Rachel Rossano's Blog, page 18

Another Excerpt for the Quotes Quiz

Available on Amazon

I watched the play of his laughter cross his face with fascination. He appeared almost boyish in his mirth. His whole face eased away from its usual hard lines.
“Tyront deserved it.”
“I am sure he did.” He grew sober again. “Any associate of Orwin most likely deserved worse.”
“You speak as a man who has had dealings with my cousin.”
“Orwin lives to torment anyone he can. Of late he wishes me to incur our new king’s disfavor.”
“Why? No, disregard that question. Orwin needs no motive.”
“No.” Irvaine’s expression grew serious. “Never assume an enemy simply hates. He always has a reason to hate. Illogical or not, he has motivation. Seek out the reason behind the hate. Understand your enemy. Only then can you truly defeat his hold over you.”
- Duty: a novel of Rhynan by Rachel Rossano
Available on Amazon

Yet Another Excerpt from Duty

Answering anger tensed his left arm as his fingers curled into a fist. I lifted my chin and awaited the blow that would reveal his true nature. Instead, he pulled his helmet from his head. Dark, sweat-matted hair plastered his head and dirt streaked down his hollowed cheeks from dark circles around his eyes. He dropped his helm to the ground at my knees. It rolled to rest against my thigh. He stepped forward and leaned down so close I smelled his sweat. I noted the lack of sour wine on his breath.
“Look in my face, Lady Solarius, and see the truth. I take no joy from this task. But I am a loyal soldier. I do as my master bids.”
His dark, haunted eyes bore into mine. Something deep inside my chest stirred. However, anger still possessed my tongue.
“I see only a monster intent on unleashing his pleasure-seeking men on a village of unarmed women and children.”
He flinched, a barely perceptible movement in his features.
“Enough.” Rising to his feet with more grace than I expected, he strode away. “Antano!” A burly man, helmetless and carrying more visible weapons than the other men in the group, answered the call.
“My lord?”
“See that she observes the operation, but doesn’t interfere. Then escort her to my quarters by nightfall.”

- Duty: a novel of Rhynan by Rachel Rossano
Available on Amazon

Another excerpt from Duty

I frowned and refused to lift my gaze to meet his. I didn’t appreciate my life depending on the skills of a man I only just met. For all I knew he was going to do nothing and let me die a traitor’s death.
“Brielle, do you trust me?”I resisted the temptation to pull my chin from his grip, but I still didn’t look up. “To a point.” I studied his jaw instead. Covered in the beginnings of a beard, I wondered how it would feel to my fingers.
“Brielle.” He almost growled my name in frustration. “Look at me and tell me the truth.”
Without thought, I obeyed. “I do trust you, but I don’t like sitting around waiting for someone else to rescue me.”
“Imagine how I feel.”
My eyes narrowed. “What do you mean?”
His gaze fell to my mouth, where his fingers traced my bottom lip distracting me from my question. “I am entrusting him with one of the most valuable parts of my life.”
- Duty: a novel of Rhynan by Rachel Rossano
Available on Amazon

Excerpt from Duty

“Your first marital spat?” Dentin inquired with mock innocence.
“Hardly. Are you a married man, Lord Dentin?” I fluttered my eyelashes at him.
He shot me a confused look. “I haven’t found a woman willing to put up with my history.”
“Then you know that it couldn’t be our first. Besides, it was hardly a spat.”
“Anyone listening would think you counted many years as a couple.”
“I think it is safe to say we have established a friendship at least at this point.”
He nodded. “Many marriages cannot even boast that.”
- Duty: a novel of Rhynan by Rachel Rossano
Available on Amazon

Duty Blog Tour Stop #1

Come and join me at Author Cheri Schmidt's blog for a romantic excerpt from Duty: a novel of Rhynan and more.

Quotes Quiz - Duty: a novel of Rhynan

Just for fun, see how many you get right. :)


Question #1: “Father had called me Red. He said I was born screaming, skin deep red like the beets..."
AniseBrielleRolendisLoren

Question #2: “I take no joy from this task. But I am a loyal soldier. I do as my master bids.”
Lord IrvaineLord DentinSir LandrySir Rathenridge

Question #3: “I fight, figure numbers, and hunt. I don’t dance or flirt. I am not a noble’s wife.”
LorenAniseBrielleRolendis

Question #4: “I might not have spoken the loyalty oath, but that will not slow my sword arm..."
Lord DentinLord IrvaineSir RathenridgeSir Landry

Question #5: “Give the king no reason to doubt my character, Antano.”
Sir RathenridgeLord DentinLord IrvaineSir Landry

Question #6: “I do trust you, but I don’t like sitting around waiting for someone else to rescue me.”
AniseBrielleRolendisLoren

Question #7: “I have survived this long by taking risks. Calculated choices are part of life.”
Sir LandrySir RathenridgeLord IrvaineLord Dentin

Question #8: “I think it is safe to say we have established a friendship at least at this point.”
LorenBrielleAniseRolendis

Question #9: “Never assume an enemy simply hates."
Lord IrvaineLord DentinSir LandrySir Rathenridge

Question #10: "I need sweet conversation to distract my thoughts from the mire of Jorndar’s ravings.”
Lord DentinSir LandryLord IrvaineSir Rathenridge

Blog Hop

Thank you, Vicki Lucas for inviting me to join in this blog hop.
What is the title of your book?
Duty: a novel of Rhynan
Where did the idea for the book come from?
A couple of sources brought about this book. The opening line came from the winner of a contest. The premise idea came from an event in history which I can't even reference because I have forgotten the source. A army was sent over a mountain range or many be just a mountain and killed off all the men and married all the women on the other side. It was a way to establish a foothold position. Don't worry, my story is less outrageous. Some of characteristics that my characters display come from strangers, family, and friends, but the original person is so obscured I don't even remember who inspired what.
What genre does your book fall under?
Are you sure you are ready for the answer? It is a clean/sweet romance set in a non-magical fantasy world that is similar to medieval Europe. 
Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?
It is self-published and is officially releasing tomorrow!
How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?
The whole took about eight months, which is the shortest time it has ever taken me to write a novel.
Give a one-sentence synopsis of your novel: 
A woman accustomed to hardship marries a man who lives by the sword when he claims his reward for faithful service to his king, but enemies from both their pasts rise up to challenge them and the future of the nation they have sworn to protect.
What other works would compare to your story? 
Oh, this is tricky one. I am not sure. None come to mind.
Who or What inspired you to write this book? 
An opening line: "The red one is mine," he said.
What else might pique the reader’s interest?

