by Sarah | May 20, 2013 | Character Interview, Guest Authors, Writing
Elaine Cantrell’s character Princess Morgane of her novel [amazon_link id=”B00CRUD242″ target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]The Enchanted[/amazon_link] agreed to an interview today. The Prince Alan joined in the conversation for a bit of a fun time.
*~*
1. Tell us a little about yourself. How did you come to your author’s attention? Occupation?
“I am the Princess Morgane, daughter of King Maccus, wife of Prince Alan who is heir to his father King Bowdyn. The entire kingdom celebrated my marriage to Prince Alan, so I suppose that is how she heard of me. My occupation? I am a princess.”
A tall, blonde warrior enters the chamber where the interview is taking place. He hears the last thing Princess Morgane says. “Do not forget, my princess, that I have seen you washing dishes. Mayhap you would enjoy that occupation.”
The princess laughs, her eyes gleam. “My husband jests, though I did indeed wash the dishes when we fought the terrible evil in King Osric’s realm.”
“Fought and prevailed in large part to you, my dear.”
The princess nods to the interviewer. “As you can see, Madame, my husband is a practiced flirt!”
2. What or who is the greatest love of your life? Why? What drew you to them?
Princess Morgane reaches for Prince Alan’s hand. “Our love story did not begin in the the way that most do. Our fathers arranged a marriage for the two of us even though we had never met. I did not expect to even like him, but love grew almost immediately. How could I not love him? He is everything a man should be. He is kind, generous, clever, protective, …”
“Nay, my love. These are qualities that should apply to you. If I possess any virtue at all, it comes out of my love for you.”
The princess blushes and turns back to the interviewer.
3. What’s your greatest fear?
Princess Morgane bites her lip. “I fear that one day I might lose the prince. We live in a dangerous world.”
Prince Alan scowls at the interviewer. “Think no more upon it, my princess. I will take very good care of myself.”
4. What’s your motto in life?
“Aut viam inveniam aut faciam – I will either find a way or make one.”
The prince beams at her. “Well said. After our experiences I do not believe in the word impossible.”
5. How do the other characters in your book view you?
Princess Morgane considers the question. “With no false modesty, I can say that I have found favor with my husband and his family. To this day I possess the red banner given to me by King Bowdyn in appreciation of my service to the kingdom.” Her eyes twinkle. “Perhaps I do not look like a warrior, but I am held in high regard by the army as well.”
Prince Alan laughs. “Indeed. Madame Interviewer, you should hear the warrior Renweard speak of her bravery when she confronted the false princess. Even now he brags of how she killed an enemy to save me. In truth she saved me twice, once in Pygeria, and once when the false princess held sway over the castle.”
6. What do you prefer? To spread & hear gossip, or be the creator of gossip fodder?
“Well, if one must choose, I suppose I would rather be the creator of gossip fodder. It is much more entertaining that way.”
7. What is it about you that is going to draw us readers in?
Prince Alan clears his throat. “I will answer that one for you. She has the heart of a dragon and beauty beyond compare, but she is warm, nurturing, and loving toward all whom she meets.”
“Thank you, my prince.”
8. What was your happiest moment?
She laughs. “Oh, that is easy. My happiest moment was when Prince Alan broke the evil spell upon Pygeria, thereby giving us the chance for a future together.”
9. What trait in others do you find most deplorable?
“I abhor greediness which leads to all manner of deceit and unkindness.”
10. The random question: If you were a color, what color would you be and why?
“Yellow. To me, yellow is a joyous, happy color full of hope and sunshine. I have suffered much in my life, but thanks to my adventures with the prince, my days are now filled with sunshine.” She stands. “Come. Let me show you the lovely painting the prince did for me. It too is filled with the sunshine.”
*~*
| [amazon_link id=”B00CRUD242″ target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]Amazon[/amazon_link] | B&N | Astrea Press |
BLURB:
Blurb:
Forced by his father into a marriage he didn’t want, Prince Alan soon finds that his bride isn’t the sweet, submissive creature he expected. Morgane has the heart of a dragon and beauty beyond compare, but she isn’t thrilled about the marriage either. When black treachery threatens the kingdom, Morgane and Alan embark on a perilous journey that has an excellent chance of ending in failure and death for them and all of their people.Replace this text w/ your blurb, excerpt, author bio & buy links.
Excerpt: In this excerpt, the hero meets his bride for the first time.
