Bang! Allison Nordstrom shrieked as a chunk of dirt splattered into a cloud of red dust a few inches to the left of her right foot. She dove for the cover of the nearest bush, dropping her small satchel at the edge of the drive. Cautiously, she lifted her head and peered through the scraggly branches toward the porch of the farm house from which the shot originated.

Bang! A bullet grazed the side of an oak tree, raining bits of bark down on Allie’s little bush. She dropped to her knees. For goodness sake, she hadn’t hidden behind the shrubbery like this since she was six years old.

Allie wondered what she had been thinking when she decided to make this quick trip. She drew a deep breath

 
Kathy Otten
 
Between the Lines
available 7/11/08 from www.TheWildRosePress.com
available now-
Redemption of a Cavalier
Someone to Share the Sunsets
Coming for Christmas 2008-A Christmas Smile

Hi All!

Yes, it's me again, asking if you'd kindly stop by Jeri Smith-Ready's
blog tomorrow - or sometime this week.  Jeri will post my interview and
I'll be taking questions from commenters, or simply answering comments.
There will be a drawing for a copy of La Vida Vampire on Friday!

The general URL is:
http://www.jerismithready.com/blog/

Jeri will send the specific URL later, and I'll post it Tuesday ... just
in case anyone experiences problems.

Thank you in advance for your support any time this week!

Light,
Nancy

nhaddock1@...
LA VIDA VAMPIRE, out now!
http://www.nancyhaddock.com
http://www.myspace.com/nancyhaddock
____________________________________________________________
Find what you want and get it for less with an online auction. Click now!
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The results are in…Chasing Booty made the #1 spot on the top seller list at Amber Quill (Amber Heat titles) for the month of May!!!  Want to know why?  Would an exciting blend of science fiction and erotic romance peak your interest?  Does a strong woman with a gun and an attitude make you want to stand up, wave your fist, and yell, “YOU GO, GIRL!”?  Could a devilishly gorgeous male from Sør-Trøndalag who’s on a mission to lure his nemesis to his bed make you melt to the floor in a quivering mound of unabashed need?  Then you best take a peek at the excerpt below and find out what the rave is all about. 

CHASING BOOTY

Author: Shannon Leigh

ISBN-13: 978-1-60272-267-5

Genre: Science Fiction / Futuristic / Action / Adventure / Interracial / Multicultural

Heat Level: 3

Length: Novella (20k words)

Publisher: Amber Quill Press

Purchase URL: http://www.amberquill.com/AmberHeat/ChasingBooty.html

Pg: 102

BLURB:

When cops can’t catch the most-wanted criminals, they hire Gaelyn. She comes from a long line of bounty hunters, including her father, uncle, and grandfather. Extensive training in weaponry, hand-to-hand combat, and adverse conditions have seasoned her into a formidable opponent against any contracted hit, whether male, female, alien, or human. She has little fear of the unknown and thrives on adventure.

Only one other hunter matches her status—Reese, a Trøndite from the small planet of Sør-Trøndalag in the Capricornus Sector. And the man has a knack for stealing her contracts. Both cunning and gorgeous, the mix doesn’t seem quite fair. But attractiveness holds little power over money. Reese had beaten Gaelyn out of a half-year’s pay a scarce three months ago, and she will be damned if he outwits her again.

Thinking she’s duped Reese back onto Jupiter, Gaelyn isn’t too happy when she runs into him on Quaoar at the Blue Moon, an authentic hole-in-the-wall bar tucked at the end of a narrow alley in what would be considered the rough part of town; just the place to find her contracted hit. But Reese not only has the information she needs to find her mark, he also has a business proposal that’s too tempting to pass up. And a partnership with Reese just might prove rewarding in a way Gaelyn never expects...

***

EXCERPT:

...With an air of “don’t-fuck-with-me” in her step, she made her way toward him. “The bartender seems to think you can be of some assistance,” she declared, stopping a mere six inches to the left of the man’s seated frame.

He ignored her, choosing instead to take a long swig from his mug.

Removing her laser from its holster on her left thigh, she plopped it onto the counter top. Her hand rested lightly on its black metallic shape, her finger hugging the trigger. “Well?”

“I can take you there, for a price,” he replied, his deep voice a thunderous rumble within his muscular chest.

Annoyed, she lifted her chin. “Name it,” she practically growled.

The man chuckled. “It’ll be steep,” he warned. “Perhaps more than you’re willing to pay.”

Gaelyn’s patience wore thin. They wasted precious time. Is this guy gonna get down to business or what?

Struggling to see his face beneath the shadowed hood, she leaned a little closer. “Look, buddy. I don’t have time for games. Either name your price or I’ll take my business elsewhere.”

He glanced at her, his onyx, deep-set eyes two bottomless black pits within his handsome angular face. “I want half the booty. For starters.”

Gaelyn’s breath caught in her throat. Reese.

This wasn’t happening.

He pulled back his hood, letting the heavy material fall onto his broad shoulders in a neatly folded pleat. “Hello, Gael. It’s been a long time.”

Her right fist doubled at her waist. With forced control, she resisted the urge to knock that superior smirk right off his handsome face. “Reese,” she said through clenched teeth. “I suppose you’re after the same hit.”

He shrugged. “It’s a sizeable payoff.”

“He’s my contract.” Warning laced her tone.

Reese turned fully toward her, his massive frame almost comical atop the strained bar stool. “Well now, seems we have a difference of opinion on that matter.”

He offered a grin so seductive it could melt the ice right off Quaoar’s frozen surface. The bartender’s description fit him to a tee. With his rectangular features—the wide zygomatic breadth, the broad jaw and flaring gonial angles, the prominent chin—Reese did look like the devil himself. Of course the red skin, horns, and barbed tail only added to his demonic appearance.

Gaelyn’s gaze dropped to the tight black T-shirt stretched across his bulging pecs and flat abs. Warning bells clamored in her head, but her inspection continued on to the waistband of his faded jeans, and inevitably to the generous bulge at his groin. An old song her father used to play popped in her head and it took everything she had not to belt it aloud.

The devil went down to Georgia, he was lookin’ for a soul to steal.

In a bind, cause he was way behind, he was lookin’ to make a deal...

Despite her fury, Gaelyn’s insides responded. Her stomach knotted with instant need, causing her pussy to clench. One couldn’t dispute the man’s virility. While they’d never “hooked” up, she couldn’t deny her attraction. She’d be willing to bet half the contracted pay that he’d be awesome in bed.

She’d heard Trøndite males had large penises, that they were, in fact, able to do extraordinary things with their members. She wasn’t sure what those things might be, but the swell in his pants clearly indicated his considerable endowed. She imagined herself down on all fours with Reese up behind her, pounding his big cock in and out of her tight channel.

Moisture seeped between her legs, making her leather pants cling to her crotch most uncomfortably. The room felt hot. She hadn’t had a good fuck in quite a while. Perhaps they’d work that into the deal...

***

I wanted to let everyone know that my newsletter for June has just been posted.  Once a month I try to update everyone on my latest release(s), new reviews, chat/blog dates, a sometimes a little personal info about my family and me.  Unless I have some terrific news that I just can’t wait to share, I generally don’t send out more than 1 announcement for the whole month. 

I generally write in the paranormal genre, though I’ve recently ventured into science fiction.  Most of my writing fits the romance/erotica category, with the exception of my latest release from Wild Child Publishing, which is a Horror/Vampire/Dark Fantasy story.

If you like vampires, werewolves, aliens, ghosts, demons, barbarians from other planets, etc., then I probably have a story that will appeal to you.  If you’d like to keep up with my writing, then I invite you sign up for my newsletter.  I promise I won’t clutter your email with endless mailings about me, and I won’t bite.  Not hard, any way.  *grin*

Newsletter: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Shannon_Leigh_Newsletter

***

I also wanted to post my chat schedule for this month:

June 5^th

10am-9pm

Joyfully Reviewed (AQP authors)

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Chatting_with_Joyfully_Reviewed/

June 8^th

2:30-3:00

World Romance Readers Yahoo Group

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/World_Romance_Readers/

June 11th

All Day

TalkingTwoLips loop

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/TalkingTwoLips/

June 15^th

2:30-3

Novelspotters Yahoo Group

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/novelspotters

June 18^th

All Day

Amber Heat Blog & my blog

http://aqpauthors.blogspot.com/

http://authorshannonleigh.blogspot.com

***

SECOND 'Magical Jewel' contest for
DOUBLE ENCHANTMENT

DOUBLE ENCHANTMENT is the second novel in the RELICS OF MERLIN series. Merlin used thirteen different jewels as a focus for thirteen mysterious spells, and the 'magical jewel' in DOUBLE ENCHANTMENT is a garnet. For this second contest, the prize is an 11.65 carat garnet cross necklace. (See http://www.kathrynekennedy.com

CONTEST page for a photo and description of this 'magical' jewelry.)

This contest is all about spreading the word about the RELICS OF MERLIN series. To enter, just post the following blurb anywhere on the Internet (Chatrooms, Forums, Blogs, Myspace, etc. Err, no inappropriate sites, please. And the exact blurb cannot already be mentioned on that site. If you don't own the site, please verify that it's okay with the site owner to post the blurb).

BLURB:

THE RELICS OF MERLIN SERIES: DOUBLE ENCHANTMENT & ENCHANTING THE LADY
"Simply delightful!"~Publishers Weekly
Please visit: http://www.KathryneKennedy.com

Email the URL link to: kathryne_kennedy@... with CONTEST in the subject line.

A winner will be randomly chosen from those with a verifiable link. Entering the contest automatically signs you up for the author's newsletter. Your information will be kept confidential. Contest ends August 26, 2008.  Void where prohibited by law.  You must be 18 years or older to enter.  No prize substitution permitted.  This contest is subject to all federal, state and local laws and regulations.

Happy Wednesday, Everyone!

I'm still blogging with the lovely and mega talented Jeri Smith-Ready,
and there's time to leave a comment for a change to win a copy of La Vida
Vampire before the drawing on Friday!

The URL is:
http://www.jerismithready.com/blog/2008/06/interview-with-nancy-haddock-a
uthor-of.html


Thank you in advance for your support, and good luck in the drawing!

Light,
Nancy

nhaddock1@...
LA VIDA VAMPIRE, out now!
http://www.nancyhaddock.com
http://www.myspace.com/nancyhaddock
____________________________________________________________
Beauty School Programs - Get the career you've always wanted. Click Now.
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Good morning and Happy June....

I am running a contest for the whole month of June in honor of my debut novel "Highland Stone" coming out in print.  I will be giving away an autographed print copy and an ebook copy of "Highland Stone" to lucky winners.  All you have to do to enter is jump over to my website http://www.sloanmcbride.com/ and sign up for my newsletter.  It's as simple as that.  Please take a look at the excerpts and read my online story while you're there. 

Thanks so much.

SLOAN MCBRIDE
www.sloanmcbride.com
http://www.myspace.com/sloan_mcbride

~~Spring sets hearts a flutter~~

HIGHLAND STONE ~~ Now Available at New Concepts Publishing
TOGETHER IN DARKNESS ~~ Now Available at New Concepts Publishing
THE FURY ~~ Coming November 2008 from Samhain Publishing

Hi All!

My June "Where's Cesca?" contest is loaded on the web site and ready for
entries!

Just go to http://www.nancyhaddock.com, click on the Beach Party page,
and read the center column all the way to the bottom, then send your
guess as to what event Cesca attended in June.

Have fun, and watch for new photos to be uploaded to the slide show soon!

Have a terrific week!

Light,
Nancy

nhaddock1@...
LA VIDA VAMPIRE, out now!
http://www.nancyhaddock.com
http://www.myspace.com/nancyhaddock
____________________________________________________________
Summer Spa Sweepstakes
Enter for your chance to WIN a Summer Spa Vacation!
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“Mister Kelly! If you have had a hard life, so be it.

my family and I will not tolerate it from the man I marry!

ANNE - your Woodland Daughter cover is gorgeous!  Congratulations!!

KATHY - wonderful excerpt from Between the Lines!  Wow, only 4 weeks away
from release?  Fantastic!

Light,
Nancy

nhaddock1@...
LA VIDA VAMPIRE, out now!
http://www.nancyhaddock.com
http://www.myspace.com/nancyhaddock
____________________________________________________________
Sweepstakes!!!
Enter for your chance to WIN one of hundreds of daily prizes.
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vkiXUwwDQXRm2GX0RY/

Black Velvet Seductions is hosting a free open chat with editor Laurie Sanders, Acquisitions Editor at Black Velvet Seductions. The chat will be held in the Black Velvet Seductions chat room at:
http://www.blackvelvetseductions.com/Chat%20Room.html  -- The chatroom is limited to 40 chatters at any one time, so arrive early to guarantee your spot in the room.

While Laurie can only speak for Black Velvet Seductions as to what is acceptable and not acceptable in terms of manuscripts she is knowledgable about the genre in general and is happy to share her knowledge and insights. Those interested in writing romance should find this open chat most useful, though those writing other genres may find the chat interesting and useful as well.

