Wednesday, December 30, 2015

Caroline Clemmons talks about her American Mail Order Bride story, Patience: Bride of Washington.





Ah, the apple. It has been discussed from being labeled as the temptation used by the snake in the Garden of Eden to being glorified as the fruit that insures health—“An apple a day keeps the doctor away”. Martin Luther is reputed to have said, “If I knew the world would end tomorrow, I would still plant an apple tree today.” We’ve probably all watched the Disney cartoon of Johnny Appleseed, John Chapman, who planted hundreds of apple trees in the Midwest. 

In fact, I’m a fan of most apples. For many years, my husband and I owned an orchard containing hundreds of peach trees, six plum trees, four pear trees, numerous grape vines, one pecan tree, and about twenty apple trees—one of which was a Granny Smith and one a crabapple. The other eighteen were Golden Delicious apples. 

I have to admit I’m relieved we’ve sold that land and no longer have to spray, prune trees, and harvest fruit. I loved canning the fruit and making jelly and preserves, though. There is some sort of nature’s rules that the busier you are at any given time, however, the more likely it is that fruit or vegetables need to be canned that very day. ☺

When I drew Washington as the state for my contribution to the American Mail-Order Bride Series, I immediately thought of those Red Delicious Washington apples that arrive in the stores each fall. I like other varieties, but Red Delicious is my favorite. That’s the variety Santa always placed in my stocking at Christmas. I didn’t taste any other variety until Hero and I were married and he introduced me to Granny Smith apples. Now we eat whichever looks freshest at the grocers.



Pruning and harvesting fruit is a labor intensive activity for which seasonal laborers were required before mechanization. Due to the fact that fruit bruises, care must still be exercised when picking. A hundred years ago, even more families traveled from crop to crop than now, a hard life indeed.
Unless you’re operating an organic orchard, spraying is frequent to discourage bacterial rot and other diseases. Organic requirements vary from state to state, and sometimes are not stringent. The Pacific Northwest does have good guidelines for organic, but that’s a new thing. Nineteenth century orchards did whatever was required to produce a good crop. No farmer could afford to risk the crop that feeds his family. 

This year, sadly, horrible fires decimated orchards that had been continuously producing for over a hundred years. The area about which I wrote in PATIENCE, BRIDE OF WASHINGTON, was destroyed. How terrible orchards that had been in the same family for generations were turned to ashes. I hope the families were able to start over, bolstered by hope and a love for the land.
My friend Jacquie Rogers and I decided our brides would be sisters. I chose Patience as the name of my heroine and Jacquie chose Mercy, named after her daughter Mercedes.  Patience’s book will be released on December 30th and Mercy’s book will be released on December 31st



Patience and Mercy weren’t convinced to be mail-order brides by their former coworker. In fact, their father decided that leaving the mill town of Lawrence, Massachusetts was their only chance at a happy life and security. He wrote to the matchmaker on their behalf and only revealed that he’d done so when their prospective grooms answered. 

Here’s the blurb for PATIENCE, BRIDE OF WASHINGTON:
After a fire destroys the factory where Patience Eaton worked followed by a succession of job failures, she travels from Massachusetts to Washington to marry the man her father chose via a matchmaker. While Andrew Kincaid appears to be a very nice man, he’s older than her father and not someone she wants to marry. Her prospective groom places her in a respectable boarding house and agrees to give her a job in the office of his commercial apple orchard so she can learn about his life and business. But working alongside her handsome future stepson presents unexpected complications. 

Two years ago, an unjust accusation ruined Stone Kincaid’s chance at happiness. Now he concentrates all his energy on building the family business. When he meets his prospective stepmother, he’s angry that his father cares so little for his mother’s memory that he sent for a mail-order bride younger than Stone.  He believes Patience to be interested only in his father’s fortune. Stone plans to keep an eye on the attractive woman who’s slated to become his stepmother. 
Can two people working at cross purposes arrive at a compromise? 

