by Ann Chaney
“That is the easy bit, son. We are going to love them.”
He smiled as his son groaned, his daughter squealed with glee and his wife ran her hand over her middle and winked at him.
He sat back and let the sounds of his life fill him. Surrounded by his most precious loves. He winked at his wife and said a prayer of thanks for her. As Lizzie’s storybooks said, they were going to live happily ever after!
* * *
The End
Thank You
I hope you enjoyed reading Dangerous Pursuit a much as I enjoyed writing Serena and Richard’s story. This book is my debut novel. If you feel so inclined, would appreciate it if you would post a review.
I would love to hear from you. You can email me at [email protected]. I’m also on Facebook @ annchaneyauthor.
* * *
Author’s Notes
I would be remiss if I did not address the historical facts I included in Dangerous Pursuit. Any errors are all my own or products of my imagination.
Serena and Richard’s story takes place in the fall of 1809. Viscount Arthur Wellington, Lieutenant General and Commander of British Forces on the Iberian Peninsula in October of 1809 did in fact conduct an on the ground inspection of the area where his Lines of Torres Vedras would eventually be constructed. The Lines were constructed on two ridgelines from the Tagus River to the Atlantic Ocean to provide defense of Lisbon and eastern Portugal.
The lines consisted of blockhouses and redoubts (watchtowers) spaced close enough to provide covering fire if needed. Rivers and streams were flooded. The area on the Portuguese-Spanish border side was subject to a scorched earth campaign. To me, the most amazing aspect of the Lines was the French did not know of their existence until Massena marched his troops into the first line!
Those of you from Texas may be interested in knowing more about Rodrigo and his brothers’ herd of Mertolenga cattle. In 1493, the Spanish imported the breed to the island of Hispaniola. The cattle proved to be essential to the survival of the Spanish, causing Columbus to write to King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella asking for more cattle to be sent. The warm climate and ample foliage for food caused the breed to reproduce prolifically until 1512 when all shipments of the cattle to the New World discontinued. The breed migrated from the islands to Mexico and into Texas to become what we know today as Texas Longhorns.
Acknowledgments
As I realize my dream of publishing my debut Regency Romance novel, Dangerous Pursuit, I have so many I want to thank. I have said many times, I would not trade a moment of this journey. I have met so many wonderful friends, writers, industry professionals and readers over the years. I know others have said it before me but it bears repeating. Romance authors are the most generous people you’ll ever meet. Each friendship is precious to me but I do want to mention a few who have been instrumental in this amazing venture.
First the two women who have been there from the beginning, Dorothy McFalls and Nina Bruhns. Before I ever wrote a single sentence of Dangerous Pursuit, Dorothy and Nina were the ones who gave a presentation on Writing Romance Novels and introduced me to Romance Writers of America (RWA). Both authors still provide much needed advice. I also want to thank Amanda Berry who Dorothy and I meet at Panera every Thursday to write and work through that week’s problems from plotting to conflict brainstorming or our other commonality, our allergies. These ladies like many others keep me focused.
Robin Weaver, my mentor and friend, who always asks the hard questions and refuses to accept less than my best. Our brainstorming sessions can be intense. I can be a bit hardheaded. I cherish our friendship. Kristen Koster, also a Regency Romance writer and my dear friend who is never too busy to talk to me, to read a new chapter or just talk about whatever is going on in our lives. Both ladies have contributed much to this book.
One of the nicest surprises of my life was how much I would enjoy my membership in Romance Writers of America and the organization’s chapters. I learned writing craft at Lowcountry RWA (Charleston SC). Found my special home at The Beau Monde (the Regency Romance online chapter) where the historical research the members provide is par excellence! At Heart of Carolina RWA (Cary, NC) I participate in Book in a Week, an amazing online chat group that for one week a month challenges and encourages each other reach their weekly word count goal. Thank you sounds too small to convey how much I value my friendships in these chapters.
A very special group are my fellow Beau Monde members. Each of these authors are dear friends I treasure. Cheryl Bolen who is one of the most gracious and giving authors I know. Karen Dobbins, Janna MacGregor, Vanessa Riley, Regina Scott, Sharon Sobel, Andrea Stein are all friends who are always a text or phone call away to answer a question or listen to me vent when self-doubt takes hold which happens a lot.
The Hermits of Isle of Palms SC are another special group of writers who gather at an IOP beach house in November for a week of writing all day and fellowship in the evenings. Each year we count the days until we check into our beach house. These ladies have been supportive. I treasure their friendships.
My editors, Louisa Cornell and Nicki Richards who have amazing insight into what I meant to write rather than what I did write.
My new friends, and yes, I am still collecting friends. Kim Killion and Jennifer Jakes, The Killion Group, who created my beautiful cover, and worked their magic on the publishing side of Dangerous Pursuit. Maggie Lynch and the authors at Windtree Press have taken me into their organization with open arms. This book would not be a reality without The Killion Group and Windtree Press.
Last and most definitely the ones who own my heart…my family. One of the hardest parts about releasing this book is my parents Henry and Naomi Howard and my sister Helen Howard Bennett will never read it. Helen passed away in March of 2019. Our parents died in 1995 and 1999 before I ever considered writing. I do have my sisters Connie Howard Deaver and Tammy Howard who have always been my staunchest supporters and have cheered me on when I was ready to give up. I’m the odd duck in our family so their unfailing support means the world to me.
I want to say a special thank you to my children and their families. My daughter Zola and husband Joel Chaney and grandsons Joshua and Brandon. Yes, my daughter married a man with the same last name. My son, John and wife Laura Chaney and granddaughters Carolina and Isabelle. Each possesses a corner of my heart. I appreciate their understanding that “Grandma Ann/Nana” still has mountains to climb and roads to travel.
My last thank you goes to my husband John. I dedicated this first book to him because he is the one who said it was time to write a book. He proofreads my books even though he doesn’t understand the words of the period. He has supported me from the first moment I sat down at my computer. I would not be publishing Dangerous Pursuit without his constant love and patience. Many years ago, I saw John at a social gathering. The moment I saw him I knew I’d marry him. Three months later we did just that…got married. He is the love of my life. I write romance because I know two people can have that instant connection and with hard work and a lot of loving live happily ever after.
About the Author
Ann Chaney, now retired, is a nomad. In the last 37 years, she and her husband have moved eleven times. Her professional career included serving on active duty in the US Army for seven years and working 35 years in Human Resources and university administration. The first of her family to attend college, she attended University of North Carolina at Greensboro. She was also the first woman in her family to serve in the US military.
In 2010, Ann began her writing journey by completing a collection of essays of her childhood memories before venturing into the world of Regency romance. Today, Ann writes historical romance novels set in Regency England in the early 19th century. A member of Romance Writers of America, Lowcountry RWA in Charleston, SC, Heart of Carolina RWA in Cary, NC and two online chapters RWA’s The Beau Monde and The Golden Network, Ann has learned her craft from the workshops presented by these chapters.
/> Her first book, Dangerous Pursuit won the Historical Unpublished category of RWA’s Kiss of Death Chapter’s Daphne du Maurier Award for Excellence in Mystery & Suspense. Ann also was a finalist in the 2019 RWA’s Golden Heart contest for Dangerous Pursuit, she has written an additional two manuscripts in this series. She will be self-publishing all three in 2019.
Website: https://annchaney.com