Book Spotlight: Kicker: The Forgotten Front by @rgreyhoover #ASMSG #VeteransDay

In honor of Veteran's Day, I am honored to support author R. Grey Hoover with the release of his latest novel Kicker: The Forgotten Front.

Kicker: The Forgotten Front
by R. Grey Hoover
Genre: Historical Thriller

Synopsis:

World War II is raging. A young father must choose between his family and duty to his country- a decision that could cost him everything.

Based on actual experiences of United States veterans and official military aviation history records from World War II, this is the thrilling story of a family’s journey into war. While his loved ones struggle with shortages and rationing at home, Sam endures relentless Japanese attacks against his unarmed aircraft over the treacherous mountains and torrid jungles of Asia. His job is to drop supplies to Merrill’s Marauders and over 750,000 allied soldiers fighting in the perilous jungles of Burma. If the enemy is not stopped, the American way of life will end.


Excerpt:

April 4, 1944 - Dinjan Airbase, India

Sam and Bobby Joe were totally exhausted when they crawled into their charpoys. The harrowing events of the day had taken its toll on them physically and mentally. In spite of the heat and noise of the jungle, Sam felt the blessed relief of sleep approaching soon after his head hit the pillow. However, as he drifted off, a feeling of unease came over him. It was a feeling that something was wrong, not here in India, but at home. He didn’t know if he felt uneasy because he still hadn’t received mail from home or because of some unknown reason, but the feeling stayed with him until he finally succumbed to his exhaustion and slipped into a deep sleep.

Thankfully, his slumber was not disturbed by his recurring nightmare, and he slept soundly until the wee hours of the morning when he suddenly awoke not knowing what had disturbed him. A light rain was falling outside, and except for an occasional flash of distant lightning, the basha was in total darkness. He lay very still, listening to the sounds around him. He strained his hearing, but no sound came except for the steady breathing of the sleeping men around him. After several minutes, he relaxed, thinking his imagination was playing tricks on him. He was almost asleep again when he thought he detected a faint unfamiliar sound coming from somewhere in the basha. Once again, he listened intently, not sure he had heard anything; but then he heard the sound again—only this time it seemed closer, and he was sure it came from within the basha. He couldn’t quite place the sound, but it seemed like something soft brushing against an object. He listened closely, but all was silent. None of the other men in the basha stirred, and after an extended period of silence, he relaxed once again in anticipation of sleep.

He was in that dreamy state just before slumber when he felt the presence of something or someone nearby. Once again, his senses came to full alert, and he made a conscious effort not to move. He listened carefully, bringing all his senses to bear. He could see or hear nothing, and yet he was sure something was there. He was startled when someone at the other end of the room moved, but then all was silent once again. He was lying on his back, so he slowly moved his head to the right and scanned the darkness.

At first he saw nothing, but then attention was drawn to a slight movement at the foot of his bed. He couldn’t make out what it was. It appeared to be an undistinguishable shadow against the darker background of the room. As he watched, the shadow moved, and he held his breath as it silently glided along the side of his bed. There was no sound as it moved, and it slowly drew nearer and stopped near the head of his bed. He could tell that it was something large, but due to the extreme darkness, he was unable to see what it was. His instincts told him this was something dangerous and evil, and the hairs on the nape of his neck stood erect. At that moment, a distant flash of lightning faintly illuminated the scene, and in that instant of light, Sam could see the large form of a tiger standing beside him.

The animal’s head was enormous. Its eyes, momentarily reflecting light from the faraway lightning, gave the beast an evil, devil-like appearance. This was death incarnate staring directly at him.

Sam was frozen with fear, and his heart seemed to stop. His .45-caliber pistol hung on the wall not three feet away, and he cursed himself for not keeping it inside the mosquito netting with him. He knew the tiger could see that he was awake, and he feared any movement would cause it to attack. The animal stepped closer, and Sam could see its dim outline and smell its damp fur and the fetid odor of its breath. The tiger appeared to know its victim was helpless. The great beast took its time as it sniffed the mosquito netting as if testing its strength. Slowly it raised a huge paw and placed it against the puny impediment. The tiger’s claws caught in the netting, and with a mighty swipe, it ripped the flimsy material away from the bed.

Buy links: Kindle US | Kindle UK | Kindle CA |

About the Author:

R. Grey Hoover is an Air Force veteran who was born and raised in the wooded hills of Pennsylvania where this historical novel begins and ends. The novel is based on the actual experiences of his father and other veterans in the CBI theater of World War II.

Media Links:
WebsiteBlog | Pinterest | 2018 Tribute to Veterans

***

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Meet the Healer in A War Within by @NathanDMaki for #EggcerptExchange

Today on The Maze for the Eggcerpt Exchange, I introduce fellow novelist of Ancient Rome,
Nathan Maki, and his epic novel
A War Within: The Healer.

Synopsis

How far would you go to free your mother from slavery?

Suzanna ben Ya’ir is a slave to the king of Hatra, the indomitable fortress city. She dreams of escaping the harem and finding her way back to Rome to find her son, but she is held prisoner by the king’s soldiers, towering walls, and untold miles of murderous desert. To escape she must earn coins as a healer among the common folk of the city and join forces with a Hatran guard who secretly loves her. But when the Roman legions arrive to besiege the city her hope of escape seems more unattainable than ever.

Theudas ben Ya’ir is a fierce warrior and a member of the Roman Emperor’s guard, but he also harbors a deadly secret – he is a Christian. Theudas longs to find his mother and rescue her from slavery, but the Emperor, his legions, and Plautianus – the ruthless leader of the Praetorians – are besieging the city where she is held captive. Now Theudas must break the Roman siege and infiltrate the hostile city, find his mother and help her escape. But doing so will mean committing treason against the Emperor. Will his quest cost Theudas his new-found faith and the life of the woman he loves?

