Excert Monday - Across The Fickle Winds of History

The Set up: Olga has asked Paul to escort her to a ball. She has just met him, but feels an incrediable attraction to him.

******

We went back to the dance floor, and I discovered he had a stamina
no other man had. It seemed almost unnatural, and I grew winded a
second time before he took me upstairs to the second floor to get some
air. We looked down over the railing, admiring the dancers.

He stood close to me, his hand in the small of my back, his hard
body pressing ever so slightly into mine. His wonderful musky scent
drew me closer to him. Oh, how my heart beat loudly in my chest! I
prayed he could not hear it and I felt myself skirt the line between my
shyness and flirtatiousness.

“Would you like another drink?” he asked.

“Thank you, but no, Paul, I’m fine,” I replied. We spoke in his
native English and I noticed no unusual pauses in our conversation,
although I must admit, I had a very proper accent compared to his.

“Tell me about you, Olga. How is it Tatiana takes such command
when you are alone, but here, in front of all, you clearly assert
yourself?”

“I do what is expected of me, and since I am the oldest, a lot is
expected of me,” I answered.

“But the throne is not expected of you,” he remarked. I turned to
face him and caught an unusual look in his eye, as if he were studying
my reaction.

“No, it is not, but that does not mean I will live a sheltered life,
either.” I suppose my tone was a little harsh.

“I apologize if I have offended you, Princess.”

“That is the second time you’ve used the word “princess,” Paul. I
suppose that would be the English word for my title, but in Russia, I
am known as a grand duchess,” I explained.

He leaned close to me. “Olga,” he whispered with such a ravenous
smile, I thought I would faint. Then he put his hands on my upper
arms and his warm, honey brown eyes locked onto mine. “I have no
right to make such a bold statement to you, but the moment I saw you,
I felt drawn to you.”

His words hung like the lightest feathers in a breeze, and he brought
up a hand to my hair, teasing my ringlets. “You’re so gentle, so kind,
so sweet. I think of you as my princess.”

I took his hand and led him to the nearest balcony, wanting to be
away from prying eyes. With the glass door shut behind us, I pulled
him to the darkest corner the balcony had to offer and put my hands on
his waist, looking up into his eyes. My heart pounded in my chest as
my breathing became deep and ragged.

“What spell have you woven over me, handsome stranger? You
have been on my mind since the moment I saw you. And what will
happen when this evening ends? Will you go home the way you
came?”

********
Across the Fickle Winds of History is available at Http://www.lulu.com
4 Stars, Shannon Yarbourgh, Lulu Book Reviews

Excerpt from Across the Fickle Winds of History

SET UP: Tatiana and Olga have encounter with Father Gregory.

********

As I looked up, Father Gregory Rasputin stepped out of a dark corner, his wide, round, hypnotic eyes riveting both of us to our spot in the hall.

“Tell me, girls, what brings you here?” His voice smoothly purred,
and he clasped his hands in front of him.

As usual, he was unkempt,his hair was greasy, and his simple brown cloak was dirty. We were used to his appearance.

“I just wanted to check on Mama,” I replied softly.

The rise and fall of his chest was rhythmic and strangely soothing. His lips curved ever so slightly as his eyes seemed to drift over my figure. It was as if he was looking at me for the first time.

“I talked to the Empress earlier. She understands, Olga. I want you
to know she was taken by surprise by your father’s decision. I must
admit, I was as well. I did not expect this.”

His voice caressed me like a gentle ocean wave. Father Gregory
had always been kind to us girls, and certainly, he knew what to do to
heal Alexi, but father did not approve of him – especially when he
spent time around our mother. Tatiana and I had already agreed Father
Gregory was harmless, speculating it was father’s natural jealousy,
seeing another man around our mother, which had sparked his dislike.

“I understand, Father Gregory.”

He smiled that crooked smile of his, revealing his chipped teeth.
He truly was not an attractive man – certainly not the type to attract
my mother in a sexual way. His rough hands lightly began to stroke
his long, untamed beard.

“You know everything, Father Gregory,” said Tatiana, wrapped up
in the same gentle spell I had fallen under.

He walked over to Tatiana and placed his hand on her shoulder,
leering at her. “Sweet duchess, I see only what the Lord reveals to me. I would
even venture to say he is as surprised at your sister’s new status as we
all are,” he continued. “This was truly unexpected.”

I cocked my head as I looked at him with curious eyes. “And does
the Lord show you the future, Father Gregory?”

He turned to face me. “The Lord touches us all in his way, sweet
Olga. This is an honor you are very deserving of. Your mother is
proud of you. She confessed it to me.”

“Then why…?”

“Love will make a woman feel things they never felt before –
including heartbreak. I, of course, took that heartbreak away from the
Empress with the counsel of the Lord, replacing it with forgiveness.”

“You are a good man, Father Gregory,” said Tatiana.

He backed away from her, and I wrinkled my nose at the light
stench that came from his clothes.

“Um,” he purred, raking his eyes over both of us. He looked at us
strangely, perhaps imagining us as different people before his eyes
widened. He was prone to having visions and I wondered if he was
having one now. “Alexi wants me.”

“How do you…?”

“Know?” he said. “I have shared a part of my soul with him and
him with me. Good evening.”

With that, he turned around and left. Tatiana and I went back to our
room.

*********

You can purchase a copy at http://www.lulu.com

4 Stars, Shannon Yarbourgh, Lulu Book Reviews
3 Stars, Aimee Merzon, ForeWord Clarion Reviews

Promo Wednesday - Review for Across The Fickle Winds of History

This is a review by Shannon Yarbourgh from Lulu Book Reviews for "Across The Fickle Winds of History." Enjoy. You can visit the following link to order the book. Smiles, Steph

To order Across The Fickle Winds of History:
http://www.lulu.com/product/paperback/across-the-fickle-winds-of-history/1572128


**********

I admire historical fiction that draws from real facts from our history books and presents new theories on events or fills in the gaps history skipped over. S. G. Cardin has written such a book called Across the Fickle Winds of History. Now, with a title and book cover like that, I knew I wanted to read it.

The book focuses on the last years of the Imperial Russian Family known as the Romanovs. Those of you who enjoyed the 1997 animated film called Anastasia will be quite familiar with this story. Although Anastasia was the youngest daughter of Czar Nicholas II, Cardin focuses on the eldest daughter, Olga. The story spans from 1913 to 1918 and is told through entries in Olga’s diary. While living in the Winter Palace, Olga and her sisters discover three strangers on the palace property. Though the Romanov girls fear the young strangers might be Bolshevik spies, Olga takes a certain interest in one of them named Paul. Olga is torn between her attraction to Paul and the fact that she could inherit the throne should something happen to her father. Political upheavals in Russia put strain on Olga and Paul’s courtship as her family begins to suffer from stress caused by the mad mystic monk, Rasputin.

Cardin has done a magnificent job of developing Olga into a complex character filled with love and compassion for her father and for Paul. The author’s descriptions are quite beautiful, painting a picture of Russia in a much different light. From the first World War to a grand ball at the palace, Cardin breathes a certain life into her characters and setting that make this short novella quite intense. In fact, my biggest complaint would be that it is too short (under 200 pages) and leaves a bit of detail up to the readers to go research on their own. I would have enjoyed at least another 200 pages where the author paints more thorough story lines for Olga’s siblings, her parents, or even more back story about Paul.

Though history states their lives ended tragically after the Romanov family was taken captive during the Russian Revolution of 1917, Cardin adds a bit of time travel flare to the end suggesting that not all of the Romanov children might have been killed with the rest of their family. The book ends with a diary entry from Anastasia leaving the reader with a bit of hope for a happier ending, rather than the sad truth we know truly existed for the Romanov dynasty.

In the end of the book, Cardin has published an FAQ. Here Cardin states she became fascinated with Russian history in high school and Olga was a natural choice for point of view for her book since Olga was the eldest and so outgoing. One can only wonder what history might have been like had Olga succeeded to the throne, and I’m sure that is something this author has thought about. But as Cardin suggest, history is indeed fickle and the wind doesn’t always blow in our direction

Excerpt Monday - Across The Fickle Winds of History

THE BLURB:
1913 brought the tercentenary to the Romanov Dynasty to Russia and the last glory days to Nicholas II and his family - but even as the Romanovs celebrated, the underpinnings of discontent and dissension began to make their way through Russian society.

It is in this world that Olga Nicolaievna Romanov finds herself coming of age. A young woman of seventeen, Olga and her sisters meet three strangers on the grounds of the Catherine Palace. Immediately, she's drawn to a handsome young man, Paul Kerensky. The girls take the strangers into their home - and hearts.

*******

Excerpt:

I was totally unprepared for what I saw. Marie and Anastasia were
talking to three young people, two men, one girl, closer to my age.
They were laughing and giggling over some unknown joke, but the
sight of him nearly stopped my heart from beating. I stumbled against
Tatiana, accidentally pushing her to the ground, collapsing on top of
her. She screamed my name at the top of her lungs and he
immediately ran to our position. His strong hands helped me to my
feet while his companion helped Tatiana to hers. The electricity that
jolted my body sent waves of pleasure rippling down my arms, and I
had no idea a touch could inspire all that.

The minute our eyes met I stumbled again on the hard ground, and
he wrapped his muscled arm around my waist to prevent me from
falling. His firm lips curved into a sweet, sincere smile, and his
almond brown eyes held me riveted to the spot. His thick black hair
gleamed in the beams of the sun. He wore a long overcoat to keep
warm, but underneath he wore a simple shirt, with the top button
undone to reveal manly wisps of dark hair curling against the opening.
I had no doubt he was used to the cold and that he enjoyed it. My
mystery man had an air of authority and confidence of one who
commanded respect. As his body pressed ever so gently into mine, I
could feel his granite-like muscles and I knew in that moment he was a
man fickle history would recall as a hero.

“Are you all right?”

His deep, masculine voice seemed to purr in my ear, and I thought
my cheeks might color under his heavy gaze.

“I’m fine, just a little…”

“Embarrassed?” Anastasia volunteered.

“I think Olga likes you, Paul. I’ve never seen her blush like so,”
added my sister Marie.

I took a step away from him, glaring at my young sisters, as I
brushed off the remnants of the ground’s hard dirt from my jacket’s
sleeves.

He stopped my hurried, flustered actions by taking my hand in his.
Another warm jolt of electricity seemed to shoot down my arm the
minute he touched me. Then, like an imperial gentleman, he bowed
before me, sweeping his lips lightly over my knuckles.

“It is a pleasure to meet you, Grand Duchess Olga. I am Paul
Kerensky.”

He was Russian! I swore to Tatiana I wanted no man unless he
shared my nationality. Could a man be so perfect?

********

You can buy Across The Fickle Winds of History at:
http://www.lulu.com/product/paperback/across-the-fickle-winds-of-history/1572128

4 Stars, Shannon Yarbourgh, Lulu Reviews
3 Stars, Foreword Clarion Reviews, Aimee Merizon

Monday Excerpt - Across The Fickle Winds of History

The Set up:

Olga Romanov meets a mysterious stranger, Paul Kerensky.

********

Soldiers normally patrolled the roadway from an elite Cossack
regiment, of which my father had made me an honorary colonel.
Tatiana was also an honorary colonel of a Cavalry regiment. Marie
would receive an honorary title on her sixteenth birthday as well,
which was still two years away.

Tatiana suddenly stopped and caught my wrist.

“Do you hear that?”

I shrugged my shoulders and Tatiana frowned at me with her big,
hazel eyes, pulling me to a nearby rock to hide ourselves. There was
nothing that exasperated me more than when my sister looked at me
like I was a ten-year-old. Mind you, Tatiana and I shared all our
secrets, and were each other’s closest confidantes, but she was far
more outgoing and bold than I. She peered around the side of the
thick, gray boulder, and I looked over her shoulder.

I was totally unprepared for what I saw. Marie and Anastasia were
talking to three young people, two men, one girl, closer to my age.
They were laughing and giggling over some unknown joke, but the
sight of him nearly stopped my heart from beating. I stumbled against
Tatiana, accidentally pushing her to the ground, collapsing on top of
her. She screamed my name at the top of her lungs and he
immediately ran to our position. His strong hands helped me to my
feet while his companion helped Tatiana to hers. The electricity that
jolted my body sent waves of pleasure rippling down my arms, and I
had no idea a touch could inspire all that.

The minute our eyes met I stumbled again on the hard ground, and
he wrapped his muscled arm around my waist to prevent me from
falling. His firm lips curved into a sweet, sincere smile, and his
almond brown eyes held me riveted to the spot. His thick black hair
gleamed in the beams of the sun. He wore a long overcoat to keep
warm, but underneath he wore a simple shirt, with the top button
undone to reveal manly wisps of dark hair curling against the opening.
I had no doubt he was used to the cold and that he enjoyed it. My
mystery man had an air of authority and confidence of one who
commanded respect. As his body pressed ever so gently into mine, I
could feel his granite-like muscles and I knew in that moment he was a
man fickle history would recall as a hero.

“Are you all right?”

His deep, masculine voice seemed to purr in my ear, and I thought
my cheeks might color under his heavy gaze.

“I’m fine, just a little…”

“Embarrassed?” Anastasia volunteered.

“I think Olga likes you, Paul. I’ve never seen her blush like so,”
added my sister Marie.

I took a step away from him, glaring at my young sisters, as I
brushed off the remnants of the ground’s hard dirt from my jacket’s
sleeves.

He stopped my hurried, flustered actions by taking my hand in his.
Another warm jolt of electricity seemed to shoot down my arm the
minute he touched me. Then, like an imperial gentleman, he bowed
before me, sweeping his lips lightly over my knuckles.

“It is a pleasure to meet you, Grand Duchess Olga. I am Paul
Kerensky.”