Friday, August 31, 2012

Romancing the Hop!

Welcome to starr words and Romancing the Hop!


There's a ton of blogs to visit during this hop and each one you visit is offering a prize of some sort. And when you leave a comment, you'll be entered for our grand prizes. Yep, each comment equals a chance to win:
1st Grand Prize: A Kindle Fire or Nook Tablet
2nd Grand Prize: A $130 Amazon or B&N Gift Card
3rd Grand Prize: A Large Swag Pack
And from the comments here on starr words, I'll be drawing for a $10.00 Amazon gift card!
The linky with all the participating blogs is at the end of this post. Have fun and good luck!

And now, my favorite thing about romance...

Really? I have to pick a favorite? Shall I take a writer's easy way out? I love romance because I get to write romance and discover a happy ever after ending. (Okay, sometimes it's a happy for now ending, but that works, too.) No matter what trials and tribulations my characters face, whether personal insecurities, relationship woes or the villain set to destroy everything in his path, I know, somehow, my story people will prevail. Love will prevail. And isn't that what it's all about? (The Hokey Pokey comes a close second.)

Here's an excerpt from By Keltic Design, the first book of The Double Keltic Triad. Along with one of those destruction minded villains, Jaye and Allyn both face their fair share of internal issues. In this excerpt, Allyn's fears come to the forefront. Jaye discovers he's 13 years younger than she is.



He rocked back on his heels and took her hands in his when they slid from his shoulders to his chest. Holding her fingers over his heart, he kept his eyes tightly closed. Allyn tipped her head to one side and looked past him to the wall where her awards hung. Glaring in the spotlight of her fear was the certificate he had asked about earlier. The reason he knew how much older she was. Panicked, she struggled to move away.

“Don’t.” Allyn froze at the soft word. Jaye’s hands gripped hers more tightly. Easing closer, she tried to read the emotions behind his closed eyelids. It was minutes, hours, or heartbeats later when Jaye opened his eyes and smiled tentatively, looking so like a hopeful little boy she couldn’t restrain a smile in return.

The moon’s reflection glistened in his eyes when Jaye turned his face to the window. She knew the decision had been made.

Expecting nothing more than good-bye, she held her breath. She was prepared. Although she tried again to slip her hands from his, he held them firmly for a moment before he let them go. Her palms flattened against his chest just over his racing heart and tried to imprint the feel of him into her memory, storing it away before he left her.

His voice remained rough and husky even after Jaye cleared his throat. “If we were in a movie this would be where I carry you off to the bedroom.”

Allyn didn’t understand; she couldn’t have heard him correctly. She must have given him a strange look for he stepped back, disappointment filling his face and dulling his eyes. Allyn took a deep breath and an even bigger chance. “That would be foolish.”

Despondent, the faint hope still lighting his face faded and his shoulders slumped. Allyn thought her heart would break. Stepping close to lay one hand on his shoulder, she leaned into him, pressing her breasts against his arm. The soft stubble on his cheek tickled her lips as she brought them close to his ear. “I can walk.”
***

Thanks again for stopping by starr words! Don't forget to leave a comment. And hop on to these other blogs. Have fun!

55 comments:

  1. Great post. I'm loving this hop (even though I'm supposed to be working). I love when love prevails.

    kesummer69 at gmail dot com

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  2. Haha, I agree with the above commenter (kelsey) I'm supposed to be working too!!

    I love the excerpt, sounds great! Thanks for the great prize!

    Liz
    liz at fictional candy dot com

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  3. really nice post .. and I just added another author I didn't know to my list.

    this hop is wonderful for that.. but really - I need longer days

    thank you for participating

    glhince@gmail.com

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  4. Awesome post.
    My favorite part is the intense chemistry between the characters.
    Thanks for the chance to win.
    bidelia78@yahoo.com

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  5. Thanks for the excerpt and being a part of the blog hop

    fencingromein at hotmail dot com

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  6. Love prevailing is the basis of the HEA and exactly why I'll always be a fan of romance novels :) kristinecayne (at) gmail (dot) com

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  7. I like seeing the infinite ways people can get to happily ever after!

    vitajex(at)aol(dot)com

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  8. Loved the excerpt. Sounds like a great book. Thanks for being part of the blog hop.
    Sue B
    katsrus(at)gmail(dot)com

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  9. Great excerpt, sounds like a great story.
    Sounds like they will have their HEA.
    skpetal at hotmail dot com

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  10. I love HEA and all the different choices. marshteal@gmail.com

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  11. I enjoy romances because of the HEA!

    susanmplatt AT hotmail DOT com

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  12. I love the chemistry!!

    Kassandra
    sionedkla@gmail.com

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  13. Love Romances, they take me away.
    deb p
    r.d1@myfairpoint.net

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  14. Sounds fantastic!

    Diana
    bookofsecrets(at)yahoo(dot)com

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  15. I love escaping into a book. What a fun hop! delphinareadstoomuch at yahoo

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  16. My favorite aspect of romance novels is the journey to HEA.
    bituin76 AT hotmail DOT com

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  17. I love romances because you know there will be a HEA no matter how easy or hard the road to get there is.

    koonie2888 at yahoo dot com

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  18. The HEA is definitely the best part (followed VERY closely by the hookey pookey).

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    Replies
    1. Thanks for doing this giveaway!
      ~Krista
      pinkbonanza{ AT }gmail{ DOT }com

      Delete
  19. I love the happy endings!
    sqwalker2@hotmail.com

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  20. I love the surprises! Thanks for the giveaway!
    Jesse
    jesse.kimmelfreeman@gmail.com

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  21. I love reading an older woman, younger man romance!
    mcv111 at hotmail dot com

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  22. Very interesting excerpt.
    For me, romance is all about the trust and respect built between the characters. Since I write BDSM, these elements are very important.
    Thank you for participating in the blog hop!
    qwilliarain(at)gmail(dot)com

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  23. My favorite aspect is the struggle and journey they go through that shows that no matter what life throws at you true love can overcome it :)
    Thanks for the awesome & amazing giveaway!
    cassandrahicks1989@yahoo.com

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  24. I Love the emotions and trust involved in a romance. Great giveaway, thx.

    blinkysthebest at aol dot com

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  25. I love reading about different men.
    magic5905 at embarqmail dot com

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  26. I really enjoyed that excerpt! :) Thank you for the giveaway and being part of the hop!

    I just love romance for the warm fuzzy feeling or the steaminess within the chapters!

    craigcrystal(at)ymail(dot)com

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  27. Romance is about building relationships :-) Fun hop! Love the blog!
    krystalshannan@yahoo(dot)com

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  28. I love the suprises and happy ending of romance novels

    s2s2 at comcast dot net

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  29. My favorite thing about romance is that the little things can mean so much. I love holding hands and giggling with my hubby. I think romance keeps you young. Thank you for the giveaway.
    kaylyndavis1986@yahoo.com

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  30. I really like a happy ending in romance books.
    Thanks for the giveaway!
    by.evie at yahoo dot com dot br

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  31. Thanks for being part of the hop

    bacchus76 at myself dot com

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  32. Thanks for the chance!

    spamscape [at] gmail [dot] com

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  33. I love romance novels, just about any genre! I love the HEA, the path to it, and an alpha hero that I can fall in love with.

    Barbara
    bbsbooknook@aol.com

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  34. Thanks for participating! Really like the hop so far!! I love reading, especially romance. I love the happy ending that is garenteed at the end. My favorite book is Lover Mine by JR Ward! I love John Matthew and Xhex. My favorite romantic moment was when my fiancé asked me to marry him! We meant two years ago right around when summer was ending! I think it is romantic when he brings me flowers because no one else has ever done it! My friend and I went out for our last big night out before classes started again. Thanks so much! Hope everyone else is having a great long weekend!!

    prettyunicorn78@yahoo.com

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  35. Thank you for the excerpt!
    verusbognar (at) gmail (dot) com

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  36. I love reading romance because I'm a sucker for HEA. Great excerpt.

    mythic021@gmail.com

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  37. Dang! That was a great teaser excerpt. I am adding this to my wish list.

    Thanks,
    Tracey D
    booklover0226 at gmail dot com

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  38. Love to read romance books because I like to know that at least someone is getting an HEA, even if the characters are only fiction! Thanks for joining the hop and the awesome giveaway!
    ehaney578 at aol dot com

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  39. Thanks for the awesome hop and giveaways! This is so much fun! Thank you! My favorite thing about romance is the romance. lol I love the characters, the plots, the HEA's, the love. I love it all!
    shadowluvs2read(at)gmail(dot)com

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  40. Thanks for the giveaway. My favorite thing about romance is the HEAs. I love to know that the hero and heroine are going to end up together. Also the journey that it took to get there.

    sam1slim1@gmail.com

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  41. Thanks tons for the hop! I only read romance. My fav is Lora Leigh! Going to parade Monday with brothers and sisters! Should be FUN!
    swkimbell@yahoo.com

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  42. My fav thing about romance is escaping into everything that leads up to the HEA...

    maryjooller [at] yahoo [dot]

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  43. I love romance because I get to fall in love over and over. Just such a wonderful feeling.
    Mel
    bournmelissa at hotmail dot com

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  44. Romance is my bittersweet chocolate that I 4 ever crave & NEVER grow tired of...yummmm! My special treat...thanQ
    redz041@yahoo.com

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  45. I love being swept away along with the heroine
    Michele Lawrence

    shermie40 at yahoo dot com

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  46. reading romance is way more fun than the actual reality, where everything always a hassle - regnod(at)yahoo(d0t)com

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  47. Oh that was a good excerpt. Thanks for being part of the hop.
    edor628@verizon.net

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  48. I love a HEA! Thanks for being a part of the hop and the giveaway!

    snhoveln(at)gmail(dot)com

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  49. Nice excerpt.

    bn100candg(at)hotmail(dot)com

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  50. Love romances thanks for the great giveaway!
    red_tigergirl2(at)hotmail(dot)com

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  51. I don't want to have to choose what I like best, either!

    jochibi AT yahoo DOT com

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  52. Thanks for sharing and being a part of the blog hop
    BeckeyWhiteATgmailDOTcom

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  53. I love the HEA and it's the main reason that I read romance.
    sstrode at scrtc dot com

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  54. Thanks for being a part of the hop. I hope that you had a great labor day weekend! I have to agree with you on having to pick a favorite. I like too many. I bounce around.
    jessangil at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete