L.B. Joramo's Blog

Hey, everyone! Today I have one of the eight authors of the anthology, Once Upon a True Love’s Kiss. Click here for some music to get you in the mood, and here’s the cover…

And now the blurbs, after the authors who wrote the stories for the anthology…

ONCE UPON A TRUE LOVE’S KISS

USA Today Best-selling author, Julie Johnstone, joins best-selling, award-winning authors, Katherine Bone, Collette Cameron, Jillian Chantal, Samantha Grace, Alanna Lucas, Lauren Smith, and Victoria Vane in this delightful limited edition, containing eight tantalizing kiss-and-tell stories. Meet dashing, wildly charming rogues, spies, pirates, rakes and their extraordinary, intrepid heroines as they whisk you along on sweet to sizzling romantic romps in these wickedly entertaining historical romances.

AFTER FOREVER by JULIE JOHNSTONE-

Lady Julia is hired to turn a rogue into a gentleman and receives lessons in love and desire.

Widowed Lady Julianna Barrows never wants to fall in love again. But when the notorious former boxer Nash Overton hires her to transform him into a gentleman, Julianna quickly becomes the student, learning more about passion than she’s ever known, and more importantly, learning how to love again.

THE PIRATE’S DUCHESS by KATHERINE BONE –  

A duke masquerading as a pirate to “rob from the rich and give to the poor” sheds his darkest-kept secrets to keep from losing the duchess his wife has become.

Duty forces him to take on the pirate code, but honor brings him back.  

Prudence, Duchess of Blackmoor, has one desire—to be happy again. After struggling to overcome the horrifying death of her husband, she accepts an earl’s offer of marriage, confident she’s taking a step in the right direction. But demons, refuse to die, and Prudence finds herself caught in an intricate web of deceit that threatens the very foundations of all she holds dear.

Tobias, the Duke of Blackmoor, crosses the line when an assassination attempt on him fails. To restore the reputations of friends under attack by the same villain, and ensure his wife’s safety, he stages his own death, becoming The Black Regent, a notorious pirate bent on brandishing justice, never thinking he’d survive. But to his amazement, he has, and now the darkest-kept secrets are not worth losing the duchess his wife has become.

HER SCANDALOUS WISH by COLLETTE CAMERON

A marriage offer obligated by duty . . . an acceptance compelled by desperation .

Philomena Pomfrett is resigned to spinsterhood, but to ease her dying brother’s fretting, she reluctantly agrees to attend a London Season with one purpose—to acquire a husband. Stumbling upon her hiding in a secluded garden arbor during a ball, Bradford, Viscount Kingsley doesn’t recognize his first love, yet something about the mysterious woman enthralls him, and he steals a passionate, moonlit kiss.

Caught in the act by Philomena’s brother, Bradford is issued an ultimatum—a duel or marry Philomena. He offers marriage, but even impoverished and with no other decent prospects, she rejects his half-hearted proposal until her brother collapses. Now, Philomena’s faced with marrying a man who deserted her once already. 

MILADY AND HER SPY by JILLIAN CHANTAL

A lady, a spy, a traitor… a battle of wills.  

Raised in the country after her mother’s death with only the company of three unruly brothers, Lady Augusta Covington is more proficient at fencing, riding and playing cards than being prim and proper. Myles Cuthbert, a spy in His Majesty’s service on a mission to find and expose a traitor, crosses paths with Lady Augusta when she rides to the aid of her brother, believing him to be injured. With the assignment at risk, Cuthbert agrees to accept the assistance of the troublesome lady eager for intrigue. As they move forward, his sense of obligation to her and the danger involved stir his soul.

KISSED BY A SCOTTISH ROGUE by SAMANTHA GRACE

Scottish land steward Fergus McTaggert calls a temporary truce with his employer’s companion only to discover their passionate battles have been masking their hidden desires.

His Mother Insists He Needs a Wife.  

Fergus McTaggart, Aldmist Fell’s land steward, has no time for wife hunting. Any day his employer’s sisters will be arriving at the Scottish castle for a long overdue reunion. Fergus is determined to make their stay memorable, but all anyone is likely to recall are the loud rows between him and his employer’s cheeky paid companion.

She Insists He Needs a Good Knock to the Head.

Edith Gallagher has been charged with watching over her employer’s youngest sister while the family winters in Scotland, but the stubborn land steward interferes at every turn. Eventually, she and the Scot call a truce for the sisters’ sakes only to discover their passionate battles are masking hidden desires.

STOLEN KISSES FROM THE VISCOUNT by ALANNA LUCAS

A rake, an heiress, and stolen kisses…this seduction could be his last.

Desperate times call for drastic measures as Miss Aveline Redgrave enters her third season. Fearful of fortune hunters, she attempts to stay clear of Lord Leybourne, a rogue who is not to be trusted. But his seductive smile and enticing kisses awaken a passion that threatens her common sense. No stranger to scandal, Leybourne is determined to save his family from ruin whatever the cost, even marrying an heiress he doesn’t love. But an unexpected desire and need to protect threatens his plans. Will past heartaches and a devastating wager destroy their future or will true love’s kiss triumph?

TEMPTED BY A ROGUE  by LAUREN SMITH

Gemma never planned on falling in love with her childhood sweetheart’s best friend, Jasper, when he returns home, but she can’t resist the naval officer’s brooding charm.  

