Who wants some opium? Well, today it’s highly regulated. . . People are still massively addicted and will do a lot of things to get things like Vicodin and Oxycotin. . . But in the Victorian period the original real deal was Laudanum and it was much easier to obtain.

Now, we think of people popping pills. Then it came in a brown bottle meant to be swigged. At first, laudanum was a god send. At the beginning of the nineteenth century there were NO pain killers. Nothing to alleviate the horrors of surgeries. Soldiers frequently underwent horrific operations with nothing but a bit of brandy to help them through a limb being severed and then the poppy was brought to the west. It revolutionized pain management. With laudanum, patients didn’t die of shock. It truly helped. It calmed the nerves.

There was just one thing. It was HIGHLY addictive and available over the counter. Laudanum was available in mass. Not only that, it was marketed to pacify children. One of the worst things was something called Godfrey’s cordial. There were other brands, but this is the most well known. It was straight laudanum mixed with treacle aka maple syrup. Lower class parents and middle class parents bought this to stop their children form crying. And it worked. There’s only one thing. Laudanum severely reduces appetite. A study was done in the middle nineteenth century in the rise of death of children. These children weren’t dying of overdoses. They were dying of malnutrition because they had no desire to eat.

Eventually, laudanum was recognized to have severe problems. . . So, Morphine was introduced. At the time, they understood addiction as a literal hunger. Victorians believed you were “hungry” for the drug and if you could bypass the stomach you could bypass the addiction. The hypodermic syringe was invented and so, morphine was administered to the blood stream.

Of course, this didn’t work. The addictions were even worse because of the higher concentration of opium and the immediate release to the system.

The tragedy of course was that so many women were treated with opium to “calm” their nerves. Almost everything was treated with laudanum, creating a society trapped by addiction.

My own heroine experiences the tragedy of laudanum addiction. She’s given it to keep her quiet and its quite a battle for her to leave the drug. I hope you go on the journey of recovery with her. And, I hope we can all rejoice in the fact that opium, a drug that truly changes the brain, is no longer widely administered to our society and our children.

###

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Book-A-Million

The Victorian era was full of majestic beauty and scandalous secrets—a time when corsets were the least of a woman’s restrictions, and men could kill or be killed in the name of honor….

Lord Ian Blake has returned from India a broken man. Years ago, he pledged to Lady Eva Carin—his childhood companion and ” first love—that he would bring her husband back alive. His failure haunts him. But even his jade soul can’t anticipate the shocking sight of beautiful, independent Eva confined in a madhouse….

Locked in an asylum, forgotten by society, Eva is adrift in both body and mind. For Ian to break her free, they must cross a powerful enemy—and prove her sanity to England’s unforgiving aristocracy. But the biggest danger of all may come when the secrets of Eva’s tragic past are finally unlocked….

Read an Excerpt

photo by Jenn LeBlanc

2011 Golden Heart winner Máire Claremont first fell in love with Mr. Rochester, not Mr. Darcy. Drawn to his dark snark, she longed to find a tortured hero of her own… until she realized the ramifications of Mr. Rochester locking his frst wife up in his attic. Discovering the errors of her ways, Máire now looks for a real-life Darcy and creates deliciously dark heroes on the page. Oh, and she wants everyone to know her name is pronounced Moira. Her parents just had to give her an Irish Gaelic name.

Find Maire:
Author Site | Facebook | Twitter | Blog | Pinterest

GIVEAWAY:

Maire is giving away a copy of The Dark Lady to one lucky commenter. Open to US addresses. Just leave a comment with your email address for a chance to win.

Storm’s Heart by Thea Harrison

OMGDuuuude.

Look I should have written this review awhile go. But I didn’t. Fail on my part because it’s been a couple weeks and of course the book begins to fade. Not due to anything lacking in the story, mind you, but because that’s how my brain works.

Look, I don’t remember parts of my own book and I wrote, and have read it… I don’t even know how many times.

THAT being said… OMG THEA. This book. The bar scene? I saw the feisty little fairy and the storm cloud brewing from the scene in Dragon Bound when he corners her in the hallway and, to be honest, thought I might skip this one because I didn’t cotton to Tricks.

BUT. The teaserin the back of Dragon Bound hooked me. So don’t ever let anyone say they are a bad idea. It got me.

And so did Tiago. TIAGO.

Did I mention Tiago? OMFG T I A G O. Do I need to spell it out for you?

T
I
A
G
O

OK, I’m done. Sorry.

Tiago.

OK now I’m done.

There was no WTFckry in this book, I never wanted to throw my iPad across the room, and there wasn’t a single roll of the eyeball. Either one.

As for the cover? I love except that it breaks a huge rule of photography. MY RULE. NEVERneverNEVER crop a person at a joint. It’s uncomfortable for the viewer. They took off his head, and it’s simply so obvious one wished to scream OFF WITH HIS HEAD and then snicker a bit.

OK it’s just me.

Dragon Bound, a paranormal shifter romance by Thea Harrison

I don’t read PNR.

Except for sometimes.

I had surgery about four weeks ago and am unable to bear any weight for six total weeks. Which, isn’t over with yet. It’s driving me crazy and has turned me upside down. I haven’t been able to read. So I decided to read this. I had a signed copy from Miss Thea, and thought, hey why not. Nothing else is working.

OH MY GAWD. I loved this book. First of I’m an alpha junkie. And Dragos is like alpha to the nth degree. It was ridiculous. I love him. I love him even more because this level of alphaism cannot be done in historicals. I LOVE IT.

We all know my reviews are all over the place and a bit ridiculous. For a writer, I’m inept at the logistics and technical aspects of reviewing, I was never good at book reports in school.

So here it is. This book is good. This book is droolworthy, this book is I-bought-a-kindle-copy-so-I-wouldn’t-have-to-hop-all-the-way-back-to-my-room-to-get-the-paperback-and-I-couldn’t-wait-for-someone-to-get-home-and-get-it-for-me GOOD.

Forcing-it-on-all-my-friends GOOD. You got it? Good.

There was no WTFckry, though it’s PNR so I guess that sorta comes with the territory if there is, but there wasn’t anything ridiculous or silly that pulled me from the story. I never threw my book, or my iPod across the room and I fell asleep reading it only to wake up before sunrise to continue. GOOD.

Read it now good and I-know-I’m-over-a-year-behind GOOD.

Now carry on, I’m moving on to Tiago.

As for the cover-because I always comment on the cover— as a total cover whore. I love the design, it’s a beautiful cover. But that isn’t Dragos.

That looks like a kid compared to the Dragos of my dreams. described in the book.

Thatisall

Grab it and stick it on your website if you are a #StudioSmexy Stalker

Share the smexy.

Dovey: Yes! And….hmmm. (Long pause while Deb stares intently at interviewer)

Interviewer: Do I have something in my teeth?

Dovey: No. Has anyone ever told you what a lovely carotid artery you have?

Interviewer: (Pulls up shirt collar and shifts uncomfortably). No. Can’t say that they have.
But we were discussing the re-release of the DEAD series and your plans to celebrate.

Dovey: Right…sorry lost my concentration for a moment. That Lizzie chick has planned a blog
tour with prizes. And guess what?

Interviewer: What?

Dovey: This stop has a prize up for grabs! Everyone leaves a comment is automatically entered
into the drawing at that stop. Today we’re hanging here at Jenn LeBlanc’s blog and I’ll use
Lizzie’s handle to answer any questions readers may want to ask, or respond to their comments.
There are probably readers who’d love a shot at a $5.00 Musa gift certificate.

Interviewer: True. I know I would. Maybe I should enter.

Dovey: Don’t think so silly. Something to do with being too close the source…speaking of
which, what’s your blood type?

Interviewer: (Takes a quick glance at watch) My where has the time gone? I really need to
run. Let’s just give the readers a glimpse of the re-release coming for DEAD Awake (formerly
Waking Up Dead) on July 20th at Musa Publishing. Plus, maybe they’d like to give their
thoughts on the cool new cover.

Blurb:

Waking up to discover you’re dead isn’t a gal’s idea of fun.

Deb Stein loved to party until she took the hunk dressed as a vampire to her bed. Now she’s one
of the living dead and pissed about it. Plus, she has to find a new idenity and WORK!

Excerpt:

He studied her for a long moment with his intense black eyes and she had to resist the urge to
squirm. Maybe she didn’t want to know what he was going to tell her.

“Your condition is the result of…an accident. My friend didn’t mean to get carried away and
turn you into one of the living dead.”

“The what?” How did she manage to get hooked up with these weirdoes? “Are you frigging
nuts?”

His dark glare stopped her from saying more.

“For your information, I’m saner than you’re going to feel shortly.” He held up a hand to
stop her question. “Let me finish before you start with your questions.” His voice teetered on
boredom as he went on to explain what happened to her Halloween night.

The story may have bored him, but by the time he completed his tale, she was boiling mad.
“You’re telling me I’m a vampire.”

This man was certifiable. Vampires only existed in horror movies and at costume parties. “Then
what does that make you, if you’re friends with this individual who took a bite out of me?”
“A much older and wiser vampire than you or my young friend who created you.” He adjusted
the collar of his coat. “Now, do you want to benefit from some of my knowledge or do you wish
to continue with your delusion that I’m insane?”

A little flicker of fear ran down Deb’s spine. What if he was telling her the truth? What if she
had been turned into a vampire? That would explain why the doctor pronounced her dead. She
was, what did Daniel call it…one of the living dead.

“So, did your friend or whatever you call him, need virgin’s blood to survive or what?”

The Experienced One grimaced. “I call him Aaron, or sometimes refer to him as my protégé,
and yes, he is my friend. As for the virgin’s blood, if that was the case he’d be in real trouble on
the survival issue with his selection of you, wouldn’t he?”

The smug jerk cocked an eyebrow as he looked at her. Deb saw red and it wasn’t blood. Talk
about a put-down. “Well forgive me if I can’t win this year’s Miss Chaste award and for not
knowing what is involved in the vampire way of life. Is waking up one of the living dead like
being a little bit pregnant?”

DEAD Awake available at Musa Publishing July 20th. http://musapublishing.com/index.php?
main_page=product_info&cPath=37_39&products_id=335

Will also be available at Amazon Kindle, Barnes & Noble Nook and All Romance eBooks
shortly after the Musa release.

Connect with Lizzie at:
www.lizzietleaf.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/lizzie.t.leaf?ref=tn_tnmn
Follow her on Twitter: https://twitter.com/lizzietleaf
And keep up with her happenings on her blog: http://lizzietleaf.blogspot.com/

To say I’m in love with these books would be mild. The characters are so rich and passionate, every one of them. She fleshes out every man in the book, not merely the hero and his heroine. The secondary characters, by right of being fully realized, add SO MUCH to the overall story that you feel a PART of it. It is a very intense reading experience. One that is difficult to duplicate, and really I haven’t seen from very many authors. Anywhoo.

A year ago Miss Clare brought the idea of a book trailer up with me, we talked about doing something for SURRENDER 2.0 the reissue of the first of the MacKinnon stories. As we were both insanely busy, it never really got off the ground. We also chatted about it for UNTAMED, but again, life, as it does, got in the way.

Then a new model, Karl, walked into my studio and I saw MacKinnon. I couldn’t NOT see Connor MacKinnon. He was standing right in front of me. Over six feet tall of brawn and braids. OK his hair wasn’t yet in warrior braids, but I certainly saw them there in his shoulder length hair. I texted Pamela, sent her a pic, and all I said was Connor? That was Sunday, by Wednesday I was location scouting and Benjy was storyboarding. By Thursday Brown Bess the beautiful F&I era musket was delivered, and on Saturday we were at a lake, shooting for the trailer.

I did get to put the warrior braids in his hair. The best part about all of this is Karl is a great guy, well, if you know me you know I only work with amazing people. And he fits into the fray perfectly.

After the lake scenes we headed into the woods, shot a few frames there.

Then went to location 2, which was overcrowded, so we headed for a 3rd location. It was PERFECT.

Pamela put Connor’s tattoos on and we were off shooting the wild scenes. We had two pick up shoots after this long day, one in studio and one back up in the wild, and it was truly amazing.

I’ll just let you peruse the production stills.

But now, for the world premiere of the DEFIANT live-action trailer, directed and edited by Benjamin Alexander of Reel Films, in conjunction with Illustrated Romance.

I packed the books:

I packed the car:

And I picked up Derek from the airport:

We arrived early and were put in the murder room. For those of you that don’t have degrees in criminalistics or watch CSI, that’s the room in the corner by the stairs. Then I pushed D back to the car so we could get to the airport to pick up Jamie + Kati of Romancing Rakes For the Love of Romance. (heretofore known as RRFTLOR)

That night was the cast and crew meet n greet for TRATR, which was a ton of fun, lots of authors and readers together. The next day this happened. Check out my bright shiny forehead! LOL, oh and the creeper in the alcove. O_o

Teresa Medeiros and ME! She was my first, you know.

Then THIS happened (and I about died)

SHE is SOOO sweet! And she took my giant book home with her. O_o

And then there was this:

Me and Kati from Romancing Rakes… yup. AGAIN.

OH! And did I mention I played the iceberg that sank the Titanic?

OK not really, I just felt that way

The best part of the books signing was everyone coming by my table and saying OH so is this the GIANT pink book we’ve been seeing everywhere?!?!? Yes. Yes it is.

BUT WAIT there’s more! MANGASM. This was the closing event, and it brought down the house. Delilah the wonderful was in CHARGE, and she had some great games for everyone to play. One of which was pass the dildo. I can’t even talk about most of the antics from this evening without blushing or laughing. You’ll just have to come next year.

Author Hillary Seidl all lubed up and ready for the musical dildo game.

Delilah Marvelle at the book signing.

Derek, Delilah and Maire chillin’ in Delilah’s bed after the mangasm.

The next morning was the brunch and awards ceremony, and I WAS A FINALIST IN THE HISTORICAL CATEGORY!!! *eep* *eep* *eep* OMGoodness. Incredible, right?!?! YES. But that wasn’t the best part, the best part was when I won a ticket to return next year, and then DEREK won a ticket to return next year, and he stood up and said the first person to catch me gets the ticket… I turned to look and all I saw was this blur heading straight for him, and his eyes grew wider, and I moved forward with my arms out, I dunno to protect him? WHAT?!?! I’m a mom, it’s built in instinct, the girl, Regina, LAUNCHED herself at him and I caught them both before they hit the floor. It was…uh…epic. And not a single image of it anywhere. Then she wouldn’t let go. And…she needed to. SHE was sooooo sweet though, and we took pics with her after the brunch, so she had some memories of her tackle, and so do we.

Derek and Regina, the tackler.

After RomCon we had a big studio shoot. It was HOT. It was also HAWT. I need some airflow in the studio, we were all totally fried in there. YEESH.

So I set the lights, then we dressed the models:

Karl weighed himself while I waited to get his shirt on. Gotta know how much muscle is on there!

And we shot ourselves some smexy like this:

And we did #StudioSmexy right. We had four very special guests in the studio, Kati + Jamie, of course but ALSO Delilah Marvelle and Maire Claremont! We shot a cover image for Delilah’s fifth book in the GALLANTRY series MASTER OF PLEASURE. This was a super sqeeworthy moment for me, because I first met Delilah last year at RomCon and then proceeded to read all of her books— one was just NOT enough. I adore her, and over the last year we became friends over the tweeter nets. Well when she came back this year it was so much fun to get together again, and to shoot a cover for the series that I LOVE? For an author I ADORE?!? *sigh* Best thing ever. So for the first time EVER I’m showing you the image that Delilah helped to create for her novel:

It has been sent over to Carrie, with Seductive Designs, one of my favorite designers, and I simply can’t WAIT to see what she does with it. I just LOVE this.

One other thing about Delilah. She makes me want to be more brave in my writing. She does such amazing, brazen and ballsy stuff in her books, and I want to do that. I really held back on TRATR because I was worried about, well, lots of things—being my first book. After reading Delilah, when I went to re-edit the original book and finalize Perry’s story, I let myself go places I never thought I would. I touched on subjects and pushed boundaries much more than I had before. It was empowering, and I think my writing, and the REDUX version of TRATR is much more powerful for it.

Delilah brought me a gift, and I just can’t tell you what this little trinket means to me.

I heart you Delilah

The next day, we had more to shoot, but it was so HOT here I think it was over 100. Terrible.

Jamie

Kati + Jamie (it got a little silly)

But it was fun.

So we decided to head for the lake, I called one of my girls and she was game for some wet shoot, so we headed over.

After the lake we boogied on over to the studio for some more shooting. It was a blast, of course, again. Then we did pickup shots for Pamela Clare’s DEFIANT trailer, which I will tell you all about SOON.

That was the coolest thing EVER.

After the studio we went to dinner at Steubens and dropped off the ladies at the hotel. My final farewell to Kati was from under the bathroom door. #awkward. I guess I understand why JR Ward has security now. (just kidding! Love you Kati!)

Derek and I headed for Fort Collins for some fun with his friends and to just decompress from the chaos that was RomCon12.

We stayed with his friend Jake, who is such an amazing guy. The next morning we boobie trapped his house with Derek trading cards. EVERYWHERE. I need to find out if D has heard from him at all. I need to know.

Derek and Dream Girl, Jake’s BEAUTIFUL pit.

We had a cheater breakfast at Silver Grill, and met up with Levi, who is an amazing and wonderful soul. He was my Daniel when I shot fan images for Tiffany Reisz last summer. Levi’s family lost their home in the High Park fires. He showed us the pics and it broke my heart. It’s difficult enough seeing my mountains burn, but to see the devastation from my friends is just terrifying. To know how close they were. So any images purchased from Levi’s gallery in the next month,  the proceeds are going directly to Levi and his family. It may just be enough for a dinner or some ice cream. But anything I can do to bring him a smile and lighten the load on his family I will. Just click on Levi’s goofy face to go to his gallery.

After breakfast, beer, lunch and coffee, (it was Derek’s reward day, a tour de FoCo) we headed for the airport and Ds return to LA. Miss his silly face already.

Soooo….I’ve already got MY ticket to RomCon13. ill you be there?!?!?!?

THANK YOU to Jamie + Kati + Brandy for sending all the smashaliscious pics all weekend! SMOOCH!! ALSO for being the best girls a mess like me could hope for.

Wanna join me?

Let’s call this an eleventh hour giveaway. But it’s closer to 11:45

If you can get here, and have some place to stay, I have two tickets to giveaway.

All you have to do is comment on this post to win one of them, (two winners)

Easy peasy.

This is for ONE ticket to the con, no extras, no special stuff, no add ons. I am not responsible if the codes provided me by the conference do not work, you’ll need to speak with the conference to figure out the problem.

In other words, I get you in the door, the rest is up to you

The contest is 48 hours. The deadline to enter is Friday, June 15 at Midnight. The conference is Friday June 22-Sunday June 24.

Yes. NEXT WEEK.

Check out the first one HERE and the second one HERE the third HERE.

EXCERPT:

Perry sat at the keys and considered the night before. He leaned across the board. Resting his elbow on the piano, he started a scale, his fingers gliding across the keys like the wings of a butterfly. The tones started rich and deep, then rose to fight his somber mood.

It was difficult to believe that Hepplewort was still causing problems. He had to protect Lilly, particularly since Hepplewort was now aware of her. The scale trilled up and back down and he shifted forward on the bench. Lilly, who he had left to sleep in after the trials he put her through once they’d made it back to the house. He had given her the pearls, and they had been truly beautiful. It had been the most passionate night of his life. His other hand met the first and he commanded the notes to come forth, fill the room, his senses, his need.

It must have been all the emotion roiling through them. In his life he’d never expected to be so close to another human. He’d never expected to share such a glorious connection. And they were to be married soon. He needed to send a message to Calder House, to let his aunt know they would be late. Lilly needed rest. He felt his cock stir at the very thought of their exertion. She had allowed so much, learned so much, given so much, and he was forever in her hold. Mastered. The crescendo grew.

He heard movement behind him and shifted, quickly closing the fall over the keys and rising from the bench.

“Lilly. I didn’t know you were here. I—” He cleared his throat. She watched him closely as he stumbled out from behind the bench.

“You play.” It was a quiet statement, not a question.

“Well. Yes, I do. I don’t very well announce such, though. The image of tortured artist would do wonders for my rakehell reputation,” he said sardonically.

She pursed her lips. “Your reputation. I see. Still quite concerned with that, are you, my lord?”

He stopped. “I—well. There, you have me.”

Her smile broadened and she pulled a chair closer to the bench. “Well, then?” she said, sweeping her hand toward the instrument.

He turned, his knee brushing the corner of the bench and making him stumble again. He caught it before it toppled and cast her a nervous grin. He sat down, his wrists hovering above the keys, his fingers gently caressing the ivory just below. He cleared his throat, then clasped his hands, cracking his knuckles before repositioning his fingers.

Lilly waited serenely, her eyes trained on those long fingers she had come to know so well. They fluttered over the keys again and he heard her breath catch.

With that small sound the music flowed through him, to the strings of the piano, each note carried in precise tension throughout the room.

Her breathing caught the rhythm of the notes, her chest rising and falling in deep waves. He saw her knees tighten, her fingers curl into her skirts.

He built the crescendo, drawing the tension as far as he could before letting it drift softly back to earth. He closed his eyes and his body swayed. He felt the strain of the notes, pulled them into his gut then let them spiral through his veins, flowing back out to circle again toward him.

Lilly had never seen anyone play, much less been close enough to feel the tremor  from the instrument below her feet as the chords left the strings and traveled to her. She watched closely as Perry’s eyes fell closed and his brow stitched, the concentration in every line of his body. This wasn’t something she had imagined when considering this man. The beauty and the passion. Her gaze fell once again to his fingers; watching them skim the ivory had her belly in knots, and she clenched her knees together to fight the sudden whirls of energy fluttering inside her.

She stood ever so slowly, not wanting to disturb his concentration but needing to feel. She slipped her shoes off and stepped quietly to the side of the grand piano to lean into it. She placed her hands on the giant lid that was closed over the strings to mute the sound. Spreading her fingers, she felt the reverberation of each note. She closed her eyes and her breath quickened.

Then the music fell away.

She turned to find him regarding her.

“That is the most beautiful thing I have ever heard in my life.”

“Well, you have led a most sheltered life.”

She noted there were no music sheets. “How…”

“It just comes to me, or I remember it. My mother was very talented. She used to play, and I was able to pick things up by ear. Later my father paid for a few lessons. Possibly to keep me from underfoot while he dealt with my brother.”

“What of your mother then?”

“She was already gone.”

Lilly turned away as he stood.

His hand reached up to her face, his thumb brushing the tear from her cheek. “There is no need to cry for the past.”

She leaned into him. “It was not for the past, but for the music. I do not know how to describe how it felt. It filled me, it was…” She shook her head.

He turned her and lifted her, setting her upon the lid. “Let me tell you about my piano.”

She protested and he moved closer, wrapping his arms around her waist and leaning toward her.

“This is an 1868 Streicher Concert Grand. Handmade of rosewood, for me, in Vienna.” He ran his hand over the smooth surface. “The very same type of piano that Brahms uses for his compositions.” He looked at her hopefully.

She shook her head.

He pulled her skirts up and wrapped her legs around his waist, then lifted her from the piano. She squealed and locked her arms around his neck.

“Perry!”

He rounded the piano, setting her petite frame on the lid at the front of the piano. His fingers traced down the backs of her thighs. His hands caught beneath her knees as he lifted her away from him, opened the fall, and placed her feet wide on the keyboard with a low and high complaint from the piano.

“Perry, not the keys, I—”

“Shhh. You are interrupting genius here,” he said, then kissed her blunt on the lips and sat in front of her, looking at his hands on the keys. “Every genius needs a muse and I—” He glanced up and his breath caught as he took in the view he’d created. Lilly, wide on his piano. “I, my sweet, sweet Lilly, I’m no different.” He shifted on the bench. “Perhaps this was a bad idea,” he mumbled, moving his fingers, which seemed to tangle themselves before even attempting a chord.

He started in on a lilting melody; he thought a tribute to Brahms in order considering the lesson on his piano, but then when he glanced up again he fumbled, losing the tune.

“I believe this calls for something a bit more, eh, up tempo?” He repositioned his hands. He started slow and lilting, then beat at the keys, the sound emanating loud and raucous. The entire piano shook beneath her, the vibrations coursing through her toes and resting in her hips. He smiled up at her. “Brahms would roll in his grave for this one!” he yelled over the tune.

Lilly laughed and held on to the edge of the piano lid tightly, for fear of being bounced off. “What…whatever is this?” she asked through her giggles.

“This, my dear, is something my mother used to play for me. I haven’t heard it anywhere else. I believe it to be American.” He continued his harassment of the keys. Lilly was laughing so hard her foot slipped from the keyboard and she landed rather unceremoniously in Perry’s lap.

“Well, my dear, you have but to ask me the one time.” He gathered her to him, kissing and pulling and tearing at her clothes until they were joined beneath her ruined skirts, both screaming and grunting as they worked hard toward their end.

“Lilly…Lilly!” he yelled as he fell back and she followed, the two of them landing on the floor behind him, his breath knocked out.

She sat up quickly with a start, her hands touching either side of his jaw. “Perry? Are you all right?” She moved his head back and forth to rouse him.

His hands on her hips startled her. “Lilly, don’t move, I— Lord, just…give me a moment, I beg you.”

She leaned over him, kissing everywhere she could reach.

“Perry, I’m so sorry!”

He coughed, then breathed deeply and opened his eyes. Lifted his knees and kicked the piano bench away. He cleared his throat.

“It wasn’t your fault. I should never have set you on my instrument,” he said with a sly grin.

She wiggled her hips. “Your instrument seems to have survived.” She leaned over his chest on her crossed hands.

He pressed into her. “I leave you with no doubt as to the condition of said instrument.”

Her eyes closed and her mouth parted as his rhythm gained. She pushed

against his chest, rising to give him more depth, and cried out on his thrust.

“What…was…that…song?” she breathed.

“She called it the Pineapple Rag.”

“I don’t know what that means, but I love it.”

Lilly collapsed on a cry, melting into his tensed body.

Then, once he caught his breath: “Shall I play it again?”

BLURB:

A woman out of time.

A man stifled by propriety.

A nemesis determined to take her away.

A brother to the rescue.

How will a powerful Duke deal with a woman who doesn’t know her place? How will a woman used to the 21st century survive in time where she is considered property?

THE RAKE AND THE RECLUSE Part one brings Francine to the world of the Duke of Roxleigh, clashing worlds in first installment of the completely revised novel, with all new material.

Francine Larrabee woke up on the wrong side of the century. She was fairly certain she went to sleep in her own comfy bed, but she doesn’t quite seem to be there now. Only adding to her problems is that she has no voice, is constantly being glowered at by a large, stunning man who is obsessed with propriety, and she is apparently betrothed to another horrid little man, determined to ruin her, and any other girls that get in his way.

How does she find herself in the past, when she couldn’t even find herself in her present? How does a self sufficient businesswoman survive in a time when women were still considered property for the whole of their lives and what is she going to do with this man who draws her to him so fiercely.

Keep on hopping here:

JESSA SLADE

TINA FOLSOM

YVETTE HINES

JENNIFER ARMINTROUT

SASCHA ILLYVICH

This is an excerpt from RETRIBUTION : The Rake And the Recluse : Part six 

FREEDOM : Part one is free right now on Amazon, All Romance eBooks and iTunes, it’s also available at Barnes & Noble.

ALSO! One lucky commenter will win a copy of TRATR, just leave a comment and your email address!

More Information

Second Wednesday of each month at Denver Lady Jane’s Salon

Lady Jane’s Salon SAN DIEGO!!! (deadline Septenber 26th) 

Portland, Oregon First week of October (LOCATION TBA-deadline September 26th)

Readers N’ Rita’s – Dallas/Ft. Worth Deadline October 30, 2012

RomCon in Denver (deadline passed), 

RWA in Anaheim, (deadline passed, but I have a few EXTRAS!)

AAD in New Orleans. (deadline passed) 

They will need to be preordered in order to ensure yours.

These aren’t merely the fully illustrated, trade paperback novel, but have other very special features.

An attached bookmark, printed notes, trading cards, etc.

They will also be signed by myself, and Derek.

There’s one more thing, I’ve added a extra chapter, my readers wanted Gideon’s reaction to the wedding. AND NOW YOU GET IT.

*EXCLUSIVELY* in the trade paperback (for now). Eventually in other places, but not until the world quiets a bit and I have time to post it. So not never, but not soon. (sorry best I can do) 

The book hand delivered is $25.00

PICK UP IN PERSON

CLICK HERE to order your book, you can change the quantity of books if you’d like more than one, then finish your checkout. PLEASE INCLUDE WHO you would like each book signed to, and WHICH conference you will be attending.

This is a PayPal order form, but you do not have to have a PayPal account to complete this, you can use credit or debit cards as well.

I will have a limited number of books with me on site, only those who pre-order are guaranteed one of these special edition novels. If you have any questions feel free to CONTACT ME.

If you would like to order one of the books to have mailed to you, follow THIS link instead or use the following QR code:

SHIPPING INCLUDED

The cost including shipping to U.S. and Canada is $30.00 all other countries-contact me for shipping cost. Thank you!