Victoria Adams's Blog, page 38

Collecting points for the Ruby Slippered Sisterhood Challenge #amwriting

I'm multitasking. I've decided to start the rewrite of my flash fiction - Sunrise and get  it ready for publication under the Romantic Flashes series. Sunrise will probably be a 2 book series. 

 Also, I'm participating the the Ruby Slippered Sisterhood which in Jan and Feb holds a writing challenge to score 50 points. You set up how you will collect your points and then try to meet your challenge.
example - 1 point for attending yoga class (because an author has to stay healthy)
2 points for writing a chapter (3 points if it's over 5,000 - lol)
1 point for editing a chapter and putting it on blog 

What is a flash fiction? I belonged to a group that posted weekly prompts that were to inspire us. I added the personal challenge of using as many as I could in my weekly chapters. Some weren't suitable as this is a sweet romance story and some of the pictures or written prompts were on the "hot" side. 

Link to Chapter 1

So without further ado - here is Chapter 2of Sunrise.

 J'dol yawned and stretched as the relentless rain pounded on the roof of his makeshift camp. He rubbed his face. The palms of his hands scraped against his unshaven stubble. Tossing the damp blanket aside, he rose from the night camp he'd made near the lake. The morning was dull. The clouds thick and heavy, releasing their watery cargo. To the east, the clouds darkened. The threat of a violent storm loomed.


Deciding a morning wash in the lake was useless, he ran his fingers through his hair, collected it in the back and using his leather thong tied it tight. He scooted up the nearby tree and grabbed his back pack from a small branch. Jumping down, he stroked his hand across the symbol of the white peacock.  His sister had embroidered the symbol onto his pack as a charm to protect him. In some ancient cultures, the peacock was the symbol for the God of War. The whiteness of this bird, defined him as what he was – a warrior and an outcast.
He reached inside and pulled out the last of yesterday's dinner; fish and berries. He settled back under his makeshift tent, pulling as far back inside as he could to avoid being dripped on. While he ate his meagre breakfast, J'dol daydreamed about being back in Orondonto at his sister's lodge, chugging a large mug of ale and munching on fresh honey cakes. He would play crazy dog with the children, slipping his socks over his ears and bounding after them yapping and barking until he snagged one and tickled them until they shouted that J'dol was the best uncle ever!
His nieces and nephews would have grown so since he went out on patrol six months ago. The eastern border was safe. His captain felt the defences were secure enough to allow his best warrior a brief leave. Wiping his hands on his damp leggings, J'dol stood, rolled up his blanket and slipped his sword into his scabbard then hoisted his backpack over his shoulder. Keeping the shoreline to his left, he slipped in among trees and used them a cover as he headed for home.
Rain pelted his face and dribbled down his neck. He sighed. He'd a hard half day's march ahead of him, but the thought of the cozy bed in the hayloft and a full stomach kept him putting one foot in front of the other.
The dullness of the day was ripped in two as the storm announced its arrival. Within moments the thunder rumbled. It echoed through the forest.
Peal after peal of thunder filled the air. J'dol stopped and tilted his head. No lightning? Just thunder. He stepped out of the trees and glanced toward the western edge of the lake. A bright illumination made him turn his head and squeeze his eyes shut. That wasn't lightning. It was as if the sun had fallen from the sky and landed on Orondonto.
The blast hit him in the chest. He stumbled back. It wasn't thunder. Fear gripped him. Had the defences been broken on the western border?
Ignoring the protection of the forest, J'dol raced along the shoreline towards his home. Terror spurred him forward when his muscles and lungs complained. As he neared Orondonto, the brilliant flashes temporarily blinded him. The shock from the blasts caused him to tumble. The storm flung lightning bolts and cracks of thunder resonated.
Dread filled him as he accepted the grossest of ideas. The village – the village he'd sworn to protect – was ablaze. Driving his legs forward sounds of screams and cries reached his ears and tore at his soul.
He pulled his sword and swivelled his head left and right, looking for enemy to kill. But he knew the truth. They weren't brave enough to fight face to face. They'd throw their death bombs from a distance. When the village appeared defeated, they'd enter and plunder. But what was there to take? Orondonto had nothing.
A bolt of lightning split a nearby tree. The crackle made the hair on his arm stand on end. A death bomb exploded on a building. J'dol flattened himself against the muddy ground. Pieces of wood tossed by the explosion sliced into his cheek, arm, back and leg. The rage that filled him blocked the pain.
He forced himself to stand. Driven by fear, he tore through the destruction, heading toward his sister's home. He must find her. He must protect her children. Trying to not consider the worst, he skidded to a stop, dropped to his knees and released an enraged howl.
A smouldering pile of ashes and debris replaced the spot where his sister's house stood. He stomach heaved as the smell of burnt flesh filled his nostrils. Crawling through the blood-filled and rain-soaked mud, he called out their names. Not a single voice was heard. Even the cries that had directed him to the village had silenced.
Bloodlust surged through him. He stood and raised his sword. "Come out and fight, you bastards. You hide like chickens and throw your death. Come, fight a real man! Face me. Face your death like a warrior!"
The whistle of the death bomb made him turn. Watching it hurdle through the air was like watching a sneak attack snowball. Only this one made his blood run cold. The tingle on his arms announced the strike of another close-by bolt of lightning. The death bomb, lightning and crack of thunder all mated before him.
The force felt like he'd been kicked in the chest by an angry stallion. He flew back. The air was sucked from his lungs. He continued to fall, but landed on nothing. I'm dying?
He closed his eyes and accepted his destiny. A painful smack jolted his eyes open as J'dol landed on a hard wooden surface. Bracing himself with his hand, he lifted his head and let his gaze rest on two, soft brown eyes.

What’s up and coming on Victoria’s Pages of Romance23 – My Sexy Saturday - #MySexySaturday 24 –Weekend Writing Warriors - #8sunday25 – author spotlight – Georgia Hill – While I was Waiting26 – author spotlight – Sheryl Browne – The Edge of Sanity27 –Book Hooks - #MFRWhooks28 – author spotlight - Marie Laval – Blue Bonnets29 – Friday Snippets  #FridaySnippets30 – My Sexy Saturday - #MySexySaturday31 – Weekend Writing Warriors - #8sunday

A new look at flash fiction Sunrise #amwriting

For my Thursday Thought I am multitasking. I have decided to start the rewrite of my flash fiction - Sunrise and get  it ready for publication under the Romantic Flashes series. Sunrise will be a 2 book series.

Also, I am participating the The Ruby Slippered Sisterhood which in Jan and Feb holds a writing challenge to score 50 points. You set up how you will collect your points and then try to meet your challenge.
example - 1 point for attending yoga class (because an author has to stay healthy)
2 points for writing a chapter (3 points if it's over 5,000 - lol)
1 point for editing a chapter and putting it on my blog

What is a flash fiction? I belonged to a group that posted weekly prompts that were to inspire us. I added the personal challenge of using as many as I could in my weekly chapters. Some weren't suitable as this is a sweet romance story and some of the pictures or written prompts were on the "hot" side.

So without further ado - here is Chapter 1 of Sunrise.



Sian walked to the end of the dock and sat on the planks. Inhaling a deep breath, she watched as the edge of the sun peeked over the horizon. The air was still. The lake glassy. She allowed her mind to empty and became one with herself in the moment. Sian was at peace.She closed her eyes and bathed in the sun's rays as it kissed her face. Behind her, the early morning song of the first waking bird rang out. Soon the air was filled with a feathered choir's greetings to the new day. Focusing on a four-count inhale and a longer exhale, Sian allowed the calmness to fill her, replacing the horror that almost consumed her.The crunch of tires on gravel broke the spell and brought Sian crashing back to the present. She opened her eyes and blinked in the bright sunshine. One car door slammed. Then another. Listening to the sound of footstep, Sian pursed her lips and shook her head. They meant well, but they just refused to listen. She wanted to be alone. She'd faced her mortality and wanted time to accept her new reality."Good morning." The call was cheerful, yet to Sian it was a salt-covered finger rubbing an open wound. She did not turn.Footsteps along the dock brought the inevitable closer. "What a beautiful morning. I stopped and got us blueberry bagels and coffee. One cream, no sugar. Just the way you like it. You'll never guess who I saw in the coffee shop. Marilyn Higgins and that little princess daughter of hers."Sian inhaled and counted to three.A second set of footsteps scurried up behind her. "Wow. The lake is so calm today. Did you get the letter from the bank? Today's the day, isn't it? I drew a heart on the calendar to remember. Please tell me I got the day right. I can be so silly with dates. Remember when I almost forgot my own birthday."With the tranquility of a Dalai Lama, Sian stood and turned to greet her twin cousins. "Good morning, Apple and Opal. Yes, it was a beautiful morning." She linked arms with the two women and walked away from her serenity toward the rest of her morning."Was? What do you mean was a beautiful morning?" Apple raised an eyebrow.Sian pasted an innocent smile on her lips. "Simply that morning is over and it is time to face the rest of my day.""And it's today, right?" Opal giggled. "Today's the day you—""Ssh!" Sian stopped her. "Don't say it until it happens."Apple stepped off the dock onto the beach. "Always the cautious one. Don't tempt the fates.""Would you?" Sian stood next to Apple. "Aunt Mixy is always saying, 'Don't count your chickens before they hatch.' Well, today I am following her advice."Opal grasped her hands near her heart. "So the plan is, coffee, into town, to the bank and then we count chickens."Laughing, the three cousins hurried up the path to the deck where three hot coffees and blueberry bagels waited.An hour and fifteen minutes later, Sian and her cousins were seated in Mr. Flannigan's, the bank manager's, office. He greeted Sian at the door and escorted her and her cousins to his office. After offering her a cup of coffee, he scooted around his desk and settled into his chair. He typed something on his keyboard then glanced at the screen. "Yes, Ms. Newell, the money has been deposited. You have an account balance of one hundred and eighty-five million dollars."Opal's screech was like finger nails on a chalk board to Sian. She squeezed her fists until her nails dug into her palms. Trying to keep her voice level, she smiled. "Oh, I'm glad. They did say they would deposit it today."Flannigan pressed his fingertips together. "Do you have any plans with the money?""Yes." Sian reached out and grabbed both cousins' hands. "I would like to give Apple and Opal a hundred thousand each.""What?" Apple's voice was the louder of the two cousins.Sian released their hands then patted Apple's knee. "I know what I'm doing. You two have always wanted to go on a world cruise. Well go. First class. Go for a month. A year." Please. Just go."But. But."Sian raised a hand to stop her cousin. "No complaints. I insist. Please. Go on the cruise. Mr. Flannigan, transfer the money." She glanced left and right at her cousins. "And next we go to the travel agent and book those cruises."Two weeks later, enjoying the sense of déjà vu, Sian walked to the end of the dock and sat on the planks. Inhaling a deep breath, she watched as the edge of the sun peeked over the horizon. The air was still. The lake glassy. She allowed her mind to empty and once more became one with herself in the moment. Sian was at peace. Apple and Opal were somewhere on a cruise ship in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. Tranquility was hers. She inhaled for four-counts and exhaled for five. She paused and frowned.Despite the heat of the sun's rays, it did little to warm her face. She opened her eyes. A black cloud had crossed the sunshine's path and darkened the morning. A chill slithered through Sian. Darkness brought back the shock and horror that she wanted to forget. She closed her eyes, focusing on her breathing.A frigid gust of wind brushed her face. The water splashed against the dock supports. Sian jumped as a crack as loud as if the earth had been split echoed across the water. Then all went still and silent.A sense of dread filled Sian. She opened her eyes. Nothing before her looked different. As she stood, she twisted around. Her gaze met two dull, green, bloodshot eyes then followed the trickle of blood dripping onto the deck.

 What’s up and coming on Victoria’s Pages of Romance
22 – Friday Snippets  #FridaySnippets23 – My Sexy Saturday - #MySexySaturday 24 –Weekend Writing Warriors - #8sunday25 – author spotlight – Georgia Hill – While I was Waiting26 – author spotlight – Sheryl Browne – The Edge of Sanity27 –Book Hooks - #MFRWhooks28 – author spotlight - Marie Laval – Blue Bonnets29 – Friday Snippets  #FridaySnippets30 – My Sexy Saturday - #MySexySaturday31 – Weekend Writing Warriors - #8sunday

A new look at flash fiction Sunrise #am writing

For my Thursday Thought I am multitasking. I have decided to start the rewrite of my flash fiction - Sunrise and get  it ready for publication under the Romantic Flashes series. Sunrise will be a 2 book series.

Also, I am participating the The Ruby Slippered Sisterhood which in Jan and Feb holds a writing challenge to score 50 points. You set up how you will collect your points and then try to meet your challenge.
example - 1 point for attending yoga class (because an author has to stay healthy)
2 points for writing a chapter (3 points if it's over 5,000 - lol)
1 point for editing a chapter and putting it on my blog

What is a flash fiction? I belonged to a group that posted weekly prompts that were to inspire us. I added the personal challenge of using as many as I could in my weekly chapters. Some weren't suitable as this is a sweet romance story and some of the pictures or written prompts were on the "hot" side.

So without further ado - here is Chapter 1 of Sunrise.



Sian walked to the end of the dock and sat on the planks. Inhaling a deep breath, she watched as the edge of the sun peeked over the horizon. The air was still. The lake glassy. She allowed her mind to empty and became one with herself in the moment. Sian was at peace.She closed her eyes and bathed in the sun's rays as it kissed her face. Behind her, the early morning song of the first waking bird rang out. Soon the air was filled with a feathered choir's greetings to the new day. Focusing on a four-count inhale and a longer exhale, Sian allowed the calmness to fill her, replacing the horror that almost consumed her.The crunch of tires on gravel broke the spell and brought Sian crashing back to the present. She opened her eyes and blinked in the bright sunshine. One car door slammed. Then another. Listening to the sound of footstep, Sian pursed her lips and shook her head. They meant well, but they just refused to listen. She wanted to be alone. She'd faced her mortality and wanted time to accept her new reality."Good morning." The call was cheerful, yet to Sian it was a salt-covered finger rubbing an open wound. She did not turn.Footsteps along the dock brought the inevitable closer. "What a beautiful morning. I stopped and got us blueberry bagels and coffee. One cream, no sugar. Just the way you like it. You'll never guess who I saw in the coffee shop. Marilyn Higgins and that little princess daughter of hers."Sian inhaled and counted to three.A second set of footsteps scurried up behind her. "Wow. The lake is so calm today. Did you get the letter from the bank? Today's the day, isn't it? I drew a heart on the calendar to remember. Please tell me I got the day right. I can be so silly with dates. Remember when I almost forgot my own birthday."With the tranquility of a Dalai Lama, Sian stood and turned to greet her twin cousins. "Good morning, Apple and Opal. Yes, it was a beautiful morning." She linked arms with the two women and walked away from her serenity toward the rest of her morning."Was? What do you mean was a beautiful morning?" Apple raised an eyebrow.Sian pasted an innocent smile on her lips. "Simply that morning is over and it is time to face the rest of my day.""And it's today, right?" Opal giggled. "Today's the day you—""Ssh!" Sian stopped her. "Don't say it until it happens."Apple stepped off the dock onto the beach. "Always the cautious one. Don't tempt the fates.""Would you?" Sian stood next to Apple. "Aunt Mixy is always saying, 'Don't count your chickens before they hatch.' Well, today I am following her advice."Opal grasped her hands near her heart. "So the plan is, coffee, into town, to the bank and then we count chickens."Laughing, the three cousins hurried up the path to the deck where three hot coffees and blueberry bagels waited.An hour and fifteen minutes later, Sian and her cousins were seated in Mr. Flannigan's, the bank manager's, office. He greeted Sian at the door and escorted her and her cousins to his office. After offering her a cup of coffee, he scooted around his desk and settled into his chair. He typed something on his keyboard then glanced at the screen. "Yes, Ms. Newell, the money has been deposited. You have an account balance of one hundred and eighty-five million dollars."Opal's screech was like finger nails on a chalk board to Sian. She squeezed her fists until her nails dug into her palms. Trying to keep her voice level, she smiled. "Oh, I'm glad. They did say they would deposit it today."Flannigan pressed his fingertips together. "Do you have any plans with the money?""Yes." Sian reached out and grabbed both cousins' hands. "I would like to give Apple and Opal a hundred thousand each.""What?" Apple's voice was the louder of the two cousins.Sian released their hands then patted Apple's knee. "I know what I'm doing. You two have always wanted to go on a world cruise. Well go. First class. Go for a month. A year." Please. Just go."But. But."Sian raised a hand to stop her cousin. "No complaints. I insist. Please. Go on the cruise. Mr. Flannigan, transfer the money." She glanced left and right at her cousins. "And next we go to the travel agent and book those cruises."Two weeks later, enjoying the sense of déjà vu, Sian walked to the end of the dock and sat on the planks. Inhaling a deep breath, she watched as the edge of the sun peeked over the horizon. The air was still. The lake glassy. She allowed her mind to empty and once more became one with herself in the moment. Sian was at peace. Apple and Opal were somewhere on a cruise ship in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. Tranquility was hers. She inhaled for four-counts and exhaled for five. She paused and frowned.Despite the heat of the sun's rays, it did little to warm her face. She opened her eyes. A black cloud had crossed the sunshine's path and darkened the morning. A chill slithered through Sian. Darkness brought back the shock and horror that she wanted to forget. She closed her eyes, focusing on her breathing.A frigid gust of wind brushed her face. The water splashed against the dock supports. Sian jumped as a crack as loud as if the earth had been split echoed across the water. Then all went still and silent.A sense of dread filled Sian. She opened her eyes. Nothing before her looked different. As she stood, she twisted around. Her gaze met two dull, green, bloodshot eyes then followed the trickle of blood dripping onto the deck.

 What’s up and coming on Victoria’s Pages of Romance
22 – Friday Snippets  #FridaySnippets23 – My Sexy Saturday - #MySexySaturday 24 –Weekend Writing Warriors - #8sunday25 – author spotlight – Georgia Hill – While I was Waiting26 – author spotlight – Sheryl Browne – The Edge of Sanity27 –Book Hooks - #MFRWhooks28 – author spotlight - Marie Laval – Blue Bonnets29 – Friday Snippets  #FridaySnippets30 – My Sexy Saturday - #MySexySaturday31 – Weekend Writing Warriors - #8sunday

Spotlight on Chick Lit - A Little Sugar, A Lot of Love by Linn B. Halton

A LITTLE SUGAR, A LOT OF LOVE BY LINN B. HALTON

Genre: Chick LitRelease Date: 15 January 2016Publisher:  Choc LitA Little Sugar, A Lot of LoveLife isn’t all love and cupcakes … Katie has had her fair share of bad luck, but when she finally realises her dream of opening a bakery it seems things can only get better.But the reality of running a business hits Katie hard and whilst her partner, Steve, tries to help she begins to sense that the situation is driving them further apart. Could Katie be set to lose her relationship and her dream job?Then, one winter’s day, a man walks into her shop – and, in the space of that moment, the course of Katie’s life is changed.But nobody finds happiness in the blink of an eye. Sometimes it takes two Christmases, three birthdays and a whole lot of cake to get there …Previously released as Sweet Occasions by the author. Revised and edited by Choc Lit December 2015.

Extract
 


Grandma Grace peers at me with interest over the top of her glasses, taking the box from my hands and placing it on the side. She wraps her arms around as much of me as she can reach, being at least a foot shorter, and gives me a fierce hug.‘Thank you, my dear, but the only present I wanted was to see you standing here in one piece. It’s such a long journey and the weather! That rain is relentless, so many places are flooded. To think of you at the side of the road worried me to death and I will admit to saying a few little prayers as one hour turned into two, then three …’She raises her eyebrow sternly, but it’s a brief moment before those twinkly blue eyes are full of love and laughter again.‘My boy is here and that’s all that counts.’‘Grandma, I haven’t been a boy for many years,’ I retort, softly, as she releases me with a tender pat on my back. She might be in her twilight years but her spirit is strong and her mind as sharp as ever. We all thought she’d fade away when Pop died, but the truth is he’s the one who would have faded if she had gone first.‘You will always be a boy to me. Now, tell me more about this guardian angel of yours.’While the tea is brewing and the cake is sliced, I hang around the kitchen as I did when I was growing up. Grandma Grace was always easy to talk to; she seemed to understand even when the words wouldn’t come. Her instincts filled in the gaps at times when even I couldn’t make sense of what was going on inside my head. After this failed relationship I began to despair of ever finding someone special.‘You can’t hurry love,’ she’d told me. ‘It takes time to find your soulmate and in the process you change and grow. That’s why young love often withers, as Pop would have said. Two people either change and grow together, or they grow apart. Love is about sustaining what comes after that first hormonal rush.’‘But that wasn’t the case for the two of you,’ I remember pointing out.‘There has to be an exception to every rule,’ she’d replied, with a wicked smile. ‘We were lucky. Fate was kind to us. But with hindsight, we were too young and naive to understand that until much later in life. Don’t fret, Adam, there’s a wonderful young woman out there for you when the time is right.’Sadly, when I reached that point it too turned out to be yet another huge failure. This time the consequences had been more painful than I could ever have imagined. Kelly was everything I thought I wanted in a woman and, after adjusting to the shock of an unplanned pregnancy, she was a fantastic mother. With hindsight I can see now that parenthood came too early in our relationship, we hardly knew each other. Suddenly I was a family man and yet, surprisingly, the role seemed to come naturally to me. I loved Sunday mornings the best. When a little head would appear on the pillow next to me at some unearthly hour and a warm little hand would wind its way around my neck.Lily Grace is my sanity, my raison d’être.



BUY LINKS AMAZON UKAMAZON US
ABOUT LINN B. HALTON
“I’m a hopeless romantic, self-confessed chocaholic, and lover of coffee. For me, life is about family, friends, and writing. Oh, and the occasional glass of White Grenache…”An Amazon UK Top 100 best-selling author with A Cottage in the Country in November 2015, Linn’s novels have been short-listed in the UK’s Festival of Romance and the eFestival of Words Book Awards. Linn won the 2013 UK Festival of Romance: Innovation in Romantic Fiction award. Linn writes chick lit, women’s contemporary fiction and psychic romance for Choc Lit, Harper Impulse and Endeavour Press.Website/blog: http://linnbhalton.co.uk/
Twitter: @LinnBHalton FB: Linn B Halton Author
Amazon: http://smarturl.it/LittleSugarLotOfLove




Contest Open Internationally – No Purchase necessary 1stPrize - £25 Amazon Voucher2ndPrize – Cupcake themed Swag Bag

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What’s up and coming on Victoria’s Pages of Romance21 – Thursday  Thoughts  - #ThursThoughts22 – Friday Snippets  #FridaySnippets23 – My Sexy Saturday - #MySexySaturday 24 –Weekend Writing Warriors - #8sunday25 – author spotlight – Georgia Hill – While I was Waiting26 – author spotlight – Sheryl Browne – The Edge of Sanity27 –Book Hooks - #MFRWhooks28 – author spotlight - Marie Laval – Blue Bonnets29 – Friday Snippets  #FridaySnippets30 – My Sexy Saturday - #MySexySaturday31 – Weekend Writing Warriors - #8sunday

Spotlight on New Release - A Wife for the Future by Emerald Lavere #NewRelease

A Wife for the Future by Emerald Lavere

Blurb:
Ashling never understood some of the oddities in her upbringing, until a family secret is revealed: Her father is from the distant future. It has been predetermined that he will return to his native time on Ashling's twentieth birthday and she must go with him. Future society has a critical shortage of women and humanity is threatened with extinction. Given time to recover from the shock and to prepare for a vastly different civilization, Ashling accepts her fate. This role requires that she take several husbands, and produce offspring to help prevent the human race from dying out. 
After a sheltered childhood with limited social interaction, Ashling is aroused by the idea of having romantic partners for the first time in her life. Once she arrives in the future, feelings of being overwhelmed are quickly replaced by desire for the men who wish to court her. Ashling takes three husbands, reveling in the passion she shares with each of them. Life becomes one delicious encounter after another, until her father is accused of a crime, and the only one willing to help free him, is the one man Ashling wants most, but may never have.
Excerpt:Now I’m exhausted, and holding out to get through to the end, when at last the music changes for the final song. Number one hundred and fifty retreats, and I look with relief for the very last man of the day.“Ahem, may I have the pleasure, Lady Ashling?”I turn around and see Jules with a card in hand, waiting with that ever-present smile on his face, though now it seems more tentative than his usual grin, like he’s gauging my reaction. I’m not sure what to think. In the couple of days I’ve been here, he’s been a near-constant attendant, and I’ve come to think of him as friendly and likable. I hadn’t really thought of him romantically, but then again, I never saw him dressed to kill like he is tonight. He does look exceptionally handsome.“Of course.” I step forward and reach up to place my hand on his shoulder. We’ve never been this close to each other, and I notice his scent for the first time. It’s warm with just a hint of spice. His hand slides gently across my back, and I feel a tingle in my spine. It’s different being this close to someone I’ve already gotten used to having around.“How are you doing with all of this?” he asks.I can’t suppress a smile. “Between you and me, I’m dead on my feet. So, if you can just kind of hold me up, that would be greatly appreciated.”He laughs. “Of course, my lady.” He grips me a little tighter, and the tingle from my back makes its way lower. His other hand clasps mine.I feel giddy. Maybe it’s because I’m deliriously tired, but also Jules is swinging me effortlessly across the dance floor and it feels a bit like flying.“I didn’t know you would be one of the suitors tonight,” I say, just before his gaze flashes to something over my shoulder.“Ahem, well, strictly speaking, I wasn’t on the scheduled guest list.”“Oh?”“And to that point, I’d best take my leave.” He steps back and takes my right hand in his. He bows and kisses the back of my hand with those sculpted and soft lips. Then he walks hastily away. I look over my shoulder and see two burly men coming toward me, working their way through the crowd.

Buy links: http://www.loose-id.com/the-wikomsette-2-a-wife-for-the-future.html
  Bio: Emerald Lavere grew up in rural Oregon. A country girl at heart, she now happily lives in Southern California with her three children, and only one husband--unlike her main characters. Emerald formerly worked as a dancer, singer and actor. She still teaches dance on occasion and sings often, and loudly, in her car. Her first two published works are erotic sci-fi novels. Emeralds next project is a memoir centering on pursuits of the stage, and of disastrous romances. You can find her online at the following links:
 Social media links:Website: www.emeraldlavere.comTwitter: @EmeraldLavereFB: https://www.facebook.com/EmeraldLavereGoodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7225670.Emerald_Lavere



What’s up and coming on Victoria’s Pages of Romance20 – author spotlight - Linn B Halton – Sweet Occasion21 – Thursday  Thoughts  - #ThursThoughts22 – Friday Snippets  #FridaySnippets23 – My Sexy Saturday - #MySexySaturday 24 –Weekend Writing Warriors - #8sunday25 – author spotlight – Georgia Hill – While I was Waiting26 – author spotlight – Sheryl Browne – The Edge of Sanity27 –Book Hooks - #MFRWhooks28 – author spotlight - Marie Laval – Blue Bonnets29 – Friday Snippets  #FridaySnippets30 – My Sexy Saturday - #MySexySaturday31 – Weekend Writing Warriors - #8sunday

Twelfth Night at Eyre Hall By LUCCIA GRAY and a giveaway

Following Edward Rochester’s death in All Hallows at Eyre Hall, Jane Eyre, who has been blackmailed into marrying a man she despises, will have to cope with the return of the man she loved and lost. The secrets she has tried so hard to conceal must be disclosed, giving rise to unexpected events and more shocking revelations.Romance, mystery, and excitement will unfold exploring the evolution of the original characters, and bringing to life new and intriguing ones, spinning a unique and absorbing narrative, which will move the action from the Yorkshire countryside, to Victorian London, and across the Atlantic Ocean to Colonial Jamaica.

