Do you like paranormal romance? With a little fantasy?
How would you feel about psychically gifted rulers? Or regular joes like blacksmiths and lumberjacks with abilities related to their work?
Then you’ve come to the right world.
Jareth, First Lord–Book 1 introduces the ruler of Clan Brannach. One of the most talented of the current first lords, he seems to be able call on and control enough energy to do anything he desires. Unfortunately, that doesn’t include winning his lady’s heart.
He met her in her father’s clan, without knowing of her ruling family ties, and took her as part of the spoils in a dispute settlement. Hoping to win her as his first lady, he moves her into the family manor to get accustomed to being a part of the ruling house.
But she has had enough of ruling houses. As the youngest of five siblings, she married to escape her family, though she grew to love her husband. When he died, her family insisted she move back home. With other options disappearing, she asked for a sign. And what she got was Jareth.
But she wanted no part of the first lady bit.
Viviane, First Lady — Book 2 This book continues the story of Jareth and Viviane. In Book 2, she must gain control over psychic abilities which have suddenly developed, which nobody can explain. But with all the various Talents she now possesses, she is beginning to cause problems when emotions run a little too high. With her brother’s trial for treason rapidly approaching, can she win enough control over her Talents and emotions to withstand the rigors of the trial?
But if her training is frustrating and the headaches a royal pain, at least her nights with the first lord are sizzling, as their combined Talents add to their pleasure.
Morgan–The Pixie and the Green Man–Book 3 Morgan was a minor character in Book 1. From Viviane’s original clan of Belfort, she came from an abusive background. So when Jareth came to town with demands, she was a volunteer in the choosing, welcoming a change of clans and hoping for a change in her life.
But mere months after resettling, she is attacked and nearly raped in her new clan. Fortunately, two young men came to her rescue and got her help. One of them was the tall, sandy-haired James, with those adorable dimples.
In that first moment after seeing Moran, muddy and sobbing thought she was, he fell in love with this petite young woman with hair of midnight and eyes the color of the sea. Biding his time, he waited until she’d had some time to recover before asking her out. But as fearful as she was, it took some time for her to agree to as much as a cup of tea across the square.
James had some trouble of his own. His family had a way with wood as part of their talent. They could shape wood, read what flaws there might be in the lumber it would produce, and understand the forest better than anyone else. And this scared a lot of people. One of those people had been a girlfriend of his, who ran out in front of a carriage when he showed her a little of his talent.
Dare he pursue a relationship with Morgan?
And can she open her heart again and accept his love?
Too Many Talents–Book 4 This book is still in editing, but will be out this year. Continuing the story of Jareth and Viviane, we also meet the next heir to Clan Belfort–Connell, a little boy of ten and a half (almost eleven). Viviane’s brother Carl was to have been heir to the house, until he betrayed his first lord and clan. And at ten years old, Connell is getting a late start on his training.
He also doesn’t understand the need for Talents, until some jealous friends harm a little girl who adores him. And then his Talents come out to play to save her from further injury.
Between Viviane’s mishaps in training and Connell’s, it makes for a lively time for a while on this magical, romantic world–Esperance.
If you haven’t read the books in the Esperance Series, you can find them at Amazonor at Smashwords. And as soon as Too Many Talents is out, I’ll let you know!
Yes, it’s that time again. The Read an EBook Week Book Sale!
What is it?
For one week this March, many Smashwords authors will have their books discounted during this week. Some will be 75% off, some will be FREE! It all depends on the author’s choice.
Yes, all of my books will be on sale during this week. The first book in each of my series will be FREE. The rest will be $0.99 each. You can’t even buy a coffee for that these days.
So mark your calendars for March 6–12 and head on over to the sale.
So don’t miss the sale. Now is the time to try new authors, finish a series you started, or just have fun and buy books at random! Okay, maybe not that. But go have fun! Buy books. Escape this reality for a while and go somewhere exciting, or peaceful, or weird.
But whatever you do, don’t miss the sale!
For paranormal fantasy romance, go to my profile! Meet Jareth and Viviane, Damianno and Karianna, Richard and AnnMarie, and host of others.
For several years, I was a member of the SCA–Society for Creative Anachronism. It was fun recreating life from the middle ages, learning new skills, learning about how people lived during those times.
And music! As a musician, I loved learning songs and compositions from this time period. As part of a recorder consort, we got plenty of practice on music from different countries, some of which have come down into more modern times.
I remember playing the song Flow Gently Sweet Afton for my father, only to hear him say his mother had sung the song to him when he was young.
So what has this to do with Master of the Fleet?
One song most people know from around the Middle Ages–though it may be a little later–is Greensleeves. If you’re not familiar with the lyrics, you can find them online. The theme of the song is about a man who has gifted his love with everything imaginable, from jewels to fine linens, only to be cast aside.
Now, my writer’s mind began to wonder what would have happened if things had gone a bit differently.
And then my SCA mind began to create a scene, albeit the scene would have been part of a play put on for the delight of the guests at a feast.
So, putting the two together, I created the sketch for the feast–an argument breaking out between a man and woman, which gets out of hand, and ending with drawn blades.
In the sketch, this would have ended with him binding her to him as a sworn servant.
In the story, which is set in an alternate timeline where magic is real, Master of the Fleet, it goes far beyond that.
How far?
Now that would be telling, wouldn’t it?
To read Master of the Fleet, go over to Smashwords this weekend. The ebook is on sale for only $0.99. The ebook is available in several different formats to fit your reader.
It’s available in Kindle, paperback, and hardcover!
So, that’s it for this week. Have a wonderful, magical weekend.
And Don’t Forget…
…to Share the Romance…
How about an excerpt?
“My good man, were you planning a human sacrifice on the high table? Who are you and what is the meaning of this?” the baron demanded.
A large man, with dark hair turning gray at the temples, and neatly trimmed beard, his presence commanded the attention of the room.
“Your Excellency, I am Lord Sir Richard LeMarnier, from Côte d’Or. The lady and I have traveled for more than a week to attend the festival here in her homeland. At least she claims it as such. After courting her for over a year and asking for her hand in marriage, I dance on her leash while she toys with my affections. Though she hasn’t refused my offer, she has yet to accept it.”
“What do you do?”
“I am in shipping, Your Excellency, with access to goods up and down the coast and from overseas. I have brought her gifts from every part of the world, given her everything she’s asked for, and more. She’s been blessed with everything within my power to give.”
“We’ll agree you’re a generous man. Why are you here?”
I’m headed to Gambler’s Follyfor a while. It’s been a while since I visited with Dam and Kari.
What? You aren’t acquainted with the Leone family? We need to fix that right away!
Come with me to Gambler’s Folly. Meet Damiano and Karianna in Book 1 and follow their romance. You’ll also meet Dante, Marco, Paulo, and Nagi, who will pop in every now and again in other stories along the way.
After that, in Book 2, Dante’s Angel, we can go to Italy with the whole bunch for Dam and Kari’s church wedding. And you can share in the joy, frustration, and chaos when Dante finds his soulmate, who happens to be one of Damiano’s cousins.
Book 3, The Russian, introduces a new character–Dmitri Ivanovich Volkov, known as The Russian. He is an anomaly, even for a shifter. Over 500 years old, he found his soulmate over 200 years ago, and held her in his arms as she died. He doesn’t want another mate. The heartache is too great. But Mother Nature has other plans for The Russian.
Where can you meet all these characters?
Go over to the Gambler’s Folly page on Smashwords. For this weekend each book is priced at only $0.99 in the series! And once you have, you can vacation with me!
There is a lot of discussion between those who prefer “real” books and those who like ebooks. And then there are some who prefer an actual physical book, but buy eBooks for the sake of economy or space limitations.
I like a nice hardcover book I can actually hold in my hands. There is something about the smell of a new book the first time you open it, the feel of the cover and the pages as you turn them. I’m not sure what it is, but it isn’t just reading. It’s a sensory experience.
So why do I buy ebooks so often?
Economy. I can buy several ebooks for the price of one hardcover or paperback book. If I’m reading a new author, I might not want to keep it around, so why spend so much on something I’ll never read again.
When I travel, I find it difficult to take along enough books to read in physical form, but I can pack a whole library of eBooks.
I also have eyesight issues which make it difficult to see the printed page. My tablet or Kindle allow me the option of changing the brightness and contrast making it easier to see the words.
Whcih do you prefer? Are you in the e book camp or the physical book crowd? And why?
Whichever format you choose, you can find one of my books to suit your mood. All my books on Amazon are available for Kindle, in paperback, and in hardcover versions. So choose the format you like, pour yourself a cuppa, and enter a fantasy world for a little while.
Check out my book under the name Sultonna Nadine–Master of the Fleet, in a world where elemental magic is real, but won’t necessarily help Richard with his love life.
Before I get started on a rant, let me tell you the news.
For my thank you to all my readers, and those who follow me, I’m having a book sale.
Starting today and running through November 26, all my books on Smashwords will be available for 0.99 each. So if you’ve been waiting to try one, or aren’t sure, now is the time to take the plunge.
I mean, you can’t go wrong for less than a buck. Right?
Want an excerpt? Click on the Excerpt button at the top!
Not interested in e-books? If you prefer paperbacks or hardcover, go on over to Amazon! All my books are now available in both those formats as well!
Anyway, I think winter is making a comeback, so it is time to sit by the fire, with the cats, and have a nice read. Maybe a nice cuppa to go along with it. Just lean back, get comfy, and go to another place or time–or both!
If I don’t talk to you again before the holiday, have a wonderful Thanksgiving.
That is definitely the question these days. So I thought I would give you a little insight on my decision.
When I first published Gambler’s Folly, I did so through a traditional publisher of romance/erotica. For quite a while after the book came out, it was in the top 10-25 for it’s category, which was Mainstream Sensual.
When I wrote Dante’s Angel, they decided not to pick it up, because sales had been too low for Gambler’s. Most likely, I could have done better with another publisher. This company’s sales were mostly from their erotica–menage and fairly graphic stories. Since then, they have discontinued their Mainstream line altogether.
I published Jareth and Viviane through a hybrid publisher. But again, even though they liked the book and seemed eager to pick it up, it didn’t do as well as I’d hoped. And again, part of that was due to the nature of their other books. Mine was quite different from the rest of their line.
My books are paranormal romance. They also contain elements of fantasy and magic at times, and some intrigue. One series deals with a team of shifters who form a department for Interpol on another world.
The other series is set on a world ruled by multi-gifted First Lords who have several psychic powers. Running through the series is the main story line begun in Book 1, so there is a bit of an intrigue running through it, along with the romance and paranormal.
Under Sultonna Nadine, we get into magic. The book which is out now deals with elemental magic. Our MC controls wind and water as Master of the Fleet for his company. The next book out will deal with trying to remove a curse put on a genie by a witch several hundred years ago.
I understand cross-genre books can be tricky to market, and publishers and agents are a bit skeptical. So what could I do?
I went to Amazon’s KDP and self published all of my books, including the ones I got the rights back for. The process can take a little time, since the different versions, ie. Kindle, paperback, or hardcover, have to be differently formatted. And you have to design your own cover and do your own editing.
Is it worth it?
For me, I feel it is. I have control over the whole process and I don’t take months or years trying to find someone willing to take a chance on me.
Is it right for you?
Only you can answer that.
In the meantime, if you’re a writer, KEEP WRITING.
Yes, it’s that time again. Memorial Day. In the United States, it is a federal holiday set aside to honor military personnel who died in the performance of their military duties.
I know it isn’t, but it always seems like Memorial Day signals the beginning of summer. Maybe it’s because we always got out of school about then and our summer began.
Those of us in the marching band played in the town parade, whether school was finished for the year or not. We started at the school, marched through the town square, and then turned right to go to the cemetary. The eerie sound of the echo performance of Taps always brought tears to my eyes.
But let me tell you, those forest green wool uniforms were hot in the Ohio sun, whether marching or standing at parade rest. Complete with hats and gloves, we always hoped for a cloudy day.
Are you doing anything for Memorial Day this year? For many, it is a time for family get-togethers, barbecues, fireworks… Of course, around here, it seems any type of holiday is a time for fireworks.
I don’t have any family plans for the holiday, but I am planning something special for my readers.
That’s right! Just click the link above to go to my author profile. All of my books, listed by series, will be there for you to peruse.
Beginning tonight, all my books will be available for $0.99 each. And the sale will go through Monday night. So if there any you need to complete a series, now’s the time to stock up!
Wishing you all a wonderful weekend and holiday. Stay safe out there!
It’s the first day of May today. I believe spring may be here to stay this time, even though it did get down into the high 40’s last night. I think they’re predicting a high today of around 85.
So what’s happening in your world today? I’m thinking about taking my walk early to avoid the heat this afternoon. I’ve never gotten along well with heat, so I try to do all my outside work early in the morning before the sun gets too high in the sky.
I’ve nearly wrapped up Lady Calloway. Yes, I know, but life has a way of getting complicated. And after this one is wrapped, I really need to get finished with a half-finished book in the Esperance series. This one will come after Ben of Blackstone’s Forge, which will be Book 5 in the series and is in a second round of edits.
Gregor is the heir of Clan Rowan. In his younger days, angry with his father, he left the family home and went to the other side of the clan to join the guard. To further distance himself, he took his mother’s maiden name. When he and his father finally reconciled, he agreed to come back and take up his place once again, but chose to keep his mother’s family name. Gregor Thayne–Heir of Rowan brings in a new cast of characters to join those already in the series.
And Ben of Blackstone’s Forge? This is another story inset into the story, a vignette of Ben Blackstone, son of the local blacksmith. Now a journeyman smith, working on becoming a master, Ben inherited his father’s Talent with iron. Though his father keeps hinting it’s time for him to marry, the one girl he’d always thought would be his seems out of reach. Tired of waiting for him to come around, his father arranges a marriage for him. Can he and his new wife find a happily ever after?
Watch for Too Many Talents later this year. And wish me luck on wrapping Lady Calloway and finishing Gregor Thayne.
Mellie's Books 