Tag Archives: romance

Special Guests ~ Authors Bill Hayes & Susan Seaforth Hayes!

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Hi there, Susan and Bill Hayes. It’s great to see you here. We’d love to hear more about your new release TRUMPET from Decadent Publishing!

Can you briefly tell us about the relationship between the central characters in your latest release?

Lizzie Trumpet, struggling to become an actress on the London stage of 1803, falls for the talented and dangerous Jack Faversham. Their relationship leads to mayhem for Lizzie. Outlawed in England, she flees to Egypt, where fate plunges her into unforeseen adventures with the real-life strongman, Giovanni Belzoni. Her beloved brother George fights the war against Napoleon, whom she meets as well, along with the most glittering, gritty and memorable  people of the age.

What qualities do you most admire about the heroine in your book?

Physical courage, acting talent and a beautiful soprano voice. The story arc covers eighteen years. In that passage, from innocence to worldly wisdom, Lizzie Trumpet faces each change of circumstance with strength and humor. Like a good soap opera heroine (which is where we come from), despite mistakes, she carries on.

Which of your characters from this release would you most like to invite to dinner, and why?

The supporting cast! Lord Dampere, a great noble booby with a lust for Lizzie stuffed into his corset. Carlo Tomassi, her slightly bent voice coach with a hearty appetite for life. Octavia Onslow, the advice-giving courtesan who once had Lizzie’s father for a client. Captains Irby and Mangles, the Navy men who worship Lizzie’s performances and literally sail her into the heart of the story.

What food would you cook for them?

The roast beef of old England. Strawberries for delight, and a mess of ful madamas for Egyptian flavor. (5) And what setting would you choose for the meal? London. Backstage in the green room of The Royal Theatre Drury Lane.

What would your ideal career be, if you couldn’t be an author?

Just what it is: acting! We have been professional performers all our lives, and we intend to keep at it till they carry us away.

If you were to do your career as an author again, what would you do differently, and why?

We started with a double memoir—LIKE SANDS THROUGH THE HOURGLASS—and discovered we had a flare for writing. TRUMPET is our debut novel, another type of animal entirely, and much more fun than just telling tales about ourselves. Do differently? We wouldn’t waste a minute waiting for inspiration, but just hurry to the keyboard and let the story fly. We will do this again, because creating a world together, Lizzie’s London has made our thirty-seven years of marriage even richer and happier.

Trivia:

A. Favourite word? Luminous.

B. Favourite food? Chocolate, dark and rich.

C. Favourite animal? The dog.

D. Favourite TV show? UPSTAIRS DOWNSTAIRS, the old series we quote constantly; we hang upon every episode of the new version, too.

E. Snow or sun? Sun. And ocean, too, please, with a parade of clouds changing and moving overhead.

F. Slippers or sox? Slippers for him, sox for her.

G. Flats or heels? What a question. Flats, to scurry everywhere at top speed.

H. Walk or drive? Walk for joy. Drive to go the distance, as far as possible.

Thank you, Bill Hayes and Susan Seaforth Hayes.

Here is an excerpt from TRUMPET:

“Elizabeth, you must perform. I will teach you a style of acting that is revolutionary. You have seen my work. You understand the art I worship.”

She took a step closer. “Since I was a child, watching my father on stage, I longed to be there with him.” Jack watched Lizzie struggle to go on. “You have just described the dream of my life. There is nothing I want more, but…Mr. Faversham—Jack…I am not free.”

He reached for her hands and pulled her down beside him on the stump. “Explain why you are not free.”

In a long and tearful soliloquy, Lizzie told her story of the past year. She was too candid for propriety and too wrought-up by his presence to withhold anything. In this soulful state, she was so beautiful and vulnerable that Jack had to fight to keep his hands off her.

“You need, as in a play, an ailing uncle to leave you a great inheritance,” Jack suggested with sympathy. “Indeed, I have just been offered ‘protection’ by a gentleman.”

“It must be Dampere, the creature! I guessed as much! That’s why I broke in upon your privacy in such haste. Listen to me, Elizabeth. I promise you a weekly income, not of shillings, but of pounds. From the sound of it, your first concern is caring decently for your family. Join me and you will be able to provide for your father and aunt and whoever else you are carrying on your lovely back.”

The emotional girl looked at him as though he were a god.

Jack turned on his serpent-of-Eden charm. “Why take up with that toad Dampere? Come with me and live your passion while you keep your reputation. I can turn you into a real princess, Pocahontas—a princess of the stage.”

That did it. Dazzled, Lizzie said something irrational that meant yes: “The honor…do all I can…prove your faith.” It was the grateful garble of a person saved.

Satisfied to have gotten his way, Jack sealed the bargain by taking her head in his hands and kissing her full on the mouth. “Gad, we’ll be good; I know it.” He bowed and strode to his hired horse. “I have urgent business in the city. Be glad, Elizabeth. I certainly am.”

He leaped into the saddle and cantered away. Actually, he was off to a backstage intrigue at Covent Garden. Waiting in his dressing room, another would-be actress, of no performing ability whatsoever, was ready to audition what talent she did have on the chaise lounge.

Lizzie watched Faversham until she could see him no more. A freshening breeze lifted the leaves of the oak tree. She touched her tingling lips and thanked God for escaping a sordid life. He is my savior. Now I won’t have to do as Octavia does.

Bill Hayes and Susan Seaforth Hayes

Brilliant and sassy Elizabeth Trumpet fantasizes starring on the London stage, but to become an actress in 1803 is tantamount to losing her virginity in the most debasing way.

After watching her mother die and her father lose his mind, the courageous sixteen-year-old must find a way to save her family. She scores her first acting job as a fencer – the deadly skill she learned from her brother training for the military. Blessed with talent and a rare singing voice, Lizzie pursues her career, learning from theatrical characters high and low.

When reckless actor Jonathan Faversham sets eyes on Miss Trumpet, he knows he’s found the partner of his life. But Faversham carries ruinous baggage from a dark past. Entangled in lust and ambition, Lizzie gives him her heart and they reach the heights together. Until Lizzie gets more applause than he.

From the magnificence of Regency palaces and the Theatre Royal Covent Garden to the sun-baked pyramids of Egypt and the arms of a real-life Samson, Lizzie is never far from trouble. As her brother rides to glory with Wellington in the Napoleonic Wars, great events threaten her survival. Danger lurks behind stage curtains, when a madman sets fire to take her life and she lifts a sword in revenge.

Will this once innocent girl, with her rise to stardom, be remembered for her art? Or for her shame?

Bill Hayes and Susan Seaforth Hayes

Bill and Susan Giveaway!

We have autographed copies of our memoir (LIKE SANDS THROUGH THE HOURGLASS [New American Library, 2005]) and my CD (THIS IS BILL HAYES [with the John Rodby Trio, 2004]) as prizes for our giveaway. Two names will be drawn randomly from those who comment at each blog stop. The drawing is open to overseas readers.

An Easter Six

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Welcome and thank you for stopping by to read another six from my new release. Wherever you may be, I hope your day is sun-filled and joyous:-) This may not be the case for the heroine of the Fallen Woman of Világos. If you remember, she wakes up in a strange room, in a strange bed, and doesn’t remember how she got there. It leaves her wondering what else she may have forgotten…

“Could her ruse be sustained now that she might be thought less than virtuous? She raised herself on her elbows. The coverlet fell to reveal her exposed breasts. Slipping her hands beneath, she discovered her nakedness. Frantically, she escaped from the tangled bed sheets and searched for her clothing. She could find nothing.”

In addition to being available at Red Sage Publishing, Fallen Woman of Világos is now available at Amazon and B&N. Hope you enjoyed this latest six!

Want to participate in Six Sunday? It’s easy. Pick six (6) sentences from anything you like (it can be from a Work in Progress (WiP), something you recently sold, something you hope to sell or even something already under contract and available for purchase – and don’t worry, Six Sentence Sunday is for published AND unpublished writers). Then post them on your blog on Sunday. That’s all there is to it!

I appreciate your comments and your visit:-)

Fallen Woman of Világos from Red Sage Publishing

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I have a new release coming out with Red Sage Publishing on April 1st entitled, Fallen Woman of Világos. It is an erotic historical romance and I hope you’ll enjoy reading it:-) Here’s a little more about the story:

“Karolina’s survival is dependent upon her wits and beauty. She uses men as they use her, remaining with them only long enough to take what she needs before disappearing in the night. Barely escaping her last relationship with her life, and with little more than the clothes on her back, she is in desperate need of a benefactor.

She hatches a plan to feign amnesia in the hope of obtaining assistance from a stranger, but not just any stranger. If she is lucky, she will employ the ruse on a man of means. When she spies a grand house nestled on the outskirts of Vienna, she decides upon it as her destination. Will she convince the inhabitant to provide her shelter until she determines her next move? No widow, spinster, or doddering old fool—the master of this house is a handsome and virile man, whose eyes sparkle with intelligence.

Lukas Holt is surprised by the appearance of a woman at his door. Although skeptical of her story, he allows her entry. As a doctor, he is eager to help her regain her memory, as a man, he is intent upon healing her—body and soul. She is clearly in need, but more so, there is something hauntingly familiar about her…

Nothing will prepare him for her shocking revelations. The good doctor comes to a stunning conclusion regarding who this woman is…and why he can never let her go.”

Now available at Amazon & B&N.

Have you read a good book lately?

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I’ve shared a few good reads with you…Now it’s your turn. Have you read a good ebook lately, preferably a title written by a new and talented author? Or perhaps one of your favorite books? I’m open to all genres but gravitate towards historical fiction ~ all sub genres welcome. Oh, literary, contemporary, science fiction, and mystery will work too;-)! Share your recommendations with me…and all the other readers out there looking for a good book.

Looking for some good historical fiction?

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I love historical fiction and all its sub-genres! I read it and also write it. Although I’ll never give up print, I enjoy using my Kindle to explore the works of all the talented new, and perhaps undiscovered, authors out there. I liked their work so much I wanted to share them with you:-)

I’m not going to provide in-depth reviews, (how about a link instead?), but will state that each of the works below were well-written, engaging, and held my attention to the last virtual page. In other words, they were page turners and I’m looking forward to reading more by these authors!

They’re all historical and vary in sub-genre, but they’re all special and worth checking out! Hope you’ll enjoy them as much as I did:-) (Bonus info. ~ some are series titles or there are sequels available.)

Historical erotic romance:

One Lonely Night (Regency Erotica) (Wanton Wives, #2) by Catherine Gayle

Shimmerlight (An Erotic Time Travel Romance) by Jill Myles

Lady Sophie’s Midnight Seduction by Dorothy McFalls

The Headmaster’s Fall (Regency Historical Couples’ Fantasy) by Laurel Bennett

Twice is Not Enough by Emma Lai

Slave to Innocence (Sins of Sybaris) by Emma Lai

Historical romance:

Unlocked by Courtney Milan

Time Travel:

Daughter of Time: A Time Travel Romance (The After Cilmeri Series) by Sarah Woodbury

The Time Baroness: (The Time Mistress Series) by Georgina Young-Ellis

Enjoy!


			

	
		
	


				
					


		

		
Creating a Book Trailer – Newbie Attempt


				

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I’ve seen so many lovely book trailers out there and so decided I would try my hand at creating one for my novella, A Day in April, 1944. With absolutely no experience in this area, I stumbled onto the site of One True Media. It looked so simple I thought I’d experiment with creating a trailer using the photos I had from my last trip to France. The places I visited inspired the story for A Day in April, 1944.


Be forewarned, I know nothing about photo quality and resolution and I don’t even know what it will look like when I attempt to embed the video on this page. I’m also not sure about where or how I would obtain stock photos for some of my other works if I decide to create trailers for them as well.


The simplicity of the walk through instructions on the site convinced me that I might have a shot at creating something worthwhile. It’s free to experiment but if your trailer is longer than 30 seconds, (which after playing around my trailer grew to almost three minutes), or you want to download and share your creation, there is a charge. You can opt for a year’s subscription at $39.99 or pay a monthly fee of $3.99. I suppose I could have created a trailer on my Mac using iPhoto or iMovie but at the time I became so caught up in what I’d begun that I decided to continue on with One True Media. I did peek into the above programs but they seemed too complicated for one feeling impatient. I’m sure I’m just being lazy and one day soon I’ll look into what it takes to create a trailer on my Mac.


Without further ado, let’s see if I can embed the video for you to see. Let me know what you think, but don’t be too hard on me folks, it’s my first time;-)



It looks a little grainy to me, but after trying to connect to youtube via One True Media (kept receiving a message telling me to try back later), I went directly to youtube and uploaded the trailer. Also, WordPress gave me some grief when I tried to upload the embedded link onto the page. There’s a fee for uploading videos so I just went directly to youtube and it happened to work. So, after the past few hours of trying to make this happen, I’m going to grab a cool drink and relax. Maybe I should leave the next trailer in the capable hands of someone who knows what they’re doing:-)


Update: After my trailer mysteriously disappeared, went back to One True Media, was able to access youtube and upload the video via their site. The finished product now looks much better to me.

			

	
		
	


				
					


		

		
New Review from Seriously Reviewed…


				

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Adelaide’s Adventure has received another review ~ this time from Seriously Reviewed. It’s short, but sweet:-), here’s an excerpt:


“The blurb is a tantalizing glimpse into the story, but really doesn’t capture the author’s amazing writing style nor does it embody the full spectrum of the tale.” To read the entire review click here.


The story itself received a score of 9.5, the presentation 9, for a grand total of 18.5 out of 20. Thank you to the folks at Seriously Reviewed! Now it’s time to celebrate with a glass of wine, or perhaps a mojito? Just one ~ and then it’s back to work on the WIP…

			

	
		
	


				
					


		

		
Like erotic romance? Giveaway today!


				

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Do you enjoy erotic historical romance? Do you enjoy books set during World War II? France? If so, my novella, A Day in April, 1944, is now available FREE at All Romance ebooks! Be forewarned ~ it’s a very steamy read. If erotica is not your cup of tea, it probably isn’t for you ~ if it is ~ enjoy. Would love to hear from readers!

			

	
		
	


				
					


		

		
A Review from the Readers Roundtable


				

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A big thank you to Riva at the Readers Roundtable for her review of Adelaide’s Adventure! Here’s an excerpt:


“Ursula Grey’s Adelaide’s Adventure was a deliciously short read I didn’t want to end…Two strangers on a journey…Adelaide is demure, contained. Mr. Winters is neither of those and he catches a glimpse of the fire beneath her smooth surface. His pursuit and dominance of her was remarkably well written, the love scenes as well. The dialogue came off authentic and even sexy as Mr. Winters takes her in hand, pleasuring her through false outrage and hollow denials. He seeks to own her body, but after a not-too-surprising twist at the end, we’re left asking who really owns who?”


Rated 3.5 Gold Crowns (and a Recommended Read) by Riva!


Read the entire interview here.

			

	
		
	


				
					


		

		
Say Hello to Author S.R. Claridge!


				

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Today our special guest is Vanilla Heart Publishing author, S.R. Claridge! S.R. lives in Colorado with her husband and two children.  She loves thunderstorms, and chilly fall evenings when she can hunker down in front of her computer with a Vodka Martini and write another romantic suspense novel. 







Well, S.R. ~ that vodka martini sounds good, but so do your books! We want to hear more…let’s get this interview started:-)!


Ursula: Do you consider yourself a plotter or a pantser?


S.R.: Definite pantser….though, admittedly, I lay in bed at night and plot.


Ursula: What advice would you give to an aspiring author?


S.R.: Write, listen, learn, precisely follow submission guidelines, re-write a million times and never, ever quit.


Ursula: What is your writing day like? Do you have a specific daily word or page goal?


S.R.: No goal.  In my hectic world with two young kids, my goal is simply to write every day…something, anything, even if it’s just one line.


Ursula: Have you ever experienced writer’s block? If so, how do you find your way back?


S.R.: I don’t freak out over it.  I put the manuscript away for a while and work on a different project. Sometimes just stepping back and taking a breather is all I need to refresh my brain and get it active again.


Ursula: Tell us about your first acceptance!


S.R.: My very first acceptance of anything I had written was the publishing of a greeting card, then came song lyrics and scripts for one-act skits.  It’s always exciting when someone believes in your work enough to publish it. The most exciting of all was when Vanilla Heart offered me a contract for my first novel, No Easy Way.  I smiled A LOT that day!  ☺


Ursula: What are your writing goals?


S.R.: To keep writing and to get my books out there into as many hands as possible.  My goal is to give readers something to look forward to.  I want them to dive into my books to the extent that they can’t wait for the next release.


Ursula: What books are currently on your nightstand?


S.R.: Bible, Evanovich Plum series, several by Mary Higgins Clark, Sue Grafton and some non-fiction by Priscilla Shirer


Ursula: What is the last book you read?


S.R.: Plum Lucky by Evanovich;  Forgotten Covenant by J.J.Woods


Ursula: If you could go back in time, where or in what period would you find yourself?


S.R.: I wouldn’t go back in time…. I’d go forward to see the future of our world.


Ursula: What part of your writing do you enjoy least?


S.R.: Basic grammatical editing… I get bored with it because it’s not the “creative” stuff, it’s the logic stuff that leaves me feeling dry.


Ursula: How long does it take you to write a complete novel?


S.R.: I’ve taken 3 years on one and written another one in 3 months….so I suppose it just depends on the novel and the season of life.


Ursula: What are you currently working on?


S.R.: I am currently writing the second and third books in a mystery series called “Just Call Me Angel.”  Book one in the series (Tetterbaum’s Truth) was just released this month.  I am also writing another stand-alone mystery novel and working on a tender love story.


Ursula: Favorite vacation spot or place you’d like to visit but haven’t yet?


S.R.: I LOVE vacations and traveling!!  Two of my absolute favorite spots are Paris and Rome, and I’d like to see more of Italy.  Italy and France are two countries I will definitely visit again someday. China was an incredible trip and an experience of a lifetime, but I don’t know that I need to go back. Mexico is a must for me every couple years… just to clear my mind and truly relax.  In the States, Chicago is my favorite city to visit and my husband and I sneak away there for a few days every year.


Ursula: Do you have a favorite book and/or author?


S.R.: I like so many books and authors but one of my fall-backs is Janet Evanovich.  I enjoy her stories because they are an easy-read and her characters keep me laughing.


Ursula: Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?


S.R.: In NO EASY WAY, there is an underlying message of faith and forgiveness.  In TETTERBAUM’S TRUTH and the whole Just Call Me Angel series, there is a message in life’s perspective… how one may perceive something as murder while another perceives it as family loyalty and protection.


Ursula: When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?


S.R.: I’ve written all my life.  It just never dawned on me that other people might enjoy reading my work.  It took to the age of 40 before I realized I could actually sign with a publisher and pursue writing as a career.


Ursula: What do you like to do for fun? Hobbies?


S.R.: I love to dance…real wild, crazy, erotic dancing…the kind you can’t do in public because people will think you’re nuts.☺On the tamer side, I love to watch movies.  I love to let my mind drift away from reality and dive into the plot of a great action/adventure film.


Ursula: What question are you never asked in interviews but wish you were?


S.R.: Maybe, how important do you feel sex is in marriage?  I have a whole soapbox on that topic. ☺ Suffice to say if we all got laid once a day our world would be a brighter place.         www.desirethefire.wordpress.com


Ursula: What genre are you most comfortable writing? 


S.R.: Mystery/Romantic Suspense


Ursula: How do you deal with rejection? 


S.R.: I’d be lying if I said it didn’t hurt my feelers, but I’ve learned not to take it personally.  What one person loves another will hate… it’s all very subjective… so just because I get rejected doesn’t mean my work isn’t good.  It means I haven’t found the right “fit” yet.  I have many people critique my work before it goes to the publisher and often times their opinions are not what I want to hear, but it helps me become a better writer.  My editors challenge me to improve myself so in the end, every critique is good and every rejection is a stepping stone.


Great interview, S.R.! Now, more on her books ~ where you can find them ~ and where you can find S.R.!









































TETTERBAUM’S TRUTH Book Blurb:




Angel Martin plans to marry Tony and live happily ever after… until Tony disappears.  Nursing a broken heart, she takes a job at Tetterbaum’s Pub, unaware it is the most prestigious Mafia hangout in Chicago.




In a world filled with a pretense of innocence and a past filled with iniquity, Angel’s life hangs in a twisted balance of deception and revenge. Through an unlikely turn of events, Angel discovers her entire life has been a carefully orchestrated lie. No one is who they say they are and everyone has an agenda of their own.




Finding herself in the middle of a revengeful scheme from a past she’s never known and a Mafia blackmail scandal that’s already left several dead, Angel races to find answers.  The trouble is, the closer she gets to hidden evidence and tainted truths, the more the crime families want her out of the way.  With her true identity now exposed, learning who she can trust becomes a matter of life and death and unraveling the past is her only hope for staying alive.






























































Both books are available on Amazon, B&N, Smashwords and various other outlets or via her publisher’s site: www.vanillaheartbooksandauthors.com/S.R.html