A Hundred Lies by Jean M. Grant

Is their love just one more lie?

1322, Scotland

     Rosalie Threston's fortune-telling lies have caught up with her. Uprooted yet again, she's on the run from a ruthless English noblewoman. She flees to Scotland and seeks refuge in the arms of a laird's son who happens to be a real Seer.

     A bloody past and inevitable future plague Domhnall Montgomerie. He avoids physical contact with others to ease the painful visions. When an accidental touch reveals only delight, he wonders if Rose is the key to silencing the Sight.

     Mystical awakening unravels with each kiss. But can Domhnall embrace his gift in time to save her life, even it means exposing her lies?

Wild Women Authors is delighted to welcome back author Jean M. Grant as she celebrates today's release of A Hundred Lies, an historical romance out of the Wild Rose Press. With Jean is hero Domhnall Montgomerie who will go first.

Good morning, Domhnall, tell us where you're from. Dornie, Scotland, deep in the Glen Shiel region of the Highlands

Rosalie Threston looks like an interesting.complicated woman. What did you think the first time you saw her. She was enchanting and mysterious. I was intrigued by her fortune-teller shop and wanted to find out more about her palm-reading ability.

What was your second thought? She could be the answer to my problem. I’m a Seer and have painful visions, but over time they’ve become murky, and Whenever I touch someone, they’re triggered. So…I don’t touch. I’ve kept the devil at bay, for now. But I miss that human connection. I might never find love.

Did you feel it was love at first sight? Hmm, mayhap. More like intrigue. My mother, whose mystical gift is well-controlled, believes some occurrences are fate. Our destiny.

What do you like most about Rosalie? She is up front, capable, independent and confident. And she is like me…she can see.

How would you describe her? I think she is the golden rose from my visions. She’s witty, pragmatic, and…she gets me. Truly understands my ache.

How would “the golden rose” describe you? People call me Dour Domhnall. I’m a bit sullen. You’d be too if you were afflicted with this “gift.” I like to talk when alone with Rosalie, and she loves to listen. I work hard to keep my clan safe. One day I’ll be laird, though I’d rather not be. Och, I can ramble sometimes…

What made you choose The Watch for your career? I like to watch, observe, and take care of our people. The Watch’s responsibility is to protect our clan. However, there have been thefts and now assaults. I like to solve puzzles, but this one is perplexing. I worry something worse is going to happen.

What is your biggest fear? To not be able to protect people. To not be free of this hellish curse of Sight. To not forgive myself for my inability to protect somebody so very long ago…

How do you relax? I walk, walk, walk. Breathe in the night air on my Watch rounds. I fidget with these wee puzzle boxes our village woodsmith makes for me.

What is the best piece of advice you ever received? Trust in myself and my ability. It will shine through if I let. If I embrace the whispers of the wind.

Thank you, Domhnall, for taking time away from your duty as The Watch to speak with us. We' like to chat with Jean now.

What movies or books have had an impact on your career as a writer? Many cite it as inspiration, but it is the same for me: Outlander. I loved Diana Gabaldon’s background in science (like mine) and her craft. It was inspiring to me at young age. Movies: The Princess Bride, Robin Hood, Braveheart…sense a theme here?

What event in your private life were you able to bring to this story and how do you feel it impacted the novel? I bring a lot of my own life experiences to my work, but for this one, I wrote where the characters took me as I completed the MacCoinneach family journey. I love cats, and since Rosalie’s uncle/foster father is a rat-catcher, I knew I had to include a few furry friends. In fact, I named one of them Tres (Rosalie likes Latin and named the cats after Latin numbers), before I adopted a cat a few months later—already named Tres (because she had three kittens)!

Tell us a bit about your publisher: how did you hear about them and what influenced your decision to submit to them? I queried agents for years but a few years back in 2016 I decided to query some small press publishers. The Wild Rose Press scooped me up and I’ve been with them ever since. I’ve enjoyed my experience with them.

What book[s] currently rest on your TBR pile? I recently discovered Amy Harmon and I’m reading The First Girl Child (Viking fantasy). Next up is another of her historical women’s fiction books (What the Wind Knows). For book club, I just ordered a local-set murder mystery called Death in the Off-Season (Francine Mathews). I just finished an ARC children’s book/middle grade called Why is my Hair Curly? (Lakshmi Iyer) – loved it.

Lastly, what's up next and when can we expect to see it on the shelves? Released on August 5^th, A Hundred Lies is the last book in a historical trilogy, but each book can also be read as a standalone. Find the trilogy on Amazon and other websites (B&N or iBooks). Discover more about this series, my contemporary romances/women’s fiction, and fun extras on https://jeanmgrant.com. The audio book will be out later in 2020.

Jean brought along an excerpt for us:

Rosalie huffed but shuffled around him. “Excuse me, Sir Montgomerie.”

“It’s just Domhnall.” Shame skittered to the forefront of his mind. He lived a privileged life, hardly understanding the commoner, try as he might by pacing the streets afoot. In his mind, all people were equal, though society and nobles held other opinions of the lesser born. Not him. Not if he became laird. When. He sighed. When he became laird. Despite his parents’ noble upbringing, they celebrated every man, woman, and child’s God-given gifts. All should have opportunity. Here, men and women were treated fairly, as fair as they could get with the demanding barons and the king.

He was trying hard to help a woman who maybe didn’t want his help. When would he learn he could only help others so much?

Burned. Dead.

He blinked away that pain. Why now? Why remember that awful memory? He’d only been a lad himself at the time. He hadn’t understood the power that rested in his visions. He swallowed. “Here.” He grabbed a crate from her, his hand accidentally brushing hers. A cool rush traveled up his fingers to his elbow. His blood pressure dipped, darkness luring him. No, he chided. Blazes, no! He commanded the vision to relent. The black curtain crossing his eyes quickly dissipated as blood flowed to his fingers. His extremities instantly warmed.

What was that?

Had he successfully halted a vision midstream? It had been years—years!—since his last true vision, if he didn’t count the strange man’s reappearance this week and Venora’s chilling words. Och, plus the misstep with that drunkard in Edinburgh a month ago. He picked up another crate, handed it to her, deliberately touching her fingers, testing the radical idea. Heart in throat. Bold. So bold. Nothing. Nothing but an attraction to the golden-haired lass welled within

him. No vision. Only interest. Only…

He wanted to try again. And again.

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