Weekend Writing Warriors ~ 6/29/14 Betrayal ~ The Letter

Posted on June 29, 2014 by Jenna Jaxon

Welcome to Weekend Writing Warriors!

For the Sundays in June for WWW, I’ve decided to share snippets from each of my back listed books. This week is Betrayal, the second novella in my medieval serial novel, Time Enough to Love.

In this scene, Alyse is given some very bad news.

“Tell me.”

That there was something he could not bring himself to tell her filled her with terror.

Before she could question him further, he drew out a folded piece of parchment, sealed with blue wax and stamped with a signet ring bearing Geoffrey’s family crest.

A cold dread creeping through her, Alyse compelled herself to hold her hand out.

“He also bade me be at your service, lady, had you need of anything,” he said as he gave the parchment into her hand. As he did so, she looked into his eyes and recognized the same pity she had seen in Princess Joanna’s.

Panic made her arms weak and her fingers numb, but she forced her shaking hands to break the seal. Alyse unfolded the letter and slowly read the scratched and blurry words.

Hope you enjoyed this little snippet of Betrayal. If you want to read more, it’s available on Amazon right now!

The worst betrayals come from within.

After a night of passion with her betrothed, Sir Geoffrey Longford, Lady Alyse de Courcy is eagerly looking forward to her wedding. But when Geoffrey is forced to marry another, a heartbroken and possibly pregnant Alyse finds herself in her own private hell. She must either gamble with her reputation or marry someone she does not love.

A reputed connoisseur of women, Thomas, Lord Braeton, has dallied with many ladies of King Edward’s court, although he has favored none. However, as Geoffrey’s best friend, Thomas has sworn to serve and protect Alyse, an oath now sorely tested when he agrees to marry her—in name only—to guard her reputation. Yet, as they grow closer, and Thomas discovers Alyse’s sweet but spirited nature, he comes to desire a marriage in truth. Can he overcome her memory of Geoffrey or is Thomas doomed to burn with passion for a woman he can never possess?

And don’t forget, Beleaguered releases in mid-July!

In the mean time, check out the rest of the Warriors here. There’s some fantastic snippets to be read.

Posted in Betrayal, On Time Enough to Love, On Weekend Writing Warriors, Promotion, Weekend Writing Warriors | Tagged Betrayal, historical romance, Jenna Jaxon, medieval romance, Time Enough To Love, Weekend Writing Warriors | 13 Comments

Alphabet Post: M is for Masquerade

Posted on June 27, 2014 by Jenna Jaxon

Venetian Carnival Mask Courtesy of Wikimedia

Last week I was enjoying my last day in the Magic Kingdom at Disney World and I was tempted to post M is for Mickey! But I refrained because I really wanted to do this post on masquerades.

A masquerade is a social gathering at which participants dress up in costumes and act like someone different from their normal identity. Today we usually associate these types of parties with the celebration of Halloween. However, in the eighteenth century, these social events took place throughout the year and were taken very seriously by the people who attended them.

Masquerades originated in Italy and were especially popular in Venice during the 16th century. The fashion appeared in London in the 17th century and took hold in the 18th century, becoming one of the most fashionable of parties to give or to attend. The idea was to disguise yourself in an elaborate costume and mask until you were unrecognizable by the other guests. During the party you were to speak and act as your costume indicated and other guests would question you to try to find out your identity. At midnight, everyone unmasked, and the party continued into the wee hours.

The costumes were usually extremely elaborate, characters ranging from historical figures to the very popular Greek gods and goddesses, to characters from portraits of the period. If, however, you desired anonymity and simplicity, you might elect to attend in a domino. A domino was a robe-

Man Dressed in Domino Costume

like costume that covered the wearer’s regular clothes . It included a hood and with a plain mask, would hide a person’s identity completely, which was the aim of all the costumes at a masquerade. It was said that sometimes married couples would not know one another until the unmasking.

Although many masquerades were given in private homes, some of the most famous ones were public affairs, organized by Teresa Cornleys, an Italian opera singer who needed a way to support herself in London. Mrs. Cornleys’ masquerades at Carlisle House became the rage in 18th century. Attendees included members of the royal families of England, Monaco, and Denmark in addition to half the peerage in England. According to Alan Chilvers in The Berties of Grimsthorp Castle, “In February 1770, Parliament adjourned early to enable members to attend one of her masquerades.^“

The popularity of masquerades, lasted well into the 19th century, although they eventually dwindled from being elaborate affairs into mere fancy-dress parties.

If you have not attended a masquerade before, especially not one in the 18th century, let me direct you to this wonderful interactive site created by the students at the University of Michigan. Called The World Upside Down, it will take you into the world of the 18th century masquerade and give you a real taste of the entertainment that was the rage of Georgian London. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. 🙂

Venetian Carnival Mask Courtesy of Wikimedia

Posted in Alphabet Post | Tagged Alphabet Post, domino, jenna jaxom, masks, masquerade, Teresa Cornleys | 5 Comments

E-Books VS Print: Which do you Prefer?

Posted on June 26, 2014 by Jenna Jaxon

I had always been a firm fan of print books, loved holding either paperback or hard covers in my hands. Loved the feel of the paper in my hands.

Then I started writing and learned about e-books. Got a Kindle for Christmas and started filling it up. Even learned last summer how to download books to my cell phone! Yep, e-reading became the thing for me.

Until I got sick last month. And the two books I hadn’t read by my favorite author I happened to have in print. So I read them. And fell in love with print books all over again. There is just something about holding that book, turning those pages. Being able to quickly thumb back to check on something you just made a connection to, or to check and see how much further to the end of the chapter make reading a print book a more satisfying reading experience to me.

I grant you, E-books are convenient. They give the reader anonymity in case you don’t want others to know what you’re reading. You don’t have to lug around a ton of physical books. And you carry the bookstore with you as long as you have a Wifi connection.

As long as people continue to buy both mediums, the debate over e-book vs print will exist. In an article in The Guardian, author Nick Harkaway points out, “Digital will continue to grow for a while at least, and continue to exist, because it is becoming part of the world we inhabit at a level below our notice, no more remarkable than roads or supermarkets. Ebooks are here to stay because digital is.”

However, he also acknowledges, “Digital books are still painfully ugly and weirdly irritating to interact with. They look like copies of paper, but they can’t be designed or typeset in the same way as paper, and however splendid the cover images may look on a hi-res screen, they’re still images rather than physical things. To my irritation, you still can’t flick through an e-book properly; you can’t riffle the pages, you can’t look at more than one page at once… Better, a lot of the time, to shove a paperback in your pocket.”

And even though it really comes down to reader preference, is there a new trend on the horizon?

An article from the PBS Newshour states that a report came out in January 2014 affirming that Americans read more print books. ” A report…found that 70 percent of Americans read print books last year, but only four percent read exclusively e-books. According to the survey, conducted by the Princeton Survey Research Associates International, the average adult read five books in 2013.” The report also revealed that “half of American adults now own an e-reader or tablet, which is a seven percent increase from 2012.”

The debate of e-book or print is more serious for authors, as we decide whether to publish exclusively in e-format through small presses or self-publishing, or push to get a print contract through an agent and major publishing companies, a difficult feat at best. And though most small presses provide POD print copies, few of these copies are usually ordered because of higher costs and shipping charges.

So, which side of the debate do you come down on? As a reader or as an author, do you prefer e-books or print books?

Posted in On Publishing, On Reading, On Writing | Tagged digital media, E-books vs Print Books, Jenna Jaxon, print media | 25 Comments

Horny Hump Day 06/25/14: Betrothal

Posted on June 25, 2014 by Jenna Jaxon

WARNING: MATERIAL NOT SUITABLE FOR THOSE UNDER THE AGE OF 18!

NOT SAFE FOR WORK!

Participating authors in Horny Hump Day post three sentences from their published works or WIP, hot like a firecracker! LOL

Welcome back to Horny Hump Day!

For the month of June I’m showcasing different works from my back list (I’m coordinating this with my Weekend Writing Warrior posts). And I’m continuing today with the first novella of my medieval series, Betrothal.

In this snippet, Alyse has just forgiven Geoffrey for a grave transgression and he is pressing his advantage in the rose garden.

Held against him, unable to move, almost unable to breathe, Alyse reveled in his caresses as wave after wave of glorious sensation flooded her body. Kindling passion wrested all thought from her mind, and she wantonly returned his kiss, pressing her mouth to his. His lips awoke the flame she had only vaguely sensed before, transformed it into an inferno that began at her mouth then blossomed unexpectedly in her breast and between her thighs.

If you’d like more, Betrothal is available at Amazon for only .99!

Please continue to the Horny Hump Day blog site for additional sites on the hop and go check out the other hot authors.

Thanks so much for visiting the Journal once more for Horny Hump Day!

Posted in Betrothal, Blog Hops, Horny Hump Day, On Horny Hump Day, On Time Enough to Love, Promotion | Tagged Betrothal, historical romance, Horny Hump Day, Jenna Jaxon, medieval romance, sensual kisses, Time Enough To Love | 9 Comments

Spotlight on Liza O’Connor and The Worst Week Ever!

Posted on June 23, 2014 by Jenna Jaxon

BEST WEEK EVER

For

Worst Week Ever

by Liza O’Connor

Humorous, Contemporary, Disaster Romance

Fabulous News!

Worst Week Ever has been nominated by the IRC as

The Best Contemporary Romance of 2014

So to celebrate its grand achievement, I’m offering it to the world for 99 cents

From June 23 –June 29^th

What do reviewers say?

“By the time I got to the chocolate turtles I was laughing so hard I was literally crying” 5*

“Funniest book I have ever read!”

Don’t wait! Grab your copy now!

Available at Amazon US and Amazon UK

Blurb:

What do you get when you put a hardworking, can-do middle-class young woman together with an egotistical, outrageous, billionaire boss, than throw in the worst week of disasters imaginable?

Book 1 of the 4 book series A Long Road to Love, named Worst Week Ever.

Trent Lancaster spends one month without his Executive Assistant (or as his driver refers to Carrie: ‘Trent’s brain, left hand, and right hand’). He’s had a miserable month without her at his side and to ensure it never happens again, he intends to marry this brilliant beauty. Only given all the times he’s threatened to fire her, he’s not sure she even likes him. However, the future of his company and his happiness depend upon him succeeding, so Trent begins a slow one week seduction that happens to coincide with Carrie Hanson’s Worst Week Ever when everything that can go wrong does so in hilarious form.

(Hilarious to the reader, Carrie is not having much fun this week.)

Excerpt

Carrie squeezed her eyes shut, waiting for the thump of a body against the limo’s hood.

“Maybe I shouldn’t have insisted Sam take a shortcut,” Trent muttered beneath his breath.

She groaned softly. If her boss questioned his actions, then matters must look grim outside. She tensed even further, expecting to hear multiple bodies slam into the car.

Sam braked hard, turned right, and resumed driving a billion miles an hour. If not for the seat belts, she and Trent would’ve sailed into the front seat, and then plastered against the door. To secure her further, Trent protectively placed an arm around her shoulder and pulled her against his warm chest.

She focused on the thumping of his heart. It beat once to three of hers. God, how can he be so calm?

Determined to match his bravery, she tried to raise her head, but he wouldn’t let her.

“Just a little longer, I hope. Sam, when do we depart this third world country?”

“Two more blocks, sir.”

“Thank God. You’ve terrified poor Carrie to death.”

Instantly, the limo’s speed dropped.

She turned her head sideways so Sam might be able to hear her words. “Your driving doesn’t frighten me, Sam, the neighborhood does.”

As if on cue, a round of three loud pops sounded, followed by three thunks into her side door. She squeaked like a mouse at the first thunk. By the third, her body shivered in fear.

Trent’s arms tightened around her as the limo picked up speed again. “We’re okay,” he assured her, then his lips pressed against her temple. His calm certainty silenced her tremors.

Having successfully soothed her, he released his outrage upon Sam. “Why the hell did you drive us through here?”

Sam calmly replied as he drove the car at a billion miles an hour, taking corners at deadly speeds. “I warned you the locals might not welcome us.”

“Someone just shot at us?” Trent yelled.

Sam’s nonchalant reply sounded almost surreal. “I’m sure they didn’t mean for you to take it personally, sir.”

Maybe none of this is happening. Maybe I fell asleep in the traffic and my dream has gone rogue.

Her heart calmed and she nuzzled closer to Trent, breathing in his masculine scent. Secure in her dream, she confessed something she never would in real life. “You smell good.”

Trent’s arms relaxed a bit and he chuckled. “It’s called Trent. I had the cologne custom developed. They assessed my natural odors and then determined the optimal combination of scents to create my unique smell.”

She snorted. Even in her dreams, he remained the strangest man she’d ever met. If she had all the money in the world, she’d try to end poverty and violence in…whatever hell they’d just driven through, not have some custom designed perfume created so she’d smell really, really good.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT

LIZA O’CONNOR

Liza’s Blog and Website Facebook Twitter

TIRED OF READING STUFF?

WATCH THE VIDEO

Trailer Link for Worst Week Ever Trailer

Posted in Book Spotlights, Guest Bloggers, Guest Posts, Promotion | 14 Comments

My Writing Process ~ Round Two

Posted on June 23, 2014 by Jenna Jaxon

I’m helping out a friend, Lola Karns (who can be found here), by writing about my writing process today. I’ve done this before, but I’m working on different books and the process does evolve.

1) What am I working on?

At the moment, I’m finishing up the polishing phase of my current WIP, To Woo A Wicked Widow. It’s the first book in my Widows’ Club series about five friends who were widowed by the Battle of Waterloo and how they find love again (and sometimes for the first time!). This book is my first Regency and I found the period quite challenging after the medieval and Georgian eras I’m familiar with. Readers know the period quite well, so you have to be on your toes about your historical accuracy. Even though it’s fiction, the history has to be right.

2) How does my work differ from others of its genre?

I think of my works as being a blend of steamy and historical. There’s nothing new under the sun and people in history were just as sexually active–both with or without marriage–as we are today. They just didn’t flaunt it quite as brazenly as we do. 🙂 So I try to inject my historical romances with a “spicy” side that offsets the strict rules of society at the time.

3) Why do I write what I write?

I love history and I love doing research. The logical thing for me to do, then, is to write historical romances where I have all the history and twice the research! The perfect match.

4) How does my writing process work?

I am a very linear writer. I start with an idea–sometimes a scene pops into my head or I play “what if?” Then I immediately plot that idea out with a detailed outline. Once that’s done, I sit down and start with chapter one and write straight through until The End. Along the way I usually have some input from my characters about what they want to do, how they will react in a particular situation, etc., but always minor stuff. Until I started writing Widow. Those characters just took over! They kept doing things I didn’t want them to do and they wouldn’t take no for an answer! I almost became a pantzer while writing it! To the point I had to take the detailed outline and chapter by chapter make it even more detailed to keep these characters in line. I hope the rest of the series isn’t like that!

Now, because I’ve been at Disney World for the past week, I clean forgot to line up three more writers to reveal their processes for next week. If any of you would like to play, just let me know and I’ll add your name to this post. 🙂

Posted in About the Author, On Writing, On Writing Historical Romance, On Writing Romance | Tagged historical romance, Jenna Jaxon, writing process | 1 Comment

Weekend Writing Warriors ~ 6/22/14 Betrothal ~ The Oaf Has Wits

Posted on June 22, 2014 by Jenna Jaxon

Welcome to Weekend Writing Warriors!

For the Sundays in June for WWW, I’ve decided to share snippets from each of my back listed books. This week is Betrothal, the first novella in my medieval serial novel, Time Enough to Love.

In this scene, just after their betrothal is announced, Sir Geoffrey is supposed to be escorting Lady Alyse back to her table. However, he instead parades her around the Great Hall, showing off his bride to be. Alyse, however, is less than thrilled at his attention.

Could this great hulking oaf not see her discomfiture? Did he not care about her feelings at all? And she must be married to this man?

Oh, Father, what have you done to me?

As they continued down the long side of the Hall, Geoffrey leaned over to ask, “Why so quiet, my lady? Are you in awe of me or merely stunned by the good fortune of our betrothal?”

Outraged by the conceited fool, Alyse opened her mouth to explain exactly how unimpressed she was, both with him and her so-called good fortune, but instead met eyes of darkest sapphire flickering with merriment at her indignation.

So the oaf has wits.

Hope you enjoyed this little snippet of Betrothal. If you want to read more, it’s available on Amazon right now on sale for only .99!

They are betrothed by law but can he make it an affair of the heart?

Lady Alyse de Courcy has fallen in love with Lord Braeton, a nobleman in King Edward III’s court and a man to whom she has barely spoken. Fate, however, has decreed her betrothal to his best friend, Sir Geoffrey Longford—a handsome and imposing knight, yet hardly the man she wants to wed.

When Sir Geoffrey is bound in betrothal by his father, he could not have expected the beautiful stranger to win his heart the moment they meet. Nevertheless, the fascinating Lady Alyse has done exactly that, and his feelings for her only grow as he learns more of her gentle yet spirited nature. But Alyse’s infatuation with his friend casts doubt on whether she can ever return his regard and their wedding day is fast approaching…

Will he have time enough to win her love?

And don’t forget, Beleaguered releases in July!

In the mean time, check out the rest of the Warriors here. There’s some fantastic snippets to be read.

Posted in Betrothal, On Time Enough to Love, On Weekend Writing Warriors, Promotion, Weekend Writing Warriors | Tagged Betrothal, historical romance, Jenna Jaxon, medieval romance, Time Enough To Love, Weekend Writing Warriors | 10 Comments

Horny Hump Day 06/18/14: Only Scandal Will Do

Posted on June 18, 2014 by Jenna Jaxon

WARNING: MATERIAL NOT SUITABLE FOR THOSE UNDER THE AGE OF 18!

NOT SAFE FOR WORK!

Participating authors in Horny Hump Day post three sentences from their published works or WIP, hot like a firecracker! LOL

Welcome back to Horny Hump Day!

For the month of June I’m showcasing different works from my back list (I’m coordinating this with my Weekend Writing Warrior posts). And I’m continuing today with my steamy, Georgian historical, Only Scandal Will Do.

This snippet follows closely after my Weekend Writing Warrior 8 last Sunday. The masked man is doing a great job of seducing Lady Katarina into a very compromising position.

All she wanted was his hands on her, his tongue in her. Of its own accord, her tongue thrust into him, bringing a growl of approval that encouraged her to frenzied explorations of his warm, wet mouth. He slipped a hand down and rested it on the swell of her breast, impudently nudging a finger inside the gown’s low decolletage and brushing it against her aching nipple.

If you’d like to find out if the masked man succeeds, Only Scandal Will Do is available at Amazon for only .99!

Please continue to the Horny Hump Day blog site for additional sites on the hop and go check out the other hot authors.

Thanks so much for visiting the Journal once more for Horny Hump Day!

Posted in Blog Hops, House of Pleasure Series, On Horny Hump Day, On Only Scandal Will Do, Promotion | Tagged Georgian romance, historical romance, Horny Hump Day, Jenna Jaxon, Only Scandal Will Do, sensual sex scene | 5 Comments

Spotlight on Patricia Green’s Latest Release: The Blacksmith’s Bride

Posted on June 16, 2014 by Jenna Jaxon

Sunny Winslow knows exactly what she wants: a mature man, solid, reliable, true to his convictions, and handsome, who is established in her new town, Carrollton, Texas. When she meets the blacksmith, Abel Armstrong, she’s immediately hooked. Unfortunately, her mother has other plans for her that do not include a blacksmith. Her mother is determined to tie Sunny to a town counselor who has a suspicious past. Sunny is desperate to escape the counselor, so she embarks on a series of schemes to get what she wants.

Abel Armstrong has some skeletons in his closet. In the nineteenth century, it’s quite the scandal to be a divorced man. Over the course of the last ten years, he’s had to work very hard to get his reputation back. Meeting Sunny is like a breath of fresh air, but he can’t afford to throw caution to the wind and force their joining by doing something disreputable.

Can spankings teach Sunny to have some patience and trust that Abel’s way is the right way? And, can Abel deal with Sunny’s impulsive scheming and keep his standing in the community intact?

This book is one of the five books in the historical romance box set entitled, “The Sons of Johnny Hastings.” It includes books by Patricia Green, Patty Devlin, Renee Rose, Maddie Taylor, and Mary Wehr. All bestselling authors. Five books, all of one theme, for a great low price. Over 500 pages of spanking romance goodness.

In the old west, a divorced man is a pariah, but Sunny wants the blacksmith. Right now!

Excerpt for The Blacksmith’s Bride:

As he put on his hat against the afternoon sun, he observed a game of blind-man’s-bluff a group of young women, somewhere between seventeen and twenty-one years old, were playing. They were laughing and giggling, flitting around each other and trying to confuse the one with the blindfold over her eyes. She was laughing as hard as the others and her attempts to tag one of them were vigorous but fruitless. Her hair was dark blonde with sunlit streaks, and her mouth was a rosebud, pink and tender. The girl’s laugh trilled in the air like the crystal bells the ladies played at church concerts. She had a fine figure, too, petite and perfectly proportioned. A woman that size would make Abel feel like a giant among men.

Eventually, the woman tagged someone, and then fell to the ground with breathless giggles, pulling off her blindfold as she fell. Her eyes were as blue as cornflowers, glowing with youth and vitality. Abel pegged her age at nineteen or twenty. And, best of all, she was new around here. He’d never seen her before. It seemed unlikely that anyone was already courting her…unless she was maybe already married. It was common enough for women of such an age to be married, some with children already. She probably wouldn’t know about his societal scar.

He tried to make out if she had a ring on her finger, but he couldn’t quite tell.

His friend Bruce sauntered up, offering him a glass of lemonade, which Abel took and absentmindedly sipped at. “Now that’s a pretty sight,” Bruce said with a smile, as they watched the girls playing.

“Yes, indeed.”

“A single man like you could have his pick, Abel. I don’t know why you haven’t settled down yet. It’s been nearly ten years.”

Looking at the new girl, he was wondering the same thing, but it didn’t take him long to remind himself that a giggly girl barely out of the schoolroom was hardly the right mate for man of his age. He needed a widow, maybe. It wasn’t as exciting as having a young woman, of course.

Buy Links:

The Blacksmith’s Bride on Amazon: http://goo.gl/FbxotZ

The Blacksmith’s Bride on Blushing Books: http://goo.gl/80tXLW

The Sons of Johnny Hastings Box Set on Amazon: http://goo.gl/sv4Cra

The Sons of Johnny Hastings Box Set on Blushing Books: http://goo.gl/qRVgyt

Patricia Green is a full-time fiction writer specializing in erotic romance. She provides the reader with love stories that emphasize fun characters with quirky personalities. Patricia is the author of more than 20 published novels and novellas.

In her personal life, Patricia is married and the mother of twins. When she’s not being the angel of domestic harmony and a semi-crazed creator of fictional friends, she loves to read, crochet, knit and watch hockey and baseball.

You can reach Patricia Green in the following ways:

Email: pig (at) patriciagreenbooks (dot) com

Website/Blog: http://www.patriciagreenbooks.com

Facebook http://www.facebook.com/Patricia.Green.Romance

Twitter: @PatriciaIGreen

Google+: http://plus.google.com/+PatriciaGreen

Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Patricia-Green/e/B002RCB0IK/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1

Goodreads Author Page: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4541511.Patricia_Green

Posted in Book Spotlights, Guest Bloggers, Historical Romance, New Release, Promotion | Tagged historical romance, Patricia Green, spanking romance, The Blacksmith's Bride, The Sons of Johnny Hastings, western romance | 4 Comments

Weekend Writing Warriors ~ 6/15/14 Only Scandal Will Do ~ Pleasure to be Had

Posted on June 15, 2014 by Jenna Jaxon

Welcome to Weekend Writing Warriors!

For the Sundays in June for WWW, I’ve decided to share snippets from each of my back listed books. This week is Only Scandal Will Do, my first full length historical.

He has the woman of his dreams, but what price will he have to pay to

win her heart?

Kidnapped and sold at auction in a London brothel, Lady Katarina Fitzwilliam squelches an undeniable attraction to the masked stranger who purchased her, pits her wits against him, and escapes him and the scandal that would ruin her life.

Unable to resist temptation in a London brothel, Duncan Ferrers, Marquess

of Dalbury, purchases a fiery beauty. She claims she’s a lady, but how can

she be? No lady of his acquaintance in polite society is anything like her.

Then he discovers she is who she says, and that this latest romp has

compromised her reputation. He knows how that is. One more scandal and

he’ll be cast out of London society, but he needs a wife who’ll provide an

heir to carry on his illustrious family’s name. He seeks out Katarina,

intending only to scotch the scandal, but instead finds his heart ensnared.

He’s betting their future he’ll capture her heart, but does he have what it

takes to win the wager?

WARNING: A blade-wielding heroine who crosses swords with a master of

sensuality.

In this scene, Lady Katarina meets her buyer, a masked man:

She jerked away and insisted, “You may have paid for a slave, sir, but what you find in this room is a lady in distress. Will you prove a gentleman or a rogue?”

“A lady in distress?” he laughed and straightened. “How did a lady come to find herself on display at an auction, scandalously clad in a transparent Greek costume, in Madame Vestry’s House of Pleasure?”

“House of Pleasure?” she squeaked.

“Where else would such a thing occur?” The man’s amusement seemed to deepen at her indignation. “And there will certainly be pleasure here tonight, slave.”

Hope you enjoyed this little taste of Only Scandal Will Do. If you want to read more, it’s available on Amazon right now on sale for $1.99!

In the mean time, check out the rest of the Warriors here. There’s some fantastic snippets to be read.