tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-59875019835002339912024-02-20T04:04:48.218-08:00Arabella's Blog and Chit-ChatArabella Sheenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01654234697763753248noreply@blogger.comBlogger296125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5987501983500233991.post-26557966133308301672024-01-03T00:00:00.000-08:002024-01-03T00:00:00.256-08:00Forbidden Stowaway - Arabella Sheen - EXCERPT 2<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsiH-DCDEfqNFLUR0ln8-yIZ5h8Za9tKfOsNNYDFWaaEMlwFGbwC9VtugfxBTGLBdleSTj1wxAd8uDGm18gQFq9UYPRLGvdD32awgXW0xMiGlv9p_54w5RE21JPXOh9zXOT1molbYIXIJon1NKzS9fm0WmWmQMMWDOKLskJrsbV8U1NFbVmb2PjKcGdbQ1/s2278/Forbidden%20Stowaway%20-%205.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2278" data-original-width="1718" height="282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsiH-DCDEfqNFLUR0ln8-yIZ5h8Za9tKfOsNNYDFWaaEMlwFGbwC9VtugfxBTGLBdleSTj1wxAd8uDGm18gQFq9UYPRLGvdD32awgXW0xMiGlv9p_54w5RE21JPXOh9zXOT1molbYIXIJon1NKzS9fm0WmWmQMMWDOKLskJrsbV8U1NFbVmb2PjKcGdbQ1/w212-h282/Forbidden%20Stowaway%20-%205.png" width="212" /></a></div><h3><br /></h3><h3>Chapter One - Excerpt 2</h3><p>Olivia was taken to the back of the tavern, where the landlady
pulled aside a dark velvet curtain to reveal a room clouded in thick
smoke. Men were sitting around a table, and by the pile of coins
stacked high in the center, it looked like a game of cards had been in
full swing for some time.</p><p>A dark-haired man, strikingly handsome in countenance, with
broad shoulders and a broad chest, with supreme confidence in his
actions, laid down his cards and leaned across the table. With the
arrogant assurance of a winner, he spread his arms wide, and then
giving a loud laugh of satisfaction, he gathered the mountain of coins
into a heap, pulling them toward him. </p><p>“Thank you, gentlemen. It was my pleasure,” he said.</p><p>The man was indeed Luke Crowe.</p><p>Even though it had been ten years or more since Olivia had last
met Luke at Chamber Manor, her family’s home in Devon, she would
have recognized him anywhere. He was decidedly older, but just as
good-looking, if not more so. A sudden rush of heat surged through
her. His dark chestnut-brown hair was tied back from his face with a
black ribbon, and a smattering of grey tufts showed amid his dark
tresses, but unlike before, Luke was dressed not in a seafaring
uniform, but elegantly in a suit made from a rich, finely woven cloth.
Matured, sun-kissed and weathered, he still held a mysterious
fascination for her.</p><p>Luke raised his eyes from the table and their gazes locked. For a
brief moment, a frown of puzzlement marred his brow, and then, with
slow deliberation, his hand lifted the thin cheroot he was holding
between his fingers to his lips and he inhaled deeply. After exhaling a
long, threadlike cloud of tobacco smoke into the air, he stood and
bowed low.</p><p>“Gentlemen, there’s a lady in our midst,” he said in a deep,
commanding voice. </p><p>Olivia felt deflated. He hadn’t recognized her.</p><p>She had thought he might have remembered her from when she
was a child, but he obviously couldn’t recall who she was.</p><p>A scraping of chairs on the hardwood of the bare tavern floor
could be heard, and the men seated at the card table hurriedly got to
their feet to acknowledge her presence.</p><p>They were all dressed in the height of fashion.</p><p>Wearing fine linen shirts with high pointed collars reaching to
just beneath their chins, and kitted out in fancy tailored waistcoats
embroidered with fine gold threads, it was apparent that these
gentlemen were not of the same social standing as the occupants
toward the front of the tavern. But that didn’t mean they had
absolutely nothing in common with their fellow patrons. It was clear
these men were also inebriated to the point of near senselessness.
Most of them were well into their cups and were standing unsteady on
their feet.</p><p>“A lady friend of yours, is she, Crowe? And a mighty pretty one
at that.” </p><p>The man who had spoken lifted a glass to his lips. Tilting his
head back, he drained the dregs from his goblet. Tottering, he
staggered, falling backward onto his chair, and as his head and torso
tumbled forward onto the table, the loud snorts and grunts that
followed were an unmistakable indication of his level of
unconsciousness.</p><p>“You must excuse Lord Hepworth, my dear,” Luke said. “The
sight of a beautiful woman tends to have that effect upon him.”</p><p>Olivia caught her breath at the innuendo behind the backhanded
compliment. She was not flattered. </p><p>“Captain Crowe, my concern is not for Lord Hepworth and his
reaction to the female form. My business happens to be with you, sir.
Is there somewhere private where we may speak? I have something I
must ask and would feel more at ease if we were alone.” </p><p>Luke gave an indifferent shrug, and she began to wonder if he,
too, had overindulged in the carafe of wine that was close to his hand.
Was he sober enough to hear her out?</p><p>“As you can see, there is nowhere private in this place. We are
as private as we’re likely to be. Which is perhaps a good thing. I
would not wish your reputation to be sullied.”</p><p>“Sir, I care not for my reputation. I must speak with you
about―”</p><p>“Madam, you might not care for your reputation, but I certainly
have mine to think of. All too often I’ve been caught off guard, and
never again will I trust a woman.” </p><p>Several men burst into laughter, but even though she knew it
was partially the drink talking, she had difficulty seeing the humor in
Luke’s remark. Was his glib insult directed at her, or was there
something else behind his harsh words?</p><p>Tilting her chin upward, she said, “Please forgive me for
wasting your time, Captain. I am at fault. I had thought you could
help, but it’s apparent that tonight I’ve made a needless journey. Good
night, sir.”</p><p>Pulling her cloak securely around her, Olivia turned and left the
room. She was defeated. She had braved the perils of the sailors’
watering hole and had pinned all her hopes on persuading Luke to
help her, and it had been to no avail. </p><p>Making her way back through the crowded tavern, she emerged
into the chill of the November night and filled her lungs with clean,
sea-scented air. She felt dirty and soiled and crushed. Her encounter
with Luke had left her feeling defeated. He was obviously not the
gentleman she remembered him to be.</p><p>The fog had cleared. Walking to the edge of the quayside, she
looked down and saw the bright shadow of the moon reflected as its
yellow light rippled across the dark waters of the harbor. Somewhere
without family, and lost on the other side of the ocean, was her
brother, Joseph.</p><p>She had hoped to help him, but tonight she had failed.</p><p>Returning to where the carriage was stationed, she looked up at
the coachman. He sat with reins in hand, awaiting instructions.</p><p>“You may take me home, Barnet. Unfortunately, Captain Crowe
is not the man I remembered him to be. He cannot help us.” And with
a heavy heart, Olivia made her way home, trying to think of other
ways in which she might help her brother. </p><p><br /></p><h2 style="text-align: left;">Buy Links: </h2><div><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0BZQWQNNM/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=forbidden+stowaway+arabella+sheen&qid=1679963096&s=digital-text&sr=1-1">AMAZON UK</a></div><p><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BZQWQNNM/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=forbidden+stowaway+arabella+sheen&qid=1679963096&s=digital-text&sr=1-1">AMAZON US</a></p><p><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1369865?ref=draft2digital">SMASHWORDS</a></p><p><a href="https://books2read.com/u/38VzVd">OTHER RETAILERS</a></p><p><br /></p><h4>EVERNIGHT PUBLISHING ® www.evernightpublishing.com <br />Copyright© 2023 Arabella Sheen ISBN: 978-0-3695-0785-3 <br />Cover Artist: Jay Aheer Editor: Jessica Ruth <br />ALL RIGHTS RESERVED WARNING: The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. No part of this book may be used or re-produced electronically or in print without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in reviews. This is a work of fiction. All names, characters, and places are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.</h4><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdaoz-9TrHrR19e95boSPlTZuYtmEKSUFbj1p0vB8HTDagR2ZBuTMkZKEmoWSOqDrIhIrsvK6CEcVzErlBM4SC073FaBdmYZWc0aW0GHPHR0g2_j50_lIPI4wm1Cj5TUEFnBArgoK3w9vaQm0SoVsljtgsh4ma1DEg0tJO9pvdfcAe5STUThSpjNDUdd0h/s851/Forbidden%20Stowaway%20-%20Banner%20%206.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="851" height="159" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdaoz-9TrHrR19e95boSPlTZuYtmEKSUFbj1p0vB8HTDagR2ZBuTMkZKEmoWSOqDrIhIrsvK6CEcVzErlBM4SC073FaBdmYZWc0aW0GHPHR0g2_j50_lIPI4wm1Cj5TUEFnBArgoK3w9vaQm0SoVsljtgsh4ma1DEg0tJO9pvdfcAe5STUThSpjNDUdd0h/w423-h159/Forbidden%20Stowaway%20-%20Banner%20%206.jpeg" width="423" /></a></div><br /><div style="background-color: white; line-height: 15.18px; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><u><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: 21.4667px;"><br /><div><span face="arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif" style="color: #222222; font-size: 18.6667px; font-weight: 700;"><br /></span></div></span></u></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px; line-height: 15.18px; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><b><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 21.4667px;"><u>About Arabella Sheen</u></span></b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 20.7px;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px; line-height: 15.18px; margin: 0in; text-indent: 14.2pt;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px; line-height: 15.18px; margin: 0in; text-indent: 14.2pt;"><br /></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA0kg-wbmjgRrsilCim_7R5Y0uqNTceopMS1XGWlw8CmEstL4_qxEMt9WuLlEQISQZwCtZkHSbkt8ohyiRCnA51QIRCr3iFza638JrwlX7o9xLTnt_TNNcju42SvXProZZRuA9ptLBMuZI/s1600/--.jpg" style="color: #888888; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1433" height="178" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA0kg-wbmjgRrsilCim_7R5Y0uqNTceopMS1XGWlw8CmEstL4_qxEMt9WuLlEQISQZwCtZkHSbkt8ohyiRCnA51QIRCr3iFza638JrwlX7o9xLTnt_TNNcju42SvXProZZRuA9ptLBMuZI/w159-h178/--.jpg" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: none; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1) 0px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative;" width="159" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption">Arabella Sheen - Author</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px; line-height: 15.18px; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 20.7px;"><br /></span></div><div style="background: white; color: #222222; line-height: 15.18px; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: 18.4px; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: times;"><b><span style="color: #111111;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: 18.4px; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><b style="font-family: times; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: #111111;">Arabella Sheen </span></b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: times; text-indent: 0.5in;">is a British author of contemporary and historical romance and likes nothing more than the challenge of starting a new novel with fresh ideas and inspiring characters.</span></div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: 18.4px; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="color: #222222;">One of the many things Arabella loves to do is to read. And when she’s not researching or writing about romance, she is either on her allotment sowing and planting with the seasons or she is curled on the sofa with a book, while pandering to the demands of her attention-seeking cat.</span><span style="line-height: 20.7px;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: 18.4px; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="color: #222222;">Having lived and worked in the Netherlands as a theatre nurse for nearly twenty years, she now lives in the south-west of England with her family.</span><span style="line-height: 20.7px;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: 18.4px; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="color: #222222;">Arabella hopes her readers have as much pleasure from her romance stories as she has in writing them.</span><span style="line-height: 20.7px;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: 18.4px; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: 18.4px; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: times;"><b><u><span style="color: #222222; line-height: 21.4667px;">Social Media</span></u></b><span style="line-height: 20.7px;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: 18.4px; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="color: #222222;">Website: <a href="http://www.arabellasheen.co.uk/"><span style="color: #888888;">http://www.arabellasheen.co.uk/</span></a></span><span style="line-height: 20.7px;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: 18.4px; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="color: #222222;">Twitter: <a href="http://twitter.com/ArabellaSheen"><span style="color: #888888;">http://twitter.com/ArabellaSheen</span></a></span><span style="line-height: 20.7px;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: 18.4px; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: times;">Facebook Author: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ArabellaSheenAuthor"><span style="color: #888888;">https://www.facebook.com/ArabellaSheenAuthor</span></a> </span></div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: 18.4px; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: 18.4px; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: times;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSudDDZUbRxC1Z0DG6BYEjML7NB0s-cAAVq_UBlg-5uyTVu5qIib6omzUtAOoRQIQROm5MwvKsA3pMaplk-2HsWCbDgEt7j-ulpX0JhAlnLK9-4ynPagDBWWMuTDe_12rVnUy7LM6gU7oFHD9Ntpg0frKTBC2WCdb6u8u6Lyn3AtueiKKqV_VA4z0l9m9J/s5760/Arabella%20Sheen%20-%20Naughty.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5760" height="123" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSudDDZUbRxC1Z0DG6BYEjML7NB0s-cAAVq_UBlg-5uyTVu5qIib6omzUtAOoRQIQROm5MwvKsA3pMaplk-2HsWCbDgEt7j-ulpX0JhAlnLK9-4ynPagDBWWMuTDe_12rVnUy7LM6gU7oFHD9Ntpg0frKTBC2WCdb6u8u6Lyn3AtueiKKqV_VA4z0l9m9J/w205-h123/Arabella%20Sheen%20-%20Naughty.png" width="205" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></span></div></div>Arabella Sheenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01654234697763753248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5987501983500233991.post-1825761015070486412023-12-31T12:00:00.000-08:002023-12-31T12:00:00.255-08:00Forbidden Stowaway - Arabella Sheen - EXCERPT 1<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsiH-DCDEfqNFLUR0ln8-yIZ5h8Za9tKfOsNNYDFWaaEMlwFGbwC9VtugfxBTGLBdleSTj1wxAd8uDGm18gQFq9UYPRLGvdD32awgXW0xMiGlv9p_54w5RE21JPXOh9zXOT1molbYIXIJon1NKzS9fm0WmWmQMMWDOKLskJrsbV8U1NFbVmb2PjKcGdbQ1/s2278/Forbidden%20Stowaway%20-%205.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2278" data-original-width="1718" height="282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsiH-DCDEfqNFLUR0ln8-yIZ5h8Za9tKfOsNNYDFWaaEMlwFGbwC9VtugfxBTGLBdleSTj1wxAd8uDGm18gQFq9UYPRLGvdD32awgXW0xMiGlv9p_54w5RE21JPXOh9zXOT1molbYIXIJon1NKzS9fm0WmWmQMMWDOKLskJrsbV8U1NFbVmb2PjKcGdbQ1/w212-h282/Forbidden%20Stowaway%20-%205.png" width="212" /></a></div><h3 style="text-align: left;"><br /></h3><h3 style="text-align: left;">Chapter One - Excerpt 1</h3><p>The Honorable Olivia Trevillion lifted the long skirts of her
embroidered silk evening gown and stepped cautiously down from her
carriage into the grey oppressive darkness of the night. She had come
straight from a rout party given by her aunt. Adorned with glittering
jewels and festooned in her best finery, Olivia was hardly dressed to
visit a sailor’s tavern on such a cold November night, but time was of
the essence. She was in need of help and guessed that the gentleman
she thought most likely to be of assistance to her was probably to be
found amid the thirsty patrons of The Sailors Haven, which was the
black-and-white timber-framed watering hole before her.</p><p> A thick fog was rolling in on the evening’s tide, and several of
the tall ships docked on the quayside were already half concealed by
the heavy mist that was falling. The unsettling noise of the inn’s
inebriated patrons emanating from the tavern could be heard above
the soft sound of the lapping waves as they hit gently against the
wooden hulls of ships and the stone walls of the dockside, but she
wasn’t deterred. She wasn’t here on a whim. She was on a mission
and had a purpose.</p><p>“Wait here, Barnet,” she said, impatient to be gone. “I shall not
be long.”</p><p>Her coachman touched a finger to his forelock and, with a flick
of his hand, signaled for the young groom beside him to go to the
front of the carriage and take hold of the horses’ heads.</p><p>“Aye, miss,” Barnet mumbled. “But I ain’t happy about you
having no one with you. You ought not to venture in there alone.
Would you like Wicks to accompany you?”</p><p>Olivia shook her head. “No, thank you. I’ll be fine.”</p><p>Reminded of possible danger, she felt in the folds of her cloak
and was reassured by the heavy weight of her pistol.</p><p>“It won’t be safe for you, miss,” Barnet warned.</p><p>Barnet had worked for her family for many years. He was an
old and loyal servant, and Olivia always trusted his judgment. But this
was something she had to do, and she had to do it tonight … and
alone.</p><p>Drawing her cloak tightly about her person and ignoring her
coachman’s counsel, she walked with steady determined strides
toward the flickering lights of the tavern. Placing her hand against the
gnarled wood of the door, she pushed it open and entered the hostelry. </p><p>The tavern was dimly lit. A roaring fire burned bright in the
hearth, and several men with a tankard of ale in one hand and a pretty
wench in the other were making free and merry uncensored by the
noisy crowd around them. </p><p>“And what can we do for you, my dear?” asked a buxom
woman.</p><p>The woman’s hands were rested on her well-rounded hips, and
her dress, where the neckline had slipped low and deep, showed an
ample amount of cleavage. She didn’t look like one of the taverns’
punters, more like the landlady. And there was also an air of authority
about her that suggested she might actually own the place.</p><p>Olivia peered into the horde of drunken revelers, searching for a
familiar face, but she couldn’t see the man she was looking for.
“I was told Luke Crowe might be here this evening,” she said.
“Perhaps I was misinformed.”</p><p>Olivia had just come from her aunt’s rout party where she had
overheard mentioned that a ship, The Mattea, had docked in Bristol’s
harbor that morning. It was also suggested that Luke Crowe and his
unsavory crew would undoubtedly be enjoying some of the worldly
pleasures that were to be found in one of the quayside’s many taverns
that very night. </p><p>“No, my lovely, he’s here all right.” The woman smiled,
showing an uneven row of rotten teeth. “You’ve come to the right
place. But our Captain Luke ain’t one to sit with the likes of these
unruly gentlemen.” </p><p>The woman flicked her head in the direction of her customers as
if to indicate they were the undesirables.</p><p>Olivia sighed her relief. “You mean, he’s here? Captain Crowe
is here?” </p><p> The fact Luke was to be found at the tavern gave her hope.
When entering The Sailors Haven unaccompanied, she had taken a
chance and risked her reputation, but it seemed as if her gamble was
about to pay off.</p><p>“He always asks for our best parlor at the back of the house.
And it’s never anything else but the best. Drink, food … women.”
The woman winked. “If you’re after him, he’s sitting with some fine
fellows he calls friends, but he doesn’t like being disturbed, not when
he’s playing a winning hand of cards.”</p><p>“But I must see him,” Olivia insisted. “It’s an urgent matter, and
I must speak with him privately.”</p><p>“As I said, he won’t see anyone, especially if they are a stranger
to him.”</p><p>“But I do know him. We were once acquaintances, friends,
but…”</p><p>“Ahh, you’re a lady friend of his, are you?”</p><p>Olivia didn’t make an effort to deny the landlady’s wrong
assumption. Instead, she dipped her hand deep into her reticule and
retrieved several coins. She pressed them into the woman’s palm. “If
you would now lead the way…”</p><p>With her palm greased, the woman soon changed her tune.
“Well, as I’ve never known him to refuse a pretty lady anything
before, you’d best come with me, miss.” </p><p><br /></p><h2>Buy Links: </h2><div><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0BZQWQNNM/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=forbidden+stowaway+arabella+sheen&qid=1679963096&s=digital-text&sr=1-1">AMAZON UK</a></div><p><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BZQWQNNM/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=forbidden+stowaway+arabella+sheen&qid=1679963096&s=digital-text&sr=1-1">AMAZON US</a></p><p><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1369865?ref=draft2digital">SMASHWORDS</a></p><p><a href="https://books2read.com/u/38VzVd">OTHER RETAILERS</a></p><p><br /></p><h4 style="text-align: left;">EVERNIGHT PUBLISHING ®
www.evernightpublishing.com <br />Copyright© 2023 Arabella Sheen
ISBN: 978-0-3695-0785-3 <br />Cover Artist: Jay Aheer
Editor: Jessica Ruth <br />ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
WARNING: The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this
copyrighted work is illegal. No part of this book may be used or re-produced electronically or in print without written permission, except
in the case of brief quotations embodied in reviews.
This is a work of fiction. All names, characters, and places are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or
persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.</h4><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdaoz-9TrHrR19e95boSPlTZuYtmEKSUFbj1p0vB8HTDagR2ZBuTMkZKEmoWSOqDrIhIrsvK6CEcVzErlBM4SC073FaBdmYZWc0aW0GHPHR0g2_j50_lIPI4wm1Cj5TUEFnBArgoK3w9vaQm0SoVsljtgsh4ma1DEg0tJO9pvdfcAe5STUThSpjNDUdd0h/s851/Forbidden%20Stowaway%20-%20Banner%20%206.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="851" height="159" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdaoz-9TrHrR19e95boSPlTZuYtmEKSUFbj1p0vB8HTDagR2ZBuTMkZKEmoWSOqDrIhIrsvK6CEcVzErlBM4SC073FaBdmYZWc0aW0GHPHR0g2_j50_lIPI4wm1Cj5TUEFnBArgoK3w9vaQm0SoVsljtgsh4ma1DEg0tJO9pvdfcAe5STUThSpjNDUdd0h/w423-h159/Forbidden%20Stowaway%20-%20Banner%20%206.jpeg" width="423" /></a></div><br /><div style="background-color: white; line-height: 15.18px; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><u><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: 21.4667px;"><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span face="arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif" style="color: #222222; font-size: 18.6667px; font-weight: 700;"><br /></span></div></span></u></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px; line-height: 15.18px; margin: 0in; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;"><b><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 21.4667px;"><u>About Arabella Sheen</u></span></b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 20.7px;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px; line-height: 15.18px; margin: 0in; text-indent: 14.2pt;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px; line-height: 15.18px; margin: 0in; text-indent: 14.2pt;"><br /></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA0kg-wbmjgRrsilCim_7R5Y0uqNTceopMS1XGWlw8CmEstL4_qxEMt9WuLlEQISQZwCtZkHSbkt8ohyiRCnA51QIRCr3iFza638JrwlX7o9xLTnt_TNNcju42SvXProZZRuA9ptLBMuZI/s1600/--.jpg" style="color: #888888; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1433" height="178" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA0kg-wbmjgRrsilCim_7R5Y0uqNTceopMS1XGWlw8CmEstL4_qxEMt9WuLlEQISQZwCtZkHSbkt8ohyiRCnA51QIRCr3iFza638JrwlX7o9xLTnt_TNNcju42SvXProZZRuA9ptLBMuZI/w159-h178/--.jpg" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: none; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1) 0px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative;" width="159" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption">Arabella Sheen - Author</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px; line-height: 15.18px; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 20.7px;"><br /></span></div><div style="background: white; color: #222222; line-height: 15.18px; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: 18.4px; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: times;"><b><span style="color: #111111;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: 18.4px; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><b style="font-family: times; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: #111111;">Arabella Sheen </span></b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: times; text-indent: 0.5in;">is a British author of contemporary and historical romance and likes nothing more than the challenge of starting a new novel with fresh ideas and inspiring characters.</span></div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: 18.4px; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="color: #222222;">One of the many things Arabella loves to do is to read. And when she’s not researching or writing about romance, she is either on her allotment sowing and planting with the seasons or she is curled on the sofa with a book, while pandering to the demands of her attention-seeking cat.</span><span style="line-height: 20.7px;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: 18.4px; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="color: #222222;">Having lived and worked in the Netherlands as a theatre nurse for nearly twenty years, she now lives in the south-west of England with her family.</span><span style="line-height: 20.7px;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: 18.4px; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="color: #222222;">Arabella hopes her readers have as much pleasure from her romance stories as she has in writing them.</span><span style="line-height: 20.7px;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: 18.4px; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: 18.4px; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: times;"><b><u><span style="color: #222222; line-height: 21.4667px;">Social Media</span></u></b><span style="line-height: 20.7px;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: 18.4px; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="color: #222222;">Website: <a href="http://www.arabellasheen.co.uk/"><span style="color: #888888;">http://www.arabellasheen.co.uk/</span></a></span><span style="line-height: 20.7px;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: 18.4px; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="color: #222222;">Twitter: <a href="http://twitter.com/ArabellaSheen"><span style="color: #888888;">http://twitter.com/ArabellaSheen</span></a></span><span style="line-height: 20.7px;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: 18.4px; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: times;">Facebook Author: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ArabellaSheenAuthor"><span style="color: #888888;">https://www.facebook.com/ArabellaSheenAuthor</span></a> </span></div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: 18.4px; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: 18.4px; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: times;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSudDDZUbRxC1Z0DG6BYEjML7NB0s-cAAVq_UBlg-5uyTVu5qIib6omzUtAOoRQIQROm5MwvKsA3pMaplk-2HsWCbDgEt7j-ulpX0JhAlnLK9-4ynPagDBWWMuTDe_12rVnUy7LM6gU7oFHD9Ntpg0frKTBC2WCdb6u8u6Lyn3AtueiKKqV_VA4z0l9m9J/s5760/Arabella%20Sheen%20-%20Naughty.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5760" height="123" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSudDDZUbRxC1Z0DG6BYEjML7NB0s-cAAVq_UBlg-5uyTVu5qIib6omzUtAOoRQIQROm5MwvKsA3pMaplk-2HsWCbDgEt7j-ulpX0JhAlnLK9-4ynPagDBWWMuTDe_12rVnUy7LM6gU7oFHD9Ntpg0frKTBC2WCdb6u8u6Lyn3AtueiKKqV_VA4z0l9m9J/w205-h123/Arabella%20Sheen%20-%20Naughty.png" width="205" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></span></div></div>Arabella Sheenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01654234697763753248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5987501983500233991.post-70800860737701674542023-12-31T07:54:00.000-08:002023-12-31T07:54:38.007-08:00HAPPY NEW YEAR - Arabella Sheen<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVLH4QOTOxD0xTYIDFwqayqpsSw0Xj6CgqFI2Li8Qh2lvPTjwKIN1azgY1O8zWgRLhVFDESrajXCU6m_WiHy6CopmopMdouDBXYXI8J9GBZcu3kZniQuovTSsjagdj7qAQoWXUCgnGRYry8BN3u2EgdX1bfLdVcJM1yOk2m5LpxFxJ7_JeHxy8eKLRrHii/s1080/New%20Year%20-%20Arabella.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVLH4QOTOxD0xTYIDFwqayqpsSw0Xj6CgqFI2Li8Qh2lvPTjwKIN1azgY1O8zWgRLhVFDESrajXCU6m_WiHy6CopmopMdouDBXYXI8J9GBZcu3kZniQuovTSsjagdj7qAQoWXUCgnGRYry8BN3u2EgdX1bfLdVcJM1yOk2m5LpxFxJ7_JeHxy8eKLRrHii/s320/New%20Year%20-%20Arabella.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p><br /></p><p>With several romance stories still in the Work-In-Progress phase, I've got a heap of things to do in the coming year, yet panic is beginning to set in as I'm not sure if deadlines are going to be reached or if anything is going to be achieved. Here's hoping...</p><p>And for those of you with plans, (be it reading the To-Be-Read bucket list or writing that ever-elusive best seller), I'm wishing you all a happy ending for the 'old' year and a great start for the 'new' one. </p><p>Lots of love,</p><p>Arabella Xxx</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd5T6gjOQ1bum5jB-RcAXFUm5R6ZyIN5EHXmEhgXgWEzj40FlnmrEURDnZwHS22VlQoD0hVKJjcGJQ5LdVG3aAw_NA8j4J-98duls3vtVUrCoP2wEhfTp9aaUVYhHJfApompkt17-4r6qFWsWjWh4lvVcqh4BDCw2VHY6mppn92q05k7YXppygcbeNxIIO/s5760/Arabella%20Sheen%20-%20Naughty.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5760" height="103" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd5T6gjOQ1bum5jB-RcAXFUm5R6ZyIN5EHXmEhgXgWEzj40FlnmrEURDnZwHS22VlQoD0hVKJjcGJQ5LdVG3aAw_NA8j4J-98duls3vtVUrCoP2wEhfTp9aaUVYhHJfApompkt17-4r6qFWsWjWh4lvVcqh4BDCw2VHY6mppn92q05k7YXppygcbeNxIIO/w172-h103/Arabella%20Sheen%20-%20Naughty.png" width="172" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p><br /></p>Arabella Sheenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01654234697763753248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5987501983500233991.post-82003779904515243862023-10-22T06:08:00.003-07:002023-10-22T06:08:50.726-07:00Writing a Regency Novel - Arabella Sheen<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWmGmHw5orMqOTB_3qfkJNfuF_ivVTqlxHE27j0P1X_bpKX5udcMsMdO2ibfcvh6cCtvNr8WzSpmQjHgy5-LgKDyJp6gh7iF7Ahd8Xh6494q7iu1QD-xyK5X6DN6PiDA6EJnFJIUKMn8DjmQXkGucfv5QUA8N3SmxQCWGl1-7KxERYjL0eBjpZl_3nVpxx/s389/regency%20ball%20drawing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: white; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="389" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWmGmHw5orMqOTB_3qfkJNfuF_ivVTqlxHE27j0P1X_bpKX5udcMsMdO2ibfcvh6cCtvNr8WzSpmQjHgy5-LgKDyJp6gh7iF7Ahd8Xh6494q7iu1QD-xyK5X6DN6PiDA6EJnFJIUKMn8DjmQXkGucfv5QUA8N3SmxQCWGl1-7KxERYjL0eBjpZl_3nVpxx/w279-h215/regency%20ball%20drawing.jpg" width="279" /></a></div><span style="background-color: white;"><br /><span style="color: #374151; font-family: Söhne, ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Noto Color Emoji"; font-size: 16px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></span><p></p><p><span style="background-color: white; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="color: #374151; font-family: Söhne, ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, Segoe UI, Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, Noto Sans, sans-serif, Helvetica Neue, Arial, Apple Color Emoji, Segoe UI Emoji, Segoe UI Symbol, Noto Color Emoji; font-size: large;"><b>Some Tips to Consider When Writing a Regency Novel...</b></span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #374151; font-family: Söhne, ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Noto Color Emoji"; font-size: 16px; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Developing a captivating plot for a Regency novel involves a combination of understanding the genre's conventions, creating tension, and weaving in the charm of the Regency era. Here are some tips to help you craft a compelling Regency romance plot:</span></p><ol style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; color: #374151; counter-reset: list-number 0; display: flex; flex-direction: column; font-family: Söhne, ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Noto Color Emoji"; font-size: 16px; list-style: none; margin: 1.25em 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><li style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; counter-increment: list-number 1; display: block; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 28px; padding-left: 0.375em;"><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; color: var(--tw-prose-bold); font-weight: 600;">Understand Genre Conventions</span>:</span></p><ul style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; display: flex; flex-direction: column; list-style: disc; margin: 0px 0px 0px 1rem; padding: 0px;"><li style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; display: block; margin: 0px; min-height: 28px; padding-left: 0.375em;"><span style="background-color: white;">Familiarize yourself with the classic tropes of Regency romance, such as forbidden love, societal constraints, misunderstandings, and class differences.</span></li><li style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; display: block; margin: 0px; min-height: 28px; padding-left: 0.375em;"><span style="background-color: white;">While it's important to adhere to some of these conventions, don't be afraid to put your unique spin on them to make your story stand out.</span></li></ul></li><li style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; counter-increment: list-number 1; display: block; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 28px; padding-left: 0.375em;"><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px;"><span style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; background-color: white; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; color: var(--tw-prose-bold); font-weight: 600;"><br /></span></p></li><li style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; counter-increment: list-number 1; display: block; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 28px; padding-left: 0.375em;"><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; color: var(--tw-prose-bold); font-weight: 600;">Strong Character Motivations</span>:</span></p><ul style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; display: flex; flex-direction: column; list-style: disc; margin: 0px 0px 0px 1rem; padding: 0px;"><li style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; display: block; margin: 0px; min-height: 28px; padding-left: 0.375em;"><span style="background-color: white;">Your characters should have clear and relatable motivations that drive the plot. What do they want, and what are they willing to risk for it?</span></li><li style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; display: block; margin: 0px; min-height: 28px; padding-left: 0.375em;"><span style="background-color: white;">Develop well-rounded characters with strengths and flaws, and let their personalities clash and complement each other.</span></li></ul></li><li style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; counter-increment: list-number 1; display: block; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 28px; padding-left: 0.375em;"><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px;"><span style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; background-color: white; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; color: var(--tw-prose-bold); font-weight: 600;"><br /></span></p></li><li style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; counter-increment: list-number 1; display: block; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 28px; padding-left: 0.375em;"><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; color: var(--tw-prose-bold); font-weight: 600;">Conflict and Obstacles</span>:</span></p><ul style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; display: flex; flex-direction: column; list-style: disc; margin: 0px 0px 0px 1rem; padding: 0px;"><li style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; display: block; margin: 0px; min-height: 28px; padding-left: 0.375em;"><span style="background-color: white;">Create external and internal conflicts that keep the reader engaged. External conflicts can be societal, familial, or related to the era's norms. Internal conflicts may involve personal doubts, insecurities, or past traumas.</span></li><li style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; display: block; margin: 0px; min-height: 28px; padding-left: 0.375em;"><span style="background-color: white;">Use misunderstandings and miscommunications as plot devices, but ensure they arise from genuine character traits or situations, rather than feeling contrived.</span></li></ul></li><li style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; counter-increment: list-number 1; display: block; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 28px; padding-left: 0.375em;"><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px;"><span style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; background-color: white; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; color: var(--tw-prose-bold); font-weight: 600;"><br /></span></p></li><li style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; counter-increment: list-number 1; display: block; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 28px; padding-left: 0.375em;"><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; color: var(--tw-prose-bold); font-weight: 600;">Slow-Burning Romance</span>:</span></p><ul style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; display: flex; flex-direction: column; list-style: disc; margin: 0px 0px 0px 1rem; padding: 0px;"><li style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; display: block; margin: 0px; min-height: 28px; padding-left: 0.375em;"><span style="background-color: white;">Regency romances often feature slow-burning, intense emotional connections. Build the romantic tension gradually, with moments of attraction, repulsion, and longing.</span></li><li style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; display: block; margin: 0px; min-height: 28px; padding-left: 0.375em;"><span style="background-color: white;">Develop a "will they or won't they" dynamic to keep readers eagerly turning the pages.</span></li></ul></li><li style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; counter-increment: list-number 1; display: block; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 28px; padding-left: 0.375em;"><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px;"><span style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; background-color: white; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; color: var(--tw-prose-bold); font-weight: 600;"><br /></span></p></li><li style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; counter-increment: list-number 1; display: block; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 28px; padding-left: 0.375em;"><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; color: var(--tw-prose-bold); font-weight: 600;">A Strong Inciting Incident</span>:</span></p><ul style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; display: flex; flex-direction: column; list-style: disc; margin: 0px 0px 0px 1rem; padding: 0px;"><li style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; display: block; margin: 0px; min-height: 28px; padding-left: 0.375em;"><span style="background-color: white;">Begin your story with a captivating event or situation that sets the plot in motion. This could be a chance encounter, a scandal, a family crisis, or a mysterious newcomer in town.</span></li></ul></li><li style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; counter-increment: list-number 1; display: block; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 28px; padding-left: 0.375em;"><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px;"><span style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; background-color: white; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; color: var(--tw-prose-bold); font-weight: 600;"><br /></span></p></li><li style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; counter-increment: list-number 1; display: block; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 28px; padding-left: 0.375em;"><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; color: var(--tw-prose-bold); font-weight: 600;">Setting and Atmosphere</span>:</span></p><ul style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; display: flex; flex-direction: column; list-style: disc; margin: 0px 0px 0px 1rem; padding: 0px;"><li style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; display: block; margin: 0px; min-height: 28px; padding-left: 0.375em;"><span style="background-color: white;">The Regency era offers a rich and unique backdrop. Make the setting an integral part of your plot, using it to create atmosphere and add to the conflicts.</span></li><li style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; display: block; margin: 0px; min-height: 28px; padding-left: 0.375em;"><span style="background-color: white;">Transport readers to the grand ballrooms, lush gardens, and elegant drawing rooms of the time. Describe the costumes and manners to immerse them in the period.</span></li></ul></li><li style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; counter-increment: list-number 1; display: block; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 28px; padding-left: 0.375em;"><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px;"><span style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; background-color: white; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; color: var(--tw-prose-bold); font-weight: 600;"><br /></span></p></li><li style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; counter-increment: list-number 1; display: block; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 28px; padding-left: 0.375em;"><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; color: var(--tw-prose-bold); font-weight: 600;">Subplots and Secondary Characters</span>:</span></p><ul style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; display: flex; flex-direction: column; list-style: disc; margin: 0px 0px 0px 1rem; padding: 0px;"><li style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; display: block; margin: 0px; min-height: 28px; padding-left: 0.375em;"><span style="background-color: white;">Weave subplots and secondary characters into the narrative to add depth and variety to your story. These elements can provide comic relief, drama, or additional layers of conflict.</span></li></ul></li><li style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; counter-increment: list-number 1; display: block; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 28px; padding-left: 0.375em;"><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px;"><span style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; background-color: white; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; color: var(--tw-prose-bold); font-weight: 600;"><br /></span></p></li><li style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; counter-increment: list-number 1; display: block; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 28px; padding-left: 0.375em;"><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; color: var(--tw-prose-bold); font-weight: 600;">Foreshadowing and Twists</span>:</span></p><ul style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; display: flex; flex-direction: column; list-style: disc; margin: 0px 0px 0px 1rem; padding: 0px;"><li style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; display: block; margin: 0px; min-height: 28px; padding-left: 0.375em;"><span style="background-color: white;">Drop hints and foreshadow events to keep readers intrigued. Subtle clues and mysteries can add depth to the plot and keep readers guessing.</span></li><li style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; display: block; margin: 0px; min-height: 28px; padding-left: 0.375em;"><span style="background-color: white;">Include unexpected twists or revelations that challenge the characters and propel the story forward.</span></li></ul></li><li style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; counter-increment: list-number 1; display: block; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 28px; padding-left: 0.375em;"><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px;"><span style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; background-color: white; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; color: var(--tw-prose-bold); font-weight: 600;"><br /></span></p></li><li style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; counter-increment: list-number 1; display: block; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 28px; padding-left: 0.375em;"><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; color: var(--tw-prose-bold); font-weight: 600;">Research and Historical Accuracy</span>:</span></p><ul style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; display: flex; flex-direction: column; list-style: disc; margin: 0px 0px 0px 1rem; padding: 0px;"><li style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; display: block; margin: 0px; min-height: 28px; padding-left: 0.375em;"><span style="background-color: white;">While creative liberties are allowed, strive for historical accuracy in portraying the Regency era. This lends authenticity to your plot and helps immerse readers in the time period.</span></li></ul></li><li style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; counter-increment: list-number 1; display: block; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 28px; padding-left: 0.375em;"><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px;"><span style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; background-color: white; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; color: var(--tw-prose-bold); font-weight: 600;"><br /></span></p></li><li style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; counter-increment: list-number 1; display: block; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 28px; padding-left: 0.375em;"><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; color: var(--tw-prose-bold); font-weight: 600;">Resolution and Satisfying Conclusion</span>:</span></p><ul style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; display: flex; flex-direction: column; list-style: disc; margin: 0px 0px 0px 1rem; padding: 0px;"><li style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; display: block; margin: 0px; min-height: 28px; padding-left: 0.375em;"><span style="background-color: white;">Ensure a satisfying resolution for your characters. Tie up loose ends, provide character growth, and offer a sense of closure, while leaving room for a hint of a happily ever after.</span></li></ul></li><li style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; counter-increment: list-number 1; display: block; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 28px; padding-left: 0.375em;"><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px;"><span style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; background-color: white; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; color: var(--tw-prose-bold); font-weight: 600;"><br /></span></p></li><li style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; counter-increment: list-number 1; display: block; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 28px; padding-left: 0.375em;"><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; color: var(--tw-prose-bold); font-weight: 600;">Edit and Polish</span>:</span></p><ul style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; display: flex; flex-direction: column; list-style: disc; margin: 0px 0px 0px 1rem; padding: 0px;"><li style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; display: block; margin: 0px; min-height: 28px; padding-left: 0.375em;"><span style="background-color: white;">After completing your initial draft, edit and revise your plot to ensure it flows seamlessly and maintains a strong pace. Eliminate any inconsistencies or plot holes.</span></li></ul></li><li style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; counter-increment: list-number 1; display: block; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 28px; padding-left: 0.375em;"><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px;"><span style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; background-color: white; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; color: var(--tw-prose-bold); font-weight: 600;"><br /></span></p></li><li style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; counter-increment: list-number 1; display: block; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 28px; padding-left: 0.375em;"><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; color: var(--tw-prose-bold); font-weight: 600;">Beta Readers and Feedback</span>:</span></p><ul style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; display: flex; flex-direction: column; list-style: disc; margin: 0px 0px 0px 1rem; padding: 0px;"><li style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; display: block; margin: 0px; min-height: 28px; padding-left: 0.375em;"><span style="background-color: white;">Share your manuscript with beta readers or critique partners to get feedback on your plot. They can provide valuable insights and suggestions for improvement.</span></li></ul></li></ol><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; color: #374151; font-family: Söhne, ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Noto Color Emoji"; font-size: 16px; margin: 1.25em 0px 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="background-color: white;">Remember that Regency romance readers often seek an escape into a world of elegance, passion, and societal rules. Craft a plot that allows them to experience these elements while rooting for your characters' love story.</span></p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; color: #374151; font-family: Söhne, ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Noto Color Emoji"; font-size: 16px; margin: 1.25em 0px 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioZB0tqS6gdscjdlIbHIoEK4YV9BHQjTgASccMPeb-zrk_7FsJck01Fj1NDJvXgSRrDg9EsCHAEmzhgtmpc_1j11gMuy3mNVLvLP5PHM-dd8ZeckOOMnUfCQd9RyxUT08pY_Z1dEbGtcOH99kRpFjgTH0ddJCVeZ8u2ahzZ_1zLEQO6ts1gcdW4Bf9me5s/s645/Arabella%20Sheen%20Black%20Font%20-%20Transparent%20Background.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="387" data-original-width="645" height="117" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioZB0tqS6gdscjdlIbHIoEK4YV9BHQjTgASccMPeb-zrk_7FsJck01Fj1NDJvXgSRrDg9EsCHAEmzhgtmpc_1j11gMuy3mNVLvLP5PHM-dd8ZeckOOMnUfCQd9RyxUT08pY_Z1dEbGtcOH99kRpFjgTH0ddJCVeZ8u2ahzZ_1zLEQO6ts1gcdW4Bf9me5s/w195-h117/Arabella%20Sheen%20Black%20Font%20-%20Transparent%20Background.png" width="195" /></a></p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; color: #374151; font-family: Söhne, ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Noto Color Emoji"; font-size: 16px; margin: 1.25em 0px 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></p>Arabella Sheenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01654234697763753248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5987501983500233991.post-35321054296896850162023-10-10T00:00:00.001-07:002023-10-10T00:00:00.255-07:00A Gentleman in Love - Arabella Sheen - EXCERPT 3<p> The nights are drawing in and it's time to snuggle up on the comfort of your sofa and read.</p><p>A Gentleman in Love is the ideal feel-good romance with a bit of steamy love for those of you who like an extra spark of attraction on your pages. Think ... tender love with a hint of passion and you're there. Grab a copy now, sit back, and enjoy a love story with a difference.</p><p><br /> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://books2read.com/u/mBwvwN" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2667" data-original-width="1948" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNDa7jw5AsDEYT8KAoipQEC6O0fGUEuOwtwA9FO4kxNnQLNb95bNXf6rLLIXgKEAdcHVRF9NKwHk18y-ezaDjv2vPL23QrwxeE8ruseGSEl_SQx9j7qnnMoMDE7OzJlDVL7xe-WLeFQamBXFz7LOHSYHLfILlyJFwE31CTtvRqw2nP3W86VsacnzQDfZvM/s320/AGentlemanInLove_Ereader%20-%20Arabella%20Sheen.jpg" width="234" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p></p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">A Gentleman in Love</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">by</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Arabella Sheen</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p><p><br /></p><p>A Christmas wedding and a growing passion. Will a political scandal destroy their love?</p><p>Desperate to exonerate her family name of any wrongdoing, Shelby Chesterfield gate-crashes the Foreign Office Christmas party to ask her father’s accuser for help. When Ambassador Samuel Hardwick refuses to cooperate, Shelby is determined to ruin his diplomatic career any way she can, and a chance to do so arrives sooner than she expected.</p><p>Caught in a passionate embrace, Shelby puts Sam on the spot and tells journalists they’re engaged. But her plan backfires when Sam turns the tables on her.</p><p>Sam wants no commitment to anything or anyone except his career. But when his best friends are killed in a violent terrorist attack, leaving their daughter orphaned and in his care, he has the daunting task of finding a wife and substitute mother, or he will risk losing his newly acquired ward into the foster care system. With time running out, when Shelby asks for help to clear her father’s name in a political scandal, Sam offers support in exchange for a Christmas wedding.</p><p>The trouble is…Shelby knows about his ongoing affair with Lady Donna Ruston.</p><p>Can Shelby and Sam work together to achieve their goals, or is their winter romance fated to fail before it’s begun?</p><p>Content Warning: contains sensual love scenes</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">A Gentleman in Love - Chapter One - Excerpt 3</span></b></p><p>The discarded security ID Shelby was holding had been left at the back of a drawer in her father’s office. She had found it a few weeks ago and had put it to one side, thinking it might come in useful. It had. And so had the invitation card. Even though both the items had expired, they had got her through the security checks.</p><p>With her own photo superimposed over that of her father’s, the ID looked real. In fact, it looked so real that when she had reached the arched gateway at the front of the Foreign Office, no one had checked closely enough to spot the switch. Dressed in her finery, and looking the part of a guest, she was able to drive through the Foreign Office gates into an enclosed inner courtyard where guests could park vehicles without a hitch.</p><p>“Well, you’re obviously here under false pretenses,” Sam said. “What makes you think I won’t call the guards over and have you escorted to the door?”</p><p>Her lips had a fixed smile on them. “Because I know you’ll want to hear what I have to say.”</p><p>“What could you possibly say to me that I haven’t already heard when we went to court?” he asked.</p><p>For months, Shelby had fueled her hatred. She’d been thinking of the things she would do and say to Sam if she ever got the chance. But now that she was standing next to him, the words were stuck in her throat. They couldn’t be voiced, and to her annoyance, her frustration and anger were mounting.</p><p>“I think I’ve discovered the information leak came from America and not from my father’s department as you originally supposed.”</p><p>The double door opened at the far end of the room, and people began filtering into the vast banquet hall.</p><p>“It seems the master of ceremonies is about to announce dinner,” Shelby said. “We are being summoned to the table. Shall we go in?”</p><p>Shelby was going to make it impossible for Sam to refuse her request, and she intended to stick to him like glue until she got what she came for. Too much was at stake for her to simply walk away, and she was determined not to leave the Foreign Office until Sam had agreed to put her plan into action.</p><p>Hoping Sam would follow her, she was just about to make a move toward the banquet hall when Lady Donna approached. Shelby was compelled to stop. Sam had placed an arm around her waist and was forcefully holding her against his side.</p><p>But Lady Donna wasn’t alone. She had brought a man with her, and to Shelby’s surprise, Sam introduced Lady Donna and her husband, Lord James Ruston, with apparent unconcern for any awkwardness there might be between them. Perhaps the tabloids had it wrong, and Sam and Lady Donna were not having an affair. Or perhaps they were ending it.</p><p>Lady Donna smiled at Shelby. “I hadn’t realized Sam had a dinner date this evening. But it’s good to know the two of you have reconciled any differences there might have been. The court case involving your father was awful. Absolutely dreadful. But if you and Sam are now on speaking terms, I suppose that must mean everything is fine.”</p><p>Shelby didn’t know what was going on between Sam, Lady Donna, and Lord Ruston, and she didn’t really care. But there was certainly an electric tension buzzing between the three of them, and Shelby thought it to be of Lady Donna’s making. Lady Donna was jumpy, and emotions were strained and running high.</p><p>Shelby tried to distance herself from Sam, but he wasn’t letting go of her.</p><p>“Oh, I wouldn’t say Sam and I are together exactly. And Sam’s not really my dinner date. If you must know, I’m holding him hostage while we talk business. I want his full attention.” Shelby almost laughed at the irony of the situation, and glancing sideways at Sam, she said, “We have something that needs to be taken care of before Sam travels back to the States, and tonight might be the only chance we have to discuss it. Isn’t that right?”</p><p>Lady Donna smiled. “Ah…I know the feeling. James and I never have time to do anything together. Do we, darling?”</p><p>James gave a non-committal shrug and remained silent.</p><p>“My advice to you both would be to forget business tonight,” Lady Donna said. “Simply enjoy the evening. After all, this is supposed to be a Christmas party.”</p><p>“That sounds like a good idea,” Sam said.</p><p>Lady Donna rested her hand on Sam’s arm. “We must get together in the New Year. Just like old times. I’m trying to persuade James to travel to the States. He’s reluctant to go, but I love it there. Sam, perhaps we can meet up like we used to do, and we can—”</p><p>“Donna, come along. We have to go into dinner,” James said.</p><p>James took hold of his wife’s arm, and as the couple drifted off toward the banquet hall, Sam and Shelby were left alone, but not for long. The master of ceremonies approached, and noticing that they hadn’t made a move to join the other guests, he diplomatically said, “Dinner is about to be served, sir. If you and the lady would care to join the others…”</p><p>Sam gave a nod. “We’ll be right with you.” Then, looking pointedly at Shelby, he said, “Our talk will have to be postponed for a more convenient moment. And as everyone thinks you’re my guest for the evening, shall we go into dinner?”