Wednesday, July 13, 2016

Lady Elinor’s Escape by Linda McLaughlin - A Summer #RomanticIdea, #romance



Buy links in HTML:








Linda’s Summer #RomanticIdea




“A Jug of Wine, a Loaf of Bread—and Thou” - The Rubáiyát of Omar Khayyám



I love that quote, and it makes me think of romantic summer picnics—at the beach, by a lake, in the mountains or a park—whatever location works best where you live or vacation. But what to pack? Wine, bread, meat and cheese are a given, but don’t forget the summer fruit—ripe red strawberries, lush juicy peaches or crisp apples. There’s nothing like a taste of fruit to sweeten a kiss.



Lady Elinor's Escape

by Linda McLaughlin

Sweet Regency Romance 




Lady Elinor Ashworth always longed for adventure, but when she runs away from her abusive aunt, she finds more than she bargained for. Elinor fears her aunt who is irrational and dangerous, threatening Elinor and anyone she associates with. When she encounters an inquisitive gentleman, she accepts his help, but fearing for his safety, hides her identity by pretending to be a seamstress. She resists his every attempt to draw her out, all the while fighting her attraction to him



There are too many women in barrister Stephen Chaplin's life, but he has never been able to turn his back on a damsel in distress. The younger son of a baronet is a rescuer of troubled females, an unusual vocation fueled guilt over his failure to save the woman he loved from her brutal husband. He cannot help falling in love with his secretive seamstress, but to his dismay, the truth of her background reveals Stephen as the ineligible party



Buy links:








Excerpt:



Elinor looked around her. “Where shall we have our picnic?”

“I have a particular place in mind.”

A few minutes later, he reined in the horses near a small pond with a few ducks paddling on the surface. He put his hands on her waist and swung her down from the curricle. His hands lingered for a moment longer than necessary as he stared into her eyes. His were a dark liquid amber, like honey, and the warmth in his expression set her heart to racing.

Alarmed by her reaction, she stepped away from him. Oh my, this very private picnic might not have been a wise idea at all.

After tethering the horses, he spread a blanket under a nearby oak, and then produced a picnic basket. While Elinor lowered herself onto the blanket, removed her gloves and bonnet, he dug into the basket. The picnic turned out to be a hearty repast of cold chicken, cheese, bread and butter, cider and sweet, fresh strawberries.

Elinor did not realize how hungry she was until she took the first bite of chicken. Before she knew it, she had devoured a bit of everything, aware of Stephen watching her the entire time.

“I did not mean to eat so much,” she said, feeling a bit embarrassed.

“As you are so slender, I had not expected you to have such a hearty appetite,” he remarked with a smile. “I approve.”

“Everything was delicious.”

“I’ll pass your compliments on to Mother’s cook. She kindly provided the food.”

“You mean you cajoled her into it,” Elinor teased him.

He flashed her a boyish grin. “Cook always did have a soft spot in her heart for a hungry boy.”

“You must have had a wonderful childhood.”

He shrugged his shoulders. “Fairly typical, I should imagine, except for my habit of bringing home stray and injured animals. I was the despair of my mother.”

Elinor laughed softly. “Then you have not changed much, only now you collect stray females. What does your mother think of that?”

Again he shrugged. “If only I were to marry one of them, she would not object at all, or so she says.”

“I see.” So he was under familial pressure to marry. But he could hardly consider a liaison with a seamstress. Was he pursuing her as one last fling before getting married?

“There is one strawberry left.” He held it out to her.

She leaned toward him and bit into the sweet pulp. A trickle of juice ran down her chin. With one finger, he captured the moisture, and then licked it off, all the while holding her gaze. Her eyes widened at the intimacy of the gesture as heat rose to her cheeks. She was in over her head here.



Author bio:



Linda McLaughlin grew up with a love of books and history, so it's only natural she prefers writing historical romance. She loves transporting her readers into the past where her characters learn that, in the journey of life, love is the sweetest reward. Linda also writes steamy to erotic romance under the name Lyndi Lamont, and is one half of the writing team of Lyn O'Farrell.



You can find her online at:





Twitter: @Lyndi Lamont https://twitter.com/LyndiLamont


Thanks Linda for sharing,

Tina

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Monday, July 11, 2016

#GoodReads #Giveaway One Week in You Arms by @pat_preston



ONE WEEK IN YOUR ARMS

Love Heals All Series

by

Patricia Preston





Release Date: September 13, 2016   Kensington Books

Available for Pre-Order now



Blurb:

IT STARTED WITH A FLING...

Six years ago, Dr. Marla Grant gave into temptation with a gorgeous man. Now the medical director of Lafayette Falls Community Clinic and a single mom to a little girl, Marla finds herself in a dilemma when the funding for the community clinic is threatened by none other than the powerful man of her long-ago fling and unsuspecting father of her child...

Carson Blackwell has never forgotten bright, beautiful Marla. When he discovers that she works at the clinic his grandmother's foundation sponsors, it's the perfect opportunity to end to his ongoing infatuation and use his leverage to cement a new business deal. He needs a fake girlfriend for one week in Hawaii, and Marla is just the woman for the job. It's a win-win situation, until they realize the attraction between them isn't feigned, and the heat has never died down. Only the secrets they're both keeping stand in the way of a future together-and a love that could last a lifetime.



Excerpt:   

She picked up the letter opener. Her heart palpitated in sheer terror as she slid the opener under the flap of the envelope. With the envelope open, she peeped inside to see one folded sheet of stationery.

After six years, what could he possibly have to say?

She pictured him, standing beside a black truck in the drive of Royal Oaks, an old estate belonging to his grandmother. She recalled the date. June twenty-eighth. The day they had said goodbye had been a warm, blustery day in Tennessee. A summer storm was heading toward the rolling hills near Nashville.

The wind made a mess of Carson’s unruly dark hair. His dark blue eyes were hidden by a pair of mirrored lens aviators, and his alpha-male physique tested the seams of his polo shirt.

“If I’m ever back in town, I’ll look you up,” he promised as their casual affair came to an inevitable end. For three weeks, they had been together and finally, the time had come for them to go their separate ways. She hadn’t realized it would be so difficult.

“Sure.” She forced a smile of goodwill. After all, they weren’t parting in anger, or in love for that matter. And it was unlikely that she would ever see him again.

“I had a great time,” she confessed boldly. She’d loved every minute of their brief, steamy affair. Talk about a summer break to remember. She grinned.

He gave her cheek a stroke. “You’ll make a great doctor.”

“You think so?”

“Yeah.” He grinned. “You certainly know all there is to know about male anatomy.”

“Yours, at least.” She laughed. Then she hopped up on her toes and gave him a quick kiss. “Goodbye, Carson Blackwell.”

She stepped away from him. Now was the time to face what was ahead. A grueling three-year residency. There would be no more time for long summer nights, tangled sheets, and sighs against swollen lips. She walked toward her small, sturdy hatchback. Before she opened the driver’s door, she looked up and met his gaze.

“Goodbye,” he called.

At that moment, she’d had an odd sensation in her chest that her life was never going to be the same. Then she laughed at her silliness. A summer fling with a guy just passing through was not something that changed your life. For her, completing her residency would be the life changer.

She had watched Carson drive off into the sunset.

Never to be seen or heard from again until now.

Why now?


Buy Links:







Book Two of the series, Everything His Heart Desires, coming in January 2017, is available for pre-order now. http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01EE09ZNO/



Author Bio:



Patricia Preston writes witty mainstream romances and wacky Southern comedies. You are her reader if you like fun, fast-paced, feel-good reads. Her stories have been Amazon best sellers and she won the William Faulkner Award for Short Fiction, the Lone Star Writing Competition for Historical Romance, and Harlequin's World's Best Romances Short Story Competition. Must haves in her writing cave include sweet tea and epic music. Besides writing, she loves music, history, taking road trips, and anything containing chocolate. Her dream-come-true would be a townhouse in the French Quarter. She never misses Supernatural or the Walking Dead.



 She is repped by the Seymour Agency and currently working on a contemporary romance series for Kensington. Having fun is her objective when it comes to storytelling and she hopes her readers will find her books entertaining and uplifting.



Available titles include Amazon best sellers, “The Yard Sale” and “Laid to Rest,” as well as historical romances: To Save a Lady and Almost an Outlaw. Coming in September is the first book in the Love Heals All series from Kensington Boos, One Week in Your Arms. Also available for pre-order is the second book in the series, Everything His Heart Desires.



Author Links:








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Saturday, July 9, 2016

#RomanticIdea by Rachael Kosinski and #Excerpt from The Christmas Lights #Romance


Romantic Idea to Enjoy this Summer:


I find anything lake-oriented can be really, very cute. Walk along the shore, go swimming, have a lakeside picnic—go jet skiing, or boating or both!
 I live right next to a lake, and on weekends my family will explore this little town that everyone flocks to during the summer; it’s the perfect place to grab some ice cream and just wander as the sun sets. Have you ever seen the sun set across a lake, dappling the surface?
 Pretty romantic, if you ask me. It’s a thing you can watch for a long time. Then you can just hold hands and meander around all the little shops, or plunge off into the foliage if your lake of choice has parkland right next to it like mine does. Nothing feels more adventurous than anchoring the boat and swimming to shore, then wandering the quiet forest down a worn dirt path until you dry off. I’ve never actually done this date-wise, but it’s on my list!
 

 




Blurb: “Where do Christmas lights come from?” 

Those tiny bulbs of color that burn on a Christmas tree, 

Or outside a house to shine in the night. 

Does anyone really know where they originate? 

What if someone told you 

They weren’t intended for Christmas at all, 

But really for a miracle? 

That they were for love, a desperate idea, to light a boy’s way home? 

In that case, you must have some questions. What boy? What love? 

Have a seat. Allow me to tell you a story.




Excerpt: 

“Because your father requires…a dowry, of sorts. A guarantee you’ll be well taken care of.” 

Emmy’s hand turned sweaty. “Oh, Louis. What does that mean?” 

I swallowed the sour taste at the back of my mouth, nerves trembling in my fingers. “Our engagement lasts until December twenty-fifth. If by that time I’ve not returned—” 

“Returned?” Emmy’s gaze burned me. “Louis, where are you going? Won’t my father give you a job?” 

I didn’t move and barely opened my mouth to let the words escape. “He’s got me a job.” 

“What?” 

I loosened my shoulders and shrugged. “Marks Brothers pays their floor workers very well.” 

“Who?” 

“I’d stack inventory outside, in the clean air, and I’d work with a few fellows who’d watch out for me…” “Louis!” 

“…I hear factories in London are much safer than here.” 

“London! Louis, Louis, what are you talking about?” Emmy grabbed my face. 

I squinted at two sparkling brown orbs. Was she crying? 

“No.” Emmy covered her mouth with a hand. “No, you aren’t going to London. How could you? No one loves you there. No one knows you there…”

Your father seems to think it is my home country. 

“Emmy. Emmy Emmy Emmy.” I held her close, stroking her hair. “I don’t plan to work there.” 

She sat back. “What?” 

“I’ve heard Mr. Godfrey talk about them. A London factory is the last place I should work. Your father means well, but I can’t do that. They wouldn’t take a blind boy.” 

“Wh-where will you go, then? How on earth will you make money?” 

“I have family in Paris. Mother says they have wine vineyards. I’ll work for them.” 

“That…” Emmy’s fingers traced the veins on the back of my hand. “That’s much safer.” She was silent for the longest time. “You’ll be safe? And come home quickly?” 

I pulled her hands away and stood, playing with the ring on her finger. “I will. I love you.” 

“Louis…” 

“Emmy. I don’t have a choice. You want to marry me, don’t you?” 

“Of course I do. But, Louis…” 

“Yes, love?” 

“How long will you be gone?” How long? How long to board a ship, to find a place I’d only heard about, to earn and save an impossible amount of money? How long, indeed. 

I set my expression. “I’ll be home by Christmas.”

 



 



 

Links:






 





Bio: When she was little, Rachael Kosinski wanted to be a paleontologist, an astronaut, a nature photographer, a writer for National Geographic, an Egyptologist, and the next Jane Goodall. Instead of being a new link between man and chimp, or discovering a planet suitable for sustained human life, or maybe even winning renowned fame by stumbling across an undiscovered dinosaur, Rachael finally decided that, if she never became a writer, she would simply die. Nine years later, she now possesses a quirky knowledge of world mythology, an addiction to coffee, and a penchant for making over-expressive faces at her laptop.

Author Links:




 


Thanks for sharing,
Tina 
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Thursday, July 7, 2016

#Excerpt and #RomanticIdea by @Pendarielraye - #Author of Destiny's Favor


Romantic Idea
My romantic idea comes from a tradition between me and one of my best friends. It’s a great, fun and simple way to get to know another person without lots of questions. Here’s how it’s done…

1. Each person creates a playlist of some of her/his favorite music dating as far back as they can remember (can even be pre-school).

2. Plan a picnic (in a neutral, safe place so you can dance if the mood hits you, and each of you bring some of your favorite foods).

3. Take turns sharing your playlists one song at a time, and tell what was going on in your life at the time as well as why the song is one of your favorites. Remember to keep it positive, i.e., nothing about old lovers who broke your heart, please ;-) In fact, if you bring up past relationships at all, be sure to focus on what you learned and how it helps you with present relationships.

4. According to the length of your playlists, this can span several dates and provide quite a few conversation prompts.






Romantic Idea Exchange
Dariel Raye





Destiny’s Favor (Orlosian Warriors Bk. 2)
Destiny’s Favor synopsis

His world shifted the moment she was born. Now, nothing can stop him from making her his.

Imagine meeting a man who looks like an angel, wings and all? What would you do if this man told you he existed with only one purpose – to claim you and only you?

Destiny Carter is a feisty, take charge, Rubinesque beauty with a tough façade, who finds herself in that age old quandary, “always a bridesmaid, never a bride.” A string of lackluster relationships leave her hopeless and ready to settle…Until she meets Japheth, the man her fiancé claims is his best friend! Japheth’s arrival is heralded by an attack on Destiny’s life, and instinctively, she knows this is just the beginning.

Born more than 200 years ago, Japheth looks like an angel but he’s far from it. In his world, the ratio of men to women is 500 to 1, and although he’s a superior being, he’s willing to break the most sacred law of his brothers, even drink human blood, to have one meant for him alone.

When he meets Destiny, he knows she’s the one he’s been searching for. To claim her, he will have to betray a friend, risk his life, and hardest of all, humble himself enough to win her love.

Available for Pre-order
 Only $0.99 for a limited time




 Get a FREE review copy of “Calm Assurance (Orlosian Warriors Bk. 1) to catch up on the series now! Enter the Rafflecopter below to find out how to get your free copy + win other prizes!

Calm Assurance (Orlosian Warriors Bk. 1)
Calm Assurance synopsis

Two hearts, two different worlds, uncompromising love.
A straight-laced Nephilim-descendant and a human trouble-magnet?
When Asriel - Orlosian Warrior, descendant of Nephilim, law enforcer – is sent to guard Malina, a human with a penchant for drawing trouble like a tornado, she becomes his obsession.
With no hope of finding love in his dimension, he breaks the cardinal rule, leaving his home to protect her, but she has also drawn the attention of his enemies, and he is forced to face demons from his past. If Asriel chooses to stay with Malina, not only does he risk forfeiting his right to ever return to his dimension, but he will need her blood to survive.

Amazon | Barnes and Noble


Dariel Raye
Dariel is an animal lover who writes IR/MC (interracial/multi-cultural) paranormal and dark urban fantasy romance. She is presently writing a shifter series, “Dark Sentinels,” a reluctant hell-dweller series, “Kushiel’s Keep,” two Nephilim series with vampire-like heroes, “Orlosian Warriors” and “Cain’s Progeny,” “Lifegivers,” a paranormal romance series with a variety of beings, a crossover paranormal thriller shifter trilogy with romantic elements, “Gateway,” and an erotic fantasy newsletter serial. To learn more about Dariel and her books, visit her blog,  join her newsletter, and follow her on Amazon.

Dariel on the Web
Dariel’s Blog        Dariel’s Website
Dariel’s Newsletter         Dariel on Twitter
Facebook Page  Dariel’s Amazon Author Page
Dariel on Goodreads      Dariel on Tumblr    Dariel on Tsu 

Rafflecopter link: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/204547f642/?





Thanks for sharing,


Tina
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Saturday, July 2, 2016

Devil's Promenade #Excerpt and #Interview with @Alicia_Dean_


Alicia Dean Interview



Thank you for having me on your blog, Tina!

1.    Please tell us a little about yourself, where are you from? Where do you live now? Family? Pets?

I am from and live in Oklahoma. Currently, Edmond. No pets. Three grown children, and I have been divorced for twenty years.

2.    Where did you get the idea for the A World of Gothic series?

A little while back, I had the idea to gather a group of writers from various countries around the world and have each of us write a stand-alone story set in our own country. I wanted them in the same genre and to share a minor recurring thread. I love the gothic genre and my other gothic mystery, Lady in the Mist, has done quite well, so I thought gothic would be a fun genre for the series. Since gothic mysteries are somewhat formulaic, the stories seem more connected than they might in another genre. Additionally, they all share a recurring thread of a Spinel stone. It can play a small or large part of the story, but each one must contain a Spinel, which is a fascinating stone, by the way.

3.    What actors would you like in the main roles if your book were made into a movie?

Allison Williams for Camille and Stephen Amell for Declan. Even though it will never be made into a movie, I already had to answer this question, because I always have to picture a ‘model’ (usually celebrities) for my characters, and those are the two inspirations for Devil’s Promenade.

4.    Would you rather have a bad review or no review?

Bad review, for sure, as long as it wasn’t terribly insulting and as long as I could tell they’d read the book. I expect to receive bad reviews. Like I always say, even my most-loved authors receive bad reviews, and if bad reviews are good enough for Michael Connelly, Stephen King and Dennis Lehane, they are good enough for me. ;)

5.    If you were stranded on a deserted island and you could have 3 (inanimate) objects, what would they be?

If I can’t have electricity, I would have to say a house, a book, wine. J

6.    What celebrity would you most like to be stranded on an island with?

Of those living, probably, hmmmm…. Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln) from Walking Dead. Not only is he very, very sexy, he’s a survivor and could take excellent care of me…in many ways, wink, wink…

7.    Your favorite…

Movie – Gone with the Wind

Music – Elvis music, but since that’s not really a ‘genre’ I’d have to say country, but not this new crap. Old country.

Place you’ve visited – Well…that’s tough. I’ve been to some great places. I’d probably say Montana, since it’s gorgeous and cold.

Place you’d like to visit – Another tough one. Probably…Italy.

TV show from childhood – Leave it to Beaver or I Love Lucy

TV show from adulthood - Dexter

Food - Mexican

Sports team – Cincinnati Reds

Which do you prefer: Board games/card games or television?  TV, I’m an addict.



Key words:

A World of Gothic, Gothic Mystery Romance, Ghosts, Oklahoma, Quapaw, Remote Bed and Breakfast, Winter Blizzard, Spook light, Tri-State Spook Light, romance, ebook, 99 cents, Kindle










Blurb:

Amidst a blizzard, paranormal debunker Camille Burditt arrives at Devil’s Promenade in Oklahoma to research a supernatural 'spook light' phenomenon for her latest book. There she encounters a ghostly being, which she dismisses as a figment of her imagination. But as the apparition becomes too persistent to deny, Camille realizes the woman’s ghost is quite real—and that her demise was not accidental. 

Declan Rush—the inhospitable, reclusive owner of the inn where Camille is staying—is linked to the deceased woman, but he is less than forthcoming. Despite his unfriendliness, Camille is oddly drawn to him, even though she suspects his connection to the spirit might be that of killer to victim. 

When another suspicious death occurs, Camille intensifies her investigation. She has precious little time to ferret out the truth. Not only is her book deadline looming—she's desperate to discover if the man she’s falling for is a murderer. 



Excerpt:

Another sound—almost like that of a human moan—rose. I yelped and slammed the book closed. Tossing it on the nightstand, I threw back the covers and climbed from the bed. Although not sure I wanted to identify the sound, I hurried to the window, the hardwood floor cold against my bare feet.

I rubbed my arms against the chill, then drew the curtain back and peered outside. Darkness pushed against the glass like a physical being. Snow and a sprinkling of stars made the night only slightly less black. What had I heard? Snow falling? No, that was ice pelting the window. I hadn’t been around snow much, but I knew it didn’t make that kind of sound.

A flash of something bright caught my attention. I pushed closer to the window, my nose practically touching the pane. There, in the corner of the yard next to a bare-branched shrub. A wisp of something…

I grabbed my cell phone and zoomed in. My heart beat in triple time as I looked through the phone camera. A ghostly figure…no other way to describe it. The gauzy essence was in the shape of a person, undefined, yet unmistakable. A woman, it seemed—long hair flowing behind her, the skirt of a dress billowing around her legs.

She seemed to be staring up at the window…

She, ha, it was nothing, no ‘she,’ no ghost, just my imagination. That’s what I got for reading Dean Koontz in a peculiar, spooky house in a strange place. Plus, I was just overtired from my trip. But, still, I was seeing it. Wasn’t I? I squinted at the enlarged image through my cell. Yes, it was right there…

I started video recording on my phone. I would study it further. Figure out if I was seeing what I thought I was seeing. And if I was, I could show others, so I would know I wasn’t crazy.

I’d only been recording for a few seconds when the image just…floated away, dissipated somehow. Chills brushed over my flesh. I dropped my arm holding the phone and stared stupidly out the window. Frowning, I touched Play on the video. The screen filled with the view out my window, but the apparition was not there. What the…?

The shrub was in place, in the recording. Just where I’d seen the…thing, whatever it had been. But now, there was nothing.

I took a deep breath. I wasn’t sure whether to be relieved or concerned. Whether I was seeing things, or if there really was a thing. Perhaps I was really was going crazy.

No…just overly tired, an overactive imagination and the masterful conjurings of Dean Koontz.

I slipped back in bed and tossed the book into the nightstand drawer, then shut it safely inside. I reached for the bedside lamp but paused before switching it off. Maybe it wouldn’t hurt to leave a light burning. After all, I was in an unfamiliar place, and the bathroom was down the hall. If I needed to get up during the night, I’d have to be able to see.

Satisfied I was being practical, rather than frightened, I snuggled into the covers. But it was a long while before I fell asleep. My ears and eyes were trained on the window…my mind brimming with the strangeness of my experiences at the Spook Light Bed and Breakfast. And I’d yet to be here for twelve hours.




Bio

Award-winning author, Alicia Dean, began writing stories as a child. At age 11, she wrote her first ever romance (featuring a hero who looked just like Elvis Presley, and who shared the name of Elvis’ character in the movie, Tickle Me), and she still has the tattered, pencil-written copy. Alicia is from Moore, Oklahoma and now lives in Edmond. She has three grown children and a huge network of supportive friends and family. She writes mostly contemporary suspense and paranormal, but has also written in other genres, including a few vintage historicals. She is a freelance editor in addition to being an editor for The Wild Rose Press.



Other than reading and writing, her passions are Elvis Presley, MLB, NFL (she usually works in a mention of one or all three into her stories) and watching (and rewatching) her favorite televisions shows like The Walking Dead, Dexter, Justified, Sons of Anarchy, Haven, Vampire Diaries, and The Originals. Some of her favorite authors are Michael Connelly, Dennis Lehane, Lee Child, Lisa Gardner, Sharon Sala, Jordan Dane, Ridley Pearson, Joseph Finder, and Jonathan Kellerman…to name a few.



Find Alicia here:


 *** Sign up for our Novel Notes Newsletter, a multi-author newsletter where we give away a $25 gift card each month: https://www.facebook.com/NovelNotesAuthors






Thanks Alicia for stopping by,

Tina
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Tuesday, June 28, 2016

Lady of the Two Lands by @Delisi #RomanticIdea #Romance #Excerpt


Romantic idea to enjoy this summer: Go to the beach on a cloudy day. Walk the shoreline, picking up shells. Have a picnic while watching the waves.




Blurb: One minute, Hattie Williams is in a museum, sketching a gold necklace that belonged to Hatshepsut, first female Pharaoh of Egypt; and the next, she's lying in a room too archaic to be the museum, with a breathtakingly handsome, half-naked man named Senemut bending over her.
 
Hattie soon discovers she's been thrust into the body and life of Hatshepsut, with no way back to her own time. Tuthmosis, the heir to the throne, hates her; the High Priest of Amun and the commander of the army want to kill her and Tuthmosis; and the best bathroom facilities in the country are the equivalent of a cat-box.
 
To make matters more difficult, she's falling helplessly in love with Senemut, and soon, she's not sure she even wants to return home. To protect Tuthmosis from assassination, the lovers arrange to put Hattie on the throne. But, what should she do when she suddenly finds herself, an obscure artist from Chicago, crowned ruler of all Egypt?
 
Excerpt: Hattie banged on the door. “Is anyone there? Let me out!” She shouted and beat on the door with her palms, but all was ominously silent. If someone had been watching her, they had no intention of helping her out of her dilemma.
 
At last, resigned to her fate, she returned to her sketchpad. “If I’m going to be stuck in here, I might as well finish my work,” she murmured. “Tom’s bound to come back—I’m sure he will.” Her voice echoed unconvincingly in the dusty, claustrophobic room.
 
Picking up her pencil, she focused deliberately on copying the tiny hieroglyphics with extreme precision. Gradually, she became absorbed in her work and forgot her predicament. Minutes flowed by with the only sound in the room the scratching of her pencil on the paper.
 
At last, she completed the final symbol on her detailed drawing and set down her pencil with a twinge of disappointment. She was curiously drawn to the glittering possession of the ancient, yet strangely modern woman. Hatshepsut had ruled Egypt fifteen hundred years before Christ, at a time when women were considered no more important than servants or dogs. How had she managed it?
 
The vagrant breeze whispered past her face again, leaving a whiff of exquisite perfume in its wake. A rustle, like the caress of costly linen against bare skin, drew her attention. She felt a strong presence, though she knew she was alone in the tiny room.
 
“Touch it.”
 
The words were so faint, Hattie wasn’t sure she’d actually heard them.
 
“Who’s there?” she asked, though she didn’t expect to get a response. The room was too small to hide anyone.
 
“Touch the necklace.”
 
Hattie spun around, searching for the source of the barely audible words. “Tom, is that you? If it’s you, I don’t think this is funny! Open the door right now.” She thumped it with her fist for emphasis.
 
There was no response.
 
Hattie turned back to the exquisitely fashioned falcon. Maybe it was her overworked imagination playing a trick on her, but the advice seemed sound. Perhaps if she touched the necklace, she could make a connection—psychic, empathic?—with the long-dead monarch. The necklace was strangely compelling, like a long forgotten yet treasured memory.
 
She reached out slowly, cautiously. As her fingertips gently grazed the golden bird, an electric shock pulsed through her and a sudden wave of dizziness sapped her strength.
 
“Come to me,” the ghostly voice whispered, stronger now. “Come to me. I have need of you.”
 
The sweet, cloying scent of incense filled Hattie’s nostrils, and flashes of light exploded behind her eyes. Her vision blurred; she felt as if she were reeling, falling down a long, dark tunnel. Gasping, she reached out blindly for something, anything, to steady herself.
 
Her fingers skimmed across the surface of the table and fastened around the necklace. Clutching it, she fell heavily to the floor as everything went black.
 
 
Buy links: https://www.amazon.com/Lady-Two-Lands-Elizabeth-Delisi-ebook/dp/B01F0KL5X0
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Lady-Two-Lands-Elizabeth-Delisi-ebook/dp/B01F0KL5X0
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/633482
https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/lady-of-the-two-lands/id1109995359?mt=11
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/lady-of-the-two-lands-elizabeth-delisi/1100391749
 
 
Short bio: Elizabeth Delisi is an award-winning author of romance, mystery & suspense. Her books include an ancient Egyptian time-travel romance, LADY OF THE TWO LANDS; and a romantic suspense, SINCE ALL IS PASSING. FATAL FORTUNE is a paranormal mystery, and MISTLETOE MEDIUM and OBSERVANT ORACLE are sequels. Three of her romance novellas are combined in HEART SPELL. She also has a short story collection, THE MIDNIGHT ZONE.
 
Elizabeth teaches for Writer’s Digest University. She has also edited for several small publishers, and has been a newspaper reporter and columnist. Visit her at her web page: www.elizabethdelisi.com and her blog: http://elizabethdelisi.blogspot.com/
 
Author links: www.elizabethdelisi.com
 


 
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