Five-Line Friday-Chapter Beginnings
Your challenge this week is to post the first five sentences of any chapter.
Five-Line Friday RULES
1. Five lines of your current work in progress, new release, soon-to-be-released … whatever. (Do keep it as close to five sentences as you can.)
2. You are welcome to post buy links too.
3. PG (I don’t have a content warning on my blog, so posts have to be appropriate for all viewers. I will delete comments that aren’t appropriate or offensive to some audiences. Sorry.)
Today I’m sharing snippets from my two 2015 Rone Award Nominees.
I’d be honored if you’d consider voting for one or both of them.
Voting is open April 20-26th for the Historical: Post-medieval catagory.
Click here to vote: 2015 RONE AWARDS
The Earl’s Enticement
Adaira’s heart knocked violently against her ribs, threatening to burst from its confines.
Prison.
The notion was terrifying.
She’d seen vengeance on Marquardt’s striking face and burning in his wintry eyes. He’d bring charges.
Triumph and Treasure
Angelina sprang away from the marquis with such alacrity, she nearly fell in her haste.
He steadied her with one hand, which caused another frisson of desire to sluice through her arm.
She pressed her hand to her burning lips.
He chuckled and rubbed the back of his neck. “Not the reaction I’d hoped for.”
I love your books! I can’t wait for more on the Culpepper girl’s!!
I hope to have Blythe and Leventhorpe’s story done this summer!
Already voted a few days ago. Looking forward to the results… and to read your books.
Thanks, Liette!
What fun! I love your challenges, Collette, and your excerpts are tantalizing. Here are mine:
This is the opening of Chapter 3 of Lady of the Flames, my recent release:
Andromeda’s heart began to pound—great thudding beats that threatened to burst through her chest. Oh, God. Oh, God! What should she do?
Surely that was obvious. She had to stop the treason. She had to inform the authorities about Lord Slough.
http://www.amazon.com/Lady-Flames-Most-Peculiar-Season-ebook/dp/B00T0JAWLO/ (On sale for only 99 cents!)
And this is from Chapter 2 of To Kiss A Rake, my July release. No cover or buy links yet.
Melinda dreamed she was safe in the arms of a truly wonderful man. He adored her with a passion that knew no bounds; she loved him with all her heart. The swaying of the coach pressed them together. She inhaled his warm, male scent and snuggled closer, savoring the way her breast rubbed against his arm. She ached for the pressure of his lips on hers, yearning, yearning…but she always woke before her dream lover kissed her.
Ha, I just read that scene last night.I’m absolutely loving To Kiss A Rake!!!
Thanks, Collette. (Big Happy Grin!)
Ok, this is from Chapter Eight of Dangerous Secrets
“Major!”
Jamie took a step, gripped his wine bottle, and fought the urge to run. What is that damned woman doing here at this hour?
He breathed in, allowing the stink of street offal to mingle with the sour odor from the barroom door and pummel his senses. At least I can tell I’m alive. Is there time to hide?
“Major!” the familiar voice demanded, closer now. “I need you.”
Of course she does, the inconvenient chit. I’ve been ten days sober, and she needs me the one evening I need oblivion.
http://tinyurl.com/ph56vnb
Poor Major! I’d love to know what happens next.
Here’s a snippet from my debut novel, An Unexpected Wish being released in October. http://www.amazon.com/Unexpected-Wish-Ladys-ebook/dp/B00TE7FBRC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1429889166&sr=8-1&keywords=eileen+richards.
This is from the beginning of Chapter Seven
Anne had no idea how long she sat staring at the fire in the library. The smell of books and leather wrapped around her like a warm blanket. The heat of the fire, combined with the wine she had drunk on a nearly empty stomach, was making her drowsy. She tilted her head back and closed her eyes, drifting into that place between sleep and awareness. The sound of the door opening startled her.
“Sophia, please just give me five more minutes before I have to face them again.”
“If you think five minutes will be enough.” Nathaniel Matthews’s deep voice held a tinge of laughter as he closed the door and moved into the room.
Anne groaned. This was the last thing she needed. “Sir, with you I’d need weeks. Can you just leave me in peace.”
Love it, Eileen!
This one is intriguing. It got my interest.
I love these challenges! I make a list every time of books I want to read. Thank you for doing this for fellow authors!
This is from “Love Redesigned”, my debut novel. http://tinyurl.com/pks2nz2
The beginning of Chapter Two:
Genevieve stared at him in the mirror. She could’t breathe, couldn’t hear anything but a strange roaring in her ears. Her head spun.
She slowly turned around, willing herself not to collapse in a heap.
It was him. This time it really was him.
Sloane, such a teaser!!
Oh wonderful! A snippet from my current works-in-progress, Love & Redemption, Book 3 of my Ancient Rome gladiator series –
“To what do I favor the presence of your company?”
