Get Lost in a True Love's Kiss!

Once Upon a True Love’s Kiss

USA Today Best-selling author, Julie Johnstone, joins best-selling, award-winning authors, Katherine Bone, Collette Cameron, Jillian Chantal, Samantha Grace, Alanna Lucas, Lauren Smith, and Victoria Vane in this delightful limited edition, containing eight tantalizing kiss-and-tell stories. Meet dashing, wildly charming rogues, spies, pirates, rakes and their extraordinary, intrepid heroines as they whisk you along on sweet to sizzling romantic romps in these wickedly entertaining historical romances. 

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SHORT BIOS
JULIE JOHNSTONE - is an USA TODAY best-selling author who's living the dream creating worlds from her imagination. When not writing, she's chasing her precocious children around, cooking, reading or exercising.

KATHERINE BONE - is an Amazon #1 best-selling Historical Romance Author who writes about Rogues, Rebels & Rakes, aka Pirates, Lords, Captains, Duty, Honor, & Country & the happily-ever-afters every alpha male & damsel deserve.

COLLETTE CAMERON - is an Amazon #1 best-selling and award-winning Historical Romance Author who makes her home in Oregon with her husband & five mini-dachshunds. You'll always find animals, quirky--sometimes naughty--humor, & a dash of inspiration in her novels.

JILLIAN CHANTAL - is a 2015 RONE Finalist who loves her little slice of paradise on the gulf coast, a place that reminds Jillian daily that even though she loves the past, she needs the present. Air conditioning is vital for her survival.

SAMANTHA GRACE - is an Amazon best-Selling, RITA-nominated Historical Romance Author who enjoys creating happy-endings for characters that spring from her imagination. Samantha describes romance writing as the best job ever.

ALANNA LUCAS - is an Amazon best-selling author who believes that true love is the greatest source of inspiration. Alanna is always dreaming of her next travel destination, spending time w/family, & staying up too late indulging in her favorite past time, reading.

LAUREN SMITH- is an Amazon best-selling, award winning author who pens adventurous and edgy romance stories by the light of her smart phone flashlight app. She's a native Oklahoman who lives w/her three pets: a feisty chinchilla, sophisticated cat, & dapper little schnauzer. 

VICTORIA VANE - is an Amazon #1 bestselling and Award-Winning author of over twenty smart and sexy romances. She currently resides in Palm Coast, Florida w/her husband, two sons, a little black dog, & an Arabian horse.

AND NOW FOR THE JUICY DETAILS…..

ALEXA: How often to you get lost in a story?
ONCE UPON A TRUE LOVE’S KISS AUTHORS: All the time!

ALEXA: What is the first book you remember reading?

JULIE JOHNSTONE: When I think back to my younger years and the first book that I remember reading, or perhaps it's better to say the first book that left a huge impression on me, was Are You There God? It's Me Margaret. I know for a fact this was not the first book I ever read, but Judy Blume's character Margaret seemed to be going through things that I suppose I must have been at that time, and so when I recall reading early on in life, I don't recall my childhood stories, honestly, I recall stories that helped me as a young girl.

ALEXA: High Heels or Hiking Boots?

KATHERINE BONE: I prefer swashbuckling pirate boots!!!

ALEXA: What sound or noise do you love?
COLLETTE CAMERON: I grew up on the Northern Oregon coast and to this day, I love the roar of the ocean and the cry of seagulls. I live about 90 minutes from the beach now, and whenever I visit, a sense of sweet nostalgia always sweeps me.  

If I even hear seagulls on TV I get the same yearning. Fortunately, we have lots of family at the coast, and I make frequent trips to my hometown.  There's nothing line sipping a piping-hot pumpkin spice latte and walking on the beach early in the morning. 

ALEXA: What three things are, at this moment, in your heroine’s purse, satchel, reticule, weapons belt or amulet bag (whatever she carries)?

JILLIAN CHANTAL:

                1.    A hanky because you never know when you might have to wipe up some blood somewhere or bandage someone’s injury.

2.    An apple. For Socrates. Her horse is always ready for a treat.

3.    A pair of gloves for those moments when she has to behave like a proper lady which is not her favorite thing by far.

ALEXA: High Heels or Hiking Boots?
SAMANTHA GRACE: Hiking boots! No contest. I love the outdoors. 

ALEXA: What’s the first thing you do when you finish writing a book?

ALANNA LUCAS: Have a glass of red wine, then call my mom :-)

ALEXA: What’s your favorite fairy tale?

LAUREN SMITH: My favorite fairy tale is Sleeping Beauty. There's just something about the draw of a spell to make you prick your finger and then the dark fairy casting a spell of a 100 year sleep over the land while you wait for the price to ride through a forest of thorns to your tower *swoon.

ALEXA: How often to you get lost in a story? 

VICTORIA VANE: Every time I pick up a good book! I’ve loved books ever since I was a small child and have always been able to tune the entire world out whenever I read. Bombs could be falling on my head and I would never know if I’m reading a great book. I’m also a binge reader. Once I start, I don’t like to close the book until I finish. I have lost countless hours of sleep in my lifetime because I had to read “just one more page” or “one more chapter”!  It is my dearest wish for readers of my books to experience that same kind of immersion – to get totally caught up in my stories.

ALEXA’S GOTTA ASK: What books first drew you to romance? 

Author Katherine Bone fell in love with pirate romances by Julie Garwood, Johanna Lindsey and Fern Michaels.

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ALEXA: GOT A QUESTION YOU’D LIKE TO ASK YOUR FANS?
Once Upon a True Love’s Kiss authors would like to know what books first drew you to romance?

Folks, leave your answer below and YOU will be in the running for the drawing. Once commenter will receive an e-copy of Once Upon a True Love’s Kiss! Ladies, thanks so much for joining us today!

Note: Please leave an email address for notification. Offer void where prohibited. Prizes will be mailed to North America addresses only unless specifically mentioned in the post. Odds of winning vary due to the number of entrants. Winners of drawings are responsible for checking this site in a timely manner. If prizes are not claimed in a timely manner, the author may not have a prize available. Get Lost In A Story cannot be responsible for an author's failure to mail the listed prize. GLIAS does not automatically pass email addresses to guest authors unless the commenter publicly posts their email address.

Little White Lies and Dirty Rotten Villains...what fun!

A Scoundrel drives a hard bargain...

Spirited and determined to protect her young brother at any cost, Lisette Lavigne is desperate to flee New Orleans. There’s only one ship sailing to England, though, and the rakish Captain Daniel Hillary will only allow Lisette’s family aboard for a steep price…

But a lady always gets the upper hand...

Daniel prides himself on running a tight ship, and he knows a lady will be nothing but trouble on a long voyage. Yet he can’t help but break his own ironclad rules when Lisette persuades him that being gentlemanly just this once is his wisest course of action…

Samantha Grace made her debut earlier this year with Miss Hillary Schools a Scoundrel. Her newest regency romance, Miss Lavigne’s Little White Lie, received a starred review from Publisher’s Weekly, and she did a happy dance in her kitchen. Samantha lives with her husband, their two tenacious kids, and an endless parade of characters that inhabit her imagination. You can connect with Samantha at: Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Lady Scribes | Website

How to Pick Your Dream Villain:

Who doesn’t enjoy a dirty, rotten villain? Whether his actions are chaotic and unpredictable or calculating and callous, there’s no question he’s a real bad boy at heart. But how do you know which villain is right for you? Well, worry no more. I’ve devised a simple quiz that will help you determine which memorable villain will make all your bad dreams come true.

How would you describe your dream villain?
a. Tall, dark and mysterious
b. Hot-tempered hottie
c. A foodie
d. A real clown

Your perfect bad boy’s idea of a romantic evening involves:
a. Stargazing and blowing up a planet or two
b. A night on the town. Just you, him, and his “little friend”
c. An impromptu flight to a tropical island for dinner
d. Staying home and doing each other’s make-up

Your villain wants some sexy time. How does he let you know?
a. He calls you unexpectedly and breathes heavily into the phone
b. He dons an extra shiny gold chain and low cut polyester shirt.
c. He compliments you with “You look scrumptious.”
d. He tells a ribald joke then laughs manically.

If you answered mostly…

A – Your perfect villain is Darth Vader. He tends to be a perfectionist, so beware. Disappoint him and you might find yourself in an invisible chokehold. Yet, despite his hard outer shell, he’s really a softie inside. May the force be with you.

B – You’ve chosen Scarface. This Latin lover can’t properly pronounce cockroach, but don’t let his comical accent and big brown eyes fool you. He’s trouble with a capital T.

C – Hannibal Lector has been known to play mind games on occasion. If you’ve chosen this bad boy, proceed with caution. His bite is much worse than his bark.

D – If you’ve been looking for a villain with an unusual sense of humor, The Joker is your man. His favorite things are bad jokes, cherry red lipstick, and rambling speeches. His obsession with taking over Gotham City may get tedious at times, but all good villains have their foibles. It could be worse.


One of the things that make Darth Vader, Scarface, Hannibal Lector, and The Joker so memorable is how over-the-top they are. They are eerie and frightening, but also a little laughable. I was thrilled to have a chance to create my own version of an over-the-top villain in MISS LAVIGNE’S LITTLE WHITE LIE. Louis Reynaud is Miss Lavigne’s betrothed, and he’s bad news. But aside from being rotten to the core, he has a few quirks that made him incredibly fun to write. One of those is his grandiosity and obsession with predatory animals. His grandfather was “something of a scholar” and studied animals, reptiles, and amphibians. When Louis was a boy, he poured over his grandfather’s logbooks, engrossed in his grandfather’s crude drawings and his own imagination.

Here is an example of how his obsession comes into play in the story:

Reynaud hovered in the darkened street, keeping watch on number 17 Curzon, as stealthily as the king of beasts hunting in the night. The almighty lion possessed brawn, agility, speed, and a nice head of hair. Reynaud swept a hand over his own slicked-back locks and smiled.
Very nice, indeed.
The lion’s prey stood little chance of survival once he set his sights on them. His domination was unavoidable.
The flickering lights from the upstairs windows extinguished. Tonight Lisette and Serafine burrowed under their covers, believing themselves to be safe. On the morrow, they would lose their protector. Captain Hillary hadn’t planned to take the women with him as Reynaud had feared when he’d learned the Cecily was preparing to set sail.
The ladies would be at the lion’s mercy.
A bolt of exhilaration flew through his limbs and left him trembling with agitated anticipation. Another known fact about the lion: he boasted superior sexual prowess, sometimes copulating as many as one hundred times in twenty-four hours. The dominant male got his fill of the females in his pride.
But first, he must seize his letters. After all, the threat of swinging from the gallows tended to interfere with one’s lustful urges.

Despite his tendency toward the ridiculous, he is a real threat to the hero and heroine, and he adds excitement to the story. Today one Get Lost in a Story reader will have a chance to win a print copy of MISS LAVIGNE’S LITTLE WHITE LIE and see how villainous Reynaud can be. (US and Canada only) Just answer this question: What memorable villain sticks out in your mind, and what makes him so dastardly? Remember to include your email address along with your comment.


***Note: Offer void where prohibited. Prizes will be mailed to North America  addresses only. If an Advanced Reading Copy (ARC) is available, the author may utilize that option for International participants. Odds of winning vary due to the number of entrants.

Samantha Grace

GET LOST IN THIS STORY…

HE’LL NEVER SETTLE FOR ONE WOMAN…

Debonair bachelor Lord Andrew Forest lives for pleasure and offers no apologies. But he receives a dose of his own medicine when his family’s entrancing houseguest beds him, then disappears without so much as a by-your-leave. He’d like to teach the little vixen a thing or two about how to love a man…if he can find her…

AND SHE WON’T SETTLE FOR HEARTBREAK…

After the dashing man of her dreams is revealed as a lying scoundrel, heiress Lana Hillary is ready to seek a match with a respectable gentleman—if only they weren’t so dreadfully boring. Unable to rein in her bold nature for long, Lana flirts with trouble and finds herself entangled with exactly the type of man she’s vowed to avoid.

Samantha Grace makes her debut as a regency romance author February 7, 2012 with the release of Miss Hillary Schools a Scoundrel, the first volume in her witty new series about four debonair bachelors who have it all: immense wealth, influence, and women swooning at their feet – in the ballroom and out. Samantha is married to her best friend, strives to stay one step ahead of their two precocious offspring, and lives in Wisconsin. She distracts herself during the bone-chilling months of winter with pilates classes and learning to belly dance.

 

HEATHER: What’s your favorite movie of all time?

SAMANTHA:  It’s hard to choose a favorite movie of all time. There are too many wonderful films, but a few of my favorites are “Gone With the Wind”, “Where the Heart Is”, “Life is Beautiful”, “Groundhog Day”, and “Napoleon Dynamite”. The movie I last saw was the remake of “Footloose”. (Of course, no one is better than Kevin Bacon in the role, but the actor who played Ren McCormick did a very nice job.) The movie was shown during a flight from Miami and Chicago, and I have to say I loved it as much as the original. My kids never saw the first movie, but they thought it was great, too. We all had big smiles at the end.

HEATHER: What’s your favorite fairy tale?

SAMANTHA:  I’ve always been a fan of Beauty and the Beast. I love the theme of seeing beyond a person’s outer appearance and discovering the beauty that resides inside the person. I’m not convinced the Beast ever truly becomes the handsome prince to anyone except the Beauty. She sees his inner self, which he is only able to reveal when he learns how to love himself and in turn, love another.

HEATHER: What turns you off like nothing else?

SAMANTHA:  Probably anything that falls under the category of rudeness, but at the top of the list is correcting others in public. It’s one thing if correcting someone is going to save them from making a mistake with consequences, such as jumping on the wrong train. It’s another story when someone points out a mispronunciation or minor detail that doesn’t matter. The only purpose in such action is to make the person you’re with feel bad and make yourself appear superior. I avoid these people like the swine flu.

HEATHER: What sound or noise do you love?

SAMANTHA:  I love the sound of seagulls. Yes, I know they are dirty birds who fly around trash dumps. We have them all over our town. I’m guessing because we live close to the Mississippi river. But when I hear their call, I’m transported back to the white beaches of Florida, where I have a lot of happy memories. Ooh, and I love the sound of helicopters. I have no idea why.

HEATHER: Do you write while listening to music? If so what kind?

SAMANTHA:  I can only listen to music with no English lyrics when I’m writing. If I’m alone, I don’t listen to anything, but when the family is home, I have to pop in the earbuds and crank the music. My favorite Pandora station is Karsh Kale. I love, love, love the exotic sounds.

HEATHER: Tea or Coffee? And how do you take it?

SAMANTHA:  Both! And I take them the same: cream and Splenda.

HEATHER: What’s your favorite kid joke?

SAMANTHA:  Where does the general keep his armies?  Answer: In his sleevies.

HEATHER: Which is your favorite language other than your native language?

SAMANTHA:  Pig Latin. It’s the only other language I can speak. J Actually, I like sign language. It’s the only language where you have to look at the other person. It just feels more personal and intimate to me.

HEATHER: What would you do if you had a time machine?

SAMANTHA:  I’m not sure I’d want a time machine, but I would love to have one of those Star Trek transporters. If I had one, I’d transport myself to see my mom on a Sunday and catch a movie with her. Or I’d meet friends for lunch that I never get to see. And I’d definitely spend more time with my much younger sister, who I’ve adored since the day she was born.

HEATHER: What is your favorite thing about you?

SAMANTHA:  I think my favorite thing about myself is I like to create fun wherever I am. I like to joke, tease, and laugh, and I don’t mind looking like a fool for the sake of having a good time. I’m the mom that will volunteer to slide down the fire pole on the field trip, or hold her hands up when the airplane takes off and squeal (not too loudly) like it’s a rollercoaster just to make her daughter laugh. I’m sure I inherited this trait from my dad. His mantra is “You can’t stop aging, but you never have to grow up.”

         

HEATHER’S GOTTA ASK – SAMANTHA’S GOTTA ANSWER  J

HEATHER: So, I see that you have a degree in psychology, with a background in behavioral health.  I’d love to hear more about how your background has helped you to write three dimensional characters!

SAMANTHA:  Probably the most helpful knowledge from my background is having an understanding of the process of change. I’m not crazy about perfect characters, and I’m even less enthusiastic about the bad boy who is suddenly reformed when he falls in love with a good lady. If change was as easy as turning on a light switch, we would all achieve our new year’s resolutions by January 2^nd. J

What makes a story realistic is having a character realize old ways of doing things just aren’t working anymore then having him go through the process of readjusting how he thinks about himself, his relationships, and figuring out who he wants to be now.

What I love most about Lord Andrew is he’s good at the core. He cares about his family, and he doesn’t set out to hurt anyone purposefully. Unfortunately, he leaves a trail of broken hearts because he isn’t looking back. He’s too focused on what pleasure comes next. It isn’t until he begins to care for Lana that he starts to realize falling back on old habits and risking her heart is unacceptable. Yet, it’s when he’s faced with the evidence of how he has wounded a former sweetheart and feels remorse for what he’s done that his transition hits full stride. I don’t think that would have been possible without Lana, but Drew is the one doing all the work.

GOT A QUESTION YOU’D LIKE TO ASK YOUR FANS?

SAMANTHA:  What are your thoughts on reformed bad boys? Can the wicked ever be tamed?

WILL YOU HAVE A DRAWING FROM THOSE LEAVING COMMENTS?

SAMANTHA:  Yes! I’d be happy to give away one copy of Miss Hillary Schools a Scoundrel to a random commenter today J

WHERE CAN READERS FIND YOU ON THE NET?

To learn more about Samantha’s regency bachelors, visit www.samanthagraceauthor.com. Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/samanthagraceromanceauthor

Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/SamGraceAuthor

Blog: http://ladyscribes.blogspot.com/