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Eliza Knight's Blog, page 8
April 18, 2017
Authors' Inspirations for The Forbidden Highland Anthology
Happy Tuesday and Happy Release day to my fellow authors! Today our anthology, The Forbidden Highlands released, and I can't wait for all of you to read our stories! Check out some of the author's inspiration behind their story and setting in the anthology! Enjoy!
Welcome to the realm of THE FORBIDDEN HIGHLANDS....
Eight USA TODAY and BESTSELLING historical romance authors bring you great tales of forbidden love from the highlands of Scotland based upon the greatest Celtic legend of forbidden love - a Celtic princess being escorted to her wedding to marry a king ultimately fell in love with her knightly escort. So began a powerful tale of great longing, of love spells, of persecution, and ultimately of a fiery passion borne from an otherworldly source. A love so strong is never meant to die... and reborn in these eight fabulous novellas.
Enjoy these brand-new novellas that will keep you reading long into the night, dreaming of lost loves, of great loves, and of forbidden loves.
Laird of Twilight by Eliza KnightA future foretold...Only one man can fulfill her destiny…
Lady Lilias Cameron has spent the last thirteen years skeptical of a prophecy regarding her future—until the very man described by the seer is introduced as her escort to a doomed marriage. Brooding and handsome, she cannot help the sparks of awareness he triggers. Nor can she ignore the deep desire to be true to herself.
Dirk MacDougall, Lord of the Isles, is to deliver a worthy bride to his Norse enemy, in an alliance that will hopefully bring peace to his country. The only problem is, he finds himself quite enamored by the spirited and charming lady. When one kiss leads to another, desire to claim her as his own takes hold.
If the alliance is broken, a mighty battle will be waged across Scotland begging the question: is forbidden love worth the price of war?
*~*~*~*~*
Laird of Twilight is the second story in my MacDougall Legacy series, so the castle opens at the family seat--Dunstaffnage Castle. If you've read the first book in my series ( Laird of Shadows ), you know that a visit to the castle and the mysticism and history surrounding the castle inspired me to start this series. When the group of us got together to write stories about forbidden love, I thought it was the perfect opportunity to explore Lilias and Dirk's story. First of all, each book in the MacDougall Legacy has a touch of magic. As a young girl, Lilias visits a seer with her mother, who prophesies that she will meet a man who is dark of hair, stormy of the eye and fiercer than a gale storm. When she meets Dirk for the first time, the sight of him, the sound of his voice, it all shakes her to the core, bringing her back to that prophecy that she'd long ago written off. And Dirk--he is struck for the first time with wanting to do something other than his duty. It begs the question, what would happen if a man fell in love with a woman he was supposed to give away to another? What would happen if he were to take her for his own and bring about the possibility of war? Marriages were made as a norm in forming alliances, sometimes to gain allies, to increase holdings and other times to offer peace between rulers. A man and woman were supposed to do their duty without question. Can they give up their hearts for a life of dutiful misery?
The Highlander's Hidden Heart by Kathryn Le Veque
A childhood promise becomes a question of honor when Jackston Forbes falls in love with another woman.
*~*~*~*~*
I invented my castle, Braelaw Manor, but I used Drum Castle as a model. Compact, stout, and strong! High Middle Ages was a time of tradition. People were very set in their ways, and that included in matters of the heart. There was a caste system and although it wasn't unusual for noble men to take a servant or a peasant as a lover or concubine, one simply didn't cross the line into love or marriage with those below your station. I drew my inspiration from the idea of a warrior who had made a childhood promise falling in love with the 'wrong' woman (in this case, a servant girl who had once been part of a ancient noble line). So... what does he do? Hold true to his childhood promise? Or follow his heart?
Across a Windswept Isle by Terri BrisbinThe story of a man who has lost his memory and almost his life in a terrible accident. Convinced that the woman who haunts his dreams can give him his life back, he is stunned when she doesn’t know him. . . or does she?
*~*~*~*~*
Aros Castle
Dun Ara
This story is set at Aros Castle and Dun Ara Castle, both now ruins on the Isle of Mull. I passed Aros Castle when driving on Mull on my last trip to Scotland – the ruins stand out on a cliff next to the sea and looked so dramatic against the setting sun. When I was creating my story, I was looking at photo from that trip and thought it would be the perfect location for my story….
The Highlander's Iron Will by Amy JareckiWhen Skye of Clan Iain Abrach extends the hand of hospitality, she crosses more boundaries than the border of Glencoe. And if Kier Campbell accepts her offering, he will take the first step toward committing treason against country and kin. Given a hostile and unending feud between their clans, can the fierce power of love transcend the destruction of war?
*~*~*~*~*
My inspiration: After writing The Fearless Highlander which encompasses the massacre of Glencoe, I wanted to include a story of fierce passion that crosses the boundary between Jacobite Highlanders and Government troops.
The Maiden of Moray by Victoria Vane
He’s a man without a past… Abandoned at a monastery as a young child, Alexander serves two masters—God and the fading memories of his past life—the one he never got to live. As he nears the day to take his vows, he’s sent on a last sojourn into the real world to test his faith, and possibly his manhood. But one playful kiss in a moment of weakness awakens a dangerous desire.
A woman who doesn’t know her own heart… Born from the line of two kings, Sibylla is abandoned by her sire as a child and then ruled illegitimate. Though she lives a happy life under her uncle’s protection, Sibylla craves more. But the hot-tempered beauty never imagines her fate lies in the hands of Alex, a would-be monk who hardly embodies her idea of a pious man of God.
When dark secrets from the past come to light, will Alex choose the safe and secure path he knows, or will he reject holy orders to embrace Sibylla and the life he was meant to live?
*~*~*~*~*
Although I've written over a dozen historical romances set in the Georgian as well as two books set in Viking controlled Brittany (BRETON WOLFE and IVAR THE RED), I never expected to write anything Scottish -- until I began some personal genealogy research that revealed a heavy connection to the Scottish highlands that I had previously known nothing about! After tracing my ancestral roots through my paternal grandmother all the way back to clan Ross in 12th century Scotland, I knew I had to write their stories. The first of these is THE MAIDEN OF MORAY, a novella to be released in the FORBIDDEN HIGHLANDS anthology, with much more coming later this year with my new SONS OF SCOTLAND series, a saga that begins in the 12th century and will carry forward through the 18th century. This is a brand new direction that I’m incredibly excited about! I hope you all will enjoy my story!
To Love a Highland Rogue by Collette CameronShe’s determined to end her betrothal, but he must make her his at all cost.
Betrothed as an infant, Mayra Findlay has never been permitted a beau—has never even flirted with a man. Until a chance encounter with a dashing rogue sets her on a course to force her affianced to call off the union. Determined to know just what type of woman he’s reluctantly taking to wife, Logan Rutherford, Laird of Lockelieth Keep, assumes his cousin’s identity; a decision that soon has him snared in a tangled web of deceit.
*~*~*~*~*
I'd always wanted to write a story where the main characters were betrothed as children, because the concept is so foreign to today's culture. Forced marriages were common in earlier eras, but I added a twist to make the union even more of an adventure.
A Highland Betrothal by Emma Prince
How can he protect the woman he loves when she is engaged to another?
Graeme MacKay returns from the siege on Berwick Castle a changed man. A wound to his leg has left him hobbled, but his injury is nothing compared to the blow his heart receives when he learns that Anna Ross, the only woman he has ever loved, is engaged. When Graeme is ordered to serve as Anna’s bodyguard on the journey to wed her fiancé, he is tested like never before. Though he tells himself to feel nothing for her, his heart has other plans.
As the daughter of a Laird, Anna Ross has always known that it would one day be her duty to marry a stranger for the betterment of her clan. Though resigned to her fate, she owes Graeme, the Highland warrior who stole her heart, an explanation—she has never stopped loving him, despite being forced to wed another. But when a shocking truth about her betrothal is revealed, she and Graeme must embark on a perilous flight from her fiancé—or risk losing their love forever.
*~*~*~*~*
While I was doing research for another book, I came across an interesting historical tidbit about the strange fate of a woman from the 14th century because of a complicated issue with an arranged marriage (no spoilers for my story!). I ended up using this odd detail about the nuances of medieval engagements and arranged marriages, plus a forbidden love, mixed in with a bit of clan politics, and I had a juicy story on my hands!
There actually isn't a castle in my story, but there IS a marvelous medieval abbey called Sweetheart Abbey, which is a real place in southwestern Scotland!
Between a Scot and his Lady by Violetta Rand Darach, son of the chieftain of Clan Dùnan Mòr, heard the mournful call of the war horns. Days of peace in the northern reaches were rare. By God’s grace the clan’s lands situated along the coast were left untouched by Norse invaders. But today, a longship drifted into the inlet near his home. That's where he discovers a lone survivor, a Viking woman named Elle who claims her mother's family is from Scotia.
Can Darach trust the mysterious Elle? Is she a spy for the Norse? A true victim of circumstance? Or is she a pretender of virtue, sent to destroy everything he holds dear?
*~*~*~*~*
Forbidden love between an ancient Highlander and a Viking woman--the thought of these two people meeting and loving each other under such impossible circumstances inspired me to write this passionate story. Takes place in 10th century Am Parph, Scotia (near modern day Point Wrath, northern Highlands).
Available Now! Get your copy!
AmazoniBooksB & NKobo
Welcome to the realm of THE FORBIDDEN HIGHLANDS....
Eight USA TODAY and BESTSELLING historical romance authors bring you great tales of forbidden love from the highlands of Scotland based upon the greatest Celtic legend of forbidden love - a Celtic princess being escorted to her wedding to marry a king ultimately fell in love with her knightly escort. So began a powerful tale of great longing, of love spells, of persecution, and ultimately of a fiery passion borne from an otherworldly source. A love so strong is never meant to die... and reborn in these eight fabulous novellas.
Enjoy these brand-new novellas that will keep you reading long into the night, dreaming of lost loves, of great loves, and of forbidden loves.
