N.J. Walters's Blog, page 136
July 21, 2016
Throwback Thursday--Book Edition (Project Alhpa series)
Today's Throwback Thursday post is about me, or rather it's about an older series of mine that hasn't been available for quite some time. I got the rights back to the Project Alpha trilogy back in 2014 but I didn't do anything with it for quite some time.
That is all about to change.
For all of you who have been writing and asking me about this series, I'm absolutely thrilled to announced that Carina has contracted the trilogy. The series name will stay the same but the titles of two of the books are changing.
Project Alpha:
Embracing Silence (book 1)
Assassin's Awakening (book 2-formerly Have Mercy)
Alpha's Revenge (book 3-formerly Sweet Charity)
I'll be sure to post again when I get covers and release dates.
That is all about to change.
For all of you who have been writing and asking me about this series, I'm absolutely thrilled to announced that Carina has contracted the trilogy. The series name will stay the same but the titles of two of the books are changing.
Project Alpha:
Embracing Silence (book 1)
Assassin's Awakening (book 2-formerly Have Mercy)
Alpha's Revenge (book 3-formerly Sweet Charity)
I'll be sure to post again when I get covers and release dates.
July 19, 2016
Writer's Wednesday--J. Rose Allister
Welcome J. Rose Allister to Writer's Wednesday! Be sure to check out the details of her Summer Blog Tour Giveaway at the end of the post.
Dominus: God of Yule
Book 1 of the Sons of Herne series
Available on digital booksellers July 2016*
Blog tour special: Get it for only 99 cents during the Chillin’ in Summer tour (and follow the link in back of the book to receive Book 2 free!)
BUY LINKS:
AmazonAll Romance eBooksApple iBooksBarnes and NobleInkteraKoboSmashwords
Loving Lorayna could cost him his sacred power...
Dominus, god of the sabbat, should never have had to spend half the year nurturing the latest light bearer himself. Now, months of visiting Lorayna in secret, present only as a whisper, has sparked a yearning inside of him that he cannot shake.
Lorayna is drawn to a presence she’s unable to resist. When she discovers her “holiday spirit” is in fact a mouthwateringly sexy god, she’s ready for whatever sabbat ritual he chooses. To her disappointment, his intentions are strictly hands-off.
When something goes wrong, however, Dominus is forced to break the rules and give into his urges before the Yule power consumes her. The ripples of their passion will alter many sabbat unions to come—and Dominus must defy his father, Herne, to follow his desires and prove to Lorayna that she was not merely another light bearer.
Excerpt:
Dominus thought of his last visit to Lorayna, how he had stood at her bedside, whispering ancient secrets while her hair spilled across her pillow and her round curves beckoned. His male need flared into a sharp ache at her beauty, and how he longed to plunge his fingers through that silken hair, run his tongue over every sultry dip and swell on her body. He never touched her. He could not. He had stayed overlong on that visit, for he knew the time had come—a time he both longed for and resented. The time when his visits to her, unwanted though they had begun, would be at an end. A lump in his stomach punctuated the thought.
A figure passed by the sheer curtain drawn halfway across the front window, and his pulse quickened.
Lorayna.
He heard the name dance through his thoughts, and try though he might, he could not wave it away. He typically preferred not to know the names of the women whose light he released. There was little point in it, for he would not see nor know anything of the females once his mission was complete. For their part, the women would know nothing of him, either. The majority of humans were blissfully unaware that their world sat tightly against a realm of immortals and magic, nor did they care to know just how much their gods were still at work to this day, walking the woods, tending to fields and lusty lasses, and generally keeping the balance of their worlds at peace.
Laughter rose to his ears, and he drew back instinctively behind the cover of trees. Humans would not see him while he wore the veil charm, rare few, anyway, but best not to chance it. The door to the cottage opened, and several people spilled out, happy and carefree and followed by a waft of alcohol that was apparent to his keen, supernatural senses. Then there she was, Lorayna, standing in the doorway with a wide smile that tightened Dominus’s chest. She wore a pure white sweater, oversized and yet clinging to her ripe figure, and while she chatted to her departing guests, she tucked a silken strand of dark brown hair behind one ear. Blue and silver bells tinkled on her earrings, jingling as she nodded and laughed. Her lips, painted pink and glossy, caught his eye, and he found himself staring at how they puckered and released with every syllable she spoke. Long, well-manicured nails had been painted to match.
His cock throbbed in earnest, already impatient with the guests who were lingering far too long at the threshold for his tastes. He was eager for their time together, yearning to see his months of attention to her physical and emotional well-being come to fruition.
One of the males leaned close to kiss Lorayna on the lips, and a swell of unpleasant heat rose in Dominus’s stomach. She was not his to own, of course, and he had no cause for jealousy. She would no doubt sleep with other men in the future, probably many others. But she had kept herself pure since May Day, because she knew deep in her subconscious that she was fated for no other until Dominus helped her birth the shining light he saw inside her even now. The sun’s energy pulsed from within, a bright, glowing force like a singular joy that was at the apex of its power. He alone would bring back that light, coaxing it from her in an explosion of climax. She would feel exquisite pleasure as she returned that energy to the universe, followed by a temporary sense of loss. She would move forward, however, unaware of her crucial role in the wheel’s turn of the coming year.
The overly attentive male turned to a man beside him and laid a suggestive kiss on him, complete with a sweep of the tongue while squeezing his ass. Dominus relaxed his fists. So, the male had other inclinations. Good.
“Try not to be a stranger,” the other male said with a flourish. “Make a New Year’s resolution to come out into the world more than once a month.”
“It’s not New Year’s yet,” she said.
“Before you know it.”
“I just can’t believe it’s already over,” Dominus heard Lorayna saying to the two men who were now holding hands. “I’ve felt such a holiday spirit this Yule.”
She glanced over the man’s shoulder, looking straight at Dominus while those perfect nails raked strands of her hair smooth. “Of course. It just feels like it tonight, is all.”
He held her gaze, fully aware that she did not truly see him. At most, perhaps, she was aware of a by now familiar presence. As her dark eyes penetrated him, however, he began to wonder.
About the Sons of Herne series:
The god Herne has appointed eight of his most virile, headstrong sons as keepers of the pagan holidays. To honor their sabbat, each must join with a mortal female in a ritual to maintain the balance between worlds.
The Fates have conspired to grant the gods one thing they lack--a true union of male and female that will last beyond the fleeting passion of a sabbat joining.
Herne’s sons will wrestle with the conflict between sacred duty and their own yearnings, a struggle that will not only challenge their beliefs, but may threaten the success of rituals that must be observed lest the mortal and immortal worlds collide in chaos.
About the Author:
J. Rose Allister has penned over twenty-five novels and numerous short stories from her home in Southern California, including ten publisher bestsellers. She is a TV and movie buff, enjoys the bittersweet discord between obsessing over chocolate while striving for the benefits of a fresh, organically-influenced diet, and is a firm believer that daydreaming, people watching, and yes, chocolate are the greatest fuel for the writing imagination. That and coffee. Or coffee with chocolate stirred into it. She has more books in her to-be-read pile than she can ever hope to find time to sit and enjoy, but this never stops her from adding more.
Links:
Site: http://jroseallister.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/jroseallister
Facebook: http://facebook.com/JRoseAllisterBooks
Goodreads: http://goodreads.com/jroseallister
Amazon Page: http://amazon.com/author/jroseallister
GIVEAWAY:
CHILLIN’ IN SUMMER BLOG TOUR GIVEAWAY! I’m spending my birthday month giving away gifts during my blog tour! I have some fun magnets, an ebook giveaway from my Sons of Herne series, and one grand prize of a $25 Bath & Body Works gift card! Chances to win every day of the tour, July 11-31. Get the full details and sign up here! tiny.cc/ChillinTour.
Also, because I want EVERYONE to come away a winner, I’m offering a free gift on your own special day to all who join my birthday club. Sign up here: http://tiny.cc/JRoseBirthdayClubSignup
Dominus: God of Yule
Book 1 of the Sons of Herne series
Available on digital booksellers July 2016*
Blog tour special: Get it for only 99 cents during the Chillin’ in Summer tour (and follow the link in back of the book to receive Book 2 free!)
BUY LINKS:
AmazonAll Romance eBooksApple iBooksBarnes and NobleInkteraKoboSmashwords
Loving Lorayna could cost him his sacred power...
Dominus, god of the sabbat, should never have had to spend half the year nurturing the latest light bearer himself. Now, months of visiting Lorayna in secret, present only as a whisper, has sparked a yearning inside of him that he cannot shake.
Lorayna is drawn to a presence she’s unable to resist. When she discovers her “holiday spirit” is in fact a mouthwateringly sexy god, she’s ready for whatever sabbat ritual he chooses. To her disappointment, his intentions are strictly hands-off.
When something goes wrong, however, Dominus is forced to break the rules and give into his urges before the Yule power consumes her. The ripples of their passion will alter many sabbat unions to come—and Dominus must defy his father, Herne, to follow his desires and prove to Lorayna that she was not merely another light bearer.
Excerpt:
Dominus thought of his last visit to Lorayna, how he had stood at her bedside, whispering ancient secrets while her hair spilled across her pillow and her round curves beckoned. His male need flared into a sharp ache at her beauty, and how he longed to plunge his fingers through that silken hair, run his tongue over every sultry dip and swell on her body. He never touched her. He could not. He had stayed overlong on that visit, for he knew the time had come—a time he both longed for and resented. The time when his visits to her, unwanted though they had begun, would be at an end. A lump in his stomach punctuated the thought.
A figure passed by the sheer curtain drawn halfway across the front window, and his pulse quickened.
Lorayna.
He heard the name dance through his thoughts, and try though he might, he could not wave it away. He typically preferred not to know the names of the women whose light he released. There was little point in it, for he would not see nor know anything of the females once his mission was complete. For their part, the women would know nothing of him, either. The majority of humans were blissfully unaware that their world sat tightly against a realm of immortals and magic, nor did they care to know just how much their gods were still at work to this day, walking the woods, tending to fields and lusty lasses, and generally keeping the balance of their worlds at peace.
Laughter rose to his ears, and he drew back instinctively behind the cover of trees. Humans would not see him while he wore the veil charm, rare few, anyway, but best not to chance it. The door to the cottage opened, and several people spilled out, happy and carefree and followed by a waft of alcohol that was apparent to his keen, supernatural senses. Then there she was, Lorayna, standing in the doorway with a wide smile that tightened Dominus’s chest. She wore a pure white sweater, oversized and yet clinging to her ripe figure, and while she chatted to her departing guests, she tucked a silken strand of dark brown hair behind one ear. Blue and silver bells tinkled on her earrings, jingling as she nodded and laughed. Her lips, painted pink and glossy, caught his eye, and he found himself staring at how they puckered and released with every syllable she spoke. Long, well-manicured nails had been painted to match.
His cock throbbed in earnest, already impatient with the guests who were lingering far too long at the threshold for his tastes. He was eager for their time together, yearning to see his months of attention to her physical and emotional well-being come to fruition.
One of the males leaned close to kiss Lorayna on the lips, and a swell of unpleasant heat rose in Dominus’s stomach. She was not his to own, of course, and he had no cause for jealousy. She would no doubt sleep with other men in the future, probably many others. But she had kept herself pure since May Day, because she knew deep in her subconscious that she was fated for no other until Dominus helped her birth the shining light he saw inside her even now. The sun’s energy pulsed from within, a bright, glowing force like a singular joy that was at the apex of its power. He alone would bring back that light, coaxing it from her in an explosion of climax. She would feel exquisite pleasure as she returned that energy to the universe, followed by a temporary sense of loss. She would move forward, however, unaware of her crucial role in the wheel’s turn of the coming year.
The overly attentive male turned to a man beside him and laid a suggestive kiss on him, complete with a sweep of the tongue while squeezing his ass. Dominus relaxed his fists. So, the male had other inclinations. Good.
“Try not to be a stranger,” the other male said with a flourish. “Make a New Year’s resolution to come out into the world more than once a month.”
“It’s not New Year’s yet,” she said.
“Before you know it.”
“I just can’t believe it’s already over,” Dominus heard Lorayna saying to the two men who were now holding hands. “I’ve felt such a holiday spirit this Yule.”
She glanced over the man’s shoulder, looking straight at Dominus while those perfect nails raked strands of her hair smooth. “Of course. It just feels like it tonight, is all.”
He held her gaze, fully aware that she did not truly see him. At most, perhaps, she was aware of a by now familiar presence. As her dark eyes penetrated him, however, he began to wonder.
About the Sons of Herne series:
The god Herne has appointed eight of his most virile, headstrong sons as keepers of the pagan holidays. To honor their sabbat, each must join with a mortal female in a ritual to maintain the balance between worlds.
The Fates have conspired to grant the gods one thing they lack--a true union of male and female that will last beyond the fleeting passion of a sabbat joining.
Herne’s sons will wrestle with the conflict between sacred duty and their own yearnings, a struggle that will not only challenge their beliefs, but may threaten the success of rituals that must be observed lest the mortal and immortal worlds collide in chaos.
About the Author:
J. Rose Allister has penned over twenty-five novels and numerous short stories from her home in Southern California, including ten publisher bestsellers. She is a TV and movie buff, enjoys the bittersweet discord between obsessing over chocolate while striving for the benefits of a fresh, organically-influenced diet, and is a firm believer that daydreaming, people watching, and yes, chocolate are the greatest fuel for the writing imagination. That and coffee. Or coffee with chocolate stirred into it. She has more books in her to-be-read pile than she can ever hope to find time to sit and enjoy, but this never stops her from adding more.
Links:
Site: http://jroseallister.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/jroseallister
Facebook: http://facebook.com/JRoseAllisterBooks
Goodreads: http://goodreads.com/jroseallister
Amazon Page: http://amazon.com/author/jroseallister
GIVEAWAY:
CHILLIN’ IN SUMMER BLOG TOUR GIVEAWAY! I’m spending my birthday month giving away gifts during my blog tour! I have some fun magnets, an ebook giveaway from my Sons of Herne series, and one grand prize of a $25 Bath & Body Works gift card! Chances to win every day of the tour, July 11-31. Get the full details and sign up here! tiny.cc/ChillinTour.Also, because I want EVERYONE to come away a winner, I’m offering a free gift on your own special day to all who join my birthday club. Sign up here: http://tiny.cc/JRoseBirthdayClubSignup
July 17, 2016
World Emoji Day
Happy WORLD EMOJI DAY!
Yes, there is a day to celebrate those small digital images and icons we use to express an idea, emotion, etc., in electronic communication. The first ones were created in the late 1990s. They haven't been around all that long but they've invaded every aspect of our online lives.
Yes, there is a day to celebrate those small digital images and icons we use to express an idea, emotion, etc., in electronic communication. The first ones were created in the late 1990s. They haven't been around all that long but they've invaded every aspect of our online lives.
July 14, 2016
Weekend Book Club--Shadow Rider by Christine Feehan
I recently read SHADOW RIDER, the first book in Christine Feehan's new The Shadows Series. Interesting premise and story. This is a great start to a new paranormal series and I'm looking forward to seeing what she does in the next book.BLURB:
Whether it’s fast cars or fast women, Stefano Ferraro gets what he wants. When he’s not fodder for the paparazzi, he commands Ferraro family businesses—both legitimate and illegitimate.
While their criminal activity is simply a rumor yet to be proven, no one knows the real truth. The Ferraros are a family of shadow riders capable of manipulating light and dark, an ability Stefano thought ran in his family alone—until now…
With little left to her name, Francesca Cappello has come to Chicago in hopes of a new life. She wasn’t expecting to attract the attention of a man with primal hunger in his eyes, driven to claim her as his to protect and to please. And if he discovers her secret, it could ruin her...
What are you reading this weekend?
July 13, 2016
Throwback Thursday--Book Edition (Lover in the Rough by Elizabeth Lowell)
LOVER IN THE ROUGH by Elizabeth Lowell was originally published as a Silhouette Intimate Moments but has been republished many times. I don't have the original cover but one of the reprinted versions. I have some of her books, including this one, on my keeper shelf.BLURB:
Reba Farrall was lost—until a kindly old gentleman took her under his wing and helped heal her shattered spirit. Now her dearest friend is gone, leaving her with a doubting, broken heart...and half-interest in a California gem mine.
But Chance Walker has burst into Reba's life—a daring adventurer who believes in nothing except the priceless uncut stones for which he searches the Earth. In the blistering heat of Death Valley—in the intoxicating presence of a jewel more exquisite than any he has ever seen—Chance must confront a dire peril that stalks the sad and sensuous beauty. For only he can save Reba Farrall from harm—and only she can teach him how to love.
July 12, 2016
Writer's Wednesday--Cindy Nord
Please welcome Cindy Nord to Writer's Wednesday!
Be sure to leave a comment as Cindy is giving away one FREE book (winner's choice) to a lucky commenter.
I would like to extend a gracious thank you to the amazing N.J. for hosting me today at her wonderful Writer’s Wednesday blog. I’m so excited to visit with you all.
…Breathing History into Life…
I love history…and everything this compelling statement entails. And, as a romance author, I love the challenge of crafting that past into words. Via sights, sounds, smells and events, I weave the external plot of each chosen time period around the internal drivThe historical detailing of my just-released novel, An Unlikely Hero, the third book in my Cutteridge Family series, takes my characters on a hard-won journey from an 1873 Washington D.C. train station, through the harshness of an ever-expanding America, to reach the wilds of the great southwestern Arizona territory. Along the way, they traverse the great steel beast as far as the track can take them, then by stagecoach and horse through the dangers of the Colorado Rockies. Eventually they reach the stark beauty of the Sonoran Desert. Painted across this epic canvas swirls a passion-driven love story of two mismatched people and their monumental quest for survival.
I hope you fall in love with Dillon and Alma, as well as the other characters in my first two novels. Wrapped around an authenticity that breathes them into life, they’re as real as I can possibly make them. As you peek into their world, I hope you feel the same…
AN UNLIKELY HERO
Chapter One
Washington D.C.,
May 1873
Who in the hell came up with this asinine plan?
Dillon Reed grimaced at the stench of burning coal as he jammed the colonel’s telegram into his coat pocket. He cut his gaze across the station platform to the nearby locomotive. In a deluge of color, passengers descended the railcar’s iron steps; he kept his attention riveted on the opening.
An exasperated sigh escaped from between clenched teeth. He’d delivered the governor’s territorial reports to Washington in just under three weeks, a remarkable time, and he looked forward to a swift, unencumbered return home. But, when he’d checked the telegraph office for messages before heading out, this newest malarkey of an assignment waited. He’d also been instructed to shave and freshen-up prior to meeting this train from Boston, but Hell’s chambers would freeze solid before Dillon would make the effort. I’m an army scout, for Christ’s sake, not some damn nanny.
A grating responsibility rolled into focus when a peach-colored parasol, the signal he’d been awaiting, popped open to fill the train’s doorway. Dillon shoved from the depot’s wall and straightened, the crown of his slouch hat bumping a sign that read Washington, District of Columbia – The Capitol of Your Country. The plank swung back and forth on squeaky hinges. Heat fused with anger when his contact’s traveling boot glided to the first iron step. Good God, her entire foot could fit in his right hand. His gaze climbed a dark-green dress rigged with a ridiculous bustled contraption, raked over a fur encircling slender shoulders like a buffalo mane, then finally came to a stop on golden curls swirling upward into a tarnished knot. Atop the silken mass, a scrap of hat perched at a cockeyed angle. A dozen blue and green ribbons fluttered in the afternoon breeze with all the spectacle of a peahen.
Dillon’s throat tightened as the woman descended to the platform, radiant among the other travelers. Her ability to stand out in a crowd added another sting to the onerous assignment. For a full minute, he waited while she scanned the throng, anxiousness shadowing her face. Narrow of waist, she stood barely five feet tall…a good stiff wind would blow her over.
Another curse welled inside him.
The urge to walk away warred against every ounce of military commitment he possessed. What did he do to the colonel to deserve such wretched torment? Dillon straightened, then stepped from the shadows of the depot to collect his damnable…assignment.
Boots thumped against weathered wood as each stride echoed his resentment. How could this slip of lace endure the miles they’d have to travel, or the harsh sun of the desert? Christ Almighty, she’d end up sick or dead and slung over his saddle in no time. As his shadow darkened the woman’s diminutive form, he retrieved the telegram from his coat pocket, then tightened his jaw.
“Alma Talmadge?” he snapped.
She swung to face him, her eyes widening.
Dillon thrust the telegram forward, his words cleaving the air. “Per these instructions from your uncle, I’ve been assigned as your escort on the trip westward to Fort Lowell.”
A well-shaped brow arched with suspicion. Her mouth tightened as she abruptly scanned the words, her golden-tipped eyelashes raising and lowering with each haughty sweep. A moment later, her gaze lanced back to his. “I was told to expect a proper attendant.”
“Proper?” he snorted. “I’m as proper as you’re gonna get.”
Her attention riveted on his sweat-stained Stetson, then slid all the way down him to his scuffed-up cavalry boots. When their gazes reconnected, disgust dulled the spark in her indigo eyes. “But … you’re no gentleman.”
“Where we’re going, lady the last thing you’ll need is one of those dupes who can’t find his ass with both hands.”
Repulsion cascaded scarlet across her face. She pressed a dainty, lace-edged hankie to the column of her throat. “I cannot possibly travel with the unkempt likes of you. Y-You’re not even clean.”
The insistent urge to walk away blistered deeper. “The job is to deliver you safely to the fort…which I intend to do. Cleanliness does not increase my skill.”
AUTHOR’S BIO:
Say hello to Bestselling Historical Romance writer, CINDY NORD...the USA Today Lifeblog 'Recommended Read' author of NO GREATER GLORY, the #1 Civil War Romance at Amazon for over one full year, and book one in her four-book 'The Cutteridge' Series. WITH OPEN ARMS, book two, debuted in August, 2014, and zoomed straight to a #1 Bestselling Western Historical Romance. Book three, AN UNLIKELY HERO, made its debut the summer of 2016. Book four, BY ANY MEANS, is due for release winter of 2017. Cindy is also honored to be a contributing author alongside notable NYTimes writers in the delightful SCRIBBLING WOMEN & THE REAL-LIFE ROMANCE HEROES WHO LOVE THEM. All proceeds from this non-fiction anthology go to charity. She is a member of numerous writers groups, and her work has finaled or won countless times in competitions -- including the prestigious Romance Writers of America National Golden Heart Contest. A luscious blend of history and romance, her stories meld both genres around fast-paced action and emotionally driven characters.
Please join Cindy at her Facebook "Coffee Klatch" -- as well as on Twitter at @cnord2.
Indeed, true love awaits you in the writings of Cindy Nord.
AUTHOR LINKS:
CONNECT with Cindy via her SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS: My webpage: https://www.cindynord.com Amazon Author Page: https://amazon.com/author/www.cindynord.comFacebook ‘Coffee Klatch’ site: https://www.facebook.com/cindy.nord.9Twitter: https://twitter.com/cnord2LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=25784664&trk=nav_responsive_tab_profileGoogle+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/+CindyNord9/posts/p/pubPinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/cnord2/
Be sure to leave a comment as Cindy is giving away one FREE book (winner's choice) to a lucky commenter.
I would like to extend a gracious thank you to the amazing N.J. for hosting me today at her wonderful Writer’s Wednesday blog. I’m so excited to visit with you all.
…Breathing History into Life…
I love history…and everything this compelling statement entails. And, as a romance author, I love the challenge of crafting that past into words. Via sights, sounds, smells and events, I weave the external plot of each chosen time period around the internal drivThe historical detailing of my just-released novel, An Unlikely Hero, the third book in my Cutteridge Family series, takes my characters on a hard-won journey from an 1873 Washington D.C. train station, through the harshness of an ever-expanding America, to reach the wilds of the great southwestern Arizona territory. Along the way, they traverse the great steel beast as far as the track can take them, then by stagecoach and horse through the dangers of the Colorado Rockies. Eventually they reach the stark beauty of the Sonoran Desert. Painted across this epic canvas swirls a passion-driven love story of two mismatched people and their monumental quest for survival.
I hope you fall in love with Dillon and Alma, as well as the other characters in my first two novels. Wrapped around an authenticity that breathes them into life, they’re as real as I can possibly make them. As you peek into their world, I hope you feel the same…
AN UNLIKELY HERO
Chapter One
Washington D.C.,
May 1873
Who in the hell came up with this asinine plan?
Dillon Reed grimaced at the stench of burning coal as he jammed the colonel’s telegram into his coat pocket. He cut his gaze across the station platform to the nearby locomotive. In a deluge of color, passengers descended the railcar’s iron steps; he kept his attention riveted on the opening.
An exasperated sigh escaped from between clenched teeth. He’d delivered the governor’s territorial reports to Washington in just under three weeks, a remarkable time, and he looked forward to a swift, unencumbered return home. But, when he’d checked the telegraph office for messages before heading out, this newest malarkey of an assignment waited. He’d also been instructed to shave and freshen-up prior to meeting this train from Boston, but Hell’s chambers would freeze solid before Dillon would make the effort. I’m an army scout, for Christ’s sake, not some damn nanny.
A grating responsibility rolled into focus when a peach-colored parasol, the signal he’d been awaiting, popped open to fill the train’s doorway. Dillon shoved from the depot’s wall and straightened, the crown of his slouch hat bumping a sign that read Washington, District of Columbia – The Capitol of Your Country. The plank swung back and forth on squeaky hinges. Heat fused with anger when his contact’s traveling boot glided to the first iron step. Good God, her entire foot could fit in his right hand. His gaze climbed a dark-green dress rigged with a ridiculous bustled contraption, raked over a fur encircling slender shoulders like a buffalo mane, then finally came to a stop on golden curls swirling upward into a tarnished knot. Atop the silken mass, a scrap of hat perched at a cockeyed angle. A dozen blue and green ribbons fluttered in the afternoon breeze with all the spectacle of a peahen.
Dillon’s throat tightened as the woman descended to the platform, radiant among the other travelers. Her ability to stand out in a crowd added another sting to the onerous assignment. For a full minute, he waited while she scanned the throng, anxiousness shadowing her face. Narrow of waist, she stood barely five feet tall…a good stiff wind would blow her over.
Another curse welled inside him.
The urge to walk away warred against every ounce of military commitment he possessed. What did he do to the colonel to deserve such wretched torment? Dillon straightened, then stepped from the shadows of the depot to collect his damnable…assignment.
Boots thumped against weathered wood as each stride echoed his resentment. How could this slip of lace endure the miles they’d have to travel, or the harsh sun of the desert? Christ Almighty, she’d end up sick or dead and slung over his saddle in no time. As his shadow darkened the woman’s diminutive form, he retrieved the telegram from his coat pocket, then tightened his jaw.
“Alma Talmadge?” he snapped.
She swung to face him, her eyes widening.
Dillon thrust the telegram forward, his words cleaving the air. “Per these instructions from your uncle, I’ve been assigned as your escort on the trip westward to Fort Lowell.”
A well-shaped brow arched with suspicion. Her mouth tightened as she abruptly scanned the words, her golden-tipped eyelashes raising and lowering with each haughty sweep. A moment later, her gaze lanced back to his. “I was told to expect a proper attendant.”
“Proper?” he snorted. “I’m as proper as you’re gonna get.”
Her attention riveted on his sweat-stained Stetson, then slid all the way down him to his scuffed-up cavalry boots. When their gazes reconnected, disgust dulled the spark in her indigo eyes. “But … you’re no gentleman.”
“Where we’re going, lady the last thing you’ll need is one of those dupes who can’t find his ass with both hands.”
Repulsion cascaded scarlet across her face. She pressed a dainty, lace-edged hankie to the column of her throat. “I cannot possibly travel with the unkempt likes of you. Y-You’re not even clean.”
The insistent urge to walk away blistered deeper. “The job is to deliver you safely to the fort…which I intend to do. Cleanliness does not increase my skill.”
AUTHOR’S BIO:
Say hello to Bestselling Historical Romance writer, CINDY NORD...the USA Today Lifeblog 'Recommended Read' author of NO GREATER GLORY, the #1 Civil War Romance at Amazon for over one full year, and book one in her four-book 'The Cutteridge' Series. WITH OPEN ARMS, book two, debuted in August, 2014, and zoomed straight to a #1 Bestselling Western Historical Romance. Book three, AN UNLIKELY HERO, made its debut the summer of 2016. Book four, BY ANY MEANS, is due for release winter of 2017. Cindy is also honored to be a contributing author alongside notable NYTimes writers in the delightful SCRIBBLING WOMEN & THE REAL-LIFE ROMANCE HEROES WHO LOVE THEM. All proceeds from this non-fiction anthology go to charity. She is a member of numerous writers groups, and her work has finaled or won countless times in competitions -- including the prestigious Romance Writers of America National Golden Heart Contest. A luscious blend of history and romance, her stories meld both genres around fast-paced action and emotionally driven characters. Please join Cindy at her Facebook "Coffee Klatch" -- as well as on Twitter at @cnord2.
Indeed, true love awaits you in the writings of Cindy Nord.
AUTHOR LINKS:
CONNECT with Cindy via her SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS: My webpage: https://www.cindynord.com Amazon Author Page: https://amazon.com/author/www.cindynord.comFacebook ‘Coffee Klatch’ site: https://www.facebook.com/cindy.nord.9Twitter: https://twitter.com/cnord2LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=25784664&trk=nav_responsive_tab_profileGoogle+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/+CindyNord9/posts/p/pubPinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/cnord2/
Tuesday Teaser: Wolf on a Mission
Tuesday Teaser: Wolf on a Mission. Elias rounded a bend in the road and Jacque LaForge was standing there waiting. Christ, the man was a presence. He gave off a badass vibe that only an idiot would ignore. And Elias liked to think he wasn’t an idiot.When love runs wild, there are no limits. Salvation Pack, Book 6 Full-blooded werewolf Elias Gallagher, sole guardian of his half-breed teenage nephews, is all too aware that the world is not a safe place for a werewolf on his own. Doubly so for half-breeds. He brings his nephews to North Carolina to check out the Salvation Pack’s openness to half-breeds. He never expected to find a mate—the fully human mother of a young boy—while there. After enduring one tragedy after another over the past two years, Sue Walsh is focused solely on earning a living and raising her five-year-old son. With her ex suddenly demanding custody, the last complication she wants or needs is an attraction to a ruggedly handsome stranger. But the sexual pull between them is too strong to be denied. And when there’s trouble with the local hunters, Elias will do whatever it takes to protect the people he loves. Even if it means revealing his biggest secret.
BUY LINKS:Samhain Publishing: https://www.samhainpublishing.com/book/5761/wolf-on-a-missionAmazon: http://amzn.com/B017NGWR5YBarnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/wolf-on-a-mission-nj-walters/1122919019?ean=9781619232556ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-wolfonamission-1960433-140.htmlKobo: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-ca/ebook/wolf-on-a-mission
July 10, 2016
Summer Fun at Delilah Devlin's Blog
I'm over at DELILAH DEVLIN'S BLOGtoday talking about summer fun and my latest book--Wolf in his Heart. Be sure to stop by and check it out.
GO TO GUEST BLOG
July 5, 2016
Writer's Wednesday--Kate Hill
Welcome to Writer's Wednesday! Today's guest is Kate Hill. She's celebrating the release of her new book Feasting With the Enemy.Scarlet Nights 3: Feasting With the Enemy
by Kate Hill
Release Date: June 24, 2016
After more than a century sharing a bed and fighting at each other's backs, vampire warriors Blair and May have forged an unbreakable bond.
Now the mysterious New Reign is seeking additional members. Their philosophy--recruit or destroy. Using mind manipulation, they stir up dark memories from the past to tempt Blair and May into killing each other.
Given the chance to resurrect his murdered first wife and children, will Blair now sacrifice the woman he loves--his wife and blood child, May?
Excerpt
"Seductress," he said in a husky whisper while caressing her hair. "You always were irresistible, May."
"I'm glad you still think so."
He grasped her arms and tugged her on top of him. The sparse hairs on his hard chest teased her sensitive flesh. Their gazes locked and she lost herself in the depths of his eyes.
"Always," he said and kissed her.
His firm lips were both gentle and possessive. May loved the way he tasted and felt. She adored his scent and the comfort of knowing he loved her as much as she loved him.
She trusted this man with her very soul. Countless times over the past century they had risked their lives for each other, depended on each other and fought back to back against enemies determined to destroy them.
She and Blair were soulmates, husband and wife, partners against evil.
Tonight they were lovers and May intended to enjoy every moment.
Apparently Blair felt the same. He rolled May onto her back and kissed her again.
Purchase Link:
http://changelingpress.com/product.php?&upt=book&ubid=2496
Also in the Scarlet Nights series:
Scarlet Nights 1: Starving ArtistScarlet Nights 2: Feasting With the Enemy
About Kate
Always a fan of romance and the paranormal, Kate Hill started writing over twenty years ago for pleasure. Her first story, a short erotic vampire tale, was accepted for publication in 1996. Since then she has sold over one hundred short stories, novellas and novels.
When she's not working on her books, Kate enjoys reading, working out and spending time with her family and pets. She also writes under the name Saloni Quinby.
Connect with Kate online:
Website
http://www.kate-hill.com
Blog
http://www.kate-hill.com/blog
Compelling Beasts Blog
http://www.kate-hill.com/compellingbeastsblog
http://www.facebook.com/katehillsaloniquinby
Twitter (Kate)
http://www.twitter.com/katehillromance
Twitter (Compelling Beasts Blog)
http://www.twitter.com/compbeastsblog
July 4, 2016
Available TODAY--WOLF IN HIS HEART
Wolf in his Heart He’s a wolf where it counts—in his heart and in her bed.
Salvation Pack, Book 7
Exiled from her wolf pack for rejecting her parents’ choice for a mate, Rina Matheson has been on her own for over a year. Now she’s running for her life from a man who knows what she is and is obsessed with hunting her down.
Sage Gallagher—organic farmer, half-breed werewolf, and member of the Salvation Pack—finds more than a lost hiker while camping in the Great Smoky Mountains. So much more. Instant attraction slams through him with knee-buckling power the minute he sees Rina. His first instinct is to get her home where he and his pack can protect her.
Rina doesn’t trust easily. Especially not half-breeds, who she was raised to consider abominations. But Sage’s quiet strength calls to her lonely soul, and amazingly enough, her wolf responds. As he slowly works his way past her guard, she is soon in danger of losing her heart—even as danger draws closer to taking her life.
BUY LINKS:
Samhain Publishing: https://www.samhainpublishing.com/book/5823/wolf-in-his-heartAmazon: http://amzn.com/B01AVGJRVUBarnes & Noble: http://goo.gl/Aa39M2ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-wolfinhisheart-2015499-140.htmlKobo: https://goo.gl/dnPIDm
