Words That Make You Go Ewww! by Jenna Jaxon

I published this post on Nights of Passion on Sunday and since I’m on a writer’s retreat this week, I thought you might enjoy thinking about words–you know I will be. 🙂

Jenna Jaxon's avatarNights of Passion

scrabble board

I love words. We as authors are wordsmiths. Words are our livelihood. I love language and even though its rules sometimes makes me crazy, I really do enjoy putting words together in the best way to create stories from my heart.

However, all words are not created equal.

Everyone has favorite words. Some of mine are unique, onomatopoeia, wicked, and integral. I have dozens more, and my editor will tell you they also include that, nodded, turned, smiled, and just. 🙂

And just as we all have favorite words, we all have words we simply hate with a passion. This is called word aversion. Nico Lang’s article, “Moist And 28 Other Gross-Sounding English Words That Everyone Hates” states that our aversion to words is linked both to phonetics and to meaning. “The linguistic formula for a disgusting word is to make sure it contains phonetically abrasive letters like “b,” “g,”…

View original post 247 more words

Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment

Medieval Monday: Lindsey by Lane McFarland ~ A New Hope

MedMon

Conflict/Confrontation

 is our theme for this round of Medieval Monday!

Please welcome this week’s guest Lane McFarland with her romance

Lindsey

 

 

Lindsey_LaneMcFarland

Excerpt:

The beefy guard waved his torch toward the back of the room. “Them’s the beggars goin’ to trial.”

Twisted shapes of four men, their wrists shackled to the wall and their feet barely touching the floor, came into sight. Lindsey’s chest tightened as if bands squeezed the life from her. “They’ll have to be cut down, sweets. They cannae eat or git fixed up hanging on the wall.”

The man swung his head toward her. His lip curled.

Her pulse pounded in her ears, and she trembled with rage. She wanted to pounce on him, grab his blade, and sink it into his gut. Straining to gain composure, she turned her back on the men and set her basket on the floor. Her hand trembled as she inhaled the putrid air and struggled to calm her nerves. She must maintain her heartless pretense, appear untouched by the savagery. Biting the side of her lip, she rummaged through the jars and extracted the healing salves.

Chains rattled behind her. Thumps of dead weight and groans indicated the guard had freed the men. As he marched from the cell, he cast a look at Lindsey and slammed the door. The lock clunked, and his booted footsteps grew quieter as he strode away.

Several men rushed from the huddled group to aid their fallen companions. Lindsey hurried to the first man and knelt beside him. She pushed his hair to the side and grimaced.

Logan.

Cora’s little bandits were correct.

His swollen face was blackened, and blood caked the back of his head. “Logan, can ye hear me? It’s Lindsey.”

His eyes fluttered. Moans of the injured men wafted around her. She jerked the basket to her side and brought out a flask of water, a soft cloth, and a jar of salve. “Look in my basket for more water skins,” she called over her shoulder to the other prisoners.

Logan’s friends, Adam, Thom, and Colyne lay unmoving. Dark dried blood and dirt smeared the men’s swollen, beaten faces. Their listless bodies attested to abuse and neglect.

“The commander takes delight in torturing them.”

Lindsey’s head snapped to the man who stooped beside her.

“Seems to hold a real interest in them.” He grabbed her basket and passed out containers to several others. They crowded around, snatching the bandages, salves, and potions she’d brought.

“Why?” she whispered. “What’s so special about them?”

The man squinted and indicated Logan with his head. “Collins couldn’t break him. I think that about drove the commander over the brink. He wanted to deliver information on the rebels’ stronghold to the king. Infuriated him that he failed to do so.”

The man bent over Adam and helped him sit.

While supporting Logan’s head, Lindsey held a flask to his parched, cracked lips and dribbled the liquid into his mouth. He sputtered, gulping at the water.

“Easy,” she said, giving him sips while she studied his disfigured face. “I’m here to help ye.”

One eye was swollen shut, the other barely open. His brown hair hung in filthy strands across his forehead, and a red irritated gash crossed his grimy cheek. She sat on the nasty hard floor and cradled his head in her lap. The medicinal salves would do little to heal him, but she had to try.

Her heart clenched. When she’d last seen him, the days spent with the fear of English hostilities and devastation as constant companions had not yet arrived. The soldiers had not yet destroyed her carefree way of life. They had not been concerned with the next raid or protecting the clan from enemy invasion. Instead, Lindsey and Logan enjoyed each other’s company, held the same love for horses, and had become fast friends.

