#BookBlast Rakes in Tartan by @Suzdemello

What’s a romance? You may think you know, but…

 

The standard definition of a romance has been undergoing some change lately, but the definition of romance has always been changing.

Right now, most of us see a romance as a love story between a man and a woman that contains a happy ending, with the heroine going off with Mr. Right. But that wasn’t always the case.

Centuries ago, people married for reasons other than love. They married for money, status or property, and love was something found outside marriage. The most famous romance in our literature, Romeo and Juliet, doesn’t have a happy ending, unless your idea of a good HEA is uniting in heaven.

Other forms of art reflected the belief that love was found outside marriage. Medieval troubadours traveled from castle to castle and sang about the joys of courtly love and romantic love. Art often depicted the clash between marriage and love, such as Tintoretto’s Venus and Mars Surprised by Vulcan (1545).

When did romance change, and why?

Pamela, or Virtue Rewarded (1740) by Samuel Richardson, is often mentioned as the first romance novel. The main point, however, was not that the title character had found love but that her persistent rejections of the so-called hero’s attentions finally got her the prize: marriage.

A less moralistic novel, and one that’s often cited as the best of the genre, is Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice (1813). Despite its somewhat archaic style, it’s one of the most popular novels in English Literature, and for very good reasons. It doesn’t preach the way Pamela does, but instead reflects the real concerns young women had during the Regency: marrying well and marrying for love, or at least respect. Although arranged marriages for the purpose of uniting property or increasing wealth were still a custom in our culture, the desirability of gaining a life with a partner founded on love rather than money was taking hold, and is reflected in the literature of the time.

Each era has produced literature that’s reflective of the time, and romance novels reflect their eras, too. As the love ideal took hold, more romances were written that reflect the joy of love rather than its discouraging end, and cautionary tales took back seat to entertainment.

As time went on, and as mores altered, romances became steadily more erotic. The Flame and the Flower (1972) by Kathleen Woodiwiss is viewed as the first modern romance novel, even though it’s a sequel to Petals on the River. Both are quite racy compared to, say, Austen, and reflect changed attitudes regarding sex before marriage.

Our century

Perhaps the greatest changes have occurred in the last few years. First came chick lit, in which the heroine’s goal is not finding Mr. Right but hooking up with Mr. Right Now. Then writers of digital romance broke the hetero barrier and started writing LGBT romance, which doesn’t require the love story to be between a man and a woman. I’m reliably informed that the biggest consumers of M/M romance aren’t gay guys but hetero females. Go figure!

Rakes in Tartan

Set in 1816, my book reflects the mores and customs of the Regency. Heirs to their clans’ lairdships, Andrew MacReiver and Tor Kilburn must find suitable brides. As did many noblemen of the time, they journeyed to London for the social season after attending Oxford. They hoped to find love, but not a Nordic fairy, a dragon and a vampire assassin.

But, being a book written in the 21^st century rather than the 19^th, Rakes in Tartan ends happily.

Here’s what some reviewers have said about the previous books in the Highland Vampires series--These are customer reviews from Amazon.

5 stars... A new author to add to my list of favorite authors June 20, 2012

By jmaze

Temptation in Tartan is the first book I've read by Suz deMello. It won't be the last. The book is well written, easy to follow and easy to read… I would highly recommend the book and I hope that she plans another book to follow in this one’s stead.

RE: Desire in Tartan:

Five stars..."Engrossing... I was grabbed from the start of the book..." 
--S.J. Foulkes (Amazon.com)

Five stars... "Super Read!!!... I enjoyed it from the beginning to the end. I couldn't put it down and read it in one day." 
--Becca (Amazon.com)

Five stars..."Such a wonderful read!!!... Such a wonderful book... Love this series!" 
--Kimberly Jaksina (Amazon.com)

Rakes in Tartan by Suz deMello                                                              

Setting: London 1816

The social season promises both sex and danger for Torquil Kilburn and Andrew

MacReiver, Highland heirs arrived in London to seek brides. The Scotsmen must              

negotiate the complicated morés of high society to woo and win an exquisite

debutante and her passionate, unconventional mother while keeping their vampire heritage a secret.

But evil stalks the ballroom at Almack’s, the streets of Piccadilly, the drawing rooms of the ton. Headless bodies have been found drained of their blood, for another vampire haunts the streets of London, murdering noblemen. As he draws ever closer, Tor and Andrew must fight not only for love, but for their lives.

Buy it here:

http://www.ellorascave.com/rakes-in-tartan.html

About the author:

Best-selling, award-winning author Suz deMello, a.k.a Sue Swift, has written seventeen romance novels in several subgenres, including erotica, comedy, historical, paranormal, mystery and suspense, plus a number of short stories and non-fiction articles on writing. A freelance editor, she’s worked for Total-E-Bound, Liquid Silver Books and Ai Press, where she is currently Managing Editor. She also takes private clients.

Her books have been favorably reviewed in Publishers Weekly, Kirkus and Booklist, won a contest or two, attained the finals of the RITA and hit several bestseller lists.

A former trial attorney, her passion is world travel. She’s left the US over a dozen times, including lengthy stints working overseas. She’s now writing a vampire tale and planning her next trip.

--Find her books at http://www.suzdemello.com

--For editing services, email her at suzswift@yahoo.com

--Befriend her on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/sueswift,

    and visit her group page at  https://www.facebook.com/redhotauthorscafe

--She tweets her reading picks @ReadThis4fun and @Suzdemello

--Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/suzdemello/

--Goodreads: http://bit.ly/SuzATGoodreads

--Her current blog is http://www.fearlessfastpacedfiction.com

#Blast: Vampire Elite Series by Irina Argo #GF_VAMPIRE

Irina Argo is a combined pen name for two authors, Irina Kardos and Jo-An Torres.

Irina

Irina’s world is dark. She works as a clinical psychologist in a Juvenile Correctional Facility dealing with the extremes of human behavior on a regular basis and takes care of her paralyzed husband who suffered a stroke several years ago. To bring light into her life she writes. Writing has always been her passion. She is originally from Russia where she was employed as a TV journalist.

Jo-An
Jo-An is a Leo, a lioness who has emerged to follow her dream, to someday write a book of her own. She owned a costume shop for 15 years and was able to satisfy and excel in her creative nature. She is an over-achiever and believes that anything is possible if you believe in yourself and ignore the nay-sayers.  Her philosophy is based on Shakespeare "It is not in the stars to hold our destiny, but in ourselves." She currently resides in California with her 5 cats and 1 husband. 

Twitter Hashtag: #GF_VAMPIRE

One randomly chosen commenter will win a $50 Amazon/BN.com gift card. A Rafflecopter giveaway

Blurb:

Can the ultimate choice be made if saving your race means destroying the one you love?

At the beginning of the twenty-first century of our era a millennia long war between two immortal races was coming to an end. The Vampire Elite, the strongest among vampires, forced the race of immortal beings, the Amiti to become their blood suppliers, called bloodstock, locking them in their underground cells and treating them like livestock. The surviving free Amiti make a final attempt to strike back. The Queen of Amiti is proclaimed a traitor and is executed. Her death signifies the rise of a new Queen, her young daughter Arianna who becomes the last hope of her dying race. Arianna totally embraces her mission and is ready to fight for her people to the last drop of her blood but encounters an unexpected challenge—the vampire King Tor. They both are captured into a trap of love where they had to make an ultimate choice; to kill the loved one or to let their races die.

 

Vampire Elite is the epic story of a bitter conflict between two peoples, and the effect of that conflict on everyone living in its grip. The characters are driven to love and betrayal, vengeance and sacrifice in a world without easy black-and-white answers. 

Based on an ancient Egyptian legend, packed with action and intrigue, Vampire Elite will pull you into the entrancing world of immortals and open new portals into their hidden universe.

  

Excerpt 1:

As the auctioneer spoke, two Sekhmi in eveningwear—a male carrying an elegant dagger and a female a silver tray covered with glass vials—approached the Amiti girl.

“She’s barely eighteen, ladies and gentlemen. That’s a good three years younger than the youngest bloodstock you’ll usually come across. Look at her; she’s stunning, simply stunning, and as you can see, we’ve kept her well conditioned, in excellent health.”

The auctioneer paused as the male Hunter grasped the Amiti’s hand and held it above the tray. The girl showed no resistance, her only display of anxiety the butterfly fluttering of her thick eyelashes. He raised his other hand, and the dagger flashed in the light as with a swift motion he slit the Amiti’s palm. The dark, intoxicating scent of fresh blood filled the room as it poured into the vials.

Simone’s gums began to itch and burn, and she covered her mouth with her hand so no one would see her fangs punching down. It was considered terribly rude to expose one’s fangs in public, even among other vampires. But she needn’t have worried; everyone’s attention was riveted to the stage and the blood flowing from the girl’s wound. The room vibrated with bloodlust and sexual arousal.

The female Sekhmi approached Simone’s table, offering the Royal Pride the first of the blood samples. Knowing that all eyes were on her, Simone forced herself not to hesitate and took a small sip—and was immediately flooded with euphoria.

“For this magnificent specimen, we open the bidding at ten million U.S. dollars,” announced the auctioneer.

Blast: Linda Mercury and vampires

Linda will be awarding a hand-painted fan (see beautiful photo to the left) to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour.

BLURB:

SHE HUNGERS FOR HIS LIGHT

She calls herself Valerie Tate. One of the few vampires left on earth, as beautiful as she is powerful, Valerie has resisted her craving for human blood for years, just as she once hid her true gender. But the night she lays eyes on the most enticing man she’s ever seen, it’s game over. He radiates goodness and light—and searing sexual energy. Valerie must have him. Taste him. Consume him. For he is temptation—and he is her destiny…

Wallachia

November 25, 1431

She swam in an ocean of blood.

The exhausted, dark-haired mother howled in pain and freedom as the crown of a baby’s head emerged from between her legs. The woman panted and heaved, thrashing her sweat and gore-drenched body from side to side. Snow mixed with thunder and rain lashed the tower of the family castle, chilling the already icy room.

Vlad Dracul crouched at her feet, his face stiff and set under his moustache. His outstretched fingers curled into fists and opened again as he waited for the infant to emerge. Blankets, rags, and a pot of steaming water at his elbow kept him company. His jaw clenched with every echoing scream and his shoulders tightened with every passing moment. Not even the usual rushing of the river below covered the cries of Cneajna, his wife.

The violent storm outside had prevented the midwife’s presence. Earlier in the night, the mother had demanded that only Vlad remain with her as the pain worsened. No one defied Cneajna, even as water and blood rushed down her legs and painted her body. Vlad knew, however, that the women of the castle waited in the downstairs chamber, ready to help if he called. He was absurdly grateful for their nearness.

Fearless in the face of death, Vlad had nearly fainted at the sight of his wife in labor. The smell of the birth blood that saturated the bed roiled his stomach in ways a festering abdominal wound never did.

Another contraction. She pulled the ropes tied to the fur-lined headboard of the birth bed. The wood groaned under her strength as wave after wave of labor shuddered her body. Vlad’s heart winced at his woman’s pale, sweating face.

Another scream shook the room and Vlad saw the first peep of a black-haired head. Under the power of the mother’s undulating body, a tiny, angry face emerged.

All Romance

Amazon

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About Linda:

Linda Mercury left behind her varied careers as a librarian, art model, and professional clown to pursue writing. She’s interested in writing, romance, the Middle East, reading, organizing, cooking, hand-made silk Turkish rugs, and the Nike of Samothrace.

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Friday Recipe with Louisa Bacio

Today I'm sharing Friday Recipes with Louisa who has offered up a truly delicious red beans and rice for her selection. The best part about this is that it's a one-pot recipe!

Easy Red Beans & Rice with Louisa Bacio

First, thanks so much to Kristabel for allowing me to guest today. I’m such a fan of her erotic historical ménages, and I regularly check out her Friday recipes.

In celebration of my new release erotic paranormal The Vampire, The Witch & The Werewolf: A Threesome Wedding Adventure, I’m going to share a traditional New Orleans staple, Red Beans & Rice. As with most recipes, when I started to make this one I stuck with the basics, and then started to veer off. Since I tend to cook a lot of Italian, I like to use a mild sausage, with the casings removed. Finally, in our household, since it’s the perfect one-pot recipe, I throw in a funky veggie such as corn.

Cook it up, and bring home a little bit of the Big Easy.

Ingredients
Olive oil
Small onion chopped
3 stalks celery
2 gloves garlic, chopped
Small bell pepper, seeds removed and chopped (not traditional, but I like yellow for the color contrast)
2 cans kidney beans with liquid
1 can chopped tomatoes (If you can get fire roasted, even better)
½ pound sausage, sliced and cooked – Andouille is traditional
4 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
Salt/ pepper to taste
Top with chopped parsley
White rice, cooked
Can of kernel corn, drained (optional)
** Want to make it vegetarian, substitute soy sausage and bacon.

Directions

1) Sauté onions, celery, garlic and bell pepper in oil until soft and translucent, about 4 minutes.
2) Add in sausage and bacon. If I’m using mild Italian sausage – without casings, I push the veggies to the side and cook the meat in the same pan. Depending upon the type of sausage used, you may need to drain afterward.
3) Add in kidney beans, tomatoes, salt, pepper and corn (if using), and simmer for at least 30 minutes.
4) Serve over hot rice.

This meal tastes even better the second day after the flavors intensify.

Thanks for stopping by!

The Vampire, The Witch & The Werewolf: A Threesome Wedding Adventure

Planning a wedding can be stressful and crazy-making. Planning three weddings at the same time? That’s insanity. While The Vampire, The Witch & The Werewolf embark on a nuptial excursion, Silver & Nick hold down the home fortress in New Orleans.

And as if everyone doesn’t have enough to deal with, the Voodoo King comes calling with a magic elixir that diminishes sexual inhibitions and an eerie quiet spreads across the French Quarter. Life as they know it may never be the same.

The threesome is forced to put off honeymoon bliss in order to banish the demons of their past, and embrace the uncertainty of the future.

Available via Ravenous Romance, Amazon and other eRetailers.

I’ll give away one copy of a book from my backlist to one commenter. Please leave an email address where you can be contacted.

Until next time,
Louisa Bacio
http://www.facebook.com/louisabacio
http://www.twitter.com/louisabacio
http://louisabacio.blogspot.com

Guest: Doris O'Connor

Villains by Doris O'Connor

Love them or hate them, a good villain makes a story. I have
two villains in Lure Of Forever and I had great fun creating them and letting my imagination run wild. Paranormal gives you such scope for creating a truly evil villain. What will they be? How far can you push the envelope? Can you bear to actually write what's unfolding in your head?

A friend specializes in horror, and when she said to me that
my villain gave her the chills I knew I'd pitched him right. The demon was one thing. Jacomo's aim is to bring the destruction of earth as we know it, pretty evil stuff you will agree, and Lucas has compelling personal reasons for ridding the world of Jacomo's particular brand of evil.

But this post isn't about him. Oh no—there is another, far more dangerous being in Lure Of Forever, someone who causes my heroine significant harm. The fact that she not only survives the encounter, but remains emotionally relatively unscarred is testament to Coralie's inner strength.

I struggled to write the scenes with Bughar the fairy. I'm pretty sure I typed one scene in particular with my eyes closed and I needed a stiff drink afterwards and a cuddle from hubby! He tells me it's some of my best writing…

What follows is Coralie's first meeting with the fairy.

She was just about to grab the handle of her bedroom door, when a commanding voice stopped her.

"Carmen will see you now."

Finally. Maybe now she would get some answers. Some of her courage left her, however, when she glimpsed the speaker. Jeez, what the hell was he? The giant of a man had to be at least seven feet tall. Purple eyes dominated an ethereally beautiful face, framed by long, straight, white hair that trailed down his back. An intricate tattoo spread itself along his bulging biceps, up his left shoulder and halfway across his naked chest.

Coralie swallowed nervously when the giant smiled, showing several rows of razor-sharp teeth. He stood back, gesturing for her to step past him.

"This way, and move it, human. Carmen is an impatient woman."

Clearly, so was he. The hurried flick of his head revealed pointy ears and Coralie swallowed a hysterical bubble of laughter. So much for fairies being cute, little things at the bottom of the garden. She winced when his large hand grabbed her arm to guide her along.

Long, perfectly manicured fingernails dug into her flesh and Coralie shook his
arm off with a terse, "Do you quite mind? That hurts."

"Oh I know that, little human. I'm rather fond of some pain myself." Those purple eyes changed to a yellowish red and the evil smile accompanying the next words sent a flood of ice-cold dread down Coralie's spine. "I'm rather hoping Carmen will let me play with you a little, once she's had her fill. Now move it."

Coralie had no choice but to follow the far-from-graceful fairy as he marched her along the multitude of corridors at dizzying speed. The fact that every other occupant of the place hurried to get out of their way – in fact, one of the maids double backed so fast that she tripped up – did not fill Coralie with confidence that she would like this encounter, or survive it.

When they finally stopped in front of huge, double doors she had no idea where they were and could hardly breathe. Three rapid knocks on the door were followed by a bid to enter. The tall blonde facing them looked horribly familiar, and Coralie bit back the curse she was about to utter. This was Carmen? The snooty ice queen who'd referred to Coralie as a snack on Lucas' boat? Snack indeed. This was one snack that would stick in her throat, even if it was literally the last thing Coralie would do.

"Ah, about time. What took you so long, Bughar? I hope she didn't give you any trouble?" Bughar gave Coralie a shove that sent her flying face-down to the floor in front of Carmen. Coralie immediately tried to get up, but the fairy's big, booted foot in her shoulder blades pushed her back on the stone tiled floor. Her chin smashed into the floor and she tasted blood.

"You'll give Carmen the respect she commands, human." To hell she would. Bughar could just bugger off. She spat the blood pooling in her mouth on the floor.

Believe me that was Bughar being nice…

Book Blurb:
You'd think a three thousand year old vampire wouldbelieve in forever. Not Lucas. He has an escaped demon to hunt and no time for the follies of humankind. When strip-o-gram Coralie arrives on his boat, she awakens human instincts long buried, and protecting her becomes of paramount importance.

Coralie, standing in for a friend, is mortally embarrassed at having stumbled onto the wrong boat. The vampire wannabe she encounters makes her body sing in ways she never thought possible. Finding out that he is indeed the real thing throws everything she ever believed in into doubt.

With the demon closing in and the future of humanity in peril will they manage to find their forever?

Buy Links:
Amazon
Amazon UK
Evernight Publishing

About the Author:
Glutton for punishment would be a good description for Doris... at least that's what she hears on an almost daily basis when people find out that she has a brood of nine children, ranging from adult to baby and lives happily in a far too small house, cluttered with children, pets, dust bunnies and one very understanding and supportive husband. Domestic goddess she is not.

There is always something better to do after all, like working on the latest manuscript and trying not to scare the locals even more than usual by talking out loud to the voices in her head. Her sexy Alpha heroes and sassy heroines tend to be pretty insistent to get their stories told, and you will find Doris burning the midnight oil on a regular basis. Only time to get any peace and quiet and besides, sleep is for wimps. She writes contemporary, erotic and paranormal romance.

German born, Doris now resides in the middle of a busy town in Bedfordshire/England and dreams of a nice big house by the sea, with plenty of space to run kids and dogs and let her imagination soar.

Find Doris on the web here:
Website: http://www.dorisoconnor.com/
Blog: http://thetardisscribbles.blogspot.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/mamaD8
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Doris-OConnor-Romance-Author/241366635885432

Contest:
If you'd like to be in with a chance to win a copy of Lure Of Forever, just leave a comment. I will be picking three winners at the end of my blog tour. Every time you comment on one of my stops, you will get another entry into the drawing.

Details of the tour stops can be found here.