A Tale of Tomahawks and Hoop Skirts

A Tale of Tomahawks and Hoop Skirts

It was 1587 – long before mail order brides and southern belles made their debut.

Six single English women joined a risky overseas colonial venture and sailed to the New World. With hearts full of fairy tale hopes and dreams, they sailed straight into pirates, mutiny, conspiracy, and ambushes.

Also awaiting their arrival were the tall dark lords of the forests – the First Americans.

What resulted was…

A resounding clash of cultures. An unforgettable era of tomahawk swinging warriors and the parasol-twirling debutantes who engaged them in a daring dance of courtship.

This is their story:

LOST COLONY SERIES

Book #1 – Breaking Ties

Book #2 – Trail of Crosses

Book 3# - Into the Main (coming soon!)

Available on Amazon, BN, Smashwords, Kobo, and iBooks.

Breaking Ties is currently on sale for 99 cents! http://amzn.com/B00FYIYM7A.

Happy reading!

Jo

www.JoGrafford.com

Breaking Ties Excerpt:

"You want my help." 'Twas an accusation.

     "Aye."

     His eyes darkened. "I save your life. I give gifts. I offer marriage." He closed the remaining distance between us, his eyes burning into mine.

     I stumbled back.

     "You give nothing in return," he snarled. "You only ask for more."

     "I would had I something to offer," I whispered. "But I have nothing. I am nothing."

     "Then what use are you to me?" He wheeled away.

     I sagged against the door, eyes stinging. I blinked rapidly and pressed a hand to my stomach. Nausea rolled at the thought of informing the others of my failure.

     Manteo circled the cabin like a hawk stalking its prey. 'Twas a fine room with ornately carved shelves lining one wall. Bunks were built into the next wall. A generous desk jutted from the third, overflowing with maps and navigational devices. I recognized the compass and hourglass but could not identify the other instruments. I jerked in surprise when Manteo swooped down upon me.

     "I know our location." His arms shot out and slapped the wall on either side of me, hemming me to the door. "I could swim ashore from here."

     "Then why do ye stay if ye can leave and save yourself?"

     "Governor White gave his word to deliver me home."

     "We are going to starve, Manteo. 'Tis only a matter of days now."

     "Nay. You alone starve. The others eat."

     "I have no appetite."

     "You act as one already dead."

     I straightened my back. "I accept what I cannot change."

     "And I change what I cannot accept." He shifted his weight to the wall, one arm propped over my head. He drew his fingertips down the side of my face in a feather-light caress.

     I closed my eyes against the rush of unbearable sweetness. He made me long for things forbidden.

* * *

Available now on Amazon: http://amzn.com/B00FYIYM7A. J

Inspiration is Everywhere by Krysten Linsday Hager

 Inspiration is Everywhere by Krysten Lindsay Hager

                People often ask me what inspires me as a writer to create a story. Honestly, inspiration comes from all over. I can overhear a conversation and think that a comment made by a complete stranger sounds just like something  a character of mine would say. Pretty soon I’m inching closer to that person with one ear perked up like a dog’s trying to pick up bits and pieces without looking like a weirdo. I’ve often said I’d love to have an invisibility cloak—oh the fun I could have going around unnoticed and listening in!

                I’m very visual so a picture can spark an idea, character, or setting for me. Years ago, I was in a used bookstore with a friend in downtown Royal Oak, Michigan. The shop had a large box with vintage photographs for sale and I was going through them looking for things that might inspire me when I came upon a picture of a gorgeous house. It reminded me of an area in Detroit that is now being revitalized and seeing this house in its original glory was making my imagination go on overload. I had to have the pic to use for a story—I didn’t even know what story or when I would use it, but I had to have it. Then I noticed another huge box of pictures and went to look through those and, believe it or not, I found another picture of that same house from a different angle. I took it as a sign and bought both photos. Later the house inspired the setting for a humorous YA vampire short story I wrote in the Autumn Magic anthology.

                Unexpected road trips also bring me ideas galore. Recently, the GPS on my phone took us out of our way and we discovered a cute part of Cincinnati neither of us had been in before. I had never seen all these houses right on the water and it had my brain going into overdrive with ideas for settings and scenes. What started off as the wrong directions put me in the right direction for a story I had been working on that needed more a more scenic description.

                So inspiration is everywhere! You just have to keep your eyes open and your mind receptive. The world is one big muse.

Krysten Lindsay Hager is the author of the Landry’s True Colors Series, a clean reads young adult series about friendship, self-esteem, fitting in, middle school and high school, frenemies, modeling, self-image, crushes, and values.

Amazon author page: http://www.amazon.com/Krysten-Lindsay-Hager/e/B00L2JC9P2/

Follow Krysten’s writing journey at: http://www.krystenlindsay.com/

Innocent Tears

“Advice is what we ask for when we already 

know the answer, but wish we didn't.”

