Becky Lower's Blog, page 39

Bundlemania Rolls On

The last two books in the Time After Time Bundle are being featured today. Hope you enjoy reading more about them. Still 99 cents for all ten fabulous books. Order your copy from Amazon today.  : http://amzn.to/1mXgHZt

The Reluctant Debutante by Becky Lower 

In 1855 New York, Ginger Fitzpatrick has absolutely no interest in taking part in the newest rage in America – the Cotillion Ball. Instead, Ginger would rather be rallying for women’s rights – at least until she meets her brother’s best friend from St. Louis, a dark mysterious man named Joseph Lafontaine, who ignites her passion and makes her question if love and marriage is such a ridiculous notion after all.What she and the rest of New York’s high society don’t realize is that Joseph is half Ojibwa Indian, and therefore, totally unsuitable for marriage to a fine, cultured young lady.In this Edith Wharton meets Julia Quinn tale, a young woman rebels against high society and opts for a life in which she creates her own set of rules.




Author Bio: Ever since submitting her first screenplay to Bonanza at age twelve, Becky Lower has had a love affair with the American west. Since personal time travel is out of the question, she pursues her passion by writing about it. Becky is a graduate of Bowling Green State University and lives in Oberlin, Ohio with her dog, Mary.





Once A Duchess by Elizabeth Boyce 
Isabelle Lockwood was a duchess, until her husband of only a few months wrongfully divorced her for adultery. Since then she’s been a pariah, living in anonymous exile to escape the prying eyes and wagging tongues of the ton. More than anything, Isabelle longs for a family of her own, and so has to marry again. But society is ruthlessly unforgiving. To clear her name, Isabelle must face down her past—and the man who broke her heart and ruined her completely.Marshall Lockwood, Duke of Monthwaite, was blindsided by his young bride’s infidelity. After the divorce Marshall licked his wounds, throwing himself into his botanical studies to forget his disastrous marriage. Now his former wife is back in Town, as beautiful and enticing as he remembers. As the Season throws them together again, Marshall can’t shake the feeling that Isabelle might not be the adulteress he took her for.

Author Bio: Elizabeth Boyce lives in the southeastern United States with her husband and several rambunctious children. She likes to think in the shower, sip wine, and pretend she has a cooking show.

Cover Reveal and Two More Books in the Historical Bundle

The cover for my new book has been approved, and I'm happy to reveal it to you, if you haven't already seen it on Facebook or Twitter. Here it is. What do you think?

And, here's the blurb: Can't wait until September 1! 
In 1859, ladies of New York society were expected to do three things well: find a husband, organize a smooth-running household, and have children. 
Rosemary Fitzpatrick’s agenda is very different. As the author of the popular Harry Hawk dime novels, she must hide her true identity from her new publisher, who assumes the person behind the F. P. Elliott pen name is male. She must pose as his secretary in order to ensure the continuation of her series. And in the midst of all this subterfuge, her mother is insisting that she become a debutante this year. 
Henry Cooper is not the typical Boston Brahmin. Nor is he a typical publisher. He’s entranced by Mr. Elliott’s secretary the moment they meet, and wonders how his traditional-thinking father will react when he brings a working class woman into the family. Because his intentions are to marry her, regardless.
Rosemary’s deception begins to unravel at the Cotillion ball, when Henry recognizes her. The secretarial mask must come off, now that he knows she is a member of New York society. But she can’t yet confess who she truly is until she knows if Henry will accept her as F. P. Elliott. 
The more time they spend together, the closer they become. But when Rosemary reveals her true identity to him, will Henry be able to forgive her or has her deceit cost her the man she loves?

Now, on to the business at hand. Two more books are being featured from the bundle, Time After Time. It's still on sale for only 99 cents. Be sure to get your copy. 
Brave In Heart by Emma Barry 

Theodore Ward is a man of deep passions and strong principles—none of which he acts on. So Margaret Hampton ends their engagement, breaking both of their hearts in the process.Years after their estrangement, ardent but frozen Theo attempts to reconnect with Margaret. She is no longer trusting of the idea of romantic love, having become pragmatic and wary during decades alone. But with the drumbeat of the early days of the Civil War in the background, how can she refuse?The courtship that results is hasty, reckless, and intense, fueled by contradictions between Theo’s willingness finally to change and Margaret’s fears about the future. Two smart, stubborn, fiery people will need to overcome the hesitancies of their hearts and the perils of battle if they’re ever to find happiness.




Author Bio: Emma Barry is a (former) Montanan who loves hugs from her toddler twins, Earl Grey tea, her cat’s whiskers, and her husband’s cooking. Learn more about her at authoremmabarry.com.







A Treasure Worth Keeping by Marie Patrick 

Caralyn McCreigh has always believed in three things: that her father, Daniel, would never force her into marriage; she could have a story book romance with a man who sweeps her off her feet and a loving marriage like her parents share; and in the existence of the legendary lost treasure, Izzy’s Fortune. When Daniel tells her that her marriage has been arranged, all her beliefs are shattered and she does exactly as he hopes she will do – she embarks on a quest to find Izzy’s Fortune, believing Queen Isabella’s treasure will buy her out of a marriage she doesn’t want to a man she doesn’t know or love. And who better to help her than Captain Trey, the infamous treasure hunter?Tristan Youngblood, Captain of the Adventurer and future Earl of Winterbourne, would much rather sail the oceans and search for lost treasure than settle down and take over the reigns of the Winterbourne estates, but when he receives news that his future has been decided for him, he knows he has no choice. He has no qualms against marriage itself but having witnessed the misery of his parent’s union, he does not desire the same for himself but instead of rushing home to England to court the woman who is to become his wife, Tristan accepts Caralyn’s proposal and embarks on one last grand adventure to search for Izzy’s Fortune
Author Bio: Marie Patrick lives in beautiful, sunny Arizona with her husband and amazing fur-babies. She loves to hear from her readers. Find Marie Patrick at www.mariepatrick.com or email her at Akamariep@aol.com.
Crimson Romance's historical bundle is still on sale. Ten books for only $.99! Can't beat the price, and the diversity of books ensures there's something for everyone. If you love historical romance, you can't go wrong. 
Buy Link: http://amzn.to/1mXgHZt

A Day Late

I'm just back from San Antonio, where I attended the RWA conference and did some research.
Learned how it feels to hold a real musket in my hands. Note my helper, who did most of the heavy lifting. With my good friend, Barb Heintz, at the Crimson Romance get-together.
It's now time to get back to business, though. I'd like to highlight the next two authors in the historical boxed set, Time After Time. Here we go: 
How To Wed An Earl by Ivory Lei 
Having regained his fortune, Lucas, Earl of Ravenstone, has to marry in order to keep it. Luckily, he won’t have to search for a wife—he’s known her name since their marriage was arranged in their youth. To fulfill his duty, he travels far from London Society to claim a fiancée who would no doubt be thrilled at the prospect of finally being able to use his name and become his countess.Penelope Maitland has already been using Lucas’s name—to fend off her stepfamily’s creditors. After wasting decades waiting for him, she reckons it’s only fair she gets something out of her long-standing betrothal before she hears Lucas has married someone else.When they accidentally meet in a coaching inn, she finds herself fighting dangerous girlhood fantasies about marrying the man of her dreams who broke her heart with his apparent lack of interest. And Lucas finds that in order to keep his fortune, he will have to lose his heart to a woman who is tired of waiting for him.
Author Bio: Ivory was born in the Philippines and lives in Carlisle, United Kingdom, with her husband and their perpetually hungry canine. She’d love to hear from you. Contact her through www.ivorythewriter.wordpress.com or through her Twitter handle @ivory_lei.


Lady Broke by Rachel Donnelly 
East meets west when a high-principled Boston socialite teams up with a revenge driven bounty hunter to catch a gang of outlaws in the wilds of Nevada.It’s tough being a witness when the last one turned up dead. But Christie Wallace is determined to bring the Everett gang to justice. Unfortunately, the law can’t protect her from pistol-toting outlaws or the intoxicating lure of a dangerous man. But, after escaping the suffocating prospects of an arranged marriage, she has no intention of allowing her heart to rule her head, even when temptation comes in the form of an incorrigible lawman named Nat Randall. Dead or alive—it made no difference to Nat Randall. He’d tried to bring the Everett gang to trial once before, but the law let him down. It seems frontier justice is all he has left. But he didn’t count on protecting a bewitching Easterner whose courageous spirit challenges him as much as her beauty distracts. It’s not long before he’s torn between pursuing her or the outlaws.A timeless, rollicking adventure of unlikely lovers, set in the Wild West.
Author Bio: Rachel Donnelly is an RWA Golden Heart and Golden Pen finalist. She lives in Canada with her husband, two children and one crazy cat. Learn more about her at http://author-racheldonnelly.blogspot..., Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.

