Guest Author: Katharina Gerlach

We're going to take a break from the regular programming today to welcome Katharina Gerlach, who is celebrating the release of her latest novel Swordplay.  I met Katharina through the Magic Appreciation Tour. She is an author of historical fiction and fantasy, and an avid blogger. I am very happy to have her as a guest.

Katharina's blog tour includes a giveaway!  So after you've read about Katharina and enjoyed an excerpt from Swordplay, don't forget to enter to win a FREE copy. 

Without further ado, here is Katharina Gerlach:

I’ve been telling and writing stories all my life, but only two years ago, with the success of eBook publishing, I became an Indie author. I never looked back. Sure, my manuscripts have found praise with traditional publishers, but no one had the courage to publish something they couldn’t neatly stuff into a labeled box.

Well, just like my books, I don’t fit one box. I’m the daughter of a forester and a studied forestry myself. I’m sister to three brothers, and a mother to three daughters. I’m a tomboy at heart and simultaneously tidy and chaotic – I can’t be any different with my Muse (the creative part of me) dragging me in one direction and my Editor (the neat, logical side) pulling in another.

There are three things in this world I love more than anything: my family, stories (mine and those of others) and nature. The best thing that can happen to me is when someone I don’t know leaves a review for one of my books telling me how much (s)he liked it.

About Swordplay

CSI with magic but without the gore

Despite her obvious lack of magical talent, nineteen year old Moira Bellamie apprentices with the Gendarmerie Magique, the magic police. She puts all her effort into solving a burglary at the National Museum where antique weapons have been stolen, to keep the hard won job. Falling for her partner Druidus wasn't part of the plan. When more and more people are murdered with one of the stolen weapons, Moira must tame uncontrollable magic, or the people she cares for will die, her partner first and foremost.

 

For lovers of Fantasy and Mystery from 14 years up

eBook on Amazon: German, Englisch

and Smashwords:    German, Englisch
other retailers will follow
Paperback in German or Englisch on Createspace (Beware: postage), Amazon (no postage) will follow soon and can be found through the eBook pages

Excerpt: Moira encounters Druidus for the first time

When the sun set behind the houses with colorful ribbons, she got up to walk the final distance to her work. She hadn't quite reached the park's exit yet when the trees in front of her reflected the green sheen of all-round green lights. She evaded a patrol car that floated past her silently. It stopped beside several more patrol cars on a meadow where a sizable shrubbery had been fenced off. Behind it, Moira could just about see the sparkling of a stasis spell. A broad-shouldered young man got out of the patrol car and stepped through the fencing spell. He talked quietly to a gendarma.

Curious, Moira stepped closer but didn't touch the fencing spell. She didn't want to complicate the gendarmes' work by destroying their magical barrier. An elderly woman with a dachshund on her arm pressed her nose against the spell.

She asked the old lady, "What happened?"

"A pair of lovers found a body. I think he might have lived in the park somewhere. I never thought that possible. Living in the park, I mean. I tell you. Something like that never happened in my time." The woman answered as if someone had pressed the play button on a dicta-nerl. "When they still had work houses, no one had to live in the streets. But the way things have been lately, something like this had to happen sooner or later. It's said someone cut the guy's throat." The woman's eyes glittered. "Imagine that. What a mess. I just hope the park warden will wash away the blood when the Gendarmerie has left. I'm flabbergasted that something like this happened in my park. I will…"

Moira mumbled a short thank you and left in a hurry, leaving the woman to her babbling. She didn't like being near a person who didn't have a single word of pity for the victim. Slowly she walked along the barrier and watched the gendarmes search the area for evidence. Her heart longed to help. Near the park's exit, the barrier ended. Two strong gendarmes carried the coffin with the victim and loaded it into a black carpisto with an extra-long boot and floral drapes in the windows.

D

Moira had half passed the carpisto, when she recognized an approaching voice.

Semra said, "Come on, Dru. Your mother behaves as if you belong to her. Tell her she can't call you when you're on duty."

"She only wants to protect me." The man's voice was low and deep. A warm sensation rose from Moira's stomach and her heartbeat accelerated. What a sexy voice. Hoping she could hear it again, she stopped and pretended to tie her shoelaces. She wasn't disappointed.

"My mother loves me, and I'm happy about it even if it's slightly annoying from time to time," the voice said. The door of the carpisto groaned as it was opened.

Semra snorted. "I would use a different word for a mother who's interfering with my life all the time. You will have to get away from her apron strings, Dru, or you will be nothing but her son for the rest of your life." The door slammed shut again.

"I know." The man sighed. "It's just hard to affront someone who loves you this much."

 

"You'll have to find something worth fighting for." By the sound of Semra's voice, Moira realized they were on their way back to the crime scene. She retreated into the dark hastily. She didn't want to be caught listening in on a private talk. Biting her lower lip, she suppressed an urge to pant. Only when she reached the street that led around the park, could she breathe freely. Her gaze fell on a clock hanging over a shop window. A nerl was just pushing the minute hand to half past nine. She'd have to hurry to reach the Gendarmerie in time. She tried to forget the talk she had overheard but the voice seemed to run on in her heart and didn't let go.

~*~

 



Don't forget to enter the giveaway for a free copy!

Giveaway for "Swordplay – A Gendarmerie Magique novel"