Welcome Marcia Meara to Entertaining Stories. Marcia is one of my partners over at Story Empire. She’s hosted my book tours, and it’s time to repay the favor. She’s here to tell us about her Emissary Series, specifically book three of the series. Make her feel welcome, and please use those sharing buttons on your way out today.
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Thanks so much for having me here today, Craig. I can’t tell you how happy I am to be visiting you and sharing a bit about my newest release, The Emissary 3: Love Hurts. This is the final novella in the trilogy, and I hope your friends and followers will enjoy the excerpt I’m going to share. I know this one will make the post a wee bit longer than I’ve kept them on this tour, but as the final stop, I wanted to introduce folks to Azrael in a more personal way. The scene takes place in a hospital room where Jake has just broken one of Azrael’s most important rules. He used his emissarial power to convince an ill-tempered nurse not to throw them out of the room where they’ve been keeping watch over someone of importance to his adopted son, Dodger. He fully expected the archangel to be angry, but he’s still caught off guard when the Boss shows up—unannounced, as usual. Hope you’ll enjoy the interplay between the three main characters in this series. Here goes:
A Sleeping Patient, Two Scared Emissaries,
And a Ginormous, White-Winged Archangel,
Crowded into One Tension-Filled Hospital Room.
JAKE SCRAMBLED TO his feet, but it was Dodger whose urgent whisper addressed the scowling angel.
“Azrael, please don’t be upset! He was only tryin’ to help me.”
The angel’s expression didn’t change. “I am aware of what he was trying to do, young emissary. What I fail to comprehend is why he used his power on the nurse instead of on you.” His fierce gaze swung to Jake. “Did you not even consider that option?”
“Not for a single second. Play mind games with my son? Only if his life were in danger would I ever consider something like that.”
Azrael’s eyes glowed brighter and his frown grew deeper, but Jake plowed ahead. “It wouldn’t have solved the problem, anyway. Maybe Dodger would have calmed down, but we’d still have been forced to leave this young lady alone, and neither of us was prepared to do that.”
For a moment, the angel said nothing, then to Jake’s surprise, he nodded. “Yes. I can see that would not have worked for either of you. But what you did was unacceptable. Such a thing is against every precept of the emissary program. You have been granted powers no human has ever had before, but you must never forget that with them comes great responsibility. You may not nudge people simply because you would like your wishes accommodated. I am sure you see the wisdom of enforcing this rule, do you not?”
Jake’s heart sank. “Enforcing? So I’m to be punished for this infraction.”
Dodger’s anger level skyrocketed at least ten degrees. “Not fair, man! Jake’s a great emissary. He never messes up, and you need to cut him some slack this time.”
Azrael’s eyebrows shot up. “I beg to differ. I do not need to do any such thing. I have a job before me, just as you do, and rule enforcement is part of it. Let us not forget that I am, as you both like to remind me, the Boss. Enforcing the rules is not only my job, it is my sacred responsibility. Are we quite clear on that?”
Jake’s shoulders slumped and even Dodger nodded, finally cowed by the nearly visible emanations of power radiating from the archangel.
“What was that? I am sorry. I do not believe I heard an actual response from either of you.”
“Yes, Azrael,” they said in near unison.
“We understand,” Jake added. “And I’m sorry I upset you. I accept whatever punishment you think suitable, and whatever advice you’d like to add.”
The angel looked back and forth between them a moment longer, then nodded. “That is more like it. I shall commence with your punishment.”
Jake took an involuntary step back, remembering the huge sword the angel had wielded when they first met.
Instead of an instrument useful for all manner of smiting, Azrael reached inside his robe and withdrew a book bound in white leather. He opened the cover, flipping through a few pagesuntil he found what he was looking for.
“Ah-ha. Here we are.” He pulled a long, white quill out of the air, made a notation inside the book, then snapped the covers shut. “Done.”
For a moment, Jake was too surprised to speak. The same was not true of Dodger.
“Wait.” The boy cocked his head to the side. “That’s it?”
“Do not be cavalier young emissary. Each one of you has a book like this, wherein a permanent record, both good and bad, is detailed for all time. This is Jake’s, and I assure you, it is no small matter for him to acquire a black mark beside his name. Henceforth, I would highly recommend you both follow the rules you have been given. The day will come when a tally will be made.”
Though the archangel had drawn himself up to his full and imposing height to deliver this proclamation, his glowy eyes no longer gleamed in righteous indignation. A corner of the angel’s mouth lifted slightly as he slid the white book back inside his robes, and Jake knew he’d gotten off lucky.
Buy Link for TE3
Buy The Emissary 3: Love Hurts HERE
Blurb:
The archangel created his emissaries to help mortals avoid choices that would doom them for eternity. He hadn’t planned on the youngest member of his team falling in love with one.
~~~
Azrael’s emissarial program was growing daily, but it still met with stubborn opposition from many on the Council of Angels. Dodger’s request to be allowed to experience what falling in love was all about didn’t help matters, but Azrael thought the boy was onto something. He agreed emissaries who’d shared a loving relationship during their mortal lives would have a deeper understanding of human emotions and motivations, thus enhancing the skills they needed to do their jobs.
With that in mind, Azrael gave Dodger one chance to search for true love. He then laid down a daunting set of stringent rules and guidelines that could not be broken under any circumstances lest dire happenings occur. But while the angel sincerely hoped Dodger would find a way to make this endeavor work, he feared an avalanche of unintended consequences could be in store for his youngest emissary.
Sometimes even angels hate to be right.
~~~
Will Azrael ever tire of popping up behind Jake just to see his first emissary fall out of his chair in shock? Will sharp-eyed motel owners ever notice a big red and white semi mysteriously appearing and disappearing from their parking lots overnight? And will Dodger be able to track down the mystery girl who caught his eye two weeks earlier to see if she’s really The One?
To find the answers to these and other angelic or emissarial questions, come along on one last adventure with Jake, Dodger, and that ginormous, glowy-eyed archangel, Azrael. They’re waiting for you!
Bio:
Marcia Meara lives in central Florida, just north of Orlando, with her husband of over thirty years and four big, spoiled cats.
When not writing or blogging, she spends her time gardening, and enjoying the surprising amount of wildlife that manages to make a home in her suburban yard. She enjoys nature. Really, really enjoys it. All of it! Well, almost all of it, anyway. From birds, to furry critters, to her very favorites, snakes. The exception would be spiders, which she truly loathes, convinced that anything with eight hairy legs is surely up to no good. She does not, however, kill spiders anymore, since she knows they have their place in the world. Besides, her husband now handles her Arachnid Catch and Release Program, and she’s good with that.
Spiders aside, the one thing Marcia would like to tell each of her readers is that it’s never too late to make your dreams come true. If, at the age of 69, she could write and publish her first book (and thus fulfill 64 years of longing to do that very thing), you can make your own dreams a reality, too. Go for it! What have you got to lose?
Contact & Buy Links
CONTACT MARCIA HERE
marciameara16@gmail.com
Twitter: @marciameara
Find Marcia’s Books Here:
Reblogged this on Legends of Windemere.
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Thanks for sharing.
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You’re welcome
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Thanks so much for sharing, Charles! It’s greatly appreciated. 🙂
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Glad to help.
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This series just gets better and better! No surprise that Love Hurts is next on my list…
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So happy you’ve enjoyed the first two novellas, Jaye. I hope you’ll like the way I wrapped up the tale. I’ll be very interested in hearing what you think when you get a chance to read it. Thanks so much for stopping by today, too. 🙂
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My pleasure, Marcia!
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Reblogged this on Anita Dawes & Jaye Marie ~ Authors.
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Thanks for the reblog.
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Thanks for sharing, too, Jaye. It’s greatly appreciated! 🙂
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Sounds like a great series.
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Thanks, Joan. I’ve gotten some pretty good feedback on it, so I hope you’ll enjoy it when you get a chance to read it. 🙂
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You know I’m a fan of Azrael. Love the blurb. Best wishes, Marcia.
Thanks for hosting, Craig.
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Azrael has commanded a surprising number of admirers, Staci, which makes me pretty happy. I do enjoy his visitations with our Emissaries, and his stern but righteous comments. Thanks so much for stopping by today, and for all your help and encouragement. It’s greatly appreciated! 🙂
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Thanks so much for having me here today, Craig. The Emissary Trilogy was a complete departure from my other books and enormously fun to write. I hope your readers will enjoy learning a bit more about this series of novellas, in general, and Azrael, in particular. And I really appreciate your helping me get the word out.
It’s a pleasure to visit with you! 🙂
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You’re always welcome here. Happy to help.
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Reblogged this on The Write Stuff and commented:
Hi, Folks! This morning, I’m happy to say I’m a guest over on Craig Boyack’s Entertaining Stories blog. I’ve shared an excerpt from The Emissary 3: Love Hurts with Craig and his friends, and hope you’ll take a moment to stop by to check it out and say hello. And of course, should you have a minute to share this post far and wide, I’d be eternally grateful! ❤ Thanks, and a huge thank-you to Craig as well for having me over today. 🙂
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Don’t mess with Azrael. Looking forward to reading this series after I finish with Rabbit, Marcia!
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Yes, you do not want to make the ginormous, glowy-eyed angel angry, that’s for sure. But Jake & Dodger manage to bring out another side of the big guy throughout the course of the trilogy. Hope you’ll enjoy the books when you get a chance to read them, Teri, and thanks for stopping by today! 🙂
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Loved the excerpt, Marcia! Looking forward to diving into this series.
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It’s kinda short, Sue, about 100 pages for each novella. Maybe you should wade in. 😀 But however you get there, I do hope you’ll enjoy it when the time comes. No true crime, but some funny moments and some sad ones, and a whole lotta Huge Angel going on. 😀 Thanks so much for stopping by today! I really appreciate it! 🙂
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It’s next on my list. 🙂
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Wooohoooo. Great news! It’s not your typical thing, but I hope you’ll enjoy it, anyway. 😀
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I just love Azrael. Well, I love all the characters in your Emissary novellas, Marcia, but Azrael is my favorite. This was a wonderful excerpt from a wonderful book. For anyone on the fence, I highly recommend Emissary 3 and the whole series!
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Thank you so much, Mae. I’m so happy you enjoyed the trilogy and I truly appreciate the recommendation! *happy dance … ermm … happy <shuffle here* 😀
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Oh, you gotta love Azrael in this excerpt. Being an archangel sounds like a tough job. Really enjoyed this.
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I think you’re right about it being a tough job. It’s sort of like a lot of upper management jobs here on earth, actually. Way too much to do, delegating tasks is always risky, and constantly arguing with your fellow executives over which way to proceed and which ideas are good compared to the ones that are just, plain lousy.
And then you have to handle staff with kid gloves, too. Too stern and you squash initiative. Too lenient, and they break the rules. Azrael would probably say, “It has ever been thus, and ever shall be.” And then he’d snap those huge white wings open wide, and rise up into the sky, having left instructions you dare not ignore. 😀 😀 😀
Glad you enjoyed the excerpt, Judi, and hope you’ll like this trilogy if you get a chance to read it. Thanks so much for stopping by today and taking a moment to say hi! I really appreciate it! 🙂
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Thanks for hosting, Craig. Enjoy Emissary one and looks forward to the rest.
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That should read I enjoyed Emissary One and look forward to the rest. I was on the phone when I wrote the other one.
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I edited as I read, John. 😀 And I’m glad you enjoyed TE1. It was a real change of pace for me, but so much fun! Thanks for stopping by today and taking a moment to share your comments. I really appreciate it! 🙂
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A beautiful glimpse at the amazing Angel, Azrael. His compassion shines in this scene. I am anxious to go back and start at the beginning of this trilogy now that I know the ending. 🙂
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He doesn’t start out quite so … umm … cuddly, Jan. 😀 But I do hope you’ll enjoy seeing how everything came to be, and exactly how he and Dodger crossed paths. And thanks so much for stopping by today! I really appreciate it. 🙂
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Congratulations to Marcia on completing the series, and many thanks to you, Craig, for introducing us to Marcia. TE3 looks intriguing.
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Thanks so much, Jet. I hope you’ll give the series a try. Each novella is about 100 pages, so quick, easy reads. I had a lot of fun with my trio of main characters, and would enjoy seeing what you think. 🙂 Thanks for stopping by and taking a moment to say hello, too. 🙂
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A great excerpt, Marcia:) I love when Azrael is interacting with them. It was a fantastic series!
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So happy to hear that, Denise! It was such fun to write, and it makes it even better when you find out others have enjoyed it. Thanks so much for stopping by today! 🙂 I appreciate it very much! 🙂
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I enjoyed reading the excerpt, Marcia. This is an intriguing series. I believe in angels and who knows? It may be real that angels are around to carry out their missions! Thank you for hosting, Craig! 🙂
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Who knows, is right, Miriam. In this case, the angels are so overworked, they’ve resorted to hired help, pulling mortals on the fast track to Heaven right out of line at the Pearly Gates and setting them up as their emissaries to help with the overload. So while the emissaries have been given some pretty neat powers to help them do their jobs, they aren’t angels, themselves. If you get a chance to read it, I’d love to hear what you think. And thanks for stopping by today, too! 🙂
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It’s so very interesting, Marcia. I surely will check it out. 🙂
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I’m skimming anything to do with Emissary 3 (or 2 for that matter), as I’ve only recently completed 1!! I hate being so far behind 😦
Lovely to see the fabulous Ms M here today, Craig 🙂
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Oddly, I understand that.
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Well, I can’t wait for you to have enough time to stop skimming and start reading. I’d really LOVE to know what you make of the tales. 😀 And both 2 and 3 are the same 100 or so pages long as TE1, so they are quick reads, easy to fit in between longer tomes. (If that’s any help.) But either way, I enjoyed your review of TE1 and hope when you do find time for 2 and 3, you’ll have as much fun reading them as I had writing them. 🙂 Thanks so much for stopping by, too. I really appreciate it! 🙂
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Sometimes I wonder if bite-sized reads are the way of the future, what with us all being so time-crunched.
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I’ve been thinking that for a couple of years, too. I’ve tried to offer both collections of shorts and noveloid lengths.
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I’m going to participate in a few anthologies soon, but I might also look at something novella sized later on.
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Good job. They never hurt, and could introduce you to new readers.
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Congratulations, Marcia. I’m looking forward to reading your lovely book. Thank you, Craig, for featuring Marcia.
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Thanks so much, Gwen. Sorry I’m just getting back to visiting, but it’s not because I didn’t want to! (Busy weekend.) I hope you’ll enjoy the entire Emissary series when you get a chance to check it out. It was SUCH fun to write! Thanks for stopping by! 🙂
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Pingback: C. S. Boyack Welcomes Marcia Meara with The Emissary #Series | Sue Vincent's Daily Echo
Great excerpt – I love this trilogy!
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Thank you so much, Trish. Sorry I’m late responding. BUSY weekend! It does my heart good to know you’ve enjoyed these books, and I really appreciate you stopping by to let everyone know! 🙂 Thanks again! 🙂
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