Sarah Ballance's Blog, page 24

“Ruby Hill” Promotional Tour and #Giveaway (Nov 6 – Dec 4)

A 5-star TOP PICK from Night Owl Reviews!

Ruby Hill is on tour one more time, and there’s a $10 gift card in it for you! Tour schedule and rafflecopter entry  are further down the page…but first, another look at my new supernatural romance from Entangled Ever After.

It’s only 99 cents…if you dare.

Ruby Hill

One reunion. One ghost. One night that will change everything…

From her earliest memories, Ashley Pearce has been drawn to Ruby Hill Lunatic Asylum, and she’s not the only one. Decades after the abandoned hospital ended its institutional reign of torture and neglect, something lurks in the shadows. Since she’s a paranormal investigator, it’s Ashley’s job to find out what.

Crime scene expert Corbin Malone doesn’t believe in ghosts. A born skeptic, he has no interest in entertaining the hype surrounding the mysterious deaths at Ruby Hill, but he won’t turn his back while more women die. He agrees to an overnight investigation, never expecting his first encounter would be with the woman he pushed away a year ago. But when he discovers Ashley is a target, he learns his greatest fear isn’t living with his own demons, but losing her for good.

Find it @ Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | iTunes | Goodreads

GIVEAWAY

CLICK HERE TO ENTER TO WIN A $10 GIFT CARD

Tour Stops

November 6 @ Lis Les Livres - Promo

November 7 @ Samantha Holt – Promo

November 14 @ Book Reviews & More by Kathy – Promo

November 16 @ Sarah’s Book Blog – Review and Excerpt

November 18 @ 3 Partners in Shopping, Nana, Mommy, & Sissy, Too! - Promo

November 21 @ JM Stewart–Contemporary Romance Author - Promo and Excerpts

November 22 @ Musings of a Writing Reader – Promo and Excerpt

November 23 @ Kimberly Leigh Writes –Review, Promo and Excerpt

November 24 @ Sylv Jenkins – Promo and Excerpt

November 25 @ Harlie’s Books – Review, Promo and Excerpt

November 28 @ LOVE WITHOUT YOU – Promo

November 29 @ Ali’s Books – Promo and Excerpts

November 30 @ Dawn’s Reading Nook – Promo

December 1 @ Musings and Ramblings – Promo and Excerpt

December  @ Crystal’s Many Reviewers – Review

December 3 @ The (Mis)Adventures of a Twenty-Something Year Old Girl - Review

December 4 @ Ramblings of a Book Lunatic – Review, Promo and Excerpt

‘Tis the Season to Kiss Santa: A Baby it’s Cold Outside Novella from Kate Hardy and Entangled Indulgence (#Giveaway)

‘Tis the Season to Kiss Santa

With the help of a sprig of mistletoe and some snow angels, a recently single pastry chef teaches a highly successful and sexy Scrooge the true meaning of the holidays on a snowy Christmas Eve that quickly heats up.

‘Tis the Season to Kiss Santa  Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo Books

“So that was your dream when you were a kid? To be a PR man?”

“Maybe.” Mitch couldn’t remember his dreams as a kid. Other than the need to get away as soon as he could. “Was that your dream—to be a pastry chef?”

“Yes. I always loved cooking, but especially cakes and desserts. I loved it when Betty came over to stay with us in the summer. She taught me how to make a proper gingerbread house.” Ellie smiled. “I made one for her to take into the hospital with her earlier this week.”

It didn’t surprise him. He’d already worked out that she was the sort who’d think of others.

He parked in the street as close to her place as he could. It looked as if it was one of the traditional Philadelphia row houses: three stories, with a flat roof and a bay window on the ground floor.

“I guess this is home, then,” he said.

“Yes. Well, my godmother’s.” She looked out of the window. “The snow’s getting worse. I didn’t see a snowplow all the way here, and I don’t like to think of you driving in this. Why don’t you come in for a while and wait it out? It’ll give the snowplows time to come and sort out the roads and make them safer for you to drive on later.”

What she said made perfect common sense—but it also gave Mitch an odd feeling. He wasn’t used to anyone being concerned about him. “I don’t want to inconvenience you.”

“My family’s all in London and my godmother’s in hospital. I don’t have any plans other than visiting her tomorrow, so you’re no inconvenience to me.”

She wrinkled her nose. It was incredibly cute, and it made Mitch want to lean over and kiss her.

He stopped himself.?Just.?“Though I guess you need to get in touch with your family to let them know where you are and that you’re okay,” she said. “They’ll be worrying about you.”

No, they wouldn’t. He’d been gone too long. He shook his head. “There’s nobody to worry about me.”

