Re-release of MISTLETOE EVERYWHERE!

Mistletoe Everywhere is here!

The all-new, expanded and completely rewritten Mistletoe Everywhere is now available at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, iBooks, Kobo, Smashwords and other retailers:

http://books2read.com/u/478kLR
 

Have all the fun of a Regency Christmas, but especially with mistletoe only the hero can see over the heroine.

BLURB:
A man who sees mistletoe everywhere is mad—or in love.

Mr. Charles Gordon sees mistletoe. Not surprising, since he's spending Christmas at Mistletoe Manor. But the mistletoe always hangs over Miss Penelope Lawrence, the despised lady who jilted him the day after she accepted his marriage proposal. Even worse, no one else sees the benighted plant. Real or imagined, the weed taunts him with the treasure he lost. And might also drive him insane.

Penelope wants nothing to do with the faithless Charles, who broke her heart into tiny pieces when he cried off after proposing marriage. But try as she might, she’s never succeeded in removing him from her heart and mind. The baffling thing is, he stares at her all the time. Or rather, at something on the empty ceiling over her head.

Despite their struggles to extinguish every ounce of feeling, their love still burns bright. According to folklore, mistletoe is the plant of peace. Can Penelope and Charles, so full of hurt and anger, heed the mistletoe's message and make peace?

A sweet, traditional Regency romantic comedy with fantasy. 34,000 words. A new version of the previous work, expanded and completely rewritten.

EXCERPT: 

“Here’s to Christmas!” Gavin, on Baring’s far side, raised his class in a toast. Everyone around Gavin joined in and then drank heartily.

“And here’s to the New Year!” Lord Fane added his own toast.

The rest, including Charles, joined in. Toast followed toast again and again, until the end of the table rang with alcohol-fueled jollity.

The plates, the table, the people—all grew a little fuzzy around the edges. Now what had bothered him so?

Smythe, on Charles’s other side, stood up shakily and raised his glass. “And here’s to—uh—what’s left?”

“How about mistletoe?” Baring’s words slurred.

Charles’s head whipped toward Smythe.

And toward Penelope—and the monstrous bunch of mistletoe above her.

“Gordon? What is it?” Smythe set down his glass and then swiveled toward the top of the table. He looked up and down, and then from one side to the other. “I say, with your mouth hanging open like that, you must see something spectacular, but curst if I see anything.”

With an audible click, Charles clamped his jaw shut. “I thought I saw…” He smiled at Smythe. “Nothing. I imagined I saw mistletoe.”

Smythe’s eyebrows rose. “Mistletoe?”

“Yes. The house’s name is ‘Mistletoe Manor’, so mistletoe decorations fill the place. Pictures, wall hangings, ceiling trim, whatnot.”

Smythe’s eyebrows shot higher. “That ‘mistletoe’ you didn’t see is over Miss Lawrence.” His lips curved into a knowing grin. “Lovely little filly. My jaw dropped the first time I saw her, too.”

Charles stiffened. “I was not looking at Miss Lawrence. I believed I saw mistletoe over her.”

“‘Mistletoe’.” Smythe’s grin widened. “Of course.” He raised his glass again. “A toast to mistletoe!”




Available at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, iBooks, Kobo, Smashwords and other retailers:

http://books2read.com/u/478kLR

Thank you all,
Linda

'Twas The Night Before Christmas

When I was a kid, I loved A Visit from St. Nicholas, also know as 'Twas the Night Before Christmas. I had a picture book of the poem and I read it so often I memorized it. Clement Clarke Moore wrote the poem in 1823, and almost 200 years later, its appeal hasn't diminished.

As the years have gone by, I've forgotten most of it. So, I went and looked it up. The magic is still there.

And, for your enjoyment, here it is, in its entirety. Merry Christmas.

'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house
The stockings were hung by the chimney with careNot a creature was stirring, not even a mouse;
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there;
The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads;
And mamma in her 'kerchief, and I in my cap,
Had just settled down for a long winter's nap,
When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.

Away to the window I flew like a flash,
Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.
The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow
Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below,
When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a miniature sleigh, and eight tiny reindeer,
With a little old driver, so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment it must be St. Nick.
More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,
And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name;

Now, Dasher! now, Dancer! Now, Prancer and Vixen!
On, Comet! On Cupid! On, Donner and Blitzen!
To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall!
Now dash away! dash away! dash away all!

As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,
When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky,
Up to the house-top the coursers they flew So up to the house-top the coursers they flew,
With the sleigh full of toys, and St. Nicholas too.
And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof
The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.
As I drew in my hand, and was turning around,
Down the chimney St. Nicholas came with a bound.

He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,
And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot;
A bundle of toys he had flung on his back,
And he looked like a peddler just opening his pack.
His eyes -- how they twinkled! His dimples how merry!
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow;

The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,
And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath;
He had a broad face and a little round belly,
That shook, when he laughed like a bowlful of jelly.
He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,
And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself;
A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,
Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread;

He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
And filled all the stockings; then turned with a jerk,
And laying his finger aside of his nose,
And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose;
He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,
And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.
But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight,
"Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night!"

And if you'd like some Regency Christmas fun, I have three Regency romantic comedies: Goosed! or a Fowl Christmas, A Gift from the Stars, and Mistletoe Everywhere. More info on my website http://www.lindabanche.com,

My books on

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=linda+banche&rh=n%3A283155%2Ck%3Alinda+banche

Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/linda%20banche/_/N-8qa

Apple iBooks: https://itunes.apple.com/us/author/linda-banche/id543012870?mt=11

Kobo: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/Search/Query?q=Linda+Banche&t=none&f=author&p=1&s=averagerating&g=both

Thank you all,
Linda

Picture from Wikimedia Commons

GOOSED! OR A FOWL CHRISTMAS is Here!

Goosed! or A Fowl Christmas, the first in my Regency The Feather Fables series, is now available on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Smashwords, Kobo and Apple. Read for free with subscription to Oyster.

BLURB:

The Feather Fables--where birds twitter and chirp and usher in romance.

Ah, Christmas, what a glorious season. Decorations, friends, good will to all, a time of magic and miracles.

But not for Miss Julia Shaw. She is new to the area, her farm desperately needs upkeep, and the pittance she earns from her artwork doesn’t pay the bills. And then her pet goose escapes. Making matters worse, when she first meets the devastatingly attractive Lord Tyndall, the abominable man insults her as he returns her goose. No peace and good will for her this Christmas.

Exhausted from a year of business travel, Robert, Baron Tyndall, returns to London only to fall prey to his mother’s matchmaking attempts. Escaping to his country estate, he finds solace with the birds in his aviary. Except that a plague of a goose that belongs to his new neighbor, Miss Shaw, has somehow entered his aviary and wreaked havoc. That disagreeable lady had better keep her misbegotten bird to herself. Too bad she is so lovely. What a horrendous Christmas this season has become.

But even in the blackest depths, a spark of light can glimmer. For at this wondrous time of Christmas, miracles and magic can and do happen.

A sweet, traditional Regency romance with fantasy elements. 61,000 words.

EXCERPT:
What was that infernal din? Catching up her shawl, Julia dashed down the stairs and then out through the front door. Winding her shawl around her, she rounded the house and almost slammed into an unfamiliar gig.

The vehicle blocked her view of the goose pen, from which the honking emanated. But no one was there—her pet goose had run off. She ran around the conveyance and stopped dead.

Her pet had returned! Flapping, honking and biting, the flying goose—He could fly? She had never before seen him do so—attacked a large, stylishly dressed gentleman.

The man, his arms high to protect his head, flailed at the goose. His back was to her, his upended hat lay in the dirt and white feathers covered his black greatcoat. He swore. Loudly.

Julia’s ears burned. “Do not hurt my goose, sir!”

The man batted at the goose again and turned toward her.

Julia gasped. He was the man on the road a few days ago. His dark eyes blazed, his brown hair was mussed, and his sharp cheekbones had flushed from the effort of warding off the goose.

Her pulse raced. He had looked handsome at a distance. Up close, he was magnificent. Tingles raced over her skin.

“This spawn of Satan is your property, madam?” He jerked his head back from the goose’s open bill as the bird dove in for a bite.

“He is, sir, and you will not harm him!” She jumped between the man and the goose.

The goose, breathing heavily, plopped to the ground. Eyes afire, he angled his head around her. He hissed at the man.

“Gracious, what is the matter?” She stroked the goose’s head.

The bird went limp, as if he had been pumped full of air and all the gas suddenly escaped.

She tipped her head back to glare up at the man. Good gracious, he was tall. “He has never acted this way before. What have you done to him?”

The man’s jaw dropped. “I? This feathered blackguard has tried to bite me ever since I saw him. And just now he attacked me.” He scowled at the goose. “If he is your property, you are welcome to him.”

Available at

Amazon

Amazon UK

Also available at the other Amazon stores

Barnes and Noble

Nook UK

Smashwords (note, all formats are available on Smashwords)

Apple iBooks

Kobo

Oyster

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Thank you all,

Linda

My Regency Christmas Books

I have two Regency Christmas books, A Gift from the Stars and Mistletoe Everywhere.

A Gift from the Stars, Book 1 of The Regency Star Travelers, is my latest, and adds a bit of science fiction to the mostly Regency tale. The setting is the English countryside in December, and the gift is a mysterious crystal left behind when a space ship takes off after landing beside the heroine's house. The story also contains a wolf, the two-tailed comet of 1811, meteors, a wounded hero and a daring heroine. Whew! Did I get everything?

Mistletoe Everywhere adds some fantasy to Christmas. The hero sees mistletoe over the lady who jilted him, mistletoe only he can see. The heroine never wants to see the hero again because he called off their betrothal. Who's right? There are the estranged lovers, lots of mistletoe, real or supernatural, and the hero becomes the butt of mistletoe jokes.

Buy links below. Note, Mistletoe Everywhere and all ebooks are 25% off at The Wild Rose Press website through December 25, 2013.

A Gift from the Stars  

The Regency Star Travelers--where the Regency and outer space meet with romance.

BLURB:

A gift from the stars can change your life.

Miss Elizabeth Ashby loves astronomy. She especially enjoys her once-in-a-lifetime chance to observe the Great Comet of 1811. However, her excitement vanishes the night an odd-looking meteor proves to be a sky craft which lands nearby. The man who emerges from the vehicle doesn’t see her, but as he reenters his craft to fly away, he drops a small red stone.

The stone from the stars glows and sends waves of warmth and something else through Elizabeth. Her incipient cold disappears, her illness-prone mother shakes off her maladies, and everyone else who comes near the stone, which Elizabeth wears as a pendant, feels in the pink of health.

Including Mr. Jonathan Markham, who also saw the strange meteor but was too far away to determine what the object was. Gored by a bull, Jon has been slow to mend until he meets the enchanting Elizabeth. Does his sudden speedy recovery emanate from his fascination with the desirable lady? Or something else?

A sweet, traditional Regency romance novel with science fiction elements. 71,000 words. A clean romance.

EXCERPT:

Lower and lower the shooting star descended, much too slowly to Elizabeth’s way of thinking. From the angle and rate of its motion, the object would likely strike the earth close by. If she could distinguish some landmarks by its glow, perhaps she could find the stone.

She craned her neck back as the meteor soared across the firmament. The unearthly rock blazed with the colors of the rainbow from friction with the air.

 

Coldness pricked her spine. A meteor that enormous should race through the heavens, shrieking in outrage as its surface pounded through the atmosphere. This one was silent. And the stone—or was it a stone?—sloped down in a leisurely, graceful curve, as gently as a feather floating in a light breeze.

 

With eerie stillness, the object continued its glide across the ebony sky, looming ever immense as its bulk neared the ground.

She could even make out features. In her experience, meteors were dark, pitted lumps of rock or metal. This one was white, its pointed nose flaring out behind to form a stretched-out triangle, almost like a bird with unfurled wings.

And its size! Her heart in her throat, she jumped up. The thing was larger than a mail coach. And it would fall onto Sentinel Moor beside her house!

 

Continually slowing, the peculiar entity descended. The object slipped below the level of the high Sentinel Oak across the field, and then behind the top of the six-foot hawthorn hedge separating her garden from the meadow.

 

Elizabeth took a step to run around the tall shrub. Blinding whiteness exploded on the moor. She threw up her hands to shield her eyes and then tumbled to the ground.

Available at Amazon, Amazon UK, Barnes and Noble , Smashwords, Sony, Kobo, and Apple. Note, all formats are available on Smashwords.

Mistletoe Everywhere

BLURB:
A man who sees mistletoe everywhere is mad--or in love.

Charles sees mistletoe. Not surprising, since he's spending Christmas at Mistletoe Manor. But why does no one else see it? And why does it always appear above Penelope, the despised lady who jilted him after their last meeting?

Penelope wants nothing to do with the faithless Charles, the man who cried off after she accepted his marriage proposal. But he still stirs her heart--and he stares at her all the time. Or rather, he stares at the empty ceiling over her head…What does he see?

According to folklore, mistletoe is the plant of peace. Can Penelope and Charles, so full of hurt and anger, heed the mistletoe's message and make peace?

A sweet, traditional Regency romance, clean read.

EXCERPT:
After Charles had heaped his plate with more food than he wanted, he took one of the empty chairs at the table bottom, as far from Penelope as possible.

His tensed muscles eased as he joked with his friends. Smythe made a comment and Charles turned to answer. He caught sight of Penelope…and a monstrous bunch of mistletoe above her.

"Gordon? What is it?" Smythe swiveled in the direction Charles was staring. He looked up and down, and from one side to the other. "I say, with your mouth hanging open like that, you must see something spectacular, but damned if I know what it is."

With an audible click, Charles clamped his jaw shut. "I thought I saw…" He forced his gaze back to his companion. "Nothing. I imagined I saw mistletoe."

Smythe's eyebrows rose. "Mistletoe?"

"Yes. The house is named 'Mistletoe Manor', so the place is filled with mistletoe decorations. Pictures, wall hangings, ceiling trim, whatnot."

"Indeed." Smythe's eyebrows rose higher. "That 'mistletoe' you saw is over that Miss Lawrence. Lovely little filly." His lips curved into a knowing grin. "My jaw dropped the first time I saw her, too."

Charles stiffened. "I was not looking at Miss Lawrence. I believed I saw mistletoe over her."

"'Mistletoe'." Symthe's grin widened. "Of course."

Available at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, All Romance Ebooks and other places where ebooks are sold. 

Through December 25, 2013, Mistletoe Everywhere is 25% off at The Wild Rose Press, and so are my other Wild Rose Press books, link to all my books here.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

Thank you all,

Linda