How do we stop our past from defining us? My latest release A DREAM OF REDEMPTION 20 February 2018 follows the journey of two people who have much to overcome in order to find true happiness.

A forbidden love and a chilling mystery tease the senses in this sensuous historical romance from the USA Today bestselling author of A Kiss of Lies and A Love to Remember.

Bookish and independent Lady Helen Hawkestone is expected to marry well. But, having grown up with warring parents, the institution holds little appeal. The trick, she realizes, is to marry for love—a task that’s easier said than done. Only while Helen is raising funds for her do-gooder sister’s orphanage does she meet a man who arouses her curiosity. Lowborn and yet so dignified that Helen can’t help but try to elicit a response, Clary Homeward is an enigma—a heart-stopping, body-stirring, forget-her-social-upbringing enigma.

A single offense against a noblewoman such as Lady Helen would ruin a man like Clary. Her sister, Marisa, rescued him from hellish poverty and employs him with her charity work. Try as he might to push her away, Helen tempts him to want things he could never have. But when girls from the orphanage start disappearing, destined for a grim fate Clary knows all too well, Helen insists on helping. And soon Clary wonders whether something more were not just possible but inevitable—even right.

Isn’t it funny how characters creep up on you? It’s one of the many joys of being a writer. When I wrote the part of Clarence (Clary) Homewood in A Whisper of Desire, I had no idea of the relationship that would develop between Clary and the sister of his savior, Lady Helen Hawkestone.

Clary has a sordid past to become comfortable with and he is full of self-loathing. Helen does not know of his past. All she knows is he is her sister’s overseer of several orphanages and a man who puts all others in the shade.

Innocent and naive of the horrors in the world for those less fortunate than herself, Helen, intrigued by Clary, begins to fall in love. Little does she know just how impossible a life with Clary would be.

But what really defines people is how we overcome the mistakes we make or those made against us. Can Clary forgive his past sin and can Helen convince her family to stand with her against insurmountable odds…

Here is a taste of A Dream of Redemption:

The women walked off toward the pond, Mary following Helen. Leaving Clary facing Fairfax and his male friends.

“Go and catch up with Lady Angela, I want a private word with Mr. Homeward,” Fairfax uttered to the other gents.

Once the others were out of earshot, Fairfax hissed, “What the blazes are you playing at? How dare you walk in the park with a lady.”

“Good afternoon, Lord Fairfax. If you excuse me I should catch up to her ladyship. Your behavior is being noted, and I don’t think you’d want me explaining how we met.”

With that threat hanging in the air Clary made to walk around Fairfax but the lord grabbed his arm and pulled him back. “You mention one word about me and that club and I’ll see you’re put back in the gutter where you belong.”

He wanted to shake off Fairfax’s hand, the feel of it on his person made him sick, but he noted Helen and Angela’s group was staring at them. “Let go of me, you are drawing attention to yourself.”
Fairfax looked over at his friends and quickly let go of his arm. “This is not over. I don’t know who you are pretending to be, but I’ll see you run out of town.”

Clary stood up proud and tall. He looked down his nose at Fairfax. “I work for the Duchess of Lyttleton and any scandal about me will impact on Her Grace and I won’t allow that. If I hear you are telling tales I shall ensure every mother in the ton understands your particular hedonistic tastes. You’ll be shunned, or worse, but without proof probably only shunned. Something you’ll care more about than I would. I have no reason, or wish, to enter Society nor any reputation to uphold.”

He glared at Fairfax whose face became very pale. “You would not dare.”

“Try me,” and Clary tipped his hat at Fairfax and made to move round him. Just as he was about to take a step Fairfax stuck his walking stick out and sent Clary headfirst onto the path. He wasn’t quick enough to put his arms out and so he rolled and let his body take the full impact. He landed on his injured side and pain raged through his body mixed with the anger and a driving need to pummel Fairfax into the dirt. Of course he couldn’t do that. Attacking a peer would carry a sentence of transportation. Probably what Fairfax wanted.

Then he heard the sound of dainty running feet and a feminine cry of outrage. “You did that on purpose, you swine.” He looked up from the ground to see Helen hit Fairfax with her reticule.

