Sunday, November 19, 2017

Rejections are like Falling Off your Motorbike

Romance with Heart by Maggie Mundy



I wasn’t one of those people who thought they would write a novel, and equally I wasn’t someone who thought about being a bikie chick either.  My daughter had mentioned wanting to learn to ride and I said I would too. So when she said she was going to get her learners and you’re coming too, Mum. I didn’t have a leg to stand on. All I had ever done in the past was ride a moped back in the UK and been pillion on my husband’s bike so this was a huge step for me.

I turn up at the learner’s course and didn’t do too bad until the test, where I froze. The thought of having a licence that said I could go on the road was freaking me out. 

Second attempt at test and I thought I was doing okay until the test day when I had an instructor who was a male chauvinist pig to say the least. So I was not surprised when he didn’t pass me. 

Third time same guy failed me again. I was in tears and decided I would never do it again, and why was I putting myself through this?

Unbeknownst to me my husband and friend phoned up and complained about the instructor (they were not the first complaint about him) and I was given another chance. I passed with flying colors without Mr Grumpy around.

Over the next two years I practiced and decided to go for my full test. In the meantime the test center had moved to the other side of town and I had to ride through a thunderstorm in during peak hour traffic and unfortunately didn’t pass.

I had another month before I could retake my test and there was a motorbike club get together in Mildura so I decided to ride the 400km. My husband and friends were saying are you sure you can do it, but I had to prove to myself that I was serious about wanting this. Now I’m not usually fearless and on the freeway I would get freaked out by the big trucks passing and the wind gusts blowing me around. My solution was to sing Akuna Mutate very loudly. It worked even if I probably looked demented.
Eventually I did my final test and past. 
I look back and have to say the experience taught me something about myself. When you fall off or get a rejection you should get back up and keep writing or get back on the bike no matter how bruised you are.

 Be determined and persevere until you get there. I’m still not super brave but when I ride through a busy city now. I break it up into small pieces so that I don’t get overwhelmed by what I am doing, and I can do the same with writing. Before I know it I’ve got there.

Years ago I did a fortune telling game and asked the question of whether I would get published. The answer that came back from the cards was to enjoy the journey. Now I do with the wind blowing in my hair.

As for my publication journey I have fourteen books out now.


I have been writing for years and have had more rejections than you could poke a stick at, but like with my bike, I got up, brushed myself off and tried again. 
The pictures are of me practicing my tight u turns. It’s a killer at a slow pace but I mastered it eventually. The other picture was me riding in the Pink Ribbon Ride for breast cancer, hence the pink bras on our bikes. I am on the middle bike. Even my hubby put a bra on his big cruiser.

Unknown Protector is the first book in The Midworlder Trilogy and all three books are out now.

Links
https://www.instagram.com/mundymaggie/


Friday, October 27, 2017

I screamed at a Queen concert. 99c special. Maggie Mundy Romance Author


The fact that I was at a Queen concert gives you the clue I am not twenty years old. I have two daughters in their twenties and they are both jealous that I saw Freddie Mercury live. 


It was in the 1970's when I saw Queen at the Colsten Hall, Bristol UK. I loved their music. It was so different to plaything else I knew. Yes I did have a strange time when I was younger when the Osmonds' and the Jackson Five held sway, but that is another story for another blog and tells you what I got up to when I was young.
Everything was brilliant with incredible music from fantastic musicians and when the band did an encore the stage was covered in smoke machine smoke. Freddie sang out from the mist.
Here I stand
Look around around around
But you wont see me


The audience erupted and I consider myself lucky to have been there.

The Point of this Post

As a writer I have self doubt all the time. I have been to many conferences and heard New York Times best sellers say the same. I never thought as a young person I would write a book let alone people read it and like it. If you really want to do something then do it. Take a little time to plan. Set yourself a date. If Freddie and his friends didn't think outside the square the world would be a lesser place.

New release and 99 cent special.
If you love books about sexy movie stars you will love these.




Monday, September 25, 2017

Maggie Mundy Romance Author. The Towel Arranger. What is your Quirk

The Towel Arranger
I admit it. I do rearrange peoples towels in their bathroom. I am a nurse, so I will admit to being a bit anal retentive. Its funny, when I have called other people anal retentive they get annoyed. I see it as a compliment. 
Oops. I like structure and as a writer, I plot.

Sorry I got a bit distracted  thinking about rearranging his towel.
In my book Unmasked I gave my character Daria crazy red hair that is as unruly as she is. She feels people judge er by the way she looks not matter what she does.

In Random Meeting, Greg would never let people touch him intimately. He has strong reasons for this. Beth twiddles constantly with a necklace. There is a reason.

In Idolize Cassi hates having her photo taken. 

I do too. I keep wondering who that older woman in the photo is.

Now for some serious stuff. 
What are these guys thinking. No, don't worry Just give them a rub down with their towels. Then wash towels and fold neatly.
This is a funny little quirk of mine and trust me I have others.  I find when I read a story with someone having a little quirk, I identify.
Here to me and all us with funny little ways. We are real.
If you like fantasy. Magic of Books is doing a promo where you can win an $30.00 Amazon gift card.

https://www.facebook.com/MagicBooksPromotions/posts/2029035857381243
https://magicofbookspromo.blogspot.com.au/2017/09/back-2-school-special-fantasy-sept-23-25.html





Saturday, September 16, 2017

Maggie Mundy Romance with Heart Blog. Scars Are Us





Scars Are Us




Like most people I have scars. You know the sexy type.  No. There are no sexy types. Some on the outside and some on the inside. Some I got doing crazy stuff and some I can’t remember how I got them. Don’t judge.

Scar One. I was about ten years old and jumping on my bed. Yep. Mum said not to do it, but I knew better. I fell off and hit the knob on the bedside cabinet. My sense of accuracy has never been as good since.

Scar two. Put my hand through a glass window and was lucky I didn’t bleed to death. I remember going to the sink to wash off the blood because I thought mum would be mad.

Scar three. Caesarians I have had both my kids that way. No through choice, but emergencies. Love my girls so much and love my scar.

Scar four. Dysfunctional family. I know a lot of people carry this invisible scar. Just remember to live life now and not let the past dictate your future.

Scar Five. Bullying at school. I am proud of who I am despite of this. I was lucky though as we didn’t have social media. Yes I am that old.

Scar Six. Broke my arm and needed it fixed. I was on my way to see Kinky Boots. Still got to the show with my arm in plaster and in an Endone haze.



My latest release is Scarred Mate. 
In this book two people have scars on their bodies that have made them who they are. Both of them want to slice open the scars that haunt them. These two lost souls are worried the scars they will be left with, will be worse.



A drug lord wants Rosie dead. Making friends with a werewolf may be the only way to stay alive...


Rosie had everything. A job as a cop, a lover, and a great future. That was six months ago. Now she has a scarred face, no job, and has lived through betrayal. Her only choice is to head for the hills when a drug lord comes after her. If not, others could get hurt. 

Connor doesn't fit in with his wolf pack and his scars mean he has never found a mate. Rosie could be that mate or she could be the death of him.



Wednesday, September 13, 2017

New Release Sweet Sacrifice by L.D Rose







SWEET SACRIFICE by L.D. Rose
Blurb:
Former Navy SEAL Sebastian “Bash” Lockard died in Afghanistan after leaping on a grenade to save his comrades. Little did he know his act of heroism would grant him a ticket into Heaven’s elite army as one of the few and powerful Archangels. Struggling with his new existence, Bash still retains his human memories, leaving behind a wife he loves with all of his heart. Although he’s forbidden to see her, he can’t resist her lure, or the mortal desires he harbors for her.

As a young widow and nurse, Irene Lockard still mourns her husband two years after his untimely death. His absence is everywhere, and when her best friend weds, she hits an emotional rock bottom. As if summoned from the skies above, Sebastian appears before her, and they share an unforgettable night. But when he once again vanishes, she wonders if she’s truly gone mad with grief.

The only way Sebastian can remain with Irene is if he makes the ultimate sacrifice. But will she overcome her fear of losing him again to another war?

Hook:
Heaven is hell without her.

Links:


Short snippet:
Bash’s gaze caught on a couple on the dance floor, the sight of her sinking into him like hooks and bringing him to a standstill.

With her dark curls springing over her shoulders, she spun across the hardwood, her pale gray dress flowing around her. Much like in his recent vision of her, she tipped her head back and laughed, beautiful, stunning, her smile as bright as the yellow calla lilies tucked in her hair. She swayed with a man in dress whites, a Marine, another fucking soldier she didn’t belong with. And as the rain of realization became a downpour of comprehension, he remembered the engagement, where Claude proposed to Lucille—at their wedding—right before Bash left for another tour of Afghanistan.

“Bash?” Gabriel stepped in front of him, blocking his view, pale eyes narrowed.

Bash’s hand slammed into Gabriel’s chest, pushing him away as he lurched forward. Gabriel reacted faster, though, snatching his arm and wrenching him back at least four feet. Bash lunged again and the Arc’s hand fisted in his white button-down shirt.

“Don’t,” Gabriel growled, all humor draining from his angular face and setting his expression in stone. “Do not.”

Bash’s heart punched at the angel’s fist, every fiber of his being burning with the urge to run to her, to wrap his arms around her and feel her body against his one more time. Envy, rage, longing, and sadness blasted through him in a toxic tornado of emotion ready to whip this place into oblivion.

He nearly ground his molars into pulp. “Let. Me. Go.”

“You are dead, Sebastian. You’re no longer part of this world. All you’ll do is bring her pain, bring yourself pain. Don’t do this.” Twin streams of air whistled from the Arc’s nostrils as he shook his head. “I should’ve never brought you here.”

Bring him pain? More pain than he’d already endured? No.

No.


Long snippet:
Her eyes snapped open, her vision blanketed by huge white feathers, before a giant wing shoved her back. Her arms flailed as she fell hard on her tailbone, the impact rattling up her spine and clacking her jaw shut.


Pain and awareness ripped into her, the veil of fantasy torn from her eyes as she gawked at the rail in front of her.

She was outside. In the dark. Ready to jump from her hotel balcony.

Her sharp intake of air scraped her ears, her heart kicking against her ribcage as she covered her gaping mouth with her hand. Holy shit. Did I sleepwalk? Was she really about to plummet to her death from fourteen stories high?

And did a huge bird just save her life?

Backpedaling across the concrete, the air cool against her thighs now that she’d nearly torn her dress in half, she hit the glass of the sliding balcony doors. Reaching up with a shaking hand, she clutched the handle and pulled herself haphazardly to her feet, yanking the door open and stumbling inside. She slammed it shut behind her, the glass rattling from the force of the blow as she flipped the lock closed. Retreating farther, she toppled onto the bed, staring at the night outside with growing horror.

She recounted her steps from when she’d arrived at the hotel. The elevator, the housekeeper, entering the room, sitting, crying, falling asleep, the river, the blood, the panic, the tree—

The tree.

Climbing the tree, touching its leaves, remembering . . .

A loud thump hit the balcony outside, muted by the thick glass. Her bleary eyes shot to the figure standing on the ledge and she released a cross between a sob and a shriek, then stifled her mouth with a hand.

Tall, bare-chested, his suit jacket and shirt bunched in his fist as he tossed them aside. Tattoos covered his arms, shoulders, and the base of his neck. Closer now, she discerned the pattern of inked wings, pale muscles rippling, lines and cuts he’d never worn before. His dark hair fell a little longer on top, disheveled from the wind, his face still carved with gorgeous edges, but thinner, wearier. His eyes were black holes, endless, consuming. Infinite.

Sebastian.

His knuckles rapped on the glass, the sound sending a terrified jolt into her nervous system. His eyes bore into hers, cutting through the darkness.

“Reen. Open the door.”

Reen. Her nickname rumbled from his lips, his voice still that resonant timbre she adored. God, some nights she’d pleaded to hear that sound again, just to listen to him speak one last time.

This had to be another dream. He had to be a dream. She was hallucinating.

Christ, had Phillipe spiked her drink?

“Reen.” He grasped the handle, tugged on it, his inked bicep contracting. “I know you see me.”

She couldn’t move, nailed to the bed with fear, paralyzed by disbelief. He pressed both palms flat on the glass, big hands with callused fingers, hands that had memorized every part of her body. He broke eye contact, dipping his head as he murmured, “Please, baby. Let me in.”

As if his plea granted her motor skills, Irene was suddenly on her feet, hurrying across the carpet toward him. She struggled to control her shaking hands, trembles reverberating through her entire body. It took her three tries to flip the latch, and then she backed away, recoiling, afraid of this man who looked so much like her dead lover.

He pulled the slider open in a smooth, fluid movement, the cool ocean breeze escaping into the airless hotel. Setting his sights on her, he stepped over the threshold, his presence filling the room, overwhelming her entirely. When her back hit the main door, the opportunity to flee opened up wide, but she stilled as his scent wafted into her nostrils, a blend of sandalwood and her husband.

Sebastian. Her Sebastian.

The slider closed behind him, the finality of the sound echoing through her bones, and she couldn’t run.

Not from him. Never from him.

An almost strangled sigh escaped him and he swallowed hard, his Adam’s apple bobbing in his throat. A gut-wrenching pain glittered in his dark eyes while he drank her in, his gaze skittering over her from head to toe, as if reacquainting himself with his broken disaster of a wife.

Finally, he approached her in the dark, closing the distance between them, and she pressed harder against the door. If he held her, if he so much as touched her, she would be lost to him, squandering any semblance of sanity she’d managed to retain in these awful years without him.

Blistering tears flowed freely down her cheeks as he halted mere inches away, so close, so goddamn close his warmth radiated off his bare chest. He lifted a hand and she flinched, stopping him as if she’d slapped him. The pained expression on his face yanked a wretched sob from her throat, and she just couldn’t believe it, couldn’t believe he stood right there in front of her.

The medal, the flag, the decorated casket, the salute . . . had it all been a lie?

His finger brushed her cheek, tentative, soft, waiting for her to strike. When she didn’t, he cupped her face in his hand, his skin still rough and callused, wiping away her tears with his thumb. She leaned into his touch, unable to resist his warmth, and he framed her face with his free hand, staring into her eyes with a need so raw it stole what little breath she had left in her burning lungs.

“My God.” He whispered the words, as if he didn’t have the strength to give them voice. “I’ve missed you.”


Bio:
L.D. Rose is a neurotic physician by day, crazed writer by night, and all around wannabe superhero. She writes paranormal romance and urban fantasy, but she's been known to delve into horror, sci-fi, and medical suspense on occasion. L.D. Rose is a PAN member of the RWA, FF&P, NEC-RWA and CoLoNY. She currently lives in Rhode Island with her studly hubby, her hyperactive boxer, and her two devious cats.

Sign up for her newsletter for the latest on the Senary, sneak peeks, giveaways, and other fun stuff: http://eepurl.com/bKvuXD. You'll receive a free horror short story with sign-up!

You can also join her reader group on FB for more shenanigans. ;) DEVOUR THE NIGHT: 
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1544747369161573/

Where else to find her:

Website: www.writerldrose.com
Amazon Author Page: www.amazon.com/author/ldrose

Sunday, September 10, 2017

New release A Groom for Mama from Catherine Castle

One date for every medical test—that’s the deal. Allison, however, gets more than she bargains for. She gets a Groom for Mama.



BLURB:

A groom for Mama by Catherine Castle

Beverly Walters is dying, and before she goes she has one wish—to find a groom for her daughter. To get the deed done, Mama enlists the dating service of Jack Somerset, Allison’s former boyfriend.

The last thing corporate-climbing Allison wants is a husband. Furious with Mama’s meddling, and a bit more interested in Jack than she wants to admit, Allison agrees to the scheme as long as Mama promises to search for a cure for her terminal illness.

A cross-country trip from Nevada to Ohio ensues, with a string of disastrous dates along the way, as the trio hunts for treatment and A Groom For Mama.

Excerpt:

Bounding down the stairwell as the bell rang, Allison shouted, “I’m coming! I’m coming. Keep your pants on!” She threw the deadbolt off and jerked open the door.
Jack Somerset stood in front of her, his chin perched on top of a stack of Chinese take-out cartons. Shoving down her tingling gut reaction, she commanded her heart to stop jumping like an overexcited puppy.
Except for a few more laugh wrinkles around his eyes, Jack hadn’t changed a bit since college. His brown hair still dipped over his forehead in a shaggy mane. A lopsided smile spread across his face when he saw her. He winked at her, his green eyes twinkling.
“Well, if it isn’t the bride-to-be. Nice to see you again, Allison.” He jiggled the cartons balanced in his arms. “I brought Chinese. I remember it was your favorite. Moo shu pork, right?” He pushed past her and headed toward the kitchen, apparently as well acquainted with her childhood home as she.
Grabbing her head between her hands, she squeezed her temples.
Chinese. Of all the things he could have brought, he brought Chinese.
She’d broken it off with him in a Chinese restaurant . . . over moo shu pork. Very loudly and very violently. The pork and the pot of hot tea had landed in Jack’s lap when he tried to keep her from leaving the table. Did his choice of entrees mean Jack hadn’t forgotten the incident? She hadn’t, and she’d been unable to eat that particular Chinese dish since.



LINKS:
Catherine’s Amazon author page: http://www.amazon.com/author/catherinecastle
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AuthorCCastle    @AuthorCCastle

Group blogs where you can find Catherine:
SMP authors blog site:   http://smpauthors.wordpress.com/

Book Buy Links:

A Groom for Mama: www.amzn.com/B074SZSGB1 

The Nun and the Narc: Amazon http://amzn.com/B00CHU9DH2
Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-nun-and-the-narc-catherine castle/1116942061?ean=97816193529

Bio

Catherine Castle – Romance for the Ages

About Catherine Castle:
Multi-award-winning author Catherine Castle has been writing all her life. A former freelance writer, she has over 600 articles and photographs to her credit (under her real name) in the Christian and secular market. Now she writes sweet and inspirational romance. Her debut inspirational romantic suspense, The Nun and the Narc, published in 2013 from Soul Mate Publishing, has garnered multiple contests finals and wins, including:
2014 Beverly Hills Book Award Winner for Inspirational Romance
2014 RONE WINNER for Inspirational romance
2014 EPIC finalist for Action/adventure romance
2014 Carolyn Readers Choice Award finalist
Her newest book, a sweet romantic comedy entitled A Groom for Mama, releases September
2017 from Soul Mate Publishing
Speaking credits: Writing and poetry workshops for elementary and middle school students, local writers groups, participated in the Writer's Digest World's largest Writing Workshop, Midwest Writers Conference 2015

Thursday, August 17, 2017

Romance with Heart blog features Once Upon a Lady by Addie Jo Ryleigh





The Soul Mate Tree
Once Upon a Lady
By Addie Jo Ryleigh


My new release, Once Upon a Lady, is book eight of The Soul Mate Tree Series and I couldn’t be prouder to share in a venture that showcases the talents of so many amazing romance authors across a variety of genres. When I was first approached by Char Chaffin asking if I’d be interested in joining the project, my first thought was ‘I’ve never written a novella before.’ **gulp** After convincing myself that I could indeed capture an entire story in the length of a novella, I jumped on board. Taking a break from my debut Regency series, Men of Circumstance, I started to toss around ideas and quickly stumbled upon Kate and Jackson.

Lost in duty, if there was anyone needing the assistance of the mystical Soul Mate Tree, it was Kate. And who better to help her discover her destiny than Jackson, a man equally adrift. As soon as I saw the beautiful cover created by Wren Taylor, I knew I had my story.

Their path, navigated by the poetic legend created by Char and Cheryl Yeko, was filled with plenty of obstacles but once they embraced the gift granted by the tree, not even Kate’s ducal father could stand in their way.

 The Legend of the Soul Mate Tree:

I am old, I am ancient, my purpose is clear
To give those who are needy a treasure so dear.
They who come to my roots, touch my bark, stroke my leaves
Find the soul of their lives if they but believe.
When I call and you listen, your prize will be great
If your heart remains open and you don’t hesitate.
Do you yearn? Be you lonely? Is your time yet at hand?
Reach for me and I’ll give to you. I’m yours to command.
For your trust, for your faith, keep my secrets untold
And I’ll gift you forever, to have and to hold.


The Soul Mate Tree Series Trailer: https://youtu.be/VjxyyD3TVoA

An ancient legend spanning eras, continents, and worlds. To some, it’s nothing more than a dream. To others, a pretty fairy tale handed down through the generations.

For those in critical need of their own happy ending, a gift.

Respectable Lady Katherine Baxton, striving to meet the requirements of her station, has become the ultimate dutiful daughter. And now, the Duke of Blackthorn’s betrothed. Far from a love match, Kate is nevertheless determined to do as expected and marry.
That all changes the night she panics at her impending future and runs, stumbling upon a private grove, a mysterious tree. . . and a half-naked man.
The youngest son of a viscount widely thought to have purchased his title, Jackson Cooper demonstrates his disdain for the aristocracy by affording himself every luxury available—drinking, wenching, and gambling—while eschewing anything representing the ton. Jackson has little care for his reputation and no desire to marry. His escape from London is all but complete.
Until fate—in the form of a beautiful, mysterious lady—interrupts his plans, enticing him with the very thing he never wanted.

Short Excerpt:

Kate felt his approach before she saw him. Which wasn’t all that surprising since her body had remained mindful of his presence. Fighting the impulse proved fruitless.
When his tall frame blocked the sun and cast her in shadow, she knew besides giving him a direct cut, she had no escape. If only she hadn’t ventured from her sister’s side. At the time, abandoning Helena had been her singular option since their slow stroll through the gathering had traveled too close to the very man standing beside her. She’d been delaying the inevitable.
Kate was now alone, as she tried to keep her attention on the lawn activities before her, hoping no one would witness what was about to happen.
“Aren’t sprites confined to the trees?” His deep voice washed over her.
She didn’t turn to acknowledge him. “How nice to see you properly dressed for once.”
His chuckle warmed her. “Are you following me?”
An unladylike snort refused to be repressed. “Hardly. You are rather difficult to overlook, being the only unknown face here.”
“That’s not true. You’ve seen my face . . . as well as other, more interesting parts.”
Kate wished she’d listened to her sister and worn a bonnet. Anything to mask the heat flaring in her cheeks.
Thankfully he remained at her side and hadn’t a clear view of her face. “We have not been introduced. I can’t be seen speaking to you.”
“Then let us go where we can't be seen.”
Her heart raced at his boldness. Why was this man so tempting? She was spoken for, though still unofficially. Proper ladies didn’t follow strange men to private locations, regardless of their marital status. “Absolutely not.”
“Even if I have something of yours?”
Blast! Her ring. Given her luck lately, she would have lost it in the grove of all places. Her aunt would toss in her grave knowing Kate had misplaced her gift.
“A true gentleman would return it.”
            His deep laugh caused her pulse to flutter. “I'm no gentleman. Or haven't you heard?”

Bio:

Addie Jo Ryleigh writes historical regency romances that feature rakish heroes and strong feisty heroines.

Addie Jo has lived in the same cold-winter-hot-summer area of Minnesota her entire life. Sharing in the raising of her three extremely rambunctious boys is her very understanding husband who endured being dubbed “The Duke” by his co-workers. Keeping Addie Jo company while she writes (besides her wonderfully loud children) is her yorkipoo, Bella, who is never far from Addie Jo’s side. And recently the newest addition to their family, a black lab named Max.

Addie Jo has always had a love and passion for romance books and became engrossed in historical romance (particularly Regency) soon after graduating from Lurlene McDaniel’s young adult books. Currently, Addie Jo reads any genre that has a great emotional story that keeps her reading into the early hours of the morning.

Addie Jo has a bachelor degree in accounting and is a financial coordinator when not playing chauffeur for her hockey-playing boys, cuddled up with a good book, or writing her next story.


Social Media Links:

Friday, August 4, 2017

Romance with Heart blog features mystery crime novel, Mayaki's Doll


Title: Mayaki’s Doll
ISBN: 978-1-62420-357-2
Author: Francis Benedict

Genre: Mystery/Crime
Excerpt Heat Level: 1
Book Heat Level: 1

Buy at: Amazon, Barnes and Noble

TAGLINE

Had they known that the scar on her foot would give them away, they would have set the car ablaze before pushing it over…

BLURB

Mayaki is reportedly dead, with her car having been discovered to have fallen over Tariaah, the sacred hill, and making front-page on the morning daily.
Gloria Reginald rushes to Lohada to verify and arrange for her friend to be brought home for burial but, shockingly, the body in the morgue has a matted face under a roll of bandages and looks nothing like her, raising questions that beg for answers. The police can’t be trusted and the doctors seem suspect. To the natives of Lohada, Mayaki is merely another victim of the anger of the god of the hill.
But when Mayaki’s wooly red doll providentially turns up in the outcrops, Gloria’s intuition quickly leads her closer to uncovering an ingenious plot hidden behind her best friend’s mysterious disappearance. With the conviction that her friend is still alive, Gloria must take charge of matter if she hopes to get to the root of the goings-on.
Soon the puzzle unravels and she finds herself locked in a dire struggle to save her friend from the hold of a dreadful and powerful drug-running organization that demands just one thing that only Gloria can provide in exchange for Mayaki.

EXCERPT

The helicopter blew to smithereens, a huge ball of fire in the sky. The flaming debris cascaded down on the forest in a massive shower of fireworks and the resultant effect of the explosion created a momentary tremor in the earth underneath us that I actually shifted on my feet. Then came a sudden uproar of jubilation; the entire village of Rihuku was agog. A tremendous victory for them.
There wasn't a moment to waste, and Chief Mahiri again began issuing new orders. At his command, the women and children began disappearing back into the huts. I followed him back to the clearing. Able-bodied young men amounting to sixteen in number had assembled themselves before him. Dabilu was evidently the leader of the pack.
Chief Mahiri's voice was fierce as he bellowed words to the men. Like soldiers heading out to war, they listened raptly. When he was through speaking, the men turned and followed Dabilu away from the clearing. Then one after the other, all disappeared through one of the dark crevices between the huts.
"Chief, what are you proposing to do now?" I asked.
He turned his face to me. "I'm leading the men out to Inua's. It has been ordained that he dies today!"
"Are you talking about an ambush—a surprise attack then?"
"If we don't move fast, he will send his men out here to hunt for you. Already the helicopter is late in returning, though unknown to him it has met with a fate far greater than he can ever imagine."
"But Chief," I said, "my friends are there at the villa. They can easily be mistaken for Inua's thugs. They are innocent. If your people should…"
He looked at me innocuously. "It can't be helped, I'm sorry. This is war. In a war, lives are sacrificed. Inua has to be taken out, and to achieve this anything will be compromised."
"Including the lives of my loved ones? Your war is with Inua and not them. Your men are not trained in the requisite military maneuvers required in a situation like this. Look, Chief, it can be helped. You can get Inua, and at the same time save the lives of my friends trapped there. If you order your men to—"
It was hopeless; the chief was inattentive. Mahiri's soldiers were re-emerging, all fully armed with a variety of modern assault weapons: automatic rifles, and a couple with mortar guns. They looked like savages—which was actually what they were at the time. Without pausing for a moment, they walked with heavy feet past us, marching their way into the waiting jungle, and disappearing one after the other through the curtain of tall grasses.
"Chief Mahiri, please!" I pleaded, clutching at his arm. "Please, you must halt this madness!"
In a single jerk of his hand, he loosened himself from my grip. He stared at me, all the sanctity gone from his face. He was now somebody different: a warrior—leading his men out to an unpredictable war.
"Madness, you say?" he spat out in anger. The bulging veins in his neck were budding as though they were being fed compressed air. "I am the chief of this village; it is my duty to look after my people. Already, in whispers they speak that I am weak. Is it madness to avenge the lives of those Inua has killed? My daughter? We have consulted with the oracle, and even now that we go, four from our party will not return. It pleases my heart if I should be the only one. The guilt of my daughter's death weighs heavily on my conscience." Then again turning his face toward the huts he barked, "Kaila!"


Keywords: Mystery, Crime, Drug Runners, Murder

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