My latest release, Orion’s Foot is available for review at the Winter Games Reader Challenge. Find it here:
Orion’s
Foot: Myth, Romance & Murder in the Amazon, is a murder mystery
romance, with a bit of paranormal thrown in just for fun. Petra Steele has just
been left at the altar when her brother invites her to the Peruvian Amazon. Before
she even sets her suitcase down, she's confronted with a dead man. In a
research station peopled with a quirky assortment of scientists, she is drawn
to Emory Andrews, a man with a secret past. Murders, secrets, and mysteries
ensue, all in the deeply romantic, sizzling jungle.
You ask about the title?
Orion—along with Ursa Major and
Ursa Minor—is one of the most recognizable constellations in the sky. Most
people zero in on the three stars that make up his belt, but the brightest star
in the constellation is Rigel—his left knee or foot.
Oddly enough, I came up with the title for Orion’s Foot:
Myth, Mystery, & Romance in the Amazon, separately from the actual
inspiration for the book. I was sitting outside on a beautiful night and saw
Orion—I’m sorry to say one of the few constellations I can identify. I thought,
what a neat title for a book. There you have it.
Orion was the son of Poseidon, who gave him the power to
walk on water. He was a great hunter. In the excerpt below, Petra tells Emory
why she wishes on Orion’s foot, and he in turn warns her to be careful of him.
Excerpt: Orion’s Foot
After supper, she sought
the hammock room, hoping to see the
capybaras again, but the lawn was empty.
For once, the sky was clear, and she wandered
out and down to the dock to enjoy the stars. Ah, there’s Orion. Usually people chose Venus or
Polaris, but Petra always wished on
Orion’s left foot. Nick had once asked her why. “Because it’s his foot that
takes the first stride across space.”
“So what does that have to do with your
wishes?”
“Whenever I’m faced with a scary decision,
Orion gives me the courage to take the
first step.”
Nick had laughed at her.
As she closed her eyes and pondered her
request, a rustle sounded behind her.
“Don’t fall in."
Petra sprang forward and
nearly did fall in, but a strong hand caught her around her waist and pulled
her back. She felt warm breath in her ear. “Emory!”
He let go. “What are you
doing anyway? You had one leg hovering over the water.”
“I guess the stars
distracted me.” She glanced at him shyly. “I was wishing on Orion. Or rather,
on his foot.” She pointed at the star twinkling below the famous belt.
“Why Orion?”
No need to let on how weird I am just yet. “It’s…uh…the only
constellation I recognize?”
“It’s probably the only
constellation most people recognize.”
He looked down at her. “Okay, do you have a foot fetish, or what? Why wish on
the foot?”
Just because Nick made fun of me doesn’t mean Emory will. “It
brings me luck.”
“Like a rabbit’s foot,
only better?”
She didn’t answer. The
thing that had been simmering in the back of her mind for the last two days,
obscured by the chaos of events, had made itself known. She knew what she
wanted to wish for.
“Petra? Did you hear my
question?”
Petra lowered her eyes to
Emory. “I don’t know about better—but it serves the same function. See,
everyone zeroes in on Orion’s belt, or his dog, or his manly physique, but his
left foot—Rigel—is actually the brightest star in the constellation.”
He inspected the night
sky. “True. And?”
“Well, it reminds me that
when you have to take that first step into the unknown you…um…put your best
foot forward. I look at Orion striding across the cosmos, and he helps me
believe I can meet any challenge.”
Emory was silent for a
minute. Petra was about to take her leave when he said, “Did you know that
Orion claimed he was the greatest hunter of all time? Gaia sent a scorpion to
kill him.”
“Huh. Who is Gaia?”
“Gaia means Earth—she’s
the goddess the Greeks called the mother of all life—the primordial deity. The
cool New Age kids all worship her. Don’t tell me you aren’t into crystals and
yoga?”
“No. So why did Gaia want
to kill Orion?”
“Because, to prove his
prowess, he announced he was going to hunt down and kill all the animals in the
world. Since Gaia is the guardian of every living thing, you might say his
threat kinda ruffled her feathers.”
“I’ll bet. So she decided
to kill him before he massacred her subjects. Did she succeed?”
“No. Another god—I forget
his name—gave Orion the antidote. That’s why you never see both Orion and
Scorpio in the sky at the same time.”
“Hmm.”
“So,” he said softly,
“Orion is hardly the hero you want to set your heart on. All the stories of him
involve power, lust, and murder.”
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