</p><p>Shelby had successfully backed Sam into a corner. She had left him with little choice but to offer his arm and lead her in to dinner, as any gentleman would. But she didn’t care about the niceties of etiquette. This was war, and she meant to win her battle.</p><p>She forced a smile. “As far as you’re concerned, it seems there never is a convenient moment to talk. However, I’m prepared to wait, but I’m warning you, Sam Hardwick, I’ll not wait for eternity.”</p><p>“Now, that’s strange, Miss Chesterfield, because given the right incentive, I might be persuaded to wait for you…forever.”</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><b>BUY LINKS:</b></p><p><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Gentleman-Love-Arabella-Sheen-ebook/dp/B09Q1M9CHL/ref=sr_1_7?crid=1BK8JG2D549SR&keywords=arabella+sheen&qid=1695721177&sprefix=%2Caps%2C362&sr=8-7">Amazon UK</a></p><p><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Gentleman-Love-Arabella-Sheen-ebook/dp/B09Q1M9CHL/ref=sr_1_7?crid=1BK8JG2D549SR&keywords=arabella+sheen&qid=1695721177&sprefix=%2Caps%2C362&sr=8-7">Amazon US</a></p><p><a href="https://www.kobo.com/gb/en/ebook/a-gentleman-in-love-1">KOBO</a></p><p><a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-gentleman-in-love-arabella-sheen/1137714518;jsessionid=2C4984E696642D8CC0812B40FA810A39.prodny_store01-atgap07?ean=2940165751943&st=AFF&2sid=Draft2Digital_7968444_NA&sourceId=AFFDraft2Digital">NOOK</a></p><p><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1125634?ref=">SMASHWORDS</a></p><p><a href="https://books2read.com/u/mBwvwN">AND MORE RETAILERS</a> </p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-family: "times new roman", "serif"; font-size: 10pt;">A Gentleman in Love</span></p><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 15.3333px;">Copyright © 2020, Arabella Sheen<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 15.3333px;">ISBN</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 15.3333px;">: 978-0-9575698-98 </span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 15.3333px;">Publisher: priceplacebooks<o:p></o:p></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 15.3333px;">Electronic Publication: January 2022<o:p></o:p></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 15.3333px;">Editor: Pamela Tyner<o:p></o:p></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 15.3333px;">Cover: Fantasia Frog Designs<o:p></o:p></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 15.3333px;">eBooks are not transferable. No part of this book may be used or reproduced without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations in articles and reviews.<o:p></o:p></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 15.3333px;">This book is a work of fiction and any resemblance to persons, living or dead, or places, events or locales is purely coincidental. The characters are productions of the author’s imagination and used fictitiously.</span></div></div><p><br /><br /></p><div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px; line-height: 15.18px; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><b><u><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 21.4667px;">About Arabella Sheen</span></u></b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 20.7px;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px; line-height: 15.18px; margin: 0in; text-indent: 14.2pt;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px; line-height: 15.18px; margin: 0in; text-indent: 14.2pt;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA0kg-wbmjgRrsilCim_7R5Y0uqNTceopMS1XGWlw8CmEstL4_qxEMt9WuLlEQISQZwCtZkHSbkt8ohyiRCnA51QIRCr3iFza638JrwlX7o9xLTnt_TNNcju42SvXProZZRuA9ptLBMuZI/s1600/--.jpg" style="color: #888888; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1433" height="178" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA0kg-wbmjgRrsilCim_7R5Y0uqNTceopMS1XGWlw8CmEstL4_qxEMt9WuLlEQISQZwCtZkHSbkt8ohyiRCnA51QIRCr3iFza638JrwlX7o9xLTnt_TNNcju42SvXProZZRuA9ptLBMuZI/w159-h178/--.jpg" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: none; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1) 0px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative;" width="159" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption">Arabella Sheen - Author</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px; line-height: 15.18px; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 20.7px;"><br /></span></div><div style="background: white; color: #222222; line-height: 15.18px; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: 18.4px; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: times;"><b><span style="color: #111111;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: 18.4px; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><b style="font-family: times; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: #111111;">Arabella Sheen </span></b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: times; text-indent: 0.5in;">is a British author of contemporary and historical romance and likes nothing more than the challenge of starting a new novel with fresh ideas and inspiring characters.</span></div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: 18.4px; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="color: #222222;">One of the many things Arabella loves to do is to read. And when she’s not researching or writing about romance, she is either on her allotment sowing and planting with the seasons or she is curled on the sofa with a book, while pandering to the demands of her attention-seeking cat.</span><span style="line-height: 20.7px;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: 18.4px; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="color: #222222;">Having lived and worked in the Netherlands as a theatre nurse for nearly twenty years, she now lives in the south-west of England with her family.</span><span style="line-height: 20.7px;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: 18.4px; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="color: #222222;">Arabella hopes her readers have as much pleasure from her romance stories as she has in writing them.</span><span style="line-height: 20.7px;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: 18.4px; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: 18.4px; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: times;"><b><u><span style="color: #222222; line-height: 21.4667px;">Social Media</span></u></b><span style="line-height: 20.7px;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: 18.4px; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="color: #222222;">Website: <a href="http://www.arabellasheen.co.uk/"><span style="color: #888888;">http://www.arabellasheen.co.uk/</span></a></span><span style="line-height: 20.7px;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: 18.4px; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="color: #222222;">Twitter: <a href="http://twitter.com/ArabellaSheen"><span style="color: #888888;">http://twitter.com/ArabellaSheen</span></a></span><span style="line-height: 20.7px;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: 18.4px; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: times;">Facebook Author: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ArabellaSheenAuthor"><span style="color: #888888;">https://www.facebook.com/ArabellaSheenAuthor</span></a> </span></div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: 18.4px; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: 18.4px; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: times;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.arabellasheen.co.uk/a-gentleman-in-love.html" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="788" data-original-width="940" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg6bag-6UjFL_uG62lKwgt_Wy4lEy0hBZJIb8jG0JZBfm2VIQLyRcCu88-7t_JXwXj-cEfOX_oiAMf5CF3nKsXYbExSsaoD7HZZyxBqWaPXLyqqnWmvtFgk7DBx22ij38EMA7Qr7XvejXVmeWLEX3Zkt7ru_-aLzxQb_gxC4MTvkhkVh152fcKl_tsj6yN/w238-h215/AGIL%20-%20FB.png" width="238" /></a></div><div><br /></div></span></div></div></div></div></div>Arabella Sheenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01654234697763753248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5987501983500233991.post-13495074797085460092023-10-02T23:00:00.004-07:002023-10-02T23:00:00.167-07:00A Gentleman in Love - Arabella Sheen - EXCERPT 2<p>The nights are drawing in and it's time to snuggle up on the comfort of your sofa and read.</p><p>A Gentleman in Love is the ideal feel-good romance with a bit of steamy love for those of you who like an extra spark of attraction on your pages. Think ... tender love with a hint of passion and you're there. Grab a copy now, sit back, and enjoy a love story with a difference.</p><p><br /> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://books2read.com/u/mBwvwN" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2667" data-original-width="1948" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNDa7jw5AsDEYT8KAoipQEC6O0fGUEuOwtwA9FO4kxNnQLNb95bNXf6rLLIXgKEAdcHVRF9NKwHk18y-ezaDjv2vPL23QrwxeE8ruseGSEl_SQx9j7qnnMoMDE7OzJlDVL7xe-WLeFQamBXFz7LOHSYHLfILlyJFwE31CTtvRqw2nP3W86VsacnzQDfZvM/s320/AGentlemanInLove_Ereader%20-%20Arabella%20Sheen.jpg" width="234" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p></p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">A Gentleman in Love</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">by</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Arabella Sheen</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p><p><br /></p><p>A Christmas wedding and a growing passion. Will a political scandal destroy their love?</p><p>Desperate to exonerate her family name of any wrongdoing, Shelby Chesterfield gate-crashes the Foreign Office Christmas party to ask her father’s accuser for help. When Ambassador Samuel Hardwick refuses to cooperate, Shelby is determined to ruin his diplomatic career any way she can, and a chance to do so arrives sooner than she expected.</p><p>Caught in a passionate embrace, Shelby puts Sam on the spot and tells journalists they’re engaged. But her plan backfires when Sam turns the tables on her.</p><p>Sam wants no commitment to anything or anyone except his career. But when his best friends are killed in a violent terrorist attack, leaving their daughter orphaned and in his care, he has the daunting task of finding a wife and substitute mother, or he will risk losing his newly acquired ward into the foster care system. With time running out, when Shelby asks for help to clear her father’s name in a political scandal, Sam offers support in exchange for a Christmas wedding.</p><p>The trouble is…Shelby knows about his ongoing affair with Lady Donna Ruston.</p><p>Can Shelby and Sam work together to achieve their goals, or is their winter romance fated to fail before it’s begun?</p><p>Content Warning: contains sensual love scenes</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">A Gentleman in Love - Chapter One - Excerpt 2</span></b></p><p>Sam smiled, but it wasn’t exactly a smile of welcome. It was more a smile of polite caution. She waited, expecting a verbal backlash to come, or the disdainful flick of a finger to signal security to carry her off, but they didn’t.</p><p>Sam was obviously practiced in the art of maintaining a poker face, and Shelby supposed he had to be. Attending diplomatic events, he had to know what to do in dangerous situations when a stranger approached. As an ambassador, Sam always had to be on the alert, and Shelby knew he could handle himself without any problem, but she was surprised he hadn’t called for help.</p><p>She wasn’t supposed to be at the party, yet Sam was acting as if it was the most natural thing for her to be standing at his side.</p><p>“Oh…there could be no chance of us ever missing one another. And I’m sure that at some point during the evening our paths would have crossed.”</p><p>Shelby’s heart skipped another beat. The deep resonance in his voice stirred her, yet she knew she had to stay calm. She had to remain composed, and she couldn’t allow herself to succumb to his charm…that would be her undoing.</p><p>It was illogical, and even though she was still lamenting the loss of what might have been with Edgar, she couldn’t help her physical reaction to Sam. She was sexually drawn to him and always had been.</p><p>When she had first met Sam, she’d been an innocent teenager with a secret crush. She’d felt an instant attraction toward him and had admired him from afar. But any urges of desire she now felt were anything but innocent, and she had to banish them from her thoughts. She couldn’t allow her emotions and impulses to get out of control…especially tonight.</p><p>Sam Hardwick, at the age of thirty-two, was one of the most handsome specimens of manhood she had ever known. And this evening, dressed in a full tuxedo that showed his superb muscular physique to perfection, he could once again set her pulse rate soaring.</p><p>He radiated power and energy. The chiseled lines of his strong jaw, and the way his dark gray, piercing eyes looked directly into her very soul, commanded immediate attention and respect.</p><p>Even though Shelby had come to resent Sam, against her will, she had to admire him for who he was, and for what he had become. He had worked long and hard to get where he was, and she was in awe of the diplomatic accomplishments he’d achieved in such a short but eventful career.</p><p>Her father often spoke of Sam, saying that as a young student, he had studied relentlessly, and worked even harder to get where he was. She’d been told his education had been funded by scholarships and grants, and that although he’d had a tough start in life, he’d made it through the system with honors. Sam’s integrity and honesty had allowed him to reach heights in the diplomatic world that others could only dream of.</p><p>And now, after having climbed the social ladder, he was also accepted by society’s elite with open arms. The upper classes welcomed him into their homes, and into their lives. Some women even welcomed him into their hearts, and into their beds. And at the moment, a rumor was rife in the tabloids that it was Lady Donna Ruston who was his current mistress and held his interest.</p><p>With money and connections, it was possible to achieve anything and go anywhere, and Sam Hardwick had done those things in abundance, and Shelby hated him for it.</p><p>Excusing himself, Sam stepped away from Lady Donna and pulled Shelby to one side, and away from his group of friends.</p><p>“What are you doing here?” he whispered.</p><p>Sam had leaned down toward her. He was so close that she could smell the soft tang of his aftershave as his cheek brushed inadvertently against hers.</p><p>“I’m gate-crashing the party of course.” She forced a bright smile. “How else am I supposed to find an opportunity to talk with you? These days you’re an impossible man to reach. I’ve tried contacting you at your office, but your secretary keeps fobbing me off with some excuse. And I won’t allow you to walk away from the situation you’ve created. Not after the devastation you’ve caused.”</p><p>Several people were looking curiously in their direction, but they weren’t close enough to hear what she had whispered through clenched teeth. Shelby merely smiled and tried to look serene as she ignored the inquisitive stares.</p><p>Tonight, Shelby intended to demand the help she thought she deserved. Somehow, she had to get Sam to clear her father’s name and right an injustice that had been done before he left London and returned to the States.</p><p>The tight, steely grip of Sam’s fingers on her arm caught her unaware, and as he pulled her with dogged determination to one side of the crowded room, she wanted to protest but didn’t. His rough touch burned her arm. Branding her. But she didn’t care. At least she had managed to gain his full attention. She’d become a thorn in his flesh, and that was good, because now she couldn’t be ignored.</p><p>Sam was all of six-foot-two inches, and he towered above her. He was staring down with controlled anger etched on his face, and Shelby was aware that a feeling of unease was beginning to grow deep inside her. Perhaps she’d bitten off more than she could chew.</p><p>With her heart thumping hard against her ribcage, she was having second thoughts, wondering if this was the right time or place to confront him. It was a social event, a Christmas party, and not the best place to present her plan to him, but Shelby realized she had to at least make an attempt. She knew it was her only course of action if she were to save her father.</p><p>There was an inflexible, fiery glint of steel burning in Sam’s eyes, and his temper was showing.</p><p>“Is this some sort of joke?” Sam practically spat the words at her. “What’s this about? And why are you here…at the Foreign Office?”</p><p>Shelby could see the throb of his pulse beating along his jaw. He was fuming.</p><p>“We need to talk,” she said.</p><p>“About what?”</p><p>“About my father.”</p><p>“No, we don’t,” he replied. “That business was dealt with in the courts and judgement was passed. We sat in the courtroom and heard the verdict. Remember? The problem is over and done with.”</p><p>But for Shelby, it wasn’t over.</p><p>A few months ago, her father had worked as a senior official for the government, and his department, which he’d been head of, had been accused of leaking secret documents. Sam had led the internal investigation, and when the allegations were made official, and charges brought, the public humiliation her father had endured had taken its toll.</p><p>Henry Chesterfield had become a broken man.</p><p>Unable to cope with the dishonor and shame, her father had crumpled, and he’d become a shell of the man he’d once been. Over time he’d lost the will to challenge his accusers and fight for his name. But Shelby hadn’t lost hope. She was determined to clear her family’s name of the shame and scandal that had been wrongly inflicted upon them.</p><p>In Shelby’s eyes, Sam Hardwick—a man she had once greatly admired—was the villain. He was the arch-enemy. And if Sam wouldn’t help her, she was going to destroy him any way she could. If he refused to help, she was going to cause such a scandal that not only would it ruin Sam socially, it would also obliterate his diplomatic career—forever.</p><p>Right now, she had no idea how she would actually achieve this, but she was determined to find a way, whatever the cost.</p><p>“I don’t care what the courts’ judgement was,” she said. “It was wrong, and you know it. You worked for my father for years. He practically built your career. How could you doubt him? How could you question his honesty and loyalty to the crown?”</p><p>“Tell me—what means did you use to get past security? To my knowledge, you’re not on the guest list. And I should know, I had to review and approve the list before the invitations were sent out.”</p><p>“I have clearance. Although technically, the identification disk isn’t mine.” Shelby reached into her clutch bag and pulled out what looked to be a level-five ID pass. She also had an invitation card to the party. With a flicker of triumph, she flashed them before his eyes. “It’s an old security ID pass and last year’s invitation that belonged to my father,” she told him. “I suggest you tighten your security. It seems that even with all your bureaucratic red tape, I can still manage to get past your defense systems.”</p><p><br /></p><p><b>BUY LINKS:</b></p><p><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Gentleman-Love-Arabella-Sheen-ebook/dp/B09Q1M9CHL/ref=sr_1_7?crid=1BK8JG2D549SR&keywords=arabella+sheen&qid=1695721177&sprefix=%2Caps%2C362&sr=8-7">Amazon UK</a></p><p><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Gentleman-Love-Arabella-Sheen-ebook/dp/B09Q1M9CHL/ref=sr_1_7?crid=1BK8JG2D549SR&keywords=arabella+sheen&qid=1695721177&sprefix=%2Caps%2C362&sr=8-7">Amazon US</a></p><p><a href="https://www.kobo.com/gb/en/ebook/a-gentleman-in-love-1">KOBO</a></p><p><a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-gentleman-in-love-arabella-sheen/1137714518;jsessionid=2C4984E696642D8CC0812B40FA810A39.prodny_store01-atgap07?ean=2940165751943&st=AFF&2sid=Draft2Digital_7968444_NA&sourceId=AFFDraft2Digital">NOOK</a></p><p><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1125634?ref=">SMASHWORDS</a></p><p><a href="https://books2read.com/u/mBwvwN">AND MORE RETAILERS</a> </p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-family: "times new roman", "serif"; font-size: 10pt;">A Gentleman in Love</span></p><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 15.3333px;">Copyright © 2020, Arabella Sheen<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 15.3333px;">ISBN</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 15.3333px;">: 978-0-9575698-98 </span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 15.3333px;">Publisher: priceplacebooks<o:p></o:p></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 15.3333px;">Electronic Publication: January 2022<o:p></o:p></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 15.3333px;">Editor: Pamela Tyner<o:p></o:p></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 15.3333px;">Cover: Fantasia Frog Designs<o:p></o:p></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 15.3333px;">eBooks are not transferable. No part of this book may be used or reproduced without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations in articles and reviews.<o:p></o:p></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 15.3333px;">This book is a work of fiction and any resemblance to persons, living or dead, or places, events or locales is purely coincidental. The characters are productions of the author’s imagination and used fictitiously.</span></div></div><p><br /><br /></p><div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px; line-height: 15.18px; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><b><u><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 21.4667px;">About Arabella Sheen</span></u></b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 20.7px;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px; line-height: 15.18px; margin: 0in; text-indent: 14.2pt;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px; line-height: 15.18px; margin: 0in; text-indent: 14.2pt;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA0kg-wbmjgRrsilCim_7R5Y0uqNTceopMS1XGWlw8CmEstL4_qxEMt9WuLlEQISQZwCtZkHSbkt8ohyiRCnA51QIRCr3iFza638JrwlX7o9xLTnt_TNNcju42SvXProZZRuA9ptLBMuZI/s1600/--.jpg" style="color: #888888; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1433" height="178" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA0kg-wbmjgRrsilCim_7R5Y0uqNTceopMS1XGWlw8CmEstL4_qxEMt9WuLlEQISQZwCtZkHSbkt8ohyiRCnA51QIRCr3iFza638JrwlX7o9xLTnt_TNNcju42SvXProZZRuA9ptLBMuZI/w159-h178/--.jpg" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: none; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1) 0px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative;" width="159" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption">Arabella Sheen - Author</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px; line-height: 15.18px; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 20.7px;"><br /></span></div><div style="background: white; color: #222222; line-height: 15.18px; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: 18.4px; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: times;"><b><span style="color: #111111;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: 18.4px; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><b style="font-family: times; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: #111111;">Arabella Sheen </span></b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: times; text-indent: 0.5in;">is a British author of contemporary and historical romance and likes nothing more than the challenge of starting a new novel with fresh ideas and inspiring characters.</span></div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: 18.4px; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="color: #222222;">One of the many things Arabella loves to do is to read. And when she’s not researching or writing about romance, she is either on her allotment sowing and planting with the seasons or she is curled on the sofa with a book, while pandering to the demands of her attention-seeking cat.</span><span style="line-height: 20.7px;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: 18.4px; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="color: #222222;">Having lived and worked in the Netherlands as a theatre nurse for nearly twenty years, she now lives in the south-west of England with her family.</span><span style="line-height: 20.7px;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: 18.4px; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="color: #222222;">Arabella hopes her readers have as much pleasure from her romance stories as she has in writing them.</span><span style="line-height: 20.7px;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: 18.4px; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: 18.4px; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: times;"><b><u><span style="color: #222222; line-height: 21.4667px;">Social Media</span></u></b><span style="line-height: 20.7px;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: 18.4px; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="color: #222222;">Website: <a href="http://www.arabellasheen.co.uk/"><span style="color: #888888;">http://www.arabellasheen.co.uk/</span></a></span><span style="line-height: 20.7px;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: 18.4px; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="color: #222222;">Twitter: <a href="http://twitter.com/ArabellaSheen"><span style="color: #888888;">http://twitter.com/ArabellaSheen</span></a></span><span style="line-height: 20.7px;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: 18.4px; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: times;">Facebook Author: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ArabellaSheenAuthor"><span style="color: #888888;">https://www.facebook.com/ArabellaSheenAuthor</span></a> </span></div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: 18.4px; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: 18.4px; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: times;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.arabellasheen.co.uk/a-gentleman-in-love.html" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="788" data-original-width="940" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg6bag-6UjFL_uG62lKwgt_Wy4lEy0hBZJIb8jG0JZBfm2VIQLyRcCu88-7t_JXwXj-cEfOX_oiAMf5CF3nKsXYbExSsaoD7HZZyxBqWaPXLyqqnWmvtFgk7DBx22ij38EMA7Qr7XvejXVmeWLEX3Zkt7ru_-aLzxQb_gxC4MTvkhkVh152fcKl_tsj6yN/w238-h215/AGIL%20-%20FB.png" width="238" /></a></div></span></div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: 18.4px; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div></div></div></div></div>Arabella Sheenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01654234697763753248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5987501983500233991.post-13100748644083915802023-09-26T03:30:00.028-07:002023-09-26T03:30:00.142-07:00A Gentleman in Love - Arabella Sheen - EXCERPT 1<p>The nights are drawing in and it's time to snuggle up on the comfort of your sofa and read.</p><p>A Gentleman in Love is the ideal feel-good romance with a bit of steamy love for those of you who like an extra spark of attraction on your pages. Think ... tender love with a hint of passion and you're there. Grab a copy now, and sit back and enjoy a love story with a difference.</p><p><br /> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://books2read.com/u/mBwvwN" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2667" data-original-width="1948" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNDa7jw5AsDEYT8KAoipQEC6O0fGUEuOwtwA9FO4kxNnQLNb95bNXf6rLLIXgKEAdcHVRF9NKwHk18y-ezaDjv2vPL23QrwxeE8ruseGSEl_SQx9j7qnnMoMDE7OzJlDVL7xe-WLeFQamBXFz7LOHSYHLfILlyJFwE31CTtvRqw2nP3W86VsacnzQDfZvM/s320/AGentlemanInLove_Ereader%20-%20Arabella%20Sheen.jpg" width="234" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">A Gentleman in Love</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">by</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Arabella Sheen</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p><p><br /></p><p>A Christmas wedding and a growing passion. Will a political scandal destroy their love?</p><p>Desperate to exonerate her family name of any wrongdoing, Shelby Chesterfield gate-crashes the Foreign Office Christmas party to ask her father’s accuser for help. When Ambassador Samuel Hardwick refuses to cooperate, Shelby is determined to ruin his diplomatic career any way she can, and a chance to do so arrives sooner than she expected.</p><p>Caught in a passionate embrace, Shelby puts Sam on the spot and tells journalists they’re engaged. But her plan backfires when Sam turns the tables on her.</p><p>Sam wants no commitment to anything or anyone except his career. But when his best friends are killed in a violent terrorist attack, leaving their daughter orphaned and in his care, he has the daunting task of finding a wife and substitute mother, or he will risk losing his newly acquired ward into the foster care system. With time running out, when Shelby asks for help to clear her father’s name in a political scandal, Sam offers support in exchange for a Christmas wedding.</p><p>The trouble is…Shelby knows about his ongoing affair with Lady Donna Ruston.</p><p>Can Shelby and Sam work together to achieve their goals, or is their winter romance fated to fail before it’s begun?</p><p>Content Warning: contains sensual love scenes</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">A Gentleman in Love - Chapter One - Excerpt 1</span></b></p><p>Shelby Chesterfield was familiar with the layout of the building. She had been to the Foreign Office many times before, but this time was different. This time she wasn’t there to see her father, and she didn’t have an invitation.</p><p>It had been a while since Shelby had stepped through the tall, oak doors of the Foreign Office, but the place was just as imposing as she remembered. Dark wood paneling, thick pile carpets, and gleaming brass fittings were everywhere. Looking around, she felt intimidated by the grandeur of her surroundings, but the building spoke of refinement, tradition, and history.</p><p>Lifting the long, billowing skirts of her black Dior evening gown, she climbed the imposing marble stairway to the second level and walked toward the visitor’s cloakroom where she left her floor-length coat. Taking a steadying breath, Shelby studied the reception area.</p><p>The cloakroom was crowded, and the place was buzzing with noise and laughter as friends were recognized and greeted. It was past eight o’clock, and although people were still arriving, Shelby had yet to find the person she was searching for.</p><p>Holding her clutch bag firmly in her hands, she bravely passed a security guard, and unimpeded, she moved through an arched doorway and entered a stately reception area.</p><p>Shelby was on the warpath. She was at the Foreign Office for one purpose and one purpose only. She wanted justice for her father. And if she couldn’t get that, then she was prepared to ruin Sam Hardwick any way she could.</p><p>Ready to face the consequences of her actions, she was willing to do almost anything to achieve the goal she so desperately desired. And if need be, she was prepared to tarnish Sam’s name in the same way her father’s name had been blackened and disgraced beyond redemption.</p><p>Excitement filled the air. Tonight was a formal affair, and as tradition and custom dictated, black ties and ball gowns were to be worn for the Christmas party. The men were attired in tuxedos while the women, dressed to impress, were wearing long, elegant, flowing gowns, with glistening jewels shimmering about their persons.</p><p>Overhead, crystal chandeliers were sparkling brightly, and Christmas tinsel trimmings were cascading down from the high, ornate ceiling. A fir tree, with tree lights and red ribbon packages, was strategically positioned in the corner of the room, and that evening, there was a sense of rich, festive lavishness about the place.</p><p>Surveying the room, Shelby estimated there were upward of three hundred guests present, if not more, yet the one person she’d expected to see was missing from the crowd…and then she saw him.</p><p>Sam Hardwick, the ambassador, based at the United Kingdom Embassy in Washington, DC, was standing at the bar with a drink in his hand. Surrounded by a group of affluent-looking people, he was deep in conversation with a stunningly beautiful woman, and Shelby could see quite clearly that the woman was none other than Lady Donna Ruston. Sam had a fixed smile on his face and appeared to be enjoying himself.</p><p>Sam Hardwick was the type of man you couldn’t miss. He was utterly gorgeous. His height and broad shoulders drew the eye, and then there was his elusive aura of power and authority that always captured people’s attention. Men envied his commanding presence, while women…well, they were usually after only one thing, and that was Sam.</p><p>Against her better judgement, Shelby had to admit Sam was sex on legs. And purely on the physical level, just the sight of him had her body reacting. She couldn’t help it. Whenever she saw him, her stomach flipped and her heart gave that extra beat.</p><p>But tonight, the shockwaves of excitement running through her lasted only briefly. As the memory of what he had done came flooding back, she knew that deep down inside, she hadn’t, and she couldn’t, forgive him…not yet. The respect and admiration she’d once felt for Sam had gone, and in its place, a cold, icy hatred had taken over.</p><p>Sam was the man who had ruined her life. In ruining her father’s career and shaming her family, he had ultimately destroyed her very existence. Her engagement to Edgar Parker had been canceled, and any chance of happiness she thought she might have had for the future had been spoilt by Sam’s callous, cold-hearted actions.</p><p>She wanted revenge. Not just for herself, but mostly for her family.</p><p>Time was of the essence. Sam was due to fly back to America, and once there, Shelby knew he would be out of reach. As an ambassador to the British Embassy, he would be off-limits to members of the public, and she knew she wouldn’t be able to get to him. Red tape and office staff would make it impossible for them to speak, so tonight was her only chance for a showdown.</p><p>Deciding now was the time to act, Shelby glanced stealthily over her shoulder to see if the coast was clear, and with no one to stop her, she set about putting her plan into action. Taking strong, confident strides, she crossed the great expanse of the room, determined to reach Sam’s side unhindered. And she did.</p><p>An immense sense of achievement came over her, and then daringly, and with more nerve than she could have imagined, she slipped her arm possessively through his. She was behaving as if it was the most natural thing in the world for her to cling to him. But it wasn’t. She would rather be anywhere but where she was at that moment.</p><p>Trying to ignore Lady Donna, Shelby smiled coolly up into Sam’s dark gray eyes, and said, “I’m so pleased I caught you before you went into dinner. I thought I might have missed you.”</p><p>Shelby felt Sam stiffen. There was an instant glint of recognition shining in his eyes, and it was a relief to know he wasn’t going to create a scene. And then, with lightning speed, she saw him recover from her unexpected appearance, and a mask of indifferent coolness came down, covering his face as his guard went up.</p><p><br /></p><p><b>BUY LINKS:</b></p><p><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Gentleman-Love-Arabella-Sheen-ebook/dp/B09Q1M9CHL/ref=sr_1_7?crid=1BK8JG2D549SR&keywords=arabella+sheen&qid=1695721177&sprefix=%2Caps%2C362&sr=8-7">Amazon UK</a></p><p><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Gentleman-Love-Arabella-Sheen-ebook/dp/B09Q1M9CHL/ref=sr_1_7?crid=1BK8JG2D549SR&keywords=arabella+sheen&qid=1695721177&sprefix=%2Caps%2C362&sr=8-7">Amazon US</a></p><p><a href="https://www.kobo.com/gb/en/ebook/a-gentleman-in-love-1">KOBO</a></p><p><a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-gentleman-in-love-arabella-sheen/1137714518;jsessionid=2C4984E696642D8CC0812B40FA810A39.prodny_store01-atgap07?ean=2940165751943&st=AFF&2sid=Draft2Digital_7968444_NA&sourceId=AFFDraft2Digital">NOOK</a></p><p><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1125634?ref=">SMASHWORDS</a></p><p><a href="https://books2read.com/u/mBwvwN">AND MORE RETAILERS</a> </p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-family: "times new roman", "serif"; font-size: 10pt;">A Gentleman in Love</span></p><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 15.3333px;">Copyright © 2020, Arabella Sheen<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 15.3333px;">ISBN</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 15.3333px;">: 978-0-9575698-98 </span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 15.3333px;">Publisher: priceplacebooks<o:p></o:p></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 15.3333px;">Electronic Publication: January 2022<o:p></o:p></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 15.3333px;">Editor: Pamela Tyner<o:p></o:p></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 15.3333px;">Cover: Fantasia Frog Designs<o:p></o:p></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 15.3333px;">eBooks are not transferable. No part of this book may be used or reproduced without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations in articles and reviews.<o:p></o:p></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 15.3333px;">This book is a work of fiction and any resemblance to persons, living or dead, or places, events or locales is purely coincidental. The characters are productions of the author’s imagination and used fictitiously.</span></div></div><p><br /><br /></p><div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px; line-height: 15.18px; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><b><u><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 21.4667px;">About Arabella Sheen</span></u></b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 20.7px;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px; line-height: 15.18px; margin: 0in; text-indent: 14.2pt;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px; line-height: 15.18px; margin: 0in; text-indent: 14.2pt;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA0kg-wbmjgRrsilCim_7R5Y0uqNTceopMS1XGWlw8CmEstL4_qxEMt9WuLlEQISQZwCtZkHSbkt8ohyiRCnA51QIRCr3iFza638JrwlX7o9xLTnt_TNNcju42SvXProZZRuA9ptLBMuZI/s1600/--.jpg" style="color: #888888; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1433" height="178" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA0kg-wbmjgRrsilCim_7R5Y0uqNTceopMS1XGWlw8CmEstL4_qxEMt9WuLlEQISQZwCtZkHSbkt8ohyiRCnA51QIRCr3iFza638JrwlX7o9xLTnt_TNNcju42SvXProZZRuA9ptLBMuZI/w159-h178/--.jpg" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: none; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1) 0px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative;" width="159" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption">Arabella Sheen - Author</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px; line-height: 15.18px; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 20.7px;"><br /></span></div><div style="background: white; color: #222222; line-height: 15.18px; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: 18.4px; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: times;"><b><span style="color: #111111;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: 18.4px; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><b style="font-family: times; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: #111111;">Arabella Sheen </span></b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: times; text-indent: 0.5in;">is a British author of contemporary and historical romance and likes nothing more than the challenge of starting a new novel with fresh ideas and inspiring characters.</span></div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: 18.4px; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="color: #222222;">One of the many things Arabella loves to do is to read. And when she’s not researching or writing about romance, she is either on her allotment sowing and planting with the seasons or she is curled on the sofa with a book, while pandering to the demands of her attention-seeking cat.</span><span style="line-height: 20.7px;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: 18.4px; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="color: #222222;">Having lived and worked in the Netherlands as a theatre nurse for nearly twenty years, she now lives in the south-west of England with her family.</span><span style="line-height: 20.7px;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: 18.4px; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="color: #222222;">Arabella hopes her readers have as much pleasure from her romance stories as she has in writing them.</span><span style="line-height: 20.7px;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: 18.4px; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: 18.4px; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: times;"><b><u><span style="color: #222222; line-height: 21.4667px;">Social Media</span></u></b><span style="line-height: 20.7px;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: 18.4px; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="color: #222222;">Website: <a href="http://www.arabellasheen.co.uk/"><span style="color: #888888;">http://www.arabellasheen.co.uk/</span></a></span><span style="line-height: 20.7px;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: 18.4px; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="color: #222222;">Twitter: <a href="http://twitter.com/ArabellaSheen"><span style="color: #888888;">http://twitter.com/ArabellaSheen</span></a></span><span style="line-height: 20.7px;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: 18.4px; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="color: #222222;">Facebook Author: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ArabellaSheenAuthor"><span style="color: #888888;">https://www.facebook.com/ArabellaSheenAuthor</span></a> </span></span></div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: 18.4px; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="color: #222222;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: 18.4px; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: times;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.arabellasheen.co.uk/a-gentleman-in-love.html" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="788" data-original-width="940" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg6bag-6UjFL_uG62lKwgt_Wy4lEy0hBZJIb8jG0JZBfm2VIQLyRcCu88-7t_JXwXj-cEfOX_oiAMf5CF3nKsXYbExSsaoD7HZZyxBqWaPXLyqqnWmvtFgk7DBx22ij38EMA7Qr7XvejXVmeWLEX3Zkt7ru_-aLzxQb_gxC4MTvkhkVh152fcKl_tsj6yN/w238-h215/AGIL%20-%20FB.png" width="238" /></a></div></span></div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: 18.4px; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="color: #222222;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: 18.4px; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="color: #222222;"><br /></span></span></div></div></div></div></div>Arabella Sheenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01654234697763753248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5987501983500233991.post-72426098091290182162023-09-25T17:00:00.003-07:002023-09-26T04:14:22.119-07:00So, You Want To Be An Author...<p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJXY5hpiiUGpU6z459faS-mxc8UFrbapcwc3epGQ-KbS-6C8bM2BqUONmU-mlY82UHqJbrI1_CCguLCeOyVm7mqLgK9pXkKeP6SpH7L_L1KnI4u8dYtWMnzqIrXrmEFr_akhIRxxT0FTAZuTI_munAYkwyYD4LUV-xPrpTe68ma-6UtzRRh8poOneNstyq/s1080/Writing%20Picture.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="264" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJXY5hpiiUGpU6z459faS-mxc8UFrbapcwc3epGQ-KbS-6C8bM2BqUONmU-mlY82UHqJbrI1_CCguLCeOyVm7mqLgK9pXkKeP6SpH7L_L1KnI4u8dYtWMnzqIrXrmEFr_akhIRxxT0FTAZuTI_munAYkwyYD4LUV-xPrpTe68ma-6UtzRRh8poOneNstyq/w318-h264/Writing%20Picture.png" width="318" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">So, you want to be an author...</span></b></span></p><p><span style="background-color: #f7f7f8; color: #374151; font-family: arial; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Great authors possess a combination of skills, talents, and qualities that enable them to craft compelling, impactful, and memorable written works. Here are some of the key attributes and abilities that make a great author:</span></p><p><span color="var(--tw-prose-bold)" style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; background-color: #f7f7f8; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; font-family: arial; font-weight: 600; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Imagination and Creativity</span><span style="background-color: #f7f7f8; color: #374151; font-family: arial; white-space-collapse: preserve;">: Great authors have vivid imaginations and the ability to think creatively, enabling them to develop unique storylines, characters, and settings.</span></p><p><span color="var(--tw-prose-bold)" style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; background-color: #f7f7f8; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; font-family: arial; font-weight: 600; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Writing Skills</span><span style="background-color: #f7f7f8; color: #374151; font-family: arial; white-space-collapse: preserve;">: Strong writing skills are essential. This includes proficiency in grammar, syntax, vocabulary, and the ability to craft well-structured sentences and paragraphs.</span></p><p><span color="var(--tw-prose-bold)" style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; background-color: #f7f7f8; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; font-family: arial; font-weight: 600; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Storytelling</span><span style="background-color: #f7f7f8; color: #374151; font-family: arial; white-space-collapse: preserve;">: Authors excel at storytelling, using narrative techniques to engage readers and build a sense of anticipation, tension, and resolution.</span></p><p><span color="var(--tw-prose-bold)" style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; background-color: #f7f7f8; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; font-family: arial; font-weight: 600; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Empathy</span><span style="background-color: #f7f7f8; color: #374151; font-family: arial; white-space-collapse: preserve;">: Understanding and empathizing with a wide range of characters and their motivations allows authors to create complex and relatable personas.</span></p><p><span color="var(--tw-prose-bold)" style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; background-color: #f7f7f8; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; font-family: arial; font-weight: 600; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Observation</span><span style="background-color: #f7f7f8; color: #374151; font-family: arial; white-space-collapse: preserve;">: Authors often possess keen observational skills, enabling them to describe the world in detail and capture the nuances of human behavior and interactions.</span></p><p><span color="var(--tw-prose-bold)" style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; background-color: #f7f7f8; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; font-family: arial; font-weight: 600; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Research</span><span style="background-color: #f7f7f8; color: #374151; font-family: arial; white-space-collapse: preserve;">: Depending on the genre, authors may need to conduct extensive research to ensure the accuracy and authenticity of their work.</span></p><p><span color="var(--tw-prose-bold)" style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; background-color: #f7f7f8; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; font-family: arial; font-weight: 600; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Editing and Revision</span><span style="background-color: #f7f7f8; color: #374151; font-family: arial; white-space-collapse: preserve;">: The ability to edit and revise one's work is crucial for refining and polishing a manuscript to its best possible form.</span></p><p><span color="var(--tw-prose-bold)" style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; background-color: #f7f7f8; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; font-family: arial; font-weight: 600; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Adaptability</span><span style="background-color: #f7f7f8; color: #374151; font-family: arial; white-space-collapse: preserve;">: The publishing industry is constantly changing. Great authors are adaptable and open to new ideas, trends, and technologies.</span></p><p><span color="var(--tw-prose-bold)" style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; background-color: #f7f7f8; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; font-family: arial; font-weight: 600; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Discipline</span><span style="background-color: #f7f7f8; color: #374151; font-family: arial; white-space-collapse: preserve;">: Consistent writing habits and discipline are essential for completing novels or other long-form works.</span></p><p><span color="var(--tw-prose-bold)" style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; background-color: #f7f7f8; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; font-family: arial; font-weight: 600; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Self-Critique</span><span style="background-color: #f7f7f8; color: #374151; font-family: arial; white-space-collapse: preserve;">: Authors should be able to critically assess their own work, recognizing areas that need improvement and being willing to make changes.</span></p><p><span color="var(--tw-prose-bold)" style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; background-color: #f7f7f8; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; font-family: arial; font-weight: 600; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Voice</span><span style="background-color: #f7f7f8; color: #374151; font-family: arial; white-space-collapse: preserve;">: Developing a unique voice or style is an important aspect of authorship, as it sets an author apart and makes their work recognizable.</span></p><p><span color="var(--tw-prose-bold)" style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; background-color: #f7f7f8; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; font-family: arial; font-weight: 600; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Resilience</span><span style="background-color: #f7f7f8; color: #374151; font-family: arial; white-space-collapse: preserve;">: Facing rejection and criticism is a common experience for authors. Being able to bounce back and continue writing is crucial.</span></p><p><span color="var(--tw-prose-bold)" style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; background-color: #f7f7f8; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; font-family: arial; font-weight: 600; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Empowerment of Language</span><span style="background-color: #f7f7f8; color: #374151; font-family: arial; white-space-collapse: preserve;">: The ability to use language effectively to convey ideas, emotions, and themes is fundamental to great writing.</span></p><p><span color="var(--tw-prose-bold)" style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; background-color: #f7f7f8; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; font-family: arial; font-weight: 600; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Open-Mindedness</span><span style="background-color: #f7f7f8; color: #374151; font-family: arial; white-space-collapse: preserve;">: Authors should be open to feedback and willing to explore different perspectives and worldviews in their writing.</span></p><p><span color="var(--tw-prose-bold)" style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; background-color: #f7f7f8; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; font-family: arial; font-weight: 600; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Character Development</span><span style="background-color: #f7f7f8; color: #374151; font-family: arial; white-space-collapse: preserve;">: Creating multi-dimensional, believable characters is a hallmark of great authors. This includes character arcs and growth.</span></p><p><span color="var(--tw-prose-bold)" style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; background-color: #f7f7f8; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; font-family: arial; font-weight: 600; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Pacing</span><span style="background-color: #f7f7f8; color: #374151; font-family: arial; white-space-collapse: preserve;">: Knowing how to control the pacing of a story to maintain reader engagement is a vital skill.</span></p><p><span color="var(--tw-prose-bold)" style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; background-color: #f7f7f8; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; font-family: arial; font-weight: 600; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Attention to Detail</span><span style="background-color: #f7f7f8; color: #374151; font-family: arial; white-space-collapse: preserve;">: Careful attention to detail ensures consistency in the narrative and helps avoid plot holes or inconsistencies.</span></p><p><span color="var(--tw-prose-bold)" style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; background-color: #f7f7f8; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; font-family: arial; font-weight: 600; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Originality</span><span style="background-color: #f7f7f8; color: #374151; font-family: arial; white-space-collapse: preserve;">: Great authors strive to bring something new and unique to their work, whether it's a fresh perspective, an innovative plot twist, or a distinct narrative style.</span></p><p><span style="background-color: #f7f7f8; color: #374151; font-family: arial; white-space-collapse: preserve;">It's important to note that while these skills and talents are valuable, writing is a craft that can be honed and developed over time. Many great authors start with raw talent but improve through practice, study, and dedication to their craft.</span></p><p><span style="background-color: #f7f7f8; color: #374151; font-family: arial; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="background-color: #f7f7f8; color: #374151; font-family: arial; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Happy writing...</span></p><p><span style="background-color: #f7f7f8; color: #374151; font-family: arial; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Arabella</span></p><p><span style="background-color: #f7f7f8; color: #374151; font-family: arial; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Website: <a href="http://www.arabellasheen.co.uk">www.arabellasheen.co.uk</a></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxXpj-MDyPkvlA4oNUi_LHA32neEWa0FG1jqRtBRxTUA9zD7A9Lu0Z-_ZkoOInD4842_xDQbz8wi5wkrg_loQcepQVx_sHRc0-Zar3Zw8HCLYaELzcGWqo1F7RbnJONStsPyp-ruIQE6psPbW15kq8q9BAIiEAPJ2EZcht3MgHav5qq685IV49mN2ix02s/s400/Arabella%20-%20canva.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="284" data-original-width="400" height="170" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxXpj-MDyPkvlA4oNUi_LHA32neEWa0FG1jqRtBRxTUA9zD7A9Lu0Z-_ZkoOInD4842_xDQbz8wi5wkrg_loQcepQVx_sHRc0-Zar3Zw8HCLYaELzcGWqo1F7RbnJONStsPyp-ruIQE6psPbW15kq8q9BAIiEAPJ2EZcht3MgHav5qq685IV49mN2ix02s/w240-h170/Arabella%20-%20canva.png" width="240" /></a></div><span style="background-color: #f7f7f8; color: #374151; font-family: arial; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="background-color: #f7f7f8; color: #374151; font-family: arial; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p>Arabella Sheenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01654234697763753248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5987501983500233991.post-52713886622930518002023-06-25T00:52:00.000-07:002023-06-25T00:52:14.618-07:00BIG MISUNDERSTANDING by Arabella Sheen<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKzTv5M5vP9pCllX5VC9saCzHOFAQb8M3imNvHUw2vQ_PMoDpsZtVfC0nDhgtC8S3mGb-T9WEmOv1m7c7lVMgDPMQ6oZas1iQRs0OIRyabFOqOnpNPJf2wE9W_JPO4QOSbjAFP3MocXPRKWJbqtFrQ8nyDtsDn_qGgu0et-6GPxJ2hXpjQBw1N43s7K_tv/s940/YA%20-%20BIG%20MISUNDERSTANDING.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="788" data-original-width="940" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKzTv5M5vP9pCllX5VC9saCzHOFAQb8M3imNvHUw2vQ_PMoDpsZtVfC0nDhgtC8S3mGb-T9WEmOv1m7c7lVMgDPMQ6oZas1iQRs0OIRyabFOqOnpNPJf2wE9W_JPO4QOSbjAFP3MocXPRKWJbqtFrQ8nyDtsDn_qGgu0et-6GPxJ2hXpjQBw1N43s7K_tv/w320-h198/YA%20-%20BIG%20MISUNDERSTANDING.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">A "Big Misunderstanding" is a plot device commonly used in novels and other forms of storytelling. It refers to a situation where two or more characters have a significant misunderstanding or miscommunication, leading to conflict, confusion, or tension within the story. The misunderstanding is usually based on incomplete or inaccurate information, mistaken assumptions, or misinterpreted actions or words.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">The Big Misunderstanding often occurs when characters fail to communicate openly and honestly with each other, allowing misinterpretations or false assumptions to drive the plot forward. It can create dramatic tension, suspense, or even comedic situations, as characters find themselves in awkward or challenging circumstances due to the misunderstanding.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">For example, in a romance novel, a Big Misunderstanding could arise when one character sees another person in a compromising situation with someone else but doesn't have all the facts. Instead of confronting the person and clarifying the situation, they make assumptions and jump to conclusions, leading to a rift in their relationship.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">The Big Misunderstanding serves as a plot device to drive the narrative forward, create conflict, and ultimately provide a catalyst for character growth, resolution, and reconciliation. It is resolved later in the story when the characters finally communicate and discover the truth, leading to a deeper understanding and resolution of the conflict. </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><b>RESOLUTION of the BIG MISUNDERSTANDING </b></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Resolving a Big Misunderstanding in a romance novel typically involves a series of steps and narrative developments. Here are some common approaches used to resolve the misunderstanding and bring the characters closer together:</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><b>Communication: </b>The most straightforward way to resolve the misunderstanding is through open and honest communication between the characters involved. They need to express their thoughts, feelings, and concerns without holding back important information or making assumptions. This can happen through direct conversation, letters, or other forms of communication.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><b>Disclosure of the truth:</b> Often, the resolution of the Big Misunderstanding comes when the truth is revealed. This could involve the discovery of evidence, the confession of a third party, or a serendipitous event that uncovers the real facts behind the misunderstanding. The truth helps the characters see the situation in a new light and brings clarity to their emotions.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><b>Self-reflection and realization:</b> Sometimes, the characters themselves need to go through a period of introspection and self-reflection to understand their own actions and motivations. This self-awareness can lead them to recognize their mistakes and misinterpretations, helping them approach the situation with a fresh perspective and a willingness to make amends.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><b>Apologies and forgiveness:</b> Once the misunderstanding is resolved, the characters often need to apologize to each other for their role in the conflict. Genuine apologies, acknowledging the hurt caused, and expressing remorse, pave the way for forgiveness and reconciliation. Both parties may need to let go of their resentment and embrace forgiveness to rebuild trust and move forward.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><b>Grand gesture or demonstration of love:</b> In some romance novels, resolving the Big Misunderstanding involves a grand gesture or demonstration of love from one character to the other. This gesture helps to solidify their feeling, reestablish trust, and emphasize the depth of their commitment. It can be a powerful moment that signifies the resolution of the conflict and the strengthening of the romantic bond.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">The resolution of the Big Misunderstanding varies depending on the specific story and characters involved. It often provides an opportunity for growth, deeper understanding, and a stronger connection between the romantic leads, leading to a satisfying conclusion for readers.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.arabellasheen.co.uk/" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5760" height="109" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizBAG-DRlY27qLEZFHz-7-UXLenixqU0Helhi6AgG0t_HUexFvHJdWfUSjaLJ9Il3z6cmOPDJUwTOcQcyI2N7mbDuDzzCFf9JLPf8TnwMLmo-OucG7wVWtPogjmCkZLstyL0JP3NiqzAGl9r3-k0GReQACx7BckdQstDU4trhD99r9VwE9L1PRGnIlS5GD/w182-h109/Arabella%20Sheen%20-%20Naughty.png" width="182" /></a></p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p>Arabella Sheenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01654234697763753248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5987501983500233991.post-41591331118475164562023-05-30T10:30:00.000-07:002023-05-30T10:30:26.305-07:00Welcome to Romance Author - Ava Olsen <p><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">I'm delighted to have Ava Olsen as a guest on my blog</span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXp7YlQxXDSeLQjN-BlZOgtFst5HE1hJnuxXiOzXQ9dAaQ1c8t4o-ym71X9TWjy1pqnRbPeKq9YSL3t31PoWJe8oEpWapRU7ha2uzTMVSlkU1CVQuJjr8Fr96CJYZj9b58WRMBdsGC7Y92lsA02WFr7kQzws5HEWr8ZMYlW0CDhMGpLC-b1sMBs776cA/s500/Guest%20Blog%20-%20Ava%20Olsen%20-%20LOgoWebsite-2.png" imageanchor="1" style="display: inline !important; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="500" height="191" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXp7YlQxXDSeLQjN-BlZOgtFst5HE1hJnuxXiOzXQ9dAaQ1c8t4o-ym71X9TWjy1pqnRbPeKq9YSL3t31PoWJe8oEpWapRU7ha2uzTMVSlkU1CVQuJjr8Fr96CJYZj9b58WRMBdsGC7Y92lsA02WFr7kQzws5HEWr8ZMYlW0CDhMGpLC-b1sMBs776cA/w191-h191/Guest%20Blog%20-%20Ava%20Olsen%20-%20LOgoWebsite-2.png" width="191" /></a></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Hello Ava - It was lovely to connect
with you – a fellow <a href="https://www.evernightpublishing.com/ava-olsen/ ">Evernight Publishing</a> author - and I’m pleased to hear you
have another release on the horizon. But before we discover more about LOST
WITHOUT YOU, here are a few questions that will hopefully give your readers and
followers an insight into some of the things that matter to you.</span></b></div></b></div>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0cm; tab-stops: 133.5pt;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0cm; tab-stops: 133.5pt;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Arabella: Are there any
organizations, writing, or reader groups, you belong to? And, how do they
support or help you in creating such wonderful novels?</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Ava: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">I belong to a lot of reader groups on social media
and I’m a lifelong romance reader which is key. The more you read, the better
you understand the genre and what readers want. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Arabella: Where do you read? Sofa or
bed or ____?</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Ava: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Anywhere and everywhere! I download ebooks on my
phone and my tablet so I can read at home, or on the subway, you name it! I
also collect paperbacks of my favorite reads. And I always read before I go to
bed (exciting, right?) </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYSYuJXBGuKP9PwsiqtryBjUZZ3fAcFd50-Gb301VHtxOkzoB1CIsInWtvAKq6PXJRoeRH1oT9xigEx_dv-ktKSSfQ0QJpwRJusYhY8WTPyxRXr8qGLIVKojHlluZL2Y_MSY-uBmRDjyQvyYWKXhampyCKyl_cX5ecpWgbZrDBUJZhIKkGkKGOFjEBRg/s299/Guest%20Blog%20-%20Ava%20Olsen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="168" data-original-width="299" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYSYuJXBGuKP9PwsiqtryBjUZZ3fAcFd50-Gb301VHtxOkzoB1CIsInWtvAKq6PXJRoeRH1oT9xigEx_dv-ktKSSfQ0QJpwRJusYhY8WTPyxRXr8qGLIVKojHlluZL2Y_MSY-uBmRDjyQvyYWKXhampyCKyl_cX5ecpWgbZrDBUJZhIKkGkKGOFjEBRg/s1600/Guest%20Blog%20-%20Ava%20Olsen.jpg" width="299" /></a></div><br /><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Arabella: In your latest release, <a href="https://mybook.to/32peU ">LOSTWITHOUT YOU</a>, who is your favorite character and why?</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Ava: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">My favorite character in LOST WITHOUT YOU is my heroine,
Rachel. I wrote her as a strong, independent, 39-year-old woman happy in her
life but still open to finding love. Her drive and determination to find out
what happened to her father is part of the reason the hero, Ethan, falls so
hard for her.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://mybook.to/32peU " imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2700" data-original-width="1800" height="347" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJyVUB18vk0PJPTiJ73UqAVFbifOCurGru50w6xuL0NaTZqeklM3-VOEg6h5MVbyhEiAvvm1gYYkMaPJK3TCTMkO6jQEziS3ALZ0aEzcvkYZcyCkkItKbhRT7PH0YlIjMpHp0UGl0n2YpXn6DwCwMhM1-ff6Z2vWN-KMlgPMYp0i1uXZWAbIR4kZxnbA/w231-h347/Guest%20Blog%20-%20Ava%20Olsen%20-%20Lost%20without%20you%20copy.jpeg" width="231" /></a></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Arabella: When writing a novel, how
do you work? Are you a plotter or pantser?</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Ava: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">I’m mostly a pantser, but I do create outlines to
start. I write character-driven books so I start with the main love interests,
their backstories, and the basic plot of the book. Then I let my imagination
take over. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Arabella: Which would you prefer to
do: 1) spend a morning vigorously working out at the gym, 2) be pampered from
head to toe at the spa and beauty salon, 3) indulge and pile on the pounds with
a romantic dinner for two?</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Ava: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">#2 definitely! </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP1Or2M79xvwPp0n93ArqpxzNI-3nmRITX4wK-JIXPXaQdjMJOgDe23OZRpg1hcWrmBN5WSfEjEPjkxeqnw2e6g56c6tVW2QQqaiXkOhHy-rJbqED_zlOzcSYLTf3C_1-uGgOwByx8peZWZsL7BFw8DuFkAvg3OxEsTTnsfWBVKv7K4w6ztjtX3PNCCw/s800/Guest%20Blog%20-%20Spa%20-%20Ava%20Olsen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="800" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP1Or2M79xvwPp0n93ArqpxzNI-3nmRITX4wK-JIXPXaQdjMJOgDe23OZRpg1hcWrmBN5WSfEjEPjkxeqnw2e6g56c6tVW2QQqaiXkOhHy-rJbqED_zlOzcSYLTf3C_1-uGgOwByx8peZWZsL7BFw8DuFkAvg3OxEsTTnsfWBVKv7K4w6ztjtX3PNCCw/s320/Guest%20Blog%20-%20Spa%20-%20Ava%20Olsen.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Arabella: Which of the following
would you rather wear?</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1)<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">1 - beach
shorts and top<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2)<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">2 - a long evening skirt and blouse<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3)<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">3 - pyjamas
and slippers? </span></b></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><b style="text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"> </span></b><b style="text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Ava: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; text-indent: -18pt;">PJs and slippers.</span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; text-indent: -18pt;"><br /></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuAxQ7fPchk3Lr8pFOVjZ3NdbqnjUYgOITyBLyjVxrxwCV-NyJv5UzZny2u3dtfepBM8TRZ3hZwjwVMCZIz1q0ofdchM6GfUktlA0MJoSTNYb-VGZLwOEbbNrATHIp4QINBWY1MhyranSR0eBlz_ZD9XKQVzzRWWKtN7to7iFxo2PugyeKLNdJGDYDOQ/s600/Guest%20Blog%20-%20Ava%20-%20Slippers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="517" data-original-width="600" height="201" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuAxQ7fPchk3Lr8pFOVjZ3NdbqnjUYgOITyBLyjVxrxwCV-NyJv5UzZny2u3dtfepBM8TRZ3hZwjwVMCZIz1q0ofdchM6GfUktlA0MJoSTNYb-VGZLwOEbbNrATHIp4QINBWY1MhyranSR0eBlz_ZD9XKQVzzRWWKtN7to7iFxo2PugyeKLNdJGDYDOQ/w233-h201/Guest%20Blog%20-%20Ava%20-%20Slippers.jpg" width="233" /></a></div><br /><o:p><br /></o:p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><o:p> </o:p></span><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Arabella: We all have a long list of
books we keep meaning to read but never have the time for --- which book is a <i>must read</i> for you this season?</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Ava: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">So, I write MM and MF romance - on top of my list is
Aimee Nicole Walker’s ‘Guys Like Him’ (MM) and then J.T. Geissinger’s ‘Fall
Into You’ (MF).</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Arabella: What about your future
plans? Any books or series in the making?<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Ava: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">I’m finishing up my MM series called the Voyagers
with <a href="https://mybook.to/g6mZB">THE COCKPIT</a>, Book 3 coming out June
27 and ENDEAVOR, Book 4, releasing August 22. I’ve also created a second pen
name, writing dark MF and MMF romance as <a href="https://linktr.ee/aolsenauthor">A. OLSEN</a>: my first series is a
motorcycle romance set in the badlands of Alberta, Canada: NO CHANCE IN HELL,
Hellraisers & Hellions Book 1, releases this summer. And I’m writing a
mafia don series under that pen name as well. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">And maybe a Christmas novella… There’s a lot going
on!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><b>Thank
you for being a super guest, Ave, and for sharing some of your writing secrets
with your readers. Wishing all the best for your latest release, LOST WITHOUT
YOU, and for all your projects in the making.<o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><b>Arabella
Xxx</b><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><a href="http://www.arabellasheen.co.uk/">www.arabellasheen.co.uk</a> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7yvAHTSjLQRQHj3S3XsxEWyujZrO2O2HKXG0tlJBTwy1GlK6aj6BnJfku3CRLCVPwysJwfv5sE04VCmhhWTt8UyKM7G-6WH6pAq4VVHUOZG8WyDccc0EmASjDE1Nb_hPYnTgXLjT_Qx2rYFgbf71TPv7w0UBFfyX9VmR7iVMPAuktbL8i8NRtXep-Cg/s5760/Arabella%20Sheen%20-%20Logo%20-.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5760" height="101" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7yvAHTSjLQRQHj3S3XsxEWyujZrO2O2HKXG0tlJBTwy1GlK6aj6BnJfku3CRLCVPwysJwfv5sE04VCmhhWTt8UyKM7G-6WH6pAq4VVHUOZG8WyDccc0EmASjDE1Nb_hPYnTgXLjT_Qx2rYFgbf71TPv7w0UBFfyX9VmR7iVMPAuktbL8i8NRtXep-Cg/w168-h101/Arabella%20Sheen%20-%20Logo%20-.png" width="168" /></a></div><br /><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">ABOUT <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>AVA OLSEN<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixDGErj4DY7lnvofc0lW2jn-RviLWk4GNftc0P91Fkv6VhcgOfOpFcy3E57YIkf8XrHYmIYR3fH9mQwLCovHq1MdjyrLUYeD18KYvQs0IS0faTnHbK-SGWxsFeZFqO3CyU1a1pRuKIaY-VBPJvaAtR7R4L7Pmphee8q-vIqI1Tnp5_hJgARoK8lKa-lQ/s485/Guest%20Blog%20-%20Ava%20Olsen%20-%202q3o8mcb6sgp1fiqbc8lbshd7t._SY600_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="485" data-original-width="485" height="207" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixDGErj4DY7lnvofc0lW2jn-RviLWk4GNftc0P91Fkv6VhcgOfOpFcy3E57YIkf8XrHYmIYR3fH9mQwLCovHq1MdjyrLUYeD18KYvQs0IS0faTnHbK-SGWxsFeZFqO3CyU1a1pRuKIaY-VBPJvaAtR7R4L7Pmphee8q-vIqI1Tnp5_hJgARoK8lKa-lQ/w207-h207/Guest%20Blog%20-%20Ava%20Olsen%20-%202q3o8mcb6sgp1fiqbc8lbshd7t._SY600_.jpg" width="207" /></a></div><br /><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #373e3e;">Ava Olsen writes steamy and dreamy MM and MF
contemporary romances filled with heartwarming characters, cheeky banter and
swoony moments. She also writes steamy, dark, and delicious MF and MMF romance
under the pen name A. Olsen.</span></p>
<p class="ox-436dd30a3a-msonormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; box-sizing: content-box; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="box-sizing: content-box;"><span style="color: black;"><o:p> </o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="ox-436dd30a3a-msonormal" style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm;"><b><span style="color: black; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Website
and Social Media Links</span>:<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="ox-436dd30a3a-msonormal" style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm;"><span style="color: black;">Website: </span><span style="color: #dca10d;"><a href="http://avaolsenauthor.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #007dbc;">http://avaolsenauthor.com</span></a><span style="box-sizing: content-box;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; box-sizing: content-box; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm; min-height: 15px; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: black;">Newsletter: </span><span style="color: #dca10d;"><a href="https://avaolsenauthor.com/newsletter" target="_blank"><span style="color: #007dbc;">https://avaolsenauthor.com/newsletter</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; box-sizing: content-box; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm; min-height: 15px; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: black;">Insta: </span><span style="color: #dca10d;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/avaolsenauthor/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #007dbc;">https://www.instagram.com/avaolsenauthor/</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; box-sizing: content-box; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm; min-height: 15px; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: black;">Facebook: </span><span style="color: #dca10d;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100083209126068">https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100083209126068</a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; box-sizing: content-box; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm; min-height: 15px; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: black;">Twitter: </span><span style="color: #dca10d;"><a href="https://twitter.com/avaolsenauthor/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #007dbc;">https://twitter.com/avaolsenauthor/</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; box-sizing: content-box; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm; min-height: 15px; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: black;">BookBub: <a href="https://www.bookbub.com/authors/ava-olsen" target="_blank"><span style="color: #007dbc;">https://www.bookbub.com/authors/ava-olsen</span></a></span><span style="color: #dca10d;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; box-sizing: content-box; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm; min-height: 15px; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: black;">TikTok: <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@avaolsenauthor?_t=8ZvnQk1HMWc&_r=1" target="_blank"><span style="color: #007dbc;">https://www.tiktok.com/@avaolsenauthor?_t=8ZvnQk1HMWc&_r=1</span></a><span style="box-sizing: content-box;"> </span></span><span style="color: #dca10d;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; box-sizing: content-box; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm; min-height: 15px; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: black;">Amazon: <a href="https://amzn.to/3FqgPNR" target="_blank"><span style="color: #007dbc;">https://amzn.to/3FqgPNR</span></a></span><span style="color: #dca10d;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="ox-436dd30a3a-msonormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; box-sizing: content-box; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm; min-height: 15px; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: black;">Dark romance pen name A. Olsen: <a href="https://linktr.ee/aolsenauthor" target="_blank"><span style="color: #007dbc;">https://linktr.ee/aolsenauthor</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="ox-436dd30a3a-msonormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; box-sizing: content-box; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="box-sizing: content-box;"><span style="color: black;"><o:p> </o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="ox-436dd30a3a-msonormal" style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm;"><span style="color: black;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="ox-436dd30a3a-msonormal" style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="ox-436dd30a3a-msonormal" style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm;"><b><span style="color: black; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">BOOK
BLURB<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><a href="https://mybook.to/32peU ">LOST WITHOUT YOU</a></span><span style="color: black;"> </span></b></p>
<p class="ox-436dd30a3a-msonormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; box-sizing: content-box; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="box-sizing: content-box;"><span style="color: #222222;"><o:p> </o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="ox-436dd30a3a-msonormal" style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm;"><span style="color: #222222;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdjpS6wB8GP4zASJ5iZYSAKqsclQhyMpjvCUmXiU3SEV_NU-JArgLm422S4phqA0tn0mLqHftoC75r395yLdb5T724iw_KNNNif76BiANMRYbtYi3GL85h2HG-6xssV0aZLI9AERs-8lyFj_RXIKUIEXPP_VRACG-NSQYcmo57tcHPOt8d2zY3z6RrzA/s2700/Guest%20Blog%20-%20Ava%20Olsen%20-%20Lost%20without%20you%20copy.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2700" data-original-width="1800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdjpS6wB8GP4zASJ5iZYSAKqsclQhyMpjvCUmXiU3SEV_NU-JArgLm422S4phqA0tn0mLqHftoC75r395yLdb5T724iw_KNNNif76BiANMRYbtYi3GL85h2HG-6xssV0aZLI9AERs-8lyFj_RXIKUIEXPP_VRACG-NSQYcmo57tcHPOt8d2zY3z6RrzA/s320/Guest%20Blog%20-%20Ava%20Olsen%20-%20Lost%20without%20you%20copy.jpeg" width="213" /></a></div><p></p><p class="ox-436dd30a3a-msonormal" style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm;"><span style="color: #222222;"> </span></p>
<p class="ox-436dd30a3a-msonormal" style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm;"><span style="color: #222222;">Rachel Desoumas is a woman on a mission, determined
to find out why her father left their family home one night thirty-four years
ago and never returned. A linguistics professor, Rachel excels at solving
puzzles, but this is one case she can’t solve alone. Enter Ethan Blackwell,
former FBI agent turned author and consultant. Smart and charming, Ethan
matches Rachel’s drive and determination. Partnering with him on the case is a
smart move, but falling for him is a risk Rachel isn’t sure she’s prepared for…</span><span style="color: black;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; box-sizing: content-box; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: black;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; box-sizing: content-box; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: black;">Ethan Blackwell is a best-selling
mystery author who’s moved on from his FBI past. Or so he thought. But once an
investigator, always an investigator, and when he gets a call for help from
Rachel, he can’t resist. Not the mystery, and definitely not Rachel…<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; box-sizing: content-box; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: black;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; box-sizing: content-box; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: black;">From San Francisco to New York
City, they’re hot on the trail of a very cold case and it’s not just the
investigation that’s heating up. But Ethan’s plagued by an ex who can’t let go
of the past and Rachel’s desire for answers may prove costly.<span style="box-sizing: content-box;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; box-sizing: content-box; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: black;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; box-sizing: content-box; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: black;">As Ethan and Rachel journey closer
to the truth, only one thing is clear - they’d be lost without each other.<span style="box-sizing: content-box;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><b style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;">Release Date WEDNESDAY
MAY 31</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">BUY
LINKS:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"> <span style="color: black;"><a href="https://mybook.to/32peU" target="_blank"><span style="color: #007dbc;">https://mybook.to/32peU</span></a></span>
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br /></p>Arabella Sheenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01654234697763753248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5987501983500233991.post-8426101751130788712023-04-18T01:56:00.000-07:002023-04-18T01:56:32.189-07:00NEW RELEASE - Forbidden Stowaway - Arabella Sheen<p><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 24px;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 24px;">And here it is! </span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 24px;">The long-awaited </span><a href="https://books2read.com/u/38VzVd " style="font-size: 24px;"><b>Forbidden Stowaway</b></a><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 24px;"> by Arabella Sheen </span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 24px;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><b>#historical #romance</b></span></span></p><p><br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://books2read.com/u/38VzVd " imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_ku4HmPFglV3iEmuts5kas4ctVC3-L-9Lwy0IBMLBAYBwZjOz_n_iPYTRBFrKQey5U-Wt6DAkiGfnSTPtUzezLFPYEVzBDpdEgkEBNDL-tYKrOO7F_iLGJVJkKK3M-WVa8H8jFlCpLLEctIBpdXx7djMs-ETGncyQIPt4Ji5vZWIz9yXXNMoRDZTZnA/s320/FORBIDDEN%20-%20New%20-%205%20STARS.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 24px;">Looking for a thrilling and captivating historical romance? Then look no further than "Forbidden Stowaway," a story that will take you on a journey of love, sacrifice, and redemption.</span><br style="background-color: white; font-size: 24px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 24px;">Meet Olivia, a woman who has burnt her bridges and must face the consequences of her actions.</span><br style="background-color: white; font-size: 24px;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-size: 24px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 24px;">When she sets foot on board Captain Luke Crowe’s merchant ship, she knows that her reputation in elite society is in jeopardy. But when she is faced with the choice of saving her brother or saving her good name, she knows what she has to do, even if it means surrendering her innocence to Luke.</span><br style="background-color: white; font-size: 24px;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-size: 24px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 24px;">Join Olivia as she embarks on a journey of illicit discovery with Luke, a man who will challenge her in ways she never thought possible.</span><br style="background-color: white; font-size: 24px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 24px;">Will Olivia's love for her family be enough to outweigh the sacrifices she must make for them? Or will she lose everything she holds dear in pursuit of what she desires?</span><br style="background-color: white; font-size: 24px;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-size: 24px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 24px;">With rich historical detail and passionate storytelling, "Forbidden Stowaway" is a tale that will capture your heart and leave you breathless. Don't miss out on this unforgettable romance.</span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 24px;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 24px;"><b>Buy Links:</b></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 24px;"><b><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0BZQWQNNM?tag=books2read02-20 ">Amazon US</a></span></b></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 24px;"><b><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0BZQWQNNM?tag=books2read02-20 ">Amazon UK</a></span></b></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 24px;"><b><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><a href="https://www.kobo.com/gb/en/ebook/forbidden-stowaway ">Kobo</a></span></b></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 24px;"><b><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/forbidden-stowaway-arabella-sheen/1143269802?ean=2940166038135&st=AFF&2sid=Draft2Digital_7968444_NA&sourceId=AFFDraft2Digital ">Nook</a></span></b></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 24px;"><b><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1369865?ref=draft2digital ">Smashwords</a></span></b></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 24px;"><b><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><a href="https://books2read.com/u/38VzVd ">Other Retailers...</a></span></b></span></p><p><br /></p><p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://books2read.com/u/38VzVd " imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="851" height="159" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSd-JdnOdhwBuU5v5IobMPV7r91kYMkV9HCChr6PnPoJ6ILNH3Tdc6fKQ55ufAY-isVDSeh17tMW3VGbHnfJqLChpSvlN6ToeFzGL_HnvcTB6Ot8KollQG39KIeXCUMFtL3z64JqoGhsjhZeLpyAxAV_1D812XIQxeVUDYkED71IX_3KDXXg3GC37X9Q/w425-h159/Forbidden%20Stowaway%20-%20Banner%20%206.jpeg" width="425" /></a></div><br /><p></p>Arabella Sheenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01654234697763753248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5987501983500233991.post-4513263926017587512023-04-05T12:05:00.000-07:002023-04-05T12:05:15.038-07:00Tips on Editing a Novel - Arabella Sheen<p> </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYOYMx_PdYbDsggcBJu4uZpPyIExknrMLkA0vlZoueieHwztbT9G8biXUYXlMpamaHTMse-i6PqPZSFWvsfTo_NsKReNCtvW803srVB3MiKtEZkisLnUMRJGr3Ia0y8jvILK9HgxTiiFUEfqKzrN4rWRjb93y4g46eVBLqpqvrfjgpXwyAmEOif3NJIg/s940/Editing%20a%20First%20Draft.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="788" data-original-width="940" height="185" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYOYMx_PdYbDsggcBJu4uZpPyIExknrMLkA0vlZoueieHwztbT9G8biXUYXlMpamaHTMse-i6PqPZSFWvsfTo_NsKReNCtvW803srVB3MiKtEZkisLnUMRJGr3Ia0y8jvILK9HgxTiiFUEfqKzrN4rWRjb93y4g46eVBLqpqvrfjgpXwyAmEOif3NJIg/w278-h185/Editing%20a%20First%20Draft.png" width="278" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Editing a first draft of a romance novel can be a challenging process, but it's an essential step to polish your writing and ensure your story is engaging for your readers. Here are some things to look for when editing your first draft:</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"> <b>1. Character Development:</b> Check if your characters are well-rounded and have distinct personalities that drive the story forward. Make sure your main characters have clear goals, motivations, and conflicts that create tension and keep readers interested.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>2. Dialogue:</b> Make sure your dialogue sounds natural and authentic to the characters. Check for unnecessary repetition, excessive exposition, and monologues that slow down the pace of the story. Also, ensure that the dialogue is consistent with the characters' personalities, backgrounds, and emotions.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>3. Settings and Descriptions:</b> Check that your settings and descriptions create a vivid and immersive world for your readers. Make sure the descriptions are concise, sensory, and relevant to the story. Avoid overloading the readers with too much detail or too many adjectives. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>4. Plot and Pacing:</b> Check if your plot is well-structured and flows smoothly. Ensure that the pacing is appropriate for the genre and keeps the reader engaged. Check for plot holes, inconsistencies, and unnecessary scenes that don't contribute to the story. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>5. Emotions:</b> Make sure you show the emotions of your characters and allow the reader to experience them through their senses. Use body language, internal thoughts, and dialogue to convey the characters' emotions without telling the reader how they should feel.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>6. Theme and Message:</b> Check if your story has a clear theme or message that resonates with your readers. Ensure that your characters' experiences and actions reflect the theme and reinforce the message.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Overall, editing the first draft of a romantic novel requires attention to detail, patience, and a willingness to revise and improve your writing. By focusing on these elements, you can create a compelling and engaging story that resonates with your readers.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><a href="http://www.arabellasheen.co.uk/" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="387" data-original-width="645" height="112" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSkFBv4ia-meKbSLznXtcxvOEAhHOltyawiZmC14SolvIcHrS2viT-l3T_x0GNL72Hz1z9NjIRIQdJ_rQGl9n58bCVwz4v1nu5lQIo3S1jG8cZIDCmZ0fczIF_SXl2jKKiLxjGubcL9Egt0D57_QDZh8fLs938Be0KYkSuW1r8BprlaCsnLU7Xv29jEA/w186-h112/Arabella%20Sheen%20Black%20Font%20-%20Transparent%20Background.png" width="186" /></a></p><p><br /></p>Arabella Sheenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01654234697763753248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5987501983500233991.post-13934119949762525612023-03-30T09:47:00.000-07:002023-03-30T09:47:19.718-07:00FORBIDDEN STOWAWAY by Arabella Sheen<p> </p><p><b><span style="font-size: large;">SHARING THE NEWS...</span></b></p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: medium; text-align: center;"><b>FORBIDDEN STOWAWAY</b> - </span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: large; text-align: center;"> Historical Romance by Arabella Sheen is now available for </span><strong style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #e92a2a; font-size: medium;">PREORDER </span></strong></p><p><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 24px; text-align: center;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXYYi61CGLDHDaEfHoTWFkwH6eCEF3a95XPj1bZZf0AymlfW4Y-9xMy7snErpPd1V8Ah_w0j9qRHuwJ0rnqpuMkBObOzP3H-SCxwGVleL4rU51gmMyVGP-vfUK7nOuun6gNVEXKsbWJ1Jhc8rSKacm7JllazfkFEYOJKg6dH_k6g1QRES13MI4f0xDJQ/s1640/FORBIDDEN%20-%20PREORDER.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="924" data-original-width="1640" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXYYi61CGLDHDaEfHoTWFkwH6eCEF3a95XPj1bZZf0AymlfW4Y-9xMy7snErpPd1V8Ah_w0j9qRHuwJ0rnqpuMkBObOzP3H-SCxwGVleL4rU51gmMyVGP-vfUK7nOuun6gNVEXKsbWJ1Jhc8rSKacm7JllazfkFEYOJKg6dH_k6g1QRES13MI4f0xDJQ/w396-h223/FORBIDDEN%20-%20PREORDER.png" width="396" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p><em style="background-color: white; font-size: 24px; position: relative;"><br /></em></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><em style="background-color: white; position: relative;">What was it Captain Crowe had said?</em><br style="background-color: white;" /><span style="background-color: white;">‘</span><em style="background-color: white; position: relative;">N</em><em style="background-color: white; position: relative;">o woman could pack her trunks in time to sail on the morning tide</em><span style="background-color: white;">.’</span><br style="background-color: white;" /><em style="background-color: white; position: relative;">Well, she was about to prove him wrong.</em></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Looking for a thrilling and captivating historical romance? Then look no further than "Forbidden Stowaway," a story that will take you on a journey of love, sacrifice, and redemption.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: white;">Meet Olivia, a woman who has burnt her bridges and must face the consequences of her actions.</span><br style="background-color: white;" /><br style="background-color: white;" /><span style="background-color: white;">When she sets foot on board Captain Luke Crowe’s merchant ship, she knows that her reputation in elite society is in jeopardy. But when she is faced with the choice of saving her brother or saving her good name, she knows what she has to do, even if it means surrendering her innocence to Luke.</span><br style="background-color: white;" /><br style="background-color: white;" /><span style="background-color: white;">Join Olivia as she embarks on a journey of illicit discovery with Luke, a man who will challenge her in ways she never thought possible.</span><br style="background-color: white;" /><span style="background-color: white;">Will Olivia's love for her family be enough to outweigh the sacrifices she must make for them? Or will she lose everything she holds dear in pursuit of what she desires?</span><br style="background-color: white;" /><br style="background-color: white;" /><span style="background-color: white;">With rich historical detail and passionate storytelling, "Forbidden Stowaway" is a tale that will capture your heart and leave you breathless. Don't miss out on this unforgettable romance.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0BZQWQNNM/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=forbidden+stowaway+arabella+sheen&qid=1679963096&s=digital-text&sr=1-1 ">AMAZON UK</a> </span></p><p><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BZQWQNNM/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=forbidden+stowaway+arabella+sheen&qid=1679963096&s=digital-text&sr=1-1 "><span style="font-size: medium;">AMAZON US</span></a></p><p><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1369865?ref=draft2digital "><span style="font-size: medium;">SMASHWORDS</span></a></p><p><a href="https://www.kobo.com/gb/en/ebook/forbidden-stowaway "><span style="font-size: medium;">KOBO</span></a></p><p><a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/forbidden-stowaway-arabella-sheen/1143269802;jsessionid=BB72868AA5D0E4588D133E620EE16E04.prodny_store01-atgap11?ean=2940166038135&st=AFF&2sid=Draft2Digital_7968444_NA&sourceId=AFFDraft2Digital "><span style="font-size: medium;">NOOK</span></a></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://books2read.com/u/38VzVd ">OTHER RETAILERS</a> </span></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.arabellasheen.co.uk/forbidden-stowaway.html" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="1300" height="98" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQd4GJYGJfpj2f2TLEhxLhbjJJB96zGIYvzt_jZsgU4ykZjara7wiaBfaARMCNMj5-SFI2hkoEzScyJD1z4HMHs1Wc0gKlGf1-LjySiE9ZIOcIEYAa9p9RbIjgwv3J5zaVGalqWWz1EgimB1Ki9jjur8YTjHqcUgbpiMCFLg53NBvHqOE2GpjNa16o2g/s320/Forbidden%20Stowaway%20-%208.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.evernightpublishing.com/arabella-sheen/ " imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="116" data-original-width="286" height="77" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN9KY60n8iuylMrbo3nE36xBzPuoS1bRAN9mmhylwYsKcPPR34PzrQmKDTbKBNGFiibhav1Yvrruee72yhc58-J8SNvMZLdPT9f5HU_TycEzQlLRo3NZFuDksQsuYXsadCzDO0hfHw_GcHz3l_SMt7R22QkvgmDwqfppOPJZwynnbZX6Bf89LOrP0yfw/w190-h77/Banner%20-%20Evernight%20Publishing%20-%20logo%20-%20png.png" width="190" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>Arabella Sheenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01654234697763753248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5987501983500233991.post-89326195891684729342023-03-15T13:00:00.011-07:002023-03-15T13:00:00.157-07:00Tips on Plotting a Novel - Arabella Sheen<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_JWZ8HaZHqzNTXUfvA5yqX2sGXUNRmyCva1fn9VN4IHm5XAgFklcYw1V5S8-YSYU2M2-EiLl5OHK1-y3QMJWqz5tajJPaiGoDsHd2X4mqwowgVSU4oFhMEYWazTUgf3GrXVgm7v5TW5Aa_Pqx36nXzVVJg-wUknqRJyUBA6Kvqz58zirtndi75dKnuQ/s940/Blog%20-%20Plotting%20a%20Novel.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="788" data-original-width="940" height="203" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_JWZ8HaZHqzNTXUfvA5yqX2sGXUNRmyCva1fn9VN4IHm5XAgFklcYw1V5S8-YSYU2M2-EiLl5OHK1-y3QMJWqz5tajJPaiGoDsHd2X4mqwowgVSU4oFhMEYWazTUgf3GrXVgm7v5TW5Aa_Pqx36nXzVVJg-wUknqRJyUBA6Kvqz58zirtndi75dKnuQ/w320-h203/Blog%20-%20Plotting%20a%20Novel.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">When it comes to plotting a romance novel, there are a few different approaches that can be effective. Here are some tips to keep in mind:</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">1. <b>Start with your characters:</b> Before you start thinking about plot, spend some time developing your characters. Who are they, what do they want, and what obstacles do they face? The plot should emerge from your characters and their goals and conflicts. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">2. <b>Create a compelling conflict:</b> Romance novels thrive on conflict, so it's important to create a compelling obstacle that keeps your characters apart or causes tension between them. This conflict could be external (like a rival love interest or a family feud) or internal (like a fear of commitment or a past trauma).</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">3. <b>Use a story structure:</b> While romance novels can be freeform, using a basic story structure can help you organize your plot and keep your readers engaged. Consider using a three-act structure, which typically includes an introduction, rising action, a climax, falling action, and a resolution. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">4 <b>Include character development:</b> Romance novels aren't just about the plot; they're also about the characters' personal growth and emotional journeys. Make sure to include moments of self-reflection and growth for your characters, so that the readers feel invested in their personal journeys as well as their love stories.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">5. <b>Balance tension and release:</b> To keep readers engaged, it's important to balance tension (like conflict and obstacles) with release (like moments of intimacy and connection between the characters). Make sure to pace your novel so that readers are invested in the outcome of the conflict, but also have moments of emotional payoff along the way. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Overall, the key to plotting a successful romance novel is to create compelling characters, develop a strong conflict, and balance tension with release. By following these tips, you'll be on your way to crafting a captivating love story that readers won't be able to put down. </span></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Arabella-Sheen/e/B00AVLNYNI?ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1&qid=1678306137&sr=8-1 " style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5760" height="153" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFWaSmhhDnnMkLBtepWcc2k_45wNqWG2ol1reGN32SOxwyNP4_bWPyB1Q_PdNIeCnhMzEL9P0_03VukDpiyL4ielsQst_MTu7RUvOmEuaLEZVb9PSmPGTSzidoqxx-nO3VW3ymFfmwdwvuJSX75NFp4j6C3oomBQDof4bdjOxJ7fQPdnESpOO6t3ef0g/w320-h153/Arabella%20Sheen%20-%20Logo%20-.png" width="320" /></a></div><p><br /></p>Arabella Sheenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01654234697763753248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5987501983500233991.post-5880956562829566822023-03-08T12:00:00.002-08:002023-03-08T12:11:44.186-08:00Tips for Authors - Show vs Tell - Arabella Sheen<p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLNvAYwqJysC19LmKSjU3gdTqhoM5qblGRIk6UQTNCm6hhiLTGCTqzwGuLwJRgTrcGuhHvqC_9lIyGHMWH_umnz8Lz7IELifD5yxRTp7XfO2-my0hf8-KBJVa9pvqukvDcigEQbCdCxiuxmlJuSNTOktwJ7ZRYoyuZj0FIZDb6hs7d0QUdR3qyO3CaQg/s940/Show%20vs%20Tell.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="788" data-original-width="940" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLNvAYwqJysC19LmKSjU3gdTqhoM5qblGRIk6UQTNCm6hhiLTGCTqzwGuLwJRgTrcGuhHvqC_9lIyGHMWH_umnz8Lz7IELifD5yxRTp7XfO2-my0hf8-KBJVa9pvqukvDcigEQbCdCxiuxmlJuSNTOktwJ7ZRYoyuZj0FIZDb6hs7d0QUdR3qyO3CaQg/w320-h217/Show%20vs%20Tell.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">When it comes to the "show, don't tell" rule in writing, there are a few different approaches that a romance novelist can take. Here are some tips to keep in mind:</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">1. <b>Use sensory details:</b> Rather than simply telling the reader how a character feels or what they look like, try to show these things through the sensory details. For example, instead of saying "She was nervous", you might describe how her palms were sweating or how her heart was pounding in her chest.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">2. <b>Use dialogue:</b> Dialogue can be a great way to show the reader how characters are feeling or what they're thinking. Instead of having a character think to themselves about how much they love someone, for example, you could have them say it out loud to the person.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">3. <b>Use Action:</b> Another way to show rather than tell is to use action to convey a character's emotion or thought. For example, if a character is angry, you might show them slamming a door or clenching their fists. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">4. <b>Use setting:</b> The setting can also be a useful tool for showing rather than telling. For example, if you want to convey that a character is feeling isolated or alone, you might describe a deserted street or a dark room. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Overall, the key is to be descriptive and specific in your writing and to think about how you can use various elements of storytelling (like dialogue, setting, and sensory details) to convey your characters' emotions and thoughts in a way that feels natural and engaging to the reader.</span></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Arabella-Sheen/e/B00AVLNYNI?ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_2&qid=1678303885&sr=8-2 " imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5760" height="166" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj74pbW4E7AlmSzxhxg2JUL3s6PVhCP24Xtxt2r4Jo50EgAJlE066uZ4AGjNTD3ZqKxjKLPUEobln93TAax31VwfrCvJcHVhh5k5WXs6MYL1UlkJQpFn7z6MQTdiXWsYIEpW9HJI9q37IPB7-xxEe2Gkdek17j2Vb0myDk1qSgKR8TRaQG11cxVBcCk3g/w320-h166/Arabella%20Sheen%20-%20Logo%20-.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>Arabella Sheenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01654234697763753248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5987501983500233991.post-11920667594720163482023-01-10T16:30:00.001-08:002023-01-10T16:30:00.169-08:00CASTELL's PASSION - Arabella Sheen - EXCERPT 2<p> </p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://books2read.com/u/mVRAkP" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="300" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8C80GklcIyirFjIQSpxfj1gcW6rAyrrhvK7BenAj4w-WnzK83ahQXLKGE1wTXe_P64y9SIyqCfhaG8JxciXpjgGm4rpnuHgKS7z8L6nN2WrctiK3Y1GqJ9XE1E6-24DPIZXdxgN6T_jBAr1w7nlM-5apa6kgI9BcIz3jaRNldPuVsh7Mo4NXL6sJL6g/w190-h285/AS-CastelsPassion-300x450.jpg" width="190" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "lucida handwriting"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 24.5333px;">Castell’s Passion<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 21.4667px;">Arabella Sheen<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><b><i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 21.4667px;">A night in his arms, but it comes at a price. Will her heart survive?</span></i></b><b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 21.4667px;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">Billionaire Marc Castell</span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">, owner of the Castell Hotel Group, isn’t looking for love. His jet-set lifestyle means he’s a ‘love them and leave them’ type of guy…that is, until <b>Kate McKenna</b> walks into his life.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">Kate is on the warpath. Her underage sister is planning to spend a weekend in Paris with Marc’s nephew, and she’s determined to put a stop to the affair before it begins.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">Marc has a plan of his own. He promises to save Kate’s sister from his nephew, but there’s a condition attached. Kate has to travel to Cannes with him and play the part of his girlfriend―including spending the night in his bed. Marc hopes this will solve the problem of the unwanted advances he’s been receiving from his friend’s wife. But whenever Marc takes Kate in his arms his world is turned upside down, and he discovers he wants more from her than a casual weekend fling.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">Kate has no time for sexy, powerful playboys. She’s too busy building her career and expanding her catering business. But when she gets to know the man behind the façade, she wonders if she can resist the sensual attraction growing between them. Will she be seduced by his charm and sacrifice everything she believes in for one night of passion in his arms?<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">Marc has a battle on his hands as he strives to win Kate’s love…and her heart.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 21.4667px;">CHAPTER TWO<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">Marc Castell had known many women. He was the head of the large family firm, and was in the billion-dollar bracket of <i>successful</i>. As an eligible bachelor he was much sought after, and some women connived, cajoled, or bribed their way into his social circle in order to meet him. Their aim was always the same. They all wanted to get to know Marc on an intimate level, hoping for a lasting relationship. But Marc wasn’t into long-term commitment. When it came to women and matters of the heart he was a ‘love them and leave them’ type of guy. Over the years he’d become cynical. He’d had to harden his heart against the women of the world, and he’d grown cold to their needs, and uncaring to the point of callousness.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">Inheriting the Castell fortune at an early age Marc soon learned what the women in his life wanted from him. It was one thing and one thing only—his money.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">He knew it was the erotic pull of his wealth that was the main attraction. He’d had lots of affairs and been approached or propositioned in many ways before, but so far none of the women had used their sister as an excuse to get close. He found it fascinating, even intriguing, and he wondered what Kate’s next move would be.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">Kate had a sensuality that was breathtakingly beautiful. The soft curves of her body and the full roundness of her breasts had him wanting to reach out and touch her. But that wasn’t all. There was also an elusive quality that made him want to possess her. As a connoisseur of fine art he knew perfection when he saw it, and as a collector of fine things...he wanted.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">When Kate had mentioned Cannes she had reminded him of where he had to be this weekend. It was somewhere he didn’t particularly want to be, but there was no avoiding his responsibilities. This weekend he was spending time with the Anistons, and although they were good friends, this wasn’t a social occasion. This was business.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">Marc was in the middle of negotiating a hotel-travel deal, and there was to be an informal party to which the Aniston’s board of directors had also been summoned. They needed to discuss some of the finer details of the proposed contract, and negotiations were going to be tricky.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">With Kate’s unexpected suggestion, Marc decided he could use a woman at his side while he was in Cannes. And he wanted this woman.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">“How dare you?” Kate said, as if she was infuriated he would even suggest that she go to Cannes with him.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">It was obvious Kate had great difficulty controlling her temper, and he wondered if she was about to lash out and strike. She didn’t.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">“Oh, I dare,” he said, and he took a step nearer.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">He was now so close to her that he was able to run an exploring finger along her soft cheek and then down her slender neck until he reached the hollow at its base. Surprisingly, she didn’t flinch away, and by the hot flush on her cheeks he could tell that his touch was having the desired effect. He was burning her with caresses. Her skin was warm, and as he continued to stroke he felt her tremble in anticipation.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">Kate took a step back, but he followed, taking two steps forward so that their bodies were lightly connecting. He could feel her erect nipples pressing against the material of his shirt, and he had to stifle a groan.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">Kate’s breathing quickened, and he saw desire flash briefly in her eyes before it was replaced with anger. He wrapped his arms around her and pressed their bodies even closer together. She struggled, pushing against his shoulders, but her struggles were half-hearted at best.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">Capturing her hands, he moved them behind her back, holding them imprisoned. Then Marc heard a soft moan of longing escape her lips. The fight had left her, and as she rested her head against his chest he knew she was silently conceding defeat. He had won.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">Cradling her in his arms, slowly, ever so slowly, he lowered his lips down to meet and caressingly touch hers. Her lips were soft and pliant, and as he held her helpless against his onslaught her mouth parted, forming an anguished, “<i>No.</i>”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">“<i>No </i>what?” he asked, whispering the words as he nuzzled against the delicate shell-like lobe of her ear.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">With one hand still holding hers behind her back, his other hand began gently caressing the line of her jaw. Moving to her mouth, he parted her lips with his thumb, and with a light, delicate touch he explored. Kate gave a strangled whimper.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">“There will never be a <i>no </i>between us, Kate,” he said softly, his words a promise. “There will only ever be <i>yes</i>.” He smiled slightly as his gaze searched her face, and then he saw the desperate longing shining in her eyes.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">“You can’t...I won’t let you,” she murmured as she trembled against him.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">But her protests were futile. He wasn’t taking no for an answer. Touching her full, moist lips with his, he began a raw, bruising invasion of her senses. His kisses were intentionally rough as he searched for a response from deep within her...and he found it.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">Kate’s protests were silenced as he plundered her mouth, taking the kisses he wanted, and she surrendered to him.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">Marc released his grip on her hands, and with her hands now free, Kate clutched at the material of his shirt. Marc locked his hands around her bared, slender waist, and with long, slow, drawn-out movements he moved upward, cupping the soft mounds of her breasts over her shirt. He heard a sharp intake of breath, and he knew it to be a gasp of pleasurable delight. He was turning her on, and it was giving him a sense of power.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">From the first moment they had laid eyes on each other there had been an instant attraction, a sort of electric chemistry between them. And he suspected he was affecting Kate as much as she was affecting him.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">Marc Castell—the cold, calculating, playboy billionaire with a heart of steel—was melting. He craved Kate with an urgent need, and he knew by her reaction the feeling was mutual.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">“What is it you want from me?” she asked as she tried to break free. Her protests were ineffectual.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">“I think you know what I want,” he said. “<i>I want you</i>. I want everything you have to offer.” He knew his words were brutal; they had to be, because he was serious.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">“I’m not available, and I have nothing to offer you.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">“Well...we’ll have to try and change that, won’t we?” he said, and he wasn’t joking.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">Kate blinked as if she was trying to wake from a dream, and then from somewhere in the room the sound of a cellphone’s ringtone broke the silence.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">The continual ringing was claiming Marc’s attention, and with great reluctance he released Kate from his embrace, but not before he had given her another long, possessive kiss.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">“Stay where you are,” he commanded, and then running his hands through his hair in frustration, he walked over to his desk.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">Picking up the cellphone, he flicked open the case.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">“Castell here,” he said. Then looking directly at Kate he continued to talk. “Yes, this is Marc Castell speaking.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Marc heard Kate’s shocked gasp as the penny drop. She was processing the fact that she’d been talking to the wrong man and that he wasn’t Nikki’s boyfriend, Eduardo. Kate had finally discovered he was </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Marc </i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Castell.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Marc continued talking on the cellphone, and by the way he paced back and forth across the room it was obvious something was worrying him.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">“Thanks, Hal. Good work. Have the jet fueled and on stand-by. I’ll let you know what we’re doing on this end. As far as I’m concerned, I’m still scheduled to fly to Cannes this afternoon, but who knows? I’ll get back to you when I know what’s happening.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">After a short pause Marc clicked off the cellphone and turned to Kate.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">“Which do you want first? The good news or the bad?” he asked, and it was done in such a manner that it sent shivers of dread down Kate’s spine.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">His chiseled features were hard, like granite, and there was a visible pulse throbbing along the angle of his sharp jawline. Something was wrong.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">“You’re not Eduardo?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">“No...not Eduardo.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">“But your secretary said...”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">“Clair showed you in here and you assumed I was Eduardo. As I’ve already told you, I’m not him. He’s my nephew.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">“Ohhh...” Kate was at a loss for words.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">“That’s the good news,” he stated bluntly.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">Marc didn’t return to his office chair. Instead, he walked around to the front of his solid, oak desk, leaned back against it, and with his arms folded across his chest, he waited.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">“And the bad news?” she asked, wanting to know the worst.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">“That was my pilot on the phone. He thought he saw Eduardo at the airport...with a girl. Hal’s made enquiries and he’s found out Eduardo’s booked two seats on a commercial flight to Paris. Knowing how I’d react, Hal phoned to tell me. You see, Eduardo’s had previous entanglements with women and he’s not always come off unscathed. Until now I’ve had no reason to intervene or meddle, but there was one woman who―”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">“I don’t believe what I’m hearing. What do you mean his entanglements with women? Actually, don’t bother answering that. I think I get the picture,” she told him with a disgruntled tone. “You’ve told me all I need to know about Eduardo, and all I can say is—it must run in the family. Like nephew, like uncle. The Castell womanizers.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">Now more than ever, Kate was determined that Nikki was to have nothing to do with the Castell dynasty.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">“It sounds worse than it is,” he said, dismissing her concerns as he shrugged his shoulders. “Boys will be boys, and men will be men.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">“What makes you think it’s Nikki who’s with Eduardo? It might not be her.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">Kate was hopeful, but she suspected that when she’d left the house that morning her worst fears had come true. More than likely Nikki had disobeyed instructions to stay at home and had rushed to be with Eduardo.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">“I didn’t say the woman with Eduardo was Nikki, but do you want to take that chance, or do you want to follow me to the airport and find out for sure?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">“I’m going call Nikki first,” she told him.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">“Go ahead,” he said with indifference and passed his cellphone over for Kate to use. “I hope you realize we’re wasting precious time. And while you’re phoning, more than likely they’ll be boarding and taking off.” Digging his hands deep into his trouser pockets, Marc waited while Kate dialed Nikki’s number.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">When Kate got no response and realized Nikki wasn’t going to answer her cellphone or pick up the house phone, she looked across at Marc as if it was his fault. Passing his cellphone back to him, she had to admit defeat.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">Marc didn’t need Kate to tell him that Nikki wasn’t reachable. He could tell by the defeated look on Kate’s face. It seemed he was right after all. Nikki was with Eduardo...and they were gone.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">Marc supposed it would now fall on his shoulders to track them down, but if he was honest with himself he didn’t want to become entangled in something that was none of his business. He had his own affairs to take care of this weekend. He had places to be, people to see, and things to do. He didn’t have time to babysit two young people who had disappeared somewhere for a clandestine destination and were off playing <i>lovebirds</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">“You have to stop him. Tell Eduardo to bring Nikki home,” she demanded.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">So, Kate was expecting him to instantly solve the problem of the disappearing couple. But he wasn’t being backed into a corner, and he wasn’t being told what to do.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">“Why should I do that? I’m not Eduardo’s keeper. He’s old enough to make his own decisions.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">“Eduardo might be old enough to decide what he wants to do, but in many ways Nikki is still a baby. All right, I admit that since the loss of our parents I might be overly protective of her, but it’s so hard to let go of someone you care for. Even though I know at some point I will have to let her move on, I can’t. Not just yet. My sister’s too young to experience the disappointments of adulthood, and she’s never had any real, true experience with men,” she told him anxiously.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">“I thought you said she’s almost eighteen.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">“But that doesn’t make her an adult. Just because she looks like a woman doesn’t make her a woman. You men don’t understand, or you don’t want to understand.” Kate let out a frustrated sound of anger. “All men are the same. You’re only out for one thing. And if Eduardo should harm her in any way, I’m warning you now...I’ll make him pay for it.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">“And how will you do that?” Marc asked with disdain, but Kate ignored his cynical question, dismissing it out of hand.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">“It’s obvious you’re not going to be of any help to me,” she said, sounding vexed.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">“What exactly is it you expect me to do?” he asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">What happened between Eduardo and Nikki was of no interest to Marc. He didn’t care one way or another if the young couple had flown to France for a brief affair or not. His only concern was that the Castell fortune, and in this particular instance Eduardo’s fortune, remained intact.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">“I expect you to stop him. Tell him to leave Nikki alone,” was Kate’s frank reply.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">Marc shrugged and raised his hands as if powerless to do anything. It was a typical French gesture.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">He was reluctant to listen to Kate’s problems. He simply didn’t want to get involved. Being gallant and helping a stunning, beautiful woman was one thing, but taking on the problems of that woman’s sister was altogether another ball game.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">“I can’t. Or rather I won’t try and stop him,” he said with brutal honesty.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">Marc had no desire to curb Eduardo’s extracurricular activities, but if he had to, he was willing to put a stop to Nikki’s exploits. He had no idea what her motive was in striking up a friendship with Eduardo, but from his own experience women generally got involved with a Castell for one reason and one reason only—money.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">“You have to stop them,” Kate insisted anxiously. “If Nikki and Eduardo leave the country, they will soon be out of reach, and it will be beyond my power to stop the inevitable from happening. You have to do something.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">“I don’t have to do anything.” His reply was candid and to the point.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">“Talking to you is like banging my head against a brick wall. It’s obvious you’re a stubborn man. Why won’t you do something?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">Marc always kept his involvement with Eduardo to a strict minimum. Only once, when a gold digger got her claws into his nephew, bleeding him dry of his money and threatening to accept Eduardo’s proposal of marriage, did Marc step in and call a halt to the affair.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">Usually he never interfered, so he didn’t know why he was considering doing just that. But thinking about it he decided that perhaps it was because of the way Kate’s beseeching, dusky eyes were looking at him. Seeing Kate’s distress made him want to help.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">He had a sudden undeniable urge to protect her from anything that could cause anguish. He wanted to shield her, safeguard her, and save her from any hurt that might come her way.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">“If you won’t do anything to help, I’ll have to go to the airport and find her myself.” Kate waited, expecting a response.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">When Marc saw her genuine concern and apprehension for her sister he knew he couldn’t stand on the sideline any longer. He decided he would have to step in and take action.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">“All right,” he said. “Let’s suppose I’m prepared to do what you ask—what are you willing to do for me in return? What would you sacrifice to get your sister back?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">There was a long silence as Kate digested what he’d said. She then looked at him as if wondering if she’d heard correctly.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">“Why are we wasting time talking about what I would sacrifice? Surely it would be best if we both went to the airport and stopped the two runaways from leaving the country before it’s too late.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">“I’m still waiting for your answer. What are you prepared to forfeit to guarantee the safety of your sister?” Marc asked again.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">“Anything,” she said innocently. “I’ll do anything. What is it you need me to do?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">“You promise to do <i>anything</i>? Are you sure you mean that?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">Marc wanted to make absolutely certain everything was clear between them. He needed to know Kate was willing to do whatever was necessary to get her sister back.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">“Of course I’m sure. I would do anything for Nikki. She’s my sister.” There was a deep conviction in Kate’s voice as she said those words.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">“Good. I’ll remind you of this conversation in a few hours’ time, but for now we’d better get moving.” Marc began clearing his desk of some papers and packing his briefcase. “We’ll stop off at your place to collect your passport. Where do you live?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">“Why do I need my passport?” she asked, puzzled. “Won’t we be able to stop them at the airport?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">“You’ll need your passport because if my guess is correct, they’re already on board the plane and on their way to Paris.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">“Ohhh...”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">“If we’re going after them—”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">“No <i>if</i>s,” Kate interrupted. “I’m following them even if you’re not. I have to go. You can stay here if you like. In fact, I’d prefer it if you stayed. I can manage on my own.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">Marc suspected Kate would be out of her depth when it came to reining in the two weekend elopers. He thought it best if he stepped in and tackled the situation, as he suspected his voice would carry more weight and effectiveness should there be problems.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">He also thought it would be a good opportunity, during the flight, to get to know Kate a little better before presenting her with his proposal. And according to their agreement, and having promised she would do anything he asked, he knew it was a proposal she had no option but to accept. Little did Kate know what Marc had in store for her!<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">“You’re coming with me to Paris,” he told her, and his tone implied there would be no discussion on the subject.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">“But I don’t want to go with you,” she persisted. Her protests fell on deaf ears.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">“No buts. That’s the end of it. Now tell me where you live.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">He wasn’t going to back down. He was in business mode, and with an insistent look of determination in his eyes, Kate reluctantly conceded. She gave in.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">“Our house is on the other side of London,” she warned as she went over to the sofa to collect the handbag she’d discarded earlier. “We’re in Eltham, which is south of the river. I’ll phone Patty, my assistant, and ask her to collect my passport and bring it to the airport. Which one are we flying from?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">“Heathrow. But it will be quicker if we drive over to your place. You can pack an overnight bag at the same time. Anything you forget we can always buy in Paris.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">Without ceremony he began ushering Kate out of the office, steering the way over toward reception.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">“Would you have the car brought around, please, Clair? And would you phone the Anistons in Cannes? Tell them I’m delayed. Say I’ll be joining them sometime this weekend and that I’ll be there as soon as I can get away. You can also warn them I’m bringing someone with me.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">“Yes, sir. Anything else?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">Marc looked pointedly in Kate’s direction as he spoke.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">“For some unknown reason the document I was working on hasn’t been completed. It’s on my desk with the other papers. If you could lock them away in the safe that would be great, and I’ll sign them when I get back. You can also tell Cade to cancel the Italian meeting. Put the deal on hold.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">“Yes, sir.” Clair looked at Marc as if amazed that he was leaving the building without having signed the takeover contract.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">Marc was a little surprised by it himself. Cade Knightley, the company’s accountant and a good friend of Marc’s, was waiting for the all clear on the Italian takeover bid before going ahead with the deal. Time was of the essence. But it seemed this afternoon Marc had other pressing priorities to take care of.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">While Marc was busy issuing instructions to Clair, he could see Kate was impatient to be on their way.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">“Miss McKenna and I will be upstairs in my apartment. You can buzz me when the car arrives, and we’ll come down. Oh, and should anyone wish to contact us, we’ll be staying in Paris tonight.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">“Together?” asked Clair discreetly.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">“Yes,” Marc said with conviction. “We’ll be together.” And there was no mistaking his hidden meaning.</span></div></span></div><p><br /></p><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 15.3333px;">Castell’s Passion<o:p></o:p></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 15.3333px;">Copyright © 2022, Arabella Sheen<o:p></o:p></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 15.3333px;">ISBN: 9781944270384<o:p></o:p></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 15.3333px;">Publisher: priceplacebooks<o:p></o:p></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 15.3333px;">Electronic Publication: January 2022<o:p></o:p></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 15.3333px;">Editor: Pamela Tyner<o:p></o:p></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 15.3333px;">Cover: Fantasia Frog Designs<o:p></o:p></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 15.3333px;">eBooks are not transferable. No part of this book may be used or reproduced without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations in articles and reviews.<o:p></o:p></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 15.3333px;">This book is a work of fiction and any resemblance to persons, living or dead, or places, events or locales is purely coincidental. The characters are productions of the author’s imagination and used fictitiously.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div></div><p><br /><br /><br /></p><div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px; line-height: 15.18px; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><b><u><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 21.4667px;">About Arabella Sheen</span></u></b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 20.7px;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px; line-height: 15.18px; margin: 0in; text-indent: 14.2pt;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px; line-height: 15.18px; margin: 0in; text-indent: 14.2pt;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 1px solid rgb(238, 238, 238); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1) 1px 1px 5px; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding: 5px; position: relative; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA0kg-wbmjgRrsilCim_7R5Y0uqNTceopMS1XGWlw8CmEstL4_qxEMt9WuLlEQISQZwCtZkHSbkt8ohyiRCnA51QIRCr3iFza638JrwlX7o9xLTnt_TNNcju42SvXProZZRuA9ptLBMuZI/s1600/--.jpg" style="color: #888888; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-decoration-line: none;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1433" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA0kg-wbmjgRrsilCim_7R5Y0uqNTceopMS1XGWlw8CmEstL4_qxEMt9WuLlEQISQZwCtZkHSbkt8ohyiRCnA51QIRCr3iFza638JrwlX7o9xLTnt_TNNcju42SvXProZZRuA9ptLBMuZI/s200/--.jpg" style="background: transparent; border: none; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1) 0px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative;" width="178" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 10.56px;"><b>Arabella Sheen</b></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px; line-height: 15.18px; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 20.7px;"><br /></span></div><div style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; line-height: 15.18px; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-size: 13.2px; line-height: 18.4px; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><b><span style="color: #111111;">Arabella Sheen </span></b><span style="color: #222222;">is a British author of contemporary romance and likes nothing more than the challenge of starting a new novel with fresh ideas and inspiring characters.</span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 20.7px;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-size: 13.2px; line-height: 18.4px; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: #222222;">One of the many things Arabella loves to do is to read. And when she’s not researching or writing about romance, she is either on her allotment sowing and planting with the seasons or she is curled on the sofa with a book, while pandering to the demands of her attention-seeking cat.</span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 20.7px;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-size: 13.2px; line-height: 18.4px; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: #222222;">Having lived and worked in the Netherlands as a theatre nurse for nearly twenty years, she now lives in the south-west of England with her family.</span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 20.7px;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-size: 13.2px; line-height: 18.4px; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: #222222;">Arabella hopes her readers have as much pleasure from her romance stories as she has in writing them.</span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 20.7px;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-size: 13.2px; line-height: 18.4px; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-size: 13.2px; line-height: 18.4px; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><b><u><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 21.4667px;">Social Media</span></u></b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 20.7px;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: 18.4px; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #222222;">Website: <a href="http://www.arabellasheen.co.uk/"><span style="color: #888888;">http://www.arabellasheen.co.uk/</span></a></span><span style="line-height: 20.7px;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: 18.4px; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #222222;">Twitter: <a href="http://twitter.com/ArabellaSheen"><span style="color: #888888;">http://twitter.com/ArabellaSheen</span></a></span><span style="line-height: 20.7px;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: 18.4px; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: #222222; font-size: medium;">Facebook Author: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ArabellaSheenAuthor"><span style="color: #888888;">https://www.facebook.com/ArabellaSheenAuthor</span></a></span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 20.7px;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 13.2px; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; text-indent: 0px;" /></div></div><div style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px; line-height: 15.18px; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></div><div style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px; line-height: 15.18px; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://books2read.com/u/mVRAkP" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="300" height="303" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRymTcNdeGZaQ2ACqa1Bkcyk2Kdtn24lJh8uIEW17RxaTccvZEjNBGXfXP1zw3HTHtK3LfVV8egnM3RNWiI0fX0my4M5GTWIyAfN0lpQ8DJpqz0ucDtkwX-OjDlYOraNJ4MsqSD4GRTLBIf0I9AyNA8Z-Znws819HEiffkJJ3TZPwzogf_IZUGe_fG9w/w202-h303/9781739771034%20-%20AS.jpg" width="202" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px; line-height: 15.18px; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 18.4px;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Buy Links:</span></b></span><br /><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 18.4px;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 18.4px;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Website:</span> <span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></b></span><a href="http://www.arabellasheen.co.uk/castells-passion.html" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>http://www.arabellasheen.co.uk/castells-passion.html</b></span></a></div></div></div><div><br /><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Amazon - </span></b><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Kobo - Nook - Apple - etc.</span> </b><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><a href="https://books2read.com/u/mVRAkP">https://books2read.com/u/mVRAkP</a> </b></span><br /><br /><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Arabella Sheen</span></b> <b><a href="http://www.arabellasheen.co.uk/"><span style="font-size: medium;">http://www.arabellasheen.co.uk/</span></a><br /></b><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9jo6BvNwNXPQgbbOZu2qIlfj_siUs5yiB1i1UiyiSCAPim-kmeksdA48HLcH4DN9JcvvHp855GD5JKiBqaeuvXWzwAWTLPDWsxL8rzwDN7xdcmlWHnb1j9GsqhasPSsLELm4_dqlTAqVInqsDOxUh-cuV6ERJFpBVy166mQuxkT2J9VyJXH1FcMcfRQ/s1640/banner%20-%20web%201.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="924" data-original-width="1640" height="147" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9jo6BvNwNXPQgbbOZu2qIlfj_siUs5yiB1i1UiyiSCAPim-kmeksdA48HLcH4DN9JcvvHp855GD5JKiBqaeuvXWzwAWTLPDWsxL8rzwDN7xdcmlWHnb1j9GsqhasPSsLELm4_dqlTAqVInqsDOxUh-cuV6ERJFpBVy166mQuxkT2J9VyJXH1FcMcfRQ/w320-h147/banner%20-%20web%201.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div><br /></div><p> </p>Arabella Sheenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01654234697763753248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5987501983500233991.post-87692433530107936302023-01-03T16:30:00.001-08:002023-01-03T16:30:00.155-08:00CASTELL's PASSION - Arabella Sheen - EXCERPT 1<p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://books2read.com/u/mVRAkP" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="300" height="275" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH68Ue1sl3RxjfGZJM62LjHYahp9XUxpZIq4M_BUT8WAKOUG2eMCBSZd-omCqCS5H19-EV-ZoiT6xQCepfRO1ErD56hzSWGJhzyBsI80BCVcWpetz2yXgKDxLsReWabDN3-dbSCUfrYM0uqgeYvqLbpiunKrKhyMcS9_CiUcKWP3TyUA1bBzzVO6upIg/w183-h275/9781739771034%20-%20AS.jpg" width="183" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "lucida handwriting"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 24.5333px;">Castell’s Passion<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 21.4667px;">Arabella Sheen<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 21.4667px;">A night in his arms, but it comes at a price. Will her heart survive?</span></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 21.4667px;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">Billionaire Marc Castell</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">, owner of the Castell Hotel Group, isn’t looking for love. His jet-set lifestyle means he’s a ‘love them and leave them’ type of guy…that is, until <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Kate McKenna</b> walks into his life.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">Kate is on the warpath. Her underage sister is planning to spend a weekend in Paris with Marc’s nephew, and she’s determined to put a stop to the affair before it begins.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">Marc has a plan of his own. He promises to save Kate’s sister from his nephew, but there’s a condition attached. Kate has to travel to Cannes with him and play the part of his girlfriend―including spending the night in his bed. Marc hopes this will solve the problem of the unwanted advances he’s been receiving from his friend’s wife. But whenever Marc takes Kate in his arms his world is turned upside down, and he discovers he wants more from her than a casual weekend fling.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">Kate has no time for sexy, powerful playboys. She’s too busy building her career and expanding her catering business. But when she gets to know the man behind the façade, she wonders if she can resist the sensual attraction growing between them. Will she be seduced by his charm and sacrifice everything she believes in for one night of passion in his arms?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">Marc has a battle on his hands as he strives to win Kate’s love…and her heart.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 21.4667px;">CHAPTER<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>ONE<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">“Mr. Castell, there’s a Ms. Kate McKenna to see you, sir.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">The door to Castell’s office was ajar, and from across the spacious foyer Kate could hear the receptionist asking him if he would see an unexpected visitor.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">Kate heard his firm response. It was a loud, clear, and decisive “<i>No</i>.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">Before Kate had time for second thoughts, she sprung from her chair, grabbed her handbag, and made a beeline across the hall toward the lion’s den. She was like a torpedo on a self-destruct mission. Nothing was stopping her. Not even the defenseless receptionist guarding the door to the inner sanctum of Castell’s office.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">Barging into the room, Kate stood her ground. At last she was facing Castell—the man she’d come to see—and she wasn’t moving...at least not until she’d said what she’d come to say.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">The enemy was before her, and with an impatient, defiant toss of her head she waited undaunted for his reaction. None came. There was no backlash of anger and no verbal assault of harsh, insensitive words. The man remained silent.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">A stony quietness filled the room, and without commentary, he observed her as if making a cold, calculating assessment of her. Sitting at his desk, he leaned backward, relaxing into the backrest of his swivel chair, and with dark, mysterious eyes he examined Kate from the top of her head to her feet, and he wasn’t missing a thing.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">Kate was dressed in a pair of faded jeans that was a size too small, and a skimpy cotton top which was a little too short. Some people might think her outfit looked casual and too sexy for such opulent surroundings, but today she didn’t care what she looked like. She was in no mood to worry one iota what others thought.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">She wasn’t there to impress. She was there, at Castell House in Grosvenor Square, the headquarters of the Castell Hotel Group in London, to deliver her message and get her point across. She was going to make it crystal clear to Mr. “<i>Casanova</i>” Castell that he was to keep his hands off her sister Nikki.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">Adrenaline was pumping through her veins, and she was ready to do battle. Even though her heart was hammering fiercely in her chest, she was holding her nerve.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">She guessed Castell must be in his early thirties. Power and authority was oozing from him, and against her will, she found herself physically drawn toward him. There was an instant attraction, a compelling pull. And she didn’t know if her anger was fueling her emotions or if it was his magnetism.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">Now she understood why Nikki was attracted to him. She could see and feel the chemistry he radiated for herself. Castell was an impressive figure of a man and one look from those dark, piercing eyes left her enthralled.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">Jet-black hair touched the collar of his crisp, white shirt. He was clean-shaven, bronzed, and an uber-smart dresser. At a guess she’d say he was wearing a hand-made Savile Row suit, but she could be wrong. His suit jacket was draped around the back of his chair, but it didn’t really matter, because she knew that whatever Castell wore he would look like the high-powered finance magnet he was.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">Standing in front of his desk, she was aware of his penetrating gaze. There was no mistaking the attraction in his eyes. He was assessing her, weighing her up, and Kate could tell by the slow, seductive smile showing on Castell’s face that he was interested.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">It had taken a lot of effort and nerve on her part to get past the barrage of security personnel protecting him. But she’d done it. And she was sure that was something very few people had managed to achieve.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">In the stillness of the room Kate felt something stir deep within her, and for a brief moment she thought she saw a flicker of the same desire mirrored on his face.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">Castell was the most magnificent looking man she’d ever seen, and as he shuffled the papers he’d been reading, she wondered what it would be like to feel those strong, masculine hands on her body. She could only imagine the heated torture they would inflict, but it was a heated torture she was certain any woman would be willing to endure.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">He was sex on legs, and with his potent looks she could understand why, and how, any woman, including her sister, would feel sexually drawn to him. She sensed it would be so easy to succumb to his wishes and bend to his will.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">“That will be all, Clair,” Castell said to the receptionist in his deeply emphasized French accent.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">Tingles ran up and down Kate’s spine at the sound of his voice. That sexy voice was enough to make any woman go weak at the knees.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">Clair left the room, and as the door closed behind her Castell pointed to a sofa at the far end of the room, indicating for Kate to sit down.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">“Take a seat. I shan’t be long,” he said. Then, ignoring her as if she were no longer present in the room, he returned to the pile of paperwork in front of him.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">Looking at the man working behind the desk, Kate realized he wasn’t at all what she’d expected. She’d thought Eduardo Castell would be nearer Nikki’s age. This man wasn’t, and it made the situation worse than she’d originally thought it was. Castell was no young adolescent. He was a mature adult who was, at a guess, at least twice her sister’s age.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">“I need to talk to you about Nikki,” she said with resolution in her voice. She wasn’t going to be brushed off or dismissed out of hand. She was going to make herself heard.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">“And I said sit.” He didn’t even look up.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">Kate opened her mouth to protest, but then thought better of it. On trembling legs she went to the far side of the room, tossed her handbag carelessly onto one of the sofas, and taking a seat, waited for the overbearing, obnoxious Mr. Castell to finish what he was doing.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Kate couldn’t relax. She was too on edge to sit still. Restless, she stood and wandered over to the high Georgian windows to look out at the elegant town houses in Grosvenor Square.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">Most of the buildings were tall, resplendent structures, and Castell House was no exception. In fact, Castell House was one of the most elegant, imposing town addresses she’d ever been to. On the front façade of the house were two magnificent columns. There was also a lintel doorway and a porch entrance under which sat two imposing stone lions. When she first arrived at the Square she’d known it was a grand address in Central London, but she hadn’t realized exactly how chic and impressive Castell House would be.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">Looking across the road to the Square’s splendid gardens, she noticed some mothers playing with their children near the fountain. Young lovers lay stretched out on blankets on the well-kept lawns, basking in the heat of the glorious afternoon. Seeing that, Kate wished she was anywhere but here. She didn’t want to witness the pleasures and enjoyments of others when she was in such a horrible mood.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">As the London traffic of cars and buses drove by, a flitting thought passed through her head that she ought to be spending her precious time in a better way. She should be working, not running around after Nikki’s amorous admirer.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">It had taken Kate several years of hard work to build up her catering business, and she was doing well. She was a successful business woman, and she was achieving what she’d set out to do. Her business was flourishing, and she was slowly but surely gaining a reputation as being one of the best events caterers in the business.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">McKenna Catering had several on-going contracts with a select group of clients. The majority of her clientele were the rich elite of London, and they were willing to spend substantial amounts of money for the services she provided.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">There were always parties and bookings to organize, and although Kate had an excellent team of workers covering events, she liked to be on hand to make sure things ran smoothly. Her clients were also keen to see her at their parties. Even if she only made a brief appearance before disappearing, they liked to know she was in charge and holding the reins.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">Gazing out of the office windows there was time enough for Kate to surreptitiously study the man sitting at the desk. Castell was concentrating on the work in front of him, and she assumed he was unaware of her scrutiny from beneath her lashes. Looking him over, Kate couldn’t find fault with his appearance.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">He was incredibly gorgeous. The sharp, chiseled lines of his face and the thick mass of black hair were things she found attractive in a man. His body looked lean, strong, and powerful, and with his bronzed, sun-kissed skin and his dark looks, he looked almost princely.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">When he moved to turn the pages of a document, or he reached for a file, the silky material of his shirt stretched, rippling across his wide shoulders, accentuating the muscles in his arms. Even though he was seated she could tell he was more than six-foot tall.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">This man wasn’t just a pen-pusher. He was fit, and it showed. He was also very sexy. There was no denying his magnetism, and although her sister might be a young, vulnerable teenager who had fallen head-over-heels for those dark, sensual eyes, Kate wasn’t.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">At twenty-four, Kate wasn’t such an easy target when it came to men. Even though she’d never met this man before, she knew his type. She could spot a womanizer and playboy a mile off, and she avoided them like the plague.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">She wanted nothing to do with men who used people, especially women, for their own pleasure. These men always discarded their lovers because they were no longer the flavor of the moment. Shallow, temporary relationships were something Kate had no time for, and with this type of man emotional investment was generally absent. Kate suspected she was looking at trouble, and it was trouble spelled with a capital “T”.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">As Castell reached up to loosen the knot of his tie he turned his head in Kate’s direction. His piercing eyes locked onto hers. He held her spellbound and Kate’s stomach flipped, sending her heart pulsating with unexpected excitement.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">There was no protection from his penetrating gaze. He was looking her up and down, and it was as if his eyes were stripping her naked. Exposing her, and revealing all for his satisfaction and pleasure. And there was nothing she could do about it.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">Castell was obviously enjoying the fact that the t-shirt she was wearing was too short. She’d been planning to take the morning off to catch up on some chores at home. Things that she never seemed to have time for. These days taking time off from her business was almost impossible. But then Nikki and her problems had intervened with her plans, and now she was here…in Castell’s plush, stylish office dressed totally inappropriately in a t-shirt and jeans.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">The short, skimpy t-shirt she was wearing left her feeling vulnerable and exposed. Although it covered her body, it didn’t conceal her curves. And no matter how hard she pulled or tugged on the shirt it couldn’t cover the small amount of exposed midriff that was showing. But that wasn’t the worst of her problems. Gradually, Kate became aware that her nipples were beginning to show.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">Compared to the warm heat of the spring sunshine outside, Castell’s office was a cool haven from the balminess. The air conditioning was on full blast, and although it was cooling her overheated skin, that wasn’t all it was cooling.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">Kate wasn’t wearing a bra, and as the cool air wafted gently over her body she discovered her nipples were hardening. The fabric of her top made the hard peaks obvious. Crossing her arms over her breasts, she hoped to conceal what was becoming visible, but it was to no avail. It didn’t help. Castell had a clear view, and he was examining every detail of her body.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">“How is a man supposed to concentrate with you staring at him?” he asked while running a hand through his hair in frustration.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">Shrugging her shoulders, Kate remained silent. She didn’t care if he couldn’t concentrate. And she hadn’t been staring at him. Or had she? At least, she didn’t think she had.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">“Mr. Castell...” She uncrossed her arms and straightened to her full height of five feet, four inches.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">“Yes...Ms. McKenna.” He sat back and threw down the pen he’d been holding, giving Kate his full attention.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">“We have to talk.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">“So you told me. If I remember correctly, it has something to do with someone by the name of Nikki.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">“Of course it’s about Nikki. Who else would it be about?” Kate snapped.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">He looked startled at her heated outburst, but he waited silently for her to continue.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">Kate was a confident woman with plenty of self-assurance, but in this instance she sensed she was out of her depth. She knew she had a fight on her hands. There was a battle to win, and even though her confidence was ebbing she knew she had to stay strong. She had to fight this arrogant man and bring Nikki back from the brink of a disastrous affair with Eduardo Castell.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">Although the Castells had amassed a huge amount of real estate and wealth over the years, it was still classed as <i>new money</i>. Kate knew of the Castells―anyone who read glossy magazines or daily newspapers knew who they were. They were a global name. Royalty of the hotel world. And surprisingly, Nikki was working for them as part of her school work experience.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">The Castells were the elite. The <i>crème de la crème</i>. Out of reach. And with Nikki starting at the bottom, supposedly learning the ropes, Kate hadn’t expected her sister to actually come into contact with any of them.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">It was now beginning to look like the work experience, which was meant to be such a positive and educational encounter, was backfiring. Kate’s worst fear was that Castell was abusing his authority and using his privileged position to influence Nikki into acting inappropriately. She thought he’d persuaded Nikki into having an affair, and nothing and no one was going to prevent her from stopping this man taking advantage of Nikki. She was on the war path.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">Still standing beside the window Kate thrust her trembling hands behind her back, hiding them from view. She didn’t want to reveal how nervous she was, but her action was a big mistake, because it only accentuated her breasts even more.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">“You do understand that I can’t let Nikki go with you, don’t you?” she asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">The man looked ruthless. She thought reasoning with him was her best option. She was certain she wasn’t going to become emotional or fly into a temper, which she tended to do when championing a cause, but she knew anything was possible; and anything could happen. The situation was volatile.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">“You must see how impossible this is,” she said, searching his face for a reaction. “You can’t take a young teenager away with you, even if she does work for you.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">Kate had <i>inherited</i> her teenage sister when their parents died in a car crash, and until a short while ago things had been going well between them. They had a good sisterly relationship. As the older sister, Kate had always looked after Nikki, and although there was almost a seven-year age gap between them, they were close and shared their adventures with each other. That was...until now.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">It was only after Nikki went to work at The Castell Hotel on schoolwork experience that things started to take a turn for the worse. Her sister had gone into rebellion mode, and Nikki’s unexpected defiance was causing Kate concern.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">When she’d learned of Nikki’s plans, she’d gone straight to The Castell Hotel with the intention of confronting Eduardo. She was going to call a halt to the romance that was blossoming between Eduardo Castell and Nikki, but Castell wasn’t at the hotel.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">Having spoken to hotel reception, telling them that she’d like to see Mr. Castell, the reply from a very curvy receptionist at the front desk had been a mumbled, suggestive, “Who wouldn’t?” And with those words ringing in her ear, Kate was left in no doubt that Castell was a heartthrob and a heartbreaker extraordinaire.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">“So...Nikki’s a teenager, is she?” he asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">“Yes, she is, and I’m still her legal guardian until she turns eighteen, which won’t happen for several months. If you take her to Cannes, you do realize I’ll have to report you to the authorities, don’t you?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">“Me? Take a woman to Cannes? Now there’s an idea.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">“Yes. Your secretary said that’s where you’re headed.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">“Ah, yes. Of course...Cannes and the Anistons.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">“Nikki said she was going away with you. I hadn’t realized you intended to take her out of the country.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">Standing up from his desk, he walked toward her like a panther zoning in on his prey. He came to a stop in front of her. The man towered above her, and she had to tilt her head back to look up at him.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">He was close. Dangerously close. They were face-to-face, and sparks were flying. She could feel the palpable tension pulsating between them.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">“Ms. McKenna...Kate. It wounds me to think you believe I’m capable of having an affair with a teenager. Let me put your mind at rest. It’s not my intention to take Nikki out of the country...especially now that I’ve seen you.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">“You mean you’re not taking Nikki to Cannes?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">“No, but I’m quite willing to take you along for the ride instead. That is...if you’d like to accompany me,” he said, arching an eyebrow in a suggestive manner.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">Kate took in the full meaning behind his evocative words and was shocked beyond belief. How dare he proposition her in that way. Surely he was joking? And did he think she was the type of woman who would do that? The audacity of the man!<o:p></o:p></span></div><div><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;"><br /></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></div></div><div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 15.3333px;">Castell’s Passion<o:p></o:p></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 15.3333px;">Copyright © 2022, Arabella Sheen<o:p></o:p></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 15.3333px;">ISBN: 9781944270384<o:p></o:p></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 15.3333px;">Publisher: priceplacebooks<o:p></o:p></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 15.3333px;">Electronic Publication: January 2022<o:p></o:p></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 15.3333px;">Editor: Pamela Tyner<o:p></o:p></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 15.3333px;">Cover: Fantasia Frog Designs<o:p></o:p></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 15.3333px;">eBooks are not transferable. No part of this book may be used or reproduced without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations in articles and reviews.<o:p></o:p></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 24px; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0in;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 15.3333px;">This book is a work of fiction and any resemblance to persons, living or dead, or places, events or locales is purely coincidental. The characters are productions of the author’s imagination and used fictitiously.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 15.3333px;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 15.3333px;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 15.3333px;"><br /></span><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px; line-height: 15.18px; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><b><u><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 21.4667px;">About Arabella Sheen</span></u></b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 20.7px;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px; line-height: 15.18px; margin: 0in; text-indent: 14.2pt;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px; line-height: 15.18px; margin: 0in; text-indent: 14.2pt;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 1px solid rgb(238, 238, 238); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1) 1px 1px 5px; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding: 5px; position: relative; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA0kg-wbmjgRrsilCim_7R5Y0uqNTceopMS1XGWlw8CmEstL4_qxEMt9WuLlEQISQZwCtZkHSbkt8ohyiRCnA51QIRCr3iFza638JrwlX7o9xLTnt_TNNcju42SvXProZZRuA9ptLBMuZI/s1600/--.jpg" style="color: #888888; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-decoration-line: none;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1433" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA0kg-wbmjgRrsilCim_7R5Y0uqNTceopMS1XGWlw8CmEstL4_qxEMt9WuLlEQISQZwCtZkHSbkt8ohyiRCnA51QIRCr3iFza638JrwlX7o9xLTnt_TNNcju42SvXProZZRuA9ptLBMuZI/s200/--.jpg" style="background: transparent; border: none; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1) 0px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative;" width="178" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 10.56px;"><b>Arabella Sheen</b></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px; line-height: 15.18px; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 20.7px;"><br /></span></div><div style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px; line-height: 15.18px; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: 18.4px; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><b><span style="color: #111111;">Arabella Sheen </span></b><span style="color: #222222;">is a British author of contemporary romance and likes nothing more than the challenge of starting a new novel with fresh ideas and inspiring characters.</span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 20.7px;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: 18.4px; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: #222222;">One of the many things Arabella loves to do is to read. And when she’s not researching or writing about romance, she is either on her allotment sowing and planting with the seasons or she is curled on the sofa with a book, while pandering to the demands of her attention-seeking cat.</span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 20.7px;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: 18.4px; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: #222222;">Having lived and worked in the Netherlands as a theatre nurse for nearly twenty years, she now lives in the south-west of England with her family.</span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 20.7px;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: 18.4px; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: #222222;">Arabella hopes her readers have as much pleasure from her romance stories as she has in writing them.</span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 20.7px;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: 18.4px; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: 18.4px; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><b><u><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 21.4667px;">Social Media</span></u></b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 20.7px;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: 18.4px; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: #222222;">Website: <a href="http://www.arabellasheen.co.uk/"><span style="color: #888888;">http://www.arabellasheen.co.uk/</span></a></span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 20.7px;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: 18.4px; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: #222222;">Twitter: <a href="http://twitter.com/ArabellaSheen"><span style="color: #888888;">http://twitter.com/ArabellaSheen</span></a></span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 20.7px;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: 18.4px; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: #222222;">Facebook Author: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ArabellaSheenAuthor"><span style="color: #888888;">https://www.facebook.com/ArabellaSheenAuthor</span></a></span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 20.7px;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; text-indent: 0px;" /></div></div><div style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px; line-height: 15.18px; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></div><div style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px; line-height: 15.18px; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://books2read.com/u/mVRAkP" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2400" data-original-width="1600" height="275" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYBVynbP27kcguIhC9pX64NBHoGG-yiFQlI7eofaCyZwseI33eWG-Ad5DOKpKodKdnNQ6uWrrpGaA4Jr6LP2Lkar1m04EzQc6GBcAWPMlPbg86PysD3hjcVX3lHE0hU_Dau2HB6BGemsuJGxkJabFk5P01PZOmaihqQvzq54tTUdUc3OobEDZ90OtCKQ/w183-h275/AS-CastelsPassion-Smashwords%20(2).jpg" width="183" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px; line-height: 15.18px; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 18.4px;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Buy Links:</span></b></span><br /><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 18.4px;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 18.4px;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Website:</span> </b></span><a href="http://www.arabellasheen.co.uk/castells-passion.html" style="text-align: center;">http://www.arabellasheen.co.uk/castells-passion.html</a></div></div></div><div><br /><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Amazon - </span></b><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Kobo - Nook - Apple - etc.</span> <a href="https://books2read.com/u/mVRAkP">https://books2read.com/u/mVRAkP</a> </b><br /><br /><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Arabella Sheen</span></b><span style="font-size: medium;"> <a href="http://www.arabellasheen.co.uk/">http://www.arabellasheen.co.uk/</a> </span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaxnkCcrfAIUhX7Feywq1qGN-zmjP6LOwzAGVKZIeQ4KGuR0-MmEj-3KsaoExJlnt_F4daK2qrvhkoQvtBvJtb043NCZX-qtUnKiS-FMlSPafqpUd85frDsW2G61uCJW3TJ0svqPhvTcfDy-k_Gl540ohTxQU2L-81tqzrB3xTrtGEQK9ppjUSo1mRIQ/s1640/banner%20-%20web%201.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="924" data-original-width="1640" height="142" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaxnkCcrfAIUhX7Feywq1qGN-zmjP6LOwzAGVKZIeQ4KGuR0-MmEj-3KsaoExJlnt_F4daK2qrvhkoQvtBvJtb043NCZX-qtUnKiS-FMlSPafqpUd85frDsW2G61uCJW3TJ0svqPhvTcfDy-k_Gl540ohTxQU2L-81tqzrB3xTrtGEQK9ppjUSo1mRIQ/w371-h142/banner%20-%20web%201.png" width="371" /></a></div><br /></div><p> </p>Arabella Sheenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01654234697763753248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5987501983500233991.post-41189745701438702352022-12-31T01:00:00.001-08:002022-12-31T01:00:00.167-08:00Happy New Year - 2023 - Arabella Sheen<p>Lots of exciting things are happening in 2023. A new Regency romance is on the way and another contemporary romance is in the planning.</p><p>Wishing all my readers, followers, and friends much happiness and joy in the coming year. </p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPte3WA8ZuHZxC-i5EIVypM52kKpyCOa8zBiI3gTAcOiX31GH8TZN3BvRqpnADG-ymzTbETg3hZVOGJbSQQC4yYtAuLgq2aNjrO31BCdv8azCqQIWz5RrvzFtPMk5fbj47tU7MzYGOnOYPdOq_CMPcKbVCumGa3ezzcd-gOldAJG_Qh5_cc9Mfff-LqQ/s1640/Arabella%20-%20New%20Year.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="924" data-original-width="1640" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPte3WA8ZuHZxC-i5EIVypM52kKpyCOa8zBiI3gTAcOiX31GH8TZN3BvRqpnADG-ymzTbETg3hZVOGJbSQQC4yYtAuLgq2aNjrO31BCdv8azCqQIWz5RrvzFtPMk5fbj47tU7MzYGOnOYPdOq_CMPcKbVCumGa3ezzcd-gOldAJG_Qh5_cc9Mfff-LqQ/s320/Arabella%20-%20New%20Year.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGjCZkT0d1iUbzNxKLdU7Xpw5BvRAr9UL3M-SFTwryzuqzSvpy3jQyPEoxJkC7MW_o1f7x0R3jHQOVRXWXRGaorTZTW8tb5nbbXN96bXxZmYQ2ME8vqwGHmrbFWAsqRuVyjaD35dNuR0zU6bFhg_lRHIldTVb9e1GzzWUbv5HAVzT5hLggf4pPX-OXjA/s5760/Arabella%20Sheen%20-%20Naughty.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5760" height="116" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGjCZkT0d1iUbzNxKLdU7Xpw5BvRAr9UL3M-SFTwryzuqzSvpy3jQyPEoxJkC7MW_o1f7x0R3jHQOVRXWXRGaorTZTW8tb5nbbXN96bXxZmYQ2ME8vqwGHmrbFWAsqRuVyjaD35dNuR0zU6bFhg_lRHIldTVb9e1GzzWUbv5HAVzT5hLggf4pPX-OXjA/w242-h116/Arabella%20Sheen%20-%20Naughty.png" width="242" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>Arabella Sheenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01654234697763753248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5987501983500233991.post-79438673109619350512022-12-19T09:26:00.005-08:002022-12-19T09:26:44.568-08:00Season's Greetings - from Arabella Sheen<p><span style="font-size: large;">Just in case I become overloaded with edits and work...</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">I'm taking this opportunity to wish all my readers, followers, and friends a wonderful Christmas and a joyful 2023.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil3qKJDWiuKLT8aYt4U_7o3oFlsRooenL8fysvUa3v5TVMCf85Er-U-_5zlopf92uOhdmWdb9kTPthCe56Au1Cuo93uit7ClQtn9drv2VEx7B7xg6Ae2PeXqqjjXXnx1AX6VGVmGNNDYO3gzvD8ImkvvUDXG1Ll5hj5T55IbWe3COmI3E5X6Qtbe5s9w/s940/Merry%20Christmas%20-%20Arabella%20Sheen.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="788" data-original-width="940" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil3qKJDWiuKLT8aYt4U_7o3oFlsRooenL8fysvUa3v5TVMCf85Er-U-_5zlopf92uOhdmWdb9kTPthCe56Au1Cuo93uit7ClQtn9drv2VEx7B7xg6Ae2PeXqqjjXXnx1AX6VGVmGNNDYO3gzvD8ImkvvUDXG1Ll5hj5T55IbWe3COmI3E5X6Qtbe5s9w/s320/Merry%20Christmas%20-%20Arabella%20Sheen.png" width="320" /></a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMOBdQbVsMkEhAgx31kH4oRLUrraJLJxEPDzm0ZE5fwhxwCOu_5qTOEIyLo8Fxc3dxMaiZM38tgR6Bky8An1oUKhXmZS-d3u--og3-EEAborOD61mnNnHwuUZ9lW9TS51ApYAqGi09bBfVsn_jzi4KTI_t4sUHQKBTpmmd4N6pDAOiJCogemKfS6sbAQ/s5760/Arabella%20Sheen%20-%20Naughty.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; font-size: x-large; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5760" height="157" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMOBdQbVsMkEhAgx31kH4oRLUrraJLJxEPDzm0ZE5fwhxwCOu_5qTOEIyLo8Fxc3dxMaiZM38tgR6Bky8An1oUKhXmZS-d3u--og3-EEAborOD61mnNnHwuUZ9lW9TS51ApYAqGi09bBfVsn_jzi4KTI_t4sUHQKBTpmmd4N6pDAOiJCogemKfS6sbAQ/w261-h157/Arabella%20Sheen%20-%20Naughty.png" width="261" /></a><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p>Arabella Sheenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01654234697763753248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5987501983500233991.post-53381847918945733672022-12-17T00:00:00.001-08:002022-12-17T00:00:00.157-08:00FLEETING ENCOUNTERS: Lady Francesca - Arabella Sheen - Excerpt 2<p> </p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="mso-outline-level: 2; text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxd5FlWwK5ezwBKYQ2DWj_j6wHVLCdDoJZydylTbkwj38rsUmyeXBhXga3TNZL8w3uDhsvCpiNNT3cEudOfbXIADJwhKrePXa-M14nHFMQi34PDVgoL73MyUuXjVAeX6fZMPhKqItBU4b1nrK-MdOHdol13djUcWi4zlSWSGO8xQUanKH8qNtazff5Vg/s450/AS-FleetEnc-LadyFran-300x450.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="300" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxd5FlWwK5ezwBKYQ2DWj_j6wHVLCdDoJZydylTbkwj38rsUmyeXBhXga3TNZL8w3uDhsvCpiNNT3cEudOfbXIADJwhKrePXa-M14nHFMQi34PDVgoL73MyUuXjVAeX6fZMPhKqItBU4b1nrK-MdOHdol13djUcWi4zlSWSGO8xQUanKH8qNtazff5Vg/s320/AS-FleetEnc-LadyFran-300x450.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><br /><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="mso-outline-level: 2; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 22pt;"><br /></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="mso-outline-level: 2; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 22pt;">Fleeting Encounters:</span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="mso-outline-level: 2; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 22pt; line-height: 44px;">Lady Francesca<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"> </span> </p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 22pt; line-height: 44px;">Arabella Sheen<o:p></o:p></span></p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b>Fleeting Encounters Series … <i>offers erotic bedtime reading</i><o:p></o:p></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b>Dare Lady Francesca Chapel bed down with her steward?</b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b>Lady Francesca </b><span lang="EN-US">has been recently widowed. And at the reading of the will, when it’s revealed her husband has gambled away the family fortune and her sizable dowry, she realizes she must find a way to save Chapel Grange, her son’s inheritance before it is lost. Penniless and desperate to survive, is Alexander the answer to Francesca’s problem?<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">With the turn of a card, <b>Alexander Milton</b> has won a parcel of land from Lord Chapel. The trouble is, he doesn’t want the Chapel estate, and more to the point, he doesn’t need it. When it’s suggested he approach the widow with an offer to form a working partnership in order to save Chapel Grange, he soon discovers he wants to merge with Lady Francesca in more ways than one.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Can Francesca and Alexander work together, or will their passion for one another stand in their way?<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal">Content Warning: Contains erotic love scenes</p><p><br /></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">CHAPTER ONE - Excerpt 2</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Francesca sat at her writing desk in the
morning room. With a feathered quill in hand, she was composing letters to
friends. She was thanking them for their sincere condolences, but her mind
wasn’t on the task. Her thoughts had drifted to Chapel Grange and all the
things she still had yet to accomplish.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">The sun, shining through the open lattice
windows, brought comforting warmth with it. And on a cool summer breeze, as it
wafted against the fine linen curtains, the rustle of birds could be heard as
they foraged for food amongst the twigs and moss beneath the window. But
Francesca’s reflections were not centered on the habits of nature. Instead,
they were focused on her departed husband and the havoc he’d so recently
inflicted upon them.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">It had been a month since the will had been
read, and things at Chapel Grange had not become any easier. Francesca often
sat with Mr. Pentworthy for hours at a time in what had once been Charles’s
study. Together, they had gone through the ledgers and account books, only to
discover the household’s outgoing expenditure was going to be higher than the
estate’s annual income. As things stood, she and Theo were living beyond their
means, and adjustments had to be made or the debtors’ punishment of
imprisonment would come calling. They had to tighten their belts, and if
possible, find a source of income.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">With her letters completed, Francesca was
in the process of placing wax seals upon the papers when there came a knock on
the door of the morning room. Harris, the butler, entered and bowed.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">“There is a Mrs. Nathan Cross to see your
ladyship. Would you like me to tell her you’re not at home to visitors, ma’am?”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Francesca was supposed to be mourning her late
husband and was expected to maintain a distance from friends and social
gathering for at least one year and one day. To receive callers, no matter how
well acquainted she was with them, was frowned upon. But Ruth was a dear
friend, so surely no one could object if the rules were bent just a little.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Francesca had known Ruth and her husband,
Nathan, for many years. Living in the same area of High Wycombe in
Buckinghamshire meant the Chapel and the Cross families had often frequented
the same events and parties. Chapel Grange was situated near Downley, and the
Crosses had a house only a few miles distant, in West Wycombe.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">A visit from her friend was unexpected, but
it was a welcome distraction.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">“You may show Mrs. Cross in, Harris. And
have cook prepare a tray for us. Tea and sandwiches. Also some of that
delicious seed cake or walnut cake she makes for Master Theo would not come
amiss.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">“Yes, my lady.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">When Harris returned with Mrs. Cross,
Francesca rose from her chair and hurriedly went to greet her friend with arms
outstretched. Embracing Ruth, she gave a warm kiss on both cheeks and linked
her arm through Ruth’s.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">“Ruth…I hadn’t expected to see you so soon.
I was sure no one would venture past the gates. I believe I’m <i>persona non grata</i>? Has society shunned
me since Charles’s passing?”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">“And why would I not call upon <i>my bestest</i> of friends,” Ruth said with a
laugh.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Francesca led Ruth to the chaise longue
where they sat and chatted until Harris brought the refreshments.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">There was a familiar comradery between the
two women, but eventually, their conversation turn to Charles, and the
light-hearted mood changed in an instant.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Francesca tried to remain cheerful, but she
was sure Ruth sensed her disquiet.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">“It was so good of you to have come, Ruth.
I’d thought, since Theo and I are now without a penny to our name, no one would
call upon us.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">“You cannot mean that.” Ruth sounded
surprised.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Francesca shook her head. “Since the will
was read, we have neither seen nor heard from Charles’s relations. Not that I’m
complaining, for I’d much rather they didn’t come calling. But it does seem
strange.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">“What…no one?”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">“Not a soul. I suppose having no fortune to
speak of, we…that is, Theo and I…have become undesirables.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Ruth rested a hand comfortingly over
Francesca’s and Francesca felt heartened. She was not alone. She had a friend.
A friend she could confide in.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">“How are things for you and Theodor?”
Concern was etched on Ruth’s face. “Nathan mentioned rumors are rife in the
city. It’s said that you, as Charles’s widow, have been left with nothing. Did
Charles not leave you and Theodor provided for? Have you truly lost all?”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Francesca paused before answering, and
then, squaring her shoulders back and lifting her chin, she looked bravely
across at Ruth.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">“Everything is gone. All that’s left is the
house, the land within the boundary of Chapel Grange, and the farmworkers’
tenanted cottages.” Francesca smiled, but it wasn’t a smile of happiness. It
was a smile of woeful sorrow. “I’ve gone through Charles’s books and papers
with Mr. Pentworthy, but I can make very little sense of anything. Mr.
Pentworthy is also not at all helpful. He’s still loyal to Charles, and I think
he sees me as a threat to the way things have always been run at Chapel Grange.
As far as I can discover, we have a little land that’s within the walls of the
estate, but the bulk of the acreage was lost. I’ve been told by Mr. Pentworthy
that Charles gambled it away at cards.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">“Did you have no idea of his reckless
habits?” Ruth asked.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Francesca shook her head. “None. When
Charles went to London, I thought…” She gave a deep sigh. “Well, I don’t know
exactly what I thought, but I didn’t really care that he was away from home. I
know it’s an awful thing to speak ill of the dead, but to be truthful, I was
happy Charles was often away.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">“But how are you going to manage now that
Charles is gone?”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Francesca didn’t have an answer to her
plight, but she knew she had to find a solution, and soon, or things would go
from bad to worse.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">“The tenanted farm cottages are still ours,
but only because they are within the boundary walls of Chapel Grange. The land
the tenants used to farm is now in the hands of someone else, and…”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">“Is that a problem?” Ruth asked.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">“I think so. Or it could be. You see, our
tenants have no way of earning a living and subsequently no way of paying their
rent. They need the fields and the land that was lost to earn their daily
bread. If they have no income, I will either have to evict them, or find a
buyer for the cottages. I don’t want to sell.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">“But you think you might have to.” Ruth
looked concerned.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">“The land and everything on it was to have
been Theo’s inheritance. If it is sold, there will be nothing for him to
inherit. But Ruth, you didn’t come here to hear my woes. Let’s talk of other
things and brighten the mood before you have to leave. Tell me all the gossip.
What has happened amongst our friends since I’ve been shut away?”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">“Francesca…” Ruth rested her hands calmly
in her lap, and said, “I’ve been thinking, and I might have a solution to your
problem.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">“What problem?”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">“The problem of Mr. Pentworthy and your
tenants.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">“Dear Ruth, I doubt very much you can
change my situation. Even I don’t know what to do. But if you have an idea, I’m
willing to listen. Tell me, what is this great scheme you have in mind that will
ease my troubles?”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Ruth laughed and jumped excitedly to her
feet. “I will speak to someone I know. He’s a friend of Nathan’s and lives not
too far from us, in Marlow. If he’s willing, I shall ask him to lend you his
steward. His steward is an excellent man-of-business and knows more about
husbandry than most. But more I cannot say. Both men might be averse to the
idea, and I don’t want to give you false hope.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">“Even false hope is better than no hope,”
Francesca said with a sigh.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">“Perhaps if Pentworthy was asked to retire
and a new man was put in his place, your circumstances might change. However, I
think what I have in mind might work.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal">
</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Not long after, Francesca walked Ruth to
her carriage, and waving farewell, Francesca was left with a feeling that her
life was about to drastically change.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">BUY LINKS: <a href="https://books2read.com/u/4Apone">https://books2read.com/u/4Apone</a> </span></p><p><br /></p><p>Fleeting Encounters: Lady Francesca</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Copyright © 2022, Arabella Sheen<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">ISBN: 978-1-7397710-2-7<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Publisher: priceplacebooks<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Electronic Publication: February 2022<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Editor: Pamela Tyner<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Cover: Fantasia Frog Designs<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal">eBooks are not transferable. No part of this book may be used or reproduced without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations in articles and reviews.</p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">This book is a work of fiction and any resemblance to persons, living or dead, or places, events or locales is purely coincidental. The characters are productions of the author’s imagination and used fictitiously.</span></p><p><br /></p><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18pt; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><b><u><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14pt;">About Arabella Sheen</span></u></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="text-indent: 18.9333px;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center; text-indent: 18.9333px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzPsdRIlcElIYw5zN2otNMlUbbu52dlvqC3V-0kE6llsJS0jySHdftbSUSL-2oFJTmqqDPaljLYcDUW0U839wvnTHc69ejy45PR5-U-aNwdzYHytxci8V3lOipgT3KJV5o41FyC7apTAlg/s1600/--.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1433" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzPsdRIlcElIYw5zN2otNMlUbbu52dlvqC3V-0kE6llsJS0jySHdftbSUSL-2oFJTmqqDPaljLYcDUW0U839wvnTHc69ejy45PR5-U-aNwdzYHytxci8V3lOipgT3KJV5o41FyC7apTAlg/s200/--.jpg" width="178" /></a></div><div style="text-indent: 18.9333px;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 18pt; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 18pt; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><b><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">Arabella Sheen </span></b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">is a British author of contemporary romance and likes nothing more than the challenge of starting a new novel with fresh ideas and inspiring characters.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 18pt; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">One of the many things Arabella loves to do is to read. And when she’s not researching or writing about romance, she is either on her allotment sowing and planting with the seasons or she is curled on the sofa with a book, while pandering to the demands of her attention-seeking cat.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 18pt; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">Having lived and worked in the Netherlands as a theatre nurse for nearly twenty years, she now lives in the south-west of England with her family.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 18pt; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">Arabella hopes her readers have as much pleasure from her romance stories as she has in writing them.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 18pt; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><b><u><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14pt;">Social Media</span></u></b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 18pt; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">Website: <a href="http://www.arabellasheen.co.uk/"><span style="color: #888888;">http://www.arabellasheen.co.uk/</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 18pt; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">Twitter: <a href="http://twitter.com/ArabellaSheen"><span style="color: #888888;">http://twitter.com/ArabellaSheen</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 18pt; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">Facebook Author: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ArabellaSheenAuthor"><span style="color: #888888;">https://www.facebook.com/ArabellaSheenAuthor</span></a></span></div><div style="text-indent: 18.9333px;"><br style="text-indent: 18.9333px;" /></div>Arabella Sheenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01654234697763753248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5987501983500233991.post-3482305505058881972022-12-12T06:00:00.001-08:002022-12-12T06:00:00.140-08:00Coming Soon... Arabella Sheen<p> UPDATE...</p><p><br /></p><p>I've received amazing artwork for my latest novel...</p><p>The release date of this novel is on the way!!!</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4O2qYP881opD_yXRliKlhi5uJQaNtTdJ6TfvOOyTnK7fC5DKoNqqjHMxlZOzES55KFfoDZIyNz9snspDqYnRrChg78v-gwVpsmzJ0l2YzNRlZHNLjaZiqeGGuMTfu90hismjxh1orQNy-SovYPn3SMDTtBrpR5KXaEFlER4mMVYvVXbi0MICMGcKcTw/s1080/Forbidden%20Stowaway%20-%20Coming%20Soon.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4O2qYP881opD_yXRliKlhi5uJQaNtTdJ6TfvOOyTnK7fC5DKoNqqjHMxlZOzES55KFfoDZIyNz9snspDqYnRrChg78v-gwVpsmzJ0l2YzNRlZHNLjaZiqeGGuMTfu90hismjxh1orQNy-SovYPn3SMDTtBrpR5KXaEFlER4mMVYvVXbi0MICMGcKcTw/s320/Forbidden%20Stowaway%20-%20Coming%20Soon.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>Arabella Sheenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01654234697763753248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5987501983500233991.post-53509492294899027852022-12-03T00:00:00.001-08:002022-12-03T00:00:00.178-08:00FLEETING ENCOUNTERS: Lady Francesca - Arabella Sheen - Excerpt One<p> </p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="mso-outline-level: 2; text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxd5FlWwK5ezwBKYQ2DWj_j6wHVLCdDoJZydylTbkwj38rsUmyeXBhXga3TNZL8w3uDhsvCpiNNT3cEudOfbXIADJwhKrePXa-M14nHFMQi34PDVgoL73MyUuXjVAeX6fZMPhKqItBU4b1nrK-MdOHdol13djUcWi4zlSWSGO8xQUanKH8qNtazff5Vg/s450/AS-FleetEnc-LadyFran-300x450.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="300" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxd5FlWwK5ezwBKYQ2DWj_j6wHVLCdDoJZydylTbkwj38rsUmyeXBhXga3TNZL8w3uDhsvCpiNNT3cEudOfbXIADJwhKrePXa-M14nHFMQi34PDVgoL73MyUuXjVAeX6fZMPhKqItBU4b1nrK-MdOHdol13djUcWi4zlSWSGO8xQUanKH8qNtazff5Vg/s320/AS-FleetEnc-LadyFran-300x450.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><br /><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="mso-outline-level: 2; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 22pt;"><br /></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="mso-outline-level: 2; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 22pt;">Fleeting Encounters:</span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="mso-outline-level: 2; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 22pt; line-height: 150%;">Lady Francesca<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"> </span> </p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 22pt; line-height: 150%;">Arabella
Sheen<o:p></o:p></span></p><p>
</p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US">Fleeting
Encounters Series … <i>offers erotic bedtime
reading</i><o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US">Dare
Lady Francesca Chapel bed down with her steward?</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US">Lady
Francesca </span></b><span lang="EN-US">has been recently widowed. And at the
reading of the will, when it’s revealed her husband has gambled away the family
fortune and her sizable dowry, she realizes she must find a way to save Chapel
Grange, her son’s inheritance before it is lost. Penniless and desperate to
survive, is Alexander the answer to Francesca’s problem?<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">With the turn of a card, <b>Alexander Milton</b> has won a parcel of
land from Lord Chapel. The trouble is, he doesn’t want the Chapel estate, and
more to the point, he doesn’t need it. When it’s suggested he approach the
widow with an offer to form a working partnership in order to save Chapel
Grange, he soon discovers he wants to merge with Lady Francesca in more ways
than one.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Can Francesca and Alexander work together,
or will their passion for one another stand in their way?<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal">Content Warning: Contains erotic love
scenes</p><p><br /></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">CHAPTER ONE - Excerpt 1</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Lady Francesca Chapel was dressed from head
to foot in black. Lifting a handkerchief trimmed with black lace to her eyes,
she carefully dabbed the falling tears away from her cheeks. She felt sorry for
herself. Not because she mourned the loss of her husband whom she had recently
buried, but because she now had to face the world alone.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Before her marriage, Francesca had been
cossetted and cared for. Firstly, by her parents, who had provided for her
physical and earthly needs, and then secondly, by a series of governesses, all
with varying skills in the art of enabling a young lady to take her place in
society. Francesca had been educated with the talents required to ensnare an
eligible spouse. And then her life had changed. She had married Lord Charles
Chapel and her idyllic world had altered beyond recognition.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Charles had been a hard man to please, both
in and out of the bedchamber. And as a husband…well, he hadn’t been cruel
exactly, merely unthinkingly neglectful.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Often, for months at a time, Francesca had
been left alone at Chapel Grange to fill her days with idleness while Charles,
free to come and go as he pleased, had traveled to London to follow his
pleasures and deborturous pursuits.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">It had annoyed Francesca that her days and
evenings were lonely, but she hadn’t complained. However, her solitary nights
were another matter. She’d been thankful for Charles’s prolonged absences. The
chance to crawl into bed and curl beneath the sheets to sleep alone had been
most welcome.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">“If you would care to be seated, Lady
Francesca.” Mr. Adams, the family’s lawyer handling the affairs of the estate,
pointed toward a chair positioned at one end of the long drawing room table.
“We shall begin the reading of the will as soon as your son, Lord Chapel, joins
us.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Francesca, if she was honest with herself,
was a little intimidated by the lawyer’s manner. He was overbearing and was
quite crotchety at times.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Like many of the family retainers her
husband had employed, Mr. Adams was of senior years and set in his ways. But
Francesca hoped to change things. Depending on the outcome of the will, she
wanted to make improvements to how things were run at Chapel Grange…if only she
dared.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Looking around, she noticed the room was
full of strangers all dressed in dark, sobering black. A few faces were
familiar, but most of the people she assumed were distant relatives that she’d
never met.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Even though Charles had been head of the
family, he’d never mixed with his kinfolk, yet since his death, members of the
Chapel dynasty were crawling from the woodwork with the sole intention of
latching on to anything and everything that remained of Charles—namely his
wealth.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">“Mr. Adams, is it really necessary to have
Theo here with us when the will is read?” Francesca sat and rested her
trembling hands in her lap. She hoped no one would notice her nervousness.
“He’s so young and is still grieving the loss of his father.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">“My lady, I’m afraid it’s advisable that he
does so. If Master Theo…” Mr.
Adams coughed, adjusted his cravat, and continued. “Forgive me, I had meant to
say Lord Chapel. If <i>Lord Theodor Chapel</i>
should have questions concerning his inheritance or any entitlements from his
father’s estate, I shall be on hand to answer them. He will soon be of an age
to manage his own affairs and will need to know how to proceed.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">“But my son is only seventeen and―”
Francesca fell silent when she caught sight of Theo.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Her son was standing in the doorway,
listening. He looked pale and anxious, and she wondered what was playing on his
mind. Was he, like her, concerned about their uncertain future at Chapel
Grange?<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Catching Theo’s attention, Mr. Adams signaled
for Theo to take the vacant chair at the head of the table. He then seated
himself and gestured for the others to follow suit.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Everyone waited with strained anticipation
for the reading of the will to begin, and when Mr. Adams withdrew several documents
from a folder and laid them with great aplomb on the table, the room fell
silent. The atmosphere was tense.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">The graveness of the occasion was upon
them, but none, including Francesca, was prepared for the outcome.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Mr. Adams spoke with solemn gravity as he
read the will. And those who heard it were in shock.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">“Having read the will and told you of the
late Lord Chapel’s wishes, it is now my duty to inform everyone that having
paid off some of his lordship’s gaming debts, there is nothing remaining in his
lordship’s banking accounts.” Mr. Adams paused and glanced around the room. He
appeared to be waiting for a reaction, and he got one. There was a ripple of
muffled astonishment and discontent murmured by several. “What little that
remains of the estate and its lands are to be passed to his son, Lord Theodor
Chapel. Lady Francesca, if she consents, is to act as trustee and administrator
of the estate until his lordship comes of age.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">A silence fell as a realization of the
situation sank in.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">It seemed Charles had gambled away all his
land and monies, and also Francesca’s sizable dowry. The only things remaining
for Theodor to inherit were the hereditary title, the house itself, and a few
acres of land that surrounded the property.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Not even the farms with tenant incomes had
been saved. They had vanished amid the mounting payments for wagering debts,
along with the estate’s woodland and meadow pastures.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">“Thank you, Mr. Adams,” Francesca said with
all the dignity she could muster. “We are most obliged to you for coming here
and telling us how things stand. I’m sure―”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">“This cannot be all we are to hear,
Francesca. You cannot dismiss this matter out of hand.” The protest came from
Mr. George Stanley, Charles’s cousin by marriage. “You must ask Mr. Adams to
provide proof that Charles has indeed left nothing for any of us in his will.
There must be an error. Charles was wealthy. He had money to spare. Why,
whenever he stayed at his club in London, he always visited the gaming tables
and seemed sufficiently plump in the pocket. Always had the ready to hand.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">“George, please. Let us not talk of this
now,” Francesca pleaded. “Not while Theo is with us.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">George shrugged. “The boy has to learn what
his father was really like sometime. He has to discover Charles’s true character.
Your husband was a gambler and a ne’er-do-well, and everyone knew it. But even
though, on some occasions he sailed close to the wind, more than once he hinted
that he was going to leave my wife, and of course, myself, well provided for in
his will. I never once thought he would die short of funds.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">“My father was not a waster, nor was he a
good-for-nothing.” Theo was enraged. He stood, and as he did, the chair he’d
been sitting on flipped back and landed sideward on the floor. “Sir, if you
persist in maligning my father’s name, I will have to call you out…or give you
a corker.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Francesca suspected Theo had no idea as to
the meaning behind his threats. The idea of Theo meeting George at dawn to duel
with pistols or fight with the fists was ridiculous. Looking at the two angered
faces before her, Francesca hoped she would be able to defuse the situation
without Theo losing face, but somehow that outcome seemed unlikely. George
looked as if he was about to accept the challenge from her son. On trembling legs,
Francesca left her chair, walked to the door, and held it open. With a
withering glance in George’s direction, she made it clear she expected him to
leave.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">“George, Theo and I are grateful for yours
and Bridget’s condolences. However, I’m sure you’ll understand if I say the day
has been a long one, and we would like time to ourselves so we might come to
terms with our situation. I still have business to conduct with Mr. Adams and
would be grateful if you would excuse us.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">“What about the others?” George asked with
petulance in his voice.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Francesca’s hands were damp with nervous
sweat. She had never taken the lead in a conversation like this before. Charles
had always been there to deal with any unpleasantness.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">“Naturally everyone will be asked to
leave,” she said.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">That seemed to appease George, and with a
toss of his head, he and Bridget, along with the other remaining relatives,
marched from the room, leaving Francesca and Theo alone with the lawyer.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">With the door to the drawing room firmly
shut, Francesca returned to the table and took a seat again. She signaled for
Mr. Adams and Theo to join her.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">“Mr. Adams, now that the unpleasantness has
been dealt with, what do you suggest we do?”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">The lawyer looked perplexed. “Your
ladyship, it is not for me to advise you. I was here merely to read the will as
written. If it is advice you wish to receive, I suggest you consult his
lordship’s…I mean <i>his late lordship’s</i>
man-of-business, Mr. Pentworthy.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Francesca’s heart sank. Only a fool would
take note of anything Mr. Pentworthy said. It wasn’t so much his age that
contributed to his incompetence, it was the fact he was behind the times and
showed no interest in new developments of any kind. Progress was not in his
vocabulary. But perhaps his inability to save the estate from ruin had not been
his fault. It was possible Charles had overruled any suggestions Mr. Pentworthy
might have made for improvements to Chapel Grange.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">However, what really bothered Francesca
about the whole business of having no funds, was that she had not been made
aware of her husband’s financial situation…or lack of. The fact Charles had
become virtually penniless had passed her by.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Had she known about the debts Charles had
incurred, she could have tried to stop his gambling habit and persuaded him to
invest for Theodor’s future. As it was, she had no idea what income remained or
what they had to live from.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">“Come morning, I will speak with Pentworthy
and try and get to the bottom of this,” she said. “Theo and I must find a way
to save Chapel Grange, otherwise, I fear bailiffs will be knocking at the door
and we shall be made homeless.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">“The first thing you must tackle is the
outstanding payment of debts, Lady Francesca. The sooner that is achieved, the
sooner you and Lord Theo will know where you stand.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">“And how will I know who is owed what? It
is all so confusing.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">“Have no fear, my lady. As soon as word
spreads about your husband’s passing, those with legitimate claims will be
calling. And don’t forget, Pentworthy will be here to assist you.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p>
</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">“We will need more than Pentworthy to help
us survive. We will need a miracle.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">BUY LINKS: <a href="https://books2read.com/u/4Apone">https://books2read.com/u/4Apone</a> </span></p><p><br /></p><p>Fleeting Encounters: Lady Francesca</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Copyright © 2022, Arabella Sheen<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">ISBN: 978-1-7397710-2-7<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Publisher: priceplacebooks<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Electronic Publication: February 2022<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Editor: Pamela Tyner<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Cover: Fantasia Frog Designs<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal">eBooks are not transferable. No part of this book may be used or reproduced without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations in articles and reviews.</p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">This book is a work of fiction and any resemblance to persons, living or dead, or places, events or locales is purely coincidental. The characters are productions of the author’s imagination and used fictitiously.</span></p><p><br /></p><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18pt; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><b><u><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14pt;">About Arabella Sheen</span></u></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="text-indent: 18.9333px;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center; text-indent: 18.9333px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzPsdRIlcElIYw5zN2otNMlUbbu52dlvqC3V-0kE6llsJS0jySHdftbSUSL-2oFJTmqqDPaljLYcDUW0U839wvnTHc69ejy45PR5-U-aNwdzYHytxci8V3lOipgT3KJV5o41FyC7apTAlg/s1600/--.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1433" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzPsdRIlcElIYw5zN2otNMlUbbu52dlvqC3V-0kE6llsJS0jySHdftbSUSL-2oFJTmqqDPaljLYcDUW0U839wvnTHc69ejy45PR5-U-aNwdzYHytxci8V3lOipgT3KJV5o41FyC7apTAlg/s200/--.jpg" width="178" /></a></div><div style="text-indent: 18.9333px;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 18pt; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 18pt; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><b><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">Arabella Sheen </span></b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">is a British author of contemporary romance and likes nothing more than the challenge of starting a new novel with fresh ideas and inspiring characters.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 18pt; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">One of the many things Arabella loves to do is to read. And when she’s not researching or writing about romance, she is either on her allotment sowing and planting with the seasons or she is curled on the sofa with a book, while pandering to the demands of her attention-seeking cat.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 18pt; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">Having lived and worked in the Netherlands as a theatre nurse for nearly twenty years, she now lives in the south-west of England with her family.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 18pt; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">Arabella hopes her readers have as much pleasure from her romance stories as she has in writing them.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 18pt; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><b><u><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14pt;">Social Media</span></u></b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 18pt; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">Website: <a href="http://www.arabellasheen.co.uk/"><span style="color: #888888;">http://www.arabellasheen.co.uk/</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 18pt; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">Twitter: <a href="http://twitter.com/ArabellaSheen"><span style="color: #888888;">http://twitter.com/ArabellaSheen</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 18pt; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">Facebook Author: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ArabellaSheenAuthor"><span style="color: #888888;">https://www.facebook.com/ArabellaSheenAuthor</span></a></span></div><div style="text-indent: 18.9333px;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center; text-indent: 18.9333px;"></div>Arabella Sheenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01654234697763753248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5987501983500233991.post-68236794556019386942022-10-31T16:18:00.001-07:002022-10-31T16:18:46.589-07:00National Novel Writing Month<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio26cr3NOwjg6sbvWabPbOdiRmSU4DjoH7woRT8GhMmES6deNgaxzpxrHi_ze-xm2_BJVlYVcXEPriPHdJWteqy0rkbYJ55J3NcbJj4k9co2ppE5A3sFdrmI29osvL83kC45joelD34MQNMonSpeP9rChLGGvdasDRDxbxqYP6UH9io8VJhBDrgVxJtQ/s1703/NaNoWriMo.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="631" data-original-width="1703" height="119" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio26cr3NOwjg6sbvWabPbOdiRmSU4DjoH7woRT8GhMmES6deNgaxzpxrHi_ze-xm2_BJVlYVcXEPriPHdJWteqy0rkbYJ55J3NcbJj4k9co2ppE5A3sFdrmI29osvL83kC45joelD34MQNMonSpeP9rChLGGvdasDRDxbxqYP6UH9io8VJhBDrgVxJtQ/w476-h119/NaNoWriMo.png" width="476" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p>Wishing all my friends (both authors and want-to-be authors) that have joined this year's <a href="https://nanowrimo.org/ ">National Novel Writing Month</a> challenge, a productive month writing 50,000 words ... or more.<br /><br />And for those not familiar with the ins and outs of <b>NaNoWriMo</b>, here is a link with a comprehensive explanation of what precisely is offered and required, and how it works.</p><p><b>What is NaNoWriMo</b> <a href="https://nanowrimo.org/about-nano">https://nanowrimo.org/about-nano</a> </p><p></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv-Mw3iR4zPDyX7805a8PDh8SB15aVp1zpCUVj6b2wvAL0sjnCOxqbKHNQDfcSylVPoyqx9jZn-RwuUweFLIekfbOCDHwLalBtaypJY5yR04-yOuWu5VKi9b4YQfNftL44v0LCrn6PH3irXsr4vX26iCrpo8RuuiaryYBFum0qWecO9qN0TFjH1iiUSg/s5760/Arabella%20Sheen%20-%20Naughty.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5760" height="138" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv-Mw3iR4zPDyX7805a8PDh8SB15aVp1zpCUVj6b2wvAL0sjnCOxqbKHNQDfcSylVPoyqx9jZn-RwuUweFLIekfbOCDHwLalBtaypJY5yR04-yOuWu5VKi9b4YQfNftL44v0LCrn6PH3irXsr4vX26iCrpo8RuuiaryYBFum0qWecO9qN0TFjH1iiUSg/w230-h138/Arabella%20Sheen%20-%20Naughty.png" width="230" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Arabella Sheenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01654234697763753248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5987501983500233991.post-66106245998440885602022-10-31T15:51:00.001-07:002022-10-31T15:51:36.502-07:00November's Featured Title...<p> <span style="background-color: white; font-size: xx-large;">This Month's Featured Title...</span></p><div class="paragraph" style="background-color: white; font-size: 24px !important; line-height: 1.8em; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></div><span class="imgPusher" style="background-color: white; color: #666666; display: block; float: left; font-family: Lato, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; height: 0px; overflow: hidden;"></span><span style="background-color: white; clear: left; color: #666666; display: table; float: left; font-family: Lato, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin-top: 11px; max-width: 100%; position: relative; width: 238px;"><a href="https://books2read.com/u/mBwvwN" style="color: #2a2a2a; text-decoration-line: none; transition: color 200ms ease-in 0s;" target="_blank"><img alt="Picture" class="galleryImageBorder wsite-image" src="http://www.arabellasheen.co.uk/uploads/1/0/4/6/104608123/published/agentlemaninlove-medium_1.jpg" style="background-color: transparent; border: 1px solid rgba(179, 153, 100, 0.4); margin: 5px 10px 10px 0px; max-width: 100%; padding: 3px; position: relative;" /></a><span class="wsite-caption" style="caption-side: bottom; display: table-caption; font-size: 14.4px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: -10px; text-align: center;"></span></span><div class="paragraph" style="background-color: white; font-size: 24px !important; line-height: 1.8em; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px;"> <span style="color: #f00303;"> </span> <br /><span style="font-size: xx-large;"> A Gentleman in Love</span><br /> <br /> <em style="position: relative;">A Christmas wedding and a growing passion.<br /> Will a political scandal destroy their love?</em> <br /></div><hr style="background-color: white; clear: both; color: #666666; font-family: Lato, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; visibility: hidden; width: 959.988px;" /><div style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Lato, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><div style="height: 10px; overflow: hidden;"></div><a class="wsite-button wsite-button-small wsite-button-normal" href="https://read.amazon.co.uk/kp/embed?asin=B09Q1M9CHL&preview=newtab&linkCode=kpe&ref_=cm_sw_r_kb_dp_PCJTNHR9HPAG6KAE41M0" style="background: none; color: rgb(34, 34, 34) !important; cursor: pointer; display: inline-block; font-size: 14px !important; height: auto; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none !important; transition: color 200ms ease-in 0s;" target="_blank"><span class="wsite-button-inner" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 2px solid rgb(29, 29, 29); color: rgb(29, 29, 29) !important; display: block; float: left; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 1em; font-weight: 700; height: auto; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.5em; padding: 8px 16px; text-transform: uppercase; transition: all 400ms ease-in 0s;">READ AN EXCERPT</span></a><div style="height: 10px; overflow: hidden;"></div></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Lato, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><div style="height: 10px; overflow: hidden;"></div><a class="wsite-button wsite-button-small wsite-button-normal" href="https://books2read.com/u/mBwvwN" style="background: none; color: rgb(34, 34, 34) !important; cursor: pointer; display: inline-block; font-size: 14px !important; height: auto; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none !important; transition: color 200ms ease-in 0s;" target="_blank"><span class="wsite-button-inner" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 2px solid rgb(29, 29, 29); color: rgb(29, 29, 29) !important; display: block; float: left; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 1em; font-weight: 700; height: auto; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.5em; padding: 8px 16px; text-transform: uppercase; transition: all 400ms ease-in 0s;">UNIVERSAL BUY LINKS - KOBO - NOOK - ITUNES ETC</span></a><div style="height: 10px; overflow: hidden;"></div></div><div class="paragraph" style="background-color: white; font-size: 24px !important; line-height: 1.8em; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px;"><strong><a href="https://books2read.com/u/mBwvwN" style="color: rgb(21, 1, 107) !important; text-decoration-line: none; transition: color 200ms ease-in 0s;" target="_blank">Purchase Book at Amazon</a></strong><br /><strong><a href="https://books2read.com/u/mBwvwN" style="color: rgb(21, 1, 107) !important; text-decoration-line: none; transition: color 200ms ease-in 0s;" target="_blank">Purchase Book at Barnes and Noble</a></strong><br /><strong><a href="https://books2read.com/u/mBwvwN" style="color: rgb(21, 1, 107) !important; text-decoration-line: none; transition: color 200ms ease-in 0s;" target="_blank">Purchase Book at iTunes</a></strong><br /><strong><a href="https://books2read.com/u/mBwvwN" style="color: rgb(21, 1, 107) !important; text-decoration-line: none; transition: color 200ms ease-in 0s;" target="_blank">Purchase Book at Kobo</a> <br /><a href="https://books2read.com/u/mBwvwN" style="color: rgb(21, 1, 107) !important; text-decoration-line: none; transition: color 200ms ease-in 0s;" target="_blank">Purchase Book at Smashwords</a></strong></div><div class="wsite-spacer" style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Lato, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; height: 50px;"></div><div class="paragraph" style="background-color: white; font-size: 24px !important; line-height: 1.8em; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px;"><strong><span style="color: #090000; font-size: large;">TO BUY THE EBOOK - click on a cover for the link . . . also available from other reputable ebook retailers.</span></strong></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Lato, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-none " style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 10px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-top: 10px; position: relative; text-align: center;"><a style="color: #2a2a2a; transition: color 200ms ease-in 0s;"><img alt="Picture" src="http://www.arabellasheen.co.uk/uploads/1/0/4/6/104608123/published/regency-sqiggle-copy_1.png?1610469133" style="border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-style: initial; border-width: 0px !important; max-width: 100%;" /></a><div style="font-size: 14.4px;"></div></div></div><div class="paragraph" style="background-color: white; font-size: 24px !important; line-height: 1.8em; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px;"><strong><span style="font-size: large;">Tender love with a hint of steamy passion . . . and more</span><span style="font-size: medium;">.</span></strong></div>Arabella Sheenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01654234697763753248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5987501983500233991.post-30241512717755800952022-10-07T16:00:00.001-07:002022-10-07T16:00:00.150-07:00New Contract Signed - Arabella Sheen<p><b><span style="font-size: large;">Chit-Chat and Update on developments...</span></b></p><p><br /></p><p>Following a recent submission to my publisher's inbox, a new contract has been signed with - <a href="https://www.evernightpublishing.com/arabella-sheen/ ">Evernight Publishing</a>.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXEwl6Howc5M5ll33dQDEc0lPmd10H3blFEoMdYeDiBk6gzg-aKpehKiJcDdiReBdweYc3nA9u1Fvs8ZY4EVEwJVwL9e8vRzl_RG01oaljLKUQri3g1vGptlhGkGM6I1U-TrJR5oZtoIT232GaQrpfHJUyOfCsJQgDyBEWsCbLZnBRTZ7J0rvPOveX0Q/s1000/Evernight%20-%20Contract.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="662" data-original-width="1000" height="176" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXEwl6Howc5M5ll33dQDEc0lPmd10H3blFEoMdYeDiBk6gzg-aKpehKiJcDdiReBdweYc3nA9u1Fvs8ZY4EVEwJVwL9e8vRzl_RG01oaljLKUQri3g1vGptlhGkGM6I1U-TrJR5oZtoIT232GaQrpfHJUyOfCsJQgDyBEWsCbLZnBRTZ7J0rvPOveX0Q/w265-h176/Evernight%20-%20Contract.jpg" width="265" /></a></div><br /><p>A sensual steamy Regency Romance is on its way and there will be lots of high-sea adventures and romance for you to enjoy. </p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjijjPgpNo_F9HBUJX3y5G2147g0by40Px-CRKEdCD_ufdhjxzZFcnd0qpabRQ254YlDNNruvXioaerqijdKGF5l4rwd53_zCM_FdrA3-revxKDT66bdyCEp1l9xctXEW39j1EZ5wOz4kaiaRbWWUyRFBF6ohbj6LxMxZGbdZEgfl5OGWMQvAPZ4iboSQ/s400/Schooner%20-%203.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="300" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjijjPgpNo_F9HBUJX3y5G2147g0by40Px-CRKEdCD_ufdhjxzZFcnd0qpabRQ254YlDNNruvXioaerqijdKGF5l4rwd53_zCM_FdrA3-revxKDT66bdyCEp1l9xctXEW39j1EZ5wOz4kaiaRbWWUyRFBF6ohbj6LxMxZGbdZEgfl5OGWMQvAPZ4iboSQ/w195-h260/Schooner%20-%203.jpg" width="195" /></a></div><br /><p>I'll keep you posted about the expected release date. </p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiokyGBX4IYZUOr4VqxkPv8qtC1gOlB5E-VduCJ4wFxS9kYQAiU72hE8OBBk4UbMptWsIxleVMRW2lzX0u6mZsMRhBLR3DrOndQkvjMC26U_gDNJMUaGSQTlqgLMNQa5tTnUQXmt4pDvNlRxShvZHrOxJdsDcfByyAaBKD1if4aH7GDm0VtH0DOXqE1AQ/s5760/Arabella%20Sheen%20-%20Naughty.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5760" height="137" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiokyGBX4IYZUOr4VqxkPv8qtC1gOlB5E-VduCJ4wFxS9kYQAiU72hE8OBBk4UbMptWsIxleVMRW2lzX0u6mZsMRhBLR3DrOndQkvjMC26U_gDNJMUaGSQTlqgLMNQa5tTnUQXmt4pDvNlRxShvZHrOxJdsDcfByyAaBKD1if4aH7GDm0VtH0DOXqE1AQ/w228-h137/Arabella%20Sheen%20-%20Naughty.png" width="228" /></a></p><p><br /></p>Arabella Sheenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01654234697763753248noreply@blogger.com0