The Emperor’s Seal – the divine symbol of the Emperor on earth – is missing. The Empress will do whatever it takes to get it back.
Jiayi has a gift – she can travel through time just by touching historical artifacts. More than anything, she wants to escape the clutches of the Empress and run away to a foreign land. Finding the Emperor’s Seal could be her only chance at freedom, but is she willing to risk the wrath of the Empress?
Historian and wannabe archaeologist Zhihao has no love for the Empress or the Qing Dynasty, but when the Empress orders him to find the Emperor’s Seal in exchange for funding China’s first history museum, he cannot refuse. It is only after he accepts the assignment that he realizes the key to finding the seal lies in the hands of a palace slave.
Civil unrest and encroaching foreign powers threaten Jiayi and Zhihao’s mission and lives as they hunt for The Emperor’s Seal.
As the Qing Empire continues to crumble, the Empress is more desperate than ever to find a way to secure her stranglehold on the country. Every day, she forces Jiayi to use her powers to see into the past to the time of Empress Wu to discover the secret to securing power.
But Jiayi already knows the answer.
Empress Wu’s dagger is more than it appears. Blessed with an ancient power, the dagger can be used to make and destroy empires.
Jiayi’s ability to travel through time is growing stronger, and she is not sure she wants to use that power to prop up a dying empress. There is only one man she wants to save. The man she lost her heart to. A man who died over a thousand years ago.
Zhihao knows he cannot fall in love with Jiayi, a palace slave. But with each passing day, his feelings grow stronger.
When a ghost from his past walks into his life, Zhihao may have to choose between his country and the woman he loves.
Secrets will be revealed in the second exciting installment of the Touching Time Trilogy!
That is what people from all sides are telling Jiayi. She not only has the power to kill the empress, but to set up a new future for China. Jiayi has spent her life as a palace slave. Freedom for China could mean a lifetime of servitude for her.
And Jiayi is tired of living for everyone else.
As Jiayi’s powers grow, she finds herself living more and more in the past, even as the future is barreling toward her.
Zhihao’s past is catching up with him, leaving death and heartache in its wake. Zhihao is going to have to make a choice, but he isn’t sure he can do it alone.
Jiayi and Zhihao stand on the precipice of a new world. But they will only survive if they can overcome the past and stand together, no matter how much it hurts.
Get lost in time in this thrilling conclusion to the Touching Time Trilogy!
Amanda Roberts is a writer and editor who has been living in China since 2010. Amanda has an MA in English from the University of Central Missouri. She has been published in magazines, newspapers, and anthologies around the world and she regularly contributes to numerous blogs. Amanda can be found all over the Internet, but her home is AmandaRobertsWrites.com.
How sick are you of US politics? How doomed is the world because of who has claimed the Oval Office throne—er, chair?
Refresh your spirit by laughing along with what Mark Twain might have written about today’s political falderal.
“Solidly entertaining.” — Publishers Weekly
WINNER 2016 IBPA Benjamin Franklin Gold Medal for Science Fiction & Fantasy.
Morgan le Fay, sixth-century Queen of Gore and the only major character not killed off by Mark Twain in A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court, vows revenge upon the Yankee Hank Morgan. She casts a spell to take her to 1879 Connecticut so she may waylay Sir Boss before he can travel back in time to destroy her world. But the spell misses by 300 miles and 200 years, landing her in the Washington, D.C., of 2079, replete with flying limousines, hovering office buildings, virtual-reality television, and sundry other technological marvels.
Whatever is a time-displaced queen of magic and minions to do? Why, rebuild her kingdom, of course—two kingdoms, in fact: as Campaign Boss for the reelection of American President Malory Beckham Hinton, and as owner of the London Knights world-champion baseball franchise.
Written as though by the old master himself, King Arthur’s Sister in Washington’s Court by Mark Twain as channeled by Kim Iverson Headlee offers laughs, love, and a candid look at American society, popular culture, politics, baseball… and the human heart.
Mark Twain began work on A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court in 1879—the same year the Yankee Hank Morgan departed for his sojourn in sixth-century Britain. The first edition was published in 1889 and features more than 200 illustrations by the man who later would become founder of the Boy Scouts of America, Daniel Carter Beard. These illustrations are now in the public domain, and a handful have been incorporated into King Arthur’s Sister in Washington’s Court as an artistic homage to this classic edition of the first time travel story in all literature.
Kim Headlee lives on a farm in southwestern Virginia with her family, cats, goats, Great Pyrenees goat guards, and assorted wildlife. People and creatures come and go, but the cave and the 250-year-old house ruins–the latter having been occupied as recently as the mid-twentieth century–seem to be sticking around for a while yet.
Kim has been a published novelist since 1999 with the first edition of Dawnflight (Sonnet Books, Simon & Schuster) and has been studying the Arthurian legends for nigh on half a century.
Tavish was the best boyfriend Kelsey ever had, but seven years ago he disappeared from her life. She coped with her heartbreak by finishing her doctorate in Celtic Artifacts, and now her career is taking off. But Tavish is back, acting like a stranger who knows more about Celtic artifacts than she does. He’s been on staff at every one of her job sites in Scotland, wearing that stupid sexy kilt.
Sasha just got her dream job in the highlands of Scotland. Where her friends ply her with celebratory champagne, throw a plaid cloak over her business suit, and take her to the 14th century to do original research on the dig site. She meets gorgeous highlander Seumas (“Shaymus”) there, and — wait, is this a good idea?