“Nobody? But—won’t you be seeing your family or friends for Christmas?”

“Not everyone celebrates Christmas.”

She flushed deeply, looking mortified. “Oh, no. What with you being Santa, I made the wrong assumption. I’m sorry. Obviously you’re Jewish.”

“No, I’m not Jewish. I just don’t celebrate Christmas.” “Why not?”?“Just call me Ebenezer,” he said lightly.

“Ebenezer Scrooge wouldn’t help out at a kids’ party and donate the gifts,” she pointed out, frowning.

He couldn’t take credit that definitely wasn’t due. “I helped out because my boss asked me to, and he’s the one who paid for the gifts.”

“Even so. Scrooge still would’ve said no.”

“I just don’t like Christmas. I don’t have particularly good memories of it when I was growing up.” The words came out before he could stop them.

Unbelievable.

She was practically a stranger and here he was, spilling his guts to her.

Big mistake. He needed to get going. Like now.

And yet there was no pity in her face when she looked at him. Just warmth and understanding. “I apologize for being pushy and nosy. Come in and have some coffee and warm up.”

He should say no. Make an excuse. Drive away as fast as the snow would let him.?But there was something about her he couldn’t resist, and he found himself saying thank you, locking his car, and following her into the house.

‘Tis the Season to Kiss Santa  Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo Books

About Kate Hardy

Kate Hardy is an award-winning author of over 50 books for Harlequin and is thrilled to be writing now for Indulgence. Her novel ‘Breakfast at Giovanni’s’ won the RNA Romance Prize in 2008 and she’s been shortlisted three more times for the award, as well as for two Romantic Times awards.

She lives in Norwich in the east of England with her husband, two children, springer spaniel, and too many books to count. She’s a bit of a nerd who loves cinema, the theatre, ballroom dancing history and cooking (which is why she has to go to the gym five times a week!), and adores anything Italian.

Reviewers say that her books are full of warmth, heart and charm – and also that you’ll learn something new and interesting from them! Kate also writes bestselling local history books under the name of Pamela Brooks.

Kate’s Website | Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

Giveaway

Click here to enter to win the following FABULOUS prizes!

One e-Book Copy of Fair Play by Tracy A. Ward
One e-Book Copy of The Best Man’s Baby by Victoria James
One e-Book Copy of Italian Affair by Annie Seaton

Virginia Kelly– Meeting JP Blackmon: In the Arms of a Stranger (#Giveaway)

Please welcome author Virginia Kelly with a guest blog, a giveaway, and the scoop on IN THE ARMS OF A STRANGER, her new romantic suspense from Entangled Ignite.

Meeting JP Blackmon: In the Arms of a Stranger

I’ve arranged to meet JP Blackmon, CIA operative and the hero of In the Arms of a Stranger, at a small diner on the corner of the square in a tiny Alabama town close to where the novel begins. I drive up to find several cars parked in the diagonal spots in front. It’s the end of the breakfast rush. I don’t know what JP drives anymore, so I’m not sure if he’s here yet.

I walk in as the radio is playing Lynard Skynyrd’s “Sweet Home Alabama.” A few people stare at me, some smile, several people nod and say, “Mornin’” as I look around, trying to find JP. He’s not here. I bet he stood me up. He didn’t sound at all eager to talk to me.

Then I catch a glimpse of him at the very back booth. He’s dressed in a navy blue Henley and is still wearing shades so I can’t tell whether he’s spotted me. He’s too still, like a predator waiting…

Wait a minute. I’m in a diner in nowhere Alabama. *I* arranged to meet him. I’m not being stalked. Sheesh. The guy’s so… indescribable.

I walk back. “I was afraid you’d stood me up.”

He stands as I slide into the seat across from him. “I wouldn’t do that.”

No, he wouldn’t. I can count on his word. He’d risk everything, even his life, when he’s given his word. I learned that just as Abby Price did.

“So, what did you want to talk about? I figure everything that needed saying was said in the book.”

“I just wanted to touch base. See how you’re doing.”

“Good. I’m good.” He nods and takes off the shades.

I instantly understand why Abby was so drawn to him. His eyes, a dark brown, are intense. He has the perfect stubble on that strong jaw and chin. His dark hair’s grown out a little since I last saw him.

“No,” he corrects quickly. “I’m doing great.” And he smiles. “Really great.”

Good God, the man can smile. It’s like he knows some little secret he’s not telling. And he does. Lots of little secrets and a whole world of big ones, too. Ones that if he disclosed, he’d have to kill me.

I never, ever thought I’d think such a thing.

“Was that it?” he asks, interrupting my muddled thoughts. “You just wanted to know how I’m doing?”

