#NewRelease - Untamed and Unabashed by Liza O'Connor (@Liza0Connor ), a #historical #romance

I'm delighted to welcome the lovely Liza O'Connor back to my blog today. Prolific author that she is, she has a brand new romance that should make any Jane Austen fan jump with glee.

Ever wanted to know more about Lydia Bennet? Well, Liza has a few ideas. 

Welcome to Lydia’s Bennet’s Story

by Liza O'Connor

If you’ve read Pride & Prejudice, you know Lydia is the youngest of the five Bennet sisters. Like her siblings she has little chance of making a good marriage. Still, Lydia is not your typical heroine. She doesn’t cry over her hopeless future. She sets about to change it, without concern to propriety or decorum.  Lydia falls to the charms of Wickham when she’s sixteen, certain a marriage to the handsome fellow is the beginning of her fabulous life. Wickham’s many failings reveal themselves in short order and Lydia realizes she’ll have to secure a better future for them both.

Here’s a bit of detail from Pride & Prejudice that touches upon Lydia’s story.

In Pride and Prejudice, the two Bingley sisters and Darcy plotted to separate Jane and Bingley so they could convince the young man that Jane did not love him.

In Untamed and Unabashed, Lydia believes the sisters will attempt to break them up again.

Untamed & Unabashed

by Liza O'Connor

Elizabeth Bennet told her story in Pride and Prejudice. Now Lydia Bennet tells her side of her whirlwind marriage to Lieutenant Wickham. The youngest of five daughters with a pittance of a dowry and no hope for a good marriage, Lydia feared her life was doomed from the start. She learns how to set herself apart from her sisters and gain the attention of young men. She hones charm and flirtation to an art. Willing to take risks, she manages to acquire a substantial dowry and marries her beloved Wickham. Yet, her life remains on the brink until she gains the patronage of a wealthy Duke trapped in a loveless marriage.

“Lydia was Lydia still; untamed, unabashed, wild, noisy and fearless.”

—quote by Elizabeth Bennet from Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

Excerpt

Seeing his wife besotted with Wickham, David smiled and gestured for Lydia to sit. He then turned his chair so its back was to his wife. He sat, taking on a languid and bored pose. “You will let me know when they cease their tête a tête?”

She nodded. “Should I retrieve my husband?”

He smiled. “Please do not.”

“Then you do not mind he is seducing your wife before your eyes?”

David frowned at her. “Of course, I would mind such an affront. Why do you think I sit here with my back to them?”

Turning her head, she covered her mouth so she could laugh at his response. Upon regaining control, she faced him. His hungry gaze heated her entire body.

“I have missed you,” he said in the softest of voices.

Fearing tears might betray her, she leaned over the balcony and studied the crowd. “I am so pleased I am not hidden behind the pillar anymore.”

He abandoned his languid pose and leaned forward, speaking softly but with fervor. “You are not, and if all goes well, you’ll never be again.”

She smiled as she stared at the people below. Her life would be grand after all.

Available Now, from Amazon.com

More About the Author

Liza O’Connor’s favorite books are Pride & Prejudice and Douglas Adams’ four book trilogy, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. Go figure…

Raised in the southern mid-section, Liza escaped to the East Coast once out of college. She’s worked as a journalist, a radio DJ, a security guard, a stock broker, a strategist, and a business solutions consultant to name a few of her many occupations.  Again…go figure.

She learned to fly planes, jump out of planes, hang-glide, kayak and scuba dive, to name of few of her ‘let’s kill Liza’ moments. However, her favorite activity is to hike with her dog Jess among the shaved mountains of NJ.

Here are additional Historical Novels by Liza O’Connor

A Humorous Sleuth Series: The Adventures of Xavier & Vic

The brilliant English Sleuth, Xavier Thorn, takes on a cheeky apprentice who turns out to be a young woman. Vic prefers to dress as a young man so she can live a more interesting life in the Late Victorian era. Overtime, Xavier makes her his partner in all ways.

The Troublesome Apprentice — The greatest sleuth in Victorian England hires a young man who turns out to be a young woman.

The Missing Partner — Opps! The greatest sleuth in Victorian England goes missing, leaving Vic to rescue him, a suffragette, and about 100 servants. Not to mention an eviscerating cat. Yes, let’s not mention the cat.

A Right to Love — A Romantic spin off from the Adventures of Xavier & Vic. The gypsy pirate Jacko falls in love with a compromised lady of high society.

The Mesmerist — The Mesmerist can control people from afar and make them murder for her. Worse yet, Xavier Thorn has fallen under her spell.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT

LIZA O'CONNOR

Investigate these sites:

Liza's Blog and Website | Facebook | Twitter | Google +

#NewRelease - Wolf's Song by Taryn Kincaid (@TarynKincaid), a @DecadentPub #Shifter #PNR

I've teased you with one excerpt from Taryn Kincaid's new shifter romance. Now that Wolf's Song is about to go live, here's another sneak peak to whet your appetite. Without further ado, I'll let my lovely guest take over. 

---

Decadent Publishing’s new shifter romance series, Black Hills Wolves, debuted in January! All the books are stand-alone, but it’s a multi-authored shared world, created by Rebecca Royce, who knows a thing or two about wolves and romance! She started the ball rolling with Wolf’s Return, about the new alpha returning to the Black Hills pack his father has nearly destroyed. I’m so proud to be a part of the line, with Wolf’s Song, the fourth book, releasing January 30, 2015 and available for pre-order now!

~Taryn

Pre-Order at 
Amazon: 
US | Canada|  UK | Australia  
Kobo | iBooks

Wolf's Song

by Taryn Kincaid

Ten years ago, visions of death and the babble of lupine voices in his head, drove lone wolf Brick Northridge to challenge his cruel and greedy pack alpha. Beaten by the alpha’s thugs and banished from the pack, Brick lives a life of seclusion in a mountain cabin in the Black Hills.

Born into a rival clan of feline shifters, skinwalker Summer McCoy, in her guise as a raven, watches Brick from afar, giving him back a reason to live through her sweet songs and special gifts.

But when her clan attempts to tear them apart and threatens the pack that banished Brick so many years before, will their love be strong enough to withstand the forces bent on their destruction?

Excerpt

Summer McCoy perched in the uppermost branches of her special Ponderosa pine, in raven guise, engaging in her favorite pastime, spying on the lone wolf chopping wood below. Two days’ worth of whiskers shadowed his rigid jaw. She loved when he forgot—or didn’t bother—to shave. Scruffy stubble suited him.

The sun beat down on the back of his bronzed neck and shone on his hair, the color of roasted coffee, a shade lighter than the dark shadow that charcoaled his face.

She fluffed her feathers in anticipation. Take your shirt off, Brick. She’d heard the giant werebear, Gee, call him that name a decade ago. He’d made some joke about a wall and the hardness of the male’s head. But Brick hadn’t laughed back then. Not ever.

He’d fascinated her from the moment he’d arrived in the glade, bruised and battered. Once she’d learned his name, she’d treasured it, taking pleasure from repeating it often. Secretly, of course. Unwrapping the syllable frequently to admire its radiance in the privacy of her tree house, the way a woman wearing pearls against her warm skin enhanced their luminosity and iridescence.

Now, as if he’d heard her silent urging, he complied with her plea, shrugging out of the plaid flannel and flinging it onto a tree stump. Her beak opened as she sucked in breath. Sweat glistened on his torso, glazing rippling pecs and abs, shoulders broad enough to span the Badlands. A huge, incredible specimen of masculinity. Thick biceps flexed as he wielded the ax. Her heart beat faster than a hummingbird’s wings. Heat licked her.

ABOUT TARYN KINCAID

Taryn Kincaid is a former award-winning reporter and columnist, covering everything from fires and homicides, to corrupt politicians and hero dogs. Nowadays, she haunts courthouses (in least paranormal way).

She is the author of the Sleepy Hollow series--LIGHTNING,THUNDER,FROST,HEAT WAVE and IN FROM THE COLD--sexy paranormal romances for Decadent Publishing's popular 1Night Stand series; BLIZZARD, a short erotic romance for Decadent's The Edge line; HEALING HEARTS, a Regency romance from Carina Press, and SLEEPY HOLLOW DREAMS, an erotic paranormal romance from The Wild Rose Press. Books 1-4 of her Sleepy Hollow series, plus Blizzard, have been compiled in the SLEEPY HOLLOW edition, available in paperback and digital formats. 

Coming January 30, 2015, WOLF’S SONG, a sexy paranormal romance for Decadent Publishing's new Black Hills Wolves shifter line. And coming February 24, 2015 from Fated Desires Publishing, IF YOU CAN'T STAND THE HEAT, a contemporary foodie romance.

Visit her at TarynKincaid.com or the Dream Voyagers blog, as well as Twitter, Facebook and Goodreads.

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#WriteTip - What is Your Character’s Weakness? by @HaleyWhitehall, Author of a New #CivilWar #PNR

Haley Whitehall has a brand new paranormal romance out, just in time for Valentine's Day. In addition to snagging an excerpt from Civil War Valentine, I also convinced her to give me a writing tip. I had quite a bit of fun making a graphic for this one.

What is Your Character’s Weakness?

by Haley Whitehall

What is your character’s weakness?

Civil War Valentine was my first venture into writing paranormal romance. I have found that with paranormal characters it is easy to fall into the Superman trap. Superman was all powerful and his only weakness was Kryptonite which nullified his special abilities. So really Superman was still too powerful for his own good.

When characters are too powerful it can make it harder for readers to relate to them. We’re human, right? It can also make writing conflict into your story difficult. If your character knows ahead of time the bad guys are coming because of his telepathy and with his super strength, super speed, and quick healing abilities can easily defend himself and his love interest then there isn’t much of a story.

For my first attempt at a paranormal character I chose a ghost: Civil War soldier Elliot Lowery. Ghosts have many natural limitations. Not to mention they used to be mortal so I didn’t have to get inside the head of another creature! Not sure if I’m ready for that yet. For my ghost I just had to choose which limitations to give him and how he was going to overcome them.

You can see how I managed this by reading Civil War Valentine.

Buy Links  
Amazon | Amazon UK | B&N | Smashwords | ARe

Civil War Valentine

by Haley Whitehall

Charlie Bristol comes to Seattle to set up a traveling Valentine’s Day exhibit. The director of the museum surprises her with a package of Civil War valentines from an anonymous donor. She is touched by the heartfelt messages. Does such powerful love still exist?

During a nap she dreams she's alive during the Civil War and meets Elliot Lowery, the author of the valentines who mistakes her for his fiancée Charlotte. She and Elliot negotiate the murky waters of wartime romance. When she wakes she’s still under the dream's spell and Valentine’s Day love is in the air. Can love work some miracle time and death cannot overcome?

Civil War Valentine is a sweet holiday romance 9000+ word short story.

Excerpt

He stepped through the door, the heat from his muscular frame making her heart race. His eyes swept her body, pausing at her breasts before perusing lower. “That is sure a salacious dress you’re wearing,” he said, a glint in his eye. “It is the right color, though.”

It wasn’t that short. “This is one of my favorite dresses. It has long sleeves…” She glanced down and stopped abruptly. Of course this dress would seem risqué to a man from the 1860s. A blush crept up her cheeks. Why hadn’t her dream fixed that glaring detail?

“It looks more like a nightgown,” he said, his eyes heating.

Well that wouldn’t do. “Give me a minute. I’ll go change.” After she was properly attired, she could enjoy the company of her tall, dark mystery soldier. Charlie headed into the hallway. “Stir the stew,” she called over her shoulder. She didn’t want their Valentine Day’s meal to accidentally burn.

Where was the bedroom? She opened the first door she came to and saw a small bed and a chest of drawers. Lying on the bed was a burgundy and white checkered skirt and matching bodice. It was very feminine. She held up the bodice and looked in the mirror above the chest of drawers. She’d always liked to play dress up when she was a kid. She’d acted in a few plays when she was in school. This evening she was playing the part of a Civil War lady. She might as well enjoy it.

About Haley Whitehall

Haley Whitehall lives in Washington State where she enjoys all four seasons and the surrounding wildlife. She writes historical fiction and historical romance set in the 19th century U.S. When she is not researching or writing, she plays with her cats, watches the Western and History Channels, and goes antiquing. She is hoping to build a time machine so she can go in search of her prince charming. A good book, a cup of coffee, and a view of the mountains make her happy. Visit Haley’s website at http://haleywhitehall.com.

Haley loves to connect with readers. You can find her here: 

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