The Earl's Enticement

It's finally here! The Earl's Enticement, by award winning, historical romance author Collette Cameron, hit Amazon a couple days ago and it's already making its way toward the top 100. A few weeks ago, Collette came by to give us a sneak peek at her book cover. Now she's back teasing us with not one, not two, but THREE juicy excerpts specially selected by the author herself for your reading pleasure. 

And just in case you missed it the first time around, here's a brief synopsis of The Earl's Enticement to go along with the equally enchanting cover. 

The Earl’s Enticement

She won’t be tamed. 

A fiery, unconventional Scot, Adaira Ferguson wears breeches, swears, and has no more desire to marry than she does to follow society’s dictates of appropriate behavior. She trusts no man with the secret she desperately protects.

He can’t forget.

Haunted by his past, Roark, the Earl of Clarendon, rigidly adheres to propriety, holding himself and those around him to the highest standards, no matter the cost. Betrayed once, he’s guarded and leery of all women.

Mistaking Roark for a known spy, Adaira imprisons him. Infuriated, he vows vengeance. Realizing her error, she’s appalled and releases him, but he’s not satisfied with his freedom. Roark is determined to transform Adaira from an ill-mannered hoyden to a lady of refinement.

He succeeds only to discover, he preferred the free-spirited Scottish lass who first captured his heart.

Intrigued? I am. To purchase this title, click here: http://amzn.com/B00KLO64S2 and keep on reading for your first of three juicy snippets of the book.  

Excerpt #1

Adaira stepped around the mare and ever-so-gently touched the foal. Was the new addition a laddie or lassie? Skimming her hands over the newborn, she bent to take a peek. A colt. The sheen of his coat glistened in the muted light. Other than a white face and leg markings, he was the color of rich Turkish coffee.

“Ooh, you’re magnificent!” she breathed in awe.

“He is, indeed,” rumbled a harmonious baritone.

She whirled around. The Earl of Clarendon leaned across the stall door. His forearms rested on the top edge. He clasped a silver flask loosely in one hand. His shirtsleeves were rolled to his elbows, and he wore no waistcoat or jacket. The top of his shirt was unfastened too.

Just perfect. She wasn’t supposed to be anywhere near the earl, and here he was, in her sanctuary. She ought to be afraid, after his parting words, but she sensed something altogether different.

No, she wouldn’t stare at the crisp dark hair on his forearms or peeking from the collar of his open shirt. Bugger it. She curled her hands into fists against the oddest urge to run her fingers through the curly hair on his chest.

A bolt of unease speared her, though whether from his disquieting presence or her awareness of him as an attractive man, she couldn’t be certain.

Clearing her throat, she asked, “What are you doing here, my lord?”

I don't know about you, but one of my favorite parts of any romance novel is the first moment when the two would-be lovers feel that sudden jolt of awareness. Just listening to the way the heroine describes the Earl's appearance sets the stage for what's to come. 

To purchase this title, click here: http://amzn.com/B00KLO64S2

Alright, I won't torture you any longer with my commentary. Here's our second snippet of the day. 

Excerpt #2

Casting one last look over her shoulder, she opened the heavy door. She deftly nudged the bulky bundle onto the landing with her foot. With the buckets looped over one arm, she made quick work of lighting the lantern. Then, she shoved her way through the partially open doorway. Seldom used hinges squeaked and groaned in protest. She swallowed.

Had no one opened it since . . .?

Grimacing, she laid a shaky hand across her knotted middle. Possibly not.

She edged the thick wooden slab shut. It closed with a portentous thunk. One hand on the cold, stone wall for balance, she turned and peered into the blackness. The heavy air settled around her, its cool dampness thick and suffocating. For a moment, she couldn’t breathe. Adaira closed her eyes, fighting to draw air into her lungs.

The lamp sputtered and hissed. Her eyes flew open. Her heart thudded loudly in her ears.

Please, don’t go out.

The flickering stopped. The weak flame leaped to life. The orangey-red fought against its glass constraints before yielding to the inevitable. Adaira’s nose twitched at the acrid smell of burning oil.

She’d not be surprised if bats weren’t hanging by their horrid little curled toes on the beams far above her head. She cast a hurried glance upward. Nothing. Thank God. Rats and mice she tolerated. But bats? No. Not since she’d hidden in a cave when she was eight and disturbed a colony of the little flying devils.

Her gaze raked the stairwell once more. Blast, but it was black as the Earl of Hell’s waistcoat.

There was a time when the darkness hadn’t bothered her. Back then, she used to visit the lower chambers regularly. Well, truth to tell, she’d sneaked into them to avoid her lessons from the time she was twelve until four years ago.

Sigh. 

The ease with which the action is interspersed with emotions and interiority and setting details. O.M.G. The writing tugs at every one of the five senses. Be still my heart. If only my students wrote like this. 

Here's another chance to drop what your doing and purchase this title. Simply click here: http://amzn.com/B00KLO64S2

Before we get to the final excerpt of the day, lets get to know the author a bit better. 

About Collette Cameron
Award winning, Amazon best-selling, and multi-published historical romance author, Collette Cameron, has a BS in Liberal Studies and a Master's in Teaching. A Pacific Northwest Native, Collette’s been married for thirty years, has three amazing adult children, and five dachshunds. Collette loves a good joke, inspirational quotes, flowers, the beach, trivia, birds, shabby chic, and Cadbury Chocolate. You'll always find dogs, birds, quirky—sometimes naughty—humor, and a dash of inspiration in her novels. Her motto for life? You can’t have too much chocolate, too many hugs, or too many flowers. She’s thinking about adding shoes to that list.

Connect with Collette

Website   Blue Rose Romance Blog   Twitter   Facebook

You can connect with Collette on Goodreads, LinkedIn, and Google+ too. Go to her website for the links, her email address, and mailing address.

To purchase this title, click here: http://amzn.com/B00KLO64S2 

And here it is. The final scene of the day. If this doesn't convince you to buy this book, I don't know what will. 

Excerpt #3

Smiling, a heart-wrenchingly sad smile, she said flatly, “I’m quite used to being the source of gossip and disapproval. One really does become immune after a while.”

Shoulders sagging, she dropped her gaze to her hands, and fidgeted with a ribbon on her gown.

Like hell one did.

People erected barriers and defenses and lived a lonely life of isolation. Or behaved outrageously, keeping the company of those even more scandalous than themselves. Or they became bitter and unfeeling, afraid to hope for anything better than the harsh hand they’d been dealt. He couldn’t let that happen to his free-spirited Adaira.

Stifling an oath, Roark straightened his shoulders. The infernal pounding in his head and throbbing in his nether regions affected both his patience and his ability to focus.

“You’d prefer censure and ostracism?”

Adaira tilted her chin, meeting his eyes. “I prefer them over being compelled to marry a man who doesn’t want me. You have made it very clear you disapprove of everything about me. I’m not foolish enough to mistake your lust for anything more than what it is, pure animalistic drive.”

She gave him a cynical smile and shrugged again. “You forget, my lord, I have a stallion that becomes crazed with the need to copulate. He doesn’t give a rat’s whisker about the mare he’s mating. She’s a means to an end. Humans are little better in my observation, at least the males of the species.”

By God, she’d compared him to her rutting stallion. Roark almost touched his jaw to make sure it wasn’t sagging open.

Ouch! I don't know about you all, but I can literally picture the glint of Adaira's eyes as she  challenges Roark. Talk about a battle of wills. Will he be able to prove his love is more than just lust? Will she trust him with her heart?

Here's your last chance of the day. To purchase this title, click here: http://amzn.com/B00KLO64S2. When you're done devouring Adaira and Roark's love story, be sure to post your review of The Earl's Enticement on Amazon. 

Congratulations, Collette! This book is on the top of my TBR pile for the summer. 

Thank you all for joining me today for another fun installment of Thursday Talent. And thank you Collette for giving us a sneak peek at your new book. Please be sure to leave a comment before you go! 

Romance Weekly: #LoveWriteChat

Have you ever wondered where romance writers come up with their crazy, and oftentimes kinky, ideas? Well, you've come to the right place. This week's questions come from author Kate Robbins this week.

1. How much of yourself do you write into your characters? Or do you write characters completely opposite to you?

Ooh! Good question. I think it's a bit of both. Those who know me personally will immediately identify pieces of my life sprinkled throughout each of my stories. When it comes to Redemption For Liars, Maya skates because I did. Lily is sassy like I am (as is my daughter, and boy let me tell you, we're in trouble when she hits puberty). In Assassin, P.I., Angie sings and dances because I do all the time. Jack's mother has had a stroke, similar to my father's stroke.

But my characters can act in ways I never would. Maya possesses a strength I don't think I have within me. Angie is far more bold, more aggressive, and much more sure of herself. She has this spellbinding power over men that I've always envied. If I even tried half of what she does, my husband would no doubt die of laughter at my clumsy attempts at seduction.

When I write, the characters I create have so much more freedom on the page than in real life. Consequences be damned.

2. Has your writing helped you see events in your own life clearer?
Sure. Writing has always been my outlet, my way of coping with events I can't change. For the most part, poetry helps more than any other writing form. It's where I can be completely honest about my emotions. But when I think about it, even my stories have helped me in some small way. My characters tend to deal with a lot of loss. As a child of older parents, the past two years have been filled with the loss of loved ones: my mom, my uncle, my godfather, in addition to several deaths in our small community. Writing about characters who are dealt a crappy hand in life, and yet still manage to find the strength to overcome it all is very therapeutic to me. I can't hit the delete key to change my past like I can in my stories. But I can overcome my past, and become a stronger woman because of it.

Of course, when all else fails, and clarity isn't helping . . .

3. Have you written a character with more of your personal characteristics than any other? What are they?

I don't think there's any one character that exactly mirrors my personality traits. Perhaps Lucy, from my children's story (unpublished), My Fairy Rhyme Tail, comes closes to being me. She's sassy, passionate about her work, cares for her friends and family, but has absolutely no patience for slow moving people. Hmm. I suppose she possesses some of my worst character traits, but that's beside the point. 

Or, I guess Annie, from my short story, Wrong Turn Annie, would be another contender. Annie is perpetually lost, loves junk food, and is terrified of facing the world on her own. Oh wait. Again, those are my worst traits. 

Better yet, I'm currently plotting a new novel where the heroine reflects quite a bit of my life. Sophie will be bossy, work in the education field, horde food, and . . . .

Well, hell. I give up.

For those who found themselves here by way of Fiona Riplee's website, welcome. I hope you enjoyed your stay. Next up on your blog hop is Rhenna Morgan.

Finally a Finalist

So awhile back I entered Redemption For Liars into a contest held by the First Coast Romance Writers chapter of RWA.

Part of marketing and promoting your book, includes getting reviews and entering contests. To be honest, I wasn't expecting much. I'd already entered one contest this year with disappointing results. But I figured, what the heck, I'd give it one last shot. All I had to lose was a whopping $25. I'd made at least that much on my first royalty check!

I sent in my money, emailed my book, and then added an event to my calendar to remind me when finalists were to be contacted. If I hadn't heard by the end of the appointed weekend, I knew I wasn't in the running and I could move on with my life.

When the phone rang last Wednesday I almost didn't answer it. Who in the world would be calling me from Florida? My sister's friend, Lori, and her family moved there last summer, but she wouldn't call me up out of the  blue unless there was a problem. Fearing the worst, I answered the phone.

And got a welcome surprise.

I'M A FINALIST! 

Not only did Redemption For Liars final in the Romantic Suspense category, but also in the the Best First Book category! That means . . .

I'M A DOUBLE FINALIST!  

It's an honor I share with fellow Soul Mate, Kathy Bryson, author of the paranormal novel, Feeling Lucky. You can check out her book by clicking on the image below or clicking on the following link: http://amzn.com/B00DH6HQ9M

Now our books will be turned over to either a bookseller or librarian who will determine our fate. Winners won't be announced until mid-July. So I'm back to playing the waiting game. 

Good luck, Kathy! May the odds be ever in our favor.

Romance Weekly: #LoveWriteChat

I can't believe it's already Tuesday again. You know what that means? Yep! Yours truly will answer three more delicious questions about life as a writer. If you found yourself here by way of J.J. Devine's website, welcome. I hope you'll kick off your shoes and stay awhile. This week's questions come from Amy Jarecki. 

1. When did you start writing, and why?
I can't even recall a time when I didn't love to write. There were tons of angsty teenage love poems, and a slew of feminist college psych papers, and weird plays, but I supposed I began writing in earnest when I was bored at work in my mid 20's. For a time, I was a secretary for the Probation Department. My boss retired in October.  When the powers that be finally appointed a new boss for me, it turned out he didn't need me anymore. He had his own secretary! With nothing to do from October to June, I did an awful lot of writing. It was good, clean fun, and wouldn't get me arrested. 

Once I began teaching, my writing slowed down as I turned my writing skills to writing lesson plans. Those of you who are teachers know what I mean. Six years later, as I prepared to switch school districts, I began writing again. The school year was coming to an end, and I couldn't begin planning for the next year yet, so writing became my creative outlet. My co-workers just didn't have the good sense to refrain from egging me on. They kept begging for more chapters. Before I knew it, my debut novel was done. Rough, but done. 

2. What do you like best about writing?
I love being able to lose myself in a fantasy world of my making. I get wrapped up in the emotions of each scene. Unfortunately for my hubby, that means I get really cranky when my characters are in danger, and I get clingy when my heroine is trying to win the hero's love. It drives him nuts. And somehow he always seems to know when I'm writing a sex scene. He calls it his fringe benefit for putting up with me. Whatever keeps him happy. 

3. If you could go on a writing retreat, where would you go and for how long?
Somewhere by the ocean for a few weeks.

Or wait. Somewhere in Vermont in the fall months. 

Ooh! Or better yet, Montana in a cabin by a lake for the winter or spring. 

Honestly I'd love to write an entire manuscript while on location anywhere but SoCal. I could truly experience the sights and sounds and smells of the setting. I'm sure my editor would thank me for my valiant efforts at world-building. I could write the trip off on my taxes, right?


Likes what you read? Come back next week to visit and I'll be right here with my answers to three more exciting questions. Next up on the blog tour is Katherine Givens. 

Happy Mother's Day

To all those supermoms out there . . . 

Enjoy your day! 

May it be filled with love, laughter, 

and lots of appreciation for all that you do.  

Souls Entwined

This week I have the pleasure of helping my friend and fellow Soul Mate Publishing author, Anne B. Cole, announce to the blogosphere her debut release, Souls Entwined. Now, I know I have several friends out there who totally dig reading paranormal romance suspense novels. Listen up peeps, this is definitely the book for you. Souls Entwined hit Amazon's virtual bookshelf last week and priced at $2.99, this book is definitely a steal for such a great read. 

Without further adieu, here it is. Your next favorite book is . . .   

Book Blurb

When a cursed family heirloom sends Gretta Dobbs back in time, a hunky construction worker, Sam Daggett, suddenly finds himself love struck and joins her adventure. Their souls entwine within the bodies of young lovers on a Greek island in 1829, where they begin to unravel the mysteries behind Gretta’s ring all while avoiding a bloodthirsty pirate who is determined to seek revenge. Gretta and Sam must find the secrets needed to save her and her relatives from an afterlife in purgatory and return to their own lives---or risk becoming prisoners of the past, continuing the evil cycle of the ring’s curse.

A bit about Anne
Souls Entwined is Anne B. Cole’s debut release, combining sweet romantic suspense, time travel, and paranormal elements in a New Adult novel attractive to a wide range of readers.

In addition to writing, Anne teaches preschool and is raising three very active teenagers with her husband of twenty-two years. Her love for making fresh baked goodies, running, hiking, historical fiction, and her three pet cats continue to be her inspiration while she pens the sequel to Souls Entwined.

Connect With Anne
To follow Anne’s publishing journey and connect with her, check out her blog site and find her on Twitter and Facebook.

Blog      *       Twitter       *      Facebook

To purchase Souls Entwined, click here: http://amzn.com/B00K0W80JQ 

Take a moment to send Anne some love. It's as simple as 1, 2, 3. 

1. Leave a comment below.

2. Share this post with all your Facebook friends and get to tweeting. 

3. Buy the book. Devour it. Leave a review on Amazon and Goodreads.

Ready? Set? GO! Let's help Anne hit the best seller list. 

Romance Weekly: #LoveWriteChat

Love romance? You've come to the right place. Each week, a band of merry romance writers chat about love and writing. Just hop along from blog to blog to join the fun. Whether you landed here by happenstance or by way of Susan Peterson Wisnewski's blog, welcome!  This week's questions are brought to us by Leslie Hachtel. 

1. Do you prefer to write futuristic, contemporary or historical romances and why?

Contemporary all the way! I'm not studious enough to write historicals and I'm not inventive enough for futuristic. That said, I am in total awe of anyone who writes in either of these genres. 

2. What is your favorite time in history and how and why does it inspire you?

I really love the 1920's - 1940's. There's so much complexity to delve into. You've got:

The Great Depression

The Dust Bowl, Prohibition

the heyday of the mob and Speakeasies

WWII and military men

Jazz

Swing dancing

Women rebelling against social norms

and oh, all that glorious fashion. 

What's not to love! As you can see by the photo, The Road to Perdition with Tom Hanks is one of my favorite movies about this time period. 

3. How has your life experience contributed to your writing?

I've always been controlled by my emotions and it tends to have a funny way of showing up in my writing. I might be happily married now, but that wasn't always the case. My past romantic disasters are sort of legendary in my family, and cause for many laughs. For those of you who doubt the extent of my dating stupidity, here is a book that my father bought me when I was between marriages in my early 20's. Gee, thanks, Dad. 

When in doubt, I can always write about my failures in love and rewrite my history. 

I'm also fairly sentimental. I like to keep tokens of my past nearby. My hubby calls it being a hoarder. In all seriousness though, usually shades of my life are strewn throughout my story lines. I rollerskated, therefore Maya rollerskates. I love to sing and dance, so Angie sings and dances. I can look back on those silly trinkets and awards and use them as backstory for my characters. It helps me build a realistic world for my readers to become immersed in. 

Well, that's all the time I have for today. Come back next week for another fun installment of Romance Weekly. Next up on the Romance Weekly Blog Hop is author Katie O'Connor. Check out her books. They look totally delish! 

Finding Zen In My Unbalanced Life

Have you ever met one of those women who can do it all and never break a sweat? You know the type. Nary a hair is out of place, nails perfectly manicured, children well-mannered. Never flustered, never in the wrong place at the wrong time.

She's the girl you love to hate, but secretly would kill to be. She's superwoman on the job, supermom to her kids, and super sexy for her attentive hubby when the lights go out.

And so totally not me. 

I'm not that chick who can do it all, who's found the zen in her balanced life. In fact I'm pretty sure that girl's a myth because I can't seem to get anything balanced in my hectic, chaotic life. Here's an example of what my to-do list looks like:

My house isn't spotless, I haven't exercised since my hula teacher took a sabbatical from dancing, and my office staff hates me because I'm perpetually late with paperwork. The photos I took of my son's first soccer tournament this year are still unedited, and my current work in progress has been languishing alone *still unfinished* in cyberworld while I try desperately to accomplish the dozens of other favors I've committed myself to. Ugh! As is, I'm skipping church today to tackle my endless to-do list.

It would be fair to say I'm more like the mom who skids into the parking lot and drops the wrong kid off at soccer practice.

Which I have never done . . . Yet.

But I will sheepishly admit that I nearly took my daughter, Taya, to school this week wearing only one shoe. Although in my defense, it was totally her fault that she couldn't find her other shoe. But I digress.

So how do I find this elusive zen state in my life? Is it even possible? 

Heck if I know!


Thankfully I work a job where I have summers off. It allows me to tackle some of those tough projects I've been meaning to get to. As for everything else? Well, just how vital is a spotless house? Do I really need to take 10,000 soccer photos when 100 great ones will do? Do those papers absolutely have to get graded today?

So what about you guys? How do you find balance in your hectic life? Share your tips in the comments. I'm all ears.