Wednesday Word Wizard: Jane Beckenham

Current Read: Mistress of Pleasure by Delilah Marvelle

Welcome to another historic day here at Armchair Heroines! Today's Word Wizard is none other than Jane Beckenham. Jane is our first featured author from New Zealand!

LOVE IN WAITING
Jane Beckenham
Publisher: Cerridwen Press
ISBN 978 14199 17653
Release date: 31 July 2008

Adventure and love has always come from books for Jayne Seatoun until she wins a competition to visit England. But breaking and entering a crypt wasn’t on the agenda, nor was traveling back nearly five hundred years and being caught up in the politics of King Henry the 8th’s Court as she searches for a way home and ends up running for her life.

Tired of battle and bloodshed Lord Callum Broderick’s loyalty is divided. Does he save his sister, his lover or his neck from the executioner’s block? Love, honor and loyalty are codes Callum lives by...until he has to choose.

"Love in Waiting - a tale of eternal love, nearly lost in time. A wonderful new read from historical romance author, Jane Beckenham." (Melody Knight, author of GlassWorks, In Trysts, Of Dragons)

LOVE ACROSS THE AGES....
LOVE IN WAITING
Jane Beckenham

Here's an excerpt from Jane's book:

Excerpt One

Jayne Seatoun vacillated. It felt sacrilegious to be treading over this ancient spot, and yet she had to be here, the pull to enter so great she could not have retreated from the threshold. Hands trembling she reached out and trailed icy fingers across the engraved tombstone. Though her voice a hushed whisper, she read the inscription.

The past and the present so long entwined

Where hearts shall meet, time shall wait

And to love, is to mimic life

Take hold. I wait for thee.

Amidst the silvery blue lights of a shadowed moon filtering through the crumbling crypt walls, the words, cast in stone, were almost ethereal.

Her eyelids lowered and she repeated the words, each one more alive than the next. The tips of her fingers caressed the engraved stone. Pitted by the passing years, it felt warm to the touch.

Her eyes flicked open.

“Don’t be fanciful, Jayne,” she chided aloud. How could stone be warm? The recently excavated crypt, hidden for hundreds of years from the warmth of the sun emitted a chill that sank deep into her bones.

No life stirred here.

Only the forgotten tombs of death, lives loved and lived, remained.

But it was ancient, and that alone filled Jayne with an excitement nothing could vanquish. York and its stone walls were filled with so much history compared to her home in the States.

There, old meant barely two hundred and fifty years had past. But the York Minster with its Gothic window, housed behind the city’s stone walls had been built before the United States even existed.

Here, history surrounded her. The past hadn't died and that was exactly as she wanted it. She wanted to see the history, feel it.

“You waited for me, Jayne."

An instant guilty heat stained her cheeks and she pirouetted.

Caught out again, Seatoun! Sneaking where you shouldn’t.

Goosebumps skittered up and down her spine as she peered into the eerily lit crypt. “Who's there?"

But only silence replied. The small tomb containing one of England's long-forgotten titled families was, except for her, empty.

Cradling her bag to her chest she hugged it tight as if it would offer a semblance of security and circled the room once more.

Still nothing.

She frowned. She had heard a voice. A man's voice. Strong. Expectant. You waited, he had whispered.

A fractured laugh slipped past her lips. “He?" He...didn't exist. And she was alone. Yet Jayne didn't feel alone. And that scared her. Fear coiled in her belly, tangling with a heightened anticipation; sensations capturing her the moment she spied the crypt...and entered.


"Love in Waiting - a tale of eternal love, nearly lost in time. A wonderful new read from historical romance author, Jane Beckenham." (Melody Knight, author of GlassWorks, In Trysts, Of Dragons)

LOVE ACROSS THE AGES....
LOVE IN WAITING
Jane Beckenham

And here is my interview with Jane:

Tell us about your latest release, Love In Waiting.

As a teen I loved reading about the court of Henry 8th and so when I decided to write another time travel (my firsts were Woman of Valor, and Be My Valentine) setting my heroine in this time period was natural. However, I must say it was a hard period to research. Callum Broderick the hero has a choice to make. Family versus his King. Loyalty and honor are ingrained in him, and yet to choose one above the other can bring dire consequences. Add in the heroine from 2007 who says things he can never understand and Callum is torn. Does he listen to his heart, or his head?

For my heroine, not only coming to grips with the fact that she’s been tossed back in time, knowing she has no idea how to get back, her life will never be the same. But then love gets in the way, and we all know that changes everything.

You have nine books published. Congratulations! Do you have one favorite? And if so, why?

Thanks Tiffany. Nine does sound a lovely number doesn’t it! Well number nine DESPERATELY SEEKING SANTA is only just contracted, so not quite out yet. I think of all my books I love HE’S THE ONE, the most. I just love Cade Harper. He’s so sexy, so funny at times and what gal wouldn’t love a guy with a Mustang! Also when I was having coffee one day with authors Melody Knight and Eve Summers this guy drove in a red Mustang, parked right beside us, got out…oh be still heart. He was very drool worthy. I turned to the others and said …”This guy is Cade.” Unfortunately, he drove off!

What are you reading right now?

I’m reading a bunch of Silouhette Desires, plus I’m re-reading Ashblane’s Lady by Sophia James. It’s so beautiful and I thoroughly recommend it.

I'll add that one to my "to be read" pile! Any all-time favorite books?

I love Sandra Hill’s books – so all of those, but probably Desperado the most. Love too all of Sophia James books. But I couldn’t just choose one.

Tell us a little about life in New Zealand and being an author in New Zealand.

Well NZ is a small country in size and population. We’ve only 4 million. I live in Auckland, our largest city with one million population. And because we’re made up of 2 islands (and lots of little ones) we’re surrounded by ocean and in many ways that plays a big part of our lives/sport etc. Being a NZ author has some pros/cons. Our voice is quite fresh and different from our Northern Hemisphere cousins and quite a few of us are being picked up because we’re just that bit different. However, on the marketing/promo side it is difficult because we’re so far away. However, we’re on the most part very supportive of each other and I know I’ve made some lifelong friends.

I have met some wonderful friends through writing as well! You have a husband and two daughters. How do you balance writing with family life?

With great difficulty at times. I tend to get up very early – well 5 a.m., then get the kids off to school/work and because I do a night job from home, I write during the day, then again sometimes at night.

Remind me to learn how to relax… I am trying.

But in saying that, I just went to Melbourne Australia for the Romance Writers Conference there. It was a fabulous time, 3 days and then 2 days to play/shop!

I love writer's conferences! The energy is amazing. OK, here is a "random" question for you: On your website you said The Island of the Blue Dolphins was the first "real" book you can remember reading. So, in the spirit of that book, if you were stranded on a desert island what three things would you most wish to have with you?

Hubby, because he knows how to light a fire, chocolate and matches for the fire so we can be rescued….oh and soap - yes I know that’s four, but I can’t stand being dirty. All that sand and stuff. Very ikky.

That's wonderful, Jane! Thank you so much for being here today.

We have a PDF e-book from Jane up for grabs today, so let us know what's on your mind, ask Jane some questions...you know the drill! :0) Also be sure to visit Jane's website at http://www.janebeckenham.com/.

Happy Wednesday, everyone!