Kimber An's Showcase Sunday

THE KING'S DAUGHTER by Sandra WorthI reviewed Ms. Worth's other novel earlier this year- http://enduringromance.blogspot.com/2008/06/lady-of-roses-by-sandra-worth.html - and I might as well tell you it made Kimber An's Top Ten Books for 2008. I'll be posting that list for December's Showcase Sunday in time for holiday shopping. Anyway, Ms. Worth recently emailed me about the ARC for KING'S DAUGHTER to which I replied, "Yes, please!"
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There's an excerpt and other cool stuff at Ms. Worth's site- http://www.sandraworth.com/queen.htm
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Here's the blurb:
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Some are destined for greatness, few more so than Elizabeth of York. Yet, while she was the only English Queen to have been a wife, daughter, sister, niece and mother to English Kings, the legacy of her noble spirit and love of country far outweigh her impressive bloodline.
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“Meticulously researched, exquisitely written, here is a rich, magnificent novel of the Tudor court evoking a once forgotten queen, now impossible to forget.”~ Michelle Moran, author of the national bestseller, Nefertiti: A Novel.
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Fiercely devoted to her beloved father and King, seventeen-year-old Elizabeth of York trusts that his dying wish has left England in the hands of a just and deserving ruler. With a young successor not ready to reign, the power is passed to Elizabeth’s uncle, Richard of Gloucester—a man her mother has never trusted. It isn’t long before Elizabeth fears that her own faith was misplaced. Upon Richard’s rise, her family experiences one devastation after another: her late father is exposed as a bigamist, she and her siblings are branded bastards, and her brothers are taken into the new king’s custody, then reportedly killed. How could her father have believed in a man capable of such treachery? But one fateful night shakes Elizabeth to the core and leads her to question all of her prejudices. Through the eyes of Richard’s ailing queen she sees a man worthy of respect and undying adoration. His dedication to his people inspires a forbidden love and ultimately gives her the courage to accept her destiny, marry Henry Tudor and become Queen. While her soul may always secretly belong to another, her heart forever belongs to England . . .

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GAMER GIRL by Mari Mancusi

I was aware of Mari Mancusi, but didn't really check her books out until recently. You see, the previous ones had blood-sucking dead guys and such in them and you know how queezy I am about such things. Then, I noticed young people were having trouble finding the Science Fiction they'd love. Like Science Fiction Romance, the publishers lose track of their best readers while trying to win new readers. It's the biggest marketing backfire I see. So, I started a blog as sort of a hub to collect Science Fiction young people love, regardless of labels. http://youngadultsciencefiction.blogspot.com/ Girls are the most neglected YA SciFi reader, so I made a special effort to find books with girl heroes. And that's what led me back to Mari Mancusi. I have three of her novels on the way, including her newest release, GAMER GIRL. Granted, it's not exactly Science Fiction, but a lot of my younger friends are into gaming. A lot of young gamers also love Science Fiction. So, there you have it.

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Learn more at http://www.marimancusi.com/


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Here's the blurb:
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ZOMG, IT ROX TO BE A GAMER GIRL!
Maddy’s life: not so rockin’. Her parents split, she’s stuck in a new, small town at a school full of Aberzombies and Haters, she has a crush on someone she really shouldn’t like, and she’s stuck with the nickname Freak Girl.


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Sometimes it’s enough to retreat into her drawing – her Manga is totally important to her – but when she gets Fields of Fantasy for her birthday, she knows she’s found the one place she can be herself. In the game world, Maddy can transform from regular outcast high school student to Allora, a beautiful Elvin Princess with magical powers to take down enemies with a snap of her fingers and wave of her wand.


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As Allora, Maddy can totally be herself. She spends a lot of time questing with Sir Leo, a brave knight who seems to really like Allora, and maybe even the IRL (In Real Life) Maddy. Allora’s virtual life is perfect, but a real gamer girl understands that real life comes first – Maddy knows she can’t escape from her IRL problems. She has to find ways to kick back at the Haters, rock her manga and find the new, real life friends she knows she deserves.
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MISSION: CHRISTMAS by Lindsey McKenna & Susan Grant

Susan Grant is a Science Fiction Romance favorite here at Enduring Romance and Lindsey McKenna is just riding shotgun for this one. However, you might also like her story, so I encourage you to learn more about it. But, let's face it, I picked this one up because of Susan. As a writer, I have dozens of stories in my head from a dozen different genres, but have you noticed most authors only write in one, or two at the most? The logic behind doing that on purpose is to establish an author's brand and build up a readership, but some authors only want to write in one or two genres. It all made me wonder if there are authors who write in one genre/subgenre, but have stories nagging them to go elsewhere. Little surprise that the most original SFR storyteller I know would try a Romantic Suspense story for a Christmas anthology. Doesn't hurt that the protagonists are pilots, because, you know, I married a pilot and started breeding more. MISSION: CHRISTMAS is on the shelves now.
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Pop over to Susan's website to learn more- http://susangrant.com/books/missionchristmas.htm


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You can read an excerpt of Ms. McKenna's story here-

http://www.amazon.com/Mission-Christmas-Bunch-Snowbound-Silhouette-Romantic/dp/0373276052/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1226235616&sr=1-1
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Here's the blurb:
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During an unprecedented cold wave causing death, injury, and extensive damage to property throughout most of Northern Europe, Major Kat Wallace volunteers to fly a humanitarian Christmas drop to assist those affected by record-breaking snow. Stranded in bad weather, she soon finds herself battling off hostiles.
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Kat’s reason for taking a mission so close to Christmas is quite sentimental. While serving as a young pilot training instructor, she met Prince Alek, crown prince to one of the oldest, unbroken lines of royalty, second only to the Danes, who is attending pilot training at her base. Despite her attraction to the impossibly cocky prince, when put in the position to pass or fail him on a check ride for which he’d obviously not prepared despite his undeniable, natural flying skills, she busts him, causing him to meet a review board to determine whether he stays or goes. Recognizing his potential that he doesn’t seem to see or accept in himself, she recommends that he get a second chance. But it’s too late. He’s called back home to face revolution, never to be heard from again. In the years since, she’s often wondered what happened to him.
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Alek is anything but dead. For years he’s been fighting as a rebel leader, determined to restore the monarchy in his homeland as well as his people’s freedom and honor. He’s made many mistakes, not the least of which was refusing to accept that there are consequences for bad behavior. From the bastard son he fathered when he was a teen to his not educating himself on the problems of his kingdom, he has made many mistakes. Now he’s set out to right those wrongs, even if it means losing his life in the process. He owes part of his epiphany to the gorgeous, fast-talking, and (to his confusion and dismay) totally unaffected by his charms USAF pilot Kat Wallace, who (rightfully so) bounced his ass out of pilot training. She changed his life, even if he didn’t yet recognize it. Somehow she saw in him what he didn’t, or couldn’t, but what he hoped to God he could call on now in the battle for his homeland, his people, and the chance to reverse his failing them.
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Kat is more than wary of the wannabe prodigal prince’s intentions. She’s not entirely convinced he’s done playing with life as if it were a silly game. But with communications cut off, weather moving in and her own crew to protect, Kat forms a way-outside-the box (not to mention protocol) alliance with Alek. With forces joined, and their fiery attraction melting the wintry ice, Kat and Alek wonder if trust alone will be enough to survive the dangers looming ahead.
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THE SACRIFICE by Kathleen Benner Duble

This one sparked my interest because it's a Young Adult Historical and I'm totally into that right now. In fact, the next novel I polish up for submission will probably be a YA Historical. SACRIFICE is set during the Salem Witch Trials and explores the primal instinct of herd terror. That's when normally rational and intelligent human beings get together, one freaks out, and pretty soon the whole herd is stampeding. Tragedy always results. Here in the 21st century, we like to think we've evolved beyond that. Think again.

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You can read a first chapter excerpt at Amazon.com-

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/product-description/0689876513/ref=dp_proddesc_0?ie=UTF8&n=283155&s=books

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Here's the blurb:
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In the year 1692, life changes forever for ten-year-old Abigail Faulkner and her family. In Salem, Massachusetts, witches have been found, and widespread fear and panic reign mere miles from Abigail's home of Andover. When two girls are brought from Salem to identify witches in Andover, suspicion sweeps the town as well-respected members of the community are accused of witchcraft. It isn't long before chaos consumes Andover, and the Faulkners find themselves in the center of it all when friend turns themselves in the center of it all when friend turns against friend, neighbor against neighbor, in a desperate fight for the truth. At the heart of this gripping story are Abigail and her sister, Dorothy, who together must find a way to persevere during a period marked by terror, adversity, and ignorance.
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Told from Abigail's point of view and based on actual events in the author's own family histoy, The Sacrifice offers a unique perspective of the Salem witch trials by delving into the devestating effects the trials had not just in Salem but throughout Massachusetts.

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***That's it for this month, Blog Buds! Now, repeat the Enduring Romance Oath: "I (insert name here) do solemnly swear to always buy my favorite authors' books new." Remember, when you buy new you keep your favorite authors in the business of creating the stories you love.***