A Valentine's Day Blog Hop – PRIZES and #GIVEAWAY

by Joanne Wadsworth | Feb 10, 2014 | Author Blog, Highlander's Captive

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Interestingly, we actually have a saint, a priest from Rome known as Valentinus, to thank for Valentine’s Day. Back in the day, and I’m talking around the fifth century, Valentinus was a bit of a rebel. The Roman Emperor Claudius II didn’t believe married men would make good soldiers, and he banned his top guns from getting hitched, but Valentinus was sneaky.

This saint, with his amethyst ring engraved with the cupid symbol, performed marriages for those soldiers who wished them. Then to remind them to remain faithful to their wives when out celebrating a winning battle, he cut heart shapes from parchment and gifted them to them.

So, what does Valentine’s Day mean to you? Do you go all out and present flowers? Buy chocolates or send a card? For me, I love to give heart-shaped chocolates wrapped in red foil to my closest. Just love it.

To continue spreading some yummy sweetness, I’m going to share a new snippet from HIGHLANDER’S CAPTIVE, one in which the hero has just captured his heroine and stolen her away. I’d also like to thank everyone who’s bought a copy. Highlander’s Captive has shot into Amazon’s Bestsellers Charts in the UK and the US. During the past month since release, this novella has made the #1 slot within the Scottish Medieval Romances and Historical categories several times. I’m simply buzzing.

Wind whipped through Ivor’s shoulder-length hair, drying it into a rakish look. As he held the ropes, his biceps bulged and his every muscle strained to control the wind power he’d harnessed in the skiff’s tight sail.

Oh, Julia should turn her gaze away. Only, so impressive. A warrior of great strength.

Mayhap she should enjoy this since she didn’t have a choice. She’d certainly never ridden in a boat moving at such speed that ’twas half out of the water. Awed by his ability, she peeked over his arm. The coastline was but a blur. Her heart near jumped out of her chest and she clutched him tighter. “How fast are we going?”

“Faster than usual, but the crosswinds will ease off soon.”

Plastered against the hard planes of his body, she almost hoped they didn’t. She smiled and lifted her face to the sky, allowing the moment to expand. This was life, and far more interesting than the confines of Dunvegan Castle, not that she’d ever tell Ivor that.

She might be his captive, but not for long.

~~ BUY THE BOOK: Amazon Kindle ~~

-oOo-

For those who’d like to enter my giveaway for a chance to win a $5 Amazon gift card and some other goodies, then click on the Rafflecopter Giveaway link below.

~~ RAFFLECOPTER GIVEAWAY ~~

But that’s not all… In addition to my personal prize for this hop, there are some fabulous blog tour prizes up for grabs. The grand prize will be a Kindle Paperwhite and a digital new adult romance basket. Also every comment in the hop will count as an entry toward this prize. Just let me know what your favorite Valentine’s Day gift has been. I’d love to hear about it. (But don’t make me too jealous.)

Keep hopping– The complete list of participating authors is on the list below:

LINKY LIST

~~ Joanne Wadsworth’s Books ~~

Buy HIGHLANDER’S CAPTIVE (Highlander Heat Novella) at: Amazon Kindle

Buy HUNTER (Magio-Earth Novella) at: Amazon Kindle

Buy WITNESS PURSUIT (Bodyguards #1) at: Amazon Kindle / B&N Nook / iTunes / Kobo

Buy WARRIOR (Magio-Earth #2) at: Amazon Kindle / B&N Nook / iTunes / Kobo

Buy PROTECTOR (Magio-Earth #1) at: Amazon Kindle / B&N Nook / iTunes / Kobo

TAKE CARE.

A Scottish Burns' Night Blog Hop – PRIZES and #GIVEAWAY

by Joanne Wadsworth | Jan 24, 2014 | Author Blog, Highlander's Captive

Today I’m chatting about all things Scottish in celebration of Burns’ Night. January is a cold month in Scotland, and to remain cheerful, on January 25th the Scottish celebrate the poetry of their bard, Robert Burns. They pipe in the haggis, which traditionally means the chef carries it in while the piper plays an appropriate tune. The haggis is sliced open with the finely honed edge of a ceremonial dirk (though any old knife will apparently do.) Then the meal is served with copious amounts of whisky, allowing the festivities to flow. They consider the life of the man behind the poems, they make toasts, recite poetry, and sing and dance. After all this revelry, they stagger home with their bellies full, hearts renewed, and the knowledge that they only have another eleven months of rain to go in the year. 🙂 Yep, the Scottish are delightfully cheery on this night.

To continue spreading this cheeriness, I’m going to share a sexy snippet from HIGHLANDER’S CAPTIVE, one which should heat you up and curl your toes.

The urge to lay Julia across the bench of his skiff and make her his infused every inch of Ivor’s body. He kissed her, and her soft moans incited his need to strip her and ravish her senseless.

He should have his hand on the rudder and staying their course, not sliding his fingers along the silky flesh of her calves in an attempt to lift her skirts. She deserved more. A bed for starters, and following that, a night of endless pleasure.

“We should stop.” At least he hadn’t beached his boat in the dark.

“Not yet.” She clutched his head and brought his mouth to hers. Her hungry kiss shot craving to his groin.

“Any more and I’ll never stop.” He lowered his mouth to her neck and sucked on her skin. Hell, her breasts heaved within the tight confines of her bodice. Bad move. He needed to divert his gaze.

“Touch me,” she whispered.

~~ BUY THE BOOK: Amazon Kindle ~~

-oOo-

For those who’d like to enter my giveaway for a chance to win a $5 Amazon gift card and some other goodies, then click on the Rafflecopter Giveaway link below.

~~ RAFFLECOPTER GIVEAWAY ~~

But that’s not all… In addition to my personal prize for this hop, there are some fabulous blog tour prizes up for grabs. There’s a $50 Amazon giftcard and five $10 Amazon giftcards. Just click on the Hop Giveaway link below.

~~ a Rafflecopter giveaway ~~

Keep hopping– The complete list of participating authors is on the list below

–ooOoo–

~~ Joanne Wadsworth’s Books ~~

Buy HIGHLANDER’S CAPTIVE (Highlander Heat Novella) at: Amazon Kindle

Buy HUNTER (Magio-Earth Novella) at: Amazon Kindle

Buy WITNESS PURSUIT (Bodyguards #1) at: Amazon Kindle / Amazon Paperback / B&N Nook & Paperback / iTunes / Kobo

Buy WARRIOR (Magio-Earth #2) at: Amazon Kindle / B&N Nook / iTunes / Kobo

Buy PROTECTOR (Magio-Earth #1) at: Amazon Kindle / B&N Nook / iTunes / Kobo

TAKE CARE.

PRIZES and #GIVEAWAY – Winter Wonder Man Blog Hop is Here

by Joanne Wadsworth | Jan 16, 2014 | Author Blog, Highlander's Captive

It’s the Winter  Wonder Man Blog Hop, and I’d love to welcome my blog’s followers and anyone new dropping by. For most of you it’s the peak of winter, something I find incredibly hard to imagine when it’s the height of summer where I live. Temperatures are close to 90 degrees in New Zealand, and every day I take the kiddies swimming at the pools or beach to cool down. I’d love to know what you’re up to though. Are you curled up before the fire, or perhaps building snowmen? Where do you live in the world?

We romance writers certainly love to bring our characters into a new world of love and romance. It’s our job to make sure our heroes have the reader curling their toes. In my newest release, HIGHLANDER’S CAPTIVE, I hope I’ve achieved just that. Here’s a peek at this novella in my Highlander Heat line.

HIGHLANDER’S CAPTIVE

His mission is to capture. Hers is to turn the tide.

Twenty-two-year-old Julia MacLeod discovers a secret tunnel leading from Dunvegan Castle, the stronghold of her MacLeod clan. Her chief would never allow her to leave without a guard during this time of war, but up for an adventure, she scurries along the dank passageway and through a maze of twists and turns.

Highland warrior Ivor MacDonald is on a solitary mission to secure a bargaining chip against his chief’s rival clan. While scouting the cliffs near Dunvegan Castle for a way in, a lone woman topples from the cliffs and into the frigid waters of the ocean. Honor demands he rescue her, even though it might bring his mission into jeopardy. Then he discovers she’s the chief’s cousin, and his bargaining chip has just fallen right into his hands.

Ivor steals his captive away, and on a journey across the ocean, his mission soon takes a turn. Julia’s trust in him sees his honor battling to override his need for revenge. Has his captive now turned the tide, and became the captor instead?

A Historical Highlander Romance.

~~ BUY THE BOOK: Amazon Kindle ~~

-oOo-

Also, if you’d like to enter my giveaway for a chance to win a $5 Amazon gift card and some other goodies, then click on the rafflecopter link below.

~~ RAFFLECOPTER GIVEAWAY ~~

But that’s not all… In addition to my personal prize, if you leave a comment WITH YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS below, then one commentator from the blog tour will win at least a $35 gift card to Barnes and Noble. Nice.

Keep hopping– The complete list of participating authors is on the Linky list link below

Click here to view and click on a link in this Linky Tools list…

-o-

Thank you so much for dropping by, and I wish you and yours a wonderful week.

–ooOoo–

~~ Joanne Wadsworth’s Books ~~

Buy HIGHLANDER’S CAPTIVE (Highlander Heat Novella) at: Amazon Kindle

Buy HUNTER (Magio-Earth Novella) at: Amazon Kindle

Buy WITNESS PURSUIT (Bodyguards #1) at: Amazon Kindle / Amazon Paperback / B&N Nook & Paperback / iTunes / Kobo

Buy WARRIOR (Magio-Earth #2) at: Amazon Kindle / B&N Nook / iTunes / Kobo

Buy PROTECTOR (Magio-Earth #1) at: Amazon Kindle / B&N Nook / iTunes / Kobo

TAKE CARE.