Excerpt 



Michael had his back to the fireplace as we entered. He turned to look at Jane, and smiled, as he always did when he saw her, as if nothing had happened, as if he had just seen her yesterday. He moved towards us and she retreated, whispering his name once again.“Diana, could we have some water. It’s been a terrible journey, and Jane is so very exhausted,” I said as I held her arm, sure she was about to collapse.Michael rushed to the sideboard, poured some water from the decanter, and offered it to her. She stared at him, still motionless, so I took the glass and pressed the rim to her stunned lips. Michael was standing too close to her. He was as handsome and striking as ever; more so in his navy uniform. He looked older and larger. His arms had grown sturdier; his face was tanned and rugged. He looked like a man who enjoyed giving orders instead of accepting them. He was as bolder and stronger as Jane was weaker and quieter. I never knew why he left, and now I had no idea why he had returned, although I supposed that his departure had been the cause of her melancholy mood. My uncle had told me they were lovers. Unnatural, he called it, but I had seen love in the way their eyes chased each other’s movements at Eyre Hall. Did she tire of him and throw him out? Did he leave her? Why did she marry my uncle? I could understand my uncle’s reasons, but what did Jane gain from their union?Jane was trembling, so I stood between them with my back to Michael, obstructing her vision, to give her some time to adjust to the surprise of seeing him. “Drink some water, Jane, please,” I said as I pushed the glass to her lips.“Are you well, Jane?” asked Diana.“Yes, she’s all right,” I replied. “Just tired.”  “Well, you already know Michael, now Lieutenant Kirkpatrick. He has come with Captain Carrington and his wife. Captain Carrington is Michael’s sea captain. He was Charles’s last captain, too, on his final mission as Admiral of the Fleet. We are surrounded by valiant men today, are we not ladies?” Diana clapped her hands. “They’re staying over Christmas. Would it not be wonderful if we could all spend Christmas together at Eyre Hall? I would love to have you come here, but of course, Thorpe House is not big enough. What with Adele, Mr. Greenwood and his son, as well as dear John, and naturally Mr. Mason, there is just no room here, dear sister. What do you say?”I stepped forward and offered my hand to the captain who brushed his lips over my gloved knuckles as he gave me a lecherous smile, which instantly displeased me. His wife surprised me with a friendly hug. I finally offered Michael my hand. He bowed, but his lips did not touch my glove.After greeting the captain and his wife, Jane turned to Michael. He held her hand longer than was necessary and pressed it against his lips with a smile. “I’m very pleased to see you again, Mrs. Mason.”She stared back in silence, so I spoke. “Lieutenant, although we are pleased to see you, you must understand what a surprise it is. You left Eyre Hall suddenly, and we have had no information about your whereabouts in over a year. It was not a courteous way to leave your employer.”“You are correct, Miss Mason. I do apologise to Mrs. Mason for not giving her enough notice of my leave, but my decision was sudden. My sister, Susan, was leaving Eyre Hall, and I too needed a change of employment. I came to see Admiral Fitzjames, because he had helped my father, too.” He turned to Jane. “I hope you can forgive me, Mrs. Mason.”
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About Luccia Gray

Luccia Gray was born in London and now lives in the south of Spain with her husband. She has three children and three grandchildren. When she's not reading or writing, she teaches English at an Adult Education Centre and at the Spanish National University.
Author linksFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/LucciaGray/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/LucciaGray Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8186541.Luccia_Gray Google+ https://plus.google.com/+LucciaGrayAuthor Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/LucciaGray/ Blog Rereading Jane Eyre www.lucciagray.com

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What’s up and coming on Victoria’s Pages of Romance
19 – author spotlight – Emerald Lavere -20 – author spotlight - Linn B Halton – Sweet Occasion21 – Thursday  Thoughts  - #ThursThoughts22 – Friday Snippets  #FridaySnippets23 – My Sexy Saturday - #MySexySaturday 24 –Weekend Writing Warriors - #8sunday25 – author spotlight – Georgia Hill – While I was Waiting26 – author spotlight – Sheryl Browne – The Edge of Sanity27 –Book Hooks - #MFRWhooks28 – author spotlight - Marie Laval – Blue Bonnets29 – Friday Snippets  #FridaySnippets30 – My Sexy Saturday - #MySexySaturday31 – Weekend Writing Warriors - #8sunday

Robert's snarky but playful return to class on Weekend Writing Warriors #8sunday

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From Dancing in Circles - NA contemporary romance. Julie and Robert have returned to the class after Robert was searched by the police.




A couplet from a poem shot through Julie's mind.Thine eyes fill me with wanton lust.Thine arms doth cause me to surrender.He held the door open for her. There was a gasp of disbelief as he entered. "Ta da. The innocent has returned." He snapped his fingers and bounced to his personal beat.






Blurb – One born into privilege and a charmed life surrounded by love and family. The other born to a life of violence on the streets as the solemn gang leader of the notorious Shoresmen. A young, idealistic co-ed, Julie, meets a jaded, cold gang member, Robert, and cracks his icy shell, allowing the warmth of her love to awaken his soul.
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5 Stars - Author Victoria Adams does an excellent job at bringing characters to life. I really enjoyed living through Julie's dream of becoming a dancer and her connection with Robert. Yeah, Robert may have gotten himself in the wrong crowd, but he really does portray a compassionate person and in the end he really does grow on you. Can't wait to see the next one in the series!


 What’s up and coming on Victoria’s Pages of Romance
18 – author spotlight - Luccia Gray - Twelfth Night in Eyre Hall 19 – author spotlight - Linn B Halton – Sweet Occasion20 –Book Hooks - #MFRWhooks21 – Thursday  Thoughts  - #ThursThoughts22 – Friday Snippets  #FridaySnippets23 – My Sexy Saturday - #MySexySaturday 24 –Weekend Writing Warriors - #8sunday25 – author spotlight – Georgia Hill – While I was Waiting26 – author spotlight – Sheryl Browne – The Edge of Sanity27 –Book Hooks - #MFRWhooks28 –Thursday  Thoughts  - #ThursThoughts29 – Friday Snippets  #FridaySnippets30 – My Sexy Saturday - #MySexySaturday31 – Weekend Writing Warriors - #8sunday

On My Sexy Saturday - Sometimes the sexy girl doesn't know she's sexy #MySexySaturday #MSS124

Welcome to the 124th week of My Sexy Saturday.
This week’s theme: One Sexy Girl
This week’s theme is One Sexy Girl. Sometimes a story starts with one sexy girl. 
From my flash fiction romance - Red Tulip. Sometimes the sexy girl doesn't know she's sexy.

Scene set - Darcy is a junior gardener working for the city. A handsome stranger asks her an unexpected question.


For those few moments in his presence, I was unable to think. My breath caught in my lungs. My palms were slick with beads of sweat. I shook my head, opened my eyes, and tugged the ever-present hair tie off my wrist. "Get over yourself, Darcy. A man like that wants a super model who can slink around on eight-inch heels. Not someone who digs in the dirt all day." 



Blurb - Darcy O'Calahann, a junior gardener from a small mid-western town, is trying to make her way in the big city.Shamus McTavis is a wealthy bachelor with a mysterious family past.Are Darcy's eyes playing tricks on her? Is she losing her mind? Or is there really a Red Tulip tying her and Shamus together?
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What’s up and coming on Victoria’s Pages of Romance 17 –Weekend Writing Warriors - #8sunday18 – author spotlight - Luccia Gray - Twelfth Night in Eyre Hall19 – author spotlight – Emerald Lavere -20 – author spotlight - Linn B Halton – Sweet Occasion21 – Thursday  Thoughts  - #ThursThoughts22 – Friday Snippets  #FridaySnippets23 – My Sexy Saturday - #MySexySaturday 24 –Weekend Writing Warriors - #8sunday25 – author spotlight – Georgia Hill – While I was Waiting26 – author spotlight – Sheryl Browne – The Edge of Sanity27 –Book Hooks - #MFRWhooks28 – author spotlight - Marie Laval – Blue Bonnets29 – Friday Snippets  #FridaySnippets30 – My Sexy Saturday - #MySexySaturday31 – Weekend Writing Warriors - #8sunday

From Circles Divided - I'm sorry I took it out on you. Friday Snippets #FriSnippets

From book 2 of Circles Trilogy - Circles Divided - NA contemporary.
Scene set - Julie failed her first professional dance audition then had a meltdown.



Her sobs quieted while Robert held her. Her breathing slowed. She'd fallen asleep in his arms. Wiggling himself around, he scooped her into his arms, placed her on her bed then pulled a blanket over her and kissed her on the cheek. He retreated to his room. A large pile of clothes rested in the middle of the floor and another in a clump in the corner. Grabbing a huge armful, he plodded down to the laundry room. After loading the washer, he settled onto the family room couch and flipped the remote until he found a movie. By the time the battle for planet Earth was in full force, his eyes were getting heavy."What are you watching?"He jumped and looked at Julie. "Just a movie.""I'm sorry." She hit his foot. Robert sat up. "I'm sorry I took it out on you.""Forget it." He shrugged. "I've got big shoulders. Ya can cry on them anytime."Julie snuggled down on the couch next to him. "You're not mad?""Naw, I figured ya were just lettin' it out." He brushed a hand across her cheek. "Ya look tired, why don't ya go to bed?""What about you?""Doin' my laundry.""I'll stay."Robert stretched out and Julie lay on her side in front of him. He draped an arm over her waist. While he watched the movie, Julie slept. When the washing machine stopped, Robert climbed over her, switched the clothes to the dryer then climbed back onto the couch.A sharp tap on his shoulder woke him. Blinking his eyes open, he focused on Julie's mother. "Go to bed. It'd be more comfortable.""I'm doin' my laundry.""Clothes are folded and in your room. Take Julie up to bed and go get some sleep.""You should be in bed.""I came downstairs to get a drink. I heard the dryer buzz then I found you two here."Robert lifted Julie from the couch and followed Mrs. Anderson upstairs. She pulled down the blankets on Julie's bed. Robert laid her down. "Good night," he whispered. Soon the house returned to silence as everyone slept.





Is the love of a girl from wealthy Westland and a street punk from the slums of the Shore strong enough to surpass all that life will throw at them and forge a life together? Is Julie willing to sacrifice her childhood dream of becoming a professional dancer for the man she loves? Is Robert willing to lay down his ties to the gang in order to hold onto his new found love?
Sacrifices must be made, but will they be enough?
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What’s up and coming on Victoria’s Pages of Romance
16 –My Sexy Saturday - #MySexySaturday17 –Weekend Writing Warriors - #8sunday18 – author spotlight - Luccia Gray - Twelfth Night in Eyre Hall19 – author spotlight – Emerald Lavere -20 – author spotlight - Linn B Halton – Sweet Occasion21 – Thursday  Thoughts  - #ThursThoughts22 – Friday Snippets  #FridaySnippets23 – My Sexy Saturday - #MySexySaturday 24 –Weekend Writing Warriors - #8sunday25 – author spotlight – Georgia Hill – While I was Waiting26 – author spotlight – Sheryl Browne – The Edge of Sanity27 –Book Hooks - #MFRWhooks28 – author spotlight - Marie Laval – Blue Bonnets29 – Friday Snippets  #FridaySnippets30 – My Sexy Saturday - #MySexySaturday31 – Weekend Writing Warriors - #8sunday

Jenna Jaxon talks about Jousting from her latest historical romance - Time Enough To Love #mustread

Joust in TimeKnights on horseback racing full tilt toward each other with lances fixed may be the most iconic image most of us have of the Medieval period, and for good reason.  Jousting was one of the most popular and dramatic entertainments people of all classes could enjoy at a time when life was uncertain.Jousts were usually part of a tournament, held by royalty usually during the summer months of the year.  They were major events where knights were pitted against each other for honor, for glory, and for prize money.  They may had had their roots in Roman games at the Coliseum.On the opening day of a tournament, which may have lasted from 3 to 5 days, there was a formal procession out to the lists (the barriers that defined the field of combat).  This procession could be quite elaborate.  In Time Enough to Love, the knights and their ladies are dressed in costumes as members of King Arthur’s Round Table and it was a great honor to be chosen to ride. I modeled this procession after an actual procession in which 25 ladies on horseback rode beside their knights who walked to the lists (at least a couple of miles) in full armor while tethered to the ladies by silver chains.  King Edward III, at whose court the major action of the first half of the book takes place, had in fact given a grand tournament in 1344, which gave me the idea for one in my book.Once on the field, the spectators were seated in a grandstand called a berfrois, built a story above the lists. Knights were assigned to brightly colored tents called pavilions, where they rested, waited, and donned their armor, with assistance from their squire, in preparation for the joust.  As a side note, the armor typically worn weighed about 60 pounds, but was so well-articulated that the combatants had much more mobility than we would believe.The horses used by knights were a special breed, called destriers, who could manage the great weight of knight and armor and still maneuver on the firld.  The horses were draped with a cloth called a comparison that covered them from nose to tail, designed in the knight’s colors and emblazoned with his heraldic design.Of course, as with any contact sport, the potential for injury and death in jousting was great. The most famous death occurred when King Henry II of France was killed when a lance broke on his helmet and a wooden splinter pierced his eye and brain.  Oddly enough, the almost exact same thing happened in January 2011 when a jousting re-enactor was killed when a lance splintered on his helmet and a large piece of it pierced his eye and brain.  With such a rich heritage of jousting, is it any wonder that I incorporated a joust and as many details of it as possible into Time Enough to Love?  You’ll find the procession—which becomes a serious conflict in the first part of the book—the joust itself, and a stunning injury that threatens the happiness of the hero and heroine.If you love the color and pageantry of the Middle Ages, you’ll love Time Enough to Love.
Victoria here – I was at a medieval knights festival a couple of summers ago and took this shot of the jousting tournament. It shows the 2 knights on horseback, the King's pavillion and the "locals" watching the event.


