HERE BE NEWS for Monday July 28, 2025

 Monday July 28, 2025 

Welcome to HERE BE NEWS, where each monday we bring you all the latest from the fantasy romance authors at Here Be Magic:

Tuesday July 22, 2025: Linda Mooney treats us to Chapter 7 of her Fantasy Romance, 

THE IMMORTAL.

THE IMMORTAL, a Fantasy Romance by Linda Mooney - Chapter 7, The Bell

THE IMMORTAL

Chapter 7 – The Bell 

          Clea kept her eyes on the narrow road ahead of them. Her mouth continued to tingle from his kiss. Worse, her cheeks and chin tickled where his beard and moustache had grazed her skin. She wanted to reach up and scratch, but doing so would call attention to her face, and she didn’t need his scrutiny.

          He’d kissed her. She’d wanted him to.

          Now came the consequences.

          What do I do now? Will he try to kiss me again? If he does, should I let him? What if he thinks he can try to do more? What if he—

          She forced herself to break away from those thoughts. Yes, he’d kissed her, but only because she’d let him. Because she’d wanted him to. If I’d made any attempt to prevent him from doing it, if I’d held up my hands or turned my head away, he wouldn’t have gone any further. He would have known right then and there that he was not allowed such leniency, and being the gentleman I’ve seen so far, he wouldn’t have tried to do it again. Except…

          As much as she hated to admit it, she was glad he’d kissed her. She’d wanted him to kiss her. The only problem now was…would he do it again? Would she let him if he tried, or would she have second thoughts at the last second?

          She chanced a quick glance over at him. His hands were gripping the steering wheel to the point where his knuckles were white. His focus was entirely on the road, his attention on keeping the truck on the two dirt tracks that paralleled the fence. It was obvious the thought of what he’d just done had been shoved to the back of his mind so he could concentrate on driving.

          “Madam, I believe we’ve found a breach.”

          Clea jerked her gaze back to the view as Jonah slowed the pickup. She spotted the area and quickly judged the extent of the damage. When the truck came to a full stop, she told him to put it in park and turn off the ignition.

          “That is what the P stands for? Park?”

          She threw him a grin as she was stepping out of the cab. “You catch on quick.”

          It didn’t take her long to figure out what needed to be done. “This looks like it won’t be a hard fix. The posts are still solid.” She pushed against the wood beams and found no give. “If we rewrap some wire about these two sections, we should be good.”

          “I noticed some of that same wire in the barn,” Jonah informed her.

          Clea nodded. “I always keep an extra roll or two just for this reason.” She patted the top of the post. Taking a step back, she surveyed the area. “And we’re not far from the house, either.”

          “Is everything on this side of the fence yours, Madam?”

          “Actually, I own both sides.”

          “Then why is there a fence?”

          She pointed to the other field. “I have a deal with Mr. Barnes. His farm is much smaller than mine, and he’s been trying to buy that property from me ever since my husband…” She paused, unable to continue, but Jonah caught on.

          “I take it this Barnes fellow is the same one who picks up Joseph and takes him to school on those days the school bus can’t make it up the road, and you can’t take him yourself. Is that correct? This is the same Mr. Barnes?”

          “Yes. Vince Barnes.”

          “He’s been pressuring you to sell. I understand. But you didn’t bow to the pressure. Land, especially good farm land, is a priceless commodity.” He graced her with a smile that warmed her. “May I ask what kind of deal you struck with the man?”

          “I lease the land to him. He plants and harvests whatever crop he feels will bring the best yield and prices, and we split the profit.”

          A tiny frown creased Jonah’s forehead. “Split the profit in what way, if I may be so bold to inquire?”

          “Sixty-five, thirty-five.”

            “And you get…”

            “Thirty-five percent.”

            “I assume you accept your percentage purely on the honor system?”

            Clea knew that tone and countered it with one of her own. “I’m not that gullible, Jonah. He brings me the cost/payment sheet and a check every year.” When he opened his mouth to comment, she cut him short. “The payout sheet comes directly from the bureau after they’ve weighed and tabulated the payout.”

            “I take it, then, that your cut of the profit is your major source of income?”

            “Yes. I supplement it by selling my extra milk, eggs, and vegetables from the garden to Peete’s Grocers in town.

            She watched as he thoughtfully stroked his beard. The visual of him doing that somehow made her long to be able to do the same thing, and she wondered if the rest of it was as soft as what had tickled her mouth a short while ago.

