BookHounds

Books, Gardens & Dogs

  • Home
  • About Me
  • Giveaways
  • Disclosure Policy
  • Giveaway Hops!
  • Privacy Policy
  • Review Policy
  • Wish List
  • Reviews by Title

#Giveaway Excerpt NAMED OF THE DRAGON by SUSANNA KEARSLEY @SusannaKearsley @sbkslandmark

October 8, 2015 By Mary

name of the dragon bannername of the dragon

 

 

Title: Named of the Dragon

Author: Susanna Kearsley
ISBN: 9781402258640
Pubdate: October 6, 2015
Genre: Time-slip Romance
Imprint: Sourcebooks Landmark

 

 

Summary

 

A haunting tale of intrigue from New York Times bestselling author Susanna Kearsley.

SOMEWHERE IN THE HEART OF LEGEND

LIES THE KEY TO HER TERRIFYING DREAMS

The charm of spending the Christmas holidays in South Wales, with its crumbling castles and ancient myths, seems the perfect distraction from the nightmares that have plagued literary agent Lyn Ravenshaw since the loss of her baby five years ago.

Instead, she meets an emotionally fragile young widow who’s convinced that Lyn’s recurring dreams have drawn her to Castle Farm for an important purpose–and she’s running out of time.

With the help of a reclusive, brooding playwright, Lyn begins to untangle the mystery and is pulled into a world of Celtic legends, dangerous prophecies, and a child destined for greatness.

 Buy 

 

Amazon
Barnes & Noble
Indie Bound

 

Excerpt

 

While the halls beside it crumbled from the strain of staying upright, Pembroke Castle’s keep had stood through eight long centuries of tumult, and looked capable of weathering another eight with ease. It had been poked at, over time. Bits of the parapet surrounding the domed roof had tumbled down, or been removed, and when we walked round to the north side I could see the black and jagged hole that marked the first-floor entrance, stripped of all its finer facing stones. But such small scars went virtually unnoticed on a building so imposing.

“I’m not sure you should be doing that,” said James, as I scampered up the flight of steps toward the gaping doorway. “Those steps might not be safe. And anyway, you can’t get in that way, you have to go through here.”

The steps didn’t feel dangerous, but I didn’t imagine that open defiance was something James craved in an agent, and I ought to be trying to show him how well I could listen. Reluctantly, I turned back and went through the proper entrance, a much smaller door set at ground level. It felt like walking through a tunnel—the walls of the keep must have been a good twenty feet thick—but at length it discharged us, like puny adventurers, into the cavernous space.

“You see?” James, who had seen it before, pointed up at a ragged-edged hole, streaming light. “It’s a doorway to nothing, the floors have all gone.”

I had tipped my head backward, struck dumb by the sight.

Originally, there would have been three or more levels here, comfortable rooms, wooden floors, warming fires that burned in the royal apartments, but all of that was lost now to the callous hand of time. What remained, though, was in some ways more impressive.

Stripped to its bare outer walls, it was like a cathedral, a great hollow soaring cathedral of stone, with a perfect domed ceiling and small arching windows that slanted pale light through the reverent gloom. From every ledge and opening long streaks of soft and mossy green dripped downward, passing shades of rust and gentle blues that stained the walls in places where the plaster had not fallen from the gray, unyielding stones.

I took a breath, inhaling dust, and fumbled for my guidebook. “Seventy-five feet,” I said, in awe. “This shaft is seventy-five feet tall.”

James looked at me. “You say that as though it’s a challenge.”

“It is.” I’d always liked climbing things. Turning, I spotted the newel stair, and happily squeezed up one tight winding flight to the first narrow landing. Resting my hands on the cold metal piping that served as a guardrail, I leaned through the open arched doorway to look down at James. “Coming up?”

“No, I’ve done it once, thank you.” He sauntered forward, moving through a shifting web of light and shadow, to see me better. By the time I reached the third and final landing, he was standing in the center of the floor. “Do warn me if you’re going to fall,” he said, “so I can step aside.”

“You wouldn’t catch me?”

“From that height? You must be mad.”

I took a firm grip on the guardrail and leaned out as far as I dared, to admire the view. The dome, from this height, was a marvel of masonry, hundreds of stones set with perfect precision to form an impossible half sphere that floated above me. Absorbed, I leaned further, and felt my hand slip in the instant before something clamped round my shoulder.

“Don’t worry,” said Gareth, behind me. “I’ll catch you.”

SUSANNA KEARSLEYAuthor Bio

 

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author and RITA award winner Susanna Kearsley is known for her meticulous research and exotic settings from Russia to Italy to Cornwall, which not only entertain her readers but give her a great reason to travel. Her lush writing has been compared to Mary Stewart, Daphne Du Maurier, and Diana Gabaldon. She won the coveted Romance Writers of America RITA Award for The Firebird, and hit the bestseller lists in the U.S. with The Winter Sea and The Rose Garden, both RITA finalists and winners of RT Reviewers’ Choice Awards. Other honors include finaling for the UK’s Romantic Novel of the Year Award, National Readers’ Choice Awards, and the prestigious Catherine Cookson Fiction Prize. Her popular and critically-acclaimed books are available in translation in more than 20 countries and as audio books. She lives in Canada, near the shores of Lake Ontario.

 

Social Networking Links

 

Website
Facebook
Twitter
Goodreads

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Share this:

  • Email
  • Tweet
  • Share on Tumblr

Related

Related Posts

  • Related Posts
$10 #Giveaway Excerpt THIRD FRONT by E.M. Hamill @
$20 #Giveaway Five Favorite Books by Lindsay Lees
$10 #Giveaway Excerpt WHERE DAVID THREW STONES by
$10 #Giveaway Excerpt SHADOW MATE by Alexis Calder
#Giveaway Excerpt Dear Wild Child by Wallace J.

Comments

  1. Susan T. says

    October 8, 2015 at 9:44 pm

    I am a huge historical fiction fan and I love the combination of contemporary and romance with the historical. She is one of the best at it!

  2. Angela/griperang says

    October 9, 2015 at 12:31 am

    I ENJOY HER WRITING STYLE. i THINK HER BOOKS FLOW NICELY

  3. Melissa Morr says

    October 9, 2015 at 5:13 am

    Susan is a new author to me

  4. anne says

    October 9, 2015 at 7:30 am

    Susanna’s historicals are memorable, captivating and unique. Wonderful writing and characters whose lives are fascinating.

  5. Rita Wray says

    October 9, 2015 at 8:51 am

    I enjoyed the excerpt, thank you.

  6. Nancy says

    October 9, 2015 at 9:03 am

    There’s an ethereal quality in the books I’ve read thus far.

  7. Carol L says

    October 9, 2015 at 11:37 am

    Susanna is one of the best Authors I have read. Her stories are so intense,riveting and just don’t let go. I love every single book she’s ever written. I love her creativemind. 🙂 Thank you so much for this opportunity. Whenever she has a new book I don’t need to read an excerpt . I knowI’ll love it.
    Carol L
    Lucky4750 (at) aol (dot) com

  8. Diane Sallans says

    October 9, 2015 at 12:30 pm

    I haven’t read any of Susanna’s books yet, but I just checked out her website book list – they sound fascinating!

  9. Linda romer says

    October 9, 2015 at 3:13 pm

    I’m new to Susanna, looking forward to reading Named of the Dragon.

  10. Sandra Watts says

    October 9, 2015 at 5:55 pm

    I think the book sounds great.

  11. Sunnymay says

    October 10, 2015 at 12:42 pm

    She writes atmospheric books which lift you up.

  12. Rachel B says

    October 10, 2015 at 3:26 pm

    The timeless sense to her stories. I’ve been reading her books almost as long as I’ve been reading romances, so there is also the comfort factor in reading her books.

  13. Nancy Jones says

    October 10, 2015 at 6:02 pm

    I haven’t read any of Susanna’s books yet, however, I will be adding her to my TBR list.

  14. Kimberly V says

    October 14, 2015 at 4:17 am

    I’ve never read any of Susanna’s books, but I would love to. They sound perfect for me.

  15. K Davis says

    October 14, 2015 at 8:51 pm

    I love her writing style and her characters.

  16. missy ellis says

    October 17, 2015 at 12:38 am

    i havent read any of her books

  17. Crystal Cox says

    October 21, 2015 at 7:53 am

    I have not had the pleasure of reading any of her books yet. But after reading the blurbs and this excerpt I am excited to change that .

  18. Diane Elizabeth says

    October 23, 2015 at 6:43 pm

    I love the attention to detail in Susanna’s books, it really draws me into the story.

  19. Lu Worley says

    October 26, 2015 at 7:42 pm

    I haven’t had the opportunity to Love her writing but would love one! Daphne Du Maurieris a favorite of mine. Anyone who comes close is a definite winner!

Follow Us

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Instagram

Subscribe to Blog via Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Join 30,354 other subscribers

Follow Me

  • Email Me Followers
  • Facebook Likes

[footer_backtotop]

Copyright © 2023 ·Modern Blogger Pro · Genesis Framework by StudioPress · Design Update by Imagination Designs WordPress · Log in