Saturday, December 02, 2017

Happy December!

News


Here's a picture of me from a Christmas many moons ago!

Well, here we are at the end of a very unusual year. What on earth lies in wait for us next year?
This year has been beyond turbulent on every scale. My role as an author has changed drastically, as has the world around us. The world will have to take care of itself. But I need to cope with my own problems, which I’m in the process of turning into opportunities.
I lost two valuable publishers. First Samhain, a publisher I loved working with. They had my historicals, until I moved to Kensington. Samhain was Richard and Rose’s home, together with several other series, including my venture into historical paranormals, Even Gods Fall In Love. The latter series has been republished by Entangled, and Richard and Rose will be reissued in the new year. All the others are there already, waiting for you to download and read them, except for a couple of novellas, which I’ll reissue when I can.
I lost Heroes and Heartbreakers, which I loved reading and writing for, too. It’s been a brutal year, I have to admit.
Now I hear that Loose-Id is closing in May. They published many of my contemporaries and contemporary paranormal romances. I loved writing Department 57, most of which are already republished, but I have ten other books with Loose-Id, including the Symbiotic series. I’ll put them all back out as they become available to me. Loose-Id was one of the good guys, always paying on time, great cover art and brilliant editing.
The promotion for the reissues kills me. I don’t do well with promo, and with an increasingly crowded market, I doubt that will improve. I rely on the kindness of strangers, and the reputation I’ve built up over the years. I can promise that you will not read any fake reviews for my books and what I write I do with integrity and my own efforts. Any help in spreading the word is greatly appreciated, of course, but I’m luckier than many in that I have a small core of regular readers. I can genuinely call myself a best-seller, which is really appreciated. I couldn’t get there without you! I believe I’ve built that group up by writing the best books I can, and making sure they get the best chance I can give them. I intend to continue that course. I love writing, and that part is never going to change.

New Release

But in January, I have a new release with Sinless! I’m enormously proud of this, a male/male romance in the middle of a female/male series! Because so many people asked for Darius’s book, I got to write it. I love Darius, the more laid-back Shaws twin, but the man who could be hanged for his preference.
Even more conflicted is his love, Andrew Grey, a lawyer and a widower. So does he break the law every time he follows his inclinations, or does he give in to the love that will enrich his life?
Bearing in mind the fact that this is a mainstream series, this is not an erotic read. It’s primarily a story of love, not of sex. There’s one fully-realised scene in the book but I kept it on the “soft” side. I do believe that a book should get the heat level it needs rather than the one dictated by external things. It’s a novella, a small, delicate story rather than a full-on heavy one.
And I loved writing it, because it is about love and defying the odds.
There will be a bonus surprise later this month, if I can get it done.

Here’s the beginning of Sinless for you.

Description

In Georgian England, love can mean ruin—even for a Shaw . . .


Lord Darius Shaw has never been in love before. But when he renews his acquaintance with lawyer Andrew Graham in a raid on a molly house, where men meet men for forbidden pleasure, they discover mutual feelings as deep as they are dangerous. For while society will turn a blind eye to an aristocrat’s transgressions, Andrew has far more at stake. The son of city merchants, Andrew has a disastrous marriage in his past, and a young daughter to support. He could lose his livelihood, his reputation and even his life—and drag Darius down with him.

Darius and Andrew’s only choice is to deny the true nature of their relationship. But when an enemy Italian spy threatens their secret—and their futures—the two set out to catch him. And in the process they are forced to face their desires—and make a life-changing decision.


