Shadows of Time by Valerie Massey Goree
My new romantic suspense novel, Shadows of Time, released recently. Here are backstories for my main characters. Hope you enjoy these insights into what makes them ‘tick’.
Annika Louise Knight:
I just received word from my late mother’s lawyer that I need to travel to Seattle for the reading of the will. I am not looking forward to the meeting.
Mother and I have been estranged most of my life. I always felt like I was not smart enough or sophisticated enough for her. She never said in so many words, but I think sometimes she wondered if I was really her daughter. Well, she ought to know, right?
My beloved father passed away when I was six. I still miss him, but I remember he told me one day that Mother kept secrets. Am I about to discover those secrets? Sure, my parents had a beautiful mansion on Bainbridge Island, Mother paid for my college tuition, and Papa left me money which I used to fund my art school. They were well-off, but I doubt there’s anything else of importance in the will. The lawyer didn’t say anyone else would be there, but as an only child, I may be the sole guest.
When I received the news of Mother’s passing, I was sad because we were never close. We never shared the mother/daughter bond so many of my friends talked about. Mother never let me into her world of science and research, and I was hesitant to share my love of art with her. When I was eleven years old, I had a run-in with the authorities and spent time in juvie. I don’t think Mother ever forgave me for besmirching the family name.
I’m not a famous artist by any stretch of the imagination, but I have sold enough paintings to help fund my art institute, and I’m sorry Mother never witnessed my skills. Would she have been impressed? I doubt it. She never let me forget that I wouldn’t have made it in the scientific world. Okay, Mother. Tomorrow I’ll know your secrets.
Cullen Kincaid:
I closed my guitar case and let out a deep breath. The kids from the Firs Trees Preschool gathered around me and begged for another song. We’d already spent fifteen minutes singing together and they’d tired me out. Their teacher called them to her and everyone waved to me as I left the classroom. What a fun way to conclude a job. Once on my Harley, I strapped on my helmet and headed to the gym.
My tech skills often result in positive outcomes, for which I give thanks to the Lord. One of the students from a wealthy Port Townsend family had been kidnapped, the ransom call demanded no police involvement. The father and I are friends, and he asked for my help. By using back channels and little-known websites, I was able to trace the origin of the call, and twenty-four hours after the abduction, had the child safely back home. No cops. No ransom paid. No harm done. The kid singing with his classmates.
Since living on the Olympic Peninsula, I’d helped a number of people, and along with preaching on Sundays, it’s one of the most fulfilling things I’ve ever done. Several lawyers in town ask for my expertise to aid their clients. One guy in particular loves when he can send me a ‘damsel in distress’. He says one day the damsel will prove to be the perfect match for me. Dream on, Jerome.
Bio:
American Christian Fiction Writers Genesis Award winner Valerie Massey Goree resides in the beautiful Texas Hill Country, northwest of San Antonio.
She was born in South Africa and grew up in Rhodesia—now Zimbabwe. Valerie came to the USA to attend a Christian university with the desire to obtain a degree and return to Central Africa to teach.
She met her husband, Glenn, at university, and after they married, they served as missionaries in Rhodesia for six years. Their two children were born there. When the family returned to Texas, Glenn served as a pastor and counselor, and Valerie began her teaching career. She served 25 years in the public school arena, focusing on children with special needs, and often includes a child with special needs in her novels.
Now retired and widowed, she spends her time writing, reading, traveling, and spoiling her grandchildren.
Novels include: Deceive Me Once; Colors of Deceit; The Stolen Lives Trilogy, Weep in the Night; Day of Reckoning; and Justice at Dawn. Forever Under Blue Skies, is set in Australia. Valerie’s latest novel, Shadows of Time, released recently.
Valerie loves to hear from her readers. Check out her website to learn more about her romantic suspense novels and Glenn’s non-fiction books, or to sign up for her monthly newsletter. www.valeriegoreeauthor.com
Book link:
Social media links:
www.facebook.com/ValerieMasseyGoree
https://www.bookbub.com/search?
https://author.amazon.com/profile
