Romancing The Reader: Christmas With The Novelist

Showing posts with label Christmas With The Novelist. Show all posts

Saturday, December 18, 2010

"Christmas at an English Country House": X-mas Guest Post and Giveaway with Nicola Cornick

Christmas at an English Country House

Thank you very much for inviting me to visit the blog and join in the Christmas celebrations here!

This year I’m celebrating Christmas at an English Country House. Not my country house (though I’m working on that!) but the one where I work when I’m not writing. Ashdown House is a seventeenth century hunting lodge in the most romantic setting imaginable, an ancient forest. In the deep midwinter it looks like a fairytale castle.

How do we dress a historic house for Christmas?

Before the 19^th century it was not traditional to have a tree but people used to dress themselves as well as their homes with branches of greenery – rosemary, bay, laurel and mistletoe entwined with branches of pine. Ashdown has a collection of stag’s antlers that are the most perfect place to twine branches and of course the herbs make the house smell delicious.

The huge open fire in the servants’ hall is a lovely place to gather to drink mulled wine, eat mince pies or Christmas cake (or Twelfth Cake, as it was known in those days because it was eaten on Twelfth Night) and sing carols by candlelight. And if we are lucky there is always the chance of a glimpse of the Ashdown ghost…

My favourite old tradition, though, is the Lord of Misrule. From the 17^th to the 23^rd of December in the houses of the nobility the traditional order of things was overturned, with the nobles waiting on the servants and a great deal of merriment and celebration. A remnant of this ancient custom exists in the current practice of pulling Christmas crackers: after the muffled explosion of the cracker, the prizes are generally revealed to be a joke, a toy or charm, and the paper crown that was once worn by the Lord of Misrule.

And after all that Christmas indulgence it’s no wonder I need to go out for a walk in the snowy woods with the dog on Boxing Day!

So which old fashioned Christmas celebration would you like best? Would you deck yourself – never mind the halls – with boughs of holly or would you like to be the Lord or Lady of Misrule? Would you like to meet the Ghost of Ashdown Christmas Past or would you just prefer the mulled wine, mince pies and a walk in the snowy woods?

Author Preview: Nicola Cornick

Nicola Cornick

"Nicola Cornick was born in Yorkshire, England, within a stone's throw of the moors that had inspired the Bronte sisters to write Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights. One of her grandfathers was a poet. With such a background it was impossible for Nicola not to become a writer.

Nicola studied history at London University and has done a variety of jobs, from sticking price tags on shoes in a factory to serving refreshments on a steam railway. She lived for seven years in a cottage haunted by the ghost of a cavalier. It was here that she wrote her first historical romance for Harlequin Mills and Boon. Since then she has written 15 books and 2 novellas for Harlequin, and been nominated for a number of awards including the RNA Romance Prize, a RWA RITA, and a Romantic Times Reviewer's Choice award!"

Find Nicola Cornick on the web: Website | Blog | Facebook | Twitter

Some of Nicola Cornick's works: (click image for info page)

Nicola's Latest Release:

'Mistress By Midnight' (December 2010)

"A wicked duke’s bed is no place for a lady…

Lady Merryn Fenner is on a mission to ruin the Duke of Farne. A beautiful bluestocking with a penchant for justice, Merryn has waited twelve years to satisfy her revenge against Garrick Farne. Her family name had been tarnished at his hands, her life destroyed.

For twelve years Garrick, Duke of Farne has kept the secret of what really happened on the night that he killed his best friend, Stephen Fenner, in a duel. Now Stephen’s sister is intent on discovering the truth and putting at risk all those secrets Garrick has protected.

When a disaster traps Merryn and Garrick together, white-hot desire stirs between the two sworn enemies. Merryn's reputation is utterly compromised and she is forced to do the one thing she cannot bear; accept the scandalous marriage proposal of the man she has vowed to ruin.

Beware of scandalous women..."

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What To Expect in 2011:

The 4th title in the Scandalous Women of the Ton series will hit the shelves in August 2011. Notorious is the story of the outrageous Susanna Burney, who makes her living as a heartbreaker! Book 5, Desired, the story of Tess Darent, Joanna and Merryn's much married sister, will follow in December. Covers, blurbs and lots more will on the website in the New Year.

Friday, December 17, 2010

"Christmas and Passion": X-mas Guest Post and Giveaway with Cathy Maxwell

Christmas and Passion

      I want to talk to those of you who don’t have anyone to love. The reasons are many: you haven’t met “the one” yet, you broke up with someone who could have been “the one,” you divorced “the--used to be--one,” or like myself you’ve lost someone dear to you.
      Christmas can be a tough time when you are alone. And don’t get me started on St. Valentine’s Day or as I call it, “Singles Awareness Day.” The holidays often emphasize what we feel we are lacking.
      I have the antidote: PASSION.
      Yup, passion.

      In this modern world, we forget that passion can be focused on something more than one person. Passion also means having a desire, a will, a need to indulge in what pleases us.

      Too often, we fall into the trap of allowing others to define what we should want.    I tire of people asking if I’m dating. I’ve run out of snappy one-liners (although I’m always looking for new ones) to those who good-naturedly pry into my private life. And I will not stay home waiting for a mate before indulging all the passions in my life.

What makes the romance novel so entertaining is that we write about women who are doing something. They aren’t waiting for their lives to start. Whether set in corporate America or medieval England, books open when the smart heroine realizes that if her life is going to change, she’s going to have to make a plunge. She can plunge into a new job, a wager with her friends, a masked ball, or an elopement--but she must do something and give it everything she has.

That’s true of us in real life. My new passions are Zumba and cooking, along with my long time fascination with horses. I indulge myself with tickets to a local speakers’ forum and revel in new ideas or spend an hour or more listening to the local symphony. I adore my family and my children, but it is these new experiences that adds something extra to my week. I’m living with passion and that excitement rolls over into all of my other activities.

So what about you? What passions do you have in your life? Are you dabbling in politics? Studying a language? Art? Cooking? Or are you planning a trip that has you so revved up you can’t wait for 2011? Is there something you’ve longed to do but have held back waiting?


More in: Author Preview

Cathy Maxwell is the author of HIS CHRISTMAS PLEASURE, the tale of a Spanish nobleman with a big dream and an English heiress who just might make his every wish come true.

~*~Giveaway Details~*~

Avon has generously offered to giveaway a copy of 'His Christmas Pleasure' to one (1) lucky commenter. Follow the guidelines below and comment for your chance to win! The giveaway will end on Thursday, December 23rd, 2010 at 11:59:00 PM. The winner will be announced on Christmas Eve and contacted via email shortly after.

Giveaway Guidelines: To be entered in the giveaway all you have to do is leave a comment with either an answer to Cathy's questions or a question of your own!
*Make sure to include your email address (NO EMAIL= INVALID ENTRY)

For Extra Entries (do one or more of the following for extra shots at winning):
+2 'Like' Cathy Maxwell on Facebook
+2 'Like' Avon Romance on Facebook
+2 'Like' The 'Not Another Romance Blog' Blog on Facebook
+2 Comment on the Author Preview
+4 Spread the word: Tweet on Twitter, Post a Facebook status, or blog about this guest post and giveaway (provide a link in you entry comment)
+5 Become a Follower/ Be a Follower

-Tell me in your comment which extra entries you are entitled to or they won't count

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Hope you enjoyed today's post by Cathy Maxwell in:

Author Preview: Cathy Maxwell

Cathy Maxwell

"CATHY MAXWELL spends hours in front of her computer pondering the question, “Why do people fall in love?” It remains for her the mystery of life and the secret to happiness.

She lives in beautiful Virginia with her children, horses, dogs, and cats."

Thursday, December 16, 2010

"Christmas In England": X-mas Guest Post and Giveaway with Miranda Neville

Christmas in England
Hi Rita. Thanks for inviting me to join your Christmas celebration. I live in the US, but I grew up in England. The typical British Christmas has much in common with the American one, but of course there are differences, and not every family celebrates the holiday in the same way.

The first thing that always strikes me about the British Christmas is how long it lasts. There are always two full days off work, Christmas Day itself and December 26th, known as Boxing Day. Most people take extra time to link the two weekends and New Years (some businesses close altogether) and in a good year you can string together ten days. During that time everyone eats, drinks and watches a lot of telly.
My siblings and I would wake up horribly early on the big day and open our stockings, filled with small items and a clementine orange in the toe. My mother was a lifelong believer in recycled wrapping paper. At a fairly young age I noticed Father Christmas seemed to get his paper from the Big Drawer in the drawing room. A couple of years later all our illusions were shattered and she had us all wrapping and stuffing each other’s stockings, never using tape because that damaged the paper and made it less re-usable.
After breakfast we were each permitted to open one present. Little devils that we were, we’d usually poked and prodded each passage enough to make an educated guess about a good one. Then off to church. The big unwrapping session happened before lunch with the grown-ups having their first of many drinks for the day.

Christmas Crackers

The big meal is usually Christmas lunch. Since the Brits have no Thanksgiving, this is the day for turkey, served with a couple of stuffings, gravy, roast potatoes, and Brussels sprouts. Poultry of any kind is often served with bread sauce (basically soft white bread crumbs cooked in milk, flavored with onion and cloves). For dessert we’d have the traditional Christmas pudding, a heavy plum pudding served in a blaze of burning brandy, mince pies, and brandy butter (Butter whipped with sugar and brandy; my arteries harden as I write this). Then clementines, nuts, dried fruits and Christmas crackers.

Paper Christmas Hats!

Crackers contain prizes which range from pieces of plastic rubbish to fancy gadgets and jewelry, depending on the price. They all contain tissue paper hats, which everyone has to wear regardless of how stupid they look, and slips of paper imprinted with appallingly bad jokes and riddles. Since everyone is usually pissed by this time (or very merry if too young to drink) everyone laughs a lot. I include a random photo taken last time I spend Christmas in England, just to demonstrate how dumb people look in paper hats.

At 3 pm we stagger from the table to watch the Queen’s Speech. If sensible one might take a walk. Or collapse and watch another movie before tea and Christmas Cake, a heavy fruit cake covered with marzipan and decorated with hard white icing. (Note to Brits: please discover American butter cream frosting).
Thus ends the official portion of Christmas Day. Supper is generally light. Turkey soup and/or sandwiches may feature. Turkey Curry, made famous by Bridget Jones, is very likely in your near future.
One of my very favorite parts of Christmas is decorating the tree. My mother believed in delegating tasks so I’ve been doing it since early childhood. I collect new ornaments when I travel and I’m particularly fond of ones I find in museum shops.

Miranda's Latest Release
Read more in: Author Preview

What are your favorite holiday decorations? Do you collect different ornaments for your tree, or do you prefer a color scheme or theme? And is your tree real or fake?

One commenter wins her choice of one of my books.

~*~Giveaway Details~*~

Miranda Neville has generously offered to giveaway a copy of any one of her books to one (1) lucky commenter (Winner's Choice). Follow the guidelines below and comment for your chance to win! The giveaway will end on Thursday, December 23rd, 2010 at 11:59:00 PM. The winner will be announced on Christmas Eve and contacted via email shortly after.

Giveaway Guidelines: To be entered in the giveaway all you have to do is leave a comment with either an answer to Miranda's questions or a question of your own!
*Make sure to include your email address (NO EMAIL= INVALID ENTRY)

For Extra Entries (do one or more of the following for extra shots at winning):
+2 'Friend' Miranda Neville on Facebook
+2 'Like' The 'Not Another Romance Blog' Blog on Facebook
+2 Comment on the Author Preview
+4 Spread the word: Tweet on Twitter, Post a Facebook status, or blog about this guest post and giveaway (provide a link in you entry comment)
+5 Become a Follower/ Be a Follower

-Tell me in your comment which extra entries you are entitled to or they won't count

Hope you enjoyed today's X-mas Guest Post from Miranda Neville in:

Author Preview: Miranda Neville

Miranda Neville

"I grew up in Wiltshire in southwest England. During my misspent youth I devoured the works of Georgette Heyer, Jean Plaidy and any other historical novels I could lay hands on. As a result I attended the University of Oxford to study history, ignoring all hints that economics might be a more practical subject. I spent several years writing catalogues of rare books a nd original letters and manuscripts for Sotheby's auction house in London and New York. Much of my time in this job was spent reading the personal correspondence of the famous. This confirmed my suspicion that the most interesting thing about history is people. I'm also a sucker for a happy ending: I howled in the back of geography class when I was supposed to be learning about German coalfields because I hated --HATED -- the end of Gone With The Wind. I still haven't forgiven Margaret Mitchell.
A few years ago I decided to write an historical romance. How hard could it be? Wrong. Several manuscripts under-the-bed (or deep in the hard drive) later, HarperCollins bought NEVER RESIST TEMPTATION, published in 2009 by Avon Books.
I now live in beautiful rural Vermont with my daughter Becca, a college student and confirmed drama queen. I am always happy to be distracted from gainful employment by cooking (3o minute recipes only), gardening (don't look at the weeds), cross-country skiing, arguing about unimportant topics, and general procrastinating. "

Check out my past interview with Miranda: here

Find Miranda Neville on the web: Website | Blog/News Page | Facebook | Twitter

Some of Miranda Neville's works: (click image for info)

Miranda's Latest Release:

'The Dangerous Viscount' (September 2010)

"She is determined to find a husband ... now!

Diana Fanshawe's impeccable bloodline doesn't stop society from laughing at the antics of her eccentric family. She knows the right marriage is her one chance to make her way in the world--which is precisely why she will marry Lord Blakeney. But then she's kissed by the brilliant and unconventional Sebastian Iverley, and her well-laid plans tumble into disarray.

Sebastian wants absolutely nothing to do with love or marriage. He likes his books, his male friends in the Burgundy Club, and he avoids women. But when he arrives at his hated cousin Blakeney's house party, he's smitten by the tantalizing Diana.
Should the lady follow her heart and try to win Iverley's, though it seems hardened against her - or should she sacrifice love for respectability?"

Read My Review of 'The Dangerous Viscount': here

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What To Expect in 2011:
Miranda Neville will be adding a new edition to the Burgundy Club in the new year, which means: YIPPIE! The official title of the book will be 'The Amorous Education of Celia Seaton', and it will be release July 26th, 2011!

Wednesday, December 15, 2010

"Fa-La-La-La-Love": X-mas Guest Post and Giveaway with Tessa Dare

Fa-la-la-la-love
One of the things I love best about the Christmas season is music. I love Christmas carols, of course, but also just music in general. I first met Mr. Dare at Christmastime, while I was working overseas and experiencing my first hot, humid Christmas in a tropical country. When you’re far away from home, familiar holiday traditions take on a whole new level of importance. An American friend of mine conjured up a box of Stove-Top stuffing, and it was like a Christmas miracle.
Anyway, I “met” Mr. Dare as I was rehearsing a song for a Christmas program. Literally, right in the middle of the chorus. Someone was strumming a guitar, and there I was singing through “Go Tell it on the Mountain,” (yes, seriously. I couldn’t make this up.) and right then, Mr. Dare walked through the door. We locked gazes for one of those brief-yet-unending moments we romance writers are so fond of. Then he kept on walking, and I kept on rehearsing, and that was pretty much that. J

Still, there was a little something there. Not love at first sight, but a spark of interest. In that first wordless interchange, we knew we both loved music. As good a place as any for a romance to start, right? A few days later, we went to a karaoke bar with a big group. He and I ended up singing “Build Me Up Buttercup” (badly) as a duet. A little over a year later, we were singing it (badly) at our wedding reception.

So as a couple, “our songs” are Christmas carols and cheesy karaoke tunes—songs that are not especially romantic to most, probably. But they’re romantic to us. And during the month of December, I always seem to have “Build Me Up Buttercup” running through my head, along with “Silver Bells” and “Frosty the Snowman” and all the others.

Tell me about your favorite holiday music. Do you have any especially funny or romantic musical memories? Comment, and you could win a present! What kind of present, you ask? How does that 12 days song go again?On the fifth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me…

More info in: Author Preview

Five golden rings!

Four calling birds

Three nights with a scoundrel,

Two…

Okay, I know. It’s not three nights with a scoundrel, it’s three French hens. But really, which would you rather have? Comment today, and you could win a signed copy of my latest release, Three Nights with a Scoundrel.
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~*~Giveaway Details~*~

Tessa Dare has generously offered to giveaway a signed copy of her latest release, 'Three Nights With A Scoundrel', to one (1) lucky commenter. Follow the guidelines below and comment for your chance to win! The giveaway will end on Thursday, December 23rd, 2010 at 11:59:00 PM. The winner will be announced on Christmas Eve and contacted via email shortly after.

Giveaway Guidelines: To be entered in the giveaway all you have to do is leave a comment with either an answer to Tessa's question or a question of your own!

*Make sure to include your email address (NO EMAIL= INVALID ENTRY)

For Extra Entries (do one or more of the following for extra shots at winning):
+2 'Friend' Tessa Dare on Facebook

+2 'Like' The 'Not Another Romance Blog' Blog on Facebook
+2 Comment on the Author Preview

Author Preview: Tessa Dare

Tessa Dare

"Tessa Dare is a part-time librarian¹, full-time mommy² and swing-shift writer³ living in Southern California.
Tessa lived a rather nomadic childhood in the Midwest. As a girl, she discovered that no matter how many times she moved, two kinds of friends traveled with her: the friends in books, and the friends in her head. She still converses with both sets daily.
Tessa writes fresh and flirty historical romance, a blog, and the stray magazine article. To the chagrin of her family, Tessa does not write grocery lists, Christmas cards, or timely checks to utility companies⁴. She shares a tiny bungalow with her husband, their two children, a dog, and dust bunnies.⁵
Tessa enjoys a good book, a good laugh, a good long walk in the woods, a good movie, a good meal, a glass of good wine, and the company of good people.
Tessa is represented by Helen Breitwieser of Cornerstone Literary Agency.
Tessa did not expect to enjoy writing about herself in third person, but what do you know? Tessa does.⁶
Oh, and Tessa would love to hear from you!"

Subscript Detail:

¹ Currently, more like part-part-part-time.
² However, the darelings are now in school or preschool.
³ And I do a lot of my writing during their school.
⁴ I actually did send a few cards last year.
⁵ Some lovely ladies come to corral them every other week.
⁶ Why so many footnotes? Because I’mTessa is oddly superstitiouslazy about changing this, the very first bio she ever wrote. A more official-sounding bio and press kit are in the works.

Find Tessa Dare on the web: Website | Blog/Diary | Facebook | Twitter

Some of Tessa Dare's works: (click image for info)

Tessa's Latest Release:

'Three Nights With A Scoundrel' (July 2010)

"The third time is the charm.

The bastard son of a nobleman, Julian Bellamy is now polished to perfection, enthralling the ton with wit and charm while clandestinely plotting to ruin the lords, ravish the ladies, and have the last laugh on a society that once spurned him. But meeting Leo Chatwick, a decent man and founder of the exclusive Stud Club, and Lily, Leo’s enchanting sister, made Julian reconsider his wild ways. When Leo’s tragic murder demands that Julian hunt for justice, he vows to see the woman he secretly loves married to a man of her own class.

Lily, however, has a very different husband in mind. She’s adored Julian forever, loves the man beneath the rakish facade, and wants to savor the delicious attraction they share — as his wife. His insistence on marrying her off only reinforces her intent to prove he is the only man for her. Obsessed with catching a killer, Julian sinks back to the gutters of his youth, forcing Lily to reach out with a sweet, reckless passion Julian can’t resist. Can her desire for a scoundrel save them both–or will dangerous secrets threaten more than their tender love"

What To Expect in 2011:

Everything hasn't been officially announced or set in stone yet, but Tessa revealed in this diary entry that her next book will "probably certainly" be titled "A Night To Surrender". It will most likely be release in Early Fall 2011 (August/September-ish). We can "definitely maybe" expect updates later on in the new year on the book, including the cover, official blurb, release date, ect. Keep those eyes peeled!

many

"A Midwest Girl’s Christmas in Africa":X-mas Guest Post and Giveaway with Margaret Mallory

A Midwest Girl’s Christmas in Africa
When I was eleven years old, my parents sat us three kids down and announced that we were going to live in Africa for two years. I cried for three days, believing I could make them change their minds. When I made no headway with that—I’m very stubborn—I arranged for my best friend’s family to take me in while my own family was gone. To my astonishment, my parents did not find this acceptable. Like any good heroine, I recognized when it was time to negotiate. I agreed to go if we could take our twelve-year-old beagle.

There were no good schools near where my family was posted, so my sister and I had to go to boarding school a twelve-hour drive away from them. School was starting, so my parents left us there three days after our plane landed.

7th Grade

8th Grade

Would you send this child to boarding school?

The Christmas holidays were special because I got to come home. Although my parents and brother came to visit us a couple of times a quarter, we only went home for Christmas, Easter, and summer break. I did not see where my family lived until that first Christmas. From the moment they left me, I counted the days and the hours until the Christmas holiday.

I turned twelve that October, and I felt like a soldier who gets to come home on leave. Like most kids, I had always taken time with my family for granted. No more. I was so happy to be home that I don’t think I found my younger brother annoying once.

Not-so Annoying Brother Struts His Stuff ;)

Everything was different. It was hot and dry, when we were used to snowy Christmases, and we had the most pathetic Christmas tree you could imagine. We swam every day instead of sledding, and we got presents like flippers instead of flannel pajamas.

And it was all wonderful, because I was home with my family.

Me with my Brother, My Diker
& one of our dogs

Bargaining at the Market

Although we couldn’t visit relatives as we usually did over the holidays, my parents had an assortment of fascinating friends that included Peace Corps volunteers, missionaries, and British families. My dog had died of tick fever while I was at school, but we collected other pets and even got a horse.

Things got better for me after that first Christmas. And the second year, my parents moved us to a school that I loved. I was more used to the separation by then as well, but I still looked forward to the Christmas holidays for weeks.

Hard as those first months were, I am glad my parents made me go. Living overseas gave me a life-long love of travel and an appreciation for different cultures. Our family bonded over our extraordinary experiences there, a little like war buddies do, and we talk about them to this day.

More info in: Author Preview

I’d love to respond to questions or comments or to hear about a holiday that was special to you growing up. I’ll give away a signed copy of KNIGHT OF PASSION, a medieval romance with a heroine who also had a rough patch as a girl, to one of the commenters. Happy Holidays!

~*~Giveaway Details~*~

Margaret Mallory has generously offered to giveaway a signed copy of her latest release, 'Knight Of Passion', to one (1) lucky commenter. Follow the guidelines below and comment for your chance to win! The giveaway will end on Thursday, December 23rd, 2010 at 11:59:00 PM. The winner will be announced on Christmas Eve and contacted via email shortly after.

Giveaway Guidelines: To be entered in the giveaway all you have to do is leave a comment with either an answer to Patricia's question or a question of your own!

*Make sure to include your email address (NO EMAIL= INVALID ENTRY)

For Extra Entries (do one or more of the following for extra shots at winning):
+2 'Like' Margaret Mallory on Facebook
+2 'Like' The 'Not Another Romance Blog' Blog on Facebook
+2 Comment on the Author Preview
+4 Spread the word: Tweet on Twitter, Post a Facebook status, or blog about this guest post and giveaway (provide a link in you entry comment)
+5 Become a Follower/ Be a Follower

-Tell me in your comment which extra entries you are entitled to or they won't count

*Giveaway restricted to US & Canada residents only
--
Hope you enjoyed today's X-mas Guest Post from Margaret Mallory in:

Tuesday, December 14, 2010

Author Preview: Margaret Mallory

Margaret Mallory

"Margaret Mallory started out as a Midwest girl. Except for two years in Africa, she grew up in small towns in northern Michigan, where her dad was a county extension agent. She received degrees from Michigan State University and the University of Michigan Law School, and then headed to Washington, DC to save the world. When that failed, she packed up and moved to the Pacific Northwest for no reason except that it was beautiful and far from her last jobs and boyfriends. She admits to having a vague notion of finding herself a park ranger with a dog. The man she met was not a park ranger, but he was willing to get the dog. Marriage and children soon followed.

Margaret spent many rewarding—but rather wearing—years in jobs devoted to improving services for abused children and care for the elderly. Not long ago, she surprised (shocked?) her friends and family by abandoning her legal career—and steady job—to write novels. She is thrilled to spend her days writing stories of love and adventure, instead of going to endless meetings. After all, she has always loved romantic tales, heroic deeds, and happy endings. And, at long last, she can satisfy her passion for justice by punishing the bad and rewarding the worthy—in the pages of her novels.

With her two children off to college, Margaret spends most of her time working on her next books. She loves to hear from readers. "

Find Margaret Mallory on the web: Website | Facebook | Twitter

Some of Margaret Mallory's Works:

Margaret's Latest Release:
'Knight Of Passion' (June 2010)

"HOW CAN THIS PASSIONATE KNIGHT...

Renowned beauty Lady Linnet is torn between two desires: revenge on those who destroyed her family or marriage to her childhood sweetheart Sir James Rayburn. One fateful night, she makes a misguided choice: she sacrifices Jamie's love for a chance at vengeance.

TRUST A BEAUTY WITH A PAST?

Jamie Rayburn returns to England in search of a virtuous wife—only to find the lovely Linnet as bewitching as ever. Their reckless affair ignites anew, even hotter than before, although Jamie vows to never again trust her with his heart. Then just as Linnet begins to make amends, she's tempted by one last opportunity to settle old scores. But a final retribution could cost her Jamie's love—this time forever."
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What to expect in 2011:

Click image for info

Coming off her "RT Book Reviews* Reviewers' Choice Award for Best British Isles-Set Historical Romance of 2010, Mallory will be stocking the shelves in 11' with a brand new series! Return Of The Highlanders will be a 4-book series starting with: THE GUARDIAN , scheduled for release on April 26th, 2011. The second book, THE SINNER, is scheduled for November 2st, 2011!! (The last two books will be released in 2012)