Laird of Twilight by Eliza KnightA future foretold...Only one man can fulfill her destiny…
Lady Lilias Cameron has spent the last thirteen years skeptical of a prophecy regarding her future—until the very man described by the seer is introduced as her escort to a doomed marriage. Brooding and handsome, she cannot help the sparks of awareness he triggers. Nor can she ignore the deep desire to be true to herself.
Dirk MacDougall, Lord of the Isles, is to deliver a worthy bride to his Norse enemy, in an alliance that will hopefully bring peace to his country. The only problem is, he finds himself quite enamored by the spirited and charming lady. When one kiss leads to another, desire to claim her as his own takes hold.
If the alliance is broken, a mighty battle will be waged across Scotland begging the question: is forbidden love worth the price of war?
*~*~*~*~*
Laird of Twilight is the second story in my MacDougall Legacy series, so the castle opens at the family seat--Dunstaffnage Castle. If you've read the first book in my series ( Laird of Shadows ), you know that a visit to the castle and the mysticism and history surrounding the castle inspired me to start this series. When the group of us got together to write stories about forbidden love, I thought it was the perfect opportunity to explore Lilias and Dirk's story. First of all, each book in the MacDougall Legacy has a touch of magic. As a young girl, Lilias visits a seer with her mother, who prophesies that she will meet a man who is dark of hair, stormy of the eye and fiercer than a gale storm. When she meets Dirk for the first time, the sight of him, the sound of his voice, it all shakes her to the core, bringing her back to that prophecy that she'd long ago written off. And Dirk--he is struck for the first time with wanting to do something other than his duty. It begs the question, what would happen if a man fell in love with a woman he was supposed to give away to another? What would happen if he were to take her for his own and bring about the possibility of war? Marriages were made as a norm in forming alliances, sometimes to gain allies, to increase holdings and other times to offer peace between rulers. A man and woman were supposed to do their duty without question. Can they give up their hearts for a life of dutiful misery?
The Highlander's Hidden Heart by Kathryn Le Veque
A childhood promise becomes a question of honor when Jackston Forbes falls in love with another woman.
*~*~*~*~*
I invented my castle, Braelaw Manor, but I used Drum Castle as a model. Compact, stout, and strong! High Middle Ages was a time of tradition. People were very set in their ways, and that included in matters of the heart. There was a caste system and although it wasn't unusual for noble men to take a servant or a peasant as a lover or concubine, one simply didn't cross the line into love or marriage with those below your station. I drew my inspiration from the idea of a warrior who had made a childhood promise falling in love with the 'wrong' woman (in this case, a servant girl who had once been part of a ancient noble line). So... what does he do? Hold true to his childhood promise? Or follow his heart?
Across a Windswept Isle by Terri BrisbinThe story of a man who has lost his memory and almost his life in a terrible accident. Convinced that the woman who haunts his dreams can give him his life back, he is stunned when she doesn’t know him. . . or does she?
*~*~*~*~*
Aros Castle
Dun AraThis story is set at Aros Castle and Dun Ara Castle, both now ruins on the Isle of Mull. I passed Aros Castle when driving on Mull on my last trip to Scotland – the ruins stand out on a cliff next to the sea and looked so dramatic against the setting sun. When I was creating my story, I was looking at photo from that trip and thought it would be the perfect location for my story….
The Highlander's Iron Will by Amy JareckiWhen Skye of Clan Iain Abrach extends the hand of hospitality, she crosses more boundaries than the border of Glencoe. And if Kier Campbell accepts her offering, he will take the first step toward committing treason against country and kin. Given a hostile and unending feud between their clans, can the fierce power of love transcend the destruction of war?
*~*~*~*~*
My inspiration: After writing The Fearless Highlander which encompasses the massacre of Glencoe, I wanted to include a story of fierce passion that crosses the boundary between Jacobite Highlanders and Government troops.
The Maiden of Moray by Victoria Vane
He’s a man without a past… Abandoned at a monastery as a young child, Alexander serves two masters—God and the fading memories of his past life—the one he never got to live. As he nears the day to take his vows, he’s sent on a last sojourn into the real world to test his faith, and possibly his manhood. But one playful kiss in a moment of weakness awakens a dangerous desire.
A woman who doesn’t know her own heart… Born from the line of two kings, Sibylla is abandoned by her sire as a child and then ruled illegitimate. Though she lives a happy life under her uncle’s protection, Sibylla craves more. But the hot-tempered beauty never imagines her fate lies in the hands of Alex, a would-be monk who hardly embodies her idea of a pious man of God.
When dark secrets from the past come to light, will Alex choose the safe and secure path he knows, or will he reject holy orders to embrace Sibylla and the life he was meant to live?
*~*~*~*~*
Although I've written over a dozen historical romances set in the Georgian as well as two books set in Viking controlled Brittany (BRETON WOLFE and IVAR THE RED), I never expected to write anything Scottish -- until I began some personal genealogy research that revealed a heavy connection to the Scottish highlands that I had previously known nothing about! After tracing my ancestral roots through my paternal grandmother all the way back to clan Ross in 12th century Scotland, I knew I had to write their stories. The first of these is THE MAIDEN OF MORAY, a novella to be released in the FORBIDDEN HIGHLANDS anthology, with much more coming later this year with my new SONS OF SCOTLAND series, a saga that begins in the 12th century and will carry forward through the 18th century. This is a brand new direction that I’m incredibly excited about! I hope you all will enjoy my story!
To Love a Highland Rogue by Collette CameronShe’s determined to end her betrothal, but he must make her his at all cost.
Betrothed as an infant, Mayra Findlay has never been permitted a beau—has never even flirted with a man. Until a chance encounter with a dashing rogue sets her on a course to force her affianced to call off the union. Determined to know just what type of woman he’s reluctantly taking to wife, Logan Rutherford, Laird of Lockelieth Keep, assumes his cousin’s identity; a decision that soon has him snared in a tangled web of deceit.
*~*~*~*~*
I'd always wanted to write a story where the main characters were betrothed as children, because the concept is so foreign to today's culture. Forced marriages were common in earlier eras, but I added a twist to make the union even more of an adventure.
A Highland Betrothal by Emma Prince
How can he protect the woman he loves when she is engaged to another?
Graeme MacKay returns from the siege on Berwick Castle a changed man. A wound to his leg has left him hobbled, but his injury is nothing compared to the blow his heart receives when he learns that Anna Ross, the only woman he has ever loved, is engaged. When Graeme is ordered to serve as Anna’s bodyguard on the journey to wed her fiancé, he is tested like never before. Though he tells himself to feel nothing for her, his heart has other plans.
As the daughter of a Laird, Anna Ross has always known that it would one day be her duty to marry a stranger for the betterment of her clan. Though resigned to her fate, she owes Graeme, the Highland warrior who stole her heart, an explanation—she has never stopped loving him, despite being forced to wed another. But when a shocking truth about her betrothal is revealed, she and Graeme must embark on a perilous flight from her fiancé—or risk losing their love forever.
*~*~*~*~*
While I was doing research for another book, I came across an interesting historical tidbit about the strange fate of a woman from the 14th century because of a complicated issue with an arranged marriage (no spoilers for my story!). I ended up using this odd detail about the nuances of medieval engagements and arranged marriages, plus a forbidden love, mixed in with a bit of clan politics, and I had a juicy story on my hands!
There actually isn't a castle in my story, but there IS a marvelous medieval abbey called Sweetheart Abbey, which is a real place in southwestern Scotland!
Between a Scot and his Lady by Violetta Rand Darach, son of the chieftain of Clan Dùnan Mòr, heard the mournful call of the war horns. Days of peace in the northern reaches were rare. By God’s grace the clan’s lands situated along the coast were left untouched by Norse invaders. But today, a longship drifted into the inlet near his home. That's where he discovers a lone survivor, a Viking woman named Elle who claims her mother's family is from Scotia.
Can Darach trust the mysterious Elle? Is she a spy for the Norse? A true victim of circumstance? Or is she a pretender of virtue, sent to destroy everything he holds dear?
*~*~*~*~*
Forbidden love between an ancient Highlander and a Viking woman--the thought of these two people meeting and loving each other under such impossible circumstances inspired me to write this passionate story. Takes place in 10th century Am Parph, Scotia (near modern day Point Wrath, northern Highlands).
Available Now! Get your copy!
AmazoniBooksB & NKobo
April 11, 2017
Seven Wenches and their Booty
What do you get when seven award-winning, best-selling swashbuckling wenches who write pirate romances join forces? Mayhem! More accurately, seven tales of adventure, danger, sea battles, retribution, and pillaging of the heart all in one place— Romance on the High Seas . This unique box set weighs anchor May 18th, just ahead of the final Pirates of the Caribbean movie sails into theaters. Ah, brings a tear to me eye.
Today, I’m sharing some booty. Seven excerpts sure to tempt your scavenging curiosity.
And like any good pirate worth her salt, I’ve got a more. Join the wenches on Facebook. In the following weeks leading up to the release of Romance on the High Seas , we will be hosting awesome treasure hunts. Loads of fun and HUGE spoils can be had. Just sign the Articles, er, I mean join the wenches on Facebook for your orders, um, details.
https://www.facebook.com/HighSeasRomance/
PREPARE TO BE BOARDED
If you love historical romance, pirates, adventure, and thrills, you'll love this 7-book set by these award winning and best selling pirate romance authors!
THE PIRATE'S DEBT by National Best-selling Author Katherine Bone:An earl-turned pirate is ordered by his benefactor to find an adventurous young runaway and return her home. To do so, he must retrieve her without being discovered by the most ruthless pirate hunter on the seas: her brother.
[image error] DEAD MAN'S KISS by Award Winning Author Jennifer Bray-Weber:Eight weeks. That’s all pirate captain Valeryn Barone has to escort a tempting naturalist untouched across the Caribbean or face the gallows. Can he resist the beauty who’s fallen for him? Does a dead man walking even have a chance?
THE BLACK MORASS by USA Today Bestselling Author Barbara Devlin:In exchange for a chance at redemption and pardons for his crew, Jean Marc Cavalier accepts a pact that could result in liberty or death, if only he can survive the terms, but at least he will be free.
PIRATE HEIRESS by Award Winning Author Chloe Flowers:Captain Conal O’Brien has already lost control of his ship to the most unlikely band of pirates sailing the seas. If he’s not careful, he’s going to lose his heart as well as his ship to a headstrong lady pirate determined to destroy both.
MY LADY PIRATE by N.Y. Times Bestselling Author Danelle Harmon:He holds the fate of nations in his hands. She's the Pirate Queen of the Caribbean, savage, beautiful and untamed. When danger, secrets, and deceit threaten both their love and England herself, can even an admiral named Nelson bring together this man who longs for a lady pirate and a woman who dreams of a gallant knight?
CAPTIVATED BY THE CAPTAIN by USA Today Bestselling Author Amanda Mariel:CARRIED AWAY by Kamery Solomon:After falling through time and being forced to join a pirate crew, Mark Bell falls in love with his fellow time traveler, Samantha. She's a woman he can't have, though. Will their presence in the past alter the future they know and love?
FOR YOUR READING PLEASURE, the excerpts from each book.
THE PIRATE'S DEBT
Markwick stiffened. Blackmoor’s reasons for enlisting Markwick’s help were triggered by love for his wife. Markwick’s sense of responsibility went deeper, to a place he’d never allowed himself to go out of respect for Walsingham. While it was true that Chloe had exceeded many levels of Markwick’s patience when she was younger, since his engagement to Prudence, she’d shown herself to be intelligent, talented, loyal, and a most beloved sister and friend. She was also enamored by the Black Regent, which put his identity at even greater risk.[image error]What could he do? How far was he willing to go to bring Chloe home safe and sound?“For the duchess’s sake,” he began, “I will do my best to find Chloe. You have my word.”“Remember, her willful head is in the clouds. That, dear friend, makes her dangerous. If she spies her brother, she will most likely flee to avoid facing his ire. But if you find her . . . well, that is a trap well laid.”“Surely you place too much—”“I’ve promised my wife that you will find her before Walsingham does.”Markwick bowed. “I shall strive to earn your confidence.”He gazed at the missive in Blackmoor’s hand once more, suspecting something else was responsible for the duke’s persistence that Markwick should be the one to locate Chloe. “What’s in the letter?”Blackmoor handed him the missive, then strode to the door. “Have a care for your soul, Markwick. While the Fury demands forte, females rein a tempest of emotions sure to drown better men.”Markwick straightened. “Aye, sir,” he said, gazing down at the note.The screen door slammed. When he looked up again, Blackmoor was gone.Markwick opened the note, then leaned back on the desk. His jaw slackened at the words on the page. My dearest friend,I ask you one question: is a body unhappy about another unless she is in love? I fear we both know the answer to that now, and a gentle violence thrills my soul as I share with you that I intend to sail with the tide. I cannot face the snares and wiles of this world without love to recommend me. Therefore, I beseech you to keep my secret, for you are the only one I trust.Markwick has disappeared. As you are no longer betrothed, I am finally at liberty to confess to you that I love him. I have always loved him, and I cannot bear for him to suffer alone. Sources close to my brother inform me that a man fitting Markwick’s description has been seen in Torquay. Therefore, I’ve attained passage for myself and my maid aboard the Valerian.Do not be alarmed for my person or harden your heart against me. Dry your earnest tears. My virtuous intentions steer me toward a higher destiny.Resourcefully yours,Chloe WalsinghamMarkwick shut his gaping mouth, then crumpled the letter in his hand.It couldn’t be true. Blackmoor was right? Chloe loved him? How was that possible? Why? Until now, he had always perceived her attention as infatuation because he’d been the only man her brother allowed around her.He dropped the foolscap and swiped his fingers through his hair. If he failed to rescue Chloe from another one of her outlandish adventures, Prudence would blame him. Which meant Blackmoor would blame him. Not to mention Chloe’s brother. If Walsingham found out Markwick had known where Chloe was bound and hadn’t alerted him, the bond between friends would be severed for good, making his stint as the Black Regent even more perilous. If anything happened to her, Walsingham would not rest until Markwick was hunted down. That endangered the Regent’s whole design. And a dead Regent could not help the people of Cornwall and Devon.Markwick hopped forward and yanked open the cabin’s screen door.Pye stood there, just outside the door, waiting. “What be your orders, Cap’n?”Had Blackmoor ordered the one-legged pirate to stand there? “Notify the crew that we have a target in our sights. We make way with the tide.”“Aye, sir.” The salty pirate grinned. “As soon as I’d seen the ol’ cap’n, I knew we’d have us an adventure ahead.”“Spare me your excitement,” Markwick grumbled. “This adventure may very well lead to my bloody end.” DEAD MAN'S KISS“Thank you, Capitán,” she said.“Don’t thank me, lass. Another moment more whilst he had his weapon raised, I would have blown a hole into your cousin’s skull. And if we survived the British onslaught, you can be certain I’d have used you to save myself and my crew.”Catalina dropped her gaze to her hands and sighed. “I understand more than you’d give me credit for.” She impaled him with a grim look. “We are all pawns to someone else’s ambitions. As sure as the sun rises and sets, I would do the same to you.”“Would you? A scared mouse such as you?” What an interesting creature.“You don’t seem like a man given to underestimating others.”
Catalina shed her earlier fear, recouping her tart attitude rather quickly in spite of nearly becoming British property. She was quick to stand her ground, he’d give her that. No matter. He could break her of her illusions of prevailing upon him like she did her uncle.“Then we have an understanding.”“Oh, I understand. The question is, who is the pawn and who is the queen?”“You mean king.”She smiled. “No, queen.”“I do love a good challenge.” He circled the lass. “Pray tell, Miss Montoya,” he whispered low into her ear. “What would the queen do with her pawn—should he be in her service?”“She would have him kneel before her.” She paused, turning her head slightly to him.Valeryn’s tongue danced behind his lips with the urge to run it along the curve of her ear. What would it be like to feel her shiver if he were to lap at her lobe? “And?”She nibbled her bottom lip, avoiding eye contact. “And drink from her fount.”Christ! The double entendre damn near caused his knees to buckle. “The pawn’s a thirsty man. He might drink her dry.”Her stare remained fixed straight ahead. “To protect her place, a queen must ensure my pawn is sated.”My pawn? Burn and sink it! ’Twas a slip of the tongue, and she was killing him. “Will I be sated?” He couldn’t stop himself. He could ravage her in a kiss if it weren’t for Nalda sulking nearby and the crew watching their every move.She turned her head in closer and peered up. Her lips parted, her breath shallow, the pupils of her eyes wide, eclipsing the color. “Will I?”Holy Mother of— “You tread a dangerous path.”“We both do.”“Then ’tis best we err on the side of caution.”Valeryn stepped away from her heat, to a safe distance. There was work to be done, work that would be made difficult with a stiff cock. “My lady,” he said by way of parting.He spun on his heel and gathered the men on the quarterdeck for further orders. He waited at the top of the ladder for Henri to make the climb. Below, Nalda wagged a bony finger at Catalina, scolding her with words he couldn’t hear and probably wouldn’t understand. The lass ignored her maid and strode for the hatch leading to the cabins. She paused at the door and looked up. She smiled at Valeryn and quickly ducked inside.Trouble. She was all trouble.THE BLACK MORASSThe sun sat below the yardarm, as Jean Marc leaned against the stern rail and admired his new cabin mate. No, they had not discussed her quarters, as he saved that particular joy for later, and he sincerely looked forward to what he anticipated would be a heated but restrained exchange.A compelling mix of innocence, polite decorum, and fire, Lady Madalene conversed with members 
of the crew at the waist, without care, given she had no idea what naughty games he planned for her, but she would learn soon enough with whom she tangled. Rubbing the back of her neck, she shifted and peered over her shoulder. When she met his gaze, he smiled, and she dipped her chin.“The lady is a kind soul, Cap’n.” Tyne scratched his cheek and frowned. “She treats the men with respect.”“And your point would be—what?” Ah, the curve of her jaw presented a tempting confection he would trace with his tongue, and he would suckle and nibble her sweet flesh that night. “Have the tars completed the task?”“Aye, but I do not like it, as she is young.” The bosun shuffled his feet. “We could empty one of the storerooms, and create a private lodging for her. Say the word, and I will see to it.”“If I heeded your advice, how long do you think it would take before I had to kill a horny sea dog bent on sampling her honey?” Jean Marc snickered and descended the companion ladder, with Tyne bringing up the rear. “Now I will approve of the arrangements, ensure everything is as I commanded, and then you will send my guest to my cabin.”“We could post a guard—”“No.”“Jean Marc, I know you are unhappy with the bargain you struck with the British, but she is a guileless babe.” Tyne grabbed Jean Marc’s arm. “Do not use her as a foil for your frustration, as you will never forgive yourself.”“I will do with her as I choose, which is none of your affair, and I have no conscience.” Wrenching free, he turned on a heel and stomped into his domain. In the corner hung a small hammock, which had been strung unusually high and taut, to discourage Lady Madalene from using it. As he tugged on the stiff rope, he laughed. “Perfect. Now, bring her to me.PIRATE HEIRESS“Where are you taking us?”Drago looked up into the red-rimmed, grey eyes of the eight-year old girl standing a few feet away. It was a good thing she wasn’t armed or he would have been in trouble. He’d not heard a sound or caught a single movement during her transition from his bed to the area in front of his desk. Perhaps she wasn’t as docile as she’d appeared. “South,” he answered.She pressed her lips into a thin line. Her nostrils flared. “South to where?”“A place called Lamb’s Tail Island,” he answered, studying his chart. “And where, exactly, is Lamb’s Tail Island?”
He inhaled and let his breath out slowly. “Off the eastern coat of Jamaica.” He turned his attention back to his charts without waiting for her answer.She leaned forward and mimicked the tone almost exactly. “Why did you make my family steal the Seeker?”He sat back in his chair. “If I told you, would you stop asking questions and let me get back to my charts?”She shrugged, which he took as a ‘no.’ “What’s your name, little petticoat?”“Jacqueline Louisa Sauvage. What’s yours?” “Drago Vitieri Gamponetti. You may call me Gampo.” “Well, Mister Gampo—”“No. Captain Gampo.”“Fine. Well, Captain Gampo, why do you want the Seeker?”Drago took a deep breath to prevent himself from shouting in frustration, which he was absolutely sure would give the little chit a great deal of satisfaction.“I’m doing my duty to my employer, the king of France, for one. And for two, the Seeker is one of three ships in a certain merchant fleet.” She opened her mouth, and he held up an index finger. “And before you ask, the captain is my sworn enemy.” He switched from an index finger to the palm of his hand, causing her once again to close her mouth. “He knows where my sister can be found.”The silence following his statement was disturbing. And distracting. And annoying. He looked up.“How long have you been looking for your sister?”So family was important to her. Good.“A long time.” He stared out the window at the wake following the vessel. “She might be dead by now.”“How do you know?”“I don’t.”She cocked her head to the side and drew her brows together in consternation. “Why don’t you simply ask your sworn enemy?”He rubbed his forehead with the heels of his palms. He’d once fancied having children of his own, but this little chit was quickly curing him of that affliction.“Why do you have my family doing your duty?” Again, her arms crossed her chest and she presented him the same type of look his mother would have given him.Drago put his palms on his desk to prevent himself from putting them around her little neck. He narrowed his eyes and lowered his voice to what his crew would know was a dangerous level. “If you want to see your family again, you’d better mind your mouth, little lamb, otherwise I’ll have you strung up from the yardarm. It’s much harder to talk with a rope around your neck.”She lifted her chin and threw her shoulders back. “You can’t do that. If you break your end of the bargain, my family won’t give you that ship you want.”“Aye, I promised they can have you and your brother back, but I didn’t tell them they’d get you back alive.”MY LADY PIRATEMaeve drew her dagger and flung it at his head, satisfied to see him jerk away so that the vicious blade impaled the wall just above and behind him. “You are disgusting, despicable, and totally without pride!”“On the contrary, madam.” He reached up, pulled the dagger from the wall, and plucking an orange from the nightstand, began to use it to peel the fruit. “I am quite proud of it, thank you.” Still holding her gaze, he popped a section of the orange into his mouth, eating it with slow, suggestive motions that shortened the breath in Maeve’s lungs and made her realize that he was not the only one who was hot. Her temper rose. Had she had her pistol, she probably would have shot him. Probably. Maybe. Maybe ... not.Her gaze darted from him to the window. From the window to him. From him to the window ... and each time she looked at him, she saw that he was watching her, fully enjoying her discomfort.He grinned, and suggestively licked at the juices trailing from the sweet fruit, letting his tongue wrap around each section and making sure she saw him doing it. His eyes were dark, laughing, and half-veiled by heavy, thick lashes that did nothing to conceal the wicked expression that lit them.The suckling noises increased.“Stop it!” she hissed.
He dropped the orange section into his mouth, licked his lips with a slow, languorous motion, and slowly peeled off another.The heat rose in Maeve’s blood.“Would you like ... a taste, madam?”She raised her cutlass. “I’ll give you a taste—”“No decisive battle was ever fought from afar,” he interrupted on a low murmur, still grinning. “Nay, two vessels must lie alongside of each other in order to best bring their guns to bear.” He bit into the orange, making lewd, evocative noises as the juice trailed from the succulent flesh and dribbled down his chin. There was a dimple in that chin, and Maeve felt her heart skipping, staggering, faltering. “We have a signal for such an engagement in the navy. ’Tis called close action.” “You are no longer in the navy, and I am not a ship!”“Nay, you are not ...” His voice grew low, dangerously seductive. “But I like the cut of your jib, the trim of your sails”—the dark gaze slid over her breasts, the gentle flare of her hips—“the shape of your hull.”“Get out of my bed.”“Why? I really am most comfortable. Not as comfortable, of course, as I would be if you were to drop anchor beside me....”Her skin tingled and flushed crimson. “I said, Get out of my bed!”He suckled the juice from his fingers. “What, would you prefer to do it on the floor?”“I’d prefer that you shut your mouth before I shut it for you!”“Now that,” he said wickedly, “could be interesting....”CAPTIVATED BY THE CAPTAINShe stilled before the ladderway. A large man with dark blond hair and crisp blue eyes filled the exit, casting a tall shadow down on her. Bright sun filtered in around him, making him appear like a dark angel. She studied the crescent shaped scar on his cheek for a moment before meeting his gaze.Heart racing, she held the knife out in front of her. “I will kill you before I allow you to touch me.”
“I mean you no harm, Miss.” He started down the ladder toward her.
“Stop where you are,” she demanded, thrusting the blade in his direction.
The man smiled. “I am Captain Blackmore of the Marion.”
She swallowed back the urge to trust his friendly smile. He could be tricking her into a false security. She tightened her hold on the knife and took a step backwards. Something in his tone told her she should care about his declaration. Still, none of what he said made sense to her. She only wanted off this bloody ship before she lost the ability to breathe. This man did not wear a navel uniform. All the same, he called himself a captain… “Are you here to rescue me?”“Yes. If you care to be rescued.” He descended another step.
She backed away. “Then you are with the navy?”
He chuckled. “Gads, no. I’m a pirate.”
Her blood went cold, panic over taking her. Pirates had caused all of her troubles. They murdered the people she loved and took their ship. At this very moment she was a pirate’s captive seeking to save herself from whatever horrible fate he had in mind for her. She could not allow another pirate to take her. Would not allow it. She stiffened her stance, drawing a deep breath. “Then you can scurry back above deck. I will not be going anywhere with a pirate.” She tightened her grip on the blade.
The hair on the back of her neck stood on end as his gaze perused her bloody feet before traveling slowly up to meet hers.
He jumped from the ladder and snatched her wrist before she could move. “You will not be gutting me today. As for pirates, it appears you are already with one.”
“Not by choice.” Prudence struggled, jerking her arm and kicking at him. “Unhand me, you brute.”
He leaned in until his breath fanned her cheek. “I intend to sink this ship. You can either come with me, or go down to the ocean floor.”
“I will do neither.” She jerked her arm with all the strength she could muster. Nothing would please her more than to witness her captors down fall. Despite her vengeful wish, she’d not be attending the pirate before her. He could plunder, kill, and sink all he wanted, but she’d not be staying with him.
He released her and she toppled to the floor, the knife slipping from her hands and skidding down the passageway. She scrambled to retrieve her weapon, but he caught her, pulling her off the floor to hold her against him. Her breath caught at the feel of his hard body against hers.
“Do not be foolish, chit. What do you intend to do? Swim to the closest shore? You will never make it. I am the only chance you have at seeing another sunrise.” He pulled his head back and stared into her eyes. “Trust me.”
How infuriating! Did he think her a fool? “Trust is not something I give easily.” She peered at him.
He did not speak, only continued to gaze at her.
She bit her lower lip in an attempt to gather her thoughts. Sincerity shone in the cool blue depths of his eyes. As much as she longed to, she could not argue his point. “Very well, but I will require my blade.”
“So you can slit my throat? I think not.” He gave her a devilish grin.
“Trust is a two way path.”
“Let us start without weapons.” He looked away from her, toward the ladder way.
The last thing she desired was to find herself helpless in the clutches of another blood thirsty pirate. She had to try and sway him. To maintain some sort of control over her life. “I require my knife for protection,” she protested.
He nudged her toward the exit. “I am all the protection you will need. Now hurry.”
Trust indeed. She would show him.
CARRIED AWAYChuckling, she waved her hand in front of her face, smiling at me in a way that made my heart stop. “Really, though. You’ve saved my life more than once, and even in our own time when you kept me from going into the Pit when it collapsed. I don’t know how I’ll ever repay you.”
“Don’t,” I said immediately, sitting and staring at her. “Don’t act like you owe me anything. You lived—that’s all I wanted. I don’t need anything more than to know you’re in the world and okay.”
If there had been no Tristan, no pirate hostage situation, no anything but us, it would’ve been easy to kiss her then. Her face was so sweet and soft, her eyes wide as she watched me, only a few inches away. My hands ached to hold her, to cuddle her against my chest and run my fingers through her hair. Drying quickly at the thought, like I was a man dying of thirst, my lips tingled with the image of her mouth on mine. Heart racing, I felt myself leaning in, slowly, as if every millimeter was killing me.Jerking back into the present, I blinked, and then looking away, I stood so quickly she jumped.
“What is it?” she asked in alarm.
Glancing at her, I tried to focus on the things that would help me remember what our situation was. Her black shirt was dirty and torn on one shoulder from getting caught on a branch as we rode out of the mountains. The pants she was wearing belonged to Flanagan, who had been more than happy to tell everyone I’d let her get in his breeches. The shoes I’d bought for her in Veracruz were muddied from our trek as well, tied to her feet with little care for whether or not they stayed on.
She was a prisoner, a captive among this crew.
Married.
Not mine.
~~~~~~~
See anything that piqued your piratey interest? The box set drops May 18th, but preorders are under way. Links are below.
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About the Author Jennifer is the award-winning author of the Romancing the Pirate series. Visit her at www.jbrayweber.com or join her mailing list for sneak peeks, excerpts, and giveaways.
March 29, 2017
Dunstaffnage Castle, Scotland -- The Setting for the MacDougall Legacy Series
Dunstaffnage CastleIn my newest series, the MacDougall Legacy, we follow a family through the generations, starting in 1207. Every hero takes his place as Laird MacDougall of Dunstaffnage Castle. Legends abound within the series, many with a mystical element. The history of Scotland is seeped in mysticism, and so most of the elements I’ve added into this series are based on historical fact or legend.
Why did I choose this castle as the setting?
I love a good ghost story, and in my travels to Europe, I’ve often felt the otherworldly presence of those who lived in the past. One of my favorite castles in Scotland is Dunstaffnage Castle, and I was lucky enough to visit there on my last trip! The history behind it is fascinating and haunting. There is this tale of a glaistig, or green lady, who haunts the grounds of Dunstaffnage. She is called the Ell-Maid of Dunstaffnage, but no one knows who she might have been. She appears in green, gliding over the walls, and through the forest. Her appearances often were brought on by tidings of joy or sadness within the family. This gave me an idea—in fact, it sparked the whole series! In Laird of Shadows, we learn the origin of the Ell-Maid of Dunstaffnage… It was exciting to write this story, and I can’t wait for you all to read it, and to see what happens as I follow the MacDougall family throughout generations in my new series!
