Thank you to W.Lynn for having me on her wonderful site and allowing me to talk to y’all about my upcoming release, Cursed and my experience while writing it.
They’re not Romeo and Juliet, but their family’s loathe each other just the same. A centuries old grudge began with Colton Edgewater’s Great-great-great-great grandfather swindled the town witch and ran off with her Mother. To say ole Grandpa Jo wasn’t the brightest crayon in the box would be an understatement. He earned the men in his family a one way ticket to heart ache when the Voiles cursed them to be unlucky in love. It’s 2012 and the men still can’t hold on to love. Then Avalyn Voiles and her family move back into town and the chance for redemption is finally at hand in Baxter, Mississippi. There’s just one problem, Colton wants Avalyn Voiles for his own, curse or not.
Avalyn’s spent her entire life hearing about the Edgeworth men, and how their wicked relative did her’s wrong. So when she moves back to Baxter with her Mother and her Grandmother she’s floored when she meets the sexy , enigmatic and intelligent, Colton. How could this man who seems tailor-made for her be all bad?
Cursed is their tale as they wade through years of bad blood, misconceptions and their own self doubt.
I had a lot of fun writing this one! It’s the first time I’ve written what I’d classify as a steamy romantic comedy and it’s my first self-published piece. It’s actually taken from a bit of a rumor connected to my family. It’s said when my grandmother married my grandfather his mom was none to happy, and the voodoo priestess cursed the males of our line to be unlucky in love… Scary yes? My take on this was a lot more humorous then I originally intended. But when the muse answers you listen. ;) As a writer I’m always looking to do something new while staying “me”. This fit those requirements perfectly and I couldn’t be happy. Here’s a little tidbit to wet your appetite. I hope you enjoy it. Cursed release on Amazon, All Romance, Smashwords Oct. 3rd.
Excerpt
When they pulled up, she read the cream-colored oval sign that read, Baxter Botanical Gardens. A large glass building with a dome sat in the distance. It was surrounded by a vibrant array of colorful art created with plants. The frog made up of two different shades of green was whimsical. Her spirits rose as she drank in the beauty, and the tranquility washed over her. She turned to look at Colton, shocked at the look of revelry that appeared on his face.
“Coming to this place is one of the few vivid memories I have of my mother. She loved flowers and kept a food garden in the backyard and a flower garden in the front. I remember spending a lot of time helping her outside. It was really just an excuse for me to play in the mud, but she always made me feel like what I was doing was important.”
A sweet smile curled the corner of his lips upward, warming her heart. There were few things as touching or telling about a man as the way he treated his mother. It was obvious Colton had adored her.
“She sounds like she was amazing.”
“She was. I wish you could’ve met her. I know she’d love you. She was very into living off the land and giving thanks to God and respect to the people around you. Even after all these years, those things are etched into my mind. I was lucky to have her for six years, but I would’ve loved to have many more.”
A twinge of apprehension struck. It was her family who was partially responsible for the premature death of his mother. Was this the moment when he’d ask her to remove the curse?
He slipped his hand in hers and tugged. “Come on; it’s even more beautiful inside, and I have a special surprise I think you’ll love.”
She allowed herself to be pulled along behind, clamping a lid tight on the negativity. It wasn’t like her to dwell on things like that. There were things in the universe that loved chaos, but they were barking up the wrong tree. She imagined the white light of healing beaming down on her, vaporizing the negative vibes and restoring her balance. Tonight she needed to meditate. She gave his hand a gentle squeeze with the hope she was conveying her appreciation. He’d really thought outside the box. While cookie cutter dates like dinner and a movie or the local bowling alley were always fun, special outings like these were relationship-defining.
For weeks, she’d been going back and forth, asking herself if being with Colton was worth the lukewarm reception she was getting from her gran, the pitying looks from her mother, and the guilt that twisted her gut on a daily basis. It might seem silly to some, letting the opinions of others affect her so much. But family was forever and supposed to come first. Dating Colton went against everything she’d been taught. Still, she couldn’t deny the message from Viola or the uncanny feeling she was exactly where she should be.
“What do you want to see first, the outside or the inside?”
“Your choice.”
“Inside then.”
The brilliant hues of the flowers mesmerized her as they moved from display to display. He told her a bit about each one, and she got the feeling he came here fairly often. When she asked as much, he answered, “I come here when I need to get away and think. This place holds some of my fondest memories, though I’ll deny it if you tell my brothers.” He flashed a wicked smile and winked. “I don’t care what other people think about me, but Randy and Hunter can be like a dog with a bone when they get a hold of the right information.”
She laughed. “I can tell you love them.”
“Oh, yeah. They just make me want to kill them from time-to-time.”
“I think it’s a family requirement.”
They toured the building, and he led her to the garden display set up outside.
“You’re such a tease, drawing out the surprise even longer,” she said as they walked beneath the lush green arches decorated with deep red blooms.
“That’s the first time I’ve ever heard those words from a woman.” He laughed. His eyes darkened with lust, and she grinned.
“I get the feeling I’m a lot of firsts for you, Mr. Edgeworth.”
“That’s because you Voiles are in a class of your own.”
“What does that mean?” She placed her hands on her hips and cocked her head to the side.
“It means y’all are a handful.” He pulled her close to him and placed an arm around her shoulders. “Of course, that’s one of the things I adore the most about you. Never a dull moment.”
“Mmmhmm.” She fought back giggles. Truth was, his family was just as crazy as hers. The stories she’d heard about his Granpa Willie had made her laugh until she cried. They were on equal footing in so many different ways. Finally they reached a smaller building that sat away from the main one that housed the botanical gardens.
“Come on inside.” He steered them inside the building, and she gasped. It was a butterfly house!
I hope you enjoyed your glimpse into the tiny town of Baxter, and the main character of , Cursed, Edgeworth Men Book 1. Comment to enter for a chance to win a Botanical Garden basket. The winner will be announced on September the 12th.
If you liked what you read, you can find me at the following places.
Twitter: @shylacolt
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/authorshyla.colt
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