Her Perfect Gentleman Release Day! An 8 Book Boxed Set for .99!

Posted on February 14, 2017 by Jenna Jaxon

Happy Valentines Day!

It’s also release day for Her Perfect Gentleman, the Regency boxed set with my

Heart of Delight novella in it!

USA Today Best-selling author, Gina Danna, joins best-selling, award-winning authors, Collette Cameron, Ella Quinn, Marie Higgins, Jenna Jaxon, Louisa Cornell, Elf Ahearn, and Lauren Smith in this delightful limited edition, containing eight tantalizing love stories.

THIS LOVE OF MINE by GINA DANNA-He must woo his wife to awaken her past or lose her to a pirate forever.

Kidnapped on a trip to London, Lady Eleanor Whitemore awakes in the hold of a ship with no memory of her past or of her perfect marriage to Lord James Haddington III, Earl of Windhaven. All she knows is that a fierce and stunningly handsome pirate is yelling about women being bad luck on a voyage. Adrift at sea in both body and mind, she finds herself falling in love with the pirate captain, whose flashing eyes and muscular frame leave her breathless.

Lord James resisted the shackles of marriage until he met Eleanor. Her beauty and charms captured his heart, and now that she’s disappeared, he vows he will find her or die trying. His search becomes a chase to the Americas, a trip that could destroy him as Eleanor’s bonds with a pirate captain tighten. Can James provoke her memory and win her love, or will the pirate steal her heart forever…

BRIDE OF FALCON by Collette Cameron – Faced with spinsterhood, Ivonne Wimpleton takes fate into her own hands determined to win the heart of her wholly unacceptable childhood love . . . scandal be damned.

After five Seasons, Ivonne Wimpleton has accepted she’s a haute ton undesirable. Always a bit ungraceful, her suitors are men desperate to get their hands on her marriage settlement. Guarded and aloof, she’s resigned herself to spinsterhood. She doesn’t mind her fate, since Chancy Faulkenhurst, the man who once held her heart, left for India years ago without an explanation. When Ivonne’s father, Viscount Wimpleton, refuses Chance’s request for her hand in marriage, he transfers to the East India Troops. Chance’s dreams of making Ivonne his wife are soundly dashed. Ignoring her letters, he closes the door on his heart and Ivonne and remains in India.

Six years later, severely injured during a battle, Chance returns to England physically and emotionally scarred. His love for Ivonne remains just as strong. When he learns due to a whim of Prinny’s she must choose one of the despots whose offered for her hand, Chance is determined that none should have her but him. Except, not only is she infuriated he made no effort to contact her in all those years, in Chance’s absence, his father arranged a marriage for him and fully expects Chance to honor the agreement.

IT TAKES A HERO by ELLA QUINN

Even though their families demand that the youngest son of a duke, Lord Quartus Trevor, and the Duchess of Wharton remain apart, but their hearts don’t seem able to listen.

For the former Anna Calder of Tortola, discovering she is the Duchess of Wharton is a shock, but being forced to find a husband is a greater one. To make matters worse, the only gentleman who interests her is the devastatingly handsome rogue she has been warned against. As inappropriate as he is, she can’t stop thinking about the way his blue eyes warm her or cut of his coat over his broad shoulders…

Upon accepting his brother’s invitation to spend the Season in London, Lord Quartus Trevor quickly discovers that being the penniless younger son of a duke is not much of a recommendation to the beguiling Duchess of Wharton. It’s ridiculous to hope her attentions are serious, but where she’s concerned, his hope refuses to be swayed.

THE SWEETEST CHALLENGE by MARIE HIGGINS

Is giving her heart to a stranger worth the price?

Melinda Stewart is far from being a debutante, but she must disguise what she does during the day to keep food on the table. When a wealthy businessman enters her life and wants to buy her land, she’s torn between giving up her deceased father’s dream—and wanting to give her heart to this stranger.

HEART OF DELIGHT by JENNA JAXON

He’ll do anything to be her heart’s delight—except tell the truth.

Gabriella d’Adventure has come to England as a lady’s maid in pursuit of the Duke of Rother. So when she meets the handsome Horace Carpenter, valet to a marquess, she is delighted to enlist his aid in gaining her heart’s desire: a meeting with the duke.

When a breathtaking young woman intrudes on the eccentric Marquess of Halford’s solitude, he is captivated and introduces himself as his valet in hopes of learning more about her. Despite his fear about the true motive behind Gabriella’s quest to meet the duke, Hal agrees to help her gain an audience, all the while hoping his deception will won’t ruin his chances of winning her love and hand in marriage.

STEALING MINERVA by LOUISA CORNELL

He has a thousand reasons to steal the bride, but only one reason to steal her heart.

Colonel Sebastian Brightworth has a reputation for seduction. He seduces money into his hands and never lets it go. He seduces women into his bed and never lets them stay. Seducing his best friend’s latest betrothed into jilting him days before the wedding seems an easy task. Especially with a thousand-pound purse in the offing. That is, until Sebastian discovers his friend is engaged to the one woman in England he cannot possibly seduce. Again.

After seven years in a less than perfect marriage and two years as the Perfect Widow, Minerva Faircloth is engaged to the most eligible earl in England. Their amiable marriage will keep her son safe from his uncle’s cruel plans and her heart safe from disappointment. Everything goes according to plan, until her betrothed’s closest friend arrives. Sebastian Brightworth stole her heart nine years ago. What thievery is he up to now? And how will she ever survive it?

HIS LORDSHIP’S DARKEST SECRET by ELF AHEARN

The thought of Claire Albright in the arms of another man is unbearable, but in his heart, Lord Flavian Monroe knows he mustn’t ask her to share the consequences of one terrible mistake.