Here are a few pictures I took at Dunstaffnage Castle.
Me being silly :)
The castle through the forest.
A model of the castle.
The castle's main door.
The entry corridor from the main door.
Inside the bailey.
Standing on the ramparts looking down. This section here would have had a roof like you saw in the model.
On the ramparts looking out on the water.
Inside a tower, looking out.
More of the inside, and the well.
Inside a tower, the floors are no longer there, but you can see the shelves and hearths from upper floors.
More inside, showing stonework on multiple floors.
A hearth.
An arrow-slit window.
Crumbled stairs inside one of the towers.
Inside the bailey looking up at the tower walls. The stonework is amazing.
A forest trail to the castle kirk.
The castle kirk.
A cross on the side of the kirk.
More of the forest surrounding the castle.
As battles and treachery rain down upon them, Beiste and Elle find unlikely allies in each other, and a few stolen moments of passion that bring light from the shadows…Read it!
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06XCXCQJSB&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/laird-of-shadows-eliza-knight/1125873552ITunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id1210961144Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/laird-of-shadows
The second book in my series, Laird of Twilight, will release in The Forbidden Highlands, April 18th! Available for Pre-Order!Amazon: https://goo.gl/OcyZJdiBooks: https://goo.gl/BezFPK
B & N: https://goo.gl/wjp0kF
Kobo: https://goo.gl/diT1E1
March 14, 2017
Luck of the Irish or Just Sheer Irish Grit?
Daughter, wife, mother, businesswoman, landowner, seafarer, leader, chieftain, rebel, pirate, legend—all these terms would accurately describe the infamous Grace O’Malley.
Gráinne Ní Mháille (Grace O’Malley) was born in 1530. Her father, Owen “Black Oak” O’Malley, was the elected chieftain of the Ó Máille (O’Malley) clan. He was also a seafarer successful in trading cattle, tallow, and salt fish as far south as Portugal and Spain. The O’Malley were one of the few on the western coast to sail beyond Ireland’s shores. As a result, they controlled much of County Mayo and all who fished off their coasts were taxed. Upon her parents’ deaths, she inherited her father’s trading business and her mother’s lands. That with and the land holdings from subsequent marriages, she was a wealthy woman.
Rockfleet CastleEven as a child, Grace was a spitfire. She scorned societal conventions placed on girls and women, favoring adventure over what was suitable for her gender. She wanted badly to go to sea on a trading expedition to Spain with her father. Her parents forbade it. Ah, but she was fiery and independent. She cut off her long red hair to disguise herself as a lad in hopes to trick her father into taking her.A stunt such as this was surely a precursor to what was to come.
At 16, she married Dónal O’Flaherty, who was heir to the chieftain of the O’Flaherty clan which controlled Connacht. This was a good political match for the clans. Plus, bonus, he owned castles. One of these castles—Bunowen—is where she operated her first shipping and trade business, in part out of necessity as Dónal’s gallivanting brought the clan near to poverty. Over the course of their marriage, she had three children with Dónal—Owen, Murrough, and Margaret. Not only did the family grow, but so did her pursuits. She controlled their fleet and oversaw all the business dealings, legitimate and otherwise. No doubt plying skills she learned from her father. And when she was not allowed to trade in Galway, a key trading port, for sketchy practices, she simply laid in wait off the coast for merchant ships, negotiating fair fees that guaranteed their safe passage. If they refused, she relieved them of their cargo. If they further resisted, well, things got violent and deadly.
Like Grace, Dónal was an ambitious sort. But he preferred warfare. Not surprisingly, that didn’t end well for him. He had taken an island fortress from another clan over some sort of revenge, but in the siege was killed. Grace didn’t take the death of her husband too kindly. She sailed to the island to avenge his death and successfully defended the castle. In another attack on the castle by the English, she not only defended it, but she alerted her fleet, launched an attack, and soundly defeated them. As you might imagine, she had many, many loyal men who followed her anywhere she went.
Grace O'Malley and Queen ElizabethShe married a second time in 1566 to Richard Bourke, purportedly for more holdings, and the couple had one child together. But Grace still wasn’t one to settle down and quickly divorced him, keeping his Rockfleet Castle for herself.
Grace is known for many exploits that have become legendary. One thing for certain, she was not one to be slighted or crossed. She purportedly defeated a Turkish pirate ship, killing the crew, just one day after giving birth to her fourth son. Can you imagine how cranky she might have been to be disturbed while nursing her newborn? Grace had once abducted an earl’s grandson after she was denied hospitality by the family because they were having dinner. She released the boy only after the promise that the castle’s gates were always open and a place set at the table for visitors—a promise still kept to this day. Don’t underestimate a woman in love. She sought deadly revenge on a clan for killing her lover Hugh de Lacy, snatching away the lives of those responsible and seizing their castle. The woman was mighty!
How far will he go to rise up against her?
Get Your Copy HERE! Her piratical ways both on sea and land eventually caught up to her. English power had increased over Ireland and set to control the chieftains who had been self-governing. She was no fool. Like most chieftains, she submitted her fealty. Ah…appearances. With a troublemaker like Grace, England took notice, especially Governor Sir Richard Bingham who, in 1584 was tasked with overseeing and controlling chieftains and their clans. Bingham made it a personal mark to take Grace down. He stripped her clan of wealth by overtaxing them, ordered the murder of her oldest son, raided her home, took her livestock, imprisoned family members for treason, and impounded her fleet. Ouch. In 1593, Grace intended to restore her clan’s rights and free her family. How? By petitioning Elizabeth I, Queen of England, of course.
Elizabeth must have been intrigued by the intrepid Irish woman with such a colorful reputation for she granted Grace an audience…in private. Perhaps they were a lot alike. Perhaps there was a mutual respect. Whatever the case, it must have been quite a meeting that September day between the two powerhouses. The queen granted all of Grace’s requests, including monetary aid and the release of her impounded fleet. In the queen’s letter to Bingham, she also stated that Grace O’Malley had her permission to act as a privateer on England’s behalf. And so a-pirating Grace did go.
Grace finally retired in 1601. Two years later at the age of 73, she died, the same year as the queen.About the Author Jennifer is the award-winning author of the Romancing the Pirate series. Visit her at www.jbrayweber.com or join her mailing list for sneak peeks, excerpts, and giveaways.
Gráinne Ní Mháille (Grace O’Malley) was born in 1530. Her father, Owen “Black Oak” O’Malley, was the elected chieftain of the Ó Máille (O’Malley) clan. He was also a seafarer successful in trading cattle, tallow, and salt fish as far south as Portugal and Spain. The O’Malley were one of the few on the western coast to sail beyond Ireland’s shores. As a result, they controlled much of County Mayo and all who fished off their coasts were taxed. Upon her parents’ deaths, she inherited her father’s trading business and her mother’s lands. That with and the land holdings from subsequent marriages, she was a wealthy woman.
Rockfleet CastleEven as a child, Grace was a spitfire. She scorned societal conventions placed on girls and women, favoring adventure over what was suitable for her gender. She wanted badly to go to sea on a trading expedition to Spain with her father. Her parents forbade it. Ah, but she was fiery and independent. She cut off her long red hair to disguise herself as a lad in hopes to trick her father into taking her.A stunt such as this was surely a precursor to what was to come.At 16, she married Dónal O’Flaherty, who was heir to the chieftain of the O’Flaherty clan which controlled Connacht. This was a good political match for the clans. Plus, bonus, he owned castles. One of these castles—Bunowen—is where she operated her first shipping and trade business, in part out of necessity as Dónal’s gallivanting brought the clan near to poverty. Over the course of their marriage, she had three children with Dónal—Owen, Murrough, and Margaret. Not only did the family grow, but so did her pursuits. She controlled their fleet and oversaw all the business dealings, legitimate and otherwise. No doubt plying skills she learned from her father. And when she was not allowed to trade in Galway, a key trading port, for sketchy practices, she simply laid in wait off the coast for merchant ships, negotiating fair fees that guaranteed their safe passage. If they refused, she relieved them of their cargo. If they further resisted, well, things got violent and deadly.
Like Grace, Dónal was an ambitious sort. But he preferred warfare. Not surprisingly, that didn’t end well for him. He had taken an island fortress from another clan over some sort of revenge, but in the siege was killed. Grace didn’t take the death of her husband too kindly. She sailed to the island to avenge his death and successfully defended the castle. In another attack on the castle by the English, she not only defended it, but she alerted her fleet, launched an attack, and soundly defeated them. As you might imagine, she had many, many loyal men who followed her anywhere she went.
Grace O'Malley and Queen ElizabethShe married a second time in 1566 to Richard Bourke, purportedly for more holdings, and the couple had one child together. But Grace still wasn’t one to settle down and quickly divorced him, keeping his Rockfleet Castle for herself.Grace is known for many exploits that have become legendary. One thing for certain, she was not one to be slighted or crossed. She purportedly defeated a Turkish pirate ship, killing the crew, just one day after giving birth to her fourth son. Can you imagine how cranky she might have been to be disturbed while nursing her newborn? Grace had once abducted an earl’s grandson after she was denied hospitality by the family because they were having dinner. She released the boy only after the promise that the castle’s gates were always open and a place set at the table for visitors—a promise still kept to this day. Don’t underestimate a woman in love. She sought deadly revenge on a clan for killing her lover Hugh de Lacy, snatching away the lives of those responsible and seizing their castle. The woman was mighty!
How far will he go to rise up against her?Get Your Copy HERE! Her piratical ways both on sea and land eventually caught up to her. English power had increased over Ireland and set to control the chieftains who had been self-governing. She was no fool. Like most chieftains, she submitted her fealty. Ah…appearances. With a troublemaker like Grace, England took notice, especially Governor Sir Richard Bingham who, in 1584 was tasked with overseeing and controlling chieftains and their clans. Bingham made it a personal mark to take Grace down. He stripped her clan of wealth by overtaxing them, ordered the murder of her oldest son, raided her home, took her livestock, imprisoned family members for treason, and impounded her fleet. Ouch. In 1593, Grace intended to restore her clan’s rights and free her family. How? By petitioning Elizabeth I, Queen of England, of course.
