NEW RELEASE: The Legend of Lord Randall Caste, book 1

Just wanted to pop in for a moment to let my faithful blog readers know about my newest written endeavor and give a little bit of an excerpt for you to enjoy. Engaging Enchantment, the first e-book in The Legend of Lord Randall Castle e-series, was released on October 3, 2014. On October 7, its first promotional "free" day, it was featured on
Freebooksy and hit #27 on Amazon.com's list of BEST SELLING free SF/Fantasy books. (I am absolutely glowing about the accomplishment.)

In case you are interested, Kindle Unlimited members can borrow the book for free from the Kindle owners lending library. Otherwise, the next promotional "free" download day is October 28. Here is a link for your convenience: http://amzn.to/1mazX7K

Before the excerpt, allow me to show you the book trailer. Please note the words on the left of the screen are somewhat difficult to read. So here is your cheat-sheet:
Screen 1: A princess... A lover... A guardian... A hobgoblin
Screen 2: One will be stolen. Two will stowaway.
Screen 3: Three will risk their safety for love. All will begin an adventure.

Also let me say that I am presently engaged in writing book 2 in the e-series, Spellbound Souvenir. In fact, I am very naughty for writing this post instead of working on it. (Don't tell anyone!) Sigh. I guess it is time to get Captain Barwick on his way. He is just now meeting the little boy who will touch his heart with a gift at the end of the story.

Without further adieu, here is the promised excerpt: 

“I’m sorry, friend,” Melador spoke quickly, putting the dish towel in his hand onto the counter and walking toward the entrance. “We’re closed for the night. Can I get you something to take home?”

“Uncle…” a familiar voice issued from shadows under the cloak’s dark hood. Melador instantly recognized his sister’s grandson, the half-druid he had helped raise from boyhood. His face rippled into wrinkles as he smiled in greeting.

“Barwick! Well, bolt the door behind you, then,” the old druid spoke, walking toward the young man. Ever since his grand-nephew had joined the King’s service, visits had been scarce. Melador missed him sorely.

“Let me take your cloak,” he offered, removing the long garment and placing it onto a nearby hook before Barwick could refuse. Under the cloak, a plain shirt with long sleeves hid the young sailor’s rippled muscles. In his hand, he carried a small package wrapped in canvas.

“Come. Sit,” Melador continued. Giving his grand-nephew no chance to say no, he took Barwick’s elbow and led him toward the small dining area. He wanted to hear all the news. “What brings you out so far from the castle tonight? I hear there was some excitement… What is in your hand?”

Barwick, now seated on a stool, could not keep the corners of his mouth down no matter how hard he tried to maintain his discipline. He had missed Uncle’s quirky energy. Tilting his chin downward and away, he tried to mask a smile by looking at the package in his hand.

He regained his composure quickly and replied with a question, “Can we speak in private?”

Melador glanced around at dark emptiness. Scratching his chin, he answered, “Sure... Go ahead. What’s on your mind?”

“Uncle,” Barwick nodded in the direction of the server putting away glasses.

The old man’s eyebrows lifted as he realized that Barwick wanted complete confidentiality, “Oh.”

Addressing the server, he dismissed, “Don’t worry about the dishes tonight. I’ll take care of them. You can go home now. I am just going to visit with my nephew for a while. Have a good night.”

“Thank you, sir. You, too.” The server folded his apron and put it away, unbolted the door and walked out.

Melador re-bolted it behind him and turned back to Barwick, “Do you want my faerie friend to leave, also?”

“No, please have him stay.” Placing his package on the countertop, Barwick unfolded the canvas to reveal a faerie king’s ransom in honeycomb. “I have a request that may interest him.”

Two sets of tiny fingers appeared on the edge of the countertop, then a head, followed by a shoulder and an elbow, then another shoulder and elbow and, finally, the complete body of Bud Starembers.

“Hmm…” nodded the druid. Barwick obviously wanted faerie help. But what could he possibly want that he felt the need for a bribe? Melador’s helpers were generally pleased to assist anyone of good heart.

“As you know,” the young man continued, “the princess attempted to elope today.”

Melador nodded. Of course, he knew that. He was the one who had alerted the queen to it. He waited in silence to get to the part about the honey.

“What you may not know is that we received urgent news from the mainland today. King Edward died in Mercia and his son from his first wife, Aelfweard, is disputing Prince Aethelstan’s claim to the throne. The Lords of Wessex are gathering, sending representatives to Winchester for a council while Aethelstan moves his father’s remains from Farndon-on-dee to Winchester cathedral. The council is to make a unified decision as to which heir’s claim Wessex will support.

“We are not part of Wessex so this should be no concern to us. But it is. Our princess is betrothed to Lord Concobhar of Wessex and due to marry within the month. He wants his lady to attend the post-council festivities with him. It is right that he should ask her to accompany him and King Charles would be remiss to refuse the request. But in light of what happened this very evening, he would be foolish to send her without a trained escort to keep track of her. He has chosen me for that duty.

“I, after all, am the one who brought the princess’ lover to Saint Mary. I am also the only one who could find her with him tonight. Nobody else was able. But, Uncle, if she runs and I don’t have a faerie nearby… I am a fair tracker but I was only able to locate her because I had faerie help. I would never have been able to catch her without magic.

“Considering the princess’ propensity to escape and evade non-magical capture, I think it would be a good preventative measure to have a faerie with me in the event I might need help. Our ship leaves at first light and I know it is short notice, but will you relay my request amongst your faerie friends to see if anyone is interested in the job? This honeycomb is intended to be a half-payment to the faerie who accepts.”

Melador’s brow had begun to furrow gradually deeper as his grand-nephew spoke. By now, his eyebrows carved a deep gorge in his temple. He had guessed what was coming all along, but needed to hear the words to believe them. Having been raised around tiny people, Barwick did not fully grasp the hostility non-magical humans had festered through the years towards all creatures of magic. Even the faeries, mostly pacifists, were being persecuted – if they could be caught. The situation was so desperate that the Queen of Faerie, herself, had decreed the mainland of Albion a hazard zone. Faeries were forbidden to travel there. Melador, as a druid, did have the authority to supersede her command if the need should arise. But there was no genuine need.

Without a word, he turned toward the back counter and scooped measures of honey into two tiny pails. Despite the years he had observed the request of Barwick’s human mother, he knew he must now violate her wishes. Pulling a stem of ragwort from a nearby vase, he handed it to the little man on the countertop. It was time to tell Barwick enough truth to make his own choice.

“Forget what you just heard, Bud,” the druid commanded his tiny helper. “My answer is no. Go upstairs and bring down my sister’s amulet. It is in my top drawer on the right side. Here are both measures of honey that you earned today. When you have brought me the amulet, you can take them and go for the night.”

Bud appeared visibly relieved by his master’s edict. Without delay, he took the ragwort and flew up a corner flight of stairs. After a few moments, he returned carrying a silver amulet over his shoulder. Depositing it in Melador’s open hand, he picked up his honey and flew out of a nearby window, a huge smile plastered on his tiny face.

“I will see you in the morning. Aistrigh,” Melador called after his helper, ending with the druid word for “good night.”

Facing his grand-nephew while the sprite departed, he instructed, “Watch my eyes.”

Barwick, trying to decide how he could keep track of his spoiled princess without magical aid, obeyed his grand-uncle… and became very confused. As he watched, Melador’s eyes were changing color! Their normal chocolate brown turned to amber, then hazel and green… turquoise, then blue… light blue… ice blue. At the end of their transformation, they were so bright that they almost glistened.

Barwick’s eyes changed size as quickly as his uncle’s changed hue. They grew wider and wider and wider. Never in his life had he seen Uncle do anything like this.

Watching his grand-nephew’s surprise grow, Melador offered, “There are some things we need to discuss.”

Dumbstruck, the young man just nodded. Anything his uncle wanted to say was fine with him. He just wanted to know what was happening with the color-changing eyes and why Melador had chosen now, of all times, to show them to him. But could Barwick ask? No. He was too stupefied to speak. All he could do was nod. So that is what he did. He nodded, trusting that his uncle would answer his unspoken questions. 

What do you think? Is it any good? Remember to download your free copy on October 28. (And then leave it a review when you're finished reading!) Here is the link again: http://amzn.to/1mazX7K

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