Come visit...

Magnus is getting around! I've got a mini interview up at Voirey Linger's blog today talking a bit about my latest release, TAMING A HIGHLAND DEVIL.

Stop by and find out my answer to that often-asked question: Just what is under that kilt?

Release day (again)!

I have an erotic short out today with Ellora's Cave!

Here's the skinny:
EDUCATING APHRODITE is a Victorian ménage a quatre novella. Translation: it's H(((O)))T!

Here's the blurb:

Two years is too bloody long to be abstinent, especially when one is married to the insatiable Sebastian Falkner, Earl of Warwick.

Countess Alexandra Falkner is desperate to get her husband back in her bed, including performing in the risqué production of Educating Aphrodite. She knows Sebastian will choose the masked woman who performs in the finale with him and his best friend, sexy theatre manager and hypnotist, Vincent Delacroix, and she intends to be the temptress who catches his eye. Unfortunately, she lacks the confidence and experience she needs to have sex with two men in front of an audience. She solicits Delacroix’s skills as a hypnotist to empower her. What she gets is an education in seduction that leads her heart astray.

Will she lose sight of her goal in Delacroix’s arms?

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BUY NOW!!!

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CHAPTER ONE

“Have you completely lost your wits?” Vincent Delacroix stood upright behind his pine desk and wrenched his fingers into pitch-black hair. “You’re the bloody Countess of Warwick for God’s sake! A lady of noble breeding. Not a common doxy.”

Unable to hold his boiling black glare, Alexandra twisted her gloves in her lap and blew a white-blonde curl from her eyes. “My husband obviously doesn’t want a lady in his bed.”

“Christ, Alexandra!” His harsh tone indicated his opposition, and she’d yet to tell him the whole of her plan. “Your husband is the proprietor of the Piacere Theatre. Not to mention a close friend.”

“Which is why I came to you.” Perhaps this was madness. Perhaps loneliness drove her toward lunacy, but she was desperate to rekindle the passion in her marriage. Unfortunately, she lacked the courage and experience to accomplish her task without Delacroix’s assistance.

“I cannot begin to fathom why you would go to such measures.”

The light-blue silk choker that matched her eyes seemed to tighten around an expanding knot of frustration. She swallowed it hard and raised her pale lashes to Delacroix. “Sebastian and I have not been…intimate since I conceived Edward.”

The angry lines between Delacroix’s dark brows disappeared. He scrubbed his tightly groomed black beard in obvious astonishment. “Your son is nearly a year old.”

Shame burned her face and stung her eyes. Alexandra bit back the tears and looked down the expanse of her fashionable gold gown trimmed with frills and flounces and lace. At twenty-three, she was fit and well-kept and upheld her role as Countess of Warwick with elegance and grace, but hidden beneath layers of perfumed petticoats was a woman that no longer appealed to her husband. “It has taken me months to accept the fact Sebastian no longer desires me.”

“Forgive me. I did not know.” Delacroix rounded the desk to kneel in front of her. He captured her cold wringing fingers then raised her hands to his warm lips. He kissed one, then the other, and offered her a sympathetic look that began to tear the thin layer of restraint guarding her temper.

“I don’t want your pity. I want your help.”

“I’ll help you.” His agreement came quicker than she’d expected. “What exactly is it you had in mind?”

Hope swirled behind her breast. She sat up taller. “I want to dance in Saturday night’s performance of Aphrodite.”

Shock widened his dark brown eyes. He stabbed a finger between his cravat and neck and yanked. “You know about the performance?”

“I know everything.” She knew about the actresses slated to dance at the Piacere Theatre. They were the same women who warmed her husband’s bed and satisfied his carnal appetite. “I know Sebastian is playing the role of Adonis and will select the woman who performs in the finale. I also know that same woman will attend him privately the remainder of the night. I want to be the temptress behind the mask who catches his eye.”

Delacroix stood and walked away from her to a side table where he poured himself a hefty noggin of bourbon. “Then you’re willing to defile yourself before an audience.” He angled his chin over his shoulder. “With me.”

Heat crawled up Alexandra’s neck, spread across her face, then scalded the tips of her ears. That was the one obstacle she hadn’t quite figured out how to get around. The literal climactic ending included three players—Aphrodite and her two lovers, Ares and Adonis. More specifically, Sebastian and Delacroix. She’d never been with anyone other than Sebastian. And she’d certainly never been with two men at the same time. But her faithfulness had gained her naught but an empty bed. “I am willing to resort to whatever means are necessary to have my husband back in my bed.”

“Warwick will kill me if I agree to this.” He emptied the contents of his glass in one loud gulp.

“I do not need your permission to take the stage. I own the theatre. But I lack the confidence and the experience to play the role, which is why I need you to hypnotize me.”

Delacroix paused for long moments, no doubt contemplating her request.

“Please, Vincent. I cannot continue to live like this. I feel like a widow in the latter months of her mourning period.” This shell of isolation grew colder every day and she feared she would freeze to death waiting for Sebastian to warm her again.

Delacroix exhaled a fierce breath then removed his cravat and waistcoat. “Let it be known that I’m doing this against my better judgment.” He pivoted on his heel and splayed his long fingers toward a fainting couch. “Lie down, Alexandra.”

Mammoth Book of Scottish Romance is officially out!

Today is the official release date of the Mammoth Book of Scottish Romance!!!

There are some fabulous authors penning wild and passionate tales of highland flings. Among them are Julianne MacLean, Connie Brockway, Terri Brisbin, Donna Grant, and I give thee Keiran and Sorcha:

Scotland, Inner Hebrides – 1587

Sorcha’s husband is easily the meanest cur alive. He blamed her for every misfortune that befell his clan since he took her to wife four years past. And now the bastard is determined to kill her. If she were half the witch he accused her of being, then she might possess the power to save herself, but Da had ousted her grandmum from the clan before she taught Sorcha the Pagan ways. She is certain of only one thing—if she lives long enough to become a widow, she will never take another husband.