I nod, desperate to think of something to say that sounds reasonable, rather than blurting out that I just had to see him again.

“You could have asked me when you called.”

“I wanted to see for myself.”

He laughs. A rich, gorgeous sound that settles deep inside of me. Oh, God, if his smiles devastate, his laugh, well, it could be a lethal weapon.

“Oh, that’s rich.” He takes a breath. “You wrote the damn book. Don’t you know how I am?”

“The book ended.”

“You’re not…you know… poking around in my life anymore?”

“No, I just don’t want to lose touch.”

He smiles at that. Does he have a dimple I never noticed?

“Well, I’ve gotta go.” He glances out the window then back at me. “You’ve lived in Alabama. Abby hasn’t done a lot of hiking, but I thought I’d find a place that had some easier trails, some place she might enjoy seeing. Ideas?”

Lake Cheaha (photo by Virginia Kelly)

This I know. I can help him. It feels good. “Cheaha State Park, near Anniston, is the highest point in the state. It’s very nice, they have cabins, ones with the big stone fireplaces.”

I’m trying not to picture a night in front of a fireplace with JP Blackmon.

“You think she’d like it?”

“Yes, she’d like it.” Abby’s a lucky woman.

He glances at his watch. “Sorry, but I’ve gotta run. Good talking to you.”

With that, he scoots out of the booth in a smooth move that leaves me wondering how he does it after everything he went through. All the women watch him walk to the cash register.  Sleek, graceful. Sexy.

He pockets his wallet into worn jeans, then walks back to me. Every eye in the place is on him.

“Abby said she’d like to talk to you. She said you’ll be in Ocean Springs, Mississippi tomorrow. We’re driving over, too.” He pulls out a scrap of paper with a phone number on it. “She said to call her so you could meet.”

I wonder if he just forgot, or if he deliberately didn’t tell me. He probably wanted more alone time with Abby. Still, I nod, smiling, trying not to pump my fist in victory. I may see him again! I just can’t let him walk out of my life.

Maybe I’ll drive over to Ocean Springs tomorrow. I could enjoy some seafood, maybe a Gulf of Mexico sunset.  Maybe see JP again. Should I go? Would you?

Leave a comment and enter the Rafflecopter for a chance to win. Check the schedule to see if I manage to meet Abby and JP tomorrow. You can easily follow along by checking my Facebook Page. I’ll post the stop of the day there. It’s also available here.

In the Arms of a Stranger

A dangerous man on the run…

Wounded and accused of treason, CIA operative JP Blackmon is on the run from his own agency and desperate to clear his name. When he finds out his old partner is dead, he’ll do anything to get to the truth…including using his partner’s widow.

Finds a vulnerable woman looking for answers…

Abby Price wanted nothing more than a family and a safe home. But her late husband kept big secrets from her—secrets that got him killed and has government agents watching her every move. And she’s started fearing for her life. The only man who can help her is a mysterious stranger who suddenly appears out of nowhere. But can she trust him?

Together they discover a passion worth dying for.

As danger stalks them at every turn, unexpected passion flares between JP and Abby. But the last thing either wants or needs is more complications. Romance? No. Way. That would involve trust—something neither is willing to do. But in the end, sharing their deadly secrets is their only hope for survival…their only hope to hold onto the love they’ve just begun to share…

Find it @ Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Excerpt

“Is JP your real name?”

He smiled, and she realized she hadn’t seen one of his real smiles before. This one lit up his face, made his eyes laugh. There was devilment in the smile. “I don’t know you well enough to tell you that yet.”

Yet?

The look of him, the timbre of his voice, as if he really would know her well enough to—

Her breath caught. She couldn’t look away. That well?

She wanted to frown, to be outraged. But his eyes… Good heavens, his eyes. Everything about him, from his short dark hair, to his smile, to his broad shoulders, he was all captivating male.

Instead, she laughed. It was a totally unexpected reaction. She’d never reacted to anyone the way she did to JP. If that was his name…

And what came out of her mouth next was a total surprise. “When do you think you will?”

Virginia Kelly

An RWA Golden Heart® finalist, Virginia Kelly’s first book was published as To the Limit and finaled in several contests such as the Holt Medallion, The Golden Quill and The Aspen Gold.

Virginia has always loved adventure novels, but romance is at the core of her stories—romance with the adrenalin rush of danger. Against the Wind, a full-length novel, and Dancing in the Dark, the prequel novella to In the Arms of a Stranger, are about dangerous men and the adventurous women willing to take a chance on them.

Traveling is a passion that came early in life. Her first airplane ride was a trip over the Andes Mountains in Peru at the ripe old age of two months. Her travels provide the settings for her novels, whether it’s a fictitious Latin American country based on Peru, the country of her birth, or Florida and the American South where she now lives.

A graduate of the University of Alabama with a master’s degree in Library Science, Virginia is an academic librarian. She tries to include a librarian in all of her books as either the heroine or as a minor character. Having taught high school and college, she has a great appreciation for teachers and often uses that as the profession for her heroines.

Virginia’s Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Pinterest

Giveaway

Repeating Virginia’s note from above: Leave a comment and enter the Rafflecopter for a chance to win. Check the schedule to see if I manage to meet Abby and JP tomorrow. You can easily follow along by checking my Facebook Page. I’ll post the stop of the day there. It’s also available here.

CLICK HERE FOR RAFFLECOPTER

 

Marlene Sanchez: “Black Widow” Cover Reveal

Black Widow
by Marlene Sanchez
RELEASE DATE: APRIL 22, 2014

Reyna Montoya, a.k.a. Black Widow, is a top assassin. She’s good at what she does and gets the job done with precision. However, the recurring nightmare of seeing her parents murdered when she was sixteen in Cuba is a constant reminder of her ultimate plan… to find the killer and avenge her parents.

Nicolas Vargas fled Cuba with her after the murder, vowing to take care of her and help keep her safe. He is a self-taught computer genius and chemist and her best friend. After more than fifteen years of working closely together, the unrequited sexual tension between them is getting harder and harder to ignore. Would it ruin their friendship or make their bond stronger? However, Reyna is torn. Viper, Black Widow’s handler, is hot as hell and the sparks between them could burn them both.

As Reyna gets closer to her parents’ killer the distraction of two men is dangerous, and the true identity of the murderer could destroy them all.

EBOOK PRE-ORDER LINKS AVAILABLE HERE: http://classyscribe.com/black-widow-by-marlene-sanchez/

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Marlene Sanchez was born in New York and raised in Miami. Her family and friends are an important part of her life, a constant inspiration, and keep her motivated to succeed in pursuing her dream. She has had a passion for writing since her ninth grade English teacher put it all into perspective for her. “Write how you speak and write what you know.” She credits her teacher every chance she gets for giving her a love of writing!

Jenna Jaxon: Seduce Me (“Only Scandal Will Do” Blog Tour and #Giveaway)

Please welcome Jenna Jaxon, author of Only Scandal Will Do  and genuinely warm and awesome person who doesn’t run from me at RWA meetings.

Jenna Jaxon: Seduce Me

I think the topic of seduction and history is fascinating, because people have been seducing each other since before recorded time.  We find great seducers and seductresses in ancient civilizations (Cleopatra) and pretty consistently up through history (Casanova, Catherine the Great, Lord Byron), into today’s society. But what is it about seduction and remote historical periods gives rise to great romantic novels?

My first thought is that seduction in general appeals to the rebel in all of us.  We know who the bad boys and girls are from their reputations.  We ought to stay away, we really should.  But we can’t help but wonder what it would be like to be pursued and to succumb to the charms of our seducer.  Because, deep down, we want to rebel and be bad.  It’s exciting to have caught the attention of someone with a reputation and we want to experience that thrill ride just once.

Oscar Wild’s quip, “I can resist anything except temptation,” comes readily to mind.

What makes seduction even more appealing in an historical setting is that the stakes are higher.  Today’s society is much more morally lax than even one hundred years ago. We are interested in who’s hooked up, but we rarely think badly of them when we find out.

Go back to the 18th and 19th centuries, and you find there were dire consequences for such misbehavior.  Women’s reputations could be ruined simply by being seen talking alone with a known rake.  And reputation was everything during those periods.  If a woman lost her reputation, it had an impact not just on her, but on her family as well.  Remember Pride and Prejudice?  Lydia’s misconduct threatens the futures of all her sisters.

So the trope of the ‘bad boy” trying to charm a virtuous woman into his bed in an historical romance has more tension, more urgency to it because the magnitude of the possible loss for the woman is extraordinary.  And as most readers identify with the heroine, there is then more for them to lose, vicariously, as well.

In my novel, Only Scandal Will Do, my hero is quite an accomplished womanizer and seducer.  He’s able to skillfully manipulate the distraught heroine into believing he’s a caring protector who will try and save her from the dire circumstances that threaten her reputation.  Charm, charisma, and magnetism are several traits that these seductive characters possess.  They have a silver tongue, great intelligence and wit and use it unashamedly to their advantage.  And as much as we fear for the heroine’s virtue, we do love to see these men operate.

