MY COVER NEEDS YOUR VOTES

23. October 2011 by admin.

Hey, y’all, my beautiful cover created by

Florina Craven of www.ThinkFlowDesign.com

is currently in 3rd place at the

YOU GOTTA READ BOOK REVIEWS COVER CONTEST.

All votes would be appreciated, so please click on

http://yougottareadcovers.blogspot.com/.

Help this gorgeaous cover get the attention it is due. Thanks!

Nancy

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1st 2 pages of DRAGON IN THE MIST

5. October 2011 by admin.

 

Here are the first two pages of my Loch Ness romance. Do not be fooled by the opening story, as this is mainly set in present day Scotland, in a small town on the banks of Loch Ness, near Urquhart Castle. 

PROLOGUE

Loch Ness, Scotland, 1816

 

“Ye dare toss up my skirts, use my body, and then casually mention ye need to return to your wife?” Sudden rage caused Nessía’s fingers to shake, and she bungled her attempt to tie the laces of her bodice.

Rage gave way to pain. Ignited by the hurtful declaration of the man she thought she loved, it grasped her heart in crushing talons.

“My love, do not chastise me. Ye want more than I can give,” Montgomery MacDonald said, his tone condescending, as if talking to a child. He smoothed his plaid and adjusted his dirk and belt.

“Love? What know ye of love?” She stood to make her way toward the door, eager to distance herself from his mockery. She had pinned all her hopes and dreams on a man not worthy of her trust or love. How blind must she be?

“Do not leave yet. Someone will see ye.” He reached out and grabbed her around the wrist.

She turned to face him, and hissed.

He dropped his arm, and stepped back.

A life-saving move.

“Why should I care who sees us? My reputation is lost. As lost as my heart and my innocence. I lay with ye because I thought I loved ye. My quest for a normal life among humans is all for naught. I see now how my foolishness has blinded me to yer ways.”

“Ye speak in riddles, love.”

Pushing away from him and the larder table, where he had so easily thrust himself inside her eager flesh, she brushed flour and grain from the back of her dress. Trembling hands swept down her apron, then smoothed loose tendrils behind her ears. Her brown braid whipped across her left shoulder as she spun and gazed at Monty, her last chance for salvation.

And freedom.

Nessía longed to explain why she succumbed to his flirtations, yet saw no advantage. His disclosure of a wife, waiting at home for him, put an end to such wishes.

“Love is for the weak, woman. My wife knows her place and is grateful for the nights I deign to lay beside her. I promised ye nothing but pleasure.” He winked at her, increasing the pain spreading through her body.

The change surged and fell upon her in a thrice, all because she had trusted a mortal man. She yanked open the door, and let the loch’s cooling breeze caress her human skin. Blood pulsed through her veins while she tamped down the rising urge to shape-shift. She turned to face him for the last time. 

“I loved ye, Monty. Can ye not see what ye have done? Have ye no conscience? I was an innocent maid. I looked up to ye, and ye took advantage.” A sob threatened to escape her swollen throat, but she kept her dignity by standing straight on her human legs. An odd sensation, to say the least.

 “Nessie, do not fool yourself. Ye felt passion, ‘tis all. ‘Tis natural. Ye did enjoy it, did ye not?” His smile did not reach his eyes. In that singular expression, she knew. He never meant to use her for more than a few minutes of passion.

One rakish eyebrow quirked under wavy hair the color of the night sky. Eyes she once considered as warm as the green grass covering the hills beside the loch each spring transformed to molten glass, as he gazed upon her chest. His actions made Nessía believe he needed to memorize each part of her.

Makes sense. He knows I shall not lay with him again.

To look at him, and his handsome features, made her human heart crumble into fine grains of sand, smaller and much finer than the muck lining the bottom of Loch Ness.

I hope you liked this! If you want to purchase this book for $2.99, it is available at Amazon, Barnes & Nobel, and Smashwords.

Nancy

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Dragon In The Mist CONTEST

8. September 2011 by admin.

In celebration of my latest book release, I am having a little contest with a great prize.

My latest release, DRAGON IN THE MIST, a Loch Ness romance, is available on-line from many bookstores. My readers will enjoy having several options for downloading. Even if you do not own a Kindle, Nook, or other e-reader, you can easily download it to your PC or laptop.

Enough of the Sales Pitch! Now for the prize. I bought this beautiful window sticker, doubled sided, with lovely colors depicting two Celtic dragons.

Here are the rules:

Click on any of the buy links below.

Read the Book Blurb which starts with the line “Life without love is not worth living.”

Pick THREE WORDS from the Book Blurb and place them in the comment box. Go ‘anonymous’ if you like. I will have your e-mail when you post the comment (not visible to the public), but it is easy to say ‘Your Name’ won.

There is NO PURCHASE NECESSARY, of course.

The contest closes Sunday Sept 11^th, 2011.

Follow me on Twitter @NLBadger. I will announce the winner on Twitter, Facebook, and in the comment section on Monday September 12^th.

AMAZON BUY LINK: http://amzn.to/nNpfNV

BARNES & NOBLE BUY LINK: http://bit.ly/pzEYYh

SMASHWORDS:    http://bit.ly/oKGRDY

ePub ISBN:  978-1-4657-1856-3

Nancy 

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DRAGON IN THE MIST Blurb & Excerpt

2. September 2011 by admin.

 

I released my Loch Ness romance, DRAGON IN THE MIST, this week!

BOOK BLURB

Life without love is not worth living.

Nessía of the Loch has lived beneath the murky water of Loch Ness since ancient times. The pain of loneliness manifests in anger so strong, the entire valley shakes with earthquakes. In 1816, a Faerie queen pleads for her to cease the tremors and rewards Nessía with a human form. To stay human, she must find love. When the man she believes she loves casts her aside, Nessía responds to the betrayal by cursing the men of the MacDonald clan with the inability to keep a woman’s love. Only an act of true selflessness will break the curse.

After centuries pass, Nessía again searches for love. When Rory Hawthorn, an American scientist, arrives under the pretext of researching the earthquakes but in reality to research his MacDonald heritage and the curse, she believes she has found the perfect mate.

Amid stolen kisses, another earthquake, a steamy night of passion, and a broken heart, Nessía returns to the murky depths of the loch. When Rory dives in to follow her, he meets the green, scaly Loch Ness Monster. Assuming Nessía is in danger, he is intent on killing the monster and saving the woman he loves.

EXCERPT

“I need a drink. And dinner,” Rory said.

“Well, sit yourself down and tell me what ye be a ‘craving,” Nessía replied.

At the sexy timbre of her voice, a certain body part surged to life. He dropped his pack and fell into a chair beside a small table. Quickly covering his lap with a ragged linen napkin, he glanced around for a menu. None. She pointed to a hand-written sign over the bar.

“Shepherd’s pie and an ale, please.”

She sauntered away. Nessía stirred his body and filled his head with the startling image of her hair, as it fanned out over his pillow. The Scottish peasant skirt, and the apron she’d tied tightly around her slim waist, displayed her generous curves.

His mouth watered.

Rory spread his legs and squirmed in his seat. His neck grew hot while his pulse drummed a staccato beat. To calm his reaction, he concentrated on curling his damp toes inside his wet socks. Uncomfortable as he watched Nessía, he couldn’t push away the raw desire he felt for her.  

Kendra and Suzie were beautiful women, as well, yet more scantily clad than Nessía. With their coy glances, sweet whispers, and touches, they broadcast their need for male companionship loud and clear. So, why wasn’t he attracted to either of them?

“No matter,” he whispered, then quieted when a couple of old-timers stared at him. He forced a bland smile and sat back against the hard chair. Steam rose from his boots as the fire’s heat wafted over him. Though his body ached, his eyelids drooped. Weariness threatened to pull him into a comfortable nap. He’d scampered over rocks and crags as well as climbed around the many levels of the castle and dreamed of Nessía.

Rory’s stomach muscles clenched and all thoughts of rest flew aside when footsteps signaled someone approaching. He snapped open his eyes, and gazed at the buxom beauty heading his way.

~~~

Nessía tripped over the hem of her dress and a steaming plate of food and a mug of foamy ale went flying. A cry of surprise filled the suddenly silent pub interior. The American with the broad shoulders and muscular calves, whose stare had startled her, jumped from his chair. He stood, still staring, covered in food.

Mac appeared at her side.

“What ye trying to do, lass? Drown the man?”

AMAZON BUY LINK:  http://amzn.to/nNpfNV

BARNES & NOBLE BUY LINK:  http://bit.ly/pzEYYh

I hope you will go check it out!

Nancy

 

 

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DRAGON IN THE MIST Cover

28. August 2011 by admin.

 

Here is the cover for my latest novella, DRAGON IN THE MIST. Using my ideas, Florina Romoser at www.ThinkFlowDesign.com created a beautiful design.

Available soon everywhere!

Nancy

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RELEASE DAY!

12. August 2011 by admin.

 

My latest novel, LOVE TO THE RESCUE, is now

available for download from

Red Rose Publishing.

BOOK BLURB

     The clashing relationship between tomboy Josie Miller and fellow paramedic-firefighter, Pete Miller, escalates after he realizes Joe is not just one-of-the-boys. Pete has a sketchy history and has earned a reputation for one-night stands in the small town of Parmenter, New Hampshire nestled between the Mercy River, the mountains, and the small college. Since he arrived a year ago, Josie suspects he is hiding something. Something too horrible to share, even with her. Working side by side, Joe loves her job, and Pete.

They respond to accident calls, medical emergencies, and fast-moving forest fires amid sparks of another kind. Joe’s clumsiness and baggy uniform work against her when she yearns to be the kind of woman Pete wants like the pretty blonde they must rescue after her car hits a moose.

Outside influences come to play when the sister of Pete’s alleged victim shows up and accuses him of something even worse…her sister’s recent death. Once on track to be a doctor, the sister’s betrayal and lies caused Pete to run far away and keep women at a distance unless they agreed to share his bed…and nothing more.

     Pete plans to skip town while Josie worries she has given her heart to a monster. A suicide note, some well-landed fists, stolen moments of love, and a desire to listen to their hearts lead these two heroes toward a climax filled with tension, pain, bloodshed, and atonement.

Check out my 1st Review fro Babs Book Bistro!

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Excerpt #3 from a Work In Progress

4. February 2011 by admin.

Here is a third excerpt from a time travel-Scottish Highland novel that I am currently shopping to agents. I call it SPELLBOUND HIGHLANDER. It is a little different from my published historical paranormal, DRAGON’S CURSE (Whispers Publishing) and I continue to incorporate historical facts into my romance. Hope you like it!         

     The scent of crushed Thyme and moist earth joined with the aroma of musk. His scent. Vulnerable, she lay sprawled beneath him, unable to speak under his wicked gaze. Haven licked her lips in anticipation.  Will he kiss me?     

     Silent as a predator before the pounce, he slid his hand past her knee toward her thigh. His other hand caressed her cheek the moment his huge body sheltered hers. He covered her completely with his rock-hard thighs and tanned arms. A sensuous groan escaped his lips when he crushed her breasts beneath his chest. The weight, the heat, the desire in his touch ignited her passion and swept away all thoughts but this. Until she recalled she had somewhere else she ought to be. What am I doing? I shouldn’t let him do this. I have to tell him to move. Soon.      

     The hand caressing her face slid over her lips. How had he known she’d planned to object?  She pulled him toward her the same time she knew their actions were a mistake. Her mind raced, yet her body failed to move away.Did she want to move away?                 A large, handsome, half-naked man had his warm hands caressing her body while her lips ached for his kiss. “Where’s the harm in that,” she muttered.                 “Love leads the way,” a low voice whispered from behind the giant. At least she thought it came from that direction, but a quick glance over his shoulder showed nothing but open sky.

     “What ‘tis wrong?” he asked as his tongue licked the trembling skin along the lacy edge of her bodice.

     “I thought I heard—”

     “Do not concern yerself, my sweet. We are alone. We are safe.”

     “How can you be sure?” Haven sighed as his mouth forced the edge of her gown lower, and his lips kissed the more sensitive skin just above her nipples.

     “My men watch my back.”

     Fighting a fainting sensation, she watched motionless as his lips rose to brush hers with unexpected tenderness in so large a man.      

     “No one here but us, love.” As Kirk claimed her mouth, pressure and heat built inside her entire being. She tasted him, drinking in his essence while her sensitive breasts strained against their bindings. Her heart beat wildly and vibrations shook her to the core. When he pulled away, she groaned.

     “Ye taste of honey and smell like fresh air and sunshine, love.” Heat emanated from his gaze, searing her inside and out. Did he burn for her as hot? Did he know she barely tamped down hysteria? One minute she is calling him names, and the next she is urging him to take her in the grass.

     “Open, sweet one,” he demanded against her mouth. Bruised lips smiled against his onslaught then complied.

     Kissing is a perfectly acceptable act between two consenting adults. Just because she’d barely kissed more than a handful of men in her twenty-five years, doesn’t mean she didn’t know how to respond. She accepted his tongue as it delved inside her mouth. Licking and tasting, his tongue left no part untouched and unloved.Loved? As she succumbed to the pleasure of his touch, she shoved virtuous thoughts to the back of her mind. A brief pang of guilt made her eyes flutter before they clamped shut as she recalled her vow to find true love. Could this man be the one? 

Hope you enjoyed this short excerpt from SPELLBOUND HIGHLANDER, my Scottish Time Travel romance. I am currently seeking representation in order to have this book published.

In the meantime, please enjoy DRAGON’S CURSE  and UNWRAPPING CHRIS, BOTH available from Whispers Publishing and Amazon. 

I also write as Nancy Lennea. Read SECRET LOVE MATCH and DESTINY’S MOUNTAIN, both avialable from Red Rose Publishing and Amazon.

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Excerpt #2 from a Work In Progress

20. January 2011 by admin.

Here is a second excerpt from a time travel-Scottish Highland novel that I am currently shopping to agents. I call it SPELLBOUND HIGHLANDER. It is a little different from my published historical paranormal, DRAGON’S CURSE (Whispers Publishing) and I continue to incorporate historical facts into my romance. Hope you like it!Nancy        

     Haven swept her skirt back down to cover her legs. Why did she feel compelled to do this? She left her ankles naked to his viewing since why should she care if he peeked at her legs. Her ankles and feet were her best feature. At least, Cal told her so. Stop thinking of that bastard!    

     “Sorry. Didn’t mean to give you a free show. My bad.”     

     “Yes, that was verra’ wicked.”A laugh popped out. He sounded like he thought she had apologized for…what?      “Please forgive me. I should have asked if it was safe to face ye.” His cheeks flushed a brilliant red, typical of those with Scottish or Irish heritage.

     On him it looks quite nice. She pulled her numbed feet from the icy current. Picking her way through the tall grass, she sat and faced the river. She locked elbows, rested on her out-stretched arms, and wiggled her toes to dry them in the sunshine. Peace settled over her as she peered out over the river. The opposite bank sported wall-to-wall pine trees with more craggy peaks rising in the distance.

     “This isn’t right,” she whispered, only now remembering his comment about high summer. Doesn’t that mean mid-summer?

     “This is September, the beginning of autumn.”

     “Nay. Harvest time is many moons hence.”

     He walked off before she could argue. Where are the changing leaves? Why isn’t this grass brown from early frost? And why won’t he let me walk alone to the main encampment? Sighing, and with a headache pinching between her eyebrows, she swished her legs right and left to dry her feet quicker, and then leaned forward to feel along the bottoms.

     “Allow me, dear lady.” Kirk knelt in front of her and gazed at the soles of her feet. One at a time, he held each in his warm, calloused palms. An immediate rush of searing heat shot up her legs, past her thighs, straight to her most vulnerable spot. Haven bit her bottom lip. Deep blue eyes under heavy, dark eyelashes refused to meet her gaze. She prayed he’d finish his observations soon, before he noticed how her body responded. Tremors skated up and down her spine while silky moisture pooled between her thighs. Breathing became nigh on impossible, but she forced her lungs to inhale when a wave of dizziness arose.

     His manly scent ravaged her senses. His aroma had changed. He’d washed, and changed clothes. No blood discolored his thick wool wrap. A subtle difference mingled with the scent of horse and leather. His breath smelled of…strawberries? But, strawberries only grow around mid-July in New Hampshire.Then she visualized the contents of the bowl of fruit she’d found in the tent. The bowl contained tiny strawberries. The aromatic tang broached the space between their bodies.

     Her lips itched to ask for an explanation, yet afraid his answer would pull her from this delicious dream. Instead, she stared intently at his hands as they massaged her sore ankles and ravaged feet.

     “Have my feet stopped bleeding?”

     “Aye.” He set each foot back on the mossy ground while one hand slid slowly up her ankle. When it stopped just below her knee, Haven’s gaze snapped upwards and connected with blue eyes grown dark as midnight. His auburn hair, a tangy mixture of red pepper and milk chocolate, fluttered in the breeze. Her stomach rumbled.A tense frown passed over his face.

     His jaw clenched. His stature, though kneeling in front of her, all but blocked the sun. Her legs spread of their own volition and he inched closer. Something in his eyes made her slowly collapse until her hair tangled with tiny twigs and tall grass.

Hope you enjoyed this!

Nancy

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Excerpt from a Work-In-Progress

13. January 2011 by admin.

Here is an excerpt from a time travel-Scottish Highland novel that I am currently shopping to agents. I call it SPELLBOUND HIGHLANDER. It is a little different from my published historical paranormal, DRAGON’S CURSE (Whispers Publishing) and I continue to incorporate historical facts into my romance. Hope you like it!

Nancy    

 Haven stood perfectly still. What would he do next? Kirk’s hand rose until it cupped her jaw. The gentle touch made her eyes widen. When he flicked his thumb over her cheek, warm tingles slid between her legs. 

     “What are you doing?” she whispered.

     “I could not allow yer beauty to be marred by the dirt dotting yer cheek.” He paused, and his eyes closed to slits. “Ye have the most adorable freckles gracing yer nose.” He grabbed several pieces of coarse linen and left the tent.    

     He likes my freckles?    

     Haven glanced down at her dress and sighed. Such a mess. Heat stained her cheeks from the shame, so she reluctantly followed Kirkwall from the tent. With her back straight, she passed his men and ignored their curious glances. Kirk and his long legs soon disappeared down a small trail.     

     She picked up the pace, shook off the pain of her injuries, and asked, “Could you point me toward the encampment? Maybe after lunch I can walk there.”     

     “Not with those feet, Haven. I am sure they pain ye, aye?” He stopped and his broad frame filled the width of the trail.

     Haven stopped abruptly. Then she noticed the silence, as if a camp full of men had vanished into the ether. I’m alone with this stranger yet I  feel…utterly safe.“Yes, my feet ache. The bleeding stopped, I think. If I can soak them, I’ll feel better. May we continue?”

     With a nod, Kirk led the way until the trees and brush thinned and opened onto the bank of a wide river. The water churned white near the center where it flowed over and around rocks and huge boulders. She approached the calmer water’s edge then noticed some yellow and white flowers growing in a profusion of weeds. “Chamomile?”

     “Are ye in a mood for picking flowers?”

     “Only when I can add them to my medicinal collection,” she muttered.Kirk stood with his massive arms crossed over his naked chest and glanced down-river. His casual stance did not detract from the feel of his eyes on her. He glanced upstream and she watched as he scouted the area.“Are you watching for those men?” Haven slipped a large handful of petals into her pocket. She bunched up her skirt and sat close to the edge. As soon as she placed her swollen feet into the clear water along the bank, she whimpered.

     “What be wrong?” he asked without turning toward her.

     “It’s so cold!” Shivers raced up her legs from its icy touch.

     “Aye, creeks and rivers never get any warmer and this is high summer. And yes, I must watch for those men. Since we came from the other direction, chances are they will not venture this way. The river is wide and the water too dangerous for man or beast to attempt a crossing.”

     Kirk bent to pick up a rock.Haven inhaled and clamped her knees together. From waist to knee, his sculpted body called to her from beneath his odd-looking kilt. She blinked. Both calf muscles stretched and popped as he rose then flung the flat stone across the water. Skip, skip, skip. Just like my heartbeat. Devil’s own luck! Why must he be so gorgeous?

     “We do no’ carry bathing soap nor fine linens to dry with, my lady—I mean, Haven. The water is clean and the sun will dry ye fast enough.” He passed her a small square of linen to scrub with then returned to the riverbank. He stared northward.

     At least, he had told her it was north. She washed the grime from her face and neck then asked, “What do you mean by high summer?”  As she waited for an answer, she raised her hem and scrubbed the dirt from her feet and ankles. Maybe I should have mixed a sunscreen potion. My pale skin is in jeopardy. “I didn’t realize my bodice dipped so low my breasts are in danger of popping out,” she muttered.  A strangled cough leapt from his direction. He’d heard her? Exceptional hearing and big muscles? Pulling the corner of her petticoat up to her waist, she untied the gold sash then tied it around her hair. She shook her ponytail, enjoying the cool air now able to reach the nape of her neck. She removed the cloth from the burn and smiled at healthy, pink skin high on her thigh.Sensing a presence, she swung toward the giant.

     He stared, open-mouthed.   

Hope you enjoyed this!

Nancy Lee Badger

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UNWRAPPING CHRIS DEBUT!

3. December 2010 by admin.

Today is release day for my contemporary military romance, UNWRAPPING CHRIS. This is a short, sexy, story of regrets and forgivness. It takes place on a ficticious North Carolina army base and  ends at a friend’s Chrismas Eve wedding. Hot, spicy, and delicious!

Here is the book blurb:

 Army widow Jayne Rockwell searches for a secure future for her and her two daughters. Staff Sergeant Christopher Hawkins regrets leaving young Jayne eight years ago to go off to war. A crash encounter a week before Christmas thrusts these two lonely people back into each other’s lives once more.

Jayne must learn to trust a man who disappeared with her heart. Chris must overcome the guilt of taking her innocence, and then leaving her heartbroken and alone.

A Christmas wedding brings them closer when Jayne spies him as a groomsman in Highland dress, complete with kilt. He cannot keep his eyes off the woman in green velvet wearing a wedding ring. Accusations, explanations, and remorse leads to a love that erupts among candlelight, Christmas carols, and a dark room. Who needs mistletoe?

Read a free funny excerpt at Whispers Publishing at http://bit.ly/eGmOQI
Availalbe REALLY soon at Amazon.com for Kindle!

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