  Time Enough to Love
When Lady Alyse de Courcy is betrothed to Sir Geoffrey Longford, she has no choice but to make the best of a bad bargain. The hulking knight is far from her ideal man, and although he does possess some wit and charm, he is no match for the sinfully sensual man she secretly admires, Thomas, Earl of Braeton, her betrothed’s best friend.  From the first, Sir Geoffrey finds himself smitten by Lady Alyse, and, despite her infatuation with his friend, vows to win her love. When Geoffrey puts his mind to wooing Alyse, he is delighted to find her succumbing to his seduction. But when cruel circumstances separate them, Geoffrey must watch helplessly as Thomas steps in to protect Alyse—and falls in love with her himself.As the three courtiers accompany Princess Joanna to her wedding in Spain, they run headlong into the Black Plague. With her world plunged into chaos, Alyse struggles with her feelings for both the men she loves. But which love will survive?
TIME ENOUGH TO LOVE “Thomas.” Alyse curtsied quickly then blurted out the fear she had fought almost since Geoffrey had left. “Is my lord well? Have you news for me?” Thanks to Anne and Margaret’s thoughtless comments, she had become convinced Geoffrey had fallen ill with Sir Robert’s ailment and now himself hovered between life and death.Avoiding her eyes, he answered briefly. “Aye, my lady. When I left him, Geoffrey was well enough.”While his words relieved her, a shadow still lay on her heart. If Geoffrey was not ill, why had Thomas’s manner changed? What had summoned this aloof stranger? He was withholding something from her. “And Sir Roland?”He hesitated, searching her eyes then looking away. He fisted his hands. “Sir Roland is…has…”Alyse could stand it no longer. She crossed to stand directly before him, laid a cold hand upon his arm, and gripped it. “Tell me.”That there was something he could not bring himself to tell her filled her with terror. He said Geoffrey was well enough when he left. What about now? Before she could question him further, he drew out a folded piece of parchment, sealed with blue wax and stamped with a signet ring bearing Geoffrey’s family crest. She stared at it, a cold dread creeping through her. “Geoffrey bade me place this in your hand and no other, my lady.” Thomas thrust the missive toward her.Alyse compelled herself to hold her hand out. He sighed. “He also bade me be at your service, lady, had you need of anything.” He gave the parchment into her hand. As he did so, she looked into his eyes and recognized the same pity she had seen in Princess Joanna’s.Panic made her arms weak and her fingers numb. She forced her shaking hands to break the seal. Alyse unfolded the letter and slowly read the scratched and blurry words.* * * *In her bedchamber, Princess Joanna waited with Maurya, Anne, and Margaret. The women’s faces had changed from puzzlement to fear. Joanna looked from one maid to another, trying to hide her despondency. So many prayers had not been answered today.Anne finally summoned the courage to ask, “Your Highness, what has happened?” She choked back tears. “I meant no harm, earlier. Indeed,” she crossed herself, “I wish Sir Roland and Sir Geoffrey long life.” She turned stricken eyes toward Joanna and whispered, “Is Sir Geoffrey—” A wrenching wail of anguish shattered the hushed room, as though the very walls echoed the sound. The four women stood rooted to the floor at the almost-inhuman shriek of grief. The sound cut off abruptly, and in the eerie silence that followed, they heard the soft thud of a body hitting the floor.

 Amazon:http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01ACF9L98?*Version*=1&*entries*=0

ARe:  https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-timeenoughtolove-1964202-161.html


AUTHOR INFORMATION
Jenna Jaxon is a multi-published author of historical and contemporary romance.  She 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. Jenna is a PAN member of Romance Writers of America as well as President of Chesapeake Romance Writers, her local chapter of RWA. She has equated her writing to an addiction to chocolate because once she starts she just can’t stop.
Find Jenna Jaxon online:BLOG:  https://jennajaxon.wordpress.com/TWITTER: https://twitter.com/Jenna_JaxonFACEBOOK:  https://www.facebook.com/pages/Jenna-Jaxon/146857578723570


What’s up and coming on Victoria’s Pages of Romance
15 – Friday Snippets  #FridaySnippets16 – My Sexy Saturday - #MySexySaturday17 – Weekend Writing Warriors - #8sunday 19 – author spotlight – Emerald Lavere -20 – author spotlight - Linn B Halton – Sweet Occasion21 – Thursday  Thoughts  - #ThursThoughts22 – Friday Snippets  #FridaySnippets23 – My Sexy Saturday - #MySexySaturday 24 –Weekend Writing Warriors - #8sunday25 – author spotlight – Georgia Hill – While I was Waiting26 – author spotlight – Sheryl Browne – The Edge of Sanity27 –Book Hooks - #MFRWhooks28 – author spotlight - Marie Laval – Blue Bonnets29 – Friday Snippets  #FridaySnippets30 – My Sexy Saturday - #MySexySaturday31 – Weekend Writing Warriors - #8sunday