I’m Blogging at Romancing Yesteryear: Beginnings and Rebirths!

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Author, Beginnings, books, Crocus, Endings, Fall, Happy endings, historical author, Katherine Bone, Life, Middles, Nelson's Tea, Rebirth, Romancing Yesteryear, Seasons, snowdrops, Spring, starting over, summer, Winter

Posted on February 22, 2018 posted by barbarabettis1

Photo by Sharon Talson

Every day is a new day –
a day for new beginnings, new dreams, new action –
a day for challenge, adventure, and discovery.
TODAY, what is your goal?
What is your dream?
What action are you taking to further your goals and dreams?
– Jonathan Lockwood Huie

I’m looking forward to 2018 because 2017 was a major struggle. I started battling personal issues; chief among them reintroduced neck problems. My doctor, who is awesome by the way, believes in preventative medicine. A let’s do everything we can to take care of this problem, saving surgery as a last option, type of physician. I’ve had two neck surgeries to replace discs in my C 5-7. So when I started experiencing pain in my neck again last March, I kind of suspected the direction my health was going to take in 2017. Unfortunately, I was right.

Check out the rest of my personal story at Romancing Yesteryear.

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Cover Reveal for Only a Seduction Will Do by Jenna Jaxon!

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announcement, cover reveal, forced marriage, georgian, Georgian England, Historical authors, Historical romance, Jenna Jaxon, lords and ladies, married to a stranger, nobility, Only A Scandal Will Do, peerage, romance, seduction

Sailing in to share Author Jenna Jaxon’s cover reveal for her next release, Only A Seduction Will Do! Sound the cannons and raise the signal flag, me hearties.

Only A Seduction Will Do is the next book in Lady Jenna’s House of Pleasure Series. Set in Georgian England the book follows Jack Fitzwilliam, the Earl of Manning, and Miss Alethea Forsythe. (Readers met Jack in book one, Only Scandal Will Do, his sister Katarina Fitzwilliam’s story.) Those familiar with Alethea from the other books in the series will now get the chance to meet her and share her story.

Ready for the cover?

Drum roll, please . . .In a vulnerable moment, Alethea Forsythe allows herself to be seduced by a married peer.  Now she is with child—and without recourse.  Her reputation will soon be in tatters and she will be forced to wed a stranger—unless she takes matters into her own hands. 
 
When Jack Fitzwilliam, the Earl of Manning, is summoned from the House of Pleasure on a matter of importance, he hardly expects to receive a marriage proposal. He’s long been aware of Alethea’s infatuation with him, but at twenty-three, taking on an expectant bride is not in his plans.  Yet the desperation in the lady’s lovely eyes overrides his misgivings.
 
Alethea would not have believed it possible for a man to be too chivalrous. But though her new husband is perfectly amicable in public, he insists they maintain separate quarters. Desperate to possess his heart and prove herself a wife in every way, she boldly reaches out to Jack. And as their unexpected connection between silken sheets is tested by jealousy and misfortune, Jack must decide where honor ends…and true passion begins . . .

AMAZON  /  B & N  /  iTunes

~ Excerpt ~

“Lord Manning, I must apologize for this cryptic summons, but I importuned my cousin to send to you upon a matter of utmost importance.” Miss Forsythe twisted her fingers together brutally, until Jack felt tied in knots.

“Utmost importance to your cousin, Miss Forsythe?”

“To me, Lord Manning. Although it will likely touch on both my cousin and her husband as well.” The woman avoided his eyes by moving swiftly toward Braeton. She grasped his arm and leaned toward him, her lips at his ear.

Braeton kept his voice low, though his face acted as an open book. At her first words, he scowled like a vengeful god.

Jack waited for the thunderbolt.

Shaking his head vigorously, the earl drew his brows down almost to his nose. “You will not—”

“My lord, you promised me earlier.” Miss Forsythe’s face had drawn into determined lines. Her voice lowered, power in her indomitable tone. “Do not renege on this, I beg of you.”

Dark brows still lowered, Braeton threw up his hands, paused to collect himself, then turned to Jack. “Miss Forsythe wishes a word with you, Lord Manning.” He shot an angry glance at the lady. “Alone.”

All Jack’s instincts for self-preservation leaped into high alert. Something ill was afoot and he doubted it would be to his liking one whit when it finally came out.

Miss Forsythe stood, demure for possibly the first time in her life, her gaze lowered, her hands clasped primly in front of her. The picture of an obedient woman. And as false as a Newgate penny, he’d be bound.

“I am certain anything Miss Forsythe has to say to me could be spoken in your presence, Braeton.” He shot a look of desperation at the earl. Had the girl conceived some sort of trap to spring on him, compromise him into marrying her? Jack stiffened, then for the first time since he had arrived, he relaxed. Even though unannounced, he was already betrothed. Miss Carlton had now saved him, it seemed. Quid pro quo.

“I believe my cousin wishes to ask a boon of you, Manning.” Braeton’s mouth twisted as though he’d bitten into a lemon. “I am aware of the nature of the request and agree she would want privacy to ask it. I won’t be far if you should need me.” Braeton bowed curtly and left.

More confused than ever, Jack turned his attention back to Miss Forsythe, who swayed slightly from side to side, fidgeting with a lace handkerchief she’d produced from somewhere. Did she expect their conversation to lead to tears?

“Won’t you please have seat, Lord Manning?” Miss Forsythe indicated the chair nearest the fire. She seated herself opposite him. Perched seemed a better word, on the edge of the brown leather chair. “I do thank you so much for attending me at such an inconvenient time.”

“No inconvenience in the least, Miss Forsythe,” Jack said waving a hand of dismissal. He settled back into the chair. “How may I be of service to you?”

She gripped her lace-edged handkerchief in one hand, the other clenched on the chair’s arm. Raising her chin, her deep blue eyes boring into his, she swallowed hard. “Would you marry me, Lord Manning?”

Jenna Jaxon is a multi-published author of historical romance in all time periods because, she says, “passion is timeless.”  She has been reading and writing historical romance since she was a teenager.  A romantic herself, Jenna has always loved a dark side to the genre, a twist, suspense, a surprise.  She tries to incorporate all of these elements into her own stories. She’s a theatre director when she’s not writing and lives in Gloucester, Virginia with her family, including two very vocal cats.

Jenna is a PAN member of Romance Writers of America as well as an active member of Chesapeake Romance Writers, her local chapter of RWA. She has three series currently available: The House of Pleasure, set in Georgian England, Handful of Hearts, set in Regency England, and Time Enough to Love, set in medieval England and France. This March Kensington Publishing will release the first book The Widows’ Club series, To Woo A Wicked Widow in both print and ebook.

She currently writes to support her chocolate habit.

Jenna’s Ports of Call:

BLOG  /  TWITTER  /  FACEBOOK

Interested in Lady Jenna’s Pinterest board for Only Seduction Will Do, click here.

***Treasure Alert*** Lady Jenna has graciously offered to offer one lucky commenter a copy of the previous book, Only A Mistress Will Do! All you have to do is tell her you’d enjoy receiving the book. Huzzah!!! 😉

Thank you for letting me share your cover release, Lady Jenna! Best wishes for the greatest success!!!

Blessings,

Katherine

Happening Now from 4-9 EST! Pilfer and Pillage Your Weasley Guts Out FB Bash!

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Aurora Publicity, Author Takeover, books, celebrate, CK Brooke, Elizabeth Rose, Facebook party, Flash Giveaways, fun, giveaway, Guest authors, Historical romance, Kathryn le Veque, My Lord Rogue Relaunch, Party, Party like a pirate, Pilfer and Pillage Your Weasley Guts Out Bash, pirate romance, pirates, prizes, Shana Galen

Ahoy, me hearties! I’ve been down for the count for a few months but I’m back. And I’m celebrating with a pirate bash! Stop by for flash giveaways, author takeovers with prizes, videos, and tons of pirate fun, eh?

Join me tonight at the Pilfer and Pillage Your Weasley Guts Out FB event! https://www.facebook.com/events/223172414892569/ Flash giveaways and prizes awarded every hour (must be present to win!)

Here’s a peak at a small scale of the treasure that will be awarded! Flash giveaways will be going on all night and a grand prize winner announced in the last hour. (Must be online to win!) I’ll be featured in a live video!

Join us, won’t ye, at the Pilfer and Pillage Your Weasley Guts Out Bash, happening now!

Blessings,

Katherine

 

 

 

 

 

 

#NewRelease Daring a Rogue to Love is Available Now!

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99cents, Amanda Mariel, Anthology, books, Box Set, Christina McKnight, Christy Carlyle, Daring a Rogue to Love, Dawn Brower, historical, Historical romance, Maggi Andersen, rogues, romance, scoundrels

Today’s a day for celebration! The Daring a Rogue to Love box set including books by USA Today Bestselling authors Amanda Mariel, Christina McKnight, and Christy Carlyle, and bestselling authors Maggi Andersen and Dawn Brower, along with yours truly, released today. Huzzah!

What’s better than six books for the low price of $.99? Hind sight. When I finished my Nelson’s Tea Series in 2016, there were things I wanted to change in the books: characterization, plot opportunities not taken, chances to enhance continuity and strengthen storylines. So when the rights for the books became available to me in April of this year, I took a leap of faith and hopped on the chance to revisit the series and rework the books for a 2018 relaunch. (Ideas for more books in the series are percolating.)

Well, at last, readers will get the chance to revisit Gillian’s and Simon’s reunion in My Lord Rogue, A Nelson’s Tea novella. The first book in my Nelson’s Tea Series is included in Daring a Rogue to Love, and its grittier than ever. I can’t wait for readers to fall in love with Gillian’s strength and determination, and Simon’s honor bound duty again.

~ Included in Daring a Rogue to Love ~

NEVER TEMPT A ROGUE by CHRISTY CARLYLE An infamous rogue meets his match in a feisty chaperone who has all but given up on love.

Felicity Beckett’s uncle has tasked her with one goal for Lord and Lady Forsythe’s country house party. Keep her innocent cousin away from the notorious rake, Lord Lindsay. Unfortunately, no one warned Felicity how irresistible a rogue can be.

STOLEN BY MY KNAVE by DAWN BROWER As a child, Lady Elizabeth Kendall glimpsed fantastical images in a mirror of a handsome man. Imagine her surprise when years later she meets a duke who bears a striking resemblance to her imaginary suitor.

MY LORD ROGUE by KATHERINE BONE A masterful spy in disguise reunites with a noble rogue from her past. Espionage, secrecy, and thwarted assassination attempts. The only thing more dangerous is being in love…

CAPTIVATED BY THE CAPTAIN by AMANDA MARIEL What happens when an American shipping company heiress crosses paths with a dominering pirate? Can two people whose life paths are at odds find common ground?

SHUNNED NO MORE by CHRISTINA MCKNIGHT Lady Viola Oberbrook longed for a quiet life in the country, far from London and the society who’d shunned her during her first season. She never expected to come face-to-face with Lord Haversham, the only man who had every right to despise her.

THE EARL AND THE HIGHWAYMAN’S DAUGHTER by MAGGI ANSERSEN Eugenia Hawthorne, daughter of a deceitful highwayman, saves the life of the Earl of Trentham after he’s deposited at her door suffering from a bullet wound. Outsmarting her father, the earl becomes her guardian and takes Eugenia to live as his ward in his beautiful country estate, Lilac Court. But what does he really want from her?

Buy Amazon  /  Buy Nook  /  Buy iBooks  /  Buy Kobo

~ Excerpt of My Lord Rogue~

Again, Simon was met by a defiant mix of stubbornness and sorrow. Then mind-boggling silence. Disgruntled but spurred to action, Simon slapped his hat on his head and began to shove on his gloves. A gentleman wouldn’t have removed his gloves at all, he berated himself. But I am no gentleman. Gentlemen didn’t fixate on married women. And married gentlemen didn’t betray infirm wives, no matter the arrangement.

Oh, his sins were many—too many to count. Damn his eyes! On entering Bedford’s box, a small part of him had held out hope that Gillian still loved him. But he’d chosen his path, and in doing so, he’d lost Gillian forever. Lies and misery separated them now. Hers. His. Bloody hell, they’d never been fated to be together, and nothing he could do or say would change that.

Gillian, Baroness Chauncey had become resourceful, cunning, and ruthless in her dealings with him. He deserved every cutting remark, every heated look. But that would not stop him from discovering the reason for her presence in Town. He’d get to the bottom of it, with or without her help.

Regret rose like a deafening buffer between them as applause ignited the crowd below and in the boxes around them. Lighting in the theater had dimmed. The play had begun. And Nelson was late, as usual, which meant Simon needed to return to his duties.

“Promise me you will not leave until our conversation is finished,” he said as he made his way to the curtained exit.

“I cannot.” She slanted a look at him. “I will not.”

His brows shot up in surprise. “As you wish, but I will be back.”

Holcroft’s Deaf and Dumb began like the metaphor it was—neither character understanding the other, neither ready to accept their true feelings, neither willing to make more sacrifices than had already been made. Gillian stood before him, proud and undaunted with her chin raised and eyes set with unflinching determination.

Simon bowed, barely catching her polite curtsey. “Baroness,” he said stiffly before sweeping the curtain to the side.

She made no sound.

Perhaps it is for the best, eh? his conscience prodded.

Duty linked him to Vice-Admiral Nelson, to a cause greater than flesh. The mission they embarked on together—he and Nelson—organizing a group of mercenaries that would answer to the vice-admiral and act to stop Napoleon’s threat of invasion, depended on total discretion and his complete concentration. As quickly as his instincts had been triggered to follow Gillian, Simon forced her to the back of his mind, turning off his emotions as he exited the box. His heart was not equipped for the gut-wrenching truth that Gillian wanted nothing to do with him. So be it. A man could not turn back the tide.

Lovers separated by fate are reunited to serve England. Oh, this gives me chills galore and I’m so jazzed this is the beginning of reintroducing my Nelson’s Tea Series in Daring a Rogue to Love. (Duke by Day, Rogue by Night, The Rogue’s Prize, My Lady Rogue, and The Rogue’s Surrender will follow in 2018.)

***Treasure Alert*** One lucky commenter will win an ecopy of Daring a Rogue to Love. Leave a comment for a chance to win. The winner will be announced on November 30th!

Wishin’ ye fare winds!

Katherine

 

 

 

 

 

 

Martinmas: Celebrating the Oncoming Winter by Barbara Bettis!

Posted on November 10, 2017 

by Barbara Bettis

We don’t always think of the medieval period as being a time of parties. But people then actually celebrated a variety of special days, many named for saints. Often the saint day observances coincided with earlier (pagan) celebrations.

On Nov. 11, St. Martin’s Day or Martinmas was, indeed, a major holiday. The Martinmas feast, celebrated the end of autumn and the ‘natural’ beginning of winter.

By November the autumn harvest and land preparation for winter crops was completed. Time to get ready for the challenging days of winter. Hogs that had been turned out into the woods in October to fatten on acorns were brought in and slaughtered, and the meat preserved. Cattle were butchered, as well, keeping only those few used to begin production in the spring. (Food was scarce enough; extra for animals wasn’t available.)

 

Read the rest of this FAScinating historical celebration Barbara Bettis’s post at Romancing Yesteryear via Martinmas: Celebrating the Oncoming Winter

My Trip to Krakow and Leonardo da Vinci’s Lady With an Ermine via Embracing Romance!

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Adam Jerzy, Cecelia Gallerani, Czartoryski Museum, Duke of Milan, Embracing Romance, Krakow, Leonardo da Vinci, Lodovico Sforza, museum, painting, Poland, Travel

My Trip to Krakow and Leonardo da Vinci’s Lady With an Ermine!

by Katherine Bone | posted in: 19th century, history, Katherine Bone, Uncategorized | 1

Ahoy! It’s Katherine and I’m here to tell you a bit about the wonderful trip to Krakow, Poland, my husband and I recently took a few weeks ago. Huzzah!

In all of my military travels, until this trip, I had never been to Poland before. And sadly, I was so caught up in deadlines that I didn’t even have time to research Krakow before we left. (I usually do a lot of that before I take a trip somewhere I’ve never been.) So when I say I was thoroughly impressed by what I found in Krakow, I’m not exaggerating. 😉

Read the rest of my post here.

It’s #ReleaseDay ~ The Pirate Bride’s Holiday Masquerade by Cathy Skendrovich!

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#Holiday Romance, alpha male, Author, blogger, Cathy Skendrovich, Christmas, faithful, guest, hero, historical, historical fiction, Historical romance, Holidays, love story, New Release, pirate, pirates, release day, rich, romance, Sexy, willing

Welcome aboard, Author Cathy Skendrovich. We’re super jazzed you’ve come to share your new release with us today. Holidays and pirates! What’s not to love, eh? And you’re bringin’ ’em both. Huzzah!!!

Lady Cathy: Ahoy, and thank you for having me aboard, Lady Katherine!

For those of you who don’t know me, I write historical and contemporary romance. Today I’ll be talking about one of my favorite characters, pirate captain Andre Dubois, and giving you five reasons why you’ll fall in love with him in my Christmas novella entitled The Pirate Bride’s Holiday Masquerade, coming from Literary Wanderlust publishers on Oct. 1^st. You first meet him in my novel The Pirate’s Bride, when he is forced to marry Sophie Bellard, a spitfire with whom he eventually falls in love. He’s an extreme Alpha male of whom readers, and Sophie, can’t seem to get enough. Read on for a few reasons you might want him for yourself.

#NewRelease The Mercenary Pirate, The Heart of a Hero Book #10 by Katherine Bone!

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action and adventure, adventure, books, fun, heroes, heroines, Historical romance, Katherine Bone, pirate romance, pirates, Regency Romance, romance, sea adventure, swashbuckling, The Heart of a Hero Series, The Mercenary Pirate

Ahoy, me hearties! It’s Katherine. I’m here to spread the word that my new book The Mercenary Pirate, The Heart of a Hero Series, Book Ten, is out TODAY! Huzzah!!!

Nine authors gathered together and asked these questions: What if your favorite superheroes had Regency-era doppelgangers? And what if a group of them were recruited by the Duke of Wellington to gather intelligence for him during the Napoleonic Wars while they protected their own parts of the realm?

Our answer: You’d get The Heart of a Hero series, which includes heroes and heroines inspired by Daredevil, the Black Widow, Captain America, Spiderman, Mr. FANtastic, the Invisible Woman, Hulk, Thor, Ironman, Hawkeye, Batman, and Wolverine! Holy cannonballz! ARR ye excited yet? And the good thing is my book is the last of the series. Yes, you can get all ten books right now and the first one is absolutely FREE on Amazon! (See below for details on how to get your copy.)

So without any further adieu, I give you my hero, Wolverine, and his Storm/Rogue-inspired heroine!

Wolfgang, one of Lord Wellington’s craftiest spies, is a fighter, an indulgent loner who is cunning and bold enough to go where others do not dare. He hates distractions and complications, especially those involving the fairer sex, and his instincts have always fueled him and kept him on course, mission after mission. That is, until his talents steer him toward a destiny he didn’t know he had and a search for the brother he barely remembers. And when he comes into contact with a brave young woman disguised as a boy, the urge he feels to protect her might just lead him on the biggest adventure of all.

Selina’s wedding day did not go as planned. Instead, she was kidnapped by pirates and ransomed for an exorbitant sum. Her diabolical captors didn’t hold up their end of the bargain, however, and kept her imprisoned even after their demands were met. More clever than her kidnappers expected, she managed to escape and disguised herself as a boy. Forced to lie, cheat, and steal in order to stay alive, she loses hope of ever returning to the man she intended to marry. Desperate, she agrees to become a handsome and compassionate sea captain’s cabin boy to gain passage back to Cornwall, but the captain endangers the one thing she cannot afford to lose—her heart.

Buy Amazon

#SALE Buy The Pirate’s Debt and get The Pirate’s Duchess for FREE!

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99 cents, duchess, Duke, earl, free, free book, Historical authors, historical fiction, Historical romance, Katherine Bone, lady, naval hero, pirate, pirates, regency, Regency Romance, sale, sea adventure, sea saga, with purchase

Raise the signal flag, me hearties! Great news! The Pirate’s Debt is on SALE for the very first time EVAH for $.99 for one week only! And if readers purchase The Pirate’s Debt, they can get The Pirate’s Duchess for FREE at: http://bit.ly/get2pirates

The Regent’s Revenge Series takes place along the coast of Cornwall and Devon between 1807-1810. Picture The Princess Bride meets Robin Hood meets Poldark and The Jamaica Inn! Each book features a different hero wearing the Black Regent’s mask.

The Pirate’s Duchess: When her husband crosses the line, staging his own death to protect her, a widowed duchess is caught in an intricate web of deceit. Now, an impending marriage to another man endangers her life, forcing her husband to reveal his darkest-kept secret… he’s a duke of a pirate out for revenge in The Pirate’s Duchess.

The Pirate’s Debt: A hopeless gothic romance reader, Lady Chloe Walsingham is focused on finding her perfect hero as she boards a ship bound for Penzance. Nothing in her beloved books prepares her for the consequences of her actions, however, after Basil Halford, Earl of Markwick, seeking to earn back his honor by repaying his father’s debts, dons the Black Regent’s mask. Pirates have plenty of enemies, including those within their own trade, and sacrificing his heart to keep Chloe safe is the last thing Markwick is prepared to lose.

Amazon   /    Nook   /    Kobo  /     Apple 

The Pirate’s Duty: riana Thorpe is a smuggler’s daughter who risked everything to challenge her evil pirate brother and save a lady and her maid from his wrath. Determined to atone for her brother’s villainy, she distributes his blood money to widows and orphans living nearby. When threatening letters arrive with the promise of retaliation, it will take a man like the Black Regent, a former navy captain in disguise, to protect the beautiful innkeeper who saved his sister’s life. Together, they will face a pirate demon and take the greatest risk of all—falling in love.

 

The Art of Self-Defense by Katherine Bone via Historical Hussies!

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19th Century, 19th Century England, boxing, fencing, fencing masters, fight scenes, Historical Hussies, Historical romance, history, Regency era, Regency Romance, research, Self-Defense

Ahoy, me hearties! I’m blogging at Historical Hussies today about The Art of Self-Defense in the 19th Century and the book I’ve researched to help me better understand terminology used during that period.

 

Katherine, here! I’ve been researching historical forms of self-defense for my September 7^th release, The Mercenary Pirate. My hero is inspired by Wolverine as part of The Heart of a Hero Series. To create more riveting and historically correct fight scenes, I decided to learn more about language and terms of the times, hand-to-hand fighting techniques, and how women protected themselves in the 19^th Century. (My heroine is a combination of Storm and Rogue for this series, which reimagines superheroes in the Regency era! And I’d like to mention that the first book in the series is absolutely FREE!)

Join me at Historical Hussies, won’t you, as I share the BEST four books I’ve found on the subject with you.

Wishing ye fare winds,

Katherine