 Excerpt

Darius paced to one end of his cell and then to the other. Four steps—two one way, two in the opposite direction. A narrow bench intended to serve as a bed stood against it. His jailer had told him he was lucky. He had no doubt he was because the entrance was secured, and he was alone. Unlike everyone else in this place.
The sound of prisoners doing whatever prisoners did filtered through the thick wooden door and thick stone walls. From the evidence of his ears, that would include sexual congress, betting, and more violent amusements. Presumably, if someone killed another person, that would save the hangman a job.
The jailers would haul him up before the magistrate tomorrow. No, that would be later today. They had hinted strongly that they would help him disappear before they reached Newgate, but he had ignored them.
Day had dawned an hour ago, but Darius had no intention of sleeping, especially on that thin mattress. The thing could have moved by itself, judging by the amount of wildlife that had set up home in it. A filthy lice-infested blanket held it down.
He gave a thin grin at the greasy walls scored by generations of prisoners inscribing their names and more amusing, lewder messages. If he’d sent a note to his family’s town house, they’d have had him out of here in an instant. So why hadn’t he done so?
Maybe because he deserved to be locked up. He was, after all, a sinner. He broke one specific law every time he had the chance. But not from any wish to, merely because what he wanted to do happened to be illegal.
People called what he did a sin against nature, a sin against mankind, and a sin against morality. That put his existence in a nutshell. He was a sinner.
He told himself he didn’t care. His coat skirts swung heavily around his legs as he turned, the expensive fabric hitting the filthy walls. He didn’t care about many things these days. He’d cared about his brother and his brother’s happiness, but Val was making his own life now. He didn’t need Darius any longer.
Every day he awoke, dressed, met people, Darius had to lie. He lied about his whereabouts, his desires, his needs. Even to the people who knew who and what he was he lied, to save them more than to save himself. Would they care that the kiss he’d planted on the prim and proper lawyer last night had meant more to him than any other kiss?
Not even Val would understand that. Darius never told him. He rarely kissed anyone, not on the lips, at any rate. He’d stopped touching people as much as he could, withdrawing, wondering if celibacy was the answer to his problem.
Not after last night, it wasn’t.
Andrew Graham had lit something that Darius, for all his experience, wasn’t ready for. Andrew Graham, proper lawyer, cold as ice, with steel-gray eyes that cut through to the truth, had roused Darius. He had meant that kiss as a lesson, as a declaration and defiance. Not as passion.
When his plans evaporated, when he lost control of the situation he had organized, he’d flown up to the boughs, furiously defiant. He’d struck out at the first person he’d seen, determined on some kind of revenge, even of the pettiest kind. He’d wanted to punish Andrew Graham for interfering in his plans, of trying to intercept the man he’d been pursuing before he did. He’d wanted to strike him. Failing that, he’d kissed him.
And nature had struck right back.
Even now, that kiss filled him with the kind of passion he’d turned his back on years ago. At least, he thought he had. The embrace had taken him over, and for a moment, he’d known total happiness. Even now the memory filled him with awe. How could that have happened?
Andrew Graham had done his family a great service last year, but apart from that, he barely knew the man.
He spun and walked. No, that was a lie. Darius refused to tell himself lies, even though he spent his life living one to the rest of the world. He had noticed him then and wanted him, turning away almost automatically. Darius sought his pleasures where he could and where he knew he was relatively safe. Not in public, not in the company of others. Never in the open.
He’d watched his brother’s wedding with joy, glad his restless twin had finally found what he needed, but also with deep envy. He would never find that place, never have anyone he could acknowledge in public as his love. Not unless a miracle occurred and he found a woman.
That would never happen. He liked women but could not imagine being intimate with one.
He took another turn around the cell. The stink pervaded the space so badly he didn’t know if he’d ever rid himself of it. He should have gone home and changed before going to that place last night. Then he wouldn’t have to throw away a nearly new evening coat and waistcoat. He’d wager his valet would never get them clean. In any case, he had no desire to wear them again.
The rattle of keys heralded the arrival of the jailer. He had already eyed the buttons on Darius’s coat and assured him that each gold disc would buy him food and lodging for a week. Darius had assured him they were pinchbeck and watched his disappointment. He couldn’t see much point in telling the man they were genuine. He intended to remain here until he had straightened out his thinking—and no longer.
A sense of doom filled him. His father must have heard of his son’s latest exploit. Darius was headed for an encounter in the study. Although he was full grown, his father still took it upon himself to lecture all his children when he considered the onerous task necessary. Either a fully equipped shouting session or the worse option, a sorrowful recounting of his failures as a father.
Darius would enjoy the shouting, but his canny father would probably choose the latter. Darius would end the session feeling like the worst beggar alive.
He braced himself for the coming ordeal, and he didn’t mean a brief appearance in court. Did he have the nerve to bolt for the country without stopping at the London house first?
No, he couldn’t do that. For one thing, his father would track him down, and then he would know how disappointed his mother was in him, too.
The door opened on well-oiled hinges. Darius blinked against the shaft of light arrowing into the cell. This being an inner-room, his only light had been from the narrow, barred window set into the door. Candles, as the jailer had informed him the night before, were extra. Darius had not bothered to purchase any.
The jailer stood silhouetted against the light, his face in shadow. He wore shirtsleeves and a ragged waistcoat over baggy breeches, no doubt with capacious pockets to hold the bribes the prisoners provided him with. Without the bribes, prisoners didn’t have blankets, and they didn’t eat. Unless they could catch one of the rats that raced through the area now and then.
“You got a visitor,” the jailer said, and beckoned to someone who stepped forward, striding into the cell as if he owned it.
Raising a mocking brow, Darius bowed. “Mr. Graham, I’m honored. You favor my humble abode.”
Irritably, Graham gestured at the jailer, flicking him away. “Don’t lock the door.”
“This one won’t ’urt yer.” The jailer wiped the back of his hand over his nose in a disdainful sniff.
“He won’t try to escape, either. The stench in here is powerful. Leave us some air, pray.”
The jailer grunted, but left.
“The air coming in from the door isn’t much better.”
Graham ignored Darius’s words. “Why did you not leave last night? A word, a few guineas, and the deed is done.”
Darius decided to tell the truth. Some of it, at any rate. “This is the most peace I’ve had since I arrived in London.” Partly true, but he would not admit he preferred the busyness of his life. He could stop himself thinking too deeply that way. “I decided the stink was a small price to pay for one night without the din of society.”
“Poor you.”
Darius blinked. He’d never heard this man so laconically and obviously disbelieving. He had been respectful but decisive before. Darius liked it. He allowed himself a smile. “Indeed. Born into wealth and forced to dress in gold and diamonds. Poor me.”
“That was not my meaning.”
Darius shrugged and folded his arms over his chest. “Were you sent for me?”
“No. I came on my own account. I am on a mission.”
“Explain.” Darius was in no mood for riddles or elegant dancing around the subject.
“Sir, what were you doing in that house last night?”
Darius curled his top lip in a sneer. “Did you not know that part about me? I considered my proclivities an open secret. Perhaps not so much, if you do not know. You are a perceptive man, Mr. Graham. What do you think I was doing at Mother Fleming’s?”
For that matter, what had Graham been doing there? The thought had not occurred to him before, but it did now, in full force. “You acted for my brother as a favor. You are an important man in your field, which is not criminal law. Why were you attending that raid last night?”
Graham nodded. “I do not think you were at Mother Fleming’s for the company. Except for the young man with you.”
Darius heaved a sigh from the bottom of his soul and thought of all the curse words he wouldn’t say until he reached the privacy of his bedroom. Damn the man for noticing the boy. “What young man?”
“The one virtually clinging to your coattails.”
Darius gave the offending garment a twitch. “That is something I do not allow. Favor me with a description of the youth. Maybe then I can help you.”
A muscle twitched in Graham’s jaw. Darius only saw it because the light from the door fell over him starkly. He had moved aside, but not far enough.
“You know him well enough. Had you not dressed yourself in that veneer of aristocratic disdain, I would have believed you.”
Intrigued, Darius studied the man further. Nobody had broken through that particular defense before. He would go on the attack. He was getting too close. Darius never allowed anyone that close to him. He used the distancing tactic again, tilting his head back and staring at his quarry from under half-closed eyelids. “I believe you are jealous, Mr. Graham. Can it be that you did want me, after all?”
Graham’s eyes flashed. The fierce but fleeting spark of raw anger roused Darius. The memory of their kiss returned, roared through him, arousing parts that would be better staying dormant.
He liked that passion. He wanted more of it.
Last night he’d presumed he’d taken Graham by surprise with his kiss. After all, once a person closed his eyes, a kiss was a kiss. Except that one hadn’t been. Graham had closed his eyes but Darius hadn’t. He rarely did, always on the alert for trouble.
Now he wasn’t so sure. Had Graham responded so gloriously because of shock? People’s preferences were not as set as most supposed them. He took a step closer. Another pace would bring him into the man’s body.
Graham stood his ground, but his lips tightened.
“You did,” Darius said softly. “You truly wanted me. I felt your response. That was not feigned. It was not a mere physical reaction.”
The response came immediately. “How could I want you, as you put it? As you reminded me a moment ago, your station is well above mine.”
But he hadn’t denied it. “A cat may look at a king. Presumably a cat may kiss a king, if he has a mind to.” Darius was taunting the lawyer now, daring him to take that final step or take one back, daring him to deny his attraction.
Graham widened his stance, rocking from one foot to the other. “If I said I wanted you, would you answer my other question?”
The cleverness of the response evoked a crack of laughter from Darius. “Try it and see.”
“Not if I have no indication of your intention.”
“My intention, is it?” Darius softened his voice and lowered his volume. The crowd outside, going about their morning business at a pitch that threatened the eardrums, didn’t matter anymore. The space between them and around them became their own. “Should I prove my intention to you…again?”
He let his eyes add to the conversation. He glanced up and down the lawyer’s body, taking inventory. The man was well-shaped, a trim body which showed evidence of supple strength beneath the neat though drab clothes. Darius would enjoy removing each garment slowly, folding the fine fabric and carefully laying it down, giving himself time to appreciate what he was uncovering.
Graham didn’t look away. The indomitable character who had faced down a court full of jeering spectators and the might of Magistrate John Fielding returned to this squalid cell. He was completely masked, his expression still and unresponsive.
At least, it should have been that way, but Darius, long accustomed to assessing people and uncovering hidden secrets, saw more. The eyes, frozen in gray ice, were slightly larger than normal, and the pupils darker. Andrew Graham had responded to him last night, and he was responding now.
Darius could push his advantage, try to persuade the man into further confessions, but if he did that, he might set the lawyer against him.
So he took a pace back and forced an easy smile to his lips. “I must be tired. I should not tease you so. Did you come here merely to see me and ask your questions, or did you come to get me out?”
“I dare say you wish to see the back of this place.”
“I dare say I do.” He would not beg.
“Unfortunately, a quick visit to court is required before you leave. You could grease the jailer’s palm,” Graham suggested. “He will ensure you appear before the magistrate first. Cases are building up, and while Mr. Fielding is fast, he won’t get through them all in a day.”
Sighing, Darius drew out his purse.
As if by magic, the jailer appeared in the doorway, blocking the shaft of light. “You shouldn’t go to those places, my lord.” He advanced, hand extended. “I’ll see you right.”
Darius placed a guinea in the man’s hand. If that wasn’t enough, he’d stay here. He made his point by putting his purse back in his pocket.
The jailer glared at him but closed his fingers over the coin. “I need this cell. I have customers willin’ to pay more.”
“Let them pay, then.”
“Nobody the public will be willing to see,” Graham pointed out. “That’s what you want the single cells for, after all.”
The jailer sighed as if the weight of the world lay on his shoulders and grimaced. “Come on, then.”
Darius was not chained like most of the other prisoners. He had paid for that privilege the night before. He strode from the noxious space, other prisoners falling into line behind him. He barely noticed them. Graham walked by his side in a strangely comfortable way, as if he’d always been there.
A narrow passage, stinking as much as the jail, led to the courtroom. A blinding light at the end of the dark space appeared like the gates of heaven, although Darius doubted such a place existed in this part of London. He had never found it here, at any rate.
Bracing himself, he stepped out and headed straight for the box where his brother had stood a few months ago. Now came his real test.
Here, at Bow Street Magistrate’s Court, justice was truly blind. At least the magistrate was. Today the man himself sat behind the substantial bench, his eyes dramatically bound with a black velvet ribbon.
Graham kept pace with Darius and took his place by his side. Darius assumed Graham didn’t want to lose sight of him, since nobody in their right mind brought a lawyer to a hearing like this.
“Your name, sir,” the clerk said. He stood by the magistrate’s side, occasionally muttering to his master.
Darius considered giving a false name but decided against it. Nobody had yet asked him for his name. The court was all but empty, it being too early for many journalists and muckrakers to concern themselves. The courts had stolen quite a march on them, holding the hearings so early. Did they want to keep the raid on Mother Fleming’s quiet, or had they received orders from a different authority? John Fielding was as incorruptible as a magistrate could be, but he would not be above influencing from a higher power.
Darius’s heart sank. Had his family come to hear of his latest exploit? The interview with his father came heart-sinkingly closer. The Marquess of Strenshall had the heartrending sigh down to a fine art.
“Darius Shaw,” he said, deciding not to embellish his name further.
“Is your father the Marquess of Strenshall?” the clerk inquired sweetly.
“He is.” Damnation.

Preorder Sinless Here:
Publisher; Kensington Books  :  Amazon USA  :  Amazon UK  :  iTunes  :  Kobo  :  Barnes and Noble Nook

Saturday, November 04, 2017

News for November

It's the season of fireworks and moustaches!
Odd to see the facial hair springing up on male faces. It gives them a good excuse not to shave for the month. Personally I'm not a fan of the huge Ozarks-style beard. It just looks odd, but some people can carry a beard better than others.
I'm rabbitting, because I'm writing. When I'm in writing mode, things go off in all directions. I lose focus on everything except the book I'm writing, which annoys my family no end. Fellow writer friends totally understand, though. Which is a good thing.
I'm writing the final book in The Shaws series. Final, because there are no more family members to write about. I've written them all, now. I've submitted a new series to Kensington, though, which I'm excited about. It's far too early to tell you much, but it will feature a character you'll have met before.
I've also got a book in progress about one of my ancestors, Hester Bateman. She was a remarkable woman. Widowed at an early age, she was left with two young sons and a silversmithing business, which was left to her, not to her sons, although they did go into the business when they grew up.
She brought silverware to the masses by using new technology. So instead of keeping the existing business on an even keel until her sons grew up, she took a huge risk and entered a new market. It paid off. She wasn't a designer as such, but silverware with her maker's mark fetches huge money today. It's a pity we don't have any!
That's what I mean when I say that if you write history, you don't actually have to make anything up. The history of the eighteenth century is full of remarkable women, who achieved a lot in their time. I don't write biography, so I use these people as inspiration, and write their stories from that. Hester, for instance, never remarried, but my heroine certainly does!
That's some of Hester's work above. Isn't it gorgeous?
I haven't heard from anyone about work I've sent. Not yet, anyway, but I'll be sure to let you know when I do.
I have two series left from Samhain and Ellora's cave, and a few stragglers, one-offs and the like. I'm planning to release the Richard and Rose series early next year. Brand new covers, but the same Richard and Rose goodness!
Did you get to Goodreads to download the Sinless giveaway? You still have time, it doesn't close until the 11th November.

https://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/show/260970-sinless

Saturday, October 28, 2017

Free giveaway of Sinless!