Keiran, the Falconer of Barra, knew he and Sorcha were worlds apart in station—he, the son of a crofter, and she, the eldest daughter of the chieftain—but he’d spent the past seven years of his life trying to change his stars. Everything he’d done had been for her. He’d fought and killed for the clan and learned the Pagan ways, for her. And now that he’d saved her life and took her pain away, the foolish wench accused him of doing it all for the chieftainship.

Will Keiran’s gentle touch crush the last of her resistance? Or will Sorcha’s husband hunt her down and kill her before she discovers the depth of Keiran’s love?

BUY NOW!

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CHAPTER ONE
Scotland, Inner Hebrides – 1587

The bastard was finally going to kill her.

Sorcha trembled inside her wool mantle as icy wind thrashed strands of brown hair over her face. The rope binding her wrists stung, and her battered legs ached where Hector had pushed her down the steps of the keep. But none of it compared to the fear clutching her insides. She craned her neck over her shoulder and gawked wide-eyed at the white waves pummeling the base of the cliff.

“Ye destroyed my crops with hail, infested the clan’s meat with maggots, and set the outbuildings afire. ’Tis August, yet snow blankets my land.” Hector pressed her closer to the pebbled edge with his dark glare and intimidating size. He stood a full head taller and easily outweighed her by ten stone. “And now this.” He held up his sword arm covered with lesions of oozing puss. “Ye give me a whore’s disease!”

“I did naught, m’lord. I swear it,” Sorcha pleaded between chattering teeth. She considered reminding him that he hadn’t come to her bed in over two years, but knew ’twas useless to defend herself. Hector had blamed her for every misfortune that befell Clan Ranald since he’d taken her to wife four years past.

“Ye lying bitch!” He struck her hard across the face with the back of his hand.

Sorcha twisted at the waist and landed on her knees and elbows. The pain stinging her cheek was soon forgotten when Hector kicked her in the side. She heard her rib crack just before an unbearable streak of pain shot through her very core. She couldn’t fight, couldn’t think, couldn’t breathe. The coppery tinge of blood spread over her tongue as she rolled onto her stomach. She spit a string of crimson and pulled herself forward by her bound hands.

“Think ye I dinnae hear ye chant your spells in the old language?” Hector wrenched her back to her feet.

If she were half the witch he accused her of being, then she might possess the power to save herself. She wished Da hadn’t ousted Grandmum from the clan before she taught Sorcha the Pagan ways.

“Ye have cursed me and my clan for the last time,” he bellowed over the howling wind.

“If ye kill me,” she panted through the pain, trying to draw upright to stare him in the eye, “my kin will avenge me.” ’Twas a false threat, but she was desperate.

A deep throaty chortle burst from Hector’s pocked face. “Your da died before naming a tanist to reign in his stead. The MacNeils have no chieftain, no bloodline, save for a sixteen-year-old girl. And your sister will be easy to break.”

Sorcha’s heart lodged in her throat. She tried to shake the horrid images of what Hector would do to her sister, but they erupted in her mind’s eye like a nightmare. Peigi would be powerless to defend herself against Hector and his men.

“As soon as I send ye to your Otherworld, I’ll be claiming the Isle of Barra as my own.”

Sorcha looked to the gray sky and pleaded with the king of her gods. Thou Christ of the cross, snatch me from the snares of this evil demon so I might protect my kin.

A bird cawed overhead, circling them. ’Twas a falcon—a white falcon. Mayhap the Goddess Cliodna had come to escort her to the afterlife.

“Fare thee well, Sorcha of Barra. I’ll see ye in Hell.” Hector raised his foot high and drove the sole of his boot into her stomach, sending her reeling over the edge of the cliff.

Shock numbed her insides. She wanted to hold onto something, to scream, but she could do neither. Her body seemed to fall faster than her soul, and for one breathtakingly frightening moment, she felt as though her physical being separated from her spirit.

Through it all, she kept her eyes fixed on that white falcon following her downward to her death.

My face is going to hurt. I just know it...

Do you ever go to an event and have such a good time, when you get home your face hurts from smiling, your stomach hurts from laughing, and you can't sleep because your still giggling about something someone said? Well, that's the kind of afternoon I'll have today because I'm sharing the company of 4 entertaining authors:

EILEEN DRYER
ANGIE FOX
SHIRL HENKE
KIMBERLY KILLION
PATRICA RICE

If you happen to be in the St. Louis area this afternoon, you should stop by AROUND THE CORNER PAPERBACKS between 1:00 and 3:00. It's going to be a hoot and a half! :)

Here's the addy info:
Around the Corner Paperbacks
5496 Baumgartner Road, Suite 127
St. Louis, MO 63129
(314) 416-9100

Eileen Dreyer

Award-winning, best-selling author Eileen Dreyer, known as Kathleen Korbel to her Silhouette readers, has published 26 Silhouette books, 8 medico-forensic suspenses, and 7 short stories.

2010 sees her extending her range into historical romance. BARELY A LADY, the first book in her DRAKE'S RAKES series for Grand Central, premieres in July and follows the lives of three women who meet in Brussels during the battle of Waterloo and stumble over a plot against the throne. Eileen spent time not only in England but India to research the series.

A retired trauma nurse, Eileen lives in her native St. Louis with her husband, children, and large and noisy Irish family, of which she is the reluctant matriarch. She has animals but refuses to subject them to the limelight.

Dreyer won her first publishing award in 1987, being named the best new Contemporary Romance Author by RT Bookclub. Since that time she has also garnered not only five other writing awards from RT, but five RITA Awards from Romance Writers of America, which secures her only the fourth place in the Romance Writers of America prestigious Hall of Fame. Since extending her reach to suspense, she has also garnered a coveted Anthony Award nomination.

A frequent speaker at conferences, she maintains membership in Romance Writers of America, Sisters in Crime, Mystery Writers of America, and, just in case things go wrong, Emergency Nurses Association and International Association of Forensic Nurses.

