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Action and Adventure=Romance

from Mia Marlowe...

UPDATE: My New Year Blog Bash is history, but the prizes are yet to come! Thanks to all the authors who participated and all the wonderful commenters who made it such a fun, interactive day!

Here are all the winners and the loot they'll make off with: 
Shana Galen' Lord & Lady Spy -- LIL
Mia Marlowe's My Lady Below Stairs or A Duke for all Seasons --  Diane D—Florida 
Grace Burrowes' Virtuoso: ChrystalGB, Krazymomma98, & Bonnie 
Mia Marlowe's A Duke for All Seasons or My Lady Below Stairs: Christine A 
CH Admirand's Dylan: Maria D 
Mia Marlowe's Touch of a Thief (ebook): Fran Friel 
ML Buchman's The Night is Mine: Vamped Chik 
Mia Marlowe's A Duke for All Seasons or My Lady Below Stairs: WK 
Mia Marlowe's Touch of a Thief (ebook): VENUSBOOKLUVR 
Linda Wisdom's A Demon Does it Better plus some “witchy” stuff: Na
Mia Marlowe's Touch of a Thief (ebook): Patty 
Sidney Ayers' An Absolute Mess: Danny Firedragon, Refhater, Joanne, Betty Hamilton, Stella (Ex Libris) 
Sidney Ayer's Grand prize $10 gift cert, Demons like it Hot, Demons prefer Blondes: Catslady
Choice from Mia Marlowe's ebooks: Robin
Stephanie Julian's How to Worship a Goddess: Sofia
Amanda Forester's The Highlander's Heart: Johanna J 
Mia Marlowe's Sins of the Highlander: Suzan Tisdale 
Choice from Mia Marlowe's backlist: Brooklyn Ann 
Shona Husk's The Goblin King: Eli Yanti
Choice from Mia Marlowe's Backlist: May
Terry Spear's Dreaming of the Wolf: Aretha Zhen
Choice from Mia Marlowe's backlist: Diva Donna
Sarah Taney Humphreys' Unleashed: Angel
Choice from Mia Marlowe's backlist: Gena Robertson
$10 gift certificate from Samantha Grace: Cstrionkat & Barbara E.
Choice from Mia Marlowe's backlist: Meme 
Mia Marlowe's Sins of the Highlander: Emily Tardy 

If you didn't win, I hope you'll give my website contest a shot. The Grand Prize is a new KINDLE. I'm also trekking through cyberspace on the Sins of the Highlander Blog Tour. Sourcebooks is giving away 2 copies of my newest release each day! Hope to see you along the way!

There was a time when the term 'romance' referred to a literary work featuring the adventures of a medieval hero. That sort of action and chivalrous exploits are what Connie Mason and I were going for in our upcoming release Sins of the Highlander.

Allow me to introduce you to "Mad Rob MacClaren," a Scottish laird during the time of Mary Queen of Scots. He abducted his enemy's bride from the altar, but unfortunately he forgot that four-legged predators roam the woods through which he planned their escape. Rob and Elspeth have been dogged by a wolf pack and the starving beasts are closing in...
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“I was just wondering if ye’ve ever climbed a tree," Rob said, his voice cool as if they were taking a pleasure ride through the woods, "because I think the skill might come in handy verra soon.”

“Oh, aye.” Perhaps Rob wasn’t so mad, after all. “I can climb a tree like a squirrel.” Elspeth heard the metallic rasp of metal as Rob unsheathed his claymore.

“There’s an oak overhanging the path in ten paces,” he said. “If I give ye a boost, do ye think ye can swing up to that thick branch?”

The wolves began a howling chorus around them. They’d located the only fresh meat in the forest and it was time to sing about it.

“Give me a boost and I’ll fly up to it,” Elspeth said, drawing her legs up under her so she was hunkered on Falin’s back instead of sitting astride. The stallion danced sideways in reaction to the unusual movement of his riders.

“Ho there, lad, easy now.” Rob kneed Falin forward. One of the wolves found some bravery and lunged at Falin’s haunches. The stallion kicked at it. Rob kept Elspeth from toppling off by balancing her hip with one hand. The predator rolled and slinked away, snarling but unhurt.

“Do ye want your knife back?” Elspeth asked.

“No, keep it,” he said. “Just in case.”

In case. Elspeth didn’t want to contemplate what that meant. She slid the small blade down the busk of her bodice between the boning, as the oak tree drew nearer.

“Get ready.” Rob’s voice was steady and reassuring, but her heart still pounded like a smith’s hammer. She pushed the cloak off her shoulders, letting it drape over the stallion’s withers, so her arms would be free. Cold was the least of her worries. She’d have only one chance to leap to safety. They drew even with the oak.

“Now!” Rob shouted. He hefted her backside and she sprang up and grabbed at the branch with both hands. The rough bark dug into her palms, but she didn’t let go. The sudden movement made the pack dart in, snapping at Falin’s heels. He bucked and reared and danced backward on the path. Elspeth was suspended over nothing but air with writhing, furry bodies below. She swung her feet up to hook a knee over the branch, but not before the biggest gray wolf leaped up and grabbed a mouthful of her broad skirt.

A lesser fabric might have ripped, but the thick velvet held fast. Elspeth clung to the underside of the branch, which bowed under the additional weight. The wolf shook its whole body, like a terrier with a rat, trying to bring her down. The bough creaked and popped, and she feared the limb might give way.

“Hang on!” Rob shouted and slashed, not at the wolf, but at the layers of her velvet skirt and chemise from which it was suspended. The beast fell to the ground with a yowl.

Elspeth scrambled and lifted herself to the upper side of the thick branch. Another wolf leaped up, coming within fingerwidths of her bare foot. She tucked it up and scuttled along the branch till she reached the trunk and stood upright, looping an arm around its comforting solidness. One wolf tried to scuffle up the trunk. Elspeth caught a whiff of his stinking breath as he snapped at her, but unless he sprouted wings, she was out of reach.

“Whatever happens, dinna come down till I say,” Rob ordered as the pack turned its attention from her to the man on the prime piece of horseflesh. The wolves formed a ring of snarling muzzles around Rob and Falin. Their breath rose in a haze, like a smoke ring from a giant’s pipe.

Elspeth counted fifteen big beasts with several smaller ones hanging back in the deeper shadows, yipping encouragement. Rob pivoted the snorting stallion in a tight circle, so he could keep an eye on the restive crowd. The wolves called to one another, coordinating their coming attack. The sound raked Elspeth’s spine like a claw. The unholy chorus rose and then stopped suddenly as if the song was a thread snipped off with shears.

“Come, ye sons of bitches!” Rob growled into the sudden silence. “If ye want us, ye must take us. I give ye worm-eaten bastards leave to try!”

Elspeth had seen fearsome things in the hall of dreams. The Sight had sometimes taken her repeatedly to the aftermath of a great battle of some sort and she woke from such bloody visions sickened to her soul. But she’d never seen anything as terrifying as the sudden attacking leap of the wolves on this man and his horse.

They came in waves, snarling and snapping. One managed to land on the stallion’s back behind Rob, going for his unprotected neck. Falin screamed and reared, lashing out with his hooves and the wolf slid off, raking the stallion’s flanks with his claws. Rob’s blade sang a song of blood and whipped around to shear off the beast’s head. Falin’s kicks sent a few wolves flying as Rob laid about with his claymore.

Man and horse, they fought in concert. They fought for their lives.

As the battle wore on, Falin stumbled on fallen wolf carcasses, but managed to keep his feet. The ground was black with blood. Rob roared as he slashed his blade, sounding as wild and vicious as any four-legged predator. The numbers of the pack dwindled. As the eastern sky lightened to pearl gray, hope rose in Elspeth’s heart.

Then the largest wolf charged and leaped. His flying lunge knocked Rob from Falin’s back. They rolled together, tooth and claw, man and blade, off the path and into the thick underbrush, disappearing in a growling, swearing mass.
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Like it? Order it.

Or visit your favorite bookseller on January 3rd!

Thanks for being part of my New Year Blog Bash! Be sure to scroll down and leave message on each of the Jan 2nd posts. There are tons of free books, gift certificates and ebooks available for you to win. The drawings to determine the winners will be held on Jan 4th, so be sure to come back to see if you're on the list!

Thanks to all the wonderful Casablanca authors who participated in this blow out launch party.

And while you're entering to win, be sure to visit MiaMarlowe.com to enter my contest to win a new KINDLE!

Comments

  1. haha I loved it! Can't wait to read this book =D

    emilytardy(AT)yahoo(DOT)com

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  2. Thanks for the excerpt and Happy New Year!!!

    yadkny@hotmail.com

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  3. Goodness ... That was pretty exciting! I think I was holding my breath reading it. Poor horse!

    When I rad the 1st line about climbing trees my 1st thought was "Oh! Does the hero climb a tree in a kilt?!" :P

    thumbelinda03@yahoo.com

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  4. Sounds terrific and can't wait for the book to come out!

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  5. Mia, that is quite an exciting excerpt. Thanks so much for sharing it and all of the fun of the blog bash.

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  6. Mmm great excerpt. Sorry for the wolves though ;)

    auriansbooks at gmail dot com

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  7. Hi Emily,
    I'm so glad you enjoyed the excerpt. It's really hard to pull a scene out of context sometimes. ;-)

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  8. yadkny, Happy New Year to you too!

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  9. Linda,
    Yikes! Tree climbing in kilts is not recommended.

    I was in a production of BRIGADOON once where the guys in the chorus were not instructed in the niceties of kilt-wearing. They bent at the waist to lift the body of Harry Beaton and mooned the audience! Sort of killed the solemn moment.

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  10. May, the wait is over! SINS OF THE HIGHLANDER is out today!

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  11. Lil, this has been fun. Thanks for being here. Be sure to check back on the 4th to see if you've been a winner!

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  12. Thanks, Amanda. Your Highlanders look pretty hot too!

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  13. Aurian--I don't feel sorry for something that was trying to eat my hero. He didn't attack first. Rob was defending himself and Elspeth.

    That said, the wolf behavior described is extreme and only brought on by hunger.

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  14. Got my heart racing bright & early this morning! Glad Elspeth isn't a damsel in distress type heroine ...well, she is in a way, but she sure didn't shy away from hauling it up that tree! ;-) Sure do hope Rob & Falin win the battle! Thanks Mia! Happy New Year!
    Robin in NC
    RW620 AT aol DOT com

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  15. I know you can't let your hero be eaten by wolves, it is just because I read so many shifter novels, I have a weakness for wolves :)

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  16. Thanks for the fun day. I discovered many new authors and books to add to my tbb list

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  17. hi mia,

    believe it or not, why i just feel like dejavu. i see flashback that you do this giveaway.

    but i don't win, wew, but it's okay, i think this is fabulous giveaway and thanks to make it and give a chance for all readers to win any of the book offer in this giveaway ;)

    eli_y83@yahoo.com

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  18. This book is at the top of my must-read list!

    jenalang(at)live(dot)com

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  19. Congratulations on todays's release of Sins Of The Highlander!

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  20. What an exciting excerpt! Another book for my TBR pile!

    Thank you so much for the blog bash!

    Happy New Year!

    Gena Robertson
    robertsongena@hotmail.com

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  21. can't wait to read this book
    hope i win this giveaway
    and thanks for the giveaway

    sjdlampung1(AT)yahoo(DOT)com

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  22. RW1010--Elspeth is definitely not the shrinking violet type. She wouldn't be a good match for Rob otherwise.

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  23. Danny--Glad you enjoyed my blog bash! Hope you'll join me on the SINs OF THE HIGHLANDER TOUR.

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  24. Eli--I wish all the commenters luck in the drawings today!

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  25. Thanks, Chris! I'm pretty jazzed about it.

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  26. Very curious about the list of winners ...

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