She's the One Who Can't Keep Quiet
(Book Five of the War Stories of the Seven Troublesome Sisters)
by S. R. Cronin
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GENRE: Historical Fantasy
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BLURB:
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?
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EXCERPTS:
As evening neared, we set our instruments up on the spacious stage of the well-known Thirsty Owl and the crowd grew. I noticed the staff encouraging patrons to finish their food and move on. Did management want the tables for more important guests?
Soon after, I heard the heralds outside announcing the presence of the Royals of Pilk.
That’s who wanted the tables? Why hadn’t the proprietor warned us? Why hadn’t the Royals summoned us to the palace instead? Well, I had heard they enjoyed going out at times, to the surprise of all.
I seldom experienced stage fright, but for a few heartbeats the blood inside me felt replaced by water from a cold mountain stream.
This is what you wanted. Yearned for. Now do it.
I looked to the rest of the quartet. Mirva and Feene looked terrified. Zamarran’s normally ruddy face had gone pale. This wasn’t good.
“His Majesty the Ruling Prince of Pilk …” The heralds entered the room and began their recitation again, as the other spectators began bobbing up and down in response. We joined in on stage with whatever bows and curtsies we could manage around our instruments.
Then in came the Ruling Prince and his wife, followed by their oldest son, a grown man destined to rule as soon as he produced a healthy two-year-old boy. His wife, a woman assumed to be desperately trying to get pregnant, followed him.
Behind him walked Nevik, the prince I’d never met, the one who’d charmed my sister and then left her devastated. On his arm was a highly-ornamented young woman with long black hair. He helped her settle into her chair, and they held hands as they waited for the performance to begin.
I had the presence of mind to listen to her introduction. She was a princess! A visiting one, from a larger realm to the west, across the Wide River. Poor Ryalgar. Should I tell her of this? Why? What good could it possibly do her now?
I look up to see the entire royal party, indeed the entire room, staring at me as the herald finished his duties by introducing me, and me alone, with a flourish of praise.
Okay. I have to do something besides stare back at them.
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AUTHOR Bio and Links:
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.
Author Social Media Links:
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Amazon: www.amazon.com/Sherrie-Cronin/e/B007FRMO9Q
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/s-r-cronin
Author Blog: https://troublesome7sisters.xyz/
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