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GIVEAWAYS ARE NOW LOCATED ON THEIR OWN PAGE - CLICK ON TAB ABOVE; Giveaways also linked on right sidebar.

Thursday, July 15, 2010

My Blogoversary Gift Items!

Today, July 15, I celebrate my one year anniversary! Check out the main Blogoversary post for the entry form! Each winner #A, #B and #C will get to pick five gift items in addition to their book choices.  
The winners will choose one item from each of the numbered groups (1 - 5) described and pictured below.
The first winner will get their choices first, then the second winner and then the third.
FOR EXAMPLE:
Winner #A might choose these five items:
From 1. - A Lily of the Valley Sachet.
From 2. - The Cheetah sandal pad.
From 3. - The Ukranian Lady pen.
From 4. - The turtle decorative  paper Guest Towel package.
From 5. - The Clown Fish metal hook
I hope that makes sense. Winners #B and #C will have to wait for me to announce the items selected by #A as those items will no longer be available.
When the winners are done picking there will clearly be gift items left over for future giveaways. *BG*

(A tip- you can click on the pictures to make them bigger.)1. Each winner will get to pick one sachet - there are three of each scent: Lilly of the Valley, Pomegranates, or Laundry Linen.  All of these smell wonderful but strong enough that I had to put them away in a closet.

2. Each winner will get to pick one sandal notepad (Cheetah, Zebra or Tiger).

3. Each winner will get to pick one item from these gifts that I purchased from a Ukrainian Missionary Group:
Lucky Egg or Lucky Egg Keychains                                                          Wooden Whistle pen 
or man or lady pen
 
Lucky Bubushka Charms






4. Each winner will get to pick one dishtowel from the Kiss Me group, the Tropical Fish group or the Decorative Paper Guest Towel packs

Kiss Me group





 Tropical Fish group                               
Decorative Paper Guest Towel packs
(Beach, Shells or Turtles)





AND
#5 Each winner will get to choose one of the following:
A Summer Sign, a candle holder or a decorative metal hook


Summer Signs
(Paradise, Surf's Up or
Beach)

 Candle holders
(pink, blue or yellow)


Decorative Metal Hooks
(yellow fish, parrot or
clown fish)

I hope everyone can find a couple items they would like!

My Blogoversary Extra Book Packs!

Today, July 15, I celebrate my one year anniversary! Check out the main Blogoversary post for the entry form! Here are some books that winners will get to pick from as well as the Friday Pick books. :o)

Some Book Packs only have three books others have up to seven.

 Jude Deveraux

 






Sandra Brown

Dick Francis


Dean Koontz















Sabina Jeffries

Betty Neels








William Couglin














Tom Clancy










Nora Roberts















Mary Higgins Clark


James Patterson










Julie Garwood










Iris Johanson
Robert Fulghum


These last two sets are a bit more worn but they are great reads so I am including them too:
Judith McNaught

Cathy Maxwell


What do you think? See any books you like?

Wednesday, July 14, 2010

Giveaway - Five Copies Tempted by a Warrior by Amanda Scott

Five books available to win! THANKS ONCE AGAIN TO HACHETTE AND ANNA for the opportunity to give away another wonderful book.
Tempted by a Warrior by Amanda Scott
Tempted by a Warrior

Check out my review: "Ms. Scott is a solid story teller weaving interesting characters and an active plot for good reading."

TO ENTER THIS GIVEAWAY:

1. For your main entry make a comment on one of these two links a) - c). Make sure you leave your e-mail address!
a) Check out the Author's Website and tell me something you found interesting there.OR
b) You can visit five fun facts and comment on one of those.

2. For an extra entry, become a follower or tell me if you are already a follower.

3. For another entry, blog, facebook, tweet (any of those networks!) about this giveaway and tell me where you did.

4. For TWO extra entries comment on the review post.

It isn't necessary to use separate entries unless you want them in different chronological order.

(Five total entries possible.) MAKE SURE YOU LEAVE YOUR E-MAIL! Five winners!

* This contest is only open to residents of US and Canada.
* No P.O. Boxes Please - for shipping reasons
* This contest will close Midnight (Central) on August 4, 2010. The winners will be randomly selected from all entries.

Guest Post - Amanda Scott, Author of Tempted by a Warrior

Today I am pleased to welcome best selling author Amanda Scott who has written on one of my favorite topics.
Writing a Series
By Amanda Scott

Tamed by a LairdI have often connected books, either in pairs, series, or trilogies. Some have evolved from the first book without my intent. For example, Highland Treasure evolved from Highland Secrets simply because, having thought that I had created my villain, Black Duncan Campbell, I learned that the present owner of Barcaldine Castle, where I had set Highland Secrets, actually had a favorite ancestor to whom he had devoted a room in the castle. That favorite ancestor was one Black Duncan Campbell. When I told him what I had done, he said, “That’s okay, just make him the hero of the next book.” So I did. I still like to decide what I’m going to do while I’m writing the first book, but I do lay out a general outline for three now, if only to decide how I’m going to connect them. For example, with my most recent trilogy, TAMED BY A LAIRD, SEDUCED BY A ROGUE, and TEMPTED BY A WARRIOR (Forever, July 2010), I used an unpublished Scottish manuscript written in the sixteenth century by a Lady Maxwell about events in her husband’s family that took place in the second half of the fourteenth century. The friend who found the manuscript in Scotland called to ask if I’d be interested in a woman who nearly started a clan war. I was definitely interested. And when I discovered that the manuscript included details about her younger sister, as well, I knew I had a trilogy.

