The Sky Pirate's Wife by Allison Merritt

After a tragic airship wreck, Captain Alwin van Buren makes a drastic decision to obtain a wealthy bride in order to save his flagging business. He meets his match in Sophie Banes, heiress to an airship empire. After he seduces her and ensures their marriage—igniting a rivalry with her godfather—he learns the green-eyed beauty is as headstrong as he is.

Sophie knows Van Buren's reputation based on a series of dime novels written about his adventures. Determined to be more than an end to a means, she despises him for luring her into marriage. In fiction, he's a no-nonsense captain on the verge of piracy, but the flesh-and-blood man wins her heart by proving she's worth more to him than her money.

Their love is threatened when Sophie learns Van Buren's airship accident was a result of mythical creatures. Winged predators that appear to have a grudge against him, a fact he deliberately hid by accusing her godfather of sabotage. If she can forgive him for that, they still have to face the danger when they're cornered and at the mercy of beasts and the evil that controls them. The real test comes when Van Buren is asked to make a sacrifice that could destroy them both.


Excerpt:
Sophie looked at the book in his hands. No one held the wheel but her. “You let go!”
He grinned. “You're doing fine, zoete. Keep her steady, she's climbing on her own.”
It wasn't the idea of being the only thing that stood between them and another flaming airship wreck that made her tremble. It was his smile. The kind that all women yearned to receive from a handsome man. “You should really take the wheel.”
“My hands are full.” He waved the logbook at her, but replaced it and remained standing beside her. “You're doing very well.”
“Are you certain?” The wind blew her hair and snagged her skirt. The horizon filled her line of sight and she suddenly understood the thrill of piloting a ship. It was like having the same freedom as a bird. She could point the ship in any direction and go wherever she pleased. Nothing had ever made her feel so alive. Except kissing Van Buren. Her head turned his direction like it was on a spring. She covered the sudden movement with a laugh. “I think I'm in love with your ship.”
His eyes darkened from icy gray to the shade of wet concrete. He lowered his mouth to her ear again and put his hand on her back. “Flying is a great deal like making love, Sophie.”
She nearly melted at her name on his lips. “W-why do you say that?”
“It's instinctual. The mind and body work together, creating a moment of beauty. The first time is a little frightening, but once you find the rhythm, the proper technique, you have something very enjoyable on your hands. Something that you feel deep within your soul. Something that you never want to give up. With the right person, the kind of relationship you'd die to protect.”

And I even had the chance to interview Allison Merritt, here's what we had to talk about.

How did you come up with the concept of your book?
The Sky Pirate’s Wife is the second book in the Legends and Lovers Series. It features Captain Alwin
van Buren, who was one of the secondary characters in the first book, The Treasure Hunter’s Lady. Like
the first book, this one centers around romance and Native American myth. I love obscure legend. The
perfect mythical creatures to threaten an airship captain would be giant eagles, or what the characters
tentatively call thunderbirds.

What is your ideal writing environment?
I'm pretty flexible, so I don't mind noise and other people talking to or around me because I can block
things out easily. Most of the time I'm curled in an old armchair at home with my earbuds in. The TV is
a definite distraction though. When the weather's nice I'll grab my laptop and take it out on our deck,
prop my feet up on the rail and write in nature.

Do you write while you listen to music?
Oh, yeah. I love YouTube and I have an mp3 player packed full of pop and rock. Music scores really get
me going too.

If you could collaborate with any author who would it be and why?
Actually, I'd be way too intimidated to collaborate with a famous author. But I'd get together with one of
my critique partners or beta readers in a second. They're a great bunch.

Do you have any advice for aspiring authors?
To steal a line from Sir Winston Churchill, never, never, never give up! The publishing world is changing
so fast, there's no telling where it's going. The great thing about that is, there are a lot of opportunities
in e-publishing right now. So hang on, polish, critique, fight to be published (or do it yourself!) and have
no fear.


About the Author

A life-long love of reading turned Allison Merritt into an indie author who writes historical, paranormal and fantasy romances, often combining the sub-genres. She lives in a small town in the Ozark Mountains with her husband and dogs. When she's not writing or reading, she hikes in national parks and conservation areas.

Allison graduated from College of the Ozarks in Point Lookout, Missouri with a B.A. in mass communications that's gathering dust after it was determined that she's better at writing fluff than hard news.


Connect with the author: Site  Twitter  Facebook   

Buy on Amazon