Our SPOTLIGHT is on THE KING'S DAUGHTER ....

CHRONICLES OF ALCINIA – BOOK I

Born to a dying queen and an ambitious king, Tarabenthia is heir to the crown of Alcinia.  Yet when the idyll of her childhood ends she will defy her father, tipping the balance in a world poised on the brink of destruction and leaving history to judge whether she is heroine or harlot.

In a time of war, what would you surrender in the name of love?

PURCHASE THE KINGS DAUGHTER

KINDLE

SMASHWORDS

The King's Daughter will be available in print February 2013!

Visit Miriam on the Web-

Miriam's Website

Tomorrow we will meet the Author- Miriam Newman!

To Critique or not to critique ... that is the question.

Please welcome Guest Blogger Brenna Ash! She's here today to talk about the PROS and CONS of Critique Partners.

There are so many different opinions when it comes to critiquing. Should I have a critique partner? Should it be someone published? Should it be someone that I know? Someone that writes the same thing I do? Same voice, style? The list goes on and on.

Do I have the answers? No, not at all. But since I've been writing I've been in several different types of critique groups.

Way back when I started doing this writing thing, I took a romance writing course. The course was great, contained lots of information that I was totally clueless about and had a lot of attendees. A group of us, about 4 or 5, decided that once the class ended, we would remain in touch and create a critique group amongst ourselves. Well, this worked out okay, we swapped ideas back and forth, offered suggestions, little fixes here and there. It worked since we were all at the beginning of our writing dream. As time went on, we grew apart and for the most part, the group disbanded.

A couple of us from that group went on to another critique group. This one had a mixture of people from various levels of experience but still no one that had been published. These critiques were brutal. Unfortunately, the problem with this group was that everyone had such varying degrees of how things should be written and sort of a my way or the highway mentality. Needless to say, this didn't last long.

I then went on to single critique partners. I matched up with someone I had met in another class. This worked for a while, but we drifted apart as our writing took on different sub-genres that the other wasn't interested in.

Then one of the loops I belong to had a critique partner matching service. So, I said why not and signed up for that, glutton for punishment that I am. This was short-lived. While the critiques were helpful, life got in the way for both of us and our partnership soon fell apart.

Now, all through these critique-dabbling I was doing, I stayed in contact with someone I'd met through the first ever class I'd taken (we're best friends now) and she's always willing to read my work and offer suggestions. She's great and has offered some fantastic ideas and brainstorming moments over the years. I'd be lost without her.

Which brings me to the present. In the last two months or so I really got to think about how I could really use a mentor/critique partner that knows the business. Someone who's been published and would be willing to work with me and be honest and not hold back. I don't have any problems taking criticism. I know my work needs help. Hell, we all have to start somewhere, right?

So, I managed to hook up with a multi-published author to critique with.

This has been the best thing that has happened to my writing in a long, long time.

She is fantastic. I think I had her worried the first time she critiqued my work. She wasn't sure I'd be okay with the in-depth critique she did. She wanted to talk to me before she sent it over.

My thoughts? Hell yeah, I was ready, send it on over.

Believe it or not, my mind didn't change when I saw all of the things I'd done wrong, the grammatical mistakes, the over-talking, the redundancy. So many things, but yet she explained them in a way that made me understand the why of it all.

I'm writing again. Actually, I'm rewriting a manuscript that I finished a while ago and got a request for, but didn't dare send in because I knew how much work it needed and had no idea how to go about starting the transitions. Now I do, and I'm excited about it.

For me, the answer to the question is; yes, to critique. But just be warned, you may have to weed through a lot of partners and groups and it may even take years before you finally find the one that will work. But once you do, it will all have been worth it.

So what do you think? Are Critique Partners a God send? Or do you prefer to go it alone?

About Brenna-

Growing up, Brenna loved to be whisked away to far-off worlds via whatever book she happened to be reading at the time. During her teen years she discovered romance and hasn't stopped reading them since. After a few years, she decided she'd like to try her hand at actually writing one. Now, quite a few years later, she's still writing and hoping to get 'The Call' that all writer's want to receive.

Mr. Temptation - So are you? - Tempted?

WARNING- This is an EROTIC ROMANCE - readers under 18yrs of age PROHIBITED!

Cadence lived a quiet, safe life until her supposedly adoring father cut her from his will. Penniless and alone, she seeks out Night and Night, International. She expects to find help and answers. Instead, she finds the ultimate temptation in Preston Night. He’s tall, built and devastatingly handsome, the kind of man Cadence has never had the courage to approach.

Preston may be a player but he’s loved Cadence from afar for years. He can’t stop thinking about her—or touching, teasing and tasting her. And despite her shyness, Cadence can’t seem to get enough of him either.

Preston makes her feel alive, sexy and deliciously naughty in ways she’s never felt before, but Cadence can’t get over the secrets and lies surrounding her. Sure, Preston can give her mind-blowing orgasms but that doesn’t make him trustworthy. As more and more of Cadence’s family secrets are revealed, Preston is determined to prove, once and for all, he’s worthy of her love.

Link to Read Excerpt

Review of Mr. Temptation… Guilty Pleasures

“This book is a page turner and is a great reading choice for anyone who loves a sexy and steamy read. Ms. Weston does a really great job writing emotion into her characters. Preston and Cadence have a connection that makes their relationship real and passionate.”

Buy Links

Ellora’s Cave

Amazon

Barnes and Noble

All Romance Ebooks

Visit Annabelle on the Web- http://elizaknight.com/AnnabelleWeston.aspx

*Annabelle will be giving away an E-copy of Mr. Temptation to one lucky commenter. In order to be eligible you must leave your E-mail address. No address, no entry. Winner will be picked at random. Contest closes on Friday February 10, 2012. Good luck!!!*

WICKED WOMAN ... Desert Heat Series Book 1

Can a self professed bachelor and woman known for her scandalous ways find true love?

There are some things a man can’t walk away from. Nathan Bender is on a quest for vengeance. What he finds is sexy saloon-dolly O’Dell Murphy. She holds the information he needs—and becomes a temptation he can’t resist.

O’Dell longs for a respectable life outside the saloon. When the man Nathan is searching for steals O’Dell’s savings, she has no choice but to go after him.

Torn between passion and revenge, Nathan reluctantly accompanies O’Dell through the Sonoran Desert. There are some things a man can’t walk away from—and Nathan is finding it’s not revenge that binds him. It’s O’Dell, and the wicked, sinful pleasure she provides.

Reader Advisory: This book contains violence and a brief depiction of rape.

Link to Read Excerpt

Review of Wicked Woman… 4 Angels from Fallen Angel Reviews

“Annabelle Weston's latest Wicked Woman is definitely a story worth reading from beginning to end. I love that you have Nathan Bender, who in his whole life has never picked up a gun, but is now determined to use one at any cost. Then you have O'Dell Murphy who even though is a whore by profession, she is more of an innocent woman at heart. Together these two prove to one another that what they really need is love, not vengeance. Annabelle Weston shows us that even though vengeance might bring peace to someone, it can also lead to something like love when it comes to Nathan and O'Dell. All in all, Wicked Woman was a fun read, making me wonder how O'Dell can convince Nathan she is the only woman he needs in life. I loved it and can't wait for more.”

Buy Links

Ellora’s Cave

Amazon

Barnes and Noble

All Romance Ebooks

Visit Annabelle on the web - http://annabellewestonromance.blogspot.com/

*Annabelle will be giving away an E-copy of WICKED WOMAN to one lucky commenter! You must leave your E-mail address with your comment to be eligible. No E-mail address, no Entry. Winner will be picked at random once contest ENDS on Friday February 10, 2012. Good Luck!*

Can they forgive this INNOCENT DECEPTION?

 

Royal Ethan Anderson… a first born son cheated out of an inheritance by his father in favor of his illegitimate half-brother.

 

Ceana Sinclair, a girl who has no choice but to masquerade as someone else.

 

An unexpected death… A forced marriage…

 

Can a foundation of trust and love be built upon a lie?

 

Or will this case of innocent deception destroy any chance of happiness Royal and Ceana might have had?

 

READ EXCERPT

 

Purchase Innocent Deception:

All Romance E Books

Amazon 

Barnes and Noble 

Desert Breeze Publishing 

OmniLit 

Visit Tami Dee on the Web- www.tamidee.com

 

Glancing through the Glimmer ...

Check back with us in March when we will feature Glancing through the Glimmer!

Want to be SEDUCED?

Letia de Burgh is as beautiful as she is capable. Famed for her warrior skills, she can command Seton Castle’s defenses as skillfully as any man can.

When Maud and Stephen’s battles throw England into anarchy, she must protect her home and people. She sacrifices all when her husband devises a plan to save Seton Castle from ruin when he dies.

‘Twas a simple plan with few steps to follow: Capture her enemy, seduce him, bear his child and save her people. Falling in love was not in the plan.

Raik of Raptor Castle must never know who had seduced him.

EXCERPT

Seton Castle, Northumbria, August 1144

The agony of Hell's fires could torture me no more than what I now suffer. My dear husband asks that I do an unthinkable, sinful thing...

Letia de Burgh forced her thoughts to a dark corner of her mind. She must deal with more pressing worries now.

An army swarmed outside the walls of Seton Castle.

The faint light heralding the sun's rise revealed their leader, who kept well beyond the range of Seton's archers. Julian of Chatton was there as he had been every morning for a sennight. The gold and purple trappings on the massive destrier were so impressive it made the rider appear thin and insignificant.

"Why won't this Hell hound leave us at peace?"

Letia scowled and pounded her fist against her thigh. From the great height of the barbican guarding the castle's entrance, she signaled her archers to release a volley over the merlons. As Julian's warriors raised their shields, the high-flying arrows sang as if swarms of giant bees rained down on them. Amidst the heavy thumps of arrows striking shields, the cries of warriors split the air as arrowheads found soft flesh. She nodded, satisfied with her archers' aims.

"De Burgh! Raise the portcullis," Julian's gravelly voice bellowed. "I will enter. Seton belongs to me."

Before anyone could detect it was a woman who commanded such deadly arrows into their ranks, Warin's most trusted advisor Leofwan grasped Letia's shoulder to urge her back out of sight. "His greed knows no bounds. He hopes the strain of constant sieges will speed Baron de Burgh from this world," he muttered in disgust.

"My husband may be into his fiftieth year, but he still has the body of a strong warrior."

"Aye, Lady. But does he have the sound heart of one?" His face filled with sadness.

She ignored the question.

He knew the answer.

"This, this witless ass has no right to Seton!" She spluttered and thrust a finger toward the man below.

"Before his death, King Henry denied he was a royal bastard." She stopped pacing and snorted,

"Henry should know. He was quick enough to claim his true bastards. All twenty-four of them."

He grunted. "Aye. ' Tis what angered Julian the most."

Letia picked up her bow, drew an arrow from her quiver and stood behind a merlon. Peering out the embrasure to her left, she waited for a perfect shot. Impatient, her left hand flexed on her bow's grip, her right tapped the arrow against her leg.

Attired as a young warrior, she normally had no need to hide. But Julian's instincts were much like a lean wolf long deprived of a mate. Whenever she showed herself, his eyes narrowed and his nose twitched as if he sniffed the air.

"How I would love to send an arrow into his black heart!"

"Ah, Beloved. You are a fierce warrior on my behalf."

Hearing her husband's deep voice, Letia propped her bow and arrow against the stone merlon. As she turned, she tried to mask her fear for him with a cheerful expression.

Warin de Burgh leaned heavily on his squire's arm as he stepped through the upper doorway of the barbican tower. Straightening, he squared his shoulders. Despite his pale face, he looked as sturdy and vital as the massive oak tree on the knoll behind the army.

"My lord, surely you have not rested long enough." As she caressed his handsome cheek, liking the rough feel of his unshaven jaw, she noted the flash of pain in his blue eyes that he tried to hide with a wink.

"Long enough," he said with a reassuring smile. "Now, that nithing Julian must see me else he will grow overbold."

He turned to his squire waiting at his elbow, his master's helmet cradled in the crook of his arm. Taking it, Warin settled it over his long, dark-brown hair.

"The helmet will make me more readily visible. ' Tis a shame I have never favored a beard." He arched a dark brow at Letia. "Do you think it would have made my appearance more threatening?"

"You are fearful enough, my lord. The fool's knees would collapse if he had to meet you in open combat."

Letia smiled and studied her husband. Thankfully, the helmet hid the silver streaks that had grown wider at his temples this past fortnight. His blue eyes were sharp and alert, his nose straight - all but for that slight mark halfway down its length. His lips were firm and unyielding. Not like when he was alone with her. Then they were soft and tilted a bit at the corners.

Warin flashed a grin and nodded. "Let us send this whelp on his way."

At spaced intervals along the wall, slingers stood behind the archers at the same merlons. Beside them, piles of stones stood close to baskets of arrows. At Warin's signal, the archers released their arrows. While they speeded their way to their targets, the slingers sidestepped to the low embrasure to fire their slings. Using an underhand release, they fired their stones into the mass of warriors.

As the sun raced across the sky, Warin's face grew drawn and pinched, his movements slowed. Even so, he remained quick to take the measure of the enemy and direct his men to squelch any attempts to break into the castle.

Letia thanked the good Lord that Julian's men were inept at handling siege engines. For that matter, they were no more experienced at scaling ladders. Able warriors were scarce and Julian was far too stingy with his coins to hire experienced knights.

Her left arm and shoulder quivered with the strain of firing so many arrows. Though Julian ventured closer, she thought to resort to her sling instead. He thrust his fur-trimmed, green cloak back over his shoulders and removed his helmet as he waited in the midst of his favored men. A stiff breeze blew long, black hair from his face and snapped the cloak behind him.

Letia pictured the expression on his thin face. It would not be pleasant, for he had been surprised at Seton's skillful resistance. His brown eyes would be squinted in anger, his nostrils pinched and his lips pressed together.

She grinned, anticipating the special greeting she would lob toward that hated presence below. She signaled the two slingers to her left and to her right to load their sling with their special missile.

"It is time the sweet-smelling peacock prancing below has a bath!"

She swung her empty sling back and forth, accustoming the muscles of her right arm to their new position. She nodded to the lad waiting beside her. The squire had more mischief in one lone fingertip than most boys had in their whole body. It was he who suggested a fitting tribute for their enemy.

The clever squire positioned a missile in her sling's leather cradle, then stepped away giving her ample room. She nodded to the two grinning men on either side of her, rocking their own readied slings. She swung her own in short arcs then stepped up to the embrasure.

"A present, lout! Wear it in good health," she hollered.

With one quick swing of her arm backward, she slammed it forward. Her finger and thumb holding the knot of the release cord opened at the right moment, and her gift to Julian flew through the air.
She ducked behind the merlon, thwarting an arrow flying past her. After releasing their slings, the two men beside her also jumped back to safety. Letia peeked around the merlon and noted horses near bumping into each other and men shouting curses while they swiped their hands over their faces, their clothing.

She grinned. Never had she seen such a lovely sight. Only God could have guided their aims.

The curling hair Julian was so proud of, no longer floated in the breeze.

It dripped. Plastered to his head.

The young men in the barracks had happily contributed toward the squire's special weapon-three sheep bladders filled with piss and sewn closed.

Julian shook his sword at the barbican and took a deep breath to yell in a hoarse, precise voice, "When I find the lout who thought of this, I will lock him in a cage to swing from a hook on my barbican wall. He will be left to the elements and raptors till there is naught but gleaming bones!"

Truly, she could hardly blame him. He screeched again and all but foamed at the mouth, so agitated he could barely keep to his saddle.

His mount shied then bolted. The great stead galloped through the warriors, scattering them. It headed straight for the gap between his army and the castle walls bristling with warriors.

Letia watched in amazement as the horse reared, twisted its massive body and raced back over the uneven ground normally covered by the drawbridge. Seton's archers laughed so hard their aim was not as it should be. Fortunately, for the castle, unhappily for Julian, his body bristled with arrows enough to take him from the field.

She looked over her shoulder to grin at Warin. Instead, she caught her breath. Her wide smile fled as she clamped her lower lip between her teeth. Leofwan and the squire supported Warin as his knees buckled.




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