            Realizing where her mind was going, she put a hard halt on herself. Concentrate on the task. You can always daydream later, she silently berated herself.

            Jonah appeared willing to drop the issue, yet she knew their discussion wasn’t over. She watched as he went over to inspect the break himself.

            “There’s blood on the wires.” Picking at something on one of the barbs, he held it up to her. “Deer hair.”

            “It usually is. They get caught up in the barbs and struggle to free themselves. Sometimes they do. Sometimes they don’t.” She checked the area again. “I believe we’re approximately two hundred yards from the house. Let’s continue and finish making the loop. See if there are any more breaks or repairs needed.” She turned to get into the truck but stopped when she saw him grasping the top of the post, his eyes closed. After a few seconds, he opened them and went to take his place on the driver’s side.

            Fortunately, there were no other places where the fence was broken to the extent where any cattle might escape, although they found several areas where the posts were tilting slightly, enough to where the wire between them sagged.

            “Those posts will need to be straightened,” he commented.

            She agreed. “For now, though, let’s concentrate on getting that one spot fixed first. The rest can wait.”

            Back at the house, he drove them up to the spot where the truck was normally parked. After he turned it off and stepped out of the vehicle, Clea started to scoot over to the driver’s seat when he stopped her.

            “What are you doing?”

            “I’m going to back up closer to the barn so you won’t have to carry that spool of wire so far.”

            To her surprise, he chuckled. “Clea, I don’t need the truck to take the wire out to the spot where I need to make repairs.”

            She continued to stare at him in confusion. He explained at the same time it dawned on her what he intended to do.

            “I know exactly where that section of the fence is located. All I need to do is take hold of the spool and what tools I’ll need, and pop back there.”

            “That’s what you were doing out there when you stood by the post. You were situating yourself, or whatever it is you call it, so you can return to it. And when you’re done, or if you need something else you forgot to take with you the first time…”

            He nodded, smiling. “Precisely, madam. It’s one of the few advantages my curse allows me to have. Now, the one other thing that’s been preying on my mind…”

            Clea felt herself involuntarily stiffening. Why would he bring up the topic of that kiss now?

            Jonah pointed behind him. “Back in town, I passed an antique shop. Are you aware of it?”

            A small sigh of relief escaped her, but she couldn’t deny she was also disappointed. “Yes. That’s Vella’s Antiques. They get a lot of traffic, being right there on Main Street. Antiques are very popular with out-of-towners. What about it?”

            “They have a bell sitting on a pole in front of the store. It has a price tag on it, which indicates to me that it’s for sale.”

            She instantly knew the one he was talking about. “It’s an old church bell that was discovered hanging from a tree after the town was nearly decimated by a tornado several years ago. Since no one knew where it came from, Mr. Vella put it up for sale in front of his store. It’s been rung a couple of times since then to signal an incoming storm, until the town council had one of those emergency sirens erected just off the square.” Clea chuckled. “Why are you interested in that bell?”

            “For several reasons.” His face darkened slightly as his demeanor grew serious. “If for some reason I am out and away from the house, and you are in immediate need of help, you or Joseph can ring that bell for my attention.”

            “And you’ll be able to hear it?”

            He tried to hide his amusement, without success. “Madam, I could be on the other side of the world and I’d hear it. You have my word.”

            Clea pressed her lips together as a surge of feelings she couldn’t identify threatened to overwhelm her. “Th-that’s very sweet of you, Jonah, but I can’t afford to buy that bell, even if I wanted to.”

            “I’m not asking you to purchase it. All I’m asking is for your permission to place the bell here on your property.”

            “How are you going to pay for it?”

            He shook his head. “That’s not for you to worry about. Will you or will you not allow me to bring it here?”

            “Where would you put it?”

            Apparently, he’d been thinking a lot about it, and pointed to a spot midway between the house and the barn, a few feet off the beaten path. “There. It will also be out of the wind that could inadvertently ring it.” Turning back to her, he dropped his voice almost to a whisper. “What say you, Clea? Yay or nay?”

            “I have no problem with you erecting that bell,” she began and got no further.

            Jonah was gone.

            She saw no more of him that day. Concerned he might not stop to eat, she made him a couple of sandwiches, placed them in sandwich bags, and took them out to the barn. As she’d expected, the roll of barbed wire was gone, as well as the toolkit.

            “So where should I leave these?”

            Inspiration struck, and she left the bags tied to the one item he’d be needing still sitting in the barn.

            It was after dark when she heard the faint tolling of a bell. Turning on the back porch light, she went outside to find Jonah standing beside the pole. He was sweaty and weary, but he flashed her a huge smile when she walked outside.

            “Well?” he asked.

            “It’s…impressive.”

            “Wow! I thought I heard a bell!” a voice called out from behind her. Joey hurried outside to join them. “Where’d you get it?” He looked to his mother for the answer, but Jonah explained.

            “I purchased it from the antique shop in town.”

            “Oh! You mean this is the tornado bell?”

            “It’s now our tornado bell,” Jonah gently corrected, his smile never wavering. He pointed to the rope attached to the mechanism. “If there’s ever an instance when you need help, and I’m not around, do not hesitate to ring it. I will hear it and immediately answer.”

            “Wow! Cool!”

            Clea shooed her son back indoors. “Speaking of cool, go bathe yourself in a cool tub of water. It’s almost bedtime, and you have school tomorrow.”

            “Yes, ma’am. Neat bell, Jonah!” Throwing the man a little salute, the boy went back inside the house. Clea watched him enter the house when Jonah spoke again.

            “Thank you for the sandwiches.”

            She smiled. “I figured you’d find them there.”

            “You were that certain I’d return with the bell and be wanting to plant it right then and there, rather than wait to do it tomorrow?”

            She felt her smile widen. “In the few short months you’ve been living here, I’ve come to know you very well, Mr. Cobb. You’re a man of action. If something needs to be done, you don’t put it off. You do it.”

            He never took his eyes off her during the ensuing uncomfortable silence. It felt as though they both were fighting against some strange, magnetic pull that wanted to draw them closer. But the thought of what might happen, and the possibility that Joey might accidentally see it, was enough to make her turn her back on the man and return to the house.

            She ended up cursing herself for her weakness for the rest of the evening

TO BE CONTINUED 

Linda's Website

HERE BE NEWS for Monday July 14, 2025

 Monday July 14, 2025 

Welcome to HERE BE NEWS, where each monday we bring you all the latest from the fantasy romance authors at Here Be Magic:

New!

THE RENTAL

Book 3 – Brady

Sci-Fi/Contemporary Fantasy Romance

by Linda Mooney

Word Count: 26.4K

$2.99 e / $10.99 p 

Brady Hardy was dealt a crap hand in life after a tragic work accident left him short three limbs. Since then it’s been a constant battle, both physically and mentally, to the point where he’s losing the will to keep fighting. But when he learns of the opportunity Rall Rentals provides, the chance to experience life again, there’s a spark of hope.

Gia, Brady’s caregiver, has come to care for Brady more than just what her job requires, and she’s happy to see the light back in his eyes. She’s seen him through his ups and downs, and she hopes the program will bring more ups than he’s had lately, and it does. At first.

Brady is fully invested in the life of his Rental, until he learns of certain proclivities Mr. Reede indulges in that he doesn’t approve of. In fact, after that initial introduction of the man’s bizarre appetites, it’s too much for Brady to stomach. Should he ask for a new Rental? Can he? If he does, will Rall Rentals understand his hesitance to continue?

Maybe life isn’t always greener on the other side, but Gia is determined to help this man who’s come to mean so much to her. Maybe with a little tough love, Brady can regain the will to fight back and live his own life again to the fullest. Whatever the outcome, she’ll be there to encourage him for as long as he’ll let her.

Warning! Contains an odd coincidence, a misunderstanding, a brunch date, Roy, a self-inflated ego, and two people hesitant to admit their true feelings for each other until it's almost too late.

Excerpt and Buy Links: https://lindamooney.com/TheRental.htm

New! THE RENTAL, Book 3 – Brady, a Sci-Fi/Contemporary Fantasy Romance by Linda Mooney

New!

THE RENTAL

Book 3 – Brady

Sci-Fi/Contemporary Fantasy Romance

by Linda Mooney

Word Count: 26.4K

$2.99 e / $10.99 p 

Brady Hardy was dealt a crap hand in life after a tragic work accident left him short three limbs. Since then it’s been a constant battle, both physically and mentally, to the point where he’s losing the will to keep fighting. But when he learns of the opportunity Rall Rentals provides, the chance to experience life again, there’s a spark of hope.

Gia, Brady’s caregiver, has come to care for Brady more than just what her job requires, and she’s happy to see the light back in his eyes. She’s seen him through his ups and downs, and she hopes the program will bring more ups than he’s had lately, and it does. At first.

Brady is fully invested in the life of his Rental, until he learns of certain proclivities Mr. Reede indulges in that he doesn’t approve of. In fact, after that initial introduction of the man’s bizarre appetites, it’s too much for Brady to stomach. Should he ask for a new Rental? Can he? If he does, will Rall Rentals understand his hesitance to continue?

Maybe life isn’t always greener on the other side, but Gia is determined to help this man who’s come to mean so much to her. Maybe with a little tough love, Brady can regain the will to fight back and live his own life again to the fullest. Whatever the outcome, she’ll be there to encourage him for as long as he’ll let her.

Warning! Contains an odd coincidence, a misunderstanding, a brunch date, Roy, a self-inflated ego, and two people hesitant to admit their true feelings for each other until it's almost too late.

Excerpt and Buy Links: https://lindamooney.com/TheRental.htm

HERE BE NEWS for Monday July 07, 2025

 Monday July 07, 2025 

Welcome to HERE BE NEWS, where each monday we bring you all the latest from the fantasy romance authors at Here Be Magic:

Alligator, Bear, Cougar, Deer, Eagle
They found each other by accident.
They became a team for life.

Contains:
BEAST OF THE BAYOU - Thierry McNulty's brother, Senator Frank McNulty, is missing. She believes he went to their old family campsite on Caddo Lake for a brief vacation, but after days of not hearing from him, she fears the worst.

Antonio "Yo" Bleeker is one of the owners of Bag It and Tag It Excursions. When Thierry hires the company to track down her brother, he has no idea what he's getting himself into - especially when he experiences an extreme physical reaction to the beautiful woman.

GHOST OF THE SWAMP - Shot by illegal poachers, Patrick "Pud" Davies finds himself alone and severely injured in the middle of the woods. He's discovered by Billie Crowne, an agent with the EPA, who takes him to her campsite where she tends to his wounds. 

MONSTER OF THE GLADES - When Clint Abrams of Bag It and Tag It Excursions is approached by representatives of JayMax Productions to film scenes in the swamp for a horror movie, he is intrigued. Both by the movie, whose subject hits a little too close to home, and by the tall, freckled redhead, Charlie Dupine.

PREDATOR OF THE PINES - While preparing for a hurricane that’s heading straight for the Bag It and Tag It lodge, William “Brew” Estes makes a last-minute run to the market to grab supplies. While there, he heads off a robbery and saves the day…all in a day’s work for the former Marine.

Celeste Hart is exactly where she never wanted to be. When the robbery goes wrong, she knows this could be her only chance to get away. She runs, despite the storm that’s on the way, knowing that if they catch her again, they could break her this time.

SPECTER OF THE MARSH - When a string of small campsite robberies hits close to home, Ray Thomas "Art" Crawford, of Bag It and Tag It Excursions, is asked to help FBI Agent and friend, Billie Crowne, investigate the possibility of drug runners. At the most recent site, it doesn't take Art long to spot something suspicious--paw prints. Big ones.

Being on the run most of her life, Rikki Leonard isn't quick to trust anyone. Growing up cursed as she was, she'd quickly learned to keep her secrets to herself, or risk pain, torture, and ridicule. Cornered in the swamp, can she trust the guys surrounding her?

July Box Set

SUBWOOFERS
(blurbs and excerpts)

Now Available as a Box Set! The SUBWOOFERS Series by Linda Mooney

Alligator, Bear, Cougar, Deer, Eagle
They found each other by accident.
They became a team for life.

Contains:
BEAST OF THE BAYOU - Thierry McNulty's brother, Senator Frank McNulty, is missing. She believes he went to their old family campsite on Caddo Lake for a brief vacation, but after days of not hearing from him, she fears the worst.

Antonio "Yo" Bleeker is one of the owners of Bag It and Tag It Excursions. When Thierry hires the company to track down her brother, he has no idea what he's getting himself into - especially when he experiences an extreme physical reaction to the beautiful woman.

GHOST OF THE SWAMP - Shot by illegal poachers, Patrick "Pud" Davies finds himself alone and severely injured in the middle of the woods. He's discovered by Billie Crowne, an agent with the EPA, who takes him to her campsite where she tends to his wounds. 

MONSTER OF THE GLADES - When Clint Abrams of Bag It and Tag It Excursions is approached by representatives of JayMax Productions to film scenes in the swamp for a horror movie, he is intrigued. Both by the movie, whose subject hits a little too close to home, and by the tall, freckled redhead, Charlie Dupine.

