Three-Day Blitz for SNOW IN JULY, SF/Fantasy Romance by Kim Iverson Headlee

I always enjoy hosting Kim, and have read SNOW IN JULY. Read my Amazon review, and enjoy this blitz!

 

SNOW IN JULY

by

Kim Iverson Headlee

My Friend's Book About A Special Rescue Dog

My dear friend in England, Brian Porter, has 10 rescue dogs and wrote a book about one special rescue, SASHA. A beautiful and moving story. He's sending a much-needed message out to the world. Thanks, friends and cousins who already bought the book. Proceeds go to supporting Brian's nine other rescue dogs and Sasha.

Amazon link to SASHA

My Time Travel Romance DARK BREW is Now On Sale! "Learn from the past or forever be doomed to repeat it."

I'm happy to announce the worldwide release of my time travel romance DARK BREW with

The Wild Rose Press.

 

Accused of her husband’s murder, druid Kylah McKinley travels back through time to her past life in 1324 Ireland and brings the true killer to justice.

This story took 11 years from start to finish. I’m a longtime member of the Richard III Society, and in the spring of 2004, I read an article in The Ricardian Register by Pamela Butler, about Alice Kyteler, who lived in Kilkenny, Ireland in 1324, and faced witchcraft charges. After her trial and acquittal, she vanished from the annals of history. I couldn't resist writing a book about her.

I made it a paranormal because I’m a believer in reincarnation, and I go on paranormal investigations whenever I can. I’ve gone on several past life regressions. Cape Cod has a lot of history and paranormal activity. I’ve been on many ghost walks and ghost hunts there. I wanted to connect Alice in the past with someone in the present, her reincarnation.

Alice Kyteler wasn't famous in 14th century Ireland but she was the richest woman in Kilkenny, and for that reason the villagers hated her, especially the men. They accused her of killing her first husband, but she was acquitted. Then they accused her of killing her fourth husband, John LePoer, with witchcraft, the accusations more absurd than those of the 1692 witch hysteria in Salem, Massachusetts. Chancellor Edward de Burgh arrested Alice because her stepsons claimed she had murdered John by casting a witch’s spell with malefecia… and she used the enchanted skull of a beheaded thief as her cauldron.

She went to trial and her dear friend Michael Artson had her acquitted, but she vanished into the annals of history. According to legend, she went to England. But no one knows for sure.

I made it a time travel because my heroine, Kylah, is a druid and has done many past life regressions, she knows she’s the reincarnation of Alice. So she has to go back and find out what happened to Alice, because too many weird things are happening to her in this life that parallel Alice’s life.

Kylah lives on my beloved Cape Cod. She’s a ghost hunter and owns a new age store in a restored Revolutionary War-era tavern. She was also the target of a hit-and-run. Another hit-and-run crippled her husband Ted. That’s no coincidence—she’s convinced someone’s out to get them both.

She brews an ancient druid herb mixture, goes back in time and enters Alice’s life to find out exactly what happened and who killed her husband.

These two months of hell change her life forever. Kylah’s life mirrors Alice’s in one tragic event after another—she finds her husband sprawled on the floor, cold, blue, with no pulse. Evidence points to her, and police arrest her for his murder. Kylah and Alice shared another twist of fate—they fell in love with the man who believed in them. As Kylah prepares for her trial and fights to maintain her innocence, she must learn from her past or she’s doomed to repeat it.

Pamela Butler, who wrote the article about Alice, and I have corresponded. She lives in New Mexico, so we’ve never met in person. I asked Pam what inspired her to write about Alice. I’d never heard of Alice until I read her article, “Witchcraft & Heresy. She replied:

“You asked why I wrote about Alice Kyteler, who preceded Richard by a century-and-a-half. I only wrote it because others on the listserv encouraged me to write about witchcraft, a subject about which I knew very little. I ordered three books from Amazon.com on the subjects of witchcraft, heresy, Satanism, etc. for research reasons. That was my basis, plus I searched the Internet. The Malleus Malleficarum was published in 1487, just two years after Richard's death, so it's almost contemporary. I chanced across Alice in this reading and thought that it was an interesting case. Witch burning was fairly rare in Ireland, and wasn't as bad in England at that time as it had been on the Continent. I wish that the M.M. had never been published; still, the fact that it was published and accepted may reveal the mindset of those times.”

An excerpt from DARK BREW

Kylah shut Ted’s den door. She couldn’t bear to look at the spot where he gasped his last breath. His presence, an imposing force, lingered. So did his scent, a blend of tobacco, pine aftershave and manly sweat. Each reminder ripped into her heart like a knife. Especially now with the funeral looming ahead, the eulogies, the mournful organ hymns, the tolling bells...

These ceremonies should bring closure, but they’d only prolong the agony of her grief. She wanted to remember him alive for a while longer, wishing she could delay these morbid customs until the hurt subsided.

Throughout the house, his essence echoed his personality: the wine stain on the carpet, the heap of dirty shirts, shorts and socks piled up in the laundry room, the spattered stove, his fingerprints on the microwave. But she couldn’t bring herself to clean any of it up. Painful as these remnants were, they offered a strange comfort. He still lived here.

“I’ll find that murderer, Teddy,” she promised him over and over, wandering from room to empty room, traces of him lurking in every corner. “I’ll do everything in my power to make sure justice is served. Another past life regression isn’t enough anymore. I know what I have to do now. And I promise, it will never, ever happen again—in any future life.”

She inhaled deeply and breathed him in. “Go take a shower, Teddy.” She chuckled through her tears as the doorbell rang. She cringed, breaking out in cold sweat when she saw the black sedan at the curb.

“Not again.” No sense in hiding, so she let the detectives in.

“Mrs. McKinley, we need your permission to do a search and take some of your husband’s possessions from the house,” Nolan said.

“What for?” She met his steely stare. “I looked everywhere and found nothing.”

“Mrs. McKinley, the cupboard door was open, four jars of herbs are missing, and the autopsy showed he died of herb poisoning. Those herbs,” Nolan added for emphasis, as if it had slipped her feeble mind. “Foxglove, mandrake, hemlock—and an as-yet unidentified one,” he read from a notebook. “The M.E. determined it was a lethal dose.”

Sherlock Holmes got nothin’ on him, she thought. 

“Where’s this cupboard, ma’am?” Egan spoke up.

“Right there.” She pointed, its door gaping exactly the way she’d found it that night. Nolan went over to it and peered inside.

“Ma’am, it would be better if you left the house for a half hour or so. Please leave a number where you can be reached,” Egan ordered.

Nolan glanced down the hall. “Where is your bedroom?”

What could they want in the bedroom? “It’s at the top of the stairs on the right. But we didn’t sleep together,” she offered, as if that would faze them. It didn’t.

After giving him her cell number, she got into her car and drove to the beach.

An hour later, she let herself back in and looked around. They’d taken the computer, her case of CDs, her thumb drive, her remaining herb jars, Ted’s notebooks, and left her alone with one horrible fact: This was now a homicide case and she was the prime suspect.

Purchase DARK BREW from Amazon (Kindle)

Purchase the paperback (from The Wild Rose Press)

My Time Travel Romance DARK BREW is Now On Sale! "Learn from the past or forever be doomed to repeat it."

I'm happy to announce the worldwide release of my time travel romance DARK BREW with

The Wild Rose Press.

Accused of her husband’s murder, druid Kylah McKinley travels back through time to her past life in 1324 Ireland and brings the true killer to justice.

This story took 11 years from start to finish. I’m a longtime member of the Richard III Society, and in the spring of 2004, I read an article in The Ricardian Register by Pamela Butler, about Alice Kyteler, who lived in Kilkenny, Ireland in 1324, and faced witchcraft charges. After her trial and acquittal, she vanished from the annals of history. I couldn't resist writing a book about her.

I made it a paranormal because I’m a believer in reincarnation, and I go on paranormal investigations whenever I can. I’ve gone on several past life regressions. Cape Cod has a lot of history and paranormal activity. I’ve been on many ghost walks and ghost hunts there. I wanted to connect Alice in the past with someone in the present, her reincarnation.

Alice Kyteler wasn't famous in 14th century Ireland but she was the richest woman in Kilkenny, and for that reason the villagers hated her, especially the men. They accused her of killing her first husband, but she was acquitted. Then they accused her of killing her fourth husband, John LePoer, with witchcraft, the accusations more absurd than those of the 1692 witch hysteria in Salem, Massachusetts. Chancellor Edward de Burgh arrested Alice because her stepsons claimed she had murdered John by casting a witch’s spell with malefecia… and she used the enchanted skull of a beheaded thief as her cauldron.

She went to trial and her dear friend Michael Artson had her acquitted, but she vanished into the annals of history. According to legend, she went to England. But no one knows for sure.

I made it a time travel because my heroine, Kylah, is a druid and has done many past life regressions, she knows she’s the reincarnation of Alice. So she has to go back and find out what happened to Alice, because too many weird things are happening to her in this life that parallel Alice’s life.

Kylah lives on my beloved Cape Cod. She’s a ghost hunter and owns a new age store in a restored Revolutionary War-era tavern. She was also the target of a hit-and-run. Another hit-and-run crippled her husband Ted. That’s no coincidence—she’s convinced someone’s out to get them both.

She brews an ancient druid herb mixture, goes back in time and enters Alice’s life to find out exactly what happened and who killed her husband.

These two months of hell change her life forever. Kylah’s life mirrors Alice’s in one tragic event after another—she finds her husband sprawled on the floor, cold, blue, with no pulse. Evidence points to her, and police arrest her for his murder. Kylah and Alice shared another twist of fate—they fell in love with the man who believed in them. As Kylah prepares for her trial and fights to maintain her innocence, she must learn from her past or she’s doomed to repeat it.

Pamela Butler, who wrote the article about Alice, and I have corresponded. She lives in New Mexico, so we’ve never met in person. I asked Pam what inspired her to write about Alice. I’d never heard of Alice until I read her article, “Witchcraft & Heresy. She replied:

“You asked why I wrote about Alice Kyteler, who preceded Richard by a century-and-a-half. I only wrote it because others on the listserv encouraged me to write about witchcraft, a subject about which I knew very little. I ordered three books from Amazon.com on the subjects of witchcraft, heresy, Satanism, etc. for research reasons. That was my basis, plus I searched the Internet. The Malleus Malleficarum was published in 1487, just two years after Richard's death, so it's almost contemporary. I chanced across Alice in this reading and thought that it was an interesting case. Witch burning was fairly rare in Ireland, and wasn't as bad in England at that time as it had been on the Continent. I wish that the M.M. had never been published; still, the fact that it was published and accepted may reveal the mindset of those times.”

An excerpt from DARK BREW

Kylah shut Ted’s den door. She couldn’t bear to look at the spot where he gasped his last breath. His presence, an imposing force, lingered. So did his scent, a blend of tobacco, pine aftershave and manly sweat. Each reminder ripped into her heart like a knife. Especially now with the funeral looming ahead, the eulogies, the mournful organ hymns, the tolling bells...

These ceremonies should bring closure, but they’d only prolong the agony of her grief. She wanted to remember him alive for a while longer, wishing she could delay these morbid customs until the hurt subsided.

Throughout the house, his essence echoed his personality: the wine stain on the carpet, the heap of dirty shirts, shorts and socks piled up in the laundry room, the spattered stove, his fingerprints on the microwave. But she couldn’t bring herself to clean any of it up. Painful as these remnants were, they offered a strange comfort. He still lived here.

“I’ll find that murderer, Teddy,” she promised him over and over, wandering from room to empty room, traces of him lurking in every corner. “I’ll do everything in my power to make sure justice is served. Another past life regression isn’t enough anymore. I know what I have to do now. And I promise, it will never, ever happen again—in any future life.”

She inhaled deeply and breathed him in. “Go take a shower, Teddy.” She chuckled through her tears as the doorbell rang. She cringed, breaking out in cold sweat when she saw the black sedan at the curb.

“Not again.” No sense in hiding, so she let the detectives in.

“Mrs. McKinley, we need your permission to do a search and take some of your husband’s possessions from the house,” Nolan said.

“What for?” She met his steely stare. “I looked everywhere and found nothing.”

“Mrs. McKinley, the cupboard door was open, four jars of herbs are missing, and the autopsy showed he died of herb poisoning. Those herbs,” Nolan added for emphasis, as if it had slipped her feeble mind. “Foxglove, mandrake, hemlock—and an as-yet unidentified one,” he read from a notebook. “The M.E. determined it was a lethal dose.”

Sherlock Holmes got nothin’ on him, she thought. 

“Where’s this cupboard, ma’am?” Egan spoke up.

“Right there.” She pointed, its door gaping exactly the way she’d found it that night. Nolan went over to it and peered inside.

“Ma’am, it would be better if you left the house for a half hour or so. Please leave a number where you can be reached,” Egan ordered.

Nolan glanced down the hall. “Where is your bedroom?”

What could they want in the bedroom? “It’s at the top of the stairs on the right. But we didn’t sleep together,” she offered, as if that would faze them. It didn’t.

After giving him her cell number, she got into her car and drove to the beach.

An hour later, she let herself back in and looked around. They’d taken the computer, her case of CDs, her thumb drive, her remaining herb jars, Ted’s notebooks, and left her alone with one horrible fact: This was now a homicide case and she was the prime suspect.

Purchase DARK BREW from Amazon (Kindle)

Purchase the paperback (from The Wild Rose Press)

If you could travel to the 15th century what would you do? (in 25 words or less)

I Answered That Question--And Won A Prize!

 

While going through the Ricardian Bulletin, the Richard III Society's British magazine that I get as part of the membership, my eye caught something familiar--my own name! I won the contest they ran in the March issue, with the question, "If you could travel back to the 15th century, what would you do and why?"

The word count was real low--like 25 words--no more than one sentence.

Since time travel is one of my huge interests, having written 2 time travel novels featuring Richard, I couldn't resist including him in my trip back through 5 centuries. So I submitted:

"I would return to April 1485 and send an urgent message to King Richard not to let the Stanleys anywhere near the battlefield in August!"

On August 22, Richard was killed in the Battle of Bosworth, mainly because the two Stanley brothers changed sides at the last minute.

Richard's last words were "Treason! Treason!" Not "A horse, a horse, my kingdom for a horse!" as Shakespeare had him say. But Laurence Olivier did put up a good fight in that final scene, dying on cue to the music.

My prize is free access to "The Everyday Lives of Medieval Folk." offered by Medieval Courses  Check it out--they have some great courses on there!

 

The Battle of Bosworth, August 22, 1485, where Richard III lost his crown to Henry Tudor--

and his life

 

The Richard III Society has greatly enriched my life and I've met some fascinating people who've become dear friends. Visit the American branch here.  

My time travels featuring Richard are Traveling Light and For Love & Loyalty 

 



Book Blast for SNOW IN JULY, Paranormal Historical Romance by Kim Iverson Headlee--and my review!

Kim is a favorite guest of mine; check out this book blast and my review of SNOW IN JULY

 (I loved it!)

 

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BOOK SYNOPSIS

Sir Robert Alain de Bellencombre has been granted what every man wants: a rich English estate in exchange for his valiant service at the Battle of Hastings. To claim this reward, the Norman knight must wed the estate's Saxon heiress. Most men would leap at such an opportunity, but for Alain, who broke his vow to his dying mother by failing to protect his youngest brother in battle, it means facing more easily broken vows. But when rumors of rampant thievery, dangerous beasts, and sorcery plaguing a neighboring estate reach his ears, nothing will make him shirk duty to king and country when people's lives stand at risk. He assumes the guise of a squire to scout the land, its problems, and its lady.

Lady Kendra of Edgarburh has been granted what no woman wants: a forced marriage to an enemy who may be kith or kin to the man who murdered her beloved brother.

Compounding her anguish is her failure to awaken the miraculous healing gift bequeathed by their late mother in time to save his life. Although with his dying breath, he made her promise to seek happiness above all, Kendra vows that she shall find neither comfort nor love in the arms of a Norman… unless it snows in July.

Alain is smitten by Lady Kendra from the first moment of their meeting; Kendra feels the forbidden allure of the handsome and courtly Norman "squire." But a growing evil overshadows everyone, invoking dark forces and ensnaring Kendra in a plot to overthrow the king Alain is oath-bound to serve. Kendra and Alain face a battle unlike any other as their honor, their love, their lives, and even their very souls lie in the balance.

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BOOK TRAILER

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BUY & TBR LINKS

AMAZON KINDLE WORLDWIDE – AMAZON PAPERBACK WORLDWIDE

BARNES & NOBLE NOOK – BARNES & NOBLE PAPERBACK

SMASHWORDS – ITUNES E-BOOK – INKTERA – KOBO

SCRIBD – GOODREADS – SHELFARI

Please Note There Is a Book Special Set for July 25th The Book Will Be On Sale for Just $0.99

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EXCERPT

(Hero's first impression of heroine)

A young woman was standing on the staircase’s top landing as Alain approached. No, he amended, feeling his eyes widen and his blood heat, a goddess. The suggestive clinging of her grayish-blue gown made him forget his blasphemous lapse. 

He shifted from foot to foot to mask his reaction. Her ashblonde curls, creamy complexion, and alluring curves conquered his fear of failure. As his heart thrummed its praises of her beauty, he vowed to protect this lady unto the ends of the earth. 

But he tempered his lauds with a petition for wisdom, for he needed to ascertain her heart. Experience had taught him the folly of loving a beautiful but title-hungry woman like Marie. 

Yet sorrow enveloped this lady like a shroud. The slope of her delicately boned shoulders, the tilt of her petite chin, the hooded reserve of her slate-blue eyes, the slight pout of her full lips all sang the same dirge. 

Blessed Virgin, could I be the cause of her misery? Please, let it not be so! 

He wanted nothing more than to gather her into his arms and kiss those lips until their song transformed from sorrow to joy. 

Their gazes met. Her look, a cross between appreciation and reprimand, made him remember his “station,” and he looked down.

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AUTHOR BIO

Kim Headlee lives on a farm in southwestern Virginia with her family, cats, goats, Great Pyrenees goat guards, and assorted wildlife. People and creatures come and go, but the cave and the 250-year-old house ruins—the latter having been occupied as recently as the mid-twentieth century—seem to be sticking around for a while yet. She has been an award-winning novelist since 1999 (Dawnflight, first edition, Sonnet Books, Simon & Schuster) and has been studying the Arthurian Legends for nigh on half a century.

AUTHOR FOLLOW LINKS

AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE (Worldwide link) – WEBSITE

BLOG – FACEBOOK – TWITTER – GOOGLE+

PINTEREST – GOODREADS – NEWSLETTER

TRIBERR PROFILE – ARTHURVERSE TRIBERR TRIBE

YOUTUBE CHANNEL

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LATEST AUTHOR INTERVIEW (2015)

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GIVEAWAY PRIZES

1 autographed copy of SNOW IN JULY (US Only) 5 copies of SNOW IN JULY e-book (International)

Click Here To Enter Kim Headlee's Awesome Giveaway

 

Diana's Review:

 

A Delightful REALISTIC Paranormal Romance

After Sir Robert Alain de Bellencombre defends William, Duke of Normandy, now King William (known to us as The Conqueror) in the Battle of Hastings and helps him secure England’s throne and stabilize the kingdom, the king graciously grants him the deed to the estate of Edgarburh in Wessex but there’s a catch…he must marry the daughter of the estate’s present lord. “Does she know?” he asks the Bishop and the cleric who delivered the message.

Lady Kendra of Edgarburh lost her beloved brother Sir Delwin in that battle; one William the Bastard’s soldiers cut him down. She would do anything for her brother, even give him snow in July. Even though she promised him on his deathbed she’d strive to find happiness, that won’t happen if she has to marry a man of the accursed race responsible for killing him. She’d rather die. Sir Robert’s initial visit to Edgarburh is in disguise as a squire to check out the estate—and Lady Kendra. He finally admits his true identity to her, but with no proof of who he is, she’s hard to convince. “You are Sir Lancelot and I am the faithless whore Guinevere,” she tells him.

Kendra has healing powers which she uses to try to heal the dying King Harold at the same time Robert tells Kendra’s father who he really is.

When he reveals his identity to her and claims her as his bride upon the command of King William, she knows she can never trust a man who’s betrayed her once. She declares she’ll never marry him unless it snows in July! With some supernatural help from her departed brother Del, she gives him the chance to explain his ruse. But when she’s charged with treason for trying to prolong Harold Godwinson’s life, Alain admits to King William that he willfully deceived Kendra by presenting himself as someone he wasn’t, but to learn more about the outlaws and their activities. He begs the king to allow him to suffer Kendra’s punishment. The king grants Kendra a full pardon. Then the truth comes out as to who killed her brother Del. It was no Norman. It was…you’ll see this twist in the last few pages. At their wedding, several fyrd members on the chapel’s roof shake sacks of dried flower petals onto the bridal party, falling in ‘flakes’ to coat everyone from the king to the commoners. Kendra knows her future is assured, as Alain made it snow in July!

The story combines true historic figures with fictional characters. As a historical novelist who does the exact same thing, this book is very much like something I would write. I admire Kim’s weaving of historical events throughout the storyline, which, believe me, is not easy as it looks.

For fans of English history with a paranormal twist, Snow in July is for you.   



 

 

Meet my guest Tina Gayle--Read About her Latest Sexy Romance, STORMY, and her #RomanticIdea

I always enjoy hosting Tina. She's also the one who walked me through a phone tutorial to master Blogger! I attribute my aesthetically pleasing layout here to Tina!

About Tina

 

Tina grew up a dreamer and loved to escape into the world of books.
After years of working in the business world doing a variety of jobs, she decided to try her hand at writing. Her books touch the heart and show the true joy of being a woman.

Read the first chapter of any of her books by visiting her website.

About STORMY

A widower, a divorcee, co-workers, lovers... a future together... marriage?

Consoling each other for years over each other’s misfortune, Karen and Daniel turn a friendship into a weekend of unbridled red-hot passion.  The heat between them leads to thoughts of a future together.  That is…

Until children, an ex-husband, an unexpected heart attack, a conniving trophy-wife, guilt and personal choices come between them.  Will the heat of their passion, let them break from the past and move into the future? 

 

 

An excerpt from STORMY

“Damn it, Daniel, if I find you with a young chickadee like I did my ex-husband,” she growled as she trudged up the staircase. “I might be tempted to...”   

Her gaze immediately fell on the empty king-size bed. Exasperated by her inability to find him, she quickly scanned the entire room...desk area, open closet, bathroom... the door closed. Light glowed through the seam between the floor and the bottom edge. “Daniel, if you’re in the bathroom come out this minute.”

The entrance opened, and he stood in the doorway.

Problem, he wore only a towel.

Awe, shit... she didn’t need to see his bare chest covered in crisp dark hair, the sculptured muscles of his arms and shoulders, developed pecs, and thick thighs.

Damn, how was she supposed to resist such temptation?

Desire added to the anxiety she’d already experienced on her drive here, lit her anger. “Why the hell didn’t you answer your phone? I’ve been calling and texting you for the last two hours.”

A confused frown passed over his handsome face. Instead of responding, he stepped to the bedside table. He lifted his cell phone and clicked a few buttons.

Unable to contain her impatience, Karen stalked forward.

He glanced up when she grew closer and showed her the phone. “I don’t understand it. I don’t show receiving any messages or calls. The signals must have gotten lost because of the storm.”

She’d suspected as much. Still, she refused to let him off the hook because he could’ve contacted her before he left town. “You should’ve called me. But no...”

