Tags
Diana Layne, female pirate captains, gypsy, gypsy witch, Pirate's Proposal, pirates, Scrimshaw Doll, The Wild Rose Press
One pirate did, when she was a little girl and sailed the wide ocean with her roguish pirate-captain father. Long before she became a pirate captain herself–
But I’m getting ahead of myself. My name is Rosa and I’m a Scrimshaw Doll. If you don’t know, a Scrimshaw Doll is a doll made of bone. Mayhaps that sounds repelling to some, but I’ll have you know I am very beautiful. And mysterious. There are those who say my dark eyes follow them and others who swear I am warm to touch, that it’s possible I truly live and have magical powers. How could that be?
My creator, Enzo was a gypsy. Once he traveled the high seas and beyond, but when an injury left him unable to sail, he took up carving things from whalebone. He made me to ease his pain and also to comfort his poor little daughter when his wife, and her mother, was viciously murdered. To honor his wife, Rosa, he carved a tiny Rose on my chest.
His now-motherless daughter cherished me and kept me with her always. I was even in bed with her on the eve of her own wedding, when Enzo snuck a gypsy witch into her room to cast a spell upon his daughter. Rumor had it that his murdered wife had been unfaithful, and he wanted to save his daughter from ever suffering betrayal. The gypsy cast the spell before she realized I lay snuggled securely under the blankets with my mistress.
I can still hear the old witch’s gasp, and see the way her golden earrings dangled as she shook her head and whispered the word, “No.”
You see, she was afraid I’d absorbed the spell. And she was right. Anyone who betrayed me would have a terrible fate befall them. In an attempt to undo the damage, she recast the spell and added a caveat that true love would break the curse.
Am I loved? ‘Tis true my first mistress loved me, but alas, illness robbed her of her life before a single gray hair ever grew on her head. She passed me on to her daughter, Gina, now another motherless girl. (You can read a deleted prologue of how Gina inherited me HERE.) Of course, I brought Gina comfort just as I had done for her mother. But did the girl put me aside when she grew into a bold, female pirate captain? You’ll have to read PIRATE’S PROPOSAL to learn the answer.
So tell me, would you want a mysterious, cursed gypsy doll in your bed at night?
Native small town Texan Diana Layne is an award-winning author and an RWA® Golden Heart® finalist. She’s a homeschooling mom of six kids who grew up riding horses and motorcycles, practicing the piano and reading every chance she could. As an only child she kept herself entertained with imaginary playmates and now writes romantic suspense thrillers and historical romances. To learn more about Diana, please check out her website.
Be sure and friend Rosa the gypsy doll on FACEBOOK!
And welcome our newest tale The Bone Bride by Tamrie Foxtail release today!
(photo credits: http://i230.photobucket.com/albums/ee278/cat021594/Rose-2-122.jpg, http://i605.photobucket.com/albums/tt134/lizzaluvly/gypsy-1.jpg)
talesofthescrimshawdoll.wordpress.com 
Hi Rosa. What a wonderful, intriguing story you weave.
I have many other talents too…teeheehee. Like hijacking Diana Layne’s computer…who knew I’d be computer-savvy? You learn a lot through the ages…
Hi Rosa…my name is Pam and I will purchase you a few hundred years in the future. Something about you captivated me from the moment I saw you in the antique store. Maybe it was your ‘magic,’ but my friends worry that I’m going a little crazy. That might be true. I just lost my husband to suicide…or was it? My story is told in Thicker than Water http://amzn.com/B008U8NKCO (although it’s not really ‘my’ story, it’s by best friend, Julia’s). It was fascinating to hear about your origins, and that a gypsy witch cursed you. Maybe I’m not insane after all…at least, I hope not.
Hi, Pam, I find crazy is a subjective term. Once you’ve hung out with the gypsies, anything is possible…
Rosa, I enjoyed meeting you when I read the book. Diana’s story about you and Gina was a great read!
Ah, thank you for your kindness, Jerrie. That Gina, she’s a spirited one, isn’t she? Quite good with the sword too, I’ve heard.
Hello Rosa, you are fantastic in Pirate’s Proposal!! I bet you can cook too.
Cook? Me? No, I don’t think so. But I can really *get* things cooking…between two people. 🙂
I suspect, Rosa, you will enlighten me, Lady Kendra Frazier, as to how you came into MY possession, next week. I find it inconceivable that you just transport yourself. Though I am fascinated by your history I just want to know how you do it! How you carry yourself from century to century. Alas! I suppose time will tell….
All I will say is sometimes I amaze myself…teeheehee
Hi Rosa,
I didn’t realize you had that beautiful name when you entered my life in Tessa’s Treasures Antique Shop. I just knew you were involved in my life in an unusual way. See you in a few hundred years.
Fondly, Tessa Jordan.
P. S. – Callie, I hope you don’t mind that I borrowed your name to comment here.
Hi, Tessa, I’m sure even if I’ll be in an *antique* store, I’ll be the most beautiful thing there, right? I preserve well through history…don’t I? Please tell me I do!
What a fun and interesting story!
Thank you, Lisa, for stopping by to read my story! I hope you’ll check out some of the books featuring…ME! 🙂 Love, Rosa.
Oh, Rosa, I miss you so very much. You were a gift to me, Darcy, from my beloved great-grandmother, Gigi. You were meant to protect me from the snares of my evil identical twin sister, Scarlett. But in the end, she took you away from me and I fear I’ll never see you again. You prevailed in the battle against my soulless twin,as did I, the moment Cabin asked me to be his wife. Still, that doesn’t fill the hole losing you left in my heart. By the way, you’ll always be “Shaw” to me.
Saints in heav’n, Lady Darcy! To save you from evil? ‘Tis fantastic tale, indeed. Why, she is a miracle worker, to be sure, as I vow, she saved my virtue on more than one occasion! Well, at least until…oh, well, nevermind the details of That little tale. ‘Twill all come out in the end, I daresay.
Seriously? It has it’s very own blog? Scarlett Vaughan here. What’s the big deal about that god-forsaken bag of bones? If you ask me, there’s nothing special at all about the crusty old thing, except for maybe that botched boob job on her chest. If you look hard enough, it sort of resembles a rose.
What grand adventures I have to look forward to! Love, Rosa.
What a great story. I love the pov from the doll. There is a haunted doll in New Orleans.
Tell us more, Mary! Sounds like a great storyline. Maybe Rosa is related to your New Orleans doll???
Actually I looked it up, the enchanted doll is in Key West. The book I got after a ghost tour, which was freakin’ awesome. The doll was given to Gene Otto, an artist. The doll’s name is Robert. It is told that the doll was created by Otto’s nanny, who was a slave. The goes to say that the doll is alive. The nanny was pregant and was denied care when the baby came. The child died. She made Robert and gave to Gene. It is said that Robert would watch out the window. He lives now at the East Martello Museum. It is said that his hair is turning gray. And it you take his picture without his permission than bad things happen to you. It is said that Robert, make facial expressions. It’s really strange and interesting. I haven’t seen the doll.
That sends SHIVERS!
Yes, indeed…?
Rosa, I don’t understand the love some of these women feel for you. You came into my mother’s life and now she’s dead. The last thing she saw was you–dressed in a bridal gown to match her own. Now I’ve inherited you and your curse, just when the only man I’ve ever loved has come back into my life. Will you cause Rory’s death, too?
Daira
Mayhaps someone betrayed me? And all is not as it seems for your mother’s death? Rosa.
Hi Rosa. My name is Sophia Deveraux. You don’t know it yet, but in 119 years I receive you as a gift from my father before he died. I will desperately need your help if I’m to survive the Trail of Tears and the man who haunts my every move in my story Trail of Hope, which will soon be available. You were born from a gypsy curse and I will learn about the Cherokee people. I wonder how many more cultures you will learn about throughout your many owners?
What a trying time this will be… Rosa
In 1967 you will return to your humble beginnings when Poppy Tippen inherits you. She is the last direct descendant of the gypsy witch, who originally cursed you.
Wow! And all I have is my Marie LaVeau Voodoo Queen of New Orleans doll to play with…
Tell us more about this Voodoo Queen doll! So intriguing……. There must be a story for certain.
Oh, not really much of a story… Let’s see, I think it was back in the mid-70s–I was hardly more than a kid, but I was on assignment from this rag I worked for in the Quarter. One day the Chief called me into his office and told me some crackpot, wannabe writer by the name of Anne Rice wanted to give the paper first interview on a series of books she was writing.
“About New Orleans? I asked.
“Kinda.”
“You know I don’t do that touristy, flowery crap, Chief. Give it to Malloy.”
“Vampires,” the chief said.
“Huh?
“She’s writin’ about vampires.” He shoved a slip of paper across the desk.
“But Chief–”
“There’s the address, Walker. Be there…sometime after sunset.”
You know, that assignment was just the best! Anne…I mean Ms. Rice…was the most charming, interesting person I’ve had the opportunity to interview ever! We talked ALL night long… Then just before dawn, she excused herself but returned shortly with an unusual black box engraved with mysterious markings, which she placed beside me.
“For me?” I asked incredulously. “But, Anne dear, whatever for?”
“Aw, hell, I don’t know,” she said with a shrug, “I don’t have a lot of friends. Sun’s about up. I gotta go to…uh, bed. You can show yourself out. See ya, kid.”
Well, you guessed it. My gift…Marie LaVeau, Voodoo Darling of New Orleans.
Told you it wasn’t much of a story.
Pingback: Lady Kendra’s virtue? A minute possibility… «