White Rogue Author Feature and Character Interview!

My review and giveaway post follows but below you can meet the authors and read a fun Character Interview!

About the Book:

Cold War era biological experiments are resurrected and after Boston experiences a seemingly inexplicable bio-terrorist attack, the Center for Disease Control’s Dr. Davie Richards and Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent Paula Mushari once again join forces to uncover who is behind it. An obscure reference to a Dresden project found amid crash site evidence marks them both for execution. Paula and Dave are forced to leave Boston in the middle of the night and head to Washington, D.C.,where they soon find that anyone they contact also becomes the target of assassins. When the daughter of the CDC’s director is taken hostage, Dave and Paula come face to face with an evil that forces them to question the very nature of duty and service to country. With the help of one man, they learn the true meaning of dark operatives while they desperately try to stop another bio-attack from happening.

Purchase your copy at AMAZON

Discuss this book in our PUYB Virtual Book Club at Goodreads by clicking HERE.

About the Authors:

DR. DAVID FETT, a board certified ophthalmologist, received his BS and Masters from MIT before earning his MD from Dartmouth Medical School. He now runs a private practice in Los Angeles and serves as an assistant clinical professor at UCLA School of Medicine. He lives in the Los Angeles area with his wife, Randi, and their four children.

STEPHEN LANGFORD is a veteran writer/producer of over 150 hours of primetime television. He has also ventured into screenwriting and fiction. He lives in the Los Angeles area with his wife, Sandy, and their two daughters.

CONNIE MALCOLM is a recovering journalist who worked on The Globe and Mail in Toronto. She has worked previously on ten books of nonfiction authored by her husband, Andrew. She lives in the Los Angeles area with her husband and the youngest of their three sons.

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The image below is NOT contractor Geneva Scott from White Rogue but I could picture a female 'spy' like this.  [The image is Piper Perabo in Covert Affairs who has played Annie Walker since 2010.]

Character Interview

White Rogue Interview with Geneva Scott

Steve Langford, one of the authors of White Rogue, has agreed to help us interview one of the more unusual characters from the novel, Geneva Scott.

SL: Geneva, why don’t you give us a little background on how you got into the business of working under contract for the CIA?

Geneva: Are you %#$*%* kidding me? I told you there are some questions I can’t answer. Ask me another one like this and you’ll have trouble leaving here.

SL: Okay. Okay. How long have you been a contractor?

Geneva: I’ve been doing this for about 7 years on and off. It’s pretty fulfilling work.

SL: Are you telling me that you get satisfaction from killing people.

Geneva: Are you stupid? Do you think I’m going to tell you that I have killed people? Let’s just say that I like variety in the assignments that I take. I like the power, the rush I get from manipulating my targets and bringing my best assets into play in acquiring the desired result.

SL: Are you telling me that you use sex to trap guys?

Geneva: You figure it out.

SL: How has your work for the government impacted your life?

Geneva: Since there’s no shortage of bad boys in the world, I manage to make a decent living and that’s important to me because I’m married and have two great kids.

SL: Really? How does your husband handle what you do? I mean …

Geneva: Listen, Steve, you may be a good writer but don’t think you can figure out everything there is to know about me. My family, my husband are my business. I think we’re done here. Now you tell everyone to get White Rogue and read about me; after all, I am one of the most intriguing characters.

Letter from Mimi Jean Pamfiloff with Excerpt and Giveaway

Votan, God of Death and War Gets a Makeover
by Mimi Jean Pamfiloff

That’s right. The God of Death and War is getting a sexy makeover. Why does he need one? Good question. He doesn’t! But what if you had the chance to waive a magic wand and make your dream man just a smidgeon dreamier, a tad more sizzling, and a hair more alpha-manlier?  Would you do it?  Why the hell not! That would be like saying no to those chocolate sprinkles on that sundae.

And hey, and let’s be honest, Votan was my first creation in the Accidentally Yours series. He’s original awesomeness—overbearing, hotter than an apple pie fresh from the oven, and nearly indestructible at seven feet. He’s super concentrated divine masculinity. But he did have one small handicap: me!

ACCIDENTALLY IN LOVE WITH…A GOD? was only the second novel I’d ever written (and my first if you count that the story is an adaptation of that initial stab at writing). Since its Indie debut in Jan. 2012, I’ve written several more, taking feedback from readers and writers along the way to improve. These final installments of the series (under Grand Central Publishing) had the added benefit of a fabulous editor, Latoya Smith. (Mimi! Get to the point!)
 
Getting there!

Point is, you’re never too old to change!  After about 100K e-copies sold, it was time for Votan (and Emma) to get a little professional makeover! (Insert applause for Latoya here.)

Yes, it’s still the same, quirky, crazy story, but I hope the readers will find Votan and Emma a little bit steamier. (I added an extra yummy scene!) Emma also got a tiny makeover (just as snarky as before, but less whiny). And Tommaso, well, he’s still the same sexy bad boy who confuses us.

I hope everyone enjoys that New & Improved, Mass Market paperback. My 1stever!!! (Insert image of Mimi disco dancing wildly next to Cimil here.)  For those who’ve got the ebook, I understand you’ll have the opportunity to also enjoy this revised edition.

HAPPY READING ALL!
Mimi

Learn more about Mimi here:

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Excerpt from Accidentally in Love With…A God? by Mimi Jean Pamfiloff (10/29)

     With his golden face beaming, the man smiled as he stroked my sopping wet hair and cradled me against his warm, smooth chest. “I love this dream,” I said with a breathy voice, then stretched my arms above my head, gazing happily into the most striking set of luminescent, turquoise green eyes I’d ever seen.

     To boot, they belonged to a breathtaking, masculine face, a face one would expect to see on the cover of a magazine named something like, I’m Way Too Hot To Be Your Man, or In Your Dreams, Honey.

     Oh, yeah. Without a doubt, I’d topped myself this time. Sculpted cheekbones, thick dark lashes, chiseled jaw, and lips so full they had to be meant for kissing or eating something really juicy. He was way hotter than the specimen of perfection from my last dream, and bonus, he didn’t have that scary vibe. I reached up and ran my fingertip along the ridge of his hard-lined warrior nose.

