Cece in Wonder Land

  

Women’s Fiction

Date Published: April 14, 2026

Publisher: Acorn Publishing

Sometimes wonder finds you when you least expect it.

Cece Belle is a high-functioning neurodivergent. She’s also a big believer in destiny, but when her soulmate Robby dumps her mid-flight to Israel, she instantly regrets ever telling him she’s on the spectrum.

Not one to dwell in misery, Cece sips some chamomile hibiscus tea to set herself straight. And with meditation and spirituality on her side, she looks to what’s next. Yet another blow hits when she is kicked out of her rabbinical studies program for “strange behavior.”

Then, she meets Joel. With his quirky demeanor and ability to say all the right things, he gives Cece the desire to begin a new relationship. There’s only one main obstacle: Cece loves living in Los Angeles, and Joel is a diehard New Yorker.

She marries him anyway, despite misgivings that extend beyond their geography. After all, this is her carefully drawn plan—marriage, then kids, then happily ever after. Sometimes though, the best-laid plans are better left in dreamland where they can’t go awry.

Cece in Wonder Land is a twisty journey down a rabbit hole of unexpected anxieties, disappointments, and more questions than answers. But where there is hope, there is life, and maybe Cece can hang on for the next bit of wonder bound to come her way.

About the Author

 

 Born and raised in Los Angeles, Bonnie S. Priever majored in communications studies at UCLA before moving to Philadelphia. There, she attended the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College, which prepared her for an assistant directorship at the Israel Levin Senior Adult Center in Venice, California.

As a way to process emotions and stay connected to her spirituality, Bonnie started writing about her experiences. In 2023, Newsweek published her personal essay about the challenges of aging. Currently, she combines her passion for writing and her love for live theater as a reviewer for CurtainUp, an online theater magazine.

Bonnie loves to travel but always looks forward to coming home to LA. She has one grown son and a backlog of great ideas. Based on a true story, Cece in Wonder Land is her first novel.

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The Cursed by Costi Gurgu Genre: Space Opera Horror

 

The gods are not dead. 

They are waiting in the dark between the stars.

The Cursed

by Costi Gurgu

Genre: Space Opera Horror

The Earth is compromised and forbidden. The human Imperium stretches throughout the galaxy. It terraforms planets with indigenous life, destroying it. An organization fights against these terraforming projects, and it is pronounced a terrorist organization by the government and the Imperator.

JO WARWICK, the heiress of Warwick Galactic Enterprises, is on an archeological mission on the forbidden Earth. She contracts an unknown disease, and her expedition leaves Earth. While in space, the disease kills everyone on board but her, as she seems protected by an invisible shield.

Captain TOSHI HUNTER and his crew are activists fighting against the terraformation projects, and after a failed attack on one of these projects, they are pursued by the imperial ships. The chase goes on, but they manage to escape.

And by chance, they discover the unmoving, silent ship of Jo Warwick. They board it and see the massacre inside, but manage to save Jo.

Jo and Toshi begin their adventure in uncovering the truth and the origin of this mysterious disease that now threatens the galaxy, while being hunted by the imperial troops.

 

What readers are saying:

 “…Prose that is gritty, direct, and sometimes a touch awkward powers a voyage of grand proportions as a diverse cast, ancient aliens, sensory worldbuilding, and space battles entertain with thrilling action. In this quick read, Gurgu reveals the foolishness of humanity, moral dilemmas, the folly of war, and the hope of second chances in a hearty science fiction adventure.” _BookLife Review

 

“…Ultimately, The Cursed delivers the pleasures of expansive science fiction: big stakes, bigger ideas, and heroes whose personal journeys matter as much as the fate of the galaxy. Gurgu offers an energetic, imagination-rich ride that will appeal to readers eager for adventurous sci-fi drama—and leaves the door open for further exploration among the stars.”  —CANREADS BOOK REVIEW

 

“Overall, the author has a keen knack for mixing and melding SF and the supernatural in all kinds of intriguing ways. Clear allusions to vampirism would be too obvious; Gurgu opts instead for more obscure archetypes: When was the last time one read about a wendigo in outer space? A fast-paced and fun adventure beyond the stars.” - _Kirk’s Reviews

  

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1.      The Red Tattoo

 

      The archeology team was busy and noisy inside the Bats Cave. The huge boulders blocking the entrance of the dry, large, very deep cave had not been a real deterrent for Jo Warwick. Young, strong, and beautiful, she was not used to rejection or defeat.

The cave was a hidden gem discovered recently in the Carpathian Mountains on Earth. The entire place seemed to be a treasure trove. And “discovered recently” meant after the interdiction against stepping on Earth had been put in place. After the interdiction and especially the defense mechanism had been put into place. But that was not something to keep Jo’s family, the powerful Warwicks, away. Not even the imperator could stop a Warwick if they put their mind to doing something.

The co-op students were giggling as they worked, sometimes louder than they thought they were. With the help of electrical lamps they were collecting and cataloging ceramic pieces, stone tools, animal remains. Next to them, real archeologists were slowly carving into the floor after more remains. The cave was full to the brim with signs of a very old civilization. A civilization that Jo hoped to prove was part of the Vinca culture. The project of her life.

Professor Hannigan, a corpulent man of about sixty, was studying some cave paintings. He tried not to expose them to too much light, or heat, or sweat, or anything else for that matter. He was mumbling while studying. His custom, as Jo knew, adding to the general noise in the confined space of the cave. It was becoming quite claustrophobic.

Jo was in her mid-twenties, athletic, newly graduated from the university, and already in charge of her first dig. She knew how students could get, but that didn’t mean she agreed with the practice and the indulgences.

She approached the walls with paintings, or more accurately, pictographs. One of them in particular had drawn her attention. The drawn figures were vaguely human. Most had huge round eyes and concentric circular shapes on their bodies. That was specific to the Vinca culture, to the fashion or aesthetics of their times. That was why she could barely contain her enthusiasm, her joy—she was ninety-nine percent sure she’d just made the discovery of her life.

The pictograph that had drawn her attention was part of a group, representing small humanlike figures interacting with huge masked beings in weird, ritualistic suits. In the first panel in the group, the humans bowed to the masked figures, obviously their deities. There were no written sources for the Vinca culture, so nothing was known of their religion or mythology.

Jo got closer to the drawings.

“Silence!” she barked over the background noise in the cave. Everyone looked at her and shut up. She was known for a frightful temper and no one wanted to enter into a conflict with her.

“They’re just students on their first practicum,” said Hannigan in a low voice only the two of them could hear. He was like a grandfather to everyone on the team, always ready to indulge them and spoil them.

“Not on my money, they’re not,” said Jo. “They’re students in their first practice and one day they could brag about the experience they got here. They could brag and get the best paid gigs because of this.”

“Yes, but young people…” Hannigan hesitated, looking at Jo. Then, probably realizing he was talking to a young person, he gave up.

The best practice was to ignore the old man and leave it be. She had to put up with all his eccentricities because he was the best in the field and expert on this period of time in Earth’s history. And he was easy to satisfy in terms of credits and accolades. He valued money above all else.

So Jo returned to the pictographs. She got closer to the next one. In it, a man with a wolf head shot stars through some sort of weapon toward one of the masked figures. The masked figure’s body was covered in symbols and shone a bright red.

In the next panel, the masked figure had collapsed, probably dead. His body was still covered in unknown symbols.

Jo returned to the previous panel. The weapon looked like a bone, a real bone encrusted in stone. The stars shooting from it had started to sparkle and fluctuate. What the… Jo got even closer and tried to discern what could make it sparkle like that. There didn’t seem to be anything on the stone base but the painting. She extended her hand and held it above the sparks. No heat. She then touched the bone embedded in the stone. Dry, porous bone. She walked her fingers over the sparks and the shooting stars and then, a red spark passed from the stone to Jo’s skin.

Where it touched the skin a red impression, like a tattoo, spread on Jo’s skin. It had happened so fast that Jo couldn’t do anything else but watch the whole thing with curiosity. She lifted her camera to take a picture, but froze. The tattoo had spread up her arm and down her other arm and she realized it was all over her body, flickering on her skin. It felt like an electric shock. Jo shuddered and collapsed.

Costi’s fiction has appeared in Canada, the US, and Europe. He has sold 8 books and over 50 stories for which he has won 32 awards. He was three times a finalist for the Canadian Aurora Awards.

His latest sales include the anthologies Tesseracts 17, The Mammoth Book of Dieselpunk, Dark Horizons, Street Magick, Water, and Alice Unbound.

His bestselling novel RecipeArium has won three awards (Kult, Nemira, and Vladimir Colin) and was a 2018 finalist for the Aurora Awards.

His novels, “Servitude”, “Green Corrosion”, “Pink Corrosion”, and “Black Corrosion” were published in 2022, 2023, 2024, and 2025. And his latest novel “The Cursed” was launched on April 1st, 2026.

“Green Corrosion” has won four awards (Book Excellence, The Typesmith Writers, The International Impact Book, and the Maincrest Media Award).

“Black Corrosion” has been an Amazon Bestseller for three weeks and is a finalist for Canreads Awards 2026.

 

To find out more about Costi Gurgu visit https://costigurgu.com/

  

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Golfing, Gardens & Ghosts

 

Cozy Mystery

Date Published: 01-28-2026

Publisher: Secret Staircase Books, an imprint of Columbine Publishing Group, LLC

School’s out for the summer and math teacher Katie Wilk needs something to occupy her time, something beyond helping to plan Jane Mackey’s upcoming wedding. So, when Jane suggests golf lessons and Katie secures a part-time job at the Shady Oaks Country Club to cover the cost of her golfing gear, it seems like a win-win plan. Unfortunately, the club’s irascible golf pro seems to make enemies wherever he goes, so when his body turns up near the 14th hole, it’s anyone’s guess who might have done him in.

Katie doesn’t really want another murder to investigate, but Officer Ronnie Christianson is back to his old ways, and it looks like he’ll do what it takes to implicate her in the death. And Katie just happens to have seen a potentially incriminating clue, behind a secret garden wall that few know about. Can Katie, Jane, and Ida ask enough questions to find out what really happened before the police come after her?

 

Praise for this amazing cozy series by multiple award-winning author Mary Seifert:

2024 Chanticleer International Book Awards - Semi-Finalist - Mystery & Mayhem category

2024 Killer Nashville Silver Falchion Award - Top Pick - Cozy Mysteries

2024 International Impact Awards - Winner - Books in a Series

 

“…. a solid 5 out of 5 stars. For those seeking not just a mystery but an immersive experience, Mary Seifert's debut novel [is] the perfect companion for a cosy night in, a cup of tea, and a journey into the heart of a captivating mystery.” – Maverick, Movies & Murder, Online Book Club.org

 

“...an intricate mystery with plenty of action and suspense. Plus, I like the dog.” David Housewright Edgar Award winning author of Something Wicked

 

“From navigating small town life to solving puzzling murders, Katie and Maverick are a delight.” —Mindy Mejia, international bestseller author

 

“Immediately captivating! Katie and Maverick are destined to become a notable amateur sleuth team in the mystery world.” –Connie Shelton, USA Today bestselling author

 

“I thoroughly enjoyed this debut book by Mary Seifert! This well written and thoughtful story kept me engaged with fun characters, interesting information and mind and math puzzles. Looking forward to book two!” James, 5-star online review

 

“Fun read! The author has an authentic voice and has done her research. The plot covers many topics: dogs, history, the inner workings of hospitals, family dynamics, and more. I especially enjoyed the puzzles and little-known historical facts that were part of the story. Maverick, Movies & Murder kept my interest and left me wanting more. Highly recommend!” Beth, online 5-star review

 

“…very much looking forward to her next!!! I can’t get enough of Ms. Seifert’s books!!” – proudarmymom, 5 stars

 

“…plenty of unanticipated twists and turns. It kept [me] up reading to see what was going to happen next!” – RHN, 5 stars online

 

“Maverick, Movies, and Murder isn't merely a cosy mystery; it's a literary embrace, a narrative that unfolds in layers, revealing both the familiar and the unexpected.” OnlineBookClub.org review

 

Excerpt

“I can’t imagine you didn’t inherit my ability to sit still and do absolutely nothing. I’m the king of procrastination.”

I laughed. “This from a man who plans every minute of his day.”

“Yes, but I make certain I plan all my sitting-still time first. I might have some ideas for you.”

Poised to take note of Dad’s constructive contributions, I said, “Do tell.”

He leaned back in the chair and crossed his arms. “You could pick up a new hobby.”

…

“I could teach you to cook. Maybe. Or you could bike.”

I plopped my elbow on the table and supported my cheek in my hand. “You and Ida have tried to teach me to cook. It’s been practically impossible, and there’s only so much biking I can do.” I shook my head yet listened for something novel.

“You could sleep in.”

“Tried that.” I side-eyed my pup and exhaled.

“You could learn a craft like … crocheting or knitting.”

Two more words made the list. He waited for an enthusiastic response, which didn’t happen, but nuggets of ideas turned over in my head as I chewed my final morsel of bacon. Our landlady, Ida Clemashevski, was a creative whiz not only at cooking, but with her passions of art, acting, music, and probably crafting as well.

“There’s always fishing,” he said, cautiously optimistic. “Or get a part-time job?”

I jotted a few words next to his recommendations and drew a fish.

Dad asked, “What’s that?”

Having confirmed my lack of any artistic talent, my sketch disappeared under scribbles. “I’ll think about taking up a hobby, but meanwhile, it seems I’ll simply have to resign myself to mundane chores …” I hopped up. “Nothing exciting. Something like doing the dishes.” I juggled the serving platters, plates, and silverware and deposited them in the sink, leaving the delicate cups for a second trip.

Soap foamed under the cascade of hot water, and I scrubbed slowly to eat up at least a portion of my free time. Although Dad reached for a towel, I shooed him out of the kitchen, knowing how much he valued his predictable weekday schedule: a hearty first meal of the day, a one-mile walk around the neighborhood—rain or shine, an in-depth read of the newspaper from cover to cartoons, an exercise class at the Y, and his volunteer stint at the library.

“No doubt, by week’s end you’ll have discovered a new and more streamlined method for doing dishes. You know I love you.” He kissed my forehead and headed for the door and a day of sunshine. “But we’ve got to keep you occupied and out of trouble, or you’ll never get rid of the crazy nickname you earned.”

I called to his retreating back, “Just because I’ve been in the wrong places and involved in the resolution of several serious crimes, I really don’t think I deserve the moniker ‘Katie Wilk, the murder magnet.’”

 

About the Author

Mary Seifert is the mastermind behind the captivating Katie and Maverick Cozy Mysteries, a 2024 International IMPACT Award winner for books in a series. If you love a thrilling whodunit with a sprinkle of humor and a dash of charm, her books are for you. Her novel Maverick, Movies & Murder was a finalist for the 2023 American Fiction Award, and Santa, Snowflakes & Strychnine earned a spot as a 2024 Chanticleer Murder and Mayhem finalist. Set in the picturesque landscapes of West Central Minnesota, where the lakes begin, Mary’s stories are as cozy as a warm cup of cocoa on a chilly day.

Mary’s love affair with books began in her grandfather’s secretive basement backroom library, where she read childhood favorites, Heidi, Black Beauty, National Velvet, Charlotte’s Web, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and devoured works by literary greats such as Agatha Christie, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Erle Stanley Gardner, Wouk, Chandler, du Maurier, Ellery Queen, Margaret Mitchell, Steinbeck, Hemingway, Salinger, Bradbury, Tolkien, and Pasternak, to name just a few. These early literary adventures, combined with lively book discussions with her mother and siblings helped shape her love for mysteries and complex narratives. Her father’s gift of outrageous storytelling added exaggeration to her arsenal, lending a playful twist to her writing.

Mary grounded her passion for storytelling when she shared her love of reading with her children, solving puzzles alongside beloved characters like Nancy Drew, the Boxcar Children, and the Hardy Boys, and that passion is growing, watching the next generation learn to read. She proudly believes her kids, their significant others, and her grandchildren are the smartest in the universe, and she’s not shy about letting the world know it!

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A Waltz Across Time

 

Historical Fiction with Speculative elements

Date Published: January 7, 2026

Publisher: Mindstir Media

A WALTZ ACROSS TIME spans 500 years of New Mexico's history, inspired by family ancestral records and lore; interweaving a contemporary ghost story, bibliomystery and romance with fictionalized accounts of ordinary people navigating extraordinary times.

Lucinda, a clairvoyant Santa Fe bookstore owner, promises the ghost of a one-eyed Marine she will return his family's 500-year-old Spanish Bible to his descendant and rightful heir, using clues stashed within its pages to guide her search.

Each clue opens a window to the lives and loves of Franciscans and Indigenous peoples, Spanish-Mexican colonials, mixed-race settlers creating adobe homesteads and fighting slavery with the Union Army, forbidden lovers eloping amidst a hail of bullets, midnight fugitives being quietly fed, and WWII soldiers prevailing over devastating injuries. But Lucinda's search for the Bible's heir goes dark with the plight of a Marine who lost an eye at Okinawa and imagined a raven-haired angel just before his world, too, went dark. How can she trace the thread of his life to the present day and keep her promise without losing sight of her own hopes and dreams?

Praise for A Waltz Across Time

"Complete perfection word by word. Your interpersonal dialogue among the characters seems so real as to almost have been recorded on tape as it occurred. This book has great pathos, as well as hopefulness." - Reg Olson

"... a historical novel blended with adventure, romance, mystery, suspense, and a paranormal touch ... Jiron interweaves two stories: a modern-day romance and the history of New Mexico from the fifteenth to the twentieth century...Through well-researched historical exposition and cinematic depictions...The prose effortlessly shifts between historical times and the contemporary era. " - K.Mbuya (Readers' Favorite)

 

 

About the Author 

I am a Midwesterner from America’s corn belt, but have lived in 7 states (18 different cities) and Austria. As a travel agent and tour operator, I got my first chance to do creative writing in the form of travel brochures for places I'd never been:). Eleven years with Hughes AirWest/Republic/Northwest airlines were fun because aircraft had actual legroom back then (!) and I also worked as a recruiter. But after too many "dumb stewardess" jokes, I earned my Ph.D. in Clinical Neuropsychology and worked with neurodivergent individuals of all ages in many settings (clinical and educational) for 20 years, which involved writing detailed clinical assessment results and treatment programs. All of that culminated in my first published book, "Brainstorming: Using Neuropsychology in the Schools." Anthony Girard at Western Psychological Services taught me the priceless value of a good editor:).

But the most fun career I ever had was running elementary school libraries for 6 years! I redesigned the physical setup to display kids' book covers facing out at their eye level, and developed a curriculum that allowed for coaching cognitive and social skills through read-aloud. After six years, students' scores on standardized reading tests improved significantly, and I keep a basket of Thank You cards from parents who said Library was their child's "favorite class."

During those years, writing time was scarce, but I enjoyed a one-month writers' retreat at Vermont Studio Center in 2014, where I drafted a family drama/speculative fiction then titled "The Well," which won the 2015 Chanticleer Paranormal Award, and was a Finalist for the 2015 Indie Book Award (since then updated and retitled, "Voices from the Well.")

After retiring in 2017, I was able to garner enough concentrated time to work on the five stories that had been cavorting in my head for years. A Waltz Across Time was one of those books. I also authored a spiritually-oriented self-help book, "Living the Real Tree of Life," and collaborated on two plant medicine books with a 2-tour Iraq war veteran turned ayahuasca healer, Drew Bankey.

On a more personal level, due to a mild spinal curvature, I started doing yoga at age 16 and have practiced several different styles, but focused on Kundalini yoga for the past 40 years. I've taught that practice in a variety of settings, including churches, recreation centers, and a maximum security prison. My husband and I currently reside in wondrous New Mexico, where the skies are a panorama every moment.

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To Die For

Young Adult

Date Published: April 10th 2026

Publisher: Acorn Publishing

 

To Die For is a harrowing look into the life of a narcissist who refuses to take accountability for the damage she inflicts.

High school senior Dei Fields appears completely harmless, but she has a keen instinct for manipulation. When she first sets eyes on hot star athlete Mika St. John, she’s determined to have him … and Dei always gets what she wants. There are only three obstacles: Mika’s friends, his family, and his girlfriend. But Dei isn’t afraid to destroy relationships to satisfy her fantasies.

In a matter of weeks, she love-bombs Mika into thinking he has found his soulmate, but when Dei’s plans go awry, everything changes—including her identity. Will Dei get what she wants this time? Or will she finally get what she deserves?

 

About the Author

 

 Audrey Steidl is the award-winning author of the romantic thriller The Fallen. Her passion for storytelling began at an early age when she wrote scripts and performed them with her neighborhood friends in full costume and makeup. This love blossomed into a career as an actress and as a producer for cable television.

Now, when she’s not writing page-turners, Audrey is a hotel travel executive, a pilates fiend, and a lover of travel and art. A long-time San Diego resident, she shares her home with her husband Jamie and their mischievous Pomeranian Loki. Her latest novel, To Die For, is inspired by those who have the courage to walk away from narcissists and emotionally abusive relationships.

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Thea by Genevieve Morrissey narrated by Nicole Fikes Genre: YA Historical Fiction, Coming of Age

 

 

 Poverty, prejudice, her mother’s addiction…in her quest for an education, 

15-year-old Thea tries to navigate them all. 

But will a secret ultimately undermine her efforts?

Thea

by Genevieve Morrissey

narrated by Nicole Fikes

Genre: YA Historical Fiction, Coming of Age

2025 Page Turner Book Award winner for Best Historical Fiction & Character Architect Award

 

Oklahoma City, 1925

Fifteen-year-old Thea Carter lives in a small garage apartment—Thea’s seventh “home” in four years—provided by her alcoholic mother’s employer, the morose and enigmatic Dr. Hallam.

School is Thea’s refuge and she’s an excellent student, but the parasitic Mrs. Carter’s instability continually threatens her dream of getting a high school diploma. In an effort to keep her mother employed and the two of them housed, Thea secretly takes on much of her mother’s work while at the same time navigating adolescence, friendships, and first love.

Dr. Hallam, impressed by her drive and intelligence, becomes Thea’s unexpected ally, but in addition to wealth and position, the doctor also has a secret that could ruin him, and shatter his bond with Thea.

 

"Morrissey crafts a wise and moving coming-of-age historical novel with resonant contemporary themes, meticulous period detail, and flawed but sympathetic characters who will win readers’ hearts… Lovers of historical fiction and coming-of-age stories will relish time spent with Thea." —BookLife 'Editor's Pick' review

"Thea is a coming-of-age tale with a lot of heart and charm… Morrissey's characters truly leap off the pages." —Readers' Favorite review

"The story is one of friendship and found family, with a heartwarming conclusion… THEA is a moving historical coming-of-age novel whose characters' compassion and empathy inspires.” —IndieReader review

 

**Now available as an audiobook!**

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Thea is the new historical novel by Genevieve Morrissey, author of the award-winning Marriage & Hanging and the popular Antlands science fiction series. She is an avid student of British and American social history who, through one of those strange little quirks of fate, spends most of her days talking with scientists. In addition to writing, Genevieve enjoys reading obscure books, travel, and solitude.

 

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Lila’s Journey

 

 

Historical Fiction

Date Published: 05-19-2024

Publisher: Mustard Seed Press

It’s 1866 on the Santa Fe Trail. Sixteen-year-old Lila Bonner is forced to make a life-changing decision that leaves her frightened and alone. With help from a kindhearted stranger, Lila reaches Council Grove, Kansas, where she hopes to build a new life. Fortified with determination, and tapping into a strength she didn't know she had, Lila deals with basic survival, Indian unrest, and an epidemic. As she develops into a wise, capable young woman, an unspeakably evil plot threatens her life as well as a blossoming romance. Her fate hangs in the balance between the person who betrayed her, the man she loves, and the woman she's become.

Excerpt from Lila’s Journey

She kept up a brisk pace through the wooded path as the sun peaked in and out of the clouds, shifting the shadows of the trees. Some of the trees had shed their leaves, but the mighty oaks still clung to theirs, and they rattled in the breeze. She kept her arms under her cloak for warmth but slowed momentarily when the sound of the rattling changed. She did a quick turnaround but saw nothing. “Must have been some critter scampering about,” she said, and picked up her pace again.

It happened so fast it scarcely registered.

Large hands overpowered her and grabbed her from behind, one covered her mouth, the other circled her waist. A surge of adrenaline triggered a painful heartbeat in her chest. She screamed through the clamped hand, but the sound was choked off. Lila struggled to free her arms from inside her cloak while she wildly kicked backwards. The harder she fought, the fiercer the grip. Lila raised her leg and shot it backwards again, this time hitting a shin. A rough voice cursed in her ear.

She was lifted off her feet and shoved against a tree, snapping the side of her head against the trunk. Pain shot through her head. Dazed, she made a feeble attempt to grab the arms. A hand slapped hard against her face. Spots danced before her eyes with the disappearing daylight, then nothing.

 

When Lila came out of the fog of unconsciousness, she found herself in darkness. She was blindfolded. She was on a horse with someone sitting behind her, someone with unspeakable body odor whose breath reeked of whiskey. What was happening? Who has done this? She had a throbbing headache, made worse with each step of the horse over the uneven ground.

Reaching for her head, she realized her hands were bound together. Why am I tied up? This makes no sense. She was a captive and there was nothing she could do to give herself any advantage. The realization sent her into a frenzy of fear, and tears swelled under her blindfold. Dear God, what am I to do?

Now fully awake, her heart pounded as she tried to clear her head. She had no idea how long she’d been unconscious, no idea where she was, no idea who sat behind her in the saddle. She shuddered to think who her captor was and what he had in mind.

 

About the Author

Award winning author Jane Coletti Perry’s second novel, Lila’s Journey, will be released summer 2024. Her short story “Lila’s Song” won Women Writing the West LAURA Award (2021) and is the prequel to Lila’s Journey. Her previous historical fiction novel, Marcello’s Promise (2019), was inspired by her family’s immigrant story. She loves nothing more than digging into history and discovering unique stories unless it’s bringing those stories to life through writing. An English major, Perry graduated from Iowa State University and participates in writer’s workshops, conferences, and local writing groups.

When she’s not writing, Jane is singing in a choir, exercising in some fashion, or soaking up nature from a shady spot in the yard with a good book. She and her husband live in Kansas and have two children and six grandchildren. She treasures time spent with their far-flung family and still entertains the fantasy of appearing on Dancing with the Stars for Grandmas, although the clock is ticking. . .

Jane is a member of Women Writing the West, Western Writers of America, and Wyoming Writers, Inc.

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