A fun way to sample new books and find new writers! Here’s the link to the Weekend Writing Warriors central page, so you can visit all the participants sharing excerpts today…
So we’ve closed the door on DANCER OF THE NILE (although now you guys have me thinking about sequels…)
My new book is still a few weeks away from being Released, so I thought I’d fill the gap with excerpts from PRIESTESS OF THE NILE, which was my first published work, because the new book is a sequel to PRIESTESS. You can read the beginning of Chapter One of PRIESTESS here on my website so for the excerpt I’ll go a bit further into the story. Merys, who has been tending an abandoned temple of the Crocodile God Sobek, doesn’t realize she’s talking to him (in his human form). Sobek is somewhat amused by her fierce loyalty:
“I’m sure your efforts are appreciated.” He tried to keep the smile off his face, biting his cheek.
The girl frowned at him and shook one finger saying, “The god protects us even now.” Her tone was cold, her eyes narrowed. “We have had only one ox and two cows seized by crocodiles in the past year, and no small children.” She furrowed her brow as some memory surfaced. “Well, one man was taken, but he was suspected of being a thief so no one mourned him. And the flooding of the Nile has been generous in bringing us fertile fields.”
The Story
Drawn to his abandoned temple on the banks of the Nile by an enchanting song, Sobek the Crocodile god is even more captivated by the sight of the singer herself. Appearing to her as a man, he learns she is Merys, a descendant of his last priestess. Though filled with lust, Sobek believes Merys deserves to be more than just his mistress. But the rules that govern the Egyptian pantheon forbid anything beyond a physical joining of a Great One and a human.
Merys is attracted to the handsome stranger, who arouses passions in her that no man ever has. But with no dowry and no hope of ever leaving her village, she dares not dream of the future—or love.
Sobek takes every opportunity to visit Merys, taxing his resolve to leave her pure. And when he saves her life, their mutual desire must be sated. But can a love between a human and an immortal survive the ultimate test of the gods?
Available: Amazon Barnes & Noble Carina Press All Romance
I enjoy your Egyptian gods.
And I can ask for no higher praise! 🙂 Thank you!
Nice! I like the detail about the one guy being taken, that adds a note of realism and is also a bit of a comic aside. Good 8!
I love the snippet and the premise of this book. Merys seems very devoted to her charge. i can’t help but wonder her reaction when she finds out who she’s really talking to. 🙂
I agree. A thief taken is no biggie, he deserved it. What a strong heroine. Tell us more. You’ve captured me.
I love her attitude, though I have to say that if it was me, the first time an ox gets eaten, I’d start digging a well.
Thanks, Jess, I was cracking up over your comment. Too true!
lolol! Jess, that is THE best comment I’ve read all day!! 🙂
I like her attitude, yet I’d be interested in her reaction once she finds out his true form.
I like her reasoning and this wonderful description. ‘He tried to keep the smile off his face, biting his cheek.’
Just this short excerpt is enough to get me interested in both characters–she’s no shy flower, and he’s nice enough to not grab her without even a ‘hello’! You always have such realistic, intriguing people.
In this scene, he exudes sexiness and her innocent pragmatism comes through. 😀
Very fun little exchange…it would be fun to know how she’d react if she knew to whom she spoke. And, I loved the bit about the thief as well. Made me chuckle.
I love her devotion to him and her matter-of-fact mention of the thief being eaten by a crocodile.
Thanks for all the comments! I’m glad the excerpt is working for people. It was my first published work (not the first I wrote of course but we won’t talk about all *those* manuscripts LOL). I had so much fun with this story, especially the part several of you mentioned, where eventually she realizes who the stranger really is. I’m only going to do a few excerpts from this one (it’s a novella, for one thing) but maybe I’ll share some of that scene….
Bet his identity will be a shocker. Loved the excerpt.
I bet he smiles like a crocodile too. 😀 Very cool premise, and I’m looking forward to more next week!
She’s so matter-of-fact about the whole thing. Amusing.
…and a man, but he was a thief so that’s OK… where did our legal system lose such a straightforward attitude to justice? 🙂
When a crocodile god bites his cheek, it probably stays bitten! 😀
I love all your premises, Veronica—and your characters are so much fun. I love Merys already.
And now, if you’ll excuse me, I’d better read her story before the sequel arrives (how did I miss Priestess?!).
. This is definitely a test of Sobek’s will and it intrigues me to see how he is going to deal with the restrictions. I love Merys innocent loyalty, I wonder how she would feel knowing who she is praising the Crocodile God to. Great snippet.
Veronica, the blurb sounds fantastic. I haven’t read this on yet, so I’d better hurry since the sequel is coming out soon!
Oh, good 8 this week, too! 🙂
I’m not sure I’d use the modifier of ‘only’ in that list of attacks… o.O But I guess you can get used to anything.
Love the scolding! She’s going to be so embarrassed if she ever finds out who he is.
Great snippet and a cool story premise. Well done.
You are so clever with your period stories. A crocodile God –I just love it — and in human form. How do you do it. Excellent 8, Veronica.
The Murders of Polly Frisch
Thanks! My contribution was to realize that the Egyptian god Sobek was a shifter and therefore could also be in human form at times, which of course opens the door to romance. The Egyptians (as far as I know) only depicted him as the Crocodile or as half human/half crocodile (which said ‘partially shifted’ to my paranormal mind LOL and maybe they just never saw him fully shifted to human). I did have a lot of fun writing this story…and the sequel….
Talk about a whole different world. It’s all about perspective. Great snippet.
I was grinning as I read this…I can imagine her standing there pointing her finger at him, all puffed up with her eyes tearing a hole through him. Terrific snippet!
Definitely love the girl’s reasoning. 🙂 Enjoyed the snippet!
The detail that goes into this story is amazing. Love how you weave it all in beautifully. Great 8!
Nice setting, I wonder how she will feel if she discovers who he is.