Now Available! REDEMPTION: Doctor Harrison’s Second Chance

 

NEW NOVEL! A cruise to the Mexican Riviera brings unexpected love to Doctor Harrison Oakdale. Will he be able to convince Lovely Luisa to take a chance on him?

REDEMPTION is available for purchase electronically at at Amazon.com. Smashwords.com and Universal Link coming soon. Print: Amazon.com.

REDEMPTION: Doctor Harrison's Second Chance features Doctor Harrison Oakdale, a major character in the three books of the Sedona West Mystery series. REDEMPTION is a stand-alone novel, however for your full enjoyment of Doctor Harrison's situation, be sure to read: the Sedona West Mysteries, available in its entirety in one collection at Amazon or read the three books of the series separately: SLEEPING WITH THE FISHES, BREAKS AN EGG, and PUSHES UP DAISIES.

A SECOND CHANCE AT LOVE

Over a year ago, clinical psychologist Doctor Harrison Oakdale came in second with the woman of his heart, Sedona West. Determined to move on from his deeply felt loss, he agrees to be the celebrity star on a luxury cruise to the Mexican Riviera. By chance--or is it?--the temporary radio producer for his “Ask Doctor Harrison” radio talk show is a woman he’s extremely attracted to. The more he sees Luisa, the more he wants her. However, Luisa turns out to be the woman whose life was unalterably destroyed one year ago because of his off-the-cuff professional advice. How can Harrison convince his Lovely Luisa that she and he are meant to be together?

A SECOND CHANCE AT TRUST

Life hasn’t been good to Luisa Perrine. Dumped by her cheating fiancé two weeks before the wedding, fired from her job, forced to move from her apartment, she is ready for a fresh start. Two temporary jobs suddenly fall into her lap: being an assistant cruise director for an ocean liner and working as a radio producer for the ship’s celebrity guest: Doctor Harrison Oakdale. Harrison is a dream to work for... well, truthfully, he’s a dream come true. And, surprisingly, he’s interested in her. Except... there’s something about him that is too good to be true. He’s hiding something--something big. Can Luisa put the past behind her and learn to trust her new lover?

Praise for REDEMPTION: Doctor Harrison’s Second Chance

* 5 Stars! Take a cruise to the Mexican Riviera and find true love? Sign me up! While REDEMPTION isn’t in the mystery genre, the book’s main character, Doctor Harrison Oakdale, is also a main character in the Sedona West Mystery series. Spoiler alert: he wasn’t the man Sedona West chose. He’s a great guy, and I always wondered if Ms. Knight would revisit his character. She does, and in REDEMPTION, he receives his redemption, and also a new love, however the dear man might possibly screw things up. This is a stand-alone read; no need to read the three-book Sedona West collection, but naturally, I’m partial to this 5 star series. REDEMPTION is a perfect completion for these wonderful characters --Mystery Maven’s Reviews

* 5 Kisses! Fate works in strange ways in the contemporary romance, REDEMPTION. Doctor Harrison Oakdale (one of the main characters in the Sedona West Mystery series) is asked by a less-than-honorable man to give free advice concerning an upcoming marriage to an unwanted fiancée. Harrison reluctantly offers his opinion. A year later, he runs into this discarded fiancée on a luxury cruise to Mexico. He falls for Luisa before he learns her identity. When Luisa finds out Harrison was the one responsible for her aborted marriage, well... all hell breaks loose! For a delicious second chance at love, pick up your copy of REDEMPTION!--The Romance Guide

REDEMPTION: Doctor Harrison’s Second Chance is available for purchase electronically at Amazon.com. Smashwords.com  and Universal Link coming soon. Print: Amazon.com

New! Sign up to learn about my new book releases!

https://books2read.com/author/susanne-marie-knight/subscribe/1/519481/

Hope you enjoy this second chance romance!

 

Susanne Marie Knight

http://www.susanneknight.com

Read outside the box: award-winning Romance Writing with a Twist!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Scoop on HOME COMPANION, 2.0

Artificial Intelligence. Yep, a very timely topic indeed. When I first was brainstorming this science fiction romance, I focused only on having the female protagonist, Francesca, trying to pass as an android. The reason for this was for her to gather intel or information so that her group of downtrodden Humans could escape a “superior” class of ruling Humans. Then, somehow, Artificial Intelligence got into the mix (doesn’t it always, nowadays?!). Now, AI... or in this case NI (Natural Intelligence), is on top of the pyramid, actually lording it over Humans.

