Into
the Mist
Moonseed
Trilogy
Book
3
Judith
Ingram
Genre:
paranormal romance
Publisher:
Vinspire Publishing, LLC
Date
of Publication: July 30, 2015
Number
of pages:
Word
Count: 91,500
Cover
Artist: Elaina Lee/
For
the Muse Designs
Book
Description:
For
the past six months, time-traveler Victoria Ashton has been living
life as Katherine Kamarov on a ranch in rural California, circa 1890.
A contrast to Katherine’s brash personality, shy and gentle
Victoria has won the hearts of Katherine’s family and particularly
her cousin Michael. Despite her deepening love for Michael, she has
rejected his offer of marriage and sent him away, knowing that she
must return to her own time on the night of the new spring moon.
In
this third and final book of the series, sinister forces threaten
Victoria’s new family, her property, and even her life, testing her
for courage and ingenuity. A confident new self emerges, and when
Michael unexpectedly walks back into her life, she questions whether
she must remain a victim of fate or can find a way to determine her
own future.
Meanwhile,
Katherine has been living a parallel year of exchange in Victoria’s
modern-day life, married to the handsome but remote Ryan Ashton.
Hardened by her past, Katherine nevertheless falls for Ryan and, like
Victoria, begins to search for a way to defy fate and keep the life
she has come to cherish.
As
the night of the new spring moon approaches, both women must search
their hearts to discover how to hold onto what matters most, even if
they should be forced back through the barrier of time.
Excerpt:
He
didn’t hear her slide the door open and step out behind him. Her
arms circled his waist, and the faint scent of ginger spice shot twin
arrows of joy and pain through his body. Wordlessly, he turned and
brought his mouth down on hers. Enveloped in the soft twilight hush,
they shared a kiss that was deep and long and achingly sweet. When
they pulled reluctantly apart, Ryan let his eyes linger over her,
already naming the vision being etched in his memory. This is how my
love looked in twilight.
She
was wearing her white robe, and her blond hair curled softly, just
brushing her shoulders. It’s gotten longer, Ryan thought. He
suddenly wanted her to cut it again, as if keeping her hair short
would somehow help her to keep her claim on this body—on this
life—and prevent Vicki from coming back.
Tori
moved to the rail and stared out over the city deepening into dusk.
“It’s started, Ryan,” she said quietly.
He
moved to stand beside her. “What’s started?”
She
turned and leaned an elbow on the rail, holding him with a steady
gaze. “What we’ve dreaded. I dreamed about the bridge.” She
lifted a shoulder. “It’s only a week away. I should have expected
it.” She drew in a breath that trembled. “She was already there,
standing on the bridge. Waiting for me.”
At
his look, she put out her hand and covered his. “Don’t hate her,
Ryan. She didn’t ask for this to happen any more than I did.” She
smiled faintly. “I would have, though, if I’d known you would be
here. I wouldn’t have missed this time with you for anything. No
matter what happens, I’ll carry you in my heart until the day I
die.”
Ryan
couldn’t speak. He couldn’t move, couldn’t breathe. He could do
nothing but stare at her in mute despair.
She
turned her back on the glittering city and leaned both elbows on the
rail, staring through the glass doors into their living room. The
soft light of the table lamps was growing imperceptibly brighter as
the dusk surrendered to night.
“Do
you ever wonder, Ryan, what Victoria will be like when she comes
back?”
“She’s
not coming back.” His voice cracked.
“She’s
had a whole year, Ryan, just like me. A lot can happen in a year. She
may surprise you.”
“She
won’t get the chance.” His jaw tightened. “I’m not letting
you go, Tori. I can’t. Vicki doesn’t belong here anymore. This is
your home, with Christina and me.” He covered the crack in his
voice with harshness. “How can you stand there and calmly talk
about Vicki coming back while you just up and vanish from our lives?
Like it’s already decided, like it’s so easy for you—”
About
the Author:
Judith
Ingram weaves together her love of romance and mystery as well as her
training as a counselor to create stories and characters for her
novels. She is also the author of a Christian guide to forgiving and
posts weekly devotionals on the role of forgiveness in healing
relationships. She lives with her husband in the San Francisco East
Bay and makes frequent trips to beautiful Sonoma County, where many
of her fiction characters reside. She confesses a love for chocolate,
cheesecake, romantic suspense novels, movies that require three
hankies, and all things feline.
Website,
blog and free weekly devotional: http://JudithIngram.com
Twitter:
https://twitter.com/@judithingram20
Interview
I live in the San Francisco East Bay. I was born
here, in the same hospital as my husband but 3½ years later. J
Tell us your latest news?
The third and final book in my Moonseed time-travel trilogy, Into
the Mist, is being released July 30. That means my whole story will be out
there for readers to enjoy! This is a dream-come-true for me.
When and why did you begin writing?
