Monday Morsels: The Reluctant Heir

The Reluctant Heir

by Jean Jacobsen

PROLOGUE
1822 Mt. Pleasant, NY

     The river has secrets.
     From time to time, she has been known to share.
     The cold water of the Hudson River lapped at Samuel’s feet as he dug for clams. Piles of driftwood and debris along the shoreline, left by recent storms, made the bubbles of his prey difficult to see. In among the rubble, he spotted an oiled canvas bag. Upon retrieving the heavy bag, he released the bindings and withdrew the contents. To his utter shock, Samuel gazed upon the family Bible of Captain Kidd and one half of a treasure map.
     Samuel tucked away the unexpected cache and returned home. Over the next several months, he listened to the local gossip about the Captain, his whereabouts, and a secret map. In time, the talk faded, and Samuel went about his life. The map and bible remained in his thoughts, and on his deathbed, he shared the secret with his family.
     The map remained a family secret, passed down through the generations. Although many in the family tried, no one could decipher the code and symbols left by the famous pirate, and they never found the other half of the map.
     Erin’s small hand held her grandfather’s work-hardened one as they walked along the Hudson River shoreline. They leaned into a brisk wind as they scoured the sand, searching for clams.
     After a time, Erin shouted, “Do you see any bubbles from the clams yet? My eyes are tearing up.”
     "Your eyes are much younger than mine. I If you’re not seeing the signs, then there aren’t any. Let’s search among the rocks and wood. Perhaps the river will give us something today.”
     Although they searched, there was nothing worth retrieving. If only the water had given up another gold doubloon, this day would be special. Empty handed, they left the shoreline and headed for home. The path leading from the river to the village was lined with trees, their branches whispering in the wind. It was much quieter here than on the shore.
     “Erin, my dear, I was about your age when my grandfather found something special on the shoreline. It’s been in our family over one hundred years. With your father’s passing, it’s time for me to pass the family secret to you, being his oldest child.”
     Erin wrapped her cloak more tightly about her slender body, hurrying along to keep up with his long strides. “Tell me, Granda Walter.”
     “Let’s get home first.”
     Soon enough, they reached the Blue Goose Inn, the popular tavern which had been in their family for several generations. Erin’s mother greeted them as they entered through the back kitchen door. “Find any clams today?”
     “Not a one,” answered Erin. “We’re going to the attic.”
     Her mother smiled and resumed her housework.
     Granda Walter pulled out an old wooden chest from the back corner and worked the lock. Once opened, he removed a few items and then took out a waterproof canvas bag. Erin was surprised as a wooden box slip from the bag and landed in her hands. The book was heavier than she expected. Her eyes grew wide when she lifted the latch and saw a Bible.
     “What is it, Granda?”
     “Open it.”
     She opened the cover. On the book plate a name was neatly penned. Captain William Kidd. Awestruck, she turned the pages until she came to a loose one.
     “We think this paper is part of a treasure map, but no one has been able to figure out the letters and symbols. Captain Kidd lived and sailed out of New York for many years so some of his treasure may be in this area.”
     “Your task my child is to keep the secret safe and locate the treasure.”
     Oh, I will, Granda. I will keep it safe for our family. No matter what.


CHAPTER 1 
1832 – Paris, France

     In the late spring of 1832, the Granger family received word James, the eldest son, had gone down on a ship from Boston bound for Paris, France. He had been managing the family’s American holdings and was returning for a rare visit to attend the christening of his sister’s youngest son, to whom he would be Godfather. Instead of rejoicing in celebration, the Granger family now planned a funeral. Robert Granger, head of the family, was the ambassador to France from America. The ambassador’s residence, maintained by the appointed statesman and not the government, served both as place of business and living quarters. Official offices occupied the first floor of the stylish manor house, with the upper floors serving as the family’s residence. The second floor was used for entertaining guests, state dinners, and afternoon soirees.
     The announcement of James’ death, threw the entire household in to mourning. A steady stream of visitors flooded the upstairs family receiving rooms. Dignitaries sent notes of condolence. Spring flowers filled the halls. Black crepe marked the doors, and servants wore a black armband on their uniforms. Family and staff alike found the news hard to believe. Their beloved James had perished.
     Liam, as a second son, found himself more exposed than ever. He went through those first days after James’ death haunted by their shared past. His now dead brother had been the fair haired boy, the favorite son, the apple of his father’s eye. Liam, the spare heir, had a different life. His father, the authoritarian, loomed large and routinely compared his and James’ achievements. He also pitted Liam against James in subtle games Liam most often lost. His father’s negligent treatment brought feelings of worthlessness and fears of punishment. The constant belittling he endured served to drive a wedge in their relationship.
     Nicholas, the third born, had gone through life assuming he would always be a second spare heir and as such would never be called upon to fulfill any major family obligations.
     Their sister Ann, being the only girl, was protected and loved by them all. She had been properly presented to society, married to a man of wealth whom she professed to love, and had successfully birthed several children.


