Today I'm thrilled to welcome Kary Rader to my blog for a visit! She has a new book out that I'm excited to dive into - THE PIRATE PRINCESS is the second in her Reign of Light series, and a New Adult fantasy romance.
Kary has a new publisher and a new look, and I totally can't wait to start reading! (Well, I have to wait a few more days as still getting number one son ready to leave for college in 13 days, but who's counting?)
Here's a little about the book:
BY HONOR ALONE
A handsome war hero, Prince Petra can have his pick of any lady in the kingdom. A man of virtue, he's saved himself for just the right one. But when the corrupt emperor of Isa Vis kidnaps a duke's daughter to force her into an alliance, Petra sacrifices himself—and his dreams of love—to save her. Betrothing himself to the distant captive, he leads a daring rescue across the stormy South Sea.
A handsome war hero, Prince Petra can have his pick of any lady in the kingdom. A man of virtue, he's saved himself for just the right one. But when the corrupt emperor of Isa Vis kidnaps a duke's daughter to force her into an alliance, Petra sacrifices himself—and his dreams of love—to save her. Betrothing himself to the distant captive, he leads a daring rescue across the stormy South Sea.
But The Light has other plans. On the voyage,
Petra runs afoul of Charlee. Once a prisoner, now a pirate captain, the sultry
siren holds him captive with more than just her sword. And when she offers a
seductive wager—if he takes her body before they reach the City of Light, she
wins absolution for her crimes—it is all he can do to hold firm. While he has
every reason to bring Charlee to justice, he’s also finally found a woman he
wants more than honor. And he can no more trust her than he can trust himself.
Sounds pretty cool, right? Perfect adventure for reading on the beach! Now here's Kary, to tell us about one of the legends that inspired the adventures in this story.
I wanted a creature that existed in myth and legend, but I
didn’t want one everyone has heard of.
So I researched the ranks of fabled sea monsters and modeled mine after
one of the more obscure—The Aspidochelone or Asp Turtle.
The Aspidochelone is a vast creature who lures unsuspecting
sailors to their deaths by disguising itself as an island. Yes- that’s right!
An island. The sailors dock on what looks to be a sandy beach complete with
green shrubs and wildlife only to be submerged helplessly into the water while
the giant predator comes up beneath them for feeding. The sheer size of the
animal can demolish large ships, but it generally works with the stealth of its
upper shell masquerading as landfall.
The creature is most often mentioned in medieval writings,
but it is also noted in the famed Physiologus, a Greek Text from
Alexandria, Egypt in the 2nd Century. The Asp Turtle is said to be a
moralistic representation of Satan who deceives those he wishes to devour.
The scene in The Pirate Princess involving the
Aspidochelone is a harrowing adventure for the hero and heroine, and one my
kids love me to retell. I hope you’ll check it out.
~ * ~ * ~ * ~
Kary also sent an excerpt from the book, to further entice you readers....
Excerpt from THE PIRATE PRINCESS by Kary Rader, copyright 2014:
“Your
room is here.” She stopped abruptly, and Petra turned to face her. Close enough
to touch him, she placed a hot hand on his chests, searing his flesh. “These
are fine accommodations.” She gazed into his eyes and traced her bottom lip
with her tongue. “But how would you like to spend the night in my cabin, Prince?”
The
challenge of their earlier conversation hung in the air, and he was not about
to prove himself the sum total of his desire—regardless of how much he longed
to. Petra had learned enough of strategy to know this was her power move. He
could perhaps make a few bold moves of his own. “Captain, my body wishes for
nothing more, but I must decline, for I’m not a man given idly to passion.”
She
narrowed her eyes. “Is that right?”
Maintaining
her gaze, he nodded. “I have requirements before I could allow myself to…delight in an offer such as yours.”
“I
don’t barter for pleasure, Prince. I don’t need to.”
“Nor
was I suggesting you should.”
“What
are you suggesting then?”
“I
suggest nothing. I’m merely stating
that if I were to make love to you—or any woman—I would require one thing.”
A
smile grazed her lips as if she’d already won a hard-fought battle. “What,
then, is your requirement?”
Petra
softly captured her face with his hands and peered down into it, unblinking.
“Your heart. Your whole heart.”
Her
eyes widened; she trembled beneath his fingers even as her face paled. The loud
clack of the sword falling to the floor couldn’t distract him. She pulled from
his grasp. Turning her back, her voice faltered. “Why would you want that?”
“Because
it’s what I would offer in return.” He spun Charlee to face him and pinned her
against a cabin door, hands on either side of the wood as he leaned in toward
her. The closeness of her presence filled him as if she were a fine, spiced
wine. In this moment, he could overpower her, but some heightened sense held
him back. He searched the depths of those sparkling emerald eyes for answers
that she defied him to find.
Her
chest heaved, and her sweet breath touched his face. “That, my sweet prince, is
something you will never get.
About the author:
Kary Rader is a
part-time Twitter sage, stay-at-home mother of three, and slave to the
characters and worlds inside her head. Always creative, she's drawn to stories
with fantastical worlds and creatures. With a little bit of magic and divine guidance,
there isn't anything that can't be accomplished with words. It's the power of
words that creates and destroys. Vanquishing evil and injustice while finding
eternal love in the process is all in a day's work. With the help of her
critique partners and master cartographer imaginary places come to life.
Author Links:
Website/Blog: www.karyrader.com
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