Elinor, to me, embodies the quiet warrior. From the moment you meet her — divorced, unemployed, and crushing on 2 men at once, you are drawn into her likeability, her openness, and her humor. You may think this is an unusual choice for a grown-ass, approaching Medicare age woman to admire, but you would be wrong. Bella embodies what every girl possessed with a romantic heart embodies including me: She will do anything to protect the ones she loves and has no regrets about her choices.
- Whither Cometh Humankind? The Origins of Man. Genesis and Science Agree!;
- Così tacque Zarathustra (Italian Edition);
- Categories!
To love and be loved is what motivates all she does. There is no gray with Scarlett. She is single-minded, determined, and forceful. She can pout and simper to get her way or fight back and rail. Plus she has the best resting bitch face of anyone in literature. Janie keeps on going, no matter what her life throws her way her, and is able to hang on to her dignity and sense of self no matter what. She challenges the conventions and forces those around her to do the same. I feel a little wrong including one of my own heroines here, but Gemma Laine embodies every trait I feel is necessary in a kick-ass woman in fiction.
She is proficient in martial arts and not afraid to defend herself or anyone else with her physical prowess if necessary. When she loves there is no middle area about it: She would die to protect someone she loved and she always, always has the back of those loved ones. She may not be the most pleasant woman you ever meet, but you will always know where you stand with her and if she considers you a friend, you are one for life no matter what. I know I did. Thinking about V-day always makes me think of great book quotes about love, relationships, the future.
Here are seven of my favorite romantic quotes from books. It will not do. My feelings will not be repressed. You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you. She states to Dr. Tagged as amreading , SaturdaySeven , writer amwriting amblogging , A. Today is an easy topic for me: One look at my Goodreads account and you know I like to read.
I mean, really read. My Goodreads Reading Challenge goal in is books. There is no evidence of forced entry, not a clue that points to a motive. Who would murder a child and leave the only witness behind? When the very next day P. With pressure mounting from a tough, no-nonsense new sheriff, the media, and the parents of Bayou Breaux, Nick and Annie dig deep into the dual mysteries. Is the missing teenager, Nora, a victim, or something worse?
Then fingerprints at the scene change everything when they come back to a convicted criminal: The spotlight falls heavily on the grieving mother who is both victim and accused. Could she have killed her own child to free herself of the burden of motherhood, or is the loss of her beloved boy pushing her to the edge of insanity? Could she have something to do with the disappearance of Nora Florette, or is the troubled teenager the key to the murder? How far will Nick and Annie have to go to uncover the dark truth of the boy? It was a typical evening at a mall outside Portland, Maine.
Three teenage friends waited for the movie to start. A boy flirted with the girl selling sunglasses. Mothers and children shopped together, and the manager at video game store tended to customers. Then the shooters arrived.
The chaos and carnage lasted only eight minutes before the killers were taken down. But for those who lived through it, the effects would last forever. In the years that followed, one would dedicate himself to a law enforcement career. And as the survivors slowly heal, find shelter, and rebuild, they will discover that another conspirator is lying in wait—and this time, there might be nowhere safe to hide.
A woman who defies her time Dr. Garrett Gibson, the only female physician in England, is as daring and independent as any man—why not take her pleasures like one? Yet she has never been tempted to embark on an affair, until now. Ethan Ransom, a former detective for Scotland Yard, is as gallant as he is secretive, a rumored assassin whose true loyalties are a mystery. For one exhilarating night, they give in to their potent attraction before becoming strangers again.
Despite their vow to resist each other after that sublime night, she is soon drawn into his most dangerous assignment yet. Jina Modell works in Communications for a paramilitary organization, and she really likes it. She likes the money, she likes the coolness factor—and it was very cool, even for Washington, DC. She liked being able to kick terrorist butts without ever leaving the climate-controlled comfort of the control room.