I can’t remember a time when I wasn’t writing. When I was in first grade, I wrote a short story
about a poodle, and it made it into the school newsletter. My first published
work!
When did you first consider yourself a writer?
My older sister was always considered the writer in
our family. I always loved to write, but I didn’t give myself permission to
call myself a writer until Vinspire Publishing told me they liked my book and
wanted to publish it!
What inspired you to write your first book?
During an unhappy time in my life, I found myself
imagining—What if I could escape into another woman’s life? What if that woman
lived in a more appealing century? And what if she were trying to escape from something unpleasant in her life, some danger into which I would
unwittingly step? Those musings gave rise to Victoria, chief protagonist in my
time-travel romance trilogy.
Do you have a specific writing style?
I’ve been told my non-fiction is clear and easy to
follow. My fiction style is descriptive and layered. I’m a serious person, and
my writing reflects my no-nonsense personality. It’s difficult for me to write
humor, although I enjoy reading it.
How did you come up with the title?
Great question! My trilogy began as one long book.
Its title, Moonseed, came from a
happy coincidence of the moon’s mysterious power over the characters and the
true name of a Chinese drug that also figures into the story’s mystery. When I
restructured the story into three volumes, the titles for each came directly
from the content in each volume. In Book 1, Bridge
to the Past, a real bridge has a reputation of being haunted and serves as
the physical link between the present and the past, or between Victoria’s world
and Katherine’s. Book 2, Borrowed
Promises, follows the two women through a summer season of putting down
roots and finding love in those borrowed lives they may have to give up when
their year of exchange runs out. The possibility of being thrown back into
their own times looms large in Book 3, Into
the Mist, where the “mist” symbolizes the uncertain future and features
significantly in the final scenes of the novel.
Is there a message in your novel that you want
readers to grasp?
When life opens a door, don’t be afraid to walk
through it. Adventure and fulfillment await those willing to take a risk and
follow their hearts.
How much of the book is realistic?
Aside from the time-traveling, the story is all
realistic. Family dynamics, first love, and the search for identity are real
themes we all encounter in life.
Are experiences based on someone you know, or events
in your own life?
Well, funny you should ask. Yes, the Victoria
character grew right out of my own experience of recovering from childhood
abuse. I don’t think it’s giving too much away to tell you that by the end of
the third book, Victoria has forgiven her mother, and when I finished writing
the book, I found that I, too, had forgiven my mother, through my telling of
Victoria’s story.
What books have most influenced your life?
I’ve read so many books, it’s difficult to answer
that question! As a teen I devoured gothic novels. Mistress of Mellyn was my favorite. I’m sure my idea of a heroine
is rooted in the writings of Victoria Holt, Mary Stewart, and Daphne du
Maurier. I’ve learned writing skills from deep and serious books by Dean
Koontz, Patricia Highsmith, and Stephen King. Envy by popular romantic suspense writer Sandra Brown has much to
teach about pacing and developing emotional scenes.
If you had to choose, which writer would you
consider a mentor?
Definitely Daphne du Maurier. Her writing is
exquisite, her characters complex, her stories compelling, and she’s not hung
up on happy endings. Moreover, she is magnificent at creating atmosphere.
What book are you reading now?
The
Hypnotist’s Love Story by Australian author Liane
Moriarty. It’s an interesting, well-developed story, with a chillingly accurate
portrayal of a main character with borderline personality disorder.
Are there any new authors that have grasped your
interest?
Claire Fullerton has written a literary novel called
Dancing to an Irish Reel. If you love
all things Irish, you will enjoy her vivid and loving descriptions of life in
rural Ireland. I’ve also discovered Jennae Vale, who turns out to be a fellow
resident of the San Francisco East Bay! She’s written a time-travel trilogy
also, set in Scotland, called the Thistle
and Hive Series. It’s a fun, romantic read.
What are your current projects?
I am working on a new novel, again set in
California’s beautiful Sonoma wine country. A young woman grieving a failed
marriage and her mother’s recent death learns that she has a birth twin and
decides to invite this stranger into her life. I’m also working on a
non-fiction book of 365 daily devotionals on forgiveness, based upon my weekly blog
devotionals. You can find these at judithingram.com.
What would you like my readers to know?
Readers provide the magic in storytelling. Authors
present their stories, but characters can’t come alive until you, the Reader, take
them into your imagination and give them color and sound and depth. Thank you
for giving life to our stories and meaning to our endeavors. You make all that
hard work worth while!
Tour giveaway July 27- August 24 2 ebook (.pdf or .epub) bundles of trilogy
Books 1 & 2 2 signed paperback copies of trilogy bundle Books 1 & 2 with bookmarks 2 ebook copies (.pdf or .epub) of Into the Mist 2 signed paperback copies of Into the Mist with bookmarks
4 $25 Amazon gift cards 4 purse charms featuring book cover and story theme charms
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Thanks for hosting my book on your beautiful blog! --Judith
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