UPDATE:
The grand prize winner of the Winter Wonder Man Blog Hop is Joanne W. over at Tera Shandley’s blog. Congrat Joanne! She will be getting a $50 gift card to Amazon or Barnes & Noble.
The winner of ebook Viking Fire is Tiger-Chick-1
If you didn’t win, don’t be glum, Viking Fire is now a Kindle Daily Deal and only 99 cents until February 2, 2014 Amazon shortlink: http://smarturl.it/VikingFire
“What makes a hero in movies and books wonderful to the point your toes curl?”
For me, a hero in movies and books has to be loyal, intelligent, and a sense of humor. His genuineness comes across the screen and pages and make me forget he’s only a character.
Blurb: In 856 CE, Ireland is a land of myth, magic, and blood. Viking raiders have fought the Irish for over half a century. Rival Irish clans promise only betrayal and carnage.
Kaireen, daughter of Laird Liannon, is suddenly forced into an arranged marriage with her sworn enemy, a Viking. She refuses to submit. With no mention of love, only land and the protection of her clan, she endeavors to get her betrothed banished from her country. Will love find its way around her stubborn heart?
Bram, the Viking, finds himself without future or inheritance as a younger son in his family. A marriage to the Laird’s daughter would grant him land if he swears fidelity and if his men will fight along with the Liannons against any foe—Irish or Viking. However, the Laird’s feisty daughter only holds animosity for him and his kind. Is marriage worth the battle scars of such a relentless opponent?
With the blame for a rival laird’s death treacherously set against the Liannons, Kaireen and Bram must find a way to lay aside their differences as an unforeseen darkness sends death snapping at their heels.
Viking Fire Excerpt
Chapter One Ireland 856 CE (condensed)
“I renounce Father for this.” Kaireen threw the elderberry gown.
“Shame on you and your children for speaking such.” Her handmaid, Elva, gathered the damask and then dusted off the rushes. “It’s a wonder one of the clim has not scolded you from your hearth for such talk.”
“No, curse Father for a fool.” She plopped on her bed and a goose feather floated away. With a huff, she leaned against the oak headboard. Red curtains puffed like a robin’s chest around oak poles supporting her wooden canopy.
Her bare feet brushed against the stone floor.
“You know your da arranged a marriage within a season.” Elva smirked.
Kaireen shook her head. “To another land holder,” and waved a hand in disgust, “not t-this heathen. Twice they raided our land in the last month alone. Now father wants me as wife to one of them?” She clenched her fists. “No, I will not marry this Viking.”
Elva smiled, reminding Kaireen of the rumors of her handmaid’s uncanny foresight.
Whispers of Elva making strange things happen and often blamed as the cause of
Kaireen’s stubborn refusal to behave as a laird’s daughter should.
“You’ve not seen him yet.” Elva wiggled her brows.
“So?” Kaireen shrugged. “I would like to never see him.”
“Well then, would you not like to know if you have a handsome husband or not?” She waited for her response, but Kaireen scowled. Elva chuckled. “I would rather get a good look at him now than the morning after.”
Kaireen’s ears heated. “I am not marrying.” She shook her head for emphasis. “So there will be no morning, nor night, nor wedding.”
“If he is handsome, I may fight you for him.” Elva smiled, deepening the wrinkles around her eyes.
“Welcome to him either way.” Kaireen laughed.
Grand Prize Winner will be determined by Random.org created by hdthomson.com
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35 responses to “Winter Wonder Man Blog Hop – January 16-19, 2014”
Strength, passion and honesty. Thanks for the chance on this giveaway. Koala571 (at) msn (dot) com
You’re welcome. Thank you for coming by 🙂
my hero has to be loyal, handsome and a little bit funny, that would kill me!
parisfan_ca@yahoo.com
Those are wonderful traits!
Great excerpt. The idea of a Viking is quite – appealing – hot – sexy – all of the above.
Tweeted and following. Can’t believe I wasn’t following you?!?!?!
Thank you. I’m following you too 🙂
I like what you said about the hero making you forget he’s a character. Very important.
🙂 That is a great point. Thank you for coming by.
My hero has the tortured past, but still has that fierce protectiveness for those he cares about. a dash of sarcasm and loyalty.
anovelgathering2013(at)gmail(dot)com
Oh, I just got chills. Great traits!
Protectiveness, loyalty and humor. Thanks for the giveaway!
jasdarts at hotmail dot com
Humor and loyalty are great traits that are repeated in other’s comments and my own 🙂
Thank you for coming by.
A hero is wonderful to me if he’s kind (at least deep down!), honorable, confident, protective, smart, and if he has a sense of humor.
jmcgaugh (at) semo (dot) edu
Janie,
Great traits. Humor is coming up in a lot of responses 😉
Thank you for stopping by.
Someone who is a protector, strong, smart, funny and kind.
humhumbum AT yahoo DOT com
H.B.,
I agree. Thank you for coming by.
Greate pieces. Keep writing such kind of info on your site. Im really impressed by your site.
My perfect hero is tall, muscular,confident,loyal, Alpha,bad-ass, intelligent, protective, vulnerable and majorly damaged — but ultimately redeemable!
Thanks for the amazing excerpt & giveaway!
elizabeth @ bookattict . com
Elizabeth,
Thank you for your comment – and I love the ultimately redeemable part 🙂
I like a hero who isn’t afraid to be vulnerable.
bituin76 at hotmail dot com
Ooh, that’s a good one Jan.
My fictional hero is sexy, strong, and confident with a great sense of humor. Thanks for the giveaway!
bhometchko(at)hotmail(dot)com
You’re welcome. I’m swooning at your list 🙂
alpha and smart
bn100candg at hotmail dot com
Nice 🙂
Thank you for coming by.
loyal handsome assertive and slightly arrogant
devynsmom95@yahoo.com
Sounds like Bram from Viking Fire 😉 I call him cocky. Thank you for stopping by.
My favorite is an alpha hero. One thats strong, caring, protective. I love a sense of humor! And a six pack and guns doesnt hurt anything. lol Great excerpt! Cant wait for more! Thank you!
shadowluvs2read(at)gmail(dot)com
Shadow,
Thank you! I’m glad you enjoyed the excerpt. Thank you for your comment.
I love a caring, protective hero, one who can go all alpha male, yet doesn’t feel threatened and even encourages their loved one taking the lead and taking charge. A sense of humor is also important. It doesn’t matter if it’s just goofiness, dry humor, wit, etc, just some type of sense of humor. He has to be able to deal with feelings, not all, oh I’m a guy, we don’t do those things, over-macho crap. I want a guy who’s secure in his massculinity (you know, not afraid to wear pink or scared people will think he’s “gay” or “a girl” for actually doing/enjoying things like going to the theatre or dressing fashionably). Loyalty and fidelity are extremely important as well as being able to cook. A guy who can cook is super sexy. And romantic at heart as well.
tiger-chick-1(at)hotmail(dot)com
Tiger-chick,
Wow, you’ve explained it perfectly. Thank you for coming by – and I like a guy in pink too 🙂
I like them to be strong , built and have a great humor and a bad boy.
Juliee Fitze – jfitze2@hotmail.com
Juliee,
A bad boy with a heart? That would be on my list too. Thank you for coming by.
My hero is strong and protecting. I love a man who knows me so well that its almost like he could be psychic at times. ghwasd at gmail dot com
Gwen,
That is a good trait to know you so well. Like to have a hot bath, glass of wine, and your favorite book ready for you.