Shannon here: Rebecca Carey Lyles shares insight into her latest Romantic Suspense, Shadow Ranch, the first book in the Children of the Light series with a romantic interview, excerpt, & and link to a gluten free pancake recipe. Comment or answer the question in this post to enter the drawing for a print or digital copy. Deadline: Dec 30th, 11:59 pm central time. Here’s Rebecca:
Shadow Ranch begins with heroine, Kasenia Clarke, and faux hero, Brewster Wiley, whose actions
soon prove him to be a villain, not a hero. Later, the true hero, Trent Duran, comes along. For the below questions, I’ll use hero #1 and early excerpts from the story.
- What’s the most romantic thing your hero ever did for the heroine?
He brought dinner and flowers and played catch with her brother so she could study.
- Where is the most romantic place your hero and heroine have ever been?
The Las Vegas ballroom where they danced cheek to cheek was an incredibly romantic setting. He wore a black tuxedo, and she wore a sequined floor-length gown.
Dancing with her handsome husband beneath shimmering chandeliers felt like stepping into a Russian fairytale.
- How soon after meeting the heroine did the hero know she was the one?
Immediately!
“Really?” Kasenia gasped. “God talked to you about me? When was that?”
“The first day you walked into my class with your beautiful hair catching the light from the windows. And your long legs… Well, let’s just say I was more than ready to obey when he spoke.”
- How soon after meeting the hero did the heroine know he was the one?
She didn’t know he was “the one” until he proposed, and then she wasn’t certain.
- Who said, “I love you” first, your hero or your heroine?
He slipped the ring onto her finger, lifted her to her feet, and for the first time, said, “I love you, Kasenia Anya Clarke.”
She wrapped her arms around his neck, sensing the weight of the ring. Did diamonds always feel so heavy? “I… I love you, too, Brewster Anton Wiley.”
- If your hero and heroine end up married, where will they go on their honeymoon?
They had a brief honeymoon in Vegas with the promise of a European honeymoon that never materialized.
Excerpt from Shadow Ranch by Rebecca Carey Lyles:
For as long as she could remember, Kasenia Clarke had harbored a love-hate relationship with Arizona weather.
Tonight, she tilted toward love.
A spring breeze drifted over the hillside patio, teasing her hair and carrying a sweet citrus-blossom tang from a nearby orchard, a smell so delicious she could taste it. Below her, Mexican poppies blanketed the rocky slope, their golden petals luminous in the sunset’s waning rays. Saguaro silhouettes, dozens of them, rose above the poppies and creosote bushes. Kasenia imagined the tall cacti with their barrel arms raised heavenward to be prickly desert warriors welcoming the night. Babushka Irina, her Russian grandmother, would say they were praising God.
“Kasenia…a penny for your thoughts.”
She smiled and turned to her host.
Across the table from her, just beyond a candle flickering in a lantern, Brewster Wiley winked. “I’d swear you were a thousand miles away.”
Tall and slender yet buff beneath his fitted suit jacket, the University of Arizona professor had a trendy blond haircut—short on the sides with a bit more on top, a reddish-blond five o’clock shadow, and a smile she couldn’t resist. As always, the pocket handkerchief in his silver-gray Armani jacket matched his silk tie, this one a blue paisley print.
“Such a beautiful evening.” Kasenia lifted her wine glass, twisting it to catch the candle’s shimmer through the ginger ale. In Russia, she drank wine, but here she was too young. “I always enjoy sitting on your patio with you, Brewster. The view is amazing.”
He raised his glass in response. “A view made even lovelier by your presence, my dear.”
“You can barely see me.” She laughed.
“Oh, but I remember…” His eyes glittered in the candlelight.
Question for Readers: Has a charlatan ever duped you or someone you know? Share your story.
Recipe:
A friend shared this gluten-free pancake recipe that’s actually good. I’ve experimented a lot with GF flours and recipes over the years, and the results haven’t always been stellar. You can see the ingredients, directions and additional tips here: https://cassidyscraveablecreations.com/cassava-flour-review-two-pancake-recipes-both-paleo-nut-free/#recipe
About Rebecca: Becky Lyles lives with her husband, Steve, in Boise, Idaho, where she serves as an editor and as a mentor for aspiring authors. In addition to writing nonfiction, she writes award-winning fiction and has two published series—Kate Neilson Series and Prisoners of Hope Series—plus the first book in the Children of the Light Series titled Shadow Ranch. She also hosts a podcast with Steve called “Let Me Tell You a Story.” Learn more & connect:
Becky Lyles Podcast Becky Lyles Website beckylyles@beckylyles.com.
About the book – Shadow Ranch:
University of Arizona student Kasenia Clarke knows where she’s headed in life and how to get there. But falling under a charismatic professor’s spell was not part of her plan. When a romantic weekend getaway to his isolated ranch reveals his perverse agenda, Kasenia finds herself a prisoner of a madman.
Desperate to extricate herself and her teenage brother from the locked compound near the U.S./Mexico border, she frantically searches for someone to help them escape. The other “captives,” who seem content with their unconventional lifestyle, are suspicious of Kasenia and her rebellious ideas. Can she trust anyone to aid her quest for freedom when the group’s loyalty is to the professor and their activities are monitored day and night?
Can’t wait for the drawing? Worried you won’t win? Interested in Becky’s other titles?
Get your copy/copies now!
Come back Dec 22nd for Patricia Lee!
No, so far I have been lucky enough that a charlatan has never duped me or someone I know.
Wonderful — God has protected you! 🙂
I made a friend once who turned out to have a dark past. It turned out, the darkness wasn’t so much in the past. She duped others, but not me. I still pray for her.
Wow! Apparently, the darkness followed her. Very cool that you pray for her. Every now and then I think of crazy situations from the past and am grateful we can pray for people even when we have no idea where they live now or how their lives have changed.
Not necessarily duped but I was pulled into couple schemes, unfortunately. Glad, I got out in time!
My grandma’s name was Ksenia
How cool your grandma was named Ksenia! I love the name with that spelling and that’s how my character started out on the page. But my critique partners said they couldn’t pronounce it, so I added the “a.” Whether it helps others or not, I don’t know. 🙂
When I was a young girl I was naive and ended up being fooled by friends. They would pretend they cared about me and would be talking bad about me behind my back. It taught me to be cautious in choosing my friends.
Your story makes me long for heaven, Cherie, where we’ll all walk in the Light and friendship will take on a whole new meaning and go to levels we can only imagine. Or maybe we can’t begin to imagine! 🙂
I usually am not duped, but we all are vulnerable.
Good reminder, Jennifer! Makes me think of what Jesus said in Matthew. “Be wise as snakes and as harmless as dove.” 🙂
I have a winner! Becky Nelson won the drawing. I appreciate Rebecca for being my guest and everyone else for stopping by.