by Sarah | Feb 10, 2014 | Guest Authors, Top Ten Tuesday, Writing
*Today I’m pleased to have Allison Knight on the blog talking about her top ten research books!
When I started thinking about this blog. I considered talking about the top ten things I’ve learned over nearly thirty years in this business, or the top ten things that bug me the most. Making it more about me was also a choice, like my personal goals. After a lot of thought, I decided to make it about my top ten favorite research books and why. I prefer to write historical romance and words become very important, so most of my favorite books have to do with words.
My top favorite is a book called ‘Reverse Dictionary”. It’s a Readers Digest book, it’s illustrated and I love it because I can work backwards. For example, I don’t know much about horses, but with this book, I can look up the word horse and the dictionary details each part of the horse and what each part is called. Want to saddle a horse? There a start to finish with each part named. The same with a sailing ship, or different kinds of plant parts. Look up plant and you get a biology lesson. A neat book.
My second favorite is from Random House. It’s called ‘Word Menu’. Look up the sound and it lists all of the different kinds of sounds, buzz, burp, scream, hiss. Emotion? Walk? You get the idea.
Next would be an old Readers Digest book called ‘Use the Right Word’. With this book, I can look any word, let take the particular word greedy, and it gives me half a dozen different kinds of greed. Yes, I want the right word for my greedy land owners.
Number four would have to be my ‘Webster’s ninth Edition Dictionary’. This simple Dictionary not only give the word’s definition, but it dates the word. In other words, it gives the approximate time the word shows up in any recorded writing. As a historical author, I don’t want to use a word that didn’t exist say in the 14th century if I’m writing a Medieval tale.
My fifth research book is another Readers Digest book, this one is ‘The Family Word Finder’. I like it because each definition begins with a sentence using the word. It gives synonyms and antonyms and tells you what the word is, verb, adjective, adverb, etc.
My wide World Atlas is next because it not only give me maps, but information about weather, different crop regions, mineral deposits, age, important dates. Unfortunately, It’s a big book and rests of the top of the book shelve. It doesn’t fit on any of the shelves. It also requires the whole top of my desk when I open it up.
Roget’s Thesaurus is next. A thesaurus is must for the writer and Roget’s is considered the best.
Number eight is a trade paperback I’ve had since I started to write. The title is Writing Fiction, Nonfiction, and How to Publish by Pat Kubis and Bob Howland. It a basic how to, with things like plotting, dialogue, and style. Much of the publishing information is outdated, but the basics are still excellent and I still find myself referring to it once in a while.
Because I write historicals and don’t know much except the basics of England’s history, I have a little book by Dorset Press, which gets a lot of use. It’s called “Atlas of British History” and is a book of maps detailing points of history over 2000 years. I love the map of the railroads. It dates the route and time it took to go from point a to point b, the same for important battles, canals, for all of England and Scotland.
My last Book is another small volume that I use as a historical author writing about the British Isles. This one is called “The Castle Explorer’s Guide.” It alphabetically describes everything there is to know today about the castles of England, Scotland and Wales, including all of the different methods of construction, their locations, and the people who in worked in and around the castles. It also contains information about all know ruins, very important if you are writing about the medieval ages.
There you have my top ten research books, books I’d find hard, no make that impossible, to give up. I’d love to discover another fabulous book so let me know if you have one you can’t live without.
*~*
| [amazon_link id=”B0064XIPIG” target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]Amazon[/amazon_link] |
Alwyn ab Brynn Ffrydd wants revenge against a powerful Baron without losing his king’s support. What better way to exact revenge than to kidnap the Baron’s long time mistress. But she is not what he thinks she is.
Shy, unworldly Milisent Mortimore has been confined for nine years by a brother who now demands she agree to wed a cruel, heartless man. Thanks to her father’s will, she has the right to chose her mate or her spouse will lose her inheritance.
When Alwyn kidnaps her desires flares and together they must struggle against the treachery of Alwyn’s current mistress, her brother and the man he wants her to marry.
In defying all three, Alwyn places his life at risk. Milisent saves him from certain death and together they celebrate their life of love.
EXCERPT:
Milisent’s breath caught as she stared at the sight before her. A chill shot through her. She gazed at the most magnificent warrior she had ever seen. The deep melodic voice carried a twinge of a strange tongue, but the most arresting thing was not his voice. Nay, it was him. This man radiated strength and power, and although his face was grim his countenance was
most pleasant.
He had a blade of a nose, a square face bare of hair, and a firm jaw.When a smile of satisfaction graced his face she shivered. If she were not so terrified, she would have called him a handsome man. He was big, aye, but his soft brown eyes softened the sternness of his face. His jaw, clenched in anger, spoke of the ability to command. Shoulder length hair, the color of
new sawn wood, waved around his face and curled under his chin. She noticed a touch of silver at his temples. Heavy, straight eyebrows accentuated those eyes. He stared at her as if he could see within her soul.
Something about him demanded to be obeyed, and with a control that would spell her doom if she allowed him to take her from FentonCastle.
Her heart pounded and a strange sensation gathered in her arms, her legs, her stomach. The blood in her veins surged with an unknown heat and tremors raced through her. Fear—it had to be fear—coursing through her.
The sound from the hall below faded as this new feeling took its place. One thought surfaced. Where had Baldwin Stanton de Bain found such a man? Or had he come from de Bain? Surely this warrior took orders from no one. A sudden thought struck. What of Gilbert’s acquaintances? Who among them had conspired to help de Bain, by seeking this man to take her
from here?
“Mistress, you will come with me.” He directed his words toward Ella.
“Nay, I cannot. I will not leave her,” Ella shouted, shaking so badly Milisent wondered if her companion would remain on her feet.
The man looked surprised for a moment and brought his gaze to her. “Your name?”
Milisent glared at him and sealed her lips. She would tell this man nothing.
*~*
by Sarah | Feb 7, 2014 | Book Spotlight, Guest Authors, Saturday Spotlight, Writing
| [amazon_link id=”B00GXJCJ8S” target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]Amazon[/amazon_link] | Melange Books | BN | Smashwords | Kobo |
In the northern Maine woods, a wolf pack unlike any other reigns the landscape. With the ability to shift into human shape, they are the supreme rulers of their territory. Until the real humans threaten their secret realm…
Ken Rickey is one of those humans. Until he’s entrusted with the secret of the wolf-people, an honor he’ll do anything to uphold. For among the wolf-people, Ken has found loyal friends in Armand and Eaen, two of the younger wolves in Luna’s pack who share his sense of adventure.
Welcoming them to his human world and keeping them safe isn’t going to be easy, especially when there are those who suspect the truth.
An intuitive woman, Naomi Foss is quick to unearth the mystery of Ken’s two friends. Human they may seem, but there is a wildness about them which is fast consuming Ken, altering him in extraordinary ways.
But the acceptance of Naomi plunges Ken and his wolf friends into dangerous territory, where the exposure of Luna’s pack becomes a lethal reality. Can these young lovers and friends stand against the threat while keeping their secret from those who hunt them?
*~*
EXCERPT:
We cavorted for quite some time—chasing, snatching, biting. Armand, once he’d gotten over his initial fear, darted around just as uninhibited as the rest of us; although he and Eaen were careful about shifting in front of Naomi.
I, on the other hand, shed all of my inhibitions, and the mock hunt for Nae escalated seriously. I wanted her bouncing ass all to myself, and her playful screams were jabs of electricity to my groin.
She didn’t run very fast once she caught me ogling her like she was an entrée. Good ol’ Nae. She even feigned a limp so that I could corner her in the living room. She darted her eyes around like a trapped deer, and wedged herself into the corner by the book shelf, protecting her back. Then she lifted her upper lip in a warning snarl, even as her hazel eyes glistened and her pupils stretched to turn her eyes almost black. Her blonde hair was tousled and sweaty, and I’d never seen a creature more inviting.
My mouth found hers before I could say no guts, no glory, and sweet living jackrabbits, she opened herself to me. It was all I could do not to slide Mr. Plucky into home once the ump signaled for me to steal. Her tongue teased, tasted me, then retreated maddeningly, and I withdrew just far enough to clamp my teeth across her windpipe and cup her ass in my hands. She gasped, and my groin ached as it grew more swollen.
The ringing of her cell phone was like the screech of a car crash, and we both flinched at the intrusion of it. Naomi groaned as she slid away toward her pile of clothes on the living room floor. Eaen and Armand stood with their legs splayed, sides heaving, and wore tendrils of frothy spit on their fur. I stood with my need so obvious my balls hurt.
Christ, guys.
Eaen winked, the teasing turd. He saw. He’d noticed we’d all gone a bit nuts, and he loved it. Armand’s waving tail gave him away, too, but the three of us paid more attention to Nae’s cell phone call.
It was The Bear, and he wanted her and his car. She’d been gone too long already, judging by her end of the conversation. She’d promised to be back before lunch and it was past that. My, how time really does fly when you’re having fun.
She told him she’d be right there, then snapped the lid shut on her phone. And I got an unexpected explosion of jealousy in my guts.
“Don’t go, Nae. Stay with us,” I offered, and fought like hell to keep my anger from boiling over into my voice. A feat beyond me, I wasn’t exactly successful. “Tell him to fuck himself.” Oh, yeah, I was really trying.
“I can’t, Ken. Not yet, anyway, but soon,” she promised.
Was she crying? “Aw, Christ, Nae, don’t cry.” She effing leveled me. I was a mud puddle waiting to catch her tears, and before I knew it, my feet crossed the room and my arms were wrapped around her. I’d have sacrificed daylight for her.
“Come back later, then, huh?” I pulled her away to lose myself in her shimmering eyes, which had turned green because she cried. “I’ll come get you. Just call me, and I’ll come, okay? Whenever you want.” My fingers combed her tousled bangs, tucking their length behind her seashell ear.
She nodded and sniffed, and my heart cracked. Jee-zus, how was I letting her leave?
I wiped her tears with the pad of my thumb, pulled her warm body close, then ripped myself away and edged a fair distance back to stand between Eaen and Armand while we watched her dress. Weren’t we the gentlemen? When she finished donning her clothes, the four of us huddled to say good-bye.
“We really have to talk, Nae. Soon,” I said, before she slipped out the door and into the Yeti’s car. Within moments, she was gone, but even I could still smell the snowy day in our house.
| [amazon_link id=”B00GXJCJ8S” target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]Amazon[/amazon_link] | Melange Books | BN | Smashwords | Kobo |
by Sarah | Feb 3, 2014 | Guest Authors, Top Ten Tuesday, Writing
I’ve lived in 10 states and one foreign country, but New Mexico is now my home. The desert Southwest inspires my work, as I bring romantic suspense to the land I love. Here are some of my favorite spots – heavy on the adventure.
- Hovenweep National Monument: Located on the southern border between Colorado and Utah, these ruins once housed 2500 people between A.D. 1200 and 1300. It’s one of many sites left behind by the ancestral Puebloans, also known as the Anasazi. It’s a smaller site than some, but that’s part of its charm. You can hike and camp without crowds. Hovenweep inspired my romantic suspense [amazon_link id=”B006M6P6FA” target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]Whispers in the Dark[/amazon_link].
- Utah’s Canyons: Utah has so many amazing national parks that’s hard to choose a favorite. Canyonlands allows remote camping and hiking where you may not see another person. Arches and Natural Bridges are famous for their natural stone arches and bridges. Bryce Canyon is filled with hoodoos – odd pillars of rock – while Zion is known for its beehive rock formations. Take a driving trip and visit them all.
- Chiricahua National Monument: This glorious site in southeastern Arizona isn’t as famous as many of the Utah canyons, but it’s easily accessible from highway 10. A drive takes you to the top of the mountain range, where a variety of hikes provide closer looks at the unusual rock formations: spires, columns, pinnacles, and even a formation that looks like a duck.
- The Grand Canyon: If you haven’t been there, put it on your life list. If you can manage a strenuous hike, it’s worth taking the South Kaibab trail down to the bottom. Stay overnight at Phantom Ranch – maybe even add in a recovery day – before you head back up. The dorms and dining hall mean you won’t have to carry a heavy pack.
- Tombstone, Arizona: This historic city in southeastern Arizona is a bit of a tourist trap, but it’s still fun to see what life was like in the Old West. Have a drink at a historic saloon, take a stagecoach ride, or watch the re-creation of the shootout at the OK corral. Cowboy wannabes will have a blast.
- Carlsbad Caverns: Wander through the caves at your own pace or take a ranger-guided tour. The stalactites and stalagmites are astounding. In summer, stay for the bat flight program. Carlsbad is in southern New Mexico. Kartchner Caverns in southern Arizona is also worth a visit.
- Santa Fe: My list leans towards outdoor adventures, but if you want great food, shopping, and museums, take a break in Santa Fe. Different museums focus on Indian arts and culture, Spanish Colonial art, fine arts, international folk art, and more. Artist Georgia O’Keeffe even gets her own museum. Best of all, the area around the Plaza maintains the traditional pueblo style of architecture for a full immersive experience.
- Socorro, New Mexico: This small town wouldn’t show up on very many lists, but as a local, I know the special places nearby. Hikes can take you out in the desert or up to the mountains, visiting native petroglyphs or hunting for fossils. Hundreds of rock climbing routes provide adventures for everyone from beginners to experts. Plus, you have a good chance of seeing unusual wildlife, from roadrunners to coyotes to great horned owls.
- The Very Large Array: I count many world travelers among my friends and relations, so sometimes it’s hard to impress people with something new. But the VLA does the job. Two dozen enormous white radio telescope dishes stretch across the desert plains, pointing toward the sky. A walking tour provides a closer look and explains the science investigations.
- Jemez Springs: After all this adventure, it’s time to relax, and this small town in the mountains of northwestern New Mexico is known for its hot springs. You can also visit the ruins of an old Spanish church; Soda Dam, a cool rock formation formed from the mineralized water flowing in the river; and Battleship Rock, so named because it resembles the prow of a battleship. (Pictures on my Pinterest page.) I’ve attended many writing retreats at a camp north of the town, and those experiences inspired [amazon_link id=”B00GQOEE9M” target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]Counterfeits[/amazon_link], my latest romantic suspense novel. The Kindle e-book is currently on sale for $.99.
I’ve left out many wonderful places, but these are among my favorite spots. Many I visit again and again. If you make it to the Southwestern United States, maybe you’ll enjoy them as well. Otherwise, you can visit in books. Either way, we’ll be glad to have you!
*~*
| [amazon_link id=”B00GQOEE9M” target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]Amazon[/amazon_link] |
Counterfeits: Painter Jenny Kinley has spent the last decade struggling in the New York art world. Her grandmother’s sudden death brings her home to New Mexico, but inheriting the children’s art camp her grandmother ran is more of a burden than a gift. How can she give up her lifelong dreams of showing her work in galleries and museums?
Rob Caruso, the camp cook and all-around handyman, would be happy to run the camp with Jenny. Dare he even dream of that, when his past holds dark secrets that he can never share? When Jenny’s father reappears after a decade-long absence, only Rob knows where he’s been and what danger he’s brought with him.
Jenny and Rob face midnight break-ins and make desperate escapes, but the biggest danger may come from the secrets that don’t want to stay buried. In the end, they must decide whether their dreams will bring them together or force them apart.
*~*
Excerpt:
Jenny rose from sleep slowly, her body resisting. She could see nothing in the pitch black. Where was she? She blinked, trying to make sure her eyes were really open.
Memories broke through the fog. The phone call, the rush across country, the late arrival. Crawling into bed in her grandparents’ upstairs guest room. She groaned and pulled up the blanket. Morning must be hours away, given the darkness.
The old house creaked, but no sounds drifted in from outside. Maybe that’s what woke her; she was used to the murmur of city sounds all night long. Who’d have thought that would become normal?
Her head pounded. Probably dehydration from the high elevation and dry air. She should get up, drink a glass of water, take a couple of aspirin. Her head would thank her in the morning. If only she could make herself move.
The house creaked again, followed by a rhythmic sound – like footsteps. Jenny jerked upright, her ears straining. Had she heard a voice?
She shook her head. She must still be half asleep, dreaming. Imagining her grandparents were still here. Wishful thinking.
Downstairs, a door closed. Jenny clutched the blanket. Imagination be damned. She was not alone.
For a long moment, she sat frozen. During her ten years in New York City, she had never been burglarized or mugged. It seemed impossible that such a thing should happen now, here, in an off-season art camp five miles outside of Jemez Springs, New Mexico.
Maybe it was someone her grandmother knew. But what were they doing there in the middle of the night? And if they’d come to see Jenny, they should have knocked, rung the bell. Waited for morning. Anyway, who knew she was there? Even Ms. Lucena didn’t know when she was supposed to arrive. She hadn’t told anyone her travel plans; she’d just gone.
She had to do something. Jenny rose and eased open the bedroom door, praying she had somehow been mistaken, that everything would make sense if… when…. She couldn’t imagine a benign explanation.
She stood with her ear to the crack and heard a low chuckle, and then a male voice. She couldn’t tell if the laugh and the voice were the same person. Either way, that suggested two or more people, at least one of them male.
Why would a man be laughing in her grandmother’s house, in the middle of the night, two days after her grandmother’s death? No good reason came to mind.
She fumbled for her phone on the bedside stand. But even before she activated the screen, she gave a frustrated grunt. She wouldn’t get reception here. The only place in camp that got cell phone reception was the southeast corner of the parking lot. The landline was downstairs, in the kitchen.
Something crashed in a room below. Jenny jumped and dropped her phone. It hit her thigh, then her foot, and went skittering under the bed with a faint scrape against the wood floor.
A man was swearing downstairs. Hopefully that had covered up any sound she’d made. Jenny clenched her hands to control the trembling. She couldn’t imagine her grandmother being friendly with anyone who swore like that.
She had to get out of the house. She wouldn’t wait upstairs for the burglars, if that’s what they were, to find her. If she could get to her car – damn. Her keys were in her purse, which was downstairs on the living room couch. So she couldn’t drive, but she could still go to the Lodge, break in if she had to. Use the phone in the office, call the police.
Still shaking, Jenny crouched and felt along the floor for her shoes. She was wearing flannel pajama bottoms and a tank top; no need to waste time putting on clothes. She was already cold, but her jacket was downstairs, lying over her purse on the couch. It didn’t matter. She just had to get out.
*~*
Kris Bock writes novels of suspense and romance involving outdoor adventures and Southwestern landscapes. [amazon_link id=”B00GQOEE9M” target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]Counterfeits[/amazon_link] starts a new series about an art theft that brings danger to a small New Mexico town. [amazon_link id=”B006M6P6FA” target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]Whispers in the Dark[/amazon_link] has archaeology and intrigue among ancient ruins, [amazon_link id=”B0094V0OD4″ target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]What We Found[/amazon_link] features a young woman who stumbles on a murder victim, and [amazon_link id=”B004SQSONC” target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]Rattled[/amazon_link] follows a treasure hunt in the New Mexico desert. To learn more about her latest work, visit www.krisbock.com.
by Sarah | Jan 31, 2014 | Book Spotlight, Guest Authors, Saturday Spotlight, Writing
I’m excited to introduce my latest and 2nd novel, Love’s Intensity, a teen paranormal romance novel, released on July 11, 2013. I first plunged into writing novels with the release of my teen inspirational novel, A Beautiful Girl, on April 7, 2011. Billiard Buddies, a New Adult romance novella, will mark my third release coming soon. I enjoy writing characters with real life complexities.
I started out as a poet, entering competitions. I figured I’d write short stories, but I never thought I’d write full length novels. Never letting go of a dream a 5th grade teacher had for me and giving in to the encouragement of friends, I began writing Love’s Intensity, which had progressed in my mind for two months. It was challenging to create a beginning for a story where I met the characters already living out their lives, but after reading the first chapter, my friends asked for more. Having gone through three rewrites, I’m happy to present this story to everyone else. This novel is only the beginning. A series of novels is sure to follow. Because my characters are multifaceted, readers respond to them like they are real people. See below for a blurb, excerpt, and sites where a copy may be purchased.
| WildChildPublishing | [amazon_link id=”B00DVNVPLQ” target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]Amazon[/amazon_link] | B&N | All Romance ebooks |
Love’s Intensity Blurb: Brad loves fast horses, cars, and bikes. Life would be perfect if his stepmother could only mind her own business. Instead, his father hired a longtime friend and her family to work in their home, turning his world into a feudal mess.
He wants to hate the new arrivals and it doesn’t help that Kressa, daughter of the newcomers, is the most gorgeous girl he’d ever laid eyes on. With a scent that draws him to her, Kressa causes him more internal conflict than he ever dreamed possible. He falls for her so deeply, he tells her a secret he’d never even told his best friends – that he’s training to be a ninja warrior.
Kressa adores her country and loves hanging out with her many cousins. News of the move to Massachusetts comes as a shock to her. She refuses to be happy in this new place working as a servant for a rich man and his mean son, who had the nerve to be cute. And why does her skin tingle every time her hand brushes against his?
Despite her efforts, she finds herself desperately longing for a friendship with the one boy who scowls at her. Matters are only made more complicated when his family and hers clash. When he goes on a dangerous mission, she wonders, will he return so she can tell him he’s won her heart or will their families manage to keep them apart?
