#tbt Review of True Spies by Shana Galen

He's Getting Tired of Deception...

Baron Winslow Keating is honor-bound to finish one last mission as an elite spy for the Barbican group even though he just wants to go home and be with his family. But after years of secrecy and absence, his daughters hardly know him, and his wife has given up on him.

She Wants to Try a Little Intrigue...

Lady Elinor has had enough of domestic boredom. She contemplates an affair with a rakish spy, only to discover a world of intrigue and treachery that she never knew existed. Even more shocking, her neglectful husband is suddenly very attentive—quite the jealous type—and apparently there is much more to him than she ever knew.

Lord and Lady Spy #2

This is a Throwback Thursday review. I originally posted this on Amazon in 2013 Goodreads in 2016. It never made it to the blog and when I ran across it the other day, I thought it deserved to be here. The book was published September 3, 2013. I'm not sure on the time frame discrepancy. 

I will start by saying that I am a huge fan of Shana Galen's books, and I have loved them all. So, I am not surprised that I loved True Spies, it was a very visual read for me, which is my favorite kind. Elinor is a funny, brave and determined heroine that finds herself with loose ends, because her children and a husband don't need her as much. Winn her husband is a very busy man who has had little time for his wife and family in the past. True Spies is the second in the Lord and Lady Spy novels, and is an wonderful adventure that continues the Lord and Lady Spy story line. Elinor and Winn have been married for fourteen years, and have two daughters. Winn is fairly clueless to the state of their marriage, and Elinor is unaware of what her husband actually does while he is away from home. Things heat up, when Elinor decides she is going to have a life, that doesn't include waiting around for Winn anymore.

What I love about this book, is that is a romance between two people who have been married, but never really knew each other. Winn has to work to gain the love of his own wife, and Elinor has to open her heart again. There is adventure, romance and action. I enjoyed getting to visit with some of the characters from Lord and Lady Spy, and the novella The Spy Wore Blue: A Lord and Lady Spy Novella.

One other thing that I love about Shana Galen's writing is the humor, and I will tell you that I read Chapter Two more than once. I even read it out loud, to myself, complete with the voices and attitude of the scene. No spoilers, but when Winn finds his wife in the ballroom, when he expects her to be at home, there is a very humorous encounter.

I hope that you decide to pick up this book, and that you enjoy it as much as I did.

#tbt review 

Review copy from NetGalley

Review posted on Goodreads : True Spies Review June 23, 2016

#tbt Review of Lady, It’s Cold Outside: A Half Moon House Novella

#tbt 

Miss Glenna Bolton is not having a Happy Christmas. She’s lost her grandfather and the bookshop they ran together. If not for the invitation from the Duke of Danby, she would have no place to go.

No Christmas festivities for Baron Ellesworth this year. His newly inherited estate is in bad shape—and so is his bank account. He’ll spend the holiday traveling to do a bit of business with Lord Danby, in hopes of bringing Christmas to Elleshaven next year.

Traveling during the holiday season doesn’t sound romantic, but a star in the East, an abandoned child and a quest for holiday cheer might just convince these two that love is the best gift of the Season.

Lady, It’s Cold Outside: A Half Moon House Novella is a sweet magical book. A bit of Christmas cheer and an excellent pick me up for any time of year. Miss Glenna Bolton needs help her bookstore has fallen on hard times. Baron Ellesworth needs help, his estate is teetering on the edge of ruin. Dowd a mysterious lad needs help, he has been abandoned by his maid. The three characters end up helping each other along the way.

Sweet characters, a bit of trouble and lots of hope made this a quick enjoyable read. I've read the Half Moon House novellas out of order but they each standalone. Very entertaining.

You can read an excerpt at Deb Marlowe's website and find buy links there as well.


#christmasnovella

Creativity and Doodling

It seems important to create something every day. Something small or big, fierce or timid, and using whatever media comes to mind. I like to doodle. I have been thinking about using the things that I already have, and not going out and getting the next best thing. One thing most computers used to have was the paint program. I am sure I do not use it as much as I could. I used the paint program that came with the computer, and set forth to doodle. I don't use paint for much, which seems a shame, so I gave it a whirl

I can remember being publicly called out about my doodling in eighth grade. My teacher pinned my notes that were filled with doodle flowers to the front chalk board. Mr.Smartypants made some remark  along the lines that it looked like I was learning a lot in his class.

Oddly enough, I have since read that doodling while listening actually does engage the brain, so I would have to say that Mr.Smartypants was wrong in his assumption that I was not learning.

His pinning the doodles to the front of the class, really didn't stop me from doodling and Mr. Smartypants wasn't really an awful person. He just missed an opportunity to encourage, but we all miss those opportunities.

Go forth and doodle.

What am I reading?
Heroine Complex by Sarah Kuhn. It it sooooo good. Awesome characters, and interesting interpersonal relationships plus . . . demons.  Love the cover too. 

What am I listening to on audio?
Ugh. I have been in an audio-book slump. Started several, but nothing has sucked me in.

What am I obsessing about?
Historical Romance Retreat in Spokane. Worried about finding shoes. I spend my life in flip flops or tennis shoes. I do like boots, but they aren't that easy to find either. 

What am I learning?
Math. I am doing Khan Academy and hanging out around 75% done with the 4th grade level. I am actually digging place value and rounding. Multi digit division  . . . not so much. Bring out the calculator. 

What song is stuck in my head?
The Ship Song. Seriously all the versions. The original by Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds is moody. Concrete Blonde's version is passionate with their signature darkness. The Ship Song Project by various artists is epic. Amazing that a song can be interpreted in so many ways, and work. I think the writing in songs should get more credit. 

Something new I tried this week.
Caper Salsa Verde. Oddly delicious. Vegetarian. I didn't even know this was a thing until this week. When I was looking at online recipes,  I saw that many include anchovies.  Our recipe was vegetarian. 

Smile of the week from Oh My Disney.

What have you been up to? What are you obsessing about? Any awesome audio-books recommendations? 

The Winter Wife by Anna Campbell

     Anna Campbell is one of my favorite people, that I follow, on Facebook, Twitter, and the fictional site Possum Wranglers Anonymous. Yet, I have a secret, I haven't read her books. Why? I have a mountain of books that I want to read is one possible explanation. The other reason is that what if we aren't a good reader/writer match, and it disturbs the delicate  balance of the universe? 

     I started following Anna Campbell on Twitter because of her effervescent online personality, and her insider’s knowledge of marsupials. What if I read her books, and suddenly things aren't the same? 

  

      So, though I have books of hers to read on the TBR (to be read) mountain, I had yet to read anything of hers, aside from blog entries and her favorite things updates.  Then she released the novella The Winter Wife: A Christmas Novella and I had no problem adding it to my kindle. The question was then, would I actually read it?

    

      The other night I woke up at three in the morning and could not fall back to sleep, so I picked up the kindle and there was The Winter Wife. I wanted to read a romance, as I had recently tried to read a paranormal that was so scary, that it was giving me nightmares. The Winter Wife appeared to offer the perfect antidote.

    

      The characters in The Winter Wife are likable, and the story completely engaging. I was happy to meet Sebastian and Alicia at this stage of their relationship, and not earlier when they were first married.  Anna Campbell manages to craft a reunion tale, that includes the couples tumultuous past but the story is not bogged down by it. I really enjoyed Anna’s story telling voice, and I was thrilled to find that we were a writer/reader match after all. The Winter's Wife is a quick read, and the universe seems to have remained in one piece, so I imagine it is safe to tackle the rest of her books as well. There is an excerpt from SEVEN NIGHTS IN A ROGUE'S BED, after the novella.

  

     The Winter Wife: A Christmas Novella, is available in eBook format, at Amazon and Smashwords at a price that is less than a cup of coffee. 

       

     Follow Anna Campbell on Twitter, and Facebook, and be warned that she is going through a bit of a cat lady stage. 

  

     Do you have a favorite author, on social media, that you haven't read - yet? 

Interview and Giveaway with Katherine Bone

 Duke By Day, Rogue By Night 

                                          

      Constance Danbury is fleeing an arranged marriage to lecherous Lord Burton, a man who has blackmailed her father and is nearly twice her age. Her escape takes her aboard a merchantman bound for Spain, where she hopes an aunt will help her procure funds to save her father’s dwindling reputation. But fate intervenes. Constance is captured by a pirate with a wit and stubbornness to match her own, and a secret he’ll do anything to keep.

      Nobleman Percival Avery is a member of Nelson’s Tea, an elite group whose members are first sons from every tier in society. Undercover, he disguises himself as a pirate to infiltrate the gang of cutthroats responsible for his sister’s death. But when his vessel attacks a merchantman with valuable cargo, Percy is forced to choose between vengeance and saving the life of his commander’s niece, Constance Danbury. Mutiny is sure to obliterate his well-laid plans. It also aligns him with the one woman sure to see through his disguise. Forced to play the fop by day to outwit his enemies, he masquerades as a rogue by night in order to avenge his sister’s death – and to win his true love’s heart.

Duke by Day, Rogue by Night is now available: Amazon | iTunes

I am thrilled to welcome Katherine Bone the author of A Duke By Day, Rogue by Night to my blog. For fun I decided to interview her hero Percival Avery, Marques Stanton to gain a little insight into his life undercover.

Interview with  Percival Avery, Marques Stanton

I was wondering if you had a pirate name? 

(A deep guttural laugh transcends the night air.) “Aye, love. I go by the name Sexton— Thomas Sexton. Sexton delights the tongue, does it not?" 

"Percy!” Constance gazes heavenward. 

“Relax, my gel. We are in no danger in enjoying our first interview.”

If it’s all right to continue, do you have any pirate mannerisms that you use when in disguise? 

“Good question! One, I must say keeps me from dropping the ball, shall we say? First, it’s important to understand there are many ways to trick the enemy. One of the primary reasons Nelson’s Tea is comprised of men from every walk of life is that collective knowledge helps us blend. Operating in plain sight is one of Nelson’s finest achievements and, I might add, it does not hurt to have a former opera house costumer among us. Ollie, one of my most trusted men, is quite adept at theatrical cosmetics. When I portray Thomas, my hair is unkempt, an eye patch, a red bandanna wrapped around my head just so and a few month’s worth of facial hair sufficiently masks my features. But there is more at stake than a visual image, you see. There must be a swagger, a confidence that bores no vulnerability. Without that paramount addition no one can or will stay alive in a pirate’s den.” 

If that’s true, what are you forced to do to escape suspicion when you appear among the ton? 

“As Percival Avery, Marques Stanton, 7th Duke of Blendingham, there is greater risk and one more central to a duke’s existence, the continuation of the family line. Surviving involves being powdered, clean shaven, composed, indifferent and aloof, not so easy a task when someone you care about is threatened. No one can possibly suspect that Percy, the popinjay and seducer of fools, with immaculately tied cravat and impeccable taste could pose a threat to anyone. Therefore the focus becomes a game of wit and verve, a pirate’s complete opposite tactic in every way.” 

By chance does a pirate ship have a parrot or a monkey on-board to boost morale? 

(Percy does a lot of grumbling. )“The English Channel isn't the Caribbean, love."

Favorite lady pirate? 

(And the lopsided roguish grin I've heard so much about appears.) “Are you trying to undermine everything I’m trying to salvage with Danbury’s niece? Of course, my favorite lady pirate would have to be my favorite lady— Lady Constance Danbury. To name anyone else would surely cost me more than my neck.” 

“And your pride,” Constance adds. 

Favorite pirate movie? 

“Movie? Is this one of Nelson’s newest wartime contraptions? If so, I haven’t been briefed by Simon yet.” 

Have I missed something? Who’s Simon? 

“Only the bravest man to serve Nelson and England, my commander and Constance’s uncle. He can drink a man under the table. I remember—” 

 Do you drink it, or just use it for medicinal purposes. 

“Actually, I prefer brandy but drinking rum helps me blend. Thankfully, Captain Frink has a wonderful supply of brandy aboard the Striker and I've been able to drink it without ruining my cover.” He winks at Constance. “Brandy has also helped me tame Constance on occasion.” 

 Do you have a pirate expression that you use every day? 

“I enjoy taunting Constance by calling her ‘my pet’. But my true calling card is “Odd’s fish,” a Percival Avery concoction that sets every heart aflutter, especially in the ballroom, if I do say so myself. And I do.” 

Which leads me to my next question. Do you have any little known pirate trivia you would like to share? 

“Pirates. I rue the day I ever set eyes on them. Being undercover as a navigator in Frink’s crew is not for the faint of heart. I've spent nearly a year trying to work my way into his trust only to have my commander’s niece ruin everything I've strived to achieve.” He nods at Constance. “Your pardon, my gel.” She smiles and he turns back. “If my suspicions are correct and Frink is in league with Zephaniah Job in Talland Bay, a man who’s been pilfering the Cornish Coast since 1770, discovering the benefactor of my sister Celeste’s killers will be much harder than I ever imagined.” 

If you found Celeste’s killers, what then? What would be your weapon of choice? 

“There is no finer weapon than a cutlass or sword. As Thomas Sexton I show average skill with the blade, but as Percival Avery I’m known all over London as a deadly mark.” 

Katherine Bone and friend

Since it’s Halloween, what would a pirate wear for a costume? 

“I do not know about this Halloween. Is it like a masquerade ball? If so, I do know my beloved creator, Katherine Bone, adores wearing a red ensemble she hopes will pass her off as a pirate wench. Do be a dear and go along with her, won’t you? "

Katherine Bone is addicted to history and romance. Raised an Army brat, she had the great fortune to marry an officer and travel the world. After raising four children and putting down roots in the south, the muse came calling with abandon, complete with swashbuckling adventure, mayhem, and Alpha males too impressive to ignore 

You can find Katherine Bone at: 

Website - Facebook -  Twitter - Crimson Romance Authors -Teatime Romance -

Thank you Katherine Bone for stopping by and sharing some insight into your Duke By Day, Rogue By Night. Katherine has some pirate treasure to share with one lucky reader. This is a US/Canada giveaway, and will end 10/31 9 pm PST.  Leave an e-mail address, so I can get a hold of the winner.

Just leave a question for Katherine Bone or Percival. Or you can share your favorite Halloween costume. Have you ever dressed up like a pirate?

Interview and Giveaway with Nicole Flockton

I am thrilled to have, the irrepressible, Nicole Flockton here to talk about her debut contemporary novel Masquerade. 

After being humiliated by her fiancee, Sophie Franklyn has decided that getting involved with work colleagues and men in general isn’t for her. Now her focus is going to be on her career and her recent promotion. That is until at a New Year’s Eve masquerade ball, she meets a man that tempts her to question her choices.

Alex Scavoni is extremely dedicated to his job, so dedicated that his first marriage crumbled under the pressure of his dedication. Now he’s happily single, with a new job he’s excited to start. When he meets a masked Sophie at the ball, she fires desires in him he thought long dead. He spends a wonderful night with her, but wakes up alone.

The next time the two meet, it’s in the high pressure world of Emergency Room medicine where they must work side by side. While they deal with the stresses of the Emergency ward, they endeavor to keep their feelings for each other on a professional nature. When the desire that pushed them together that one night flares to life again, can they ignore them or will their one night together have consequences neither of them planned on?

Available at: Crimson Romance ebooks | Amazon | Kobo |iTunes

Interview

Welcome Nicole, glad to have you here.
Hi Gayle! Thanks for having me here!

I noticed in the excerpt on your website that Masquerade is set in Australia.
Yes the whole novel is set in my home town of Perth, Western Australia. The idea of the New Year’s Eve Masquerade ball came from a New Years Eve party they hold every year at the Casino, only this ball coincides with a tennis tournament that is held in Perth each year. Also the apartment building Sophie lives in is based on an apartment building built on by the Swan River. 

The setting of Masquerade is a hospital, and more specifically an emergency room. Is Masquerade a safe read for those who are squeamish about hospital settings?
I’m not a medical professional so I don’t go into the nitty gritty of medical procedures. So for those who are a little squeamish will be fine. No blood and guts anywhere to be seen!

Do you set aside a certain time of day for writing?
I try and write in the evenings but I think I need to re-evaluate my day schedule and try and do some in the morning as well. 

Do you have any qualities in common with the heroine or hero in Masquerade?
Now that’s a tough one because I don’t really think so. As I mentioned I’m not in the medical field. I wish the thing I did have in common was an apartment in the apartment building! LOL

I have heard from an "anonymous source" on twitter, that possums are considered a pest in Australia. What is your take on this? 
I believe that is true. I think there are people that do find them annoying, especially if they take up residence in your roof! I know a friend whose family has a holiday house about 3 hours south of Perth in a beach town called Dunsborough. They had families of possums living in an empty caravan, in the roof, they didn't seem bothered by them. They are cute to look at so as I didn't see possums often, seeing them was a bit of a novelty. If they constantly bothered me then I’d probably consider them a pest.

Also, rumor has it, from a "reliable source" on twitter, that there is a opossum in your backyard. Can you confirm or deny this rumor?
I can confirm this rumor as true! My dog Maya is an opossum hunter! Of course the opossum always win by acting dead and Maya get’s upset when they stop playing with her! I have seen one hiding under our deck one day. Again, possum hunter Maya was at work barking through the slates of the deck. I got the flashlight and saw this little creature hiding beneath the deck, I knew it wasn't our cat because he was inside. The possum was rather cute to look at! 

Nicole's dog Maya resting up for the hunt.

Any possum or opossum trivia is welcomed.

There are 23 different species of possums in Australia and we have one called the Sugar Glider. Plus some breeds have bushier, fuller tails than the very thin type of tail from US possum.

Thank you for stopping by, Nicole. Thank you also, for answering my possum questions. Do you want to ask the readers a question?

What would be your dream house and where would it be? 

Nicole is giving away a Swag Bag and a $5 Amazon Voucher, to one randomly chosen person who leaves a comment. Giveaway ends Oct 30 at 9 pm PST. Please leave a e-mail address.  #International Giveaway.

You can find Nicole Flockton at

Twitter , Facebook , Goodreads , Musing By Wink and at www.nicoleflockton.com

Theresa Romain - Interview and Giveaway

Have you read Theresa Romain's debut historical romance, Season for Tempatation? If you haven't what are you waiting for? The second book in the series  Season for Surrender was released on Oct 2, and has been getting fabulous reviews. If you have read Season for Temptation then you know that Theresa has a way with chapter titles, that is amusing, fun and contain a hint of things about to happen. 

Season for Temptation 

Chapter 1

In Which an Unbelievable Number of Biscuits Are Consumed

(click on the link to read an excerpt)

                                                                     

Season for Surrender 

 Chapter 1

Containing Several Damned Nuisances

                                                    (click on the link to read an excerpt)

I thought it would be fun, to ask Theresa about her new book, and find out her inspirations for chapter titles.

Interview with Theresa Romain

Welcome, Theresa!  Season for Surrender's heroine Louisa is, secretly, my favorite character in Season for Temptation, so I am so happy that she has her own book. Can you tell us a little about your new book? 

Thanks for hosting me today, Gayle! I’m really glad to join you to celebrate the release of Season for Surrender.

For the quick plot summary, here’s the back cover copy of the book:

HONOR AMONG ROGUES

Alexander Edgware, Lord Xavier, has quite a reputation—for daring, wagering, and wickedness in all its delightful forms. But the wager before him is hardly his preferred sport: Xavier must persuade a proper young lady to attend his famously naughty Christmas house party—and stay the full, ruinous two weeks. Worse, the lady is Louisa Oliver, a doe-eyed bookworm Xavier finds quite charming. Yet to refuse the challenge is impossible—he will simply have to appoint himself Miss Oliver’s protector…

MISCHIEF AMONG MISSES

Louisa knows her chance for a husband has passed. But she has no desire to retire into spinsterhood without enjoying a few grand adventures first. When Lord Xavier’s invitation arrives, Louisa is more intrigued than insulted. And once inside the rogues’ gallery, she just may have a thing or two to teach her gentlemen friends about daring…

I’m so glad you liked Louisa. I like her too, because she’s not fearless but she is courageous. Because of her shyness, she lives in the country with her sister’s family, but she feels rootless. She takes comfort in books (she actually attends the house party to get a look at Xavier’s notable library), but she wants to connect to people too. 

To her, the house party is much more than an amusement; it’s a way to grow stronger by trying something new. Naturally, it winds up being more new and more amusing than she ever expected!

I love your chapter titles. What came first the chapter or the chapter title? 

Thanks—those are fun to come up with. As for whether the chapter or title comes first, it varies over the course of the draft. I write the first few chapters before anything else, and then I start looking for threads that I could pull out into chapter titles. For later chapters, I usually have a plan for what I want it to include, and I might jot down a title idea even before I draft anything

Are some chapter titles easier to write?

Yes, definitely. They’re easier to write for light chapters—in Season for Surrender, the ones with games and fights. (I’m not sure what it says about me that I have an easier time writing fights than pretty much anything else.) For the deeper emotional moments and love scenes, chapter titles are more difficult because I want to hint at the content without making it seem trivial. I also like to give hints, but never spoilers, so that’s something I need to keep in mind when titling a chapter too.

Do you have a favorite chapter title in Season for Surrender?

Probably the first one: “Containing Several Damned Nuisances.” I like how it captures the hero’s cranky mood at the beginning of the book; he has a cold, so he feels lousy, and as a result he’s impatient with his usual sources of amusement

The title actually happened by chance. I wrote the chapter, and was rereading it for the nth time when I realized I’d had Lockwood say “damned nuisance” twice. Instead of changing it, I decided to have Xavier tease him about that, and it became the chapter title.

Are there any rules you have for yourself, when writing a chapter title? Length?

Just one rule: all the titles in a book start with the same word or phrase. In my debut, Season for Temptation, all the chapter titles begin “In Which.” In Season for Surrender, they all start with “Containing.” I like the old-fashioned, dry-witted feeling of chapter titles: think Tom Jones (the novel) or Jerome K. Jerome’s hilarious “Three Men” books.

What chapter title would you give to the blog tour of Season for Surrender?

Of course it has to start with “Containing.” How about “Containing 19 Stops and Infinite Tomfoolery”?

                                                                      

  Giveaway!    

Theresa makes writing chapter titles look easy, but is it? Leave your own chapter title in the comments. You can describe your upcoming day, week or really anything? 

One randomly chosen commentator will win one autographed copy of SEASON FOR SURRENDER. Contest is open internationally. Giveaway runs until 10/15 9 pm PST.

Thanks again, Gayle—what a fun interview! I look forward to reading everyone’s chapter titles. 

Authors Bio:

Historical romance author Theresa Romain pursued an impractical education that allowed her to read everything she could get her hands on. She then worked for universities and libraries, where she got to read even more. Eventually she started writing, too. Her historical romance debut, SEASON FOR TEMPTATION, was published in October 2011. The sequel, SEASON FOR SURRENDER, was published in October 2012.

Website:  http://theresaromain.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/AuthorTheresaRomain

Twitter: @TheresaRomain

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