Author Name: Shawna Barnett
Author Website: https://www.shawnabarnett.com/
Book Genre: Fantasy, Action Adventure, LGBT, LGBTQ+ Identities: Bisexual, asexual
Trigger Warnings: Violence, attempted rape, domestic violence, torture, murder
Age Limits: 18+
Author Bio:
Shawna Barnett is an author of swashbuckling sapphic tales. Shawna Barnett is an author, mother and Californian living in Nashville, Tennessee. After graduating with a degree in Politics and Literature, she began a career in social services, working with at-risk youth and survivors of domestic and sexual violence. Recently, she decided to become an author. When not writing and working, she spends time with her husband and daughter. She enjoys reading and reviewing books whenever she can.
Book Title: Windfall
Book Synopsis:
Captain Liana Foley knows a thing or two about fights. She fights the King’s Navy. She fights to balance power in oppressive Vioria. She fights for respect as a female, bisexual, pirate captain. But she’s losing her biggest fight: to escape her secret past as a lost Princess.
With a mysterious letter and a stranger threatening to expose her, Liana is blackmailed into attending a royal ball and protecting her counterpart, sheltered Princess Rhian. The pretenses are suspicious enough, but Liana takes the risk in hopes to finally unveil the magic plot that killed her parents and forced her into hiding.
When Liana encounters Rhian’s own lightning-wielding powers, the ball erupts in violence. The sheltered princess falls into the care of Liana—and her band of pirates. On the run, the only safe haven for the Windfall crew to hide is the most-dangerous place of all: under the thumb of Liana’s narcissistic, abusive brother-in-law.
In order to protect her crew, her family, and naïve Rhian, Liana must demand sacrifices from herself and the people she loves. Her choices will make powerful enemies; good thing Liana Foley knows a thing or two about fighting those.
Excerpt:
This scene shows one of the most important themes in Windfall: agency.
I spent my first few years out of college as a domestic and sexual violence victim advocate. Here, Liana is displaying the role of an advocate, asking Rhian how she would like to handle her unplanned pregnancy. For the very first time, sheltered Princess Rhian can make choices on her body and her future. In advocacy, this is called an empowerment approach. While the advocate respects the victim/client’s personal resources and strengths, they guide them through a proactive approach to improve their lives. Not only will Rhian recognize the agency in this choice, but she will also have the tools to make choices on her own, and eventually become a leader.
“You asked for me, Captain Foley?” asked the princess when Liana came to face her.
“Yes. You and I need to have a serious conversation, Princess.”
Rhian blanched.
“Captain,” Thiago said, backing away. He gave Rhian a reassuring nod before going about his duties.
“Come on, then,” she urged, and Rhian fell into stride behind her. “Watch your head.”
“Huh?”
Before the princess’s nose could collide with a pillar of lumber carried on the shoulders of two crew members, Liana threw an arm out. After exchanging a quick word about the repairs with them, she moved on. A moment later, she called back to Rhian again when they came to the steps to the upper deck.
They sidestepped past Marin and Lucky, who looked to be in a rush. After a moment’s pause to look over her shoulder at them, Liana eyed the helm. Ameen had taken over. Strange, she thought. It was Marin’s shift. She caught glances with Ameen, who gave her a quick salute. Things were taken care of for now, but she made a mental note to follow up later.
After the careful dance from the crow’s nest to the captain’s cabin, Liana allowed Rhian to enter first before shutting out prying ears with a firm slam of the door. She offered her a seat, which the princess took. “I’ll get to the point. We’re here to talk about your options.”
“O-options?”
“About your situation.” Liana looked pointedly at Rhian’s midsection. “How far gone are you, exactly?”
“Ah… I’m not sure…”
“The last time you bled was… when?”
Rhian’s face turned crimson.
“Listen, I’m not thrilled to be asking you this, either!” Liana snapped, waving her hands in the air. “But if you want me to help you, you’re going to need to be a little more aware of your bodily functions, Princess. So, unless you want Ameen to come in here and speak with you, instead—"
“No!” Rhian buried her face in her hands, mortified.
“Well, then?”
“Ripnath… I remember it was in Ripnath. The beginning, I think.”
Liana tapped on the table, counting for a moment. “Just over three months. Thiago told me you’ve been getting sick in the mornings.”
“It hasn’t been as bad the last few days.”
“Sounds right. Usually goes away about this time.”
Rhian opened her mouth and shut it, as though she had a question to ask but thought better of it.
“What?” Liana pressed, irritated by her timid demeanor.
“It just… I couldn’t help but wonder if you’ve been… in the same predicament,” she stuttered. “That is to say, Captain, that—"
“No. I’ve never been pregnant.” Liana said, putting her out of her misery. “But, believe it or not, you’re not the first pregnant girl I’ve helped.”
“Mister Venegas told me what you did for him and his daughter. Is that who you’re talking about?”
“I’ve helped many, actually.”
“I didn’t think that pirates usually made it a habit to get involved in such things.”
“They do when they run charities.”
“Charities?”
Liana let out a short laugh and made a vague gesture to the ship. “The Windfall is more than just a pirate ship, Princess. Sure, we make a profit, but we also give back.”
“To who?” Rhian placed a hand on her cheek, obviously intrigued.
“People who need it. Sometimes pregnant girls. Sometimes men who lost their jobs. Women who need to feed their children. It depends.”
“But why? Can’t those people go to the Temple or… Or to…” Rhian drifted off, her face falling into a frown.
“The king?” Liana asked, sarcastically “The earls?”
“I suppose… there would be too many obstacles in the way of that…”
“I don’t know how close you were with your brother. Probably not very, given… you know… but he wasn’t exactly at one with the people, if you understand what I mean.”
“Oh, I understand.” Rhian sighed, nodding with a tight look.
“Trust me when I say that I have some experience in what you’re going through. I know that this can be a… difficult time,” Liana went on. “It can feel like you’re trapped. That you don’t have a lot of choices.”
“That’s exactly how it feels.” Rhian nodded, wringing her hands in her lap.
“So that begs the question…” Liana took a seat across from the princess. She looked her in the eye, lowering her tone just a bit. “What do you want to do?”
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