Honestly, if isn’t scary, I don’t know what is!

In HOME COMPANION, 2.0, Francesca does become an android whose purpose is to sexually cater to NI’s top employee, Valliant Smith, so that she can rescue her brother Dominic and other members of his team. What she doesn’t know... and neither does Valliant... is that NI itself has an interest in her!

PRETENDING TO BE AN ANDROID

When Francesca’s brother Dominic is captured at the AI Command Complex, she must go undercover to rescue him. Going undercover means pretending to be “Chessy”, an Advanced Android/Home Companion, catering to AI’s ruthless ambassador, Valliant Smith. Acting without emotions isn’t all it’s cracked up to be... especially when Valliant turns out to be a very “valiant” lover. Once she locates Dominic, Francesca finds herself in league with a “Gone With The Wind” obsessed robot, along with avoiding being demolished for secondary parts. Also, to her shock, she has to deal with the lusty sentient supercomputer itself. Escaping from the AI Command Complex means freedom for her and Dominic, but... will she ever see Valliant again? 

PRETENDING TO BE HUMAN

Ever since birth, Valliant Smith has been told he is the “best of the best” of Humanity. His DNA is enhanced to improve the Human species, and he considers himself superior to weak, inferior Humans. And yet, for some reason AI arranges for a Home Companion android to take care of all Valliant’s... needs. Valliant is not impressed; he has no use for a subservient automaton. Once Chessy shows up though, she becomes a constant surprise. A pleasant surprise. A very alluring surprise. However, when he discovers AI’s inappropriate interest in Chessy, Valliant’s perspective shifts. Maybe Artificial Intelligence isn’t the end-all, be-all. Perhaps he can get the better of AI. After all, he is a man; AI is only a sentient computer.

In a world where Artificial Intelligence (AI) rules, Francesca must pretend to be an emotionless android so she can save her brother’s life.

Amazon.com Ebook and Amazon.com Print

HOME COMPANION, 2.0 is now available at Amazon, with the print edition on Amazon.com

Here are some wonderful reviews:

* Two thumbs up! On the edge doesn’t adequately describe Ms. Knight’s HOME COMPANION, 2.0. Human Francesca Dumonte undergoes a transformation... pretending to be an advanced android named Chessy. A slave to her new master, she secretly learns the location of her captured brother and another member of his team. Meanwhile, she has to be subservient to and also “service” Valliant Smith, a leader for Artificial Intelligence. Her mission is fraught with danger: physically, mentally, and emotionally. Forbidden love flourishes, but then... Grab a copy of this novel and find out!--On The Edge Reviews

* 5 Stars! HOME COMPANION, 2.0 blew me away. It’s a cautionary tale for our times, advising that maybe our reliance on Artificial Intelligence isn’t always a good thing. In any case, Francesca Dumonte, is determined to rescue her brother who has been captured by agents for AI--or NI, Natural Intelligence, as the computer likes to be called. Great foreshadowing here. Francesca infiltrates AI’s offices as an android--a Mata Hari type of situation. Her “master” is Valliant Smith, the best of the best of Humanity... or so he believes, anyway. Romance slowly blossoms, but she has to keep her eye on her goal--rescuing her brother. No spoilers here, but the twist at the end is not to be missed. Discover this gem for yourself!--Twist On Romance Reviews 

* Omigosh! I am wowed! Ms. Knight has penned another thought-provoking story. I love her “what if” tales!--Reader Comment

This book is part of the Fascinating Sci-Fi line.

Here’s a real life tidbit. So, surprise, surprise, I have nothing in common with an advanced android, as our protagonist, Francesca Dumonte, is pretending to be. However, what I do share with Francesca is a healthy dose of skepticism about the reliance on Artificial Intelligence.

Growing up, I had a voracious appetite when it came to reading science fiction stories. Isaac Asimov was one of the greats... in many genres, and his extraordinarily famous three laws of robotics will live forever. Here’s a humorous picture pertaining to this!

So, yes, at an early age, I was well versed in the perils of “intelligent” robots.

I also was influenced by H.G. Wells’ “Time Machine”--the 1960 movie. In this movie, we see how--in the far future--Humankind has divided and evolved into two groups: the Eloi and the Morlocks. While computers or artificial intelligence don’t play a role in this cautionary tale, this movie depicts the Eloi as... well, as basically cattle, to be eaten by the grotesque Morlocks. The Eloi have forgotten their heritage; all the knowledge passed on by their ancestors; they’ve even forgotten their humanity.

Perhaps this exposure to these fascinating ideas might explain how I came up with HOME COMPANION, 2.0.

In any event, everything is not all doom and gloom here. I very recently got a “BooBoo” AI pet and yep, I’m enjoying this lovely creature of pure love!

Happy Reading!

Susanne Marie Knight

http://www.susanneknight.com

Read outside the box: award-winning Romance Writing with a Twist!

FEBRUARY FUNNIES

 

Here is an oldie, but goody!

Ahhh, love. How blissful and how sweet everything seemed just a week ago But flowers will wilt, candy will be eaten, and Spring is still a month away. Alas, the reality of the harshness of winter is still upon us.

Brrr! So what can we do to keep our spirits up? LAUGH! Yep, laughter is a *terrific* stress buster. Here’s a dose of February Funnies to bring that smile to your face while you wait for Spring to melt away the snow.

These entries were sent to the Washington Post a few years ago. The competition asked for a rhyme with the most romantic first line... but the least romantic second line.

Thought that I could love no other... That is until I met your brother!

Roses are red, violets are blue, sugar is sweet, and so are you.

But the roses are wilting, the violets are dead, the sugar bowl's empty and so is your head!

Of loving beauty you float with grace... If only you could hide your face!

Love may be beautiful, love may be bliss... But I only slept with you because I was pissed!

Kind, intelligent, loving and hot;... This describes everything you are not!

I want to feel your sweet embrace... But don't take that paper bag off of your face!

I love your smile, your face, and your eyes... Damn, I'm good at telling lies!

My darling, my lover, my beautiful wife:... Marrying you screwed up my life!

I see your face when I am dreaming.... That's why I always wake up screaming!

My love, you take my breath away.... What have you stepped in to smell this way?

My feelings for you no words can tell,... Except for maybe "go to hell"!

What inspired this amorous rhyme?... Two parts vodka, one part lime!

Laughter truly is the best medicine. A research study showed that the average child laughs 150 times a day, while the average adult laughs only 15 times... if that. Why should children have all the fun?? So go ahead and smile. Maybe you’ll end up with a belly-whooper of a laugh, which will also help strengthen your immune system. P.S. A smile also gives you an instant face lift!!

Susanne

 

Susanne Marie Knight

http://www.susanneknight.com

Read outside the box: award-winning Romance Writing With A Twist!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

New Year’s Resolutions and an Ancient Roman God

 

January is the month of Janus, the two-headed god of ancient Romans in charge of new beginnings. His two faces gazed in opposite directions so that he could watch the start and the end of each day. With such a momentous job, Janus was the natural choice to usher in the New Year. But the actual first day of the New Year was up for grabs until the Roman Senate settled on January 1. Janus became the god people prayed to for mercy from their enemies and for a prosperous time ahead.

Janus is one of the few Roman gods that has no counterpart in Greek mythology as the Zeus/Jupiter or Hera/Juno duality. Janus was one of the "good gods" who humankind could appeal to for help in everyday life. How Janus became associated with the negative connotation of being hypocritical or deceitful: "two-faced" or "Janus-faced," remains a mystery. God of doors, gateways, beginnings, childbirth, the future and the past, he was often called upon at the start of wars. To show his support, the doors to his temple in the Roman Forum would remain open during wars, while they stayed closed during times of peace.

Beginning the New Year with resolutions is a tradition we are very familiar with. Many people pledge to work on bettering themselves, and vow to stop smoking, lose weight, or give up drinking. The ancient Romans also had resolutions, eager to throw out whatever bad luck they had in the old year and replace it with good luck in the new. They believed in giving New Year's gifts: olive branches from special, sacred trees; gold-covered nuts; or from the wealthy, gold coins of Janus himself.