Having endured his inability to communicate for months now, she stabbed her finger through the air at him. “You never call. You always expect me to phone you. Well, I’ve had it.”

The distance closed between them and she stood inches from him. Her fingertip tapped his chest. Static electricity sparked between them and her fist unfolded. She stumbled backward.

“Whoa.” Daniel caught her around the waist with one hand and held her close. His phone landed on the bed before he circled his other arm around her. His strong grip held her steady and didn’t allow her to step away. “You’re right. I guess I’m just use to...”

“Don’t say it. I’ve heard it too many times. Sharon might have resented the interruptions, but I’m not her. I’m never in any type of meeting that you could possibly disrupt.” Karen spread her hands over his chest and worked to maintain a smidgen of distance. Nevertheless, with him so near, his warmth surrounding her in a seductive cocoon, she had to fight the urge to melt against him.

“Yes, but if I called you whenever I wanted we’d never get off the phone.” The husky tone of his voice pulled her gaze upward.

Spying the silly grin on his face, she shook her head. “Don’t play with me, Daniel. I was worried that something bad might’ve happened to you.”

He cupped the back of her neck and guided her head to his shoulder. “You worry too much. Nothing’s going to happen to an old dog like me.”

 Purchase STORMY at Amazon 

 

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“A Jug of Wine, a Loaf of Bread—and Thou” -- Lady Elinor's Escape, Sweet Regency Romance by my guest Linda McLaughlin for our #RomanticIdea

“A Jug of Wine, a Loaf of Bread—and Thou” - The Rubáiyát of Omar Khayyam

I always loved that quote, too...so basic, but so romantic...it says it all. Meet Linda and read about Lady Elinor's Escape.

I love that quote, and it makes me think of romantic summer picnics—at the beach, by a lake, in the mountains or a park—whatever location works best where you live or vacation. But what to pack? Wine, bread, meat and cheese are a given, but don’t forget the summer fruit—ripe red strawberries, lush juicy peaches or crisp apples. There’s nothing like a taste of fruit to sweeten a kiss.

Lady Elinor Ashworth always longed for adventure, but when she runs away from her abusive aunt, she finds more than she bargained for. Elinor fears her aunt who is irrational and dangerous, threatening Elinor and anyone she associates with. When she encounters an inquisitive gentleman, she accepts his help, but fearing for his safety, hides her identity by pretending to be a seamstress. She resists his every attempt to draw her out, all the while fighting her attraction to him.

There are too many women in barrister Stephen Chaplin's life, but he has never been able to turn his back on a damsel in distress. The younger son of a baronet is a rescuer of troubled females, an unusual vocation fueled guilt over his failure to save the woman he loved from her brutal husband. He cannot help falling in love with his secretive seamstress, but to his dismay, the truth of her background reveals Stephen as the ineligible party.

An excerpt from Lady Elinor's Escape

Elinor looked around her. “Where shall we have our picnic?”

“I have a particular place in mind.”

A few minutes later, he reined in the horses near a small pond with a few ducks paddling on the surface. He put his hands on her waist and swung her down from the curricle. His hands lingered for a moment longer than necessary as he stared into her eyes. His were a dark liquid amber, like honey, and the warmth in his expression set her heart to racing.

Alarmed by her reaction, she stepped away from him. Oh my, this very private picnic might not have been a wise idea at all.

After tethering the horses, he spread a blanket under a nearby oak, and then produced a picnic basket. While Elinor lowered herself onto the blanket, removed her gloves and bonnet, he dug into the basket. The picnic turned out to be a hearty repast of cold chicken, cheese, bread and butter, cider and sweet, fresh strawberries.

Elinor did not realize how hungry she was until she took the first bite of chicken. Before she knew it, she had devoured a bit of everything, aware of Stephen watching her the entire time.

“I did not mean to eat so much,” she said, feeling a bit embarrassed.

“As you are so slender, I had not expected you to have such a hearty appetite,” he remarked with a smile. “I approve.”

“Everything was delicious.”

“I’ll pass your compliments on to Mother’s cook. She kindly provided the food.”

“You mean you cajoled her into it,” Elinor teased him.

He flashed her a boyish grin. “Cook always did have a soft spot in her heart for a hungry boy.”

“You must have had a wonderful childhood.”

He shrugged his shoulders. “Fairly typical, I should imagine, except for my habit of bringing home stray and injured animals. I was the despair of my mother.”

Elinor laughed softly. “Then you have not changed much, only now you collect stray females. What does your mother think of that?”

Again he shrugged. “If only I were to marry one of them, she would not object at all, or so she says.”

“I see.” So he was under familial pressure to marry. But he could hardly consider a liaison with a seamstress. Was he pursuing her as one last fling before getting married?

“There is one strawberry left.” He held it out to her.

