Christmas is coming early for one lucky winner, and the grand prize haul includes gifts from 40 authors! 7 gift cards, 17 paperbacks (most autographed), a light diffuser and essential oil collection, a T-shirt, 2 literary-themed mugs, Godiva chocolate, 3 gorgeous pieces of jewelry, book-themed ornaments, a book tote, and swag galore from some of your favorite authors. A signed paperback of my new release, Night of the Owl, is part of the haul.
Enter Nov 7-27 for your chance to win! Then pull in your own book haul with page-turning reads from the book fair. Ebooks in all romance genres, 2.99 or less, or FREE. While you’re shopping, play the scavenger hunt game with a bonus gift box of holiday goodies up for grabs!
This giveaway is sponsored by the authors listed below:
Amanda Uhl • Amy Knupp • Angelica Kate • Angelica R. Jackson • Aubrey Wynne • Brooke Warren • C.D. Gorri • Calinda B • Callie Bardot • Crystal Dawn • DB McNicol • Debbie White • E.B. Black • Eichin Chang-Lim • Eliza Watson • Elizabeth Rose • Ellen Mint • Em Petrova • G.K. Brady • Holly Cortelyou • Jacqueline Diamond • Jennifer Wilck • Joanne Dannon • Josie Riviera • Judith Sterling • Karina Kantas • Kat Drennan • Kat Samuels • Kerry Blaisdell • Leeann Betts • Linda Mooney • Lori Herter • Lucy Lakestone • Melissa McClone • Michelle Dalton • Michelle Jo Quinn • Mona Sedrak • Nikki Lynn Barrett • Penelope Wylde • Renee Ann Miller • S.L. Sterling • Sabrina Kade • Soraya Naomi • Stephanie Queen • Stormy Legend • Susan Jean Ricci • Tammy Andresen • Tana Stone • Theresa Paolo • Tracy Ellen • Zoe Dawson • Aileen Harkwood
My new release, Night of the Owl, just received a five-star review from N. N. Light’s Book Heaven! Here’s a snippet:
Night of the Owl is a sweeping, romantic time travel adventure and the best book of the series. In the same vein as Jude Deveraux’s A Knight in Shining Armor, Judith Sterling weaves an intoxicating romance between an independent modern-day heroine and a medieval ahead-of-his-time hero. The intricate historical backdrop is impressive and added to the richness of the story. She brings such detail to this historical time period, I could smell, taste, and feel everything the characters experience…The ending was incredible. My heart beat a staccato and I might have swooned a bit. Okay, a lot…If you love time travel romance, like Outlander, you’ll fall in love with Night of the Owl.
To read the whole review, click here. For buy links, click here.
Calling all readers! Fill your library with N. N. Light’s Book Heaven’s Snuggle Up With These Books Readathon picks. 56 books from multiple genres featured plus a chance to win one of the following:
~ $50 Amazon (US) or Barnes and Noble Gift Card
~ $50 Amazon (US) or Barnes and Noble Gift Card
~ $25 Amazon (US) or Barnes and Noble Gift Card
~ $15 Amazon (US) or Barnes and Noble Gift Card
~ $10 Amazon (US) or Barnes and Noble Gift Card
I’m thrilled to be a part of this event. My new release, Night of the Owl, will be featured on November 27th. I even talk about what I’m thankful for this year. You won’t want to miss it.
Bookmark this bookish party and tell your friends:
In other news, author Sherry Ewing is featuring Night of the Owl on her First Kiss Friday Blog today. You can read an excerpt (the scene in which the hero and heroine first kiss), and there’s a giveaway! You could win a copy of the book. Check it out here.
Today’s the day: the worldwide release of my time travel romance Night of the Owl, the fourth of The Novels of Ravenwood. N. N. Light’s Book Heaven and The Captivating Quill are both spotlighting the book today. Click on the links to read more.
The hero and heroine’s mutual love of history reflects my husband’s and mine. You might say history brought us together because right around the same time, each of us decided independently to move from different parts of the country to Virginia, specifically to seek work at Colonial Williamsburg. Nowadays, we work (respectively) at The House of the Seven Gables and The Witch House here in Salem, MA. There’s a lot of both of us in Night of the Owl. That’s why the release date is perfect; today is our 19th wedding anniversary. As if that isn’t enough, I wore my hair almost exactly like the cover model’s on the big day. Neither my publisher nor the cover artist knew about either coincidence. Pretty cool, right?!
