Saskia Walker's Blog, page 135

Witches on Wednesdays 2 – Daemonologie and the laws on witchcraft

We live in an age where information and communications are instant. We're so technically advanced that we can have worldwide information at our fingertips in seconds. And yet very recently in the UK we had a case where a person was persecuted and died because others believed they were practising witchcraft. Whatever the circumstances of a case like this, the bottom line is that superstition and fear are powerful motivators. Spin the clock back 400 years and imagine what those kinds of emotions would have been like in a society where education was minimal and communications sparse.

Even in our technically advanced world there are many things that we don't understand. So we question and fear them, especially the paranormal. In the past those things would have been even more terrifying. How might a small community react when one person is seen to have inexplicable powers, powers that may put others at risk?

It was these kind of fears and superstitions that led to the law on witchcraft in the 16th century. It was down to a Scottish king, King James VI – the son of Mary Queen of Scots, who later went on to become James I of England under the union of Scotland and England. (That's him in the hat ;-) Prior to his time witchcraft was a crime, but little action was taken. King James changed that. The story goes that he had a morbid  fear of death and an obsessive interest and fear of witchcraft. His wife was from Denmark, where he learned much about witch hunts during his visit in 1589, feeding his beliefs. A huge group of Scottish "witches" were subsqeuently put to trial, accused of attempting to drown James by calling up a storm while he was at sea - an act of treason.

The king's fear of witchcraft later led to his own document on the subject: Daemonologie. This document was published in 1597 and if you have an interest in the subject, you can read it in its entirety online at the Gutenberg project. Despite the ancient language it remains a concise and vivid document and allows us to get our minds into a place where we can imagine the fear that was rife, and also the power that could be subsequently wielded under the king's law if an individual were accused of practising witchcraft.

During the period when my Taskill Witches series are set, (early 1700s) these laws were still extant. As I mentioned last week, the stories are set towards the end of that dark time of persecution. How did the laws last so long, after James' death? We could surmise that because he went on to be the king of Great Britain, and not just Scotland, his word held particular sway. I'd be more inclined to believe that the fervour around witchcraft is way beyond our understanding. Fear and suspicion would have been rife in small communities where communications were all but non-existent. Some of the tiny villages would have only heard of news from the outside world when the excise man came to call or a traveller or merchant passed through. Word would pass along the coast from village to village and we all know what happens then -- stories become exaggerated and misconstrued. Fear led people to do gruesome things to their fellow men.


What particularly interested me was the contrast between the Highlands and the Lowlands, as I mentioned last week. This was mostly because the seat of government is in the Lowlands, in Edinburgh. As well as that, St Andrews was an important religious capital and had been for many centuries. The Christian belief was that anything alluding to witchcraft should be seen as evidence that a soul had been won over by Satan. Between the Kings Law and Christian belief, the culture of fear, superstition, and suspicion, would have been greatly exaggerated and acted upon. In turn, the very same laws had the potential to be abused to gain power or wreak revenge.

 It was this kind of cultural atmosphere that I drew upon for the setting and atmosphere of the Taskill witches stories. Whilst the books are primarily erotic romance, the characters and stories are influenced heavily by the history, the laws and the fears of the time and place. In the first two books in the series I concentrated on how a "true witch" might live in fear, whilst balking at the injustice against their kind. In the third book, The Jezebel, I address King James's Daemonologie directly.

After her mother's death, Margaret (Maisie) Taskill was "rescued" and brought up by a man who seeks to control and use her witchcraft to his own ends. Master Cyrus educates her highly about her skills, nurturing them. He also teaches her about the dark side of her gift, the laws against witchcraft, and he does this in order to keep her afraid and needy of his protection. (Never fear, our hero, Captain Roderick Cameron, saves her from this so-called protector ;-) Here's a snippet from the book:

The more Margaret read, the more sickened she felt. She drew back from the book, confused by it.
"Perhaps reading it aloud would be better, so that we might discuss it," Master Cyrus offered, encouraging her to turn another page.
She had hoped that he would set the book aside for another day, for it was too close to her own experience, and the words of the magistrate and the villagers who condemned her mother were reflected in its every page.
"Ask me anything," he said, forcing her on.
Why was he so determined she read it? Margaret stared at the page, faltering, yet afraid to disappoint him. "It says the witches serve one master. Who is this master?"
His eyes narrowed as he studied her. "Read on."
She read aloud, needing to do so to share her confusion with him. "The Devil...it says the devil entices witches in to his service. He lures them to follow him by promising them great riches." She paused, turning to the man who was her only protector, her only master. "The devil? But this is Christian belief. They said this about my mother, but I didn't understand it then and I do not understand it now. We only believe in that which folds in on our lives time and again, bringing life and growth and good things...we believe in nature's way, the seasons and the rebirth of everything that is good."
He nodded. "Your people have often been unjustly accused of being evil, although I expect some turn that way."
He tapped the page, encouraging her to read on.
Reluctantly, she did so. "The author says that the devil bestowed the knowledge to cure illness," she shook her head in disbelief, for that was not her experience, "or to curse and kill via means of wax figures." She felt quite ill. "Wax figures to curse or kill? I have never heard of such a thing." Upset, confused and angered, she wanted to destroy the book and all it represented. "It is lies!"
"People believe this because it is the King's word, and the church and the lawmakers agree and act upon it. Try, if you can, to imagine you knew nothing of witchcraft and how you might feel if you read this and believed it."
It sent a cold shiver through her. "Yes, it would make me afraid, and if there really are people who did such things… people who use magic for their own gain, then I can see why men believed the King's word."
Master Cyrus did not respond to that.
"And the remedy they recommend?" He seemed determined that she finish reading the king's Daemonologie that very night.
She read aloud again, unable to analyse the words on her own. "What form of punishment think ye merits these Magicians and Witches? They ought to be put to death according to the Law of God, the civil and imperial law, and municipal law of all Christian nations." Her voice faltered as she remembered, the tears welling. "But...but what kind of death...I pray you?"
She heard the jeers, the accusations, the stones that made her mother drop and bleed. She did not need to read on, for she knew what their answer was. Fire.
"Burn her to death," they had shouted. "Rid our village of their evil".
Tears spilled down her cheeks as the wounds reopened and she relived the pain, remembering it all.
"Hush now." Master Cyrus rested back in his chair. "You are safe, and you always will be, with me."
Crying and gulping in distress, her vision misted.
"I do not want to remind you of your mother's fate," he said, after some time had passed, "you know that, but it is important that you understand why it happened."
She lifted her head and looked into his eyes. "Why do they think these things about us?"
"It is ignorance and jealousy that lead people to do such things to a gifted, special one such as you." His eyes flickered thoughtfully. "Fear of the power that you might have over them." His brows lifted.
Maisie stared at him. He seemed pleased with her. Was it because she had been brave enough to read it all?
His eyes gleamed as he contemplated her. "I do not have your powers, my precious, but I respect them in you. You will not be harmed, not while I watch over you. That much I promise you."
And she believed him.
"In time these laws will be revoked," he added. "I have heard it spoken about amongst the important people, and there has been much written about the injustices that have taken place." Cyrus's mouth twitched into a smile. "And many people do not even believe witchcraft exists," he added, "and that suits us rather well, don't you think?"
Margaret nodded, although deep down she wanted to disagree and state that she'd rather her kind were acknowledged. She trusted Master Cyrus to guide and protect her, though. "I hope that you are right, that these laws will be altered." She pushed the book away, resisting the urge to set it alight with a choice Pictish enchantment.
The lessons were hard, but she learned.
Acceptance, knowledge, caution and experience wove together in the fabric of her soul... 

Next week I'll share some of the artefacts from the witch trials and also discuss some of the documented cases. Meanwhile, if you're interested in finding out more about the history of witchcraft in Scotland and England, here are some useful links.

The survey of Scottish Witches 1563-1736
Witches in early modern Britain
Time for witches to rest in peace, the Scotttish petition for pardon. 

It's publication day for THE HARLOT!

The dark art of desire… 

At a time when the cry of ‘withcraft’ leads to certain death, Jessie’s future looks bleak. Until one man offers her a way out of the gutter.

Gregor plans to mould Jessie into the perfect weapon: she will seduce – and destroy – his bitterest enemy. But in a society where innocence is for fools, Gregor fails to predict the shattering impact of his own sudden, forbidden craving… 

It's official publication day for the HQN books edition of THE HARLOT, and it's now on shelves in the US, the UK and Australia! Woohoo! Many of my readers have read this book in its Spice edition. This edition marks the release of all three Taskill books back to back, so if you’ve been curious about Lennox and Maisie Taskill's stories, you can find out very soon!
For readers who haven’t read THE HARLOT you can find chapter one and buy links here.
(US cover shown on the left, UK cover shown on the right)

  
The Smutketeers invited me to celebrate the launch of the Taskill series with them and you can find me at their blog today and on Saturday and Sunday as well. I'm giving away a print copy of each book in the series.  Click on the graphic to check  it out. 

Witches on Wednesdays 1: Introduction. Why did I write these books?

Over the next three months the Taskill Witches books are being published, and  I decided to run something special here on the blog— a series of posts for readers who have an interest in Scottish history, the history of witchcraft, or for anyone who is simply interested in the background to my writing and how I came to write these books.

First and foremost my novel length writing is erotic romance, but when we write these kind of stories we know that everything about a character's life from their background to their physical location will influence the way they interact and have relationships. I love exploring relationships and I also love the challenge of meshing external and internal conflict for my characters. I can spend hours thinking about the problems that setting and motivation can bring to a budding love story! Writing about love affairs during passionate, turbulent times in Scotland during the early 1700s was perfect for me. Running alongside the troubled history and the uneasy union with Englandis the history of persecution for witchcraft. In other words, there was a hell of a lot going on! Danger came in many forms during those times, and that big picture filtered down through my imagination forming into intriguing individual life stories.
The three Taskill novels, THE HARLOT, THE LIBERTINE and THE JEZEBEL, and one previous stand alone novel, RAMPANT, were all inspired by visits to Scotland and learning about the history of witchcraft and persecution there – particularly in the Lowlands. My interest in sexuality and eroticism meant I grabbed the chance to write about characters who might explore sexmagic—the belief that the vital life energy inherent in physical and emotional love can be channeled and used in magical ways.  (Yes, there will be a whole post about that later on. ;)
Why the Lowlands? The more enduring image of Scotland in fiction is the rugged, romantic Highlands. Ultimately that's because the trials went on in the Lowlands. Anything with a mystical or paranormal aspect was much more readily accepted in the Highlands. Distance from the seat of government and the deeper connection with the land and the elements no doubt led to a more whimsical acceptance of the unknown. However, in the Lowlands of Scotland society was more developed during the period I am writing in, and the laws of church and king defined the culture in a much more tangible way.
I visited the East Neuk of Fifearound 8 or 9 years ago. I'd visited the cities and Highlands before, but there was something about the Kingdom of Fife and the East Neukin particular that really captured my imagination. Of course I was already a published writer by that point. In fact part of the reason for the stay was to write while my Real Life Hero went off mountain biking. We stayed in a tiny fisherman's cottage right on the seafront and I quickly abandoned the project I'd taken with me in order to make notes about my surroundings, together with ideas about the people who might have lived there. Whilst in the area I investigated the local history and the folklore, something that always interests me. That in turn led me to the history of persecution that still burdens Scotland today.
In 2008 a petition was presented to government requesting the pardon of over 2,000 individuals who were tortured and put to death in Scotland's history for practicing witchcraft. (You can read about the petition here at the BBC) Those people were often buried in unmarked graves after being put to death, deaths that were justified by confessions that had been elicited from them via cruel torture and deprivation. Later on I'll explore some of the artifacts that have been salvaged from the time of the witch trials. It's a dark history, and that together with the wild, beautiful landscape inspired me to write about fictional characters who found ways to survive and scrabble a living—to live and love and pursue the goal of escaping their fraught history.
While I was in Fife and afterwards my mind ran with questions. What if you were a gifted healer, knew a few things about herbs and how best to treat someone with an illness? Instinct leads people to mistrust and fear what they don't understand. The church cast a long shadow over gifted healers, relating it to evil, satanic ways. And of course it's a handy mechanism for a cruel person to get rid of the hated neighbour, point the finger and say that you saw them cursing the cow's milk making it turn sour. Yes, people were put to death for the most insubstantial things being seen as evidence of evil and witchcraft.
Being a writer my "what if?" manner of thinking soon led me to a whole scenario where people who were *really* gifted with the craft lived in fear of being discovered. Beyond healing, the fictional characters I write about pass down ancient Celtic and Pictish magic from generation to generation – secretly. It was the secret nature of the characters and the world I wanted to write about that appealed to my editor at Harlequin.
The first "witch" character I wrote about was Annabel McGraw, who appears in a historical backstory in the contemporary novel RAMPANT. Annabel was inspired by that fishermen's cottage that we stayed in the East Neuk of Fife! :) Really, I stood at the window looking at the harbor and I thought to myself "who lived here?" This line then popped into my head out of nowhere. "She used to stand here looking out at the fishermen hauling in their catch. She watched their muscled arms work while she decided which of them she would win away from his wife that night." Of course, I had to write it down. :) The cottage we stayed in became the haunted house, Her Haven, in the novel. 
Before we'd even left Fife Annabel was fully formed in my mind. Although she's not the heroine in RAMPANT she is the catalyst for the whole story. She's a very bad girl in many ways, but ultimately knows she's done wrong and she has a good heart. I fell so in love with her story that I wanted to write about more characters who might have lived in that historic world – where the fear of persecution rules you, where everything you do and think can be held accountable because you are gifted in ways that people around you do not understand.
That's how I came to write about the Taskill witches, starting with Jessie in THE HARLOT. (This is the UK cover shown on the right.) The more I read about the witch trials and what had gone on, it made me wonder what if a woman was put to death and she had children? What happened to her children? Would they forever be shamed, perhaps even marked out as potential tools of Satan? What would their lives be like, haunted by the memory of their mother's persecution and death? What if they were split up and had to hide their skills, alone and frightened, to survive? Would they grow up angry, stubborn, or afraid? How would they earn a living, and how would they ever find each other again, in a world where suspicion was rife? Yes, the "what if?" mind of a writer can take you on some interesting journeys. ;o) I wouldn't trade my imagination for the world.
Next week I'm going to talk about why the laws on witchcraft came to exist, the grip they held on society, and when they were broken down. My Taskill novels are set towards the end of the period covered by the laws governing witchcraft. That's because I wanted to write in the time when change was afoot. Often the prospect of change makes things more difficult at first, it's not black-and-white any more and the muddied waters make it hard to know who to trust. By the early 1700s people had begun to question the laws on witchcraft. Perhaps if you were gifted with the craft and wanted to help someone who was sick, you might ask yourself can I trust them? Especially if it was someone in power.
Until next Witches on Wednesdays I'll leave you with some resources about Fife, where I was so thoroughly inspired. :) First up is some footage of the East Neukfrom talented enthusiast Andy Campbell. In the first video you'll see the villages of the East Neuk, including Crail, which is the model for the village of Craigduff in THE HARLOT, the village where the hero, Gregor Ramsay, hails from.



In the footage below you can virtually-visit St Monans, which is the model for Carbrey in RAMPANT.

Here are some useful links for more info on Fife:
http://www.visitscotland.com/destinations-maps/kingdom-fife/http://www.visitfife.com/http://blog.scotlandinfo.eu/2012/the-pretty-village-of-crail-in-east-neuk-of-fife/
You can find excerpts from the books here:
THE HARLOT
THE LIBERTINE
THE JEZEBEL
RAMPANT

Say hello to THE LIBERTINE! (Book giveaway)

THE LIBERTINE is in the house! Hurray! I've held my March 1st title in my hands, and it's gorgeous! :)



In fact this book's arrival gave me cause to pause and reflect. I've been working really hard these last few years, concentrating on novel-length and giving my work the best possible attention to justify the editors who loved my ideas and put their trust in me. I was inspired by wonderful characters who wanted me to tell their stories and my output over the last eighteen months exceeded anything I'd ever managed before. Meanwhile 2012 evolved into the biggest year for erotic romance ever. Exciting times!

For me 2012 was relatively quiet because I didn't have a new novel length publication to share with readers. I knew it was coming. I'd done the work and the titles were listed. I wrote through a tough year on the personal front, but I couldn't yet see the results out there when it was such a huge year for the genre. It's one of the oddities of being a writer -- waiting for publication day to roll around -- and it's one of many things that requires patience and tenacity in this business. Back-to-back titles is a terrific way to connect with readers, a wonderful opportunity, but it does mean a longer wait.

Anyway, I was a good girl (no really! ;) and I was as patient as I could be. Then today my author copies for THE LIBERTINE arrived from HQN Books, and..... I had a moment... :) I've had so many different author copies arrive recently that it finally hit me. This is all the work I've done, actualised in print. It was really emotional for me, bearing witness that way. For a lot of last year it seemed so far away. But now I have three titles out back-to-back over the next three months, with foreign editions listed for the UK, Australia and Sweden already, and another 2 book series in the pipeline.

And the books look amazing! The jpg didn't prepare me for the beautiful end product.

This one is due out March 1st. Who wants one now? :)
 

If you're a reviewer and you would like an ARC to review please get in touch with me via the email link in the right hand column. I'm also giving three copies away to readers who leave me a comment on this post. I'll keep the giveaway open until Monday morning 8 am GMT.

His powers could save her from ruin, or guide her swiftly to it..

Lennox Taskill is a dissolute rogue, a powerful witch who some say even trades his enchantments for profit when it pleases him. His only loyalty is to his coven, his disdain for humanity sealed by the searing memory of his mother burning at the stake. So when the wife of a wealthy landlord comes seeking his help, the beguiling Chloris Keavey unwittingly presents Lennox with his greatest opportunity for distraction...and retribution.

By failing to produce an heir, Chloris faces a terrible threat: being turned out by her heartless husband. Now, she vows to get with child, even if it means surrendering her body—and soul—to Lennox’s seductive magic. But with a witch hunt brewing, Lennox and Chloris are soon risking everything for their forbidden nights of ecstasy…and to protect the secret that could cost them their lives.

"Walker deftly spins a captivating tale that will have readers holding their collective breath until the last page is turned." Publishers Weekly review.

Here's the UK print version of THE HARLOT, due out in WHSmiths and supermarkets Feb 1st.



And here's the Australian version of THE HARLOT. In Australia all three Taskill books are coming out in print, bi-monthly, 1st Feb, 1st April and 1st June.


Leave me a comment for a chance to win a copy of THE LIBERTINE.
Have a great weekend!

Publishers Weekly review THE LIBERTINE

Such excitement here! The first review came in for THE LIBERTINE. Opening up the first one is always a nerve wracking experience, and I never dreamed it would be from such a presitigious publication! It's such an honour to have my book selected for review by Publishers Weekly. I've been a bit dazed since I first saw it. :) Here's what the reviewer had to say.

Walker follows The Harlot with the engrossing tale of a male witch in 1715 Scotland and the intelligent, vulnerable woman he comes to love. Lennox Fingal hasn’t had an easy life: after he and his twin sisters were forced to watch their mother stoned to death by villagers who had condemned her as a witch, the children were separated. Years later, Lennox has settled near Saint Andrews, Scotland. Chloris Keavey’s husband beats her because after eight years of marriage she hasn’t become pregnant. When Chloris, the cousin of Lennox’s archenemy, hears a servant mention that Lennox’s magic might be able to repair her barrenness, she heads to his home to beg for his help. What she doesn’t expect is to fall in love—and Lennox, who initially seduces Chloris to spite her cousin, soon returns her affection. Walker deftly spins a captivating tale that will have readers holding their collective breath until the last page is turned. Agent: Roberta Brown, the Brown Literary Agency. (Mar.)

THE LIBERTINE is an erotic historical romance - book two in the Taskill Witches series. Coming from HQN Books 1st March 2013.

His powers could save her from ruin, or guide her swiftly to it..

Lennox Taskill is a dissolute rogue, a powerful witch who some say even trades his enchantments for profit when it pleases him. His only loyalty is to his coven, his disdain for humanity sealed by the searing memory of his mother burning at the stake. So when the wife of a wealthy landlord comes seeking his help, the beguiling Chloris Keavey unwittingly presents Lennox with his greatest opportunity for distraction...and retribution.

By failing to produce an heir, Chloris faces a terrible threat: being turned out by her heartless husband. Now, she vows to get with child, even if it means surrendering her body—and soul—to Lennox’s seductive magic. But with a witch hunt brewing, Lennox and Chloris are soon risking everything for their forbidden nights of ecstasy…and to protect the secret that could cost them their lives.

Available to predorder from the following online retailers:

Amazon.com
Amazon.UK
Barnes and Noble

New Year, new book to write (ie what's going on with me)

It's been a while since I blogged - and even longer since I did a newsletter. Things have been hectic. I've had a heck of a lot going on in "real life" while I've been hard at work on my current contract. The good news is that book one of The Burlington Manor Affair is done and with my lovely editor. I'm now working on book two. Yay!

I love this story so much. The protagonists, Carmen and Rex, really are my favourites, and I especially love writing their dialogue. What's baffling me is that when I originally outlined this book I thought it was going to be a novella. What was I thinking? lol! I pitched it as a novella in 2008 and as soon as the outline was done I realised it had to be a novel. It had to be shelved while I came to terms with that. :) As it turns out, it's going to be two novels, and there's a heck of a lot going on in there.

So that's what I'll be working on through until April, book two. During that time my three Taskill witches books will be published - THE HARLOT (Feb 1st) THE LIBERTINE (Mar 1st) and THE JEZEBEL (Apr 1st.) During that three months I'll be running a series of posts here on the blog, snippets from my research on the witch trials in Scotland and England, and background thoughts. I'll post each Wednesday.

Christmas and New Year passed us by quickly here, and I'm seeing lots of writers doing resolutions and goals. I haven't done that because it's usually the same- write more, write better, and take better care of myself. It's always interesting to read what others have to say. I followed a link from Jordan's blog to J A Konrath's blog, and really enjoyed his retrospective look at how his goals have altered over the years. In particular I related to his attitude to social media. A couple of years ago authors were really being encouraged to use social media. It's all writing time though, and - ultimately - does it do any good? If we enjoy it, yes. Mostly I equate it to the kind of office socialisation we don't get because we work alone. But I've been working alone a long time now...

I did rejoin Facebook this past year, after having abandoned it previously. I still can't warm to it and it may fall by the wayside again. But if I'm happily writing instead of griping over having to use social media, what's the big deal, right? lol! My ultimate goal has to be to write well, write better.

I do enjoy Twitter, but I have to say I probably enjoy reading it more than actually tweeting. I get phases were I have fun sharing things I enjoy. A lot of the time I'm agog because I can't believe the stuff people do share there. ;o) I guess I'm in a minority because I follow a lot of authors because I want to know what they're writing and when their book is out, the very things I hear we shouldn't be sharing because it's promo. hmm....

It's been an intriguing time for publishing, this last year, lots of changes, especially for those of us writing erotic romance. Often I'm shocked at how long I've been in this business (first short story published in 1997) and it's when I notice the trends (and outright reversals of fortune!) that I realise just how long it is. Take the changing attitudes to social media, for one example. It all joins up in my head as a long meandering stream of altering perspectives on best practice. Back in 2005 or 2006 the big trend was 5 year plans. We were all encouraged to brand ourselves and make a 5 year plan. I was baffled. What was the point of a 5 year plan when a lot of the time we can't control our publishing destinies? We can have goals, but things change so rapidly. A couple of years ago erotic lines were being axed left right and centre, and the marketplace for authors selling their work shrank. Then last year erotic romance went mainstream because of one trilogy. Nobody planned around that - how the hell could they know a huge breakout book would emerge from fan fiction?

I stick by my belief - the best thing a writer can do is write a great book!

Anyway enough of being philosophical. The novel calls (and my tax paperwork and a short story, yikes.) See you on Twitter. ;o)

New year greetings!

Hi folks! I hope 2013 is treating you well and that this year brings lots of good things your way!

I've got lots of news to share and I'll be posting again soon. I'm just creeping back to humanity after a winter flu, but I wanted to share the news that my March 2013 HQN Books novel THE JEZEBEL is now available to reviewers at NetGalley! it won't be there long so please do request it soon.

Once ignited, a witch's carnal curiosity knows no bounds...

On the run from her powerful benefactor whose unscrupulous interest in her magic has forced her to flee, Margaret Taskill has never needed a hero more. In order to gain passage from England to her homeland in Scotland, she plans to win over a rugged Scottish sea captain with the only currency she has: her virginity.

Maisie submits to Captain Roderick Cameron's raw sexuality in search of protection, but as their initial attraction grows into obsessive desire, devastating powers are unleashed within her. But the journey threatens to take a dangerous turn, forcing Maisie to keep close the secret truth about what she is, and keep the superstitious crew-unhappy at having a woman on board-at bay.

With Maisie's wealthy sponsor giving chase, Roderick must stay one step ahead of the British Navy before her seductive magic causes a full-scale mutiny. He may believe he has full command of his ship, but he's about to get much more than he bargained for.

Happy Christmas to all my friends and readers!

Happy Christmas to all my friends and readers!

Happy Christmas! Free read for Christmas time

I'm going to be away for a few days over Christmas -- we're leaving for the East Coast of Yorkshire today, yay!
 While I'm away my 2008 novel, RECKLESS, (a contemporary erotic romance novel) is available for free download in Kindle format from today and for a total of five days.

If you don't have a Kindle, you can still read this one on your desktop.

Available from all the Amazons. Here is a direct link to the book in the US and in the UK. 

At the age of twenty-nine, London art valuation expert Katrina Hammond is evolving into a stronger, more sexual woman. When she subsequently finds herself at the center of a struggle for power and dominance between two brothers, she welcomes the darkly erotic charge the situation brings.

Katrina's job is to value a collection of art objects for auction in the Catalonia villa of the Teodoro family, where Sergio Teodoro rules. Sergio is a dominant master who compels her attention. Nicolas, his younger brother - a disinherited artisan - also seeks her out. One brother will win her heart, but danger awaits Katrina in the shadows of the Teodoro villa. As she uncovers the subterfuge surrounding the collection, she finds that there is more to Nicolas and Sergio’s battle than meets the eye, and more to her growing allegiances than may be good for her.

80,000 words in length, hot contemporary romance.

Please note: this novel has been previously published with an alternative cover. This title contains graphic sex scenes.

"RECKLESS is unique and unlike any romance I have ever read. Saskia Walker is a genius; the turn of events in RECKLESS shocked me completely...Arousing, enigmatic and gripping, RECKLESS is on my ‘highly recommended' list. If a dark romance with many suspenseful, surprising, and erotic moments is what you crave, then RECKLESS is the book for you!" Romance Junkies

"Saskia Walker delivered everything I love in a good erotic romance and more. I literally sat down and read this book in one sitting." Queue My Review

"Reckless is an erotic, suspenseful novel that leaves the reader on edge." The Romance Studio

"Reckless is a thrilling read."Coffee Time Romance


  

Good Reads Giveaway: countdown to THE JEZEBEL!

I can't quite believe it, but we're into the three month countdown for THE JEZEBEL - the 3rd and final part of the Taskill Witches trilogy! To celebrate and mark the countdown I'm giving away five copies at Good Reads.
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Goodreads Book Giveaway The Jezebel by Saskia Walker Giveaway ends March 18, 2013.
See the giveaway details at Goodreads. Enter to win

Once ignited, a witch's carnal curiosity knows no bounds...

On the run from her powerful benefactor whose unscrupulous interest in her magic has forced her to flee, Margaret Taskill has never needed a hero more. In order to gain passage from England to her homeland in Scotland, she plans to win over a rugged Scottish sea captain with the only currency she has: her virginity.

Maisie submits to Captain Roderick Cameron's raw sexuality in search of protection, but as their initial attraction grows into obsessive desire, devastating powers are unleashed within her. But the journey threatens to take a dangerous turn, forcing Maisie to keep close the secret truth about what she is, and keep the superstitious crew-unhappy at having a woman on board-at bay.

With Maisie's wealthy sponsor giving chase, Roderick must stay one step ahead of the British Navy before her seductive magic causes a full-scale mutiny. He may believe he has full command of his ship, but he's about to get much more than he bargained for.