Kellie & Derek-poetry in motion!

Season 16 of Dancing With the Stars promised to be a bore with some of the celebrities that were slated to appear on it [I'm not going to even name them, sorry], but my all time favorite pro, ‘little’ man Derek Hough, was still on it, and I only tuned in to watch him and his new partner, Kellie Pickler.

From week one, she took off like a rocket! I loved watching them and they made this season worth watching. They kicked off Week 1 with a cha-cha; Week 2 was a jazz routine; Week 3 was a prom-themed night; Week 4 Rumba; Week 5 foxtrot; Week 6 Stevie Wonder-themed quickstep; Week 7 Latin night samba; Week 8 trio paso doble with Tristan MacManus was amazing and one of the most controversial dances of the season (I could have fallen off my couch when Len had a major meltdown over its content and rated it a 7!);  Week 9 had them do Argentine tango and it was to die for; Week 9 arrived and semi-finals had them do flamenco; and  finally the Finals came and nothing, NOTHING prepared me for their free-style. Their Week 10 free-style overshadowed everything the other finalists have done. While they went all out with the ‘production’ of the free-style, Derek choreographed an amazing dance. It made you jump out and take notice. There was not a dry eye in the house.

I think they deserved the trophy and then some! Both did the best to entertain their audience from day one and I sure appreciate their efforts. Just an aside, did you know why she cut her beautiful long locks?  Her pixie haircut had people talking and a lot of chicks will now want her hair cut! Apparently, she shaved her head to support cancer awareness and support a friend who was battling the disease. Such a sweetheart!

Fan or no of DWTS, please take a minute to watch their free-style. Everything worked in it, from the music [just listen to the words!] to the choreography, to the raw emotions of the dancers! WOW!

Are you a fan of the show? Have you watched it this season? Who was your favorite couple on it?

‘Love’s Promise’ Scavenger Hunt Blog Tour!

BOOK BLURB: New York Times bestselling author, CHERYL HOLT, will sweep readers away with the first novel in her new and breathtaking ‘Lord Trent’ trilogy…

With the death of his older brother, Michael Wainwright, Viscount Henley, has become heir to his father, Duke of Clarendon.  The Wainwright men are renowned cads, and as his brother’s will is read, it’s discovered that he sired an illegitimate son and has left the eight-year-old boy his entire fortune.  Michael decides to bring the boy to London so he can be showered with all the wealth and status guaranteed by his inheritance.  But first, he has to gain custody from the boy’s aunt, who is determined to keep her nephew away from Michael’s dissolute family.

Frances “Fanny” Carrington has always lived in a small village in the country.  As a newborn, she was left in a basket on the church steps and raised by the vicar and his wife.  But they’ve died, and Fanny is in dire straits, struggling to raise her nephew, to keep food on the table and a roof over their heads.  When she begins to receive correspondence from Michael, asking for custody, she can’t help but be suspicious.  For years, the Wainwrights have refused to claim her nephew or provide financial assistance to him.  She’s alarmed by their sudden interest.  What can it mean?

As Michael finally meets Fanny, their attraction is swift, blatant, and dangerous.  He can’t fight the need to have her at any cost, and gradually, he lures her into his decadent life of affluence and privilege.  But she’s never possessed the callous nature required to thrive in the cut-throat world of the aristocracy, so she can never understand the peril she faces from those who would do anything to keep them apart…

“…a master writer…”

Fallen Angel reviews

“Best storyteller of the year…”

Romantic Times Magazine

BUY LINKS: AMAZON / BARNES & NOBLES

EXCERPT 7: 

Fanny spun around, smiling.

Thomas was an amazingly sweet and winsome child, and it was impossible to understand how he’d sprung from such an unpleasant mother.  Luckily, he was nothing like her.

While Camilla was blond and blue-eyed, her face wasn’t flattering.  Her eyes were too narrow, her nose too large, her chin too square.  Previously, she’d been plump with good health, but her figure had gone to flab, and her forehead was creased with frown lines that were evidence of her dour temperament.

In contrast, with his rosy cheeks and pert nose, Thomas’s features were so appealing that he resembled a cherub painted on a church ceiling.  His hair wasn’t blond, though, as an angel’s might be, but a dark brown that was almost black, and his eyes were very blue, traits that Camilla claimed made him the spitting image of his aristocratic father, John Wainwright.

“No, darling,” Fanny said, “you can’t come.  You have to finish your school work.”

“But I’ve been at it for an hour already.”

“Yes, and you need to do another two hours before you’re through.  Don’t you want to grow up big and smart like your father and grandfather?”

“No.  I want to be a dangerous pirate like Captain Westmoreland.”

Westmoreland was currently the scourge of the Seven Seas, and boys all over England were enthralled by tales of his violence, daring and bravery.

“The Captain attended school, too,” she maintained, having no idea if the vicious criminal had or not.

“He did?”

“Yes.  He can read and write better than anyone.”

Thomas digested this lie, then swallowed it.

“All right,” he ultimately grumbled, “but once you’re back, may we walk by the river?”

“Yes, we may.”  She nodded to the cottage.  “You go on now.  Keep your mother company until I return.”

At the suggestion, he scowled, his distaste obvious, but he didn’t remark.  He whipped away and went inside.

He was so obedient and clever, and he was astute enough to realize that his mother detested him.  They both knew it; they occasionally skirted the edge of the issue, but there was no way Fanny could justify Camilla’s behavior.

At age sixteen, Camilla had accompanied their neighbors to London for the social season, but she had been poorly chaperoned.  She’d thrived on the parties and gaiety, on the wickedness and immoral conduct.  She’d fallen in with a bad crowd, had come home pregnant and in disgrace.