The sound of a trumpet interrupted Alan. Meryn entered the room behind the trumpeters and called in a ringing voice, ʺHis majesty, King Maccus, and his daughter, the Princess Morgane, wife of Prince Alan, heir to the throne of his father, King Bowdyn.ʺ
Everyone at the table rose to their feet and bowed as Maccus and Morgane paused at the door. Alan could not stop staring at the princess. He had not expected her to be so beautiful. Her red‑gold hair cascaded across her shoulders in swirling waves he ached to touch. Even from this distance he could see that her eyes were the color of the sea on a cloudy, stormy day. Her white, beribboned gown made their unique color stand out. She had a willowy, lithe figure.
Every inch the king, Bowdyn crossed the room and took Princess Morgane’s hand. ʺCome. I will introduce you to your husband, Prince Alan.”
She did not limp, but she stepped very quickly as if she did not want her feet to touch the floor any longer than necessary. Still, she held her head up high as she made her way across the hall, her heavy, stiff skirts rustling on the stone floor. ʺMy son, this is your wife, Princess Morgane. Morgane, this is your husband, Prince Alan.”
Bowdyn placed Morgane’s hand into Alan’s. Her fingers were icy cold. He bowed to her and kissed her hand. “It is my honor to meet you. Will you be seated beside me?ʺ
Morgane seated herself beside him as he held out her chair. Her skin looked as smooth as satin and as creamy as the finest milk, but no one could miss the horrible red scar that marred her face. She turned her head and caught him staring. Her face flushed red, causing the scar to look that much worse. Turning away from him, she fastened her eyes on the wall in front of her.
BIO:
Elaine Cantrell was born and raised in South Carolina where she obtained a master’s degree in personnel services from Clemson University. She is a member of Alpha Delta Kappa, an international honorary society for women educators, Romance Writers of America, and EPIC authors. Her first novel, A New Leaf, was the 2003 winner of the Timeless Love Contest. When she’s not writing or teaching, she enjoys movies, quilting, reading, and collecting vintage Christmas ornaments.
by Sarah | May 20, 2013 | All About Erik, All About Indiana, All About Me, Blogging Life, Sponsored, The Reluctant Hoosier, Vintage Indiana
GIVEAWAY NOW CLOSED. Winner has been notified
Erik’s a dry, I’m a sweet.
With our wines, of course.
Last year we were thrilled to be able to go to Vintage Indiana for the first time.
We were unprepared for the level of the festival.
There was so much to see and do, and so much variety with the local Indiana wines, we hardly knew where to start.
It’s a day full of music, food, and 30 Indiana Wineries!!
Fun fact: Did you know that this great state of Indiana has 69 wineries?? And a 70th is set to open this month?
Last year we were a little unprepared for the event. We didn’t bring a blanket to sit on, or have any idea what to expect. This year we’re going in full-barrel (get it? barrel? I slay me)…and preparing to take a longer day and enjoy ourselves and the line-up of awesome artists.
What artists? Well…take a look at this concert line-up:
12-2pm – Cari Ray
2:30-4:30 – Jennie DeVoe
5:00-6:45 – Josh Gracin – yes, THE Josh Gracin, former American Idol and US Marine!!
*~*
There is so much to do and see at Vintage Indiana, that you won’t be bored…not to mention that with over 300 wines to sample, you’ll have plenty to keep your taste buds happy. (Not a drinker? No problem, the Designated Driver tickets cost less and there’s food and music).
Kids? No problem. This is a child-friendly event, complete with a kid’s play area.
*
So how do you get there? Where do you find the tickets?
Here’s the details:
Vintage Indiana
Date: June 1, 2013 11AM-7PM
Location: Military Park, downtown Indianapolis
Tickets:
- $22 in advance at your Marsh Supermarket or online at the Vintage Indiana Website
- $25 at the Gate
- $10 for a Designated Driver Ticket (you will receive a special wrist band, and no samples-but unlimited soft drinks and water)
- $5 for kids age 6-20 – children under 5 are FREE
OR, you can win a pair of tickets right here!!
That’s right, I get to give one of my lucky readers a pair of tickets for the festival!
All you have to do to win this giveaway is leave a comment telling me if you’re a sweet or a dry.
I’ll pick a winner on Friday, May 24th at Noon. The winner will have 48 hours to respond or I’ll pick another winner.
*~*~*
*This post is a sponsored post. In return for writing it, I received two tickets for the festival. All opinions, and my love for Indiana wines and this festival are all my own.
Thanks to the Vintage Indiana sponsors for making this event possible!
