Love and Betrayal - Ends 10/8

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Love and Betrayal by Kat Martin

Out of the more than fifty Romance novels I’ve written, many have dealt in some way or another with a passionate love that involves betrayal.  Two come immediately to mind, BOLD ANGEL, which was a Medieval where the hero, lord of the castle, had a leman--in those days a nice word for mistress.

      It was the custom back then for a lord to keep a lady on the side, but in this case not one his young wife could accept.  It took a while, but eventually Ral discovered there was no else he wanted, that his love for Caryn of Ivesham was more valuable than anything he could get from another woman.


      In another book, PERFECT SIN, Rand Clay turns to another woman because he can’t alleviate the pain he and his wife suffer when they lose their unborn child.


      Like his Medieval forerunner, Rand learns that nothing is more important than the love he feels for his wife.  Unfortunately, winning that love back after he has destroyed it takes Herculean effort.  It isn’t until Rand is willing to sacrifice his life to save Caitlin’s that she realizes he has learned the value of true love.


      There is another kind of betrayal, one that involves a misconception.  In THE HANDMAIDEN’S NECKLACE, the third in the Necklace Trilogy that is just being re-issued, Danielle Duval doesn’t deserve the scorn she receives from the man she loved with all her heart.  The Duke of Sheffield has wronged her by wrongly accusing her of being unfaithful.  Dani is determined she will never forgive him and only Rafe’s determination to redeem himself and regain Dani’s love can bring them the happiness they deserve.


      Writing about betrayal is tricky.  Some readers refuse to forgive the betrayer, but I believe that if that person truly realizes what he has lost, he or she can achieve the kind of love that lasts forever.


      If you haven’t read my Necklace Trilogy, I hope you will give the books a try.  THE BRIDE’S NECKLACE, THE DEVIL’S NECKLACE, and THE HANDMAIDEN’S NECKLACE.  All best wishes, Kat
  
Excerpt, The Bride's Necklace
Excerpt, The Devil's Necklace
Excerpt, The Handmaiden's Necklace

REVIEWS

The Bride's Necklace: ...Martin (Heartless, etc.) adroitly balances the passion and intrigue in this fast-paced Regency, and provides vibrant characters, a swashbuckling prison escape and a satisfying resolution of the necklace legend. Read more of Publishers Weekly Review


The Devil's Necklace: This was a smashing sequel to Martin’s newest trilogy that started with THE BRIDE’S NECKLACE. The main protagonists torment was vividly written and forcefully brought home in this tremendously emotional and exciting adventure. Martin does an amazing job with insinuating all the nuances of betrayal, longing and sensual delight in her writing. The dialogs are smart, witty, and fresh and invites the reader in to become a part of the drama in this latest, totally stand-alone, entry to the trilogy... This is another absolutely marvelous romantic adventure by one very talented author I highly recommend. Read More of Historical Romance Writers Review


The Handmaiden's Necklace: ...Historical romance fans will appreciate this fine tale starring a mortified lead male trying to overcome all the mistakes he caused when he failed to follow up on his beloved's crying pain of innocence.... Read More of Harriet Klausner's Review

Read Out Loud - Ends 9/24

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Read out loud. by Becky Moore

That’s some of the best advice I can give to anyone who writes anything. And even though my second contemporary romance just went on sale over the weekend, reading out loud has served me well in the thirteen years I’ve been a professional writer outside the world of romance.

My first job out of college was at an advertising agency. I can remember sitting in the traffic area, keying in edits and copy changes that filtered through me from the editors and writers, listening to the writers reading aloud. They’d act out and intone appropriately. Sometimes I gave a thumbs up. Sometimes I’d giggle and sometimes I winced. But what I always took seriously was how the copy that finally came to me was much different after they’d read it aloud.

Words sound differently when you say them out loud than you imagine them in your head, whether it’s a magazine article, news story, grant, or press release. It’s sort of like when I squeeze into a sexy pair of size eight jeans and strappy sandals for a night on the town—when really a size 10 or twelve would be more appropriate. That outside sound registers in your mind.

My husband is a huge fan of reading aloud. Particularly romance … and particularly my stories. As a voracious reader, I’ve generally got two or three novels going at any given time, plus the books my son and I read together before bed. My husband might read one in that same time frame. But when I’m working out a scene in my mind for stories I’m writing, he tunes out everything to give me his undivided attention. I can get him everytime with a scene like this (from my first book, The Right Words):

She was going to have to go up there.


She was all the way at the attic landing outside Amber’s door, knocking with the flat of her hand, when she realized she was in her summer jammies. The only thing covering her little bikini panties were an old threadbare T-shirt with ‘Marauders’ emblazoned in pink rhinestones across the chest. She groaned and let her head drop back on her shoulders, Great. Staring at the ceiling, she reached out to knock again—but instead of the solid door, her hand met solid, unyielding flesh. Crap!


She sucked in a quick breath, jerked her head up and came face to face with a tanned Adam’s apple. Ooh and little dribbles of sweat trickled down it.

Hooked him with the word “panties.” Works every time. I can also reel him in with dialogue. Narrative gives him the great descriptions, but dialogue generally invites him to think along with me. How about this excerpt, also from The Right Words:

“The house was quiet without you,” he growled.


He leaned in and kissed her on the neck, in that sensitive junction between her earlobe and the curve of her shoulder. Before pulling back, he gave her a light lick.


Her breath whooshed out and, dear Lord, she had a little orgasm. She opened her mouth to chastise him, but squeaked instead at her body’s release. His deep, gravelly voice made her shiver. He was so intense, so…sexy. Her reaction to him was startling.


“But I enjoyed the chocolate cake you left on the stairs. It’s not often that a beautiful woman cooks for me.”

I can guarantee that Peter Mayle or Tom Clancy, or Stephen Hawkins’s books don’t read the same as a romance novel. They may be just as riveting or just as exciting, but they’re not nearly as titillating. I love to read such a wide variety of books, but I always come back to the romance genre. Life is hard. Everyday we’re faced with difficult choices, or read sad news on the Internet and are bombarded with dramatic and traumatic stories of the day.

As an author, and as a reader, I choose romance because of one big glaring obvious facet: a happy ending. A little adventure, a little drama, a little mystery and suspense. And a happy ending. That’s my favorite kind of story. And if you can read it out loud with your partner, it’s even better.

~ ~ ~

· You can read more about Becky Moore at www.beckymoore.net

· Follow her on Facebook: BeckyMooreRomance

· Chirp along with her on Twitter: @beckym_romance

· Buy The Right Words: http://ow.ly/2EN72

· Buy The Penalty Box: http://ow.ly/2EN8l

The Hero Pattern - Ends 9/24

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Comment for a chance to win an autographed copy of Louisa Edwards new book and some signature Recipe for Love swag (so you and your personal hero can cook together)!

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The Hero Pattern by Louisa Edwards

The first hero I fell in love with was Jane Eyre’s darkly seductive, dangerously attractive Mr. Rochester. He captivated me (at the tender age of 8!) with his bold determination to live his life as he chose, his tormented secrets, and his undisguised passion. He’s the perfect hero—flawed, certainly, but very human, and very loveable.

In some ways, Rochester still provides the pattern for my favorite heroes. In my culinary romance trilogy, set in the kitchen of trendy Manhattan eatery Market, the heroes are all chefs, not English gentleman. But certain similarities are unmistakable!

Adam Temple, the hero of the first Market book, Can’t Stand the Heat, is best described as a happy alpha. He’s very much in charge of his universe, the fast-paced restaurant world, but as long as he gets to do exactly as he likes, he’s a very happy guy. And he’s pretty determined to stay that way! In the second book, On the Steamy Side, celebrity chef Devon Sparks has a lot of Rochester’s darker appeal—he sets his sights on the heroine (who just happens to be his son’s nanny) early on and stops at nothing to get her.

And then there’s Wes. Oh! Con-artist-turned-culinary-student Wes Murphy, from my new Recipe for Love novel, Just One Taste. He’s got it all. Determination to be the best chef he can be, to live a good life on the straight and narrow . . . away from the big secret of his past, his father, who brought him up running cons and swindling people. But the core of Wes, and the thing that makes him irresistibly attractive and romantic, is his vibrant passion. For food, cooking, and of course, for his heroine, Rosemary. He’s head over heels for all of it, and his commitment to becoming the kind of man who deserves to be happy is unwavering . . . and makes for some very exciting storytelling!

Just One Taste is the culmination of the Market trilogy, and in some ways, Wes Murphy is the culmination of my love for the Rochester-style hero. Who’s your favorite classic romance hero?

Louisa Edwards
http://louisaedwards.com

A ‘shift’ In Secondary Characters - Ends 9/24

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A ‘shift’ In Secondary Characters by M.A. Ellis

I’ve heard about it for years. The ‘freedom’ authors find when writing paranormal romance. Creating any character is a treat, which goes without saying. But to devise a world where you’re solely in control is a very heady experience, and one I quite enjoyed when writing my newest release, FILIGREE AND FANTASY.

It’s my first paranormal erotic romance. Oh, I’ve dipped my toe into the fantasy genre with a mermaid heroine, but this book was a bit different. Well, more than a bit different according to my editor. The fact shape shifters played an integral part in the story wasn’t that big of a deal…the fact those shifters weren’t my hero or heroine was noteworthy, however.

But hey, it’s my world, isn’t it? And as a true panser, it’s my duty to allow my secondary characters a chance to influence me just as much as a talented artistic heroine and a sexy foreign hero. I’m just thankful that during hours of research on the country of Macedonia in general—and the art of filigree jewelry making in particular—I came across an ancient breed of canines that allowed for strong, shifter types. It would have sucked if an icon of the Macedonian animal kingdom had been a marsupial. Shifting opossums really aren’t attractive, in my humble opinion. But if a distinct waddle, a pink nose and creepy, long claws does it for you, mea culpa my friends.

But as great as those shifters are, I obviously needed a solid tie in between them and the heroine. And in my newly-formed world, there was nothing strange about a woman who finds she can work ancient silver into protective talismans. Beautifully designed protective talismans, at that! The premise is a bit different, but I hope readers find it enjoyable. In the meantime, I’ll share the blurb with you.

Filigree and Fantasy - Blurb

Whitney is ecstatic over her internship in Macedonia and the opportunity to hone her craft at the hands of a filigree master. Little does she know the old man has an ulterior motive for her presence—using her talent to save the dwindling numbers of his family’s canine shapeshifters, the Sharplanjat.

Jovan isn’t a shifter, but his sense of duty rivals that of the Sharplanjat—until his unbridled attraction to the woman who might very well hold his family’s future in her hands forces him to throw caution aside and hold her. Taste her. Drive her to the brink of exquisite passion and beyond.

Mesmerized by the virile, violet-eyed foreigner, Whitney is more than ready for a quick, steamy affair. But the extremely determined Jovan has more than several days of scorchingly wild sex in mind.

But when she finds out his family secret will she run screaming in fear or embrace the fantasy that can only be found in his protective arms?

If you’re intrigued, head over to my website www.maellisromance.com to read a lengthy excerpt. If you’re not intrigued, head to the website anyhow. I’ve been given a very nice cover from the Art Department, as well. Check it out and let me know your thoughts on those biceps. They’re drool worthy for sure. Which is perfectly acceptable if you’re a canine shape shifter. Or a fan of romantic fiction. Or both. Oh, wait. Can anyone say ‘sequel’?

What a Cowgirl Wants - Ends 9/17

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Enter to win a copy of To One Fine Cowboy - To enter you must Be a member of the NOR newsletter, leave the first bit of your email address on the post, and leave a meaningful comment. USA / Canada Shipping only. No P.O. Boxes. Publisher to ship prize. Two winners will be selected. Contest Ends 9/17/2010



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What a Cowgirl Wants by Joanne Kennedy

What a cowgirl wants and what a cowgirl needs are two very different things.

What a cowgirl wants is what she gets in my books: One Fine Cowboy.

She wants a lot of other things, too: a fine-tooled pair of cowboy boots, a champion barrel horse, a pair of jeans that fits just right, and a home on the range to call her own.

The boots are an essential tool when you’re in the saddle, and a badge of honor out of it. Every cowgirl should have at least two pairs—a rough-and-ready set for everyday wear, and pretty ones for scootin’ at the Outlaw on Saturday nights.

While not all of us can run the barrels like Lindsay Sears, we all wish we could—and a great barrel horse will carry you around the cloverleaf whether you’re a champ in the making or just hanging on to the horn.

And those jeans? They have to fit right, and they need to be long enough to “stack” over your boots. My favorites right now are Wrangler Q-Babies. I just wish they made them in more colors to go with my dress-up scootin’ boots!

As for my current “home on the range” there are no deer and antelope playing in the yard, though a pair of pronghorns took to strolling around he sidewalks this summer. (I think they were lost.) But “seldom is heard a discouraging word”—and that’s a lot more important than flora and fauna.

Throw in a handsome cowboy and you’ve got everything a cowgirl wants—but no genuine cowgirl needs a man to make her complete. Or boots. Or a horse.

All she really needs is attitude—because “cowgirl” is a state of mind.

You might not get the chance to ride the range in real life, but you can still celebrate the cowgirl spirit. Cowgirls take pride in their work, keep their promises, and live each day with courage. They’re independent, fair-minded, and can take care of themselves, thank you very much. All a cowgirl really needs is a life of her own and the courage to live it.

Charlie Banks, my heroine in One Fine Cowboy, definitely has her own dreams and goals—a Plan with a capital “P.” She’s going to finish school, get her degree in psychology, and move on to some kind of meaningful work. She definitely doesn’t have a place in her life for a man. Not until she’s executed The Plan.

But when her thesis advisor sends her to Wyoming to study interspecies communication at a “horse whispering” clinic run by trainer Nate Shawcross, Charlie’s less than thrilled. As an animal rights advocate, she’s not about to “bust a bronc.” Only loyalty to her advisor keeps her at lonely Latigo Ranch—that, and the broken axle on her car. It’s going to take the local mechanic at least a week to get the part she needs to hit the gas and go.

But it’s not long before Charlie finds herself falling in love—not with the cowboy, but with the damaged, difficult stallion he’s staked his ranch on. And when Nate’s injured in an encounter with a stack of hay bales and a renegade two-by-four, he’s forced to trust her with the horse, and with his own future.

Before long, Charlie finds herself warming to the work—and to the cowboy. Nate’s not much of a talker, but he definitely teaches her a thing or two about non-verbal communication.

If my cowboys are designed to be the kind of man readers want for their own, my heroines are the kind of woman we all want to be: strong and independent, with goals and dreams of their own. How do you celebrate the “cowgirl spirit” in your life?

ONE FINE COWBOY BY JOANNE KENNEDY

IN STORES – SEPTEMBER 2010

He’s got a way with horses…and with women...

Nate Shawcross is perfectly content to spend his days training wild horses. So when a beautiful greenhorn unexpectedly shows up for a seminar from the famous “Horse Whisperer” of Wyoming, all Nate wants to do is send her packing… 

The last thing she expects is a lesson in romance…

Graduate student Charlie Banks came to the ranch to learn about horse communication, but when she meets the ruggedly handsome cowboy, she starts to fantasize about another connection entirely…

Nate needs to stay focused if he’s going to save his ranch from foreclosure, but he can’t help being distracted by the brainy and breathtakingly sexy Charlie. Could it be that after all this time Nate has finally found the one woman who can tame his wild heart?

About the Author

Joanne Kennedy has worked in bookstores all her life in positions from bookseller to buyer. A member of Romance Writers of America and Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers, she won first place in the Colorado Gold Writing Contest and second in the Heart of the Rockies contest. Joanne lives in Cheyenne, Wyoming. For more information, please visit http://joannekennedybooks.com.

The love of a good alpha hero - Ends: 9/10

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Enter To Win a $10.00 eGift Card to Amazon.com from Raine Delight!

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The love of a good alpha hero by Raine Delight

I love strong alpha male heroes. There is something about them that makes my heart race and sigh with delight.What makes a really good alpha hero? One that in my opinion is also with flaws. You know the strong hero with a heart of gold he keeps hidden. I don't mean one that is so vile and mean that you want to toss him out the window. I mean those heroes who come off strong, tough but with the right person, melt into a puddle of goo. Who doesn't love an alpha male hero who is redeemed by the love of their soul mate?

In my book, Haunting Magic, I have a wolf shifter who has to find his mate before Halloween or risk being a lone wolf for the rest of his life. Rodrick Dracon was a fun character to write. He had a different woman (or women for that matter) every night with a charm that could have been slimy but came off as adorable….well except for Jax, his nemesis and the one woman his wolf wanted for a mate. I never imagined these two hooking up per say. The sparks flew whenever they were together but my muse was determined to show these two stubborn people they were perfect for each other. I let the muse flow and voila! A story that has gotten good reviews plus it became my best selling book ever at Aspen Mountain Press and a cover that everyone drools over. Writing Rod as a strong alpha male had me swooning because he didn't steamroll over Jax, she went toe to toe with him and in the process both found a love that was meant to be.

An alpha male character, in my honest opinion, is only as good as the mate he is destined for (be it female or male). They have to be just as strong and able to not let their soul mate(s) run right over t hem. For that I love strong main characters, ones that fairly simmer with life and practically step off the pages-into your room and heart. I just finished another Devon Falls book called Moonlight & Magic, a tale of a lone were-tiger looking for his mate and a place to call home. Michael Barnes was at first a shy quiet man until he informed me quite loudly I should say that he was a tiger, not a house cat and made me scrap the first draft and rewrite it all over again. After reading what I wrote the second time, I totally agreed with the character and my muse. He was a stronger character the second time around who, with his sight set on Dixie, made sure that she knew how much he wanted her. He wasn't without issues either. Michael had to show Dixie the love he was feeling for her would last longer than one night plus he had to trust her with the one thing he had of value-his heart. Both characters are strong in their own way and perfect for each other. 


I draw upon my favorite books that had some memorable characters as inspiration for my characters. You know those authors like Sherrilyn Kenyon, Keri Arthur, Lena Austin, Sierra Dafoe, Claire Thompson, Josh Lanyon and more who create many wonderful characters for readers to fall in love with. With each book I write, I try to draw on my inspiration and give the characters that spark that makes them lovable as well as believable. So tell me, What makes a good alpha male hero in your mind? Have any favorites that make you swoon?

------------------------Author Bio------------------------

Raine Delight is a multi-published author who enjoys writing about alpha heroes who need the love of a good mate to settle their heart. You can find her on the web at http://authorrainedelight.com (website),http://rainedelightbooknook.blogspot.com (blog), http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Author_Raine_Delight (Yahoo loop) or on Twitter at Raine_Delight. She is published at Aspen Mountain Press (www.aspenmountainpress.com) and upcoming at The Wild Horse Press (www.the-wild-horse-press.com)