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Andrew de Moray – A Fleeting Glimpse At A Hero

©Diana Cosby 2015

The Battle of Stirling Bridge evokes images of William Wallace, a man of firm beliefs, and a warrior who inspired both commoner and noble to raise their sword for Scotland’s cause.  But in this era of shifting loyalties and political subterfuge, I believe it’s important to recognize another warrior whose tactical expertise and intelligence made a significant impact in Scotland’s fight for freedom — Andrew de Moray.

Born to one of Scotland’s greatest houses in the province of Moray, Andrew de Moray would have studied in Europe, his knowledge of military tactics learned from Swiss mercenaries.  In the spring of 1297, recently married, and a man who despised King Edward’s illegal occupancy of Scotland, de Moray escaped his imprisonment at Chester Castle.  With his father and uncle locked in the Tower of London, and a man greatly influenced by his uncle, David de Moravia, parson of Bothwell and one of the most ardent patriots of his time, it is easy to understand why upon his return to Avoch Castle Andrew de Moray raised the standard of revolt.

Frustrated by the choke hold of the English, with de Moray’s stand, many Scots, including Alexander Pilche, burgess of Inverness, cast away any semblance of allegiance to King Edward I and joined de Moray.  Though de Moray’s initial assault upon Urquart Castle failed, he demonstrated the enormity of his threat as he led his growing army north to Ross.  A cunning strategist, he divided his troops, placing half beneath Alexander Pilche’s command.  Their combined efforts allowed them to harass English forces with destroying precision, capture weaponry and ultimately, Boharme Castle, a strategic stronghold that severed the northeast in two.  With this major victory, de Moray pushed on to seize numerous strongholds including Urquart Castle.

Focused on his upcoming military campaign in Flanders, at news of Andrew de Moray’s uprising, King Edward I sent a message to Scottish nobles whom he’d freed in return for their joining his fight in Flanders to now find and squelch Andrew de Moray’s rebellion.  Though John Comyn, Earl of Buchan, agreed, neither could England’s king dismiss that the Comyn’s were major contenders along with Robert Bruce to become the Scottish king, nor overlook Comyn’s blood tie to Andrew de Moray.  Factors that in the end swayed Comyn to step back and see if de Moray would be the victor.

In this time of upheaval it is crucial to note the importance of the Guardians of Scotland, in specific, the role of the Bishop Wishart.  A powerful man, Bishop Wishart utilized every available option to ensure Scotland’s freedom.  With the long-reaching power of the church, Wishart’s connection with Andrew de Moray’s uncle David de Moravia, parson of Bothwell who would later become the Bishop of Moray, it is easy to understand how Andrew de Moray’s actions were guided by more than by his patriotism to Scotland, but by Wishart’s hand.

On 7 July 1297, when outnumbered, the Bishop Wishart, Robert Bruce and Sir William Douglas surrendered to Sir Henry de Percy.  Though a blow to the Scots in their fight for independence, battle plans were already in motion; de Moray was en route to join Wallace to keep the English forces from reaching Stirling Castle.

With continued troublesome reports of Andrew de Moray, before sailing to Flanders, King Edward I employed an often used military tactic to stop de Moray’s interference.  The king offered de Moray’s father, who was imprisoned in the Tower of London, freedom — if he agreed to fight with him in Flanders, and if his son, Andrew de Moray, replaced him as a hostage in the tower of London.  De Moray’s father agreed.  King Edward I’s letter of safe conduct and the personal letter from de Moray’s father were sent to de Moray, but not until after King Edward I had departed for Flanders.  It is unknown if the offer ever reached Andrew de Moray’s hands.  If so, de Moray’s future decisions proclaimed his reply.

On 11 September 1297, John de Warenne, the Governor of Scotland, and Hugh de Cressingham, the Treasurer of Scotland, readied their army on the south side of the Forth.  Though both de Moray and Wallace stood before their men that day, it was the tactical expertise of de Moray which led the Scottish force, a strategist whose campaign in Moray built and swept south to create this defining moment in Scottish history.  Andrew de Moray, having ordered the simple timber construction of Stirling Bridge weakened, waited until enough attacking infantry and knights had crossed, then he and Wallace gave the order for their spearmen to cut the English army in two.  Without room to maneuver, the English were massacred.  De Warenne fled for his life, but Cressingham was killed.

Tragically, amidst the fighting, Andrew de Moray was gravely wounded.  Some believe he died on the battle field.  Proof he not only survived, but played an active role in Scotland’s continued fight for freedom is confirmed by de Moray’s signature in several documents, including the letter written at Haddington on October 11th, and as his status dictated before Wallace’s, “Andrew de Moray and William Wallace, leaders of the army of the realm of Scotland.”  Most likely, after the Battle of Stirling Bridge, de Moray was brought to Cumbuskenneth Abbey or farther north to be treated and recover.  The last time his name appears on a document is November 7th, indicating that soon after, he succumbed to his injuries.

Andrew de Moray may have walked but months in the scope of Scotland’s history, but his steps were those of a brilliant leader, a skilled warrior who drew thousands to Scotland’s cause, and a champion who alongside another great man, William Wallace, overcame overwhelming odds and won the Battle of Stirling Bridge, forever changing the course of Scotland’s history.