*~*
Love’s Intensity Excerpt:
“Good job with the saddle,” Brad encouraged Kressa, “but next time you may want to use the stepping stool I got you yesterday. Keep Gentle Rider tied up to this post until you get settled, then you can untie her.” Moving the rake and pitchforks to the far end of the stable, Brad continued, “I have no idea what I would have done if you landed on these. I should have made sure these were properly put way, so the horses wouldn’t knock them over.” He picked up and brought the stepping stool over, placing it near Gentle Rider’s area.
“I suppose Papa would have had your head too.”
“Yeah, I’m glad you’re okay.”
Kressa rode her horse out the stable while Brad got his horse saddled, fed, and watered. After leading Silver Bullet into the yard, he asked Kressa, “Did you give her feed and water?”
****
Oh, no. Now he’ll be upset. He adores his horses.
“Sorry, I forgot. I was so eager to ride. I can do it now,” Kressa said, embarrassed that she forgot.
“No. It’ll take too much effort to get you on your horse again. I’ll go get it.” Kressa noticed Brad did not sound annoyed. He spoke to her in a matter-of-fact tone.
After feeding and watering her horse, Brad and Kressa galloped around the large grassy area. After riding for a half-hour, Brad pointed to the forest area. “Would you like to go through there and see what’s on the other side?”
“Yes,” Kressa eagerly responded, “I’ve wanted to know where you go when riding your horse.” Kressa realized too late she had exposed her secret.
“Have you been watching me? One day, I felt like I was being watched. I thought it might be you, but when I saw you in the dining room, I figured I must have been wrong.”
Kressa knew she ought to fess up. “It was me. I hid because I didn’t want you to know I was watching.”
“How did you run upstairs so fast? You didn’t look out of breath.”
“I held my breath until you moved away. I was exhausted.” Kressa tried to smile while casting her eyes to the ground. Brad laughed heartily.
“Let’s go,” he said, leading the way through a path in the forest, which had been created by much riding, to the grassy field on the other side.
When Brad and Kressa came out of the tree cover, the sun seemed to shine brighter due to the open space. No shrubs or little trees existed here, only light green short cut grass which reflected the sunlight. They raced the horses around the perimeter a couple times before coming to a stop.
****
Nina studied Julio while he watched Kressa during her riding lesson. When Brad led Kressa into the forest, Julio turned to Nina and barked, “Where is he taking her? I don’t like that boy. He’s not trustworthy. If he touches my girl…”
Nina interrupted, “He won’t touch her. He has strict orders from his father.”
“Nina, he’s a young man with an active libido. I don’t care what his orders are; he can’t be trusted to control what comes naturally. Now, he’s alone with her and under the cover of those trees,” Julio fumed.
“Julio, Kressa is a smart girl. She knows what we’ve taught her, what we expect. Even if he tried something, she would push him away.”
“But only if she doesn’t want him, Nina. He’s strong, good looking, and the only boy around to talk to. I’m going over there.”
“Please wait a few minutes. If they’re not back, then go, but please don’t hurt him.”
“You would elevate him over our daughter’s innocence?”
“No, Julio, of course not. I just don’t want you to do something you can’t return from. I love you.”
Julio shook his head and moved away from her. He must hate me for bringing him here. What can I do to change his mind?
****
Brad rode Silver Bullet alongside Kressa and Gentle Rider so the horses faced each other upon his approach. He gazed into Kressa’s eyes, longing to learn something new about the girl who lived in his house. Brad removed his riding glove and reached over to brush Kressa’s hair away from her face so he could touch her cheek. She did not shrink away. His fingertips tingled where her skin met his.
So beautiful. Brad’s heart pumped a little faster and his mind swirled. Does she feel drawn to me too? He shook his head slightly. “We should go back now,” Brad said tenderly, realizing once again that the warmth he felt when he touched Kressa also did something to his heart. It was better not to remain alone. He wondered if Kressa would ever admit whether she experienced any affection toward him. He found her hard to read sometimes.
Brad pulled on his glove, led the way back through the forest, and headed for the stable. After brushing, feeding, and watering all four horses, Brad and Kressa strolled back to the house. “Great lesson today. I think before long you’ll be able to go out on your own.”
“Really? That would be great. How many more lessons do I need?” She said eagerly.
“I would imagine one or two more.”
They both laughed at the good news. At that moment, Kressa’s dad appeared around some shrubs at the base of the hill. His face held a fiery red glow.
“Kressa, get to the house right now,” Mr. Morales said grabbing her arm and pushing her toward their apartment. “I don’t know what you were thinking today taking her through those woods, but I don’t like it.”
“Sir, there’s wide open space to run the horses on the other side of the trees. I wasn’t trying to seduce her,” Brad said, feeling some guilt for touching her cheek earlier.
Mr. Morales shot Brad a fierce look and took Kressa away.
*~*
Cassandra’s Bio: Cassandra Ulrich was born on the beautiful island of St. Croix, United States Virgin Islands, located east of Puerto Rico. Living in the tropics fueled her imagination and day dreams. For years, she wrote poetry and entered competitions. However, only many years later did she discover joy in writing stories longer than a few pages.
She published her first young adult novel, A Beautiful Girl, in April 2011. The inspirational novel has already touched many hearts ranging from teens to adults.
Her second novel, Love’s Intensity, is a teen paranormal romance and was released on July 11, 2013.
