Tag: Shana Galen

Books

Help animals by buying books!

Cora Lee

Twenty+ authors have banded together to raise funds for pets injured in the California fires. On Thanksgiving Day, purchase one (two, three or all!) of the listed books, and the authors’ royalties will be donated to a cause helping fur babies.

Lauren Smith – http://laurensmithbooks.com/books/the-rogues-seduction/

Alanna Lucas – https://www.amazon.com/dp/B071LS5KSB

Callie Hutton – http://calliehutton.com/book/for-the-love-of-the-lady/

Jerrica Knight- Catania – https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07CG7RTK6

Scarlett Scott – https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07DW75BQQ

Vonda Sinclair – http://www.amzn.com/B01BLUSSK6

Julie Johnstone – https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00U0LF7JS/

Ava Stone – https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01FZWW6AO

Shana Galen – https://amzn.to/2K7N1c5

Hildie McQueen – https://amzn.to/2zdmS7I

Madeline Martin – http://www.madelinemartin.com/mbdb_Series/highland-passions/

Paty Jager – books2read.com/Yuletide

Amy Jarecki – https://amyjarecki.com/books/

Eliza Knight – https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B009DS3TWG

Collette Cameron – https://books2read.com/OADWDcc

Glynnis Campbell – http://bit.ly/NG4Kindle

Samantha Grace – https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07F1DQNMM/

Cynthia Wright – http://cynthiawrightauthor.com/books/brides-of-skye/abducted-at-the-altar/

Anna Bradley – https://www.annabradley.net/book/more-or-less-a-marchioness/

Tabetha Waite – https://amazon.com/dp/B07K7DSRSD

Gina Conkle – https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B078TH5XFL

Cora Lee –  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0714NPS18

Contests & Giveaways, Writing Life

Naming Characters: Like Naming Children? A Giveaway

Cora Lee

Okay readers, I need some help.

Publisher Elora’s Cave is looking for sweet Regency novellas for their Christmas anthology, and I’m going to give it a shot. It will be good for my brain and creative process to work on something else for a while–and it will be good for my work ethic Almacks_with_Brummellto have a deadline that I can’t move!

Without giving too much away, I can tell you that the idea I have is for a male wallflower story. He’s a science geek who has been out of society on archaeological digs (things like excavating the Elgin marbles in Greece), and has only recently returned home. She is a duke’s daughter and a social butterfly who is being forced into a betrothal to a Bad Guy.

But neither of them have names.

Naming my characters is always one of the hardest parts of a story for me. I don’t Hello_my_name_is_stickerhave children of my own, but I imagine this is what it would feel like to name them (except that I get to know my characters as adults first 🙂 ). I agonize over baby name books, comb through lists of important and historical people. I dissect my family and friends–would I name a character after any of them?

This time, I’m enlisting help. Your help. I need a first and last name for my hero, Mr. Archaeologist. I also need a first and last name for my heroine, Lady Butterfly. Leave a comment on this post with your suggestion(s), and if I use yours you win a Kindle book!

Official Rules:

  • You may suggest first names, last names, or first + last names for either or both characters.
  • Repeated names will not be counted–please scroll through the comments to make sure someone else hasn’t already suggested the name you had in mind
  • You must be able to download e-books from Amazon.com (as opposed to Amazon.fr, Amazon.co.uk, or another of Amazon’s regional sites) [NOTE: This is not because Amazon in any way sponsors or endorses this giveaway, but simply because that’s where I bought the books.] If you don’t have a Kindle, Amazon has free reading apps for various computers and tablets.
  • One book will be awarded for each first name and each last name I choose, for a total of 4 possible winners
  • One person may win more than one book
  • Comments must be left on this post by 11:59 pm EST on Friday, February 28, 2014 to be eligible for this giveaway

Prizes:

spy-wore-blue-300Royal Renegadewinningabride-300The Hanover Square Affair

Books, Friday Favorites

Friday Favorite: Christmas Romances

Cora Lee

Ready to gear up for the holidays with some Christmas romance novels? This week’s Friday Favorite comes from Katherine Ashe:

cover-Ashe-KISSES-SHE-WROTE

“I adore Christmas romances. From Regency lords and ladies on romantic sleigh rides to  crazy church Pageants in contemporary small towns, I can’t get enough of holiday love stories. After all, love is the meaning of Christmas.

“My Christmas novella, Kisses, She Wrote, is finally here! (99¢ ebook & $3.99 paperback). But for weeks already I’ve been in the mood for delicious holiday reads to satisfy that cozy craving for romance. So I’m compiling a list of new and re-released Christmas romances,* including full-length novels, anthologies, novellas and short stories. I hope you’ll find stories here to enjoy curled up by the fire with a cup of hot cocoa or mulled wine, a plate of cookies beside you, and maybe even your best furry friend warming your toes.

Wishing you a very Merry Christmas!

~ Katharine”

Click here to see the list, including stories by Shana Galen, Barbara Monajem, Jennifer Ashely, Robin Carr, Elizabeth Essex, and my critique partner Susana Ellis!

Books

Favorite First Lines

Cora Lee

Since school started last week, I’ve been up to my neck in summer reading papers. So I thought now would be a good time to celebrate one of the fun parts of reading by sharing the opening lines of some of my favorite romances.

dicksee-romeo-and-juliet

“When Tiberius Lamartine Flynn heard the tree singing, his first thought was that he’d parted company with his reason.”  —Grace Burrowes, Once Upon a Tartan

“In the tender green time of April, Katherine set forth at last upon her journey with the two nuns and the royal messenger.” —Anya Seton, Katherine

“The spy called Saint hunkered down in the bottom of the wardrobe she’d occupied for the last four hours and attempted to stifle a yawn.” —Shana Galen, Lord and Lady Spy

“Kate squinted up at the sky. Her nine-year-old imagination raced as fast as the wooly clouds that floated above her. A lamb, a dragon—and that big one, surely that was a giant with a horrid hooked nose.” —Anne Easter Smith, A Rose for the Crown

“ ‘Whatever fool claimed females to be the weaker sex never met my sister.’ ” —Candice Hern, The Best Intentions

“He was dead. However, his nose throbbed painfully, which he thought odd in the circumstances.” —Diana Gabaldon, Voyager

“Everyone knew that Sophie Beckett was a bastard.” —Julia Quinn, An Offer From A Gentleman

“Not every fairy tale begins with a prince or a princess. Some begin with a kiss that turns a man into a frog, or a tumble on the road that turns a basket of eggs into scramble.” —Eloisa James, Storming The Castle

“Gwen’s pulse beat so loudly in her ears, the sound drowned out the rumble of voices in the hall. He was here! And he still loved her!” —Sarah Woodbury, The Uninvited Guest

“So this was how it felt to be a conquering hero.” —Courtney Milan, Unveiled

2006-12-03_Ring_of_love_Edit

Okay, so which ones did I forget? What are some of your favorite first lines?

Books, Friday Favorites

Friday Favorite: When You Give a Duke an Indecent Proposal on Christmas Eve

Cora Lee

Shana Galen fans, this one’s for you! Just before Christmas 2012, Shana released a short story featuring the hero and heroine from the first novel in her Jewels of the Ton series. Juliette was a former courtesan, while Will was the Duke of Pelham. They found their HEA in When You Give a Duke a Diamond, and continued the fun in When You Give a Duke an Indecent Proposal on Christmas Eve.

duke-diamond-200

When You Give a Duke an Indecent Proposal on Christmas Eve:
A Jewels of the Ton Holiday Story

Christmas Eve, Rothingham Manor, Yorkshire

“Your Grace, have you considered all of the ramifications of this scheme?” Richards asked in his dry, monotone voice.

Juliette refrained from rolling her eyes. Duchesses did not roll their eyes, or so Will had told her several weeks ago. She had responded by noting that duchesses also did not tickle dukes, and then proceeded to tickle him until his sober expression broke and he laughed despite himself. “It is not a scheme, Richards,” she told the butler. “It is a gift, and I want it to remain a surprise.”

…

Find the rest of the story here.