Tuesday's Tales - Wine

I hope you have all enjoyed your Thanksgiving festivites and shopped 'till you dropped, or your keyboard groaned. Another week's come round and this week's Tuesday's Tales prompt is - Wine.
This is an unedited WIP so please be kind.  It is (I think) another excerpt from Simeon's story, but it true TT fashion.  none of the scenes are going down in sequence, so Ihave some stitching to do later. :-)

She cursed when her opponent’s foil whipped past her face, and pushed her thoughts away.

But along with the next clash of blades they came right back again...

Before she knew his intentions, the stranger had whipped the marriage certificate out of her hand and marched down chapel's the weather-smooth steps to the street.

“What are you doing?  I need that!”  She made a grab for the paper and found his fingers clamped round her arm. One peek up at his face, lips sealed in a thin line, eyes narrowed, she hoped against the glare of the sun, but accepted it was probably because of her. And his brows, beetled together in a frown, reminded her of a glass of fine sherry in sunlight.  The glass of soft golden-brown glow of wine she bought from the nearby bar seconds before she’d crossed the street to the chapel only minutes before.  Was it only minutes, in some way it seemed like hours ago.

She’d expected her ‘groom’ to be waiting for her.  She offered the man enough money, but he hadn’t showed.  Instead she’d expected the authorities to catch up with her before the deed was done and cart her off to jail to wait an escort to see her onto a plane out of the country.

“If you think you can wed me one minute and run off with the evidence the next, you mistook your mark.” Even his voice reminded her of warm Christmas punch. 

Well, she thought now, that was a long time ago, when her parents were still alive and before her cousin had conned her out of her home and stolen her inheritance.

She parried the stranger's thrust, measured his footwork and shifted to her right before his blade slashed past her face for a second time.

And still the memories intruded.

“Only one sip,” her father’s smile shimmered in front of her eyes and disappeared.  “When you are older you can have a full glass of punch.”

“Why not now?” she’d asked.  An old game, that sprang up between them years ago. “Because you’re too young to drink wine,” he told her and laughed.

“But there’s only a little drop in there, I could have some couldn’t I?”

Even while her mother tried to turn her smile into a frown, her father had tipped his glass to her lips and let her sample the fruity warmth of the punch.

She’d been five the last time she’d tasted her father’s famous Christmas punch.

There's plenty more wonderful reads at Tuesday's Tales

Today Iris Blobel introuces Emma, her main character...

May I introduce you all to Emma? Emma is my main character in my latest release “Innocent Tears” and I’m sure you will like her as much as I do.

Please state your name:

Emma Gallagher

Age:

Early Twenties J

Hair /Eye Colour:
Curly, tawny hair / Nordic blue eyes

Job:

Receptionist at the All Star Hotel, Melbourne

Favourite food:

Auntie Mary’s Lasagne

Describe yourself in three words:

hopeless romantic, survivor, dreamer

Where do you live?

Melbourne, Australia. It’s a beautiful city and I love welcoming visitors to this special place. Well, actually now I live in Launceston, a small, but very pretty town in Tasmania.

What were three things you liked to do when you were younger?

Going camping with my parents, travelling along the Great Ocean Road, playing in the cubby house with my neighbour Lilly

Favourite Pastime

Hmm, so little time at the moment, because I try and study as well, but I like to go out with my friends. Lots of pubs here in Melbourne. Also like to see a soccer game or two. Go the Melbourne Victory FC !!!

What makes you happy?

People with a smile on their faces. And ice cream.

What would you change about yourself if you could?

My curly hair .... geez, I tell you it’s such a hassle to keep it in line. I mean it’s like constantly in my face.

What's the worst thing you've ever done? Why?

Some might call it bad some might shrug it off – but cursing in church when I lost my parents. Ahem, I’m sure I’ve told a fib or two as well .... AND not believing my friend Jacqui when she tried to help me. Oh, yes, I’ve ran the red light once too. Oh my, that was soooo embarrassing!

If you could be an animal, what would it be?

Dolphin .... I’d so much like to be a dolphin and swim the seven seas.