Gemma plans to marry James, her childhood sweetheart. With every letter written between them while he’s been off at sea, their love has grown. Now they will be reunited with his return to England. But the man whose words she’d fallen in love with isn’t James…

Jasper, a gentleman rogue of the first order, is trapped. Talked into a scheme by his friend, he pretended to be James for eleven years while writing to Gemma. He’s promised James he’d break it off. But when he returns home, his secret will come out – and he’ll lose the one woman he can’t live without.

THE REDEMPTION OF JULIAN PRICE by VICTORIA VANE

She gave him a chance to bury his past… but the price would be his heart…

Burdened by the past…Orphaned at a young age and left to run wild, at eighteen Julian Price joins the fight against Napoleon in the hope of attaining honor. Devastated when his best friend, Thomas, is killed in battle, Julian returns home burdened with guilt, only to find his wastrel uncle has squandered his inheritance.

Desperate to live her own life… Facing a future of drudgery caring for her aging mother and raising her brother’s children, Henrietta Houghton believes her chance at a real life died with Thomas, the only man who ever wanted her. But Henrietta is still full of dreams. When her wealthy aunt, offers her a gift of ten thousand pounds, Henrietta finally has the chance to choose her own destiny.

Everything has a price…With a fortune at her command, Henrietta offers Julian a marriage of convenience, unaware that she really offers Julian a means of salvation—not just his fortune, but his very soul.

ABOUT THE AUTHORS:

JULIE JOHNSTON – is an USA TODAY best-selling author of edgy Regency Romance. She feels she’s living the dream by working with her passion of creating worlds from her imagination. When not writing, she’s chasing her precocious children around, cooking, reading or exercising. Julie loves to hear from her readers. To connect with Julie or learn more about her books, visit: www.juliejohnstoneauthor.com, www.facebook.com/authorjuliejohnstone, or www.twitter.com/juliejohnstone

KATHERINE BONE – is an Amazon #1 best-selling Historical Romance Author passionate about history since she had the opportunity to travel to various Army bases, castles, battlegrounds, and cathedrals as an Army brat-turned-Officer’s-Wife. Now she lives in the south where she writes about Rogues, Rebels and Rakes, aka Pirates, Lords, Captains, Duty, Honor, and Country and the happily-ever-afters every alpha male and damsel deserve. To connect with Katherine or learn more about her books, visit www.katherinebone.com, www.twitter.com/katherinelbone, or

www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Katherine-Bones-Official-Fan-Page/134578253291785 ,

JILLIAN CHANTAL – is a 2015 RONE Finalist and lives on the beautiful coast of Florida, and even though she loves her little slice of paradise, she’s an Anglophile at heart. Writing in a variety of romance genres makes her happy, but she has a particular fondness for the Georgian/Regency era as it was the age she adored as a teen and as her introduction to the world of happily-ever-afters. Living on the gulf coast also reminds Jillian, daily, that even though she loves the past, she needs the present. Air conditioning is vital for her survival. To connect with Jillian or learn more about her books, visit: www.facebook.com/jillian.chantal, www.twitter.com/JillianChantal, www.JillianChantal.com,

COLLETTE CAMERON – is an Amazon #1 best-selling and award-winning Historical Romance Author of more than ten Scottish and Regency Romances featuring rogues, rapscallions, rakes, and the intrepid damsels who reform them. Mother to three and self-proclaimed Cadbury chocoholic, she makes her home in Oregon with her husband and five mini-dachshunds. You’ll always find animals, quirky—sometimes naughty—humor, and a dash of inspiration in her novels. To connect with Collette or learn more about her books, visit: www.collettecameron.com www.facebook.com/collettecameronauthor,  www.twitter.com/Collette_Author

SAMANTHA GRACE – is an Amazon best-Selling, RITA-nominated Historical Romance Author who discovered the appeal of a great love story at the age of four, thanks to Disney’s “Robin Hood”. She didn’t care that Robin Hood and Maid Marian were cartoon animals. It was her first happily-ever-after experience, and she wanted the warm fuzzies to go on forever. Now that Samantha is grown, she enjoys creating happy-endings for characters that spring from her imagination. Publisher’s Weekly describes her stories as “fresh and romantic” with subtle humor and charm. Samantha describes romance writing as the best job ever. To connect with Samantha or learn more about her books, visit: www.samanthagraceauthor.com, www.facebook.com/pages/SamanthaGrace/264436686918343?ref=bookmarks,  www.twitter.com/SamGraceAuthor

ALANNA LUCAS – is an Amazon best-selling author and grew up in Southern California, but always dreamed of distant lands and bygone eras. From an early age she took interest in art, history, and travel, and enjoys incorporating those diversions into her writing. However, she believes that true love is the greatest source of inspiration and is always an adventure. Alanna makes her home in California where she spends her time writing historical romances, dreaming of her next travel destination, spending time with family, and staying up too late indulging in her favorite past time, reading. To connect with Alanna or learn more about her books, visit: www.alannalucas.com, www.facebook.com/alannalucas27,  www.witter.com/alannalucas27

LAUREN SMITH- an attorney by day, is an Amazon best-selling, award winning author by night, who pens adventurous and edgy romance stories by the light of her smart phone flashlight app. She’s a native Oklahoman who lives with her three pets: a feisty chinchilla, sophisticated cat, and dapper little schnauzer. She’s won multiple awards in several romance subgenres including being a New England Reader’s Choice Winner, Greater Detroit Bookseller’s Best Award Finalist and a Semi-Finalist for the Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley Award. To connect with Lauren or learn more about her books, visit: www.laurensmithbooks.com, www.facebook.com/LaurenDianaSmith/, www.twitter.com/LSmithAuthor 

VICTORIA VANE – is an Amazon #1 bestselling author of smart and sexy romance. Her works range from comedic romps to emotionally compelling erotic romance and have received over twenty awards and nominations to include: a 2015 Red Carpet Finalist for Best Contemporary romance (SLOW HAND), 2014 RONE Winner for Best Historical Post Medieval Romance (Treacherous Temptations), and Library Journal Best E-Book romance of 2012 (The Devil DeVere series). Victoria also writes romantic historical fiction as Emery Lee. She currently resides in Palm Coast, Florida with her husband, two sons, a little black dog, and an Arabian horse. To connect with Vicki or learn more about her books, visit:

www.victoriavane.com,  http://on.fb.me/YVeXrf, www.twitter.com/authorvictoriav

For the purpose of this anthology, the following ratings apply:

One Kiss-Stories will either not have consummated love scenes, or subtly sexy undetailed scenes behind a closed bedroom door. You’re not invited inside. Sorry.

Two Kisses-Stories are more sensual than sweet with some love scenes that are more sensual than graphic. You might blush, but you won’t need a fan.

Three Kisses-Stories are sexier and bolder with more explicit love scenes and the language used to describe them may be more graphic. A fan and a cool beverage might be in order, but you won’t experience everything.  *Wink*

Four Kisses–Stories have frequent, graphic love scenes with explicit language. Be prepared to blush and stand in front of the air conditioner, a tall, iced drink in hand. Clothing is optional.

Five Kisses–Stories have frequent graphic, descriptive love scenes and/or contain subject matter some readers may find objectionable. Blushing guaranteed, and you might learn a thing or two or three. But never fear, we won’t tattle if you don’t.

And now the links to find the book…

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/OnceUponATrueLovesKiss?fref=ts&ref=br_tf

 

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/TruLuvsKiss

 

Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/Once-Upon-True-Loves-Kiss-ebook/dp/B0167BI4XU/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1444079465&sr=1-1

 

Kobo:

https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/once-upon-a-true-love-s-kiss

 

 

iTunes:

https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id1045349782

 

BN:

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/once-upon-a-true-loves-kiss-julie-johnstone/1122731975;jsessionid=DD7C23A3EDA93FCD36A75B844A92F14F.prodny_store01-va05?ean=2940152671933

 

Hello, everyone! I’m excited to have historical romance author Gina Danna here today to talk about her re-released, steamy-hot book, Love and Vengeance! Click here for some exciting music. And now, here’s the cover…

Now the blurb…

Love & Vengeance

Rome 108 A.D., under the Emperor Trajan, is the center of the civilized world. It is a time of sophistication and decadence, a brutal world to their conquered.
Marcus, a Roman citizen sentenced to die as a gladiator, accused by his wife and brother for a crime he did not commit. Yet death eludes him and he rises to become champion of the sands. The title he does not want. He seeks revenge but his victories in the Colosseum bestow monetary rewards he can use to save a beautiful slave, Gustina, from certain death by the beasts. She gives him a taste of love in a world full of lies, betrayal and murder.
But his overwhelming desire for vengeance, for blood and the kill, brings a higher price tag – can he satisfy the demon inside him and face the truth? A truth that will kill the woman he loves?

And finally the excerpt…

Marcus sat at the side of the bathing pool in the lower chambers of the Villa. The other gladiators also there, dipped into the pool of oil and took the strigil, a long, slightly curved, flat-edged tool, to scrape the grit and oil off their nude bodies. A task that masked their low existence, not to have water but just oil. It took Marcus weeks, once subjected to his role of slave and gladiator to become accustomed to this. Memories of going to Trajan’s Baths and many other delicacies just a fading dream of a life long since dead.

His hand slipped. The sharp edge sliced into his skin. He hissed.

Iduma chuckled. “Keep your thoughts here or you might find yourself at the medicus tonight instead of your bunk.”

He snorted with a nod. Thoughts of Gustina filtered into his mind. A snarl rose inside him. She’d better be waiting for him. He saw Aulus talking to Ludo earlier, saw their gaze fall in his direction. If they thought once about removing her, he’d kill them all.

“I can hear your growls,” his friend’s voice was low but tense. “Cease all thoughts of violence. If I can hear you, don’t think the others can’t.”

“I saw Dominus with Doctore,” he hissed.

“So? They speak. All the time. Nothing worth slaughtering over.”

“If they touch Gustina…”

“Jupiter’s cock,” Iduma laughed. “One night with her and she’s got your balls in her ass? You can’t think?”

Marcus glared at him. His friend didn’t know these people like he did. Pain and suffering was an easy gift to the slaves. Meted out daily, hourly.

“Dominus won’t deny you this,” Iduma continued. “You are his champion, his bread. You earn his fortune just by being alive and fighting. He’d not waste losing any of it over some mere slave.”
With one final sweep, the excess oil was off and Marcus threw the tool to the floor and stood. “For his sake, you’d best be right, Brit.”

Iduma snorted. “You know it better than I, Roman.”

Marcus grabbed his subligaculum, wrapping it around him as he grinned at his friend. The Brit, so wirily and savage when he’d arrived a year ago, had filled out under the training. His wildness tamed, his body toned to fight to the death if called for, sine missione. But in comparison to Marcus, he remained more wirily and light on his feet – a way to best a stronger, bulkier man. And an excellent training partner, unwilling to fold before the Champion. He grinned and left.
The guard stood next to Marcus’ cell door. The room, built out of a wall of rooms for those who won enough to get singular quarters, remained a cell regardless of title of its occupant. The night was warm but he felt a chill swept over him, as if a warning he’d be alone tonight. The guard’s face was blank so nothing like a surprise waited inside for the gladiator. Inhaling deeply, he steeled himself for the emptiness of the room – and the jug of wine he knew waited him.
He walked into the dark cell and heard the door close behind him, the latch clicking into place. Eyes closed, he allowed the spector of loneliness to pass over him but in that second, he smelled something. Not dirt. Not wool. No, sweet, like almonds. He opened his eyes.

“Hello,” Gustina said. She lay on his bed, lounging in a simple blue tunic.

Buylinks:
Amazon:  http://amzn.to/1Y4BzhU (paperback)
                 http://amzn.to/1PCtGgP (Kindle)
iBooks:    http://apple.co/1SKrVhA
Kobo:      http://bit.ly/20NEm1f

Gina’s website:  www.ginadanna.com

*Music by Adrian von Ziegler

Hey, everyone! Today I have historical romance writer Regan Walker on my blog! Squee! So exciting! Click here for some music to listen to while looking over her newest release. And now here’s the cover…

 

BLURB – Rogue Knight      

York, England 1069… three years after the Norman Conquest

The North of England seethes with discontent under the heavy hand of William the Conqueror, who unleashes his fury on the rebels who would dare to defy him. Amid the ensuing devastation, love blooms in the heart of a gallant Norman knight for a Yorkshire widow.

A LOVE NEITHER CAN DENY, A PASSION NEITHER CAN RESIST

Angry at the cruelty she has witnessed at the Normans’ hands, Emma of York is torn between her loyalty to her noble Danish father, a leader of the rebels, and her growing passion for an honorable French knight.

Loyal to King William, Sir Geoffroi de Tournai has no idea Emma hides a secret that could mean death for him and his fellow knights.

WAR DREW THEM TOGETHER, WAR WOULD TEAR THEM APART

War erupts, tearing asunder the tentative love growing between them, leaving each the enemy of the other. Will Sir Geoffroi, convinced Emma has betrayed him, defy his king to save her?

And now here’s an excerpt!

Dear God.

She crossed herself and covered her mouth, fighting the urge to spew at the sight of so much blood and so many bodies strewn about the clearing, blood congealed on their clothing, their vacant eyes staring into space. Some of the blood had pooled on the ground to catch the rays of the sun. The metallic scent of it, carried by the wind, rose in her nostrils.

At her side, the hound whimpered.

So many.

Until the Normans had come, Yorkshire had been a place of gentle hills, forests and thatched cottages circling a glistening jewel of a city set between two winding rivers. A place of children’s voices at play, some of those voices now silenced forever, for among the bodies lying on the cold ground were mere boys, their corpses cast aside like broken playthings.

At the sound of heavy footfalls on the snow-crusted ground, she jerked her head around, her heart pounding in her chest.

A figure emerged from the trees, so close she could have touched him.

She cringed. A Norman.

A tall giant of a knight, his blood-splattered mail a dull gray in the weak winter sun, ripped off his silvered helm and expelled an oath as he surveyed the dozens of dead. The sword in his hand still dripped the blood of those he had slain. He was no youth this one, at least thirty. His fair appearance made her think of Lucifer, the fallen angel of light. A seasoned warrior of death who has taken many lives.

Had he killed people she knew? Her heart raced as fear rose in her chest.

Would she be next?

Links

Rogue Knight on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Rogue-Knight-Medieval-Warriors-Book-ebook/dp/B014ZCMWZ4
On Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26237656-rogue-knight
Author website: http://www.reganwalkerauthor.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/regan.walker.104
Pinterest storyboard for Rogue Knight:https://www.pinterest.com/reganwalker123/rogue-knight-by-regan-walker/

 

*Music composed by Adrian von Ziegler

 

 

I’m so honored to have Lane McFarland here today! Click here for some music while you check out her newest release, Elsbeth. And if you want to purchase Elsbeth, just click the cover below to take you to retail store.

Isn’t that cover eye-catching? I love it!

Now, here’s Lane with a bit more about her and the book…

Thank you so much for having me today, Red!

I’m a historical romance book junkie. I love to throw my imagination into years gone by, research dark periods of strife and violence, justice and quests for freedom, and dream of what it might have been like to have lived and survived during these hostile periods.

My DAUGHTERS OF ALASTAIR MACDOUGALL series begins in May 1297, a time of unrest between Scotland and England. It has been such fun to research this period and imagine living amongst the clans.

ELSBETH is the fourth and youngest of the daughters, the last book in my series.

Here’s the blurb…

Elsbeth recoils at the violent Scottish rebellion and the bleak plight of orphans. After losing her betrothed in the conflict, she sets her course to become a nun, sheltering innocent victims from the cruelties of war. But when Brandon arrives at the abbey, he shakes her convictions and stirs provoking emotions she buried long ago.

She has a hard time reconciling her desire for peace and Brandon’s desire for revenge. Her former betrothed’s pacifism was diametrically opposed to Brandon’s violent traits.

However, Brandon possesses admirable characteristics Elsbeth cannot overlook. It would be hard not to take note of his handsome, rugged demeanor. His men admire his strength and leadership, and he is a ruthless warrior whose mere presence commands respect. But he is also honest, caring, and patient. He places others’ safety and concerns before his own.

After English soldiers murder his family, Brandon seeks revenge and leads numerous clans in Scotland’s fight for freedom. Bent on the annihilation of English oppression, he is resolved to a life of solitude, vowing never to marry and chance the pain of losing loved ones again. Elsbeth realizes not only children are affected by war, but stalwart warriors are also hurt and abandoned. She longs to heal Brandon’s spirit, help him live again, and prays she can reach him before the damage already done has set in stone.

And an excerpt…

Brandon McLeod and his men arrived at the abbey after the English soldiers had attacked. In this scene, Brandon comforts Elsbeth.

Brandon’s body stood alert, every fiber of his being awake with desire for the woman in his arms. It took great restraint to keep his hands from roaming her curves, his lips from tasting her sweetness.

Once she quieted, and her spent body relaxed, Brandon straightened.

She stepped back, brushing the back of her hand over her eyes, then reached down for the sack of clothes. “I beg yer pardon. ‘Tis not like me to fall to pieces.”

The sister wouldn’t meet his eyes. She busied herself, shoving several articles of clothing into the bag.

Brandon tugged a grey woolen blanket from one of the beds and draped it around her shoulders. “Ye’ve had a trying time. Little sleep with not much to eat can wear ye down.”

Her tear-filled eyes gazed at him, and his gut clenched. Why did she affect him so? He’d seen his fill of tears, but hers struck him to the core.

Satan’s teeth.

He had only intended to console her, give her a moment of respite away from her responsibility. But when her arms slid around his waist, and she nuzzled his chest, she was the one who provided comfort. The unfamiliar feeling irritated him. He could not afford to care, give his enemies an edge. No, he’d see the hard outer shell she cracked mended stronger than before.

“If ye’re finished, I’ll see ye back to the solar,” he said. “Ye need rest before we travel tomorrow.”

“I would like to discuss that with ye.” She clutched the sack against her middle. “I understand it isn’t wise to travel into Perth, so I would ask ye to see us to the nearest village southwest of here. I can send word to my da, and he will come for us.”

Brandon shook his head. “I cannae take ye southwest. I have important business to attend, and ye’ll have to accompany me. We’ll skirt Perth and travel south then northeast to Dunning and on to the Firth of Tay. When we reach Tayport, I’ll send word to yer da. Until he arrives, ye and the children will reside under my protection at Stonecrest.”

Her brow scrunched, and she crossed her arms. “And where is Stonecrest?”

“Off the North Sea, south of Aberdeen.”

“But that will take many days, riding in the opposite direction.”