Perhaps my favorite “smooth operator” in an historical (other than my own wonderful rake), is Valmont in Dangerous Liaisons.  Played to perfection in the movie by John Malkovich, he is the epitome of the heartless, but supremely skilful seducer.

Seduction throughout history has been a game of cat and mouse, the mouse most often getting the worst end of the deal.  But we, as readers, love the chase, love the thrill of the hunt when the stakes are high.  With the result that historical romance and seduction are intimate bedfellows.  But that’s the point, then, isn’t it?

Only Scandal Will Do | Blurb

He has the woman of his dreams, but what price will he have to pay to win her heart?

Kidnapped and sold at auction in a London brothel, Lady Katarina Fitzwilliam squelches an undeniable attraction to the masked stranger who purchased her, pits her wits against him, and escapes him and the scandal that would ruin her life.

Unable to resist temptation in a London brothel, Duncan Ferrers, Marquess of Dalbury, purchases a fiery beauty. She claims she’s a lady, but how can she be? No lady of his acquaintance in polite society is anything like her. Then he discovers she is who she says, and that this latest romp has compromised her reputation. He knows how that is. One more scandal and he’ll be cast out of London society, but he needs a wife who’ll provide an heir to carry on his illustrious family’s name. He seeks out Katarina, intending only to scotch the scandal, but instead finds his heart ensnared. He’s betting their future he’ll capture her heart, but does he have what it takes to win the wager?

WARNING: A blade-wielding heroine who crosses swords with a master of sensuality.

Title:  Only Scandal Will Do
Genre:  Historical Romance
Author:  Jenna Jaxon
Find it @ Amazon | Barnes & Noble | ARe | iTunes

Only Scandal Will Do | Excerpt

His touch, like fine silk drawn over her skin, sent a pang of longing through her. Could she permit someone else to be strong for her, just this once? He understood the fears she faced tonight and sought to vanquish them, as any knight errant would seek to make amends. He continued to stroke her cheek, her jaw, her chin, his touch feather light. A powerful, unreasoning desire assaulted her to feel his strong arms around her, sheltering her from the harsh world. She was hardly surprised, then, to find him gathering her against his broad chest.

“Lean your head just there, sweet.”

She could hear the strong beat of his heart, smell the clean, comforting citrus of his cologne. The fresh scent reminded her of home.

“You will be all right now,” he whispered, holding her securely to him. Safe at last. She closed her eyes and leaned into his caresses, contentment stealing through her for the first time since leaving Virginia.

With a finger beneath her chin, he lifted her face up to his. Her eyes flew open and peace fled as he pressed her mouth with a gentle kiss that stole what breath she had left. His lips–soft, warm, insistent–generated heat all the way to her toes. A sensation so overpowering she forgot everything around her, giving herself completely to the pleasures of that kiss.

Somehow his tongue slipped through her quivering lips, stroked her tongue, and caressed the depths of her mouth. She groaned, her face aflame at this unexpected intimacy. No man had ever kissed her this way, plundering where he would and denying her the will to protest. Raw power leaped from his mouth, streaked through her body, inflamed her craving even more.

Every magnificent swirl of his tongue resonated, not only in her mouth but in the deep, private places of her body as well. She moaned into his mouth, the low, guttural sound rising from some unknown reservoir of need. Pressing against him, she slid her hands up the steely hard muscles of his back evident even through his cloak and clothes.

All she wanted was his hands on her, his tongue in her. Of its own accord, her tongue thrust into him, bringing a growl of approval that encouraged her to frenzied explorations of his warm, wet mouth. He slipped a hand down and rested it on the swell of her breast, impudently nudging a finger inside the gown’s low decolletage and brushing it against her aching nipple.

Blue fire shot directly from his finger through her breast, causing Kat to gasp and arch against him. With a chuckle the man released her lips, but before she could protest, lowered his head and seized her nipple through the sheer white cloth. The gauzy fabric might as well not be there, for she could feel every lash of his circling tongue. The crest contracted into a small, tight bud. Another streak of fire leaped straight to the vulnerable core between her thighs. An unexpected bloom of heat raced through her and she moaned louder.

About Jenna Jaxon

Jenna Jaxon is a multi-published author of historical and contemporary romance.  Her historical romance, Only Scandal Will Do, the first in a series of five interconnecting novels, was released in July 2012. Her contemporary works include Hog Wild, Almost Perfect, and 7 Days of Seduction.  She is a PAN member of Romance Writers of America as well as a member of Chesapeake Romance Writers. Her medieval romance, Time Enough to Love, is being published this year as a series of three novellas.  The first book, Betrothal, released on April 19th.