With Suzanna’s life hanging in the balance, can she and Theudas defy the odds and reunite? And if so, can they hope to survive?

Excerpt
Suzanna wept with shame. She wept for the hope of escape that she knew to be false even as she clung to it. The paltry few coins she managed to save would never be enough to convince a merchant to risk the wrath of the king by smuggling her out of this city and across the wasteland surrounding it. The course of her life stretched out before her, as clear and brutal as the sandy, sun-baked road that led west toward the life she would never see again. She would go from the harem to the scullery as her beauty continued to fade, and finally, long after all color had been bleached from her life, to the grave.

She tried to reach for her faith, fumbled for it with groping fingers. She could brush it, could feel the residual warmth of the fire that once burned in her, but she couldn’t grasp it, couldn’t stir it to life again. Jehovah had forsaken her and so she knelt in a pile of rotting garbage against a filthy stone wall and wept.

Her pain seemed inexhaustible but her tears were not and finally her shuddering shoulders slowed and her sobs subsided. She was leaning against the wall now, her cheek against cold stone. In that moment, Suzanna felt a strange sense of clarity. She had two choices. She could lay here and die, or get up and go on. It was the hardest decision she had ever faced.

In the end, a dying man made the decision for her.

Tonight is the night Binyamin will pass from this world and I must be there to ease that passing. I must be there. I must get up. I must make at least this one last effort.

The heat of the day was fully gone now and she was stiff with cold. She struggled to her feet and stared up at the crooked slice of starry sky above. What time was it? Time had had no meaning while she wept. It could have been minutes or hours. But it was still darkest night. She still had time. She brushed at her the skirt of her tunic in a futile effort to wipe away the muck, then swept a sleeve across her eyes and beneath her nose. Stepping free of the alley she looked around, took her bearings, and started off at a pained shuffle.

Movement worked the cold stiffness from her limbs and she began walking faster as if trying to shake off and leave behind the depression and hopelessness that had threatened to crush her. She had a purpose this night, reason enough to live.

For to him that is joined to all the living there is hope: for a living dog is better than a dead lion. The proverb came, unbidden, to her mind. And along with it came a thought, a feeling, a whisper on the wind. Theudas yet lives. She couldn’t tell where the assurance came from, had no way to prove it as true, and yet she suddenly knew it. Knew it like her own name. She quickened her steps still more.

Where there is life, there is hope.


Purchase A War Within: The Healer via Amazon

Learn more about Suzanna ben Ya’ir:

Birthdate and Birthplace
Suzanna was born a slave in Rome in AD 161. She was descended from Jewish slaves captured in the Judeo-Roman war a hundred years before.

Level of schooling
As a child, she learned healing from her master, a Greek physician, and after being sold upon his death she further developed her natural talent through hands-on experience, nursing her master’s wife and other slaves in the household.

Significant other
She married a fellow Jewish slave, Luke, and they had a son, Theudas. After Theudas fought their master’s son and Luke defended him, both father and son were sold to be gladiators.

Currently residing in...
Luke died in the Coliseum, and Suzanna was transported to Parthia and sold into the harem of the king of Hatra, the Parthian desert fortress.

Job and most important goal
There, with the help of a sympathetic guard, she slips away at night to nurse the poor, hording the few coins she receives in payment in hopes of one day buying passage back to Rome with a caravan.

Secret desire or fantasy, and worst fear or nightmare
Her secret dream is to be reunited with her son, while her greatest fear is that she will die alone and forgotten.

Author Bio
As a kid, Nathan D. Maki delighted in leaping through the door of historical fiction and into the adventure of the ancient world. In his teens, his love for reading birthed a desire to write and bring history alive for others. Nathan has always been fascinated with the monumental power and enduring achievements of the Roman Empire and its asymmetrical clash with Early Christianity. As a Christian, he is inspired by stories of triumphant faith in the face of persecution, and he hopes these stories will inspire others as well.

Follow Nathan via: 

Website | Twitter |

***
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Who killed Jack? Spotlight on The End of Camelot by @DianaLRubino #romanticsuspense

November 22, 1963,
a day that changed America forever.
Who killed President Kennedy?

Guest post by Diana Rubino,
author of The End of Camelot. 

This is going to date me, but I was six years old when President Kennedy was assassinated. Everyone who was alive that day knew exactly where they were and what they were doing when they heard the news. I was in my first grade classroom. The teacher got a call on the classroom phone and told us "the president was shot." A collective gasp went around the room. My grandmother was a huge JFK assassination buff. She’s the one who got me fascinated with this tragic event, at the time the biggest mystery since "who killed the princes in the Tower?" (I'm a Ricardian; that's for another post).  She got me embroiled right along with her.

She listened to all the radio talk shows (those who lived in the New York area might remember Long John Nebel, on WOR, WNBC, and WMCA, all on AM radio (FM was really "out there" at that time). She bought whatever books came out over the years, along with the Warren Commission Report, which I couldn't lift at the time, it was so heavy. But my interest never waned in the 52 years that followed.

In 2000, I began the third book of my New York Saga, set in 1963. The heroine is Vikki McGlory Ward, daughter of Billy McGlory, hero of the second book, BOOTLEG BROADWAY, set during Prohibition. This was my opportunity to write a novel showcasing all my current theories, and continue the saga. It took a minimum of research, since I remember all the 60's brands, (Bosco, Yum Berry, Mr. Bubble...), the fashions, the songs, and I even included a scene set on that unforgettable night when the Beatles first appeared on the Ed Sullivan Show, February 9, 1964.

About THE END OF CAMELOT:

The third in the New York Saga, The End of Camelot centers on Billy McGlory’s daughter Vikki, whose husband is murdered trying to prevent the assassination of John F. Kennedy. Vikki uses her detective skills to trace the conspiracy, from New York to New Orleans to Dallas, and at the same time, tricks her husband’s murderer into a confession. A romance with her bodyguard makes her life complete.

November 22, 1963: The assassination of a president devastates America. But a phone call brings even more tragic news to Vikki Ward—her TV reporter husband was found dead in his Dallas hotel room that morning.

Finding his notes, Vikki realizes her husband was embroiled in the plot to kill JFK—but his mission was to prevent it. When the Dallas police rule his death accidental, Vikki vows to find out who was behind the murders of JFK and her husband. With the help of her father and godfather, she sets out to uncover the truth.

Aldobrandi Po, the bodyguard hired to protect Vikki, falls in love with her almost as soon as he sets eyes on her. But he's engaged to be married, and she’s still mourning her husband. Can they ever hope to find happiness in the wake of all this tragedy?

An excerpt from THE END OF CAMELOT:

November 22, 1963
Larchmont, New York

Vikki entered her foyer and dropped her shopping bags on the floor. As she locked the door and kicked off her alligator pumps, the phone rang. She answered it in the kitchen, so she could raid the pastry box while she chatted.

“Vikki, it’s Linc Benjamin.” His ragged voice came over the line. “I have terrible news. Jack is dead.”

“What?” She couldn’t have heard right. “What did you say?”

“Jack was found in the bathtub of his hotel room this morning—”

She dropped the phone and slid down against the wall. Her glasses fell off her face. The room spun. Sunlight glared. She smelled the new coat of wax on the kitchen floor.

“Vikki? Vikki?” came faintly from the dangling receiver. She crawled over and grasped it. He would tell her it was a mistake, they had the wrong man, or it was another of Jack’s practical jokes.

“My Jack?” she whispered.

“Vikki, I’m so sorry,” he sobbed.

“Linc—no, please. Tell me it wasn’t Jack. Are you sure? There must be a mistake. Not Jack.” Her heart thudded like a hammer. A stabbing pain pierced her chest. She held the receiver away from her ear.

“Vikki, are you there?” His voice came through the earpiece. “If you want, I’ll be right over. I can tell you everything when I get there, or right now, whatever you want.”

“Now!” she demanded.

“The Dallas police found him drowned in his hotel bathtub—”

“Dallas? What was he doing in Dallas? He’s supposed to be in Chicago doing a story on the FBI!” she screeched, beyond rational thought. No, this had to be a mistake!

“I don’t know, Vikki. The maid found him. The Dallas police tried to call you all morning, but you weren’t home, so they called here, at the network. Do you want me to come over and—”

“Wait!” She squeezed her eyes shut. “Now—where is he now?”

“Parkland Hospital. They’re going to bring the bod—er, bring him back to New York after the autopsy.” His voice broke again. “God, Vikki, I’m so sorry. I feel like I lost my brother.”

She went blank, too stunned to think. Her hands shook so much she could hardly hold the phone.

“Vikki, do you want me to come over—”

“No.” She released the receiver. It swung away and banged against the wall. She curled up on the floor as the ticking clock echoed the thudding of her heart.

She wept in unbearable grief. Shutting her eyes tight, she cradled her head in her arms. A jumble of thoughts rendered her helpless.

“Please, God,” she prayed, “Let it be a mistake and Jack will come walking through the door.”

The doorbell rang. “Jack?” She forced her eyes open.

“Vikki!”

Her head throbbed with each pound on the door. 

“Vikki! Are you okay? Can you hear me?”

The voice was her father’s, and as much as she wanted him with her, holding her, rocking her, the present was too much to bear. She wanted one last visit to the past with Jack, happy and alive and free from harm.

But the raw truth seared her soul: The past is gone, and so is your beloved Jack!

Too weak to walk, she crawled to the door, reached up, and unlocked it.

Her father rushed in and knelt beside her. “Vikki, honey?”

She collapsed into his arms, heaving gut-wrenching sobs.

“It’s okay, I’m here,” he crooned, like he was singing the songs he wrote for her.

“Dad, Jack—” She couldn’t bring herself to say it yet. The words were too ugly, too real.

“Yeah, I know. He got shot. When I looked in the sidelight and saw you lying on the floor, I thought you were hurt.”

She gulped. “I answered the phone and it was…” That seemed like a hundred years ago already.

He helped her up, and she forced herself to gulp enough air to stay conscious while he said, “I’ll turn on the TV and see what the news says about the shooting—”

“No, he wasn’t shot! They found him in the tub—”

“Vikki, here, let me get you on the couch. Come on, babe, that’s it.” He helped her off with her coat. “Now, what are you saying?”

“Dad—Jack…”

“I know.” He nodded. “JFK was shot in the head. The governor of Texas was shot, too.”

“No. My Jack! They found him—” Sobs burst from the depths of her soul.

“Huh? What…your Jack?”

Unable to speak any further, she nodded.

“Something happened to him?” He sat her down on the couch.

She drew in a ragged breath and he grasped her hands.

“Oh, God. Oh, Jesus Christ, Vikki.” He held her and stroked her hair as she sobbed, her tears staining his scarf. “Okay, Dad’s here, I’ll stay with you. I’m sorry, I thought you were talking about President Kennedy. He just got shot.”

“President Kennedy?” She shook her head in disbelief. “No. Jack’s friend from the network called, and—” She couldn’t go on.

“Don’t talk. I’ll get you a brandy or something.” He glanced over at her liquor cabinet.

She didn’t even want him leaving her for a few seconds. He hung her phone up and it started ringing instantly. She heard spurts of conversation. His voice sounded like an echo in a marble tomb. He finally stopped talking and came back with a brandy bottle, a snifter, and her eyeglasses. “I found your glasses on the floor.” He took her into his arms and rocked her back and forth. “You’ll be okay, you’re strong, you’re my girl,” he murmured, and she wished he’d sing to her.

Instead he explained that President Kennedy had been shot on the motorcade route in Dallas.

Purchase The End of Camelot
Kindle | Amazon Paperback |
The Wild Rose Press Paperback | The Wild Rose Press Ebook
Barnes & Noble Nook

Visit Diana:
Website | Blog | Facebook | Twitter | LinkedIn | GooglePlus |
Goodreads Author Page | Goodreads Diana's Books |
The Wild Rose Press | Amazon Author Page |

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The last hour of Anne Boleyn in Phoenix Rising by @HunterSJones101 #historical fiction

Kendra is intrigued by a Norman "squire" in SNOW IN JULY #medieval #PNR #MFRWOrg

One of his countrymen
had murdered her brother.
She must despise this man. 

Though I use sometimes more than a dozen viewpoint characters in one novel, I am a stickler for maintaining POV purity—in other words, the scene describes only what the viewpoint character can see, hear, touch, smell, taste… or feel.

In today's excerpt, which is running on other blogs this month as part of the Medieval Monday exchange, we're treated to a feast of feelings as Kendra encounters the disguised hero of Snow in July for the first time.

SYNOPSIS:
Sir Robert Alain de Bellencombre has been granted what every man wants: a rich English estate in exchange for his valiant service at the Battle of Hastings. To claim this reward, the Norman knight must wed the estate's Saxon heiress. Most men would leap at such an opportunity, but for Alain, who broke his vow to his dying mother by failing to protect his youngest brother in battle, it means facing more easily broken vows. But when rumors of rampant thievery, dangerous beasts, and sorcery plaguing a neighboring estate reach his ears, nothing will make him shirk duty to king and country when people's lives stand at risk. He assumes the guise of a squire to scout the land, its problems, and its lady.

Lady Kendra of Edgarburh has been granted what no woman wants: a forced marriage to an enemy who may be kith or kin to the man who murdered her beloved brother. Compounding her anguish is her failure to awaken the miraculous healing gift bequeathed by their late mother in time to save his life. Although with his dying breath, he made her promise to seek happiness above all, Kendra vows that she shall find neither comfort nor love in the arms of a Norman…unless it snows in July.

Alain is smitten by Lady Kendra from the first moment of their meeting; Kendra feels the forbidden allure of the handsome and courtly Norman "squire." But a growing evil overshadows everyone, invoking dark forces and ensnaring Kendra in a plot to overthrow the king Alain is oath-bound to serve. Kendra and Alain face a battle unlike any other as their honor, their love, their lives, and even their very souls lie in the balance.

BOOK TRAILER: http://youtu.be/vFsaD1jCLLU

BUY & TBR LINKS

Worldwide Amazon Kindle link – Worldwide Amazon Paperback link –

BARNES & NOBLE NOOK – B&N PAPERBACK – KOBO – SMASHWORDS – ITUNES – GOODREADS –

EXCERPT

As Sir Ruaud babbled in his semicoherent English about Sir Robert, Kendra fought a jumble of emotions regarding Ruaud’s squire. Not only was his station beneath her rank, his being Norman placed him beneath her contempt. And yet she couldn’t tear her gaze from him.

Several inches taller than Sir Ruaud, the squire was trim where Ruaud sported a paunch, and he radiated quiet dignity to counter Ruaud’s comic disposition. Both men wore their blond hair cropped close, but Ruaud’s darker locks didn’t curl about his ears and forehead in whimsical wisps begging to be touched. Ruaud’s nose bore the lumpish evidence of having been broken at least once, but no scars marred the squire’s face. And those eyes—merciful heaven, if the squire regarded her once more with those probing, sea-green eyes, she would faint from the delectable agony.

Relief washed over her when he broke eye contact and strode to the packhorse. Broad shoulders and sinewy arms rippled as he wrestled something from a saddle pack. For one wanton moment, she imagined being encircled by those arms, protected, cherished. Loved… happy…

She shook her head. One of his countrymen had murdered her brother. She must despise this man.

And yet that task was proving to be a major chore.

***
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Character interview of Alain from SNOW IN JULY #RLFblog #MFRWOrg #BZBooks

Reblogged in part from Romance Lives Forever 7/7/2015. To view the rest of the post, and help me earn points toward RLF's "Top Blogger" award, please click HERE; thanks!

Interview with Sir Robert Alain de Bellencombre from Snow in July

RLF Blog: Tell us about yourself, please.

Alain: I am the second son of Comte Hugh FitzWalter, by his second wife, Comtesse Margaret. Formally I am called Sir Robert, but my kin and closest friends call me Alain.

The “de Bellencombre” choice of surname refers to the village in which I was born, Bellencombre, in Normandy. My sword is pledged to the service of Duke William of Normandy, now styled King William of England by God’s grace through his victory at the Battle of Hastings. I fought in this battle too, as did my younger brother Étienne—though it shames me to admit that I was unable to save him from death at the hands of a ruthless Saxon foe.

RLF Blog: What inner doubt causes you the most difficulty?

Alain: In failing to protect Étienne, I failed our mother too, for I had sworn upon my own life that I would guard his. Now I face a royally commanded marriage, when all I would rather do is live and die by the sword, and I fear that I shall not be able to protect my bride either. As a means of dealing with my doubts, I have assumed the guise of a squire to scout the lady, her lands… and the mysterious reports of hellish beasts and sorcerous acts that the king’s regent has ordered me to investigate.

RLF Blog: Tell us about your significant other, that person who makes living worthwhile.

Alain: The moment my eyes beheld my bride, her sweet angelic beauty made me forget all my fears and doubts. And yet she seems to harbor grief and secrets—and perhaps even doubts and fears—of her own. As a scout, I am accustomed to ferreting out secrets, and so I shall learn hers, for I want nothing more than to kiss away her grief and transform her tears into joy.

RLF Blog: What would that person say about you?

Background image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons,
Public Domain.

Alain: Lady Kendra would say that I am far too bold for a “squire,” for when I am in her presence I am sorely tempted to act outside propriety’s bounds. Thus far, I have restrained myself to offering her the gift of a single red rose, but I fear even that was too brash a gesture, for it caused her to flee my presence. I shudder to think how she will react when I confess my deception, but as God is my witness, I shall do whatever it takes to make amends and earn her forgiveness.

RLF Blog: If someone from your past showed up, who would you NOT want it to be, and why?

Alain: My older half brother, Philippe FitzHugh, has ever feared that I covet the title and lands he inherited from our father. Nothing could be farther from the truth, but he has never believed my assurances, and he has undercut me at every opportunity—even to the point of luring my first fiancée into his bed. If I ever see either Philippe or Marie again in this lifetime, it shall be far too soon.

RLF Blog: Why are you happy (or not happy) with the way your story ended?

Alain: Ah, fair reader, that is for you to discover. I shall not spoil it for you except to say that Kendra and I are both happy with our story’s ending… though it did not come without terrible peril to our honor, our lives, and even our very souls.

To learn more about Alain and my challenges in writing about him, please visit the RLF Blog.

***

All this month, you are invited to...
— Follow Kim on Twitter
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— Leave a comment on any page of The Maze, especially if you have done the Twitter and/or YouTube follow
...and each action this month is good for one chance to win an ebook copy of Snow in July. Please enter often, and good luck!

#SpringFling spotlight on The End of Camelot by @DianaLRubino #JFK romance

I was too young to remember where I was or what I was doing the day JFK was shot, although I harbor vivid memories of watching Sir Winston Churchill's funeral coverage on TV just a few months later. Author Diana Rubino, however, has been long fascinated with the mystery surrounding JFK's death, and her latest historical fiction release, The End of Camelot, pays homage to this American tragedy.

This book spotlight is offered to you as part of the #SpringFling author exchange, but to change things up a bit I have decided to spotlight The End of Camelot first and Diana's thoughts about spring afterward.

Synopsis
November 22, 1963: The assassination of a president devastates America. But a phone call brings even more tragic news to Vikki Ward—her TV reporter husband was found dead in his Dallas hotel room that morning.

Finding his notes, Vikki realizes her husband was embroiled in the plot to kill JFK—but his mission was to prevent it. When the Dallas police rule his death accidental, Vikki vows to find out who was behind the murders of JFK and her husband. With the help of her father and godfather, she sets out to uncover the truth.

Aldobrandi Po, the bodyguard hired to protect Vikki, falls in love with her almost as soon as he sets eyes on her. But he's engaged to be married, and she’s still mourning her husband. Can they ever hope to find happiness in the wake of all this tragedy?

Buy The End of Camelot:

Kindle | Paperback |

First Lines of The End of Camelot:
Washington, D.C., September, 1959

Vikki McGlory aimed her Smith & Wesson .38 and fired at the metal target.

“Bull’s eye.” She kissed the gun’s warm barrel. A smudged red lip print bloomed against the steel gray metal.

Diana's Favorite Passage from The End of Camelot:
Billy came down the stairs for a nightcap and glanced into the living room. He noticed the glow in the fireplace, Vikki’s eyeglasses and the anisette bottle on the table. The couch faced the other way, but nobody was sitting on it. “Where’d they go?” Then he realized they hadn’t gone anywhere—and they were on the couch, but not sitting. Before he got out of their way, he placed a long-playing record on the phonograph. Jackie Gleason’s “For Lovers Only.”

Why I Like Spring

by Diana Rubino

I live in New England—need I say more? :)

It takes longer for spring to arrive here than to most places. Right now, April 1, already over a week into spring, the ground is still half covered with snow and it’s barely in the 40s. But I heard a mourning dove the other day, which is a sure sign that spring is on the way.

In this area, we get a lot of spring days that are downright dreary, with overcast leaden skies, a fine mist falling, and that raw chill that goes right through you. But a day like that brings promise. It’s no longer the bitter cold with the arctic blasts. The wind carries a promising fragrance, and you can almost smell the grass struggling to peek through the patches of snow. Hearty New Englanders are out wearing shorts and T-shirts, even though it’s still in the high 40s or low 50s. We wear our Red Sox caps. All those signs point to that magical day when we can wear those T-shirts without shivering, sit in the ballpark munching peanuts, and inhale a lungful of lilac-scented breeze on a jog.

It takes a while to get here, but when it does, we appreciate it all the more.

About Diana Rubino:


Spring in New England means only a few more freak snowstorms and that odd day when you can throw on a T-shirt and shorts and jump on your bike for that first delightful Dairy Queen. Diana and her husband Chris are golfers, and that means any golf days in April are practice rounds for the ‘real thing’—the leagues.

Diana’s latest title, Book Three of her NYC Saga, THE END OF CAMELOT, is set around the assassination of President Kennedy. You can read about it on her blog, and join in the lively chat at the end of the post. Share your memories of that day, your conspiracy theories, and reminisce about the days before we ‘lost our innocence.’ Visit www.dianarubinoauthor.blogspot.com. THE END OF CAMELOT had its worldwide release on April 10, published with The Wild Rose Press.

***

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5 Easy Questions answered about Kim Headlee #RLFBlog #MFRWAuthor

Now that my income taxes are done for another year, I'm happy to share the answers to "5 Easy Questions" posed by Kayelle Allen of the Romance Lives Forever blog.

RLF: What's your favorite down-home family style meal?

Kim: Steak and peppers, a recipe I learned from my late mother-in-law, which I can now make just about with my eyes closed.

RLF: What is your go-to meal when you dine out?

Kim: Sushi, especially on half-price days at our local Japanese restaurant.

RLF: Describe the perfect vacation.

Kim: A hotel on the beach—any beach—in the off season, when it’s not so murderously hot or crowded, where I don’t have to cook =or=clean! The longer the stay, the better.

RLF: Tell us about your favorite toy as a child.

Kim: It’s a white teddy bear that I carried everywhere from the moment I could pick it up. I left it underneath the tree in our yard when we moved—I was all of a year old when that happened. Several weeks later, the neighbors found it and mailed it to us. Teddy now sits in a place of honor on the shelf above my bedroom’s fireplace; no more nights out in the cold & rain for him!

RLF: If the hero of your latest book called you on the phone, what would be a perfect ringtone for him?

Kim: “Russian Easter Overture” by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov, the really heroic-sounding part in the middle. It always reminds me of Arthur galloping to the rescue!

Enter this great giveaway for e-books, note cards,
and an autographed print copy of Morning's Journey!

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For more chances to win, you are invited to...
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Character interview of Arthur from Dawnflight by @KimHeadlee #RLFBlog #Arthurverse #Giveaway

Today on The Maze, meet Arthur the Pendragon from Dawnflight, whose dragon symbol--adapted from a Pictish stone in the Meigle Museum in Perth, Scotland--forms the cover's tribal overlay.

Interview questions were developed by Kayelle of the Romance Lives Forever blog (#RLFBlog), and I am grateful for her support of authors!

RLF: Tell us about yourself, please.
Arthur: I am Arturus Aurelius Vetarus, Dux Britanniarum—that is to say, my name is Arthur son of Uther, and I command the army that defends the northern Brytoni territory of the Isle of Brydein from Caledonian, Saxon, Scotti, and Angli threats. I am Roman by my father, and descended from the Aurelii emperors: Antoninus Pius, Hadrian, and Marcus Aurelius. My mother is Ygraine, chieftainess of Clan Cwrnwyll of Brydein—though the circumstance of my birth prevents me from becoming chieftain after her.

RLF: Authors call what you want but cannot have "the conflict" -- what is yours?
Arthur: When I followed my late father to become Dux Britanniarum, what I had wanted was to be granted an exception for my illegitimacy by the elders of Clan Cwyrnwyll so that I could be designated my mother’s heir. But that desire became as nothing the day I met Gyanhumara, Chieftainess of Clan Argyll of Caledonia. I knew she was the woman who would share my vision for a united Brydein and help me bring it to pass. But she was betrothed—by a stipulation of my own treaty with her people—to Urien, my greatest political rival, a man who will stop at nothing, including war, to achieve what he wants.

I cannot bring such a calamity upon those I have sworn to protect.

Perhaps you might be wondering why I do not simply void the betrothal clause. I could—for any man of aristocratic status. As a bastard, I do not qualify under the treaty terms. The day I had drafted that accursed document, I had never thought that in half a year I would be meeting the woman I crave more than breath itself.

RLF: What can you not do (but need to do) during this story?
Arthur: Some of my advisers might argue that I should kill Urien and be done with the matter. The fact is that Urien’s father and mine were great friends and allies, and Chieftain Dumarec has graciously extended that support to me. Dumarec’s men form the backbone of the legion I command, and killing Urien would kill that alliance.

But if there is another way to make Urien pay for his disrespectful—and sometimes hurtful—treatment of Gyanhumara, I swear by all that is holy that I shall find it.

RLF: Tell us about your significant other, that person who makes living worthwhile.
Arthur: Gyanhumara is a chieftainess of the Caledonian people by birth, and a warrior and leader of warriors by training. Her clan, Argyll, led the southernmost Caledonian clans to attack the Brytoni settlement at Abar-Gleann, though Gyanhumara herself did not fight in that battle. If she had, I would have worded that damned betrothal clause far differently, I assure you.

I do not love her because she is gorgeous, or wealthy, or intelligent, or amusing, or amazing, or skilled with a sword, or because a union with her will help to strengthen the fragile peace between our peoples. Indeed Gyanhumara is all of those things, and more. But take away all those attributes, and she would still be the woman for whom my heart thrums its most joyous song.

RLF: What would that person say about you?
Arthur: Hah! Probably that I am secretive, private, and unreadable—because I must strive to keep my feelings for her buried. I would shout my love for her from the very gates of heaven itself, but not one moment before I determine how I can nullify her betrothal to Urien without inviting disaster.

RLF: What special skills do you rely on?
Arthur: Uther and his best general, my cousin Merlin, taught me strategic and tactical thinking, as well as the ability to recognize good counsel and abilities within others. I credit these skills as the reason I was able to defeat Gyanhumara’s people in my first battle as Dux Britanniarum. No doubt they attacked because I was untried as a leader of men, and although I despised the loss of life on both sides of that conflict, it pleased me to prove the Caledonians wrong. Yet it pleased me even more to turn former enemies into valuable allies.

My foster brother Cai would likely name as a “special skill” my ability to bring out the best in men with but a word, a nod, sometimes no more than a brief touch. I cannot explain why this is so, but I have observed the results myself and know that Cai is right. And I am grateful for this ability of mine, for I need all my soldiers to function at their very best in order to help me keep Brydein safe.

Thank you, Arthur, for choosing to open up to us today!

View this awesome narrated book trailer for Dawnflight:

Buy the book! (please :)
Amazon Kindle http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BLNN6XS
Amazon Print http://www.amazon.com/dp/1939051134
Barnes and Noble http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/dawnflight-kim-d-headlee/1003548584?ean=2940016289618
iBooks https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id660038137
Kobo http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/dawnflight
Smashwords https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/289281
CreateSpace https://www.createspace.com/4181539
Draft2Digital https://www.draft2digital.com/book/11151
Amazon Audiobook http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00E98ZQ8A/
Audible Audiobook http://www.audible.com/pd/Romance/Dawnflight-Audiobook/B00E8IAZIW
iTunes Audiobook https://itunes.apple.com/us/audiobook/dawnflight-dragons-dove-chronicles/id681882480

Enter this great giveaway for e-books, note cards,
and an autographed print copy of Dawnflight!

