UPDATE: This contest will end September 25th at midnight! Enter now!

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Every fall I get swept away by the falling leaves and the bright colors and the crisp wind that smells of coming snowfall. There is something magical about the months of September, October and November. I lose myself in the celebrations and decorations of Halloween and there’s nothing better than reading a bunch of old vintage gothics. The spooky settings, the fog shrouded mansions and crumbling castles. I’ve read contemporary set gothics (set in the 50s and 60s) and I’ve read historical gothics too. It doesn’t matter when the book is set, so long as I get to lose myself in a story that’s full of that beloved atmosphere where mist hides tragedies and horrors and a dark sensual romance fills the pages.

One of my absolute favorite vintage gothic romances is The Shivering Sands by Victoria Holt which is about a woman named Caroline trying to find out what happened to her missing sister Roma. Setting out on a quest to find her sister, she starts out searching an estate where her sister was last seen.  With a title like Shivering Sands, already the atmosphere is set and I have to know more about this mysterious place where even the sand is dangerous. As the heroine Caroline Verlaine finds out: “You’ve heard about the Sands, Mrs. Verlaine. Quick sands…shivering sands…Boats are caught in them and they can’t get off. They feel themselves held in a grip so fierce that nothing will release them…and slowly they begin to sink into the shivering sands.”

What is so moving about gothics, especially the vintage ones is the way they capture the reader’s attention with the style of language and transport us to a place of deadly mystery and wonder set against the backdrop of old haunted houses with brooding, dominating heroes that inspire our darkest fantasies.

I recently decided I wanted to write a “modern”gothic. Wouldn’t it be marvelous to take what was best about the vintage gothics and what’s great about new modern romances (like the super steamy love scenes), and combine the two? I had to admit it was one of the funniest things I’ve ever done and the voice was quite natural for me, since I’ve read so many of the old gothics. My story The Shadows of Stormclyffe Hall which releases September 29^th, 2014 is the best of both worlds. I have dark, brooding hero named Bastian, an earl, and Jane, a feisty, intelligent American grad student clashing in a battle of wills as they try to find out why the earl’s castle is haunted by his ancestors.

“He was predatory, sensual, and powerful in his dark blue waistcoat, and knee-high black boots. Bastian’s ancestor looked every inch the earl he was. But it was so much more than that. Bastian and Richard could have been twins, the uncanny resemblance was so strong.” – The Shadows of Stormclyffe Hall.

Question for readers: What do you all like to read around Halloween? Do you like spooky ghost stories? Hot paranormals? Horror classics? Three lucky winners will receive a e-book of The Shadows of Stormclyffe Hall!

To defeat a dark evil, they must face his family’s past…

Bastian Carlisle, the Earl of Weymouth, doesn’t believe in ghosts. Even though tragedy and mysterious hauntings have driven his family away from his ancestral home, Stormclyffe Hall, he is determined to restore the castle to its former glory. His plans are disrupted when a stubborn American shows up on his doorstep hoping to pry into his family’s tragic history.

Jane Seyton, an American graduate student, is convinced there’s more to the tragedy of Stormclyffe Hall than history claims. Ever the scholar, she is determined to discover the truth, even if it means putting up with the arrogant, yet sexy, Bastian.

Although Bastian wants nothing to do with the pushy American, it soon becomes clear that something evil is in the house—and that something is targeting both Jane and Bastian. The two must join forces to purge the ghosts of Stormclyffe Hall once and for all—even as they try to fight a physical attraction between them that grows more and more impossible to deny.

Excerpt:

“My lord?” Randolph prompted, which made Bastian realize he must have been silent for several moments. The shadows had him on edge. Perhaps it would be nice to have a bit of company, if only she wasn’t a bloody American. Given the rumors of ghosts and other such childish stories, most of the staff at Stormclyffe refused to stay overnight. Only Randolph and a few of the loyal staff from London remained after dark.

“I shall meet with her. She will not be staying here.” Read the rest of this entry »

Hello romance readers! And thank you for hosting me today, Delilah. 🙂 I am here to spotlight some fabulous trivia about my Lost Colony Series.

• Fun fact one: This is a historical romance series based on a group of very real Lost Colonists from Roanoke Island.
• Fun fact two: Most of the names, places, and dates in my novels are based on the real deal.
• Fun fact three: But don’t worry. These novels don’t read at all like a history book. The Lost Colony Series is brimming with action, suspense, and unexpected romance in all the right places with plenty of steam – promise!
• Fun fact four: I am seeking some awesome, creative suggestions FROM YOU for the title of book three in the Lost Colony Series.