Tomas was on top of the world. He had a hot girlfriend. She knew about time travel, so he didn’t have to keep secrets around her. So why did the sight of his old friends Amber and Kelsey make him uncomfortable? His girlfriend kept telling him to forget about them. But he couldn’t. He wished he knew why.
Jaelle dons a Roman helmet left among her ex’s things and is transferred to the Pictish Celt side of Hadrian’s wall — flat on the ground and tripped over by Breth. The naked woad-painted warrior is being chased by Romans who caught him scouting their fort. She earns his trust by grabbing an injured Roman’s sword, fighting beside Breth, and saving his life. He takes her to his clan, where she sees druids in their sacred grove imparting magical protection by painting the warriors’ nudity with muscle-activated woad pictures.
Ignoring phone calls from Kelsey, Jaelle thinks her first time travel adventure was a dream, but a new museum display shows a stick figure she remembers drawing with her fingernail file on the top stone of Hadrian’s Wall. Whoa, that means her time travel and meeting of the dazzling warrior Breth and their fight with the barbarians at the Roman fort really took place! She needs to get back to Breth!
Deirdre’s first time travel assignment was challenging. Sure, she had her magic dagger, but he wasn’t cooperating.
Talorac felt anxious about this meeting. A summons to the sacred grove had always meant the druids would perform their woad magic to prepare him for battle. So he was in no way prepared to make the acquaintance of the woman he found there with them. Deirdre was beautiful, and a warrior, and from the way she was flitting around the grove, she was the most powerful druid he had ever heard of in his life.
Jessica’s friend tricks her into time traveling to 15th century Scotland. A gorgeous highlander Jessica is sure is out of her league invites them to stay at his manor house.
Leif knows he should keep his mind on training the militia for the battle that is sure to come soon. And after all, Jessica is just passing through his town. But she is so compassionate he feels his heart melting.
Lauren has a magic dagger that gives her orders and sometimes stifles her speech. It wants her to find some artifact here in 1400s Scotland and give it to some druid friends.
She wants to get to know Taran.
But the dagger whispers that Taran is in the way.
Taran’s life in a small town in Scotland was disrupted six months ago with the arrival of Lauren and the other two lasses. Lauren knew the way mechanical things worked in a way most astonishing. He never tired of hearing her explain. But to find out she has a magick dagger that she is in danger of losing her self control to? That shocks him.
Luag and Katherine are two bullheaded people trying to “out stubborn” each other. They’ve been verbally sparring in Medieval Scotland for the past year. He’s never met a headstrong woman before, and he is such a stubborn male! When chance throws them forward to Katherine’s time, he is the fish out of water. Understanding blooms, as does love.
Sarah’s boss at Celtic University plonks an iron bracer on her desk. It brings up one of Kelsey’s magic druid dreams. In it, Sarah’s ex, Michael (Meehall in Gaelic), used this bracer as a time travel object. And was a kilted highlander in 1700s Scotland.
At lunch, Sarah’s friends say they’re calling in sick tomorrow to attend a local fair. They want her to call in sick too.
Sarah isn’t keen on giving the bracer back. She wants revenge on Meehall for breaking up with her and decides to use the bracer to have a bit of fun.
She tells her friends they don’t have to call in sick. She’s taking them back in time.
Ciaran arrives in the 21st Century with Eoin (John) in the darkness of the Celtic University night. Ciaran is delighted to run into Nadia and wants to stay and visit, but Eoin drags him away from her. Eoin is extra grumpy, saying the Murrays need an edge because the Cameron Clan is planning something big. Eoin sneaks the two of them into a storage basement and seems inordinately glad to find a particular halberd there.
Nadia remembers the kilted warrior Ciaran from her experience in 1706 Scotland and secretly has a crush on him. Wherever he and Eoin are going, she bets it will inspire her story for Celtic University’s historical society paper, especially if they are time traveling. She sneaks into the back of the cart Ciaran and Eoin are driving and hides under a blanket.
Ellie was captured during her last time travel adventure. But her friend’s husband’s life hangs in the balance. And this ring she found is giving her courage. Probably too much courage for a modern woman in 1706 to have.
Baltair is glad to see Ellie again. Her friend married his cousin and stayed, when Ellie went back to their time. But he keeps his distance. Many will die in the upcoming battle, maybe including him.
Marybeth frowned. “Dinna ye think it wrong, tae grab the faerie axe by force?”
Ashley batted the air as if what Marybeth had said was dismissible. “The faeries gave it tae Ciaran, who gave it tae John. Kelsey stole it from John. ‘Tis na wrong for John tae steal it back from her.”
Connell stuck his chest out and his chin up in a show of bravado. “Kelsey’s gotten full o’ herself, syne she went off tae Celtic University. That, or she has been brainwashed by all those Druids. We used tae be friends, but now she’s gone tae far. We wull be taking that axe back from her sae we can save Donnan. End o’ discussion.”
Ashley worries the faeries are about to kill her. She has to escape and warn Connell. His Highland clan could be separated by time forever. Can they make the druid curse help them?
Jane worked at the Renaissance Pleasure Faires at Paramount Ranch Agoura, Devore, and Black Point Forest from 1987 to 1993. She started as a peasant, then auditioned and made it into the Washerwomen, and then was a sea dog. She also hawked for Belle Star’s perfume wagon and The Dye Spot clothing booth. Jane Stain is a pen name.
She is in her fifties and has been influenced by the writing of Diana Gabaldon, Isaac Asimov, Anne McCaffrey, Harry Harrison, Jane Auel, Ray Bradbury, Ursula K LeGuin, Robert Jordan, Stephenie Meyer, Terry Goodkind, and many more great authors.
Casey's Corner 