Roxanne Rhoads: Mysti Parker

An Evening with the Cast of Serenya’s Song, #1: Serenya

Setting: The Wasted Witch

Come in and have a seat. Could I get you a mug of our famous Barnaby’s Ale? Never heard of it, huh? Take a sip, and I bet you’ll want a refill!

Told you.

Dad’s usually the one greeting the customers. I’m more at home over there behind my piano. If you stay long enough, you can hear me play.

I’d take my gloves off, but it’s chilly in here and…who’s my dad? You haven’t heard of him, either? He’s Douglas Barnaby, a human like you, though a bit older and plumper.

Don’t worry; he’s back in the storage room now, so I can talk about him. See, until I was twenty-one years old, he was the only man in my life. Things were so simple back then, even though I knew he wasn’t my real father, and even though children tormented me about my, um, birth defect.

Yes, I know that doesn’t sound very simple, but Dad and I were really happy, just the two of us. We laughed a lot. Still do. I’ve helped him here ever since I could carry a tray. There’s never a dull moment. Sure, people gossip about me. They speculate about my birth parents. Everyone knows my mother was a wood elf, but no one, not even Dad, knows who my father is. Their stares make my skin crawl.

I guess you’re wondering why I stay here in Summerwind with all the gossipmongers lurking in plain sight. Well, in case you hadn’t noticed, the countryside is gorgeous. So many places I can set up my easel and try to recreate the landscape. Oh, the townspeople have their faults, of course, but underneath, they’re decent people. Most of them.

See that man over there at the corner table? Yes, the six-foot-four inch, sharply-dressed human. He’s the Earl of Summerwind, Sebastian Crowe. You guessed it. He’s my husband. Which makes me Lady Crowe.

And now you’re wondering why a titled woman spends her nights working in a tavern. Sebastian doesn’t understand it, either. How can I explain that this place, where Dad and I spent so many happy years, is more like home than Crowe Manor?

I really wanted Sebastian’s estate to feel like home. I really wanted him when he walked into the bar six years ago. Before long, he asked for my hand in exchange for paying off some of Dad’s debts. I know Dad didn’t want to agree, but I was so in love with him. We were quite happy together for a couple of years, but I’ve never been able to give him an heir. And now…when he drinks too much, he’s, um, difficult to deal with.

But, there are bigger problems at my doorstep, like that incredibly handsome wood elf that just walked in.

Let’s hope Sebastian didn’t see me staring. Oh, here’s Dad. That’s my cue to play. Enjoy your ale.

****

Want to know more about Serenya and the handsome wood elf that stepped into the tavern? One lucky commenter will get a PDF or Kindle copy of Serenya’s Song, so be sure to leave your email address if you’d like a chance to win!

Serenya’s Song

Tallenmere Book Two

by Mysti Parker

Blurb:

In the fantasy world of Tallenmere, no one ever said love was easy...

Serenya Crowe may be a half-elf commoner, but she's no ordinary woman. With the ability to interpret dreams, and a birth defect that forces her to wear gloves, she’s endured small-town gossip and the cruelty of her husband, Sebastian, The Earl of Summerwind. All she's ever wanted is to live a quiet life and raise a family. When she meets the new stranger in town, her world and her heart, are turned upside down.

Wood-elf Jayden Ravenwing is an ex-secret agent who wants nothing more than to forget matters of the heart. He left the bustle of Leogard and his failed marriage to make a fresh start in Summerwind. He never planned to fall in love again, especially with the enchanting Serenya Crowe.

When a strange portal opens on the Crowe property at the edge of town, Jayden is thrown into an investigation, knowing that if he fails, Serenya and everyone in Summerwind may die.

Together, he and Serenya must overcome an ancient evil, and their own inner demons, to save Summerwind and find the love they've always dreamed of.

Author Bio:

Mysti Parker is a full time wife, mother of three, and a writer. Her first novel, A Ranger’s Tale was published in January, 2011 by Melange Books, and is the first in a fantasy romance series. Mysti reviews speculative fiction for SQ Magazine and is the proud writer of Unwritten, a blog voted #3 for eCollegeFinder’s Top Writing Blogs award.

Links:

Email: mystiparker@yahoo.com

Unwritten

Twitter: @MystiParker

Facebook Page

Goodreads Page

A Ranger’s Tale: Melange Books, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Smashwords

Serenya’s Song: Melange Books, Amazon, Barnes and Noble

Excerpt from Chapter One, when Jayden first spies Serenya as he steps into The Wasted Witch:

I stepped through the door. Soft piano music and the voice accompanying it—angelic, rich, soulful—stilled my footsteps. I finally made my way inside and slid onto a stool at the bar. The bartender, an aging human with a partly bald head and pot-belly, asked me what I wanted.

“Gingerroot tea, please.” I couldn’t take my eyes off the ebony-haired girl singing at the piano.

“That’s my daughter, Serenya. Lovely, isn’t she?” He retrieved a teapot behind him, added water, and set it on a small stove.

“She is.”

“Where is the one who holds the key? Where is the one who’s made for me?”

I’d heard the song she sang before, but the words had never resonated within me like this. I shifted in my seat. If I listened long enough, I feared her voice could unearth every secret I had. But, I had no intention of leaving now. I liked a good challenge.

“I’ve journeyed high, I’ve journeyed low, to heaven above and hell below.”

Slightly pointed ears indicated she was half-elven, but she didn’t resemble the proprietor at all. I studied her white skin, pale as the ivory piano keys she commanded so well. Lustrous, black hair fell in waves over her shoulders. Rose red lips wrapped around each word of the song. An irresistible light sparkled in her eyes. Pure joy. I knew that feeling all too well. Very few women had even come close to understanding my passion for music. A familiar longing settled over me like an invisible net.

The teakettle whistled. The bartender filled my cup. “Haven’t seen you before. Don’t get many wood-elves down here. What’s your name?”

“Jayden Ravenwing.”

“Douglas Barnaby. Welcome to the Wasted Witch. New in town or just passing through?”

“Just moved from Leogard.”

“Then, welcome to Summerwind, too. It’s just a spot in the road, but I think you’ll like it here.”

“Thanks.”