Seduced by a RogueThe first book, TAMED BY A LAIRD, is the tale of their cousin Bonnie Jenny Easdale, who is a baroness in her own right, as is the non-fictional heroine of the second book, SEDUCED BY A ROGUE. Jenny’s story lays the groundwork when she runs away with the minstrel troupe that is entertaining the guests at her betrothal feast. SEDUCED BY A ROGUE, the main story from the manuscript, is that of Lady Mairi Dunwythie of Annandale and what happens when Robert Maxwell abducts her to force her father to submit to certain Maxwell demands. The newest book, TEMPTED BY A WARRIOR, is the story of Lady Fiona Dunwythie, Mairi’s younger sister, whose brutal husband has been missing for two weeks and rumors suggest that Fiona killed him. The hero of TBW is Sir Richard Seyton, Baron Kirkhill, whom Fiona’s dying father-in-law names as trustee for Fiona and her husband’s estates. The problem is that even Fiona does not know whether she killed her husband or not.
Tempted by a Warrior
As for keeping track of the details for any series, I use character grids and detailed information about settings and characters, so that I’m using the same information for all the books, albeit emphasizing different points in each.


TEMPTED BY A WARRIOR will be published on July 1. You can learn more about me and my other books at AmandaScottAuthor.com. Thank you for having me on your site!
xxx

Check out the Giveaway for your chance to win this book.

Review - Tempted by A Warrior by Amanda Scott

Ms. Scott weaves her Medieval magic once again in this engaging romance.
Tempted by a Warrior by Amanda Scott
    Tempted by a Warrior
  • Mass Market Paperback: 432 pages
  • Publisher: Forever (July 1, 2010)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0446561320
  • ISBN-13: 978-0446561327
Genre: Historical (Medieval) Romance
Rating: 4.25 of 5.0

Product Description

Lady Fiona, wed in haste, has never known marital peace. When last she'd seen her cruel husband Will, he'd struck her - and she has no memory of what she did next - only that she woke later alone in her bedchamber. Will has gone missing, and Fiona fears that in her rage and terror she might somehow have killed him. When her husband's cousin Sir Richard comes to search for Will, Fiona is touched by his warm nature. A knight and warrior, Richard is drawn to Fiona's brave manner, quickly seeing in her an equal measure of inner courage. Confessing that she fears having killed Will, Fiona accepts Richard's offer to help her. Pursuing together the mystery of Will's disappearance, they fall in love. Meanwhile the English are reinforcing their garrison in the Scottish Borderlands, putting Fiona, Richard, and Scotland in peril....
Review:  This is another solid read from best selling author, Amanda Scott.

Lady Fiona was a flirt in Seduced by a Rogue, the second book in this series, which was her sister Mairi’s story. Fiona thought running off with a devilishly handsome and charming Scotsman was an adventure. Too bad that she learned the hard way that the handsome man was more of a devil than charming. Fiona is only 17 and very pregnant as the story begins. She still has a rebellious nature that acts before thinking through the consequences. This gets her into trouble and plays an important role in this story. I had some sympathy for the character but at other times want to see her spanked for her rudeness.

Sir Richard is a lovely Medieval warrior: brave, patient, kind, trustworthy, well disciplined and honorable. Chasing or hitting women is not part of his nature although Fiona is cautious of all men as a result of her experience with Will and his brutish father, Old Jardine. He gets to practice a lot of patience around Lady Fiona and even more around his spoiled 15 year old sister, Nan.

The plot starts out well with the mystery of Will’s disappearance and the conflict created by Sir Richard’s appearance as an “heir” to the dying Laird. Old Jardine wants Richard to find Will or his murderer, casting suspicion on Fiona. Meanwhile, Fiona and some of the household suspect Richard’s motives as he is in line to inherit if Will and the babe are gone. These two are at odds as they try to learn to fully trust each other and as they try to resist their growing passions.

I enjoyed Richard showing up in time to burst into Fiona's chambers as she is in labor. His awe and delight in the birth warms Fiona. There is some quiet in the midsection of the story while they continue to puzzle out what happened to Will.  Then there is lots of excitement with a kidnapping, a battle against the English and a rescue that keep you glued to the action.

Here is a phrase I liked by one of the kidnappers to Fiona: “I’m thinking you’ve been told more than any woman should be, and ye talk more than any should, too. So cease your prating.” (p. 333.) Now do you think Lady Fiona would respond meekly to that?

The story moves along well as Ms. Scott is a solid story teller weaving interesting characters and an active plot for good reading. This book stands alone but I recommend all three books in this entertaining trilogy.


Thank you to Hachette and Anna for the opportunity to review this book and offer it for Giveaway.

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