Diana Cosby

References:
The Scottish War of Independence by Evan Macleod Barron
Robert Bruce & The Community of The Realm of Scotland by Geoffrey W.S. Barrow

About the Author

A retired Navy Chief, Diana Cosby is an international bestselling author of Scottish medieval romantic suspense.  Books in her award-winning MacGruder Brothers series are translated in five languages.  Diana has spoken at the Library of Congress, Lady Jane’s Salon in NYC, and appeared in Woman’s Day, on USA Today’s romance blog, “Happy Ever After,” MSN.com, Atlantic County Women Magazine, and Texoma Living Magazine.

After her career in the Navy, Diana dove into her passion – writing romance novels. With 34 moves behind her, she was anxious to create characters who reflected the amazing cultures and people she’s met throughout the world.  With the release of her first two books in her new Scottish medieval The Oath Trilogy, An Oath Taken and An Oath Broken, both which hit bestseller lists in the U.S., Canada, and the United Kingdom, as well as the release of the e Box Set of the MacGruder Brothers series, she is now preparing for the release of the last book in The Oath trilogy, An Oath Sworn on 23 December, 2015!

Diana looks forward to the years of writing ahead and meeting the amazing people who will share this journey.

www.dianacosby.com

An Oath Sworn

Colyne MacKerran is on a mission for his king, and he’s well aware that spies are lying in wait for him everywhere. Wounded en route, he escapes his attackers and is aided by an alluring Frenchwoman…whose explanation for her presence in the Highlands rings false. Even if she saved his life, he cannot trust her with his secrets. But he won’t leave her to the mercy of brigands, either—and as they race for the coast, he can’t help but wonder if her kiss is as passionate as she is.

Webpage | Kindle | Nook | Kobo | Google Play
Canada – Amazon | United Kingdom – Amazon

Excerpt: 

“Who is he?” Colyne MacKerran asked.

He far from understood the importance of the question he asked.  “What does it matter who it is or the reason his men are searching for me?”

Colyne shot her a wry grin.  “If I am going to risk my life escorting you, I need to know what I am up against.”

Hope stumbled through Lady Marie Alesia Serouge.  “You will escort me?

But—”

The Scot held up his hand, any trace of humor gone.  “To my friend’s home as I offered before.  Nay more.  Once you are in safe hands, I must go.  I have my own business to attend to.”

Colyne’s reaction to the knights who’d ridden by flickered in her mind.

Uneasy, she cleared her throat.  “You believed the men were after you?”

His expression grew shuttered.

Marie tensed.  Was this Scot a threat?  She didn’t want to believe she’d miscalculated to such a degree.  But if she was wrong . . .

Long seconds passed as he stared at her, his deep gaze assessing.  “Aye, they are.”

“Why?” she asked.

A grim smile touched his mouth.  “Well now, lass, I have my own reasons. Ones I will nae be sharing.  And,” he paused, “you will have to trust me as well.”

I was reading an interesting interview with a best selling author.

Click on Cover

The best selling author told the journalist that her success is owed to LUCK and to BRANDING.

All sorts of images came to mind.
– A hefty cowgirl being singled out of the pack, tossed to the ground and branded with a red-hot iron. ‘Romance Best Seller!’ – Right on her plump rear.
– A woman wrapped in shiny cellophane, with heart-shaped pink labels advertising romance stuck in strategic places, a bright smile firmly pasted on pink lips. (not too much lipstick – we said romance, not erotica.)
– Betty Crocker. (All right, silly, I know, but whenever I think of branding I think of Betty Crocker. This time she’s not holding a cookbook, she’s holding a romance book, and she’s wearing rhinestone-festooned glasses.)

The author went on to say she never gave an opinion on anything, and she made sure she was only associated with her books. What? You can’t express any opinions? And you must be careful not to project any other image except that of your books?

(Already I’m starting to feel schizophrenic – I write erotica, mainstream, and YA fiction, science fiction, high fantasy, contemporary, urban fantasy, historical and paranormal…what on earth kind of brand would I get? I’m guessing it won’t be pink and heart-shaped.)

I have strong opinions about things. I’m also open minded and can be swayed by a good argument. I love a good argument. But that’s not the point of this blog. You can’t really have a good argument on a blog – you can only post your opinions, get misunderstood, get into hot water, and decide it’s better to stick with recipes by Betty Crocker.

But the best selling author did have a point when she insisted on having a good image. I just suppose that the last thing I want (sorry) is to be branded as a romance writer. It’s too limited for me. For one thing, I do many things better than writing romance, and other things are more important to me.

I put so many things before my writing that it would really bother me to be branded. Think of me as one of those old steamer suitcases which has traveled all over the world, and has stickers in all sizes, shapes and colors from everywhere, in different languages, all over it. That’s more like it.

As for the LUCK part – well, that’s out of my hands, isn’t it?
😉

Jennifer Macaire
www.jennifermacaire.com
https://jennifermacaire.wordpress.com/

Jennifer also writes as Samantha Winston
www.samanthawinston.com

And here is my favorite fish chowder recipe – enjoy!

Onion, new potatoes, milk, 1/2 cube chicken bullion or 1 cup clam juice (optional), bay leaves, salmon, cod, smoked haddock, sweetcorn(canned, frozen, or fresh cut off the cob), spring onions, parsley or dill. 

Peel and roughly chop an onion, put it into a large deep pan with a little butter and fry till golden. Scrub 400g potatoes, then halve or quarter them depending on their size. Add them to the onion then pour in 500ml of water and 500ml of milk. Bring to the boil, with a coarse grinding of pepper and a couple of bay leaves.

Lower the heat so the liquid simmers and, when the potato is soft, introduce 400g of mixed fish, such as salmon, cod and smoked haddock, cut into large cubes, and continue to cook on a low heat for 10 minutes.

Add the corn to the pan. Roughly chop 2 spring onions and a small bunch of parsley (or dill) and stir them into the soup carefully, without breaking up the fish. Serve as soon as the corn is tender. It is important not to stir the chowder too much as it cooks, which would result in the fish breaking up.

The flavors will improve if the soup rests 30 minutes before serving.

Serve with crusty bread or oyster crackers, a green salad, and a crisp white wine or cider.

Many authors have a theme running through their works. The importance of family, the ultimate quest for something, well…questworthy; how good always triumphs over evil. Themes are wonderful; you can build on them and explore them in many ways.

The theme for my third MacQuire Women Book, First Impressions, is simply put, first impressions can be, and often are, wrong. The age-old adage that states don’t judge a book by its cover, essentially means the same thing, and I wanted to explore that thought,

In First Impressions, family Med Doc Clarissa Rogers has a not-too-positive opinion of local veterinarian Padric Cleary. She’s heard everyone from his twin sister to her own office staff label Pat as a player. This is not the type of man she wants to be associated with. From these descriptions, she bills him as shallow and superficial.

All that changes when Pat helps her through one of the worst days of her life. She sees him as a kind and caring man, honest, truthful and far, far from shallow. His concern for her is heartfelt and she responds to it as she’s done with no other man.

When a situation arises that seems to prove everything she’d heard about him was in fact true, their relationship takes a 180 degree turn backward. But, because this is a romance novel, you can guess how it ends. Pat and Clarissa’s journey and growth, though, are the most important facets of the book.

Now, another interesting fact behind why I titled the book what I did is this: Pride and Prejudice – my all time number 1 favorite romance novel – had as its original title, First Impressions. For those of you familiar with Pride and Prejudice you can see why Jane Austen called it that. Lizzy Bennett’s first impression of Darcy is that he is vain, pompous and arrogant, unconcerned with his fellow man and a snob. We all know how her opinion changes when Darcy shows Lizzy the true man he is during the Lydia/Wickham scandal.

I would never be so bold as to compare Clarissa & Pat to Elizabeth & Darcy. But both couples do share similar experiences with trust and being judgmental. Both books have strong, independent-thinking women as their protagonists, and both require the hero and heroine to go through a few mis-steps before stepping into one another’s lives forever.

I will admit this freely – I don’t usually make a good first impression when people meet me. I’m socially awkward and I tend to back away from a group and observe before I ever put myself into the mix. This has the tendency for people who don’t know me to think I am either excessively snobbish, rude or shy – none of which I am. Well, okay, I’ll give you rude -SOMETIMES!  But first impressions are usually, in my observation, wrong. We need to really get to know people before we ever assume anything about them. That old book and cover saw drifts back to my mind frequently.

So, if we were to meet, what do you think my first impression of you would be?

First Impressions

Family Practice Doctor Clarissa Rogers’ first impression of Padric Cleary is biased and based on gossip. The handsome, charming veterinarian is considered a serial dater and commitment-phobic by his family and most of the town. Relationship shy, Clarissa refuses to lose her heart to a man who can’t pledge himself to her forever.

Pat Cleary, despite his reputation, is actually looking for “The One.” When he does give his heart away, he wants it to be for life. With his parent’s marriage as his guidebook, he wants a woman who will be his equal and soul mate in every way.

Can Pat convince everyone – including Clarissa – she’s the only woman for him?

Excerpt:

“Have you ever been friends with a girl before?” she finally asked.

“Friends?”

“Yes. Friends.”

“Have a beer and shoot some pool friends? Or the kind with benefits?”

She laughed out loud, shook her head and grinned. “Have you ever been friends with a girl without having sex mixed into the equation?”

“Not since I was sixteen,” he admitted and then felt his neck heat. “Why?”

She cocked her head again. “It’s no secret I’m attracted to you, too. I think my reaction to the way you kissed me proves it.”

“Why am I hearing a ‘but’?”

Her lips twitched at the corners. “But I don’t jump into bed with a man because I’m attracted to him.”

“I never thought you did.”

“Good to know.”

He cocked his head. “So, what’s being friends got to do with anything?”

Clarissa sighed and settled back against the doorframe. “Can I be honest?”

“I would hope so.”

“I’ve been hearing about your reputation with women since I moved here, and I’m not looking to be the flavor of the week.”

He stared at her for a second as hurt washed through him. “When you say honest, you don’t pull any punches.”

Buy links for FIRST IMPRESSIONS:

Amazon.com: http://www.amazon.com/First-Impressions-Peggy-Jaeger/dp/150920346X/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8
The Wild Rose Press: http://www.wildrosepublishing.com/maincatalog_v151/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=191&products_id=6437
Barnes and Noble Nook: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/first-impressions-peggy-jaeger/1122560448?ean=2940151004794

Social Media Links:
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Often in our busy, 24/7, social media addicted and instant gratification existence we get caught up in high expectations for (fill in the blank) events in our lives. One day you’re rolling along, plans all laid out nice and tidy and then something happens to challenge you. Something which tests your resilience for change, and threshold for disappointment.

Sound familiar? It happens to all of us. Hopefully not too often, but when it does how you react immediately after the stomach-dropping hit you just took, sets you up for a big decision… Turn the disappointment not into lemonade but opportunity or let it paralyze you.

I had one such disappointment this summer and it had to do with my debut baseball romance, SAVING MAVERICK. I was so excited when Bloomsbury Spark offered me a contract this past March and chose a November 2015 release date. I had gleefully told my family, friends, complete strangers, “My book is coming out in November!” I’d posted it on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, my website. You name it. I had begun to pimp it, well everywhere.

So, July rolls around and I’m eager to receive my edit letter from well, my editor, but what I received instead was a nicely worded email asking me how I would feel if they changed the release date, for marketing purposes, to early 2016?… How would I feel? Sad, very-very sad.

I found myself with this huge decision to make. Do I kick and scream and demand I get my way like a toddler who’s lost their blanky and end up alienating my editor and the publisher and perhaps blow my opportunity for books two and three? <takes deep breath> Or do I set aside my “poor me” feelings and listen to the “oh, yeah, this makes sense” voice that appeared soon after the need for the pink stuff in a bottle faded away?

The change in release date had really nothing to do with me or the quality of the book, but more to do with “Hey, there is no baseball in November” and it just made better marketing sense to release it at the beginning of baseball season, the following year.

I have to tell you, I was kinda proud of myself. I could have spent a day (or two or three) in bed boo-hooing, eating ice cream and refusing to go outside, but I chose to listen to that voice that said “Yeah, this sucks, but it’s best for the success of the book.”

The more I thought about the initial disappointment the more I realized the best approach is to make sure something’s right first instead of forcing it to be right. I replied back the next day, and was honest with my editor. I admitted I was disappointed but I also wanted to make sure we set the book up for a successful release—even if it meant I would have to wait three extra months AND I had to tell everyone it wasn’t happening until next year. That was a tough one because everyone was so excited and happy for me.

I took the extra time I’d been given before I needed to dive into the editing process on SAVING MAVERICK, to begin writing a short story and another full length book, this time a romantic suspense. I entered it in a writing contest and forgot about it until it was chosen as a finalist, and then I pitched it to another publishing house, and they’re interested in reading it. (Now I just have to finish it LOL)

So there you go, silver lining. One I hadn’t been planning on, but which wouldn’t have happened if I’d let my disappointment paralyze me.

So, tell me how do you handle life’s disappointments? Or better yet, what have you learned from having gone through a disappointing experience?

Thank you Delilah for sharing your readers with me. (And for teaching the Roses Plotting Boot Camp!)

All my best,

Debra Elise

~*~

SAVING MAVERICK – Releases Early 2016 – It’s not yet up for pre-order, however you can go to GOODREADS and add it to your WANT TO READ list!

Maverick Jansen and Kelsey Sullivan fall into a complicated game of PR strategy by day and searing passion by night where they both find a new meaning to fast and hard.

STRIKE ONE

Days before the biggest game of playboy pitcher Maverick Jansen’s career, his brother is killed in a horrific car accident. Determined not to let his teammates down, Mav pushes through his grief only to lose control of his signature pitch—and the series.

STRIKE TWO

Still dealing with the backlash of his once adoring fans, Maverick learns his team’s owner plans to move the ball club to small town America. During a night of hard drinking Mav rails against the move to “Hicksville” while a fan records the entire tirade. His career takes another hit when the video goes viral right before spring training.

Kelsey Sullivan, Media Consultant, is hired by the team’s owner and her childhood friend, Thomas Scott, to help restore Maverick’s image and find a way to get his mojo back. As the daughter of a former minor league ball player who walked away from her and her unstable mother, Kelsey breaks her main client rule—no male athletes—to help her friend and gain a coveted position with the ball club.

STRIKE THREE, or…?

Persuaded to pretend they’re a couple against her better judgment, Kelsey and Maverick begin dating as a last ditch effort to secure his place on the team, fix his public image and prove to an unstable groupie who’s begun posting doctored photos on the internet that he’s taken.

In order to convince Kelsey what they have is more than just soul-shattering sex, Maverick digs deep, overcoming his commitment phobia and unexpected news to prove to Kelsey love can save them both. Can Kelsey bury her long-held belief that a bad boy baseball player isn’t the happily-ever-after type so they both can make the Show.

Excerpt from Saving Maverick:

Kelsey leaned against the railing and rolled the tension out of her neck and shoulders. How much longer should she hide out here before going back in? She didn’t want to chance looking around to check on T.S. and Maverick and get caught staring, again, so she kept her gaze on the still, dark blue lake below her.

So caught up in her memories, she hadn’t heard the terrace doors opening. She only noticed the footsteps right before a hand brushed her arm. She looked up and felt a shock of heat shoot straight to her core. It was him. Maverick Jansen and he was giving her his full attention.

“Excuse me miss. I hope I’m not intruding, but I really needed a break and you seemed so relaxed out here I just had to find out why for myself.”

She looked at America’s hottest baseball player out of the corner of her eye and snorted. Her body may be firing on all cylinders from his simple touch, but he didn’t need to know that.

“Really, is that a line you practiced or did it just come to you?” Kelsey asked.

“Well, now it got you to speak to me, so I think practiced or not, it had the desired result.” He smiled, and oh my, those dimples, Kelsey thought. He held out his hand. “Hi, I’m Rand Jansen, but everyone calls me Maverick.”

She allowed him to slip his sport roughed hand around her smaller one and tilted her head to the side. How should she play this? He may be the first man in a long time to make her feel even a twinge of sexual interest, but they would soon be working together. Maybe she should test him? See exactly how he would handle a woman turning him down.

“Kelsey.” She responded.

“Just Kelsey?” He asked.

“For now.” She smiled.

“Do you usually go by just one name? Are you a secret agent or something?” Maverick grinned again.

“Or something.” She took a slight step back, to gain a bit of control and for her sanity. She could feel her nipples pebbling against her camisole and was glad she wore a blazer for her meeting with T.S., otherwise Maverick would be able to see the effect he was having on her.

She shouldn’t be having such an intense reaction. It had taken a mere brush of his hand and the sound of his sinful voice to wind her up. She needed to get a grip and get off the terrace — fast.

BIO:  Debra Elise lives with her husband and their two sons in the beautiful Pacific Northwest. She loves to read, nap, write, and watches entirely too much reality T.V. She also enjoys a good nap (oops that’s a repeat), hanging out with other author-type individuals and teasing her three ‘boys’ into displaying their killer smiles. Most days find her carpooling, avoiding laundry and daydreaming about her characters and how to make them come alive for her readers.

You can find me on the following sites:

GOODREADS
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INSTAGRAM: DebraEliseAuthor
TUMBLR: HappilyEverAfterWriter

Have you heard of Kindle Worlds? I admit, it was pretty much new to me, but when I found out what it was, I got excited. Especially since one of my favorite authors had a world, and I was invited to play in it.

So, KW, in case you don’t know, is basically when authors get to play in other authors’ worlds. In this case, I got to write a short novella set in the world of Carly Phillips’ Dare To Love series.  The funny thing? I had no trouble knowing which character I wanted to write. He made an impression on me when he was only mentioned by first name one time in one story.  I chose Garrett, Gabriel Dare’s bodyguard. He’s only mentioned in Dare To Surrender, (Book 3 in the series) at one time, when the heroine Isabelle asks Gabe to promise he won’t hurt her ex. Gabe’s reply is something along the lines of. “I won’t , but I can’t make any promises where Garrett’s concerned.”  She asks who Garret is, and the reply is “My Bodyguard, he’s a former SEAL.” or something along those lines (read the book yourself to find out for sure…I promise, it’s enjoyable  for more than the mention of Garrett)

Anyway, I knew I wanted to write Garrett. I’ve never written a SEAL, (although Adam from Overwatch is a former Green Beret, and Simon, and some others are ex-Army). So, the first question was: Why is he no longer a SEAL? And, how did he become the bodyguard to a billionaire?

Then came the who’s his mate question. *ggg*

Here’s what I came up with, because I like to have fun when I write.

What happens when a man who’s lost his passion meets up with a lusty woman who knows what she wants…and what she wants is him.

Bodyguard Garrett Ross likes his quiet life in his quiet building, so when the sexy girl next door hits on him, he passes. After all, this former Navy SEAL knows better than to shoot holes in his own boat, no matter how bold she is in her naughty ways. But then he gets a glimpse of the woman behind the daring facade, and he can’t help but be intrigued.

Tasha Howard prides herself on being fearless. Growing up in foster-care she learned quick that she could only depend on herself, and if she wanted something, she had to go after it. So when she moves into her new apartment and gets a good look at her mouthwatering neighbor, she decides it’s time to go hard, and go home with him.

If only her inner shy girl would quit getting in the way.

Website : http://www.sashawhte.net
Newsletter:  http://eepurl.com/fdGJ-/
Amazon Page: http://amzn.to/1LH7ywb
Twitter: https://twitter.com/SashaWhite
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/SashaWhite

Excerpt 1:

“Hold, please!” Natasha Howard hefted her duffle bag higher on her shoulder and dashed forward to catch the elevator doors before they closed. It had been a crazy busy day, and she was not in the mood to stand and wait for the thing to come back down. And she certainly wasn’t going to climb the stairs to the sixth floor hauling her gear. With the luck she’d been having, she’d likely trip and break an ankle or something.

A muscled arm shot out between the elevator doors, halting their progress, and she breathed a sigh of relief.

“Thanks,” she huffed as she strode into the car.

“No problem.”

Instantly, her mood improved. It was him, the stud from 6B who had been fueling her fantasies ever since she moved into the building three weeks earlier. She’d only caught sight of him a couple of times, when he drove past her in the parking lot, or from her balcony as he exited the building, but he’d made an impression.

G. Ross. Yeah, she’d checked the intercom listings for a name after noting what parking stall he used. She didn’t know for sure what the G stood for, but it didn’t stop her from thinking about him. She leaned back as the doors slid shut, trying not to stare, but she couldn’t help herself. Her eyes were beyond her control, and they just stayed glued to him.

Geez, she’d thought he was good looking from afar, but there, in close quarters, he was devastating. Dark rumpled hair, five o’clock shadow shading his firm jaw and framing his full lips. Lips almost too full for a man. They should look out of place, but instead, they made her mind boggle with thoughts of how they would feel pressed against hers, or any other part of her body. Ohh, she wanted to bite and suck at them and thrust her tongue between them as she rubbed against his hard body like a cat in heat.

She bit back a hungry growl, blushing hotly when he glanced her way. Their gazes met for a brief second before he went back to staring straight ahead. Heat swamped her body and suddenly she was back in high school with butterflies fluttering low in her stomach while she struggled not to stutter and stammer when a boy she thought was cute spoke to her.

But he hadn’t said anything. And she wasn’t in high school anymore.

Before she could analyze what was happening, her mouth was running off without her brain.

“Hey, 6B, I’m your new neighbor in 6A,” she said, holding her hand out to him. “Tasha Howard.”

He pulled his gaze from the elevator buttons and looked at her with piercing dark eyes. “Garrett Ross,” he said, giving her hand a gentle squeeze and shake that sent tingles up her arm, and straight to her core.

Freedom is being bold, she reminded herself.

“You don’t talk much, hmm? More of the strong silent type?” Ignoring the heat crawling up her neck she eyed his wide shoulders appreciatively.

The doors slid open and, like a gentleman, he gestured for her to precede him out of the elevator. “You looked like you had a rough day, so I thought it best to leave you alone. That’s all.”

“I look that rough?”

A heavy brow arched over those sharp dark eyes. “There’s really no good way for me to answer that, is there?”

“Sure, there is,” she said as they moved down the hallway, side by side. “You tell me I look gorgeous, and that since I’ve obviously had a frustrating — not rough, because that can be misconstrued — day, that you’d like to make me feel better by inviting me over for a welcome-to-the-building drink.”

Her door was closest to the elevator, and she slowed when they reached it. He didn’t.

“You are gorgeous, but I’m not much for drinking.” He reached his own door, less than twenty feet from hers, and unlocked it. He turned her way and said “But I hope you have a good night, and welcome to the building.”

Then he was gone, and she was left standing in the hallway with her keys in her hand and a racing heart.

She stood there like an idiot for a solid thirty seconds before clicking her deadbolt open and heading in. Damn, she’d known he was good looking from the glimpses she’d seen in the past couple of weeks, but nothing had prepared her for the impact of Garrett Ross up close…and boy howdy did she want to get personal with him. So very very personal.

And how weird was that? She never wanted to get personal with people. Tasha prided herself on being bright, bold, and shiny on the outside but never letting anyone past that hard-won shell of an exterior.

Sexual, yes. She was a normal healthy twenty-seven-year-old female and she enjoyed her body and the pleasure it provided. People seemed to forget that it was human nature to crave physical closeness. Science had proven time and time again that the human touch had healing properties. She knew it could do a shitload of damage as well, but she’d learned long ago that it was easier to heal physical damage than emotional, which meant she was a lot braver with her body than her heart.

Sadly, it seemed her hot neighbor wasn’t interested in the getting personal in any way, shape, or form.

~*~*~

Contest

So…what do you think? You like it?  Let me know what you think in the comments, and be entered to win a Download of Lush, Unfettered, or Primal.

Winner will be notified on Friday morning!

Be sure to check it out on Amazon. Sorry to non Amazon readers, but this is a Kindle World, and  it;s exclusive to Amazon. But remember you can read Kindle stories on you laptop, desktop, tablet or smart phone as well with the kindle app. 🙂

~*~*~

Excerpt 2 :

Garrett took her to dinner at a small Italian restaurant in Brooklyn, not far from the club where Steven’s— Stephanie’s show was going to be. It was a noisy place because it was packed busy on a Saturday night, but each table had an intimate vibe. Or at least theirs did as they ate and talked family. She told Garrett about losing her parents when she was seven then living in foster-care.

“Is that why you have trust issues?” he asked.

Startled, she stared at him over her veal Marsala. “I don’t have trust issues.”

He just raised an eyebrow, and she sighed. One day, she was going to get something by him. “Okay, maybe a little bit. It’s not so much that I don’t trust, it’s more that …I don’t have to have friends to be happy. I mean, I’m friendly with co-workers, and people I meet, and—“

“Everybody,” he said wryly.

She shrugged daintily. “I’m a friendly gal, but, yeah, just because I’m friendly with them doesn’t make them my friends. If that makes sense?”

“It makes perfect sense. You might not have many people you call friends or family, but the ones you do, you’ll do anything for. The rest are just background noise.”

Stunned, she stared at him. “That’s a bit callous, but, yeah, you pretty much summed it up.”

“Gavin, my younger brother, is like you. He’s a bit of a wildman, doing anything and everything to get a laugh and get along. But the people he actually cares for are few and far between.”

“Are you guys close?” she asked, taking a sip of the red wine he’d ordered for her and trying to imagine what a younger, wild version of Garrett would be like. Holy hell on the hormones, that’s what he’d be like.

“Yeah. Our dad was army; both of us went into the Navy. That should tell you a few things.”

“It was always the two of you against the world?”

He nodded, and even though he didn’t say anything more, she saw something happening with him. A flicker of  sadness in his eyes that tugged at her heart. Here sat a man who grew up in a military family, became a Navy SEAL himself, the top echelon of alpha badass dudes, had his brother, and closest friend still in the Navy, and was forced to retire while still in his prime.

It explained a lot, especially the way his smile had never really reached his eyes when she first met him. In the past twenty-four hours, though,  she’d seen those same eyes gleam with intelligence, laughter, and lust.

Wanting that again, she leaned forward and said, “How do you feel about anal sex?”

His gaze snapped to hers, and his jaw dropped open a little. Shaking his head, he chuckled. “You are a handful, aren’t you?”

She gave him a flirty look from under her lashes. “What can I say? I realized that you never did tell me what your favorite sexual position was, and we are trying to get to know each other better.” And now his mind was back in the present and not thinking about all he’d given up.

He licked his lips and gave her a look hot enough to melt her panties. “I’d have to say that, as of last night, my favorite position is balls deep in your tight, wet, pussy with your whimpers and cries echoing through the room.”

Oh.

Oh, Lord. Her panties hadn’t melted, but they were on fire. On no, that was her pussy, not her panties. Oh shit. She stared at him, lust pounding through her veins, and struggled to get her brain online again.

“Is everything okay here?”

“Everything’s perfect,” he told the waiter without looking away from her. “I think we’ll just take the bill now, though.”

Female or male, what’s the first physical feature that grabs your attention?

I recently heard of a study where women were shown 75 pictures of men, and they overwhelmingly agreed it was a guy’s smile that called to them. Now, I’m not sure if these were only headshots being viewed or if the women responding were just being PC ;-), but I will boldly admit that the first thing I notice is a man’s chest. Given the mass quantities of bare-chested photos posted to Facebook pages, I’m inclined to think I’m not alone here!

Though, for argument’s sake, let’s say the photos viewed were only headshots. (I know, where was the fun in that study??!) What is the first defining feature you notice? Is it neatly trimmed or strategically messy hair? Is it dreamy or alert eyes? Is it a playful smirk or a sexy smile? Is it a strong, clean-shaven jaw or a scruffy one?

Although I know eyes are supposed to be the windows to the soul, for me, a smile says it all. First, it can hold honesty. That’s probably the most important quality of a smile. Beyond that, my favorite expressions include the Billy Idol sneer from the ‘80s/’90s (think “Rock the Cradle of Love” or “White Wedding”). I’m pretty sure that man has left millions of wet thongs in his wake. I’m also hugely fond of the smoldering, bad-boy smirk. You know, the one that says, “I can easily make you come ten times in an hour if given the chance,” without even saying a word!

Like purposely messy hair and edgy dispositions, not all men can pull off the sneer or the smirk—or the wicked intentions they promise. Perhaps that’s why I find them so alluring. 😉

I’d love to hear what you find sexy, endearing, or engaging about facial features. Leave a comment and you’re entered to win either an autographed, print version of the Advance Reader’s Copy of Book 1 in my upcoming St. Martin’s Press trilogy releasing Oct. 6, BURNED DEEP (US delivery), or the electronic version.

And keep those bare-chested photos coming on Facebook!

Happy Autumn!

Calista

*~*

WHAT LOLA WANTS (Grand Central Publishing/Forever Romance)—NOW ON SALE!

Amazon: http://amzn.to/1K8YhMu
Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/1IN53qiv

BURNED DEEP—BOOK 1 (St. Martin’s Press)—COMING OCT. 6!
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Burned-Deep-Novel-Calista-Fox-ebook/dp/B00TDQ1TPC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1442428942&sr=8-1&keywords=burned+deep+calista+fox
Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/burned-deep-calista-fox/1120919424?ean=9781250072511

About Calista Fox

Calista is a former PR professional, now writing fast-paced, steamy books to set your pulse racing! Her publishing houses include St. Martin’s Press, Grand Central Publishing and Harlequin. Her debut SMP trilogy opens with BURNED DEEP and concludes with a new book four, starring the trilogy’s secondary hero! She is an Amazon bestseller and has won many Reviewer’s and Reader’s Choice Awards, as well as Best Book Awards and other competitions with publication as first prize. Calista is a college graduate and teaches online writing classes. She is also a Past President/Advisor of the Desert Rose Phoenix chapter of the Romance Writers of America national organization. Visit her at: www.calistafox.com, www.facebook.com/calistafox and www.twitter.com/calistafoxbooks

I write small town contemporary romance, along with what sometimes seems to be most of the Romance world. I started with Konigsburg, Texas, and then shifted to Salt Box, Colorado, in a shift that mirrored my own actual move from San Antonio to Denver. But when I say I write about small towns, I need to make an important distinction. My small towns may not be what cross your mind when you think of small towns. My small towns—both of them—are resort towns.

What’s the difference? Basically, resort towns have a different set of objectives from the average small town. Both Konigsburg and Salt Box depend on appealing to outsiders. Tourists are responsible for a large part of their economies, and this has an interesting effect on the way the towns function. Resort towns, in my experience, tend to be more outgoing, more open to new ideas and fashions. They have to keep attracting outsiders, which means they have to change with the times.

And yet they’re still small towns, meaning people know each other and support each other in the way many other small towns do. It’s this combination of sophistication and tradition that fascinates me, I admit. And the actual resort towns my books are based on—Fredericksburg, TX and Steamboat Springs, CO—are favorites of mine.

My latest book, Finding Mr. Right Now, is about a collision between show business and a small resort town. Saltbox, Colorado, is a summer and winter recreational resort that has to put up with the invasion of a reality show, Finding Mr. Right. The locals are friendly but a little taken aback by the outsiders, and a lot of the disagreements between the two groups take place at the Blarney Stone, a local bar loved by locals and visitors alike. Here’s a quick scene where Clark Denham, the owner of a local hotel (and hero of Saltbox Book 2, Love in the Morning, releasing on January 5) tries to explain the origins of the town’s name to some slightly confused Hollywood types (any resemblance to the story of how Tin Cup, Colorado, got its name is purely coincidental):

“Salt Box.” Monica turned to Clark Denham. “Why is it called Salt Box? Is it the name of a mountain?”

He gave her a lazy smile. “Do you want the real answer or the classic answer?”

“Can’t I have both?”

“Sure.” He picked up his beer. “The real answer is nobody knows exactly.”

“And the classic answer?”

“…is a story, of course. Starts when the town wasn’t a town yet. Just a stagecoach stop and a potential stop on the railroad that was supposed to go through and didn’t.” He took another swallow. “Sorry—off topic. Anyway, the people who lived here decided they needed to be an honest-to-god town, which meant they needed a name. With me so far?”

Monica nodded.

“Anyway, they figured they’d let the people in town vote on what name they liked best. So they asked people to write down their suggestions and put them in an empty salt box at the general store.”

Paul raised an eyebrow. “I think I see where this is headed.”

“Yeah, well, keep it to yourself. You’ll ruin my concentration.” Denham gave him a dry smile. “So they had a couple of weeks for everybody to come up with their suggestions for a name and put them in the salt box. Then they called a town meeting so they could have a vote to choose the name everybody liked best.”

Ronnie frowned. “But they should have given people time to think first. I mean, they should have told them the names everybody came up with and then let them kind of talk it over. Because at first they might not have liked some of the names, but after a while they might have decided, okay, that’s not a bad name after all. So everybody would have been happy.”

Denham’s mouth edged into another smile, this one friendly. “That makes a lot of sense, but I think the people in town just wanted to get the whole thing over with. Decide on the name so they could get a post office and then move on.”

Ronnie gave a little puff of disapproval. “Patience is a virtue.”

Denham blinked, then took a breath. “Okay, so we’ve got the townspeople all coming together at the general store. Gonna choose a name and get cracking on having a real town. Civilization here we come.”

Monica leaned forward. “And?”

“And they upended the salt box to get all the suggestions, but there was nothing there.”

Ronnie’s eyes widened. “Nothing? No names or anything?”

“Not even salt?” Paul murmured.

Monica gave him a quelling glance.

Denham shook his head. “Nothing. Nobody had suggested anything. So they decided to name the town after the box. Sort of a reminder that community spirit isn’t always too reliable around here.”

“But that’s sad.” Ronnie’s eyes were suspiciously bright. “Why didn’t somebody suggest something when they found out there weren’t any other suggestions? Maybe name it after their wife or their girlfriend or something. Didn’t they even care about what happened?”

“That’s one possibility.” Denham took another swallow of his beer. “Of course, it’s also possible that nobody could think of anything good enough, and they were afraid to suggest something bad.”

“Or maybe they all figured somebody else would come up with something, so they didn’t bother. That happens a lot.” Saltzman, the bar owner, grinned at Ronnie.

“Maybe.” Her eyes still looked faintly tearful.

Monica sighed. “It didn’t turn out too badly, Ronnie. I mean, Salt Box is a unique name. It’s a lot more memorable than some places I’ve been.”

“Thank you.” Denham bowed slightly in her direction. “I feel that way myself. Better to live in Salt Box than to live in someplace called Highland Park Acres. The town’s got a flair for the unexpected.”

And here’s the blurb for Finding Mr. Right Now:

Reality can be hotter than fiction.

The Salt Box Trilogy, Book 1

Monica McKellar, associate producer of Finding Mr. Right, is desperate. One of the show’s bachelors has bailed one week before shooting starts. She not only needs a replacement ASAP, he has to get the temperamental bachelorette’s stamp of approval.

Fortunately there’s a hot guy right under her nose who’s a perfect fit. Unfortunately, he pushes all her hot buttons. Until the show’s over, her hands—and every other part of her body—are tied.

When Paul DeWitt signed on to write for the reality show, “Bachelor #10” wasn’t supposed to be in his job description. He fully expects to be cut early on, which will free him to focus on the real object of his attraction. Monica.

Instead, he’s a finalist, and they’re all packed in an SUV climbing the Continental Divide, headed for Salt Box, Colorado. Where stampeding horses, vindictive tabloid editors, and one capricious bachelorette’s waffling over suitors may conspire to end Paul and Monica’s romance before it even starts.

Warning: Contains hot sex on the sly, cold nights, creaking wicker couches, and a gypsy wagon that gives a whole new appreciation for the pioneers.

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