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Saturday, October 19, 2013

Introducing....

I've decided to write 'outside of the box'. I'm used to writing romance with adventure, mystery/suspense, and humor. I'm used to writing on-the-edge stories that keep the readers turning the pages. I'm used to writing historical, contemporary, romantic comedy, paranormal, and time-travel. But...I've never written a story for teenagers before. However, the story will have adventure, humor, and suspense...and maybe some mystery. And, there is a chance of a love story. And why not? There was a love story (of sorts) in Harry Potter's series, right? So I'm jumping in with both feet and writing this book. I hope I don't sprain an ankle or something.

My cover artist, Sheri McGathy has put together another AWESOME book cover for me. This is just PERFECT for my story. With any luck, I'll have this story written by Christmas.


 

Salem, Massachusetts

Fascinated by the boarded up house on the hill, three teenagers, Jace, Brooke, and Rick are drawn to the ancient rumors surrounding the abandoned place.  According to local legend, teenagers have been disappearing from the house for centuries.  Determined to solve the mystery, the friends uncover a book that may hold the key to the mystery. 
However, after opening the old book to search for clues, something phenomenal happens… the pages literally suck them in.  They now find themselves in a literary fantasy world with no way out.

Will they find their way home or will they be forever trapped in the pages of the book battling strange creatures?

 


Monday, October 14, 2013

Only Scandal Will Do...

I'm excited to introduce you to my friend, Jenna Jaxon!!  Her latest release - Only Scadal Will Do - looks like a steamy read!!

Jenna is giving away a copy of her book, Betrothal. If you would like to enter her contest, comment and leave your name and email so she can contact you.


Jenna Jaxon is a multi-published author of historical and contemporary romance.  Her historical romance, Only Scandal Will Do, the first in a series of five interconnecting novels, was released in July 2012. Her contemporary works include Hog Wild, Almost Perfect, and 7 Days of Seduction.  She is a PAN member of Romance Writers of America as well as a member of Chesapeake Romance Writers. Her medieval romance, Time Enough to Love, is being published this year as a series of three novellas.  The first book, Betrothal, released on April 19th.

 

Jenna has been reading and writing historical romance since she was a teenager.  A romantic herself, she has always loved a dark side to the genre, a twist, suspense, a surprise.  She tries to incorporate all of these elements into her own stories. She lives in Virginia with her family and a small menagerie of pets.  When not reading or writing, she indulges her passion for the theatre, working with local theatres as a director.  She often feels she is directing her characters on their own private stage. 

She has equated her writing to an addiction to chocolate because once she starts she just can’t stop.

 


He has the woman of his dreams, but what price will he have to pay to win her heart?

 

Kidnapped and sold at auction in a London brothel, Lady Katarina Fitzwilliam squelches an undeniable attraction to the masked stranger who purchased her, pits her wits against him, and escapes him and the scandal that would ruin her life.

 

Unable to resist temptation in a London brothel, Duncan Ferrers, Marquess of Dalbury, purchases a fiery beauty. She claims she's a lady, but how can she be? No lady of his acquaintance in polite society is anything like her. Then he discovers she is who she says, and that this latest romp has compromised her reputation. He knows how that is. One more scandal and he'll be cast out of London society, but he needs a wife who'll provide an heir to carry on his illustrious family's name. He seeks out Katarina, intending only to scotch the scandal, but instead finds his heart ensnared. He's betting their future he'll capture her heart, but does he have what it

takes to win the wager?

 

WARNING: A blade-wielding heroine who crosses swords with a master of sensuality.




Excerpt for Only Scandal Will Do:

“Lady Katarina,” the marquess said, taking her limp, cold hand. “I have been looking forward to this moment ever since I heard you were in London.”

That voice sent shivers down her spine. She remembered well the arrogance in it when he’d declared himself her master. Soft and silky now, his mouth poised over her hand, and the words sent searing heat that penetrated her long kidskin gloves. Only sheer determination kept her from snatching it out of his grasp, and fear at what might be said if she acted in any way as though she had met this man before. No one must know.

She made herself look at his face, into the dark brown eyes that gleamed with…apprehension? Amusement? Katarina twitched her mouth into what hopefully passed for a smile and said, “I am delighted to make your acquaintance as well, Lord Dalbury. Although I must confess that until just now I had not heard your name.” Although pleased to hear how strong her voice sounded, she feared she might choke on the lies she spouted. Kat slipped her hand from his and a measure of calm returned.

Jack was deep in his conversation with Lord Braeton, completely unconcerned about her. She tried to refrain from looking at the marquess, but he demanded her attention by addressing her again.

“I almost missed the pleasure of making your acquaintance, Lady Katarina. I left the ball just before midnight, but one of my carriage horses came up lame and I returned to ask Braeton for the loan of a replacement. Lady Luck surely smiled on me tonight.” His wide smile seemed genuine, his voice tinged with a hint of relief.

She sighed. Her last night in England and Lady Luck had to favor this fellow.

He continued on, disregarding her silence. “I understand from Lord Braeton that you and your brother only arrived from the colonies three months ago, Lady Katarina.”

She found it hard to keep her tone civil. “Yes, my lord. We came to England in early February.” As she had told him before! It helped not to look at his eyes. Instead she fastened her gaze on his cheek. He would likely carry those scars the rest of his life. She hoped it hurt his vanity every time he looked in the mirror.

He apparently saw where her gaze lay, for he ran his finger down the center mark. “Ah, I see you are curious about my wounds.” He shifted his weight slightly, drawing her a little away from the others.

“Is it a war wound, my lord?” she asked, feeling the return of her confidence.

“It is a badge of honor I wear, given to me by a worthy opponent who I underestimated in many ways. I now regret the chance encounter, Lady Katarina.” He lowered his voice. “She did not deserve the treatment she had at my hands. I make my most sincere apology for doubting her words to me.”

Kat stiffened at this offering. How could he stand there and try to apologize so cavalierly in a crowded ballroom? “Whoever she is, then, Lord Dalbury,” she said sweetly, “I hope your opponent is more forgiving than I would be.”

 

 

Author Links:



Twitter:  @Jenna_Jaxon

 

Buy Links:


 


 


 



Don't forget to enter Jenna's contest to win her book!!

Monday, October 7, 2013

Welcome Linda McLaughlin

I have asked sensual romance author, Linda McLaughlin, to be on my blog today to tell us about her new release, Rogue's Hostage.


 

 

I want to thank Marie Higgins for inviting me to her blog today.

 

Shortly after I decided to start writing, I joined the local Orange County California chapter of Romance Writers of America. One of the first Special Events I attended was a day long workshop at the Fullerton Library taught by Ann Maxwell, aka Elizabeth Lowell. It was an amazing overview of writing romantic fiction.

 

One of the things she said that stuck with me was how important it was to tap into the reader's romantic fantasies. She went on to list some of the more popular fantasies, like Cinderella, Beauty and the Beast, the Guardian fantasy, and the captive story. That day I decided I wanted to write a captive story, and eventually decided to set it against the backdrop of the French & Indian War where frontier settlers were taken hostage by war parties led by French officers. That part intrigued me, too. We think of the French as so very civilized, but in those days, the French officers would strip down to moccasins and loincloth to join the war parties. That was my first mental image of my hero, Jacques Corbeau.

 

The captive story is an old one, with roots in the Greek myth of Persephone in the Underworld, and in reality. Among tribal societies, marriage by capture was not uncommon, a pre-scientific method of enlarging the gene pool. In our own time, the Stockholm Syndrome has been observed, in which hostages begin to identify with their captors. Though "marriage by capture" is no longer practiced, the story still resonates in the female unconscious.

 

Rogue's Hostage was a finalist in a number of contest, including the chapter’s Orange Rose and was first published by Amber Quill Press in 2003. Earlier this year, it got a new incarnation as an indie book with a sensational new cover by Winterheart Design.

 

Rogue’s Hostage is the book of my heart, and I’m really excited that it is now part of a boxed set of ten romances, the Romance Super Bundle. We’re having our official launch party at Facebook today, so join us if you’re able. There will be games, prizes and a chance to chat with the authors. https://www.facebook.com/events/1374263606143800/

 

The Romance Super Bundle is temporarily on sale for 99 cents. A fantastic deal for 10 full-length romance novels!

 






 

Rogue's Hostage

By Linda McLaughlin

Historical Romance

 

4 ½ stars and a Top Pick from Romantic Times!

Romantic Times Nominee—Best Small Press Romance of 2003!

2nd Place - Lorie Awards - Best Historical Romance!

 

Blurb:

 

His hostage... 

 

In 1758 the Pennsylvania frontier is wild, primitive and dangerous, where safety often lies at the end of a gun. Mara Dupré's life crumbles when a French and Indian war party attacks her cabin, kills her husband, and takes her captive. Marching through the wilderness strengthens her resolve to flee, but she doesn't count on her captor teaching her the meaning of courage and the tempting call of desire.

 

Her destiny...

 

French lieutenant Jacques Corbeau's desire for his captive threatens what little honor he has left.  But when Mara desperately offers herself to him in exchange for her freedom, he finds the strength to refuse and reclaims his lost self-respect. As the shadows of his past catch up to him, Jacques realizes that Mara, despite the odds, is the one true key to reclaiming his soul and banishing his past misdeeds forever.

 

Excerpt:

Holding the towel to his shoulder, he walked over and stood by the bed to check on the woman, who was still in a faint. Despite her pallor, he noted that her skin was fine, her nose straight and thin. She had a lower lip just full enough to entice a man to taste it, and a stubborn chin that dared him to try. Under different circumstances…

She was perhaps not as lovely as he’d thought when he first saw her standing in the clearing—her hair, the color of corn silk, shining in the sunlight. Still, she was tall and fair, with slender curves and shapely ankles visible beneath the short skirts of a farm wife.

And now she was a widow. He stared down at the woman and silently vowed to see that no more innocents died today.

The woman gave a soft moan and opened her eyes. When she spotted him, she shrank back against the wall, arms folded defensively across her breast. His gut tightened. He didn’t enjoy terrifying women, but fear should make her easier to control. She had already proven unpredictable.

Terror, stark and vivid, glittered in her eyes. "Who are you?"

"My name is Jacques Corbeau, lieutenant in the army of France. And you are my captive."

* * *

Mara inhaled sharply, panic building inside her. This couldn’t be real. It was all a bad dream. She would wake up soon and tell Emile about it, and they would laugh. And laugh and laugh and…. She swallowed the hysteria engulfing her.

"Madame, are you listening to me?"

The Frenchman’s voice, sharp and insistent, demanded her attention. "There is not much time. My companions are not patient men. We must leave soon, but first I want you to bind my shoulder. Where do you keep bandages?"

Her mouth and throat were dry when she swallowed, but she choked out an answer. "The trunk. Under the bed."

He squatted beside the bed, pulled out the trunk and rummaged through it. She watched his every move, unable to take her eyes off him, alarmed by the physical threat he represented.

He was a tall man who dominated the cabin as Emile never had, and his state of undress revealed nearly every inch of his lean and powerful form. Not only was he bare to the waist, but his breechclout and leggings failed to completely cover his thighs and buttocks. He had a wide-shouldered, rangy body and long, sinewy legs. He looked strong, virile, and infinitely dangerous.

A cold knot formed in Mara’s stomach. The French had killed her father and now her husband. What would they do to her?

She wrapped her arms around her waist. Her grandfather would say whatever happened was God’s will, but she rejected that idea. What kind of God allowed such awful things to happen?

Fearfully, she watched as the Frenchman shoved the trunk back under the bed and stood. He held out the bandages, and she froze. She couldn’t touch him, she just couldn’t.

The man’s heavy black brows drew together in a fierce frown, but his voice was without emotion. "Madame, I am all that stands between you and the men who killed your husband. I can be persuaded to act as your protector. It is to your advantage to do what I command."

Rogue's Hostage is now available as an electronic download. For more information, go to http://www.lindamclaughlin.com/rogueshostage.html.

 

Linda

 

Linda McLaughlin grew up with a love of history fostered by her paternal grandmother and an incurable case of wanderlust inherited from her father. She has traveled extensively within the United States and has visited Mexico, Canada, & Australia. A lifelong dream came true with a trip to England where she was able to combine sightseeing and theater with research for her novels. A native of Pittsburgh, she now lives in Southern California with her husband.

 

Her first book was Worth The Risk by Lyn O'Farrell. Now Linda writes historical and Regency romance. She loves transporting her readers into the past where her characters learn that, in the journey of life, love is the sweetest reward.

 





 

Saturday, October 5, 2013

Blog This!

I would like to welcome Cami Checketts to my blog today. She has a new release that's out...an intriguing story that will keep you on the edge of your seat! And READ THE EXCERPT!!  It's awesome!!





Will protecting children throughout the world cost Natasha her own family?
Devastated by the loss of her brother, Natasha Senecot works to expose the dangers of Matthew Chrysler’s violent video games, succeeding in bankrupting and humiliating him.
Chrysler retaliates and sends a hit man after her. Natasha is forced to fake her own death to protect her children, but after witnessing another tragedy, Natasha won’t hide any longer.
In a race against time, can Natasha expose Matthew Chrysler before his assassin murders her family and shatters her world?

Praise for Blog This
From the very first chapter, Blog This grabs your gut and your heart with surprising action and touching moments. Cami Checketts blends suspense, humor, and good clean romance into a story that will stick with you.
Daniel Coleman, Author of Gifts and Consequences

Loved it. Loved it. Loved it. Have read all of Cami’s books but Blog This is on the top of my list. Read it twice and enjoyed it just as much the second time. Just when you think you know what is going to happen you’re led into a different direction. Had a hard time putting the book down and was anxious to see how it was going to end.
Elsa Akinason

**excerpt**


His gaze locked on hers. His eyes were so cold. A chill wind swept over her, but the branches on the trees didn’t move.

“Can I help you?” She clutched her gloved fingers to stop the trembling.

His eyes darkened. His lips stayed in a tight line.

“Did you, um, get lost?” Natasha forced an unsteady laugh and arched her eyebrows. “Easy to do in a town of less than three thousand people.” He didn’t crack a smile so she released her own, pointed toward the front yard, and stiffly recited driving directions. “Highway 89 is less than a mile east of here. The fastest route is to drive straight out of the neighborhood and then take two-hundred s-s…”

His right arm rose—a black pistol molded to his palm. Heart thudding, Natasha’s voice sputtered and died. She raised her hands and backed up a few steps. Her gaze darted to Jace and Lily.

“Mom!” Jace pulled Lily against his side.

Natasha felt colder than the snow clinging to her boots. The only lucid thought she had was the overwhelming need to protect Jace and Lily. I have to say something, do something. “Please, please don’t hurt us.”

The lines in his face hardened, anger seeping from his dark gaze. The hand holding the gun remained steady.

Natasha’s mind raced, trying to comprehend a man pointing a gun at her with Jace and Lily feet away. Was there any way to keep them safe?

“Look,” she began, her voice trembling on each word, “I-I’ve got some cash in the house. I can give you my credit card and the pin numbers for my debit card. The credit card has a hundred-thousand dollar limit.” It was a lie, but might buy her children’s safety.

He shook his head. “I’m not after your money.” His voice was barely above a rough whisper.

Then why are you here? She cast a nervous glance at her children. Jace clung to Lily, watching his mother bargain for their lives. What else could she do to protect them? Why was this guy pointing a gun at her?

Suddenly, the latest e-mail threats played through her mind.

Stop your blog or I will send someone to stop it.

Is any cause worth dying for?

The corner of the man’s lip quivered. His voice dropped. “I am sorry.”

Blinking to clear her vision, Natasha wondered if she’d heard him correctly. “Sorry?”

No. She shook her head. Oh, no. Realization came like a moldy dishrag snapped in her face. He was here to fulfill the threats. His apology. That brief flicker of regret in his eyes. This man had been sent by Matthew Chrysler to kill her.

“I’ll stop the blog."

He shook his head once. “It’s too late.”




Blog This will be $2.99 during the blog tour - September 30th - October 16th. Click here to purchase or read the first few chapters.





About the author
Cami is a part-time author, part-time exercise consultant, part-time housekeeper, full-time wife, and overtime mother of four adorable boys. Sleep and relaxation are fond memories. She’s never been happier.
Please refer to her website – http://www.camichecketts.com for more information about her books. 


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Wednesday, October 2, 2013

Cover reveal - YA Christmas story

 



What do Witches, Elves, and Greek Gods (Oh My)
 have in common? They are part of the romantic Christmas anthology, 
Fantasy Christmas, written by 
Cindy C Bennett, Stephanie Fowers, and Sherry Gammon. This exciting collection of

fantasy stories will be available on November 1st. Click the link to our blog for a sneak peek at a
couple of the individual covers and watch for blog tour info!   http://afantasychristmasthenovel.blogspot.com/









Halfling by Cindy C Bennett


Banished from the South
Pole, Kara tries to carve out a new life among the elves of the North. It’s not
easy with a secret to protect—a secret she's cursed with by the unusual
circumstances of her heritage: half-elf, half-fairy. In the North, she’s assigned
to work with Seb on a special project. He's the most gorgeous elf she’s ever
seen - and the orneriest. 





As if being banished
wasn’t punishment enough. 





Seb introduces her to
Trystin, a fairy from the nearby fairy forest. Trystin discerns her secret right
away and promises to teach her how to use the powers given to her by the very
thing she’s fighting to keep hidden.





Aphrodite by Stephanie Fowers





Nothing is simple for Aphrodite’s daughter, especially love. 






Scorned by society in
regency England, Affry longs for romance. Upon encountering a dashing
nobleman at her aunty's Christmas' ball, Affry gets caught in a lovely intrigue
with disastrous results. Worse, she wins the interest of the gods. Now the
furies of the underworld and Hades himself are after her. 





When all is fair in war, Affry must use love as her weapon—but only for the one who’s stolen her heart.






Loving
Marigold by Sherry Gammon
Young Marigold Yarrow has a secret. She’s also in love with Jack Mahoney. In the middle of her

ninth grade year, Jack's family up and moves to Port Fare, New York, leaving the small town of Sugar Maple, West Virginia - and Marigold - far behind.






Nine years later Jack
and Marigold meet again. They join forces to weed out the shady Abbott boys.
The unscrupulous brothers are illegally selling moonshine near her home on
Sugar Maple Ridge. And they'll do anything to get Marigold to leave the
ridge. Anything.





But this time it could
be magic that tears Jack and Marigold apart.