Medieval & Highland Print Book Giveaway!

I'm participating in this amazing signed print book giveaway! If you love medieval and Highland books, this is the contest for you.

Win 18 signed paperbacks from your favorite authors!
Disclaimer: Entering to win will subscribe you to the participating author's newsletters. By entering to win you are giving your permission. Thank you.
If you're a big fan of Medieval/Highlander romance, then you're going to love this massive giveaway! I was honored to pair with these amazing authors, and I'm really excited to share this with you. Read on below to learn about each book.
The Fearless Highlander by Amy Jarecki
Conquering Passion by Anna Markland
Arucard by Barbara Devlin
Dance of Desire by Catherine Kean
The Baron’s Bounty by Elizabeth Rose
Highlander’s Ransom by Emma Prince
MacFarland’s Lass by Glynnis Campbell
Beauty and the Highlander by Hildie McQueen
When a Laird Loves a Lady by Julie Johnstone
Queen of Lost Stars by Kathryn Le Veque
The Irish Warrior by Kris Kennedy
Deception of a Highlander by Madeline Martin
Laiden’s Daugher by Suzan Tisdale
Highland Fate by Victoria Zak
My Notorious Highlander by Vonda Sinclair

Memorial Day Giveaway!

It's Memorial Day for all our US readers. My father and hubby are both veterans. both served in the Air Force. My dad served during the Korean War and my hubby was in Vietnam. We're fortunate they both came home and are still around to hug and say thanks to today.

Hubby is driving a fire truck in the local Memorial Day parade today and I'm...well, right now I'm at my computer writing a quick blog post before I get ready for a family picnic this afternoon.

How are you spending this Monday - whether you celebrate Memorial Day or not? Let me know in the comments below and I will choose one lucky person to win a free download of Chemistry, my most recent release!


Excerpt:


Daniel? Had she actually breathed his name like a sigh? Roxy straightened her shoulders and sat up in the chair. She’d almost acted like this was a real date. She’d almost let herself feel like this attraction could go somewhere.

“Hey, Doc. How about we get that dance lesson out of the way?”

He frowned. Probably confused by her change of attitude. Who could blame him?

“All right.”

Did he really sound disappointed?

“I’m afraid once I have a belly full of pasta, I won’t want to get up on the dance floor.”

Daniel held out his hand to her. “Miss Morgan, may I have this dance?”

She took his hand and let him pull her to her feet. “Um, yeah, but actually, I suppose it’s technically Mrs. Morgan.”

“You did say ex-husband, didn’t you?”

She nodded. “I’ve been meaning to change back to my maiden name, but I just haven’t gotten around to it. Though after tonight, I think I’m going to find the time.”

Why on earth were they talking about Todd? The warmth of Daniel’s hand on hers threatened to melt her into a puddle on the floor. The last thing she wanted to be thinking about was the ex-husband who had made her feel fat and unworthy.

This was her only chance to be in Daniel’s arms. All she wanted to think about right now was Daniel and the dance.

They stepped onto the little square of wood and finally she was in Daniel’s arms, right where she longed to be. Perry Como—or maybe it was Tony Bennett—serenaded them.

She tried to be so strong all the time. To be in control. Was it so wrong to lean on someone else, just for the length of an old love song?

Roxy closed her eyes and pretended they were the only two people in the city at the moment. She could forget about ex-husbands, homework and daily specials, and concentrate on the mood and the music and the man. She felt safe and warm in his arms in a way she never remembered feeling before.

Pressed up against Daniel’s hard body, the safe and warm feeling soon gave way to hot and dangerous sensations. They swayed to the music, their bodies rubbing, their thighs brushing, their breaths mingling.

His hands roamed over her back, stroking her, gathering her even closer to him. Her heart thudded in her chest, a frantic counter-rhythm to the soothing music surrounding them. Those tingles that danced in her body last night had taken flight and were now soaring through her veins.

She rubbed her cheek against his, the scraping of his jaw increasing the shocks of awareness running through her. She flattened her hands across his back and the heat radiating there warmed her to the center of her being.

Then his hands were in her hair, tangling in the strands, tickling her scalp. And, as if the sensations weren’t already overwhelming, he started teasing her ear with his lips, nibbling gently. He brushed his hips against hers, his arousal clearly evident.

She pressed back.

Roxy bit back a moan. What was she doing? How quickly she’d forgotten all her good intentions. The last thing she needed was a man who made her lose control.

If nothing else, she had to stay in control.

The song was winding down. The rest of the world started to come back into focus. Roxy relaxed her grip and stepped away from Daniel. She shoved a shaky hand through her hair.

“Well,” she said, grateful her voice didn’t quiver like her knees were. “That was very good. I guess you don’t need any dancing lessons.”

Daniel cupped his hand around the back of her head and didn’t let her retreat any further. The heat of his gaze pinned her as effectively as his hand did. Rosemary Clooney started singing and he pulled Roxy into his arms again. “I never said I needed dancing lessons.”

His breath was warm on her neck and she sighed as she sank against him. “From what you said earlier, I thought you didn’t dance.”

“I don’t usually like to.” He surprised her by spinning her out and bringing her back to tuck in against him. “I’ve changed my mind.”

“Oh?” She told herself she was breathless from the whirling, but she knew that wasn’t the reason.

“Mmm. I think dancing has become one of my favorite activities.”

“I like to dance too.” She rested her head on his shoulder and inhaled that unique Daniel scent again. Nice.

“So how long were you married?” he asked, so softly she almost didn’t realize he’d spoken.

“Seven long years.” She didn’t want to think about Todd when she was in Daniel’s arms, but since they were practically dirty dancing, she supposed he deserved to know. “I got married right out of high school. Pretty stupid.”

“I imagine you thought you were in love.”

“At the time I did. And Todd, well, he could be mighty persuasive when he wanted to be. Besides…” 
Roxy broke off. She really didn’t need to go there.

He rubbed his cheek against hers. “What?”

“I wanted to get out from under my mom’s thumb.” Talk about being young and naïve. “Like getting married to Todd gave me any more control over my life.”

She cleared her throat. That was probably more than she needed to say to Daniel. “And then I worked full-time so he could go to college and then get his law degree. What can I say? I was young and stupid.”

Daniel’s grip tightened on her back. It was obvious he could do the math. “So he let you put him through school and then divorced you?”

The song wasn’t over, but she stepped away, out of his arms. “Yeah, that’s about the size of it.”

“Damn.”

Roxy took a deep breath and let it out slowly. She’d wasted all the anger she was going to on Todd Morgan. And she sure didn’t want Dr. Daniel Jennings feeling sorry for her. “Well, I’d say I’m more than ready for that wine. Let’s drink a toast to the ex who finally got away.”

The wine was excellent, the pasta was delicious, and the conversation was light for the rest of the evening. They discussed course options and campus activities. He was easy to talk to, even though he had earned a doctorate and she barely had her high school diploma.

Her resolve slipped and it made her more than a little nervous. Daniel was a nice man, but he was looking for a woman to settle down with and she wasn’t going there again for years. Her stomach clenched at the thought of another woman wrapped up in his arms, another woman dirty dancing with him, but that was the only way it could be right now. He was a distraction and she couldn’t afford to be sidetracked right now.

Her next step was to find a good woman to give him the passion he’d been missing. It was a real shame it couldn’t be her.


Remember to comment on your Memorial Day plans for a chance at a free download of Chemistry!

Natasha
www.natashamoore.com

Memorial Day

Memorial Day - It's not just a 3 day weekend and a chance to barbecue with friends. The flags in this picture represent all the people from Massachusetts who've died in American wars. The display is on the Boston Common. It's truly a daunting number, and that's just from one small state. Imagine Texans represented like this. Of course, you can't see them all either in the photo. The flags stretch away on both sides. Volunteers plant all these flags. Pretty impressive.

Here's a sobering chart:
I had no idea that only 25,000 men died in the Revolutionary War (which is not a small number if you were one of them). But there weren't that many people in the colonies back then. I think I knew the Civil War had the greatest number of casualties. Imagine winning independence from Britain with 25,000 deaths and then killing over 600,000 less than a century later to keep the country intact. War is not only awful, but strange.

The Philippine-American War lasted for 14 years?!? Does anyone know what we were fighting for?


However, whatever you think about war, I believe we have to honor those that did their duty in one cause or another. I doubt they all wanted to be there (if any of them did) and yet they did it.


Please spare a thought or a prayer for those who are still in harm's way. It seems the demand for sacrifice will never end.

I don't want to be too maudlin, so here's a different view of the same garden that has all the flags.
Last, but not least, here is my favorite charity to help all military folks:


 




Happy Memorial Day Weekend!!!

storm 004 (640x427)storm 006 (640x427)
Storm Total Rainfall and Flood Reports
storms between night (640x427)I thought I had left a light on outside because all of a sudden, it was really light out at 8:30 pm, and then it stormed again.
More thunderstorms possible this afternoon. But in the meantime, sunny skies and look what I captured when I took the puppies out for a walk? A baby dragonfly.
blue dasher dragonfly (406x640)I think it’s a blue dasher.
baby blue dasher dragonfly (544x640)
Oh, oh, just saw daddy cardinal with TWO baby cardinals feeding them! I wondered if there were two of them. But they were on the patio and by the time I noticed them, I missed getting a picture of all 3 of them together. More later.
Okay, off to write. Have a super 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

The Priceless High of Being an Author

There’s nothing like the feeling of being a published author, and every time you release a new book, the excitement is just as breathtaking as the first time.

You had an idea, nurtured it for months (maybe years), grew it on your computer, and gave birth when you typed THE END. Then you send it out into the world, and hope for the best.

My new historical romance, Conqueror Vanquished, is a book like that. A book of my heart.




Here’s the blurb:

In 52 B.C., Rome has just conquered Gaul…

Leonidas Danae Vorenus, commander of Rome’s prestigious Sixth legion, is seriously wounded during an ambush in Gaul. Only one person can save his life, but she’s his sworn enemy.

Solange values every life, even if it’s a hated Roman one. Bound by her healer’s duty – and now by her new status as a subject of Rome – she is forced to tend Leonidas.

But the intimacy of physician and patient makes these two enemies reassess the reasons for their hatred, and discover an emotion just as strong….love.


Because love conquers all, right? That’s why a romance author writes!

I spent months researching the Roman army: how they fought, what they wore, what they ate, how they built their forts. That's because I think one of the most rewarding things about reading a historical romance is to actually learn something new or interesting.

And in Conqueror Vanquished, you will learn a lot. For instance, the Sixth Legion actually was in existence and fighting in Gaul in 52 B.C. Also, that its ‘standard’ really was a picture of a bull on a blood red flag. Fascinating stuff!

Here’s a short excerpt to set up the story:

Chapter One

Gaul 52 B.C.

The wound was deep.
Leonidas stared in momentary disbelief at the enemy spear lodged in his shoulder. The weapon had hit him with such force it had thrown him clear off his horse and buried itself deeply into his flesh.
Too deep.
And much too close to his heart.
Even now blood was pouring from the wound and seeping into the hard ground where he’d landed flat on his back with a bone-jarring crash. Gritting his teeth against the pain, he struggled to roll away from his frightened steed’s dangerous hooves and out of reach of the pounding feet of the men engaged in battle all around him.
He twisted to the left, but the long wooden shaft of the spear prevented him from rolling over far enough to be able to elbow himself up. He tried turning to the right but the battle raged mere inches away and he risked deeper injury if one of the men – either friend or foe – were to blindly trip over the spear’s shaft. Exhausted from just that small effort, he collapsed onto his back, put his right hand on the rough wood and tried desperately to pull the spear free. But he didn’t have enough strength – or leverage – and the resulting flood of pain made his vision swim and darken.
By all the gods, these Gauls were fierce fighters! Leonidas’ soldiers were well trained, more than able to hold a battle line, but they’d been ambushed while marching on the road to Gallia Lugdunensis. At the first sign of the enemy, his men had quickly closed ranks but these Gallic banshees fought ferociously, heedless of their own lives. They had overwhelmed Leonidas’ men with their wild strength. Now all around him was chaos.
Vercingetorix, the king of the Gauls, had surrendered to Julius Caesar a month ago, but still his defiant countrymen fought on. It was for that reason Leonidas was being sent to rout these final pockets of resistance and to hold and administer Gallia Lugdunensis for Caesar.
Instead, here he lay on the ground. Helpless. Defenseless. What an ignominious legacy to leave to the world. Leonidas Danae Vorenus, commander of Rome’s prestigious Legio VI Ferrata, most likely to be trampled to death.
No. I will not die like this.
Using his right hand, Leonidas yanked off his hammered metal helmet and scanned the battle scene. Despite the sweat that ran into his eyes, he could clearly see that the legion’s standard, the powerful bull on its proud red flag, was still flying.
So. The battle was not yet lost.
And – the gods be praised – his sword lay not more than a foot away on the ground.
He tried to reach for it, to inch his fingers along the hard earth, but realized he had lost all feeling in his left arm. Neither his fingers nor his hand would respond to his mental command. The sword was mere inches away, but the distance might as well have been a mile.
His wound was even graver than he’d thought.
“Commander!”
Leonidas twisted his head to follow the sound of that familiar voice. It belonged to Marcus Arturus Valerian, his tribunus, his second-in-command. There was no other man Leonidas would rather have at his back during a battle, or at his side right now.
Valerian came at a run, parrying enemy swords along the way, followed closely by one of his centurions. He fell to his knees next to Leonidas and stared at the spear lodged in his shoulder.
“Jupiter help us,” the tribunus swore.
“Not Jupiter,” Leonidas said, knowing that death comes to every man. “It’s Mars, the god of war, we need today. Get me to my feet.”
The two soldiers hoisted Leonidas up as gently as they could, but the searing pain in his shoulder nearly buckled Leonidas’ legs. Only sheer willpower kept him on his feet. That, and the powerful will of Rome.
Today would not be the end of Caesar’s ironclad Sixth legion.
He threw back his head, roared his determination, and men literally stopped fighting to turn and look. Enemy mouths fell open in disbelief, and Leonidas could read their thoughts: Here stood a Roman commander, spit like a pig and yet somehow still standing, a man the gods surely must favor, presiding over a battle the gods must obviously support. He was a living, breathing omen.
The tide of battle turned in that moment and Leonidas was glad to see his men knew enough to take advantage of it. In the instant the Gauls hesitated, they were run through with Roman steel, scourged with Roman mace, spiked with Roman battle axes.
And if this is the last thing I see, I can die with honor.


Of course, this being a romance, Leo doesn’t die. My heroine, the conquered Gaul named Solange saves him. And their relationship is a love story for the ages.

I hope you’ll give Conqueror Vanquished a try! amzn.to/1ZcElBx

Thanks,

Leigh

www.leighcourt.com

Garden in the Woods

We belong to this nature conservancy group which is trying to study and save native plants of New England. They mainly show a lot of wild flowers, bushes and trees growing in their natural state. This is a beautiful place to walk at any time of year, except maybe winter.

 Here is a bluebell plant.

They provide a sanctuary for small animals. Do you see the turtle?
School groups visit, so they have a fun, interactive section for children as they try to teach them something about the natural world. This is the gateway to the children's area.
Finally, they have a shop I love with lots of fun ideas. I really admire the efforts of this group to work to preserve our natural heritage.
And these are my spring daffodils (which are not native to New England, but I still love them).


Castle Tioram Part 2: Inspiration for Highlander Unbroken

Two weeks ago, I wrote part 1 of the post about Castle Tioram. If you missed it, you can click here to read it. Today I want to continue with more info about the castle.

My friends and I spent a few hours out in one of the most remote areas of Scotland, on the west coast. I don't know how many hours we explored and took thousands of photos (among the 3 of us) because time ceased to exist for me. I wore no watch and I didn't pay attention to the time on my phone. I love how wild and untamed the area around the castle is. The heather was in full bloom (early September) and it was a clear, warm day. This was the highlight of the trip for me and a dream come true. I'd been looking forward to visiting this castle for a long time, especially since it's the inspiration for the setting of Highlander Unbroken and My Captive Highlander. Below are more photos I took while walking around the castle and climbing over the piles of rocks and boulders. Good hiking shoes were a necessity.


As mentioned in my previous post, Ranald was the first chieftain of Clan Macdonald of Clanranald. He was granted the "Castle of Elantyrim" (Eilean Tioram) and this was confirmed by Robert II in 1373.

In 1411, Alan, the 4th chief of Clanranald, fought in the Battle of Harlaw in which Lord of the Isles and his Highland army defeated the forces of the Scottish Crown. Alan was known to have imprisoned other Highland chiefs in his dungeon. In 1509, Alan was captured, imprisoned and executed by James I. The 5th chief, his son Raonuil Ban, had much the same history and was hanged in 1513 by the king. Dugald was the 6th chief. His own clansmen murdered him and the chieftainship taken over by his uncle Alexander. The 8th chief was John of Moidart, the natural son of Alexander. Although there were more legitimate heirs, John was chosen by the clan to lead them. He obtained a charter to the lands around Tioram in 1532. Unfortunately this charter was revoked in 1540 when John went against the king and supported the Lordship of the Isles instead. James V imprisoned him and granted the charter to one of the legitimate heirs, Ranald Galda (the stranger) who had been raised by his mother's clan, the Frasers. Clanranald rejected Ranald Galda as chief and nicknamed him "Ranald of the hens" because he had (inferior) chicken served at his inaugural feast instead of ox.

View from the beach below the castle.

 After James V died in 1542, John of Moidart was released from prison and headed back to Moidart where the clan reinstated him as chief, rejecting Ranald Galda. In 1544, when the Frasers tried to reinstate Ranald Galda as chief of Clanranald, a horrible battle ensued at Loch Lochy. Ranald and Lord Lovat were killed during the battle and John was the victor.



 This small stone building sits near the beach. Since it doesn't appear on early site maps, it is believed to have been built in the late 1800s and was probably either a bathing house or a smoke house.



John led the clan with without much of note over the next few years, although he was still rebellious to the crown. In 1554, Marie de Guise, the Regent, decided she wanted the Moidart area brought more under the control of the crown. She commissioned the Earl of Huntly to carry out her orders. But when Huntly reached the area around Fort Augustus, he decided an overland advance through the Highlands would be impossible because of the rough, nearly impassible terrain. Instead, the Duke of Argyll brought his warships up along the coast to bombard the castle with cannons and other artillery from the shore. John of Moidart, the chief of Clanranald at the time, had gone overland to meet Huntly's army, but once news of Argyll's attack reached him, he raced home and was victorious over the shore battery. He sent the Duke of Argyll packing. One of these cannonballs was found in the castle wall hundreds of years later. John retained possession of the castle and lands until his death at the castle in 1584.


The Clanranalds backed the Royalists during the Civil War of the 1600s and retained Castle Tioram but under the overlordship of the Dukes of Argyll.


The castle was expanded in the 1680s. They added another story to the tower house and a new range of buildings were built along the south west wall. It was not used very much however because Allan of Moidart, the 14th chief, moved out of the castle to a less remote location.

 In 1715, during the Jacobite Uprising, the castle was occupied by government troops and reported to be in bad condition. Allan of Moidart recaptured the castle and set fire to it so it couldn't be used by the government. He was killed shortly thereafter at the Battle of Sheriffmuir. In the 1745 uprising, Clanranald again sided with the (losing) Jacobites, but still managed to retain ownership of the castle for the next hundred plus years.


The castle and island were sold in 1905. It passed through several owners until being purchased by James Wiseman MacDonald in 1926. It changed owners again, several times and was put on the market in 1996 for 100,000 GBP. But then the castle was purchased in 1997 by Anta Estates Ltd. For 300,000 GBP. 

What followed turned out to be a dispute between the owners and the Scottish Ministers because the building is a Scheduled Ancient Monument. The owners wanted to turn it into a private dwelling but also a tourist center which would require access roads being built onto the island, electricity, plumbing, etc. which would likely destroy much of the history and beauty of the site. The narrow, one track roads leading into the area are not large enough to handle much tourism traffic. So the two sides are in a standoff in which neither can act while the building further crumbles. This to me is very sad. Even the pigeons which live in the castle cause the masonry to fall, and the vines and plants growing in the walls further pry the stones apart and loosen them. If only the building could be repaired and preserved in its current state, which would require a lot of work and millions. I've visited several ruined castles which have been preserved, such as Kilchurn or Dunnottar. They are obviously still ruins, but the masonry has been stabilized, the plants removed, and there are no dangers from falling stones or further decay. And it's possible to safely go inside them. I hope this castle can be preserved soon because it's one of Scotland's most amazing treasures.


Highlander Unbroken is receiving some fantastic reviews!

5 stars "Highlander Unbroken by Vonda Sinclair is one of the best Highlander Historical Romances of this year! Truly a masterpiece and a book that you will want to add to your collection! Vonda Sinclair's writing is pure genius, she writes with such passion and vigor. Her characters are each unique and spirited! She uses such vivid descriptions throughout her book that makes the reader truly feel as if they are there in Scotland; tasting the food, smelling the beautiful heather, walking the castle halls and marching with the highlanders into battle! I absolutely fell in love with this book and highly recommend this to anyone! I give this a high 5 stars and if I could, I’d give it 100 stars!" Teatime and Books Reviews

5 stars "Vonda Sinclair is a great writer, I am excited to receive each new story and read it as soon as I have it. When I read the stories I become part of the story and experience each moment with the other characters. Her descriptions of her characters reactions to each situation make me feel them. I can see the scenery as though I was there. Neacal and Anna are believable and I felt their pain and terror as they worked to reach the goal of freedom from the bonds of their past and present trials. She is a genuine story teller and holds you under spell till the last page of her books. I fully recommend her books to anyone to read." Susan F.
((Thank you!!))


Torture has driven Neacal MacDonald to the brink of madness. 
As the new chief of the MacDonald clan, Neacal will do whatever it takes to honor his late father and to help his clan thrive. But whispers of his madness abound and many in his clan turn traitor, wanting MacDonald of Sleat to lead them instead. Conflict ignites between the bitter rivals when Sleat garners the help of the man who tortured Neacal in the past. 

Can one woman's song pull him back and begin to heal his soul? 
Everything has been ripped from Anna Douglas except her angelic voice and the will to survive. When she meets Neacal, she recognizes something familiar in him—stark loneliness and pain. His past could be even more tragic and tarnished than hers. No one must learn her true identity or about the brutish man declaring she is his wife, for he will stop at nothing to reclaim her. Though Neacal vowed to never trust a woman again, he cannot resist the secrets in Anna's eyes or her spellbinding song, which threatens to break down the icy walls surrounding his tormented heart. 

A fun excerpt:
When she arrived at the top of the steps in his corridor, Neacal stood waiting, tall and dark, leaning against the stone wall. His great wolfhound sat by his leg, wagging his tail in greeting.
Neacal's long, midnight hair was combed smooth and still damp. His blue eyes glinted with a bit of morose wickedness. Good heavens, he was breathtakingly handsome in the light of early morn. Surely he must have been a devastating rogue before his capture, one who stole the hearts of all the lasses from many miles around. He had a profound seductive air about him, though now 'twas overshadowed by a cloud of dark intensity. This made him even more appealing to her.
"A good morn to you, Anna," Neacal murmured in a husky, intimate voice, for her ears only, making her imagine things she should not. Things like… waking up beside him.
"Good morn, Neacal." She curtsied.
His expression lightened and she thought he might smile—hoped he would. Instead, he turned and proceeded down a short narrow corridor, an offshoot of the main one, then opened a small, almost hidden door. "Stay, Dunn," he told his dog, before squeezing his broad shoulders through the doorway. Once inside, he held out his hand to her.
She took it, the heat of his roughened palm making her tingle, and stepped inside the confined dark space. "Heavens. Is this a closet?"
"Shh," he hissed softly against her ear, his warm breath teasing her skin and giving her delightful shivers. Goodness! He really shouldn't do that, for it inspired all sorts of unladylike urges. Finding herself suddenly short of breath, she inhaled his luscious, clean male scent combined with that of a spicy soap. Her thoughts took flight and she no longer cared why they were in this small room. She only wanted to press her nose against his throat and breathe him in.
He drew her toward a square opening where light and the murmur of several conversations filtered up. What was this? Where were they?
Holding her breath, she eased forward and found herself staring down at the tables of the great hall, filled with many people eating their first meal of the day.
Of course, this was a laird's lug, or laird's ear. She had heard of these little eavesdropping chambers but had never been into one. Neither of the castles she'd lived in had them. How unnerving to imagine someone spying on her below, without her knowledge, but 'twas also true that lairds had to be extra careful about conspiracies and clan politics.
Neacal stood just behind her, not quite touching, but the presence and heat of him were palpable. His delicious scent surrounded her, sending her woman's instincts into overload.
"Do you see them?" he whispered, his warm breath fanning the hair by her ear again.
She shivered as a more intense heat and awareness washed over her. It took all of her strength not to turn and melt into him. More than anything, she craved looking into his eyes… or pressing herself against him, but she had more important things to do. She forced her attention downward, into the great hall. She scanned the many clansmen and finally found the co-conspirators sitting at the far end of a table near the entry, their heads bent together once again.
She pointed at them. "There," she breathed.
Neacal moved his head forward, beside hers, to peer through the opening. With his tall height, he loomed over her in the cramped space.
"The ones sitting at the end of that table," she whispered. "It appears they are plotting even now. The chubby, ginger-haired one has on a green doublet and the slim, brown-headed man is wearing a blue doublet." She glanced aside at him.
Neacal narrowed his eyes, observing the men with a sharp glare. "Roy and Parlan."

She was so close to Neacal she heard his teeth grate together. Of a certainty, she would never want to make an enemy of Neacal MacDonald. He would be a deadly foe. But with more than one—perhaps several—in his clan against him, his life could be in danger.
Highlander Unbroken is available at:

The Little Man Turns One!




Hard to believe that it's been a year since my youngest grandson was born. He's been and continues to be a joy. He's a master crawler but he's starting to take a few steps on his own. Won't be long before he's tearing through the house! When we were in Florida with my parents, his daddy sent me pictures every day so we could continue to watch him grow.

So in honor of his birthday, here are a few pictures to make you smile on your Monday morning!

In his jammies on his new Spiderman chair



Playing with all his new toys



Wild hair pose


I love balls!



I love birthday cake!


I hope these pictures of my happy little man adds some joy to your day. I know he does mine!

Natasha
Chemistry - available now
www.natashamoore.com

Billionaire in Wolf's Clothing made Top Pick in RT Magazine!

Billionaire in Wolf’s Clothing made Top Pick in RT Magazine!! Two of the biggest, well known paranormal authors who are…did I mention–BIG???–made it too. So it’s pretty cool to make it to that point.
TerryRTPage
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Billionaire in Wolf’s Clothing (Book 20)
July 2016
Billionaire in Wolf’s Clothing made Top Pick in RT Magazine!!





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

Epic Memory Failure Fun

Ever have one of those days where your life seems to read like a novel? I had one of those several months back. It's almost as if someone somewhere was writing my story as I went, and I was the heroine in this little tale of the life of an aging hippie addicted to writing and with whom technology was playing stupid cupid.

It all started when I got a friend request from an ex-boyfriend. It wasn't a bad break up or anything dramatic; we just went our separate ways after dating about six months in our youth. Very bland. We remained in the same distant social circle for years but lost touch about seven years ago. I never really thought about him until I saw the request. It took me a minute to place him, and then I went through the whole friend-vetting process I go through when I get a request (Do I know this person? Do I like this person? Does this person look like he spends lots of time talking to a stuffed Winnie-the-Pooh about waffles?) Finally, I decided--what the hay--and friended him. No big deal.

Yes, big deal.

At least to some of my friends--who I've now downgraded to acquaintances--who seem to think I'm on the road to destruction because I'm friends with an ex on FB. Am I unhappy in my marriage? Am I having a mid-life crisis? Don't I know how that looks?

Well, no, I don't know how it looks. I don't really care, and they shouldn't either. The only person who should care is my hubby, and he isn't bothered by it. As a matter of fact, he was really glad to find out what happened to someone from our past. Hubby has access to my account, so if he wants to go in and check it out, he can. But he doesn't because he's friends with at least three ex-girlfriends himself and doesn't see the harm in re-establishing old relationships if one doesn't plan to go any further with them that friendship.

So I tell my semi-pals this, and they get their feathers all ruffled. Certainly there must be something unseemly afoot because all of the sudden I'm friends with a guy I once dated. I just rolled my eyes and left the restaurant where we were having lunch, when I hear a ping. It's my cell letting me know I've got an FB notification. Guess who it's from?

So Barney, as I will call him to protect his identify, has messaged me to say hi. I put my phone away, grocery shop, do a bunch of other errands, and finally go home. About 10 I get on FB and answer his message, noting he's not online. And then suddenly, a minute after I hit REPLY, he pops up. "How am I doing?" he asks. "What's up?" "How's my world?" "Am I still married?" "He loved my pictures..." "I'm still as beautiful as the day we parted..." "Did I want to sex chat?"

Wait, what?

Yep, Mr. Ex-boyfriend wanted to sex chat with me on FB. I politely told him no, and he said something about he figured I'd be a sex chatter because of the wild times we had when we dated.

Wait, what?

If I remember correctly, a motorcycle ride where he didn't where a helmet (idiot) was the riskiest thing we did. I don't recall ever making out with him that much, let alone doing anything so wild in the bedroom that he would think it would automatically translate into getting my jollies typing with one hand and reading phrases that were sexual or could be, if taken out of context, the names of pro wrestlers, like "slick rod" and "wild stud."

So, through our rather short conversation that ended when he abruptly unfriended me, I figured out that he had confused me with a different hippie chick he'd dated way back when named Cassie. I told him so and he apologized, then he said he didn't want to be friends with me anymore. I typed "Seriously? LOL" and he disappeared.

It makes me laugh every time I think about it. I guess some people know what they want and a reasonable facsimile will just not do. I thought about telling my pals they were kind of right about the presence of untoward intentions, at least on his side, but then I thought, na, let them live vicariously through my perceived harlotry.

So how's your life going? Do you have any interesting ex-boyfriend stories? Please do share!

It's Chemistry!

"Don't they call a strong attraction between two people chemistry?" 

I've begun gaining the rights back to some of my older stories and will be releasing them with new covers as they become available. Some of these stories I may decide to revise, perhaps expand, but some of them I'm happy with and will send back into the world just as they are. And some of them will get new titles.

When I re-read the novel after many years, I was pleased to remember how much I loved the characters - a sassy, curvy, overworked waitress and a sexy, lonely, overworked college professor. On the surface they don't appear to belong together, but the magnetic pull they feel for each other is immediate and unmistakable. And as they get to know each other, we see how much they need each other.

Originally released as The Passion-Minded Professor, the title is now CHEMISTRY. Isn't the cover gorgeous?


Blurb:

It wasn’t supposed to be a love potion.

Roxy Morgan is finally in control of her life. After working in the family diner to put her now ex-husband through law school, she's getting her own chance at a college education. She’s vowed no dating until she gets her degree, so what’s with the magnetic pull she feels toward chemistry professor, Dr. Daniel Jennings? It’s almost as if she suddenly has no control over her feelings.

Driven, lonely Daniel has been working to perfect an attraction elixir, just something to give those natural pheromones a little boost. But when sassy, curvy Roxy accidently becomes part of his experiment, can he risk losing her by admitting she’s under the influence of his new “love potion”, and that neither of them have any control over the passion they’ve found in each other’s arms?

Excerpt:

Roxy watched as he unbuttoned the wrinkled white lab coat. When he stripped it from his body, she sucked in a deep breath. Whoa, the Doc was buff. How did a guy who spent all his time in a lab have a body like that? His legs were long and lean, encased in worn denim. His shirt covered a broad chest and flat abdomen. The shirttails were partially pulled out of the waistband of his jeans, making her heart pound just a little bit faster.

“You’re not at all what I pictured when Gina talked about you,” she said, needing words again to fill the charged silence.

He hung up the lab coat on a hook beside his desk and then turned around. A lopsided grin spread across his face. Oh, he was way too cute.

“Oh, really? How did you picture me?”

“Well, you’re a lot younger than I thought you’d be.” He was probably in his mid-thirties.

He chuckled. “That’s right. All college professors have thinning hair and bellies hanging over their belts.”

Roxy let her gaze slowly travel over him, taking in again the long legs, the broad chest, the crooked grin. “Obviously not.”

He cleared his throat and turned to grab his briefcase. “Ready to go?”

“Yeah.”

The click of Roxy’s heels echoed through the silent hallway. Dr. Jennings didn’t say anything to her as they left the building, but she was picking up some sort of weird vibe she’d never felt before.

No, that wasn’t true. She’d experienced something like it the first time she saw Todd Morgan and his killer dimples in ninth grade homeroom. It was almost like an electrical charge. Or a magnetic pull. It didn’t have any logical explanation. It simply was.

Roxy stopped in her tracks. They were halfway across the parking lot, headed for some low-slung black sports car parked under a spotlight. The last thing she needed was a magnetic attraction to a man, any man, at this point in her life.

The autumn wind blew around her and she crossed her arms against the chill. She had all she could do to attend classes, work enough hours to pay the bills, and do all the homework that was overwhelming her. She did not need to get involved with a man.

Dr. Jennings must have finally noticed she no longer followed him. He turned around, his face in the shadows. “Did you forget something?”

She’d almost forgotten what was important. Control was. Education was. Magnetic pulls were not.

But he sure was good-looking. And nice. A gust of wind lifted her hair and blew its icy breath along her neck. She shivered. What harm was there in accepting a ride home after dark? It wasn’t like they were going on a date or anything.

No dates until she had her degree.

“No, I’m okay.” She caught up with him. To stop him from asking any other questions, she asked, 
“This your car?” Guys loved to talk about their cars. “Wow, a Porsche.”

“Um, yeah.” He opened the door for her, something Todd had never done for her in four years of high school and seven years of marriage. How had she let herself waste all those years of her life on a jerk?

She climbed in and tucked her long legs inside. Dr. Jennings closed the door, rounded the car, and climbed in beside her. He folded his legs under the steering wheel.

He turned to look at her. They were nearly nose to nose in the darkness of the vehicle. She could almost see the electrical charge sizzling between them. Her hands tingled. Her body buzzed. Oh, this was not good. Not good at all.

“Are you sure you’re all right?” he asked, his voice soft.

“I’m fine, Dr. Jennings,” she said. Shit, that sounded a little shaky. His musky scent seemed to fill her nostrils, flood her senses. “I…I have a lot of homework tonight.”

“Then we better get you home,” he said, starting the engine. He didn’t pull out of the parking space right away. He turned and looked at her again, his face lit up by the spotlight. “You’re not in any of my classes, are you?”

“Chemistry? No way.”

“Good.” There was that grin again. “Then you can call me Daniel.”

If you enjoy fun and emotional romances, give Chemistry a try!

Natasha