The format of the chat is open chat...and is envisioned as a time for authors to ask questions and receive feedback or to pitch a manuscript. Laurie will also answer author questions about the submission process and will answer author questions about the Black Velvet Seductions publishing contract. If you are an author who has questions, this is the opportunity for you to ask them in a friendly and relaxed atmosphere. Laurie will not be able to answer questions about specific manuscripts under consideration at Black Velvet Seductions. Those should be directed to her through email at: LaurieSanders@...

Laurie will be holding Saturday evening chats tonight (Saturday June 14th), the 21st of June and the 28th of June. All chats will be held at 9PM Eastern time. Laurie will be taking some much needed time off, visiting family over the 4th of July so will not be available on Saturday the 5th of July.

On Tuesday June 24th at 9PM Laurie will be conducting a brainstorming/workshop for authors interested in writing erotic category based romance. See the recent newsletter article about erotic category based romance for more information about this sub-genre. http://www.blackvelvetseductions.com/Black%20Velvet%20Seductions%20Writers%20Newsletter%20Archive.html Black Velvet Seductions is very eager to acquire in this sub-genre. Attend the workshop to find out how erotic category based romance differs from other erotic romance.

Email: LaurieSanders@... for more information.

Historically accurate love story: 1909 - Decades after the great
famine, Molly and her grandfather leave their poor town in Ireland for
America. On the ship, her necklace is rescued by Luigi DiMattio, a
young Sicilian man fleeing the horrific Messina earthquake. He's never
seen a girl like Molly.

Book One of a series. PDF download.Read first three chapters free:

http://www.belatorbooks.com/about_otwta.html

PayPal verified merchant.
Support independent writers!

Together in Darkness, a paranormal romantic suspense, by Sloan
McBride.  Now available at
http://www.newconceptspublishing.com/togetherindarkness.htm.

BLURB:  A killer is leaving mutilated bodies across New England.
Special Agent Jake Austin is in pursuit, led by clues the killer
purposely leaves behind.  In Gloucester, Massachusetts, site of the
latest murder, Jake meets Allison Brody, a woman who claims to see
the victims through the killer's eyes.

Allison Brody is proud of her gypsy heritage, but tries to hide the
gifts inherited from her bloodline.  Through strange visions and a
connection that can't be broken, Allison watches as a killer stalks
and murders women.  The Surgeon is obsessed with her psychic link to
him and uses her fear to feed his obsession.


EXCERPT:  Pulling into the Pub's parking lot, Jake saw Allison's
Mustang.  At least she parked under the light.  He waved to Stephens
and went inside.  It took a moment for his eyes to adjust.
Even after midnight, the smoky interior hummed with commotion.  The
band played an old tune Jake recognized.  He scanned the booths,
tables and bar area but saw no sight of either woman.  The pungent
smell of beer and cigarettes wafted in the warm air being pushed
around by ceiling fans.
   He cautiously maneuvered through a small crowd to reach the edge of
the hardwood floor.  There he saw Allison and Kat Rubin laughing and
dancing like they didn't have a care in the world.  A certain relief
washed through him as he watched Allison dance.  Even in the dim
lighting, he saw her lips move with the words to the Styx song the
band beat out.
Laughing at the witty banter between Kat and some muscle-bound blond,
the hairs on Allison's arms suddenly raised and a charged tingle shot
across her neck.  She searched the crowd until her eyes settled on
Jake.  The scowl on his face didn't surprise her.
"Looks like you're in for another scolding," Kat warned.
"Like hell I am.  Can you manage?"
"Hey, you know me."
Allison laughed.  "Yeah."
Allison wended her way through the deluge on the dance floor.  Jake's
leather encased arms were crossed over his chest and his legs were
slightly parted with knees locked, a body brimming with energy.
The music slowed.
Paying no attention to those around her, Allison stopped a few inches
from Jake. Her hands slowly slid their way up his sides, pausing when
she felt his gun holster.  She wasn't sure what registered on his
face, as her hands rested on his back and she began to move her body
with the rhythm.
Jake's eyes darkened and he released his arms to encircle hers.
Shifting his position, he squeezed their bodies tightly together,
front to front.  His long fingers massaged her buttocks.  Their
bodies swayed in unison across the dance floor.  One of Jake's legs
was positioned between Allison's and when she lowered during a
particular move, her inner thighs and woman's center rubbed sensually
against it.  She took her turn exploring his tight butt through the
black jeans he wore.
Attraction tangled with desire.  The air became thick with need and
the hunger Allison saw in Jake Austin's eyes set her on fire.  When
she stood up straight again, Jake's right hand clutched her hair and
his left arm wound around her waist.  With his lips teasing her ear
he said, "When you play with fire, you can get burned."  His teeth
nipped at her lobe.
Allison pushed out of Jake's arms and played at being put off by his
remark, but her body still sizzled from their brief contact.  She
turned and walked back to the table and grabbed her jacket and keys.
She'd been ready to leave anyway, she told herself.
"Come on, Kat."
With a huff and a quick good-bye kiss for the guy she'd been dancing
with, Kat walked over to retrieve her purse.  Jake waited by the
door, holding it open as Allison and Kat left.  "I give as good as I
get, Ms. Brody."
She glared at him and exited the bar with a sniff.  The corner of her
mouth curved slightly.
"I guess I'm taking a cold shower this time," Jake mumbled as he
followed the women out to the parking lot.




