SCARLETT VALENTINE arrives with Awakening and a Giveaway

Scarlett Valentine is the alter ego of award-winning romance author, Kemberlee Shortland. Together they write Erotomance -- Erotic Romance.

Originally from Northern California, Scarlett has spent the last fourteen years living in Ireland. She's traveled extensively through Ireland and Wales. When she's not writing, she can often be found castle hunting.

Scarlett's stories cross subgenres to explore hetero, gay and bisexual relationships in a series of stories that include time periods from historicals and contemporaries, futuristics and science fiction, paranormal and suspense, and more.

Awakening is the first book in The ABCs of S-E-X: Love by the Letter series and is available Nov 2^nd  through Highland Press.

http://www.scarlett-valentine.com/

http://www.theabcsofsex.com/

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WELCOME – SCARLETT VALENTINE!!

The challenge of mixing erotica with historical romance

First let me say, thanks for letting me visit today. And thank you so much for hosting the last day of my tour. 11-11-11 is auspicious and I hope it means all good things to come for Awakening AND Seduced by Books.

I don’t know why, but I really enjoy historical erotica stories. I’ve read several subgenres—contemporary, futuristic, fantasy, etc.—but I’m always drawn back to historical. In particular, medieval.

It probably goes back to my love of knights in shining armor, heroic warriors, and strong heroines who can handle all the testosterone in the room.

I also really love castles. As an avid castle huntress, I’m drawn to this period of history so long in our past and can only imagine or read about it in historical texts. Being at an ancient castle, walking around abandoned rooms, and perhaps knowing a little history, my imagination runs wild thinking about all the things that went on in those chambers . . . or could have. Or maybe should have!

The medieval period was the beginning of a thousand years of modern invention and modern thinking. It was a time of European expansion, and in the last medieval period of North American expansion, and with it trade and tourism. And let’s not forget the spice trade, imports of exotic fabrics and jewels, and the age of chivalry.

Adding all of this up, and it lends itself to a very enticing setting—a mysterious keep high in the mountains; firelight and candles flickering over stone walls; the scents of beeswax, turf and possibly sandalwood in the air; mead warming by the fire; thick sheepskins warming the flagstones; and a bed covered in the finest silks and damask. Cue the music—maybe a little Carmina Burana—and it’s the perfect setting for a sexy romp!

I don’t find blending historical with erotica difficult at all. If anything, the romance of the period inspires me all the more. Or maybe it’s just the castles!

* ~ * ~ *

I wanted to say a big thank you to Seduced by Books and all of my other tour stops for making the launch of Awakening such an amazing experience. I hope everyone had as great a time as I!

Please log into my website to find out who is the grand prize winner of the $25 Amazon gift card, and for more information on further releases in The ABCs of S-E-X: Love by the Letter series, such as book two, Beguiler!

I love hearing from readers, so please feel free to drop me a note to let me know your thoughts on Awakening.

~ Scarlett

“What’s a little bondage between friends?”

http://www.scarlett-valentine.com/

Available now – Awakening, book one of The ABCs of S-E-X: Love by the Letter series

SBB - We are lucky to have you on here – thank you so much for coming – love the post, you’re right, that ‘historical’ setting definitely does lead right up to the ‘romp’ as you put it!  Below find a quick excerpt from Awakening!  So happy to be able to share one with you guys! Comment below to be entered into the giveaway and Scarlett is known to give RANDOM Surprises to commenters :) !  The more comments the more chance - follow the rest of the tour here

He gazed at her slumbering form. Firelight danced over her flawless skin. She was the fairest woman he had ever seen, her skin perfection but for the flush in her cheeks as she thought to defy him, and that of the passion he awoke in her. The fairness of her features only served to accent the deep blush of her lips.

 Her lips.

 She did not kiss him like a novice. Following his lead, she kissed him back with equal alacrity. He felt she was yet unsure of her own power over him, but he knew it was only a matter of time before she could control him with a simple touch.

And her eyes were the palest of green. Or were they blue? He could not tell. He only knew they reminded him of pools of seawater ensnared in the white sands along Cymru’s coast, and just as translucent. He could gaze long into her eyes, searching their depths, letting himself be hypnotized by them.

Her features were gentle, innocent. It was as if she had never witnessed any of the world’s horrors, that her heart and soul were pure. In that she was now married to the likes of the Grave Knower was incredulous. More so incredulous was her fearlessness. She never cowered before him. Not even as she stood naked before him, challenging him with her gaze.

 Indeed, she was the very opposite of himself.

This book is out – GET YOUR HANDS ON IT! as if the cover isn't enough!!

Ysbail of Ellesmere is a pawn in her guardian's war. For decades there has been unrest between the marcher lords and Owain Gwynedd ap Gruffydd, King of Gwynedd. The most recent war had been the bloodiest she could remember in her eighteen years. Madog ap Maredudd, Prince of Powys, and his allies lost untold numbers of men at the hands of Owain's soldiers. When a settlement of truce is presented to Madog, it's at Ysbail's expense. She is to marry Bedwyr ap Owain, one of King Owain’s bastard sons, and his most notorious henchman. If all the rumors and stories she's heard are true, she knows her marriage will be rife with horror and fear.

Since proving himself worthy with his sword, Bedwyr fights at his king's side. He's shed oceans of blood and sent untold numbers of men to their graves. He's become what his name foretold—the grave-knower. He's afraid of nothing, least of all death. All men fear him, including those who fight at his side, and sometimes even his own king. Terror of him lives within women's hearts; only the bravest of whores accept him into their beds. And children weave their own tales of the monster they hear him to be, embellishing the details to their own gruesome degrees.

When King Owain informs Bedwyr that he's to marry Ysbail of Ellesmere as part of a peace settlement with Madog, Bedwyr is furious. A man such as Bedwyr can only survive on the battlefield. For without love, hatred will send a man like him to the edge of insanity. Then push him over. But when Bedwyr sees Ysbail for the first time, blood-thirst turns to blood-lust, and he vows to show her that she should have no fear of him.

Thanks to Goddess Fish Promotions