Lily Graison's Blog, page 17
July 4, 2014
Friday First Kiss #38 :: Laying Claim (Book 1 of the Halsey Homecoming Trilogy) by Paty Jager – Historical Western Romance
The moment I crack open a new book, I always rush through the beginning, the budding relationship between the hero and heroine, and anticipate that spontaneous moment when one of them makes their move. The First Kiss. The first turning point in every story.
Every week here on the blog, I’ll be sharing First Kisses from my books and those of other authors.
This weeks Friday First Kiss comes from, Laying Claim by Paty Jager.
Jeremy didn’t like walking around town with Clara. Soapy had men everywhere. He also knew if he didn’t escort the head-strong woman she’d go on her own. What would have happened if he hadn’t come back when he did? Would she have struck out on her own? Most likely the woman was rash and didn’t think things through. Like bashing Soapy Smith in the head and taking his girl. Jeremy’s gut twisted at the thought of Clara ending up in Soapy’s hands. The mess the man made of Lily didn’t bode well for what he’d do to the woman who defied him.
Two men who frequented Jeff’s Saloon walked toward them. Jeremy swung Clara into his arms and backed her up against the store front.
“What?” Clara shoved at his chest, but he pressed all his weight toward her.
“Shh. Those two coming this way are part of Soapy’s gang. Relax. I’m hiding you.” He rested his forearms on either side of her head and leaned in. The night hid her expression from him, but her body, pressed to his, revealed her breathing quickened.
“Look at them two lovebirds,” a man hollered and pointed.
“If you ain’t gonna kiss her I will,” said the other man.
A thousand better times and ways for a first kiss came to mind. Jeremy’s heart raced and Clara’s palms pushed at him, again. It was either follow through with the men’s friendly chiding or risk them seeing Clara.
“I’m sorry.” He lowered his face toward Clara. His lips grazed her cold, soft cheek. He’d planned to only hover over her mouth and pretend to kiss her, but his lips had their own ideas. Her plump sweet mouth under his made him as drunk as a bottle of whiskey. Just as whiskey made him happy and carefree, so did Clara’s kisses.
He angled his head and licked the seam of her lips. She gasped and he took the kiss deeper. Even with their layers of clothes, their bodies pressed together and her hands now wound in the hair at the nape of his neck. Without her hands between them her soft curves registered, driving him to wrap his arms around her and explore what he could.
“Really! There are houses for such things!”
The woman’s shrill voice ripped through his horny haze. Shame slammed into his chest like an avalanche. Jeremy pulled out of the kiss but kept Clara sheltered from any onlookers. He peeked right and left and found the men had moved along. A couple dressed in city clothes stood five feet away staring disdainfully.
“Wife, you know better than to get me riled up,” Jeremy said, taking Clara’s hand and leading her down the block. As soon as they came to an alley, he pulled her into the darker recesses. He rubbed a hand over his face. What did Clara think of him? He’d shamed her out there, treating her like a soiled dove on the street in plain view. He’d just become lower than a mud fish.
He stood in the darkness, trying to find the words to apologize.
Clara took a step toward him. He stood ready for a slap. He deserved it. Hell, if Darcy were here, she’d give him a lickin’ with a lecture that would make him feel like a mud fish.
“We need to get to the hotel before more people start moving about.” Her voice was clear but a bit shaky. No recriminations. No accusation.
“Clara, I’m sorry. I only meant to hide you, I don’t know—”
She placed a hand on his chest, stopping his words. “I know you’re honorable and were only trying to keep me safe. We need to get to the hotel.”
Honorable my ass! If I was honorable I would have never kissed you. He tried to see her face and see if she was as shook up. But the darkness, while being their savior, was his own personal enemy.
Laying Claim (Book 1 of the Halsey Homecoming Trilogy) by Paty Jager
Jeremy Duncan commits to haul one last load of supplies across the great interior of the Yukon before heading home. But, he has to trade his pack animals for sled dogs and leave Skagway in the middle of a blizzard due to one strong-willed, business-minded beauty.
Determined to find her older brother, Clara Bixbee doesn’t care how she gets across the pass, as long as she does, and soon. Hiring handsome pack guide Jeremy Duncan seems to be her best choice. Especially, after she saves a young girl being beaten by the local gang leader and needs to escape Skagway fast.
Laying Claim is the first book of the Halsey Homecoming trilogy about three young men brought into the Halsey family. Staking Claim will release this month, with Claiming a Heart releasing in November.
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About Paty Jager
Award-winning author Paty Jager and her husband raise alfalfa hay in rural eastern Oregon. On her road to publication she wrote freelance articles for two local newspapers and enjoyed her job with the County Extension service as a 4-H Program Assistant. Raising hay and cattle, riding horses, and battling rattlesnakes, she not only writes the western lifestyle, she lives it.
Her seventeen published novels, two anthologies, and five novellas have Western or Native American elements in them along with hints of humor and engaging characters. Her penchant for research takes her on side trips that eventually turn into yet another story.
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The post Friday First Kiss #38 :: Laying Claim (Book 1 of the Halsey Homecoming Trilogy) by Paty Jager – Historical Western Romance appeared first on Romance Author Lily Graison.