Plenty of action, intrigue, and enemies keep the story moving. The heroine and hero are faced with choices that strain them to the depths of their characters. Which is more important, the vows of a married couple or vows of loyalty to a king? If forced to choose between turning your back on your wife or joining her in death, what would you do?

Duty: a novel of Rhynan - Book Release Blog Tour Schedule

Come and join the fun! 


Check out the Release Party on February 14th -https://www.facebook.com/events/410916149001489
Guest Posts, interviews, excerpts, and plenty of opportunities to ask the author all kinds of questions. Please share on Facebook and Twitter and visit yourself. I look forward to seeing you.
Blog Tour Stops2/14 - Author Cheri Schmidt - http://cherischmidt.blogspot.com2/19 - Romance, Old School - http://romanceoldschool.blogspot.com2/21 - Books Are Sanity!! - www.booksaresanity.blogspot.com2/26 - Romance, Old School - http://romanceoldschool.blogspot.com2/28 - Books Are Sanity!! - www.booksaresanity.blogspot.com 3/5 - Romance, Old School - http://romanceoldschool.blogspot.com3/7 & 3/12 - Author Debra Brown - http://authordebrabrown.blogspot.com
3/13 - Library at the End of the Universe - http://libraryendofuniverse.blogspot.com3/14 - O. Scarlett Reviews - http://oscarlettreviews.blogspot.com 3/19 - Book Marketing Mayhem - http://bookmarketingmayhem.blogspot.com 3/21 - DeEtte Anderton - http://deetteanderton.wordpress.com3/28 - Hope, Dreams, Life…Love - http://www.elainepcantrell.blogspot.com3/27 - Dreaming While Awake - www.authorcaitlinhensley.blogspot.com4/2 - O. Scarlett Reviews - http://oscarlettreviews.blogspot.com4/4 - Dianna Bellrose Author Fire and Ice - http://www.diannabellerose-authorfireandice.blogspot.com

Birth of a Novel: formatting and book covers

This blog series following the creation of Duty: A Novel of Rhynan from idea to print book is part of an experiment. The first installment was Birth of a Novel: the starting point.


With Duty, I thought I had polished up the front cover pretty early in the process. By April 2012, I felt it was  pretty much finished. The image of a thoughtful redheaded woman caught my eye. I really loved the expression on her face. I played with many different cropping options.
Then when I revisited the cover again right before publication, my husband said he thought I could improve it more. I played with layering and effects. The end result was this:
Designed by Rossano Designs (Rachel Rossano)
Next was developing Duty’s cover blurb:
Duty to King

Tomas Dyrease, the newly made Earl of Irvaine and the village of Wisenvale, owes his good fortune to his king and the recent civil war. When his benefactor demands Tomas marry the cousin of a noble who switched sides late in the conflict, he obeys. However, no one warned him that she wasn’t a typical noblewoman.

Duty to Others

Daughter of the late Lord Wisten, Brielle Solarius struggles to keep her village from starvation under the new Lord Wisten, her cousin. The villagers’ men rode off to war and never returned. The remaining women and children face a winter of starvation if they do not find a solution soon. Learning that her cousin sold her hand in marriage to save his life doesn’t come as a surprise. She is taken aback by Lord Irvaine’s unpolished ways. Was this man a noble or a foot soldier?

Duty to Each Other

Bound by the words of their vows, they face a rough future. They must forge a marriage while battling betrayal, accusations of treason, and court politics. Survival depends on their precarious trust in each other.  Failure could mean death.

Formatting took a bit more effort and wasn’t quite as fun. I determined I would up the ante with this release and include some fancy formatting. The print versions of Duty feature interior decoration that continues a variation of the leaf motif from the cover design.
A great deal of trial and error came with the work, including learning a new word processing program so I could get the page numbering just right. Finally the formatting technique was figured out, but the editing wasn’t finished. So, I turned to my next task, planning promotion.

Question: How picky are you about typos and grammar issues within books you read?

Birth of a Novel: editing the words

From Dreamstime.com

This blog series following the creation of Duty from idea to print book is part of an experiment. The first installment was Birth of a Novel: the starting point.

After a preliminary edit/read through by myself, I sent the novel out to a number of trusted readers. A selection of volunteers, they picked over the manuscript looking for everything from typos to plot issues. I am greatly indebted to these women. They spotted so many things I had missed. Their efforts pushed me to make the story even better than it was before.

Once all the beta readers’ comments were in, I spent hours going over the novel again. Changing tweaking, and polishing until it shone.
The final step was my husband. He reads everything I publish. Although he isn’t my target audience, he is my toughest audience. With a sharp eye, he questions everything and pokes at every loose thread. It is uncomfortable, but good for me. He has spotted issues I and others have missed simply because he is not the target audience. I think my work is significantly better because of his efforts, aggravating as they are to go through. J

Question: Would you let your spouse read your writing/read your favorite books?