Thursday, December 29, 2016

The Spring of Seduction and #Holiday #Recipe by @AdlerDW


Media for DW Adler

Title: The Spring of Seduction (Shelter from the Winter series Book 1)

Author: DW Adler

Genre: Paranormal LGBTQS romance/erotica




Book Blurb:

Brijit McRaith has been on the run for centuries. Pursued by her mad creator for most of her years as a vampire, she has finally found peace and sanctuary in her native Ireland. But a modern world on the brink of war has caught up with her and after decades of quiet, Brijit finds herself on the run again. To add to her personal chaos, she becomes smitten with mortal Kelly O'Donnell, and Brijit’s initial plans to lay low fall by the wayside. With an uncertain future ahead of her, can Brijit protect her newfound love from a world on the edge of destroying itself?



This book contains scenes of explicit erotica and is meant for readers 18 years of age or older.



Buy links:

From my publisher, eXtasy Books: http://www.extasybooks.com/dw-adler/







Author Bio:

DW Adler ("Call me Don") was born and raised in beautiful Nova Scotia, Canada. After receiving a degree in psychology and an almost-minor in Irish Studies, he learned how to fix computers. He now sweats profusely in Florida where he does IT support for a living when he's not writing.

Don counts such authors as Anne Rice, JRR Tolkien, and Edgar Allan Poe, as well as a love for Irish/Celtic myth and folklore as his influences. He loves to read sci-fi, fantasy, post-apocalyptic, and anything having to do with vampires.

Other than sipping tea and writing, Don dabbles in computer animation and graphic design, is a doting father to his little girl, and a loving husband. He is constantly plotting how to get back home to Nova Scotia and flees there whenever the sight of snow becomes a necessity.

No, he will not fix your computer.



Author Links:








Excerpt:

   Brijit reached up and put her hand behind Kelly’s head, intertwining her fingers with curly locks of dark red hair. “You feel it too, don’t you?”

   Kelly’s breathing quickened and her cheeks burned red as Brijit’s touch made her body tense with conflicting emotions. Her eyes closed halfway and the fear started to morph into something resembling ecstasy. “Uh huh,” she murmured. “What have you been doing to me all evening? I can’t think straight when you look at me.”

   Brijit stroked Kelly’s hair, pulled her hand away and pushed her fingers back through the strands, starting at her temples and ending at the back of her head. Her fingertips pressed into Kelly’s scalp with the slightest of pressure, which excited the nerves in her skin. “I’m not doing anything. I don’t do vampire mind tricks. I feel this connection with you…it’s rare that it’s this strong. There haven’t been many over the centuries that make me feel like this.” 

   Kelly looked into the green eyes and felt the fear and terror turn to waves of want and lust. She brought her hands to Brijit’s face, feeling the soft yet strong skin so very cold beneath her fingertips. Brijit smiled and leaned in slowly. Her lips found Kelly’s. Slowly, she brushed by them.

   Kelly felt her breathing quicken as the vampire teased her, their mouths hovering near each other. Finally she moved in closer, craving the touch of Brijit’s lips. She pressed into them gently and felt their softness meet her own in a kiss that was gentle yet tentative at the same time…



Recipe:

In honour of my Irish main character, I present a holiday treat from Ireland!



Porter Cake (from olums.ie/recipies/porter-cake/)



INGREDIENTS:



450g / 1lb Odlums Cream Plain Flour

Pinch of Salt

1 level teaspoon Baking Powder

1 level teaspoon Mixed Spice

225g / 8oz Sugar

225g / 8oz Butter

450g / 1lb Sultanas

125g / 4oz Candied Peel

300ml / 1/2 pint Guinness (Porter)

2 Eggs (beaten)



METHOD:



Preheat oven 180°C/350°F

Line a 20cm/8″ round cake tin with greaseproof paper.

Sieve the flour, salt, baking powder and mixed spice into a bowl and add the sugar.

Rub in the butter and add the fruit and mix.

Add the porter to the beaten eggs and add to fruit mixture.

Mix well.

Transfer to the prepared tin and bake for approximately 2 hours.