Want to read more?

Opportunity. Betrayal. Love. 

New York, 1830

     After tragedy strikes his family, Liam Granger, once simply considered the spare heir, is given a choice—marry a proper society chit, or travel to America and oversee the family’s holdings. Seeking adventure and opportunity, he chooses to return to the land of his birth. Shortly after arriving, he discovers a devious scheme and is forced to flee Boston for New York. Injured and seeking asylum, Liam meets Erin, the only woman who has ever stirred both his intellect and his passions.
     A bloodied, bruised, and hunted man was the last thing hardworking inn keeper Erin Baldwin expected to find in her courtyard. Although circumstances urged her to send Liam packing, the way her beloved dog Jack took to him convinced her to give his sanctuary. She discovers a kindred soul and is soon fighting a powerful attraction to this impossibly handsome man. As she grows closer she wonders, what are his true intentions?
     The discovery of a secret document brings Liam and Erin closer and enables them to embark on the adventure of a lifetime. Will they be partners until they reap their rewards, or is their partnership meant to last a lifetime?
    
The Reluctant Heir is an American historical romance set in New York’s Hudson River Valley in the 1830’s. If you like strong female characters, roguish heroes, and 19th Century adventure tales, you’ll love Jean Jacobsen’s latest novel.

http://geni.us/Gw0r


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Promise only what you can deliver. Then deliver more than you promise. 

– Unknown

Confessions of a Pantser by Sandra Gardner

Today at The Write Way Cafe author Sandra Garner enlightens us on the ins and outs of pantser versus plotter.


I’m a proud pantser. As you might guess, a pantser is a person who writes by the seat of his or her pants. More or less.

That’s versus a plotter, a term that usually refers to someone who carefully plots, using tools such as an outline of what’s to come. Or what should be to come.

There’s the problem with being too much of one or the other. Too much plotting can mean the characters aren’t fleshed out enough. Too much pantsing can make your mystery go off the rails. Most writers have to use elements of both. For me, going over to the, um, other side – plotting – happens when I get desperate. When I’m mumbling to the people populating my head, this book isn’t going anywhere, guys. We need help!

Sometimes, I feel as if I don’t have much to do with what my characters do and say. They just appear inside my head and start doing things. Often I don’t know where they’re going or what they’ll be doing next. When they talk to me. I let them go on and on, telling me what’s happening (external dialogue), what they’re thinking (internal dialogue), what they’re planning on doing (action), what they’re afraid of (tension). I’m their scribe, there to listen and take all the notes I can scribble. And then try to make sense out of it all.

That’s all well and good. But … much as I loathe outlines, at some point, I have to bite the bullet. Because though I love listening to my characters, getting to know them, letting them have relationships, getting themselves in trouble, fighting off those who mean them harm – sometimes landing them in near-death experiences but managing to get themselves out of them – eventually, I realize that I don’t know where all this is going, how it’s going to get where it needs to get, and what I need to do to make it work to a satisfying end. Somehow, I have to balance keeping the characters talking, walking and acting, moving the story along and making it all work. In other words, I need … an outline.

Here’s an example from my Mother-and-Me Mystery Series.

My main character, MC (protagonist) Marabella, and her recently deceased mother (sidekick) – the bane of her existence in life -- popped into my head and wouldn’t leave (see description of the ghost-mother-detective later). That happened in Dead Shrinks Don’t Talk, book 1 in the Mother-and-Me Mysteries.

In Grave Expectations, book 2, the annoyingly helpful ghost mother reappears, warning about imminent danger to Marabella’s favorite neighbor, Sam. Sam becomes the first victim of an unknown killer. Mixed in were a bunch of possible suspects (greedy relatives, heir to the first victim’s considerable estate). There’s a second victim (Rose, another elderly neighbor and Sam’s friend), and then a third victim. Marabella tries to enlist the help of the NYPD. Unfortunately for her, her bête noir from book 1, Detective Eddie Rivera, now a lieutenant, doesn’t believe there was a murder and as usual, doesn’t take Marabella’s instincts seriously.

