Tour Stop (Giveaway/Review): A Skinwalker’s Legacy By Shae Wynters

A Skinwalker’s Legacy
By Shae Wynters
eBook
Published March 24, 2012 by Liquid Silver Books 
My Rating: ♥ ♥ ♥

Lexia Torrance is a young woman with the gift of second sight. Her ability allows the Phoenix Police Department to solve crimes based on the gift of touch. Her latest case leads her to the body of a local man left with the killers' calling card—an emblem burned on the victim's chest in the shape of a sun. She soon finds herself facing five men looking for the necklace with the same emblem…and they are determined to find her as well...



Galen Cortes knows the immense ability deep inside Lexia as well as her destiny to take the throne as Skinwalker Chieftess to the southwest tribe. As a guard of the tribe, Galen has sworn to protect Lexia and teach her the truth about her powers. Despite what his heart feels, he knows a guard isn’t supposed to get too close to a betrothed Chieftess. But his fiery passion may soon override his rational thought.

With a murderous Lycan tribe on their tail and only a few hours to spare once Lexia learns her birthright, Galen will only have a day to teach her what those before her learned in a lifetime. Before their time is over, passion will erupt between the guard and his ruler, a fateful battle will dawn between two tribes and a new Chieftess will arise within the nocturnal hours…

About the Author

Shae Wynters is the pen name of an award winning, best selling author who has been writing for more than twenty years and has been professionally published for eleven years. A bonafide vampire, fantasy, sensual romance and speculative fiction lover, Shae sometimes meshes all these elements together for a rip roaring story to entertain her spectrum of readers.

Check out the author online:  http://shaewynters.blogspot.com/

Murder and mystery…shifters and prophesy. … A princess and a guard!  I was pleasantly surprised when I picked this up and was instantly vested to absorb EVERY-SINGLE-WORD!  The romantic elements were phenomenal.  The chemistry between Lexia and Galen was absolutely electric.  Lexia’s power to see the past was interesting; yet confusing at times.  Like when they weren’t working properly, but the malfunction was never really diagnosed.  I was able to ignore this due in part to the other flow of events. One thing that I really appreciated was that the action NEVER stopped.  Right when you think there would be calm, things picked right back up again.    Sadly, I could not rate this five, because there were a few inconsistencies that I could not ignore.  I was baffled on more than one occasion.  At one point, Lexia is kidnapped and later when the events are recounted, the location is flawed.  Another blooper was Lexia and Galen’s first sexual experience.  The story keeps hinting that something happened, but after reading on I’m not so sure.  I mean when IT happened…..WOW!  Lexia and Galen can best be labeled as star-crossed; because as much as they want to be together, prophesy says otherwise.  I am curious to see what happens next with these two. 

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Dreamheart Spotlight # 22

“Advertisement in general is pretty sneaky! The economy could be in absolute destruction, and Advertisements will still be running in Newspapers, popping up Online, showing on TV, and airing on the Radio. Even when we don't pay attention to Ads, they have a way of being retained in our subconscious!”  The validity of this statement can be accessed by analyzing the mind behind the words.  Accomplished model, Kenya Thomas has established her fashion image presence in magazines and television.  “I conquered that”, she joked.

Kenya was inspired to be the focus of the flashing lights from prime time television; and believes this is obtainable to anyone who desires.  “…they just have to have knowledge of what genre they best fit into”, she said.  “Most people assume that because they're not 5'9 or a size 2 that they can't Model.... When in all actuality Fashion Modeling makes up a small percentage of the Modeling world. I have the right to choose a career as anyone else. If someone wants to choose to be a Doctor, I have the right to choose to be a Model - It's just my job to learn, study, practice, and progress in my craft!”

