by Cara Elliott
A swirl of breeze tugged at the tails of his cravat, and the flutter of white finally dispelled her momentary surrender of sanity.
Twisting free of his hold, Alessandra clutched at her cloak, drawing the folds in tight to cover her night rail.
“That was unforgivable,” he said softly. “I… I don’t know what came over me—”
Mortified by her own actions—and reactions—she cut off his halting apology. “The full moon is said to stir a certain madness.”
How else to explain the elemental force that had drawn them together? Without waiting for a reply, Alessandra plunged into the pooling shadows, her slippered feet nearly tripping over the uneven ground in her haste to get away.
As if she could outrun her embarrassment.
To her relief, Black Jack Pierson made no move to follow her.
THE DISH
Where authors give you the inside scoop!
From the desk of Cara Elliott
Dear Readers,
Pssst. Have you seen the morning newspaper yet? Oh, it’s too delicious for words. The infamous Lord H—yes, Mad, Bad Had-ley in the flesh—has made yet another wicked splash in the gossip column. You remember last week, when his cavorting with a very luscious—and very naked—ladybird ended with a midnight swim in the Grosvenor Square fountain? Well, that was just a drop in the bucket compared to this latest ondit. Word has it that Hadley, the rakishly sexy hero of TO SIN WITH A SCOUNDREL (available now), has really fallen off the deep end this time. He’s been spotted around Town with… the Wicked Widow of Pont Street.
Don’t bother cleaning your spectacles—you read that right. Hadley and Lady Sheffield! The same Lady Sheffield who stirred such a scandal last year when it was whispered that she may have poisoned her husband. Yes, yes, at first blush it seems impossible. After all, they are complete opposites. The fun-loving Lord Hadley is a devil-may-care rogue, and the reclusive Lady Sheffield is a scholarly bluestocking. Why, the only thing they appear to have in common is the fact that their names show up so frequently in all the gossip columns. But appearances can be deceiving, and a friend tells me that a fundamental law of physics states that opposites attract.
Not that I would dare to wager on it. However, the betting books at all the London clubs are filled with speculation on why Hadley is paying court to the lovely widow. Some say that it’s merely one of Hadley’s madcap pranks. Others think that he’s been bewitched by one of the potent potions that the lady brews up in her laboratory. But I’ll let you in on a little secret: Whatever the reason, the combination of a scoundrel and a scientist has passion and intrigue coming to a boil!
How do I know? I’ll let you in on another little secret—as the author of the book, I’m familiar with all the intimate details of their private lives.
So why did I choose to make my hero and heroine of TO SIN WITH A SCOUNDREL the subject of rumors and innuendos? In doing my research, I discovered that our current fascination with gossip and scandal is nothing new. Regency England reveled in “tittle-tattle,” and had its own colorful scandal sheets and “paparazzi.” Newspapers and pamphlets reported in lurid detail on the celebrity bad boys—and bad girls—of high society. And like today, sex, money, and politics were hot topics. As for pictures, there were, of course, no cameras, but the satirical artists of the Regency could be even more ruthless than modern-day photographers.
Hmmm, come to think of it, the hero and heroine of TO SURRENDER TO A ROGUE, the second book in the series (available June ’10), are likely to generate quite a bit of gossip too. Lady Sheffield’s fellow scholar, the lovely and enigmatic Lady Giamatti, finds that someone is intent on digging up dirt on her past life in Italy while she is excavating Roman antiquities in the town of Bath. That Black Jack Pierson is a member of the learned group stirs up trouble… Oh, but don’t let me spoil the fun. You really ought to read all about it for yourself.
Now don’t worry if your butler has tossed out the morning newspaper. If you hurry on over to www.caraelliott.com, you can sneak a tantalizing peek at all three books in my new Circle of Sin series.
Enjoy!
From the desk of Susan Kearney
Dear Readers,
I came up with my idea for JORDAN, the third book in the Pendragon Legacy trilogy, while sipping a wine cooler in my hammock. I was rocking between two rustling queen palms when a time machine landed on my dock. And the hottest dude ever strode up the wooden stairs and pulled up a chair beside me. His eyes matched the blue of the sea and his muscles rippled in the Florida sunshine.
Jordan.
He’d arrived just as the sun was dipping into the Gulf of Mexico. And did you know that Jordan’s history is as interesting as his looks?
Did I mention this guy may have looked in the prime of his life, but he’s more than fifteen hundred years old? Did I mention that centuries ago he fought at King Arthur’s side? And that not only is he a powerful dragon shaper but he knows secrets to save us all?
Jordan raked a hand through his hair. “Rion told me that you write love stories about the future.”
“I do.” Somehow, I knew this was going to be one hell of a story.
“In the future, Earth will be threatened by your greatest enemy.”
My fingers shook. “Did you save my world?”
“I had help from a smart, beautiful woman.”
“And you fell in love?” I guessed, always a romantic at heart.
“She was my boss.” His voice lowered to a sexy murmur. “And we fought a lot in the beginning. You see, Vivianne Blackstone didn’t trust me.”
“So you had to win her over?”
“She’s one stubborn woman.” His voice rang with pride, a grin softening his tone.
Oh, this story sounded exciting. Lucan had told me how Vivianne Blackstone had funded the first spaceship mission to Pendragon. Just imagining such a strong woman with Jordan sent a delicious shiver of anticipation down my spine. “But surely Vivianne must have liked you just a little bit at first?”
“She thought I was an enemy spy.” Jordan’s grin widened. “And she wasn’t too pleased when I stole her new spaceship… with her on board.”
Oh, my. “I’d imagine it took her awhile to forgive you.”
While Jordan was quite the man… still… he’d stolen her ship and taken her with him into space. Vivianne must have been furious. And scared. Although, the writer in me told me Jordan had been good for Vivianne. “So how long did it take her to believe you were both on the same side?”
Jordan chuckled. “It must have been after the second, no, the third time we made love.”
I swallowed hard. Oh… my. “You made love while she believed you were enemies?”
He raised an eyebrow. “We didn’t really have a choice.”
I gave him a hard look. “Um, look. I’m afraid I’m going to need the details. Lots of details.”
If you’d like to read the details Jordan told me, the book is in stores now. Reach me at www.susankearney.com.
From the desk of R. C. Ryan
Dear Reader,
Blame it on Willy Nelson. My heroes have always been cowboys.
Whether they’re riding the trail in the Old West or dealing with today’s problems on a modern, up-to-date ranch tricked out with all the latest high-tech gadgets, I simply can’t resist loving a cowboy.
In my mind, the tall, silent hero of a Western is the equivalent of the savage, untamed Highlander. Noble, loyal, fiercely independent. Impossible for this woman to resist.
Now add to that a treasure hunt for a priceless fortune in gold nuggets, and you have a recipe for adventure, intrigue, and romance.
MONTANA LEGACY is the first book in my Fool’s Gold trilogy. Three cousins, long separated, are brought together by the death of their grandfather, who has spent a lifetime searching for a lost family treasure.
Of course they can’t resist taking up his search. But that’s only half the story. Equally important is the love they discover on the journey. And mor
e than love—trust. Trust in one another, and in the women who win their hearts and enrich their lives.
If you’re like me and love tough, strong, fun-loving cowboys in search of a legendary treasure, come along for the adventure of a lifetime.
I enjoy hearing from my readers. Drop by my Web site and leave me a message: www.ryanlangan.com.
Happy reading!
