Blindfolded Danielle, with hands tied behind her back, is led by two burly, bearded, rum-breathed pirates. She struggles but they, guffawing at her feminine weakness, lift her bodily and set her on the plank. Wind molds her gown against her small frame, pastes the mane of blond hair to cover her face.
"Thar ye go. Off wit' ye now." Using the tips of their swords, the two prod her forward. Slowly, tentatively, she inches down the creaking board. Bare toes hanging off the end, she pauses, inhales a quavering breath. A wave splashes over, drenching her from head to foot.
"This water's cold!" she screams, breaking free from her bounds. Ripping off the blindfold, she yells, "Warm it up, me maties! Let's get this party a-roaring!"
We couldn't agree more, Danielle! :) To start, we'll allow Danielle to introduce herself in her own words:
Danielle Thorne is the author of two 2009 novels: THE PRIVATEER, a 1729 historical about British privateering in the Caribbean, and TURTLE SOUP, a sweet contemporary romance set between Atlanta and St. Thomas. She is the 2009-2010 Co-chair for the New Voices writing competition for young writers, and active with online author groups such as The Sweetest Romance Authors and Classic Romance Revival. She lives with her four sons and husband, who is an air traffic controller, south of Atlanta, Georgia.
Danielle's soon to be released book is called Turtle Soup.
Blurb: Sea turtles may be endangered but after an encounter with marine biologist, Jack Brandon, nothing will stop Sara Hart from naming her deli, Turtle Soup. When Jack takes a job at the nearby Georgia Aquarium, Sara finds the environmental poster boy at her door, hungry and carrying a chip on his shoulder. Neither thinks the other has what it takes, until a scuba class reveals what lies beneath the surface. It will take food, friends, and a little help from Mother Nature, to help them see that making a difference isn’t all numbers and glory. It must begin with love.Excerpt:
She came around the corner in response to the front door’s bell. The girl from the airport, the one with his book, had hair piled up on top of her head, gold hoops hanging from her earlobes.
"Oh," she said, but something told him she suspected this moment would come. He glanced down the street to the aquarium. Turtle Soup? He felt a flicker of ridicule.
A cloud of menace passed over her face. "I didn’t expect to see you in here. Wouldn’t a place like this be against your principles?"
"Not unless you actually serve turtle."
"I cook clams," she said coolly. "I’d use turtle if I could get a hold of it."
"They’re endangered, sweetheart."
She jerked back at his meaningless term of endearment. "I hear they’re pretty tasty."
"Just because something’s tasty," he answered, glancing over the counter at her waistline, "doesn’t mean it’s worth the trouble."
(To be published by Awe-struck Publishing: www.awe-struck.net
Fall 2009)
All right! Now the question to be answered is this: What song does a turtle sing when he's swimming laps in a bowl of soup?
Danielle will choose her winner from all the entries and announce the lucky person here tomorrow morning. You'll receive a copy of this wonderful book!
