Senator, Mine

By Kerry Adrienne

Comment to win a copy of SENATOR, MINE…

It is no secret that I am a history buff. Some would wonder, after meeting my oldest daughter, where she actually came from. NASA experiment? Alien? She’s definitely the nerdy child—brainy and all math and science. Not once has she ever shown an interest in writing or history. She turned 18 two weeks ago, and is by semester’s end she’ll be a junior in computer science, math, and physics. Yeah. Lost cause for humanities, I figured.

Today, I got an email. Now, the normal email from her goes to spam. Usually a one word subject (if any). Often there is only a link in the body of the email. (sometimes more than that, but she is quite efficient with her words).

Today her email said (no subject, and a link to a photo of campus in the 1940s): “it’s weird to realize how old this school is. How many people have walked through the same halls, sat in the same classrooms, slept in the same dorms…”

How is this pertinent to writing? Aside from bringing me to tears that my daughter is finally awakening and showing sentimentality and a grasp of the connection of human beings through time—this simple email is *exactly* how I feel about reaching people when writing historical fiction (whether it is time travel or straight historical).  The conscious awareness of those that have gone before is something that adds such depth to our contemporary lives—at least I think so. These people lived and loved as strongly and passionately as we do now—and I so enjoy reading about “lost” times and our attempts to recreate those moments. I know we can’t recapture things accurately since we only have the remains and scraps of history—but we still have the human essence to work with. I find it all so amazing!

I’d love to hear what your favorite historical fiction book is! I have many—I’d have to include GONE WITH THE WIND near the top since I read it so young (and so many times). It was so influential and burned such a vivid picture in my mind. How about you? One person will win a copy of SENATOR, MINE!

Currently, I have a time travel 1Night Stand out, SENATOR, MINE. A second one will release in June titled DRUID, MINE. Please enjoy the blurb and excerpt:

Blurb:

Eleanor’s dream of a romantic tour of Italy shatters when her long-time boyfriend breaks up with her in Pompeii. Determined to enjoy the once in a lifetime vacation, she enlists the 1NS service. She continues her trip, stopping to buy a small golden signet in a mysterious antiquities shop in Rome.

Darius, a hard-working Senator in Ancient Rome, is puzzled by the Sibyl’s words: You will not find love in your lifetime. Hoping to find a measure of happiness, he agrees to the Sibyl’s quest. In the olive grove, he spots Eleanor, a barbarian wearing his stolen senator’s ring.

A night spent together may be just what they both need to break down the columns of time that stand between them.

 Excerpt:

“What is it?” She moved closer to examine the object he held.

“A senator’s ring from the time of Augustus.” He waved the item with a flourish. “A rare and beautiful find, for a deserving young woman.”

The golden circle sparkled in the half-light like the wedding band that shone in her dreams. She tried to control her sharp intake of breath.

“A rather personal memento, wouldn’t you say?”

“It’s beautiful.”

“Indeed.”

“Which senator?” Gorgeous. What a find. Was it legal to take it out of the country? Surely it held historical significance.

“Yes, it can be exported,” the shopkeeper said. “We don’t know who owned the signet, as many records of the Senate at that time were lost, but it has been cleared by the Antiquities Commission.”

She hadn’t mentioned exporting it aloud. Had he read her mind? No, that wasn’t possible. She squirmed. Nothing about the shop or its contents felt normal. One thing was certain. The ring was amazing. And perfect.

“What does the engraving say?” she asked.

“Darius.”

She drew in a quick breath, as a gasp of warm air breezed across her neck, making the hairs stand. She shuddered. I’ve been watching too many old movies.

“As common as the name was at the time, no senators named Darius are on any rolls.” The shopkeeper pushed it closer to her face. “And Madame Eve recommends it. What do you say?”

“How much?” Eleanor whispered.

“Ah.” The shopkeeper grinned. “What price would you pay for a little ring that will change your life forever?”

Kerry Adrienne lives in North Carolina though she pretends she lives in NYC or Rome, depending on the day. She writes sfr and fantasy and loves editing—especially other writers’ stuff. She is also a professional costumer and artist and teaches fiction writing classes at the college level. She’s an Associate Editor for Entangled Publishing. One day she’ll own a cave with electricity, internet access, and a stream.