Catch me in a radio interview this Saturday!

This Saturday, November 8th, you can catch me in a group author radio interview on the World of Ink Network on Blog Talk Radio at 9:00 p.m. EST.  The specific show is ANY WHICH WAY BUT LOOSE with Bennet Pomerantz. 

So, stop by and listen in!  It should be a blast!  :)

Free Halloween cookbook!

I have awesome news!  Solstice has put out a Halloween cookbook with new, scary stories and recipes by both Solstice Shadows and Solstice Horizons authors!  It is totally free, and if you contact me here or via social media with your email, I can send you the free e-book.  How exciting, right?  Here is the cover for your perusal.

 

Jump on this opportunity.  With 48 pages of Halloween stories and recipes, you can't go wrong!  It even includes a story and recipe by yours truly. ;)

This is a great offer.  You can get some free recipes to try out this Halloween.  So, step up and I will send that to you!  

As always, happy reading, readers!  :)

MARSocial Special Author Interview

I just wanted to tell you all about this great interview I had this past month on the International Book Promotion blog.  Eleven authors from different genres were interviewed using eleven questions.  This multi-author interview started off with author bios and spanned several weeks.  Here is the post which includes all of the entries.  Below I have included my answers as well as links so that you can check out the answers from the other authors.  There are some really great authors in there!  :)

MARSocial Special Interview: Question & Answers #1:  How do you promote your work?

I do whatever I can.  I make as many connections as possible on the various social networks.  I post about my books, but I also post about regular things too.  I do author interviews, character interviews and guest posts whenever I can on other blogs or sites.  I also post on my three blogs frequently.  I have author profiles in various places.  I also take out book cover ads on different sites.

MARSocial Special Interview: Question & Answers #2:  What made you choose the genre you write?

I love romance, the concept of “love”.  I always loved reading romance novels and watching romantic comedies.  It appeals to something deep inside of me.  I can’t imagine not writing about love.  It is essential.  To me love is more than an idea.  It is real, the fabric of the universe, what connects us as human beings.  I believe in the kind of love that can last lifetimes, cross time and place.  Why do I believe so wholly in such a thing?  I have my own true love story playing out in my life every day.  Have I always had that?  No, but I always believed I was meant to find that special someone, just as I believe there is someone for everyone.  It is this essential belief that inspires my characters and their stories, that I pour into my books.  When I am writing about romance, even if there are obstacles blocking the characters, I think there is no better high than telling someone’s story.

MARSocial Special Interview: Question & Answers #3:  What’s your favorite color and favorite dessert?

My favorite color is hot pink.  My favorite dessert?  Chocolate.  Anything chocolate, and the darker the better.  

MARSocial Special Interview: Question & Answers #4:  When did you decide to become a writer?

I often chuckle at this question because I can recall at an early age telling people, “I’m going to be a writer!”  Actually, I used the terms writer/author/novelist interchangeably, and this is the truth.  The moment you put pen to paper or fingers to keyboard with the intent of “writing”, you’re a writer.  The moment those words spill out of you, sometimes even chaotically, you’re automatically a writer.  I have always been a writer, and I probably started this wild journey when I was nine years old.  Another thing I want to point out is that I didn’t just up and decide to be a writer.  It chose me.  I could no more stop “writing” than I could stop the passage of time.

MARSocial Special Interview: Question & Answers #5:  There was recently a message on ‘Books and Writers’ saying ‘please stop giving your books away’. What do you feel about this?

I am a total Libra on this topic.  I understand the message.  They are trying to discourage it because, as new or indie authors, we don’t reap any profits from it.  Although I do agree on some level, I also realize that word of mouth is everything in this business.  What better way to spread the word about your book than for a reader to tell his/her friends about it?  So, let me revise the original statement a bit.  “Don’t blatantly give your books away.”  Meaning, sure, offer a brief free period on Amazon.  And definitely promote it.  Run giveaways now and then with multi-author events if you find them.  Do a contest on your blog.  Don’t offer free books all the time because you’re devaluing your work.  But, do offer readers who haven’t even heard of you the chance to sample your work.

MARSocial Special Interview: Question & Answers #6:  If you could be transported into one of your stories as a character, would you or would you stay as far away from it as possible?

You just made me laugh.  Would I be a dual character, meaning would I be aware of myself and my character?  Or, would I be totally unaware of myself as the author?  In that case, you can’t really avoid interacting with the story.  You are the character so you will act like them.  On the other hand, as the architect of the original work, I think I would have the insane urge to “observe”.  That’s what writers do best.  However, I would have to seriously reign myself in, knowing I was a certain character.  And while we’re on the topic, I guess it would really depend on what character I was.  A minor character?  More doable, I think.  It would be hard to be the main character because you would still be thinking about your own life as reality.  I have never been a great actress, and it would definitely be challenging.

MARSocial Special Interview: Question & Answers #7:  What do you consider most important in  a novel – literary value or story?