The boxed set is still available for only $.99! Ten books for less than the price of one. Grab your copy today by clicking on the set featured at the right.

And, the next book in my Cotillion Ball Series, The Duplicitous Debutante, is on the countdown for release September 1. I'll have a cover soon and I'm dying to share it with everyone.  

Crimson Romance's Boxed Set of Historical Romances Rolls On

Good Sunday morning, everyone!

I'm anxiously preparing for RWA Nationals, but I have time to post the next two entries in Crimson Romance's Time After Time historical bundle. What a deal--you get ten full length books for only 99 pennies. These books have a combined total of 239 four and five star reviews. Today, I'll focus on a Regency romance and a Viking love story. What fun!

Love’s Destiny by Elizabeth Meyette 
When Emily Wentworth’s father dies at sea, her father’s friend—and Emily’s appointed guardian—Jonathon Brentwood arrives at her home in London to take her with him to the colonies. Emily, just 17, has decided that she is fully capable of taking care of herself and sets out to prove that to her new guardian.Emily’s one chance to remain in London is to marry, but when the opportunity arises, she knows she would rather follow Jonathon across an ocean to a land in upheaval than to stay safely in London.But Jonathon’s involvement in patriot activity against England disturbs—and threatens—Emily, a loyal subject of the king. The colonial rebellion is the backdrop for misunderstanding, fear, mistrust, and danger. Will love’s destiny ensure that Emily and Jonathon stay together, even in the face of death?


Author Bio: Elizabeth Meyette’s love of books was ignited when her older sister read Goldilocks and the Three Bears to her. That passion grew into a career as an English teacher, media specialist, poet and author. She is fortunate to live in Michigan with her beloved husband, Richard, where they are inspired by their walks along the beautiful Great Lakes. 




Viking Fire by Andrea R. Cooper 
856 CE, Ireland is a land of myth, magic, and blood. Viking raiders have fought the Irish for over half a century. Rival Irish clans promise only betrayal and carnage. Kaireen, daughter of Laird Liannon, is suddenly forced into an arranged marriage with her sworn enemy, a Viking. She refuses to submit. With no mention of love, only land and the protection of her clan, she endeavors to get her betrothed banished from her country. Will love find its way around her stubborn heart?Bram, the Viking, finds himself without future or inheritance as a younger son in his family. A marriage to the Laird’s daughter would grant him land if he swears fidelity and if his men will fight along with the Liannons against any foe—Irish or Viking. However, the Laird’s feisty daughter only holds animosity for him and his kind. Is marriage worth the battle scars of such a relentless opponent?With the blame for a rival laird’s death treacherously set against the Liannons, Kaireen and Bram must find a way to lay aside their differences as an unforeseen darkness sends death snapping at their heels.

Author Bio: Andrea R. Cooper grew-up creating characters and never stopped. Fantasy, paranormal and historical romance are her favorite genres to read and write. She lives in Houston and when not writing or reading stories, she likes to dance when no one is watching.




These books are a part of the nicely bound ten-book bundle now available for sale. Get your copy today. Buy Link: http://amzn.to/1mXgHZt

Crimson Boxed Set Of Historicals

Today begins five weeks of talk about the bundle of goodies Crimson has put together. Ten of the top-selling historicals published by Crimson in its first two years are all bundled up here, nice and pretty, for only $.99! That's right. For less than a dollar, you can get ten full-length historicals, covering a lot of different topics. Today, I'll talk about the first two in the bundle
On Sale Now.

A Rogue In Sheep’s Clothing by Elf Ahern 
In Lord Hugh Davenport’s opinion, women of the ton perpetually hide behind a mask of deception. That’s hard for Ellie Albright, the daughter of an earl, to swallow—especially since she’s disguised herself as a stable hand to get back the prized stallion her father sold to Hugh to pay a debt. If Hugh learns her true identity she’ll lose the horse and her family will go bankrupt. Somehow, though, losing Hugh’s affection is beginning to seem even worse.Already only a step away from being snagged in her own web of lies, Ellie’s deceit threatens to spin out of control when Hugh’s mother invites Ellie and her sisters to a house party. Now Ellie has to scramble to keep Hugh from knowing she’s the stable girl he wants to marry, while simultaneously trying to win his trust as herself. Can she keep her costumes straight long enough to save her family? And even if she does, will it be worth losing his love?

Author Bio: Elf Ahearn—yes, that is her real name—lives in New York with her wonderful husband and a pesky (yet irresistible) cat. Learn more about her at elfahearn.com or friend her on Facebook







The Glass Orchid by Emma Barron 
Orphan Adele Beaumont spent her childhood being passed around to cruel or indifferent relatives. She quickly learned the harsh lesson that a fatherless, penniless girl becomes an unmarriageable woman, leaving her alone and vulnerable to the whims of society. Determined to take charge of her own fate, Del decides to pursue the only means to an independent life available to her: become a courtesan to wealthy and powerful men. Rhys Camden has just turned twenty-one and is now employed as factotum in his father’s shipping company. He is eager to find his place in the world, but he finds himself fighting against his father’s control as the elder Camden seeks to increase the family’s social standing to match their newfound wealth. After a chance meeting on a foggy street, Del’s and Camden’s lives become increasingly intertwined. Their passion for each other ignites and, realizing there can be no true freedom without love, they vow to defy society and family and risk everything to be together. But they soon learn how dangerous that defiance can be.
Author Bio: Emma Barron lives in upstate New York with her family and two dogs. When not writing, she’s usually chasing her daughter, starting house projects she makes her husband finish, or killing all the plants in her garden. Learn more about her at www.emmabarronbooks.com, find her on Facebook, or follow her on Twitter.

If you're a fan of historical romances, don't miss this opportunity to get ten books for one low price. Next week, I'll feature two more books from this fantastic bundle. 

G'day Everyone! Téa Cooper's In The House.

When I began sharing my work with others, and reading their works, I was impressed by the similarities between the Wild West in America in the late 1800s, and the wild Australian bush during the same period of time. I thought, even though Australia is on the other side of the world, we're not so different after all. Except for a few things...
I asked my dear friend, Téa to enlighten us Americans. So, without further ado, here she is!
G’day Beck, and thanks for the invite!
I was born in England and didn’t move to Australia until my twenties. (I still get ribbed (teased) about my English accent.) I hadn’t realised (realized) until I started writing just how many differences there were.
Everyone knows about the spelling – Australians use English spelling, which is hardly surprising because the Queen of England is still our Head of State, but there is a whole lot more to Australian English. Not more, actually – less.
Aussies shorten everything, and if possible add a “y”, “ie” or an “o”.
Case in point … my daughter’s name. I didn’t want her name to be shortened. I thought I’d beat the Australians at their own game, so she was christened Katy. I didn’t think there was much they could do to that. Wrong! Kat or Kate or even Kato! And it’s not just names.
There’s arvo (a nice quiet Sunday ‘afternoon’), smoko (that used to mean time for a cigarette break – these days it just means a break). The Salvation Army is known as the Salvos and St Vincent de Paul charity shops as Vinnies. We have pressies (presents) at Chrissie (Christmas) then put on our cozzies (swimming costumes) and sunnies (sunglasses) and head for the beach, usually wearing thongs (NO! On our feet – flip flops, sandals, not the other kind!)
Then of course there are the other issues … our seasons are the other way around so Christmas is the summer, Easter in Autumn (Fall), and we don’t celebrate Thanksgiving but we do celebrate Australia Day (January 26th) and ANZAC Day on April 25th (that’s pretty much the same as your Memorial Day, I think.) And then, there’s the question of North and South – in Australia you face your house north if you want to live on the sunny-side.
Best of all is the urban myth … or is it? Apparently the water goes down the plughole anti-clockwise (counter clockwise) in Australia whereas in the Northern hemisphere it goes clockwise … I have to admit I’ve never researched it!!
I discovered my latest book is categorised (categorized) a Western historical romance – the problem is it is set in the East (of Australia) and there are no cowboys only stockmen and bushrangers (highwaymen) and the heroine’s father owns a stud (ranch)! In fact a cowboy is often a derogatory term in Australia. (A dishonest or careless person in business, especially an unqualified one – originating from the English, I think.) And today jilleroo and jackeroo are well-used terms for a station (not railway - ranch) hands.
The question is, does it destroy the story for you? Should we be standardizing our spelling and vocabulary globally or hanging onto our national idiosyncrasies?
What d’you reckon?
Cheers, and thanks for your time – cobber!
P.S. Aussies have some very colourful (colorful) sayings, generally you won’t see them in romance books. Be warned, some might offend and I’ve censored them already!
·      Up at sparrow’s fart (very early) Off like a bride's nightie ( very quickly)·      Flat out like a lizard drinking (very, very busy)·      May your chooks turn to emus and kick you dunny door down (a dunny is an outside toilet – and you’d use this if you were unhappy, very unhappy, with someone!)·      He couldn’t fight his way out of a paper bag (he’s weak)·      Don’t get your knickers in a knot (don’t get angry)·      He’s off like a bucket of prawns in the sun (he’s leaving in a hurry)·      Mad as a cut snake (seriously angry)·      We’re in the middle of woop-woop (we’re lost)·      As slow as a wet week (a tedious time)
Lily’s Leap by Téa Cooper



[image error]Blurb:
From Escape's Queen of Australian historical romance comes a story about a privileged member of Australian's squattocracy, a bushranger, and a very special horse.
Born into the rough, but privileged society of the Australian colonial landowners, Lilibeth Dungarven finds herself married, widowed, and, much to her distress, back under her father’s thumb, all before her twenty-first birthday. Determined not to forgo her dream of breeding the perfect racehorse, Lilibeth ignores propriety and sets out to restore the family’s flagging fortunes.
When Captain Tom and his mismatched band of bushrangers stumble across a mob of the best horses they’ve ever seen, and the daughter of the famed Dungarven horse stud, they know their fortunes have changed. Their catch is worth a king’s ransom. All they have to do is hold her for seven days. How hard can it be to control the pampered daughter of a colonial upstart?

Publication Date: July 1, 2014Harlequin Escape | Amazon | Amazon.aus | iTunes | Kobo

Amazon and Goodreads Reviews:
Forget work, forget all your responsibilities and slide into this delicious story ... a well-written book by a talented writer ... since I doubt I’ll be visiting Australia, it was a treat to feel like I was there, herding horses to market across the Australian Outback. The landscape assumes the position of a character in this exciting romance; playing a pivotal role in Lily’s adventure. A fabulous read by a very talented Aussie author … I have no hesitation in HIGHLY recommending Lily’s Leap.
http://mywrittenromance.com/2014/06/06/lilys-leap-by-tea-cooper-review https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/946141614?book_show_action=false&page=1

Biography:
Personal Links:Website: www.teacooperauthor.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/TeaCooperTwitter: https://twitter.com/TeaCooper1Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/teacooperauthorPinterest: http://pinterest.com/teacooperauthor/
Thanks, Téa, for this enlightening post. I love our differences as well as our similarities. Lily's Leap sounds great. Horses, the vast Outback, a feisty woman, a man big enough to tame her...who could ask for more?

Facebook Wars

Becoming involved in social media was something I didn't even consider as I was writing my book, The Reluctant Debutante, three years ago. Since then, my naiveté has faded somewhat, and I've discovered I really like certain aspects of the whole thing. For instance, I love to blog. I've rarely missed a Sunday since I started. I like to keep my website current, adding new books and reviews to keep things fresh. And even though I'm not really sure where my Twitter messages are going, or who they're being seen by, I love condensing a message into only 140 characters. It's fun, challenging sometimes, and easy to do.

But, as you can see from the chart on the right, there are many other avenues of social media available. There's Pinterest, Linked In, Google Plus, Wattpad, Facebook....

Ah, Facebook. The bane of my existence. My web designer keeps telling me I only need two Facebook pages--one for personal use, and one for my author page. What she doesn't tell me is how to combine my two versions of an author page. One is linked to my Twitter feed, but I can never remember which, the other to Book Pulse, both have different followers. How to combine them into one comprehensive page is still a mystery to me. So, I guess I'll continue to do what I've been doing and ignore the fact that my Facebook presence is very poor. Hell, I'll probably even tweet out a message about how messed up my Facebook presence has become. Then, I can see what page that Twitter message shows up on. What a brilliant idea! I'm off to tweet.

Oh, and don't forget to visit The Romance Review's blog hop. It ends on Monday, so be sure you're entered into the drawings. And visit Crimson Romance's new bookstore  http://www.adamsmediastore.com/crimson-romance/  
Not only will you be able to buy six books for the price of five, if you enter the code FFSAVE on your order form, you'll be able to save an additional 10%. But the deal only lasts until August 31. 

Please Take Advantage

It's finally summer, and with the change of season, I'm changing some things up on my blog site. As my backlist grew, the list on the right side of the blog page extended further and further. So, I've created a new page called, appropriately enough, Books. There you can find information about all my books, both historic and contemporary, as well as what's next on my schedule. Lots more historicals, and a new contemporary trilogy are in the works. Please click on the "Books" page to find out more.

This is the final week of The Romance Review's blog hop, so click on the link to the right and visit the blog to make yourself eligible for some great prizes and to discover new authors.

Crimson Romance just celebrated their second year in business by opening their own store: www.adamsmediastore.com/crimson-romance

They're offering one book free if you buy five, and, until the end of summer (August 31), you can save even more by using the code FFSAVE. It's good for another 10% off. Stock up on the great authors and books that are available.

And speaking of stocking up--beginning July 7, ten of Crimson's best-selling historical romances will be sold as a bundle for only 99 cents! Authors Elf Ahern, Emma Barron, Elizabeth Meyette, Andrea Cooper, Ivory Lei, Rachel Donnelly, Emma Barry, Marie Patrick, will join me in the bundle of goodness. Be certain to add this wonderful offer to your "Must Buy" list on July 7. And check back here, as I'll be featuring each book and author from time to time throughout the summer.

Third Week of The Romance Review's Summer Blog Hop

It may be summer in some parts of the country, but not even a Summer Blog Hop is going to warm things up here in Northern Ohio, it seems. A perfect time to snuggle up under a blanket with my little dog, Mary, listen to the rain falling outside and read a good book. And the book in question this week? How about Samanthya Wyatt's upcoming release--The Right One.

Here's a little something about the book:
He abducts the wrong woman . . . she proves she is the right one.

Are you enticed yet? How can you not be? Let's find out more about the author behind the lovely name, shall we? 
Take it away, Samanthya!


Ever since I can remember, I have loved curling up with a book. When I was young, I wrote poems and short stories. I signed everything UNKNOWN AUTHOR. I guess even then I feared rejection. When I graduated, my life changed. I married a military man, traveled across the US and abroad, then settled in the Shenandoah Valley and had a family. My children were in high school before I started writing again. About fifteen years ago, I wrote to Catherine Coulter and was amazed that she wrote back. I couldn’t believe it. She was very encouraging and told me to join RWA. She said to write everyday even if it was only one sentence.
Many years later, I’m in a book store looking at the covers wanting to try a new author. I see the face of a hunk on a book cover and immediately bought that book. Yep, ladies. A book cover can make a difference. I’m reading Anna Campbell and – I was hooked!  I went back and bought her other two books (which was all she’d written at that time). I contacted her. She’s so nice, and again I was advised to join RWA. I did it via Internet, and now I am a RWA member, joined several chapters including Hearts Through History Chapter, and I’m a member of Savvy Authors.I started writing again. I entered a lot of contests, workshops, and made some good friends via e-mails. I finally finished my historical romance, The Right One, the first of a trilogy “One and Only Series”. I contacted more publishers, sent my MS to editors, and continued to hope. A pitch opportunity with Savvy Authors resulted in my book being published. I’m over the moon.I love history. Research is the pits, as far as the internet. I google everything – but when you click on websites, they usually give you something other than what you’re looking for. It takes a lot of hours to find things. But I learn a lot of history while I’m looking. So many amazing details which makes a good foundation for any MS. I also read, lots of historical romance books. I’ve taken workshops and Eliza Knight is one of the best for historical facts and castles. I find the more I research, the more I write down, the deeper my thoughts and the more my characters come alive. Even though historical romance is my first love, I have completed a contemporary romance “Something More” which is also soon to be released. Now I have two books coming out at the same time. How did that happen?
I must have entered a hundred contests, and not all remarks were gentle. But their criticism only made me more determined and I’m so proud I never gave up. Creating characters and bringing two people together in a romantic tale gives me great pleasure. I enjoy penning a story with strong characters, a bit of humor, and active scenes.

I invite you to lay the worries of the world off your shoulders and get lost in the pages of a romance, where you embark on a journey with the hero and heroine, become involved in a dream, plunge into a world of fantasy, live an adventure your heart can share.Sounds like Samanthya and I are thinking along the same lines. If you want to take her book out for a spin before you decide to purchase, she's graciously agreed to offer up an excerpt here: Kat had been summoned. He had requested her presence, not demanded. Beckoned, as if she were an invited guest. The irony of it all.Her stomach was tied in knots—had been ever since she received his invitation. She tried to slow her breathing. She swallowed, but the lump that lodged from her throat to the center of her chest never moved. Her head throbbed. The pulse in her temples pounded with every beat of her heart. So loud in volume, she feared surely someone could hear it. Glancing over her shoulder, she saw the blond man’s smirk, which was becoming all too familiar. He waited for her to enter the lion’s den. She faced the huge solid oak door, the only thing between her and her impending fate.The vein in her neck throbbed. If she didn’t calm down, she would be at his mercy. And that would never do. She could not allow him to know how defenseless she believed herself to be.Lord Whetherford should have absolved her by now. If he was any kind of a gentleman, he would have set her free. She hesitated another moment outside the door. He was at fault—not her. She would demand to be released at once. Her body as taut as a tightly-drawn corset, she knocked on the wooden door.Hearing his utterance, Kat smoothed her hands down the sides of her gown and squared her shoulders. Knowing Hathridge studied her, she summoned the courage to enter with a confident determination she did not feel.She opened the study door.He stood by the window, facing the sunlight, his back to her. A large, dark, muscular man, in all his finery, with broad shoulders and a commanding stance. Inky black waves hung thick and unruly. Tresses just long enough to curl over the neck of a white shirt peeking from the collar of his black suit coat. This man stood as tall as her brother, and Stephen loomed well over six feet. Even from the back, his broadness showed plenty of muscle. Remembering his fight with the ruffians made her sigh, marveling at the instant craving that pierced her torso.The latch of the closing door generated a spike in her already rapid pulse. No chance to flee since Hathridge, quite possibly, barred the door. She lifted her chin and forced her arms by her side. Not knowing what to say, or if he expected her to say anything at all, she waited. He remained motionless, taking his darn sweet time to acknowledge her presence. Why didn’t he turn around? Why did he ignore her? The silence drew out so long she thought her unsteady legs would not hold her much longer.Finally, he spoke. “Would you like a drink, my dear?She had forgotten the low deep timbre of his voice. The rich baritone sent surges of awareness down her spine. An unexpected, distinct wakefulness. She resisted the urge to clasp her hands and entwine her worrisome fingers. Kat answered in a voice she hoped would not crack. “No, thank you.”She nearly jumped out of her skin when he whirled around like the lash of a whip. He didn’t speak. He stood like stone, the same as she. Smoldering dark eyes seized hers in a heated, locked gaze, drowning her in their penetrating force. She had not been prepared for the dark threatening expression—threatening in the way that she felt something move within her.Time stood still.Nothing else in the room existed but the two of them. His hypnotic pull seared her, sending a tingling sensation beginning in her stomach, then flowing down the back of her knees and extending through her limbs making it impossible to move.Her throat tightened.If those eyes could shoot fire, they would sear holes right through her. But the expression on his face . . . he looked like he’d just had a good kick in the teeth.Morgan felt as though someone had just punched him in the gut—hard. His breath caught at the sight of the stunning creature before him. Lost in amazing green eyes—adrift in their sparkling jade and mystique sensuality. He scanned her high cheekbones with soft creamy skin, and let his gaze slide down to fasten on luscious lips. Suddenly his mouth was dryA cloud of vibrant red hair floated around her shoulders—like the brightest sunset at the end of a day, resting on the shimmering ocean. Luxuriant masses of thick curls inviting a man’s hands. He flexed his to keep from reaching for her. The movement reminded him of the snifter in his palm, which brought him some sense of stability.He took in her exquisite form, stared at the more-than-generous swell of bosom, letting his heated gaze linger there. A notion popped in the back of his mind telling him to breathe. He tightened his jaw to make sure his mouth did not hang open. His hungry eyes moved lower, perceiving a slim waist before the folds of her gown hid the rest. He swore under his breath. She is exquisite.She stood straight and tall with her chin at an angle in challenge. Even with that rod in her backbone, he sensed her vulnerability. A pang of concern struck his chest.“You,” he whispered. What the hell is she doing here?An explosion went off in his brain. Holy Mother of God! Those fools. They must have brought her here thinking she was Juliana.Blood and the devil! Morgan’s heart kicked and landed somewhere in the bottom of his gut. Choking on the words for this unsettling circumstance, he compelled himself to speak hoping his voice would not betray him. “I owe you my profound apology. There has been a horrendous mistake, madam. And I fear that I have made it.”Those beautiful eyes blinked. She stared at him as though someone had taken over her senses. Was this woman a simpleton?He hurried to the sideboard. Even though she could quite possibly be in shock, he ignored the stronger spirits and poured a generous amount of sherry. He didn’t want to knock her on her bum, just bring some color back in her face. He strode back to the unknown beauty and placed the flute in her hand.Changes came over her face. Stupor—awe—surprise—and . . . anger. Although Morgan was not a patient man, he waited.Her eyes flamed with fire. “Did I hear you correctly? Mistake?”Morgan stopped the oath before it left his mouth. “Yes. I believe your being here is a mistake.”“A mistake.” She echoed with a stupefied look, unseeing the crystal she held in her hand. “That’s what I thought you said.”She raised the glass and downed the liquid in one swift movement. Tears came to her eyes as she tried not to cough. She marched to the side table and he feared she planned to get more. Instead she set the glass on the table top. When she faced him, her hands were fisted and the fire in her eyes burned brighter than the flames in the hearth.“Mistake?” she snapped. “I was kidnapped! I have been a prisoner in your home. Forced to come here and forced to remain. I’ve been scared out of my mind. Every day I worried if you still lived. I agonized over what would become of me if you died. Then I walk in here and you have the audacious daring to tell me it was a mistake?”
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Available after June 18, 2014
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Yesterday, I attended my chapter's monthly meeting. Our speaker talked about settings for your novels, and how important they were, regardless of the genre. As I always do, I let her words settle in my mind and attempted to see how they applied to my work. I've had five books now to describe the Fitzpatrick family brownstone in New York City in the mid-1800s, so I think I've done an adequate job there. I turned next to my contemporaries. Most specifically, Voice Of An Angel, my most recent release. For that setting, I used Washington, DC. 

I lived and worked in DC in my younger days. My best friend and former roommate still lives there, so I relied on her heavily to get the layout of the city right. But as for the setting? A large portion of the novel takes place in Evelyn's apartment. Like most big cities, apartments in DC come in all shapes and sizes. I think a good judge of character is the space one occupies, so I had to make Evelyn's apartment be truly reflective of her. I chose to put her in one of my favorite places--my first apartment on Capitol Hill. I shared it with the aforementioned roommate, and we made a lot of great memories there. The apartment was the bottom two floors of a four-story townhouse. The entrance to the top apartment was up a flight of steps from the ground, but the bottom apartment entrance was hidden behind this flight of steps, and was two steps down into an English basement. 

I pictured the house and the apartment in my head, but the memory of the actual layout was a bit fuzzy to me. Using my artistic license, I put the living room at the front, the kitchen in the back, with a bathroom in between. It worked for my story quite well. 

When my former roommate read the story, she got to the scene where the downstairs bathroom came into play and said to herself, "I know that bathroom!" I had, in my fuzziness, placed the bathroom in the exact place where it actually had been. In fact, the entire apartment was described as it actually had been all those years ago. With nicer furniture. 

Not everyone is going to react as my former roommate did, but if I can implant in people's minds a believable setting, I've done my job as a writer. 

Here's the cover blurb for Voice Of An Angel: 


Max Bainbridge is an ace newspaper reporter who gets all the biggest assignments, most recently covering the fighting in Afghanistan. When he is shot on the battlefields, he is operated on and then flown home. The nurse responsible for his subsequent care is Evelyn Hammer, a 35-year-old woman who ran for her life from the musical spotlight, when she was 17 and on the cusp of fame. Her new identity has been in place, and impenetrable, ever since. Over the years, she’s found singing is a more soothing way to wake people from surgery, and they are usually so foggy they don’t realize she’s been singing to them. Until Max, that is.Evelyn knows she’s breaking one of the cardinal rules of nursing by dating a patient, but she can’t resist Max. What begins as an innocent affair with a definite expiration date when Max leaves for his next assignment becomes a real threat to unmasking Evelyn’s hidden identity. Max can’t control his journalism instincts as one clue after another emerges and he realizes he doesn’t know the person he’s fallen in love with.Only by uncovering Evelyn’s secret past can they move forward with their future. But her past is still there, and threatening. Some secrets are better left alone.
Praise for Voice Of An Angel from Loves All Things Books
I absolutely loved this book. The writing was flawless, the characters jumped from the pages and came to life...it was an amazing read. Very few books have ever made me snot cry, this was one of those books. Definitely a must read.