Doune Castle Photos

Hi, everyone! On my recent trip to Scotland, I was happy to get to tour Doune Castle. Here are some of my favorite photos from it.



Courtyard



Kitchen


Great Hall with brazier.


Great Hall

Great Hall

Great Hall

The Lord's Hall

The Lord's Hall


View from wall walk.

View from wall walk.

Wall walk.

Wall walk and ramparts.




Thank you for checking out my pics!!
Vonda
www.vondasinclair.com

Introducing Anna Lund!

As Natasha Moore, I haven't been writing much erotic romance lately. I've been focusing on my contemporary royal romances with a little beach romance thrown in on the side. I love these books, but I also enjoy writing the really sexy, out there kinds of romance, and I didn't want to give that up. I've signed a contract with Blushing Books, a long-established erotic romance publisher and we decided I should go with a new pen name

Say hello to Anna Lund!

People often ask how I come up with a pen name, so I thought I'd answer that right off the bat. Anna was the name my second child was going to be...if he'd been a girl. But the name never was used, so I thought it was a good time to use it now. Lund is a shortened version of my real life maiden name. So Anna Lund it is.

I'm just beginning to set up my social media accounts. I don't have a website up yet, but I do have a Facebook author page if you want to "like" it. I'm going to keep the pen names separate, but there's no reason to keep the connection a secret.

My first Anna Lund book should be coming out within the next month or so. I'll share the cover and the official release date once I have them. Right now I'm having fun writing the next book in the series.

Check back here for more news on both Natasha Moore and Anna Lund. And I'll keep writing!

Natasha
www.natashamoore.com

Rainbows in Scotland and Goodreads Giveaway! & 99 Cent USD Preorder Price!

Magical Rainbow, mist and reflection of Eilean Donan Castle in loch
Magical Rainbow, mist and reflection of Eilean Donan Castle in loch
I thought how pretty the mist was the morning we left and was happily taking pictures when I realized a misty rainbow arched over the castle. Funny thing was the day before, I’d said how it would be fun to capture a rainbow over a castle.  And we’d never seen Eilean Donan in the mist either, so I thought that was just so pretty, mystical, and fairy-like.
Rainbow over mountains
Rainbow over mountains
We saw another rainbow while we were on a bus, but not sure mine came out. Couldn’t find it. It was amazing that with all the clouds, mist, and sun, we didn’t see more. But I was glad we saw a few.


Found it on my phone. We saw this one from the bus in Edinburgh.
rainbow over Scotland off bus window

A rainbow makes everyday a little more magical.

And a Goodreads Book Giveaway! A Silver Wolf Christmas release is coming soon!!
Goodreads Book Giveaway
A Silver Wolf Christmas by Terry Spear
A Silver Wolf Christmas
by Terry Spear
Giveaway ends October 05, 2015.
See the giveaway details
at Goodreads.
Enter Giveaway
https://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/widget/154598


And the Preorder price of 99 cents for Taming the Wild Cougar will soon be over:


Taming the Wild Cougar WEB 05082015
Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/books/1122410324?ean=2940152058949
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Taming-Wild-Cougar-Heart-Book-ebook/dp/B012PQGRUS
Amazon UK:http://www.amazon.co.uk/Taming-Wild-Cougar-Heart-Book-ebook/dp/B012PQGRUS
Amazon CA: http://www.amazon.ca/Taming-Wild-Cougar-Heart-Book-ebook/dp/B012PQGRUS/
Amazon AU:http://www.amazon.com.au/Taming-Wild-Cougar-Heart-Book-ebook/dp/B012PQGRUS/
Kobo: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/taming-the-wild-cougar
iBook https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/taming-the-wild-cougar/id1035143561

So be sure to get yours before the special price ends! 

Have a great day! 
Terry
“Giving new meaning to the term alpha male where fantasy is reality.”
Connect with Terry Spear:
Website: http://www.terryspear.com
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/421434.Terry_Spear
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TerrySpearParanormalRomantics
Twitter: https://twitter.com/TerrySpear
Wilde & Woolly Bears http://www.celticbears.com

The amazing English language

As an author, I try to make every written word I use vital to the story I’m telling. That’s because I can still remember being carried away by books when I was young girl. Can you remember the first book you ever read? I’m sure it was magical. Stories can take us to new worlds, broaden our minds, allow us to fall in love with people we don’t even know. All through the use of the right words.

The English language is pretty amazing, and some words do double and triple duty (and sometimes even more than that). But every now and then, it’s fun to get silly with English words. Like with the word “up.” Someone recently sent me this funny-but-true email I thought I’d share with you. I have no idea who originated this (or who did the research) but kudos to them:

“UP. This tiny, two-letter word can be a noun, verb, adjective, adverb or preposition.

It's easy to understand “up” meaning toward the sky or at the top of the list, but when we wake in the morning, why do we wake “up?”   

At a meeting, why does a topic come “up?”  Why do we speak “up” and why are the officers “up” for election? And why is it “up” to the secretary to write “up” a report?

We call “up” our friends, brighten “up” a room, warm “up” the leftovers and clean “up” the kitchen. We lock “up” the house and fix “up” the old car.   

At other times, this little word has different meanings. People stir “up” trouble, line “up” for tickets, work “up” an appetite, and think “up” excuses.   

To be dressed is one thing, but to be dressed “up” is something special.   

And this “up” is confusing:  A drain must be opened “up” because it is stopped “up.”

To be knowledgeable about the proper uses of “up,” look “up” the word “up” in the dictionary. It can add “up” to about thirty definitions.   

When it threatens to rain, we say the sky is clouding “up.” When the sun comes out, we say it is clearing “up.” When it rains, the earth soaks it “up.”  When it does not rain for a while, things dry “up.”

One could go on and on, but I'll wrap it “up” for now.”

Courtesy Disney Pixar














Okay, I’m back. I know that was a silly little exercise, but for me it really was an eye-opener in the many ways the English language can amaze us. No wonder foreign-speaking people find English so difficult to master! The clue in a recent Jumble in my local newspaper said, “When a tiger escaped from the zoo, there would be this until there was this.” The answer? “Apprehension.” See how tricky the English language can be?

I love words. Every author should. Words are powerful.

How about you? Was there a book you read that was so powerful you can remember it even to this day?

Leigh





A Hard Transition

This last couple of weeks brings with it a bit of a transition, one that many of you will identify with. Our last puppy--and by puppy I mean 17-year-old dog--passed away. He was a dear friend, a member of the family...and the last of our familial brood.

After twenty years of living with cats and dogs, I am petless. And it feels somewhat lousy. I was prepared for the empty nest syndrome when my sons left home. I expected it somehow, because, well, I knew it was an end that led to a beginning. I guess I figured that when they left, they'd go off and somehow bring someone back with them, which they did. My sons ran off and found brides and they had children and so now I'm a grandma. So they left and came back exponentially enhanced. Brenuf, however, did not go out and reproduce (we had him neutered, as we did all our animals), so there's no hope of his offspring, gifted with the same soft fur and big grey eyes, showing up at our door demanding hugs and kibble. That kind of sucks.

Brenuf was ready to go, as his good days were far outnumbered by his bad days, and beyond that, he had cancer. I'm happy that he's in a better place, pain-free and romping, no doubt, with his brothers and sisters. However, I miss him. I keep seeing him coming around the corner for his dinner, but there's no one there. I wait for him to settle himself at my feet when I write, only to find empty space beneath my desk. I come home from work and prepare to feed him only to realize we donated all his food to the local animal shelter after he passed.

I'm not ready for another pet, and I don't know if I ever will be. Brenuf was an amazing dog. He was patient and loving and kind, and I can only ever hope to be as humane as he was. How is it that having a loving pet makes us better people? Makes us want to live up to the standards that our beloved fur babies have for us? Is it the unconditional love? The trust? The friendship?

I hate to be a bummer this week, but this is really what's on my mind. I hope that all of your pets are safe and healthy, and I'm sending a prayer for all of them to the heavens. Happy Reading.


Edinburgh, Scotland!

Hi, everyone! We returned from our trip to Scotland on Saturday. We had amazing and wonderful weather almost the entire 11 days. The best weather I've experienced in Scotland during my six times visiting. We stayed in Edinburgh for three days at the beginning. We walked five or six miles most every day and visited lots of amazing and beautiful sites. I took over 6500 photos during the entire trip so I have not even had time to look at most of them yet. Here are a few I took in Edinburgh. The first few are from our walk down the street from our hotel on Haymarket. Then we walked through Princes Street Gardens where I photographed these roses and a view up to Edinburgh Castle. Please click on the photos to enlarge them. That first day we toured inside Edinburgh Castle too. I'll share those pics later.






St. Mary's Cathedral





Edinburgh Castle on the hill above the trees in Princes Street Gardens

The Scott Monument
Thank you for checking out my photos!!
Vonda
www.vondasinclair.com
My Captive Highlander
Can unexpected passion and a little ancient magic turn enemies into lovers? 

During a fierce storm on the west coast of Scotland, Shamus MacKenzie barely survives a galley wreck only to be captured and held for ransom by the enemy MacDonalds. Aided by the gift of second sight, Maili MacDonald, sister of the ruthless chief, senses the handsome, dark-haired stranger will somehow be important in her life. Compelled to help him, she insists on providing him food and a healer to see to his injuries. She knows she is daft to fall in love with this captivating warrior after one forbidden kiss but cannot help herself. With each visit from Maili, Shamus finds his thoughts consumed by the enchanting lass. Can he convince her to help him escape the dungeon and prevent the impending battle between the two clans? 

Wanna Get Into Some Double Trouble?

Last week I posted about Cat Cervantes' book, Trouble Magnet, in which Regina "Finn" Finnegan finds herself thrust into the world of being a CIA operative whether she's ready or not. This week Double Trouble, the latest addition to the series, is now available. If you like a little romance, a lot of action, and a heroine whose resourcefulness matches MacGyver's, give it a try. The description is below:

If trouble’s in town, it not only finds Regina “Finn” Finnegan, it’s usually parked on her couch having a beer and pizza.

Despite her most recent success in saving the world, the CIA wants their barely trained agent to sit at a desk with her hands clasped and feet on the floor until they dole out boring training exercises to get her up to speed. However, when her superior sends her on a routine courier assignment, something goes terribly wrong and it becomes a top priority exfiltration mission to escape Russian intelligence, the mafia and the police. Even a vacation in Cancun needs a seat belt when Finn’s abducted by a drug gang and has to race through the jungle with a Senator from Ohio who hasn’t seen a gym since cassette tapes and sweatbands.

With a Mad Hatter taxi driver, Goth anarchists, mom’s fifty-year birthday party, a pack of monkeys and a herd of jumping spiders, Finn reaches her wits end just to survive. Add one hot NSA operative vying for her attention and she’s got more action than a Bruce Willis movie.
Double the adventure. Double the fun.

Double Trouble.

Happy Reading!





Her Royal Mistake Giveaway!

This came a few days ago! A box of print copies of Her Royal Mistake! The cover by Lacey Savage is lovely!


My birthday was also a couple days ago. To celebrate I'm giving away one print copy to a lucky commenter today. Tell me your favorite birthday present ever! (This year I went with friends on a Mystery Dinner Train. Lots of fun!)

(I do have to state that if the winner lives outside the US, I'll give away a digital copy due to the cost of postage.)

Here's a quick excerpt from Her Royal Mistake:

She trembled as Nardo ran his hands down her bare arms. She’d never thought calloused, workman hands would be pleasant to experience on her skin, but the rough-but-not-too-rough fingers and palms sent amazing sensations shooting over her body. Thank goodness she was no longer wearing the heels because her body actually rocked from the overwhelming sensations and she might have fallen over if she hadn’t had her bare feet flat on the floor.

“You’re so lovely. Bella.” Nardo steadied her with his hands on her hips. “I’m so looking forward to removing this dress and revealing what lies beneath.”

But he didn’t. At least not right away. First, he traced a finger along the neckline of her bodice, branding her skin with the heat from his fingertip. He slid over the curves of her small breasts and dipped between them, making her catch her breath.

Birgitte dropped her head back. Her skin had already been sensitized by the fooling around they’d done inside the maze. Now she wanted to tear off her dress and push him onto the bed. But she didn’t.

There was something about the way Nardo was exploring her, taking his time as if to discover if her back was softer than her arms, or if her meager cleavage was warmer than her neck. More than that, his intense gaze mesmerized her. And the soft words he murmured, most of which she did not understand, made her feel as if he were worshipping her body.

“What are you saying?” she asked when he paused from the lyrical litany rolling off his tongue. “I don’t understand.”

“I’m simply saying how beautiful you are. How fortunate I am to be here with you tonight. How much I’m looking forward to spending time enjoying you.”

“Oh.” No man had made her feel this special before. And that included all the men who praised her for her royal bearing, her royal beauty, her royal body. Nardo didn’t seem to care at all that she was a princess. Perhaps because he grew up with royalty, he wasn’t all that impressed.

But if she didn’t have her royalty, her princess persona going for her, what did he see in her?

Nobody. She was nobody.

Her body wasn’t all that much. She was tall and thin, with no real curves for a man to enjoy. She knew her personality pushed people away. What man wanted to put his arms around a woman known as the Ice Princess?

Still Nardo continued to explore her body with his strong fingers, continued to coo those soft words that flowed so smoothly in his native language. And he still had not begun to remove her gown.


Don't forget to comment below!

Natasha
www.natashamoore.com

Shifters Galore!

jaguar woman
 Jaguar Shifters!

Wolf Woman
I thought she looked just like the wolf, the shape of her face fit it perfectly. Like the jaguar woman suited that picture.

cougar baby shifter 500

I love creating these when I need to take a break from writing and edits.
These are cougar cubs. They are hard to distinguish from jaguar cubs, which I mention in Jaguar Pride because when they're little, they look very similar.


Cougar Shifter
No, I don't write about older woman with younger men. Not that I couldn't, but that's NOT the kind of cougars I write about. :)
So here are my cougar shifters of Yuma Town, Colorado.
They'll welcome you to their town, and if they really, really take a liking to you, you might not be leaving anytime soon. But you might also have this strange urge to shift.
And the full moon won't have a thing to do with it.
That's my story and I'm sticking to it.
Have a wonderful day!!




Have a great one!
Terry
“Giving new meaning to the term alpha male where fantasy is reality.”
Connect with Terry Spear:
Website: http://www.terryspear.com
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/421434.Terry_Spear
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TerrySpearParanormalRomantics
Twitter: https://twitter.com/TerrySpear
Wilde & Woolly Bears http://www.celticbears.com
 
 

Heroes

Romance authors write about fictional heroes. But today, on 9/11, it’s important to stop and remember the real-life heroes from that awful day in 2001. I'm talking about the firefighters and police officers who responded to the terrorist plane attacks at the World Trade Center, the office workers who helped each other down endless flights of stairs as they made their way out of the burning buildings, the passengers on board United flight 93, who prevented a worse tragedy from happening in Washington, DC. Heroes all.

I’ve often wondered how I would respond in an emergency like that?

Spencer Stone, Alek Skarlatos and Anthony Sadler showed us how. Adrenaline, courage, and, according to Alek’s dad, “patriotism” allowed the lifelong friends to storm an armed terrorism suspect on a Paris-bound train last month, saving countless lives.

But heroes don’t always do big things. They’re the volunteers in this country who help out at soup kitchens, tutor underprivileged students, provide a ride for a neighbor to a doctor’s appointment. Not big things, no, but those small things are big to the people on the receiving end.

Who was it who said, “To the world you might be one person, but to one person you just might be the world?”

Take a moment today to remember the victims of 9/11 in New York, Washington, and a lonely field in Pennsylvania, as well as the brave men and women who rushed to help.

Heroes all.

Jenna
www.jennaives.com




Wanna Get into Some Trouble?

Sometimes on my blogging days I will promo an author who is published by the same company as I am, and today is one of those days. Her latest book is about to be released--more on that next week--but the first in the series is available right now. Trouble Magnet by Cat Cervantes is kind of a chick-lit spy novel with a little bit of sexy romance and humor thrown in for good measure. If you love chocolate, Paris or shopping, or you picture yourself saving the world some day, then you'll probably like hanging out for a few pages with Finn, the intrepid CIA newbie in Trouble Magnet and Double Trouble. Here's the description:

A recent graduate of the CIA’s latest initiative to get more women into the operative ranks, chocolate addict and shopaholic Regina “Finn” Finnegan is on her way to save the world after an embarrassingly short training stint. Promised Paris but landing in Houston surrounded by burly mercenaries, she’s more likely to shoot someone else’s target on the firing range, cause a brawl, or get her high heels caught in a grate while on assignment. However, with sarin gas coming into the United States, she’s ready to stand up to anyone to stop it.

Mercenary and CIA asset Nick Costa is a man who’s used to getting what he wants, and right now he wants to find who’s at the center of bringing nerve gas into the country. Well, that and the CIA rookie who is both distracting and intriguing. He’s got the shipment in hand but not the buyer or the target, and dragging the rookie with him may get them both killed. Finn battles Nick’s advances, spars with his team of mercenaries and goes head to head with her CIA boss who wants her off the team, but whether she’s pushing a dead man off her or passing herself off as an art expert, Finn doesn’t believe in no-win scenarios. By the seat of her pants she’ll argue, fight, cajole and throw herself in harm’s way to find the buyer who would unleash nerve gas in the United States and once again derail her trip to Paris.

Happy Reading!