Elizabeth must have been intrigued by the intrepid Irish woman with such a colorful reputation for she granted Grace an audience…in private. Perhaps they were a lot alike. Perhaps there was a mutual respect. Whatever the case, it must have been quite a meeting that September day between the two powerhouses. The queen granted all of Grace’s requests, including monetary aid and the release of her impounded fleet. In the queen’s letter to Bingham, she also stated that Grace O’Malley had her permission to act as a privateer on England’s behalf. And so a-pirating Grace did go.
Grace finally retired in 1601. Two years later at the age of 73, she died, the same year as the queen.About the Author Jennifer is the award-winning author of the Romancing the Pirate series. Visit her at www.jbrayweber.com or join her mailing list for sneak peeks, excerpts, and giveaways.
March 7, 2017
A MAGNIFICENT CAFÉ AND A FAMOUS MOVIE by Kathleen Bittner Roth
A MAGNIFICENT café and A FAMOUS MOVIEbyKathleen Bittner Roth
Having lived in beautiful Budapest, Hungary for the past six plus years, I have yet to grow weary of this incredible city. I am in awe of its architecture, where even the most seemingly insignificant building is festooned with cherubs and angels. Coffee houses abound here, and frequenting them is a way of life. One of my favorites is the baroque, palace-like New York Café. Built in the mid-1800s, not only is this work of art a part of the history of Budapest and Hungarian literary life, incidents that took place there became an inspiration for Michael Curtiz’s iconic movie Casablanca, starring Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall.
Once a meeting place for artists and poets, Michael Curtiz, an up and coming writer and producer of film, became a regular. It’s a historical fact that these imaginative types wanted the café open at their discretion. After all, creativity did not run by a clock, and many of them got their inspiration in the middle of the night. One evening, near closing time, the lot of these rowdy patrons stole the key to the front door from the owner, and ceremoniously raced to the Danube and tossed it in!
New York Café (the building was so named because it was built by the New York Insurance Company) became a popular home away from home at all hours. That is, until the Nazis arrived. The film Casablanca was actually adapted from a play, but there were no Germans in Morocco. The SS officer featured in the film was an adaption of one leather-coated officer who roamed the New York Café ferreting out dissidents. Artists were the first to be singled out by Hitler, ahead of the Jews and Gypsies and were considered dangerous to his movement.
Michael Curtiz was both a Jew and a liberal artist. Soon, he and his dissidents were in danger of being plucked out of the café and loaded onto trains to Auschwitz. Curtiz escaped to America, as did many of his fellow artists, where Hollywood became an enclave for Hungarian talent. Not only were most of the founding fathers of film Hungarians, so were many of the actors, including Bela Lugosi, Peter Lorre, and the Gabor sisters (Tony Curtis and Peter Falk, both Hungarians came along later).
The end of WWII meant the dividing up of countries. Unfortunately, Hungary was handed to Stalin. The communists moved in, closed down gathering places like the iconic New York Café, and used it as a warehouse! Perhaps doing so wasn’t so bad during that nasty era because the original interior, which earned its fame as being the finest coffee house in the world, was saved. Although photographs cannot begin to capture the ambiance and grandeur of this awesome place, look closely, and you can make out the intricate detail of the original paintings on the ceilings and walls. If the coffee and food are not enough to satisfy, the precious Venetian lamp shades, intricately designed gold-plated columns, and abundant frescoes are a feast for the eyes and soul.
Stepping inside the New York Café never fails to take me back in time, to the magnificent era of sophistication when Budapest was the wealthiest city in the world. I even enjoy watching the first timers ogling the splendor that abounds. I sip cappuccino here, revel in the exquisiteness of the place, and write stories in my head.
If visiting Europe is on your agenda, do consider a trip to Budapest. And to the New York Café. You won’t regret it. I’ve included this YouTube link to a visual tour. Enjoy! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W_sEkMl6Nfc
He marries for her dowry. She marries to escape a hanging. HIS LORDSHIP’S WILD HIGHLAND BRIDE.
Kathleen Bittner Roth creates evocative stories featuring characters forced to draw on their strength of spirit to overcome adversity and find unending love. Her own fairy tale wedding in a Scottish castle led her to her current residence in Budapest, Hungary, considered one of Europe’s most romantic cities. A PAN member of Romance Writers of America®, Kathleen was a finalist in the prestigious Golden Heart® contest.
You can find Kathleen at:
Website: www.kathleenbittnerroth.comFacebook: facebook.com/Kathleen.bittnerroth.authorTwitter: @K_BittnerRothBook trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GzWQNWFHvhUPinterest https://hu.pinterest.com/bittnerroth/
Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7306082.Kathleen_Bittner_Roth
March 6, 2017
The H-Team Presents: Songs of Blood and Gold on sale!
The H-Team presents...
Twelve bestselling historical authors bring to life to the glory of the ancient world in three novels spanning golden Greece to blood-soaked Rome inSONGS OF BLOOD AND GOLD
A DAY OF FIRE(Authored by: Stephanie Dray, Ben Kane, E. Knight, Sophie Perinot, Kate Quinn, Vicky Alvear Shecter) Pompeii: a lively resort flourishing in the shadow of Mount Vesuvius at the height of Rome's glory. When Vesuvius erupts in an explosion of flame and ash, the entire town struggles to flee the mountain's wrath: soldiers and politicians, villains and heroes, young and old. But who will escape, and who will be buried for eternity?
A YEAR OF RAVENS(Authored by: Ruth Downie, Stephanie Dray, E. Knight, Kate Quinn, Vicky Alvear Shecter, SJA Turney, Russell Whitfield) Britannia: land of mist and magic clinging to the western edge of the Roman Empire. A red-haired queen named Boudica leads her people in a desperate rebellion against the might of Rome, an epic struggle destined to consume warriors and peacemakers, slaves and queens, Roman and Celt. But who will survive to see the dawn of a new Britannia, and who will fall to feed the ravens?
A SONG OF WAR(Authored by: Christian Cameron, Libbie Hawker, Kate Quinn, Vicky Alvear Shecter, Stephanie Thornton, SJA Turney, Russell Whitfield) Troy: city of gold, gatekeeper of the east, a haven destined to last a thousand years. But the Fates have other planes--the Fates, and a woman named Helen. In the shadow of Troy's gates, all must be reborn in the greatest war of the ancient world: heroes and cowards, seers and kings, innocent and guilty. But who will lie forgotten in the embers, and who will rise to shape the dawn of a new age?
Get it while it lasts!
Amazon: http://amzn.to/2kXKsfA
Kobo: https://goo.gl/30o2AQ
B&N: https://goo.gl/3zoATa
March 3, 2017
March is Women's History Month
by Tara Kingston
As an author of historical romance, I love writing about bold, courageous heroines—women who pursue their own dreams and don’t wait around to be rescued by the hero, no matter how daring he might be. So, you might imagine I was a more than a wee bit frustrated by the treatment of history while a student in school. I recall memorizing dates, discussing historical events, and learning the names of the men involved in those events. The impacts of a scant few women in history were presented—Queen Elizabeth, Betsy Ross, and Dolley Madison come to mind. But by and large, I learned about the accomplishments of women through my voracious use of the library’s biography section.
Susan B. AnthonyLater, when I became a teacher, I strove to share the accomplishments of remarkable women throughout the year. Women’s History Month was a special time in my classroom, an entire month designated to recognize diverse women who’ve made such a difference throughout the centuries.
President Jimmy Carter first issued a Presidential Proclamation designating the week of March 8, 1980 as National Women’s History Week. President Carter’s proclamation called to attention the achievements of leaders such as Susan B. Anthony, Sojourner Truth, Harriet Tubman, and Elizabeth Cady Stanton. Please click the link to access the National Women’s History Project: President Carter's Proclamation
Harriet Tubman
Dolley MadisonIn 1987, Congress designated March as National Women’s History Month. What a great time to introduce young students to the women who’ve helped shape the fabric of our society! If you’re interested in learning more about women of achievement during this month and throughout the year, many resources can be found online. Here are a few of my favorites:
~ Women's History Month - Hosted by the Library of Congress; Brought to readers by The Library of Congress, National Archives and Records Administration, National Endowment for the Humanities, National Gallery of Art, National Park Service, Smithsonian Institution and United States Holocaust Memorial Museum - This site provides a wealth of resources
Eleanor Rooseveltincluding teacher resources and photographs.
~ The National Women's History Project
~ History.Com - Women's History Month
All Photographs & Historical Images are in the Public Domain
About the Author:
To Purchase or Read An ExcerptAward-winning and Amazon.com bestselling author Tara Kingston writes historical romance laced with intrigue, danger, and adventures of the heart. A Southern belle-out-of-water in a quaint Pennsylvania town, she lives her own love story with her real-life hero in a cozy Victorian. The mother of two sons, Tara's a former librarian whose love of books is evident in her popping-at-the-seams bookcases. It goes without saying that she’s thankful for the invention of digital books, thereby eliminating the need for yet another set of shelves. When she's not writing, reading, or burning dinner, Tara enjoys cycling, hiking, and cheering on her favorite football team.
Click the links to connect with Tara at www.tarakingston.com and on
Facebook
As an author of historical romance, I love writing about bold, courageous heroines—women who pursue their own dreams and don’t wait around to be rescued by the hero, no matter how daring he might be. So, you might imagine I was a more than a wee bit frustrated by the treatment of history while a student in school. I recall memorizing dates, discussing historical events, and learning the names of the men involved in those events. The impacts of a scant few women in history were presented—Queen Elizabeth, Betsy Ross, and Dolley Madison come to mind. But by and large, I learned about the accomplishments of women through my voracious use of the library’s biography section.
