Echoes of the Past: Dream Lovers
Thank you so much for having me here today. It’s always a pleasure to drop by and chat about my books with your followers. Today, I’d like to talk about dreams and nightmares and the way I use them to move the story along in Echoes of the Past, my first venture into the paranormal.
Echoes of the Past, set entirely in the province of Ontario, Canada, is first and foremost a love story, but one with an unusual twist to it. In most romance novels, the hero and heroine meet and fall in love. In Echoes, they met two centuries ago, fell in love against all the rules of their situation, violated cultural taboos, and died.
Because of their sins, the spirits have kept them apart for over 200 years. Now, those spirits need their help, and as a bargaining chip, they’ll remove the curse and let the lovers have their happily ever after.
Sound fair?
It would be if both parties were in on the deal.
Michelle Thomas is a forensic pathologist with a special gift. She can talk to the spirits of those who’ve drowned. She’s learned to use her talent effectively and specializes in cold water immersion deaths. She knows ghosts are real, and discovering she’s been reincarnated might come as a surprise, but it’s entirely understandable—or is it? Subjected to nightmares of her near-drowning as a child, a good night’s sleep isn’t something she’s used to. While in Thunder Bay on another case, one involving the local First nation people, she begins to experience vivid, sexual dreams that leave her wanting and bereft. She never sees the man’s face, but there is no doubt she loves him more than life itself.
So who is he?
Professor Tony Steele, a scientist and a hydrologist working on discovering the secret of the Lake of The Mountain, doesn’t believe in the occult. For some reason he doesn’t understand, he’s been haunted to this area from the first moment he saw it.
Now, at work on the research project of his dreams, he’s fascinated by the woman who walks the beach by night and has settled into his subconscious at night. He longs for her in a way he never has before. He awakes unsatisfied at the same time each night, and while he tries in vain to find his mystery woman, he’s left with the possibility that she’s a ghost. Is he hallucinating or going crazy?
Book Blurb for Echoes of the Past:
Born Mohawk, raised white, forensic pathologist, Michelle Thomas is trapped between two worlds—this one and the spirit world where the ghosts of those who’ve drowned speak to her. Haunted by crippling nightmares of her own drowning death and erotic dreams of a phantom lover, she strives to make sense of her life.
When two suspicious deaths occur at the Lake of the Mountain Resort, she’s sent to investigate. She’ll face the greatest challenge of her career when her past and her present collide. One of these men is her future, but which one—the rich and powerful Mayor Ron Davies, or Tony Steele, the hydrology professor who may be responsible for his students’ deaths?
Charged by the spirits of her Mohawk ancestors to atone for her previous sins by protecting Lake of the Gods, can Michelle solve the murders, save the sacred waters, and fulfil her destiny?
Excerpt from Echoes of the Past:
He lays on his side on the animal hide, his head propped up on his elbow, watching her sleep. How long does she think her excuse of gathering roots and snaring rabbits will last, especially when she has so little to show for the time she’s been away?
The naked woman beside him stretches in her sleep. Her copper skin glows even in the dimmest light. Her ebony hair spreads fan-like around her head. Her features are fine, her lips lush, begging to be kissed. When open, her almond-shaped brown eyes, flecked with gold, add to her exotic beauty. She’s unlike any woman he’s ever known, and he’s known many despite his mixed blood. It’s craziness to stay here like this, but he can’t leave without her. The odds of getting caught increase with every visit she pays to his secret grotto, but he loves her more than he’s ever thought possible.
He reaches for her, runs his calloused hand down the side of her warm, silky torso. Her nipples pucker at his touch. Her eyes open, and she smiles. She raises her arms and pulls him down on top of her. His lips meet hers with an insatiable hunger. His tongue delves into her warm, willing mouth, feasting on her sweetness, and he hardens painfully.
Without any warning, the dreamscape shifts, and he runs through the brush, fleeing for his life. Twigs and branches tear at his buckskin garments. A thorn bush rakes his face. If he’s caught, it’ll mean torture and death, but he isn’t worried about himself. He worries about her. Has she gotten back safely? He slows his pace. Through the trees, he looks over at the far side of the lake and sees her tall, lithe figure standing on the beach. Her beauty, grace, and majesty set her apart from the other squaws. Those harridans point and scream, but she stands still, wrapped in the woven, quilted blanket she showed him not two hours ago. He doesn’t dare stop for a better look. His heart thunders in his ears, his side aches, but he increases his speed, pushing his painful muscles beyond their limit. The enemy approaches, but she’s safe, and that’s all that matters. He doesn’t see the log across the path. He stumbles and falls…
Tony Steele awoke with a start. His heart pounded, and sweat covered his body. His ragged breathing dragged air into his oxygen deprived lungs. His muscles screamed and cramped the way they did after a particularly grueling cross-country race. Not again. For weeks now, these strange dreams had haunted him. Dreams? Hell. These memories lingered as if it he’d actually done these things.
He shuddered despite the heat emanating from his body. He rose, went to the window, and opened it slightly. He breathed deeply, hoping to calm himself, knowing it wouldn’t happen any time soon. He glanced into the parking lot. Through the curtain of rain, he noticed Aaron’s car parked once more in the lot, but not in its regular spot.
Somewhat cooler, he shut the window. He raised his hand to his stinging cheek, surprised to feel wetness there. He padded into the bathroom, turned on the light, and stared in the mirror. Blood seeped from the ugly red scratch on his face.
Buy Links:
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Echoes-Past-Susanne-Matthews-ebook/dp/B00LU6N4EM/
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/458277
About the Author:
Susanne Matthews was born and raised in Cornwall, Ontario, Canada. She’s always been an avid reader of all types of books, but always with a penchant for happily ever after romances. In her imagination, she travelled to foreign lands, past and present, and soared into the future. Today, gets to spend her time writing, so she can share her adventures with her readers. She loves the ins and outs of romance, and the complex journey it takes to get from the first word to the last period of a novel. As she writes, her characters take on a life of their own, and she shares their fears and agonies on the road to self-discovery and love.
Author Links:
Follow Susanne on her:
Website: http://www.mhsusannematthews.ca/
Blog: http://mhsusannematthews.wordpress.com/
Facebook page:https://www.facebook.com/SLMauthor
Twitter @jandsmatt
Amazon author page: http://www.amazon.com/Susanne-Matthews/e/B00DJCKRP4/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0
Goodreads author page: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7009276.Susanne_Matthews
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