My adventure in Santiago and Buenos Aires

Jenna Ives and I are back from our month-long adventure in Chile and Argentina. I’ll let her tell you all about her tango lessons and the Rolling Stones shows, but I most enjoyed seeing the sights and meeting 22 relatives I never knew existed!

The highlight of the trip for me was definitely Buenos Aires. A big city with a very long history (founded in the 1500’s) and with such drama! Spanish, English, French influences, military dictatorships and now democracy.

Did you know Buenos Aires features the widest avenue in the world? At over 300 feet wide, 9 de Julio Avenue has six lanes going in each direction. The name honors Argentina's Independence Day, July 9, 1816.
















One of my favorite things during our time there was visiting La Recoleta Cemetery.














In the middle of Buenos Aires, it is literally a city of the dead, with wall-to-wall mausoleums set like apartment buildings along perfectly laid-out streets and avenues. 
















I went primarily because Eva Peron is buried here in a very modest mausoleum where people still leave flowers on the door even 60+ years after her death.







But there is so much more to see! Like this monument, a young woman's grave (Luz Maria Garcia Velloso). Her crypt is marble, and there's a statue carved of her lying on top with long, flowing hair, obviously a beauty. It has an actual stained glass roof and is completely open in the front, so you can literally reach in and touch her crypt. Beautiful, if a little creepy.























There's an urban legend about Luz Maria, who died of leukemia at the age of 15. Men walking near Recoleta Cemetery reported an encounter with a young woman dressed completely in white. The story goes that this woman would accompany them to a bar, get a chill then ask to borrow their jacket. Next she would accidentally stain it with whatever they were drinking and take the jacket with her when they said goodnight. The following day, the man contacts her mother to get the jacket back, and the mother explains that the young woman is dead! He then goes to the cemetery and finds his jacket draped over the marble-carved effigy. [shiver]

La Recoleta visit aside, the other highlight of my trip was meeting almost two dozen of my long-lost relatives! It seems my great-grandfather remarried after his first wife died and moved his second family to Buenos Aires. The relatives threw me a big party and cooked tons of local specialties…Argentine asado and empanadas… and welcomed me with open arms. It was five hours of love and laughter, despite the language barrier. Luckily, hugs and kisses need no translation!

How about you? Ever take a vacation that affected you so profoundly you’ll remember it forever? Please share!

Leigh
www.leighcourt.com


Cover Wars Contest!!

SEAL Wolf Hunting
SEAL Wolf Hunting
6eead-cougar27smateTwo of my covers are up for a vote if anyone wishes to drop by and vote for them. Much thanks!!!
FAVORITE BOOK COVERS CONTEST ~ SEMI-FINALS
AND, I finished writing Loving the Silver Wolf!!!
I am still rereading it one more time, finding a few loose ends I need to tie up, but it’s done otherwise! I also have edits to do on A Very Jaguar Christmas by Mar 2, Loving the Silver Wolf is due Mar 1, and I have to do a new longer synopsis for Billionaire in Wolf’s Clothing by Feb 22. So no time to celebrate yet!!!
How will I celebrate? Start a new promised book!!!!
And having fun with a macro shot of a daffodil!
puppies and micro shots of daffodils 029 (640x427)
Have a great day.
Terry
“Giving new meaning to the term alpha male where fantasy is reality.”
Connect with Terry Spear:
Wilde & Woolly Bears http://www.celticbears.com

Guest: Eliza Knight + Giveaway!

Eliza Knight is an award-winning and USA Today bestselling indie author of sizzling historical romance and erotic romance. Under the name E. Knight, she pens rip-your-heart-out historical fiction. While not reading, writing or researching for her latest book, she chases after her three children. In her spare time (if there is such a thing…) she likes daydreaming, wine-tasting, traveling, hiking, staring at the stars, watching movies, shopping and visiting with family and friends. She lives atop a small mountain with her own knight in shining armor, three princesses and one very naughty puppy.



Q: Welcome, Eliza! Please tell us about your latest release. Do you have a review you could share with us?

A: I’m so thrilled for this anthology to be released! I had a blast working with Kris, Vonda and Jennifer, and the link between the stories with the dagger was fun to follow. My story, Taken by the Highlander, follows the journey and Rose and Malcolm. Rose and Malcolm were first introduced to us first in my Stolen Bride series, and their story is 2.5 in my Conquered Bride series. Here’s a little bit about the story:

 

1306 - A week before Lady Rose Munro is to wed a neighboring laird, she is abducted on the road by a wicked and dangerously handsome stranger. Highland warrior, Malcolm Montgomery has been ordered by King Robert the Bruce to steal Rose and her son from the suspected traitor she is about to marry—gifting him with an ancient and much sought after dagger as payment. Rose shouldn’t trust her captor. Shouldn’t feel her body heat at his simple touch, or allow him to press his fervent lips to hers… Malcolm shouldn’t be seducing the woman he is sworn to protect. Shouldn’t desire her, for she’s not meant to be his… Succumbing to passion threatens them both, and falling in love is absolutely not an option.

 

Here’s what one reviewer had to say!

“Eliza writes another spectacular tale which never surprises me as I have been reading her since her debut book. You can't help but fall in love with her neck break paced stories, lovable characters, or her descriptive rich beautiful Scottish settings. I love how she weaves famous historical figures in her stories too. Another exceptional story by this multi talented author!” ~Barb

 
Q: I loved Taken by the Highlander! What inspired this story?

A: When we met Rose a few years ago in The Highlander’s Lady, she was experiencing the worst moment of her life. Her husband had just been murdered and she was nine months pregnant trying to escape her enemies. From that moment, I always thought she deserved her own love story, but as I traveled through the various books in the Stolen Bride series, I never found a hero for her until I met Malcolm. The Conquered Bride series is all about more experienced heroines—they’ve either been married or had lovers before. This was the perfect place for Rose to finally get her happy ending, and why not with a serial bachelor and warrior? I had fun putting these two together.

Q: As you know, I love it when the heroines have experience. What is the story behind the story?

A:  There are many. :) Scotland is rife with unrest. The English want to conquer, their military leader William Wallace is dead, there are traitors in their midst. I love to add this sort of angst to my stories, and why not toss in a traitor who just so happens to have engaged himself to my heroine? Enter my hero, sent on a mission to abduct the heroine for her own safety. Within this story, you will also find an ancient dagger. The fun part about this is it travels through each of the stories in the anthology, over centuries. I loved that we all got to portray it in different ways. My hero was given the dagger as payment for his service to the Scottish King, Robert the Bruce. In the end, the dagger is mounted above the hero and heroine’s bed, and you don’t find out what happened to it until you reach the next story.

Q: That's fantastic! Why do you write romance?

A: I write romance because I LOVE love stories. I love watching/experiencing two people falling in love. I enjoy working through their barriers, overcoming obstacles and that sigh of relief and a pleased smile at the end when it all works out. Romance feels good. It leaves us satisfied and happy. I like that feeling and I like sharing it with readers. I always add in some adventure and mystery to my stories, too, because I want my readers on the edge of their seats!

Q: What do you enjoy most about writing?

A: What I enjoy most about writing is seeing everything fall into place. Seeing it flow, and experiencing the character’s stories right along with the reader.

Q: How did your story’s setting impact your plot or characters?

A: Very much! Setting to me is a secondary character. I do a lot of research, and always have a lot of pictures up while I’m writing so I can see where the characters are.

Q: Why did you choose your setting and why was it perfect for your book?

A: Scotland is the setting for most of my series. As far as castles go, they all tie in to each other, and the world I’ve created in both the Stolen and Conquered Bride series. Kildrummy happens to be where Robert the Bruce was during the time period, so it was the rightful ending place for my hero and heroine to travel to.

Q: Which of your characters is most like you? Least like you? And why?

A: Every character of mine has a little piece of me in them. A quirk, a like, a dislike, a talent, a flaw, a strength, a weakness, you get the point!

Q: How do you choose names for your characters?

A: I choose names in a number of ways. All of my names are typically Scottish, and many of them have meanings that represent the characters. But sometimes, the names just come to me and I have to go with it.

Q: Did you choose the title of your book and if so how did you do it?

A: Yes, I always choose the titles of my books and I try to make them represent what the book is about. Taken by the Highlander is literally what happens. Rose is out for a ride, when Malcolm appears and plucks her from her horse, taking her away.

Q: Where is your favorite place in the world?

A: Besides Scotland, my house!

Q: Please tell us about your favorite character in the book.

A: How can I choose? My favorites are Rose and Malcolm of course! Rose is a mama bear, having protected her child for nine years, she’s angry that Malcolm would dare to put her child in harm’s way (he was in fact trying to save the child, but she doesn’t see it quite that way). But beyond being a mother, she’s a woman, a lover, a friend. She’s strong, intelligent, suspicious, but also soft and warm. Malcolm is fierce warrior, but he’s also got a soft spot. I love heroes with a shell of armor, but a loyal loving heart.

Q: Which element of story creation is your favorite?

A: Characters! All of my stories are character driven. I follow their journeys and see where it leads me. Discovering who they are, what they want out of life, and helping them to achieve those wants, overcoming any obstacles, is a complete joy.

Q: Which element of this story was the hardest for you?

A: The hardest for me was getting Rose to trust Malcolm. Sure, he says he’s come to rescue her, but how can she know for certain? How can she trust him?

Q: What inspires you? What motivates you?

A: I am inspired by history, by current events, by people. I am motivated by the characters inside my head begging to have their stories told.

Q: Please tell us about your other books.

A: Taken by the Highlander is book 2.5 in my Conquered Bride series, a spin-off of my Stolen Bride series.

Q: When did you know you wanted to be an author?

A: When I was in kindergarten and all I did was draw princesses, castles, horses and knights.

Q: What is your writing process or method?

A: First I have to know their names and where they live. I start to think about the characters, but I don’t really get a chance to know them until I write the first three chapters of the book. Then I take a moment to really examine them and their story. How will it unfold? What will happen? Where do I want it to end? I write a rough draft, and then I rewrite the rough draft, filling in all the blank spaces, emotion, description. Once the draft is complete, I read through it two more times—once on my computer and once printed out, then its off to my editor and critique partners.

Q: Please describe your journey to publication.

A: When I was in 3rd grade, I wrote a short story that was published in a book my school put out. After that I continued to write, sending crayon-written query letters to publishers which were ultimately rejected. In 2008, I received my first contract. Since then, I’ve had nearly fifty stories published.

Q: What was the most important thing you learned (the thing that made all the difference) just before you made your first sale?

A: Write what you love. Readers can tell when you aren’t in love with your work.

Q: What do you wish you’d known before becoming published?

A: Being an author isn’t only about writing a good story. There is a lot of business-y type things I have to accomplish each day, and its not as much fun, lol.

Q: Can you share with us “the call” story?

A: I’ve had many “call” stories from various publishers, but I think I’ll share my the call from myself. In 2010, I decided to take a leap of faith in myself and publish some backlist short stories that I received rights back on. They did fairly well, but they weren’t new material. Then, my good friend, Vonda Sinclair, published her own original work. This was very encouraging to me, and because of her courage and savvy, I too decided it was time to open my own publishing company and work for myself. Its been a terrifying, exciting and satisfying journey so far!

Q: Thank you! I'm so glad you found that encouraging! Why did you choose the self-publishing route? Do you love it or what would you do differently?

A: I wanted more control. I wanted to write more and I wanted to write books that I wanted to write. I like having the power to change a cover, put a book on sale, or make any other changes. I like taking a series where I want it to go, and keeping the titles I want for my stories. Its liberating. I do love it! I love that with how quickly the publishing industry changes, I can roll with it.

Q: Do you have any advice for unpublished authors?

A: Don’t give up! Success doesn’t happen overnight. It happens with time, dedication and patience.

Q: What’s next for you?

A: Book 3 in the Conquered Bride series releases next month!

Q: Would you like to ask readers a question?

A: Yes! What makes you fall in love with a hero? What makes you read a story over and over again?

 
Prize for one commenter: I’ll give away an ebook copy of the first book in the Conquered Bride series, Conquered by the Highlander.

Thank you so much for being our special guest today, Eliza!!

Visit Eliza at http://www.elizaknight.com or her historical blog History Undressed: www.historyundressed.com. Visit her on Facebook, or Twitter: @ElizaKnight. If you’d like to receive news about releases and sales, visit Eliza’s website to subscribe to her occasional newsletter.

 

Release Day: Captured by a Celtic Warrior!

I'm happy to say our anthology, Captured by a Celtic Warrior, has been released!!



Bestselling and award-winning authors bring you four never-before-published novellas of searing passions that span the ages. Four fierce warriors from Ireland and Scotland... Four heroines determined to resist them... One dagger steeped in the blood and treachery of kings.

The King’s Outlaw, by Kris Kennedy

1193 - Outlawed and on the run, Tadhg O’Malley has one mission: escape with the valuable dagger of Jerusalem before a brutal nobleman hunts him down. Trapped and almost cornered, his plan is simple: kidnap the innocent merchant with the long hair and complicated eyes. Igniting a raging passion is not part of the plan. Neither is falling in love. Both endanger their lives, his mission, and with it, the kingdom.

Taken by the Highlander, by Eliza Knight

1306 - A week before Lady Rose Munro is to wed a neighboring laird, she is abducted on the road by a wicked and dangerously handsome stranger. Highland warrior, Malcolm Montgomery has been ordered by King Robert the Bruce to steal Rose and her son from the suspected traitor she is about to marry—gifting him with an ancient and much sought after dagger as payment. Rose shouldn’t trust her captor. Shouldn’t feel her body heat at his simple touch, or allow him to press his fervent lips to hers… Malcolm shouldn’t be seducing the woman he is sworn to protect. Shouldn’t desire her, for she’s not meant to be his… Succumbing to passion threatens them both, and falling in love is absolutely not an option. 

Stolen by a Highland Rogue, by Vonda Sinclair 

1619 - When the infamous dagger is stolen from Highland chief, Dugald MacKerrick, he will do whatever it takes to reclaim it, even abduct the wife of the aristocratic thief, but what if his beautiful French hostage isn't who he thinks she is? Deep in the rugged Scottish Highlands, Dugald discovers not only is his captive, Camille Bouchard, more than he expected, so is the passion raging between them, threatening everything he thought mattered to him.


Her Wicked Highlander, by Jennifer Haymore

1816 - Maxwell White is the newest member of the Highland Knights, an elite mercenary group sworn to protect the Crown. His first assignment is to keep independent and spirited Aila MacKerrick safe from a madman determined to get his hands on a treasure she unwittingly possesses. But Aila isn’t going to simply allow some Highlander—as handsome as he might be—to capture her and whisk her away to an abandoned castle. She’ll fight to the death for her freedom...as soon as she rids herself of this pesky, insistent desire that makes her far more inclined to run into his arms than away from them....

Here's an excerpt from my story, Stolen by a Highland Rogue:


Camille Bouchard sat in the common room of the White Ram Inn, eating her midday meal, even though it was well past noon. When the large, commanding Highlander in a belted plaid had strode in earlier, bold as the brass studs in his leather armor, she had almost choked on her roasted lamb. Sacrebleu! What a striking and gorgeous man he was, with long hair, dark as midnight. On second glance, she saw that his green eyes were angry as a stormy sea. What had riled him?
Not glancing her way, he sat at a nearby table and was, at present, arguing quietly with a beautiful and well-dressed, dark-haired lady. Camille wondered at their relationship until the man called her "sister." That explained their slight resemblance.
Although Camille could not understand much of what was being said since they were trying to keep their voices low, she found she enjoyed listening to the Highlander's deep, rumbling voice.
Camille's cousin, Angelique Drummagan, Countess of Draughon, had married a Highlander the year before. After a very rocky start, their passionate marriage had turned into a happy one and they were expecting their first child in a few weeks. Camille had come to Perth with a couple of servants to shop for the supplies Angelique would need upon the arrival of their new babe.
Camille sent another quick glance toward the brawny Highlander at the other table. In truth, she could hardly keep her eyes off him. Short beard stubble darkened and defined his stubborn jawline. His shoulders were as broad as one of the distant Cairngorms. His proud and confident bearing told her he was someone of importance, perhaps a leader. A chief? His clothes did not look new or expensive, however. Mayhap a war leader? Of a certainty, he appeared to be a strong warrior.
She glanced down at his plaid-covered thighs and muscular calves, sprinkled with dark hair. Good heavens, how she loved Highland clothing customs which showed off a man's fine form. Her mouth suddenly going dry, she took a large sip of spiced wine.
The Highlander's sister shoved to her feet, her mouth dropping open. "I cannot believe what a brute you are being about this, Dugald!"
His fist clenched upon the table. "I am most serious and determined in this," he growled.
With a huff, the woman stormed up the stairs.
Parbleu! What had the argument been about?
The Highlander—Dugald—arose and, with angry strides, left the building. Was he truly a brute as his sister had said? Why should Camille care? Oui, she had been searching for a Scotsman of her own for many months, and he was a most attractive man. But she had no need for a brute.

On SALE this week for only .99 cents!! (Next week the price will go up to 4.99.)

Thank you!!
Vonda
www.vondasinclair.com

Surfer Bear and Cover Reveal!!!

BillionaireWolfClothing_CVRStormy seascape. Ao Nang KrabiSometimes you’ve got to just have a little fun. And Surfer Bear was cold in Daytona Beach, so it was definitely sweater weather!
SEAL Wolf in Too Deep (Heart of the Wolf – Book 18) by Terry Spear
Publication Date: 02/02/2016
Publisher: Sourcebooks
Imprint: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Pages: 352
ISBN-10: 1492621838
ISBN-13: 978-1492621836
I’m giving this one 5 out of 5 apples from my book bag!
Terry Spear is an author that I connected with early on my adventure with this blog. Some of her books were among the very first books I reviewed and also some of the first paranormal romance books I had ever read. To say I fell in love with this series and Terry’s writing is probably an understatement. Not to sound too trite, but reading the Heart of the Wolf series changed my perspective on what I enjoyed reading in a profound way. I love romance and I love mysteries and Spear’s books always have that in spades. Her attention to detail in both human and wolf behavior sets her writing apart from the ‘pack’. I cannot recommend this author and series enough.
http://debsbookbag.blogspot.com/2016/02/review-seal-wolf-in-too-deep.html
Have a great day!
Terry
“Giving new meaning to the term alpha male where fantasy is reality.”
Connect with Terry Spear:
Wilde & Woolly Bears http://www.celticbears.com

Buenos Dias from South America!

Having a wonderful time… wish you were here!

Santiago was amazing, and today we’re in Buenos Aires. I’m not able to upload any pictures for you to see, but will definitely have some next month (and Leigh Court might have some by the end of the month).

One thing we didn’t expect is how HOT it would be here! February is summertime, but at least that leaves some room in our suitcases (with fewer clothes to pack) so we can bring back souvenirs J

The people are friendly, the sights are amazing and the food is delicious. Off now to learn how to tango in La Boca!

Adios amigos,
Jenna


The Big V

It's a comin'! Valentine's Day is right around the corner, and I'm really looking forward to it. However, probably not for the reason you think. Don't get me wrong; I love getting romantic with my guy. I love wining and dining with him because I love being with him, but engaging in these fun holiday traditions appeals to more than my lover's heart; it appeals to my writer's soul as well. What better time to people watch than on the most erotic and romantic day of the year?

As a writer, I love to watch people and wonder what their stories are. I get lots of ideas for stories for just observing what goes on around me. On Valentine's Day, it's not unusual if we go out to eat to wait at least an hour, and that's an hour that I get to watch the human mating dance in full force, the desire to engage in one basic instinct--romance--being fueled by another--hunger. I've seen people on first dates, couples on their 50th Valentine's Day, and everything in between. Families, couples, and, yes, even singles, venture out to eat on this most loving of holidays, and I get the benefit of it.

I'm very unobtrusive. No one really knows I'm eavesdropping, and I try not to stare. I just listen and make up stories in my head to fill in the blanks. I used to feel bad about it, but then I figured there's someone out there like me probably watching and listening to my Valentine's Day adventure, and so it all evens out.

Whether you're observing others or being observed yourself, I hope this Valentine's Day brings you much joy and love.

Happy Reading!


Guest: Kris Kennedy + Giveaway!

Kris Kennedy is an award-winning, New York and self-published historical romance author who writes high adventure, super-sexy historical romance.  She also writes scorching hot contemporary romance under the pseudonym, Bella Love.

Q: Welcome, Kris! Thank you for being our special guest today! Please tell us about your latest release.
A: I’m so excited about THE KING’S OUTLAW, and the whole anthology, CAPTURED BY A CELTIC WARRIOR.  It has four, entirely new, complete historical romances by me and fab historical romance authors Jennifer Haymore, Eliza Knight, and Ms. Vonda Sinclair herself! 
We each wrote a sexy story with a captured theme, an Irish or Scottish hero, and an abduction.  We also each wove the story around a legendary dagger that has, or will, affect the lives of all the heroes and heroines.
Q: I enjoyed writing a novella to fit into this anthology so much! What inspired your story?
A: Ummm….Celtic warriors! J   A captured heroine.  Outlaws.  The Crusades.  A hard, desperate man with a questionable mission, and the innocent, fiery woman who stops him in his tracks.
THE KING’S OUTLAW took its time in coming to me.  Over the past year, in pursuit of this Captured story, I wrote 5 other stories, 100 pages and more of each, all intended for the anthology, but none were right.  I kept writing and knowing I wasn’t writing the Captured story.
Partly, that was because there’s a jeweled dagger that’s central to all the stories, and since my story was appearing first, I knew I wanted to set up a compelling, exciting ‘story’ for it.  But I also had to keep the storyline relatively tight—no sprawling 400 pg epics here!    And of course, it had to be über-sexy. All within a ‘captured’ theme.
I wrote and wrote, but kept writing around the story, until I wrote what is now the opening scene with Tadhg, the Irish hero of THE KING’S OUTLAW.  He’s on the docks in a grubby little French seaport, trying to get out of town before he’s captured by the villain, and, boom, the story took off.
I guess I was waiting for hero to show up and kick someone’s arse.  And then save someone’s arse.  The heroine’s, more specifically. J
I really loved the challenge of this story, and when it came together, it came together fast and tight. Really fun!
Q: I love the story you ended up with! How do you choose names for your characters?
A: Names are vital for a lot of writers, myself included!  Get the right name, the story can come together.  But if you get wrong one, the character can sort of…hang back.  It’s like they’re standing in the wings, but they didn’t hear their name called, so they never step forward onto the story ‘stage’.
Oh, Creativity, you crazy thing, you.
That’s as true for villains as for heroes and heroines. The wrong villain name can make the bad guy go all wishy-washy.  Not what you want in a bad guy! 
In the process of writing one of my other books, DEFIANT, the story languished for a long time, lying flat on the page, and the heroine was so ‘meh’ it hurt, until the hero suddenly called her ‘Eva’ in one scene—out of the blue!—and suddenly (another boom) there it was, the story.   Everything changed after that.  I rewrote everything but the word ‘the.’  ;)  All because my heroine showed up via her name. (Many thanks to Jamie Lost, the hero in DEFIANT, for seeing her so much more clearly than I.)
In my Captured story, THE KING’S OUTLAW, the hero’s name came to me at once when he was on the docks (see above :) ).  In fact, I typed his name a few times before I realized I’d actually named him!   Still, I toyed with renaming him, because I worried ‘Tadhg’ might be too clunky, hard to mentally pronounce, and thereby pull readers out of the story.
But every time I tried to change his name, he disappeared. Stepped off the stage.  So, he won.  Tadhg he remained.  (fyi: it’s pronounced /Tay-g/ J )
Q: That is fascinating. I also find the character, when I'm writing, must have the right name. Did you choose the title of your book and if so how did you do it?
A:  My buddy, author Erin Quinn, suggested it!  I was toying with The Outlaw or The King’s Man, and she suggested a middle ground: THE KING’S OUTLAW.
Q: Where is your favorite place in the world?
A: Writing when it’s flowing.  :) Seriously, writing feels like a physical space to inhabit, a creative well, or a cave?, or…I’m not sure of the proper metaphor, but it’s definitely a ‘place’ I can enter when I’m deep in the story, and it’s flowing.
Q: Which element of story creation is your favorite?
A: They’re layers, and while I’m doing any one of them, I love it the most. J
Characters are vital—they’re the life-blood of a romance—but characters only show up in the midst of a ‘story world,’ by responding to the events & challenges of that world, so plot is essential too. Or maybe I should say, stakes are important.  Whatever is happening to the character, (i.e. the plot) has to matter A LOT…to them.
Sitting in front of a TV eating nachos is not going to build a compelling heroine, not unless she’s been trying to get off nachos. (Which can be hard to do….) 
You need someone to break down the door and kidnap her (or the nachos) to get ‘compelling.’   Or you need the phone to ring and someone tell her news that wrecks—or hints at the coming wreckage—of her life as she knows it.  Something must launch her into situations she’s unable to avoid, situations that require actions & thoughts she’s never thought herself capable of before.  
And for that, you’ve got to have the right tests. Situations that push her past her existing limits, that bring out the best—and the worst—in her.  That’s plot.
So, short story long…I love all the elements!
Q: Which element of this story was the hardest for you?
A: Once I found the hero Tadhg in THE KING’S OUTLAW, it all came together.   Up until then…I’d say figuring out how I was going to get the backstory in was a big struggle.  It was a momentous backstory, and for a long time, I couldn’t figure out how to present it, and still keep the story moving forward, inside a tight timeline. 
Q: What is your writing process or method?
A: Oh…talking about my writing process would be a bad idea.  And by ‘bad,’ I mean ‘horribly embarrassing.’ 
It’s possible I’ve been an experiment for the Powers That Be: “Hey guys, I have a fun idea. Let’s design the most inefficient creative being that’s ever existed, k?  Winner gets a beer!” 
All I can say is, I hope it was a good beer.
Q: What’s next for you?
A: A new series, CONQUERORS AND OUTLAWS!  Eee!!  They’ll all be scorching hot historical romances with dangerous, determined heroes and the women they can’t avoid, upend, or, in the end, resist. 
THE KING’S OUTLAW is the first. 


Next (and available for pre-order now!) is CLAIMING HER, a scorching hot Elizabethan-set story that takes place beyond the Pale in Ireland.  Aodh Mac Con is a tattooed, conquering hero bent on seduction, and all his attention is bent on Katarina, the heroine who everyone has seriously underestimated.
CLAIMING HER is up for preorder at Amazon and iTunes/iBooks, and coming soon everywhere else.
And I’m also at work on a re-release of another one of my earlier books, DEFIANT.  I’m editing and honing it, and it should be available in a few weeks!
My newsletter will ensure you get all the latest news and deals, so sign up now: http://eepurl.com/krTUb
I also plan to get back to writing some of my contemporary romances, after I release the next few historicals. Yes, I write contemps too!

The first contemp romance I wrote, SPIN, was intended solely as an experiment, a straight-up sexy story, minimal plot, just sexy fun times, with a slightly damaged, albeit upbeat, heroine.  I got what I wanted.
The second, OUTSIDE THE LINES, definitely has more meat on its plot bones. Sort-of a mystery, sort-of a thriller, still lots of sexytimes with a seriously alpha businessman hero. 
I plan to write more of the second type, because it was a lot of fun!  And I’ll “meat-up” the mystery/thriller angles in future stories.  Those books are under the Bella Love pseudonym (http://bellalovebooks.com/)
Q: Would you like to ask readers a question?
A: Oh, yes!  Here’s a ‘what if…’ I’ll give you an excerpt from THE KING’S OUTLAW, and you tell me what YOU would do next!    
Setup
Magdalena has just confronted a corrupt town official and been saved from his wrath by a mysterious stranger.  Things seem to have taken a turn for the better, but Magdalena is about to discover the true consequences of joining up with outlaws: they might do anything. Anything at all.
Northern France, January, 1193
…Voices broke out from the other end of the quay.  They turned.  The reeve’s assistant and a few other men were coming up the quay, one looking even more officious than he. Following them were a few armed men.
Goddammit.
“Mother Mary,” she whispered.  “What more can go awry?”
Tadhg shared the query.
There was nothing for it; he made his decision in a heartbeat.  
Sliding his hands up her arms, he spun her and almost flung her up against the side of the nearest building, then reached up and tore off her headdress.
“Good God,” she cried.  Her hands flew up to capture the silky veil, but he already had it off and was tugging off her distinctive cloak next.
“Mon Dieu,” she gasped next, grappling for the cloak, but he’d already fisted it and the silky veil together in his hand, down by his hip.  He stretched out an arm and planted his palm on the wall, blocking her face from the visitors now hurrying down the quay.
“Kiss me,” he said.
Her shocked face stared up at him.  “I b-beg your pardon?”
“Kiss me, then run.”
“What?”
“If you kiss me, you’re a whore.  If you stand there staring, you’re a merchant with a pouch of stolen seals in her hand.”
A second’s pause, then she pushed up on her toes and pressed her lips to his.
Dizziness and heat swooped in like hunting birds for Magdalena, dispelling sense and reason and anything else that might have been of use to her at the moment.  She had barely touched her lips to his when he descended without mercy, his mouth hard and slanting.  There was no prelude, no warning, no kindness or care, no quarter given.  She was a whore and he was having her.
He played the ruse exceptionally well.
He plowed her open with teeth and tongue, explored the depths of her wet mouth with sinful abandon.  She could do nothing but cling to him, her hands around his neck, her head forced back, her spine cupped, her body…thrilling.
Madness. Madness, all.
The hand not holding her cloak and wimple closed around her hip and began to tug up her skirts.  She made a feeble attempt to stop him, but his grip grew fierce, and he yanked the gown up, dragged it up the side of her leg until she felt cool air on her shin and calf.
Her head spun as if she’d been twirled like a top.  Picked up by a bird and sent flying.
Her knees grew weak, but she did not break that kiss.  She could not.  He’d become a field of energy, the way metal filings pulled toward iron, or one drop of water clings to another.  She was affixed to his kiss, to his chest, which she’d somehow pressed up against, to his shoulders, which she’d somehow wrapped her arms around, to his tongue, which was tangled with hers, his hot male breath, his cunning male hand, his hard male knee now making all manner of incursions between her thighs, and she, she, reveling in it.
***

So, Reader, tell me…what do you do next?
One commenter will win either a copy of DEFIANT OR CLAIMING HER. (Winner's choice.) EVERYONE WHO ENTERS, PLEASE LEAVE SOME FORM OF YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS SO WE CAN CONTACT YOU IF YOU WIN. THANKS!

Please visit Kris at: http://kriskennedy.net

CAPTURED BY A CELTIC WARRIOR is coming out in a week, and you can preorder now, at a special preorder price of 99 cents! It is available at these online book retailers! 

SEAL Wolf in Too Deep Released!!


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Love spells danger for an alpha SEAL wolf and the woman who steals his heart in SEAL Wolf In Too Deep, a shifter romance from USA Today bestselling author Terry Spear. Get your copy today!

Amazon: http://amzn.to/1mZkmsN
Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/2033Mqk
iBooks: http://apple.co/1PKkYj5
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Even though the book is set in winter in Montana at a lake, wouldn't you love to be at the beach? I think that's where they're headed someday. :)
Terry
“Giving new meaning to the term alpha male where fantasy is reality.”
Connect with Terry Spear:
Wilde & Woolly Bears http://www.celticbears.com