“Aye.” Many days immersed in agonizing temptation. “We leave at first light.”

~~~

Where can readers find you?

I love to hear from readers! Here is my email address: mcfarland.lane@gmail.com

Website:  http://lanemcfarland.com

FaceBook:  https://www.facebook.com/LaneMcFarlandAuthor

Twitter:  @LaneMcFarland

 

Where can readers find your books? Here is my author page. You’ll find my books listed here.

http://www.amazon.com/Lane-McFarland/e/B00G7UQZNI/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_pop_1

 

Thank you for having me!

It’s been a pleasure having you! All music composed by Adrian von Ziegler. 

 

Hi, everyone! I’m spotlighting Alanna Lucas’s latest release, Dancing Around the Truth, a Regency Romance and sounds absolutely delicious! Here’s some music to enjoy while reading more about Dancing around the Truth. 

 

Dark secrets, lies, and a far too enticing widow threaten to destroy the orderly world Benjamin Weston, the illegitimate son of the late Baron Albryght, has made for himself…and Mrs. Philippa Keates might just also hold the key to unlocking his heart.  

SECRETS & LIES

Mrs. Philippa Keates thought she’d found her happily-ever-after when she eloped, but two years and no children later she is named a widow. Then a woman claiming to be her late husband’s wife appears, and Philippa demands answers.

AND LOVE

Benjamin Weston, the illegitimate son of the late Baron Albryght, has made a name for himself conducting investigations for those willing to pay a high price for discretion. When a childhood friend shows up on his doorstep, begging for his assistance, Weston fears most of all that she will discover the truth…and thus bring further scandal to herself, the only woman he has ever loved. But as he unravels her mystery, as secrets of his own begin to come to light, soon it becomes clear that there is more at stake than just Philippa’s reputation—and nothing less than her heart.

And now an excerpt…

Weston reached for the cool handle and eased the door open. A whiff of lavender, vanilla, and wet dog invaded his senses.

Wet dog?

Before he could register what was happening, a petite figure draped in black pushed past the door and stormed into the house followed close behind by the largest dog Weston had ever set eyes on.

Without explanation as to why she was on his doorstep, Philippa began to chatter out, “I thought…you meant for us to fr-freeze out there.” She rubbed her arms with quick movements. The dog shook its body from head to tail, spraying the foyer with the none-too-pleasant smell of wet dog.

Weston stood dumbfounded. Wasn’t Philippa just here this afternoon? He was still holding the door open, trying to comprehend why she was here at this hour. Glancing outside, he noticed no horse, no carriage, and no chaperone. Damn. One day her impulsive nature would land her in irreparable trouble.

“What are you doing here?” Weston shut the door. Closing his eyes, he sucked in his breath. Give me patience. “Do you know what time it is?”

“I haven’t a clue.” She turned her crystal blue eyes on him. “It took forever to reach Knights Hall.”

“How did you get here?”

“I walked.” She said those two words like they were commonplace. Perhaps in the middle of the day with a chaperone they were, but at this time of evening, and in the rain, they were the two most inconceivable words spoken by a lady of her station.

“You walked here?”

“Yes.”

“You walked here in the dark…in the rain…unchaperoned?”

“It wasn’t dark or raining when I left. And as for unchaperoned, Silvanus was with me. He would have protected me.” She turned her attention to the large wet dog. “Isn’t that right?” she said in a jovial voice. “You’re the best dog ever.” Silvanus’s tail wagged wildly at the sound of her high-pitched praise.

Weston did not doubt the dog’s ability to scare off any would-be attacker, but he was still no substitute for a proper chaperone.

“Why didn’t you ride? Or better, why didn’t you stay home and send word?” As the words were spewing from his mouth, Weston could see Philippa’s face redden with agitation. He didn’t care. Her carefree spirit had been endearing when she was a child, but now she was headed for bedlam with this sort of activity.

Weston’s blood boiled with the thought of what trouble she could have found herself in. “I cannot believe you thought it was a good idea to venture out…”

Interrupting his tirade with a stomp of her foot, she yelled, “If you would just be quiet for all of two seconds, perhaps I might explain what I’m doing here.” Silvanus’s eyes narrowed on Weston as if he was the source of his mistress’s aggravation.

Weston opened his mouth to speak, but thought better of it after the glare Philippa—and her dog—cast his way. He knew better than to argue with her when she was in one of these moods.

“I needed to speak with you again, and sending a note would not suffice. I walked here because I do not ride anymore.” Her sentence started strong but trailed off in a whisper.

The lingering pain in her eyes struck his heart.

Philippa cleared her throat. “I didn’t want to raise suspicion, so I informed my maid that I was not to be disturbed. As for the hour, I hadn’t realized just how far it was, and besides, the walk was quite refreshing…”

Weston thought Philippa could go on all night if he did not interrupt her. “Why exactly did you come here?”

Philippa pulled a letter from her pocket. “I found this.”

Weston’s world was about to come crashing down.

Where you can buy Dancing Around the Truth…

AMAZON

BARNES & NOBLE

KOBO

ALL ROMANCE BOOKS

 

 

 

 

I’m thrilled to have Ashley York here, revealing her newest cover for Irish Warrior, Book 3 in the Norman Conquest Series. Click here to enjoy viewing the cover with music.* 

 

Can’t wait to read this one!!!

 

*Music composed by Adrien von Ziegler

Whoo-hoo! Today I have historical romance author Regan Walker talking about the smells of the 18th Century. I asked for this article! So, I’m super excited about it! Here’s some not so stinky music to enjoy while you read,* and now, here’s Regan!!!

The Smells of 18th Century London  

By Regan Walker  

My latest novel, To Tame the Wind, is the first I’ve set in the 18th century. It’s the prequel to my Agents of the Crown trilogy and it’s set in 1782 in London, Paris and the waters of the English Channel. I do have several scenes that take place in London: on the London quay, on the Thames and on Oxford Street. I did not wander farther afield to the poorer areas like St. Giles. But all of London in the 18th century had a stench one could not miss. To say it did not smell very good would be an understatement.

There was no sanitation. Water was unpurified and raw sewage ran down city streets in open drains. In the air, there was the famous London fog, smoke from burning coal for heat and the general dirt of the city. And that was only the beginning. 

One traveler, Faujas de St. Fond did not think that the fog or smoke affected the health of the inhabitants:

I am very far from thinking that the city of London is more unhealthy than other cities, because they burn sea coal here. For not only is the contrary proved by experience and a long train of observation; but it is also to be presumed that this immense quantity of fires contributes to its salubrity.

Others found the smell of burning coal something they got used to (though I can’t imagine how). De la Rochefoucauld said of his first days in England,

I was extremely sorry that we had no wood, since it is a long time before one can get warm especially in the feet; but for warming a room coal is much better. Though I found the smell of coal highly disagreeable, I got used to it in a little while, and now that I have been in England for some time, I actually prefer it to wood partly because one is not obliged to attend to it every moment and partly because it gives out more heat. 

