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Brent Archer – Sometimes the Characters Really DO Write Themselves
Saturday, September 27th, 2014

Pssst! Brent’s my cousin! 🙂 ~DD

brent archerI just finished edits on the first book of a three-book series. I’m on top of the world about it. Strange thing is, the story was supposed to be a short story about a blind date. No more than four or five pages in an anthology. But that’s not what the characters wanted.

As I started writing the story, ideas popped into my head about each character’s past. Who was the main character, Heath Firestone? What happened in his life to keep him single and uninterested in dating at thirty-five years old? Who really is this mysterious man, Anton Barrett, and why did Heath’s co-worker Violet set him up with three disasters before introducing Anton?

As the writing continued, I felt like Heath was in my head directing the story, and it quickly passed the usual word count for a short story. Thus, the first book of the Golden Scepter series was born. Heath ended up the target of a fifty year conspiracy to wipe out his family. Gun fights, treasure hunt, the Orient Express, and a hidden chamber in the catacombs of Salzburg flew from my fingers at Heath’s direction onto the virtual page.

Then a new villain, Justin Pennington, pushed the story further into book two, another full novel. I’ve just finished that one and am going back to fill in anything Justin and Heath missed. But both are still there, making sure I don’t change the essence of their tale.

And I can already hear the characters clamoring to be heard for book three. It’s amazing to me how these stories keep coming, all from a quick idea about a blind date. Some of my editors have commented about putting Heath through all his trials and tribulations in the first book, but the reality for me is Heath told me his story and wanted me to write it. I can hardly wait to see what the real outcome of the full story is. While the idea is already complete in my mind, Heath has been throwing me surprises and loops as I put the words onto my screen.

Bring it on, Heath. Tell me another story.

****

Brent Archer started writing in 2011 at the urging of his cousins. He’s published in several anthologies, and will celebrate his first cover with his own name on it on October 3rd with the release of his story Halfway Out of the Dark with MuseItHot. You’ll be able to read about Heath’s story starting in Spring 2015 with the release of The Bastard’s Key as the first book of the Golden Scepter series. Visit Brent at his website www.brentarcher.net or follow him on Twitter @brentarcherwrit.

Ashleigh Raine: Necrolectric
Friday, September 26th, 2014

In late 2012, Ashleigh Raine kinda fell off the planet. Or at least it looked that way. For the past two years, we (we meaning Jen and Lisa, the authors who write together under the penname Ashleigh Raine), have been on an amazing, electric adventure—one we’ll soon be able to share with all of you. See, we’ve added new titles to our resumes. Not only are we writers, but we’re also the creators and producers of the upcoming romantic paranormal web series, Necrolectric.

Necrolectric tells the story of a woman named Eve who is struggling with her mysterious need to constantly die and come back to life. She begins to unravel the truth of who she really is when she teams up with a young woman who relives others’ deaths (Z), a young man who talks to ghosts (Jax), a cursed immortal (Alaric), and his electrically charged brother (Cas) to solve a series of supernatural murders.

For those of you who’ve read our Talisman Bay series, Necrolectric is actually a spin-off from this world. In summer 2012, we were working on the long-overdue third book in the series, Eternal Talisman, and were introducing two new characters, immortal brothers Alaric and Cas, who we became so enamored with we were afraid they’d take over the Talisman Bay series. So we decided to give them a book series of their own, which we promptly plotted out. Little did we know at that time that we were going to be approached to create and write a web series, and that our planned book series was going to become a web series too.

We’ll be announcing some exciting news soon, as well as the online launch date of the first season. We hope those of you who love paranormal romance, and shows like Vampire Diaries, Lost Girl, Teen Wolf, Supernatural, Sleepy Hollow and other sexy paranormal offerings, will check out Necrolectric. And watch for the book version, Electric Rush, to come out in early 2015. In the meantime, how about a tantalizing taste of what’s to come?

Follow us on social media so you don’t miss out on the upcoming announcements about the show. Spark up!