Innocent Tears – Blurb:

Becoming a parent can be daunting at the best of times, but for Flynn, a business lawyer in Melbourne, it almost pulls the feet from right underneath him. He’s become a father to six-year-old Nadine literally overnight! He had no idea about her existence, and the news throws him into chaos, even more so when he is asked to take over custody.
With the help of Emma, an employee at the hotel where Nadine and her grandparents are staying, and his parents, Flynn tries to do the right thing. Yet, the right thing in his eyes differs from his parents’, and Emma is voicing her opinion as well. And right in the middle is little Nadine, still grieving the loss of her mother and finding a wonderful friend in Emma. There’s no doubt she’s afraid where and with whom she will settle.
But in the end, it’s a letter Flynn receives that helps him figuring out what to do

Where you can buy “Innocent Tears”

Amazon:                                      Amazon UK:

Barnes & Noble:                          Bookworld:

Bookstrand:                                 All Romance Books:

Smashwords:

Where you can find me online:

Official Blog: http://www.iris-b.blogspot.com

Twitter @_iris_b:

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4067254

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/irisblobel

 

.99c/.77p ~ Cyber Monday Celebrations ~ Meet the Regency Dukes of Christmas

The Toymaker By Kay Springsteen http://www.astraeapress.com/#!/~/product/category=662245&id=16308651

Lady Ivy Plumthorne, elder daughter of the Duke and Duchess of Wythorpe, is a worry to her parents. Desiring only that she be as happily wed as her younger sister, they've spent the past year parading prospective suitors in front of her.

Scandal on Half Moon Street By Vivian Roycroft
http://www.astraeapress.com/#!/~/product/id=16090210

All the Honorable Anne Kirkhoven wants is to be wrapped in the arms of the man she loves, Frederick Shaw, Esquire, barrister, solicitor, writer of the best Gothic romance novels in England, and surely a future Member of Parliament.

Vidal's Honor By Sherry Gloag
http://www.astraeapress.com/#!/~/product/category=662245&id=16090214

Which would Honor lose first, her head or her heart?

Christmas Surprise By Lindsay Downs http://www.astraeapress.com/#!/~/product/category=662245&id=16090202

If I hear one more debutante declare that they will never marry unless it is for love, well. I shall break my quill! And we all know what happens when I break my quill.

Partridge and the Peartree By Patricia Kiyono
http://www.astraeapress.com/#!/~/product/id=16308652

Phillip Peartree, Duke of Bartlett, dreamed of a peaceful life with a suitable mate until a hunting accident left him scarred and nearly deaf. Resigned to spending the rest of his days alone, Phillip has devoted himself to rebuilding his family estate. But, a chance encounter with a lovely young woman in a dusty bookstore rekindles his almost-forgotten hopes and dreams.

Time for a Duke By Ruth Hartman http://www.astraeapress.com/#!/~/product/category=662245&id=15833969

Izzy Hodgkin just wants an adventure. Who knew that involved being locked in a closet in 2012, then being transported to 1812 when the door is opened later?

Ghosts of Christmas Past byChristina Graham Parker
http://www.astraeapress.com/#!/~/product/category=662245&id=16090199

Five years ago, Lord Henry left Lady Emmaline alone to face society’s scorn after the two were found in a compromising position...

Lady Emmaline believes herself to be happy as a resigned spinster. Though her days are no longer filled with callers and balls, she has found her place in society and has no interest in romance.

 
The Duke Of Christmas Past By Kim Bowman
http://www.astraeapress.com/#!/~/product/id=16090213

The only thing Donovan Ellis, Seventh Duke of Gatewood, wants for Christmas is for it to be over...But when a ghostly apparition visits him, claiming things can be set right, can Donovan believe?

The Devil Duke Takes a Bride By Rachel Van Dyken
http://www.astraeapress.com/#!/~/product/category=662245&id=15833961

Benedict Devlyn, Duke of Banbury, has one thing on his mind and it isn't marriage. But things take a turn for the worse when his menacing and aunt throws a hitch in his plans...

Two Turtledoves By Leah Sanders
http://www.astraeapress.com/#!/~/product/id=15833967

Baldwyn Sinclair, the Duke of Paisley, returns to London in the dead of winter at the request of his overbearing grandmother to find she has forged a betrothal contract on his behalf... without his knowledge.

