The Master's Wall

Sandi Rog has written an action-packed story taking place in the First Century. She creates a fascinating look at both the slave and upper level Roman world, Christian and pagan. I really enjoyed the young slave's interaction with his new mentor and trainer, fellow slave, Titus, who teaches him to fight.
Rog makes it seem like she was really there in ancient Rome, detailing all kinds of fascinating everyday details (especially the food) sprinkled with references to politics and things going on in the outside world (to the villa, where most of the action takes place).
I think the story between 11-yr. old Alethea and 15 yr. old David is great for Y/A's. Lots of emotion and character growth (especially for the heroine).
Nice, romantic development as the hero and heroine grow up.

New Book in Dutch

I just found the cover of my newest book--a book that for now is only published in Dutch.

Originally titled In Your Eyes, this is a story of love, revenge and intrigue in the Golden era of the Netherlands, a time when great fortunes were made in the East Indies in the spice trade and at home on the newly created stock exchange. Tulips were the rage, and the painters of the Lowlands were beginning to vie with the Italian masters for preeminence.

Orphaned Francesca di Paolo dreams of becoming a portrait painter when mysterious, dashing, larger-than-life Dirk Vredeman walks into her life--a subject she longs to capture on her canvas--and who threatens to capture her carefully guarded heart.

But does he love her--or is she only a means to an end for him?

In Your Eyes translated to De Zee in Je Ogen will be available to Dutch readers in June.

This story was a finalist in Romance Writers of America's Golden Heart contest, the premier contest for unpublished romance writers.

Here's a glimpse of the write-up from Dutch publisher Mozaeik : De Zee in Je Ogen

Medieval Time Travel

Want to travel back to mid-fourteenth century England?

You'll have a great visit and meet some very interesting people in Deb Kinnard's new book, Seasons in the Mist. Her heroine, Bethany, stumbles through some kind of time portal into a manor house in Cornwall. Luckily for her, she is a medieval scholar, so she can quickly make herself understood in Middle English. Explaining her jeans and t-shirt are a bit more challenging.

Once she has satisfied her hosts that she has lost her memory and was most likely set upon by thieves, she is taken to the nearby lord, Baron Michael Veryan, whom she must convince she is legit.

When the two lay eyes on each other, they don't realize it yet, but 21st century Bethany has met her destiny...

Medieval Scottish Romance

For those medieval lovers, there will soon be a great Scottish highland romance out on the shelves: Highland Blessings by Jennifer Hudson Taylor. This is her debut novel. It features a great brawny hero and a petite heroine who is more than his match. He starts out quite insensitive and brutish but ends up putty in her artful hands. She is a strong woman of faith, a faith that she'll need when she is snatched from her home by the hero and taken away to his castle.
If you'd like to pre-order, you can do so on Amazon or Barnes and Noble.
Here's the link to the Amazon page: Highland Blessings.

Jane Austen Country

I just wanted to let all of you know about a regency I just finished reading titled The Country House Courtship by Linore rose Burkard.

It was a very enjoyable read. So Jane Austen-esque! Burkard really knows her period and has a talent for making the characters sound like they are from the era. Not so much the regency which Georgette Heyer created or that of Pierce Egan's regency bucks, Tom and Jerry. Much more the gentle world of Jane Austen's gentry.
So many of today's regencies focus on the higher echelons of the dukes and marquises. This story is probably the more realistic sphere of gently bred ladies and gentlemen, squires and vicars.
There's lots of period detail and a wide circle of characters. A delightful curate who is very self-effacing yet endearing nonetheless. The heroine, Beatrice, has a lot of growing up to do. At 17, that's natural, so I was a little disappointed that she had to marry so young. She didn't "have" to, but she did end up falling in love and settling her future by the book's end.
Even though I hadn't read the two novels preceding this one, those characters reappeared and it was nice getting to know them. Makes me want to read their journey as well. I got caught up in the different story threads and found myself looking forward to taking up this book each evening adn it didn't take me long to finish.