Looking back over my MFRW Book Hooks, I noticed I hadn’t done one for the most recent book in my Asian Adventures series, Dragon Boat Blues. Thought I should remedy that!
After you enjoy my
brief excerpt, I hope you’ll visit some of the other authors
participating in today’s blog hop. You’ll find their links at the
end of the post.
Blurb
My
lost superhero Josh had jet black hair, movie star cheekbones, clever
hands, the devil’s mouth, and an instinct for driving me crazy.
Josh believed in his own myths. He was forty miles an hour over the
speed limit that day, more powerful than a locomotive, when we
smashed into the tractor trailer. He blew out like a candle. I
sputtered in a sort of half life, year after year, marked forever by
that brief dance with insanity.
I
booked the dragon boat cruise on Ha Long Bay to use up a few free
days at the end of my business trip, figuring my disability wouldn’t
be a problem on the luxurious junk. I wasn’t looking for
companionship, just a bit of peace. But when British honeymooners
Stan and Phil welcomed me into their circle of love, I discovered how
much healing I still needed.
The
Hook
I
didn’t have much difficulty getting into the dinghy—just handed
my cane to the guide, sat on the pier, and eased myself down to sit
with the rest of the tourists. Boarding the wooden junk anchored out
in deeper water was another story. A ladder of planks and rope led
from the open rowboat to the deck above. To climb, I would have to
put all my weight on my bad leg. I knew that wouldn’t work.
I balanced precariously in the dinghy, surveying the situation. Maybe this was a bad idea after all.
“Up
you come, love.” The speaker leaned over the rail of the junk,
offering a ham-sized paw. “Give us your hand.” He had a ruddy
complexion and a curly russet mop threaded with gray.
“Are
you sure? I’m not exactly light.” I’d never been petite, and
since the accident, I’d put on quite a few pounds.
“No
problem,” said his younger, sandy-haired companion. “We’re used
to tossing hay bales.” He shot me a friendly grin and extended his
arm in parallel with his friend’s. “Just hold on tight. That’s
the way.”
I
gripped their wrists. They did the same to me. As they began to haul
me upward, the dinghy captain clamped me around the waist and lifted
me off my feet. My good leg flailed, trying for a foothold on the
rungs of the ladder. It was all very awkward and embarrassing, but in
a few moments I was standing safe on the deck.
The
guide passed me my cane, then scrambled up the ladder like a monkey.
“You
alright?” The burly older man shot a wry look at the tangled rope
contraption the guide was pulling over the gunwale. “Not exactly
accessible, that.”
“Thanks
for your help.” My long shirt had bunched up below my breasts. I
smoothed it down over my leggings, feeling flustered and sweaty.
“Probably I should have thought about that before I booked the
cruise.”
“C’mon!
And miss this?” My other rescuer made a sweeping gesture,
indicating the lavishly appointed ship. “All this carved teak and
polished brass?” The crimson sails over our heads snapped in the
wind as the junk began to move. “Ha Long Bay’s supposed to be one
of the wonders of the world. We’ve been saving to take this trip
for three years.”
Buy
Links
Barnes
and
Noble
–
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/dragon-boat-blues-lisabet-sarai/1128233847?ean=2940155178255
Kobo
-
https://www.kobo.com/en/ebook/dragon-boat-blues-asian-adventures-book-5
Don’t forget to check out the other Book Hooks posts today.
Oh, and congratulations to Daryl, who won my book giveaway last week!
7 comments:
Inelegant meeting, but you know these two are going to look after her. Love it.
There's a lot of great writing here, starting with the scintillating first paragraph of your blurb, and the gritty details of her entrance onto the ship. Wow.
As a lifelong North American with European roots, I'd never heard of Ha Long Bay. I googled it, though, and yes -- it looks extremely impressive!
Really wonderful excerpt and feeling sorry for the Josh and liking his rescuers
Love it! Her feelings are so real, and they do a wonderful job of making her feel welcome.
Sounds fabulous.
Tweeted.
I am filling for Kayelle Allen while she is on vacation. I posted your book to social media. Good excerpt. I can relate to the character's injury and feel the excitement of the young men's voyage. Well Written!
This book has a lot of me in it. I'm still recovering from a bad broken leg, almost a year later, and I know what it's like to feel like a cripple!
Thanks for all your comments!
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