Well, this has just been a great week here at Words Seasoned With Salt. Btw, one of my writing friends told me I should change the title to Words Seasoned with Pepper – but I’m not so sure. I took the idea of ‘salt’ from the Bible – I don’t know that there are any ‘pepper’ references there 😉 What do you think? Salt or Pepper –  Seriously, I have all the thyme in the world. (snicker)

Okay, okay – I absolutely love my guest for today. Her writing grips the reader and moves at a brisk pace until the last page, with twists, turns, jumps, and drops all over the place. A gifted storyteller and a fabulous encourager, Jamie Carie, writes stories that sizzle, soothe, and send the reader on an amazing journey to the past.

JAMIE is giving away her newest novella just in time for Christmas music to start playing in stores. The Snowflake. Leave a comment for your chance to win this beautiful story.

To learn more about Jamie’s books, check out her lovely website at www.jamiecarie.com

Now, Jamie, so glad to have you here. Let’s see what you have in store for us today.

What are some elements that are present when a hero and heroine first realize they are falling in love with each other? What are some beautiful, interesting, unique ways of showing that realization?

Please provide an excerpt of your writing that shows this realization.

 When my characters start to fall in love it’s rather like a sickness! LOL! They have all sorts of “symptoms” that plague them and sometimes it takes a great deal of these ailments to convince them that something is wrong – or rather – very right! Some hero symptoms are: a desire to protect her from hurt or harm, a need to see that her needs are provided for, a physical desire that he must work to suppress (finding himself staring at her lips, thinking of kissing her, wanting to pull her into his arms and touch her, you get the idea), and thinking of her often and the frustration that comes with that.

While standing near her he may experience sweaty palms, rapid heartbeat and a sudden inability to put two sentences together. 🙂 The heroine may find herself daydreaming a lot and sighing without knowing it. She may also experience physical discomfort in her stomach, throat, heart and weak limbs. She might suddenly develop shortness of breath and a desire to bat her lashes, oh and melting feelings are very discomfiting. If the hero even looks at another woman she may be overcome with jealousy (this could go both ways, of course), and her emotions might swing from so happy she can hardly contain the swelling of her heart to so miserable she bursts into tears at the slightest provocation.

It’s all quite miserable, really. And so much fun! 

Here is an excerpt from my newest book, due out next summer, Pirate of my Heart. American sea captain, Dorian Colburn, and Lady Kendra Townsend have been confined on the close quarters of a ship these past weeks. Emotions have been tossed to and fro like the waves of the sea and here, in this scene, Dorian fights his attraction for the lovely Earl’s daughter:

Dorian watched with a mixture of awe and anxiety churning in his stomach, transfixed as Lady Townsend approached the railing of his ship, his ship. She was wearing the plum dress but this time her hat dangled from her hand, feathers trailing the wood boards of the deck that had been scoured with sand until they were almost white. The sun shone bright on her uncovered head. The light was rosy on her face, making her hair come alive with glints of gold. She raised her hand to her eyes and looked out over the endless gray waves toward the sunrise.

            He expelled a breath and then clinched his jaw as he realized he’d been holding it in. His view couldn’t be better, directly above her on the quarterdeck. It also afforded him a bird’s eye view of his crew. As reality returned to him, the commotion she was causing with his men became evident. Anger flared into his cheeks. Get control, man. And get control of this ship!

            His booted steps rang out on the wooden stairs as he marched down to her side. He came up behind her, leaned in and barked out a quick staccato in a tone that never failed to cause his men to pale with fear and rush to obey. “I remember ordering you to remain in your cabin.” He took a firm grasp on her elbow. The nearness of her, the touch of the silky skin of her upper arm left him rolling, reeling, like a row boat in the midst of rising thirty foot waves.

            She swung toward him, her violet gaze a rapier’s thrust. Her gaze narrowed at his tone. “But my dear captain, since you ignored my message last night I was forced to search you out myself and find the whereabouts of the mysterious disappearance of my trunks.” Her voice lowered to a soft purr. “It seems you only deem yourself worthy of their care.” 

            Dorian bit his tongue, shoved what he wanted to say back down inside and took a step back. The woman was enough to make a saint curse. “If it’s only trunks that you seek, then by all means. We will fetch them this instant.”

              He turned away to order the trunks delivered to her.

            She stopped him with a hand on his arm. It was a mere brush of a touch but it seared his skin and his muscles jumped where her fingertips encountered his upper arm. It took him a moment to be able to concentrate on her tirade.

            “Captain, let us come to an understanding. I will not be locked up in a stuffy cabin during the entire voyage. You cannot treat me like a prisoner. I am a paid passenger and expect a passenger’s rights.”

            Dorian found himself gazing at her fast moving lips, thinking how he would like to take her into his arms and kiss her silent. He shook his head trying to rid himself of the sensation that someone had stuffed his mind with wool. “This, Lady Thornton, is not a passenger ship, therefore you have no rights. I am captain of this ship and you will obey my orders like the rest of the crew.” When she opened her mouth to argue Dorian cut her off. “This is for your own protection. Don’t tell me you didn’t notice the attention you are receiving from my men.” Her stunning eyes widened at the statement, but he didn’t believe her. She must be aware of her feminine charms. “I will not have my men distracted from their duties to satisfy the vanity of a spoiled English lady.”

            Kendra gasped as if she’d been slapped. “Your opinion is formed from your vast experience with the ton, I presume? Why, I’m quite certain a man like yourself,” her glance flicked down to his feet and then back up to his furious gaze with all the condescension she’d seen her Uncle Andrew use to flay someone alive, “has attended any number of social events with the aristocracy. Next, you’ll be telling me you are on excellent terms with the king. Ha. You’re little but a heathen and an American pirate!” As soon as the words flew from her mouth she stopped, eyes widening as shame filled her. Lord, forgive me. I don’t know what’s come over me!

            It’s not My forgiveness that you need to seek.

The words thundered in her ears as her face filled with heat. Taking a step back she bit her lower lip and peeked up at the captain’s face, which had turned ashen with shock and anger.

“I’m sorry. That was ill played of me.” Kendra looked at the floor, at his boots and thought she quite deserved to have to polish them.

Maybe if she offered . . .

I SOOOOO can’t wait to read this book. Oh my goodness, Jamie. With your love for epic romance and daring adventure, adding pirates to the mix is going to be FANTASTIC!! Woohooo!!

Thanks so much for sharing with us today and providing this awesome ‘tease’.

Inspirational Moment:

Ephesians 3:14-21 (The Message paraphrase)

My response is to get down on my knees before the Father, this magnificent Father who parcels out all heaven and earth. I ask him to strengthen you by his Spirit—not a brute strength but a glorious inner strength—that Christ will live in you as you open the door and invite him in. And I ask him that with both feet planted firmly on love, you’ll be able to take in with all followers of Jesus the extravagant dimensions of Christ’s love. Reach out and experience the breadth! Test its length! Plumb the depths! Rise to the heights! Live full lives, full in the fullness of God.

 ^20-21God can do anything, you know—far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams! He does it not by pushing us around but by working within us, his Spirit deeply and gently within us.

God is not afraid of our questions. Our doubts. Our challenging him. He’s practically saying – ‘Bring it on. Try me out – I will not fail. You can’t find the bottom of my well of love’.

When we recognize who we are in Him – when we understand (as much as our human minds ever can) the great depths of his love. We we become smothered by it, until it is what we breathe, then that knowledge changes how we respond to trials, difficulty, other people..everyday. We recognize ourselves as children – not slaves or outcasts, but God’s own sons and daughters.

We are loved by the King.