I was so excited to visit Raleigh, NC this past week to join my writing sisters in a reading at Lady Jane’s Salon RDU! Catherine Gayle, Ava Stone and myself all read excerpts from our stories that are in the anthology, A Season to Remember. It was great fun and I’m so glad I had the chance to spend a couple days with my writing besties 
Follow the link to the YouTube video…I haven’t figured out how to embed in WordPress yet!
Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble ~ Smashwords
I’m so excited to announce my latest project with the lovely ladies of Timeless Quills!
Presenting 6 full-length novels in one collection for only $0.99!
Her Reluctant Groom by Rose Gordon
To Walk in the Sun by Jane Charles
A Scandalous Pursuit by Ava Stone
More than a Governess by Jerrica Knight-Catania
The Devil’s Daughter by Suzie Grant
The Healing Tree by Amy De Trempe
HER RELUCTANT GROOM ~ Marcus Sinclair, sixteenth Earl of Sinclair, has lived the last thirteen years as a recluse following an accident that left him heavily scarred. Though a recluse, Marcus has still managed to fall in love. The problem? The woman he’s taken with is none other than the sister of the lady he was once betrothed to!
~*~*~*~
TO WALK IN THE SUN ~ Hiding from a dangerous man, Tess Crawford thought The Wiggons’ School for Elegant Young Ladies would be the perfect place to disappear. Vincent Latimer, Viscount Atwood, is not a vampire and He wishes the book, Wake Not the Dead, had never been written. When a storm thrusts Tess into Vincent’s path and destroys the school, both of their pasts collide.
~*~*~*~
A SCANDALOUS PURSUIT ~ A very proper English lady has all her plans for the future disrupted when she innocently stumbles headfirst into a compromising situation with a very improper English duke.
~*~*~*~
MORE THAN A GOVERNESS ~ Becky Thorn has been keeping a secret for more than seven years. A secret that could destroy her. So before she gets too ensconced in London society, she accepts a position as a governess for a reclusive Viscount, far away from the ton.
~*~*~*~
THE DEVIL’S DAUGHTER ~ A bounty hunter facing his past, Gade Ryder returns to Eden, Texas, after twelve years to investigate a gang of rustlers on the family ranch. Had he accepted the job out of misplaced family loyalty or was it the compelling mystery of the devil’s daughter keeping him in the one place he didn’t want to be? Confronted by the memory of his mother’s suicide and the father he blames for her death, Gade finds himself seeking comfort from the one woman he couldn’t trust.
~*~*~*~
THE HEALING TREE – Lady Lilian Bliant is determined to thwart her manipulative father’s plan to shackle her to a weak-willed man of the ton. Lord Maxwell Warrick is anything but weak-willed, yet Lily wreaks havoc on his heart. Will their differences be put aside and will Lily one day accept his faith as her own and Max as her husband.
Caroline re-folds a letter from her sister-in-law and smiles to herself. Everything has turned out exactly as she’d planned.
“Are you going to voluntarily tell me the reason for that sly expression, or am I going to have to pry it out of you?” Katherine asks from the threshold.
Caroline grins in response. “An expression you’ve been known to sport quite often, Kat.”
Katherine shrugs and steps into the Staveley’s white parlor. “Indeed. But what has you smirking like that today?”
Caroline’s grin grows even wider as she makes room for the duchess to sit beside her on the settee. “Vindication. No matter how much my brothers complain about my ability to manage them, they both have me to thank for their current states of happiness.”
“I could say the same thing.” Katherine settles in beside Caroline, an equally sly expression now etched across her lovely face. “I’ve got a story or two about brothers of my own.”
“Of course you do. What feat, in regards to your brothers are you the most proud?” Caroline asks.
“Oh, that’s an easy one. Benjamin and Phoebe, of course. It was easy enough getting them to the altar, but they nearly sabotaged their marriage! If I had not stepped in, Lord only knows where they’d be by now.” Katherine turns to Caroline. “Your turn. Which couple was your greatest success?”
Caroline taps her chin and scrunches up her nose. “That’s so difficult to say, Kat. On one hand, Luke with his foolish male-ness would have lost Juliet forever, if not for me; but I think bringing Robert and Lydia together was my greatest accomplishment. Robert is so stubborn and set in his ways. Domineering, really. His mind had been firmly made up about his wife, and it still would be if I hadn’t intervened. Now several children later, he hardly resembles his former self. It’s so rewarding to know how happy he’s become.” Her hazel eyes twinkle mischievously. “I think we have to do what we do, Kat. Manage others, I mean. No matter how dangerous a situation gets. Where would our friends and family be without us?”
Katherine sits forward in her seat, clearly getting excited about the topic. “Oh, I couldn’t agree more! Why, to think of the hoops I had to jump through for cousin Victoria. Goodness, it gives me the vapors just to think of that situation. Foolish girl! Now if we could only bring her brother, Thomas up to snuff! Of course, the way I’ve seen him carousing about Town tells me he’s not thinking of settling down anytime soon. Perhaps Victoria and I can team up to change that. But tell me, Caroline, what–or rather who– will your next project be?”
“Oh, darling!” Caroline clutches Kat’s hand. “There are just so many people in Town who need a happy ever after, don’t you agree?”
Katherine nods whole-heartedly. “Indeed.”
“Hmm.” Caroline continues. “Lord Carraway would be high on my list of those to help next, as would that poor, brooding Lord Avery. Although, I think his sister, Cordelia Clayworth, might have something up her sleeve for that particular fellow.” Her hazel eyes suddenly start flashing with indignation. “But I can tell you who won’t be getting any help from me. The Marquess of Haversham can go hang, for all I care. That man makes your average rake look like a well-behaved saint!” She heaves a sigh and shakes her head as though to shake an unpleasant thought from her head. “Enough about him. What about you, Kat? Who will you focus your efforts on next?”
Jerrica pipes up, Ava by her side. “Ladies, I’m afraid we must ask you to stop right there.”
Both Katherine and a Caroline turn to them, confused looks upon their faces.
“But why?” Caroline asks.
“We can’t have you giving away any secrets now, can we?” Ava explains. “You’ll ruin things for our readers.”
Katherine shrugs. “She does have a point, Caro. But that doesn’t mean we can’t wait until they leave to continue planning our machinations.”
“Oh!” Caroline leaps from her seat and rushes to where Jerrica and Ava are standing. “Well, thank you for stopping by, ladies,” she says as she ushers them out the door.
They try to protest, but it’s no use. They are no match for Caroline’s desire to plan her next matchmaking adventure.
I never really thought I had any, just the usual stuff everyone else does. Decorating a tree, wrapping presents, you know “the usual”. But this year, as I’m merging my holiday traditions with The Scientist’s holiday traditions… Well, there are definitely some differences.
ONE – The Stone household has always had a “fake” tree. (This is my Scottish roots coming out…Why buy a tree each year? Buy a good one once, and you’re set.) The Scientist’s household always does a “real” tree. I was told that Christmas just wouldn’t be Christmas without the smell of a real tree. When I said candles had the same scent, I was met with a death stare.
FINE – “REAL” TREE it is.
TWO – The Stone household always goes out for Chinese food for Christmas Eve dinner. (Actually, I’d go out every night of the week if I could avoid cooking. And who wants to cook at Christmas? There are too many other things to do.) The Scientist’s household has always had a traditional Christmas Eve dinner – roasted goose and the whole nine yards. Of course, my teen is quite upset at the prospect of not having Chinese for Christmas Eve this year, even though he doesn’t like Chinese food. “But, Mom, it’s my tradition.”
FINE – ROASTED GOOSE for 3 and TAKE-OUT CHINESE for 1 (who doesn’t like Chinese.)
THREE – The Stone household loves happy, cherry Christmas songs. (I’m very partial to Bing Crosby’s crooner voice. He should have sung every Christmas song.) The Scientist’s household has always listened to religious carols (Apparently, it’s a German thing.)
FINALLY I WON ONE – CROSBY’s WHITE CHRISTMAS it is! And Peggy Lee’s Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree, and Gene Autry’s Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer.
Growing up, we always opened one gift on Christmas Eve (which was usually some sort of Christmas pajamas, until I caught on and pitched a fit and refused to play along) and the rest of the presents on Christmas Day. But in the world of split families, children must be shared. So, this year we will open all of our presents Christmas Eve, and the next day my son and his daughter will go see their other parent to open those sets of gifts.
And what will we do on Christmas Day without children? I guess we’ll have to come up with some new holiday traditions! Left over goose? A little more Crosby, anyone? Have you ever merged your holiday traditions with someone else’s? How did you do it? Do you miss the old traditions or have you embraced the new ones?
A COUNTERFEIT CHRISTMAS SUMMONS ~ A Summons From Yorkshire
Lady Emma Whitton has decided its time to take her future in her own hands. She has been in love with Viscount Heathfield since she was in leading strings. Unfortunately, it’s been almost that long since she’s laid eyes on her brother’s old friend and vice versa. Tired of waiting for him to remember her, Emma pens a holiday invitation (in her brother’s hand) to Heathfield and waits as patiently as she is able for her one true love to arrive.
Heath isn’t quite certain what to make of the very strange summons he received, but his curiosity is most definitely piqued. He heads north to Danby Castle, only to find that his very orderly life is about to be turned upside down.
Available at…Amazon
Barnes & Noble
And other online retailers!
TO CATCH A CAPTAIN
After receiving what seems like an offer of employment from an English countess, orphan Bridget Kelly leaves her uncle’s house in Dublin to make her own way in the world. But making her way in England is easier said than done, especially for an innocent Irish lass with no family or connections. In fact, she’ll be lucky if she can make it to Derbyshire alive.
Still smarting from his brother and former fiancée’s betrayal, rakish Captain Russell Avery arrives at his sister’s Derbyshire estate, looking for something or someone to help soothe his bruised ego. When a pretty little Irish maid stumbles into his chamber one morning, Russell is certain he’s found just the distraction he’s looking for. Well, at least until he learns who the lass truly is and the place she’s to hold in his sister’s household.
Available at…Amazon
Barnes & Noble
And other online retailers!
WEBSITE – www.avastoneauthor.com
FACEBOOK – http://www.facebook.com/AvaStoneAuthor
TWITTER – https://twitter.com/Ava_Stone
BLOG – www.ladyscribes.blogspot.com
I’ve teamed up once again with my fellow Regency cohorts to write A SEASON TO REMEMBER!
Jerrica Knight-Catania’s A Penny For Your Thoughts…
Penelope Bartlett has had a rough year, to say the least. She lost her eldest brother and her father in one fell swoop, and to make matters worse she had to miss out on her very first London Season. Now she’s in the thick of the Little Season and all she wants to do is run away. It’s torture to watch her siblings fall in love and she’s simply not in the mood to make merry with all of them. Especially when they treat her as if she’s still a little girl in leading strings. * Enter Drake Lockwell, Viscount Flitwick. He, too, is typically eager to escape crowded ballrooms and matchmaking mamas in favor of his own company in a deserted garden or library. But a chance meeting in his brother’s garden one night changes everything. Miss Bartlett is young and impetuous, yet he can’t help but fall prey to her charms. Perhaps she will be the one to finally mend the hole in his heart… Or will his secrets be more than Penelope is able to handle?
ENJOY THIS STORY, ALONG WITH 3 OTHERS IN…A SEASON TO REMEMBER!
Well, I think I’m finally settled after a crazy week in Chicago, which was followed by a crazy week trying to get our 2-year-old resettled at home (she spent the week with Grandma and Grandpa)
I apologize for the delay in this post, but in addition to dealing with a slightly crazy kid, I’ve also been very hard at work at the next installment of The Daring Debutante’s series. The Gypsy Bride is well under way, and I’m having SO much fun writing it! I do hope everyone will have as much fun reading it
Anyhoo, a few quick highlights of my week in Chicago…
1) Getting to be with my “girlz”, Ava Stone and Tammy Falkner (who collectively make up Lydia Dare), Jane Charles, Catherine Gayle, Erin Knightly, Samantha Grace and Rose Gordon — some of my very best friends in the world! We were nearly inseparable and had SO much fun together!
2) Getting to spend time with some other authors that I love and admire, like Deb Marlowe, Sabrina Jeffries, Heather Snow and L.J. Charles, and getting to meet tons more fabulous authors!
3) Getting to sign my books at a BIG book signing!
4) Getting to taste all kinds of alcoholic Regency beverages! That was a really fun workshop, and it made me VERY grateful that I live in 2012. It also makes me wonder what people will think of Cosmos and Mudslides 200 years from now! LOL!
5) Playing “Who Wants to be a Duchess” led by Ava Stone, Sabrina Jeffries, Deb Marlowe and Tammy Falkner. My hubby and I both made it to baroness status and walked around the rest of the day in our boas
6) Meeting readers!!! Fans are what make all the hard work worth while, and meeting them in person is the greatest thing in the world!
7) Forcing my fellow cohorts in the new Timeless Quills Historical Romance group to join in a photo shoot. I love the camera, from both sides, but I’m pretty much alone in that area. Ha!
Here are some pics from the week! Hope you enjoy!
I’ve teamed up once again with some of my favorite Regency Romance authors to write The Betting Season. In this fun and lighthearted anthology, Four young women embark on their first London Season, only to find themselves the subjects of scandalous bets…
Here’s the blurb for my own story, The Marriage Trap…
When Miss Patience Findley discovers, at her first ball of her first Season, just how much her father’s scandal has affected her chances of marriage, she resigns herself to being alone and dying a spinster. That is, until she hears that her friends’ names have landed in the Betting Book at White’s. In a moment of desperation, she asks her reprobate cousin to place a bet on her behalf, in hopes of trapping an unsuspecting gentleman into marriage.Tristan Wallford, Lord Swaffham, loves a good challenge. So when his friend, Rowan Findley, claims that his cousin Patience cannot be cured of her melancholy state, Tristan lays a bet that he will be the one to cure her. He could certainly use the money, after all. But as the game begins, Tristan begins to realize that not only does Miss Findley not need curing, but she might be worth trapping for himself.—
And just for fun, here’s a little insight into our hero and heroine…
Tristan Wafford, Lord Swaffham, loved women. He loved them in all their shapes and sizes and colors. He loved to engage them in conversation and he especially loved to engage them in the bedroom. He had no scruples to speak of really. As a matter of fact, he’d left many a weeping woman in their beds without so much as a backward glance.
Many found him a despicable man, a disgrace to his sex, yet women still flocked to his side. Desperate mamas thrust their eligible daughters into his path at social events, and he had been guilty of making those eligible daughters slightly less eligible on more than one occasion. But Tristan had a knack for getting himself out of sticky situations, and therefore, he remained a bachelor at the ripe age of nine-and-twenty. Which was exactly how he preferred it to be.
——-
Miss Patience Findley was starting to realize that she was anything but patient, as her name would indicate. As a matter of fact, she probably should have been named Impatience, though she realized it wasn’t nearly as nice of a name as simply Patience. Either way, her current mood did not reflect her given name….
The only thing she had to recommend her was a sizeable dowry, but it came from trade, so not everyone was interested in pursuing the connection. It didn’t help that she wasn’t terribly attractive. She had hair every bit as black as her Indian stepmother, only she didn’t have the coffee-colored skin to complement it. No, she was as white as the dress she wore this evening. She imagined it looked as if an inky black cat was floating about the room atop a ghostly apparition.
Look for The Betting Season at all major ebook outlets soon!
…because I blog so much! Hah! But really, I thought I would give an explanation as to my absence and my continued absence…it will make me feel better to do so…
But here’s the deal, folks…I’m a writer, and I’m supposed to be writing novels. Unfortunately, I let other things get in the way all the time, or I let them hang over my head, even I’m not doing them (like blogging!)
So I’m letting myself off the hook for a few weeks so I can finish my current project. It’s a story for an anthology called “The Betting Season” that I’m doing with my Regency sisters, Ava Stone, Catherine Gayle and Jane Charles. I have till the end of February to finish, so I’m going into hiding. I promise to blog more regularly when I’m done…maybe…don’t hold your breath.
But do hop over to Lady Scribes (blogspot.ladyscribes.com) for every day posts from my cohorts and occasional posts from moi
Tonight is the live chat with all 12 authors of the Regency Christmas Summons Anthology! And TODAY is the last day to enter our massive drawing! Come to Lady Scribes and leave a message there to be entered to WIN!
And then be sure to join us tonight for the live chat from 8-10pm EST!
Lady Isabel and Lady Emma have been interviewed this morning at Lilia Birney’s blog! Stop by and leave a comment for a chance to win a Kindle, Amazon gift cards and many, many more prizes!!
