Enter to win Breakfast by the Sea with Destiny Blaine

This Could be YOUR view!

Listen to the waves crashing from your oceanview balcony. Bask in the sun while your significant other tells you all the many reasons he’s glad you entered this contest. Work on that tan. Grab some suntan oil and entice the hunky lifeguard a little by asking him to rub you down with coconut lotions.

Whatever you do, it’s up to you but one thing is certain—if you’re the lucky winner of this contest, you’ll enjoy Breakfast by the Sea on me!

It’s easy to enter but not necessarily a snap to win.
Directions for your entry must be followed exactly or your entry will be considered null and void.

Post a comment at each of the blogs below. Take a look at the works you see promoted on these blogs and support the talented authors by buying one of their books. Click on the links there and discover more about the author’s work or the blogger’s favorite writer. Stay and visit with fellow readers and authors.

After you’ve posted to the listed blogs, submit the following to destinyblaine@yahoo.com AND CC natalieacres@yahoo.com.
IN THE SUBJECT LINE INCLUDE: I’d love Breakfast by the Sea

In the body of the email include the following statement:

I am over the age of 21 and have proof of identity and/or a valid credit card.

YOU WILL NOT BE ASKED TO GIVE ME YOUR CREDIT CARD NUMBER. However, at the time of check-in, the resort will want to see proof of identity or you will not be permitted to take occupancy of your oasis by the sea.

INCLUDE IN THE BODY OF YOUR EMAIL:

Proof of purchase of Breakfast by the Sea, a new novel available now from Siren-Bookstrand: http://www.bookstrand.com/breakfast-by-the-sea

AND

Proof of Purchase of Sex Holiday or another Natalie Acres title
http://www.bookstrand.com/sex-holiday OR proof of purchase of one of the titles you discovered at one of the fabulous blogs listed below.


All you need to do is copy and paste your receipts into the body of the email.

Include your name, your home address, your email, and your phone number.


Contest Ends ON NOVEMBER 21, 2010 at 12:01 PM PST without exception
Winner announced and notified on December 1st here: http://destinyblaine.blogspot.com/


ONE Grand Prize Winner will receive the following:

One week paid vacation in Myrtle Beach or Jekyll Island—Winner’s Choice

Upon Notification, winner will choose between Myrtle Beach and Jekyll Island. Once the choice is made, the location can't be changed.

Winner will receive a trip to Myrtle Beach

Your OCEANFRONT/OCEANVIEW Myrtle Beach vacation is for a family/group of four. Accommodations are at the resort mentioned in Sex Holiday—you’ll have to read the e-book to find out more! Resort has an indoor pool right on the new boardwalk in Myrtle Beach. Walk to the Bowery, the famed pub where the country band Alabama jump-started their career, and hang out with the locals. Enjoy fine dining or one of the many pubs within walking distance. Have breakfast with me, Destiny Blaine, where you’ll receive $300 spending cash so you can take your family out on the town and let me pick up the tab.

OR as the winner you may prefer a more romantic setting and choose Jekyll Island

Your accommodations in Jekyll Island will not have an oceanview but will be extravagant. Vacation in Jekyll Island is for two due to the romantic setting found in the accommodations—Resort is not guaranteed due to availability but this vacation promises to offer deluxe accommodations and breakfast by the sea.

Cost of travel to and from the resort is not included.


Please note:

Vacations do not have a cash value and can not be swapped for cash. Accommodations will be first class in Jekyll Island but author does not guarantee any particular resort. Jekyll Island vacation includes accommodations for one week and breakfast each morning of your stay. Myrtle Beach vacation includes breakfast with Destiny Blaine on second day following your arrival, $300 cash and accommodations for one week. Cash awarded at breakfast with Destiny.

Finally, this trip can only be used in APRIL OR MAY 2011. Blackout dates may or may not apply. When notified of the win, you’ll be given date options and once the reservation is secured, you’ll receive your confirmation by email and snail mail.

Total retail value of this prize is over $800 and may vary based on destination chosen. This offer and promotion is void where prohibited by law and it’s up to the participant to double check their independent state laws.

So what are you waiting for? Start posting at the blogs below and then send me those receipts! One random winner will be chosen on December 1st 2010!


Author Sofia Hunt Sofia Hunt -
http://sofiahunt.blogspot.com/2010/11/guest-blogger-destiny-blaine.html

Author Jude Mason: http://jude-mason.blogspot.com/2010/11/breakfast-by-sea-by-destiny-blaine.html

Author C.R. Moss http://crmoss.blogspot.com/2010/11/welcome-guest-blogger-destiny-blaine.html

Author Raine Delight http://rainedelightbooknook.blogspot.com

Author Tess MacKall http://tessmackall.blogspot.com/2010/11/breakfast-by-sea-by-destiny-blaine.html

Dawn’s Reading Nook http://lovesbooksandmore.blogspot.com/2010/11/check-out-destiny-blaines-newest-hot.html

You Gotta Read Reviews http://yougottareadreviews.blogspot.com/2010/11/review-breakfast-by-sea-by-destiny.html

E.H. on Books and More: http://www.erotichorizon.com/2010/11/excerpt-day-breakfast-by-sea-by-destiny.html

Misc. Ramblings http://tamis-ramblings.blogspot.com/2010/11/breakfast-by-sea-by-destiny-blaine.html

Author Lindsay Townsend at Lindsay’s Romantics http://lindsaysromantics.blogspot.com/

Author Tracey Kitts http://traceyhkitts.blogspot.com/2010/11/how-about-little-breakfast-by-sea.html

Author Kristy Bock http://kristybock.wordpress.com/2010/11/17/the-goddess-welcomes-destiny-blaine/

Author Destiny Blaine http://destinyblaine.blogspot.com/

Join us for blogging today at the blogs above and tomorrow, stop by and add your comments here:

Friday 11/19 Romance Junkies http://www.romancejunkies.com/rjblog/
Friday 11/19 Quakers and Tease (Author Keta Diablo) http://quackersandtease.blogspot.com
Friday 11/19 The Book Junkie: http://myfoolishwisdom.blogspot.com/2010/11/breakfast-by-sea-by-destiny-blaine.html

I posted the video for Keta Diablo late last night so I'm copying this here again so you don't miss Where the Rain is Made!

Where The Rain Is Made by Keta Diablo has been nominated for best e-novel of the year by Authors After Dark. Vote here on November 20th

http://authorsafterdark.blogspot.com

Where The Rain Is Made is available now on AMAZON KINDLE: http://www.amazon.com/Where-Rain-Made-ebook/dp/B0041847FG/ref=ntt_at_ep_dpi_1

Shiela Stewart Visits Somethin' 'Bout a Sunday Today

Shiela Stewart joins us today as our special featured guest at Somethin’ ‘Bout a Sunday: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/RomanticSuspense_/

Shiela will be in the house from 12:00 EST until _ so come on over and get to know Shiela Stewart! Hope to see you today at Somethin’‘Bout a Sunday and in the meantime, visit Shiela on the web at:

www.shielasbooks.ca
www.cafepress.ca/shielasbooks

Special Guest Blogger for June 1st--Welcome Lindsay Townsend

Today, my special guest blogger is Lindsay Townsend. Lindsay has a brand new book releasing today from Brava. Lindsay, Congratulations on A Knight's Enchantment!

Blurb:

A beautiful alchemist and a valiant knight join forces to free their loved ones - and find an explosive passion...

Desperate to liberate her father who is being held prisoner by the corrupt Bishop Thomas, Joanna of Glastonbury must use her skills as an alchemist to produce an elixir for eternal life. Gold is a key ingredient, and while panning for its rare gleam, Joanna struggles to rescue a boy who is drowning - until a knight comes to her aid. When Joanna lays eyes on the handsome man, a scorching desire is sparked deep within her.

Hugh Manhill is captivated by Joanna's stunning beauty. When he and Joanna discover they share a mutual hatred of the Bishop, they devise a daring plan to save their imprisoned family members. Their common mission strengthens their undeniable bond. Soon, neither can resist their all-consuming passion as they risk all for love...

A KNIGHT’S ENCHANTMENT – excerpt

April 1210, England.

“You come now,” said the steward Richard Parvus, his blue-robed bulk filling the doorway.

Joanna tried to reason with him. “Sir, this distillation is almost complete and I should not leave it. I will come soon.”

“Come now,” the steward repeated, staring at a point in the windowless chamber somewhere above her head and refusing to look at her or the room-full of stills, glass and earthenware vessels, star-charts and burning candles. He could not stop breathing, however, and his wide nose wrinkled in distaste at the heady scent of rose petals.

“My lord loves rose water,” Joanna reminded him, but Parvus merely snapped his fingers at her as if she was a hunting dog.

“Now, girl! Leave this - wreck and make haste! Our lord would have you as a scribe in his audience chamber now and none of your puffer's nonsense will delay him!”

"I am no -" Joanna stopped, refusing to dignify the insult of "puffer" -meaning a fake alchemist - with a reply. As for the rest, she could leave it. The fire and candle light were safe now. It was a small risk and making rose-water was scarcely part of the great work of alchemy, but she disliked obeying the steward, who was forever trying to peer up her skirts and bullied everyone in this grand, unhappy household, even its priests.

And where was her lord's regular scribe?

She slipped round him, closing the door after her and ran down the spiral staircase.

Reaching the landing of the first floor of the tower, she stopped, listening for the slightest sound in the room beyond that strong oak door. To her dread, she could hear nothing.

“Boo!” said Parvus behind her, laughing as she flicked up her skirts and sped on, rushing down the second spiral flight of the great stone donjon. She did not stop to remonstrate with the steward. Knowing always what was at stake she was suddenly desperate for fresh air and natural light, for the freedom to leave her work bench and walk with her father by the river and in the city.
Oh, my father! Will I ever see you delivered from these terrible men?

She ran down the rest of the stairs, deliberately not looking at the weighted trap-door set in the flags of the ground floor. She ran straight past a guard and out into the yard, into a day of misty sun and drizzling rain.

Shouts and catcalls at once assailed her as the rowdy prisoners in the three wooden cages in the center of the yard roared out what they wanted to do to her. After two days of this, their lewd persistence wearied her and their imprisonment was another dread. What if her lord decided to place her father in with these rough rogues? How long would he survive in their company, in cages open to the rain and cold? And what of her lord's other 'special' prisoners, held captive with her father in the stone tower of the donjon? If they were moved to these outdoor cages, how would they fare?

“Good nature, protect them,” Joanna chanted breathlessly, taking the outdoor wooden steps to the great hall two at a time. Inside again, she mounted another stairway leading to the private audience chamber on the second floor and prepared to run again, then stopped.

Ahead of her were five guards surrounding a stranger who topped them all by half a head. Even as they marched away the stranger glanced back, gave her a curt nod and addressed the captain leading him.

“Your men will be returned once I leave through the main gate.”

“As agreed,” the captain replied, “though our lord will not be pleased by your plucking them off the streets of West Sarum like so many fallen apples.”

“That is no grief to me,” said the stranger. “How much further?”

He was a rude fellow, Joanna decided, coming up behind the troop. Trying to slip by again, as she had with the steward, she saw him closer and liked him less.

He looked a thing of fire to her. Dressed in a long red tunic, he was as high-colored and as lean as a single flame, moving with the swift agility of a salamander. His hewn features were as sharp as freshly-forged metal, his charcoal-black hair was ruthlessly hacked short and, even at this early hour of terce, his jaw prickled with fresh black stubble.

He was hot and dangerous, Joanna decided, wishing to be past him. If he had snatched hostages from her lord's entourage before this meeting, that did not bode well. Now she was about to be admitted into her master's presence, she had hoped to plead with him, to ask for more than a month to complete her sublimations. True alchemy was the secret work of years, not days. But her lord was impatient and, thanks to this bad-mannered, fiery stranger, he would be in an ill temper.

Gliding by the first guard, she was making progress overtaking the troop when the door at the top of the staircase crashed open and two of her lord’s unruly hunting dogs bounded toward them, tails up and teeth bared.

Not again! Joanna reached into the purse belted to her waist and plucked out a handful of her hand-made sweets, which the hounds, though bred to attack the boar and stag, adored.

About to cast them to the noisy beasts, she heard the stranger shout “No!” and then whistle: three loud, sharp blasts. At once the great white alaunts became almost comically docile, lowering their heads and whining softly, their claws scratching softly against the floorboards as they milled close to the nervous, stiffened guards and the striding stranger.

Without breaking step he bent, scratched both their ears and throats, and scolded her, “Sweets spoil them, girl, do you not know that yet?”

© Lindsay Townsend 2010

I asked Lindsay to include an article as well. Take a look:

THE POWER AND ROMANCE OF NAMES

Today, as well as shamelessly promoting my latest historical romance, 'A Knight's Enchantment,' I'm talking about the power and romance of names.

In Ursula le Guin's 'Earthsea' Trilogy, names are part of the magic and being of characters, and to discover someone's true name is to gain power over that person. Names do have power. I wonder how many sons will be called Obama in future years?

Names have power and significance in romance, too. If a hero has a bulky, awkward name, do readers empathise with him? If a heroine has an 'old-fashioned' name, does she lose credibility?

I write medieval historical romance and ancient world historical romance, and I find how I name my people vitally important. For instance, in the Anglo-Saxon period, there are many names beginning with E or AE - EDGAR, EDITH, EGBERT, ELDRED, ALFRED. These names have power and meaning - EGBERT means 'Gleaming Sword' - yet they possibly have fallen out of favour. How many heroes are called EGBERT now? ARTHUR is another name that may look old-fashioned to some. The meaning of ARTOS, 'bear' is wonderful to me, though, and made me fall utterly in love with the name again.

I always try to discover if names have meanings and bear those meanings in mind as I write. For example, my heroine in 'A Knight's Captive' is called Sunniva, which means Sun Gift. It's a Viking name, still used in parts of Britain. AVERIL is another name I would love to use sometime - it's meaning is 'Wild boar battle maid'. The hero of my third 'knight' book is called Hugh, which means 'Great-hearted' - a perfect match for my passionate knight! The heroine sometimes calls him by the Latin version of his name, Hugo, as a nick-name. This matches him, too, and fits her own learned background. Her name, Joanna, means 'whom God favours'.

As a historical romance writer I try to use names I feel are appropriate to the period in which I'm writing. Sarmatia is a real name, taken from a Kretan Linear B writing tablet of the time when 'Bronze Lightning' is set. Ahhotpe in 'Blue Gold' means 'The Moon is Content', which is nicely ironic, given that my Egyptian princess is very ambitious! Sometimes names cetainly can deceive. I had an anti-heroine in one of my modern romantic suspenses 'Night of the Storm,' and I called her Katherine, which means 'Pure'.

So names do matter, as a clue to a character's background and nature or as a key to period. I am always filled with admiration for fantasy and science fiction romance writers who devise names. Of course, sometimes names cannot be avoided: I read a good historical war-and-romance novel 'The Assyrian' by Nicholas Guild) and the names there - all authentic - were very difficult to me: very long and multi-syllabled.

For me, at least, some names are to be avoided!

Lindsay (it means 'Linden Tree')

XOXO Publishing Will Chat Today at Somethin' 'Bout a Sunday

XOXO Publishing will be chatting today at Somethin’ ‘Bout a Sunday. We’re excited to welcome this talented group of authors to the forum and hope you'll join us: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/RomanticSuspense_/

I have to admit, this innovative new publisher leaves quite an impression. Take a look here: http://www.xoxopublishing.com/index2.html

If you like diversification, this publisher is for YOU: http://xoxopublishing.com/shop-online/

From what I understand the authors of XOXO Publishing will bring along a few prizes for members present today so come on out and chat with us at Somethin' 'Bout a Sunday and make sure you visit this publisher online at the links above.

Destiny Blaine
www.destinyblaine.com
http://destinyblaine.blogspot.com/
www.twitter.com/destinyblaine
http://twitter.com/JAPMParanormal

Laura Tolomei Joins Somethin' 'Bout a Sunday Today

This evening, we have a special guest joining us at Somethin’ ‘Bout a Sunday. Join author Laura Tolomei as she chats about her books.

Born in Rome, Italy, Laura is an author who has “made it her job to entertain others with interesting, mind-boggling sexy tales.” Don’t miss chatting with Laura today at Somethin’‘Bout a Sunday: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/RomanticSuspense_/


Hope to see you today!

Hugs,Destiny