Here’s an excerpt from PATIENCE, BRIDE OF WASHINGTON:
On an April evening, Moses Eaton addressed his daughters. “Several months ago, you brought home something called the Grooms’ Gazette. I saved the copy. After your letter from your friend Roberta, I wrote to the matchmaker, Elizabeth Miller.”
Her father handed each of them a letter. “These are in answer. You will each leave on the same train, so you’ll travel together until Mercy leaves at a place called Nampa, Idaho.”
Mercy’s eyes grew wide. “Idaho? T-That’s all the way across the country.”
Patience scanned the paper she held and her heart broke. “Not as far as Washington. Papa, we’ll never see you and Mama and the boys again. I know we’ve upset you but please don’t send us away in disgrace.”
Mama said, “Girls, you’ve got everything wrong. Your father is only looking out for you two. You know how hopeless situations here are. We love you so much, he wants you provided for and secure.”
Papa smiled at Mama then looked at Patience and Mercy. “Your mother is correct. There are more women here than there are jobs—or suitable men to marry. The way things are in Lawrence, you can’t earn a good wage even if you find a position. My teacher’s salary barely stretches.” He held up his hand. “We’d manage somehow if there were prospects for you here.”
He rose and paced. “Each of your prospective grooms is well-to-do and can offer you a nice home and security. Perhaps you can even travel back here for a visit from time to time.”
Patience re-read the letter from Andrew Kincaid. “He sounds nice, and he enclosed a ticket and money for meals. He said I’d have a month to get acquainted before the wedding.”
“Mr. Isaac Fairchild says the same.” A frown furrowed Mercy’s lovely face as she looked up from the sheets of paper in her hand. “But Idaho is so far.”
“But it’s close to Washington. We can probably visit back and forth.” Patience tried for a positive attitude, but neither she nor her sister had ever been away from their parents or one another.
Her brothers clomped into the room. 
Twelve-year-old Jason looked at the adults. “Why’s everyone so serious? What’s going on?”
Papa patted ten-year-old David on the head and smiled at Jason. “Your sisters are deciding whether or not to accept marriage proposals.”
Jason held out his hands. “Tell us who proposed?”
Holding up her letter, Patience gazed at her two brothers. “Papa wrote to a matchmaker, a woman who arranges marriages. Mercy and I have answers. Her groom is in Idaho and mine in Washington.”
Jason rose to look at the globe where it sat on a table by the window. “That’s a long way from here. When would you leave?”
Mercy consulted the letter. “In five days. Oh, my, we have a lot to accomplish before then.”
Ticking off on her fingers, Patience listed, “We’ll each need a trunk and a valise. Let our friends know how to write us. Do the laundry so everything is clean.”
 “And we can’t share things since we’ll be in different places.” Mercy rose to get a sheet of paper from Papa’s desk. “We’d better make lists.”
 Later in the bed they shared, Mercy said, “I can’t believe Papa wrote away without consulting us. I don’t know whether to be relieved or angry or sad.”
“I’m a little of all those. Thank heavens I never again have to work for a man with lecherous thoughts. I’ll miss our family, but I’ll have my own home and soon my own children.”
“You’re right. Oh, I hope we like our grooms-to-be. Mine lives on a ranch. I hope he’s handsome and strong and rides a white horse.”
Patience reminded her sister, “I remember that Roberta said Miss Miller investigates the grooms before she’ll send a bride to them. She works with agents all over the country. Even if the men are not ideal, at least we know they’re not criminals or drunkards.”
“Four days to get ready and on the fifth, we leave. We’ll ride on a train and see the country and then we’ll meet our grooms. How can you not be more enthusiastic?”
Pulling the cover under her chin, Patience admitted, “I’m kind of excited. I’ve never ridden on a train or been out of Massachusetts.”
“Ha, we’ve never been out of Lawrence. That’s going to change.”

 
About the author:
Caroline Clemmons is an Amazon bestselling and award winning author of historical and contemporary western romances. A frequent speaker at conferences and seminars, she has taught workshops on characterization, point of view, and layering a novel.
Caroline and her husband live in the heart of Texas cowboy country with their menagerie of rescued pets. When she’s not indulging her passion for writing, Caroline enjoys family, reading, travel, antiquing, genealogy, painting, and getting together with friends. Find her on her blog, website, Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads, Google+, WattPad, Shelfari, and Pinterest. Subscribe to her newsletter here to receive a FREE novella of Happy Is Bride.






Monday, December 28, 2015

Fourteen Sweet Romances! 99 cents! Pre-Order Now!



Available for Pre-order now!

Release date February 2nd.

FOURTEEN ALL-NEW, SWEET VALENTINE ROMANCES



Candy and canines. Flowers and felines. Celebrate this Valentine's Day with your sweethearts of the human and fuzzy varieties!

Nothing is more heart-warming than kisses from the pet who adores you and the man who loves you, so snuggle up with VALENTINE PETS & KISSES — an anthology of fourteen sweet romances from USA Today bestselling and award-winning authors — and strike the perfect mood for moonlit walks and candlelight dinners with your pet and sweetheart.

Valentine Hound Dog — Rachelle Ayala
A fashion designer and her basset hound puppy convince a burned ex-firefighter that beauty is never skin deep and neither is love.

The Crazy Girl’s Handbook — DelSheree Gladden
Watching her nephews was supposed to be a fun and relaxing weekend for Greenly, not a never ending disaster all witnessed by the best blind date she ever stood up.

The Vet’s Valentine Gift — J.L. Campbell
A veterinarian is caught between his job, an ex, a menagerie and love. Can a little Cupid fix things by Valentine’s Day?

Her Perfect Catch — K.L. Brady
Years of faithful dog-sitting pays sweet dividends when a struggling sports writer scores tickets to the Super Bowl and encounters her favorite football player.

Inflamed — Jade Kerrion
A firefighter running from his past convinces a hard-luck single mother to believe in happy endings.

Remember When — Hope Welsh
Laura and Brent really tried to make their marriage work, but in the end, it just wasn't meant to be—or was it?

Your Biggest Fan? — Sydney Aaliyah Michelle
Snowed in with the man of her dreams, a football fan and her dog find love.

The Feline Fix — Caroline Bell Foster
A scientist questions her cat’s loyalty when it comes to love and a hunky policeman.

Trembling Hearts — Suzette Riddick
A daring young woman crashes into the life of a disfigured recluse and his pooch. Can love be far behind?

Valentino, Be Mine — Tina D.C. Hayes
Sparks fly when two people who can’t stand each other wind up dog-sitting a rambunctious little Yorkie that needs a new home.

Lost and Found — Jeanne Bannon
Stuck with her ex’s puppy, a high school English teacher meets a new man but will a series of unfortunate events keep them apart?

Surviving San Francisco — Susan Oloier
A small town girl survives San Francisco after she hits a cat and falls for a handsome veterinarian.

19 Ivy Lane — Aubrey Wynne
A mysterious woman and her cat befriend a postman and set tongues wagging on Ivy Lane. But when he delivers a long-awaited letter, will his heart be “returned to sender?”

Three Plus Three — Cindy Flores Martinez
A grieving widow and her beloved doggie meet a handsome widower the day before Valentine’s Day. 


Purchase Links:


Reviews:




Friday, December 18, 2015

Kirsten Osbourne's Roberta: Bride of Wisconsin is up on The American Mail Order Bride Series



After a fire which burned the factory where she was manager to the ground, Roberta McDaniel feels responsible for all the women who lost their jobs. She contacts a matchmaker and suggests all of them become mail-order brides—answering an advertisement for a widower in Wisconsin herself. Bobbie worries that her independence will cause problems in her new life.
Jakob knows he will never love again after the death of his beloved wife and the mother of his two sons, but he needs someone to cook and clean for his family, as well as help him raise his two sons. When independent Bobbie arrives, he's unsure whether to throttle her or kiss her. Will this unlikely couple find a way past their differences? Or are they doomed to spend the rest of their lives in a loveless marriage?

http://www.amazon.com/Roberta-Wisconsin-American-Mail-Order-Brides-ebook/dp/B017JRXGQQ

Thursday, December 17, 2015

The American Mail Order Bride Series continues with book 29 - WHICH IS FINALLY MINE!!! WOOO HOOOO



Samuel Morrison, a farmer from Iowa, is in need of a wife and a mother for Lizzie, his three-year old daughter. He reads an article from Massachusetts advertising mail order brides. He writes to the agency stating he’s looking for a partner who will work by his side and, hopefully, come to care for him and be a loving mother to Lizzie.
Hannah Brown responds to his letter. Though she doesn’t say too much about herself, Samuel decides to take a chance and asks her to come to Iowa.
This woman is everything he wants in a wife and more -- or so he thinks. Hannah has a secret that, if revealed, could devastate their future.
If Hannah tells Samuel, will he send her away? She could lose all she’s come to cherish. Is Hannah willing to take that chance?

Rated PG/Sweet (some language, kissing, all intimacy behind closed doors)

http://www.amazon.com/Hannah-Bride-Iowa-American-Order-ebook/dp/B017HLRB5Q


This project has made publishing history and has been more than 6 months in the making. Called The American Mail Order Brides Series, there are 50 books from 45 authors. Starting on November 19, there will one book published per day through to January 7, 2016. Each story is 35K - 40K in length and priced at $2.99.
For more information on release dates, the free prequel which ties the stories together, and each story, visit:   http://www.newwesternromance.com/

Paranormal Romance Thursday with M.S. Kaye


Clouded
By M.S. Kaye
A Sumerian water and sky god myth collides with a modern high school.
Ayanna is a math nerd, logical and rational, even cold, but Calder makes her feel things she never had before. Somehow, she’s able to accept it when she discovers he’s a reincarnated Sumerian water god. Will she be able to accept the full truth, that the story of Enki and Inanna has been reborn in a modern Ohio high school?
Add to your To-Be-Read on Goodreads
About the Author:
M.S. Kaye has several published books under her black belt. A transplant from Ohio, she resides with her husband Corey in Jacksonville, Florida, where she tries not to melt in the sun. Find suspense and the unusual at www.BooksByMSK.com.
To receive news on upcoming releases, sign up for email updates on her website.
Contact M.S. Kaye at:
Facebook  ~  Twitter  ~  Google+  ~  Goodreads  ~  Amazon  ~  TSU  ~  Pinterest  ~  LinkedIn

Excerpt:
Calder’s voice was quiet but threatening. “Can you not see she’s uncomfortable?”
Mark opened his mouth, as if about to argue.
Calder added in a growl, “Back the fuck off.”
The silence was cold.
Then a clang bellowed from the kitchen. Several of the girls gasped and jumped.
Calder shoved him the last couple inches into the wall, then walked out.
Everyone stared after him. They let him go, didn’t try to egg on a fight. I had the impression they knew better, like they were scared to anger Calder any more than he already was.
The atmosphere lightened slowly. Several voices recommenced.
I don’t know. It must’ve boiled over,” one of the cafeteria workers said.
Someone’s PMSing,” Mark snickered. He looked shaken, embarrassed.
Wow,” one of the girls said.
Yeah, Cal’s always been sweet like that. You should’ve seen when we were in the first grade and someone was picking on me. It was so sweet…” She went on and on. I had to ignore her.
The line dragged, and when I could finally see into the kitchen, I saw why. The huge pot looked like it’d spewed scalding water, and several of the women who’d been serving were attempting to dry surfaces all over the kitchen. How in the world had it boiled over like that? It looked more like it’d exploded. The water was everywhere, not just the stove and the floor, but the ceiling, the prep table, and even all the way to the serving line. What in the world is it with this town and water? The school sprinklers went off for no reason on my first day, the snow and rain behaved oddly, and now this.


Tuesday, December 15, 2015

Book 27 of The American Mail Order Bride Series is up!





Constance has always done everything by the book. Follow the rules, be good, and hide. Can this letter to a man she doesn't know break her out of the shadows?
Drake has dreamed of going to sea, but Father's ultimatum has him sending for a mail-order bride. He'll take care of her, but she needs to know, he'll leave for the sea after they're married,


http://www.amazon.com/dp/B017GP9F8Y

This project has made publishing history and has been more than 6 months in the making. Called The American Mail Order Brides Series, there are 50 books from 45 authors. Starting on November 19, there will one book published per day through to January 7, 2016. Each story is 35K - 40K in length and priced at $2.99.
For more information on release dates, the free prequel which ties the stories together, and each story, visit:   http://www.newwesternromance.com/

Monday, December 14, 2015

American Mail Order Bride Series - Book 26 is up! Johanna: Bride of Michigan



When Johanna Huff arrived in Saginaw, Michigan, as a mail-order bride, she expected to meet Paul, the lumberjack who sent for her. Instead, she found herself ushered to church by a lumber baron accompanied by his mother!

Lumber baron Paul Worthington sent for a mail-order bride on the prodding of his mother, since it was hard to find a woman in Saginaw who wasn’t interested in his money. The only problem was that once he was wed to the lovely Johanna, his mother seemed less pleased than ever.

Will the newly married couple be able to fall in love, or will Paul’s mother make it impossible?

http://www.amazon.com/Johanna-Michigan-American-Mail-Order-Brides-ebook/dp/B017GRRDS6

This project has made publishing history and has been more than 6 months in the making. Called The American Mail Order Brides Series, there are 50 books from 45 authors. Starting on November 19, there will one book published per day through to January 7, 2016. Each story is 35K - 40K in length and priced at $2.99.
For more information on release dates, the free prequel which ties the stories together, and each story, visit:   http://www.newwesternromance.com/ 

Sunday, December 13, 2015

Book 25 of The American Mail Order Bride Series continues with Laurel: Bride of Arkansas by Carra Copelin



Laurel Weidner desires a life of her own away from Philadelphia society and a dull, boring marriage. She is sent to live with her aunt in Lawrence, Massachusetts. When her Aunt dies in a tornado, she gets a job at the Brown Textile Mill to avoid going back home. Two months later the mill burns down, and her father threatens to bring her back to Philadelphia.
When the mill and her livelihood perish with the fire, she has no other choice but to answer an ad in the Grooms’ Gazette and become a Mail Order Bride. Will she find peace and long lasting love in the arms of a stranger?

Griffin Benning needs a mother for his children. When his wife died, he lost his two children to his in-laws who claimed to have a better environment for raising his children. He misses his family and is coerced into advertising in the Grooms’ Gazette for a wife to raise his children and work the farm in order to get them back.
Will his ad for a Mail Order Bride provide what he needs? Can he find love and happiness with a stranger?

Can these two strangers find a common ground to reach their goals along with a happy-ever-after?

http://www.amazon.com/Laurel-Bride-Arkansas-American-Mail-Order-ebook/dp/B017KWZSI4

This project has made publishing history and has been more than 6 months in the making. Called The American Mail Order Brides Series, there are 50 books from 45 authors. Starting on November 19, there will one book published per day through to January 7, 2016. Each story is 35K - 40K in length and priced at $2.99.
For more information on release dates, the free prequel which ties the stories together, and each story, visit:   http://www.newwesternromance.com/

Saturday, December 12, 2015

The American Mail Order Bride Series is up to book 24 with Tabitha: Bride of Missouri by Amelia C Adams



An orphan since she was ten, Tabitha Phillips was raised by a cousin who resented her, and she went out on her own as soon as she could. When the factory where she was working burned down, she was forced to return to her childhood home under the scrutiny of her critical relatives.

As an employee at the post office, Tabitha isn't supposed to become involved in the doings of her customers. But when one young man's heart could be broken by a thoughtless letter, she sees a chance to make a difference . . . for herself as well as for him.

http://www.amazon.com/Tabitha-Missouri-American-Mail-Order-Brides-ebook/dp/B017H1LQAW

This project has made publishing history and has been more than 6 months in the making. Called The American Mail Order Brides Series, there are 50 books from 45 authors. Starting on November 19, there will one book published per day through to January 7, 2016. Each story is 35K - 40K in length and priced at $2.99.
For more information on release dates, the free prequel which ties the stories together, and each story, visit:   http://www.newwesternromance.com/

Friday, December 11, 2015

the American Mail Order Bride Series is up to book 23 with Gillian: Bride of Maine by Kirsten Lynn



Gillian Darrow fled her father’s house in Maine before he could put his evil plans into action. Now the actions of another unscrupulous man have left her without employment and few prospects. Following in the footsteps of other women from the factory, Gillian decides to become a mail-order bride. The advertisement from a lighthouse keeper in Maine catches her eye, and Rhys Chermont’s letters catch her heart. She hopes the lighthouse keeper can guide her home.

There’s only one problem…Rhys Chermont never posted an advertisement for a wife and never wrote any letters to Gillian Darrow.

The last thing Rhys Chermont wants is another wife. While life at Bass Harbor Head Lighthouse keeps Rhys busy, he has to admit it would be nice to have a helpmate. The solitary life of a lighthouse keeper drove his first wife into the arms of a wealthy shipbuilder and led to a scandalous divorce. Luckily, for Rhys other forces are at play during the Christmas of 1890, and in Gillian he just might find the light that leads him home.

http://www.amazon.com/Gillian-Bride-Maine-American-Mail-Order-ebook/dp/B017L6EMV8 

This project has made publishing history and has been more than 6 months in the making. Called The American Mail Order Brides Series, there are 50 books from 45 authors. Starting on November 19, there will one book published per day through to January 7, 2016. Each story is 35K - 40K in length and priced at $2.99.
For more information on release dates, the free prequel which ties the stories together, and each story, visit:   http://www.newwesternromance.com/

Thursday, December 10, 2015

Book 22 of The American Mail Order Bride Series continues with Anna: Bride of Alabama by Lily Graison



Anna Davis places her fate into the hands of a random stranger she found in a mail-order bride catalog but little does she know, the man she thought placed the ad has no idea he promised to marry her.

http://www.amazon.com/Anna-Alabama-American-Mail-Order-Brides-ebook/dp/B0196EYEV6




This project has made publishing history and has been more than 6 months in the making. Called The American Mail Order Brides Series, there are 50 books from 45 authors. Starting on November 19, there will one book published per day through to January 7, 2016. Each story is 35K - 40K in length and priced at $2.99.
For more information on release dates, the free prequel which ties the stories together, and each story, visit:   http://www.newwesternromance.com/

Paranormal Romance Thursday with Carmen Stefanescu


Shadows of the Past
Carmen Stefanescu


Publisher: Wild Child Publishing
Genre: paranormal/light romance/light historical/light horror.

Blurb
Anne's relationship with her boyfriend Neil has disintegrated. After a two-year separation, they pack for a week vacation in hopes of reconciling. But fate has other plans for them.
The discovery of a bejeweled cross and ancient human bones opens a door to a new and frightening world--one where the ghost of a medieval nun named Genevieve will not let Anne rest. This new world threatens not only to ruin Anne and Neil's vacation but to end all hopes of reconciliation as Anne feels compelled to help free Genevieve's soul from its torment.
Can Anne save her relationship and help Genevieve find her eternal rest?
A touching, compelling story of tragedy, loss and the power of endless love and good magic.
The twists and turns in this paranormal tale keep the reader guessing up to the end and weave themselves together into a quest to rekindle love.

 Amazon

All Romance

Excerpt
The peal of the church bells from the abbey tower startled Genevieve. The sound added to her mounting anxiety.
The massive abbey loomed over the stone paved path. All the nuns were at evening mass. With a bit of luck her disappearance would go unnoticed for a few more hours. The Abbess would assume she was cleaning the toilets as ordered.
Fear skittered through Genevieve when she turned away from the abbey towards the path leading to town. Nothing stirred. She hesitated. Evil emanated from the forest surrounding the abbey. With a shiver, she leaned against the solid oak gates that flanked the abbey's main path. They had hidden her from detection for the past couple of hours, but how much longer would she be safe?
The mountain shadows grew thicker and closer.
She moved her weight from one leg to the other. They ached from so much standing, but she lacked the strength to return to the gardener's cottage and wait for Andrew's arrival as planned. Genevieve closed her tired eyes. The image of old Ryan, slumped dead in his chair in his cubicle, caught life in her mind and made her whole body ripple with fear.
She'd rather wait for Andrew here, outside.
Had he forgotten his promise? What if something terrible befell him during the last three days, or he had changed his mind? Why should he risk all for an ordinary nun?
Had his folks talked him into giving her up, made him see reason? Helping her out of her predicament meant a huge risk for him -- losing his family, his friends and his position among his peers. His words echoed in her mind. "I will risk everything for you, even life, if necessary."
* * * *
"Anne, Anne, wake up. Wake up, please," the insistent voice whispered next to her ear. The touch of a hand, on her shoulder, startled Anne.
She opened her eyes, still half between sleep and reality. Her gaze stopped on a stranger, a woman, by her side.
The moon's pale face, the only light, filtered through a small gap in the tent's entrance; yet the stranger's whole body emanated a kind of soft ray, a yellowish halo making her figure and face easy to discern.
A long, dark robe, similar to those worn by nuns in monasteries centuries ago, covered her body. No traditional headdress covered the woman's red hair, which fell loosely over her shoulders in long, heavy tendrils and continued down her chest and back.
Anne stood up and studied the intruder with open curiosity. The stranger’s wax pale face looked corpse like. Anne opened her mouth to ask her who she was. She looked Anne straight in the eyes, placed her forefinger on her lips and whispered, "Hush, come. Follow me."
Anne's eyes widened.
The woman, moving away from the sleeping bag, appeared to glide above the ground. Her bare feet didn't make a sound.
As if hypnotized, Anne followed the illuminated silhouette heading into the forest, without questioning her own actions.
An onrush of sensations unfamiliar to her followed. Dizziness and a malevolent feeling of unreality suffocated her. The presence of evil, creeping up and enveloping her, became almost palpable. Her throat turned dry, and she gasped for air.
* * * *
You can find more about the author and her works here: