Precious Gifts

by Stone, Veronica

• ISBN13: 9780974531618
• ISBN10: 0974531618
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2007-01-01
• Publisher: Salvstone Books

Summary

The Earl of Brentwood, Brand Hayworth, is a recluse father of London's infamous ton. Faced with a heart condition that could send him to an early grave, Brand decides to send his three daughters into society with the stipulation that they marry in three months time. The girls comply with his demands in hopes of keeping him alive long enough to see his grandchildren. Enlisting the help of the Earl's sister, the Hayworths are launched into society. By every outward appearance things run smoothly but the Hayworths are walking disasters. Not only do the daughters face ruination but the sons do as well. Worried the scandal will kill the Earl, some of the children are forced to wed. Will true love prevail or will the Hayworths sacrifice their own hopes and dreams in order to fulfil their father's dying request? Can they accomplish all they set out to do?

Author Biography

Veronica Stone I was born the fourth child in a family of five and raised on a small lake in the middle of Michigan. Like most children, I had bad dreams and was afraid of the dark. As I got older, the dreams or nightmares, as most were by then, got worse and I began to sleep walk. At night, I was terrified to go to sleep; afraid that I would wake up somewhere other than my bed or that the vivid dreams I had would actually kill me. I died in my dreams quite frequently. Most times by being stabbed, drowned, or falling from high places. I actually hit the ground several times and felt all my bones break. As a child, I was haunted by what my mind created for me in my sleep.My parents didn't understand what I was telling them. They just thought I was like every other young child and that I would learn to accept the fact that the images in my head were only dreams and couldn't hurt me. That was when I began paying attention to the dreams and soon it became apparent that they were actually stories coming to me in bits and pieces.As I began writing them down, I realized more than one story was taking place and I started making charts of the characters. I wrote down how they looked, their eye color, height, weight, family members, houses they lived in, tattoos, and what pets they had. I wrote down anything that made the characters who and what they were. Soon full novels were coming to me in the form of dreams and I found myself excited to go to sleep. Though I continued to sleep walk, I began to want to sleep just so I could find out what was going to happen next in the stories I had begun to write.This had taken my talent to a new level and I started to research what was happening to me. I read everything I could get my hands on about sleep walking and even looked into a sleep clinic. I researched other authors to see if other people did what I could do. I was desperate to understand what was happening to me while I slept. I soon realized that no one could explain it. I even went to a psychic who told me I had a muse that helped me write. If that is the case, my muse never lets me know it's there.Frustrated, I began to run six to eight miles a day and found that during my run if I focused my mind I could get the dreams to play and I could actually dream the stories along as if I were asleep. It took getting used to and soon I had written three novels and started seven others. I found that if I read science fiction then I worked in science fiction. If I watched romance movies, then I wrote romance novels. It was after the birth of my daughters, that I had honed my talent into the ability that I still use today. The several dreams I have at night I no longer need to write down right away. They will be there when I sit in front of the computer to actually write the novels. As long as I've dreamed the stories, the books can be produced. If I haven't dreamed the books yet, the story abruptly stops and I am forced to switch to another story that I have dreamed about and work that one until I run out of information.Most of the time, I'm just an observer in the stories I write. Watching the scene like an innocent bystander, but other times I am the characters themselves; their faces, their feelings, their lives. It was terrifying as a child to look into a mirror in your dream and see someone else's face and hair where your reflection should have been. Now, I find it fascinating and realize that I grew up in an unusual way but am pleased that the ability has inspired the novels that so many of you enjoy today.I hope you enjoy what my mind creates and understand a bit of what it takes for me to write these novels. So enjoy the dreams and I wish you all the best!! Veronica Stone