Well really it is a want of an excerpt… and one much, much too short. She should send another one too.
Am I being greedy?
E X C E R P T
E X C E R P T
E X C E R P T
E X C E R P T
E X C E R P T
Do I need to warn here could bes spoilers?
Kylemore’s deep voice took on its customary tone of command. “I am here to inform you we will marry as soon as I have obtained a special license.”
Shock forced a genuine laugh from Verity. “Now I know you really are mocking me.” She stood, meaning to serve him a glass of wine, but he reached out and caught her wrist, forestalling her.
“This is a strange answer to my proposal.”
“I haven’t heard a proposal,” she said before she could stop herself.
“I want you to be my wife.”
She stared down into his face, noticing the muscle that jerked in his cheek. Strong emotion gripped him, she realized. Not only that, he was, it appeared, serious about this crackbrained idea.
“Your Grace, flattered as I am by your interest, you must see what you suggest is impossible.” When his jaw took on a stubborn line, she continued in a harder voice. “Even if the world, your name and your family countenanced such a mésalliance, I am afraid my own pride would deny you.”
“Pride?” He spoke as if the word were inconceivable in connection with a fallen creature such as herself. “This is a preferment beyond your wildest dreams.”
“My dreams are surprisingly humble.”
Beneath a growing sense of unreality, Verity was angry. Only an overbearing bully could expect her to be grateful for this lunatic offer.
Her, a duchess? The idea was comical in its unreality.
She kept her voice cool. “Pray release me. Your tender wooing is likely to leave a bracelet of bruises.” Not precisely true. His hold was firm without actually hurting her.
“I’ll let you go when you answer me.”
“I thought I had.” Necessity meant she’d devoted most of her life to catering to self-centered men. Now she’d reached her limit. “But as Your Grace insists, here is my reply. I have submitted to becoming your mistress, my lord. No power on earth could compel me to become your wife.”
Here’s an example of why excerpts are so important.
“Pride?†He spoke as if the word were inconceivable in connection with a fallen creature such as herself. “This is a preferment beyond your wildest dreams.â€
“Pray release me. Your tender wooing is likely to leave a bracelet of bruises.â€
I love dialogue like this.
Hey, stop whingeing. And have a caramello bear!
oohhh…. me likey. Women needs to put down men a notch. LOL
Tomorrow doom day 🙂
Ooh, Jane, you’re my new favorite!!! I was telling Sybil not to whinge, not you!!! Mwah! Mwah! Our posts must have crossed. Actually, one of the reasons I like writing historicals is that I can get that sense of heightened reality with dialogue like that. Sounds great coming out of a Regency duke, less so out of a Montana cowboy (fond of Montana cowboys as I am, ma’am!).
Um, Katie, I’m sort of hoping tomorrow is the start of a sparkling career rather than DOOM day!!! You’ve been reading my vibes, haven’t you? No wonder you like paranormals!
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. If this book isn’t on the shelves in my local bookstore on time tomorrow, I’m gonna start screaming like a 3 year old in a candy store!!!
Hey, ladydawgfan, if you do, CAN I HAVE THE VIDEO??!!!
I meant doom day as a good thing of course 😉
More of an explosion, and in ladydawfan’s case, espcically if the book is not there! :0
Preferment. That is a totally awesome word. I wonder if I can use that in real life. Or bracelet of bruises. The book I just read was so gripping I had a bracelet of bruises around my neck from the fear. No, that doesn’t work so good. Must go think on this. will have to buy Anna’s book tonight to see what other words and phrases to add to my vocab.
This is a reason why to buy ebooks. Tonight, at 11 PM CST, the book will be downloadable from Harper Collins ebookstore, Perfectbound, and at 10% off (or is it 20?).
Hey, Jane, another vocab freak! Yay! Um, I hope you don’t get a bracelet of bruises any time soon! They don’t sound that comfortable. I didn’t know that about the ebook being available at 11 tonight. To me, it’s already the 27th so today is my launch day as far as I’m concerned!
oooooo…… can’t you just feel the sparks flying??? Love it, love it, ABSO-BLOODY-LUTELY LOVE IT!!! Congrats Anna!!!
Although… if you don’t mind me asking, why did Kylemore want her for his wife at first?
Oh, Anna, I love that excerpt! I’d planned on ordering your book from the reviews I’d read (in fact the bad review you mentioned made me even more curious), but now I’m dying to get my hands on a copy.
Aislingyngaio, thank you for the vote of approval! Much appreciated. I could tell you why he wants to marry her (it’s more complicated than at first sight it seems) but hey, why not read the book? Shameless bit of marketing there – snort!
Rachel, thank you so much for your kind words. Not long to go now!
I’m liking the excerpt as well — great dialogue, as Jane mentioned. (And Jane, hold out until you get a necklace of bruises. Those bracelets? Pfft.)
I’d already decided to get this just based on some of the buzz (and controversial reviews) — can’t wait for it now.
Congrats on the release, Anna!
Thanks, Meljean! And congratulations right back at ya!
Meljean and Anna see my blog is just full of author’s who write roughed up sex.
Should that worry me?
Only if your idea of a good time is a bracelet of bruises. 😉