Tuesday, May 26, 2015

Latest reviews and winners of the MORNING'S JOURNEY giveaway! #ASMSG #MFRWOrg

Today please join me in congratulating the winners (already notified) of my latest giveaway!

E-copies of Morning's Journey went to Nikki H., Crystal G., Ashley K., Yaritza S., and Brandi D.

These entrants each won a note card decorated with art from the interior of Morning's Journey: Shelley S., Sharon E., Amie S., Flutterfli, Debra G., Debbie J., Brenda T., Tamara M., Amy O., and LL.

And the grand-prize winner of an autographed print copy of Morning's Journey is Cyndi F.!

Thank you, everyone who entered and followed me on Twitter, Facebook, and so forth. Didn't win this time? No worries! Scroll down to the bottom of this post to see my current giveaway, featuring e-books, note cards, and a print copy of Liberty.

Learn more about Morning's Journey in this fantastic book trailer, featuring the older cover by Jennifer Doneske and Joe Calkins:



What people are saying about Morning's Journey:
 
Doris of Dowie's Place:  4* "I really enjoyed reading it."
 
Sue Ellen of girlygirlbookreviews: "Well worth the read."
 
Bonnie of PRATR: 4 Fangs "Acting in the way you think is best doesn’t mean that by doing so it won’t kill you, slowly."
 
Jill of To be Honest: "Must read."
 
My next blog tour for Morning's Journey will be Mondays in October.
Please sign up by posting a comment on this blog page, thanks!

***

Enter this great giveaway for note cards, e-book copies, and an autographed print copy of Liberty!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

For more chances to win, you are invited to...
— Add Kim as a Favorite Author on Amazon.com
— Follow Kim on Twitter
— Add Kim to Google+
— Subscribe to Kim's YouTube channel
— Leave a comment on any page of The Maze, especially if you have done the Amazon, Twitter, and/or YouTube follow
...and each action this month is good for one chance to win an e-book copy of Liberty. Please enter often, and good luck!

Monday, May 25, 2015

Medieval Monday spotlight on Beloveds by @Jenna_Jaxon #MedMonSpring



Medieval Monday Spring 2015 
continues on The Maze with 
Beloveds by Jenna Jaxon

Synopsis:
Passion never dies.
Lady Alyse Braedon frets over her renewed passion for Sir Geoffrey Longford, her first love. They have pledged their hearts to one another, despite the fact that both are recently widowed. Alyse worries that she has not properly mourned Thomas and cannot think herself as true wife to Geoffrey until she puts her feelings for her first husband to rest.

And then Thomas unaccountably appears in her bedroom. She is stunned and confused. When he begins to make love to her, however, she joyfully surrenders herself to his familiar caresses and expert ministrations…until Geoffrey arrives.

Faced with the dilemma of wanting two lovers, Alyse simply cannot choose–until Thomas suggests she doesn’t have to. Instead he and Geoffrey will share her. The scandalous proposition awakens new hungers within her. Can she allow herself to abandon all she’s been taught a proper woman should resist, and find pleasure with both her beloveds?

Excerpt:

“Alyse.”

The familiar voice tugged at the edges of wakefulness. Had Geoffrey returned so soon? The sound did not have his deep tone. Yet ’twas a voice she knew well, rich and sensual.

“Do not fret, sweet. ’Twill be all right.”

Alyse struggled to open her eyes, though the heavy lids fought against her.

The bed dipped as someone sat beside her. . Good. Thank the Lord. Geoffrey had returned. Although she would swear it had not been he who had spoken.

A soft hand cupped her face, and she pressed her cheek against it, luxuriating in its warmth. She smiled and her eyes fluttered open at last.

The man seated on the bed had shoulder-length honey-blond hair and warm, beguiling brown eyes. He also defied fashion and wore a thin mustache and beard. His eyes brightened when he noticed she was awake and his mouth turned up in the lazy smile she had come to know so very well.

“Thomas.” The name came out a croak. Holy Father, had she conjured him with her guilt and longing? She shrank back into the pillows.

His smile widened and he caressed her, running one long finger along her jaw. “Aye, sweet Alyse. ’Tis I. Do you feel better now, my love?”

“Better?” She must be dying to see such an apparition. Or mayhap she was already dead and in heaven.

“Aye. You do not shiver as you did a moment ago. I hoped that meant you felt warmer.” He picked up her hand and kissed the knuckles.

Warmth flowed through her, soothing her, making her body tingle with that single touch of his lips.

“Is it really you?” Strength welled within her and she struggled to sit up.

“As ever I was.” He smiled, his gaze sweeping down her body. His eyes darkened with the desire she remembered well.

“Oh, Thomas.” She threw her arms around him, sighing when they embraced the hard-muscled chest she had lain upon so often. “I thought you dead, my love. Did I but dream?”

“Shhh, my sweet. I am here now.” He stroked her head then pulled it back to peer into her face. “I will always be with you, love.” He sank his mouth onto hers, and she melted at the touch of his insistent lips.

Like coming home.

***

And check out this YouTube video highlighting all the participating authors' works!



