Fwd: [An_Alternative_Read] PROMO - Contemporary, Romance, Tarot - Home Port: Tarot - Four of Wands (PG-13)

Good morning. I invite you to join me at the following events.

April 1st. Book-A-Day-Giveaway at The Romance Studio http://groups.yahoo.com/group/theromancestudio/ for Paula Calloway's Dark Hope. Good Luck!

April 10th. Yahoo Group E-mail Party at eXfactor http://groups.yahoo.com/group/theexfactor with eXtasy Books authors

http://www.extasybooks.com/ - Reigning Fools for April Fools Party (click here http://www.paula-calloway.com/February2008.htm for more details). Join us! I hope you enjoy the two excerpts below the story and character introductions. For hotter excerpts, visit my site or my publisher's site.

Paula Calloway

Due to a longtime feud, rivalry results in a ship carrying Mitchell out to sea while the land builds barriers around Anna. Small towns carry many secrets and uncovering such can lead to the opening of old wounds and the truth. Time passes and a young man discovers more lay hidden beneath the surface than most suspect. When Jason hands his stubborn and fearful parents another chance, will Anna and Mitchell open their eyes or will lies undermine love again?

Home Port: Tarot - Four of Wands
(Contemporary, Romance, Tarot)

Story Introduction
Tired of painful memories from a deep cutting past it hurts to face, Mitch steps up to the plate and demands a resolution. Her world revolves on a foundation of lies and, when slammed by the past, Anna closes her eyes, but the truth won't go away. When the truth makes itself known and a long buried secret rises to the surface, will Mitch and Anna rediscover love?

The Hero
Six foot two, muscled and jilted, Mitchell is a captain with a deep tan complexion, cobalt blue eyes and shoulder length dark auburn hair.

The Heroine
Five foot three, curvy and alone, Anna is a single mother with a pale complexion, deep brown eyes with gold flecks and waist length mousey brown hair.

Home Port: Tarot - Four of Wands http://tinyurl.com/2rb3tu Contemporary, Romance, Tarot

3 cups from Coffee Time Romance, 3 hearts from Night Owl Romance

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BLURB
An open wound left untreated will fester and can never heal. Sixteen years ago, love lived in two young hearts and thrived in the beginning of a life. Sixteen years ago, a rivalry surfaced that sent Mitchell to sea and left Anna to give birth.

The passing of time can assuage grudges, uncover hidden motives, heal wounds and reveal family secrets. But when ties are tested and relationships strained by the opening of old injuries, can love endure rough and stormy seas?

TAG
Seas rage and storms batter, but love's anchor endures.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

EXCERPT
* look back *

(Setting - Jason raids the newspaper office with his best friend.)

Jason took the paper. "Thank you, Ma'am. Let's go. Come on, Alex." He entered the room, sat and turned on the computer as he set the journal on the table. His fruitless search through paper after paper for one name in particular earned his growl.

Alex opened the journal and gawked at the photo. "Bang, bang, choo choo train, back it up so I can hit that thing." He froze. "Is this your mom? How old was she then and how old is she now?"

"Yes. Just turned fifteen and thirty-one."

"Damn, she was a hottie!"

"Still is." Jason eyed his friend. "Don't get any ideas about chasing my mom, man."

Alex grinned. "I won't, but..."

"What?"

"Were you breastfed?"

Jason slugged his friend's arm. "Back off."

"Ouch." Alex rubbed the promised bruise.

"By the way, yes I was."

"Lucky you."

Jason tilted his head and shot his friend a deadly look. "Did you say you want the next one in your mouth?"

Alex raised his hands in surrender. "No. What are we looking for?"

He returned to his task. "Just checking. The name Colton. Mitchell Colton in particular."

"Okay. Hey, stop there. Top article right hand page."

"Speed reader." Jason read aloud the words of the article in reference to a ship heading out to sea. "The Amber Star, commanded by Angus Colton and co-captained by his son, Darrel Colton will be joined by the third generation captain in training, Mitchell Colton. The ship is expected due back in six to eight months." His cross reference of the date with his birth earned his sneer. "The jerk made it back in time." He slammed his hands on the table. "I friggin' hate the man!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

EXCERPT
* face-to-face *

(Setting - Mitchell confronts Anna in the jailhouse.)

Mitchell rose from the corner of the desk. "Miss Alden."

The patrolman raised his hands. "You two need to take a few breaths and keep it calm."

"I am cool, but is she?"

"As ice, Mr. Colton." Anna strode over, balled up her fist and drew back.

Mitchell ducked, stepped behind her and seized her wrists. With her hands swiftly bound in one of his, he wrapped his other arm around her waist. The
feel of her back against him surged fire through his veins. "Settle down,
Anna."

"Let me go, you bastard!" She struggled against his hold, but without avail.
The familiarity of his warmth, his scent and his touch clouded her mind. Recollection of his expedient departure ripped through her heart.

"If you calm down, I will." Disappointed by the relaxation of her tense muscles, he opened his hand, withdrew his arm and stepped back.

Anna leapt away. "Best put me in a cell, Jake, before I do something we all regret."

Poised and ready, Mitchell expected her to try again. "You charged me."

"Yeah, and I have no objections to shooting you right now either."

"Little town secret, love, he keeps his gun unloaded."

Jake flinched. "Damn it, Mitch. Anna, I told you about the threats."

Anna sneered. "If he uses anything other than my proper name, I want him charged with assault."

"Assault on what?"

"General purposes, Jake. Or I'll raise the issue this town is nestled in the back pocket of every Colton male in it."

Mitchell folded his arms over his chest and rose to his full height.
"Actually, the name should be Alden. Your father has always owned more control over what's what in this town than my father or grandfather ever possessed."

Anna ignored the law officer who directed her into a cell and shut the barred door. "Perhaps you should look back at the past, Mitch."

"Perhaps you should open your eyes, Anna." He shook his head, pivoted and left the building.

"The Alden family never had control. Jake?"

Paula Calloway
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