EXCLUSIVE - Love, vengeance, attempted murder, and a bomb...No reason to panic.

I've never had a guest character interview on my blog - until today. Better still, Catherine wrote this just for us. I think I want to adopt her robot.

Read and enjoy.  

HEARTS AKILTER      By Catherine E. McLean 

Kifel Space Station

The clonk of unbalanced robotic treads crossing the threshold of Marlee's workshop had her glancing up at Henry and then to his malfunctioning wheelbase.

"Whatever did you do to yourself? Sounds like your knees are knocking."

"I do not have knees. Therefore they cannot be knocking." Henry paused, extending his right appendage, and triggered her bay door closed.

He only closed the door when he wanted a private conversation. Skom, every time she saw the little robot, he exhibited more human behavior. Which was a problem. If anyone realized Henry was becoming an AI, he would be deactivated, shipped off to the Razl labs, and disassembled to figure out how he evolved.

Henry trundled toward her, but no sound came from his wheelbase.

Marlee put her tools down. "I don't recall setting you up with a trigger for a base malfunction."

He stopped on the other side of her worktable. "Affirmative. Yes, that is true. I initiated the noisy, false malfunction. It was necessary that I obtain advice."

"For what?"

"I am being interviewed. I have been given questions to answer. The questions include ones about you and Deacon."

Marlee's heartbeat accelerated. "I thought Asuka had closed the investigation."

"He did."

"Then who's doing the interview?"

"GNR News' Carla Popovich."

Motor-mouth Carla of Celebrity Insider? Don't panic! "How did you come under the radar of the Gossip Queen of Kifel?"

"She is better known as the Queen of Demeaning."

How did Henry know that? Don't panic. Don't panic. Speak calmly. "Why would Popovich want to interview you?"

"The CMO told me she wanted a logical, factual assessment of what happened in sickbay with JJ-the-bomber. I am to cooperate and answer her questions when we meet in two hour's time."

"What Popovich wants is dirt!"

Henry tilted his head left then right, as if thinking, then eyed her. "Dirt? What type of soil?"

"Not that kind of dirt. The other kind. Candid stuff like how sexually involved Deacon and I are, how pregnant I am—"

"You are pregnant?"

"No, I am not!" Marlee heaved a sigh. "Look, Popovich doesn't want facts. She's looking for anything that will shock or titillate, or which can be distorted into something to increase her show's audience numbers. And—double skom! If your answers are not robot-lingo, she'll conclude you're no ordinary robot and suspect you're an AI—and that will make headline news."

His eye-lenses went wide open. "I will be dismantled and cease to exist!"

"Don't panic. You just have to remember not to look at the questions logically but to look for the ulterior motive behind the questions. Then answer like a robot, not an AI."

"I am not an AI."

"Not yet, but one day . . . "

"Marlee, I am programed to be truthful."

"AIs can lie, will lie, and that's on the record books."

"Those AI's were most violently destroyed. Please, Marlee, help me to understand the questions, and how a robot is expected to answer them."

"Okay. Sure. Right— What's the first question?"

"The first few are about me. Like who manufactured me, where am I stationed on Kifel, what are my primary duties in sickbay." He paused a few seconds. "Question number seven is It's been reported that Marlee gave you several contingency plans in the event the bomber came to sickbay. Is she always such a logical thinker, one who anticipates possibilities, or does she go by her gut instincts?"

Marlee relaxed. "Okay, that's straightforward enough. What would you reply?"

"That Marlee is more pessimistic than optimistic and tends to look before she leaps."

"No, no, no. Make that, Marlee strives to be thorough and extrapolates possible outcomes to avoid injury to others."

"Affirmative. Yes. A much more robotic answer."

"Next question."

"Marlee struck me as impulsive in tackling JJ Woodridge, the bomber. Is she impulsive? My reply would be, Marlee is only impulsive on Tuesdays. That is her day off. Or I could say that Deacon has been bringing out more impulsiveness in you of late because of your sexual trysts."

Marlee shook her head, her mind racing, sorting possible answers.

"What is wrong with such an answer?"

She eyed Henry. "It reflects you being a thinking bot not a robot-robot. You're making a judgement—and Deacon and I don't have trysts."

"A tryst is a date with a member of the opposite sex. You and Deacon date. Therefore you have trysts."

"Never mind. We'll work on that one later. Give me the next question."

"After Marlee was released from sickbay, she and Deacon had a dinner date. How did that go?"

"Henry, please tell me you're not going to answer it was a disaster."

"It was a disastrous first date. It began with you rushing about to buy a dress because you do not own civilian garments."

"I do so own civvies."

"One pair of jeans, one tank top, one tee shirt, and one overused and abused pink, pullover sweater. All of which you have had since you came aboard the space station a decade ago. All are well-worn and should be replaced."

"I recently bought more clothes."

"What and when?"

"Yesterday. Two pairs of jeans, three tops."

"But did you buy a dress to replace the white one you wore on that first date? The one you spilled an entire glass of red wine on?"

"I didn't deliberately spill the wine. People gawked, pointed at me, and whispered, there's the heroine. They made me nervous. Self-conscious. My hands were shaking so badly, I didn't get a good grip on the goblet and . . . Okay, so white and wine don't go together. I now have a black outfit, two piece, A-line skirt."

"Did Deacon approve of it?"

"Not exactly."

"What was his comment?"

"That it covered me like a burqa without the face veil."

"Do you not want to wear clothing that clings to your body and entice Deacon's libido, seduce his senses?"

Marlee clutched her hands together. There were drawbacks to wearing ultra-feminine clothing. Softly she said, "No."

"Why not?"

"Such clothes get worn for show, in public, and I get stared at, like on that first date."

"How curious."

"What's curious?"

"That instead of sleeping in your empty closet, you could fill it with divinely enticing, intimate apparel that would be sensual, provocative, even risqué, and wear such in the bedroom—the one in Deacon's nest."

Marlee's shock made her voice squeak. "You know about that cargo container?"

"Affirmative. It is a housing investment. One Deacon warned me he has put security measures in place that I cannot override or countermand. I have concluded you and Deacon do not wish to be disturbed when you are together or intimate. I understand your need for privacy."

"Then please tell me you realize you have to be extra careful dealing with Popovich's interview questions and not embarrass me or Deacon, right?"

He paused, his lens-eyes taking on a concentrated, thoughtful mien. "Affirmative. Yes. I now more fully understand. Popovich is not entitled to encroach upon your privacy, Deacon's, or mine."

His eye lenses opened wider, and he seemed to stand more erect. "I will become the perfect robot-robot who will spout such lines as That is not within my logic parameters and That requires a human evaluation which I am not designed nor programmed to evaluate and draw conclusions to."

"Yes! That's a great plan!"

# # #

About Catherine E. McLean

Besides Catherine being a wife and mother, she has ridden and exhibited Morgan Sport Horses. She's an avid clothing and costume designer, an award-winning amateur photographer, a 4-H leader, and a Red Hatter who loves bling.

She lives on a farm nestled in the foothills of the Allegheny Mountains of Western Pennsylvania. In the quiet of the countryside, she writes fantasy, futuristic, and paranormal stories where a reader can escape to other worlds for adventure and romance.

Her short stories have appeared in hard-copy and online anthologies and magazines. Besides having two novels published, soon to be released is her lighthearted fantasy/sci-fi romance HEARTS AKILTER. Catherine also gives writing workshops, both online and in-person. A schedule is posted at http://www.writerscheatsheets.com/workshops.html

Catherine's website for writers is  http://www.WritersCheatSheets.com and she blogs at http://writerscheatsheets.blogspot.com/

Hub Website: http://www.CatherineEmclean.com

Connect with Catherine at: http://www.catherineemclean.com/connect-with-catherine.html

Or on social media:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/CatherineMcLea7

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/catherine.e.mclean.5

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/catherinemclean/

Goodreads: http://bit.ly/1Ievnjp

Amazon Author Page: http://amzn.to/1I64GqK

Hearts Akilter

Love, vengeance, attempted murder, and a bomb...No reason to panic.

When a medical robot insists he's having a heart attack, Marlee Evans, a pragmatic maintenance technician, has every reason to panic. There's a bomb inside him.  Since Marlee can't risk the bomber discovering she's found the device, her only option is to kidnap Deacon Black, an unflappable bomb expert, and secretly convince him to disarm it.  Things go slightly awry when Deacon sets a trap for someone who is trying to kill him, and inadvertently captures Marlee instead.  Instantly intrigued by her refreshingly forthright and gutsy attitude, he's smitten.  Unfortunately for Deacon, Marlee recently hardened her heart and swore off men, especially handsome ones with boy-next-door grins.  But as Marlee and Deacon attempt to identify and prevent the bomber from detonating the device, they discover that love may be the most explosive force of all.

Available Now

Amazon: http://amzn.to/1faTnHp

Nook: http://bit.ly/1HDMrii

Kobo: http://bit.ly/1fhzVIp

All Romance eBooks: http://bit.ly/1GvpqqT

The Wild Rose Press: http://bit.ly/1HDhwAT

Five Facts Thursday - please welcome Guy Ogan

Five facts  

1. The first book in the series starts when the main male character discovers that his father had had a tryst while stationed overseas at the end of World War Two. This, in fact, was something the author found out about his own father and was the event that started him writing the series.
 
2. The first book contains "Explicit Togetherness" (sex) and I had to look up some of the anatomical information in order to write about it!
 
3. Most of the combat information in the series comes from my own military background and knowledge.
 
4. Gary Logan's actions and beliefs are those of the author (or at least how I hope I would react in similar circumstances). LOL
 
5. The history of Vlad Dracula contained in the third book is a liberal interpretation of the stories about Vlad. 

Today we have some materials from G. D. Ogan's paranormal-romance three book series which very much goes against vampire stereotypes:

 "Immortal Relations" is the first in the series written after it was discovered that Guy's father had had a tryst while assigned to assist the Czechs at the end of WW-II in their quest to develop a government along the lines of a Constitutional Republic. Alas the only "government" that was allowed the Czechs was that of a Soviet puppet (fortunately things changed after the fall of Communism in Russia). There is a photograph on page two of the book showing Guy's father in front of the Old Town Hall in Prague, but in the story the photograph is said to be that of Gary Logan's father (Guy's alter ego). In the story, Gary Logan travels to Prague to see where the photograph was taken and possibly find out more of what the American team did while trying to help the formation of the new Czech government. He had arrived very early on a weekend morning with virtually no one around, but while he was looking at the building he saw what appeared to be a super-model in a window’s reflection. When he turned to get a better look, he was almost eye to eye with a lady named Magdalena. It isn't long before Gary discovers that Magdalena knows far more about his father than seems possible and within hours they have struck up a friendship. Gary soon realizes Magdalena is a vampire, but doesn't care...he is in love and pledges himself to her in whatever capacity she will allow. She explains how the majority of the group she belongs to was turned against their will and how they now protect innocent humans from rogue vampires, human criminals and evil politicians. The story then follows as Gary, a retired military officer is permitted to become a vampire, learns how these good vampire receive what blood they need from funeral homes they own and in turn safeguards both the vampire coven and the human population of Prague. With the help of Gary's young vampire son, they put flight to rogue vampires’ intent on destroying the Guardian Vampires. Later, Gary, his son Adam and Adam's human military commander, aided by a no-nonsense Russian General, deal with the rogue vampire army before they can steal weapons of mass destruction with which to blackmail governments.  

Guy warns that the first book has what he calls "Explicit Togetherness" (sex) and suggests those for whom sex in their reading material is an issue start with the second book in the series, "Immortal Relations, Love and War."  He tells us that there is a conversation in the second book that covers some of the more important material in the first book; however, the second book is mostly about the good vampires stopping a war between an army from Communist China invading Siberia, part of the Russian Federation. The vampires must stop this war before it goes nuclear and threatens life on the planet. Along with this, our good vampires save mankind from ecological disasters. Guy calls the book, "Action on Steroids." He said if a reader's "significant other" wasn't into romance novels but loved action novels, this story would give the person a different outlook on how exciting a romance novel can be. There is still some intimacy in the second story; however, "love bites" where blood and venom from each partner mixes has a amnesiac effect on Gary so his memory doesn't provide the explicit recall of the first book and since the story is from Gary's first person view reporting of the sex is curtailed and somewhat humorous. Magdalena and Gary have their wedding at the Hermitage at the request of the new President of the Russian Federation who has himself become a vampire to save him from a deadly illness.

The third book in the series, "Immortal Relations Coming Out" has our good vampires discussing coming out to the world of the humans in order to form a stronger bond and to better protect humans. While this doesn't appear feasible at the time, they do decide to set up a coven in Southern Canada to monitor the regime in Washington which seems to have no regard for either the founding documents of it's own country nor the defense of it's populace. Fortunately for those in the coven, the good vampires are seen in a favorable light by the Canadian government who are willing to grant them asylum when the group is bullied by Washington. Spinning the facts is a game well known to Washington and they attempt to brand the good vampires as a danger to all of humanity. But when a huge "mini-planet" is on a collision course with Earth, "who ya' gonna call?"  One of the interesting parts of this novel take place when Gary's hybrid human-vampire granddaughter meets a young, inexperienced, shape-shifter werewolf and they find that they are far more compatible than originally thought. One of Gary's vampire daughters also becomes married, at the Hermitage, to a Canadian police detective at the behest of their friend and fellow vampire, the Russian President.

 Buy Links (Each $ .99 on Kindle or the Kindle App):

 Immortal Relations: http://amzn.com/B006ZCBT6G

 Immortal Relations, Love and War: http://amzn.com/B00A4IEHL6

 Immortal Relations Coming Out: http://amzn.com/B00G5BQS18

 Here is the blurb from the back cover of each along with an Excerpt from each:

 Immortal Relations Blurb:

When Gary Logan discovers an old black-and-white photograph of his father in Prague with a woman’s handwriting on the back, he flies there to investigate where his father worked while in Europe, only to meet and fall in love with a beautiful lady who he believes to be a vampire. In love with her, Gary is initiated into her coven of guardian vampires, beginning a journey of epic proportions.

Exciting, erotic, and full of heart-stopping action, this debut novel turns human vampire lore on its head, with a symbiotic relationship between the species that deepens emotional connections to astonishing effect. But a coven of evil vampires bent on destroying the guardian vampires and feeding on the humans at will have other plans. Gary’s full vampire son helps humans to almost wipe out the evil coven, beginning the ever-increasing relationship between vampires and humans. Probing the gray areas inherent in sexuality, family and legend, the tale examines the very nature of existence.

Excerpt:

This pertains to something I feel very strongly about. I believe dogs are God’s gift to mankind to teach us about unconditional love and loyalty. They deserve both our love and loyalty in return.

We continued to monitor the screens, but nothing else happened until about 9 p.m. when I saw a large man chasing a little dog down a side street. He carried what looked like a rusty old pipe. Fearing he’d kill the dog, I asked Evy if we could do anything! She said they’d never responded to help an animal…I felt that I had to do something to help the dog and asked where that street was.

“Four streets to the north and about a mile to the east,” she said.

My love for little animals hadn’t abated any by my becoming a vampire, and I said I needed to do something to help that dog.

Maggie said she’d go with me. It was dark and a weeknight, so little traffic and no pedestrians were out. I ran the mile without stopping to confront the man. I moved so fast, no human could see me. As I flew by the man, I tapped the end of the iron pipe, causing it to fly out of his hand and I caught the pipe as I continued on. This occurred so fast, his brain couldn’t register what had happened; he slowed and looked at his hands and then stopped to turn around, looking behind him for the pipe he believed he must have dropped. By this time, I’d stopped in the shadows under some trees a mile farther down and simply crushed the old iron pipe into dust.

It was then that Maggie found me. “I’ve never seen anyone run that fast. You didn’t run that fast at the quarry…how could you run so much faster now?”

I looked at her and said, “I was running for fun at the quarry, but just now, I had to save that little dog. I just can’t stand to see a small animal hurt or killed.”

She hugged and kissed me, “I think you are one of the most softhearted people, let alone vampires, that ever existed.”

I shrugged, “I wish it were this easy to save all the unwanted animals; in America, they kill many thousands of dogs and cats each day, just because no one wants them. It always broke my heart to even think about it…”

I told her I couldn’t think of a more terrible condemnation of someone than they would harm a dog or a cat!

She kissed me again and said, “Let’s go back to Evy.” as we walked back arm in arm, we saw a woman, who must have been the man’s wife scolding him, as she carried the little dog in her arms, so I felt it was safe. Once back in the monitoring room, Maggie told Evy what happened as I sat in a chair, my head down, trying not to think about little animals being harmed. Evy turned and asked if I’d heard the story of “Ferdinand the Bull” and said I was like Ferdinand, strong but with a soft heart…I could only say, “Thank you.”

Immortal Relations, Love and War Blurb:

The second book amps up the action to a fever pitch. While Maggie and Evy hope things have settled down, events have a way of foiling the best of intentions. Death stalks a close friend, but our vampires can help him cheat death if he will accept the offer. His expertise is vital as international events are about to happen that only this old friend can solve! Greed is at the bottom of so many of histories problems, and this book shows just how greedy some governments, rogue OPEC Ministers and terrorists can be and the troubles they can cause. Who is available to thwart their greed and what about the ecological disasters of the impending failure of Chernobyl 's containment cap and possible reactor collapse at Fukushima, Japan. When the reactor building at Fukushima falls, a possible ''Extinction Level Event" has been predicted! Our heroes will help, if their help will be accepted!

Excerpt:

It was a short flight from Moscow to St. Petersburg. There our party was met by two limousines and whisked along to the historic Hermitage Museum. Arriving, it looked to me like the whole world was there. I didn’t know why President Kolukov had asked me to wear the Russian General’s Uniform he gave me, but I wanted to humor my good friend. We exited the limousine onto a red velvet carpet that had wide gold piping down each side and which looked to be almost 400 meters long. I thought it odd that President Kolukov had me stand to his left and next to him, when Stephan was senior in rank to my uniform. When we got to the head of the carpet, we turned. Stephan and Adam moving behind us, I looked up and turning the corner onto the same red carpet we had just traveled was someone I would recognize anywhere, under any circumstances. It was Magdalena, on the arm of Roger, our doctor. At first I was confused, but when I saw the dress she wore, an exact copy of her hand made blue dress, only in brilliant white and then heard the music, I realized what was happening; Magdalena and I were getting married! My friends had somehow arranged all this without even a hint that I picked up on. I had already glanced at some of those on either side of the isle and thought I recognized some political figures from various countries.

As Magdalena was escorted slowly forward, I was unable to look anywhere else; she was the only thing that existed in my universe. When she got close, I noticed she had a ribbon with a gold star hanging from it pinned over her left breast. I’d seen a similar medal, back when it was called “Hero of the Soviet Union,” but this one had the double eagle of the Russian Federation. Only an old “war horse” like me would notice that when the woman he loved stood in front of him!

An Eastern Orthodox Priest spoke the vows, translated into English for me. Magdalena didn’t need a translator as she spoke several languages, Russian being one of them. We both answered “I do” and “I will,” then I was asked to put the ring on Magdalena’s finger – I started to panic, but Kolukov stepped forward and handed me a ring. My eyes bulged when I looked at it as it must have been five carats of a Red Ruby mounted in Gold! He said it’s just a little bobble courtesy of the Russian people and the Hermitage. I placed it on the finger of my bride, we were officially married and we kissed. Maggie read my thought and on impulse we both turned and kissed Kolukov, each of us on one side of his face. He broke out in loud laughter and said, “Everything has been taken care of for tonight, but the car will be there to pick you both up at 0900 tomorrow. That’s 9 am in case you’ve forgotten Gary.” He joked, as if I’d ever forget the 24 hour military clock.

The two of us shook hands with Stephan, Adam and Roger, and then we made a bee-line to the limo that pulled up nearby, as the driver beckoned to us. I was too busy looking into the dark pools of eternity that were Maggie’s eyes! There were a million questions to ask on how they’d done all this and kept it a secret, but I didn’t want to break the spell I was under, I wanted the spell to last forever (or at least until we had to board the aircraft tomorrow morning).

Immortal Relations Coming Out Blurb:

The third in the series continues to rock the foundation upon which typical vampire novels are based.

After saving mankind from a war between two major powers before it could go nuclear and solving two ecological disasters, our guardian vampires discuss coming out to humans. Seeing a potential for an open relationship protecting humans from evil vampires, criminals & power-mad politicians, a newer member of the good coven proposes they support patriots fighting for humanitarian liberty. This idea for an open relationship seems doomed by negative stereotypes vampires have acquired from books, movies, and recent television series. Now a threat of being “outed” by a reporter looms and the only recourse seems to be the help of a young shape-shifter werewolf. Threats against the good vampires from a Marxist regime forms a bond between the local Canadians and their vampire guests; however, there are new threats on the horizon which astronomers must somehow gain the attention of a disinterested government to get them to mount a response to the threat if life-on-Earth is to continue.

Excerpt: 

Vlad has explained how he and other of the oldest vampires have progressed to the point where they need little if any blood. Gary has asked why the out-of-control vampires continue to attack humans.

Vlad replies (through thought transference) “They get a thrill from the hunt and then, as the life drains from their victims, it provides a rush from the feeling of power over the living.”
Gary: “If I may be so bold, have you had such feelings in the past?”

Vlad smiled and nodded slowly, “It was a very, very long time ago Gary. We were fighting what you would call ‘an asymmetrical war’ against Sultan Mehmet the Conqueror and his Muslim invaders who outnumbered us at least three to one. I was looking for anything to slow them down. I guess you would say I used psychological warfare by building the ‘forest’ of impaled enemy soldiers we had defeated in previous battles. While we had numerous successes against units of the invaders we unfortunately were unable to hold off so large an invading army. It was about this time I was changed into what I am today. I was always in the front lines of battle and routinely soaked in blood. Perhaps that is what changed me into a vampire. One of my own Generals saw me surrounded by enemies and saw blood spurting up in the air. Thinking it was my blood he sent word that I’d been killed. My dear wife was distraught and threw herself from the heights of our Poenari Castle into the Arges River below.

Then my second cousin, Matthias Corvinus, King of Hungary, from whom I had sought help in prosecuting the war, imprisoned me. Locked away, I soon became crazed with the desire for blood I would have otherwise found on the battlefield. Many fellow prisoners died because of it and after my escape I was a plague on the land. It took all too long before I regained some sense of my lost humanity.”
With downcast eyes Vlad thought, “Which is where the myths, legends and stories about me started – I’m afraid I earned them all.”

I reached over and patted him on the arm saying, “I’m sorry I brought up a topic that has induced clearly painful memories for you.”

Vlad smiled at me, “No, it is alright. If you haven’t heard the story before I think you need to know the type of vampire you follow. I hope it won’t detract from our relationship.”

“Never fear of my continued admiration and respect for you. You were a great leader fighting to free your people from an oppressive invader. Since you had no one to guide you after you were changed, as a ‘newborn’ vampire you did what came naturally. However, it begs the question, how did you stop?”

“I married again and she helped me overcome the constant thirst, giving me some of her own blood, and she brought me back to God.”

With tears in my eyes I thought, in reply to Vlad, “Women are clearly the superior gender, without them we men would be little better than wild beasts. “

For additional information, see http://immortalrelations.blogspot.com/   

Five Facts Thursday - please welcome Heather Boyd

Five facts about Heather Boyd:

1. I have murderous tendencies toward spiders. In my house, on my house, in my back (or front) yard. They all must die!

2. I adore fog. I will deliberately walk into it, drive through it, just for the experience. It’s kinda like walking in the rain but less damp. It’s the simple things in life that make me smile.

3. I grew up with over a million chickens as temporary pets … and if you’re an Aussie you probably ate them.

4. My son taught me how to navigate my first mac computer when he was eleven. Totally saved my sanity, which should be the opposite for a boy of that age.

5. My heroes in modern life are not sports stars or celebrities but everyday people who make the most of what life’s thrown at them without expecting applause.

Excerpt:

Once in the hallway, Mrs. Faraday glanced behind them and then drew close. “The company really only admits married men to their ranks, or those soon to be married.”

The whispered warning came as a shock to Valentine. “I’ve never once heard that before.”

She winced. “It is not really a secret. Most craftsmen do marry young, and your behavior with Miss Julia Radley worries my husband greatly. He supported your application to join the company as a bachelor because of your skill and connections. But even so, with the scandal, I must tell you he has met with considerable resistance.”

“I see. I have no plans to marry.” His craft consumed his every waking moment, which made the time required to pursue a lady to marry a great inconvenience at present. “What else can I do to win their good opinion?”

“If your sister had remained in Brighton, the situation might not be so problematic. Her sudden departure makes it appear she disapproves of what you’ve done.” She grasped his arm. “Without her presence to win the company over completely, then you must propose marriage to Miss Radley as soon as possible.”

“We have only ever been good neighbors. I hardly know her. I will not marry a woman just to suit the company. It is not right.” Valentine’s heart pounded. It wasn’t the first time someone had suggested he must marry Julia to wipe away the scandal of the contest. It was, however, the first time anyone had suggested that marrying Julia might be in his own best interests.

Buy Links for Miss Radley's Third Dare:

 amazon http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00YOQAOES/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=211189&creative=373489&creativeASIN=B00YOQAOES&link_code=as3&tag=revibycrys-20&linkId=MRP5ZQYQE6PZAG2Q

ibooks http://bit.ly/MRTDiBks

kobo http://bit.ly/MRTDKobo

B&N http://bit.ly/MRTDNook

Lammas Special - Which Witch are You

Lammas -  the feast of the first grain harvest.

For centuries, people have honoured the sun god in his guise as John Barleycorn with a loaf baked from the first wheatsheaf cut in the new harvest. If the harvest is good, traditionally a corn maiden is woven from the crop. After a bad harvest, workers weave a calleach, or crone. 

Often the people gather for a harvest supper and share nature's bounty.  

To honour the day, I'm posting a chart I made to publicise, my book, CURSE OF THE FAE. Why? Because the heroine was a pagan, more specifically, a witch.

Curse of the Fae King
Buy Links
Amazon US     http://amzn.to/1JXg5u2
Amazon UK     http://amzn.to/1SRiVpo
Amazon Au      http://bit.ly/1SrXd0b
Loose ID          http://www.loose-id.com/curse-of-the-fae-king.html

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:

UK:
Mills & Boon   Amazon   Amazon Author Page

US:

Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble ~ Harlequin 

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

Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Newsletter ~ Blog ~ Amazon ~ Harlequin

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 

Amazon.AU  http://bit.ly/1JGVA4R

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.

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 bride—Juana 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 princess—no, 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 hero—the Earl of Harrington—a 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 all—for 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 missing—her lovebird.

“Your Lordship,” the Countess Tankerville started, “Your appearance is most surprising.” She licked her lips from the deliciousness of his appearance.

“I haven’t paid a call to this house since my and Lisle’s Oxford days.”
“You knew—know my brother?” Charlotte’s voice became breathless.
“That I do, and I am surprised you haven’t 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 couldn’t 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.”

“Lady’s 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 wasn’t 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. “Isn’t 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:

http://www.amazon.com/His-Lady-Charlie-Mageela-Troche-ebook/dp/B01050NJSY/ref=sr_1_5?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1435955728&sr=1-5&keywords=mageela+troche

Barnes and Nobles:

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/his-lady-charlie-mageela-troche/1122183661?ean=2940151538558

Secret Cravings Publishing Store:

http://store.secretcravingspublishing.com/index.php?main_page=book_info&cPath=10&products_id=1095

iBooks:

https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/his-lady-charlie/id1010458923?mt=11