Kenya went on to say, “I'm a Libra, and we're natural charmers! I could get along with ANY kind of person! I'm very friendly, it brings me peace! I'm patient to an extent - not that I get angry or anything... I get very ANXIOUS! I over think and overanalyze just about everything, so when something's taking too long my thought process goes something like: "Oh no, I hope this works out. I really need (insert here) to do this or else I won't be able to (insert here)" - I really become a hot anxious mess”, she laughed.  “As far as being open to clients, it depends. I'm not open to anything that would degrade my character (for example, booty shaking in a rap video wearing a bikini). In all fairness though, I would never waste a client's time by submitting to a job that I knew I wouldn't approve of doing!”

“I don't want people to view me as a girl that just takes off all of her clothes to get ahead (My work, nor my personality reflects that!)”

At the moment, Kenya is freelancing agent free.  “I have the most sporadic schedule”, she exclaimed.  “I pretty much book my schedule as I go, so I don't really have set hours!”

With such a super kind-hearted, sometimes goofy and positive spirit, the sky’s the limit for Kenya’s modeling career. “…now I'm advancing my goals to Modeling and speaking at Modeling Workshops all over the world, and building my empire from there”, she said.  “As long as I continue working hard, the Universe will take me wherever I need to go!”

Want to know more about this Dreamheart?
The best way to contact Kenya for either more information and/or booking:
Facebook: ModelKenyaThomas
Twitter: @ModelKThomas
Website: http://www.kenyathomas.com/ (coming soon!)

Be sure to show Kenya some love & tune in next week's Dreamheart Spotlight!

Fashion Friday # 1 {Featuring @ShannonDuffyLit, @kingasektas, @WuzzysCreations, @Federica}

Fashion Friday is a weekly meme created by FireStarBooks in order for book lovers to post any fashion related idea or image that they thought would be a great match for books on Friday.

Inspiration:

Spectral by Shannon Duffy 

Convinced she’s a part of the witness protection program, sixteen-year-old Jewel Rose is shuffled around the globe with her family like a pack of traveling gypsies. After arriving at lucky home twenty-seven, she stumbles upon a mysterious boy with magical powers claiming to be her guardian . . . and warning of imminent danger. Despite the obvious sparks between them, Jewel discovers a relationship is forbidden, and the more she learns about dark, brooding Roman, she begins to question who she can even believe—the family who raised her, or the supposed sworn protector who claims they’ve been lying to her all along.

As she struggles to uncover who her family has really been running from, she is forced to hide her birthmark that reveals who she is. With new realities surfacing, unexplained powers appearing, and two tempting boys vying for her heart, Jewel battles to learn who she can trust in an ever growing sea of lies, hoping she’ll make it through her seventeenth birthday alive.

Thoughts:  I just love the off the shoulder Bohemian flair.  The butterfly on the finger gives just the right touch of perfection to this overall dreamy cover!  Now let's bring this look to the world of non-fiction/the real world, but way of ,yours truly, a fellow reader.... 

Fashion Finds:

(Note: All fashion finds are currently listed for sale.  Click on the source link if you're interested in  purchasing the item.)

Source

Source

Source

Source

Source

Source

Final Words: This was a fun exercise and may just take the place of  "Fashion Forward Fiction Friday".  I believe interpretation of the actual styles from the novel cover may be more applicable to my followers.  Bravo to Five Star Books for creating such a fun meme. 

Special thanks to Aurora Leah from aurorawear1, watoglawicicalas from watoglawicicalas, Peachy Creations from WuzzysCreations, Jen Sealock from radrocket, Federica from ChiccaStyle, and Kinga Sektas from KingaSektas .            

Now available: Fire Maiden by Tina Gerow

Prophecy is a fickle thing. Kefira Knight and her three Gargoyle sisters had hoped they were done with prophecy after Ariel's pregnancy with the son of the blood (see STONE MAIDEN). But it seems that Kefira is to play a part in the prophecy as well. . . 

Kefira's sharp temper ignites when her former lover, Paladin Dagan Grayson, shows up on the doorstep of the ranch she and her sisters are sharing with Ariel's new husband. Kefira still bears deep emotional scars from the loss of their child when she turned to stone for healing. Meanwhile, Jeslyn, Queen of the Succubus clan, has a nefarious plot afoot to halt the rise of Good. Kefira must choose a path- will she choose Good or Evil?

"Tina Gerow surpasses all expectations with FIRE MAIDEN. In fact, this book may even be better than the fabulous STONE MAIDEN. Tina Gerow demonstrates with FIRE MAIDEN that she is definitely an author to look out for in the paranormal genre. ~ CK2S Kwips and Kritiques

"While Fire Maiden is the second in the Ms. Gerow’s series about the Knight sisters, it is an excellent stand-alone story. Readers will find their enjoyment of Kefira’s story enhanced by reading "Stone Maiden" first. This story begins shortly after "Stone Maiden" ends. From page one, the plot never falters and has the same fast paced action and witty dialogue. As the various players in the story take their positions, readers will be entranced from beginning to end. Fire Maiden engages the readers’ imagination until the very last page. For me, the third story can’t come soon enough." ~ Theresa, NovelSpot

~ Find this title here

Free at Amazon May 31: Revenge by Rita Karnopp

Revenge

Abi and her newborn daughter, Kelly, are in trouble. Someone has made repeated attempts on their lives, and her sister, Chyna, thinks she knows exactly who; Trevor Madden, Abi’s soon-to-be ex-husband. Trevor has turned violent and abusive. Who is he mixed up with and why does he want to get rid of his wife and baby daughter?

Abi takes Kelly and flees into the icy wilderness of Montana with handsome Detective Miles Sandler. It doesn’t take Abi long to realize her heart isn’t all that safe either. But, with Trevor hot on their trail and Chyna getting dangerously close to the truth, will any of them come out of this alive? 

~ Find this title here

Married With Zombies Scavenger Hunt Read-a-Long: Week # 1

Hello Beautiful People:

I'm participating in the Married With Zombies Scavenger Hunt Read-a-Long.  We are given a challenge to locate items in and around our house based on scenes from the novel.  My motivation is all the awesome prize packs.  Today is day 1 of week 1 and it's not too late to sign up.  See below for more details.

Scavenger Hunt Schedule:

Week1: Chapters 1-5 (June 1st) - Jen @ In the Closet With a Bibliophile
Week2: Chapters 6-10 (June 8th) - Ashley @ The Bookish Brunette
Week3: Chapters 11-15 (June 15th) - Loretta @ Between the Pages
Week4: Chapters 16-20 (June 22nd) - Tina @ Tina's Book Reviews
Week5: Chapters 21-26 (June 29th) - Missie @ The Unread Reader

Here's what we're reading:

Married With Zombies (Living With the Dead #1)

by Jesse Petersen

Paperback, 244 pages

Published September 1st 2010 by Orbit

A heartwarming tale of terror in the middle of the zombie apocalypse. Meet Sarah and David. Once upon a time they met and fell in love. But now they're on the verge of divorce and going to couples' counseling. On a routine trip to their counselor, they notice a few odd things - the lack of cars on the highway, the missing security guard, and the fact that their counselor, Dr. Kelly, is ripping out her previous client's throat. Meet the Zombies. Now, Sarah and David are fighting for survival in the middle of the zombie apocalypse. But, just because there are zombies, doesn't mean your other problems go away. If the zombies don't eat their brains, they might just kill each other...

Q&A Week 1

My perfect arsenal.

1. In chapter 2 Sarah has to put her marriage therapist "to rest" with a letter opener. Let's see your weaponized letter opener in mid-action! No letter opener? Think fast! You need to rescue your friend/significant other! What are you going to use when no actual weapons are available? No knives, no guns! Show me what you've got!

LOL!  A heart shaped rock that I painted.  I use it as a paper weight.

2. In chapter 2 Sarah is wrestling with Dr. Kelly and David can't seem to find a weapon to help his dear wife with. Until...Sarah yells at him to use something on Dr. Kelly's body, which he grabs and smashes into her head. I want to see your most killer pair of this item!

My favorite boots doubles as a handy weapon.

3. In chapter 3, Sarah hears an unexpected noise in the bathroom while she's nervously peeing. She grabs "the closest thing there was to a weapon in the room". I want a picture of the same type of item that is closest to you....no soft edges people. They won't do the brain damage necessary to kill the living dead.

The thickest book I own is about Egyptians.

4. At the end of chapter 5, Dave gives Sarah a weapon just before they are leaving their apartment to pay a little visit to Jack & Amanda's apartment. Let's see a picture of yours (same type of item).

My handy ARMY issued OD green flashlight.  Nice & heavy and never dies.

5. How do you feel about the book up to this point? Any thoughts you want to share?

I'm reading this aloud as my husband listens.  I'm thinking he should start his own blog, because he's been providing alot of commentary.  He wants everyone to know he is an official Zombie-ASS-Kicker!  What with the actual crazies in the news, we're taking notes...JUST IN CASE.  So far we're loving Married with Zombies.

I can't wait to see what next week brings both with the story and this hunt.

Cheers,

Now available: A Mortal Sin by Margaret Tanner

Previously published as The Trouble with Playboys  
As the world teeters on the brink of World War 2, Paul Ashfield travels to Australia in search of the mother who deserted him. He meets Daphne Clarke, and after nights of passionate love-making, they decide to marry, but Paul discovers a shocking family secret. He and Daphne share the same mother. Devastated, he quickly departs the scene.

In Singapore, they meet again, and Daphne tells him she is not his sister. They marry just prior to Singapore being invaded by the Japanese. In the chaotic aftermath, each believe the other has died during the bombing.  When they finally see each other again, it is in an English church, where Paul is about to wed another woman.

~ Find this title here

Bad Medicine by Jude Pittman

When the body of a young Native girl is found murdered in Vancouver's world famous Stanley Park, homicide detective Mark Hanson is desperate to solve the crime before racial tension divides the community. Native Support Worker Jesse Dancer is called in as a liaison between the detectives and his community, and he knows just where to turn for help.

Beautiful Martine LaChance has intrigued him since she joined the support staff at the Vancouver Friendship Centre. Together, the pair call on Spirit Water, a reclusive Shaman who takes them on a quest into the spirit world where they get a glimpse of a merciless killer who isn`t going to stop killing until they stop him.

"This was an involving murder mystery with a well-fleshed out cast of characters and a colorful, skillfully drawn setting. (I've never been to Vancouver, but this story made me want to!)... delivered in terms of a frightening mystery story set in an unusual location. I'd like to see these characters in another book--soon." ~ Juliet Waldron

"This is a good story. The good guys (and gals) feel real, and the bad guys are really bad. I almost felt that it was a bit of a cliffhanger." ~ 4 Stars, Elsie Carol, Amazon Reader and Verified Purchase

~ Find this title for Kindle and in print here

Tour Stop (Guest Post/ Giveaway): Unicorn Keep by Angelia Almos

Unicorn Keep by Angelia Almos

Published April 30th 2012

Jiline of Ainsley is dismayed when her best friend is selected by the mages to become a unicorn keeper at the Keep, an isolated mountain fortress. Especially since Madelen is in love and engaged to the richest boy in the village. Jiline on the other hand has no prospects of marriage or a trade in their small village. So, she comes up with a plan to take Madelen’s place at the Keep and hopefully flunk out of unicorn keeper training before the mages can discover the deception. Unfortunately, the unicorns have their own plans for her.

Mage Herrick, son of the Keep Mage, returns home to the Keep as the trainee keepers arrive. A chance encounter with Jiline, who he believes is Madelen, on the trail sparks a magical connection between the two. Knowing he can’t feel a magical draw to someone who has no magic, he tries to prove Madelen (Jiline) has magic within her. His attention brings unforeseen complications for both of them.

