She’s the One Who Can’t Keep Quiet by S.R. Cronin – Exclusive Excerpt and Giveaway

This post is part of a virtual book tour organize by Goddess Fish Promotions. S. R. Cronin will be awarding a $20 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Do you know what your problem is?

Celestine, the fifth of seven sisters, is tired of hearing about hers. Father thinks she’s frivolous because she likes pretty clothes and caters to the crowds in the taverns who adore her music. Mother thinks that because she’s the most social daughter in the family, she can’t keep quiet about anything.

They’re both wrong. Celestine hides a secret she has kept for most of her life.

As the family beauty and a talented musician with a lyrical voice, she has the best prospects for marriage to a prince. When such a liaison never happens, people assume Celestine is too choosy. But even in somewhat tolerant Ilari, a daughter hates to disappoint her family. How can she tell them she’s in love with a princess instead?

Lucky for Celestine, all her sisters are obsessed with an invading army headed to their realm. Celestine would rather ignore the threat and enjoy the freedom their lack of attention gives her. But, her voice can unlock a power that may help save Ilari. And the woman she loves is determined to fight these invaders. And her family, for all their talents, seems clueless about how to motivate the masses.

Celestine knows she can inspire the citizens of Ilari to do what needs to be done. Is it time to put her inhibitions aside and use her voice to save those she cares about?

Enjoy an Excerpt

Over the rest of Keva, the days grew uncomfortably warm and my mood grew more foul. I saw Firuza from a distance a few times but our eyes never met. Why should they? I couldn’t live in K‘ba, I couldn’t even visit. What sort of future did she and I have?

My lodging had used up most of the coins I’d brought. More were hidden in my room back on the farm, but I still didn’t feel ready to go back to Vinx and face my family. I sent a message home telling them I was well. My father was right, it was the least I could do. When a messenger arrived at the door of my small room a day later, I assumed my parents had sent a response.

The messenger raised her palm in front of her face and began reciting.

“Prince Nevik of Pilk requests your presence at lunch today. Noon at the Crested Lark. He has questions regarding your music and hopes you will do him the honor of humoring him with your answers.”

Would I attend? Of course I would. It was a free lunch at The Crested Lark and I owed his princely highness an apology for insinuating he’d treated my sister like a cad.

I searched the room to find my cleanest frock.

Nevik stood to greet me and waved off my curtsey as though it didn’t matter. Today the intimate dining space at the Crested Lark was set with many small tables for two and all were filled. I’d heard it was difficult to get a seat here for lunch.

The occupants of every table stopped to stare at the prince dining with the cabaret singer.

“You wished to ask me questions about music, sire?” I projected my voice to carry to every table.

Nevik smiled. “Yes. I’ve been told you have the expertise to assist me. Please. Sit.”

Others turned back to their meals, satisfied nothing particularly interesting was happening after all.

“Clever,” he muttered.

I shrugged. “Do you actually play an instrument?”

“I do. I prefer the lute. I played it as a young lad until my father decided fencing was more appropriate for a prince. Now I do both poorly.”

Some women wouldn’t have liked his self-effacing good humor, but in a world full of men who strutted and growled, I found him charming. I suspected Ryalgar did too, including ways I did not. Despite our differences, I applauded her taste.

“You owe me an apology,” he said. “You’ve had plenty of time to unearth the truth.”

“Yes. My sister kept this well-hidden from me and most of my family, and I’m sure she did it out of concern for you. It appears your love story with her is complicated and yet you two have found a way.”

“It’s hardly the life I’d have chosen to share with a woman,” he said. “Yet, my loss may be the realms’ gain. She’s amazing and her plans to save Ilari grow more complex with each day. I think she may succeed.”

About the Author: Sherrie Cronin writes stories about people achieving the astonishing by developing abilities they barely knew they had. She’s made a lot of stops along the way to telling these tells — living in seven cities, visiting forty-six countries, and working as a waitress, technical writer, and geophysicist. She’s lost too many beloved cats to mention, but has acquired a husband and three children who are all doing fine, despite how odd she is.

Today she lives in the mountains of Western North Carolina where she writes, answers a hotline, and occasionally checks her phone for a message from Captain Picard. She still hopes to get the chance to pursue her remaining dream in life and become Chief Science Officer on the Starship Enterprise.

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Comments

  1. Thanks for hosting!

  2. Thanks for having me here today!

  3. Rita Wray says

    Great excerpt and cover.

  4. The books sound great, thank you for sharing.

  5. Bea LaRocca says

    Happy Friday! I hope that you have enjoyed your book tour and I wish you the best of luck in all of your future endeavors, I have enjoyed reading about you and your work throughout this tour and I am looking forward to reading your book. Have a great weekend!

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