Monday, February 25, 2019

Medieval Monday with Lane McFarland - Excerpt #4


To Support A King ~ The Turnberry Legacy Series ~ Book II

Plagued by atrocities he committed against innocent victims while pursuing his father’s killers, Laird Mangus MacAndrew pledged to defend and provide for his clan. But his leadership is tested when two of his ships are attacked and his crews massacred. Desperate to fulfill his obligation to protect the clan, Mangus agrees to help reinstate The Turnberry Bond. His mission—garner support for the Bruce and avenge the deaths of his men.

The MacAndrew clan provides Catriona Butler something her Irish home could not, a safe haven. But when she receives a missive her brother is imprisoned and will be executed unless acceptable éraic can be obtained, she must return to her homeland. Mangus agrees to take Catriona to Ireland and vows she will not become a distraction, but he longs to be near her. Catriona witnesses Mangus’s fierce anger and grows distrustful. After a life of suffering her father’s vicious temper, she is skeptical of anyone with a penchant for violence. She attempts to keep her distance, but her traitorous heart pulls her in Mangus’s direction.

With the fate of the kingdom on his shoulders, will Mangus reunite the men of The Turnberry Bond? Can he pursue vengeance against his enemies without taking more innocent lives? And can Catriona free her brother and grow to trust Mangus, staying true to her heart?
 

Buy Link: Amazon

Excerpt #4

A dark cloak covered his broad shoulders and fell to the top of his brown boots. Gray breeches hugged his lean hips and molded to his muscular thighs. Leather straps crossed his chest and a sheathed dagger dangled from a belt around his waist. As he drew near, his blue eyes narrowed into a scowl.

Follow along next week on Rue Allyn’s blog at https://RueAllyn.com/blog, and  leave a comment for a chance to win an ebook of To Support A King.


Thursday, February 21, 2019

Child of Mine by Jana Richards - NEW RELEASE


Is Lauren’s love for Cole stronger than her fear of scandal in her hometown?



Lauren didn't intend to sleep with her brother-in-law Cole on the day of her husband's funeral. But now that she is pregnant, she's not sorry. Cole's given her a baby, a long-wished-for miracle. He's been her friend forever, though she never told him or anyone else how unhappy her marriage to his cheating brother was. And she's afraid to tell the small town that considered her husband a hero that the baby isn't his.

Cole's been in love with Lauren since he was sixteen. It kills him that everyone believes the baby is his dead brother's. All he wants is to claim the baby, and Lauren, as his own. Though she marries him, will Lauren's heart ever be his?
Lauren must tell the truth or risk losing Cole. Is her newly-discovered love for him greater than her fear of scandal in her hometown?


Buy Links:

Excerpt:
 “You mean everything to me. I love you.”
 She shook her head. “You don’t love me, not really. I’m nothing more than a responsibility to you.”
 “Don’t tell me how I feel.” Desperation turned to anger in a flash. Cole jumped to his feet and began to pace. “I’ve been in love with you since I was sixteen years old, but you never saw me, not really. You only had eyes for Billy. It nearly killed me when you married him, but I stuffed down my anger and hurt and congratulated both of you, because really, what else could I do?”
 “No, that can’t be true.”
 “It’s true, all right. I wish to God it wasn’t. I tried to push away my feelings for you, tried to love other women, but none of them were you. None of them compared to you. I thought I’d get over you, but I never did.”
 Her eyes were wide with shock. “Cole—”
 “Billy guessed the truth. I found out he’d been cheating on you, and I confronted him. We had a huge fight, beat each other till we were both bloody. He told me I was jealous because you’d rejected me. He said you’d never want me, that you’d always be tied to him, no matter what happened. And he was right.” He gave a bark of mirthless laughter. “He’s dead and he still comes between us.”
About the Author:
When Jana Richards read her first romance novel, she immediately knew two things: she had to commit the stories running through her head to paper, and they had to end with a happily ever after. She also knew she’d found what she was meant to do. Since then she’s never met a romance genre she didn’t like. She writes contemporary romance, romantic suspense, and historical romance set in World War Two, in lengths ranging from short story to full length novel. Just for fun, she throws in generous helpings of humor, and the occasional dash of the paranormal. Her paranormal romantic suspense “Seeing Things” was a 2008 EPPIE finalist.

In her life away from writing, Jana is an accountant/admin assistant, a mother to two grown daughters, and a wife to her husband Warren. She enjoys golf, yoga, movies, concerts, travel and reading, not necessarily in that order. She and her husband live in Winnipeg, Canada with an elderly Pug/Terrier named cross Lou. She loves to hear from readers and can be reached through her website at www.janarichards.com

Social Media Links:
Amazon UK Author Page:  http://www.amazon.co.uk/-/e/B002DEVWWG
Newsletter Signup: http://janarichards.com/contact.html#newsletter

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tuesday, February 19, 2019

The Emotional Thesaurus 2nd Edition IS HERE!


As writers, we all have our favorite writing methods.  For instance, some swear by Scrivener, while others write in Word or Google docs. Some prefer to draft longhand, using colorful gel pens and notebooks.

Most of us have a favorite writing book (or ten), too. These books have helped us understand storytelling better, demystifying certain aspects of writing. Well, today I'm taking part in welcoming a new writing guide into the world: The Emotion Thesaurus (Second Edition).

You may have heard of The Emotion Thesaurus before, or even have a copy. The original's lists of body language, thoughts, and visceral sensations for 75 unique emotions made brainstorming character expressions and reactions so much easier. It quickly became a bestseller.

Now, there's a bigger, better second edition. Angela and Becca have added 55 NEW emotions such as Euphoria, Vindicated, and Schadenfreude. (And that's not all that's new, either...the book is almost twice the size as the original.)

Anyway, if you're interested in checking it out, you can read some of the reviews on Goodreads or find information here.

One more thing to tell you about...are you ready for this? 

GIVEAWAY ALERT!

Wish you could attend a free writing retreat, go to a conference, snag a seat at a workshop, or have your professional membership to a writing organization paid for? Of course you do! 

Well, at Writers Helping Writers, one lucky winner will get one of the above, up to a $500 US value.

This is the giveaway of a lifetime, so hurry over to enter!

Monday, February 18, 2019

Medieval Monday with Rue Allyn - Excerpt #3


The Herald’s Heart

Royal herald, Sir Talon Quereste could never love an overly adventurous, impulsive, argumentative woman of dubious background who threatens everything he values. Lady Larkin Roshan can only despise a man who would deny her identity and steal her heritage. So why has fate thrown them together to solve the mysteries of the heart?
Buy Links:


Excerpt #3
When the king of England summoned a man to renew vows of fealty and that man failed to comply, the king might justifiably be angry. So Longshanks had sent one of his heralds—fondly known by courtiers as the king’s hounds. The fact that the chosen hound was the last person the Earl of Hawksedge would want to see was sugar on the plum for both king and herald. Talon would ferret the man out no matter where he hid.

Catch last week’s excerpt on Ashley York’s Blog https://www.ashleyyorkauthor.com
Follow me to next week’s excerpt on Mary Morgan’s Blog https://www.marymorganauthor.com


Monday, February 11, 2019

Medieval Monday with Sherry Ewing - Excerpt #2


If My Heart Could See You

By Sherry Ewing

When you’re enemies, does love have a fighting chance?

For Amiria of Berwyck, defeat does not come easily as she watches her home and clan being ripped asunder. When the very enemy who has laid siege to her home demands her fealty, she will do whatever it takes to protect her people including a hastily concocted ruse that quickly begins to unravel. All too soon, she starts to question whether she can forgive herself for betraying those she has sworn to protect.
Dristan of Blackmore, champion knight of King Henry II, has a reputation to uphold as the Devil’s Dragon. After his invading army conquers Berwyck castle, he sets out to manage the newly claimed estate by training its knights in the art of proper defense. At first, everything appears as it should be, or is it? Betrayed by those he believed he could trust, he must first set aside his anger before he can make room in his heart for love.
Together they are tied by an unspoken bond. As they begin to rebuild the land and unite their people, forces beyond their control attempt to tear apart their fragile truce and only time will tell if love will forever bring them together.

Buy Links:

Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/2pNkekK

Excerpt #2

His hands would no doubt be able to span her small waistline; her breasts were not overly large but he knew they, too, would fit well within the palm of his hands and then some. Her hair was the color of flames or the sky just as the sun was about to set as a few loose tendrils blew in the ocean’s breeze.

She shifted her feet in the sand in indecision, and he noticed no shoes covered her feet, which even appeared perfect to his eyes. Surely there must be some flaw with the girl, Dristan thought to himself but he could find none. First the lady in the mist had consumed his thoughts, and now this woodland nymph had come to confuse him even more. Mayhap he could hope the damsel was not wed or spoken for.

Be sure to leave a comment on Ruth’s blog to be in the running for Sherry’s giveaway – an eCopy of If My Heart Could See You. A winner will be randomly selected and announced on Medieval Monday, May 6th.

Catch last week’s excerpt here: https://www.SherryEwing.com/blog
Follow me to next week’s blog (February 18th) here: https://lanemcfarland.com/blog/





Tuesday, February 5, 2019

Judith Sterling's - The Novels of Ravenwood - Now on Sale



Judith Sterling is running a sale on the first three books of her medieval romance series, The Novels of Ravenwood.  All are available for only 99 cents, now through February 7, 2019.  Here’s a little about each story:

Flight of the Raven

How eager would the bridegroom be if he knew he could never bed the bride?

Lady Emma of Ravenwood Keep is prepared to give Sir William l’Orage land, wealth, and her hand in marriage. But her virginity? Not unless he loves her. The curse that claimed her mother is clear: unless a Ravenwood heir is conceived in love, the mother will die in childbirth. Emma is determined to dodge the curse. Then William arrives, brandishing raw sensuality which dares her to explore her own.

William the Storm isn’t a man to be gainsaid. He’ll give her protection, loyalty, and as much tenderness as he can muster. But malignant memories quell the mere thought of love. To him, the curse is codswallop. He plans a seduction to breach Emma’s fears and raze her objections. What follows is a test of wills and an affirmation of the power of love.

Buy Links:

Soul of the Wolf

A Norman loyalist, Lady Jocelyn bristles when ordered to marry Wulfstan, a Saxon sorcerer. She nurses a painful secret and would rather bathe in a cesspit than be pawed by such a man...until her lifelong dream of motherhood rears its head.

A man of magic and mystery, Wulfstan has no time for wedded bliss. He fears that consummating their marriage will bind their souls and wrench his focus from the ancient riddle his dying mother begged him to solve. He's a lone wolf, salving old wounds with endless work. But Jocelyn stirs him as no woman ever has.

Their attraction is undeniable. Their fates are intertwined. Together, they must face their demons and bring light to a troubled land.

Buy Links:

Shadow of the Swan

Lady Constance de Bret was determined to be a nun, until shadows from the past eclipsed her present. Marriage is the safest option, but she insists on a spiritual union, in which physical intimacy is forbidden. Not so easy with a bridegroom who wields unparalleled charm! But a long-buried secret could taint his affection and cloak her in shadow forever.

Back from the Crusades, Sir Robert le Donjon craves a home of his own and children to inherit it. From the moment he meets Constance, he feels a mysterious bond between them. When she’s threatened, he vows to protect her and agrees to the spiritual marriage, with the hope of one day persuading her to enjoy a “real” one. She captivates him but opens old wounds and challenges everything he thought he believed.

Two souls in need of healing. Two hearts destined to beat as one.

Buy Links:

About Judith:
Judith Sterling is an award-winning author whose love of history and passion for the paranormal infuse everything she writes. Whether penning medieval romance (The Novels of Ravenwood) or young adult paranormal fantasy (the Guardians of Erin series), her favorite themes include true love, destiny, time travel, healing, redemption, and finding the hidden magic which exists all around us. She loves to share that magic with readers and whisk them far away from their troubles, particularly to locations in the British Isles.

Her nonfiction books, written under Judith Marshall, have been translated into multiple languages. She has an MA in linguistics and a BA in history, with a minor in British Studies. Born in that sauna called Florida, she craved cooler climes, and once the travel bug bit, she lived in England, Scotland, Sweden, Wisconsin, Virginia, and on the island of Nantucket. She currently lives in Salem, Massachusetts with her husband and their identical twin sons.



Monday, February 4, 2019

Medieval Monday with Ruth A. Casie - First Encounter - Excerpt #1


It's Medieval Monday. I love history and I love the medieval time period. A lot happened over one thousand years. Do you love knights in shining armor? Do you love the bands of warriors traveling across the open fields, fighting battles with pikes and blades? And does courtly finery excite you? You’ll find all this in the books from other authors I'll be sharing with you over the next thirteen weeks. Just like you, these authors LOVE this time period.
Every week I'll feature a different author with a snippet from one of her books. And if you want more of that author, just follow her excerpt to the next blog. For the next thirteen weeks you’ll enjoy snippets- that all go together-from the one scene, the first time our hero and heroine meet.  And, yes, buy links will be provided.
 So get ready! Here is the back cover copy and your first installment.
The Pirate’s Jewel – part of Pirates of Britannia
He had walked away from women before, but never with remorse, never with his heart broken.
Wesley Reynolds will do anything to avenge his family’s banishment from Dundhragon Castle even throw in with the notorious pirate, MacAlpin. His plan, ruin Lord Ewan’s trading network. He has a more devious plan for his father’s ‘best friend,’ the man who abandoned them at the eleventh hour. He’ll ruin the man’s most precious jewel, his daughter Darla. Wesley’s so close to ruining the trade network and succeeding he can almost taste it, but revenge is not nearly as sweet as Darla’s kisses.
Darla Maxwell, beloved by her parents has no prospects of marriage. Her father and Lord Ewan search to find her the right husband. Darla’s special gifts are frightening to many. She has visions that often come true. The murky image of a man haunts her, she’s sure it’s Lord Ewan’s soon-to-be son-in-law, but the vision morphs when she meets Wesley. The meaning couldn’t be any clearer to her, her destiny lies with Wesley.
When revelations surface indicating Wesley has been deceived and his revenge misplaced. Will he find the truth of what really happened to his family in time to stop the pirates? Will Darla ever forgive him? Will he ever forgive himself?
Excerpt #1
Wesley stayed tucked in the shadows within earshot and watched Maxwell delight in Lord Ewan’s pleased reaction.
“It looks heavy. It will be slow in the water,” Lord Ewan said.
“Yes, it is heavier than the birlinn, but the benefits more than compensate for the weight,” Maxwell said as they boarded the ship and stood on the deck at the top of the gangplank.

The excerpt continues! Next week I’ll be here: Sherry Ewing
Leave a comment each week and will be entered into a drawing for a free digital copy of THE MAXWELL GHOST.