If Lady Claire Albright had one wish, it would be to forget brooding, powerful Lord Flavian Monroe. But even after two years of bewildering silence, she yearns to touch his sinuous arms and feel his calloused hands upon her cheeks. Then, on the brink of her come out, they accidently meet. His ward is ill, and he begs her to use her knowledge of healing to help the child. But this patient is sick in a way that’s far different than what Claire expected—dangerously different. And, as she struggles to find a cure, Flavian resists rekindling their love. Is it the ward’s illness that keeps him cold and distant, or a dark and terrible secret?

TEMPTED BY A ROGUE by LAUREN SMITH

Gemma never planned on falling in love with her childhood sweetheart’s best friend, Jasper, when he returns home, but she can’t resist the naval officer’s brooding charm.

Gemma plans to marry James, her childhood sweetheart. With every letter written between them while he’s been off at sea, their love has grown. Now they will be reunited with his return to England. But the man whose words she’d fallen in love with isn’t James…

Jasper, a gentleman rogue of the first order, is trapped. Talked into a scheme by his friend, he pretended to be James for eleven years while writing to Gemma. He’s promised James he’d break it off. But when he returns home, his secret will come out – and he’ll lose the one woman he can’t live without.

ABOUT THE AUTHORS:

GINA DANNA – A USAToday Bestselling author, Gina Danna was born in St. Louis, Missouri, and has spent the better part of her life reading. History has always been her love and she spent numerous hours devouring historical romance stories, always dreaming of writing one of her own. After years of writing historical academic papers to achieve her undergraduate and graduate degrees in History, and then for museum programs and exhibits, she found the time to write her own historical romantic fiction novels. Now, under the Texas sun and with the supervision of her three dogs, she writes amid a library of research books, with her only true break away is to spend time with her other life long dream – her Arabian horse – with him, her muse can play.

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

Twitter: www.twitter.com/GinaDanna1

Website: www.ginadanna.com

COLLETTE CAMERON –Bestselling, award-winning author, COLLETTE CAMERON pens Scottish and Regency historicals featuring rogues, rapscallions, rakes, and the intelligent, intrepid damsels who reform them. Mother to three, Collette admits to a quirky sense of humor, enjoys inspiring quotes, and anything cobalt blue. A self-confessed Cadbury chocoholic, she lives in Oregon with her miniature dachshunds. You’ll always find dogs, birds, occasionally naughty humor, and a dash of inspiration in her sweet-to-spicy timeless romances. To connect with Collette or learn more about her books, visit her at the following places:

Website: www.collettecameron.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/collettecameronauthor

Twitter: www.twitter.com/Collette_Author

ELLA QUINN – Bestselling author Ella Quinn’s studies and other jobs have always been on the serious side. Reading historical romances, especially Regencies, were her escape. Eventually her love of historical novels led her to start writing them. She has just finished her first series, The Marriage Game, and her new series, The Worthingtons, began in April 2016. She is married to her wonderful husband of over thirty years. They have a son and two beautiful granddaughters, and a dog. After living in the South Pacific, Central America, North Africa, England and Europe, she and her husband decided to make their dreams come true and are now living on a sailboat cruising the Caribbean and North America. Europe is next!

Website: www.ellaquinnauthor.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/EllaQuinnAuthor

Twitter www.twitter.com/ellaquinnauthor

Blog http://ellaquinnauthor.wordpresscom

MARIE HIGGINS – is a best-selling, multi-published author of Christian and sweet romance novels; from refined bad-boy heroes who make your heart melt to the feisty heroines who somehow manage to love them regardless of their faults. She’s published over 30 heartwarming, on-the-edge-of-your-seat stories. She broadens her readership by writing mystery/suspense, humor, time-travel, paranormal, along with her love for historical romances. Her readers have dubbed her “Queen of Tease”, because of all her twists and turns and unexpected endings. Visit her website to discover more about her.

Website: www.mariehiggins.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/marie.higgins.7543/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/mariehigginsxox

JENNA JAXON – is a multi-published author of historical in periods from medieval to Victorian. She has been reading and writing historical romance since she was a teenager. A romantic herself, she has always loved a dark side to the genre, a twist, suspense, a surprise. She tries to incorporate all of these elements into her own stories. She lives in Virginia with her family and two rambunctious cats, Marmalade and Suger. When not reading or writing, she indulges her passion for the theatre, working with local theatres as a director. She often feels she is directing her characters on their own private stage. Jenna is a PAN member of Romance Writers of America and is very active in Chesapeake Romance Writers, her local chapter of RWA. She has equated her writing to an addiction to chocolate because once she starts she just can’t stop. To connect with Jenna or learn more about her books, visit:

Website: https://jennajaxon.wordpress.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Jenna_Jaxon

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Jenna-Jaxon/146857578723570

LOUISA CORNELL – Louisa was introduced to Regency romance at the tender age of nine when her father’s Air Force career took the family to live in the tiny Suffolk village of Kelsale. A pair of sisters, retired librarians, insisted she read Pride and Prejudice, and she has been a devoted Anglophile and Regency England fanatic ever since. She even tried her hand at writing her own historical romance. It was notoriously bad. Her mother has the only surviving copy.

A classically trained musician, Louisa’s study of music began at the London College of Music and continued once she returned to the States. After four music degrees and a year of study at the Mozarteum in Salzburg, Austria, Louisa was fortunate enough to embark on a singing career in opera houses in Germany, Austria, and most of Eastern Europe.

