Rose Anderson's Blog, page 70

January 4, 2013

Day 4 of the Naughty New Year’s Blog Hop!

It’s day 4 of the Naughty New Year’s Blog Hop!

Follow to the Naughty New Year’s Blog Hop

To recap: More than 200 authors are taking part in five days of fun and prizes. Visit the participating blogs and leave a comment and your contact email on that day’s post. Be sure to visit every blog on the list and comment each day to increase your chances of winning the grand prize: a $100 Gift Card to EdenFantasys.com (an adult toy store), and a 10-book bundle of ebooks.

Don’t have a Kindle but still want those ebook prizes? Get a free Kindle for PC download and read ebooks on your computer.

Free Kindle for PC download

You could walk away from the Hop with a lot of prizes. Every author is offering additional prizes on their blogs. Mine is an ebook copy of Loving Leonardo – An unusual polyamorous, bi, Victorian love story with a touch of interactive art history. This part one in a two-book story. Loving Leonardo — The Quest comes out sometime late January or early February.

~~~~~oOo~~~~~

I’d like to introduce another book — Hermes Online — my very first novel, and a CataNetwork Sensual Reads Reviewer’s Choice Award Winner of 2011

To take a peek inside the book, go to Amazon.

http://www.amazon.com/Hermes-Online/B004W8E8HM

Here’s the blurb:

Imagine if you will a story begun in the halls of Mount Olympus long before this modern tale was conceived. It was a time when the god Hermes flew on his winged sandals and carried messages from the gods to the mortals below. And between that time and this, couriers became postmen and handwritten letters became bytes. It is said the gods still speak to those who listen… Left bruised and brokenhearted after a cruel breakup, Vivienne Bennet finds herself mired in a world of self-doubt. To her surprise, she receives an email that challenges her to rediscover the sensual woman she once was. Together Vivienne and the enigmatic man known only as S embark upon the world of anonymous Internet communication where suggestive emails lead to erotic chat, where cybersex leads to Skype, and C2C sends both into the arms of a love they’d believed lost forever.

::Fun Fact::

When I came up with the name for this novel, the only thought I had in mind was the Greek myth of Hermes delivering messages from the gods. Flash forward to today, and emails magically appear in our inbox. Add to that the fact my character Vivienne went to Greece as a student and I was quite pleased with my unusual title. Notice I said was. The title has been a source of a few chuckles along the way. First off, just about everywhere I’ve guest blogged about this book, the host tells me they’ve had a tremendous amount of hits on their blog for that day. That’s nice. I’m also signed up for Google Alerts , and that tells me when my title is mentioned on the internet. In theory that should work. To date I’ve never received notice of this book being anywhere. But I do get a DAILY notice of who’s selling Hermes handbags, purses, and clutches online! lol I suspect the uncharacteristically high volume of hits on all those blogs might have been from people hunting down handbags. Every once in a while, a perplexed reader will wonder where the Greek gods are in the story.

FYI: The gods are there, but it’s not their tale.

::My Favorite Quote by Vivienne’s Penpal::

Allow me to pay homage to the goddess you are. Let me begin at your little feet. Feel me lightly kiss, and yes, you will feel me bite ever so slightly, for the need to devour you is great. Reply lover. I await. S

>>>>oOo<<<<

Excerpt. Can you *feel* a written kiss?

I closed the Word document and absently twirled my hair, lost in thought. There was so much of me in there, even the decorations in Jonathan’s house said much about me. The fact that Lily looks identical to me was rather Freudian too, come to think. I laughed out loud at the thought. It’s funny how our subconscious mind tells us what’s what sometimes. The subconscious mind intuits what the conscious mind misses at first glance. Yes, the phone sex story was a whim, and who would have thought six years later, it would help me find my way back to myself? I wished in that moment my pen pal stood right here so I could say thank you. I’d thank him for lighting the match that eventually relit the candle of my self-confidence. I’d kiss him for real.

I pressed my fingers to my lips, imagining this curious and compelling green-eyed, chestnut-haired, large-handed, well-endowed man kissing me. And unbelievably, my panties got soaking wet. I flexed my fingers and crafted a scene from the sizzling phantom fire playing over my lips.

Having experienced amazing kisses in my life added just enough realism to the blend of movie kisses. I told the screen, “So, you want a kiss, eh? Then what will you think of this?”

S,

There is so much more to kissing for the first time than meets the eye. The would-be lovers laugh and smile and delight in each other’s company. They talk, getting to know each other, trying to find the choicest morsels of their life and personality to share. They might hold hands for hours as they wander here and there. And when they sit side by side, perhaps on a bench at a museum, they’ll look in feigned interest at the passersby, glance again and again at the exhibit, but not really seeing it. First, one will turn inward, the movement slight, barely noticeable. And then with no clear knowledge of doing so, the one will magically mirror the other. Their knees may touch, and one set of clasped hands might rest innocently upon a knee. And then a noise, a temporary distraction, might take their attention for a second, and both heads will turn to the sound, inadvertently closer now than before. When one turns back, their faces will be mere inches apart. Their eyes, green and gray, will hold each other’s gazes, darting from one sparkling pupil to the other. They might unfocus to drink in the entire face for a second, perhaps lingering on the person’s smile before meeting the gaze once more, a gaze noticeably warmer than a moment ago.

One face may turn a little, and in mirrored image, the other follows, only slightly tipped in the opposite direction. And the eyes ask the silent question as two thoughts become superimposed — May I kiss you? Will you kiss me? The answer is subtle, missed by nearly everyone passing by, everyone save the smiling elder couple holding gnarled hands and assisted by their canes. Perhaps they, too, once shared a kiss sitting there, or plan to again later. But locked in their own world, they don’t notice the elder pair walk by.

They are aware now only of each other, aware of little things, the flush on her cheeks, the gleam in his eye, the color of her moist lips, the imperceptible flare of his nostrils as he subconsciously reminds his body to breathe. They touch now. The kiss is at first soft, the lips asking permission for the firmness they crave. Another kiss grants this and another and another as faces turn to fit around chins and cheeks and noses. And then loose and pliable, those lips part now to make way for tentative tongues. These too begin their searching, gently at first then becoming bolder as they instinctively react to the warmth of each other’s mouths and thrust as hands cup cheeks and arms wind around shoulders, drawing each other ever inward into the private space that shuts the waking world out and lets the dream begin.

V

Little did I realize when I began this kissing scene that I would abandon the amalgamated movie kisses. I stopped and read those words, my words, my kiss. That kiss had been real, as had the love behind it. My eyes filled with tears, but I sent it on. Feeling alone, I rose from my chair and walked away.

See you tomorrow for day 5!

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Published on January 04, 2013 20:53

January 3, 2013

Day 3 of the Naughty New Year’s Blog Hop!

Welcome to day 3 of the Naughty New Year’s Blog Hop!

Follow to the Naughty New Year’s Blog Hop

To recap: Join more than 200 authors taking part in five days of fun and prizes. Visit the participating blogs and leave a comment and your contact email on that day’s post. Be sure to visit every blog on the list and comment each day to increase your chances of winning the grand prize: a $100 Gift Card to EdenFantasys.com (an adult toy store), and a 10-book bundle of ebooks.

Get a free Kindle for PC download and read ebooks on your computer.

Free Kindle for PC download

