Mistletoe Madness Blog Hop

Hello dear readers!

First, an apology. I set up my blog hop contest post to publish on the day we launched, and apparently it is now lost in the Intarwebz ether. Thank you for letting me know!

Those of you who follow me on Twitter or Facebook probably already know that my awesome, fantastic, wonderful girlfriend had major surgery earlier this month, so it has been a very busy December for me, with work and back and forths to Philadelphia where she was hospitalized. She came home yesterday - at long last! - and I've been at her place ever since. I appreciate your patience as I juggle, and your well wishes for her swift recovery! She is doing well.

Now, on to the good stuff:

The Grand Prize: A Nook Color pre-loaded with tons of awesome books. Enter to win here!*

*Unfortunately, due to shipping constraints, grand prize eligibility is limited to US residents.

Books included in the grand prize:

A Brush of Darkness -Allison Pang
A Hard Habit to Break – KC Kendricks
Angel in the Middle – Marie Dees
Betting on Hope – Kay Keppler
Blood of the Maple – Dana Marie Bell
Cry Wolf – Angela Campbell
Dearly Departed – Lia Habel
Entanglements – PR Mason
Eris – D. Renee Bagby
Golden – Joely Sue Burkhart
Grey’s Lady – Natasha Blackthorne
Her Dark Knight – Sharon Cullen
Hunting Kat – PJ Schnyder
Knight of Runes – Ruth A. Casie
Leading Her To Heaven – Kayleigh Jamison
Love on Cloud Nine – Linda Andrews
Lust on the Rocks – Dianne Venetta
Men of the Sea Anthology – Eliza Knight
Murdering Eve – Kelly Lee
Redaction – Linda Andrews
Relearning the Ropes – DC Juris
Risking Trust – Adrienne Giordano
Shadows & Dust – Yvonne Nicolas
Sloane Wolf – Margay Leah Justice
Snowy Encounters – Clarissa Yip
Soul Catcher – Vivi Andrews
The Alchemist’s Perfect Instrument – AL Davroe
The Demon He Knows – RA Vaughn
The Fallen Queen – Jane Kindred
The Knife’s Edge – Stephanie Draven
Underdead – Liz Jasper
What Not To Fear – Robert C. Roman
White Hot Christmas: Santa’s Claws – Stephanie Burke

For my individual prize, I will give you copies of my entire back list in your choice of e-book or print. Comment below to win. (Note: a few of my titles are e-book only)

How to Find Me at Authors After Dark

Yes, it's that time of year again: my favorite annual convention, Authors After Dark! This year we will be in Philadelphia August 11-14. Some of the events on Saturday, including the book signing and the Steam Ball (The Steam Ball is a ticketed event; the book signing is free) will be open to the public, so even if you are not attending the convention, you can still come see me if you're in the area.

Your chances are good of simply running into me out and about during the convention, but guaranteed places to find me are as follows:

Thursday:

1:00pm: Panel: Loving Ladies (GLBT romance)
2:00pm: Tease Tea Tasting Party
3:00pm: Panel: Historical Romance
4:00pm: Panel: Erotic Historical Romance

Friday:

7:00pm: Mythos Masquerade Dinner
9:00pm: Mythos Masquerade Ball

Saturday:

10:00am: Panel: Publishing Legalese
2:00pm: Booksigning (Open to the Public!)

See all ya'll this weekend!

Bloody Kiss'mas Is Here!

13 Days. 13 Prizes. Learn more and sign up here.

Winners!

Random.org selected April/Psyche as the winner of my Simply Wicked contest!

Because April already has all my books, I used random.org to select a second winner, and even though it continued to pick April for the next six tries, it eventually gave me another name: Julie Shumway!

I'll contact you via Facebook, Julie. Congratulations to both winners! A huge thanks to ALL who entered, and Happy Samhain!

SIMPLY WICKED: Day 8

Welcome to my blog and Day 8 of the Simply Wicked: 13 Days of Halloween Event, brought to you by the always fabulous JoLynne Valerie and Amy Williamson. If you've been following along, yesterday you visited my very dear friend and sister in the Craft, Psyche Soul Goddess, and the lovely Lily Oak.

Some of you may already know me as author of historical romance (sometimes erotic, sometimes not - sometimes paranormal, sometimes not). Those of you who know me well, are quite aware of my fascination with the occult, the paranormal, all things macabre; my obsession with horror movies, and my lifelong study of the Pagan faiths and Witchcraft. Is it any surprise that this is my favorite time of year?

We are now deep into Autumn, the Season of the Witch, just a few short days from the celebration of Samhain - or Halloween - the Wiccan New Year. Today, Samhain is many things; a time to honor our ancestors, a celebration to mark the end of the "light days" and a transition into the "dark" days of winter, the Feast of the Dead, celebration of the reign of the Queen of the Underworld, the dark Goddess. Mythologically (it's a word - now), this is the time when the God returns to the Underworld to await his rebirth and ascent back to the throne. (Note: Samhain is NOT a celebration of the Celtic God of Death; there is no such thing. The misconception was first stated in the 18th century and persists today) Perhaps most important for the modern child, Halloween is a time to dress up, party with friends, and eat ridiculous amounts of sugar.

But how was Halloween - or the paranormal in general, for that matter - treated in bygone eras, such as the ones that form the backdrop for my books? The Victorians are most frequently credited with the invention of the modern paranormal, thanks to their rabid fascination with all things occult and the literary genius of one Charles Dickens. You don't hear much mention of the paranormal in the Regency era (and admittedly, they were far more skeptical) but it was around.

The first known English astrologer was Mrs. Williams in the 1780s, with Uranus being officially discovered in 1781. Mrs. Williams advertised her services throughout Britain. Vox Stellarum, Moore's astrological almanac, printed nearly 400,000 copies in 1803 and twice that amount ten years later. There were a number of astrological authors, including John Worsdale and Ebenezer Sibley. The artist John Varley was a devout astrologist. Alfred Thomas Story, in his book James Holmes and John Varley, relates a story about Varley, who each morning would meticulously draft his own daily horoscope. One day Varley told his son that he was quite certain something "menacing" was going to happen to him around 12 noon, but he couldn't tell what, or from where. "As the hour of twelve approached he became greatly agitated and walked up and down his studio unable to settle to anything...Just then there was a cry of fire outside He ran out to see what was the matter and found that it was his own house that was in flames. He was so delighted said his son Albert describing the occurrence he was so delighted at having discovered what the astrological effect of Uranus was that he sat down while his house was burning, knowing though he did that he was not insured for a penny, to write an account of his discovery. He had timed the catastrophe to within a few minutes." That's seeing the glass half-full if ever anyone did!

Farmers in the Regency era followed astrological rules related to planting, when planning out their crops for the year. Doctors were trained in the 1700s to use "decumbiture charts," which used astrology to predict the course of a disease.

Let's not forget that Mary Shelley penned Frankenstein in 1816 and The Legend of Sleepy Hollow gave life to the Headless Horseman in 1820. Gothic novels such as The Mysteries of Udolpho popped up in 1797. Jane Austen, our quintessential Regency go-to-girl, most certainly knew a ghost story or two. She even pokes a bit of fun at them in Northanger Abbey.


And now on to what you all really want to know: be there a give-away here? Oh, yes! I have a veritable treasure trove, but here's the thing: the prize depends upon the winner. That's right, you will get a custom prize package tailored to your interests (subject to the limitations of what I have in my arsenal). The possibilities include:

*Autographed copies of Reckless Liaisons, Leading Her to Heaven, and Svetkavista, all by yours truly, along with a copy of Love's Immortal Pantheon Vol. One, an anthology containing my short story, "The Spoils of War."
*A copy of The Witch in Every Woman, by Laurie Cabot
*The Book of Shadows by Lady Sheba
*Herbal Magick by Gerina Dunwich
*The Egyptian Tarot deck (and companion book)
*The Gothic Tarot deck
*one Affection of Aries candle, custom-designed for "The Spoils of War" by Artist JFay.

Here's what you need to do: Comment on this blog and tell me a bit about yourself and what Samhain means to you. The winner will be drawn at random on October 31st!

Check back here for the winner. And in the meantime, continue on the Simply Wicked tour with Day 9 at Intense Whisperer's Blog.


Follow me on Twitter.
Friend me on Facebook.
Visit my Website.


______________________
Reference Material:
The Myth of Samhain: Celtic God of the Dead
Witchcraft: Theory and Practice, Ly de Angeles (Llewellyn, 2001)
The wonderful ladies of The Beau Monde, the Regency chapter of the RWA
John Holmes and James Varley, Alfred Thomas Story
All Hallow's Eve, the Jane Austen Magazine

Coming Soon!

Contest Time!

Trick or Treat! The Mystic Castle is having a Halloween Contest. The Grand Prize Winner will win 20 books and a $50.00 Visa Giftcard. Ten Runner-up winners will win a Author Promotional Package full of goodies. http://themysticcastle.com/halloween-contest/

I'm Not Dead.

It's true.

I've been caught up in "real life," first with finals (which I passed), then graduation (which I graduated!), then moving 800 miles from Florida back to Maryland where I grew up (hi, Mom!), and now preparing to sit for the Bar in two months time.

Those of you who are lawyers yourself understand. Those who aren't, let's just say this is my 14-hour-a-day commitment for the next 8 weeks. I live and breathe the law.

Which means, of course, that things on the writing front have ground to a halt. Alex is waiting patiently, bless his rakish heart, for me to finish his story. I've been very fortunate in that career #1 and career #2 have been able to co-exist the majority of the time. This, however, is not such a time.

I've only emerged from hibernation to tell you I'm not done hibernating yet. Horrible of me, I know.

Take care, ya'll. I'll see you in two months.

~K

Whew!

Just a quick note that I am back from RT, and goodness, what a whirlwind it was!

I plan on posting a more detailed account of my weekend in a day or two (complete with pictures, of course), but unfortunately for the moment duty calls and I must switch my brain from "author mode" to "law student" mode, STAT. (You do not want to know how much left I have to write for my assignment due tomorrow. It's obscene.)

For those of you I got to meet over the last few days: I had a blast, enjoyed meeting everyone, and hope to keep in touch. I have a list the length of my torso of people I need to email this week to touch base.

For those of you who couldn't make it: We missed you! Don't worry, when I post my wrap-up you can live vicariously, and then start planning for next year.

And if you need something to do whilst you wait:

-Mary over at the Historical Romance Society has written a wonderful review of Liaisons.
-Lilac at Long and Short Romance Reviews wrote an equally wonderful review, and gave the book five stars.
-Romantic Times has reviewed Pantheon and given it four stars!

So, you can distract yourself by reading my new reviews, or you can distract yourself by reading the books themselves if you haven't yet. Or, you could just...do something else. Like sing karaoke to "Hit Me Baby One More Time" but that starts to lose its appeal after a while, doesn't it?

Alright, someone email me and tell me to stop procrastinating and get to drafting. Like, yesterday.

Count Up, Count Down!

Yes, folks, it has been:

A month and a half since Reckless Liaisons hit the shelves. Sebastian is very pleased!


And it is:

2 days until the Romantic Times Convention in Orlando. If you are attending, please do hunt me down and say hi! I will be handing out goodies at the Expo on Wednesday, handing out goodies at a meet and greet with Stella Price, Larissa Ione, Jacki Frank, Jenna Black, Bianca D'Arc, Robin Slick, and Eliza Gayle on Thursday, and handing out goodies and signing books on Saturday at the Book Fair. (See a recurring theme? Come get goodies!)

26 days until I graduate from law school.

28 days until I move back to Maryland.

3 months until I sit for the Bar.

Perhaps you can see why I've been a bit quite lately!

Two Words: Amazon Rank

I could recount the entire fiasco. I could renew my request that readers purchase my books through other avenues. I could rant and rave and go on and on. But, really, it's been said so eloquently by so many before me that I only have two words:

Amazon Rank.

Book Giveaway at Goodreads

Goodreads.com is giving away 3 signed copies of Reckless Liaisons. If you have a Goodreads account, go here to enter. If you don't have an account, create one and then enter (Goodreads is a wonderful site, you won't regret it!). Winners will be selected on April 20th.

Good luck!

March Madness!

March has definitely come in like a lion for me!

First, the release of Reckless Liaisons, my first new novel in over two years.


Yesterday, I learned that "Caging Kat" won the 2009 FANTASM Award for Best Overall Speculative Romance (Short Story). Additionally, my wonderful bffs Stella and Audra Price won THREE FANTASMS.

And today I discovered that Reckless Liaisons is a Recommended Read at FAR. Sandie says:
"Reckless Liaisons by Kayleigh Jamison is sure to be a favorite with every Regency reader... Ms. Jamison delivers a story that will intrigue and captivate you. Julia and Sebastian's love story sweeps you along from the halls of his stately manor to the theaters of London. The description in each scene carries you back in time to Regency London to horse drawn carriages on cobblestone streets and debutante balls, where the slightest misadventure could ruin a young lady's reputation forever. This is a fantastic read and one that you will want to revisit time and again."

Sebastian is Here!

RECKLESS LIAISONS

Kayleigh Jamison

Black Lyon Publishing

ISBN: 978-1-934912-13-3

Ebook

Print

(Print is available through most major retailers online, and in select bookstores – if yours doesn’t have it, ask!)

Was she a second chance at love—
or his golden opportunity for revenge?

Sebastian Cade, reclusive Duke of Rutland, has gone to great lengths to withdraw from the London society he’s come to despise. Still reeling from betrayal and tragedy, he finds himself powerfully attracted to his lovely new raven-haired ward—so much so that he begins to question the last five years of his life.

When Julia Deveraux awakens in the Duke’s rose garden, the memories flood back. A betrothal she detests. The great black horse stolen from her father. Her near escape … Now under Sebastian’s care, she sees the rumors of his disfigurement are far from true. But will her secret connection to his sworn enemy tear them apart before love brings them together?

"Kayleigh Jamison has written a Regency romance that is titillating and amusing, fast-paced and well-crafted, luscious and seductive all at once. The characters and story will quickly pull you in and leave you wanting more as you turn each page. The author has written a book that has the reader laughing one moment, and feeling hot and bothered the next. I will eagerly be looking for Ms. Jamison's next book."
Night Owl Romance

"Good read! RECKLESS LIAISONS is a well-constructed story with each character having their own voice and distinctive personality. It is a historical account of London society filled with Dukes, Earls and debutantes that makes you wish you too were a Lady or Gent. Never a dull moment, this story is engaging with its well constructed climaxes and conversational tone. This intriguing story involves all my favorites: gentlemen, galas, power, deceit, handsome faces and of course romance."
Coffee Time Romance

http://www.kayleighjamison.com

Another Great Review for Reckless Liaisons

Shannon of Coffee Time Romance calls Reckless Liaisons a "good read" and "a well-constructed story with each character having their own voice and distinctive personality. It is a historical account of London society filled with Dukes, Earls and debutantes that makes you wish you too were a Lady or Gent. Never a dull moment, this story is engaging with its well constructed climaxes and conversational tone."

Just 11 days to go until Sebastian hits the shelves!

Help Raise Mulah for Moo

Meet Moo the Chiuaua. He's the best friend of one of my best friends, author Stella Price. Sadly, Moo is sick and in need of a very costly operation to get him back to his usual, ornery, loud self.

Because of this, I have decided to donate January, February, and March royalties from Leading Her to Heaven, Svetkavista, Caging Kat, and The Spoils of War towards the cost of his surgery.

If you haven't picked up these titles yet, now is a great time to do it, and help a worthy cause: The Moo.

All titles are available in ebook through ARe and in print through Amazon.

Sebastian's First Review!

Danya at Night Owl Romance has reviewed Reckless Liaisons, and it's good news:

Kayleigh Jamison has written a Regency romance that is titillating and amusing, fast-paced and well-crafted, luscious and seductive all at once. The characters and story will quickly pull you in and leave you wanting more as you turn each page. The author has written a book that has the reader laughing one moment, and feeling hot and bothered the next. I will eagerly be looking for Ms. Jamison’s next book.

The book will be released March 1st. Stay tuned for a great contest to gear up for release, coming soon!

The Spoils of War Now Available!

Love's Immortal Pantheon: The Spoils of War

By: Kayleigh Jamison | Other books by Kayleigh Jamison
Published By: Tease Publishing LLC
ISBN # 978-1-60767-028-5

Word Count: 6,000
Heat Index

Categories: Paranormal/Horror Historical Regency Short Stories

Available in: Adobe Acrobat

Price: $1.99

Victory always comes with a price.

The Duke of Wellington, hailed as one of the greatest military generals in English history, defeated Napoleon and brought peace back to Europe. But what if he had help? And what if that help was the god of war and manliness? What would a bored immortal ask for in return?

Excerpt:
The Duke of Wellington was not pleased to be roused in the middle of the night by a visit to his bedchamber. Clad only in his dressing gown and heavy red velvet robe, he sat in the large overstuffed chair by the fireplace, a tumbler of brandy in one hand and a smoking cheroot in the other. Irritation sketched across the hard, battle-weary lines of his face as he regarded his guest. "I wondered when you would come," he grumbled. The visit was not unexpected, nor was the hour. The first time he'd entertained the Greek god of war had been at a similar uncouth time five years before, though then he'd been in his tent, and not sleeping, too consumed with worry over the possibility of defeat at the hands of Napoleon. Of course, then he'd had a pistol and sword nearby; he wished he had them now, though he knew they'd have little effect upon a god. Prior experience had taught him that, as well.
"I've given you time to rest now that you're home," Ares replied calmly. His accent was subtle, unidentifiable, but distinct. "I upheld my end of our bargain. The little Frenchman is defeated, you have your victory, and your glory. Now I want my prize."
"You must, at long last, tell me what it is you desire," the general countered. Victory for you, the spoils of war for me, Ares had proposed. You won't tell me precisely what you want, Wellington had countered, because you think I'm too desperate to care. The god had smiled and simply replied, yes. And he'd been correct.
Ares shrugged his well-muscled shoulders. He was dressed oddly, as he'd been in that first meeting, a linen tunic barely visible beneath a silver and gold breastplate, with large black horses decorating the sculpted pectorals, flame and smoke curling from their nostrils. A cast brass and silver belt circled his waist, and thick leather pteruges hung from waist to knee. The ensemble was topped with a blood red cape, fastened around his shoulders with a gold, jewel-encrusted pendant the size of a fist. On his feet were sandals with straps that wrapped around his feet and ankles, leather styled with more gold. The outfit of a Roman warrior, one who preferred his Greek name. "A simple thing, given your influence and status. I want a woman."

Sharon Cullars Chip In Auction

Hi all:

Some of you may be familiar with author Sharon Cullars and her recent struggle to keep her home. Emma Peterson, Karen Scott, and others have organized an auction to help raise money. Many authors (including Nalini Singh, Lorelei James, and Shiloh Walker), editors, promoters, designers, and reviewers have donated items to the auction, which will be held January 19th. I have offered up autographed copies of every work of mine in print, as well as an ebook bundle of ALL of my titles in electronic format. Information on each is below.

If you have anything you'd like to donate yourself, there's still time. Visit the auction site for information on how. These are difficult times for everyone. I myself have no steady income other than student loan checks and quarterly royalties. I know many others have lost their homes, their jobs, or both. A very close author friend of mine just moved her family across the country after her husband was laid off from his job, only for him to be laid off again, a month after their arrival.

That's why it's important to help when, where, and how we can. To band together as a community of book lovers and show we DO care about each other.

Leading Her to Heaven

Kayleigh Jamison

ISBN 13: 978-1-934678-45-9

Trade Paperback 224 pages

Ebook

Historical Erotic Romance

As the eldest daughter of an English earl, Lady Susanna Cavendish has led a sheltered life of privilege and leisure. She has been taught that her northern cousins, the Scots, are barbaric heathens with no regard for culture or civilization.

Notorious warrior Blair Ruthven is laird of the fiercest clan in Scotland. Born into a society rife with blood feuds and an engrained hatred for the English, Blair learns at an early age that trust and love do little more than damn and disappoint.

Forced into marriage by feuding kings in order to forge a political union between their countries, Blair and Susanna must learn to find peace between themselves as they battle ages-old prejudices – and vie for one another's hearts.

Svetkavista

Kayleigh Jamison

ISBN 13: 978-1-934678-43-5

Trade Paperback 216 pages

Ebook

Historical Erotic Romance/GLBT Romance

(warning: contains explicit m/f, f/f, and f/f/m)

Trapped within a life where she has always been an outsider, Karina dutifully follows the wishes of her father by day, and secretly pursues her dreams by night. Raised within the strict, patriarchal society of the Rom at a time when discrimination and fear are at their peak, she is forced to hide both her love of music and her passion for those who encourage her dreams.

She seeks comfort in the arms of her dearest friend and mentor, who shows her that love and lust rarely confine themselves to the ill-conceived notions of normalcy.

When a lie, spoken in a moment of desperation, threatens to shatter everything Karina holds dear, she must choose between those she loves and her own reputation. Will the truth set her free or destroy her? Does she have the courage to follow her own heart?

Unspeakable

Kayleigh Jamison

ISBN 13: 978-1604359350

Trade Paperback 70 pages

Ebook

Historical (Regency-set) Erotic Romance

Trevor Caufield has always prided himself on being a consummate rake...until a clandestine meeting with a mysterious, strangely silent woman in a darkened hallway. Setting out to pursue Emma Hatton with purely selfish intentions, he discovers emotions that transcend his formerly uncomplicated existence and teach him that true love has no need for words.

Caging Kat

Kayleigh Jamison

ISBN 13: 978-1-934678-83-1

Ebook Only

Paranormal Erotic Romance

2009 FANTASM Finalist - Best Overall Speculative Romance, Short Story

An infamous art thief, Kaitlin lives a life most can only dream of. There's one problem, though - she's bored. When a mysterious invitation to a masquerade ball appears in her mailbox, she decides to attend on a whim.

Ares, God of War, has had his eyes on the feisty Kat for some time. But can he win her over with only one night to tame her wild heart? Can he get what he's always wanted by fulfilling her deepest desires?

Eyes Like Yours

Kayleigh Jamison

ISBN 13: 978-1-60435-000-5

Ebook Only

Paranormal Erotic Romance

What happens when your dream become a reality or does it?

Each night is the same. A handsome, mysterious stranger visits Catherine in her dreams, never allowing her to see his face, and leaving her body satisfied, but her heart wanting more. With a chance encounter in the smoky confines of a night club puts Caroline face to face with a man whose eyes seem eerily familiar, dreams and reality colliding in a way that frightens and inflames her. Are her dreams real? Is Blake the key to her future – and her past?

And be one of the first to get my upcoming book, the first full-length novel I've put out in over two years, RELEASING MARCH 1:

Reckless Liaisons

Kayleigh Jamison

ISBN 13: 978-1-934912-13-3

Trade Paperback: 204 pages

Ebook

Historical (Regency-set) Romance

Was she a second chance at love—
or his golden opportunity for revenge?

Sebastian Cade, reclusive Duke of Rutland, has gone to great lengths to withdraw from the London society he's come to despise. Still reeling from betrayal and tragedy, he finds himself powerfully attracted to his lovely new raven-haired ward—so much so that he begins to question the last five years of his life.

When Julia Deveraux awakens in the Duke's rose garden, the memories flood back. A betrothal she detests. The great black horse stolen from her father. Her near escape … Now under Sebastian's care, she sees the rumors of his disfigurement are far from true. But will her secret connection to his sworn enemy tear them apart before love brings them together?

Wow!

I got the news yesterday that "Caging Kat" is a finalist in the 2009 Fantasm Awards, in the category Best Overall Speculative Romance - Short Story/Novella.

Voting on winners begins soon, I'll keep you posted! Thank you to whomever nominated me, what a wonderful surprise!