I've never done a #FirstLineFriday post before, so this should be fun. This is from my horror novel The Soul of a Witch. It's available at Amazon.

​The summer night was black and the inky trees loomed up on all sides. 

On this #ThrowbackThursday post, I'd like to highlight one of my more successful books. Far Away is the second book in the Gypsy Fairy Tale series and picks up where the first book (Once) leaves off.
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Are you ready for the fairy tale to continue? 

I heard the sliding action of the gun as he chambered a round. The rest of the group raised their weapons and took aim. 

I closed my eyes. I knew there was no magic to save me this time. This was it. This was the end. It was all for nothing...It didn’t matter how hard I tried...It didn’t matter...It was over... 

I held my breath and just waited to die. 

Harmony Jacobson’s life changed forever when the Irish Travellers and Kieran came to Corydon Indiana. Now that they are gone, she tries to rebuild her life, but the ancient war between the Tuatha De Danann and the Mileans pulls her right back into Kieran’s magical world. 

Can she get to Kieran in time? Has she put her trust in the wrong person yet again?

​Available at Amazon.com

Over the last year, in writing Lost to Titanic, I’ve read everything I could get my hands on about the sinking of the Titanic. I’ve watched every documentary, any television special, and looked at so many photographs my eyes went blurry. Still, nothing prepared me for one particular picture...Or my reaction to it.

We all know the story of Titanic. The beauty, the tragedy, the race to the lifeboats, the heroes, the cowards, and the band playing as the ship went down. It sounds like something created just for the silver screen or to be locked in the pages of a book, but it was reality.

I knew it was a reality. I saw the pictures, I watched on television as Ballard found the wreck, and I listened to experts debate what happened. Still, it wasn’t really real. It was the past. The voices silenced over the decades as survivors died from old age. The harshness of it all was fading.

All of that changed when I came across the photo above and the story attached to it. This single photo represents Titanic much more than anything else.

When I first looked at the photograph, it looked like nothing more than a shot of shoes in the debris field. Why should it matter when there were so many more interesting photos like the piano, the doll’s face, the dishes, the coal, and the wine bottles? Who cared about shoes that fell so haphazard to the bottom of the ocean?

But it wasn’t haphazard at all. Those shoes were all that was left of a body, marking the exact location where this person came to rest after fighting for their life against the freezing water. I looked at that picture, studied it, and then broke out in tears.

This was a person. Whoever this was, their family waited for word, maybe waited for their body to be found, and finally gave up waiting. This person lay lost and forgotten until the wreck was found and now is nothing more than a caption in the debris field of the ship. No one will ever know whom this person was or what they may have become, their name gone to history.
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It all stopped then. It wasn’t a story of tragic beauty. It was just a story of tragedy, of loss, and nothing symbolizes that more than that photograph of those shoes.

My own spin on the Titanic story is a romance set in both the past and the modern day. It is available on Amazon.

Lost to Titanic (Reincarnation Romance Chronicles)

Vanessa Hurley had enough of men, life, and trying to pretend she isn't dying on the inside, but fate isn't finished with her. She was ready to end it all when she climbed the rail of the bridge and plunged into the Ohio River, but something happened in the water. Suddenly, she is bombarded with memories of Titanic and the sinking...Memories that couldn't possibly be hers.

Dr. Scott Langdon is fighting to save what's left of his psychiatric career, but after just a few sessions with his new patient, Vanessa, he could lose more than just his career if he follows his heart.

To understand the present, they must revisit the past...But will they be Lost to Titanic?

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I love sharing little snippets of my work with readers. This week I'm sharing an excerpt from Lost to Titanic which is available on Amazon.

“Dance with me,” he said as he pulled me into his arms.

I stiffened as our bodies touched and bowed my head. He immediately took my chin between his thumb and forefinger, forcing me to look up at him.

“What’s the matter?” Jonathan asked.

“I can’t,” I answered shamefully. “I don’t know how to dance.”

I expected him to mock me, but instead he just shrugged and placed one of my hands upon his shoulder and then held the other in his hand. He pulled me gently to him, so close I could feel his heart beating against my own chest.

“Then let me show you,” he said softly as we began to sway back and forth.

I trembled under his touch as we moved across the deck. I kept my head down, watching my feet to keep from crushing his toes.

“Can I ask you something?” I whispered without looking up.

“Of course,” he mumbled against my forehead.

“Why me?”

“What?”

I stopped dancing and looked up at him, “Why aren’t you out here dancing with some girl from first-class?”

He laughed, lifted me off my feet and twirled me around.

“Is that what you want?” He asked, as he set me back on my feet. “Should I go back to the boredom of first-class? To the ladies that only care for money or position?”

“Tis a burden I’m sure,” I mumbled sarcastically.

Jonathan held me tightly in his arms, “Do you really want to know?”

I dared to look up at his face, “Yes.”
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“All right,” he said as he lowered his face so that it was just inches from mine. “It was the kiss.”

I've feel like the Titanic and I are old friends now and I just can't seem to let go, even though Lost to Titanic is already available on Amazon.

Thanks so much for all the emails and messages about the first Lost to Titanic excerpt! Yes, this story does have a dark side as many of you have noted. Just to show the story is not all gloom and doom, here is a fun little exchange between the hero and heroine. Don't forget to scroll down and click on the link for the giveaway!
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This time I was pulled down a tunnel of bright light. There were colors swirling about and flashes of people, all of it too quick to make sense. I could smell the salty air and feel the wind on my skin.

It was like I was dropping down into myself. I became aware of my body, the feel of my dress on my skin, and the sensation of a hard floor beneath my shoes.

I opened my eyes and looked out over the ocean. I was back. I stood on the third class deck, surrounded by children playing and foreigners of every sort. I looked at their hopeful faces and wished I could be like them and be looking forward to a grand new life in America.

At that moment, more than anything, I wanted to be back in Ireland. I longed to breathe the earthy scent of the air and to see the green rolling hills instead of ocean that seemed to go on forever. 

I thought back to when the entire family was together in our tiny home. I could almost smell the meat and potatoes on the fire and hear my father telling stories of the fairy folk and the ancient kings of Ireland. I wanted nothing more than to go back to that time.

I want my old life...

Hoisting the baby up on my hip, I turned back out to the water. I would have to accept that I would never see Ireland again, but just the thought of it made my chest ache.

“I’ve been looking for you,” a voice behind me said.

I turned slowly and looked up at the man from the night before. His handsome face washed and shaved with blue eyes shockingly clear and alert. I would have expected him to be sick with a drunkard’s headache. “Beg your pardon? I don’t believe I know you.”

I could feel him smiling behind me, like a warmth radiating against my back.

“I wasn’t that drunk Miss O’Malley,” he said. “It is Miss O’Malley, isn’t it?”

“Yes sir,” I blushed, shifting Sean on my hip again. 

“Alright then,” he said with a dazzling smile. “You can stop pretending we’ve never met.”

“Well,” I said with a shrug. “I’m pleased to see that you’re feeling better.”

Did he see through my coolness toward him? Did he remember the kiss? Why did I ever do that?

Afraid he would read it all over my face; I gave him a quick curtsy and turned to walk away. I could feel myself trembling. Why was I shaking so?

“Miss O’Malley!” He called out, “Please, I was just wanting to thank you for what you did last night.”

Several passengers on deck turned to look at us. I could read their assumptions all over their faces. I stepped back to him, pushing him away with my free hand.

“God’s teeth,” I mumbled. “You’re going to make me the talk of the ship.”

“I’m sorry, I just wanted to thank you.”

“Very well, you have thanked me.” I hissed. “Now go away.”

“Go away?”

“Yes,” I hissed. “Go away.”

He smiled wider, Are you embarrassed to be seen with me?”

