TODAY'S THE DAY

THE JUDAS KISS

THE JUDAS KISS has been released! So excited to have the first in the Tides of Charleston Series out. A good day. A good week. Hopefully, a good year! I love historical fiction, historical romance, historical suspense! I have since I can remember. I have to say The Judas Kiss was influenced by one of my favorite authors, Victoria Holt. I enjoyed many a book by her (under all her pen names, too).


Many a day was spent in my youth with her book in my hand. Victoria Holt's books were filled with suspense. My favorites- Mistress of Mellyn and Menfreya in the Morning. I found more than a few of her books set in Cornwall, England. You'll find when I venture in my writings across the ocean to England I was drawn to Cornwall. It is no coincidence that Jake Pennington is from Cornwall. I've never been to England physically. My only connection is from reading Victoria Holt's books. It was like I've been on the moors, walking the ruins, hearing the waves crash against the rocks. I hope The Judas Kiss takes you into a world like Victoria Holt took me.

I'll let you in on a little secret. When I first submitted The Judas Kiss to Whiskey Creek Press, it's title was The Sun Will Rise. I got the title from the first chapter of The Judas Kiss when Cathryn's brother, Sumner, talks to her about her feat of leaving home. He tells her- The only thing that is constant is the fact that the sun will rise in the morning. Everything else will change. It is life. You have now a choice. To live your life or hide from it. Live your life, Jalyn, and have faith it will lead you to happiness.


Loved the title and it seemed fitting. The only problem- the manuscript was too long. We had to cut the book into two. Somehow The Sun Will Rise I and The Sun Will Rise II didn't fit. I wanted to come up with other titles. Then I looked on my book shelf and there it was. The Judas Kiss by Victoria Holt. Now the books couldn't be more different. In Victoria Holt's version, you have a sister looking for the answers to why her sister was killed years before; she encounters her old lover whose engaged to her charge...oh, you get the picture. 


My The Judas Kiss is not about an unknown betrayal. I can't let on anymore than that at the moment, but know The Judas Kiss is filled with suspense, love and betrayal. There isn't a doubt there has been a betrayal as in Victoria Holt's book where the charge didn't know and wouldn't have cared. I'm sure Ms Holt wouldn't mind sharing a title. In a small way it's my way of honoring Ms Holt. 


So join me today. Get your copy of The Judas Kiss and enjoy!

SHADOWS OF THE PAST

Don't forget WHISPERS OF A LEGEND, PART ONE- SHADOWS OF THE PAST has gone free on Amazon!!!! So excited. And at the end of the month, I'm releasing Daughter of Deceit under my pen name, Carrie James Haynes.