Though you need strong, believable characterization in a mystery – as in any fiction – you need a strong, believable story for the characters to inhabit. Which involves (sigh) plotting.

So, a plot outline becomes necessary. I’ve tried it several ways. One way is writing down scenes in numerical order. Here’s what I did in Grave Expectations:

     1.  Marabella’s (main character, amateur detective) elderly neighbor Sam (victim) is found dead. She and her mother-the-ghost-detective (sidekick) think it could be murder. Marabella calls cops and, as the executor of Sam’s will, notifies his greedy relatives and heirs (suspects).

      2.  Rose, another elderly neighbor and friend of Sam’s, is frightened, because she caught a glimpse of someone (possibly the killer) running out of Sam’s apartment. She’s afraid the person saw her.

     3.  Sam’s fancy funeral, staged by materialistic relatives. Rose isn’t there. Marabella finds her in the laundry floor, seriously injured by an attacker (second victim).

Woven into the story (and the outline) is the not-so-loving relationship between Marabella and her irritating ghost-mother. Making things worse in the relationship is the curmudgeonly cat Marabella acquired as a tiny kitten, who’s grown into Catzilla. Her mother and the cat hate each other on sight.

Into the outline go Toniann (best friend), a good listener who often just doesn’t get it. Her problem is her upcoming wedding and soon-to-be interfering mother-in-law (subplot). Marabella’s job is writing in a college PR department in New York City. (setting) In a big city, it’s easier to manufacture dangerous situations. The college is where Marabella met her hunky boyfriend, John, a vet who runs the veterinarian technician program. But his new assistant is a flirty, sexy woman whom every woman at the college, including Marabella, is ready to kill – or at least, do her harm. (subplot) Another problem in Marabella and John’s relationship is that his pets are three large St. Bernard brothers. Marabella hasn’t told him that she’s terrified of creatures larger than a breadbox, with too many legs or no legs. Even worse, she hasn’t told him about her ghostly roommate, whom no one can see or hear except Marabella and her cat ….

To make the story work, the dreaded outline includes these relationships, what’s happening with them, how they related to our M.C., how are they moving the story along, and often leading to a subplot or two. Oh, and of course, everything leads to a climax and we find out whodunit.

Now you know why and how this proud pantser uses an outline to save her mystery novel.

When Marabella’s favorite neighbor, Sam, dies, everyone -- including the NYPD – thinks it was natural causes. After all, Sam was pushing 80, with a heart condition. But Marabella knows his heart problem was mild and under control with medication. And she’s already acquainted with Sam’s greedy relatives, so she doesn’t think there’s anything natural about it. Neither does her sleuthing sidekick, her mother-the-ghost-detective, who recently dropped back into Marabella’s life, happy to interfere again. Marabella and her mother vow to track down the killer by investigating the heirs to Sam’s considerable estate. Can she and her mother find the killer before the killer finds her?

More information about Sandra Gardner and her books is available on her Website

Grave Expectations, book 2 in the Mother-and-Me Mystery Series, was published by Black Opal Books in December, 2018.

Print and e-reader copies are available from:

Amazon           Barnes and Noble         Kobo             Black Opal Books

Tuesday Special: Loveless Arrow

Lynn Hammond  

LynnHammondauthor.wordpress.com

 

Victoria Price likes nothing more than to be in her deer stand, hunting for her next trophy hunt. She is only in her twenties and owns her own hunting show. Everything is great except her next-door neighbor has been an asshole since his wife died. He blames Victoria and her love of the outdoors for the tragedy.

Keith Thomas has spent two years hating his neighbor. Without her, Holly would never have wanted to go hunting, and she would still be alive. And now, with another season about to start, Victoria in her hunting gear will be taunting him every day.
 
Or enticing him?
 
One dangerous act will force these two together, but nothing good can come of this. Or can it?

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Lynn Hammond works fulltime as an LPN but writes at night. She lives in Rock Hill, South Carolina. She is an RWA member. She loves to make children’s tutu's in her spare time. Every night before bed she takes time to read. She loves romance, paranormal romance, and erotica. She is a proud mother of three beautiful girls, two beautiful grandbabies, two boxer pups, two lizards, seven ducks, and loves spending time with her husband riding in her father’s old corvette. She is a new author writing New Adult romance and would love to hear from readers. You can contact her at lynnhammondauthor@gmail.com. To find out more, please visit her Facebook page.