Category: The Scholar's Heart

Rainbow Snippets August 7-8

8/8/2021

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+

Today I'm sharing a snippet from The Scholar's Heart. I seem to have started on a theme of first meetings, but Etan and Tristan, the main characters of this estranged friends to lovers story, met long before this book started. So, I thought I would share when Tristan first meets his newborn daughter.

She made a little snuffling sound, and he reflexively looked down. His first look at his daughter’s face...and he tumbled headlong into love.

She was perfect, from the wispy pale hair on her head to her delicate little fingers that came into view as the blanket wrapping her loosened. He walked carefully to the rocking chair near the hearth, the chair Dariela had specifically designed, and sat, careful not to wake the baby. He had no idea what to do with a baby, no idea how to raise a daughter, but sitting here, staring down at her sweet little face, he vowed he would learn anything he needed to know. Anything to keep her safe, healthy, and happy.

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

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Rainbow Snippets May 22-23

5/22/2021

5 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+

I'm sharing another set of first lines, this time from The Scholar's Heart. This book is an estranged friends to lovers story between two people who do their fair share of messing up along the way. (It's also probably my angstiest book...) At the beginning, though, Etan and Tristan are still friends (and Etan is more than a little in love with Tristan).

“There you are!”

Tristan’s musical voice made the simple sentence something special, or perhaps Etan’s feelings made it seem so. Etan smiled as he looked up from his book, a glow of warmth and welcome lighting him up inside.

Tristan strode into the small room Etan had claimed for his own in the palace’s labyrinthine library. He had a desk in the university library as well, but these days, out of necessity and preference both, he conducted most of his work in this cozy little room.

You can learn more about The Scholar's Heart here. Thanks for reading today, and I hope you're staying safe and well.

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Rainbow Snippets March 20-21

3/20/2021

4 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+

More first kisses today! This week, I have Etan and Tristan's first kiss in The Scholar's Heart for you. The Scholar's Heart is an estranged friends to lovers story, and these two are definitely a bit stupid about the whole thing before they figure it all out. Their first kiss is provoked by jealousy and hurt on Etan's part and shocks Tristan. Tristan speaks first in this snippet.

“I can’t see what concern it is of yours what Leo is to me. I don’t know why you’re even asking.”

Etan felt something snap inside himself at Tristan’s rising voice. “I shouldn’t be asking, you’re right. But you want to know why I’m asking you? This is why.”

Against all his better judgment, which was screaming at him unheeded from some small part of his mind, he grabbed Tristan, pulled him close, and kissed him.

The kiss was rough--passionate but rough and almost violent. All lips and teeth and grasping hands. Not at all how Etan usually kissed or liked to be kissed. Not at all how he’d envisioned a first kiss with Tristan to be, back when he’d imagined such things, before he put aside the possibility of anything between them. A shame, since this kiss was likely to be their only one.

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

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Read an Ebook Week Sale!

3/7/2021

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All of my books are 50% off in the Smashwords Read an Ebook Week sale through March 13th. You can find them all here. Go grab some books!

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Rainbow Snippets August 15-16

8/15/2020

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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+

This weekend, I'm sharing another snippet from The Scholar’s Heart, which is now finally back out in the world. The Scholar’s Heart is a friends to estranged friends to lovers fantasy romance and the third in the Chronicles of Tournai series, though it can be read as a stand alone, like the other books in the series. This snippet follows not long after last week's. Etan and Tristan are still on their ride out to the cliffs, and we finally find out what is bothering Tristan.

Etan let Tristan have his silence, even though it pained him to do so. He wanted to help, to make whatever it was right again. Tristan had cheered him up often enough, and they’d bolstered each other’s strength through bad times. But Tristan had to speak in his own time, and he’d never actually ask for help even when he did.

Tristan didn’t speak until they were almost all the way back to Jumelle. “My father wants me to marry.”

Etan’s brain stuttered. He had to have heard wrong. He whipped around to look at Tristan, but Tristan was still staring straight ahead. “What? Did you say he wants you to marry?”

“He’s dying, Etan,” Tristan said in a small, quiet voice that made Etan hurt.

If you'd like to know more about The Scholar's Heart, you can find it here. Also, The Scholar's Heart is currently 30% off at NineStar Press, along with all my other books. (Go grab some weekend reading!) Thanks for reading today, I hope you're all staying safe and well.

2 Comments

Rainbow Snippets August 8-9

8/8/2020

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+

This weekend, I'm sharing another snippet from The Scholar’s Heart, which is now finally back out in the world. The Scholar’s Heart is a friends to estranged friends to lovers fantasy romance and the third in the Chronicles of Tournai series, though it can be read as a stand alone, like the other books in the series. This snippet follows directly after last week's.

As Etan expected, Tristan veered off the road as they neared the cliffs. The path he chose wound through some trees until it ended in the meadows overlooking the sea. Once they were through the trees, the view opened up before them, with fields dotted with wildflowers and a rocky precipice tumbling down to the vivid blue of the sea. The area was one of Etan’s favorites. He’d rather walk along the cliffs or picnic at the top so he could better appreciate the view, but riding was exhilarating too. Well, any ride with Tristan was. Tristan was a skilled and fearless horseman, who ended each ride flushed and smiling. Etan always wanted to grab him close and kiss him when he saw Tristan that way, to see if he could make Tristan breathless for another reason entirely.

You can find more about The Scholar's Heart here. Also, The Scholar's Heart is currently 30% off at NineStar Press, along with all my other books. Thanks for reading, and hope you're staying safe and well!

