 So, there I was, pleased as punch that I'd consolidated my blogs. I'd feel more free to write about everything, share my interests, bare my soul.
But I have very specific interests. It didn't work at all. I'd had a garden blog for over a decade. I have a garden memoir on the back burner. But every time I wanted to write a gardening post, I stopped myself. I can't only write gardening posts on a multi-topic blog. And how many gardeners love romance? Probably a great many, if I know romance writers -- and I do. But certainly not all. So I've decided to keep Grains of Sand as a more personal blog, with book reviews, even a few interviews, for topics. It's going to be fun! Rubbing my hands together... Thank you for your patience! More soon!
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 True love is eternal. Welcome to Medieval Monday Week 13! I am excited to be featuring a snippet from Judith Sterling's time travel romance, Return of the Raven. For more enticing snippets, be sure to stop by Medieval Romance Lovers on FB. We're also on Twitter, #MedMonSpring21. For more about Judith's wonderful books, visit her website. About the book: Margaret, Lady Ravenwood, is trapped in a loveless marriage and firmly entrenched in the medieval world. Along comes Griffin Nightshade, a historian from the future whose soul resonates with hers. He persuades her to return with him to the 1950s, but heeding her heart means courting danger from a curse that could spell her doom. Haunted by his parents' sudden deaths, Griffin knows all too well the pain born of love lost. He guards his emotions, but Margaret delves deep and goes straight to the soul. She's hard to resist…and harder to set free. The heart's desire and history's demands don't always agree. Yet true love is eternal. Enjoy the snippet: Realization dawned and struck a blow to his gut. “You saw the future.” Wordlessly, she nodded. I was right. I’m going to lose her. Nausea swept through him. “Did you look older in the vision?” “Not particularly.” She frowned and clenched her hands into fists. “I don’t want to go back. I want to stay here. With you.” See last week’s snippet on Sherry Ewing’s blog: https://www.sherryewing.com/blog Follow along next week on Jenna Jaxon’s blog: https://jennajaxon.wordpress.com/ Buy links: Amazon https://amzn.com/B08RYD2GW8 Amazon UK https://www.amazon.co.uk/Return-Raven-Novels-Ravenwood-Book-ebook/dp/B08RYD2GW8 Barnes & Noble https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/return-of-the-raven-judith-sterling/1138556276 Apple https://books.apple.com/us/book/return-of-the-raven/id1547199256   She belonged to another… But was destined to be his… Happy Medieval Monday! It's Week 12 of "First Kiss" and I am proud to host Eliza Knight. I love this week's snippet from her historical romance The Highlander's Reward. For more medieval romance, be sure to visit Medieval Romance Lovers on FB. We can also be found on Twitter, #MedMonSpring21. To see more of Eliza's dazzling selection of books, stop by her website. Enjoy the snippet: “Hmm… That is one thing Glenda was wrong about then.” She wiped slightly trembling hands down the front of her skirt. He raised a questioning brow. “Who is Glenda?” “My maid. She told me all about the ruthless Scots before we left England.” For last week's snippet, visit Celeste Barclay's blog. For next week's snippet, follow along with Ashley York. About the book:Lady Arbella de Mowbray abhors the idea of marrying an English noble occupying Scotland. When she arrives in Stirling, she is thrown into the midst of a full battle between the Scots and the English. Besieged by rebels, she is whisked from her horse by a Highland warrior who promises her safety. But when he kisses her, she fears she's more in danger of losing herself. The last thing Magnus Sutherland wants is to marry the beautiful English lass he saved. As the laird of his clan, he has a responsibility to his clan and allies. But when Arbella is attacked by one of his own men, he determines the only way to keep her safe is to make her his. A decision that promises to be extremely satisfying. Magnus brings Arbella to his home of Dunrobin Castle in the Highlands. And that’s where the trouble begins… Their countries are at war and they should be each other’s enemy. Neither one considered their mock marriage would grow into a deeply passionate love. What’s more, they were both unhappily betrothed and those who've been scorned are out for revenge. Can their new found love keep them together or will their enemies tear them apart? "For fans of Highlander romance, this series is a must read!" ~ Night Owl Reviews, TOP PICK! Buy Links: ➡️Amazon: https://amzn.to/31v9rxZ ➡️Apple: https://bit.ly/HighlandersReward ➡️B&N: https://bit.ly/BN-Reward ➡️Kobo: https://bit.ly/KoboReward   He is her key to return to the 21st century. She is the only one who can save him. Welcome to Medieval Monday! For Week 9 of First Kiss, I am thrilled to host Ruth Casie. Her time travel romance Knight of Runes is at the top of my TBR list! For more medieval romance, be sure to stop by the Medieval Romance Lovers FB page. We can also be found on Twitter: #MedMonSpring21 Don't miss this week's snippet from Tremors! You'll find it at Ruth's wonderful blog. About the book: England May, 1605 When Lord Arik, a druid knight, finds Rebeka Tyler wandering his lands without protection, he swears to keep her safe. But Rebeka can take care of herself. When Arik sees her clash with a group of attackers using a strange fighting style, he's intrigued. Rebeka is no ordinary seventeenth-century woman—she's travelled back from the year 2011, and she desperately wants to return to her own time. She poses as a scholar sent by the king to find out what's killing Arik's land. But as she works to decode the ancient runes that are the key to solving this mystery and sending her home, she finds herself drawn to the charismatic and powerful Arik. As Arik and Rebeka fall in love, someone in Arik's household schemes to keep them apart, and a dark druid with a grudge prepares his revenge. Soon Rebeka will have to decide whether to return to the future or trust Arik with the secret of her time travel and her heart. “Ruth A. Casie, weaves an exciting and beautifully told legendary tale that is both rich and engaging. It is full of, ‘on the edge of your seat’ suspense, mind-boggling drama and a forever-after romance. Ms. Casie's sparkling new novel, KNIGHT OF RUNES is a winner!” ~ Romance Junkies Onto the snippet: Reluctantly, he released her, and she moved away, the soft gown that hugged her body accentuating every curve. His eyes gravitated to the large sapphire in its resting place. “There have been several times during this evening that I’ve envied that gem.” His voice sounded husky even to him. His arms circled her. * * * Follow along next week (April 12) for excerpt #10 here https://sherryewing.com/blog/ Please leave a comment below. Miss last week and a chance to comment? Check it out here: https://www.cathymacraeauthor.com/bits-n-bobs-author-blog To get your copy: Amazon: https://amzn.to/2C73zRV   A prince. A sorceress. And a heart-breaking secret. Welcome to Medieval Monday Week 8! I am pleased to host Daryl Devoré, who has created an amazing world in her medieval romantic fantasy The Last Dragon. Enjoy this intense "First Kiss" snippet! For more medieval romance, be sure to visit Medieval Romance Lovers FB page. You can also find us on Twitter -- #MedMonSpring21. If you would like to follow with the next snippet from my time travel romance Tremors, stop by Daryl's blog. Now for a snippet from The Last Dragon: Hawkyns pressed his fist to his chest. “I hurt already at the thought of leaving ye at the old woman’s. I fear leaving ye with no protection.” He lowered his hand. “I fear more not being able to be with ye every day.” Hawkyns ran his hand through his hair. “I must leave. I am bound by my vow. That vow steels my resolve to kill that damn dragon.” “I also hurt at the thought of ye leaving.” Derry’s voice was low. She forced the words from her mouth. “I fear the dragon will best ye and I may not be able to heal ye.” She glanced up to meet his gaze. “Some wounds are for God to heal.” About the book: What do dragons, knights and romance have in common? Grab a copy of multi-published author Daryl Devore’s medieval fantasy romance – The Last Dragon and discover the answer. A sorcerer craving dominance merged with a dragon, the power overwhelmed him causing him to split into three dragons. Demora ruled thought, but was lost in time. Yidithe offered protection, shining like the light of the sun. Ayrradex craved chaos, revelling in destroying souls. Many knights died, attempting to slay the devil beast. One knight, Prince Hawkyns, did not fear death. He’d lost everything. Away on a mission when Ayrradex attacked his father’s kingdom, Penrythe, Hawkyns returned to find his noble father – feeble and defeated. His wise mother – crazed. His beautiful wife and unborn child - dead. Only a pile of ashes remained for him to bury. He knelt before his King and vowed to slay the devil-beast or be slain. Derry was born with powers that terrified her parents. They delivered her to a nunnery to be raised in secret. Jathe, a wise sorceress, discovered the young girl and trained her to one day use the secret hidden in her soul. Legends spoken around campfires hinted the sole way to destroy Ayrradex was when the hearts of a knight and a golden dragon became one. But after a vicious battle with Ayrradex, the golden dragon was thought to be dead. Can Prince Hawkyns’s bravery and Derry’s powers end the reign of the devil-beast’s terror? See last week’s snippet on Sophia Nye’s blog - https://sophianyewrites.com/blog/ Follow along next week on Celeste Barclay’s blog - https://www.celestebarclay.com/blog To get your copy: Amazon - ebook - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08QPW4CVF Amazon - print - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08QRVJ59P Books2read – universal link - ebook – https://books2read.com/The-Last-Dragon Books2read –universal link – print - https://books2read.com/The-Last-Dragon-   Duty is the essence of manhood. Welcome to Week 4 of Medieval Monday! I am delighted to host Bambi Lynn this week. I'm in the middle of reading her medieval romance, A Knight in Rusted Armor. It's sexy, action-packed, and the characters are wonderful. For more medieval romance, be sure to check out Medieval Romance Lovers on FB! We're also on Twitter. #MedMonSpring21 About the book: Allys Stone would risk repute as a ruined woman to gain control of her life. Thorin Svenson would battle the most skilled knights in the realm to win her. Theirs is a love story of fairy tales and wild passion, a battle of wills as well as brawn. Allys wants to choose her own husband, one who loves life and laughter as much as she does. One who considers her a partner instead of a possession. She has never had any choice but to live by her father’s decisions, and now he’s offering her as grand prize in a tournament. Thorin must win the hand of a nobleman’s daughter to regain the wealth and position of his family. Consumed by guilt, he will risk his very life to win. Not even her attempts to sabotage his victory will get in his way. And now for the snippet! He removed his own helmet and looked up at her. “You favor this coward?” He pulled himself up onto the edge of the dais, holding on the rail and balancing precariously before her. Without a word, he tossed the scarf at her feet. The Frenchman pulled her from the edge and led her away. BUY LINK: Amazon For last week's snippet from A Knight in Rusted Armor, check out Jenna Jaxon's blog. Next up, Sophia Nye! For this week's snippet from Tremors, be sure to visit Bambi Lynn's blog!   The worst betrayals come from within. Welcome to Week 2 of Medieval Monday! This season’s theme is “First Kiss”. It's going to be a very romantic spring!
This week I am pleased to host talented author Jenna Jaxon. The snippet is from her medieval romance Betrayal, Book 2 in her Time Enough to Love series. I just love the title, and the snippets are even better! In this scene: After learning that her beloved Geoffrey has been forced to marry another woman, Alyse is talking to Geoffrey’s best friend, Thomas, about her best option going forward--marriage to him. Enjoy the snippet! Thomas glanced down at her hand, still clasped in his. “You do not care for me as you do for Geoffrey. You love Geoffrey.” These were not questions, neither were they spoken with regret or sentiment. She supposed Thomas had no illusions about her feelings for him. “And would it help, perhaps, to know that while I respect you, I do not love you as Geoffrey does?” Alyse raised her head sharply, but after a moment’s thought, she nodded and said, “Aye, that puts us on equal footing, mayhap.” He squeezed her hand and continued. “It is simply an arranged marriage, such as any young woman might hope for. Have you any objection to me as suitor other than your continued affection for Geoffrey?” About the Book: After a night of passion with her betrothed, Sir Geoffrey Longford, Lady Alyse de Courcy is eagerly looking forward to her wedding. But when Geoffrey is forced to marry another, a heartbroken and possibly pregnant Alyse finds herself in her own private hell. She must either gamble with her reputation or marry someone she does not love. A reputed connoisseur of women, Thomas, Lord Braeton, has dallied with many ladies of King Edward’s court, although he has favored none. However, as Geoffrey’s best friend, Thomas has sworn to serve and protect Alyse, an oath now sorely tested when he agrees to marry her—in name only—to guard her reputation. Yet, as they grow closer, and Thomas discovers Alyse’s sweet but spirited nature, he comes to desire a marriage in truth. Can he overcome her memory of Geoffrey, or is Thomas doomed to burn with passion for a woman he can never possess? Last week’s snippet can be found on Jenna’s blog. Buy Links: Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00I4IKQ8G/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i25 Smashwords,: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/403200 B & N: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/betrayal-jenna-jaxon/1118591851?ean=2940045674331 iTunes: https://books.apple.com/us/book/betrayal-book-2-time-enough-to-love/id815348280 Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/betrayal-book-2-time-enough-to-love Follow along next week on Bambi Lynn’s blog. And if you’re interested in this week’s snippet from Tremors, be sure to visit Jenna’s blog.  Welcome to Week One of Medieval Monday Spring 2021! This season's theme is "First Kiss". It's gong to be a very romantic Spring! This week, to introduce this season #MedMonSpring21, each author will begin with our own novels. I will be sharing snippets from Tremors of Lachlann and Deidre's first kiss. In the weeks to come, we will be hosting each other. I am excited and honored to be in the company of these wonderfully gifted storytellers. For more medieval romance, be sure to check out the Medieval Romance Lovers FB page. Without further ado, here's this season's first snippet for "First Kiss". Enjoy! Setup: Lachlann and Deidre have spent the day at the Texas Renaissance Festival. More a medieval fair than anything else, it unexpectedly forced traumatic memories upon Lachlann that he wasn’t prepared to deal with. Of course, he can’t explain that to Deidre -- yet. Darkness was falling by the time they made their way to the parking area. It comprised rows and rows of long, packed-dirt roads with parking on either side, separated by pine trees. A cool breeze rushed through the trees as they walked hand in hand towards her car. Lachlann gently squeezed Deidre’s fingers. “Thank you for today, Deidre.” She glanced up at him searchingly. “Are you sorry you came?” Was he? He looked down at their hands clasped so tightly together. “No,” he answered, surprised at the truth of it. “I’m not sorry about today.” “Do you…” She paused, then continued softly. “Do you want to talk about it?” Follow along next week on Jenna Jaxon’s blog: https://jennajaxon.wordpress.com/  In the infinite vastness of time – past, present, future, past – love would prevail. Available at Amazon. Free with Kindle Unlimited. A Norse farmer crashes into this century from fourteenth-century Scotland. How did it happen? Why did he escape the plague when the rest of his family died? He should have died with them. Three years later, Lachlann is no closer to the truth. His body has healed. He has a job and a place to lay his head at night. He has even learned a little modern English. If he could just figure out how to go back, he might be able to save his family, save his son. But he still can’t read, is still tormented by throbbing headaches and nightmares. Maybe he died after all. Maybe he’s in hell. But would there be an angel in hell? Deidre became a medieval history professor because of a treasured family heirloom, the medieval drawing of a farmer that she loved since childhood. Too bad she couldn’t have married him instead of the lying, vicious cheat who had almost ruined her life. Almost. With a new life in a new city, she has moved forward. She doesn’t need anyone, especially a man. But she can’t seem to ignore her new neighbor, a gorgeous giant with a strange accent, haunted eyes, and a shocking resemblance to her medieval ploughman. How can she erase the tormented look in his eyes? If only he would confide in her. But is she prepared to do the same? To explain how she lost everything – her job, her family, her self-respect – because of her own, poor choices? And why does she have the feeling that she could lose it all again?  Welcome to Medieval Monday! For some great new snippets that tantalize and intrigue, stop by Medieval Romance Lovers FB page. We’re also on Twitter, #MedMonFall20. In this snippet from Tremors, Lachlann and Deidre are still parked on the side of the road in the piney woods of East Texas. Leaning across the console, he kissed her long and sweetly. Their bodies weren’t touching, but Deidre’s whole body responded as her mouth clung to his. He broke the kiss abruptly, smiling as he rested his forehead against hers. “Can we continue this conversation later?” he asked. “Conversation?” Deidre blinked. What conversation? He sat back and shrugged. “Like I said, I have a lot to tell you, a whole lot, and none of it’s going to change between now and this evening. But we only have so many hours of daylight left, and I’ve never…” Oh, that conversation. He wanted to delay it.  Deidre had become a medieval history professor because of a family heirloom -- a medieval drawing of a farmer that she'd loved since childhood. Too bad she couldn't have married him instead of the lying, vicious cheat who had almost ruined her life. Despite the fact that he'd cost her her job, her home, and her relationship with her family, he had failed to destroy her. With a new life in a new city, she'd moved forward. She didn't need anyone, especially another man. But it was impossible to ignore her new neighbor, a gorgeous giant with a strange accent, haunted eyes, and a striking resemblance to her medieval farmer.
She wanted to erase the tormented look in his eyes, to make him as happy as he made her. She wished he would confide in her. But was she ready to confide in him? To explain how she’d lost everything – her life, her family, her self-respect – because of her own poor choices? Lachlann had lost his entire family to the plague. He’d lost himself by falling through time. He had to go back, to return to the fourteenth century and try to save his family, save his son. But how could he leave Deidre? He needed her like he needed air. And she needed him. Would she believe him if he told her the truth about himself? Would she reject him once she knew he couldn't stay? Available at Amazon.  Welcome to Medieval Monday, Week 8, and another round of bite-sized excerpts. Check out the Medieval Romance Lovers FB page and allow yourself to be drawn into a delectable, medieval romance! We can also be found on Twitter, #MedMonFall20.
In this snippet from Tremors, my time-travel romance, Deidre and Lachlann are parked on the side of the road, in the middle of a pine forest. He is hedging, wondering where he stands with her and if he dare tell her the truth about himself. She stared at him a moment longer. Everything about him spoke of honor, of goodness. He wasn’t a criminal. She shook her head. “You haven’t.” (done something wrong) He tilted his head slightly, watching her carefully. “You’re sure about that?” “As sure as I can be. I trust you.” He drew a deep breath. “I trust you, too.” She laid a hand on his arm. “Lachlann, if you’ve made a mistake, I’ll help you. We’ll fix it together. If necessary, we’ll fight together.” “You’d fight for me?” “Of course.” Available at Amazon. Free with Kindle Unlimited. |
A Little of This, a Little of ThatKeep me away from the wisdom that does not cry, the philosophy that does not laugh, and the greatness which does not bow before children. – Gibran Khalil Gibran Archives
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