INNOCENT TEARS
by Iris Blobel


I'm excited to tell you all about the re-release of INNOCENT TEARS,
The book has enjoyed another full edit and an awesome new cover.
I hope you'll give Flynn and Emma's story a chance.
THANK YOU

♥♦♥  ~  OUT NOW  ~  ♥♦♥ 

AMAZON US: http://amzn.to/1y5grj6

AMAZON UK: http://amzn.to/1ZjirM0

AMAZON AU: http://bit.ly/1ZZ7ZLP

♥♦♥  SYNOPSIS ♥♦♥ 

Becoming a parent can be daunting at the best of times, but for Flynn, a business lawyer in Melbourne, it almost pulls the feet from right underneath him. He’s become a father to six-year-old Nadine literally overnight! He had no idea about her existence, and the news throws him into chaos, even more so when he is asked to take over custody. 

With the help of Emma, an employee at the hotel where Nadine and her grandparents are staying, and his parents, Flynn tries to do the right thing. Yet, the right thing in his eyes differs from his parents’, and Emma is voicing her opinion as well. And right in the middle is little Nadine, still grieving the loss of her mother and finding a wonderful friend in Emma. There’s no doubt she’s afraid where and with whom she will settle. 

But in the end, it’s a letter Flynn receives that helps him figuring out what to do.

♥♦♥ MEET THE AUTHOR ♥♦♥

IRIS BLOBEL

Iris Blobel was born and raised in Germany and only immigrated to Australia in the late 1990s. Having had the travel bug most of her life, Iris spent quite some time living in Scotland, London as well as Canada where she her husband. Her love for putting her stories onto paper has only emerged recently, but now her laptop is a constant companion.

Iris resides west of Melbourne with her husband and her two beautiful daughters.

Next to her job at a private school, she also presents a German Program at the local Community Radio.

Social Media Links:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IrisBlobel

Twitter: https://twitter.com/_iris_b

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4067254.Iris_Blobel

January 7th Releases

New Releases

January 7th, 2016

                                                                                                                                                                   

The General's Wife by Sara R. Turnquist

#Historical #Regency #Romance

Ismene, a beautiful, somewhat naïve, young noblewoman, is torn from her childhood home in Greece and her first love. Bound by honor and duty, she marries Pharoah's chief military commander, Alistair. Though determined to remain true to the man she left behind, her new husband stirs feelings in her she cannot ignore.
Attempting to accept this brazen new culture, it isn't long before she discovers that the locals don't like her. The Alexandrian mob starts making anonymous threats. This face-less group will stop at nothing to achieve its goal of driving out the unwelcome Greeks. In the midst of these heightening attacks, the general must leave for battle. Ismene fears that she is on her own. 
Evidence of a spy within her own household arises. It soon becomes apparent that one of these Egyptian rebels wants her dead. The safety of Ismene, and possibly the entire ruling class of Egypt, hangs in the balance. 

                                                                                                                                                                   

Just Claire by Jean Ann Williams

#Childrens #YA #HistoricalFiction

ClaireLee’s life changes when she must take charge of her siblings and depressed mother, and she finds relief in the lies she tells herself and others. Frightened by the changes in Mama, ClaireLee just knows she’ll catch her illness like a cold or flu that hangs on through winter. Deciding she needs to re-invent herself, she sets out to impress a group of popular girls. 

At the slip of an untruth, she deceives her way into the Lavender Girls Club. Though, her best friend Belinda will not be caught with the likes of such shallow puddles. ClaireLee drifts further from honesty, her friend, and a broken mother’s love, until one very public night. The spotlight is on her, and she finds her courage and faces the truth and then she saves a life. 

                                                                                                                                                                   

Drake the Dandy by Katy Newton Naas

#YA #Childrens #ServiceDog #Bullies

Drake the Dandy has a job to do. He lives each day just to protect his person, Kinsey, who has epilepsy. Drake is special because he can sense her seizures and warn her before they happen. 

Drake loves Kinsey and would give his life for her. But being a brave, strong guardian was a lot easier before he had to accompany her to this scary place called school… 

For everyone who takes the risk of falling in love.

The Corruption of Mila 

J.F. Jenkins

Mila takes a hands off approach to dating. She's independent and picky and thinks she knows it all. When her best friend decides to set her up on a blind date with a guy who answers to the name of Jax, Mila decides to take a leap of faith. After all, with a name like Jax, how can he not be a dream boat? 

Like most blind dates, however, Jax doesn't meet the expectations that Mila created in her imagination. With how badly she's struck out in her past relationships, is that really such a bad thing?


Available on Amazon



Read the first Chapter...