EXCERPT
How long she lay there she would never really know. She would never remember any thoughts or wants she might have had. Long past the point where she needed physical nourishment to survive, she lay there motionless as months turned into years. Vines wove over and around her, until she seemed to be part of the undergrowth. She didn’t feel the sun or the snow, the wind or the rain. The Earth and Sky that she had worshipped for centuries were beyond her reckoning, and she no longer cared. She had finally escaped her tortures the only way she could…by falling deep into total oblivion.She didn’t know when she began to feel the presence. It was just there, and becoming almost imperceptibly stronger. With it came other things, just as slowly and dreamlike. The smell of the Earth, the dim sensation of a light shower, then the warmth of the sun as it streamed through the forest canopy. Slowly she felt herself rising up from her self-imposed depths, until finally her eyes opened.
Through the dark branches far above her she saw a full moon. Its light and her acute senses let the surrounding woods slowly come into view. She sat up, the undergrowth that had become her blanket falling magically away from her. She looked down at herself, and saw that she was nearly naked, covered only by rotting rags of old clothing. Dimly she noticed Aida’s ancient crystal still hung from around her neck. Then the presence that had made her stir caused her to raise her head, and she saw its source.
Standing before her was a tall, broad figure. Small braids were woven into both his long, unruly brown hair and beard, which were just beginning to go gray. His eyes blazed at her from beneath thick eyebrows. His formidable brow was scarred, as was one cheek. His thick neck disappeared into a rough shirt covered by chain mail, which was in turn covered by a leather tunic. From the wide belt that bound these hung a broadsword and a dagger. Below this was a kilt of muted browns and grays, and shoes of leather strips. A wolf pelt draped one shoulder, and on one arm was a round targe of leather-covered wood. In all, he was the fiercest looking creature the gentle Jasmine had ever seen, and the energy he radiated was overwhelming. She knew without being told that this was the Celt warrior that old Hanob had warned her of, and thought that all of her earned catastrophes had struck upon her at once.
When he spoke, his voice was as fierce as his visage.
“Rise up, Witch. It’s time you live again.”
Praise for Jasmine's Tale: Darkness and Light
“(the) characterizations and descriptions are so vivid that I felt like I was following Jasmine through the centuries.” - Patricia Gligor, author of Mixed messages
“Unique, grabs the reader’s attention and holds it.” – Writer’s Digest
"The cover of this book had caught my eye on more than one occasion. I was excited when I finally got around to reading it... and I was not disappointed. Though the cover is stunning, as it turns out, it is the least impressive aspect of this book. Don't take this as criticism; this is a very, very good thing. The beginning of the story hits you with slap-in-the-face action that sucks you right in.
... I'd like to take a tiny detour; if I may - I have said that it's not often small presses can deliver such gems as Jasmine's Tale. This is the fifth book I have read which is published by Post Mortem Press, and I'm beginning to believe they are regular gem dealers."--5-Star Amazon Review, Emma Ennis
Jasmine’s Tale: Darkness and Light
Book One of the Jasmine and Sam Chronicles
When Sam Melody, a hardworking private detective, meets the beautiful Jasmine Pellitier, the consequences could be deadly. Although Jasmine seems like the perfect woman, she is actually a 2,500-year-old witch… and is being pursued by ancient enemies who will stop at nothing to learn the secret of her powers.
A fascinating marriage of witch-tale and detective yarn, Jasmine’s Tale: Darkness and Light takes the reader from Sam and Jasmine’s adventures in modern-day New York City to her ancient European beginnings and back again, as they try to elude their enemies in a running battle between good and evil.
From ancient times though the Crusades to the Salem Witch Trials and beyond, follow Jasmine and the man she loves in to a final showdown between the powers of Darkness and Light.
| More praise for Jasmine's Tale: Darkness and Light:
“A wonderful Book” – Lonna Kingsbury, Countering the silence, KET TV
“An Intensive novel.” – Mark DeWitt, Cover to Cover, WRRS radio
“…one interesting book.” – Tawana Thomas, Northern Kentucky Magazine
Brian Dobbins has had a wide variety of experiences, from artist and writer to videographer, graphic designer to bartender to salesman to factory worker… and so on. He attempts to draw on this varied background to spin tales of strong characters in unusual situations. He’s written everything from graphic novels to magazine articles to short stories to novels. His novels represent different genres such as Witchcraft, Detective and Western, and usually involve a good amount of historical background. He lives in Cincinnati, Ohio.
FB: Brian Dobbins Makes Stuff Up
Goodreads: Brian's Author Page
Twitter: @BrianEDobbins
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