hiatt

Being a Princess isn’t all it’s cracked up to be!

 

Starbound by Brenda Hiatt

(Book Three of the Star Struck series)

Genre: Young adult science fiction romance

Publisher: Dolphin Star Press

Buy Links:  Amazon   Barnes and Noble 

Blurb:

Between keeping high security secrets from everyone (including Rigel) and trying to keep Rigel and Sean from killing each other (with no help from Trina, of course!) M has more than enough on her plate already.

She knew that as the newly discovered Princess of a secret Martian colony, she’d have to return there someday—but over spring break?? An emergency requires her immediate presence, but not everyone is overjoyed to have their long-lost Princess back.

Can she win her people over in time to save the colony from destruction? And what will she have to give up in return?

Book 3 of New York Times bestselling author Brenda Hiatt’s electrifying new Starstruck series!

Author Bio:

 

Brenda Hiatt is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of twenty novels (so far), including sweet and spicy historical romance, time travel romance, humorous mystery and a new young adult science fiction series. In addition to writing, Brenda is passionate about embracing life to the fullest, to include scuba diving, Taekwondo, hiking, traveling, and reading, of course! Brenda collects data on writers' earnings, which she shares at her website, http://brendahiatt.com. Find more about her YA series at http://starstruckseries.com