Place on a low shelf position in the oven.



NOTES:

Check cake after an hour and if it is browning too quickly, cover with a double layer of greaseproof paper until baked.

Thanks Don for sharing,
Anita

Tuesday, December 27, 2016

Serving Her Scientist by Jessica Brand #NeverEndingTour #Spanking


Serving her Scientist
By Jessica Brand and Blushing Books
Released on November 10, 2016
Taglines
     Playing unauthorized games has consequences
Blurb
Paul and Donna are happily married. Maybe their marriage isn't the hot, pulsing sex romp it was when they first said their I dos on the beach so long ago, but it's safe, dependable. Boring. Donna, ever the bookish librarian, spends much of her spare time playing computer puzzle and word games in the internet. Paul's work as a rocket scientist in the military weapons industry requires that his computer remain safe and virus free. State secrets are at stake. That's why his lovely, but sometimes naughty wife is forbidden from playing her games on it.
Ignoring his instructions once too often, the inevitable happens and she infects his computer with an internet virus. Realizing the depth of her mistake, she is willing to do almost anything to atone for her sins and accepts that she will receive an old fashioned spanking as punishment. Much to her surprise, despite the pain, she finds the whole ritual exciting, awakening feelings that have lay dormant for years and arousing her to such a point that she craves more. She confides in her best friend, Peta, and is shocked by Peta’s in depth understanding of the benefits of erotic pain and punishment. Peta consults with Paul and then puts into motion a chain of events destined to change forever the tenor of Paul and Donna’s lives.
DISCLAIMER: This story contains the spanking of adults, elements of bondage, discipline and power exchange. If these activities are not to your taste, you are advised not to buy this book.

Excerpt:
“Restraint, Mrs. White,” she whispered as both cuffs closed over my wrists at the same time. “So delightfully helpless,” she continued as I heard the locks click home and felt the cold steel close around my wrists.
I went weak at the knees and if she wasn’t holding me so tightly I might have collapsed. It wasn’t just what was happening physically, it was all of the theatrics. She knew better than I exactly what effect her words and actions would have on me. She was playing with me, teasing me, arousing me and there was nothing I could do to stop her, even if I wanted to. I knew I was safe and that no real harm would come to me.
Turning to Paul, she said, “Position yourself, Mr. White.”
When Paul was sitting comfortably on the chair he had placed in the middle of the room, Madame Renee literally dragged me over to him. She then turned me around and lowered me over his knee. As I was going down, I wondered who was getting more out of this. He was already hard as a rock. And I was making a wet mess in my new La Perlas. Who was winning here? We were tied.
His hand came down on my wrists and held them, pushing them a little further up my back until I gasped. It was discomfort bordering on pain but as my mind was focusing on that, a blindfold was pulled over my eyes and tightened, pressing gently against my eyelids and holding them closed. Then the spanking started. Five hard swats on each cheek before my new panties were pulled deep into the crease of my butt and my cheeks were caressed for the first time. Already my mind was becoming overwhelmed. Too many things happening in such a short time.


About Jessica Brand

Jessica was born in Melbourne, Australia in 1958. Having lived in many parts of Australia and overseas, she now resides in Sydney and writes for fun.

With a lifelong interest in her subject matter she finally decided to put some of her experiences and fantasies into words, toning them down somewhat for public consumption. Her first book was released in mid 2014, using the pseudonym of R. R. Greaves. This was followed by a new release in Feb 2015 and there are a number of new stories in different stages of production.

With a particular interest in specific forms of erotica, the stories have a lot of explicit detail that comes from years of "hands on" experience. All have a strong element of power exchange between consenting parties. While most involve a key female character submitting to a powerful male, they have a mixture of dominant characters with women submitting to other women, men submitting to women and men submitting to other men.