Do you want a chance to win a free copy of Sinless, the newest release in The Shaws series? then visit Goodreads and enter the competition!
Lord Darius is the sibling I never thought I'd get the chance to write about, but here he is! Darius has an open secret that society chooses to ignore, but if he crosses the line, doors will be forever locked against him. Then he meets someone who threatens his iron self-control and his determination not to let his family down.
Sinless by Lynne Connolly
Sinless (The Shaws, #1.5)
by Lynne Connolly (Goodreads Author)
Release date: Jan 23, 2018
ENTER FOR YOUR CHANCE TO WIN A COPY OF SINLESS BY LYNNE CONNOLLY!

Lord Darius Shaw has never been in love before. But when he renews his acquaintance with lawyer Andrew Graham in a raid on a molly house, where men meet men for forbidden pleasure, they discover mutual feelings as deep as they are dangerous. For while society will turn a blind eye to an aristocrat’s transgressions, Andrew has far more at stake. The son of city merchants, Andrew has a disastrous marriage in his past, and a young daughter to support. He could lose his livelihood, his reputation and even his life—and drag Darius down with him.

Darius and Andrew’s only choice is to deny the true nature of their relationship. But when an enemy Italian spy threatens their secret—and their futures—the two set out to catch him. And in the process they are forced to face their desires—and make a life-changing decision.
https://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/show/260970-sinless

Sunday, October 01, 2017

News for October 2017

Happy October!
Frankie says hello!

This month is all about the books. At the very end of September, Entangled Publishing released all of the Even Gods Fall In Love series!
I am, of course, thrilled to bits to see this series back in print, and if you love it too, there's a prospect of more books to come! It has spiffy new artwork and I've updated my website to show it off.
In case you've forgotten, this is the series about the gods being reborn in eighteenth century Britain. The Titans, mortal enemies of the Olympian gods, want to restore the old ways, when the gods ruled the world with rods of iron, reducing the human race to slaves. The Olympians believe in free will. They want the human race to be self-governing, and they will fight to the death to achieve that.
Unfortunately, thirty years before the stories start, the Titans delivered what was nearly a mortal blow to the Olympians. When they gathered in an estate in England for a reunion, the Titans blew up the venue, and even gods die if enough explosive is put under them!
Reborn in new bodies, the gods must reassemble in order to save the human race from perpetual enslavement. Oh yes, and fall in love in the process. They're a passionate lot, the Olympians!
I loved writing this series. There are so many parallels between the myths of the Greek and Roman gods and the eighteenth century that they slotted together like a jigsaw puzzle. Sometimes they surprised me with the ease with which they did it. Sometimes I made amazing discoveries, such as when I created the Pantheon Club as a place for the gods to meet.

 

New Release and Excerpt

Even Gods Fall In Love

Where It All Began

1724, England
Thunder rolled dully over the plain. Jupiter glanced up, mildly surprised because he hadn’t commanded thunder tonight. He shrugged. What else could he expect of such a godforsaken country as England?
The great stones on one side of the road called to him, speaking of mysteries not his, a time not his. He ignored them. He would head back to Italy and the sun as soon as this meeting finished. What maggot had got into Bacchus’s head, to call a meeting here? And why did the man decide to become an Englishman? They didn’t even make their own wine, and since that was the one thing that kept Bacchus sane, his decision didn’t seem rational. He kicked his horse into a canter. You could never tell with Bacchus. Unpredictable to the last.
The house at the end of his destination glowed with golden candlelight, every window gleaming in welcome. Hoping for a warm fire, Jupiter left his mount in the care of a groom, tossing him a coin in thanks. He strode up the shallow stone staircase to the open door.
Better, much better. A fire blazed in the hearth, and Jupiter walked towards it, not checking his pace, a smile of satisfaction curling his mouth. The doors clanged shut behind him. He must be the last to arrive.
People cleared a path for him, but he hardly noticed, because he was accustomed to the deference. One of the oldest of the gods left alive he was the original Roman incarnation of Jupiter. He’d seen much, lived through times strange to him, suffered the falling away of his support, but he continued. He felt good.
Jupiter turned as a tray bearing a steaming mug of something fragrant appeared at his elbow. Bacchus bore the tray. Jupiter smiled in greeting and accepted the offering. “It’s good to see you again. It must be ten years.”
Bacchus looked the same, but then, Jupiter expected him to. The gods never aged, unless they wanted to. The man wore his dark hair longer, tied back from his face in the current mode in a glossy queue, and was dressed a coat of deep red satin, embroidered elaborately in green and gold with a cream waistcoat underneath and breeches the same color as his coat.
Bacchus grinned. “Ten years and more, sir.” Currently known as the Marquess of Stretton, Bacchus was one of the leaders of London society, which meant he was of the particularly debauched and half-crazed variety. It suited him well.
This Bacchus was a lithe, clever man who managed his special gifts with skill and humour. A necessary and unfortunate result of being the god of wine and madness was to occasionally suffer madness oneself, but at least it was subject to his own will. Bacchus was far from mad today. Intelligence lit his light grey eyes and he amusement that was part of this man. Every vessel the god took added something of its own to the essential character of the god. Jupiter liked this one.
People thronged around Jupiter, eager to greet the only one of the original Roman Pantheon left alive. Although immune to disease and aging, other factors could and did kill them, but they always reincarnated, their essence migrating to the nearest unborn child.
The remaining gods searched for the babies, discovered and carefully reared them, showed them their attributes and taught them to conceal them. Men no longer wanted gods, and the Olympians had survived by realizing this and living among them unrecognized. Times had changed. Some would never accept that, but they weren’t here tonight, and wouldn’t be welcome.
It had been a good life so far. Jupiter hoped it would continue in the same way for many years to come.
He’d enjoy this reunion. So many of his kind had survived, despite opposition by The Ancients and fanatical humans. Time to savour their survival and celebrate it.


