Showing posts with label free books. Show all posts
Showing posts with label free books. Show all posts

Wednesday, May 07, 2014

Best Lines From The Dr Pepper Prophecies

Today I'm pleased to have Jennifer Gilby Roberts as Wednesday's Guest. She is celebrating the one-year anniversary of the release of her novel, The Dr Pepper Prophecies, and there are all kinds of fun and prizes to be had. I reviewed the book last October, and I am happy to help her celebrate the anniversary. I thought it was a novel idea - pardon the pun - to celebrate the release date of a book, so I was glad to be invited to the party. No party would be complete without refreshments, so let's all grab a Dr. Pepper and visit with Jennifer.


If you don't want to drink a Dr Pepper, you can have a piece of Dr Pepper cake instead. Or both. (smile)
Image Courtesy of Amy Johnson at her blog She Wears Many Hats where you can find a recipe for the cake.
Hi, Maryann, and thanks for the lovely review you did for my book, and how nice of you to serve us all some Dr Pepper and that amazing cake. 

When I wrote The Dr Pepper Prophecies, what I wanted most was to make people laugh. You can’t always manage that, because everyone has a slightly different sense of humour.  But many reviewers have commented that particularly scenes and lines in the book made them smile and sometimes howl with laughter. So, I think I achieved my goal. 

When Maryann reviewed it, she said, “I wanted to highlight the many funny moments and cute phrasing that made me smile.  Had I done so, I would have highlighted half of the book.”  Even in the more serious bits, some lines have managed to strike a chord with readers.  I’d like to share some of the best lines from the book:

The one most highlighted by readers:
“Chocolate is God’s way of saying sorry to women for giving them men.”
 
The one that captures the essence of the quarter-life crisis:
“I don’t know what I want,' I say despondently.  'I only know that I don’t have it.”

The one that reveals the problem with the chick flick fantasy:
“Sometimes I think how much nicer it would be if my life were a movie.  Although, I’d prefer it to last longer than two hours.”
 
The one about the difficulties of explaining where babies come from:
“A thought occurs to me. ‘I don’t suppose your mother went in for safe sex lectures, did she?’ I ask. I remember my mother trying to explain it to me.  The memory continues to surface no matter how hard I try to suppress it.  She began by explaining that babies start as seeds and every woman had a special place inside her to plant them in – sort of like a grow bag.  It went downhill from there.”

The one that one reviewer felt was deeply philosophical:
“There are too many hills in my life.”

The one Maryann liked the best:
“I've slipped into denial now.  I've always liked denial.  The sky is always blue and there's never a queue at the post office.”

If you’ve already read The Dr Pepper Prophecies, do you have a favourite line?  If you haven’t, read on for a giveaway!
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To celebrate The Dr Pepper Prophecies’ one-year anniversary since publication, Jennifer Gilby Roberts is giving away one paperback and five ebook copies!  Enter on Rafflecopter.  You can also find out about her other great celebration offers, giveaways, and extras on her blog.
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About the Book

25-year-old Mel Parker has a few tiny problems:
·    Her job is terrible
·    She's been dumped yet again
·    Her ex is now her boss
·    Her parents think she's a loser compared to her perfect younger sister
·    All her efforts to improve her life seem doomed to failure
·    Her best friend, Will, is in grave danger of being stolen away by his evil girlfriend
·    There just isn’t enough chocolate in the world to make up for the above.
So what do you do when you've pretty much given up on your own life? Help others, of course!

