Storyteller Spotlight: Mara Blake
Editor’s note: In this spotlight, author Mara Blake opens up about how growing up with Star Trek shaped her view on inclusivity and shares an exclusive look at The Tensins—her first venture into contemporary romance.
Biography
I grew up with Star Trek and have always marveled at the possibilities inherent in science fiction. It wasn’t the far-fetched “alien” aspects of scifi that interested me, but the “what ifs” for real life. I was deeply inspired by the multi-cultural actors in the original as well as the subsequent series’ and dreamed of living a life where color was less important than what planet you were from and a place where women were just as valuable as men. A world where skill and desire to belong were the main qualifications for having a place in society. I’ve tried to write stories that uplift people without putting others down.
I love to create stories of make-believe people that we can all relate to and say “see, we belong too”. Science fiction, fantasy, romance and historical. I have been writing, designing, sewing and drawing since I could pick up a pencil, a ruler or a needle. Everything inspires me. My vision was very poor as a child and I learned how to use the rest of my senses and found that using them all together, made the world far more colorful and far more … right.
I’m a learning junky and I live to create. I have a million pocket universes in my head, science fiction, fantasy, romance, adventure and I am finally getting them out where they belong. A lot of strong women, a lot of black and brown people, a lot of LGBTQIA people … because our stories are real and have relevance and we belong too. I hope that the people in my worlds bring you happiness and inspiration as well.
Since I wrote my “First Contemporary Romance” for Pride month and several science fiction romances, I can’t call “The Tensins” my first, but it is my first non-science fiction, non LGBTQIA romance. The woman is strong, and so is the man. They both have pain that they come together to help heal. That’s the way I believe it is supposed to be. I hope you enjoy their journey.
Excerpt: The Tensins
It was raining, hard. A typical New York deluge. Summers in New York City could provide just about every weather pattern you could imagine. Where most places bragged … ‘if you don’t like the weather, wait ten minutes and it will change’, the state of New York had invented it.
Amalda Jursen held the portfolio with the newspaper on top of it above her head and swore. It was an expensive leather match to her briefcase, and the newspaper was scant protection for either the bag or herself, but the rain was coming down in solid, heavy sheets and visibility was severely hampered. She’d told her father that if she didn’t leave soon after five, she’d get caught in the weather that they could see quickly darkening their windows.
But had he listened? Of course not. Marcus Nelson Jursen listened to no one. And to hear him tell it, that was how he’d amassed his fortune … and he said this as if it were a virtue to be emulated. She sighed, trying not to curse him as she felt the rivulets of ice-cold water seeping down her back and into her underwear, filling her shoes and flattening her hair against her face. And so quickly too.
Amalda couldn’t exactly argue with him about how he’d made his fortune as she’d been a young child. People had different perspectives on things as they grew up. But right now, she was cold and miserable as she looked both ways watching the traffic whoosh past splashing rivers and waves in their wake and hoping to see a cruising taxi.
A moment later, she felt the heat from a large overcoat as it was slipped over her shoulders, and a battered umbrella was raised above her head. She frowned and turned eyes surrounded by dripping lashes to stare into the large black eyes of a tall dark man. His face was in shadow and all she could see were the dark eyes, a brooding stare within them and the pursing of a tightlipped mouth. The one thing that popped immediately into Amalda’s mind was that if this was so much of a burden as to make him angry, why was he helping her?
Damien Tensin was angry, but not particularly with Amalda. He was angry with whoever had sent her out in this weather dressed in such light clothing … and at night. He wasn’t a sexist. He knew that she probably lived alone and chose her own clothing. But by the thin business suit, the bulging briefcase in her hand the also bulging portfolio now tucked under her arm, the story of leaving work late was all too clear. Usually that meant someone was being compelled to work late, no matter how they were dressed or what worsening weather patterns there were. Rather than being sent home, a selfish employer had told her to stay. He knew that if it was your choice most people were smart enough to leave on time … if not early … when foul weather was imminent especially when you hadn’t come prepared. Most people. Only the truly dedicated would be so rash.
Once upon a time having been such an employer … Damien began to feel a certain kind of way about finding this young woman standing here … drowning.
And that didn’t even cover the fact that it was nearly dark, and she was a woman alone. That one burned him even more. It was almost nine o’clock in the evening. She should have been home safe and dry a long time ago. Damien’s glowering face darkened farther.
Moving her head back slightly in surprise at the look in his eyes, Amalda attempted a smile. “Thank you … Mr. …?
“Tensin. Are you waiting for a driver or hailing a cab?”
