The Perfect Concubine giveaway by Michelle Styles

 Harlequin Historical Undone is the shorter ebook exclusive line of Harlequin Historical. Every month, two 15,000 novellas are released. They are short and sensual and meant to be read over a lunchtime or an evening.  This month it happens to be my turn and debut author Elaine Golden's turn.

Elaine's is a knock out regency Undone. An Imprudent Lady is the start of her trilogy. Be sure to look for the second one next month.

My offering -- The Perfect Concubine -- allowed me the chance to revisit the world I created in Sold & Seduced. For a long time, I'd promised myself that I would revisit the world and then when the Undone line started, I thought it would be the perfect opportunity. However, I first had to conquer my fear of writing short. Luckily, my editor was very patient and I am proud of the result.

And because people do wonder. Some of the Undones do go into print anthologies but not all.  Neither Elaine nor I can guarantee that these particular Undones will go into print, so we both recommend reading them as ebooks.

The blurb for The Perfect Concubine reads: Rome, 68 B.C.

Valeria's life is in the hands of Piso the Greek—the very man who had risen from a common sailor to wealthy ship owner following their doomed romance. He is the only man brave enough to sail the dangerous seas to Alexandria to reunite Valeria with her missing brother and restore her family's fortune. But Piso demands a high price for his help: Valeria must become his concubine and share his bed once more....

To be put in the drawing for a free download of The Perfect Concubine from eharlequin:  email me at contest@michellestyles.co.uk with the answer to the following question -- What is the name of the hero and heroine of The Perfect Concubine before  25 February. Void where prohibited.

To learn more about my books, please visit www.michellestyles.co.uk  Note: there are details about a giveaway for my latest Mills & Boon full length novel  there  -- Breaking the Governess's Rules

Polo - Game of Princes, Warriors and...?

This beautiful wall painting shows Tang Dynasty courtiers playing polo in 706 AD. It was found on the walls of a prince's tomb, which is a bit gloomy, but the players look so alive! To read a brief blog to see who else played polo and the beginnings of related research and ideas for my current WIP (set in medieval Byzantium) visit Harlequin Historical Authors' Blog

Carol's latest novel, Bound to the Barbarian - the first in a mini-series set in Medieval Byzantium is released this month in the UK.

Here is the Cover Blurb:

Palace Brides - Byzantine Beauties, Claimed by Warriors


Out of her depth and into his arms…

Sold into slavery, maidservant Katerina promised one day to repay the Princess who rescued her. Now that time has come, and Katerina must convince commanding warrior Ashfirth Saxon that she is her royal mistress.

Spending balmy days and long sultry nights with this man make Katerina’s task increasingly impossible. How long will she be able to keep up her deception? And how long before she finds herself willingly bedded by this proud barbarian?

Scandalous Regency Nights is a great anthology

Wow, five great stories all in one place. This is a smokin' hot anthology. I'm so glad to be a part of it.

Snow and Carriages by Diane Gaston

We've been having an unusually cold winter in Northern Virginia this year with temperatures below freezing way too many days. Yesterday morning we woke up to layers of ice over everything. At least it was not the 30 inches of snow we suffered last year. And at least I didn't have to drive in it.

Of course, to be traveling in snow in a carriage the early 1800s would be even more difficult. Here's a passage from Dickens' Bleak House that should give us an idea of carriage travel in a snowy winter in England:

It had set in snowing at daybreak, and it now snowed hard. The air was so thick with the darkness of the day and the density of the fall, that we could see but a very little way in any direction. Although it was extremely cold, the snow was but partially frozen, and it churned—with a sound as if it were a beach of small shells—under the hoofs of the horses, into mire and water. They sometimes slipped and floundered for a mile together, and we were obliged to come to a standstill to rest them. One horse fell three times in this first stage, and trembled so, and was so shaken, that the driver had to dismount from his saddle and lead him at last.

Do you have any nightmare winter travel stories? It once took me hours to get home from work, a distance of about 5 miles. Every route I attempted had cars sliding around. Finally, one ramp was clear and I put my little Honda Civic in gear and wasn't stopping for anything!

Congratulations to our Grand Prize Winner of a Kindle 3G and an assortment of Harlequin Historical ebooks......

JEANNE M!!!!