Jenna has been reading and writing historical romance since she was a teenager.  A romantic herself, she has always loved a dark side to the genre, a twist, suspense, a surprise.  She tries to incorporate all of these elements into her own stories. She lives in Virginia with her family and a small menagerie of pets.  When not reading or writing, she indulges her passion for the theatre, working with local theatres as a director.  She often feels she is directing her characters on their own private stage.

She has equated her writing to an addiction to chocolate because once she starts she just can’t stop.

Connect @ Blog | Facebook | Twitter:  @Jenna_Jaxon

Giveaway

How lucky is this day? You get not one but TWO giveaways!

Free copy of BETROTHAL

If you’d like a free copy of Betrothal, simply leave a comment with your email address and Jenna will send one your way. Amazeballs, right?

Paperback giveaway of ONLY SCANDAL WILL DO

If you’d like a paperback copy of Only Scandal Will Do, head over to Goodreads to enter the giveaway. (By the way, this book is absolutely gorgeous…it’s well worth buying the print copy if you don’t win!) Click here to enter

 

4 Chances to Win a $13 #Giftcard (Easy Entry, INT)

‘Tis the season for Halloween treats, and boy do we ever have them around here! But they’re ending soon, so if you haven’t entered, now is the time. And with that, my friends, it’s back to the writing cave for me!

PLEASE NOTE: You are welcome to comment on this post, but that will NOT count as an entry into any of these giveaways. YOU MUST CLICK THE IMAGES TO GO TO EACH OF THE INDIVIDUAL GIVEAWAYS TO ENTER!

1-DAY 99c SALE: “Her Wicked Sin” and other Entangled Scandalous Historical Romance

If you’ve had your eye on HER WICKED SIN, love historical romance, or want to give the genre a try, today is the day. Why? Because Entangled Scandalous is having a sale! Most of Entangled’s historical romances are just 99 cents TODAY ONLY. This is a significant savings off the $2.99 cover price, so stock up. Seriously. GO!

Find it for 99 cents @ Amazon | Barnes & Noble |  iTunes 

Her Wicked Sin

SALEM, MA 1692

On a moonless night, he rides into the winter forest on his beast as black as midnight….

Dashing stranger, Henry Dunham, comes to Salem on a mysterious errand, but is thrown from his horse in the dead of night and rescued by the local Puritan midwife, Lydia Colson.

Haunted by her past, Lydia is running from her own dark secrets, avoiding intrusive questions by pretending her dead husband is simply…away. But when she and Henry are caught in a compromising situation, one punishable by Puritan law, he saves her from scandal by claiming to be her errant spouse…and claiming her bed.

Forced to fake a marriage, Lydia and Henry find their passion overwhelming and their vows a little too real. As their lies become truths, a witch hunt closes in on Lydia, threatening not only their burgeoning love, but her life.

The characters were rich and the dialog perfect….The writing was simply beautiful.

–Amazon review by Mackinnon

“A thrilling romantic historical that deals with the Salem witch trials in a way that’s never been done before. Amazing!” 

- NY Times and USA Today Bestselling Author Rachel Van Dyken (cover quote)

Find it for just 99 cents @ Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iTunes 

To see more fantastic historical romance titles from Entangled’s Scandalous line, click the image below, or click here to go directly to Amazon.

Haunted Open House #Giveaway Blog Hop (Oct 23-30, INT)

Welcome to Nancy Gideon’s 3rd Annual Haunted Open House! This blog hop features dozens of giveaways, so be sure to hop for your chance at truly fantastic treats. You’ll find the list of participants here…but don’t go anywhere just yet. I have a gift card to give away. (YES, ANOTHER ONE! Feel free to enter all the giveaways…each one has its own prize!)

My Favorite Halloween Traditions

Like most families, we’ve developed a few holiday traditions over the years. One of the most beloved is our all-day Halloween party (made possible by homeschooling, lol), in which we decorate like crazy and serve spooky and/or disgusting appetizers all day. Deviled eggs turn into bloodshot eyes with green pupils, we eat lunchmeat “fingers” and spicy baked “rats” and whatever else I manage to come up with that will gross us out. By the time we leave for trick-or-treating, we’re all completely stuffed. (Therein lies the strategy, lol!)

Another tradition–and truly one of my favorites–is this DVD. (That is NOT an affiliate link, btw.) I think it’s the only exposure to Garfield my kids have ever had, but each one of them (from the teens to the preschoolers) absolutely love watching this. There are three 30-minute episodes starting with Halloween, then moving on to Thanksgiving, and finally to Christmas. WE ADORE THEM. This DVD plays countless times in our house from October through December, and it’s one of those that will bring the house to a standstill as everyone drops what they’re doing to watch. (Can you say PARENTAL SECRET WEAPON? Yes, it’s *that* good!)

