What’s the point of being a storyteller if we can’t share it?
As much as I, like most of you, write what I want to read, I often read the same books that many of you read, watch the same movies and television shows and follow the same blogs. That’s more than enough to show that if I write what I want to read, odds are, others will want to read it as well.
However, like most of you, I want to know what I’m getting myself into and at least have an idea of the story before I drop my money in the jar and dedicate my precious time to it–whatever it is.
Tonight marks the three day countdown on my book release timeline so I want to share a little about the story and why I love it so much in hopes that you’ll take a chance on me and give me some of that all too precious and rare trust, that I’m not going to let you down.
The Blue Diamond – The Razor’s Edge is historical fiction (gasp!) but I like to think of it as a historical romp through the golden age of piracy as seen through the eyes of four young women. They are all completely different and yet they fit together perfectly. Nothing brings people together more than struggle and crisis and these girls have had plenty of it. Tonight, I want to take the time to introduce you to each of them and give you a little background on them. Don’t worry, there won’t be any spoilers. I want you to love this book and I certainly wouldn’t do anything to ruin that.
Like the opening line of the book states: Ivory once said, “Bring me a lad with the right stuff, and I’ll leave him even better,” but that was long before she was found adrift and alone in a leaky longboat, rocking her way with the tide to the soft, white Jamaican shore.
So, let’s talk about Ivory first.
Ivory “The Razor” Shepard, is identifiable not only by her sun bleached blond locks but by her dedication, convictions and above all, her protective instincts. She’s the eldest of the four by only a year but she takes on the role as mother lioness, after tragedy strikes them when they are barely into their teens. She voluntarily takes on the responsibility of raising her cousins and instilling in them that no matter what has happened, they are not and never will be victims.
These are not your spoiled, self absorbed and pampered southern belles. These girls have grit and they aren’t afraid to use it to stay alive and stay together. Ivory’s not afraid of the dirty work and although it isn’t spelled out in words in the book, one gains the understanding that when she does what she needs to do to keep them all alive right in front of them, you can believe there are more times than can be counted that she’s done it without them even knowing about it. Most of her life she’s been a spectator to their happiness and she’s been guarded and content to watch life from the sidelines–at least the parts of life that actually touch you and get inside and make you feel warm. That is at least until she’s kidnapped and finds herself completely vulnerable and alone with a mysterious and beautiful stranger, who turns not only her life but her identity upside down. Now the struggle isn’t about raiding ships and drowning her sorrows in rum, it’s the internal struggle to live her own life or step back from the ledge and play it safe where swords, guns and her razor are the only armor she needs.
Cassandra (Cass) Randall is a beacon. She’s Ivory’s light in the dark. She is a confidant, a voice of reason and logic, and she’s a soft and gentle soul who can rise to any occasion. She’s a leader and an organizer, and she’s the epitome of the phrase, still waters run deep. She may not say everything she’s thinking but buried deep inside her cool, level headed exterior beats the heart of a warrior. She’s also very good at keeping secrets–especially her own. She and the love of her life are star crossed but she’s very good at keeping her emotions at bay.
Keara (pr: Kira) Shepard is a ball of fire. She wears her heart on her sleeve as well as her opinions and she doesn’t care who knows it. She curses, she’s a dead shot and can swing a sword as well as any man twice her size. She and Ivory butt heads quite a bit but it’s mainly because Keara shoots from the hip whereas Ivory as a captain, has to remain cool and always rule with her head, not her emotions or her heart. However, she’s madly in love but that’s her business. She’s not interested in showy romantic affairs and her love life is nobody’s business but her own.
Miranda (Mir) Shepard is like a whirlwind of perfume, lipstick and pounds of fiery red hair that once a man gets caught up in the storm, he will find himself marooned with the rest of her many admirers. She knows her super power is her charm and she’s neither afraid nor ashamed to use it to get what she wants. More often than not, she’s really only looking for a good time but when necessary, she will use whatever wiles she possesses to get the information she needs. Her only weakness is that she’s in love with love–even if she refuses to admit it.
The Blue Diamond is filled with adventure, love, lust, humor, danger and more fun than you can shake a broadsword at. I’ve often described it as Charlie’s Angels meets Pirates of the Caribbean but recently, I spent a rare and precious afternoon at a salon having a pedicure and they were playing a Sex and the City Marathon. I’ve never watched the show but I found myself glued to the television with my eyes bugging out because all I could think was holy cow, this story is more like THAT and Pirates of the Caribbean but with guns and swords and big hats.
So for tonight, I’ll leave you with that. Tomorrow night, we’ll take a look at Captain Maddox Carbonale and what floats his boat as they say. I can promise you one thing, he’s no Captain Hook. 😉
You can pre-order The Blue Diamond tonight on Kindle or wait until Friday for the paperback. Amazon says it’s 296 pages but I can assure you, it’s 479 pages of good, solid fun.