Susan B. AnthonyLater, when I became a teacher, I strove to share the accomplishments of remarkable women throughout the year. Women’s History Month was a special time in my classroom, an entire month designated to recognize diverse women who’ve made such a difference throughout the centuries. President Jimmy Carter first issued a Presidential Proclamation designating the week of March 8, 1980 as National Women’s History Week. President Carter’s proclamation called to attention the achievements of leaders such as Susan B. Anthony, Sojourner Truth, Harriet Tubman, and Elizabeth Cady Stanton. Please click the link to access the National Women’s History Project: President Carter's Proclamation
Harriet Tubman 
Dolley MadisonIn 1987, Congress designated March as National Women’s History Month. What a great time to introduce young students to the women who’ve helped shape the fabric of our society! If you’re interested in learning more about women of achievement during this month and throughout the year, many resources can be found online. Here are a few of my favorites:~ Women's History Month - Hosted by the Library of Congress; Brought to readers by The Library of Congress, National Archives and Records Administration, National Endowment for the Humanities, National Gallery of Art, National Park Service, Smithsonian Institution and United States Holocaust Memorial Museum - This site provides a wealth of resources
Eleanor Rooseveltincluding teacher resources and photographs.~ The National Women's History Project
~ History.Com - Women's History Month
All Photographs & Historical Images are in the Public Domain
About the Author:
To Purchase or Read An ExcerptAward-winning and Amazon.com bestselling author Tara Kingston writes historical romance laced with intrigue, danger, and adventures of the heart. A Southern belle-out-of-water in a quaint Pennsylvania town, she lives her own love story with her real-life hero in a cozy Victorian. The mother of two sons, Tara's a former librarian whose love of books is evident in her popping-at-the-seams bookcases. It goes without saying that she’s thankful for the invention of digital books, thereby eliminating the need for yet another set of shelves. When she's not writing, reading, or burning dinner, Tara enjoys cycling, hiking, and cheering on her favorite football team. Click the links to connect with Tara at www.tarakingston.com and on
February 14, 2017
Pirates Need Love, Too
Happy Valentine’s Day, mateys!
Today is a day to celebrate the ones we love. We give our special someone flowers, heart-shaped boxes of candy, jewelry, cards with chubby, half-naked cherubs, Spanish gold doubloons, and the blood of our enemies. Ok, maybe not that last part. But, hey, pirates can have sweethearts, too.
Whydah gold!Sure pirates are not known for being debonair or companionable. They generally weren’t what Hollywood romanticizes. Eighteenth-century lasses weren’t hanging posters of them in their bedrooms. Despite that there were many genteel and handsome pirates lurking in the seas, pirates were often a nasty lot. Ah, but pirates were still human and sometimes the most valuable treasures aren’t what could be taken, but given. One such pirate “Black Sam” Bellamy could attest to that. In an odd twist of fate, Sam Bellamy was driven to his occupation by one of the most powerful sources of motivation—love.
Whydah's resting placeSam Bellamy was born in Devonshire, England in 1689. At a young age, he took to the sea as a sailor and in his teens served in the Royal Navy, perhaps not even willingly. Bellamy arrived in Cape Cod from England around 1714 purportedly to seek out relatives. There he met a young woman named Maria “Goody” Hallett. Together they fell madly in love. But he was a penniless sailor and her wealthy family denied him her hand. Lore has it, to win their favor, he set out to seek his fortune by the quickest means – he joined a pirate crew, of course.
Not long after Bellamy left, Maria found out she was with child. She gave birth to a boy but the infant died very shortly after. The speculation around the event is unclear. But whatever happened, the child’s demise incited a scandal and Maria was imprisoned for her son’s death. She served her short sentence and was exiled but stayed close in the town of Wellfleet, where she wandered the dunes of the shores waiting for her Sam’s return.
Meanwhile, with a strong will and expertise in his craft, it wasn’t long before Bellamy became one of the most successful pirates of his time. And one known for his generosity, not needlessly harming victims, and sending ships, crew, passengers on their way if they didn’t suit his purposes or needs.
A beautiful thief + a sexy libertine = wicked funHe captured some 50 ships during his reign in the Caribbean, including a fine slave ship, Whydah. He chased the Whydah for three days. Without ever shooting his shipboard guns, the Whydah surrendered and Bellamy took the prize for his own. Now laden with riches, Bellamy charted his course north, back to his love, Maria. But as he reached Cape Cod, a terrible nor’easter raged and the sea ravaged the ship. Just a mere 500 feet from the shores of Cape Cod, the Whydah broke apart, tragically taking all but 2 of 146 on board, including Bellamy. It is a tragic love story, for sure.
Ah, those swashbuckling pirates. Bellamy could easily be the inspiration for a redemptive hero in a romance novel. And who doesn’t love a pirate captain who needs redemption? I know I do!
In A Kiss in the Wind, Captain Blade Tyburn pulls double duty as not only an opportunistic pirate but also as an infamous libertine known far and wide by swooning ladies, jealous husbands, and watchful fathers. Even the mighty fall and he may have met his match in Marisol, a knife-wielding, beautiful thief. Batten down the hatches. There are stormy seas ahead for these two.
About the AuthorJennifer is the award-winning author of the Romancing the Pirate series. Visit her at www.jbrayweber.com or join her mailing list for sneak peeks, excerpts, and giveaways.
Today is a day to celebrate the ones we love. We give our special someone flowers, heart-shaped boxes of candy, jewelry, cards with chubby, half-naked cherubs, Spanish gold doubloons, and the blood of our enemies. Ok, maybe not that last part. But, hey, pirates can have sweethearts, too.
Whydah gold!Sure pirates are not known for being debonair or companionable. They generally weren’t what Hollywood romanticizes. Eighteenth-century lasses weren’t hanging posters of them in their bedrooms. Despite that there were many genteel and handsome pirates lurking in the seas, pirates were often a nasty lot. Ah, but pirates were still human and sometimes the most valuable treasures aren’t what could be taken, but given. One such pirate “Black Sam” Bellamy could attest to that. In an odd twist of fate, Sam Bellamy was driven to his occupation by one of the most powerful sources of motivation—love.
Whydah's resting placeSam Bellamy was born in Devonshire, England in 1689. At a young age, he took to the sea as a sailor and in his teens served in the Royal Navy, perhaps not even willingly. Bellamy arrived in Cape Cod from England around 1714 purportedly to seek out relatives. There he met a young woman named Maria “Goody” Hallett. Together they fell madly in love. But he was a penniless sailor and her wealthy family denied him her hand. Lore has it, to win their favor, he set out to seek his fortune by the quickest means – he joined a pirate crew, of course.Not long after Bellamy left, Maria found out she was with child. She gave birth to a boy but the infant died very shortly after. The speculation around the event is unclear. But whatever happened, the child’s demise incited a scandal and Maria was imprisoned for her son’s death. She served her short sentence and was exiled but stayed close in the town of Wellfleet, where she wandered the dunes of the shores waiting for her Sam’s return.
Meanwhile, with a strong will and expertise in his craft, it wasn’t long before Bellamy became one of the most successful pirates of his time. And one known for his generosity, not needlessly harming victims, and sending ships, crew, passengers on their way if they didn’t suit his purposes or needs.
A beautiful thief + a sexy libertine = wicked funHe captured some 50 ships during his reign in the Caribbean, including a fine slave ship, Whydah. He chased the Whydah for three days. Without ever shooting his shipboard guns, the Whydah surrendered and Bellamy took the prize for his own. Now laden with riches, Bellamy charted his course north, back to his love, Maria. But as he reached Cape Cod, a terrible nor’easter raged and the sea ravaged the ship. Just a mere 500 feet from the shores of Cape Cod, the Whydah broke apart, tragically taking all but 2 of 146 on board, including Bellamy. It is a tragic love story, for sure.Ah, those swashbuckling pirates. Bellamy could easily be the inspiration for a redemptive hero in a romance novel. And who doesn’t love a pirate captain who needs redemption? I know I do!
In A Kiss in the Wind, Captain Blade Tyburn pulls double duty as not only an opportunistic pirate but also as an infamous libertine known far and wide by swooning ladies, jealous husbands, and watchful fathers. Even the mighty fall and he may have met his match in Marisol, a knife-wielding, beautiful thief. Batten down the hatches. There are stormy seas ahead for these two.
About the AuthorJennifer is the award-winning author of the Romancing the Pirate series. Visit her at www.jbrayweber.com or join her mailing list for sneak peeks, excerpts, and giveaways.
February 7, 2017
A DUKE’S WICKED KISS Special sale February 6-12 $0.99
A DUKE’S WICKED KISS Special sale February 6-12 .99
While on a secret mission for the Crown, a proper duke falls for an improper daughter of an Indian royal and British noble.
If you like sensuous, intriguing tales where tensions run high and feelings run hot, then this story of two star-crossed lovers caught up in a dangerous conflict is for you!
If you are attracted to stories filled with evocative prose and gorgeous Victorian aesthetics, not to mention a touch of mystery, then this story is for you. And if you favor stories where the setting is not merely a backdrop in which the lovers’ saga flourishes, but is a pivotal setting as well, then don’t miss A DUKE’S WICKED KISS.
Miss Suri Thurston, illegitimate daughter of a duke and high-caste Indian royal, knows the pain of abandonment, so when she inherits upon her father’s death, she vows to open a school for children forsaken by British soldiers. Despite rumors of civil unrest, Suri travels from England to her birthplace in India, ostensibly to visit her married sister, but Suri has secret plans. Before she can help others, she must validate her self-worth by confronting her maternal grandmother, the woman who tossed untouchable infant Suri to hungry lions. Suri’s plans are upended when she arrives in Delhi and encounters the man who, ten years prior, left an indelible imprint on her soul with a single, wicked kiss, stolen in her father’s stables. Now himself a duke, he is beyond reach of even her dreams.
The Duke of Ravenswood’s title does not stop this trained spy from completing his mission for Queen Victoria. After losing his wife and child to a cobra's venom three years ago, he has dedicated himself to duty. Facing an imminent uprising against the British East India Company, he must locate the insurgents, unmask his elder brother's murderer, and escort his friend—the diplomat married to Suri's half-sister—and family safely to England. Intently focused on his responsibilities, Ravenswood has no desire for a relationship. Then Miss Suri Thurston appears in a Delhi ballroom with a mission of her own. The years fall away, and he finds himself back in that English stable, his heart forever bound to her by one haunting kiss. While their love can rise above the scandal of marriage, deceit and malevolence amidst mutiny could tear their world apart.
