# The Knight of Death (Romance-Fantasy Fiction Series, Book 1)



## Brenda Carroll

The entire Assassin Chronicles series has been up-dated, tweaked, discounted and revamped. Some even have new covers. Now is the time to start the adventure.

Short Description with anomalous comments:
The main character is one of twelve Council members for the internal circle of the secret Templar Order that has survived the crusades, the Inquisition and banishment over the centuries. They are the ones who know where everything is hidden. The Chevalier Ramsay is a hair-triggered Scotsman from the lowlands who ran away from home back in... oh, about 1180 AD (pardon the use of an old term. I prefer Anno Domine to Common Era because I believe that there is absolutely nothing common about our current era).

Anyway, Mark Ramsay, is called to serve in one of his mystical capacities as Assassin for the Order and sent off to America (known as Merica to those in the know) to fetch back the Grand Master's apprentice who has decided to leave the Order and take up with a rival order. Our fellows, being both ancient and arrogant have little regard for this silly modern order of pretenders and vastly underestimate their high priestess's motivations, means and madness.

He falls prey to her immediately and loses his memory temporarily after a close encounter with her body guard. While under the influence of a debilitating drug, he forgets who he is and what he's doing in America in the first place. One of his captor's, the leading lady as it turns out, has things on her mind other than the secrets of the philosopher's stone and immortality. After a while, he finds himself falling in love only to learn that he is actually 837 years old and supposed to be a celibate monk.

Eventually his Brothers of the Order come after him, thinking him to be a deserter as well. The action heats up as he has to fight his captors and his own Brothers for his life. There's lots of action, love and blood. The best combination for a good yarn. Happy reading.

There are thirty books in the series published for Amazon Kindle, eBooks on Smashwords and available in paperback format from Createspace and Amazon.com. Questions, comments and banter is welcome both here and on my blogs. None of my works cost more than $1.49. All of the series is available for $.99 each or $1.49 for the omnibus Red Cross of Gold Books I & II to get you started at an even greater discount.

My fan page at Facebook is at: facebook.com/BrendanCarrollRCG.

I have a website at http://brendan-carroll.com where I occasionally post blogs about all sorts of inane subjects.


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## Meredith Sinclair

Brendan Carroll said:


> Just to let everyone know that I have reduced the price of the Red Cross of Gold series to $1.99. Unfortunately, being totally non-savvy, I didn't click the publish button and so now that I have clicked properly, we should all breathe easier that my books will be available in these 'troubled times'. Hey, I just want people to read and enjoy my books because I put so much into writing them for entertainment. If you get something else out of them... wonderful. Let me hear from you! Sincerely Yours.


Thanks for slashing your price, now more people can AFFORD to read! Can't wait to get your newest book.


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## Brenda Carroll

You're so sweet, Miss Meredith, I like the way you use that word 'slasher'.  As you know, my leading male character does a lot of slashing in his role as Assassin for the Red Cross of Gold.  Assassin is his his primary role, hence the title:  Knight of Death.  His secondary role is as Alchemist for the order and he is quite an adept after 800 years.  However, even at his advanced age, he is still unable to keep his vows of celibacy.  This is how he gets in trouble with Miss Meredith in the first place.


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## crebel

Everything is still coming up at $7.99 - I will keep an eye out for the "sale" price!


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## MAGreen

They are half way there, the Digital list price is now at 1.99, but the Kindle price still says 7.99!


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## geoffthomas

We understand how hard it is to get everything just the way you want it on the Amazon site.
Let us know when it has been made the way you want it and we will go back.
And post reviews here on KB.


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## Brenda Carroll

crebel said:


> Everything is still coming up at $7.99 - I will keep an eye out for the "sale" price!


Thanks for looking! I'm truly sorry for the inconvenience. Yesterday, it said, 1-2 hours. Hmmmmm. Maybe they are.... working........on...........slower....................time................drives........................than.....................us.


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## Brenda Carroll

MAGreen said:


> They are half way there, the Digital list price is now at 1.99, but the Kindle price still says 7.99!


And thanks for the update. Halfway there is like a half-full glass held under the faucet, I guess, unless it's upsidedown. Yeah, I know, I'm a comedian . Love talking to you though. Keep helping me look, I appreciate it greatly.


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## TheAutomaton

I will look into the book later. I finally managed to crawl to the last page of Angels & Demons and am now ready for a good book.


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## Meredith Sinclair

TheAutomaton said:


> I will look into the book later. I finally managed to crawl to the last page of Angels & Demons and am now ready for a good book.


 Brendan,

Well, book II is now $1.59, so maybe it won't be long for the rest of them to catch up!

Can't wait for the next book....


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## Brenda Carroll

I don't know what the problem is.  Looks like all of them will eventually change over.  Only three left at the old price.  Please bear with me.


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## MichaelS

Brendan Carroll said:


> I don't know what the problem is. Looks like all of them will eventually change over. Only three left at the old price. Please bear with me.


JUst found this thread. I liked your "snippet" but it got all blacked-out on my response to it. What was that about? was is too many words or something in the contents of the snippet? I thought it sold your book. Made me want to buy it anyway. Who would not want to read about a knight falling in love with a pretty girl? Hmmmm... did you use any BAD words? cause I saw the term "BJ" on another snippet and THAT actually surprised me, could not believe that it was allowed. I don't know, but I guess you do.


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## Brenda Carroll

Thanks for the concern.  I don't know what happened, Mike.  But BJ?  What are you talking about?!  I must have missed something quite exciting.  But yeah, I think maybe it was edited for content, whatever that means.  I don't want to think negatively, so I'll just say 'It was too good for them, laddie!"


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## celiaisawesome

Yay! 

Now, even poor college kids can read your book(s) now... 

My fave character, who doesn't seem to get ANY respect is Lucio... What's up with that action?!


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## Meredith Sinclair

celiaisawesome said:


> Yay!
> 
> Now, even poor college kids can read your book(s) now...
> 
> My fave character, who doesn't seem to get ANY respect is Lucio... What's up with that action?!


Hey! I could not agree more... he IS AWESOME... but... ya gotta give poor Mark a break, he works so hard! And at a _thankless_ job too. Nice to see another fan here, I have been reading the books since the first EBook in 2000! Just hope Kindle helps to get the rest of them published. I am on the 10th one in paperback... unfortunately it's not available in Kindle form yet. He also wrote a good time-travel book about Mozart, but I lost it in a move... LOVED, loved, LoVed that one. Not on Kindle either...


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## Brenda Carroll

Thanks, Meredith, for the plug even though the book has been out of print for a year... make that several years.  I'm going to get it on here.  You'll see.  You'll be sorry... I mean, no! I don't want you to be sorry, I want you to love it like Mort loved it before he even read it, he loved it!!!


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## Meredith Sinclair

Brendan Carroll said:


> Thanks, Meredith, for the plug even though the book has been out of print for a year... make that several years. I'm going to get it on here. You'll see. You'll be sorry... I mean, no! I don't you to be sorry, I want you to love it like Mort loved it before he even read it, he loved it!!!


&, & who is MORT again...


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## Brenda Carroll

Awwwww now lassie, you know Mort is that annoying little lemur from Madagascar.  Remember, the one who likes King Julien's feet?


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## Brenda Carroll

Hey, I just want to thank everyone for the interest in my novels and let everyone know that I have just added _The Red Cross of Gold IX: the Queen of the Abyss to the list_. It's listed at the same low sales price as the others. Happy Reading and I really mean that from the bottom of my ink well!


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## celiaisawesome

He has one about time travel too?! 

Well...*taps foot, waiting impatiently* When will it be available on here?!

I can't read books unless they're in digital form!  What can I say? I'm in the techno-gen. 

Let us know when it makes the switch over?!


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## vikingwarrior22

I saw that your books are on sale, grabbed the first three ...looks like they are gonna be a grand read...I just got my Kindle and I am looking for more interesting books to load ...


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## Anju 

Vikingwarrior, nice to see you here, you will get lots and lots of ideas to load your kindle up.  Why not pop over to the Intro and Welcome thread and tell us a bit about you so others will find you and welcome you to the kindleboards.


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## Brenda Carroll

vikingwarrior22 said:


> I saw that your books are on sale, grabbed the first three ...looks like they are gonna be a grand read...I just got my Kindle and I am looking for more interesting books to load ...


Wow! A real Viking Warrior. Nice to meet you, er, I mean, ugh, how's the weather in Iceland? Icy? Just kidding.  I love Vikings... well, not the warriors... I mean *sigh*... Let me start over. I enjoy Viking adventure-type stories and tales of the Norse Men and all that manly sort of thing. Good... no... GREAT to hear from you especially since you will soon become a devoted fan. Happy reading. Hope you enjoy Mark's misadventures. He needs a Viking Warrior to keep him out of trouble. Maybe you can lend him a hand. Look forward to hearing what you think.


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## Brenda Carroll

celiaisawesome said:


> He has one about time travel too?!
> 
> Well...*taps foot, waiting impatiently* When will it be available on here?!
> 
> I can't read books unless they're in digital form!  What can I say? I'm in the techno-gen.
> 
> Let us know when it makes the switch over?!


I'm sorry! I'm working as fast my twinkle fingers will let me type, but these things take time. By your picture, I'd say you have more time left than I do... so give me chance, young lady and I'll try to make that happen just for you cause you're tapping your foot so cutely at me!


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## koland

Brendan,

I'm looking at the Sample for Knight of Death. It is titled as #1 in the series, but on the title page inside the book, it says it is volume 2 in the series. Your cover page is completely blank (the title page info displays on page two). There is no copyright notice at all (should be in a location about where the contact info is for you).

Also, at location 72 (or thereabouts), it seems at least an entire sentence is missing (it says "Christopher nodded, but his disappointment was knew the place would not be cool...."). I'm not that far into the sample and wonder if there will be more such missing sections.  

Have you read thru the Kindle version to check for problems like this?  I suspect many authors are not doing this (many end up with question marks inside squares sprinkled thru their text, which is what the Kindle displays when it hits a UTF-8 character it doesn't recognize, although I don't think I've seen any of these in your sample, yet).


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## Brenda Carroll

koland said:


> Brendan,
> 
> I'm looking at the Sample for Knight of Death. It is titled as #1 in the series, but on the title page inside the book, it says it is volume 2 in the series. Your cover page is completely blank (the title page info displays on page two). There is no copyright notice at all (should be in a location about where the contact info is for you).
> 
> Also, at location 72 (or thereabouts), it seems at least an entire sentence is missing (it says "Christopher nodded, but his disappointment was knew the place would not be cool...."). I'm not that far into the sample and wonder if there will be more such missing sections.
> 
> Have you read thru the Kindle version to check for problems like this? I suspect many authors are not doing this (many end up with question marks inside squares sprinkled thru their text, which is what the Kindle displays when it hits a UTF-8 character it doesn't recognize, although I don't think I've seen any of these in your sample, yet).


Koland,

Thanks for the heads up. No, unfortunately I can not read it on Kindle, because I like many other authors have mentioned on here, can not fit a Kindle into my budget as of yet. Amazon actually sets up the sample (although it is from the actual book... I will check it out ASAP )

Thanks Again,
Brendan


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## mlewis78

Brendan, I just bought the first book in the series after reading this thread.  Thanks for making it $1.59 for kindle.  I haven't read anything else of yours and haven't started it yet, but the price makes all the difference in giving it a try, especially since I have so many TBR books and am currently unemployed.


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## MichaelS

Brendan Carroll said:


> I appreciate the heads up. It seems that there is a problem or two there. I'm not sure what happened, but I'm working to correct it and do apologize. The problem is that writing is such great fun, I sometimes forget that I need my editor to check every little thing at least fifteen times. Again, I do apologize and will work harder to make sure it's as good as I can get it. Thanks again.


I noticed some little problems too, but am completely engrossed the the second book already. Thought I was going to be stuck inside because of rain but I got out go of town for the first time since I got my Kindle and it was cool not to have to drag my collection of reads with me in book form. I had them all on the Kindle. Thanks for putting your books on Kindle!


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## Brenda Carroll

mlewis78 said:


> Brendan, I just bought the first book in the series after reading this thread. Thanks for making it $1.59 for kindle. I haven't read anything else of yours and haven't started it yet, but the price makes all the difference in giving it a try, especially since I have so many TBR books and am currently unemployed.


Thanks for buying. I hope you enjoy the story. It's people like you who make people like me . Feel free to ask me anything about it... I'm full of words!


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## Brenda Carroll

MichaelS said:


> I noticed some little problems too, but am completely engrossed the the second book already. Thought I was going to be stuck inside because of rain but I got out go of town for the first time since I got my Kindle and it was cool not to have to drag my collection of reads with me in book form. I had them all on the Kindle. Thanks for putting your books on Kindle!


Hey Mike, thanks for the support. I don't know if you've ever done any editing, but it can be overwhelming sometimes. Like I said before (somewhere): Writing is fun;editing is hard! I hope that my readers will forgive me if I've missed a few glitches here and there. But keep me updated so that I can do better. Glad you like the second one. I've had a number of readers tell me that they think the action really took of in the second book. Looking forward to hearing from you again. Brendan


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## koland

Brendan,

I just bought the series of books. I was going to start back where I left on in the sample of Book I, but the locations didn't line up. So, I checked the cover page (where there was a problem with the title, before) and see you have fixed it (it now claims to be book I instead of II; both times it said it was Knight of Death). I then decided to check the problem at location 72 in the preface, where a line was missing ... imagine my surprise when the Preface is entirely different from the sample. It starts with a war scene instead of modern day Italy outside of the Templar's school. The old preface is now chapter 1. This seems to be quite a bit of editing on Book 1 of a nine book series (one that has been "in print" for so long), especially this fast after release on the Kindle. That problem at location 72? It's now fixed, but is location 149 due to the added material.

So, did I buy late enough to the get the full, complete versions? Or are there more changes (which early purchasers won't get) that need to be uploaded?

Karen


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## MAGreen

Ok, so I got samples of a few random books in your series and liked them...so I went ahead and got the whole thing. I am looking forward to reading them!
Thanks!


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## Brenda Carroll

koland said:


> Brendan,
> 
> I just bought the series of books. I was going to start back where I left on in the sample of Book I, but the locations didn't line up. So, I checked the cover page (where there was a problem with the title, before) and see you have fixed it (it now claims to be book I instead of II; both times it said it was Knight of Death). I then decided to check the problem at location 72 in the preface, where a line was missing ... imagine my surprise when the Preface is entirely different from the sample. It starts with a war scene instead of modern day Italy outside of the Templar's school. The old preface is now chapter 1. This seems to be quite a bit of editing on Book 1 of a nine book series (one that has been "in print" for so long), especially this fast after release on the Kindle. That problem at location 72? It's now fixed, but is location 149 due to the added material.
> 
> So, did I buy late enough to the get the full, complete versions? Or are there more changes (which early purchasers won't get) that need to be uploaded?
> 
> Karen


Karen,
Thank you so much for purchasing the set and having faith in my work. It is readers like you that give writers like me an audience. 
The current Kinldle book includes the "new" preface, the old preface is part of chapter one and now, of course, it will be on a different page. I do apologize for the inconvenience/confusion that this has caused you and any other readers. The Kindle version now matches the _print_ edition on Amazon.com there should not be any more problems. *crossing fingers*  Thank you very much for your continued interest and feed back, I know you will love the tales of the Knight of Death, just keep me updated if there are any other concerns, and I will do my best to address any other glitches *fingers crossed again* should they occur. I am happy to get these things worked out, because I still have the rest of the series on my editor's desk waiting to be "de-glitched" 

Brendan Carroll


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## Brenda Carroll

MAGreen said:


> Ok, so I got samples of a few random books in your series and liked them...so I went ahead and got the whole thing. I am looking forward to reading them!
> Thanks!


Thanks so much! I know you will be pleased with your purchases. You can find me here or send me an email for any feedback or questions. 

Brendan Carroll


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## Meredith Sinclair

koland said:


> Brendan,
> 
> I just bought the series of books. I was going to start back where I left on in the sample of Book I, but the locations didn't line up. So, I checked the cover page (where there was a problem with the title, before) and see you have fixed it (it now claims to be book I instead of II; both times it said it was Knight of Death). I then decided to check the problem at location 72 in the preface, where a line was missing ... imagine my surprise when the Preface is entirely different from the sample. It starts with a war scene instead of modern day Italy outside of the Templar's school. The old preface is now chapter 1. This seems to be quite a bit of editing on Book 1 of a nine book series (one that has been "in print" for so long), especially this fast after release on the Kindle. That problem at location 72? It's now fixed, but is location 149 due to the added material.
> 
> So, did I buy late enough to the get the full, complete versions? Or are there more changes (which early purchasers won't get) that need to be uploaded?
> 
> Karen


Just so you know Karen I actually read "The Knight of Death" back in 2000 when I was in the hospital having my baby, and I emailed Brendan then, and have kept up with the series since, I know there are several more even to be edited. The last one that just became available on May 23 prematurely,( book 9) had a big problem that I noticed and I PM'd Brendan and it has been corrected. Brendan was on top of it and said that somehow some files were crossed, I got a refund and was notified when the glitch was corrected, that day. So I think these things do sometimes happen with others here too, I have noticed other threads where the authors are talking about the pains of editing. I am such a HUGE fan, and have kept in contact with Brendan via that SAME email address that was inside the back of that first book, for over 9 nine years! I am sure if this is your kind of book you will fall in love with the characters as I have.


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## vikingwarrior22

Meredith Sinclair said:


> Just so you know Karen I actually read "The Knight of Death" back in 2000 when I was in the hospital having my baby, and I emailed Brendan then, and have kept up with the series since, I know there are several more even to be edited. The last one that just became available on May 23 prematurely,( book 9) had a big problem that I noticed and I PM'd Brendan and it has been corrected. Brendan was on top of it and said that somehow some files were crossed, I got a refund and was notified when the glitch was corrected, that day. So I think these things do sometimes happen with others here too, I have noticed other threads where the authors are talking about the pains of editing. I am such a HUGE fan, and have kept in contact with Brendan via that SAME email address that was inside the back of that first book, for over 9 nine years! I am sure if this is your kind of book you will fall in love with the characters as I have.


 Brandon I am so into book I ie 1 or one or for my Spanish friends uno...Reading the scene of the pecan orchard brought back my own memories involving a pine tree,sap everywhere...I wish I knew a real life Mark Andrew so he could take care of a few people that are giving me the blues, I know a "Maxie" for sure in real life.I want to get in to book two asap. I am enjoying this book and getting to "talk" to you writers first hand,have a good one. vw


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## koland

Meredith Sinclair said:


> The last one that just became available on May 23 prematurely,( book 9) had a big problem that I noticed and I PM'd Brendan and it has been corrected. Brendan was on top of it and said that somehow some files were crossed, I got a refund and was notified when the glitch was corrected, that day.


Do you know when the files were corrected? What can I check to make sure I got the correct version (so I can do the return/rebuy switch if needed, while it is still on sale).


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## Meredith Sinclair

koland said:


> Do you know when the files were corrected? What can I check to make sure I got the correct version (so I can do the return/rebuy switch if needed, while it is still on sale).


Not sure, but it was around the same day it published. Maybe the next day  I can't remember, but I do know, and Brendan has made references on here about it, that her book 6 was accidently re-submitted as 9, files got mixed up or something. But I did get my refund and repurchased it, it now says book 9, instead of six! These little things seem to really bother the authors when they happen. But I kind of like being in the middle and being able to help them out by reading their earliest works. Before they become big, like, I mean, Stephen King is not going to come on here and "talk" to us and admit he messes up. The Indie Authors, discuss these things a lot on their threads and also discuss their favorite characters and how hard it is to keep up with the people who are supposed to be in a conversation etc. I just love lurking on their threads and sometimes I even add to the thread with some crazy question here and there , but they don't seem to mind ... hopefully.


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## Brenda Carroll

vikingwarrior22 said:
 

> Brandon I am so into book I ie 1 or one or for my Spanish friends uno...Reading the scene of the pecan orchard brought back my own memories involving a pine tree,sap everywhere...I wish I knew a real life Mark Andrew so he could take care of a few people that are giving me the blues, I know a "Maxie" for sure in real life.I want to get in to book two asap. I am enjoying this book and getting to "talk" to you writers first hand,have a good one. vw


Hey, dude! I just saw this. Thanks so much. You're awesome. I really mean that, little Viking guy.  I like you so much (as Mort would say) that I don't even care that you mispelled my name!  You got my books and you got my characters' names right! That's all that counts. Gotta love it!


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## Meredith Sinclair

vikingwarrior22 said:


> Brandon I am so into book I ie 1 or one or for my Spanish friends uno...Reading the scene of the pecan orchard brought back my own memories involving a pine tree,sap everywhere...I wish I knew a real life Mark Andrew so he could take care of a few people that are giving me the blues, I know a "Maxie" for sure in real life.I want to get in to book two asap. I am enjoying this book and getting to "talk" to you writers first hand,have a good one. vw


oh, yes, that pecan tree thing! That was sorta* evil*!


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## koland

Meredith Sinclair said:


> I can't remember, but I do know, and Brendan has made references on here about it, that her book 6 was accidently re-submitted as 9, files got mixed up or something. But I did get my refund and repurchased it, it now says book 9, instead of six!


Ok, I checked book 9 and it says it is number IX. Also checked first couple of pages and compared to VI and they are definitely not the same.

Thanks,

Karen


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## Meredith Sinclair

koland said:


> Ok, I checked book 9 and it says it is number IX. Also checked first couple of pages and compared to VI and they are definitely not the same.
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Karen


Good. Are you hooked yet?


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## vikingwarrior22

Brandon, Man how did you come up with these people and their lives...they seem so pardon the cliche (sp?) really ...I see Sean Connery playing Mark... just enjoying the book...I am a slow reader and the book moves faster than I can read...have a good weekend  vw


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## Brenda Carroll

vikingwarrior22 said:


> Brandon, Man how did you come up with these people and their lives...they seem so pardon the cliche (sp?) really ...I see Sean Connery playing Mark... just enjoying the book...I am a slow reader and the book moves faster than I can read...have a good weekend vw


Hey there, guy. Glad you're enjoying the book, but Sean is a bit well, uh, well, he's fine, just fine for the part of an 837 year old monk. Yeah, I guess he would be perfect and Zsa Zsa Gabor could be his Lady.  Keep on a'viking!!!


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## Brenda Carroll

I'm bumpin', I'm bumpin'!  See, I was told once that there was an ancient dance of ritual connotation that was called the "Bump" back in the twentieth century. I wouldn't remember it, of course.  The Knight of Death posted on his blog this morning about haircuts of all things. I had often wondered who cut his hair. You see, his hair is a matter of some importance as the story unfolds... kind of like Samson, but not. It doesn't give him superstrength or any other superpower, but it does play a number of cameo parts in several of the books. He likes to wear it long and has been wearing it thus for a long, long time except once or twice. Anyway, he doesn't like to deal with strangers and has a problem with attracting attention to himself in public without actually trying. He just chalks it up to rudeness and moves on. He's actually quite self-deprecating and doesn't understand the effect he has on other people. Pretty endearing for a


Spoiler



serial murderer


, no?


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## Meredith Sinclair

Brendan Carroll said:


> I'm bumpin', I'm bumpin'!  See, I was told once that there was an ancient dance of ritual connotation that was called the "Bump" back in the twentieth century. I wouldn't remember it, of course.  The Knight of Death posted on his blog this morning about haircuts of all things. I had often wondered who cut his hair. You see, his hair is a matter of some importance as the story unfolds... kind of like Samson, but not. It doesn't give him superstrength or any other superpower, but it does play a number of cameo parts in several of the books. He likes to wear it long and has been wearing it thus for a long, long time except once or twice. Anyway, he doesn't like to deal with strangers and has a problem with attracting attention to himself in public without actually trying. He just chalks it up to rudeness and moves on. He's actually quite self-deprecating and doesn't understand the effect he has on other people. Pretty endearing for a
> 
> 
> Spoiler
> 
> 
> 
> serial murderer
> 
> 
> , no?


Heeeeeeyyyyyy! Where has Mark been? It seems so weird to find such an entertaining fellow like yourself buried under that


Spoiler



stupid


 "explanation" thread... what's up with that will it ever end?
Meredith


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## Brenda Carroll

Meredith Sinclair said:


> Heeeeeeyyyyyy! Where has Mark been? It seems so weird to find such an entertaining fellow like yourself buried under that
> 
> 
> Spoiler
> 
> 
> 
> stupid
> 
> 
> "explanation" thread... what's up with that will it ever end?
> Meredith


I've certainly been buried, waiting out the seven day thing to post or bump or whatever it's called. Been posting here, there and everywhere... oh, but hey, you're talking to Mark, not me! Wassup wi' that? Anyhow, yeah, he's busy, you know cutting off heads and such.  Looks like the explanation thread has evolved into something altogether different, which might be good.  The thing even drew me in and i finally posted on it myself!


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## Meredith Sinclair

Brendan Carroll said:


> I've certainly been buried, waiting out the seven day thing to post or bump or whatever it's called. Been posting here, there and everywhere... oh, but hey, you're talking to Mark, not me! Wassup wi' that? Anyhow, yeah, he's busy, you know cutting off heads and such.  Looks like the explanation thread has evolved into something altogether different, which might be good.  The thing even drew me in and i finally posted on it myself!


It's a good thing Mark Andrew Ramsay is not as _weaK_! *SUCKER*!


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## Brenda Carroll

Meredith Sinclair said:


> It's a good thing Mark Andrew Ramsay is not as _weaK_! *SUCKER*!


I'm going to ignore Miss Merry's comment because she is completely biased.  The monk is still in love and it's still causing him a great deal of trouble. The question seems to be "Will he ever get her to the altar?" Yes, he does want to marry her, but it seems that he might have to take a number and wait. That's OK, he's been waiting for eight centuries; I suppose he can wait a little longer. Meanwhile, his lovely lady is apparently out to take over the entire Order of the Red Cross by accident.


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## Meredith Sinclair

Brendan Carroll said:


> I'm going to ignore Miss Merry's comment because she is completely biased.  The monk is still in love and it's still causing him a great deal of trouble. The question seems to be "Will he ever get her to the altar?" Yes, he does want to marry her, but it seems that he might have to take a number and wait. That's OK, he's been waiting for eight centuries; I suppose he can wait a little longer. Meanwhile, his lovely lady is apparently out to take over the entire Order of the Red Cross by accident.


Heeeeey! I go away for a bit and come back to se ya puttin' me out there like this? Hmph!  Merry will marry him, no? I have read ten books and still he never ceases to amaze... and frighten me... but I am still his biggest fan!


----------



## Brenda Carroll

Meredith Sinclair said:


> Heeeeey! I go away for a bit and come back to se ya puttin' me out there like this? Hmph!  Merry will marry him, no? I have read ten books and still he never ceases to amaze... and frighten me... but I am still his biggest fan!


And a hearty welcome back, Missy. Where have you been? Away with Susan in VA? Look here, I can't give away the _Chevalier's_ secrets like that. Book X is where it gets interesting for him as far as his destiny is concerned. But does he really have to marry her?


Spoiler



I mean, are they not already married in the eyes of God?


 She might be afraid of him... just a little... but that simply adds to the intrigue, does it not?


----------



## Meredith Sinclair

Brendan Carroll said:


> And a hearty welcome back, Missy. Where have you been? Away with Susan in VA? Look here, I can't give away the _Chevalier's_ secrets like that. Book X is where it gets interesting for him as far as his destiny is concerned. But does he really have to marry her?
> 
> 
> Spoiler
> 
> 
> 
> I mean, are they not already married in the eyes of God?
> 
> 
> She might be afraid of him... just a little... but that simply adds to the intrigue, does it not?


Thanks... I had no idea you would notice we were gone... but Susan never showed up     What's up with _that_? I was off building a treehouse with my girlie, and Susan decided it sounded like too much work, I suppose, and declined my offer...  No, seriously, if she was gone too... Ima wondering why I got no INVITE.      I did notice that you changed one of your thread titles... maybe you should get rid of this title as well.    I'm just sayin'... I forgot, you askeded me a question. Well, i suppose you could say they are married, but really has she not waited long enough to make it all legal and stuff.   

Note: I put in a bunch of those question mark heads... just for you!


----------



## Brenda Carroll

Meredith Sinclair said:


> Note: I put in a bunch of those question mark heads... just for you!


Well, you certainly get around, Little Miss QMH. But since we are talking about marriage, we must be using this here smiley , who is not really a smiley, is he or she?  But maybe he/she/it is crying from happiness?  There you go. Well, in answer to your question, they are legal in the 'Eyes of God'. But if all the Council of Twelve go round marrying each other and raising little council members, well it just wouldn't be the same and how can I make these rough groughs be turned into powderpoughs? Enough! I must now retire to the limerick thread.


----------



## Meredith Sinclair

Brendan Carroll said:


> Well, you certainly get around, Little Miss QMH. But since we are talking about marriage, we must be using this here smiley , who is not really a smiley, is he or she?  But maybe he/she/it is crying from happiness?  There you go. Well, in answer to your question, they are legal in the 'Eyes of God'. But if all the Council of Twelve go round marrying each other and raising little council members, well it just wouldn't be the same and how can I make these rough groughs be turned into powderpoughs? Enough! I must now retire to the limerick thread.


You sound like you are already there... Funny.


----------



## vikingwarrior22

Burbon: I am well into book 2 and think you should maybe fit me a true an loyal fan into your series, I believe the book needs a fine Viking warrior to off set all the scots pure self centeredness ( I know he is the leading character...real or imagined) but somehow he needs me as a...a counter balance just ask Lucio... man these books are good ...thanks for listening have a good week...vw


----------



## Brenda Carroll

vikingwarrior22 said:


> Burbon: I am well into book 2 and think you should maybe fit me a true an loyal fan into your series, I believe the book needs a fine Viking warrior to off set all the scots pure self centeredness ( I know he is the leading character...real or imagined) but somehow he needs me as a...a counter balance just ask Lucio... man these books are good ...thanks for listening have a good week...vw


Hey, VW! Long time no post. Watcha been up to? Pillaging and burning?  Glad you like the book. You know you may have something there. I do have a Varangian in the series eventually. You know I prefer to think of Viking as a verb... something we macho types _do_... instead of something we are. Example: Let's go a'viking, meaning let us sally forth and make someone else rue the day?  I'll be thinking on it. Thanks, again for reading.


----------



## Brenda Carroll

I would like to thank everyone out there who has purchased a copy of my book and its sequals. I am working hard to perfect them and appreciate any and all comments from readers. It is my sincere wish that you enjoy the reading as much as I have enjoyed writing it. This posting is a repeat of my original post for the _The Knight of Death_.

The Red Cross of Gold series is a sort of new twist on some old, but very interesting subjects, including immortality, the Philosopher's Stone, Templar Knights, the Holy Grail, Rosslyn Chapel, the crusades and all those magickal, mystical things.

As fate would have it, I wrote mine long before anyone ever heard of Dan Brown. Let me just say that Dan's book was great, but the ending was a bit disappointing. My books end up as well as they start out.
The main character is one of twelve Council members for the internal circle of the secret Templar Order that has survived the crusades, the Inquisition and banishment over the centuries. They are the ones who know where everything is hidden. The Chevalier Ramsay is a hair-triggered Scotsman from the lowlands who ran away from home back in... oh, about 1180 AD (pardon the use of an old term. I prefer Anno Domine to Common Era because I believe that there is absolutely nothing common about our current era).

Anyway, Mark Ramsay, is called to serve in one of his mystical capacities as Assassin for the Order and sent off to America (known as Merica to those in the know) to fetch back the Grand Master's apprentice who has decided to leave the Order and take up with a rival order. Our fellows, being both ancient and arrogant have little regard for this silly modern order of pretenders and vastly underestimate their high priestess's motivations, means and madness.

He falls prey to her immediately and loses his memory temporarily after a close encounter with her body guard. While under the influence of a debilitating drug, he forgets who he is and what he's doing in America in the first place. One of his captor's, the leading lady as it turns out, has things on her mind other than the secrets of the philosopher's stone and immortality. After a while, he finds himself falling in love only to learn that he is actually 837 years old and supposed to be a celibate monk.
Eventually his Brothers of the Order come after him, thinking him to be a deserter as well. The action heats up as he has to fight his captors and his own Brothers for his life. There's lots of action, love and blood. The best combination for a good yarn. Happy reading.

The King of Terrors (Book II) is still on sale for $.99.


----------



## Meredith Sinclair

Hello Brendan,

I am going to make this brief because I know you are having so much fun on the other threads to answer frivolous questions on this on buuuuuuuuut.... While I was looking at a "Hill Country" magazine trying to find a good place to take my hubby for Father's Day, I saw a 837-acre lake up near the setting for your books... just wondering if that is the reason you named your thread 837 year old Monk.    I know you don't do #s soooooo, did you actually do the MATH or did ya just grab a #? So just wondering, I know it is in your book somewhere when he was born, but come on 'fess up did you do the math or grab a #? Ok, so it's as brief as I can get...


----------



## Anju 

OK - I started RC I, got bogged down, don't know where 50 pages correlates to locations, so will keep trying and maybe it will grab me.  I did go ahead and buy a bunch of others in the series before I started reading, so have hopes.

The 50 page comment came from a book club I belong to, I have to read at least 50 pages before I quit and often will end up loving the book.

Fingers crossed I'll love these as well  

edited to add

I also tend to read the endings, sometimes that will encourage me to continue-  this one left me wondering, so guess I have not given up on it completely


----------



## Meredith Sinclair

Anju  No. 469 said:


> OK - I started RC I, got bogged down, don't know where 50 pages correlates to locations, so will keep trying and maybe it will grab me. I did go ahead and buy a bunch of others in the series before I started reading, so have hopes.
> The 50 page comment came from a book club I belong to, I have to read at least 50 pages before I quit and often will end up loving the book.
> Fingers crossed I'll love these as well
> edited to add
> I also tend to read the endings, sometimes that will encourage me to continue- this one left me wondering, so guess I have not given up on it completely


Ok, Anju, looks like it's just you and me, sooooo here goes, I hope Brendan is not offended... I felt bogged down too, I was scared of these people... I wondered what in the world kinda book did my husband get me? (A mutual friend in Las Vegas suggested the book because we are from Texas) I was trapped in the hospital with a sick child and this was my only book to read. I got scared of Maxie, and thought Valentino was a B... and then I started falling in love with Mark... then the pretty Italian reminded me of someone I once knew... I HATED the ending! But then I got to where I needed to find out what happened after... so I emailed Brendan and asked if there was a book II as it was then he he had several more, like 10 or something, but had not published them yet... so I asked for an e-book and he sent it to me for free, for being his first fan! NOw book II was the clencher, I saw myself in the leading lady, and what I say on a daily basis was coming from her mouth... freaked me out a little, cause...hmmmmm how?     and like I said, they were already written. Meredith HAS MY personality! Same description too if you had known me back then. NOw I am a bit older... anyway, stick with them and you too will be hooked.. and if skipping ahead does not bother you... go to book II. I can not do that, I am a OCD kinda girl on skipping..


----------



## Brenda Carroll

Anju No. 469 said:


> I also tend to read the endings, sometimes that will encourage me to continue- this one left me wondering, so guess I have not given up on it completely


Thanks for having hope, Miss Anju. If you read the last chapter, then you experienced the cliff-hanger that leaves you curious about what happens next. I can only hope that you will find something to enjoy.


----------



## vikingwarrior22

Sir Just to keep you up with my place in your series The Red Cross of Gold, I have started book 3 The Head of The Crow and it is as good as the others...your people seem so real and i enjoyed all of the ways that your leading female causes Mark so much grief (I feel I know her for real) thanks for the books ...have a grand week  vw


----------



## Brenda Carroll

Hey, guy!  Where you been?  I always ask you that and you never answer me!  Is it cause your viking raids are classified?   Glad to hear you've made to Book III.  I sort of like that one myself.  Here they go back again for more.  You'd think they learned their lesson the first time, eh?   Enjoy the book, there's lots more where that came from.


----------



## liannallama

Hey--can you make it easy for me and put a link so I can figure out where to start reading this book on my Kindle?  Your siggy has so many links I'm getting confused. 

Thanks!


----------



## Anju 

I have not given up, I'm still working on RC I and it is getting better so I must have passed my "50 pages".  I'm glad because I already bought the next few books before I started reading because I just knew they would be good.


----------



## crebel

I think DH is on book IV now (he asked me to get them all after reading book I).  This genre isn't my cup of tea, but as soon as he finishes one, he says "Thank God there are 10 books in this series and it isn't finished yet".


----------



## Brenda Carroll

liannallama said:


> Hey--can you make it easy for me and put a link so I can figure out where to start reading this book on my Kindle? Your siggy has so many links I'm getting confused.
> Thanks!


Thanks for the interest, Miss LLLama. I made a new link just for you. Just click on the book cover. Thanks, Brendan.


----------



## Brenda Carroll

Anju No. 469 said:


> I have not given up, I'm still working on RC I and it is getting better so I must have passed my "50 pages". I'm glad because I already bought the next few books before I started reading because I just knew they would be good.


Hello Anju. I'm thrilled to hear from you. I was afraid it was all over between us . They tell me the second book is even better than the first and so on. I'm always grateful to hear from readers. Happy reading! Brendan


----------



## Brenda Carroll

crebel said:


> I think DH is on book IV now (he asked me to get them all after reading book I). This genre isn't my cup of tea, but as soon as he finishes one, he says "Thank God there are 10 books in this series and it isn't finished yet".


Hi, Miss Crebel. Tell your DH that I am truly happy to hear that he is enjoying Mark's misery. Maybe he'll be even happier to know that there are more than 10 books...  in the series. I know, I know, I just can't stop writing!  Thanks a million for the post. Brendan


----------



## Meredith Sinclair

crebel said:


> I think DH is on book IV now (he asked me to get them all after reading book I). This genre isn't my cup of tea, but as soon as he finishes one, he says "Thank God there are 10 books in this series and it isn't finished yet".


Hey, tell your hubby they are VERY addicting... just when you think you got it all figured out.... watch out! Here comes another one! I hear there is more, lots more of this poor guys _turmoil_ to read.  You might just read one yourself, lots of romance going on behind the fighting.


----------



## Brenda Carroll

Meredith Sinclair said:


> Hey, tell your hubby they are VERY addicting... just when you think you got it all figured out.... watch out! Here comes another one! I hear there is more, lots more of this poor guys _turmoil_ to read.  You might just read one yourself, lots of romance going on behind the fighting.


Thanks for the bump, Miss Merry.  I'm sorry you got all mad at me last night, but I heard you had a good morning?


----------



## Meredith Sinclair

Brendan Carroll said:


> Thanks for the bump, Miss Merry.  I'm sorry you got all mad at me last night, but I heard you had a good morning?


When did _I_ get *MAD*??    Hey, if you really knew me you would understand why i am called Merry... I pout a little... you know big blue eyed girlie kinda thing? But I have people really RUN over me and I keep thewm in my prayers, smile at them and worry I might have hurt them by sticking my foot under their running car.... forget the fact that I was trying to buckle my child into her carseat while on crutches from a torn Achilles (sp.?) tendon.... that foot just SHOULD NOT have went to the front of the car and WILLED that car into gear!!!!  


Spoiler



Yep, it REALLY happened... five broken bones in GOOD foot and wheelchair bound for 9 weeks.... was I mad... nope! I'm just Blessed with a good disposition I believe.


I could never/would never be MAD at YOU!


----------



## Kevis Hendrickson

Meredith Sinclair said:


> When did _I_ get *MAD*??    Hey, if you really knew me you would understand why i am called Merry... I pout a little... you know big blue eyed girlie kinda thing? But I have people really RUN over me and I keep thewm in my prayers, smile at them and worry I might have hurt them by sticking my foot under their running car.... forget the fact that I was trying to buckle my child into her carseat while on crutches from a torn Achilles (sp.?) tendon.... that foot just SHOULD NOT have went to the front of the car and WILLED that car into gear!!!!
> 
> 
> Spoiler
> 
> 
> 
> Yep, it REALLY happened... five broken bones in GOOD foot and wheelchair bound for 9 weeks.... was I mad... nope! I'm just Blessed with a good disposition I believe.
> 
> 
> I could never/would never be MAD at YOU!


Just thought you guys should know, if you don't already, that Meredith rocks.


----------



## Meredith Sinclair

Kevis Hendrickson said:


> Just thought you guys should know, if you don't already, that Meredith rocks.


THANKS Kevis I LOVE Love, LoVE YOU TOO!


----------



## Brenda Carroll

Meredith Sinclair said:


> I could never/would never be MAD at YOU!


Whew! I promise not run over your feetses if you won't rip off my toenails! ... again.


----------



## Meredith Sinclair

Brendan Carroll said:


> Whew! I promise not run over your feetses if you won't rip off my toenails! ... again.


Funny Brendan... very funny!


----------



## geoffthomas

Just a quick intrusion into this "love fest" to say that I like Meridith too.

Just sayin.....


----------



## Brenda Carroll

geoffthomas said:


> Just a quick intrusion into this "love fest" to say that I like Meridith too.
> 
> Just sayin.....


Looks like Miss Merry is taking over my thread.  In spite of what some people my think... I like her, too. She was my first and most loyal fan. I guess you could say that we've had a very colorful exchange over the years. I hope it continues for many more years to come. Love fest? I like that.


----------



## Meredith Sinclair

Brendan Carroll said:


> Looks like Miss Merry is taking over my thread.  In spite of what some people my think... I like her, too. She was my first and most loyal fan. I guess you could say that we've had a very colorful exchange over the years. I hope it continues for many more years to come. Love fest? I like that.


You would! 



geoffthomas said:


> Just a quick intrusion into this "love fest" to say that I like Meridith too.
> 
> Just sayin.....


Thanks Geoff! and I must say you are the first person I have ever "known" who says... just sayin... (and the like) besides ME. I even type, "just typin..." in emails!  I LOVE it!


----------



## vikingwarrior22

Brandann I really am enjoyin book 3 of the series it loops and rolls and swiggles in and out of something like a big storm rolling in from the gulf... calm before the storm,you hear it build the thunder thr first drops then the bottom falls out you are forced to deal with the charcters even if you do not care for them,then the storm winds down and the air smells so fresh and everything is clean an crisp... your writing has the same effect on me  I wish I could read faster thanks for a grand book effort...I am also reading Glenn Beck's An Inconvient Book and can identify so well with it...have a good week  vw


----------



## Brenda Carroll

vikingwarrior22 said:


> Brandann I really am enjoyin book 3I wish I could read faster thanks for a grand book effort...I am also reading Glenn Beck's An Inconvient Book and can identify so well with it...have a good week vw


Avast there, VikingWarrior!  Good to hear from you. Book III? You're doing great and I appreciate the colorful feedback. So you know about those Gulf Storms, do you? They are one of the reasons I now live in Central Texas. Give me tornado any day... they are here, boom!  and gone, but hurricanes? OMG! Zigging and zagging and everyone running and screaming this way and that and then to top it all off, I have the kind of day job that doesn't allow me to evacuate, so good, bad or ugly, I was in it, come what may.  Bad deal. Rita did it for me. I said to myself "Self, you're outta here!"  So here I am, living it up in goat country! 



Meredith Sinclair said:


> You would!


Just so's you know, I'll be out of town and you can write what you like about me cause I won't have a puter the whole time!  Just sayin'. Ha! Ha!


----------



## mamiller

Awwww....take us with you!


----------



## Anju 

ok I finished 1 - skipped a lot in the middle - but the last part got me up until all hours of the night (maybe why I got so sick this week-end   ) (no I won't blame you!) going to read something else before I go to II, but yeah you got me now.

Hope you have had a cool week and got out of that heat wave in central Texas


----------



## Meredith Sinclair

Anju No. 469 said:


> ok I finished 1 - skipped a lot in the middle - but the last part got me up until all hours of the night (maybe why I got so sick this week-end  ) (no I won't blame you!) going to read something else before I go to II, but yeah you got me now.
> Hope you have had a cool week and got out of that heat wave in central Texas


Good for you Anju! I told ya you would get hooked! The second book has a lot more ROMANCE! But I have to warn you... a


Spoiler



few STEAMY love scenes!


 I am so glad you and your doctor are working on what's wrong, I was worried about you the other night. Could not go to sleep thinking a friend, fellow Texan, and KB member was over in Mexico SICK!  I just felt bad... I even told everybody on the prayer thread... hope you are feeling better.


----------



## Brenda Carroll

Anju No. 469 said:


> ok I finished 1 - skipped a lot in the middle - but the last part got me up until all hours of the night (maybe why I got so sick this week-end  ) (no I won't blame you!) going to read something else before I go to II, but yeah you got me now.
> 
> Hope you have had a cool week and got out of that heat wave in central Texas


Well, thank you so much, Miss Anju! I am truly honored. I'm sorry I kept you up at night, but I'll take that as a great compliment. I sincerely hope that you will come back to me in the near future. My works, they tell me, get better as they go along. I'm still evolving.  I also have a few other works that in time I plan to get onto Kindle that are totally different from the Red Cross of Gold Series and may be even more to your liking. Happy rading and thank you again. Brendan


----------



## Brenda Carroll

Meredith Sinclair said:


> Good for you Anju! I told ya you would get hooked! The second book has a lot more ROMANCE! But I have to warn you... a
> 
> 
> Spoiler
> 
> 
> 
> few STEAMY love scenes!
> 
> 
> I am so glad you and your doctor are working on what's wrong, I was worried about you the other night. Could not go to sleep thinking a friend, fellow Texan, and KB member was over in Mexico SICK!  I just felt bad... I even told everybody on the prayer thread... hope you are feeling better.


Hey Miss Merry, did you miss me? I'm glad to be home. Glad, but tired. Thank you for the bump and I didn't know that Miss Anju had been that sick. I certainly hope that she is feeling better and back with us. That's very sweet of you and I'm sure that prayers do help. Brendan


----------



## Meredith Sinclair

Brendan Carroll said:


> Hey Miss Merry, did you miss me? I'm glad to be home. Glad, but tired. Thank you for the bump and I didn't know that Miss Anju had been that sick. I certainly hope that she is feeling better and back with us. That's very sweet of you and I'm sure that prayers do help. Brendan


Yes, I DID! And Anju, Susan, Kool, Winks, Geoff, Kevis... so MANY KB friends... as I have been spending 18 hours a day at the hospital ... worried... all is good now. Glad you missed me! Where were you I knew you were going somewhere but I don't think you mentioned exactly where


----------



## Brenda Carroll

Meredith Sinclair said:


> as I have been spending 18 hours a day at the hospital ... worried... all is good now. Glad you missed me! Where were you I knew you were going somewhere but I don't think you mentioned exactly where


At the hospital? Not _in_ it, that's good, but it is a very grueling experience. I hope everything is going well for you now. I was away serving the public, since I am, after all, a public servant. LOL. My job took me away from the earth for awhile, meaning away from the puter. Very tiring. Good to be back.


----------



## Meredith Sinclair

Brendan Carroll said:


> At the hospital? Not _in_ it, that's good, but it is a very grueling experience. I hope everything is going well for you now. I was away serving the public, since I am, after all, a public servant. LOL. My job took me away from the earth for awhile, meaning away from the puter. Very tiring. Good to be back.


VERY STRESSFUL! Glad you are back. I see you have quite a few new fans! YAY!


----------



## vikingwarrior22

Brendan  Book 3 is almost done with being read ...looking forward to book 4 fer sure laddie...I am thinking about writing a book about readin your books from a readers point of view ha ha ... enjoyin the series thanks    vw


----------



## Brenda Carroll

vikingwarrior22 said:


> Brendan Book 3 is almost done with being read ...looking forward to book 4 fer sure laddie...I am thinking about writing a book about readin your books from a readers point of view ha ha ... enjoyin the series thanks  vw


Hello again, Veedub. You know, you have thoroughly confused me with that one, but glad you are enjoying the stories. If you write that book, I'd love to endorse it.  Sincerely, Brendan


----------



## Brenda Carroll

Here's an excerpt from the _Red Cross of Gold VII:. the Wisdom of Solomon_ which was dedicated to shedding some light On the Chevaliere Sinclair's particular mystery. She is preparing to conduct a magickal experiment and her 'disciples' need some work:

"You're just trying to provoke me," Lucio grumbled, but tried very hard to remain calm. "You would have me fail in my promise to Merry just to see me lose face with her again."

"I don't think you need my help to do that, Brother," Mark Andrew said evenly as his smile faded. "I am just trying to make a point. It has been a very, very long time since you have attempted to lead a pious life, if you ever did. You have never been modest and you have never excelled at purity of thought. You are too arrogant to be humble in word or deed. I only want to point out to you that you really should give some thought to what you have promised to do. I, of all men, don't mean to sound self-righteous. You know me better than that. You know me better than anyone else and for that, I am but&#8230; regretful. That is why I haven't killed you, even though I have threatened to do it many times. You are so full of yourself, you believe that you are right in your thoughts and your actions, but you have done nothing but torment me ever since I met you in the well in Jerusalem. I truly believe that you were sent by the devil just to punish me for my sins and that is why I put up with you. Because I deserve you."

"And just what do you call all of this, Brother? Surely such unkind words must fall into one of the forbidden categories? Is this sort of speech to your Brother not some kind of sin?" Lucio blinked at him in disbelief.

"We promised Merry to speak honestly," Mark told him. He really had no idea why he was being so harsh on Lucio. He had simply opened his mouth and the words had poured out. He did not feel better, just empty as if this had been some poison waiting to come out for a long, long time.

"Then I should speak honestly with you, Brother," Lucio continued after a moment. "I would have you know that I had wished to kill you many times as well. I have always envied you and your noble Scottish bloodlines. I have always envied you your cool exterior and your strength of character, your simplicity of purpose and your dogged determination. I have always envied you, Brother, and envy is something I believe you are incapable of understanding or relating to."

"I believe that the only reason I ever took any of your women from you was a vain attempt just to get your attention. Just to get you to feel the same way I do. Just once! Just once! I would like to know that, under all that built-in armor and sanctimonious superiority, you would envy me something&#8230; anything. I used to think you were a hero in spite of your little indiscretions, which I always attributed to your bad temper and your inability to truly love a woman."

"Never once did I tell anyone anything about you that would discredit you. You never needed to make that statement to me in the first place, though I remember it like it was just yesterday! One misplaced word and the world will no longer know you. Basta! From the start you mistrusted me and I would have died for you. An illiterate ragamuffin from the slums of Naples."

"And if pride is a sin, Brother, then I have sinned greatly in that I was always proud to be your friend and your Brother and your companion and your little worshipper, your devotee. But you never noticed that, did you? And you were always so brave. So damned brave and I was always a coward. If you didn't shove me out in front of you, I wouldn't go into a dark room. You made me what I am, Mark Andrew. I am the son you raised all by yourself. How can you hold me at fault? I am your own creation.""You envy me?" Mark Andrew asked in disbelief. He was astounded at this confession.

"Yes. That is what I have been trying to say!" Lucio snapped and stood up. "Do you think that I would ever have fallen in love with your woman and even married her, if I did not want to fill your boots? Even to the point of taking your wife, if I did not love you and admire you and want to be you? _Il mio dio, mio caro_! Don't you think I should have gone off in search of a virgin to wed? Why would I want someone's used goods? Why would I have given her a second glance after I learned she was yours except that she belonged to you? Now I see where I made my mistake. I never separated myself from you. I've spent most of my long life confusing myself with you."

"I thought you were just arrogant and self-centered," Mark Andrew said quietly. "I never knew you actually liked me."

"Liked you?! I worshipped you! You were everything I wanted to be right down to cutting off people's heads with your damnable golden sword. You just don't get it, do you?" Lucio turned very pale as the anger left him. He looked completely and utterly devastated. "And even now, I can look at your soul and see that you are completely without malice and without spite. That you are speaking from your heart and that makes this even more unbearable. If I knew that you were just saying these things because you are angry with me, I could live with it, but this&#8230; It will never do!" The Italian turned on his heel and left him alone in the lab unable to go on.

Mark Andrew stared after him in shock.

"_Santa Maria_!" Mark said softly and then turned to pick up the drawing.


----------



## kevindorsey

Looks like a cool book, just wish I had some space on Kindle inventory.


----------



## Brenda Carroll

kevindorsey said:


> Looks like a cool book, just wish I had some space on Kindle inventory.


Thank's Kevin. Mayhap you will have some space soon. I promise you won't regret it.  Brendand


----------



## vikingwarrior22

Book 4 is just like I knew it would be awesome possum... I have pushed on and bought 5n6 so I not have to slow down ...they (the people who make movies) should be looking at making a movie out of these books  "fer sure laddie"  thanks for these books ...have you put anything else out?  ...vw


----------



## Brenda Carroll

vikingwarrior22 said:


> Book 4 is just like I knew it would be awesome possum... I have pushed on and bought 5n6 so I not have to slow down ...they (the people who make movies) should be looking at making a movie out of these books "fer sure laddie" thanks for these books ...have you put anything else out?  ...vw


Book 4, eh? Good going! You're getting into the dragon lore now. You're going to like this, VW. I just published Book XI: Ars Arabia which is centered around a good-natured, evil Genie!  Thanks for the vote of confidence, old chap! Brendan


----------



## Brenda Carroll

Speaking of _Book IV:. the Hesperian Dragon_, here is a short excert from that adventure. Mark Andrew is fighting a black dragon in the Abyss. Unbeknownst to him, he has been gone for twenty-one years:

As they fell, Mark reached for the Golden Sword of the Cherubim, hoping that it was truly at his side where it was supposed to be. He came up with the sword in his claw as he fought for a position against the dragon's flailing claws and beating wings. The black dragon drew back its head, puffing out its chest, preparing to send another blast of fire into his face. Mark raised the sword and jammed it hilt-deep into one of the dragon's huge green eyes. Blood and water gushed from the wound, pouring into the fountain, turning its shimmering spray red momentarily.

The beast screamed a powerful blast of heat into his face as they spun in a close circle and plummeted toward the fountain. The black dragon, mad with pain, managed to cling to him with tooth and nail, taking him down as well. Mark Andrew struggled desperately to free himself from the seeming death grip. It was hopeless. The dragon's talons were tangled in his wings and he could not break free. Sickening, ripping noises told him that his own wings were shredding as the talons ripped through the webbing stretched between the bones, though he felt no pain. He managed to get the upper hand by keeping the fallen monster's body below him, but the ground was coming up much too fast. He would never survive the fall, but at least this nightmare would very soon be over.

The two beasts crashed into the grass beside the fountain, the impact of their bodies shaking the meadow. Darkness surrounded him and the green grass shrank to a tiny spot of light and he knew he was dying. So this was his fitting end? At least he had taken the evil beast with him and left the golden fountain intact for his two lovely goddesses. Semiramis and Diana. Those were their names! And his last coherent thought.


----------



## vikingwarrior22

Seeeeeeeeeeee thats what I am writing about this like the others is rock solid...I love how your people react to the beasts...and each other...I wish I read faster not to give you a big head I read for entertainment not for work or memory (education)  and yet I find myself wondering what the h^*l gonna be going on when I open the book...vw


----------



## Brenda Carroll

vikingwarrior22 said:


> Seeeeeeeeeeee thats what I am writing about this like the others is rock solid...I love how your people react to the beasts...and each other...I wish I read faster not to give you a big head I read for entertainment not for work or memory (education) and yet I find myself wondering what the h^*l gonna be going on when I open the book...vw


Heeeey, VW! Where ya been? Out sailing the seven seas? Don't worry about reading faster. Just remember what old Chinese Proverb say: Man who go slow still get fortune cookie. (I'm not sure what that means, but I'll figure it someday and get back to you) Thanks, Brendan


----------



## Anju 

Ed could probably tell you


----------



## Brenda Carroll

Anju No. 469 said:


> Ed could probably tell you


Probably, except that I just made that up... don't tell the Viking Warrior. He might take a double-headed axe to me!


----------



## vikingwarrior22

Hey Brandan just got back from the "YE OLD AXE SHOP" now I have an axe to grind...there be dragons an such like I never heard off in yer book laddie.Its exactly how I pictured dragoons as a young lad...I would like to offer my aide in "subdoin" yer bloody dragons...have a good weekend  vw


----------



## Brenda Carroll

vikingwarrior22 said:


> Hey Brandan just got back from the "YE OLD AXE SHOP" now I have an axe to grind...there be dragons an such like I never heard off in yer book laddie.Its exactly how I pictured dragoons as a young lad...I would like to offer my aide in "subdoin" yer bloody dragons...have a good weekend vw


Did Miss Anju tell you about the Chinese thing?  I swear she made it all up. I'll keep your generous offer in mind next time I run into some dragons or dragoons (either one, they're both dangerous). Did I tell you I have a friend who is an executioner?


----------



## Brenda Carroll

Book Twelve and the now 894 year old monk is still in love and still trying to live a simple life, but it's just not in the stars for him as his life becomes more and more complicated.  Here's an excerpt form Book XII:. Son of the Moon:

“Is this the voice of God?!” the Knight of Death asked as he advanced on d’Brouchart with the golden sword raised over his head.  This was what they truly wanted.  What the Master had wanted all along.  John Paul.  They would have killed his son.  They had tried to kill his sons in the past.  Wipe him from the face of the earth.  A bit of the old rage invaded his mind. “Or is this the voice of Molech bemoaning his loss?!” he asked.

Simon was crawling across the rocks looking for his sword and errant helmet again.  The other Knights regained their footing on the treacherously shaking ground.  The volcano rumbled and shivered as more smoke and ash was thrown miles into the air.  If they did not flee at once, they would soon be dead and the Order of the Red Cross of Gold would become nothing more than dust and ashes.  Von Hetz was on his feet again.  He clung to Edgard’s arm as they stumbled around, disoriented and despairing.


----------



## Meredith Sinclair

Brendan Carroll said:


> Book Twelve and the now 894 year old monk is still in love and still trying to live a simple life, but it's just not in the stars for him as his life becomes more and more complicated. Here's an excerpt form Book XII:. Son of the Moon:
> "Is this the voice of God?!" the Knight of Death asked as he advanced on d'Brouchart with the golden sword raised over his head. This was what they truly wanted. What the Master had wanted all along. John Paul. They would have killed his son. They had tried to kill his sons in the past. Wipe him from the face of the earth. A bit of the old rage invaded his mind. "Or is this the voice of Molech bemoaning his loss?!" he asked.
> Simon was crawling across the rocks looking for his sword and errant helmet again. The other Knights regained their footing on the treacherously shaking ground. The volcano rumbled and shivered as more smoke and ash was thrown miles into the air. If they did not flee at once, they would soon be dead and the Order of the Red Cross of Gold would become nothing more than dust and ashes. Von Hetz was on his feet again. He clung to Edgard's arm as they stumbled around, disoriented and despairing.


OK... Brendan, THIS has gotta be the MOST "UP" book in the series so far. Quite a difference here, like you completely had some really big things happening in your life when you wrote it! Like ya start out with and BANG and IT continues THROUGHOUT the entire book! WOAH! Where'e 13? Ya know you should n't keep us waiting, but it does give me time to catch up on my other reads.  REALLY AWESOME BOOK Mr. Carroll!


----------



## Brenda Carroll

Meredith Sinclair said:


> OK... Brendan, THIS has gotta be the MOST "UP" book in the series so far. Quite a difference here, like you completely had some really big things happening in your life when you wrote it! Like ya start out with and BANG and IT continues THROUGHOUT the entire book! WOAH! Where'e 13? Ya know you should n't keep us waiting, but it does give me time to catch up on my other reads.  REALLY AWESOME BOOK Mr. Carroll!


I don't really remember what was going on at the time, but it must have been good!  But as far as the 13th book, well, it's all contingent on the penstrokes of my editor/critic/fan, Miss Catarina Symboid, and how fast she goes through ripping it apart.


----------



## Brenda Carroll

Today is bump time for the Monk. I have certainly enjoyed some very kind words from readers lately and am gratified to know that I've made some fans. If you want to see what the Monk looks like, go to: http://www.kboards.com/index.php/topic,12222.0.html

This fabulous post was made by Miss Greenthumb and my sincere thanks to her for taking such interest in the _Chevalier du Morte_.


----------



## mamiller

There's that picture again.  Miss Merry...you sure we can't come to some sort of 'arrangement'?  Like I get the Knight on weekends?


----------



## Meredith Sinclair

mamiller said:


> There's that picture again. Miss Merry...you sure we can't come to some sort of 'arrangement'? Like I get the Knight on weekends?


Okkkkkkkk.... YOU can have HIM on days that start with "T"... & "F"


----------



## Lynn McNamee

Read and Reviewed.

Terrific book.

Thanks for the great price & terrific entertainment, Brendan.


----------



## Brenda Carroll

Good Morning, Miss Adept.  I'm shocked that you read so fast!  My editor/critc/fan, Miss Honeree Scudbruther, said that the review was very positive and that was all I needed to hear this morning.  Thank you for taking the time to post it and giving me the 4 stars.  I hope that you feel the need to read further.  They tell me that the books get better as they go along.  Being my own worst critic as authors generally are, I personally think that they hit their stride in book four.  But again, thank you and glad you enjoyed it.  Mark is feeling all smug this morning.


----------



## Lynn McNamee

I guess I should have mentioned that I was purchasing the second book today.    It may be awhile before I read it, but it's on my list, now. 

Also, I posted in the Amazon forums about it and got a couple of votes on my review, so hopefully, you will gain a few more fans.


----------



## Brenda Carroll

RedAdept said:


> I guess I should have mentioned that I was purchasing the second book today.  It may be awhile before I read it, but it's on my list, now.
> 
> Also, I posted in the Amazon forums about it and got a couple of votes on my review, so hopefully, you will gain a few more fans.


You're a real trooper, Miss Adept! I think I might have to name a character after you! Sincerely, Brendan


----------



## gurkie

I downloaded a sample, this looks good! I am still fairly new to my Kindle so I have quite a lot of free downloads and such to work my way through but your series sounds like it will be something I will find very entertaining. Thanks!


----------



## Lynn McNamee

Brendan Carroll said:


> You're a real trooper, Miss Adept! I think I might have to name a character after you! Sincerely, Brendan


Careful there, Brendan. If you name a character Red Adept, you will be plagiarizing Piers Anthony.  I got my moniker from his Robot Adept series. 

My real name is Lynn. Not exactly a romance inspiring name.  Maybe just some little side character that gets killed off quickly?


----------



## Brenda Carroll

RedAdept said:


> Careful there, Brendan. If you name a character Red Adept, you will be plagiarizing Piers Anthony.  I got my moniker from his Robot Adept series.
> 
> My real name is Lynn. Not exactly a romance inspiring name.  Maybe just some little side character that gets killed off quickly?


OK, not a problem. You just be looking out for that, but you know what that means... Books 1-12 are already published. You'll be looking in 13 and up. LOL!! I guess you'll be forced to read now!


----------



## Brenda Carroll

I had the most rewarding, most flattering thing happen to me on KB the other day.  One of my readers thought enough of my 837 year old monk to make a screen saver thread over in the Kindle Boards Photo Gallery.  I just wanted to say again how much I appreciate my readers, their comments and their praise.  There are no words to express the joy I experience whenever someone tells me that they are pleasantly surprised by the story, or that they are 'mad' at me because my books are taking up all their free time.  Only another author can understand how important it is to hear from readers and if any of you reading this want to talk to me on these boards or on my blogs, please do not hesitate to let me hear from you.  I love, love, love all of you!!!


----------



## Meredith Sinclair

Brendan Carroll said:


> I had the most rewarding, most flattering thing happen to me on KB the other day. One of my readers thought enough of my 837 year old monk to make a screen saver thread over in the Kindle Boards Photo Gallery. I just wanted to say again how much I appreciate my readers, their comments and their praise. There are no words to express the joy I experience whenever someone tells me that they are pleasantly surprised by the story, or that they are 'mad' at me because my books are taking up all their free time. Only another author can understand how important it is to hear from readers and if any of you reading this want to talk to me on these boards or on my blogs, please do not hesitate to let me hear from you. I love, love, love all of you!!!


Saw your latest review Brendan... YAY! another 5 STARS!


----------



## sjc

Oh Yay!!!  So exciting.  I totally get it.  So rewarding to have your work acknowledged.  Congrats.


----------



## Brenda Carroll

sjc said:


> Oh Yay!!! So exciting. I totally get it. So rewarding to have your work acknowledged. Congrats.


Thank you, Miss SJC. It is the greatest feeling in the world.



Meredith Sinclair said:


> Saw your latest review Brendan... YAY! another 5 STARS!


Won't you come home, Miss Merry? Won't you come home? You're gone the whole week long! I'll do the dishes, baby, I'll pay the rent. If you would please come home! Or something like that. Where the heck are you? I mean surely Mickey Mouse has had you long enough? Eh?


----------



## mamiller

I'll second that.    Please Miss Merry, come home.  
Brendan has written six more books while you were gone!!!


----------



## Lynn McNamee

_The Knight of Death _ is featured in my blog this evening!

Thanks, Brendan, for participating by giving me your comments!


----------



## Brenda Carroll

Then I subscribed to the blog just in time.  Well, I'll be checking it out very shortly.  Thanks in advance for giving me 7 Stars!!  LOL.  Just kidding everyone... right?


----------



## Meredith Sinclair

Brendan Carroll said:


> Thank you, Miss SJC. It is the greatest feeling in the world.
> Won't you come home, Miss Merry? Won't you come home? You're gone the whole week long! I'll do the dishes, baby, I'll pay the rent. If you would please come home! Or something like that. Where the heck are you? I mean surely Mickey Mouse has had you long enough? Eh?


I'm HOME!!!! 


mamiller said:


> I'll second that. Please Miss Merry, come home.
> Brendan has written six more books while you were gone!!!


I am home my friend... tired exhausted, but HOME!


----------



## Brenda Carroll

Meredith Sinclair said:


> I'm HOME!!!!
> I am home my friend... tired exhausted, but HOME!


Well, it's about


Spoiler



damned


 time! We were all worried that you had been trapped in one of those Disney rides forever and ever and ever....


----------



## Brenda Carroll

I would like to express my gratitude to all those readers who have purchased the Red Cross of Gold I:. the Knight of Death over the past four months and especially those who have gone on to purchase successive copies of the continuing saga.  I have been both surprised and delighted by the responses, comments and encouragement I have received since becoming an active member of the Kindle Boards.  Thank you so much!

Here's an excerpt from The Silver Caduceus (Book VII):

“Carry me, Uncle Louis,” she said and stopped in her tracks.  “I’m tired.”

“Come on, girl!”  He picked her up as if she were nothing more than the doll she carried.  “Won’t you let Uncle Louis know what you were making such a fuss about back there?”

“I didn’t want my baby to suffer,” she explained and wrapped one arm around his big neck, laying her head on his shoulder.  “I didn’t want her to have nightmares like I did.”

“Do you have nightmares, Orri?” he asked her.

“Not any more.”  She raised her head to frown very close to his eyes.  “Not since I was born.”

Louis glanced over her head at Michele and she rolled her eyes at him.  The look of total bewilderment on her face belied her fears about the girl as well.


----------



## vikingwarrior22

Good morning, laddie.  Haven't been on in a while.  been busy but still reading. Working on the end of book VII and going to buy books VIII & IX.  Got to find out what happens next.  Keep it coming.  The kids are scary.  I want to know who their mother is.  They remind me of my nephews.  Ha! Ha! Have a good week. vw


----------



## Brenda Carroll

Heeey, Buddy.  Where ya been?  Yeah, kids do get kind of scary sometimes... especially when their mom might be not quite human, eh?


----------



## Brenda Carroll

Since the Knight of Death is supposed to be immortal, why, in Book III, the Head of the Crow, would he suddenly come down with a common ailment? You can rest assured that though it might be an ailment, it's certainly not common:

Mark only moaned and turned back on his side.

"It is only a kidney stone," the Healer spoke to the back of his head. "It will pass."

"Is that the good news or the bad?" Came the muffled question.

"Both." Simon grimaced and looked at Major, shuddering involuntarily. Major shook his head. "You must be strong, Brother. I have seen you in worse condition."

"I doubt it." Another moan and a stifled, choked noise. "What will happen?"

"It is difficult to say." Simon did not know whether to tell him the truth or just let it be. "It could pass quickly or it could take some time."

"The pain has moved," a raspy observation made through gritted teeth.

"It has passed from the kidney to the bladder," Simon nodded.

"When you say 'passed', you mean... it&#8230; the stone has... passed?" Another shudder and a groan.

"I mean that there is only one way out for it," Simon admitted and cringed again at the thought. "You know that."

"I was hoping memory had failed me... again." A pause and a sigh. "Could you perhaps cut it out? I think it would be less painful. Or could you perhaps take my head. That might be less irksome."

"I don't think so, Brother."


----------



## Meredith Sinclair

Brendan Carroll said:


> Since the Knight of Death is supposed to be immortal, why, in Book III, the Head of the Crow, would he suddenly come down with a common ailment? You can rest assured that though it might be an ailment, it's certainly not common:
> 
> Mark only moaned and turned back on his side.
> 
> "It is only a kidney stone," the Healer spoke to the back of his head. "It will pass."
> 
> "Is that the good news or the bad?" Came the muffled question.
> 
> "Both." Simon grimaced and looked at Major, shuddering involuntarily. Major shook his head. "You must be strong, Brother. I have seen you in worse condition."
> 
> "I doubt it." Another moan and a stifled, choked noise. "What will happen?"
> 
> "It is difficult to say." Simon did not know whether to tell him the truth or just let it be. "It could pass quickly or it could take some time."
> 
> "The pain has moved," a raspy observation made through gritted teeth.
> 
> "It has passed from the kidney to the bladder," Simon nodded.
> 
> "When you say 'passed', you mean... it&#8230; the stone has... passed?" Another shudder and a groan.
> 
> "I mean that there is only one way out for it," Simon admitted and cringed again at the thought. "You know that."
> 
> "I was hoping memory had failed me... again." A pause and a sigh. "Could you perhaps cut it out? I think it would be less painful. Or could you perhaps take my head. That might be less irksome."
> 
> "I don't think so, Brother."


Oooooooooh!!!! Pick meeeee! I know the answer!


----------



## Meredith Sinclair

Meredith Sinclair said:


> Oooooooooh!!!! Pick meeeee! I know the answer!


Hmph! *hands on hips, tapping foot* why you no pick me?


----------



## Brenda Carroll

Meredith Sinclair said:


> Hmph! *hands on hips, tapping foot* why you no pick me?


OK, so how could he have a disease if he is immortal, Miss Merry?  Now remember, don't give away all my secrets....


----------



## Meredith Sinclair

Brendan Carroll said:


> OK, so how could he have a disease if he is immortal, Miss Merry?  Now remember, don't give away all my secrets....


  Well, if ya put it _that_ way... I can't give you the answer... silly me...  I would *never* give away Mark's secrets... I LOVE him!


----------



## mamiller

Brendan Carroll said:


> OK, so how could he have a disease if he is immortal, Miss Merry?  Now remember, don't give away all my secrets....


Because everyman becomes vulnerable when a woman is involved 

hahaha...no, it's never that simple with Mark Andrew Ramsay.


----------



## Meredith Sinclair

mamiller said:


> Because everyman becomes vulnerable when a woman is involved
> 
> hahaha...no, it's never that simple with Mark Andrew Ramsay.


The company of women is a dangerous thing...!


----------



## vikingwarrior22

Mr. Carroll "the company of women _is_ a dangerous thing...unless you of course fail to use the appropriate safety gear...  vw


----------



## Brenda Carroll

vikingwarrior22 said:


> Mr. Carroll "the company of women _is_ a dangerous thing...unless you of course fail to use the appropriate safety gear...  vw


That certainly is a good rule to remember, but then we tough guys like dangerous things, right? Safety gear might be a good idea, but Mark's chain mail and helmet didn't protect him either.


----------



## vikingwarrior22

I USE PROPER SAFTY GEAR AN SUCH HOWEVER I USE BRUTE FORCE WHEN NEEDED...VW


----------



## Meredith Sinclair

vikingwarrior22 said:


> I USE PROPER SAFTY GEAR AN SUCH HOWEVER I USE BRUTE FORCE WHEN NEEDED...VW


You are sounding


Spoiler



SEXIER


 everyday VW!  Where have ya been? I have missed that TWANG!


----------



## vikingwarrior22

JUST HANGING  ROUND  VW


----------



## Brenda Carroll

Miss Maureen Miller reminded me of something in her post.  I do have several of my works published on Smashwords and am currently working on adding more, but having trouble with formatting.  So if you don't yet have a Kindle, you can download a PDF or another form from that website.  Thanks to all. Sincerely, Brendan


----------



## mamiller

Yeay me!    I was helpful in some remote aspect.


----------



## Brenda Carroll

Here we have a blurb from _The Red Cross of Gold X:. Genesis 6:5_. Konrad, Jr. and his friend are having a friendly chat about immortality:

"How else would I know? I killed myself and here I am, none the worse for wear," the slender boy held out his arms for inspection.

"Konrad!" Ernst gasped and stood up, backing away from him. "You have lost your


Spoiler



fucking


 mind."

"Oh, no I haven't," Konrad stood up and stretched his arms over his head. "I'll prove it to you. You name the method and I'll do it. Anything but


Spoiler



decapitation


 or a


Spoiler



broken neck


 or something like being lost at the bottom of the sea."

"No!" Ernst objected and his blue eyes widened in fear. "I'm not


Spoiler



fucking


 around like that, Konrad. No."

"Why not? Are you afraid?" Konrad narrowed his eyes at his companion and smiled wickedly. "I'll tell you what! You kill me. That would be a twist, wouldn't it? Haven't you ever wanted to


Spoiler



kill


 someone, Ernie?"

"Konrad," Ernst's voice took on a pleading tone as he continued to back away until Konrad rushed to take him by the collar.

The taller boy pulled a wicked, double-edged dagger from his pocket and pressed it against the smaller boy's neck.

"I'll make a deal with you. You kill me or I'll kill you," Konrad said as he pressed the knife a bit and blood ran from the shallow cut.

"Stop it!" Ernst shouted at him. "Stop it! All right! Let me think!"

Konrad let go of the boy and went back to the computer. He leaned down again to look closely at the Knight of Death, who still stood gazing out over the sea. "I'll get back to you, old friend."


----------



## Brenda Carroll

This excerpt is from _the Skull of Sidon _, Book XIV of _the Red Cross of Gold_ Series where Mark Andrew has run into a bit of trouble... as usual. His venerable brothers are making ready to burn him at the stake.

The Knight bowed his head slightly and walked toward the tables. He sat down on one of the benches and looked directly at Merry. She could not tear her eyes away from his deep blue gaze and wondered if he was trying to convey some invisible message to her.

"Christopher. Bring us some wine, boy," Luke said over his shoulder. "Me throat is parched."

Christopher looked at the Knight incredulously and then went to do his bidding.

"Let's sit down," Corrigan told Merry in a low voice. "Just be quiet and don't answer or ask any questions. The Master will sort it out."

Merry nodded and finally looked away from the Knight of the Orient. She drew a ragged breath and went to sit near Luke, facing the hearth. He smiled crookedly at her when she sat down and she thought he looked almost boyish and was quite sure his eyes were full of mischief even as they waited out the tense situation. She could not keep her eyes off Mark Andrew. His chin hung on his chest again and he had to be in a great deal of pain. She could see the dried blood on him, along with soot and ashes and the terrible, dark gash on his stomach where the sword had penetrated his flesh just above the green dragon's claws. He seemed to be asleep or unconscious.

"What about him? Will he be all right?" She asked Luke in a low whisper.

"Dunna warry aboot 'im, lassie. 'e's seen much warse," he answered in a matching whisper.

"He doesn't look very good," she countered and then raised her voice a bit. "Can't you let him go? Surely he can't hurt you now? He's half-dead for pity's sake."

The Knight of Swords looked at her disdainfully and then turned his head away, crossing himself and muttering something about witches and warlocks in French.

"'e's stronger than 'e looks," Luke assured her.


----------



## Brenda Carroll

_The Red Cross of Gold:. The Knight of Death_ is still available for less than two bucks. Hoping to get the _The Red Cross of Gold XVI:. Omar_, the Prophet out by the end of the month if my trusty editor, Miss Agnes Broomhilde, will get out of her rut and get busy, it will be a fait acompli (misspelled, of course).

Here's a little bitty bit of dialogue from Book XVI:

"No," Luke shook his head. "That can't be true, brother," Luke's brogue had faded. "I may not be the grand historian you are, but I remember enough of my history to know that King Arthur's son was Mordred, who stood against him. They killed each other!"

"Aye, that's true enough, but history does not necessarily have to repeat itself. Mordred was raised by a sorceress. She turned him against Arthur! She did not want Christianity to replace the old ways," Mark Andrew nodded. "We will raise Michael as a Christian!"

"You forget who is raising him, Brother. Is not your woman a sorceress in her own right? A descendent of a long line of them?"

"Yes, but Meredith is not Morgana," Mark Andrew objected and went back to look at the circle. Luke followed after him reluctantly. "Meredith is a Christian.

The Red Cross of [URL=Gold:]Gold:. the Knight of Death[/url]


----------



## vikingwarrior22

Brendan Carroll said:


> _The Red Cross of Gold:. The Knight of Death_ is still available for less than two bucks. Hoping to get the _The Red Cross of Gold XVI:. Omar_, the Prophet out by the end of the month if my trusty editor, Miss Agnes Broomhilde, will get out of her rut and get busy, it will be a fait acompli (misspelled, of course).
> 
> Here's a little bitty bit of dialogue from Book XVI:
> 
> "No," Luke shook his head. "That can't be true, brother," Luke's brogue had faded. "I may not be the grand historian you are, but I remember enough of my history to know that King Arthur's son was Mordred, who stood against him. They killed each other!"
> 
> "Aye, that's true enough, but history does not necessarily have to repeat itself. Mordred was raised by a sorceress. She turned him against Arthur! She did not want Christianity to replace the old ways," Mark Andrew nodded. "We will raise Michael as a Christian!"
> 
> "You forget who is raising him, Brother. Is not your woman a sorceress in her own right? A descendent of a long line of them?"
> 
> "Yes, but Meredith is not Morgana," Mark Andrew objected and went back to look at the circle. Luke followed after him reluctantly. "Meredith is a Christian.
> 
> The Red Cross of [URL=Gold:]Gold:. the Knight of Death[/url]


fer goodness sake laddie get with the program... we need the book


----------



## Brenda Carroll

This excerpt is from The Red Cross of Gold XV:. My Hope is in God. Mark Ramsay's brother is practicing his magick on the roof of the keep and having a bit of fun with Merry in the process.

"Come unto me and never quit me whithersoever I shall go," he said the final words and Merry gasped. He had simply disappeared before her eyes.

She looked about quickly to see if he had merely tricked her.

"It's working," she said in a loud stage whisper. "I can't see you."

Luke smiled and looked down at himself. He could still see himself quite well, but the rest of the world had taken on a strange orangish hue as if bathed in a false twilight. He got up quietly and moved out of the circle away from her.

"Luke?" She looked about and waited for something to happen.

He moved around behind her and got down on his knees. She continued to move her head from side to side, brushing her hair from her face.

"Luke?" She called a bit more loudly. He pressed his lips to the back of her neck and she froze before turning awkwardly to look behind her. "Luke Matthew Ramsay. You had better talk to me." Her face took on a frightened look.

He put one hand on her face and she froze again. She reached up slowly to take hold of his wrist. She could not see him, but she could feel him.

"Luke!" She said in a very low voice that wavered slightly. "That had better be you."

He put his other hand on her face and leaned forward to kiss her. She blinked in surprise and then relaxed a bit, long enough to return the kiss to her invisible lover. Lightning struck the iron rod atop the old tower and she jumped.


----------



## Meredith Sinclair

Brendan Carroll said:


> This excerpt is from The Red Cross of Gold XV:. My Hope is in God. Mark Ramsay's brother is practicing his magick on the roof of the keep and having a bit of fun with Merry in the process.
> 
> "Come unto me and never quit me whithersoever I shall go," he said the final words and Merry gasped. He had simply disappeared before her eyes.
> 
> She looked about quickly to see if he had merely tricked her.
> 
> "It's working," she said in a loud stage whisper. "I can't see you."
> 
> Luke smiled and looked down at himself. He could still see himself quite well, but the rest of the world had taken on a strange orangish hue as if bathed in a false twilight. He got up quietly and moved out of the circle away from her.
> 
> "Luke?" She looked about and waited for something to happen.
> 
> He moved around behind her and got down on his knees. She continued to move her head from side to side, brushing her hair from her face.
> 
> "Luke?" She called a bit more loudly. He pressed his lips to the back of her neck and she froze before turning awkwardly to look behind her. "Luke Matthew Ramsay. You had better talk to me." Her face took on a frightened look.
> 
> He put one hand on her face and she froze again. She reached up slowly to take hold of his wrist. She could not see him, but she could feel him.
> 
> "Luke!" She said in a very low voice that wavered slightly. "That had better be you."
> 
> He put his other hand on her face and leaned forward to kiss her. She blinked in surprise and then relaxed a bit, long enough to return the kiss to her invisible lover. Lightning struck the iron rod atop the old tower and she jumped.


OH! I LOVED that scene... I am sooo in love with Luke!


----------



## vikingwarrior22

Brendan your scene settings are so vivid and real... and I am* so * jealous of Luke and his "Brothers" and their ways they have with women...


----------



## Meredith Sinclair

vikingwarrior22 said:


> Brendan your scene settings are so vivid and real... and I am* so * jealous of Luke and his "Brothers" and their ways they have with women...


Of course you are VW... It would be nice to slip into their shoes huh?I KNOW... 'Cause *I* get to be with a LOT of *knights*...


Spoiler



not just Mark...er... Lucio... er... Simon...Uhm... Luke! 


 Mmmmmm... and I even have a... well, I don't want to give anything away... but the ones reading the books know about Merry uhm, Meredith...er...


----------



## vikingwarrior22

tip of the helmet to ye lassie...nice play of wards as it were (shoes)


Spoiler



only if I wear my raincoat,I like to keep my fire engine clean...


----------



## Brenda Carroll

Speaking of clean, let us keep our minds and our windows clean, clean, squeaky, squeaky.... did I say squeaky?... clean. Here's another excerpt for your reading pleasure. Here we have a meeting between Omar, Lucio and Simon regarding Omar's plans for the world in the up-coming Book in the series: Omar, the Prophet.

_"Power! You speak of socialism, even perhaps communism? Only those in power have real wealth in such a society. You are young, Omar. I have seen these things in action and they are not nearly so lofty as they sound," Lucio said tiredly. "I have heard this all before."
"I have studied the teachings of all this world's major religions and have come to the conclusion that they are all espousing basically the same precepts." Omar ignored his remarks. "Love. Love for the Creator. Love for one another and love for oneself. We all came from the same place and we are all trying to get back there. I would merely want to lead the way to Paradise. I would want only to guide men to their ultimate destiny."
"Destiny!" Lucio picked up on another word.
"It is the destiny of mankind to become one with God. God made us because He wanted someone with whom He could discourse, someone with whom He could associate, someone with whom He could share the wealth of the Universe."
"Wealth!" Lucio nodded.
"He made us in His image and He imbued us with Godlike attributes." Omar's eyes flickered briefly.
"Godlike." Lucio nodded again.
"God lives within each and every one of us. Within each and every one of us lies the basic instinct to achieve greatness, to rise above."
"Greatness." Lucio continued to nod.
"To rise above the animalistic behaviors rampant amongst us and about us. To improve ourselves, to aspire to loftier purposes. Anyone could have done what I have done. I have done nothing more than what you or Mr. d'Ornan could have done. God has given us the ability to succeed, to conquer our baser instincts."
"Conquer." Lucio glanced at Simon_


----------



## Brenda Carroll

_The Red Cross of Gold IX:. __ the Queen of the Abyss  _ is now available in eformats at Smashwords and will soon be available in paperback from Amazon Createspace. I hope to have installment number 16: _Omar, the Prophet_ ready for Kindle by Valentine's Day.
Here is an excerpt from _The Red Cross of Gold II:._  *The King of Terrors*. The Chevalier du Serpent is trying to talk some sense into the Chevalier du Morte's head after he has just successfully convinced the Council to change the Primitive Rule of Order.

"You are what? Thirty-six? Thirty-six plus eight hundred or so? You will be thirty-six next year and the year after and the year after," Simon continued, driving home his point in time with the pounding in Mark's head.

"Basta!" Mark told him. He could see where the conversation was going without the nagging. Anger gripped him suddenly. "It is none of your concern, Brother."

"He teareth himself in his anger: shall the earth be forsaken for thee? And shall the rock be removed out of his place? What you accomplished today was nothing less than a small miracle," Simon's voice took on a more forceful tone. "What you say is not true, Brother. Whatever affects you, affects me. I am your Brother, whether you like it or not. You would exchange your peace of mind for a few short years with this woman and then she will be old. Too old for you to call wife. Will she then become your mother? Your grandmother?"

"I have no peace of mind to trade for anything," Ramsay objected. "I have never had peace of mind, Brother. I will never have it. The Order has already cheated me out of seven years with her."
"Have you remained in contact with her?" Simon took a new tack.

"No. Yes&#8230; not exactly," Mark conceded. He had dreamed of her&#8230; often.
"How do you know she would have you?"

Simon asked the same question that Mark had often asked himself.

"She has not married," he told him flatly. "I would know."

"And what does that mean, Brother?" Simon glanced at him briefly.

Mark Andrew did not answer at first. He felt didn't know why he knew. He just knew. And he was becoming angry with the Healer for asking these questions.

"I don't know how I know," he answered truthfully. "I just know."

"You have accomplished something today that I never thought would happen. Never in a thousand years&#8230; a million years. And, in the process, you and Lucio have made some people very unhappy."

"How so? A man would have to be happy before he would recognize unhappy," Mark told him in all sincerity.


----------



## vikingwarrior22

Will be watching Lad fer sure...


----------



## vikingwarrior22

So Mark is old in age but hes been rebooted so many times that he shows no signs of age (I have some good friends that are up in age,above 40,that use only the number 2 on their b-day cakes,it was was one of their candles off of one of their kids b-day cakes) note,there is no law about what age one must quit falling into and out of love...


----------



## Brenda Carroll

vikingwarrior22 said:


> So Mark is old in age but hes been rebooted so many times that he shows no signs of age (I have some good friends that are up in age,above 40,that use only the number 2 on their b-day cakes,it was was one of their candles off of one or their kids b-day cakes) note,theres no law about what age one must quit falling into and out of love...


I have found that love is just as giggly at eight as it is at eighty or even eight hundred. After the first hundred years, you stop worrying about time so much.


----------



## mamiller

I'm still devastated that VW thinks 40 is _'up there in age'_  oh woooo-eeees me.


----------



## Brenda Carroll

mamiller said:


> I'm still devastated that VW thinks 40 is _'up there in age'_  oh woooo-eeees me.


Serious note from un-serious fellow: I think it is a crying shame that just when we finally get some character, some wisdom and some sage knowledge in our experiences and know enough to enjoy life for what it is truly worth, we begin our downhill slide into old age and oblivion. Some of us slide faster than others. I think that is why my characters are immortal. They don't have to deal with it, but can use what they've amassed and show what it could mean if we could be add a few productive years to our lifespan without worrying about joint aches and loss of hair. Life is not fair when it comes to this and on this point alone, I question the wisdom of our creator or perhaps this is the wisdom of the creator and the explanation of the fable of the Tower of Babel. It was not language, but aging that throws us down and we must start all over again. A sad note, but Miss Miller do not dispair. I justify my life thus: _ As long as Mick Jagger is ten years older than me and still rocking, there's hope for me._


----------



## vikingwarrior22

mamiller said:


> I'm still devastated that VW thinks 40 is _'up there in age'_  oh woooo-eeees me.


My words of sorrow about what I typed go out to you let me know if I need to type louder mamiller cause even as I type my crews getting older an we have burned so many... far too many boats losing crew due to trips down the Amazon thats it painful (blisters on my hands) to "us"...


----------



## mamiller

No worries, Sir W.  I have not yet reached the ripe age of my Ukranian great-grandmother, so I still consider myself a mere pup.  My people live long lives.  Remember those yogurt commercials


----------



## vikingwarrior22

I saw your photo wow great genes...I am 55 an I know that i am past older than older mud... So I  am not gonna allow you to get on our longboat...  you might cause tribble lassie


----------



## Brenda Carroll

Omar, the Prophet







the sixteenth adventure in the life of the 837 year-old-monk, who has had quite a few birthdays is now available on Kindle. The Chevalier Mark Andrew Ramsay, now the Grand Master of the Order is no longer a child of 837, but has aged a little as he sets out on this latest misadventure at the ripe old age of approximately 903 or is it 904? But who's counting?


----------



## mamiller

Brendan Carroll said:


> Omar, the Prophet
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> the sixteenth adventure in the life of the 837 year-old-monk, who has had quite a few birthdays is now available on Kindle. The Chevalier Mark Andrew Ramsay, now the Grand Master of the Order is no longer a child of 837, but has aged a little as he sets out on this latest misadventure at the ripe old age of approximately 903 or is it 904? But who's counting?


I've had those days where it's questionable whether I'm 903 or 904 years old. Actually, we're waiting for the carbon dating test results to come back before I divulge my age.


----------



## vikingwarrior22

Brendan Carroll said:


> Omar, the Prophet
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> the sixteenth adventure in the life of the 837 year-old-monk, who has had quite a few birthdays is now available on Kindle. The Chevalier Mark Andrew Ramsay, now the Grand Master of the Order is no longer a child of 837, but has aged a little as he sets out on this latest misadventure at the ripe old age of approximately 903 or is it 904? But who's counting?


And this book is a stand alone book like all the others, yet each book has been fun to read just to see if the characters have done away with each other or "helped each other as it were"... about a 1/4 way through it and enjoying it and already wanting a dozen more...thanks Brendan


----------



## Brenda Carroll

mamiller said:


> I've had those days where it's questionable whether I'm 903 or 904 years old. Actually, we're waiting for the carbon dating test results to come back before I divulge my age.


Did you get those test results back yet, Miss Miller? Mine came yesterday and I learned that my DNA has degraded. Dr. Zawi Hawass believes that I might be from the Golden Age of Tutankhamun and I like the idea of having my birth associated with the Amanara Age since they only had to remember the one god's name: Aten. I tend to get confused with pantheons and end up sending the wrong sacrifices to the wrong gods and getting cursed and such. I mean how am I supposed to remember all those names? I thought I was calling upon the Crocodile god once to eat my enemy's boat during a bass fishing contest and accidentally set my RV on fire when Thor answered me with a lightning bolt. Not good!


----------



## mamiller

You know you're having a bad day when Thor hits your RV with a lightning bolt.  But gosh, he's got a great hat.  

That was truly a quote from work several years back.  Someone said, "We don't know how old Mo is.  The carbon dating tests haven't come back yet."  hahaha  I do believe a fossilized lock of my hair is in the Smithsonian, mistaken for the hide of a wooly mammoth.


----------



## Meredith Sinclair

mamiller said:


> That was truly a quote from work several years back. Someone said, "We don't know how old Mo is. The carbon dating tests haven't come back yet." hahaha I do believe a fossilized lock of my hair is in the Smithsonian, mistaken for the hide of a wooly mammoth.


----------



## Brenda Carroll

Paperback version of The Red Cross of Gold IX:. the Queen of the Abyss is now available at the following link:

 [URL=https://www.createspace]https://www.createspace.com/3432840[/url]

The book has a new look/new cover.


----------



## vikingwarrior22

mamiller said:


> You know you're having a bad day when Thor hits your RV with a lightning bolt. But gosh, he's got a great hat.
> 
> That was truly a quote from work several years back. Someone said, "We don't know how old Mo is. The carbon dating tests haven't come back yet." hahaha I do believe a fossilized lock of my hair is in the Smithsonian, mistaken for the hide of a wooly mammoth.


Ahhh so he does all Vikings (me n the crew) wear funny hats not the party kind per sae but we are always available for a party with or without our hats (helmets as they are)...just last year at our local museum when they did a dna test of a lock of hair, they found it to be from Stinkenpantmon's Granpapa Noahhaironaheid... as a foot note, Stinky says according to his Granpa they must have got the hair from his Grannpapa's armpit... whats that got to do with little


Spoiler



nakid


 swedish people...


----------



## vikingwarrior22

Brendan Carroll said:


> Paperback version of The Red Cross of Gold IX:. the Queen of the Abyss is now available at the following link:
> 
> [URL=https://www.createspace]https://www.createspace.com/3432840[/url]
> 
> The book has a new look/new cover.


Just look at my bookshelf grow ...another great one Brendan


----------



## mamiller

vikingwarrior22 said:


> Ahhh so he does all Vikings (me n the crew) wear funny hats not the party kind per sae but we are always available for a party with or without our hats (helmets as they are)...just last year at our local museum when they did a dna test of a lock of hair, they found it to be from Stinkenpantmon's Granpapa Noahhaironaheid...


ahhhhhhh...helmets! That's what they be callin them. I would much rather be a descendant of a wooly mammoth than Grandpa Stinkypants! 

Mr. Brendan (yes, this is your thread , but the Vee-master is always making me laugh), I _*love*_ the new cover!!!


----------



## vikingwarrior22

*GO MARK! GO MARK!* may all of enemies grow feble as old fish monger wives...I am glad that he uses that slogan of "kill them all and let God sort them out!"...


----------



## mamiller

You never know when the penguin might strike!!!










Who would win this battle, Mark Andrew or this scary guy


----------



## Brenda Carroll

mamiller said:


> You never know when the penguin might strike!!!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Who would win this battle, Mark Andrew or this scary guy


Why, Miss Miller... would Sir Ramsay be fighting one of his own Brothers? They would stand back to back and fight their common foes on the battlefield until all the enemy were slain and the Templar beausant raised high in Glory and then Brother Penguin would cry "Errk! Errk!" which Mark would immediate translate to mean "It has been an honor to stand with you in battle on this greensward now o'er covered in the


Spoiler



blood


 of the great enemy who has been bested by our swords and our grim determination! Let us sally forth and see what loot might lay within the ruins of yon castle!"


----------



## vikingwarrior22

Brendan are you an mamiller and them "punkgien" fellas nah be thinkin of pillgin my way 're ye!


----------



## mamiller

Nothing worse than a troop of pillagin' penguins, I always say.









Brendan, I promise I'll stop!


----------



## Brenda Carroll

mamiller said:


> Nothing worse than a troop of pillagin' penguins, I always say.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Brendan, I promise I'll stop!


No! No! Don't! Don't stop, Miss Miller! I like your pengins they are very entertaining and you are keeping them a secret from all of us. Where, oh where, do you find them?


----------



## mamiller

The Antarctic!


----------



## Brenda Carroll

Indeed, I do believe you do.  I saw a picture of your 'special friend' that you went to Antarctica with on your Blogspot today.   I've never seen such a sight in all me born days!  I recognize Antarctica because it was the featured continent in H.P. Lovecraft's "At the Mountains of Madness".  A horror story deluxe, if there ever was one.  It scared me so bad that I cancelled my Antarctic vacation for next year!!


----------



## vikingwarrior22

me an thee crew were just at a place named annearttick off of Fufufroseenlogg picking up whale oil to light our boats lamps so we could see our dancing penguins shows


----------



## Brenda Carroll

*The Red Cross of Gold* series is a sort of new twist on some old, but very interesting subjects, including immortality, the Philosopher's Stone, Templar Knights, the Holy Grail, Rosslyn Chapel, the crusades and all those magickal, mythical and mystical things.

The main character is one of twelve Council members for the internal circle of the secret Templar Order that has survived the crusades, the Inquisition and banishment over the centuries. They are the ones who know where everything is hidden. The Chevalier Ramsay is a hair-triggered Scotsman from the lowlands who ran away from home back in... oh, about 1180 AD (pardon the use of an old term. I prefer Anno Domine to Common Era because I believe that there is absolutely nothing common about our current era).

Anyway, Mark Ramsay, is called to serve in one of his mystical capacities as Assassin for the Order and sent off to America (known as Merica to those in the know) to fetch back the Grand Master's apprentice who has decided to leave the Order and take up with a rival order. Our fellows, being both ancient and arrogant have little regard for this silly modern order of pretenders and vastly underestimate their high priestess's motivations, means and madness.

He falls prey to her immediately and loses his memory temporarily after a close encounter with her body guard. While under the influence of a debilitating drug, he forgets who he is and what he's doing in America in the first place. One of his captor's, the leading lady as it turns out, has things on her mind other than the secrets of the philosopher's stone and immortality. After a while, he finds himself falling in love only to learn that he is actually 837 years old and supposed to be a celibate monk.

Eventually his Brothers of the Order come after him, thinking him to be a deserter as well. The action heats up as he has to fight his captors and his own Brothers for his life. There's lots of action, love and blood. The best combination for a good yarn. Happy reading.

Currently, there are sixteen of the books in the series available on Kindle, nine on Smashwords and ten in paperback form (DTB). Questions, comments and banter is welcome both here and on my blogs. None of my works cost more than $2.99.


----------



## mamiller

Brendan Carroll said:


> *The Red Cross of Gold* series is a sort of new twist on some old, but very interesting subjects, including immortality, the Philosopher's Stone, Templar Knights, the Holy Grail, Rosslyn Chapel, the crusades and all those magickal, mythical and mystical things.


"Magical, mythical and mystical"....thank God I have my teeth or my monitor would need windshield wipers.


----------



## Brenda Carroll

I'm thinking of writing a prequel to The Red Cross of Gold I:. The Knight of Death and would like opinions on a cover image for the book. It will begin when both Chevalier Ramsay and Meredith are a bit younger. Here's my first choice:


----------



## mamiller

Mark Andrew was much more rugged and dashing...even as a mere lad.










Miss Merry...well she always had something to say.


----------



## Brenda Carroll

Very good selection, Miss Miller and hard to decide, but I have one more image for all to peruse:










This one shows a bit more action, but Meredith is not in the picture... I'm torn...


----------



## Brenda Carroll

Omar Adam Ajax Kadif, the Prophet, Son of Adalune Kadif, the Mighty Djinn. Predicted by Nostradamus?

_The Religion of the name of the seas will win out
Against the sect of the son of "Adaluncatif":
The stubborn, lamented sect will be afraid
Of the two wounded by A and A._ 
Century: 10, Quatrain: 96 Michel de Nostradame

He has taken the world by storm and pursued the Order of the Red Cross of Gold into virtual exile. Is he the answer to everyone's dreams or is he the product of their nightmares. Omar, the Prophet


----------



## Brenda Carroll

RCG X:. Genesis 6:5 and RCG XI:. Ars Arabia are now available on Amazon.com as paperback versions.

Genesis 6:5
http://www.amazon.com/Red-Coss-Gold-Genesis-ebook/dp/B002DYJXN6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&m=AG56TWVU5XWC2&s=books&qid=1271012303&sr=1-1

Ars Arabia
http://www.amazon.com/Red-Cross-Gold-XI-Chronicles/dp/1451540949/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1271012147&sr=1-2


----------



## Meredith Sinclair

Glad to see the story continues Mr. Brendan... I feel like I have deserted all of my friends on here lately... I really have not been around much since Spring Break Meet Up in Dallas...


----------



## Brenda Carroll

You should not keep us in suspense, Miss Meredith.  I read all about the meet and then suddenly you disappeared.  I thought maybe a giant pteradactyl had abducted you on your way home...


----------



## mamiller

Brendan Carroll said:


> You should not keep us in suspense, Miss Meredith. I read all about the meet and then suddenly you disappeared. I thought maybe a giant pteradactyl had abducted you on your way home...


You jest! It _could_ happen!


----------



## Brenda Carroll

Here is a short excerpt from Book XI:. Ars Arabia of the The Red Cross of Gold, Assassin Chronicles







series. The Chevalier Ramsay is having a bit of trouble with none other than God, Himself, when the Knight decides that he has committed a sin that is not only unconfessable, but unforgiveable.

_Mark Andrew stood at the foot of steep incline covered with small, scraggly brushes and tumbled downed boulders. The hot desert breeze tugged at his clothes and hair and blew grit in his face. Up on the side of the hill he could see a pile of rocks that was not a natural formation. He carried a bundle of firewood on his back and under his arm was a snow white lamb. His sacrifice. His burnt offering. He recognized the holy ground where Abraham had offered up Isaac to God. He would make his offering and cleanse himself of this terrible sin. He started climbing the hill and the smaller rocks and debris slipped from under his feet, making his progress slow and painful. It seemed the harder he tried, the further he got from the altar. Soon there were large boulders tumbling down behind him and on both sides. He could still see the altar, but it was much farther away than it had been before. The lamb under his arm began to bleat in panic as his boots slipped in the loose soil.

"No!" He shouted as he fell to one knee and began to slide backwards. He clung to the ground in front of him and looked back and down the side of the hill behind him. A great, yawning pit of total blackness had opened up at the foot of the hill. He could hear terrible voices calling to him from the Abyss.

"Knight of Death! Prince of the Grave! Blasphemer!


Spoiler



Fornicator!


 Murderer!" The names were terrible. The sin unforgivable. His sin was too great. God had turned his back on him. He was falling into the Abyss. The Queen waited for him. As he skittered helplessly toward the edge of the precipice, he began to scream. "No! No! No!"

A great wind blew his hair in his face and he looked up to see a shimmering form standing over him.

"What doest thou here, Elijah?"

"I have been very jealous for the Lord God of hosts," he heard himself answer the angelic form with a quote from the Old Testament. "For the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away."

The angel drew back his hand and slapped his face._


----------



## vikingwarrior22

Brendan Carroll said:


> Here is a short excerpt from Book XI:. Ars Arabia of the The Red Cross of Gold, Assassin Chronicles
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> series. The Chevalier Ramsay is having a bit of trouble with none other than God, Himself, when the Knight decides that he has committed a sin that is not only unconfessable, but unforgiveable.
> 
> _Mark Andrew stood at the foot of steep incline covered with small, scraggly brushes and tumbled downed boulders. The hot desert breeze tugged at his clothes and hair and blew grit in his face. Up on the side of the hill he could see a pile of rocks that was not a natural formation. He carried a bundle of firewood on his back and under his arm was a snow white lamb. His sacrifice. His burnt offering. He recognized the holy ground where Abraham had offered up Isaac to God. He would make his offering and cleanse himself of this terrible sin. He started climbing the hill and the smaller rocks and debris slipped from under his feet, making his progress slow and painful. It seemed the harder he tried, the further he got from the altar. Soon there were large boulders tumbling down behind him and on both sides. He could still see the altar, but it was much farther away than it had been before. The lamb under his arm began to bleat in panic as his boots slipped in the loose soil.
> 
> "No!" He shouted as he fell to one knee and began to slide backwards. He clung to the ground in front of him and looked back and down the side of the hill behind him. A great, yawning pit of total blackness had opened up at the foot of the hill. He could hear terrible voices calling to him from the Abyss.
> 
> "Knight of Death! Prince of the Grave! Blasphemer!
> 
> 
> Spoiler
> 
> 
> 
> Fornicator!
> 
> 
> Murderer!" The names were terrible. The sin unforgivable. His sin was too great. God had turned his back on him. He was falling into the Abyss. The Queen waited for him. As he skittered helplessly toward the edge of the precipice, he began to scream. "No! No! No!"
> 
> A great wind blew his hair in his face and he looked up to see a shimmering form standing over him.
> 
> "What doest thou here, Elijah?"
> 
> "I have been very jealous for the Lord God of hosts," he heard himself answer the angelic form with a quote from the Old Testament. "For the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away."
> 
> The angel drew back his hand and slapped his face._


Brendan I can see this as well as most of the excerpts as scenes from the movie that they have to make soon...


----------



## Brenda Carroll

Welcome back from Davy Jones' Locker, Mr. Warrior. So how was your adventure in the under _sea world_? (For those of you who do not know Mr. VW, Mrs. VW took him on a vacation to Seaworld and he thought he was actually _in the sea_ what with all the sea creatures and such.) Well, as far as the movie... I wish that "they", whoever "they" are would hurry up and contact me about the screen rights and such before I forget who I am.


----------



## vikingwarrior22

Brendon as far as you forgetting who you are... just take a trip to the post office... you will see your fine black and white photo on the wall... I am waitign for your reward to gain value substantially... two dollars is hardly worth the effort of turning you in


----------



## Brenda Carroll

Hey! I went down to the post office to check it out and I didn't find any pictures of me, but I did find this one. Look familiar?  I think I could use a couple of dollars right about now.


----------



## vikingwarrior22

Thats so wrong...thats my evil twin Vikingwarrior 3,he's an odd fellow he is ...


----------



## mamiller

How do you tip a seal


----------



## vikingwarrior22

whisper in his ear...


----------



## mamiller

vikingwarrior22 said:


> whisper in his ear...


  I got ya. Kind of like, "Here's a_ tip_ for you. Never bet on the ponies."


----------



## Brenda Carroll

I only tip seals 15%; however, I do tip walruses up to 25% if they sing whilst waiting the table.


----------



## mamiller

Excellent cover on this one. I can't help but to be reminded of the mighty pterodactyl.


----------



## Brenda Carroll

Actually, that is also one of my favorite covers.  I chose the purple dragon for Ars Arabia because the Djinni's favorite color is purple and he has a few run-in's with Mark Andrew's nemesis Annoni, the red dragon.  Yep, he accidentally feeds the Queen of the Abyss to her, but it wasn't personal, just an accident.  Of course, he seems to have a habit feeding troublesome women to dragons, but he is trying to reform himself... he truly is.


----------



## Brenda Carroll

Well, _The Red Cross of Gold XVII:. Full Circle_ is in the grist mill at Amazon (without a cover ). It should be out in a day or so for download (without a cover! ) As soon as the mill clears it, I'm going to attempt to upload a cover for it. In the meantime, here's an excerpt from _the Red Cross of Gold I:. The Knight of Death _ for those of you who have not started the series:

_"Now, as I was saying, you've made me very happy," Cecile told Mark as soon as they were gone. She took a seat in the high-backed leather chair and propped her feet on the desk. "No doubt, you have made Merry very happy as well or tried to. I have faith in her, Mr. Ramsay. She knows the importance of the rituals as I'm sure you do as well. Timing. The great sacrifice. The Great Work. The Great Rite. All that. But the original question still remains."

"I don't know anyone named d'Brouchart," he told her, but there was no confidence in his statement. He did remember the man, but that was all. He did not know exactly what d'Brouchart was other than the words 'Grand Master' which held no distinct meaning for him. He certainly did not know where he might be found. She could kill him and it would make no difference. "Just because I did not die from your poison doesn't mean I'm immortal, Lady. It only proves that I am not a rat."

"Is that a pun? You know, I'm beginning to like you," she smiled at him. "I'm surprised to see you still have your sense of humor. You died all right. No pulse. No respiration. Nothing for twelve minutes. And now you sit here as if nothing happened. People don't die for twelve minutes and then just take a breath and wake up all by themselves. Next time, I'll hook you up to an EEG. Do a bit of scientific research on your brain... _


----------



## Brenda Carroll

_The Red Cross of Gold XVII:. Full Circle_ is available at Amazon for less than $3.00. The Order's troubles continue as they continue their existence in exile, but is Omar, the Prophet about to meet his match from an unexpected corner? (Please excuse the lack of a cover image. It will be forthcoming and I have included a picture of how it will look below). Here is an excerpt from the new book:

_"Of course." Lemarik smiled crookedly at him and swayed back and forth slowly like a deadly serpent preparing to strike an unwary victim. "But that would not be fair to you, little brother. Once she has had a taste of my charms, she would not return to you. If Jasmine decides that she is bored with you, then I will take her to see the rings of Saturn."
Luke stormed the Djinni with both fists, using the tankard as a weapon. He swung at the Djinni again and again as Omar ran about them, shouting for him to stop. Mark Andrew folded his arms across his chest and watched this new development with interest. Lemarik led Luke all around the roof, never once catching a blow from the half-drunk man. Luke shouted all sorts of obscenities at the mighty Djinni until they had drawn quite an audience of various creatures capable of hovering in the air. Lemarik played him a bit longer and then picked him up easily and carried him to the edge of the roof.

"Oh, ladies!" He shouted and held Luke out over the edge of the roof by one leg. Luke kicked and grabbed futilely for the edge of the stone. The Glaistig looked up at them expectantly and much of the music and hubbub from below ceased as the faeries stopped to watch this new activity on the roof.

"Father. No! Stop!" Omar rushed to take Luke's side. "He's drunk. You must forgive him."

Lemarik looked back at his son. It seemed to be no effort at all for the Djinni to hold Luke out over the edge of the roof and Luke was not a small fellow. He was not as tall as Omar and he was quite a bit slimmer, but he had to weigh at least as much as Mark Andrew.

"He is impudent and very irreverent," Lemarik told his son blandly. "He must learn to control his words. He is very rude. What is it they say in your world, Adar?" The Djinni glanced at his father. "He can dish it up, but he cannot take it."

Luke's mantel drooped down over his head and arms and his muffled screams could be heard plainly as he pleaded for his life.

"Here you go, my beauties! Take good care of him," Lemarik called down to the Glaistig and let go of Luke's ankle. Omar rushed to the parapets in time to see Luke plummet headlong from the wall to the waiting arms of the faeries. A great howl of laughter and shouts went up to join Luke's scream as he fell.

Mark Andrew turned around and leaned out to see his son land in the midst of the 'women' waiting below. They caught him and righted him quickly. He yanked the mantel from his head and stared up at the roof in disbelief.

The King of the Center shook his head and closed his eyes as the Glaistig began to close in on Luke and new sound filled the air as they began to do what they did best. They particularly liked the blood of human men and Luke was human enough for them.

"You can't leave him down there!" Omar shouted at his father and his grandfather.

"Then ye'd best go down and fetch 'im back," Mark Andrew told him and walked to the other side of the roof where a great wooden chest sat. _

Full Circle


----------



## mamiller

Fantastic cover, Mr. Brendan and it sounds awesome. Mark Andrew is _the man_!


----------



## Brenda Carroll

Thank you for the compliment, Miss Miller.  It's a shame it's not connected to the book yet... I just checked the DTP and the thing hasn't cleared so I can't try to upload it again.  On to other things.


----------



## vikingwarrior22

mamiller said:


> Fantastic cover, Mr. Brendan and it sounds awesome. Mark Andrew is _the man_!


your covers are so good Brendan and thanks for the autographed book cover poster...we placed it in the galley and use it on book read nite and since its a 2 sided frame on the flip side we have a photo of Stevie Nicks we display durin music nite...and as a side note... mamiller you are correct Mark Andrew is a man (the name gives it away )


----------



## GreenThumb

Just got the latest!  Wheeeeee!!!!!


----------



## Brenda Carroll

Thanks, Miss Thumb!  I thought you had given up on me.


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## vikingwarrior22

GreenThumb said:


> Just got the latest! Wheeeeee!!!!!


greenthumb says it pretty well... Wheeeeeee!!!!!! just when you are settled in with the progress of the series, Brendan you change up everyone that you strongly disliked you kinda sorta like them...


----------



## Brenda Carroll

Miss Sheesa Songbird, my editor/fan/critic also complains that just when she gets her hate on for a character, I turn around make her like him/her.  I like to keep the reader guessing.  Who is really, really good and who is really, really bad.  I know that I've got some characters without redeeming qualities, but characters in fiction, like characters in real life normally have some sort of redeeming quality deep down somewhere in their blackhearted little souls.  Glad you liked it, Mr. Warrior, but about those baked beans...   I've forbidden the Djinni from eating beans in the future.


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## vikingwarrior22

I have read this series from book 1 and have decided that you write on the fly and your characters go from good to bad in the stroke of a key...Keeep it up me boye!


----------



## R. M. Reed

Seventeen? I hesitate to even start this series because it will take me the rest of my life to read it. Still, I'm a sucker for the Templars and all their doings. I will try the first one and see how it goes.


----------



## Brenda Carroll

Thank you, Miss Reed, for giving me a chance to hook you on a life-long adventure.  I do hope you enjoy it.  Templars are certainly a well-worn subject.  Sadly, I was writing about them way back before they made the big time in modern fiction and non-fiction.  You can imagine how sad I was to sit on the sidelines and watch everyone in the world write about them while my work sat on the desk/computer collecting dust.  Then along came Amazon Kindle and WOW!! I got my chance.  Thanks again for stopping by.


----------



## HappyGuy

That one click button is just too convenient! One of the things I like about these boards is finding new (to me) authors. This looks really interesting.


----------



## mamiller

Happyguy and R. Reed...you won't be disappointed!!!


----------



## Brenda Carroll

Thanks to HappyGuy for trying out my book and thanks Miss Miller for the words of support. Currently working on getting books _XVIII: Children of the Temple _ and _XIV:. The Skull of Sidon_ in smashwords and print. Be sure and let me know if you have questions or comments.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

With the new Kindle software on the DX, I created a category Carroll, Brendan for all your books, most still in TBR, but maybe this will be like borrowing Betsy's cattle-prod.

Ed Patterson


----------



## Brenda Carroll

Edward C. Patterson said:


> With the new Kindle software on the DX, I created a category Carroll, Brendan for all your books, most still in TBR, but maybe this will be like borrowing Betsy's cattle-prod.
> 
> Ed Patterson


Wow! My own category!! I'm honored, Ed. I just hope it is a category you will visit often and enjoy much and not turn out to be a category that has cobwebs and dust hanging off of it. I checked out one of the DX's (someone else's) and thought it truly a wonder. I liked it and if things work out, I'll have one for Christmas and then I'll return the favor with an Edward C. Patterson category.


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## vikingwarrior22

yes he deserves his on group and you ed are in a super grand class yourself ...


