Category: The Scholar's Heart

Rainbow Snippet August 17-18

8/17/2019

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 is my birthday, so in keeping with the occasion, I decided to share a snippet from Etan's birthday party in The Scholar's Heart (unlike Etan, I will not be having a party at a palace with ballgowns and dancing and magic fireworks, which is a pity). The Scholar's Heart is my estranged friends to lovers story. Tristan and Etan were friends perhaps on the point of becoming more when Tristan married someone else to comply with his father's wishes. Etan distanced himself because of the hurt, but Tristan never knew why (poor clueless Tristan). They have a lot to work through to get to HEA. We're in Tristan's point of view in this snippet, and I'm sorry it's a bit long.

Darkness had fallen, and the lights out on the terrace and in the garden had been extinguished at some point during the party. The moon cast silvery light over the shadowy garden and the party guests crowding the terrace. Tristan glanced around. The light was enough for him to see that the other guests shared his confusion about why they were outside.

Etan had been ushered by his brothers and sisters and the princess up next to Amory and the prince, close to the terrace railing, which put him close to Tristan as well. Tristan heard him ask Amory what was going on and Amory answering that it had been Elodie’s idea with Meriall’s enthusiastic concurrence.

“But what is it?” Etan asked, his words nearly cut off by the first burst of color in the sky.

The guests gasped as the bursts of colorful sparks lit the sky in starbursts and spirals, exploding and dancing and spinning in ever more complicated patterns above the darkened gardens. The sorcerers creating them had to be both skilled and powerful.

Despite his interest in the magic, he found himself watching Etan more, as the different colored lights washed over Etan’s strong profile. The delight and wonder in his eyes, the slight smile playing at Etan’s lips.

If you'd like to know more about The Scholar's Heart, you can find it here. Thanks for reading today!

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Rainbow Snippet June 1-2

6/1/2019

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Against all of 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. But he couldn’t change it now. All his anger and frustration, his thwarted passion and hurt, every feeling that had accumulated over years of loving Tristan and grieving what might have been, was being poured out into the kiss, and Etan was helpless to stop it.

Tristan froze in his arms.

If you'd like to know more about The Scholar's Heart, you can find it here, and I'm running a celebratory anniversary giveaway for a copy of the book over here. Thanks for reading!

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Happy Anniversary, Etan and Tristan! (And a Giveaway)

5/30/2019

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The Scholar's Heart, my estranged-friends-to-lovers fantasy romance, came out three years ago today! I can't believe Etan and Tristan have been out in the world for so long.

It's their anniversary, but you probably need a gift. Comment below and tell me your favorite romance trope for a chance to win a copy of The Scholar's Heart. (I'll pick a winner on June 7th.)

About The Scholar's Heart

Youngest son of a royal duke, Etan is a scholar at heart who juggles his work for the prince with his studies of the history and legends of Tournai, something of particular interest to him because he shares the magical Talent that runs in the royal bloodline. Etan’s peaceful world turns upside down when his best friend—the man he secretly loves—unexpectedly marries a woman. Though Tristan values his friendship with Etan and has always been attracted to him, he is a dutiful son, 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.

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, and even as they succumb to the desires they’ve always harbored, Etan battles his feelings, wary of being cast aside again. When Tristan’s daughter is kidnapped, Etan and Tristan must come together to find her, find the person responsible, and support each other through the ordeal… and maybe beyond.

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Happy Birthday to the Scholar's Heart!

5/30/2018

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Can you believe it? Etan and Tristan have been out in the world for two years today! Happy anniversary, guys!

If you haven't read my estranged friends to lovers fantasy romance story, you can buy it 30% off at Dreamspinner for the next couple of days.

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Rainbow Snippet April 21-22

4/21/2018

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Etan shifted in the shadows and lifted a hand to the back of Tristan’s neck. Tristan opened his mouth but was only able to suck in a startled breath as Etan jerked him forward into a kiss. A fiery kiss, as their others had been. The pressure of the hand on the back of Tristan’s neck anchored him to Etan. As if Tristan would ever try to escape the kiss—he’d been arguing for this. He lifted his hands and gripped Etan’s waist. Then he let Etan have his way, let him kiss Tristan however he wanted. And Tristan reveled in it.