~~~~~oOo~~~~~

Today, I’d like to introduce Dreamscape

To take a peek inside the book, go to Amazon.

http://www.amazon.com/Dreamscape/B005HIL5MM

Here’s the blurb:

Unable to deny his own translucence, Dr. Jason Bowen determines his lack of physical substance could only mean one thing—he’s a ghost. Murdered more than a century before, Jason haunts his house and ponders the treachery that took his life. When Lanie O’Keefe arrives with plans to renovate her newly purchased Victorian mansion, Jason discovers, ghost or not, he’s still very much a man. Despite its derelict condition and haunted reputation, Lanie couldn’t be happier with her new home, but then she has no idea a spirit follows her every move throughout the day and shares her captivating warmth at night. Jason soon discovers he can travel through Lanie’s dreams and finds himself reliving the days before his murder with Lanie by his side. It took one hundred and twenty years for love to find them, but there’s that insurmountable little matter of Jason being dead.

::Fun Fact::

On the outside, Dreamscape, with its haunted house and gentleman ghost, is a story set between two time periods. But on the inside, it’s actually much more than that. This unlikely love story is also a murder, a suspense, a mystery, a time travel (via dreams) and if all that wasn’t enough, it’s also an Easter egg hunt for readers. Easter eggs, in this sense, are intentionally hidden messages. I tried to make them as visible as I could and in such number that readers would say to themselves, Was that intentional? It must mean something!

Why did I write a secondary story running parallel to the ghost story? Growing up, I was a huge fan of author Agatha Christie’s work. Many of her books were filled with arrows pointing at clues. Some of these were veiled, some intentionally hidden in plain sight, and all pointed to the truth even if details around them said otherwise. I remember my delight the first time I discovered a clue left out in the open for the reader to trip over. With that moment of discovery in mind, I wrote Dreamscape to tickle the imagination while turning expectations on their ends.

::Dreamscape’s Best Ah Ha Moment::

Resisting the overpowering urge to touch her again, he closed his eyes instead and whispered, “Dream, sweetheart. Show me where you go each night.” And, just as he projected himself from room to room, the energy of his spirit plied her synapses…and to his complete and utter surprise, he fell into her dream.

See you tomorrow for day 4!

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Published on January 03, 2013 17:40

Day 2 of the Naughty New Year’s Blog Hop!

It’s day 2 of the Naughty New Year’s Blog Hop!

Follow to the Naughty New Year’s Blog Hop

Don’t have a Kindle but still want those ebook prizes? Get a free Kindle for PC download and read ebooks on your computer.