Indiana Wines @indianawinebabe @indianawines
Indiana’s Family of Farmers @familyoffarmers
Marsh Supermarkets @MarshGrocery
Clark Appliance @ClarkAppliance
WFMS/WJJK @WFMS @ClassicHits1045
WISH/WNDY @WISH_TV
Indiana’s Turkey Farmers (no twitter handle)
Indiana’s Dairy Farmers @INDairy
NUVO @NUVO_net
by Sarah | May 19, 2013 | Books, Tuesday Tales, Writing
The prompt this week was Bite.
This time I’m sticking with my story from last week. This section is actually the beginning of the story, where last weeks was probably around Chapter 2.
The story is still unnamed, but a few ideas are being batted around for a good Independence Day themed title 🙂 (Suggestions are welcome, though…I’m stumped)
Remember, this is a meme with many contributing authors, so make sure to click the link at the bottom of the image to take you to see more!
Anyhow, as always this is un-edited mostly, so forgive any errors. :
“No, not here.” Amanda whined. The car sputtered and spurted. It barely made it to the shoulder before dying. She hit the steering wheel hard, like that would do her any good, and dropped her forehead to the wheel.
Tears she’d managed to keep at bay since Pennsylvania welled up again. She had no idea where she was, other than New York. The last few signs had said something about Rochester, but she’d left the city behind.
She lifted her head, wiping the tears from her eyes so she could see. The road sign ahead read ‘Lake Point. 1 mile’. A groan escaped and she dropped her head to the steering wheel. A solid thump resonated through her already pounding head, taking the decibel level of her headache to near migraine levels. “What am I going to do?”
There was nowhere left to go. She’d had no destination in mind, and should’ve been grateful the car had taken her this far from Illinois.
A shuddering breath racked her lungs and a sob tore from her gut. For three days she’d driven all over the place. She didn’t want to follow a straight line, and half the time had felt lost.
Who was she kidding, all she felt was lost. Her location no longer mattered.
A sharp knock on the window startled a shriek out of her.
“Ma’am? Y’all right in there? Do you need a hand?” Another tap on her window drew her toward the window and the—the fricking cowboy standing outside.
A cowboy? Her hands shook too hard to move, and she imagined she looked frightful. The way his eyes widened didn’t lessen that belief. She pressed down her lock and nodded. “I’m fine. Go away. I’ll call someone.”
“Sorry I startled you, miss.” A smile broke on the disturbingly handsome face. “Name’s Clay. It’s right smart of you not to open up. You got someone to call?”
No she didn’t. Worse, the pay-as-you-go phone she’d bought was dead after her last call to Grace. At this point in time she had no one to call. No one but the man outside her window, but she wasn’t about to get out and hitch a ride with a perfect stranger.
“How about I call Calvin? He’s a sheriff. And I’ll call for a tow and have the car taken to my garage.” Clay apparently took her silence for an acknowledgement that she didn’t know what to do. He turned on his phone and started dialing.
All she could do was nod rapidly, even after he’d turned away. She had no idea what else would work. Her voice didn’t want to work, the world had crashed in when the car died. The reality of what she’d done, and how alone she was now dug at the dark hole in her soul until her lip trembled again.
Thankfully the cowboy backed off and went back to his truck. It left her free to try to gather herself together. She turned the rear view mirror toward herself and let out a bitter laugh. Red splotched her face, the damn dark circles under her eyes a deep purple now that the makeup had been cried and wiped away.
She sniffled and wiped at her cheeks to remove the last salty vestiges of the ‘hysterical woman’ she’d so often been accused of being. At this point maybe she should have felt relief, but she felt more scared than ever.
Flashing lights came into view at the edge of her mirror and she shifted it back to get a better view. A cop car had pulled up behind Clay and the sheriff now stood shaking the cowboy’s hand. So he wasn’t a homicidal maniac, or if he was he was a damn good one.
A strangled laugh choked out and she cleared her throat. After a long exhale and a shake to remove the last of her nerves, she unlocked the door again. By the time the cop got to her car she felt somewhat composed, even if she looked like hell.
“Everything all right, miss?” The short man stood at the ready, one hand on his holster just in case she was the homicidal maniac. Not that she blamed him after the show she’d just put on. No wonder Tony always said she was too emotional.
The mere thought brought up a whimper so fast she couldn’t stop it. Luckily it wasn’t a full on sob, and she was able to nod. “My car broke down. I’ve got no one to call. I’m just…”
“It’s okay. Clay’s already called a tow for you. If anyone can fix this, he can.” The man reeked of doubt when he took in the car. It was a heap of junk, and she knew it. “How about I give you a ride to the garage? You can wait for it there.”
There wasn’t anything else to do. Short of finding another heap of junk that would wipe her out of the last bit of money she had. If there was a higher power, it was telling her to stop where she was. With a long sigh she shrugged. “I suppose. So he’s okay?”
Sheriff Calvin glanced back to the truck and snorted. “Clay? He’s harmless. Don’t bit or nothing. Damn good with cars, too. Don’t let the cowboy thing freak you out. We try not to.”
She allowed an uneasy laugh and grabbed her purse. Once she stepped out, she took a deep breath. “Thank you.”
“No problem. I’m Sheriff Calvin, most people just call me Calvin. And this here is Clay Ryley.” Calvin gestured to the cowboy.
Clay tipped his hat. “Sorry again about startling you, Miss. I saw you stall out and thought I’d try to help.”
“I appreciate it. Sorry for, well, this.” She gestured to her face. “It’s been a long drive.”
“No problem. You go on with Calvin, I’ll wait for the truck.”
She nodded and let the sheriff lead her toward his car. Before she got in, she chanced another glance at the cowboy. Figures on the one day in her life she met a hot cowboy she was a total wreck. Death warmed over probably looked better.
With a sigh, she slid into the car and pulled her purse tight against her chest.
*~*
Hope you enjoyed it! Click on the Tuesday Tales badge to see more excellent entries!!
*~*
by Sarah | May 16, 2013 | Book Spotlight, Guest Authors, Writing
| [amazon_link id=”B00B5LB0JS” target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]Amazon[/amazon_link] | The Wild Rose Press |
Blurb
Lady Kendra Frazier is devastated. The love of her life just married another, and now all she desires is to be as far away as possible. Viscount Lawrie, Joseph Pinetti Gray, is facing financial ruin and needs a wealthy heiress. Luckily for him, Kendra’s impetuous nature has handed him the fortuity he requires to save his family’s downfall. But Joseph’s carefully cultivated plans come to a grinding halt when he finds himself falling in love for what should have only been a marriage of convenience. And how can an old cursed doll help?
Excerpt
He rushed over. “Thank God,” he whispered. He crouched down next to her. “Thank God,” he said again, touching his forehead to hers.
“Joseph? Lord Lawrie?” Her voice cracked. Her white glove was no longer white. He wished he could have protected her from that.
Leaning back, he peeled the stained fabric away.
Her hand clenched. “My hands—”
He brushed his lips over the tiny scars. “Your hand is perfect,” he said. “We’ll have to marry, you know.”
“Married. I’ve dreamed of marrying,” she whispered, smiling. Her eyes were dry, but in them he read the shock and fear.
Something tight squeezed Joseph’s chest, he found he could hardly breathe. Death hovered over them. While he might fail in creating bliss for Kendra’s last moments on this earth, he could offer her the whimsical fairytale.
Joseph dropped her hand and cupped her head with both hands. “Lady Kendra Frazier, would you do me the honor of becoming my wife, mademoiselle, s’il vous plait?”
With a stately incline of her head, she replied with a trembling smile. “I shall be honored, Viscount Lawrie, Chevalier Joseph Pinetti Gray. Lord Hardwick’s Marriage Act was enforced in Scotland, in fifty-four, so we’ve no need to post the banns.” A small hysterical laugh erupted. “Shall we escape to Gretna Green, my lord?”
Her spirit touched him as nothing else could. Even in the throes of shock and danger, she managed to recall his full proper name and title. He pulled her to him as heavy steps echoed on the wooden planks just beyond the door. But for a moment he could pretend they would live a long and fruitful life together. “Oui, Gretna Green suits my purposes, perfectly, love,” he whispered against her lips, before crushing them beneath his own.
The door crashed back.
Author Bio
Kae Elle Wheeler has a BA degree from the University of Central Oklahoma in Management Information Systems that includes over forty credit hours of vocal music. As a computer programmer the past fifteen years, she utilizes karaoke for her vocal music talents. Other passions include fantasy football, NBA & musical theatre season tickets, and jazzercise. Because to quote Nora Roberts to a one time question, if she worked out? Her reply, “You have to get off your ass.”
Kae Elle began has been a member of the Oklahoma Chapter of Romance Writer’s of America and the RWA since March of 2007. She grew up in the Dallas area and definitely considers herself a city girl. She does not limit her travels to Writer Conferences in San Francisco, Washington DC, Seattle, Dallas, New Jersey, New York City and Atlanta because Jazzercise has fun conferences too (Denver, Palm Springs and Orlando). You can’t keep her at home!
She is a member of several RWA Chapters, including DARA, The Beau Monde and Passionate Ink. She has held several positions in the OKRWA Chapter, currently serving as Programs Director. As an avid reader of romance and patron of theatre, her main sources of inspiration come from mostly an over-active imagination. She currently resides in Edmond, Oklahoma with her musically talented husband, Al, and their bossy cat, Carly.
www.klwheeler.com
www.kathylwheeler.com
www.twitter.com/kathylwheeler
by Sarah | May 15, 2013 | Book Spotlight, Guest Authors, Writing
| [amazon_link id=”B00BWBF8QM” target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]Amazon [/amazon_link]| B&N |
Blurb
In the Badlands of the Dakota Territory, a war is raging between good and evil, between angels and Satan’s three sons…
Earth Angel—Elizabeth Bonner’s plans for her wedding dissolve when she
discovers her fiancé in bed with her mother. To escape the pain, she flees to the rowdy mining town of Deadwood Gulch to claim a recently inherited gold mine. Only one person stands between her and hell—Gabriel King.
Dark Angel—Saloon and brothel owner, Gabriel, is a man feared by most, but he meets his match with Elizabeth. When her father dies in his arms with the request for him to look after his only child, Gabriel is determined to protect Elizabeth at all costs. 1876, Dakota Territory is no place for a Southern lady whose innocence is tempting as sin. Toss in a couple of trouble-making cherubs, and the Old West will never be the same.
Elizabeth and Gabriel—more than one war is brewing in the Black Hills…
Excerpt
But the moment Elizabeth opened the door and stepped inside―at exactly eleven―in that instant, Gabe realized he was wrong in his opinion of the woman. He literally jerked at the sight of her. His breath caught in his throat. His heart thundered in his ears. The compulsion to jump up and capture her, take her far away from the leeches in the office was almost overpowering in its intensity.
He was half-way out of the chair before he caught himself and settled back on the rich leather cushion. She wasn’t his―yet. But he’d well rectify that—soon. Gabe tightened his lips. The flare of impotent anger he already felt shot up three notches as Lawyer Ninon plastered a welcoming, duplicitous smile on his face for the new arrival. What hypocrisy! The sycophantic bastard. So smug. So–so apple polishing innocence! Damn, he hated unscrupulous worms like this Ninon lawyer.
From the first moment Gabe met the three, he hadn’t much cared for any one of them, now he understood why. He suddenly realized that instead of rats, he was in a room with oily sharks. Distaste curdled his insides, but he could hardly grab Elizabeth and steal her away, not out from under the nose of her fiancé and mother, or her lawyer.
A little voice niggled at his mind asking, Why not?
He cut his eyes toward the woman who’d just walked in. If ever there was a heavenly being, she was it. Yep, the fiancé was not only a cheating prick, but he was a stupid, cheating prick. How could good old Nicholas tussle between the sheets with Charity when he had this woman? What a dumbass swine.
Heavenly being? God above, he did have the weirdest thoughts sometimes, but for sure, Elizabeth didn’t look a thing like her mother, and thank God, she didn’t look like homely old Pete, rest his soul.
Her hair lay gathered around her face in loose ringlets, shiny as the gold nuggets Pete had mined. Sprigs of honey-gold curls swirled softly around her ears and temples. Thick, sooty lashes surrounded grape-green eyes that looked right through a man’s soul―and did.
Her furious gaze met his, held, clashed, and strayed to her mother and fiancé. She drew a deep breath as if to soothe a savage beast, but her cheeks looked flushed and he thought it had more to do with temper than the humid heat of a Southern spring.
Gabe raked his gaze over her, but hurried back to her tempting lips. Elizabeth’s mouth needed a man’s kisses. A plush bottom lip hinted at sultry softness. Her bow-shaped upper lip pulled a man’s gaze to it immediately and teased his imagination. Her mouth looked as decadent as the painting of the naked woman hanging above his bar in the Placer.
Author Bio
Tabitha Shay is the author of paranormal romances, Witch’s Brew, Witch’s Heart, Witch‘s Moon, Witch’s Magic, and Witch’s Fire.
A member of the Oklahoma Writer’s Federation, Inc., she has served as both a category chair and judge. Her books have been nominated for several awards, including the prestigious P.E.A.R.L. Award for Witch’s Magic and Witch’s Moon, which was also nominated for Best All Around Paranormal in 2008. Witch’s Fire won Runner Up for Best Paranormal Book of 2010 at LRC.
Ms. Shay is also the author of the contemporary western romances, Montana Men Series, In the Arms of Danger, No Holds Barred, Too Hot to Handle/Too Close to the Fire, and Wild, under the pseudonym, Jaydyn Chelcee.
Website: http://tabithashay.blogspot.com
BIO:
