Lynette Hall Hampton – The Island

My guest this week is multi-published author, Lynette Hall Hampton

Lynette Hall Hampton’s first novel was published in 2003. Since then she’s had 22 romantic suspense, cozy mystery and inspirational mysteries published. Another romantic suspense is due out in September. Under the name Agnes Alexander she has published 6 western historical romances with 2 more coming out this year. Lynette is a member of Romance Writers of America, Carolina Romance Writers, Sisters in Crime, The Triad chapter of SinC, Western Writers of America, and several local groups. She lives in her home state of North Carolina and her most favorite thing to do, when she isn’t writing, is spending time with her two grandchildren. She can be reached at www.lynettehallhampton.net  or www.agnesalexander.com

The Island

A plane disappears over the Atlantic, but after an intense search turns up nothing, the 112 people aboard are declared dead. Unbeknownst the outside world, 13 people make it to an island. 27 months later, a plane off course discovers the survivors. The waiting world is anxious to learn how they lived, but the survivors have secrets they must hide, not only from the media, but from their families as well.

Here is an excerpt:

Amanda buckled the seat belt as she’d been told. She felt the plane jerk again. Three consecutive jerks. Out the window she could see the ocean below. No clouds were visible. Only the dark Atlantic with its continual ripples.

            From the intercom the voice said, “Please find and put on your life jackets. Do not inflate your lifejacket until you are out of the aircraft. Please get in the crash position. Put your head between your knees…”

            There was no time for further instructions. Within four minutes the plane touched water and the air filled with screams of fright and unbelief. If Amanda screamed, she didn’t know it.

She felt as if everything inside her was being shaken out her mouth or through her ears. Her head rang and throbbed, her nose began to bleed and she felt water seeping around her body. Going only on instinct, she managed to get the seatbelt unfastened. She was in water, and she inflated her lifejacket. Once free, she floated upward. She was surrounded by screams and moans of desperation and pain, but she couldn’t think of them now. Her only instinct was to fight to survive.

            As she saw the top of the plane getting closer to her face she knew she’d be trapped and would drown if she didn’t get lower. With all the strength she could muster she kicked and pushed downward. The life jacket wouldn’t let her descend. She fumbled with the fastener and finally got it off.

            A good swimmer, she thrust her body downward. Thinking it would be no worse to drown in the open sea than to be trapped in a sinking plane, she swam in the only direction the rushing water would let her.

            It seemed like a long time, but it was probably only seconds when her head popped above water and she gasped for breath. She was surrounded by screaming and crying people and a lot of floating debris. Her eyes searched for her Spanish seat-mate, but she didn’t see her anywhere. She pushed the woman from her thoughts and began to kick her legs. The slacks and jacket weighted her down, but she didn’t dare try to get them off. As she kicked she felt her shoes slip from her feet. She could think of nothing else to do tohelp her situation. With no life jacket to hold her up, all she could do was tread water.

The Island is available at: www.Lynettehallhampton.net; Amazon.com; whiskeycreekpress.com

Lynette and I would love to hear from you, so please leave a comment to win a copy of The Island.