The last thing he needs is some tech geek holding them back from completing a dangerous, covert operation. In the following months, however, no one is more surprised than he when Babe, who hates to sweat, begins to thrive in her new environment, displaying a grit and courage that wins her the admiration of her hardened, battle-worn teammates. While the rest of the operatives set off on their mission, Jina remains at the base to control the surveillance drone, when the base is suddenly attacked with explosives.
After escaping from a private sanitarium, Adelaide Blake arrives in Burning Cove, California, desperate to start over. Working at an herbal tea shop puts her on the radar of those who frequent the seaside resort town: Hollywood movers and shakers always in need of hangover cures and tonics. One such customer is Jake Truett, a recently widowed businessman in town for a therapeutic rest. But unbeknownst to Adelaide, his exhaustion is just a cover. In Burning Cove, no one is who they seem. Behind facades of glamour and power hide drug dealers, gangsters, and grifters. Into this make-believe world comes psychic to the stars Madame Zolanda.
Adelaide and Jake know better than to fall for her kind of con. Caterina Victoria Windsor fled her family vineyard after a humiliating broken engagement, and spent the past year in Italy rebuilding her world. But when Ripley Savage shows up with a plan to bring her back home, and an outrageous demand for her to marry him, she has no choice but to return to face her past. Rip Savage saved Windsor Vineyards, but the only way to make it truly his is to marry into the family.
When he convinces her to agree to a marriage arrangement to get what they both want, he never counted on the fierce sexual attraction between them to distract either of them from their goals. But when deeper emotions emerge, Rip has to make a decision that can affect the future of the vineyard, and his shielded heart….
Ian Bradley is the definition of a Wall Street hotshot: Every woman who knows him has felt the rush. An ambitious, whip-smart daughter of FBI agents, Lara is a rising star in fighting white-collar crime. Her latest case—the investigation of Ian Bradley for insider trading—could make her career. She knows a scoundrel when she sees one.
Ian fits the bill: Now, taking down Ian has become more than business for Lara. Another week, another list of 7 things! From the very first page of the very first book in this series, I was hooked and hooked solid! Eve Dallas and Roarke are a love affair for the ages. In each book, they have grown as people, in their marriage, in their jobs, even in how they navigate through their tortuous pasts. JD Robb is a master plotter and every single story is a masterclass for authors who want to learn how to write witty and spot-on dialogue and banter, plus be guided in how to weave a story to a perfect ending.
Start at the very first book, Naked in Death. Guaranteed, you will be hooked just like me. If I was ever going to write myself a best friend, it would be Stephanie Plum. In her thirties, with one disastrous marriage behind her and a crazy family by her side, Stephanie is a bail-bondswoman -and not a very good one, at that. But what she is, is hysterically funny. Evanovich has created a heroine anyone could see as their very own book BFF. I first became a Jill Shalvis groupie when I read the first book in this series, Simply Irresistible.
Witty banter, great secondary characters, sex! This book had it all. Do yourself a favor: Liking the blurb I decided to request a copy and give it a shot. I devoured the entire book in one sitting and then went straight to Amazon and bought the rest in the series, plus her entire backlist. Set mostly in Manhattan, the characters and setting were as familiar to me as if Layne was writing about my friends.
With an engaging writing style and dialogue that I read out loud because it is so spot-on, she is another one of my auto-buy authors.
Long and SHort Reviews | Peggy Jaeger | Page 2
Start with To Have and to Hold , sit back, and prepare to fall in love with her characters and with Lauren Layne herself! The men they let into their inner circle must be strong and know they can never come between the friends. Best song ever written — Itsy bitsy spider. Always got a giggle out of my kids when they were little. Who would you want to be for 1 day and why? It can be anyone living or dead Eleanor Roosevelt, but how could I live up to such a strong woman? Meredith knows three things: First, the man in the library begged her to help him. Second, he was afraid of his wife.