I think the story is more important, and this is why.  Let’s say you read a book and you think, “Yeah, that was good.”  A couple of hours later, you are imagining the scenes play out in your head and you just realized a message could be drawn from it.  Did the author intend to convey that?  Who knows?  That’s the great fun about reading a book.  You have no idea what the author “meant” to do.  All you know is that there is something of value in any story, whether it’s a way to escape your worries for awhile or that you glean a message from it.  I think that’s the best part, not knowing what you’re going to encounter.  And maybe the author didn’t even intend to place a message or certain theme in the book, but inadvertently did.  Every one of us comes from a different background, went through different experiences.  What one person gleans from a text may be entirely separate from what the next person gets from it.  That’s the beauty of it.

MARSocial Special Interview: Question & Answers #8:  What are your reasons for writing?

I write because I can’t imagine doing anything else for the rest of my life.  There is no greater freedom for me than when I am deep in the construction of a scene, when so much is going on that I forget the world for awhile.  When I come out of it, there is almost a strange euphoria to it.  I blink and say, “Wow.  Did that actually happen?”  So much can occur.  I feel a lot while I’m writing.  With some scenes, I feel a character’s anger or what they would naturally feel if they were insulted or hurt.  Sometimes, with a particularly emotional scene, I know I’ve gotten to the heart of things when I’m writing with tears streaming down my face.  Neurotic?  Maybe.  But, that is the way of a writer.  We feel with our characters.  They become a part of us in a way, and when the book is finished, it is hard to step away from that connection.  So, why do I write?  Because doing anything else just feels wrong.

MARSocial Special Interview: Question & Answers #9:  Who could/would help a writer to sell books?

Tough question.  I think writers automatically assume that being an author is easy.  When they first approach the idea of publishing, they think, “I will write books and someone else, the publisher most likely, will sell them.  Easy!”  No, it’s really not.  And it doesn’t work that way anymore.  The industry has changed.  The term of “author” is changing.  Now an author has to be part writer, part marketing genius.  Publishers now are looking for writers who can not only write, but market themselves, basically “sell” their own books.  New authors tend to get jaded by this fact.  And, I agree, it is exhausting.  So, if you’re lucky, you get with a large publisher that has a whole marketing team to help you.  But, in most cases, you don’t have that.  And, even if your publisher has some marketing tools in place, they won’t cover everything.  You have to learn to be more than just a writer.  You have to be an author.  You have to sell your product.  You.  And your books, of course.  

Who else helps a writer sell books?  Fellow authors usually help by endorsing books or talking about them in social media.  Word of mouth is the best tool, though, and the best source is from readers.  So, how do we go about getting that?  That goes back on the reader in some ways.  All I can suggest is this.  If you are an avid reader of a certain genre, do your favorite authors (even if they are indie authors) a favor by doing these two things:  1) Leave a review.  You have no idea how much that helps an author, especially a fledgling one, sell books.  Be honest about what you liked or didn’t like, but be fair.  What one person doesn’t like may actually be someone else’s cup of tea.  2)  Tell your friends and family about this author and the books you loved, and why.  Chances are someone will get curious and look them up.  Word of mouth is everything in this business.

MARSocial Special Interview: Question & Answers #10:  When you hit a wall, how do you break through?

Ah, the age old writer’s block.  I haven’t had official writer’s block in years, but I will tell you now that I often feel like I’m “almost” having it and that, my friends, is just as terrifying.  Sometimes it will have been weeks since I wrote anything just because my life has gotten too hectic.  

Eventually, I have to step away from these distractions and get back to the reason I went on this journey in the first place.  Writing.  Sometimes just journaling or freewriting gets some of that clutter out of your head.  I have a few writing reference books if I ever need help with freewriting or doing a random scene.  I would recommend Natalie Goldberg’s Writing Down the Bones.  I have returned to it time and time again.  It is a great book to help cut through some of those blocks.  It may not result in a scene, but sometimes writing just to write, even if it’s crap, is just as therapeutic.  Hell, maybe you’ll surprise yourself with another medium – essays or poetry.  Another good book is Anne Lamott’s Bird by Bird.

There are, of course, other resources.  Sometimes I even do a search on “writing prompts” online and print out a few pages.  I pick an exercise and go with it.  But, mainly, my “walls” have more to do with a current work in progress.  Occasionally, I will hit a place in my manuscript in which I don’t know what road to take.  Sometimes the best thing to do is to walk away.  That might sound bad, but even a little distance from a project for a few days can make you look at it from a different perspective.  Maybe when you come back, something will jump out at you and you’ll wonder why you never saw it before.  

Feel like tearing yourself away is the worst thing you could possibly do?  Fine.  Do some research for the book.  Find some much needed information that you can throw in at any time.  Sometimes I find that filling in these blanks is just the boost I need to finish a scene.  In lieu of all that, I often will move on to a different project temporarily.  I will look through my numerous files and do some editing or write a little on those works in progress.  Any little bit helps, right?  Sometimes stepping away from the current work in question is just what it takes to get back on track.  Who knows?  Maybe reading a book, seeing a movie or having a conversation with a good friend will spark an idea.

 MARSocial Special Interview: Question & Answers #11:  What is your writing process like?  Is it spontaneous or do you do a lot of planning in advance before you begin writing?

A bit of both.  It is pretty spontaneous until I get heavily involved in a project.  At that point, I start doing a detailed outline.  Then I do some research.  I also look at what I have written already and decide what needs to be done for each chapter.  Of course, the story will still surprise me with certain twists.  Then I get to the heavy writing and I will stop and research something if I am blocked.

Book Promo/Spotlight on Elodie Parkes Blog

The spotlight is posted as is below (warning:  there is an adult excerpt):

Guest author Marie Lavender visits the blog today with new release, Upon Your Honor, #historicalromance

Deception is a dangerous path…

New York City, August, 1891 – Orphaned after the death of her father, Chloe Waverly stows away on La Voyageur to escape the clutches of her cruel fiancé, Lamonte Beckett. Gabriel Hill, a strange and compelling gentleman, comes upon Chloe and promises to protect her without knowing the true circumstances of why she is running away. During their journey, Gabriel doesn’t bargain on being distracted by her fair beauty or succumbing to her many charms. As their attraction to each other grows, so does the danger and Gabriel suspects things are not as they should be.

Both are determined to get to New Orleans, where she can start a new life. But, once they reach their destination, events spin out of their control and Chloe is captured by the fiancé she escaped. Gabriel is left wondering if he can overlook her betrayal. Soon he finds himself in a race against time, to reach her before Beckett can exact revenge.

Buy Links

SmartURL (UNIVERSAL):  smarturl.it/UponYourHonor

Universal Amazon:  http://bookgoodies.com/a/B00JTKTODG

http://www.amazon.com/Upon-Your-Honor-Marie-Lavender-ebook/dp/B00JTKTODG/

http://www.amazon.com/Upon-Your-Honor-Marie-Lavender/dp/1625260423/​

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/upon-your-honor-marie-lavender/1119268362

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/430789

https://www.createspace.com/4762748

http://solsticepublishing.com/upon-your-honor/

Read an Excerpt

He frowned, lifting her chin with his finger. “You can trust me, Chloe. I won’t hurt you. I would never hurt you, nor would I fail you.”

She shook her head. “No one can make that promise.” She thought of her mother then. She had been just as disappointing. “You don’t have to.”

“I can, and I mean to keep it.”

She trembled with the effort to believe him and could not look away from his dark gaze. The sensation of his nearness was far too tempting. With one hand, he gently cupped her chin, then the back of her neck as he pulled her closer into his arms. He lowered his lips to hers, questing, seeking, and giving comfort. Her lips parted on a breath and he invaded her mouth, plunging his tongue inside, meeting hers, and enticing her further. With firm arms around her, pressing her body against his, he continued the kiss. After a moment, he eased away, giving her a chance to retreat. “I’m sorry. I didn’t want to push you.”

Those were the only words she needed to hear. She knew that being with Gabe would never be a mistake. “What are you sorry for? I liked it, and you seemed to enjoy it.”

He grinned at her. “I did.”

Words escaped her for a moment. She wet her lips with her tongue. “Then there’s no problem. If…if you want to kiss me again, I wouldn’t mind.”

He lifted a brow. “I want to, but I don’t want to take advantage. Not again.”

“It’s not taking advantage if I give my consent, is it?”

“You don’t know what you’re saying.”

She smiled. He must be concerned that she didn’t know anything about making love. Well, she’d heard things, and she knew of Lamonte’s indiscretions. She knew Gabe would be a different man. He wouldn’t make her regret it. “I know my own mind. And I know I want you.”

He groaned, framing her face with his hands. “I’ve never met anyone like you before.”

“I’m glad,” she whispered.

“You are so beautiful. So special.”

His words touched her, spreading into parts of her she didn’t know existed. A slight tremor moved through her and the press of tears began in the back of her throat. She fought the onslaught, but it somehow won out. A lone tear tracked down her cheek. “Oh, Gabriel.” She wanted to protest, to tell him that she wasn’t who he thought she was, but when his thumb chased away the wetness from her cheek, and his eyes never left hers, she lifted her mouth to his.

His kiss became a subtle demand. He drew back once, as if to be certain it was what she wanted. When she remained silent, watching him, he only smiled and kissed her again. His manner became focused, more serious as he twined his tongue with hers. Chloe moaned, wrapping her arms around his neck. He held her close and kissed her for several moments. Then he pulled away, stepping back slightly to help her out of her dress, corset and pantaloons. When she was naked, Gabriel only seemed to stare at her. A strange dread grew inside of her. She clenched her fists even as she took the pressure of his intense gaze.

“Mon Dieu,” he whispered. “I saw more than I should have before, but I never imagined…” he drifted off. “You are so lovely.” He drew her close and kissed her again. The sensation of his hands moving over the bare skin of her back and hips created a warmth she didn’t want to shy away from. Gabe stopped kissing her long enough to remove his own clothing.

She got a clear look at him and it heated her further. Gabriel had a light sprinkling of reddish hair on his chest and her gaze took in the defined muscles of his upper body and legs. The notion that he was a mythic god came back to her. Her gaze fell to the member that swelled from his desire. Her breaths grew short and she knew she should be afraid of him, but she was not. She had never wanted anyone more. Her core became tingly, creating a restless need she’d never felt before.

Chloe couldn’t resist touching his chest, dragging her fingertips over the hard expanse. He groaned, then kissed her before carrying her back to the bed in the next room. He placed her on the mattress gently.
His lips made a path that caused her breath to catch. His mouth against her skin was full of a kind of reverence. His tongue swirled around the tip of her breast and her hands moved eagerly into his hair, holding him closer. She couldn’t deny that she wanted him as close as possible in that moment. The firm press of his body against hers was too right to deny. He seemed to go slowly with her as if concerned he would make her afraid of him. Chloe welcomed each caress. 

