Friday, November 29, 2013

Hot Autumn Nights

UPDATE: We have a grand prize winner! The winner Is Valerie K. chosen from this blog. Congratulations to Valerie and to Donna N. who won my $10 Gift Card. Thanks to everyone who participated in the hop, and esp. to H.D. and Caris for organizing it.

Linda

Welcome to the Hot Autumn Nights Blog Hop sponsored by authors H.D. Thomson and Caris Roane. Grand prize for the hop is a $70.00 gift card for Amazon or Barnes and Noble. At the end of the hop, the organizers will choose the grand prize winner using random.org by putting in the number of blog sites that participated. From there, they will use random.org again to choose a winner from the winning site, so the more sites you visit and comment at, the better your chance to win.

My prize is a $10 e-gift card of the winners choice: Amazon, BN, Starbucks, etc. Leave a comment to enter. You can earn additional chances to win by liking my Facebook page, following me on Twitter or signing up to the this blog. Let me know in the comments if you have earned additional points.

Now to the fun part. What does a hot autumn night mean to you? Is it snuggling before a roaring fire with your sweetie? That's a classic scenario, and one I used in my historical romance Rogue's Hostage.


His hostage... 

In 1758 the Pennsylvania frontier is wild, primitive and dangerous, where safety often lies at the end of a gun. Mara Dupre's life crumbles when a French and Indian war party attacks her cabin, kills her husband, and takes her captive. Marching through the wilderness strengthens her resolve to flee, but she doesn't count on her captor teaching her the meaning of courage and the tempting call of desire.

Her destiny...

French lieutenant Jacques Corbeau's desire for his captive threatens what little honor he has left. But when Mara desperately offers herself to him in exchange for her freedom, he finds the strength to refuse and reclaims his lost self-respect. As the shadows of his past catch up to him, Jacques realizes that Mara, despite the odds, is the one true key to reclaiming his soul and banishing his past misdeeds forever.

In this excerpt, Mara shows up when Jacques is at his lowest point with a bottle of wine and Swiss fondue:


She bustled over to the table and began arranging the items on the tray. “Have you ever had fondue before?”

He shook his head and stared doubtfully at the melted cheese mixture.

Mara picked up a fork, speared a cube of bread, dipped it in the fondue, and held it out to him.

He took a bite and nodded his approval. “Delicious.”

“It would be even better if I had real Gruyère cheese, but this will have to do.” She handed him the fork. 

“Now you try it.”

He mimicked her actions, but when he pulled the fork out of the pot, the bread was gone.

“Ah,” Mara said, “now you must pay a forfeit.”

He turned to her with an amused look on his face. “What kind of forfeit?”

She cocked her head to one side, a teasing look on her face. “Sometimes it is a bottle of wine.”

He clapped a hand to his forehead. “I knew it, you are after my vintage Bordeaux.”

She giggled. “Since I am still not overly fond of wine, I will not demand a forfeit.”

“Is there no alternative?” he asked. When he saw a blush creep up her face, he pressed the point. “What are you not telling me, madame?”

“Sometimes it is a kiss.”

He drew in a quick breath. “A much better idea, do you not agree?”

She looked at him uncertainly. “I suppose so.”

Jacques’s heart began to pound in his breast. It had been more than six months since he had kissed her, that last night at Fort Duquesne. Careful not to alarm her, he cupped her chin with one hand and lightly touched his lips to hers.

“I think I am going to like fondue very much,” he decided.

He pulled out a chair for her, and inched his own close so that their knees touched under the table. When she dipped her fork in the pot, he jostled her elbow, and she lost the bread.

“You did that on purpose,” she accused him with a smile.

He shrugged. “A forfeit is a forfeit. It is your turn to kiss me.”

She shook her head but complied with his request, kissing him sweetly but tentatively.

Jacques lost more bread than he ate, and soon he was intoxicated on wine and kisses. With each kiss, he grew bolder, slipping his tongue inside her mouth, savoring the tangy taste of cheese and Bordeaux.
Finally she put a hand on his chest. “Enough.”

He smiled lazily. “Oh, no, madame. I will never get enough of your kisses.”

Buy now from Amazon, All Romance eBooks,Barnes & Noble, iBooks, Kobo and Smashwords.

Rogue's Hostage is also part of the Romance Super Bundle, ten full-length romance novels for one low price. Available at Amazon, All Romance eBooks, Barnes and Noble, Kobo, iTunes and Smashwords.

Don't forget to leave a comment below to enter my giveaway with your email address. For extra credit, follow this blog, like my Facebook page or follow me on Twitter (@LyndiLamont). Just let me know what you did in the comments for extra chances to win.

What's your idea of a hot autumn night?

Linda

Follow the linky list below to keep hopping!

Hot Autumn Nights

Welcome to the Hot Autumn Nights Blog Hop sponsored by authors H.D. Thomson and Caris Roane. Grand prize for the hop is a $70.00 gift card for Amazon or Barnes and Noble. At the end of the hop, the organizers will choose the grand prize winner using random.org by putting in the number of blog sites that participated. From there, they will use random.org again to choose a winner from the winning site, so the more sites you visit and comment at, the better your chance to win.

My prize is a $10 e-gift card of the winners choice: Amazon, BN, Starbucks, etc. Leave a comment to enter. You can earn additional chances to win by liking my Facebook page, following me on Twitter or signing up to the this blog. Let me know in the comments if you have earned additional points.

Now to the fun part. What does a hot autumn night mean to you? Is it snuggling before a roaring fire with your sweetie? That's a classic scenario, and one I used in my historical romance Rogue's Hostage.


His hostage... 

In 1758 the Pennsylvania frontier is wild, primitive and dangerous, where safety often lies at the end of a gun. Mara Dupre's life crumbles when a French and Indian war party attacks her cabin, kills her husband, and takes her captive. Marching through the wilderness strengthens her resolve to flee, but she doesn't count on her captor teaching her the meaning of courage and the tempting call of desire.

Her destiny...

French lieutenant Jacques Corbeau's desire for his captive threatens what little honor he has left. But when Mara desperately offers herself to him in exchange for her freedom, he finds the strength to refuse and reclaims his lost self-respect. As the shadows of his past catch up to him, Jacques realizes that Mara, despite the odds, is the one true key to reclaiming his soul and banishing his past misdeeds forever.

In this excerpt, Mara shows up when Jacques is at his lowest point with a bottle of wine and Swiss fondue:


She bustled over to the table and began arranging the items on the tray. “Have you ever had fondue before?”

He shook his head and stared doubtfully at the melted cheese mixture.

Mara picked up a fork, speared a cube of bread, dipped it in the fondue, and held it out to him.

He took a bite and nodded his approval. “Delicious.”

“It would be even better if I had real Gruyère cheese, but this will have to do.” She handed him the fork. 

“Now you try it.”

He mimicked her actions, but when he pulled the fork out of the pot, the bread was gone.

“Ah,” Mara said, “now you must pay a forfeit.”

He turned to her with an amused look on his face. “What kind of forfeit?”

She cocked her head to one side, a teasing look on her face. “Sometimes it is a bottle of wine.”

He clapped a hand to his forehead. “I knew it, you are after my vintage Bordeaux.”

She giggled. “Since I am still not overly fond of wine, I will not demand a forfeit.”

“Is there no alternative?” he asked. When he saw a blush creep up her face, he pressed the point. “What are you not telling me, madame?”

“Sometimes it is a kiss.”

He drew in a quick breath. “A much better idea, do you not agree?”

She looked at him uncertainly. “I suppose so.”

Jacques’s heart began to pound in his breast. It had been more than six months since he had kissed her, that last night at Fort Duquesne. Careful not to alarm her, he cupped her chin with one hand and lightly touched his lips to hers.

“I think I am going to like fondue very much,” he decided.

He pulled out a chair for her, and inched his own close so that their knees touched under the table. When she dipped her fork in the pot, he jostled her elbow, and she lost the bread.

“You did that on purpose,” she accused him with a smile.

He shrugged. “A forfeit is a forfeit. It is your turn to kiss me.”

She shook her head but complied with his request, kissing him sweetly but tentatively.

Jacques lost more bread than he ate, and soon he was intoxicated on wine and kisses. With each kiss, he grew bolder, slipping his tongue inside her mouth, savoring the tangy taste of cheese and Bordeaux.
Finally she put a hand on his chest. “Enough.”

He smiled lazily. “Oh, no, madame. I will never get enough of your kisses.”

Buy now from Amazon, All Romance eBooks,Barnes & Noble, iBooks, Kobo and Smashwords.

Rogue's Hostage is also part of the Romance Super Bundle, ten full-length romance novels for one low price. Available at Amazon, All Romance eBooks, Barnes and Noble, Kobo, iTunes and Smashwords.

Don't forget to leave a comment below to enter my giveaway with your email address. For extra credit, follow this blog, like my Facebook page or follow me on Twitter (@LyndiLamont). Just let me know what you did in the comments for extra chances to win.

What's your idea of a hot autumn night?

Linda

Follow the linky list below to keep hopping!

Wednesday, November 20, 2013

The Best Present Excerpt


I'm thrilled to be part of Sweetwater Springs Christmas: A Montana Sky Short Story Anthology (Montana Sky Series) by Debra Holland and Friends, namely E. Ayers, Linda Carroll-Bradd, MJ Fredrick, Paty Jager, Jill Marie Landis, Trish Milburn, Bev Pettersen, Tori Scott, Cynthia Woolf, and me, Linda McLaughlin. Most of the stories are sweet romance set in Montana in 1895.

Today I thought I'd share the blurb and a short excerpt from my short story, The Best Present.

blurb:

Ten-year-old Allison Harcourt's life has been turned upside down since her father lost his job and her beloved grandmother died. She's not looking forward to Christmas, especially since she can't figure out how to finish the scarf she's making for her mother. An unexpected stop in Sweetwater Springs brings her and her parents to the boarding house of the widow Murphy.

Sometimes sweet things can be found in the most unexpected places.

Excerpt:

"Christmas won't be Christmas without any presents."

Allison Harcourt stared at the opening lines of her favorite book, Little Women, until the words blurred. Unable to read, she closed the volume.

Christmas won't be Christmas without Grandma.

Sudden tears filled her eyes, and she turned her head to stare out the train window, blinking furiously to make the moisture go away. Don't cry, don't cry, don't cry. The words pounded rhythmically in her head to the clack of the train over the tracks. Mama and Papa hated seeing her cry, but it was hard to hide the tears with Mama sitting across from her. If only her seat faced front. Then Mama wouldn't be able to see her.

Her mother heaved a sigh. "Why do you read that book when it makes you weep?"

Allison wiped her eyes and looked at her mother. For once Little Women wasn't the reason she was crying, but she gave the same answer she always did. "Because it's so good." It was a familiar refrain, one they had exchanged the second and fifth and tenth time she'd read the book. Usually, she only cried when Beth died, but now, with Christmas only a day away…

She slipped the book into her carpetbag and turned back to the window so Mama couldn't see her face. The scenery outside sped by as the train clattered along the track, clouds of black smoke billowing back from the locomotive. Allison could barely see through her tears, but it didn't matter. She was tired of looking at the prairie, so flat and boring, especially today with the sky a pale gray. There were supposed to be mountains ahead, but her seat faced the rear of the train. All she could see was what was behind her--not just miles of prairie, but her friends, her school, and her home back in Pittsburgh--before Grandma died and Papa said they were moving.

 ~~~~

In writing about a ten-year-old girl having the worst Christmas of her young life. I drew on some personal experiences, including my memories of my tenth Christmas, which took place two weeks after the death of my grandmother. A year later, again at Christmas, we moved out of the house I'd lived in my whole life to move to another state. Allison's story has a different ending than mine did, but it's the most personal work I've ever written, and writing it was an emotional experience.

Like Allison, I grew up in Pittsburgh, PA. which can be pretty cold and snowy in December. Whenever possible, my dad liked to take off for Miami during the holidays. One year, we left early on Christmas morning and drove to North Carolina that day. We found a motel, but there was nowhere to eat; everything was closed for the holiday. I remember my dad driving around and around town, when suddenly we saw some bright lights in the distance. It was a White Castle, all lit up and open for business. Christmas dinner consisted of burgers and fries at the counter!

If you enjoy Western romance and/or holiday romance, I think you'll enjoy this anthology.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Linda

Saturday, November 16, 2013


You're invited to the November 18 Facebook launch party for Sweetwater Springs Christmas: A Montana Sky Short Story Anthology (Montana Sky Series) by Debra Holland and Friends, namely E. Ayers, Linda Carroll-Bradd, MJ Fredrick, Paty Jager, Jill Marie Landis, Trish Milburn, Linda McLaughlin, Bev Pettersen, Tori Scott, and Cynthia Woolf.

Throughout the day, we’ll be “chatting” and doing playful question and answers. Each hour there will be plenty of giveaways, and at the end of the day, commenters will be entered into a grand prize drawing for a Kindle Fire. 

Writing my story, The Best Present, was both challenging and rewarding. It's not easy to write in another author's story world, plus I was unfamiliar with Montana in 1895 (or any other time.) Some research was required. (That was okay since I love research.)

For once, I shed my romance persona and wrote about a ten-year-old girl having the worst Christmas of her young life. I drew on some personal experiences, including my memories of my tenth Christmas, which took place two weeks after the death of my grandmother. Allison's story has a different ending than mine did, but it's the most personal work I've ever written, and it was an emotional experience.

Sweetwater Springs Christmas: A Montana Sky Short Story Anthology releases Nov. 18 on Amazon but is available for pre-order now.

I hope some of you will join us on Monday to celebrate the release of the anthology at Facebook. It runs from 9AM to 6PM, Pacific time, and I will be there alone (gulp) from 10-11AM. I'd love to see some friendly faces there. I'll be giving away several prizes, including two $10 gift cards of the winner's choice and downloads of my sweet Regency romance, Lady Elinor's Escape.

Linda

Monday, November 11, 2013

Boxed Sets Galore

Boxed sets, i.e. bundles of books sold together, are the big new thing in indie publishing, and there are some amazing deals out there. Some of these authors are friends, so I've collected a selection of bundles to share with you, in addition the Romance Super Bundle, which contains my historical romance, Rogue's Hostage. I'm including the links to the sets at Amazon, but some are available elsewhere.

There's something for everyone in this selection!  These bundles aren't just a wonderful bargain - they're also a great way to discover new authors to love - and book boyfriends to sigh over!

This set is for fans of rich alpha men...

BILLIONAIRE BAD BOYS OF ROMANCE BOXED SET (10 Book Bundle)
Selena Kitt, Tawny Taylor, Ava Lore, Terry Towers, Anna Antonia, Amy Aday, Nelle L'Amour, Dez Burke, Marian Tee

Tagline: Love your book boyfriends filthy rich, devastatingly beautiful & irresistibly bad?

Review: "I like alpha men, and I like bargains! This set of books is full of raw, powerful men and the ladies who love them (including me!)"

Also available at: Apple  ~ Amazon UK ~ Barnes and Noble ~ All Romance Ebooks ~ Kobo
Top 100 in Amazon, Top 50 in Barnes & Noble, and Top 20 in AllRomance

In the mood for romantic suspense?

IN HARM'S WAY by Norah Wilson, MJ Fredrick, and Trish Milburn

Three full romantic suspense novels in one collection

Review: "Three different books of damsels in distress and the great looking hunky men that rescue and then fall in love. Ive always been a sucker for a great romance book. These stories are original and a lot of fun."

For paranormal readers...

SHIFTER ROMANCE BOXED SET (11 Book Bundle) -- by Celia Kyle, Eliza Gayle, Selena Kitt, Tawny Taylor, Marina Maddix, Elixa Everett, Cynthia Brint, Dawn Steele, Aubrey Rose, Julianne Reyner, and Adriana Hunter

Stories from New York Times and USA Today bestselling authors Aubrey Rose, Eliza Gayle, Terry Towers (writing as Elixa Everett), Tawny Taylor , Aphrodite Hunt (writing as Dawn Steele) and Marina Maddix ,as well as #1 Paranormal author Celia Kyle, Top 20 Shifter Romance author Cynthia Brint, Top 10 Barnes & Noble and Top 100 Amazon BBW Romance Author Adriana Hunter, and Top 100 Amazon and Barnes and Noble best selling and award winning author Selena Kitt.


Review: "I'm in shifter romance heaven!  When I saw the all-star author line-up in this boxed set I couldn't pass it up!"

For fans of contemporary romance...


MIRACLE INTERRUPTED SET (Books 1, 2 and 3, Contemporary Romance & More)  - by Edie Ramer
Titles: MUST WORSHIP CATS, STARDUST MIRACLE, MIRACLE LANE

Review: "I love a book where the "heroine" bursts from her cocoon and blossoms into a full-grown, beautiful, real woman!"

For the mystery lover...

YOUNG LADIES OF MYSTERY Boxed Set by Stacy Juba
Twenty-Five Years Ago Today, Sink or Swim, Dark Before Dawn

Review: "Juba demonstrates an exquisite talent for leading her readers through a maze only for them to discover a completely different outcome..." ~ Ariesgirl Book Reviews

If you're already in the mood for holiday romance...


CHRISTMAS ON MAIN STREET - by E. Ayers, Susan R. Hughes, Tori Scott, Mona Risk, Jill James, Kristy Tate, Leigh Morgan, Carol DeVaney, Pepper Phillips, Stephanie Queen

Review: " I love Christmas-themed stories and these are just perfect to put me in the holiday spirit. An awesome deal for eleven books by talented authors."




And last, but not least (in my opinion)

ROMANCE SUPER BUNDLE by Dale Mayer, Donna Marie Rogers, Edie Ramer, Amy Gamet, Linda McLaughlin, Kate Kelly, Pamela Fryer, Lois Winston, Barbara Phinney, and Wendy Ely

Review: "Great buy for your money. If you're looking for various types of books then it's all here to enjoy thumbs up."

Amazon, All Romance eBooks, Barnes and Noble, Kobo, iTunes and Smashwords

What catches your eye this month?

Linda