She leaned toward him and bit into the sweet pulp. A trickle of juice ran down her chin. With one finger, he captured the moisture, and then licked it off, all the while holding her gaze. Her eyes widened at the intimacy of the gesture as heat rose to her cheeks. She was in over her head here.

About Linda

 

Linda grew up with a love of books and history, so it's only natural she prefers writing historical romance. She loves transporting her readers into the past where her characters learn that, in the journey of life, love is the sweetest reward. Linda also writes steamy to erotic romance under the name Lyndi Lamont, and is one half of the writing team of Lyn O'Farrell.

 

 

 

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He Took Rocks from Gettysburg Battlefield--And Believes He's Cursed

This article is about someone who took some rocks from Gettysburg Battlefield and believes he's been cursed. I personally don't believe in curses, but I wouldn't disturb a sacred spot by taking things from it, although I took one small rock from an area near (not on) Bosworth Battlefield where Richard III was killed in 1485. With further research, it turned out the battle was nowhere near there anyway. At Gettysburg there's an area called "Devil's Den" where a skirmish took place. I had the bright idea of going there at dusk, with rumbles of thunder and flashes of lightning in the distance. I suddenly felt a strong sense of hostility, like I wasn't welcome, I was an intruder. I got out of there fast. I once heard someone say she thought Gettysburg Battlefield was 'an empty field.' Hardly.

The Mifflin Guard Infantry, volunteer Civil War reenactors, portray federal soldiers at the battle of Gettysburg on the 153rd anniversary of the Civil War, at Gettysburg National Military Park in Pennsylvania on July 2. (J. Scott Applewhite/AP)

Book Giveaway--One Day Blitz for Graphic Novel THE CHALLENGE by Kim Headlee

BOOK INFORMATION

TITLE – The Challenge Graphic Novel Episode 1: Dilemmas & Deliberation SERIES (& Book #) – A Dragon’s Dove Chronicles Novella AUTHOR – Kim Iverson Headlee ART & STORYBOARD – Wendy Carey GENRE – Fantasy PUBLICATION DATE – May 2016 LENGTH (Pages/# Words) – 29 pages PUBLISHER – Pendragon Cove Press COVER ARTIST – Natasha Brown

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BOOK SYNOPSIS

The gauntlet is thrown. One must die. Refusal is not an option.

Arthur the High King is captive of Gyan's longtime enemy, the Saxon warrior-princess Camilla, who through the black arts may have enlisted a demon to aid in attaining her revenge. Though the passion that had colored the early years of Gyan's marriage to Arthur was still celebrated in song across the land, myriad problems had driven a wedge between them. These days, Gyan wasn't singing.

When Camilla issues her challenge for a to-the-death fight for crown and king, Gyan's duty, loyalty, and honor are put to the test.

She can forfeit the duel, her crown... and the joyless life that crown has come to represent. Or she can risk her life and perhaps her very soul for the sake of a man who may no longer love her.

Gyan's first challenge lies in determining the right path to take.

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BUY & TBR LINK

AMAZON KINDLE WORLDWIDE

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AUTHOR BIO

Kim Headlee lives on a farm in the mountains of southwestern Virginia with her family, cats, fish, goats, Great Pyrenees goat guards, and assorted wildlife. People and creatures come and go, but the cave and the 250-year-old house ruins—the latter having been occupied as recently as the mid-twentieth century—seem to be sticking around for a while yet. She has been an award-winning published novelist since 1999 (Dawnflight, first edition, Simon & Schuster) and has been studying the Arthurian legends for nigh on half a century.

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AUTHOR FOLLOW LINKS

AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE (Worldwide link) WEBSITE – BLOG – FACEBOOK TWITTER – GOOGLE+ – PINTEREST GOODREADS – NEWSLETTER TRIBERR PROFILE – YOUTUBE CHANNEL

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GIVEAWAY

International: Three copies of The Challenge (full story) e-book

Click To Enter Author Kim Headlee's Giveaway - Good Luck!!

Meet Romance Author Kathleen Rowland and Try Her "Romantic Idea!" #RomanticIdea

My author/friend Kathleen Rowland and I do regular blog exchanges, and this summer we're telling the world our #RomanticIdea for summer. (Mine involves Sinatra). Meet Kathleen, read about her latest title, and try her romantic idea this summer!

About Kathleen

Book Buyers Best finalist Kathleen Rowland is devoted to giving her readers fast-paced, high-stakes suspense with a sizzling love story sure to melt their hearts.  Kathleen used to write computer programs but now writes novels.   She grew up in Iowa where she caught lightning bugs, ran barefoot, and raced her sailboat on Lake Okoboji.  Now she wears flip-flops and sails with her husband, Gerry, on Newport Harbor but wishes there were lightning bugs in California.

Kathleen exists happily with her witty CPA husband, Gerry, in their 70’s poolside retreat in Southern California where she adores time spent with visiting grandchildren, dogs, one bunny, and noisy neighbors.  While proud of their five children who’ve flown the coop, she appreciates the luxury of time to write while listening to demanding character voices in her head.

Kathleen's Latest Title, DEADLY ALLIANCE

 

Finbar Donahue, former Army Ranger, walked on the wild side in Iraq, but now he lives in the shadows. After his evasive partner, Les, was shot in a random drive-by, Finn discovers cash is siphoned monthly, he fights to keep his investment company afloat. When the late partner's girlfriend, Amy Kintyre, applies for his bookkeeping job, Finn suspects she knows about his company drain and hires her.

Amy needs a nine-to-five with free evenings and weekends to get her fashion design business back on track. She unearths Les’ s secret bank account and alerts Finn. Freezing of the money laundering account sets off havoc within an Irish gang. Amy witnesses a gang fight between a brutal ISIS fundraising organization and the Irish. Desperate to escape a stalker’s crosshairs, she seeks refuge with Finn. As danger heats up, sparks fly hotter.

Let’s interview the hero of Deadly Alliance,  Finbar Donahue.

1. Nickname:  Finn. My full name is Finbar Michael Donahue.

2. Job: I own my own investment company, but who’s the chickenshit stealing money from me?  My goal is to find the thief.

3. Level of schooling:  B.A. in finance, former Army Ranger. That was when I targeted a known enemy.  Believe me, it’s harder now.

I’ve got a few questions for the heroine, Amy Kintyre.

1.     What’s your dream job? I want to get my sportswear design business back on track.  A few days ago a buyer phoned me and gave me an opportunity to present my line.  I need a nine-to-five with evenings and weekends off to sew mockups. 

2.     Is that why you applied for Finbar Donahue’s bookkeeping job?  Yes, but I have a huge problem.   Last night I found a sketchy bank account belonging to my late boyfriend, Les.  He and Finn were partners.

3.     Would you enjoy working for Finn?  No, but there aren’t many job openings in Lake Arrowhead. 

Short excerpt--Amy's first day working for Finn

Hours later, Finn straightened his spine as he listened to his new bookkeeper order Rosenberg around with the authority of an Army lieutenant. She spoke with confidence from her chair and waited for answers with intensity. Somehow she came across larger than her delicate self.

“Brad,” his pretty war buddy said, “I’ll need your password to access activity-to-date.” Her attitude wasn’t for show. Her curiosity propelled her to the depths of the drain. Heaven help those who lurked there.

“Sure thing.” Brad blew out a breath and scribbled his password on a sticky note. Handing it to her, he bent to her level.

She said, “I apologize for causing chaos.”

“No apology necessary.” Brad asked, “What are you working on?”

Jumping in, Finn said, “Comparisons, Rosenberg, that’s what she’s working on.” Unholy as she’d undoubtedly turn out to be, at the moment they were forged in combat. “Give her your full support.”

“Absolutely. Consider me your scaffold,” Rosenberg said, accepting his fate. “Excuse me, won’t you? I’m running payroll.”

Finn liked his head accountant. He was solid. Dependable. Not creative, but his easy-going manner was soothing. “Payroll. You’re a masochist.”

Amy smiled, and her crystal-green gaze sought his. She found his comment amusing. Her professional attire included a gray satin blouse tucked into a herringbone skirt. When she moved, her layered, dark-blonde hair settled into a sleek flip over her shoulders.

Amy’s bending and reaching, as she took control of her four-by-four cubicle, was damn compelling. She found a rhythm with a handy notepad beside her computer. Using Brad’s password, she turned sideways to open files. Attractive summed up her symmetrical profile and creamy complexion.

For a long while, getting hot and heavy had not been on his mind. Her envelope gave him concrete evidence to bring to the sheriff and eased his tension. As she brushed tresses off her face, he wanted to nibble on her ear.

Amy packed her lithe frame with succulent curves. He enjoyed observing her ample bust which required high-performance support. He’d like to see those globes running free. He’d never considered her as dating material. Timing was off. When she started dating Les, he was hooking up with Miss California. Now it was too late. She worked for him. Hands off. Finn liked women—lots of women, all women, in all shapes and sizes and ethnicities as long as they met the enthusiasm requirement. He hadn’t tested this, but she was off-limits for another reason. He didn’t intend to put her through another relationship leading to nowhere.

Finn kept things loose. A woman in his bed but not in his life was what he often said. There hadn’t been that either.  Why was she looking at him like that? 

Purchase Deadly Alliance

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Kathleen's Romantic Idea

Here is Kathleen’s summertime #RomanticIdea to win any guy over:   Choose an activity that gets you into his element.  How about sailing or kayaking? Let him show you how it’s done! Beach the craft and pull him in close.  The experience of being out and about in public makes it hard for him to wait for the trip home… to have you.

 

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