Last week: The Gentle Knight by Ashley York
Next week: Knight of Rapture by Ruth A. Casie

***

Enter this great giveaway for note cards, e-book copies, and an autographed print copy of Liberty!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

For more chances to win, you are invited to...
— Add Kim as a Favorite Author on Amazon.com
— Follow Kim on Twitter
— Add Kim to Google+
— Subscribe to Kim's YouTube channel
— Leave a comment on any page of The Maze, especially if you have done the Amazon, Twitter, and/or YouTube follow
...and each action this month is good for one chance to win an e-book copy of Liberty. Please enter often, and good luck!

Sunday, May 24, 2015

May 24-31: Please vote daily for SNOW IN JULY, thanks! #giveaway too #MFRWOrg #ASMSG #IARTG


The cover of Snow in July, designed by the talented Natasha Brown of Fostering Success, is in the running this week with Author Shout, another promotion site for books. The winner gets free advertising on the site as Book of the Week.

Please visit this page to vote for Snow in July every day this week, thanks!



***
And don't forget to enter this great giveaway for note cards, e-book copies, and an autographed print copy of Liberty, another Natasha Brown cover!
For more chances to win, you are invited to...
— Add Kim as a Favorite Author on Amazon.com
— Follow Kim on Twitter
— Add Kim to Google+
— Subscribe to Kim's YouTube channel
— Leave a comment on any page of The Maze, especially if you have done the Amazon, Twitter, and/or YouTube follow
...and each action this month is good for one chance to win an e-book copy of Liberty. Please enter often, and good luck!

Thursday, May 21, 2015

Introducing: Marcus Calpurnius Aquila from LIBERTY #RLFBlog #MFRWOrg #giveaway

Daniel di Tomasso
via hotguypics.blogspot.com.br
One of the hallmarks of my fiction is the "impossible" relationship. In Liberty, the protagonist is a gladiatrix-slave named Rhyddes, who goes by the arena name Libertas (i.e., "Liberty"). The man she loves is the son of the Roman governor of Britain, Marcus Calpurnius Aquila—and Daniel di Tomasso (pictured, left) serves as a fine inspiration for Marcus.

Theirs is an impossible love because Roman social norms would have caused Marcus to be branded as an outcast for associating with a gladiatrix, even though he is a high-ranking aristocrat.

Love, of course, always finds a way, and I will leave the epic tale of Rhyddes and Marcus for you to discover for yourself. The e-book edition is only 99 cents today and is available for most e-readers, including:

Meantime, I would like to introduce you to the love of Rhyddes's life, who goes by Aquila ("the Eagle") in politics and business, and prefers for those who know and love him best to call him Marcus. The following set of interviews is reblogged from the RLF ("Romance Lives Forever") blog on 5/19/15. Thank you, Kayelle, for allowing me to introduce Marcus to your readers too!

Introducing Marcus Calpurnius Aquila 
Age: mid-20s
Gender: male
Birthplace: Rome, Italia
Profession: politician in training
Describe his body build, skin tone, height and weight. Include any unique features such as dimples, freckles, or scars: Marcus has the body of a football quarterback: muscular but not overly bulky. In present-day terms he tops 6’ in height, 220 pounds, and has a fading tan from having spent the past two years living under the paler northern sun of Britannia Province. He has some minor scars from his arena bouts, but nothing specifically mentioned in the book as being an issue for him.

RLFblog: Who is the significant other in Marcus's life?
KIH:
The woman who empowers his soul is Rhyddes, a gladiatrix-slave whom he knows by her arena name “Libertas.”


RLFblog: Tell us about Rhyddes (a.k.a. Libertas), please.
KIH: Libertas is the first woman Marcus has ever known who does not swoon over his wealth, charms, or looks. She sees him for who he is: a man struggling to free himself from the bonds of duty, and he comes to appreciate that very much. He recognizes in her a kindred spirit in that regard, for she is oath-bound to obey her masters too. Although her beauty attracts him to her, it is her unconquerable spirit that ultimately leads him to want to sacrifice everything to win her love.

RLFblog: How does Marcus dress?
KIH:
In a toga on the Senate floor, and in scanty armor on the arena floor. He prefers the scanty armor, and so do his legions of female admirers.


RLFblog: Is Marcus book-smart, self-taught, widely-experienced?
KIH:
Marcus has had all the educational privileges offered to Rome’s aristocratic citizens, so in that regard he possesses a fair degree of “book smarts,” but he is also widely experienced because of his arena exploits… and the epic after parties.


RLFblog: What is his viewpoint on wealth?
KIH:
Unlike most Roman aristocrats, Marcus believes that his wealth and status should be used to help people rather than to control and exploit them.


RLFblog: On what special skills does Marcus rely?
KIH:
Although his being an aristocrat exempts him from fights to the death, he is a highly skilled swordsman in his own right—and he would never have believed that this skill would save his life and the life of the woman he loves.


RLFblog: Are any of his skills a source of pride or embarrassment, and if so, which ones and why?
KIH:
His predilection for arena combat is an extreme source of embarrassment for his family, particularly his father, Governor Agricola. In fact, it becomes a major point of contention between them, and Marcus’s desire to consort with Libertas further widens the rift.


RLFblog: Is he close to family?
KIH:
Marcus enjoys a very close relationship with his mother, Lady Loreia, who in the way of all mothers understands him better than he understands himself at times.


RLFblog: Can he keep a secret (why or why not)?
KIH:
Marcus must keep his budding relationship with Libertas a secret, for to do otherwise would cause him to be banned from polite Roman society. He doesn’t care about that so much, but he knows it would stain his family too, and he has no wish to inflict that pain upon them.


RLFblog: What is his biggest need at the beginning of the story?
KIH:
Marcus needs his father to accept him for who he is, not for how he can enhance Agricola’s political career.


RLFblog: If Marcus could make any one thing happen, what would it be?
KIH:
Once he decides that Libertas is the woman with whom he wants to spend the rest of his life, he will stop at nothing—even sacrificing all of his wealth and power—to make marriage with her possible.



Marcus Calpurnius Aquila (MCA)
answers the following questions
about his writer, Kim Iverson Headlee:

RLFblog: Why do you think Kim chose to write about you?
MCA:
She chose to write about Libertas—Rhyddes. I am merely a facet of Rhyddes’s story.


RLFblog: What do you wish she had not told others about you?
MCA:
I wish that she had not gone into such detail about my strained relationship with my father; that is a highly personal matter for me, and one I do not readily share with anyone.


RLFblog: What other character from your book do you think Kim should write a book about, and why?
MCA:
I would like to know more about Rhyddes’s brother Owen. Of all her brothers, Owen is the closest to her in age and spirit, and I imagine his story is a fine one too.


RLFblog: Why do you think she loves to write?
MCA:
Who can say? But if I were to venture a guess, it would be that she must love to entertain people with her wordplay, much in the same way that I love to entertain people with my swordplay.


RLFblog: Is there anything you'd like to say to your writer?
MCA:
Thank you, Kim Iverson Headlee, for accepting the daunting challenge of presenting the story of Rhyddes’s life in such a faithful and poignant manner.




View Marcus and Rhyddes's story in this fantastic book trailer!



***

Enter this great giveaway for note cards, e-book copies, and an autographed print copy of Liberty!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

For more chances to win, you are invited to...
— Add Kim as a Favorite Author on Amazon.com
— Follow Kim on Twitter
— Add Kim to Google+
— Subscribe to Kim's YouTube channel
— Leave a comment on any page of The Maze, especially if you have done the Amazon, Twitter, and/or YouTube follow
...and each action this month is good for one chance to win an e-book copy of Liberty. Please enter often, and good luck!

Wednesday, May 20, 2015

Cover Wars! Please vote for LIBERTY by @KimHeadlee with #giveaway #MFRWOrg

 My ancient Rome historical romance Liberty 
is entered in the Masquerade Crew Cover Wars;
please click to vote for its cover every day ~ thanks!

And don't forget to scroll down to enter the Rafflecopter giveaway. :)


***

Click for a chance to win note cards, e-book copies, and an autographed print copy of Liberty by Kim Headlee!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

For more chances to win, you are invited to...
— Add Kim as a Favorite Author on Amazon.com
— Follow Kim on Twitter
— Add Kim to Google+
— Subscribe to Kim's YouTube channel
— Leave a comment on any page of The Maze, especially if you have done the Amazon, Twitter, and/or YouTube follow
...and each action this month is good for one chance to win an e-book copy of Liberty. Please enter often, and good luck!


Tuesday, May 19, 2015

Announcing the winners of the DAWNFLIGHT blog tour! #MFRWOrg #RLFblog

Today please join me in congratulating the winners (already notified) of my latest Dawnflight giveaway!

E-copies of Dawnflight went to Melissa H., Renee G., Alisha S., Angel H., and Mona C.

These entrants each won a note card decorated with art from the interior of Dawnflight: Deb P., Liz E., Brandi D., Flutterfli, Yaritza S., Cyndi F., Laura T., Sarah M., Shelley S., and Diane L.

And the grand-prize winner of an autographed print copy of Dawnflight is LL!

Thank you, everyone who entered and followed me on Twitter, Facebook, and so forth. Didn't win this time? No worries! Scroll down to the bottom of this post to see my current giveaway, featuring e-books, note cards, and a print copy of Liberty.

Learn more about Dawnflight in this fantastic book trailer, narrated by Scottish-born Dorothy Dickson, the audiobook's narrator:





What people are saying about Dawnflight:
 
Wanda of Wanda Loves Books: "I could not put this book down."
 
Sue Ellen of girlygirlbookreviews: "I loved it!"
 
Bonnie of PRATR: 4.5 Fangs: Dawnflight presents a "great twist on an old love story that is widely known."
 
Ashley of Mama Reads, Hazel Reads: "5* for this epic read!"
 
Theresa of Addition to Reading:  5* "All I can say is WOW."
 
Jill of Arthurian Romances: 5* "I promise you'll be picking up the sequel."
(book 2, Morning's Journey)
 
My next blog tour for Dawnflight will be Mondays in September.
Please sign up by posting a comment on this blog page, thanks!

***

Enter this great giveaway for note cards, e-book copies, and an autographed print copy of Liberty!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

For more chances to win, you are invited to...
— Follow Kim on Amazon.com
— Follow Kim on Twitter
— Add Kim to Google+
— Subscribe to Kim's YouTube channel
— Leave a comment on any page of The Maze, especially if you have done the Amazon, Twitter, and/or YouTube follow
...and each action this month is good for one chance to win an e-book copy of Liberty. Please enter often, and good luck!

Monday, May 18, 2015

Fall in love with The Gentle Knight by @AshleyYork1066 #MedMonSpring Medieval Monday

This week The Maze offers a peek at
The Gentle Knight by Ashley York

Synopsis:
A medieval soldier returns home to find his lover died in childbirth just as his own mother had. Believing he is cursed, Peter of Normandy turns from love. When he must give escort to an Irish princess more noble than many knights, he struggles with his decision to live a solitary life. Can he take the chance that his love won't be a death sentence and possibly make them stronger?

Padraig MacNaughton's death bed decree rips his daughter, Brighit, from the shelter of her protective clan in Ireland. Forced to take vows at a Priory in England, she finds herself in the hands of lecherous mercenaries with their own agendas. Dare she trust the Norman knight to see her safely to her new life as a nun? Even when she finds in him the fulfillment of all she's ever wanted?

Or will honor and duty eclipse their one chance for happiness?

Excerpt:
She had dreamed of him! All at once it came to her. He had taken her into his strong arms and held her tight against that hard body. Every muscle pressing into her. Then the touch of his warm lips sliding along her cheek to meet her mouth with a hungry kiss. Brighit had actually felt his lips on hers and that same heat swirled through her now.

She sighed. Yes. It was a very nice dream.

The shock of cold air accompanied with the sound of the curtain being dragged back had her eyes flying open. There in front of her was the man from the lake... the one in her very real dream. In the flash of a second, his eyes changed from wide with shock to a look she’d swear spoke of pleasure.

“And what is this?” He tipped his chin toward her, a knowing smile gracing his pleasing face.

Brighit covered herself. One arm across her breasts and one hand over her private parts. She felt like Eve posing in the Garden of Eden.

The sudden silence stole her breath away. She refused to confirm it but knew all eyes were on her.

“Do you mind?” Ivan’s voice cut through the awkward moment as he stood next to the carriage. He yanked the curtain from the fine-looking man’s hand, dropping it back in place. Brighit was again cocooned in darkness.

“Yours?” The man’s voice was low, resonating through her core. It was as appealing as his body.

She took a steadying breath, trying to calm her nerves enough to cover herself. She couldn’t have done a better job of calling attention to herself if she’d tried.

Just how many men were out there? How many men had seen her without so much as a stitch of clothing? She yanked the chemise down but it refused to cooperate. The sopping material bunched at her hips. She grabbed at her gown, her hands shaking with the rage coursing inside her.

That now familiar sound of fist-against-flesh cut through the silence.

An unfamiliar laugh. His laugh. A slight tremor responded through her insides.

“Mort,” the handsome man called to someone.

The indistinct image of a shorter man with a gaping mouth came to mind. “Yes, my lord?”

“I believe this man was about to take a terrible misstep with his fist. Does it seem to you these men have a certain…lack of knowledge?” he asked.

What arrogance!

Ivan’s angry face came to mind. She shivered. The handsome man did not know who he was dealing with.

“I would say that it does.” The shorter man was closer now.

“Mayhap some learning is required?”

“Do you believe it’s possible, my lord? Are they trainable?”

“They have a naked woman in a carriage while they fight out here over who will get her.”

She gasped, a soundless intake of air. Like a standard being dropped, the men talked at once. Tears threatened and a few leaked down her cheek. She wiped them away. She was only trying to clean herself not be fought over. Who was he to say such cruel things about her?

The morning had started out so promising. They’d had a nice time breaking their fast with very little interaction at all. Cole’s offer of extra water had come as a surprise but not one she wanted to miss.

Sudden silence. Brighit held her breath.

“And what would your name be?”

“I am called Ivan.”

“And this…young lady?”

This was just getting worse and worse. His words fairly dripped derision.

“Brighit.” She answered for herself albeit through a clenched jaw from within the carriage.

“Ireland? You’ve taken her from Ireland?”

Brighit was surprised at his ability to name where she’d come from. She wished she were still there... any place but here. This was infuriating. She could not go out there now. They may have imagined her naked and their occasional lustful glances assured her that they did. But to have them actually see her was beyond embarrassment. Embarrassment only increased by the fact that at least two of them weren’t even known to her.

“That I have.” Ivan’s smug voice drifted to her.

Whoreson!

“Please clothe yourself forthwith.”

He must be facing her now for he sounded very close. A warmth tingled up her spine. No! His voice may be low and quiet but there was nothing intimate about this situation. She struggled with the ties up the front of her dress.

“It’s what I’ve been trying to do.” Her irritation came through in her tone of voice. Good!

“And I wonder why you have not been successful thus far.” He had the nerve to sound irritated? “Just do it... and be quick about it.”

Arrogance oozed from the man!

“Yes, my lord.” She clipped her words, struggling with her wimple, and hoped her sarcasm carried through the curtain.

“Hurry up.”

“I am hurrying!” Her thick hair refused to cooperate but she was not about to go out there with so much as a single strand visible.

The man cleared his throat. Brighit would like to take a knife to it. He may be pleasant to look at but his manners lacked even the slightest courtesy.

Buy links:   Apple | Kobo | Amazon | Barnes & Noble |


And check out this YouTube video highlighting all the participating authors' works!



Last week: Music for My Soul by Lauren Linwood
Next week: Beloveds by Jenna Jaxon

***

Enter this great giveaway for note cards, e-book copies, and an autographed print copy of Liberty!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

For more chances to win, you are invited to...
— Add Kim as a Favorite Author on Amazon.com
— Follow Kim on Twitter
— Add Kim to Google+
— Subscribe to Kim's YouTube channel
— Leave a comment on any page of The Maze, especially if you have done the Amazon, Twitter, and/or YouTube follow
...and each action this month is good for one chance to win an e-book copy of Liberty. Please enter often, and good luck!

Thursday, May 14, 2015

#SpringFling spotlight on Lady Elinor's Escape by Linda McLaughlin @LyndiLamont

Author Linda McLaughlin shares why she likes spring, and a spotlight on her sweet regency romance, Lady Elinor's Escape

In the words of the lady behind the fan:

I grew up just outside Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where spring was much appreciated after a long, hard, cold winter. First the hardy crocuses would push up from the earth, sometimes with snow still on the ground. Then came the yellow daffodils and multi-colored tulips, a cheery sight after the gloom of winter.  

My mother loved to garden and I used to help her plant the spring flowers. One year, a neighbor’s dog came to visit and helped her dig holes for the tulip bulbs. He was a cute little mutt named Andy. But he didn’t quite get the point of why she was digging the holes, so the next day, he came back and dug up all the bulbs! She was so angry at him, but I thought it was kind of funny.

Spring here in Southern California is a little more subtle. Our winters really don’t deserve the name, and when the offshore winds blow, spring weather feels more like August, with temperatures in the upper 80’s or even into the 90’s. Around here spring flowers include tropical plants like hibiscus and bird of paradise. Though I kind of miss having four distinct seasons, I can’t say I miss winter in Pennsylvania. Brrr.

I do wish it would rain, though. Some spring showers would be very welcome in this fourth year of drought.

Lady Elinor’s Escape
by Linda McLaughlin
Sweet Regency Romance

Synopsis:
Lady Elinor Ashworth always longed for adventure, but when she runs away from her abusive aunt, she finds more than she bargained for. Elinor fears her aunt who is irrational and dangerous, threatening Elinor and anyone she associates with. When she encounters an inquisitive gentleman, she accepts his help, but fearing for his safety, hides her identity by pretending to be a seamstress. She resists his every attempt to draw her out, all the while fighting her attraction to him.

There are too many women in barrister Stephen Chaplin’s life, but he has never been able to turn his back on a damsel in distress. The younger son of a baronet is a rescuer of troubled females, an unusual vocation fueled by guilt over his failure to save the woman he loved from her brutal husband. He cannot help falling in love with the secretive seamstress, but to his dismay, the truth of her background reveals Stephen as the ineligible party.

Read an exclusive SpringFling excerpt here!

Buy links:
Amazon | Apple | B&N | Kobo | Smashwords |

Author bio:
Linda McLaughlin grew up with a love of books and history, so it's only natural she prefers writing historical romance. She loves transporting her readers into the past where her characters learn that, in the journey of life, love is the sweetest reward. Linda also writes steamy to erotic romance under the name Lyndi Lamont, and is one half of the writing team of Lyn O'Farrell.

You can find her online at:
Website | Blog | Facebook | Twitter @LyndiLamont

***

Enter this great giveaway for note cards, e-book copies, and an autographed print copy of Liberty by Kim Headlee!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

For more chances to win, you are invited to...
— Add Kim as a Favorite Author on Amazon.com
— Follow Kim on Twitter
— Add Kim to Google+
— Subscribe to Kim's YouTube channel
— Leave a comment on any page of The Maze, especially if you have done the Amazon, Twitter, and/or YouTube follow
...and each action this month is good for one chance to win an e-book copy of Liberty. Please enter often, and good luck!


Monday, May 11, 2015

#MedMonSpring Music for My Soul by @LaurenLinwood for Medieval Monday

Lauren Linwood shares Music for My Soul
for this week's installment of
Medieval Monday on The Maze!

Synopsis:
As the third wife of an abusive French vineyard owner, Madeleine Bouchard hasn’t produced the expected heir after three years of marriage. Fearing he plans to kill her, she flees during a trip to England. Unable to make her way home, she joins a troupe of traveling mummers and reinvents herself as the only woman troubadour in the land, captivating audiences with both song and story.

Nobleman Garrett Montayne’s fascination with Madeleine causes him to pay the troupe to bypass their next stop in order to journey to his estate. Though he suspects Madeleine of being a thief with dark secrets, love blossoms between them under the magical moon of summer solstice.

