RELEASE DAY! FREE copy to reviewers!

My third historical western romance, Princess and the Ox, has finally been released!  Today!  Yay, it's always so exciting!  Though this book is under the genre "western" it is really more of a pioneer story set during the Victorian period.  I think the term western is used for any book set in the time of Queen Victoria's reign, whose location is set in the "western" colonies or in other words, North America.

Since I am a new writer and am looking to expand my readership, I am happy to provide a free copy of Princess and the Ox (thru Smashwords) to anyone interested in leaving a review on Amazon.  This offer is good until November 11, 2014.  So spread the word and redirect anyone interested to me and I'll be happy to forward the coupon code needed to redeem their free copy.

Available thru Amazon for purchase here: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00NMM6BZ6

Excerpt

In 3 days time, Princess and the Ox will be available for purchase.  I am so excited to share this book, as I loved the characters of Erika and Jay.  Here is just a small snippet to wet your appetite.

She called his name and danced between the gently swaying willows along the river bank.  He came toward her and gathered her into his arms.  Joy filled her heart as his mouth slowly descended toward her own.  He spoke her name, sounding like music to her ears.  Beaming with pure happiness, she fastened her hands around him and drew him close.

“Erika.”

Ryan.

Her sweet, beautiful Ryan.

Pleasure welled up inside while a feeling of pure satisfaction overcame her.  A smile spread across her lips as she buried further into his warm embrace.

“Erika,” he said again.  “Sweetheart, you’re going to have to let go of Jay.”

Jay?  What on earth was he talking about?

Her eyes flew open and she had to blink hard several times to focus.  Morning had arrived and with it, daylight.  Enough, that was, for her to see clearly the woolen coat directly in front of her face.  And the large, robust neck inside it.

With a horrified gasp, she realized she was clutching at him like a drowning woman.  Hurriedly, she scrambled out of his arms.  “How dare you touch me, Jay Colby!”

He sighed with irritation.  “There’s gratitude for ya.”

“You insolent man!”  Her eyes blazed with distaste.  “How dare you take advantage of me and then expect gratitude.”

A matching flame lit his eyes as he pushed himself up from the ground and stood at his full enormous height.  Glaring down at her, he said, “You were freezing and weeping like a babe snatched from its mama’s breast.”

She gasped at his vulgar description and felt a flood of rage at his comparison of her to that of a baby.  “Well I certainly never asked you to keep me warm.  And I most certainly never asked you to—to—to hold me.”

“I didn’t hear any objections.”  He pointed out.

She stiffened from humiliation.  The memory of the patent joy that overcame her when she melted into his arms was far too clear in her mind.  In her defense, she had sincerely thought he was Ryan.

“Just stay away from me, Jay Colby.”  She hoisted her skirts and stepped over the small snow drifts he had built as their shelter.

“With pleasure,” he growled in response.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00NMM6BZ6

Prettiest Town in Canada

In my next book release, Princess and the Ox, the fictional town of Placid is actually modelled after the real town of Goderich, Ontario.  If you haven't ever been, its unique feature is its octagon streets in the core of the city they refer to as the square, even though it is in fact the shape of an octagon.

In the center of the octagon is the courthouse.  The one presently standing replaced the original courthouse which burned down in the 50's.

How Placid would have appeared during the period of my story.

The unique architectural design of the city continues with the historical county gaol (pronounced jail).  Which my hero spends a short stay in thanks to my heroine's grandfather.

This historical site has the proud distinction of being the location of the last public hanging in Canada.

Of course, the town's other distinctive trait is the lake itself.  Goderich is located on the eastern shoreline of Lake Huron and is the location for some of the world's most breathtaking sunsets.

The Maitland River empties into Lake Huron where the Menesetung Bridge sits across the mouth of the river overlooking the lake.

I love old trains and railroads and incorporate them into my stories whenever possible.  My heroine used this bridge often when hiking over to her beloved's farm.  It was also the setting of a romantic scene in the book.  Today, the bridge is no longer used for trains and is instead part of a walking trail, so if wanted, you could follow my heroine's footsteps.

One of the reasons I love this city and used it as my model for the book, was how well they preserved history.  They have a museum that showcases everything from mercantile items to war artifacts.  And, yes, they even have a full sized locomotive inside the building!

The museum itself is located in the historical high school, which became the inspiration for my heroine's cause.

From the historical buildings, to the unusual layout of the streets, to the bluffs with their remarkable views, Goderich is a beautiful town and has many historical houses still standing today preserved in their original splendour.

It's no wonder Queen Elizabeth herself claimed Goderich to be the "prettiest town in Canada".