*~*~*

I hope you enjoy A Dream of Redemption and urge on Helen and Clary’s journey to their HEA.

Win a copy of A Whisper of Desire by leaving a comment below telling me the name of Helen’s sister.

Buy links:
Amazon US
Amazon UK
Amazon Canada
Amazon Australia
Nook
iBooks
Kobo
Google Play

Ahoy there, matey! Have you already pre-ordered your copy? No?

This is a collection you won’t want to miss! Filled with those sexy Jack Sparrows and some modern-day raiders, even a couple of space pirates, you won’t want to miss this! There are even a couple of mm treats for those who loved Russell Crowe and Paul Bettany in Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World! Didn’t you secretly wish they were into each other? 🙂

The ebook releases February 27th, and includes 19 stories from some fabulous authors. The print version will follow soon after. For now, drool over the cover and take advantage of that next-to-nothing $0.99 price!

Pirates: A Boys Behaving Badly Anthology

Sail on the high seas or into uncharted galaxies! When it comes to love…pirates risk all!

Delilah’s next delectable anthology is filled with roguish pirates! Readers who crave adventures set on the high seas–or in deep space–will find plenty of sexy bad boys, naughty alpha males unafraid to risk life and limb for treasure–or a lucky lover’s heart!

Just a few of the titillating stories inside…

In “The Treasure of Devil’s Crag” by Lisa Fox, two rival pirate captains seeking the same treasure, discover the competition isn’t the only thing that heats up between them. A modern-day pirate boards a yacht seeking revenge and captures a runaway bride who tempts him in ways he’s never experienced in January George’s “Captive Desire.” In T.D. Rudolph’s “Lust in Space”, a space criminal teams up with a fearless vamp to steal a cache of titanium–from the dark side of the moon. In “Full Fathom Five” by Rhidian Brenig Jones, a pirate captain, forced to give a disgraced young surgeon a berth, discovers a rich treasure in the other man’s arms. And this is just a hint at the sexy stories inside this satisfying volume.

These pirates will pillage and plunder their way into your hearts!

Pre-order your copy here!

In case you hadn’t heard the news, my Plum Creek series is returning to bookshelves starting in February. This trilogy was originally published with Kensington since 2009/2010 but I got my rights back and decided to put them out there again. It’s a trilogy set in Reconstruction era Colorado. These are for sure erotic historical romance with lots of smexy scenes but also deep, wrenching emotions and an incredibly satisfying HEA. I’m excited to bring these back!

The trilogy begins with book 1, THE EDUCATION OF MADELINE. I wrote Madeline to be a tall, curvy, thirty-two year old spinster in Reconstruction era Colorado, 1872. She’s rich, hated because of her wealth, and needs to learn how to experience life.

The hero, Teague, is a big man with a dark past who enters Madeline’s life. She grabs hold of the opportunity with both hands, and they begin an adventure together, with many twists, turns, and unseen dangers.

I loved Madeline—she embodied what I struggled with as a curvy woman with low self-confidence. She discovers she’s fierce, courageous, and unwilling to settle for what the world has planned for her.

I’m happy to say THE EDUCATION OF MADELINE releases on February 27 in both ebook and print. The cover is beautiful, and I can’t wait for y’all to meet Madeline and Teague. Book 2, THE REDEMPTION OF MICAH, releases in April. Followed by the third book, THE SALVATION OF SARAH in late May. Each book has a new cover, is freshly edited, and is ready to find a whole new group of readers. If you read the original years ago, the stories themselves haven’t changed.

If you haven’t, be sure to be plum with me and visit Plum Creek!

The Education of Madeline

Plum Creek, Colorado 1872

The Right Man Comes Along…

Madeline Brewster practically owns Plum City, Colorado. But at thirty-two, she knows she has missed any chance for happiness. Until she finds a tall, strong, handsome Irishman on the wrong end of the hangman’s noose. Suddenly this unconventional woman comes up with an outrageous idea…

Teague O’Neal has rugged cheekbones, tousled black curls, and eyes as blue as the sky, even if he is caked in Colorado mud. The men insist they caught him horse-thieving, and there’s something desperate about him that says he’d do anything for a buck.

Maybe it was pure chance, or maybe it was something more that brought Madeline and Teague together. But one thing’s clear, between a woman who has just about everything she could ever want, and a man who’s lost that and more, they might find something in between worth living for.

Contest

Comment for a chance to win one of three eBook copies of The Education of Madeline I’m giving away!

UPDATE: The winner of the mug and tote is Michelle Duhon!

* * * * *

Diana Cosby ©2017

Gifts come in many shapes and sizes, but I believe the most precious ones are those delivered from the heart. It’s easy to get caught up in the mayhem of life, particularly during the Holidays, but every day, there are people amidst the chaos who help you, who take time out of their busy lives to make a difference in yours. This year, why not return that gift?

This holiday season, as wrapped gifts exchange hands, I ask you to pause, reflect on those who’ve truly made a difference in your life, and if possible, find a special way to say thank you. This can be a simple gesture—something like a greeting card, a bouquet of flowers, or a heartfelt poem. Maybe you could bake their favorite cookies? Or, present them a coupon book filled with everyday chores, which they can tear out and give you to do on those days when they really need a helping hand. The absolute best gift you can offer another person is one given from the heart. And when special-delivered, without any strings attached, it touches their own.

This Christmas, I’m making gift baskets filled with my favorite homemade things, such as macadamia-butterscotch chip cookies, shortbread, double chocolate-orange-pecan biscotti, Vermont maple syrup, and more. With each one, I’m sharing a part of myself with the other person.

What ideas can you think of? Remember—the more original and inventive, the more fun! 🙂 I can’t wait to hear your ideas! ONE person will be drawn from all who post, and the winner will receive one of my totes and a mug.
(*Contest ends the 23rd of December, 2017.)

*~*~*~*

My gift to you, one of my favorite recipes: Butterfinger Ice-cream Pie!

Apple Pie Ice-cream Pie

INGREDIENTS:
Chocolate cookie pie shell
1 Quart Apple Pie ice cream
Whipped cream
1/3 Cup of brown sugar
1/2 Cup chopped pecans or walnuts
1/2 Tsp. cinnamon
1/16th Tsp. cloves
Chocolate syrup
Caramel syrup

DIRECTIONS:
Place 1 quart of softened Apple Pie ice cream into chocolate cookie pie shell and smooth out flat. Layer with ½ inch or slightly more of whipped cream. Sift on brown sugar/chopped nuts/cinnamon/cloves mixture. Drizzle on top lines of chocolate syrup and caramel syrup. Cover, freeze and enjoy!!!

*~*~*~*

I wish everyone a fabulous holiday season filled with friendship, laughter, and blessings!
Sincerely,

Diana Cosby, International Best-Selling Author
www.dianacosby.com

Diana’s next release, Forbidden Vow, book #3 The Forbidden Series, is available for pre-order. Release date 15 May 2018.
https://www.dianacosby.com/ForbiddenVow.html

About the Author

A retired Navy Chief, Diana Cosby is an international bestselling author of Scottish medieval romantic suspense. Books in her award-winning MacGruder Brothers series have been translated in five languages. Diana has spoken at the Library of Congress, Lady Jane’s Salon in NYC, and appeared in Woman’s Day, on USA Today’s romance blog, “Happy Ever After,” MSN.com, Atlantic County Women Magazine, and Texoma Living Magazine.

After her career in the Navy, Diana dove into her passion – writing romance novels. With 34 moves behind her, she was anxious to create characters who reflected the amazing cultures and people she’s met throughout the world. After the release of the bestselling MacGruder Brothers series, The Oath Trilogy, and books #1 & 2 of The Forbidden Series, she’s now working on book #3, Forbidden Vow which will be released in May 2018.

Diana looks forward to the years of writing ahead and meeting the amazing people who will share this journey.

Website | Facebook
Forbidden Knight page | Forbidden Vow page

Merry Christmas, dear Delilah fans! The air is filled with the scent of sugar cookies warm from the oven. With a hint of cinnamon. Pine boughs and red ribbon line the mantel where a fire licks at the grate. Sparkling ornaments drape the fresh-cut evergreen that reaches the ceiling, its wide fragrant branches sheltering stacks of gaily wrapped gifts.