SLOAN MCBRIDE
www.sloanmcbride.com
http://www.myspace.com/sloan_mcbride

~~Spring sets hearts a flutter~~

HIGHLAND STONE ~~ Now Available at New Concepts Publishing
TOGETHER IN DARKNESS ~~ Now Available at New Concepts Publishing
THE FURY ~~ Coming November 2008 from Samhain Publishing

Come on over to my website where you can be entered to win one of my books.  I am running a contest the whole month of June.  To enter, you just need to come to my website and sign up for my newsletter.  While you're there, have a look at my online story and learn a little about me.  If you like what you see, please come back and visit from time to time. 

I will pick two winners on July 1st.  One will get a print version of "Highland Stone," my time travel romance, and another will get an ebook version of "Together in Darkness," my paranormal romantic suspense. 

Cheers,

Hey, just wanted to post a quick note to let everyone know that I'm blogging today at the Amber Heat author’s blog. I'll plan on talking a some about my latest release with AQ, Chasing Booty, which I can proudly say made #1 in sales for the month of May.


I’ll also post a sneak peak at my work in progress, Lycan Lore 2: Offspring.

Please remember to RATE your Excerpts in the SUBJECT line at the
beginning of your post. Example: CHASTE; SENSUAL; HOT; EROTIC; etc., or
you could use G; PG-13; R; etc.

Sorry, but Excerpts that are not rated will be deleted.

Please refer to the Posting Rules located under "files" - before you
post your promo & excerpt.

Thank you for your cooperation.

Max

----- Original Message -----

From: joanna waugh

To: Historical Romance Club

Sent: Thursday, June 19, 2008 5:49 AM

Subject: [HRCRomance] PROMO: BLIND FORTUNE, a Regency historical by Joanna Waugh -- PG 13