July 2, 2014
An Authors “How To” Guide to Building An Online Presence :: Rafflecopter
Photo: mkhmarketing
Welcome to week 5 of my ‘How To’ blog series.
If you haven’t been following the series so far, you’ve missed my tutorials on Facebook (scheduling posts), Twitter (creating lists), Tweetdeck & Tweepi and Hootsuite (a social media hub). There’s good information in there so read them when you get a chance.
This week I’ll show you how to use Rafflecopter. I’m sure you’ve seen those neat little ‘contest entry forms’ everyone seems to be using. They make collecting entries and picking a winner a breeze!
The first thing you need to do is head over to Rafflecopter and click on the “Run a Giveaway For Free button.”
Which will take you to a ‘pricing’ page. You do not have to ‘buy’ anything to use Rafflecopter. This is a free application but for the ‘perks’ you’ll need to buy a plan. We’ll talk more about that later on.
What you want to do is click the “Sign Up Free” button at the top.
You’ll be taken to the sign in page. Just fill in the information and click the “Open Sesame” button at the bottom.
Once you’re on your dashboard, you’ll see Rafflecopter has already set up an ‘example’ giveaway for you to look at. You can explore that a bit and see how everything is set up. When you’re ready to create your own giveaway, just click on the “new giveaway” page there on the left of the screen.
On the next page, click the “Add a prize” button.
And add in the prize you’re giving away.
You have the option of adding an image to your form BUT…that is one of those paid features I mentioned earlier. If you use these forms a lot like I do, its not a bad investment. It’s $7.99 a month to get the perks but isn’t required. For this tutorial, we’ll go without the fancy, picture form. (You can see how the picture feature looks over on my current giveaway form)
Now, just click, Save this prize, and you’ll be able to fill in the rest of your giveaway information.
As you can see from the next screenshot, your prize is listed at the top. You can add another prize (as many as you want) or move on to the next section…determining how people will enter your giveaway.
For my monthly giveaway, the only requirement to enter, is for them to be on my mailing list. I accomplish this by selecting the “Add An Entry Option” as seen in image #1 and then, “Invent Your Own” as seen in image #2. (There is a ‘Subscribe to a Mailing List’ option but again, this is a paid feature, so you’ll have to use the ‘create your own’ if you’re using the free version.)
Once you’ve brought up this option, you’ll need to change the title and leave your instructions.
This is where you need to pay attention, especially if you’re creating your own option. If using this for a newsletter/mailing list sign up, then you have to give them a link to your sign-up page, otherwise, they’ll not know where to go. Also, have them leave their name and email address so you can confirm they’re on your list. Next you’ll assign a ‘point/entry’ number for this option and choose whether or not entrants can perform the task daily or once and whether or not this option is mandatory.
That last option is a bit misleading. Clicking the ‘mandatory’ button will allow that option to be seen on the form. Leaving it un-checked, means its hidden from view until they’ve met your first requirement. I always click the mandatory button on my newsletter sign up as that’s the ONLY requirement I have to enter my giveaways. Everything else, stays un-checked. They can’t see those ‘easy/extra’ options for entering until after they’ve completed my first requirement.
Once you have your first option completed, click the “Save This Option” and you’ll be back on the giveaway dashboard. Click your next option and fill out the information it asks for and click save. You can add as many options as you like. (Be sure to change the ‘title’ on each option you choose as they’re blank if you don’t.)
Once all your options are done, fix the date and time you want your giveaway to last.
You’ll be taken to the Install screen next. The code to insert the form into your website is at the top. Just copy/paste it into your contest page.
If you want your form to show up on Facebook, then click the “Run On Facebook Page.” This will ask you to sign in to facebook. Once its connected, it will give you a list of your pages. Just select the page you want the form to be on and Rafflecopter will automatically insert a new Giveaway Tab over on your facebook page. Just open it up once you get to Facebook and edit the rest of the page.
At the very bottom of this screen, you’ll be able to view the form to see how it looks, edit if you need to, or keep it as is. To see the form, just click on the “Preview All Options” button. (If you ever need to edit the form you Do Not have to reinstall it. The form will automatically update regardless of where it is.)
Once your giveaway is up and running, you’ll be able to see all the entries you’ve collected by clicking on the Entries link. From here, you don’t have to do anything. The form will run and collect your entries and inform you by email once your giveaway has ended.
To select a winner, just go to your Rafflecopter dashboard, click “Entries” on the giveaway that’s ended and click the “Add A Random Winner” button. A winner will pop up for you (pick as many winners as you need.) Underneath the winner’s name, click the “Display Winner on Form” so everyone can see who won your giveaway.
The other neat thing I like about Rafflecopter is it allows you to hold Flash Giveaways on facebook. Anytime you hold a random giveaway on Facebook that needs a winner selected, just head over to Rafflecopter, sign in and scroll to the very bottom of the page. Here you’ll see “Facebook Flash Giveaway.” Click on that to bring up all your facebook pages. Pick the one your giveaway is on and it will bring up all your posts for that page.
Next, select the post that has your flash giveaway on it and the “Pick Random winner” button will appear. Click that and your winner will be displayed. Just announce on Facebook who won and how they can contact you and you’re done!