Added to that, London’s streets were filled with carriages and horses, thus there was the smell of wet horses and their waste. And there were smells contributed by the animal waste of the butchers. C.P. Moritz wrote in 1782: 

Nothing in London makes a more detestable sight than the butchers’ stalls, especially in the neighborhood of the Tower. The guts and other refuse are all thrown on the street and set up an unbearable stink.

Human waste contributed to the stench. Private bathrooms, to be later known as “water closets,” did not exist until late in the century, and even then, they only appeared in the wealthiest of homes. Most London residents used chamber pots, dumping them right outside their windows. (Heaven help you if you happened to be passing by!) The raw sewage would accumulate and stagnate in cesspools until the night soil men came along to clear it out. In darker corners of the city, an occasional human corpse might be found lying about.

Water was delivered to the city’s residents through hollowed-out tree trunks running beneath the streets. Wealthier customers could buy spring water from private companies, but most residents used the sluggish, murky water of the Thames. Like many European rivers, the Thames was both the source of the city’s drinking water and the repository of its discharge. It was also crowded with boats and barges, since it served as the city’s main thoroughfare for commercial shipping. (Lord knows what was dropped over the side.)

Amazingly, the Thames, which was wider and shallower then, was full of a variety of fish, though you might not want to eat it. There were salmon, flounder, eels, shad, sturgeon, trout and lamprey.

In 1771, Tobias Smollet wrote:

If I would drink water, I must quaff the mawkish contents of an open aqueduct, exposed to all manner of defilement, or swallow that which comes from the River Thames, impregnated with all the filth of London and Westminster. Human excrement is the least offensive part of the concrete, which is composed of all the drugs, minerals, and poisons used in mechanics and manufacture, enriched with the putrefying carcasses of beasts and men, and mixed with the scourings of all the wash-tubs, kennels and common sewers within the bills of mortality.

The city’s underground pipes were poorly constructed. Thus, water mains would regularly burst, creating sudden springs on city streets. This flow would mix with all of the city’s debris and pedestrians would have to slosh through it in order to get to their destination.

The coal smoke, mingled with the odor of the city’s decaying garbage, open sewage, decomposing corpses and the stench emanating from the Thames, created such a powerful stink that with a proper wind, London could be smelled from several miles away.

Not surprisingly, London was a breeding ground for bacteria and disease. Epidemics, infections and occasional food shortages led to an extraordinarily high mortality rate. Medicine was still quite primitive. In 1775, more than 800 deaths recorded in the Bills of Mortality were attributed simply to “Teeth.” Lice and dirt were everywhere. Soot and grime covered overcrowded tenements. Disease was rampant, and even the smallest wound could lead to death by infection. Jennifer Wilde (aka Tom Huff) does a great job of describing the state of the city, particularly if you were poor and lived in St. Giles, in his historical romance Once More Miranda.

There was a fear among the population that bathing too frequently was harmful, as was too much fresh air, in part because of airborne diseases like consumption. So windows were often kept tightly shut.

To be transported from the modern world to such a place would be alarming. Perhaps that is why most romance novels do not linger on the full range of London’s odors. But to add some realism, one much include a sampling, and I do.

 

“A sea adventure like no other, a riveting romance!”  NY Times Bestselling author Shirlee Busbee

Paris 1782…AN INNOCENT IS TAKEN

All Claire Donet knew was the world inside the convent walls in Saint-Denis. She had no idea her beloved papa was a pirate. But when he seized Simon Powell’s schooner, the English privateer decided to take the one thing his enemy held most dear… her.

A BATTLE IS JOINEDThe waters between France and England roil with the clashes of Claire’s father and her captor as the last year of the American Revolution rages on the sea, spies lurk in Paris and Claire’s passion for the English captain rises.


Links:


Buy link on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Tame-Wind-Agents-Crown-Book-ebook/dp/B00VO4DZYE
Regan’s Website: http://www.reganwalkerauthor.com/
Blog:  http://reganromancereview.blogspot.com/
Twitter: @RegansReview (https://twitter.com/RegansReview)
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/regan.walker.104
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6450403.Regan_Walker

*Music composed by Derek & Brandon Fiechter

 

I’m excited to have Liese back with more Sherlock Holmes tidbits!!! I have my own book, Duchess of Mine, where my heroine, Gabby, is a bit of a nut for Sherlock. So, I read these tidbits with much enthusiasm. Here’s some music for you to enjoy while reading through*, and now…here’s Liese!

Sherlock Holmes’ French Connection

In The Greek Interpreter, Sherlock Holmes gives two clues of his past. In addition to noting his ancestors were country squires, he also shares that art was in his blood, given his grandmother was the sister of Vernet, the French artist.

 

Claude Joseph Vernet’s Seaport by Moonlight, 1771

Some speculation exists as to which Vernet. Three generations of Vernets garnered patronage from both the French monarchy and Napoleon: Claude-Joseph Vernet (1714 – 1789); Antoine Charles Horace Vernet, known as Carle Vernet (1758 – 1836); and Émile Jean-Horace Vernet, known as Horace Vernet (1789 – 1863) . Simple mathematics suggests the most logical choice would be the youngest Vernet. For Sherlock and Mycroft’s mother to be between twenty and twenty-five at marriage, she would have to have been born between 1821-1826. Taking another twenty to twenty-five years or so for Sherlock’s grandmother to be born, means a birth date of about 1795 – 1800 or earlier, clearly putting her as a contemporary of Horace.

Antoine Vernet’s Napoleon in Battle of Moscow

In reality, Horace Vernet had one sister: Camille Françoise Joséphine (1788-1858) who married the French painter Hippolyte Lecomte (1781-1857) and whose son, Charles Emile Hippolyte Lecomte-Vernet, was also a painter.

Horace Vernet’s An Algerian Lady Hawking

Obviously, Doyle could not have selected a better family than the Vernet dynasty to provide Sherlock his inherited artistic tendencies. Claude-Joseph was known for his landscapes and seascapes; Carle for his realistic horses, based on his own knowledge as an expert horseman; and Horace for portraits and realistic battle scenes. A little research also supplies some interesting facts for additional color in Sherlock’s “ancestry.” Horace Vernet was born in the Louvre, and his father, fleeing with his wife and children, barely escaped being shot during the French Revolution. Horace was also known for having an incredible memory, able to sketch a scene or face seen only once with total recall.

The Vernet family had an English connection as well. Claude-Joseph married an English woman, Virginia Parker, during his time in Italy, and British visitors on the Grand Tour were his most loyal patrons. It might have this British link that provided the basis for selecting the Vernet family for Sherlock’s artistic inheritance, but his great-uncle’s ability to remember a location years later seems quite Holmesian as well.

[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Claude_Joseph_Vernet

[2] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hippolyte_Lecomte

[3] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Claude_Joseph_Vernet

[4] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carle_Vernet

[5] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horace_Vernet

[6] David Bartlet, Paris with Pen and Pencil

[7] http://www.philamuseum.org/collections/biography/16017.html

*Music composed by Adrian von Ziegler

Oh my gosh, everyone! I’m so, so thrilled to have author Liese Sherwood-Fabre on my blog today! Her Sherlock Holmes research is amazing! I am addicted to listening to the stories of Sherlock Holmes right now. I bought the collection on Audible; narrated by THE Simon Vance. Not only did I already LOVE Doyle, but I have quite the crush on Vance. It’s the perfect combination. I’ve been in heaven listening to the stories of my favorite know-it-all. Okay, so here’s some mysterious music for you to listen to while perusing.* And now, here’s Liese!

In Search of Sherlock Holmes: The Life of a Country Squire

In the short story “The Adventure of the Greek Interpreter,” Sherlock Holmes tells Dr. Watson that his ancestors were “country squires.” And other than that bit of information, along with the note that his grandmother was the sister of the French portraitist Vernet, Doyle provided little with respect to his most famous character’s origins.

Knowing his ancestors were country squires, however, provides insights into Holmes’ social level and certain expectations common to those of his rank. A country squire would have owned enough land to rent to tenants and have lived in a manor house. While the squire’s position was below a nobleman or large landowner, (1) he still ranked high in the local social structure.

In addition to running his estate and ensuring the welfare of those under his tenancy, the country squire also held the position of Justice of the Peace. In this capacity, the squire had both civil and legal duties. Within the local government, the justices supervised parish (or county) officials, in particular those in charge of the maintenance of roads and bridges and the enforcement of the Poor Laws.(2) As a legal position, Justices of the Peace served as magistrates during the Quarter Sessions, where they and a jury heard and decided on serious crimes such as theft, highway robbery, assault, burglary, rioting, drunkenness, profane swearing, and a variety of crimes against property (poaching, cutting estate timber and the like. Between these sessions, the justices would hold petty sessions where the least serious crimes were reviewed and decisions made without a jury. (3)

Because the English system did not include a prosecutor, the preparation of a case rested with the constable, from collecting evidence to presenting it at trial. Justices of the peace supervised and worked closely with the village constable, issued warrants, and determined whether to move a case to trial and to which court. (4)

As a member of the gentry, Sherlock Holmes would have been in a position of privilege. If his father was a Justice of the Peace, he would have developed a familiarity with the criminal justice system and the law. For the consulting detective, the foundation for investigating and solving crimes would have come naturally to a descendant of country squires.

(1) Daniel Pool, What Jane Austen Ate and Charles Dickens Knew (New York: Simon and Schuster, Inc ., 1993), 46.

(2) Sally Mitchell, Daily Life in Victorian England (Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 1996), 90.

(3) “Victorian Crime and Punishment,” accessed February 16, 2015. http://vcp.e2bn.org/

(4) J.J. Tobias, Crime and Police in England: 1700-1900 (New York: St. Martin’s Press, 1979), 125.

Liese Sherwood-Fabre knew she was destined to write when she got an A+ in the second grade for her story about Dick, Jane, and Sally’s ruined picnic. After obtaining her PhD from Indiana University, she joined the federal government and had the opportunity to work and live internationally for more than fifteen years—in Africa, Latin America, and Russia. Returning to the states, she seriously pursued her writing career and has published several pieces, including a romance in Woman’s World magazine. Her debut novel Saving Hope, a thriller set in Russia, was published through Musa Publishing. She speaks regularly at writers’ conferences and will be presenting a workshop on “Law & Order, Victorian Style” at the RWA national conference in New York in July, 2015. You can read more about her books and sign-up for her personal newsletter on her Website at www.liesesherwoodfabre.com

 

*Music used for this blog post composed by the talented Derek & Brandon Fletcher

Hello, everyone! I’m thrilled today to have fantasy author Zen DePietro talking about the kind of characters she likes to read about. Here’s some music* for you to enjoy while you read through, and I have a question as does Zen at the end of her post. But my question is who are some of your favorite characters from books or movies? And now here’s Zen!

Dynamic Heroes and Heroines: Characters I Want to Be When I Grow Up

I like characters who are unique. Different. Messy. Memorable. The kind of character who kicks ass, has a fondness for cookies, and inexplicably hates wearing socks. Actually, I’ve never met that character, but I’d like to.

And the characters I have met? There are some amazing ones, but too many of them read like a game of Mad Libs. Fill in a few blanks, slap it all into a genre and tada. Another book that reads like a million other books, with a hero and a heroine that are like a billion other heroes and heroines. They play nice with others and fit right in.

Oh, there’s nothing wrong with those characters, or the people who like them. They’re just not for me. I want a heroine who impresses me with her strength and intelligence, while working with the inherent quirks of her life and personality. I made a meme a while back to remind myself to be intrepid and always facing the future. Here it is:

That’s the crux of it. I want protagonists that that don’t toe the line. Ones that are comfortable with being who they are, even when they’re very different than the norm. Like Iron Man’s Tony Stark or Pride and Prejudice’s Elizabeth Bennet. At first glance, these two characters have nothing in common. But when you look closer, you’ll find them both crazy smart with a razor wit. Neither of them is typical of their respective worlds. Yet they both totally own what makes them different and make it work for them rather than against them.

I’m curious how others feel about this topic. Do you approach books like comfort food, and love to stay in the zone of what you like, or do you look for stories and characters that will surprise and challenge you?

And here’s Zen’s latest release. If you click the cover it can take you to a book store.

An earth-like world of high-tech humans faces the reality that their world is not as safe as they thought it was. Five people are thrown together to quietly get to the bottom of an unfathomable event that must stay quiet. If the population of Terath becomes aware of the truth, it will spark a civil war. That war would pit the majority of the population against the powerful minority with the ability to harness and manipulate mana. The resulting cataclysm would decimate the population and tear apart the foundation of society.

The five people chosen for this must reconsider everything they thought they knew about mana, even as they learn to trust one another’s abilities. They must embrace everything they never wanted in order to prevent the devastation of their world. One of them will be forever changed. Love will be denied, badassery will be unleashed, and Terath will never be the same.

Even success comes at a price.

 

*Music composed by Adrian von Ziegler