Top Ten Tuesday – Greek Mythology Style

*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:

HuntingMedusa72web| [amazon_link id=”B00FNSNSG2″ target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]Amazon[/amazon_link] |

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.”

 

Top Ten Tuesday – Stephanie Cage Talks Christmas

Top ten ways to prepare for Christmas.

I love Christmas.  The bit I don´t like is the 3 months or so of tinny carols in shops, excessive advertising, and the supermarket being rearranged to make way for twenty aisles of seasonal produce.  Given my occasional Scrooge-like tendencies, it can take me a while to get in the spirit of Christmas, which makes it all the more ironic that my first seasonal release is a Christmas story.  This year, publishing my story The Santa Next Door with The Wild Rose Press has helped me get in the mood for Christmas a lot earlier than usual, so I thought I´d take this opportunity to share my top ten ways of getting into the spirit of the season and avoiding the last-minute panic.  I wonder how many of these you share?

1. Wrapping gifts.  While I can take or leave Christmas shopping, I love the process of disguising and beautifying items to sit under the tree.  Maybe it´s my overactive writer´s imagination, but when battling with the sticky tape, I can almost see the joyous faces of my friends and family tearing the paper off.

2. Writing Christmas cards.  It can feel like a chore, but writing cards is also a wonderful opportunity to connect with people I don´t see often, and show appreciation for those I do.  Like choosing and wrapping gifts, finding the right card is another way to step away from the mass-produced and add a personal touch.

3. Making decorations. Of course you can buy decorations, and I often do, but some of the baubles and trinkets I love seeing most are the lop-sided, hand-made ones that carry personal memories with them.

4. Mince pies.  This traditional British favourite is so much a part of Christmas, it ended up with a whole scene of its own in The Santa Next Door. I love all kinds of seasonal delicacies, but if I could only save one, it would be hot spiced pies.

5. Mulled wine.  No Christmas party would be complete without steaming spiced wine, and I was over the moon when I discovered you could do the same thing with red grape juice for the drivers in the party.

6. Christmas music.  I don´t mean the endless repeats of seasonal number ones that you hear in the shops, but traditional songs like a soaring Gloria never fail to lift the spirits.

7. Outdoor skating rinks.  They might be even chillier than their indoor equivalents, but there´s a unique thrill to gliding about in the open air, huddled up in a scarf and gloves, feeling the chill just on the end of your nose

8. Scented candles. As Christmas approaches, the nights draw in, and the early dusk is a great excuse to light candles scented with pine or cinnamon.  As a very wise lady once said, better to light a candle than curse the darkness.

9. Re-reading old favourites. Little Women never fails to remind me how lucky I am to be enjoying a Christmas with presents, and The Magic Christmas Tree is another seasonal must-read to encourage me to appreciate the season.

10. Watching Christmas movies.  For many of my friends, Christmas is A Wonderful Life or Mary Poppins.  I´m a little less conventional in my choices. My current favourite is Arthur Christmas, which has just narrowly surpassed my previous top pick, Olive the Other Reindeer.  Both are adorable animations with a heartwarming message.  What better way to feel the real Christmas spirit?

*~*

TheSantaNextDoor_w7425_750| [amazon_link id=”B00ES5JYLE” target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]Amazon[/amazon_link] |

Blurb

Sue Edmonds swore off men after her feckless husband left her struggling to care for their four-year-old daughter Trudi and maintain their ramshackle Victorian home.  But her mysterious neighbour might tempt her to change her mind.

Bryn Thomas once found peace and happiness in music but that was before his heart was broken.  Now it stirs up painful memories and provides little comfort.  That is until he finds himself sharing Christmas carols with his young neighbor and her beautiful mother.  As Sue sees Bryn playing Santa, she is touched to discover his gentler side.  Can she hope for a Christmas miracle and the fulfilment of Trudi´s Christmas wish for a Dad?

*~*

Excerpt

“Mmmm.” A blissful murmur escaped Bryn’s lips. The pastry was crisp and warm and light, and the filling rich and spicy, bursting onto his tongue with the taste of childhood Christmases. “Thank you.” His thanks to Sue related to more than just the neighborly gesture of bringing pies. He only hoped the two weak words could hold the depth of gratitude he felt for the way she had awakened him, his energy, his hopes, and his senses. The warmth in her eyes as she responded with a simple, “You’re welcome,” suggested that she understood something of the depth of his feeling, though perhaps not the reason for his emotive response. He smiled across his coffee at her, and no words were needed as they shared a moment of perfect contentment. Of course, Trudi was not one to allow the silence to linger, and she bounced over to Bryn with her hand outstretched, displaying the coloring book she’d brought. Sue sat back in the corner of the sofa, and Bryn got a very appealing view of her shapely legs. She looked like a cat curled comfortably in the warm room, and she seemed happy to let Trudi, perched on Bryn’s chair arm, dominate the conversation. “I want a princess dress for Christmas,” Trudi announced. “I love princesses. I like the princess in Aladdin best, and I like the other princess, the one with red hair like mine.” Sue and Bryn exchanged an amused look as Trudi rattled on. “I like unicorns too. I’ve got a unicorn but it’s not a real one. It’s purple and furry.” Did all girls go through a fairy-tale phase? Something in Sue’s eyes told him that if she had ever believed in happy endings, she no longer had that faith. What had happened to change that feeling? He wasn’t ready to ask yet, but maybe one day he’d find out. He’d like to bring back her faith in the world.

Top Ten Tuesday – Katya Armock Talks Music

Katya Armock has stopped by today to talk about the top ten songs she likes to listen to while writing – and how they tie into her novel, [amazon_link id=”B00FY3FN1O” target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]To Growl or Groan[/amazon_link].
*~*

psycho

Here are ten songs that I like to listen to when I write. They have some relation to my current novel To Growl or to Groan.

  1. [amazon_link id=”B00150U8DS” target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]Mr. Self Destruct[/amazon_link] by Nine Inch Nails: Chloe feels like she is losing control of her psychic ability, and this song could be from the point of view of her ability when Chloe is viewing it as a threat.
  2. [amazon_link id=”B0017QJN8G” target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]Sour Cherry[/amazon_link] by The Kills: Chloe and Jorge’s relationship gets tested in this book, not necessarily in the way this song implies, but I like the song’s vibe.
  3. [amazon_link id=”B000W18LPI” target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]Right in Time[/amazon_link] by Lucinda Williams: This is such a great love/sex song.
  4. [amazon_link id=”B000WIPZ28″ target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]Metal Heart[/amazon_link] by Garbage: Chloe has to face a lot of her inner demons in this book. A line from this song sums up her feelings in many ways: “I want to understand so I can forgive and be willing to love.”
  5. [amazon_link id=”B000004AT7″ target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]Most Beautiful[/amazon_link] by Frente: “The most beautiful thing is when I hear your heartbeat.” The Happily Ever After moment in a nutshell.
  6. [amazon_link id=”B000UCEJDM” target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]And Darling[/amazon_link] by Teagan and Sarah: A short song that always makes me think about the nature of relationships.
  7. [amazon_link id=”B00136O0AG” target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]Sweetest Decline[/amazon_link] by Beth Orton: Such a beautiful, haunting, hopeful song. “What’s the use in regrets? They’re just lesson we haven’t learned yet.” Kind of like the sun will come up tomorrow but a bit more my taste in music. J
  8. [amazon_link id=”B000EHQ7L0″ target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]Turn Into[/amazon_link] by Yeah, Yeah, Yeahs: It’s so hard to open yourself up to someone.
  9. [amazon_link id=”B002B31B84″ target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]You Shook Me All Night Long[/amazon_link] by AC/DC: I don’t think I need to explain. This band is not known for its subtlety. 😉
  10. [amazon_link id=”B0092MKH82″ target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]Demons[/amazon_link] by Imagine Dragons: Just to prove I do listen to some contemporary music. J Plus, this is a song I listen to over and over.

*~*

ToGrowlOrToGroan_ByKatyaArmok-453x680| [amazon_link id=”B00FY3FN1O” target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]Amazon[/amazon_link] | BN | ARe | Amazon UK | Amazon CA |

Blurb:

Her gift could save a missing girl…or destroy her relationship forever.

After receiving a troubling Tarot reading, Chloe just knows something big and bad is about to happen. Her ability to communicate with animals and shape-shifters is going awry, and her growing psychic abilities are beginning to scare her. Despite her unease, she won’t let anything interrupt her trip to Scotland to spend the holidays with her shape-shifter boyfriend’s family. Jorge is everything she’s always wanted, and the fire between Chloe and the passionate panther-shifter burns hot. But meeting his family has her nerves in knots.

When Jorge’s sister goes missing, Chloe’s psychic abilities might be the only thing that can help them find her. But things don’t go as planned, and with confusing psychic visions clouding her judgment, Chloe makes a mistake and an animal is injured. And Chloe fears she might hurt Jorge as well… 

Excerpt:

“Which deck are you drawn to, Chloe?” The tarot reader lays out three decks before me and waves her hands over the decks. “Feel free to pick them up, look at the artwork.”

Her booth is toward the back of a new-age shop called The Abacus, not far from where I used to work. She wears jeans and a T-shirt that reads, “Tarot isn’t a matter of life or death. It’s more important than that.” I’d place her at about forty, wisps of gray intermingling in her near-black hair.

I look over the decks of cards. The first has Renaissance-type drawings. Boring. The second is purple and features whimsical faery creatures. It’s pretty and ethereal. The third is dark. On the back of each card, two serpents eating their own tails are entwined on a black background. I flip the deck, thumb through the cards. The pictures are raw and vivid; they suck me in.

“This one.” I hand the third deck back to her.

She nods. “Very good. What is your question? You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want.”

There is no reason for me not to tell her; she of all people should understand. “I want to know about my gift.”

There’s not an ounce of judgment or question in her eyes before she holds the cards to her chest for a moment and closes her eyes for a few deep breaths. I watch the rise and fall of her chest, trying to claim her calmness, but I remain fidgety and anxious.

She opens her eyes, looks at my hands tapping on the table. “It’s OK to be nervous, but there is nothing to fear. All is as it will be.”

Oh, platitudes. If I ever become a Zen master, hallelujah. In the meantime, I try to quell my inner cynic and smile at the card reader.

She laughs, as if she can read my mind. Perhaps she can. “I’m going to do a three-card reading for you. The first represents the past, the second the present, and the third the future.” She shuffles the deck, then lays it neatly on the table between us. “Cut the deck with your left hand.”

I do, and she lays out the first card. It’s The Devil, which can’t possibly be good. At least it’s my past card.

Her face is unhelpfully blank. “Tell me your impressions of this card. It can be the name, the artwork, whatever.”

I pick it up for a closer look. The drawing is in shades of purple. At the top, a face, featuring lazy yellow eyes and downturned lips, sprouts four horns. A web of string seems to be wound among the horns and crisscrosses to form a pentagram on the devil’s forehead. From the neck down, he appears to be submerged in water and wearing some sort of vest with intricately interlocking clasps. “It is a dark picture, but it almost appears as if the figure has an angelic halo. As though all is not lost.”

She tilts her head to the side, revealing a small black goddess tattoo under her ear. “That is interesting. The Devil represents the shadow side of things. It can be lies and illusion, but it can also remind us to focus on using our power for good—to make our fate.”