Redeeming the Decption of Grace By Kristin Vayden
http://www.astraeapress.com/#!/~/product/id=16090208

Lady Grace Hashiver has perfected the art of hiding behind a sarcastic whit when it comes to dealing with the rakish Ewan Emmett Duke of Greys, her childhood tormentor.

 I hope you enjoyed browsing through this selection of Dukes of Christmas stories.

For more information, visit Astraea Press

Six Sentence Sunday

Thanks for visiting my Six Sentence Sunday offering  this week.  I always appreciate your company and anythoughts you caare to share.  This is from one of my current WIPs where my hero manages to put his foot in it, big time :-)

“You think I’m going to allow you to fob me off with some kind of glorified nursemaid, you’d better think again.”

 

“Nursemaid!”

 

The explosion when it came ripped the air as cleanly as the knife he’d thrown at the wall. “Nursemaid,” he repeated in a voice colder than an arctic wind, and watched in fascination as she stood up straight, flexed her shoulders, crossed the room and snatched a couple of foils of the wall and threw one at him.

 

Sunlight glinted on the blade in her hand and the deep red hair, almost auburn, he thought, and wondered why it reminded him of a halo.  If she was an angel she’d come straight from the fires of Hell.

There's plenty more wonderful snippets at Six Sentence Sunday

Combination Blog Hop

Why have I named this a 'combination blog hop'?  Because a combination of wonderful authors have got together to celebrate through Black friday to Cyber Monday. 

Now being a Brit, I've heard of Black Friday, but Cyber Monday is a new one for me.


 So, anyone who leaves a comment explaining the meaning of Cyber Monday to me will be in for a chance a PDF copy of my Regency Romance, No Job For a Woman, published by Sweet Cravings Publishings.

No Job For a Woman began with a single word - forfiet -  and took several years to write, and then re-write.

I asked myself what would happen to the characters in a story if one of them had their home , in modern terms,'reposessed?'

Then I asked myself what would happen if the owners of that property had something to hide that would effect the outcome of that reposession?

That question was followed by another.  What impact would those events and lies have on my heroine and hero?

Especially if the heroine is fiesty, independent and unwilling to accept help. As for my hero?  Well he's retired, injured, from Wellington's army in the Peninsula and therefore used to being in command of many men, and used to being obeyed.

If you want to find out what happens when these two meet then please either

leave a comment for a chance to win a copy
or
it is available at --->
Sweet Cravings Publishings
Amazon
Amazon UK
Barnes & Noble

Other blog hop members--->
Kathleen Tigh Ball
Lindsay Downs
Jean Joachim
Vicki Locey
T C Hightowers

Please Welcome Cheryl Yeko today

Please welcome back author and friend, Cheryl Yeko who is talking about her writing experience

Thank you for having me over to visit today, Sherry. My name is Cheryl Yeko and I write romantic suspense. I enjoy novels with fast-paced action and steamy romance, protective alpha men and strong heroines.

My entry into the world of writing was exciting and swift. After my husband gifted me a Kindle for Christmas a couple years ago, I rediscovered my love of all things romance. One day I decided to try to write a romance novel. So, I checked out some books from the library, signed up for some online classes and began my manuscript for, PROTECTING ROSE.

The first thing I discovered is that I’m a pantser. I had all these ideas rolling around in my head and I just sat down one day and began writing. Of course, at the time, I didn’t know that was pantsing. It wasn’t until after I completed the book and joined the RWA association that I learned that fun little fact. Writing By The Seat Of Your Pants. Perfect definition…lol.

It took me a year to write and edit, PROTECTING ROSE. It was the same with, A MAN TO TRUST. I tried to plot it out, and it didn't work for me. It just bogged me down and killed my muse. So, I pantsered it.

My debut novel was released in December 2011, PROTECTING ROSE, which won the 2012 Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence in romantic suspense. It was a very thrilling time for me. Having never written so much as a short story, I wasn't sure I would be able to write a novel, and was (and still am) on cloud nine to find out that I was able to complete a story that people enjoyed reading.

