War Comes to Gaia in 1 day - A Green Rose Preview

War comes to Gaia in 1 more day. Dare to join the battle?

The Green Rose is a fantasy romance set in the mythical land of Gaia. There are 4 allied nations: N'Gasse, Daháka, Tapin, and Ravenrock. Past Ravenrock, to the east, in a tundra-like land, the savage wyldebeasts are kept at bay a 50,000 myle granite wall that runs the length of Ravenrock.

The evil mage, Balthyser, has betrayed Tapin. Seeking power, he uses the wyldebeasts to attack the allied nations, kidnapping the kings of Tapin and Daháka.

The rulers of the allied nations must seek the Green Rose and harness it's magic in order to defeat Balthyser.

Ravenrock is the land of ravens. It also contains a 50,000 myle wall that separates it from the tundra-like land where the wyldebeasts live. Previous to the wall, the wyldebeasts were kept at bay by the ravens. The beasts feared the black bird. King Talas rules the land, but he's grown lazy and complacent in his duties. Balthyser has found a new home in Ravenrock – Vesper's Keep, near a weak point in the wall. This allows the evil mage access to the wyldebeasts. Talas has been a poor warden of the east, but can he overcome his sloth and greed and be the king Ravenrock needs?

Colin Firth inspiration for "King Talas"


ENJOY THIS EXCERPT:

"The keep is in ruins." Talas' voice was firm.

"When was the last time you inspected the Eastern Wall?" asked Queen Rowan.

Talas frowned. "Upon my ascension."

"Twenty-five years ago?" Disgust was evident in Queen Rowan's voice. "You have been a careless warden of the East, Talas. That wall is to be inspected every five years. I suspect if I went to Vesper Keep right now, we would find it reconstructed and heavily fortified."

"And the breach to the wall itself would be nearby," finished Ivanstan.
Sonia glared at Ravenrock's fat lord who stood before them with a look of disappointment on his face. His laziness in guarding the Eastern Wall threatened to plunge Gaia into war.

"King Erik the Great of Ravenrock would turn over in his grave knowing his descendant had turned to sloth and greed," said Queen Rowan. "Now you must act, Talas, and I expect you to do so with the nobility your position requires."

Talas scrubbed a hand across his mouth and sat in his seat. "Damn." His eyes grew vacant.

Did the fool finally realize his folly? By Nyla, what was worse? A knowing betrayal purported by Balthyser and Gabriel or an ignorant one as committed by Talas?

Finally, Talas looked up. "We are doomed to war. The green rose does not exist."

"I have never heard of the green rose," said Sonia.

"Nor I." Ivanstan placed his hand on top of his chair's headrest. Sonia shared his intense expression.

"True knowledge of the rose is passed down from the monarch to their heir upon death's door." Queen Rowan furrowed her brow. "Talas, it was Ravenrock's turn to send men into the Tagrasse forest to find the witches who guard it. Did you?"

"Aye, but they came back empty handed."

"Empty? That can't be."

"They did not find the witches?" asked Sonia.

"Nay."
"Who did you send? One of your banner houses?"

"Nay -- men from my guard."

Queen Rowan clasped her hands together, fury gathering in her eyes. "Oh, you stupid fool! The witches need to mate! Damn. I pray they are not barren, or the guardians of the rose will die."


BOOK TRAILER:


PREVIOUS: Visit The Writer Limits to learn about Prince Ivanstan at: http://thewriterlimits.blogspot.com

Visit Romance Under the Moonlight to learn about Princess Sonia at:
http://sgcardin.blogspot.com

Visit Lindsay's Romantics to learn about Queen Rowan at:
http://lindsaysromantics.blogspot.com

The Green Rose releases tomorrow, 1 APR and will be available at:
Amazon.com
Barnes & Noble
All Romance ebooks
Sony ebook store
Kobo ebook store
Apple ebook store
And from the publisher's website

Join Sonia, Ivanstan, Rowan, and Talas at Romance Under the Moonlight for a launch party tomorrow 1 APR 2012: http://sgcardin.blogspot.com


PUBLISHER'S BUY LINK:
http://stores.desertbreezepublishing.com/-strse-280/The-Green-Rose-Stephanie/Detail.bok

GIVEAWAY: Leave a comment about the fantasy genre along with your email and I'll pick a winner to receive an ARC of The Green Rose tomorrow.

Romancing the Heavenly Stars in Blue

I was commissioned to do this painting showing a very Earth-like planet near some blue stars. Globular star clusters are usually made up of very ancient stars and tend to be yellowish in colour, however on this occasion I was asked to paint a swarm of sapphire-like stars. The planet seems to be floating on the canvas while the eye is drawn to the dense cluster of stars. ~ Richard Bizley ~ http://bizleyart.com ~

Because I’ve never been a big fan of April Fool’s Day, you won’t get your sniggering laugh here. Not that I haven’t been a witness to, and a victim of a really good April Fool’s *I gotcha*. In fact, last April 1, George Noory, host of Coast-to-Coast am, nighttime radio, told a whopper of a tale about finding a baby T-Rex in the Australian badlands. His skill at pulling off the playful deceit was impressive, and for months after people would call into the show asking for an update on that crypto zoological *news story*. No, that one didn’t get me.
Instead on this first day of April, my Spring mood runs to romance, so I finished a scene between Lady Sheridan and Baron Zaggry, their first meeting. Since I began their love story ten years later in ALL SHADES OF BLUE PARADISE, it’s a special delight to write about the beginning of their courtship.
I had originally planned to use the scene on Valentine’s Day for promo. That didn’t happen because of other author-type busyness. However, ALL SHADES OF BLUE PARADISE is my first contracted story, so I thought it fit this number one day.
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Heavenly Stars in Blue

Sher & Zag ~ First Meeting

Lady Sheridan gazed down at the man who dared stride in front of her mare, her blood blue-boiling. She had been on her way to the show ground’s stable with the intention of overseeing the care of her horses. Easily handling Bellesza’s fractious dancing steps, she kept the bold-spirited mare calm enough.
“Sir, you are in my path. Remove yourself immediately.” If she could have, Sher would lashed the arrogant oaf with the bluefire words of her temper.
“I will always remain in your path, Lady Woadeir.”
Eyes of icy green smoldered upon her face. Sher drew in a soft rush of breath before she realized it, yet stifled the urge to toss her loosened hair. The tawny and russet-maned man appeared familiar to her eye. Most probably one of the Royals she cared little for, the ones who always blue-cooled her mood to a cold disinterest.
“Remove yourself. Or I will be tempted to allow Bellesza her striking hoof.”
Instead of obeying, the impudent Royal languidly gripped the rein near her mount’s bit, gaining control, unless Sheridan commanded her mare otherwise.
“I am Baron Zaggry, most beautiful woman. I will immediately remove myself once you agree to accompany me this very evening.”
Sheridan knew why women fell at the Baron’s perfectly booted feet in erotic surrender, as she’d heard tell in the salons. Beyond his obvious handsome features, it was his tone, smooth and splendid as gold-blue brandy. Yet, his voice, was also rough and ruthless as a cougar’s rumbling purr.
He would give a woman smooth and splendid passions. He would give her rough and ruthless lust.
Sheridan knew she paused too long. “No, I decline. I am otherwise engaged, Baron.”
He paused as well, his gaze falcon-trained on her face. “Heavenly stars in blue.”
His sincere wooing spiraling-jolted her middle, and caused Sheridan to lean back a bit on her spare saddle. Alert now, Bellesza stood patiently, her interest captured by the Baron.
“Your eyes, Lady Woadeir. I wondered at their color.” He took a step closer, keeping hold of the rein. “Heavenly stars in blue and turquoise, I see now.”
“Your compliment is kind, Baron. Yet, I must decline. I have no desire--"
“You will,” he interrupted, brave as a rutting stallion. “You will desire my escort and my company, Lady Sheridan.”
“I gave you no permission to address me with such intimacy.” Sheridan glared for good measure, her own haughtiness a thin veil over her ire, now rising swift as a wind-fed wildfire.
“No, you did not.” A grin tugged at one corner of his mouth.
Sheridan swallowed down a flare of desire. His lips were sensually carved, reminding her of her kiss-erotic daydreams as a girl becoming a woman. A man’s mouth had always gained her notice.
“I must earn your forgiveness, Lady Woadeir. May I escort you to this night’s Blues Festival?”
Though, his gaze remained glittering-intense, still, a gentleman’s seduction owned the depths of his ice-pale green eyes. In that moment, Sheridan lost her battle to deny him if...
“I shall meet you, Baron Zaggry, at the plaza dance floor. If you partner me in a way that pleases me, I will allow your escort for the evening.”
His eyes darkened for an instant, surprise flickering over the pale facets. He smiled, a cougar’s smile of temporary acceptance.
“Of course, I will be honored to earn my escort of you, Lady Woadeir. May I inquire, what will be the time of your arrival?”
Their game of courtship had begun. Sheridan flashed a wickedly teasing smile at him, her own satisfaction in play.
“I shall arrive at my pleasure, Baron.” His stunned gaze was priceless, indeed worth a handful of gold-laced lapis lazuli. “Perhaps, you will consider pleasing my feminine eye by wearing faded blue jeans.”
Releasing her mare’s rein, he stepped closer, his gaze enigmatic. “Lady Woadeir, to please you, I would wear nothing but my golden hide, with an impressive display of the family jewels.”
She glimpsed the private triumph of his grin before he bowed slightly, and pivoted from her.
“Dangerous,” she murmured to Bellesza. “A most dangerous man-animal. That is obvious as the leisurely spin of our azure diamond stars.”
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For the blue-green horse lands of Spring....
Lady Sheridan & Baron Zaggry invite you to read their love story ~
ALL SHADES OF BLUE PARADISE ~ an aristocratic fantasy of fiercest passion ~ *5 Stars* from ReviewYourBook ~ available from Siren Publishing ~ http://www.sirenpublishing.com/savannakougar/asobp.asp ~
An Author Discovery by Lindsay Townsend ~ http://sirenbookstrand.blogspot.com ~
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Note: No, Zorro is not forgotten and will be presented in an upcoming blog.
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Happy Spring
May your most romantic dreams come true...

Savanna

Savanna Kougar ~ Run on the Wild Side of Romance
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