If you'd like to know more about The Scholar's Heart, you can find it here. Thanks for stopping by today!

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The Scholar's Heart is a DSP Daily Deal!

3/28/2018

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The Scholar's Heart is only $2.99 at Dreamspinner today in their Daily Deal. It's a great time to pick up this book if you haven't yet. Don't miss out!

(The Scholar's Heart also has the first appearance of Maxen, one of the main characters in the upcoming Tournai book, which will be out in June. You don't have to read this one to pick up the new one because each stands alone, but if you want to meet Maxen a little early...)

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Rainbow Snippet March 3-4

3/3/2018

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Griffen looked up when Philip called his name. “Yes, Philip?”

“Where’s your brother?”

“I assume you’re referring to the antisocial one here in the city and not the antisocial one back on the estate?” Griffen grinned as Philip laughed. “I tried to convince him to come along, but he’d rather spend time with his books than with actual people.”

“Sounds like someone else I know,” Cathal said and looked pointedly to Etan.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” Etan had a look of blatantly false innocence on his face. “And books can be far more interesting than people anyway.”

If you'd like to know more about The Scholar's Heart, you can find it here. Thanks for stopping by this weekend!

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Rainbow Snippet January 20-21

1/20/2018

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Letting one palm come to rest on Etan’s cheek, Tristan kissed Etan again, then again. Quicker, lighter kisses, but no less filled with passion.

“You came here to kiss me?” Etan asked, his breathing ragged as well.

“I came here hoping to do more than kiss you.” He stole another kiss anyway. “But it’s a good start.”

If you'd like to know more about The Scholar's Heart, you can find it here. Thanks for stopping by today!

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Rainbow Snippet November 18-19

11/18/2017

9 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 thought I'd give you a little snippet of The Scholar's Heart today. I've been finishing up revisions on the next Tournai book (which I just signed a contract for with NineStar Press. Yay!), and Maxen, one of the main characters in that story, is the brother of Tristan, one of the main characters in The Scholar's Heart. So I thought I'd give you a little snippet of the brothers.

He was halfway through his meal when Maxen stumbled into the room, looking rumpled and half-asleep still. He poured a glass of juice and handed the sweet liquid to Maxen, who had never been a morning person, especially not after such a late night.

Maxen grunted his thanks, something he wouldn’t have been able to get away with had their mother been present, despite his being an adult, and dropped into a chair next to Tristan’s. After a moment spent gulping juice while Tristan looked on, Maxen reached for his food. Tristan refilled Maxen’s glass before turning back to his own plate. They ate in silence, something Tristan remembered well from their shared breakfasts growing up. But in those days there were often others at the table to fill some of the silence left by Maxen’s inability to manage complete sentences when he first woke up. Tristan rather pitied whoever married Maxen someday—the person was doomed to mornings of incoherence.

If you'd like to know more about The Scholar's Heart, you can find it here. Thanks for reading today!

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Rainbow Snippet July 8-9

7/8/2017

7 Comments

“I’ll light some candles,” Etan said.

“Wait. I can do it.” He could just see a branch of candles on the bedside table and another on the fireplace mantle. With a thought he lit them both. The flames flared high, but settled quickly. They shouldn’t have flared in the first place, but he was somewhat distracted by Etan’s hand in his, Etan’s presence at his side, by the thought of what they would do soon. Any of that was enough to make his control over his Talent slip just a little.

Etan wrapped his arms around Tristan’s waist from behind, pressing his chest to Tristan’s back. His breath was hot on Tristan’s neck. “I almost forgot you could do that.”

Tristan shivered again and leaned back into Etan, pushing himself into the planes of Etan’s body. “It comes in handy.”

If you'd like to know more about The Scholar's Heart, you can find it here. Thanks for stopping by and reading today!

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Rainbow Snippet August 17-18

Rainbow Snippet June 1-2

Happy Anniversary, Etan and Tristan! (And a Giveaway)

About The Scholar's Heart

Happy Birthday to the Scholar's Heart!

Rainbow Snippet April 21-22

The Scholar's Heart is a DSP Daily Deal!

Rainbow Snippet March 3-4

Rainbow Snippet January 20-21

Rainbow Snippet November 18-19

Rainbow Snippet July 8-9

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