Kimberlie L. Faye – Home of the Bluestocking Belles

From the Reno Gazette-Journal

Easter Sunday-1865

While Easter Sunday services were held today in nearby Virginia City, residents of the growing town of Reno were curiously invited to the groundbreaking of Christ’s Community Compound, an endeavor spearheaded by two of Lake’s Crossing’s original founding members, Rufus and Katherine Monroe. The couple, along with their daughter Elizabeth and her husband, Reverend Lionel Bane, braved the freezing temperatures and blistering wind to pray at the site of the place the Banes will eventually call home.

The plans submitted to Reno’s newly formed advisory board provide for a large chapel, dormitories for single men and women as well as married couples, a stately home for the Banes, stables, a large meeting hall with an adjacent kitchen, and a workshop. Reverend Bane shared his thanks with those in attendance, saying, “The Lord’s work will continue here in this new state of Nevada, and God will bless us all.”

Funding for the project seems to be a subject of mystery. All financial records submitted are in the name of the Monroes, but some townfolk believe that Reverend Bane and his brothers, William and Nathaniel, came to Lake’s Crossing four years ago with dubious intentions and there are rumors that they have obtained a strange hold over the Monroes and others in their employ. Since their arrival, tales of extortion, coercion, and ill-gotten gains have followed their every move, especially after their youngest brother, Jonah Bane, disappeared with Monroe’s daughter Julianna, and their youngest daughter Victoria died in a tragic fall from the Inn at Lake’s Crossing.

The Journal staff have attempted to interview those close to the Monroes to no avail. The size and scale of this compound have neighbors worried. One businessperson in town went so far as to claim the Banes were in league with some sort of demonic entity, but there has been no evidence to back up her accusations. The Journal went so far as to send one of its junior reporters to the Inn at Lake’s Crossing, and that reporter, Nigel Glasgow, has not been seen since. The Journal will keep the community apprised of any developments.

About The Book…

The Banes of Lake’s Crossing: Origins

The Biggest Little City in the World was founded on a lie. History tells us that the city called Reno, Nevada, was founded as a gambling haven for silver miners and later the divorce capital. But it goes deeper than that. It goes as deep as the lines from which the silver came. In 1860, four brothers tunneled beneath the surface, looking to find the next Comstock Lode. They left their families behind in search of the valuable metals being brought forth from the Earth in order to do the Lord’s work.

Legend has it that the four men who went down into the Earth as good, solid Christian men returned as something more sinister, their good intentions abandoned. They became possessed by a force more evil than could be imagined, and their hold on the residents of what was known then as Lake’s Crossing allowed them to gain unfathomable powers.

“Each installment of this compilation will tantalize and terrify you. An absolute must read!”

Kerrigan Byrne
International bestselling author of the Victorian Rebels Series

________________________________________

The Fourth Man by R.L. Merrill

Lake’s Crossing was a fairly new settlement in 1862, but Julianna Monroe had already seen the worst of humanity cross their bridge seeking shelter. One blustery fall night, four well-dressed men enter her family’s inn, and she immediately senses their otherness. Despite her concerns for self-preservation, she is drawn to the fourth man. Quiet, brooding, and different from his elder brothers, Julianna is intrigued by Jonah and soon realizes it is time to choose a husband before the choice is made for her. But when the elder Bane brothers threaten her safety, will Jonah be strong enough to stand up to them and protect her? Or will she become yet another victim of the Banes’ evil influence?

Hell’s Belles by Ellay Branton

When her most loyal client and friend falls under the mysterious control of the Bane brothers, Arabella Kimpton knows she has to do something to save him. Convincing Zach Upton that his little brother is in big trouble won’t be easy. The sexy rancher knows all about her business as an owner of Hell’s Belles Saloon – and that she spends a lot of time alone with his brother. Arabella will have to risk everything to gain Zach’s trust and save Jerry. But the gamble might leave her with a broken heart…if she survives the wrath of the sinister Bane brothers.

The Silver Brooch by Kimberlie L. Faye

Miss Penelope Webb is ready to start fresh. A midwife with a gift and a pure soul, she’s hired by Lionel Bane for the birth of his second child. She’s determined to start anew in Lake’s Crossing and leave her past behind her. Little does she know the Bane brothers rule the town and folks are not quite themselves. Penny has caught the ire of William, the large and imposing younger brother. He oozes menace and disdain and darkness is embedded in his soul. Despite his danger, she’s inexplicably drawn to him.

Should she risk her heart and her secrets for a chance at love with a man who has a damned soul?

The Banes Of Lake’s Crossing – Origins is the first of a trilogy set in this world. A follow-up short story featuring Nathaniel Bane was released in March 2018. Look for part two in October 2018.