What's New?

My blog header!!!
Rae Monet, my web designer took both website headers and blended them for me. I like it!

So now, Charlotte and Sophie have one combined blog. This is where I'll post all things Sophie and Charlotte.

I hope that's okay with readers. I found keeping up with two blogs really, really hard, and much of my readership is crossover from both genres and pseudonymns.

So, if you're only signed up for The Quill and Inkwell (Charlotte's blog) you'll notice that you're now beinging re-directed here. It's still me, though!

Hope you enjoy the new home!

In other news, I just came back from a day of shopping. Got myself some really cool heels. I love heels. I have too many, but heck....what's another pair.
Also dropped off some Highlander Bookmarks at the bookstore, and spent some time perusing the romance section. Here's what I got.







I can't wait to read them. I can't decide what to read first, Covet by Jr Ward, or Highland Dragon. Or maybe I'll putter away at the historical proposal I've been working on over the weekend. I'll give you a hint, it involves that poem I wrote about Death a few weeks ago....

Just finished Lisa Kleypas' new story, and I loved, loved Harry the hero. Totally got me out of my reading funk!

So what about you guys, any major shopping lately? Book hauls?

Pre-Order PC

Well, I don't know if this is correct form, and politically correct and all that stuff, but a struggling writer has to do what she can to garner not only notice for her books, but also sales of those books. The days of 'grooming' an author are kind of pase. So, here I am selling my soul...er...pimping my book, Velvet Haven which has gone up for pre-order on Amazon and Chapters.ca.

Now, I know it's months, and months away, but I just got word that my publisher and I won't be going to contract for book 2 in the Immortals of Annwyn series till they find out the number of pre-orders. In layman's terms that means, 'if the bookstore pre-orders are good, we'll go to contract, if not, we'll see what sales are like'.

This is pretty standard in the industry, and it's more prevalent today because of the economy. Any way you slice it, the writers wants to get contracts, and the publisher has the desire, and the right to expect to make a profit.

So, if you had any intentions at all of buying Velvet Haven, would you consider pre-ordering a copy? And just to seduce you, Velvet Haven does kind of end with a cliff hanger! Think of the mutiny I'll have on my hands if I don't get to write book 2!!!

Ok, politicially incorrect post is now over, not to be re-posted! If you're interested in pre-ordering the links are below.

And thanks for letting me pimp...

Amazon http://www.amazon.com/Velvet-Haven-Book-Annwyn-Chronicles/dp/0451229185

Chapters http://www.chapters.indigo.ca/books/Annwyn-Chronicles-1-Velvet-Haven-Sophie-Renwick/9780451229182-item.html?ref=Books%3a+May+We+Recommend

This Is Me Today...

Well, add blonde hair and a unspecified amount of poundage, and you'd have me! :)

But, in essence, I'll be doing something like this. Since I've been writing, I've used my advances to pay for some promotional items for the books, but mostly, I've got down our debt. By ridding ourselves of credit cards and such, it's allowed me to move down from full time, to very minimal part time as a nurse. I love this. It makes me feel *almost* like a full time writer~which has always been my goal. One thing I've not done with my writing money, is to splurge on myself. I have this very weird idea that it is better to do for others and myself, something that drives the hubby nuts.



So, today, I'm being selfish. I'm indulging. I told myself that if I ever got Velvet Haven right, and if I survived writing it, I'd treat myself to a spa day. So that's what I'm doing. I've got an entire afternoon of a facial, hot parafin wax pedicure, reflexiology, and a warm stone aromatherapy massage!!!! I can't wait. I'm planning on just sitting there, relaxing, not thinking of anything. I know though, that a few ideas will take root for book ideas etc....but I'm not going to let anything jump in my way of indulging in a few hours of me time.

I'm thinking this is gonna be a great way to kick off the weekend. What about you guys? Weekend plans? Favorite personal indulgence?

Weekend Revelry

Well,hope everyone had a kick butt weekend!!! I had a little to much weekend revelry myself. But it was fun, and much needed after my year of non-stop writing.

We had some friends over, good food, good wine, too much beer....you get the drift. We played cards, listened to music--waaay too loud, and crawled into bed at 3 am. By 9 the next morning, hubby and I were lamenting that we are getting MUCH too old for this sort of carousing!

Anyway, this song, by some good old Canadian boys got major play time that night!!! I wonder what the minister and his wife thought who live next door????

Burn It To The Ground


Anyone do anything fun this weekend? Read anything good that you want to share?

Yuletide Enchantment

My favourite little Dryad came up for air this weekend, and brought me a new widget for A Highlander Christmas!
Isn't it grand? WOW, I can't believe there's only THAT many days left till Nov 1...BRRR

Anyway, thanks again to my Dryad, and help yourself if you'd like the widget! GAWD I think that's a hot Highlander!!!

Hussy Alert! Highlander Christmas Excerpt~Day Three

Hey Hussies. Here's a little tease for you! Happy reading!

In an ancient grove of oaks, the moonlight shimmered through the naked tree branches. The air was warm and soft, much too warm for a winter’s night. It should have been cold and biting, yet as it passed through the thin material of Isobel’s lace nightgown and wrapper the faint breeze was a welcome caress.

Surrounding the grove were megaliths, tall standing stones that formed a circle around the wood, lending it a pagan air that suited the eve of the winter solstice. This was not where she had first seen her stag, yet there was something familiar about it too that pulled at her memory. It was as if she had been here before, a long, long time ago.

She walked in silence, the pearls sewn into her white gown glinting in the moonlight. It was pure magic, this grove, like something out of a fairytale. At the end of the path was a stone slab that had been made into some sort of altar. Covering it was a beautiful blue velvet cloth embroidered with a gold triscale like the one embossed on the pouch Daegan had worn. There was also a tall pewter cup that resembled a chalice, and a dirk that was curved and imprinted with strange markings. Mindlessly she traced her fingers over the scrolling etched on the blade. Everything felt mystical and otherworldly. So strange yet so enticing, she thought as she walked around the altar, her fingers brushing the velvet of the cloth.

Why was she here? Was she dreaming?

Her heart beat faster with every step. Suddenly the stag appeared in the circle, his hide glistening in a shaft of moonlight. He made not a sound, but turned and walked away. She followed it into a darker part of the wood, where it disappeared between two oaks. When she stepped between the trees, she found herself back in the grove, only this time Daegan was leaning against the altar, his legs crossed at the ankle, his arms crossed over his chest. He was watching her intently, his gaze straying over her body as the thin gown and wrapper molded against her breasts and thighs.

“Good eve, Isobel,” he said, his voice husky and enthralling. She felt herself go liquid at the sound of his deep voice. “I have been waiting for the moon to rise so that you could come to me. And now, you are here, looking lovely by the silver light.”

“You were not here a moment ago,” she said, looking around the grove for a glimpse of the stag.

“Aye, I was here, watching you.”

She shivered, not liking the feeling of being studied unaware. “Am I sleeping? I must be, for there is snow on the ground, and the branches creak and move as though the wind is blowing between them, but I feel none of it.”

He came toward her and reached for her hand, pulling her deeper into the circle. He stood close to her, his fingers tracing the outline of her cheek. “Do you believe in the Otherworld, Isobel? That alongside your world, another exists?”

She looked around wonderingly. There was no denying that it was different from her world. But this was a dream. In sleep, magic could prevail. In reality, it didn’t exist.

“You are in Annwyn, the Celtic Otherworld. It is separated from the mortal realm by the thinnest of veils. This sacred grove is the gate to our world. It is called the Cave of Cruachan, or the entrance to the Otherworld.”

She stared at him in disbelief. “None of this can be real. It must be some fantastical dream.” She smiled as she thought of her father reading to them. “Perhaps, like Scrooge, I’ve gone to bed and now I’m having dreams caused by indigestion. The clock has struck midnight and the ghosts will descend. I suppose that would make you the spirit of Christmas Past, wouldn’t it?”

“I’m not a spirit, Isobel. Nor is this a dream,” he murmured, lowering his mouth to hers.

His lips, soft and warm, brushed against hers. She gasped as she felt her own mouth tremble in response. Another brush, then another that was deeper, more hypnotic. Her body responded to his kiss, the way his arms wrapped around her, gathering her close to his chest, which was hard against her soft breasts. The contact of their bodies made her skin tingle with little vibrations that seemed to hum along her nerves.

When Daegan tilted his head and deepened the kiss, Isobel clutched at the edges of his black cloak, her legs weak. When his tongue touched hers, her knees threatened to buckle, but Daegan caught her in his arms, bringing her even closer to his body as he ravaged her mouth with his.

No, Daegan’s kiss was not like the earl’s. The way her body seemed to come alive in his arms was nothing short of magical.

“Isobel,” Daegan murmured as he nuzzled the space beneath her ear. “How can I make you see that this is not a dream? That I am really here with you?”

“Kiss me again,” she whispered. Her body ached for more, more than a kiss, she knew. She might be a virgin, but at one and twenty , she knew of matters between men and women. She knew what she wanted from Daegan. “Please,” she begged, clutching at his shoulders. “I know what I want, and that is you.”

His violet eyes seemed to darken as he once more lowered his head and captured her mouth. This time, though, the carefulness was gone, replaced by a thrilling hunger that fueled her blood.