But Madeleine’s past is about to catch up with her, as her husband is set to arrive to conduct business with Garrett. Madeleine determines to free herself from her loveless marriage and make a new life with Garrett, no matter what the cost.

Excerpt:
Garrett peered into the angry face of the woman who haunted his dreams by night and left him absent-minded by day. Their encounter had been brief, but he doubted he had ever met a more remarkable woman. Not even his petite Lynnette had brought such a sweet longing to his loins as did the bewitching creature before him.

Her honeyed hair, loosened from its intricate braid, curled around her shoulders. Tiny beads of sweat had formed just above her upper lip. Without thinking, Garrett reached his thumb towards her and wiped it away. She flinched slightly, her dark, amethyst eyes glowering at him.

Garrett smiled in spite of himself, offering her a hand to pull her to her feet. He had forgotten how very tall she was as she stared at him, her cheeks flushed with anger.

“Perhaps we could arrange a trade?” he suggested.

She eyed him suspiciously. “I’m not sure if I could trust you, my lord,” she countered.

“Trust me?” he sputtered. “This, from the woman who traipsed about the countryside claiming to be my wife?”

She shrugged nonchalantly, an almost Gallic air about her. She didn’t sound French, but there was an unmistakable manner to her movement. Garrett spent enough time in France to recognize the behavior. However, when she spoke, he quickly put it from his mind.

“I chose a bloody awful name to scare away anyone who accosted me on the road! How was I to know I’d run into you?” She snorted in an unladylike fashion. “I had heard tales of the wicked Lord Montayne, how he frightened old and young alike and gobbled up babes for his dinner. Why, the very mention of his name would cause grown men to plead for their lives and their loved ones. Oh, no, my lord, I was an honest liar. You were the one who resorted to trickery and hid your true identity from me."

Her accusation so startled Garrett his jaw flew open. No sound came out for a moment. The woman lifted her chin high and turned on her heel. That brought Garrett into motion.

He grabbed her elbow and pulled her around to face him. “Not so fast, my lady.” He studied her a second.  Her eyes narrowed at him, but she remained silent. Finally faced with her visage square in front of him, Garrett was at a loss of what to do. His emotions swirled out of control as he spoke.

“’Tis curiosity,” he sputtered.

She looked puzzled. “Curiosity?” she echoed.

He nodded, his words spilling forth rapidly. “I know not who you are, nor where you come from. I’ve dreamed of you since that night only to awaken to an emptiness.” His voice became low and tinged with sadness. “I don’t even know your name.”


And check out this YouTube video highlighting all the participating authors' works!


***

Last week: Camulus by Bambi Lynn
Next week: The Gentle Knight by Ashley York

***

Enter this great giveaway for note cards, e-book copies, and an autographed print copy of Liberty!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

For more chances to win, you are invited to...
— Add Kim as a Favorite Author on Amazon.com
— Follow Kim on Twitter
— Add Kim to Google+
— Subscribe to Kim's YouTube channel
— Leave a comment on any page of The Maze, especially if you have done the Amazon, Twitter, and/or YouTube follow
...and each action this month is good for one chance to win an e-book copy of Liberty. Please enter often, and good luck!

Wednesday, May 6, 2015

#SpringFling spotlight on Tempered Joy by @psthib #Bookplugs #BYNR


Today's #SpringFling offering features Book 4 in the Tempered series 
by Pamela Thibodeaux, Tempered Joy.

But first, Pamela has shared some thoughts about why she likes spring:

I’ve often said I have bear blood in me because at the first cold snap I’m ready to hibernate for winter LOL! Cold, rainy, dreary days make me want to curl up under a blanket and/or next to a fire and read or sleep. My energy level & mood sink with the short, dark days.

Spring, however, is that time when the days get longer, warmer and brighter. Of course, balmy days make me want to curl up like a cat on a window seal, but like the flowers and trees bursting with energy and new life, so am I when there are several more hours of sunshine on a daily basis.

I totally agree, Pamela, and thanks for stopping by The Maze!

Title: Tempered Joy (book 4 in Tempered series) 

Synopsis: All around rodeo cowboy and heir to the Rockin’ H Ranch, Ace Harris is determined not to fall in love.  He’s only loved one woman in his life, his mother, and no one can even come close to filling her boots. Lexie Morgan thinks rodeo cowboys have rocks for brains and a death wish for a soul.  A broken childhood and the death of her father and best friend leave her doubting and questioning God (despite her years of religious upbringing) and afraid of love. Can two young people who clash from the onset learn to trust in the healing power of God and find love and happiness amidst tragedy and grief? 

Excerpt:
Her eyes narrowed when he took a step closer. “Ace,” she warned and wielded the brush like a lethal weapon.

Raising his hands where she could see them, he watched her try to brush some semblance of order to the thick mass of unruly auburn hair. The simple chore made him want to sink both fists in the silken locks and gave him a whole new insight to the word erotic.

