Author of The Kure-Jaye Frances Guest Post/International-Giveaway

I hope everyone is having a great week so far. Today it is my pleasure to introduce you to an author new to me, Jaye Frances and hope you make her welcome for her guest post and giveaway for one lucky winner for a Kindle copy of her dark paranormal romance book " The Kure".

Thank you, Jackie, for hosting me on Housewife Blues and Chihuahua Stories 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 right now through Amazon.

When a lover deceives us, can we ever forgive them?

I’d like to start with a brief synopsis. The story takes place in 1860’s Kentucky, when John Tyler, a young man in his early twenties, awakens to discover 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 sinister 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.

In the following excerpt, John has called on Sarah under the false pretense of delivering a message from the village pastor. As he sits in the Sheridan parlor, waiting for Sarah to make an appearance, he is subjected to the scrutiny of Sarah’s father, Marcus Sheridan.

Excerpt:

The sound grew louder and more distinct, the source seeming to be moving closer. Quickly evolving into an unbroken series of claps and snaps, it cut through Sheridan’s prattle like a razor. A sudden jolt of recognition brought a visible shudder to John’s weakened frame. It was the clipping of smooth soles on hardwood. Someone was moving through the house.

It’s Sarah! Coming down the stairs. It has to be. There’s no one else here.

Although Sheridan was still talking, John’s attention was completely overwhelmed by the approaching footsteps. He tried to swallow, but his mouth was dry as road dust, his tongue turning thick and lazy.

I’ve got to be ready, have something to say.

Panic constricted John’s chest. If he didn’t get control of himself, Sarah’s first impression of him would be that of a babbling, dimwitted idiot. Sweat trickled down his back. He sat up straight, hoping it wouldn’t bleed through his shirt.

The footsteps were sharp and distinct now, the echo almost gone.

She’s close! In the entry. Just another second or two!

John glanced down at the floor, unsure he would be able to speak. The footfalls slowed, then stopped as the whisper of rustling fabric filled the room. Even though he couldn’t see her, he could feel her, standing just a few feet away.

She’s waiting. Watching me.

He knew she would remain at the entrance of the room until her father had finished his thought. It was a simple gesture, done out of respect and to allow full attention to be brought to her at the point of introduction.

John intentionally forced a determined smile, letting the old man know it was okay to defer to his waiting daughter. But Sheridan continued to talk, his eyes weighted with oppressive scrutiny, warning John against diverting his attention to the entry.

Why doesn’t he stop? Why does he keep her standing there?

Sheridan’s rambling oratory pelted John like a confusing noise, distracting gibberish that could not compete with his daughter’s compelling presence.

Maybe when he draws a breath, I could turn toward the entry and say hello, and force him to stop.

But Sheridan was poised on the edge of his chair, his words filling the room with full force and intensity, each one tightly connected to the next, leaving no space, no time for interruptions. It was obvious: The man was accustomed to having others defer to his status and position, and it would be no different with his daughter. He would introduce
her when he was ready.

Desperate to break his counterfeit connection, John began to slowly turn, shifting in
the seat, wondering when Sheridan would notice. He would see Sarah by “accident,” and not wanting to appear rude, acknowledge her presence and if necessary, introduce himself.

With guarded movements, John continued to twist toward the foyer, hoping to discern Sarah’s hazy outline appear on the edge of his vision. But she had stopped just short of the parlor’s doorway, where her father could observe her waiting, but not so close as to force an intrusion on his conversation. John estimated he would have to make a full quarter turn before he could see her.

Tired of waiting and no longer caring that yielding to Sarah might be considered a discourteous affront to her father, John offered Sheridan one final nod of simulated attention, then turned to the form standing under the archway.

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.


For a limited time, read "The Kure" for only $.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 often see 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. 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?

About the Author:

Jaye Frances was born in the Midwest and grew up surrounded by traditional values and conservative attitudes (which she quickly discarded). She readily admits that her life’s destination has been the result of an open mind and a curiosity about all things irreverent, and she invites visitors to her website with a friendly caveat: “Be forewarned, my life has not followed the traditional path of homemaker, wife, and mother.” When she’s not consumed by her writing, Jaye enjoys cooking, traveling to all places tropical and “beachy” and taking pictures—lots of pictures—many of which wind up on her website. She lives on the central gulf coast of Florida, sharing her home with one husband, six computers, four cameras, and several hundred pairs of shoes.

You can learn more about The Kure on Jaye's Web Site where she shares insights on the book.You can purchase the book at Amazon and at B&N.
You can follow Jaye at these places:
Web Site Blog  Goodreads FB 




Today Jaye is allowing me to throw an International giveaway for one lucky winner of a Kindle copy of "The Kure".RULES:*Do not have to follow blog unless you wish to, there are multiple ways to do so on the left and right sidebars.**Comment must include valid email to contact you if you win and International entries welcome.**Must be over 18 to enter as this is an adult read.*Contest ends February 23rd at 12 Noon CST.Winner will be drawn using Randomizer.org list randomizer, contacted, confirmed, prize sent out will be directly from the author, and winner posted on blog no later than March 3rd.