Daegan was ravenous in his kiss, his lips commanding hers, his tongue dueling with her own. And his hands . . . Good lord, he left no place on her untouched. The edges of her breasts, her hips, her buttocks. She moaned into his mouth when he cupped her bottom in his hands and deepened his kiss, plunging his tongue into her mouth.
She mewled against him, accepting whatever he would give her. When he broke the kiss and pressed his lips against her bounding pulse, she sighed and closed her eyes, allowing herself to indulge in the forbidden pleasure.

“You know not how long I have waited for you,” he groaned as his lips brushed her throat. “In Annwyn time moves much slower than in your world. An hour spent here is but a minute in your world. Imagine the torture I have endured waiting.”

She heard what he was saying, but could not focus on the words or make sense of them. She only wanted more, more kisses, more touches. And she wanted those caresses to be on her bare skin.

“Please,” she whispered into his silky hair. “You know what I want, Daegan.”

“Yes. I know what you want, muirnín. And I will give it to you.”

Daegan’s lips and tongue tasted the sweet skin of Isobel’s throat and the swells of her breasts. Her hands were fisted in his hair, clutching and tugging, begging him without words for more.
***
The way she said his name did strange things to his brain, making him think of nothing other than hearing her shout it as he slid inside her. She whimpered when he pulled at the satin tie of her wrapper. He pulled the garment from her and let it fall to the ground. Then he reached for the sleeve of her night rail, tugging until he revealed one perfect, coral-tipped breast.

“You are so beautiful, Isobel,” he said with reverence ringing in his voice. “You were made to be savored in the moonlight.”

Her passion-glazed eyes met his and she smiled. “Will you savor me, then, Daegan?”

“Aye. Forever.”

He circled her erect nipple with his tongue, making her moan. Her body was warm, flaring to life beneath his hands. In the circle of the grove, his magic spell hovered, keeping out the winter chill and wind. She would be warm in this grove. Protected. She would be his.

Pulling away, he met her gaze. “I must have you, Isobel.” He didn’t wait for her reply, but took her lips hungrily, kissing her with all the need and desire that was swimming in his veins. She felt so soft against him, so right. Her breasts were full and high, and made for his mouth and hands. And her thighs hugged and molded his erection as if she had been designed for him. Everything about her was perfect.
Isobel felt her legs weaken as Daegan started to slide her nightgown down over her hips. His mouth followed the trail of the silk, his lips grazing her skin as he slowly exposed her. With shaking hands she clasped his head in her hands while he kneaded her belly with his mouth, the masculine scent of him wafting up to heighten her senses. Instinctively her fingers curled in his hair, clenching tightly as he nuzzled her curls through her chemise.

His mouth made her crazed. The lust she felt made her dizzy. She wanted him, whatever he would do to her. Even though she was betrothed to St. Clair, she wanted this night with Daegan.

On his knees, he kissed her sex. Hungrily, she clutched at his shoulders. When he lifted her leg and placed it over his shoulder, exposing her, she moaned and raked her fingers through his silky hair. His tongue was hot, wet, scorching her. She should be ashamed of what she was doing, but the pleasure was so great that she shoved the guilt away and enjoyed Daegan’s tongue.

Soon she was scratching her nails down his shoulders, biting her lip to keep from crying out as she began to shake. When the trembling was over, he looked up at her, his eyes dark and unreadable.

“Be with me, muirnín.” He lifted her into his arms as if she weighed nothing more than a feather. “Let me show you what it can be like for us.”

Their gazes met and held, and Isobel saw the hope and hesitation in his eyes before he set her down on a bed that was cushioned with furs. How had it suddenly appeared in the middle of the grove?

A dream, she reminded herself. A lovely, passionate, vivid dream.

“Say that tonight you’ll give yourself to me, Isobel.”

“Yes.” And she would savor the memories of this dream for many, many nights. She wanted this, and she wanted to experience it with Daegan. No man had ever made her feel this way, so conscious of her femininity, of her own desires and needs. She felt beautiful and sensual, and tonight she was going to give in to temptation.
Kneeling, Daegan placed her legs over each of his muscled thighs. His hands, a stark contrast against her pale flesh continued to slide up her sides to cup and squeeze her breasts. “You won’t ever regret this, Isobel,” he vowed, trailing his tongue up her belly. His silky hair tickled the undersides of her breasts, making her skin erupt in gooseflesh.

“I could never regret anything I do with you.” She sighed deeply. How could she regret something that felt this wonderful? Good lord, if she didn’t know better, she would say she loved him. But he was only a dream, no matter how handsome, how powerful. A dream of a lover who was as ensnared by her as she was by him.
His head was atop her breasts, his eyes searching hers through the pale shaft of moonlight. He looked boyish and vulnerable, and infinitely lovable. “Tonight, I will show you why you were made for me.”

Highlander Excerpt~Day Two!

Well, here we go! This is a fairly short excerpt, with a bit of an introduction to Bran, the hero in Velvet Haven. Daegan, the hero in Yuletide Enchantment is Bran's uncle. Daegan falling in love with a mortal has created chaos in Annwyn, and the Supreme Goddess, Cailleach, is exacting a sacrifice from Daegan for performing a binding fating ceremony with Isobel.

What happens in this scenes, both to Daegan and Bran are important events, and precipitates much of the plot in Velvet Haven. Enjoy a little glimpse of Bran!


It pains me to do this, but as Supreme Goddess, I must. You bring imbalance to Annwyn. The Dark Times will come, and I cannot allow it to happen. You know what will come next?”

“Yes. I will offer you a sacrifice.”

“You will give me adbertos, yes, but I will choose it.”

Nodding, Daegan lowered his head until it almost touched the ground. He was at Cailleach’s feet, humbling himself. But it was for Isobel. For their love. It was right to offer adbertos to Cailleach. It was right to do this for Isobel.

“You have created chaos, upset the balance of our world. You have allowed darkness to creep into a place where only light should rule.”

He accepted the truth. He had done those things, but he had been helpless. The heart and soul knew what they wanted, and his wanted Isobel.

“The consequences will be far-reaching. Annywn will never be the same. You have brought sin where there was never any. Your actions will affect another. Do you realize that? Do you care?”

I will accept his actions as my own.

Bran.
Daegan looked up to see his nephew emerge from the woods. He was naked and defenseless. But his eyes, they raged. The Unseelie blood in him roiled to the surface, barely tethered. Bran had no need for weapons, not when his black blood was boiling.

“Leave us, Raven,” Cailleach ordered. “This is not your fight.”

“It is not yours, either, but you made it that way.”

“On your knees,” she spat, her eyes narrowing to angry slits. She pointed the tip of the athame to a spot on the ground. “You will pay for that insolence.”

Bran fell to his knees beside Daegan. His mismatched eyes did not betray his emotions.

Cailleach glared at Bran. “You ungrateful dog. Did I not give you what you wished for? Is Morgan not banished to the Wastelands for her crimes against your brother? Did I not give you clues to discover where he has been hidden?”

“You have.”

“Then why are you here instead of searching for Carden?”

“I made a pact with Daegan, and I will see it through.”

“And what did you barter, Raven?”

“My brother for his woman.”

“How dare you interfere in business that does not concern you?”

“He has served you well, my goddess.” Bran reminded Cailleach. “Can you not forgive him this trespass?”

“Perhaps, if he would never see the girl again. But I know, I feel it: He will not leave her be.”

“No,” Daegan murmured, “I will not. Even if I agreed, I could not keep my promise. It is not within my power.”

“Annwyn has no use for a king who is weakened by a mortal.”

“I accept your judgment,” Daegan answered. “I offer you an adbertos, Cailleach, and will abide by what you choose for this sacrifice.”

“As will I,” Bran said. “I will offer you an adbertos as well. With two of us offering sacrifices, you can spare the girl. Our law allows it.”

Cailleach looked momentarily surprised, then she began to circle them once more.
“So be it. Daegan, Prince of the Sidhe, you are forever banned from Annwyn. You will be cursed to live as a mortal, without your magic. Your firstborn male child will be taken from your arms so that your blood might never again rule Annwyn. You will know the pain of mortals. You will mourn. You will die. You will be forever forced to recall what you gave up for your mortal. I hope she will prove worth your sacrifice. Rise.”

Daegan got to his feet and stood to his full height, looking down into Cailleach’s face. “Go now,” she hissed, “never to return.”

His gaze turned to Bran. He felt sorrow for what he had done, but still, if he had the chance to do it all again, he would not have forsaken Isobel.

“Go,” Bran said through gritted teeth, “I will accept what she chooses for me. Go.”
Daegan hesitated and Bran glared at him. “I do this willingly. Go. Love your mortal. Have what I will not—a soul mate.”

Cailleach laughed, a cruel sound that did not hide the pain she kept to herself. “No, Raven, you will not have a soul mate, but you will have something else, something you could not possibly desire.”

As he walked away into the deepest part of the forest, Daegan heard Cailleach’s husky voice chanting an incantation. It was followed by a brilliant flash of white light, then the agonizing roar of Bran’s scream.

“The Legacy Curse is upon you now, Raven,” Daegan heard. “There will be no peace for you, or within you.”

Daegan closed his eyes. He would find a way to break the curse. He would repay his nephew’s sacrifice if it was the last thing he ever did.