Kim Iverson Headlee's Blog: Book Musings from the Maze of Twisty Passages, page 21

Celebrating surviving the joust in Betrothal by @Jenna_Jaxon #MedievalMonday

I am delighted to welcome back author Jenna Jaxon and her novel Betrothal for today's Medieval Monday installment on The Maze.
 
Synopsis:
Lady Alyse de Courcy has fallen in love with Lord Braeton, a nobleman in King Edward III’s court and a man to whom she has barely spoken. Fate, however, has decreed her betrothal to his best friend, Sir Geoffrey Longford—a handsome and imposing knight, yet hardly the man she wants to wed.

When Sir Geoffrey is bound in betrothal by his father, he could not have expected the beautiful stranger to win his heart the moment they meet. But Alyse’s infatuation with his friend casts doubt on whether she can ever return his regard and their wedding day is fast approaching…  Will he have time enough to win her love?

Excerpt:
As the champions met at the end of the Great Hall, the trumpeters sounded the fanfare once again. Alyse flanked Princess Joanna as she stepped forward, Lady Carlyle on her other side. The gentlemen came forward to claim their ladies and lead them into the middle of the Hall. The musicians struck up a stately carole, and the three couples formed pairs, one following the other, creating a line that moved gradually around the Hall. She and Geoffrey were the center pair and slowly trailed behind the princess and her partner.

Acutely aware that this was their first dance together, Alyse found it almost impossible to keep her eyes forward as propriety demanded. She darted glances at Geoffrey as they moved through the deliberate steps, her blood singing with each glimpse of his elegant figure. Hand and hand—the heat they generated threatened to set her ablaze—they stepped to the slow beat, now forward, now backward, slowly making their way around the Great Hall. Again, the yearning overtook her to belong to this man utterly and intimately. To be his in every way possible before it was too late. But for the grace of God, tonight could have been too late. He could have been killed today, and she would never have known the joy of belonging to him completely.

She wanted to remember every moment of this dance, to be able to savor each one later, but the flickering light, the heat of the chamber, the intensity of the music and her own thundering heart worked to make the dance a swirl of impressions—riotous and fleeting. When the music ended, Alyse’s head still reeled.

Geoffrey turned smartly toward her and bowed low, and she curtsied in return. Then he took her hand and kissed it. Her breath came faster, and her heart thudded in her ears as a full flush of heat rose in her face. The touch of his lips on her skin fought like fire and ice: she first burned then trembled as chills raced through her body. She barely heard the thunderous applause and cheers of the assembly.


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All this month, you are invited to...
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January jangling of The Dawnflier (Jan. 2016) and #giveaway!

12/27/2015 Rehoboth Beach, DE
(c) Kim Headlee. Happy New Year! 

I'm beginning to feel snakebit. This is the second time in as many years that I've spent the Christmas holidays in lovely Rehoboth Beach, Delaware... only to get so sick that I couldn't enjoy the festivities nearly as much as I wanted to. 

The good news is that my most recent bout was set to rights with a trip to the local ER (on Christmas Day, thank you very much) for a bag of saline and the best anti-nausea meds on the planet. The weather was weirdly warm and rainy during most of my stay, though it did behave itself on the Sunday after Christmas, and I walked from the beach house where I was staying so that I could snap this lovely picture at twilight. I pretty near had to run before all the light disappeared, but even that felt good—and it felt even better to surprise my husband with my pace. :)

In book news:

I will be presenting my Business of Writing workshop at MarsCon (January 15-17, Williamsburg, VA). I don't have the final schedule yet, but please stay tuned here for updates, which will include other panels of which I'm a member.

My Twain sequel, King Arthur's Sister in Washington's Court , is now available as a gorgeous hardcover edition and is proving to be my most popular book to date! Drop a comment below if you're interested in learning how to purchase an autographed copy from me.

The regular features on The Maze, including Medieval Mondays and my weekly Business of Writing and Raging Sea excerpt posts, will resume on 1/4/2016. 

In the meantime, I hope you enjoy a wonderful start to this shiny new year! 

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All this month, you are invited to...
— Follow Kim on Twitter
— Follow Kim on Pinterest
— Subscribe to Kim's YouTube channel
— Leave a comment on any page of The Maze, especially if you have done the Twitter, Pinterest, and/or YouTube follow
... and each action this month is good for one chance to win a copy of any of Kim's e-books. Please enter often, and good luck!

Cinderella Countdown: Nobody's Cinderella by @JoanReeves

Happy New Year's Eve on The Maze! Today is the final installment of the Cinderella Countdown—again featuring another of my Twitter author-friends, Joan Reeves—and I hope you have enjoyed all these spotlights as much as I've enjoyed showcasing them for you. 
Stay safe today, drink & party responsibly, make wise choices about whether or not to get behind the wheel afterward, and may you enjoy a happy and prosperous 2016!  Nobody's Cinderella By Joan Reeves  Genre: romantic comedyA Christmas Cinderella... a wish... Uh oh! 

Review for this sexy romantic comedy: "I love Ms. Reeves' heroines. There is a little bit of them in all of us and that endears them to us even more. Just enough conflict, steam, misunderstandings, and humor." 

Darcy Benton is the oldest cliche in the world—a woman in love with her boss. Other than that, she's no-nonsense, practical, mature, and sober. She's just the kind of woman Chase Whitaker wants as head of accounting for his company. She's definitely not the kind of woman he wants in his bed. 

Enter Darcy's meddling, matchmaking best friend who has a plan to transform Darcy into a hottie designed to attract Chase's interest. All it takes? A couple of little lies. And a wish on a Christmas star. Darcy should have heeded that old advice: be careful what you wish for. 

Equal parts romantic humor and romance and sex, Nobody's Cinderella is Book 1 of San Antone Two-Step. Previously print published as Love Will Find A Way, this ebook edition is expanded, updated, and contains a Linked Table of Contents and these Bonus Features: 

Note from Joan Reeves Romance Series by Joan Reeves Novel Excerpts Quotation Collection: Love at First Sight Darcy Benton wondered if she needed to check into a hospital. Her nervous system seemed to have shorted out, producing feet that felt like blocks of ice and hands that perspired as if it were July rather than December. Her heart raced faster than a quarter horse, and her face felt as warm as a passive solar collector at the end of a hot Texas day.

Releasing her white-knuckled grip on the strap of her new black leather handbag, Darcy opened it and fished out one of the tissues she'd stashed inside. Hoping that the man who'd created this shock to her system was still engrossed in reading her resume, she furtively wiped her palms. For good measure, she blotted her damp forehead.

Her eyes strayed to the man on the power side of the. Chase Whitaker was the owner of Sunbelt Oil Producers, one of the many small independent energy companies in San Antonio.

Feeling hot and cold by turns, Darcy examined his features as intently as he studied her resume. His face easily rivaled any male heart throb on the silver screen. To characterize his dark blue eyes as bedroom eyes was an old cliché, but it was certainly true. Bedroom eyes. The phrase made Darcy tingle. She felt a blush begin beneath her prim white blouse and creep upwards. This would never do. She blotted her forehead again, surprised at how damp the tissue felt.

Frowning, she looked at the tissue. Her eyes widened. Blue ink practically dripped from the sodden wad. Horrified, she stared dumbly at her ink-stained finger tips and ink-rimmed nails. She looked at the table next to her, hoping to find a box of tissues. No such luck. Not knowing what else to do, she wiped her palms up and down the sides of her navy skirt then she looked at her hands again. The mottling had been replaced by wide smeary streaks. Suppressing a moan, she closed her hands into tight fists.

Why had this happened when she wanted so desperately to make an impression on Chase Whitaker? And not just because she wanted him to hire her. The man stirred something inside her that she'd never felt in all her twenty-three years. Just looking at him made her quiver.

That brought her up short. Get a grip, she scolded herself. You're here for a job--not a romantic entanglement. As if she would know how to have a romantic entanglement. A sigh escaped her. Chase Whittaker glanced up, his dark blue eyes sharp and penetrating. He frowned. Surely, he couldn't know what she'd been thinking? As she watched, he slowly wiped his hand across his forehead. She shifted restlessly in the chair and uncrossed her legs, knocking over her briefcase. Then she realized that he seemed to look, not at her eyes, but about an inch above them. His irresistible mouth twitched as if a smile struggled to break free of restraint. He stood. Darcy's mouth went dry as her gaze climbed his tall, broad-shouldered frame. He reached into his back pocket and pulled out a snowy white square of linen, walked around the desk, and offered it to her. "This should help."

He touched his forehead again, making a wiping motion. Horrified understanding flooded her. Quickly, she swiped the handkerchief across her forehead and wasn't surprised to see it come away streaked in blue. She returned his handkerchief with a mumbled thank you. Chase laid it on his desk top and remained standing, towering over her.

Each time she looked at him, she felt so peculiar, like the time her three brothers had dared her to climb the giant pine tree in the back yard, and she'd fallen, knocking the breath out of her.

Belatedly, she realized he was speaking. She caught the end of his sentence. "--give you a chance. We'd wanted someone with experience, but we're willing to take you on, though we try not to hire straight out of college. However, your class standing was excellent, and you seem like a mature, sober young woman."

His eyes swept her up and down, from the tight knot of hair forced into submission by half a tube of gel to the black, square-framed glasses. Those sexy eyes quickly took in the severe navy suit, pristine white blouse, floppy navy bow tie, and sensible, low-heeled shoes.

Chase cleared his throat. "And you are obviously sensible and practical."

Mature? Sober? Sensible? Practical?

Why didn't he just say she was so undesirable that no man would want her?

Just once, why couldn't she be seen as incredibly sexy and completely irresistible? Why couldn't he be as attracted to her as she was to him?

