Karissa Spencer is an up-and-coming artist who has made a name for herself sculpting cats. House cats, tigers, lions—but most of all sleek black panthers. She is driven to mold the beautiful black animal because as a teenager, she saw something horrible happen in an ancient Egyptian temple while a huge black panther watched, his tail flicking across the sand. And ever since, she can't get the image of the cat out of her mind. Although Karissa has a photographic memory, she can't remember anything else that occurred that fateful day. Many psychiatrists have tried to draw it out, but the truth lies hidden... ...Until an elegant Egyptian man dressed entirely in black comes to her studio to ask her to help him find the long-lost temple where her father was last seen. The moment Mr. Asher appears in her life, Karissa is swept into a world of secrets, danger and love.
Author
Patricia Simpson grew up in the wilderness of Western Montana, where it meant a 3-1/2 hour drive just to buy shoes. When she was young, the iPod hadn't yet been invented, and there were no radio stations in the area, so on the many long drives for shoes, Patricia amused herself by reading novels or creating her own stories in her head. She was encouraged to write by her sister, who always asked to be read what she had written so far that day, her Egyptian-born English teacher in junior high, and then again by a creative writing professor at the University of Washington. Instead of seeking a writing degree, Patricia chose to pursue a BA in Art and has worked as a graphic artist/web developer at the University of Washington since 1982. Patricia still enjoys painting almost as much as she loves to write. Ms Simpson has won numerous awards for her fiction, including Romantic Times Reviewer's Choice Award, Career Achievement Award, and has been a finalist in the RITA awards and for Best Indie Paranormal of the Year. Her Scottish husband encourages her to accompany him on his frequent business trips around the world, and whenever possible Patricia goes with him to scope out spooky historical places to use as the settings of her books.