Free Kindle for PC download

~~~~~oOo~~~~~

So… to continue my part in the event, I’m introducing my books. My most recent release is The Witchy Wolf and the Wendgo.

To take a peek inside the book, go to Amazon.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00AFFFESI

Here’s the blurb:

What does an immortal Native American shaman do when the grave he’s sworn to watch over for all eternity disappears under urban development?

His purpose of guarding his wife’s burial mound is gone, Ashkewheteasu seeks to end his immortal existence. In his despair, Ash assumes the form of a wolf and steps in front of a moving car and into the life of Dr. Olivia “Livie” Rosalini. The veterinarian saves the animal’s life, and in the process saves the man within. Livie has no idea the wolfish dog she’s taken into her home and grows to love is a magical being seeking to win her heart as a man. While Ash is learning a new world filled with new love, friendship, and happiness, an old menace makes plans to steal it all away; just as he had 3000 years before.

::Fun Fact::

This story was inspired by a local urban legend — the Wisconsin Wolf Man.

::Best Slapstick by an Ancient Shaman::

Knowing he had to resume his wolf form at Livie’s home, he took a deep breath and shifted, but his inebriated mind was not concentrating and he ended up with a raven’s head atop his man’s body. He tried again. Forgetting that he still wore clothes, he found himself a small bird, pinned and struggling under the heavy garments that had fallen to the ground in a heap. He shifted into a feathered snake before taking the form of a mouse and working his way out of a sleeve.

The movement caught the attention of an owl on its nightly hunting foray. Just as it was about to swoop low on silent wings, intent on nabbing the large field mouse, a naked man with a mouse tail and whiskers appeared. The owl, clearly startled, flew off into the night. Laughing, Ash raised his arms and yelled after it, “This is not your night, my brotherrrr!”

Tail and whiskers absorbed into his changing form and once again bare skin grew feathers. He shifted into a raven — a six-foot-tall raven. Laughing at himself, he made his body small and flew fast to Livie’s home, albeit not in a straight line.

See you tomorrow for day 3!

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Published on January 03, 2013 04:02

January 1, 2013

Day 1 of the Naughty New Year’s Blog Hop!

Starting the year off with a bang, welcome to day 1 of the Naughty New Year’s Blog Hop!

Follow to the Naughty New Year’s Blog Hop

More than 200 authors are taking part in five days of fun and prizes. Visit the participating blogs and leave a comment and your contact email on that day’s post. Be sure to visit every blog on the list and comment each day to increase your chances of winning the grand prize: a $100 Gift Card to EdenFantasys.com (an adult toy store), and a 10-book bundle of ebooks.

What’s more, every author is offering additional prizes on their blogs. Mine is an ebook copy of Loving Leonardo – An unusual polyamorous, bi, Victorian love story with a touch of interactive art history. It’s a win win!..or maybe even a win win win…. :)

Santa didn’t bring that Kindle you asked for? Get a free Kindle for PC download and read your ebook prizes on your computer.

Free Kindle for PC download

People ask how I came to write Loving Leonardo. In many ways this story is a social statement, for love is a very large emotion with room to spare. Believe it or not, this story came out of America’s mid-summer politics. The news was filled with women’s issues and talk of “progressives”. Where had I heard “women’s issues” and “progressive” before? The Suffragettes. Before I knew it, I’d written a very American and very unorthodox Victorian progressive named Ellie.

Here’s the blurb:

Bound by limits dictated by society, Art Historian Nicolas Halstead lived a guarded life until a tempest in the form of Elenora Schwaab blew into his world. At first Nicolas can’t decide if the audacious American is simply mad or plotting blackmail for not only does she declare knowledge of his homosexuality, she offers him a marriage proposal.

After Ellie tells him of a previously unknown work of Leonardo da Vinci, a book of erotic love poems and sketches dedicated to the artist’s long-time lover Salai, Nicolas joins her in a race to save the book from destruction. Along the way they encounter Historian Luca Franco and discover a comfortable compatibility that comes to redefine their long-held notions of love. The trio embarks on an adventure of sensual discovery, intrigue, and danger. Little do they know Leonardo da Vinci’s book is far more than meets the eye.

After the first three chapters I realized these characters might go beyond this story and solve crimes a la Dashiell Hammett’s Nick and Nora Charles. On a whim, I chose their names to go with that idea – Nicolas Halstead and Elenora Schwaab.

The main observer in this romantic tale is Nicolas Halstead, a man of means forced by society to wear a disguise. He’s the narrator here and it’s through his perspective that we see and feel his world. An art historian by profession, Nicolas can’t help but compare life to art. Because of this, he leaves many references to artists and artworks scattered throughout the pages.

Why did I create an interactive art history scavenger hunt in an erotic romance?

Thinking on that now, I suppose it’s because I grew up in Chicago. The city is famous for its museums and renowned Art Institute and I spent a lot of time in all of them. I’ve seen paintings in the Art Institute that so captured my fancy, I can picture them with clarity all these years later. Because artworks have the ability to evoke an emotional response as well as capture a moment, I’ve put art references in this story. If my readers would like to see what Nicolas sees when he mentions artworks, do look them up. This interactive bit of art history isn’t necessary to the story, though to see what he sees will certainly add color to the tale. The titles and artists mentioned are not randomly picked off a list. I chose each carefully to reflect the moment and emotion I wanted to convey.

Where does Leonardo da Vinci fit into this tale?

I’m a huge informational reader and one person I find particularly fascinating is Leonardo Da Vinci. Because of his bastardy, Leonardo was denied traditional education. Self-taught for the most part, Da Vinci immersed himself in the world to learn. What else could my characters do but the same? Da Vinci was an artist. Nicolas is an art historian. Da Vinci was a philosopher. Progressive Ellie was a student of philosophy. Da Vinci was a grand inventor, much of his knowledge based upon processes that came before him. Luca is a historian. Before I knew it, these three were having the most amazing discussions! Certainly love had to follow such compatibility.

But no one likes a novel without a story in it. The Victorian era had a seedy side few people realize. It wasn’t enough just to have three people fall in love in a very unorthodox manner, I added obstacles and roadblocks to make the journey rough.

And for balance – I created a conscienceless adversary who’d do absolutely anything to get what he wanted. Yes, I freely admit I enjoy shaking the snowglobe.

Loving Leonardo – The Quest comes out early 2013. From there, my three lovers might have more stories to tell.

See you tomorrow for day 2!

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Published on January 01, 2013 18:30

December 20, 2012

Taking a Breath

Whew. Three blog hops later, it’s time to take a breath. I’ve offered gift ideas you can make yourself, a few tasty recipes relevant to the season, video book trailers, blurbs, quotes, links, and excerpts. I’ve met some fun people, mailed some swag, given most of my prizes, and packed the rest to mail after the holidays. And, as I’d hoped, I’ve expanded my horizons by introducing myself to people I wouldn’t have met otherwise. I’ve had over 700 guests, the majority of them new. Of these, a portion left comments, a portion subscribed, a portion Liked, a portion complimented, and a portion followed my link to Amazon because my books are selling! Hopefully my writing will gain a few more fans.