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Necrolectric
Twitter: @necrolectric https://twitter.com/Necrolectric
YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/NecrolectricSeries
Instagram: https://instagram.com/necrolectric
https://www.necrolectric.com/

Anne Lange: Inspiration
Thursday, September 25th, 2014

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“Where do you get your ideas from?”

It’s the question we all get. For some authors, the characters speak to them.  Unfortunately, I don’t have voices in my head. It’s just me up there talking to myself. 🙂

Inspiration comes from anything that captures your interest or tweaks your imagination in some small way. And generally, once the idea gets in there, it refuses to leave.  Hmm. Maybe it’s an infestation?

Do you listen to music? Look a photos or paintings? Watch videos? Listen to the news? People watching is an awesome activity.  Maybe the young couple arguing in the park grabs your attention and you start to wonder what they’re fighting about. Or you see a young woman sitting all alone at the bus stop looking incredibly sad. Did she lose her job, lose a friend?  It could come from a story you read—something in the same theme, but you envision a very different plot and outcome. It could be a scrumptious meal you just ate and you begin to envision the sexy cook back in the kitchen wondering if he’ll ever meet the woman of his dreams.  What about the conversation you overheard between two people in front of you at Starbucks. At the time you stifled a giggle about the topic of discussion, but it’s stuck on repeat in your head until the idea for a story comes together.  Perhaps it’s a real life event that affected you deeply and you need to write about it to purge yourself of your emotions.

I took a fantastic course a few years ago. We had to search for five articles from newspapers. The stories had to be odd.  They could be strange odd or funny odd. Each week we chose one of the stories and then wrote a scene inspired by the chosen article. The scenes varied in length and they varied in genre. We brought our work back to the class, told them about the original article and what about it in particular inspired the story.  Sometimes it was the theme, or simply a sentence or an emotion it invoked.  Sometimes, it was difficult to make the connection between the article and the story the author created, but something in how they interpreted that story sparked an idea for them.

For me, it’s usually something I’ve see or read.  A great cover will spark an idea.  I let the image sink into my mind and from there the story unfolds. I look at submission calls. The publisher or editor provides the nugget for inspiration and then I run away and create a story, taking it in whichever direction I choose.  I don’t even necessarily submit that story to that particular requestor.  They were simply the conduit for the idea.  Somebody or something somewhere, somehow plants the seed. Then we make it grow.

In my debut novella, Worth the Risk, a submission call prodded me to write a story, but the inspiration came from my real life.  In Friend with Benefits, the idea was sparked by something a friend said, but my backyard was the inspiration for the scenery.  In my upcoming release, Sliding into Home, the idea was sparked by a trip to Las Vegas and a bride I saw in one of the casinos.

The possibilities are endless.  Look around. Watch. Listen. Touch. Read.  Use every sense, open your eyes, clean out your ears, but be discrete when you’re eavesdropping LOL!  Inspiration is everywhere.

I get my ideas mostly from things I see or read about.  Where do you get your ideas from?

 

Sliding into Home, A New League Series (Book 1)
By Anne Lange
Genre: Contemporary Erotic Romance
Release Date: October 17, 2014, Available for Pre-Order Now
Publisher: Totally Bound Publishing
Word Count:  37,827  words
Heat Level:  Hot 

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Can an injured ex ball player convince the woman he wakes up married to in Las Vegas to take a second chance on him?

After spending the last four months drowning his sorrows over the end of his baseball career, Jack Bishop finds himself winging through the blue skies to Las Vegas, not so ready to spend the weekend with some woman his best friend set him up with. He expects a paid escort. What he gets is the woman he walked away from ten years ago to pursue his passion, and she’s not very happy to see him.

Devyn Tate believes she’s quite capable of finding somebody to take her out to dinner. She’s no longer looking for a lifelong promise. She has a commitment only to her battery-operated toy to fulfill that particular need. Yet her friends have managed to talk her into spending the weekend in Las Vegas, on a blind date of all things. They promise the guy is trustworthy. They insist that she should have fun. Unfortunately, fun is not what she envisions when she discovers Jack Bishop lying on the floor of her suite in nothing but his underwear that’s on backward, and she has a wedding ring on her finger.