Now retired from an active career in opera, Louisa has returned to her first love – writing Regency-set historical romance. Her debut novella, A PERFECTLY DREADFUL CHRISTMAS, in the anthology Christmas Revels, won the 2015 Holt Medallion for Best Novella in Romance Fiction. A two-time Golden Heart finalist, she has also won three Daphne du Mauriers, three Royal Ascots, and the 2014 Emily.

Louisa lives on five acres in the middle of nowhere in the wilds of LA (Lower Alabama.) Her house is surrounded by azaleas, wisteria, kudzu and dirt roads. And it is filled with a great many Regency research books, hundreds of historical romance novels, dozens of pairs of shoes, and a herd of pets under the command of a notorious Chihuahua who has been banned from vet clinics all over the county and a tabby cat who thinks she is a Great Dane.

Louisa loves to hear from her readers and can be contacted all over the web.

Facebook: www.facebook.com/RegencyWriterLouisaCornell

Twitter: https://twitter.com/LouisaCornell

Wesbite: www.louisacornell.com

ELF AHEARN – Elf Ahearn, yes, that is her real name, lives in New York with her wonderful husband and a pesky (yet irresistible) cat. Before becoming a novelist, she spent 20 years in Manhattan working as an actress in nearly 100 productions (yet rarely being paid for any of them). From that lucrative career, she jumped to journalism, and then to corporate communications where she garnered multiple awards for a newsletter she wrote and edited. Her novel, A Rogue in Sheep’s Clothing hit #1 in its genre on Amazon this September, and bless its heart, has been consistently selling for over a year.

Website: www.elfahearn.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/elf.ahearn?fref=ts

Newsletter: email elfahearn@hotmail.com to subscribe

LAUREN SMITH- an attorney by day, is an Amazon best-selling, award winning author by night, who pens adventurous and edgy romance stories by the light of her smart phone flashlight app. She’s a native Oklahoman who lives with her three pets: a feisty chinchilla, sophisticated cat, and dapper little schnauzer. She’s won multiple awards in several romance subgenres including being a New England Reader’s Choice Winner, Greater Detroit Bookseller’s Best Award Finalist and a Semi-Finalist for the Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley Award. To connect with Lauren or learn more about her books, visit her at the following places:

Website: www.laurensmithbooks.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/LaurenDianaSmith/

Twitter: www.twitter.com/LSmithAuthor

For the purpose of this anthology, the following ratings apply:

One Kiss-Stories will either not have consummated love scenes, or subtly sexy undetailed scenes behind a closed bedroom door. You’re not invited inside. Sorry.

Two Kisses-Stories are more sensual than sweet with some love scenes that are more sensual than graphic. You might blush, but you won’t need a fan.

Three Kisses-Stories are sexier and bolder with more explicit love scenes and the language used to describe them may be more graphic. A fan and a cool beverage might be in order, but you won’t experience everything. *Wink*

Four Kisses–Stories have frequent, graphic love scenes with explicit language. Be prepared to blush and stand in front of the air conditioner, a tall, iced drink in hand. Clothing is optional.

Five Kisses–Stories have frequent graphic, descriptive love scenes and/or contain subject matter some readers may find objectionable. Blushing guaranteed, and you might learn a thing or two or three. But never fear, we won’t tattle if you don’t.

Posted in A Handful of Hearts, Heart of Delight, Her Perfect Gentleman, Historical Romance, New Release, Promotion | Tagged .99 books, boxed sets, Collette Cameron, Elf Ahearn, Ella Quinn, Gina Danna, Her Perfect Gentleman, historical romance, Jenna Jaxon, Lauren Smith, Louisa Cornell, Marie Higgins, regency novellas, Regency romance, Valentine's Day | Leave a comment

Medieval Monday ~ Villains ~Week #2 Elisabeth Hobbes’s The Saxon Outlaw’s Revenge

Posted on February 13, 2017 by Jenna Jaxon

Villains!

is our theme for this round of Medieval Monday!

Join us and discover some of the most evil and dastardly villains our medieval romances ever produced! And we are doing something a bit different this time around. We’re breaking our excerpts up into tantalizing little bites–only 8 to 10 sentences each week. So you’ll need to keep up to get the whole excerpt. We let you know each week whose blog we’ll be at the week so you can keep up with each Medieval Monday author’s work the same way.

This week’s excerpt is from Elisabeth Hobbes’

The Saxon Outlaw’s Revenge .

Excerpt:

Finally only three men remained alive. Their ages spanned a decade at least, but the reddish tint in their straw-blond hair and beards marked them as Brunwulf’s sons. The youngest, a man in his middle twenties, could barely walk. His leg was bound to a splint and he clenched his teeth with pain as he was half-carried up the steps. As they were pushed forward to the waiting nooses Brunwulf finally groaned aloud with despair and to Constance it seemed he shrank in stature before her eyes. The eldest called something to his father, his words rapid and in a dialect so thick Constance could not make out a single word. Brunwulf’s lips twisted into a grimace. He nodded and his sons raised their heads to stare at the baron defiantly. As one man they leapt off the ladders, causing their necks to break with the violence of their swing.

Without warning a roar of rage erupted from the back of the crowd.

Who is the mysterious protester? Find out next Monday on Sherry Ewing’s blog

http://www.sherryewing.com/apps/blog/

Blurb:

At the mercy of her enemy!

Abducted by Saxon outlaws, Constance Arnaud comes face to face with Aelric, a Saxon boy she once loved. He’s now her enemy, but Constance must reach out to this rebel and persuade him to save her life as she once saved his…

Aelric is determined to seek vengeance on the Normans who destroyed his family. Believing Constance deserted him, he can never trust her again. Yet, as they are thrown together and their longing for each other reignites, will Aelric discover that love is stronger than revenge?

