C.D. Hersh's Blog, page 160
August 24, 2015
Tell Again Tuesday Stages of Writing a Novel
A blog series where we shamelessly share posts from others that we have enjoyed.
The Writer’s Face: Four Phases of Drafts
(As interpreted by Jack Sparrow)
Or The Stages of Writing a Novel
By Angela Christina Archer
With my final read through of When the Black Roses Grow finally done, I’ve started, once again, on the first draft of As the Liquor Flows.
Ah, yes, the joys of that first draft. The highs, the lows, the excitement, the pain, the jumping for joy, and the banging my head into either my table or the wall, whichever is closer.
Yes, the range of emotions is vast.
Although, I suppose every draft can be just like this.
Unlike most of my writing friends, I actually prefer editing to writing from scratch. While I do like creating new scenes and chapters, I like …
For the rest of the blog go to:
http://angelachristinaarcher.com/2015/07/06/
August 21, 2015
Gerri’s in the House! Please Welcome Gerri Zimmerman to the Blogathon!
Another new author from Soul Mate Publishing tells about her journey.
Originally posted on
Welcome, Gerri! Tell us all about you! Are you one of those writers born with a pen in your hand and ideas flitting through your mind, or did your interest develop later?
I have always wanted to be a published author. I wrote a science fiction story when I was about eight years old; had a neighbor read it; and then I threw it away. Apparently, I lacked confidence. Let’s face it—I was too young.
When did you become serious about seeing your name in print and begin writing your first romance novel?
I became serious about writing just before I retired from the workforce in 2011. I had started writing Master of Seduction and Ancient Martian Echoes before I actually retired. Retirement has given me the ‘time’ to write (inspiration to write has always been with me).
How long did it take you to complete your first manuscript? Did…
View original 1,116 more words
August 18, 2015
Wednesday Special Spotlight Eros Element
Shines on
Eros Element
Book Title: Eros Element
Series Name: Aether Psychics
Author: Cecilia Dominic
ISBN13: 978-1-61923-000-2
Length: 90k
Genre: PAW: Steampunk, H: 19th Century
Theme: Steampunk, Beta Hero, Suspense Elements, International, Psychics
Price: 5.50
Publication Date: August 25th 2015
Tagline:
If love is the ivy, secrets are the poison.
Blurb:
Aether Psychics, Book 1
After enduring heartbreak at the hands of a dishonest woman, Edward Bailey lives according to scientific principles of structure and predictability. Just the thought of stepping outside his strict routine raises his anxiety.
Adding to his discomfort is Iris McTavish, who appears at his school’s faculty meeting in place of her world-famous archeologist father. Worse, the two of them are to pose as Grand Tourists while they search for an element that will help harness the power of aether.
Iris jumps at the opportunity to prove her worth as a scholar—and avoid an unwanted marriage proposal—while hiding the truth of her father’s whereabouts. If her secret gets out, the house of McTavish will fall into ruin.
Quite unexpectedly, Edward and Iris discover a growing attraction as their journey takes them to Paris and Rome, where betrayal, blackmail and outright theft threaten to destroy what could be a revolutionary discovery—and break their hearts.
Warning: Allergen alert! This book was produced in a facility that handles copious amounts of wine, tea and baked goods. May contain one or more of the following: a spirited heroine, a quirky hero, clever banter, interesting facts both made-up and historical, and lots of secrets. It is, however, gluten free.
BIO:
Cecilia Dominic wrote her first story when she was two years old and has always had a much more interesting life inside her head than outside of it. She became a clinical psychologist because she’s fascinated by people and their stories, but she couldn’t stop writing fiction. The first draft of her dissertation, while not fiction, was still criticized by her major professor for being written in too entertaining a style. She made it through graduate school and got her PhD, started her own practice, and by day, she helps people cure their insomnia without using medication. By night, she blogs about wine and writes fiction she hopes will keep her readers turning the pages all night. Yes, she recognizes the conflict of interest between her two careers, so she writes and blogs under a pen name. She lives in Atlanta, Georgia with one husband and two cats, which, she’s been told, is a good number of each. She also enjoys putting her psychological expertise to good use helping other authors through her Characters on the Couch blog post series.
You can find her at:
Web page: http://www.ceciliadominic.com/
Wine blog: http://www.randomoenophile.com/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/CeciliaDominicAuthor
Twitter: http://twitter.com/RandomOenophile
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5011217.Cecilia_Dominic
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/ceciliadominic/
Instagram: @randomoenophile
To buy her books, you can get them in trade paper and all ebook formats from Samhain Publishing: https://www.samhainpublishing.com/author/1740/cecilia-dominic
Cecilia’s books are also available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Apple, Sony, and anywhere else books are sold.
Eros Element Buy links:
Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/eros-element-cecilia-dominic/1121969555?ean=9781619230002
Google Books: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Cecilia_Dominic_Eros_Element?id=hR51CQAAQBAJ
Kobo: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/eros-element
Samhain Publishing: https://www.samhainpublishing.com/book/5545/eros-element
Excerpt:
From Chapter 5
“Big hairy ox’s bollocks.” Iris allowed herself to swear after the professor left the room.
“Miss!” Sophie looked at her with a shocked expression.
“I don’t know who to be angrier at, the ridiculous Professor Bailey or his friend who has gotten me into this situation.”
“Why are we here, Miss?” Sophie had been so busy packing their things for the journey that Iris hadn’t been able to fill her in on Bledsoe’s stealing the telegram.
But if I tell her he has it and we are revealed, she may refuse to come with me for fear of exposure, and where would I be? I would have to excuse myself from the trip because I couldn’t go unchaperoned. And we’ll all be poor and ruined.
“Because Professor Bailey needs our help packing for the sake of the entire party’s sanity,” Iris said. “As you can tell, he’s somewhat quirky.”
Sophie shot her an I don’t believe you glance but didn’t say anything. “It seems we should let him bring some sort of equipment to keep himself occupied on the trains and boats we’ll be on. And a book or two to keep him quiet.”
“Yes, that sounds wise.” It’s like packing for a child.
The child himself returned with a worried expression and picked up a pen to toy with. Iris thought he would be much handsomer if he would relax, then wondered where that notion had popped up from.
I have no desire to ponder whether Professor Bailey is good-looking or not.
“Oh, you’re still here,” he said, his tone indicating he did not find their continued presence to be pleasant.
“Yes,” Iris replied with a brightness she would use with a capricious toddler. “Perhaps you could aid us with your prodigious intelligence and let us know what would be most important for this particular journey. You can’t bring everything, I’m afraid,” she added before he responded that all of it was necessary.
The professor closed his eyes for a moment, then opened them and looked around the office, anywhere but at her. “Well,” he said with the deliberate air of a man who picked his words from the torrent flowing through his brain, “we’re going in search of something that will help harness the energy of aether into power. It is difficult to determine since we don’t know whether we’re looking for a formula or an actual substance.”
“Is there something you could convert?” asked Iris.
Bailey shot her a withering glare. “My equipment is so specialized and aether so unstable it is difficult to convert or adjust anything.”
Iris stifled a sigh. This is going to be a long morning. “What about reference materials? Pick out your two or three most important.” She slipped one of her gloves off and grabbed the pen he’d placed back on the desk. It primarily gave her a sense of anxiety over the uncertainty of the whole adventure. Then there was sadness at having to leave his work and the sense of abandoning his responsibilities to his experiments, his life, and, with much lower priority, his students. She placed the pen back on the desk where she’d found it and hoped to appeal to his innate enthusiasm for his subject and desire to share the knowledge. Or show it off—she sensed pride in his work. Either would do. “Or how about this? Will you do a simple demonstration for me to show me why you want to bring everything?”
He gave her a skeptical look. “Fine, to give you some familiarity with my work and its importance.”
Ten minutes later, they met in a large room down the corridor. Several pieces of equipment Iris had never seen sat in neat rows along the long table in the middle and the counters around the edges, which were also stacked with books and journals. Everything seemed arranged with mathematical precision, and she felt round and messy…and intrusive.
“I’m going to show you a basic aether isolation and patterning,” Professor Bailey said.
“Would you mind starting with what aether is?” she asked. “I’ve heard the term, of course, but I’m not familiar with it.”
“The ancients called it the fifth element, or spirit,” he told her and lit a burner beside a glass apparatus with two globes, one copper and one glass, joined by a valve. He gestured to the shiny metal sphere. “This one has a small bit of liquid in it.”
“But the elemental science has been disproved,” she couldn’t help but say. “Now there are actual, you know, elements.”
He looked up with a startled expression, and she bit her tongue—no challenges to the fragile ego.
“Do you want me to show you or not?” he asked.
“Please continue.” She stood with her hands folded in front of her and hoped she portrayed an image of being an eager student.
He put a pair of goggles on and moved the burner beneath the copper globe. “Not that I fear an explosion, but we know so little about this substance it’s best to be safe. You have a pair on your side of the table. Now, this will boil the water and create steam, which will fill both chambers.” Indeed, the glass globe filled with white vapor. “As for aether, there are phenomena unexplained by elements such as the nature of light and how it travels. We’ve come to a more sophisticated understanding of aether as the substance between matter, and therefore what light travels through.”
Iris watched the glass globe through the goggles, which smelled of old leather and chemicals. The air inside the sphere was almost white by now. “Aren’t you worried it will explode?”
“It’s tempered, so if it does, it will cause minimal damage. But don’t worry. These experiments are simple ones with low risk. As I said, the goggles are a precaution against a low-probability occurrence. I’ve done this demonstration hundreds of times.”
Which makes a mistake more likely due to careless familiarity. But she didn’t say anything.
“Now I’ll shut the external valve, cool the copper globe, and create a vacuum in the glass globe, which I will isolate by closing this middle valve.” He reached below the counter and pulled out a carafe of water. “The University keeps ice on hand for us to keep our water cold.”
Iris watched as he poured the water over the copper sphere, and the vapor in the glass sphere disappeared, leaving it clean with a little condensation on the bottom. But that vanished in a moment, and he closed the connection between the two.
“So now you have a vacuum,” she said. “What about the aether?”
“As you can see, light passes through the globe, so there is aether present.” He picked up a tuning fork. “Passing waves through the aether will cause it to arrange itself into a visible form.” He struck the tuning fork on the desk and held it to the copper globe. “This way the waves get diffused and muted through the seal. It’s a delicate process.”
Indeed, something glowed in the middle of the glass globe, and Iris noticed the area around it became dark. She moved closer. “Where is the light going?”
“When you condense aether, it pulls from the surrounding area, which changes how the light travels,” he said.
Iris watched the glowing worm in the center of the glass globe with fascination. Not a worm, more like a snake biting its own tail and writhing in pain. It swirled with opalescent sparks, at times pure white and others breaking apart into colors. “Like a rainbow,” she murmured.
“Right. Your eyes perceive the colors as the light moves in different ways through the medium I’ve given it, like it does through the water droplets that lead to rainbows. I would love to do experiments such as this on an airship higher in the atmosphere, where aether and light are more abundant. Perhaps I could condense it and capture it there.”
“I see.” She straightened from her scrutiny, disconcerted by the aureole of darkness. It faded, as did the aether donut in the middle of the globe.
“I allowed the sound waves to die,” he said. “It works better with tones that reflect Pythagorean ratios.”
“So do you ever use two tones at once?”
He shook his head. “Early experiments tried and failed catastrophically. Hence why we wear goggles.”
“The mysterious music of the spheres keep their secrets,” Iris said. “My father studied some of Pythagoras’s writings to gain insight into the art and architecture associated with his cult.”
“Exactly.” He smiled, which did turn him into a handsome man. “So you see why I need to bring as much equipment as possible. If this journey is going to lead to the breakthrough we need to harness the power of aether, or alternately, capture it and distill it into a noble gas like hydrogen or helium, I need to have my tools with me. You wouldn’t go to a dig with only a shovel, would you?”
Iris had to admit he had a point. “No, but I am also able to pack lightly enough to travel. Has the University provided equipment for field work, say for those high-altitude experiments?”
The smile vanished, and the professor’s face resumed its irritable expression. Iris evidently hit a mark, and from Bledsoe’s description, knew Bailey wouldn’t lie to her.
“You do, don’t you? Perhaps while you pack that equipment, I can help you with your references since we have a point of commonality with Pythagoras.”
“Maybe.” He was obviously not convinced, but Iris put on her bravest smile.
Oh, it’s going to be a long, long morning.
August 17, 2015
Tell Again Tuesday Mission Impossible Rogue Nation
A blog series where we shamelessly share posts from others that we have enjoyed.
Movie Review: Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation
Posted 3 August, 2015 by MK Smith
What you need to know: With the Impossible Mission Force (yes, you actually read that correctly) or IMF disbanded because of an 007 style obsession with disbanding successful spy agencies as obsolete, Ethan Hunt (played by Tom Cruise) is off the clock. Queue the international group of uber special agents who show up to create a new world order (cliché alert) with a series of terrorist attacks–The Syndicate.
Now at this point I had my first quandary with the story. If Ethan Hunt was such a great leader of such a great team, how could their organization not have seen the Syndicate coming? They are global, powerful, well funded and seemingly everywhere with resources and an army of people to spare.
On the other hand, the plot says that the IMF must …
For the rest of the blog go to:
August 13, 2015
Friday Feature The Turning Stone Chronicles
This week is
The Turning Stone Chronicles
Today we’re sharing about our series entitled The Turning Stone Chronicles.
The catalyst for the series happened during a trip, where we often plot stories to pass the time. We were reading road signs, brainstorming book ideas. We came up with several book ideas, but the one that caught our interest came from a road sign in New York State pointing to a place called Turning Stone. That idea just took off for us.
One question many ask is if we were casting our stories with any movie star who would be our picks. Since our 6 book series has three characters that run through them all we would have to say that:
Alexi Temple – Angelina Jolie
Rhys Temple – Chris Pine
Eli McCraigen – Sean Connery
Currently the first three books of the series are published and available as listed below. The fourth book is under contract with a possible late 2015 release. There will be a bit more world travel in book four but, the main action is once again taking place in and around Cleveland, Ohio. There is of course a new couple involved in the interweave of romance, and evil they must overcome that puts up roadblocks for their HEA. Evil still has a strong hand in the action, and Falhman is branching out with his plans for domination. Our heroes have to work overtime to stop his plans and put things back in balance while protecting, to the best of their ability, family and friends.
Why not get started with the first books in the series while we produce the final three? You’ll experience action and romance and shape shifting that reviewers describe as being “turned on its ear.”
Series Blurb:
Three ancient Celtic families. A magical Bloodstone that enables the wearers to shape shift. A charge to use the stone’s power to benefit mankind, and a battle, that is going on even today, to control the world. Can the Secret Society of shape shifters called the Turning Stone Society heal itself and bring peace to our world?
Find out in The Series The Turning Stone Chronicles
GENRE: Urban fantasy, Paranormal, Romance
HEAT LEVEL: Sensual
Book one of the chronicles titled “
The Promised One
” currently available on Amazon in eBook:
http://amzn.com/B00DUMODKI
and paperback:
http://amzn.com/1619353504
In the wrong hands, the Turning Stone ring is a powerful weapon for evil. So, when homicide detective Alexi Jordan discovers her secret society mentor has been murdered and his magic ring stolen, she is forced to use her shape-shifting powers to catch the killer. By doing so, she risks the two most important things in her life—her badge and the man she loves.
Rhys Temple always knew his fiery cop partner and would-be-girlfriend, Alexi Jordan, had a few secrets. He considers that part of her charm. But when she changes into a man, he doesn’t find that as charming. He’ll keep her secret to keep her safe, but he’s not certain he can keep up a relationship—professional or personal.
Danny Shaw needs cash for the elaborate wedding his fiancée has planned, so he goes on a mugging spree. But when he kills a member of the secret society of Turning Stones, and steals a magic ring that gives him the power to shape shift, Shaw gets more than he bargained for.
Book two of The Turning Stone Chronicles titled “Blood Brothers” currently
available in eBook on Amazon at: http://amzn.com/B00OVNFC8W and paperback: http://amzn.com/1619358271
When Delaney Ramsey is enlisted to help train two of the most powerful shape shifters the Turning Stone Society has seen in thousands of years, she suspects one of them is responsible for the disappearance of her daughter. To complicate matters, the man has a secret that could destroy them all. Bound by honor to protect the suspect, Delaney must prove his guilt without losing her life to his terrible powers or revealing to the police captain she’s falling for that she’s a shape shifter with more than one agenda.
The minute Captain Williams lays eyes on Delaney Ramsey, he knows she’s trouble. Uncooperative, secretive, and sexy, he can’t get her out of his mind. When he discovers she has a personal agenda for sifting through all the criminal records in his precinct, and secretly investigating his best detective, he can’t let her out of his sight. He must find out what she’s looking for before she does something illegal. If she steps over the line, he’s not certain he can look the other way for the sake of love.
Book three of The Turning Stone Chronicles titled “
Son of the Moonless Night
” currently available in eBook on Amazon at:
http://amzn.com/B00XK3E172
Owen Todd Jordan Riley has a secret. He’s a shape shifter who has been hunting and killing his own kind. To him the only good shifter is a dead shifter. Revenge for the death of a friend motivates him, and nothing stands in his way . . . except Katrina Romanovski, the woman he is falling in love with.
Deputy coroner Katrina Romanovski has a secret, too. She hunts and kills paranormal beings like Owen. At least she did. When she rescues Owen from an attack by a werebear she is thrust back into the world she thought she’d left. Determined to find out what Owen knows about the bear, she begins a relationship meant to collect information. What she gets is something quite different-love with a man she suspects of murder. Can she reconcile his deception and murderous revenge spree and find a way to redeem him? Or will she condemn him for the same things she has done and walk away from love?
Excerpt from Son of the Moonless Night:
A crash in the alley stopped Katrina Romanovski mid-stride. Like the October mist swirling in off the lake, her gypsy blood stirred sending her intuition into high gear. Something unnatural was happening.
Go see what’s wrong. She heard her father’s voice as clearly as if he stood next to her.
On the heels of his words came her mother’s pragmatic warning in clipped British tones. You know what curiosity killed. Katrina pushed the ever-present warning aside. Mom never approved of Dad’s supernatural hunts and even less of his drawing her into them.
Pulling the oversized cross she always wore out from under her shirt, Kat looked around for a weapon. Please, not a vampire. I hate vampires! A piece of wood sticking out of the trashcan at the front of the alley caught her eye.
Grabbing it, she broke the end off into a sharp point. The mist-filled air filtered the light from the single bulb over one of the alley doorways. The wind swirled the loose trash around making a quiet approach difficult. Sidestepping the paper, with the stake in one hand and holding the gun she took from her purse in the other hand, she crept into the alley.
A roar echoed against the buildings, the sound nearly sending her running. That roar wasn’t a vampire. It sounded more like an animal. Kat inched closer. In the yellow pool of light from the back door of the building, a black bear, over seven feet tall, reared on its back legs and swung its paw at the man standing at the edge of the light. He crashed to the ground, shirt torn open from the slashing claws. Blood covered the fabric, and he clasped his left hand over his shoulder to stem the flow. The bear bent toward him, teeth bared in a smile. A wicked smile.
Kat aimed her gun, but before she could pull the trigger, a shot rang out. The flash of gunpowder lit the face of the injured man. The blast reverberated against the buildings. With an enraged bellow, the bear staggered backward against the wall. Shaking his head, the animal dropped to all four paws. Weaving like a drunk, he lumbered toward his attacker. The man took aim again, shooting the animal between the eyes. Animal and human collapsed on the dirty, littered pavement.
As she started to move forward, Kat’s gypsy senses crawled over her skin like angry red ants. As she slipped back into the shadows, the bear shed fur. Changing size. Then, finally, turning into a man.
Shape shifters. Her stake wasn’t any good against them, and her bullets weren’t silver. This one appeared dead anyway. Had the wounded man seen the shift? Tossing the stake aside, she paused by the shifter and quickly moved to the wounded man. Out cold. Still human.
When she touched him, his eyelids fluttered open. “Did I get it?”