Hello everyone! I'm new to the list and wanted to take this opportunity to introduce myself.  My name is Joanna Waugh and I read and write non-traditional Regency historicals.  My debut novel, BLIND FORTUNE, will be released from Cerridwen Press on July 24th.  Below is a blurb and excerpt from the novel.  I look forward to getting to know you all! When what a lady hears isn’t always true, she must learn to see with her heart and trust the rest to…   Blind Fortune Joanna Waugh   They say love is blind, but Lady Fortuna Morley doesn’t  believe it. Sightless since birth, she can think of only one reason a gentleman would wed her—for the dowry and three thousand a year her father will provide. She’s in London the spring of 1814 to help launch her younger cousin into society, but prefers living quietly in country. The last thing Fortuna wishes is to cross swords with the arrogant Marquess of Granville. Charles Lowden, Lord Granville, has decided to take a wife. The bride he’s chosen is thirteen years his junior, but meets all criteria. What he won’t abide is interference from the girl’s impertinent cousin, the outspoken and opinionated Lady Fortuna Morley.  The woman is determined to thwart the match.  Charles is just as determined to charm Fortuna out of her disdain for him. What neither expects in the ensuing battle of wills is to fall in love.   Excerpt   Golden light spilled across the terrace to highlight her freckled nose and rosy lips. It turned Fortuna’s captivating green eyes an eerie light brown. Disconcerted once again by the gold flecks in their depths, Charles stepped back and clasped fists together beneath the tails of his coat. “Are you feeling more the thing, my lady?” No reply. Just that dazed expression on her face. It took a moment for Charles to remember she couldn’t see the polite concern he’d pasted on his own. With a critical eye, he studied the gown Fortuna wore. What modiste had risked her reputation fashioning such a thing? Rows of small, green, leaf-shaped appliqués ran in vertical lines down the gauzy half-skirt. The scooped bodice sported off-the-shoulder sleeves in a style that seemed altogether too girlish for its wearer. “Shall I fetch you a glass of punch?” Fortuna shook her copper curls as if coming out of a dream. The flowered bandeaux in her hair shed a few petals and, without thinking, Charles reached out to lightly flick them off her shoulders. Coloring under his touch, she shied away. “I’m quite all right, my lord.” Her voice was wary. “Just give me a moment to catch my breath.” They’d both been left breathless by that waltz, Charles wryly observed. Fortuna’s acquiescence on the dance floor had startled, then aroused him. Now he rued the spectacle they’d made. Gossip would be rife upstairs, especially with the two of them out on the terrace, unchaperoned. Charles frowned as he pondered how to extricate himself politely from a situation that was becoming more ticklish by the second. “Shall I fetch Miss Ashford?” he asked. “I’d prefer to return to the ballroom.” Then Charles remembered the reason he’d asked for this tête-à-tête in the first place. It was time to make that apology. Just a few words and all would be forgiven. They could part ways in charity. “Before I do, Lady Fortuna, I’d like to beg your pardon for that callous remark I made the other day.” When she didn’t respond, he lamely added, “I had no idea you were blind.” Inwardly, Charles cursed himself for admitting such stupidity. “I accept your apology,” she replied in a tight voice but her words lacked conviction. “Now, take me back to my cousin.” He frowned. That imperious attitude again. He’d never met such an overbearing woman. “Not until I’m certain you’ve recovered.” Fortuna bristled. “I’m no invalid, my lord. Neither am I a helpless female.” She started for the French doors with hands groping before her. “I can find my own way, thank you.” Charles grabbed her upper arm before she could take three steps. “Are you daft, woman? You’re like to trip over your own slippers and break your neck.” With an indignant yank, Fortuna freed herself from his grasp, then batted at his hand as if fending off an attack. “I don’t need help from you!” Out of the corner of his eye, he saw one of the couples disengage from the shadows and scurry toward the house. The lady’s head was bent low and her eyes were averted but the gentleman hesitated as if to speak. Charles leveled a challenging look on him and the fellow beat a hasty retreat, as did another pair of lovers a moment later. This was pure insanity. If he wasn’t careful he’d be leg-shackled to the Morley chit, or forced to meet one of her male relatives at dawn on Wimbledon Common. Drawing up with dignity, Fortuna stood in the middle of the terrace with light streaming around her. She looked like a religious icon, Charles wryly noted, Joan of Arc at the stake. “I may be blind,” she said, “but my ears work perfectly. I hear what people say about you.” “Indeed,” Charles drawled, much diverted by an image of her tied to a post with flames licking at her feet. “And what, pray tell, is being said?” “That you’re arrogant and cold. Incapable of tender feelings.” She hesitated for a moment as if gathering courage, then lifted her chin. “And that you keep a mistress, a French émigré by the name of Mimi.” That last statement surprised him. Charles blinked in astonishment. “Hardly a topic for the ears of gently bred young ladies, I should think,” he muttered. “How ironic,” Fortuna continued in an acerbic tone. “So-called gentlemen can squire around the lowest form of female but a lady can’t even mention them in polite conversation.” Annoyed, Charles raked the fingers of one hand through his hair. “Rather say it’s the way of the world.” He sighed. “The word ‘hypocritical’ comes to mind, my lord.” “And ‘impudent’ comes to mine,” he snapped back. “I find this conversation unseemly and offensive.” The warning tone he used was one that never failed to cower servants. Yet the chit seemed oblivious to the threat. In a prim tone she said, “I’m very much concerned about your attitudes, my lord. Especially with regard to marriage.” Charles was dumbstruck for a moment. Then, in a tight voice, he asked, “And why should my philosophy on the wedded state matter to you?” “If you intend to marry my cousin, it matters a great deal. I’ll not see Juliana bound to a man who refuses to honor his marriage vows. She deserves the love and respect of a devoted husband.” “What curious notions you have,” Charles drawled with deliberate sarcasm. Her air of moral superiority was starting to grate. “Respect is something one earns, Lady Fortuna. For women, it means remembering their place.” He allowed those words to hang on the air. Then, in a derisive voice, he asked, “But tell me, what has love to do with marriage?”   Jo coming on 7/24/08 from Cerridwen Press -- BLIND FORTUNE Check out my historical resources for Regency readers and writers at www.joannawaugh.com and my blog on British customs & holidays at www.myspace.com/joannawaugh

12 days, 6 hours, 20 minutes, 45 seconds remaining until the release of my debut book, HER ONE DESIRE, published by Zebra Books!  There's still time to sign up for my contest. If you have a minute and a half, check out my book trailer. And for those of you who like sexy Medieval romance, I've included an excerpt below.

CONTEST  BOOK TRAILER  REVIEWS 

Hope you enjoy it!

Best,
~Kimberly
~ HER ONE DESIRE ~ July 2008/Kensington
~ HIGHLAND DRAGON ~ October 2009/Kensington
www.kimberlykillion.com

PRE-ORDER: Her One Desire (Zebra Debut)
Release Date: JULY 1

EXCERPT:

ENGLAND—1483

Father must protect me or I am dead.

Lizbeth Ives stumbled off the last step of the stairwell in her haste and landed hard on her knees. The guards' footsteps echoed in the distance. She glanced over her shoulder. Dancing shadows brought the torch-lit stone walls to life and sent her already pounding heart into a frenzy.

Scrambling to her feet, Lizzy clutched the neck of her mantle, safeguarding the document hidden in the bodice of her gown, already envisioning her head atop the chopping block. Her throat burned with every step. The passageway seemed longer, narrower, darker than it had when she was a child. She rounded the corner, and a bout of dizziness set her off balance. Her eyelids pinched shut, if only for a moment to ease her escalating fear. She swallowed hard then inhaled the sour stench of the dungeon, a smell she would never grow accustomed to regardless of the years she'd spent in the Tower.

Two men, who'd guarded the dungeon since her childhood, straightened in front of the arched doorway as she approached. She forced her steps to a calm, even clip.

"Good den, Lady Ives." One guard dipped his head in greeting.

"Sirs." She acknowledged them with a quick bow. "I have need to speak with my father."

"He is at work," the taller replied. "Lord Ives will not be pleased with your interruption, m'lady."

"Then I will suffer his fury of my own will. Now step aside, and allow me entrance." The authority in her voice shocked her, but she had no time for niceties. Lord Hollister's blackguards would be upon her any moment.

"As ye wish." Each guard slid sideways, granting her access.

She entered the antechamber and set the bolt in place. A single rushlight illuminated the short passage before her.

Only ten more steps.

She clutched Mother's rosary, sliding her fingers over the glass beads to count her steps, until she reached the chamber door.

Crack.

The sound of Father's whip snapped in her ears and jarred her insides. Her fingers stilled over the door lever. She cursed her lack of bravery and wished for the thousandth time she'd been born to the smith or the miller. She wrapped her rosary around her wrist, shook out her hands, and then fisted them to cease their trembling.

Father would not pity a coward.

She summoned the courage to push open the heavy door. The sharp odor of burnt flesh singed her nostrils, sending her hand immediately to her face. She set the iron bar in its catch, then turned toward her father.

Her presence went without notice. Father wouldn't hear a tree if it fell behind him.

Crack.

He wielded his whip, delivering a blow that sliced into a man's back in a slash of crimson. "Confess and pledge fealty to the sovereign liege of England or die as a result of your obstinacy," Father demanded, his tone heinous, cold, cruel. She hated the person he portrayed beneath the black cloak.

"I confess naught." The prisoner's white-knuckled fists gripped the iron rings binding his shackles to the stone wall. Thick blue veins laced through his forearms, matching the color of an ancient symbol inked around his muscular arm above his elbow. Black hair clung to his nape by the sweat of his suffering. He did not cry out or plead for mercy, though the bold red lines painting his bronze skin told her he'd been in Father's company long enough to yield. Still, the fool held tight to his tongue.

She turned her head away from the scene only to fall upon a blood-soaked man crumpled in the corner. He bore a similar mark around his arm, indicating an affiliation between the two prisoners. Father's methods had obviously been more than he could withstand. The pallid color of his skin told her his blood had failed to flow some time ago.

The scrape of metal knifed up her spine as Father released the prisoner's manacles from the hooks in the wall. The large breath of relief he blew as he fell into a puddle at Father's boots came prematurely. She knew Father's routine—whipping preceded the burning. The man's crime would determine what followed.

She squared her shoulders. "Lord Ives." Her voice sounded small, weak, and she abhorred herself for fearing her father. She cleared her throat and clutched the tails of her sleeves, now a tangled mass in her hands. "Lord Ives," she called out louder. "I have need to speak with you."

Father whirled, his amber eyes filled with the light of madness. "Begone!"

He raised his whip to her, and she searched for a glimpse of the gentle man she once knew. Her heart jumped. She pushed the hood of her mantle back. "Nay, Father! 'Tis I, Lizzy." Holding her arm in front of her face, she braced herself for the biting sting, all the while praying he would not deliver the blow.

His grip on the knout eased the same time a raspy howl filled the chamber.

The prisoner reared up from the floor, all flesh and rigid muscles. With his fingers clasped into a giant fist, he drove the iron cuffs into Father's temple, knocking him sideways into a trestle table. Wood splintered like miniature arrows. Metal instruments clanked onto the floor. Father faltered but retained his footing.

"Nay!" She vaulted across the chamber and clung to the prisoner's forearm as his powerful fist caught Father in the nose. Osborn Ives was a big man indeed, but the force behind that blow knocked him off his feet and into the wall.

The impact sent a jolt through her breast.

Father staggered. The black whip slipped from his gloved hand and coiled into a ring like a dead serpent. The lump sliding down her throat mimicked her father's body withering to the floor along with her hope for protection. Desperation, hopelessness, and anger surged.

"Get away from him." She shoved the prisoner hard.

He grunted, but remained steadfast to his position. His fingers curled around her forearm. "Scream, and ye will cease to breathe."

"I will not. I vow it upon my soul." She struggled to break free of his bruising grip, her eyes fixed on the only person she had left in the world. "Please, he is my father."

The brute released her and made only a slight hesitation before going to the other prisoner. She dropped to her knees alongside her father and checked his breathing. The pulse in his neck flittered, but he remained unmoving. She feared Lord Hollister would see her head in the basket before Father awoke. In truth, that act would be preferred to the fate Lord Hollister planned for her. She would be no man's concubine. As the chief warder he might hold favor with the king's council now, but once she exposed his association with the man conspiring against the crown, she and Father would finally be free of Lord Hollister's personal vendetta.

"…May God sustain you, and the company of Heaven enfold you, my brother," the prisoner whispered in Latin.

In communion with all the faithful, may you dwell this day in peace. She couldn't prevent her mind from finishing the familiar chant. She looked up. The prisoner reflected her pose. His large hands cupped the dead man's face. Try as she might to quell her sympathy, she knew the pain of losing someone close and her heart ached for him.

A crash blasted and nearly sent her heart through her ribs. Only seconds later, the chamber door shook within its frame.

"Open, by order of Lord Hollister." A shuffling of feet accompanied the guard's order.

Her breath caught. She shook Father's shoulders. "Please wake. You must help me." Tears she'd held back for years dripped from her chin and splashed over his cheek.

The prisoner stood and swayed. His weight fell against the wall. Hugging his midsection, he drew a deep breath then turned toward her. Piercing ice-blue eyes held her paralyzed. No words passed between them, but the dire consequences of their situation grew in volumes.

Another bang at the door set them into motion.

She sprang to her feet.

The prisoner collected two daggers from the floor and tucked them into the waistband of light-colored trews. He hesitated only long enough to snarl at her. "Where are the keys?"

She scoffed internally. The man was a fool if he thought she would release his shackles and give him an advantage over her. She had enough trouble of her own. She knew too much and had to find protection. Lord Hollister was an adversary she could not fight alone.

"The keys, lass." The prisoner held out lightly fisted hands.

"You are a prisoner of the crown. I cannot help you."

His response came in the form of a glare and a snort, both of which she ignored. She rushed across the chamber and frantically dug her fingertips along the wall's seam. The secret door ground open, her passage into the darkened maze beneath the city. A burst of musty air brushed her face. The blackness promised freedom, but curse her coward's heart, she was terrified to enter. Three and twenty was far too old to fear the dark, yet she couldn't prevent the panic taking over her mind and body. Her breath came in tight gulps.

She reached for the wall torch as another crash splintered the door behind her.

"Go!" The prisoner pushed her into the narrow tunnel.

Her fingers fell short of retrieving the torch. The thick stone door sealed shut behind them, blinding her instantly. Her eyes widened, searching the pitch for the smallest existence of light. A pinhole. A slit. But the only source she found was the bright white explosion of terror behind her eyes.

Arms bent, she steadied herself between the walls closing in around her. In one sweeping motion, she was hauled up against the prisoner's chest. She sucked in an audible breath. A strong hand covered her mouth and trapped the scream inside her. Raising high up on her toes, she clawed at the forearm imprisoning her. Oh, God, protect me.

She had to get back on the other side of the wall.

Back to the light.

She couldn't breathe. Her legs wilted beneath her. A palm pressed flat against her stomach. The chain binding his manacles draped between her heaving breasts and pressed against the document that had brought her here—a document promising to endanger the crown, and now, her only hope of freedom.

Welcome, Joanna!

Light,
Nancy

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