The scandal had ruined their family.  Their father had been forced to surrender his position as parish vicar, which had cost them their income and house and status.  If that weren’t punishment enough, Camilla had refused to exhibit any remorse, which had shocked rural sensibilities, so they’d been shunned.

Even after the shame had killed their parents, Camilla still wasn’t sorry for the catastrophe she’d wrought.  She’d loved John Wainwright and had relished her indecent life as his paramour.  All these years later, she could talk of nothing but London, and if she’d had any notion of how to manage it, she’d move to the city and resume her decadent habits.

Thomas represented all that Camilla had lost.  Not her parents.  Not her home.  Not her reputation.  She wasn’t concerned about any of those things.  No, she mourned the loss of the whirlwind that was London, and Thomas was living proof of how she’d failed to retain what she craved.

Fanny sighed, wishing she had the temerity to leave Camilla to stew in her own juice, but she never would.

They had been reared as sisters, but they weren’t blood relations.  Fanny’s own birth mother had been a young girl, much like Camilla, who’d been seduced by a great lord.  As a tiny baby, Fanny had been left in a basket on the church steps, with a note requesting that she be placed with a good family.

The vicar and his wife had kept Fanny and raised her as their own daughter, so when her mother had begged Fanny—on her deathbed, no less—to watch over Camilla, it was a charge Fanny wouldn’t shirk.

She hurried on, wondering if there would be another letter in the morning post from pompous, horrid Michael Wainwright, which was the real reason she was walking to the village.  His threats were aggravating in the extreme, and she often entertained herself by conjuring visions of the ugly, vile ogre he must be.

His last missive had imperiously informed her that they had begun legal proceedings to take Thomas, and Fanny was determined that they would never have him, although she hadn’t breathed a word of the situation to Camilla.  She didn’t trust Camilla’s decisions regarding Thomas, and she was quite sure if the Wainwrights demanded custody, Camilla would be so flattered that she’d hand him over without batting an eye.

“Over my dead body,” Fanny muttered to herself, trudging on, murmuring oaths and prayers that she hoped would keep the Wainwrights at bay.

She approached the village, and her chores were swiftly completed.  There was no new letter, and the vicar’s wife was out and had left her no money, so she wasn’t able to buy any food.  Irked and disheartened, she started home, taking a shortcut through the woods.

At the stile in the fence, she climbed over and slid down the opposite side to follow the narrow trail that led back to the road.  It was criss-crossed with blackberry brambles, and after a half-dozen strides, her skirt snagged on the thorns, snaring her as tightly as a rabbit in a trap.

GIVEAWAY

Cheryl Holt is giving away ten (10) print copies of the first release in her historical romance Trent Trilogy, LOVE’S PROMISE.

 The giveaway is open to US, Can, and INTNL Readers

AUTHOR BIO: Cheryl Holt is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of thirty-one novels.

She’s also a lawyer and mom, and at age 40, with two babies at home, she started a new career as a commercial fiction writer. She’d hoped to be a suspense novelist, but couldn’t sell any of her manuscripts, so she ended up taking a detour into romance, where she was stunned to discover that she has an incredible knack for writing some of the world’s greatest love stories.

Her books have been released to wide acclaim, and she has won or been nominated for many national awards. She is particularly proud to have been named “Best Storyteller of the Year,” by the trade magazine, Romantic Times BOOK Reviews.

Her hot, sexy, dramatic stories of passion and illicit love have captivated fans around the world, and she’s celebrated as the Queen of Erotic Romance, which is currently the fastest selling subgenre of women’s fiction. Due to the ferociousness of some of her characters, she’s also known as the International Queen of Villains.

She received degrees in music, languages, and education, from South Dakota State University, and her juris doctorate was obtained at the University of Wyoming. Her colorful and chaotic employment history includes such variety as public school teacher, cook, bartender, lobbyist, and political activist. She also did brief stints in metro-Denver as a deputy district attorney and administrative law judge.

Cheryl lives and writes in Hollywood, California.

Connect: Website / Twitter / Facebook /

Blog Tour Schedule

5/13:   Rambling from this Chic: excerpt 1 only/giveaway

5/14:    Harlie’s Book Reviews: review and excerpt 2/giveaway

5/15:    Romancing Rakes for the Love of Romance: review and excerpt 3/giveaway

5/16:    Confession of a Romaholics: review and excerpt 4/giveaway

5/17     Romancing the Book Reviews: review and excerpt 5/giveaway

5/20:    Susana’s Parlour: review and excerpt 6/giveaway

5/21:    bookworm2bookworm: review and excerpt 7/giveaway

5/22:    Rockn’ the Muses: excerpt 8/giveaway

5/23:    Saucy & Sinful Reviews: excerpt 9/giveaway

5/24:  Romantic Crush Junkies Reviews eZine Blog: review and excerpt 10/giveaway

‘Love’s Promise’ by Cheryl Holt

STORY: With the death of his older brother, Michael Wainwright, Viscount Henley, has become heir to his father, Duke of Clarendon. The Wainwright men are renowned cads, and as his brother’s will is read, it’s discovered that he sired an illegitimate son and has left the eight-year-old boy his entire fortune. Michael decides to bring the boy to London so he can be showered with all the wealth and status guaranteed by his inheritance. But first, he has to gain custody from the boy’s aunt, who is determined to keep her nephew away from Michael’s dissolute family.

Frances “Fanny” Carrington has always lived in a small village in the country. As a newborn, she was left in a basket on the church steps and raised by the vicar and his wife. But they’ve died, and Fanny is in dire straits, struggling to raise her nephew, to keep food on the table and a roof over their heads. When she begins to receive correspondence from Michael, asking for custody, she can’t help but be suspicious. For years, the Wainwrights have refused to claim her nephew or provide financial assistance to him. She’s alarmed by their sudden interest. What can it mean?