She smiled as she fidgeted with a fold of her own dress. Even now, her movements were fluid, graceful and demure. What every Roman man wanted in his woman. If only he could bring himself to accept how the gods had blessed him, instead of feeling cursed.
Love & Vengeance (Book 1) – http://amzn.to/1f1PV0m
Love & Reckoning (Book 2) – http://amzn.to/1zJkc9C
Oh, Gina another ancient Rome romance. Yummy!
This is bit from my new contemporary release Nobody’s Angel.
And she was in his arms. Lucy Flint was in his arms, again. It felt like heaven. Every curve of her pressed against him. She held him like she used to. One arm wrapped around his waist and one around his neck. As if she couldn’t get close enough to him. It was like she tried to melt into him.
http://www.amazon.com/Nobodys-Angel-Willow-Park-Romance/dp/1420137395/
You already know how much I enjoyed Nobody’s Angel!
Awesome. I’d like to share five lines from THE SIZE OF THE SCANDAL: http://www.amazon.com/The-Size-Scandal-Jillian-Chantal-ebook/dp/B00N99SI9E
With her left hand, Charlotte Greystone pushed on the door to the old hunting lodge on her father’s estate. In her right hand, she held a small basket with some fruit, bread and cheese inside. The door creaked and groaned as it moved. She shuddered as a chill ran down her spine. The chill had nothing to do with the fact that it was December 23 but had everything to do with being afraid of what might be waiting on the other side. The day was already easing toward dark since nightfall seemed to come closer to three p.m. the nearer it got to Christmas.
The hunting lodge hadn’t been put to use during this season as the repairs from the fire in the summer hadn’t been completed. The place hadn’t been gutted by the fire but the back part of the main room as well as the bedroom area had been damaged extensively.
What if some wild animal or even a vagrant had taken shelter inside?
Jillian Chantal
I’m so glad you stopped by and shared, Jillian! I’d love to know what Charlotte is doing at the hunting lodge.
I love your blog- just found you and am digging the snippets posted there. Thanks for letting us all share!
You are so welcome, Jillian.
This is the opening 5 sentences of my latest release A TOUCH OF PASSION. A best friend’s sister story.
“I’m surprised Lord Blackwood has graced us with his presence. It’s common knowledge he’s enamored with the French ballerina Juliette Panache. I doubt he’s in the market for another mistress.”
“With his appetites, he no doubt has a stable of mistresses.”
“True. I heard he once pleasured ten women in one night.”
Lady Portia Flagstaff moved closer to the group of courtesans salivating over Grayson Devlin, Viscount Blackwood, as if he were a succulent feast to be devoured. Many years of experience allowed her to damp down her jealousy. She could hardly blame any woman for lusting after Lord Blackwood. She counted herself, along with most of England’s females, among his panting throng.
Find buy links and reviews and excerpts on my website http://www.bronwenevans.com/the-disgraced-lords-series/a-touch-of-passion/
Ten women in one night? Oh my.
What a fun idea, Collette! Thanks for the opportunity to share my work. 🙂
This is from my upcoming release, “The Best of Both Rogues” – July 7th.
Benjamin Hillary—Ben to his family and friends; “that damned heartless rogue” to most of Society—tried the back gate leading to the Eldridges’ garden.
“Locked,” he muttered. Of course it was. He’d had nothing but bad luck since his return from Delhi almost a month earlier.
“Balderdash.” Crispin Locke, Viscount Margrave, shouldered him aside and grabbed the weathered iron handle. Gas lamps flanking the gate bathed the stone wall in a golden glow. “You have to put some brawn into it. These old gates stick.” Ben’s old schoolmate shot him a superior look before yanking with a loud grunt.
The eight-foot-high gate didn’t budge.
Readers can learn more about my Regency romances at http://samanthagraceauthor.com.
What a fabulous title and snippet, Samantha.
From my newest release: For The Love Of A Gypsy
As she watched him, there was a type of energy tingling along her skin, rushing through her blood as she took in the planes of his face—strong and bold. She was enthralled with the tiny cleft in his chin and she wanted to touch it, if only for a second. His broad mouth tightened as if he were in pain, then relaxed so quickly she thought she’d imagined it. If only she could reach out and soothe his brow without waking him. Martine shook her head. She mustn’t think of him. Soon he’d be gone and she’d be on her way to her wedding. And all of her wondering about the Irishman would be a memory.
Available on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00VG98NWQ
Aw, how sad.
From my current work in progress, Firstborn Daughter:
I was dragging the next morning, as if I hadn’t slept at all. The dream about a woman surrounded by animals was so real to me that I couldn’t stop thinking about it as I got ready for school. It was the day of the big game – the final game of the regular season. If we won tonight, we would go to the playoffs. If we lost … well, let’s just say there would be a lot of disappointed folks in Barnett County. I hoped we would lose so my life could get back to normal and James would start paying attention to me again.