About Marie:Marie Lavender lives in the Midwest with her family and three cats. She has been writing for over twenty years. She has more works in progress than she can count on two hands. Marie has published nineteen books in the genres of historical romance, contemporary romance, romantic suspense, paranormal romance, mystery/thriller, literary fiction and poetry. Lavender just released Magick & Moonlight, a paranormal romance, in March. Upon Your Honor, released in late April, is her second historical romance.
A list of her books and pen names are as follows:
Marie Lavender: Upon Your Return; Magick & Moonlight; Upon Your Honor
Erica Sutherhome: Hard to Get; Memories; A Hint of Scandal; Without You; Strange Heat; Terror in the Night;Haunted; Pursuit; Perfect Game; A Touch of Dawn; Ransom; Leather and Lace
Kathryn Layne: A Misplaced Life
Heather Crouse: Express Café and Other Ramblings; Ramblings, Musings and Other Things; Soulful Ramblings and Other Worldly Things

Find Marie online:

http://www.marielavender.webs.com/
http://iloveromanceblog.wordpress.com/
http://marielavenderbooks.blogspot.com/
http://marielavender.blogspot.com/
https://www.facebook.com/marie.lavender.58
https://www.facebook.com/MarieAnnLavender
https://www.facebook.com/UponYourHonor
https://twitter.com/marielavender1
https://plus.google.com/u/0/104926404745289477307/posts
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6938764.Marie_Lavenderhttp://www.amazon.com/Marie-Lavender/e/B00C10Q94I/

 

Marie Lavender's Writing in the Modern Age: Know When to Say NO by Marie Lavender

Marie Lavender's Writing in the Modern Age: Know When to Say NO by Marie Lavender: Know When to Say “No”:  Some Tips on Promotion and How to Avoid Taking on Too Much as an Author If you are an author, then you...

New Upon Your Return book trailer!

New 5 Star Review for UPON YOUR RETURN!

I loved it. Love is hard enough, August 11, 2014

By 

Carole A. Spalino "Carole McKee"

Verified Purchase(What's this?)

This review is from: Upon Your Return (Kindle Edition)

Such an emotional story! I loved it. Love is hard enough, but when Fara falls in love with Grant Hill, a man considered to be below her "social status" in 19th century France, it becomes hurtful. But Fara's heart knows what it wants, and that leads her to be ridiculed, rumored about, and sneered at behind her back. Emotions run high and the danger builds, and I just couldn't put the Kindle down. A wonderful story.

 

 

New Review for MAGICK & MOONLIGHT on the Journey with Books Blog!

Aug

2014

Book Review: Magick and Moonlight by Marie Lavender

Title: Magick and Moonlight
Author: Marie Lavender
Publication Date: March 2, 2014
Publisher: Solstice Shadows
Genre: Paranormal/Fantasy Romance

Blurb:

Messing with free will is always a bad idea...

Ethan Hamilton moves to a lazy little town in Oregon, hoping to escape his demons. But instead he discovers a woman dancing nude in the moonlight. This woman who claims she is a witch dazzles him with her sensual presence. He thinks she's crazy, but what if she's not?

Jessie Anderson has been taught that her kind hides who they really are. And she has a problem on her hands. Someone knows her secret and she has to do all she can to protect herself. What other choice does she have? Jessie casts a love spell on a good man, a man with whom she can't fight her attraction. The spell doesn't work quite as planned -- she ends up falling for Ethan.

To top it off, Ethan's treatment of her, his "love", is so addictive. Deep down, she knows the spell will wear off, and yet his feelings seem genuine. It's just a spell...right?

Kayla's Thoughts:

I can definitely appreciate any book that has an element of witchcraft and spellcasting in it. Having red hair, I have always kind of identified with that sort of world. So at hearing that this particular novella had this aspect of the paranormal in it, and the fact that it was about a love spell where the caster falls in love with the castee, I was intrigued and quite excited to see what was going to happen.

Now, being that this is a novella, I knew that it was going to be short. But I actually did not expect for it to be so short. I loved the story, the premise, the characters, but I felt the story went too fast to actually affect me in any way. I did feel a small connection after finishing the story, and I loved the ending, but I would have liked there to be a bit more development throughout the story. I would have liked some more intimate connections between the two main characters. You know, scenes where they just talk and tell each other their lives and just get to know each other better. I also would have loved more of Ethan's point of view. For example, when we first meet him, he has already arrived in town and rented a cabin. I would have loved the first chapter to be him driving into this strange new town and maybe having the image of what made him run in the first place haunting him.

I wanted more time to experience their relationship while Ethan was under the spell. It just seemed like at one moment he was under, and the next he wasn't. I wanted to see her through his eyes, and I wanted there to be moments where a small thought in his mind made him question occasionally if what they had was real. And then I kind of wanted him to brush it away until finally something or someone jolts his memory and gets him out of his trance.

