THE RECKONING - MaryLu Tyndall - One Free Book

Dear Readers, I’ve known MaryLu for a long time. We both started being published by the same publisher, but at different times. She writes wonderful sea-faring adventures that keep the readers attention until the last word of the last page. And her stories stay with you for a long time. I love featuring her on my blog.

BIO: Award winning author MaryLu Tyndall dreamt of pirates and sea-faring adventures during her childhood days on Florida's Coast. With more than fourteen books published, she makes no excuses for the spiritual themes embedded within her romantic adventures. Her hope is that readers will not only be entertained but will be brought closer to the Creator who loves them beyond measure. In a culture that accepts the occult, wizards, zombies, and vampires without batting an eye, MaryLu hopes to show the awesome present and powerful acts of God in a dying world. A Christy award nominee, MaryLu makes her home with her husband, six children, and several stray cats on the California coast.

Welcome back, MaryLu. As an author, I know it takes a lot of people to birth each book. Who were the people involved in the birthing of this book, and what were their contributions?

You are so right! Neither this book or any other book of mine would have seen the light of day if not for a host of people helping me along. Many many thanks go to Ravven, my cover designer. Isn’t she fabulous? To Rel Mollet, my editor. She did a wonderful job “fixing” all the whoopsies in the manuscript. To Debbie Mitchell, who volunteered to read the book in its “raw” state, and who always offers me great encouragement! And last, but never least, to Michelle Griep, author extraordinaire and friend, who critiqued the manuscript. (We often swap our manuscripts) I also want to thank my readers and influencers who’ve encouraged me along by their excitement and kind words, and to all my friends like you, Lena, who help me spread the word. Thank you!

It’s my great pleasure to do so. If you teach or speak. What’s coming up on your calendar?

I’m co-teaching a writer’s retreat in August set in a gorgeous cabin on beautiful Lake Tahoe. It’s a four day intensive one-on-one writer’s workshop for intermediate to advanced writers. Susanne Lakin, my good friend and excellent author, is the other teacher. Should be fun!

Sounds like it. If you had to completely start over in another place, where would you move, and why?

Puerto Rico or the Virgin Islands or anywhere tropical that is part of the US! I’m sure there must have been mermaids in my family line because I love to swim, snorkel, surf, and sail in the warm turquoise sea! (Hey, those all start with s!)

Yes, they do. If you could only tell aspiring novelists one thing, what would it be?

Write the story God puts on your heart, not what the market says will sell, then study the craft of writing, read great books, and work harder than you ever thought possible.

You’ve been asked to be in charge of a celebrity cruise. Who would you ask to take part, and why? (AS in what program, singers, etc. [it doesn’t have to be writing related])

I’m one of those strange people who really don’t care much for celebrities, at least most of them. I think the real heroes of this world are the men and women on the front lines in the wars going on in the Middle East, and missionaries spreading the Gospel in dangerous foreign lands. So, I would invite both military people and missionaries to my cruise. Heck, they could probably use the rest and relaxation more than anyone!

You are so right. I have a grandson who just got out of the military this last week after at least ten years service. And the first time James and I went on a cruise, we took a missionary couple with us. Tell us about the featured book.

The Reckoning is a time travel romance that transports a young American 21st century girl back 300 years onto a pirate ship! It’s full of romance, excitement, danger, and humor. The overall theme is trusting God when life is out of control!

Here’s what the back cover says:

When Morgan Shaw crept into the hold of an old pirate ship replica at San Diego’s Annual Tall Ship Festival, her only intention was to avoid the guy who had just dumped her and who was now boarding the ship with two women on his arm. What she didn’t expect was to wake up aboard a real pirate ship three-hundred years in the past. But of course, it wasn’t real. Her wealthy father had obviously staged it all in an effort to get her mind off her upcoming chemo. Or had he?

Pirate Rowan Dutton seeks enough treasure to repay a debt to his sister and reinstate the Dutton name among British Jamaican Society. He is but one major haul away from accomplishing his goal when a strange woman appears on his ship and causes him to lose his prey. Despite his anger, he is enthralled with the little minx, her strange clothing, odd speech, and her insistence that they are all actors playing a charade paid for by her father.

Yet when the brazen little lady divulges Rowan’s secret to a longtime nemesis, events are triggered that could cost them both their lives and change the course of history forever.

Sounds intriguing. I’m actually reading your mermaid book right now, so please give us the first page of The Reckoning.

San Diego, California, August 2015

"Did you hear me? I have cancer." Morgan Shaw repeated the dreaded words to her boyfriend Jason, who sat beside her on the sticky metal bench. From the look on his face, she supposed the middle of San Diego's crowded annual Tall Ship Festival was not the best place to convey the horrid news. She'd been trying to tell him for two weeks, but he'd always been too busy with his job tending bar, too distracted with memorizing lines for one of his many auditions ... or just too plain drunk.

No doubt the condition he'd soon be in if he didn't stop gulping down the Mojito he held so fondly in his hands. He took another swig and stared at her again, his baby-blues pools of shock and ... dismay? Not sorrow, not horror ... not even concern.

He squeezed the plastic cup holding his precious alcohol. It made a crackling sound even above the chatter and buzz of people passing by, the lap of waves, and the bells ringing from boats in San Diego Bay.

"Are you going to die?" he finally asked, pressing fingers to his perfectly-moussed dark hair while nodding at an attractive woman who smiled at him as she passed by.

A sharp pain stabbed Morgan at his callous tone. Even the doctor had been more tactful. Hepatocellular carcinoma, he had said. Liver cancer, stage 3C. With chemo and radiation, she had a good chance of surviving. But she'd spotted the pity in his eyes, and when she arrived home, the Internet provided the true survival rate—less than thirty percent.

"Everyone's going to die," she returned, shifting out of the hot sun.

"Are you gonna have to go through chemo and lose your hair?" He studied her as if assessing how ugly she would be.

"Maybe." She dabbed the perspiration on her neck. "Yes, I guess. I go for my first session on Tuesday."

Why, oh why, had she allowed him to talk her into coming to this stupid festival? She hated these old boats anyway. And she didn't much care for the sea either. Last year when she'd gone whale watching, she'd spent the entire four hours puking her guts over the side of the boat. But Jason loved historical sailing boats and had bought tickets to this weekend event two months in advance. So, they'd grabbed Morgan's roommate, Tiffany, and her boyfriend Brad, and made a day of it.

Speaking of ... where was Tiffany anyway? She and Brad had gone off to the nearest bar for take-out drinks forty minutes ago. Though her roommate's cheerleader-type exuberance normally grated on Morgan, she sure could use her help now with Jason. If only to untie the knot of tension forming between them.

By the way he was chewing his lip and glancing around, Morgan thought he might bolt. She'd expected shock. She'd expected it would take time for the news to sink in. But she'd also expected a speck of care, of concern, and perhaps even a willingness to help. After all, they'd been "dating" for nearly six months now. She still had to pinch herself to believe that the coolest, best-looking guy in San Diego had chosen her—plain, nerdy, control-freak Morgan. He'd said he'd grown tired of the model-types and wanted a woman with intellect, someone like her, the lead software engineer at Qualcomm Holographic Industries. Morgan couldn't have been more thrilled. Jason was good-looking, smart, and going places. He had a way about him that made her feel special, cherished, something she'd never felt before. Yes, being his girlfriend definitely hiked her confidence up a notch and made it worth dealing with some not-so-pleasant aspects of their relationship. As in not seeing him the past two weeks due to his job at the FLUXX, and his insistence that flirting with patrons was just part of his job. "How could she expect other women not to notice his good looks?" he had said. Those good looks, along with his talent, were going to make him a fortune when Hollywood discovered him. And she'd be right by his side when that happened. Or so he said.

Yet as he gulped down the rest of his Mojito and avoided her eyes, Morgan feared his promises were as fleeting as the hot wind blasting over her.

A man dressed like a pirate walked by and winked at her. Across the popcorn-strewn path, a vendor selling cotton candy handed a sticky pink glob to a small boy, who immediately dove in with his entire face, much to his mother's dismay. Behind Morgan, the creak of an old boat, the Star of India, if she remembered, mimicked the ache in her heart.

She suddenly felt so terribly alone.

I can’t wait to finish the book I’m reading so I can start this one. Where can we find you on the Internet?

Website: http://www.marylutyndall.com

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/marylu.tyndall.author

Twitter: https://twitter.com/MaryLuTyndall

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/mltyndall/

Google Plus: https://plus.google.com/u/0/104594006329583771780/posts

Thank you, MaryLu for sharing this new book with us. I know my blog readers will love it, too.

Readers, here are links to the book. By using one when you order, you help support this blog.
The Reckoning (Legacy of the King's Pirates) (Volume 5) - Paperback
The Reckoning (Legacy of the King's Pirates Book 5) - Kindle

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