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Archive for July 2010

DRAGONS Descend on Orlando

I am leaving soon to attend my second Romance Writers of America annual conference. Last year, I took the train along with fellow local chapter members. We met in Washington, DC. with over 1,000 other writers; hopefulls, newly published, and NY Times best sellers, to perfect our craft and rub elbows. The experience was awesome and a bit frightening. I wore my ‘First Timers’ ribbon uneasily. At my age? And among all these strangers who probably knew a lot more about the publishing business than me.

This year, we are meeting in Orlando, Florida. We had  planned on Nashville, TN but flooding damaged the convention center, so there you go. I am driving part way to my roomie’s home then heading down, three of us in her minivan. This year I will proudly wear a ‘First Sale’ribbon! I have also signed up for some volunteer duties and will represent my chapter at the Chapter Leadership meeting.

I hope to meet several members of two on-line RWA chapters. Speaking via e-mails and in chat rooms will have more appeal once I can put faces to names. I hope to talk about kilts and Scottish dragons with members of the Celtic Heart Romance Writers. I will share paranormal story plots with members of the Fantasy-Futuristic & Paranormal Romance Writers.

I have had two e-books books released in the last month. One is a contemporary romance (under the pen name Nancy Lennea) and the other is my debut Scottish historical paranormal. I have a romantic suspense scheduled for release on September 30th. This has been a banner year and I look forward to more exciting news.

My greatest need right now, I feel, is to acquire an agent. I have a three book series I am working on. SPELLBOUND HIGHLANDER is also a Scottish historical with witches, time travels, and handsome Highlanders. Wish me luck! If you see me at nationals, please say “Hi!”

Nancy Lee Badger w/a Nancy Lennea

SECRET LOVE MATCH available now at www.redrosepublishing.com

DESTINY’S MOUNTAIN coming September 30th 2010 from Red Rose Publishing

DRAGON’S CURSE available now from www.whispershome.com and www.amazon.com for Kindle

BOOK BLURB

Sometimes a special gift and an unwanted curse cannot keep destined lovers apart.Brianna Macleod has accompanied a shipload of her guardian’s friends to a remote island off the coast of Scotland. She eludes these Highland hunters to keep her innocence…and her gift of sight. Her attitude against falling for womanly desires changes when she nearly drowns. Saved by the talons of a terrifying winged beast, she awakens—naked—in a cave, beside an unusual man.Cursed by a vengeful witch to transform into a dragon at inopportune times, Draco MacDonald hides on this deserted island to live alone: until he plucks a servant girl from certain death. Fueled by jealousy, and tempered by fear for her safety, he succumbs to an unfamiliar desire to mate. Her kisses propel him to dare to make her his own.Set in 1592 Scotland on the Scottish island of Staffa, the cursed hero battles a ghostly witch, a hunter set on rape, and his own growing desire for a young woman with premonitions of his death. 

EXCERPT 

The urge to hunt finally propelled him from his sanctuary as he pondered why the witch neglected to provide night vision. He flicked his tail at the indignity of hunting at dusk, but such was life. He kept his distance from the hunting party, which was safely ensconced in tents for the night. With his astute sense of smell, their fetid stench filled the air while his nostrils flared in search of Brianna’s fragrance. “To see her once more would go far in giving me the comfort of a good night’s sleep.” His words came out as a growl. Under his scales, muscles quivered.He dipped below the cliff face as he swooped and glided, flapping his thin, leathery wings now and then to keep his bulk above the sea. He had filled his belly with two seals, and then plucked a seabird, that had the misfortune to fly too slowly, from the sky. Both filled his mouth with a taste of the salty waves, so he searched out his favorite fountain. With a few flaps, he lunged at the small cascade tumbling from the top of the rock face. He soared below the cliff’s rock-strewn edge, gulping mouthful upon mouthful of fresh water. After filling his belly to cool his throat, he roared with delight. After returning his kisses, Brianna banished him to the silence of his own imagination. Then, he recalled Jean’s laughter when he kissed her under a tree.Had she compared him to another? Possibly Lorn, I should imagine.Had she played him for a fool? Did she purposely lead him astray to fill Lorn with jealousy?When Draco kissed Brianna, her sweet body leaned into his chest. Her delicate fingertips caressed his hair and shoulders with honest need and unabashed passion. His human body, hidden beneath scales and claws, throbbed with a yearning he never dared to feel again. His time with Jean never progressed beyond light kisses. He would spend the remainder of his years alone. Catching an updraft, he flew up and over the cliff and froze in midair when the object of his thoughts suddenly screamed. Brianna actually screamed at him. Her voice filled the night air with her terror. The vibration made his wings falter, and he tumbled end over end toward the sea.His last conscious thought was guilt at the trembling in her voice and the look of fear plastered on her pale face. 

Please Vote for DRAGON’S CURSE!

Dear readers;

My book cover for DRAGON’S CURSE is in a contest on the popular blog & review site, YOU GOTTA READ. Traci Markou did a fantastic job of pulling together all the pieces of information I shared in order to come up with a strikingly beautiful cover for my debut Scottish historical paranormal romance. I am proud of the cover and accepted the first proof she showed me!Please honor Traci and my publisher, who hired us both, by voting for us at

                                                  http://yougottareadcovers.blogspot.com/

Please hurry! Voting ends soon!

Many thanks,

Nancy Lee BadgerDRAGON’S CURSE available now at www.WhispersHome.com

and at www.Amazon.com for Kindle

Writer Inspiration & Highland Games

HIGHLAND GAMES

Bagpipes, the Loch Ness Monster, castles, whisky, the Highland moors…these things instantly bring to mind small—yet steeped in history—Scotland. Many American and Canadian citizens can trace their roots back to Scotland and some of these people celebrate these relationships by organizing, volunteering at, and attending Highland games. When I first met the man I was destined to marry, his grandfather and father had already done immense research into their Scottish ancestry. Both a grandfather and grandmother hailed from clans, in this case Gunn and MacBean. We have attended the New Hampshire Highland Games from the time they started back in 1975. In the early 1980s, my husband began his long stint as volunteer. I stayed home with the boys until the youngest showed an interest in his Scottish lineage, then also volunteered. Marching bands, odd looking food, and colorfully dressed kilts amid the spectacular fall foliage of the New Hampshire’s White Mountains makes for a memorable day.The NH games has turned into an annual three day event, now visited by over 40,000 people! We volunteer as a family and, even though my husband and I moved to the south, we still travel to the NH games annually where we offer our service in the information tent. Our sons join us there to help us sell official programs, hand out maps and schedules of events, and sell raffle tickets, the proceeds of which fund scholarships.This annual celebration has turned into a major undertaking and the Board of Directors and office staff work tirelessly to coordinate the many entertainment venues, clan representatives, venders of food and goods, and hundreds of volunteers, in order to bring the sights, sounds, and flavors of Scotland to New England.Volunteering every hour of the three days is too much to ask of anyone, since there is so much to do and see, so my husband and I gather several hardy individuals to share the load. This affords everyone with time to either go watch the sheep dog trials, taste the shortbread, scones, bridies,  meat pies, shop the venders, or listen to rock bands. No one wants to miss the athletes as they toss the caber, a tree length wooden pole.

Many states, communities, and organizations host their own Highland games and these games welcome everyone…a Scottish lineage or kilt are not required! If you enjoy harps, bagpipes, Highland dance, wonderful food and a sea of brightly colored wool (and is there anything more sexy than a man in a kilt?) please visit a Highland games or Scottish festival soon. Here are a few links that will help you on your way. If you visit the New Hampshire Highland games in Lincoln, NH Sept. 17, 18, 19 2010 please stop by the information tent and say “Hi.” My family and I will be busy helping out.

Check out these links:  

The New Hampshire Highland Games in NH   www.nhscot.org.

The Grandfather Mountain Games in NC  www.gmhg.org

Central Florida Scottish Highland Games www.flascot.com

Pacific Northwest Scottish Highland Games in WA www.sshga.org

Celtic Roots Festival in Ontario  www.celticfestival.ca/

The Maine Highland Games in ME www.mainehighlandgames.org

The Vermont Highland Games in VT www.quecheescottishfestival

These are only a few of the festivals available in the United States and Canada.

For a little more on the historical aspect of the games, read my article

HIGHLAND GAMES: THEN AND NOW:   http://bit.ly/bJXkR8

Nancy Lee Badger writes fulltime and lives with her husband in Raleigh, NC. She loves everything Scottish. She is a member of Romance Writers of America, Heart of Carolina Romance Writers, Fantasy-Futuristic & Paranormal Romance Writers, and Celtic Heart Romance Writers. She is celebrating the release of her Scottish historical DRAGON’S CURSE available from Whispers Publishing.

Buy Link: http://bit.ly/93hRiM   Also available as a Kindle download at Amazon.com.

Visit her website: www.nancyleebadger.com, and her blog www.RescuingRomance.nancyleebadger.com For excerpts and more information.

Nancy will be attending the Grandfather Mountain Highland Games in North Carolina July 8th through July 11th 2010 and hopes to see you there. She’ll be the one busy scribbling in her notebook while sitting under the Clan Gunn or Clan MacBean tents.

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