Category: The Envoy's Honor

Rainbow Snippets February 13-14

2/13/2021

It's weekend, and time for more Rainbow Snippets! The Rainbow Snippets group on Facebook asks its members to share six sentence snippets from their work each weekend. Check out the group's Facebook page to read all the snippets and add lots of great books to your TBR. You'll find all sorts of books with the common thread that the main character identifies as LGBTQ+

For today's snippet, I'm sharing more from The Envoy's Honor, the newest book in my Chronicles of Tournai series, which is now out everywhere. The Envoy's Honor is an adversaries to lovers romance between two men whose devotion to family and country is putting them on opposites sides of a dispute that it will take careful diplomacy to get everyone out of safely. Unwitting attraction complicates matters, of course, and just when they might be getting closer, someone is murdered. But at least they know neither of them could've done it since they were...together...at the time. And there are more dragon shifters in this one!

Since it's Valentine's weekend, I decided to skip ahead in The Envoy's Honor and give you Griffen and Kirill's first kiss, which comes in the middle of an argument. (This is much longer than six sentences, but I thought it was necessary to set the scene—sorry!)

“I was hoping we could trust each other enough because of common interests,” he said stiffly.

“Common interests?” Kirill let out a short laugh. “What would those be?”

“Wanting the best for both our countries. Perhaps building a mutually beneficial relationship between them?” Griffen’s irritation was growing in the face of Kirill’s obstinacy, but Kirill’s flashing eyes had his desire growing too.

Kirill scoffed. “All you care about is Corentin.”

He was rapidly running out of patience at Kirill’s refusal to believe, even though he did, in some part of him, understand why. Nevertheless, his frustration won out, which he’d kick himself for later. “And, according to you, getting you into bed.”

Kirill lifted his chin a fraction. “Yes, and that.”

“Then I suppose I should get started on trying.” Griffen surged forward and kissed Kirill. As soon as he did it, he regretted the action. Kissing Kirill was a bad idea, and kissing Kirill when Kirill hadn’t invited him to was even worse. Still, it was a moment before he could tear himself from those soft lips.

Once he did, he stared into Kirill’s eyes. Kirill seemed frozen in front of him, and Griffen froze too. How would Kirill react? Was Griffen about to be hit? He wouldn’t blame Kirill if he did.

But Kirill didn’t hit him. He shook his head and muttered Griffen’s name, before snaking a hand behind Griffen’s neck and pulling him against his body. And into another kiss.

Find out more about The Envoy's Honor here. Thanks for reading today, and I hope you're all staying safe and well. Happy Valentine's Day!

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Rainbow Snippets January 30-31

1/30/2021

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It's weekend, and time for more Rainbow Snippets! The Rainbow Snippets group on Facebook asks its members to share six sentence snippets from their work each weekend. Check out the group's Facebook page to read all the snippets and add lots of great books to your TBR. You'll find all sorts of books with the common thread that the main character identifies as LGBTQ+

For today's snippet, I'm sharing more from The Envoy's Honor, the newest book in my Chronicles of Tournai series, which is now out everywhere. The Envoy's Honor is an adversaries to lovers romance between two men whose devotion to family and country is putting them on opposites sides of a dispute that it will take careful diplomacy to get everyone out of safely. Unwitting attraction complicates matters, of course, and just when they might be getting closer, someone is murdered. But at least they know neither of them could've done it since they were...together...at the time. And there are more dragon shifters in this one!

I'm picking up a little after last week's snippet. After Rozenn calmed the situation down (for the moment), the meeting broke up, and Kirill and Romilly went off alone to discuss the situation. Though Kirill's main question is "What is going on tonight?" (I went over the sentence limit...a lot...this time, but I thought it would be good to finish out this scene.)

Romilly held out a glass to him and then sat in the chair next to his once he’d taken it. “To answer your question, I have no idea what happened tonight. When Ederic began, I was hoping you and he had devised some sort of strategy and not told the rest of us, though I couldn’t imagine you would.”

“No, I wouldn’t. I would’ve told you—well, I wouldn’t have just made plans with him in the first place.”

Romilly pursed their lips as they stared down into their glass. “You and he are the most senior members of this expedition.”

“I don’t know about that,” he protested automatically. But he and Ederic were probably the most experienced. Romilly, Rozenn, and Galina ranked right after them with the others sent along as support in some capacity.

“You do, and it’s all right. What isn’t all right is that Ederic is letting his anger or whatever happened today carry him away.” Romilly waved a hand as they tried to come up with the proper words.

“I know. I’m just not certain what to do about it yet.” He took a long sip of the liquor in his glass.

“I’m feeling less hopeful and wondering what we can do, especially after that display just now.” Romilly raked fingers through their rich red hair. “Is he going to listen to any of us? He nearly pushed the princes past the point of listening to anything we had to say, and I don’t think he saw it.”

Kirill sighed. “Let’s hope after he gets some rest he’ll have calmed down, and we can all have a rational discussion about it.”

“Let’s hope so.”

You can find out more about The Envoy's Honor here. Thanks for reading today, and I hope you're all staying safe and well.

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Rainbow Snippets January 23-24

1/23/2021

2 Comments

It's weekend, and time for more Rainbow Snippets! The Rainbow Snippets group on Facebook asks its members to share six sentence snippets from their work each weekend. Check out the group's Facebook page to read all the snippets and add lots of great books to your TBR. You'll find all sorts of books with the common thread that the main character identifies as LGBTQ+

For today's snippet, I'm sharing more from The Envoy's Honor, the newest book in my Chronicles of Tournai series, which is now out everywhere. The Envoy's Honor is an adversaries to lovers romance between two men whose devotion to family and country is putting them on opposites sides of a dispute that it will take careful diplomacy to get everyone out of safely. Unwitting attraction complicates matters, of course, and just when they might be getting closer, someone is murdered. But at least they know neither of them could've done it since they were...together...at the time. And there are more dragon shifters in this one!

I've skipped ahead a little from last week's snippet. Kirill tried to defuse the situation between the princes and Ederic, and now that the meeting has ended, Ederic is not pleased with Kirill—and is expressing his displeasure loudly. Kirill finally gets a word in to start this snippet.

“Ederic, I did as I saw fit,” he finally said. “I’m sorry you don’t like it, but the princes were not intimidated by you, nor were they going to surrender to your demands. At least this way they’re going to talk to us again. If they’d had us expelled from the city or even the country, what would we have done?”

“Come back and show them why they would do well to do as we want,” Ederic shouted.

Silence fell over the room, Kirill unsure what to say. Ederic wasn’t really suggesting...

“Let’s all calm down,” Rozenn said from behind him. Only she and Romilly were in the room with them, but Kirill wouldn’t be surprised if everyone in this wing--perhaps the whole palace--could hear Ederic.

You can find more about The Envoy's Honor here. Thanks for reading today, and I hope you're all staying safe and well.

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Rainbow Snippets January 16-17

1/16/2021

3 Comments

It's weekend, and time for more Rainbow Snippets! The Rainbow Snippets group on Facebook asks its members to share six sentence snippets from their work each weekend. Check out the group's Facebook page to read all the snippets and add lots of great books to your TBR. You'll find all sorts of books with the common thread that the main character identifies as LGBTQ+

For today's snippet, I'm sharing more from The Envoy's Honor, the newest book in my Chronicles of Tournai series, which is now out everywhere. The Envoy's Honor is an adversaries to lovers romance between two men whose devotion to family and country is putting them on opposites sides of a dispute that it will take careful diplomacy to get everyone out of safely. Unwitting attraction complicates matters, of course, and just when they might be getting closer, someone is murdered. But at least they know neither of them could've done it since they were...together...at the time. And there are more dragon shifters in this one!

This week, I'm picking up just after last week's snippet. I went a little (a lot?) over the sentence limit this week, but I thought the snippet worked better this way.

“I’m afraid I can’t do that.” The prince’s tone was as mild as his expression, but Kirill knew it had to hide much more. Philip was good though—Kirill couldn’t get any real sense of what those emotions were. He kept trying to figure out what the prince thought of them, of their demand, of Corentin even.

“May I ask why, Your Highness?” Ederic asked after he’d puffed himself up again. Had he really expected the princes to just give Corentin to them? Was he so deluded or so self-centered he assumed he would demand Corentin be handed over and Tournai’s ruler would do it with no discussion or objections? If so, this meeting was going to go even worse than Kirill feared.

“Well, for one, he isn’t our prisoner. I have no authority to make him yours. Nor would I if I did. I don’t make it a habit to seize my subjects for no reason and hand them over to other kingdoms on nothing but the say- so of one man.” The prince raised a hand before Ederic could speak. His expression wasn’t so mild now. There was a hint of something sharp and strong there. “He is however in our jurisdiction and under our protection. We will not be pleased if he’s forced to go anywhere or do anything he doesn’t want to do."

You can find more about The Envoy's Honor here. Thanks for reading today, and I hope you're all staying safe and well.

3 Comments

Rainbow Snippets January 9-10

1/9/2021

2 Comments

It's weekend, and time for more Rainbow Snippets! The Rainbow Snippets group on Facebook asks its members to share six sentence snippets from their work each weekend. Check out the group's Facebook page to read all the snippets and add lots of great books to your TBR. You'll find all sorts of books with the common thread that the main character identifies as LGBTQ+

For today's snippet, I'm sharing more from The Envoy's Honor, the newest book in my Chronicles of Tournai series, which is now out everywhere. The Envoy's Honor is an adversaries to lovers romance between two men whose devotion to family and country is putting them on opposites sides of a dispute that it will take careful diplomacy to get everyone out of safely. Unwitting attraction complicates matters, of course, and just when they might be getting closer, someone is murdered. But at least they know neither of them could've done it since they were...together...at the time. And there are more dragon shifters in this one!

I'm skipping ahead just slightly from last week's snippet. Here's the beginning of the dragon's delegation meeting with the royal family. (I went a few sentences over—sorry!)

Kirill’s heart sank as Ederic puffed out his chest and stepped toward the thrones from his position at the front of their group. He didn’t wait to be acknowledged, and Kirill bit back a groan. Ederic seemed intent on ignoring all protocol, and Kirill couldn’t see it not getting them in trouble. Trying not to appear weak and pointless blustering were two separate things. And the second was unlikely to get them anywhere. Why was Ederic acting this way?

“Your Highness, we’ve come to retrieve Master Corentin. Hand him over and we’ll cease interrupting your evening.”

Prince Philip raised an eyebrow in what had to be a deceptively mild manner. Kirill wanted to cringe.

You can find out more about The Envoy's Honor here. Thanks for reading today, and I hope you're all staying safe and well.

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Rainbow Snippets January 2-3

1/2/2021

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Ederic was convinced Corentin would try to run from them if warned of their arrival, but Kirill wasn’t so sure, not after the odyssey they’d been on today. Corentin had entrenched himself in Jumelle. He’d built a life here with work and an upcoming marriage. He wasn’t likely to flee. But Ederic obviously wasn’t of the same opinion, and Kirill didn’t want to be wrong, so he allowed himself to be carried along...and they’d ended up in a receiving room in the palace of Tournai’s crown prince.

What he’d seen of the palace had been impressive. Light globes, charged with magic, on fancifully wrought posts lined the drive up to the palace, illuminating the sweep of the approach to the majestic building. Kirill could only get impressions of the soaring towers in the dark, but inside, they were hit with the full grandeur of the building. The entry hall was certainly meant to intimidate and awe with its soaring ceiling and polished marble floor and the ornate carvings on the columns. Tournai might not have been as large as its neighboring kingdoms, but it was rich due to trade and its glass makers, who were conceded to be the best in the world.

You can find more about The Envoy's Honor here. And you can get The Envoy's Honor and my other books 50% off at NineStar Press with code FINALLY2021 through January 8th, if you need some fantasy romance to start your year. I hope you're all staying safe and well and that 2021 brings you good things. Thanks for reading!

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Bleak Midwinter Quiltbag Funfest: Swans Swimming

1/1/2021

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A bunch of authors from the QUILTBAG Historicals Facebook group have gotten together to try to brighten this dark midwinter time with some posts based (loosely) on The Twelve Days of Christmas. There's also a fantastic giveaway, which you can enter here!

I have another post for the Funfest today, the seventh day of Christmas. The seventh day is swans swimming. I was originally going to share a scene from A Dance of Water and Air that involves swimming, but then I remembered there is a scene in The Envoy's Honor in which swans are swimming, so I'm sharing that instead.

“Don’t mind them,” said a quiet voice at his side.

Kirill started and glanced to his right to find Adora there. He must have looked confused because she continued. “They enjoy teasing each other. They don’t mean anything by it.”

“I was more surprised they’d behave so informally in front of someone they don’t know.” Certainly, royalty would act with more reserve and discretion around an outsider, especially one such as Kirill, wouldn’t they?

“Oh, well, probably because you’re with Griffen and it’s easy to see you’re quite taken with each other.” Adora glanced away, back toward the rest of the group, but it seemed to be at least partly out of shyness or anxiety at what she’d said, as a blush also pinked her cheeks. She was a quiet woman; he could tell even after just a few moments. She resembled her brother Amory quite a bit, with the same auburn hair and dark eyes and finely wrought features, hers just a bit more delicate. Adora wore a frothy, pale-yellow gown cut to her petite frame and a neat little hat pinned to her curling hair. He would have said both she and her brother were lovely, but it probably would be a bad idea for him to make such remarks about the prince consort and his sister.

Kirill wouldn’t dispute her statement, didn’t want to make her feel bad. Even if he shouldn’t have let it stand and leave her to get the wrong impression.

They weren’t taken with each other. Not in the way Adora implied.

Soon enough, Adora was drawn back into the center of the group by a laughing Meriall. Kirill let his attention drift just slightly. Children played on the other side of the pond under the watchful eyes of parents or nursemaids, and couples strolled along the paths. Swans glided along the water, powerful and elegant. They didn’t seem particularly concerned Meriall and Adora had left off feeding them, though a couple hovered close, perhaps hoping for more.

He was almost to the point of retrieving the little bag the ladies had been feeding them out of and continuing to do so. For the swans’ sake and for something to do while the others spoke. It was never easy to be in the middle of a group of people who were obviously close and not know any of them. Worse even than a room of stilted strangers at a formalevent. Before he could wander off to amuse himself, Griffen’s arm snaked out and threaded through Kirill’s, bringing him closer.

“What do you think?” Griffen asked, likely assuming Kirill had been paying far more attention to what they’d been saying. He should’ve been, didn’t know what he’d been thinking letting his mind wander so much in such a situation. “They’re picnicking here for lunch, and they say there’s plenty. I don’t want to impose, but they insist we won’t be. But I’ll understand and so will they if you want to go somewhere on our own as we’d planned.”

Kirill contemplated Griffen for a moment, trying to determine what Griffen wanted. “I’ll be sad not to have the time alone with you,” he said slowly as he came to some conclusions about what Griffen was likely thinking. “But of course, we can stay if we won’t be an imposition to them.”

“They say not.” Griffen shrugged. “We have to take their word for it.” Kirill chuckled. “I suppose so.”

“So, it’s all right with you?” Griffen asked in the same low voice he’d been using since he asked the original question. “Yes, of course.”

Griffen smiled. “Thank you. I’ll make it up to you another day.”

Before Kirill could tell him it wasn’t necessary—because it wasn’t, as that was not the type of relationship they had--Griffen had pulled him forward, into the group again, and Kirill had no choice but to go. And was welcomed by them because of how they saw him and Griffen together. Something he’d have to give quite a lot of thought.

About The Envoy's Honor

Second son of an earl and cousin to the Crown Prince, Griffen has worked hard to forge a career in diplomacy for the principality of Tournai, but he never expected his diplomatic skills to be necessary to a problem so personal to him and his family. A delegation from the mysterious kingdom of Ivria has come to Tournai to make sure the secret of their people—the magical Talent allowing them to change into dragons—and therefore their kingdom itself remain safe. The delegation is concerned with Corentin, an Ivrian with the ability to change into a dragon—and the man Griffen’s older brother is soon to marry.

The Ivrians seem to want to drag Corentin back to Ivria for the offense of revealing their secret, but Griffen refuses to let it happen. His determination puts him into contact—and conflict—with Kirill, a negotiator for the king of Ivria who possesses the dragon Talent himself. The two clash and connect, getting closer and pulling away as they try to negotiate the needs of their people and an unwanted attraction between themselves. However, just as trust might be growing between them, a plot is uncovered and a member of the Ivrian delegation murdered. Griffen and Kirill must discover who is behind both for the safety of their countries and the people they love...and for a chance to be together.

Buy The Envoy's Honor:
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Rainbow Snippets December 26-27

12/27/2020

2 Comments

It's weekend, and time for more Rainbow Snippets! The Rainbow Snippets group on Facebook asks its members to share six sentence snippets from their work each weekend. Check out the group's Facebook page to read all the snippets and add lots of great books to your TBR. You'll find all sorts of books with the common thread that the main character identifies as LGBTQ+

For today's snippet, I'm sharing more from The Envoy's Honor, the newest book in my Chronicles of Tournai series, which is now out everywhere. The Envoy's Honor is an adversaries to lovers romance between two men whose devotion to family and country is putting them on opposites sides of a dispute that it will take careful diplomacy to get everyone out of safely. Unwitting attraction complicates matters, of course, and just when they might be getting closer, someone is murdered. But at least they know neither of them could've done it since they were...together...at the time. And there are more dragon shifters in this one!

I'm picking up where last week's snippet left off with more from Kirill's point of view.

Corentin had exposed all of them. Telling the man he wanted to marry might have been excusable, if he hadn’t also informed Tournai’s ruler of their existence. Lysander needed to know that Ivria was safe, so they had been sent to assure it was. And if Kirill would’ve rather served his king at home in Ivria--especially when Ederic saw himself somehow as the leader of their delegation—he couldn’t deny the importance of their task.

Even if Ederic was insufferable half the time.

You can find more about The Envoy's Honor here. Also, The Envoy's Honor and the rest of my books are all 50% off at Smashwords through January 1st, if you're looking for some fantasy romance to escape into. Thanks for reading, and happy holidays!

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Rainbow Snippets December 19-20

12/19/2020

2 Comments

It's weekend, and time for more Rainbow Snippets! The Rainbow Snippets group on Facebook asks its members to share six sentence snippets from their work each weekend. Check out the group's Facebook page to read all the snippets and add lots of great books to your TBR. You'll find all sorts of books with the common thread that the main character identifies as LGBTQ+

For today's snippet, I'm sharing more from The Envoy's Honor, the newest book in my Chronicles of Tournai series, which is now out everywhere. The Envoy's Honor is an adversaries to lovers romance between two men whose devotion to family and country is putting them on opposites sides of a dispute that it will take careful diplomacy to get everyone out of safely. Unwitting attraction complicates matters, of course, and just when they might be getting closer, someone is murdered. But at least they know neither of them could've done it since they were...together...at the time. And there are more dragon shifters in this one!

I've skipped ahead just a little from last week's snippet (though this still takes place that same night) to introduce Kirill, one of people sent by the king of Ivria to find Corentin.

Kirill didn’t like how the evening was turning out—he didn’t like how this entire enterprise was turning out, and they were still at the beginning of it. He’d been reluctant to leave Ivria but, of course, he would never refuse his king. And something had to be done about Corentin. Explanations needed to be made and apologies sincerely given. It would be King Lysander’s decision if, once received, those things were sufficient.

You can find more about The Envoy's Honor here. And currently, The Envoy's Honor and all my other books are 50% off in the Smashwords sale, if you want to stock up on some books. Thanks for reading today, and hope you're all staying safe and well.

2 Comments

Rainbow Snippets December 12-13

12/13/2020

1 Comment

It's weekend, and time for more Rainbow Snippets! The Rainbow Snippets group on Facebook asks its members to share six sentence snippets from their work each weekend. Check out the group's Facebook page to read all the snippets and add lots of great books to your TBR. You'll find all sorts of books with the common thread that the main character identifies as LGBTQ+

For today's snippet, I'm sharing more from The Envoy's Honor, the newest book in my Chronicles of Tournai series, which is now out everywhere. The Envoy's Honor is an adversaries to lovers romance between two men whose devotion to family and country is putting them on opposites sides of a dispute that it will take careful diplomacy to get everyone out of safely. Unwitting attraction complicates matters, of course, and just when they might be getting closer, someone is murdered. But at least they know neither of them could've done it since they were...together...at the time. And there are more dragon shifters in this one!

This snippet picks up directly after last week's, though I might skip ahead a little next time.

“Then this concerns Tournai as well as you, Corentin,” Cathal said. “Not to be cold about it, but we need to protect the interests of the country too.”

“All right, we need to hear them out, see what they want,” Philip said. “I’m tempted to meet them without Corentin but, objections from Corentin aside--and I know you would strenuously object—I don’t know if that course of action would be productive.”

“I doubt they’ll say a word without him there, even if you could convince Corentin to stay away.” Amory smiled at Corentin and then glanced around at the rest of them, all standing tense and ready to jump to Corentin’s defense. “Good luck getting any of our family to stay away.”

You can find more about The Envoy's Honor here. Thanks for reading today. I hope you're all staying safe and well.

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Rainbow Snippets February 13-14

Rainbow Snippets January 30-31

Rainbow Snippets January 23-24

Rainbow Snippets January 16-17

Rainbow Snippets January 9-10

Rainbow Snippets January 2-3

Bleak Midwinter Quiltbag Funfest: Swans Swimming

About The Envoy's Honor

Rainbow Snippets December 26-27

Rainbow Snippets December 19-20

Rainbow Snippets December 12-13

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