Father’s Day

oscar mayer bacon gift boxYesterday was Father’s Day. It’s been 20 years since my dad passed and there are many difficult days to face each year, but Father’s Day is a particularly poignant one.

I am an anal planner. Twenty years ago, I had this ‘thing’ about cards. I loved picking the exact ‘right’ card for the moment and would spend hours in various drug stores perusing the ‘occasion’ cards. Many times I would find ‘the’ right one like ten times all at once. Twenty-one years ago, I found two perfect Father’s Day cards and bought both. I gave one to my father that year and, as usual, cooked him a fabulous brunch—his favorite Father’s Day gift. I saved the other card for the following year.

Yeah, you guessed it—I never got to give him that card. To this day, I’ve never been able to throw it in the trash. Every year since my dad died, I take out that ‘perfect’ card the day before Father’s Day. I read it and cannot help but cry.

It’s a secret ritual because my husband is an amazing father and I never want to detract from his Father’s Day. So, yesterday we did the macho grilled steak routine and, as part of our ritual since my dad left us, we toasted him as well as the dh.

For all of you who are lucky enough to have living fathers—enjoy every minute.

Happy Monday!

Cheers,

Jianne

 

For the Love of Mythology Blog Hop June 1-8, 2013

Welcome to the For the Love of Mythology Blog Hop. This hop runs from June 1 – 8, 2013.

The list of the  incredible Grand Prize is at the end of this blog. Don’t forget to enter!

My prize for the contest is an ecopy of The Bear and The Bride.

To enter my contest, simply leave a comment with your email address. Please put NO in the comment if you do not want to receive notices of my upcoming releases. Note that by leaving a comment you are also entered in my

Fireworks for a Fire Contest!

Grand Prize – Kindle Fire

I’ll announce the winner on Monday, June 10, 2013 in three places, here on my site, on Facebook, and on Twitter. The winner  has 5 days to claim the prize in one of three ways, leaving a comment here on the site, leaving a comment on my Facebook author page, or replying to my contest winner tweet.

Nine worldsI am obsessed with Viking mythology. In the Norse cosmology there are nine worlds interconnected by the world tree, Yggdrasil.

One of my favorite Viking tales is of Heimdallr the guardian of the burning rainbow bridge, Bifrost, that connects the world of the gods, Asgard, and Midgard, the world of mortals.

Heimdallr possesses the resounding horn Gjall, owns a golden-maned horse Gulltoppr, has gold teeth, and is the son of Nine Mothers. Heimdallr has foreknowledge, incredible vision, and his hearing is so acute, he can hear the grass growing. Heimdallr is “the whitest of the gods”. He keeps watch for the onset of Ragnarök while drinking fine mead in his dwelling Himinbjörg, located where Bifröst meets Valhalla.

In my latest release, Vengeance Hammer, the heroine, Xára, is Heimdallr’s half-immortal daughter.

VengeanceHammer_ByJianneCarlo-133x200Here’s a clip from the book:

“Heimdallr?” Dráddør frowned. “What has the watchman of the gods to do with aught?”

“Xára is his daughter,” Nyssa replied as she and Konáll vanished into the hallway.

“’Tis true?” Shifting Xára in his hold, Dráddør closed and barred the door.

When Xára related what had happened on the night she lost her voice, his fury surged. Though his rage was directed at Magnhildur and Néill, he could not help but be angered with Jennie for not protecting Xára the way a mother should. “Why did your mother not tell you of your sire?”

Xára focused on a spot above his shoulder. She shook her head. “Jennie feared for our lives, if Arnfinn discovered we were not his get.”

Yet Evie knew of her real father. Had Jennie felt it safe to tell the sprite after Arnfinn’s death? More so, did she feel the need to assuage her guilt, for she had killed her husband? Then he recalled Xára’s claim Jennie had not poisoned Arnfinn.

“Do you leave Earl Tighe in charge of Lathairn?”

The worry in her voice distracted him. He sought to appease her concerns. “Aye. Tighe will remain, as will his warriors. Brökk, Konáll, and I will split our forces as we have no notion of Wazir Niketas’s direction. I will go east, Konáll west, and Brökk north. I will take only a skeleton crew. Egron will remain here. There is no need to worry, sváss. All will be well.”

“I will use the time to prepare the castle for the coming winter.” She gave him a shaky smile.

Dráddør’s focus shifted to the bed. He winked at her. “I seek now to give you a swiving memory to fill the long nights while I am gone.”

Color rioted all over her face and throat. His gaze strayed to the spot where the scar had been. He laid her down on the covers and sat on the mattress. While unlacing her cyrtel, he inspected her collarbone, and then smoothed his thumb over the pulse leaping in the hollow of her throat. “’Tis as if it ne’er were. Do you recall aught of what happened in the hall?”

“I remember Nyssa setting her fingers there. Then naught, but the dream of what happened the night Magnhildur pierced my neck and stole my voice.” She shuddered.

“She will ne’er harm any again.” Dráddør had chosen to go east as he knew that Godfraid must take that route to travel to Kenneth’s court. ’Twould be a simple detour and the perfect vengeance. ’Twas the time of year when storms frequented the channel and all he had to do was wait for a squall, separate Godfraid’s main boat from the two others, and sink the vessel.

But ’twas not the moment for dwelling on vengeance. Nay, ’twas the time to give Xára a babe. He grinned. And if his seed didn’t bear fruit on this joining, he had many a long winter’s night to correct that.

Xára peeked at him when he stood and disarmed. After he pulled off his tunic she stared at his chest with such fervor in her eyes that he preened. ’Twas quick work to shed his boots and breeches.

Her gaze dropped to his jutting erection and she licked her lips.

Hope you enjoyed!

Click on the links for the next hop on the blog and/or for the rafflecopter giveaway. Cheers,

http://booklovershideaway.blogspot.com/2013/02/for-love-of-mythology-giveaway-hop-sign.html?zx=e894b68c0ecd3ed8

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Cheers,

Jianne

P.S. I’m also taking part in The Romance Reviews Sizzling Summer Reads from June 1-30, 2013. Click on the icon below to join the party!

The Winner of the Books To Go Now’s Hot Summer Nights Blog Hop is…!

JC_ManacledInMonaco_fr JC_NotoriousinNice_coverfr JC_CarnalinCannes_coverfr (2)

The Winner of the  Winner of theBooks To Go Now’s Hot Summer Nights Blog Hop is…

Shelley Hammond!

Please contact me via a comment here, a comment on my Facebook Author Page, or via a Tweet within 5 days to claim your prize!

CONGRATULATIONS!

Cheers,

Jianne

Books To Go Now’s Hot Summer Nights Blog Hop May 22- May 29, 2013

BWS tips button Welcome to the Books To Go Now’s Hot Summer Nights Blog Hop!

We are offering two Grand Prizes!! In order for readers to take part, they must leave their comment and email address.  Two winners will be chosen at random and notified no later than May 31, 2013.

1st Grand Prize: (1) Kindle Fire!

2nd Grand Prize: (1) $100 Amazon Gift Card

I’m offering to give my  entire Mambo Mediterranean Series to one lucky commenter.

The Winner will be announced on May 30, 2013 – check back here to claim your prize, or check my FB or Twitter posts.

Anyone who leaves a comment with their email address is entered in not only this blog hop, but my KINDLE FOR FIREWORKS CONTEST. That’s two chances to win TWO KINDLE FIRES.

Without further ado, here is my post for the Hot Summer’s Night Blog Hop:

TN_3_JC_CarnalinCannes_coverinExcerpt from Carnal in Cannes:

Martine took two steps forward, set her palms on his chest, and their gazes fastened. “Is it now that we play your Blind Man’s game?”
“Have you been thinking about it all evening?” Harry asked.
“C’est intriguing non? But where do we find the blind man? And who is nekkid?”
Harry chuckled, retrieved a tie from the closet, and wrapped the red strip of silk around her palm.
“Tie it around my eyes,” he ordered.
When Martine had him good and truly trussed she asked, “What now?”
He swung into a horizontal position on the mattress, rested his head in his hands, and said, “Rule number one. You get to do anything you want. Have anything you want. Stop anytime you want. It’s all about you. The goal of the game is to identify whatever you’re holding or touching or kissing.”
“And rule number two?”
“I get a turn after you.”
She fell silent studying the sculpted lines of his male beauty.
“We don’t have to do this if you don’t want to, Martine,” Harry said, and he turned his head on the pillow, easily pinpointing her direction despite the blindfold. “Tell me what you want.”
Working up the courage to answer, she inhaled the aromas of the candles, a cleansing ginseng fragrance, and on her exhale she skittered closer and brushed her lips on the cusp of his shoulder. Admiring his bulging muscles, the sharp indentation midarm to his elbow, she ran her fingers down his warm flesh. The nuns avoided all mention of body parts and workings, and she’d reached adulthood aware mainly of how coupling occurred.
“What is this muscle, Harry?” She squeezed the thickest part of his arm.
For a few seconds he didn’t answer, and her stomach went all jittery.
“That’s the deltoid. Feels good when you do that.”
“You have beautiful shoulders, strong, and I can see where each muscle begins and ends.” She bent to kiss a taut spot near the crook of his neck. “And this?” Her exhale sifted a lock of warm brown hair curling around a vein that went all the way to his ear. Unable to resist she traced the throbbing vessel, nuzzling the damp flesh cording his throat.
“Trapezius,” he replied, his voice low and husky.
“I know these,” she said, placing her palms flat on his chest. “Pectorals. Men are so different here from women.”
“Praise the Lord almighty,” Harry muttered.
“So strong,” she murmured, fingering a ridged groove of flesh extending from the middle of his torso. “This is the six-pack, non? Three here and three on the other side. This one lower than its mate.”
On impulse she leaned over and used the tip of her tongue to trace each grove. Harry intoxicated her senses. She grew drunk on his now familiar Harry fragrance—soap, the CK aftershave she’d discovered in the bathroom, and a spiciness all his own. Her ears filled with his each rasped inhale, each muffled grunt, and the occasional hiss when she hit a sensitive spot.
Her tongue absorbed the slight musk and salt in the taste of him, and she closed her eyes to savor his flavor and smell, hoping she’d always be able to conjure the aroma after their year ended. She laid her cheek to his belly and ran a finger around the rim of his navel. A film of sweat coated his skin there, making the ridges outlining his six-pack glisten.

Hope you enjoyed!

Here’s the linky list to go onto the next blog in the hop!

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Click here to enter your link and view this Linky Tools list…

Cheers,

Jianne

 

Winners, Winners, and more Winners!

VengeanceHammer_ByJianneCarlo-133x200Okay, I’ve been remiss in announcing the winners of a few contests – thanks for the prodding Sydney!

The winners of The Romance Studio Release party of May 9 & 10 are:

$10.00 Amazon Gift Card – Colleen is the winner!

eBook copy of Vengeance Hammer – Twania is the winner!

The winner of the Caliente Blog Hop is Jeanette Platt!

The winner of the Sinful Siren’s Blog Hop is Renee B!

I’ll be sending out emails to everyone today.

Have a great Tuesday!

Cheers,

Jianne