Creating Unicorn Keep 

 

Unicorn Keep is one of the few books I wrote in absolute silence. It had been a while since the last book I had written and I had just come off editing several books. I was looking for a jump start for a new book and I decided I wanted to write a middle grade fantasy novel with unicorns in it. I brainstormed for several days trying to come up with an idea I liked.

 

During this time one of my writing groups was gearing up to do a Fast Draft challenge (writing a book in two weeks - NaNoWriMo on steroids). I had originally dismissed participating, but the gem of the idea for Unicorn Keep came to me about two days before they were going to start. It was in the middle of summer and I was spending most of my daytime ferrying my two children to various activities and play dates.

 

The night before Fast Draft started I made the decision to get up at five in the morning and just write. So, I did, but it was early and I didn’t want one of the kiddos getting woken up by accident since my plan hinged on writing while they were asleep, I couldn’t turn the television or stereo on like I normally do when I write. I had also conveniently misplaced my headphones. So, it was just me, my computer, and total silence. A deal with myself to not check my email until I had hit the word count goal was enough to get me started the first day and surprise, surprise, I hit the word count goal by eight in the morning – right around the time the kiddos got up.

 

As a pantser, I had no idea where the story would take me each day. I was along for the ride on Jiline’s adventure. My biggest surprise was when Herrick walked onto the page and began to talk to me. My secondary characters rarely talk to me unless they have something crucial to reveal about a main character, but usually it’s just a little whisper here and there. But this wasn’t what Herrick was doing. He wanted me to tell what happened to him and how Jiline changed his life.

 

I briefly battled him as to make the changes he was whispering to me meant Unicorn Keep would become a young adult fantasy romance instead of a middle grade fantasy. Taking a leap of faith, I let him and Jiline lead me into the new direction and the story charged forward.

 

Once I finished the book, I worried about the changes I would have to make in the earlier chapters, but happily found there was really very little I needed to change except for upping Jiline’s age by a single year. So, perhaps I had been writing a young adult fantasy romance all along and just didn’t realize it until Herrick pointed it out.

Enter now to win:

Horse Charmer
by Angelia Almos

ebook
Published May 17th 2011 by Thoroughweb Press

At sixteen years old, Cassia would rather spend her days in the royal stables than in the royal court. But as the eldest child of King Robet and Queen Sarahann she obediently performs her duties as the Princess of Karah.

Her safe world changes forever when her father is murdered in the neighboring kingdom of Vespera. Cassia grapples with his loss as her mother prepares her for her new role as queen. Her first task - she must travel to Vespera to marry a prince she barely knows to fulfill the treaty her father signed just before his death.

Nothing is as simple as it seems with political intrigues and unusual powers shadowing Cassia on her search to find out who killed her father and why.

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Chill Waters by Joan Hall Hovey

Bloody Dagger Award Winner

WHAT IF EVIL VISITED THE ONE PLACE WHERE YOU FEEL THE MOST SAFE?

Following the breakup of her marriage, Rachael retreats to the old beachhouse in Jenny's Cove, where she once lived with her grandmother. It is the one place where she had always felt safe and loved. Devasted and lost, Rachael longs for the simplicity of her childhood.

 

But Jenny’s Cove has changed. From the moment of Rachael’s arrival, a man watches. He has already killed, and mercilessly will do so again. Soon Rachael becomes a target for a vicious predator whose own dark and twisted past forms a deadly bond between them.

 

And sets her on a collision course with a crazed killer.

 

". . .you will find yourself with cold fearful chills running up and down your spine as you race to get to the ending."  ~ Kathy Thomason, Murder & Mayhem

 

"Chill Waters is a sure bet for those who like suspense thrillers with a hint of romance. It is easy and fun to read. Ms. Hovey creates a warm, cozy setting that seems to keep danger at bay. But just as you get comfortable, terror finds its way in. She weaves the tale tighter and tighter until you are neck deep in Chill Waters." ~ S. Loper-Herzog, MysteryRadio.net  

