The Heart Beats in Time, Song for a Lost Kingdom, Book III by Steve Moretti

BLURB

Two women connected by the same musical soul.

Two composers transposed across time into each other’s world by the mysterious forces of a priceless 18th Century cello.

 

In the final instalment of the Song for a Lost Kingdom trilogy, Adeena Stuart and Katharine Carnegie search for the music that neither can complete on their own.

Finding themselves living three centuries apart and each assuming the identity of the other, Adeena and Katharine must overcome their own unique challenges, all the while hiding the truth of who they really are from those around them.

Adeena is pregnant in Scotland following the slaughter at the Battle of Culloden in April 1746. Her husband James Drummond and his brother John Drummond, are being hunted as Jacobite traitors by the revengeful butchers of King George’s Hanoverian army.

Sentenced to cruel deaths, they escape to Ireland only to find even greater danger in the ruthless cunning of Henry ‘Hangman’ Hawley who will stop at nothing to extinguish any further rebellion against English dominance over Ireland and Scotland.

Adeena’s one comfort is the Duncan Cello and her music that inspires all who hear her perform. The cello is her companion through battles, fires, storms and floods. It is perhaps the only thing she can truly rely on.

Katharine meanwhile awakes in the year 2019, confused by even the simplest technologies and overwhelmed by the strange customs of the modern world.

Pregnant from an unknown father, and uncertain about whether true love lies in the past or present, she finds respite in her music and the only thing familiar about this strange place – the Duncan Cello, now a prize artifact of the National Gallery of Canada.

Adeena and Katharine find a way to compose a score that reflects their turmoil in both their lives – ‘The Heart Beats in Time.’

Together they will see the story through to the final bars.

 

Song for a Lost Kingdom, Book III is a novel of music, history, and love that finds a way to conquer the barriers of time.

Curl up with a copy and lose yourself in this fast-paced adventure that will keep you hooked until the final page.

EXCERPT

Katharine stared at her reflection in the mirror. She was called ‘Adeena’ in this heavenly afterlife. Was the woman who stared back really her?

Katharine touched her pale cheek. It was warm against her soft fingers. She opened her emerald eyes wide, staring at their translucent clarity, dancing in the light as if they were teasing her with their secrets. She smiled, admiring the white straight teeth they had given her, and the long, copper-tinged hair, a reminder perhaps of her own time on earth?

“I’m Adeena,” she said to the reflection. “Adeena Stuart. And I live in heaven now.”

She laughed as she slipped on the clothes that her ‘mother’ had left for her. She dropped them off last night and said that in the morning she would return to take her home.

Home?

Somehow the thought of it made her eyes wet, but not in a sad way. She might be dead, but she was so thankful for all the happiness she felt for this place.

She wiped her eyes and surveyed the odd collection of garments that had been left for her. The most confusing was the corset – if that’s what it was. It was black and had two thin straps and cups that must be used to hold her bosom in place? There was also a tiny, sheer garment that seemed almost invisible. Were these the drawers ladies wore in heaven?

A fleecy bright crimson sweater and dark britches, fashioned out of some sort of flexible cotton or linen fabric, completed her ensemble. It was the type of clothing Jaqueline and Tara, the dark-haired one, wore whenever they came to visit. There were also socks and shoes that fit her feet perfectly.

When she was done, she sat down and waited for Jacqueline, Adeena’s mother, a spirited woman who always seemed pleased to see her. If Jacqueline’s role was that of maternal guide, so be it.

Katharine glanced at her cello in the corner. Tara had left it behind for her. It was the only connection to her old life and perhaps the reason why she made it up here in the first place. It was unlike all the magical devices in this world – the ones that glowed, and chimed, and must be powered by the spirit of God Himself.

The cello from Maestro Duncan was plain. It had no special power. She found her bow and pulled the cello between her legs. Without thinking, she slowly began to play the music she had been rehearsing at Kinnaird when somehow she slipped away and the world around her went dark.

As she played her unnamed composition, it flowed through her and took her far away from this place. All the strange surroundings disappeared, leaving only her and her music.

She had found heaven.

 

AUTHOR BIO

I have always been drawn to passion and creativity in all its forms. I am equally fascinated by the mechanics of the universe and the characters of history. I have a special affection for the power of music which I believe is the universal language of human emotion.

My writing journey started in journalism, public relations and advertising then continued into software development (yes that involves writing)! Now am I a full-time author, finishing up Book III in my Song for a Lost Kingdom trilogy, which also includes a novella Prequel.
Audiobook versions of all the books in this series are on the way, including the Prequel which is now available.
I grew up in London, Ontario (Canada) and also lived in Pompano Beach, Florida as a teenager. I moved to Ottawa and attended Carleton University many years ago and now live just south of the city with my wife, daughter and four dogs with attitude.
I look forward to your feedback. Visit my website stevemoretti.ca for the latest news, or email me at steve@stevemoretti.ca anytime!

 

SOCIAL MEDIA DETAILS

Website: www.stevemoretti.ca

FaceBook: https://www.facebook.com/stevemoretti.ca/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/moretti.steven/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/morettisteve

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/steve-moretti

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/steve-moretti-61884ab/

Medium: https://medium.com/@stevenmoretti

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/18201107.Steve_Moretti

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Steve-Moretti/e/B07DX4H6Z3

 

BOOK LINKS

Amazon USA: https://www.amazon.com/Song-Lost-Kingdom-Book-III-ebook/dp/B08BR2S6N9/

Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Song-Lost-Kingdom-Book-III-ebook/dp/B08BR2S6N9/