I just would have definitely loved more. This story has such potential to go from being a mere novella to a full-blown novel. There are so many situations that could occur and so many more people to introduce. I want to know so much more about the town itself. I want to really be grabbed emotionally by the confusing state of the main characters' relationship. I want to see the townspeople's reactions to the sudden relationship as well.

Verdict:

I think this is a very unique storyline, and I do believe it is a good read. But, as I said before, I really wish there was more.

Links for Book:

Amazon / Goodreads / Facebook

Author's Bio:

Marie Lavender lives in the Midwest with her family and three cats. She has been writing for over twenty years. She has more works in progress than she can count on two hands.

At the tender age of nine, she began writing stories. Her imagination fueled a lot of her early child's play. Even growing up, she entered writing contests and even received a certificate for achieving the second round in one. She majored in Creative Writing in college because that was all she ever wanted --to be a writer. While there, she published two works in a university publication and was a copy editor on the staff of an online student journal. After graduating from college, she sought out her dream to publish a book.

Since then, Marie has published seventeen other books. Marie Lavender's real love is writing romances, but she has also written mysteries, literary fiction, and dabbled a little in paranormal stories. Most of her works have romantic elements involved in them. She is currently working on the Heiresses in Love series.

Links for Author:

LinkedIn / Facebook / Twitter / Blog / Google+ / Website

Spotlight on PnP Authors Promotions!

I have to draw your attention to a spotlight that just went up on PnP Authors Promotions.  Here is the article as follows:

Tuesday, May 20, 2014

PnPAuthors Promotions Presents their wonderful creative Author Marie Lavender 

http://pnpauthorspattimariandpeter.ning.com/?xgi=4PBOwIJg1TDMx7

PnPAuthors Promotions

_____________________________________________________

 

 

Marie started writing stories at the age of nine.  She tells PnPAuthors Promotions that she has always been a writer.  She remembers telling all of her relatives, “I’m going to be an author!” 

 

Later, she used the words ‘author’, ‘novelist’ or ‘writer’ interchangeably, and she eventually stuck with ‘writer’.  Whether you publish or not, you’re always a writer.  As soon as you write something, you’re a writer.   

 

The first official story she finished was a mystery called “The Mystery of the Golden Chair”. She was a child so yeah, it wasn’t great she says, but at least it was unique and set in Italy, if she remembers correctly.

Since then, she has written tons of stories.  She took Creative Writing classes, trying to cultivate her craft, and  majored in English Literature/Creative Writing in college.  She says she had people ask her, “Why are you majoring in Creative Writing?  Just write.”  She says  no one really understood that those classes weren’t just to improve her writing, but because she enjoyed the community, associating with other writers in the same situation and getting feedback.  When she was there, she published two stories in a university publication.  But, she always knew she wanted to write books.  

She started writing Upon Your Return, a historical romance, around 2002, three years before she graduated from college.  She was in a bit of a toxic relationship at that point and you could say writing it was her therapy.  Upon Your Return took years to write, and looking back, she says she kind of sees it as a summary of her romantic experiences in life. 

In 2010, she decided to self-publish a book.  It was called Express Café and Other Ramblings, a book full of literary fiction and poems she’d written through the years.  She let some time pass after that, but then she realized her story was nowhere near finished.  She released many more books after that, some literary fiction, some poetry, some contemporary romance, some mysteries and some romantic suspense. 

In 2011, she started looking for an agent for Upon Your Return.  It was finally finished and it was ready for the world.  She wasn’t prepared for all of the rejections, the numerous “this is a subjective business” responses she received. Somehow she found the gumption to keep moving forward.  

 

In August of 2012, a new chapter in her life began.  Solstice Publishing offered her a contract for that book and she has been with them ever since.  Upon Your Return was published in February of 2013.  Since then, she has published two more books through them, Magick & Moonlight, a paranormal romance, and Upon Your Honor, the sequel to Upon Your Return.   

 

The one thing she hadn't mentioned yet, which was  very important to her ~ She sincerely believe her journey would have been different if she hadn’t met her fiancé and soul mate, Chris, in 2004.  He has been so supportive of her writing.  As he is a creative individual as well, they have a lot in common.  She thinks that if she hadn’t had him in her life to gently nudge her, or encourage her when she needed it, it would have gone in a different direction.  She said she wasn't  saying she wouldn’t have published; just that it might have taken longer.  She is convinced when a person is pursuing their dreams, they need moral support either through friends or family or, if you’re lucky, a significant other.  She feels so very fortunate that she found a partner she can share her life with, someone who will support her as much as she will support him. 

Note from author: I also believe that having that special love in your life shapes your stories as well.  I write romance so it really helps to have a source of inspiration at times.  Romance isn’t just fiction; it can happen in real life, and when it does, it is wonderful.  And I know that no matter what direction my dreams go, I will always have that encouragement behind me.  That isn’t something to take for granted.  I believe that you shouldn’t let anyone downplay your dreams.

So, where was I?  Oh, yes, I have published nineteen books under various pen names and you can find them all listed on my website.  It has been a long journey, but it has been very rewarding as well.

