I am over on tony-paul's blog- A Splash of Scarlet this week. I would like to share it here as well. It has an excerpt from Broken Legacy that I haven't shared anywhere else.
My inspiration from my writing comes from history. Makes
sense being a historical romance writer, but even in my epic fantasy I draw
from history. Human nature hasn't changed...it never has. Greed,
corruption, lust, selfishness, the thirst for power has been the
undeniable forces that have led to unimaginable horrors within our history. But
even at its worse throughout history there always emerges a light—a light to
remind of us of humanity—a light to lead us out of the darkness.
In fiction, it's
easy to come up with a happy ending. I have control. All the conflicts and
injustices I have inflicted on my hero and heroine are vindicated by the end of
the book if I so choose. Good versus Evil. In my world good always trumps
evil.
History fascinates
me. Certain people inspire me, but it's not always the well-known heroes that
have intrigued me. Heroes are ordinary people doing
the extraordinary in a given situation. Not all the good that one
does is immediately recognized. Some may never be recognized. But it is from these sacrifices that humanity
survives.
Evil's face is not
always readily perceived as the evil they are. Evil has a way of twisting and
turning the facts to justify their means to an end. My daddy always told me
that most people can justify their actions to themselves, excusing their
behavior for the 'betterment' of others. To us looking back, we would never
justify slavery. Yet at one time it was an accepted practice. Do you realize
how hard it was to stand up and say that slavery needed to be stopped? In books
today, heroes and heroines always do the political correct thing and oppose the
practice. It's easy to look back and say we would have made a stand and
demanded slavery be stopped. I would like to think I would have, but it was a
different world back then. People were ostracized for standing up and
demanding slavery be stopped. It's a hard thing to do to take a stand
that's not popular. To have society look down on you- telling you how wrong you
are-having your life or your love ones lives threatened. Even in the North,
abolitionists were frowned upon and shunned. But the adage one voice can
make a difference...I think it does. Eventually, the good in people surfaces.
Broken Legacy was inspired by courageous acts by people in the face of
dangers. I have always said that Irena Sendler served as my inspiration for my
story. Irena Sendler was a woman truly to be admired. She defied the Nazi’s in
WWII and saved thousands of children from certain death. My heroine faces the
dangers of the Reign of Terror where no one was safe.
Lord
Gerard Lenister needed the lady…after their meeting, he wanted her.
Intrigue, Secrets, Romance— Broken Legacy, Book Two of Secret Lives Series!
Thrown into the midst of the Reign of Terror that the French Revolution has become, Lady Eloise has long struggled with the questions arising from her birth. Forced into a marriage she neither wanted or desired, she finds herself drawn to the man who is now her husband.
Lord Gerard puts into place a plan to save his children. Marrying Lady Eloise gives him the leverage he needs. Soon, he realizes the woman he married is nothing like the woman she has been portrayed. Never did he consider she would risk her life for him nor did he consider that Eloise would evoke feelings within him he did not know existed.
Thrown into a terror few escape, Gerard and Eloise discover a connection that will bind their lives forever—love. That is if they survive.
Excerpt:
"I warned you, my lord. I tried to tell you that I was not the wife for you," she retorted. A lump rose in her throat. "Andre explained to me why he told you everything. He believed it to be the best course of action at this point. But I did not tell him that this is what you wanted to know. What you asked me the night before we wed. I will not defend myself. Never will I do so.
"I did not ask for you to defend yourself, madame." Lenister's voice was dangerously calm. "Did I not say it matter only if it interfered with my mission? Do you not suppose this will?"
"Non, it will serve you. Andre does not believe the one who betrayed us knows who I am. If they had, they would not have needed to raid a cottage. They would have gone to my uncle's. I have been thinking about it. I believe it would be best if I travel with you into Paris as your wife. My name...my story would have preceded me. It should serve you well, my lord."
"All the while they search for the White Rose." He released her. From his tone, he implied he had heard much. "You are willing to walk into the hornet's nest for my bastard children. Why, Eloise, why?"
"What do you know of me?" she demanded. She had to know. He had to say the words for she could not.
"I know about your daughter. I need to know the rest." His expression became solemn.
For a moment, Eloise had no answer. His words were as a dagger that struck the core of her heart, a never-ending ache that only dulled over time. No words could relate her grief or the guilt that weighed upon
her about her baby. She studied her husband, trying to deduce whether he hated her now he knew about her
child, but she could not read his eyes. She decided she had only one recourse. She answered him honestly.
"If you insist...if you know about my child, then, too, you must know about Luc. A part of me died the night Luc died and my baby was taken from me. I lost all I had clung to in my life. I had gone to Luc for protection against the Marquis de Mortiere and Calognac, both cruel men, my lord—crueler than you can even imagine. You wonder how I could hold to the belief that all men should be equal. It was in that moment when I saw the injustice that status and wealth inflicted upon those they consider beneath themselves.
"Luc did not hesitate to give me his protection to me when I was in need. In turn, he lost his life." She paused, collecting her thoughts...struggling to find the right words. She said discernibly, "But Luc would never have wanted any of what has occurred. He was going to take me...us...away. We were going to go to America. His father died in their cause of independence. So you see, I never wanted any of this. I never wanted money or a title. I wanted only to love and be loved in return..." Her voice faded. She turned her head from her husband, and then went on. "It does not matter. It was not to be, but I could not live knowing what had happened and I was responsible for my daughter. I had to...needed to help. My life matters little to me..."
Lenister grasped hold of her and whirled her around to him, his body taut with anger. "Matters little to you! What of me? How dare you think it means nothing to me!"
Silence ensued. The thought had never occurred to her...that he would want her. Knowing what he knew about her, she thought he would hate her. Her eyes widened in disbelief.
"Since we parted, I have thought of nothing but you!" He looked at her hard. His voice took on a dangerous tone of a fierce anger underlying a brewing emotion. "I clung to the memory of you lying beside me, loving me. I had dreams that you were safe at Ashwin Manor. If I was not successful in my mission, I thought...I hoped you would be happy. That thought gave me peace! Now, I find you here!"
He gave her no time to respond. His mouth came down hard on hers, kissing her until her legs weakened.
"No, no, no," she pleaded, pushing back against his chest. "Do not do this to me."
"Do what, my lady? Love you as I desire?" He stared at her with his thoughts deepening in the depths of her eyes.
"Tell me that you want me," she breathed against his lips, but she did have a need for him. As much as she wanted to deny the feelings he invoked within her, she wanted him. How could she? Yet her body cried for him. "I'm afraid..."
"I told you I do not want you to be afraid of me," he whispered.
"Oh, but I am afraid, my lord...I'm afraid of you," she confessed in a small voice, surprising herself. "I can't do this..."
"You can," he said huskily, leaning down against her lips, and then he kissed her. "You are a strange one, Eloise, but if you think for one moment I'm releasing you...that I'm letting you go...you are sadly mistaken."
"But..." She was so confused! Despite everything, she was drawn to this man and had been from the moment their eyes met. "You are telling me after all you have learned about me...that I'm not who you thought...yes, yes, I can try to help you save your children, but I'm a fraud. I was never Lady Eloise Granville. I'm nothing more than a common bastard..."
Lenister moved her chin upward gently, coaxing her to look at him. "There is nothing common about you, Lady Lenister. You are my lady..." He kissed her again. "Always my lady."
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