Excerpt:
He was going to kiss her. He needed to kiss her.
Suri shook her head. “Don’t touch me,” she whispered. And then she was off the settee and dashing for the door.
Ravenswood followed, aware he didn’t want her anywhere but beside him. “What’s wrong with being touched?”
Gads, am I possessed?
He caught up with her and swung her around, that strange need growing at a frenzied pace. He froze when his hands clutched her shoulders. The heat of her scorched his fingers.
She was right, he shouldn’t have touched her, because once done, he couldn’t let go. She was opium to an addict. Before he knew it, he’d backed her up against the door, pressed his palms onto the smooth wood on either side of her and caged her.
Wide-eyed, she stared up at him. Her pupils dilated, and she drew a shuddering breath.
A wave of exhilaration infused him. “You desire contact, don’t you? That’s the reason you ran off, isn’t it? You want to be touched as much as I crave touching you, and it scares you to death.”
“You are mad.”
“Only about you.”
He bent his head closer to her, his words growing heavy on his tongue. “You, madam, are afraid you cannot handle a kiss—or anything else that might transpire between us, aren’t you?”
“You are arrogant.”
“Try something else.”
They stood so close he could feel her breath, ragged when it fell against his mouth. He allowed his lips to part to catch more of her sweet scent.
“I have a proposition for you,” he murmured, “I won’t kiss you if you promise not to go tothe damnable wedding.”
“I…I shall not make such…a foolhardy promise.” Her staccato words were filled with heat and vibrancy.
Emboldened by the desire emanating from her, he bent closer still, until he only had to speak in a whisper to be heard. He studied her mouth. He wanted her. God, he wanted her—right here, right now, and touching her was like finding his way home—at last. “Because you want the kiss, or because you are a stubborn fool?”
His voice rasped in his throat and now he had to force the words off his tongue. “Go on, tell me you don’t want me to kiss you. That you don’t want me for other things.”
Her hands came to his chest, as if to push him away, but her fingers merely splayed against him. Her lips quivered as though she tried to speak and couldn’t. Then her head fell back against the door, and her eyes half closed.
A DUKE’S WICKED KISSOn sale $0.99 February 6-12
Kathleen Bittner Roth creates evocative stories featuring characters forced to draw on their strength of spirit to overcome adversity and find unending love. Her own fairy tale wedding in a Scottish castle led her to her current residence in Budapest, Hungary, considered one of Europe’s most romantic cities. A PAN member of Romance Writers of America®, Kathleen was a finalist in the prestigious Golden Heart® contest.
You can find Kathleen at:
Website: www.kathleenbittnerroth.comFacebook: facebook.com/Kathleen.bittnerroth.authorTwitter: @K_BittnerRothBook trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GzWQNWFHvhUPinterest https://hu.pinterest.com/bittnerroth/Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7306082.Kathleen_Bittner_Roth
January 27, 2017
Legendary Gems — Beautiful, Treasured…and Cursed?
By Tara Kingston
For centuries, precious jewels have been treasured for their beauty and scarcity. Gems such as crimson rubies, rich blue sapphires, and sparkling diamonds adorn the crowns of royalty and have been passed down through families as cherished heirlooms. But is it possible that some of the most legendary gemstones actually brought misfortune to their owners? Is it conceivable that a gleaming stone could actually bring tragedy upon the one who possesses it? Here’s a look at some gems that are rumored to carry a curse:
The Hope Diamond
Steel Engraving - Marie Antoinette before her ExecutionWere Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette victims of the curse rumored to follow this legendary blue diamond? Evidence suggests the stone known as the Hope Diamond was recut from the French Blue, a sixty-seven carat gem that had been part of the French crown jewels. During the French Revolution, the priceless diamond was stolen from the royal treasury, while Louis XVI and his wife, Queen Marie Antoinette, went to the guillotine in 1793. The gem was believed to have resurfaced in London in 1812, recut to 45.54 carats.
Evalyn Walsh McLean
Decades later, American heiress Evalyn Walsh McLean acquired the diamond in 1910. She suffered great tragedy after the purchase, including the death of two of her children. After Mrs. McLean’s death in 1947, the diamond was purchased by Harry Winston, who later donated the jewel to the Smithsonian Institution.
The Koh-I-Noor Diamond
Koh-I-Noor DiamondThis massive diamond (105.6 carats) was rumored to have served as the eye of an idol of a Hindu goddess. Dubbed the Koh-I-Noor diamond, which is Persian for “Mountain of Light”, the gem was acquired by England as part of the British annexation of Punjab. According to legend, a Hindu curse brings misfortune upon any male in possession of the stone. Perhaps in the spirit of playing it safe, the jewel has never been worn by any male among the British Royals. The gem was
Queen Mary's Crownplaced in the crown used for the coronation of Queen Alexandra in 1902 and later mounted in Queen Mary's crown. The jewel was placed in the Queen Mother’s crown in 1947, where it remains to this day. The crown and the diamond are on display in the Tower of London.
The Black Prince’s Ruby
Imperial State CrownA red spinel dubbed the “Great Imposter”, the Black Prince’s Ruby is mounted in England’s Imperial State crown. Named for Edward of Woodstock, the fourteenth century “Black Prince”, the gemstone is rumored to have brought tragedy upon historical figures including the Sultan of Granada, who was in possession of the stone when he was murdered, Henry V, who nearly died at the Battle of Agincourt in 1415, and Richard III, who died in the Battle of Bosworth.
Many other rare gemstones including the Star of India, the Black Orlov diamond, and the Sancy diamond are associated with deadly curses. So, what are your thoughts—are these legends based in truth or mere superstition?
To learn more about these gems:
http://www.pbs.org/treasuresoftheworl...
http://www.si.edu/Encyclopedia_SI/nmn...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Koh-i-Noor
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_P...
All photographs and historical images are in the public domain.
About The Author:
To Purchase or Read An ExcerptAward-winning and Amazon.com bestselling author Tara Kingston writes historical romance laced with intrigue, danger, and adventures of the heart. A Southern belle-out-of-water in a quaint Pennsylvania town, she lives her own love story with her real-life hero in a cozy Victorian. The mother of two sons, Tara's a former librarian whose love of books is evident in her popping-at-the-seams bookcases. It goes without saying that she’s thankful for the invention of digital books, thereby eliminating the need for yet another set of shelves. When she's not writing, reading, or burning dinner, Tara enjoys cycling, hiking, and cheering on her favorite football team.
Click the links to connect with Tara at www.tarakingston.com and on
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For centuries, precious jewels have been treasured for their beauty and scarcity. Gems such as crimson rubies, rich blue sapphires, and sparkling diamonds adorn the crowns of royalty and have been passed down through families as cherished heirlooms. But is it possible that some of the most legendary gemstones actually brought misfortune to their owners? Is it conceivable that a gleaming stone could actually bring tragedy upon the one who possesses it? Here’s a look at some gems that are rumored to carry a curse:
The Hope Diamond
Steel Engraving - Marie Antoinette before her ExecutionWere Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette victims of the curse rumored to follow this legendary blue diamond? Evidence suggests the stone known as the Hope Diamond was recut from the French Blue, a sixty-seven carat gem that had been part of the French crown jewels. During the French Revolution, the priceless diamond was stolen from the royal treasury, while Louis XVI and his wife, Queen Marie Antoinette, went to the guillotine in 1793. The gem was believed to have resurfaced in London in 1812, recut to 45.54 carats.
Evalyn Walsh McLeanDecades later, American heiress Evalyn Walsh McLean acquired the diamond in 1910. She suffered great tragedy after the purchase, including the death of two of her children. After Mrs. McLean’s death in 1947, the diamond was purchased by Harry Winston, who later donated the jewel to the Smithsonian Institution.
The Koh-I-Noor Diamond
Koh-I-Noor DiamondThis massive diamond (105.6 carats) was rumored to have served as the eye of an idol of a Hindu goddess. Dubbed the Koh-I-Noor diamond, which is Persian for “Mountain of Light”, the gem was acquired by England as part of the British annexation of Punjab. According to legend, a Hindu curse brings misfortune upon any male in possession of the stone. Perhaps in the spirit of playing it safe, the jewel has never been worn by any male among the British Royals. The gem was 
Queen Mary's Crownplaced in the crown used for the coronation of Queen Alexandra in 1902 and later mounted in Queen Mary's crown. The jewel was placed in the Queen Mother’s crown in 1947, where it remains to this day. The crown and the diamond are on display in the Tower of London. The Black Prince’s Ruby
Imperial State CrownA red spinel dubbed the “Great Imposter”, the Black Prince’s Ruby is mounted in England’s Imperial State crown. Named for Edward of Woodstock, the fourteenth century “Black Prince”, the gemstone is rumored to have brought tragedy upon historical figures including the Sultan of Granada, who was in possession of the stone when he was murdered, Henry V, who nearly died at the Battle of Agincourt in 1415, and Richard III, who died in the Battle of Bosworth. Many other rare gemstones including the Star of India, the Black Orlov diamond, and the Sancy diamond are associated with deadly curses. So, what are your thoughts—are these legends based in truth or mere superstition?
To learn more about these gems:
http://www.pbs.org/treasuresoftheworl...
http://www.si.edu/Encyclopedia_SI/nmn...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Koh-i-Noor
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_P...
All photographs and historical images are in the public domain.
About The Author:
To Purchase or Read An ExcerptAward-winning and Amazon.com bestselling author Tara Kingston writes historical romance laced with intrigue, danger, and adventures of the heart. A Southern belle-out-of-water in a quaint Pennsylvania town, she lives her own love story with her real-life hero in a cozy Victorian. The mother of two sons, Tara's a former librarian whose love of books is evident in her popping-at-the-seams bookcases. It goes without saying that she’s thankful for the invention of digital books, thereby eliminating the need for yet another set of shelves. When she's not writing, reading, or burning dinner, Tara enjoys cycling, hiking, and cheering on her favorite football team. Click the links to connect with Tara at www.tarakingston.com and on
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