"Author Joan Hovey creates a taut thriller in CHILL WATERS. Woven with an uncanny magic, CHILL WATERS is rich in sensory imagery and dense with the darkness that lies in the heart of a madman. Hovey creates a rich cast of characters, each uniquely realized and memorable. Indeed, Hovey's masterful narrative style sweeps the reader into a dangerous world where danger masquerades as friend, and evil stalks the unsuspecting. CHILL WATERS comes very highly recommended." ~ Cynthia Penn, MIDWEST REVIEW

 

"...Joan Hall Hovey is a female Stephen King... a stunning, multi-layered, modern-day gothic, told with the unforgettable style and grace of a true master of suspense..." Rendezvous Magazine

“... a chilling hold-your-breath novel..." Evelyn Gale, All About Murder Reviews

 

"Joan Hall Hovey has penned an excellent thriller in CHILL WATERS. Once I started reading this book I just couldn't quit. I found myself torn between two people as the culprit. At times, I was even thinking there were multiple criminals in this thriller. I also enjoyed the dash of romance." ~ Reviewed by Pam Bless, Round Table Reviews

 

"Fans of Mary Higgins Clark will enjoy this author! Joan Hall Hovey has combined a romantic suspense with a thriller. I was on the edge of my seat the entire time as I tried to figure out what would happen next. Great story that I have no doubt you will enjoy!" ~ Reviewed by Detra Fitch - Huntress Book Reviews

 

~ Find this title here

Weekly eBook Winners

Congratulations to the weekly ebook winners in Books We Love's annual Spring Fling Event!

This week's winner is Edwina Dowden.

Edwina wins her choice of any two Books We Love ebooks or Spice ebooks. She also receives TEN extra entries into the Kindle Fire drawing May 31. Edwina, please visit our website http://bookswelove.net/ and make your two choices, then email the titles to bookswelove@shaw.ca

Remember, only subscribers to our newsletter are eligible to enter our contests, so if you're not a subscriber go here and sign up now. Find the entry form for Spring Fling there too!

http://bookswelove.net/contest.php

Congratulations Edwina!

Interview/Guest Post: Jessamine by Eugenia O'Neal

Jessamine by Eugenia O'Neal

Jessamine tells the story of Grace Hylton, an African-American, who arrives on the Caribbean island of St. Crescens full of doubts about her husband’s political aspirations, doubts about her marriage and doubts about the wisdom of relocating. Her native-born husband, Julian, has lived most of his adult life in the States but has come back to St. Crescens, determined to pull his country out of the cauldron of corruption, nepotism and crime into which the leading political dynasty has taken it.

An architect by training, Julian buys and restores Jessamine, an old Great House. What the Hyltons don’t know is that Jessamine is home to the ghost of Arabella Adams who lived there as a governess during the late 1800s.

Jessamine is told from the alternating viewpoints of the two women – both foreigners, both married to local men. An old injustice binds them across the century that separates them, but can Grace discover its roots before St. Crescens is plunged into violence and chaos?

Your bio states you're from the British Virgin Islands, and the main character travels there.  How are the events in the story influenced by your history? 

Jessamine is actually set on the fictional island of St. Crescens which is where Grace Hylton goes to live after her St. Crescian husband decided to give up being an architect in Philadelphia and return home.  He left the island after graduating from high school but has been back on visits and has grown increasingly discontented with the corruption of the island's political leaders so he forms his own political party, the People's National Party, and is running in elections slated for later that year.  Grace comes to join him and offer her support.

St. Crescens isn't based on any one island in particular.  A reader from St. Croix, St. Lucia or from Babados or any other island might recognize elements.  For example, St. Crescens erupts in violence when black people become unhappy with their lack of advancement and with the level of taxation and repression.  A lot of Caribbean islands actually went through that experience - on Tortola a riot destroyed almost all the houses in the capital in 1859, Jamaica had the Morant Bay rebellion in 1865, Barbadians rioted in 1865 and St. Croix had its Fireburn in 1879.

Is this story a spin off or were perhaps influenced from one of your previously published short stories in The Caribbean Writer?

I'd say the story was most influenced by a visit I made to one of St. Lucia's old churches back in the 1990s and by all the Caribbean history I've read.

Is this YA friendly?  (Is there any explicit content not suitable for teen readers?)

There is a self-pleasuring scene which I'd rate as spicy and there are a couple of lovemaking scenes which are quite tame by the standards of the day but YA seems to require a lot of action and I wouldn't say Jessamine has a lot of that.

One GoodReads other beta readers have labeled this book as a mystery.  Is it?

Yes, in a way.  Grace sets out to find the answers that Arabella wants or needs and clues have to be decoded.

Is this a stand alone novel, or will there be more to this tale?

Stand alone though I may set other stories in St. Crescens and may return to the characters.  Or not.

 

I've heard through the web vine that you often include actual history lessons within your fictional novels.  In your guest post you can discuss the eras you like to write about either in your new release or previous published novels.

 

Slavery in the British-ruled islands and countries of the Caribbean came to an end on 1^st August, 1834 and today we celebrate that important event with festival parades, re-enactments and so on. Few people think about what happened after the Emancipation Proclamation was read – about its impact on societies which, for hundreds of years, had been based on a sugar economy that was dependent on slave labour. Changing a culture or a way of life has never been easy and it wasn’t easy to transform societies that had defined themselves by the enslavement of black people.  It took scores of years to heal those societies and create equality. Some might argue that, even now, despite the tourist ads, we’re still not there yet.

I was in a very old church in St. Lucia looking at murals which had been painted in the early 1900s of Biblical scenes in blackface when the character of Arabella came to me. I can’t really explain how that happened, just that I knew there was a woman and that she was dead and that she had seen terrible things and that these things had happened after slavery.

In Barbados, they had a folk-song they made up when emancipation was near “Licks and Lock-up done with” which revealed the hopes of the people for what their life would be like. In fact, abolitionists and missionaries and, of course, the slaves themselves were very optimistic about what freedom would mean for them. Their optimism was somewhat misplaced. Even before the end of slavery, planters in the West Indies were having a hard time turning a profit. By the early 1800s, the glory days of West Indian planters were well behind them. Hurricanes, droughts and competition from other sugar colonies drove many of them into bankruptcy while the rest hung on, desperate to survive.

The Mother Country was unsympathetic. In 1846, the British Government passed the Sugar Duties Equalisation Act which had the effect of lowering the import duty on sugar coming from non-British colonies. The effect on the planters was devastating. By 1852, 464 sugar and coffee plantations had gone out of business in Jamaica and by 1858 sugar production in Grenada fell by half. All of the West Indian islands were reeling.

Growers in Central and South America were already out-producing them and, in Europe itself, beet had been identified as a source of sugar. With the abolition of slavery, planters in the British West Indies lost their free labour, while their competitors in Spain’s colonies did not as slavery would continue there into the late 1870s.  Planters were compensated for the loss of their slaves but they had failed to centralize their operations as the Cubans did and to modernize. The mountainous conditions also made it hard for them to mechanize. Unable to adapt, they resorted to trying to force the freed labourers to remain on the plantations despite the pitifully poor wages they offered.

Workers who moved off the plantations were taxed more heavily than those who remained. They taxed the people on their horses, their goats, their fishing boats, etc.  In the Virgin Islands, a move to raise taxes resulted in a riot which destroyed most of the houses in the capital, Road Town in 1853. More than ten years later, in Jamaica, more than a dozen whites associated with the repression of the people were killed in an uprising that was brutally quelled by the Governor and militia. By the end of the Morant Bay uprising in 1865 more than 600 blacks are thought to have lost their lives. Eleven years later, in 1876, blacks in Barbados rioted for mostly the same reasons. Eight rioters lost their lives and 400 were jailed. These uprisings and rebellions occurred up and down the Caribbean and were a direct result of the repressive measures the planter-control assemblies and the planters, themselves, instituted to keep the former slaves and their descendants working on the plantations for next to nothing.

