Special Guest Spotlight - Mary Ricksen

Hello Friends,

Please issue a warm welcome to my special guest, Mary Ricksen.

I am a Vermonter. I was born in Burlington and the mountains and Lake Champlain are in my blood. I have lived in several places, from Vermont, to New York, Canada, Texas and finally Florida. I have lived here in Florida for the last twenty five years. Although it is a beautiful place, the hurricanes and the heat are hard to take.

I have been married forever to my husband Chris. He spends most of his time in front of his computer. A computer engineer by career, he is addicted to them. My dog Junior, a huge black German Shepherd, is my baby. One hundred and thirty pounds of adoring love, he is a beloved character in my first book. And he is very spoiled. My garden is a jungle of tropical plants, the sweet smell of their fragrances filled my yard and my nose! There's nothing at all like planting something and watching it grow. It's like writing in that way.

I have spent years trying to find my special ability. Finally, I think I have it. I love to write and I love to interact with other authors and I'm hoping to say the same thing about readers when my book is finally published.

Tripping Through Time is a time travel novel that takes place on the Islands in Lake Champlain, Vermont. It surrounds you in the imagery and story of a young woman who learns that love is truly timeless.

Excerpt

What the hell? She knew this wasn’t still in some part of that nightmare trip she’d taken. It was too real, the place too old fashioned. She heard crickets and saw lightning bugs twinkle outside the window. A fly buzzed over her head and she listened to a mosquito or two, droning in their search for the rich red blood beneath her skin.

She didn’t hear blast of car horns, the tire sounds on pavement, or the grinding noise from trucks changing gears, as they flew up and down the hilly countryside. It was so quiet, no music, no talking, nothing. Then she heard a latch lift, and one hundred and twenty pounds of fur jumped up onto the bed, knocking the breath out of her.

Anxiety left her speechless, as the light from the open door spilled into the room, and onto the bed, she lay in. The dog lay next to her warm and wild smelling, doing her no harm. The large figure approaching her now made her breathless, anxious. She knew it was a man; his silhouette outlined by the light behind him.

When he reached the bed, he bent toward her, only to pick up the tiny piece of candle still barely burning. He lit a stained glass-covered lantern placed on the bed stand beside it. Keealyn stared into a pair of green eyes that reminded her of misty mornings.

Clean-shaven, thick dark chestnut hair flowed past the collar of his navy muslin shirt opened halfway down the front, to reveal a smooth muscular chest. Very tall, lean, and brawny, well defined, biceps, triceps, and pecks filled his shirt. He had a slim waist and strong shoulders. His worn blue jeans were held up with a handmade leather belt, hung low on his hips. His skin seemed to glow in the lamplight in a warm bronzed tone.

He was gorgeous.

"Tripping Through Time" ISBN#1-60154-392-1
Available Through The Wild Rose Press