It’s the holiday vision, the perfect scene where Santa will stop briefly to drop magic into stockings. Loved ones will gather to smile, share delicious food, and part with tearful hugs. We believe it, expect it, and as adults try to recreate it for our children—and for ourselves.
There is nothing in the vision about bickering spouses, too much alcohol, or racking up credit card debt we can’t afford.

Sorry—but sometimes reality sucks. We’ve all experienced the let down when our expectations aren’t met. It’s not just others who sometimes don’t measure up—we often disappoint ourselves.

Well, I say it’s time to kick that whole sick set-up out of our lives. We’re grownups and we’re in charge. We know nothing is perfect. So why do we expect it?

A little child still lives inside us, never quite able to let go of those promises, not just for a perfect glowing Christmas.These fairy tales that we learned as a child sit deep in our hearts, murmuring at us in quiet moments about what we wanted and couldn’t have. If only…

As adults, each of us in our own style finds ways to comfort that little child in us. We hang up pretty sparkling lights, even if it’s just one strand over a doorway. One rainy cold Saturday, we bake cookies and take half of them to an ailing neighbor. We watch the sunset in late afternoon, its orange rays penetrating the windows, and think of other holiday seasons and congratulate ourselves that we’ve lived another year, that progress of some kind has been made, that life surely goes on no matter what.

We thank ourselves for our strength and courage. We acknowledge our frailty and suffering. We make promises to ourselves about one thing (or more) we can do better, what we can hope for, work for, and what we can care about.

It’s the biggest gift that money can’t buy—taking care of ourselves. Understanding. Acknowledging. Once we’ve clasped that warm fuzzy to our chest, we can open our arms to others who also suffer the human condition, who like us hold a dream that can never quite be fulfilled. Give it to yourself and then give it to others.

It’s in that spirit that I extend these stories to you. Share them with friends. They’re free at Smashwords or 99¢ at Amazon.

*~*~*~*

A Taste of Love: Yuletide in Roman Camp (Caerwin of Britannia series)

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B077LRJ9SH
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/759904 no coupon needed

A cruel wind blows across the midwinter lands of Northern Britain, flapping Senna’s cloak as she hurries inside the praetorium on the heels of the blustering Tutonius, legion cook and dear friend. In Rome, Saturnalia would last a week and include a day of relaxation for all the slaves. But, she sadly acknowledges, this is not Rome but a miserable outpost on the westernmost boundary of Roman-occupied Britannia.

Senna does her best to relieve some of her friend’s staggering workload as he prepares the holiday meal. The governor of all Britain will feast here tonight along with officers of three legions. Hurrying outside the fortress to the sprawling campgrounds of refugees, camp followers, and traders of all kinds, Senna shops for last-minute gifts for her enslaved Briton mistress Caerwin and food supplies Tutonius must have.
Upon her return to the kitchen, Senna blushes as Teutonius shares a moment of personal pleasure.

*~*~*~*

His Only Love – Novelette in the Caerwin of Britannia series (Gay Erotica)

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B077LJN49T
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/759899 no coupon needed

As Saturnalia dawns and Rome’s Legio XIV Gemina prepares for the midwinter celebration despite their station on the far western border of Britannia, Greek slave Antius faces the disaster he set in motion involving his beloved master and legion commander, Marcellus. He takes refuge with his young lover even as an intimate betrayal unfolds between trusted friends.

*~*~*~*

Christmas Hideaway

An Erotic Contemporary Romance Short Story
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B019LLDAV4
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/685194 Use coupon code VC59V
Coupon good thru Dec 25

Caryn hadn’t expected a snow storm when she hid away in a remote cabin to lick her wounds. She also hadn’t expected an overbearing park ranger to confront her. But the snow kept falling and the temperature kept dropping, trapping her at his cabin. What could possibly go wrong?

*~*~*~*

Holiday Journey

An Erotic Contemporary Romance Short Story
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B019VLNZUU
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/675289 Use coupon code EC65A
Coupon good thru Dec 25

Flight delays, bad weather—what’s not to loath about holiday travel? Except this time there’s a man daring Giselle to do something she never imagined, something that exceeds her wildest fantasies. Is the temptation worth the risk?

About the Author

Please – if you enjoy these stories, lend a friendly hand and post a review—a few words helps other readers. Meanwhile, I’ll be up here in my home office staring out the window at the Ozarks woods, watching the wind in the trees and listening to my hound dogs bark at the deer. Voices will whisper in my ears as my hands move over the keyboard, and I’ll be thinking of you, dear reader, as I channel more stories onto the page. It’s a hell of a life, but somebody’s got to do it.

Thanksgiving has passed. Black Friday is done with. Now it’s on to Christmas. Hooray! When it comes to this holiday, I’m like Scrooge after that fretful night. Unlike other holidays, Christmas changes everything and everyone around you.  Luckily, I live in New York City and to me, that is when the city truly comes alive. The Rockefeller Christmas tree, the Saks Fifth Avenue windows are festive with holiday decorations that will have you smashing your face against the frosty windows and the city streets shining with Christmas lights that wrap around anything standing. The whole city transforms into a wonderland that makes the cold disappear and the city’s energy pulsates in a way that it can do only during the holidays.

Sure everyone is checking their list and trying to find the perfect gift within their budget but to me, Christmas is more than the presents. In my opinion, I think we all love bringing joy to the world. I love seeing the rush of joy spread across someone’s face and feel as if for even the briefest of moments, their ills or hurts have vanished. Joy to the world is the theme of the season.

In some ways, that is why I write. Books and writing have always brought me a soul-deep happiness that lingers well after I have put down the pen or closed the book. That magically feeling is something I wish to share with others. To have them experience the joy. My books may not solve the world problems but if for a time, I can help someone forget their pain, laugh or just have an escape then I am the happiest I can be.

Her hand in marriage could secure peace.

Lady Ailsa Cameron has slept through a few masses. She isn’t the most patient of souls. However, the gentle lass never did anything wicked enough for her father, Laird Cameron to demand she wed Black Duncan, the Laird of Clan MacLean.

The leader of the Spartans of the North, Duncan MacLean inspires many gruesome tales in the majestic highlands and beyond. Duncan accepts Laird Cameron’s offer of his daughter’s hand in marriage to war against their shared enemy, Clan MacKinnon. Wed to the ravishing woman, he aches to possess her even as he vows never to lower his defenses, again.

Can past enemies become lovers?

Read an Excerpt of The Marriage Alliance

Scottish Highlands, 1256

Surely, Ailsa Cameron never managed anything in her score of a lifetime so wicked to deserve this cruel punishment. She never took the life of another. Admittedly, she dozed through a few masses in her lifetime. Others were guilty of such sin and never punished so harshly. Maybe, it was the many times she took the Lord’s name in vain. That vile curse hadn’t passed her lips for some time, not since her last penance forbade her from speaking for a sennight. She had remained silent until the noon meal but her guilt still lingered. Even that did not warrant her wedding the dreaded Duncan MacLean.

Nay, she journeyed along the stone-littered tract to the MacLean fortress because of men and one in particular, her father—Laird Cameron. His fierce desire to merge with the Spartans of the North appointed Ailsa the maiden sacrifice to appease the ferocious dragon. Who was the dragon—her father or her husband-to-be?

Either way, Saint Peter would throw open the pearly gates for her since she behaved as the dutiful daughter, pledging the rest of her days to Laird MacLean.

Not that she had many days to live.

To read a longer excerpt of The Marriage Alliance, stop by my website, MageelaTroche.com

Available only at Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Marriage-Alliance-Mageela-Troche-ebook/dp/B072N3G575/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1510781618&sr=1-1&keywords=mageela+troche

Tomorrow, November 11, is Veterans Day, and tomorrow I will fly the American flag in front of my house. Not because it’s a political statement but because it’s my way to say thank you to all the veterans who left their homes, their jobs, their families, and their comfortable lives to protect our country. Think about it – young men and women who believed so strongly in America that they were willing to give up a portion of their lives so that we can enjoy freedom.

Many years ago, when I was a small child, we used to have elderly veterans from World War 1 come to talk to us in our classrooms on that day. They would tell us stories about their experiences in the war – none really too frightening – and we children would sit listening, fascinated to be told what it was like to go to other countries, see other sights, and learn new languages. We were really too young to know the real implications of battle and these men and women were not about to frighten us — they were there to give us a sense of pride in our country and a reason to honor the day. They would tell us stories and then, in closing, would remind us that America was the greatest country in the world and we should never forget it

November 11 was originally celebrated as “Armistice Day” in memory of the end of “The Great War.”  That’s what they called it – “The Great War” – because their hope, these men who fought in the trenches in France and Germany and all over Europe in 1914-1918, could never conceive that there would ever be another such war. They were wrong, as we know, and so, in 1939, when another multinational conflict erupted, the “Great War” became World War I in order to remember and designate the next horror…World War II. Then, in 1954, the name “Armistice Day” was changed to “Veterans Day” to honor everyone – men and women–who served in all wars and almost every home in my neighborhood displayed the flag.

I was young, but I was old enough to remember, during the late 1940’s, another type of flag — the small cloth flags with a blue star that hung in the windows of the houses on my street indicating that a family member was serving in the Armed Forces:  Later, sadly, as the war progressed, some of those blue stars became gold when the family was notified that the service man had made the ultimate sacrifice for his country. Our country.

On the last day of that war, we kids were exuberant and wanted to celebrate and set off caps and fireworks but my mother hushed us and nodded her head to the house with the drawn curtains and the gold star flag in the window. “Remember them, Connie,” she said…”pay honor to the family.”  And that’s what Veterans Day is all about – honoring those who served America.

So, tomorrow I’ll hang the flag from the pole next to my door and I’ll remember the veterans — my husband, my brothers, my cousins, all my family members, their friends, and all those brave young men and women who went off to the wars – some to never return – and I’ll silently thank them for protecting our way of life … our country.

I hope you will, too.

About STORYTIME AT THE VILLA MARIA

The characters in my latest novel, STORYTIME AT THE VILLA MARIA, consist of senior citizens – some, World War II veterans, and they tell stories to their friends every Monday night at their senior citizen residential apartment house. They speak of patriotism and heroism and weddings and births and good times and bad and all the things relevant in their lives.  These characters remind me of my parents and my parents’ generation.  And that’s why I wrote the novel – it’s my love letter, my thanks — to the seniors of the world who went to war, to the wives and families who kept the home fires burning, and to the lives that they lived afterwards.

Meet…

Dominick, who married “the most beautiful woman in the world”…

Sophie, who is haunted by terrifying memories of the Holocaust…

Ella, who made “sweet apple pies” for her war veteran husband…

Tom, whose music lured women into his arms…

Artie, who is plagued by the ghosts of long-dead soldiers…

Frank, who can’t let go of his yesterdays, though a better tomorrow beckons…

Join them and others as they gather every Monday night in the library at the Villa Maria to share their memories, their fears, and their dreams.

STORYTIME AT THE VILLA MARIA—the unforgettable book about life lived and still to be lived, and about the mysterious threads of joy and heartache and love that are woven into every life—including your own!

“A charming novel of senior citizens, storytelling, nostalgia, and a world gone by but not forgotten.”

Get your copy here!

 About the Author

Constance Walker is the author of THE SHIMMERING STONES OF WINTER’S LIGHT, LOST ROSES OF GANYMEDE HOUSE, IN TIME, and WARM WINTER LOVE among other works of Gothic and contemporary fiction.

MY LINKS:

WWW.CONSTANCEWALKER.COM

https://www.amazon.com/Storytime-Villa-Maria-Constance-Walker-ebook/dp/B072Q3VBP1/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1497301294&sr=8-1&keywords=STORYTIME+AT+VILLA+MARIA
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/storytime-at-the-villa-maria-constance-walker/1126484514?ean=9780988430730
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/storytime-at-the-villa-maria-constance-walker/1126484514?ean=2940154392010
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2090408.Constance_Walker
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