The Dragon Slayer, Viking Warriors #2, Now Available for Pre-order!

Okay, okay, I had the release date for Viking Warriors Book #2, The Dragon Slayer, totally wrong. It actually releases on June 13, 2017, but you can pre-order it now by clicking on the cover.

Be forewarned – I must apologize to anyone who pre-orders The Dragon Slayer as there is a glaring error, which I didn’t catch in the Author Notes. The error will be corrected once the book goes live, but I’m horribly embarrassed that I didn’t catch this mistake. It’s in the last line of the author notes, where I give the date that William invaded England as 1065 instead of – as everyone and myself even more so knows should be – September 28, 1066. My bad.

This version of The Dragon Slayer is more than twice the length of the previously published novella coming in at 166 pages versus 64. Here’s the cover, tag line, and a short excerpt:

To save her sister Catriona must kill her new husband, Ruard, the Viking warrior known as The Dragon Slayer.

Excerpt from The Dragon Slayer:

Dunsmuir Castle, Scottish and Northumbrian Border AD 1029
Ruard’s first sight of Dunsmuir Castle, the new holding awarded to him by King Canute of Britain for his years of service, near blinded him with pride. ’Twas an enormous and magnificent holding; four stone towers, defense walls nigh a score ells high, and a forged drawbridge wide enough to accommodate four steeds simultaneously.

An iron bridge could not be fired.

Few strongholds boasted such richness of defense.

He estimated the distance between the two guard towers facing him to be half-a-dozen furlongs in length. His chest swelled with gratification. All the battles and the wounds and scars had been worth this splendid reward.

“A fine holding,” Njal, Ruard’s second-oldest brother, reined his ebony destrier, Veðr, to a halt beside him. Veðr, so named as the steed was swift and fierce as a gale, stamped a foreleg and snuffled billowy puffs. “Stone, not wood. ’Tis unusual in this land. ’Twill be difficult for an enemy to seize.”

A satisfied grin curled Ruard’s lips. Aye, King Canute’s recompense went beyond his wildest expectations. In the dawn’s gloaming the faint rays of the sun winked silvery ribbon streams over the rippling waters of the wide moat fronting the castle’s walls.

Sluggish movement to the right of the woods captured Ruard’s attention.

He frowned at the shadowy outlines of foot, horse, and cart traffic lining the path leading to the castle’s gatehouse. His jaw went slack when he realized that the drawbridge had been lowered afore dawn fully broke. “By Loki’s toes, what madness is this?”

“Mayhap ’tis market day?” Njal offered the excuse for the unusual pre-dawn activity and the vulnerability of the keep.

“The drawbridge is down and ’tis not yet dawn. I will punish the fool who ordered this idiocy.” Ruard had participated in numerous castle seizures and knew well that twilight and an open drawbridge left a demesne defenseless.

“By Loki’s toes. Look anon, brother. See you guards at the gatehouse? Or on the towers?” Njal stabbed a finger at each structure in turn.

Ruard stared at the ramparts and peered ’tween the crenellations.

Not a single warrior could he spy on either side of the drawbridge. No armed men prowled the bastions. Worse, assorted carts drawn by mules and, in one case, by two men hauling ropes, clanged over the metal planks, and none challenged them entry.

“Somewhat is amiss.” Ruard studied the wide ramparts near the East tower, and spied a couple of scraggly-clad men conferring with each other, their spears loosely clutched in their arms. None of his warriors would dare be so lax while on duty.

“Aye. Earl Duggal is only dead a moon past. Did not King Canute say he had a cadre of o’er fifty warriors? Where are they now? Why is your keep wide open and nigh completely undefended? I like this not, brother. This screams of bait and ambush.”

*****

Scalling Castle, Carlisle
Catriona examined her reflection in the small mirror attached to her chamber’s wall. Her hair was secured in tight braids to the side of her head. Around her neck she wore the gold locket she had inherited from her mother.

How she wished Mama was still alive to guide her tonight.

Or Papa to counsel her.

But Mama had trained her from birth to her ten and sixth year, and she would do her proud this eve.

Composed and determined, she threaded her way to the staircase connecting the third floor to the great hall. As she descended, Catriona scanned the enormous chamber and noted Sir Rolf speaking with three men dressed in the raiments of the nobility, two of them attired alike in green doublets, gray hose, and knee-high boots. The other knight looked up and met her gaze when she reached the first landing.

She held her breath, stunned by the warrior’s handsome countenance, his inky curls, the noble slope of his broad forehead, his perfectly arched sable brows, the stormy blue of his eyes, and the sensuous pout of his ruby lips. Dressed in the finest navy velvet doublet and matching hose, he brought to mind all the stories she had heard of noble knights who rescued damsels in distress. Then his lip curled, and he raked his glance from her slippered feet to the wisps escaping her braids. Nervous, she smoothed a hand over her hair and missed the edge of the step. Panicked, she grabbed the bannister and righted herself.

The alluring knight’s mouth hitched at the corners into a full sneer.

She felt the veriest country bumpkin in her plain gown and worn slippers.

He eyed her with disdainful contempt.

What had she done to earn his displeasure?

And who was he?

“Ah, Lady Catriona.” Sir Rolf, Scalling Castle’s Captain of the Guards, rushed to her side and assisted her down the last few steps. She placed her hand on his forearm, and he escorted her to the three waiting gentlemen. She curtsied, keeping her gaze on their dusty and scuffed boots. “My lords.”

When she stood, one of the knights dressed in green executed a courtier’s low bow. “Lady Catriona, I am Captain DeGrecy, ordered to your side by the King Máel Coluim’s command.”

“My step-uncle received the message of my father’s death?” Catriona blurted. A lash of fiery heat scalded her cheeks at her blunder. By all dictates, she should have greeted the other two men first before daring her question.

“The king was most distressed to hear the news of his step-brother’s demise. Permit me, milady, I am Lord Ulfric, son of the Earl of Tees, commanded by King Canute to accompany you to Dunsmuir Castle to witness your marriage to the newly knighted Norseman, Lord Ruard.”

She was to marry?

A Norseman? A Viking? A marauder?

Hope you enjoyed!

Have a fabulous Friday!

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!

Caliente Blog Hop – May 6 to May 12!

Caliente Blog Hop   Welcome to the Caliente Blog Hop!

This hop has awesome prizes:

A $25  iTunes GC

A $15 Starbucks GC

A $10  Amazon GC

A $10 Bookstrand GC

Plus eBooks & Paperbacks & More!

 Caliente Grand Prize Graphic

 And I’m also giving away a prize – a free copy of Vengeance Hammer

Caliente – I love that word. It’s seductive and sultry and makes me visualize hot nights, a hard bod, sweaty sex, and mind-blowing orgasms.

What’s hotter than a Viking and a half-immortal goddess? (Tell me the hot combos you can think of in a comment)

Not much.

With that in mind, here’s an excerpt from my latest release Vengeance Hammer, Viking Vengeance Book Three.

VengeanceHammer_ByJianneCarlo-133x200Excerpt – Vengeance Hammer

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.

Dráddør groaned. “What think you right now?”

Twin splashes of color dusted her cheekbones. “’Tis wet.”

He fingered the seed leaking from his slit and spread the liquid all over the crown of his cock. “Aye. It means that I want you, Xára. Sit up and take off your gown.”

She gave him an uncertain sidelong glance, but obeyed his command.

The sight of her in the transparent chemise nigh did him in. He stroked his pecker and slid the foreskin up over the head and then back down.

Her eyes followed his hand’s motion. “Come closer.”

She lifted onto her knees and scooted to the edge of the bed.

“Put your hand o’er mine,” he ordered. “Aye. Like that. Now stroke me.”

When she gave his cock a tentative rub, he let his hand fall away.

Unable to do anything but stare at her lithe fingers on his shaft, he said, his voice hoarse with need, “Stroke. Up and down.”

She shifted closer and added her other hand. Her curls tumbled about her shoulders and tickled his groin. He fisted his hands when she adjusted her grip. She worried her lower lip and peeped up at him. “’Tis the right way?”

“Aye,” he grunted and sucked in a breath when she cupped his balls. “Nay.”

He captured her wrists. “Enough. ’Tis the sweetest torture, but I want to spill my seed inside you, not on the sheets.”

Grinning when her eyes widened, he kissed the center of her palm. “Ask. I can see the question forming on your lips.”

“’Tis possible?” Their gazes met.

“’Tis a certainty. My stones are aching.”

“Stones?” She glanced down, tugged her hands out of his hold, and cupped his balls again. “These are stones?”

“Stones, balls, sac, testicles, nuts,” As he spoke each word, she weighed his testicles and squeezed each one lightly.

His desire flamed. He fumbled with her chemise and when the garment refused to cooperate simply tore it down the middle. He palmed her arse and growled, “Wrap your legs around me when I lift you.”

I’m giving away a free copy of Viking Vengeance to a lucky commenter. Please put NO in the comment if you don’t want to receive announcements of my new releases. Anyone who likes my Facebook Author Page gets an extra entry in the contest – just let me know that you did this in your comment.

The Winner will be announced on May 13, 2013.

Good Luck and have fun on the hop!

I promised to announce the winners of my recent contests today and here they are:

Winners, winners, and more winners! Here are the winners of the last few contests!

Let’s Get Lucky Blog Hop:

Terry Amber and FLChen1

A to Z, X is for X-rated Contest:

Angelica French

Countdown to Vengeance Hammer Release Contest:

Donna Antonio

Vengeance Hammer Release Launch Contest:

Mel K

To continue on the hop, click on one of the sites below or on the BADGE to go back to the linky list.

Caliente Blog Hop K. E. Saxon

LENA HART

Fall Under My Spell!

Rhonda Laurel

 

 

 

 

Cheers,

Jianne