Book Hooks is a weekly meme hosted by Marketing for Romance Writers as part of the MFRW Authors Blog. Readers can jump from one author to another who share hooks from their current WIP (work in progress) or any previously published books.
For this week’s edition of Book Hooks, I give you a teaser from She Talks to Eagles, a time-travel, paranormal romance. Be sure to check out other participating author posts here.
He’s shocked that the beautiful girl in the picture is alive…
Maybe the stories of the notorious Route 66 are true. Road trips don’t result in encountering ghosts, but they do for Collin Bird. When he spies a beautiful girl hitchhiking during a thunderstorm, he can’t believe his eyes. It’s Rosemary, a young woman from his Ojibway community who went missing over forty years ago.
Rosemary Kakeway is dead. Her only hope to reach the spirit world is Collin. Before departing to the place of her ancestors, she seeks vengeance against her killers, and Collin is the man to help her do just that.
A ride with Rosemary through pea-soup fog brings Collin to 1977, where he meets a very much alive nineteen-year-old Rosemary. The bold and wild girl is nothing like he imagined her to be as she introduces him to a time he embraces. Knowing they are meant to be together, neither wishes to say goodbye, but that’s up to Rosemary’s spirit in the twenty-first century to decide.
Genre(s): Paranormal Romance, Time Travel Romance, First Nations Romance, Contemporary Romance
Heat Rating: Level 2
Publication Date: September 6, 2024
Publisher: eXtasy Books
Shouting woke Collin. His eyes flew open. He was in the Nova. The sun broke on the horizon. The scent of beer permeated the vehicle. He scrambled to sit up, realizing he’d put the seat into a reclining position.
Rosemary.
He threw open the door and tore off in the direction of the hollering. The voices came from two vehicles over. He was in the parking lot at the powwow grounds.
The memories came fierce and fast, as quick as his feet skimmed the ground to where Rosemary was struggling. He didn’t have to see them, but his heart said it was Starbuck and Apollo. They’d taken her from his car. It was the night when they’d gone drinking.
“Rosemary.”
Apollo and Starbuck stopped. Rosemary continued to struggle. Her swaying indicated she was still feeling the effects of the alcohol.
“What the fuck do you want?” Apollo snapped. “Can’t you see we’re busy?”
“Busy abducting my girlfriend?” Collin flexed his fingers.
“Hey, she wanted to come with us,” Starbuck snarled.
“What’s going on here?” Tiny strode over. The illumination from his flashlight bounced off the three of them.
“Call the cops. They’re trying to abduct her.” Collin settled his glare back on the duo.
“We’re not fucking doing anything,” Starbuck shot back, eyes narrowed. “She wanted to come with us. Ask her. Fucking sluts. You know how they are.”
“Call the cops,” Collin repeated, surprised at how calm he remained. “This isn’t the first girl they abducted. If you go to the desert in Edgewood, you’ll find another.”
Tiny kept the spotlight on Collin. “Really?”
Collin nodded. He stepped forward and eased Rosemary from the bastards’ hold. She slipped into his arms, grinning. Her palm playfully tapped his cheek. “Hey, you’re awake. You passed out on me.” Her head bobbed. “Where’s my beer?”
Passed out? Hardly. He’d only drunk four of the Heinekens.
By now, two more security guards had arrived.
Tiny looked to them. “Get the police. These two aren’t going anywhere.”
“You can’t stop us.” Starbuck threw up his hands. “We’re outta here.”
“Oh no you don’t.” Tiny removed his night stick from his belt. “You’re staying put, friend.”
Starbuck shrank against Apollo.
“What’cha gonna do? Scalp us?” Apollo sneered.
“That’s up to the fuzz.”
Collin ushered Rosemary toward his car. Tiny could deal with them for now. He couldn’t believe her spirit wanted them to remain together and that she’d sent him back, even if he had to face her while halfcocked.
“We’ll get your purse and stuff. You can sleep it off at the tent,” he told her.
They could talk once she woke.
CHECK OUT OTHER BOOK HOOKS HERE BY PARTICIPATING AUTHORS
Maggie Blackbird 