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If you love this post and my books,
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All this month, you are invited to...
— Follow me on Twitter
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Rediscovered review of LIBERTY by Gladiatrix author Russell Whitfield -- yes, it's that good. #MFRWOrg

You could file this post under the heading of "throwback," since it's a reblog of a review that was written almost ten years ago. I had forgotten just how fantastic this review was—and subsequent events have put an even more poignant spin on it for me.

The review's author, I found out recently, had been working on his own female-gladiator novel when he decided to read and review the HQN Books edition of Liberty in 2006. The content of his web site gladiatrix.info had led me to believe at the time that he held no more than an academic interest in the subject of women arena fighters in ancient Rome, and for good reason. The publication of his novel Gladiatrix was yet two years off; I rather suspect that he hadn't even received a contract offer for it yet, or else I'm sure that announcement would have been posted on the day I read his review.

Fast-forward an octet of years to the fall of 2014.

While preparing to publish the revised edition of Liberty, one of the first things I did was research covers for similar novels set in ancient Rome. My favorite cover of the lot is that of Gladiatrix by Russell Whitfield. (And, yes, it's on my TBR pile!)

It had been so long since I had read Whitfield's Liberty review, and it hadn't been cross-posted to sites like Amazon and Goodreads, that I didn't connect the two at first. I just loved the cover of Gladiatrix, and shared it with my cover designer as inspiration for the Liberty reboot.

In the course of creating Liberty advertising materials this week for distribution at upcoming appearances, my publicist pulled a quote from Whitfield's review, which sent me back to gladiatrix.info to read the full text.

There, for the first time, I saw the connection with his novel Gladiatrix.

The fact that Whitfield had written such a terrific review of a work that could be perceived as competition with his as-yet unpublished novel makes me all the more appreciative of his words about Liberty today.

I present them here, in their British-idiom entirety, for your consideration:

"Liberty" by Kimberly Iverson is published by HQN—"we are romance." I'll admit to being slightly sceptical about this, expecting nothing more than a Mills and Boon exercise with standard romance characters dressed in Roman cloth—more costume drama than historical adventure. Not that there's anything wrong with Romance Historicals, they're just not my cup of tea.

Or at least, they weren't until I read "Liberty." Iverson, I think, has transcended HQN's genre, producing a pacey, action-packed work of epic proportions (it weighs in at hefty 485 pages, and is worth every penny of the price tag). I love the premise—Iverson, inspired by the Dover Street Woman findings, decided that the gladiatrix deserved a back story, and provides it here in satisfying spades.

Anyone who knows their history will realise that "Liberty" is painstakingly researched; and anyone who doesn't won't need to—a testament of Iverson's skill as a writer. There's more than enough in there to keep visitors to this website happy—the action scenes don't hold back—they're bloody, brutal and realistic as they should be, but never gratuitous. Conversely, the love story between Rhyddes and Aquila is never cloying or overdone; it's a realistic take on love across the social divide.

One of "Liberty's" greatest strengths is the array of rich and fully-realised supporting characters; in many books it's easy to focus on the main protagonists and forget about the rest, but Iverson does not allow that. Indeed, the villain of her piece is a sympathetic character in the end. Certainly, his actions and his goals are totally understandable; you or I would do the same thing in his place, and this raises him far above the level of moustache-twirling bad-guy. 

Additionally, I think that the cover-blurb does one of the characters (Messiena) a bit of disservice. She is far from a simpering Roman noble woman, and indeed, she was one of my favourite characters. The same can be said of Aquila's mother —understanding, yes—simpering, not in the least.

If I had one criticism of "Liberty," it would be the employment of archaic dialogue when the scenes are from Rhyddes' point of view. Certainly, I can see the literary device employed here, and this style does differentiate Celt from Roman. It's a personal choice, I guess—"mayhap" and "'twas" and other such expressions aren't necessary in what is such a great book—at least in my view. However, that said, its really minor point didn't detract from the enjoyment of the work.

Iverson's biographical notes say that "Liberty" is the first of what she hopes to be many offerings to the romance community. I suspect this tag has more to do with HQN than Iverson herself. "Liberty" is far more than a romance novel, and to brand it as one limits its appeal. It is a fine piece of fiction that manages to successfully cross over two genres in a satisfactory manner. A well-researched novel that deserves a place on any fan of the historical genre's shelf, I would advise anyone that visits this website to purchase a copy—you will not be disappointed!

*** End of review ***

For the record, I wasn't best pleased with the adjective "simpering" either, so for the new synopsis I substituted "adoring," which describes Messiena's feelings for Aquila a lot more accurately. For the full text of the new synopsis and other information about the second edition of Liberty, please click its tab at the top of my blog!

Whitfield's web site does not accommodate the posting of comments; I didn't have the opportunity back then to thank him publicly for such an in-depth and wonderful review, so I shall remedy this forthwith:

Thank you very much, Russell Whitfield, 

and I wish you every success for all of your works!

All this month, you are invited to...
— Follow me on Twitter
— Add me to Google+
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— Leave a comment on my blog, especially if you have done the 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!

#GRATIS #FREE #Kindle El Color de la Venganza 29-30 enero las leyendas del rey Arturo #IARTG

Gratis en Kindle 29 a 30 enero
Free on Kindle January 29-30

Hoy en “The Maze”,  ofrezco “El Color de la Venganza”,  la versión en Español de “The Color of Vengeance”,  una historia corta independiente extraída de  “Morning’s Journey”, libro 2 de “The Dragon’s Dove Chronicles”.

Today on The Maze, I offer the Spanish-language version of "The Color of Vengeance," a stand-alone short story excerpted from Morning's Journey, book 2 in The Dragon's Dove Chronicles.



La sinopsis/Synopsis:

La venganza era el único regalo de entierro que podía presentar.
Cuando los ladrones de ganado Angli matan a su mujer y a su hijo, Dwras hijo de Gwyn jura venganza sobre sus asesinos. Pero, ¿cómo puede un simple granjero prevalecer contra entrenados guerreros despiadados? Dwras no debe mirar a su espada para la respuesta, sino más bien, dentro de su corazón.

Vengeance was the only burial gift he could bestow.

When Angli cattle thieves slaughter his wife and son, Dwras son of Gwyn vows revenge upon their murderers. But how can a mere farmer prevail against ruthless, trained warriors? For the answer Dwras must look not to his sword, but within his heart.


Gratis en Kindle 29 a 30 enero Free on Kindle January 29-30
US | ES | MX | AU | BR | CA | DE | FR | IN | IT | JP | NL | UK

Edición Inglés audiolibro/English edition audiobook:
Amazon.com | iTunes | Audible.com  

This month, you are invited to... 
— Add Kim as a Favorite Author on Amazon.com 
— Follow Kim on Twitter
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— 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!

#Free #Kindle Download Jan 27-31 The Color of Vengeance by Kim Headlee #BYNR #IARTG

Get your FREE copy of The Color of Vengeance, 

a terrific Arthurian story, today! 

(January 27-31, 2015, to be precise. :D)

The Color of Vengeance
Free Kindle download Jan. 28-31

Genre: Historical fiction (early Middle Ages)

Series: The Dragon's Dove Chronicles (this is a standalone short story excerpted from book 2, Morning's Journey)

Synopsis:

Vengeance was the only burial gift he could bestow.

When Angli cattle thieves slaughter his wife and son, Dwras son of Gwyn vows revenge upon their murderers. But how can a mere farmer prevail against ruthless, trained warriors? For the answer Dwras must look not to his sword, but within his heart.

Links:

•  E-book on Kindle
• Audiobook on Audible | Amazon | iTunes

All this month, 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!

Shoutout to Children Authors! #giveaways sci-fi fantasy KidLit

Today on The Maze I am pleased to feature 

Children Authors!

Please Sign Up for SNOW IN JULY Blog Tour!

It's getting closer to Release Day, and I would greatly appreciate your help! I am teaming with My Family's Heart Book Tours & Reviews for a month-long celebration of the release of my first foray into the realm of young-adult historical paranormal romance, Snow in July, July 1st - August 4th, 2014.

There are a number of options for bloggers, including guest posts and spotlights, though of course reviews are always welcome! And as a special treat, I am running a contest for tour hosts to win an autographed print copy. Just leave a comment on this post stating that you signed up for the tour to be entered into the drawing—to be settled by the web site random.org.

Tour & book details and sign-up form may be found by clicking here.

And don't forget to do one or all of the following for chances to win an ebook copy of one of my earlier novels, Dawnflight:

— Follow me on Twitter
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— Comment on this post

Thank you for your interest in my work, and good luck!

A Message from Arthur on the Eve of Samhainn

From Legion Headquarters in Caer Lugubalion, Brydein, I send you greetings.

I put pen to parchment in honor of my wife, Gyan—formally, Chieftainess Gyanhumara nic Hymar of Clan Argyll of Caledonia—who celebrates her natal day today. We have been married a few short months, just since the Calends of July, and we met each other for the first time only three months before that. Yet I feel so closely bonded with her in heart, soul, and mind that it seems as if I have known her my entire life.

If you were to ask me what first caught my attention about this remarkable woman, I would have to confess it was her exotic beauty. Her brilliant copper hair, sea-green eyes, berry lips, the wild blue doves winging across her forearm all beckoned to me to learn more about her. Since I knew her to be a warrior—though untried in battle at the time of our meeting—I had expected her to act aloof, cold, haughty, arrogant. From the moment my hand gripped her arm in welcome, I knew she was none of those things.

And I think I knew—on some level, at least, if not overtly—that my heart stood in grave danger of declaring its undying allegiance to her even as I realized that to do while she remained betrothed to Urien might plunge our lands into another war.

Fortunately for both our peoples, Gyan proved herself a canny diplomat and hid her feelings about me until the time was right for both of us to declare our love.

Problems remain, of course. Though together Gyan and I defeated the Scots and bought peace from that quarter for a season, the Saxon and Angli kings remain a looming threat. Urien stands to become chieftain of his clan, and may God deliver us all from that day. And I cannot shake the disturbing thought that, should Gyan and I have children, they might fall victim to treachery from without—or within.

But I also have deep abiding faith in that which makes us strongest: our love for each other, and the love of our God, our families, our clans, and our friends. Against an alliance of that nature no power in heaven or on earth stands a chance.

Arturus Aurelius Vetarus, Dux Britanniarum

Reblogged from Blissful Book Reviews, 31 October 2013, 

the Eve of Samhain

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Follow the Tour

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1. October 21st - Kathleen Foley (Review)	2. October 22nd- Literary Redemption
3. October 23rd- Nikis Book Blog (Review)	4. October 24th - Identity Discovery (Promo)
5. October 25th - Andis Book Reviews	6. October 28th - The Caffeinated Diva (Review)
7. October 29th - Out There Reviews & Stuff (Review and Excerpt)	8. October 30th - Mamas Got Flair (Promo)
9. October 31st - Blissful Book Reviews (Guest Post)	10. November 1st - Bibliophiles Thoughts On Books (Review)