A key part of the exchange of power between the characters involves the use of consensual physical and mental force, BDSM and spanking.
Check out her other published works:
Book 1 The way the cards fall – Femdom
Book 2 The making of a mistress – Femdom
Laura’s longing
Spanking Jade
Visit her website: http://www.rrgreaveseroticauthor.com/
Thanks for sharing and check out other blogs on the #neverendingtour





  

Monday, December 26, 2016

Brothers in Blue:Max and #Holiday #Recipe Sand Tarts @JeanneStJames



Pennsylvania Dutch Sand Tarts

A Pennsylvania Dutch cookie, thin and crisp and traditionally served only at Christmas.
Ingredients
  • ½ pound butter, softened (no substitutes)
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 3 eggs, separated
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
Topping
  • ¼ cup sugar mixed with ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 egg beaten
  • 4 cups whole pecans (although I didn't use that many)
Instructions
  1. If using a kitchen aid, beat the egg whites stiff first and transfer to another bowl.
  2. In the mixing bowl, beat butter until very softened. Add sugar and beat until fluffy. Add salt, and vanilla. Beat egg yolks and add.
  3. Fold in the egg whites, but not totally. You should still be able to see some of the white patches.
  4. Add in flour 1½ cups at a time.
  5. Chill overnight.
  6. Bake the next day at 350 degrees.
  7. Roll out a quarter at a time, keeping dough in refrigerator.
  8. Roll very thin and use a 2 inch scalloped cookie cutter to form or use any Christmas cutter you desire.
  9. Brush with beaten egg, top, sprinkle with cinnamon sugar and top with pecan.
  10. Bake 9-10 minutes, not allowing cookie to get too brown.
  11. Cool thoroughly on wire racks.
  12. Pack in tins.




Brother in Blue: Max by Jeanne St. James
Genre: Contemporary Erotic Romance

Blurb:

Big city party-girl Amanda Barber has been spoiled most of her life. But life for Amanda suddenly becomes a major challenge: adapting to small town life, dealing with her handicapped brother and constantly butting heads with a frustrating local cop.

As a police officer and former Marine, “responsibility” is Max Bryson’s middle name. Never having been in a serious relationship, he has no plans for being in one in the near future. He likes being his own man. And even if he were interested in a serious relationship, he certainly wouldn’t choose it to be with someone so immature and irresponsible as Amanda. But no matter how hard he tries, he can’t get sexy Amanda out of his head or his heart. Watching her mature in front of his eyes, his protectiveness towards her only strengthens.

Bossy and possessive aren’t the only words Amanda uses to describe this frustrating cop. She can’t deny just looking at the man makes her tremble. But she’s done with having anyone control her and this man isn’t going to be any different. Or is he?


Excerpt:

AMANDA LOOKED UP, surprised at his outburst. Before she could close the door on him, he was hauling her out of the car by her arms, kicking her car door shut.
She opened her mouth to protest but gasped as he lifted her into his arms and started striding with a determined pace to the nearest barn.
She struggled, pushing against his chest. “What the hell are you doing?”
“What I should do every time you’re a pain in my ass.”
He nudged the barn door with his shoulder and dumped her unceremoniously on a nearby stack of broken straw bales. He went back to slide the door closed and latched it.
Amanda pushed herself up to a seated position, struggling as her hands sank into the loose straw.
“Don’t even move from there.”
A shiver ran up her back. Fear? Maybe a little at the unknown, but it wasn’t all fear. No matter how many times they’d butted heads, she still wanted him.
“You really deserve to be thrown over my lap and spanked.”
She frowned, shaking her head. “You’re not going to do that.”
“Don’t bet on it.”
He dropped to his knees beside her, and she quickly started to scramble away.
He grabbed her hair, and the tug on her scalp made her still immediately.
She couldn’t tell if he was mad or frustrated or what.
She licked her dry lips. “What do you want from me?” she whispered.
“Nothing.” He scrubbed a palm over his short hair. “Everything. Jesus.” He reached for her.
Buy Links:

Author Bio:

JEANNE ST. JAMES is an erotic romance author who loves an Alpha male (or two). She was only thirteen when she started writing since it gave her an escape from teenage angst! Her first paid published piece was an erotic story in Playgirl magazine. Her first erotic romance novel, Banged Up, was published in 2009. She is happily owned by farting French bulldogs. She writes M/F, M/M, and M/M/F ménages.