The more you use Rafflecopter, the less confusing it will seem. This is the easiest way to administer giveaways and pick winners fairly. Give it a try the next time you host a giveaway. You won’t be sorry.
Next week I’ll be going over MailChimp, a newsletter application. If you don’t have a mailing list, you should! Every author needs a direct path to their readers and this is the best way to do it.
If you want to make sure you don’t miss anything in the coming weeks, sign up for email notifications and receive each post in your email inbox. I’ll be posting tutorials on Pinterest, (creating boards, installing Pin It buttons on your website and how to embed your Pinterest Boards directly onto your website pages) Scrivener (writing software), Production Schedules and how to create a Weekly/Daily ‘To Do’ List to build your online presence everyday of the week, so get your name on the list so you don’t miss out.
And as always, if you found this post useful and informative, be sure to share it with your friends!
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About Lily Graison
Lily Graison lives in the foothills of North Carolina with her husband, two high-strung Yorkies, more cats than she can count. First published in 2005, she is the author of over a dozen published books in the Western, Contemporary and Paranormal Romance genres.
When not writing, Lily can be found at her sewing machine creating 1800’s period clothing or participating in civil war reenactments and area living history events. When not portraying a southern belle, you can find her at a nearby store feeding her obsession for all things resembling office supplies.
To see the dresses Lily has created, visit her Pinterest page.
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Pinterest | Google+
The post An Authors “How To” Guide to Building An Online Presence :: Rafflecopter appeared first on Romance Author Lily Graison.
July 1, 2014
Christmas in July
Its day 1 in my Christmas in July event!
Throughout the month of July, I’ll be holding a special event over on my Facebook fan page. I’ve invited a few of my author friends over to share their books with you and they’ve all agreed to host a giveaway so every day of the month, there will be a new prize up for grabs!
I kicked the giveaways off today with a $25.00 Amazon or B&N Gift Card and posted a rafflecopter form for the events grand prize, a brand new Kindle Fire! To enter these giveaways, you must LIKE my facebook page, answer the question on each of the giveaway posts and fill in the rafflecopter form to enter the Kindle giveaway.
Head over now to get started. The first giveaway ends at midnight! Lily Graison Facebook Page
The post Christmas in July appeared first on Romance Author Lily Graison.
June 28, 2014
Want FREE eBooks?
I’m happy to be a part of Apple iBooks brand new “First in a Series” feature, which is a showcase for the first book in a series and is offering them ALL FREE!
The Lawman, book 1 in my Willow Creek Series, was selected for participation. There are hundreds of books available for FREE downloads in the USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, UK and Ireland. Go take a look at what’s up for grabs and be sure to tell your reading friends where they can get some freebies too!
Click HERE to go directly to the Apple iBooks promotion page.
The post Want FREE eBooks? appeared first on Romance Author Lily Graison.
June 27, 2014
Friday First Kiss #37 :: Gabe Kincaid (Kincaids Book Four) by Caroline Clemmons – Historical Western Romance
The moment I crack open a new book, I always rush through the beginning, the budding relationship between the hero and heroine, and anticipate that spontaneous moment when one of them makes their move. The First Kiss. The first turning point in every story.
Every week here on the blog, I’ll be sharing First Kisses from my books and those of other authors.
This weeks Friday First Kiss comes from, Gabe Kincaid by Caroline Clemmons.
She pressed her hand against his arm. “Don’t, Gabe. It’s such a nice afternoon. Don’t spoil it by prying.”
“All right. But I wish you’d trust me with all your secrets, Shimza. Damn, I feel like a fool calling you that but I don’t even know your real name.”
“Shimza will do. And I do trust you to keep me safe here.”
“But you don’t think I could if you told me more, is that it?” He gently clasped her shoulders and turned her to face him.
She met his gaze, pleading with him, “Please, it’s too . . . complicated.”
Slowly he slid his hands across her shoulders, lightly up her neck, and caressed her face with his thumbs. He rested his hands gently on either side of her face. “Then let’s make it a little more complicated.” He leaned forward and claimed her lips.
She dissolved against him. His gentle kiss increased in fervor. Her arms slid around him and her fingers weaved into his hair.
His hands slid across her back. Stroking. Touching. Hugging.
One of his strong hands skimmed her ribs beneath her breast. Brazenly, she wished he’d move higher where she ached to be touched. As it was, the heat of his touch near burned through her clothing.
He broke their embrace, his chest heaving. “I’ve never kissed a client. Damn, Grandpa will have my hide.”
She rested her head against his powerful shoulder. “Mmm, I don’t think so. Perhaps you noticed we were seated next to one another at dinner. I could be wrong, but I think the Judge and Mrs. Gamble are conspiring. Judge Kincaid smiled when we left the dining room together.”
“You don’t say? Then, if it’s all right with you, I’m kissing you again.”
And he did. Not that she was an expert, but her verdict was he kissed very well indeed.