Then a second death occurs, with remarkable similarities. As a slow-burning relationship heats up in her own life, Meredith struggles with concepts of love and hate, belief and suspicion, and absolution and guilt. Nothing is clear cut…. Is guilt, like evil, something you can choose to believe in? His eyes were anxious and beseeching at her as though she should have a clear understanding of him and his life.
Meredith gave him what she hoped was an impartial-though-quasi-friendly smile. She reached for her purse and papers and rose from her chair. Nice talking with you. The man was lost in his own train of thought and seemed only slightly aware that Meredith was leaving. The series follows Meredith Lowe, a young abused woman figuring out her life after her husband moves them to an isolated valley in Idaho. After he is murdered, all the evidence points to her. Then she finds all is not as it seems in this small Idaho town.
The author is a former journalist and editor for a number of publications, including the Las Vegas Review-Journal and The Sacramento Bee. To enter, comment on this post and then give her Facebook page a Like. They sound wonderful and intriguing…. What drives you to write? Like many authors probably tell you, I have characters in my head who talk to me. I just have to get their stories on paper to shut them up. What genre s of Romance do your write , and why? I also write contemporary romance as Kadie Scott—because I love a good love story. What genre s of Romance do you read , and why?
I read every genre of romance—paranormal, contemporary, historical, erotic, science fiction, sweet, inspirational. I find love is a form of hope. What better way to spend my free time than escaping into worlds where things really do end happily? Do you write everyday? I write every day. I tend to move all over the house, but my main writing spot is my treadmill desk.
I do write to music. I find I get fewer words down in an hour that way. Do you listen to music while you write, and if so, what kind? If not, why not? All kinds of music for me. I love all kinds of music and tend to mix it up. Believe it or not, this book is a spin off from another idea that will be published in That one is also dragon shifters but more into the kings ruling side of things. Which comes first for you — character or plot?
Like I said, the characters talk to me. I see the way the meet or a certain situation they are in. The rest builds around that. What 3 words describe you, the writer? Creative, hot, and sassy. Tell us one unusual thing about yourself — not related to writing! I was a competitive skydiver once upon a time. Who was your first love and what age were you? Probably a boy named Austin. I had a huge crush on him in 5 th and 6 th grade. I eventually dated him in high school and still think of him as a friend.
I love all my days. Even the bad ones. Well, most of them. If I had to pick just one, I think a day doing something fun with my husband and kids. I love my Meaningful Beauty skin serum. That stuff is seriously fantastic. If you could sing a song with Jimmy Fallon, what would it be? We talking lip-sync battle here? If you could hang out with any literary character from any book penned at any time line, who would it by, why, and what would you do together?
He tipped his head down, though his gaze remained on her, but the light in those blue depths shifted, turning from banked need, held ruthlessly in check, to a possessiveness that drew her body into aching awareness. He pulled lightly on her wrist, drawing her across what had been an impassable chasm of space, until she was flush against his hard body.
His other hand came under the fall of her hair to rest against her neck. His mouth only a whisper from hers, he stopped. She had no idea if she closed the distanced between their lips or if he did. She only knew that she was getting exactly what she wanted. Sensation forced her eyes closed as the heat of him seeped into her skin, her body flushing with it, swamping her senses.
He released her wrist, wrapping his arm around her waist, her softness yielding to his hard body as he held her closer. At the same time, he loosened his grip on her neck, brushing over the sensitive skin at her nape with his fingers. Shards of electricity zapped from that simple touch directly to her core, which throbbed in response. At the same time, warmth from that touch spread through her on a wave of a feeling akin to total acceptance.
Like this was where she was supposed to be. A low moan dragged from her mouth as he lifted her, just enough that it put him in complete control. He slipped a thigh between her legs, then pressed her down. She arched into him, moving against him with a moan. His hand slid under her shirt and he brushed against the sensitive flesh at her waist, his skin warm against hers.
Which only made her want more skin. With eager hands, she tugged at his black t-shirt, breaking their kisses only long enough to pull it over his head. Then she allowed her hands to roam, to feel the rigid strength in his body, loving the heat of him, the bourbon and Coke smell of him. A shudder shook his body. A bellow rent the air and jerked Delaney out of the oblivion of pleasure where she floated.
She snapped her head up, breaking the kiss to listen. Another sound that she could only classify as a roar broke the stillness. Fear, rather than need, had her heart tripping over itself inside her chest. Finn gave a low rumble that sounded more like a warning growl than anything a human would make, and her heart slammed into high gear. Slowly, dread pulling at her, she turned her head to look directly at him. To encounter eyes ablaze. Blue flames consumed his irises. Panic spiked inside her, and her breath came out in short, sharp bursts, speeding up as she absorbed what she was seeing.
She managed to keep her feet under her, then scrambled back, trying not to trip over any rocks in her path. Award-winning contemporary romance author, Kadie Scott, grew up consuming books and exploring the world through her writing. She attempted to find a practical career related to her favorite pastime by earning a degree in English Rhetoric Technical Writing. However, she swiftly discovered that writing without imagination is not nearly as fun as writing with it.
No matter the genre, she loves to write witty, feisty heroines, sexy heroes who deserve them, and a cast of lovable characters to surround them and maybe get their own stories. She currently resides in Austin, Texas, with her own personal hero, her husband, and their two children, who are growing up way too fast. Tagged as authorpromo bookpromo , newrelease , writer amwriting amblogging , writinglife writersonwriting , Abigail Owen , Author interview , Book prequals , Dragons , novellas , novels , Paranormal Romance , Pen Name.
Another one of my fabulous Wild Rose Press sistahs is joining me today for a sit-down interview! Please give a warm welcome to Mary Morgan. Mary has a new historical book out just in time for the Holiday gift giving season!!! Thanks for having me on your wonderful blog today! Apparently, he had unfinished business with Alastair for leaving his sister, Fiona. However, Ailsa MacDuff will become his greatest challenge, and the real reason for his bitterness will be exposed. He has no wish to have his soul tortured by love. Yet, the moment he locks gazes with Ailsa, his fate is destined for an adventure he never fathomed.
He may have battled alongside a Dragon Knight, but his greatest challenge will come from within his own heart. Ailsa MacDuff, a warrior among her clan, has no desire to have a man chain her to a life of obedience. However, that is before she meets Desmond. The temptation to allow this warrior inside her heart is a risk she dares to take, but one that could lead to a future of emptiness and sorrow.
When betrayal looms from within, the battleground of love is no match for these two warriors. Can the power of a Highland full moon be strong enough to unite or destroy them? His mind screamed to stay rooted in his chair, but his body betrayed him. Standing, he reached for her hand. She eyed him with curiosity and stood. Take me to the north wall. I hear the view of the loch is one that steals the breath from your lungs.
Placing her soft hand in the crook of his arm, he led her quickly out of the hall and up the stairs. Bending to the left, he took her along a corridor and up a narrow circular pathway. The torches flickered as he approached the door leading to the north wall. A cold draft blew by them, and she shivered. Instantly, regret filled him realizing he had not considered to bring a cloak for her. Shaking his head, he pushed open the massive oak door. Brittle air slapped at his face while they made their way up along the wall.
Look at the moon, Desmond. Her light shimmers over the water. I have now witnessed the charm of the loch in sunlight and moonlight. Though our rivers are stunning on their own, they cannae rival this view. As I have told ye, our island is shrouded in mists, so ye cannae see verra far out into the sea. To take what he dared not possess. He marveled at her delight of the striking scene. Her nearness was overpowering, seducing him in a way he had never known. Desmond cupped her chin. Her eyes widened, and her lips parted in invitation. Moonlight and lust danced within her eyes.
No longer did he battle with his mind and body, and he slowly lowered his head. His hands shook as he placed them securely on her waist. As he deepened the kiss, she placed her hands around his neck. Desmond groaned, crushing her body against him. Award-winning Scottish paranormal romance author, Mary Morgan resides in Northern California, with her own knight in shining armor.
However, during her travels to Scotland, England, and Ireland, she left a part of her soul in one of these countries and vows to return. She spent far too much time daydreaming and was told quite often to remove her head from the clouds. Now, the worlds she created in her mind are coming to life within her stories. If you enjoy history, tortured heroes, and a wee bit of magic, then time-travel within the pages of her books.
Please give a warm welcome to author Alyna Lochlan as she tells us a little about herself and then gives you a peek at her newest release — today! I love to read and have built stories sense I was a little girl. I wrote my first story in kindergarten with a friend illustrating it. I have always loved fantasy and paranormal. The magic and adventures with unseen twists and turns then add in a sexy vampire or a dragon and sorcerer is awesome.
Past or future it works for me. I read the same genre I write. I am hooked on fantasy and paranormal. I also love to read historicals as well. Yes I try to. I schedule to write one thousand words a day and have twenty-eight books in the works with four series. Normally I write in my office. I sit at a large wrap around desk with two computers and three monitors. I have music and candles going and shelves with dragons on them.
Many of the dragon statues have come from fans. I display everything fans send me in my office. I always have a pen and pad by my bed so if an idea pops up I can write it down. I can get distracted easily. I have to turn off my phone and I use earphones with music to loose myself in the story. I love to burn candles as well. Yes this is an important part of my writing. The music I listen to goes with what I am writing. Hard fast rock with battle scenes and music with a strong beat goes with sex scenes.
Music for me is inspiring. Funny that normally the characters come to me and start bombarding me with their stories or I will dream an idea and have to write it down. I even get ideas in the shower and that sucks because I have to wait until I get out to write it down. The character comes to me and shows me a scene of their lives and then hounds me to get it down on paper.
I have a DVR movie that runs through my head so I can see, hear, smell, and taste everything the character shows me. I have a bad boy vampire named Blade I am writing now that I so love, and honey I would do anything he would let me do with him. Wow do I have to choice only one? Music to me is like breathing. Barbra Streisand — Somewhere. Inspires dreamers to make a world where everyone is accepted just the way they are.
If it was fictional I would be Laura Croft. But if I had to pick someone in real life, I would say myself. I like the person I am. I really love a confident guy. A man that knows who he is and can be in touch with how he feels and his needs. Yes shit happens so what.
Life is an adventure. Live it to the fullest. You on the over hanging porch in a large cushioned lounge, cuddling with your favorite man, drinking your favorite beverage. Enchanted as a child, Rhiannon grows up hidden, safe from a destiny that could be disastrous to her world. But when an evil sorcerer, seeking to destroy the Power of Two, opens the veiled gate that holds the dragons underground, Rhiannon must emerge. Laird Dylan is a shadow in his own keep.
Now dragons lay waste to his land. But his duty to stop them is derailed when he meets a woman who is unafraid of his shadowed past—a woman he could love. In the midst of evil, Dylan and Rhiannon find a love more powerful than dragons and sorcerers. But will it be lost to save the world they know? It was as if her soul somehow connected with his. He was the very image of the warrior from her dreams, but could they be one and the same?
Could this be the man Dela had spoken of, the enemy who would be hers? She wondered how he would affect her life, this man from her vision. She placed a hand over the moonstone lying under her shirt and felt its cool surface. There was not evil within the walls of this castle. A guard to her right yelled, startling her from her thoughts. Rhiannon watched the members of her clan kneel one by one.
Some of the men were bleeding, and most of them were muddy and defeated. A new shaking took over as anger filled her. Her thoughts turned to the women without husbands, children without fathers, and sisters far from their brothers. When all knelt but her, she knew she would not and stiffened her spine. She would endure this humiliation. She stood up for all that died that day. They will not bend.
She knew they saw through her lie from the expressions of surprise, open irritation, and even apprehension. The warrior sneered and moved to strike her.
There was a stirring among the people kneeling on either side of her. The spirit was returning to them and though unarmed they would protect her. Their dangerous sparkle pierced her soul. She knew he saw the peril of more bloodshed and barked a command before the blade met her flesh. The guard stayed his hand and turned toward his laird. Before she could hold her tongue, words bubbled forth. We concede to your victory for battle is honorable. But we will not toss our already wounded pride and honor upon the floor to be trampled. A few gasps echoed in the hall from those standing about, followed by a deathly quiet.
All waited to see what Dylan MacGregor would do. He held her gaze for a long time, making her uncomfortable. Again, she felt him piercing through her disguise to touch her very soul. He wanted something from her. He turned to the Highlander who had commanded them to kneel. They may start work on the morrow. The lad will serve me. She gasped and curled her toes in worry, but gave no other outward sign of her terror. Had he guessed she was a lass and not a lad?
Would he take her maidenhead before the night was through? It was his right as victor. The laird still had his dark gaze locked on her, and she had no wish to give her fears away. She had a part to play. As each MacKay passed, they slapped her on the shoulders to show their pride. Several slaps almost sent her to the floor, but she accepted each with pleasure. The MacGregor went about filling his trencher, but she knew he missed none of the exchange. Then, with all her kinsmen gone, she stood alone.
The hair that hung around his shoulders shone like black onyx in the candlelight. His clean-shaven chin a strong compliment. Deep blue eyes, the color of the sea were set with thick black brows. The muscles in his arms twisted and bunched as he used his blade to cut through a piece of meat. Leaning over the table, The MacGregor motioned for a man to come to him, then spoke in low tones. She was having trouble separating The MacGregor from the man in her dream. Dela told her she was to join with her enemy or great evil would befall them all. Being a maid, she had no idea how to go about finding out if he was the one.
She had yet to see the mark of the dragon. There must be no doubt before she gave herself to him. She shook her head. She was more than a little weary, yet she continued to stand and wait. A thirst pulled at her throat. Mayhap this weakness was going to her head. She noticed a large barrel with a drinking scoop near the door and turned toward the water. She wanted to stomp her foot but instead clenched her hand into a fist and grinded her teeth as she went over to stand close to the table.
Ignoring her, he resumed eating. Rhiannon waited a few minutes more, and when it seemed he would not give her a drink, she stepped to the table and took a cup full of liquid. She lifted the cup to her lips. The scrape of a chair was her only warning before a strong hand grabbed her wrist, making her spill some of the liquid down her arm. He took the cup from her hand and put it back on the table. You are a prisoner now and subject to my demands. So, he wished her to beg.
Well, he would soon see she would not bow to anyone. She raised her chin. Do not defy me, lad. For I am law here. I wish to speak to the lad alone. Geoffrey often had to hit a person before his orders were followed. He kicked out a chair beside him. Rhiannon moved over to sit in the chair. Every bone ached with tiredness. She closed her mouth and looked at The MacGregor. He watched her, and one corner of his mouth lifted, as did an eyebrow. A small smile curved his lips, and a sparkle lit his eyes. Without comment, he handed her his mug willing to share his brew.
A lad seeing his first battle should have good Scottish whiskey. How old are you? You cannot even grow a beard. Here, eat, you are by far too skinny. Rhiannon was too hungry to take offense at his words and found the meat fresh and juicy. She had seen how her cousins treated their prisoners. No mercy was allotted them. Her clan had said Dylan MacGregor was worse, yet this seemed unfounded. My judgments are swift, but deserving. Do as I ask and you will not find life here so bad.
Dylan sat back in his seat to watch the lad eat. There was more to this boy than met the eye. At times, he acted almost feminine. The lad had courage and strength, but his hands were small and slender, his face delicate, and he moved with a gentle grace. The bare skin of those knees below the kilt was smooth and well rounded. If indeed a female, why would she dress as a man and fight in a battle? Also, there was the strength of character and honor he had never seen in a woman.
Mayhap she had followed her lover to the battle. She could be a thief stealing from the dead. With winter just past, many were without and they took any means to feed their family but it was all speculation. Award-winning author of Scottish paranormal dragons and wizards and dark vampire bad boy romances, Alyna Lochlan has a love for all things mysterious and magical.
It is the heartbeat of all humans to wonder what lies beyond the next turn or what dwells in the darkness. She started writing stories at a young age. Lochlan studied commercial art in college, developing several commercials for Channel 6 TV, as well as menus for some top restaurants in Florida. She also is a cover art designer for published books at DCAGraphics.
Alyna has completed many novels and novellas with many others in the works. Her other published works have appeared in health magazines, newsletters, and other short story publications. She also works as an editor, helping others obtain their dreams. Tagged as amblogging , BookHugs , BookPromo , Author interview , author promo , Paranormal fiction , Paranormal Romance , paranormal romance books , Scottish Highlands , wild rose press.
Say hello to writer Peggy Chambers. Sit back and find out more about this lovely author. I inherited the old recliner that belonged to my father-in-law. It is well-worn burgundy leather that still smells like him when it warms up. I sit with my laptop in my lap and fall into a different world.
Recently I received a rare gift from an immensely talented artist, Pauline Jones. Pauline and I worked together. She loved my books and one day we traded our art. I find this mostly unused bedroom suits me well. Here I am surrounded by my past, my family, and my friends. I think my characters play the main part.
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Strong characters make a strong plot. Fourteen years ago, Ethan met Glome, the Viking ghost, and the fairies at the cottage where his father was studying the Heavener Runestone. Now Ethan was back and news traveled fast in the forest.
- Geografia generale (Atlanti scientifici) (Italian Edition);
- Der Maya-Kalender 801-900 n.Chr.: Haab - Tzolkin - Long Count für jeden einzelnen Tag (German Edition).
- Le pays sous-marin (French Edition)?
Currently working on his Ph. Only he had changed. They were drawn by Vikings who traveled to North America long before Columbus. Every self-respecting archeologist had read about the maps in college. And he wanted them. Warned by Trondelag, the dragon, not to go up against Loki and the draugrs for a piece of paper to make him famous, Ethan decided to go anyway. And then there was Mac — his doppelganger from when he was young.
Would he be able to protect her? With his magic sword and friends to back him up, how could he lose? Once again Ethan revisits the runestone only to face challenges and find adventure, danger, surprises, and an epic battle. Her long neck was quickly followed by a massive body that glowed a blood red on the underside. Free from the confines of the pond and finally airborne, the front legs unfolded releasing her magnificent crimson wings edged in shining gold.
She flapped once, sending the trees bending to her glory and flames belched from her mighty jaws illuminating the moonlit night. Then, pointing her nose toward the cave the draugrs guarded, she flapped once again and rocketed through the night sky like a giant ruby ready to explode. Fafnir sat on his bat watching the spectacle, then followed at a safe distance to avoid the prop wash created by her wings and magnificent tail. Peggy Chambers calls Enid, Oklahoma home.
She has been writing for several years and is an award-winning, published author, always working on another. She has two children, five grandchildren, and lives with her husband and dog. She adores travel and the great outdoors, even if it is just taking the dog for a walk and once ate warthog pizza for lunch when she followed her husband across deepest, darkest Africa. She even climbed the pyramids at Chichen Itza.
There is always another story weaving itself around in her brain trying to come out. Stop by and take a chance on an Amazon gift card! Gemma writers erotic and contemporary romance as well as historical romance and fiction. Stories, and characters and interactions and events build up and I just need to get them down on paper.
Books by Michael Smulkowski
I love the idea of being able to create something from virtually nothing, building characters and worlds that never existed before. So far, I write in historical and contemporary, with raunchy and raunchier book. I write erotic romance because I feel that a pretty fundamental part of feminism is reevaluating the role female sexuality plays in society, and acknowledging the very wide variety of what that means.
Erotic romance is fun, and it makes for good cocktail party conversation, but I really do consider it important. My schedule is nuts. I work part time, freelance, support my start up and write under two names, as well as managing all their accompany social media requirements. A good day for me is a healthy balance of writing and marketing. My office is my bedroom. The last thing us writer types is another reason to spend too much time alone in our own worlds.
The room is actually great, though. I have my desk set up, two bulletin boards for storyboarding, and pens and paper within reach. Plus, the light is amazing. Are you the kind of writer who needs total quiet to compose, or are you able to filter out the typical sounds of the day and use your tunnelvision? The dog barking at the foot of the stairs takes me right out of my work and I sit there steaming instead of writing. So Seduction en Pointe came about through a book I had published with a now defunct indie press, called Six is Company. That story was actually a novella, and included three couples that I wanted to bring to life.
Anyway, the press went down, but I kept my amazing editor and we started developing Seduction. At first it was going to be a novella, and I had to reorganize everything when I hit about 30k and realized the story was a world away from what I expected it to be. I can honestly say that I rewrote, like serious, construction equipment rewrote, this book at least four times.
At one point, I had the whole thing broken down on a whiteboard in our foyer for like three months. My mom was patient, but I definitely pushed the limits. A lot of that comes from my need to put supportive female characters into my books, so a lot of spin-offs are sisters or friends that started as secondary characters. But usually by the time I get done with book one, I know everyone in the book universe, so to speak. Seduction en Pointe is part of the Full Swing series, and I have those characters mapped out and pinned down.
What 3 words describes you, the writer? Curious, passionate, determined — I hope! I have a background in art history and spent several months working on a historical fiction book about Da Vinci, and I would love the chance to just slip into his mind for a day and get a real sense of the man himself. Followed by a play or book reading and a quiet dinner at a good Italian restaurant. Last week we went to Harry Potter World though, and that pretty much made my entire life.
But his incredibly tempting Parisian ballet instructor, Isabelle La Croix, makes that all too difficult, especially when he learns about her decadent desires—desires Nicco is all too pleased to indulge in. In that moment he absolutely believed that everything happened for a reason. She faced away from him, but even at a distance he could see the smooth curve of her neck, the beautiful line of her back, arching against the chair.
She was something from an erotic fairy tale, all subtle power and ephemeral beauty. But it was the way she held herself, too, full of strength and self-possession and confidence. This woman knew exactly who she was in a way that Nicco envied and respected all at the same time. He schooled his features and checked in with the receptionist for his appointment with the French production team before turning around to face her.
Still, never hurt to try, and something about this unknown woman made it impossible for him to walk away or pick one of the seats at the far end of the waiting room. She called to him, a modern-day siren, all enticing and impossible to ignore. So he sat beside her, catching a hint of her scent. She smelled like lemons, sweet and fresh, and that seemed to fit her, as did the pointed sharpness of her neck, which grew considerably more rigid once she realized he planned on talking to her.
Hell, it did wonders for getting him starring roles too. Her words came out strong, self-possessed, and confident, and they made him curious about the woman below the slight frame. Despite appearing so soft, she held her head at a tilt that signified power, kept her neck straight, her shoulders arched. Everything about her stance told Nicco exactly how she felt at his intrusion into her space. The woman beside him, however, appeared abjectly unimpressed. She obviously enjoyed goading him, and Nicco felt a wash of something dangerous at the thought that men probably attempted to charm her quite often.
For some reason, his visceral reaction to this strange, nymph-like woman grew stronger each time she stabbed him with her barbed tongue. No, whatever had him suddenly desperate to learn more about this mysterious woman went deeper than that, to some fundamental part of himself that might even long for redemption.