Guest Post & Giveaway: "The Kure" by Jaye Frances

Today we have Jaye Frances on my blog talking about her book "The Kure" and giving away one Kindle copy of her book. Lets welcome Jaye to Romance Book Junkies. 

Thank you, Danielle, for hosting me on Romance Book Junkies today. I really appreciate the opportunity to talk about The Kure, and to let your readers know about my “Resolve To Read” promotion going on right now through Amazon.

One of my greatest challenges in writing The Kure was developing the unexpected romance that developed between the main characters, John Tyler and Sarah Sheridan. While most potential lovers have the opportunity to evaluate each other with honest intentions, John was driven by supernatural forces to meet Sarah, his seemingly innocent advances disguising his true purpose—to determine her willingness to participate in a perverse and forbidden ritual. Not exactly the best circumstances for creating a lasting relationship.

When John ultimately decides to abandon the depraved rite to protect his new love, he vows to keep the dark knowledge of the Kure from influencing Sarah and destroying their chances of a future together. But as Sarah reveals her true feelings for John, she convinces him to reveal the Kure’s secrets, and joins him in an effort to release its seductive power.

In this excerpt, John believes the ritual has failed, and is devastated that he will never be able to be enjoy Sarah’s passionate touch:

If he had known Sarah was going to use a second lantern to illuminate the room’s interior, he would have waited, or sat somewhere else. Now with the light betraying her every move, common courtesy demanded that he direct his focus elsewhere. Until she finished changing, he should pretend to be occupied with adjusting his blanket, or watching the intermittent flashes brighten the loft. But he could no more look away than the ancient sailors could ignore the seductive song of mythic sirens.

She unbuttoned her blouse and bent forward, pulling it free from the tight tuck inside her dress. Breaking the wet seal, she peeled the clinging fabric from her shoulders. Glancing back through the doorway, she saw John staring openly, his gaze unhampered by moral restraint. She simply smiled, granting him permission, allowing him to see her full breasts in the subdued yellow cast of the lantern.

She had left the door open for a reason—not because she needed the light, or had any intention to tempt or tantalize. It was a confirmation of their unspoken bond; they had fought the storm together, and tomorrow they would both learn John’s fate. Any display of feigned virtue or prudish reluctance would have been a sad sequel to the concern and caring—the unspoken desire—that had driven them this far. She had left the door open because there was simply no reason to close it.

John could feel his heart pounding in his chest. He had to find a way to calm himself, to silently assure Sarah that he could appreciate her beauty in the same way she had chosen to reveal it. He had been unconsciously holding his breath. He let it out slowly, demanding that his own body not distract him from Sarah’s.

She reached behind and untied the waistband of her skirt. Without hesitation, she slid it over her hips and let it drop. The thin fabric of her underclothes clung to every contour, every fold, and Sarah made no effort to turn away as she pushed the final piece of damp cotton down her thighs. It fell to her ankles, leaving her naked in the soft, golden light.

The rain beat steady and hard on the roof, its rhythm in concert with the pulsing wind. The horses shuffled about in their stalls, occasionally snorting at the draft of air flowing from the open loft. High above, century-old timbers creaked and groaned with the changing pressure.

Yet John heard none of it. Sarah’s body was a spellbinding vision, her clothing having only hinted at the sheer perfection of her form, and he watched her as though each movement was a sacred revelation, every motion divinely inspired. But as his reverent admiration grew in proportion to his desire, his thoughts were plagued by one inescapable certainty: If the disease could not be arrested by the leeching—if it ultimately took his manhood—he would never know the pleasure of her touch during a playful swim on a warm summer’s evening, or delight in watching the firelight kiss her smooth, inviting skin on a cold winter’s night. If forced to endure the worst possible result of the bloodletting, he would be left with only memories of how the raindrops had sparkled on her face, how her breasts had glistened in the lamp light, and how unhurried and trusting she had been, standing naked before him.

Here’s a brief synopsis:

John Tyler, a young man in his early twenties, awakens to find a ghastly affliction taking over his body. When the village doctor offers the conventional, and potentially disfiguring, treatment as the only cure, John tenaciously convinces the doctor to reveal an alternative remedy—a forbidden ritual contained within an ancient manuscript called the Kure.

Although initially rejecting the vile and sinister rite, John realizes, too late, that the ritual is more than a faded promise scrawled on a page of crumbling paper. And as cure quickly becomes curse, the demonic text unleashes a dark power that drives him to consider the unthinkable—a depraved and wicked act requiring the corruption of an innocent soul.

Ultimately, John must choose between his desperate need to arrest the plague that is destroying his body, and the virtue of the woman he loves, knowing the wrong decision could cost him his life.

               For a limited time, read “The Kure” for only $.99 (kindle version)

I always spend the last few days of December reviewing my writing plan for the coming year—to determine what’s going to receive priority and how I will budget my time to make sure I get it done. During one of those planning sessions, I noticed my husband was also putting a few goals together for the new year. When I asked him to tell me about his “resolutions,” he said that one of them was to read more, especially books that fall outside his favorite genres, “just to see what else is out there.” We began to talk about how many more people are now reading books of all kinds, primarily due to increased availability and choice of low-cost eBooks for the kindle and nook. I often see comments from readers who decided to try a particular author’s work because it was ninety-nine cents, or in some cases, free. Then my husband asked an interesting question: “Why don’t you offer some kind of promotion to encourage more people to read The Kure, with the idea that they’ll be more inclined to read the book if you temporarily lower the price?” I really had to think about this one, but after realizing it might motivate a few more folks who are not familiar with The Kure to take a look, I decided to do it. I’m calling it “Resolve To Read”, and it’s going on right now. The kindle version of The Kure can be purchased for ninety-nine cents on Amazon. So if you were planning on buying a kindle version anyway, why not take advantage of the “Resolve To Read” promotion and save two bucks?

Author Bio:

Jaye Frances was born in the Midwest and grew up surrounded by traditional values and conservative attitudes (which she quickly discarded). She readily admits that her life’s destination has been the result of an open mind and a curiosity about all things irreverent, and invites visitors to her website with a friendly caveat: “Be forewarned, my life has not followed the traditional path of homemaker, wife, and mother.” When she’s not consumed by her writing, Jaye enjoys cooking, traveling to all places tropical and “beachy” and taking pictures—lots of pictures—many of which wind up on her website. Jaye lives on the central gulf coast of Florida, sharing her home with one husband, six computers, four cameras, and several hundred pairs of shoes. 

My website is:  http://www.jayefrances.com

My blog is:  http://blog.jayefrances.com

Goodreads:

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12718447-the-kure

My Facebook Page:

https://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Jaye-Frances-writer/171415992923563

Links for The Kure on Amazon and BN:

Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/Kure-Jaye-Frances/dp/1466262966/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1317073140&sr=1-1

BN:

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/the-kure-by-jaye-frances?keyword=the+kure+by+jaye+frances&store=ebook

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