NAME THAT BOOK CONTEST

Here are some quick and dirty facts to get your creative juices flowing.

1. BOOK ONE: BREAKING TIES

BLURB: An ancient conspiracy plagues a trans-Atlantic voyage from day one. ROSE PAYNE the ship clerk is simply trying to outrun a broken heart. Instead, she runs straight into danger – pirates, plundering, and unexpected love with the most unlikely man.

YouTube book trailer: https://youtu.be/nBB8_qcG-9I

2. BOOK TWO: TRAIL OF CROSSES

BLURB: Following a brutal ambush by hostile Natives, a sharp-tongued spinster JANE MANNERING plots the escape of her fellow English colonists by following a carved trail of crosses, never dreaming her actions will draw the attention of the most feared tribal leader in Virginia.

YouTube book trailer: https://youtu.be/XTkQBFMrk3c

3. BOOK THREE: It’s Your Turn! NAME THIS BOOK

BLURB: AGNES WOOD, a skilled apothecary, crosses the ocean to keep one big, dark, terrible secret. Alas, one dashing gentleman from her past discretely pursues her. Will he expose her past sins and destroy the life she has fought so hard to build in the New World, or will he risk his own future to protect hers?

NAME THIS BOOK in the comments section below for a chance to win a $10 Amazon or Barnes and Noble gift card (winner’s choice)! Don’t forget to give me a way to reach you. (Email address, twitter handle, FB, etc. OR you may email your contest entry directly to me at Jo@JoGrafford.com .)

Happy historical romance reading and best wishes on winning!

–Jo

Jo@JoGrafford.com

Breaking Ties

Breaking Ties
Lost Colony Series
Book One
Jo Grafford

Genre: historical romance
Publisher: Astraea Press
Date of Publication: October 16, 2013
ISBN: 978-1-62135-219-8
ASIN: B00FYIYM7A
Number of pages: 404
Word Count: 121,390
Cover Artist: Mande Matthews

Intelligent and well ahead of her times, ROSE PAYNE’S world is shattered after a secret betrothal to the duke’s son costs her job as a clerk in his father’s household. Without a letter of recommendation, she becomes an easy target for recruiters to the Colonies. Desperate for work, she signs up for a risky overseas venture and sails for the New World, vowing never again fall for a wealthy gentleman.

Returning from a diplomatic tour in London, CHIEF MANTEO is bewitched by the elusive, fiery-haired ship clerk and determined to overcome her distrust. He contrives a daring plan to win her heart – a plan he prays will protect her from a chilling conspiracy involving murder, blood money, and a betrayal of their fledgling colony so terrifying it can only be revealed in BREAKING TIES.

Special Note: BREAKING TIES is the never-before-told rest of the story of the Lost Colony.

Book Trailer: https://youtu.be/nBB8_qcG-9I

Available at Amazon  BN  Smashwords  Kobo  Astraea Press  iTunes

Excerpt:

“You want my help.” ‘Twas an accusation.

“Aye.”

His eyes darkened. “I save your life. I give gifts. I offer marriage.” He closed the remaining distance between us, his eyes burning into mine.

I stumbled back.

“You give nothing in return,” he snarled. “You only ask for more.”

“I would had I something to offer,” I whispered. “But I have nothing. I am nothing.”

“Then what use are you to me?” He wheeled away.

I sagged against the door, eyes stinging. I blinked rapidly and pressed a hand to my stomach. Nausea rolled at the thought of informing the others of my failure.

Manteo circled the cabin like a hawk stalking its prey. ‘Twas a fine room with ornately carved shelves lining one wall. Bunks were built into the next wall. A generous desk jutted from the third, overflowing with maps and navigational devices. I recognized the compass and hourglass but could not identify the other instruments. I jerked in surprise when Manteo swooped down upon me.

“I know our location.” His arms shot out and slapped the wall on either side of me, hemming me to the door. “I could swim ashore from here.”

“Then why do ye stay if ye can leave and save yourself?” Read the rest of this entry »

Laila’s Lies, the next taste of the Members Only Series, is now available for your reading pleasure!! Yea!!

Members Only, Book Seven (and no book six isn’t out yet – seriously epic fail that they’re publishing out of order but it couldn’t be helped unfortunately)

Laila Harris was a fake, a phony, a fraud.

Being sent to dig up proof The Library was actually a private BDSM club was her ticket to a promotion. Simple. Easy. But it wasn’t.

Not when she would have to betray the three men who captured her heart from the very first heated stare. Not when she would have to turn her back on the women who saw who she’d kept hidden from everyone. A submissive.

Choosing between her past and future will rock the foundation of everything she holds true. Until she understands the power she holds when she’s on her knees.

A Romantica® ménage erotic romance from Ellora’s Cave

Would you like to win a copy of Laila’s Lies to keep and cuddle of your very own?

Yea!! I’d hoped you would!

All you have to do is go sign up for an amazingly awesome blog I’m on with 6 other authors!

The Decadent Divas!

Just click on the I understand and wish to continue button that says you’re an adult and your heart can stand epic levels of decadence! Then on the right under followers click on follow this site and just follow the instructions. Super easy. Then come back here and tell me what you think is Decadent in romance books!

Happy posting! And please include your email address in the post so I can contact you with the shiny new copy of Laila’s Lies!

Decadently Yours,

Jennifer Kacey

The books in the Members Only Series can be found here…
Together In Cyn
Haleigh’s Ink
A Very Ménage Christmas
Duke’s Valentine
Orgasm University
Accidental Voyeur
Roman’s To-Do List
Laila’s Lies

Stand Alone
Buried Permission
Beneath the Pages

Jennifer Kacey is a wife, mother, and business owner living with her family in Texas. She sings in the shower, plays piano in her dreams, and has to have a different color of nail polish every week. The best advice she’s ever been given? Find the real you and never settle for anything less.

Website – https://www.jenniferkacey.com/
Blog – The Decadent Divas – https://www.thedecadentdivas.blogspot.com/
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/jennifer.kacey.7
Facebook Author Page – https://www.facebook.com/jenniferkaceyauthor
Twitter – https://twitter.com/JenniferKacey
Amazon Page – https://www.amazon.com/Jennifer-Kacey/e/B00GXHUB30/ref=s9_simh_gw_p351_d9_al1?_encoding=UTF8&refinementId=618073011&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=0G8ZPDQJVKJPKXNBRY10&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=1688200382&pf_rd_i=507846
Goodreads – https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6941549.Jennifer_Kacey
Pinterest – https://pinterest.com/jenniferkacey/

Today is my birthday. No, don’t start singing that song–I’m sure I’ll hear it often enough at work when the kids come to lunch. If I could, I’d simply forget my birthday all together, but singing to mz *lizzie makes the kids happy. And I can’t resist that.

Much like Birdie, the heroine in Birds Do It! can’t resist helping a desperate single father facing what he considers to be a dangerous hyacinth macaw and a birthday celebration for his nine year old daughter. First she calms the bird, then offers to decorate the birthday cake.

A Birthday excerpt for you.

Smoothing the surface with a deft flick of her wrist, she spoke. “I need to know how your daughter spells her name.”

“The French way.”

“And that is?” Birdie held up a hand. “Wait a sec.” She reached for a second decorating bag filled with bright blue icing. After testing the flow from the tip over a bowl, she paused with the tip close to the cake. “Okay, shoot.”

“R.” Garr swallowed heavily. This woman, a stranger, came into his house, magically quieted a maniacal bird, and created the most beautiful cake for his daughter. Her hand moved smoothly, putting a final, flowery flourish to the large letter.

“A.” She arched her shoulders forward as if easing tight muscles. Garr’s fingers twitched, and he longed to soothe, to comfort, to relax her tension. That longing curled into heated tension low in his belly.

“C.” Pausing, Birdie held the top of the decorating bag in one hand, wrapped the fingers of her other hand around it, and gently forced the icing toward the tip. Then, she wrapped her fingers more tightly around the bag and adjusted her grip slightly. Garr bit back a low groan.

“H.” How the letter got past the lump in his throat was a miracle. Unbidden, unwanted, the vision of her fingers wrapped around him… stroking… caressing… squeezing…

His body responded painfully.

“E.” A deep intake of breath filled him with her scent; spice and warm vanilla. As casually as he could, he moved to the other side of the island to hide his physical reaction. Perhaps the distance would help.

“Two L’s.” How long had it really been since he’d been attracted to a woman, drawn to someone so intimately? The tip of her pink tongue peeked between her lips as she concentrated, moving slowly along her full lower lip as if it traced the letters as well.

“E.” By God, if she didn’t stop caressing that damn bag…

“There, finished.” Birdie looked up at him. A triumphant smile made her face bright and beautiful. She sucked an icing covered finger into her mouth. “What do you think?”

I think I want to know you better. Much better.

Birds Do It!

A search for truth, switched babies, and a threat from the past all conspire to destroy the love Birdie found with Garr and his daughter, Rachelle.

Macaws as lovebirds?

An avian expert, Birdie Simons is called to help control a cantankerous hyacinth macaw during a young girl’s birthday party. Inexorably drawn to each other, she and single father Garr Logan share an afternoon of joy and bittersweet memories, for Garr’s wife died the same day as Birdie’s newborn child.

Something about Rachelle makes Birdie wonder if the golden-haired girl is her daughter, switched at birth. Then her child’s father returns, dogging her search for understanding and throwing her deeper into fear and confusion.

Ready to move on after his wife’s death, Garr wants the intriguing woman, but Birdie keeps the search, threats and hidden relationships to herself, driving a wedge between them.

Will discovering the truth from nine years ago bring them closer, or forever tear them apart?

Birds Do It! can be found at the following eretailers: Amazon,   Barnes & Noble, Kobo, iBooks, Smashwords, All Romance eBooks

I even have a trailer. View the trailer here!

About *lizzie:

*lizzie always made up games and stories to keep her company. So, a cunning witch lived in Grampa’s weather research station and was only held at bay by waving a certain weed. An ancient road grader morphed into a boat carrying wild adventurers to islands filled with fierce lions and dangerous cannibals, which really looked a lot like sheep. Now, filled with fantasy, love, and romance with a sparkling twist, the stories of her imagination swirl their way into the mundane world. When *lizzie must return to a more routine life, she’s *the Lunch Lady* at a private school. Author and lunch lady~~what a combination!

www.lizziestarr.com
https://starrwords.blogspot.com
www.twitter.com/lizziestarr
www.facebook.com/lizzie-starr
amazon author page
google+
Goodreads
Newsletter

Note: Thought I’d misplaced Jennha’s blog, but found it. The contest I posted earlier this AM, just below this blog, is still a go! Be sure to enter! ~DD

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Fall hit hard this week. Which I both love and hate. Love because I get to pull out the hoodies! Hate because it means winter is coming—not my favorite time of year. 🙂

But there are other great things about fall (one of my favorite seasons). Perfect days of mild weather, clear skies, and fresh air. The colors of the trees as they turn from green to gold, orange and red.

Halloween. So much fun dressing up and taking my kiddo trick or treating. Sports! Football. Hockey.

And school. As much as I love spending the summer with my kiddo, it’s nice to have some free time when she goes back to school. And she loves it as well.

As summer fades to fall and the temperatures drop, schedules pick up, and we prepare for winter I like to pull out some books that heat things up!  What do you do when the temperatures turn chilly? What is your favorite season?

Leave a comment and your email and I’ll pick one winner to win an ebook of Finding Her Dream. The giveaway ends September 26^th. I’ll post the winner’s name in the comments.

Title: Finding Her Dream (Midwest Kisses #2)
Genre: Contemporary Erotic Western Romance
Published: March 27, 2014

Add to Goodreads:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/21400442-finding-her-dream

It wasn’t until she watched her best friend find the man of her dreams that RayAnne Hill realizes there’s a part of her missing. She knows the empty space can only be filled by finding her own true love, complete with kids and the white picket fence. Fear of letting someone in stops her cold, and it’s much bigger than just finding Mr. Right.

James Shaw moved away from Kentucky and the family business to chase his own goals, settling in the small town of Kimmswick, Missouri. His business is succeeding, now he’s ready to complete his life with a wife and kids. One night, one look and he’s found her. RayAnne is everything he’s been searching for.

As hard as James has fallen for RayAnne, can he be enough to help her overcome her worst nightmare? Or will he decide he can’t wait forever, and walk away to find happiness?

Buy Links:
All Romance:
https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-findingherdream-1461203-147.html
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00JCAZTX2
Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/finding-her-dream-jennah-scott/1119020767?ean=2940149369669
Kobo: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/finding-her-dream-midwest-kisses-2

Author Bio:

Born and raised in Texas, Jennah is a transplant to Missouri long enough ago she should probably consider that her hometown. But she will forever be a Texan. She loves to write any story that will make a reader smile, laugh, and maybe even cry (although you won’t ever hear her admit that she cries). Whether the next story she writes is contemporary, urban fantasy, LGBT, or whatever other crazy idea she comes up with, there will always be love and romance in the midst of trials and turmoil.

Contact:
Email: Jennah.scott01@gmail.com
Website: https://www.jennahscott.com
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/Jennah_scott
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorjennahscott
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/jennahscott
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/jennahscott

Teaser:

“I’m sorry, Ray.”

What? She whipped around to face him. “Why?” she squeaked.

“For that night. For being late. For letting you down. All of it. I hated not getting to spend some time with you.” James clasped his hands in front of him. Her gaze lingered a little below his belt. He cleared his throat and she jerked her head up. At seeing his smirk Ray’s cheeks warmed. She’d been caught.

“I should be apologizing to you, James. It was wrong of me to ignore you. I was being selfish, too worried about myself and how much I wanted to have dinner with you. Everything ended up okay, right? I mean I know it’s been a while, but…” she trailed off. Rambling would get her nowhere.

James grinned. The cooling fire inside ignited once again. “Yeah, sugar. Everything’s good. Shadow was perfect and her foal, Levee, is a beauty.”

“Levee? That’s an odd name for a horse isn’t it?”

“Maybe. I don’t care. She’s named after the Levee Apple Pie at the Owl.”

“Why would you name your horse after an apple pie?” Ray didn’t know much about horses, but she figured an odd name like that had to have a story.

“It’s not the apple pie. Once upon a time I met this girl and I screwed up. So this was my way of reminding myself what can happen if I don’t pay attention.”

Need a smile? Wish I could have been a fly on the wall. They look like they had the best time! ~DD

Jimmy Fallon, Meghan Trainor & The Roots Sing “All About That Bass”
(w/ Classroom Instruments)

There’s been a lot of talk in recent years about the importance of “strong female characters.” As a woman, and a mother, and a writer, I wholeheartedly agree. I want my daughter to grow up surrounded by stories of people she can identify with who go out and accomplish great things.

And as a reader, there’s nothing I find more annoying than a female character who does nothing but sit around fretting, waiting to be rescued!

But when I dig a little deeper into this idea of “strong female characters” I’m left with more questions than answers. What makes a female character strong? Is there a difference between feminine strength and masculine strength? Should there be a difference?

In my own reading, I’ve come across a few strong female character types that didn’t ring true for me:

• Rambo-in-a-Skirt – The character who acts and talks like a guy, but who happens to wear (very little) female clothing and answer to a feminine name. Pretty much every female superhero ever.
• Hillary – A variation on Rambo-in-a-Skirt. She’s wealthy and powerful and she’ll crush her enemies under 4-inch heels.
• Velma – The know-it-all who can never be wrong. About anything. Ever.

All of these types bother me because they’re caricatures that don’t really capture the complexity of a strong, intelligent, successful woman. The fact is, we’re far more interesting than that.

It’s not difficult to see where the caricatures came from:

Somewhere along the line, humans came up with the crazy idea that men are supposed to be strong and women are somehow the “weaker sex.” And this assumption is rooted in the idea that women are inherently weak and stupid. So when women finally stood up and laughed at this nonsense, the answer was obvious: if you want to be considered strong, you have to act like a man. Be tough like a man. Be aggressive like a man. Be smart like a man.

I guess it’s better than nothing, but….we’re not men. And this assumption is rooted in the idea that women are inherently weak and stupid. If we want to be considered strong and intelligent, we have to act like something we’re not. We have to fake it.

Really?

I like to believe that most of us have moved beyond this simplistic interpretation in real life, but it seems to persist in literature and movies. And when it comes down to it, our stories reflect our deepest truths.

I got tired of reading about female characters who didn’t ring true, so I did what any self-respecting writer would do: I made one up. Brianna, the title character in my first Faelands novel, Daughter of Oreveille, doesn’t have all the answers. She isn’t enough of a warrior to wade through a dozen monsters with nary a scratch. And yet, I’d hold her up as a truly strong female character. She knows what she believes in, and what she’s willing to fight for. She does what she has to do to create a life of her own choosing.

To me, those are the hallmarks of a truly strong character – male or female.

What do you think? What are some of your favorite – or most cringe-worthy! – characters? 

Tricia Ballad is the author of Daughter of Oreveille and Lady of Gaia, as well as the upcoming Defender of Oreveille. She never really grew out of playing pretend or sitting cross-legged on the rug for story time. And she drinks absurd amounts of coffee.

Her books are available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, and on her website at www.TriciaBallad.com.