A short distance away in Hill House, the Duke of Boscobel stared out the window of the Gold Salon at the fast darkening sky overhead. The festivities in the old castle must have begun by now. The building had been long derelict, but the central hall remained intact, and the cellars underneath. He’d had the house constructed in the ruins, a picturesque folly for parties.
A perfect place for the private gathering of old friends. And a perfect place for murder.
Boscobel had discovered the real identity of Jupiter quite by accident. Ironic that the very people he’d spent years hunting had eventually found him. The Italian nobleman had not recognized him as their old enemy Kronos, and after his first wariness, Boscobel had known himself safe from discovery. Jupiter showed all his old arrogance and superiority. This time it would be his downfall. Everything was in place and tonight would see the culmination of his carefully laid plans. Nothing could go wrong now. He wouldn’t allow it to.
When he heard a female groan from the room above Boscobel grinned broadly. He glanced across the room at his friend Manningtree, who sat uncomfortably in one of the fashionable salon chairs. “Not long now.”
“It had better not be,” Manningtree replied grimly, shifting in his seat. “One of mine has podded already.”
Boscobel shrugged. Another cry came from above. “If they can hold on for half an hour longer the thing will be done and we’ll have at least half of them.”
Cosgrove strode the room, like any eager, expectant father, except he’d personally impregnated three of the women in the bedrooms above. “God, you’re a cool one! Anyone would think your own wife wasn’t involved.”
“She is there to serve the same purpose as the others,” Boscobel stared at the plasterwork ceiling above him as though he could see right through it. “If she doesn’t succeed, I’ll kill her. She knows that.”
“Are you sure this will work?” Sulgrave asked, voice strained with anxiety.
Boscobel turned on him, a sneer curling his thin mouth. “Yes of course. I’ve been planning this event for years. While you enjoyed your endeavours of nine months ago, there was far more to this than putting a few women in the family way. There’s no mistake. We will have them, gentlemen. For the glory of England.”
 His fellow Titans had been only too willing to help him. “After all,” Manningtree had said, “If we’re wrong, we just have a few more brats to cope with.”
Not long now. With the gods safely locked in their prison, and the pregnant women upstairs as receptacles for the new gods, at last Kronos would regain control. He should never have lost it in the first place.
A practically clad middle-aged woman burst into the room, and without preamble addressed Boscobel. “Another one, your grace.”
Ire rose in his breast. “Damn! Can’t you stop these women? Hold the babies in somehow?”
The woman gave Boscobel a narrow eyed stare. “Your wife is in the third stage of labour, your grace. With any luck your heir will be born within the hour.”
He turned away. “Good.” He hoped it would be, and his child would be in time to inherit. More power under his roof, more control. Sons were the very devil. In a previous incarnation, his son had taken everything from him. He’d never trusted them, but this time he’d control the child from the start. Make him his, instead of hiding him away and trying to destroy him.
When he turned his back, he heard the woman leave in a soft shush of skirts.
Kronos wondered how Jupiter would feel just before he died when he realized he’d betrayed his fellow gods.
Not long now. The gunpowder he’d seeded under the castle would be primed by the grooms. They’d die with the explosion, since the slow matches he’d installed weren’t as efficient as he’d led them to believe.
His watch still in his hand Boscobel consulted it once more, but as he did, a new light flashed across the sky, followed by a dull booming sound.
Just like thunder and lightning. Very appropriate. Everyone in the room rushed to the windows to see a great sheet of golden flame arch up to the heavens, a cry for help, a cry of despair that no one would ever answer.
He had done it.

 
You can find the details about Even Gods Fall In Love here;
Lynne Connolly site
LM Connolly site
Amazon US
Entangled Publishing

Sunday, August 06, 2017

The Start of Something new!

A new release this month!
The first in The Shaws is coming out. It features characters who were in The Emperors of London, namely the wild and scandalous Shaw family!
I learned a lot when I was writing this book. Most of my research into the legal system of the eighteenth century had concentrated on the law itself, especially the doings of the magistrate’s court, the one at Bow Street in particular. So many features of what we consider the law today came from there, including the idea that the people who administered the law should be above corruption. Even the beginning of the police force started there.
For this book, I wanted to know more about the way the law worked in practice. I already knew about some of the quirks – the magistrate, or judge had much more leeway in his interpretation of the law, for instance. And advocacy. This book features a lawyer who is also a barrister. Used to the system of today, I was surprised to discover that one man could be both. But all the money was in being a lawyer. Barristers were relatively new, and it wasn’t usual to have someone to speak for you in court. Andrew Graham, who features in this book, is one of the forward-thinkers. He is passionate about justice, and he wants to see trials becoming much fairer. There were such men at this time, and they helped to get the notorious Waltham Black Acts repealed, but that didn’t happen until later in the century.
As I read my way through the Old Bailey site online, I discovered that at this period, barrister are hardly ever mentioned in criminal cases. The accused would speak for himself, however qualified or not they were to do so. Trials were lightning fast compared to today. You could be tried, condemned and hanged in a week. Or transported, if you were strong and the judge felt you could be of use elsewhere.
I continue to read about the law, because I might have an idea for a new series coming in here.
All most people know about the period is that a person could be hanged or transported for stealing a loaf of bread. It’s almost a cliché, but it’s also true. It depended on the value the court put on the loaf. If they decided the loaf was worth under a set amount, the sentence was far more lenient. And it was the court that set the price, not the shopkeeper or the market price.
And the other thing – the court at Bow Street was in the open air! It was roofed over sometime in the 1750s, so I had “my” court with a roof. While it might have been authentic, I don’t know how many readers would have believed it!

Book News 


So here it is. Fearless, the first in The Shaws series!
When Lady Charlotte Engles receives an offer of marriage from an eligible suitor, she’s finally ready to let go of her long-held hope that her engagement to Lord Valentinian Shaw will result in marriage. For despite the betrothal their families made between them, Val shows no interest in leaving his reckless life behind in favor of one with Charlotte. But when her plea to end their arrangement ends in a heated embrace, suddenly Val seems reluctant to let her go . . .

The last thing Val wants is a wife, despite how desirous his lovely bride-to-be has become. But when he discovers sweet Charlotte is planning to marry a dastardly man, he feels duty bound to keep her safe, even if that means making good on his marriage pledge. Then Charlotte is taken hostage by her dangerous suitor and suddenly Val is ready to risk everything for the woman who has won his heart .

Buy the Book:



Sunday, July 02, 2017

wow, it's July already!

Newsletter, July 2017

News

Lots of news this month! First, a special offer, courtesy of my lovely publishers, Kensington.
To celebrate the release of Fearless, the first in a brand new trilogy from Kensington, coming in August, featuring the Shaw family, the whole of The Emperors of London series is on special offer for the whole of July! Every title is discounted, some to $1.99, others to 99 cents.

Some titles, including the latest, Wild Lavender, are 99 cents each!
You can find all the details and buy links here:
http://lynneconnolly.com/the-emperors-of-london/

And I promised to tell you about my recent signing at RT Booklovers’ in Atlanta, Georgia!
My books didn’t arrive, but I had lots of other things to give away. I met so many people who love my stories, and I was able to tell them about what’s coming up and what my plans are. This has been a rather traumatic time, what with publishers closing down and new publishers being found, but I did manage, and it was so good to meet the readers.
And I met up with Liz Pelletier, head of my new publisher, Entangled!

So here’s my second piece of news.
I have signed the Even Gods Fall In Love series to Entangled. I really want to continue this series, so I didn’t want to self-publish. I want to concentrate on getting the writing bit right! All the books will be released at the end of September, which isn’t too long to wait. For those of you (and there have been gratifyingly many) who wanted to see this series back, it is coming. I’m avidly awaiting the new cover art, and as soon as I have it, I’ll have the pages put back on the website.

My website has had a revamp. Now each series has its own page, with links where you can read extracts and buy the books. And don’t forget to check the Goodies page, for surprises and new stuff! I do have a bit more about each series, with snippets and backdoor information. For instance, do you know that most of the series have ‘easter eggs,’ little links and reminders to other series. Not “sequel bait,” or a hook to buy another book, and if you don’t get them, they won’t spoil your enjoyment of the book, but for people who have read all my books, there’s a little nudge.
Have you spotted any?

Since I don’t have a new release planned for July, although there might be one coming up (don’t worry, I’ll tell you if it happens!) I thought I’d ask you, dear reader. If there’s a book you’d like a reminder of, or an extract from, I’d love to hear from you.




Thursday, June 01, 2017

News for June, 2017



News for June, 2017

Here’s an overview of what I’ve been doing:
At the end of March, I went with my husband to Dublin for a short break. Afterwards, he went home, and I flew on to the USA, Los Angeles to be precise. I had a wonderful time there, and then we drove to San Diego, and I went to the zoo. After that, we flew to Boston, where Megan Bamford and I stayed with the wonderful Dalton Diaz, and Samantha Cayto came over to see us. Then we drove to New York, met with the RT people, went to a Broadway play, and then flew to Atlanta. That was where the RT Convention was this year. After that, I flew back to LA for a few days, and then came home.
Phew!
So I’m not going to get all that in one newsletter, much less talk to you about writing and my books. Of course it all feeds in, since I use my experiences in the US to help me write the books, especially the contemporaries. Bit by bit, or I’ll exhaust you with traveller’s tales!
Maybe I should start at the beginning, with Dublin!
I’ve never been there before. Can I say it was wonderful? Mostly, anyway, but when we went Dublin was one big building site. They’re extending the tram network, which entails digging up all the roads. So there was that. If you’re visiting Dublin, don’t plan to drive!

The city is full of wonderful buildings, mostly from the eighteenth century, gracious and beautiful. We went to the museum and saw the bog people. Astonishing to see the level of preservation of those bodies, and not a little creepy, too. But I loved the treasures that have been unearthed, the huge torcs and the jewellery belonging to the proud warrior nation.
My favourite place was, not surprisingly, Trinity College Library. Ranks and ranks of books. My husband wanted to take a picture of me reading, but I only had my tablet with me. Still, it makes an interesting comment on the way people read, and for me at least, it’s the message and not the medium that matters. The story is the most important thing, how you read it comes a distant second.
Trinity Library, Dublin
We visited pubs. Oh my, did we visit pubs! My favourite was The Brazen Head, close to the river. It was first built in 1195, but it’s holding its age well. It was packed, always, but you never had to wait for a drink, and the Guinness was wonderful. We did go to the Guinness Storehouse, that was fun, and the price of admission includes a free pint of Guinness.
Of course Dublin is touristy, but if you accept it and go with the flow, it’s a wonderful place to visit.
Then came America!

Book News

I have a new publisher! Entangled offered me a contract for the six books in the Even Gods Fall In Love series. I so loved writing these, and with a new publisher, I could continue to write more in the series. The first phase finished with Her Quicksilver Lover, but I would dearly like to write the next story, starting a new cycle! I had planned to self-publish them, as I have with the Secrets trilogy and The Triple Countess. I also plan to reissue Richard and Rose myself, and I have a wonderful artist working on an image for the covers.
Self-publishing isn’t my thing, I much prefer to write, but since those books went off the market when Samhain closed, I’ve had a lot of letters asking me to republish. It’s been, if not total pleasure, certainly an interesting experience!
And in case you’re wondering, I did all the covers myself.
I’m still writing contemporaries and paranormals as L.M. Connolly, and I’d love to find a home for a brand new series about an antique house and the shape-shifting secret agents who work there! Having spent some time away from the first book in the series, I can see the problems a lot clearer. I plan to rewrite it completely, and change some aspects of the plot.
And Fearless, the first book in The Shaws trilogy is out soon! More about that later, but if any of you are reviewers I have ARCs for you!


Sunday, April 02, 2017

News for April 2017

 April already! It seems like every month I say that. Well, this is the month of my Great American Adventure!
I love my trips to the USA, and this year is no different. But between last year and now, the country has gone through some seismic changes. Will it feel or look any different? I’m guessing no, but we’ll see.
I’m starting in Los Angeles, and then flying all the way up to Boston, then New York, then Atlanta for the RT Booklovers’ Convention. Then back to LA, and home. Wow.
But first, I’m taking a few days in Dublin with my husband. It’s a lovely city, and a beautiful country. Obviously from my name (I write under my real name) I have connections, but this is the first time I’ve visited Dublin.
I’m going to try to put photos and things on Facebook, but I’m not handy with transferring photos to social media. I use an old-fashioned camera which doesn’t have an internet connection, so I have to download the pics and upload them. But I do want to share this trip with you!
I’ve spent the month planning, packing, and coping with a mysterious infection that laid me low for a while, but I’m still here and raring to go. I’ve managed to get some writing done, including a contemporary, but I don’t know if they’ll see the light of day soon.
And the sad business continues, of clearing up after the demise of Samhain. I still have a series from Ellora’s Cave to re-edit and get back up. I’m so sorry, folks, but I promise Nightstar will be back soon!
I managed to get the Secrets series and The Triple Countess series back up. They’re selling like woah and damn, so perhaps it wasn’t just me who loved the books! They’re historicals which I always loved to revisit.

 


The Secrets trilogyeach features a heroine with a secret. Isabel’s is probably the most shocking, but Penelope and Arabella have their own problems, which lead them to their heart’s desires and the loves of their lives—if they have the courage to step forward and take it.


The Triple Countess series was loosely based on the real life Double Duchess. A woman who married three times, in three very different circumstances, and produced offspring who have to work with the problems of their pasts as well as the challenges of the future.
Because I’ve self-published them, I’ve been able to lower the price of each book. Maybe in the future, I’ll be able to offer omnibuses (omnibi?) But it’s my pleasure to offer them to you again.

If you go to my website, I’ve put up excerpts for you. And I'm showing off the new covers here. What do you think?

Friday, March 03, 2017

News for March 2017

News


It's been a very interesting month. Some good, some bad, but that's writing for you!
First, the good news. Veiled in Blue reached number one in the historical romance best seller list at Amazon! Yes, of course I'm thrilled to bits. And of course I took umpteen screen shots. I absolutely
loved writing this whole series, but Veiled In Blue was Julius's book, and it will always have a special place in my heart. Julius is a man who had to develop a hard skin to cope with his manipulative mother and his careless father. He deserved some happiness of his own, especially after his disastrous first marriage. So I had the pleasure of giving him the happy ending he deserved!
As always, there's more to write about the bad news than the good, though Heaven knows why that is. Sadly, at the end of February, Samhain Publishing closed its doors. I've been there since the beginning, when they published first the Triple Countess series, then the Richard and Rose series. They were a great publisher, and they produced some brilliant covers for my books. I met some wonderful people there. My heart goes out to everybody who is affected by this closure, but I have to say that Crissy Brashear did it right. She is getting the books pulled from the sites as quickly as possible, so she can send out the reversions that we need in order to republish.
But, sadly, Samhain Publishing is no more. I'm exploring possibilities, but I do want to get the books back up as fast as possible. The Even Gods Fall In Love series is one that could continue, for instance. Other publishers have kindly come forward, but I'm still thinking about what I want to do with those books. I really don't know. I do want to make them available, but the time and expense involved is rather daunting, especially when I have another series from the equally defunct Ellora's Cave to get out there.
But, onwards and upwards, as they say!
I'm making plans for my annual visit to the US, but with a side visit to Dublin. It's a wonderful city, and my husband and myself are taking a few days to ourselves before I fly over the ocean. I'm looking forward no end to the visit.

New Release - Wild Lavender

The Emperors of London, Book 7

Buy the Book and read an extract:
Publisher
Amazon USA
Amazon UK
iTunes
Kobo
Barnes and Noble Nook

Ravishingly beautiful and accomplished, Helena has her pick of suitable bachelors—and because she is the daughter of a powerful duke, her mother is determined she makes a good marriage. But Helena won't marry any of them, because she is in love with the son of her family’s most dangerous enemy. Though she has now been rebuffed by her beloved, she is resolved to win him back—no matter the cost.Tom’s forbidden love for Helena has only intensified over the years of their separation. But the discovery of his true roots has changed everything. His secret spells danger for his family and everyone he loves. Devoted to Helena, he will sacrifice anything—even his one great love—to keep her safe. And soon, caught between warring factions and hounded by a deadly assassin, the couple will be swept back together in a fight for their lives, and their destiny…
Click here for Lynne Connolly's media kit

 

Monday, February 20, 2017

New Release! Maybe Tomorrow, a timeslip romance


This month, Maybe Tomorrow releases. This is a month for firsts, and this one is part of the Enchanted Keepsakes series. The same character pops up in every book, guiding the time-crossed lovers to their happy ending!
So here’s more about the book, and the lovely cover I’ve been gifted with!

Two hearts beat as one - two hundred years apart!

Tabitha Simpson is on her honeymoon alone, after her fiancé cheated on her. In London she finds a tiny shop, where she buys a miniature portrait. The man in the picture calls to her, as if she already knows him. When she finds the full-size painting, magic happens, and she is transported back in time to 1816.

Avery is the Earl of Northcote, expected to marry and provide an heir. But when he finds Tabby on the sofa of his Thames villa, he is smitten. He doesn’t want anybody else. He will defy everybody and everything to have her.
But some things can’t be defied.

Tabby and Avery are madly in love, but they can’t stay together. Their lives are two hundred years apart.
When Tabby goes home, she knows she can’t return. Avery must spend the rest of his life without her, or find a way to join the woman he loves.

Maybe Tomorrow is part of the Enchanted Keepsakes series.
“True love has no boundaries. It knows no space or time. Human or immortal, true love will always find you.”
Legend spins a tale of Korinna, a beautiful witch. With loving parents who doted on her, she wanted for nothing. On her fifth birthday, tragedy struck when her mother became ill and was suddenly taken from her. For two years, it was only Korinna and her father, until one day he fell in love. Her father married, and their family grew. Korinna’s copper curls and wide violet eyes were a contrast to her four siblings’ raven locks and emerald gazes. The men showered her with attention while ignoring her sisters, stealing their chances for love and marriage. On her eighteenth birthday, her resentful stepmother placed a curse upon her.
Korinna would forever walk the earth, never finding her own true love.
Her desire to help others sent her time traveling through exotic lands, collecting keepsakes along the way. With her treasures in hand, she placed an enchantment upon each of them. It is said whoever possesses one of these trinkets will be blessed with true love.
So remember, the next time you step into a small shop, take a close look around. Do you sense the magic? If you happen to spot a beautiful redhead with sparkling violet eyes, it just might be Korinna, setting up shop in your town. Take care, for the treasure that whispers to you—to lift it from its resting place and take it home—could lead you straight to your one true love.

And it’s on my website here: http://lynneconnolly.com/maybe-tomorrow/

Saturday, February 11, 2017

Samhain Closing

So Samhain is closing. That makes me sad. The contrast between Samhain and Ellora’s Cave, who used to be my two main publishers, is startling. Ellora’s Cave’s disdain for the people who made them money, ie the authors, became startlingly apparent at the end. The constant rejection of legitimate requests for returns of rights, the refusal to keep authors in the loop fostered despair and exasperation, as it was obvious they were playing games. The owners blamed everybody except themselves for the eventual failure.
On the other hand, Samhain trusted its authors and never disparaged them. They have paid me every month, and that is my base requirement for a publisher. That they live up to their side of the contract, while I live up to mine. They were always courteous and considerate. I sent them work I was really proud of.
I was with Samhain since the beginning. They published Richard and Rose, my first big success, and went on to publish others. I’m genuinely sad to see them go. Even when they were struggling I had no intention of pulling the bulk of my books. I was considering pulling a short series, but that was all.
With a simple announcement, a lot of my books will be pulled off the market. I want to assure you that they will all be reissued. They’ll have new covers, but I don’t plan to do any serious alterations to them, so they’ll be the same books. I’ve listed them at the end of this post. I’ll probably turn them around myself. I don’t plan anything but a simple announcement, because I want them to be available as soon as I can make it so. I’ll probably release them once a week until they’re all back out there, unless I can manage to get them ready at the same time.
When Samhain closes its doors, I’ll make the books dark on my website, but never fear, they will be back soon!
It’s all a bit of a blow, but I’m still there, and I can’t see myself stopping any time soon.
Here are the books that are involved.
The Richard and Rose series: Yorkshire, Devonshire, Venice, Harley Street, Eyton, Hareton Hall, Maiden Lane and Lisbon.
The Triple Countess series: Last Chance My Love, A Chance to Dream, Met By Chance and A Betting Chance.
The Secrets series: Seductive Secrets, Alluring Secrets and Tantalizing Secrets.
Even Gods Fall In Love: Lightning Unbound, Arrows of Desire, Forged By Love, War Chest and Her Quicksilver Lover
And the standalone novella, It Started At Waterloo.


That’s a lot of books!

Friday, February 03, 2017

News for February


Those of you on Facebook might have noticed that I’ve been engaged in political debate more than somewhat. I do want to assure my readers that my Facebook author page, my website and blog will continue to be politics-free. Although my views might bleed through to my books, having been subjected to politics thinly disguised as fiction at school, I will never, ever, write politics disguised as fiction! I hate books that preach, and I avoid them, so I won’t subject my readers to the same thing. While I do think that every concerned citizen should engage, I also think there’s a time and a place for engagement, and romantic fiction isn’t it. I write stories about people, and how they cope with the world around them, whether that be an imaginary world, a historical world, or the contemporary world. Since I write romance, it gets even more personal. So - no politics here, or on my Facebook author page, or in my blog. Promise.
Under my other name, I’m writing a book about the President of the USA. I’ve been building the series to this point, so I can hardly back off, but I never, ever imagined this storm going off when the book was due. My President doesn’t hold any similarities with the real life incumbent, though. He’s a shape-shifter, and he’s in a poly relationship. And he’s gorgeous (of course he is!) So all that Facebook stuff was partly research. I waded into the truly weird at times, but the research into the way people think was invaluable. I don’t like to write one-note villains, I want them to have a point of view that, however twisted, works for them, so I’ve been to places that, frankly, scared me to death. But I did it in the name of research, and research is king. I also did some great research into practicalities like the layout of the White House. I found an old video of Jackie Kennedy showing people around the place, which was lovely and picked up lots of information about the way communication works, even semi-secret tunnels generally referred to as underground walkways, so the people using them don’t have to leave the premises. But I’ll take it. There’s nothing like a secret tunnel to get the imagination going!
This month I’ve been busy writing a contracted book that won’t see the light of day for a while. It’s an mm - my very first. I’ve written mfm and mmf menages before (I know, the acronyms can make my head spin). Mfm is where both men play with the woman, and mmf is where everybody plays with everybody else. But a relationship without a woman, a gay romance, is an entirely different thing. The connection is different, even the way they communicate. Research is limited to the personal aspect, so I just went with two people in love, and stopped stressing about gender. This is a novella, under 50000 words, so there’s only one sex scene. It didn’t feel right to fling these two into bed together. Since it’s a historical, I had to cope with the, to us, horrible notion that gay men could be hanged, and engaging in a gay physical relationship was truly dangerous. I had to face some unpleasant truths, but the book is done now, and my agonising worked out well, I think. I’ll let you be the judges when it comes out.
Next is the President book. After that, I have one more contracted book, and there are a few proposals and self published projects in the air.
But I also have other books coming out soon, which I’ve detailed below. I’m thrilled to bring a new audience to the Counterfeit Countess, as it has been in the Amazon top selling historicals this month in the new anthology Love Across Time. You can still get the single title, but why do that, when for now it can be bought in an anthology with a number of other great titles?
I’m going to start outlining a new project soon. I’ve had an idea for a new historical series that I’m itching to write. The central character is closely based on a real person, a woman who never married because she was too wealthy. Each book will feature one of her protegees, and as well as a romance, there’ll be a strong mystery element. Historical detectives? I originally planned Richard and Rose to be like that, but their personal lives overwhelmed the series and became too tempting to resist. I know where I’d love the series to go, but I’ll have to wait and see, get it planned out, outlined and the first bit written.