Well that certainly fits and is a whole lot better than my first impression that my past must be filled with evil. Until recently, I had repressed the little I knew of why my mother left my father and me when I was ten. Now I know she left to go back to her mother to get help. I am certain it had something to do with her having a gift, just as I can telepathically communicate with animals and shape-shifters. And that means that my gift was inherited. What I don’t know is how far back in the family tree the genes go or where these gifts come from. I’m not sure I want to know.

*~*

katyaI like books that are funny and fun to read (and hot!) but also make me think or look at the world in a new way.

These days you’ll find me writing, pet sitting, juggling a number of freelance gigs, and reigning as my home’s domestic goddess. I live in the Midwestern U.S. with my husband, dog and cats. Alas, I have, as of yet, been unable to teach my husband how to purr.

Website: http://katyaarmock.com/

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/katyaarmock

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/KatyaArmock

 

Top Ten Tuesday – Why Beth Barany Writes and Reads Paranormal Romance

My top ten reasons for writing and reading paranormal romance.

As a reader:

  1. I like to travel to new and magical places.
  2. I love such places as France in the Middle Ages, Scotland, and Ireland.
  3. I like stories that evoke ancient legends and tales.
  4. I like that tales that surprise and delight me.
  5. I love time travel.

As a paranormal romance writer:

  1. I like to write about professional women who learn to make room for true love in their lives.
  2. I write strong, sensitive, smart heroes.
  3. I’m inspired by the earth and ancient ways and weave those mysteries into my stories.
  4. I like to create sweet romance where the growing relationship is the focus.
  5. I love time travel.

*~*

Gargoyle_cover_Barany-Keppler-Simpson_1400x2256| [amazon_link id=”B00DVNC9E8″ target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]Amazon[/amazon_link] | BN | ARe |

ABOUT GARGOYLE: THREE ROMANCE NOVELLAS

The mysterious lives of gargoyles. They don’t just hang out on buildings. They right wrongs. They wreak havoc. And they change the lives of unsuspecting people who never see them coming.

 

ON A WING AND A PRAYER BY Kay Keppler (Humorous Contemporary)

The hero…

Craig knows that Bea is in trouble. But Craig can’t do anything about it—because he’s a garden gargoyle and Bea can’t hear his warnings. When unexpected visitors arrive to help, Craig finds the power he had all along. Now the neighborhood will never be the same.

 

TOUCHSTONE OF LOVE by Beth Barany (Time Travel)

The touchstone…

When a thunderstorm transports software expert Rose Waldman to thirteenth century France, she meets hunky stonemason Julien, who is secretly creating a gargoyle in defiance of his master mason. Can independent gadget loving Rose trust her life and heart to Julien, and can she really never go home again?

 

THE MILLER’S DAUGHTER BY Patricia Simpson (Historical)

And the freak just trying to get along…

Sentenced to burn at the stake for sorcery, Merofled volunteers to help jaded warrior Alaric kill a gargoyle that threatens her village. But Merofled soon discovers the gargoyle is not a monster at all. It’s a misfit just like her. Can she persuade Alaric to spare the gargoyle–and herself?

*~*

EXCERPT OF “TOUCHSTONE OF LOVE” BY BETH BARANY

Julien of Beauvais stomped through the edge of town, through the fields and the stormy dark. He didn’t care about the wet and wind. He needed to find peace, he needed to find inspiration. It was time that he showed Master Stonemason Bernard de Chantilly all of his skill and artistry and present his master work to the community and get his approval, even if the master stonemason said Julien could not present his work at Michaelmas in five days.

The master stonemason didn’t like him and had not allowed him to present the previous year. But this year would be his. It was time he showed Master Bernard that he was ready to become a master mason and travel as a free man. His training was complete. He’d become a journeyman and done a short trip to Paris with Master Bernard a few years ago. Yet, most men at his age of twenty-six years had already started their own houses and were busy at work on the new cathedrals sprouting all over France.