    “Emma, what in the name of the gods’ creation are you doing?” he scorned. “We really don’t have time for your immature little fantasies. We’re in the middle of a crisis. Do you not remember?”

     I blinked and slowly moved my eyes from side to side.

     Jungle? I was in the jungle. And my clothes were wet. Come to think of it, for a dream, I didn’t feel so hot. My lungs burned, my body felt like it’d been chewed up, and my head was throbbing. So aside from the perfect man with long, damp, wavy black hair holding me in his arms, none of this felt like a dream. It felt—

     “Holy Mother!” I pushed myself away and rolled into the dirt, pointing in disbelief. “Wha—you—you—?”

     “Ah…so eloquent as always, my sweet. It is astounding—you actually have a college degree, yet cannot find better words.” He pushed himself up off the ground.

     As he rose, my heart stopped, started, and then went into overdrive. His legs and spine straightened into a towering mass of unforgiving muscles. With shoulders like a lumberjack and thick, powerful thighs, I didn’t know if I wanted to run away or climb him like a tree. He was utterly enormous. Jolly Green Giant enormous. Except, obviously, not green. More golden brown. He was a gorgeous, towering mass of golden brown perfection.

     No. Definitely not a cave-dwelling, wart-infested troll. Great. Just great. Now I knew I wasn’t crazy—Guy was definitely real—but now I also knew I was in way over my head. He was gorgeous.

     I stood in awe, my mouth gaping as my eyes attempted to register every rope of muscle, every capacious curve packed with power. Christ, he had to be at least seven feet tall.

     “Six nine, actually,” he said, guessing my thoughts.

     “This can’t be possible,” I whispered, my eyes continuing to dart up and down the length of his body, stopping right on dark trail of hair that started just below his navel and continued down, down, down to his enormous beast of a—“Oh! You’re naked.” I turned sharply, but only to stop myself from reaching out to touch it. No man could be that…that…endowed. Wow. “This can’t be happening.” I covered my face.

     “Emma,” he moved behind me, placing his powerful hands on my shoulders. A jolt shivered its way through my body.

     I was wrong about the vibe. Way wrong. This man, or whatever he was, radiated hazard. He should come equipped with a set of blinking lights or flares. He was—“Bad. Very, very, bad,” I mumbled, pinching the bridge of my nose.

     And pathetically, after everything that had happened, all I could think about was this naked, hard-bodied, glorious “man” who’d just permanently seared his image inside the storage compartments of my female DNA. All men, from this day forward, would have to survive a mental side-by-side comparison against him. They’d all lose.

     Then a part of my brain, which was now marinating in a pool of whatever hormonal overload he’d triggered, was trying to tell me something important. It wasn’t ready to capitulate and hand over the keys to the Emma kingdom.

     Ah…there it is. “Don’t touch me!” I swiveled sharply, pushing his hands from my body, pointing one angry finger in his face. “I asked you for one simple thing! One!”

     The corners of his delicious lips curled as he arrogantly flipped his dark, wet hair over his bronzed shoulder. “Exactly. You asked.” He took one bold step forward, well within my personal-space bubble. Clearly, he was trying to intimidate me with his endless ripples and naked body. How sad. It was totally working, which made me even madder.

     He bent down to meet my glare, his nose inches from mine. “But I didn’t agree. Did I? In fact, my exact words were, ‘I. Will. Not. Promise.’ Sharp emphasis given on the not, little girl.”

     He so had this coming. I lifted my knee, thrusting squarely in his groin. The almost-seven-foot brawny male fell to his knees cupping himself.

     “I am not a little girl. Emphasis on the not…

ENTER THIS GIVEAWAY for TWO COPIES from Hachette:
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Author Interview with Giveaway: Mary Burton Author of No Escape

MEET MARY BURTON...

       Mary Burton enjoys the hunt. This New York Times and USA Today bestselling novelist, whose work has been compared to that of Steig Larson*, Lisa Gardner**, and Lisa Jackson***, has been intrigued by investigative work and the people who do it since Virginia, her home state, was stung by a string of serial killings that spanned more than twenty years. Not surprisingly, many of her suspense novels are fueled by the acts of multiple killers and the people who pursue them, as is NO ESCAPE, Mary's latest novel and the second in a trio of stories set in and around Austin. There she calls upon the people and resources of the state's lead investigative team, the Texas Rangers.

       NO ESCAPE's predecessor, THE SEVENTH VICTIM quickly became a USA Today bestseller. It was praised by reviewers, including Publishers Weekly, which says it "delivers action-packed suspense" and calls it "compelling.” Suspense Magazine hailed it as “an excellent thriller” and a “saga that readers will find unbelievably hard to put down.”
      Mary's admiration for the work of law enforcement and the skills, insights and tools necessary to do it, is evident even in her earliest forays into suspense, such as In Dark Waters, in which a romance evolves when the Sheriff's office is called upon to solve a murder in rural Virginia. Future plots explored arson investigation, flaws within a witness protection program, and the reopening of a cold case.
       Beginning with her novel I'm Watching You, Mary started connecting several cases and characters within the same department or agency. For I'm Watching You she invented a homicide unit for her hometown of Richmond, defined its strengths, weaknesses and resources, and kept those characters and elements in place through two additional stand-alone, but related, books, Dead Ringer and Dying Scream.
       The three-book arc provided numerous creative options, especially as regards character development. This larger canvas allowed her to incorporate more of the forensic and procedural detail that fascinates her and her readers, and created new opportunities to explore dynamics unique to investigators working together over time.
       Her other "connected" novels are Senseless, Merciless and Before She Dies, all set in Alexandria, and THE SEVENTH VICTIM, NO ESCAPE and YOU'RE NOT SAFE, which is being published in April 2014.
       Mary's research has led her to interview a wide range of law enforcement personnel, to attend forensic seminars and to handle weaponry at the firing range. She is a graduate of the Henrico County Citizens Police Academy and the Richmond FBI Citizen's Academy, and has attended Sisters in Crime's Forensic University program and the Writers Police Academy in Jamestown, North Carolina, where the focus was on undercover work, autopsies, and the theories behind why people kill.
       Despite her emphasis on hard facts related to the crimes she writes about, Mary's approach to each new novel is psychological. She backs away from details, whether it's forensic research or a plot point she's already fixating upon. To begin her story she needs answers to three questions about her killers: why do they kill, what demons drive them, and how do they choose their victims. The answers are critical to her plot, she says, just as they are for detectives solving a murder.
       A Richmond native whose family roots run as deep as the nation's, Mary has lived there for most of her life. She graduated from Virginia's Hollins University and worked in marketing before deciding to write full time. Her first manuscript, a historical romance, was published in 2000.
       Mary wrote several more romance novels and three novellas before embracing the dark world of suspense. She even managed to bring danger to her holiday novella, Christmas Past, which appears in the New York Times bestselling holiday anthology Silver Bells.
       The author of twenty published novels and four novellas, Mary is a member of Thriller Writers of America, Mystery Writers of America, Romance Writers of America and Sisters in Crime, for which she is president of the Central Virginia chapter. She travels frequently for signings, speaking engagements and other appearances. She is a frequent speaker at conferences, book festivals, book stores and libraries regarding writing and genre fiction, and is frequently asked to present her "Unraveling Romantic Suspense" workshop or her day-long program "Writing Your Book...The First Step."
       An avid baker and an accomplished cook, Mary's discovered that the creativity of the kitchen entwines with her professional routine in unanticipated ways. It’s her ideal retreat when the writing hits a rough spot. Once there, she's working out dialogue, untangling plot lines and figuring out how to trap a killer before the oven has a chance to preheat.
       When not committing murder, Mary pursues her Baking & Pastry Arts Certificate at the University of Richmond's Culinary Arts Program, and continues her involvement and appearances on behalf of Coordinators2inc, a lifetime adoption resource organization. She and her husband spend time alternately enjoying and lamenting their newly empty nest and spoiling their miniature dachshunds Buddy and Bella.
       Mary is currently at work on her next novel, set in Nashville, and anticipating the November publication of her new Union Street Bakery novel, Sweet Expectations, written as Mary Ellen Taylor.

*Publishers Weekly, **Library Journal, ***Library Journal

www.maryburton.com    http://www.facebook.com/maryburtonfanpage   www.kensingtonbooks.com

NO ESCAPE by Mary Burton

Zebra Books/Mass Market Original/Fiction

November 2013/On Sale 10-29-13/$7.99 ($8.99 Canada)

978-1-4201-2506-1

I was pleased to ask Ms. Burton a few more questions about her writing:

Q1. What inspires you to write the different genres you write– Romantic Suspense, Historical Fiction and Women’s Fiction? Do you have plans to write in any other genres?

MB:  I love to write and sometimes a story just fits into a certain genre.  Some are fast-paced mystery/thrillers and others are more introspective and emotional. If a story really excites me I’ll find a way to write it.

Q2. Is there a big transition in your writing style from one genre to another?

MB:  There is a huge difference between my suspense and my women’s fiction stories. The suspense novels are written as edgy page turners and have some real dark moments. The women’s fiction novels are a little slower paced and I can take more time to explore emotions.

Q3. Do your characters live with you or haunt your dreams as you write?

MB:  They haunt me. I’m always thinking about the next story and, as they take form, the characters seem to get louder and louder. I know that sounds a little crazy but I think most writers will tell you that their characters are constantly tapping them on the shoulder and shouting for attention.

Q4. What is one of the best tips you’ve received on writing?

MB:  Write every day. When you write every day your skills really sharpen and you don’t lose the thread of your story. When I take long breaks I lose the habit of writing so I’ve learned to keep the breaks short.

Q5. What is the single most important thing you've learned about managing your career?

MB:  Be a professional. Write the best stories you can but be mindful of your deadlines and be kind and polite to the folks you meet along the way.

Q6. What is the craziest thing you've done to research a story idea?

MB:  I attended a shallow grave seminar at the Writers’ Police Academy. It was a fascinating afternoon and it inspired NO ESCAPE.

Q7. What do you hope your readers get out of your books?

MB:  I want to pull them out of real life and take them on a great ride. My hope is that the story keeps them up way past their bedtime and maybe they forget to cook dinner or switch the laundry along the way.

I have to say that Ms. Burton succeeded in her goal by pulling me into NO ESCAPE!

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BookBlast Blog Tour Feature and Giveaway: Just Ella

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Just Ella by Annette K. Larsen

Book Summary:

A Proper Romance

Ariella was only looking for a distraction, something to break up the monotony of palace life. What she found was a young man willing to overlook her title and show her a new and vibrant way of life. But when her growing feelings for Gavin spiral out of control and clash with the expectations of her station, she will discover that the consequences of her curiosity are far more severe than she’d imagined.

I watched in helpless horror as two guards hauled Gavin to his feet and dragged him from the room. My voice was frozen, unable to protest as another guard took hold of my arm, leading me upstairs. From the confines of my room, I stared into the darkness beyond my window, hoping to catch one more glimpse of Gavin. He was gone, and I wondered if he would have been better off if he had never met me.

I write clean romance. Why? Because that’s what I love to read, but over the years I’ve discovered it’s quite a challenge to find good clean romance. I believe it’s a genre that many people are looking for and too few authors are writing. My first novel, Just Ella, took me many years to write because I wanted it to be more than just a cutesy love story. I wanted it to have depth, to feel genuine. Hopefully I succeeded, but you’ll have to be the judge.

Amazon Paperback * Amazon Kindle

Praise for Just Ella

"I fell in love with this book. Treat yourself to something wonderful. You can't go wrong with Just Ella!" ~Inspired Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer

"By far one of the best romance novels I've ever read. Pulls you in with great, likable characters and keeps you going with a sweet and exciting love story--plus a good plot to give it even more substance. Full of those tender moments you want to go back and read again, plus exciting moments, clever humor, and some suspense as well." ~Jana Miller

"Annette Larsen writes a love story that takes time, is complicated, and yet still sweeps you up in the romance (without the cheese, thank you). It's compelling and emotional and sweet and you will love every page." ~Kimi

Book Blast/Blog Tour Special

Grab your copy of Just Ella for just $3.99!

Excerpt

“Now, wait just a minute. You can’t just plunge into a pool of water.”
“Why not?” I should have said something cleverer, but I felt a bit scatterbrained, all thoughts having fled when Gavin’s arm went around me.
He made a noise of exasperation. “Why not, she asks. Because, Princess, what’s going to happen when you show up for your lessons completely drenched? Or, what happens when we both show up on the palace grounds completely drenched? I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to have to explain that to anybody.”
Unfortunately, he had a point. “Don’t call me Princess.” He had been so relaxed today, so willing to be himself and let me be myself. I hated that he felt the need to remind me of my rank. I was tempted to be angry and walk away but I also wanted to see how long he would keep his arms around me. Simply out of curiosity, of course.


Author Annette K. Larsen

I was born in Utah, but grew up in Flagstaff Arizona and St. Louis Missouri, the fifth of seven children. I attended college at Southern Virginia University and Brigham Young University where I studied English and Theater. I now live in Idaho with my husband and four children.

I have Charlotte Bronte to thank for the courage to write novels. After being bombarded with assigned reading about women who justified abandoning either their families or their principles in the name of love, I had the great fortune of reading Jane Eyre. And that was it: finally a heroine who understood that being moral and making the right choice was hard, and sometimes it hurt, but it was still worth it. After rereading it several years later, I realized that if I wanted more books to exist with the kinds of heroines I admired, then I might as well write a few myself. My books are about women who face hard choices, who face pain and rejection and often have to sacrifice what they want for what is right. The consequences are often difficult or unpleasant, but it the end, doing what’s right will always be worth it.

I believe there is no substitute for good writing or good chocolate. Fortunately, one often leads to the other.

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BookBlast Giveaway

$50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash
Ends 10/31/13

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

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Guest Post by Author Lisa Becker: Online Dating

Online Dating Inspired Click: An Online Love Story and Double Click
By Lisa Becker

I first met my husband while wearing my pajamas. Really! No, we weren't at some kinky singles party. I was sitting comfortably in my apartment and he was hanging out in his. But, I will never forget his email introduction via an online dating service, which invited me to check out his profile. It was sweet, endearing and intriguing enough for me to log on to learn more about him.  After a week of emails, followed by a week of phone calls, we met for our first date - a traditional dinner and movie outing. Even before I opened the door to greet him, I knew he was "the one."  Considering he lived 30 miles away, I'm not certain our paths would have typically crossed. But after nearly 13 years together - including 10 years of marriage (which in Los Angeles is apparently no small feat!) and two beautiful daughters, I have no doubt he is my soul mate.

After my now-husband and I met online, I was recalling some of the hilarious experiences that I had during the whole online dating experience.  How could I forget the guy who started every story (no joke!) with “My buddies and I were out drinking one night.”  I decided to capture some of them in writing and, from there and based loosely on my own experiences, my novel Click: An Online Love Story emerged.  The entire story is told in emails between our heroine, Renee Greene, her three best friends and the gentlemen suitors she meets online. The format felt like a modern way to tell the story that fit the topic, and allowed readers to develop an intimate relationship with the characters.

Clearly, I’m a big fan of online dating and find it to be a useful tool for young professionals who are busy working and finding it difficult to make the right connection at the gym, bar, coffee shop or grocery aisle. I say, people today are “married” to their cell phones and laptops, so why not use that technology to really get married, right?

While Click doesn’t end with a wedding (sorry for the spoiler!), during Renee’s road to happiness, we find many advantages to online dating.  My five favorite are:

·    On Your Own Terms – Online dating provides a relaxed, anytime and on your own terms experience.  Share as little or as much information as you want.  Avoid people you are not interested in.  Communicate at your convenience.   But, don’t send a message at 2:30 am.  Nothing smacks more of desperation than an email from someone trolling the Internet for a date in the wee hours of the morning. 

·    Multi-Tasking Enabled – Flirt while filing your taxes.  Chat and trim your nails.  Meet a mate while making breakfast.  It’s a well-known fact that women are great multi-taskers.  Take full advantage of that skill.  As Shelley, the over-sexed character in Click says to the about-to-try-online-dating Renee, “A whole host of hot and horny single men that I can review, chat with, judge and mock – all while sitting in my office looking very busy.  Maybe I should give it a try myself.”

·    Trade the “Meat Market” for the “Meet Market” – Now you can avoid the “meat market” scene of bars and clubs and instead enjoy a “meet market” – an international bazaar (but let’s hope not too bizarre) of prospective mates.  The Internet allows you to make an online introduction to thousands if not millions of people around the world.  So, if you want to meet someone in Katmandu, well then, can do!

·    Save Time, Money and Energy – Let’s face it.  Dating isn’t cheap.   It takes time, money and, likely your most valuable and scarce resource, energy.   With the “try before you buy” environment of online dating, you don’t have to meet for a drink, grab a coffee or sit through a long dinner only to discover there’s no physical attraction, you have nothing in common, conversation is lacking, etc.    

·    Rejection Made Easy – In Click, Renee gets an email from someone halfway across the world looking to meet someone willing to move for him.  After sending a polite and diplomatic “thanks but no thanks” email message, she proclaims to her friend, “It’s so much easier to reject someone over that Internet than in real life.  Score one for online dating!”   While rejection is easier for both parties when done online, it’s important to remember that people still have feelings.


As I've said many times before, if it happened for me, there's hope for you.  So log on and take a chance. To purchase Click or Double Click, please click here. To follow updates on the Click saga and share your stories about online dating, visit the Click Facebook fan page.

A Few Words on Gambling - Guest Post by Ashlyn Macnamara with GIVEAWAY!

I don’t know whether England possessed an official national sport during the Regency period, but I would argue if it did, that sport was gambling. The betting books in gentleman’s clubs such as White’s hold the evidence of wagers on anything from raindrop races to whether a certain couple might wed at the end of the season. They wagered on cock fights, horse races, and boxing matches. Even such seemingly staid venues as balls and Almack’s were incomplete without their card rooms—where entire fortunes might be won and lost.

The compulsion to lay a sporting wager or two wasn’t restricted to the men, either. No one thought anything of a lady sitting down to a respectable game of whist.

But the real gamblers haunted gaming hells. While White’s and Brook’s and Boodles all had card rooms, such clubs mainly served as an exclusive spot for men of the upper class to gather and discuss various issues of the day. Gaming hells were more like a casino, and they existed to relieve a man (or a woman, although I can’t imagine any respectable woman haunting such a place) of his blunt.

A time-traveller from our era might even recognize some of the games of the day. Played with dice, hazard was a forerunner of craps. The object of vingt-et-un was to see which player could come closest to twenty-one without going over—just like the game we call blackjack. Roulette has existed since the 18th century or earlier—physicist Blaise Pascal accidentally invented the roulette wheel in his search for a perpetual motion machine. Contract bridge traces its roots, in part, to a less complicated game called whist.

One of the more famous of these establishments was Crockford’s. Founded in 1793 on St. James street among the other gentlemen’s clubs, its true raison d’être was to separate wealthy young bucks from their allowances. At its height, the club was the most famous gaming house in Europe in spite of—or perhaps due to—a reputation for boisterousness. The casino’s eponymous owner invented the principal that the house always wins, which allowed him to amass a vast personal fortune, enough to rise from his working class roots to own more than one home, including one in fashionable Mayfair.

And what of the poor members of the aristocracy he fleeced? A gentleman considered his markers debts of honor—and accordingly paid them off before he paid tradesmen such as his tailor.

Now you may ask yourself what any of this has to do with my upcoming release,  A Most Devilish Rogue. As you might imagine, a gentleman with roguish qualities might well find himself within a gaming establishment within the course of a story. He may even land himself in a spot of trouble. To find out how this comes about, you may want to read the book. Here is the blurb:

Years ago, when Isabelle Mears was still a young miss too infatuated to know better, she surrendered her innocence to a dishonorable man. Though ruined and cast out from society, she has worked hard to shelter her illegitimate son, Jack. Having sworn off men in her quiet but dignified life, Isabelle is unprepared for the deep longing that rips through her when a handsome stranger rescues her rambunctious six-year-old from the pounding ocean surf.

George Upperton is a man in trouble with debts, women, and a meddling family. He is, by all accounts, the last gentleman on earth Isabelle should be drawn to. But loneliness is a hard mistress, and caution gives way to desire . . . even though Isabelle is convinced that happiness can’t be found in the arms of such a devilish rogue. Only when Jack is kidnapped does Isabelle discover the true depth of George’s devotion—and how far a good man will go to fight for the woman whose love is all that matters.

In the meantime, plenty of other romance heroes have found themselves in a similar situation. Others have even owned the casinos. Tell me about your favorites in the comments.

Ashlyn Macnamara writes Regency romances with a dash of wit and a hint of wicked. She considers this writing gig her midlife crisis, but figures it’s less risky than rock climbing or skydiving. When not writing, she looks for other excuses to neglect the housework, among them knitting, reading and wasting time on the internet in the guise of doing research. Despite her insistence on looking toward the past, she can be found on her website, Facebook, and Twitter. She also likes to play at being a Duchess from time to time.

 A Most Devilish Rogue                       

Ballantine Books * Coming August 27, 2013

ISBN-10: 034553476X  * ISBN-13: 978-0345534767

Paperback:

Please watch for my review which will be posted mid-day on Thursday, August 22.

GIVEAWAY!

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Author Interview plus Giveaway: Barbara Bretton, author of The Crosse Harbor Time Travel Trilogy

Please help me welcome Barbara Bretton and enjoy the insightful answers provided in this Interview.

About the Author:
Barbara Bretton is the USA Today bestselling, award-winning author of more than 40 books. She currently has over ten million copies in print around the world. Her works have been translated into twelve languages in over twenty countries.

Barbara has been featured in articles in The New York Times, USA Today, Wall Street Journal, Romantic Times, Cleveland Plain Dealer, Herald News, Home News, Somerset Gazette, among others, and has been interviewed by Independent Network News Television, appeared on the Susan Stamberg Show on NPR, and been featured in an interview with Charles Osgood of WCBS, among others.

Her awards include both Reviewer's Choice and Career Achievement Awards from Romantic Times; Gold and Silver certificates from Affaire de Coeur; the RWA Region 1 Golden Leaf; and several sales awards from Bookrak. Ms. Bretton was included in a recent edition of Contemporary Authors.

Barbara loves to spend as much time as possible in Maine with her husband, walking the rocky beaches and dreaming up plots for upcoming books.
WEB: www.barbarabretton.com
FACEBOOK:  www.facebook.com/barbarabretton
TWITTER:  www.twitter.com/barbarabretton
GOODREADS:  www.goodreads.com/Barbara_Bretton
RAVELRY:  www.ravelry.com/wickedsplitty

 Learn more from Barbara's answers below:

Q1.  I have read some of your contemporary fiction and really enjoyed the easy flow. Now I am excited to read the time travels. Is there a big transition in your writing style from one genre to another?

BB:
Hi, Martha! Thanks so much for hosting me today. I love Q&A interviews.

Thanks, also, for the kind words about my contemporaries. Good question about writing style. I think my style is essentially the same from genre to genre with a few minor differences. (Word choice in historicals comes to mind.) I tend to write in a conversational style which (I hope) lends itself to easy, effortless reading. I don't want to get between the reader and the story.

Q2.  I love series and I am always curious: When you do a series do you have each book plotted out before you start the first one or do the subsequent books flow from the first book?

BB:
I'm taking a deep breath here before I plunge ahead with the answer. The truth? I don't plot. I was a great plotter with my first ten books and then something happened (A comet? A meteor?) and suddenly I didn't want any part of plotting. I went from plotter to what they currently call "pantser" in the blink of an eye. There was something very comforting about having an outline to follow but that same sense of comfort also deadened the excitement. At least it did for me. I love not knowing what's going to happen when I hit the keyboard.

And here's another dark truth: I never once planned to write a series. In each instance I had a single, clear idea and a passion to write it that I guess transmitted itself to my publishers who (to my delight) subsequently asked for me to continue the storylines.

Q3.  What most inspires your plots?

BB:
So many things! The Time Travel trilogy came to life when a hot-air balloon landed in the parking lot of my parents' condo. My Sugar Maple series sprang to life in my dentist's waiting room. I was leafing through a brochure on dental implants (fun reading, right?) and found myself wondering what happens to a vampire with tooth troubles. Sometimes it's a whisper of conversation overheard in a diner or a photograph in a magazine that lingers long after I've turned the page.

Q4.  If you could jump into a book, and live in that world, which would it be?

BB:
Right now I'm re-reading Robert B. Parker's Spenser novels so I'd probably like to be transported to his fictional Boston and be Susan Silverman for a day. And I'm almost (but not quite) embarrassed to admit that it would be fun to be the heroine of one of Victoria Holt's wonderful classic Gothic novels. Maybe I could be the Bride of Pendorric or Mistress of Mellyn. I cut my romance-reading teeth on those books when I was a teenager and I still love them.

Q5.  Have you had to do any unique research or what was one of the most surprising things you learned in researching for any of your books?

BB:
Some years ago I was lucky enough to be chosen to participate in Harlequin American's Century of American Romance project, a series of romances each set in a different decade of the 20th century. It was an ambitious project and we were all over-the-moon excited about it. I was given the privilege of writing about the 1940s and 1950s which meant some of the best research opportunities of my life. I had always loved my parents' stories about World War II and this gave me the chance to sit down and really listen. Not as a daughter but as a writer.

Be careful what you wish for! My dad's stories were mostly about being a Sea Bee in New Guinea, but my mom's were filled with Manhattan in the 1940s, of whirlwind romances and being a real life Rosie the Riveter and dancing the night away at the Stork Club  and Copacabana. I'd heard the stories a thousand times before but this time I listened differently and the past became as real to me as the world I was living in.

And then came the Big Surprise. My mom had been engaged twice before she met and fell in love with my father and one of those men died in Europe during the War. The funny thing is, it wasn't my mother who told me. It was my dad. She was furious that he'd blurted out her "secret" and distraught that I might think less of her.

Think less of her?! It only made me want to hear every single story she had to tell.

My parents both died in 2001 (within four months of each other) and I'm so grateful I had the chance to sit down and really listen to the stories of their lives when I had the chance.

Q6.  How do you handle it when some element of what you're writing decides that it just doesn't want to work the way you want it to?

BB:
Like any professional writer: first I cry, then I reach for the chocolate.

Once I emerge from my chocolate coma, I sit down and take a hard look at the material and nine times out of ten I discover that I made a wrong turn somewhere along the line and I have to take a scalpel to the manuscript and slice my way back down to the bones of the story.

Q7.  You have been writing for many years. Is there anything you see that is different in style or writing technique or tools from when you first became published?

BB:
Where do I start?? I've been re-reading some of my older books recently (think early to mid 1980s) and the difference in style and technique is astonishing. Technology has changed so dramatically in the last 30 years that most plot twists could be eliminated with a cell phone call or a minute with Google. But beyond that I'd say the long-winded descriptions of clothing and food have been stripped to the bone . . . and in a good way. Female characters are stronger, more independent. Male characters, even our beloved Alpha males, have been forced to adapt to the changing social landscape.

Storytelling is faster-paced, leaner, more dialogue-heavy than narrative-rich. I've often wondered if that's partially a result of creating on a computer. I wrote my first books by hand then typed (yes, typed!) them at the kitchen table on an old IBM Selectric. This was back in the days when you had to make sloppy, annoying carbon copies and sit there painstakingly daubing Liquid Paper over your typos. While I wouldn't want to go back to the pre-computer days, I have to admit there was something very satisfying about watching that stack of pages mount up.

Research meant a trip to the library and maybe a long wait for special order volumes to be delivered. Communication with publishers was snail mail. Writers haunted their mailboxes for acceptance checks or the dreaded rejection letters. A writer's life revolved around the post office: sending off our work, waiting to find out what The Powers That Be thought of it.

And everything took a veeeerrryyy loooonnnnggggg time.

Q8.  Which character did you have the most fun with in the Time Travel trilogy, and why do you choose that character?

BB:
My smart-mouth psychic librarian Dakota Wylie, hands down. She popped up early in TOMORROW & ALWAYS and I was a goner. There's something about secondary characters that seems to free a writer and make them much easier to write than the primary characters. Dakota is funny, painfully honest, curious about this world and what may lie beyond, unlucky in love, addicted to donuts, and willing to grab hold of adventure when it comes her way. What's not to like? Dakota didn't come with the romantic baggage Emilie and Shannon brought with them and that was part of what made her such a delight. She was as close to a clean slate as I was ever going to find. So it was pretty much of a no-brainer when she got her own book and her own hero, DESTINY'S CHILD, Crosse Harbor #3.

Q9.  What three words would you use to describe yourself and your personality?

BB:
Happy. Spontaneous. Creative.

Q10.  If you could have readers finish a sentence what would it be?

BB:
I wish I could . . .

Thank you so much for taking time to share (both your writing and this interview) with readers.

BB:
It was my pleasure entirely. This was fun! Besides, we Marthas have to stick together.
--Barbara Martha Anne Bretton

Isn't that cool she shares my name too!
Visit all the tour stops linked at Bewitching Book Tour.

Somewhere in Time is currently free for download from iTunes, Amazon, Smashwords. It can be downloaded in all formats from this Smashwords link.

ENTER THIS GIVEAWAY for an AUDIO VERSION OF SOMEWHERE IN TIME - Digital Format:

ENTRY FORM HERE

Don't forget to fill in the form for entry! 

I have noticed a few commentors who forgot to enter through the Form. 

For 3 Extra Bonus entries COMMENT ON THE INTERVIEW above or Complete the sentence started by Barbara (BB) at Q10.
For 2 Extra Bonus entries COMMENT ON THE REVIEW.

* This contest is open to anyone who can download digital audio.
* This contest will close 10 PM (Central) on June 21, 2012.
The winner will be randomly selected from all entries.
WINNERS WILL BE ANNOUNCED on June 22, 2012.
Winners will have 72 hours to respond by email or the winners form linked in the announcement.

#Author Feature and Book #Review: The Duchess Hunt by Jennifer Haymore

This is a fun read -- bit of a Cinderella story with some mystery.
The Duchess Hunt (House of Trent)
by Jennifer Haymore

• Mass Market Paperback: 416 pages
• Publisher: Forever (June 25, 2013)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1455523399
• ISBN-13: 978-1455523399

Genre: Historical Romance
My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0

Book Description
Release date: June 25, 2013 | Series: House of Trent (Book 1)
THE DUKE'S DESIRE
Simon Hawkins, duke of Trent, is no stranger to scandal. Rumors and innuendo have darkened the House of Trent for decades, and it has fallen to Simon to restore his tattered family name. He lives by a strict code of honor, but when he is called home to investigate his mother's disappearance, the distinguished duke will tangle with temptation. For there waits the only woman he has ever loved-and the last woman he should desire . . .

Sarah Osborne has spent her life dreaming of Simon's touch. But dukes do not long for lady's maids-or so Sarah believes, until a stolen kiss sparks a passion that could be her ultimate undoing. As the couple begins a forbidden romance, a cunning enemy plots to destroy the duke and everything he loves. Now, caught in a blackmailer's web, Simon faces an agonizing choice: sacrifice his family's future or break Sarah's heart.

Review:
Sarah is the gardener’s daughter. As a precocious youngster she was rescued from an attacking blackberry bush by the ‘lord of the manor’, a young Simon. He took her into the house for medical care and his eccentric mother welcomed her to the family clan for schooling and play time. She grew up with the five boys and little baby Esme as playmates even though she ultimately became a housemaid dreaming impossible dreams about loving Simon.

Simon is serious and dedicated to restoring the family reputation after the scandals his promiscuous parents made of their lives. Nearing 30 he realizes that it is time for him to seek a proper wife. Problem is he has difficulty being attracted by any woman but Sarah even when he is in London and she is home on the family estate.

Simon is called home and gathers all of his siblings because their mother, with her man and maidservant, has disappeared. There is no sign of struggle and it is possible that she took off for an unannounced visit but it is unlikely that she would worry the family with no word at all. Simon begins a different ‘Duchess Hunt.’ He decides to investigate in London and takes along Esme with Sarah now elevated to the position of Lady Companion.

Sarah is strong and calm and helps to steady Esme who is uncomfortable in society settings. But residing in the same house presents a strong temptation for Simon and Sarah. At first Simon is reluctant to ‘dally’ with a servant even though he doesn’t think of her as such. But Sarah has weighed the costs and accepted that she wants a season with Simon before he moves on to marry someone else.

A local peer coerces Simon into a marriage proposal for his suitable young daughter. Simon feels  nothing.for the girl who has clearly been groomed to marry nobility.  Simon is too honorable to continue the liaison with Sarah and Sarah learns that having an affair without losing one’s heart is easier said than done.

I liked the underlying touch of mystery with the mother’s disappearance and the facts used to blackmail Simon. I particularly liked how Ms. Haymore found a way to face the blackmail and how the family pulls together. The Duchess is not yet found by the end of the story but there are solid leads to follow.

Simon and Sarah make a warm pair. The sexual interaction is pretty steamy although done with a premise of love and discovery. I enjoyed not only the primary characters in this story but also the secondary characters. I especially like the eldest, illegitimate brother, Sam, the out of control angry, second son, Luke, and the resilient, if timid, Esme. The other two brothers, Mark and Theo, have warm personalities too. I look forward to more stories to continue with the other siblings. I recommend this story to historical romance fans who especially like a touch of Cinderella happiness.

This is the second book for June 1 spotlight event. I received this book from Forever/Hachette for an honest review.
I am happy to be participating in a Blog tour for this title and What a Wicked Earl Wants by Vicky Dreiling.

Jennifer shares her TOP 5 Favorite Period Actors with us:
·                  #5 Hugh Jackman in Les Miserables
·                  #4 Paul Bettany (Chaucer in A Knight’s Tale and Dr. Stephen Maturin in Master & Commander)
·                  #3 Liam Neeson as Rob Roy
·                  #2 Clark Gable as Rhett Butler
·                  #1-Colin Firth as Mr. Darcy

Learn more about Jennifer at: 
JenniferHaymore.com
Twitter @jenniferhaymore 
Facebook.com/jenniferhaymore-author

Click HERE FOR A CHANCE to WIN both books!

#Author Feature and Book #Review: What A Wicked Earl Wants by Vicky Dreiling

This story has wonderful characters, fun dialogue and good conflict that makes it engaging.

What a Wicked Earl Wants (Sinful Scoundrels)
by Vicky Dreiling

• Mass Market Paperback: 448 pages
• Publisher: Forever (May 28, 2013)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1455522872
• ISBN-13: 978-1455522873

Genre: Historical Romance

My Rating: 4.5 of 5.0

Book Description
Release date: May 28, 2013 | Series: Sinful Scoundrels
WILL A RAKE'S WICKED WAYS

Andrew Carrington, Earl of Bellingham, believes in being a gentleman, whether it's fishing a soggy stranger out of the Thames or assisting a fetching lady into his bed. If the stranger becomes a friend and the lady a mistress, all the better. He certainly welcomes the opportunity to help Laura Davenport, a dazzling young widow with a rebellious stepson. Her gratitude, he hopes, will take an amorous form. But from the moment he sets foot in her drawing room, he gets far more than he bargained for ...

LEAD THE LADY ASTRAY?

It was a moment of desperation. On the brink of losing her stepson, Laura turned to the notorious Lord Bellingham for help. Suddenly she, a vicar's daughter, is in the precarious position of resisting his tantalizing advances. How Bell earned his wicked reputation is clear; the surprise is how much more there is to him than the gossip sheets could possibly reveal. Now every moment with this dangerously desirable man puts Laura's good name at risk-and promises pleasure unlike any she has ever known ...

Review:
Andrew is a notorious rake who has vowed never to marry. He lost his parents and younger brother to an accident when he was away at University. Although he has never thought it through he apparently figures if he doesn’t get close to anyone he can’t suffer the pain of loss. So all of his relationships are superficial and that is the way he likes it.

Laura is a young widow with a teenage stepson. She loved her husband, although he was twenty four years older. When he became sick shortly after their marriage Laura cared for him through his illness and became mother to young Justin. Justin is now 17 and pushing the boundaries with the wrong friends. He is drinking, carousing and staying out all night.

Andrew, the Earl of Bellington and known as "Bell" is attracted to the beautiful widow. He spots her son hiding a flask at a ball. The next day he calls on Laura to return the flask. They are interrupted by a visit of the boy's uncle and guardian, Montclief, who threatens to take Justin away if he discovers he is misbehaving. In an effort to assure Montclief that she can handle the boy, and he will have male guidance, Laura announces that she and Andrew are engaged.

The attraction between them sizzles but Laura has no plans to marry again. If she did she would want a forever kind of man, not a short term love. Andrew realizes that Laura, as a Vicar’s daughter, is not a woman to dally with. But Andrew allowed the pretend engagement and has committed to help with Justin. The pair spend time together allowing a friendship to grow. The proximity becomes hard to resist and Laura begins to think she will regret it if she doesn’t follow her heart and at least have a short time with Andrew.

I really liked Laura and Andrew. The chemistry between them is wonderful and the dialogue is playful and fun. Montclief’s threat and the emotional walls of the couple keep the story interesting as it moves along. Montclief is a good villain and Laura's friend, Lady Atherton, is lovely secondary character. There is some sexual interaction but it is only a small element of the story that is much richer by reason of the well developed characters and conflict. The story is engaging and the love that grows is sweet and full. I recommend this to romance readers who love it when a rake falls in love! I look forward to more books in this series.

I received this book from Forever/Hachette for an honest review.
I am happy to be participating in a Blog tour for this title and The Duchess Hunt by Jennifer Haymore.

Vicky shares her TOP 5 Favorite Period Actresses with us:
1.       Jennifer Ehle in BBC version of PRIDE AND PREJUDICE
2.       Emma Thompson in SENSE AND SENSIBILITY
3.       Kate Winslet in SENSE AND SENSIBILITY
4.       Gwynneth Paltrow in EMMA
5.       Maggie Smith as the Dowager Duchess in DOWNTON ABBEY (I just love the outspoken matriarchs!)

Learn more about Vicky at:
VickyDreiling.com
Twitter @vickydreiling
Facebook.com/vicky.dreiling

Click HERE FOR A CHANCE to WIN both books!

Guest Post: C.C. Humphreys, Author of Jack Absolute

CREATING A STORY FROM A PIECE OF HISTORY

This is a most interesting topic for me – because this ‘piece’ comes with two distinct types of ‘history': - the Period and the Personal.

    The latter first: The idea of writing ‘Jack Absolute’ came because I’d played the role of Jack Absolute in Sheridan’s 18th Century comedy, ‘The Rivals’ in 1987. Toured Britain with it for six months and ‘absolutely’ (sorry, that comes up a lot!) relished the part. Mourned him when the gig was over. But that was long before I became a novelist. 17 years later, I thought of being him again – by writing a novel based on him.
    Yet what could he do? In the play he’s a roguish army officer, a bit of a scoundrel and a passionate lover – and I wanted to keep all that made him such fun to perform. But I also wanted to cater to many of my other passions (my writing tip: write what you totally love!). Such as, in no particular order: swordplay; theatre; beautiful women; beer; battles; spycraft. So then I looked into the history of what was going on at the time of the play’s first production -1775 – et voila! The American Revolutionary Wars. And once the principal conceit was established –that Sheridan stole the name and story of my hero, the real Jack Absolute – my course was set.
    The piece of history I then set his story against is, of course, so exciting. The closet historian I am relishes the research, reading a ton and, as importantly, going to the places. I’d narrowed down the novel’s scope to the Saratoga campaign – plenty of drama in those six months to fill five books let alone one. So I was able to visit both the battlefield itself and a re-enactment of the fight, where I met and talked with experts in uniforms blue and red – and in wolfskins, because one of my main characters was Jack’s blood brother Ate, a Mohawk. (Native history, another passion!)
    After that, it was back to my desk, to select from all that research, to narrow down both action and detail.
I love history - but I write novels; it’s the characters’ journeys that count most. Yes, a reader need to know some of the history to understand their choices from the macro of grand strategy to the micro of small sword play. But I try only to reveal facts through a character’s need to know it. Make it vital to them - and so us. No info dumps!
    One of my favourite writing words is ‘oscillation’. I oscillate between the drive of the plot, the necessities of period detail and, especially, the wishes of my characters, set against both. It is challenging, unnerving and, often, sheer bloody fun! Especially in this case, when I got to both live my Jack again, and watch him grow in all sorts of new directions.
My wife says he is my fantasy alter ego. Maybe. He’s certainly a fun guy to spend time with – even when he cocks up big time. Perhaps especially then!

 C.C. Humphreys is a novelist, fight choreographer, and actor who played Jack Absolute in The Rivals for a six-month run in London in the mid-1980s. When he became a full-time writer a decade ago, he decided to transform his leading man into a title character. Humphreys has written seven historical fiction novels including The French Executioner, which was runner-up for the CWA Steel Dagger for Thrillers 2002. The Jack Absolute series will feature three books: Jack Absolute, The Blooding of Jack Absolute, and Absolute Honour.  

Author Website
Author Blog
AMAZON LINK
BARNES AND NOBLE LINK

Please check out my review with ARC Giveaway to be posted midday on May 3.