Eileen is an addicted traveler, having sung in some of the best Irish pubs in the world, and admits she sees research as a handy way to salve her insatiable curiosity. She counts film producers, police detectives and Olympic athletes as some of her sources and friends. She's also trained in forensic nursing and death investigation, although she doesn't see herself actively working in the field, unless this writing thing doesn't pan out.

Barely a Lady ( Drake's Rakes #01 )
ISBN-13: 9780446542081
Publisher: Forever
US SRP: $ 6.99 US
Pub Date: July 01, 2010

After discovering her former husband on the battlefield of Waterloo--and in enemy uniform--Olivia Grace must pretend to still be married to Jack to keep him from being hanged as a traitor.

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Angie Fox

Angie Fox is the New York Times bestselling author of the Accidental Demon Slayer series. She claims that researching her books can be just as much fun as writing them. In the name of fact-finding, Angie has ridden with Harley biker gangs, explored the tunnels underneath Hoover Dam and found an interesting recipe for Mamma Coalpot’s Southern Skunk Surprise (she’s still trying to get her courage up to try it).

Angie earned a Journalism degree from the University of Missouri. She worked in television news and then in advertising before beginning her career as an author.

The Accidental Demon Slayer
ISBN-13: 9780505527691
Publisher: Love Spell
US SRP: $ 6.99 US
Pub Date: July 01, 2008

Newly anointed with demon-fighting powers and suddenly able to hear the thoughts of her hilarious Jack Russell terrier, a preschool teacher finds a new dark and dangerous world, including a sexy shape-shifting griffin she's not entirely sure she can trust.

The Dangerous Book for Demon Slayers
ISBN: 0505527707
Publisher: Love Spell
US SRP: $7.99 US
Binding: Mass Market Paperbound
Pub Date: May 01, 2009

Accidental demon slayer Lizzie Brown and her grandmother's coven of biker witches have rolled into Sin City to take out a super-sexy succubus who has her eye on world domination--and worse, Lizzie's man, in this second entry in Fox's red-hot series.

A Tale of Two Demon Slayers
ISBN-13: 9780505528278
Publisher: Love Spell
US SRP: $ 7.99 US
Pub Date: February 01, 2010

In this third installment of Fox's red-hot, hilarious paranormal series, Lizzie and the gang travel to Dimitri's home in Greece where they are confronted with his past . . . and an unwelcome family secret that could destroy them all.

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Patricia Rice

With several million books in print and New York Times and USA Today's bestseller lists under her belt, former CPA Patricia Rice is one of romance's hottest authors. In her forty-seventh book, she begins a new regency series entitled Rebellious Sons. The first book, THE WICKED WICKERLY, is a July 2010 release.

Patricia Rice's emotionally-charged contemporary and historical romances have won numerous awards, including the RT Book Reviews Reviewers Choice and Career Achievement Awards. In addition to receiving the Bookrak Bestselling Paperback award, her books have also been honored as Romance Writers of America RITA® finalists in the historical, regency and contemporary categories.
A firm believer in happily-ever-after, Patricia Rice is married to her high school sweetheart and has two children. A native of Kentucky and New York, a past resident of North Carolina, she currently resides in St. Louis, Missouri, and now does accounting only for herself. She is a member of Romance Writers of America, the Authors Guild, and Novelists, Inc.

The Wicked Wyckerly ( Rebellious Sons )
ISBN-13: 9780451230713
Publisher: Signet Book
US SRP: $ 7.99 US
Pub Date: July 06, 2010

Abigail Merriweather's farm is quiet since she lost custody of her four young half-siblings--until a roguish gentleman named Fitz stops for a rest, his rebellious daughter in tow. His etiquette is questionable, his parenting deplorable--so why does Abby delight in his flirtations?

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Shirl Henke

Shirl Henke sold her first novel, a big historical romance titled GOLDEN LADY, to Warner Books in 1985. In 2005 she switched over to the “dark side” publishing two political thrillers, CORRUPTS ABSOLUTELY and HOMELAND SECURITY under the pseudonym Alexa Hunt. She's also written romantic suspense for Penguin Onyx and Silhouette Bombshell as Shirl Henke. She's appeared on the USA TODAY bestseller list, been a RITA Finalist twice, received a BookraK Bestseller Award and won three Career Achievement Awards, an Industry Award and three Reviewers Choice Awards from Romantic Times.

She's a member of the Author's Guild, Romance Writers of America, Missouri Romance Writers, Sisters in Crime, Novelists Inc. and International Thriller Writers.

Love Lessons at Midnight
ISBN-13: 9780843963632
Publisher: Leisure Books
US SRP: $ 6.99 US
Pub Date: July 01, 2010

No one knows the true identity of the mysterious madam who runs London's most notorious brothel--a place where a man's wildest dreams can come true. Robert St. John has not imagined the pleasure he will find or the danger he will court while seducing its mistress.

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Kimberly Killion

Award-winning author, Kimberly Killion, has been hailed by Romantic Times Magazine as an author who writes “captivating romance with excellent pacing and characters who are honorable, intelligent and full of humanity.” Her debut book, HER ONE DESIRE (Kensington 2008), was nominated for the romance-publishing industry's highest award of distinction, the RITA® Award. HER ONE DESIRE won the 2009 Booksellers Best Award for both Long Historical and Best First Book. In addition, Kimberly’s writing received an Award of Merit in the 2009 HOLT Medallion. She was recognized in the 2009 National Readers’ Choice Awards, the 2009 Golden Quill Awards, and the 2009 More Than Magic Contest. Romantic Times Magazine awarded Kimberly’s second Scottish-set novel, HIGHLAND DRAGON (Kensington 2009), with the K.I.S.S. Award and said this is “a tale to cherish.”

Aside from writing, Killion teaches graphic/web design and serves as the President of the Missouri Romance Writers of America. She lives in Illinois with her husband, two children, a dog, three cats, and two dozen chickens.

Highland Dragon
ISBN-13: 9781420104417
Publisher: Zebra
US SRP: $ 5.99 US
Pub Date: October 01, 2009

Killion delivers a passionate medieval Scottish tale in which a laird must choose between avenging his father's death and surrendering to the passion he finds in the arms of his enemy's daughter.