As Michael finally meets Fanny, their attraction is swift, blatant, and dangerous. He can’t fight the need to have her at any cost, and gradually, he lures her into his decadent life of affluence and privilege. But she’s never possessed the callous nature required to thrive in the cut-throat world of the aristocracy, so she could never understand the peril she faces from those who would do anything to keep them apart…

REVIEW: ‘Love’s Promise’ is one of those stories that can easily turn you off by having the hero’s character filled with many human flaws that even when he redeems himself, you still may not believe him.

The blurb is sufficient, so I’m just going to tell you my feelings on it.

I actually liked it. I liked that Ms. Holt takes the chance with her characters by giving them flaws and then slowly has them grow into decent human beings.

Michael is such a man. He’s not your regular every day hero. He’s someone that despises his father, yet knows his duty to that parent and does things even though he doesn’t like it. He’s been raised as a spare, and no matter what the duty comes first. I enjoyed his slow but sure awakening as he reached his full potential.

Frances as Thomas’ aunt was such a great heroine. Her dedication to her family was a wonder to read. But what I liked best about her was her strength as she goes from one calamity to the next. Never EVER does she lose hope and I just wanted to hug her!

Another thing I liked was the secondary love story of Anne, Michael’s spinster sister, and his best friend, Phillip. I loved them both so much I wished they were more developed and had their own book. Phillip was besotted with Anne for the longest time, but as a bastard born could never have her. Anne was naïve despite her ‘advanced’ age of ‘five and twenty’ and oblivious of the workings of the outside world.

And then there’s Charles Sinclair, Earl of Trent, and Phillips father who can’t keep his pant’s on and has populated half of England with bastards, which Phillip is trying to find so that his father can acknowledge them. His wife Susan hates Phillip’s meddling and is always testing the boundaries of her husband’s love and loyalty.

I even enjoyed reading the villains of this piece!
Camilla, Thomas’ mother, was a bitch and a half, and I anxiously awaited her downfall! Talk about ‘Mommy Dearest’!

The Duke of Clarendon, Michael’s father, was a douche and a half!  Not one warm bone in this manipulative and bitter man to be found!

Rebecca, an heiress who was John’s fiancée, is now hoping and plotting with the Duke, to force Michael to offer for her. What a piece of work she was! She’ll do anything to, eventually, become Duchess. Could not stand her! I couldn’t decide which one I hated more, Rebecca or Camilla!

All in all, a great love story populated with many flawed characters, some redeemable and some not so much. Highly recommend it.

ARC supplied by the Author.

Spotlight on Anna Cowen and…

UNTAMED!

BOOK BLURB: Outspoken and opinionated, Katherine Sutherland is ill at ease amongst the fine ladies of Regency London. She is more familiar with farmers and her blunt opinions and rough manners offend polite society. Yet when she hears the scandalous rumours involving her sister and the seductive Duke of Darlington, the fiercely loyal Katherine vows to save her sister’s marriage – whatever the cost.

Intrigued by Katherine’s interference in his affairs, the manipulative Duke is soon fascinated. He engages in a daring deception and follows her back to her country home. Here, their intense connection shocks them both. But the Duke’s games have dangerous consequences, and the potential to throw both their lives into chaos…

EXCERPT: 

The Duke of Darlington was sitting in the bow window at Whites, when the Earl of BenRuin entered. The man was huge – almost ugly with it.

‘We’ll need another pot of coffee, after last night,’ Darlington said to Jewellyn, who sat beside him comparing three silk handkerchiefs.

‘Mother says the daffodil yellow makes me look consumptive, but the pale is just so joyless.’

‘Your mother knows best, darling.’ He took another sip of coffee, and didn’t look around. But he felt BenRuin’s eyes on him. He heard a hush follow the Earl through the room as he made his way over.

‘Darlington.’ BenRuin spat his name with a thick Scottish R.

He looked up and smiled sunnily. ‘What ho, old boy!’

BenRuin looked as though he wanted to crush Darlington’s throat and stop him from ever speaking again. Something woke, and shivered through Darlington, and he despaired because it was not fear.

He brushed a speck of lint from his cuff. ‘Coffee?’

BenRuin stared at him. ‘I am going to kill you,’ he said slowly, every word clear. Men looked up from their papers, frowning. BenRuin gripped the back of an empty chair, his hand a powerful, blunt instrument.

Darlington lowered his cup and wondered that his hands didn’t shake at all. He had been waiting so long for this. A month ago he had been given an old iron key that unlocked his father’s private papers with his father’s things. The key might as well have unlocked this sick, loose delight in him. It had brought him to this moment.

He screwed up his brow, and turned to Crispin, who sat at his feet on an ottoman. ‘Was I supposed to meet this man in a duel today?’

The boy looked back at Darlington with perfect trust, undiminished by the slight confusion on his face.

‘I don’t think so. No one’s come to see me about being your second. Unless—’ Crispin flushed and turned to Hopwell, across the table. ‘Hopwell, you rotter, you’ve not been approached, have you?’

Hopwell drew himself up. ‘And if I had? Are you the only one who could possibly represent him?’

‘But you know that I—’

BenRuin’s face clearly spoke his frustration – his disbelief that these boys, these butterflies would ignore him. His huge frame bunched and he threw the chair at the wall so hard it broke. Muted conversations broke off, and a footman’s half-sobbed apologies limped alone into the silence. Men rose from their seats, but left a wary space around BenRuin. Darlington couldn’t look away from BenRuin’s pale eyes.

He smiled as if his patience was wearing out. ‘Why do you suppose you want to kill me, old boy?’

‘You.’ BenRuin forced a couple of heavy breaths through his nose, like speaking the words was a feat of strength. ‘And my wife.’

‘Ah.’ Darlington let understanding dawn in his voice and spread his manicured hands out before him. At last. At last they had come to it. All this violence was his for the taking. ‘Look, she told me it was one of those marriages, you know. That you both found pleasure where you could.’

For a moment BenRuin couldn’t speak, like Darlington had cut his tongue out of his mouth. Then, ‘Stop talking,’ he said.

‘But I’m sure she…wait, so you’re back from your trip to South America, then? Did you collect any interesting new specimens?’

‘Stop talking,’ BenRuin said. ‘Stop.’

Crispin leapt up, relief clear in his smile, his voice. ‘You’re thinking of Lady Drysdale, Your Grace!’

‘Of course!’ The Duke placed slim fingers against his brow and made an apologetic face at BenRuin. At last. ‘All a misunderstanding, old boy!’

‘Call me old boy one more time,’ BenRuin said, his brogue making him almost unintelligible, ‘and I won’t wait to hear your explanation.’

‘Explanation?’ He had begun to shake with a kind of excitement. ‘Lady Drysdale and I had an understanding, and I don’t see that it’s any of your concern!’

‘And your carriage – in my driveway?’

He had forced a proud man to say this in front of other men. It was despicable. He would do it again in a heartbeat for what he wanted – needed.

‘Which driveway would that be, old – er.’ Darlington leaned down to Crispin and said, ‘Do you know who he is? I’m not sure what name to address him by.’

And then it came. So fast that for a moment his whole body felt the shock of not being ready. Of needing a moment to think.

BenRuin came at him, all muscle and murderous intent, his eyes fixed on Darlington’s face.

And Darlington was greedy, his whole being a gruesome invitation. Everything he normally hid flared to life within him.

BenRuin saw it. He faltered.

The men who had leapt into action had their arms about BenRuin, their hands gripping him wherever they found purchase. BenRuin’s knife never reached Darlington’s throat.

Darlington felt so bereft that for a moment he couldn’t breathe.

A man was hurrying through the room. Perhaps someone had sent a boy to find him, because he spoke in BenRuin’s ear and BenRuin listened. Tension leeched out of BenRuin’s huge body, and he began to shake, like a horse after a hard race.

He pointed a finger at Darlington. ‘I’ll not hang for the sake of seeing your pretty blood,’ he ground out. ‘This time. But the next time you trespass against me, you will know what I mean to do.’

BenRuin left, and Darlington fluttered his hands about his throat, and went into mild hysterics and allowed Crispin to fuss over him.

REVIEW: You’re either going to love it or hate it. I don’t think there’s a middle of the road for this novel. I more than loved it! I adored the hero, heroine, plot…oh and the prose is so good that it borders on poetic. It brings to mind Julie Anne Long’s and Grace Burrowes’ writing.

As soon as I was done with it, I had to Tweet the author. My Tweet was “I am in awe of it. It’s intriguing, clever & exciting; romantic & sensual; breathtakingly delightful!”

This was one of those stories that made you unknowingly hold your breath, and then slowly exhale as you go from page to page. At the end of it, it brought to mind two movies I am such a fan of: “Pretty Woman” and “An Interview with a Vampire”.

“Pretty Woman” because of its ending as the heroine ‘rescues’ the ‘hero’, and “An Interview with a Vampire” because for some reason the Duke reminded me of Lestat [no he wasn’t a Vampire, just the characterization].

Let me also say that if you’re a stickler for historical detail, you might have to suspend your disbelief and ignore a couple of things in it [notably reform of the Corn Laws and Parliament’s involvement in the divorce] to enjoy the rest of the story. I had no problem with it.

Story’s prose and especially characterization of the hero and heroine, was what engaged me emotionally.

It really was a breath of fresh air. For a change we have an author that gave us a cross-dressing hero instead of a heroine, and the result was entertaining, intriguing and engaging.

It was a risk, but I think it paid off big time!

I recommend it whole heartedly!

ARC courtesy of NetGalley.

You can buy Untamed at Amazon | Kobo | iTunes | Google | txtr | JB HiFi | Sainsbury’s | Destiny Romance (ePub)

AUTHOR IN HER OWN WORDS: I started writing when I was eight and my heroine thought the likeliest place to buy a horse was the pet shop.

I stopped writing when I was fifteen and my teen angst was too much, even for me. Also, boys.

Now I’m An Adult, and I’ve never wanted to work so hard at anything.

I live in a beautiful flat in the middle of Melbourne with special k – husband / coffee mogul / love of my life. We’ve started having weekly managers meetings where he says things like, “This is work, so there are no feelings, okay?” and I quake in my writerly boots. I couldn’t have done any of this without him.

This blog is where I think out loud about writing. I break down the things I watch and read – I try to figure out how they work, or don’t work. It tends to centre around love, romance, gender, feminism and writing.

I hope you enjoy the conversation!

You can catch Anna on: Tweeter / Website

Why Soren Kierkegaard is a Romance Junkie by Cecily White

I’ve been thinking about Soren Kierkegaard. I know, I know… why would anyone waste time thinking about Soren Kierkegaard. Anyway, he’s been on my mind, so I’m going to tell you his story. And brace yourself, because it’s possibly the worst love story ever.

Soren’s tale begins with his father, whose wife was dying a tragic, ugly, loooong, drawn-out death. Obviously, he couldn’t care for the kids and house alone, so he hired a maid. Fast forward a few months, the maid is pregnant, the wife is not yet dead, and here comes baby Soren, the newest and most hated member of the family. (I know. SOOOO Jerry Springer, right?)

Our hero passed a miserable childhood and adolescence, constantly wallowing in self-pity and religious turmoil. He never allowed himself to love – partly because he felt this would be cheating on his passionate love of God (groan), but also because he was uber-unattractive and had horrible posture. (Yes, your mother was right. Stand up straight and you won’t die a horrible, soul-crushing death.) The one comfort poor Soren took lay in the knowledge that his pain-riddled thoughts and observations were Pure and Important. In fact, he became so attached to his suffering he once noted that Depression was his most faithful mistress, thus, it was no wonder he returned her affection. (That quote TOTALLY reminds me of my college boyfriend, by the way.)

Pathetic? Yes.

Diagnosable? Absolutely.

(We’re still talking about Soren, here.)

Everything changed when our dear hero moved to a new city and encountered a girl (Get out! A girl? Soren likes a girl?!?!). Her name was Regine Olsen, and she captivated him. He’d not spoken to her, however, he found himself wanting to be close to her. So, poor Soren did what any desperate, socially stunted guy would do.

He stalked her.

He talked to her friends.

He figured out what she read, where she went to lunch, what kind of music she listened to, where she bought her undergarments.

Once he had all the deets sorted, it was time to make his move.

Soren: “Hello.”

Regine: “Hello.”

Soren: “That’s a lovely pink underfrock you’re wearing. May I buy you a cup of warm asses’ milk?”

Regine (laughing): “Oh, wait, you’re serious?”

Despite the rocky start, Soren had found love. And not just the kind of humdrum, run-of-the-mill love where the best part is when you file joint taxes. No, this was a passionate love. A love that defied reason and made people wonder whether Regine perhaps needed eyeglasses.

A happy ending, you say?

But no, that would be too easy for poor Soren. After a few months of bliss, he began to realize that his writing had lost its spark. No longer could he wallow in the doldrums, crucifying humanity for its many faults and exalting God’s impossible perfection. No longer could he wrestle with the dark plight of humanity. Regrettably, Soren was plagued with an illness more paralyzing than any plague.

He was… HAPPY.

Horribly, miserably, catastrophically happy!

He had to make a choice. Stay with Regine, and live his life in blissful mediocrity. Or leave her, and return to his lonely, anguished excellence and philosophical superiority.

Well, Soren being a man (and thus an idiot) made the only choice he could.

Soren: “I’m leaving you.”

Regine: “Excuse me?”

Soren: “I’m too happy. It’s not working out.”

Regine: “Is this because of the asses’ milk thing?”

Fast forward a few years, and Soren is living in an apartment (read: ManCave), writing book after book about why he left Regine and how true happiness without her is futile, etc, etc, wondering why she hasn’t come running back to him. Eventually, he goes to tell her he made a mistake, only to find that she’s married someone else, one of Soren’s fellow philosophers. (Awk-ward.)

At this point, Soren is so heartbroken, he can barely make it back to his dad’s house, let alone stop for a cup of asses’ milk. His father, of course, reminds him that if he would just stand up straight once in a while, maybe Regine would come back and it would all be okay. Soren shows his father what he thinks of this advice by promptly dying of a broken heart.

The moral of the story is summed up beautifully by some of the last words Soren Kierkegaard wrote in his private journal:

“To live without love is a mistake for which there is no reparation, either in this life or any other.”

So there you have it, my fellow romance writers and readers:

If Soren Kierkegaard were alive today, he would be the biggest romance junkie on the planet. He would be camped out with the Twi-hards, poring over Google, saying prayers for Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez to rekindle. (Even though Justin is gay and Selena is clearly his beard… Don’t lie, you’ve all thought it.) So if you ever doubt that romance novels have substance, just think of Soren Kierkegaard. Writer. Philosopher. Lover. Because he knows what we all suspect and what the Fab Four sang so long ago: Love is all you need…

…and maybe a cup of warm asses’ milk.

Have you a more tragic story then our poor Soren & Regine? Tell us about it! GIVEAWAY: One eCopy to one commenter [US only]

Here is where you can find the book: Amazon / B-A-M / Barnes & Noble / GoodReads.com / IndieBound / Kobo / Powell’s Books
AUTHOR BIO: Cecily Cornelius-White, Psy.D. makes a habit of avoiding boredom whenever possible. She has enjoyed careers as a hand model, GAP salesgirl, movie projectionist, psychotherapist, yoga instructor, university professor, artist, dance choreographer, eating disorders specialist, psych diagnostician, book reviewer and copy editor. None of which are as much fun as writing novels.

She currently lives in Springfield, MO with two FABULOUS kids, and a schizophrenic yet well-mannered cat. She can swear in Klingon, take down an alien aggressor using only her mind (or a pair of chopsticks), and kill giant spiders without getting schmutz on her shirt. When not singing to herself, she spends time creating new worlds and thinking up ways to make this one better…

Where you can find her: Website / Twitter / Facebook / Goodreads

Spotlight on Karen Erickson and…

Tempting Cameron/LONE PINE LAKE #2

BOOK BLURB: For Cameron McKenzie, Chloe Dawson has always just been his younger sister Jane’s best friend—a pesky annoyance who followed him around and acted like he hung the moon. It isn’t until Jane’s wedding to her firefighter beau Chris that Chloe reappears in his life…and she isn’t pesky or annoying anymore. In fact, the beautiful Chloe tempts him beyond reason. But Cam knows he’s damaged goods—not nearly good enough for Lone Pine Lake’s resident good girl.

Chloe’s always dreamed of a future with the dark, brooding Cam, and after they share an explosive kiss, she wonders if her dream could be coming true. Cam’s never stuck around his hometown for long, though, so she makes him an offer: one sweet summer romance with no strings attached. This good girl’s ready for an adventure…one that just might end up lasting a lifetime.

EXCERPT:

She started to walk away but he stopped her, curled his hand around the crook of her elbow. Her skin was soft, silky. His knuckles brushed against her chest, sent a shockwave through him that rendered him completely still.

“You’re not boring,” he murmured. “Everyone moves at a different pace. Everyone has a different purpose. I think you might’ve already found yours.”

She swallowed hard. He saw the delicate movement of her throat. Without thought, he drew his thumb across the inside of her upper arm, swore he felt her shiver from his touch. Electricity crackled and sparked between them, heady and fluid, and he drew her closer. Closer…

“I should go inside,” she repeated, her voice shaky. “I sound like such a baby, complaining when one of my dearest friends just got married. Your sister. God, you must think I’m completely selfish…”

He cut her off with his lips, rendering her completely silent. She did talk too much. Way too damn much…but she also seemed sad. A little lost.

And he could relate. Despite her thinking he had it together, he didn’t. He was as lost as she, maybe even more so.

MINI REVIEW: I love Karen Erickson’s steamy Historical novels, but lately I’ve been checking her Contemporary ones and I like them. A lot!

‘Tempting Cameron’ comes on the heels of ‘Jane’s Gift’ which I read and reviewed for Christmas, and is the second book in the Lone Pine Lake series. Don’t fret if you haven’t read the first as they’re stand alone, but you’ll be missing a great intro into McKenzie family and Lone Pine Lake residents.

Both characters are likable and just so very real and their happily ever after worth the read.

Karen Erickson has a knack for creating characters that are filled with humanity, for the lack of a better word. These people she populates her stories are just too real, and they just jump off the pages to grab you and pull you deep into their problems, their troubles that you can easily forget your own.

What may surprise you, as it did me, is that this author can write erotic, sensual, steamy and waaaay too hot romance as well as the sweet, touching and STILL sensual without that scorching hot factor, and you won’t even notice ‘till you’re at the end of the story. Oh and the endings of her stories will leave you with this feeling of utter awe and satisfaction…peace and contentment…and a wide smile!

Highly recommend and not to be missed if you’re into contemporary genre.

AUTHOR BIO: I’ve always loved the written word. From being one of the best readers in my kindergarten class to penning romantic stories that never ended about my favorite band members (Duran Duran!) in high school, I always had a feeling I wanted to write. It just took me a while to seriously pursue it.

With the birth of my third child came a realization – it’s one thing to talk about writing a book, another thing entirely to do so. So I decided to go for it and in 2005 I began my pursuit in writing toward publication. After completing a few clunkers that should never see the light of day, I was first published in 2006. I currently write for Samhain Publishing (sexy, glamorous contemporary romance), Entangled Publishing’s Bliss Imprint (sweet, small town contemporary romance), Avon Impulse/Harper Collins (historical romance) and Carina Press (historical romance).

On a personal note, I’m a native Californian who lives in the foothills below Yosemite with my husband and three children, the dog and way too many cats.

Unlikely Partners In Crime By Amanda Berry

I’m so happy to be posting to bookworm2bookworm, even though I was a bit concerned because I don’t write Historical Romance. I love reading Historical Romance though. From Dukes to Scottish Lords, I can’t get enough. I don’t think I have the patience to do the research for a historical, but I love reading them.

I had to come up with a topic for this blog post and decided to talk about my partners in writing. I write contemporary short romance for Harlequin, Jeannie Lin writes historical set in the ancient China, and Shawntelle Madison writes urban fantasy/paranormal romance with a funny twist.

When we first met, we were all unpublished and looking for writing friends. We formed a critique group with some other friends, Kristi Lea and Dawn Blankenship. After a year or so of being together, I received a contract for my first Special Edition, Jeannie won the Golden Heart and received a contract for her first Harlequin Historical, and Shawntelle scored an agent and sold her Coveted series to Ballantine.

What makes our relationship work, even though we write in different genres, is that we respect each other’s work and read other books within those genres. The great thing is that every now and then our books release at about the same time. Like now.

My May release is Father by Choice. (Jeannie suggested the title should have been The Middle Manager’s Secret Baby) When workaholic Brady Ward finds out he has a seven-year-old daughter with Maggie Brown, he has to figure out what’s more important to him: His career in New York or his new found family in his small hometown in the Midwest.

Shawntelle’s May release is Bitter Disenchantment. This is a prequel to her Coveted series, Coveted and Kept. Werewolf Natalya Stravinsky’s outspoken sidekick, Aggie McClure, is featured in this prequel short novel. Before Agatha set foot in South Toms River, New Jersey, she had to fight for the one thing she’s never had: a choice.

Jeannie has two books coming out. In May she has The Sword Dancer. A romantic adventure tale about a relentless thief-catcher and the clever sword-dancer who keeps on evading him, set in Tang Dynasty China. And in August, her first single title release The Lotus Palace comes out. (BTW I think she always gets the most gorgeous covers) A notorious playboy and a lowly maidservant find themselves thrown together unexpectedly to solve a mystery in the infamous pleasure district of the imperial Chinese capital.

There’s a little something for everyone. If you are looking for werewolves with compulsions to eat or collect holiday ornaments, check out Shawntelle’s Coveted series and next month’s Bitter Disenchantment. If you want a quick read with family drama set in a small town, check out my Father by Choice. If you want to escape into a time of silk and political intrigue, check out Jeannie’s ancient China in Sword Dancer and The Lotus Palace.

Please leave a comment for a chance to win a copy of Father by Choice, Sword Dancer, and Bitter Disenchantment. Don’t know what to say? I’d love to know what your favorite type of book is to read?

AUTHOR BIO: After an exciting life as a CPA, Amanda Berry returned to writing when her husband swept the family off to England to live for a year. Now she’s hooked, and since returning to the states spends her writing days concocting spicy contemporary romances while her cats try in vain to pry her hands off the keyboard.

Her Marlene award-winning contemporary romance, L.A. Cinderella, debuted from Silhouette Special Edition in June 2010. One thing she requires of all her books is a happily ever after. Amanda grew up in the Midwest, but recently moved to the Southeast with her husband and two children. For more information, please visit http://www.amanda-berry.com.

Riding with the Harley Dogs: One Author’s Adventure by Angie Fox

I’d always known writing would be an adventure, but I never predicted my writing would put me on the back of a coal black Harley Davidson, with an Irish Setter in tow. I’d set out to write a paranormal about a straight-laced preschool teacher turned demon slayer who has to run off with a gang of geriatric biker witches. But my heroine has a smart-mouthed dog that, thanks to her new powers, can talk…and talk…and talk. And I really loved that dog. What’s a writer to do? Well, I went online and learned that there is a nationwide club of Harley bikers who ride with their dogs. So my heroine could have her pink Harley, and her Jack Russell Terrier too.

And of course I had to meet these Harley riding dog lovers. I called up a few of the members of a Biker Dogs Motorcycle Club and the adventure began. They invited me into their homes, introduced me to their dogs and, like my heroine, the bikers hoisted me up on the back of a Harley, with a dog in tow.

Things I learned right off the bat:

• After an hour on a Harley, you’ll walk like John Wayne for a week
• Helmets hurt when they are worn backwards
• Dogs love riding motorcycles

Stone, the biker who spent the most time making sure I didn’t fall off his hog, showed me how to ride, invited me to some biker rallies (note to self: don’t wear pink next time), and helped make The Accidental Demon Slayer as real as it can be (for a book about a somewhat sheltered preschool teacher turned demon slayer).

So just when I thought I was writing fiction, it seemed my made-up characters from The Accidental Demon Slayer weren’t so imaginary after all. One of the bikers I met even has a wife who is a biker witch. I’m wondering if she, like my heroine’s biker witch grandma, wears a “kiss my asphalt” t-shirt and carries a carpet bag full of Smuckers jars filled with magic. Maybe I’ll find out on my next adventure.

*And if you want to read The Accidental Demon Slayer, it’s available free for e-readers.

Amazon / Nook / Kobo

AUTHORS BIO: Angie Fox is the New York Times bestselling author of several books about vampires, werewolves and things that go bump in the night.

She claims that researching her stories can be just as much fun as writing them. In the name of fact-finding, Angie has ridden with Harley biker gangs, explored the tunnels underneath Hoover Dam and found an interesting recipe for Mamma Coalpot’s Southern Skunk Surprise (she’s still trying to get her courage up to try it).

Angie earned a Journalism degree from the University of Missouri. She worked in television news and then in advertising before beginning her career as an author. Angie enjoys making up fun quizzes and thinks you should take one right now.

What’s Your Biker Witch Name?

GH’s Robert Kelker Kelly Surprise!

Well color me surprised times a thousand! Have you seen this coming GH fans?! I sure didn’t, and that might just be that it’s because I stopped watching GH some …oh, I don’t know…three or so years ago, around the time when Emily died.

“General Hospital” was celebrating its 50th Anniversary and I thought to ‘tune in’ and catch up with some of my favorite couples, like Sonny and Carly [no big surprise that she's not with him any more, though], Luke and Tracy [WHAT?! They're not together either?!], Patrick and Robin [OMG! Robin's dead?! How'd that happen?], Jason and Sam [WTF?! He's dead too?! HOW?!]. It looks like I’ve missed a lot and need to play catch-up.

I was surprised to find out Laura, Anna and Duke were back! I just wonder for how long. Those we favored keep coming back to whet our appetite and then they leave just as quickly, and I usually leave with them. But as much as I had fun watching the celebration, it was even more fun to play the game of ‘Who’s behind Lulu’s abduction?’. Helena was my numero uno suspect, but now she’s [and I hope for good this time] dead and that left me with… Stavros Cassadine?!

In the eighties, when I was hooked on GH, Stavros Cassadine, Helena’s spoiled brat of an heir, was obsessed with Laura. He couldn’t have her any other way, so he kidnapped her then made her to marry him. Oh, and he raped her, which is how Nikolas was conceived. Laura escaped him, leaving Nik behind in his Uncle Stefan’s care and we were sure he breathed his last as he tumbled down the stairs while fighting with Luke…No such luck!

Stavros came back to life [the first time!] after eighteen years ‘on ice’ [don’t ask, it’s a long story and my memory is fading about the whole thing, just trust me, k?]. He died again as he and Luke, once again, fought and he fell down the rabbit hole… [HA! Just checking to see if you’re paying attention] bottomless pit.

Well, it looks like he cheated death once more and I’m dying to know how does one stay alive after a fall to a ‘bottomless pit’…It looks like that pit had a bottom and Stavros didn’t hit it hard enough!

They decided to bring back the evil Dude, which meant either get Robert Kelker Kelly or cast someone else. Yesterday, I just jumped out of my seat when I saw him.

Just in case you’re not familiar with this guy, he just about played all the soap’s. I never saw him on ‘Another World‘ as Sam Fowler, but I got to see him as Bo Brady on ‘Days of our Lives‘ and he was better than the original Bo, Peter Reckell.

In 2001 he showed up as Stavros Cassadine on ‘General Hospital‘ playing Helena’s twisted son and Nikolas’ father and I thought he did a bang up job at playing ‘evil son’.

Holy shit but he changed! It took me a second to go WOW! He sure is as handsome as ever and I’m hoping he sticks around a bit longer this time…although I’m not sure if I’ll have the patience to watch it regularly. Let’s see if the writers can make this story interesting enough for me to come back to the show…

Are you a fan of GH? Do you have the patience to watch soaps and which one’s are your favorite? Do you remember RKK?

Here are some clips of 50th GH celebration. Enjoy!

 

 

 

Spotlight on Anna Campbell and…

These Haunted Hearts: A Regency Ghost Story

BOOK BLURB: On one fateful wedding day at Marston Hall in 1818, four linked destinies hover in the balance.

Josiah Aston, Earl of Stansfield, wakes to discover he’s seventy years dead and he alone can free his beloved wife Isabella’s tormented soul. But first he must convince her to trust him against all the evidence…
Lady Isabella Verney, beautiful and tempestuous, married the man of her dreams, only to die violently on her wedding day. Every clue points to Josiah as the murderer…

Is true love strong enough to defeat ancient malevolence forever?
Miles Hartley, Viscount Kendall, is society’s ideal catch, but what does that matter if he can’t convince Calista Aston that he loves her? When an age-old curse strikes, only by proving himself worthy of her faith can he save their happiness…

Lady Calista Aston, noted bluestocking, fears she loves Miles Hartley not wisely, but too well. On her wedding day, her doubts place her at evil’s mercy. When death and disaster loom, is it courage or mad folly to believe that Miles loves her in spite of all her faults?

On one fateful wedding day at Marston Hall in 1818, will the lovers emerge triumphant or will darkness conquer all?

EXCERPT:

The Chinese Bedroom, Marston Hall, Norfolk, May 1818

Calista watched Miles at the window. The light limned him, turned him into a being from another world. The magnificent sight made the breath catch in her throat. He wore a loose white shirt and breeches. She’d never been so aware of his height or the lean strength of his body.

He turned and at last she saw the smile that tilted his mouth. His eyes focused on her and the smile faded, replaced by an expression that looked like awe. He tautened into stillness as he surveyed her from her loosened hair to her bare toes peeping beneath the white hem of her simple night rail.

The moonlight was so bright, she saw his Adam’s apple bob when he swallowed. She could almost imagine that he found her as breathtaking as she found him. His expression smoothed the sharpness from her uncertainty. The clamorous babble of thoughts in her head quietened to a low hum of need.

“You’re undressed,” he said huskily.

It seemed foolish to blush when they both knew she was in this room to offer herself to him, but heat flushed her cheeks. “I wasn’t sure what to wear.”

His joyous smile made her toes curl against the Turkish rug at her feet. “Or not, as the case may be.”

“Or not.”

She waited in an agony of pleasurable suspense for him to seize her, ravish her into delight so that she had no chance to remember the dictates of propriety. But he approached slowly, as though afraid if he moved too abruptly, she might vanish. By the time he stopped in front of her, she trembled with apprehension and desire. Her body felt too small a vessel to contain the storm of emotions raging inside her.

He reached out to smooth her hair away from her face. His touch always turned her knees to custard. Now, when the bed and all it portended filled the shadows behind him, the glance of his hand set her burning. If such a seemingly innocent touch had this effect, she’d most likely combust into ashes before they were done tonight.

Calista bit her lip and stood in shaking stillness as he trailed his hand across her neck and shoulders. His touch felt like a discovery rather than a seduction. Although of course she was seduced. Her heart thundered and her breasts tightened against the thin lawn of her nightdress.

“Beautiful,” he whispered, running his hand down her side then up again.

A tremulous sigh escaped her. This tender wooing lured her deeper and deeper into the turbulent waters of desire. She should move, speak, do something to encourage him. But his touch was so delicious, she found herself unable to do anything beyond accept this worship. His scent was spicy, clean. Familiar, yet with a musky tinge that awakened her senses.

Through the haze of pleasure enveloping her, she managed to send up a silent prayer. That the reverence she read in his face would last. That he’d still love her after he’d taken her to bed. That he’d look at her like this in the morning when she stepped inside the Marston parish church to pledge herself to him for the rest of her life.

REVIEW: This is a short but sweet and very suspenseful story of two couples fighting for their love.

I was spellbound by the suspense and read the story in one sitting. Its Gothic feel gave me goose bumps!

My heart went out to both couples as they were fighting this curse.

Josiah Aston, Earl of Stansfield can’t remember how he died, but one thing he does remember is how much he loves Lady Isabella Verney, his bride…

Lady Calista Aston is sure of her love for Miles Hartley, Viscount Kendall, her future husband, but she’s full of doubts about his feelings for her. She somehow feels unworthy of his love and believes he would be better off without her…

I highly recommend this tension and suspense filled gem. You’ll be hooked from the first page to the last. Promise!

*Book purchased from Amazon.

AUTHOR’S BIO: Anna Campbell has written six multi award-winning historical romances for Avon HarperCollins and her work is published in eleven languages. Always a voracious reader, Anna decided when she was a child that she wanted to be a writer. Once she discovered the wonderful world of romance novels, she knew exactly what she wanted to write. Anna has won numerous awards for her Regency-set romances including Romantic Times Reviewers Choice, the Booksellers Best, the Golden Quill (three times), the Heart of Excellence (twice), the Aspen Gold (twice) and the Australian Romance Readers Association’s favorite historical romance (four times). Her books have twice been nominated for Romance Writers of America’s prestigious RITA Award and three times for Australia’s Romantic Book of the Year. In 2012, Anna launches an exciting new publishing venture with Grand Central Publishing. She launches her first series, “Sons of Sin”, with SEVEN NIGHTS IN A ROGUE’S BED in October 2012.

Keep in touch with Anna at: Website / Facebook / Twitter / Romance Bandit / Harper Collins / Goodreads

GIVEAWAY: Tell us if you believe in ghosts and why. One lucky commenter will get an eCopy of this book.