ONE YOUNG WOMAN’S INFLUENCE
Earthman’s Bride has a theme used many times, with many variations: a young woman given to a conqueror as part of a peace agreement…he desires her…she fears him,…eventually they fall in love… Okay, so far so good, but how to make it different? How to keep it from being a rehash of every book ever written with the same theme? Would changing the setting help? Making it medieval…paranormal…futuristic? And the conqueror? Would he be a warrior…a beast…a supernatural entity…an older man, inured to the cruelty of war…or a much younger one, still searching for some tenderness in his life? And the other men in the story…what about them?
There are four prominent men in my novel–or five, if you count Darius, the android, and from all I’ve heard, many readers want him to especially be counted as a man. (Thanks to Darius, Earthman’s Bride won an award in the 2008 Maryland Romance Writers “Reveal Your Inner Vixen” contest.) The four others are: Alcin and Taryn Spearman, Alexander McEntyre, and Philip Hamilcar. Each man has his own qualities–both good and bad–but they all have something in common. They are all, in some way, influenced by Rebeka Spearman, my heroine.
Rebeka’s father, Alcin Spearman was the 20-year-old Counselor of Tusteya when the Earthmen invaded his planet. He greeted them in peace but in the space of a half hour realized his mistake. For thirty years now, he’s been leading his people in fighting the invaders but now, it appears he wants peace. In actuality, Alcin is an old fox of a schemer…yes, he wants a cessation of hostilities, even offers to marry his only daughter to the invader’s leader to cement the armistice, but he doesn’t want just peace. He wants the Earthmen off his planet. For Good. Alcin’s plan is for Rebeka to marry the Earthman, gain his confidence, and kill him, paving the way for her people to expel the invaders. And he won’t take her refusal for an answer.
Alcin doesn’t tell Taryn, the eldest of his seven sons, his plan until it’s too late because he knows Taryn’s so impulsive, he might ride to Ulea and try to kill the Governor himself. The first son of Alcin’s Prime Wife, Taryn is extremely protective of his only sister, the child of his father’s fourth wife. He’s given the task of teaching Rebeka how to kill, but quickly sees she’s too weak both physically and emotionally to kill a man in cold blood, though he hopes that, as Alcin Spearman’s daughter, she has inherited some of the fighting spirit instilled into his sons. He escorts Rebeka to Ulea, the capital, handing her over to the man who will become her husband, and nearly spoils everything by insulting the Governor’s masculinity when he thinks Philip is going to dishonor Rebeka. Briefly, the two young men appear ready to square off against each other and only Philip’s diplomacy prevents Alcin’s plan from ending in disaster right there.
Witness to this minor clash of personalities is Alexander McIntyre, an Earthman, ensign to the original Governor. If there’s a villain in the story, it’s Alexander whom Darius calls Alexander the Great behind his back. A randy 18-year-old troublemaker offered a choice between dishonorable discharge or staying behind on Tusteya, he chose the planet and had worked his way up to being the power behind the throne when Lieutenant Philip Hamilcar died and his 15-year-old son inherited the governor’s mantle. “Uncle” Lex is suspicious of Alcin’s peace offer but allows Philip to proceed with the wedding. Alexander’s Tusteyan wife raised young Philip when his mother abandoned him three days after he was born. He holds the young man in tight rein and has made his twin sons the new Governor’s bodyguards. Wanting to keep him in the family by encouraging Philip to be a suitor to his daughter Alexandra, Lex sees all his plan go flying out the window the moment Philip lays eyes on Rebeka and the Governor’s jpost-adolescent hormones get a jump start.
The only non-human in the bunch, Darius is an android, the best example of artificial intelligence Earth has to offer. Made in the image of his creator, Dr. David Marx, he’s a blue-eyed giant with waist-length silver hair whose memory contains the history of the Earth from the Big Bang to the moment he left the planet. For all intents and purposes, Darius is as close to human as possible. Captured by the Tusteyans and re-programmed to be Rebeka’s bodyguard, Darius has a secret only one Tusteyan knows–he has an empath chip, enabling him to experience human emotion. He also has another secret unknown to any of them–he’s fallen in love with Rebeka. Darius was also Philip’s tutor when the boy was growing up, and now, he’s been re-programmed to aid in assassinating his former pupil.
Last but not least, there’s Philip Hamilcar, the dreaded Governor of Tusteya, a 20-year-old who inherited the authority of Governor from his father. Dominated by Alexander, and because of his extreme youth, Philip has allowed his foster uncle to take most of the burden of power. In spite of his mother being Tusteyan, Philip has been raised to consider himself pure Earthman though in recent months, he has begun to question some of the policies and laws Lex has enacted against the conquered people. Philip is young, male, repressed, unwanted by his mother, striving to obey the male authority figures in his life and make them proud of him, growing up with the knowledge that an entire planet wants him dead…and just waiting for someone to come along and press the right buttons…and then…he’s asked to make peace with the enemy, and is given a beautiful young woman as a gift…
Rebeka presses the correct buttons, in the correct order, and Philip and the others, indeed, the entire planet of Tusteya and every person on it will never be the same again.
EXCERPT:
They were behind the high hedge, now, out of sight of the android. Philip glanced toward the terrace. He couldn’t see Darius and he was certain the robot wasn’t able to see them, either.
Without warning, he caught her by the arms, pulled her toward him and kissed her, thinking as he did it, Fool! Idiot! She’ll call for Darius and he’ll pound you into the ground and you’ll lose your life and your chance to make peace just because you’re getting a hormone itch for Spearman’s daughter!
But she didn’t move, didn’t fight, didn’t do anything as he pressed his mouth against hers, feeling the soft lips open slightly and her warm breath float gently onto his tongue.
When he released her, Rebeka’s hand went to her mouth. She was breathing quickly.
“You’re the first man who’s ever kissed me,” she said softly, and he was startled at the–yes, God, it was awe–in her voice!
Since she didn’t appear to be about to yell for her bodyguard, he asked, “Then may I also be the second?” and kissed her again.
This time, her arms went around his neck and her mouth opened slightly, and, carefully, cautiously, he felt a warm, soft tongue brush his lips before darting back into her mouth like a frightened little animal scurrying for its hiding place.
This time, when he released her, they were both breathing rather heavily.
More information can be found at www.tonivsweeney.com or Lyrical Press www.lyricalpress.com
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Hi there,
Thanks for coming by and sharing about your series with us. I love the covers…who designed them for you?
Raine D.
They are beautiful covers, aren’t they? I believe both were done by Renee Rocco of Lyrical Press.
Interesting—the whole planet and everyone on it will never be the same—hmm sounds like Rebeka is quite a character.
I do love the covers, too. Eye catching.
Thanks for sharing.
Interesting visit, Icy. Trust you to find the new twist on an old plot. The covers are awesome.
Great blog, breat story, great covers! Whast else can I say! Good luck with it!
Oops! meant Great story….and What else can I say? Good grief! My fingers and brain have become detached!! Sorry…
I made it. But my DH happened to be looking over my shoulder and won’t let me leave the page. It has a very attractive half dressed blonde on it.
While I read a great blog, and excerpt, he loved the page. Great book jackets, wonderful plots Icy. Your ancestors would be proud of you. So would future generations. I’m sure of that.
I am glad I made it, and so is my DH.
wow it is a great book And the cover draws your eyes
Icy, wow! what beautiful covers! You’re stories are amazing!
I agree about the covers — they’re gorgeous. And the excerpt is very sweet. Thanks!
I agree! The covers are very eye-catching! The books are not too bad either!