Welcome to Weekend Writing Warriors !
This week I’m continuing snippets from my just released short read, A Return to Life, an excerpt from A Countess of Convenience, book 1 of my new series, Captivating Countesses.
BLURB:
Following a tragic accident, an unconscious Judith Harper returns to her childhood home. Miraculously, she awakens but to a horribly changed world in which she finds her husband not only dead, but herself dishonored by him before his death. Can she find the strength to pick up the pieces and return to a life of her own?
EXCERPT:
Her shout made Judith cringe as her head pounded. “Larkin, please, my head is tender. Why should you both be so excited because I’m awake?” Staring at the maid, Judith suddenly looked at the bed she lay in and cocked her head saying, “This isn’t our room at Downing Place.” Her gaze roamed the walls, filled with family portraits. “It looks like my old room at home at Ruecroft.”
“Dearest, you are at Ruecroft,” Dora took her hand and squeezed it, excitement animating her usually solemn face, “Larkin, go tell Mrs. Welbourne to come quickly–Judith is awake.”
“Mamma is here?” Nothing was making any sense at all. “But of course if I am at home she would be there, but why am I home?”
And now a little more of the scene :
“My dear, it is a very long story that I cannot begin to tell you.” Dora’s smile stretched across her entire visage. A smile that Judith saw all too seldom. “Although I will tell you that you have been very ill indeed these past—” Her sister-in-law reddened. “For some time now. But here is your mother.”
Mamma rushed into the room, gasped, and burst into tears. “Judith, my love.” She ran to the bed and threw her arms around Judith. “Oh, we were certain you would die, my dear. It is a miracle that you live.” Tears glistened on her mother’s cheeks. “Lord Farringdon has wrought this miracle. God bless him.” Mamma wiped her eyes and turned to Larkin. “Run find Mr. Welbourne and Lord Farringdon. Tell them what has happened.”
The maid bobbed a curtsy and bolted from the room.
“Please speak lower and slower, Mamma. I have a headache right here.” Judith touched her right temple to discover a bandage of some sort tied around her head. With her fingers she traced the edge of the linen and pressed inward. “Ouch.” That had hurt dreadfully. “Mamma, what has happened to me?”
A Return to Life is available on Amazon for .99 and on Smashwords for free. I was so busy finishing the book, I didn’t post the release! But I will on Tuesday.
But here is the temporary cover for A Countess of Convenience which is also available on Amazon for the pre-sale price of $2.99.
There will also be a cover reveal for the real cover for A Countess of Convenience here on my blog on Wednesday!
But don’t forget to check out the rest of the Warriors here. There’s some fantastic snippets to be read.
Captivating Countesses series
by Jenna Jaxon
Jenna Jaxon Romance--because passion is timeless. 
I’m as curious as she is to what has happened. Great scene.
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Oh, my. She has to be so confused. Good job.
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It would be terrible to wake up and find you’d lost so much. Good snippet.
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Thank you, Elaine. It would indeed.
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This poor woman has big problems. I can’t imagine (well, after reading this I can) what it would be like to awaken to a life suddenly turned toes over nose.
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Thank you so much, Ed! I have never heard that expression before! Charming!
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I used that expression in my first sci fi novel, The Trial of Tompa Lee. I haven’t heard it anywhere else, but it not only rhymes, it makes much more sense that something like ‘head over heels.’
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And just like that, I’m hooked! That is another lovely cover. I would very much like to escape into the picture on the front. 🙂
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Thank you, Julie! You and me both! I’d love to walk down that road on a warm spring day.
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Intriguing – One mystery after another – why is she at her childhood home and what happened to her head.
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Those are the questions to be answered in the next couple of weeks, Aurora.
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Quite the mystery and I’m completely bought into the story and eagerly awaiting more details! Enjoyed the snippet…
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Thank you, Veronica! You will get a good bit more next week.
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Momma’s bursting in would give anybody a headache.
Tweeted.
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LOL! Thank you, Daryl. Yes, Mamma is a bit of a flibbertigibbet!
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One surprise after the next, seemingly innocent, but foreshadows hard news. Great snippet.
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Thank you, Shari! Yes, she’s in for a bit of a shock.
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I have a feeling she’s about to be shocked when she learns what happened to her.
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I think you are right, Jessica!
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What a way to wake up! LOVE the cover. 🙂 Hope to find time to read this today. 🙂
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Thank you so much, Teresa! Hope you enjoy it. It will take all of about 10 minutes to read. 🙂 Just a chapter, but it pack in a lot!
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Captivating snippet! What is mama going to tell her?
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Thank you, Karen! You find out next week!
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