If you’re stumbling to my blog for the first time and you’d like to see those do-it-yourself gift instructions and recipes, simply scroll back to earlier posts. If you’re coming back to see if you’ve won my prizes, you’ve heard from me buy now if you have. I hope you enjoy.

Eleven days left to December and January is already simmering. Starting of 2013 with a bang – The Naughty New Years Blog Hop! After that, I’m laying off the Hops for a while (lol sounds like I’m talking about beer)…though I might talk myself into one for Valentine’s Day.

~~o~~~~o~~~~o~~~~o~~~~o~~

Being a Midwestern gal, I love snow. We’re supposed to have a blizzard today and the me that’s a little kid at heart, is excited. The larder is stocked with the requisite milk, eggs, bread, and peanut butter. Let the winds blow, let the snow fall, we’re safe from the storm. I may lose power, I think I’ll bake something and perhaps make a pot of soup. Being in the country, I’m sure I’ll lose internet. But I’ll be back. Until then, from my family to yours, have a safe and happy holiday season. And don’t sweat the Mayan’s end of the calendar/world tomorrow. Cultures have been erroneously picking that date for millennia. Remember, calendars are a human invention and to err is human.

To end this post, I’m sharing one of my favorite snow lover’s videos from youtube.

Have a smile on me.

~~o~~~~o~~~~o~~~~o~~~~o~~

If you’d like to learn more about my books, thoughts, future projects, and things I’ve found to navigate the author’s world, pour yourself a spot of tea and dig into my blog. You’re sure to find something useful or entertaining.

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Published on December 20, 2012 07:52

December 19, 2012

Last day of The Secret Santa Blog Hop!

Hello! Welcome to the last day of the Secret Santa Blog Hop.

Necessary to repeat: Follow this link to the rules and explanation on how the hop works. It’s all about answering simple questions on the participating blogs and you have three ways of adding entries: Following the blogs. Leave a comment. And answer the question each author has on their blog. The grand prize for this fun tag-along event is a 7” Kindle Fire HD.

The Secret Santa Blog Hop!

Every author in the hop is adding extras to the fun. If you stop by each participating author’s blog and leave a comment on that day’s post, you could win even more goodies. Winners are chosen from among the comments so be sure to leave your contact email and comment daily. Strike up a conversation. Authors love to chat!

I’m giving away an ebook copy of Hermes Online – a Sensual Reads Reviewer’s Choice Winner 2011. If a Kindle is on Santa’s list but you can’t wait, you can get a free version for reading ebooks on your computer. Free Kindle for PC

Here’s my question. Answer Yes or No — Is mistletoe edible?

My Secret Santa Giveaway is an ebook copy of Hermes Online – a Sensual Reads Reviewer’s Choice Winner 2011.

S, my man of mystery from Hermes Online can really turn a phrase. Here are a few of my favorites taken from his steamy emails to Vivienne:

“I want to make love to you until the lines between us blur and you take my soul completely.”

“Feel me lightly kiss, and yes, you will feel me bite ever so slightly, for the need to devour you is great. Reply lover.”

“You ask if I want you? How can you ask? You fill my every waking thought.”

“Take my mind where my body would follow.”

“Ah, my beauteous sensual lover, yes, make it so. My body is yours to explore. I give my all over to your waiting hands. What will you do with free rein I wonder? You must fill my mind with details.”

Nice huh?

Just Released — The Witchy Wolf and the Wendigo

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00AFFFESI

You’ll LOVE Reading Rose…see the trailer first, then enjoy an excerpt!

Loving Leonardo – An unusual polyamorous, Victorian love story with a touch of interactive art history

(R) Excerpt:

The clock below stairs chimed once, then twice. Miss Elenora Schwaab would arrive at any moment. Sure enough, the bell rang in the front hall and shortly after, I met the woman in my library where Mrs. Fletcher had deposited her.

In a color scheme that would have inspired Pierre-Auguste Renoir to fetch a blank canvas, she wore a cream-and-blue cotton confection accented by a blue-and-cream rose-bedecked bonnet, reticule, and parasol. Excitement shone brightly in eyes the pale turquoise-blue of a clear autumn sky. Ripping off her cream lace gloves, she jumped from her chair to thrust her hand at me. “Sir Nicolas! Thank you for receiving me on such short notice.”

Americans. Chuckling to myself, I bowed over her smaller hand. “Miss Schwaab, what a pleasure to see you again.” They had the oddest mannerisms. Not rude, exactly; rather forthright without the stodgier affectations of the Empire. On the whole, Americans reminded me of impressionist artists. The artists violated the rules of academic painting, and Americans violated the rules of conventionality. As a student of nuance, I very much liked it.

Mrs. Fletcher entered with the tea. Addressing my guest she said, “I wasn’t sure if you’d like lemon or milk, Miss, so I’ve set the tray with both.”

“Why, thank you ma’am.”

The housekeeper turned to me with a smile sparkling in her eyes. I could tell the sparkle came from being addressed formally when she considered herself only a housekeeper. She said, “And that bread is warm from the oven as you like it, and the butter’s fresh from the dairyman this morning. Is there anything else, Master Nicolas?”

“No dear, this is quite fine. Thank you.”

Alone now, I buttered my bread and addressed the lady busily adjusting her tea to taste. “So Miss Schwaab, you say you’ve a venture in mind…”

“Please, Sir Nicolas. Call me Ellie as all my friends do.”

I smiled at what she implied. I could certainly see us as friends. “Very well, how can I be of service, Ellie?” I took a bite and nearly choked at her next words.

“To be blunt Sir, I’m in need of a mandrake. I need you.”

My mind raced. The chit was declaring me homosexual. “I beg your pardon?”

She smiled a rather unsettling sentient smile. And in those pale intelligent eyes, I could see her thoughts forming like clouds before a rainstorm. In fact, I could almost smell the ozone in the burning machinery of her mind. When she spoke, her thoughts were perfectly ordered.

“I’m not one to beat around the bush, Sir Nicolas. Not being forthright wastes time, and time may very well be short. Last June, I overheard a rather intimate verbal exchange between you and another man. I didn’t see who he was exactly, but I did see you.”

I felt a hollow sensation in my chest. In it, I could hear the echo of my up-tempo heartbeat. “Miss Schwaab, I—”

She held up a hand to interrupt me. “Please, hear me out. I consider myself to be a progressive. You see, I don’t care what adults do behind closed doors. An individual’s nature and sexuality form the most intrinsic core of their person. And who are we to take issue with another’s nature? Only a fool would see one path to human intimacy. We are naked apes after all, and apes have no issue with homosexuality.”

I couldn’t fault her logic. “So, what do you propose Miss Schwaab? Blackmail?” Though my obvious concern wasn’t humorous in the least, she laughed merrily.

“Please, call me Ellie.”

“Ellie. I believe that was a reasonable question.”

The same smile was back and with it, sparkling eyes. “I want you to marry me.”

Completely dumbfounded, I just looked at her. “You can’t be serious Miss…”

“Ellie.”

“You can’t be serious, Ellie.”

Her laugh was filled with mirth. “Oh, but I am!”