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Rainbow Snippets August 1-2

8/1/2020

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+

This weekend, I'm sharing another snippet from The Scholar’s Heart, which is now finally back out in the world. Yay! The Scholar’s Heart is a friends to estranged friends to lovers fantasy romance and the third in the Chronicles of Tournai series, though it can be read as a stand alone, like the other books in the series. This week's snippet picks up just after last week's.

They rode together out of the palace gates and through the city, an easy conversation flowing between them. Once they left the city, Etan let Tristan lead. When Tristan took the road leading out to the cliffs, Etan knew his suspicions about Tristan’s state of mind were correct. Tristan seemed to prefer a gallop along the cliffs when he felt he needed to escape something, some pressure in his life. He talked to Etan about it sometimes, at least a little, but only after the ride.

You can find more about The Scholar's Heart here. Also, if you haven't grabbed it yet, The Scholar's Heart (along with the rest of my books) is currently 40% off at NineStar Press's site. Hope you're all staying safe and well.

1 Comment

Rainbow Snippets July 25-26

7/25/2020

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+

This weekend, I'm sharing another snippet from The Scholar’s Heart, which is now finally back out in the world. Yay! The Scholar’s Heart is a friends to estranged friends to lovers fantasy romance and the third in the Chronicles of Tournai series, though it can be read as a stand alone, like the other books in the series. I've skipped just a couple paragraphs ahead from last week's snippet. Tristan speaks first in this snippet. We're still in Etan's POV.

“Will you go for a ride with me?”

He thought briefly of the work awaiting him in the office he shared with Cathal, of his plans to spend the morning with his books and his studies before he returned to that work. And tossed it all aside with one glance into Tristan’s eyes. As he always did. His books would still be there when he returned to them later.

And he wasn’t convinced Tristan really was all right.

“Of course. Shall we go now?”

You can find more about The Scholar's Heart here, and it's currently 40% off at NineStar Press. The rest of my books are all 50% off through the end of July in the Smashwords sale. Hope you're all staying healthy and safe and wearing masks!

2 Comments

Rainbow Snippets July 18-19

7/18/2020

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+

This weekend, I'm sharing another snippet from The Scholar’s Heart, which is now finally back out in the world. Yay! The Scholar’s Heart is a friends to estranged friends to lovers fantasy romance and the third in the Chronicles of Tournai series, though it can be read as a stand alone, like the other books in the series. This snippet follows directly after last week’s at the beginning of the book. We’re in Etan’s POV.

Perhaps he should just come right out and kiss Tristan. Tristan seemed to be over what feelings he’d had for Amory, Tristan’s lifelong friend who was now married to Etan’s cousin. Etan didn’t see any of the emotion or longing he used to in the glances Tristan sent Amory’s way. Maybe Etan had waited long enough.

He’d certainly paused long enough before answering. “A bit of both. Want me to read to you?”

You can find more about The Scholar's Heart here. The Scholar's Heart is currently 40% off at NineStar Press (along with my other books), and all of my books except The Scholar's Heart are 50% off this month at Smashwords, if you need some weekend reading. Stay safe, everyone.

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The Scholar's Heart is Back!

7/13/2020

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I'm so excited that The Scholar's Heart is back out in the world today! This is the third book in my Chronicles of Tournai series (though, like the rest of the series, it can be read as a stand alone), and it's the friends to estranged friends to lovers story of Etan and Tristan finding their happily ever after. I've polished it up, but otherwise, the story hasn't changed from the original Dreamspinner edition—other than the gorgeous new cover by Natasha Snow—so if you already have it, you don't have to buy it again. And if you haven't read it yet, I hope you enjoy Etan and Tristan's romance and escaping into Tournai.

About The Scholar's Heart

Though he is the youngest son of a royal duke, Etan is a scholar at heart, happiest in a library surrounded by his books. He contentedly juggles his work for the prince’s government with his studies of the history and legends of Tournai, a subject of particular interest to him because he shares the secret magical Talent that runs in the royal bloodline. However, Etan’s peaceful world turns upside down when his best friend—the man he secretly loves—unexpectedly marries someone else.

Tristan is the oldest son of a wealthy merchant, raised to shoulder responsibility for the family business one day. That day comes far sooner than anticipated, and he makes a deathbed promise to his father to marry the woman his father chose and become head of the company and family. Tristan values his friendship with Etan and has always been attracted to him, but he can’t forsake his duty to his father, even if it means giving up the possibility of having Etan as a lover.

A year later, Tristan is a widower with an infant daughter and a mother who demands he marry again quickly—something Tristan resists. Circumstances throw Etan and Tristan together again, but even as they succumb to the desires they’ve always harbored, Etan battles his feelings, wary of being cast aside once more. When the unimaginable happens, Etan and Tristan must come together and support each other through the ordeal…and maybe beyond.

Add The Scholar's Heart to your Goodreads shelf.

Buy The Scholar's Heart:
NineStar Press
Amazon
Apple
Barnes & Noble
Smashwords
Kobo

The Scholar's Heart is currently 40% off at the NineStar Press site.

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Rainbow Snippets August 7-8

Rainbow Snippets May 22-23

Rainbow Snippets March 20-21

Read an Ebook Week Sale!

Rainbow Snippets August 15-16

Rainbow Snippets August 8-9

Rainbow Snippets August 1-2

Rainbow Snippets July 25-26

Rainbow Snippets July 18-19

The Scholar's Heart is Back!

About The Scholar's Heart

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