Husband of Convenience Blurb

 First a little about the title. For the previous several years, I'd been calling it either The Arrangement or Kaya's Book 1. After several long days of brain storming, I settled on Husband of Convenience. Until that day a mere 3 weeks ago, I couldn't spell convenience. I kept leaving out that pesky ie.But I figure if I was going to use the title, I needed to spell it correctly! So I forced myself to memorize it.

And now onto the not-finalized, and probably a little too long, blurb:

Trained to fight for her future, Kaya’s dreams focused on traveling beyond the four walls that were both her refuge and prison. However, when her overprotective grandfather arranges her marriage to an English soldier, Kaya refuses, despite the danger threatening her life. Marriage had never been her plan. Suddenly all her dreams of exploring the world she’s only read about dissipate, as fleeing as the rains that plunged Cairo into famine.

Sergeant Paul Hartley isn’t a saint. When he receives a letter offering marriage and atonement for his many sins, he flees Bombay, the army, and a sometimes criminal life. In Cairo he finds famine and a reluctant bride. The beautiful, proud Kaya stirs more than his greed for the promised dowry of jewels that assure him a retirement in the south of France.

A trek through the Sahara has them seeking refuge from a sandstorm. The intimacy of the cave leads to confessions and passion flaring between them. Kaya doesn’t trust him even as he fights beside her for survival against slavers and secrets from their past. Trust is only the beginning as passions ignite into shared intimacies as they both question an uncertain future.

Self care Monday

 I listen to a lot of meditation videos. Depending on my mood, I like soft music to let my mind drift to or guided mediation where I envision a beautiful future. (One without the need for a day job!) 

Whatever your preference, take 2, 3, 5 minutes or more and let your mind wander, your body relax. You're worth it!

Are we friends on Goodreads?

 I read a lot of books. Currently, I am listening to 2 and reading one before bed. 

In the car, I'm listening to the CD of Julie Garwood's Lyon's Lady, a book I read when it first came out but a library patron recently read all Ms. Garwood's titles and I felt like revisiting that one.

On my phone I just finished listening to Beverly Jenkin's Indigo, again a book I read when it first came out, and started Captured. Because, pirates! 

At night I'm reading the hardback copy  of Ken Honda's Happy Money, about not begrudging paying your bills. Change your mind, change your life and all.

Library cards are wonderful things! 

I'll review them on Goodreads. I try and remember to review all my reads, and will try never to leave a blisteringly awful review. If I didn't like the book, I'll add it to my Did Not Finish tab and ignore it. I see no need to scathe the book or author. It brings no joy or harmony to anyone, what's the point?

Smuggler's Captain Blurb

 Here's a kind of longish blurb for Nadia and James's story.

Nadia Koltsova escaped St. Petersburg in the dead of night, young, injured, heartbroken, and terrified. She found sanctuary in London with a family of her own making. Now, ten years later, she’s determined to protect that family. Even if it means sneaking into a human smuggler’s warehouse on the Thames in the middle of the night with only a dagger for protection.

Captain James St. Clair is searching for the same group of smugglers. They’ve killed one of his men and he’s determined to bring the murderers to justice. He does not expect the witty, capable woman with the wicked dagger who insists she’s more than capable of taking care of herself. He also doesn’t expect to want her as fiercely as he does.

They both need help discovering where the missing people are located. Just perhaps not each other’s help.

Forced to depend on the handsome captain, Nadia is determined to protect her heart. But James’s sly wit and burning passion for justice melt her resolve. His kisses weaken her knees. How is she supposed to defend herself against a man who shares her desire for justice?

But he’s still in the British army and Nadia, well, she’s a smuggler. This isn’t a match made in heaven. Or is it?

Self-care Monday

 The start of the week is hard, but there's always a moment to take for yourself!

When you can, take 2, 3, 5 minutes. Stand or sit, move your arms if possible, but just breathe. Let it all go, all that stress and worry and uncertainty.

Bastille Day

 There's a lot already written about Bastille Day. The storming of the castle-prison, the lack of political prisoners there, the meaning of the day. It's not so much about that as it is the symbol.

Parisians hated the Bastille. People were held there on lettres de cachet  or so-called signet letters. Basically they were an arbitrary means by the rulers of France to put prisoners into a fortress. These prisoners often had no idea the reason for their imprisonment and could not be appeal.

 

The Bastille building itself was hated. So even though by July 1789 it was scheduled for demolition and there were like 7 prisoners in the building, and yes the mob believed it to also store munitions, people hated it. It was their symbol of so much wrong with their country.

Photo from history.com

Logo

 What do you think? Is the background too dark? The font difficult to read? Is it too small?

 

 

 

Or this one?

Kaya's story

I started Smuggler's Captain 4 years ago. In that (long ago) original version, I had a character whose wife had left. For Very Good Reasons™. Paul spent a lot of time searching for her, but also had a prominent role in the original story. When I thought about it, I wondered what Paul's story was.

Why had is wife disappeared? Why could he not find her? Where had he met Nadia? Why was he masquerading as Nadia's butler while still searching for his wife?

As it turns out, it's not Paul's story. It's his wife's story. Kaya has a fascinating background, and all that angst was backstory I didn't need to include. So, no. She doesn't leave mysteriously leave him, forcing him to search for her. 

All that is now a 4 (or 5) book series, Kaya and Paul's series. 

Kaya's series is more of a road trip romance from Cairo to Sicily, from there to Calabria in Southern Italy and the Aspromonte Mountains. Then up through Italy, Austria, and Prussia, until eventually England. I'll share more about their story later!