Linda is giving away a $25 Amazon gift card. Enter the Rafflecopter
at the end of the blog post to subscribe to her email list for five chances to
win!
at the end of the blog post to subscribe to her email list for five chances to
win!
Thanks so much for hosting me today!
My most recent release is a Western
romance set in the California Gold Country, specifically Grass Valley, 1868. My
husband and I visited the area some years ago and I fell in love with it. Grass
Valley was especially interesting to me because of the large Cornish population
in the 19th century. This area had deep gold veins that couldn’t be
panned. Cornish miners were encouraged to come because of their experience in
the tin mines of Cornwall, which were petering out. To this day, the Cornish
pasty is a local treat, and the city still celebrates a Cornish Christmas.
romance set in the California Gold Country, specifically Grass Valley, 1868. My
husband and I visited the area some years ago and I fell in love with it. Grass
Valley was especially interesting to me because of the large Cornish population
in the 19th century. This area had deep gold veins that couldn’t be
panned. Cornish miners were encouraged to come because of their experience in
the tin mines of Cornwall, which were petering out. To this day, the Cornish
pasty is a local treat, and the city still celebrates a Cornish Christmas.
A shorter, sexier version of this story
was previously published by Amber Quill Press. When I got the rights back, I
realized I now had the opportunity to tell the tale as I’d originally intended,
as a sensual romance. It was fun to revisit Lily and King’s world and spend
time with them again. They are two of my favorite characters. I hope readers
will agree.
was previously published by Amber Quill Press. When I got the rights back, I
realized I now had the opportunity to tell the tale as I’d originally intended,
as a sensual romance. It was fun to revisit Lily and King’s world and spend
time with them again. They are two of my favorite characters. I hope readers
will agree.
Lily
and the Gambler is on sale for the summer for 99 cents!
and the Gambler is on sale for the summer for 99 cents!
Linda
Blurb:
Respectability is in the eye of the
beholder. Or so Lily Penhallow hopes when she assumes the guise of the widow
Albright. She has learned the price of flaunting convention and is determined
to obey society’s rules from now on. After her lover, Nigel Albright, was
killed in a duel over a card game, Lily dons widow’s weeds and travels to Grass
Valley, California where she plans to marry the man her uncle works for, a
respectable mine owner named Hugh Ogilvie. Then, on the riverboat from San
Francisco, she meets Creighton ‘King’ Callaway, a professional gambler, just
the kind of man she should avoid.
King believes that since life is a gamble,
there’s no point in planning for the future. You have to trust Lady Luck. After
meeting Lily, King knows he has found his Queen of Hearts. But can he convince
her to pass up a sober businessman for a foot-loose card sharp?
there’s no point in planning for the future. You have to trust Lady Luck. After
meeting Lily, King knows he has found his Queen of Hearts. But can he convince
her to pass up a sober businessman for a foot-loose card sharp?
Only Lady Luck knows for sure…
(Previously published in a shortened
version by Amber Quill Press)
version by Amber Quill Press)
On
sale for 99 cents at:
sale for 99 cents at:
Amazon Kindle US: https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B01MYMEKMD/
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/728787
Coming Soon to Other Retailers
Excerpt:
Lily smiled at him. “That was quite a
trick. Do you tell fortunes, too?”
trick. Do you tell fortunes, too?”
“As a matter of fact, I do. Is the lady
interested?”
interested?”
“Perhaps,” she said, aware he was
flirting with her again and annoyed with herself because she was enjoying it.
“There should be a deck of cards here somewhere.”
flirting with her again and annoyed with herself because she was enjoying it.
“There should be a deck of cards here somewhere.”
“No cards required. Just let me see
your palm.”
your palm.”
Unable to stop herself, Lily stripped
off her gloves and let him take her hand. He held it in his left hand, and with
his right index finger, traced the lines on her palm. Shivers ran up her arm at
each caressing touch. His scent, a mixture of bay rum, male musk, and a faint
hint of tobacco, overwhelmed her.
off her gloves and let him take her hand. He held it in his left hand, and with
his right index finger, traced the lines on her palm. Shivers ran up her arm at
each caressing touch. His scent, a mixture of bay rum, male musk, and a faint
hint of tobacco, overwhelmed her.
“What do you see?” she asked, her voice
suddenly breathless.
suddenly breathless.
“Health and long life.”
“What, no handsome stranger?” she
joked.
joked.
He raised his head and stared into her
eyes. “Oh, yes, I see romance ahead for you. With a dark haired fellow. But he
isn’t a stranger.”
eyes. “Oh, yes, I see romance ahead for you. With a dark haired fellow. But he
isn’t a stranger.”
For what seemed an age, she stared into
his green-gold eyes while her pulse quickened and warmth stole through her
veins. It would be so easy to surrender to the feelings he evoked.
his green-gold eyes while her pulse quickened and warmth stole through her
veins. It would be so easy to surrender to the feelings he evoked.
“I also see a fork in the road ahead,”
he added softly. “You have a decision to make. A very important decision.”
he added softly. “You have a decision to make. A very important decision.”
She snatched her hand away, knowing she
couldn’t afford to be distracted by him. It wasn’t as if he had made her any
promises. “I think you need to practice your fortune-telling skills, Mr.
Callaway.”
couldn’t afford to be distracted by him. It wasn’t as if he had made her any
promises. “I think you need to practice your fortune-telling skills, Mr.
Callaway.”
He chuckled. “There’s something else
I’d like to practice.” Cupping her chin, he stared at her, his eyes full of
half promises. “Oh, hell, I may get my face slapped for this, but…” His hand
moved to the back of her neck as he lowered his head and captured her lips in a
kiss that stole her breath away.
I’d like to practice.” Cupping her chin, he stared at her, his eyes full of
half promises. “Oh, hell, I may get my face slapped for this, but…” His hand
moved to the back of her neck as he lowered his head and captured her lips in a
kiss that stole her breath away.
For a moment, she closed her eyes and
gave herself up to the kiss. Then a door slammed somewhere in the house,
reminding her of where they were. She pushed him away. “How dare you?” she
hissed.
gave herself up to the kiss. Then a door slammed somewhere in the house,
reminding her of where they were. She pushed him away. “How dare you?” she
hissed.
He gave her a lazy grin. “What’s that
old saying? Nothing ventured, nothing gained?”
old saying? Nothing ventured, nothing gained?”
“I think you’d best be going.”
He paused at front door, turned and
held her gaze for a moment, then left.
held her gaze for a moment, then left.
She sighed and leaned against the
doorjamb. What had she been thinking to let him kiss her, however briefly?
doorjamb. What had she been thinking to let him kiss her, however briefly?
Author
bio:
bio:
Linda McLaughlin grew up with a love of
books and history, so it’s only natural she prefers writing historical romance.
She loves transporting her readers into the past where her characters learn
that, in the journey of life, love is the sweetest reward. Linda also writes
steamy to erotic romance under the name Lyndi Lamont, and is one half of the
writing team of Lyn O’Farrell. A native of Pittsburgh, PA. she now lives in
Southern California.
books and history, so it’s only natural she prefers writing historical romance.
She loves transporting her readers into the past where her characters learn
that, in the journey of life, love is the sweetest reward. Linda also writes
steamy to erotic romance under the name Lyndi Lamont, and is one half of the
writing team of Lyn O’Farrell. A native of Pittsburgh, PA. she now lives in
Southern California.
How
to show Linda some #AuthorLove:
to show Linda some #AuthorLove:
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Follow her at Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/lindamclaughlin
Follow her at Twitter: @Lyndi Lamont https://twitter.com/LyndiLamont
Thanks so much for hosting me today, Ruth.
My pleasure!