The Chocolatier's Wife &
The Chocolatier's Ghost
by Cindy Lynn Speer
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GENRE: Fantasy Mystery
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BLURB:
The Chocolatier's Wife: ROMANCE, MAGIC, MYSTERY.... AND CHOCOLATE
A truly original, spellbinding love story, featuring vivid characters in a highly realistic historical setting.
When Tasmin's bethrothed, William, is accused of murder, she gathers her wind sprites and rushes to his home town to investigate. She doesn't have a shred of doubt about his innocence. But as she settles in his chocolate shop, she finds more in store than she bargained for. Facing suspicious townsfolk, gossiping neighbors, and William's own family, who all resent her kind - the sorcerer folk from the North -- she must also learn to tell friend from foe, and fast. For the real killer is still on the loose - and he is intent on ruining William's family at all cost.
The Chocolatier's Ghost: Married to her soul mate, the chocolatier William, Tasmin should not have to worry about anything at all. But when her happily ever after is interrupted by the disappearance of the town’s wise woman, she rushes in to investigate. Faced with dangers, dead bodies, and more mysterious disappearances, Tasmin and William must act fast to save their town and themselves – especially when Tasmin starts to be haunted by a most unwelcome ghost from her past…literally.
The Chocolatier’s Ghost is an enchanting sequel to Cindy Lynn Speer’s bestselling romantic mystery, The Chocolatier’s Wife.
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Excerpt Two:
Chocolatier’s Wife, except 2
Murder. Funny, how the idea of one’s future husband killing someone made headaches go away. It was not that she could not conceive that he was a killer; anyone who read the shipping information at the back of the newspaper, listing, among other things, the manifests of pirate ships that had been taken and destroyed, would know William was quite capable of killing. But, she reasoned, that was hot blooded killing, it was not murder. Poisoning someone with chocolate required coldness and cunning.
She moved at last, only enough to take her hair down. She stared at the pins in her hands. No. She could not believe that William was capable of cunning. He was smart, aye. But practical smart. Not without imagination, of course, you could not accuse a man who wanted to make chocolates of a lack of imagination, but he was also not the sort of man to go around blithely killing people with the very product he hoped to sell. She could not believe it.
After a while, the surprise wearing off, she tried to imagine the two paths her life might take. She thought of being at the university. She had trained there, and so she had friends as well as colleagues among the staff. Eventually she would have the seniority to teach only the advanced students, perhaps even ascend to the Circle, as her mother hoped. A life of teaching and learning how to use herbs, divining the secret meanings hidden in the wind, the rain, and the veins of leaves was hers. She was no master wizard, but she was very, very good, and she knew her life was mapped out for her here, a scholarly life of respect and decent wages and wanting for nothing. It was, clearly, a good life, which was why her family wanted it for her.
Then there was William. She tried to imagine him, blurry in her mind, by her side. A life of children, shop-keeping. It did not seem as glamorous or interesting, though she trusted she would be able to continue her studies and believed that William would provide for her, but her fame would be as his wife alone. No one would remember her save their children. Still, it was not without its appeal, the idea of having someone who was all yours, someone to curl up against in the winter. It was harder to imagine the future, here, for she knew so little in comparison. The unknown could hold pain as well as joy.
She sighed, and went to bed, in a restless attempt at sleep for what remained of the night.
When she came down the next day she had two cases in her hands, and she was wearing her best traveling clothes. Her family looked up at her from their breakfast, as she put the heavier of the two down, her hands switching the other bag back and forth, nervous and moist on the hard, wooden handle. “You see,” she said by way of good-morning-and-here’s-my-explanation, “the problem is that I rather like him.”
This was a very enjoyable book for me to read. Lately I have been having a stale feeling to most of the books I have been reading. Not that those books were bad in any way, they just seemed to pretty much the same story with different people and in different places. This book had a whole new story and has refreshed me. I think Cindy Lynn Speer has done a great job with this book. I like how she gave great descriptions but did not babble on. You got enough to understand where the story was taking place, or enough to figure out the person's reasoning, and things like that but there wasn't 3 pages over nonsense that had nothing to do with the story. The book was not over romanced either, actually there really was very little romance since where these characters live Love does not really come into the emotional play like in our world.
In the kingdom of Berengeny when children are born they are taken to the Wise Woman who casts a spell to choose the child's future spouse. One of the main characters William was taken to the Wise Woman and no face appeared to her. He was taken back each year with no results until his 7th birthday, when finally the face appeared. The Wise Woman then holds a brass plumb-bob over a map to see where the spouse lives. To his families dismay she lived in the North part of the Kingdom. The North and South parts of the Kingdom have been fighting for over 500 years.
William does not take this badly and sends a letter to his intended Tasmin Bey. She is still a baby at this time. William continues to send letters and gifts over the years to Tasmin. They become friends through these letters and are actually excited about finally meeting each other face to face. Even though both sets of parents do not wish for this marriage to ever take place.
Finally Tasmin turns 18 and is sure William will send for her. But he does not. He has been a sea captain and decided it was time to return home open a Chocolate shop and send for Tasmin as soon has his business is making a decent profit. But then he is accused of murder. He is arrested for killing the local Bishop with poisoned chocolates from his shop.
William writes tasmin to let her know she is off the ook to marry him an accused murderer and that he is innocent. Tasmin goes to William to try and help clear his name. you will have to read the book to find out what happens next.
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AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Cindy Lynn Speer has been writing since she was 13. She has Blue Moon and Unbalanced published by Zumaya. Her other works, including The Chocolatier’s Wife (recently out in an illustrated hardcover to celebrate its 10th anniversary) and the Chocolatier’s Ghost, as well as the short story anthology Wishes and Sorrows. When she is not writing she is either practicing historical swordsmanship, sewing, or pretending she can garden. She also loves road trips and seeing nature. Her secret side hobby is to write really boring bios about herself. You can find out more about her at www.cindylynnspeer.com, or look for her on Facebook (Cindy Lynn Speer) and Twitter (cindylynnspeer).
INTERVIEW with Cindy Lynn Speer
What is your favorite ice cream flavor?
I have a weakness for peach. I should say chocolate, and while I love chocolate, peach just takes me to summer.
Which mythological creature are you most like?
In fencing, we’ve been running a contest for people called the Wild Hunt, and I was given the Kitsune…partially because I love foxes, and I would like to be clever and hard to kill (like a weed, maybe) and partially because I have a bunch of personal students.
First book you remember making an indelible impression on you.
When the Dark Man Calls by Stuart R. Kaminsky is the first thing that comes to mind. It was the summer when my mother was really encouraging me to read adult level books. I stayed up late reading it.
How do you develop your plot and characters?
Something will come first – either a character or a place or a plot. Usually it’s a character – and I will sit there and fool with it, creating the rest of the world and plot to fit that character. I try and go by feel. For the Chocolatier’s series, I also very much wanted a Regency, Age of Sail era feel even though it was a fantasy world.
Describe your writing space.
Sometimes it is my desk at work – two monitors, a lunch break, and me typing away. Sometimes it’s a recliner with an electric blanket, a laptop on a desk, and a cup of tea. I wish I could tell you that it’s the space I actually made for writing, with my cute secretary style desk and the shelves on one side with all my writing books, the top of the desk decorated with little glass animals, inkwells, and other interesting and pretty things, situated so I can look outside into the front yard, but nope. I never write there. Sometimes, if I am lucky, I make up my bills there…but actual writing? No.
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GIVEAWAY INFORMATION
One randomly chosen winner via rafflecopter will win a $50 Amazon/BN.com gift card.
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