Buy Link:

US http://bit.ly/SaxonOutlaw

UK http://bit.ly/OutlawSaxon

Next week I’ll be hosting Ashley York’s The Gentle Knight!

Posted in Beleaguered, Medieval Monday, Medieval Mondays, Medieval Romance, On Time Enough to Love, Promotion | Tagged Elsabeth Hobbes, historical romance, Medieval Monday, medieval romance, The Saxon Outlaw's Revenge, Villain theme | Leave a comment

Weekend Writing Warriors ~ 02/12/17 Only Marriage Will Do ~ A Passionate Plea

Posted on February 12, 2017 by Jenna Jaxon

I’m moving on this week sharing snippets from the second book of the House of Pleasure series, Only Marriage Will Do. It’s got one of my favorite heroes, Amiable Dawson, a man with secrets who becomes attracted to a woman with secrets of her own.

Captain Amiable Dawson, irritated because he’s been standing out in the hot sun, knocking on the Marquess of Dalbury’s door, has stumbled upon quite a scene of a man lunging across a sofa and grabbing a woman’s arm. He’s thinking it’s none of his business, but that may change very soon. (Very creatively punctuated to conform to WWW rules.)

The “fop” dressed in too much lace.

EXCERPT:

The young man, foppishly dressed in a robin’s egg blue satin coat dripping too many layers of frothy lace at throat and wrists, looked at Amiable, a snarl on his lips.

Taking advantage of the distraction, the woman wrenched her arm from the man’s grip and said, “Praise God, he has arrived at last. Now you will have to believe me, Philippe.”

The fop scrambled back off the sofa and groped for a black lacquer walking stick that lay on the floor. Lips pressed together, he glowered at the woman. “That remains to be seen, ma chère. In any case, I have shown you the papers; they speak for themselves.”

The woman ran from behind the sofa to Amiable’s side, grazed a kiss over his cheek, and whispered, “For God’s sake, help me. I am alone and he wants to force me to go with him. Please, agree with whatever I say.”

BLURB:

Not every happy-ever-after begins at “I do.”

When the hero of her dreams rescues Lady Juliet Ferrers from the man claiming to be her husband, she is sure she has found her one true love. But is she free to marry him? Not to be deterred, Juliet arranges for her hero, Captain Amiable Dawson, to escort her to her family estate, hoping that along the way she can win his love.

Amiable is charmed by the sweet, beautiful woman he rescued, and although he has grave reservations about her marital status, he allows himself to be swept up into Juliet’s romantic spell and the promise of a happy-ever-after.

The spell breaks when legal questions arise and Juliet faces the horror of not knowing if she is married to her knight in shining armor or the cruel viscount who is determined to have her at any price.

Books in the House of Pleasure series:

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

Posted in Historical Romance, House of Pleasure, House of Pleasure Series, On Weekend Writing Warriors, Only Marriage Will Do, Promotion, Weekend Writing Warriors | Tagged historical romance, Jenna Jaxon, Only Marriage Will Do, Regency romance, The House of Pleasure series, Weekend Writing Warriors | 11 Comments

The Romance of Language: Word for the Week 2/10/17

Posted on February 10, 2017 by Jenna Jaxon

Callithumpian:

“Designating a band of discordant instruments; of or pertaining to such a band. A member of a callithumpian band.”

–from William Craigie’s Dictionary of American English, 1940

“Callithump seem …to be of American origin. It represents the French charivari.”

–from M. Schele De Vere’s Americanisms: The English of the New World, 1871

The mere reading of this word and the definition from Craigie and I was immediately thinking of the 1957 classic musical The Music Man. The plot of the play follows a charlatan, Professor Harold Hill who come to a small Iowa town in the early 1900s and sells the town on the idea of forming a boys band. He’s really just trying to get the town to buy the instruments and band uniforms from him–he can’t teach the boys to play. So he has them rehearse by telling them to think the music so that when the instruments come in, they’ll be able to play them. At the end of the play when he’s caught out, the boys get together and play in what can only be called a callithumpian manner. (Love this play and the movie with Robert Preston!)

Posted in Romance of Language | Tagged callithumpian, discordant instruments, forgotten words, historical words, Jenna Jaxon, Robert Preston, Romance of Language, The music man | 2 Comments

House of Pleasure Series Book News!

Posted on February 9, 2017 by Jenna Jaxon

Just a quick post because I have news that’s just come to me from Kensington about my House of Pleasure series.

My Upcoming release, Only A Mistress Will Do, has a Goodreads Giveaway through February 17! Click here to enter!

If you’d like to win a print copy, just sign up!

AND

Only Scandal Will Do is on Sale for .99 now thru March 5

on Amazon and B & N.

I’ll have more news for you come Valentine’s Day!

Posted in On Only Scandal Will Do, Only A Mistress Will Do | Tagged .99 book sale, Goodreads giveaway, Jenna Jaxon, Only A Mistress Will Do Goodreads Giveaway, Only Scandal Will Do .99 sale | Leave a comment

Be My Guest! ~ Author Interview with Daryl Devore

Posted on February 8, 2017 by Jenna Jaxon

Hello, and welcome to my new feature for 2017.

I’ve begun a Wednesday weekly post to present interviews with authors across all romance genres. Although I’m primarily an historical romance writer, I do read outside my genre and suspect a lot of you do as well. And what’s more fascinating than finding out more about either your favorite authors or new ones? I plan to change up my questions (most of them at least) every three months or so, just to keep the interviews lively.

So now gather round the tea table, grab a scone or cookies, and a cup of tea or coffee and discover a new friend in the writing world.

This week on Be My Guest, I am welcoming one of my oldest online friends, Daryl Devore. Daryl and I belong to an online critique group (that’s how we met) and we’ve been great support buddies over the years. She writes sweet to quite hot, and her new release, What Happens in Bancock, belongs in that latter category.

Now, without further ado, please meet my guest!

Author Bio:

Daryl Devore (@daryldevore) lives in an in old farmhouse in Ontario, Canada, with her husband, a large salt water aquarium full of fish, a black cat named Licorice and some house ghosts. Her daughter is grown and has flown the nest. Daryl loves to take long walks up her quiet country road, or snow shoe across the back acres and in the summer, kayak along the St. Lawrence River. She has touched a moon rock, a mammoth and a meteorite. She’s been deep in the ocean in a submarine, flown high over Niagara Falls in a helicopter and used the ladies room in a royal palace. Life’s an adventure and Daryl’s having fun living it.

Welcome, Daryl! I’m so happy to have you here. Pull up a chair and let’s chat!

We’re all dying to find out a bit more about you. (Even I don’t know a whole lot about you, even though I do know some things!)

So, my standard first question: Who has been the greatest influence on your writing?

This is a major shout out to an awesome critique group – Rom-Critters. I’m not going to name all of you because I’ll miss someone. Critiquing your chapters and reading your comments and suggestions on my chapters has dragged my writing out of the newbie zone and into a more professional standard. I’m not perfect, but I am a lot better than I used to be and I couldn’t have done it on my own. I thank you all.

Rom Critters is where I got my start too, Daryl. Great bunch of authors!

Now, who or what inspires your writing?

Diane. No, not the Goddess – although she’d love being called a goddess. Diane is my husband’s former secretary. Both are retired now, but over the years we became friends and she loves to read. Romances being her favourites. She’d read one and either gush about it for days or just rip it to pieces. Listening to her, I began to see what “a reader” is looking for and she became who I write for. I know you can’t please everybody – but when I’ve written a book I know there are 2 people who will like it –Diane and me. Everybody else who likes is a happy bonus.

Which of your own books is your favorite and why?

It isn’t so much my favourite- because I’m guessing that’s usually the latest release. But FL.E.S.H. is the book where I found my voice. There is a massive change from Capri’s Fate to FL.E.S.H. All the little things I was supposed to learn sort of came together in that book. I eased back on description, deepened the point of view and sharpened the humour. My latest, What Happens in Bangkok, I can see how my voice and my style continues from FL.E.S.H. Two completely different stories, but exactly the same in the under layers.

That’s really cool that you could have the objectivity to look at your writing from a distance and see what changes you’d made.

What is your favorite holiday and why?

I’m a Christmas person. The whole house is decorated – every room has something, plus lights outside. There are stockings hung on the stairs – we don’t have a fireplace. Fun little gifts are stuffed into those – my daughter and her husband made chocolate covered caramels this year – everybody got a handful of those. There is always a huge pile of presents under the tree. If something is in a set and can be broken into separate gifts – it happens. Like a set of mitts, scarf and a toque – there’s 3 separate gifts right there.

Dinner is the whole English Christmas thing: turkey, mashed potatoes, and steamed pudding for dessert. And everyone is involved in making it. With the funny part being – my dad – the patriarch – passing down the carving duties to my husband – the host – who passes it to the son-in-law – next generation – who passes back to my dad until one of the women shouts – “Somebody just carve the D*mn turkey!”

Oh, and the final touch – Christmas Krackers – those things you pull and they pop and there is a paper hat, toy and a joke inside. Rule is – everyone must wear the hat. It’s just part of the fun.

I have never done Krackers, but I would love to try it–if I could find them here.

If you could have one wish granted just for you (not world peace, LOL), what would you wish for?

Okay – so you took world peace away – hmmm. I’d wish that stupidity was banished. The stupidity of racism – of bigotry – of hate. With all of that gone – then maybe we could get world peace after all.

Oh, but one could hope, Daryl.

What is the most exciting/daredevil thing you’ve ever done?

Submitted a book to a publisher and was published. It’s terrifying putting your first book out there. Heck, it’s terrifying putting your 10^th out there. The “what ifs” nearly drive you crazy. What if – no agent likes it – no publisher wants it – the readers hate it. It’s enough to make you find a cave and crawl inside.

Well, I’ll give you that. I used to have to psych myself up to hit the send button–which I swear was the hardest thing I’ve ever done next to childbirth.

Do you have any hobbies/passions outside of writing?

Yoga is my passion. I’ll hit at least 3 classes a week. I’d do more, but I live way out in the country and it’s a long drive into the city where classes are. I do Hatha, Yin, Flow and Restorative. My teachers are fabulous and funny, yet still challenge me. I’ve even done wall yoga which involved hanging upside down.

I feel sore just reading that! LOL

Who is your favorite non-romance genre author? What is your favorite book of theirs?

Agatha Christie. I have all of her books. I love old English mysteries. On a cold, miserable day, I’ll curl up with a hot chocolate, get the woodstove roaring and settle into a fabulous read. Favourite one of her books – no idea – I’d have to go back and read all of them again to figure that out – which sounds like a fantastic idea.

Oh, I adore Agatha Christie mysteries! Loved the Miss Marple books. I wanted to live in her village. 🙂

Now, tell us a little bit about your newest book.

What Happens in Bangkok is my latest. It was known as Book with No Name for about 2 years. I’m horrible at titles. Then Jenna – yes, the hostess of this blog – came up with the title for me and I will be forever grateful as it is perfect!

WHIB (What Happens in Bangkok) is the story of Erika and Darien – one owns a drag queen club in Bangkok, Thailand and the other is an international rockstar.

I taught performance art at an arts school and while not all my male students were gay – there were some very memorable ones. I based one of the drag queens on a “flaming diva” student whose initials are MAL.

What was your inspiration for this story?

Normally, I don’t have any inspiration for a book. I just write. But for What Happens in Bangkok – there was an exact moment when the book blossomed. My husband and I were driving down to my daughter’s in NC. If a song he didn’t like came on, he flipped the satellite radio channel. He landed on the The Seventies on Seven and after a few minutes – Gloria Gaynor’s I Will Survive came on. I was just sitting there, staring out the window, thinking about it having been the gay anthem. I turned on my laptop and wrote 3 chapters of a book that I didn’t know I was going to write. Which turned into a 3 book trilogy.

Now that’s a cool story!

I am a fanatic about my character names. Are the character names special in any way?

I’ve been labeling my heroines alphabetically as I write my books. First character – Arianne, 2^nd – Branwyn, 3^rd Capri, 4^th Derry (not published yet – heck, it isn’t even written yet – only a couple of chapters), 5^th Erika, 6^th Fuchsia, 7^th Giselle (a Christmas book – hopefully out this Christmas). There is an out of order – R – but that was due to a publisher’s request for a twisted fairy tale and I picked Little Red Riding Hood.

Do you have plans for a sequel to this book?

What Happens in Bangkok is book 1 of a 3 book trilogy and all 3 are written. A 4^th tried to get itself written, but I cut it off at the knees and included everything in book 3.

Now, the Infamous Lightning Round:

What is your favorite amusement park ride?

Roller coasters!!!!!!!!!!!! The more curves, drops and loops the better.

Tea or coffee?

Neither. Can’t stand the flavor of either. Hot chocolate when it’s cold. Diet pop or water otherwise. Diet Coke is my go to and all of my characters – who drink pop – drink it.

I don’t even drink alcohol. Don’t like the flavor – beer – wine – hard stuff – yuck! My dad is a wine connoisseur and he’s given me some very expensive wines to sample. Just tastes like bad grape juice.

Beach or mountains?

With a personal motto of – Sun. Sea. Sand. Obviously the beach!

My happy place is walking along an ocean beach with sand crunching under my feet and water lapping at my toes. I am at my calmest and most blissed out in those moments.

Chocolate or vanilla?

What is vanilla??? I adore chocolate. I have numerous chocolate only cookbooks with fabulous recipes and photographs. Perusing through them is like chocolate porn. I used my love of chocolate in my twisted fairy tale – Sexy Red Hood – the scene involved whipped cream and melted chocolate.

Would you rather skydive or scuba dive?

Neither. Totally and completely neither. The concept of jumping out of a perfectly good airplane baffles me. Yet, in a future book in this series the hero convinces the heroine to go skydiving with him.

Scuba diving – My husband and daughter are scuba divers. They took me snorkeling. I was fine until I saw the shipwreck and then flight or fight kicked in and I bolted to the surface – ran across the top of the water – and raced for shore. No idea why. Just can’t do it.

Would you rather vacation in Hawaii, Vegas or London?

Since I’m a beach person – Hawaii! I’ve been to all 3 places and I love them, but Hawaii would be my number 1.

What’s the one thing you would never do?

I’d like to say kill someone, but if a bad person was seriously threatening a member of my family – I’m not sure that I wouldn’t pull the trigger. Which is bizarre as I’m Canadian and we have strict gun laws. Actually, I’ve never seen a gun that wasn’t attached to a police officer’s hip.

That was super fun, Daryl! Why don’t we let everyone get a peek at What Happens in Bangkok?

Here’s the blurb for What Happens in Bangkok, which is currently available on Amazon!

BLURB:

To save Darien’s life his brother asks, “Can you walk in high heels?”

Erika Bailey, owner/manager of a drag queen club in Bangkok, Thailand has happily settled into all aspects of her new life, except for her lack of a love life. When a new diva auditions, Erika is bewildered over her instant attraction to the blond God, Apollo.

Darien Scott is on vacation after a world tour and mistakenly figures the safest place to be is at The Black Dragon with the head of a Triad. When the club is hit, Darien is the only person to get out alive. Now he’s running from the police and a Triad. Mistake number 1.
Disguised as a drag queen, he’s hired by Erika, but falls hard for his new boss, then struggles with not coming clean with her. Mistake number 2.
Can he fix his mistakes and find a life filled with love or is he headed straight for mistake number 3?

EXCERPT:

Erik leaned on the balcony railing and stared down at the crowd of patrons partying in her club. They were laughing and buying over-priced and watered-down booze, just the way it was supposed to be. The strobe lights bounced off the glitter and tinsel, adding blinding sparkles to the atmosphere. Overhead, four massive disco balls turned, spitting out flashes of light, randomly illuminating either patrons or the leopard print wallpapered walls. And best of all, Bangkok was a half a world away from home, which couldn’t be more perfect.

She’d made it through her second year. She hadn’t expected to jump straight into an owner/managerial position, but the opening was there and she grabbed it. The learning curve had been steep, although she now felt like she had her feet on the floor and her head squarely on her shoulders. Life wasn’t perfect, but it was good. She took a deep breath and enjoyed a sense of calmness.

“Hey, Boss Lady.”

She shifted to look at Sebastian, her stage manager. His chest muscles bulged under his white t-shirt, the rips in his jeans hinted at strong thighs and the ever present headset rested on his scruffy brown hair. He sat on one hip and flipped a hand to point behind him. “It’s just cray cray back there. Shangri–Lay’s havin’ a hissy fit.”