Website: http://cassandraulrich.com/
Blog Site: http://cassandraulrich.blogspot.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CassandraUlrichAuthor
Twitter: @CassandraUlric1
Amazon: Author Page
by Sarah | Jan 30, 2014 | Character Interview, Guest Authors, Thursday Tell All, Writing
Good morning! I’m here speaking with Lily Frontiere, the very clever and spunky heroine from Lauren Linwood’s A Game of Chance. Let’s get to know a little about you, Lily. What are your hobbies?
When I was in school, I was mad about acting. I took part in every production, and many times I won the lead. I would have loved to go on the stage, but Maman was dead set against that. She believes being an actress is not a suitable occupation for her daughter.
Your mother is Lilian Frontiere, the owner and house madam of Lucky Lil’s, the most famous whorehouse in San Francisco. And yet she wouldn’t let you become an actress?
Oh, Maman is a strict parent. Although her occupation is unusual, she’s merely the owner of Lucky Lil’s. She’s very kind to the girls she hires, and she is a terrific listener. Many of San Francisco’s most influential men come to the house to speak with her and gain her advice. She hired an English governess for me, and then she sent me back east to boarding school. I really don’t know much about what goes on in the house. And I couldn’t disappoint her and go against her wishes by becoming an actress.
I am interested in politics, though. I love to attend suffragette meetings at Dashaway Hall. I may have inherited my interest in politics from my father. He was killed in a political revolution in Europe just after my birth. Maman left all that behind and came to America to start a new life.
Do you have any regrets?
I do wish I could have met Papa. I don’t know much about him. Maman tears up when she speaks of him.
What is your most closely guarded secret?
(Lily looks over her shoulder and leans in). If you must know, Maman is quite ill. I’m . . .
Go ahead, Lily. I won’t tell a soul.
Well, I resemble Maman a great deal. We’re the same height, and our shape is similar. She says I look exactly as she did at this age. So . . . please don’t breathe a word of this . . . but I have become Madam Lil. I cover my hair with a dark wig. I apply cosmetics (which Maman never allowed)—eyeliner and rouge and whatnot. And every night for the past month, I’ve transformed myself into Madam Lil. Our gestures are the same. Our voices are similar. Truly, it’s the acting job of a lifetime! No one has caught on. I’ve fooled everyone.
Do you have any regrets, becoming your mother and leading a life where no one knows who you truly are?
(Lily frowns.) Our servant Ben is the only one who knows of my deception. He has been with us for ages. It helps that he is aware of the situation. But regrets? Of course I have them. Although I have a first-class education and Maman has spoiled me with a wardrobe any woman would envy, I’ll never be accepted by San Francisco society. I long for a husband and children . . . but what man would get to know a person such as I am, much less fall in love with me and buck society by marrying me? When the time comes and Maman passes, I’ll probably have to leave this city. I’ve thought about becoming a governess.
Was there a major turning point in your life?
Yes! Last night a gambler came into Lucky Lil’s and presented me with the deed, which Maman had carelessly given to a corrupt banker for a loan. The man said he won it in a card game, and he’s wanting to take charge and make all kinds of changes to our establishment. I have a feeling there’ll be an eventual showdown between us.
What one word best describes you, Lily, especially with this potential showdown on the horizon?
Determined. Some might call me stubborn, but I am a very focused, very determined person.
Do your friends see you this way?
(Lily sighs.) I really don’t have any friends, other than Max and his butler Harold. Max is an old friend of Maman’s, and I go to have tea with him every week. Harold often joins us. He’s more than a butler. More like Max’s friend and financial adviser, in truth. As I mentioned, I really don’t have a place in polite society. I do miss having friends, as I did in school.
What, if anything, haunts you?
(Lily blushes.) Remember the gambler I mentioned? There’s something about him. He has the most electric blue eyes and a smile full of sunshine. I can’t seem to get his image out of my mind.
One last question, Lily. What would you wish for if you found a genie?
I would wish for Madan to regain her health. No one is more important to me, and I would do anything to see her well again.
Thank you for chatting today, Lily. I’ll be sure to keep your secrets.
*~*~*~*
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Blurb:
Gambler Jed Stone journeys to California to track down Simon Morgan, the man responsible for his best friend’s death. Arrested for robbery and murder upon arrival, Jed is shocked to see his face on a wanted poster. He escapes before his hanging, unaware that the man guilty of those crimes is the twin brother he never knew existed. In a case of mistaken identity, Jed acquires the most famous whorehouse in San Francisco in a rigged card game his twin is meant to win.
Lily Frontiere takes over running Lucky Lil’s from her dying mother, the house madam who shielded her by sending her away to boarding school. Lily’s intelligence and astonishing resemblance to her mother help in her charade, but she’s entered a world she knows little about. She clashes with the handsome stranger who turns up with the deed to Lucky Lil’s in hand, yet she is attracted to the charming risk taker.
Jed asks Madam Lil to stay on as he learns the business and is fooled by Lily’s performance until he stumbles upon the real Madam Lil and learns the truth behind Lily’s deception. His admiration for Lily blossoms into love.
But Simon Morgan seeks both Lily’s hand and ownership of Lucky Lil’s—and he will go to any means to possess both. Will Jed foil his nemesis while bringing his outlaw brother to justice and win Lily’s love?
*~*
Excerpt:
Gordon took out his money clip. He placed a few bills on the bed, soaked in her sweat and water and blood.
“That’s enough to satisfy the midwife. Sorry I don’t have enough for your funeral, love.”
Cara Lee bit back the scream and held it in her throat. The contraction ended. She refused to give him another reason to belittle her.
The midwife came to the bed and lifted the covers. “The head! My God, the baby’s coming out. Push, missus, push. Push for your life!”
Cara Lee gritted her teeth and bore down hard. A great relief washed over her. She closed her eyes, unwilling to see the man who had meant everything to her and who now betrayed her in her greatest hour of need.
“There, little one, there you go.”
She heard a slap and a hearty cry. She opened her eyes and saw her baby. Love burst from her.
“It’s a boy, missus. Hale and hearty. Even got a nice head of hair on him.”
“He’s mine,” she spit out, glaring at Gordon Fisher. “You can’t take him.”
“Oh, I can and I will, dear girl. This child is the meal ticket to my trust fund.”
He took the baby, now clean and wrapped in his mother’s ivory shawl, and spoke in low tones to the midwife before turning back to her. “This child will prove I’m respectable. I thank you for all you did, my dear.”
Gordon retreated from the room. She let out an anguished cry.
“Well, I never . . .” The midwife shook her head. “Let’s make you comfortable, dearie.”
Cara Lee moaned as the woman fussed over her, having trouble breathing again. A great weight pressed upon her.
“The worst is over, missus. Let me deal with the afterbirth. Maybe I can staunch the bleeding.”
As the midwife lifted the sheet again, she gasped. “Oh, no. Oh, my lord.”
Cara Lee broke out in a cold sweat. The pain was back again, this time even worse. Her body, her spirit, her faith in her husband. All had been broken. How much more could she bear?
The woman clucked loudly. “Another one’s coming, child. You’ll have to be strong a little bit longer.”
She sat up again. The burning urge to push had returned, stronger than the first time. She bit her lip hard and willed the baby to exit the birth canal. The burden eased from her, and the midwife cut the cord as before.
“It’s another boy. Spittin’ image of the other tyke.”
The baby gurgled happily.
“You mustn’t call him back. Don’t ever let . . .” Her voice trailed off.
A wet cloth glided across her forehead. What I wouldn’t give for a sip of cool water.
A few minutes later the midwife pulled the stained bed sheet over the woman’s head. She stared blankly at the wide-eyed baby in her arms.
“Lord Almighty. I never even knew your mama’s name.”
*~*
Author bio:
Lauren Linwood became a teacher who wrote on the side to maintain her sanity in a sea of teenage hormones. Her romances use history as a backdrop to place her characters in extraordinary circumstances, where their intense desire and yearning for one another grow into the deep, tender, treasured gift of love.
Lauren, a native Texan, lives in a Dallas suburb with her family. An avid reader, moviegoer, and sports fan, she manages stress by alternating yoga with five mile walks. She is thinking about starting a support group for Pinterest and House Hunters addicts.
Keep in touch with Lauren:
Website Facebook Twitter Blog Amazon Author Page Goodreads Author Page
Amazon Buy Links:
[amazon_link id=”B00CSC14SA” target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]Music For My Soul[/amazon_link]
[amazon_link id=”B00FQ0QGZM” target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]Outlaw Muse[/amazon_link]
[amazon_link id=”B00HQVHR98″ target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]A Game of Chance[/amazon_link]
by Sarah | Jan 27, 2014 | Guest Authors, Top Ten Tuesday, Writing
*Today Elizabeth Andrews has stopped by to tell us her Top Ten Favorite Characters in Greek Mythology–and share with us some of her book, [amazon_link id=”B00FNSNSG2″ target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]Hunting Medusa[/amazon_link].
With all of the enthralling stories in Greek mythology, choosing my favorite ten characters is a difficult task. So many of these people and deities have interwoven stories, and some of them have entire volumes of stories all their own. But I’ve done my best to whittle down my list.
10. Echo & Narcissus
I can’t think of one of this pair without the other. Poor chatterbox Echo got herself in trouble with Hera, cursed to only repeat the last words of others, and she fell in love with Narcissus, whose determination to avoid love–not just Echo’s, but other legions of females–got him cursed to fall in love with his own reflection. After pining for Narcissus, Echo eventually fades away, leaving only her voice behind, and he spends so long staring at him reflection in the water, he dies and leaves behind just the flower that bears his name. What a tragic pair.
9. Odysseus
It’s difficult to narrow down all of the bits of this adventurer that fascinate me, especially since I so enjoy his stories that I reread the Odyssey and the Iliad every few years. He suffers so many misadventures while trying to return home after the long Trojan war that it takes him as long to journey home as the war took. But even while he’s evading angry gods and dallying with Circe and Calypso, Odysseus remains determined to return home to his beloved wife Penelope and their son Telemachus. That devotion to his family is irresistible and gratifying for a romance lover like me.
8. Hercules
Poor Hercules suffers pretty much from birth for the sins of his father Zeus. Hera is furious that her husband has strayed (yet again!), but instead of punishing him, she sets her sights on the baby Hercules, beginning with the pair of snakes she sends to kill him. In some versions of the tale, she causes him to succumb to madness as an adult, and in this state, he kills his wife and children; afterward, he wants to make up for the crimes he has committed, which leads to his famous ‘Twelve Labors’. His tasks would have killed any other man, but he achieves some amazing feats like obtaining the girdle of the Amazon queen, killing the monstrous Hydra, and bringing Hades’s enormous three-headed dog from the underworld. Eventually, he married again, but that, too ended badly, and his father Zeus makes sure that Hercules is elevated to Olympus when the human part of his son is consumed by his funeral fire. This is a demi-god who really deserves a happy ending.
7. Arachne
This talented weaver thought just a bit too highly of herself and offended Athena. When challenged to a contest with the Goddess, Arachne couldn’t say no. She should have known better. Despite a talent that really did rival the Goddess’s, she didn’t even pretend to be modest about it, and she wound up as a spider. Poor girl. Though she wasn’t the only young woman to anger Athena, her fate was pretty much deserved, unlike some others.
6. Persephone & Demeter
Demeter was so devoted to her daughter that when Hades abducted Persephone to be his bride, Demeter withheld her gifts of fertility from the entire earth in her grief. It was only when her daughter was restored to her, at least for part of the year, that she agreed to allow things to grow and flourish again. Everyone wants a mother who would mourn for them so deeply, right?
5. Paris & Helen
In reading Paris’s story, I always supposed he was a rather young man. He had to choose between Hera’s offer of power, Athena’s of success in battle, and Aphrodite’s of the most beautiful woman in the world. By choosing Aphrodite’s gift of Helen, he sets off the Trojan War. Some versions have the pair in love, some do not, but his choice was an absolute catastrophe for his family and country, and incredibly selfish. It’s a fascinating ‘what if’.
4. The Minotaur
Another of the big bad monsters from Greek mythology, the poor Minotaur came into being because his mother’s husband was greedy. Minos reneged on a vow to sacrifice a white bull from Poseidon, so Poseidon arranged for the king’s wife to fall in love with the white bull, and the Minotaur was the resulting offspring, trapped in a labyrinth by Minos, who then collected young men and women from his neighboring countries to sacrifice to the monster, until Theseus arrives.
3. Ariadne
Ariadne is the daughter of Minos, and she falls madly in love with Theseus when he comes to Crete to vanquish the Minotaur. The would-be hero agrees to take her with him afterward. For her help in killing the monster and escaping the country, she is abandoned on the island of Naxos–the reason varies depending on which version of the story you’re reading. In some versions, though, she gets a happy ending anyway that includes marriage to the God Dionysus. Guess which version I like best.
2. Perseus
Born the son of Zeus and a mortal woman, baby Perseus had a grandfather who didn’t want him around, since it was foretold that he would kill his grandfather. The baby and his mother were rescued from a chest by a fisherman and lived with the king Polydectes as Perseus grew up. Only Polydectes wanted Perseus out of his way so he could marry Danae. So Perseus set off on the quest of his life, to save his mother from an unwanted marriage. What a good son!
1. Medusa
Not every version of her story is the same, but they all end in the same horrible manner. Sometimes the story begins with the maiden Medusa being raped in Athena’s temple by Poseidon, and instead of punishing the God, Athena curses Medusa. Sometimes it’s a much lesser offense that gets the young woman changed into the snake-haired monster. No matter which version, she is banished to an island, where more than one hunter attempts to kill her, and all of them are turned to stone by her gaze. Until Perseus comes along with his magical gifts and ends both her torment and her life.
My fascination with the characters of various mythologies is a long-held one, and in the case of Medusa, the basis for my new paranormal romance Hunting Medusa:
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The Medusa Trilogy, Book 1
One murderous mission. One killer case of PMS. Who said “the curse” was a myth?
When Kallan Tassos tracks down the current Medusa, he expects to find a monster. Instead he finds a wary, beautiful woman, shielded by a complicated web of spells that foils his plans for a quick kill and retrieval of her protective amulet.
Andrea Rosakis expects the handsome Harvester to go for the kill. Instead, his attempt to take the amulet imprinted in her skin without harming her takes her completely by surprise. And ends with the two of them in a magical bind–together. But Kallan isn’t the only Harvester on Andi’s trail…
*~*
Excerpt:
It was one of those days when having the Medusa’s fabled power to turn people to stone would really come in handy.
Andrea Rosakis did not, however, have that ability, not this week, anyway. Even though she was the reigning Medusa.
She glared at the man on her back porch, wondering if he could ever understand how lucky he was she wasn’t suffering from PMS this week. And why wouldn’t he stop talking? Her fingers itched to slam the door.
“…if you just have five minutes, ma’am,” he concluded.
She narrowed her gaze on the vacuum beside him. “No, thank you.” And how the hell had he found her all the way out here? No one ever bothered to follow her rough, muddy driveway all the way to the top, even if they did ignore the “No Trespassing” signs posted at the foot of it. Not to mention the protective warding she had set at the boundaries of the entire property. Sure, it wasn’t the heavy artillery of protection spells, but no one else had ever gotten past it. This man however, had not only ignored the signs and the subtle “go away” protections, but managed the entire bumpy, muddy track into the woods and halfway up the mountain. Just to hear her say, “No.”
And he didn’t look discouraged. At all.
Andi almost wished she were PMSing this week, though it would be a real pain in the ass to have to get rid of a life‑sized stone statue of a vacuum salesman.
Or maybe she could keep it. He was very pretty, even if he annoyed her. He was tall and broad, his inky black hair was a tad too long, and his bright green eyes held her attention. At least as stone, he’d be silent and still pretty. She gave herself a mental shake. “I’m sorry, but I don’t have time for this—”
“When would be a better time?”
“Never.”
He did blink at that, but his smile never disappeared. “I’ll have to check my calendar.”
She snorted, then clapped her free hand over her mouth. Laughing would not discourage the man. “Look, I’m sure it’s a great vacuum, but I don’t need it. I don’t want to see how it works, and I’d like you to get off my property.”
His smile did fade a little bit. “Well, I suppose, if that’s what you really want.”
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