----------



## Brenda Carroll

*Here's a short blurb from The Red  Cross of Gold XVII:. Full Circle. The woodland elves are gearing up for war with the Tuatha da Danaan. Once again, they have taken Sir Ramsay as their king and the fate of the Underworld hangs in the balance as he faces off with a traitorous Brother of the Order. *

_Another pop emanated from the fire, followed by a second streak and then another pop and another streak. The pops began to sound like popcorn exploding as dozens of streaks whizzed into the air. Very soon, there were hundreds perhaps thousands of green orbs circling the fire. They formed braided rings, ziz-zag patterns, smooth circles and looping dances with each other while the trilling became louder as more dryad voices joined the choir.

"What is this?" Mark Andrew leaned to ask Sam.

"New Dryads!" Sam beamed at him. "We have not witnessed such a thing in ages and ages. They are doubling their ranks. They will become our eyes and ears in the forests. And when the enemy rides under the trees, they will pay the price for intruding on our lands."

"Ahhh. So your army is growing, father!" Lemarik said excitedly. "Will there be more elves?"

"Of course," Sam told him. "But these things take time and much magick. Tonight we are busy with the building of the royal castle. Tomorrow night we will see more growth and our allies will multiply. The fifth night will be the night of the Elves. I would hope that you will not want to witness the third night, my King." Sam added in a low voice.

"Whoy not?" Mark Andrew frowned at his diminutive queen.

"The third night will be the night of the wood nymphs and water nymphs. They can be most provocative creatures."_


----------



## OliviaD

Hey, Brendan! So you have the secret of faery multiplication? Is this something that Einstein would know or is it  simply magick?


----------



## vikingwarrior22

fer real lassie... I'd say  he has Einstein beat


----------



## Brenda Carroll

Well, maybe not Einstein, Mr. VW22, but Einstein wasn't an alchemist now, was he? Of course, if Einstein had applied his brain to alchemy, we would all be rolling in gold by now. That's why it is always good to have an alchemist in the family as well as a doctor, a lawyer and a few Indian Chiefs, some Cowboys (Dallas-style) and a plumber or two. 

The Red Cross of Gold XVII:. Full Circle is now available in a variety of eBook formats at Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/18251 including Kindle downloads.

Next up: PAPERBACK version of Book XIV:. The Skull of Sidon coming soon.


----------



## Brenda Carroll

Check out my guest blog at Sarah Hadad's blog: "Lit and Laundry" at: http://litandlaundry.blogspot.com/ Thank you, Sarah.


----------



## R. M. Reed

I sure could use that formula for turning lead into gold. I don't supposed I could borrow the Philospher's Stone for a week or two?


----------



## vikingwarrior22

R. Reed said:


> I sure could use that formula for turning lead into gold. I don't supposed I could borrow the Philospher's Stone for a week or two?


I know I could use the formula...but it would put me a whole nother tax bracket and that would cause me to have to get another job to pay the taxes such a terrible circle...


----------



## Brenda Carroll

The Philosopher's Stone would definitely put the user in a different tax bracket, Mr. VW, but that is why the Order has Sir William Montague looking out for their investments in London.  You would need a good accountant to keep up with your tax shelter and such.  Funny you should mention circles since the name of the book is Full Circle.  You know how it goes:  What goes around comes around.  

I would gladly loan it out for a couple of days, Miss Reed, if I could, but Mark might get upset.


----------



## mamiller

If I had the Philosopher's stone, I could quit the day job....write all the time, and sit and finish reading Mr. Carroll's series in one big power session.  It would be wonderful!!!!


----------



## Brenda Carroll

*The Red Cross of Gold XVII:. Full Circle  * is now available in paperback form at Createspace book store. It is still available in ebook format at the Kindle Store and smashwords.

Createspace Link: https://www.createspace.com/3469360

The entire Order of the Red Cross of Gold finds itself in danger of annihilation as Omar, the Prophet's new world order continues on the path of world domination. Reduced to nothing more than a handful of Knights and a few hundred monks, the Chevalier du Morte has no choice but to flee Scotland and take refuge on St. Patrick's Isle and the Isle of Ramsay where they intend to hold out against the Prophet until the bitter end.
They soon find themselves cut off from the world as Omar's embargoes and blockades prevent free trade and their only connections to the outside world come from smugglers willing to run the blockades trading news and materials for Ramsay Stout. But things are not well in the underworld and soon enough, the Chevalier du Morte finds himself entangled in the affairs of the elves who are under threat of attack from a neighboring kingdom. Mark Andrew must decide whether to stay with the remnants of the Order or come to the rescue of his beloved elves. 
Omar's continued fascination with the crystal skulls and his overconfidence in his own skills causes him to make a mistake that solves Mark's dilemma in a most unexpected turn of events. Reconciliation, retaliation and retribution lead to some very interesting situations.


----------



## vikingwarrior22

"*Reconciliation, retaliation * and *retribution * lead to some very interesting situations" The 3 rrrrrrrrrrrrrrr,s We love them!


----------



## Brenda Carroll

The Red Cross of Gold I:. The Knight of Death is still available for $1.99. This may change on Sep. 1. Here's a small excerpt wherein the slightly deranged Cecile Valentino is trying to convince Meredith that the Knight of Death is not exactly the best fellow to be hanging out with:

_"


Spoiler



Rapist


?" Merry looked at her in surprise. "Why do you call him a


Spoiler



rapist


, Cecile?"
"Because he is," Valentino told her. "Trust me. I know."
"How do you know?" Merry narrowed her eyes. "I suppose you are going to tell me that he


Spoiler



raped


 you, right?"
Cecile's face drained of color and she swallowed hard. Merry had stepped over the line.
"I've read all about them," Cecile answered quietly and it was Merry's turn to back down. She had seen Cecile like this only once or twice and then it had been Gavin who had made her mad. She did not want to completely alienate the woman while she still held Mark's fate in her hands. "It was part of their job. Kill the men?


Spoiler



Rape the women


. Pillage, burn? Demoralize the enemy?"
"I think you have him confused with a Viking," Merry tried to laugh, tried to stem the tide of Cecile's anger. _


----------



## vikingwarrior22

sounds like my ex-sister in law


----------



## Brenda Carroll

Sounds like current sister-in-law... even worse! Still discounted at $1.99 today. Wondering what tomorrow will bring?!!! 

Next week or early the following week, (I have looked in my scrying dish) I will be putting up the nineteenth book in the Assassin Chronicles series. If you haven't started reading the series, now would be a good time before you fall too far behind. The adventure continues in _Book XIX:. How Men Do it_. This may sound like a strange name, but I guarantee you will be pleasantly surprised as to where the name came from.

Happy Reading!!


----------



## mamiller

Brendan Carroll said:


> The adventure continues in _Book XIX:. How Men Do it_. This may sound like a strange name, but I guarantee you will be pleasantly surprised as to where the name came from.
> 
> Happy Reading!!


Well, I for one am interested in reading something with a title like that! I've been wondering that for years!


----------



## Brenda Carroll

mamiller said:


> Well, I for one am interested in reading something with a title like that! I've been wondering that for years!


You will be surprised, Miss Miller. My editor/proofreader/fan, Charlene Charliehorse, freaked out entirely when I sent her the title, but she calmed down after a few pages.  I am waiting (impatiently) for my secondary editor to get off his


Spoiler



ax


 and do his job!!


----------



## vikingwarrior22

why all you had to do was ax ...I have been ahhso busy with my dgf and "our dd" ...I already know why and me n the crew are so hoping to learn "how"...


----------



## mamiller

Brendan Carroll said:


> I am waiting (impatiently) for my secondary editor to get off his
> 
> 
> Spoiler
> 
> 
> 
> ax
> 
> 
> and do his job!!


Now see? You say you are waiting for your editor to get off *his  * (mule-type mammal that is referenced in the bible, so surely it can't be a bad word). So, the question "How Men Do it" is answered simply, _they need a woman to take care of it._


----------



## Brenda Carroll

mamiller said:


> Now see? You say you are waiting for your editor to get off *his  * (mule-type mammal that is referenced in the bible, so surely it can't be a bad word). So, the question "How Men Do it" is answered simply, _they need a woman to take care of it._


This has already been conceded and demonstrated in the last book: _The Company of Women_.   And you are absolutely right. I just hired a new woman to cook and clean for me. She's supposed to do windows, too.


----------



## vikingwarrior22

thats ole' Getyurhotklingonwoomenear Smyth's twin sister, she does more n *windows* my friends


----------



## Brenda Carroll

You forget, my friend.  I am quite a big Star Trek fan and I know all about Klingon ladies.  Clean windows are good enough for me because I just want to live to look out of them again.


----------



## vikingwarrior22

Aye Captain ...


----------



## R. M. Reed

He falls in love in book XVII? I thought he fell in love, at least a little, in book I. Even though Merry was an annoying little twit. (She did grow some, and take more charge of her life.) He was under the influence of a powerful elixir and had no memory, so maybe that doesn't count. Anyway, I do keep planning to read more of these books, but the roman numerals keep coming faster than I could read them.


----------



## Brenda Carroll

I'm not sure what prompted your question, Miss Reed, but Mark did fall in love in Book I and unfortunately, he keeps falling in love all over again.  You do need to get busy, If I may say so myself. Thanks for the encouragement.  I'm about to come out with Book XIX.  I've been saying that, but I really mean.  Two to three days now, I promise.


----------



## bobavey

Cool concept, Brendon.


----------



## Brenda Carroll

mamiller said:


> Now see? You say you are waiting for your editor to get off *his  * (mule-type mammal that is referenced in the bible, so surely it can't be a bad word). So, the question "How Men Do it" is answered simply, _they need a woman to take care of it._


You're right about the word, it can be bad because I have good news. Book XIX is in the so-called meat-grinder, awaiting Amazon's approval. Should be ready tomorrow, I hope.

@ bobavey: Thanks for the compliment.


----------



## Brenda Carroll

In Book ten of the *Assassin Chronicles, Genesis 6:5*, Mark Andrew Ramsay returns from a five year exile in a Greek Orthodox Monastery on the coast of the Aegean Sea... although he is quite happy to continue his quiet life of solitude making holy icons for the monks, the monks have other ideas. They are not quite comfortable with their unusual acolyte. Leaving Simonopetra, he returns to the Order in the midst of a funeral and as if he didn't have problems enough waiting for him, he commits an unforgiveable sin with Meredith before he even makes it back to his beloved Scotland. His guilt soon drives him to something even more dangerous and disastrous as he searches desperately for God's forgiveness.


----------



## mamiller

That is just cool!


----------



## Brenda Carroll

Thanks, Miss Maureen.  Glad you liked it.  Simonopetra is on my bucket list of things to do before I... you know, need Mark's services?


----------



## Brenda Carroll

In book four of the Assassin Chronicles:. The Hesperian Dragon, while the Knight of the Golden Eagle's future hangs in the balance, the Knight of Death must carry out yet another assassin's mission before going after his mortal enemy, Al Hafiz al Sajek, but a simply assassination is not in store for the Mad Arab. Fate has a much more interesting confrontation in mind for these two old acquaintances.

*The following excerpt contains some graphic material:*


Spoiler



_He swayed slightly and thought perhaps he should go to bed instead. It was his last coherent thought.
When he turned, he had only a glimpse of the man dressed entirely in black standing in front of him. He saw the deadly glitter coming at him and let go a whimpering sob as it passed completely through him, just slightly lower than his ribcage and to the left of his spine. The Knight caught him roughly by the right shoulder when he slumped forward, grasping the deadly sword by the hilt. 
Ramsay pushed him back and wrenched the blade free. Philipe looked up into the face of the Assassin as he leaned forward, close to his face.
"Thot was for Ian McShan," Mark Andrew told him in a hoarse whisper. "This is for John Paul," he added before stepping back. 
Philipe made a desperate attempt to get away from the lethal blade by turning his back on the Knight and stumbling toward the living room. Mark Andrew caught up with him easily just as he reached the doorway. The man grasped either side of the door as the golden blade emerged from his stomach and more blood sprayed across the bare floor in front of him. He looked down in disbelief at the bloodstained blade and gasped once more when the blade disappeared back the way it had come.
Mark grabbed his arm and turned him around.
"You would see who it is that comes for you, my friend," Mark told him through a red blur of barely controlled rage and felt Champlain's hand on his shoulder.
"Brother, your mission!" The Frankish Knight admonished him. 
Philipe sank to his knees and Champlain knelt beside him.
"The Key, Philipe? Where is the Key?" He asked desperately. 
Blood ran from the man's mouth and he only looked at Champlain in complete shock.
"Tell me, before you go, my son, and I will hear your sins," Champlain pleaded with him. "Make yourself right with God, I beg you."
Philipe drew a ragged breath, grimaced at the pain and then spat a mouth full of blood in the big Knight's face.
"Take my curse with you and share it with your Brothers, Master!" Philipe managed as his breath ran out.
Champlain got to his feet and moved back, blinking rapidly as tears ran down his face, washing away some of the bloody speckles.
Philipe fell forward and caught himself on his hands. 
Mark Andrew leaned down beside him and put his lips close to the man's ear.
"This one is strictly business, you understand," he told him and stood up.
He raised the Golden Sword above his head and brought it down swiftly. A fine spray of blood covered his hands and Devereaux' head rolled away from his body._


----------



## Brenda Carroll

In _Book XI:. Ars Arabia_ Mark Andrew's troubles take on enormous proportions as his position within the Council of Twelve changes dramatically.

Here's a little excerpt from the book. Merry has finally gotten Mark back to Texas in search of a dead witch. He's getting drunk, she thinks he's cute and there can only be one outcome: Tarrible tribble.

She took the top off the box and pulled out a black, beaver pelt cowboy hat of expensive cut with a braided leather hat band. "It's a Stetson Carson," she said proudly. "The finest cowboy hat in the world."
"Ye're goin' t' look peculiar wearin' thot thing in th' middle o' th' noight," he told her as he eyed the hat warily.
"It's not for me. It's for you. Look! It matches your suit." She told him and plopped it on his head before pushing him toward the mirror.
She stood behind him adjusting the hat just so on his head.
"It fits!" She announced and he frowned at himself in the mirror.
"Now, Merry..." He backed away from the mirror. "Ye know I'm not goin' t' wear this. It doesna even sport a cockade."
"A what? That sounds fishy. But Mark! Puh-lease? You look absolutely gorgeous." She shoved him back in front of the mirror.
He tilted his head from side to side looking at the hat. It was certainly no worse than the tall, flat-topped cylinders he had worn while he'd been exiled to Greece and lived with the monks at Simonopetra. In fact, it seemed less silly. She adjusted his hair under the brim and brushed it back over his shoulders.
"I think it might be the other way around." She wrapped her arms around his waist and propped her chin on his shoulder. "If there are any wayward cowgirls down there, I might have to punch somebody out."
"Now, Merry..." he said again and took off the hat to lay it on the dresser. "I dunna think this is a gud idea, lassie."
He went back to get the bottle and filled his fourth glass. The room had grown soft around the edges.
"No, no, no!" She took the glass from him and plopped the hat back on his head. "Just two drinks at the bar. We'll have two drinks and then we can go. I promise." She rummaged in her bag and pulled out her camera. "Look at me!" She stood in front of him and he shook his head. 
"I dunna loike pikchures!" He told her. "They make me shiver." Merry snapped at least four while he protested.
"They'll be great! Jozsef will love one! And so will Lucio and Simon and..." She reached to take the bottle of Scotch from him when he picked it up again. "Save this for the trip out to the park. That way you can get as intoxicated as you like before we confront the spirit of the dead witch."


----------



## Syria Says... AKA Celia Can Read

Poor Mark... He just can't catch a break...


----------



## vikingwarrior22

Syria Says... said:


> Poor Mark... He just can't catch a break...


*nor* does _he_ seldom give any


----------



## Brenda Carroll

That is correct on both accounts.  The adventure continues from Arabia to Scotland to Texas and all points in between.  Happy Thanksgiving!! Be sure to get some reading done over the Holidays.


----------



## mamiller

I read the back of the Stove Stop Stuffing box.


----------



## Brenda Carroll

that counnts. ooooops 2 many margaritas.


----------



## vikingwarrior22

with dark chocolate candy bars


----------



## Brenda Carroll

*The Red Cross of Gold* series is a sort of new twist on some old, but very interesting subjects, including immortality, the Philosopher's Stone, Templar Knights, the Holy Grail, Rosslyn Chapel, the crusades and all those magickal, mythical and mystical things.

Book XIX: How Men Do It is now available in paperback at: http://amzn.to/fXbTF3

The main character is one of twelve Council members for the internal circle of the secret Templar Order that has survived the crusades, the Inquisition and banishment over the centuries. They are the ones who know where everything is hidden. The Chevalier Ramsay is a hair-triggered Scotsman from the lowlands who ran away from home back in... oh, about 1180 AD (pardon the use of an old term. I prefer Anno Domine to Common Era because I believe that there is absolutely nothing common about our current era).

Anyway, Mark Ramsay, is called to serve in one of his mystical capacities as Assassin for the Order and sent off to America (known as Merica to those in the know) to fetch back the Grand Master's apprentice who has decided to leave the Order and take up with a rival order. Our fellows, being both ancient and arrogant have little regard for this silly modern order of pretenders and vastly underestimate their high priestess's motivations, means and madness.

He falls prey to her immediately and loses his memory temporarily after a close encounter with her body guard. While under the influence of a debilitating drug, he forgets who he is and what he's doing in America in the first place. One of his captor's, the leading lady as it turns out, has things on her mind other than the secrets of the philosopher's stone and immortality. After a while, he finds himself falling in love only to learn that he is actually 837 years old and supposed to be a celibate monk.

Eventually his Brothers of the Order come after him, thinking him to be a deserter as well. The action heats up as he has to fight his captors and his own Brothers for his life. There's lots of action, love and blood. The best combination for a good yarn. Happy reading.

Currently, there are eighteen of the books in the series available on Kindle, all are on Smashwords and seventeen in paperback form (DTB). Questions, comments and banter is welcome both here and on my blogs. None of my works cost more than $2.99.

My fan page at Facebook is at: facebook.com/BrendanCarrollRCG.

I have blogs at: 
http://redcrossofgold.blogspot.com/?zx=932c44e2813cb10b
http://brendancarroll.wordpress.com/about/


----------



## Syria Says... AKA Celia Can Read

Ohhh! I eat these books up like CANDY! 

Great stuff, Brendan! Keep 'em coming!


----------



## mamiller

Syria Says... said:


> Ohhh! I eat these books up like CANDY!


The good thing about Brendan's books, is that you can eat them in mass consumption and not gain any weight!


----------



## Brenda Carroll

Sometimes when talking about the Assassin Chronicles, I tend to forget that the main character is truly a man with a problem (actually several of them). He drinks too much Scotch. He's grumpy, impatient, intolerant, dangerous, brooding. He not only has one nasty job as Assassin for a clandestine organization known as the Red Cross of Gold Order of the Poor Knights of Solomon's Temple, he also has a long title and an equally long name (that unfolds as the series goes) to bear up under. He doesn't like strawberries or kiwis and he doesn't like to think much if he can help it. Since his reclusive personality keeps him deep in the heart of Scotland and far from the Temple's HQ in sunny, southern Italy, he also has a secondary job in his dungeon-like basement where he makes gold out of base metals for the Order's financial needs. Top it all off with the fact that he is extremely old and doesn't get along very well with women. His weapon of choice is an ancient sword made of braided gold called the Golden Sword of the Cherubim. He likes things simple, but a deep, dark secret he has held for over eight centuries brings him a great deal of grief when it finally comes to light. Yes, there is blood and a bit of guts and glory in the Assassin's Chronicles, so if you see me writing about faeries and knights and mystic horses, don't forget to keep your guard up, your armor on and your helmet within reach.


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## Syria Says... AKA Celia Can Read

Brendan Carroll said:


> Sometimes when talking about the Assassin Chronicles, I tend to forget that the main character is truly a man with a problem (actually several of them). He drinks too much Scotch. He's grumpy, impatient, intolerant, dangerous, brooding. He not only has one nasty job as Assassin for a clandestine organization known as the Red Cross of Gold Order of the Poor Knights of Solomon's Temple, he also has a long title and an equally long name (that unfolds as the series goes) to bear up under. He doesn't like strawberries or kiwis and he doesn't like to think much if he can help it. Since his reclusive personality keeps him deep in the heart of Scotland and far from the Temple's HQ in sunny, southern Italy, he also has a secondary job in his dungeon-like basement where he makes gold out of base metals for the Order's financial needs. Top it all off with the fact that he is extremely old and doesn't get along very well with women. His weapon of choice is an ancient sword made of braided gold called the Golden Sword of the Cherubim. He likes things simple, but a deep, dark secret he has held for over eight centuries brings him a great deal of grief when it finally comes to light. Yes, there is blood and a bit of guts and glory in the Assassin's Chronicles, so if you see me writing about faeries and knights and mystic horses, don't forget to keep your guard up, your armor on and your helmet within reach.


Ok, grumpy, old and Scotch flavored candy...v


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## mamiller

Brendan Carroll said:


> he is extremely old and doesn't get along very well with women


Is it my boss?


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## vikingwarrior22

Brendan Carroll said:


> Sometimes when talking about the Assassin Chronicles, I tend to forget that the main character is truly a man with a problem (actually several of them). He drinks too much Scotch. He's grumpy, impatient, intolerant, dangerous, brooding. He not only has one nasty job as Assassin for a clandestine organization known as the Red Cross of Gold Order of the Poor Knights of Solomon's Temple, he also has a long title and an equally long name (that unfolds as the series goes) to bear up under. He doesn't like strawberries or kiwis and he doesn't like to think much if he can help it. Since his reclusive personality keeps him deep in the heart of Scotland and far from the Temple's HQ in sunny, southern Italy, he also has a secondary job in his dungeon-like basement where he makes gold out of base metals for the Order's financial needs. Top it all off with the fact that he is extremely old and doesn't get along very well with women. His weapon of choice is an ancient sword made of braided gold called the Golden Sword of the Cherubim. He likes things simple, but a deep, dark secret he has held for over eight centuries brings him a great deal of grief when it finally comes to light. Yes, there is blood and a bit of guts and glory in the Assassin's Chronicles, so if you see me writing about faeries and knights and mystic horses, don't forget to keep your guard up, your armor on and your helmet within reach.


You know your describing Youngdumanfullofsourgasenhaussen wife...he said he told her she made it into one of your short stories...nudge, nudge wink,wink know what I mean


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## Brenda Carroll

Here are the two Brothers of the Order, tied together in friendship and love, yet divided by their love for the same woman, once more at each other's throats:

_ Lucio stumbled backwards under the renewed onslaught, surprised by the force with which his formerly failing opponent now delivered as he caught two glancing blows landed on his upper right arm. The only thing that saved him was the chain mail he wore under his surcoat. Mark raised the blade in the manner Lucio had seen on previous occasions, dipped slightly and made the complete three-hundred-sixty degree turn which would bring the blade smoothly across the top of Lucio's shoulders, separating his head from his body in one continuous move. Lucio realized then that he had never really expected to see the technique from his current point of view even though he had planned to die by Mark's hand. This was the third time he had offered his head to the Scot and apparently, he had finally stepped over the line. His brief feeling of impending triumph vanished as he shrieked involuntarily, slipped in his haste to retreat and went down on his back in the rising water on the chapel floor. The blade passed above him harmlessly and Mark followed the blade half-way around again slogging through the ankle deep water, splashing frantically for several seconds before recovering his balance on the slippery stones. Finishing the turn, he leapt onto the downed Knight's stomach, knocking the wind from him for the third and last time, bringing the sword across his neck, drawing up short, within a hairsbreadth of slitting his throat. Lucio lay in the water staring up at him in the flashing light.
"Yield or die, Brother!" Mark ordered, leaning close to his face. 
"Never! The hour has come, Brother. Kill my body. You have already cursed my soul and ruined my life!" Lucio stubbornly refused. His resolve to die rather than yield returned quickly enough. 
Mark rocked slightly back and forth as he fought to control his temper and his breathing. The close call had sobered him considerably, but the rage subsided quickly as he stared into Lucio's pale face in the reddish glow. It was only then that he noticed the eerie light that permeated the entire chapel. The lightning still flashed outside, almost constantly and the wind moaned through the tormented oak trees. High above them, one of the shutters tore loose on the bell tower and slammed against the wall, beating out an irregular rhythm. The thunder rumbled and the bell vibrated ominously under the onslaught of the hurricane force wind. There should have been no other light than that provided by the storm.
_


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## Brenda Carroll

In The Red Cross of Gold:. Cross Purposes, Mark Ramsay finds himself serving as judge over two of his closest friends, antagonists and Brothers of the Order. They seemed to have gotten themselves into a bit of trouble:

_Mark Andrew slammed his fist on the table and both of the Knights jumped and cringed.

The Grand Master stood up and leaned on the table.

"How dare you suggest such a thing to her?" He asked in barely controlled rage. "My brother is not dead. I have been working day and night for seven years to bring him home. I see what is going on here! You both have plans for my wife, his wife?! I am... I have&#8230; I canna believe this. It is an outrage. I s'pose thot ye suggested thot she furget me brother and marry th' Golden Eagle? Is thot wot ye wair up ta, Simon of Grenoble? I shud take ye out and skin ye aloive. Th' both o' ye."

Both Simon and Lucio sat staring at him, speechless. Mark Andrew stood blinking at them for several seconds before resuming his seat. He leaned his elbows on the table and pressed his palms to his forehead, imagining himself streaking about the island killing everything that moved with his golden sword. At last he raised his head and spoke in a more controlled voice.

"I find you both guilty of disobedience to Article 32: On Keeping Silence 'For it is written: In multiloquio non effugies peccatum. That is to say that to talk too much is not without sin' and Article 38: On Keeping the Peace 'Each brother should ensure that he does not incite another brother to wrath or anger, for the sovereign mercy of God holds the strong and weak brother equal, in the name of charity'. Further, I find you both in defiance of Article 48: On Rumour 'We command you by divine counsel to avoid a plague: envy, rumour, spite, slander. So each one should zealously guard against what the apostle said: Ne sis criminator et susurro in populao. That is to say: Do not accuse or malign the people of God'."

Mark Andrew looked up at the ceiling as if searching for more Articles to use against them. Lucio reached up to scratch his head and frowned at Simon. This sounded much worse than he had expected. Simon had really pissed Mark off this time!

"For these infractions, you will both be confined to your quarters for a period of no less than seven days excepting only carrying out your duties as Brothers of this Order and as Members of the Council of Twelve."

Lucio's mouth fell open in total shock. He would miss the hunt. He had trained those damned birds for seven years and now he would miss the first opportunity to take them out?! _


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## Brenda Carroll

The following is a little scene from Ars Arabia. The Knight of Death has taken a search party out in hopes of locating and capturing the Djinn creature plaguing his Order, but the Djinni is a bit craftier than he imagined.

_The ground lurched and their packs became very heavy. A hot wind blasted them and threatened to blow them from the side of the cliff.
"Santa Maria!" 
Everything in front of Lucio had turned purple. He pressed his hands against his face and went down on his knees. They tried to help him up, but he was very wobbly. He threw his head back and let go a great sneeze. A blob of purple shot from his nose and struck the ground in front of him.
"Holy Mother!" Mark Andrew shouted and jumped back as the purple splotch grew quickly in front of them, taking the form of a man in a long flowing robe. He had long black hair and his robe was of eastern design. Simon helped Lucio to his feet and Lavon de Bleu came to take his Master's other arm. They stared at the Djinni in fascination.
"Welcome, Adar!" He bowed his head slightly, smiled and spoke in his soothing sing-song voice. "Very nice trip! Very nice journey. Very grand magick. You have not lost your touch. You are a mighty sorcerer! And you are my friend. You are welcome at my home. And your brothers and friends as well. Come. Come. Come." He held his hands up toward the structure over his head proudly and looked at each of them appraisingly from head to toe.
The Djinni beckoned to them with one long, slender hand and started for a dark cavern opening in the side of the cliff.
"Wait!" Mark Andrew called to him. "You were with us all along?"
"Of course," Lemarik told him and swayed his head slightly in amusement. "I have been soaring as the Golden Eagle!" He turned again to disappear into the cave. They heard his deep voice resonating from within. "I have been swimming as a great purple beast! I have been racing as a magnificent stallion! I have been..."
Mark Andrew closed his mouth, glanced at his shocked companions once and then plunged after the object of his quest._


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## vikingwarrior22

Lemarik  will find the "search party" when he needs to "find" them ...


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## Brenda Carroll

It seems that Brother Simon may have forgotten that the Assassin actually carries a sword and is quite capable of removing heads with ease. Why is he making bets with Ramsay's fiancée? Why are they dancing? Just what is going on here?

_"She's&#8230; she's&#8230; beautiful," Merry whispered. "She looks just like her father."
Simon smiled. "Are you happy now?"
"No!" she almost shouted at him. "Yes! I mean&#8230;" She glanced about at the people who turned their attention to her. She lowered her voice. "I mean, yes, I am glad to know that she is safe, but, Simon, surely&#8230; you don't mean to make me keep my end of the bargain. I can't stay here with you. It simply won't work."
"You made the wager." His expression changed. "You are a Poor Knight of Solomon's Temple. Your word is your life. Would you tell me that your oath means nothing, Sister?" He turned to speak to Azariah again and the priest stood up. "Now, it's time to go."
"Go? Where?" She looked about as panic began to rise in her mind again.
"To your room." He took her hand and began to pull her up. "It's past seven AM and you need to get some rest."
"Simon, wait&#8230; please," she protested, but allowed him to help her up. She could barely stand now. "What is this stuff?" she asked and looked down at the half-empty bowl of ice cream on the table.
"Slivovitz," he shrugged.
"Slivo&#8230; what's?" she frowned. The room spun much faster than before.
"Vitz and this is Mitzvah," he said and nodded toward the dancing people. He took her other hand and drew her along the length of the table. When they started across the floor, the crowd separated and fell back. The men and women began to pat their feet and clap in unison in time to the music.
"Uh, oh," Simon muttered and glanced around. "We'll have to dance now. It's only a formality."
"Dance?" Merry looked about in confusion. She couldn't dance! She was having trouble standing.
"Dance," he reiterated and took her in his arms, turning her around several times before her mind could catch up with her feet. "Like so." 
She could feel the cold pressure of the gold and gemstones of his costume through her dress and it made her shudder. She recognized the robe he wore. She wasn't completely illiterate in Biblical studies. The outfit was what the priests of the line of Aaron wore to attend the duties of the Tabernacle and the Ark of the Covenant. Dancing in it seemed to her the height of blasphemy comparable to leading a marching band with the staff of the Wisdom of Solomon, but she had lost control over her own tongue and only Simon's arms kept her from falling on her face altogether. 
_


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## mamiller

Want to learn more about the mysterious author, Brendan Carroll? I am interviewing him about, "Men who write about assassins and romance" on my blog. Please stop by. http://maureenamiller.blogspot.com/


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## vikingwarrior22

He needs to be interviewed fer sure...


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## Brenda Carroll

Thanks, VW and MM.  MMMMM, VW's... my favorite little car! Yes, I need a lot of things.  I would like more Girl Scout cookies please.


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## Syria Says... AKA Celia Can Read

Brendan Carroll said:


> Thanks, VW and MM. MMMMM, VW's... my favorite little car! Yes, I need a lot of things. I would like more Girl Scout cookies please.


SAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY! I just BOUGHT a VW Beetle! So much fun! YAY!


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## Brenda Carroll

Syria Says... said:


> SAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY! I just BOUGHT a VW Beetle! So much fun! YAY!


Can I borrow it? What did you name it? Is it blue? Does it bite? What's the gas mileage? Does it float? Have you driven it through any cow pastures yet? Can you lend me 20 bucks? WBS. Do you like me? I like you! Check one: __ yes __ no __ maybe


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## Syria Says... AKA Celia Can Read

Brendan Carroll said:


> Can I borrow it? What did you name it? Is it blue? Does it bite? What's the gas mileage? Does it float? Have you driven it through any cow pastures yet? Can you lend me 20 bucks? WBS. Do you like me? I like you! Check one: __ yes __ no __ maybe


You COULD borrow it, but you'd have to put gas in it.

Sir Bender Reginald Beetle of Buggins.

He's not blue, it's silver

He doesn't bite unless he's startled.

The gas mileage aint too shabby... (That's an actual measurement, look it up!)

Unsure on his floatability and no cow pastures yet.

20?! Are you kidding me?! The gas mileage isn't THAT great!

You're alright.

I checked "yes".


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## Brenda Carroll

Thank you for 'liking' me.  Ha! Ha!  It seems to be the thing to do these days.  Glad you like Sir Bender.  I love those little bugs. Have a happy and safe time with him.


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## Syria Says... AKA Celia Can Read

Bender isn't one for titles. He prefers to just go by "Bender".


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## Brenda Carroll

There's nothing like unexpected guests to put the cherry on the sundae.

_"Give her the damned dress, sir," Mark set his jaw and raised his voice just a bit. He was hardly in any position to make demands, but he didn't really care. If he was going to die here, it might as well be now. 
Maxie raised the barrel of the shotgun and draped the dress across the barrel sight.

"Miss Cecile is waiting for you, sister." He grinned at Merry. "Come and get it."

Merry started out of the bed and Mark caught her arm.

"Stay where you are. I'll get it," he told her without taking his eyes off the man with the gun. When Maxie made no further move, Mark let out a sigh and climbed out of the bed to retrieve the dress under Maxie's appraising gaze. It didn't seem to matter to him which of them came after it. He appreciated one just as much as the other.

Mark tossed the dress to Merry and she pulled it over her head quickly, before slipping from the bed to find her shoes. Mark Andrew stood facing the sneering man, dressed only in his intense hatred. Maxie did not flinch as Mark looked at him with deadly intent in his eyes. Merry passed behind him and he caught her arm again, pulling her back in front of him. He then kissed her long and hard while Maxie stood his ground in the open door. "I'm going to kill him for you," Mark whispered in her ear and let her go. "Before I leave, I'm going to kill him for you." 
She looked into his eyes briefly and then backed away. Maxie snatched at her arm and flung her toward the door.

Merry disappeared through the door behind the big man and he heard her footsteps hurrying away down the hall. Maxie did not follow her immediately, but remained where he was as if he would say or do more.

"If you would care to lay your weapon aside, we could take care of this business, here and now," Mark told him evenly. He'd never fought anyone without the benefit of some bit of clothing or armor, but if it had been good enough for the Highlanders, it was good enough for him. All he needed was a bit of blue face-paint.

Maxie seemed to consider the possibility seriously for several seconds before he found his voice again. "I would like nothing better than to wrestle with you, my friend, but I'll have to take a raincheck on it right now." He winked at Mark and quickly backed out the door, closing and locking it.

Mark stood frozen in the middle of the room. He was definitely going to have to kill the man._


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## Brenda Carroll

Mark Andrew Ramsay, Chevalier du Morte, sometimes has a way with words that none top. Here is a little example from the Assassin Chronicles, Book I, The Knight of Death.

http://tinyurl.com/6d9xgv5

"You would do well not to look into my eyes until you can see out of them," Mark's frown deepened to an angry scowl when he looked up again. The tone of his voice carried the old familiar ring that Lucio remembered so well. 'One misplaced word and the world will no longer know you.'


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## Brenda Carroll

Have you ever woke up somewhere and didn't know where you were or how you got there? What if you woke up in a foreign country tied to a tree with a big, ugly fellow beating the crap out of you and you didn't know how you got there? Well, that is how it happens for Mark Ramsay, Knight of Death. You can believe me when I say 'a little amnesia goes a long way'! 

The Red Cross of Gold I:. The Knight of Death ~ Assassin Chronicles Revised Edition now available for $2.99 at Amazon.com

_Perhaps, if he could get his feet under him, he could at least raise himself from the sitting position to where the tree trunk might be small enough to give some relief to his wrists and shoulders. Drawing up his knees slowly, he tried to find enough leverage to lift himself and felt the rough bark of the tree grinding into his back through his shirt. With desperate resolve, he pushed upwards and felt his arms slip up the trunk just a bit. Gritting his teeth against this wave of different pain, he pushed again and slid a few more inches up the tree before the rope snagged on something, stopping his progress. It would not work. He let out the breath he was holding and tried to ease himself back down without doing more damage, but the big man was back suddenly, kicking his feet from under him. It seemed impossible that he could have raised himself to the height indicated by the bone-jarring crash precipitated by the vicious kick. He was sure his spine was broken by the slight fall and surely there would be no skin left on his back. He heard himself groan as he settled back into this former position at the base of the tree.
The man took a handful of his hair and slammed his head against the tree. Stars danced in front of his eyes and blackness threatened to take him away, but unmercifully did not, leaving him looking up into the ugly man's face again. 
"Where're you goin', dipshit?" the man asked. "Somebody else wants to talk to you. You be a pretty boy now and don't try that again."
He let go of the hair and Mark's chin dropped to his chest. He was beyond thirsty and wondered how long he had been there in the orchard. It seemed like a very long time and, in fact, may have been. The tree was all he could remember. As far as he was concerned, he had been there all his life. He heard the leaves and old pecan shells crunching again as more footsteps approached, but he refrained from looking up to see who was coming to visit him now. Strangely, he heard his stomach growl and a new sensation made its way into this brain. He was starving&#8230; literally. He must have been here for days. 
"Mark Andrew Ramsay?" a pleasing female voice surprised him. He raised his head too quickly and the stars came back to entertain him. Dizziness joined the repertoire of unpleasant sensations and sweat ran into one eye, cutting his restricted vision in half. Death surely could have finished the sideshow at any moment and he thought that it might have been a good thing. He decided against looking for the woman that belonged to the voice. The effort was too great and she was probably as ugly as her companion in spite of her pleasant voice. "Knight Templar. Master of the Key of Death."_


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## Brenda Carroll

The Knight of Death sometimes incurs the wrath of his Brothers of the Order even though it is against the Primitive Rule set forth by Saint Bernard, the Templar's favorite patron. (The Saint, not the dog!) So, here we have him in a very bad position from which to blaspheme. Seems like a bad day is going to get much worse. The Red Cross of Gold I:. The Knight of Death ~ Assassin Chronicles. $2.99 at Amazon. Also available in paperback. (Not for young readers. Contains violence, sexual situations and lots of nasty characters.)  

_"Thou art naught but a rabid dog!" the man shouted in his face and kicked him again in his exposed ribs. He fell on his side again, rolled onto his back and lay still, unable even to clasp his stomach now. His arms lay limply at his sides and his eyes stared up at the great expanse of the Milky Way above his head. It was a miraculous and glorious sight even to his pain-crazed mind, and he had the unshakable idea that he could simply drift away into the night with little or no effort. Felt as if he had done so many times in the past. The Universe was a wonderful, awe-inspiring creation offering endless vistas, infinite possibilities. Other worlds. Other times. The great yellow and orange striped orb of Saturn encircled by its glorious rings loomed in front of him and he was home!
The magnificent view was suddenly blocked by the face of the Frenchman leaning over him again and reality closed in.
"You will not fight?" the man asked him.
"I cannot fight you, Brother," he heard himself say the words rather calmly under the circumstances. "I can only offer the Way of Truth to those who would follow. Repent and receive salvation, Brother, for life is all that we are given to perceive the Glory of God." He knew that he was saying the words, but he had no idea why or how.
Beaujold made a noise generated by pure animalistic rage and kicked him again before disappearing from sight. Ramsay gazed up at the stars, enjoying the fragile moments of respite. Drinking in the peace and the power exuded by the stars and planets arched over his head, he thought perhaps he would be able to travel there shortly after all.
The Knight of the Sword, aptly titled, soon reappeared with Ramsay's golden sword. He grasped the hilt in both hands and raised it straight up as high as he could reach with the point down. Mark Andrew looked up at the sword frowning, trying to comprehend what he was looking at. The sword, sparkling in the moon and starlight, floated as if suspended against the jewel-studded background of the desert night sky without visible support. At the last moment, and far too late, Mark Andrew realized what was about to happen. The French Knight brought the sword down with all his strength. _


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## vikingwarrior22

for a second I read the line as a sword welding knight...   read the following with a Scotish brougue... great series mon! jus' great...


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## Brenda Carroll

Well, Mark does do metal work in his lab and he's been known to make a few swords in his time. But I got this fan mail today and I wanted to share it:

"Mr. Carroll, I throughly enjoy your assassin series and I'm frothing at the bit for the next installment [in] July. I found your series back in February while looking for something to read while my other series I've had going put something out.
I.... By the way, damn the cliff hanger ending in "Holy blood" left my jaw on the floor! Hope that brings you satisfaction that your hard word most definitely leaves your readers craving more!

Regards,
David"

I received this message today from a fan who regularly communicates with me about my work. This sort of thing is so gratifying and inspiring, it's like waking up to Christmas Morning! Thanks to David, his wife and all of fans who write to me and make my days brighter.

I definitely have a love for cliff-hangers even though I have seen posts from others that say they hate them because they have to wait for so long to find out what happened. I love surprises and sometimes I truly believe the journey is better than the destination. If you haven't begun the Assassin Chronicles, there is this added bonus for those of you who don't like cliff-hangers: Twenty-two novels are currently available with twenty-three expected out in July. This means you have at least twenty-one opportunities to enjoy instant gratification by starting the next book almost immediately. LOL!

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004U1II First and Second Books in the Series at Amazon


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## Brenda Carroll

The Knight of Death is out of his depth and in the proverbial pickle when he finds himself a prisoner with no memories of his past beyond the last few hours. He has no idea where he is, what he is doing there or who these extremely erratic people are who have taken him hostage. He only knows that he's not supposed to be there and he's certainly not supposed to be in this beautiful young woman's bedroom. The Knight of the Death is the 1st novel in the Assassin Chronicles. Templar Fiction/Fantasy. Not intended for young readers.

_"But&#8230;" she sobbed in her hands and fell sitting on the bed. He went back and pulled her hands from her face.
"Please don‟t cry, lady&#8230;" He bent to look in her eyes. They were beautiful even full of tears. He would have to pray mightily for forgiveness if he ever got back to&#8230; back to&#8230; "For God‟s sake, tell me your name, lass. I can never ask God to forgive us if I can‟t even tell Him your name."
"Merry. Meredith," she said tearfully.
"All right then, Meredith. I‟m going to pray for you when I get home and I‟ll never forget you, but you have to understand the concept of kidnapping? You and your big, ugly friend have kidnapped me and brought me here against my will. That is a crime in every country in the world. If you will let me go now, I promise not to say a word about it to anyone other than my priest. Thank you for the beef and the wine and the&#8230; bath. Now let me go peacefully."
"And what about you? Kidnapping is a crime, sure, but what about intent to commit murder? You came here to kill Anthony. What about that little detail?" she asked. Her tone had gone from bewilderment to indignation.
"I don‟t know what you are talking about. You have me confused with someone else. I don‟t know this Valentino and I have no idea who Anthony is."
"And where are you going to go without shoes?" She asked and looked down at his feet. "You don‟t even have shoes. You‟ll cut your feet."
He looked down at his feet, remembering the pecan shells and rocks in the drive. Now she sounded like a concerned nursemaid. He sighed in defeat and headed for the door only to have her drag him back, covering his face with desperate kisses and more tears.
_


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## Brenda Carroll

Over-confidence will get you nowhere, when you are in the middle of nowhere and don't really know where you are. Even though the Assassin feels that he is where he is supposed to be, he isn't quite sure what he should be doing there. Dying was not exactly one of the first items on his agenda, but others may have different ideas. $2.99 at Amazon for Kindle. Also available in paperback and at Smashwords. Not intended for young audiences.

_"What is your problem?" she hissed in his ear.
"I have a headache," he told her. "In fact, I think your dinner conversation has poisoned me."
"Nonsense," she whispered. "The poison was in your soup. We are going to the patio for drinks and conversation. It would be better if you excused yourself for prayers or meditation and went upstairs now."
"I don't feel up to it," he told her in truth and clutched his stomach. "Just let me sit here for a while."
"All right then," she agreed. "Drinks on the patio, everyone," she spoke to the guests and then leaned a bit closer to him. "I'll be talking to you again very soon."
She looked for Merry who was exchanging words with another woman near the patio doors. "Merry! Mr. Ramsay isn't feeling well. Would you see to it that he gets upstairs?"
"Sure, no problem," Merry answered as she gladly disengaged herself from the woman who held her arm. 
He looked up at her, grimacing at the prospect of trying to get out of the chair with grace and she laughed at him. His stomach felt full of carpet tacks. He should have chewed the steak a bit more, perhaps.
"You are an evil, evil woman," he told her, but smiled in spite of his condition. 
"I am not," she protested and came at once to take his arm. "These things bore me to death. At least you kept my mind off that stupid conversation about alchemy. I get so tired of it all." Her comments affirmed his earlier revelation. Merry knew nothing of Cecile's goals and cared little to learn about them.
"In that case, I would suggest that we leave here now while they are preoccupied on the verandah," he suggested hopefully. Black spots floated in the forefront of his vision and he did not want to risk tumbling down the back stairs with her on his arm. "I hope you won't mind leaving your party."
"Don't be silly. Like I said, it's not my party," she smiled and dragged him toward the door, unaware of his growing infirmity.
"She really thinks I'm immortal," he told her as they made their way upstairs. Now he felt drunk and disorientated. He had meant to head for the front door. 
"Did you know that?" he asked inanely and leaned heavily on her arm.
_


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## mamiller

Brendan Carroll said:


> Not intended for young audiences.


I'm young at heart and I love this book!


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## Brenda Carroll

Thank you, Miss Maureen.  I have been away from the computer so long, I forgot how to make a post.  In fact, I'm feeling so old today, I thought I saw some cracks in my mirror... they turned out to be in my face. LOL.


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## Brenda Carroll

New blurb for Assassin Chronicles. Don't know when it will be posted at Amazon. A few days, I suppose. Thought I'd put it up here for your amusement.

_If ever Murphy's Law held true, it certainly applies to Mark Ramsay, Chevalier du Morte, poor Knight of Solomon's Temple. His latest assignment as Assassin for the Order of the Red Cross of Gold should have been simple. That is the way he likes things: Simple. But it is not to be&#8230; not this time. 
Traveling to America in search of a defector, Sir Ramsay runs afoul of Cecile Valentino, a woman hellbent on extracting the secret of immortality from the Order. The trouble is that the Knights of the ruling council are only semi-immortal, which means that they can be killed, at least temporarily and then, like vampires arising from the grave, they return from the dead&#8230; normally in very foul moods. The only way to kill one of them permanently is to chop off his head or destroy his body. Anything less and they just keep coming back like the Terminator or Count Dracula, out for blood and revenge especially when murder is involved.
This uncanny talent works well for Cecile, but not so much for Mark as she uses tries to learn his secrets. To further his distress, her use of a stolen alchemical substance gives him a bout of amnesia that muddles his mind and leaves him at her mercy while he tries to sort things out. Meanwhile, he finds himself falling in love with an unlikely anti-heroine although the company of women is strictly forbidden by the Templar Primitive Rule of Order. His unusual behavior and lossof memory soon has the Order in an uproar. Some of his immortal Brothers are calling for his head.
Sir Ramsay's fall from grace and Cecile's meddling sets in motion a series of events that stretches far into the future, even unto Armageddon and the coming of the New Age.
Templar Fiction, adventure, romance, paranormal activity, secrets and alchemy unfold in a remarkable new mythology in the Assassin Chronicles. 
The Knight of Death is the first book in the Assassin Chronicles series, which gradually pulls the reader into the world of fairies, dragons, magick and mysticism. There are currently twenty-three novels released in ebook format and paperback.
WARNING: CONTAINS ADULT SITUATIONS, SOME EXPLICIT LANGUAGE, VIOLENCE AND SOME SEXUAL CONTENT._


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## Brenda Carroll

_The Knight of Death_ is going to be FREE at Smashwords for a limited time. If you haven't started the _Assassin Chronicles_ series, here's your no-risk chance to do it now for a limited time.

                                            

FREE!  FREE!!  FREE!!! FREE!!!! FREE!!!!!  FREE!!!!!! FREE!!!!!!!  FREE!!!!!!!!  FREE!!!!!!!!!


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## Brenda Carroll

"How long have you been in my closet?" Mark Ramsay.

What the heck is going on? Is someone in his closet?

Find out for nothing.

http://t.co/Dols6Vx


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## vikingwarrior22

no good deed goes unattended...


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## Brenda Carroll

The Assassin Chronicles, _Red Cross of Gold I:. The Knight of Death_ is free for a while at Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble and Smashwords.

Get it while it is smoking hot!


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## mamiller

FREEEE?!?!?  If I didn't already own it, I'd buy it again just for the glee of being able to say I got it for free!


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## Brenda Carroll

Feel free to do so, Miss Miller and furthermore, buy it for a friend, family, neighbors, your postperson, the lady down at the tax office. LOL!


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## vikingwarrior22

mamiller said:


> FREEEE?!?!? If I didn't already own it, I'd buy it again just for the glee of being able to say I got it for free!


Me n the crew did just that me n them admire 2's of "stuff" as it were


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## Brenda Carroll

Very Good News for the Assassin Chronicles, Knight of Death:
#33 Free in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Free in Kindle Store)
#1 in Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Fiction > Fantasy > Epic
#1 in Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Fiction > Genre Fiction > Horror > Occult

I hope that I'm not in trouble for posting these rankings, but I am very excited about giving the book away to the readers.  If you haven't had a chance to check out the series, now is the time while it's free at Amazon, B&N and Smashwords.

PS: Mr. VW, my mind was totally fried by your comment.  As usual, I had to call in Sven Snorkisson's son, Svelte, to translate it for me.  Thank God it was a compliment after all!


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## Syria Says... AKA Celia Can Read

What are the numbers now, my friend?

Are you still kicking kiester and takin' names?!


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## R. M. Reed

I seem to have missed the free promotion, the price for the second one is now $2.99. I do want to continue this series, though the number of volumes is intimidating. Even $2.99 is  currently more than my bank account contains, but I do plan to get this someday.

The description says Mark wants to go back and Marry Merry? I think he would steer clear of that whole crowd. She was a little more sympathetic but not by much.


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## Brenda Carroll

R. M. Reed said:


> I seem to have missed the free promotion, the price for the second one is now $2.99. I do want to continue this series, though the number of volumes is intimidating. Even $2.99 is currently more than my bank account contains, but I do plan to get this someday.
> 
> The description says Mark wants to go back and Marry Merry? I think he would steer clear of that whole crowd. She was a little more sympathetic but not by much.


I'm sorry you missed the Free promotion. It went back to the normal price on the first of September. I have book III on for $.99 right now and Tempo Rubato is also $.99 in the meantime. LOL
Hey, Miss CCR! How's it coming with the new website? I "sold" almost 12,000 free copies.  I must say I was quite surprised. Today I received some wonderful fan mail from a reader on my Gmail. I wanted to share it with everyone. These are the things that make everything worthwhile!

_Mr. Carroll, I have bought and read all 23 of your Red Cross Of Gold series and I have really enjoyed them. I may not have Liked the way Poor ole Mark Andrew was duped by his brothers with Meredith but still enjoyed them all. So that being said where is book XXIV I am bored and wondering about John Paul and Meredith showing up to save Mark. So please hurry and get it written.. Thanks Dennis_


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## vikingwarrior22

have you thought of doing a map or some drawing to include in your books ...


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## Syria Says... AKA Celia Can Read

What a fabulous idea! I love it when authors include maps! Helps me visualize where the characters are or where they're headed.

Maybe you could draw up a map of the Underworld...? Or a picture of the cottage?


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## mamiller

I heard a fan submitted artwork to you.  How awesome is that!!


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## Brenda Carroll

Sorry I didn't get back to answer these questions, guys. I've busy trying to get my next book published. 
@Miss Miller: yes, it is FANtastic, pun intended. You can see the art on my facebook page at: http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Red-Cross-of-Gold-Assassin-Chronicles/116868838327249
@Miss Read (LOL) I have considered making a map since I did learn to make maps in college, but that takes a lot of equipment to do it up right. Maybe I will someday, but Miss Sue Guerth made a digital picture of the cottage, also on display on my facebook page (same link). She put herself and the Knight of the Apocalypse under the mulberry tree, but she didn't say which one (father or son). 
@Viking Warrior: Hey, buddy! You can also see my fan art on my Facebook page. I love those maps that Tolkien has in his books, complete with dragon!


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## Brenda Carroll

The Assassin Chronicles begins routinely enough:

A semi-immortal, alchemist/assassin, warrior monk left over from the Dark Ages embarks on a simple assassination/extraction mission designed to return a traitor to the folds of the Order of the Red Cross of Gold dead or alive.  
Simple.
That's how the assassin likes things.  Go in, kill or capture the subject and get out.  Simple.  That is how he prefers to conduct his business and he has almost 800 years of experience under his belt to help him accomplish his mission with as little trouble as possible.
Another thing working in his favor is the secrecy of his Order's existence.  Normally, only his subject has any idea that he might be under the gun or in danger of the Knight of Death paying a visit on them and much of the time, not even his subject knows he is coming.
It is his job to carry out the will of the Grand Master of his Order, who, like the Pope in Rome, is supposedly a direct conduit to God.  When he is not stalking his quarry, he is in his laboratory in Scotland making gold to support the secret global missions of the only surviving branch of the Order of the Knights of Christ, AKA poor Knights of Solomon's Temple, AKA Templars.
Yes, this should have been a simple mission, but this time he encounters something a little out of the ordinary.  His quarry has fallen in with some unscrupulous characters who are very much aware of the existence of the Order of the Red Cross of Gold and more, aware of the apparent immortality of the members of the ruling council.  So, they are waiting for him and the Order has greatly underestimated their motivation, as well as, the moral character of their high priestess.  The Knight of Death gets into a world of trouble in Texas and his Grand Master has no choice but come after him and take him back... dead or alive.


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## vikingwarrior22

I think the map would be awwwsum possum...just maybe ye could show where sum of the golds burried lad...if ye wood (the crew said type, it as they spelt it on the weee bit o' papper they had)


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## geoffthomas

I am finally reading my copy, Brendan.
Am about 70% through.
Will post more when I finish.


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## Brenda Carroll

Hey, Geoff! Thanks for reading. Hope you are enjoying it.  I've been working on a few other projects as you probably know.  It's good to hear from some of the 'Old School' KBers.


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## geoffthomas

I did finish the first book.
Ok, now I am hooked.
I have already picked up volume II.
On with the fun.
And how cool that you have such dedicated fans.


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## Brenda Carroll

I hope you know just how great it is to hear those words from readers.  Thank you so much, Geoff!  I think you will like book 2.  Happy Reading!

Oh, by the way, I'm going to post your words on Facebook and you'll be quite famous before morning... just sayin'!!


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## Brenda Carroll

Give something that will last a while!  The Assassin Chronicles is a twenty-eight volume series, starting with the Knight of Death, Book I, with twenty-four currently published and twenty-five on the way.  It is fast-paced, 5-star adventure with an 800 year old semi-immortal Templar Knight just trying to get by in the twenty-first century.  The books are available at Amazon for $2.99 with Book I and Book II in a special omnibus edition on sale for the Holidays for $2.99 as well.  That is 50% off the price for a limited time.  Why not buy two for the price of one and get started on the Assassin Chronicles?

The Knight of Death and the omnibus edition can both be found at Amazon in the Kindle Store.


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## Brenda Carroll

The Red Cross of Gold: Assassin Chronicles Series now has twenty-five books published on Amazon, Smashwords and other venues for reading on your eReaders. The Knight of Death is currently $2.99 at Amazon and kicks off the series with a bang when one of the semi-Immortal Knights of the Order of the Red Cross travels to Texas on a simple assassination mission and loses his way. Before long, everyone including his brothers of the Order are after his head when he makes a few mistakes and forgets what he is supposed to be doing.
The Omnibus edition, which includes the first two books of the series is on Sale for the Holidays for half price if you want to get started with both volumes.

Take a look at the Knight of Death:
http://www.amazon.com/Red-Cross-Gold-Knight-ebook/dp/B001J6ORUI/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1324600695&sr=1-1


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## geoffthomas

Ok folks, you are going to read all 25 books.....admit it.
So you have to start somewhere and this is the book to start with.

Just sayin.....


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## Brenda Carroll

Thanks, Geoff! Yes, this would be a good book to start with since it is, in fact, number 1 out of 25. Ha! I've been trying to tell them. My characters are keeping me up knights nights because they are worried that I'm not making myself clear. In other words, they don't trust me.
They can still get books 1 & 2 for the price of a single book for the Holiday Stocking Sale at Amazon. Only $2.99 for hundreds of thousands of well-placed words! I just don't know... I just don't know anymore.


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## Brenda Carroll

I got a really flattering comment on a Facebook Thread! Instead of three thumbs up, I got three exclamation marks and a winky face.

and a comment from a fan that says:

_I am reading the red cross of gold series now and I LOVE THEM!!! ;-)_

http://www.amazon.com/Red-Cross-Gold-Knight-ebook/dp/B001J6ORUI/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1326057345&sr=8-2


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## Meredith Sinclair

HEY! Where have YOU been Oh, waaaait... I was the one absent, huh?  

Awesome review!


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## Amber Kathielsen

I discovered this series this past summer back when Knight of Death was available for free. It's just fantastic! I've inhaled all the others and am waiting as patiently as possible for the next one- but it's not easy!


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## Brenda Carroll

Download your free copy of Book 1:. the Knight of Death today only and start your journey in the epic fantasy adventure today.  Available for Kindle free at Amazon.


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## mamiller

Brendan Carroll said:


> Download your free copy of Book 1:. the Knight of Death today only and start your journey in the epic fantasy adventure today. Available for Kindle free at Amazon.


*FREEEEEEEEEEEE!!*


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## geoffthomas

Go get this one and start your journey - lot's of stories ahead.


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## Brenda Carroll

The Red Cross of Gold I:. The Knight of Death, is free today on amazon.  Help yourself to an Epic Adventure and find out why his Brothers of the Order want him back, Dead or Alive.

Read and enjoy!


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## Brenda Carroll

OK, so I tried an experiment. I thought I would turn the table on these interviews and let the author interview the reader for a change. You decide what to make of it. Read it at: http://wp.me/pB5RI-9c


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## Brenda Carroll

If you haven't started this epic fantasy series, a good place to start and save money at the same time is with Book I & II in the same low-priced volume for only $2.99. You get started with a bang, receiving the Knight of Death and The King of Terrors at the same time. If you like the books and feel moved to write something yourself, how about a review? Of course, the same applies if you don't like it. 

And don't forget to visit my blog at Wordpress and leave a comment. I'll be participating in the A-Z Blog Hop during April and will be writing new posts every day beginning April Fool's Day. http://brendancarroll.wordpress.com/


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## Brenda Carroll

In the first installment of the Assassin Chronicles, the Knight of Death suffers an incident that leaves him with a bout of temporary amnesia. His memory loss lasts just long enough to get him in a world of trouble when he breaks his vow of celibacy and falls in love in the middle of an assassins mission. Not only are the bad guys after him, his own organization is out for his head. It will take a lot of luck, a couple of miracles and a bit of magic to get home in one piece.

The Red Cross of Gold [URL=I:]I:. The Knight of Death[/url]


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## Brenda Carroll

Well, I guess this is as a good a place as any to


Spoiler



bitch and piss and


 moan. But not at you, oh no! I'm mad at myself. Since I have been cleaning up some of my odds and ends and doing a bit of house-cleaning in my files and such, I went through my DTP files and discovered that Book XVI:. Omar, the Prophet has been in draft form and not available for Kindle for... oh, I don't know how long. So my apologies to anyone reading or attempting to read the Red Cross of Gold Series, I shall have to make the 16th book free for a few days so that everyone will have a chance to pick it up at no charge.

Meanwhile, you can start the series with book I:. the Knight of Death available on Amazon for $3.99 or look around the web and you might find a surprise or two. Try looking over at BrendanCarroll.wordpress.com, but hurry or you might miss something.


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## mamiller

I love surprises! Going to look......


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## Brenda Carroll

Amazon has discounted the first book in the Assassin Chronicles series to $2.99. Now is a good time to start the series at the low price of $2.99 for Book I: the Knight of Death. Currently 29 books are available at Amazon and Smashwords and most are available in paperback format as well.
Get your copy before the discount ends and begin the Epic Fantasy adventure today!


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## Brenda Carroll

The Assassin Chronicles are still going strong. Only one book left to finish the series. Now is a good time to start reading from Book I:. The Knight of Death for only $2.99 at Amazon, discounted from the regular price.



Or you can get a special on both books 1 & 2 for $3.99.


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## Brenda Carroll

The Knight of Death has a few unusual talents and skills. He likes to think of himself as simple, but that is as far from the truth as possible.
$3.99 at Amazon, also available in paperback.
Here's a little excerpt.
“You are very important to them. You are the Alchemist. You know the secret of the Philosopher’s Stone. You know the secret of the Great Work. You can change base metal to gold. You know the secrets of the universe. What about all that? It’s not something just anyone can do. Do you think they would let you get away from them? That alone would be enough to make them track you down forever. But you are also the Chevalier du Morte. Do you really think they would let you just go away? They have to have you. Cecile told me you are the only one who can release them from this life. Think of it. They can’t die without you. I’ve heard of people not being able to live without someone, but this is really a strange twist.”


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## mamiller

"Simple"  LOL  That is polar opposite of the truth. The Knight Of Death can't take a walk to the grocery store without a host of demons attacking him in the parking lot.  Poor Mark.


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## Brenda Carroll

Start something new for the New Year! How about a new series of adventure/fantasy books. The series isn't new, but it is newly finished with the publication of the last book, but of course, you need to start with Book I:. The Knight of Death. An epic fantasy concerning modern day Templar Knights coping with the modern world, waiting for Armageddon and the return of the Kingdom of God. Just because they've been around a long, long time doesn't mean they have lost their human failings. If there can be trouble, the protagonist will find it and if not, trouble will find him. Read and see how he digs himself out of situations that seem utterly hopeless.


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## Brenda Carroll

If you are ready for some long-term reading commitments, start with The Red Cross of Gold I:. The Knight of Death and get ready to read for a long, long time. The Knight of Death is the first in 30-book series. So go ahead, take the plunge and get started today.


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## Brenda Carroll

I have a new blog post up referring to some little creatures known as Water Bears or Moss Piglets. They reminded me of the creatures I thought I had created for The Knight of Death, Book I of the Red Cross of Gold series. Little did I know that my nightmarish critters really existed.
Take a look for yourself at:

http://wp.me/pB5RI-jB

And if you haven't started the series yet, go ahead and take the plunge. It's never too late to get started unless you have a Water Bear infestation.


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## Brenda Carroll

Great News! I will be doing a freebie for the Red Cross of Gold Books I & II (one volume) for Mother's Day weekend. So watch for the announcements or make a note and get the first two books in the series free! There's no better bargain than Buy One Get One unless it's Buy None Get Two!


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## Brenda Carroll

The Knight of Death is currently on sale at Amazon and Smashwords for only .99 cents. This cannot be beat.
Start the adventure today.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001J6ORUI


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## Brenda Carroll

The Knight of Death is still on sale at Amazon for only $.99! Since sales have been so good, I just might keep it that way. I might not. Can't never tell (and that is a double negative) so get it now, before I change my feeble mind.

Templar Knights left over from the Crusades are trying to make it in the 21st Century. Are they just too old? Or just too arrogant? Whatever the trouble, they seem to have lost their collective minds. Start the adventure today and find out what's up.

 http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001J6ORUI


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## Brenda Carroll

*The Knight of Death* will be permanently offered for mere pennies. That's a lot of read for a little coin. The book is the first in a 30-series novel series chronicling the adventures and misadventures of a group of crusty, Templar Knights who SHOULD KNOW BETTER. A little amnesia, a little lust and a lot of sex starts the series off with the Assassin for the Order of the Red Cross of Gold almost losing his own head when he forgets what he is and why he is where he is in the first place. The steamy start of the series sets the foundation for chain of events that will lead the Order into the future in what amounts to the creation of a new mythology for the future. Don't be fooled by the seeming incompetence of the Knights in this story. They have all lived a long time and though they are highly skilled men, they are still, in fact, only men and learning the hard lesson that not everything is as it seems. 
Things are about to get completely out of hand and before they know it, their entire world view just might have to change. If you don't normally read fantasy, this series will ease you into a world of magic, mythology, secret societies, fairies, dragons, angels and demons and before you know it, you'll learn something new about the wyrd wyrld or wyrms and the vast esoteric essence that connects everything we know to everything we don't know and then some.


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## Brenda Carroll

The entire Assassin Chronicles series has been up-dated, tweaked, discounted and revamped. Some even have new covers. Now is the time to start the adventure.

Short Description with anomalous comments:
The main character is one of twelve Council members for the internal circle of the secret Templar Order that has survived the crusades, the Inquisition and banishment over the centuries. They are the ones who know where everything is hidden. The Chevalier Ramsay is a hair-triggered Scotsman from the lowlands who ran away from home back in... oh, about 1180 AD (pardon the use of an old term. I prefer Anno Domine to Common Era because I believe that there is absolutely nothing common about our current era).

Anyway, Mark Ramsay, is called to serve in one of his mystical capacities as Assassin for the Order and sent off to America (known as Merica to those in the know) to fetch back the Grand Master's apprentice who has decided to leave the Order and take up with a rival order. Our fellows, being both ancient and arrogant have little regard for this silly modern order of pretenders and vastly underestimate their high priestess's motivations, means and madness.

He falls prey to her immediately and loses his memory temporarily after a close encounter with her body guard. While under the influence of a debilitating drug, he forgets who he is and what he's doing in America in the first place. One of his captor's, the leading lady as it turns out, has things on her mind other than the secrets of the philosopher's stone and immortality. After a while, he finds himself falling in love only to learn that he is actually 837 years old and supposed to be a celibate monk.

Eventually his Brothers of the Order come after him, thinking him to be a deserter as well. The action heats up as he has to fight his captors and his own Brothers for his life. There's lots of action, love and blood. The best combination for a good yarn. Happy reading.

There are thirty books in the series published for Amazon Kindle, eBooks on Smashwords and available in paperback format from Createspace and Amazon.com. Questions, comments and banter is welcome both here and on my blogs. None of my works cost more than $1.49. All of the series is available for $.99 each or $1.49 for the omnibus Red Cross of Gold Books I & II to get you started at an even greater discount.

My fan page at Facebook is at: facebook.com/BrendanCarrollRCG.

I have a website at http://brendan-carroll.com where I occasionally post blogs about all sorts of inane subjects.


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## Brenda Carroll

The Red Cross of Gold Series is currently $.99 per volume. Right now, Amazon has marked my double volume down to $.99 as well. So now is a great time to start the series or finish it, if you haven't started it. 
See it now! Don't wait.


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## Brenda Carroll

Book I "The Knight of Death" is only $.99. And if you care to read further, Book II "The King of Terrors" will only cost you a buck. If you are still interested after that, well... the series goes on for another 28 fantasy filled, action packed, mind boggling editions. The books are also available in paperback if you like to fill empty spaces in your domicles... er, that's domiciles or Greek for your crib or pad or house or apartment or camper or tent or bridge or wherever you call home.  You can read all about it and try a free sample. Just click on the links and get ready for a long ride.
            


_<merged with existing thread. Please, one thread per book. Bookmark this thread so that you can find it again, thanks! --Ann>_


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## geoffthomas

Brendan, I hope anyone that has not yet started on your series does so now.
Lots of good reading.


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## Brenda Carroll

Thanks, Geoffrey! Good to hear from you. I've had a whirlwind in life since I used to hang out here on KB. It used to be a blast. I hope to squeeze out some time to hang out more often and catch up on things.

What you said is true if I must say so myself. The Red Cross of Gold series was a work of love, blood, sweat and tribulation (much like what the main character suffers). It's a good, long series, doesn't cost an arm and a leg and like I've always said, it's a no risk buy on Kindle. If the reader no likee   there is always the option for returns.

Have a good weekend everyone!


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## Brenda Carroll

Do you read Romance books? Romance books with Scottish heroes? Well, this might be the book series for you. The main character is a Scottish alchemist (800 years old but not the least decrepit in any way) and the heroine is a naive young woman from Texas (where else?). He is not doing what he should be and she is not aware of what she is playing with:* Alchemical Fire*... very dangerous, but none-the-less tempting. He makes a living as an assassin for an elite order of Knights and she just wants a baby made the old fashioned way. She's a beauty easily influenced, but she is in a predicament and needs rescuing of a sort. He is not looking for love or to rescue fair maidens, but she keeps getting in the way. Loads of trouble, lots of interesting diversions, a little history and a long-lasting relationship that starts on a bad note and takes on epic proportions.
Try the first book for $.99 and if you like it, the second book is also $.99. Can't beat that.


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