He wanted to travel to Amiens, or Rennes, and direct his own house, with a woman at his side, and his own apprentices, and a passel of children. The time was now. His time. Oblivious to the cold and the wet, Julien stomped through the field in anger.

Not only was Master Stonemason Bernard a barrier to his dreams, but so was also Marie-Jeanne, his intended. She’d betrayed him with that farm boy from the count’s household. How was he going to create a home when his betrothed was ready to run off with another?

That was why, in his anger, he’d messed up the day’s stone carving work and had been relegated to sorting and breaking granite blocks for the other apprentices.

The rain pelted his face as Julien stumbled over something. He lost his footing and slipped to his knees. He put out his hands to brace himself and felt something soft. Soft and warm.

As gently as he could, as if he were handling a new-born lamb back at his parents’ farm, he felt for the shape of the soft and warm, and unmistakably touched a breast. A woman fallen in the fields. In the cloudy night with no light of the moon or stars, he reached out to learn more about her. She was alive by the warmth of her, and by the strong pulse at her throat, and not long outdoors, as her skin wasn’t completely chilled. He couldn’t leave her, so he scooped up her unconscious, naked form and headed for his workshop hidden in a copse of chestnut trees outside the walls of the town.

Once inside his small workshop, he stoked the fire under the cook pot. He rushed to cover her with his blanket and rubbed the hands and feet of the woman, something he’d seen the old midwife do to women who sometimes fainted in the fields. The woman breathed deeply, but remained asleep.

She was naked, curved in all the right places. Clearly well fed, luscious, but quite improperly dressed for a fall night, as if she’d been bathing and wandered off from her task.

Maybe she was under some spell that made her sleep. While he was a god-fearing man, and worshipped Mother Mary, he knew magic was in the land. He felt it when he worked the stone every day, but never talked about it.

The woman appeared calm, even peaceful as she slept. Definitely a woman, not a girl. Her long golden locks had come loose from her tie. She had rosy cheeks, pink lips, an angular nose, and a long column of a throat. Her chest rose and fell with even breaths.

What color were her eyes? He pulled the wool blanket up under her chin, and tucked it around her body to keep her warm. A tiny waist, a warm shapely rump, long legs, strong feet—he noticed all that as he chastely tucked the blanket around her. He’d noticed that her palms were strong, with callused, long fingers, almost as big as his. She must be a farmhand from a neighboring village, but he didn’t recognize her.

She was almost angelic in how she slept. His troubles forgotten, he made for his worktable on the other side of the one-room shed and picked up his chisel.

He’d found the inspiration he needed to start his work of art.

 

“Touchstone of Love” is in the collection, Gargoyle: Three Enchanting Romance Novellas. Amazon (international): http://viewbook.at/Gargoyle. More at: http://author.bethbarany.com/books/gargoyle-three-enchanting-romance-novellas/

*~*

Beth-Barany_360by270-croppedABOUT THE AUTHOR

Award-winning author, Beth Barany has been making up fantasy and adventure stories all her life. She writes magical tales of romance and adventure for women and girls to transport them to new worlds where anything is possible. To learn more about Beth and her fiction, visit her site: http://author.bethbarany.com. On Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/beth_barany. On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bethbarany.

 

 

Top Ten Tuesday – Brenna Chase’s Favorite Movies

I’m a movie buff. There’s something about the right combination of screenplay, direction, production, editing, and acting, that I just enjoy discovering. And when a movie is really good, I’ll watch it over and over. Sometimes I catch things I missed before, which is, to me, the mark of a great film. For the most part, I prefer classic movies, but newer ones grab me too. This is my top ten list of movies that are worth watching more than once.

10. [amazon_link id=”B001D8W7EK” target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]Notorious (1946)[/amazon_link]

Cary Grant and Ingrid Bergman give stellar performances as a US intelligence officer and a woman who’s asked to spy on a Nazi group in South America.

9. [amazon_link id=”B00008LDO3″ target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]The Ox-bow Incident (1943)[/amazon_link]

Dana Andrews and Henry Fonda star in this gripping study of vigilantism in the Old West and what sort of man would go along with it.

8. [amazon_link id=”079284615X” target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]Henry V (1989)[/amazon_link]

Kenneth Branagh wrote, directed, and starred in this adaptation of Shakespeare’s play. Standout performances by a cast that includes Emma Thompson, Judi Dench, and a young Christian Bale.

7. [amazon_link id=”B00005A06N” target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]Some Like it Hot (1959)[/amazon_link]

What do two male musicians who witness a gang slaying do to escape the killers? Disguise themselves as women and join an all female musical troupe, of course. Jack Lemmon, Tony Curtis, and Marilyn Monroe shine in this fun romp by Billy Wilder.

6. [amazon_link id=”B0012KPPP2″ target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]My Man Godfrey (1936)[/amazon_link]

Carole Lombard died too young. She’s perfect as the flighty Irene Bullock in this classic screwball comedy and a great foil to William Powell’s staid rich man turned forgotten man turned butler.

5. [amazon_link id=”B000J670ZI” target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]Bringing up Baby (1938)[/amazon_link]

Howard Hawks surely got his wish when he declared he wanted no normal characters in this film. Cary Grant and Katharine Hepburn always played well off each other, and this movie was no exception. Lots of fun, with some great one-liners.

4. [amazon_link id=”B00004RF97″ target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]The Philadelphia Story (1940)[/amazon_link]

Another fun Katharine Hepburn and Cary Grant film, this time with the added talents of James Stewart and Ruth Hussey. A socialite about to remarry finds her ex husband has returned, with some guests that make her rethink her priorities. Another movie with some great quips.

3. [amazon_link id=”B009L147EE” target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]The Best Years of our Lives (1946)[/amazon_link]

Three men return home from World War II to find their lives are unalterably changed, some for the good, some for the bad. Dana Andrews gives a great performance as a shell-shocked bomber pilot whose life and marriage are spinning out of control.

2. [amazon_link id=”B000ID37RM” target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]To Kill a Mockingbird (1962)[/amazon_link]

Gregory Peck is at his best as Atticus Finch in this tale of racism, poverty, and ignorance in the Depression Era South. Two moments choke me up every time: when Atticus is leaving the courtroom after the trial and when Scout meets Boo face to face.

1. [amazon_link id=”B0030MTXKS” target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]The Lion in Winter (1968)[/amazon_link]

It’s Christmas in Chinon, and that means intrigue, anger, jealousy, and back-stabbing in this adaptation of James Goldman’s play. Katharine Hepburn is great as the imprisoned Eleanor of Aquitaine, and she and Peter O’Toole as Henry II play off each other well. This film marks the screen debuts of Timothy Dalton and Anthony Hopkins.

*~*

North and South Vol 1 CoverNorth and South Vol 2 Cover, 2North and South, Vol 3 Cover

North and South: Wild and Wanton Edition, by Brenna Chase and Elizabeth Gaskell

Blurb:

Margaret Hale’s life changes dramatically when her father quits his living as a parson in the idyllic New Forest in the South of England and moves the family to the northern industrial town of Milton, intending to become a private tutor. There, she is appalled at the poverty surrounding her and at first finds the local mill workers too rough, but soon she can’t help sympathizing with their plight.

John Thornton is a magistrate and owner of a prosperous cotton mill. Forced to become the head of the household at a young age and driven to keep his family from becoming impoverished again, he’s had no time for love. He certainly has no time for a lady who looks down on both him and the industry in which he earns his livelihood. Their beliefs lead them to inevitably clash, but their arguments over his treatment of his workers mask a deep attraction neither wants, and eventually, one that neither can deny.

Although it is labeled as a social novel, North and South simmers with sexual tension. Through the backdrop of a labor strike and a riot, through a possible murder and its fallout, through the deaths of loved ones, and the rise and fall of fortunes, the romance between John Thornton and Margaret Hale still entrances readers as it did when first published in 1855. In this updated version, read the steamy scenes that Ms. Gaskell, a minister’s wife, could not include in the original work, from John and Margaret’s first desperate, yet tender, lovemaking, to their sizzling reunion in London.

 

Sensuality Level: Sensual 

Excerpt:

“… You will see Milton without smoke in a few days, I imagine, Miss Hale.” He turned his gaze to her as he spoke, and sure enough, little spots of colour formed on her cheeks. He leaned forward in his chair as he awaited her reply.

“But why,” asked she, “could you not explain what good reason you have for expecting a bad trade? I don’t know whether I use the right words, but you will understand what I mean.”

“Do you give your servants reasons for your expenditure, or your economy in the use of your own money? We, the owners of capital, have a right to choose what we will do with it.”

“A human right,” said Margaret, very low.

“I beg your pardon, I did not hear what you said.”

“I would rather not repeat it,” said she; “it related to a feeling which I do not think you would share.”

“Won’t you try me?” pleaded he; his thoughts suddenly bent upon learning what she had said. She was displeased with his pertinacity, but did not choose to affix too much importance to her words.

“I said you had a human right. I meant that there seemed no reason but religious ones, why you should not do what you like with your own.”

***

“Miss Hale, this is between my employees and me. I’ll thank you to remember that.”

Incensed, she rose and removed the dressing gown, thrusting it toward him. “I had better go. Thank you, Mr. Thornton.”

He stood as well. “It’s still raining.”

“I’ll be fine.”

“Then I wish you good day, Miss Hale.”

But she made no move to gather her hat and shawl as she looked up at him. Instead, she found herself wanting to smooth the frown from his brow, and she tore her gaze away, unable to understand the feeling. She cleared her throat and glanced back at him. He was suddenly closer, and his expression had grown more intent, his eyes darting from hers to her lips and back again. Her pulse began to race again and heat flared in her stomach. “Mr. Thornton.”

“John,” he said, his voice a little deeper and more rough than usual. “My name is John.”

Before Margaret could reply, his hands cupped her face, and his lips brushed hers. Her eyes, which had drifted closed, opened wide and she stared at him, her tongue darting out to taste where he had kissed. Mr. Thornton released a harsh breath and his lips covered hers again, moving over them with slow, lingering caresses. Margaret was too astonished to push him away. She was further stunned to realise she did not want to. She liked this kiss: from the light tingling pressure of his mouth on hers, to the soft scrape of his stubble against her face. She liked it very much! Heady excitement rushed through her veins, warming her as it spread through her limbs, her body. She began to kiss him back, answering each ardent stroke of Mr. Thornton’s lips with one of her own as she sought more of the wonderful feelings.

 

 

 

 

Dax Varley, Sleepy Hollow, and a Yummy Top Ten Tuesday

I’ve adored the Legend of Sleepy Hollow since I was a willowy, knobby-kneed third-grader as skinny as Ichabod Crane himself. So it was no surprise that I’d one day write a novel based on that legend.

Over time, there’ve been lots of tellings, retellings, and odd adaptations. One of the best came in 1999 when [amazon_link id=”B00AEBB9V4″ target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]Tim Burton[/amazon_link] released his version, and Ichabod transformed from scarecrow to scrumptious. But could there ever be another Crane as gorgeous as Johnny Depp? Ahem. Turns out, yeah. Fox has gifted us with the new series, “[amazon_link id=”B00F91FQZO” target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]Sleepy Hollow[/amazon_link].” And it’s so farfetched and implausible, I knew it’d be great fun.

So here are the Top Ten reasons “Sleepy Hollow” makes me lose my head.  

10. Ichabod’s Coat. It’s just old and scrappy enough to be its own character. When they resort to clothing him in modern attire, that coat had better stay!

9. Time Travel. Crane is transported to the 21st century and must learn the ways of technological age. Not so smooth. It’s like teaching your mom how to take a selfie.

8. Tom Mison. Uh…just look at him.

picture #1

 

7. The Apocalypse. The Four Horseman, two witnesses, and seven years to stop it. So we get at least seven seasons, right? The Winchesters and Buffy had their shot. Now the end of days has come to Sleepy Hollow.

6. The Village of Sleepy Hollow- Population 144,000. A place whose apocalyptic population sounds more like a town than a village. But with such a great atmosphere…who’s counting?

5. Lt. Abbie Mills. She’s a woman with authority, a gun, and a “get outta my face” attitude.  Cute and kickass…a winning combination.

4. Terminator-style Headless Horseman. Badass? Yeah. He’s Death himself, as in The Four Horseman. Sure he can slice a head or two with a saber, but give him a semi-automatic and watch out!

3. Ichabod’s Amazing Expressions. The man is displaced in time and his introduction to this new age is one of the most adorable things to grace the small screen. You just want to kiss that boyish face.

2. History and Mystery. Who knew our founding fathers were so cryptic? Okay, Dan Brown and Nicholas Cage, that’s who. But still. This show’s a cocktail of historical twists.

1. Ichabod Crane. A 250-year-old dead guy who can get our tingly parts twitching. He’s wise, witty, sexy and smooth – all why wearing clunky boots and a high collar coat. I’ll take two please.

picture #2

 

SEVERED – A Tale of Sleepy Hollow

By Dax Varley

SEVERED COVER FOR KINDLE| [amazon_link id=”B00EIS9CFO” target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]Amazon[/amazon_link] |

Blurb:

Katrina’s still haunted by her encounter with the Headless Horseman – the night he beckoned to her. Now he has risen again, slashing heads and terrorizing the quiet countryside.

Her only joy during this dismal darkness comes when Ichabod Crane, a gorgeous young man from Connecticut, moves to Sleepy Hollow and their attraction turns to romance.

When the Horseman marks Ichabod as his next victim, Katrina, despite dangerous efforts to save him, sees no other choice than for them to flee.

But the Horseman awaits. Now it’s up to her to sever  the horror and alter the Legend of Sleepy Hollow.

*~*

Excerpt:

1790…Then

The Horseman…he is real. He came for me.

I sat, gazing out my chamber window. A ground mist had collected, hovering over the glen. Then I heard him, distant at first, approaching within the fog. His race with the night thundered a rhythm. My heart drummed to each beat.

Within moments, I saw him – a headless outline of black within a gray cloud. As though sensing my eyes upon him, he slowed his phantom steed, circling once. The horse reared, pawing the haze. The Horseman quickly drew his sword and sliced the air.

I dropped down below the windowsill, my breath coming in shallow gasps. Had I doomed myself by daring to peek? I quivered, hugging my knees.

He is not real. He is not real.

Moments passed. Then slowly, I inched to the edge of the sill. Hiding in the shadows, I moved the curtain just a whisper.

The Horseman was still there, but now he’d turned…toward my window. My heart hammered and my blood ran as cold as the Hudson River.

He knows I’m watching.

His hand reached out – beckoning…inviting …bewitching me. A gray breath of evil played upon my neck, and my name wafted through the mist.

Katrina.

I struggled against the force that summoned me, tightening every muscle, every nerve, refusing to move an inch. My body quaked, but I kept my mind as sharp as The Horseman’s blade. I will not come. I will not.

Still he remained. No wind. No stars. Just the ivory fog. And that hand…

Katrina.

When I thought I couldn’t hold back a second more, he spurred his massive steed. And like a midnight blast, he flew, charging across the countryside.

I collapsed, trembling, heaving. Finding strength, I crawled upon my bed. I dared not move. I dared not sleep. I lay within my quilt, knotted in fear.

The Horseman …he is real. He came for me. And I knew not when he’d return.