Gabe Kincaid by Caroline Clemmons
Gabe Kincaid has reasons to hate lies and those who tell them. He moved from Austin to Kincaid Springs and joined his great uncle’s law firm. Gabe believes he’s happy and pushes aside those moments of loneliness, of wishing for more. He strongly believes in the law, in justice, and obeying rules. Doing what’s right is fulfilling, isn’t it? Then why is he so fascinated with a circus fortuneteller who spins tales faster than a cowboy whirls his lariat?
Katie Worthington poses as Dorothy Duncan in a small-time circus. If she isn’t behind the scenes mending costumes or in the circus kitchen, she’s disguised as the fortuneteller, Maharani Shimza, Mystic of the East. Even so, she worries about being killed by the men pursuing her. She fears a brawl at her fortune telling tent that sends her into the Kincaid’s protective custody will end with her exposure and death. Then, a death at the circus implicates her. How can she escape when that attorney pops up every time she turns around?
Will Gabe and Katie let the sparks between them ignite into a passionate romance or will her secrets destroy their chance at a happily ever after?
BUY THE BOOK FROM
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About Caroline Clemmons
Caroline Clemmons is an Amazon bestselling author of historical and contemporary western romances whose books have garnered numerous awards. Her latest release is GABE KINCAID, book four of her popular Kincaid series. A frequent speaker at conferences and seminars, she has taught workshops on characterization, point of view, and layering a novel.
Caroline is a member of Romance Writers of America, Yellow Rose Romance Writers, From The Heart Romance Writers, and Hearts Through History Romance Writers. Her latest publications include the acclaimed historical Men of Stone Mountain series: BRAZOS BRIDE, HIGH STAKES BRIDE, and BLUEBONNET BRIDE and the audio books of BRAZOS BRIDE and HIGH STAKES BRIDE.
Caroline and her husband live in the heart of Texas cowboy country with their menagerie of rescued pets. Prior to writing full time, her jobs included stay-at-home mom (her favorite), secretary, newspaper reporter and featured columnist, assistant to the managing editor of a psychology journal, bookkeeper for the local tax assessor and—for a short and fun but unsuccessful time—an antique dealer. When she’s not indulging her passion for writing, Caroline enjoys reading, travel, antiquing, genealogy, painting, and getting together with friends.
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The post Friday First Kiss #37 :: Gabe Kincaid (Kincaids Book Four) by Caroline Clemmons – Historical Western Romance appeared first on Romance Author Lily Graison.
June 25, 2014
An Authors “How To” Guide to Building An Online Presence :: Hootsuite
Photo: mkhmarketing
Welcome to week 4 of my ‘How To’ blog series.
Did everyone get your Twitter lists created and put onto Tweetdeck? Are you taking advantage of the Facebook scheduling feature? Good! This week I have something that will save you a bit of time with all these social media websites.
Hopping from site to site to engage your readers can be time consuming if not done correctly. I’ve found a way to streamline all the social media outlets in one handy application.
Hootsuite allows you to manage all your social media sites (Facebook, Twitter and Google+) from ONE application and also lets you send your blog posts (from WordPress or Blogger) to those social media sites automatically. Keep reading for a step-by-step tutorial on how to set this up and add your social media websites.
The first thing you want to do is head over to Hootsuite and set up an account. You can sign in through your Facebook, Twitter or email. Once the account is ‘on,’ you can start adding your social media accounts.
Click on the “Create Your First Tab” button to get started.
A new column will appear on the right hand side of the page. Click the “Add Social Network” button. This will pull up a box with a list of social media websites. Pick the one you want to start with and allow Hootsuite access.
Once you’ve connected, you can now add in your ‘streams’. “Image #1″ will show you your first options. Add as many streams as you wish. You can even add all those lists you created. “Image #2″ will show you what the page will look like when you add the streams. Keep adding until you’re finished adding the streams you want to see. (Note: You’ve probably noticed your first ‘tab’ says “untitled”….just place your curser over it and it will give you the option to rename it to which ever social media site it is.)
Next, click the “Add Social Network” tab again and add in your next site and repeat the process.
Now that you have all your social networks up and the streams showing, let’s make a post that will go to every one of them at once!
At the very top of the page, you’ll see the text area and a list of sites you’ve linked to your Hootsuite account. Just type your message and click each site you want your message to go to. You also have the option to schedule the post for a time in the future. This is great if you know you’ll not be near your computer and have to announce something a week from now. I use this feature every week.
Once you have your post created, click “send now” and watch your message arrive at every social media site at once.
Now that you know how to set up and post using Hootsuite, let’s take it a step farther. I blog weekly and am a contributor in a multi-author blog and remembering to share those posts escapes me at times. This feature will make your bad memory a thing of the past.
On the menu at the left, click the cog wheel. A box will appear…click the RSS/ATOM option. Another box will appear and this is where you’ll add your blog information in.
To find the RSS/ATOM feed URL, go to your blog and right click. You’ll see a small box pop up. Click on the “View Page Source” option and a page of code will pop up. Don’t freak out…website code can be intimidating for a lot of people but you’re only looking for one small piece of info.
A few lines down the page you’ll see a line that looks something like this: < link rel = “alternate” type=application/rss+xml” title=”Romance Author Lily Graison ; Feed” href = “http://lilygraison.com/feed/” /> That url (highlighted in blue) is what you’re after. Copy that and paste it into the first box.
Next, select which social networks you want your blog post to go. You can pick as many as you like. Then select how often Hootsuite should check, how many posts to send and if you want part of the blog text to appear with the post. Fill out the rest of the form and “save.” Your blog is now set to auto-send your posts every time you create a new post. You can add additional blogs as well. I syndicate two, my personal website blog and the Sweethearts of the West blog.
Now that you have a central ‘hub’ for all your social media outlets, you’ll spend less time going from site to site to engage your readers. You can do it all from one website, streamlined without all the ads and fuss.
Next week I’ll talk a bit about Rafflecopter, how to set up a giveaway and post it on your website or Facebook page.
If you want to make sure you don’t miss anything in the coming weeks, sign up for email notifications and receive each post in your email inbox. I’ll be posting tutorials on Pinterest, Scrivener(writing software), Production Schedules and Mailchimp (for maintaining mailing list for newsletters) so get your name on the list so you don’t miss out.
And as always, if you found this post useful and informative, be sure to share it with your friends!
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Your email:
About Lily Graison
When not writing, Lily can be found at her sewing machine creating 1800’s period clothing or participating in civil war reenactments and area living history events. When not portraying a southern belle, you can find her at a nearby store feeding her obsession for all things resembling office supplies.
To see the dresses Lily has created, visit her Pinterest page.
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Pinterest | Google+
The post An Authors “How To” Guide to Building An Online Presence :: Hootsuite appeared first on Romance Author Lily Graison.
June 19, 2014
Friday First Kiss #36 :: Time Masters Book One; The Call by Geralyn Beauchamp – Scifi/Fantasy romance
The moment I crack open a new book, I always rush through the beginning, the budding relationship between the hero and heroine, and anticipate that spontaneous moment when one of them makes their move. The First Kiss. The first turning point in every story.
Every week here on the blog, I’ll be sharing First Kisses from my books and those of other authors.
This weeks Friday First Kiss comes from, Time Masters Book One; The Call by Geralyn Beauchamp.
Shona thought she might faint. The simple gesture was like a bolt of lightning searing across the back of her hand, his lips soft yet hard as steel, the odd sensation cutting deeply into her skin.
Dallan stood to his full height and looked down at her, his eyes instantly capturing hers.
She didn’t know what to do, think or feel. Suddenly she no longer knew him, the magic of previous meetings absent at this one.
She said the first words that came to mind. “You are a Scotsman.” Her voice made the statement sound as if he’d grown a horn in the center of his head.
He merely looked at her, his face a mask of uncertainty. She gathered he was as confused as she. Why did things feel so different? Where was the intimate communication they had shared at the last meetings and why were they now so detached? She met his gaze head on, her own confusion evident in her furrowed brow.
“And yer not.”
His voice startled her. “What did you say?”
He studied her a moment. “Yer not a Scot, I mean. I rather hoped as Shona is a Scottish name that ye’d be the same, lass.”
She stepped back. Her legs hit the park bench and stopped her. “No, I am not Scottish.”
He snorted as if insulted. “Och, aye, lass, that’s a wee bit o’ an under-statement.”
Her back stiffened. “And just what is that supposed to mean?”
“Ye’ll find out soon enough, I’m afraid. Ye might want to sit down.” He still held her in his gaze, the one thing familiar left to them, the one action still concrete.
“What is this all about? Who are you? What are you doing here? How are you associated with Mr. Eaton?”
Dallan held up one hand and took a step back. “Whoa, lass, one thing at a time. I dinna understand much more than yerself. I’m not even sure why I’m here wi’ ye now.” He stifled a yawn.
For some odd reason, his last statement stung, not to mention his action. “And where would you rather be?”
He raised an amused eyebrow at her. “Och, lassie, ye dinna want to know.”
That stung even more. “I do not know who you are or what you are doing here, but by all means do not let me stop you from being elsewhere.”
He narrowed his eyes slightly. “But … sometimes ye ha’ to do things that will help another, even if ye dinna like it yerself. I didna say I didna want to be here because of you. ‘Tis other reasons, lass. Please, sit down.”
Shona tried to pry her eyes from his and failed, backed into the bench and sat.
He smiled at her as if amused. Without releasing her from his gaze, he sat at the bench’s opposite end and began studying her as if she were an inanimate object, his look assessing, calculating, controlled. A trained eye if she ever saw one. “What are you looking at?” she asked trying to keep the nervousness in her voice to a minimum.
“I can hardly believe it.”
“Believe what?”
“That yer … that you could possibly …” He stood suddenly and began to pace as she had been doing earlier. “Saints.” He stopped and stared at her, as if deciding something.
Shona gathered her courage, found the rod for her back and rammed it into place. “What do you want?”
Surprisingly, his face fell. He let out a halfhearted chuckle. “Och, lassie, I dinna ken anymore what I want. The only sure thing is so far away, and I’m told yer the only one can get it for me.”
She was drawn into the near-helpless look on his face and the rod in her back fell away. “Who are you really, sir?”
He pulled himself up to his full height. “A survivor, lass. Like yerself. And please, call me Dallan.”
She opened her mouth to speak but snapped it shut, not understanding the way her heart had become hard toward him. Where was the tenderness from before? The need? The unquenchable hunger? She finally knew his name, heard his voice. She should be ecstatic, not … annoyed. That was it. She was annoyed for some reason, as if his presence warred with something else inside her.
“Why are you here?” Her voice had dropped against her will to a breathy whisper. Perhaps her heart was not as hard as she’d thought.
He sat back down on the bench as he took in the sight of her, and swallowed. “I’ve come to find someone.”
“Who?”
“A lass.”
She shook her head, not understanding any of this, that particular thought the most annoying of all. She was still trapped in his gaze, and realized he had begun to tighten it. Now she had to swallow. “How long have you searched?” Her voice still betrayed her.
He softened his look and shifted on the bench, leaning slightly in her direction. “A verra long time.”
“Why are you looking for her?”
He scooted a few inches closer. “She is verra special, verra important. But she doesna ken who or what she is. I came to find her, to tell her and take her home.”
Shona found herself staring long and hard at the huge Scotsman. Find her. Tell her. Take her home?Oh … She felt her face turn pale. Her voice trembled. “How … how will you know when you’ve found her?”
His face became oddly stern, yet gentle. She recognized the look and froze. “Mayhaps I’ll know her by her hair. Hair with all the colors of the sunset.”
Shona’s face twisted slightly at the way his voice dropped into a dreamy whisper. Oh boy. I am in trouble!
He scooted a few inches closer.
She scooted a few inches back.
“Mayhaps ‘twill be her eyes. Eyes that ‘twould surely drown a man if he got too close to them. Fall right into them, he would.”
She leaned back against the bench’s armrest as he closed the remaining distance between them. Trapped! To make matters worse, her mouth wouldn’t work, reigniting her earlier annoyance. And what was this sunset hair and drowning eyes business anyway?
Shona grimaced at the euphoric look on his face. Here it comes …
Dallan leaned even closer. “Mayhaps I came to find you, lass.”
He was so close his breath brushed her face. She began to sweat, her mouth suddenly dry. What in the world was happening to her? This was ridiculous! She knew what he was up to, and she wasn’t about to let him get away with it!
Or was she? Without thinking, she quickly and nervously asked, “What will you do when you find her?”
Blast! She shouldn’t have asked, she knew she shouldn’t have asked! She was going to pay for that one.
He put one arm around her and pulled her into his chest, causing her head to tilt back, eyes still mercilessly locked with his. He lowered his face down, closer, closer, as his other arm wrapped around her, anchoring her in place.
A tiny squeak of alarm escaped her, too late.
“This, Flower,” he whispered, then gently – and, she sensed, with as much human restraint as possible — brushed his lips across hers.
Shona couldn’t believe it. She’d been kissed!
For her first kiss, she always pictured the usual things happening to lead up to the event. A date, flowers, friendship, talking, laughing, all the things Kitty raved on about. She was supposed to be heady with emotion, her feet feeling as though they had left the ground. Fireworks were supposed to go off, and she would find herself swooning in this man’s arms. At least according to Kitty.
Shona’s immediate reaction, however, didn’t even come close.
She socked him right in the face. Hard.
Time Masters Book 1: The Call
by Geralyn Beauchamp
The year is 3698 and the threat of civil war is not only brewing, but near boiling!
Kwaku Awahnee, Time Master of Muirara, must pass on his Time Mastership to his pre-chosen successor, Dallan MacDonald, to prevent the inevitable. Kwaku enlists the help of Councilor John Eaton to tell the unsuspecting Scot of his new office and all it entails. There are, however, a few slight problems.
To become a Time Master the Highlander has to willingly join with a Muiraran Maiden, a creature of incredible power who, stolen as an infant and hidden in another time, now grown, must mate or die. Dallan’s job of convincing her she is Muiraran, not human, and persuading her to fall in love with him is a small task compared to their impossible race against time. John’s job is to make sure the Scot is ready to listen. And then, of course, talk him into it along the way …
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About Geralyn Beauchamp
Geralyn Beauchamp is a fantasy/romance/action-adventure/fractured fairy tale author who likes to spin whimsical yet epic tales! A book reviewer for five years, she read voraciously (why do you think she wanted to become a book reviewer? It was the perfect excuse to HAVE to read!) and, well, one thing led to another and now she’s a best selling author on amazon’s kindle.
Her first book, Time Masters Book One: The Call, was actually written at the urging of author friends, most of whose books she reviewed. So, on a dare from Julia Quinn that went something like, “Oh c’mon, I know you can do this, I DARE YOU!” (It was a simple yet effective dare) Geralyn went on to write her first book. That was in 1995. After which she simply proclaimed, “I did it!” just to prove she could, and then stuck said book in a trunk where it sat… and sat …. and SAT… until Christmas eve of 2007, when it finally hit the book store shelves. Better late than never.
When someone suggested she turn it into an e-book she did. But the original Time Masters she wrote back in 1995 was quite long, (so say reader reviews proving it) and she always wanted to give the story a little face lift. So into revision it went and the 2nd and now 3rd edition of Time Masters i is available as an e-book as of 3/31/2014.
Be watching for Time Masters 2 The Prophecy, coming June 2014!
Geralyn also writes western romance under the name Kit Morgan, which is also a character in the Time Masters series and divides her time between the Pacific Northwest and Northern California. Other than being a bibliophile, she’s a yarn dabbler, (of the string variety) coffee lover and chocolate snob.
Authors, want to see your book featured on Friday First Kiss? Find out how HERE.
The post Friday First Kiss #36 :: Time Masters Book One; The Call by Geralyn Beauchamp – Scifi/Fantasy romance appeared first on Romance Author Lily Graison.
June 17, 2014
An Authors “How To” Guide to Building An Online Presence :: Tweetdeck & Tweepi
Photo: mkhmarketing
Welcome to week 3 of my ‘How To’ blog series.
Last week I walked you through Twitter and how to put the people you follow into lists. Since the post was so long, I’ll be continuing the Twitter tutorial this week and introduce you to Tweetdeck and Tweepi.
Disclaimer: I’m not expert on any of the subjects I’ll be talking about. I just spend a lot of time online and know my way around a few sites and programs so everything you see here will be my experience with these sites. For these ‘tutorials,’ it’ll just be my interpretation of what I’ve seen and done.
Hopefully you have all your Twitter folks into groups by now because today we’ll be tackling Tweetdeck and having those lists is essential.
Tweetdeck is a multi-list application that allows you to see everyone at a glance, side by side. To use it, all you have to do is add your lists, decide where on the board you want them and set it up accordingly.
Want to find out how to use it? Then keep reading for a step-by-step guide on how to set up the columns.
The first thing you need to do is sign up for Tweetdeck using your Twitter account. Once you have the application up, you want to look to the left hand side of the page at the tool bar. You have a ‘cog’ wheel at the very bottom…this is where you change your settings, the theme colors, font size etc.
Once you have things looking nice, you want to click on the ( + ) sign there on the toolbar. This is where you’ll add your lists in.
This button is your Columns button. From here you can add in an @mention column, the regular Home page, direct messages, and of course, those Lists you made.
Just click on what you want to see on Tweetdeck and it’ll automatically pull up that feed. To add your lists in, just click the Lists tab there on the bottom left of that pop up box and it’ll pull up another box. There, you’ll see all those Lists you made last week.
Just click on the list you want to add and it’ll pull up that list for you…
Once you see the list, just click the Add Column button on the bottom right of the page and the list will pop up into the application.
Once you have all your lists added and any other columns you want to see, you can rearrange them by clicking on the upper right hand corner of each list.
Doing this will pull up the settings box for that list. In the lower left of that box, you’ll see two arrows, click which way you want the column to move and it’ll slide over one slot. Keep sliding the column over until you have it in the order you want.
This little box will also allow you to ‘clear’ the stream, meaning, once you’ve read everything in the column, you can hit the CLEAR button and it will ‘erase’ that row until new tweets come in. You can edit the list, set alerts or remove the column completely from here too.
The best part about Tweetdeck for me is, I don’t ever have to go to the twitter website. I can do everything I need to directly from Tweetdeck. At the top left of the toolbar, is a ‘blue feather’ where you can actually post. Just click that and type your posts as usual. And just like Facebook, you’re able to schedule posts in advance! Just write your post, add an image if you have one, and pick the date and time and hit the Tweet button and you’re done.
Everything in your Twitterverse is in one manageable page and makes finding who you want to see easier. I honestly don’t think I’d even bother with Twitter if it weren’t for Tweetdeck. Its less complicated using it this way and makes it more enjoyable. Get yours set up and you’ll wonder how you ever managed without it.
The other application I mentioned last week to manage your twitter friends is Tweepi. This site allows you to see everyone who follows you, those you follow, those that are a mutual friend and those who aren’t. This is a FREE application and there’s also a paid version for those who want more control. For what I use it for, the free account is enough.
Head over to Tweepi and sign in using your Twitter account. Once you’re ‘in’ navigate over to your dashboard.
From here you can see how many of your friends are following you back, how many you’ve followed that didn’t reply in kind and follow or un-follow them without hunting and searching for them. I like to do this by looking at the complete list.
Clicking on any of those tabs will bring up that list. Here’s my list of people who follow me but I’ve yet to follow back.
To follow them, just click the FOLLOW tab underneath their name and they’ll automatically be followed. When you’re done there, go back to the top of the page and ‘manage twitter’ or head back to the dashboard. You can see the people you follow but don’t follow you back and decide whether you want to keep them or un-follow them in return.
This is a great tool to help manage all those people and I head over here once a week to make sure I’ve followed back everyone I can. Check it out when you get a chance and if you have any questions about it (or Tweetdeck) just post them in the comments section below. I’ll answer any that I can.
Next week, I’ll be taking on Hootsuite and show you how to manage all your social media sites (Facebook, Twitter and Google+) from ONE application and also how to send your blog posts to those sites automatically. You’ll not want to miss this one as its a HUGE time saver.
If you want to make sure you don’t miss anything in the coming weeks, sign up for email notifications and receive each post in your email inbox. I’ll be posting tutorials on Rafflecopter, Pinterest, Scrivener(writing software), Production Schedules and Mailchimp (for maintaining mailing list for newsletters) so get your name on the list so you don’t miss out.
And as always, if you found this post useful and informative, be sure to share it with your friends!
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About Lily Graison
When not writing, Lily can be found at her sewing machine creating 1800’s period clothing or participating in civil war reenactments and area living history events. When not portraying a southern belle, you can find her at a nearby store feeding her obsession for all things resembling office supplies.
To see the dresses Lily has created, visit her Pinterest page.
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June 16, 2014
ManCandy Monday #32
Guess where I’m spending the week??? Go ahead, GUESS!
NO….its not with one of these hunks (don’t we wish!) But I AM at the beach. I’ll see if I can find anything remotely as hot as this but I’m doubting it. Y’all have a good week! I know I will. *wink*
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June 13, 2014
Friday First Kiss #35 :: Fabian – Lords of the Dark Fall, book 1 by C A Nicks – Fantasy Romance
The moment I crack open a new book, I always rush through the beginning, the budding relationship between the hero and heroine, and anticipate that spontaneous moment when one of them makes their move. The First Kiss. The first turning point in every story.
Every week here on the blog, I’ll be sharing First Kisses from my books and those of other authors.
This weeks Friday First Kiss comes from, Lords of the Dark Fall, book 1 by C A Nicks.
Fabian crooked his fingers, the slightest beckoning motion. Tig hesitated and then nodded, giving herself permission to move. She touched the splint holding his arm. “You have only one arm and I have a split lip. How is this going to work?”
“Like this.” He pressed a light kiss to the unblemished corner of her mouth. Took her hand and guided it to his erection. “Be gentle with me, as I will be with you. I think that’s what we both need right now.”
Tig’s fingers twitched. Fabian pushed into her hand. “You’re a silver-tongued rogue,” she said and began a slow stroking that sent his temperature soaring.
“I know,” he gasped. “And you’re an enigma I mean to unravel, very slowly.”
Tig’s eyes clouded. “Don’t promise things like that. This doesn’t mean anything. It’s just stranger sex, nothing more.”
He understood and felt an odd pang of regret that he would not know this woman as he wanted to. When he returned home, she could not follow. He almost stepped away, then. Once they did this, he would be forever left wondering how much more there could have been between them. But who would step away from such clever little hands?
Tig looked as stricken as he felt. Already too far down the road to turn back but wondering anxiously where it would lead. “Are we foolish to do this?” she asked.
“Utterly. If I can’t kiss your lips, I will have to find other places. Tell me, where do you like to be kissed?”
“Here.” Tig angled her neck without breaking stride, her voice more breath than word. “Men don’t normally bother to ask.”
“On this occasion, I wish to give as well as take pleasure. Make me come,” he whispered against the fragrant skin of her neck. “It will slow me down.”
“Only if you say please.”
“You wish me to beg?” He slipped open one of her shirt buttons, swept back her hair, the better to access the sensitive skin where neck curved into shoulder. Tig squirmed under his seeking lips. He latched on and sucked, harder than was comfortable. Easing off when she protested and tried to push him away. He held her, easily, his good arm curved firmly about her waist.
“Don’t mark me. I’ll never be able to explain it.”
A pink circle glowed against Tig’s tanned skin. Fabian reined back the primitive urge to mark her where everyone would see. Sex usually involved politics of one kind or another, but they were here for comfort, not to stake personal claims, no matter how much he wanted to.
“Just a kiss then,” he conceded and slipped open another button, then another.
Lords of the Dark Fall, book 1 by C A Nicks
Once immortal, tyrant and ruler of all he surveyed Fabian Lucimanticus of the far distant world of Anxur is vanquished in battle and made to take the Dark Fall – an abyss that cycles through time and dimensions. With no idea where in the universe he will land, he endures a thousand years of purgatory, loses his immortality and grows a very unwanted conscience. Now human and alone in a strange time and place, he vows to rise again, find his brother Marcellus, who jumped with him, and regain what he’s lost. But first he needs to find a mage strong enough to magic him home. Instead, he gets Tig, a poor potter trying to survive life in a land ruled by warlords and marauding gangs.
When she finds Fabian, naked and disorientated in the desert, Tig’s first thought is to turn him in to the local warlord for a life of almost certain death or slavery. Her second thought is that his family might pay a handsome reward for his safe return. But as she grows closer to this confused, displaced warrior, she wonders if she can ever let him go.
Fabian wants only to find his brother, go home, and regain his status and immortality. But his new human conscience and meeting with Tig makes him question everything he ever held dear. Can a tyrant really reform? If he found a mage strong enough to get him home will he go, knowing he would have to leave Tig behind?
110,000 words. Please note, UK English spelling.
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About C A Nicks
I live within sight of the Lancashire moors with my family, cats and vast collection of musical instruments. Saturday nights are likely to find me in some spooky mansion or castle indulging in my hobby as a paranormal investigator. I love to write romance that’s tightly focussed on the main characters and their emotional journey.
I write under two pen names, Alexandra Marell and C A Nicks.
Authors, want to see your book featured on Friday First Kiss? Find out how HERE.
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