This is the context in which the story of Jessamine takes place. It is the setting for Arabella’s half of the story but it is set on the fictional island of St. Crescens which meant that I could manipulate events to my purposes. Emancipation wasn’t a magic wand that, once waved, made everything all right. Freedom and the right to such simple things as the vote and the ability to choose where you wanted to work had to be fought for. Many people sacrificed their lives for those principles. Jessamine is my salute to them.

Expected publication: June 2012

GoodReads (novel) |  Facebook (author) |GoodReads (author) | Amazon

Stacking The Shelves # 4

Stacking The Shelves is hosted By Tynga's Reviews. This meme is about sharing the books you are adding to your shelves, may it be hard-back, paperback or ebook.

I will participate in the Bookish Brunette's "Married with Zombies" Read-a-Long next month & found the used paperback cheaper than the ebook!  Yep for about 50 cents rounded up.  *Sigh*  I do love bargains on Amazon!

 A few weeks ago a friend lent me the Boondock series.  Since I took so long to finish them with my ever growing TBR pile, I gave them back and bought my own.

Purchased in Paperback:

Married With Zombies (Living With the Dead #1) by Jesse Petersen

A Right to Be Hostile: The Boondocks Treasury by Aaron McGruder

All the Rage: The Boondocks Past and Present by Aaron McGruder

 I'm friends with Janiera Eldridge on GoodReads and in support of her debut novel, I purchased it on its release date.  It's a paranormal tale about twin sisters, yet one is vampire & the other is human.  While I was at it, I decided to buy book two of the Spellbound series (also about twins).  Identical twins run in my family and I love reading paranormal novels concerning doubles.

Purchased in Ebook:

Soul Sisters by Janiera Eldridge

Duplicity (Spellbound #2) by Nikki Jefford

Whew!  I almost didn't get to post a STS this week.  I have quite a few designing projects I'm juggling at the moment.  Share your links below.  I will try to respond to everyone in between sewing and reading.

Cheers,
 

Book Excerpt: I Am A Harvester Of Light by Sarah Tsomides

I Am A Harvester Of Light by Sarah Tsomides
Kindle Edition, 75 pages
Published by Amazon Digital Services

I was born into a society, a village close to the forest; a conservative one indeed, the death of my parents when I was young left me with questions about the traditions and beliefs fostered by the Forest Council.

Light and darkness represents two different things for the inhabitants of the village where I live; light is represented by good and darkness as evil. The definition does not sound as easy as you would think. There seems to be more to the evil and good side!

My parents were swallowed by darkness and neither did I know that more tragedy was on its way. A tragedy which I could or maybe would handle. If you are reading this; then be afraid of the dark henceforth and as for the light hold on to it wisely but with logical reasoning.

We have the harvesters of light and the shadowers all wrestling for survival, identity in a society fostered by class, gullibility, oral tradition, secrecy, and thirst for power. But one thing remains for certain- I am a harvester of light.

GoodReads | Amazon

"Deepin the forest of Leafwood, I reside among a peaceful community, governed by The Forest Council, which fosters our old traditions and beliefs. Since times long ago, our people have feared the night. The purity of light is sacred to us here and brings us comfort, protecting us from the evil hidden in the dark. The Shadowers are the malevolent beings who threaten to rip apart our calm lives and so we must cast them out. For every person who dies here, a Shadower is born, but no one knows who will be chosen next and the threat hangs over us. The council is our protector, but are we too confident in our ability to keep thed arkness back? Can our traditions protect us against the evil that lurks beyond our forest? The wisest person I know is my grandmother. She raised my sister and I, after our parents were consumed by the darkness, and taught us right from wrong. In our fight against the night, it is my duty to help safeguard Leafwood, as I am a Harvester of Light."



This promo post is brought to you courtesy of the author.  If you've enjoyed this sampler, then be sure to add this to you TBR pile.  It's currently only $.99 on Amazon.