Thursday Threads

Hot off the presses, this week we feature Collette Cameron’s sensual historical, The Earl’s Enticement:

The Earl's Enticement

Title: The Earl’s Enticement
Genre: Regency-Scottish
Heat Level: Sensual
Buy Link: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KLO64S2/

The Earl’s Enticement Cover Blurb:

She won’t be tamed.

 
A fiery, unconventional Scot, Adaira Ferguson wears breeches, swears, and has no more desire to marry than she does to follow society’s dictates of appropriate behavior. She trusts no man with the secret she desperately protects.

He can’t forget.

 
Haunted by his past, Roark, The Earl of Clarendon, rigidly adheres to propriety, holding himself and those around him to the highest standards, no matter the cost. Betrayed once, he’s guarded and leery of all women.

 

Mistaking Roark for a known spy, Adaira imprisons him. Infuriated, he vows vengeance. Realizing her error, she’s appalled and releases him, but he’s not satisfied with his freedom. Roark is determined to transform Adaira from an ill-mannered hoyden to a lady of refinement.

 
He succeeds only to discover, he preferred the free-spirited Scottish lass who first captured his heart.

 

Excerpt:

“Halloo,” he hollered. “Is anyone there? I’m the Earl of Clarendon. I’m being held prisoner.”

 
She shook her head, sending him a contemptuous scowl. “Stop shouting, you dolt. It’s but a weasel or a stoat, perhaps even a squirrel. They come in through the drains or gaps where a stone’s gone missing in the wall.”

 
She motioned with the pistol for him to move away from the door once more. “I’m surprised none have paid you a visit as yet. As for Ewan, he’s away in London, just now.”

 
With what could only be described as a derisive grunt, Marquardt obliged her and sauntered away from the door. He rested against the far wall, ankles crossed, crunching on the apple.

 
A muffled thud, as if someone had bumped into something, echoed through the lower chambers.

 
He perked up. “That was no pest.”

 
Adaira whirled to peer into the gloom.

 
“I say, can you hear me? I’m locked in a cell.”

 
She spun back around.

 
He’d moved to the door, his hands fisted around the bars. Drat it. She was losing control of the situation. His presence mustn’t be known to anyone other than Brayan yet.

 
She bent to retrieve the sack. No doubt Brayan had come looking for her at one of her parents’ behest. Marquardt absolutely must not see him. Brayan would boast he’d helped lock the man up. From the sound of the crashing about, he’d sampled the flask a good deal more and was utterly bosky.

 
“Blast and da—” She stopped as Marquardt’s eyebrows flew to his hairline in obvious disapproval.

 
Lowering her voice, she hurried on. “Ewan’s expected back any day. When he returns, I’ll tell him I apprehended you. He can do with you what he wants. I’m quite sure it will involve the authorities.”

 
“Apprehended?” He shook his head. “You’re still sticking to the absurd notion that I’m Edgar?”

 
He tossed the apple core between the bars. It bounced before rolling to a stop barely three feet beyond her. A rat promptly appeared, scrambling to snatch the core in his pointed, yellow teeth. The little beast raced down the passageway with two other rodents squeaking their outrage in its wake.

 
Marquardt had done that on purpose, the lout.

 

Connect with Collette:

Website Blue Rose Romance Blog Twitter Facebook

 

 

Thursday Threads

Welcome to Thursday Threads, where each week we feature a different Soul Mate Publishing offering.

Today we feature Jessica Jefferson’s sensual regency romance, Taming Miss Tisdale:

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Title: Taming Miss Tisdale
Author: Jessica Jefferson
Series: 2nd in the Regency Blooms Series from Soul Mate Publishing
Heat Level: Sensual

A bit about the book –

 
Miss Tamsin Tisdale believes herself to be completely unsuitable for London life. After a myriad of social mishaps, and the potential ruination of her family name, she’s shipped away to her cousin’s northern estate. Only after she accepts the type of existence Society dictates she must follow will she be welcomed home.

 
Marcus Winston, the Duke of Grayson, has a lackluster reputation. The last in a dying line, he’s endured a protected life—rank with privilege, but encumbered by isolation. After a brief encounter with rebellion, he learns the devastating consequences of his carelessness and willingly accepts living life from inside his gilded cage.

 
However, a chance meeting with the brazen Miss Tisdale gives Marc the opportunity to reinvent himself into the man he’s always dreamed of being. But when his deception comes to light, and ghosts from both their pasts threaten to unravel the intimacy they’ve come to cherish, will either of them set their fears aside long enough to embrace love? Or will Miss Tisdale’s stubbornness divide them?

 

 

A little bit of the book –

 
Marc watched the faint outline come across the dense morning fog, becoming more discernible as it approached. The tall, thin figure was riding along at a perilous speed, given the morning’s lack of visibility. He thought perhaps it was some gangly young man misguided in the fog. It wouldn’t be the first time someone accidentally stumbled upon the vast property that made up his family’s immodest estate.

 
Then the fog parted in an almost biblical manner, revealing his gross inaccuracy.

 
Were those … breasts?

 
Marc closed his eyes and thought for a moment. Typically, women didn’t ride alone at such an hour and they certainly didn’t wander unexpectedly across his property. It’d been quite a while, his last birthday to be exact, since his last intimate encounter with a woman—a gift, compliments of St. Regis—so there was always the possibility that perhaps his half-drunk, sex-starved mind had conjured up the sensual image.

 
He shook his head, opened his eyes, and looked back again toward the horizon.

 
Yes, those were most certainly breasts.

 
And she was most definitely not a young man. The woman’s riding habit pulled taut against her body as she raced toward him. Her hair was blowing behind her—various hues of auburn and gold, like wild flames curling about in the wind.

Then a decidedly feminine voice burst through the morning’s silence, interrupting his self-doubt.

 
“Oh, thank goodness I found you!”

 
This was no mirage. She was indeed very real.

 
And very loud.

 

 

A bit about the author –

 
Jessica Jefferson makes her home in northern Indiana, or as she likes to think of it—almost Chicago. She is heavily inspired by classic sweeping, historical romance novel-but aims to take those key emotional elements and inject a fresh blend of quick dialogue and comedy. She invites you to visit her at jessicajefferson.com and read more of her random romance musings.

 
http://www.JessicaJefferson.com
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Ch…ch…ch…changes

Have you ever wished you could go back and relive parts of your life knowing everything you do now? I know I do.

Starting out on this whole writing adventure I made my share of mistakes. Thankfully, at least on my self-published books, I always have the opportunity to go back and make changes. This will be the third, and hopefully last, set of changes to my 4 novellas, which will include new covers and tweaking in the text fonts and interior design to improve readablilty. The stories themselves will not change, so if you have an earlier version there’s no reason to update.

Anyway, today I posted the updated files for the print and digital version of Swiftly Beats The Heart so it is currently unavailable for purchase. When it comes back up all the new stuff will be (hopefully) active.

Here’s the new cover:

Swiftly Half Cover3

Romance Weekly – #LOVECHATWRITE

Love Write Chat

Do you like to read romance novels? Wouldn’t you like to know more about your favorite authors? Well you came to the right place! Join the writers of Romance Weekly as we go behind the scenes of our books and tell all….. About our writing of course! Every week we’ll answer questions and after you’ve enjoyed the blog on this site we’ll direct you to another. So come back often for a thrilling ride!

 

If you found me via Feona Riplee’s wonderful blog ( http://fionariplee.com/blog ) , or you’re just starting your Romance Weekly journey here, welcome. Some probing questions and fun answers lie ahead as you make the rounds.

 

This week’s questions come from Carolyn Spear (http://www.carolynspearromance.com/blog ).

Here are my answers:

1. If someone could observe you writing without you knowing they were there, what strange practices might they catch you doing?

I had a whole thing written about how I don’t think I have any unusual practices, and while I was sitting here editing it, I realized I do. I pull my hair when I’m editing. I reach to the back, grab a hunk and just pull it up and down while I’m reading. I hadn’t realized I did that until just now.
2. Other than a creative outlet, how does writing benefit you?

I think my writing has given a focus to my retirement. It would be easy to spend all my time reading, playing computer games and putzing with my garden (summer) or crafts (winter) with no real direction, but my writing is what really gets me up in the mornings and going.
3. How do you feed your muse?
The things I mentioned above, reading, computer games, gardening, and crafts, all help to feed my muse. Also traveling to fun places with my wife helps to inspire my writing. All that and of course…wine!
I hear you out there. Yes, I have spies all over the interwebs. You’re wondering what the other authors of Romance Weekly answered. Start (or continue) the tour by visiting the wonderful Brenda Margariet at http://www.brendamargriet.com/blog .

 

Thursday Threads

Today we feature Sarah Hegger’s sizzling medieval historical romance, The Bride Gift.

TheBrideGift_850HIGH

Title: The Bride Gift by Sarah Hegger
Genre: Historical Romance (Medieval)
Heat Level: Sizzling
Buy Link: http://www.amazon.com/The-Bride-Gift-Sarah-Hegger-ebook/dp/B00KBAYOTM/

 

Blurb

It’s 1153 in the period dubbed ‘The Anarchy’, King Stephen and Empress Maud are not the only ones embroiled in a fierce battle of the sexes.

 
Determined to control her own destiny, willful Helena of Lystanwold has chosen just the husband to suit her purposes. But, when her banished guardian uncle attempts to secure her future and climbs through her bedroom window with a new husband by a proxy marriage, she understandably balks. Notorious warrior, Guy of Helston, is everything Helena swore she would never marry; a man who lives by the sword, like the man who murdered her sister.

 
This marriage finally brings Guy close to his lifetime dream of gaining lands and a title. He is not about to let his feisty bride stand in his way. A master strategist, Guy sets out to woo and conquer his lady.

 
Against a backdrop of vengeance, war and betrayal, Guy and Helena must learn to forge a united front or risk losing everything.

 

 

Excerpt

Slowly, Helena turned and approached her husband.

 
His large body barely fit in the wooden tub. He sat with his knees almost to his ears. A slight frown creased his dark brows.

 
Helena dipped her hand in the soft soap they kept for bathing; more jasmine. She rubbed it between her fingers to create lather. When they next made soap she would need to produce something less feminine for Guy.

 
From this position, his head was almost on a level with her breasts. A feeling akin to excitement fluttered through her belly.

 
He watched her face as she leaned forward to soap his head, working it through his cropped hair. The bristly ends tickled her palm.

 
She reached for a bucket of rinsing water. He closed his eyes as soap and bubbles streamed down the strong planes of his cheeks. Droplets clung to his lashes. They were almost ridiculously long and so incongruous with the rest of him. Probably the only part of him that could be called soft.

 
He dropped his head forward onto his knees so she could finish rinsing.

 
Guy presented the broad expanse of his back, and she laid her hands across the sun-darkened skin. He was warm under her fingers and beneath the smooth skin, his muscles bunched slightly as she spread the soap. This might be bearable. When she rubbed her fingers on either side of his spine, he made a soft purr of enjoyment.

 
Her pulse jumped.

 
“Soft hands,” he said.

 
Her fingers traced a long, puckered scar running beneath his shoulder blade and disappearing around his side.

 
“A lance man with poor aim,” he murmured.

 
The skin on his back was firm, but marked by the scars of a lifetime spent wielding a sword. “It appears you really do fight,” she commented lightly.

 
For some reason those accumulated injuries and the pain they had caused angered her as well as rendered her sorry for his suffering. Helena steeled her resolve. It was just these sorts of wounds that made him perfect for her purpose.

 
She lathered soap across his shoulders and down the thick, corded muscle of each arm. Her belly reacted with another odd little quiver as her fingers slid across his skin like oil poured from a vial.

 
Guy raised his eyes to her face. A slumberous warmth made them glow nearly silver.

 
Her breath quickened in her chest as if she had been running; her hands tingled where they touched him.

 
Sarah is always delighted to hear from readers. She can be reached at any and all of the following places:

Website
Facebook
Twitter

 

 

Romance Weekly – #LOVECHATWRITE

Love Write Chat

Do you like to read romance novels? Wouldn’t you like to know more about your favorite authors? Well you came to the right place! Join the writers of Romance Weekly as we go behind the scenes of our books and tell all….. About our writing of course! Every week we’ll answer questions and after you’ve enjoyed the blog on this site we’ll direct you to another. So come back often for a thrilling ride!

 
If you found me via Katie O’Connor’s wonderful blog ( http://katieoh.blogspot.com/ ) , or you’re just starting your Romance Weekly journey here, welcome. Some probing questions and fun answers lie ahead as you make the rounds.

 
This week’s questions come from Amy Jarecki. You know what to do. Just open the edit box and add your name & blog address after the parson on the bottom of the list. Here are the questions. (Thanks Amy!)

 
1. When did you start writing, and why?

 
It was right after the birth of my first child, so June of 1980. Wow, 34 years just flew by. I remember he was napping and I decided “I’m going to write a book.” It was a beautiful summer day, so I took my old typewriter out to the picnic table, rolled that first clean white sheet of paper into it . . . and stared at the blank page for a very long while.

 
2. What do you like best about writing?

 
I love to watch a story unfold. Many times, especially in the beginning of a new project, I have no idea where the story is going. As I sit, ponder, and daydream, I get to play with what happens next. It’s always great to get one of those ‘Oh, so that’s what happened” moments.

 
3. If you could go on a writing retreat, where would you go and for how long?

 
For an inspiring vacation I would love to go to Europe and tour castles, but for a true writing retreat (where I’d actually get some writing done) you can’t beat a secluded cabin in the north woods and the company of other writers. I spent a great weekend last year with four other writers drinking wine and talking craft. There’s no better inspiration.

 

I hear you out there. Yes, I have spies all over the interwebs. You’re wondering what the other authors of Romance Weekly answered. Start (or continue) the tour by visiting the wonderful Kim Handysides at http://kimhandysides.com/

Thursday Threads

Today we feature author Elle Hill’s amazing paranormal romance Haunted Dreams:

HuntedDreamscover

Genre: Paranormal romance
Heat level: Sensual.

Hook: A woman trapped in an endless cycle of nightmares. A handsome hero committed to rescuing her. It’s just like Sleeping Beauty – except the dreaming damsel is the sword wielder and the hero is a psychic vampire feeding off her pain.

Excerpt:

“The Leeches got their nickname from the way they eat.” Reed’s voice was even.
“They drink blood?” she breathed.
He shook his head. “A little less literal. The Broschi are empathic. They can feel and even evoke other people’s feelings, negative ones like fear, pain, horror.”
“Sun and stars,” she breathed. She got it.
She got it.
“They’re eating me,” she said, and laughed, but not humorously. “These superhuman, psychic Leech people are keeping me trapped in nightmares, eating my feelings.” Her chest felt heavy. She pressed her left hand against it and felt its gentle rise and fall.
None of this is real. All this drama, all this fear, all the pain and anger and malice. None of it exists except in the form of juicy brainwaves that these beings sip like mint juleps. No wonder she couldn’t die, couldn’t escape, couldn’t ever wake up.
Reed’s face was flushed, his nostrils wide. Her handsome hero. For a minute, she hated him, hated that he got to wake up, hated this situation, hated everything boxing her in this narrow world.
Katana glared at him for a moment. “I’m trapped in here,” she grated.
His face relaxed into compassion. Hers hardened.
“I know,” he said.
She stared at him for a moment longer. Finally, with a sigh, she leaned her head against the glass. “Who are you, Reed?”
“I’m a Leech, too, Katana.”

elle hill

Links:
Blog: http://ellehillauthor.blogspot.com/

Website: http://www.ellehill.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Author-Elle-Hill/155409064486649?ref=hl

Purchasing the book: http://www.amazon.com/Hunted-Dreams-ebook/dp/B00CHUEIIG

Twitter: @ellehillauthor

Romance Weekly – #LOVECHATWRITE

Love Write Chat

Do you like to read romance novels? Wouldn’t you like to know more about your favorite authors? Well you came to the right place! Join the writers of Romance Weekly as we go behind the scenes of our books and tell all….. About our writing of course! Every week we’ll answer questions and after you’ve enjoyed the blog on this site we’ll direct you to another. So come back often for a thrilling ride!

 
If you found me via LaNora Mangano’s wonderful blog, or you’re just starting your Romance Weekly journey here, welcome. Some probing questions and fun answers lie ahead as you make the rounds.

 
Here are my answers to today’s probing questions:

 
1. Do you prefer to write futuristic, contemporary or historical romances and why?

 
iStock_000024243275LargeI would have to go with futuristic. In fact…BIG ANNOUNCEMENT!!! I just received a contract from Soul Mate Publishing for a new novel entitled Hearts in Orbit: The Blarmling Dilemma, a deep space, Sci-Fi, futuristic romance.

 
I have the utmost respect for historical writers. They have to do a ton of research, and be so knowledgeable in the era of history they are writing. Get something wrong, and your readers will let you know. Me? I prefer to make things up. Who’s to say in the future there won’t be a substance called gandasol used in powering starships, or a new ore discovered called synganite? By the time we find out, I’ll be long gone.

 
2. What is your favorite time in history and how and why does it inspire you?

 
I’m going to pick prehistoric times. Not the dinosaurs, but the history of man before things were written down and recorded. Once again, no facts to go back and look at, so it makes for a cleaner slate to paint my story against. Old gods and dead religions, creatures long gone extinct—what could be more fun to play with? I set the background of my Demons Rising series in old Atlantis. I did a bit or research there, but made most of it up. Go ahead. Prove I got it wrong.

 
3. How has your life experience contributed to your writing?

 
I’ve had a long and varied employment history, which is a nice way of saying I didn’t stick with any one job very long. I’ve been a commercial copywriter, radio announcer, computer game programmer, banker, musician, librarian, computer desktop support specialist, and network analyst. I’ve also owned and operated my own business, a retail hobby shop and book store.
Lots of different jobs and experiences, but it seemed I was never satisfied and always looking for that next step up financially that also offered something different to learn and experience. Even when I hit that last job, with the ‘golden handcuffs’ that gave me wages and benefits far above what I had expected I’d ever make without a college degree, I never stopped looking. That was probably the reason I went back to my writing in hopes of making enough to step away from the computer field. Now that I’m ‘retired’ and writing full time, who knows what’s next. I’m thinking astronaut…or lion tamer.

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I hear you out there. Yes, I have spies all over the interwebs. You’re wondering what the other authors of Romance Weekly answered. Start (or continue) the tour by visiting the wonderful Jeana E. Mann http://jeanaemann.net

Intoxicated by Jeana E. Mann
Intoxicated