Excerpt from Cape Cursed

Hi Party-Goers:

I'm back from planting my mums and pulling weeds. I hope you are enjoying your Sunday.

Here is an excerpt from CAPE CURSED:


“Who’s Parker Swain? And why does he owe you?” Nancy asked. 

“Some local yokel who jumped down my throat for moving,” Bliss rolled her eyes, “his lighthouse. I wanted clams. If there is a curse down here, I hope it’s on him.” 

“His lighthouse? A curse?” 

“Yes, some legend about the place being cursed.” 

“I never heard that before. Sounds ominous.” 

Bliss shrugged. “Just some nonsense. Apparently, they call this place Cape Cursed instead of Cape Destiny. He’s related to the people who used to be the lighthouse keepers.” Bliss shut the lid and tossed her unwanted dinner onto the small table. “He’s obsessed with the lighthouse. Probably something psychosexual—a phallic symbol to make up for his own poor excuse for manhood.” 

Nancy looked alarmed. “Do you think he’ll pose a problem for the project?” 

"You mean like chaining himself to the lighthouse?” 

Nancy nodded. 

Bliss riffled through the brown bag until she found a small container of coleslaw. “No, he’s just annoying, that’s all.” 

Nancy exhaled audibly. “Probably just one of those old history buffs who can’t let go of the past.” 

Bliss removed the lid of the coleslaw. “Oh, he’s not old. He’s young. And gorgeous.” 

Nancy rose and eyed Bliss. “Gorgeous?” she asked, her voice sounding concerned. 

Bliss stuck her fork into the cabbage. “Oh yeah. He’s blond and tanned and muscular. And has brown eyes as deep and yummy as dark chocolate.” 

“And you were attracted to him?” 

 Bliss could feel her watching her as she ate. “Well, any woman with a pulse would be,” she said then swallowed. “That was until he hopped all over me.” 

Nancy sat back down. “Good.” 

Bliss looked over at her assistant. “Good that he hopped all over me?” 

“No, that you’re no longer attracted to him.” 

I didn’t say that, Bliss thought. 

Nancy pursed her lips and shook her head. “We don’t need another man interfering with the business.” 

Bliss saw Jonathan’s cold blue eyes in her mind. How murderous they had become when she’d told him that she was leaving him, leaving the firm, and taking his best employees to launch her own company.

A company that would compete head-to-head with his. 

She recalled how red his face had become, like someone had tightened his silk tie and was choking him when she reminded him that he’d never had her sign a no-compete clause. She heard, once again, his threats that she’d be sorry, that he’d ruin her as she left his office. No, she didn’t need any more trouble from handsome men. 

“Don’t worry, Nancy,” Bliss said. “I’ve learned my lesson with Jonathan. This company and this project are too important for me to allow anything to mess it up.” 

Bliss gazed out at the dark ocean and silently vowed: I’ll never let another man come between me and my career.”

Janice Lane Palko

janicelanepalko@gmail.com

www.thewritinglane.blogspot.com

www.janicelanepalko.com

Other books by Janice::

St. Anne's Day, a romantic comedy

A Shepherd's Song, a Christmas romance 

Thank Goodness All Parties Don't Happen on Sunday Morning!

Morning Party-Goers!

Thanks to our  hostess Goddess Fish for throwing this shindig!

I had a busy Saturday so I'm a bit discombobulated (how do you like throwing that word around early in the morning?).  But I'm happy to be here to tell you about my latest romantic suspense novel that is launching this month.  It is entitled CAPE CURSED, and it involves lighthouses, hurricanes, curses, secrets, revenge and, of course, love.  I've already gotten great feedback from my readers--everything from "This is your best book yet!" to "You've nailed the Southern man!"

Here's a bit about the novel to whet your appetite and enhance your Sunday brunch:

Inspired by the actual relocation of the Cape Hatteras lighthouse in 1999, Cape Cursed is set on the fictitious Outer Banks location of Cape Destiny, North Carolina. Bliss Sherman comes to the cape determined to make a name for herself and her new firm by accomplishing an incredible engineering feat—moving the Cape Destiny Lighthouse inland before it's swallowed by the Atlantic Ocean. 

Bliss, who has struggled with dyslexia, discrimination, and betrayal by her ex-husband and former business partner, Jonathan, faces her greatest challenge when she falls in love with the handsome, mysterious descendant of the lighthouse keepers, Parker Swain, who vehemently opposes moving the lighthouse. 

When Bliss is viciously attacked, she begins to wonder if the curse that is rumored to be attached to the lighthouse may be true. Who is sabotaging the move? Who is trying to ruin her? Who wants to kill her? When all clues point to Parker, she dismisses her suspicions, deciding to trust him and her heart, but as the evidence mounts against Parker, she begins to doubt not only herself and her heart, but Parker. 

Can she trust her judgment? Can she trust Parker? Most importantly, when she is trapped inside the lighthouse with him during a hurricane, can she trust Parker with her life? 

CAPE CURSED is available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Smashwords.  I also invite you to visit my website or blog, where you can find out more about me, my other books, and how to sign up for my newsletter.  I often run contests for my newsletter subscribers, and I would love to add you to my list of reading friends.  

So here's a question.  How do you plan to spend your Sunday? This day kicks off the NFL season.  Will you be watching football?  Cooking Sunday dinner?  Doing laundry?  Reading CAPE CURSED?  (I hope!)  I will monitor the football games, but I'm going to be pulling weeds and planting mums and checking back here to visit with you and to find out how you are spending your Sunday.   

Thanks and talk to you later on in the day!

Janice