Medieval Monday ~ A WAGER FOR THE WIDOW

26 Monday Nov 2018

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Welcome back to Medieval Monday! It’s Week Four of our “Family” theme, and I’m thrilled to feature an excerpt from A Wager for the Widow by the talented Elisabeth Hobbes.

If you’re following my excerpt from Flight of the Raven, you can find the fourth snippet on Elisabeth’s blog: https://elisabethhobbes.co.uk/

Now, let’s enjoy her fourth snippet:

Edmund broke his reverie as he threw himself on to the bench and slung an arm around Will’s shoulder. Will greeted him with a distracted smile, the intrusion into his thoughts unwelcome.

Edmund picked up a bottle of wine and filled two goblets to the brim. ‘You look weary, Will, ‘he commented. ‘Was my father particularly demanding tonight? Did he agree to buy the wine?’

‘No, he wasn’t—and, yes, he did. He recognised the quality straight away. With a little more money to invest I could earn well from this vintage alone,’ Will answered. He sighed deeply. ‘It’s a pity my stake is so small.’

They drank contentedly for a while, discussing the upcoming feast, Rob’s successful wager and impending marriage. Rob retrieved his kestrel from the perch by the fire with a bow and a few brief words to the ladies, then joined his brother and friend. Lady Peyton’s eyes followed him as he crossed the room and Will saw her expression change to a frown as she saw where he was heading.

‘Why does my dear sister keep glaring at you?’ Edmund asked suddenly, turning his head to Will. ‘Every time she glanced your way during dinner she looked as though she wished she had a sharper knife. Surely you can have done nothing in the hour or two she has been here to incur her displeasure?’

‘You must be imagining things, Edmund. What could I have done?’ Will asked innocently. He took a deep draught from his goblet.

Rob leaned forward on his bench. ‘Will, you’re hiding something, I can tell.’

What is Will hiding? Head over to Sherry Ewing’s blog next Monday to discover the answer: https://sherryewing.com/blog/

For the previous excerpt from A Wager for the Widow visit https://www.RuthACasie.blogspot.com

Remember to visit Elisabeth’s blog and comment on my snippet for a chance to win Flight of the Raven (or if you already have a copy, your choice of another of my books)!

A little more about A Wager for the Widow:

“I suppose a kiss of gratitude is out of the question?”

Widowed Lady Eleanor Peyton has chosen a life of independence. Living alone on her rocky coastal outcrop, she’s cut herself off from the world of men—until William Rudhale saves her life and demands a kiss!

As steward to Lady Eleanor’s father, Will knows the desire he burns with is futile—but he’ll still wager he can claim Eleanor’s kiss by midwinter. Yet when the tide turns Will realizes vulnerable Eleanor is far too precious to gamble with. Can he win his lady before it’s too late?

Buy links

Amazon: viewbook.at/WagerforWidow

B&N: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-wager-for-the-widow-elisabeth-hobbes/1121093242?ean=9781460384640

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/gb/en/ebook/a-wager-for-the-widow-mills-boon-historical-1

Mills & Boon: https://www.millsandboon.co.uk/p45341/a-wager-for-the-widow.htm

See you next Monday!

Spend this holiday season in Ireland by reading THE STONE AWAKENED!

21 Wednesday Nov 2018

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The countdown has begun!  Only 4 weeks to go until The Stone Awakened, the sequel to The Cauldron Stirred, has its worldwide release.  I’m so excited to share the continuing story with you!  The holiday release date is perfect because a good portion of the book takes place during Christmastime.  Of course, I had to include a number of Irish yuletide traditions!

Have you read the first book yet?  Have you preordered your copy of the second?

Here’s a sneak peek at The Stone Awakened:

Thunder shook the night as the Dullahan’s black stallion reared beneath him on the sweeping lawn below. The horseman thrust his severed head toward the sky and called out the names of those he hunted.

“Dylan Donoghue! Maeve Donoghue!”

Powerless to stop him, I watched from the bedroom window. The glass panes infused my palms with the chill of death itself. Out of sight, my parents screamed, then fell silent. The sound of laughter followed.

Exultant. Spiteful. Malignant.

Aoife! The wind demon whose foul plot shattered my family with a single blow.

Hate and despair welled inside me. “No!”

“Ashling, wake up!” My sister shook me awake.

She switched on the lamp between our beds, and I scanned the room. The same sash windows as in the dream. The same luxurious décor in shades of periwinkle, white, and gray. Even my slippers beside the bed were the same. But the night was quiet, and there was no immediate danger.