When he offered her the accounting position for which she had applied, Darcy managed to thank him despite the disquieting emotions that raged within.

"Welcome to Sunbelt Oil." Chase offered his hand.

Darcy shook his hand. His touch was like flame to dry tinder. She throbbed in places she hadn't suspected could throb. She managed a few strangled words even as a horrible suspicion began to form in her mind. She rejected the idea. It was unthinkable!

Chase led her to the door, and, somehow, she found her way back to her little blue car in the parking lot. She was so befuddled by what had happened that she nearly knocked down an elderly white-haired man, bundled up in a red ski parka trimmed in white faux fur. She mumbled an apology, not even noticing the white-bearded man looked a lot like Santa Claus.

In her car, huddled on the cold blue vinyl seat, Darcy bemoaned life's cruel sense of humor. "What am I going to do?"

Working near Chase Whitaker, who looked at her as if she were another piece of office furniture he'd acquired, was going to be impossible.

Crazy as it seemed, she had fallen in love at first sight with her handsome new boss. MoBInterested in helping with the release tour for the Cinderella Treasure Trove tour (January 1-7, 2015)Sign up here.

***
Those who aspire to greatness
must first learn servanthood. All this month, you are invited to...
— Follow Kim on Twitter
— Follow Kim on Pinterest
— Subscribe to Kim's YouTube channel
— Leave a comment on any page of The Maze, especially if you have done the Twitter, Pinterest, and/or YouTube follow
...and each action this month is good for one chance to win an e-book copy of Raging Sea: Reckonings . Please enter often, and good luck!

Rebirth of a novel: From Here to Fourteenth Street by @DianaLRubino

Today on The Maze I welcome back author-friend Diana Rubino to discuss how her latest release, From Here to Fourteenth Street , was born—and reborn.

In Diana's words...
HOW FROM HERE TO FOURTEENTH STREET WAS BORN

New York City’s history always fascinated me—how it became the most powerful hub in the world from a sprawling wilderness in exchange for $24 with Native Americans by the Dutch in 1626.

Growing up in Jersey City, I could see the Statue of Liberty from our living room window if I leaned way over (luckily I didn’t lean too far over). As a child model, I spent many an afternoon on job interviews and modeling assignments in the city, and got hooked on Nedick’s, a fast food chain whose orange drinks were every kid’s dream. Even better than the vanilla egg creams. We never drove to the city—we either took the PATH (Port Authority Trans Hudson) train (‘the tube’ in those days) or the bus through the Lincoln Tunnel to the Port Authority Bus Terminal.

My great grandmother, Josephine Arnone, “Josie Red” to her friends, because of her abundant head of red hair, was way ahead of her time. Born in 1895 (but it could’ve been sooner, as she was known to lie about her age), she left school after 3rd grade, became a successful businesswoman and a Jersey City committewoman, as well as a wife and mother of four. She owned apartment buildings, parking garages, a summer home, did a bit of Prohibition-era bootlegging, small-time loan-sharking, and paid cash for everything. When I began outlining From Here to Fourteenth Street, I modeled my heroine, Vita Caputo, after her. Although the story is set in New York the year before Grandma was born, I was able to bring my heroine Vita to life by calling on the family legends and stories, all word of mouth, for she never kept a journal.

Vita’s hero Tom McGlory isn’t based on any real person, but I did a lot of reading about Metropolitan Policemen and made sure he was the complete opposite! He’s trustworthy and would never take a bribe or graft. I always liked the name McGlory—then, years after the book first came out, I remembered that was the name of my first car mechanic—Ronnie McGlory.

I completed the book in 1995, and my then-publisher, Domhan Books, published it under the title I Love You Because. The Wild Rose Press picked it up after I gave it many revisions and overhauls. My editor Nan Swanson did a fabulous job making the prose sparkle.

CHANGING THE TITLE
When I proposed the story to Wild Rose, I wanted to change the title, since it went through so many revisions. I wanted to express Vita’s desire to escape the Lower East Side and move farther uptown. I considered Crossing 14th Street, but it sounded too much like Crossing Delancey. After a few more hits and misses, the title hit me—as all really fitting titles do.

A BIT OF BACKGROUND—WHAT WAS 1894 NEW YORK CITY LIKE?
The Metropolitan Police was a hellhole of corruption, and nearly every cop, from the greenest rookie to the Chief himself, was a dynamic part of what made the wheels of this great machine called New York turn. 

The department was in cahoots with the politicians, all the way up to the mayor's office. Whoever wasn't connected enough to become a politician became a cop in this city. They were paid off in pocket-bulging wads of cash to look the other way when it came to building codes, gambling, prostitution, every element it took to keep this machine gleaming and efficient. They oiled the machine and kept it running with split-second precision. The ordinary hardworking, slave-wage earning citizen didn't have a chance around here. Tom McGlory and his father were two of a kind, and two of a sprinkling of cops who were cops for the right reasons. They left him alone because he was a very private person; he didn't have any close friends, he confided in no one. He could've made a pocket full of rocks as a stoolie, more than he could by jumping in the fire with the rest of them, but he couldn't enjoy spending it if he'd made it that way. They knew it and grudgingly respected him for it. He was here for one reason--his family was here. If they went, he went. As long as they needed him, here he was. Da would stop grieving for his wife when he stopped breathing. Since Tom knew he was the greatest gift she gave Da, he would never let his father down.

READ ABOUT FROM HERE TO FOURTEENTH STREET AND HOW VITA FINDS LOVE AND SUCCESS AGAINST ALL ODDS:
It's 1894 on New York's Lower East Side. Irish cop Tom McGlory and Italian immigrant Vita Caputo fall in love despite their different upbringings. Vita goes from sweatshop laborer to respected bank clerk to reformer, helping elect a mayor to beat the Tammany machine. While Tom works undercover to help Ted Roosevelt purge police corruption, Vita's father arranges a marriage between her and a man she despises. As Vita and Tom work together against time and prejudice to clear her brother and father of a murder they didn't commit, they know their love can survive poverty, hatred, and corruption. Vita is based on my great grandmother, who left third grade to become a self-made businesswoman and politician, wife and mother.

AN EXCERPT:
As Vita gathered her soap and towel, Madame Branchard tapped on her door. "You have a gentleman caller, Vita. A policeman."

"Tom?" His name lingered on her lips as she repeated it. She dropped her things and crossed the room.

"No, hon, not him. Another policeman. Theodore something, I think he said."

No. There can't be anything wrong. "Thanks," she whispered,  nudging Madame Branchard aside. She descended the steps, gripping the banister to support her wobbly legs. Stay calm! she warned herself. But of course it was no use; staying calm just wasn't her nature.

“Theodore something” stood before the closed parlor door. He’s a policeman? Tall and hefty, a bold pink shirt peeking out of a buttoned waistcoat and fitted jacket, he looked way out of place against the dainty patterned wallpaper.

He removed his hat. "Miss Caputo." He strained to keep his voice soft as he held out a piece of paper. “I’m police commissioner Theodore Roosevelt.”

"Yes?" Her voice shook.

"I have a summons for you, Miss Caputo." He held it out to her. But she stood rooted to that spot.

He stepped closer and she took it from him, unfolding it with icy fingers. Why would she be served with a summons? Was someone arresting her now for something she didn't do?

A shot of anger tore through her at this system, at everything she wanted to change. She flipped it open and saw the word "Summons" in fancy script at the top. Her eyes widened with each sentence as she read. “I can’t believe what I’m seeing.”

I hereby order Miss Vita Caputo to enter into holy matrimony with Mr. Thomas McGlory immediately following service of this summons.

ABOUT ME:

My passion for history and travel has taken me to every locale of my stories, set in Medieval and Renaissance England, Egypt, the Mediterranean, colonial Virginia, New England, and New York. My urban fantasy romance, FAKIN’ IT, won a Top Pick award from Romantic Times. I’m a member of Romance Writers of America, the Richard III Society and the Aaron Burr Association. I live on Cape Cod with my husband Chris. In my spare time, I bicycle, golf, play my piano and devour books of any genre. Visit me at www.dianarubino.com, www.DianaRubinoAuthor.blogspot.com, https://www.facebook.com/DianaRubinoAuthor, and on Twitter @DianaLRubino.

Purchase FROM HERE TO FOURTEENTH STREET from

The Wild Rose Press | Amazon Kindle | Amazon Paperback |

Thanks, Diana, for sharing about your latest release,
and best of luck with it!
***
Those who aspire to greatness
must first learn servanthood. All this month, you are invited to...
— Follow Kim on Twitter
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— Leave a comment on any page of The Maze, especially if you have done the Twitter, Pinterest, and/or YouTube follow
...and each action this month is good for one chance to win an e-book copy of Raging Sea: Reckonings . Please enter often, and good luck!

Cinderella Countdown: Pumpkin, A Cindermama Story by Ines Johnson @ineswrites

Pumpkin: a Cindermama Story By Ines Johnson  Genre: contemporary romanceSingle mother Malika “Pumpkin” Tavares lost faith in fairytales after she fell for a toad. Now she believes she’s not cut from the storybook, heroine cloth and searches for Mr. Good Enough amongst the sidekicks and supporting men of the town.

Love at first sight isn’t a cliche for town royalty Armand “Manny” Charmayne. For generations the Charmaynes have spotted their soulmates by seeing a golden aura the first time they laid eyes on The One. 

When Manny meets Pumpkin he sees…nothing, but sparks fly off the richter scale. The more he gets to know her the more he considers defying fate, if only he can convince her to take a chance on love again. The Grand Gesture
 The Mistress of Ceremonies hurried through her introductions and then the microphone was in Manny's hand, but he didn't take out the notes of his prepared speech.