Stifling the urge to pound her forehead on the brass railing, Erik asked, “What’s the little diva’s issue this time?”

“Well, she’s screamin’ somethin’ ’bout Ra-chell took her pink scarf and the new eye shadow that matches it. Ra-chell says she didn’t. She bought ’em this afternoon when she was out shoppin’. You know Ra-chell ‘n shoppin’. She gets a paycheck and it’s gone. But no way Shangri–Lay’s gonna believe her. She’s threatenin’ to rip out her hair extensions.”

Erik placed her palms on the cool railing and pushed upright. “Lead on.” She followed the harassed stage manager through the club, the pounding bass drowning out anything more he might have said to her. In the evening gown laden, makeup strewn topsy-turviness of the dressing room chaos ruled. Two partially dressed people rolled on the floor, entangled in each other’s arms and legs, with fingers gripping hair and voices screeching. The other performers stood alongside, cheering their favorite.

Erik grabbed a nearby glass, tossed the contents in the sink and filled it with cold water. She pushed her way through the crowd and flung the contents on the fighters.

“Ah! My makeup.”

“You bitch!”

“Excuse me?” Erik lifted an eyebrow.

What Happens in Bangkok is available at Amazon and eXtasy Books.

Next Wednesday my special guest is Lauren Smith. Author of more than twenty novels, novellas and short stories, Lauren is also a fellow contributor to an anthology of Regency novellas that releases on Valentine’s Day: Her Perfect Gentleman. An anthology that I’m also a part of. So stay tuned for Lauren next Wednesday and a post-Valentine’s treat!

Posted in Author/Character Interviews, Be My Guest, Interviews, Promotion | Tagged author interview, bangkok, Be My Guest, Daryl Devore, drag queens, Erotic Romance, Jenna Jaxon, love story, mob hit, What Happens in Bangkok | 11 Comments

Medieval Monday ~ Villains ~Week #1 Jenna Jaxon’s Beleaguered

Posted on February 6, 2017 by Jenna Jaxon

Villains!

is our theme for this round of Medieval Monday!

Join us and discover some of the most evil and dastardly villains our medieval romances ever produced! And we are doing something a bit different this time around. We’re breaking our excerpts up into tantalizing little bites–only 8 to 10 sentences each week. So you’ll need to keep up to get the whole excerpt. I’ll let you know each week whose blog I’ll be at next week and you can keep up with each Medieval Monday author’s work the same way.

This week’s excerpt is from my own work, Beleaguered. And toward the end of the book, an old villain makes a new appearance.

Beleaguered

Excerpt:

It is 1348 and Alyse and Geoffrey have arrived at her father’s house after a long, exhausting journey fleeing the plague. As soon as they arrive, Alyse finds that her father is trying to marry her off again. To which she strenuously objects. And then an old enemy comes to call.

“Therefore, I assure you ’twill be I who makes the decision of who I marry.”

“That would be me, would it not, chérie?” The low, sultry voice stopped her declaration, and she whirled around, as did Geoffrey, to stare into the grinning face of Guy de Valere.

“Seigneur Longford, we have the pleasure of meeting again. You have managed to avoid both sword and pestilence, n’est-ce pas? I congratulate you.” The sleek Frenchman nodded once to Geoffrey, but did not take his hungry eyes off Alyse.

“As I do you, de Valere.” Geoffrey tried to keep his tone light. ’Twas difficult when all he wished to do was skewer the villain who stood before him, leering at Alyse.

Follow me next week when I’m at Sherry Ewing’s blog. http://www.sherryewing.com/apps/blog/

Blurb:

When death holds sway in the world, can even the greatest love survive?

Finally in France, Alyse and Thomas’s passion for one another continues to smolder hot and deep—until one fateful encounter changes everything.

During a formal banquet, Alyse must share an intimate dance her first love. His searing touch proves Alyse’s desire for him is as strong as when they first met. Tormented by this revelation, Alyse is bitterly torn between the love of her life and her love for her husband.

Into this agonizing situation, the disaster of the Black Death rears its head. Alyse, Thomas and Geoffrey must try to save the princess from the ravening disease but at a dire cost to themselves. With her world plunged into chaos, Alyse struggles with her feelings for both of the men she loves. But which love will survive?

Buy Link:

Beleaguered and all the other Time Enough to Love series are available. Click the covers below to take you to Amazon.

Posted in Beleaguered, Medieval Monday, Medieval Mondays, Medieval Romance, On Time Enough to Love, Promotion | Tagged Beleaguered, historical romance, Jenna Jaxon, Medieval Monday, medieval romance, Time Enough To Love, Villain theme | Leave a comment

Weekend Writing Warriors ~ 02/05/17 Only Marriage Will Do ~ “None of His Affair”

Posted on February 5, 2017 by Jenna Jaxon

I’m beginning at the very beginning again, as Amiable, irritated because he’s been standing out in the hot sun, knocking on the Marquess of Dalbury’s door, stumbles upon quite a scene. (Very creatively punctuated to conform to WWW rules.)

Courtesy Wikimedia Commons

At last a short, dark-haired maid opened the door, took one look at him, gasped, and stepped back into the house. Her eyes widened and she glanced to her right, wringing her hands, and said, “Who may I say—”

A man shouted from within, “No, I do not believe you.”

“It is true, I tell you!” A woman’s voice, raised and sharp with terror, sent a chill through Amiable.

He barged past the stunned girl and strode down the hall toward the commotion. He burst through the doorway, expecting to defend the woman he loved, only to stop dead at the sight of a man lunging across a sofa and grasping a woman by the wrist. Amiable had half drawn his sword before he realized the woman was not Katarina, but a complete stranger. He dropped it back into its scabbard. This was none of his affair.

BLURB:

Not every happy-ever-after begins at “I do.”

Books in the House of Pleasure series:

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

Character Interview with Erick Axelsson of She Came With the Tide

Posted on February 3, 2017 by Jenna Jaxon

Today I’m interviewing Erik Axelsson, from She Came With the Tide. We had his author, Viviana Mackade, on Be My Guest just a couple of weeks ago, so now I get your side of the story. LOL

Have you and Vivi had any major disagreements so far?

No, not really. Vivi can be a little intense but then, I’m a laid back dude.

What was your first impression of Andrea?

That she was in trouble and scared, which she was. And, Andrea being Andrea, she surprised me from the first words she uttered. My face is kind of known and there she was, asking me who I was.

What was she doing when you first saw her?

Hiding in an old blue camping tent on the beach, just inside my property. I thought it was someone high or hung-over, but she came out.

If you could change one aspect of your character, what would you change?

Well now, I wouldn’t go as far as saying I’d change something. I’m okay with who I am. But for the sake of the interview, let’s say that I’m aware I can be a little impulsive. I tend to feel and act on that feeling right on. No time like the present, right? Sometimes it had worked, like with Andrea. Other times, not so much. I’m working on that, though. Sort of.

What was the most memorable part of your story for you?

The end, hands down. I mean, Andrea, my sweet, quiet Pixie all of a sudden turns into an UFC fighter and beats the crap out of that creep. It made sense, for her to have that rage inside, but act on it? Who would have thought!

What do you do in your leisure moments?

After busting my sweet butt for 10 years at being a rock star – no, no, don’t make that face. When you’re that kind of famous, you have everything but also give everything. No life outside albums and tours. Which was fantastic until it wasn’t anymore. So when I retired and the ripe age of 30, I had nothing but fun. I did everything, first with my band, and then as a free man. Then Andrea came along, and now I took it on me to teach her how to live life. Hard work, I know. But we’re going 360 degrees with that. School, she comes with me when I visit the kids at the orphanage, plan the wedding, rock climbing. Living with her is one long, leisure moment.

If you wouldn’t have been a rock star, what would you have been?

Something that would allow me to travel. I love to explore new places–my Viking heritage, or so Andrea days. Maybe a journalist, or a blogger. I like stories.

What are you proudest of?

Of being able to accept what changes. I worked hard, really hard, with the boys to get to the top, and we did. I could have stayed, I could still be there right now. But I, all of us, didn’t feel it anymore. It would have been an act, and our music and fans deserve more than that. So I spoke with the boys and we all decided it was time to move on even though we were still going strong. In the same way, I didn’t fight when I realized I was falling for Andrea. Why would I? Changing my life once again for her, with her, felt awesome. Still does.

What is most attractive to you about the opposite sex?

“Opposite sex” includes a lot of people, and right now I like to focus on one. I can tell you what is the most attractive thing about Andrea.

Sure, go on.

Two things. She’s steady, and I need that. My life has been an on-going demanding party, one way or another, and she worked as a balm on my crazy. At the same time, she has a child’s ability to wonder about things, and her eyes get so big and… he shakes his head, shrugs. And it’s amazing. The mesh of the two never stops hitting me hard.

What trait or characteristic do you most dislike about the opposite sex?

I hate clingy. I need to know I can do my stuff alone, if I want or need to. Now, if she isn’t at school or studying, Andrea and I are pretty much together all the time, and it works because I know if either of us needed time alone, it would be totally okay.

What’s your favorite beverage?

Juices. Yeah, go ahead and laugh, it’s okay. I’ve done all the 90 degrees out there, back in my twenties. Now I want something that actually tastes good and doesn’t leave me with a headache.

I don’t think anyone’s laughing, Erik! Thank you so much for coming by and sharing today!

Here’s a little plug for your book and boxed set to keep the juices flowing. 🙂

Blurb:

Party All Night and Rock All Day…
Fall in love with the Rock Stars who write and sing the music as well as the women who long to tame them.

She Came With The Tide by Viviana Mackade:
Ax had it all: talent, fame, money. Without a second thought, he’d traded it all for the sunshine and a surfboard. Young, rich, and free – what more could he need?

Andrea Smith escaped the life her parents imposed on her when they joined a cult. On the run ever since, she had no clue her life would change with that simple ‘yes.’

But the past catches up with her, forcing Andrea to choose what person she wants to be: the scared cult member that obeyed in silence, or the new woman Erik made blossom.

The set includes romances by five other best-selling authors who love rock stars and want you to fall in love too!

It’s available at Amazon now for .99!

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged boxed set, rock star romance, She Came with the Tide, The Rock Stars: Our Songs, Viviana Mackade | 3 Comments

The Romance of Language: Word for the Week 2/03/17

Posted on February 3, 2017 by Jenna Jaxon

Clashmaclavers:

“Low, idle, scandalous tales.”

from John Mactaggart’s Scottish Gallovidian Encylopedia, 1824.

“A spectacle of disgrace.”

from John Brockett’s Glossary of North Country Words, 1825

Eavesdroppers

Scandal was always a mere breath away in the Regency, when women could lose her reputation in the blink of an eye, either through her own fault or that of another. One never knew who was listening and willing to carry tales to the detriment of many a young miss just out.

My romance, Only Scandal Will Do, while set some years before the Regency, still shows that women could be ruined by gossip and tales spoken by wagging tongues.