I'm currently working on a novel, tentatively titled, TAKEN. There are a lot of novels out there with that name, so I need to think of something else. I hope to have it completed by the end of November. This story actually started out as a novella. I was taking a class through Savvy Authors on how to write a sensual novella. I wrote a 20,000 word story and sent it off to my publisher. She liked it, and thought it would be a great story to expand into a full-length novel. So, I did. I'm sitting at about 59,000 words now, and heading into the final action scene. I have to say, it was a very challenging task to take a completed story and expand it. But I did it!! The next and final step is to create a heart-pounding action scene and happily-ever-after ending. I'm very excited about this and want it to rock!

The story is about a woman who is kidnapped by a homegrown terrorist group in the United States wanting to blackmail her father. And of course, there is an undercover cop on the inside who needs to keep her safe, while bringing down the bad guys. So, if anyone has any ideas on a name…I'm open to suggestions! LOL

Recently, I discovered a cool little tool that helps me sketch out each chapter so I know what each chapter’s goal is. I find this very useful…so, it's kinda plotting? Here is the list of questions that help me stay on track: POV; Location; Weather; Time; Major Action; He Feels; She Feels; His Reaction; Her Reaction; Point of Scene; Story Change

My second novel, A MAN TO TRUST, was just released and I’m hoping folks enjoy this story as well. Whoot Whoot! The story is loosely based on a double murder trial that I sat on as a juror last year. It was a very high profile trial where I live and lasted two weeks. I have to say, It’s just as exciting being published the second time around as it was the first. Here is the blurb: The battered survivor of an abusive marriage, Angela doesn’t mourn her husband’s death in a drug deal gone bad. But she’s not sure she can survive losing her heart to the handsome detective who believes she’s a criminal, too.

Tasked with Angela’s safety after she’s targeted by an unknown enemy, Jake discovers the beautiful widow is not what she seems. He soon realizes that trusting her goes hand-in-hand with desiring her, and passion and duty collide.

Now it’s up to Jake to keep Angela—and their chance at happiness—alive.

I have two more novels in the works. The final in the PROTECTING ROSE series. This one, Rick is the hero and gets the girl. I’m also working on a paranormal series. I’m really excited about the world I’m building and hope to have the introduction novella out early next year. Stay tuned!

Where you can find me: Where Love Always Wins: Trailer: A ManTo Trust: Trailer:PROTECTING ROSE:Soul MatePublishing: Amazon: Barnes &Noble: Facebook: Twitter: Goodreads:

Thanksgiving Blog Hop

Thank you to everyone who visited and those who left comments. I hope you all enjoyed a wonderful Thanksgiving Holiday.

Using Random.org the
winners of my Thanksgiving blog hop are--->
1st Ruth Hartman --No Jbo For a Woman
and
2nd Tanya Eavenson --Vidal's Honor.
Tanya, please will you let me have your email addy by tomorrow (Sunday) evening?

* * * *

Welcome to the Thanksgiving Blog Hop running from Monday November 19th to Friday 23rd.

Before we get to the Heart of the Hop ~ let's talk prizes. :-)

I am giving away one copy of

Vidal's Honor

(currently#58 in Amamzon'z Books>Romance>Regency)

a one copy of

No Job For a Woman

(also a Regency Romance with lots of suspense.)



Here in the UK we don't celebrate a Thanksgiving holiday, but that doesn't stop me from, every-so-often, taking stock of the things to be grateful for. For this blog I've been asked to name five things I am grateful for.

1- Friends and family.  They say you can choose your friends, but not your family, but that's not strictly true, if you twist the meaning of family.  Some may call these twists, 'groups' but in
relation to my writing, I call those I have met along the way, part of my 'writing family'.  Whether we passed briefly, almost everyone has enriched my writing experience.  Authors and readders, both.  "But," I hear you sy, "those, surely are friends?" And in the strictest sense you may be right, but, I consider them/you more than just friends.  For fellow authors who share their experiences, I give my thanks.
For readers who take time to buy and read my books, my thanks go hand-in-hand with the hope you like them enough to keep coming back for more :-0  And Thank you.

2- I love the gives Nature gives me, the animals that visit my garden and let me into their lives by trusting 'me and mine' enough to trust us and share many of their antics with us.

3- Now, lol, I have to mention the 'net.  What and where would we be today with the 'net?  I have access to information at my fingertips because of those who created the net and others who shared the information and 'put it out there' for writers like me to make use of.

4- In the same vane I am thankful for all the 'invisable' workers who go about their daily work so we can enjoy, warm homes, well lit streets, who look after us when we are ill, and all those who who in the recue services. And what about those who put their lives on the line to keep us safe?  Yes, I not only thank them, but their families. 

5-And you wouldn't think a stream of childhood illnesses would be anything to be thankful for.  And they're not.  It was the recuperation times that lead me to raid every bookshelf in the house, and therefore discover Georgette heter.  Yes I read plenty of other authors' books, but Georgette Heyer's books remain on my shelves now.
And if it wasn't for her, Id never have tried my  hand at writing my own regency Stories.

The first, No Job For a Woman, published by Sweet Cravings Publishings in August took several years to completee, having gone through several re-writes.
Blurb:

Julian Fanshaw answers a call for help from his life-long friend Lord Worth to help keep his friend’s widowed sister, Deborah, safe from her increasingly vindictive neighbours. It doesn’t take long to realise him or Freddie long to realise the Grangers aren’t using her as a long-promised act of revenge against them; but are playing a deeper and far more sinister game of their own.

Deborah Stavely is determined to overcome the increasing harassment from her neighbour without calling on her brother for help. So she is not pleased when Freddie intervenes and involves his friend, Julian Fanshaw.

Circumstances demand Julian and Deborah learn to work together and Julian dares to dream that he might gain the love of the only person he’s ever given his heart to.

But will Deborah live long enough to discover that by releasing everything she values, she will gain everything her heart desires?

 

Available at:Sweet Cravings Publishings 

Amazon. com    

Amazon.co. uk 

~ ~ ~ ~ 

And my latest, a Christmas Regency story, Vidal's Honor, published by Astraea Press,  released on November 1st. 

 

#58 Amazon on19th

 Blurb:

When plunged into a world of spies, agents and espionage during the Peninsula wars, Honor, Lady Beaumont, flees for her life when the French capture her husband at Salamanca, and relies on his batman to arrange her safe passage back to England.

Viscount Charles Vidal is ordered by Robert Dumas, the First Lord of the Admiralty, to travel to Spain and escort the only woman he’s ever loved, Lord Devlin Beaumont’s widow back home before the French discover her whereabouts.

Their journey is fraught by danger, least of all knowing whether they are surrounded by friends or foe. Will they survive long enough to explore the possibility of a future together or will whispers of treason be enough to see Honor dispatched to Tyburn first?

 

Available at:

Amazon . com   Amazon. co. uk smashworlds 

B&N Book Strand   Kobo   All Romance

Now please HOP over to, Nell Dixon, the next participant in this THANKSGIVING BLOG HOP

 

Please include your email address with your comment if you want a chance to win a prize

Lisa Orchard Talks about Inspiration

Hello Everyone! I hope all is well with you! My name is Lisa Orchard and I’m a guest of Sherry’s today. Thanks Sherry for giving me the opportunity to chat with everyone. It’s greatly appreciated!

It's a pleasure to have you here today, Lisa, and thank you for sharing the inspiration behind your books.
 Sherry wanted me to share with you my inspiration for my second book “The Super Spies and the High School Bomber”. I know what you’re thinking it’s kind of a creepy title, right? Well…this book is for the Upper Middle Grade/Young Adult Market and I needed a creepy title to get those young whipper snappers’ attention! J LOL!

Anyway, back to the inspiration for the story. J I don’t know if everyone remembers the Columbine Massacre that occurred in April of 1999, but I do. That massacre was a horrible result of boys being bullied. I was sickened by this. I couldn’t believe these boys thought they had no other alternative.
This is when I realized that bullying was a major problem in our schools. Now, there are many books that discuss bullying between students. But what happens when the bully is a coach or an authority figure? How do our young people handle that? We all know this happens. What can a young person do in this situation?

The massacre and these questions inspired my story “The Super Spies and the High School Bomber”.  It’s an action packed story that keeps the young reader guessing. J

This book opens in a small town in Michigan where fifteen-year-old Sarah Cole is stuck spending the summer at her Aunt and Uncle’s with her sister, Lacey. She’s not happy with the situation until she befriends a girl named Jackie. The three girls stumble upon the ruthless murder of a reclusive neighborhood woman. One of the officers investigating the crime believes the girls are responsible for her death. Fearing that this officer will frame them for the murder, the girls organize their own detective squad. They become the Super Spies and start their own fact-finding mission.  The Super Spies can’t understand why anyone would want to murder the “Cat Lady” until they start digging into her past and discover a horrible crime that happened thirty years ago. They uncover a connection between the two crimes and attempt to bring this information to the police, only to be reprimanded for meddling in the inquest. Not only are the girls upset by the admonition, but they also struggle with the fact that their exuberant investigating could provide a legal loophole allowing the killer to go free. To make matters worse, the police don’t even believe them. Frustrated by this turn of events, the Super Spies realize it’s up to them to snare the Cat Lady killer, or die trying…

~~~

This book opens in a small town in Michigan where Sarah and her sister Lacey are now living with their Aunt and Uncle. Still reeling from the fact her parents have disappeared, Sarah starts the school year with her new friend Jackie Jenkins. When Sarah learns the school has been bombed, she’s filled with dread. Uncle Walt is a teacher, and he was in the school when the bomb exploded. Taking matters into her own hands, Sarah decides to search for him. The rest of the Super Spies are right behind her. When a fireman chases them away from the school, Sarah becomes suspicious. She decides to investigate. The FBI arrives on the scene. Sarah realizes this bombing could have even bigger implications. Searching for the bombers, Sarah is introduced to the world of terrorism. She fears that the bombing and her parents’ disappearance are connected and terrorists are involved. To make matters worse, the bombers are determined to finish the job. Can the Super Spies find the bombers before it’s too late?

~~~~

Here’s what Patrice Caldwell from Whimsically Yours said about my story. She gave it 5 out of 5 Owls! J
I loved how every time I thought: oh no, you’re doing the wrong thing, you’re on the wrong track it’s not him/her it’s the other person, they were actually right and I was wrong.  I love it when a book keeps me guessing.

Another thing I loved about the series was the friendship, if you’ve been reading my blog for a while you know I’m a sucker for books that deal with friendships rather than insta-love so no wonder I loved this one.

I recommend the Super Spies and the High School Bomber to girls and boys alike who want a fun, thrilling mystery!  Also once again I really like this cover art.

Here’s what Melanie from Have you heard my Book Review had to say:

Once again Lisa Orchard has hit the nail square on the head! This series of books is perfect for girls or boys but young girls who love mysteries will devour these books. They remind me of an updated Nancy Drew-type of mystery. There is danger, but nothing so bad it would keep girls from enjoying it. The Super Spies retain their charm and personalities in this second book, something that can be difficult to achieve. The story is another one that could be ripped from the headlines. As a matter of fact, it could be a parallel story to the bombing that happened in the little town where I live. The high school here was bombed, but students were in class at the time and it was devastating. Read about the Super Spies and introduce the young lady in your life to a series she'll remember for years to come.

I found no issues.

I gave this one 5 out of 5 books because I love how true to the original story and characters Lisa Orchard kept this one.

As you can see there are a lot of twists and turns and in each story there’s a life lesson weaved throughout it.J “The Super Spies and the High School Bomber” is the second book in my Super Spies series and if you’re looking for an up to date mystery series that are great reads for your teens then check out the Super Spies! The books have received great reviews. The covers and the links are below! Let me know what you think! I’d love to hear from you!

Social Media Sites:Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Lisa-Orchard/328536613877060?ref=hlTwitter:  https://twitter.com/lisaorchard1Website:  http://www.lisaorchard.com/

Buylinks for my books:“The Super Spies and the Cat Lady Killer”

Amazon: Barnes and Noble:

“The Super Spies and the High School Bomber”

Amazon:  Barnes and Noble: