Tag Archives: 12th Century

Medieval Monday with yours truly, Sherry Ewing!

17 Monday Jun 2019

Posted by in 2019, Medieval Monday

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I thought I’d bring back an oldie but a goodie for Medieval Monday today because, really, who doesn’t enjoy this time travel? I must admit Katherine & Riorden from For All of Ever hold a very special place in my heart so enjoy going down memory lane with me, my lovelies. Happy reading!

Excerpt:

He placed his hand upon the latch to his chamber to open the door, but halted. He knew with every fiber of his being she was inside. He could feel her presence, as if she were waiting for his arrival. He opened the door, closing it behind him, and went to the hearth to rekindle the embers into a low flame. He exhaled slowly, more to get his thoughts together than to appear as if he could not handle a situation such as this. Truly, what was there really to be afraid of?

He turned and looked towards his bed. She stood there, touching one of the posts admiringly, just as he had seen her the first time but days ago. He had the pleasure of idly watching her, since it appeared she as yet did not know he was here. In truth, to his way of thinking, he had never seen a woman as lovely as she. Her beauty did not come from an outside appearance that may have appealed to him with other women in his past. Nay…hers came from the depths of her soul and from being good at heart.

His contemplation of her only intensified whilst she closed her eyes and leaned her head back. It appeared as if she was looking towards the heavens and the guardian angels above to at last come and claim her soul. He did not want to admit it, even unto himself, but he did not wish for her to leave as yet to join God, for with her nearness, he felt a soothing comfort fill him as never afore.

Riorden reached for a nearby pitcher of wine and poured some into a chalice. His nervousness must have shown, for he almost tipped over the now filled cup. It rattled upon the table and at last drew Katherine’s attention towards him. Her face transformed to one of pure radiance, and he felt he could stare into her glorious eyes for a lifetime, if the chance were given to them.

Riorden took a long drink of his wine before giving her a small bow. “Glad tidings to you this day, mademoiselle.”

Katherine nodded her head. “And may I wish you the same, Sir Knight.”

He watched her standing there, seeming to drink in the sheer sight of him, as he continued to take several deep sips from his chalice.

“You know, if you continue downing that in such a manner, you’re going to have a nasty hangover in the morning.”

He frowned at her strange words and took a deep breath. “I know not what you speak of, my lady,” he declared, watching her every move.

She rolled her eyes and gave him an impish grin that surprised him. Apparently, she must have realized her words confused him, for she touched her finger to her forehead and tapped it. “You’ll have a bad headache.”

“Your speech is passing strange,” Riorden commented. He put the cup back down on the table and placed his hands behind his back. Neither of them made any further comments whilst an awkward silence persisted between them. They only stared one unto the other. She, at last, came closer to stand afore him. He found that, for the life of him, he could not move away. Instead, he stood his ground, wondering what she would do next.

“You look so very real today,” she declared softly.

“As do you, Lady Katherine,” he said, giving her a small grin.

The smile she gave him in return was most serene. Even her eyes lit up at the reference to her name as it passed his lips. She reached up to touch him. Neither of them should have been surprised when her hand went right through him. She stepped back sadly and put her hands inside some odd fabric sewn into her hose.

Seeing her sorrow, he took a hesitant step towards her. Holding his hand palm up to her, he watched in fascination as she removed the white glove she had been wearing. She seemed uncertain, ’til she at last gave in to the impulse. Ever so slowly, she placed her hand but inches from his own. A tingling occurred in his palm, and from her expression, she must have felt it too, since she wrenched her hand back and rubbed her fingers together.

“What I would give to feel your heartbeat next to mine.” She gasped when the words left his mouth, afore he realized he had said them aloud. Once suggested, the words hovered in the room, as if to give them some semblance of hope, even as both realized ’twas obvious they could never be together. ’Twas too late to recant his hastily spoken words, but he would have done so, if only to lessen the hurt flashing momentarily in her eyes.

“I would cross time itself, if it were possible, just to find you, Riorden de Deveraux.”

“You know my name,” he drawled the obvious.

“Yes.”

“Who are you?” he asked solemnly.

Her face lit up again whilst she gazed upon his face. “I’m someone who loves you.”

He kept his features expressionless. “I guessed as much, my lady, and yet you know nothing of me.”

“That’s true, and yet I’ve dreamed of you my entire life, enough to know you pretty well, I’m guessing.”

He was taken aback. “How is this possible?”

“I feel we are connected somehow,” Katherine began hesitantly. “I think perhaps our souls were meant to be together, but the centuries of time between us are keeping us apart.”

“Centuries? Surely, you jest, mademoiselle,” Riorden said with a raised brow of disbelief.

“I would never joke…err…jest about something as important as this. The fact we see each other as spirits speaks for itself, don’t you think?” Katherine asked quietly.

“Are you attempting to tell me you are from the future?” he questioned aghast.

Katherine smiled slightly. “Yes, I suppose I am, from your perspective.”

“Impossible,” Riorden said gruffly.

She shrugged her shoulders. “Apparently, it’s not as impossible as we may think, given we’re both having a conversation with a ghost.”

For All of Ever:
The Knights of Berwyck, A Quest Through Time, Book One

Sometimes to find your future, you must look to the past…

Katherine Wakefield has dreamed and written of her knight in shining armor all her life. Never finding a man to measure up to the one of her imagination, she and her three closest friends take a dream vacation to England. Yet, strange things begin happening while visiting Bamburgh Castle, but how could they have known they’d find themselves thrown back more than eight hundred years into the past?

Riorden de Deveraux travels to Bamburgh answering the summons of King Henry II knowing his past life is about to catch up with him. But nothing prepares him for the beautiful vision of a strangely clad ghost who first appears in his chamber, let alone the fact he begins having a conversation with her.

Centuries are keeping them apart until Time gives them a chance at finding love. But there are obstacles threatening the fragile bit of hope that Riorden and Katherine can remain together. Will the past of one consume what their future may hold, or will Time take the decision from them and hurtle Katherine forward to where she truly belongs?

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First Kiss Friday with Sherry Ewing and a giveaway!

21 Friday Dec 2018

Posted by in 2018, First Kiss Friday

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Hello, my lovelies, and welcome to another First Kiss Friday. I would like to extend a very Merry Christmas from my family to yours and hope the coming year is filled with laughter, joy, and the company of family and good friends.

Today, I like to take you back to the beginning of my work with the first kiss scene from If My Heart Could See You. This story is especially dear to my heart because little did I know it at the time but this novel would spark my entire Knights of Berwyck series, including a couple of my Regency novels. In this scene, Dristan has discovered Amiria’s identity and she has been sick with a high fever. Read all the way through to be in the running for my giveaway and I hope you enjoy this trip down memory lane. Happy reading!

Excerpt:

For nigh unto a se’nnight, Dristan hovered over the weakening young woman, lying in his bed, who seemed dwarfed in his eyes. He had become a mere nursemaid to the lass for he would let no other tend her. Sleep had become something of a novelty to him and he could not remember when he had last been able to close his eyes with a good night’s slumber. At least for now, Amiria rested, although she had yet to open her eyes.

Kenna or Lynet saw his meals were brought to his chamber and he ate when he remembered that his body needed nourishment. Usually, ’twas the soft cry of his name coming from Amiria that would cause him to rush to her side, hoping her fever had at last abated. He still remembered how his body had flinched in reaction to hearing his name uttered from her lips for that first time in some desperate cry for help in her state of delirium. ’Twas a clear indication from her words, calling out to him, that whatever tormented her in her dreams, she at least felt he would save her from her fate. If only this would be true once she awoke. Her words, however, may not be of joy once she learned she had unknowingly shared his bed.

Sitting next to her, Dristan’s eyes raked his charge for even the slightest of changes. Fever continued to rage throughout her body. He had alternated between cool cloths upon her head to placing her in a tub of tepid water. The latter seemed to help more, although she put up quite a fight even in her weakened state. He awaited new water to be brought up to be placed in the tub in another attempt to remove the heat tormenting her. Given the last attempt, he would bolt the door and remove his own clothing this time since the last endeavor caused him to become as drenched as Amiria when she fought him from the icy cold.

A brief knock on the door had Dristan rising, thinking the task would be at hand. Opening the door, he saw Riorden, standing there with a grim look upon his face. He opened the portal wider and his captain entered, although he did so reluctantly.

“Is there any change with our lady?” Riorden inquired quietly in concern.

Dristan gave a negative shake of his head. “Your news must not be pleasant for you to disturb me. You have continued training the men?” he drawled wearily.

“Aye, my lord, although ’tis not why I have come.”

“Then tell me your news so I may continue to see to Amiria,” he commanded with a sharp edge to his voice.

“A messenger has returned from the men sent to patrol the outer boundaries of your lands, my liege,” Riorden uttered coolly. “The farthest hamlet to the north has been raided with the village burnt to the ground. All have been slain and the crops destroyed.”

Dristan looked at his captain with fury glazed eyes. “None survived?”

“Nay, my lord. Even the livestock were slaughtered.”

“Have another dozen men sent out to scour the country side. Instruct them to ride light in order to cover more ground. Include one or two of Amiria’s guard. Perchance if the villagers see one of their own with us they might loosen their tongues if they know of any wrong doing,” Dristan said meaningfully. “I will not let this go unpunished if we can capture those involved, nor stand for killing those who are under my care!”

“I will see to it Lord Dristan,” Riorden said with a brief glance towards the bed. “We continue to pray for Lady Amiria’s recovery.”

Dristan only nodded, not trusting himself to speak further regarding her welfare. He opened the door, allowing his captain to exit and bid enter the servants, who brought several pails of water to fill the tub. After they left, he put the bolt in place, locking out the world beyond his chamber. He tested the water and noted ’twas but lukewarm, although to Amiria’s skin ’twould feel like the coolest of springs found high in the mountains.

No sense in putting off the inevitable, he thought and gave a silent prayer that God would forgive him for his deed. He stripped off his clothing and left them neatly folded on a stool by the hearth. With a heavy sigh, he looked down upon his chest and saw the four strips of tender flesh where Amiria’s nails had raked him the last time he plunged her into the tub whilst she fought him like the very devil.

He went to the bed and gazed down upon his beautiful lady. He could think of her as nothing else for she would in truth become his wife once she was well again. ’Twas whilst he stared at her that he began to notice the slight beginnings of a smile playing upon her lips, and he pondered what she dreamed of. She began to stir most alluringly and whispered his name as provocatively and sweetly as any lover could.

He pulled the coverings from Amiria and lifted her into his arms. She molded her body closer to his own and his heart began to beat a little faster. Dristan was caught off guard, feeling her silky limbs wrapping themselves around his neck. The warmth of her lips began to nuzzle his neck and she gave a sigh of contentment as his arms held her tighter.

“You came for me… I knew you would,” she purred into his ear in a soft confident whisper.

“Aye, so it appears,” he said as a tingle went through him with the feel of her breath in his ear. Carrying her to the tub placed by the fire, he slowly swung his legs over its rim to feel the water at his knees. “Brace yourself, Amiria.” She held him tighter as he began to sink down into their bath. Water sloshed over the sides onto the floor the lower he brought them.

“’Tis too cold,” she said groggily with a shiver, trying to get closer to the very heart of him.

“’Tis for the best, my lady, and will make you well again.”

“I do not like it,” she said with a pout and proceeded to turn in his arms.

Afore Dristan could cease her motion, Amiria lifted slightly away from him, moving both legs to either side of his own, and promptly sat down upon his upper thighs with a wiggle of her bare bottom. This certainly was not what he had intended whilst he watched in fascination her fixed glassy eyes take in his face. Her tongue moistened her lips. Smiling, she stole a quick fleeting kiss.

“Warm me,” she demanded, molding herself to his chest and lowering her lips to receive another of his kisses as if she had done so a dozen times afore.

A part of him sprang to life against his better judgment and yet he could not for the life of him cease the intoxicating kiss she gave him. He breathed life into her as their tongues intertwined in a dance known to lovers for centuries. For just a moment longer would he indulge in what she offered, for he knew she would not remember what she did once she was herself again.

He cupped her head, bringing her closer and deepened their kiss. His fingers tangled themselves in the length of her hair ’til he could stand no more. His hands lowered themselves down her back in a gentle caress. She sighed in pleasure and Dristan heard the throaty moan that escaped her. He would have smiled through their kiss if ’twere possible for he had the notion he had awakened a temptress that would forever belong only to him.

She pulled away from his lips with a shake of her glorious red mane and gave a satisfying laugh. Her eyes widened in bewilderment from the hardness of him against her naked flesh. “I have roused my dragon, I see,” she smirked knowingly.

“That you have my dear, but you must yield the day for I would not have you hate me come the morrow. I am, after all, just a man with a man’s desires.”

“You want me then as I want you?” she inquired shyly with a blush to her face.

Dristan gave a brief laugh and caressed her cheek as she leaned into the palm of his hand. “Aye, my lady, more than I should but we cannot continue this.”

“Who are you to say we cannot?”

“I am your liege lord, Amiria. When we come together I would have you more yourself that you remember our first time together as husband and wife.”

Her brows puckered into a frown as she pondered his words. “Are we not wed?” she whispered in puzzlement. Afore he could answer, she continued onward with a brazen look upon her features. “It matters not,” she declared possessively, “for you belong to me!”

Dristan watched his lady as she for the first time hesitantly reach out and began running her fingers over his wet furred chest. Making small circles, she watched him through lowered lids and he shivered at her touch. He sat back amused at her expression since he could tell she was enjoying the feel of his skin beneath her fingertips. Her hushed words confirmed his suspicions.

“I somehow thought a dragon such as you would be smooth to the touch and not covered with so much hair. I believe I like it better this way…” she declared, with a promise reaching her eyes.

Dristan took hold of her hand as she began to reach lower and tenderly placed a kiss to the inside of her wrist. She sighed again at his touch. “Nay, my lady, do not test my resolve further, I beg you. One of us must remember not to let this insanity overtake us, so behave, you vixen!” he said with a chuckle although he had to admit he enjoyed this playful side to Amiria. “Now sit back down that I may bathe you to bring down your fever,” he ordered.

“I am not a child to be treated so.”

“Then do not behave as one so I can do my best to heal your illness.”

She ignored his words and rose, slightly kneeling with him between her legs. She took her hands and smoothed his tresses back from his face in a gentle caress. He gave a sharp intake of breath as she began to touch him at her leisure. ’Twas apparent she approved of feeling a power that she could affect him so.

“You are mine,” she declared knowingly, “and mine alone.”

Dristan stared back at the seriousness in her eyes. “Aye, as you are and will be mine.”

“Then take me now, Sir Dragon.”

“Not today and not like this Amiria.”

“Please Dristan… I want you and only you.”

“You know not what you say, mon amour,” he said, trying to calm his racing heart. God help him but his need to be inside her was beyond anything he had ever felt afore.

If Dristan had known her better, he would have realized from the stubborn tilt of her chin that Amiria would not have him gainsay her as she was wont to have her way. She leaned forward ’til her breasts caressed his chest. Enjoying the sensation it created, she captured his lips again in another searing kiss even whilst she began to lower her body to meet his own.

Dristan was so distracted by the enchantment she had woven around him that he did not realize what Amiria was about in her determination to carry out her desires had been met. ’Twas not ’til he felt himself entering her and breaking through her maidenhead, making them one, that the comprehension came to him full force. He heard her cry of pain and cursed his foolishness at what he allowed to happen. It came crashing down upon him like the fiercest of storms.

“Amiria!”

Too late, she wrapped her arms around his neck. She held on tightly almost in some attempt to protect him from the pain she felt. Her breathing slowed whilst she became accustomed to the sheer size of him. Dristan feared to move since he did not wish to cause her any further pain, so instead he held her close and whispered words in French to sooth her.

She at last raised her head and loosened her grip about his neck to look into the depths of his eyes. The smile she gave him melted the ice surrounding his heart. He only hoped and prayed she would one day forgive him.

“Now you are in truth mine, Dristan of Berwyck, and we are mated for all time and eternity like the dragons of lore, who but take one true mate for their lifetime,” she said with conviction. “Now make me burn for you, my dragon, as I know only you can and claim me as your own!”

His resolve broken since the damage was done, he told Amiria to hold tight as he rose with her still in his arms. Her legs fasten themselves securely around his hips. They never once broke contact whilst he carried her to his bed with her words to make her burn seared into his heart and, more importantly, into his very soul. Seeing the woman beneath him that had consumed his own dreams for days, he lowered his head and sealed his fate with a hungry kiss. She returned it just as greedily and clasped him tightly to her as if she would never let him go.

Dristan took the remainder of the day and far into the evening to do just as she had asked somehow feeling that he, too, had been burnt into her very soul. ’Twas not ’til the moon was high in the midnight sky that they at last were both completely sated and at long last slept peacefully still entwined in each other’s fierce embrace.

If My Heart Could See You – The MacLaren’s
A Medieval Romance

When you’re enemies, does love have a fighting chance?

For Amiria of Berwyck, defeat does not come easily as she watches her home and clan being ripped asunder. When the very enemy who has laid siege to her home demands her fealty, she will do whatever it takes to protect her people including a hastily concocted ruse that quickly begins to unravel. All too soon, she starts to question whether she can forgive herself for betraying those she has sworn to protect.

Dristan of Blackmore, champion knight of King Henry II, has a reputation to uphold as the Devil’s Dragon. After his invading army conquers Berwyck castle, he sets out to manage the newly claimed estate by training its knight in the art of proper defense. At first, everything appears as it should be, or is it? Betrayed by those he believed he could trust, he must first set aside his anger before he can make room in his heart for love.

Together they are tied by an unspoken bond. As they begin to rebuild the land and unite their people, forces beyond their control attempt to tear apart their fragile truce and only time will tell if love will forever bring them together.

Buy Links – Available in eBook and paperback:

 Amazon US |Amazon AU |  Amazon BR  |  Amazon CA  | Amazon DE  |  Amazon ES |  Amazon FR  |  Amazon IN  |  Amazon IT  |  Amazon JP  |  Amazon MX  |  Amazon NL  |   Amazon UK

If My Heart Could See You is also now available as an Audiobook. Come listen to how Marian Hussey has made my novel come to life!

Narrated by Marian Hussey

Audiobook Buy Links:
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Giveaway Opportunity!

Everyone like’s a giveaway, right? So how about an extra gift for Christmas from me to you? I’ll give away a audiobook & eBook of If My Heart Could See You to two lucky winners that will be chosen sometime on Christmas day. To be in the running leaving me a comment and tell me what you love most about the holiday season. Best of luck and thanks again for stopping by my First Kiss Friday blog!

Happy Holidays from the Bluestocking Belles & a giveaway!

04 Tuesday Dec 2018

Posted by in 2018

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Happy holidays, my lovelies! I would like to extend the very best to you and your families for this holiday season from the Bluestocking Belles. Welcome to our blog hop in celebration of our holiday box set, Follow Your Star Home. My gift to you is a short story of what happened to the ring after Thomas returned it to his father.

If you’ve read my novella in the set, One Last Kiss, you’ll certainly remember Jade Calloway’s friend, Zoe.

Zoe & the ring

Zoe’s breath hitched. She must be dreaming. How else could she possibly be walking through an ancient hall in a medieval castle? She moved forward, or more like floated, so she knew she must have been sleeping.

She watched the scene play out before her as though she watched it on a flickering movie screen. She smiled when she saw her friend Jade conversing with a knight at the raised dais. The name Thomas skimmed across her mind and Zoe knew her friend had found her soul mate whether Jade knew it yet or not. But how was any of this possible?

A feeling of being watched washed over her and she suddenly turned as though a force beyond her control made her do so. Startled, she came face to face with a handsome stranger. A knight of olden days to make any fair maiden lose her heart in the instant their glances met. Tall with black hair that fell below his broad shoulders, the knight continued to watch her with sparkling blue eyes as though he knew some secret she was not privy to.

“Mademoiselle,” the knight murmured before taking her hand and raising it to his lips. His eyes searched hers until they assessed her clothing… her very modern day clothing.

Zoe suddenly felt out of place. “Sir…” she allowed her unfinished words to linger in the air between them.

“Morgan… at your service,” he replied. He looked around the room before he took her arm and placed it in the crook of his arm.  A jolt of heat raced up her hand at the contact. “You appear lost. Mayhap you are one of the new ladies come here to attend the Lady Amiria?”

Zoe’s eyes widened. “Lady Amiria? As in the lady of Berwyck Castle?”

“Is there any other who could measure up to such a name?” he chuckled. “Let me escort you to her. She will be able to ensure you are properly attired. You must have traveled a long way in order to be here.”

“Sir Morgan, I need you to take me to Kenna. Is she here?” she asked quietly. Kenna would be able to explain everything… after all… the woman was her great-grandmother, several generations removed that is.

“She must still be outside. We had several men who were injured in the lists this day. Come, I can take you to her hut,” Morgan said, as he began ushering Zoe from the hall.

He grabbed at a cloak thrust into his hand by a servant and placed it upon her shoulders. She shivered when he closed the clasp at her neck. “Thank you,” she murmured, suddenly feeling shy in the presence of this very handsome knight.

“You are most welcome, Lady…” he gave her this lopsided grin that completely transformed his rugged face making him appear several years younger.

Zoe laughed realizing she had not given her name. “Zoe. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Sir Morgan,” she answered him as she thrust her hand forward for him to take.

He looked at her offering oddly before taking her hand in his calloused one. Warm heat seared straight to her heart and Zoe watched his eyes widen at their contact. He raised her hand once more towards his lips but instead kissed the inside of her wrist. Her toes curled and she swore such a sensation had never before consumed her of this magnitude.

“The pleasure is mine, dear lady. Perchance once you have concluded your business with our healer, you would allow me to accompany you to the table to break your fast.”

Zoe smiled. “I would love to, kind sir,” she said. I could get used to this kind of treatment.

He opened the door of the hall and Zoe walked outside only to stare in wonder at what she saw: snow falling upon a full-blown medieval castle in all its glory. She should have been watching where she was going but she was so preoccupied with the view and her companion that she completely missed the steps in front of her. She began to tumble forward while a scream tore from her lips.

Arms of steel wrapped around her to break her fall and her arms automatically went around his neck as though holding onto Morgan was the only thing that kept reality and her dream from colliding. His lips parted and she watched when his head began to bend forward to steal a kiss. She had never wanted anything more in her entire life.

“Zoe!”

Their lips were but a breath away. Quickly they broke apart but Zoe still clung to Morgan’s arm, afraid that if she were to let go she would lose him to Time.

“Zoe… you must needs go home!” Kenna’s voice rang out in the inner bailey.

Morgan pulled her close, even while Zoe knew she was beginning to return to her own place in time. “Stay with me…” he murmured against her ear. “I just found you and cannot let you leave me so easily.”

Zoe reached up to cup his cheek, rubbing her thumb against his five o’clock shadow. “I would stay if I could,” she whispered. “Remember me…”

“Always.” He took her hand and once more placed a gentle kiss into her palm. “Come back to me, Zoe,” he said before leaning forward to kiss her.

It was everything she would ever want in a first kiss and as she tightened her arms around this handsome knight she gave herself into the moment… that was until her eyes snapped open and she found herself staring up at the ceiling in her apartment. A sob tore from her throat while she flung off the covers to sit at the edge of her bed.

“Why!” she yelled out in frustration only to see a vague vision of Kenna standing before her. “Why? Why would you show me him and then not let me stay?”

“Dearest granddaughter… I showed you nothing other than what you desire but you are not finished with your work in this time and until you are, you must stay here.”

“But what about Morgan?” she asked while tears ran down her face.

“You will know when it is the right time and place for you to find each other again. He will be waiting for you to come home…”

Zoe reached out for the woman who had been a constant in her life yet lived century’s ago. Before her grandmother faded from view, a soft golden glow began shimmering in her hand. She blew a kiss and a twinkling trail like starlight went towards Zoe’s bedside table. Zoe stared in wonder when a golden ring took shape. She reached over to clasp the ring to her chest and smiled knowing she would one day see Morgan again.

***

And in another place in time, Morgan awoke to still feel the lips of Zoe upon his own. He reached up to feel them still tingling from the contact. He began to dress to seek out Berwyck’s healer knowing Kenna would have the answers he stood in need of. He needed to find Zoe no matter the cost. Even Time itself would not keep them apart!

The Holiday Blog Hop Giveaway!

Did you enjoy Zoe & Morgan’s dream together? I sure have an idea for a full story for them after I take care of a few other characters who are vying for my attention. Be sure to leave me a comment here and to follow the Viking star ring to each of the Belles’ websites to be in the running for our giveaway. You can learn more about it here at the Belles’ website along with the sale we’re running until December 15th: https://bluestockingbelles.net/follow-your-star-blog-hop/. The more you comment on each site, the better your chances to win!

Follow Your Star Home

Divided sweethearts seek love and forgiveness in this collection of seasonal novellas.

Forged for lovers, the Viking star ring is said to bring lovers together, no matter how far, no matter how hard.

In eight stories covering more than a thousand years, our heroes and heroines put this legend to the test. Watch the star work its magic as prodigals return home in the season of goodwill, uncertain of their welcome.

Amazon US  |  iBooks |  Kobo |  Nook | Smashwords

Amazon AU | Amazon BR  | Amazon CA | Amazon DE | Amazon ES | Amazon FR | Amazon IN | Amazon IT | Amazon JP | Amazon MX | Amazon NL | Amazon UK

An author’s interview with her characters

31 Wednesday Oct 2018

Posted by in 2018, New Releases

≈ 4 Comments

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Today I’d like to take a few moments to sit down with two very special people in my life, Thomas of Clan Kincaid and Jade Calloway from One Last Kiss in the Bluestocking Belles box set Follow Your Star Home. I’ve pulled them forward to the present to have a bit of a chat with your morning coffee. Since Time is fickle, we best right to it…

Sherry: You seem a little out of sorts, Thomas. What seems to be troubling you?

Thomas: You bring me to this futuristic world of yours, and you must needs ask why I appear cross? You of all people should know I do not care for this crossing Time business.

Jade: Don’t let his growl get to you, Ms. Ewing. Thomas just wants to return home, don’t you dear?

Thomas: Aye.

Sherry: I appreciate you indulging me and my whim, but my readers wanted to learn a little more about you.

Thomas: Readers? What nonsense are you spouting, my lady?”

Jade: She’s our author, my love. She created us.

Thomas: My father and mother would have to gain say you on that account.

Sherry: Tell us about the ring that brought Jade to you from across Time.

Thomas: I do not wish to discuss it. ’Tis been a source of contention for most of my life.

Sherry: But it’s the reason Jade is with you today.

Jade: It really was a miracle. I still can’t believe I now live in the 12th century.

Thomas: The ring may have brought my lady into the past but the love we share is what keeps us together. Time would not be so cruel as to take her from me.

Sherry: You seem to have adjusted well, Jade. Any regrets?

Jade: Considering the final result was to fall in love with his handsome knight, how could I possibly have any regrets? There really isn’t anything that I’ll miss in modern day, San Francisco other than maybe baseball. Tell me, did the Giant’s make it to the World Series this year?

Sherry: I’m afraid not.

Jade: Oh, that’s too bad.

Thomas: Base… ball?

Jade: I’ll tell you about it later.

Sherry: What about you, Thomas? Any regrets of not having a woman to love from your own place in time?

Thomas: If, as you say, you are the means by which I now have Jade in my life, then nay, I have no regrets. I would cross Time itself, if need be, to find her again. My lady means all to me, and I am forever thankful to have her to share my life.

And with his vow, I watched Thomas lean forward to kiss Jade before they faded from view to return to their own place in time. I believe I can honestly say that I’ve given them their happily ever after, don’t you?

If you’d like to read more about their story in One Last Kiss, be sure to pick up Follow Your Star Home and see for yourself how a ring forged from Viking ancestors brings couples together throughout time.

 

Follow Your Star Home
A Bluestocking Belles Collection
Release Date: November 4, 2018

Join our Facebook Release party on Sunday,
November 4th from 2:00 – 9:00 EDT here.

Divided sweethearts seek love and forgiveness in this collection of seasonal novellas.

Forged for lovers, the Viking star ring is said to bring lovers together, no matter how far, no matter how hard.

In eight stories covering more than a thousand years, our heroes and heroines put this legend to the test. Watch the star work its magic as prodigals return home in the season of goodwill, uncertain of their welcome.

25% of proceeds benefit our mutual charity the Malala Fund

One Last Kiss: The Knights of Berwyck,
A Quest Through Time novella

Sometimes it takes a miracle to find your heart’s desire…

Scotland, 1182: Banished from his homeland, Thomas of Clan Kincaid lives among distant relatives, reluctantly accepting he may never return home… until the castle’s healer tells him of a woman traveling across time…

Dare he believe the impossible?

Present Day, Michigan: Jade Calloway is used to being alone, and as Christmas approaches, she’s skeptical when told she’ll embark on an extraordinary journey. But when a ring magically appears, and she sees a ghostly man in her dreams…

Dare she believe in the possible?

Buy Links for Follow Your Star Home:

Amazon US  |  iBooks |  Kobo |  Nook | Smashwords | Amazon AU | Amazon CA | Amazon UK

First Kiss Friday with author Jennae Vale

07 Friday Sep 2018

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It’s First Kiss Friday and today’s guest is the fabulous Jennae Vale who is giving us a scene from her latest release, Her Mysterious Highlander. Happy reading and enjoy!

Excerpt:

She couldn’t believe it.  The thing Merry had wished for and hoped for was actually happening and was better than she had ever imagined it could be. And she had imagined it many times.  Taegen’s kisses were sweet and gentle. She rested her palms on his chest, feeling the strength there. His arms wrapped around her, holding her close in an embrace that encircled her in a cocoon of tenderness. Eyes closed, she let herself go, allowing the feelings of love she had for Taegen to explode inside of her.  Every inch of her, every nerve ending was in a heightened state.  She couldn’t get close enough to him.  He broke away from her mouth and moved his kisses down her neck, carefully moving her hair aside.  She shivered at his touch, not from the cold, but from the heat he was imparting and the response she was giving. Time slipped past. Who knew how long they’d been there, but she knew he didn’t want to stop and neither did she.

“Ahem.”  Eliriad stood watching them from the corner of the tent. “Ye should be careful.  The beast searches for ye.”

The beast?” Merry asked.

“Aye.  The beast.  The one who follows ye around like a lovesick pup.  He’d be quite angry to ken what ye’ve been doing.”

“Oh…” Merry straightened her dress and her hair.

“Ye’d best hurry.  He was coming this way.”

“Taegen, I…”

“Eliriad is right.  Ye should go.  I’m sorry.  I shouldn’t have taken advantage of ye.”

“Dinnae be sorry.”  She quickly peeked out around the tent and could see Brodie’s back as he wandered through camp.  She hurriedly made her way out into the central area and called to him.  “Brodie.”

He turned and when he saw her an enormous grin spread across his face.  “Merry, there ye be.  I’ve been searching for ye.”

“I’m here.  I was fascinated by what Anania had done and without thinking I guess I wandered behind the tents to see it up close.”

His face became gravely serious as his thumb brushed her lips, reminding her of Taegen’s much gentler touch.

“The wind has irritated my lips.  Do they look red?”

He relaxed a bit.  “Aye.  Quite. I’m relieved yer alright.  I was worried for ye.” He glanced around.  “Where is Taegen?”

“I havenae seen him,” she shrugged, hoping she sounded convincing.  She wasn’t used to lying and it didn’t feel right, but if he knew what had just happened, all hell would break loose. She was doing her best to alleviate the suspicions she could tell were going through his head.  Merry wished he would stop staring at her.  “Let’s walk a little.”

“As ye wish,” he said, offering her his arm.

At least when they were walking he was beside her and because she could not see his face she felt a little less guilty about deceiving him.  She gazed at her feet as they walked and thought about Taegen.  She felt her face warm and her body respond to the mere thought of his lips on hers, but for her own sake as well as Taegen’s, she must put it out of her head for now.

Her Mysterious Highlander,

An outsider in two worlds, Taegen Boideach has learned to navigate through life by hiding his true identity.  Although his mother is queen of the elves, he is also half human and as such has been banished from their world to live a solitary life among people who would reject him if they knew his true identity.

Merry has lived a privileged life as a Mackall, where she’s been protected and sheltered from the outside world.  She’s beginning to feel the need to spread her wings.  Her attraction to the mysterious Taegen is the first step in Merry’s determining her own path, but he’s resistant and she doesn’t understand why. New to love and its complications, Merry refuses to give up on him even as they approach imminent danger.

On a quest to save Scotland, Merry and Taegen are in the eye of the storm as they work together to destroy the Twin Sword and its maker, an evil sorcerer. Will they be successful in their quest? With the help of their elf and human companions it’s possible only if they can all learn to trust and accept each other, but old prejudices and preconceived notions may stand in the way of their success.

Buy Links:  

Amazon:  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07G133LN3

iBooks:   https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/her-mysterious-highlander/id1406264855?mt=11

B&N: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/her-mysterious-highlander-jennae-vale/1128988640?ean=2940155319252

Kobo:  https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/her-mysterious-highlander

Jennae Vale Bio:

Jennae Vale is a best selling author of romance with a touch of magic.  As a history buff from an early age, Jennae often found herself day-dreaming in history class and wondering what it would be like to live in the places and time periods she was learning about.  Writing time travel romance has given her an opportunity to take those daydreams and turn them into stories to share with readers everywhere.

Originally from the Boston area, Jennae now lives in the San Francisco Bay area, where some of her characters also reside.  When Jennae isn’t writing, she enjoys spending time with her family and her pets, and daydreaming, of course.

Social Media:

Website:  www.jennaevaleauthor.com

Email: jennaevaleauthor@gmail.com

Twitter: @jennaevale

Facebook: www.facebook.com/jennaevaleauthor

Instagram: www.instagram.com/jennaevale

BookBub:  www.bookbub.com/jennae-vale

Newsletter:   http://eepurl.com/bf1CqP

Medieval Monday with If My Heart Could See You

02 Monday Jul 2018

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Hello, my lovelies. Today is Medieval Monday and I’d like to go back to the beginning with an excerpt from my medieval novel, If My Heart Could See You. It’s hard to believe that this month will mark the fourth year that I’ve been a published author. I’m pretty proud of the work I’ve done and I think you’ve been enjoying my books, too. I hope you enjoy this look back to the chapter when Dristan is riding out along the strand and he espies a lady waking up from her slumbers. Happy reading and enjoy!

Excerpt:

Dristan was about to let Thor have his way and let the beast fly his way back to the security of the castle, when a slight movement by the edge of the forest caught his eye. He blinked once and tried to refocus his vision ’til he noticed a person lying wrapped securely in a MacLaren clan’s tartan. He watched in fascination as the person stretched and unfolded and the unmistakable form of a woman became abundantly clear.

Apparently, the woman had not realized she was no longer alone. She rose from her bed on the sand and began to shake the tiny granules from her clothing and hair. Finally, in frustration, she grabbed both ends of her tartan, which she had used as a cape of sorts, and raised it above her head, shaking out the contents that had found every fold to hide in. ’Twas only as she settled the garment around her head and fastened a broach to keep everything in place that she chose to at last look up, and a startled expression crossed her face.

Dristan gave a brief smile as he took off his gloves, dismounted, and made his way towards the woman, knowing Thor would remain where he was left. The closer he came, the more pleasantly he was surprised, ’til she pulled the tartan close about her features. Although only allowed the slightest glimpse of her face, this woman appeared as an angel with porcelain skin, a neck as graceful as a swan’s, and high cheekbones. A small pert nose and lips begging to be kissed were now hidden by the plaid she used to conceal her appearance.

His hands would no doubt be able to span her small waistline; her breasts were not overly large but he knew they, too, would fit well within the palm of his hands and then some. Her hair was the color of flames or the sky just as the sun was about to set as a few loose tendrils blew in the ocean’s breeze.

She shifted her feet in the sand in indecision, and he noticed no shoes covered her feet, which even appeared perfect to his eyes. Surely there must be some flaw with the girl, Dristan thought to himself but he could find none. First the lady in the mist had consumed his thoughts, and now this woodland nymph had come to confuse him even more. Mayhap he could hope the damsel was not wed or spoken for.

“A good morn to you, mademoiselle,” Dristan said, with a slight bow. “You are far from the village so early. Mayhap I can offer my assistance and see you back to your dwelling?”

A negative shake of her head was all Dristan was awarded, and he watched as she took several steps backwards towards the haven of the trees behind her.

“Come now… I mean you no harm, mistress, as I am lord of yon keep,” he declared with a wave of his hand towards the castle. “As a knight of King Henry’s realm, I fear you must humor me as ’twould be most unchivalrous to leave one so lovely unprotected to the elements of both man and beast alike. May I escort you to the village perchance?”

Once again, her hooded head gave no answer whilst she clutched the tartan closer to her, as if it offered the security she stood in need of.

“No? Well, I cannot in all good conscience leave you here to fend for yourself. A name then,” he encouraged, “tell me your name?”

“My n-name?”

Dristan heard her whispered words softly teasing his senses. “Aye, mistress, your name. Surely you have one?”

He stood fascinated as the head of the woman swiveled quickly in his direction. For one brief moment he beheld eyes of violet, reminding him of the heather on the Scottish moors. Still he waited patiently for her answer and yet she provided nothing to give her identity away.

Merciful heavens, what was she to do? His words hung in the air between them, and her consciousness frantically screamed to find an answer to give him and quickly! Yet, no rebuttal came to her frozen mind as Amiria stood there in total indecisiveness. She knew she could not allow him to get too close on the off chance he might recognize her, even though her face was clean from the grime and mud usually gracing it these days. ’Twas the words he uttered, haunting her as he had spoken them to her once afore, although she was now in a different guise.

“Somehow, I do not think giving you my name would be in my best interest, my lord,” she said quietly and took but an instant more to gaze at him afore her eyes became downcast. Her mind was racing, thinking of only how to escape the predicament she now found herself in with no horse to hasten her journey.

Dristan gave a soft chuckle at her words. “Mayhap not, but ’twould please me to know it just the same.”

“It matters not to me if you are pleased, so I will keep it unto myself I think,” she retorted sharply.

“I see a task afore me that I might coax it from your lips,” he prompted, taking a step in her direction. For each footstep he advanced, Amiria took one in the opposite direction towards the forest ’til he halted.

“Call it as you see fit, but ’twill still not gain you what you seek.” Amiria watched as he laughed out loud, but she could not find the humor of the situation from her words she had spoken.

“I do so love a challenge,” he argued humorously.

“Do you?” she asked sarcastically. “And what, pray tell, do you achieve if you should know my name, my lord?”

Dristan looked on her with a slight smile set upon his handsome face. “Why I achieve the name of a beautiful woman I would like to know better.”

She contemplated him again, wondering at his ploy. “And how know you I am beautiful with just one glimpse of my face?”

“Anyone with eyes in his head could tell, fair damsel, you are indeed a fine looking woman.”

“They say beauty is not everything, my lord Dristan. Perchance I have a shrewish nature, as I have been told such afore.”

“Somehow, I think not.”

“Do you?” she repeated the same words of but seconds ago.

He interrupted her. “Besides, ’tis not fair you should know who I am, but I am not granted the same.”

“Any and all would be a fool not to know the Devil’s Dragon of Blackmore now claims his lair in Berwyck Castle.”

“Then you have heard of me and my reputation has proceeded me,” he cajoled.

“Aye, my lord, I have indeed knowledge of you.”

“I see you do not fear me, as some do upon first encountering me. Why is that, I wonder, when you in truth do not know my nature?” he questioned honestly.

“I fear no man,” she answered, as she raised her head defiantly with a flip of her head, “or beast for that matter!”

Dristan threw his head back and laughed. It sounded pleasant to her ears. “Well said, damsel. Mayhap in you I have finally met my match!”

If My Heart Could See You ~ The MacLarens, A Medieval Romance

 

When you’re enemies, does love have a fighting chance?

For Amiria of Berwyck, defeat does not come easily as she watches her home and clan being ripped asunder. When the very enemy who has laid siege to her home demands her fealty, she will do whatever it takes to protect her people including a hastily concocted ruse that quickly begins to unravel. All too soon, she starts to question whether she can forgive herself for betraying those she has sworn to protect.

Dristan of Blackmore, champion knight of King Henry II, has a reputation to uphold as the Devil’s Dragon. After his invading army conquers Berwyck castle, he sets out to manage the newly claimed estate by training its knight in the art of proper defense. At first, everything appears as it should be, or is it? Betrayed by those he believed he could trust, he must first set aside his anger before he can make room in his heart for love.

Together they are tied by an unspoken bond. As they begin to rebuild the land and unite their people, forces beyond their control attempt to tear apart their fragile truce and only time will tell if love will forever bring them together.

Buy Links – Read for #FREE in Kindle Unlimited
Available in eBook and paperback:

 Amazon US |Amazon AU |  Amazon BR  |  Amazon CA  | Amazon DE  |  Amazon ES |  Amazon FR  |  Amazon IN  |  Amazon IT  |  Amazon JP  |  Amazon MX  |  Amazon NL  |   Amazon UK

If My Heart Could See You is also available as an Audiobook. Come listen to how Marian Hussey has made my novel come to life!
Narrated by Marian Hussey

Audiobook Buy Links:
Amazon  |  Audible  |  iTunes

First Kiss Friday with Sherry Ewing & If My Heart Could See You

26 Friday Jan 2018

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Welcome to another First Kiss Friday with yours truly! This weekend I’ll be celebrating my birthday so I’d like to take you back to the beginning and the book that started my whole medieval & time travel series: If My Heart Could See You.

In case you need a reminder for this scene, Amiria of Clan MacLaren is ill and running a fever. She even thinks that she is wed to Dristan, the Devil’s Dragon of Blackmore, while he watches over her with worry. Happy reading and enjoy!

Excerpt:

He went to the bed and gazed down upon his beautiful lady. He could think of her as nothing else for she would in truth become his wife once she was well again. ’Twas whilst he stared at her that he began to notice the slight beginnings of a smile playing upon her lips, and he pondered what she dreamed of. She began to stir most alluringly and whispered his name as provocatively and sweetly as any lover could.

He pulled the coverings from Amiria and lifted her into his arms. She molded her body closer to his own and his heart began to beat a little faster. Dristan was caught off guard, feeling her silky limbs wrapping themselves around his neck. The warmth of her lips began to nuzzle his neck and she gave a sigh of contentment as his arms held her tighter.

“You came for me… I knew you would,” she purred into his ear in a soft confident whisper.

“Aye, so it appears,” he said as a tingle went through him with the feel of her breath in his ear. Carrying her to the tub placed by the fire, he slowly swung his legs over its rim to feel the water at his knees. “Brace yourself, Amiria.” She held him tighter as he began to sink down into their bath. Water sloshed over the sides onto the floor the lower he brought them.

“’Tis too cold,” she said groggily with a shiver, trying to get closer to the very heart of him.

“’Tis for the best, my lady, and will make you well again.”

“I do not like it,” she said with a pout and proceeded to turn in his arms.

Afore Dristan could cease her motion, Amiria lifted slightly away from him, moving both legs to either side of his own, and promptly sat down upon his upper thighs with a wiggle of her bare bottom. This certainly was not what he had intended whilst he watched in fascination her fixed glassy eyes take in his face. Her tongue moistened her lips. Smiling, she stole a quick fleeting kiss.

“Warm me,” she demanded, molding herself to his chest and lowering her lips to receive another of his kisses as if she had done so a dozen times afore.

A part of him sprang to life against his better judgment and yet he could not for the life of him cease the intoxicating kiss she gave him. He breathed life into her as their tongues intertwined in a dance known to lovers for centuries. For just a moment longer would he indulge in what she offered, for he knew she would not remember what she did once she was herself again.

He cupped her head, bringing her closer and deepened their kiss. His fingers tangled themselves in the length of her hair ’til he could stand no more. His hands lowered themselves down her back in a gentle caress. She sighed in pleasure and Dristan heard the throaty moan that escaped her. He would have smiled through their kiss if ’twere possible for he had the notion he had awakened a temptress that would forever belong only to him.

She pulled away from his lips with a shake of her glorious red mane and gave a satisfying laugh. Her eyes widened in bewilderment from the hardness of him against her naked flesh. “I have roused my dragon, I see,” she smirked knowingly.

“That you have my dear, but you must yield the day for I would not have you hate me come the morrow. I am, after all, just a man with a man’s desires.”

“You want me then as I want you?” she inquired shyly with a blush to her face.

Dristan gave a brief laugh and caressed her cheek as she leaned into the palm of his hand. “Aye, my lady, more than I should but we cannot continue this.”

“Who are you to say we cannot?”

“I am your liege lord, Amiria. When we come together I would have you more yourself that you remember our first time together as husband and wife.”

Her brows puckered into a frown as she pondered his words. “Are we not wed?” she whispered in puzzlement. Afore he could answer, she continued onward with a brazen look upon her features. “It matters not,” she declared possessively, “for you belong to me!”

Dristan watched his lady as she for the first time hesitantly reach out and began running her fingers over his wet furred chest. Making small circles, she watched him through lowered lids and he shivered at her touch. He sat back amused at her expression since he could tell she was enjoying the feel of his skin beneath her fingertips. Her hushed words confirmed his suspicions.

“I somehow thought a dragon such as you would be smooth to the touch and not covered with so much hair. I believe I like it better this way…” she declared, with a promise reaching her eyes.

Dristan took hold of her hand as she began to reach lower and tenderly placed a kiss to the inside of her wrist. She sighed again at his touch. “Nay, my lady, do not test my resolve further, I beg you. One of us must remember not to let this insanity overtake us, so behave, you vixen!” he said with a chuckle although he had to admit he enjoyed this playful side to Amiria. “Now sit back down that I may bathe you to bring down your fever,” he ordered.

“I am not a child to be treated so.”

“Then do not behave as one so I can do my best to heal your illness.”

She ignored his words and rose, slightly kneeling with him between her legs. She took her hands and smoothed his tresses back from his face in a gentle caress. He gave a sharp intake of breath as she began to touch him at her leisure. ’Twas apparent she approved of feeling a power that she could affect him so.

“You are mine,” she declared knowingly, “and mine alone.”

Dristan stared back at the seriousness in her eyes. “Aye, as you are and will be mine.”

“Then take me now, Sir Dragon.”

“Not today and not like this Amiria.”

“Please Dristan… I want you and only you.”

“You know not what you say, mon amour,” he said, trying to calm his racing heart. God help him but his need to be inside her was beyond anything he had ever felt afore.

If Dristan had known her better, he would have realized from the stubborn tilt of her chin that Amiria would not have him gainsay her as she was wont to have her way. She leaned forward ’til her breasts caressed his chest. Enjoying the sensation it created, she captured his lips again in another searing kiss even whilst she began to lower her body to meet his own.

If My Heart Could See You – The MacLaren’s,

A Medieval Romance

When you’re enemies, does love have a fighting chance?

For Amiria of Berwyck, defeat does not come easily as she watches her home and clan being ripped asunder. When the very enemy who has laid siege to her home demands her fealty, she will do whatever it takes to protect her people including a hastily concocted ruse that quickly begins to unravel. All too soon, she starts to question whether she can forgive herself for betraying those she has sworn to protect.

Dristan of Blackmore, champion knight of King Henry II, has a reputation to uphold as the Devil’s Dragon. After his invading army conquers Berwyck castle, he sets out to manage the newly claimed estate by training its knight in the art of proper defense. At first, everything appears as it should be, or is it? Betrayed by those he believed he could trust, he must first set aside his anger before he can make room in his heart for love.

Together they are tied by an unspoken bond. As they begin to rebuild the land and unite their people, forces beyond their control attempt to tear apart their fragile truce and only time will tell if love will forever bring them together.

Buy Links – Read for #FREE in Kindle Unlimited
Available in eBook and paperback:

 Amazon US |Amazon AU |  Amazon BR  |  Amazon CA  | Amazon DE  |  Amazon ES |  Amazon FR  |  Amazon IN  |  Amazon IT  |  Amazon JP  |  Amazon MX  |  Amazon NL  |   Amazon UK

If My Heart Could See You is also now available as an Audiobook. Come listen to how Marian Hussey has made my novel come to life!

Audiobook Buy Links:
Amazon  |  Audible  |  iTunes

Don’t forget Medieval Monday!

And just in case you can’t get enough of my medieval & time travel romances, Medieval Monday will start again this coming Monday, January 29th. I’ll be giving away an eBook to one lucky winner who follows my snippets and comments on the blog hop. Good luck and thanks for stopping by my site!

Medieval Monday with author Sherry Ewing

01 Monday May 2017

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It’s Medieval Monday and I’ll be winding up our villain theme with an excerpt from A Knight To Call My Own. Lynet of Clan MacLaren has been abducted and Callum of the Davidson clan is none to pleased with her. Enjoy this final excerpt in our #MedievalHop and thank you for all your support!

Excerpt:

“Only a fool would take something belonging to the Devil’s Dragon,” she sneered meaningfully, “or are you so witless you are not aware of his reputation?” She gave him a knowing grin that her rescue was imminent.

“Hence, therein lays my need to put as much distance as possible between us. Now, shut your trap, else I will find something to gag you with so you no longer bore me with your ranting.”

They rode hard the entire day with only a few short breaks to rest their steeds. With each mile they traveled, she left Berwyck farther and farther behind. The lowlands of Scotland had disappeared hours ago. Dismay filled her as the terrain became unfamiliar to her. She was never left alone, and she cursed her foolishness this morn, for now she was guarded more diligently than ever afore.

Blurb:

 When your heart is broken, is love still worth the risk?

Lynet of clan MacLaren knows how it feels to love someone and not have that love returned. After waiting for six long years, she has given up hope of Ian’s return. Her brother-in-law, the Devil’s Dragon of Berwyck, is tired of waiting for her to choose a husband and has decided a competition for the right to wed Lynet is just the thing his willful charge needs to force her hand.

Ian MacGillivray has returned to Berwyck Castle in search of a bride and who better than the young girl who cared for him all those years ago. But Lynet is anything but an easy conquest and he will need more than charm to win her hand in marriage.

From the English borders to the Highlands of Scotland, the chase is on for who will claim the fair Lynet. The price paid will indeed be high to ensure her safety and even higher to win her love.

Buy Links:

Amazon  |  Barnes & Noble  |   iBooks  |  Kobo

First Kiss Friday with Sherry Ewing and A Knight To Call My Own

27 Friday Jan 2017

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a_knight_to_call_my__cover_for_kindle
It’s First Kiss Friday and today I’m sharing the first kiss experience for Lynet. At first, she is kissed by her captain of the guard, Rolf, before she’s interrupted by a very angry Ian. I hope you enjoy this excerpt from A Knight To Call My Own. Happy reading and enjoy!Excerpt:

Lynet should have expected this to happen when she had stated she would stay with him. But nothing in her score of years had prepared her for the sensation of her very first kiss as a woman full grown. She would have thought such a momentous event would send her heart flipping end over end, but ’twas further from the truth than she cared to admit, even unto herself. Although mildly pleasant, such a kiss as this did not make her want to profess her undying love to the knight who would offer her everything she desired if she could but learn to love him.

Perchance, she did not put enough effort into such an endeavor, for how was she to know how this kissing business was accomplished, having only experienced it once afore as a young girl with Ian, haphazard and brief as that had been. She took a step closer. Rolf must have taken this as a sign of encouragement. He deepened their kiss, and Lynet quickly became aware of two startling revelations. For one, Rolf had far more experience than she herself did when it came to kissing and certainly knew what he was doing. The second was far more disappointing to her peace of mind. She abruptly realized, if they were to marry, she would be settling into a relationship where they may have found a common accord, but Lynet would never truly love him deep within her heart. They both deserved much better than such a fate as that.

“I hope we’re not interrupting…” an annoyed voice called out from behind her.

Shame flooded through her, down to her very toes, as they swiftly broke apart. To be caught in such a compromising position such as this and by him, of all people! She turned to see none other than Ian himself making his way up the last of the parapet steps, followed closely by her brother Aiden, who strode menacingly towards Rolf with a clenched fist.

“I should call you out for taking advantage of my sister!” Aiden bellowed, wedging himself between her and Rolf. “What the devil were you thinking to touch her so?” Rolf threw both his hands up, obviously not willing to fight her brother in front of her.

“’Tis wretchedly obvious he was not thinking at all, Aiden,” Ian drawled, taking her elbow. “Come, Lynet. I will escort you to your chambers.

“Nay! I will go nowhere with you, Ian,” she professed in embarrassment whilst trying to wrench her arm free with little success.

Aiden whirled around, glaring at her ’til she snapped her mouth shut. “You will go with Ian to your chambers. You have enough to worry about in the coming days with all the rabble outside our gates vying for your hand and should get your rest whilst you may,” her brother ordered. He made sure his words were abundantly clear, giving evidence he was not pleased with her behavior.

Her emotions torn between the three men, she watched as Aiden made to usher Rolf from the battlement wall. ’Twas clear her brother had no qualm about leaving her alone with Ian. But she knew otherwise and what this could mean to her already tattered heart. Ian was by far more dangerous to her wellbeing.

“Rolf,” she called, stepping towards him although Ian’s grip kept her from getting any closer to him. “I will see you on the morrow.” He gave her the briefest of nods as acknowledgement afore leaving with Aiden, who continued his lecture as they did so.

Lynet stood in silence as she watched the turret door shut with a resounding slam. She made the blunder of looking up into Ian’s stormy face once they were alone. His visage was furious with possibly a hint of jealousy hidden in the depths of his eyes. ’Twas hard to tell what the man was pondering inside his head, but she knew she would not have to wait long afore he spoke his mind. When he did, it caused her to inwardly cringe.

“You will not meet with him by yourself again, Lynet.” He enunciated each word with clenched teeth, giving confirmation to the anger he was holding in check. “Do I make myself clear?”

Her own rage exploded to the surface like blinding, white-hot lightning. “Who do you think you are that you assume you can just order me about and tell me what to do?” Courage to stand up for herself raced through Lynet, for she would not let him see how he affected her so. Her reckless and traitorous heart skipped a beat with his nearness. Damn the man’s soul to hell. How she hated him!

“I will tell you who I am, lass. I am the man you will forever bow down to and call husband come the end of these games,” he roared ferociously, like a wounded animal.

“I will neither bow down to you, nor any other man, you worthless cur,” she shouted right back at him.

Ian grabbed her arms, giving her a shake ’til she felt her teeth rattle. “You will submit to me, you stubborn woman. Do you not even realize when you have met your match?”

She lifted her head at him with narrowed eyes. “Aye, as a matter of fact, I do, for he just left with my brother!”

“He is only the captain of your guard, Lynet. He has no right to lay claim to you as his future bride,” Ian retorted hotly, “nor to steal your kisses in the moonlight.”

“That did not stop you from loving my sister when the same held true of your position. What makes you think you are a better man than Rolf to hold my affection, or that you can do a finer job of kissing me? I enjoyed his lips on mine and will kiss him anytime I should choose to do so,” she snickered, tossing him a defiant glare that all too quickly fell from her features. With one glance upon him, she might as well have slapped his face, considering the look he gave her. She knew she had pushed him too far.

He said not another word, but made fast work of guiding her down from the lofty parapet walkway. Her slippered feet barely touched the coldness of the stones beneath her, so rapid was their hasty decent down the turret stairs. When they came to the portal of her chamber, Ian backed her up against the solid wood with his arms resting on either side of her, as he had done but recently. There was no escaping him.

They stood, just the two of them, listening to the crackling sound of the lit torches in the passageway. Far more troubling to her way of thinking was her heaving chest as she attempted to gain her breath. She could no longer stand her submissive stance of looking down at her feet, so she raised her eyes to meet his.

When would she stop making such stupid decisions as actually looking at the man, not that she had anywhere else to gaze, given his close proximity. The firelight from the torches in the wall sconces brought out the red of his hair. She would have sighed at the sight of it, but would not give him the gratification. His heavy lidded, hazel eyes took on a light of their own and seemed to search into her very soul. She gulped and watched a gleam enter those knowing orbs whilst a discerning grin formed on his mouth. A mouth that was rapidly closing the distance between them!

“Do not dare─”

Her words were cut off as his mouth quickly took possession of her own, for possess her he did, with just the slightest first brush of his lips. She gasped when a turbulent wave of searing heat radiated throughout her entire body. But, such a profound encounter only allowed him to further plunder her senses as his tongue began to frolic with her own. Sweet Jesus, what in the world is he doing to me?

She felt his hands cup her face ’til he tilted her head, allowing him better access to her mouth. An unexpected moan escaped her. ’Twas, apparently, what he had wanted to hear from her. The sound surely only confirmed his own damn suspicions that she had told a lie when speaking of the effect of Rolf’s kiss. She was certain such a revelation pleased him.

His hands began a slow descent as they roamed down her back ’til he cupped her bottom, bringing her up hard against his solid frame. She quaked in response to such intimacy between them. Her shock did not stop his arm from winding around her waist, keeping her firmly in place as he continued to devour her last shreds of reality. The disbelief of feeling his firmly muscled body pressed up against her own sent any sense of prudence to remain indifferent to him fleeing from her mind. How could one keep a hold on any form of rationality when all she could suddenly feel was the unmistakable form of his manhood pressed intimately against her?

She was lost, and she unexpectedly cared not. Nay… all she could recognize in her feeble attempts to remain level headed was the fact that any control of the situation she may have had up to this point had vanished as soon as Ian had kissed her. Her arms made their way up and around his neck to playfully finger his shoulder length hair. She mimicked what he was doing to her mouth, letting him teach her what he liked. She must have done something right, for she heard his own groan of pleasure whilst he tightened his grip upon her.

Was it just her imagination, or did her body seem to mold itself to his own, as if they had been made for one another, even whilst his hands roamed freely over her backside? And yet, she did not complain, or even make the slightest protest. This was how it felt to finally be in his arms. She had dreamed of this moment for so long, she was almost waiting for someone to come and wake her, for surely she must be dreaming. She reached out and clasped the nape of Ian’s neck as she urged him onward in this journey he was taking her on. ’Twas sheer bliss… bliss ’til she felt herself being rudely yanked from his embrace.

Lynet gazed around with passion filled eyes to see who had interrupted them, but there was no one near, except the man who had proved his point that Rolf was not the knight for her. Aye! The deliberate burning glare in those obnoxious hazel eyes told her he knew exactly what he had done to her, and he was glad for it, the bastard.

Ian leaned down from his towering height so they came almost nose to nose. “Lesson number one, Lynet, is never lie to me again. Rolf is a good man, but he will never be able to make you feel the way I can. I will be victorious at the end of the games, and you will be my wife. You… are… mine.”

He gave her but an instant for the words he proclaimed to register in her brain, which surely had been turned to mush. Afore she could even mange to form some limited response that would most likely be garbled jibber-jabber, Ian gave her a quick kiss upon her already tender lips, opened her door and gave her a gentle push through the portal. Once she was inside, Ian closed the door behind her.

Feeling completely numb, with her feelings a jumbled mess, Lynet could go no further into her chamber. Instead, she leaned back against the wooden door, trying to somehow control and still her racing heart. It took every bit of effort she had left in her just to turn her body and lift her arm in order to slide the bolt into place. Her ear pressed to the door, she listened intently for signs of Ian’s departure. She held her breath with the knowledge he, too, lingered just on the other side with only an obnoxious piece of wood now separating them. She heard it then…the unmistakable sound of his footsteps receding down the corridor to seek his own slumber.

With his departure, her breath left her in a swift rush afore her trembling legs crumbled beneath her. Sliding helplessly to the floor, her hands shook as she fingered her sensitive lips. Aye, she had indeed been most thoroughly kissed, and by one who knew, inevitability, she had enjoyed every instant of their encounter. Surely he had branded her as his own with the scorching warmth of his touch. She may as well call Father Donovan and get their marriage over and done with. May God above help her and give her strength for what was to come with that insufferable man she so wanted to hate.

Hate him, or love him… she was not sure which she wanted to believe more. Either one was just as bad. For what truly mattered where her heart was concerned, was that Lynet recognized she was in big trouble.

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A Knight To Call My Own is part of my medieval/time travel series and continues the story of the MacLaren’s first seen in my debut novel, If My Heart Could See You (a FREE eBook at online retailers).

Blurb:

When your heart is broken, is love still worth the risk?

Lynet of Clan MacLaren knows how it feels to love someone and not have that love returned. After waiting for six long years, she has given up hope of Ian’s return. Her brother-in-law, the Devil’s Dragon of Berwyck, is tired of waiting for her to choose a husband and has decided a competition for the right to wed Lynet is just the thing his willful charge needs to force her hand.

Ian MacGillivray has returned to Berwyck Castle in search of a bride and who better than the young girl who cared for him all those years ago. But Lynet is anything but an easy conquest and he will need more than charm to win her hand in marriage.

From the English borders to the Highlands of Scotland, the chase is on for who will claim the fair Lynet. The price paid will indeed be high to ensure her safety and even higher to win her love.

Buy Links:
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First Kiss Friday with Sherry Ewing and Only for You

23 Friday Dec 2016

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Welcome to another First Kiss Friday with yours truly. Today I have an excerpt from Only For You (which is also in the special edition box set Hearts Across Time). My hero and heroine are already married and have obviously shared a first kiss in For All of Ever, but I still wanted to share the experience with you as their story continues in Only For You. Katherine and Riorden are two of my all time favorite characters I’ve written so far.

I hope you enjoy this excerpt. Happy reading and I wish you a very Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year!

Excerpt

Katherine held the bed post and stroked the heavy wooden frame, almost reverently, as if to memorize the feel of it beneath her fingertips. Rough in places, it wouldn’t always remain this way. She smiled in remembrance of the first time she had seen this room.

The chamber really hadn’t altered all that much from now to when she was in Bamburgh with her friends more than eight hundred years in the future. Some of the furniture may have changed over time, but she still marveled that their placement was exactly the same centuries from now. She leaned her forehead on the dark oaken post and closed her eyes. She could still feel the utter despair of when she had first seen Riorden here in this chamber. She remembered reaching out to touch him, yet he had been nothing but a shadow of what could have been if only Time had not played such a horrible hoax on them.

The sharp sound of a trunk closing as the lid dropped into place brought her back to the present, and she watched in fascination as Riorden ran a hand through his mussed, shoulder length hair. He reached for a goblet of wine and took a sip until his attention immediately flew to her over the cup rim. There was such intense longing in his gaze that Katherine’s heart flipped, as it always did whenever he looked at her in such a manner. She knew he was reliving his own disquieting memories of her in his chamber as a ghost.

They continued to watch one another, transfixed by the haunting nightmare they had once shared. The image he presented, however, was so reminiscent of their past ghostlike encounter that a small thrill went through her, knowing he was really standing right before her in the flesh. She could touch him anytime she so wished, and forevermore would she be grateful that Time had bended to their most heartfelt desire. It wasn’t every day that fate brought her a gorgeous chivalrous knight to call her very own. She had waited her whole lifetime to find him, and she would take advantage of such a gift!

His eyes traversed up and down her body until a lazy grin developed on his face that generally was Katherine’s undoing. Since she could stand the handsome distraction he presented no longer, she shortened the space between them. Her eyes never left his as she came to stand before him. Taking the goblet from his hand, she took a small taste where his lips had but recently met the edge and placed the cup carefully on the table. The heady wine slid down her throat, warming her stomach. It was nothing compared to what he was unintentionally doing to her emotionally. The room grew hot, and yet still they spoke no words. He looked down at her from his towering height. His eyes told her what he wanted, but she only gave him a seductive smile.

She expected to be ensnared in his embrace and taken to their bed. He surprised her when instead he held his palm face up to her, and she knew for certain he, too, had been reliving the experience of their past encounter. With her shaking hand, she placed her own palm face down to hover but inches over his. She shivered when tingling sensations rushed up her entire arm. It was still there…that connection between them that even Time would never separate.

She could almost hear his thoughts. They mirrored her own. A small jolt of excitement went racing through her body when she began running her hands up his muscled chest. They halted when she tugged at the barrier of his shirt that was in the way of the prize she sought. She licked her lips in anticipation of how she really wanted to spend their last afternoon at Bamburgh.

Her hand slowly skimmed upward to caress the nape of his neck. His skin was warm beneath her touch. “Kiss me, my dearest Riorden,” she said in a husky whisper.

With the slightest pressure from her fingers to encourage him, he leaned down to place his lips on her own. This kiss was no different than any other he had given her over the past month. It was just as explosive, setting her entire being on fire, and had her begging for more than just his mouth on hers. Was it just her, or did he seem to breathe life into her very soul?

She yanked at his tunic so she could further explore his skin with an urgency born of almost sheer desperation. He groaned, making quick work of the garment by pulling it over his head and tossing it onto the floor. She began to lightly trace the lines of firm stretched skin on his stomach until he grabbed her hands as if he already couldn’t stand the effect such a small act of pleasure had on him. He crushed her into his arms with his own sense of eagerness, and Katherine felt as if she had died and gone to heaven. Such a cliché of a term, but there really was no other way to phrase how this man made her feel.

Riorden’s hands tore at the fabric of her gown, and she heard, more than saw, the ripping of the neckline that surely was beyond any form of repair now. She could have cared less, especially when she felt his hands reaching beneath her bodice like a bloody pirate after a coveted treasure sunk beneath the waters of the deep blue sea. He easily captured her breasts in his hands and leaned down to tease her nipples with his tongue until they were taut little buds in his mouth. His lips made a trail up her neck until he nipped at her earlobe, making goose bumps explode up and down her arms and spine. Good God Almighty! She was about to crawl out of her skin, she wanted him inside her so desperately.

His tongue darted out now and then, adding to her agony until she heard him begin to murmur in his deep baritone voice what she could only assume were words of love. She wouldn’t know, since he spoke them in Norman French.

“Riorden?”

“Aye, my love?” he answered but seemingly gave no thought to halt the blinding kisses he continued placing on her neck and the white mounds of her breasts.

“I can’t understand you.”

She watched him as he looked up, momentarily confused until it dawned on him. He gave her a wicked smile and pressed himself against her. His manhood was rigid with his own need, and she felt it throbbing against her.

“I want you.”

It was a simple statement that rushed to her heart, making her feel flushed and giddy at the same time.

“Riorden?”

“Aye, my love?”

She sweetly smiled at him while he waited for some kind of a response from her. She wouldn’t make him wait long for her answer. Pulling his head down once more, Katherine blew softly in his ear and felt him shiver in anticipation.

About Only For You: The Knights of Berwyck, A Quest Through Time Novel (Book Two)

The story of Katherine and Riorden de Deveraux from For All of Ever continues on in: Only for You

Sometimes it’s hard to remember that true love conquers all only after the battle is over…

Katherine de Deveraux has it all or so she believes when she begins her life with her husband Riorden. But as she begins to settle into her duties as the Countess of Warkworth Castle, she finds that an easy life is not only difficult but downright dangerous to her well-being.

Consumed with the haunting memories of his father, Riorden must deal with his sire’s widow who just happens to also be his ex-lover. Yet how could he know just how far Marguerite is willing to go in order to have the life she feels they were truly meant to live?

Torn apart by circumstances neither Katherine nor Riorden could ever imagine, Time becomes their true enemy even while Marguerite continues her ploy to keep Riorden at her side. With all hope lost, will Katherine and Riorden find a way to save their marriage and have their happily ever after ending, or will Katherine be whisked back to where Time truly feels she belongs?

Genre: Historical Romance, Medieval, Time Travel

Heat Level: Steamy

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