Her One Desire
ISBN-13: 9781420104424
Publisher: Zebra
US SRP: $ 3.99 US
Pub Date: July 01, 2008

After the daughter of the Lord High Executioner rescues a Scottish spy from certain death in the Tower of London, she fuels him with desire and everlasting love, in this sizzling debut romance.

Stop by if you are in the area!!!

Facts, Fiction, Research...oh my...

Readers often email me to ask me about research. Sometimes they simply want to know if I hold a Masters in history and sometimes they want to point out what I did wrong.

Well, I don't hold a Masters in history. In truth, I never like history in school, but I do enjoy researching now. Partly because it is a means to procrastinate and partly because I find it fascinating. I recently had a woman email me to tell me how much she enjoyed my latest release, HIGHLAND DRAGON, but also pointed out that my heroine was liable to make the hero and his kin sick because she had picked rowan berries and they ate them. Apparently raw rowan berries will give you a stomach ache. I didn’t know that. Which is what I told her. LOL She was so tickled to discover that she had taught me something, that she dug out the newspaper article she had read on the subject and mailed it to me. FROM SCOTLAND!

I didn’t mind. Actually I thought is was kind of cool. We writers have so much to worry about that sometimes, yes, we can get the research wrong. For example, in HIGHLAND DRAGON, I also used the scent of honeysuckle to describe my heroine. Prior to publication, one of my critique partners pointed out that honeysuckle was not native to Scotland. Sheesh! What’s a girl to do? So I changed the name of the flower to the Gaelic word for sugar: siùcair.

Is it really that important to get it all right? Well, there are some readers out there who would say yes. I for one, like to focus on the romance and hope for the best, but if you are one of those crazed-diehard-must-get-it-right people, then here are a few website to assist you with your research…Enjoy!

COSTUME:
12th & 13th Century Clothing - Definitions
18th Century Costume Terminology
By the Sword
Historical Clothing Terms
Crinolines Fashion History
Deb's Historical Research Page
Measurement in the Middle Age
Medieval Clothing Terms
Medieval Fashion Glossary-Images
Noble Ware
The Tudor Shoppe
Clothing Of The Fifteenth Century

SCOTLAND
History of the Scottish Kilt
History of the Tartan
Reconstructing History — Scottish Historical Clothing Research
Scottish Women's Clothing

ITALY
Italian Dress
Italian Renaissance Clothing 1420-1520
Italian Renaissance

DICTIONARIES / GLOSSARIES:
Arms and Armour Terms
Emotion Thesaurus
Color-terms
Dictionary of Baby Names, Meanings and Origins
Dictionary
Etymology Dictionary
English/Irish Dictionary
Herb & Spice Dictionary
Merriam-Webster Dictionary
MSN Encarta
Navy Slang
One Look
Pirate Glossary
Regency Cant and Expressions
Regency Lexicon
Renaissance Faire Glossary
Scots Dialect
Scots Terms
Scottish Vernacular Dictionary
Sex-Lexis.com
Ships Glossary
Slang

MEDIEVAL:
Terms for Castle, Armor, Weaponry
Clothing Terms
Job Listing
Insults and Slang of the 15th Century
Medieval English Towns
Knighthood, Chivalry & Tournament
THE MIDDLE AGES-Lots of Links

FOOD:
Medieval-Themed Restaurants
Medieval and Renaissance Food
The Medieval Kitchen

MONEY:
Historical Money
The DiCamillo Companion
Money in Florence, Italy
Measurement in the Middle Ages

NAMES:
Baby Names
Fake Name Generator
Regency Names
Medieval Names
Medieval Naming Guide
Scottish Boy Names
Scottish Girl Names
Scottish Names 101
Victorian Era Names

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If that isn’t enough to make your eyes cross, feel free to visit my writers page for more...

Huzzah!
Kimberly Killion
______________________________________________________________
HIGHLAND DRAGON ~ ON SALE NOW!
4-STARS from RT Book Reviews "This is a tale to cherish."
http://www.kimberlykillion.com/

Did a woman’s virginity raise her worth on the slave market?

I'm talking with Eliza Knight today at History Undressed about the "auction scene" in HIGHLAND DRAGON. If you ever wanted to know more about historical slave markets, then pop over. Plus, there's an excerpt...

"After reading HIGHLAND DRAGON, I immediately emailed Kimberly about the book. She had me held captive literally from the first sentence. No kidding, I was sitting in Starbucks with a girlfriend, and I kept tapping her arm and reading to her. She has such a vivid and intense way of writing. I really felt like I was there, experiencing everything that Calin and Akira experienced. The characters are so well-crafted they appear to be real people, with real emotions. Not to mention Calin is a hot-blooded Highlander—you can’t beat that! Verra, verra nice… I cried, laughed, held my breath, chewed off my nails, sighed…the whole nine yards. I told Kimberly this, and I’ll tell you all too, I haven’t read a book this good in a long time. She rivals with some of my old favs, Julie Garwood and Jude Devereux to name a couple. And OF COURSE, she has a great bit of knowledge on history and weaved all the details and facts into the story in a way that it just flowed off the page. I like history with my romance, I like travelling back in time."

READ MORE...

Book of the week at LASR!

Thanks to all who voted for HIGHLAND DRAGON in Long and Short Review's "Book of the week" poll. It WON!!!

Here's the winning review:

Highland Dragon by Kimberly Killion
Publisher: Zebra Books (Kensington)
Genre: Action/Adventure, Historical, Suspense/Mystery
Length: Full (318 pages)
Heat: Spicy
Rating: 5 Books
Reviewed by Queen Anne’s Lace

Scotland 1502. Akira Neish has been raised as a peasant, her belly often empty and her family subject to the cruel whims of her clan's laird. To the clan’s children, the horned shaped birthmark she bears means she is a witch. But she is neither peasant nor witch—and now the man who knows the truth has returned to claim her for his own.

Calin MacLeod has kept Akira's secrets and to avenge his father, the sensual young laird must marry her. He is more than a match for the fiery nature of the woman he adores. Yet the passion they share—and truths that can no longer remain hidden—could rip all of Scotland apart.

Akira Neish can fight like any man, climb trees like a monkey – although getting down is another story – and swear in four languages. The only man who holds her loyalty, besides her family, is her benefactor, the man whom she will marry. But she’s never met him, and after being captured by the enemy, fears she may never.

Calin MacLeod, the laird of clan MacLeod, vowed as he witnessed his father’s murder that he would lead clan MacLeod and get revenge on his enemy. He saves baby Akira, his bride-to-be, but the day he comes to claim her she’s been kidnapped. Will he be able to save Akira and enact his revenge, or will an old secret destroy any chance he and Akira have at love?

Highland Dragon is brisk, fast-paced, witty and completely sexy. The writing is crisp and concise with characters any reader can easily love. The point of view never jumps, and the scenes are well described and packed with delicious adjectives.

Highland Dragon brings medieval Scotland to life better than any other work I’ve ever read, employing authentic language, terminology and imagery while maintaining the story flow and not confusing the reader. I must award the author “A+++” on a fantastic job!

Ms. Killion is a talented story-teller. I plan to read any other novels she writes. Wonderful job for a writer who is definitely a must keep in the business. Don’t miss out on this must-read, fabulous novel.

Wanna win a copy of HIGHLAND DRAGON?

Come visit me this week at Unusual Historicals and leave a comment for your chance to win an autographed copy of my October release, HIGHLAND DRAGON!

Highland Dragon is brisk, fast-paced, witty and completely sexy.

I continue to be stunned by the success and praise of this book. Check it out...

Long and Short Romance Reviews gave Highland Dragon 5 Books and a heat level rating of SPICY!

"Highland Dragon is brisk, fast-paced, witty and completely sexy. The writing is crisp and concise with characters any reader can easily love. The point of view never jumps, and the scenes are well described and packed with delicious adjectives.

Highland Dragon brings medieval Scotland to life better than any other work I’ve ever read, employing authentic language, terminology and imagery while maintaining the story flow and not confusing the reader. I must award the author “A+++” on a fantastic job!

Ms. Killion is a talented story-teller. I plan to read any other novels she writes. Wonderful job for a writer who is definitely a must keep in the business. Don’t miss out on this must-read, fabulous novel."

—Queen Anne’s Lace, Long and Short Romance Reviews

READ THE FULL REVIEW...

The Promo Monster and his brother, the Demon Sucker of Time!

OMG! The promotion monster is eating me alive! He is taking tiny little bites and torturing me a day at a time. My second book, HIGHLAND DRAGON, came out Tuesday and while I’m blissfully excited, I’m also drowning.

Come save me...

This is my blog topic for the weekend where I'll be guest blogging with the gals at Romance Roundtable.

Grab a cup of java and stop by.

I'm blogging...Come Out & Play

Petit Fours & Hot Tamales
TOPIC: Get out of bed and have sex!
Magical Musings
TOPIC: Branding
RomCon
TOPIC: Hooks! How to keep the pages turning.

It's Release Day!

I cannot tell you how perfectly excited I am about seeing HIGHLAND DRAGON on the shelf! I'll be celebrating the launch over at the Jaunty Quills so stop by.

Also, my week long soirée begins today, and I'm giving away lots of books and a first chapter critique, so get thee to my contest page and sign up!

Kimberly

Meet the Characters of HIGHLAND DRAGON

It's getting so close to release day...October 6th is the official date, but I'm already hearing that HIGHLAND DRAGON has made a landing in various cities across the US. To start the celebration early, I wanted to introduce you to the characters in HIGHLAND DRAGON and a snippet from the book where they are introduced...Enjoy!

And get thee over to my contest page. I'm hosting a week long soirée.
AMAZON B&N BORDERS

http://www.kimberlykillion.com/

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THE HERO & HEROINE:
LAIRD CALIN MACLEOD & AKIRA NEISH

The untamed hiss of the next captive pierced through the drone of bidders. Hair black as midnight framed her porcelain face—a face twisted into a ferocious expression of revulsion. Oaths spewed from her mouth in English, French, Gaelic, and another language Calin didn’t recognize. Two sentries in black hooded robes restrained her, and unlike the other women, her hands were bound tightly behind her.

“Christ, that’s Akira,” Kendrick announced in a loud whisper then started for the dais.

“Nay.” Calin placed a firm hand on Kendrick’s chest. “Dinnae draw attention to us or our interest in her.” Calin spoke calmly enough, but his insides were erupting. If the guards dared to strike her, he was fully prepared to start a war.

She lunged at the men confining her to the platform. The woman certainly didn’t lack for spit and fire. She was a fighter. Though relieved he’d found her safe, Calin worried over their initial meeting. Introducing himself to his bride under these circumstances might prove to be an awkward task.

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THE BEAST: LAIRD BAEN KINNON

Laird Baen Kinnon sat at his trestle table and clutched his throbbing skull. Morning always brought the same damned ache. The same frigid cold. Dawn’s light had already cut through the mist and crawled up the tower wall. Gray light cast a shadow over the young girl cowering in the corner of his solar. He pointed to a satchel atop a three-legged cuttie stool. “Fetch me that poke o’ herbs and come fill my cup with ale, wench.”

The girl shuffled across the moldy floor rushes to do his bidding. She’d spent the night curled up with a few orange cats in front of an empty hearth. Had he not been blind drunk, her pathetic bawling would have kept him up half the night. Luckily, the drink had swiftly overcome him.

Her tear-spiked lashes rose just enough for her to peek at him through dirty, pale hair as she handed him the satchel.

She shivered.

He grinned. Just being in his presence terrified her, and he had yet to touch her.

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THE BROTHER: KENDRICK NEISH
Kendrick’s color turned red, his nostrils flared, and his pose took on the stance of an angered warrior. Calin suspected he would lose this battle just as Kendrick dove at him. Calin held one hand out as a shield, but Kendrick twisted that arm behind him. Within a blink, Kendrick cradled Calin’s head in the crook of his arm, constricting the air in his throat.

“Ye be on Kinnon soil, mon, and it would take verra little to snap your wee neck between my brawny arms.”

His comment was delivered with such force Calin couldn’t help but laugh at the man.

Kendrick leaned to the side to study him. “Are ye addlebrained, mon? Mayhap a wee bit light in the head?” Kendrick released him with a forceful shove into a bed of prickly pine needles.

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THE MISTRESS: CATRIONA
A woman emerging from the woodland caught Akira's eye. Floating over the lush foliage of the knoll, the woman glowed beneath the fading sun. Beauty and grace surrounded her every step. Flowing pale blonde hair bounced at her waist. A slim figure curved neatly into slender hips under a plain ivory gown. No jewels graced her bodice or her neck, nor did she wear a plaid, but the woman carried herself with the dignity of a noble. As she stepped even closer, Akira was mesmerized by the perfection of her face. High cheekbones pointed to a mouth most men would betray their country for. Then Akira looked into a pair of silver eyes. Not a blemish of color hid in the flecks. Foreboding crawled up her spine. Immediately, Akira felt uncomfortable in her presence.

The woman embraced her in a cold hug. When she spoke, her teeth sparkled. “You must be Calin’s new wife. ’Tis such an honor to finally meet you.”

“I am Akira. And ye are?”

The woman’s smile broadened when she brushed her long blonde locks over her shoulder. “I am the laird’s mistress, Catriona.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

THE BRAGGART: JAIME MACLEOD
“Aye, M’lady. The name’s Jaime.” He, too, pressed his lips to her knuckles, but didn’t release her hand as Alec had. “I have nay wife, but if ye’ve any sisters as bonnie as ye, I’m sure to be lookin’.”

A blush heated her cheeks beneath Jaime’s flattery. Calin’s kin certainly excelled in the art of wooing. She fell into a trance under the dreamy hue of aqua-blue eyes. Jaime had a hint more blonde streaked through his beard, and she knew he would be strikingly handsome beneath his whiskers. Certainly, he would have no trouble finding a wife with his face.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

THE SISTER: ISOBEL NEISH
Jaime held Akira's sister, Isobel, in his arms, and she looked as irritated as he looked happy.

“Put me down, ye heathen.” Isobel slapped Jaime’s chest while he twirled her into the chamber. “I swear ye are a swine, Jaime MacLeod. The mon tried to kiss me the whole way here.”

Although Isobel spoke to Akira, her stormy eyes never left Jaime’s face. He set her in a high-backed chair.

“Why did ye not ride with Kendrick?” Akira couldn’t contain her smile. Jaime was a devil, and she didn’t have to guess why he was clean-shaven.

“The brute insisted I ride with him.” Isobel’s flame-kissed locks fell in disarray over angry green eyes when she scowled at Jaime standing possessively overtop her.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

THE AUNT & UNCLE: WANDA & KERK
“Ye should be ashamed o’ yourselves.” Calin’s Aunt Wanda rounded the entranceway and seated every man with a piercing gaze. Dark-red fiery tresses framed the ire burning in her cheeks. Calin sensed the wrath she was about to unleash would topple the Devil’s battalion. Though unaware of how long she’d listened to their deliberations, he could only hope she sided with him. He needed an ally.

Wanda filled her lungs with air, glared at Uncle Kerk, and directed her long finger at him. “It galls me to call ye husband. Ye may as weel have branded her a whore. I’ve the mind to take a blade to your bollocks and have Mattie cook them slowly over the spit. Ye’ve nay use for them. Ye have displayed nay courage in the titles ye bear. Nay loyalty to your kinswomen.”

Uncle Kerk’s adam’s apple slid up and down while his eyes rounded. “Darling, ye—”

“Dinnae darling me, ye addleheaded arse. Think ye King James is a force to be reckoned with. Wait till your women hear o’ your decision.” Her eyes narrowed yet further. “Ye are worthless men. Ye think with your cocks and not with your minds. Weel, I hope your cocks keep ye warm at night, for your kinswomen will not.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

THE ADVERSARY: GORDON MACLEOD
Gordon, who was easily the oldest, wore a surly frown. The skin beneath his eyes weighed heavily downward, which told her laughter didn’t find his face often. He would undoubtedly be the hardest to befriend. She stood before him, matching his scowl. “That is assuming ye have wives. One might think it a difficult task to find a wife when one does not speak.”

Gordon didn’t respond, as she expected, nor did he return her look. Crossing her arms defiantly over her chest, she spoke to Calin, but never once removed her stare from Gordon. “M’laird, when I am your lady wife, will I have the authority to give your men permission to speak?”

“Aye.”

“For the nonce, I’d like ye to give them permission to speak to me.” Akira thought she caught the hint of a smile threatening Gordon’s face, but she doubted he would crack so easily.

“Just because I give them permission does not mean they will exchange pleasantries with ye.”

She spun around to glare at Calin, her long tresses whipped over her shoulder with the sharp action. Pain stabbed her temples. This did nothing to improve her temper. “Then order them to converse with me.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

AKIRA'S CONFIDANT & HER WEAKNESS:
AILEEN MACLEOD & ANDREW MACLEOD

Alec, and a woman Akira guessed was Alec’s wife, Aileen, scurried after their children. Red-gold locks fell over her face when Aileen bowed. “A thousand pardons, M’lady. They dinnae know their manners.” Aileen attempted to peel the boy from Akira’s neck.

He wouldn’t let go. Wrinkling his nose, he gave his mother a sour expression and tightened his grasp.

Aileen apologized repeatedly. “Andrew, release M’lady this instant.”

“I cannae, Mammie. I love her.”

That did it.

Akira laughed outright while a blush burned her face to the tips of her ears.

Aileen forcefully pulled Andrew off and dropped him to his feet beside her. “Ye can love her from a distance.”

The boy snuggled into his mother’s skirts then gave Akira a tiny wave before sticking his thumb in his mouth. The boy had far too many teeth for such a habit and Akira knew, with nary a doubt, lil’ Andrew was coddled.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

THE SUPPORTER: ELSBETH

Holding her hand, Akira noticed the bloodstains speckling her fingertips from multiple pinpricks. But what intrigued her more, were the faint remnants of bruises on her wrists and forearms, and the yellow tint of an aged bruise alongside her high cheekbones. Why would such a timid woman carry such marks? And especially one with child?

“Elsbeth, do ye stay in the keep or have ye a family?” Akira queried nonchalantly, wanting to know more about her.

“I live outside the bailey with my husband, Ian, and my son.”

“So ye already have one child. Ye and your husband must be excited about the arrival of your second.” Akira knew she’d overstepped her bounds. Elsbeth really wasn’t showing to the degree anyone might notice, but Akira had seen her hand flatten over her stomach at least twice while the woman had dressed her.

Elsbeth caressed her stomach. “I am not very far along. Ian does not yet know.”


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Of course, there are many more characters;

Lena Kinnon—The BEAST's wife (Akira's mother)
Darach Kinnon—supposed son of Baen Kinnon
Murrdock and Vanora—Kendrick and Akira’s "parents"
Neala—Akira's sister
Riona and Fiona—Akira's sisters
Maggie—Akira's sister
Logan Donald—Maggie's husband
Father Harrald—Man of the cloth of the Isle of Skye
Sister Esa—Nun at Beauly Priory.
Gunnie—Midwife
Brady—Elsbeth's son
Evie and Tara—Akira’s Maids
Alec—Calin's warrior

If you were a book, what would your blurb be?

My blog tour kicks off today at LoveStruckNovice with Sarah Simas. Come join me!!!.
Here is a taste of the interview:

If you were a book, what would your blurb be?
Oooh, good question, but a toughy. This will require me to be a little vain, but here goes...

Kimberly Killion, award-winning author of sexy medieval romance, seeks adventure and romance. But what happens when she finds what she’s looking for in the seductive arms of a hawt Highland rogue?

Laird Braw Scot is looking for a woman with an imaginative mind and taste for scandal. He finds her tucked behind her computer, hiding her passion for life inside a motherboard. Does he have the skills to seduce her away from the keyboard?

Will she give up her dreams of hitting the NY Times list and seek passion in the treacherous wilds of Scotland? Or will she resign to live comfortably in the secluded privacy of her Midwest home and never know the meaning of love?

All about me...

I am: Woman, hear me roar.
I love: My life and my family…and coffee!
I dream: Actually, I don’t. I sleep so very little that when I do hit the pillow, I fall into this peaceful place of complete nothingness. And I can be there roughly 4.5 seconds after I hit that pillow.
I wish: I never had to shave my legs again.
I pretend: I’m thin.
I fear: Failure and balloons
I appreciate: Published authors who help those of us who are new to the world of publishing.
I read: Historicals. Anything by Julie Garwood, Teresa Medeiros, Connie Mason…
I want: To start a new saying, “Get wowf!” (Scottish slang for Get crazy!)
I cannot live without: Chocolate
I am happy when: I’m being creative, whether that’s designing or writing.
I would like to meet: My characters in real life.
I am annoyed by: Noise

22 days before Highland Dragon hits the shelves...

I'm starting to get oober excited about this release now that the reviews are literally pouring in. I've gotten an email every day for the past 3 days with a review in it. And here is the best part...the reviewers are LOVING Calin and Akira's story!!!!!

Here's a few snippets (yes, a few...this is a really long review) from Leontine's Book Realm:

Kimberly Killion – Highland Dragon (Historical novel)
Scotland, Highland 1484,
It was a night the young Calin MacLeod would not likely forget as he witnessed the murder of his father. It ignited vengeance in his heart as it spread through his veins and burned in his soul. That night, his bride also took her first breath in this world. Only hours ago her birth promised hope for an alliance between the Kinnon and McLeod clan but with a coldhearted brute of a man that hope washed away with the blood of those who lost their life’s that night.

It sounds like familiar plot doesn’t it? It certainly isn’t something that hasn’t been done oodles of times before but if there is one thing the highlanders understand then it was vengeance. And if there is one thing Kimberly Killion understands, it is the spirit of the Scottish highlanders.

There were two things that I noticed early on. One, how the cast of characters played on my emotions and two, how the clan politics and intrigue fueled the romance to a higher level. The premise of Calin and Akira’s actual story held it all; betrayal, murder and a secret love.

Calin is all highlander brawn mixed with the responsibilities of a Laird and a strong sense of Clan loyalty. A good, honest, virile highlander who wants what is good for his clan and a woman beside him leading it. Akira is definitely a woman who knows what she wants, how she wants it and is smart enough to get it. I loved the mix of faith, fury, intelligence and empathy in Akira. She became the heart of the McLeod clan by just being herself and she conquered the heart of Calin in the same way. Their interaction encompassed an area of emotions, from poised and tender to fiery and passionate, to the pain of grief and loss. Their journey is steeped in emotions and I instantly picked up on them, thoroughly rooting me in the story and the exhilarating journey of the main protagonists. This is largely due to empathetic and well drawn characters but also the easy connecting writing style of Kimberly Killion.

There was an interchange between the romance, the sensuality, intrigue and character development that ran like clockwork. There is nothing overtly complicated in Highland Dragon, the writing style smooth, working with all the elements present to drive towards a conclusion that had me sighing and in tears at the same time. I just had a remarkable good time reading Highland Dragon. There is desire, Highland rogues in abundance, treachery, romance, friendship and loyalty to be found in an authentic Highlander tale that is delivered with a passionate voice for the genre.

What can I say more than Highland Dragon is a read for stormy nights and candle lit rooms to take you away in to another time, another place, and make you feel romance as is should be, the kind that conquers all!

More praise for HIGHLAND DRAGON!

Another review just came in and, once again, I'm blushing and overjoyed and honored. After receiving so much praise for my debut book, HER ONE DESIRE, I prayed it wasn't a fluke. And now I'm seeing that HIGHLAND DRAGON is being received in much the same light. Whew!

Here's a snippet of a very long review posted by Laurel at The Mystic Castle:

"Engaging and exciting, HIGHLAND DRAGON captures your attention right from the first page. With a well thought out plot and two very complex and strong characters, this book leaves the reader breathless in anticipation of what's to come. Kimberly Killion is quickly becoming a master of all things medieval as she dares to be original with her characters incorporating a true description of what life was like without the constant glamorization and glossing over of a brutal truth and era."
—Laurel Letherby, The Mystic Castle READ THE FULL REVIEW...

Ack! 40! Good God that's old!

Well, if you think on it, not really. And I don't feel 40. In fact, most of the time I feel...ummm...24, no, more like 27. Ahhh...27 was a good age. And for the most part since I'm usually buried in my heroine's POV, I have the mindset of a 27 year old. Of course I'm living in medieval times for the most part. Then there are days that I'm in the mind set of a 30ish year old hero. And can I just say that my hero's tend to have a wicked lot on their minds. Mostly sex. They think about it all the time. There are days I can't get their heads out of the trenches. ;-)

I had goals in life and for the most part I have exceeded my aspirations. I'm a published author! How many people can say that they wrote a book and got it published? That is certainly something to be proud of and I am. I don't live in a castle, or have gold tucked away in my coffers, but I'm happy. And when life gets to be too much to handle, then I set myself back in time and tuck reality under the rug for a while.

So, I will accept for the nonce that I am 40 today, but I have the mind of a 27 year old!

5/5 STARS for HIGHLAND DRAGON

The reviews for Highland Dragon are starting to trickle in and I can't tell you how thrilled I am that this book is receiving praise. Highland Dragon is the book of my heart and most likely always will be, and I'm so very happy Calin and Akira gave this reviewer so much to boast about.
Enough from me...I'll let the reviewer tell you about it:

5 STARS - LOVED IT! COULDN'T PUT IT DOWN (if I could give it 10 stars you bet your bippy I would!)

[Laird Calin MacLeod], oh I so adore him, although a brute he is a brute with a heart, and his soul belongs to Akira as he defends his love and his clan to find a peace inside his heart from all the vengeance and hatred that has been living inside him for eighteen years. You want to root for him throughout every page! They are both cunning and cleaver, fiercely loyal, insecure with their emotions at times and yet both Calin and Akira have this magnetic power by the grace of Kimberly Killion's words to time-warp you back to 1502 and experience their struggle for love and peace, as well as their grief at times. I was truly enthralled and taken away!
—Book Junkie READ THE FULL REVIEW...

Booksellers Best Awards

Her One Desire
is a finalist in both the Historical and
Best First Book categories of the
BOOKSELLERS BEST AWARD
Showcasing the shining excellence of published
authors in novel-length romantic fiction.

Sponsored by the Greater Detroit Chapter of RWA®

**********************************
CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL THE FINALISTS!

The Greater Detroit RWA wishes to congratulate the finalists in the 2009 Booksellers Best Award Contest. The winners will be announced at the RWA National Conference Wednesday, July 15th at 8:00 p.m. in the Delaware Room of the Wardman Mariott.
Patti Shenberger/BBA Chair

In no particular order…
* up for Best First Book

Long Contemporary
On My Terms – Shirley Hailstock
A Perfect Stranger – Terry McLaughlin
The Ranchers Surprise Marriage – Susan Crosby
The Wedding Heiress – Pamela Ford
Last Night’s Kiss – Shirley Hailstock

Paranormal/Time Travel/Futuristic
Gone With The Witch – Annette Blair
The House on Tradd Street – Karen White
A Match Made In Hell – Terri Garey
The Bleeding Dusk – Colleen Gleason
All I Want For Christmas – Kerrelyn Sparks

Short Historical
Maverick Wild – Stacey Kayne
To Taste Temptation – Elizabeth Hoyt
The Dragon Earl – Jade Lee
What A Pirate Desires – Michelle Beattie *
The Naked Gentleman – Sally MacKenzie

Inspirational
Leaving November – Deborah Raney
Courting Miss Adelaide – Janet Dean *
Anathema – Colleen Coble
Bayou Judgement – Robin Caroll
Lonestar Sanctuary – Colleen Coble

Erotic
She’s On Top – Susan Lyons
Unleashed – Lori Borrill
The Art of Desire – Cherie Feather
Lyon, The Lords of Satyr – Elizabeth Amber
Raine, The Lords of Satyr – Elizabeth Amber

Romantic Suspense
Thread of Fear – Laura Griffin
Trust Me – Brenda Novak
Silent Guardian – Mallory Kane
Wyoming Manhunt – Ann Voss Peterson
Phantom in the Night – Diana Love Snell

Long Historical
Mistress of Pleasure – Delilah Marvelle *
The Legacy – TJ Bennett *
His Woman – Diana Cosby
Shadow Rider – Kathryn Dennis
Her One Desire – Kimberly Killion *

Single Title
The Memory of Water – Karen White
Tall Tales and Wedding Veils – Jane Graves
Sweet Talk – Susan Mallery
Hot – Julia Harper
Once Smitten, Twice Shy – Lori Wilde

Short Contemporary
The Cowboy and the Angel – Marin Thomas
The Surgeon Boss’s Bride – Melanie Milburne
Their Secret Child – Mary J Forbes
Do Not Disturb Until Christmas – Charlene Sands
Once Upon A Christmas – Holly Jacobs

Traditional
Christmas Wishes, Mistletoe Kisses – Fiona Harper
Her Millionaire, His Miracle - Myrna Mackenzie
The Italian’s Cinderella Bride – Lucy Gordon
Newlyweds of Convenience – Jessica Hart
The Convenient Groom – Denise Hunter