Finding that impish gleam in her eye irritating in that moment, I set my plate aside. In my mind, this meeting could go one of two ways — she’d out me for a sodomite if I didn’t do as she asked, or I’d be saddled with an insane wife. While Parliament abolished the death penalty for deviants like me years before I was born, my truth wasn’t fodder for the masses. “You have me at a disadvantage, madam. What madness would spur you to make such an outlandish proposal?”

She set her cup down and leaned forward as a man might when sharing an inside stock tip. I found myself oddly attracted to her forthright and almost mannish American attitudes. Looking me square in the eye, she said, “You are an authority on Leonardo da Vinci, correct?”

“On his artworks, I am.”

“Then I assume you are familiar with Gian Giacomo Caprotti da Oreno?”

I suppressed a smile at her halting Italian. Gian Giacomo Caprotti was da Vinci’s protégé. Affectionately called Salai or the little devil by the master himself, it was said when Leonardo painted nudes and phalluses, they were modeled by his young lover Salai. The most telling of these — the sketch called Angelo-Incarnato or Angel Incarnate, which depicts the little devil himself with a substantial erection. On the back, da Vinci wrote out his turbulent feelings for the young man in Greek: astrapen, bronten, and ceraunobolian. His metaphoric choices literally translated: lightning, storms, and thunderbolts. I nodded.

She smiled. “And I assume, although not in your field of expertise, you must also be aware of such erotic artworks as Japanese pillow books and the Kama Sutra. One chapter of which was so recently translated by your celebrated orientalist, what’s the fellow’s name?”

Field of expertise? I took her question to mean I was unaccustomed to erotic works depicting women. Beyond my proclivity and given profession, of course I knew of these ancient works of erotica. I named the man for her, “Sir Richard Francis Burton—”

She cut in, “Yes, that’s the man!”

“And yes, I am aware of such books.” It was obvious when her pretty smile widened that she could see she’d hooked me like a trout. In fact, I had the impression this woman had somehow studied me at length. Though my interest was piqued, I couldn’t fathom what she was driving at, nor could I see a connection between ancient Asian renderings and da Vinci’s longtime lover… let alone a connection to a proposal of marriage to me. “And what does Salai have to do with these works?”

She smiled that smile again and this time I was met with a sense of familiarity I couldn’t quite identify, like there was more to it than what was seen upon the surface. My focus redirected when she explained, “My father is in the American Consul, you see. And now with my elder sister Luise Marie wed to Jean-Paul, I’ve become my father’s hostess when he entertains here. I don’t mind it, though listening to men talk trade and commerce mostly bores me. Anyway, enough about that.” She waved her hand and shook her head, as if determined not to go off point. “The other night my sister and her husband joined us when we entertained an Italian merchant and his relation by marriage. The former, a Signore Ambrosini, deals in raw fibers such as cotton and jute from India and is seeking business relations in the New York textile industry. I found him a likeable man. The latter… well, there was just something not quite right about him. His name is Carlo Posateri. He…”

My mind could barely keep up with the twists and turns Miss Schwaab’s mind was wont to take. Then too, I was somewhat surprised that this conversation was being piloted by a woman at all. Women of my acquaintance steered clear of most sexual topics, though every one of them would perk if the focus of conversation leaned in that direction. Sifting through her rambling recount of that night, I learned this Signore Posateri hated all things homosexual in nature, including the works of the masters. Apparently the man took pride in influencing Pope Pius IX to castrate the statues in the Vatican for the homosexual thoughts they provoked. Out of sight out of mind, I’d say, or a gloss on the phrase Shakespeare wrote in Hamlet: The man doth protest too much, methinks. In my experience, them that had the most to say against a thing often coveted that very thing. Her next words pulled me from my contemplation.

“To put it simply, I plan to steal it.”

I stared at her dumbly having not fully listened to what preceded that statement. Eyeing me suspiciously, her pretty bowed lips took on a frown when she reproached, “Oh fiddlesticks. You weren’t even listening. Have you no concept how important this work is to humanity?”

Chastened that her winding road of a tale had lulled my mind, I ate the crow. “Forgive me Miss… ” — her eyes narrowed, causing me to amend — “Ellie. My mind was lost on the man’s contribution to the Vatican’s defiled statues. Please, if you would, back up a bit and explain it again.”

She took a breath. I was struck by the curious glint of sympathy shining in her pale blue eyes and the faint blush that signaled ire or embarrassment. Unacquainted with her as I was, I stabbed in the dark and took the blush for the latter. My thought was proved right when she said sincerely, “I know I ramble when my head is so full of details, and I apologize. I really do. But please, bear with me if you will.”

“You’ll have my undivided attention, I assure you.”

Ellie brightened and launched into it again. “Alright then. Signore Posateri boasted of his measures to rid the world of artworks created by the greatest artists of the Renaissance. Jean-Paul got him to admit he buys them from private collections and destroys them, you see. When asked about pieces that were not purchasable, he said he ‘has his methods,’ which I take to mean he steals them or has thieves in his employ, the sanctimonious cur… ” Her words trailed off.

I stared at her expectantly.

Exhaling sharply in what could only be annoyance, she continued, “At this very moment in Venice, somewhere in his palazzo, he has in his possession a previously undiscovered book written and illustrated by Leonardo da Vinci’s own hand.”

Of all the things I thought she’d say, that was not one of them. “Oh?”

She nodded. “Yes, created by da Vinci for Salai. It’s a book of love, Sir Nicolas — a pillow book that managed to remain hidden for four hundred years!”

Knowing the mind and desire of the artist like I did, I could almost see this book. “Such a thing is entirely possible.”

My words brought about her effervescent smile. She asked, “Wasn’t Salai with him a long time?”

“At least twenty-five years. Salai inherited many of da Vinci’s works. How did you come upon this information? Surely they didn’t discuss this topic in your presence?”

She dug through her reticule and scoffed, “As if they would. No, when I left the men to their brandy last night, I stood just outside the door adjusting the strap on my shoe under the pretense I’d lost a button, you see. I chanced to hear Signore Posateri speaking of this book.” Pulling a folded paper from her bag, she read, “And I quote, ‘Although unsigned, in breadth and scope, there is no question this was Leonardo da Vinci’s book. It is clearly the work of a sodomite. The disgusting words of his twisted affection made more foul by the accompanying sketches.’ Galling, his hatred.”

Needing more to fully comprehend, I urged, “Go on. What else did you overhear?”

“In the conversation that followed I could tell Signore Ambrosini was put aback by his companion’s rabid fanaticism. Then I heard Jean-Paul ask him what he intended to do with it.” She read from her notes, “He said, ‘After I study it to better know the minds of these repugnant artists, I will burn it with the rest, of course.’”

She met my eyes, her fair cheeks flushed in her pique. For reasons unclear, John Opie’s oil painting of Boadicea Haranguing the Britons came to mind. She said, “Burn it! Can you just imagine the loss, Sir Nicolas? Jean-Paul was beside himself over the idea; he even offered to buy it. But the man said he’d never sell it at any cost.”

After I study it… The man’s words confirmed my earlier opinion. Signore Posateri was himself a homosexual — if not in deed, then certainly in desire. I nodded, “I agree. It would be terrible loss.”

“That is why I have plans to steal it.”

I stared at her and she suddenly laughed. “Oh you think me mad, don’t you? You do. I can see it in your eyes!” She leaned forward and looked at me with interest, as if she half expected me to admit that I did indeed question her stability. How quickly she went from John Opie’s warrior queen to James Tissot’s Young Woman in a Boat. The astute little imp made me smile despite myself. “I admit I do. And where exactly do I fit into this insanity?”

“I’ve come here because time is of the essence. Signore Posateri will be leaving for Venice at the end of the week. And if we leave tomorrow, the day after, at the latest—”

“I still don’t see my presence in this scheme of yours.”

Ellie sighed. Her earlier words about wasting time came back to me. I wasn’t trying to be obtuse but for the life of me I just didn’t see it. I asked her to explain how she figured I fit her plan.

She said, “You have your influence, being an Earl and all. You’re in the House of Lords. We can use your academic standing and income to save these precious artworks from being destroyed by this fanatic, for surely he is in possession of more than one. You know Leonardo da Vinci’s works. You’ll know at a glance if Signore Posateri is correct in his assumption that this is indeed Salai’s pillow book.” When I didn’t comment she added, “Look, I know you barely know me, but I know you, and I’m completely alright with it.”

“Alright with it?”

“Yes.”

She reached across the distance between us to briefly place a small warm hand over mine in a comfortable gesture which I recognized as sincerity. I had an idea of what she meant, but needed clarification. It wouldn’t do to guess wrongly. “You’re referring to my particular predilection?”

“Yes.”

I rubbed the point between my eyes.

She asked, “As a friend, may I leave your title aside and call you Nicolas?” At my nod she continued. “Nicolas, I’m no fool. For all that I’m a progressive woman: I live in a man’s world. And while society may change in the future, I’m hindered in the here and now. It would be difficult to travel on my own, and certainly tracking down homoerotic artworks would be next to impossible for a woman. I wouldn’t even know how to ask about them; trained proficient I’m not. Were we to marry, I see advantage for the both of us outside this venture.”

“Advantage?”

“Yes, you’ll be free to love who you will without society casting rude speculations your way. And aside from my being free to be who I am, I’ll benefit by a social standing that will allow me to affect change from within society.”

I considered her a moment. Miss Elenora Schwaab was an extremely pleasant-looking young woman with her wise blue eyes and cinnamon hair. She was fit and fashionable, and without a doubt a highly-educated and intelligent person. Her ready humor and matter-of-factness were also quite appealing. Yes, I could see myself enjoying this woman’s companionship if nothing else.

Running down a list of potential advantages of marrying someone not shocked or repulsed by my nature, I surprised myself by finding her proposal no less than brilliant. Many marriages started with far less. Still, there was one bit that must be addressed. It had always been my understanding that one day I’d be pressed to marry and sire children. When one inherits the title of Earl, especially a Halstead Earl, there are responsibilities one must naturally live up to. But until that hourglass ran out, I considered myself free to love and enjoy whom I would. To be fair she’d have to be told. “I must tell you that I have obligations to my title and estate. These obligations would necessitate my producing an heir in the future.”

My wording was met by a brief frown. I could see she hadn’t considered such an intimacy between us were we to marry as she proposed. This was confirmed by her next words. “But wouldn’t that be imposs… that is to say… I mean… oh fiddlesticks. But you don’t enjoy women that way.”

Summoning my straight-faced composure, I said, “We British are nothing if not dutiful. Perhaps with the lights off.” Her expression priceless, I laughed. “I’m teasing you, my dear. Actually, I’ve never attempted to make love to a woman. And truth be told, I don’t see that happening for a good many years yet.”

Something akin to relief shown in her eyes, suggesting if she had say in the matter it would be a long ways into the far-distant future. I wasn’t sure how I felt about it but didn’t have too much time to contemplate my curious reaction to her relief, for next she blurted, “Then lights on or off, we’ll cross that bridge as it comes. Let’s marry straightaway.”

My earlier opinion fortified. The unflappable Ellie Schwaab, late of America, was indeed bold-as-brass. There was no denying this outrageous proposition made sense. For one, it negated the need for an awkward conversation with a future wife, for surely Ellie was one of a kind. I’d be, as she said, Free to love whom I will. I found myself liking the idea very much. If nothing else it would stop the parade of marriageable young women thrust my way at every social gathering. I nodded. “It does make good sense doesn’t it?”

“It does, and I assure you I’ve come to this opinion from every angle.” She gave me a brilliant smile and laid her hand back on mine. This time she left it there. I covered it with my own. And that’s exactly how Grannie found us when she walked into the room.

“You’ve obviously something to tell me, Nicolas,” my grandmother said without preamble, an unmistakable glint of joy in her albescent eyes.

Rising, I brought Ellie to stand beside me, hooking her arm in mine in what I hoped would be a convincing display of affection. I said, “Grannie, may I introduce my fiancée, Miss Elenora Schwaab, daughter of Mitchel Schwaab, the American Consul to her Majesty. Ellie, may I introduce you to Countess Lady Augusta Halstead, my grandmother.”

Her hand thrust forward in that very American gesture and had my grandmother bubbling with charmed delight. To my surprise, Ellie not only had a fair working knowledge of me, she knew about my family. When my Grannie incorrectly deduced our love began at Lady Margaret Eastlake’s garden party a year ago, neither of us dissuaded her. The cover was brilliant, and I was once more taken with Ellie’s quick intelligence. In short order I’d become quite fond of her. This might work out well after all.

Somewhat surprised to see an expression that was at once both delighted and relieved, I met Grannie’s eyes over my recently acquired fiancé’s head and winked at her. I could almost see the visions of babies forming above the dear old woman’s very large hat.

All titles on sale now!
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Rose Anderson – Love Waits in Unexpected Places

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Thank you for joining me in the Secret Santa Blog Hop!

My winner will be notified this week.

Happy Holidays to one and all.

The Secret Santa Blog Hop!

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Published on December 19, 2012 03:36

December 17, 2012

It’s day 2 of The Secret Santa Blog Hop!

It’s day 2 of The Secret Santa Blog Hop

Hello! Welcome to day 2!

If this is your first time here, follow this link to the rules and explanation on how the hop works. It’s all about answering simple questions on the participating blogs and you have three ways of adding entries: Following the blogs. Leave a comment (Winners are chosen from among the comments so be sure to leave your contact email and comment daily). Every author in the hop is adding extras to the fun. If you stop by each participating author’s blog and leave a comment on that day’s post, you could win even more goodies. And answer the question each author has on their blog. The grand prize for this fun tag-along event is a 7” Kindle Fire HD.

The Secret Santa Blog Hop!

As my giveaway in the hop, I’m offering an ebook copy of Hermes Online – a Sensual Reads Reviewer’s Choice Winner 2011.

Don’t own a Kindle but want ebooks? Click here for a freebie: Free Kindle for PC

Here’s my question. Answer Yes or No — Is mistletoe edible?

No Bake Holly Cookies

6 tablespoons margarine

32 regular sized marshmallows

1 teaspoon green food coloring

1 teaspoon vanilla

3 cups flake cereal (Corn Flakes, Wheaties, Total, Special K, etc)

Red cinnamon candies (aka Red Hots) or red M&M’s

Directions:

Melt margarine and marshmallows together in microwave (or over a double boiler on low heat)

Once the marshmallows are melted, stir in green food coloring and vanilla. Stir until mixture is a uniform green color.

Fold the flakes into the marshmallow mixture and stir until coated. Drop by teaspoon full onto aluminum foil or waxed paper and garnish with red candies. Let cool to harden. You can also spoon it out into circles for holly wreaths.

Just Released — The Witchy Wolf and the Wendigo

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00AFFFESI
Take a peek inside the book on Amazon!

Blurb:

What does an immortal Native American shaman do when the grave he’s sworn to watch over for all eternity disappears under urban development?

His purpose of guarding his wife’s burial mound is gone, Ashkewheteasu seeks to end his immortal existence. In his despair, Ash assumes the form of a wolf and steps in front of a moving car and into the life of Dr. Olivia “Livie” Rosalini. The veterinarian saves the animal’s life, and in the process saves the man within. Livie has no idea the wolfish dog she’s taken into her home and grows to love is a magical being seeking to win her heart as a man.

While Ash is learning a new world filled with new love, friendship, and happiness, an old menace makes plans to steal it all away; just as he had 3000 years before.

All titles on sale now!
Buy Rose Anderson Books On Amazon
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Rose Anderson – Love Waits in Unexpected Places

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See you tomorrow for Day 3 of the Secret Santa Blog Hop!

The Secret Santa Blog Hop!

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Published on December 17, 2012 20:04

December 16, 2012

One Hop Ends & Another Begins!

I have overlapping hops today!!

It’s the last day of the Purrrfectly Giftastic Christmas Blog Hop and the 1st day of the much anticipated Secret Santa Blog Hop! For you Giftastic hoppers, I hope you’ve found great new authors as well as found fun and useful things here. Scroll back to to see older posts filled with gift ideas you can make yourself. And you have today to comment and win this prize. Leave your email!

Purrrfectly Giftasic Hop Starts Here!

Thanks again for stopping by. I’ll notify the winner by email.

I wish you Giftastic hoppers the happiest of happy holidays.

Rose
It’s also day 1 of The Secret Santa Blog Hop!

Hello! Welcome to day 1 of the much anticipated Secret Santa Blog Hop.

The Secret Santa Blog Hop! Follow this link to the rules and an explanation on how this hop works. It’s all about answering simple questions on the participating blogs and you have three ways of adding entries: Following the blogs * Leaving a comment * And answering the question each author has on their blog.

The grand prize for this fun tag-along event is a 7” Kindle Fire HD.

What’s more, every author in the hop is adding extras to the fun. If you stop by each participating author’s blog and leave a comment on that day’s post, you could win even more goodies. Winners are chosen from among the comments left here and there so be sure to leave your contact email and comment daily. For my prize, I’m giving away an ebook copy of Hermes Online – a Sensual Reads Reviewer’s Choice Winner 2011.

Here’s my question. Answer Yes or No — Is mistletoe edible?

Grab a cup of tea or a splash of Bailey’s Irish Creme and sit back and enjoy a few of my romantic book trailers before heading on to the next blog on the hop.

Rose Anderson – Love Waits in Unexpected Places

WEBSITE | BUY eBOOKS & PAPERBACK | TWITTER | GOOGLE

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Buy Rose Anderson Books On Amazon

And I’ll even sign the ebooks just for you with Authorgraph!

Rose will autograph your ebook – click here!

Hoping Santa stuffs a Kindle in your stocking? Why wait?

Free Kindle for PC

The Secret Santa Blog Hop!

More tomorrow!

**oOo**

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Published on December 16, 2012 19:55

Day 3 ~ The Purrrfectly Giftastic Christmas Blog Hop!

It’s day 3 and there are lots more gift ideas and chances to win my prize.

You’ll get a Love waits in Unexpected Places mug stuffed with Victorian-inspired goodies — a reproduction chatelaine magnifying glass, two cards of Art Nouveau reproduction buttons, a small porcelain Victorian reproduction trinket box from the Victorian Company, and of course, chocolate!

If this is your first time here, join me and over 140 authors participating in the Purrrrfectly Giftastic Christmas Blog Hop. Every blog is offering a prize and winners are chosen from among the comments, so be sure to leave your contact email and comment daily to win goodies!

Purrrfectly Giftasic Hop Starts Here!

Making gifts for the Holidays? Try these!
Oh So Good Baileys White Chocolate Pistachio Fudge

Ingredients

1 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk
½ cup Baileys Irish Cream
36 oz white chocolate chips
½ cup raw pistachios, chopped

Instructions

Line a 9×9 baking dish with nonstick foil. Or, if you don’t have nonstick foil, lightly grease.
In a saucepan over low heat, combine the chocolate, condensed milk and Bailey’s. Stir constantly until the chocolate is completely melted. Remove from the heat and stir in the pistachios.
Pour into the pan and let cool until set. Once set, peel off the foil and cut into one inch squares.

Easy huh?

Lemon Kitchen Hand Scrub

A perfect gift for a cook. This is the best recipe to rejuvenate your hands and get rid of strong scents like onions etc leave behind. It will exfoliate too. It only takes minutes to prepare and just might save you in one of those last minute gift moments. You might alreadyhave the necessary ingredients in the pantry.

Mix together 2 1/2 Cups of Sugar with 1 Cup of Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Add in 4 Tablespoons of Lemon Juice. Add essential oils if you like a stronger scent. Mix well until the mixture forms a gritty paste. Makes enough to fill a 12oz. Jar. Keep covered. Tie on a nice spoon for scooping.

Want more gift ideas? After you’ve visited the other authors in the Hop, come back, scroll to last week’s posts and you’ll find even more easy to make yourself gift ideas.

Rose Anderson – Love Waits in Unexpected Places

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You’ll LOVE Reading Rose…see the trailer first!

The Witchy Wolf and the Wendigo - Based upon a very real modern day sighting of the Wisconsin Wolf Man

Loving Leonardo – An unusual polyamorous, Victorian love story with a touch of interactive art history

Dreamscape – A haunting, a murder, a mystery, a readers’s puzzle, and a love story that transcends time.

Hermes Online – A CataNetwork Sensual Reads Reviewer’s Choice Winner 2011

All titles on sale now!
Buy Rose Anderson Books On Amazon

And I’ll even sign them just for you with Authorgraph!

Rose will autograph your ebook – click here!

Hoping Santa stuffs a Kindle in your stocking? Why wait?

Free Kindle for PC

Tomorrow – the last day of the hop

Visit all the blogs & comment daily for more chances to win.

Don’t forget to leave your email address!

View more on Rose Anderson's website »

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Published on December 16, 2012 03:47

December 15, 2012

Day 2 ~ The Purrrfectly Giftastic Christmas Blog Hop!

It’s day 2 of the Purrrfectly Giftastic Christmas Blog Hop

Welcome back or simply welcome! This blog is linked to over 140 authors participating in the Purrrrfectly Giftastic Christmas Blog Hop. Each author is offering a prize and winners are chosen from among the comments, so be sure to leave your contact email and comment daily to win goodies! Purrrfectly Giftasic Hop Starts Here!

What’s my goodie?

In honor of my recent Victorian release Loving Leonardo, I’m offering a Love waits in Unexpected Places mug of Victorian inspired goodies — a reproduction chatelaine magnifying glass, two cards of Art Nouveau reproduction buttons, a small porcelain Victorian reproduction trinket box from the Victorian Company, and of course, chocolate!

Making gifts for the Holidays? Try these!

Basil and Garlic Vinegar

High quality wine vinegar, red or white
4 or 5 small peeled garlic cloves
Fresh basil sprigs

In a nice clean and sterile wine bottle, place basil and garlic. Fill with vinegar and cork.

The flavors become stronger over time

***

Dessert Bread in a Jar

Makes a dozen banana gift breads but any similar recipe will do, even a cake mix! (Cooking times may vary)

Ingredients

1 softened stick of butter or ¾ cup shortening
2 2/3 cups sugar
4 eggs
2 cups mashed bananas
2/3 cup water
3 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2/3 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

You’ll also need:

12 jelly-size (250 ml) canning jars
Optional funnel
A cookie sheet to set the jars on while they bake.

Preheat oven to 325 º, liberally grease the insides of the canning jars. Vegetable oil is fine.

In a large bowl, cream shortening and sugar until light and fluffy. Mash bananas. Beat in eggs, bananas, and water. Sift together flour, baking powder, soda, salt, and cinnamon. Add to banana mixture. Mix only long enough to moisten dry ingredients. Gently fold in nuts. Fill jars half full. Place jars directly on rack in oven. Bake for 45 minutes.

I saw Martha Stewart once wrap the exposed top part of similar treats in brown craft paper and tied prettily with raffia and an ornament.

Rose Anderson – Love Waits in Unexpected Places

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All titles on sale now!
Buy Rose Anderson Books On Amazon

And I’ll even sign them just for you with Authorgraph!

Rose will autograph your ebook – click here!

Hoping Santa stuffs a Kindle in your stocking? Why wait?

Free Kindle for PC

Books by Rose

Hermes Online – A CataNetwork Sensual Reads Reviewer’s Choice Winner 2011

Left bruised and brokenhearted after a cruel breakup, Vivienne Bennet finds herself mired in a world of self-doubt. To her surprise, she receives an email that challenges her to rediscover the sensual woman she once was. Together Vivienne and the enigmatic man known only as S embark upon the world of anonymous Internet communication where suggestive emails lead to erotic chat, where cybersex leads to Skype, and C2C sends both into the arms of a love they’d believed lost forever.

Best Quote:

Allow me to pay homage to the goddess you are. Let me begin at your little feet. Feel me lightly kiss, and yes, you will feel me bite ever so slightly, for the need to devour you is great.

Reply lover.

I await.

S

Dreamscape – A haunting, a murder, a mystery, a reader’s puzzle, and a love story that transcends time.

Unable to deny his own translucence, Dr. Jason Bowen determines his lack of physical substance could only mean one thing — he’s a ghost. Murdered more than a century before, Jason haunts his house and ponders the treachery that took his life. When Lanie O’Keefe arrives with plans to renovate her newly purchased Victorian mansion, Jason learns, ghost or not, he’s still very much a man. Jason soon discovers he can travel through Lanie’s dreams and finds himself reliving the days before his murder with Lanie by his side. It took one hundred and twenty years for love to find them, but there’s that insurmountable little matter of Jason being dead.

Best Ah Ha Moment:

Resisting the overpowering urge to touch her again, he closed his eyes instead and whispered, “Dream, sweetheart. Show me where you go each night.” And, just as he projected himself from room to room, the energy of his spirit plied her synapses…and to his complete and utter surprise, he fell into her dream.

Loving Leonardo – An unusual polyamorous, Victorian love story with a touch of interactive art history

Bound by limits dictated by society, Art Historian Nicolas Halstead lived a guarded life until a tempest in the form of Elenora Schwaab blew into his world. At first Nicolas can’t decide if the audacious American is simply mad or plotting blackmail for not only does she declare knowledge of his homosexuality, she offers him a marriage proposal.

After Ellie tells him of a previously unknown work of Leonardo da Vinci, a book of erotic love poems and sketches dedicated to the artist’s long-time lover Salai, Nicolas joins her in a race to save the book from destruction. Along the way they encounter Historian Luca Franco and discover a comfortable compatibility that comes to redefine their long-held notions of love. The trio embarks on an adventure of sensual discovery, intrigue, and danger. Little do they know Leonardo da Vinci’s book is far more than meets the eye.

Best Love at First Sight:

When in the presence of true beauty, my mind often imagines the person unclothed as the artists of the ages might have seen him. Sitting at my table was a statue carved in marble by Gian Lorenzo Bernini; an artist known for his remarkable ability to capture the essence of a narrative moment. And I found Luca Franco to be exactly that — a moment indelibly captured in time — a moment of meeting the mind could revisit in its entirety.

From every angle, he was beautifully made: black-haired, of medium build, and physically fit. He possessed a warm hue to his skin, his lineage no doubt stamped centuries past by the darker Moors or Turks. In startling contrast, and quite handsomely framed by black lashes, he had striking eyes the color one might see in a shadow falling across snow — not quite sky blue nor exactly steel gray, but a blending of the two in gradated rings.

I rose to shake his hand and felt the unmistakable current of compatibility. If this man weren’t forward in his mutual attraction, it was there nonetheless.

The Witchy Wolf and the Wendigo - Based upon a very real modern day sighting of the Wisconsin Wolf Man

What does an immortal Native American shaman do when the grave he’s sworn to watch over for all eternity disappears under urban development? His purpose of guarding his wife’s burial mound gone, Ashkewheteasu seeks to end his immortal existence. In his despair, he assumes the form of a wolf and steps in front of a moving car and into the life of Dr. Olivia “Livie” Rosalini. The veterinarian saves the animal’s life, and in the process saves the man within. Unbeknownst to Livie, the dog she’s taken into her home and grows to love is a magical being seeking to win her heart as a man. While Ash is learning a new world filled with new love, friendship, and happiness, an old menace makes plans to steal it all away; just as he had 3000 years before.

Best Slapstick by an Ancient Shaman:

Knowing he had to resume his wolf form at Livie’s home, he took a deep breath and shifted, but his inebriated mind was not concentrating and he ended up with a raven’s head atop his man’s body. He tried again. Forgetting that he still wore clothes, he found himself a small bird, pinned and struggling under the heavy garments that had fallen to the ground in a heap. He shifted into a feathered snake before taking the form of a mouse and working his way out of a sleeve.

Tomorrow – Day 3 of the hop

Visit all the blogs & comment daily for more chances to win.

Don’t forget to leave your email address!

And…stop at The Romance Reviews party. Today’s the last day!

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Published on December 15, 2012 04:50

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