“What?”
“The bear.”
Where you can find CD:
Soul Mate Publishing: http://smpauthors.wordpress.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cdhershauthor
Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/C.-D.-Hersh/e/B00DV5L7ZI
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AuthorCDHersh
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/CDHersh
Thursday Threads Erin Bevan
Welcomes Author
Erin Bevan
Erin is sharing with us her book, Cupid’s Angels, a contemporary, sweet romance, released June 3, 2015.
Blurb:
Ellie Childs isn’t looking for love. She’s looking for an AC technician for the Forest Wood Senior Center. But, when the repairman happens to be tall, dark, and handsome, he has the goods to make her change her mind. Unfortunately, he’s taken by a blonde Barbie.
David White moved to Cupid, Arkansas, to be closer to the woman he loves, his grandma, and away from his ex-fiancée. Believing his broken heart would never work again, he’s proven wrong. Ellie’s shimmering auburn curls and compassionate nature sends his heart thumping. His mind soars with thoughts of giving love another shot. But as luck would have it, she’s taken, and the guy she’s seeing is a real jerk.
When David’s grandmother sees how perfect Ellie would be for her grandson, she gathers the troops. She and her three friends form Cupid’s Angels. Their mission, to bring David and Ellie together. Despite their best efforts, the Angels’ plans backfire, pushing David and Ellie farther apart and into the arms of others. Or, so they think.
Will the Angels’ good intentions win out, or will their plots and schemes undermine what could have been the love of a lifetime for David and Ellie?
Excerpt:
She opened her office door ready to face the damages. Expecting another sweat covered Neanderthal in Bib Overalls, her mouth fell slack at the sight of a handsome man at the end of the hall. She gasped and gripped the folder tighter, blinking to make sure she was seeing clearly. The only attractive men that ever walked into the Center had been over the age of fifty. To see one so young, so striking, made her light-headed.
A tight white undershirt gripped sculpted bicep muscles and broad shoulders. His jeans hung low on his hips and sported holes in the knees. His suntanned skin accented his bronze hair, and an easy smile spread across his face. He carried a toolbox in his left hand and held a bouquet of roses in his right.
Everything about him caused her knees to go weak.
“Hey, Grandma.” He kissed Mary’s cheek and placed the roses into her small hands. “These are for you.”
“Oh, David. You shouldn’t have. They’re lovely. Come over here. I want you to meet someone.”
Before Ellie could get her wits about her, the two walked toward her. She straightened her blouse again and wished she would have taken the time to do something more with her hair, or maybe apply a little lip-gloss. Her ginger curls were a frizzy mess, and her blouse still had the coffee stain right on her breast.
“Ellie, I’d like you to meet my grandson, David. David, this is Ellie. She’s the Center’s Executive Director and a dear friend.”
“Nice to meet you.” He extended his hand.
“You, too.” She slipped her clammy hand in his. Rough calluses scratched her palm and his touch sent a shiver through her.
“Gran tells me you’re having trouble with your air. You mind showing me where the unit is?”
She saw his lips move, but didn’t understand a word he said.
“What?” She asked dumbly.
“The AC unit. Is it outside?”
“Oh, yeah. The unit.” Ellie wondered if her voice sounded as shaky as her knees were. He flashed her another smile that made her want to grab his hand and go find a utility closet somewhere. His strong build, handsome face, sparkling green eyes, and the fact that he brought his grandma roses had her heart beating like a nineteenth century drummer boy heading into battle. She fanned her face with the folder. Her sweaty palms had caused the thick Manila paper to go limp.
Buy Link for Cupids Angels:
Where to find Erin:
Web page: http://www.erinbevan.com/
Email: erinbevanwrites@gmail.com
Twitter: www.twitter.com/@ErinBevan
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/erinbevanwrites?ref=hl
August 11, 2015
Wednesday Special Spotlight Must Love Chainmail Angela Quarles
Shines on
Angela Quarles’
New release
MUST LOVE CHAINMAIL
Book Info
Must Love Chainmail Time Travel Romance Release Date: July 12, 2015
Length: Novel (90,000 words)
Ebook Price: $4.99
ISBN: 978-0-9905400-2-1
Cover artist: Kim Killion
Content advisory: Adult language, explicit sex
Blurb
Trapped in the wrong time, she needs a knight in shining armor, but this damsel in distress might be the real savior.
A damsel in distress…
With a day planner attached to her hip, the last thing Katy Tolson wants is a romance that threatens her well-ordered life. She’s set to marry the safe–but bland–guy, but something’s not quite…right. A careless wish thrusts her through time into medieval Wales and into the arms of…
A knight in somewhat shining armor…
Sir Robert Beucol, half-Norman and half-Welsh, lives with the shame of his father’s treason and vows to reclaim his family’s holdings and thereby his honor. To prove himself to his king, he must be more Norman than a full-blooded Norman. What better way to show loyalty than to fight his mother’s people? He has no desire to be sidetracked by the mysterious wench with pink toenails, peculiar habits, and passion smoldering behind her cool, collected exterior.
A rebellion that challenges both…
The Welsh uprising fits perfectly into Robert’s plans. Katy’s on the other hand? That’s a no. As they embark on a perilous journey through the heart of Wales, each passionate encounter pulls them closer together, but farther from their goals. When everything they value is at stake, can they save each other and their love?
Bio
Angela is a geek girl romance writer. What makes her romances geeky? Whether it’s fan girling over Ada Lovelace by having her as a secondary character in Must Love Breeches, or outright geek references with geek types in her romantic comedy with paranormal elements, Beer and Groping in Las Vegas, or going all Southern steampunk in Steam Me Up, Rawley, she likes to have fun with her romances and hopes her readers do too.
Angela works at an independent bookstore and lives in an historic house in the beautiful and quirky town of Mobile, AL. When she’s not writing, she enjoys the usual stuff like gardening, reading, hanging out, eating, drinking, chasing squirrels out of the walls and creating the occasional knitted scarf. She’s had a varied career, including website programming and directing a small local history museum, and has discovered that writing allows her to explore all her interests.
She has a B.A. in Anthropology and International Studies with a minor in German from Emory University, and a Masters in Heritage Preservation from Georgia State University. She was an exchange student to Finland in high school and studied abroad in Vienna one summer in college.
Author Links
Website: http://bit.ly/VMFK00
Blog: http://bit.ly/WkQbXG
Join my mailing list: http://bit.ly/1sde3Qi
Twitter: http://bit.ly/Se5gQ0
Facebook: http://on.fb.me/VMFT3L
Pinterest: http://bit.ly/1qRhgHQ
Book Links
Amazon: http://bit.ly/MLCAmz
Kobo: http://bit.ly/1JhzrtL
Apple: http://apple.co/1I4697c
Goodreads: http://bit.ly/GR_MLC
Shelfari: http://bit.ly/MLCShelfari
LibraryThing: http://bit.ly/1KcKPg1
Must Love Chainmail board on Pinterest: http://bit.ly/1UON5x8
Official Book Page: http://bit.ly/MLCBook
Excerpt from Chapter 3 – Meets the hero
Katy slowly closed her eyes, let the cool ground soak into her hands and butt, let the uncomfortable pebbles make themselves known. She counted to three and opened her eyes.
Intact castle wall? Still there.
A frantic fluttering whipped through her chest and choked her throat. “No, no, no!”
Her whole body shaking, she pushed up on a nearby rock and stood. She tugged on her coat’s zipper and yanked it up to her neck. She gazed at the castle.
No freaking way. Intact castle walls soared skyward, not stumpy, crumbling stone courses pockmarked with bird’s nests and tufts of grass. She whipped around. No deck steps arching over the once-ruined entrance.
She shoved her hand into her coat pocket.
Dread curdled in her stomach.
Shit. No case.
Oh God. The case worked. The case transported her back in time. Just like it had with Isabelle. Sweat bloomed on her skin in the chilly air, overheating her in her winter coat.
But she hadn’t made a wish. Had she? Then her whispered words of a moment ago came back to her: What should I do, Isabelle? I wish I knew why I’m not as happy as I should be.
Shit. Shit. Shit. She spun around and raked her gaze along the hillside. This crazy-ass, zapped-back-in-time thing could all be fixed with a quick wish.
But…she dared not move. Getting turned around and missing it because she was searching in the wrong spot would suck. Big time.
She scrutinized the ravine, keeping her breathing steady. If she didn’t panic, everything would be okay. Just a little blip she could laugh about—to herself—later, and get a spike of adrenaline thinking of her narrow escape. Yep. Mm-hmm. The guy line securing the thin veneer of her control strained and creaked.
Okay. She’d come along that path, and had, oh God, made that wish on the stupid case. Smooth, Katy. Then the queasiness. And a gust of wind. She’d started sliding down the incline and…flung out her stupid-ass hands. With the case probably sailing away.
So, with the right hand doing the flinging… She charged up the hill and inched along its edge, on the lookout for a shiny glint of silver.
An odd, pounding noise sounded behind her, and the ground vibrated slightly. What could…? Oh God, no. She wheeled around, her pulse beating frantically, and yep, the hugest, scariest war horse she’d ever seen galloped straight for her. She assumed it was a war horse, well, because it was so…large, and it had…Jiminy Cricket, it had chainmail on it. And, of course, some guy on its back, with chainmail and some kind of tunic, as well as a clothes-iron-shaped shield and friggin’ sword.
Her muscles tightened, shivered, and she almost—swear to God—peed herself.
She scrambled down the ravine. Find the case. Find the case. And the scary man on horse would be gone. She slipped and landed on her ass, sliding the rest of the way, her hands scraping and stinging on the rocks.
The horse stopped above her, snorting loudly. She scowled over her shoulder—was she about to get skewered? Cuz she’d want to know. Not that she could do much against a muscle-bound, medieval guy bent on running her through with a sword. Or worse. Except find that case. She had maybe twelve feet of distance on him.
He lifted his helmet free with two mail-clad hands, the clang of metal against metal loud, and let it fall to suspend from a chain at his belt. Helmet removal was a good sign, wasn’t it? At least it wasn’t sword removal. The early afternoon sun shone from behind him. She couldn’t see his face.
Gibberish popped from the dark shape. Coupled with his arm pointing away from the castle.
Er, what the hell kind of language was that?
Fear and a bit of oh-shit-what’s-happening slithering through her, she rose and faced him. “What?” Peering right and left with only her eyes, she searched for the stupid case. Her only salvation.
He cocked his head and spouted more nonsense. Slower, sure, but still nonsense. She edged back and continued to search the ground, pebbles clicking against rock as her shoes scattered them downhill.
More gibberish, but it grew closer. She looked up. He’d dismounted and was stomping down the hill.
Oh, hell no.
She sprinted along the ravine, praying she’d see her case but knowing she probably wouldn’t. Blood pounded in her ears, as jarring as her frantic footfalls along the hard ground. She sucked in short gasps of air as his steps drew closer. C’mon, all those gym sessions had to count for something.
A strong arm clamped around her waist, yanked her back against a solid wall of chainmail-covered man, and lifted. She slid down his body until his forearm nudged the underside of her breasts. She instantly stilled, breathing still panicked, because she’d read enough romance novels, and damned if she’d be one of those annoying heroines who got all feisty unprovoked. Pissing off someone who hadn’t yet hurt her would be epically stupid.
He inhaled sharply. Melodic, darkly-rich words vibrated from his chest to fill her ear, his warm breath sending chills across her skin. She could hear the question in them, but not knowing what he so softly demanded, she remained frozen.
She’d need any ally she could get, because yeah, she’d gone and wished herself back in time. All because she’d second-guessed her plans.
He grunted and marched up the hill, easily carrying her against him. At the top, he whistled and…his horse came to him. Of course. Then he draped her in front of a saddle like none she’d ever seen, jumped on, and galloped across the rocky terrain. But not before she saw her case, winking in the sun as they passed.
“Hey— Wait! Shit.”
Oh, crap, this was not comfortable. She clamped her jaw tight, afraid she’d bite her tongue with all the jouncing. Brief flashes of scenery and activity stuttered by. Flash—a white flower between two rocks. Flash—a cluster of colorfully clothed people. Flash—a woman with two children, one on her hip. Flash—a man driving a donkey laden with baskets. And all, all of them, hurrying. Hurrying in the same direction, into the castle. Behind its walls.
That couldn’t be good.
August 10, 2015
Tell Again Tuesday Rules of Writing
A blog series where we shamelessly share posts from others that we have enjoyed.
The Rules of Writing!
by Madelyn Hill
As a writer, I have been told the rules of writing for years. Do this, don’t do that. Agents love this, editors hate that. More rules about keeping point of view to the main characters, don’t use prologues, don’t use epilogues, and Nora Roberts can do whatever she wants!
But in a recent (very unscientific) poll on Facebook, I asked writers and readers if they like prologues and epilogues. The resounding answer was …
For the rest of the blog go to:
http://collettecameron.com/2015/07/the-rules-of-writing/
August 6, 2015
Friday Feature Highland Savior Sarah Hoss
Focuses on
Highland Savior
By
Sarah Hoss
Sarah has agreed to sit in the hot seat today and answer a few questions. Are you ready?
Yes, I am and thanks for inviting me.
Please tell the readers about the book that is being showcased today.
I’m writing about three Macpherson brothers and HIGHLAND SAVIOR is about the second brother, Hamish.
How did you come up with the concept for this book?
I started writing Dreams of the Highlander and once the story was finished, I knew I wanted to continue it and give each brother their own story. I love time travel, so that was installed as well.
What are you working on now?
I am working on book 3, James’s story.
Okay, now for a few harder questions. Do you write in more than one genre? If so, why?
I do. I write Historical paranormal romance and contemporary romance. I had always planned on writing in the first, but the latter came to me by accident. I wrote a novella for a contest and it became published. I continue to write contemporary novellas so I can have something to put out between the novels and so that I would have a broader audience.
Accidents can be good then. What’s the first book, in the genre you write in, that you remember reading?
I remember reading the Grey Eagle series by Janelle Taylor. My older sister lent them to me.
Now let’s try some personal questions. We like to travel. What is the farthest place from your home that you have visited?
Abaco Island, Bahamas
The most fun place?
Disney World in Florida
That’s one of our favorite places as well. How about the most relaxing place?
Winterpark Colorado
The most historic place?
Gettysburgh, Pennsylvania
You came through that fine now let’s try quickies. We’ll give you a category and you give us a one word answer, and yes we know for a writer that is hard, so as close to one word as possible. Ready?
Yes.
Favorite food? Filet mingon and a baked potato
Favorite singer or band? Journey
Favorite season? Tie between fall and winter
Favorite flower? daisy
Favorite color? green
Mug or teacup? mug
See this is really easy. Now name three interesting things most people don’t know about you.
1) I took tap and jazz dance classes from the age of 6-22. I traveled all over the Midwest and down to Florida for competitions and I also participated as an extra in the Pan Am Opening Ceremonies back in the 80’s.
2) I hate cherry flavored drinks
3) I am a “bonus” baby being 13, 12, and 7 years younger than my siblings.
Donald’s mother made him take dancing lessons when he was younger but never to the extent of competition. Let’s get back to some book questions since you write in a mix of several genres.
What are the unusual paranormal elements in your book? Our books have shape shifters with the ability to shift to more than one persona.
I love to read and write about time travel and that is the paranormal element to my books.
Your books also have a historical element. How do you do your historical research? (books, travel, internet, reenactments)
I go to reenactments and a lot of research on the internet.
Plus you write in the time travel genre and there are no reenactments to visit. So, what’s your favorite time travel book or movie?
The Outlander Series by Diana Gabaldon.
It’s been a pleasure having you here today, Sarah. As you say goodbye, can you leave the readers with an encapsulation of your life’s philosophy? (a quote, a verse, a precept you live by or have tried to instill in your children?)
Those who mind, don’t matter, and those who matter, don’t mind. Dr. Suess.
If you’ve enjoyed finding out about the author take a look at the following for some idea of what her book is like.
Blurb for Highland Savior
Hamish Macpherson is surrounded by turmoil: an arsonist is on the loose, he’s in the middle of a feud with a local clansman, and just as he’s trying to save his sister from a burning cottage, he appears in the middle of a foreign living room three hundred years past his own time.
Gillian Meadows thinks she’s self-sufficient and can handle anything until she witnesses a murder in the alley next to an Olde City tavern. In a desperate run to escape being the next victim, she stumbles into a wiccan store and accepts the help of the shop owner. But one misspoken word of a simple incantation can change everything.
Neither world is safe, but Hamish can better protect Gillian if he returns to his own time. Gillian has no choice but to go with him if she wants to escape the danger closing in. Little do they know that his past could be the biggest threat of all to their future.
Buy Link Highland Savior
AUTHOR BIO:
Sarah Hoss grew up believing she could try anything and if she set her mind to it, she would succeed. Sixteen years of dance lessons, Cheerleading, and school plays proved to her that her parent’s words rang true. Writing was no exception. Reading the Outlander series made her fall in love with time travels and the historical places books could take her. Always a child with a vivid imagination, she realized as an adult, she could put her imagination to good use and began writing. Marrying her very own hero, they live in Indiana in the town where she grew up. They have three beautiful children and one hyper dog. When Sarah isn’t writing, she enjoys gardening, camping, and watching her kids’ play sports.
Where to find Sarah-
Website- http://www.sarahhoss.com/
Blog- http://www.heart-of-romance.blogspot.com/
Twitter- http://www.twitter.com/SarahHoss1
Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sarah-Hoss/237219983049037
Thursday Threads The Perfect Duke
Presents
The Perfect Duke
Genre: Historical Romance (Late Georgian Era)
Heat Level: Three out of Five
Blurb
Known as The Marble Duke amongst the Ton, Garret Weston, the Duke of Kendal sets himself apart from his peers. Nothing will hinder his guilt-driven attempt to become a perfect duke. Nothing that is, save the alluring and imaginative betrothed he’d thought dead. His intended believes-of all things-that she is a Vicar’s daughter. The “perfect” duke needs a “perfect” duchess, but how was he to discern her suitability? Employing her as a governess to his niece seemed like an ideal solution. But whose “suitability” is being tested? His betrothed refuses to see he is beyond redemption. And most grievous of all, she stirs his blood, making him forget what’s important.
Cara believes fairy tales really can come true, until she meets the unrelenting and arrogant Duke of Kendal. He looks like a Prince, but acts like a Beast. Why must he challenge her at every turn? Her greatest peril is her attraction to the vulnerable, seductive man behind the title. A match between them would be impossible. But can she show him, without losing her heart that “perfect” is in the eye of the beholder?
Excerpt
“The horse seems to know you.”
“He should. There was a time when I practically lived in the stable. Storm was my favorite.”
“What happened?”
“I became a duke.”
“Oh.”
He straightened and forced his features into a mask of indifference. “So, Rachel loves horses.” He turned to face Cara. “I can appreciate my niece’s fondness, but I can not allow her to frequent the stable.”
“Why not?”
“It is not proper for young ladies of her station.”
“Garret, she’s a child.”
It was the first time she’d used his name, and somehow, Rachel visiting the horses didn’t seem like such a large request. “I will only allow it if she uses the passageway. At least I can keep the knowledge of her visits to a minimum. If you come with her, you will need to use the tunnel as well.”
“I can’t.”
“Why not?”
She blushed and turned away. “I’m afraid.” She said it so quietly, he wasn’t sure he heard her.
“Afraid? Of what?”
“Dark, enclosed places. Even as a child, I fell asleep with a candle burning.” She faced him and gave a small smile. “Perhaps I’m afraid that a beast will gobble me up in the dark.”
“There are no beasts at Belcraven, Miss McClure. I would not allow anyone to hurt you.”
“Anyone?”
“Never.” He started toward her and stopped. Damn, it would be better if he didn’t get close to her. As he left the stable, her whisper followed him.
“Not even you?”
The Perfect Duke buy link:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BT0NGOC
Links for author:
http://www.authordawnireland.wordpress.com/
http://www.twitter.com/AuthorDIreland
http://www.facebook.com/DawnIrelandAuthor