Available for Pre-Order September 5th (from Totally Bound)
Early Download: September 19th  (from Totally Bound)
General Release:  October 17th

Totally Bound Publishing: https://www.totallybound.com/sliding-into-home

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Author Bio

Shoes are her addiction, but books are her passion.  Anne Lange grew up with a love for reading. If you take a close look, she’s got either a book, her Kindle or her Kobo—maybe all three—tucked into her bag or a pocket when she leaves the house. You know, just in case there’s time to sneak in a chapter or ten.  Anne reads many genres of romance, but prefers to write sexy stories, often with a dash of humor, and usually with a side of those sinful pleasures your mom never told you about.

Oh, and always a happily ever after.

While embarking on this wild journey of becoming a romance author, Anne juggles a full time job and a family. Not always successfully. Who needs a clean house every day?  And what’s wrong with cereal for dinner? She lives in Ontario, Canada with her wonderfully supportive husband, three awesome kids who are growing up way too fast, and Rocky the bearded dragon.

Author Social Links 

Web Site | Facebook | Twitter @Anne_Lange | | Goodreads  | Pinterest  | Amazon
Sign up for Anne’s Newsletter
Email: Anne_Lange66@yahoo.ca

Flashback: Strokes, Vol. 1 (Contest)
Wednesday, September 24th, 2014

UPDATE: The winner of this contest is…Suzanne!

* * * * *

Those of you who read me, know I love to write short. Short stories, that is. I write them for publication in anthologies, and sometimes to release on their own, as I did with yesterday’s release, Big Brass Buckle. When I have a nice group of short stories written, I publish them together in volumes entitled Strokes. I have two volumes out at present. By Christmas, I hope to have a third. If you’ve never read my short stories and think you would never be satisfied with anything less than a 100 pages of manuscript, I challenge you to reconsider. Sometimes, something small can be quite edible and delicious!

Post a comment today, and you’ll be entered to win
a free download of
Strokes, Vol. 1!

Strokes

From New York Times Bestselling Author, Delilah Devlin, comes a naughty collection of seven bedtime stories for a week’s worth of nighttime reading pleasure—a little “som-som” to inspire sexy dreams or a one-handed orgasm, or to be read to a partner and enjoyed together.   Witness one woman’s desperate attempt to seduce her busy husband in “Lily’s Last Stand”. In “Nip ‘n’ Tuck” follow a shy seamstress’s adventures with an online suitor that doesn’t go quite as planned. Dive into “Dreaming by the Sea” where a woman with a mysterious past is surprised by a lover who strides naked from the ocean to claim her. An adventurous Victorian nurse learns the pleasures of steam-driven technology in “Dr.Mullaley’s Cure”. A New York commuter shares lustful daydreams of with another subway passenger in “The Morning Ride”.  A woman finds the limits of her inhibitions tested in a one-night stand in “All About Me”. In “The Obedient Wife”, find out what really happened between The Beauty and the Beast. Hint: It’s not your children’s fairytale!

Short excerpts:

From “Lily’s Last Stand”:
The F-bomb fell effortlessly from her mouth, leaving him feeling bemused. “Who are you?”
“Can I tell you who I want to be?”

From “Nip ‘n’ Tuck”:
She suppressed a grin. He was being a good sport about this. She’d been the one to design the scenario. Something she’d always fantasized about doing to a stranger, but had never had the courage to try. Not until “TallDarkBanker” teased her in a private chat room into revealing her innermost desires.

From “Dreaming by the Sea”:
He leaned his forehead against mine. “A kiss, Despy. Let me give you a kiss. I promise all will be answered.”
A kiss. How simple. How frightening. Everything would change. I knew it.

From “Dr. Mullaley’s Cure”:
“I feel…nearly…oh, the agony…oh, doctor!”
Mrs. Headley gave a choked little scream, her upper body arching on the table before settling again. Her flushed cheeks shone with sweat, but the smile she gave the doctor was so filled with gratitude I felt a stirring of something akin to pride for the doctor’s skill.

From “The Morning Ride”:
She saw him, or at least from the knee on down. Shiny black loafers. Knife-edged creases on his charcoal trousers. Sweeping her gaze upward, but still not looking directly, she eyed his tall, lean body, embracing the quickening tattoo of her heart. When he took his seat along the opposite wall and two seats down, she let out the breath she’d held, the pinpricks of darkness that had narrowed her vision to a tunnel, fading back. All was right in her world again.

From “All About Me”:
“Why don’t you go first?”
He shook his head, a smile twitching at the corners of his lips. “Now, see? That’s not what I want. And you said I could have anything I wanted if I made you come.”
I snorted. “How do know you I didn’t fake it?”
A sexy grin stretched across his face. “Baby, you came so hard you peed on me.”

From “The Obedient Wife”:
The door swung open, and every word she’d rehearsed flew from her mind, because a great hairy beast dressed in trousers and boots and nothing more filled up the door.
“This be the girl?” the beast rumbled.
The daughter shivered at the deep, warm sound, unsure whether it was pleasure or fear and also unsure which excited her more.

Longer Excerpt from “Lily’s Last Stand”:

Lily Newcomb checked her makeup in the rearview mirror. She wore a new shade of lipstick—“Waitress Red”—on her lips with a slick of gloss to wet them. Brent used to say red lips made him think of blowjobs. That ought to make him sit up and take notice.

Then bracing herself, she let herself out of her Volvo and tugged the belt of her raincoat securely around her waist, trying not to think about how ridiculous this was, how cliché. But she was at wit’s end.

Brent had just spent his last night burning midnight oil. They had enough now—enough money, enough things, enough of the right friends and associates. It was time Brent turned his considerable skills toward shoring up another relationship. One closer to home.

Lily used his spare set of keys to open the outer door of the law offices and let herself inside. The reception area was dark. As was the corridor. Only a sliver of light shone beneath her husband’s door. They were alone.

She unbelted the coat, letting it drop into a messy puddle at her feet. She fluffed her hair, combing her fingers through her bangs to tousle them. With a last deep breath, she strode on her four-inch patent leather heels to his office, grasped the knob with her sweaty palm and inched the door  open.

Brent sat at his desk. The neck of his white, buttoned down shirt was opened, his tie askew. His dark hair looked deliciously messy as he frowned at the document in front of him.

Before he lifted his gaze, she leaned against the doorframe in a seductive pose and tossed back her head, hoping he wouldn’t laugh when he realized she was there—and what she wasn’t wearing.

She heard a cough. Brent’s gaze rose and widened, giving her quick once-over before he bolted from his chair.

Too late, she realized he wasn’t alone. She thrust a hand downward to hide her sex, wrapped an arm around her breasts, but it was too little protection, too late.

Brent’s partner, Lou, rose from an arm chair, instantly averting his gaze. He coughed again. “I can see why you were in a rush to get home, Brent,” he said, sounding strangled. He turned to walk toward the door, shielding his face with a hand and offering a muffled, laughing, “Nice seeing you, Lily,” as she stood, slack-jawed beside the door. In the distance, she heard Lou whistling tunelessly as he exited the office.

Heat crept across her cheeks as she glanced at her husband. “This was a bad idea. I’ll just let myself out,” she said in a little voice, backing away.

Brent kept coming. His face wore that look, the one he assumed when dressing down an intern for shoddy research. “Lily, get back here. Now.”

Lily bit her lip, then dropped her hands. She eyed him with trepidation. Not because she feared him. Brent was never harsh. But because she hated disappointing him. Too late again, she realized she’d acted rashly. Would she ever learn patience? To let things happen in their own time?

As always, she’d seen a problem and rushed to solve it. It had seemed a simple plan. An ambush, really. He’d been staying later and later at work over the past weeks. And if she didn’t know he had a deep streak of integrity running through his core, she might have assumed he was having an affair. But she knew him. She used to work for him. She’d seen how deeply he could sink into a case to the exclusion of everything else. She’d just never thought she’d be shunted to the side for so long.

Tonight, she’d decided to give him a wakeup call. Remind him that he wasn’t alone. That he had responsibilities at home to consider.

Only now, she felt foolish. Desperate. Tears burned her eyes, but she lifted her chin, refusing to let her humiliation make her cower. She dropped her arms.

Brent strode toward her, his expression neutral. His firm lips tight and crimped. When he stood in front of her, he snagged her wrist and pulled her across the threshold, then shoved the door to close it.

He towered over her despite the heels—the only item of clothing she’d worn this night besides her abandoned coat. His gaze swept her again, but this time, she noted the flare of his nostrils. Did he catch the scent perfume he’d gifted her with last Christmas?

After she’d opened the gift, he’d held out his hand for the bottle, then tilted it to wet his finger. He’d traced a path downward, between her breasts. That had been the last time they’d gotten wild and reckless together. Since then, sex had been perfunctory, an afterthought once they fell into the bed at night.

His intense gaze bored into hers. His pupils expanded, darkening his eyes.

Her own body reacted in opposition to the tension rolling off him—liquefying, melting toward him. “I’m sorry,” she whispered. “I didn’t mean to embarrass you. I thought you were alone.”

He didn’t answer, but lifted one hand, palm up, and cupped a breast. His thumb flicked the tight, pearled tip. “Lou’ll be discreet, but what would you have done if I’d had the whole team in here?”

She wrinkled her nose. “Given you a lap dance?”

He snorted. “Lily, have I been neglectful?” he asked, his voice gruff.

“I’ve missed you, Brent.”

“I’m home every night.”

“You’re there, but…you’re not.”

His jaw tightened. He dropped his hand and stepped back.

Damn, was he really that angry with her, that disappointed that he’d reject her now? Lily blinked and lifted her chin, feigning pride when it lay in tatters all around her. “I’ll go home. I apologize again.”

“Did I say that you could leave?”

BIG BRASS BUCKLE is out today!
Tuesday, September 23rd, 2014

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What do you need to know about BBB?

It’s a short story. Just 7100 words. You can read it at the doctor’s office while you wait to see him, although you might have some ‘splainin’ to do when he raises a brow at your elevated temp and blood pressure!

It’s sexy. Duh. Want to know how two people who don’t expect to see each other again act when the attraction is powerful? No holds barred!

It’s only $.99. I pay more for my Keurig coffee cups. Yes, cheaper than a cup of coffee and you can re-read it as many times as you like. You only enjoy that coffee once!

If you need to read an excerpt first to see if it sounds like your cup of…er, coffee, click here.

And after you read my story, consider the question I’ve asked on the page after the story ends. Also, consider writing a review or telling a friend. Your opinion matters. You may sway a reader who’s unsure whether they want to spend their coffee money on my story. 🙂

Lauren Smith: Why I love Vintage Gothic Romances (Contest)
Monday, September 22nd, 2014

UPDATE: This contest will end September 25th at midnight! Enter now!

* * * * *

Every fall I get swept away by the falling leaves and the bright colors and the crisp wind that smells of coming snowfall. There is something magical about the months of September, October and November. I lose myself in the celebrations and decorations of Halloween and there’s nothing better than reading a bunch of old vintage gothics. The spooky settings, the fog shrouded mansions and crumbling castles. I’ve read contemporary set gothics (set in the 50s and 60s) and I’ve read historical gothics too. It doesn’t matter when the book is set, so long as I get to lose myself in a story that’s full of that beloved atmosphere where mist hides tragedies and horrors and a dark sensual romance fills the pages.

One of my absolute favorite vintage gothic romances is The Shivering Sands by Victoria Holt which is about a woman named Caroline trying to find out what happened to her missing sister Roma. Setting out on a quest to find her sister, she starts out searching an estate where her sister was last seen.  With a title like Shivering Sands, already the atmosphere is set and I have to know more about this mysterious place where even the sand is dangerous. As the heroine Caroline Verlaine finds out: “You’ve heard about the Sands, Mrs. Verlaine. Quick sands…shivering sands…Boats are caught in them and they can’t get off. They feel themselves held in a grip so fierce that nothing will release them…and slowly they begin to sink into the shivering sands.”

What is so moving about gothics, especially the vintage ones is the way they capture the reader’s attention with the style of language and transport us to a place of deadly mystery and wonder set against the backdrop of old haunted houses with brooding, dominating heroes that inspire our darkest fantasies.

I recently decided I wanted to write a “modern”gothic. Wouldn’t it be marvelous to take what was best about the vintage gothics and what’s great about new modern romances (like the super steamy love scenes), and combine the two? I had to admit it was one of the funniest things I’ve ever done and the voice was quite natural for me, since I’ve read so many of the old gothics. My story The Shadows of Stormclyffe Hall which releases September 29th, 2014 is the best of both worlds. I have dark, brooding hero named Bastian, an earl, and Jane, a feisty, intelligent American grad student clashing in a battle of wills as they try to find out why the earl’s castle is haunted by his ancestors.

“He was predatory, sensual, and powerful in his dark blue waistcoat, and knee-high black boots. Bastian’s ancestor looked every inch the earl he was. But it was so much more than that. Bastian and Richard could have been twins, the uncanny resemblance was so strong.” – The Shadows of Stormclyffe Hall.

Question for readers: What do you all like to read around Halloween? Do you like spooky ghost stories? Hot paranormals? Horror classics? Three lucky winners will receive a e-book of The Shadows of Stormclyffe Hall!

lsSoSH_1600 

To defeat a dark evil, they must face his family’s past…

Bastian Carlisle, the Earl of Weymouth, doesn’t believe in ghosts. Even though tragedy and mysterious hauntings have driven his family away from his ancestral home, Stormclyffe Hall, he is determined to restore the castle to its former glory. His plans are disrupted when a stubborn American shows up on his doorstep hoping to pry into his family’s tragic history.

Jane Seyton, an American graduate student, is convinced there’s more to the tragedy of Stormclyffe Hall than history claims. Ever the scholar, she is determined to discover the truth, even if it means putting up with the arrogant, yet sexy, Bastian.

Although Bastian wants nothing to do with the pushy American, it soon becomes clear that something evil is in the house—and that something is targeting both Jane and Bastian. The two must join forces to purge the ghosts of Stormclyffe Hall once and for all—even as they try to fight a physical attraction between them that grows more and more impossible to deny.

Excerpt:

“My lord?” Randolph prompted, which made Bastian realize he must have been silent for several moments. The shadows had him on edge. Perhaps it would be nice to have a bit of company, if only she wasn’t a bloody American. Given the rumors of ghosts and other such childish stories, most of the staff at Stormclyffe refused to stay overnight. Only Randolph and a few of the loyal staff from London remained after dark.

“I shall meet with her. She will not be staying here.” Read the rest of this entry »

Jo Grafford: Lost Colony (Contest)
Sunday, September 21st, 2014

Hello romance readers! And thank you for hosting me today, Delilah. 🙂 I am here to spotlight some fabulous trivia about my Lost Colony Series.

  • Fun fact one: This is a historical romance series based on a group of very real Lost Colonists from Roanoke Island.
  • Fun fact two: Most of the names, places, and dates in my novels are based on the real deal.
  • Fun fact three: But don’t worry. These novels don’t read at all like a history book. The Lost Colony Series is brimming with action, suspense, and unexpected romance in all the right places with plenty of steam – promise!
  • Fun fact four: I am seeking some awesome, creative suggestions FROM YOU for the title of book three in the Lost Colony Series.

NAME THAT BOOK CONTEST

Here are some quick and dirty facts to get your creative juices flowing.

1. BOOK ONE: BREAKING TIES

BLURB: An ancient conspiracy plagues a trans-Atlantic voyage from day one. ROSE PAYNE the ship clerk is simply trying to outrun a broken heart. Instead, she runs straight into danger – pirates, plundering, and unexpected love with the most unlikely man.

YouTube book trailer: https://youtu.be/nBB8_qcG-9I

2. BOOK TWO: TRAIL OF CROSSES

BLURB: Following a brutal ambush by hostile Natives, a sharp-tongued spinster JANE MANNERING plots the escape of her fellow English colonists by following a carved trail of crosses, never dreaming her actions will draw the attention of the most feared tribal leader in Virginia.

YouTube book trailer: https://youtu.be/XTkQBFMrk3c

3. BOOK THREE: It’s Your Turn! NAME THIS BOOK

BLURB: AGNES WOOD, a skilled apothecary, crosses the ocean to keep one big, dark, terrible secret. Alas, one dashing gentleman from her past discretely pursues her. Will he expose her past sins and destroy the life she has fought so hard to build in the New World, or will he risk his own future to protect hers?

NAME THIS BOOK in the comments section below for a chance to win a $10 Amazon or Barnes and Noble gift card (winner’s choice)! Don’t forget to give me a way to reach you. (Email address, twitter handle, FB, etc. OR you may email your contest entry directly to me at Jo@JoGrafford.com .)

Happy historical romance reading and best wishes on winning!

Jo

Jo@JoGrafford.com

Breaking Ties

breaking Ties

Breaking Ties
Lost Colony Series
Book One
Jo Grafford

Genre: historical romance
Publisher: Astraea Press
Date of Publication: October 16, 2013
ISBN: 978-1-62135-219-8
ASIN: B00FYIYM7A
Number of pages: 404
Word Count: 121,390
Cover Artist: Mande Matthews

Intelligent and well ahead of her times, ROSE PAYNE’S world is shattered after a secret betrothal to the duke’s son costs her job as a clerk in his father’s household. Without a letter of recommendation, she becomes an easy target for recruiters to the Colonies. Desperate for work, she signs up for a risky overseas venture and sails for the New World, vowing never again fall for a wealthy gentleman.

Returning from a diplomatic tour in London, CHIEF MANTEO is bewitched by the elusive, fiery-haired ship clerk and determined to overcome her distrust. He contrives a daring plan to win her heart – a plan he prays will protect her from a chilling conspiracy involving murder, blood money, and a betrayal of their fledgling colony so terrifying it can only be revealed in BREAKING TIES.

Special Note: BREAKING TIES is the never-before-told rest of the story of the Lost Colony.

Book Trailer: https://youtu.be/nBB8_qcG-9I

Available at Amazon  BN  Smashwords  Kobo  Astraea Press  iTunes

Excerpt:

“You want my help.” ‘Twas an accusation.

“Aye.”

His eyes darkened. “I save your life. I give gifts. I offer marriage.” He closed the remaining distance between us, his eyes burning into mine.

I stumbled back.

“You give nothing in return,” he snarled. “You only ask for more.”

“I would had I something to offer,” I whispered. “But I have nothing. I am nothing.”

“Then what use are you to me?” He wheeled away.

I sagged against the door, eyes stinging. I blinked rapidly and pressed a hand to my stomach. Nausea rolled at the thought of informing the others of my failure.

Manteo circled the cabin like a hawk stalking its prey. ‘Twas a fine room with ornately carved shelves lining one wall. Bunks were built into the next wall. A generous desk jutted from the third, overflowing with maps and navigational devices. I recognized the compass and hourglass but could not identify the other instruments. I jerked in surprise when Manteo swooped down upon me.

“I know our location.” His arms shot out and slapped the wall on either side of me, hemming me to the door. “I could swim ashore from here.”

“Then why do ye stay if ye can leave and save yourself?” Read the rest of this entry »