Welcome to another Sunday with Weekend Writing Warriors. Meet writers in various genres and read 8-10 sentence snippets of their stories. Find a new author and sample their work. Enjoy!
I am continuing snippets from my new medieval romance set in fourteenth century England in and around my hometown of Reading.
My heroine Audrey and her cousin Margaret are traveling home from their pilgrimage to Glastonbury Abbey. They are on the last day of their journey when four horsemen gallop from behind. Everyone is nervous because outlaws have attacked travelers on this road recently.
This snippet continues
from last week with minor deletions and repunctuation to fit. Note – Audrey has
a grey mare called Daisy and a wolfhound, Rufus.
You can read last
week’s snippet here – https://auroraspringer.blogspot.com/2019/06/frisky-mare-wins-curious-gaze-snippet.html
The last sentence was: A sudden smile warmed his
severe face and lit green streaks in his hazel eyes.
My heart gave a flutter of delight and I returned his
smile.
The yeoman gave me a nod. He pressed his spurs into his steed’s
flanks and slapped the reins; his black courser tossed its head and sped into a
gallop.
One after the other, his men passed us. Once they passed the
vanguard of our party, their horses settled back into an easy canter. Their
leader’s stern face remained etched in my mind. My instant attraction to this
handsome yeoman caused me to reassess my options for a husband. I had wealth enough
to support a man with none. Yet, if I married a penniless man, I would never
know if he most desired me or my riches. A man who could support himself would
be best if I should decide to marry again and risk losing my independence.
Note: yeomen might
serve a lord and depend on his wages, but they could also own land and have
independent income.
A young widow in
possession of a good business must be in want of a husband.
In
fourteenth century Britain, Dame Audrey enjoys her independence as the widow of
a cloth merchant. She has no desire to remarry and submit to a husband’s will,
but the town elders covet her prosperous business. Her kindness to a stranger
earns Bridda’s blessing and a brooch with a green dragon offers glimpses into
the hidden world of the supernatural. The faerie brooch attracts trouble from
thieves of all ranks and the attentions of a handsome bailiff, Selwyn Drake.
Can she evade the schemes to force her into wedlock and retain her
independence?
Estelle and her flying mare join Toby and the
Secret Supers to search for a missing girl, seven-year old Juliana.
Final weekend for
discounted price: Europa is 99c until June 30
Thrilling SciFi Romance
set on Jupiter’s moon.
Daredevil scientist
& scarred alien merman forge a perilous alliance despite the antagonism of
their people.
Please return to www.wewriwa.com to sample the works of the other writers.
I can see where she's coming from in regards to the choice of a husband. Nice snippet.
ReplyDeleteYes. She is a practical woman. But she will be forced into dark places.
DeleteI wonder how long this man will invade her thoughts. Intriguing snippet!
ReplyDeleteOh he'll reappear in her hometown in a dramatic scene. Redding has about 1000 inhabitants and she must know all her peers among the traders and craftsmen. None of them have piqued her interest in remarrying.
DeleteExciting. I read this twice and you captivated this reader.
ReplyDeleteThis is among the least exciting of her meetings with the red-haired yeoman.
DeleteObviously I haven't done the research and you have, but is this guy also the sheriff? I didn't think a yeoman could rank that high, more like a sergeant at arms...I wonder if your readers will get the distinction and be puzzled. It's hard to get the flow of an entire novelfrom just a snippet and perhaps you make it clear earlier....I'm enjoying the story of course!
ReplyDeleteA few lines earlier, he shouted, "Make way for the sheriff's men." So it should be clear in context. You are correct about the ranks. Audrey has no expectations of attracting a noble husband.
DeleteI liked her interior monologue. It's quite believable, especially given the story's era.
ReplyDeleteThanks. Not many women had a choice in their husbands.
DeleteI absolutely love this, Aurora! I had no idea you wrote medieval romance! Wonderful. When do you anticipate this being published? :-)
ReplyDeleteNo snippet for me this week. :-)
Hi Teresa. This is a new venture for me. The story is coming together and I hope it will be ready to publish in a few weeks.
DeleteThat painted a great picture of the scene for me. Her dilemma is going to be quite a story.
ReplyDeleteThank you. She has a rocky road to reach the HEA.
DeleteShe's got a problem on her hands. But I think she'd prefer those hands on him.
ReplyDeleteShe's not yet at that state. She's a respectable widow and wishes to continue running her cloth shop without a man telling her what to do!
DeleteSuper snippet, Aurora. She doesn't let lust rule her. Instead, she's practical. I hope the yeoman meets her requirements.
ReplyDeleteThanks. She is a practical woman and enjoys running her business. But events, and meeting Selwyn, will change her mind about marrying again.
Delete