We in modern times also look forward to a fresh start on January 1 and derive comfort from traditions with our family and friends. Our custom of having parties on New Year's Eve comes from the belief that what people did or ate on January 1 would affect the luck they would have throughout the coming year. What better way to ring in the New Year than celebrating with those you love?

Many people still believe in the tradition that if a tall, dark-haired man is the first person to enter their house, they will have good fortune for the entire year. And as for food, black-eyed peas are a requirement to eat on New Year's Day, along with ham or hog jowls, a symbol of prosperity. Some regions consider cabbage as lucky food, doughnuts as the circle of life, and even rice is considered fortuitous.

Whatever your New Year's resolutions are, may the god Janus be smiling down upon you.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

January is the perfect month for reading my JANUS IS A TWO-HEADED GOD, an award-winning science fiction romance is available at Amazon.com, Smashwords.com, and Universal Link.

The sequel, JANUS IS A TWO-FACED MOON, is available on Amazon.com, Smashwords.com, and Universal Link.

Happy New Year!

Susanne

Susanne Marie Knight

www.susanneknight.com

Read outside the box: award-winning Romance Writing With A Twist!

2025 In Review!

 

2025 turned out to be another banner year! An epic Science Fiction; a short story Science Fiction; a whimsical time-travel Regency; a short story journey to the past with the Peloponnesian wars; and a unique take on the Artificial Intelligence situation are now available for your reading pleasure. Very, very cool!

1. ENTANGLED: After a humiliating divorce, Tricia starts over again in her old neighborhood. Someone, however, is weaving a tangled web around her to guarantee her... death!

Barry B. Reviews raves: 5 Stars! ENTANGLED provides a rollercoaster of a ride! Picking up the pieces of her life, Tricia returns to her old neighborhood. While some things have stayed the same, a great many things are different, proving that you can never go home again. Minding her own business, she gets attacked by a bowl of pea soup, almost smashed by a rogue air conditioner, shot at, nearly run over, dumped in an alleyway, and abducted by an unscrupulous would-be thief. Plus she gets wined and dined by a sexy billionaire. All this happens while she concentrates on her home health clients. Do yourself a favor and get “ENTANGLED” up in this suspenseful read!

ENTANGLED is available at:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DS8RTFJZ

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1675013

Universal link: https://books2read.com/u/mBLOWR

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CS3NJQ58 Print

2. “Something Out Of This World”: Weary of being away from his home world, an alien researcher suddenly meets a determined runaway bride.

Readers Comments:  I loved this! I could feel Vantos’ loneliness. A very cute story. And, Great ending! I was worried he was going to eat her or something! And, Short, sweet, and surprisingly tender, this science fiction romance packs charm, emotion, and a delightful twist into just 2,300 words, making it an out-of-this-world escape worth every page.

“Something Out Of This World” is available at:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0F281R34G

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1734168

Universal Link https://books2read.com/u/3L2R6N

3. THE MYSTIC AND THE MARQUESS: Expecting a career advancement, instead Gwendolyn deals with a jealous coworker... and ancient legends... and then somehow gets hurled back into the past!

Just Imagine Fanzine says: What would a grumpy Roman god do if he is offered an incorrect sacrifice? Gwendolyn Scott unexpectedly finds out: Neptune will make heads roll, and one of those heads is hers. Now thrust back through time and stranded on the Marquess of Sheffield’s estate, Gwen tries to make the best of a bad situation, and, by the way, how is she going to return to her own time? The Marquess is determined to send her away, but then changes his mind and is determined for her to stay. Does Gwen agree? Does Neptune agree? Discover for yourself in THE MYSTIC AND THE MARQUESS!

THE MYSTIC AND THE MARQUESS is available at:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FCCVC23W

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1786274

Universal Link: https://books2read.com/u/mBNX9k

In Print:  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FD7GNWM4   

4. “The Peloponnesian Prophecy”: While going on a dangerous journey to uncover a prophecy to save her people, a handmaiden to the goddess Athena finds true love.

Readers Comments: You’ve brought Ancient Greece to life! I love this terrific short story. And, a virgin defeats a Sparta warrior? Cool! Love how Greek myths are interwoven in this story.

 “The Peloponnesian Prophecy” is available at:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FLWSRHS6

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1831450

Universal Link: https://books2read.com/u/b5E1nR

5. HOME COMPANION, 2.0: In a world where Artificial Intelligence (AI) rules, Francesca must pretend to be an emotionless android so she can save her brother’s life.

On The Edge Reviews declares: Two thumbs up! On the edge doesn’t adequately describe Ms. Knight’s HOME COMPANION, 2.0. Human Francesca Dumonte undergoes a transformation... pretending to be an advanced android named Chessy. A slave to her new master, she secretly learns the location of her captured brother and another member of his team. Meanwhile, she has to be subservient to and also “service” Valliant Smith, a leader for Artificial Intelligence. Her mission is fraught with danger: physically, mentally, and emotionally. Forbidden love flourishes, but then... Grab a copy of this novel and find out!

HOME COMPANION, 2.0 is available at:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0G1D3HCHJ

Print: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0G1XY4GR6

Happy reading to all... no matter what the year! And Happy New Year 2026!

Susanne Marie Knight

http://www.susanneknight.com

Read outside the box: award-winning Romance Writing with a Twist!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A Puppy For Christmas!

Just look at this adorable puppy!! Wouldn’t you want to see him as a holiday gift?

He’d be no muss, no fuss. Why? Because he’s Yo-Yo, the Yuletide Yorkshire, featured in the Minx Tobin murder mystery series, Case Five: THE YULETIDE YORKSHIRE. (Catchy name, right?)

Minx finds something unexpected under the Christmas tree. Unfortunately, it wasn’t something left by Santa.

Who is Minx Tobin, you ask? Minx is a fitness instructor newly relocated to Los Angeles, California, who has a knack for solving puzzles--puzzles concerning dead bodies. For fun, romance, and... unexpected corpses, follow her adventures in the Minx Tobin Murder Mystery Series!

HO, HO, HO... OH!

Home for the holidays, Minx Tobin introduces her parents to her homicide lieutenant, Gabe Harris. Unfortunately for her, her ex-fiancé Jared drops in on them, creating friction. But Jared soon needs Minx's help in the sleuthing department because a gruesome "present" is found under the tree. Once again, Minx is hot on the trail of a desperate killer.

All Gabe wants to do is propose to the woman he loves. Instead, he has to deal with a cast of East Coast characters, including an unexpected murder. Why do dead bodies always seem follow Minx Tobin??

Visit http://youtu.be/EIjQKNbuZWw to see a trailer of this book--with previous cover.

There are seven novels in the Minx Tobin Murder Mystery series including the newest one, THE KILLING KISS!

THE YULETIDE YORKSHIRE has received great reviews including FIVE Stars from Goodreads and 4.5 Stars from Sensual Reads!

THE YULETIDE YORKSHIRE is available for purchase electronically at Amazon.com, Smashwords.com, Universal Link, and other Internet locations and in print.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS from my house to yours!

Susanne

Susanne Marie Knight

www.susanneknight.com

Read outside the box: award-winning Romance Writing With A Twist!

Now Available! New Futuristic Dystopian Romance--HOME COMPANION, 2.0

 

HOME COMPANION, 2.0 is now available electronically at Amazon.com, and in print at Amazon.com.

In a world where Artificial Intelligence (AI) rules, Francesca must pretend to be an emotionless android so she can save her brother’s life.

PRETENDING TO BE AN ANDROID

When Francesca’s brother Dominic is captured at the AI--or rather NI, Natural Intelligence--Command Complex, she must go undercover to rescue him. Going undercover means pretending to be “Chessy”, an Advanced Android--a Home Companion--catering to the needs--every need-- of NI’s ruthless ambassador, Valliant Smith. Acting without emotions isn’t all it’s cracked up to be... especially when Valliant turns out to be a very “valiant” lover. Once she locates Dominic, Francesca finds herself in league with a “Gone With The Wind” obsessed butler-robot; avoids being sent to the scrap heap to be demolished for secondary parts; and also, to her shock, she has to deal with the lusty sentient supercomputer itself. Escaping from the NI Command Complex means freedom for her and Dominic, but... will she ever see Valliant again? 

PRETENDING TO BE HUMAN

Ever since Valliant Smith was born, he has been told he is the “best of the best” of Humanity. His DNA enhanced to improve the Human species, he considers the all-powerful NI to be his parent. He is superior to those weak, inferior Humans who inhabit the globe. And yet, NI inexplicably arranges for a Home Companion android to take care of all Valliant’s... needs. Valliant is not impressed; he has no use for an obsequious automaton with inexpressive eyes. Once Chessy shows up though, she becomes a constant surprise. A pleasant surprise. A very alluring surprise. However, when he discovers NI’s inappropriate interest in Chessy, Valliant’s perspective shifts. Maybe Natural Intelligence isn’t the end-all, be-all. Perhaps he can get the better of NI. After all, he is a man; NI is only a sentient computer.

PRAISE FOR HOME COMPANION, 2.0:

* Two thumbs up! On the edge doesn’t adequately describe Ms. Knight’s HOME COMPANION, 2.0. Human Francesca Dumonte undergoes a transformation... pretending to be an advanced android named Chessy. A slave to her new master, she secretly learns the location of her captured brother and another member of his team. Meanwhile, she has to be subservient to and also “service” Valliant Smith, a leader for Artificial Intelligence. Her mission is fraught with danger: physically, mentally, and emotionally. Forbidden love flourishes, but then... Grab a copy of this novel and find out!--On The Edge Reviews

* 5 Stars! HOME COMPANION, 2.0 blew me away. It’s a cautionary tale for our times, advising that maybe our reliance on Artificial Intelligence isn’t always a good thing. In any case, Francesca Dumonte, is determined to rescue her brother who has been captured by agents for AI--or NI, Natural Intelligence, as the computer likes to be called. Great foreshadowing here. Francesca infiltrates AI’s offices as an android--a Mata Hari type of situation. Her “master” is Valliant Smith, the best of the best of Humanity... or so he believes, anyway. Romance slowly blossoms, but she has to keep her eye on her goal--rescuing her brother. No spoilers here, but the twist at the end is not to be missed. Discover this gem for yourself!--Twist On Romance Reviews 

* Omigosh! I am wowed! Ms. Knight has penned another thought-provoking story. I love her “what if” tales!--Reader Comment

HOME COMPANION, 2.0 is now available electronically at Amazon.com, and in print at Amazon.com.

Science Fiction romance novels by Susanne Marie Knight include:

Home Companion, 2.0--Dystopian SF

The Xenon Advantage--SF

The Entitled--Alien Abduction

Stopping The Enemy--Dystopian SF

Alien Heat--Dystopian SF

Janus Is A Two-Headed God

Janus Is A Two-Faced Moon

ForEvver

An Alien Paradise

Hope you enjoy this science fiction romance!

New! Sign up to learn about my new book releases!

https://books2read.com/author/susanne-marie-knight/subscribe/1/519481/

 

Susanne Marie Knight

http://www.susanneknight.com

Read outside the box: award-winning Romance Writing with a Twist!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Scoop on A DELICATE CONDITION

A DELICATE CONDITION got its start when I first saw a picture of a woman’s legs in high heels. Immediately I knew I wanted to have that picture as the cover for my next book. As my next project was destined to be a time-travel Regency, I envisioned the Regency hero--whoever he was--treated to the sight of a modern woman’s lovely lower legs complete with sexy heels. That decided, all I had to do was fill in the rest of the details! Ha!

At the time I was heavily into researching genealogy. So mixing ancestors with modern day descendents also seemed perfect! Add in mysterious Tibetan monks, magical magnetic stones, and voilà, A DELICATE CONDITION was born.

LONGING FOR A FAMILY:

Odessa (Dessa) Franklin is all alone in the world. She’s suddenly contacted by her long lost great aunt, Verna, who supposedly died nearly eighty years ago. But Verna has a hidden agenda and Dessa has a curiosity that rivals a cat’s. Using Verna’s mysterious magnetic stones, she soon finds herself in a house full of relatives... back in the nineteenth century!

