BLADE OF FIRE In the summer of 1999, following a dreadful scandal, not caused by her but impacting her, Oriana flees Thames RC and in her rush to escape, stumbles into welcome anonymity at Vesta. There she meets the Elite Darius Baldwin, who soon writes her off as a pothunter... but to Oriana's shock, she is attracted to Darius. Deciding to do something that she will enjoy, albeit even temporarily, Oriana finally persudes Darius to agree to a romantic outing. But, even as she takes her first stroke, she knows their mixed double has no chance of ever winning at Llandaff prestige international regatta, for Darius has vowed never to row with anyone who can't steer, nor compete with any person with hints of scandal blemishing their name. Before long Oriana realises that it's only a matter of time before the naked pole climbing at Peterborough comes back to haunt her. Torn between love and rowing, she decides to enjoy the small time she can have with the obstinate Darius who will doubtlesly toss away true love to keep his pledge. CRTICAL ACLAIM FOR "BLADE OF FIRE" "So good I rushed the slide" Independent Rowing News " A brilliant evocation of the life of a single rower in a novice crew…Reads like Dan Topolski out of Jane Austin, And any woman who has ever rowed will read it and weep" Eric Sims "It's a bit wanky really, I didn't get past page 7 " James Cracknell, CBE