One of the most magical things about the South is its writing. Southern authors abound who are able to look through the rising mist and drooping Spanish moss to conjure stories that touch our hearts...and give a little shiver. Leanne Tyler comes from this tradition and offers a little extra magic with her stories.
Tell us about yourself, Leanne!
I am a southern gal at
heart. Born and raised in East Tennessee I’ve only been tempted
twice to move. Once after I visited Charleston, SC while at a
conference and the other while visiting St. Catherine’s/Niagara
Valley in Canada. However, I have stayed put and I now set my stories
in the south. Surprisingly enough a few of them are set in
Charleston, SC. And my current series is set in my hometown in East
Tennessee.
What's your favorite
thing about the South?
The warm weather. I
would never survive up North because of the cold temperatures. I
don’t like extreme heat, but give me high 70s to high 80s and I’m
happy as a lark.
How does the
South affect your writing?
My editor at
TheWild Rose Press is all the time getting onto me for my southern
slang or euphemisms. She tells me I’m being too southern. That’s
probably the negative side to how the South affects my writing. The
positive is the many possibilities for settings. The eclectic
cultures the come together to make up the South provides an ample
playground for a writer’s imagination to go wild.
What's your next
writing project?
I’m working on Book #3 in The Good Luck
Series: The Good Luck Potion. The series is based on the mystical
powers of a gris-gris (a good luck charm) that is supposed to bring
together the heroine with her soul mate. It also features the
loveable, overweight bloodhound Duke and his matchmaking antics.
 |
| The Good Luck Spell |
Jama Wright is a
workaholic. The last thing she wants is to be given the
responsibility of taking care of her new sister-in-law Keely’s
overweight bloodhound, Duke, while Keely and Jama’s brother,
Darren, are on their honeymoon. Jama agrees on the condition that
Darren covers for her at her ad agency later that summer so she can
take a much needed, overdue vacation. When given a good luck charm,
Jama doesn’t want to buy into its acclaimed powers, but she’s
superstitious enough that she doesn’t want to mess with fate.
Little does she know that Duke will become ill and she’ll meet the
one guy that could change her outlook on life forever.
Kyle Landers is a
carefree guy. He loves working with animals and that’s why he
became a veterinarian. When he gets an emergency call about his
patient Duke, he immediately goes to check on the overweight
bloodhound. Meeting the dog’s temporary caregiver, Jama, he finds
himself attracted to her, despite his resolve to avoid entanglements
with beautiful women. His former relationship with Carol had proved
women in pretty packages weren’t to be trusted. Can he overcome the
memories of Carol’s manipulation? And if he can, will Jama prove
she’s nothing like Carol?
Keely Jones believes
all she wants in life is a successful advertising career and a corner
office. However, that all begins to change when she bumps into a
Frisbee player while jogging with her dog. When she’s given a good
luck charm she’s skeptical about the magic of true love or finding
her soul mate. But when things start to heat up between her and
Darren, can she truly ignore it? Or will he be the one man who can
ruin her career?
Darren Wright has
returned to Knoxville to regroup and to join his sister’s
advertising agency. He isn’t looking for anything major to happen
in his life, yet when he bumps into a cute brunette and her dog,
things begin to change. He’s soon promoted to Creative Director and
falling for Keely. How can he tell her he works for an opposing firm?
And if he doesn’t, will he risk losing her for good?
Chapter
One
Hearing
a knock at her open office door, Jama looked up, shoving the vacation
pamphlets she’d been looking at underneath her work. “Lucinda,
what brings you here?”
“I
hope I’m not interrupting.” The Cajun woman walked into the
office and closed the door behind her. The jingle of her bangle
bracelets chimed as she moved.
“Of
course not.”
“Good.”
Lucinda winked and smiled, making Jama feel the woman knew exactly
what she’d been browsing.
“Keely
asked me to bring you a little present. With the wedding preparations
and getting packed for their honeymoon trip, she didn’t have time
to give it to you herself.”
“A
present?” Jama’s brow rose. “There was no need.”
“Yes,
but you have agreed to watch Duke and she felt you deserved a little
gift.”
Jama
laughed. Keely obviously didn’t know Darren thought he’d bribed
her to watch the overweight bloodhound. She couldn’t refuse his
offer to take over once he and Keely returned from their honeymoon so
she could take a long overdue vacation.
“I
hope Duke can survive being in my care. Frankly, Lucinda, I know
nothing about taking care of a dog, especially one requiring a
special diet and exercise routine.”
The
woman nodded. “Ah, yes, Duke can be a handful. But Keely asked me
to give you this business card too. She said if you had any questions
or needed help with the dog, you shouldn’t hesitate to call Dr.
Kyle Landers. He’s Duke’s vet and a very nice young man, if I do
say so.”
Jama
stood and accepted the card. “Fantastic. I feel somewhat better
knowing I’ll have someone I can turn to.”
Lucinda
nodded and motioned to the loveseat and small table. “Do you mind?”
“Of
course not. Have a seat. Can I get you anything to drink?” Jama
laid the card on her desk and walked over to the loveseat.
“No.
I’m fine thank you.” Lucinda opened her large black bag and took
out an ebony felt pouch and a small spray bottle then patted the
cushion next to her. “Come join me.”
Jama
did as she was asked, watching the woman closely as she pumped the
spray bottle, dispersing a fragrance of spice and musk into the air.
“Now,
about this gift from Keely.”
She
slowly nodded wondering why the woman had sprayed incense. “What is
it?”
“Something
you will find pleasure in.” Lucinda’s matter-of-fact tone piqued
her curiosity further. “I gave this to Keely last year. Come, give
me your hand.”
Reluctantly,
Jama extended her hand, unsure what was going on.
Lucinda
chanted an incantation as she slowly parted the pouch’s drawstring
closure. Then she poured the contents into Jama’s palm and closed
her fingers around it.
“This
is an all-powerful gris-gris. If you wear it around your neck, the
amulet will draw your true love to your heart.”
“You’ve
got to be kidding!”
The
lyrical sound of Lucinda’s laughter filled the office. “You sound
like my Keely did when I gave it to her. But it is true. You must
believe me. How else do you think Darren and Keely worked things out?
There were many obstacles, but without this little gem as a guide,
I’m afraid Keely would’ve thrown in the towel too soon and given
up on the happily-ever-after she’s now found.”
Jama
glanced toward her office door, glad to see it was closed. She didn’t
want any of her associates walking by and overhearing this convoluted
conversation.
“Now,
you may wonder how you will know when you have met your true love. It
is easy. The gris-gris will open, spilling forth the blood red stone
in his presence once you have opened your heart to the
possibilities.”
Jama
found herself slowly nodding, not believing what she heard. But if
what Lucinda said was true … Things had worked for her brother and
Keely. However, she hadn’t known the gris-gris played a part in it
all.
Slowly
she opened her hand and inspected the amulet, noticing the silver
filigree securely surrounding the red stone. “You say the stone
spills forth? How?”
“It’s
the magic of the gris-gris. No one knows how this happens. Go ahead,
put it on.”
“And
Keely thinks I need this?” Jama asked, looking at Lucinda.
The
woman nodded. “She did discuss it with Darren, and he was in full
agreement you were the perfect choice to receive it.”
Great!
She’d have to remember to thank him when he returned.
Jama
shook her head. “I’m sorry, Lucinda, I can’t accept this. I’m
not looking for a soul mate. I’ve got my hands full running Wright
& Associates.”
“Nonsense.
Everyone deserves to find happiness in life and working without a
little fun is not the way to achieve it. Don’t you want to have
someone special in your life? Someone to come home to instead of an
empty condo?” Lucinda eyed Jama. “Someone you can enjoy going on
vacation with?”
A
chill ran over Jama at her words and she pursed her lips, shaking her
head. She’d only known Lucinda briefly, but she didn’t think it
entitled the woman to lecture her on the pursuit of happiness. Her
mother held that title. Come to think of it, her mother and Lucinda
had gotten close during the wedding preparations. She could just
imagine them discussing her lack of a social life.
“My
grandmother gave me the gris-gris when I was young. I admit I was
skeptical, but I wore it. I met my Denton. We had a beautiful life
together. You will have one too.”
“But—”
“No
buts, Jama. Wear it. Take a chance. Who knows what might happen.”
She
fingered the silver charm, feeling warmth about it as if it were
alive. Without thinking, she laid it in her lap; taking the necklace
she wore off, she put the gris-gris on. “Okay. I’ll give it a
try.”
Lucinda
smiled, standing to go. “Good. Remember, you must wear it every
day. I’ve got a short concert tour in New England for the next two
weeks. I’ll be back to check on you, but I have faith you’ll be
fine.”
Jama
smiled. “Thanks…I think.”
Lucinda
winked at her and without another word left the office.
Jama
scooped up her discarded necklace before she slowly stood and went
back to her desk. Picking up her purse, she dropped the chain into
the coin pouch of her wallet before sitting back down at her desk.
She picked up a storyboard she’d been reviewing earlier. However,
her mind kept wondering to the gris-gris and whether it did have
magical powers as the woman claimed. But she knew it would take more
than a charm to change her way of thinking. After Ted Donaldson
ripped her heart out and stole her blind, putting Wright &
Associates in financial straits, she’d vowed never to let another
man have control of her life.
She
reached for the handset and punched in an extension. “Shelby, the
Stanley account is a go. I’m sending the boards to production. Your
team did well.”
Ending
the call, she gathered a few files and stuffed her briefcase,
preparing to leave early. Jama couldn’t remember the last time this
happened, but it would be a norm until the honeymooners returned.
Duke was accustomed to being jogged between five and six and she
couldn’t get him off routine. Darren had insisted she promise to
adhere to the schedule.
Dr.
Kyle Landers’ business card caught her eye and she picked it up,
studying it for a moment.
“I
hope you’re really available if I do need help,” she told the
card, tucking it in the side pocket of her handbag.
On
the way out, she laid the storyboards on her assistant’s desk.
“Pamela, these are ready for production. Take care of it for me.”
“Yes,
Ms. Wright. Have a good evening.”
Jama
smiled. “You too.”
Once
in her Lexus, she opened the sunroof, letting the breeze blow her
hair as she drove to Keely’s house. After a quick change she’d
take Duke for his daily jog, giving her the rest of the evening to
catch up on some files. Or she might call the travel agent back and
book her vacation.
Jama
pulled into the driveway and she spotted the dog lying under the
shade tree. She called to him, but other than look up, he paid little
attention to her. Opening the gate, she walked inside the fenced lot
and noticed his empty water bowl.
“Someone’s
been thirsty today.” She set her briefcase next to the fence.
The
dog moaned.
“Did
you say something?”
His
eyes closed and his tail flopped back and forth.
“Oh,
the silent treatment. I get it. But you do want more water?” She
carried the bowl over to the water spigot and turned on the tap.
After rinsing it out, she filled it almost full with fresh water and
took it back to the shade tree.
The
dog instantly came to life and lapped at the water.
Jama
stooped down and petted the animal on his head. As if this had all
been a test, the bloodhound inched toward her and laid his head on
the toe of her shoe. Sticky slobber dripped from his flews, soaking
her apricot sling-back, leather pump.
She
grimaced at the mess he was making. “No! Not on my new Bini’s!”
Duke
whimpered, but didn’t budge.
“Come
on fella, move it,” she urged, trying to pull her foot out from
under his head. It wasn’t an easy task, but she finally managed to
get her foot free.
The
dog still didn’t move and she worried something was wrong. She
hadn’t been around the dog that much, but she knew he had more life
in him than this.
“Duke,
what’s wrong?”
Concerned
the animal wasn’t feeling well, she felt of his forehead, then
realized what she was doing. “God Jama, what are you doing? He’s
a dog, not a child.”
She
wondered how long he’d been without water. She was certain neither
Keely nor Darren would leave without making sure he had water, but
what if they’d been so busy they’d forgotten? And today had been
an unusually warm day for spring, reaching almost into the nineties.
Fearing
dehydration, there was only one thing she could do.
Call
Dr. Landers.
She
fished into the side of her bag for the business card, and turned
back toward the dog. “You stay right there. I’ll be back.”
Jama
raced into the house, kicked off her pumps and quickly cleaned off
the sticky goo the best she could with a dry paper towel. She’d
never thought of herself as the squeamish type, but she shivered as
she tossed the used towel into the trash and scrubbed her hands
furiously with hot soapy water.
Going
upstairs to change, she flipped on the TV and punched in the weather
channel number to double check on the temperature before calling the
vet. She held the phone between her ear and shoulder while she
undressed.
“Eastland
Animal Clinic. This is Vikki. Can I help you?” The sound of gum
popping echoed across the phone line.
“May
I speak to Dr. Landers?”
“I’m
sorry, but Dr. Landers had an emergency this afternoon. He’s out of
the office. If you’d like to make an appointment I can do that for
you.”
“Um.”
Her skirt fell to the floor, and she stepped out of it while deciding
what to do. “I’m not sure. I’m pet sitting. The dog is acting
strange. Moaning. Slobbering. He was without water when I came home
today and it got pretty hot.”
“Uh
huh.” Another gum popping sound echoed across the line. “Sounds
like an emergency to me. I’ll page him. Give me your name and
number.”
“Jama
Wright. 555-7849.”
“Pet’s
name.”
“Duke.”
“Okay.
Got it. I’m sure Dr. Landers will call you as soon as he can. Try
to relax. Animals are sensitive and can get agitated easy if they
think you’re upset.”
Jama
nodded, listening to the girl’s advice. “Good idea. Should I do
anything?”
Another
gum pop. “Just make him comfortable.”
“All
right. Thanks.”
“No
problem. Have a good evening.”
The
line went dead and Jama put the phone down. She had to relax. Easier
said than done when she didn’t have a clue what was going on with
the dog. She typically wasn’t a worrier, but she knew how important
the dog was to Keely. He’d become as important to her brother in
the last year.
As
she changed clothes, she began to wonder if calling the vet over this
was jumping the gun, but she felt it was better to play it safe than
sorry.
Turning
around, she spotted a framed photo of Darren with his arm around Duke
on the bedside table. Yeah, she’d be in pretty deep doggie poo if
anything happened to that dog while they were on their honeymoon.
She
slipped her feet in a pair of athletic mules and went back
downstairs, taking the phone with her. From the kitchen window she
could see Duke still lying in the shade with his head near the water
bowl.
“Poor
guy.”
She
made a quick dinner of a sandwich, some chips, an apple and a bottle
of cold water, and headed out to wait for the vet to call her back.
She grabbed a blanket on the side porch to sit on.
Kyle
Landers flipped his cell phone shut and put the Jeep Wrangler in
drive. He had one more stop to make before heading home. Vikki said
it might be a false alarm, but he wouldn’t leave anything to
chance.
Not
when it dealt with Duke. The bloodhound had gotten under his skin the
last few years.
Kyle
recalled Duke’s first office visit. He’d been a gangly pup, but
that hadn’t lasted very long. His owner spent a great deal of time
traveling on business and Duke had become overweight. Keely had done
a great job stepping in to care for the bloodhound when her brother
got transferred and couldn’t care for the dog any longer. These
days Duke was maintaining his weight, not gaining.
But
that still didn’t keep Kyle from worrying that the dog would
develop bloat. It was a common ailment in deep chested breeds of
dogs. And if untreated it could lead to death of the animal. Kyle
cared too much for his patients to let that happen.
Half
an hour later as the sun began to set, he pulled his beat-up Wrangler
alongside the expensive Lexus outside of Keely’s house.
Apprehension set in, but soon subsided when he spotted a woman
sitting on a blanket underneath the shade tree with Duke’s head
cradled in her lap. She was rubbing his head gently, the way a mother
would a sick child.
He
sat, watching her in awe until she looked up and caught him.
Embarrassed he looked away, grabbing his bag as he got out of the
Jeep.
Without
him asking the question, she supplied an answer.
“He’s
resting. Your receptionist said to make him comfortable. I’ve tried
to do that.”
“Excellent.”
Kneeling beside her, he caught the scent of raspberries, and he
glanced back up at her. She had the longest lashes he’d ever seen
and she worried her lower lip with her teeth while gently rubbing the
dog’s tummy.
Kyle
swallowed hard. “It’s the best thing you could have done, Miss. .
.”
“Wright.
Jama Wright. Nice to meet you.” She extended her hand and he shook
it.
“Same
here. Vikki said you feared he’d become dehydrated. Have you given
him water?”
“Yes.
But he began moaning, his nose felt wet and his brow felt warm.”
Her cheeks flushed pink and she shook her head, catching him off
guard. She didn’t look like the type of woman who’d blush so
easy. “I know nothing about taking care of a dog. If anything were
to happen to Duke while Keely and my brother are on their honeymoon—”
Kyle
held up his hand and stopped her from saying more. “We won’t even
think along those lines. I don’t believe he’s dehydrated. His
flews are moist, meaning he’s producing saliva.”
“But
the moaning?”
He
smiled. “Bloodhounds moan, they slobber. Some of them are very
active, others more on the lazy side. Duke prefers the latter. Though
I hope he’s getting out of the habit with his exercise routine.”
She
nodded. “Therefore I overreacted.”
“It
looks that way, but I’ll examine him to be on the safe side since
I’m here.” Kyle reached for his stethoscope and listened to
Duke’s heart, lungs and stomach. He put on a pair of latex gloves.
She
moved away from the dog to allow the vet more room to perform the
exam. Duke didn’t seem to mind, in fact, he appeared to be enjoying
the attention. That is, until the vet applied a small amount of
petroleum jelly to a thermometer and inserted it into the dog’s
backside.
Duke
yelped.
“Is
that necessary?” Jama winced.
“Yes.
I need to check his body temperature.”
She
frowned, not liking the dog’s discomfort. Yet as she watched the
Vet’s hands gently work with Duke, she could tell he was very
concerned for the animal’s well being.
“Will
he be okay?” she finally asked.
“Yes.
I’ve been concerned for quite some time that he could develop a
serious condition known as bloat,” he said, rocking back on his
haunches. “Some dogs die from it. In more extreme cases, pet owners
have chosen for their pets to have surgery to correct the condition.”
“Surgery?”
“Yes.
But I’ve been watching Duke closely for the last year because of
his weight.”
She
nodded, listening to the vet explain his diagnosis to her. She
couldn’t imagine contacting Darren and Keely on their honeymoon to
get permission for Duke to have surgery.
“Thank
you, doctor, for coming all the way out here to check on him.”
“No
problem. I’d rather know he’s all right than have him suffer
until tomorrow.” He closed up his bag and got to his feet to leave.
Jama
slowly rose, feeling silly. She was always confident and self-assured
when it came to business, yet within a matter of minutes Duke had her
feeling like a ninny. She didn’t even want to think about the
impression she’d made on the vet.
“Be
sure to call me if you have any questions or notice him acting
funny.”
“Oh,
I will, Dr. Landers. You can be assured I’ll call you.”
He
smiled. “Kyle. Please call me Kyle.”
“Okay.
Thanks again, Kyle.”
He
slowly turned to leave and she noticed the way he walked. It wasn’t
a saunter, but a smooth glide drawing her eye to his hips. He filled
out his jeans nicely.
Catching
herself staring, Jama gathered the remnants of her dinner and the
blanket before she retreated quickly into the house. It had been ages
since she found herself interested in a man. What was the matter with
her?
A
warm sensation flooded her chest area. She reached up and fingered
the gris-gris, feeling its warmth.
Lucinda’s
words ran through her mind. “This is an all-powerful gris-gris.
If you wear it around your neck the amulet will draw your true love
to your heart.”
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Connect with Leanne Tyler
Website:
www.leannetyler.com
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@LeanneTyler
Email:
leannetyler@gmail.com
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Thanks for stopping by and spreading a little magic, Leanne. Because after dark, things go South fast...
Juli D. Revezzo has long been in love with
writing, a love built by devouring everything from the Arthurian legends, to
the works of Michael Moorcock, and the classics and has a soft spot for classic
the “Goths” of the 19th century, in love of which she received a Bachelor’s
degree in literature from the University of South Florida. Her short fiction
has been published in Dark Things II: Cat Crimes, The Scribing Ibis,
Eternal Haunted Summer, Twisted Dreams Magazine and Luna
Station Quarterly. She also has an article and book review or two out
there. But her heart lies in the storytelling. She is a member of the Romance
Writers of America, the Tampa Area Romance Authors, and the special interest
RWA chapter Fantasy, Futuristic and Paranormal. The Artist’s Inheritance is her
first novel.
