The Rake and The Recluse: Part 4 Ruination

It's that time again! Jenn LeBlanc is back with Part 4 of her WICKed Blog Tour. I hope you've been enjoying learning all sorts of fun things to do in carriages and closet because I have. Today she tells us what makes her tick and why she's into men in tight pants. 
I also hope you've been following Jenn around and commenting on her blog tour because there is a Kindle Fire up for grabs! So, enough with the chit chat.

Jamie love!!! I am swooning from writing about James West TRAINS for Ramblings From This Chick’s guest post today. I believe I may have discovered where all my kink came from . I had no idea. My birthday is Sunday if anyone wants to get me THE WILD WILD WEST (TV show) on DVD feel free. I need to see it again. 

But, again, I digress, as I am wont to do.

So we have talked carriages and closets here, yes? Where else can we arrange for an illicit rendezvous?

So I am still starstruck by my googling of James West. Have you seen his pants? I’m just saying, Robert Conrad makes me swoon. uh...Robert Conrad as the original James West makes me swoon. Will Smith did not work as a replacment, he did not wear the super tight pants, he was no James West. Simple.

This got me thinking about how the shows I watched as a kid shaped who I am today, because a beautiful man in tight pants who loves cool gadgets and women? What else did I watch? Fantasy Island. Well that one is obvious as I love to make stuff up, and I’m a HUGE daydream believer.

I did not like Charlie’s Angels, so I guess that leaves out the lesbian suspense. (perfectly fine for someone else! Just not me) I never watched the evening soaps like Dallas and Dynasty.


What else. Wild Wild West, Fantasy Island, OH! Mork and Mindy. Loved Mork and Mindy, so I have a quirky sense of humor, which also comes from The Muppet Show. But what I really learned from the Muppet Show is 30 second story telling. Little snippets of a greater story. BOOM. You’re in you’re out it’s meaningful and wonderful. 

I really have gone off on a tangent here.

I suppose that’s to be expected when my brain has spent the week staring at pictures of pervy Perry. (pardon)

So tell me. What shows do you remember from YOUR childhood? What shaped the way you think about things? Up for grabs is the complete serial novel. If you already have it, I’ll send you some swag, and my swag is pretty awesome. Just sayin’.


Jenn

Where to find me: Twitter | Facebook | Author Site | Blog | Tumblr (NSFW)
And please come find me! I LOVE to chat with readers!


Blurb:

A woman out of time.

A man stifled by propriety.

A nemesis determined to take her away.

A brother to the rescue.

How will a powerful Duke deal with a woman who doesn't know her place? How will a woman used to the 21st century survive in time where she is considered property?

Francine Larrabee woke up on the wrong side of the century. She was fairly certain she went to sleep in her own comfy bed, but she doesn’t quite seem to be there now. Only adding to her problems is that she has no voice, is constantly being glowered at by a large, stunning man who is obsessed with propriety, and she is apparently betrothed to another horrid little man, determined to ruin her, and any other girls that get in his way.

How does she find herself in the past, when she couldn’t even find herself in her present? How does a self sufficient businesswoman survive in a time when women were still considered property for the whole of their lives and what is she going to do with this man who draws her to him so fiercely.


Where to get the books:

THE RAKE AND THE RECLUSE
FREEDOM : Part one brings Francine to the world of the Duke of Roxleigh, clashing worlds in first installment of the completely revised novel, with all new material.

Available now from these ebook retailers:

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

All Romance eBooks

FOUND : Part two finds Francine in the world of the Duke of Roxleigh. The clashing of worlds in first installment of the completely revised novel continues as Francine finds her footing, discovers secrets about her elusive host, and learns more about herself than she ever thought possible.  

Available now from these ebook retailers:

Amazon

Barnes and Noble

All Romance eBooks

TAKEN : The Rake And The Recluse : Part Three

Part THREE brings Francine and Gideon closer than they ever imagined possible, until the unimaginable tears them apart. What will Gideon do if he loses her, this time, forever?

Available now from these ebook retailers:

Amazon

Barnes and Noble

All Romance eBooks

RUINATION : The Rake And The Recluse : Part Four

Part FOUR is full of revelations, celebrations, protestations and one surprise that will have you holding your breath for the final chapters. What has Perry done?

AMAZON
ALL ROMANCE EBOOKS
GOODREADS

Coming January 31, 2012

SUBMISSION : The Rake And The Recluse : Part Five

Perry leaves Roxleigh House without a backward glance only to be tossed headlong into one of the most difficult trials of his life. How will he protect the very thing he is dedicated to pursuing? How will a man dedicated to the pursuit of pleasure survive a woman who refuses to relent, when he knows he cannot have her.

Coming February 14, 2012

RETRIBUTION : The Rake And The Recluse : Part Six

Perry must find the woman who has managed to capture his heart, then he must find a way to keep her. Someone else is on the hunt, someone from her past who doesn’t appreciate that she still lives and breaths.

Coming February 28, 2012

NOW it’s your turn, remember to answer the question to be entered to win the full six-part serial novel as it is released, and thank you for stopping by. You will ALSO be entered in the grand prize #WICKEDblog tour, which will be given away on March 1, 2012. Don”t forget to include your email address in your comment or you can’t be entered into the grand prize drawing.

Rules can be found HERE. A full list of all the posts in the tour can be found HERE.

Giveaway will run until Thursday the 2nd at midnight and I will post the winner on Friday!

Winner: Melissa Schroeder's Callum

Winner! We have a winner for an e-copy of Melissa Schroeder's CALLUM

I used random.org to pick the winner and that winner is:

Lolarific

Yay! Congrats! Please email me at fortheloveofromance @ gmail . com


Thank you so much everyone for commenting!

Winner of Part 3 of The Wicked Blog Tour

We have a winner for Jenn LeBlanc's The Rake and The Recluse complete serial novel... yep, all 6 parts!

I used random.org to pick the winner and that winner is:

Yay! Congrats Stacie! Check your email for a maessage from me at fortheloveofromance @ gmail . com


Stay tuned for the rest of Jenn's blog tour and 3 more chances to win a copy! Part 4 will be coming soon!

Stacie D

Melissa Schroeder Guest Post and Giveaway

So, I'm really excited about this. I am a HUGE fan of Melissa Schroeder's Harmless series and today she's here to talk about her new paranormal series. So lets give a nice warm welcome to Melissa!

First, I want to thank Jamie for allowing me to pop in here and talk about my newest release!

If you don’t know me my name is Melissa Schroeder and I write in time periods from historical to futuristic and heat levels from sensual to erotic. I am a military wife who is being forced to live in another bug place, but I only have 2 years left! Wahoo, lol.

My newest book coming out this month is The Cursed Clan: Callum. It is the first of a five book paranormal series. The first book is a bit of a discovery for the reader and the heroine, Dr. Phoebe Chilton, and with each book, the magic and mystery will grow. There are five cousins, Callum, Angus, Logan, Fletcher and Anice, who will each have their own book as they race to break the curse. If you know me from my bestselling erotic Harmless series, I will warn you that these books are a bit different than those. They are of course paranormal and not quite as erotic, but I promise they are highly sensual. I really loved Callum and Phoebe and I hope that readers do too.

Meet me around the web:

WEBSITE

TWITTER

FACEBOOK FAN PAGE

THE CURSED CLAN SITE

HARMLESS ADDICTS

Here is a little tidbit from the book.

Preorder from Are.

As Laird, Callum Lennon feels he has always failed to protect his cousins. Callum’s impulsiveness caused the death of his father and the experience has scarred not only his body, but his soul. From that point on, he made sure to always go with the more logical choice in every matter. When his younger cousin Angus finds clues that might help break the curse, Callum begrudgingly hires Phoebe Chilton to investigate. Callum doesn’t like bringing outsiders into their family affairs. Their life would become fodder for the tabloids if anyone were to find out about the curse. It doesn’t help that the instant he meets Dr. Chilton he’s attracted. But, he doesn’t really have a choice because she might be their last hope. 
An expert in archeology, Phoebe has always been dwarfed by her parents’ shadow. Their high standards had her in college by thirteen and earning a second PhD by twenty-two. But her career and her broken marriage have left her needing something more than just diplomas and degrees. She wants to prove that her interest in legends, especially Celtic legends, is as important as her parents’ work. When the Lennon family contacts her, she sees the opportunity to win a massive research grant. With a long-time rival breathing down her back, she jumps at the Lennons’ offer her, hoping it will ensure her the grant. But uncovering the Lennon family secrets, and her attraction to Callum, could prove more than she can handle. 

Forces outside the family are determined to ensure that they fail. When an old enemy threatens both the well being of the clan and the fragile new love, Callum will have to choose between believing his mind or his heart.

“I protect what is mine. I’ll not allow you to use Angus.”

She moved away from the counter, her body tense with anger. “I have never used another person, especially in that way. You’ve convinced yourself that I decided to somehow use my considerable wiles on your cousin to somehow gain who knows what.”

When she said it like that, he felt juvenile and petty.

“Don’t worry,  Mr. Lennon. I’ll avoid your cousins from now on.”

Which is what he wanted, but at the same time he felt like the lowest form of scum even if it was the best choice. The diary could hold their secrets, and the less she connected to them, the better. They just needed it translated, and for her to leave. As soon as that happened, he would be free of this affliction, he was sure.

“I’ll do my work and take my meals in my room.”

He heard the hurt in her voice. His need to banish Phoebe was as unexplainable as the need to ease her pain. She attempted to brush past him, but he stepped in front of her, blocking her one exit.

“I didn’t say you needed to avoid my cousins.” It was what he wanted, needed, but here he was contradicting his own thoughts, again.

When she looked at him, there was no humor in her gaze, no studied interest as he’d seen before. Now, all he saw was loneliness and he ached.

“No. I’ll finish my task and leave. I know you must have a very good reason, although I can’t understand what it could be. I will respect your wishes.”

Again, she tried to move past him, but he refused to budge. That same fresh scent of her reached his senses, seducing him.  Even as he was reaching for her, his mind was screaming  stop. He ignored it, and every other protective instinct. The only thing roaring through his head was to take, to claim.

“It isna my family that has me worried, lass.” The moment he wrapped his hand around her upper arm, her head shot up, surprise lighting her eyes her mouth falling open in surprise. “It seems being around you is no’ good for my peace of mind.”

He jerked her against him. She gasped, the sound filled with both fear and excitement. Arousal spiked and his body craved—demanded—more intimate contact. Knowing it was wrong, even knowing it was dangerous, he bent his head and took possession of her luscious mouth.


Woo! Is anyone else excited about Callum? I sure am! Melissa is giving away one e-copy of Callum (opened internationally) to one lucky commenter. So tell me... Are you a fan of Melissa's books? Are you excited for a new paranormal series? Does the thought of a family curse intrigue you? Don't forget to leave your email address (ninja style of course) when you comment. You have until Sunday to leave a comment and I'll announce a winner on Monday the 23. 

The Rake and The Recluse: Part 3

She's back! Jenn Leblanc is here with another fabulous post to celebrate the release of TRATR Part 3. Now, have we all recovered from getting it on in Victorican carriages because this week it's all about getting it on in closets. Well, lets get down to business.

Jamie!! It has been a whole two weeks and I’ve missed you SO! Where were we? AH, we talked sex, more specifically we talked about sex in carriages. That was pretty special. I loved the comments, choosing positions, offering others...if you didn’t read it you should check it out!

OK, so today we will talk about closets. There are all types of closets in Victorian England. Those that hold clothes, those that hold linens, those that hold weapons, those that hold...water.

Well. Closets by nature are cramped, so when selecting a closet for your...activities be sure to consider the environment. I wouldn’t recommend a weapon closet for example, you might get injured. On that note, the water closet is probably an equally unfortunate choice. They weren’t nearly as cozy as they are today.

The wardrobe is very small in general, and with all the clothing hanging it would be quite cramped. I suppose in a pinch it would do, but it wouldn’t be my first choice by any means, not to mention the rumpling of all the clean clothes. The ladies maids and valets would be put out. Never put out a servant because they can make your life miserable in the most subtle of ways.

So there’s the linen closet, now this could get interesting because there is quite a bit of shelving in a linen closet, I would hope you chose a larger household in which to cavort, set your sights high! The linen closet of a larger household will, of course, be larger. The shelves will make for great handhold depending on how creative and acrobatic you tend to be, and the linens (not ALL of them mind you, remember the servants!) will come in handy for creating a bit of a makeshift bed.

I think we have a winner.

So to recap, we have the Town Carriage, with position number 5 (on the floor, seated against the VERY secure door), and the linen closet.

There are a great range of positions in the linen closet, I’m sure you’re imagination will carry you away, all those shelves and broad shoulders and...acrobatics.

Have I forgotten a closet? What do you think, is the linen closet the right choice for this particular jaunt?

Remember the tour is to celebrate the release of TRATR REDUX so here are the deets!

Where to find me: Twitter | Facebook | Author Site | Blog | Tumblr (NSFW)
And please come find me! I LOVE to chat with readers!

Blurb:

A woman out of time.

A man stifled by propriety.

A nemesis determined to take her away.

A brother to the rescue.

How will a powerful Duke deal with a woman who doesn't know her place? How will a woman used to the 21st century survive in time where she is considered property?

Francine Larrabee woke up on the wrong side of the century. She was fairly certain she went to sleep in her own comfy bed, but she doesn’t quite seem to be there now. Only adding to her problems is that she has no voice, is constantly being glowered at by a large, stunning man who is obsessed with propriety, and she is apparently betrothed to another horrid little man, determined to ruin her, and any other girls that get in his way.

How does she find herself in the past, when she couldn’t even find herself in her present? How does a self sufficient businesswoman survive in a time when women were still considered property for the whole of their lives and what is she going to do with this man who draws her to him so fiercely.

Where to get the books:

THE RAKE AND THE RECLUSE

FREEDOM : Part one brings Francine to the world of the Duke of Roxleigh, clashing worlds in first installment of the completely revised novel, with all new material.

Available now from these ebook retailers:

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

All Romance eBooks

FOUND : Part two finds Francine in the world of the Duke of Roxleigh. The clashing of worlds in first installment of the completely revised novel continues as Francine finds her footing, discovers secrets about her elusive host, and learns more about herself than she ever thought possible.  

Available now from these ebook retailers:

Amazon

Barnes and Noble

All Romance eBooks

TAKEN : The Rake And The Recluse : Part Three

Part THREE brings Francine and Gideon closer than they ever imagined possible, until the unimaginable tears them apart. What will Gideon do if he loses her, this time, forever?

Available now from these ebook retailers:

    Amazon

Barnes and Noble

All Romance eBooks

RUINATION : The Rake And The Recluse : Part Four

Part FOUR is full of revelations, celebrations, protestations and one surprise that will have you holding your breath for the final chapters. What has Perry done?

Coming January 31, 2012

SUBMISSION : The Rake And The Recluse : Part Five

Perry leaves Roxleigh House without a backward glance only to be tossed headlong into one of the most difficult trials of his life. How will he protect the very thing he is dedicated to pursuing? How will a man dedicated to the pursuit of pleasure survive a woman who refuses to relent, when he knows he cannot have her.

Coming February 14, 2012

RETRIBUTION : The Rake And The Recluse : Part Six

Perry must find the woman who has managed to capture his heart, then he must find a way to keep her. Someone else is on the hunt, someone from her past who doesn’t appreciate that she still lives and breaths.

Coming February 28, 2012

NOW it’s your turn, remember to answer the question! And thank you for stopping by, one lucky commenter will win a full copy of the six-part serial novel as it is released. You will ALSO be entered in the grand prize #WICKEDblog tour, which will be given away on March 1, 2012. Do not forget to include your email address in your comment or you can’t be entered into the grand prize drawing.

Rules can be found HERE. A full list of all the posts in the tour can be found HERE.

Well, there you have it. The linen closet seems like the perfect choice but I will say that I have a very large closet in my bedroom. So do you agree? You have until Friday for a chance to win a copy of TRATR.  

Winner! Wicked Blog Tour Part 2

We have a winner for Jenn LeBlanc's The Rake and The Recluse complete serial novel... yep, all 6 parts!

I used random.org to pick the winner and that winner is:

Daydrmzzz

Yay! Congrats Emily! Please email me at fortheloveofromance @ gmail . com


Stay tuned for the rest of Jenn's blog tour! Part 3 will be coming soon!

The Rake and The Recluse Wicked Blog Tour: Part 2

Jenn Leblanc is back! And this time she is giving us some interesting facts of what you can do if you find your self in a carriage with rake. So I won't blabber on.

WELCOME! To the WICKED blog tour. This tour is to celebrate the release of THE RAKE AND THE RECLUSE (TRATR) as a fully illustrated, re-edited, six part serial novel. Not only does it have new scenes but it will include Perry’s story, the never before released end to TRATR.


Jamie thank you SO MUCH for hosting me here, for the release of FOUND : THE RAKE AND THE RECLUSE : Part Two. I can’t even begin to tell you how excited I am about this book, and sharing it with all of my readers.

A woman out of time.

A man stifled by propriety.

A nemesis determined to take her away.

A brother to the rescue.

How will a powerful Duke deal with a woman who doesn't know her place? How will a woman used to the 21st century survive in time where she is considered property?

THE RAKE AND THE RECLUSE Part two finds Francine in the world of the Duke of Roxleigh. The clashing of worlds in first installment of the completely revised novel continues as Francine finds her footing, discovers secrets about her elusive host, and learns more about herself than she ever thought possible.  

Francine Larrabee woke up on the wrong side of the century. She was fairly certain she went to sleep in her own comfy bed, but she doesn’t quite seem to be there now. Only adding to her problems is that she has no voice, is constantly being glowered at by a large, stunning man who is obsessed with propriety, and she is apparently betrothed to another horrid little man, determined to ruin her, and any other girls that get in his way.

How does she find herself in the past, when she couldn’t even find herself in her present? How does a self sufficient businesswoman survive in a time when women were still considered property for the whole of their lives and what is she going to do with this man who draws her to him so fiercely.

    Jenn is a novelist and photographer born, raised and living in the lee of the great Rocky Mountains. Her illustrated Novel THE RAKE AND THE RECLUSE was originally released in February of 2011 to rave reviews and snarky comments. She recently revised the entire novel, turning it into a six-part serial with all new material and the never before released story of Perry, The Rake.

So...Jamie Lynn, Katipants of Romancing Rakes, Rita of Not Another Romance Blog and Dani of Ramblings From This Chick are hosting some very special blog posts on my release days during the tour.

Jamie Lynn is all about the stuff
Kati is all about the people
Rita is hosting interviews with other Victorian authors
and Dani is all about the places.

So, without further ado: 5 ways to do it in a Victorian Conveyance.

Look, I know just about every author has a carriage sex scene, Miss Delilah Marvelle has one with a one legged heroine on the floor of the carriage. Oh yes she does. (Be sure to check out her interview on Rita’s blog today.)

Here’s the thing about carriage sexy time. Carriages are small. Really small. They aren’t exactly comfortable and the benches are rather narrow, but if you get creative...

The Barouche is like the limousine of carriages. It  was large, wide and had a half top that could be raised to cover some of the passengers. That made them very popular for the summer.

The Town Coach is the full fledged all enclosed carriage you see emblazoned with coat of arms on the doors. Some town coaches have convertible tops, but if you are planning on sexy time, I really recommend keeping the top on, you might shock John Coachman’s delicate sensibilities *snort*.  

The landau was a fully convertible carriage and the Phaeton was a two seat sporting carriage, it had four wheel and a very high seat, they were a bit unstable and favored by the more rakish in the ton.
The sides were open, leaving a gentleman’s trousers, or ladies skirts to become muddled.  

Like the Phaeton the curricle was favored by the more sporting gentlemen, it only had two wheels and a mostly open top and was pulled by a matched set. Later it was replaced by the cabriolet, which could be pulled by one horse, similar to the gig, which was a one horse, two wheeled carriage popular with the lower classes.
In the two wheeled Hansom cab, the driver sits up behind the box, while the occupants ride in rather secure safety from the elements. It is enclosed, but rather small.

First choose your conveyance well, Phaetons are open to the elements and the eyes of passers by as are curricles and Barouches. Landaus can be enclosed, but are rather more small, so I would recommend the full Town Carriage for your jaunt.

Next choose your partner well, he needs to be athletic, a well sprung carriage is still not a very smooth ride, particularly after a heavy rain or in the winter. It would be terribly inconvenient to be tossed from his lap during the...uh...while, well. Incidentally, it’s cold in winter. Carriages may be equipped with hot boxes, coals or bricks for warming, but it is still warm. Do your cavorting in the summer.

On to the carriage. Or in to the carriage, as it were, or may be.

1. Seated. This might be the most popular, obvious or simple way to cavort in a horse drawn conveyance. He sits on the bench, most likely facing forward to retain his bearings and she kneels over his lap, skirts drawn up, knees on the bench. There may be hand holds to grip, which will help her to stay...mounted...and he can brace his feet against the opposite seat, while his hands keep her, where she needs to be.

2. Reverse seated. In this position he is in much the same place but she is turned ‘round. She may brace her hands on the seat opposite, while he holds her hips steady, as it were.

3. Sideways. In this position he is perched precariously lengthwise on one of the benches, one of his cheeks may not make the bench as she will need a little space for one knee, or foot, between him and the squabs. He will need to brace himself with the other leg, and most likely, unless he is rather short of stature, his other leg will be drawn up on the seat. This one can be quite dangerous for the lady, as the carriage rocks. Hopefully there will be hand holds on the interior sides of the carriage by the doors so she has something stable to grip, as he won’t necessarily be so.

4. On the floor. Version one. Prone. Possibly the safest of all. He simply lies, his knees bent, her straddling him, on the floor between the benches. she can steady herself with the easy to reach benches on either side of her. Depending on the breadth of the carriage. Most would be easy to reach.

5. On the floor sitting. In this version he puts his back against the door (making quite sure the door is secure) in a sitting position and she straddles him. she can grab the window’s edge behind his head for balance, and he will have free use of his arms to roam. Again, I cannot stress enough how important a well secured dorr latch is in this position, or you will be victim to a tumble of a different sort.

As you can see in carriage there are a few ways you can go about your business, you merely need to choose your conveyance, and your partner well. Keep in mind that, unless you truly are flexible, or truly small, the man on top positions are really out of the realm of possibility. Though if she were to sit on the bench and he were to kneel before her, there is an entirely different sort of carousing available to the couple.

What do you think? What other positions are attainable in a carriage? Is there one I’ve missed?

Comment here to be entered to win the FULL SIX PART SERIAL NOVEL AS IT IS RELEASED. Be sure to answer the question and include your email ninja-style. You will also be entered to win the grand prize at the end of the competition (restrictions apply: full rules can be found here)


TRATR redux can be found here:

Part ONE:

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

All Romance eBooks


Part TWO:

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

All Romance eBooks


Well, thank you Jenn. That was very informative! Now, I think I need to test this information so I'm off to find a carriage. But before I go don't forget to leave a comment like Jenn said. I'll pick a winner on Friday, I should be back from testing out Jenn's information.