She has a few new releases coming up in 2017. So keep an eye on her website at www.jeannestjames.com or sign up for her newsletter: https://www.MyAuthorBiz.com/ENewsletter.php?acct=JJ4625816541890

Author Links:




 Thanks for sharing, I can see some cookies in my future.

Have a great new year,

Anita



Friday, December 23, 2016

Fault/Lines by Mark Lingane #ebook #Scify



  • Blurb: Fault/lines – Book 0 (Prequel) in the Hadron Damnation.
    DCI Tracy Hanson is having a bad day.
    A commercial flight crashed into the heart of London. She’s chased by out-of-control helicopters. A mysterious sniper is on the loose. Her boss is giving her grief. Her work colleagues are full of attitude. And now she has a new and distracting partner, jealous girlfriends, a boy who has been orphaned by the crash, and a two o’clock appointment at the IVF clinic.
    Hanson hunts down the rogue sniper, but each clue forces her to face the truth behind her broken past, each revelation leading her toward the impossible. A net draws in around her, and the city turns on itself.
    And that's before the aliens attack.
    Mark is offering Fault/lines for FREE. No strings attached. Just download it from his secret page here (LINK). But he’s offering a special deal. There is a link inside the book which will allow you to sign up for the next book in the series, BL!NK, and get it for FREE when it is released in early 2017.
    Fault/lines reached the quarter finals in Publishers’ Weekly ‘Booklife Prize in Fiction’ and is nominated for the 2016 Aurealis and Ditmar science fiction awards.

Wednesday, December 21, 2016

Rough Diamonds by Ashe Barker #NeverEndingTour #romance


Media Kit
Rough Diamonds
By Ashe Barker

Book cover attached separately

  • Ashe Barker Books, 2016
  • Released 4 November 2016
  • Contemporary erotic romance, romantic suspense
  • Novella
  • Approximately 37,000 words
  • HEA ending

#eroticromance #ashebarker #dominance #spanking #contemporary #bdsm

Blurb

Christa Barnes is baffled when the man of her dreams – or should that be her wildest fantasies? – turns up at her sleepy little flower shop and insists she has something he would like to purchase. But Johan Klaas is an international diamond dealer and he is not remotely interested in acquiring a bunch of geraniums, preferring instead to discuss gemstones.
Christa’s next unexpected caller is a motorcycle courier clad in black leather and bearing a package for her. She opens it, expecting the latest seed catalogue, and finds instead a fortune in uncut diamonds and a note.
For Services Rendered. See what you can make of these.
Johan Klaas works at the heart of the global diamond trade based in Antwerp, and he agrees to use his contacts and knowledge to help trace the origins of these particular stones. For a price.
As the relationship between Christa and Johan deepens, so does her understanding of the way in which a natural, artless act of kindness years before can start an amazing chain of events.

Author Interview
This is entirely optional, but if you want to make a more individual post, please feel free to select up to 6 Q&As to include – your choice which ones you use.

     Who or what was the inspiration for Christa? Is she anything like you?
Well I’ve never entertained a desire to sell flowers, but the mystery at the heart of Rough Diamonds is based on my experience working in the care system in the UK some thirty years ago so I suppose Christa does draw on something of me.

   So, tell us a bit more about Johan. He’s stern and sexy, and obviously successful in his career, but what else is there to know?
Well, I think you just about covered the basics there. Johan is driven and successful, but he is also honest in his dealings with a strong sense of duty, and of justice. He wants Christa from the beginning, but he’s willing to work for it and takes nothing for granted. He’s kind to her, and generous, and he shares her sense of adventure and curiosity about the origins of her surprise windfall.

    How many books have you written? Are they all erotic fiction?
I think I have about forty titles out now, and yes, they are all erotic stories. Some are more BDSM themed and some are spanking/domestic discipline. At first I wrote just contemporary stories, then I started adding a few historicals and more recently I started writing sci-fi too.


   What advice would you have for writers who decide to try their hand at erotica?
I’d tell them to have a go, but to have a decent thesaurus to hand. And an internet connection. Youtube and Google are the erotica writer’s friend, and Wikipedia of course, the fount of all wisdom and knowledge.

    Do you see writing as a career?
Yes. I try to be fairly ordered about it. I like to be at my desk (well, more accurately the kitchen table) laptop fired up and coffee to hand, by nine in the morning and I tend to write for most of the day then. There are also a lot of related tasks to keep on top of, mainly to do with promo or research, or keeping in touch with readers and other authors. It’s definitely a full-time job for me.

       Do you recall how your interest in writing originated?
I think it was always there, though I only started writing properly about three years ago. I have always tended to plot stories in my head though, often when sitting in traffic jams on my daily commute. I now work at home so all that time spent inhaling exhaust fumes is finally paying off.

      If you could have been told one thing that you weren't told when you were a teenager, what would you like to have heard?
I was given lots of advice as a teenager, much of it unsolicited and not especially good. I think we all have to make our own mistakes, but hopefully I haven’t made the same mistake to many times. That would be sad.
Looking back, I think the most important thing I picked up along the way was that we all have choices, all the time. We’re entitled to choose our own way in life, but we should also be ready to own and accept the consequences of our decisions.
Someone once invited me to cast my mind forward to a time perhaps sixty years from now when I’ll be long-gone and my daughter (currently eighteen) is herself entering old age. Imagine she’s talking to her grandchildren, telling them about me. What would I like her to be saying? My actions now, today, will dictate what those obituaries might be so don’t leave it until later to be the sort of person you want to be remembered as.

      If you had to describe yourself using three words, it would be…
Resilient. Creative. Calm.

         What would you do if you were the last person on this earth?
Turn out the lights.

      If you were to write a book about yourself, what would you name it?
I think at some level or other they are all a little bit about me. I could never write a book about a heroine I didn’t actually like or identify with in some way. Maybe I’d call my autobiography Made a Difference, because I hope that would be true. Perhaps that should be on my gravestone rather than a book cover, come the day.

  What's your favorite love story? (movie or book)
I adore Love Actually and I can’t count how many times I’ve seen that movie. It has lots of love stories all rolled up and woven into each other, but I think perhaps my favourite is the one featuring Hugh Grant.
I also remember reading Katherine by Anya Seton many years ago, and I’ve never forgotten the magic that shimmers between Katherine and her hero, John of Gaunt. Their lifetime love affair is set against the dramatic backdrop of medieval England, a period I also like to write about.

Buy Links         Amazon  (FREE to read on Kindle Unlimited)


About Ashe Barker
USA Today Bestselling author Ashe Barker writes erotic romance and spanking romance in a variety of genres including contemporary, BDSM, paranormal, historical. ménage, gay romance and time travel. She is a #1 Amazon Bestseller and all her stories feature hot alpha males and sassy submissives, often with a lot to learn. Kink abounds, and there’s enough dirty talk to satisfy the most demanding smut lover. However dark and dirty the setting, love always emerges triumphant, and her stories never fail to deliver a satisfying happy ever after.

Social Media Links and Newsletter sign-up





EXCERPT  (PG Rated)

Anniversary, probably. Or an apology.
From her vantage point in the store room, Christa eyed the customer entering her small shop. Tall, rather better attired than many of the clients who would pop in to grab a bunch of daffodils or a spray of geraniums, the blond-haired stranger paused to peruse a display of bright orange and red marigolds. The arrangement was in celebration of Halloween, not a particularly lucrative festival for a florist as a rule, but Christa took the view that every little bit helps. The man did not select a bouquet, though. Instead, he abandoned the bright array to pick his cautious way through the clutter of scented blooms and approach her counter. He was careful to avoid brushing against her stock, which Christa appreciated. Flowers are delicate creatures, fragile; they do not respond well to careless handling. Not unlike me, she thought, as she stepped out into her shop to greet him.
Christa wiped her damp fingers down the green cotton of her apron and smiled a polite welcome at the man. He was really very attractive, she acknowledged. She might even go so far as to describe him as stunning. The woman on the receiving end of his floral generosity was lucky, indeed.
The object of her attention wore an expensive dark grey overcoat, which did little to conceal the perfection of the tailored black suit and pristine white shirt beneath. His tie was a subtle mix of reds and purples, which put her in mind of moorland heathers, and the brilliant sheen of his black leather shoes had caught her eye as he came through her door. He carried a dark brown briefcase, the small attaché type, and his horn-rimmed glasses gave him an air of wisdom and experience, though he could not have been much more than thirty. Thirty-five at the most. Dark brown and just slightly wavy hair reached almost to his crisp collar, but was expertly styled to ensure it lay smooth and neat against his neck. It was, in Christa's opinion, just the right length.
She had a thing about grooming, though rarely indulged in much of it herself. There wasn't much call for cut and blow dries in her line of work, still less manicures or eyelash tinting. Even so, she liked her men to be neat and well turned out – not that this man was hers in any but a business sense, and only then if she could manage to part him from some cash in exchange for a bunch of pretty blooms. He reeked of money, and class, and was just the sort of client she liked to cultivate. She hoped his wife had the good sense to properly appreciate an artfully-crafted bouquet.
"How can I help you?" Christa raised her eyebrows, expectantly. She was taking mental bets on the occasion to be marked, a private game she liked to play, and her money was on an anniversary. She was already mentally appraising her stock of red roses.
"Good morning." He bowed his head slightly. "I believe you may have items I would like to purchase."
He had an accent. It was slight, but definitely there. His English, so far, was perfect, though. Christa wondered where he was from.
"Of course. What do you have in mind? Is it for a special occasion, perhaps?" Some customers needed advice on what was appropriate. Christa was always happy to oblige.
"Occasion?" He stressed the first syllable. It sounded divine.
"The flowers? Are they for a special occasion? A birthday, perhaps?"
"Flowers? No, I do not wish to purchase flowers."
"I see." Perhaps he had something else in mind. A pot plant, possibly, or maybe just a card. Beyond, that his choices here were limited. "What are you looking for, then? I do have some lovely winter-flowering cyclamen in just now..."
He shook his head and bestowed a slight smile on her. "I am sure they are all quite beautiful, but no. I do not require flowers or plants, thank you. I desire diamonds."
Christa huffed out a wry snort. "You and me both, sir. I'm sorry, but you need a jewellers' for that."

Tuesday, December 20, 2016

Celebrate with a #Holiday #Recipe and #Excerpt from @katherinelbone

Thanks for welcoming me aboard ship, Lady Anita. The holidays ARR a perfect time to celebrate romance and try out new things, especially recipes. BIG hugs for organizing this #Holiday Romance and #Recipe Exchange. I’m looking forward to the tasty additions I’ll be adding to my recipe file! Huzzah!
As you can see, I love the holidays. ’Tis the season for sharing and I’m especially happy to reveal one of my all-time FAVorite recipes, one that comes from my days at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, and the Old Plantation restaurant. These rolls, large and with good texture, are a delicious addition to any meal, any time of the year. I get loads of compliments on this one!

Old Plantation Rolls
Ingredients:
1 Egg
1 Yeast cake
1 tsp. Salt
½ cup Sugar
2 cups Lukewarm water
7 cups All-Purpose Flour

Combine dry ingredients. Create a well in center of dry ingredients. Add mixture of egg and water. Mix well, working slowly from inside out. (Dough will be hard to mix. Once dough is moistened, mix with hands, and then knead into a large ball.) Place in a greased, covered bowl and let rise to double in size. Work down, pinch off a golf ball size piece of dough, knead into ball, tucking edges under the roll and pinching them together, and then place in greased muffin tins. Cover with lightweight hand towel and let rise to double in size.

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Place muffin tins in oven and cook until golden brown, usually 6-7 minutes. Remove to cooling rack. Serve warm. (Great size to make turkey sandwiches—I call rollwiches—later in the evening or for lunch!)



When your feet are too tired to walk, your shopping is done, and you’ve got spare time on your hands, there’s nothing like diving into a good book. Here’s a peak at my latest release, The Pirate’s Debt, the continuing story of the Black Regent in my Regent’s Revenge Series.


Lady Chloe Walsingham is an enthusiastic gothic romance reader and hopeless romantic focused solely on finding her perfect hero. She also happens to have a penchant for getting into trouble. So when the man she loves disappears after a scandalous duel, she decides to follow him to the ends of the Earth. To do so, however, Chloe must evade her brother, an infamous revenue man, and board a ship bound for Penzance. And nothing in her beloved books can prepare her for the harsh realities of wreckers who ply the coast.
After his father destroyed the lives of countless innocent people, Basil Halford, Earl of Markwick is willing to do anything to earn back his honor. Betrayed by his blood and his reputation ruined, Markwick answers the request of a well-heeled duke and dons the Black Regent’s mask to repay the debt. His task? Rescuing a young woman who is chasing down a ghost of a man.
But a pirate has plenty of enemies, and Markwick isn’t any different. No matter how diligent a captain he may be, sailing to Lady Chloe’s rescue involves risking not only the Regent’s legacy but the last thing he can afford to lose…his heart.
  
Amazon           Nook           Kobo           Apple

~ Excerpt ~

Seated in Markwick’s cutter, cloaked in his clothing, Chloe felt incredibly shallow. To think that she’d cast all inhibitions to the wind and sailed off for an enterprising adventure, only to need to be rescued by the very man she’d set out to find. Though she hadn’t known she’d be finding the Black Regent.
Regent sightings were rare for the average villager. She’d never known anyone who’d actually met the gallant hero that stole from the rich and gave to the poor.
Oh, to be sitting so near to him now, to have touched him, to be in love with him, is even more exceptional than I imagined it would be!
She fought to curb the jubilation pulsing through her veins, igniting her headstrong passions, and forced herself to remember this was all about her devotion to Markwick and the lives lost on the very ship on which she’d obtained passage. To anyone else, the Black Regent might be a dashing pirate who’d just plucked her off the Mohegan’s decks and saved her from certain death, but Markwick was also the man she loved.
She sighed, half trembling, half in despair. Unable to tear her gaze away, she desired to stretch out her fingers and touch the man, to assure herself that he wasn’t a figment of her imagination. What kind of nightmare would that be, to discover she was dreaming and that Markwick really wasn’t there?
Oh, but the blackguard truly was just as she’d envisioned! In her mind’s eye, he’d been a swashbuckling champion born from the pages of fiction and fantasy. Now, sitting before her, was the living man whose very existence defied her infatuations because he was the man she loved. Broad-shouldered, lean, with a firm authoritarian profile, he stood a head taller than she did, and oh . . . when he’d held her in his arms on board the Mohegan, a lightheaded euphoria had immediately stunned her. Markwick had stood behind her before but only to teach her how to shoot a bow and arrow. Not like this. Never like this!
Her gaze lowered to his upper arms. They were thick, flexing muscular limbs capable of sweeping her off her feet at a moment’s whim. And oh, she wanted to be his Matilda. She wanted him to be her Theodore.
Bother. Matilda and Theodore were Horace Walpole’s creations. She and Markwick lived in the real world. She inhaled a breath of frigid, moist, salty air.
Admit the truth, you silly girl. Markwick triggered breathless exhilaration and the unbridled beat fluttering within her breast, not the Black Regent. For her, there had always only been the Earl of Markwick.


National best-selling historical romance author Katherine Bone has been passionate about history since she had the opportunity to travel to various Army bases, castles, battlegrounds, and cathedrals as an Army brat turned officer’s wife. Who knew that an Army wife’s passion for romance novels would lead to pirates? Certainly not her rogue, whose Alma Mater’s adage is “Go Army. Beat Navy!” Now enjoying the best of both worlds, Katherine lives with her rogue in the south where she writes about rogues, rebels, and rakes—aka pirates, lords, captains, duty, honor, and country—and the happily-ever-afters that every alpha male and damsel deserve.


Ports of Call:

Thank you for allowing me to share one of my all-time FAVorite holiday recipes with you and your readers, Lady  Anita. I wish you and your readers a very tasty and hearty holiday season!
Blessings,
Katherine
Thanks Katherine for sharing,
Anita