 

Marie Lavender’s Books

_____________

 

 

 Author Links:

http://www.marielavender.webs.com/
http://marielavenderbooks.blogspot.com/
http://marielavender.blogspot.com/
http://iloveromanceblog.wordpress.com/
https://www.facebook.com/marie.lavender.58
https://www.facebook.com/MarieAnnLavender

https://www.facebook.com/UponYourReturn
https://www.facebook.com/MagickMoonlight
https://www.facebook.com/UponYourHonor
https://www.facebook.com/WritingintheModernAge
https://twitter.com/marielavender1
https://plus.google.com/u/0/104926404745289477307/posts

http://www.linkedin.com/pub/marie-lavender/27/187/10a
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Mark your calendars! My radio interview on The Author Show is airing July 29th!

My radio interview on The Author Show airs July 29th. Mark your calendars!

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Musings: Character Days: Chloe Waverly from Upon Your Honor...

Chloe Waverly from UPON YOUR HONOR gets a spotlight today on Snow Tigra's blog...



Musings: Character Days: Chloe Waverly from Upon Your Honor...: Still recovering from San Japan (zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz) but here's my weekly feature of character days ^__^ Character Days: Chloe Waverly f...

Marie Lavender's Writing in the Modern Age: International Authors' Day plus a Giveaway

A post about International Authors' Day, some new authors to check out and a book giveaway!  What more could you want?



Marie Lavender's Writing in the Modern Age: International Authors' Day plus a Giveaway: If you haven't noticed yet, I was taking a bit of a hiatus this month from the blog.  Obviously, that didn't really happen...

UPON YOUR HONOR Chapter 1 on Eat Sleep Write

June 30, 2014

Upon Your Honor - Chapter 1 by Marie Lavender

August 27, 1891

Chloe Waverly made her way along the gangway of the dark ship, trying her best to look as inconspicuous as possible in a pair of brown trousers, a matching coat, cap, and boots. The starch in the fabric made her skin itch, and the clothing felt large on her small body. She had always cursed her size. She hated that she wasn’t as tall as other women around her age. At nineteen, she was very petite with a cloud of blonde tresses flowing around her heart-shaped face and hazel eyes. It was difficult to hide her hair underneath the cap she wore. She needed to look like a sailor or at least a man that belonged there. This was the last place she was supposed to be and, fortunately, the last place Lamonte Beckett would search.

The man she was betrothed to would be angry when he discovered her missing. That house was the last place she wanted to be. Ever since her father’s passing a few months before, she had been trying to dodge Lamonte. His advances had become a tiresome yet fear-filled reality. He was a scoundrel and she simply couldn’t understand why her father would entrust her protection and the rest of her life to that man. Chloe had heard rumors of his behavior from the maids, not to mention that she had once witnessed him ravaging one of them, only a young girl of fifteen. And of all times, during her father’s convalescence.

Of course, she’d intervened. She had outraged against the injustice then, and swore he would not carry on so with such indiscretion in her house. He had been angry with her, but she was far too distracted with caring for her father at the time to heed his threats.

Her plan now was to get as far away from Lamonte as possible without drawing too much attention. If she could reach New Orleans, then she could locate her grandmother, who would take her in. A few days before she left, Chloe had sent a letter off to Nana to warn her of her possible arrival. Nana, her father’s mother, had always been kind in her occasional letters she sent to the house and she knew very little, if anything, of the arrangement between her father and Chloe’s fiancé. She didn’t know what kind of reception she’d have if her grandmother knew she was affianced and to marry within the next few weeks.

Leaving had proven to be very difficult. Chloe had no allies in the house. All of the servants worked for Lamonte now, so she couldn’t enlist the help of any maids. Her own nursemaid, Veronica, had quickly become controlled by her fiancé after her father’s bout of pneumonia. He made it clear that it was better to be loyal to him than to Chloe. Therefore, when she began planning her escape, she did it alone. She had to wait until Veronica had gone to her own quarters and everyone else in the house was asleep as well. Of course, as she’d assumed, Lamonte would be preoccupied with his own pleasures and so he wouldn’t notice her leaving.

She gathered what she could and wrapped it in a makeshift sack that she slung over her shoulder on a pole. She had retrieved the items while observing the gardeners a few days before. That was also when she had discovered the extra men’s clothing lying about. They were clean and simple, but they would do. She hid everything under the bed so that a maid wouldn’t find them. She had left the house tonight and had taken one of the spare horses to the docks. Luckily, the boy who guarded the stable was asleep.

Chloe chose a ship called La Voyageur. It was large enough and it appeared to be a cargo ship of some kind, but she could not be sure. She figured she could hide easily enough among the shipments or pretend she was a sailor at least for a while until she could find a way off.

Now, on the ship, she tried to look busy or move out of the way of the sailors moving crates around. She ducked her head to avoid eye contact with any of the men. She feared that if enough attention was drawn to her, they would notice she was not who she claimed.

Chloe moved towards the back of the ship and went down the companionway below only to shrink back when a massive form came into view. His dark auburn hair was rakishly drawn in waves over his head and he had the darkest eyes she’d ever seen. Her heart raced, and her breath came in small gasps. Stunned, she tried to get control of herself, but she came to the realization that she wanted to drown in that gaze.

“What are you doing there, boy? Get some cargo moved in here. We have work to do. We’ll be leaving shortly, as you know.”

She tried for her best sailor dialect. “Aye, Captain.”

One eyebrow rose sardonically. “You know damn well I’m not the captain, sailor. But, you still have to follow my orders.”

“Aye.” She discreetly discarded her sack, saw some small crates nearby and bent to pick one up. Aware of the heft, she struggled under its weight.

“I don’t think I’ve seen you before. What’s your name?”

“Uhh…Charlie, sir.”

“Well, Charlie. I suppose you’ll learn soon enough. Did Captain Hill recruit you?”

She had to seem convincing. She tried to look as if the question was natural. “Aye, found me down by the harbor poking around, he did. A fella can’t help where he finds a meal.”  Chloe grinned, feeling silly.

He nodded. “Like I said, you’ll learn soon enough. Those crates will do good in the back store room. It’s nearly full. I’ll let the others know there’s no more room there.” He looked her over once more. “I’m keeping an eye on you, boy.”

“Aye, sir.”

The man moved past her. When he took the companionway to the upper deck, Chloe breathed a sigh of relief. She carried the crate to the back room he’d indicated and set it on a stack of other crates. Then she transferred another two crates to the same room and set her pack of clothes hanging on the pole near the door. She closed the door to the room and set about to find a space where she could hide that wouldn’t be too closed in. She needed air too. Near the back wall, there was a porthole and after moving some of the crates around, she made a space where she could lie. She then made a pallet out of the clothes she’d brought.

Chloe hoped the man who confronted her would forget he’d seen her. She could only hope his memory wasn’t perfect because if he searched the ship for the boy he’d spoken to, he’d eventually find her. With any luck, that would take several days. If he did find her, she would still need to look like a boy. And what if someone did discover her sooner? Although they were finished loading crates in the room, that did not mean that they would not enter it.

If that man did discover her true identity, she didn’t know what he’d do about it. Did they punish women for stowing away on ships like they did with men? Perhaps it would be worse for a woman. She wasn’t that innocent. She knew it was dangerous for a woman to be aboard a ship full of men who hadn’t had a woman for months, maybe even years. Perhaps by the time they reached New Orleans, which she knew might be on their agenda based on the sailors’ talk that she’d heard on board, she wouldn’t have to worry about any of that. Perhaps it would be a good idea to block the door besides. She moved some crates around and brushed her hands on her trousers. Then she returned back to the pallet.

She could still hear the bustle of the men above moving around the ship and doing chores. It seemed like hours before the ship pulled away from port. She could feel the groaning and creaking of the wood around her. Chloe lay down, satisfied that even if she was found in the storage room, they would be well away from New York and returning would not be likely. The gentle rocking of the ship began to lull her to sleep.

Chloe dreamt of that large man who’d confronted her before, only this time he was dancing with her in a waltz. They were in a large ballroom drenched in shades of burgundy and gold, and people stood watching the couples dancing. Soon, with every dip and turn they took, the spectators seemed to just fall away and disappear. Chloe and the stranger were alone.

She turned her head up towards him and his face lowered by degrees, and then he was kissing her. She was so lost in his kiss that she didn’t notice that he tensed until he gripped her arms, nearly pulling her down with him to the floor. It took a moment to realize that he had collapsed, unconscious. Chloe knelt, wondering what had gone wrong.

Her gaze drifted from the stranger as something else caught her attention. Across the empty ballroom stood a man in an old war uniform with a bedraggled appearance.

It was Lamonte and he held a pistol up towards the couple.

Chloe gasped. “Oh, God.” He had found her. She looked down at the stranger who had held her in his arms just minutes before. A red stain spread slowly across his chest. Was he dead? She couldn’t tell. Before she knew it, Lamonte was behind her, fisting a hand in her hair, his words grating out their own punishment, spittle flying to her cheek.

“You’re mine. You’ll never be free.”

With a racing heartbeat, she turned and saw that it wasn’t Lamonte, but her father instead. The same stain was spreading across his chest and then she looked down to see the pistol in her own hand.

Chloe shot up from the pallet, choking on each breath. Gradually, the room became apparent, and the gentle jostling of the ship alerted her to her location. The effects of the nightmare slowly fell away. The torment and fear from the night had gotten to her. For several moments, she pulled her knees up, hugging them into her body.

She recalled the day her father had died. It wasn’t like she’d ever really forget. He’d gone riding a couple of days before and had stayed out too long. He caught a chill and got sick afterwards.

He had seemed to always advocate for Lamonte, begging her to submit to his wishes. When she would not, he did not press further. The day he passed on, Lamonte held a private office with him. Gradually afterward, her father became weaker and weaker. For a while, everyone thought he was improving. Even the physician, who had come a long way to see him, thought as much.

Phillip Waverly just got worse though. Nothing could cure him, not even his daughter whispering words of love and encouragement at his bedside. He got progressively worse and sometime in the night, he moved on to another place. Through her tears, Chloe had seen how peaceful he looked and she knew it was better than the world he had been in. Life had been so hard for him after her mother’s death. He never seemed happy again after that; strong perhaps, but not a happy man.

An hour had barely passed before Lamonte confronted her about the marriage. Outraged, she banished him from her father’s room. Days later, he presented a signed certificate stating her father’s wishes for them to be married, as well as a demand that Lamonte would be in control of things if anything should happen to him. Later, the will would reinforce that decision. She had never believed that her father would knowingly place her in danger if he knew any better. Perhaps Lamonte had simply waited until the old man passed on to show his true character. In any case, Chloe quickly realized she couldn’t trust him to treat her well and she was alone in her predicament.

Now she began to wonder if something had happened between Lamonte and her father that couldn’t be accounted for, something malevolent. What did he need her for anyway if he already had money and a position? Was it possible her father simply didn’t die of natural causes? These questions weighed on her mind until she began to grow hungry. She needed sustenance.

Curious, Chloe began to pick through the crates, tearing at the hinges with a nearby crowbar until they opened. After a few failed attempts that resulted in her finding frivolous items or cotton bales, she located a container filled with dried meat, one with boxed tea biscuits and another with rum. Though she wasn’t used to liquor, she needed something. When she couldn’t get one of the bottles open, she broke off the top against the wall to access it.

After she had eaten her fill of food, she rose to look out the porthole. Light streamed through. It was definitely morning. She must have slept for some time. She couldn’t see any land so it was obvious they were on the open seas. Storms might be possible, eventually, and she’d have to allow for that. After a while, another situation arose with a pressing need on her abdomen and she rushed to find relief somehow. An empty bucket in the corner provided an option. It was little more than a chamber pot. These were horrid conditions, she knew, but it was all necessary to get where she needed to go, to get away from Lamonte. She just hoped it wouldn’t be the end of her.

As the day wore on, Chloe thought she would go mad inside with nothing to keep her mind occupied. Why hadn’t she thought to bring a book from her father’s library? She had a few books by Lewis Carroll in her room that her father had given her as a child, and occasionally she liked to revisit them and escape into those fantasy worlds.

With little else to do now, she napped off and on. When evening came, she contented herself, sitting on a crate beneath the open porthole, listening to the sailors sing sea shanties. Sometimes the words were slurred, as if the singers had had too much rum. She shook her head and giggled at the lyrics.

“As I walked out on South Street, a fair maid I did meet, who asked me please to see her home, she lived on Bleecker Street. And away, you Johnny, my dear honey. Oh you New York girls, you love us for our money.

I said, ‘My dear young lady, I'm a stranger here in town. I left my ship just yesterday, from Liverpool I was bound. And when we reached the barroom, boys, the drinks was handed round. That liquor was so awful strong, my head went round and round. When the drinking it was over, we straight to bed did go. And little did I ever think she'd prove my overthrow.

When I came to next morning, I had an aching head. And there was I, Jack-all-alone, stark naked on the bed. I looked all around the room, but nothing could I see but a lady's shift and apron which now belonged to me.

So come all you bully sailormen, take warning when ashore. Or else you'll meet some charming girl who's nothing but a whore. And away, you Johnny, my dear honey. Oh you New York girls, you love us for our money. Your hard-earned cash will disappear, your rig and boots as well. For Yankee girls are tougher than the other side of Hell. And away, you Johnny, my dear honey. Oh you New York girls, you love us for our money.”

  Original, she thought, though the situation occurred all of the time, she imagined. Prostitutes around the harbor were common enough, as were female con artists. Sailors were easy prey due to the long trips at sea, and once they were on shore they had a hankering for the ladies. Ladies though they weren’t. Chloe was familiar with it all. She had spent enough time around the harbor. She had seen many men taken in by scantily clad women.

She thought of that man with the striking dark red hair, and wondered if he had ever been with that kind of woman. Then she chastised herself. How silly to wonder such a thing, as if she had a hold on him or should even care what he did. She didn’t know the first thing about the man, but there was something in his eyes that made her want to trust him. However strong he was, he looked safe.

Chloe shook her head. She was being fanciful, that was all. There was little else to do in the cargo hold but eat, sleep and listen to the sailors working or singing. When they worked, they sang. When they ate, they sang. When they rested, why, she assumed they sang then too. She wondered if at some point, she could trust any of them. It didn’t matter. Soon enough, she would be in New Orleans or if they reached a port before then, she would find a way off of the ship. That was the plan, and it was good enough for now.

She moved to her makeshift bed, however uncomfortable it was, and settled in. With the sound of male voices in the distance, she drifted off.

* * * *

Chloe came awake with a jerk. The ship was tilting. She slid over the floor. She struggled to her feet, tried to get upright. When she was standing, she assessed the situation. The ship was moving erratically, and the cargo hold was filling with water. She raced to the porthole and closed it.

Cursing because she was soaked from the waist down, she tried to put the crates back where they’d been as well, but they fell anyway. As she looked out the porthole, she could see rain and waves. The loud crack of thunder shook the ship. Dear God, she thought, a storm at sea. What day was it? She tried to think of how long she had been there. Not more than three days surely. And suddenly there was a storm? Great. Just great. Her stomach rolled with unexpected nausea. She had handled being at sea fairly well, thus far, but being tossed around wasn’t helping matters.

Chloe latched onto the nearest wall, but there really wasn’t much to hold, just the hinge of the porthole. And she feared if she pulled too hard, it would come undone and flood the room completely this time. The storm was turbulent, thrashing the ship around like a young boy demonically terrorizing his sister’s doll.

The ship tilted and she stumbled once more. She heard a sudden crash and then her world collapsed. As she lay there, trying to discern what happened, everything went black.