Here’s a little about the story:
PhD student Ardyth Nightshade has renounced men and pursues her twentieth-century career with single-minded focus. When fate whisks her to medieval England, she meets her match in a man whose passions mirror her own. Can she sacrifice ambition for a love she never sought?
Hugh, Lord Seacrest confounds all who know him. He refuses to marry without a meeting of minds and hearts, and no lady has even approached his ideal…until Ardyth. But she’s an odd one, with unique skills, shocking habits, and total conviction she needs no man. She also harbors secrets, and in the midst of rumors, plots, and murder, trust is fragile.
A woman outside of her time. A man ahead of his. They must take a leap of faith to forge a bond that will shape history.
A peek between the pages:
Ardyth looked from one tunnel entrance to the next, and then the next. The ledge in front of them was substantial. It ran along the rock wall to the right, all the way to the mouth of the cave, winding around it to continue along the outer cliff.
Again, she pointed. “Where does that lead?”
“Shouldn’t you be doffing your clothes?”
Her eyes narrowed. “In other words, you don’t intend to answer my question.”
He grinned. “Clever, aren’t you?”
She returned his smile. “I like to think so.”
“If you’re stalling because you cannot swim—”
“Oh, I can swim.” She could hardly wait to feel the cool water on her skin.
He folded his arms, and his intense, gray eyes held a dare. “Then show me.”
“Hold this.” She handed him the folded smock. Get ready to eat crow, buddy! Quickly, she removed her boots, hose, and tunics. When only her thin, white chemise remained, she stole a peek at her skeptical host. He stared at her bare feet.
She sighed. “I know. My feet are hardly attractive. In fact, I’ve always thought my toes resemble…”
He raised his eyebrows. “What?”
Astronauts. But I can’t tell you that. “Nothing.”
His eyebrows settled again, but the orbs beneath them seemed to glow with a new light. “I beg to differ with your opinion. Your feet are quite…lovely.”
She almost laughed, until heat flooded her cheeks. I’m blushing? “Thank you,” she muttered. With an inward groan, she started toward the water. For crying out loud! He only complimented your feet. Your pale, crazy, NASA-evoking feet. Get a grip!
The ocean breeze caught the hem of her smock as she stepped into the surf. Foamy water—colder than she would’ve liked—enveloped her feet. Thank God for the heat of the sun! But this was the closest she’d come to a bath in days, and she was determined to prove her skills to the man who underestimated her at every turn. She waded forward, and the brisk, undulating water swallowed her calves, knees, thighs, and hips.
“Lady Ardyth!”
She turned. Her dry smock in his hands, Hugh stood with feet well apart on the wet sand.
“You needn’t prove your courage further!” he called above the lapping, swishing voice of the sea. “Come back before—”
“Courage isn’t the point! Swimming is!” The level of the surrounding water lowered to her thighs, signaling a coming wave.
She turned just as it crested and dove headfirst into it. Completely submerged in the chill, rushing water, she headed left and allowed herself to rise to the surface. She swam freestyle for several strokes, then flipped onto her back and floated with abandon. After a minute or two, she flipped over, and swam in the opposite direction. Then she stood with the water at her ribs, waited for the next wave, and indulged in bodysurfing, which carried her with a whoosh back toward shore.
Satisfied, she straightened, knee-deep in the water. Her wet chemise clung to her frame, and she knew Lord Seacrest was getting a lordly eyeful. Her nipples were rock-hard from the cold.
She rolled her eyes toward the bright, blue sky. My kingdom for a bra! And throw in a pair of underwear, too! But both articles of clothing were back at Nihtscua and not likely to appear anytime soon. For the first time since plunging into the surf, she regarded Hugh.
Eyes wide, her dry smock clutched in his hands, he stood as if frozen. Only his gaze moved, traveling from her breasts to the apex of her thighs.
She pulled the smock away from her flesh as best she could and advanced toward him, stopping an arm’s length away. “I told you I could swim.”
He blinked. Then his full, sensual lips curled into a smile. “Indeed, you did.”
“And?”
“And what?”
“You’ve doubted me twice already. Perhaps you owe me an apology.”
His eyes widened, then relaxed. “Perhaps I do. Pray…forgive me.”
The words couldn’t have come easily, and the fact he’d said them made her grin. “I forgive you. This time. But I ask respectfully that you not underestimate me again.”
For two seconds, he hesitated. “ʼTis a reasonable request, and I shall endeavor to honor it.” He gave her a quizzical look. Then he shook his head and chuckled. “Is there anything you cannot do?”
She thought for a moment. “I’ve never ridden aside. If I’m going to ride something, I spread my legs.” The instant the words left her mouth, she cringed inside. Good God. That came out all wrong!
Humor curved his lips, but his eyes smoldered. Did his thoughts mirror hers? He took a step closer, and his masculine aura invaded her personal space. “Tell me more.”
If that piques your interest, here’s where you can buy the book:
I’m thrilled to have another sister Rose (published by The Wild Rose Press) here today. Please welcome Linda Nightingale! Her latest book, Sinners’ Opera, was released on October 7. Let’s get to know her…
At what age did you write your first story?
I always told my friends stories from the age of about 8 and thought of scenarios that we could play, like raking leaves to form a house, then being princesses or housewives. Big jump, right? Not for us. The first story I remember writing was in 9th grade in place of a book report. It was sci-fi about an alien discovered on Earth and his flight from his captors. He had silver-pink hair. (Hey, he’d be right in style today.)
Which genre was the first to hook you?
Romance and sci-fi.
What was your first published book?
My first book was Gemini Rising, which deals with a very sensitive, taboo for the most part subject. I wrote it because the characters woke me up one Sunday after a night on Miami Beach, and I wrote the first pages in purple on a legal pad. (Oh, no, purple prose!) A Canadian publisher picked it up, and it did fairly well considering the subject.
Sounds intriguing. What’s your favorite part of the writing process? Brainstorming? Research? Outlining? Writing? Editing?
Easy. Writing. I’m not keen on research or editing but I love the white hot stream of creativity that flows from your fingers when the words are coming faster than you can type.
What are you working on now?
A companion story to Sinners’ Opera. In The Piano Man, Morgan is playing in a smoky piano bar, and in walks a love from his WWII days as a dashing RAF pilot flying night raids over Germany. Of course, our vampire hero hasn’t changed a bit. It goes back to the WWII story, then finishes in early 2005.
Cool! Of all the settings you’ve used (or created!) for your books, which is your favorite?
Charleston, SC. Charleston is my favorite city in the US. It was founded during the reign of Charles II and also ties to Morgan. A trip down the beautiful Battery takes you back to the Civil War with the cannons at White Point Gardens, and the gorgeous Antebellum mansions.
My great-grandmother lived in Charleston, so I went there as a little girl. A beautiful place! If you could have a conversation with anyone—dead or alive—who would it be?
Charles II of England. He was banished when his father was executed by Oliver Cromwell, but in 1660, he was restored to the throne by invitation. His court was known for being rowdy and a bit lascivious.
If you could step inside any book or series and live there for a week, which would you choose?
Probably either Game of Thrones or Outlander.
If a fairy godmother appeared and offered you one thing—anything at all—what would you request?
Enough money to live very comfortably for the rest of my life and have more left to will to my sons.
That’s a wish I share! Now, it’s time to learn some of your favorites…
Sound:The purr of Jaguar E-type exhausts.
Eye color:Blue
Foreign language (whether or not you speak it!):French
Song:“Phantom of the Opera”
Book:Fever Dream by George R.R. Martin
Movie:The Libertine with Johnny Depp
TV show:Game of Thrones
Cuisine: Indian
Cookie:Macadamia
US location:Charleston, SC
Foreign location:Yorkshire, UK, where my son lives.
I love that area of England and long to go back one day. Most of my upcoming release, Night of the Owl, takes place there! Okay…last but not least, list your preference from the following choices:
Tea or coffee?Coffee
Cake or pie?Cake
Halloween or Christmas?Hard choice.
I know; I love them both. Nancy Drew or Sherlock Holmes?Neither.
Jane Austen or the Brontë sisters?Jane Austen
A mortal, vampire, ghost, or fae for a lover?mortal
English gent, Scottish highlander, European count, or all-American guy?English lord
Thanks so much for joining me today, Linda. Best of luck with Sinners’ Opera! Now, here’s the scoop on the book:
Morgan D’Arcy is an English lord, a classical pianist, and a vampire. He has everything except what he desires most—Isabeau. As the Angel Gabriel he’s steered her life and career choice, preparing her to become Lady D’Arcy. Many forces oppose Morgan’s daring plan—not the least of which is Vampyre law.
Isabeau Gervase is a brilliant geneticist Though she no longer believes in angels, she sees a ticket to a Nobel Prize in Gabriel’s secrets—secrets that have led her to a startling conclusion. Gabriel isn’t human, and she fully intends to identify the species she named the Angel Genome. Morgan is ready to come back into Isabeau’s life, but this time as a man not an angel. Will he outsmart his enemies, protect his beloved and escape death himself? For the first time in eternity, the clock is ticking.
A peek between the pages:
“Run, Mary,” I panted, shoving her. “For God’s sake, run.”
Her hands branded my shoulders. Need coursed through me.
Her brow puckered. “How did you know my name?”
“You look like a Mary,” I gasped, trying to crawl away. “Bloody hell, run, woman.”
Saliva broke beneath my tongue. My heart thundered like a cavalry charge. Fever stung my veins. Instinct twisted me around to face my salvation and my damnation. My lips parted to reveal the one unmistakable characteristic of my kind.
“Fangs.” She recoiled, clutching her cross. “Lord Jesus, save me from this demon.”
I knelt in front of my savior, bowed my head over her heaving breasts to touch the cross to my lips. “Too late to run, too late to hide, and Mary dearest, your cross won’t save you.”
I held her gaze, a slow smile parting my lips. Her eyes clouded, jaw slackening. Too weak to command my more esoteric powers, I could still mesmerize my prey. It was just too bloody easy. Vampires are the perfect predators. But I had a choice. Didn’t I?
“What’s your name?” She inhaled a long, slow breath, toying with my hair. “You’re as beautiful as an angel.”
Another wave of misery broke over me. She wasn’t the only one who thought I looked like an angel.
Once, the woman I love—the woman who didn’t love me—believed I was an angel.
“My name is Morgan.” I couldn’t bring myself to say my second name, an angel’s name.
Mary ran her finger down my cheek. “Pretty name, Morgan.”
So simply, the seductive dance that would end in death began.
After 14 years in Texas, Linda just returned home to her roots in South Carolina. She has seven published novels, five of which are available from Audible.com in audio. Breeding and showing Andalusians, she’s seen a lot of this country from the windshield of a truck pulling a horse trailer. She has won several writing awards, including the Georgia Romance Writers’ Magnolia Award and the SARA Merritt. She retired from a career as a legal assistant at MD Anderson Cancer Center to write full time.
She has 2 wonderful sons—one in Texas; one in England—and 4 equally marvelous grandchildren.
She enjoys dressing up and hosting formal dinner parties!
Night of the Owl, the fourth of The Novels of Ravenwood, is now available for preorder. Release day for this time travel romance is October 21, and I’m so excited to share it with you. Preorder your copy today!
And now through October 17, the first three books in The Novels of Ravenwood series are on sale for only 99 cents. This is your chance to catch up on the story before the fourth book’s release!
The worldwide release date for Night of the Owl, the fourth of The Novels of Ravenwood, will be October 21, 2019! It happens to be my husband’s and my 19th wedding anniversary and smack dab in the middle of Salem, MA’s busiest season! Because I work at The Witch House and my husband works at The House of the Seven Gables, we’ll be right in the thick of things!
Speaking of Salem, author Kathryn Hills has written a wonderful post about it. I’m one of the Salem residents she featured, and you can read it here.
That’s all for now. I’ll let you know when Night of the Owl is available for preorder. And I should have news about The Sword Unsheathed, the third book in my Guardians of Erin YA paranormal fantasy series, soon.
I can finally reveal the cover for the book I finished writing in January! A big thanks to cover artist Debbie Taylor. Here’s the scoop on the story itself:
PhD student Ardyth Nightshade has renounced men and pursues her twentieth-century career with single-minded focus. When fate whisks her to medieval England, she meets her match in a man whose passions mirror her own. Can she sacrifice ambition for a love she never sought?
Hugh, Lord Seacrest confounds all who know him. He refuses to marry without a meeting of minds and hearts, and no lady has even approached his ideal…until Ardyth. But she’s an odd one, with unique skills, shocking habits, and total conviction she needs no man. She also harbors secrets, and in the midst of rumors, plots, and murder, trust is fragile.
A woman outside of her time. A man ahead of his. They must take a leap of faith to forge a bond that will shape history.
I should have a release date soon, and I’m currently writing the fifth and final book in the series, Return of the Raven. Time travel features largely in that one, too.
Well, that’s all for now. Wishing you a beautiful Thursday! 🙂
Welcome back to Medieval Monday! Today, I’m sharing the final snippet of my “Bad Guy” excerpt. Hard to believe this round of Medieval Monday is almost over!
Remember to leave a comment below for a chance to win digital copies of the first three books in The Novels of Ravenwood series. If I choose your name, you’ll get the full story so far, and you’ll be all set for its continuation in my upcoming release, Night of the Owl(The Novels of Ravenwood, Book 4). I’ll announce the winner next Monday, September 9.
In last week’s snippet, Father Cedric of Ravenwood arrived on the scene just in time to cut short Archdeacon Dominy’s intimidation of Lady Constance. Here’s what happens next:
Constance held her breath. Dominy threw her a scornful look over his shoulder, then left without another word. As if on cue, the sun shone through the window, and the chapel brightened.
She could breathe again. “Thank you…Father Cedric, is it?”
The priest nodded. “And you’re Lady Constance. Lady Ravenwood informed me of your arrival. Do forgive my cousin. He can be…difficult.”
You’ve no idea how difficult! “Did he tell you why he’s here?”
“Given our history, I expect he came to gloat about his recent elevation to the archdeaconship.”
“How long will he stay?”
Depression overtook Cedric’s features. “Through St. John’s Eve.”
“But that’s more than a month away!”
He shrugged. “Apparently, he wants to grace us with his presence on the feast day. But let’s not dwell on our trials. ’Tis quite fine out, and the orchard is in full bloom. Would your ladyship accompany me thither?”
The priest was a kind soul, through and through. She could sense it.
“I’d be happy to, Father.”
Constance has escaped the archdeacon’s clutches…for now. But as I’m sure you’ve guessed, Dominy has a lot more up his proverbial sleeve.
A little more about Shadow of the Swan:
Lady Constance de Bret was determined to be a nun, until shadows from the past eclipsed her present. Marriage is the safest option, but she insists on a spiritual union, in which physical intimacy is forbidden. Not so easy with a bridegroom who wields unparalleled charm! But a long-buried secret could taint his affection and cloak her in shadow forever.
Back from the Crusades, Sir Robert le Donjon craves a home of his own and children to inherit it. From the moment he meets Constance, he feels a mysterious bond between them. When she’s threatened, he vows to protect her and agrees to the spiritual marriage, with the hope of one day persuading her to enjoy a “real” one. She captivates him but opens old wounds and challenges everything he thought he believed.
Two souls in need of healing. Two hearts destined to beat as one.
I’ve had a lot of deadlines lately! August 1, I sent my editor the completed manuscript of The Sword Unsheathed, the third book in my Guardians of Erin young adult paranormal fantasy series.
Two days ago, I turned in the final galley for Night of the Owl, the fourth of The Novels of Ravenwood medieval romance series. I hope to reveal the cover for that book soon!
Today, I’m working all day at The Witch House (the 17th-century home of Jonathan Corwin, one of the 9 judges during the Salem Witch Trials of 1692). But tomorrow, I’ll be listening to–and marking corrections for–18 chapters’ worth of audio files for the audiobook of The Stone Awakened, the RONE Award-nominated second book in my Guardians of Erin series.
So there’s a lot going on! I’ll have more news soon. In the meantime, I’m wishing you a lovely day and week ahead. 🙂
