June 2014— Six years ago... Prairie Rose Publications released the mail-order bride anthology that included the first story I wrote for PRP.
Ain’t it funny how time slips away? ;-)
Back to our regular broadcast after that commercial
interruption from Willie.
This anthology is Lassoing a Mail-Order Bride, and
it has four novellas:
- THESE ROUGH DREAMS—Cheryl Pierson
- HER HURRY-UP HUSBAND—Tanya Hanson
- THE BIG UNEASY—Kathleen Rice Adams
- A PERMANENT WOMAN—Kaye Spencer
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| Available on Amazon. Click HERE. |
Set-up for an excerpt from A Permanent Woman—
Widower
Simon Driscoll lost his only son and daughter-in-law, with whom he was
estranged, in a cholera epidemic. He receives al letter as next of kin granting
him custody of his three grandchildren, who he has never met. The children are
in an orphanage, and he cannot take custody unless he shows up with a wife and
the documentation to prove the marriage is legal. He has 90 days before he
loses his grandchildren, and a month has already passed. Desperate men take
desperate measures…
Reputation
tarnished and professional career compromised, Tessa Morris wants to start a
new life—somewhere, anywhere, as long as that place is far away from here. The
problem is, where? Other than attending a university, she’s never lived
anywhere else. As the community latest pariah, the life and career she’s built
in her hometown is finished. At 42, her future seems grim at best. When she
happens upon a recent edition of the Matrimony Courier, she finds herself
intrigued by one of the advertisements for a wife. That she doesn’t bother her
in the least, because desperate women take desperate measures…
EXCERPT
“Excuse me. Mr. Perlman directed me
here. I’m responding to an advertisement in the Matrimony Courier. Are you
Simon Driscoll?”
Simon closed his eyes, fortifying himself to face another woman with a façade of interest. “Yes, I’m Simon Driscoll. Your name?”
“Tessa Morris.”
He opened his eyes, frowning as he mentally ticked off the names on the list. Still gazing out the window, he asked, “Did you send a letter under a different name? I don’t recall a Mrs. Morris.”
“Miss. Miss Morris. I’ve never been married and, no, I didn’t send a letter. In fact, I came across your advertisement but five days ago.”
Simon turned. “I’m sorry, but the deadline—” The words died on his lips. Ben was in the doorway, pointing to the woman and nodding.
“Mr. Driscoll, is something wrong?” She followed Simon’s stare and looked over her shoulder right as Ben stepped out of the doorway.
His insides went topsy-turvy. Ben had a way with people. He couldn’t leave him to talk to this woman alone.
No letter of introduction. He didn’t know anything about her, and he sure as hell didn’t know what to say.
“You’re quite pale, Mr. Driscoll. I think you should sit.”
He cut her a sidelong glance. She was close enough that he could feel her body heat, and the scent of her perfume made him a little lightheaded. When she took hold of his hand, the soft warmth of her touch made his heart leap into his throat. She led him to a chair and, situating herself beside him, positioned hers so their knees touched. His breath hitched, and he scooted his chair, which prompted her to move her chair even closer. He was too old for parlor games, and she seemed determined to make him uncomfortable with her casual familiarity. The other women had kept a safe, proper distance across the table barricade.
She filled a glass with water from the pitcher at hand and gave it to him. “Here, drink this. You’ll feel better.”
Dumbly, he accepted the water, but she didn’t let go when he wrapped his big hand around the glass, trapping her fingers under his. It gave him a start, and he released his grasp like he’d been burned. That’s when he looked at her. Really looked.
Damn.
Simon closed his eyes, fortifying himself to face another woman with a façade of interest. “Yes, I’m Simon Driscoll. Your name?”
“Tessa Morris.”
He opened his eyes, frowning as he mentally ticked off the names on the list. Still gazing out the window, he asked, “Did you send a letter under a different name? I don’t recall a Mrs. Morris.”
“Miss. Miss Morris. I’ve never been married and, no, I didn’t send a letter. In fact, I came across your advertisement but five days ago.”
Simon turned. “I’m sorry, but the deadline—” The words died on his lips. Ben was in the doorway, pointing to the woman and nodding.
“Mr. Driscoll, is something wrong?” She followed Simon’s stare and looked over her shoulder right as Ben stepped out of the doorway.
His insides went topsy-turvy. Ben had a way with people. He couldn’t leave him to talk to this woman alone.
No letter of introduction. He didn’t know anything about her, and he sure as hell didn’t know what to say.
“You’re quite pale, Mr. Driscoll. I think you should sit.”
He cut her a sidelong glance. She was close enough that he could feel her body heat, and the scent of her perfume made him a little lightheaded. When she took hold of his hand, the soft warmth of her touch made his heart leap into his throat. She led him to a chair and, situating herself beside him, positioned hers so their knees touched. His breath hitched, and he scooted his chair, which prompted her to move her chair even closer. He was too old for parlor games, and she seemed determined to make him uncomfortable with her casual familiarity. The other women had kept a safe, proper distance across the table barricade.
She filled a glass with water from the pitcher at hand and gave it to him. “Here, drink this. You’ll feel better.”
Dumbly, he accepted the water, but she didn’t let go when he wrapped his big hand around the glass, trapping her fingers under his. It gave him a start, and he released his grasp like he’d been burned. That’s when he looked at her. Really looked.
Damn.
A Permanent Woman is also available as a single-sell.
Click HERE.
Until next time,
Kaye Spencer
Kaye Spencer
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I remember this anthology. Great stories in there. Many readers, me included, love mail order bride stories.
ReplyDeleteAll the best to you, Kaye.
Sarah,
DeleteMail-order bride stories have endless possibilities. I love them, too.
Thanks for stopping in.
Kaye, I fell in love with your story. It was an early purchase from PRP and before my first story was published. It really was a fun anthology. I'm glad you brought it back to my attention. Guess I need to re-read it. Doris
ReplyDeleteDoris,
DeleteIf I remember correctly, there were four anthologies released that summer. Lots of good reading.
Kaye, I loved writing my story for this anthology--this was such a wonderful collection of stories, IMO, and yours was very different! Had me wondering HOW you were going to bring it all together, but of course, you managed in wonderful fashion to wrap it up with a beautiful bow on top! Glad to take this trip down memory lane with you today!
ReplyDeleteCheryl,
DeleteI remember the deadline was knocking on my door and it was my first encounter with the possibility of you sending Lester out to put the pressure on me to get the story finished and submitted. lol (Lester is the in-house flying monkey that scares the begjeebers out of me.) *snort*
HAHAHAHAAAA! You know, Lester is in semi-retirement right now. He's still up to the task, but I don't have to call on him so much as I once did. LOL
DeleteLester in semi-retirement is still freaky scary, because he's probably settled down with a wife named Esther and they are training their quadruplets, Pester, Fester, Jester, Nester, and Karen to follow in Dad's footsteps...um...wings...
DeleteOh, very intriguing excerpt. Lots of foreshadowing, and tension. Looks great.
ReplyDeleteC.A.,
DeleteWell, thank you. *hugs*