“You’re making a spectacle of yourself,” I said as I moved over to where the boys were playing. “And of me.”

“You weren’t so shy last night.”

I whirled around and pushed him back against the rail, “Lord above will you hush before I’m ruined?”

“I think it would be fun to ruin you.”

My hand flew out to slap his cheek. He staggered backward slightly, drawing the attention of the other passengers again. He brought his hand up to his cheek as the baby began to cry in my arms.

“I will thank you keep a civil tongue in your head Mr. –”

“Jonathan,” he said as he rubbed the side of his face. “Mr. Jonathan Abersole of New York.”

“Goodbye Mr. Abersole,” I said as I bounced Sean on my hip.

I pulled my brothers up by the collars and pushed them toward the stairs. “Move along before the soup is gone.”

The boys glanced back at the strange man following us, curiosity clear on their faces.

“Who is that?” Matthew asked.

I pushed him along with my free hand, “He’s none of our concern.”

I could hear Mr. Abersole hurrying up behind me. 

“I’m sorry,” he said as he matched my hurried pace on the stairs. “I only wanted to thank you.”

“And you have.”

“And you still want me to go away?”

“Yes.”

“Have I done something to offend you?” He asked with a devilish smile as he stepped up beside me.

I shook my head, “You mean besides being a drunken sod and giving every tongue on deck a reason to wag? Why would any of that offend me?”

He nodded, smiling wider, “Again, I apologize.”

“Why don’t you just go back up to first class where you belong?”

He reached out and took my arm, “I’ll be on my way, but Miss O’Malley, I was not so drunk that I would forget that yours was the most beautiful face I’ve ever seen.”

“Mr. Abersole...”

He moved even closer so that our faces were only inches apart, “Or the most beautiful that has kissed me.”

I looked up at him mortified that he would remember.

He bowed his head, “It was actually the kiss I wanted to thank you for.”

I can't believe the Lost to Titanic release is just around the corner! To give you a little taste of what's to come, he's a sneak peak at the opening chpater. Be sure to scroll down and enter the giveaway too!

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I stopped walking. I could feel the force of the winter wind swaying the bridge ever so slightly.

What if this is it? What then?

I glanced back over my shoulder, looking back into the empty darkness. Turning forward again, I looked ahead of me and saw only the pavement stretching out. I could hear the water below and the sound of the wind against the girders.

There was no sign of anyone else as I stepped up to the rail, but I knew in any moment someone might come along and stop me.

Stop me... Stop me from what?

Even as I asked myself that question, I was climbing over the rail and leaning out over the inky water. If I closed my eyes, I could hear the soft lapping of the water against the bridge.

I looked out over the Louisville skyline. The city glowed, seeming so beautiful and peaceful, but I knew those streets were just full of liars waiting to take advantage of me.

Sighing, I lowered my eyes to the water. My damp and sweaty hands were clutching the bridge tightly, but what would happen if I just let go? 

No one would really miss me. I would just be one less miserable person in the world.

I didn’t even think about it that long. I just let go.

There was a pause, a moment when I didn’t feel myself falling and maybe I could have changed my mind, but then everything tilted and it was too late. The air was rushing past me, stinging my eyes and skin, as my stomach churned as if I were on a roller coaster.

No...No...

Then came the smack of the water, hard and unforgiving like concrete. Every inch of my body stung and burned. I opened my mouth to scream, but there was only the icy water blocking any sound.

I didn’t mean it...I didn’t mean it...

I hovered somewhere between life and death. I knew I was dying. I couldn’t feel my arms or legs and the pulse that thudded in my ears beat slower and slower.

Out of that nothingness came screaming, hundreds of voices crying out into the night. I struggled to the surface, forcing numb limbs to move until I could lift my head and look around me.

No one...No one is here...

I was so weak, my head fell back again, and the darkness once more surrounded me. Then came the voice.

“I love you. I loved you from the moment our lips touched and I’m going to keep loving you...You have to believe that.”