Watch your mailbox, Jeanne. You are about to receive a Kindle!

More thanks to all our entrants for making this contest so much fun.

Happy Holidays!

Merry Christmas!

The Harlequin Historical Authors

Harlequin Historical Holiday Contest Winners FINAL

Here are our Winners!

Dec 1 Jean P from Ohio
Dec 2 Beverly from Solihull
Dec 3 Sara M
Dec 4 June
Dec 5 Carlie A, Virginia C and Hilly
Dec 6 Marci from Massachusetts
Dec 7 Elaine from Florida
Dec 8 Sheree from California
Dec 9 Emma from Pennsylvania
Dec 10 Katherine from Ontario
Dec 11 Kohsamui and Janice
Dec 12 Linda from Missouri
Dec 13 Peter from Maryland
Dec 14 Deb H, May C
Dec 15 Alisha W
Dec 16 Cassandra
Dec 17 Kathryn (gift card); Sarah (book); Rita (chocolate)
Dec 18 Virginia from Virginia :-)
Dec 19 Julie S
Dec 20 Samantha
Dec 21 Sheila
Dec 22 Joan from New Jersey
Dec 23 Grand Prize - Jeanne from Rhode Island

Thanks to all entrants for making this so much fun!

Harlequin Historical Advent Day 22 --Denise Lynn

And Denise Lynn http://denise-lynn.blogspot.com/ is the final author to take part. Answer her simple question to win $10 Amazon certificate. All entries will be put in for the grand prize draw on the 23rd for the kindle 3-g.

A Thoroughly Compromised Lady wins 4 stars

I am so excited! Romantic Times gives Jack and Dulci's story 4 stars and a "Both passionate and suspenseful this novel is a treat..." I loved doing this story and I am so excited to see it off to a great start! Merry Christmas to me. What a great present.

Bronwyn

Harlequin Historical Advent Day 21 -- Ann Lethbridge

Day 21 is Ann Lethbridge (http://www.annlethbridge.com/) and all you have to do is to like her facebook page  by midnight for a chance to win one of her books. ALl entries go forward for the grand prize draw on 23 December.

A Thoroughly Compromised Lady cover is here!

Jack and Dulci's North American cover is here! It's lovely and I can hardly wait for their book to be out in the US. This has been one of my all time favorite stories so far. The story combines some foreign policy plot so the reader is bound to learn something new! Most of us don't know much about the land feud in South America between Spain and the British, but Jack and Dulci are in the thick of it with a fraudelent map. And there's plenty of sensuality and steamy sex scenes. The best of both worlds. It's my kind of story, the kind of book I want to pick up and read when I'm out looking for a good book. And oh yes, I'd show off the cover but I can't get the images option to access, so I'll pass on that for now and try again later.
Bronwyn

Harlequin Historical Holiday Contest Winners Update

Here are the Daily Winners of the Harlequin Historical Holiday contest thus far!

Dec 1 Jean P from Ohio
Dec 2 Beverly from Solihull
Dec 3 Sara M
Dec 4 (to be announced Dec 23)
Dec 5 Carlie A, Virginia C and Hilly
Dec 6 (to be announced Dec 23)
Dec 7 (to be announced Dec 23)
Dec 8
Dec 9 Emma from Pennsylvania
Dec 10 Katherine from Ontario
Dec 11 Kohsamui
Dec 12 Linda from Missouri
Dec 13 Peter from Maryland
Dec 14 Deb H, May C
Dec 15 Alisha W
Dec 16 Cassandra
Dec 17 Kathryn (gift card); Sarah (book); Rita (chocolate)
Dec 18 Virginia from Virginia :-)
Dec 19
Dec 20
Dec 21
Dec 22
Dec 23 Grand Prize

Check back here for updates.
And don't forget to keep entering the contest!

Halrequin Historical Advent Day 20 -- Michelle Styles

Michelle Styles's turn http://www.michellestyles.co.uk/ Go to her website answer a simple question (What book is Diana Clare reading at the start of A Question of Impropriety -- hint read the excerpt) and you will be put in the draw for A Taste of Northumberland includes signed books, a teatowel, a box of shortbread...
Everyone who enters goes forward for the Kindle 3-g draw to be held on 23 December.