Her cheeks were flushed, her eyes sparkled vivid green and spewed wrath. She glared at him as though the tangled tresses were his fault alone. Her chest quivered with each breath she took. He took another step closer and could feel her tremble. Locking his gaze with hers in the mirror, he reached around her and picked up a bandanna off the dresser. He ran it through his fingers in what could have been a caress then slid the cloth beneath her hair and left it trailing over her shoulders.

With hands that shook, Lexie pulled the ends together and tied her hair back into a ponytail. Those bright gray eyes had gone soft and warm, like liquid metal. Mouth dry as dust, she swallowed hard.

Purchase Links for Tempered Joy:

Author bio: Award-winning author, Pamela S. Thibodeaux is the Co-Founder and a lifetime member of Bayou Writers Group in Lake Charles, Louisiana. Multi-published in romantic fiction as well as creative non-fiction, her writing has been tagged as, “Inspirational with an Edge!” ™ and reviewed as “steamier and grittier than the typical Christian novel without decreasing the message.”

Social Media Links:
Website | Blog | Facebook | Twitter |
***

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Tuesday, May 5, 2015

Book Blitz for The Para-Portage of Emily by @SexyMuffyWilson

Today I am pleased to showcase
The Para-Portage of Emily 
from the Shadow Seduction Series by Muffy Wilson!

Synopsis:

Emily Macque, a young, beautiful junior partner in her father’s law firm, is but a heartbeat away from love or destiny. Duty brings Emily to a frozen Island estate two hundred and fifty miles north of Chicago. Devotion requires she delve into the property history to settle an estate probate. Death lures her into the arms of the shadows seduction created by the flickering light and dark shadows.

What flames the timeless passions spanning the decades? Love, desire or obsession?

Colin Jorgenson, once a Great Lakes mariner, is a strong man haunted by love and loss. How long will he return each night, gripped by desire, hoping to find the woman he has loved for a century?

Beneath the pristine Island beauty, passions hungered, lingered in the ardent darkness. His passions, fueled by decades of loneliness and longing, could no longer be denied. Will they face eternity together or love in secret as dark things are to be loved between the shadows and the soul?

Buy Link

Excerpt:

“Tell me what you know about Mariner’s Maiden please, Kirby.”

Kirby took a long draw on his beer before he began his narrative.

“It was years ago, around 1800 Miss Emily, when the original land owner arrived on the Island with settlers from Norway. He’d claimed five hundred acres on this southern point of the Island for himself. He became wealthy in cattle, wheat, timber and cheese. As his family grew and were educated on the Mainland, they moved, one by one, off Island. They were a wealthy, hard-working lot, but needed less and less of the acreage they owned. Much of the original plot was donated to the Town throughout the years. Some sections were sold.

“It got down to the last hundred acres when Colin Jorgenson bought the property, around 1890 or 1900. I am not exactly sure. The main house was much smaller and less grand than it is now, for sure.

“Now, Colin was a Maritime Captain and often he’d be gone for months at a time. He sailed the Great Lakes several times a year with supplies, spices, fancy goods and ‘fortunes of bounty’. That’s what they called it then. It was for sale to rich settlers throughout the Great Lakes. He’d earned all his wealth in trading by the turn of the century. He came and went for several years until, in his mid-thirties, he met and married a much younger woman, Amalya, and came back to the Island with her.”

Kirby sat back, drained his beer and continued. “The property was called Mariner’s Cove then. He spent two years with Island tradesmen rebuilding this house for his wife. To honor her, and before his return to the water, he commissioned a maritime woodcarver to create the figurehead of Amalya you saw yesterday on the tree marking the entrance.

He had the figure of Amalya mounted on the bow of his ship and apparently felt she was always with him in his travels. She died one summer, pregnant with their first child, shortly after his returning from his last trip of the season. He shut himself away in this house—a broken man, left forlorn and alone, to die years later of a broken heart as a recluse. It’s said he returns night after night trying to find his Amalya, his beloved.”

“But that’s just old folklore, Miss Emily, there’s nothing to it but made up stories from the past by gossips and romantics. This place has never been haunted—no one has ever said it was, anyway. Even though he was long dead, this property was held in Old Colin’s estate until your uncle bought it around 1955, I think. I suppose there is more you can find out at the Archives office in the Island library at the town offices, if you want. That’s about all I know and it ain’t much.”

Refusing a second beer, Kirby was off to finish his chores. “Thank you, Miss Emily,” Kirby said as he stood to leave.

Emily walked him to the door with Barkley in tow.

“Oh, there is one more thing” he added. “There is supposed to be a crypt on the property somewhere. I heard tell that Old Colin buried his Amalya in there and when he was dying, he crawled into it to die on her casket. Creepy, but no one’s ever found it to my knowledge—and between me and my dad, we’ve covered this property as caretakers for over fifty years.”

Emily extended her hand in gratitude for the information and company. “Thank you, Kirby. All of that is so very interesting. He must have been deeply in love with Amalya.”

Kirby, a middle-aged man, stood and shook Emily’s hand. He turned to leave, stopped and dropped his head as he hesitated at the bottom of the steps. A simple country man, this time was no different.

“Miss Emily…” He looked up at her rather sheepishly, and stuttered slightly, “Forgive me, Miss Emily, if I offend you. I have been a bachelor all my life and never had a way with women or much of a need for them. Oh, don’t get me wrong, I like ‘em well enough, but I never was able to pick the right words in their presence. If…if you don’t mind my saying…you look an awful lot like those paintings in the house of Miss Amalya.”

“Oh my word, Kirby, how you flatter me! It is purely a coincidence, I assure you.” Emily smiled, as she dismissed the compliment and waved good-bye at Kirby. As he left, she thought about the love shared between these two remarkable people, Colin and Amalya. Amalya and Colin.

She had forgotten to ask what became of the baby…

Buy Link

About Muffy Wilson:

Muffy, author of erotic, romantic stories about love, sex, hope and passion, was born in San Antonio, Texas, to traditional parents. With two older brothers, she was the youngest, the family "princess," indulged and pampered. She adored her older brothers, following them everywhere and was surrounded by love, stimulation, and pets. Her father was a career Colonel and pilot in the U.S. Air Force which required the family to travel extensively. The family lived in most points between Alaska and France. Muffy spent her formative years in Europe and came of age in France.

Returning from France with her family, Muffy finished high school in Northern California and attended the University of California, Davis, and majored in Business Management. Muffy entered the work force, independent with a fierce work ethic, and retired at 39 from IBM as a Mid-West Regional Director in the Real Estate and Construction Division. She and her husband moved to a small Island in northern Wisconsin where they owned a historic tavern, restaurant and resort business which they since have sold. They now live a charmed life by the water in SW Florida. Muffy pretends to be a serious real estate business person but, in real life, indulges her private interest in writing sexy short stories and sensual literotica ~ Live, Laugh, Love with Passion.

Website | Blog | Twitter | Facebook | FB Fan Page | Google+ | Triberr | Wordpress | Amazon | Ganxy | XinXii | Kobo Books |
iTunes Books | Barnes and Noble | SmashwordsGoodreads |
Yellow Silk Dreams Publishing | Secret Cravings Publishing |

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Last day to enter this great giveaway for note cards, e-book copies, and an autographed print copy of Morning's Journey!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

For more chances to win, you are invited to...
— Add Kim as a Favorite Author on Amazon.com
— Follow Kim on Twitter
— Add Kim to Google+
— Subscribe to Kim's YouTube channel
— Leave a comment on any page of The Maze, especially if you have done the Amazon, Twitter, and/or YouTube follow
...and each action this month is good for one chance to win an e-book copy of Liberty. Please enter often, and good luck!

Monday, May 4, 2015

Medieval Monday spotlight on Camulus by Bambi Lynn @hot_historicals #MedMonSpring

Medieval Monday continues on The Maze with
Camulus by Bambi Lynn

Synopsis:
Camulus Vass wants a simple life, absent the power and responsibility that can consume a man. But being laird of a clan as large as the Munro does not offer such luxury. Always under the domineering heel of his uncle, Cam has allowed himself to become a pawn. But the arrival of a mysterious newcomer awakens a beast within him that will not be tamed.

Màili has been given the task of rooting out the spawn of an ancient god. It’s the only way to take her revenge against the man who betrayed her. But getting what she wants means taking the life of the man she loves. Will her hunger for a mortal man wreak further havoc on her already bleak future?

Excerpt:
Cam pulled the linen from his shaggy, ebony mane and locked his rich brown eyes, glistening with excitement, on hers. He stepped out of the tub, dropping the linen to the floor. "Come to me, woman." Cam wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her against him. He claimed her mouth with his, prying her lips open and invading her with the sweetest tasting tongue she had ever known.

Màili lost herself in that kiss. The power of it sent jolts of pleasure to every pore in her body. She tingled all over, her senses melding until she could no longer remember anything other than the man before her. She kissed him back with all the self–pity of a woman who had been betrayed by love and yearned to get even a piece of herself back.

The power of her desire for Cam surprised her. Màili was certainly no stranger to the ways of men and women. She had learned a lot over the centuries. This was the first time she had found anyone she thought could teach her anything. A nagging possibility tickled the edge of her thoughts, but she pushed it aside.

Màili dragged her mouth from his, nibbling along his jaw and across the pulse at his throat. With her hands on his chest, she urged him back toward the bed all the while trailing her lips, her tongue down his body. He tasted like nectar and all Màili could think of was more, more, more.

Buy Camulus on: Amazon.

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And check out this YouTube video highlighting all the participating authors' works!


Last week: Dragon Knight's Medallion by Mary Morgan
Next week: Music for My Soul by Lauren Linwood

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It's not too late to enter this great giveaway for note cards, e-book copies, and an autographed print copy of Morning's Journey!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

For more chances to win, you are invited to...
— Add Kim as a Favorite Author on Amazon.com
— Follow Kim on Twitter
— Add Kim to Google+
— Subscribe to Kim's YouTube channel
— Leave a comment on any page of The Maze, especially if you have done the Amazon, Twitter, and/or YouTube follow
...and each action this month is good for one chance to win an e-book copy of Liberty. Please enter often, and good luck!