Monday 17 June 2013

Have an Unconventional Courtship with Morgan King @EroticWritings #regency #contest

I do love a good historical story, don't you? So, it gives me great pleasure to leave you in Morgan's capable hands, as she tells us more about her Unconventional Courtship. And she is giving you a chance to win a copy. How is that for brightening up your Monday?

Take it away, Morgan :-)

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Hello Doris O’Connor fans, (*waves to the lady in question*)
I’m presuming that you’re following her blog because like me you think she’s great.
Seriously she is. I’m lucky enough to have met Doris and as of next week feature in an anthology with her (Doris may or may not have inserted cover art here, I hope she has it’s hot) but that’s another story.

*blushes*

Goodness, such praise! You can see that cover in the side bar (Her Type Of Guy) ------^^^^----


It’s another story because I had a story out Friday as well and that’s what I want to talk to you about.
An Unconventional Courtship is my second release with Evernight Publishing and even though I don’t have a vast collection of stories to compare with for me it was a little different. Compared to my first story Duty to Love and those set to come An Unconventional Courtship is seriously sweet, sinfully sweet even. To be honest I’m not quite sure how that happened as normally the hot stuff just writes itself. Okay sex happens in this story to, but like I say it’s sweet, there’s ices and everything!
So why write it, especially as it wasn’t what I’d originally planned on writing as a follow up to my first novella? The answer: the characters spoke to me. I know this happens to some authors regularly but me not so much. I’m often all about the plot, but in this case Lord Mendton and Lady Eleanor Chatsby started having a conversation and as it was playful I couldn’t help listening in. I guess that means it wasn’t really me they were speaking to, but close enough. I overheard them and I thought this would make a great short story and very conveniently I needed a short story to go in a newsletter. So, I wrote it up and showed it to a couple of people. Both of whom said “It deserves to be longer”, and “write more I want to know…” So, write more I did and here we are with a longer short story!
Now if you can guess which scene I started with as the short story you could be in with a chance to win a copy of Duty to Love, my regency ménage. Was it…
a)     The marriage proposal.
b)     When Ellie steps out of a boat into the middle of a lake.
c)     The wedding night.

Answers on a postcard, oops no answers in a comment below with your e-mail address. One lucky reader who has picked the correct answer will be randomly selected by the end of next week J



The blurb and excerpt below may or may not help:
To marry or not to marry- that is the question for Lord Mendton and Lady Eleanor Chatsby.
Lady Eleanor Chatsby has her eye on a man; unfortunately he doesn’t appear to know she exists and is more interested in his hobby of bird watching.
Lord Mendton, curses his inability to communicate well with others, especially when his attention is captured by the most interesting of ladies.
One impetuous act from her and he is struck by the desire to make Lady Eleanor Chatsby his wife. Unfortunately his proposal is unexpected, poorly timed and refused.  He is not deterred and begins a plan of seduction.
Their courtship fast becomes a battle of wills, what can Lord Mendton do to capture his lady’s heart? Will she give him her heart? Will he cede her control of their relationship?
Excerpt:
“What are you doing, Eleanor?”
My God, he was melodramatic! She couldn’t believe he was worried enough to use her first name.
 Squashing down her nerves, Ellie lifted one leg...  
“You’ll drown!”
... and swung it over the side of the boat.
“It may be freezing cold, but I am not going to drown. The water will barely reach above my knees.” Ellie certainly hoped this would be the case. “And anyway I am quite a good swimmer…for a lady.” She plunged herself into the water.
It was hellish cold. The shock was the worst, but after that first gasp of breath Ellie was able to move. The water line reached mid thigh, she would not have to swim. She found her footing and looking straight ahead, her skirts billowing all around her, made for dry land.
She distracted her mind from the unpleasant circumstances of her body with a fanciful comparison to Ophelia. Why was it that  the actions of men led women to drowning their sorrows in water? That was a depressing thought. Maybe she was more like the Lady of the Lake from tales of King Arthur.
The nasal honks coming from of a gaggle of Canada geese heading in her direction spurred Ellie on. She didn’t particularly fancy being inspected by their inquisitive beaks.
And, oh God, was that a fish? She dreaded to think what else it might be. Straight ahead, keep looking straight ahead.
Not surprisingly there was a crowd of people on the bank. Ellie didn’t think she’d ever seen her mother so red-faced, and worse, there in the crowd was Lord Mendton. Well, there was no doubt that he’d noticed her now. He might even know her name. It was bound to be one of the words people were busy whispering.





If you fancy finding out how things turn out for Ellie and Lord Mendton here’s the links:
http://www.evernightpublishing.com/an-unconventional-courtship-by-morgan-king/
http://www.bookstrand.com/an-unconventional-courtship-mf

If you’d like to know about me, follow me, or say hi I can be found:
www.authormorganking.wordpress.com
Twitter:  Morgan King @EroticWritings 



10 comments:

  1. I love a good historical romance.

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  2. B! Eleanor is one strong-willed lady. :)

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  5. b) When Ellie steps out of a boat into the middle of a lake.

    I love the cover of the book! Great excerpt! What I read so far I want to read the book. I love historical romances or should I say all romances.
    Donna Harris
    donna_squaw_1952@yahoo.com

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  8. Using Author License,(because technically the answer was C: the story started as a wedding night story, but is did focus on a flash back to the scene at the lake) and random.org Kiru Taye is the lucky winner of a copy of Duty to Love. Please e-mail me so that I can send you a copy (morganking@hotmail.co.uk)
    Hope you enjoy reading Morgan x

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  9. Thanks everyone for commenting and Congrats, Kiru!

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