Movie that influenced my love of suspense

I remember watching a movie years ago entitled “House of Secrets” which quite possibly triggered my fetish/obsession for Mardi Gras masks and spooky New Orleans themes. Supposedly, this made for television movie was a remake of Alfred Hitchcock’s Vertigo. Although the reviews were not met with high accolades, I beg to differ. I loved it and found myself enthralled and terrified at the same time.



Bruce Boxleitner, perfect for the villainous role of Dr. Frank Ravinel, played the part of New Orleans sanitarium physician quite well. The doctor’s wife Marion, afflicted with a muscle disease, was played by Melissa Gilbert. The couple live in Marion’s family ancestral mansion, now a sanitarium built by her father. After only one year of marriage, Dr. Frank begins to mistreat his wife and things go from bad to worse. And when Laura comes along, a young girl on parole for killing her boyfriend, confiding to Marion of Dr. Frank’s lecherous ways, the two women form an alliance and kill Dr. Frank by drugging and drowning him in a bathtub. Add to this mix a bit of voodoo by Evangeline, family friend played by Cicely Tyson, things get quite spooky.



But as the story unfolds, it appears Dr. Frank may not be dead after all. My favorite part of the movie was done in black and white for theatrical effects, reflections of Vertigo, when Melissa Gilbert races through the streets of New Orleans during Mardi Gras.



Does anyone recall this movie? What did you think? Did it remind you of Vertigo, using the French Quarter during Mardi Gras opposed to the empty streets of San Francisco?



Sharon Donovan

Romantic Suspense with a Twist of Faith

www.sharonadonovan.com

sharonad@comcast.net



Mask of the Betrayer




Movie that influenced my love of suspense

The Examiner review of Mask of the Bettrayer

I was awe-struck by the awesome review of Mask of the Betrayer in The Examiner. Labeled as a Dark Mystery with Brutal Content, Ms. Ginger Simpson gives it high kudos. Thank you from the bottom of my heart, Ginger. Here it is!

Review - Mask of the Betrayer - Dark Mystery, Brutal Content 
June 15, 11:37 AM

eBooks Examiner  
Ginger Simpson


Mask of the Betrayer - Sharon Ann Donovan

Beneath all the bright lights, glitter, and glamour of Las Vegas beats the heart
of a sociopath. In most novels you have to wait until the end for the “whodunit,” but in Mask of  the Betrayer, you know who,from the beginning, but must keep reading to learn why he’s killing off all his family members, and how someone is going to finally stop him.

Michael Deveccio is a billionaire who wants for nothing. He has it all, or so it seems. Raised by Uncle Carlos who fell victim to the very method of killing he taught his nephew, Michael is the sole heir to the Deveccio Dynasty.All he needs is the perfect wife to bear a son to carry on the kingdom.

Poor Margot Montgomery has no idea the type of man she’s fallen for and marries.Their castle-like home is filled with all the demented memorabilia that proves Uncle Carlos’ warped mind, but Michael seems to cherish everything about his uncle. His devotion to family only deepens her respect for her new hubby.

Michael worhips the ground Margot walks on, at least in the beginning, and having a family tops his list of immediate desires. Margot is pressed to have a son. A daughter wouldn't be good enough to head the family business; he must have a male heir.

She has a career of her own and isn't in a hurry to become a mother, but Michael's insistence that she'll never want for anything carries some merit.Margot has moments when she doubts her husband’s motives and suspects him of foul play, but his charm assuages her fear.

Too bad, there’s a death star in his pocket with her name on it, along with the signature mask he leaves on all his victims.

Mask of the Betrayer is filled with so many twists, turns and surprises, you’ll be hooked from the first chapter.

An amazing cast of characters lend to the tension and suspense, and even if you read with an editorial eye, you probably won’t mind that the POV shifts from one paragraph to another in places.

Supposedly, only NY-rated writers could pull this off, but Ms. Donovan proves that
rumor to be a fallacy.

If forced to nitpick, one might find Michael’s “tapping of his cigarette three times”to become rather redundant along with a few places where you’ll find repeated information, but the pace of the story moves so quickly, you‘ll just absorb it again and keep reading.

Trust that you won’t be disappointed with Ms. Donovan’s captive and descriptive
style.Be warned, this story is not for the squeamish.If you don’t like violence and mayhem, this isn’t for you, but if it fits the bill for you....dig in.

You can find this book for sale at Whimsical Publications

You can find out more about this awesome author on her website

www.sharonadonovan.com


Mask of the Betrayer

Sharon Donovan

Two Five Star Reviews for Mask of the Betrayer

I am pleased to announce the first of my reviews for Mask of the Betrayer at Amazon posted by customers. I am truly touched and can't stop smiling! Thank you, Mary and Miss Mae for your fabulous reviews. I blush from your kudos and bow my head in gracious acceptance. To paraphrase a writer whose name escapes me..."When you cannot find the words to express your feelings, a simple thank you will do." Thank you!

5.0 out of 5 stars
A psycological Thriller To Blow You Away,
June 16, 2010

By Mary R
(Florida)

This review is from: Mask of the Betrayer (Paperback)

I just finished Sharon Donovan's Mask of The Betrayer and it blew me away.
I couldn't put it down and kept thinking. What would I do?????

One of the best reads I have had in an awfully long time!

5.0 out of 5 stars


Have a strong heart and mind when reading this one!, June 11, 2010

By Miss Mae "I read what I write..."

This review is from: Mask of the Betrayer (Paperback)

We know who the villain is right off the bat, so I'm not giving anything away by
telling you that immediately I hated Michael DeVeccio.

He's the nephew of gangster, Carlos DeVeccio (and that guy should've been carted off to the funny farm decades ago!). Carlos raises Michael as his own son and preps him from the age of twelve to take over the DeVeccio Dynasty. He warps Michael's mind into believing that it's fine, needful, and beneficial to kill your competitors, or those who betray you.

Michael as an adult is a cold-hearted killer through and through. He believes himself a god, that the world is there only for his benefit, and his word must always be obeyed. When he decided he needed a son and heir to pass along his brilliance to, he chooses Margot.

I won't go into the seduction here of how he convinces Margot he loves her. You need
to read that to find out for yourself. But she falls for him, hard and fast. Though when news comes out that Michael's last fiancee had been murdered by the serial killer called the Red Rock Slasher, and that Michael is the prime suspect, Margot is soothed by his lying tongue. She becomes his wife, and then she enters Hell.

Have you ever watched a really scary, creepy movie where the heroine is all alone in this spooky house, and goose-bumpy music is playing, and the heroine reaches for a door where the bad guy is lurking, and you're sitting on the edge of your seat screaming, "Don't do it! Don't do it! Don't do it!" That's how you feel throughout this book. You're wanting to tell Margot, "Don't believe him! Run away! Why are you
sticking around?"

And I won't tell you the reasons why she does -- Again, read the book, and find out why.

Could this book become a movie, and Michael DeVeccio the next Freddy Krueger? Oh,
yeah, but don't ask me to watch it. The book terrified me all by itself.

MMASK OF THE BETRAYER

BUY LINK:


ebook:
http://www.whimsicalpublications.com/books.html

Treated like a Celebrity

It was a night to celebrate. When one door closes, another door opens. Those were the opening words to the speech I gave on Friday evening at the Pitt Panther/Pittsburgh Steeler practice field. After losing my vision ten years ago, I attended BVRS (Blind and Vision Rehabilitation Services) of Pittsburgh where I learned to use a computer with adaptive software, converting text to synthesized speech. I initially wanted no parts of the program, feeling clients would be uneducated. I was a professional, after all. What could I possibly have in common with "those people?"

I was wrong. I met doctors and nurses, teachers and engineers, all with one common thread. We were all losing vision due to circumstances beyond our control. Some had the added burden of facing a marital crisis because a spouse could not face the blindness. We laughed and we cried. We bonded in a way words could never express. I was one of the lucky ones. What didn't kill me made me stronger. When I left the program, I found the strength to face a sighted world I was once part of. A former legal secretary and artist, I began taking creative writing classes to satisfy my creative muse. Eventually, doors to publishing houses opened. Doors have continued to open, all through faith to never give up on a dream.

When I was asked to be guest speaker at a BVRS fundraiser auction, I was horrified. But remembering how much the agency helped me through my darkest hour, I sucked it in and stood tall among the crowd. And when I finished my speech with a "Go Pitt!" I brought the house down and earned a hug from the Pitt Panther coach!

It was an awesome night. A photographer followed me around and the Tribune Review interviewed me. Below is the press release for the function and a link to the Tribune-Review where I am photographed. I feel truly blessed.

IT’S PARTY TIME AT BVRS!

Meet Pitt Football Coach Dave Wannstedt, pictured left, and tour the Pitt/Steelers Practice Facility at BVRS’ For Your Eyes Only 2010 Tailgate Party on the Southside from 7-10 p.m. Friday, June 11.

Enjoy a delicious buffet dinner, cocktails, and dance the night away to live music by the classic rock and roll band “Truth Be Told.” Reservations are required. Tickets are $75, with $35 of that amount tax deductable. For additional information, contact Blind & Vision Rehabilitation Services of Pittsburgh’s Development Department at 412-368-4400 or email inquiries to: dwoodfill@gphvis.org.

With Coach Wannstedt serving as auctioneer, you’ll have the chance to bid on autographed sports items, Pitt Panther Football Box Seats, a catered dinner in your home by celebrity Chef Bob Malone, a weekend at Seven Springs Mountain Resort and more.

And that's not all!

Pittsburgh author Sharon Donovan, pictured below, will be the guest speaker. At the tender age of 6, Ms. Donovan was diagnosed with juvenile diabetes and told by her doctor that she would be blind by the age of 25.

Those words haunted the Avalon resident all of her life and when the doctor’s prediction came true, Ms. Donovan came to BVRS where she learned how to manage her life independently with blindness.

Ms. Donovan has told her story in her nonfiction book, “Echoes of a Raven.” Once an artist who painted on canvas, Ms. Donovan is now an author of several books of fiction.

On her website, www.sharonadonovan.com, Ms. Donovan talks about her transformation in a poem titled ‘Yesterday.’

It says, in part: “From the maze of mayhem and rubble a new dream resurrected renewing hope and inspiration for a brighter tomorrow. Today, motivated by new insight, instead of painting pictures on canvas, I paint my pictures with words.”

Ms. Donovan’s most recent work, “Mask of the Betrayer,” is a psychological thriller and is available at this link: http://www.whimsicalpublications.com/sharon_donovan/mask_of_the_betrayer.html

BVRS appreciates the hard work and dedication of the For Your Eyes Only 2010 Committee: Michele Antonelli, Chair, and members Bonnie Anton, Peg Fitchwell-Hill, Denise Gipson, Julia Gleason, Virginia Goebel, Terry Jancisin, Marsha Kirley, Elizabeth McCarthy, Patti McKee, Joan Martin Siebart, Pert Pivirotto, Peggy Snavely, Julia Unitas Giba, and Jan Wannstedt.


Tribune Review

http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/pittsburgh/s_685885.html

The Nine Muses

I've dabbled in the arts, theater, music and song. Now I write. Legends and lore and superstitions are the backbone of who I am. I believe in hopes and dreams and the sweet hereafter. I believe in the sisters of inspiration. I present to you:

The Nine Muses

The muses are a sisterhood of goddesses or spirits; their number set at nine by Classical Times. They embody the arts and inspire the creative process with their graces through remembered and improvised song and stage

Writing

Traditional music

and dance

They were water nymphs associated with the springs of Helicon

Apollo was their leader

Their father Zeus was king of the gods

And

Mnemosyne their mother goddess of memory

The muses are used in modern literature to refer to an inspiration as when one one cites his or her own artistic muse, but they are also implicit in the word amuse or musing

Muse means the one who remembers

They are the daughters of the titan Mnemosyne who is the personification of remembrance

All nine muses have a science or an art to protect

In sculptures and art they are depicted with emblems for recognition

Cleo

The glorious one

Muse of history

Protects the stories of heroes

History: carries a scroll and book



Urania

The celestial one of heavenly beauty

Protects astronomy and soars amidst the moon and stars in the seven heavens.Depicted pointing a staff at a celestial depicted with staff and globe


Calliope

The muse of beautiful speech

Oldest and chief muse

Muse of epic or heroic poetry

Elegies

Epic poetry carries a writing tablet


Melpomene

The chanting one

The tragedies

Depicted wearing a mask


Euterpe

The well pleasing one

Muse of music and lyric poetry

Flute playing

Carries a flute


Erato

The amorous one

Muse of erotic poetry, lyrics or marriage songs

Love poems

The amorous one

Muse of erotic poetry

Depicted with a lyre and a crown of roses


Terpsichore

The one who delights in dance

Muse of coral

Song and Dance

Depicted dancing and carrying a lyre

Thalia

Muse of comedy and pastoral poetry

Protecter of comedies and bucolic poetry

Polyhymnia

Singer of hymns

Muse of sacred songs, oratory, lyric, s singing and rhetoric

Sacred poetry

Depicted with a pensive expression


The muses love to sing and dance and they sing gorgeously

They are superior in musical competitions and anyone who dares and challenge them will always fall short—just as anyone who questions their importance.When they compete against the Siren, the muses always win. A father challenged the muses to compete with his daughters.When the muses won, they changed the daughters into crows to spite the father.

The poet Thamyris bragged about being able to remember all of his work without the help of the muses as poets back then did not write their work down but remembered it by heart. The muses punished him by taking his memory and eyesight.They are often led by the god of music Apollo and entertain at Olympus



Cleo
the proclaimer, muse of history and glorious words.


The goddess Urania, the celestial one of heavenly beauty, muse of astrology.


The noble Calliope, goddess of eloquence and epic poetry.


The Greek goddess Melpomene, songstress of tragedy.


The amorous Erato, musical muse of erotic poetry.


Euterpe, muse of music and lyrical poetry.


Polyhymnia, goddess of reverent hymns, muses over sacred poetry.


Terpsichore,  muse of coral,song and dance.


Thalia, muse of comedy and pastoral poetry.

Alfred Hitchcock Presents

Good Evening!

Those chilling words still send shivers racing down my spine from the old television show “Alfred Hitchcock Presents”

Ever since I was a little girl, I loved being scared to death. Nothing could come close to the images the master story teller conjured in my head. Just the sound of those words in barely more than a whisper made my skin crawl. The anticipation of the story he was about to show had my heart racing. I remember glancing around the room to make sure all the curtains were drawn, all the doors locked. My family and I would gather around the television on a Friday evening, lights out with a big bowl of buttered popcorn. And the second the master of suspense’s face would appear on screen, my brother, sister and I would scream loud enough to wake the dead.

Alfred Hitchcock packed it all in his books and movies—chance meetings on a train, murder and mayhem, voyeurism, ice-blondes, debonair actors with a touch of quirky humor and rakish charm, espionage, romance and lost love. And who better befitting to portray the femme fatale of that era than Grace Kelly, Ingrid Bergman, Kim Novak and Janet Leigh? They were a perfect fit with Hollywood legends as Cary Grant and Jimmy Stewart, two of Hitchcock’s favorites.

Few books or movies since the Master’s time have stayed with me or left such jarring images. Although not his best film, I think we all agree that Psycho is his most chilling. The Bates Hotel is such a simple name, who would suspect that such a twisted psychopath lived inside. With a fetish for peeking on guests as they shower, Janet Leigh is about to find out just how twisted Norman Bates is. (Voyeurism at its peak) Just the sound of that screeching violin gets my blood pumping!

The Birds is the movie that truly frightened me. To this day, I have a bird phobia. The image of those eerie birds gathering in the playground still make me shudder. When I hear the flapping of wings overhead, I hitch in my breath, petrified for a fleeting second that I will be the victim of a ghoulish attack.

Vertigo is another favorite of many Hitchcock fans. Set in the almost dream-like haze of the empty San Francisco streets, Vertigo portrays obsession and lost romance in a surreal manner, a true hallmark of his movies. In this story, Jimmy Stewart pursues Kim Novak as she slips in and out of her dead great grandmother’s persona. So even back then, there was a touch of paranormal in the books Alfred Hitchcock wrote

Thinking of some of these old plots that linger in my mind, I write stories of romance and suspense to hopefully give readers just a hint of that old Hitchcock magic. What’s your favorite Alfred Hitchcock movie of all times? Which actress in today’s Hollywood do you picture playing the role of the ice blonde? The perfect femme fatale?

Jolly Jester

The Jolly Jester or Joker became popular during Medieval times. Jesters are typically portrayed with bright colors and eccentric hats in a motley pattern. The hat is sometimes referred to as “the cap n bells” and is depicted as a floppy hat with three points, each topped off with a jingle bell. The hat represents the ass’s ears and tail worn by jesters in earlier times.




Things that make the Jester unique: his insane laughter and his mock scepter, referred to as a bauble or maharoof



Author’s note: The Jolly Jester is a featured guest at the masquerade party in Mask of the Betrayer.



Sharon Donovan

Romantic Suspense with a Twist of Faith

www.sharonadonovan.com

sharonad@comcast.net



Mask of the Betrayer

Available!

Whimsical Publications

www.whimsicalpublications.com

Valentino and The Mystery Lady

More than eighty years after his death, fans still flock to Hollywood Forever Cemetery to bestow flowers on the crypt of Rudolph Valentino



Born in Italy, Valentino arrived in the United States in 1913 intending to strike it rich. Instead, he lived in shabby apartments in New York City, worked a variety of odd jobs, and was arrested several times on suspicion of petty theft and blackmail. Eventually, Valentino found success as a dancer in nightclubs around Broadway, then joined the cast of The Merry Monarch, a musical review on national tour.



For the next several years, Valentino took small film parts as he made his way to Hollywood, usually as the villain. He got his big break in 1921 when he was offered the leading role in The Four Horsemen of Apocalypse. His smoldering looks, exotic background and graceful dancing combined to make the romanticized tango scene unforgettable. The film was an overnight success and Valentino was an instant star.



Valentino continued to star in Hollywood films and became legendary for his passionate roles. Quite the lady killer, women flocked to see him perform, fainting in the aisles after screaming their hearts out. Just as Valentino-mania reached its peak, Valentino went on a nation-wide tour to promote his latest film The Son of a Sheik.



On August 15, 1926 while promoting the film in New York City, he was rushed to the hospital with stomach pains. Exploratory surgery revealed a bleeding ulcer. While it was repaired, Valentino developed a post-surgery infection and died. Almost immediately rumors began to surface that he was shot by a jealous husband, poisoned or killed by a jilted lover. An estimated crowd of 100,000 attended his funeral in New York City. When his body was brought back to Hollywood, thousands of mourners stood to watch the train pass. When his body was lowered into the mausoleum cathedral in Los Angeles, a small airplane scattered rose petals in memory of the legendary Hollywood star.



One of the most enduring Hollywood legends is the Mystery Lady who visits Valentino’s crypt every year on the anniversary of his death. Dressed in black from head to toe, including a heavy veil shrouding her face, the Mystery Lady visits without uttering a word and bestows a bouquet of red roses and leaves. Who is she? Many women have laid claim to the title, but no one knows for sure the true identity behind the maskd lady. Who do you think it is? A friend? A lover? A mistress?



I invite you all to come chat with me on June 15th about my books, hobbies and whatever you like! This event is located here:

http://www.coffeetimeromance.com/board/forumdisplay.php?f=900



You must be a member to post. If you are just registering, put Sharon Donovan in the referral box. Thank you!





Mask of the Betrayer

Buy Button:


http://www.whimsicalpublications.com/sharon_donovan/mask_of_the_betrayer.html

June Jubilee at CTR

hello! I am participating in the June Jubilee at Coffee Time Romance & More. I invite you all to come chat with me on June 15th about my books, hobbies and more! This event is located here
http://www.coffeetimeromance.com/board/forumdisplay.php?f=900

You must be a member to post. If you are just registering, please put Sharon Donovan in the referral box.

Throughout the entire month, authors will be chatting about their hobbies in the "Special Interests" area of the forum. I will be chatting about my guilty pleasure of collecting Mardi Gras masks. Today, Cleopatra, the beautiful Egyptian queen is featured.  Cleopatra is one of the masqueraders in my newly released suspense book Mask of the Betrayer. Come chat with me here. You never know when someone might win a prize!
http://www.coffeetimeromance.com/board/forumdisplay.php?f=1472

Sharon Donovan
Romantic Suspense with a Twist of Faith
http://www.sharonadonovan.com/
sharonad@comcast.net

Mask of the Betrayer
Available Now!
Whimsical Publications
Buy button:
http://www.whimsicalpublications.com/sharon_donovan/mask_of_the_betrayer.html

Wednesday Spotlight with Deanna Jewel

Hello and welcome to Wednesday Spotlight! My featured guest today is friend and fellow-author Deanna Jewel. Deanna is here to chat about her newly released book No Turning Back.



In keeping with the theme of the book, we have been transported

back in time to North Yorkshire, England, 1775. We’re sitting in the Victorian parlor overlooking the gorgeous English countryside where a cascading waterfall gushes over the cliffs of the woodlands. With a clomping of horse hooves crushing through the underbrush of the thicket, Lady Deanna dashes out of the clearing on Caesar and

tethers her horse to a branch.

Sir Oliver struts off to answer the door, cradling a bouquet of fragrant orange roses. When he thrusts open the heavy mahogany door, Lady Deanna saunters in on a gust of jasmine-scented air, looking lovely in a dark green silk gown. Extending his arm, Oliver escorts her into the parlour where Lady Sharon sits, donned in a brushed copper gown with black beaded applique. The women hug and air kiss as they exchange greetings. Slipping into Queen Anne chairs in front of a crackling fire, they catch up.

Sharon: How are you, Lady Deanna?

Deanna: Lady Sharon, I’m so excited about this book but first I want to thank you for having me here today. The setting is gorgeous and so are the orange roses! You’re so thoughtful.

Sharon: Oliver, I dare say we’re ready for refreshments.

Oliver struts off, pumping his biceps. In no time flat, he returns, white Russians and hot buttered popcorn poised above his head on a silver tray. With a sweeping bow, he presents the drinks, scooping up a handful of popcorn and feeding it to Lady Deanna with a wicked wink.

Deanna: Oh my, Oliver, you are wonderful to bring in my favorites. *licking the butter from my lips and taking more popcoren*


Sharon: That will be all, Oliver. Lady Deanna, do tell us about the setting of No Turning Back and how you researched this particular era in time.

Deanna: I’ve always loved reading historical and love England. Growing up, I read Victoria Holt novels and as you know, those were set in England, Johanna Lindsey and Virginia Henley used England for many of their novels and those authors are my favorites. So when I decided to write, I had to do my novel in England and include the ships and pirates and sword fights. *sigh* I just love them and I hope the readers love my settings. I do take Nathan and Vanessa on a few adventures, that’s for sure.

Sharon: I love the name Vanessa. It’s old-fashioned with a royal ring, yet timeless and romantic. Do you have any personal ties or connections to this name?

Deanna: No connections, I’ve just always liked it.

Sharon: Being an avid horse lover and former rider, isn’t it interesting that women horse breeders were socially unacceptable in London during that era. Tell us about that and how Vanessa deals with it in the story?


Deanna: I think that was part of the fun of writing Vanessa. She goes against society and does what she wants, though she still dresses proper for the balls. Her maids had an awful time with her when they helped her get dressed because she would take the breeches and put them on anyway, which made sense if you’re working with the horses. She also knows how to use the whipcord! I wanted to give her a few special talents!

Sharon: And how does Nathan feel about a woman who marches to the beat of a different drum?

Deanna: Ah, Nathan….mmmmm……oh, I’m sorry! Nathan loves a strong woman who also knows how to be a woman when the time presents itself. Vanessa has a mind of her own and uses it to continue the business and stand up to those who get in her way, which gets her into trouble also.

Sharon: And for the true romantics out there, this book is all about second chances. How do you feel about that?

Deanna: I had to write about second chances because I had my own second chance at love and now - I live in my own fairytale. Those who know me will attest to that! *big smile* But there are so many men and women out there who lose the love of their life and think they will never again find that one special person who makes life worth living again and that’s just not true. If nothing else comes through in my novel, I hope the reader takes that note with them – love will happen again for them. I’m also a firm believer in the concept of ‘attracting what you think’. I didn’t come up with that line but there is so much truth to it. I’m writing a short book on that which should be available in a month or so. If one wants to be happy, one can not depend on others to make them happy. It has to come from inside! But I ramble on…..I just feel very strong about that.

Oliver saunters into the room, treating Deanna to a beguiling smile. With great articulation, he sets down a tiered mint green candy dish overflowing with lemon bars. After freshening her drink, he plucks up a pastry and feeds it to Deanna, watching her eyes glaze over.

Deanna: Oliver, those are to die for! I commend you on your talents. Lady Sharon, how to you stand it with such perfection in his culinary talents?

Oliver removes his copy of No Turning Back. If I might be so bold as to ask for your autograph, Lady D?

Deanna: Thank you, Oliver, I’d love to sign that for you. I do hope you enjoy the story. You’ll make some lucky woman a wonderful husband with your talents in the kitchen.

Sharon holds up her empty crystal glass. I wouldn’t mind a refill, Oliver…or do I have to “duke” you?

Oliver pours, his eyes on Deanna.

Sharon picks up her copy and reads the blurb and excerpt whilst Deanna signs Oliver’s copy.

Blurb – No Turning Back

While avenging the death of his fiancé years earlier, Nathan learns that he can love again but is he willing to chance another broken heart? Will the woman he wants also open her heart again?

Vanessa is heartbroken over recent events in her life; she’s also head-strong, flaunts London aristocracy and takes on breeding horses, something unheard of in the society circles of London. She finds herself trying to put the pieces of her life back together, but can she do it alone? With a child on the way, she is forced to do just that - their future depends on her strength. Then a friend offers to help. Dare she trust a man sworn to carry out a vow taken on a death bed? She refuses to accept that his love is true when his honor of sticking to his word is also at stake.

North Yorkshire, England, 1775



Michael ‘Nathaniel’ Clairmont, the Fourth Duke of North Yorkshire, crumpled the missive he’d received from his fiancée’s parents as he raked his fingers through his shoulder length hair. Fear tightened his chest as he stepped to the door and called to his squire. “Prepare Caesar, now!”

Stepping back into the room, he addressed his longtime friend, Anthony Faulkner. “I’m going to see Lady Stockholm’s parents. Clarissa is missing. Are you with me?”

Faulkner jammed his tricorn hat atop his head. “Bloody right I am!”

Moments later, after meeting with the Stockholm’s, Michael urged his bay Barb to greater speed along side Anthony’s. An unnatural scattering of branches and leaves strewn about the road ahead caught his attention. He reined Caesar and dismounted for a closer look. Footprints of horses and men marred the dirt and led deeper into the woods where the underbrush lay trampled and broken.

After tethering Caesar to a branch, he motioned for Faulkner to follow him along the path. A piece of green silk shimmered atop a briar bush, and Michael grabbed up the soft material. It was the color he’d last seen on Clarissa. The fragrance of jasmine assailed his senses. His eyes widened in recognition of the scent...the same one Clarissa wore!

He gripped the material in his fist. Bile rose in his throat as fear knotted his gut. Though afraid of what he’d find ahead, he pushed forward; low-hanging branches slapped at his face and caught at his shoulder-length hair. He pushed the foliage out of his way and tromped the underbrush in his desperate search.

When he reached out to block another branch, a silk stocking skimmed his face and he grabbed the stocking for inspection. Michael looked at Faulkner’s worried face, swore under his breath and moved on but a foreboding feeling ate at his senses, almost like being watched.

He couldn’t miss a gown strewn atop the bushes. The shock that tore throughout his system stopped Michael dead in his tracks, his muscles recoiling in reaction. Meticulously arranged over the waist-high bushes, as if in preparation for wear, lay a dark green silk gown, a vicious tear low in the neckline. His gaze moved slowly over the material. Tightness gripped his chest, feeling as though someone had reached in and squeezed his heart, the pain so intense it burned. He touched Faulkner’s arm, and gritted his teeth. “It’s the gown Clarissa wore at the ball last night,” he said in a gut-wrenching rasp. His gaze searched the area until the very thing he wanted to avoid seeing lay before him. His body froze.

A bare, delicate ankle peeked from beneath the underbrush.

Lunging forward like a wild beast, ravaging the area, throwing branches and uprooting ferns, he uncovered her body...clad only in her white satin chemise, splattered with her own blood.

His tortured scream echoed throughout the surrounding forest as he fell to his knees beside her battered body. Praying she might hear, he whispered her name. Touching her bruised cheek--he found it still warm. A flicker of hope ignited within his heart as he pressed his fingertips against the slim column of her throat. Moments later, finding no trace of a pulse, that slight flicker of hope extinguished itself. His mind was a whirlwind of thoughts at who could be her killer.

Thunderous applause explodes through cyber space.



Sharon: (Holds up her copy) This is a wonderful and intriguing book, Lady Deanna. Congratulations! I just love it!

Deanna: You are too kind, but thank you. I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Lady Sharon.

Sharon: What was the hardest part of writing this book?

Deanna: Writing the book was fun but the hardest part was the editing. This was the first novel I’d written, though it got published second because there were so many things that had to be ‘fixed’ because I’d learned so much writing this. I took it out of the drawer so many times in the last ten years that I lost track of the number of times. I got discouraged that it couldn’t be fixed and would put it back in the drawer, yet something kept taking me back to the story. Maybe the characters wouldn’t let it die, who knows, but finally it did make it past the edits, got fixed and here it is.

Sharon: And the part you enjoyed the most?

Deanna: The love between the characters, setting the sexual tension and the attraction….mmmmm……I do love sexual tension in a novel. Without that, there would be no reason to continue reading!

Sharon: Sadly, Lady D, our hour is nearly up. Parting is such sweet sorrow. But before you go, you must treat my fetish for collecting legends or superstitions from my guests. Do you have one to share with me?

Deanna: Hhmm….that’s a tough one. Can ghosts be a superstition? Because I do believe in ghosts, that they are around us all the time. Some of us have the ability to sense them and some don’t and that leads me to my next novel that includes a ghost in an abandoned lighthouse who takes on the task of bringing two lovers together who were lovers in a past life.

Sharon: And finally, if you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be and why? Who would you like starring as Vanessa and why? And last but not least, who do you fancy playing the role of Nathan and why?

Deanna: Perhaps I would like to try the English countryside in a castle of my own, but let’s include running water for baths and showers! Haha! Who would play Vanessa and Nathan in a movie? I haven’t really thought that far – maybe Julia Roberts for Vanessa? Now Nathan….maybe Hugh Jackman? I’ll have to give that more thought or your guests can leave their recommendations! *wink*

Sharon: Tell readers where they can get in touch with you and where they can purchase No Turning Back.

Deanna: I love to hear from readers and fellow authors and they can email me at Deanna.jewel@yahoo.com and my novels are available on my website, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and I’m sure many other online bookstores out there.

Sharon: Thank you so much for being my featured guest today, Lady D! It’s been great fun! And as a special treat, Lady D is graciously giving a copy of her book to one lucky blogger. So don’t forget to leave a comment!

As The Power of Love by Celine Dion plays on the Victrola, Oliver sweeps Lady Deanna into his arms as they glide across the burnished cherry wood floors, their feet never touching the ground.


Author Biography

Deanna Jewel, formerly from Saginaw,Michigan, currently lives in Lewiston, Idaho, has been writing since 1991. She has completed one time travel and one historical novel and has several others in the works. NEVER SURRENDER, her most recent time travel romance, is now available in print version and e-book for download to your electronic readers. This novel won an Honorable Mention in the 2008 Quill Awards at Writing.com. Her second novel, released in April 2010, is titled NO TURNING BACK, and is also in print and e-book for download to your electronic readers. Hard at work on the edits for her next novel, she hopes to have that available in early 2011.

She is married to a retired captain of the fire department who has also owned his own businesses for 28 years and they have two Siamese cats: Zoie and Sinbad. She has a grandson in Idaho, two daughters still living back East, one granddaughter and another due in November. Deanna has enjoyed reading historical romance novels for over thirty years, camping with her family, and traveling. A trip years ago to Dubois, Wyoming, south of Yellowstone, inspired her time-travel novel. The landscape and town locations described in NEVER SURRENDER are real. Jon Daley, a professor at Boise State University, translated the Shoshone language that you will find in the book.

 

Her writing goal is to draw the reader into the story to experience what the characters feel, to show both the hero's and heroine's points of view, and to take the reader away from their every day stress to a place not yet visited.

Wednesday Spotlight with Anne Patrick

Hello and welcome to Wednesday Spotlight! My featured guest today is Anne Patrick. Anne is here to discuss her latest romantic suspense from Champagne Books, Out of the Darkness. We are sitting in the rose garden this morning. With a gorgeous backdrop of azure blue skies and rolling green hills, and with the songbirds sweetly chirping, Oliver has just finished setting out refreshments on the flowered umbrella table. And when the front doorbell rings, Oliver plucks up a rose from the arbor and dashes off, muscles pumping.

A few minutes later, Oliver escorts Anne out to the garden to join Sharon. Oliver, being the gentleman he is, helps her into her chair. But not before casting her a wicked wink.

Sharon: Welcome, Anne! Great to have you as my guest today. So how are you?

Anne: I’m doing wonderful, Sharon. Thanks so much for having me over today. I’ve been looking forward to meeting both you and Oliver for some time.

Sharon: We’re honored to have you!

Oliver serves diet coke and presents a plate of chocolate covered sunflower seeds. He smiles a beguiling smile as he plops a few morsels into Anne’s mouth.

Anne: Mummm yummy, and I’m not just talking about the sunflower seeds *huge grin*.

Oliver pumps his biceps.

Sharon: Oliver has just returned from the book store where he stood in line for over an hour. This is one hot off the press. Tell us a little about Out of the Darkness, a brief synopsis.

Anne: Out of the Darkness has ex-FBI Profiler, Alex Michaels, forced into hiding by the serial killer who murdered her twin sister and left her with a career ending injury. Meeting up with an ex-pro football player who is also facing an uncertain future, Alex makes Royce McIntire an offer he can’t refuse. Settling into her new life, Alex has no idea the killer is hot on her tracks along with the team of FBI agents who failed to protect her before. When they all catch up to her, not only is her peaceful life shattered, but once again her life is in jeopardy.

Sharon: Draws me right in. You know romantic suspense books are my favorite genre, and Out of the Darkness has quite an intriguing premise. So, tell me. What do you suppose that fascinates people about serial killers?

Anne: That’s an excellent question, Sharon! Speaking for myself, I’m intrigued by their characteristics. Although there are similarities between most, there is usually something unique about each one of them.

Sharon: I must admit to being one of the curious when it comes to serial killers. I need to know what makes them tick and love getting into the mind of a killer. So much in fact, that my latest book also features one. What kind of research did you do on serial killers?

Anne: I’ve read several books by John Douglass. He’s the world’s foremost expert on profiling. He created and managed the FBI’s Criminal Profiling Program, and he and Robert Ressler were the original profilers who interviewed serial killers like Bundy, Berkowitz, and Gacy. I was also a huge fan of The Profiler series. I have the entire collection on DVD *grin*.

Sharon: Hat’s off to you. I appreciate when an author takes the time to do proper research, especially when it’s about something that perks my interest. Do you believe that serial killers are products of some type of childhood abuse, traumatizing them to the point they dissociate in order to block out the incident?

Anne: From the research I’ve done for my books, it’s evident that virtually all serial killers come from dysfunctional backgrounds involving sexual or physical abuse, drugs or alcoholism and their related problems.

Sharon: I agree. Let’s talk a bit about the names. I love the name Royce, one you don’t hear in every novel coming down the pike. LOL How did you come up with the name? Any one you know?

Anne: I don’t know, it just sort of popped into my head. I have a list of names that I sometimes go to, but usually as I’m fleshing out the story in my head the names just come to me.

Sharon: Give us a little background on Alex and her twin sister.

Anne: Alex and her sister, Cassie, grew up on a farm in Iowa. Their father was cop, so law enforcement was always in Alex’s blood.

With a sweeping bow, Oliver hands Anne a pen. If I might be so bold as to ask for your autograph, love?

Anne: I’d be honored, Oliver. *grinning as butterflies take flight in her tummy*

Oliver swoons off, clutching his book close to his heart.

Sharon: What’s next for Anne Patrick?

Anne: Well I have a couple of WIP’s I hope to finish soon. A romantic suspense and a inspirational romance.

Sharon: What do you do when you’re not writing these edge of your seat suspense books?

Anne: When I’m not working, you’ll usually find me at the lake with family and friends or playing in the park with my German Shepherd Zoe.

Sharon: Pets bring so much to our lives, don’t they? Sadly, that brings us to the end of our interview. Before I let you go, one of my passions is collecting legends or superstitions. Can you share one with me:

Anne: The one I remember most is the legend of the three-block-tunnel. It wasn’t far from where I lived as a kid and the story was that if you took a wrong turn you’d never come out. We used to dare one another to go in. It was pitch black and you couldn’t see but a few feet in front of you. The furthest I got was the fork. My flashlight stopped working and I took off as fast as I could back to the opening, never to return.

Sharon: Claps her hand together wildly. I love it! This is certainly one I’ve not heard before. It will be added to my scrapbook. And finally, if you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be and why? Who would you choose to play one of your heroines? And last but not least, who would play your romantic hero?

Anne: An island in the Caribbean – Why? - White sandy beaches & warm weather year around. Meg Ryan would make a perfect Alex. My hero… *motioning to the empty chair next to her*…Oh Oliver, you got a minute? *then with an arched eye brow* I have a proposition for you.

Oliver struts out to the rose garden, grinning and pumping his biceps, blowing kisses to his new love.

Sharon: Here is a sneak preview of Out of the Darkness

Excerpt:
The room was dark as he entered. Bypassing the light switch, he flipped on the TV and sat in the only chair in the room. He then picked up the remote and turned on the VCR.

“It is of my opinion we have a serial killer at work here. The victims are similar in background and appearance. The ways in which they were murdered are identical, and the victims were all recovered from the river.”

“Do you have any leads, Agent Michaels?”

“With these murders, important evidence is missing. All we have are the bodies. We don’t have a crime scene and we don’t know where the bodies were dumped into the river. This leads me to believe we have a very sophisticated killer. He’s familiar with police procedure. He knows by dumping the bodies into the river he is eliminating any evidence such as hair, fiber or semen.

“I believe he is Caucasian. Twenty-five to thirty years old. Five-eight to six feet tall, slim to medium build. He is muscular, may work out in a gym. He’s educated, undergraduate level, a thinker who takes great pride in planning things out. He is socially inactive. He hasn’t much experience with women either because of his appearance or lack of self-confidence. He has a criminal background, most likely juvenile offenses, either arson or petty larceny. I believe he may have committed his first murder during his preteens, but went unpunished. A major change or event has taken place in his life within the last six months, triggering his violent behavior: Either the loss of a job or promotion, or breakup with a girlfriend. I believe he is from the Joliet area and he quite possibly knew the first victim, Crystal Byers.”

“You said he knows police procedure. Any possibility he is in law enforcement?”

“Anything is possible. The only thing we know for sure is how dangerous he is. But he will be caught, I assure you.”

He paused the video and fixed his eyes on the still picture. Such a beautiful face. Her posture and expression were full of confidence.

She wasn’t so arrogant the night he’d attacked her though, and neither was her sister.

He turned off the video and stared at the snowy screen. Until she’d come along, he’d been in complete control. The Joliet police were such idiots. He’d had them running in circles, chasing their own shadows. Not even the great Galen Schroeder had a clue as to his identity or the depth of his capabilities. Not to worry though, no matter where she ran, he’d find her.

Thunderous applause breaks out through cyber space.
Then the words appear in the sky:

CHANCE TO WIN A DOWNLOAD OF OUT OF THE DARKNESS!

Stop by tomorrow and Ann will choose one lucky commenter.

Sharon: Tell readers where they can buy your book and get in touch with you?

Anne: Out of the Darkness can now be purchased at Champagne Books: http://champagne.vstore.ca/product_info.php/pName/out-of-the-darkness-ebook

To learn more about me and my other releases, please visit my blog:
http://www.suspensebyanne.blogspot.com/
or my website:
http://www.annepatrick.weebly.com/
Thanks again, Sharon, for having me on your blog! It was a pleasure meeting you and Oliver.

Sharon: My pleasure, Anne.

As the classic rock plays, Oliver plucks Anne off her feet and they dance through the arbor, cheek to cheek.

Anne Patrick, author of ‘Sweet’ Edge of Your Seat Romantic Suspense, has penned more than a dozen novels. Her works have garnered four and five star reviews and she’s received or been nominated for several awards. Her heroines are usually strong willed, witty, and often very opinionated…combinations that usually land them in situations where death seems imminent. Anne has an alter ego by the name of Kinzie Monroe, who writes Inspirational Romance. Anne, you might say, is the dark side of Kinzie. Anne’s books may be darker in subject matter, but they all carry messages of hope and faith. Born and raised in Oklahoma, she now makes her home in Kansas.

Starcrossed Lovers

In my latest suspense novel Mask of the Betrayer, will true love conquer all? Here is the pov from the heroine (Margot Montgomery DeVeccio) and the romantic hero (Diego Santiago) the homicide cop investigating her husband for the recent killings in the foothills of Red Rock Canyon. Will these star-crossed lovers find their destiny, their one true love?

Margot cried all the way home. She’d wanted nothing more than to throw herself into Santiago’s arms and stay with him. But she couldn’t. Provoking Michael at this point would be a deadly game, one she couldn’t afford. Homicide was counting on her to trip Michael up, make him say something incriminating on tape. Diego was counting on her. His touch had sent sparks soaring through her like a bolt of lightning. That man of few words got to her in a way Michael never had.

Because she couldn’t seem to help herself, she compared the two men. While they were both intelligent, brilliant even, their integrity was unparalleled. Michael’s temperament was as volatile as a volcano—while Diego remained cool and calm under pressure. Their virtues were worlds apart. Diego’s morals consisted of high ethical standards—while Michael’s were totally corrupt and morally unethical. What it all boiled down to was a matter of respect. Michael demanded it—while Diego earned it.

Driving through the wrought iron gate leading to the mansion, Margot’s head was in a daze. Fate had certainly dealt her a bad hand. If only she’d met Diego before falling in love with Michael. At her wedding, she’d been so sure Michael was her one true love, her soul mate. Well wasn’t fate having a grand old laugh at her expense. Just when she thought her life couldn’t possibly get any worse, she’d gone and fallen head over heels for the homicide cop, Diego Santiago, her destiny.

He wanted her. He thought about her always, making love to her again and again, all through the night. She starred in his fantasies, his very sexually arousing fantasies. His hands itched to touch her. Margot DeVeccio stirred his blood. And if he didn’t have her soon, he’d go out of his mind.

The thought of Margot going home to the sociopath tormented him. How could he live with himself if something were to happen to her? He berated himself for not getting the evidence necessary to lock the cold-blooded bastard up. The warrior in him desperately wanted to hunt DeVeccio down and throttle him with his bare hands. From the first time he’d laid eyes on Margot, he’d wanted her. But he wasn’t about to spend the rest of his life in jail, kiss his career good bye. He hadn’t spent the past decade on the force to toss his badge over the cliffs of the foothills.

He needed to get the evidence on DeVeccio to prove he was the serial killer of Red Rock Canyon so he could lock him up where he belonged. He needed proof and he needed it fast. If it were the last thing he did on this earth, he’d put the smug billionaire behind bars and throw away the key. And then he’d move in on Margot, his sweet Margarita, the woman with the bewitching green eyes that had his blood boiling to liquid heat.

MASK OF THE BETRAYER

SHARON DONOVAN

A psychological thriller

Available Now!

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http://www.whimsicalpublications.com/books.html

eBook

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Sharon Donovan

Romantic Suspense with a Twist of Faith

Edge of your seat suspense

What’s the difference between a suspense book and an “edge of your seat, turn-paging” suspense book?



I’d like to explore that question today. For as long as I can remember, my favorite genre has been romantic suspense and suspense thrillers. I’ve come to expect twists and turns to keep me guessing until I turn the last page. And now that I write in these genres, I promise to draw my readers into a whirlwind of suspense and intrigue. Here are some of the elements that I look for and promise to deliver in my books:



1. Desolate setting

2. Captivating storyline that will hook the reader right from the start

3. Spine-tingling background music that will draw the reader into the story

4. Quirky or obsessive character traits that will identify the character as unique

5. Heroine that reader can empathize with and scream for her to be rescued by the romantic hero!

6 Romantic hero with a “Don’t mess with me” attitude that isn’t above cutting corners

7. Villain that we love to hate

8 Dialogue interspersed with atmospheric description to make us feel, see, hear, smell, taste and touch

9 Twist and turns to make the reader gasp

10Sizzling chemistry between the lovers

11. The ability to make the reader laugh and cry and cheer when the hero rescues the heroine at the last minute and whisks her away into the happily-ever-after



I’d like to show you a few of these examples in my newly released suspense book Mask of the Betrayer. In the opening scene, the killer is programmed to kill the betrayer at midnight. He has been programmed to do this through music. The “Hunting Song” plays in his head during a kill.



“A hunting we will go, a hunting we will go. Heigh-ho the dairy-o, a hunting we will go. We’ll kill a fox and put him in a box. Heigh-ho the dairy-o, a hunting we will go.”



Thinking of the nursery rhyme, doesn’t this song play in your head, drawing you into my book?



The setting for Mask of the Betrayer is set in Red Rock Canyon, a desolate mountain range within miles of the dazzling Las Vegas Strip. Here is a scene to draw the reader into the setting, and show you the villain’s (Michael DeVeccio) obsessive trait.



Pouring himself two fingers of finely-aged bourbon, billionaire business tycoon Michael DeVeccio walked on the verandah of his mansion and gazed into the foothills. The raw beauty of the Red Rock Mountains encompassed him. Miles of open valleys and rugged terrain and lush forests full of petrified logs the Paiute Indians believed to be weapons of the wolf gods stretched as far as the eye could see. And what a rush to climb to the top of the mountain and survey the dazzling Vegas Strip like king of the jungle.

Fishing a Marlboro from the pack, he tapped it three times on the parapet before lighting it. He inhaled deeply, allowing the nicotine to filter into his brain. Under the hunter’s moon, night predators slithered out of the underbrush, just on the periphery of the jagged twists and turns of the canyon. From deep in the woods, a coyote howled, its keening wail slicing through the quiet. Michael loved the call of the wild. The primitive cries got under his skin, arousing him. Dominant and defiant, animals fought to protect what belong to them. He especially admired the sleek moves of the panther. With its keen eyesight, acute hearing, and uncanny ability to sneak up on its prey unnoticed, it pounced on its victim in one slick move. Michael understood the moves of the night predators. He was one of them.



Sizzling chemistry to feed the romance lover in you! The following is the scene where Margot and Michael meet:



The beckoning wail of sax drifted out of the piano bar, the bluesy sound of jazz bristling beneath her skin. After spending the better part of the afternoon negotiating at an art auction, unwinding over a chilled martini sounded like utter bliss. Seduced by the sound of sax, she sauntered up the three steps leading to the mezzanine and ordered a Pomegranate martini.

“You got it, doll,” the bartender winked.

“Whatever the pretty lady wants is on the house,” the man approaching the bar said in a buttery soft voice. “And give me a bourbon on the rocks, Jazz.”

Margot turned around and came face to face with the billionaire tycoon of DeVeccio Plaza. His shocking blue eyes left her breathless. With his sharply defined features, full sensual lips, and all that black wavy hair, he reminded her of one of the sculptured Greek gods she’d featured last month at her gala.

“Allow me to introduce myself,” he said. “I’m Michael DeVeccio. Welcome to my palace.”

Every pulse in her body was as charged as an electrical current. Michael DeVeccio, legendary for building luxury resorts in every continent, exuded strength and power from every pore. His world renowned success preceded him. And here he stood in front of her in all his glory, one hundred and eighty pounds of raw, sexual energy. Mesmerized by his hypnotic blue eyes, she met his gaze. “I’m Margot Montgomery. It’s a pleasure to meet you. Your resort is everything it’s rumored to be, simply breathtaking.”

“Thank you.” he edged a bit closer. “I’ve always fancied it to be the jewel of the Strip. I didn’t think anything could outshine DeVeccio Plaza. But I was wrong. Nothing could possibly hold a candle to the sparkle in your emerald green eyes.”

As the hot sound of jazz drifted through the piano bar, a warm desert breeze blew in from open terrace doors, the seductive undertone thick and heavy. The sassy wail of sax and the sweet lilt of piano counterpointed, stirring the air with its sensual rhythm.



Here is a teaser when the homicide cop Diego Santiago (romantic hero) knows Michael is the serial killer and comes to question him:

“Detective Santiago,” Michael yelled down. “And what brings you calling so early in the morning? Out for a leisurely cruise around the neighborhood? Or perhaps you’ve come to extend your congratulations to the newlyweds?”

“Cut the bull, DeVeccio,” Santiago barked. “There’s been another murder in the foothills, and guess whose corpse I just sent down to the morgue?”

“I have no idea. Do I look clairvoyant? Why don’t you fill me in on the mystery corpse? Otherwise, we could be here all day guessing whose body is on a slab in the morgue. And as intriguing as that sounds, I have a meeting in an hour.”

“If you could drag yourself away from your gourmet breakfast,” Santiago bellowed, his voice echoing through the stillness of the woods. “How about coming down here and answering a few questions. And FYI, DeVeccio. It looks like the Red Rock Slasher is back in business. But that shouldn’t surprise you since you knew Russel Harrison didn’t kill your ex-wife. You framed him for the murder and we both know who the real killer is. Take a look at yourself in the mirror on the way down. He’ll be staring right back at you.”



When Margot realizes she is married to the killer, she runs to the homicide cop. He writes a song for her, My Sweet Margarita



As soon as Margot got out of her car, she heard the gentle strumming of a flamenco guitar. The melodious lilt of the Latin music drifted through the air, soft and sweet. Drawn to it, she ran up the steps and peered into the round arched window. Mesmerized by what she saw, she stared in awe.

Bathed in sunlight, Diego sat in front of a fireplace, tenderly holding the small guitar. He strummed the strings with outward flicks of his fingers, producing a rhythmic roll reminiscent of castanets. Silhouetted in partial sunlight and partial shadows, he gently caressed the lustrous neck of the wooden guitar.

When the song ended, Margot quietly knocked at the door, feeling as if she’d finally come home.

Even before Diego opened the door, he knew it was her; the beautiful woman with the bewitching green eyes. Even if he hadn’t heard the sound of her tires in the driveway, even if he hadn’t caught a glimpse of her watching him through the window, he would have sensed her presence. And knowing she was watching him, listening to him play the love song he’d written for her made it all the sweeter. With his heart thumping, he flung the door open and pulled her into his arms.

“I had to come,” she said in a breathless voice, feeling his muscles quiver and bunch beneath her fingers. “Oh, Diego. I had no idea you played the guitar. And with such finesse. What a beautiful song, so bitter-sweet.”

Diego’s broody brown eyes grew dark with passion. “I wrote it for you. I call it my Sweet Margarita.”



MASK OF THE BETRAYER

AVAILABLE NOW!

ON SALE FOR ENTIRE MONTH OF MAY

WHIMSICAL PUBLICATIONS



http://www.whimsicalpublications.com/books.html

eBook

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Sharon Donovan

Romantic Suspense with a Twist of Faith

Murder at Midnight at a Masquerade

The dance floor vibrated with footsteps as guests glided, clomped, and stomped across it. The Joker hopped around, laughing like a fool. The Deranged Clown grabbed Margot for a spin around the floor. Dressed in black and white checks and a black mask, An Evil Jester rubbed up against the Smoldering Temptress, whispering crude suggestions in her ear. Covered in voodoo pins from head to toe, the Voodoo Doll danced alone.




But it was Zorro who turned heads from the moment she’d sashayed into the ballroom. Drop dead gorgeous in a crimson body suit and long flowing cape, she had the attention of every male in the ballroom. Her long platinum hair billowed around her voluptuous body and red feather mask. Sheathed in a crimson scaled scabbard, her Zorro sword rested on her left thigh.



The men all stared. The Mysterious Stranger in a black cape swept Zorro away with the moves of a ballroom dancer, looking for all the world like her long lost lover. But as soon as the song ended, another masked guest asked Zorro to dance, and before long, she’d danced with nearly every man at the party.

“Michael,” Margot whispered in his ear. “Everyone is captivated by Zorro. Do you know who she is?”

Michael watched Zorro glide across the ballroom floor with ease. Chic and elegant with the legs of a dancer, she danced the night away, her patent leather heels never touching the ground. A crimson rose pendant graced her long, elegant neck. Michael knew precisely who she was. He’d given her the rose necklace on their wedding night. Taking one final look at Zorro, he pulled Margot into a tight embrace. After kissing her, he whispered in her ear. “I have no idea who she is. Darling Margot, I only have eyes for you. You are the perfect woman.”



The storm that had been brewing all day broke just as the bell tower tolled. Eleven piercing chimes rang out simultaneously with the rumbling of thunder. Winds from the Mohave Desert hurled in through open terrace doors, blowing out the cinnamon-scented candelabras in the ballroom. Pellets of cold hard rain pounded helter skelter on the windows. The crystal chandelier swayed back and forth like a pendulum. It flickered once, then twice. And then all went dark.







Zorro sat at the bar, sipping on a bourbon on the rocks. Michael crept up behind her and whispered in her ear. “Nobody makes an entrance like you do, Darling Candace. You have every man in the place rock hard.”

“Michael,” she purred, her smoky voice as smooth as silk. “I knew you’d recognize me.” She ran her hand over his masked face. “The role of Valentino suits you. You are still the most handsome man I’ve ever set eyes on.”

“And there were certainly enough of them,” his voice came out low and husky. “How many men, Candace? Did you ever keep count of how many lovers you had during our marriage?”

“You were the only one that ever mattered,” she rubbed up closer. “We had something real special between us. And being back in the ballroom tonight brings back all those memories. Like the way you used to hold me in your arms when we glided across the floor. And afterwards,” she slid her hand down his chest—and lower still. “We set the sheets on fire, remember, darling?”

“We had our moments,” he said. “But I also remember kicking your trashy ass out of Vegas and telling you to never return. And yet here you are, an uninvited guest at my masquerade ball. You know the extent of my wrath better than anyone. And yet you dare to defy me. Why is that, Candace?”

“Because I love you, darling,” sexuality oozed from every pore. “You and only you. Let’s sneak up to our old bedroom and see if we can rekindle some old flames. Come on, sugar. Let’s get between those satin sheets and set the night on fire.”

Michael leaned very close, massaging her leg with his fingers. In a voice raw with sexuality, he whispered, “Darling Candace. How can I resist. Meet me in Uncle Carlos’s suite in ten minutes. We’ll ring in the New Year together. You have no idea how much I want to be alone with you. Beautiful, beautiful Candace. I promise to make you scream”

Mask of the Betrayer is on sale for the entire month of May at Whimsical Publications. Now is your chance to purchase it at a discount.


BUY LINK:

http://www.whimsicalpublications.com/sharon_donovan/mask_of_the_betrayer.html



ebook:

http://www.whimsicalpublications.com/books.html