PREDATOR OF THE PINES - While preparing for a hurricane that’s heading straight for the Bag It and Tag It lodge, William “Brew” Estes makes a last-minute run to the market to grab supplies. While there, he heads off a robbery and saves the day…all in a day’s work for the former Marine.

Celeste Hart is exactly where she never wanted to be. When the robbery goes wrong, she knows this could be her only chance to get away. She runs, despite the storm that’s on the way, knowing that if they catch her again, they could break her this time.

SPECTER OF THE MARSH - When a string of small campsite robberies hits close to home, Ray Thomas "Art" Crawford, of Bag It and Tag It Excursions, is asked to help FBI Agent and friend, Billie Crowne, investigate the possibility of drug runners. At the most recent site, it doesn't take Art long to spot something suspicious--paw prints. Big ones.

Being on the run most of her life, Rikki Leonard isn't quick to trust anyone. Growing up cursed as she was, she'd quickly learned to keep her secrets to herself, or risk pain, torture, and ridicule. Cornered in the swamp, can she trust the guys surrounding her?

July Box Set

SUBWOOFERS
(blurbs and excerpts)

HERE BE NEWS for Monday June 30, 2025

 Monday June 30, 2025 

Welcome to HERE BE NEWS, where each monday we bring you all the latest from the fantasy romance authors at Here Be Magic:

Tuesday June 24, 2025: Linda Mooney treats us to Chapter Six of her fantasy romance, The Immortal.

https://books.bookfunnel.com/mmchristmasjuly/axz26pawrn

THE IMMORTAL, a Fantasy Romance by Linda Mooney - Chapter 6, The Lesson

THE IMMORTAL

Chapter 6 – The Lesson

             Jonah stepped into the kitchen to help himself to a glass of cold milk. Sweat poured from his face and dripped from his beard, and plastered his clothes to his skin. It was a muggy spring, which meant it would be a blazing summer.

He threw several handfuls of water onto his face and was drying off with a dishtowel when he heard voices coming from the rear of the house. Going over to where the kitchen opened up to the living room, he strained his ears to try and catch what was being said.

            “—very important that you not mention Mr. Cobb staying here with us. Do you understand, Joey?”

            “Not even to let Corey know he’s been helping us on the farm?” the boy asked.

            “Not even to let your best friend know,” Clea firmly responded.

            “Why? Is Mr. Cobb wanted by the cops or something?”

            If Jonah didn’t know any better, he’d swear the child was excited about the prospect.

            “No, Joey,” Clea softly replied. “He’s not wanted by the cops. Mr. Cobb is not in trouble with anyone.”

            “Then why can’t I—”

            “When you get older, you’ll understand. But if people get wind of the fact that I have a strange man living here and working for us—”

            “He lives in the barn, Mom,” the kid dryly reminded her.

            “I know that, but everyone else doesn’t.”

            “Then we’ll tell them!”

            “No. We. Won’t.” Her tone was harder. “Joey, people will think Mr. Cobb and I are romantically involved. They’ll think we’re living here in sin. They might ostracize us when they see us in town. The kids at school might even cut you out of playing sports with them.”

            “What does ‘ostracize’ mean?”

            “It means they’ll exclude you. Have nothing to do with you. Or with me. They might even try to prevent us from doing things we need to do.”

            “Then why is he here, Mom? If those people can do that to us, why do you let him stay here?”

            Jonah straightened, every nerve alert as he waited for her answer. What she said almost destroyed him.

            “Because he needs us…as much as we need him.”

            In the following silence, he heard some rustling coming from the boy’s bedroom. Not wanting them to know he’d overheard their conversation, Jonah went over to the back door, opened it, and slammed it closed with a loud bang. Striding up to the cabinet, he withdrew a glass and made sure to shut the cabinet door with an equally loud bang. He was pouring the milk when Clea entered the kitchen. Seeing what he was doing, she refrained from saying anything and went directly into the adjacent laundry room to place the clothes from the washer into the dryer. At the same time, Joey made himself comfortable on the sofa in the living room and turned on the TV to watch cartoons. Leaning back against the countertop, he sipped his milk as he waited for Clea to reenter.

            “I finished the repairs on the fence around your garden, madam. By the way, the bugs are beginning to infest the tomato plants.”

            She gave a weary sigh. “They always do.”

            “Do you have some baking soda?”

            She paused, momentarily distracted from whatever chore she’d been contemplating. “Yes. There’s a box in the pantry. Why?”

            Draining his glass, he set it in the sink and wiped the milk moustache from his own with the back of his sleeve. “I’ll dust the tomato plants with it. That will take care of that problem.”

            Her beautiful gray eyes widened. “It will?” The next instant, her shoulders sagged. “Of course, it will. You have the wisdom of decades to support you.”

            Sensing there was something seriously bothering her, he crossed his arms over his chest and kept his voice low. “Madam, whatever is troubling you, please let me be of assistance.”

            Clea shook her head. “I wish I could, but…” Stopping herself, she narrowed her eyes at him. “Do you know how to drive a car?”

            She had him there. “No, madam. I don’t,” he admitted.

            She waved a dismissive hand. “Never mind.”

            “But I’m willing to learn…if you’re willing to teach me.”

            He met her intense gaze with one of his own. He knew that sooner or later he’d have to become more acquainted with those motorized monstrosities. However, until now, he’d managed just fine by paying for any transportation he needed, or from using his own two feet.

            “I’m needing to run the fence line along the back pasture. Make sure there are no breaks or fallen posts where my cows could get out when I move them out there to graze. But I haven’t found the time to do it. Plus there’s getting to the feed store to get them another block of salt, not to mention—”

            “Clea,” he gently interrupted. “I told you. If there’s anything you need done, never hesitate to ask me.” He walked over to the back door. Opening it, he gestured for her to exit first. “Come.”

            “Now?”

            “I need to learn to drive. You need to check the fence. I do not know where this fence is you speak of. There is no time like the present for me to learn both and get that much out of the way.”

            Clea caved. “Okay. We’ll take the truck. Joey? Jonah and I are going to check out the back pasture. We’ll be back shortly.”

            “Okay, Mom,” her distracted son replied, letting her know he’d heard her.

            After first holding the passenger side door open to let her get into the cab, Jonah went to take his place behind the steering wheel. Right off the bat, the seat was too far forward to where he couldn’t get his long legs situated underneath the steering column.

            “There’s a lever on the left side of the seat,” she instructed. “Lift it to make the seat scoot back.”

            He fumbled for said lever, unsure if it would be in the front, in the middle, or at the rear, when she leaned over his lap and tried to reach it herself. Suddenly he found it and pulled, and the seat jerked backwards. Caught off-balance, Clea landed halfway across his lap.

            For several long seconds, they stared at each other, noses mere inches apart. He had always been entranced by the cloudy, slate gray color of her eyes, but he’d never been close enough to her until now to realize there was the tiniest green ring surrounding her pupils. Like hidden emeralds were still embedded within their rocky tombs.

            Before he was aware of it, his gaze dropped to her mouth. At the same time, she licked her lips. The temptation to kiss them was…

            Groaning softly, Jonah sat up and stretched his legs out, now that he had enough room. Clea resumed her seat—the moment broken, the chance missed, and more importantly, a possible calamity averted. Still, he silently cursed himself.

            Jonah, old man, you’ve known for a while now, almost from the first instance after you awoke in her son’s bed, that you were going to fall in love with her. Admit it. You’ve put up a hell of a fight, even though you know it’s a losing battle.

            “Jonah?”

            Hearing his name, he broke out of his temporary trance to find himself staring at the steering wheel patiently waiting for his guidance. He tried to cover his lapse by examining it.

            “If I recall, it requires a key that goes…”

            “Here.” Again, she leaned over the center console, key in hand, and slipped it into the slot on the column. “It’s an old truck, not one of those newer models.”

            “Madam, I wouldn’t know an old truck from a model T. Frankly, I never paid attention to them except to ask if they were willing to take on a passenger. Just show me how this one works.”

            She snorted softly at his remark. He caught the faint whiff of coffee on her breath. As much as he enjoyed the smell of fresh-perked coffee, the scent of it coming from her was even more intoxicating.

            “Now, turn the key clockwise, away from you.”

            He did so, and the engine spluttered to life.

            “Thank goodness this is an automatic,” Clea remarked. “Now, take this lever behind the wheel. It’s called the gear shift. See these letters on top of the column? Move the lever until it’s over the D. That stands for ‘drive’.”

            Jonah moved the gear shift. The truck suddenly began lurching forward.

            “Hit the brake! Hit the brake!”

            “What is a brake?” he yelled back.

            “On the floor! In the middle!”

            Slamming a boot on the middle pedal by his feet, the vehicle stopped. Clea began laughing hysterically as Jonah tried to catch his breath.

            “What did I do wrong, madam?”

            “You did nothing wrong. I failed to tell you to keep your foot on the brake until you’re ready to press the accelerator,” she apologized.

            “Press the what?”

            Collecting herself, Clea cleared her throat and took several quick breaths to calm herself. “Okay. Let’s start over. I seemed to have skipped over a few important steps.”

            Jonah winced. “Do tell.”

            She pointed to the floorboard. “The middle pedal is the brake. The one to the right of it is the accelerator. Got that so far?”

            He studied the two objects. “The horizontal pad is to stop, and the vertical pad makes it go. Got it. Now what?”

            “Now you put your foot on the gas pedal. Excuse me, the accelerator. Slowly press down on it to make the truck move forward.”

            “And if I wish to move this mechanical marvel backwards?”

            “That’s what the R in the window is for. It stands for ‘reverse’.”

            “What are all these other letters for? And what do all these dials mean? What do they represent?” he questioned, indicating what he saw on the dashboard.

            “We’ll cover those later,” Clea promised. “For the moment, let’s concentrate on going forward. Now, slowly press the gas pedal. Keep your eyes on the road and turn the steering wheel in the direction you want to go. Preferably on the road,” she added with an amused grin.

            In all his long years, Jonah had never considered himself to be the romantic type, nor the impulsive type. But for some reason he couldn’t explain, much less restrain, seeing that smile on her face was like seeing a beacon of hope.

            No. Not a beacon. A promise. Almost like a wish needing to be fulfilled. Only it wasn’t as much her wish as it was his.

            Reaching out to her, he gently took her by the chin and leaned across the seat. She didn’t pull away. Neither did she remain steadfast. To his shock, she also tilted forward, nearly meeting him halfway.

            Their lips touched. Tentatively. Too briefly.

            As awareness cleared away the momentary fog that had enveloped his senses, Jonah withdrew, dropping his hand from her face. He gripped the wheel, focusing his eyes on the short gravel path in front of the truck, and tried to come up with an appropriate apology.

            He’d gone too far, and he feared what her next step would be. Would she demand he leave this place and her property immediately? Or would she give him the chance—

            “If we’re going to check out that fence line, we’d better get going,” she remarked in an odd tone of voice.

            His mind was still in a muddle. Not trusting what he might say in return, he simply nodded and gradually pressed the vertical pedal until the truck moved away from the house.

 

TO BE CONTINUED

Linda's Website

HERE BE NEWS for Monday June 23, 2025

 Monday June 23, 2025 

Welcome to HERE BE NEWS, where each monday we bring you all the latest from the fantasy romance authors at Here Be Magic:

New!

RUNNER’S MOON: Neeallt

Runner’s Moon Series,

Book 6

Contemporary Sci-Fi Romance

By Linda Mooney

Word Count: 68.7K

$3.99 e / $10.99 p

Mitchel Timmons and her friends just wanted to enjoy a day at the park, regardless of the threat of the Arra hanging over the planet, and more specifically, their town. They want to be able to live their lives, despite the warnings. They figure that as long as they’re home by nightfall, they’ll be safe, or so they thought.

When the girls disappear, Mitchel’s father blames the Ruinos, for good reason. He’d heard her frantic phone call and knows it was them who ambushed his daughter and her friends in the park. How can he be expected to rely on other Ruinos to stage a rescue?

Mitchel hates the Ruinos as much as her father does. She never expects one of those aliens to latch onto her and protect her from other Ruinos as well as the Arra when she’s held captive aboard the Arran spaceship. In fact, although she doesn’t want to admit it, she feels safe when she’s around him. Which is why, when she sees the chance to escape, she takes him back down to Earth with her.

Now her heart’s divided between wanting to still hate the Ruinos and caring for Neeallt, who’s beginning to mean a lot to her. Unfortunately, the town is divided between those who support the Ruinos and those who don’t, even though the Ruinos are working hard to blend in, hoping to find their mates among the humans as they try to make an honest life for themselves. Their common enemy is the Arra, who are orbiting the planet and waiting for their chance to kidnap the human females in order to force the Ruinos to mate with them as a way to increase their numbers.

Despite the good the Ruinos have done, the townspeople want the aliens gone, and Mitchel is faced with losing Neeallt or staying with him. Maybe it’s time they both move on from Tumbril Harbor and find some place safer. A place they can call home.

No one was prepared for the Arra’s next move, despite all their precautions.

Warning! Contains Halloween eyes, a giant tin can, oatmeal with sliced cucumbers (or mango), lavender, a blockade and a diversion, that pause-y thing, and one young woman willing to fight the whole town and the Arra for the alien she's come to love.

Excerpt and Buy Links: https://lindamooney.com/RunnersMoon.htm 

New! RUNNER’S MOON: Neeallt, Runner’s Moon Series, Book 6, a Contemporary Sci-Fi Romance by Linda Mooney

New!

RUNNER’S MOON: Neeallt

Runner’s Moon Series,

Book 6

Contemporary Sci-Fi Romance

By Linda Mooney

Word Count: 68.7K

$3.99 e / $10.99 p

Mitchel Timmons and her friends just wanted to enjoy a day at the park, regardless of the threat of the Arra hanging over the planet, and more specifically, their town. They want to be able to live their lives, despite the warnings. They figure that as long as they’re home by nightfall, they’ll be safe, or so they thought.

When the girls disappear, Mitchel’s father blames the Ruinos, for good reason. He’d heard her frantic phone call and knows it was them who ambushed his daughter and her friends in the park. How can he be expected to rely on other Ruinos to stage a rescue?

Mitchel hates the Ruinos as much as her father does. She never expects one of those aliens to latch onto her and protect her from other Ruinos as well as the Arra when she’s held captive aboard the Arran spaceship. In fact, although she doesn’t want to admit it, she feels safe when she’s around him. Which is why, when she sees the chance to escape, she takes him back down to Earth with her.

Now her heart’s divided between wanting to still hate the Ruinos and caring for Neeallt, who’s beginning to mean a lot to her. Unfortunately, the town is divided between those who support the Ruinos and those who don’t, even though the Ruinos are working hard to blend in, hoping to find their mates among the humans as they try to make an honest life for themselves. Their common enemy is the Arra, who are orbiting the planet and waiting for their chance to kidnap the human females in order to force the Ruinos to mate with them as a way to increase their numbers.

Despite the good the Ruinos have done, the townspeople want the aliens gone, and Mitchel is faced with losing Neeallt or staying with him. Maybe it’s time they both move on from Tumbril Harbor and find some place safer. A place they can call home.

No one was prepared for the Arra’s next move, despite all their precautions.

Warning! Contains Halloween eyes, a giant tin can, oatmeal with sliced cucumbers (or mango), lavender, a blockade and a diversion, that pause-y thing, and one young woman willing to fight the whole town and the Arra for the alien she's come to love.

Excerpt and Buy Links: https://lindamooney.com/RunnersMoon.htm 

HERE BE NEWS for Monday June 9, 2025

 Monday June 09, 2025 

Welcome to HERE BE NEWS, where each monday we bring you all the latest from the fantasy romance authors at Here Be Magic:

Thursday June 5, 2025: Nicole Luiken shares the results of her nautical research with us in her post, It's All About Ships

After three tours of duty, and serving the last four years overseas, Griffin Strong is looking forward to finally returning home and living out his life without bombings and bloodshed. After a 300-mile drive home, a quick trip through the car wash ends in another reality. An eerie, fog-covered reality where he is all alone…or so he thought.  

With no electricity, cars that don’t function, and guns that won’t fire, Griff has to find protection for himself, but protection against what exactly? What the hell even happened? Survival instincts kicking in, he stocks up on whatever he can carry, and sets out on his own.

Griff soon learns that he’s not completely alone, although life of any form is rare to come across, but whom can he trust?

When the subway in Manhattan dumps Natalia Westfall in a snow-covered, deserted town far from New York, she’s left alone, frozen, and desperate. Hope lies in a uniformed military man, but will he want to be weighed down by a sick, weak female like her? Griff takes a chance, and it doesn’t take him long to learn she’s anything but weak.

Facing thirst, starvation, acid rain, enemies, and extreme temps--what will get them first? The odds are stacked against them, and all they can count on is each other.

Warning! Contains a red raincoat, a handy dandy trowel, first dibs, Boom!, strained coffee, an antique car, an implausible but possible theory, a rain of sand, and two strangers finding themselves thrust into a situation where their lives depend on trusting each other.

June Box Set

The VEILS Trilogy
(blurbs and excerpts)