• RLF Gems

    Star Blogger 2015: Sabrina York @sabrina_york #RLFblog #historical

    In preparation for the move from Blogspot to WordPress, I’m sharing the RLF Gem Bloggers of this site. Each Saturday for the next few weeks, I’ll showcase a different author.
    2015 Star Blogger: Sabrina York
    Sabrina has appeared on the Romance Lives Forever blog twenty-two times. She has been an RLF Gem multiple times and was Blogger of the Year in 2015. The position is chosen by the amount of visits the author’s post receives.
    I’m proud to present Sabrina with the 2015 RLF Gem Award.
    Others who won monthly top blogger awards in 2015 were Collette Cameron, Paula Millhouse, Vicky Burkholder, KT Black, Rebecca Hunter, Mae Clair, KT Black, Susan V Vaughn, and Barbara White Daille.
    Authors who appeared frequently during 2015 included Brita Addams, Cynthia Sax, Daisy Banks, DP Denman, Heather Boyd, Kim Iverson Headlee, Kristina Knight, and Lauren Linwood.
    My thanks to each of them for making Romance Lives Forever a great place to find authors and books.

    About Sabrina York

    Her Royal Hotness, Sabrina York, is the New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author of hot, humorous stories for smart and sexy
    readers. Her titles range from sweet and sexy to scorching romance. Visit her webpage at www.sabrinayork.com to check out her books, excerpts and contests. Get updates and alerts from Sabrina here: HotSheet Sign Up.
    Newsletter and tiara contest: http://sabrinayork.com/sabrinas-contest-and-newsletter/

    Sabrina York’s latest book

    Susana and the Scot (Untamed Highlanders)
    New York Times bestselling author Sabrina York carries
    readers back to the wild Scottish Highlands in Susana and the Scot, where the bravest of men surrender to no one-except the boldest of women…
    Scotland, 1813.
    A Scandalous Temptation Andrew Lochlannach is famous for his conquests, on and off the battlefield. When a fellow warrior challenges him to a kissing contest, he wastes no time in planting his lips on ninety-nine lovely lasses-an impressive feat of seduction that gets him banished to the hinterlands. Still, Andrew has no regrets about his exploits-especially his embrace with the most beguiling woman he’s ever
    met…
    An Undeniable Passion With flaming red hair and a temper to match, Susana is not some innocent farmgirl who gives herself over easily to a man, even one as ruggedly handsome as Andrew. The wicked Scot may have won a kiss from the headstrong beauty in a moment of mutual desire, but Susana refuses to be just another one of his conquests. Andrew must convince the fiery lass that even though he is not playing a game, losing her is not an option…
    Amazon https://www.amazon.com/dp/125006970X/
    Coming next Saturday…Top Blogger for 2016. Come back and see who it is! Visit the new blog – still under construction: RLFblog. Since the hashtag is #RLFblog, that’s the url for the new site. It will keep the name Romance Lives Forever.

     

  • Science Fiction Romance

    Meet Queen Morgan from King Arthur’s Sister in Washington’s Court #scifi fantasy @KimHeadlee #RLFblog

    Meet Queen Morgan from King Arthur’s Sister in Washington’s Court by Kim Headlee.

    Author Bio

    Kim Headlee lives on a farm in the mountains of southwestern Virginia with her family, cats, fish, goats, Great Pyrenees goat guards, and assorted wildlife. People and creatures come and go, but the cave and the 250-year-old house ruins—the latter having been occupied as recently as the mid-twentieth century—seem to be sticking around for a while yet. She has been an award-winning published novelist since 1999 (Dawnflight, first edition, Simon & Schuster) and has been studying the Arthurian legends for nigh on half a century.

    About the Book

    Title King Arthur’s Sister in Washington’s Court by Mark Twain as channeled by Kim Iverson Headlee
    Genre Science Fiction and Fantasy
    Book heat level (based on movie ratings G, PG, PG13, R): PG for combat violence, language, and Victorian-style innuendo
    WINNER, 2016 IBPA Benjamin Franklin Gold Medal for Science Fiction & Fantasy
    Morgan le Fay, sixth-century Queen of Gore and the only major character not killed off by Mark Twain in A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court, vows revenge upon the Yankee Hank Morgan. She casts a spell to take her to 1879 Connecticut so she may waylay Sir Boss before he can travel back in time to destroy her world. But the spell misses by 300 miles and 200 years, landing her in the Washington, D.C., of 2079, replete with flying limousines, hovering office buildings, virtual-reality television, and sundry other technological marvels.
    Whatever is a time-displaced queen of magic and minions to do? Why, rebuild her kingdom, of course—two kingdoms, in fact: as Campaign Boss for the reelection of American President Malory Beckham Hinton, and as owner of the London Knights world-champion baseball franchise.
    Written as though by the old master himself, King Arthur’s Sister in Washington’s Court by Mark Twain as channeled by Kim Iverson Headlee offers laughs, love, and a candid look at American society, popular culture, politics, baseball… and the human heart.

    Introducing Queen Morgan the Wise

    Welcome to Romance Lives Forever! We’re happy to have you here today.
    Name: Morgan
    Age: Sixteen hundred and eight in the latter years of your century. In my rightful century, my age is none of your concern.
    Gender: Female
    Birthplace: Tintagel Castle
    Profession: Queen of Gore
    Ethnicity/Species (if not human): I am human. That is all that should matter to you mad people.
    Describe your body and build, skin tone, height and weight. Include any unique features such as dimples, freckles, or scars.
    My glorious silken hair is auburn. Anyone who calls it “red,” like that of the coarse, unruly mane sported by my dead husband, King Uriens, shall join our dungeon’s denizen who made that same mistake. Provoke me to exceptional anger, and I shall arrange faux funerals of your kin for you to watch from your window slit too.
    All my other features are kept perfect by cause of my magic… or cosmetics, to which my assistant Clarice introduced me in your century. Using cosmetics in lieu of magic I have found to be ever so much more efficient in terms of energy expended, allowing me to focus my magic on far more important pursuits, such as causing the peerless Malory Beckham Hinton to become President for Life (she vetoed my idea to make her Queen of America, though I know for a certain fact that she would be quite good at it).
    Who is the significant other in your life?
    In my ancient life, the man I loved best was Sir Accolon, the comeliest of men and manliest of lovers. In the latter twenty-first century, Sandy Carter—who could be my dead lover’s twin—owns my heart, and I his. Sandy surpasses my dead lover in all respects, bedchamber prowess most especially, by a hundred fold.
    Please tell us a little about yourself.
    My name, Morgan, was chosen by my mother, Duchess Igraine, to honor the Great Queen of the Old Religion, Mór Rigan, goddess of war. My mother never knew how prophetic her choice would prove to be.
    I am the daughter of Duke Gorlois, the sister of Queen Margawse and Queen Elaine, the wife of King Uriens of Gore, and the mother of Sir Uwaine of the Table Round. Blessed good fortune made me all of these things.
    By the capricious hand of ill fortune, King Arthur became my younger half brother, spawned upon my most virtuous and blameless mother by that demon in man’s raiment, Uther Pendragon.
    I despised Arthur from the very hour of his birth.
    What is your viewpoint on wealth?
    I love it, of course, and the more, the better. It can be quite the burden, but it does convey its own brand of magic too.
    On what special skills do you rely?
    Have you not heard of Morgan the Wise, healer and sorceress extraordinaire? What is the name of the rock under which you have been living?
    What kinds of things do you always carry (in pockets or purse)?
    I am never without my circlet, for I find it useful in your lunatic century to remain mindful of my true nature. Well… almost never. You shall have to read my chronicle to discover what caused me to become bereft of that symbol of royalty, which had to do with the other item I keep concealed upon my person for emergencies and which I am fully capable of wielding to deadly advantage: a dirk.
    Do you have children?
    My only son, Sir Uwaine, lies dead and gone these past fifteen centuries. But a mother never forgets the tautness of that eternal bond, I assure you.
    Do you care about what others assume about you?
    La, what a question! I am a queen. Of course I do not give a single overripe fig for what the masses think of me; I do not require their approval, only their obedience. That said, however, there is one man whose approval I have sought more and more often of late: my lover, Sandy. He has been known to influence my decisions even when he is not present. I find that most disconcerting… and yet not at all unpleasant.
    If someone from your past showed up, who would you most want it to be, and why?
    When Sandy reunited with his lost and presumed-dead sister, I discovered that I craved to see my long-dead brother, King Arthur, that I might set things aright between us. That wish looks unlikely to be fulfilled, alas, though I do remain hopeful that it shall come to pass one day.
    What inner doubt causes you the most difficulty?
    I never had experienced such a calamity of the arts as when my time-travel enchantment failed by three hundred miles and two hundred years. Since I know not how the spell went awry, I confess I have been afraid to assay it again, lest it leave me forever lost in time.
    What are your biggest hopes and dreams?
    Although I have experienced marvelous adventures in your shiny new century, and Sandy has become more dear to me than any other man I have ever known, I do hope I can one day return to my rightful era. I have made quite a fine place for myself as owner of the London Knights world championship baseball team, but I do not belong here. Sandy, naturally, wishes for me to stay,—but he is man enough to bow to my wishes in this sensitive matter. He is, was, and always will be such a daisy.

    Buy This Book

    Barnes and Noble Nook http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/king-arthurs-sister-in-washingtons-court-kim-iverson-headlee/1120385250?ean=2940150316980
    Barnes and Noble hardcover http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/king-arthurs-sister-in-washingtons-court-kim-iverson-headlee/1120385250?ean=9781939051714
    Barnes and Noble paperback http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/king-arthurs-sister-in-washingtons-court-kim-iverson-headlee/1120385250?ean=9781506199269

    Author Social Media

    Newsletter http://eepurl.com/boiQ0z
    Amazon Author Page (worldwide link) http://Author.to/Kim_Headlee_Amazon_page
    Blog http://kimiversonheadlee.blogspot.com/
    Triberr profile – http://triberr.com/KimHeadlee
    TSU – http://www.tsu.co/KimHeadlee
  • Fantasy

    The Challenge a new #historical fantasy by @KimHeadlee #RLFblog

    This quick interview includes info about the author, and
    introduces the story.

    About the Author

    Kim Headlee lives on a farm in
    southwestern Virginia with her family, cats, goats, Great Pyrenees goat guards,
    and assorted wildlife. People and creatures come and go, but the cave and the
    250-year-old house ruins—the latter having been occupied as recently as the
    mid-twentieth century—seem to be sticking around for a while yet.
    Kim is a Seattle native and a
    direct descendent of twentieth-century Russian nobility. Her grandmother was a
    childhood friend of the doomed Grand Duchess Anastasia, and the romantic yet
    tragic story of how Babushka escaped Communist Russia with the aid of her
    American husband will most certainly one day fuel one of Kim’s novels. Another
    novel in the queue will involve her husband’s ancestor, the seventh-century
    proto-Viking king of the Swedish colony in Russia.
    For the time being, however, Kim
    has plenty of work to do in creating her projected 8-book Arthurian series, The
    Dragon’s Dove Chronicles, and other novels clamoring for attention. She has
    been a published novelist since 1999, beginning with the original editions of
    Dawnflight (Sonnet Books, Simon and Schuster) and Liberty (writing as
    Kimberly Iverson, HQN Books, Harlequin).

    Interview with Kim Headlee

    Why did you write
    this book?
    I wrote The Challenge as a bridge between books in my series
    The Dragon’s Dove Chronicles, which is historical at its core with elements of
    action-adventure, military combat, political intrigue, fantasy, spirituality,
    and of course romance. I have always been fascinated with the concept of demon
    possession, and The Challenge is my experiment with this aspect of the fantasy
    genre.
    What is your favorite
    genre to read?
    These days I’m gravitating toward Urban Fantasy with
    spiritual undertones, such as the Bobby Dollar series by Tad Williams.
    Who is your favorite
    character from fiction (not including your own)?
    Lessa from the Pern series by Anne McCaffrey, the first
    kick-butt heroine I ever came across (decades ago, now) who retained her
    femininity while being a strong, intelligent leader and warrior.
    What are you working
    on at the moment, and will see from you in coming months?
    I am working on Book 3 of The Dragon’s Dove Chronicles,
    Raging Sea, and hope to have it available for sale by the end of the year.
    Please tell us about
    your latest book.
    The gauntlet is thrown. One must
    die. Refusal is not an option.
    Arthur the High King of Breatein
    has fallen captive of a longtime enemy, the Saxon warrior-princess Camilla, who
    lusts to avenge the death of her betrothed at Gyan’s hands and will stop at
    nothing, even the black arts, to achieve her goal. Because Gyan and Arthur have
    grown estranged, she fears that Arthur may side with Camilla and make her his
    new queen.
    To meet Camilla’s challenge, Gyan
    must face all her demons—public as well as private.

    About the Book

    Title The Challenge
    Genre Historical Fantasy
    Author Kim Iverson Headlee
    Book heat level (based on movie ratings): PG for combat
    violence

    Buy This Book

    Amazon (Kindle worldwide link) http://getBook.at/The_Challenge_by_KIH_Kindle

    Author Social Media

    Latest Video Interview https://youtu.be/UcjvCJ-TjN8
    Blog http://kimiversonheadlee.blogspot.com
    Street Team “Kim’s All-Stars” https://www.facebook.com/groups/705479912880602/
    LinkedIn http://www.linkedin.com/in/kimheadlee/
    Triberr Profile http://triberr.com/KimHeadlee
    Arthurverse Triberr Tribe http://triberr.com/pages/tribe-overview.php?tid=61110
    Indie Book Discovery Author Page http://www.indiebookdiscovery.com/ibd/author/439_kim-headlee/
    YouTube Channel http://www.youtube.com/user/gyanhumara
  • Character Interviews,  Paranormal

    Alain from Snow in July by @KimHeadlee #RLFblog #PNR

    Interview with Sir Robert Alain de Bellencombre

    This interview is designed for your hero or heroine to tell readers about himself or herself.
    Tell us about yourself, please.
    I am the second son of Comte Hugh FitzWalter, by his second wife, Comtesse Margaret. Formally I am called Sir Robert, but my kin and closest friends call me Alain. The “de Bellencombre” choice of surname refers to the village in which I was born, Bellencombre, in Normandy. My sword is pledged to the service of Duke William of Normandy, now styled King William of England by God’s grace through his victory at the Battle of Hastings. I fought in this battle too, as did my younger brother Étienne—though it shames me to admit that I was unable to save him from death at the hands of a ruthless Saxon foe.
    What inner doubt causes
    you the most difficulty?
    In failing to protect Étienne, I failed our mother too, for
    I had sworn upon my own life that I would guard his. Now I face a royally
    commanded marriage, when all I would rather do is live and die by the sword,
    and I fear that I shall not be able to protect my bride either. As a means of
    dealing with my doubts, I have assumed the guise of a squire to scout the lady,
    her lands… and the mysterious reports of hellish beasts and sorcerous acts that
    the king’s regent has ordered me to investigate.
    Tell us about your
    significant other, that person who makes living worthwhile.
    The moment my eyes beheld my bride, her sweet angelic beauty
    made me forget all my fears and doubts. And yet she seems to harbor grief and secrets—and
    perhaps even doubts and fears—of her own. As a scout, I am accustomed to
    ferreting out secrets, and so I shall learn hers, for I want nothing more than
    to kiss away her grief and transform her tears into joy.
    What would that
    person say about you?
    Lady Kendra would say that I am far too bold for a “squire,”
    for when I am in her presence I am sorely tempted to act outside propriety’s bounds.
    Thus far, I have restrained myself to offering her the gift of a single red
    rose, but I fear even that was too brash a gesture, for it caused her to flee
    my presence. I shudder to think how she will react when I confess my deception,
    but as God is my witness, I shall do whatever it takes to make amends and earn
    her forgiveness.
    If someone from your
    past showed up, who would you NOT want it to be, and why?
    My older half brother, Philippe FitzHugh, has ever feared
    that I covet the title and lands he inherited from our father. Nothing could be
    farther from the truth, but he has never believed my assurances, and he has
    undercut me at every opportunity—even to the point of luring my first fiancée
    into his bed. If I ever see either Philippe or Marie in this lifetime, it shall
    be far too soon.
    Why are you happy (or
    not happy) with the way your story ended?
    Ah, fair reader, that is for you to discover. I shall not
    spoil it for you except to say that Kendra and I are both happy with our
    story’s ending… though it did not come without terrible peril to our honor, our
    lives, and even our very souls.

    About the Writer

    Kim Headlee lives on a farm in
    southwestern Virginia with her family, cats, goats, Great Pyrenees goat guards,
    and assorted wildlife. People and creatures come and go, but the cave and the
    250-year-old house ruins—the latter having been occupied as recently as the
    mid-twentieth century—seem to be sticking around for a while yet.
    Kim is a Seattle native and a
    direct descendent of twentieth-century Russian nobility. Her grandmother was a
    childhood friend of the doomed Grand Duchess Anastasia, and the romantic yet
    tragic story of how Lydia escaped Communist Russia with the aid of her American
    husband will most certainly one day fuel one of Kim’s novels. Another novel in
    the queue will involve her husband’s ancestor, the seventh-century proto-Viking
    king of the Swedish colony in Russia.
    For the time being, however, Kim
    has plenty of work to do in creating her projected 8-book Arthurian series, The
    Dragon’s Dove Chronicles, and other novels. She has been a published novelist
    since 1999, beginning with the original editions of Dawnflight (Sonnet Books,
    Simon & Schuster, ISBN 0671020412) and Liberty (writing as Kimberly
    Iverson, HQN Books, Harlequin, ISBN 0373771347).
    YouTube video interview: http://youtu.be/DV5iKrEIROk
    What was your biggest
    challenge in writing this book?
    Snow in July began in 1999 as a collaboration with a
    longtime writer-friend, Patricia Duffy Novak. The plan was for her to write
    Alain’s viewpoint while I contributed Kendra’s scenes, and we were going to
    alternate between them. When life challenges prevented Patricia from
    continuing, she gave me her blessing to finish the story, but since she had
    already written about three chapters’ worth of Alain’s scenes, it took the
    longest time for me to understand and internalize his character.
    Why did you choose
    this character for the interview today?
    I had already conducted an interview in Kendra’s perspective
    and wanted to let Alain have his say this time.
    When writing the
    book, what did you discover about this character that surprised you?
    The biggest surprise to me was how fast he fell for Kendra;
    initially I had planned for the process to take longer for both of them. But
    once he became smitten, then his central internal challenge revolved around
    when and how he would reveal his true identity to her, which became a more
    interesting storytelling choice while still balancing the sexual tension
    between them.
    Why should readers
    who haven’t picked up one of your books before give this one a try?
    Snow in July is a stand-alone story, so there’s no need to
    worry about having missed backstory from another novel, and there’s no pressure
    to invest in some unknown number of sequels. It’s a fun read with a lot of
    heart and soul, it’s not graphic and so it’s even suitable for teens, and it’s
    a great introduction to my style and the type of epic, legendary stories I love
    to create.
    Is there anything you’d
    like to say to your readers?
    Thank you so much for your interest in and support of my
    work!

    About the Book

    Title Snow in July
    Genre Historical Paranormal Romance
    Author Kim Iverson Headlee
    Book heat level (based on movie ratings): PG-13 for combat
    violence and brief intimacy
    Sir Robert Alain de Bellencombre
    has been granted what every man wants: a rich English estate in exchange for
    his valiant service at the Battle of Hastings. To claim this reward, the Norman
    knight must wed the estate’s Saxon heiress. Most men would leap at such an
    opportunity, but for Alain, who broke his vow to his dying mother by failing to
    protect his youngest brother in battle, it means facing more easily broken
    vows. But when rumors of rampant thievery, dangerous beasts, and sorcery
    plaguing a neighboring estate reach his ears, nothing will make him shirk duty
    to king and country when people’s lives stand at risk. He assumes the guise of
    a squire to scout the land, its problems, and its lady.
    Lady Kendra of Edgarburh has been
    granted what no woman wants: a forced marriage to an enemy who may be kith or
    kin to the man who murdered her beloved brother. Compounding her anguish is her
    failure to awaken the miraculous healing gift bequeathed by their late mother
    in time to save his life. Although with his dying breath, he made her promise
    to seek happiness above all, Kendra vows that she shall find neither comfort
    nor love in the arms of a Norman…unless it snows in July.
    Alain is smitten by Lady Kendra
    from the first moment of their meeting; Kendra feels the forbidden allure of
    the handsome and courtly Norman “squire.” But a growing evil
    overshadows everyone, invoking dark forces and ensnaring Kendra in a plot to
    overthrow the king Alain is oath-bound to serve. Kendra and Alain face a battle
    unlike any other as their honor, their love, their lives, and even their very
    souls lie in the balance.
    BOOK TRAILER: http://youtu.be/vFsaD1jCLLU

    Buy This Book

    Barnes and Noble http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/snow-in-july-kim-headlee/1119853202

    Author Social Media

    Blog http://kimiversonheadlee.blogspot.com/
    LIinkedIn – http://www.linkedin.com/in/kimheadlee/
    Triberr Profile – http://triberr.com/KimHeadlee
    Arthurverse Triberr Tribe
    – http://triberr.com/pages/tribe-overview.php?tid=61110
    Street Team “Kim’s
    All-Stars” – https://www.facebook.com/groups/705479912880602/
  • Historical

    Marcus from Liberty by @KimHeadlee #RLFblog #historical

    Kim Iverson Headlee shares details about the creation of Marcus
    Calpurnius Aquila in the book Liberty.

    About the Book

    Title Liberty
    Genre historical romance
    Author Kim Iverson Headlee
    Book heat level (based on movie ratings): R
    They hailed her “Liberty,” but she was free only to
    obey–or die.
    Betrayed by her father and sold as payment of a Roman tax debt
    to fight in Londinium’s arena, gladiatrix-slave Rhyddes feels like a wild beast
    in a gilded cage. Celtic warrior blood flows in her veins, but Roman masters own
    her body. She clings to her vow that no man shall claim her soul, though Marcus
    Calpurnius Aquila, son of the Roman governor, makes her yearn for a love she believes
    impossible.
    Groomed to follow in his father’s footsteps and trapped in a
    politically advantageous betrothal, Aquila prefers the purity of combat on the amphitheater
    sands to the sinister intrigues of imperial politics, and the raw power and athletic
    grace of the flame-haired Libertas to the adoring deference of Rome’s noblewomen.
    When a plot to overthrow Caesar ensnares them as pawns in the
    dark design, Aquila must choose between the Celtic slave who has won his heart and
    the empire to which they both owe allegiance. Trusting no man and knowing the opposite
    of obedience is death, the only liberty offered to any slave, Rhyddes must embrace
    her arena name–and the love of a man willing to sacrifice everything to forge a
    future with her.
    Book Trailer: https://youtu.be/VVtiNrBAC-0

    Introducing Marcus Calpurnius Aquila

    Name: Marcus Calpurnius Aquila
    Age: mid-20s
    Gender: male
    Birthplace: Rome, Italia
    Profession: politician in training
    Ethnicity/Species (if not human):
    Describe his/her body build, skin tone, height and weight. Include
    any unique features such as dimples, freckles, or scars: Marcus has the body of
    a football quarterback: muscular but not overly bulky. In present-day terms he tops
    6′ in height, 220 pounds, and has a fading tan from having spent the past two years
    living under the paler northern sun of Britannia Province. He has some minor scars
    from his arena bouts, but nothing specifically mentioned in the book as being an
    issue for him.
    Who is the significant other in your character’s life?
    The woman who empowers his soul is Rhyddes, a gladiatrix-slave
    whom he knows by her arena name “Libertas.”
    Tell us about this character, please.
    Libertas is the first woman Marcus has ever known who does not
    swoon over his wealth, charms, or looks. She sees him for who he is: a man struggling
    to free himself from the bonds of duty, and he comes to appreciate that very much.
    He recognizes in her a kindred spirit in that regard, for she is oath-bound to obey
    her masters too. Although her beauty attracts him to her, it is her unconquerable
    spirit that ultimately leads him to want to sacrifice everything to win her love.
    How does your hero dress?
    In a toga on the Senate floor, and in scanty armor on the arena
    floor. He prefers the scanty armor, and so do his legions of female admirers.
    Is the character book-smart, self-taught, widely-experienced?
    Marcus has had all the educational privileges offered to Rome’s
    aristocratic citizens, so in that regard he possesses a fair degree of “book
    smarts,” but he is also widely experienced because of his arena exploits… and
    the epic after parties.
    What is your character’s viewpoint on wealth?
    Unlike most Roman aristocrats, Marcus believes that his wealth
    and status should be used to help people rather than to control and exploit them.
    On what special skills does your character rely?
    Although his being an aristocrat exempts him from fights to the
    death, he is a highly skilled swordsman in his own right–and he would never have
    believed that this skill would save his life and the life of the woman he loves.
    Are any of his skills a source of pride or embarrassment,
    and if so, which ones and why?
    His predilection for arena combat is an extreme source of embarrassment
    for his family, particularly his father, Governor Agricola. In fact, it becomes
    a major point of contention between them, and Marcus’s desire to consort with Libertas
    further widens the rift.
    Is he close to family?
    Marcus enjoys a very close relationship with his mother, Lady
    Loreia, who in the way of all mothers understands him better than he understands
    himself at times.
    Can your hero keep a secret (why or why not)?
    Marcus must keep his budding relationship with Libertas a secret,
    for to do otherwise would cause him to be banned from polite Roman society. He doesn’t
    care about that so much, but he knows it would stain his family too, and he has
    no wish to inflict that pain upon them.
    What is your character’s biggest need at the beginning of
    the story?
    Marcus needs his father to accept him for who he is, not for
    how he can enhance Agricola’s political career.
    If your character could make any one thing happen, what would
    it be?
    Once he decides that Libertas is the woman with whom he wants
    to spend the rest of his life, he will stop at nothing–even sacrificing all of
    his wealth and power–to make marriage with her possible.

    About Your Writer

    To honor the person who chose to share your story, please answer the following
    questions.

    Why do you think your writer chose to write about you?
    She chose to write about Libertas–Rhyddes. I am merely a facet
    of Rhyddes’s story.
    What do you wish your writer had not told others about you?
    I wish that she had not gone into such detail about my strained
    relationship with my father; that is a highly personal matter for me, and one I
    do not readily share with anyone.
    What other character from your book do you think your writer
    should write a book about, and why?
    I would like to know more about Rhyddes’s brother Owen. Of all
    her brothers, Owen is the closest to her in age and spirit, and I imagine his story
    is a fine one too.
    Why do you think your writer loves to write?
    Who can say? But if I were to venture a guess, it would be that
    she must love to entertain people with her words, much in the same way that I love
    to entertain people with my swordplay.
    Is there anything you’d like to say to your writer?
    Thank you, Kim Iverson Headlee, for accepting the daunting challenge
    of presenting the story of Rhyddes’s life in such a faithful and poignant manner.

    Buy This Book

    Amazon paperback http://www.amazon.com/dp/0990505545
    Barnes and Noble Nook http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/liberty-kim-iverson-headlee/1120850556?ean=2940149873050
    Barnes and Noble paperback http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/liberty-kim-iverson-headlee/1120850556?ean=9780990505549

    Author Bio

    Kim Headlee lives on a farm in southwestern Virginia with her
    family, cats, goats, Great Pyrenees goat guards, and assorted wildlife. People and
    creatures come and go, but the cave and the 250-year-old house ruins–the latter
    having been occupied as recently as the mid-twentieth century–seem to be sticking
    around for a while yet.
    Kim is a Seattle native and a direct descendent of twentieth-century
    Russian nobility. Her grandmother was a childhood friend of the doomed Grand Duchess
    Anastasia, and the romantic yet tragic story of how Lydia escaped Communist Russia
    with the aid of her American husband will most certainly one day fuel one of Kim’s
    novels. Another novel in the queue will involve her husband’s ancestor, the seventh-century
    proto-Viking king of the Swedish colony in Russia.
    For the time being, however, Kim has plenty of work to do in
    creating her projected 8-book Arthurian series, The Dragon’s Dove Chronicles, and
    other novels under her imprint, Pendragon Cove Press.

    Author Social Media

    Blog http://kimiversonheadlee.blogspot.com
    Street team “Kim’s All-Stars” https://www.facebook.com/groups/705479912880602/
    LinkedIn http://www.linkedin.com/in/kimheadlee/
    Triberr Profile http://triberr.com/KimHeadlee
    Arthurverse Triberr Tribe http://triberr.com/pages/tribe-overview.php?tid=61110
    YouTube video interview http://youtu.be/DV5iKrEIROk
  • Contemporary

    Kim Headlee Morning’s Journey @KimHeadlee #RLFblog #historical

    Kim Headlee author of Morning’s Journey answers five easy questions
    to help readers get to know her better.

    Author Bio

    Kim Headlee lives on a farm in southwestern
    Virginia with her family, cats, goats, Great Pyrenees goat guards, and assorted
    wildlife. People and creatures come and go, but the cave and the 250-year-old house
    ruins—the latter having been occupied as recently as the mid-twentieth century—seem
    to be sticking around for a while yet.
    Kim is a Seattle native and a direct
    descendent of twentieth-century Russian nobility. Her grandmother was a childhood
    friend of the doomed Grand Duchess Anastasia, and the romantic yet tragic story
    of how Lydia escaped Communist Russia with the aid of her American husband will
    most certainly one day fuel one of Kim’s novels. Another novel in the queue will
    involve her husband’s ancestor, the seventh-century proto-Viking king of the Swedish
    colony in Russia.
    For the time being, however, Kim has
    plenty of work to do in creating her projected 8-book Arthurian series, The Dragon’s
    Dove Chronicles, and other novels under her imprint, Pendragon Cove Press.
    What’s your favorite down-home family style meal?
    Steak and peppers, a recipe I learned from my late mother-in-law,
    which I can now make just about with my eyes closed.
    What is your go-to meal when you dine out?
    Sushi, especially on half-price days at our local Japanese restaurant.
    Describe the perfect vacation.
    A hotel on the beach—any beach—in the off season, when it’s not
    so murderously hot or crowded, where I don’t have to cook =or=clean! The longer
    the stay, the better.
    Tell us about your favorite toy as a child.
    It’s a white teddy bear that I carried everywhere from the moment
    I could pick it up. I left it underneath the tree in our yard when we moved—I was
    all of a year old when that happened. Several weeks later, the neighbors found it
    and mailed it to us. Teddy now sits in a place of honor on the shelf above my bedroom’s
    fireplace; no more nights out in the cold & rain for him!
    If the hero of your latest book called you on the phone, what
    would be a perfect ringtone for him?
    “Russian Easter Overture” by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov,
    the really heroic-sounding part in the middle. It always reminds me of Arthur galloping
    to the rescue!

    About the Book

    Title Morning’s Journey
    Genre Historical Fantasy Spiritual Romance
    Author Kim Headlee
    Book heat level (based on movie ratings): PG13
    In a violent age when enemies besiege
    Brydein and alliances shift as swiftly as the wind, stand two remarkable leaders,
    the Caledonian warrior-queen Gyanhumara and her consort, Arthur the Pendragon. Their
    fiery love is tempered only by their conviction to forge unity between their disparate
    peoples in order to create an impenetrable front to protect Caledonia and Brydein
    from the land-lusting Saxons and Angli raiders.
    But their biggest threat is an enemy
    within: Urien, Arthur’s rival and the man Gyan was treaty-bound to marry until she
    broke that promise for Arthur’s love. When Urien becomes chieftain of his clan,
    his increase in wealth and power is matched only by the magnitude of his hatred
    of Arthur and Gyan, and his threat to their infant son.
    Morning’s Journey, sequel to the critically
    acclaimed Dawnflight, propels the reader from the heights of triumph to the depths
    of despair, through the struggles of some of the most fascinating characters in
    all of Arthurian literature. Those struggles are exacerbated by the characters’
    own flawed choices. Gyan and Arthur must learn that while extending forgiveness
    to others may be difficult, forgiveness of self is the most excruciating—yet ultimately
    the most healing—step of the entire journey.
    Narrated book trailer: https://youtu.be/Bk0uPDfq7TY (with older
    cover by Jennifer Doneske and Joe Calkins)

    Buy This Book

    Amazon Print http://www.amazon.com/dp/0990505537
    Barnes and Noble Nook http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/mornings-journey-kim-headlee/1115593747?ean=2940016770680&itm=1&usri=2940016770680
    Barnes and Noble Print http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/mornings-journey-kim-headlee/1115593747?ean=9780990505532

    Author Social Media

    Morning’s Journey book trailer http://youtu.be/Bk0uPDfq7TY
    Blog http://kimiversonheadlee.blogspot.com
    LinkedIn http://www.linkedin.com/in/kimheadlee/