"Many of you knew my mother," he began. There was a murmur of nostalgic assent throughout the crowd.

"You may not know that after her diagnosis, she spent most of her days watching romantic comedies. She believed she could laugh the illness out of her body. Her favorite moments in these films were something called the Grand Gesture. That scene just after all hope is lost because one of the lovers, normally the guy, has done something stupid that's led to the end of the relationship. So he thinks up this bold, romantic move to get the woman back."

A glance around the room told Manny that he held the largely female crowd in rapt attention.

"An example of a grand gesture would be a guy telling his estranged wife that she completes him in the midst of an angry mob of women. Or rescuing her underwear from the class geek and returning it to her at her sister's wedding. Or holding a boom box over his head, in front of her bedroom window, early in the morning, while blasting the song that was playing as he deflowered her."

A different wave of nostalgia swept through the crowd this time as they remembered these treasured moments of Hollywood cinema.

"In the real world, some people might call these behaviors creepy, or stalker-ish. But not my mother. She loved them. She believed in love, believed that when you loved someone you said it loud, you showed it often, and you never gave up."

Manny paused here, partly for effect, mostly to collect himself as visions of his mother's joyous face played in his head. He rubbed the heel of his hand against his chest.

"The national divorce rate is 50 percent."

There was no surprise in the room, where most of the men were older and the women on their arms were younger.

"There's never been a divorce in the Charmayne family. Not one recorded anywhere in our family line."

The sparkle of young women's eyes threatened to blind Manny from where he stood on the stage.

"What that means is when a Charmayne gives you their pledge, they are committed."

The decision was a split second one, but once Manny made it he stuck with it. He stepped around the podium, mic in hand and dropped to one knee. The gasp of every woman in the room was near deafening.

"To earn your vote, I will do whatever I have to, including blast Peter Gabriel in the streets. Charmaynes don't quit. I'm committed to this, to the people of this town. I hope that I can count on your vote."

The room erupted in thunderous applause, and the women's eyes sparkled even brighter. MoBInterested in helping with the release tour for the Cinderella Treasure Trove tour (January 1-7, 2015)Sign up here.

***
Those who aspire to greatness
must first learn servanthood. All this month, you are invited to...
— Follow Kim on Twitter
— Follow Kim on Pinterest
— Subscribe to Kim's YouTube channel
— Leave a comment on any page of The Maze, especially if you have done the Twitter, Pinterest, and/or YouTube follow
...and each action this month is good for one chance to win an e-book copy of Raging Sea: Reckonings . Please enter often, and good luck!

Very little to celebrate in Heart of the Phoenix by @BarbaraBettis #MedievalMonday

Some situations do not lend themselves to celebration, and watching the man you love feel tortured by seeing his betrothed become married to someone else is one such situation in The Heart of the Phoenix by Barbara Bettis.

Synopsis:
Some call him a ruthless mercenary; she calls him the knight of her heart.

Memories...
Lady Evelynn’s childhood hero is home—bitter, hard, tempting as sin. And haunted by secrets. A now-grown Evie offers friendship, but Sir Stephen's cruel rejection crushes her, and she resolves to forget him. Yet when an unexpected war throws them together, she finds love isn’t so easy to dismiss. If only the king hadn’t betrothed her to another.

Can be cruel...
Sir Stephen lives a double life while he seeks the treacherous outlaws who murdered his friends. Driven by revenge, he thinks his heart is closed to love. His childhood shadow, Lady Evie, unexpectedly challenges that belief. He rebuffs her, but he can’t forget her, although he knows she’s to wed the king’s favorite.

And deadly...
When his drive for vengeance leads to Evie’s kidnapping, Stephen must choose between retribution and the love he’s denied too long. Surely King John will see reason. Convict the murderers; convince the king. Simple. Until a startling revelation threatens everything.

Buy The Heart of the Phoenix on Amazon!
Excerpt:
PROLOGUE
Granville Castle, Lincolnshire
December 1197
“Go away, little shadow.” Sir Stephen’s words roared above the December wind that snapped across the castle tower’s roof.

Lady Evelynn shielded her eyes against the stinging bites of snow. She couldn’t make out his location. There. A flash of light from the huge bonfire in the bailey below illuminated his form, facing out into the night.

Arms braced, the tall figure leaned across the waist-high stone embrasure, as if he welcomed the wild winter gales.

How did he know who stood behind him? And why must he use that foolish childhood nickname? Her resolve wavered then flared once more. Let him ignore her, then. She would pay no heed to his indifference, just as she had as a child. He needed a friend right now.

He just didn’t realize it.

She clenched her hands, caught her bottom lip between her teeth, and stepped from the dim recesses of the doorway. Light from a lone torch just inside the landing at the top of the stairs flickered across the whitened walkway.

 “Are you well?” Evie shivered as she picked a path along the slick surface. She hadn’t brought a cloak. When he left the celebration with a bleak, dark look on his face, she followed without thinking.

He was in pain. She of all people could recognize the signs, could even understand a need for solitude. Yet the urge to comfort him drove her.

A moment’s uncertainty made her pause, however. This hard Sir Stephen little resembled the young squire she once knew. But the memory of their long-ago friendship drove her on.

He did not turn as she eased forward in her soft slippers. What could he possibly see in the snow-flecked blackness? Perhaps he regretted releasing Lady Emelin so readily. 

She raised her voice. “I thought when you left the hall—” She paused as his head turned slightly.

“That I could not bear to see my betrothed wed another man?”  His voice mocked. “Did you feel sorry for me?”

The sharp words failed to wound. He wouldn’t drive her away so easily.

“It would be understandable,” she said, at last reaching his side. Another frigid gust brought sounds of merriment from the bailey below. Snow would never deter the villagers when they celebrated the marriage of their new lord. This year’s Christmastide would be doubly rich with gifts and happiness.

“I’m happy to see her wed Sir Giles.” He turned to stare outward at nothing again. “I have no desire for a wife. Ever.”

***
Those who aspire to greatness
must first learn servanthood. All this month, you are invited to...
— Follow Kim on Twitter
— Follow Kim on Pinterest
— Subscribe to Kim's YouTube channel
— Leave a comment on any page of The Maze, especially if you have done the Twitter, Pinterest, and/or YouTube follow
...and each action this month is good for one chance to win an e-book copy of Raging Sea: Reckonings . Please enter often, and good luck!

Merry Christmas from The Maze!

Today on The Maze I pause to remember and celebrate the birth of the most influential person of all time. But His birth would have had no meaning without the culmination of His life's work. Both are reflected here in this juxtaposition of stained glass in the Church of Stabroek, Belgium, photographed on 6/27/2015.

Church of Stabroek, Belgium (c)2015 by Jorisvo
bigstock ID 94868195 Editorial license.
All my very warmest wishes to you for a Merry Christmas and a safe, healthy, and happy New Year!

Cinderella Countdown: Cinder the Fae by Rebekah Ganiere @VampWereZombie

In between all your last-minute shopping today, check out this enchanting paranormal Cinderella romance by Rebekah R. Ganiere!
Cinder the Fae By Rebekah R. GaniereCOMING SPRING OF 2016 Genre: paranormal romanceCinder has spent her entire adult life taking care of her stepmother Lady Sabine and her half sister Olivia by earning a living as a healer and herbalist in Ville Defee. Using her magick she has become a respected member of the fae working class. Her only refuge from the hard work and berating from her stepmother being her time with the man she's been in love with since she was twelve years old. The Prince and heir to the throne, Rome.

Prince Rome isn't ready to settle down. He prefers to spend his days in the company of his friends Stil, the human mage, and Cinder. But when Rome's father announces a magickal contest to all pure-blooded females in the kingdom Rome is less than enthused. Especially since he is the prize and he's already in love with someone else. Cinder.

Cinder's birth and the mother that ultimately left her behind have always been shrouded in mystery and she has no way to prove her bloodlines and enter the contest. Until a Fairy Grandmother and Dax show up to help. 

Help may have come too late though. With the evil plaguing Fairelle now having its sights on Ville DeFee, will Cinder be able to save Rome and the kingdom she loves? Or will the evil do away with her for good? He raised his hand to stroke her cheek and she shied away.

"What are you doing?" Her voice came out as a shallow whisper.

He ran his knuckled down her face to her neck. Then he leaned in and sniffed her hair. Her breasts heaved against her restrictive bodice as she sucked in a ragged breath making him stiffen in his breeches.

"Cinder," he whispered in her ear. "I know it's you."

"You… you mistake me for someone else, sir. Maybe you've had too much to drink again."

"Cinder." His voice came out more commanding. He kissed the pointed apex of her ear and then moved to lock eyes with her. "Take off the magick so I can see you."

Her eyes glowed with fear. "I… I'm not her."

Rome slipped his hands around her waist and pulled her close. She stiffened but didn't protest. He leaned in and brushed his lips over her cheek. "Cinder, show me."

"I…" Her breath caught as he licked down the side of her neck to her exposed collarbone.

His body responded to the salty taste of her skin on his tongue. He kissed over the hollow of her throat. "Show me."

She tangled her fingers in his hair, making his arousal spike. She pulled his head up and went to kiss him, but he pulled away.

Her hooded bright azure eyes were pools of desire.

"Let me see your face," he said again.

She looked conflicted for a moment and then the air around her shimmered and the image of Lady Rowena fell away.

"Rome." His name died on her lips as he crushed his mouth down on hers. Her tongue plunged deep into his mouth and he grabbed onto her. She was his. His Cinder. The one he's always wanted. MoBInterested in helping with the release tour for the Cinderella Treasure Trove tour (January 1-7, 2015)Sign up here.

***
Those who aspire to greatness
must first learn servanthood. All this month, you are invited to...
— Follow Kim on Twitter
— Follow Kim on Pinterest
— Subscribe to Kim's YouTube channel
— Leave a comment on any page of The Maze, especially if you have done the Twitter, Pinterest, and/or YouTube follow
...and each action this month is good for one chance to win an e-book copy of Raging Sea: Reckonings . Please enter often, and good luck!

Cinderella Countdown: Spellbound Cinderella by @AngelaFord67

Today on The Maze I'm pleased to feature another Twitter friend, Angela Ford, with her Cinderella story, Spellbound Cinderella! 
Spellbound Cinderella By Angela Ford  Genre: contemporary romanceIf you had your dream body for only 24 hours…What would you do?

A sweet short modern twist to the ol’ tale of Cinderella… 

Sometimes all we need is a little boost of self-confidence… 

Tess Andrews lacked self-confidence from the models that surrounded her at work. It only discouraged her from sparking up a conversation with internationally famous photographer Parker Walsh. 

Her saviour-Girls Night! When her friend Cami shows them a magical pendant and tells them of her Grandma’s story, they decide what-the-heck and make a wish. A wish to have their dream bodies but there’s a catch. The wish only lasts 24 hours. 

A boost of self-esteem gives Tess the courage to ask Parker out. She has the perfect dress, the perfect shoes and a date with her Prince Charming. But will he like the ‘real’ her once the clock strikes twelve? “Good afternoon, Miss. May I help you discover that something special?” A short polite man with high energy greeted Tess as she entered the boutique.

“I hope so.” She handed him the card Parker had signed. 

The man read it and smiled. “Miss Tess, Parker has sent you to the right place. I will honor his request and find you the perfect dress. You can call me Franc. Follow me. We haven’t much time.” 

His French accent simply made him adorable. Her stomach flipped with excitement. Tess moved fast to keep up with him. He spoke as fast as he walked.“A new line arrived yesterday so no one but you will appear at the benefit in this line. I have the perfect one for you. It will wrap around that superb body beautifully.” He stopped and turned. “Yet it will not overpower your beauty. Child, you’d look good in rags.” Franc smiled and pivoted. 

That’s tomorrow. But I’m sure my beauty will disappear and I’ll be left in my rags. Tess chuckled within and then raced to keep up with him. She followed him to the back of the store and through a door. Franc reached for the garment bag that hung on a clothes rack and then started back into the main store area. 

“Follow me. I’ll show you to the change room.” 

When he snapped his fingers for her to hurry, she moved faster after Franc than anytime she’d attempted to work out at the gym, which wasn’t often. Her New Year’s resolution never lasted the month of January. 

Franc hung the garment bag on the outside of the change room door and unzipped it slowly. He turned when the zipper made its half-way point. “Are you excited?” He asked with a grin like that of a child on his birthday. 

Tess nodded. She loved his high energy. He definitely knew how to excite a woman about a new dress. 

He then turned to finish the task-at-hand. 

Tess stood in awe. Franc had revealed a silver-blue dress. Tess brought her hand to her mouth. She sighed with pleasure.

“Miss Tess likes.” He clapped his hands. His English wasn’t the greatest but his excitement and French accent made him irresistible. 

Tess reached out to touch the dress then looked at Franc for assurance she could touch it. 

He motioned for her to do so. “Isn’t it the most gorgeous material? This dress is perfect. It is classy, shimmering and sexy.” Franc reached for the dress. He stood behind Tess and held the dress in front of her. She could see the dress against her in the mirror as Franc described the dress further.

“The silver and white sequin dons the bodice of this gown. The sheer, full-length skirt sweeps the floor. The silky satin will feel smooth against your skin. Try it on.” He gave her a gentle push into the change room and then handed her the dress.

Tess opened the door only to hear Franc gasp. He stood with both hands over his mouth.

“Oh yes, Miss Tess, this definitely cries out red carpet―or should I say runway―for you?”

Tess laughed. He thinks I’m one of the models. Now there’s a compliment or one damn good sales person.

“I’m not a model. I run an employment agency. Parker is one of my clients. I refer models to him.” Tess laughed and Franc joined in. 

“I assumed. How silly of me? Parker sends models to me for special occasions. He’s never sent a special someone. Is this your first date? Or is it just business?” Franc asked with a wink.

“Our second date, actually, if you count lunch today.” Tess shrugged.

“Well he is one lucky man.” Franc turned Tess so she could she herself in the mirror.

Tess smiled. She never dreamed she’d be wearing a dress this beautiful. Franc was right. She felt like she’d been wrapped in silk as the lightweight material touched her skin. The bodice gave just enough of a peek of her cleavage. I take back what I said to Cami about Cinderella. I don’t know if I’ll get the happily-ever-after but I am certain I’m going to have one magical night. MoBInterested in helping with the release tour for the Cinderella Treasure Trove tour (January 1-7, 2015)Sign up here.
***
Those who aspire to greatness
must first learn servanthood. All this month, you are invited to...
— Follow Kim on Twitter
— Follow Kim on Pinterest
— Subscribe to Kim's YouTube channel
— Leave a comment on any page of The Maze, especially if you have done the Twitter, Pinterest, and/or YouTube follow
...and each action this month is good for one chance to win an e-book copy of Raging Sea: Reckonings . Please enter often, and good luck!

Kendra cannot celebrate Christmas in SNOW IN JULY by @KimHeadlee paranormal #medieval romance

Kendra must wed one of these
ruthless Norman warriors.  William the Conqueror was crowned King of England on Christmas day, 1066. One of his first acts as king was to decree that several of his bachelor knights wed local Saxon noblewomen.

In today's excerpt from Snow in July , which is running on other blogs this month as part of the Medieval Monday exchange, not everyone feels compelled to celebrate William's good fortune.

SYNOPSIS:
Sir Robert Alain de Bellencombre has been granted what every man wants: a rich English estate in exchange for his valiant service at the Battle of Hastings. To claim this reward, the Norman knight must wed the estate's Saxon heiress. Most men would leap at such an opportunity, but for Alain, who broke his vow to his dying mother by failing to protect his youngest brother in battle, it means facing more easily broken vows. But when rumors of rampant thievery, dangerous beasts, and sorcery plaguing a neighboring estate reach his ears, nothing will make him shirk duty to king and country when people's lives stand at risk. He assumes the guise of a squire to scout the land, its problems, and its lady.

Lady Kendra of Edgarburh has been granted what no woman wants: a forced marriage to an enemy who may be kith or kin to the man who murdered her beloved brother. Compounding her anguish is her failure to awaken the miraculous healing gift bequeathed by their late mother in time to save his life. Although with his dying breath, he made her promise to seek happiness above all, Kendra vows that she shall find neither comfort nor love in the arms of a Norman…unless it snows in July.

Alain is smitten by Lady Kendra from the first moment of their meeting; Kendra feels the forbidden allure of the handsome and courtly Norman "squire." But a growing evil overshadows everyone, invoking dark forces and ensnaring Kendra in a plot to overthrow the king Alain is oath-bound to serve. Kendra and Alain face a battle unlike any other as their honor, their love, their lives, and even their very souls lie in the balance.

BOOK TRAILER: http://youtu.be/vFsaD1jCLLU

BUY & TBR LINKSWorldwide Amazon Kindle link – Worldwide Amazon Paperback link – BARNES & NOBLE NOOK – B&N PAPERBACK – KOBO – SMASHWORDS – ITUNES – GOODREADS –
EXCERPT

The pewter goblet hit the trencher with an ungodly clatter. Bloodred wine seeped across the white table linens, reminding Kendra of what Del’s blood must have done the night he was ambushed.

As a servant rushed to right her goblet and blot the stain, she leaned against her carved, tall-backed chair on the dais of Edgarburh’s feast hall, certain she had imagined the voice that had startled her.

She wished Del’s condition could be righted as easily.

Her seat gave her the best view of the Cristes-mæsse festivities, which at present consisted of a muzzled, scruffy bear being goaded through its awkward paces by an equally scruffy man to the raucous amusement of the crowd.

Kendra couldn’t share in the laughter.

With the tip of her dagger, she chased slices of stewed apples around her trencher, racking her brains for something—anything—she hadn’t yet tried to help her brother, either to heal his wound or cure the fever and cough invading his lungs.

Invasion. She gave a soft snort. Not three months earlier, Del had risked his life in the service of King Harold against the invading William of Normandy. Del had been one of the lucky few to survive the battle, only to be cut down on their father’s lands by one of William the Bastard’s knights. The enormity of the outrage still blazed within her heart.

Even greater kindled her wrath over the decree accompanying the coronation announcement: she must wed one of these ruthless Norman warriors.

This very day, her father was paying court upon the new king, offering his—though not his daughter’s—acquiescence to the betrothal in hopes of currying favor enough to present his complaint about Del’s attacker. He possessed the knight’s shield, though the coward had eluded capture. Waldron kept the shield locked in his quarters, for he couldn’t risk losing his one tangible link to the Norman swine.

Kendra’s heart had screamed the truth, although her father had refused to hear it: Sir Delwin Waldronson had fought for King Harold, his attacker was one of William the Bastard’s retainers, and justice would be denied.

***

Note: Cristes-mæsse is the ancient Saxon word for Christmas.

***
Those who aspire to greatness
must first learn servanthood. All this month, you are invited to...
— Follow Kim on Twitter
— Follow Kim on Pinterest
— Subscribe to Kim's YouTube channel
— Leave a comment on any page of The Maze, especially if you have done the Twitter, Pinterest, and/or YouTube follow
...and each action this month is good for one chance to win an e-book copy of Raging Sea: Reckonings . Please enter often, and good luck!