Thank you, Brianna, for hosting me on The Book Vixen today. I really appreciate the opportunity to talk about The Kure, and to let your readers know about my Resolve To Read promotion going on through the month of January.
When I began writing The Kure, I had no idea the initial meeting between the main characters, John Tyler and Sarah Sheridan, would result in such a strong and shared attraction, suggestive of the classic “love at first sight.” But when it happened, I knew it was right. Using the element of surprise to reveal their mutual interest as a happy accident provided the characters—and the reader—with all the nuances of possibility.
One of the more interesting challenges in creating the initial interchange between John and Sarah was describing what goes through a man’s mind when he first lays his eyes on the woman who will change his life forever.
In this excerpt from The Kure, John gets his first glimpse of Sarah, and wonders why their paths haven’t crossed until now. As he fumbles with the requisite courtesies and tries to maintain his composure, Sarah teases him, enchanting him with her playful charm and unpretentious nature.
Here is an excerpt:
Her eyes were the first of her features he would later recall with absolute clarity—wide, bright and clear, and so blue they reminded him of an azure field of forget-me-nots. Her lips were slightly parted, easily ripening into a full smile. As John nodded in acknowledgement, Sarah responded with a tilt of her head, sending a shimmering curtain of sun yellow hair rippling across her shoulders.
She was more than pretty, and with the soft, seductive curves of a woman, she radiated the raw promise of opportunity, the kind that could easily inspire a man to offer everything he owned in exchange for a place in her future.
John tried to imagine how circumstances, or perhaps fate, had kept her hidden for so long. They lived only a couple of miles apart, using the same roads, shopping at the same stores, even attending the same church—at least the five or six times a year John occupied the back pew for services. Yet their paths had remained separate. Until today.
He tried to remember when he’d seen her last. It might have been five, maybe six years ago, when she would have passed him on the street as a quiet and unremarkable child, with no indication of the flawless beauty she would become.
John’s father had once told him that a man’s first glimpse of a woman determines the destiny of both. For an instant, he wondered.
Without hesitating, Sarah stepped into the room, her light blue cotton skirt flowing easily over her legs, the material caressing her thighs as she moved. Her fitted white blouse clung glove-tight around her small waist, the loosely laced bodice revealing the rounded shape of her full breasts.
John expected her to walk toward her father, and perhaps sit in the vacant chair next to him. Instead, she stopped in front of the loveseat, standing so close that if John straightened his fingers, he could easily touch the fabric covering her legs. The possibility made his lower lip begin to quiver, and he pulled it between his teeth and bit hard.
Forced to concede to Sarah’s presence, Sheridan paused. Unwilling to lose the opportunity to control his daughter’s introduction, he quickly spoke again, his manner brusque and determined. “Sarah, this young man, John Tyler, is here to speak with you. About some business with the pastor.”
John realized he was still sitting. Nerves shot him forward. Raw pain pulled him back. Determined to hide the tormenting ache, he leaned on the arm of the loveseat, steadying himself. Readjusting his handhold, he pushed himself off the seat and slowly made it to his feet.
Sarah’s eyes seemed to grow larger as she spoke. “Oh? I hope I’m not in trouble for missing services last Sunday.” Her smile widened in a playful challenge.
John tried to return her lighthearted greeting, but his efforts appeared forced and twisted, far from the sincere interest he wanted to convey. “No . . . no, I’m sure that’s not the case,” he stammered.
“Well, your message must be very important, especially if Pastor Fielding asked you to ride all the way out here.” Her voice was as welcome as a warm spring day, with enough invitation to disarm a wild stallion.
John started to shrug, then stopped himself. “I’m not sure. It’s hard to tell with the pastor.”
Sarah nodded as if she knew exactly what he was talking about, and then turning slightly, she gave John a tiny wink, letting him interpret it for himself.
For a moment, he forgot the pain.
Here is a brief synopsis:
John Tyler, a young man in his early twenties, discovers he has contracted a ghastly affliction affecting a most sensitive part of his body. When the village doctor offers the conventional, and potentially disfiguring, treatment as the only cure, John tenaciously convinces the doctor to reveal an alternative remedy—a forbidden ritual contained within an ancient manuscript called the Kure.
Although initially rejecting the vile and unholy rite, John realizes, too late, that the ritual is more than a faded promise scrawled on a page of crumbling paper. And as cure quickly becomes curse, the unholy text unleashes a dark power that drives him to consider the unthinkable—a depraved and wicked act requiring the corruption of an innocent soul.
Ultimately, John must choose between his desperate need to arrest the plague that is destroying his body, and the virtue of the woman he loves, knowing the wrong decision could cost him his life.
For a limited time, read The Kure for only $0.99 (Kindle version
I always spend the last few days of December reviewing my writing plan for the coming year—to determine what’s going to receive priority and how I will budget my time to make sure I get it done. During one of those planning sessions, I noticed my husband was also putting a few goals together for the new year. When I asked him to tell me about his “resolutions,” he said that one of them was to read more, especially books that fall outside his favorite genres, “just to see what else is out there.” We began to talk about how many more people are now reading books of all kinds, primarily due to increased availability and choice of low-cost eBooks for the kindle and nook. I’m constantly reading comments from readers who decided to try a particular author’s work because it was ninety-nine cents, or in some cases, free. Then my husband asked an interesting question: “Why don’t you offer some kind of promotion to encourage more people to read The Kure, with the idea that they’ll be more inclined to read the book if you temporarily lower the price?” I really had to think about this one, but after realizing it might motivate a few more folks who are not familiar with The Kure to take a look, I decided to do it. I’m calling it “Resolve To Read”, and it’s going on right now. Effective for the month of January, the kindle version of The Kure can be purchased for ninety-nine cents on Amazon. So if you were planning on buying a kindle version anyway, why not take advantage of the “Resolve To Read” promotion and save two bucks?
Hopefully, I’ve piqued your interest sufficiently to visit my website (www.jayefrances.com) to learn more about The Kure series.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
I was born in the Midwest and grew up surrounded by traditional values and conservative attitudes (which I quickly discarded). I’ll readily admit that my life’s destination has been the result of an open mind and a curiosity about all things irreverent, and I invite visitors to my website with a friendly caveat: “Be forewarned, my life has not followed the traditional path of homemaker, wife, and mother.” When I’m not consumed by my writing, I enjoy cooking, traveling to all places tropical and beachy, and taking pictures—lots of pictures—many of which wind up on my website. I live on the central gulf coast of Florida, sharing my home with one husband, six computers, four cameras, and several hundred pairs of shoes.
Find the author online: website | blog | facebook | goodreads
ABOUT THE BOOK
Forbidden by law and denounced as an abomination by the church, the Kure has been hidden for centuries...John Tyler has never met Sarah Sheridan, but he knows he must find her, and somehow convince her that she is the key to unlocking the power of an ancient ritual that will rid his body of a rare and ravaging disease.
But as cure quickly becomes curse, John realizes the ritual is more than a faded promise scrawled on a page of crumbling paper, and he discovers, too late, that the unholy text has unleashed a dark power that is driving him to consider the unthinkable.
Ultimately, John must choose between his desperate need to arrest the plague that is destroying his body, and the virtue of the woman he loves, knowing the wrong decision could cost him his life.
**GIVEAWAY**
Thanks to Jaye Frances, one lucky winner will receive a Kindle copy of The Kure!! Giveaway open to wherever Kindle books are obtainable. Fill out the Rafflecopter form to enter. Giveaway ends January 26th, 2012. Please read Terms & Conditions at the bottom of the Rafflecopter form before entering. Good luck to all who enter!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
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