Sneak Peek Sunday ~

Mar3

I’ve recently discovered a new Sunday hop to fill the void left by the closing of Six Sentence Sunday.
It’s called Sneak Peek Sunday!
The idea is to post six paragraphs (no more, no less) from either a work in progress (WIP) or a published work. I have lots to choose from.

Here’s a sneak peek from my Loving Leonardo — A Victorian polyamorous love story, with a touch of reader-interactive art history. This portion from the beginning of the tale involves Ellie knocking on Nicolas’ door and proposing marriage to a man completely comfortable with his life to this point. Needless to say he’s shocked that this stranger, this bold-as-brass American, would suggest such a thing.

I rubbed the point between my eyes.

She asked, “As a friend, may I leave your title aside and call you Nicolas?” At my nod she continued. “Nicolas, I’m no fool. For all that I’m a progressive woman: I live in a man’s world. And while society may change in the future, I’m hindered in the here and now. It would be difficult to travel on my own, and certainly tracking down homoerotic artworks would be next to impossible for a woman. I wouldn’t even know how to ask about them; trained proficient I’m not. Were we to marry, I see advantage for the both of us outside this venture.”

“Advantage?”

“Yes, you’ll be free to love who you will without society casting rude speculations your way. And aside from my being free to be who I am, I’ll benefit by a social standing that will allow me to affect change from within society.”

I considered her a moment. Miss Elenora Schwaab was an extremely pleasant-looking young woman with her wise blue eyes and cinnamon hair. She was fit and fashionable, and without a doubt a highly-educated and intelligent person. Her ready humor and matter-of-factness were also quite appealing. Yes, I could see myself enjoying this woman’s companionship if nothing else.

Running down a list of potential advantages of marrying someone not shocked or repulsed by my nature, I surprised myself by finding her proposal no less than brilliant. Many marriages started with far less. Still, there was one bit that must be addressed. It had always been my understanding that one day I’d be pressed to marry and sire children. When one inherits the title of Earl, especially a Halstead Earl, there are responsibilities one must naturally live up to. But until that hourglass ran out, I considered myself free to love and enjoy whom I would. To be fair she’d have to be told. “I must tell you that I have obligations to my title and estate. These obligations would necessitate my producing an heir in the future.”

Read their entire discussion on Amazon.com.

Look Inside Loving Leonardo using Amazon’s Look Inside feature.

Here’s the trailer ~

Nicolas’ adventure continues. Coming April 2013 ~

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Get Swept Away — You’ll LOVE Reading Rose!

Feb17

It’s the last day of the Swept Away Valentine Blog Hop! Follow this link for one more chance to meet over 140 authors and have a chance to win the prizes given away on each of their blogs. As always, be sure to leave your email address when you leave comments.

http://thebloghopspot.com/event-page/

My prize is an authorgraphed copy of my most recent release The Witchy Wolf and the Wendigo – a tale about an ancient Native American shaman who finds love in the modern world. Here’s the true root of the story at USA Today — The Witchy Wolf and the Wendigo

About Rose:
I love words and choose them as carefully as an artist might choose a color. My active imagination compels me to write everything from children’s stories to historical fiction. As a persnickety leisure reader I especially enjoy novels that feel like they were written just for me. It’s hard to explain, but if you’ve ever read one of those, then you know what I mean. I tend to sneak symbolism and metaphor into my writing and always write in layers. You might say it’s a game I play with myself. It’s really a kick to have readers email to say they’ve found something or to ask if I meant what they think I meant when they read a portion and their brain goes, hey wait a minute… I want people to feel the story was written just for them and these hidden insights are my gift to my readers.

You’ll LOVE Reading Rose! Start with the Blurbs…

The Witchy Wolf and the Wendigo
Inspired by the very real legend of the Wisconsin Wolfman.
Peek inside The Witchy Wolf and the Wendigo on Amazon

What does an immortal Native American shaman do when the grave he’s sworn to watch over for all eternity disappears under urban development? His purpose of guarding his wife’s burial mound is gone, Ashkewheteasu seeks to end his immortal existence. In his despair, Ash assumes the form of a wolf and steps in front of a moving car and into the life of Dr. Olivia “Livie” Rosalini. The veterinarian saves the animal’s life, and in the process saves the man within. Livie has no idea the wolfish dog she’s taken into her home and grows to love is a magical being seeking to win her heart as a man. While Ash is learning a new world filled with new love, friendship, and happiness, an old menace makes plans to steal it all away; just as he had 3000 years before.

Loving Leonardo the new 2012 CataNetwork Sensual Reads Reviewer’s Choice Winner in Historical Romance!
An unusual bisexual, polyamorous, Victorian love story with a touch of reader-interactive art history
Peek inside Loving Leonardo on Amazon

Bound by limits dictated by society, Art Historian Nicolas Halstead lived a guarded life until a tempest in the form of Elenora Schwaab blew into his world. At first Nicolas can’t decide if the audacious American is simply mad or plotting blackmail for not only does she declare knowledge of his homosexuality, she offers him a marriage proposal.

After Ellie tells him of a previously unknown work of Leonardo da Vinci, a book of erotic love poems and sketches dedicated to the artist’s long-time lover Salai, Nicolas joins her in a race to save the book from destruction. Along the way they encounter Historian Luca Franco and discover a comfortable compatibility that comes to redefine their long-held notions of love. The trio embarks on an adventure of sensual discovery, intrigue, and danger. Little do they know Leonardo da Vinci’s book is far more than meets the eye.

Dreamscape
A haunting, a murder, a mystery, a reader’s puzzle, and a love story that transcends time.
Peek inside Dreamscape on Amazon
Unable to deny his own translucence, Dr. Jason Bowen determines his lack of physical substance could only mean one thing — he’s a ghost. Murdered more than a century before, Jason haunts his house and ponders the treachery that took his life. When Lanie O’Keefe arrives with plans to renovate her newly purchased Victorian mansion, Jason learns, ghost or not, he’s still very much a man. Jason soon discovers he can travel through Lanie’s dreams and finds himself reliving the days before his murder with Lanie by his side. It took one hundred and twenty years for love to find them, but there’s that insurmountable little matter of Jason being dead.

Hermes Online
A CataNetwork Sensual Reads Reviewer’s Choice Winner 2011 – Contemporary Romance!
A woman finds her lost confidence in a very unlikely place
Peek inside Hermes Online on Amazon
Imagine if you will a story begun in the halls of Mount Olympus long before this modern tale was conceived. It was a time when the god Hermes flew on his winged sandals and carried messages from the gods to the mortals below. And between that time and this, couriers became postmen and handwritten letters became bytes. It is said the gods still speak to those who listen…
Left bruised and brokenhearted after a cruel breakup, Vivienne Bennet finds herself mired in a world of self-doubt. To her surprise, she receives an email that challenges her to rediscover the sensual woman she once was. Together Vivienne and the enigmatic man known only as S embark upon the world of anonymous Internet communication where suggestive emails lead to erotic chat, where cybering leads to Skype, and C2C sends both into the arms of a love they’d believed lost forever.

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~ And Coming Soon ~

Loving Leonardo – The Quest
and The Witchy Wolf and the Wendigo Book 2 – Eluwilussit

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See Rose’s Book Trailers at the MusesWritingTablet on Youtube

Thanks for stopping by!

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Swept Away with a Kiss

Feb15

It’s day two of the Swept Away Valentine Blog Hop! Follow this link to over 140 authors and the prizes given away on each of their blogs. As always, be sure to leave your email address when you leave comments.

http://thebloghopspot.com/event-page/

My prize is an authorgraphed copy of my most recent release The Witchy Wolf and the Wendigo – a tale about an ancient Native American shaman who finds love in the modern world.

So what better to sweep you away than a kiss?

Here’s my favorite PG kiss from my first novel Hermes Online. Vivienne describes a kiss for her penpal. After hopping with all of us, hop on over to Amazon and take a peek inside: Hermes Online

I closed the Word document and absently twirled my hair, lost in thought. There was so much of me in there, even the decorations in the house said much about me. The fact that Lily looks identical to me was rather Freudian too, come to think. I laughed out loud at the thought. It’s funny how our subconscious mind tells us what’s what sometimes. The subconscious mind intuits what the conscious mind misses at first glance. Yes, the story was a whim, and who would have thought six years later, it would help me find my way back to myself? I wished in that moment my pen pal stood right here so I could say thank you. I’d thank him for lighting the match that eventually relit the candle of my self-confidence. I’d kiss him for real.

I pressed my fingers to my lips, imagining this curious and compelling green-eyed, chestnut-haired, large-handed, well-endowed man kissing me. And unbelievably, my panties got soaking wet. I flexed my fingers and crafted a scene from the sizzling phantom fire playing over my lips.

Having experienced amazing kisses in my life added just enough realism to the blend of movie kisses. I told the screen, “So, you want a kiss, eh? Then what will you think of this?”

S,
There is so much more to kissing for the first time than meets the eye. The would-be lovers laugh and smile and delight in each other’s company. They talk, getting to know each other, trying to find the choicest morsels of their life and personality to share. They might hold hands for hours as they wander here and there. And when they sit side by side, perhaps on a bench at a museum, they’ll look in feigned interest at the passersby, glance again and again at the exhibit, but not really seeing it. First, one will turn inward, the movement slight, barely noticeable. And then with no clear knowledge of doing so, the one will magically mirror the other. Their knees may touch, and one set of clasped hands might rest innocently upon a knee. And then a noise, a temporary distraction, might take their attention for a second, and both heads will turn to the sound, inadvertently closer now than before. When one turns back, their faces will be mere inches apart. Their eyes, green and gray, will hold each other’s gazes, darting from one sparkling pupil to the other. They might unfocus to drink in the entire face for a second, perhaps lingering on the person’s smile before meeting the gaze once more, a gaze noticeably warmer than a moment ago.

One face may turn a little, and in mirrored image, the other follows, only slightly tipped in the opposite direction. And the eyes ask the silent question as two thoughts become superimposed — May I kiss you? Will you kiss me? The answer is subtle, missed by nearly everyone passing by, everyone save the smiling elder couple holding gnarled hands and assisted by their canes. Perhaps they, too, once shared a kiss sitting there, or plan to again later. But locked in their own world, they don’t notice the elder pair walk by.

They are aware now only of each other, aware of little things, the flush on her cheeks, the gleam in his eye, the color of her moist lips, the imperceptible flare of his nostrils as he subconsciously reminds his body to breathe. They touch now. The kiss is at first soft, the lips asking permission for the firmness they crave. Another kiss grants this and another and another as faces turn to fit around chins and cheeks and noses. And then loose and pliable, those lips part now to make way for tentative tongues. These too begin their searching, gently at first then becoming bolder as they instinctively react to the warmth of each other’s mouths and thrust as hands cup cheeks and arms wind around shoulders, drawing each other ever inward into the private space that shuts the waking world out and lets the dream begin.
V

Little did I realize when I began this kissing scene that I would abandon the amalgamated movie kisses. I stopped and read those words, my words, my kiss. That kiss had been real, as had the love behind it. My eyes filled with tears, but I sent it on. Feeling alone, I rose from my chair and walked away.

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Be sure to stop by tomorrow! Until then check out the other Hoppers http://thebloghopspot.com/event-page/

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My books, My links, a Cup of Tea, & a Smile.

Feb12

The Heartbreaker Hop is over and a few new visitors stopped by my blog. Tomorrow I’ll sort through the comments and pick a winner for my ebook. You’ll hear from me if you’ve won. Thanks for participating everyone! Follow this link to see if you’ve won the BIG prizes. http://carrieannbloghops.blogspot.com/
I’ve just finished my sequel and tomorrow I’ll send it off to the editor for a once over. It’s funny, you can read and read and read then reread and still miss little things. The fabulous cover is done. Loving Leonardo – The Quest comes out soon. Yay!
And so does part two in the Witchy Wolf and the Wendigo saga. Just waiting on the cover. Busy busy.

Hopefully, I’ll get back to the blog to post something by the weekend. Until then, here are my books, my links, a fanciful character interview, and something to make you smile.

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I was recently a guest on fellow author Brynna Curry’s blog where my literary character had an interview. This is my third such interview where in answering the questions as our characters might, we get to see how they see their world. I think they’re fun little exercises for the imagination. Enjoy!

Tea with Nicolas

I had an unusual experience the other day. It was a quiet day at home, inside and out. The snow was falling in that slow magical sort of way. It was just cold enough that snowflakes landing against my windowpane lingered a second longer as perfect six-pointed stars before falling to accumulate on the sill. I’d spent the morning seeing to author obligations and chipping away at my work in progress. Taking a much deserved break, I decided I’d enjoy a cup of tea.

I have a small collection of British fortuneteller teacups and saucers. They’re fun and fanciful little things for reading tea leaves back in the day. Several in my collection are from the Victorian era. That day, I chose the Aynsley bone china cup. I’ve been in a Victorian England frame of mind lately, unavoidable considering I’m wrapping up book two in my unusual Victorian polyamorous romance – Loving Leonardo.

Loving Leonardo is one of those color outside the lines stories for me. I like to stretch my abilities as a writer and I especially love challenges. The impetus for Loving Leonardo came right out of the headlines last summer. The US elections were underway and lines were drawn as political opponents dug their heels on key social issues. It got me thinking. Here it was 2012 and who you love, and who you wanted to commit your love to, were still hot issues as if love itself was a social condition and not a deeply personal thing.

At the time, the news was also filled with women’s issues and negative talk of “progressives”. I’d heard the term women’s issues combined with progressive before. That was the point to the Suffragettes 100 years ago! Before I knew it, I had a very American, very unorthodox, Victorian progressive heroine named Ellie.

My hero Nicolas Halstead is an art historian working for the famed Ashmolean museum. Nicolas leads a somewhat normal life as of a man of means, though he takes pains to hide his homosexuality from the world. He has to. Even though it’s no longer a death sentence, his nature is still a criminal offense at this time. One day Ellie, the daughter of an American consul, comes to call and confronts him with her knowledge of his particular predilection. To his incredulous disbelief, she proposes marriage. But there’s method to her madness. It turns out she wants him to help her rescue a previously unknown work of Leonardo da Vinci – a book of love poems and erotic sketches from Leonardo to his gay lover Salai. How can Nicolas refuse?

Thus begins their unorthodox marriage and abiding friendship. The book is held by a man who has plans to destroy it for the vulgar thing he sees it as, so they race to Venice and devise a plan on their journey. They didn’t count on meeting Luca, himself a historian. Secrets are revealed as they share their common interest in Leonardo da Vinci. While they come to redefine their long-held notions of themselves, a man with a dark obsession comes into their lives. The story continues in the second book. I’ve enjoyed these characters so much, they may very well return for other adventures.

So as I sat with my tea, my mind revisited previously written story threads searching for that perfect crescendo to end with. Wouldn’t you know, Nicolas Halstead appeared beside me. What else was there to do but ask my Victorian gentleman questions?

Nicolas: Rose! Good afternoon.

Rose: Hello Nicolas, what brings you out on a day like this?

Nicolas: You, my dear.

Rose: Oh, I guess I did. How silly of me. I’m having a little trouble ending this adventure of yours. Any insights you could share that might point me in that direction?

Nicolas: Hmm…what would you like to know?

Rose: Well, let’s start with the women in your life. What can you tell me about them?

Nicolas: There’s my grandmother, Lady Augusta Halstead. I’d describe her as a woman of stately dignity, for she takes her role as Dowager quite seriously. A week doesn’t pass where she doesn’t make the rounds to visit the Halstead tenants and parsonage. I’ve never found her affected or stuffy, though there’s no denying she has her finger on the pulse of society. She’s always ready to laugh and is affectionate in her own reserved way. I don’t know what else to say other than I love her. That, and she loves to play mahjong with her friends.

Rose: She raised you.

Nicolas: Yes she did. At a young age I’d lost both my parents and nanny to a coach accident. I’d have to say however, that my housekeeper Mrs. Fletcher played a far greater role in my upbringing. With my parents and nanny dead and my bones broken, I was naturally inconsolable. Grannie was dealing with her own grief, after all she’d lost her only son. Mrs. Fletcher’s tenderness saw me through my pain and loss. In fact, I’d bonded so thoroughly with that loving woman that my grandmother dismissed her hastily hired nanny and left me in Mrs. Fletcher’s care. Though I was too young to understand it at the time, I’d learned much later that Mr. Fletcher had passed just a month before I arrived in my sorry state. She’d needed me as much as I’d needed her. That Grannie made this small unconventional adjustment to her household was a demonstration of her concern and affection for the both of us.

Rose: That was unusual for the time.

Nicolas: Quite. Mrs. Fletcher still looks out for me. She was very fond of my parents and with Grannie’s help raised me in my father’s image. I couldn’t love her more than I do. To me, she is the only mother I remember.

Rose: And what about Ellie? Ah, that made you smile!

Nicolas: I’ll begin by saying her marriage proposal impacted my life in ways I hardly thought possible, and that she’s singlehandedly brought me immense happiness. She’s helped me to discover myself. Not only do I adore her views and perspective, I consider Ellie a true partner in life and love. She’s opened my mind to things I’d never thought about before – women’s rights for example. I doubt half the men in my own House of Lords are as well versed in Britannia’s policies as she is in the politics of your America. My wife is by far the most intelligent women of my acquaintance, present company excepted of course.

Rose: Thanks.

Nicolas: You’re welcome, my dear. Ellie is delightfully refreshing. In general, I find Americans aren’t as stodgy in their mannerisms as we English are. My wife can be as bold as brass, but that’s one of the reasons I love her so completely like I do. She’s quick and witty and kind, and has a tremendous capacity for love.

Rose: And that brings me to Luca.

Nicolas: As you are well aware, Luca is a sensitive soul who’s been through much pain and isolation. I’d do anything to keep him safe and ease his mind. He’s compassionate, loving, and thoughtful. And to those he cares for, he’s self-sacrificing to a fault. In many ways, he and I are cut from the same cloth in our interests and views. But where I am reserved, Luca is bold and brave, far braver than I. He’s a man anyone would be proud to know, let alone love. Ellie feels that sentiment as well. It’s trite to say, but we three complete one another in ways we hardly realized were incomplete a mere six months ago. They love me unconditionally, and I love them for that and more.

Rose: It’s impossible not to feel that love between you. How does Thomas fit into this picture?

Nicolas shook his head and as quickly as he appeared, he was gone. He had his reasons. I refilled my cup and went back to my laptop.

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And now this will make you smile. I just love dogs.

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Day 2 of the Something New, Something Naughty Blog Hop!

Jan11

It’s day 2 of the Something New, Something Naughty Blog Hop. Join us for fun posts and prizes. One lucky winner will receive the grand prize of a $60 gift certificate to EdenFantasys (adult store) and two other winners will receive a $25 gift certificates to their choice of the following book sites: Amazon, All Romance eBooks, Barnes & Noble, or Total-E-Bound

Follow this link to the Hop

All the participants are offering prizes. For this hop, I’m offering an ebook copy of my latest –
book 1 of The Witchy Wolf and the Wendigo.

Scroll back to yesterday’s post to see the book trailer, or go to Amazon.com for a peek inside the book
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00AFFFESI

My post can still be found in the Life section of the USA Today in the Happy Ever After Blog. There I explain how I came to write The Witchy Wolf and the Wendigo — a story inspired by the urban legend of the Wisconsin wolf man. Here’s the link for a quick peek:

http://www.usatoday.com/story/happyeverafter/2013/01/09/rose-anderson-the-witchy-wolf-and-the-wendigo/1822015/

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In the spirit of the Hop theme, I consulted Dictionary.com and Thesaurus.com to gain some insight on the word Naughty. I’m a Wordie so that little bit of research appealed to me. Naughty is a pretty impressive word with lots of nuance and for the duration of this Hop, I’ve decided to offer several shades of naughty in my writings. Yesterday was playful naughty, and today is unorthodox naughty.

Today I’d like to introduce an unorthodox naughty snippet from book 1 of my Victorian polyamorous love story Loving Leonardo. But first, here’s the book trailer –

In this scene, Nicolas Halstead, a confirmed bachelor quite comfortable with his secret sexual preference for men, meets a most unusual American, Miss Elenora Schwaab, and nearly chokes at her unorthodox and outrageous proposal.

The clock below stairs chimed once, then twice. Miss Elenora Schwaab would arrive at any moment. Sure enough, the bell rang in the front hall and shortly after, I met the woman in my library where Mrs. Fletcher had deposited her.

In a color scheme that would have inspired Pierre-Auguste Renoir to fetch a blank canvas, she wore a cream-and-blue cotton confection accented by a blue-and-cream rose-bedecked bonnet, reticule, and parasol. Excitement shone brightly in eyes the pale turquoise-blue of a clear autumn sky. Ripping off her cream lace gloves, she jumped from her chair to thrust her hand at me. “Sir Nicolas! Thank you for receiving me on such short notice.”

Americans. Chuckling to myself, I bowed over her smaller hand. “Miss Schwaab, what a pleasure to see you again.” They had the oddest mannerisms. Not rude, exactly; rather forthright without the stodgier affectations of the Empire. On the whole, Americans reminded me of impressionist artists. The artists violated the rules of academic painting, and Americans violated the rules of conventionality. As a student of nuance, I very much liked it.

Mrs. Fletcher entered with the tea. Addressing my guest she said, “I wasn’t sure if you’d like lemon or milk, Miss, so I’ve set the tray with both.”

“Why, thank you ma’am.”

The housekeeper turned to me with a smile sparkling in her eyes. I could tell the sparkle came from being addressed formally when she considered herself only a housekeeper. She said, “And that bread is warm from the oven as you like it, and the butter’s fresh from the dairyman this morning. Is there anything else, Master Nicolas?”

“No dear, this is quite fine. Thank you.”

Alone now, I buttered my bread and addressed the lady busily adjusting her tea to taste. “So Miss Schwaab, you say you’ve a venture in mind…”

“Please, Sir Nicolas. Call me Ellie as all my friends do.”

I smiled at what she implied. I could certainly see us as friends. “Very well, how can I be of service, Ellie?” I took a bite and nearly choked at her next words.

“To be blunt Sir, I’m in need of a mandrake. I need you.”

My mind raced. The chit was declaring me homosexual. “I beg your pardon?”

She smiled a rather unsettling sentient smile. And in those pale intelligent eyes, I could see her thoughts forming like clouds before a rainstorm. In fact, I could almost smell the ozone in the burning machinery of her mind. When she spoke, her thoughts were perfectly ordered.

“I’m not one to beat around the bush, Sir Nicolas. Not being forthright wastes time, and time may very well be short. Last June, I overheard a rather intimate verbal exchange between you and another man. I didn’t see who he was exactly, but I did see you.”

I felt a hollow sensation in my chest. In it, I could hear the echo of my up-tempo heartbeat. “Miss Schwaab, I—”

She held up a hand to interrupt me. “Please, hear me out. I consider myself to be a progressive. You see, I don’t care what adults do behind closed doors. An individual’s nature and sexuality form the most intrinsic core of their person. And who are we to take issue with another’s nature? Only a fool would see one path to human intimacy. We are naked apes after all, and apes have no issue with homosexuality.”

I couldn’t fault her logic. “So, what do you propose Miss Schwaab? Blackmail?” Though my obvious concern wasn’t humorous in the least, she laughed merrily.

“Please, call me Ellie.”

“Ellie. I believe that was a reasonable question.”

The same smile was back and with it, sparkling eyes. “I want you to marry me.”

Completely dumbfounded, I just looked at her. “You can’t be serious Miss…”

“Ellie.”

“You can’t be serious, Ellie.”

Her laugh was filled with mirth. “Oh, but I am!”

Finding that impish gleam in her eye irritating in that moment, I set my plate aside. In my mind, this meeting could go one of two ways — she’d out me for a sodomite if I didn’t do as she asked, or I’d be saddled with an insane wife. While Parliament abolished the death penalty for deviants like me years before I was born, my truth wasn’t fodder for the masses. “You have me at a disadvantage, madam. What madness would spur you to make such an outlandish proposal?”

She set her cup down and leaned forward as a man might when sharing an inside stock tip. I found myself oddly attracted to her forthright and almost mannish American attitudes. Looking me square in the eye, she said, “You are an authority on Leonardo da Vinci, correct?”

“On his artworks, I am.”

“Then I assume you are familiar with Gian Giacomo Caprotti da Oreno?”

I suppressed a smile at her halting Italian. Gian Giacomo Caprotti was da Vinci’s protégé. Affectionately called Salai or the little devil by the master himself, it was said when Leonardo painted nudes and phalluses, they were modeled by his young lover Salai. The most telling of these — the sketch called Angelo-Incarnato or Angel Incarnate, which depicts the little devil himself with a substantial erection. On the back, da Vinci wrote out his turbulent feelings for the young man in Greek: astrapen, bronten, and ceraunobolian. His metaphoric choices literally translated: lightning, storms, and thunderbolts. I nodded.

She smiled. “And I assume, although not in your field of expertise, you must also be aware of such erotic artworks as Japanese pillow books and the Kama Sutra. One chapter of which was so recently translated by your celebrated orientalist, what’s the fellow’s name?”

Field of expertise? I took her question to mean I was unaccustomed to erotic works depicting women. Beyond my proclivity and given profession, of course I knew of these ancient works of erotica. I named the man for her, “Sir Richard Francis Burton—”

She cut in, “Yes, that’s the man!”

“And yes, I am aware of such books.” It was obvious when her pretty smile widened that she could see she’d hooked me like a trout. In fact, I had the impression this woman had somehow studied me at length. Though my interest was piqued, I couldn’t fathom what she was driving at, nor could I see a connection between ancient Asian renderings and da Vinci’s longtime lover… let alone a connection to a proposal of marriage to me. “And what does Salai have to do with these works?”

She smiled that smile again and this time I was met with a sense of familiarity I couldn’t quite identify, like there was more to it than what was seen upon the surface. My focus redirected when she explained, “My father is in the American Consul, you see. And now with my elder sister Luise Marie wed to Jean-Paul, I’ve become my father’s hostess when he entertains here. I don’t mind it, though listening to men talk trade and commerce mostly bores me. Anyway, enough about that.” She waved her hand and shook her head, as if determined not to go off point. “The other night my sister and her husband joined us when we entertained an Italian merchant and his relation by marriage. The former, a Signore Ambrosini, deals in raw fibers such as cotton and jute from India and is seeking business relations in the New York textile industry. I found him a likeable man. The latter… well, there was just something not quite right about him. His name is Carlo Posateri. He…”

My mind could barely keep up with the twists and turns Miss Schwaab’s mind was wont to take. Then too, I was somewhat surprised that this conversation was being piloted by a woman at all. Women of my acquaintance steered clear of most sexual topics, though every one of them would perk if the focus of conversation leaned in that direction. Sifting through her rambling recount of that night, I learned this Signore Posateri hated all things homosexual in nature, including the works of the masters. Apparently the man took pride in influencing Pope Pius IX to castrate the statues in the Vatican for the homosexual thoughts they provoked. Out of sight out of mind, I’d say, or a gloss on the phrase Shakespeare wrote in Hamlet: The man doth protest too much, methinks. In my experience, them that had the most to say against a thing often coveted that very thing. Her next words pulled me from my contemplation.

“To put it simply, I plan to steal it.”

Fun fact: I wrote Nicolas and Ellie to be like Dashiell Hammett’s Nick and Nora Charles, the mystery solvers made famous in the 1934 detective novel — The Thin Man. As Nicolas and Ellie’s personalities unfolded, I discovered I really enjoyed their banter (it’s a writer thing lol). I decided early on we could very well have more adventures together in the future. Luca, charming in his own right, might also go for another story. Loving Leonardo - The Quest, book 2 in the Loving Leonardo mini series, is scheduled to be released late January or early February. If you’re interested, do subscribe to my blog for updates.

Tomorrow I’ll share another shade of naughty from Dreamscape.

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The following links lead to terrific authors participating in the hop.
Be sure to comment and leave your email address to win their prizes too!

Adriana Kraft Adriana Kraft	Alisha Paige/Ruby Vines Addicted to Genre Bending	Ann Cory Ann Cory
Cassandra Carr Hot Blogging with Heart	Cherie Noel Great Expectations	Diane Thorne Diane Thorne - Erotic Romance Author
Donna George Storey Sex, Food, and Writing	Donna Michaels Romaginative Fiction -Donna’s Dish	Elise VanCise Gladiator’s Pen
Harlie Williams Harlie Williams, Writer	Helena Harker Open the Door to Your Fantasies	Jennifer Wright Jennifer Wright’s Blog
Justus Roux Where Love and Erotic Know No Boundaries	Kayelle Allen Unstoppable Heroes	Kelli Scott Lip Service
Kendall McKenna Love and Dog Tags	Lisabet Sarai Beyond Romance	Lisa Carlisle Lisa Carlisle’s News
Lyndi Lamont Lyndi’s Love Notes	M. S. Spencer M. S. Spencer Tale Spinner	Marie Sexton Marie Sexton
May Water May Water’s Erotica	Michelle Moon Ink Dipped Moon	Mona Karel Mona Karel Blog
Naomi Bellina Naomi Bellina Adventurous Erotic Romance	Nicole Morgan Bringing Passion To Life	Rose Anderson Calliopes Writing Tablet
Roz Lee Roz Lee	S. Dora S. Dora	Sapphire Phelan Sapphire Phelan’s Passion Corner
Stormie Kent Stormie Kent’s Musings	Suz deMello Fearless, Fast-paced Fiction	Synithia Williams Synithia Williams
Victoria Pinder Victoria Pinder Romance Author	Virginia Nelson Virginia Nelson, Author

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۞>>>>۞<<<<۞

Last Day of the Naughty New Year’s Blog Hop!

Jan5

Wrapping up the Naughty New Year’s Blog Hop!

Follow to the Naughty New Year’s Blog Hop

There’s still time to visit the participating blogs and leave a comment and your contact email on that day’s post. Be sure to visit every blog on the list and comment today to increase your chances of winning the grand prize: a $100 Gift Card to EdenFantasys.com (an adult toy store), and a 10-book bundle of ebooks.

Every author is offering additional prizes on their blogs. My offering is an ebook copy of Loving Leonardo – An unusual polyamorous, bi, Victorian love story with a touch of interactive art history. This part one in a two-book story.
Loving Leonardo — The Quest comes out soon.
Scroll down for a peek at part two.

Need a Kindle to read your ebook prizes? Get a free pc version here: Free Kindle for PC download

>>>>:::<<<<

So, over the past few days I’ve introduced you to my current novels. I hope you’ve enjoyed my book trailers and little peeks into each story. For news on what’s happening next, I invite you to subscribe to my blog. My entire author’s journey is in here. You never know what you might find!

And here’s what’s next:

Loving Leonardo — The Quest
Nicolas, Ellie, and Luca take in their first night in Paris.

Blurb:

With Leonardo da Vinci’s book of love poems and sketches safe in their possession, lovers Nicolas, Ellie, and Luca discover the book harbors a secret – carefully disguised declarations of love from Leonardo to his long-time lover Salai. The trio begins a quest to follow the book’s clues to other hidden messages of love tucked into well-known da Vinci masterpieces now scattered across Europe. Their quest is cut short however, when a tragic turn of events reveals a terrible truth – Count Bruno lives and is bent upon revenge.

(unedited) Excerpt:

We left the theater an hour later. What a mistake that had been. While the play was entertaining and the theme interesting enough with its occult undertones, the ending had left a bad taste in my mouth. After finding their treasure, Axël the hero and his heroine Sara fall in love then decide their dream is far too magnificent to be fulfilled in the unimaginative reality of their lives. With no dream to live for, they killed themselves as the sun rose and the curtain fell.

Apparently unfazed, my companions discussed the story at length as we walked back to the hotel. I couldn’t help but draw a parallel to our lives though I was certain the dark thoughts were mine alone. It didn’t help that we passed a mortician’s window with the latest embalming on display as a macabre advertisement to the skill to be had there. Beside the door a glass frame filled with memento mori photographs. In general, I found the practice of posing the dead in life-like attitudes a disturbing one. Especially the staring facsimile eyes painted upon closed lids.

Seeking a distraction from my thoughts, I used the tip of Eiffel’s tower as a guide and led us across the street and down an alley. We passed a beribboned one-man music show reminiscent of a May Day mummer, a raucous game of Three-card Monte taking place on an upturned dustbin, and Luca received a blatant sexual proposition by a ponce seeking work for his whore. Turning the corner, we chanced upon two women, one either quite old or quite world-worn. Both were obviously Roma dressed as they were in colorful rustic clothing one might see on country folk. The younger of the two rocked a baby. The elder told us in heavily-accented English that her tarot cards held a message for Luca and me specifically.

Unused to Gypsies that peddled their wares across Europe, Ellie was enchanted by the idea. She tugged on my sleeve and encouraged a card reading. Luca shrugged and I found myself placing a coin on the scarf-covered folding table.

The elder’s smile revealed several missing teeth. She shuffled her worn cards and said, “The cards speak to you first, Englishman.” These she handed to me and I cut the deck into three piles as directed. I realized then, that this deck of cards was not only quite old, it was hand-painted. Restacking them into her hand, she dealt three cards – the three of cups, the six of swords and the Tower in reverse. I looked at the woman expectantly.

I felt Ellie’s eyes on me and I squeezed the hand she rested on my arm.

“Well madam, what do the cards say?”

“The cards call for caution, Englishman.” She tapped the three of cups with a gnarled finger. “You’ve gained fortune in love. But this card is your past.”

Ellie looped her arm through mine. I could feel her thoughts. As far as she and I were concerned, it was our present and future.

The old woman tapped the six of swords. “Your trip will be postponed and sadly there is nothing to be done for it.” She stared at the cards a moment then tsked. She shook her head and tapped the last. “The card sees imprisonment.”

Ellie looked at me with wide skeptical eyes that danced with mirth, the smile tugging at the corners of her lips as she tried to keep a straight face. Luca slapped me on the back in humor, and said, “You’d best watch yourself Nicolas.”

I chuckled, but inside my unsettled mind absorbed it.

She gathered the cards again and shuffled them. After Luca cut the deck into three piles, she laid them out as before. The first was the two of cups. “Your recent past shows harmony, man of Venice.” Luca nodded, apparently missing the fact the woman knew where he was from. I didn’t miss it. There was nothing in his accent that I was aware of that hinted a particular region of Italy. She set the next card beside the first. It was the eight of wands. “There is jealousy in your life now,” she told him.

He looked at me and then at Ellie. There was no jealousy between us. Proof again these mystic pastimes were nothing more than parlor games. The last card was the king of cups. She looked up into his face and for the first time I realized she had a glass eye that didn’t quite follow the other. The real eye looked him up and down, and the perusal made me very uncomfortable. I couldn’t say why that was, even if I’d been asked. She suddenly scooped up the cards and declared the reading completed.

Luca chuckled. “Madam, you’ve not read my last card.”

The baby fussed. The older woman turned to the younger and said something in a language I did not recognize but possessed rounded syllables found in the Latin languages, Romanian perhaps. The young woman nodded and replied, then bared her breast to suckle her babe. The old woman turned back to us. “The king of cups tells of a powerful man…” The younger woman said something that effectively stopped the elder mid-sentence.

How strange. We looked at one another. Ellie dug into her reticule and set a coin on the table. “I’d like my fortune read too, if you please.”

The old woman shook her head.

“Why not? I’ll pay…”

Chuckling, Luca set another coin on the cloth. Obviously deliberating, the old woman stared at the coins and pursed her lips. In the end, the prospect of more money won out. She shuffled the cards and set the deck on the table. Her one eye moved from person to person at last settling on Ellie. She told her, “One card only, lady.”

Ellie turned over the single card and set it on the scarf. The lovers in reverse. The old woman said, “Separation,” and quickly scooped up the deck and scarf and snapped the folding table closed. The card reading was officially over.

“Wait, what does that mean?” Ellie asked obviously confused.

I hooked my arm in hers and said, “It means nothing my dear, it’s merely a game.”

The gypsy cackled. “A mistake many make.”

I tugged Ellie away. “Come love, let’s see about our dinner.”

۞>>>>۞<<<<۞

And…
The Witchy Wolf and the Wendigo book 2

Still working on the blurb. Here’s what I have so far:

After revealing his true nature as an ageless shape-shifting shaman to Livie, Ash is overjoyed to find she accepts him as he is. But within his new-found happiness lurks an ancient enemy, with a new terrible power and the singular intention of taking all Ash holds dear. Certain his lover and friends would be safer on the reservation, Ash sends them north and plans to meet his adversary head on. Eli’s hatred was set in motion nearly 3000 years before, and now two magical shaman face an inevitable confrontation.

Excerpt:

Winston’s tail thumped on the floor a moment before the screen door opened with a squeak.

Knowing all the sounds in the house, especially those made by her husband and sons, Mayweather announced from the kitchen, “Jo is here.”

Coming around the corner at the mention of his name, Jo kissed his mother’s cheek before grabbing for a hot biscuit. “Good Morning Ma.”

“Ssst,” she hissed her disapproval at him and playfully slapped his hand. “Where did you leave your manners today, maji?”

Jo laughed. He loved that she still called him a little devil. “I am a bachelor, Ma. The only time I eat good food is at home!”

She grinned. “I made extra for you to take back to the station. None of you boys eat well.”

“Jo needs a good wife, Auntie May,” Cora commented matter-of-factly.

Jo spun around, and quick as a shot gave Cora a squeeze that lifted her off the floor, making Winston bark playfully. Jo told her, “I need a nice waabiingwe girl like you. Maybe Livie, hey? Did you bring her with you?” He peeked over the top of her head hopefully.

With her red hair, Livie certainly was a pale girl. John said Jo’s crush on Livie was obvious, and seeing that hopeful look in his eye, Cora knew it was true. But unfortunately for Jo, Livie’s heart was now occupied. When they’d been in the bookstore waiting on John to have his talk with the shape-shifting dog — Livie had confessed falling head-over-heels for Ash. Ash was the dog. Not in a million years did she see that coming. Despite no proof in this bizarre set of circumstances, Cora responded to Jo honestly. “I’m afraid Livie’s heart has been stolen away, just like mine was, by a wily Indian.”

Disappointment flickered in his eyes. “She’s seeing a red man?” At her nod, he grabbed her and made her squeal. “Then maybe I’ll have to steal you from John!” Lifting her, he made to run out the door. The women laughed and seeing opportunity for fun, Winston ran to get his ball.

John came into the kitchen followed by his uncle. He said, “Are you trying to steal my wife again, Jo?”

“Yeah, you’re too citified. Cora needs a wilder Indian. What do you say Cora? Wanna see my wigwam? Ow! Hey Ma! I was just kidding!”

“Do not be rude.” Mayweather spun her dish towel again, an action akin to recoiling a whip. She loved Cora too much to let her cheeky son innocently insult her. Having grown up on tales of the Indian schools, you never knew what white folks took seriously. While her nephew’s sweet-natured wife was different than most, with scant few exceptions, in her experience mostly they were a breed apart.

John chuckled, “Smack him again for me, Auntie!”

“Ow! Ma!”

“Put her down, maji. Go get some jam from the cellar, please.”

“Yes ma’am. Come on Winston, you can look for mice down there.” The dog, happily wagging his tail, followed him out.

Abbie laughed. His wife steered her boys with a dish towel as accurate as a mule driver’s whip. After his sister-in-law Rosa’s long illness and death, and the tragic mistake that killed his brother Hank, he’d raised John and his Fay as his own beside his three boys. With his twin sons at college and Fay away completing her internship, the house was far too quiet. He took the oven mitt and lifted the large steaming coffee boiler from the stove. “Grab some cups. I want to hear Johnny’s story.”

Twenty minutes later, Jo exclaimed, “John, you are shitting me!” No sooner did the words come out of his mouth than did he feel his mother’s ire. He quickly said, “Sorry, ladies.” Mayweather shook her head at him and pushed the biscuits and jam his way, as if to say, fill your mouth, do not speak with it.

“It’s true,” John continued, “I saw him change right before my eyes. One minute he’s a wolfish-looking dog, the next he’s a naked man on my floor. It blew my mind.” He shook his head. “Absolutely blew my mind.” He relayed much of his conversation with Ash, adding he’d taken him to the Wal-Mart.

Abbie asked, “And you are certain this Midewi is Ashkewheteasu?”

“He confirmed it. He was amazing, Uncle. So confident and sure of who and what he is. I was in awe.”

Mayweather put her fingers to her lips in wonder. “And he calls you friend. My goodness John, such an honor.”

John nodded. “It is, Auntie. It’s a great honor to help him.”

“So he knows about the legend now?” Abbie asked. “He is okay with that?”

“I told it to him. I’m not as good as Old Edgar, but I remembered enough details. He said much of it was true.”

Abbie smiled. He’d always believed the old stories had literal truth in them.

John ran a hand across his face. “But there’s so much he needs in our world, I don’t know where to begin. I bought him clothes and shoes, sure. But what now? What do I do now? He’s going to need help.”

This was huge. Jo’s mind filled with legalities. Ash would need I.D., for starters. He suddenly remembered there was more to this story. He looked at John. “What about the Spider? Does he know the Spider is coming?”

“He knows. That’s why he sent us up here, where we’ll be safe while he handles the Spider. He wants to bring Livie too.”

Understanding filled Jo. He looked at Cora with wide eyes. “Ashkewheteasu is Livie’s new beau?”

Cora nodded.

Halting the conversation with his hand, John cut in, “We don’t know if she’s okay with that yet. But even if she’s not, Ash said she’s still in danger. Spider wants to take everything from him. All that will matter to Spider is Ash’s feelings for Livie. Not whether she returns them.”

A wave of unease washed over Jo. This wasn’t good. This wasn’t good at all.

Abbie said, “Ash is going to need papers. He cannot just come into this time and not have them.”

Cora said. “You’re right, Uncle. You never know what might come up and he has no way to explain who he is that won’t make him sound crazy and get him locked up or worse.”

Mayweather shook her head. “Maybe you could convince him that he should live here, Johnny. You know the laws are different on the rez.”

John nodded. “Yes they are, Auntie. But no. He made it clear to me that he plans to stay in my area.”

Considering his cousin’s words, Jo let out a long breath. “He should be here with his people. You know we would welcome him with open arms. There is so much he could teach us and so much we could learn—”

John interrupted, “Jo, he’s an elder. The elder. It’s not for me to tell him anything. I can suggest, but that’s all I can do.”

Cora said, “He wants to stay near Livie, Jo. He’s in love with her and last night she told me she’s in love with him.”

The words gave Jo a pang. “But what kind of life can he offer her? From all you’ve said, he doesn’t have even basic knowledge about the world we live in.”

John knew where Jo’s apprehension was coming from and he felt bad for it. From what Cora had said, Livie was clearly head-over-heels for Ash. If last night went well and she wasn’t freaked out by the truth of him, then she wouldn’t be opposed to Ash’s affection. “I don’t think this is something we need to worry about. His mind is amazing. In just the few hours we talked last night, his understanding and comprehension grew right before my eyes. He told me the ability to learn all situations quickly was part of the Manitou’s gift. If we help him, it won’t take him long to assimilate. I have no problem offering him a place in the clinic if he likes. From what Cora and Livie tell me, he’s remarkable with animals, too. ”

Cora agreed. “He is. I’ve never seen anxious animals calm so quickly.”

Feeling that there might be a stable future for Livie, Jo nodded. “Okay. I’ll see what the tribal council thinks about forging documents. There are enough babies born on the rez with two birthdays — the actual birth date and the legal date on the paperwork. How much different can it be?”

“Three thousand years, give or take.”

Not realizing the age of the legends Ash was a part of, they all looked at John in wide-eyed surprise. Jo laughed. “Oh, boy. Well, they’ll either think I’m crazy or you are!”

Abbie said, “You do know the tribal elders will want to meet him first, hey?”

John nodded. “Like Auntie said, helping Ash is a great honor. They should meet him.”

I’m aiming for late January – February release dates for the final installments of both stories. Aiming…

Thanks for joining me in the Naughty New Year’s Blog Hop.
The winner of my ebook will be notified by email.

Follow this link to see who’s won the grand prize
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ϿϿOϾϾ

Day 4 of the Naughty New Year’s Blog Hop!

Jan4

It’s day 4 of the Naughty New Year’s Blog Hop!

Follow to the Naughty New Year’s Blog Hop

To recap: More than 200 authors are taking part in five days of fun and prizes. Visit the participating blogs and leave a comment and your contact email on that day’s post. Be sure to visit every blog on the list and comment each day to increase your chances of winning the grand prize: a $100 Gift Card to EdenFantasys.com (an adult toy store), and a 10-book bundle of ebooks.

Don’t have a Kindle but still want those ebook prizes? Get a free Kindle for PC download and read ebooks on your computer.
Free Kindle for PC download

You could walk away from the Hop with a lot of prizes. Every author is offering additional prizes on their blogs. Mine is an ebook copy of Loving Leonardo – An unusual polyamorous, bi, Victorian love story with a touch of interactive art history. This part one in a two-book story. Loving Leonardo — The Quest comes out sometime late January or early February.

~~~~~oOo~~~~~

I’d like to introduce another book — Hermes Online — my very first novel, and a CataNetwork Sensual Reads Reviewer’s Choice Award Winner of 2011
To take a peek inside the book, go to Amazon.
http://www.amazon.com/Hermes-Online/B004W8E8HM

Here’s the blurb:

Imagine if you will a story begun in the halls of Mount Olympus long before this modern tale was conceived. It was a time when the god Hermes flew on his winged sandals and carried messages from the gods to the mortals below. And between that time and this, couriers became postmen and handwritten letters became bytes. It is said the gods still speak to those who listen… Left bruised and brokenhearted after a cruel breakup, Vivienne Bennet finds herself mired in a world of self-doubt. To her surprise, she receives an email that challenges her to rediscover the sensual woman she once was. Together Vivienne and the enigmatic man known only as S embark upon the world of anonymous Internet communication where suggestive emails lead to erotic chat, where cybersex leads to Skype, and C2C sends both into the arms of a love they’d believed lost forever.

::Fun Fact::
When I came up with the name for this novel, the only thought I had in mind was the Greek myth of Hermes delivering messages from the gods. Flash forward to today, and emails magically appear in our inbox. Add to that the fact my character Vivienne went to Greece as a student and I was quite pleased with my unusual title. Notice I said was. The title has been a source of a few chuckles along the way. First off, just about everywhere I’ve guest blogged about this book, the host tells me they’ve had a tremendous amount of hits on their blog for that day. That’s nice. I’m also signed up for Google Alerts , and that tells me when my title is mentioned on the internet. In theory that should work. To date I’ve never received notice of this book being anywhere. But I do get a DAILY notice of who’s selling Hermes handbags, purses, and clutches online! lol I suspect the uncharacteristically high volume of hits on all those blogs might have been from people hunting down handbags. Every once in a while, a perplexed reader will wonder where the Greek gods are in the story.
FYI: The gods are there, but it’s not their tale.

::My Favorite Quote by Vivienne’s Penpal::
Allow me to pay homage to the goddess you are. Let me begin at your little feet. Feel me lightly kiss, and yes, you will feel me bite ever so slightly, for the need to devour you is great. Reply lover. I await. S

>>>>oOo<<<<

Excerpt. Can you *feel* a written kiss?

I closed the Word document and absently twirled my hair, lost in thought. There was so much of me in there, even the decorations in Jonathan’s house said much about me. The fact that Lily looks identical to me was rather Freudian too, come to think. I laughed out loud at the thought. It’s funny how our subconscious mind tells us what’s what sometimes. The subconscious mind intuits what the conscious mind misses at first glance. Yes, the phone sex story was a whim, and who would have thought six years later, it would help me find my way back to myself? I wished in that moment my pen pal stood right here so I could say thank you. I’d thank him for lighting the match that eventually relit the candle of my self-confidence. I’d kiss him for real.

Having experienced amazing kisses in my life added just enough realism to the blend of movie kisses. I told the screen, “So, you want a kiss, eh? Then what will you think of this?”

See you tomorrow for day 5!

Day 3 of the Naughty New Year’s Blog Hop!

Jan3

Welcome to day 3 of the Naughty New Year’s Blog Hop!

Follow to the Naughty New Year’s Blog Hop

To recap: Join more than 200 authors taking part in five days of fun and prizes. Visit the participating blogs and leave a comment and your contact email on that day’s post. Be sure to visit every blog on the list and comment each day to increase your chances of winning the grand prize: a $100 Gift Card to EdenFantasys.com (an adult toy store), and a 10-book bundle of ebooks.

Get a free Kindle for PC download and read ebooks on your computer.
Free Kindle for PC download

~~~~~oOo~~~~~

Today, I’d like to introduce Dreamscape
To take a peek inside the book, go to Amazon.
http://www.amazon.com/Dreamscape/B005HIL5MM

Here’s the blurb:

Unable to deny his own translucence, Dr. Jason Bowen determines his lack of physical substance could only mean one thing—he’s a ghost. Murdered more than a century before, Jason haunts his house and ponders the treachery that took his life. When Lanie O’Keefe arrives with plans to renovate her newly purchased Victorian mansion, Jason discovers, ghost or not, he’s still very much a man. Despite its derelict condition and haunted reputation, Lanie couldn’t be happier with her new home, but then she has no idea a spirit follows her every move throughout the day and shares her captivating warmth at night. Jason soon discovers he can travel through Lanie’s dreams and finds himself reliving the days before his murder with Lanie by his side. It took one hundred and twenty years for love to find them, but there’s that insurmountable little matter of Jason being dead.

::Fun Fact::

On the outside, Dreamscape, with its haunted house and gentleman ghost, is a story set between two time periods. But on the inside, it’s actually much more than that. This unlikely love story is also a murder, a suspense, a mystery, a time travel (via dreams) and if all that wasn’t enough, it’s also an Easter egg hunt for readers. Easter eggs, in this sense, are intentionally hidden messages. I tried to make them as visible as I could and in such number that readers would say to themselves, Was that intentional? It must mean something!

Why did I write a secondary story running parallel to the ghost story? Growing up, I was a huge fan of author Agatha Christie’s work. Many of her books were filled with arrows pointing at clues. Some of these were veiled, some intentionally hidden in plain sight, and all pointed to the truth even if details around them said otherwise. I remember my delight the first time I discovered a clue left out in the open for the reader to trip over. With that moment of discovery in mind, I wrote Dreamscape to tickle the imagination while turning expectations on their ends.

::Dreamscape’s Best Ah Ha Moment::
Resisting the overpowering urge to touch her again, he closed his eyes instead and whispered, “Dream, sweetheart. Show me where you go each night.” And, just as he projected himself from room to room, the energy of his spirit plied her synapses…and to his complete and utter surprise, he fell into her dream.

See you tomorrow for day 4!

Day 2 of the Naughty New Year’s Blog Hop!

Jan3

It’s day 2 of the Naughty New Year’s Blog Hop!

Follow to the Naughty New Year’s Blog Hop

Don’t have a Kindle but still want those ebook prizes? Get a free Kindle for PC download and read ebooks on your computer.
Free Kindle for PC download

~~~~~oOo~~~~~

So… to continue my part in the event, I’m introducing my books. My most recent release is The Witchy Wolf and the Wendgo.
To take a peek inside the book, go to Amazon.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00AFFFESI

Here’s the blurb:

::Fun Fact::
This story was inspired by a local urban legend — the Wisconsin Wolf Man.

::Best Slapstick by an Ancient Shaman::
Knowing he had to resume his wolf form at Livie’s home, he took a deep breath and shifted, but his inebriated mind was not concentrating and he ended up with a raven’s head atop his man’s body. He tried again. Forgetting that he still wore clothes, he found himself a small bird, pinned and struggling under the heavy garments that had fallen to the ground in a heap. He shifted into a feathered snake before taking the form of a mouse and working his way out of a sleeve.

The movement caught the attention of an owl on its nightly hunting foray. Just as it was about to swoop low on silent wings, intent on nabbing the large field mouse, a naked man with a mouse tail and whiskers appeared. The owl, clearly startled, flew off into the night. Laughing, Ash raised his arms and yelled after it, “This is not your night, my brotherrrr!”

Tail and whiskers absorbed into his changing form and once again bare skin grew feathers. He shifted into a raven — a six-foot-tall raven. Laughing at himself, he made his body small and flew fast to Livie’s home, albeit not in a straight line.

See you tomorrow for day 3!

Day 1 of the Naughty New Year’s Blog Hop!

Jan1

Starting the year off with a bang, welcome to day 1 of the Naughty New Year’s Blog Hop!

Follow to the Naughty New Year’s Blog Hop

More than 200 authors are taking part in five days of fun and prizes. Visit the participating blogs and leave a comment and your contact email on that day’s post. Be sure to visit every blog on the list and comment each day to increase your chances of winning the grand prize: a $100 Gift Card to EdenFantasys.com (an adult toy store), and a 10-book bundle of ebooks.

What’s more, every author is offering additional prizes on their blogs. Mine is an ebook copy of Loving Leonardo – An unusual polyamorous, bi, Victorian love story with a touch of interactive art history. It’s a win win!..or maybe even a win win win…. :)

Santa didn’t bring that Kindle you asked for? Get a free Kindle for PC download and read your ebook prizes on your computer.
Free Kindle for PC download

People ask how I came to write Loving Leonardo. In many ways this story is a social statement, for love is a very large emotion with room to spare. Believe it or not, this story came out of America’s mid-summer politics. The news was filled with women’s issues and talk of “progressives”. Where had I heard “women’s issues” and “progressive” before? The Suffragettes. Before I knew it, I’d written a very American and very unorthodox Victorian progressive named Ellie.

Here’s the blurb:

Bound by limits dictated by society, Art Historian Nicolas Halstead lived a guarded life until a tempest in the form of Elenora Schwaab blew into his world. At first Nicolas can’t decide if the audacious American is simply mad or plotting blackmail for not only does she declare knowledge of his homosexuality, she offers him a marriage proposal.

After Ellie tells him of a previously unknown work of Leonardo da Vinci, a book of erotic love poems and sketches dedicated to the artist’s long-time lover Salai, Nicolas joins her in a race to save the book from destruction. Along the way they encounter Historian Luca Franco and discover a comfortable compatibility that comes to redefine their long-held notions of love. The trio embarks on an adventure of sensual discovery, intrigue, and danger. Little do they know Leonardo da Vinci’s book is far more than meets the eye.

After the first three chapters I realized these characters might go beyond this story and solve crimes a la Dashiell Hammett’s Nick and Nora Charles. On a whim, I chose their names to go with that idea – Nicolas Halstead and Elenora Schwaab.

The main observer in this romantic tale is Nicolas Halstead, a man of means forced by society to wear a disguise. He’s the narrator here and it’s through his perspective that we see and feel his world. An art historian by profession, Nicolas can’t help but compare life to art. Because of this, he leaves many references to artists and artworks scattered throughout the pages.

Why did I create an interactive art history scavenger hunt in an erotic romance?
Thinking on that now, I suppose it’s because I grew up in Chicago. The city is famous for its museums and renowned Art Institute and I spent a lot of time in all of them. I’ve seen paintings in the Art Institute that so captured my fancy, I can picture them with clarity all these years later. Because artworks have the ability to evoke an emotional response as well as capture a moment, I’ve put art references in this story. If my readers would like to see what Nicolas sees when he mentions artworks, do look them up. This interactive bit of art history isn’t necessary to the story, though to see what he sees will certainly add color to the tale. The titles and artists mentioned are not randomly picked off a list. I chose each carefully to reflect the moment and emotion I wanted to convey.

Where does Leonardo da Vinci fit into this tale?
I’m a huge informational reader and one person I find particularly fascinating is Leonardo Da Vinci. Because of his bastardy, Leonardo was denied traditional education. Self-taught for the most part, Da Vinci immersed himself in the world to learn. What else could my characters do but the same? Da Vinci was an artist. Nicolas is an art historian. Da Vinci was a philosopher. Progressive Ellie was a student of philosophy. Da Vinci was a grand inventor, much of his knowledge based upon processes that came before him. Luca is a historian. Before I knew it, these three were having the most amazing discussions! Certainly love had to follow such compatibility.

But no one likes a novel without a story in it. The Victorian era had a seedy side few people realize. It wasn’t enough just to have three people fall in love in a very unorthodox manner, I added obstacles and roadblocks to make the journey rough.
And for balance – I created a conscienceless adversary who’d do absolutely anything to get what he wanted. Yes, I freely admit I enjoy shaking the snowglobe.

Loving Leonardo – The Quest comes out early 2013. From there, my three lovers might have more stories to tell.

See you tomorrow for day 2!

calliopeswritingtablet

The Musings of Romance Author Rose Anderson

Tag Archives: erotic fiction

Sneak Peek Sunday ~

Nicolas’ adventure continues. Coming April 2013 ~

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Get Swept Away — You’ll LOVE Reading Rose!

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Thanks for stopping by!

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Swept Away with a Kiss

So what better to sweep you away than a kiss?

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My books, My links, a Cup of Tea, & a Smile.

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Tea with Nicolas

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Day 2 of the Something New, Something Naughty Blog Hop!

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Last Day of the Naughty New Year’s Blog Hop!

Wrapping up the Naughty New Year’s Blog Hop!

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I’m aiming for late January – February release dates for the final installments of both stories. Aiming…

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Day 4 of the Naughty New Year’s Blog Hop!

It’s day 4 of the Naughty New Year’s Blog Hop!

Day 3 of the Naughty New Year’s Blog Hop!

Welcome to day 3 of the Naughty New Year’s Blog Hop!

Day 2 of the Naughty New Year’s Blog Hop!

It’s day 2 of the Naughty New Year’s Blog Hop!

Day 1 of the Naughty New Year’s Blog Hop!

Starting the year off with a bang, welcome to day 1 of the Naughty New Year’s Blog Hop!

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