FIVE GOLDEN RINGS Blog Tour: Guest Post by Sophie Barnes and eBook Giveaway!

MISTLETOE MAGIC

When I first heard about this project back in May, I immediately decided that I had to give it a try and started on it right after I submitted my edits for There’s Something About Lady Lucinda. I think I was primarily inspired by Avon’s suggestion to think outside the box – that the central theme for the story didn’t necessarily have to be a physical ring, their example being Johnny Cash’s song Ring of Fire. So I started thinking of other ways to be creative with the theme that Avon had given us and quickly found myself developing the ring of protectors. Once this was done, I needed a plot that could make use of my theme and found myself thinking of Jane Austen’s Emma and her matchmaking ways. Leonora Compton was soon born – a young lady still suffering from the death of her mother, a woman whom her daughter soon discovers to have been a part of a secret society. Of course, I needed a hero to butt heads with my heroine and began developing Connor Talbot, the Earl of Redfirn whose obligation to find a wife for a certain Mr. Grenley will see him crossing paths with the stubborn Leonora on more than one occasion. The two have conflicting interests and immediately start off at odds with each other, and yet there’s a mutual attraction that they cannot possibly ignore and which soon blossoms into something much more overpowering. =)

This was great fun to write, but also a challenge. I’ve never written a novella before so being used to 90,000 plus words and having to get the whole story down in less than 20,000 instead was difficult at times – especially since this was the sort of story that could easily have been developed into a much longer one. That said, I enjoy the faster pacing that happens as a result of this because it adds a bit of urgency to the characters falling head over heels in love with each other. =)

Thank you so much for stopping by today. Below is a little excerpt from Chapter 4 which I hope you’ll enjoy. Happy Holidays everyone!

Excerpt:

“I was wondering - If I call on you tomorrow … will you receive me?” He must have seen the appalled look upon her face, for he quickly added. “Unbelievable as it may seem, I find myself enjoying your company and was hoping to further my acquaintance with you. However, I have no desire to wait in line along with a dozen other men, so if you’d rather I stay away, then I’d be much obliged if you’d say so now.”

Well, as far as forthright went, Lord Redfirn was certainly the very definition of the word. Perhaps he wasn’t as bored as she’d imagined. Warming to the easy tone of his voice, she couldn’t help but say, “A dozen? Will that really be all? Frankly, Lord Redfirn, I rather suspect they’ll be lined up all the way to Hallidan.”

He raised an eyebrow. “Not if your …” He coughed and let the words he might have spoken fade into oblivion.

“Not if my what?”

“Hmmm?”

“You were saying, not if your …” She gave him a pointed stare.

He frowned as if unsure of whether or not it would be wise to tell her what he’d been about to say. Eventually, he shrugged, lowered his head a little toward hers, and whispered, “Not if your dance card is any indication.”

Aha! So he wanted to play that game, did he? Very well then. Without as much as a moment’s hesitation, Leonora misstepped just enough to place one foot on top of his.

She was rewarded by a very loud wince along with a grimace. “You did that on purpose, you little minx.”

“Not at all,” she countered. “If you recall, I’m quite out of practice - my apologies.”

“Then perhaps it would be wise of me to keep a firmer hold on you.” And he pulled her closer - scandalously so.

Leonora had never been one to swoon, but she felt certain that now might be an appropriate time to start. She felt energized and bold, not to mention giddy from the feel of him so close to her, coupled with the scent of sandalwood that floated in the air around him. There was no question about it - he’d ruined dancing for her forever, for no other man would ever measure up. 

oOoOoOo

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