After all, what's the worst that can happen?
~~~~
Buy for Kindle or in paperback on Amazon.com, Amazon.co.uk and other Amazon sites.  The paperback is also available from Barnes & Noble.

Friday, October 25, 2013

Which Book Promotions Work Best?

Last week I said I would report on the results of the free-book campaign I did for my mystery, Boxes For Beds, offering it free for 5 days via the Amazon KDP program. As Nick Stephenson  mentioned on his blog and I quoted last Monday, the jury is still out on what kind of positive long-term effect this approach has, but during the 5 days my book was free it had 39,312 downloads. Here are some stats for those who like numbers: 

The free days started on a Saturday, and Monday morning, before a BookBub feature went live, I had just under 1,000 downloads of the book. By noon on Monday the downloads had jumped to 4,975, with an uptick in downloads in the UK, DE, IN, and CA.

I purposely did not obsess all day with checking numbers, although it was a thrill now and then to pop in and see huge jumps. At 5:30 on Monday there had been  19,497 downloads with small jumps in the UK and CA. Still no downloads in France or India or Mexico or Spain.

Again I ignored numbers after that and didn't check in until 10 Monday night. Downloads had jumped to 26,904, and I picked up a new 5-star review. That was sweet. The book also reached #4 in over all free books on Kindle, #1 in suspense and #1 in historical mystery.

Tuesday morning the downloads for the US reached 30,256, with big jumps for the UK and CA and IN. There were also downloads in all the other foreign markets except Mexico.

By the end of the free days on Wednesday last week, I had reached that 39,312 mark in the US, but downloads in other markets were not even in two-digits except for the UK and CA.

The main reasons authors do these free promos is to gain new readers and review, and hopefully spur sales of that book, and others, after the sale. I have read on author loops that some writers have seen sales of hundreds of books a week after a free event, and I think that works the best with a series. I have sold copies of this book, and two others steadily since last week, but only a handful of sales a day. There has been a huge jump in reviews, and most of them are 4 and 5 star reviews, so that has been beneficial.

Will I do it again? I don't know. Some writers are having better luck with straight ad campaigns for their books. Stacy Juba had a special running for her books the same week I did my special. Here is what she reported:

I advertised the 99 cent sale for my Young Ladies of Mystery Boxed Set on E-Reader News Today, Kindle Books and Tips, Kindle Fire Department and Book Bub all within about 7 days of each other. I also supplemented the paid ads with a blogging campaign, Twitter campaign, posting on various Facebook pages, and highlighting it in my newsletter. I was very pleased with the results. The boxed set reached #11 in the Nook Store and #60 on the Paid Kindle List. Breaking the Kindle Top 100 Paid List and the Nook Top 100 were two of my goals. I also sold several books in the iBookstore. This was my second most successful ad campaign to date. My most successful campaign was for my book Twenty-Five Years Ago Today in March - that led to the book being ranked #5 on Nook and #30 on Kindle and resulted in over 100 new Amazon reviews since then. But the Young Ladies of Mystery campaign was very close.
I didn't see much effect on sales of my other books, but my other books not included in the bundle are for children and teens. I made a nice profit on the ad and reached a lot of new readers, so it was a successful campaign and all of the advertisers were wonderful to work with.
The Young Ladies of Mystery Boxed Set is still only 99 cents and includes her adult mystery/romantic suspense novels Twenty-Five Years Ago Today and Sink or Swim, and her young adult psychic thriller Dark Before Dawn.  

Last spring, Terry Odell, romantic suspense author, tried even a different approach. She went with Nook First, and you can read her full report on her blog, Terry's Place. Briefly, she was accepted into the Nook First program at Barnes and Nobel with a new book, Saving Scott, and it was exclusive for Nook for 30 days. (In the KDP program, the books have to be exclusive to Kindle for 90 days.) The book was not free and Barnes and Nobel did quite a bit of promoting. Following that, Terry reported that her book sold steadily at Barnes and Nobel and sales of all of her books increased at Amazon and Barnes and Nobel.

Terry writes several mystery series, and I think one key to her success - in addition to writing good books - is that she has series and offering a special on one book does spur sales in other books in that series. Her advice to other authors:
Things go up and down, and we can't know why, and probably can't do anything about it. It's a marathon.  
Terry writes the Pine Hills Police Series, the Blackthorne, Inc. Series. and the Mapleton Mystery Series. She has a brand new book out in the Blackthorne series - my favorite of her series. Dangerous Connections was released October 21, and it is on my wish list.


Now, after all of this has been said, I found out my publisher put my short story collection, The Wisdom of Ages, free for Kindle today for three days. Since that book is with a publisher, I won't have access to download numbers, but I do see it is already #85 on the list for anthologies.


As a reader, do you take advantage of free books? If so, do you buy others from that author if you like the freebie?

Authors, what promotions are working best for you? Do you do the KDP program or the Nook First?

Thursday, July 04, 2013

Happy Birthday

To me and to the USA


I thought I would celebrate with some pictures of past fireworks displays that my kids have put on out here at "Grandma's Ranch." There have been some good ones.



I will come to announce the winner of my free short stories sometime late in the day. Like my friend, Slim, said yesterday, I will be busy throughout the day with parades and picnics in the real world.

Tuesday, July 02, 2013

Birthday's, Gifts, and Bargain Books

I know, it's Tuesday and I don't normally post on Tuesday, but there are so many neat things going on this week, and this month, I just had to tell you about them.

First, of course, is my birthday on July Fourth. The other day my friend, Alex J. Cavanaugh suggested we have fireworks to celebrate. What a novel idea. I think I'll try that while my kids are here at "Grandma's Ranch" helping me not to feel too bad about reaching another speed limit number. By the way, it is not the speed limit that is recommended to get the best gas mileage. In fact, one should not even watch his or her gas gauge while driving at this speed. 


It seems that July is the month that lots of publishers and authors have decided to run special sales on their books. I told you last week about the sale Untreed Reads is having on short stories - 4 For the Fourth - in which you can purchase 4 short stories for a dollar.  There's a list of books, as well as all the details on my blog post Special Sale For the Fourth of July.

Tying into the themes of birthdays and gifts, I decided that this year on my birthday, I should give a gift or two, so I am giving one person who comments on any of the blogs from last Wednesday through tomorrow all four of my short stories that are at Untreed Reads. All you have to do is leave a comment, with a contact e-mail please, and I will draw a winner on Thursday morning and arrange the gift. The short stories are; The Visitor, a retelling of the Goldilocks story; Making it Home, a story that was first published in Lady's Circle magazine; The Last Dollar, a holiday story with a message for any time of the year; and SAHM, I Am, a humorous story about a woman and a home computer.

One of my publishers, Books We Love, is taking part in the month-long sale at Smashwords, where many books are priced at 50% off. What a terrific deal, and my short story collection, The Wisdom of Ages, is offered in the sale. As is my YA novel,  Friends Forever. 

Here is the opening of the book:

"Growing up isn’t easy,” Debbie’s mother said as she worked a touch of yellow into the flowers coming to life on a canvas in front of her. “Goodness knows it’s never been easy, but the worst thing I had to worry about when I was your age was whether I’d get a new pimple on the night of my first date. We didn’t have to deal with drugs or wonder if someone was hanging around school with a gun.”

Debbie stood there half-listening, impatient to be off to meet Lauren. She knew her mother meant well, but really. How many times did she have to listen to this same litany?

Her mother’s voice droned on. “I’d never heard of uppers or downers. The only pills I’d ever seen were aspirins. The first time one of those melted in my mouth, I decided I’d never...”

“Mom,” Debbie glanced at the door. “Could we talk about this some other time? I promised to meet Lauren and I’m already late.”
There are lots of great books being offered in these sales, so I hope you find some good books and stories to add to your summer reading list. I have grabbed a few and plan to spend some early mornings on my deck enjoying them.

What do you have on your summer reading list?

Monday, March 04, 2013

Monday Morning Musings

A recent article in The Dallas Morning News offered an interesting take on the Bible. Gordon Keith, an Emmy-winning broadcaster for KECK-AM (1310) The Ticket, in Dallas, suggested that the Bible is an ongoing project. In his article he says "It's OK to step back and see the Bible with your own eyes."

I'm sure his comments will spur a rash of letters from fundamentalist believers who take the words in the Bible literally and say we should never deviate from them. They also believe that the Bible is the final word of God. Keith contends that it is not. "If God is still whispering into the hearts of men and women, why is it a stretch to think that humans can no longer transcribe that dictation?"

When I read that, it reminded me of a spiritual exercise I took part in on a retreat one year. This was part of my chaplaincy training, and the retreat leader had the attendees write their own gospel. When she first said that, I was shocked. Me? Write a gospel? When she explained that the gospel was just recounting how we experienced God at that moment, it made sense.

She encouraged us to get into a contemplative state of mind and then just write as the thoughts and words came to us.

Later, we shared our gospels and talked about the gospels in the Bible - how they might have been written through a similar process of being open to the spirit.

In his article, Keith was not suggesting that we should abandon the Bible. He just thinks we should not focus so much on ancient stories that we "blunt our ability to listen to the word of God currently being written. In books, plays and prayers."

Think about it. If the word of God was just in those ancient writings, why do we need preachers and theologians? 

On another note, Read an E-Book Week started yesterday, with lots of authors offering free or deeply discounted books for all electronic reading devices. Read an E-Book Week was started in 2004 to spread the word about the pleasures and advantages of reading electronically. If you visit the website, there are links to the authors participating, as well as other interesting information about e-books.


To join in the celebration, I have two specials running this week. Readers can enjoy my short story The Visitor as a free read directly from my website. Those with a Kindle can also get that version free for the next three days. Later this week, I will have my newest book, Boxes For Beds free for three days. That special starts Thursday.

Friday, August 31, 2012

Friday's Odds and Ends


Initially my plan for today's blog was to write about Robin Roberts and all the attention she is getting regarding her illness and treatment. My husband commented yesterday that he found all that media attention a bit disheartening since there are so many other everyday people who are fighting terrible diseases, and they do not get any attention. He wondered what makes her a hero and not those others.

However, after reading the news about Robin's mother's death. I will leave her alone. My heart goes out to her as I know how close she and her mother were. I'm sure that Robin was hoping to have her mother's support during her treatment.

If you like YA novels, you might want to head over to The Blood Red Pencil and meet Michelle Gagnon, who has written a new thriller. She says that while the book is for teens, she thinks adults will enjoy it as well.

Cleaning up my desk the other day I ran across an article by Jacquielynn Floyd in The Dallas Morning News that I had been saving. I tend to stack papers on one corner of my desk with the thought that I might comment on a story. This one is still relevant because it is about the huge salaries that DISD administrators are getting, including the $185,000 to a young chief of communications. I'd do the PR work for a mere $100,000, but I digress.

The point of Jacquielynn's column was to express a hope that the administrators actually do some good for the school district to earn those exorbitant salaries.

Isn't it a shame that the bulk of education money goes to the top?

A recent Non Sequitur cartoon made me laugh out loud. Danae and her father are standing near the edge of a cliff where a group of men carrying American flags are walking off the edge. Dad says, "That whole thing about lemmings is just a myth. Political parties on the other hand..." Check the link for today's strip. Another good one.

Today's writing tip from the comics comes from One Big Happy

Ruthie and Joe and James are trying to write a story. Ruthie throws up her hands and declares, "There's no story to this story, people. What can you say about a character named Ricky Roadkill?"

With great delight, James says, "You could tell how he got squished."

Ruthie says, "Hmmm... Yeah..."

Then Joe says, "But forget about a sequel."

For the next three days my suspense novel, One Small Victory will be free for Kindle. This will be the last time that book will be free, but I will occasionally have other work free. With so many other reading devices out there now, I just don't see the wisdom in keeping the novel limited to Amazon. Grab your free copy while you can, and if you like it, please do let me know by leaving a short review. You would be amazed how those reviews help an author.

Saturday, April 14, 2012

A to Z Challenge - M is for Monarch

For my nature theme, I thought I would focus on the Monarch butterfly today. I have always loved these butterflies, and when I was a child, our yard in Michigan teemed with them in the spring and summer. I didn't learn about the great migration until years later and was amazed that these delicate little creatures can travel hundreds of miles. The Monarch is famous for its southward migration from Canada to Mexico in the winter, then a return north in the summer. This migration can span  the life of three to four generations of the butterfly.

Here in Texas we would see the butterfly en masse in early spring, but not so much any more. The milkweed, which is a major attraction for the monarch, has been disappearing along with the butterfly. HERE is an excellent article that explains some of what is happening to this beautiful little creature. We are definitely slowly killing our planet.
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Yesterday's Friday the 13th Mystery Event was a lot of fun. I met so many new friends on various sites all over the Internet. What a wonderful way to meet people without having to leave home. I am pleased that my book made it to the top 10 best-seller list for suspense on Amazon, thanks to all the folks who downloaded the book. Many of these books, including my One Small Victory, are free again for today, so tell your friends there is still time to get some good books for their Kindle. All of these are from award-winning authors who have first published with major publishers.

1. Darker By Degree by Susan Branham and Keri Knutson - A missing girl. A mysterious break-in. A brutal murder. 

2.  Diary of Murder by Jean Henry Mead -  Dana Logan's wealthy sister, Georgi, dies and Georgi's husband claims it was suicide. Dana knows her sister would never take her own life and sets out to prove it was murder, with her friend, Sarah Cafferty. 

3. Ghost Island by Bonnie Hearn Hill - Is Aaron a dream, or is he something much more deadly? Livia Hinson has just begun a Seminar at Sea when a storm hits their boat. Now, she is stranded with the other students on an island off the coast of California. NOTE: For some reason this book is still listed at $2.99

4. Kiki Lowenstein and the Purple Passion: A Kiki Lowenstein Short Story by Joanna Campbell Slan - When a customer’s daughter is falsely accused, Kiki Lowenstein foils a nasty plan to ruin the girl’s reputation. 

5. One Small Victory by Maryann Miller - the story of one woman's courage. Suspense novel by Maryann Miller, based on a true story of a woman who infiltrated a drug ring and helped bring down a major distributor in her small Texas town. Don't discount what a mother can do to protect her children. 

6. Rock & Roll Homicide by RJ McDonnell - The 1st novel in the Rock & Roll Mystery Series finds PI Jason Duffy helping the widow of a slain rock star after she climbs to #1 in the police suspect charts. 

7. Sink or Swim by Stacy Juba - After starring on a hit game show set aboard a Tall Ship, personal trainer Cassidy Novak discovers that she has attracted a stalker. Can she trust Zach Gallagher, the gorgeous newspaper photographer assigned to follow her for a local series? 

8. Southeast Asian Quartet by William S. Shepard - Mystery, suspense and murder in Southeast Asia in the style of Somerset Maugham, these four tales evoke Singapore, Borneo, Malaya and Indochina. Draw up a chair at the Raffles Bar and join us.

9. Taken by Debra Lee -  Welcome to the fictitious little town of Watery, Pennsylvania where the district attorney’s personal secretary, Mary Murray never planned to become a single mom or a suspect in her infant’s disappearance. 

10. The Four Last Things by Timothy Hallinan - Hired to follow a young woman, private eye Simeon Grist becomes mired in murder and a million-dollar religious scam in The Four Last Things, the first in a series of highly-praised LA private-eye novels written in the 1990s by 2011 Edgar nominee Timothy Hallinan. 

11. When a Man Loves a Woman - Enhanced Multimedia Edition by Alina Adams - Can a man and woman ever truly be just friends? What about if one of them is married? What if one of them suddenly isn't anymore?  

12.  Willowtree by Mike Bove - Bruce DelRano, retired postman, golf and food nut, finds a body near the golf course. He believes the murder is connected to others and involves his Apache friend. Together, they stay a step ahead of the police in trying to solve the cases. 

13. Whispering by Gerrie Ferris Finger - Will Cleo Snow admit to making love with charming World War I fly-boy Graham Henry to clear him in the disappearance of an island woman who claims he plans to marry her? Will Graham compromise Cleo to clear himself?

Friday, April 13, 2012

A to Z Challenge - L is for Llama and Luck

In keeping with my theme, I'm going to write a little about the llama. The spelling of the name has always fascinated me. How many other words start with a double letter? That might be an interesting Internet search sometime.

The llama is a South American relative of the camel, though the llama does not have a hump. These sturdy creatures are domestic animals used by the peoples of the Andes Mountains. (Their wild relatives are guanacos and vicuñas). Native peoples have used llamas as pack animals for centuries.

Here in Texas some people have started raising llama's for shearing. Their wool can be used for fabric, rugs and rope, and some are raised as livestock.We have a few llamas down the road from us, but they seem to be more "pasture ornaments" than anything else. I have never seen anyone shear them, and since they are still there, it is obvious they have not been raised for meat.

Now for the "Luck" part of the blog. I have joined with 13 other mystery authors for a special Kindle Select promotion offering 13 books for free this weekend. These are back-list, or new, books from authors who have been published by the big 6 publishers in New York, as well as some respected smaller publishers of quality mysteries. Don't miss this Kindle exclusive opportunity to discover these 13 new authors and brighten your Friday the 13th.

1. Darker By Degree by Susan Branham and Keri Knutson - A missing girl. A mysterious break-in. A brutal murder. 

2.  Diary of Murder by Jean Henry Mead -  Dana Logan's wealthy sister, Georgi, dies and Georgi's husband claims it was suicide. Dana knows her sister would never take her own life and sets out to prove it was murder, with her friend, Sarah Cafferty. 

3. Ghost Island by Bonnie Hearn Hill - Is Aaron a dream, or is he something much more deadly? Livia Hinson has just begun a Seminar at Sea when a storm hits their boat. Now, she is stranded with the other students on an island off the coast of California. NOTE: For some reason this book is still listed at $2.99

4. Kiki Lowenstein and the Purple Passion: A Kiki Lowenstein Short Story by Joanna Campbell Slan - When a customer’s daughter is falsely accused, Kiki Lowenstein foils a nasty plan to ruin the girl’s reputation. 

5. One Small Victory by Maryann Miller - the story of one woman's courage. Suspense novel by Maryann Miller, based on a true story of a woman who infiltrated a drug ring and helped bring down a major distributor in her small Texas town. Don't discount what a mother can do to protect her children. 

6. Rock & Roll Homicide by RJ McDonnell - The 1st novel in the Rock & Roll Mystery Series finds PI Jason Duffy helping the widow of a slain rock star after she climbs to #1 in the police suspect charts. 

7. Sink or Swim by Stacy Juba - After starring on a hit game show set aboard a Tall Ship, personal trainer Cassidy Novak discovers that she has attracted a stalker. Can she trust Zach Gallagher, the gorgeous newspaper photographer assigned to follow her for a local series? 

8. Southeast Asian Quartet by William S. Shepard - Mystery, suspense and murder in Southeast Asia in the style of Somerset Maugham, these four tales evoke Singapore, Borneo, Malaya and Indochina. Draw up a chair at the Raffles Bar and join us.

9. Taken by Debra Lee -  Welcome to the fictitious little town of Watery, Pennsylvania where the district attorney’s personal secretary, Mary Murray never planned to become a single mom or a suspect in her infant’s disappearance. 

10. The Four Last Things by Timothy Hallinan - Hired to follow a young woman, private eye Simeon Grist becomes mired in murder and a million-dollar religious scam in The Four Last Things, the first in a series of highly-praised LA private-eye novels written in the 1990s by 2011 Edgar nominee Timothy Hallinan. 

11. When a Man Loves a Woman - Enhanced Multimedia Edition by Alina Adams - Can a man and woman ever truly be just friends? What about if one of them is married? What if one of them suddenly isn't anymore?  

12.  Willowtree by Mike Bove - Bruce DelRano, retired postman, golf and food nut, finds a body near the golf course. He believes the murder is connected to others and involves his Apache friend. Together, they stay a step ahead of the police in trying to solve the cases. 

13. Whispering by Gerrie Ferris Finger - Will Cleo Snow admit to making love with charming World War I fly-boy Graham Henry to clear him in the disappearance of an island woman who claims he plans to marry her? Will Graham compromise Cleo to clear himself? 

The other good luck promo has a lot of free books being offered for today only. These are in a variety of genres from mystery to romance to fantasy and many others. No matter what your reading tastes are, you can find a book or two or three to load into your e-book reading device. Not all of the books are limited to Kindle, so this is a great opportunity for Nook owners as well. Here is a link to the page where you can find all these books listed. There are over a hundred, so have fun.

Thursday, April 12, 2012

A to Z Challenge - K is for Kingfisher

Azure Kingfisher
Following my nature theme, today I thought I would write about a bird that has always fascinated me, even though I have never seen one in real life.

I've always thought that kingfisher was an unusual name for a bird and I wondered why they were called that. Perhaps because they eat a lot of fish? Although they do eat other things, like lizards.

Oriental Dwarf Kingfisher
One won't find kingfishers in North America. Some species are tropical, with most of the others living in Europe and Australia. Some of the birds are known as river kingfishers, some as tree kingfishers and some as water kingfishers. They are small to medium sized brightly colored birds, and all have large heads, long, sharp, pointed bills, short legs, and stubby tails. Most species have bright plumage with little differences between the sexes. Like some other birds, they nest in cavities, usually tunnels dug into the natural or artificial banks in the ground.

Kingfishers are generally shy birds, staying away from people, but people have always been fascinated by the little birds, possibly because of the bright coloring and some of their behaviors. 

For the Dusun people of Borneo, the Oriental Dwarf Kingfisher is considered a bad omen, and warriors that see one on the way to battle should return home. Another Bornean tribe consider the Banded Kingfisher bird of good omens. 

The Sacred Kingfisher, along with other Pacific kingfishers, was venerated by the Polynesians, who believed it had control over the seas and waves.

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Starting tomorrow for Friday the 13th, a group of 13 mystery authors have banded together to bring some good luck to readers. We are offering our books free for the weekend for the Kindle. My suspense novel, One Small Victory is just one of the books. For a complete list of the books click HERE

Monday, March 26, 2012

Rising Gas Prices - What's the Fix?

With each uptick of the price of gas, people start clamoring for the government to do something, which has led President Obama to fast-track approval of the XL pipeline from Oklahoma to the Gulf Coast of Texas. The Canadian pipeline originates above Montana, and was halted in the midwest due to serious concerns about the huge aquifer that serves water to many states should the pipeline ever break. Or perhaps I should say, when the pipeline breaks.

There is no doubt the pipeline will break. Pipelines break all the time, and one branch of the XL has already contaminated a large area of Kalamazoo, Michigan in 2010, and effects are still being felt. The chemicals needed to break down this tar-sands oil so it can flow through the pipes can contaminate water and land for generations, making it unsuitable for life.

What people who are pushing to approve this pipeline venture, as well as more domestic drilling, fail to understand is that supply has little to do with current gas prices. The oil companies control pricing, period. They sell crude and refined oil to whatever country pays the most, and if that is Japan or China, that is just fine with Exxon - Mobil.

The U. S. exports 1.5 million barrels of oil a day, so that begs the question, why do we do that and then turn around and import 13 million barrels? Some of the reasons are explained HERE, but the basic reason is that that is the way world commerce works.

I'm not sure that just because this can be explained, that is reason enough to keep doing something that might not be the right something. As Megan McArdle pointed out in a recent article about corporations that keep repeating the same mistakes because they are afraid to change, maybe it is time we, the people and the government, need to make drastic changes in how we deal with energy issues. We cannot bury our heads in the sand and pretend that our reliance on fossil fuels is not a problem. There are children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren who are counting on us to give them a world they can live in.

On a different note, I am again part of a Mega-Event to help an author showcase her work. There will be a blog-fest and lots of other fun things happening from mid-April to mid-May, but ahead of time there are some neat opportunities for some free gifts.

Download a FREE copy of the Artella eBook, Artella Mae's NEW Altered Ancestors!, a 58-page eBook overflowing with ideas and techniques for using vintage photos in your artwork. Download your copy here!

Friday, March 09, 2012

Another Reason to Abandon the NFL

I used to really enjoy watching football. It started with high school football when I was in high school and we had a winning team. It was so exciting to go to the games and cheer the team and swoon over the quarterback, on whom I had the biggest crush. I still enjoy high school football and will sometimes go to watch a game even now. No more crushes, but there is still just a bit of that school pride and excitement for the game that a spectator can absorb just sitting in the bleachers.

When we moved to Texas in the late 60's, I became a huge fan of the Dallas Cowboys, and saw in some of those players - Roger Staubach, Lee Roy Jordan, Drew Pearson, Ed "Too-Tall" Jones, Robert Newhouse - that same love of the game and eagerness to just go out and play.

That has changed in more recent years, and I will admit that I have lost my football spirit. Sometimes I still watch a game with my husband, but I don't look forward to football Sunday like I used to. Part of the reason is that it has become about so many other things than the game itself. It is about salaries and who can make the most money. It is about bigger and grander stadiums, with ticket prices out of sight for too many people because of the stadium price-tag. And it has lost its sense of fair play and good sportsmanship.

In all fairness, maybe that last statement is too broad, but we can't deny that "winning at all costs" has superseded what used to be a sport of men who played with some sense of respect and honor.

That has become abundantly clear with the latest scandal that the NFL wishes would just disappear from the news. Last week the NFL released a report that said that for three seasons the New Orleans Saints had a bounty pool that was handled by a defensive assistant. The pool paid out for big hits that would take out an opposing player, and apparently the coaching staff of the Saints knew about it, as did the general manager.

According to an editorial in The Dallas Morning News, this practice is not limited to the Saints.

This is absolutely reprehensible behavior, and I, for one, resign from the role of being an NFL fan. I'll go watch a high school team when I start missing the game.

On another note. I have put my suspense novel, One Small Victory, up for free for today and tomorrow on Amazon. This is the end of Read an E-Book Week, and I thought I would celebrate by giving my readers a gift. Enjoy....

Monday, February 13, 2012

Not The Usual Monday Fare - Enter at Your Own Risk

WARNING THE FOLLOWING CONTENT IS R-RATED - When I agreed to host the authors today, I did not realize the excerpts would be graphic sex scenes. If you don't care to read, please take a pass. The reason I am putting this up is because there are lots of readers out there who like these kinds of books, and the Mega Blog Tour is sponsoring a great contest that readers might want to enter.

Revving Up Your Romance Engines for Valentine’s Day

Turn the bathtub faucet to "ice cold" and start the shower running, as we bring you four "steamy" sex scenes, from Romance novelists Alan Nayes ( Barbary Point), Lynn Hubbard ( Run into the Wind), Lohrainne Eckhart (The Forgotten Child) and Suzan Tisdale (Laiden's Daughter) to get you in the Valentine’s Day mood. Afterward, but before you cool off in the shower, use the Comment area below to vote on which author you think did the best job. (You might even pause to say what aspects of their writing appealed to you the most.)

All four authors are featured in "The Last Way Station Mega Book Tour,"a new concept in virtual book touring, in which authors take part in tag-team guest blogs, like this one. The tour is named in honor of founder and sponsor, Jon Reisfeld’s book, The Last Way Station. Click here to take your chance at winning a Kindle Fire in the tour’s official Sweepstakes and then here to learn more about our featured authors and their books.
And now, onto the sex-scene competition:

Alan Nayes
Alan Nayes

Barbary Point.

Author Alan Nayes sets the scene: "Successful, high-powered businesswoman, Kelly English, flies back to Wisconsin to close out her deceased father’s estate and ends up falling in love with a fishing guide. This is their first love scene, seen from Kelly”s perspective."

Upon hearing about my engagement to Thomas, a friend once told me—“Kelly, for a marriage to be successful, you have to love that person more than he loves you.” In the months of romantic dining, movies, and sleepovers, I was never quite able to grasp the statement’s implication. I loved Thomas, and I was sure he loved me. But to me, our feelings for each other seemed equal,
or if I had to choose, Thomas might even have loved me a wee bit more. With Mitch, though, my feelings seemed different. Unavoidable, stronger, more intense, all of the above. I just knew I was unable to deny them.

The sun was well into its westward descent when Mitch and I entered the cottage’s downstairs guest bedroom. I had purposely avoided the master bedroom. My father had slept there, and it wouldn’t have felt right. Mitch stood in the doorway and waited, an eager reticence evident in his eyes and body language, while I cleared the bed of decoys and waders. The sheets smelled fresh and piney, as if they”d been washed only yesterday and hung out in the fresh air to dry.

Mitch began to speak, and I put a finger over his lips.

“This is my doing, Mitch,” I said. “I think I’ve fallen for you and I don’t know what else I can say.”
Retribution
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He kissed my finger and reached for my face. “I fell first and faster, Kelly English.”
We moved to the mattress and I pulled him down on top of me, bathing his lips, his face, his ears, his neck with my mouth.

His response was immediate and passionate. Though it was our first waltz together, the music in my head was loud enough I feared Mitch might think I was singing. Mitch was singing, too, and I loved the feeling I detected exuding from every pore of his body. Inexorably, from that first moment I’d gazed into the depths of his eyes, I’d known it would come to this. He’d appeared in my life like some mysterious magician, casting his spells, sprinkling his potions, seducing my emotions until they no longer felt like my own. These thoughts came to me not consciously, rather on a more subliminal, primitive wavelength. Love started out that way, deep within your soul first, long before any true awareness of its presence is manifested. And then, by the time you feel it, you’ve surrendered and become the vanquished.

I was conscious of how he smelled, how hard and warm his body was under his clothing, and how much I desired my skin against his. The dance of undressing one another went smoothly, without a hitch. One time with Thomas, I’d struggled with his belt and our efforts had seemed jerky, too impatient, even clumsy. Not so now, not in this cottage on this lake in Wisconsin. Not with this man. Never had Mitch felt so close to another living creature, human or otherwise. And he expressed this to me as best he could. I was a fine gem, that he would gladly polish, worship for all eternity, if I would allow it.I let myself be dominated and in so doing, I became the dominator. He moved over me like some mythical being created by a
mythical god, descended from all the great lovers who’d ever lived, and there were moments on end when I closed my eyes and felt I was being loved not by one man, but by many.

The sensations were incredible, a kaleidoscope of perceptions, building one upon the other until there was no action I could take except to clutch and hold on as if I were clinging to the side of a mountain. If I fell, I would scream out for sure.

I had never felt more feminine, more a woman than when Mitch was inside me. I’d become a goddess of the great lake, whose shoreline lay not twenty yards from where Mitch and I held each other. More than once, I wrapped him up so tightly in my arms and legs, I feared I might smother him or choke him.
I didn’t want the afternoon to end, but dusk arrived anyway, silently like an invisible curtain, until all I could see was the outline of Mitch’s spent body next to mine.



Lynn Hubbard
Lynn Hubbard

Run into The Wind.

Author Lynn Hubbard: "This scene comes from my book, Run into the Windwhich is set in the south during the later years of the nineteenth century. Brock and Sabrina have gone through some awkward moments. Finally admitting their true feelings to themselves, as well as to each other, they experience love for the first time."

Shaking his head, he hugged her again. She pulled away, getting him a plate of food. He took a hesitant bite and then another.
It was surprisingly tasty. “Very good,” he said, as she stood by hopefully.
“Really?”
“Really.”
Contentedly, she filled her own plate and took a couple of bites. She had done a lot of tasting earlier to make sure the seasoning was right so she was not very hungry. Her stomach was twisting. She was afraid he would reject her. She forced another bite and set about cleaning up. Brock raised an eyebrow, watching her move about anxiously. He quickly ate another bowl before she grabbed the plate out of his hands and went to wash it, but he stopped her.
“Why don’t you go lie down? I’ll finish up and join you in a bit.”
Sabrina wrung her hands nervously and, unable to gather her own thoughts, she followed his suggestion. She lay flat on her back stiffly, staring at the ceiling. She had worked out an entire seductive scenario in her head earlier today but her mind had abandoned her. She could think of nothing to say or do, so she just lay there waiting. She barely registered the light being blown out or the blanket lifting. She did recall Brock’s warm arms encircling her and hugging her close like he did every night. He gave her strength and she cuddled into his chest trying to get up the nerve to say or do something.
“Um…” she began softly, her voice cracking slightly.
“Yes, my love?” he said and she paused. He had never called her that before. At least not out loud.
“Well, I just wanted….” She was blushing deeply and she was glad for the darkness. She wanted to let him know that she was ready to give herself to him. Her voice obviously was not working, so she took his hand and placed it on her bare bottom. She heard him exhale sharply and she held her breath.
Even though they were very much alone, he leaned down to whisper to her. “Are you sure?”
Still not able to answer verbally, she twisted her head, finding his mouth in the dark and kissing him softly on his lips. When he still did not move, she pulled away, unsure.
“I need to hear you say it,” he said, there was tightness in his voice she had never heard before.
“Yes, I’m sure.” She tensed up a little, expecting him to perhaps throw her on her back and ravish her fiercely. She was pleasantly surprised when he continued to hold her close and kissed her mouth gently. He kissed her lips, moving over her cheeks and kissing each eyelid. He moved his hands up, gently running his fingers through her hair and massaging the nape of her neck. He knew she was scared and wanted to help her relax.
As he kissed down her neck, she pushed away a bit as he found a tickle spot. He kept his arm around her back as his other hand worked on the buttons of her shirt. He deftly released them one by one. He moved his mouth back up to her lips as his hand gently roamed over her breasts. She moaned into his mouth at the sensations he was awakening in her.
She placed her hands on his chest dismayed to find he was still wearing his long Johns. She growled in frustration, wanting to feel his flesh against hers as she none too gently pulled at his buttons. Chuckling, he pulled away a bit and swiftly removed the offending garment.
Sabrina almost moaned as she ran her hand over his bare chest. She could feel the taut muscles underneath and traced every striation with her hand. Not sure what to do next she followed Brock’s lead and began kissing his neck and chest before moving lower. She felt his member pressing against her chest as she moved lower and paused. She slowly moved her hand down to touch it. Surprised at the softness of the skin surrounding his hardness she traced it with her finger. She heard Brock hiss as he bent down to draw her back up in the bed next to him. He rolled her onto her back and lay gently on top of her. He kept his weight off her by leaning on his elbows.
Sabrina lay still. She felt him against her thigh and closed her eyes tightly even though it was dark. She felt him move her legs further apart with his knees and she held her breath as she waited.
“You need to breathe, Sabrina,” he whispered in her ear.
Again no words would form in her befuddled mind. She did take a deep breath , though. Brock kissed her again, deeply this time, and she was so caught up in the moment she barely noticed him shifting above her. However, she did notice when he thrust quickly, and she felt a burning pain deep inside her. Cursing like a pirate, she pushed against his chest for him to stop but he already had.
He whispered to her as he held her, waiting for her to settle down. After a while, she moved her hands from his chest to his shoulders. She trailed them up his neck to his hair and pulled him down in a demanding kiss. Feeling more in control, she flexed her hips tentatively, giving him permission to proceed. Brock moved very slowly as if waiting for her to stop him again.
She was very tight and moist. He trembled as he fought to keep himself in check. He was using long slow thrusts as he felt her walls stretching to accommodate him. Moving his hand between them he found her nub and rubbed it as she gasped into his mouth. She wrapped her legs around his as he continued gyrating her core.
At her insistence, he quickened his pace as her world spun. Overcome by sensation, she clawed at his back as she gasped out his name. He felt her trembling around him as he thrust inside of her deeply, spilling his seed. He felt a shudder and wasn’t sure if it came from him or her. Holding her to him he rolled onto his back, letting her rest on top.
Sabrina shivered as she lay on top of him, still impaled. She was exhausted and gasping for air. She felt Brock settle the covers over them and she looked up, trying to see through the darkness.
“Are you okay?” he asked with concern in his voice.
Not having the strength or ability to speak, she just nodded as he gathered her up in his arms and they slept.



Lohrainne Eckhart
Lohrainne Eckhart

The Forgotten Child

Author Lohrainne Eckhart: "In The Forgotten ChildEmily Nelson, a young mother, leaves a loveless marriage and finds work as a live-in cook and care giver at a home of local rancher Brad Friessen. Emily soon discovers that the Friessen’s son has mild, untreated, autism, but the distant, difficult man is in denial. Emily finally prevails in getting Friessen to accept his son's condition and to get him the help he needs. In the process, the two adults fall in love. This is the scene where they first express those feelings physically.

The dinner dishes were washed and put away. Emily scrubbed the kitchen table and counter. The sun dipped below the horizon lighting the sky a beautiful shade of pink and orange. Emily listened at the bottom of the stairs for any rustling from the kids. Nothing—good, they were fast asleep. Dinner had been quiet and tense, even though Emily made Brad’s favorite pork chops. For her, it was just a small effort to ease some of the humiliation he’d experienced this morning. He’d only picked at his dinner. After about ten minutes, he’d pushed his plate away and got up from the table without a backward glance, doing something he never did—leave food on his plate.

Walking to the back door, he paused before opening the door, “I have work to do. Thanks for dinner, Em.”

“You’re welcome.” Then he was gone.

Emily stepped outside onto the front porch. The cool night air nipped through the light brown sweater she’d draped over her shoulders. Sitting on the wooden swing, she rocked back and forth. She lifted her chin toward the sound of crunching gravel.

Only Brad sounded so confident and surefooted. Emily caught sight of Brad’s outline as he paused right before the steps.

“Nice night, are the kids asleep?”

“Not a peep out of them. It didn’t take them long. Join me.” She motioned to the chair beside her.

He looked straight at the front door. He wants to escape, he’s embarrassed. “Please Brad.”
He took off his worn tan cowboy hat and played with the brim in a way so unlike the confident, in control, man “Okay Em.” He strode toward her. Instead of sitting, he rested his booted foot on the chair right beside her, resting his forearm on his knee, and then brushed his hat against his leg as if knocking out all the dust.
Emily took a deep steady breath, and pulled out the elastic tying her hair back, allowing her brown wavy hair to scoop down over her shoulders. It was kind of romantic. When Emily looked up the moon had cast a circle of light around them. Brad reached out and touched a strand of her hair, rubbing it gently between his thumb and fingers. Then he tilted her chin up. Her breath was stuck somewhere around the hard lump jamming her throat. Her heart pounded; he was so close now. He leaned down, closing the awkward gap between them and captured her lips in a sweet, tender kiss, so light, his breath warm. He slid his hand around the back of her neck to her shoulder and lifted her until she stood before him. His hands slid down her back and his arms tightened into an embrace as he traced her lips with his tongue to gain entrance. With a gasp, she opened her mouth allowing him access. He deepened the kiss and pulled her tighter to him. His hands slid farther down her back and cupped her bottom. A possessive, bold move, his desire pressed hard against her. He dropped his arms and backed away, one step, two steps, breaking
off the off-the-charts kiss; out of breath, both of them breathing deeply, as if they’d just run a marathon.
“I’m sorry, Em. I’ve wanted to do that for so long.”

She stepped forward reaching up, she touched his cheek. “Please don’t stop.”

He was so tall. Her head barely reached his shoulders. But that didn’t stop her from reaching up and trying to pull his head back down to her, except he wouldn’t bend.

“Are you sure, Em? This is what you want?”

His whiskey-colored eyes looked amber in the moonlight. The words stuck in her throat as though lodged in something thick and gooey. Emily swallowed past the hard lump. Her invitation must have been clear because he threaded his fingers through her hair. Gripping the back of her head as he pulled her to him, reclaiming her mouth like it was his right and she was his woman, a possessive familiarity Emily had never experienced. His deep, intense kiss shed all sense of sanity and turned her knees to putty. Brad must have sensed her slipping, and tightened his arms around her waist, holding her hard against him.

She clutched wildly to his shirt and her hands wouldn’t stop shaking. Her mind fogged. All she could think about was how great her need for him was—a need stifled for so long; she’d lost all control over the situation. A slight whimper sounded from somewhere deep inside of her. Brad pressed into her, every hard inch of himself. Oh God, how she wanted this, him. There was something about this man, and oh yes, he was very much a man, that left her screaming and rejoicing as his tongue danced with hers. Oh my, could this man kiss. Maybe that was why her mind allowed dark doubts to creep in; asking her how he could really want her. You’re just a phase, a momentary distraction. Shut up, stop thinking so much, she told herself, just enjoy, and don’t start looking for problems.

He broke off the kiss and leaned down. Opening her bulky sweater, he placed tender kisses down her neck to the row of tiny brown buttons above her breast. He then trailed his hand over her breast, pressing softly as he traced the tender outline of her nipple through her cotton shirt. He didn’t stop his sweet torture as he cupped and lifted, running his thumb against the underside of her breasts. He pulled away, reaching down, linked her hand in his and guided her into the house, closing and locking the door behind them.
He squeezed her hand and looked down on her with such heat and desire in those powerful whiskey
colored eyes, pausing with an open question she clearly understood, “Are you sure this is what you want? Tell me now before this goes any further.”

“Yes, I want you.” Her voice was husky and filled with desire.

Without another word, he led her up the stairs. Each creak of each step bumped up the beat of her heart, and it threatened to close off all her natural breathing. She didn’t know how to handle this because with Brad, there was no question; he was in charge. His whole being stated that fact. He was a poster boy for the very definition of a strong alpha male. She’d wondered if men like him hadn’t in fact died off long ago. Now she was so grateful he was here with her leading her into his room, closing the door behind him.



Suzan Tisdale
Suzan Tisdale

Laiden's Daughter

With the threat of an invasion of English soldiers and to break the troth the Earl of Penrith had made for Aishlinn, she and Duncan marry rather quickly. While Duncan has far more 'romantic' experiences than his new bride, Aishlinn is quite willing--albeit terrified--to learn the proper ins and outs of things.

There was no time for congratulatory celebration for the newlyweds. Duncan took her hand and leaned in to whisper to her. “’Tis not the wedding I’m sure ye imagined, nor the one ye be deservin’, lass. I promise we’ll have a better celebration after we be done with the English.”

Aishlinn thought his smile could light up the darkest of rooms and nearly burst into tears. She knew that after tonight, her eyes and heart would never again be blessed with seeing it.

They went to Duncan’s room, for hers had lost its door and could no longer afford them any privacy. Someone had put fresh linens on the bed and a single white rose lay atop the pillows. A low fire burned in the fireplace and candles had been lit and placed about the room. When her eyes fell back to the bed, a great sense of nervousness enveloped her. They’d be consummating their marriage soon and she hadn’t a clue what to do. Duncan saw the look of apprehension in her eyes and it brought a smile to his face. “Are ya frightened, lass?” he asked.

“Aye.” She whispered. Terrified was a more apt description. “I know not what to do.” She murmured softly.

Duncan let out a chuckle. “No worries, lass. I’ll help ya through it.”

He bent to kiss her and the moment his lips touched hers, everything else in the world seemed to slip away. She wrapped her hands around his neck, twisting her fingers through his thick hair as she stood on her toes to reach him. Until just a sinnight or two ago, had someone told her not only would she be married someday, but married to a man who made her heart pound, her palms sweat, and her stomach twist and flip at his mere touch, she would have laughed herself silly over it.
Desperate to feel his skin against hers, Duncan undid the broach holding her plaid together and tossed it on the table beside his bed. Carefully he removed her plaid and laid it upon the chair near the table. He was trying to not appear as desperate for her as he felt. Within a moment, he wrapped his arms around her and began to fumble with the buttons on her gown. He did not want to stop kissing her, but he felt he might explode from want if he didn’t remove the gown quickly enough. A moan escaped him as he tried to concentrate on the buttons. But her tongue, her kisses, her rapid breathing made it nearly impossible for him to think of anything but the kisses.

“How many buttons are on this gown?” He asked as he put his lips to the nape of her neck.

“I know not. Bree and Ellen have to help me into it.” She said breathlessly. Her skin covered in chill bumps and her knees were beginning to knock together.

“How fond are ya of this dress?” He asked her, his need for her was rising quickly.

Aishlinn was lost in her own thoughts, wanting to feel his lips on hers again. “’Tis the dress I received my first kiss from you in.” She whispered, wishing he would hurry with it. “My first kiss ever really.” She felt a smile come to her face when she thought of that night and how impossible it had all seemed then.

Duncan growled, trying to hold himself in. Had he not been an honorable man, he would have simply lifted her skirts and taken her there on the floor. “I’m afraid lass, that if I don’t get these many buttons undone soon, I’ll die from want of ya.”

Aishlinn giggled slightly, as she remembered Mary and Laren explaining to her the control a woman had over a man. She realized then what they had been speaking of. She turned around quickly and lifted her hair so that he could undo the buttons. Her hands trembled while her stomach felt as though someone were tickling it from the inside.

Duncan would have preferred to just rip the damn thing from her, but fought that urge. He’d been around enough women to know the importance they sometimes put to things. Knowing the dress held special memories for her he couldn’t allow himself do it. He groaned as his fingers seemed to not go nearly as fast as he would have liked. He would have a talk with Bree later about the number of buttons that would be acceptable on any future gowns she might make for his wife.

His wife. The realization of it sent pleasant shivers down his spine. She was his. Forever his. As he undid the last button, the candlelight flickered across her back, giving him a glimpse of the scars left by an evil bastard of a man. He held his breath and remained still. Silently he vowed that come the morrow he would personally kill the man responsible, even if he had to ride across English lands to do it.

It took only a moment for Aishlinn to realize why he had paused. Perhaps he had changed his mind when he caught sight of the scars. Bree and Ellen had insisted they were not hideously disfiguring and barely noticeable. But Aishlinn had serious doubts and was certain they lied only to protect her.

“I cannot blame you if you’ve changed your mind, Duncan.” She whispered. Her heart fell to her toes when he did not immediately answer. He turned her around so that he could look at her beautiful face. God’s teeth, but she was beautiful. “Nay, I haven’t changed me mind.” He whispered as he brushed his lips tenderly over hers. “Mayhap ye’ll change yer mind when ye see me battle scars.” He teased.


He could have a thousand scars covering him from head to toe and it would not have mattered one wit to her. It was his heart and how he felt of her that mattered.

Duncan took in a deep breath of air before he began kissing her again. He would never spend another lonely night alone in his bed mad with lust and want of her. She would be there every night with him. Och! There would be much lust, much need of her, but he wouldn’t have to throw himself into the cold loch to fight it. He would be able to reach out for her and she would be there.

“I love ya, Aishlinn.”

Her eyes filled with tears. She knew he meant the words he spoke. “I love you, Duncan.” She whispered.

She had to kiss him then to keep the tears from spilling forth. Instantly, a strange and new sensation fluttered through her body. It was rather reminiscent of being extremely hungry, a need of something but what that something was she had no clue. She wiggled out of her dress, letting it drop to the floor, and stood before him in only her shift. A most serious expression of determination appeared on his face right before he began to ply her again with warm, passionate kisses.

A burning need filled her to the marrow and she wanted to see him, all of him. She undid the broach clipped to his plaid, not certain what to do with it. Duncan took it from her and tossed it over his shoulder where it landed with a plink somewhere near the door. His plaid fell away and he pulled his tunic over his head and tossed it to the floor as well.

She sucked in air deeply as she looked at his well-muscled and toned arms and chest. His skin had been kissed by the sun and seemed to ripple in the candlelight. There were scars upon his shoulders as well as his tight, wavy stomach, scars he wore with pride for he had earned every one of them in battle. Her eyes moved downward and when she caught sight of his manhood, she closed them quickly, embarrassed for having looked there.

Duncan chuckled at her crimson face as he grasped her neck and pulled her to him. He lifted her in his arms, kissed the soft spot at the base of her neck whilst he gently laid her down upon the bed. Her eyes were still closed, her fingers holding onto the sheets tightly as if she were bracing herself for the unknown. He chuckled again as he lay beside her and began to kiss her lips, her cheeks and eyelids. She finally let go her hold on the sheets and wrapped her arms around his neck.

“I’ll be gentle lass, I swear it.” He told her, kissing the nape of her neck. As much as he wanted to simply plunge himself into her, he wanted for her to enjoy their first time together. It was important for her to feel the pleasures he could give her.

“Tell me if I do anythin’ that hurts.” He whispered as he kissed her bare shoulders. “Tell me if I do anythin’ ya dunna like.”

Aishlinn could not imagine him doing anything to her that would be at all unpleasant. Excitement coursed through her as she pulled him closer, desperately needing to feel his lips against her own. “Kiss me.” She said breathlessly.

He honored her request. Her mouth was hungry for him and his hers. She felt his hand as he touched her thigh ever so gently with just the tips of his fingers. More chill bumps covered her body and she thought she might faint from the sheer exhilaration he brought to her with his touch. His feather soft touches, as he slowly ran his fingers across her skin, brought forth more chill bumps. Ever so carefully and slowly he pushed her shift up exposing her skin, her secret places. It left her feeling nearly intoxicated.

When he kissed her belly button she thought for certain she would lose her mind for it seemed so inappropriate! She stopped breathing altogether when he touched her breasts, for she didn’t think that was proper either. He stopped only long enough to lift the shift over her head before tossing it to the floor.

She had not been prepared for this, for laying completely naked and exposing herself in such a fashion! She had imagined she would have only needed to expose the places necessary for consummation, not every square inch of her body!

“Breathe lass, or ye’ll swoon on me.” He chuckled as he began to kiss her again.

She forced herself to breathe for the last thing she wanted was to swoon and miss out on what might happen next. Running her hands along his arms then his back, she could hear him moan with pleasure. She was surprised to find that when she heard his soft moans, they brought an intense and thrilling excitement to the pit of her stomach.

Before she realized it, Duncan was on top of her and his kisses were growing more penetrating and passionate. The powerful, urgent need boiled within her like liquid heat. It was as exhilarating as it was confusing. Exhilarating because she had never before felt so alive and blissfully happy all the while feeling very alarmed and anxious.

’Twas confusing because she knew not what the vibrant, pulsing need was, only that it made her feel there was more to this joining of husband and wife than just deep, ardent kisses, heavy, anxious breathing, and feverish, unrestrained touches. There had to be more to it.

’Twas then that she felt something rather large as it lingered near the entrance to her womanly nether regions. She gasped when she realized just what ’it‘ was and what he planned on doing with it. Before she could even ask the question ’are you quite serious that you mean to do what I think you mean to do‘ he did just what she thought he had been intending to do.

“Ow!” She said, taking in a deep breath of air and holding it until she nearly swooned again from fright and shock and the pain.

Duncan paused, lifted his head from her neck and looked at her with a fearful and frustrated expression. “Do ye wish me to stop?” he asked.

She was certain that what he truly meant to say was, ‘Please, I beg you do not ask me to stop now.’ Or to hear her say “Nay, husband, please continue at your leisure.’

For a moment she could not speak. She could only hold her breath and retain her deathlike grip on the sheets near her hips. After several agonizingly long moments, the pain began to subside and she was finally able to find her voice, or a close likeness to it for she wasn’t sure she recognized the sound that came from her own mouth. “Nay.” She told him.

She was frightened for his wellbeing and health for there were many times over the last sinnight that he had told her he was ready to explode with want and desire for her. The image of her husband exploding into a thousands pieces of flesh all over the marital bed kept her from saying nay. How would she begin to explain it to anyone?

She fought the urge to laugh a moment later when she heard his deep sigh of relief at her answer. Somehow his frustration made her feel a bit better about the entire situation and for the life of her she could not figure out why. Perhaps it made him seem more human and less God-like, more real and less perfect, even though he was as close to perfection as any man could possibly get, at least in her way of thinking.

Not a moment had passed before he began to slowly move within her, kissing her tenderly as he caressed any part of her body that was naked and exposed. As he moved, she realized that ’this’ was the deep need she had been craving. He whispered to her in Gaelic, a few of the words she recognized, others not.

As his pace quickened she began to feel very odd, tingly sensations as she began to meet his movements with her hips. It was all beginning to make sense, this joining of a man and a woman. It did not take very long after that for her to realize what Mary and Laren had been talking about when they discussed the pleasures joining brought to both man and woman when it was done correctly.

“Mo Chuisle.” Duncan whispered. “Is tu no ghra,” Aishlinn knew what those words meant. More excitement rushed over her when he used the Gaelic to say he loved her.

When she thought the feelings of joining with her husband could not possibly get any better, something unfamiliar began to spread over her body. It began from somewhere deep within her and rapidly rose before exploding to every inch of her body. Her toes curled, her fingers dug into her husband’s back, and her eyes rolled back into their sockets.

She was horribly frightened by it, not at all certain what it was that was happening to her. Perhaps it was an apoplexy and the thought of dying now, in this moment nearly scared her to death. “Duncan, what is happening?” She whispered quite desperately.

She heard him chuckle slightly and then nothing else as the explosion grew to great waves that plunged her into an unbelievable sea of what could only be described as a maddening yet blissful, inconceivable ecstasy. For a moment she thought her soul had left her body as she dove her fingers even deeper into Duncan’s back. She shuddered involuntarily and felt the need to scream for…her mind went blank for she couldn’t think of what to scream for other than for him to not stop.

If I die now, then so be it. I will die feeling the grandest of pleasures. Aishlinn had not realized she had said the words aloud until she heard Duncan’s light laughter before he said, “Ye’re welcome.” For once she did not turn red.

The feeling subsided, yet lingered just on the edge and she was certain she would go mad if he did not stop, to let her catch her breath. He began to kiss her again and within moments all thoughts of stopping disappeared.

All she could think of was that joining with her husband had turned out to be far more pleasurable than her mind could ever imagined. Her heart swelled with love for this man and she knew he loved her and would do anything for her. Aishlinn hoped that he was enjoying himself as much as she was and she took the chance to open her eyes. He looked to be in a good deal of pain. “Are you all right?” she asked him.

“Aye.” He whispered, moving slowly as he kissed her again. It was not long after that she felt the tides of passion return and soon they were both lost, thundering along in that intense and unbelievably joyous and thunderous wave.

She felt Duncan begin to shake against her as he moved faster, calling out her name, expressing his love to her once again. Aishlinn realized the pleasure she brought to him was just as intense and exquisite as what he had brought to her. She smiled just before the explosion overtook her again.

When it was over, he lay soaked in sweat atop her, his face buried in the pillow, trying to catch his breath. As she hugged him, tears came to her eyes. There were too many reasons to count as to why she felt like crying at the moment.

He began speaking to her, his voice muffled and she could not make out the words. “Are you all right?” she asked him again.

He slowly lifted his head and there was a very broad smile on his face. “Aye. I am now.” He kissed her lips, her forehead, her cheeks and her eyes. “I love ye, Mo Chuisle.”

She found she rather liked the way his words made her stomach flutter and her heart race madly. Her heart began to seize momentarily, for the thought of morning time came to her mind. She would miss him but she knew she would be able to carry this one night with her throughout eternity.

Duncan rolled to his back and he pulled her near. She rested her head upon his chest, just as she had imagined doing many times over the past weeks. It was just as pleasant as she thought it would be. She could hear his heart pounding against his chest, like a big Scottish drum.

As they lay there with their legs intertwined and trying to come back down from the celestial territories they’d just explored together, Duncan gently caressed her arm with the back of his hand. He imagined the smile on his face to be permanently sealed there for all eternity. He had been with many a woman in his life, far more than his fair share he supposed. But none had brought forth the passion or the intensity to lovemaking that Aishlinn had. He would have sworn on his family’s graves that she had touched his very soul.

He felt hot tears as they landed on his chest. He hoped they were tears of joy and not sorrow or regret over marrying him. He also hoped he had not caused her any great amount of pain. “Lass, why do ye cry?” He whispered, his voice laced with concern.

“I’m happy.” It wasn’t a complete lie, for she was happy beyond all human comprehension. Intermingled with that however, was the sorrow for what she would do when he fell asleep.

Duncan patted her arm gently, giving her a slight hug. “No regrets?”
“Only that I had not met you long ago.” Which was the truth. Had she grown up here, had her life been different, then her heart would not be now disintegrating into ashes.

“We’ve our whole lives to make up fer it.” He said sweetly.

Aishlinn could only nod her head. She wanted not to utter any lies to him. Lies it seemed had been what her entire life had been based upon. Wanting only to leave him with a night of very happy memories, she remained silent.



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Thank you, Maryann, for allowing our authors to share these excerpts from their books with your readers. - Jon Reisfeld
The Last Way Station: Hitler's Final Journey
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