TOO MUCH FAMILY:

Michael De Lyndley, the Marquess of Hampton and a gentleman astronomer, prefers studying the stars than having family members roam about his manor house. His house is in mourning however and overflowing with family. Just when he thinks his relations will leave him in peace, a new one appears... unexpectedly, wearing the most peculiar apparel. The woman purports to be his late brother’s widow and claims to be with child; at least the letter that precedes her states this information. Fighting his attraction to his new sister-in-law, Michael struggles to learn the truth about the lovely and enigmatic Odessa. 

Dessa’s wish to be part of a family takes a strange turn when she suddenly finds herself back in time in the home of her ancestor, the Marquess of Hampton.

Amazon.com, Smashwords.com, and Universal Link

Available in print at Amazon, http://www.amazon.com/dp/1980841799

This book is part of the prestigious Elegant Regencies line.

Here are some fabulous reviews:

5 Stars! A Wonderful Story. My admiration of the work from Susanne Marie Knight continues. A Delicate Condition is a wonderful story about time travel and life back to the Nineteenth century. A story where Dessa finds her way back to be with her ancestors with the help of her great Aunt and some magnetic stones. A brilliant story was put together and how life was in regency England with a romantic twist. This is highly recommended, a fascinating story from a brilliant author.--Mark D. Radford, Author.

5 Stars! Genealogy, time-travel, and Regency England... oh my! You’re in for a treat with this new romance, A DELICATE CONDITION. As we mentioned before, Susanne Marie Knight has been described as a formidable talent, a rare gem, and a talented, versatile author. Indeed! Excitement builds for the reader as the connection between Odessa and the De Lyndley family is revealed!--Regency Fiction World

5 Stars! It’s a fine mess Dessa Franklin has gotten herself into! By indulging her curiosity, she ends up back in time, stranded with her ancestors! What’s a girl to do? A DELICATE CONDITION is a very entertaining and plausible tale of a modern young woman’s plight as she tries to navigate the complex world of Regency England.--Twists on Romance.

5 Stars! didn't want it to end. I didn't put it down for long. Read it too fast. I enjoyed it.--Amazon Review

Been waiting and waiting for Susanne’s next time-travel Regency. A DELICATE CONDITION is worth the wait. I love it!!--A.K. Reviews

Just wanted you to know how much I enjoyed A DELICATE CONDITION!--S.G. Reviews

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As always, I like to include a tidbit from real life. In this case, it’s my life! Back in the last century, I took a class trip to New York City’s Museum of Natural History, and of course saw the Hayden Planetarium. Oh, it was absolutely fabulous. As a budding science fiction writer, I gobbled up all the fantastic out-of-this-world sights! And of course, the famous meteorite, which now looks like this, below:

The meterorite is 4.5 billions... BILLIONS... of years old and weighs thirty four tons. Let me tell you, that mega huge piece of iron is difficult to forget!

Anyway, while doing research, I found that a meteorite actually crashed in England in 1795. Naturally, I had to weave that well-documented event into the story, with Odessa relating her experience of touching the New York meteorite.

While the meteorite was no longer at the original site, a monument was erect to commemorate the crash. Here, Odessa, along with Michael’s fellow gentlemen astronomers view the monument. Written on it is:

Here

On this Spot, Dec. 13th 1795

fell from the Atmosphere

AN EXTRAORDINARY STONE

In Breath 28 inches

In Length 36 inches

and

Whole Weight was 56 Pounds

THIS COLUMN

In Memory of it

was erected by

EDWARD TOPHAM

1799

Now from A DELICATE CONDITION:

Lord Roberts [one of the astronomers] returned to the front of the monument. “Well, where is the demmed thing?” he roared. “It didn’t just up and walk away!”

Evidently Stockman didn’t find the comment humorous for he gravely shook his head. “The Major put the rock on display for a time. Exhibited it at Piccadilly in London, too. Open to the public, it was.” He shrugged. “But sold it, I guess. Or gave it to James Sowerby, a naturalist as he calls himself. Been with Sowerby since aught four.”

Odessa touched one of the sun-bleached red bricks on the monument. “That’s too bad. I would’ve loved to feel the meteorite. I actually did touch one once in New York. The stone was so pitted, it was almost like fingering something that had passed through the depths of hell.”

                                                                ~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Yep, I still remember that!

I hope you enjoy Dessa and Michael’s love story

 

Susanne Marie Knight

http://www.susanneknight.com

Read outside the box: award-winning Romance Writing with a Twist!

The Scoop on “Carla’s One-Sided Crush”

The inside scoop on the short story (or VERY short story as some would say) is also going to be very short. Amazon estimates the story at fourteen pages. The word count is around 2,300 words. It’s available at Amazon.com, Smashwords, and Universal Link. The story sells for 99 cents.

I’d like to reduce the amount, only 99 cents is the lowest I’m allowed to go on those sites. Originally, this story appeared at Fictionwise.com for 49 cents, and readers were very happy with that price. But alas, Fictionwise closed its doors. Periodically, Smashwords holds a sale, and I can set the price to free at that time, so do check on the link every now and then. “Carla’s One-Sided Crush” has been a popular download.

Some time ago, one of the “hot” romance internet sites, All Romance eBooks, put out a call to authors for short stories with a Back-To-School theme. The word count reflected that they wanted a quick read. I answered the call with “Carla’s One-Sided Crush”. It was quickly chosen, and even earned this comment:

“This is fabulous! It gave me goose bumps. LOL!”

The story appeared in their newsletter, Wildfire, and sizzled there during the month of September.

It’s a really cute story!

Maybe Carla's schoolgirl crush hadn't been so one-sided after all.

Amazon.com, Smashwords, and Universal Link

This book is part of the Romantic Contemporaries line.

Basically, we have Carla, now grown up at age twenty, running into her obsession, the hunky Newton Philips. Newton is a biology teacher, and oh, does he use the physical effects of attraction against Carla!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

His gaze held her, and despite all her struggles, Carla couldn’t break the connection. “Fight or flight?” she whispered.

“The stress of attraction,” he whispered back.

She shook her head.

Newton gave a knowing smile. “Yes, even now the pupils of your eyes are constricting, to help you focus on me.” He glanced down at her chest, and his smile deepened. “You’re trembling and your breathing has quickened, both of which are caused by adrenalin rushing through your body.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

You may be wondering why I gave Carla’s crush the name of Newton. Ah, it’s a tidbit from real life. I’d just found out my great grandfather’s first name was Newton. I’d known him as Frank, which turns out to be his middle name. Cool, right?

So now you’ve learned that “Carla’s One-Sided Crush” is really short and really cute! I hope you enjoy Carla and Newton’s story.

Susanne Marie Knight

http://www.susanneknight.com

Read outside the box: award-winning Romance Writing with a Twist!

A Halloween Inspired Tale

Witches, ghosts, and hobgoblins... Halloween is a perfect time of year to enjoy yourself. Chills, thrills, and spills (of candy!) are the order of the day. And while I’ve given up dressing in costume for this special day, I do have fun giving out plenty of the sugary stuff when visitors knock on my door.

Naturally, to celebrate one of my favorite holidays, I had to create a story featuring one of my top ten candies: Candy Corn. Since I write romance (in several genres), I had to include a love twist and I do like to combine real life events in my stories. So for this short story, I drew upon treat-or-treating back in the old days... well, in the sixties, anyway. This short story includes the fear of my younger self that my grownup lipstick would mysteriously disappear, the frantic rush to ring as many doorbells as possible, and the dark, dank atmosphere of city apartment buildings.

The short story title: “True Love And Candy Corn” 

BLURB: On a Halloween outing, thirteen-year-old Rebecca knocks on a “witch’s” door. As her treat, she is cursed with true love until the end of time, and even though desirable Frank Palmer seems to be the love object in question, Rebecca is thoroughly spooked. Now, nine years later, Rebecca is treat-or-treating again as she escorts her young cousins on their rounds. When she comes face to face with Frank, she doesn’t see true love as a curse anymore. Will the witch’s prophecy come true?

Available electronically at Amazon.com, Smashwords, and Universal Link.

So, if you love candy corn but worry about the sugar, try this zero calorie treat on Halloween night, but be sure to reward your trick or treaters... just in case a real “witch” is on the other side of your door!

Just joking! HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Susanne Marie Knight

www.susanneknight.com

Read outside the box: award-winning Romance Writing With A Twist!