Terms of Surrender | Lita Burke

Lita recently left her castle in the snowy northern realms for a visit to the 2014 Readers’ Favorite International Book Award Contest ceremony in the sultry swelter of Miami, Florida.

2014 Readers’ Favorite International Book Awards Contest, Miami. Left to Right: Lita Burke, Lorrie Farrelly, Jalpa Williby.

Lita met fellow writers of many genres, exchanged spell papers (okay, business cards), and drank magical potions (cocktails).

The night air crackled with breathless talk and the lightening-strike pops of flashbulbs. Women wearing sparkling gowns made of starry fireflies floated past tuxedoed gents. The authors clutched their precious books stuffed with beguiling stories, and held them up for the obliging cameras.

RF Miami 2014. Photo courtesy of Jalpa Williby. Used with permission.

2014 Readers’ Favorite International Book Awards Contest, Miami. Left to Right: Lita Burke, Jalpa Williby, Linda Watkins. Photo courtesy of Jalpa Williby. Used with permission.

And then there was that breathless minute: walk to center stage, accept the award, and all but swoon from the applause for your story. Heavenly.

Allow Lita to introduce Gentle Reader to the books that the authors are holding in these pictures. Be sure to check out the award-winning stories that these wonderful wizards of words hobnobbed over at the 2014 Readers’ Favorite International Book Award Contest ceremony in Miami.

Terms of Surrender by Lorrie Farrelly is a historical western romance about a former captain in the confederate army, Michael Cantrell, and his search for redemption in the ranch lands of Wyoming.

Terms of Surrender is a Readers’ Favorite Bronze Medal Award Winner in Fiction-Western (2014).

Timelapse by Lorrie Farrelly is a supernatural thriller about Alex, a graduate student, who tragically loses his wife in an accident.

Alex is swept into a time warp where he battles the harsh emotional reality of an alternate universe.

Timelapse is a Readers’ Favorite Honorable Mention Award Winner in Fiction-Paranormal (2014).

Chaysing Dreams by Jalpa Williby is a young adult romance about a teenage girl named Tess and her journey to find the meaning of her disturbing dreams.

Chaysing Dreams is a Readers’ Favorite Gold Medal Award Winner in Romance-Suspense (2014).

Chaysing Memories by Jalpa Williby is a young adult romance about a now grown up Tess who has moved on with her life and joined the US Military Special Forces.

Chaysing Memories is a Readers’ Favorite Gold Medal Award Winner in Romance-Suspense (2014).

Mateguas Island: A Novel of Terror and Suspense by Linda Watkins is a supernatural thriller about a family down on their luck who inherit a magic-filled malevolent house on an island off the coast of Maine.

Mateguas Island: A Novel of Terror and Suspense is a Readers’ Favorite Gold Medal Award Winner in Fiction-Supernatural (2014).

Wrath, Prequel to Tredan’s Bane by Lita Burke is a fantasy about a retired Enchanter who battles a powerful magician to keep a dangerous spell book from falling into the wrong hands.

Wrath, Prequel to Tredan’s Bane is a Readers’ Favorite Honorable Mention Award Winner in Fiction-Short Story (2014).

Terms of Surrender by Lorrie Farrelly is a historical western romance about a former captain in the confederate army, Michael Cantrell, and his search for redemption in the ranch lands of Wyoming.

Civil War Battlefield Horrors Had Broken Michael’s Spirit

In the months following the American Civil War, the battlefield horrors have broken Michael’s spirit. He saw his beloved brother Gavin fall, and heartache consumes Michael. With nothing left of his life except for his warhorse Jet, a saber, and an army issue Colt Navy revolver, he rides Jet to the western frontier.

Annie Devlin has overwhelming cares for such a young horse rancher. Her parents are dead and she struggles to make a home for ten-year-old brother Robbie. Annie’s powerful neighbor Elias Randolph covets her family’s pastureland, and he pulls dirty and deadly tricks to get her to sell.

Annie’s Neighbor Covets Her Family’s Pastureland

Fate brings Michael to the siblings’ rescue when Randolph’s henchmen attack the two on their way home with a mud-stuck wagon of supplies. Michael wins this skirmish, but is near-fatally wounded.

Annie takes Michael home and tends the fallen confederate captain. Bringing him back from death’s gate is just the first of their harrowing adventures to protect the ranch.

Love blossoms between the northern woman and southern man, but the War Between the States is not over for some. Despite advice from Gavin’s ghost, the cards are stacked against Michael finding redemption and love in the Wild West.

Terms of Surrender is a tender love story about a couple in a harsh world. The tale unwinds through Michael’s eyes, and at times his anguish brought Lita tears. The romance was sexy and delightful, and the bad guys were ooh, so despicable. The scene descriptions were vivid and done well. At times Lita shivered from the chilly kiss of the Wyoming wind.

Gentle Readers who enjoy westerns and spicier romances would like the story. For others who love immersive worlds, just saddle up and ride on in to Terms of Surrender.

Terms of Surrender on Amazon US

Terms of Surrender on Amazon UK

Terms of Surrender on Goodreads

Lorrie Farrelly on Goodreads

Lorrie Farrelly blog and website