xmlns:og='http://ogp.me/ns#' Kryssie Fortune: July 2015

Thursday 30 July 2015

Five Facts Thursday - please welcome Barbara White Daille

Five Facts about The Hitching Post Hotel Series


1.  The series came about because I love writing books where the hero and heroine are matched by someone else—whether they choose to be or not!

2.  I wanted someone a little different for the role of matchmaker, which is how seventy-something Grandpa Jed was “born.”

3.  Jed Garland knows all of the potential grooms very well, as he trained every hero in this series to work on his ranch when they were still teenagers.

4.  At the beginning of the series, each of the three heroines has a big reason for NOT wanting to be involved in reviving the Hitching Post as a wedding hotel. Of course, that only makes things worse when they learn about Grandpa Jed’s plan!


5.  The hotel in the series is loosely based on an old house in the town my family visited every summer. Because I’ve never been inside the house, I had the fun of making the Hitching Post whatever I wanted it to be.



Excerpt:

      As a shadow fell across the open doorway of the barn, Pete took one look, lowered the pitchfork he was holding, and set it against the wall outside the stall. Frowning, he stared at the woman who stepped into his domain.

Technically, he didn’t own anything on the ranch. Still, even the thought of this particular granddaughter of Jed’s coming near the barn left him feeling possessive. Old habits might die hard, but old memories never left you.

He’d heard from Cole that Jane had arrived at the Hitching Post the night before.

Feet planted wide, he rested his hands on his hips. “Can I help you?” He hoped not. In fact, since his conversation with Jed a couple of days ago, he’d kept his fingers crossed that the boss would change his mind about having him babysit Jane.

From a strap around her neck hung a camera that probably cost more than he spent in a year on clothing for him and the kids. Without answering, she raised the camera and aimed it at him, making him feel like a bug under a microscope. Before he could react, she had fired off a couple of shots.

He raised a brow. “I don’t know what you think you’re doing, but you can stop doing it right now.”

“Just testing the lighting in case I want a few promo shots.”

“You reckon newlyweds will care about the inside of a barn?”

“Atmosphere,” she said shortly, turning to click off a series of photos down the length of the stalls.

Silently, he watched her. Over the years he’d avoided coming in contact with her, his long-distance eyesight must have begun to fail. He hadn’t realized she looked this good close-up. Tall and slim, she had pale, perfect skin he wouldn’t dare touch with his workman’s hands and straight black hair that glistened in the light, tempting him to run his fingers through it.

Every time he’d seen her, she was dressed head-to-foot in black, and now was no exception. He didn’t get why anyone would feel an attraction for the color, a stark reminder to him of funerals and the day they’d laid his mama to rest. But he managed to look beyond Jane’s taste in clothes long enough to check her out.

Today she wore a pair of jeans topped by a loose T-shirt. The only color on her—if you could call it that—came from the cold strands of the silver necklace dangling almost to her waist. She looked as out of place in here as he’d have looked at an opera house.

When she focused on the final stall in the row, old Daffodil stuck her head through the open door. Swaybacked, bowlegged, and cantankerous when she chose to go that route, the mare lived out her days in comfort thanks to Jed, with Pete’s assistance.

Jane gave a throaty chuckle that yanked his attention back to her. The sound seemed to echo in the cavernous barn…and to rattle something deep inside him.

Find out more about A Rancher of Her Own:



US:

Barbara loves to chat with readers.  You can find her online at the following locations:


Sunday 26 July 2015

Holding out for a Hero


I need a hero, I'm holding out for a hero 'till the end of the night
He's gotta be strong and he's gotta be fast
And he's gotta be fresh from the fight
I need a hero, I'm holding out for a hero 'till the morning light
He's gotta be sure and it's gotta be soon
And he's gotta be larger than life, larger than life

Bonnie Tyler got it so right. My favourite heroes are creatures of the night, Vampires, Werewolves, Fae, Gods, and Demons. That makes them fast, violent and way larger than life.

Alpha heroes are the stuff of romantic fantasy. They might run wolf packs with a will of iron and a touch of humour or walk with Gods, but everything pales when they meet their one, true love.

I love my werewolves, Caleb the Cold, and Joel Blackheart. Leonidas, King of the Fae stole my heart - or maybe it was his mischievous baby dragon that sucked me in.
 To me though, Jase – from Giving it Up for the Gods – is special.

This is more about me than him. I love history, and all things Roman. When my husband whisked me of to Rome, I fell in love with the Eternal City. Walking through the forum, I felt drawn to the Temple of Saturn. It once housed Rome’s treasury, and it dates from 457BC. That blows my mind.



Saturn arrived in Italy dethroned and the run. Janus, the ruling god invited him to stay, and Saturn brought agriculture to the Romans.

A Bromance? Who knows?

Below is a Roman coin showing Janus. Yeah, I know, it doesn’t do him justice. Picture him with designer stubble and a more up to date hairstyle. Sculpted muscles, bad ass attitude, and of course horns that only appear when his demon takes charge, all add to his charm.

The more I dug, the more the story pulled me in. He was honest and straightforward, the best of the best—which makes think of the scene where Will Smith tries out for Men in Black. As a God Beginnings and Endings, he ruled doors, and our month of January is name after him. 

Then, according to legend, he raped the nymph, Cardea. 
Why would a god who was respected by everyone do that?

So the “What if’s” started.
What if she’d cried wolf? What if an innocent man had been convicted of a crime he didn’t commit. 
Great, now I’ve gone from Men in Black to the A Team.

What if the other gods tossed Janus from the heights of Olympus to the depths of Hell?
Worse, what if a demon took root in his soul?

You got me. I love a hero with tortured soul.
Now Janus has clawed his way back in the human world, he calls himself Jase. His best friend still drops in occasionally. 
Who is his best friend? Saturn of course, but he prefers to be called Saul. He thinks it's more 21st century.

In Giving it Up for the Gods, the Siren race helped falsely convict Janus of raping Cardea. He’s endured centuries of abuse and torment because of their lies. No wonder he hates Sirens.

And, of course, my heroine is a siren.




Buy links

Amazon.US   http://amzn.to/1eq8lrF
Amazon.UK http://amzn.to/1JGVmK 


Blurb of Giving it Up for the Gods

Not only angels fall.

Convicted of a crime he didn’t commit, the warrior god Janus plummeted from the heights of Olympus to the depths of the Underworld. After centuries of pain and torment, he finally clawed his way free. He'll never forgive the gods who condemned him, or the sirens for their part in his downfall.

Each summer, to celebrate the Feast of Neptunealia, Neptune demands a virgin sacrifice. And his sacrifice of choice is a siren.

Sirens are strong, sassy, and sexy.

Lindy’s siren heritage makes her fierce, lusty, and curious but she dreams of loving one man forever. She won’t give her heart—or her virginity—to a short-lived mortal she might accidentally break in bed. When Neptune demands her as his sacrifice, she’s determined to give her virginity to anybody except him.

Janus, or Jase as he calls himself now, rescues Lindy from Neptune’s mermen. He’s the one man she’s eager to bed. The clock’s ticking. Lindy has forty-eight hours to seduce the siren-hating Jase and win his heart. That or Neptune will find her and take her against her will.







Thursday 23 July 2015

Five Facts Thursday - please welcome Mageela Troche

Five Facts about Mageela Troche:
1.    Writing a Regency romance novel is in my blood. Georgette Heyer, Queen of Regency Romance, wrote The Spanish Bride, which is the story of Captain Harry Smith and his Spanish brideJuana de Leon. Juana was a relation to Ponce de Leon and I am a descendent of the Conquistador.  
2.    There are not too many Mageelas in the world. When I was child, I wanted to be name something a bit more common. I would chose names and one was Charlotte. People ask if I named my heroine after the new princessno, I named her after me (in a way).
3.    Research always plays a part in writing. In my quest for knowledge, I took a class on how to make cravats. Thanks to my fashion design background, I was able to do some knots that Beau Brummell might have worn.
4.    In His Lady Charlie, I wrote my lovebird, Boobula, into the story. Like my heroine, Charlie, I let my bird fly free. I can tell you that I find feathers in the most peculiar places.
5.     Since I was a little girl, I have had an obsession with blond men so naturally I had to make my herothe Earl of Harringtona blond. I always believe in falling in love with my hero. 


His Lady Charlie Book Blurb:

 In glittering world of Regency England, Lady Charlotte Hammersley, Charlie as she is known, is more than a wallflower, she is the wall supporting the flower. Her father has pronounced this is her fourth and final season. The last chance for her to marry the man she loves. When she overhears the Earl of Harrington place a wager to turn any lady into the toast of the ton, Charlie presented herself.
The Earl of Harrington must win the wager to save his brother from destruction and the minx vows she is the perfect lady for him. He finds he cannot deny her as she intrigues him, as he has never been before. Navigating the London Season, they face scandal, jealously and the possibility their wager may be discovered and ruin their lives.
Will they win the biggest gamble of allfor their love?

Excerpt:

The butler led Harry into the drawing room. Upon entering the light green room, he saw his cousin, the countess, and her mother-in-law, the most ardent gossip of England, sitting on the sofa. Harrington noticed something was missingher lovebird.
Your Lordship,the Countess Tankerville started, Your appearance is most surprising.She licked her lips from the deliciousness of his appearance.
I havent paid a call to this house since my and Lisles Oxford days.
You knewknow my brother?Charlottes voice became breathless.
That I do, and I am surprised you havent heard the tales.
Me as well, but I shall learn each one.She leaned toward him. Her mouth spread in the laziest, most wicked smile he had ever seen. The corner of her eyes crinkled from the smile, making her look adorable and melting his social reserve.
Damn, he smiled in return. When in her presence, he couldnt kill the bubble of joy that filled him. He probably grinned like he belonged in Bedlam.
The teacup hovering in the corner of his eye pulled his attention away from Charlotte.
He accepted it from the countess. Lisle may share one or two, but not all since he was the one usually causing all the trouble.
Ladys ears and all that,she retorted.
Harry knew he had only notched up her curiosity. She would learn the tales.

Hmmm, you have now only been introduced?Dowager Countess Arundel asked. Harry swore he saw her lips smacking. I believe so—”
No, he attended my presentation ball. We danced as well.
Harry took a sip of his tea to make sure he wasnt gaping. He had no recollection of the ball or dance. Though that seemed correct. Between her standing and his friendship with her brother, Harrington would have made an appearance and would have stood up
with her at least once.
You remember him after all these long years,the dowager said, though it seemed more questioning than anything. He raised his cup to his mouth.
Charlotte laughed. Isnt the reason for a season to find a husband? Naturally, I could do no less than remember an unmarried Earl.
Now all these years later, he has finally called upon you.
Yes, and he sent flowers this morn.She crossed to the plant resting on the rosewood side table. A cymbidium orchid.She buried her nose in the bloom, then stroked a petal between her thumb and forefinger.
A long, drawn out sigh of wonder shook the drawing room. He peeked at the Dowager. Her eyes ran over Charlotte, mesmerizing every detail. She nibbled on her lower lip, filling herself with gossip. When she noticed him, she wiped her face of expression. All part of his plan.

 Buy Links:

Amazon:

Barnes and Nobles:


Secret Cravings Publishing Store:

iBooks:


Saturday 18 July 2015

Medicine? Tobacco flavoring? Or sweetened? How do you like yours?

What am I talking about? Liquorice of course.
Mostly it’s grown in sunny climates but one famous North of England town and liquorice sweets go hand in hand. Pontefract, set in the midst of Yorkshire’s mining community is world famous for its Pomfret—or Pontefract—Cakes. Back in medieval times the town was known as Pomfret and that’s where the alternative name comes from.

Pomfret Cake? No, not one with filled with cream and topped with delicious icing. A Pomfret cake is a delicious disk of sweetened liquorice to you and me. If that’s too strong for you, then try Liquorice Allsorts. They come in such pretty colors that I bought this necklace at the town’s annual Liquorice festival.


So what’s the connection between a Mediterranean plant and a Yorkshire town?
Since a Yorkshire term for liquorice sweets is Spanish, one explanation is that the Dominican monks who founded Pontefract Priory came from Spain and they brought the plant with them to make their cures. An alternative explanation is that Crusader Knights returning from the Holy Land brought Liquorice plants with them.


I wonder if those knights were part of the Knight’s Defender order? The ones that turn up in my book, Knight’s Vampire?


No more promotion, I promise. 
Back to Pontefract and its liquorice connection. The town thrived on growing it and using it in a powerful cure for cough and stomach complaints. One apothecary, George Dunhill, must have found it too bitter and he added sugar to the ingredients. When he rolled his mixture up like a Swiss roll and sliced it, the Pontefract cake was born.

Cigarette manufacturers sometimes used Liquorice to flavor their tobacco. 

There’s more to Pontefract than liquorice. One of William the Conqueror’s knights—Ilbert de Lacybuilt a castle to protect the river crossing that gives the town its name.
Unfortunately, the castle’s a ruin now. Below is a model and painting of how it once looked.


Apparently a group of rebels burned out the town bridge to stop William the Conqueror’s knights laying the town to waste in the Harrowing of the North. I don’t know what happened to the rebels, but translated into Latin, or old French, which the Normans would have used—broken bridge is Ponte Fractus. Yorkshire folk are lazy speakers and that would soon have become Pontefract.

The castle is where Henry Edward V imprisoned his defeated predecessor Edward II—and allegedly Edward’s captors starved him to death.

Those monks in the priory were renowned as healers, but they failed to save one very famous outlaw. Robin Hood reputedly died there.


Years later, the priory was dissolved on the orders of Henry Vlll. Then, in the civil war, the Roundheads destroyed Pontefract castle. Not surprising since Oliver Cromwell called it, “... one of the strongest inland garrisons in the kingdom."
The town had endured three crippling sieges, and fearing a fourth, the people invited the Roundheads in and asked them to slight—or demolish—their castle. Later, in Victorian times, the locals dug up the castle courtyard and planted their liquorice there. It helped rebuild the town’s fortunes.
Now the town stages a regular liquorice festival, and it’s well worth a visit.

 
 
If you do want to know more about Knights Vampireyou can click in the cover at the top right and read an extract. You might recognize Scarborough Castle and Scarborough harbour in there, but because I changed the castle's history, it's become the fictitious Yorkshire town of Whitborough
 
Buy links
 
Loose ID                                               http://www.loose-id.com/knights-vampire.html
Amazon US author page               http://www.amazon.com/Kryssie-Fortune/e/B00J5AQOBU/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1                     
 
Amazon UK        http://www.amazon.co.uk/Kryssie-Fortune/e/B00J5AQOBU/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1421613895&sr=8-1Social Media
 
Author Links
I’d love to hear from you, or answer any questions you might have.

o

 







Thursday 16 July 2015

Five Facts Thursday - please welcome Kimbra Kasch

Five Fun Facts:


1) The Viking Princess is a story about King Arthur's Half-sister and her forbidden romance with the Viking Legend Holger Danske.    

2) Holger Danske is immortalized in stone in Hamlet's Castle.    

3) Holger lived on Avalon with Morgaine LeFey.     

4) Holger is a legendary hero of Denmark - and all people of Viking descent.    

5) Kimbra Kasch is married to a man of Viking descent.




Buy Links


THREE reasons to read a Viking Romance:

11)      Ragnar;
22)      Lagertha; and,
33)      Rollo

But seriously, during the dark ages, the Vikings were more than merely heathen marauders. In truth, they were brave explorers. Men and women who took the original Captain’s Oath, vowing to explore strange new worlds, to seek out new life and new civilizations, to boldly go where no man (or woman) had gone before.
They were not the pillagers that the British portrayed them to be but people searching for new lands and new civilizations and along the way, they faced gripping family sagas that questioned more than their strength, agility and patience. These journeys brought into question alliances and loyal friendships, while testing their faith. And, there was nothing more important than family relationships. If a Viking couldn’t count on his family to help him survive, he perished.
But it wasn’t only the men, these warriors were women as well as men, who stood side by side on the battlefield. Perhaps that is the reason and the truth behind the tales of the Valkyrie and Valhalla, which still haunt the stories of the Vikings.
The VIKING PRINCESS is one such tale of the extraordinary lives and epic adventures of two people: Holger Danske and Morgaine LeFey.
And Holger Danske was not the first Danish Prince to appear on the printed page or to share a well-known castle as his home. Hamlet’s story is set in the same structure that stands on the sound between Denmark and Sweden. Holger’s home is in Kronborg Castle, known to most English speaking people as Hamlet’s Castle.

It was there, inside this Castle that I first was introduced to Holger Danske and the legends surrounding his iconic life. He was a warrior, a Prince destined to become King of all the Norse lands during the time of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round table.

I found it odd that everyone had heard of King Arthur and his magical sword, Excalibur, which he received from the Lade of the Lake (a Norse Goddess) who had also given such a sword to Holger Danske. Holger’s sword was named “Cortana”, and was made from the same metal and magic as Excalibur. Yet no one I talked to outside of Denmark had ever heard of Holger or his sword.

And, even more interesting was the fact that Holger and the Vikings invaded England, yet somehow, even as enemies, Holger and King Arthur’s half-sister, Morgaine LeFey, were able to share a forbidden love.

Theirs was a romance that threatened two kingdoms.

THE VIKING PRINCESS has never been told outside of Denmark...until now. Morgaine and Holger faced an attraction more powerful than any sword, stronger than any warrior and more magical than all the powers of Merlin. 

Hi everyone! I'm a romance writer who grew up in a family with 9 kids and only 1 t.v. so I spent my days reading and, later, writing. I love books. . .maybe because I never got to pick t.v. shows we watched. But I’d run home after school to catch the last fifteen minutes of Dark Shadows...
 I still love to run...or at my age, maybe I should say wogging (a cross between walking and jogging). Here in Portland, I love Halloween themed runs - where people don costumes and run. It's a lot of fun...and I know those two words don't always go together: fun...and...run. But it is.
 And, with all those Halloween themed runs, I guess Dark Shadows had more of an influence than some people might think. Even today my favorite author is Stephen King. My all-time favorite book is Salem's Lot.
 Favorite romance novels are The Hunger Games...okay, I know, it's a survival book but it's really all about romance. Then there were the series: Twilight, Fifty Shades, and more but I also love paranormal, Horror and even light books like Dewey the Small Town Library Cat... Mainly, I just love to read. . . and write.
 I've just had my first novel published and am looking to share it with the world. It's a story I was inspired to write after visiting Hamlet's Castle and seeing an enormous Viking statue down in the tunnels next to the dungeons.
Sorry to be so long-winded but did I say I love to write? ...and talk and...knit, and sew, and bake... I could go on but I'll close by saying, I hope you’ll stop in on my site and I can tell you I have a ya horror novel coming in July: Demon’s Ink.
Thanks for listening.

EXCERPT OF THE VIKING PRINCESS

He laughed at her, making her senses bristle.
She was not amused. “Am I humorous?”
“I have heard you are many things,” he replied, “but humor has never been cited as one of your virtues.”
“First you laugh at me, and then you belittle me. Is this the way you treat all women?”
He pulled back on the reins. His horse slid to an immediate standstill. Then, burying his face into her hair, he whispered in her ear, “I have shown enormous restraint. Would you like me to show you how I treat all women?”
The burning ember inside her flared to a flame. The muscles low in her belly tightened, as she clenched her legs tighter, wrapping them around his steed. Sucking air into her lungs, she felt the immediate pulse of desire race through the core of her body. She wanted to reach back over her head and wrap her arms around his neck, to pull him even closer.
It was all she could do to hold her tongue and keep from begging him, when all she wanted to say was, “Yes, yes, please show me.”
Her body motionless, she could feel the warmth of him as his hands grew bold, slipping beneath the soft linens covering her, his fingers gently gliding up over her stomach, traveling beneath her breasts and edging up…
A voice whispered inside her head. What are you doing? This man is your enemy. He intends to kill you, your brother, everyone you love…
She grabbed his wrists, holding him still and steady. “You have caught me, kidnapped me, and dragged me here. I may be your prisoner, but do not think that I am interested in your advances.”
His body tensed and he pulled back his hands, gripping her firmly about the waist. “I, Holger, the prince over all the Norse lands, have never had a woman decline the privilege of being my lover.”
“Prince or pauper, it matters not to me what rank you hold, for I, too, am highborn and accustomed to many privileges,” she snapped back, unwilling to let him bask in his own conceit. “And being your lover is not a privilege I would prize.”
“Perhaps,” he said, softening his touch. Slowly he ran his finger down the length of her neck, taunting her. “But are you accustomed to this?” He swung her around to face him; his mouth moved to her neck, gently caressing her throat with his lips and tongue.
The warrior with the devil’s horns was surprisingly gentle and tender with his affections. Morgaine could not contain her pleasure. A small sigh moved up from her throat, over her lips, unexpectedly escaping into the night air. “This is nothing,” he whispered against her flesh, his hand moving down over her navel. Traveling to the valley between her thighs, he pressed his fingers into her apex and she gasped at his touch.
He pulled his hand back. “After your shrill tongue and insults, the next time you will have to beg for my attentions.”
His tone shocked her back into the present. No man had ever spoken to her in this manner. He had no idea of her power. She was not some peasant he could toy with. Morgaine Le Fey was a princess, the sister of King Arthur. It was her turn to laugh…and it came out of her loud and hard. He must not know of her talents. She was the most powerful sorceress in Camelot and perhaps a dozen other kingdoms.
“Me? Beg? To think you will ever witness such an act from me,” she started to say but then shook her head and continued, “You must be more than foolish.”
“We will see,” he said, sounding more arrogant and insolent than ever.
“Yes, we shall see,” she replied, as he gave his horse a nudge and they continued riding.

Visit me at www.kimbrakasch.com


Saturday 11 July 2015

I Think I Love You by Iris Blobel




★★★ SYNOPSIS ★★★

Markus DeLeon and Sarah Winter’s lives couldn’t be more different… 

After three years away as the goalkeeper for an English soccer club, Markus has been happy to be back in Australia. He’d missed his family and friends, including Sarah. He’s known her since childhood, and often protected her from the teasing of other children and the troubling consequences of a broken home. 

When they attend their friends’ wedding, a new light is cast on their friendship… 

Sarah is fresh out of a bad relationship, and Markus has always been the one she can confide in. Maybe it’s the magic of the wedding—or how stunning he looks in a tux—but the attraction between them intensifies in ways they’d never imagined. 

But sometimes when risking what you have, you might lose everything… 

Following a passionate encounter, Markus isn’t sure how to handle this new aspect of his relationship with Sarah, and literally flees the scene for the coast. Sarah is unsure how to react to his sudden departure, but is soon knocked off course by misunderstandings and a frightening family emergency. 

Markus realises his mistake and wants to make things right, but he also faces obstacles. He’s been offered an exciting new job, and an attractive newcomer to the neighbourhood is eager to claim his attention, though the last thing Markus needs is another confusing relationship. 

Can Sarah and Markus face the fear and doubt—and the potential loss of their lifelong friendship—to give their love a chance?


★★ MEET THE AUTHOR – IRIS BLOBEL ★★★

Iris Blobel was born and raised in Germany and only immigrated to Australia in the late 1990s. Having had the travel bug most of her life, Iris spent quite some time living in Scotland, London as well as Canada where she her husband. Her love for putting her stories onto paper has only emerged recently, but now her laptop is a constant companion.

Iris resides west of Melbourne with her husband and her two beautiful daughters.

Next to her job at a private school, she also presents a German Program at the local Community Radio.



I THINK I LOVE YOU by Iris Blobel
Series: Australian Sports Series #3
Publisher: Limitless Publishing

★★★ NOW LIVE ★★★







 AUSTRALIAN SPORTS STARS SERIES 

Book 1: LOVE WILL FIND YOU: http://amzn.to/1f5Eqq7 - Currently FREE!

Book 2: LET ME LOVE YOU:       http://amzn.to/1GRPZbc