Can You Hear the Whisper?

Finally, at last, now fore, in glorious conclusion with resounding crescendos, I give you – Aphrodite's Whisper – in paperback and Kindle formats (Audible version coming soon).

Yes, I haven't posted a blog since August. But I have a good excuse, Hurricane Florence. New Bern was, and to a great extent still is, devastated by this awful storm. While my home was mostly spared, we still suffered damage, especially in terms of fallen trees. Armed with my trusty Stihl, I sawed my way out and spent weeks clearing away debris and making repairs, all the while trying to bring my novel to publication. We also took time to attend the 300th anniversary of Blackbeard's demise at Ocracoke and married-off my son Zack to the most wonderful and beautiful woman a parent could hope for, Kelsey! So there you have it.

Friends, this book has been 20 years in the making and is its own story, one that I will reveal in my next blog. For now, I will leave you with the back-cover summary that tells you what this long-developing novel is about. Till then, I wish you a Merry Christmas or (celebration of your choice) and truly hope that you enjoy this labor of love. Thank you!

How had things gone so wrong?

Caelyn's small hands, raw with broken blisters, were no longer able to grasp the oars. It mattered little that the wind was dying and the sky was almost clear. Without fresh water, they would not survive. Exhausted, she rested against the oar handles crossed in an X before her and sobbed, cursing the strange aversion that kept her from doing the one simple thing that might save them. But only for a few moments. She may not be stronger than her phobia, but neither was she weak of constitution and determination. The tears shed were seen by no one and the release of pent-up emotion gave new hope. Settling in next to the unconscious rescuer to share body warmth against the growing cold, Caelyn prayed to the only gods that had ever afforded her comfort.

In the tradition of Legends of the Fall and Cold Mountain, Aphrodite’s Whisper is one of those rare stories that transports the reader to a seldom-explored time and place. Caelyn Canady, a moneyed-class misfit from New York, becomes a castaway forced to save herself and the man who had come to help her. Only if she can survive will she learn the dark truth of her past and be free to become the woman she is meant to be.

Ethan Roberts, her would-be rescuer, is a veteran of the Spanish-American War tormented by the deaths of his best friend and an innocent woman. In becoming a crewman in the lifesaving service, he may have found a way to escape his guilt and pain. Whether it be through redemption or death he no longer cares – until the stoic Missourian’s passion for life is rekindled by the slight woman who saves him.

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