Guest Post: Madeline Martin – Awkward Family Photos
Collette – thank you so much for having me here today.
Hi, everyone! For those of you who don’t know me, I’m Madeline Martin – author of Scottish set historical romance (Heating up the Highlands – I have to include it because it took ages to come up with that handy dandy little tagline).
I’ll be giving away a signed copy of Possession of a Highlander for one lucky commenter.
Today, I’m going to share a confession for a deep and true love of history…and some bad pics. And when I say bad pics, I mean like those Awkward Family Photo bad pics.
One of the most awesome things about being an Army brat as a kid was getting to live overseas and having experiences I might not otherwise. I lived for about 12 years total between Frankfurt, Wurzburg and Bad Kreuznach, Germany.
Not only was it an incredible experience of soft pretzels, wine before I was old enough to drink it (see where that love stems from, y’all?) and castles, castles, castles! Most of the places I lived had the ruins of a castle or some major ‘old thing’ nearby and visible on daily walks and every place had a church built hundreds of years before I’d even been born.
My parents really embraced our time in Germany, and for that I’m grateful. We traveled and spent a lot of time exploring ruins and touring museums. Through it all, I learned history was steeped in murder, deceit, debauchery and treachery. Seriously – what was NOT to love?
Now it may sound a bit morbid, but one of my favorite places to go was a torture museum in Rothenburg. At the time, there was a huge man-sized bird cage out front with a mannequin sitting in it looking all sad and wearing rags – how cool is that? Inside, there were real iron maidens, chastity belts and all sorts of awful things. My favorite was a metal mask painted with a comical woman’s face and a long curling tongue with a bell at the end – women accused of gossiping had to wear those.
Like I said, I know it sounds really morbid, but to an early teen who was having to spend time with her family instead of going to a skating rink (it WAS the 90’s, guys…) – the torture museum was pretty darn fascinating.
I was fortunate in my time in Europe to go travel to the incredible places, and at each new place I learned a little tidbit of information that whet my appetite to know more. I started reading historical fiction and became obsessed with stories about how Marie Antoinette lived and if Henry VIII really had that many wives and how they came to have married that crazy old man.
I think I’ve spent most of my life with history splashing my mind with color and wild stories – is it any wonder I write historical romance now?
Are you a history lover too? If so, what made you fall in love?
Possession of a Highlander
Love can be the greatest possession.
Brianna Lindsay’s grip on the inheritance that is rightly hers hangs by a thread. If the town finds out her father has died, Brianna will be forced into marriage with her loathsome cousin, Lord Robert, and will lose all of Edzell Castle and its lands. To protect her home, she’ll have to trust a complete stranger, a brooding Highland barbarian who sweeps into Edzell with a small retinue and insists on replacing her Captain of the Guard. He proves his worth by defeating her men and she has no choice but to accept his offer.
Though his motives are suspect, Colin MacKinnon has nobility in his blood and good intentions in coming to Edzell. He seeks his own kingdom, one to rival his father’s, and sets out to conquer Brianna in the best way he knows how―with seduction.
Brianna never thought of all the wealth she protects, the one thing she has left completely vulnerable is her heart. Colin never thought that of everything he stands to achieve, he might have to face the unexpected pain of loss. Together, they must navigate a treacherous world of spies and intrigue, of legacy and fidelity, of love and betrayal, to find what is truly worth possessing.
EXCERPT
Brianna turned toward him, a pink flush creeping across her bosom and blossoming in her cheeks and lips. God, she was beautiful.
Her firm breasts rose and fell with her quickened breath. He was not the only one who wanted to resume what had been left off the previous night.
She stood several steps away. Too far. He would see that issue remedied.
“I wanted to apologize to ye,” he said.
The small smile on her lips wavered. “Apologize?”
He took a step closer, making the conversation more intimate. “Aye, for last night.”
A slight crease appeared between her eyebrows. “You are apologizing for last night,” she repeated slowly. “Do you regret it?”
“Only if it caused ye unease, my lady. I dinna want ye to feel I took advantage of ye as yer cousin had attempted.” He took another step closer. “It wasna my intention.”
“You are nothing like Robert.” Brianna’s eyes flashed with conviction. “And you did not take advantage of me. If I remember correctly.” Her cheeks flushed further still to a deep red that matched her dress. “I kissed you.”
Another step. One more and she would be staring up at him, her warmth close enough to feel. Her perfume close enough to tease.
Colin’s pulse hammered. “Are ye apologizing for taking advantage of me?” he asked with a grin.
“Should I?”
“Ye could,” he said, closing the space between them with one final step. He traced the line of her jaw with his fingertip until he reached the delicate edge of her chin. Her head tipped back, her face turned up toward his, her eyes hooded.
He stared down at her generous mouth and his blood roared through his veins. He had no doubt she’d taste as sweet now as she had last night. “Or I could kiss ye and relieve ye of yer guilt.”
Her lips parted, and he knew she would not dissuade his affections.
In fact, he was counting on it.
About Madeline Martin
She loves cat videos and all things adorably fuzzy and loveable.
Social Media Links
Website: www.MadelineMartin.com
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/MadelineMartinAuthor
Twitter: @MadelineMMartin
Purchase Here
https://ganxy.com/i/102120/madeline-martin/possession-of-a-highlander
Be sure to enter to win a Kindle, Cover, and Eight Romance Novels or a $100 Gift Card!
Enter HERE
ANOTHER GIVEAWAY:
A Christmas Prize Package, a Gift Card, a MP Audio Player, or an Ipad Mini
Enter HERE
Yup I am a history lover I love everything associated with the past… traditions, clothes and most importantly the history it’s what makes us who we are
Me too!!! It really is the foundation of who we are – and it’s amazing how often history truly does repeat itself!!