He groaned. “Lindsey?”

“Aye, it’s me.” Her voice caught as she answered.

His good eye narrowed, and he grasped her wrist, his grip surprisingly strong for someone so battered. “What the hell are ye doing here? This is no place for ye, lass.”

“The Sassenachs are taking ye and yer men to the east coast in two days.” She spoke softly to him while dabbing his grimy forehead and bearded cheeks. “Yer caravan will not make it to the ship. Have faith. Stay strong. I have a plan.”

Blurb:

Lindsey

Who said life was fair? Certainly not Lindsey MacDougall. She rebels at a world dominated by men. Dressed in lad’s clothing, she manages her father’s stables, caring for, breeding and selling horses. Unwavering on performing her duty to the rebellion, Lindsey throws caution to the wind and secretly delivers missives behind enemy lines to the Scottish warriors.

Logan Ross uses his happy-go-lucky smile to warm the hearts of many willing lasses, but it also masks his pain—the pain of his birth. As a bastard son, he is unacceptable for any Laird’s daughter, including the spirited Lindsey MacDougall. However, she haunts his dreams. Determined to prove his worth, he throws himself into the middle of the rebellion, leading men into mortal danger.

After helping Logan escape from a brutal English dungeon, Lindsey fights her traitorous attraction to the virile highland warrior, vowing never to lose her heart to any man.

Buy Link:

Amazon: http://tinyurl.com/j98zrvd

 

 

Posted in Medieval Monday, Medieval Mondays, Medieval Romance, Promotion | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Weekend Writing Warriors ~ 5/15/16 A Kiss Beneath the Mistletoe: A Wicked Game

weekend_writing_warriors_header3

This month A Kiss Beneath the Mistletoe is “Book of the Month” so here’s the next snippet of this midwinter Regency.

AKBTM15

Miss Jenny Crowley has found out on her 18th birthday that instead of getting her long-promised season in London, she’s instead been betrothed to the boy-next-door, Alec Isley. To give her a chance to socialize before her parents insist she marry, her aunt invites her to a Christmas house party where she can meet other young men. Jenny is attracted to Lord Somersby, who proposes a game of Blind Man’s Bluff between sets in an evening of dancing.

IMG_3472“This seems much more wicked than the game I played as a child,” she whispered to her friend.

“I daresay it will be for you, my dear,” Celinda said and leaned toward her. “I believe Somersby aims on catching only one person.”

Jenny’s head went up, her gaze drawn back to Somersby who stood like a beagle sniffing the air, turning his head from side to side.

“I think you’re going to be it.” Celinda laughed and scooted away as Lord Somersby made a rush toward them.

Jenny squealed and dodged around his outstretched arms, barely escaping the fingers that stretched toward her. She inched around the side of the ballroom, trying to slip behind some of the other players. They, however, kept constantly pushing her and the other girls into Somersby’s path.

What would his forfeit be if he caught her?

A Kiss Beneath the Mistletoe is available at Amazon currently on sale for $.99.

Blurb:

Is one kiss ever enough?

Jenny Crowley has been duped! At her eighteenth birthday celebration her parents announce that instead of having the London Season she’s dreamed of for years, Jenny has been betrothed from birth to Alexander Isley, son of family friends and heir to a title. A distraught Jenny refuses point-blank to marry Alec, and when her aunt offers to whisk her away to a Christmas house party, complete with many eligible young bachelors, Jenny jumps at the chance to enjoy a variety of entertainments, be courted, and perhaps fall in love.

Alec Isley is between a rock and a hard place. He desires a marriage with Jenny no more than she does, but when his family’s dire financial status is revealed, he follows Jenny to the house party in hopes of convincing her to marry him after all. When he discovers who else is courting her there, Alec is frantic to keep her from making a dreadful mistake. Struggling with new-found feelings for his childhood friend, can Alec convince her of his love in time to save her from being ruined under the mistletoe?

And don’t forget to check out the rest of the Warriors here.  There’s some fantastic snippets to be read.

91xBE7mBjRL__SL1500_Marriage 2TETL SET CORRECT COVERAKBTM15

 

 

Posted in A Kiss Beneath the Mistletoe, Historical Romance, On Regency Romance, On Weekend Writing Warriors, Promotion, Weekend Writing Warriors | Tagged , , , | 8 Comments

Cover Spot: The Pirate’s Duchess by Katherine Bone

Cover Spot Logo 4-page-001

This week’s  featured cover is from my good friend and fellow Romancing Yesteryear author, Katherine Bone, who has just released new swashbuckling romance called The Pirate’s Duchess. What a sexy cover!

ThePIrate'sDuchessFINAL

 

Cover Quote from Katherine Bone~

Ahoy, me hearties! I adore history romance! Traveling back in time by way of fiction is the greatest adventure, especially when pirates are involved, eh? (It’s also the safest way to time-travel, too! Pirate!) So you can imagine while writing my Nelson’s Tea Series, how easy it was for me to fall in love with Britain’s southern coast. There’s something extraordinary about the Cornish people that I continue to want to explore. Now, as I begin a new series, The Regent’s Revenge, I bring you The Pirate’s Duchess, previously published in the Once Upon a True Love’s Kiss box set. Think The Princess Bride meets Robin Hood. 
The Regent’s Revenge Series is based in Exeter, England. Exeter boasts a FANtastic, rich history beginning with the Cornish tribes long before Roman invasion of the British Isles. It’s a key figure in the Doomsday Book and even boasts a cathedral dating back to the 11th Century. So much legend (King Arthur’s Avalon is reported to be submerged just off the Cornish coast), adversity (invasion staged by the French and Spanish), and of course, my FAVorite… a rich smuggling history which I put to use in my books.
I hope you enjoy The Pirate’s Duchess, A Regent’s Revenge Novella! Just like the Dread Pirate Roberts, many men assume the mask of the Black Regent and haunt the shores of Cornwall and Devon.

BLURB:

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

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

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

 

Buy Links:

 

Buy Amazon

Buy B&N

Buy ITunes

Buy Kobo

When_the_Leaves_Come_Out_footer_01
Posted in Cover Spot, Historical Romance, Promotion | Tagged , , , , | 6 Comments

Five Stages of Editing Grief by Elizabeth MS Flynn

crying emoji

I’m reblogging a post from Savvy Authors today that is near and dear to my heart, especially now: Editing. This article is called The Five Stages of Editing Grief and boy is it on the money! I hope you enjoy it and learn a little how to cope with this special kind of Author’s Grief.

You know about the five stages of editing grief, don’t you? If you don’t know them by that name, I know you must have experienced them somewhere along the way. After the writing’s done, after your fussing’s done, the editing must begin, whether done by yourself or by another without the emotional connection to the work—and sometimes it can be painful. Go through those five stages—denial; anger; bargaining; depression; and acceptance—and come out on the other side with a polished manuscript.

To read the rest of the article click here.

Posted in On Writing, Reblogs, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Medieval Monday: Formidable Warriors ~ Gods of the Highlands by Bambi Lynn

MedMon

Conflict/Confrontation

 is our theme for this round of Medieval Monday!

Please welcome this week’s guest Bambi Lynn with her romance

Gods of the Highlands

Pageflex Persona [document: PRS0000446_00068]

 

Excerpt:

The Comyns stood little chance against the demi-gods they faced. Lucan was a formidable warrior, but both Tanis and Cam could defeat ten or twenty men alone. Sirona’s heart staggered as she watched them. A group of Comyns clustered around Cam, another attacking Tanis. She thought she saw Rhain amongst them but it was hard to see.

She spurred her horse around the edge of the fray, shouting to no avail. Her cries were drowned by the clang of steel against steel and the shouts of fighting men.

On the opposite side, Fergus had set his sights on Lucan. Their swords clashed like hammers on anvils, ringing in her ears and threatening to split her head open. They were vicious and ruthless in their efforts, but in the end, a mere mortal was no match for a man with the blood of the gods coursing through his veins.

She spotted Rhain in the melee, locked in combat with her brother. She ignored Màili’s demands to pull back to the relative safety of the trees, renewing her plea for them to stop. Suddenly, the battle between Tanis and Rhain came to a violent head.

“No!” Sirona screamed as she slid down from her horse. She hit the ground hard and dropped to her knees, crying out in pain. When she looked up, Rhain lay motionless on the ground. Over him stood a blonde woman, no taller than Tanis’ shoulder. She was dressed like a shield maiden of the old Norse legends. She faced Tanis with a fierce expression, her sword held before her, its lethal blade catching the sunlight and setting off a blinding glow.

Tanis grinned at her like an idiot before she attacked him, forcing him to the defense, a position he was not used to. She sliced at him, jabbed her blade at his most tender areas, screamed at him in a language Sirona could not understand but, by the woman’s tone, recognized as the vilest of insults.

It seemed the battle would never end, that neither opponent tired. But with one fatal mistake, the mysterious pixie-woman gained the advantage. Before Sirona could blink, the woman had Tanis on his back, his sword hand empty and the tip of her weapon at his throat.

Sirona had had enough. She hiked up her skirt and tore across the grass to where the woman held her brother at sword point. “Stop!” she called. When she reached them, she flung herself between Tanis’ prone body and the warrior woman. “Please,” she begged.

The rest of her family seemed to gather their senses as well and within seconds, the strange woman found herself staring down three more Highland blades. For a moment, no one spoke.

It was Màili who broke the silence. “Bitch,” she fairly spat at the other woman. She lifted her chin, silently daring the blonde woman to make a move.

“Whore,” the woman sneered back. After another long moment of tense silence, she sheathed her sword and turned away.

With a sigh of relief, Sirona gave Tanis a quick once over to be sure he was unhurt, before giving into despair over Rhain’s fate. Dreading what she would find, she looked over her shoulder to the spot where she’d last seen him lying at Tanis’ feet.

Both Rhain and the woman were gone.

Blurb:

They grew up orphans, relying on each other to keep the secret of their heretical powers from the other members of their clan. Now a vengeful pagan god is after them, using them in his relentless pursuit of a soul so powerful, its possessor will be able to command Lucifer himself. Camulus is unbeatable in a fight, but cannot defend his heart from a fallen goddess. Sirona can heal with nothing more than a touch. When she is captured and her secret discovered by a rival clan, only the laird’s youngest son can save her from being burned at the stake. Tanis commands the elements, but meets his match in a celestial being from heaven who is anything but angelic. Lucan can create anything…except life. That he must do the old-fashioned way. Together these cousins must band together if they have any hope of defeating the god of death and ensuring a bright future for themselves and their kin.

 

Buy Links:

Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/Gods-Highlands-Books-Camulus-Sirona-ebook/dp/B01C0TMB8M/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8

Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Gods-Highlands-Books-Camulus-Sirona-ebook/dp/B01C0TMB8M/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8

iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id1088918569

Nook: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/gods-of-the-highlands-books-1-4-bambi-lynn/1123657476;jsessionid=63322B60FB64E7DCDAC488DF502A12F5.prodny_store01-atgap01?ean=2940152836158

Kobo: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/gods-of-the-highlands-books-1-4-camulus-sirona-tanis-lucan

Page Foundry: http://www.inktera.com/store/title/0c0173de-59c5-4027-a0ec-101a273e1300

Scribd.: https://www.scribd.com/book/301238218/Gods-of-the-Highlands-Books-1-4-Camulus-Sirona-Tanis-Lucan-Gods-of-the-Highlands

24symbols: https://www.24symbols.com/book/x/x/x?id=1173432

 

Posted in Medieval Monday, Medieval Romance, Promotion | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Weekend Writing Warriors ~ 5/08/16 A Kiss Beneath the Mistletoe: Blind Man’s Bluff

weekend_writing_warriors_header3

This month A Kiss Beneath the Mistletoe is “Book of the Month” so here’s the first snippet of this midwinter Regency.

AKBTM15

Miss Jenny Crowley has found out on her 18th birthday that instead of getting her long-promised season in London, she’s instead been betrothed to the boy-next-door, Alec Isley. To give her a chance to socialize before her parents insist she marry, her aunt invites her to a Christmas house party where she can meet other young men. In this scene Jenny is attracted to Lord Somersby, who is proposing a game between sets in an evening of dancing.

Jenny turned back to Lord Somersby, whose gaze still lingered on her face, or was it more particularly on her mouth? “You have played Blindman’s Bluff before I take it, my lord?”

His blue eyes darkened and he chuckled. “I have had occasion to play it since childhood. We are often so fond of the chase, but rarely allow ourselves the pleasure of being caught. Prey are sometimes luckier than the hunter.”

“And you deem yourself an expert huntsman, my lord?”

“Indeed, my lady, an excellent one, which I am about to prove.” His keen gaze rested on her for what seemed and age.

Shivers cascaded down Jenny’s spine.

A Kiss Beneath the Mistletoe is available at Amazon currently on sale for $.99.

Blurb:

Is one kiss ever enough?

Jenny Crowley has been duped! At her eighteenth birthday celebration her parents announce that instead of having the London Season she’s dreamed of for years, Jenny has been betrothed from birth to Alexander Isley, son of family friends and heir to a title. A distraught Jenny refuses point-blank to marry Alec, and when her aunt offers to whisk her away to a Christmas house party, complete with many eligible young bachelors, Jenny jumps at the chance to enjoy a variety of entertainments, be courted, and perhaps fall in love.

Alec Isley is between a rock and a hard place. He desires a marriage with Jenny no more than she does, but when his family’s dire financial status is revealed, he follows Jenny to the house party in hopes of convincing her to marry him after all. When he discovers who else is courting her there, Alec is frantic to keep her from making a dreadful mistake. Struggling with new-found feelings for his childhood friend, can Alec convince her of his love in time to save her from being ruined under the mistletoe?

And don’t forget to check out the rest of the Warriors here.  There’s some fantastic snippets to be read.

91xBE7mBjRL__SL1500_Marriage 2TETL SET CORRECT COVERAKBTM15

 

 

Posted in A Kiss Beneath the Mistletoe, Historical Romance, On Regency Romance, On Weekend Writing Warriors, Promotion, Weekend Writing Warriors | Tagged , , , | 16 Comments

Book of the Month: A Kiss Beneath the Mistletoe

My Book of the Month for May is A Kiss Beneath the Mistletoe, the first book and prequel to my Regency series A Handful of Hearts.  This month’s prize is a $10.00 Amazon gift card. It only takes a comment below to enter to win. This contest will run throughout the month, so keep those comments coming!

The WINNER of the e-copy of Only Marriage Will Do from April is

laneslite 

( I’ll be contacting you shortly.)

AKBTM15

 

BLURB:

Is one kiss ever enough?

Jenny Crowley has been duped! At her eighteenth birthday celebration her parents announce that instead of having the London Season she’s dreamed of for years, Jenny has been betrothed from birth to Alexander Isley, son of family friends and heir to a title. A distraught Jenny refuses point-blank to marry Alec, and when her aunt offers to whisk her away to a Christmas house party, complete with many eligible young bachelors, Jenny jumps at the chance to enjoy a variety of entertainments, be courted, and perhaps fall in love.

Alec Isley is between a rock and a hard place. He desires a marriage with Jenny no more than she does, but when his family’s dire financial status is revealed, he follows Jenny to the house party in hopes of convincing her to marry him after all. When he discovers who else is courting her there, Alec is frantic to keep her from making a dreadful mistake. Struggling with new-found feelings for his childhood friend, can Alec convince her of his love in time to save her from being ruined under the mistletoe?

EXCERPT:

“Good evening, Mary, Anna. You remember Miss Crowley?” Celinda spoke to the young ladies even as her gaze skimmed the crowd.

“Indeed, it is a pleasure to meet you again, Miss Crowley,” Lady Mary replied, looking down her nose at Jenny. “I understand you are the guest of honor at these festivities.”

Startled by the cold hostility in the young woman’s voice, Jenny stuttered, “I…I suppose I am, Lady Mary. My aunt invited me to the entertainments this week as a kind of birthday present.” Best leave it at that.

“Well, I should think—”

“Good evening, ladies.” A masculine voice silenced Lady Mary.

Jenny looked up at her dark-haired cousin, Eric, his handsome friend Lord Somersby at his side. Eric had introduced Somersby, a childhood companion from a neighboring estate, to her while they had waited for dinner to be announced. Son and heir to the Marquess of Thaxted, the most powerful peer in the county according to Eric, Lord Somersby nevertheless had been most gracious to her, laughing and talking to her easily as they awaited the gong.

So tall she had to tilt her head back to look into his face, Somersby seemed like a prince out of one of the fairy tales she’d read as a child. His broad shoulders seemed barely confined by his well-cut black evening coat. The elaborately tied cravat at his neck seemed almost too stark a contrast to the lean, chiseled planes of his face. Wavy blonde hair and dark blue eyes completed the features of one of the most handsome men she had ever met.

“Lady Celinda, would you do me the honor of dancing the first set with me?” Eric’s grave face belied his merry eyes.

Celinda gave him a keen look. “Have I ever danced the first with you, Mr. Conroy?”

“Why no, I do not believe you have, my lady.” His eyes were twinkling now. “Apparently I have never been the first in line to ask.”

Celinda smiled at him and gave him her hand. “I am happy to see you are now fleeter of foot, sir.” She moved off on his arm, her blue satin dress swishing as they headed toward the dance floor where the set was making up.

“I would also beg to claim the first set from you,” Lord Somersby began.

Lady Mary stepped forward eagerly, an arch smile on her lips.

Jenny moved to the side, twitching her skirt out of the lady’s way. She didn’t want Lady Mary to trip on it in her haste to claim her partner.

“Miss Crowley,” Somersby finished a beat later.

Lady Mary gasped and stumbled back.

Jenny’s attention snapped back to his face. “I beg pardon, my lord?” The words came out as a squeak. Had he actually asked her to dance?

He smiled, his deep blue eyes amused, and offered his arm. “Would you honor me with the first set, Miss Crowley?”

Vaguely aware of Lady Mary’s hasty retreat, Jenny smiled and nodded. “Yes, thank you, my lord. I would be pleased.” She lay her hand on his, her heartbeat thudding like a drum. Lord, help her, she couldn’t faint now. In a daze she glided across the floor as he led her out to the very first dance of her season.

A Kiss Beneath The Mistletoe is available at Amazon currently (or very soon) for just .99!

Good luck and happy reading!

Posted in A Handful of Hearts, A Kiss Beneath the Mistletoe, Book of the Month, Book Spotlights, Historical Romance, On Regency Romance, Promotion, Regency Romance | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Cover Spot: The Trouble With Roses by Mairi Norris

Cover Spot Logo 4-page-001

This week’s  featured cover is from my good friend and chapter mate, Mairi Norris, who has just released a stunning medieval romance called The Trouble With Roses. Such a beautiful, lush cover!

 

Trouble with Roses

Cover Quote from Mairi Norris~ “This is my favorite, so far, of the covers of the Ballads of the Roses novels. I love the purples, grays and golds and how the whole image speaks of storms and restless spirits – which describes both of my protagonists to the proverbial “T”. Dar Albert, my cover designer, embodied in this new cover everything I could hope for, even the seabirds over the stark castle keep on the shoreline (the castle’s name is “Le Donjon des Maoues”, which is Old French for “Seabird Keep”). I’m in awe!   MĂ iri Norris

BLURB:

An unorthodox woman with a restless spirit…
In her youth, Evarette D’Auvrecher was nicknamed the “restless fire” child. Now a woman grown, she retains that fiery nature. Many men seek her hand in marriage. They want her beauty, generous dower and an alliance with her influential family. They expect from her a meek spirit and implicit obedience – the hallmarks of a proper noblewoman – but she hungers for a man who desires her for herself.

Meets a warrior with a sense of inadequacy – and a slightly misplaced sense of humor.
Sir Javain d’Olgeanc is a powerful knight whose strength lies in battle strategy and the leadership of warriors. Then his father falls ill and he is called home to care for and protect hearth, home – and heaven forbid, helpless, defenseless innocents – a task for which he has little training. To make matters worse, he must manage this feat while falling in love with an unconventional beauty and staying one step ahead of a murderer.

Fate brings them together. Sensual attraction binds them. But they might well kill each other before love can claim them.

 

Buy Link:

Available at AMAZON.

Posted in Cover Spot, Historical Romance, Promotion | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Seaside Fashions of the 19th Century

As warm weather approaches, my thoughts turn to the seashore and our week at our timeshare on the beach. So this wonderful article caught my eye. The beach has apparently always been a place to see and be seen, especially in such beautiful couture.

Mimi Matthews's avatarMimi Matthews

“The close of the London and Parisian Season has now arrived, and the Fashionable World has sought the invigorating breezes of the Seaside…”
The Ladies’ Monthly Magazine, 1869.

(Individual Images via LACMA, V&A, and the Museum at FIT) (Individual Images via LACMA, V&A, and the Museum at FIT)

During the 19th century, there was no such thing as a holiday from fashion.  Seaside resorts in England—whether in Brighton, Bournemouth, or Burnham-on-Sea—were as much a place to flaunt one’s style as London itself during the season.  An 1869 issue of the Ladies’ Monthly Magazine even goes so far as to declare:

“…splendid as they have been in the season just ended, dresses to be worn at the Seaside, and at the mansions of our Aristocracy, often surpass those that have been worn in London or Paris, during the height of the Season.”

View original post 2,027 more words

Posted in Uncategorized | 4 Comments