By Love's Honor Bound
by Patricia Bond
Historical Romance
Categories: Action/Adventure, Mystery/Thriller
Publisher: Soul Mate Publishing
Release Date: July 17, 2013
Heat Level: Steamy
Word Count: 98,000
Available at:
Description:
Someone
is killing Conductors on the Underground Railroad one by one. With a cellar
full of runaway slaves, Olivia June Mathieson must decide - is the handsome
Fenton Pierce-Smythe savior or traitor?
Both
Fenton Pierce-Smythe’s fiancee and grandfather were killed when runaway slaves
spooked their horses. Determined no one else will face that pain, he hunts
runaways to return them safely to their owners. But can he remain unmoved by
their plight? And unaffected by the beautiful woman who risks her life to lead
them to freedom?
About the Author:
Ever
since her first encounter with a long hooped skirt gown at age 5, Ms. Bond fell
in love with the style. Her love of historical romance began a bit later, when
she discovered Gladys Malvern’s books and scoured the public library for every
one she could find. Reading Gone With the Wind as a teenager cemented her
suspicion that she was born about 100 years too late. She daydreamed about
writing novels but knew it was beyond her ability at that time. Instead, she tried her hand at poetry and
really bad iambic pentameter flowed from her fingers. Thankfully, for the world
at large, it was a short-lived obsession.
After
attending an all-girl high school run by Felician nuns, she enrolled in a local
men’s college that had just opened its doors to women. (A Libra, she
understands the need for balance.) She earned her B.A. in English, and met her
future husband there. Many years, four
children and a grandchild later, the man who made her see fireworks with the
first kiss is still her go-to research assistant for all things romantic.
The
desire to write books never left, even as she worked selling property and
casualty insurance, Avon , and craft kits. She
sold luggage at a local department store to earn the money to attend her first
RWA national conference and finally feels safe enough to admit to hiding a
legal pad under her counter where she wrote scenes in between customers. She
still does much of her writing longhand. (100 years too late, remember?)
RWA
is the best thing to happen to her writing career, teaching the art as well as
the craft of writing. It also brought her together with four of the most
amazing women she’s ever known - critique partners and friends. Special thanks and much love to Helen, Karen,
Carol and Jan. An amateur photographer, Reiki master and Guild knitter, Ms.
Bonds lives in Western New York one mile from
the home she grew up in. You can often find her at the lakeside, camera and
notebook in hand.
Connect with Patricia Bond
Website: http://www.patricia-bond.com/
Interview Questions:
1.
Where did the idea
come from for the book?
It's sort of a combination of things – I live in
Western New York which has a rich history, including being a major stopping
point for runaway slaves to enter into Canada. There are several buildings in
the area that were used as “stations” for the Underground Railroad and are
designated as historic sites. I had heard a best-selling author say that she
found story lines by giving her hero and heroine opposite occupations, like the
preservationist and the developer. I thought of a conductor on the Underground
Railroad, and the natural opposite to that is the bounty hunter. And so were
born Livvy and Fenton.
2.
What genre does your
book fall under?
My book is a
historical romance with a subplot of murder, betrayal and all sorts of mayhem.
3.
Which actors would
you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?
Oh. . . that's kind of
tough. I think maybe a younger Pierce Brosnan. He's got the look – that dark,
dark hair and the blue eyes, and maybe Kiera Knightly as Livvy – blonde, spunky
and cute as hell.
4.
What is the
one-sentence synopsis of your book?
How long a sentence
can I use? How about. . . . Underground Railroad conductor Olivia Mathieson
mistakes bounty hunter Fenton Pierce-Smythe for her next contact on the
railroad, but can Fenton remain unmoved by the runaways' plight and the woman
who guides them?
Sounds about right to me **smile**
5.
Will your book be
self-published or represented by an agency?
My book is published
through SoulMate Publishing.
6.
How long did it take
you to write the first draft of your manuscript?
The first draft took
me 2 yrs to write.
7.
What other books
would you compare this story to within your genre?
Not many that have
been written lately. Most of the books with this setting were popular in the
80's and 90's, so any comparison would be very dated. I can tell you I loved
reading Jennifer Blake's early books that she set in Louisianna in the early to
mid 1800s, and have been patiently waiting for the market to once again embrace
America in the 1800s. It's been a long time coming.
8.
Who or What inspired
you to write this book?
As I said, the story
idea of an Underground Railroad conductor and bounty hunter had been bouncing
around in my head for a bit. I was actually working on a different novel where
I had put the characters on a trans-Atlantic crossing. They were at dinner and
I realized I needed other people to sit at their table, and that was where I
met Livvy, fully growed and everything, with Fenton at her side. Admittedly,
they were 60 years old at this time, but their characters were already so fully
developed and vibrant, it took me no time at all to realize I had my bounty
hunter and conductor. They were so alive they nearly took over that book and
were like little kids constantly tugging at my sleeve asking “Is it our turn
yet?” Honestly, I don't think I could have NOT written this book – they would
have nagged me to death..
9.
What else about your
book might pique the reader’s interest?
Besides the love
story, I think the history is fascinating. It was an amazing time in our
country's history and the issue of slavery in all its variants is still
compelling now. I tried to faithfully render the treatment the slaves received.
Not all were abused and when Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation
freeing them, there were a lot who refused to leave their masters who had
treated them well, who were afraid and didn't know how to provide for
themselves. Of course, there were those who were treated horribly, and I touch
on some of that as well. There's also an intriguing cast of supporting
characters that I had a lot of fun with, and am currently brewing up a story
for Livvy's brother, Bobby. Grandmere and Jean Claude are also tickling my mind
– I just hope they're more patient than Livvy and Fenton were.
Excerpt One
1860
God,
it was awful.
The
whiskey was bad enough, and the stench of sour ale, unwashed bodies, and horse
hung in the air like a sail in a calm, but this caterwauling could bring a
strong man to his knees.
The
girl was pretty, Fenton acknowledged. Remarkably so. She had blond ringlets,
brown eyes, and a pair of delicate rosy lips pursed in an invitingly kissable
shape. But, the noise coming from them was enough to make one wish for a fence
full of toms serenading their lady love.
He
closed his eyes and raked his fingers through his hair, praying for the singing
to stop. Fenton Pierce-Smythe considered himself a patient man, unflappable and
usually tolerant of his fellow man. Truly, though, this was testing even his
limits.
Temperance
songs were far from popular fare. Especially in taverns. Reactions ranged from
drunken jeers and catcalls to being ignored. Fenton admired her courage though,
both for her attempt to redeem the souls of his fellow patrons, and for her
actually singing with that voice. He closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of
his nose, wishing he had the guts to put his fingers in his ears instead.
The
singing came to an end, praise God. He opened his eyes to see the object of his
fantasies heading his way with a coffeepot. As she approached, the color of her
eyes became clearer, a deep, rich brown capable of drowning a man as surely as
sable invited one’s touch. Many souls had been lost for less. He watched her
serve coffee at the next table. Then she was right there, standing by his
table.
“Save
your soul, sir, and give up the devil’s libation.”
He
raised a brow and looked from his glass to her face, then slowly smiled. “Only
if you’ll stay with me and keep me from temptation.”
Her
blush charmed him. “I-I c-can’t. I must try to save all of you.” Her gaze
flitted around the room, unable to land on any one place before returning to
his face.
“Most
of these poor sods could care less about saving their souls,” he said. “As soon
as you leave, the whiskey will flow freely again. Wouldn’t you rather know
you’ve saved one soul, than try to redeem many and fail?”
She
stood there, speechless, which was a pity, for however horrendous her singing
was, she spoke with a voice smooth and deep as velvet.
“Join
me?” he asked, rising halfway and pulling a chair out from the table.
“I
can’t,” she repeated. “Please, take some coffee instead.” She reached behind
her for a chipped cup from a tray her companion held, and then took a step
forward. Her foot hooked on the leg of the chair he had been bringing out for
her, and she lurched forward. As she tried to catch herself on the back of the
chair, the hand holding the coffeepot drooped down, pouring the hot liquid
directly onto his lap and thigh.
Fenton
yelped and jumped up as the coffee ran over him. His eyes cleared from the mist
of pain in time for him to see the horror on her face. She looked as if she
were about to cry. “I’m sorry,” he heard himself say, and wondered why he was
apologizing. It was his manhood and parental possibilities that were at risk
here.
From
habit, his hand moved to his pocket for a handkerchief instead of reaching for
the kerchief tied around his neck. He was immediately grateful he remembered to
leave his monogrammed handkerchief at home. Plucking at the cloth of his rough
trousers, he tried to get the warm fabric away from his skin. She was still
staring at him, and despite his discomfort, he found himself thinking about the
feel of her soft lips on his. Her chin trembled, ending his reverie.
“I’m
all right,” he assured her, even though his thigh still hurt like hell, and the
rest of him . . .
Her
eyes sparkled though her smile was watery. “Are you sure?” she asked.
Well
. . . “Truly.” He nodded. What the hell? He didn’t want to make her feel too
guilty. He doubted he was permanently impaired.
“I’m
so glad,” she said in a rush. “I really thought I had hurt you. Would you like
some coffee?” She brandished the pot in his general direction. He quickly
side-stepped away from her.
“I
think I’ve had all I care for, tonight. Thank you just the same.” He restrained
himself from grabbing the pot from her hand before she could come close again.
“You’re
not from around here,” she stated, studying him. “Not many sailors come this
far away from the Potomac . What are you doing
here?”
Ah,
well. Yes, what was he doing here? Looking for someone who was running slaves
to the north, that’s what, but it was decidedly unhealthy to make that kind of
information available. Still, perhaps the girl might know someone. “I was told
there was a captain here, looking for crewmen. I hoped I could find him, and
sign on.”
Not
bad as lies went. In truth, he was looking for a captain, and had been told
that one of the “conductors” codenames was Captain. He watched her face intently.
Her tears threatened to fall and he handed her the kerchief he’d used to wipe
his leg.
Olivia
June Mathieson, Livvy to her friends, took the proffered cloth, acutely aware
of the paper in her pocket. The note from Dragonslayer was very specific. Was
this man the Marauder? He’d given Jedidiah’s codename, but not the password
she’d expected.
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