Deirdre tucked her long, blonde hair behind her ears and gave me a knowing look. “Another nightmare about the Dullahan?”

Nodding, I wiped the sweat from my brow. “And Aoife.”

“Sounds almost as bad as my dream the night he took Mom and Dad.”

“We don’t know he took them.”

“We don’t know he didn’t.”

“They’re not dead!” Dread clutched my heart, and I pushed out a long breath to calm myself. “They can’t be.”

Preorder your copy here:

Amazon https://www.amzn.com/B07K4Y7QV6

Barnes and Noble https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-stone-awakened-judith-sterling/1129823740

The Wild Rose Press https://catalog.thewildrosepress.com/all-titles/6385-the-stone-awakened.html

Hope you’ll join me and my characters for an Irish holiday!  And for everyone celebrating Thanksgiving tomorrow, have a great one!  🙂

Get a jump on your holiday shopping!

20 Tuesday Nov 2018

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And just like that, the holidays are upon us! I’ve teamed up with over forty-five award-winning/bestselling authors to bring you the ultimate holiday gift guide for any booklover. The best part: it’s an online store. Scroll away and do all your holiday shopping in one place. Who knows? You might even find a few books you’d enjoy for yourself. Check it out here: https://www.nnlightsbookheaven.com/holiday-gift-guide

Medieval Monday ~ TO FOLLOW MY HEART

19 Monday Nov 2018

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Welcome back to Medieval Monday! It’s Week Three of our “Family” theme, and I’m excited to feature an excerpt by my dear friend and bestselling author, Sherry Ewing’s To Follow My Heart: The Knights of Berwyck, A Quest Through Time (Book 3).

If you’re following my excerpt from Flight of the Raven, you can find the third snippet on Sherry’s blog: https://sherryewing.com/blog/

Now, let’s enjoy her third snippet:

Fletcher very kindly held her chair out for her. It wasn’t something that hadn’t been done for her before at any high class restaurant, but, somehow, the gesture seemed more significant sitting here in a place of honor at the same table as the lord and lady of the hall. Once she was seated, the conversations in the room resumed to full volume. Fletcher sat down beside her, and Jenna felt dwarfed sandwiched between him and the gentleman next to her. She surmised this was the very same Riorden that Katherine had told her about, since she was placed to his left. He nodded to her when she took her seat, and Jenna almost swooned when she saw how handsome he was. Were all the men in this castle graced with such stunning good looks?

The food began to arrive on huge platters, sometimes carried by two servants, to feed the multitude of people who filled every table in the hall. There were so many individuals here, she likened it to a great big huge party where everyone was celebrating some special occasion. As the bounty began to fill the space in front of her, she began to wonder if the table would hold the weight of so much food.

Be sure to leave a comment for Sherry below for a chance to win an eCopy of To Follow My Heart, The Knights of Berwyck, A Quest Through Time (Book 3). A winner will be randomly selected and announced on Medieval Monday, December 31st.

Catch last week’s excerpt here: www.RuthACasie.blogspot.com

Follow her to next week’s blog (November 26) here: http://www.marymorganauthor.com

Don’t forget to visit Sherry’s blog and comment on my snippet for a chance to win Flight of the Raven (or if you already have a copy, your choice of another of my books)!

A little more about To Follow My Heart:

Love is a leap. Sometimes you need to jump…

After a gut wrenching break up with her fiancé, Jenna Sinclair heads to the coast to do a little soul searching. To say everything is subject to change is putting it mildly. Her world is not only turned upside down, but pretty much torn asunder when she is pulled through a time gate on the beach beneath the Cliff House and transported more than eight hundred years into the past.

Fletcher Monroe, captain of the garrison knights at Berwyck Castle, has wasted too much time pining for a woman who will never be his. When he finally decides to move on with his life and focus on his duties, he is suddenly confronted with a woman who magically appears at his feet. This could either be the best thing that has ever happened to him or another cursed event in a string of many. He soon finds he is wildly attracted to her, but she’s scared to death of him ─ not a very encouraging beginning.

From the shores of California to twelfth century England and back again, Jenna and Fletcher must find a way to reconcile their two different worlds before Time forever tears them apart.

Buy Links:

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/1TWTF15
Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/29jPdiT
iBooks: http://apple.co/247Nb53
Kobo: http://bit.ly/20Cc08b

See you next Monday!

Medieval Monday ~ DRAGON KNIGHT’S SHIELD

12 Monday Nov 2018

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Welcome back to Medieval Monday!  It’s Week Two of our “Family” theme, and I’m thrilled to feature my dear friend and award-winning author, Mary Morgan’s work, Dragon Knight’s Shield (Order of the Dragon Knights, Book Four).  Don’t you love this cover?!

If you’re following my excerpt from Flight of the Raven, you can find the second snippet on Mary’s blog: www.marymorganauthor.com

Now, let’s enjoy her second snippet:

Hearing the door closed, Angus slumped down against the stone wall. The druid’s visit left him raw with emotions. Hanging his head in his hands, he thought back to the night of Meggie’s death, shoving aside the vision of her lifeless body, he brought forth the image of the Guardian. Closing his eyes, he could see her in all her beauty and then she spoke. Across the sea, their destiny awaits. A love will meet through time and space. To right a wrong within this place. Beneath the gate to test your fate.

Deirdre was sent to him across the veil of time. A test—one he had failed to see.

Follow along next week on Barbara Bettis’ blog: http://barbarabettis.blogspot.com/

For a chance to win a signed print copy of Dragon Knight’s Shield, please leave a comment.  And don’t forget to visit Mary’s blog and comment on my snippet for a chance to win Flight of the Raven (or if you already have a copy, your choice of another of my books)!

A little more about Dragon Knight’s Shield:

Angus MacKay, leader of the Dragon Knights, failed his brothers and his clan upon the death of his sister. Now he must fight the darkness of despair tempting his soul. Back on Scottish soil, he comes face to face with Deirdre who can wield a sword as mightily as his warriors, and takes her captive. Yet, with each passing day, the fire dragon inside him roars to claim the one woman fate has destined for him.

Famed mystery writer, Deirdre Flanagan, is unprepared for the next chapter in her life. On a vacation to Scotland, she steps through the mists and enters into a skirmish alongside a Highlander. However, the fight has only begun, and now she must battle Angus as well as evil in order to claim the love of this Dragon Knight.

Will their love be powerful enough to shield them from danger, or burn them to ashes?

Buy Links: AMAZON | BN | KOBO | iTunes

See you next Monday!

GUARDIANS OF ERIN Series ~ Read the First Book for Free!

10 Saturday Nov 2018

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The first review of The Stone Awakened is in, and it’s 5 stars! – “The writing, as in the first book, has real warmth that welcomes you right in and holds your hand through the entire book.”

Because it’s crucial to read the first book before the second, I’m doing something I’ve never done before. I’m offering a free digital copy (pdf, mobi, or epub) of The Cauldron Stirred to the first 20 people who message me on Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/judithsterlingfiction

All I ask in return is that you write a short, honest review (even just two sentences) on Amazon, and on Goodreads if you have an account.  If you like young adult paranormal fantasy, I hope to hear from you!

 

Medieval Monday ~ THE GUARDIAN’S WITCH

05 Monday Nov 2018

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Medieval Monday is back!  I’m teaming up with seven amazing authors of medieval romance, and every Monday for the next eight weeks, we’ll share excerpts from each other’s books on our blogs.

This round’s theme is “Family” in honor of all the family holidays during the next two months.  Each excerpt will be broken into eight snippets; mine will be from Flight of the Raven (The Novels of Ravenwood, Book One).  My excerpt highlights brotherly trust, support, and love…tough love, in this case.  Sometimes, only a trusted sibling can open one’s eyes.

Each Monday, I’ll feature a snippet from another author’s book and tell you where to find the next bit of the story.  I’ll also let you know where to find my snippet.

On the last Monday (December 24), I’ll feature the final snippet from my own excerpt here on my blog.  If you follow along and comment on the snippets from Flight of the Raven, you could win a digital copy of the book.  If you already own a copy, you’ll have your choice of any one of my other books, fiction or nonfiction.  I’ll announce my winner on Monday, December 31.  The other authors will also award prizes to commenters, so you have lots of chances to win!

USA Today bestselling author Ruth A. Casie is featuring my first snippet on her blog: https://www.RuthACasie.blogspot.com

I’m featuring hers from The Guardian’s Witch, Book One of the Stelton Legacy. Let’s take a look!

“Jamie,” Tom called. “We captured six English. They were tracking Alex.”

Jamie and Alex sat in the main room of the hunting lodge. They looked up from a large parchment map on the table.

“Your brothers?” Jamie waved his hand at the six men accompanied by highland guards.

“Yes, I thought they would follow.” Alex left the table to welcome them.

“Alex.” Cameron came forward. “With the carnage we passed on the trail, we arrived at the conclusion you’ve made at least one friend here. We thought about going back but we knew we would upset Mother if we arrived without you.”

The excerpt continues next week on Sherry Ewing’s blog: https://sherryewing.com/blog/

Don’t forget, commenters each week will be entered into a drawing for a free digital copy of The Guardian’s Witch.  And visit Ruth’s blog to comment on my snippet for a chance to win Flight of the Raven or another of my books!

A little more about The Guardian’s Witch:

Will he come in time or must she trust in her magic and risk exposure as a witch to save them both?

England, 1290

Lord Alex Stelton can’t resist a challenge, especially one with a prize like this: protect a castle on the Scottish border for a year, and it’s his. Desperate for land of his own, he’ll do anything to win the estate—even enter a proxy marriage to Lady Lisbeth Reynolds, the rumored witch who lives there.

Feared and scorned for her second sight, Lisbeth swore she’d never marry, but she is drawn to the handsome, confident Alex. She sees great love with him but fears what he would think of her gift and her visions of a traitor in their midst.

Despite his own vow never to fall in love, Alex can’t get the alluring Lisbeth out of his mind and is driven to protect her when attacks begin on the border. But as her visions of danger intensify, Lisbeth knows it is she who must protect him. Realizing they’ll secure their future only by facing the threat together, she must choose between keeping her magic a secret and losing the man she loves.

Check out Ruth’s books here:

https://ruthacasie.com/books.html

See you next Monday!

The Scoop on THE STONE AWAKENED (Guardians of Erin, Book Two)

03 Saturday Nov 2018

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I’m so excited for the upcoming release of The Stone Awakened, the second book in my young adult paranormal fantasy series, Guardians of Erin!  The release date will be December 19, 2018, just in time for Christmas, which is PERFECT because this second installment of the four-book story ends on Christmas Day.  And it’s now available for pre-order on Amazon!  Click here to grab your copy: https://www.amzn.com/B07K4Y7QV6

Here’s the scoop, but if you haven’t read the first book (The Cauldron Stirred), be warned:  there are a few spoilers!

Since moving to Ireland, Ashling Donoghue has tackled one challenge after another. Now the mystery of her parents’ disappearance seems unsolvable. Are they dead or only missing? No one—not even the godlike Breasals—has a clue. Hope and fear war inside her, but she’s determined to find answers and stay strong for her siblings. Even as she hones newfound powers, her banshee-in-training sister Deirdre needs her support.

Ashling could use a little help herself. She’s struggling to navigate her first romance, and while Aengus Breasal stirs her body, mind, and soul, his nemesis Lorcan does too. Both men harbor secrets about her past life as Caer. One has ties to Aoife, the scheming wind demon whose influence is on the rise.

As the Stone of Destiny awakens, so does the conflict within.

I can’t wait for you to read this continuation of the story!

N. N. Light’s Gobble Gobble…Gobble Up Books Giveaway ~ FLIGHT OF THE RAVEN

03 Saturday Nov 2018

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Gobble, gobble . . . Do you hear that? It’s the international call for booklovers, courtesy of the persnickety turkey. It’s time to fill up your e-reader and/or physical library with a cornucopia of books, and this giveaway is a great place to start. N. N. Light has gathered new releases and wonderful backlist titles in one giveaway. My medieval romance, Flight of the Raven (The Novels of Ravenwood, Book One) is one of the prizes.

Enter below and good luck!

Gobble Gobble. . . Gobble Up Books Giveaway: https://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/92db775021

 

 

Halloween Fun, a Paranormal Update, and an Interview for TV

31 Wednesday Oct 2018

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Happy Halloween!  I worked all day at The Witch House (a stylized picture of which is pictured above).  Now my husband and I are getting ready to take our kids trick-or-treating.  Things are hopping here in Salem!  When we get home, we’ll settle down in front of the TV to watch the live Ghost Adventures event hosted by Josh Gates on The Travel Channel.  Should be a fun night!

If you read my recent post about the paranormal activity at The Witch House, here’s a quick update.  One of the bed warmers circled again yesterday.  Then today, the bed warmer in the other bedroom started circling.  I wonder what Margaret–and any other spirits who are hanging around–think of all the tourists who’ve filtered through The House during the past month.  We’ve been super busy!

The Boston TV show Chronicle interviewed me earlier this month regarding the supernatural happenings at The Witch House.  Here’s the link to watch it:

https://www.wcvb.com/article/the-witch-city-salems-dark-haunted-history/24288040?fbclid=IwAR3EIp80vD_2mIpEF1l67Oy72wttcCYyAhTFYnhqqP_meWr_8wu3jHGGJw0

Of course, I figured out who was contacting me via the bed warmers after the interview occurred.

Well, it’s time to trick-or-treat.  Wishing you a fun and safe Halloween night!