Mar 16 2016

Healer of the Nile Cover Reveal and Release

HealerOfTheNile_highres I’m happy to announce that my novella Healer of the Nile has now been released as a stand alone ebook. It was previously published last November in the Here Be Magic box set.

Here’s my gorgeous cover from Frauke Spanuth at Croco Designs!

The story:

1550 BCE

When Pharaoh sends injured warrior Tadenhut home to die, his noble family asks Mehyta, the local healer, to ease his path to the Afterlife. Mehyta discovers he’s trapped between Life and Death, caught in the dreamspace. Touched by his fighting spirit and will to live, Mehyta vows to use all the powers Shai, god of fate, gave her. Together Tadenhut and the brave healer battle to overcome his injuries, as well as threats from devious family members. While struggling to rescue her patient, Mehyta comes to realize he matters more to her than any man ever has before. But even if his life can be saved, what do the omens say about a match between a highborn soldier and a simple healer?

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Nov 19 2015

New Release Healer of The Nile

I’m excited to share an excerpt from my new novella Healer of the Nile, which has been included in the just-released box set HERE BE MAGIC. Can Mehyta, a village healer, persuade the god of Fate to help her save Tadenhut, a soldier trapped between Life and Death? I’ve mixed magic and ancient Egypt with a bit of romance (of course!), to tell a new tale of life in 1550 BCE.

Here’s an excerpt:

…. Mehyta shrank against the wall as servants carried an elaborate litter into the room, followed by the lord and lady of the estate, accompanied by a grand personage in a gold trimmed robe, who she realized was Pharaoh’s physician, as well as several high ranking soldiers. Peeking over Simut’s shoulder, she observed Tadenhut unmoving on the litter, eyes closed, face pale. His arms lay at his sides, palms down on the thin mattress.

As the servants transferred the limp patient to the bed, the royal physician said, “I’ve done everything possible within the canons of good medicine. Pharaoh felt Tadenhut should be at home, now that his fate is so clearly in the hands of the gods.”

“Pharaoh is kind,” Lord Wadjmose said, his jaw clenched. Lady Nebetta squeezed his hand and he gave her a grateful, tired smile.

As the litter and the litter bearers exited the room, two more servants carried in a large chest, decorated with inlaid faience and turquoise. Nebetta directed the men to set their burden in the bedchamber itself, against the wall.

“Where’s the local doctor?” said the man from Thebes.

Simut left Mehyta’s side and bowed. “An honor to assist you, noble sir. I am Simut, trained in Memphis, at the temple of Sekhmet.”

The royal physician pursed his lips, nodding at the impeccable academic pedigree. As Wadjmose and Nebetta moved to the bedside to stare at the unresponsive form of Tadenhut, the doctors drew aside to confer. Mehyta tried to be unobtrusive as she followed Simut. If she was required to assist him, she’d better hear the instructions.

“I’m to stay the night and leave in the morning,” the visiting doctor said. “Pharaoh doesn’t want me absent from his court for long. I’ve brought an ample supply of drugs, more than you’ll need by the looks of our patient, but the Great One insisted we be generous, in case you lack anything here. We have specialized medicines in Thebes, after all. “He opened the chest and removed a papyrus, handing the scroll to Simut. “Doses and spells for administering them.” He leaned closer to his colleague and lowered his voice. “It’s a miracle the man’s lingered this long, frankly, with his injuries. Pharaoh is fond of him, regards him as a friend and a shieldmate, and Tadenhut saved his life in the battle, sacrificing his own for all intents and purposes. There’ll be gold of valor in the trunks we carried here from Thebes, which will adorn the soldier’s tomb nicely. He takes a good record into the afterlife. Now let me show you the proportions of the night medication.”

As the two men fell to discussing the merits of one potion versus another, Mehyta let her attention wander. Simut would tell her what to do. Her healing skills and the herbal remedies she used were in no way related to the Egyptian practice of medicine, but learned at her late grandmother’s knee. She stared at Tadenhut, gaunt, pale, lying on the bed equally oblivious to his father’s grief and the learned doctors’ chat. Lady Nebetta lowered her head, dabbing at her skin carefully, so as to not mar the kohl and malachite perfectly outlining her large brown eyes. No actual tears fell. Her son was next in line to inherit the estate when the current heir died.

The Story:

Buy Links for the $.99 Box Set: AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE | KOBO | ALL ROMANCE EBOOKS

I have an article over at USA Today Happily Ever After featuring Q&A with my fellow authors!

FINAL3D_COVER_HBM_BoxedSet

May 24 2015

One Pharaoh At A Time in Thebes Weekend Writing Warriors

Here’s the link to the Weekend Writing Warriors central page, so you can visit all the participants sharing excerpts today…a fun way to sample new books and find new authors! (Also welcome to the Sunday Snippet visitors!)

While we’re waiting for my next two new books (one ancient Egypt – at the formatter – and one science fiction romance – at the editor), here’s another snippet from Magic of the Nile. At the command of Sobek the Crocodile God, Tyema has brought a special crocodile to Thebes and is about to show the beast to Pharaoh.

“…Sobek told me the keepers gave your beast the name ‘Pharaoh’.” He chuckled and there was a ripple of answering laughter from the courtiers in attendance. The guards maintained their stern mien and vigilant stance.

“We meant no disrespect, sir,” Tyema said, feeling butterflies in her stomach. What seemed amusing in Ta’sobeksef might be deadly insult here – so many ways to put a foot wrong in Thebes.

Nat-re-Akhte paced toward the crate and she followed, conscious of the entire group trailing behind her. “I’m sure there was no disrespect intended, although there can be only one ruler at a time in Egypt,” he said over his shoulder, “So long as your crocodile restricts his ambitions to the pond at the temple, the world can remain in harmony.” There was a definite twinkle in his eyes.

Suddenly she felt at ease, even though her companion was Pharaoh himself, and said, “I think we can safely assume the limited scope of my crocodile’s ambitions, sir.”

Note: Ghost of the Nile should be released by next Sunday so I’ll do an excerpt from it!

The story:

After a childhood spent scorned and ignored by her family because of her crippled foot, Tyema was magically healed then installed as the High Priestess of his temple by Sobek the Crocodile God. But Tyema is still haunted by her memories, scarred by the abuse she endured. Despite Sobek’s protection, as an adult she’s become a near recluse inside the temple grounds…

Until Captain Sahure arrives in her remote town, sent from Thebes on an urgent mission for Pharaoh, requiring High Priestess Tyema’s help. From that moment on, her quiet, safe life is upended in ways she never could have expected.

But after a whirlwind romance with Sahure, the two part as Pharaoh orders him to undertake another assignment on Egypt’s dangerous frontier, far from Tyema’s remote town.

Heart-broken, Tyema is ready to return to her life of loneliness, official duties and, now, regret. But the Crocodile God has other plans for his priestess: she must uncover the sorcerer who threatens Pharaoh’s life with black magic. Soon enough, Tyema finds herself thrown into the chaos of Pharoah’s court, neck deep in intrigue and danger. Just when she thinks she can’t take the pressures of a very public court life and her secret investigation for the Crocodile God any longer, Sahure re-enters the scene.

But is her former love there to help or to hinder? Can they resolve their differences and work together to find the dark sorcerer who threatens Pharaoh and Egypt?

Mar 30 2014

Every Broken Claw MAGIC OF THE NILE Weekend Writing Warriors

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 moved on to the newly Released MAGIC OF THE NILE, which is the sequel to the book I had been sharing excerpts from. I’ll just jump in with the first eight sentences for now (and have played with the punctuation to make it eight sentences. I think!):

Patience running thin, Tyema tried in vain to focus on the endless details her head crocodile keeper Hotepre was only too eager to share. Proper care for Sobek’s animals was her responsibility as high priestess but the god didn’t expect her to know about every chipped tooth and broken claw.

“Did you want to inspect the new clutch of eggs?” Hotepre asked as they left the pond where promising juvenile crocodiles were kept.

Glancing at the sun sinking over the Nile, she shook her head, saying, “I’d intended to, but the ceremonies ran long today – we had so many petitioners. Can I see the eggs tomorrow?”

“Of course, my lady.” Hotepre’s frown deepened the wrinkles on his aged face as they climbed the gravel path from the ponds, winding up the cliff where the temple itself was located, “Are you going to the festival in town tonight?”

As always, I love your comments and feedback. Although this is a published work, the input helps for the future novels…

Here’s the story blurb:

The standalone sequel to Priestess of the Nile…picks up about fifteen years later and tells the tale of Tyema, who was the younger sister in Priestess of the Nile…

But after a whirlwind romance with Sahure, the two part as Pharaoh orders him to undertake another assignment on Egypt’s dangerous frontier, far from Tyema’s remote town.

But is her former love there to help or to hinder? Can they resolve their differences and work together to find the dark sorcerer who threatens Pharaoh and Egypt? Will the love between a proud warrior and a shy priestess lead them to a future together?

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