And speaking of good, let’s get to the GREAT stuff.

Giveaway

I’m giving away a $13 gift card to Amazon or Barnes & Noble, winner’s choice. To enter, all you have to do is leave a comment. (You do not need to publicly post your email address as long as you leave it in the comment form, but please do make sure there’s contact info so I can find you if you win!)

Though you are not required to do so, I’d greatly appreciate it if you’d consider following my blog (the box is in the upper left sidebar), liking me on Facebook, following me on Twitter, or checking out one of my new releases featured below. Also, don’t forget to check out my other giveaways by clicking the image in the sidebar…and of course my brand new releases from Entangled Publishing!

Ruby Hill – only 99 cents!

One reunion. One ghost. One night that will change everything…

From her earliest memories, Ashley Pearce has been drawn to Ruby Hill Lunatic Asylum, and she’s not the only one. Decades after the abandoned hospital ended its institutional reign of torture and neglect, something lurks in the shadows. Since she’s a paranormal investigator, it’s Ashley’s job to find out what.

Crime scene expert Corbin Malone doesn’t believe in ghosts. A born skeptic, he has no interest in entertaining the hype surrounding the mysterious deaths at Ruby Hill, but he won’t turn his back while more women die. He agrees to an overnight investigation, never expecting his first encounter would be with the woman he pushed away a year ago. But when he discovers Ashley is a target, he learns his greatest fear isn’t living with his own demons, but losing her for good.

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HER WICKED SIN (A Sins of Salem Novel)

SALEM, MA 1692

On a moonless night, he rides into the winter forest on his beast as black as midnight….

Dashing stranger, Henry Dunham, comes to Salem on a mysterious errand, but is thrown from his horse in the dead of night and rescued by the local Puritan midwife, Lydia Colson.

Haunted by her past, Lydia is running from her own dark secrets, avoiding intrusive questions by pretending her dead husband is simply…away. But when she and Henry are caught in a compromising situation, one punishable by Puritan law, he saves her from scandal by claiming to be her errant spouse…and claiming her bed.

Forced to fake a marriage, Lydia and Henry find their passion overwhelming and their vows a little too real. As their lies become truths, a witch hunt closes in on Lydia, threatening not only their burgeoning love, but her life.

Find it @ Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | iTunes | Goodreads

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Sarah Ballance: 5 Fascinating Facts about the Salem Witch Trials

This guest blog originally appeared on Paranormal Romance Fans for Life. 

5 Fascinating Facts about the Salem Witch Trials

Even though I count myself a bit of a fanatic over dark history—Salem witch trials included—quite a bit of what I discovered while researching my new historical romance, HER WICKED SIN, came as a surprise to me. Here are five facts that I found, well, bewitching. J

1. The Old Salem Witch Jail, where many of the accused awaited execution, doubled as a tavern and social gathering place. It was filthy, rat infested, and disgusting, but they served stiff drinks, so…um, no, I still wouldn’t go, lol. By the way, after the trials ended the jail was closed and sold, later becoming a private residence. (ERMAGERD, I would SO not sleep there!)

2. If you were accused and found guilty of witchcraft and denied it, you were jailed and—in at least 25 known cases—met an unpleasant fate. If you confessed, you were forgiven. Forgiven. So why didn’t more of the Puritans ‘fess up to avoid death? It was a matter of principal: they simply would not confess to sins they did not commit.

3. Puritans didn’t tend to lock up their prisoners—rather, they were simply trusted not to walk out. Certainly some tried, and those who did were caught and killed. A much better option of “escape” was to buy one’s freedom for a day, but the prisoner had to return each night…or else.

4. Spectral evidence was responsible for quite a few convictions. Basically, this means it doesn’t matter if you had an alibi. Your ghost, or spirit, simply flew away from your body, did witchy things, and wandered back of its own accord—all while you were having dinner with the minister or baking bread with the goodwives. It didn’t matter how many witnessed your innocence…people were HANGED because someone else dreamed they were somewhere they weren’t.

5. The beginning of the end of the hysteria came about when the Governor’s own wife was accused. One could easily wonder how the course of history might have changed if this guy didn’t really, really like his wife. (Thank goodness this predates sitcom husbands, right? LOL!)

Thank y’all so much for hanging out with me today! If you’d like to check out HER WICKED SIN, you’ll find a smexy excerpt at Entangled and buy links @  Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | iTunes | Goodreads. And if you like haunted asylums, my supernatural novella RUBY HILL is now available from Entangled Publishing for just 99 cents. Go scare yourself up a copy!

Her Wicked Sin | Excerpt

She seemed nowhere as flustered as he as she extracted his shirt from his breeches, but the very act of this woman undressing him sent desire coursing astray. Though new to her acquaintance, he found her innately appealing. Never before had he been so taken with a woman, even as he’d entertained a long parade of those pushed to claim access to his fortune through the transaction of marriage.

None had been like Lydia.

When her hands fell to his bare abdomen, the air crackled like the fire upon the hearth. Even she seemed startled as she drew breath and froze, save for her eyes seeking his, but she quickly pushed aside her hesitation and worked her soft ministrations against his skin. Her innocence only increased her appeal, though she was no untried girl. She was a widow who had surely known the pleasures of the marital bed.

His thoughts in cooperation with her touch roused his manhood, and his breeches did little to hide the evidence. For perhaps the first time in his twenty-four years, he cursed his need. He would do nothing willingly to alienate himself from the lovely physician’s company, but he could not stop that for which he ached.

She had dismissed her hesitance, no longer seeking permission to explore him. He sought in her a trace of the desire he cultivated, but she did not meet his eye. Not until she found his flustered groin did she speak. “You are not yet incapacitated, are you now?”

He blinked his surprise. Oh, how her quick tongue captured him! “Forgive me. You must know how you provoke desire.”

“I know the reputation of man,” she said. “Desire need not be provoked by much.”

ONLY $2.99! Find it @ Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | iTunes | Goodreads

Her Wicked Sin | Blurb

SALEM, MA 1692

On a moonless night, he rides into the winter forest on his beast as black as midnight….

Dashing stranger, Henry Dunham, comes to Salem on a mysterious errand, but is thrown from his horse in the dead of night and rescued by the local Puritan midwife, Lydia Colson.

Haunted by her past, Lydia is running from her own dark secrets, avoiding intrusive questions by pretending her dead husband is simply…away. But when she and Henry are caught in a compromising situation, one punishable by Puritan law, he saves her from scandal by claiming to be her errant spouse…and claiming her bed.

Forced to fake a marriage, Lydia and Henry find their passion overwhelming and their vows a little too real. As their lies become truths, a witch hunt closes in on Lydia, threatening not only their burgeoning love, but her life.

ONLY $2.99! Find it @ Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | iTunes | Goodreads

#Roadrip 4: Nine Days & 5,000 Miles…Mt. Rushmore and the Black Hills

If you’ve missed a mile or two, you can catch up on the highlights here, or see pics from the drive west here and here. Today we’re in the beautiful Black Hill country of South Dakota.

Beautiful black hill country in South Dakota

Mt. Rushmore National Monument – you really have to see this to appreciate it. It’s absolutely amazing.

Mt. Rushmore as seen from the viewing terrace. (That’s my munchkin down there.)

The kids with Mt. Rushmore in the background.

There’s a paved walkway that brings you right to the base of the mountain. These loose rocks were actually blasted from the monument site.

This rock from the “rubble” of Mt. Rushmore shows the drilling lines that were used to break it loose from the monument.

Here’s a view of the viewing terrace from the base of Mt. Rushmore.

Two of the kids after a climb on Wrinkled Rock in Black Hills National Forest.

Hill City, SD…and I’m pretty sure you can see at least 25% of the entire town in this picture, lol. We LOVED it here. (Two days after we left, they were hit with a record-breaking snowstorm.)

Lunch at the Bumpin’ Buffalo Bar & Grill (Hill City, SD) was astoundingly good. The kid in the middle of this picture had a bison burger for lunch, after which he said it was strange to eat bison with a bison looking on.

The rail depot where we caught the 1880 steam train through the Black Hills.

Inside the 100-year-old rail cars of the 1880 train in Hill City, SD. If you look ahead, you can see into the next car.

An old mine from the 1800s.

The Black Hills as seen from the 1880s train.

Old rail spurs from the 1800s that led to various mining camps.

It was surprisingly hard to get a picture of the train while I was still on it, LOL. By the way, this train track with its long stretch of 7% grade (not pictured) is one of the steepest in the United States.

Here’s the steam engine. When we reached our initial destination, the engine relocated to the other end of the train for the trip back.

Two of my girls on the 1880 train.

An abandoned mining camp, as seen from the 1880 train.

Back on the road headed east out of Rapid City, SD.

I never got tired of these amazing views. Near Wall, SD.

This, my friends, is the road to Badlands National Park–one of the most amazing places I’ve ever seen. It has the same wow factor as the Grand Canyon (I’ve been there, too) but you simply don’t see pictures of the Badlands like you do the Grand Canyon, which makes the way the earth drops away absolutely jaw-dropping. Want to see it? If you join me next time, I’ll take you there.