Get Lost in a True Love's Kiss!

Once Upon a True Love’s Kiss

USA Today Best-selling author, Julie Johnstone, joins best-selling, award-winning authors, Katherine Bone, Collette Cameron, Jillian Chantal, Samantha Grace, Alanna Lucas, Lauren Smith, and Victoria Vane in this delightful limited edition, containing eight tantalizing kiss-and-tell stories. Meet dashing, wildly charming rogues, spies, pirates, rakes and their extraordinary, intrepid heroines as they whisk you along on sweet to sizzling romantic romps in these wickedly entertaining historical romances. 

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SHORT BIOS
JULIE JOHNSTONE - is an USA TODAY best-selling author who's living the dream creating worlds from her imagination. When not writing, she's chasing her precocious children around, cooking, reading or exercising.

KATHERINE BONE - is an Amazon #1 best-selling Historical Romance Author who writes about Rogues, Rebels & Rakes, aka Pirates, Lords, Captains, Duty, Honor, & Country & the happily-ever-afters every alpha male & damsel deserve.

COLLETTE CAMERON - is an Amazon #1 best-selling and award-winning Historical Romance Author who makes her home in Oregon with her husband & five mini-dachshunds. You'll always find animals, quirky--sometimes naughty--humor, & a dash of inspiration in her novels.

JILLIAN CHANTAL - is a 2015 RONE Finalist who loves her little slice of paradise on the gulf coast, a place that reminds Jillian daily that even though she loves the past, she needs the present. Air conditioning is vital for her survival.

SAMANTHA GRACE - is an Amazon best-Selling, RITA-nominated Historical Romance Author who enjoys creating happy-endings for characters that spring from her imagination. Samantha describes romance writing as the best job ever.

ALANNA LUCAS - is an Amazon best-selling author who believes that true love is the greatest source of inspiration. Alanna is always dreaming of her next travel destination, spending time w/family, & staying up too late indulging in her favorite past time, reading.

LAUREN SMITH- is an Amazon best-selling, award winning author who pens adventurous and edgy romance stories by the light of her smart phone flashlight app. She's a native Oklahoman who lives w/her three pets: a feisty chinchilla, sophisticated cat, & dapper little schnauzer. 

VICTORIA VANE - is an Amazon #1 bestselling and Award-Winning author of over twenty smart and sexy romances. She currently resides in Palm Coast, Florida w/her husband, two sons, a little black dog, & an Arabian horse.

AND NOW FOR THE JUICY DETAILS…..

ALEXA: How often to you get lost in a story?
ONCE UPON A TRUE LOVE’S KISS AUTHORS: All the time!

ALEXA: What is the first book you remember reading?

JULIE JOHNSTONE: When I think back to my younger years and the first book that I remember reading, or perhaps it's better to say the first book that left a huge impression on me, was Are You There God? It's Me Margaret. I know for a fact this was not the first book I ever read, but Judy Blume's character Margaret seemed to be going through things that I suppose I must have been at that time, and so when I recall reading early on in life, I don't recall my childhood stories, honestly, I recall stories that helped me as a young girl.

ALEXA: High Heels or Hiking Boots?

KATHERINE BONE: I prefer swashbuckling pirate boots!!!

ALEXA: What sound or noise do you love?
COLLETTE CAMERON: I grew up on the Northern Oregon coast and to this day, I love the roar of the ocean and the cry of seagulls. I live about 90 minutes from the beach now, and whenever I visit, a sense of sweet nostalgia always sweeps me.  

If I even hear seagulls on TV I get the same yearning. Fortunately, we have lots of family at the coast, and I make frequent trips to my hometown.  There's nothing line sipping a piping-hot pumpkin spice latte and walking on the beach early in the morning. 

ALEXA: What three things are, at this moment, in your heroine’s purse, satchel, reticule, weapons belt or amulet bag (whatever she carries)?

JILLIAN CHANTAL:

                1.    A hanky because you never know when you might have to wipe up some blood somewhere or bandage someone’s injury.

2.    An apple. For Socrates. Her horse is always ready for a treat.

3.    A pair of gloves for those moments when she has to behave like a proper lady which is not her favorite thing by far.

ALEXA: High Heels or Hiking Boots?
SAMANTHA GRACE: Hiking boots! No contest. I love the outdoors. 

ALEXA: What’s the first thing you do when you finish writing a book?

ALANNA LUCAS: Have a glass of red wine, then call my mom :-)

ALEXA: What’s your favorite fairy tale?

LAUREN SMITH: My favorite fairy tale is Sleeping Beauty. There's just something about the draw of a spell to make you prick your finger and then the dark fairy casting a spell of a 100 year sleep over the land while you wait for the price to ride through a forest of thorns to your tower *swoon.

ALEXA: How often to you get lost in a story? 

VICTORIA VANE: Every time I pick up a good book! I’ve loved books ever since I was a small child and have always been able to tune the entire world out whenever I read. Bombs could be falling on my head and I would never know if I’m reading a great book. I’m also a binge reader. Once I start, I don’t like to close the book until I finish. I have lost countless hours of sleep in my lifetime because I had to read “just one more page” or “one more chapter”!  It is my dearest wish for readers of my books to experience that same kind of immersion – to get totally caught up in my stories.

ALEXA’S GOTTA ASK: What books first drew you to romance? 

Author Katherine Bone fell in love with pirate romances by Julie Garwood, Johanna Lindsey and Fern Michaels.

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ALEXA: GOT A QUESTION YOU’D LIKE TO ASK YOUR FANS?
Once Upon a True Love’s Kiss authors would like to know what books first drew you to romance?

Folks, leave your answer below and YOU will be in the running for the drawing. Once commenter will receive an e-copy of Once Upon a True Love’s Kiss! Ladies, thanks so much for joining us today!

Note: Please leave an email address for notification. Offer void where prohibited. Prizes will be mailed to North America addresses only unless specifically mentioned in the post. Odds of winning vary due to the number of entrants. Winners of drawings are responsible for checking this site in a timely manner. If prizes are not claimed in a timely manner, the author may not have a prize available. Get Lost In A Story cannot be responsible for an author's failure to mail the listed prize. GLIAS does not automatically pass email addresses to guest authors unless the commenter publicly posts their email address.

Get Lost in These Regency Christmas Tales...

Today, on the blog, we’re joined by four fabulous authors (and their characters!) who are here to tell us about their Regency Christmas anthology.  So I’m just going to hand the blog right over to them and enjoy the fun…

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Earlier this year, 12 of us embarked on an adventure of sorts – an anthology collection that revolves around 12 different cousins during the same Christmas holiday. You see, the powerful Duke of Danby has summoned all of his wayward grandchildren home for the Holidays.  Some are more eager to come than others.

Today, four of us – Ava Stone, Jerrica Knight-Catania, Lilia Birney and Julie Johnstone – are happy to introduce you to the characters we wrote for the collection. (It was an adventure being responsible for a character who shares a history with other authors’ characters. But we had a wonderful time collaborating.)

Often times, siblings are very similar to each other. They are raised by the same people in the same house and have the same experiences in their formative years. But other times, siblings are as different as night and day, despite the sameness of the blood that flows through them.

The Whitton siblings, from the Regency Christmas Summons Collection, fall into the latter category. First there is the eventual heir to the dukedom – Andrew, Earl of Hardwicke. His younger brother, Lord Philip. And their twin sisters Lady Emma and Lady Isabel. Oh, I know what you’re thinking… The twins will be the same, right? Nope – still different as night and day. But don’t take our word for it – they’ll tell you that themselves. (All four Whitton siblings will be around today to answer any follow up questions.)

What is something readers might not know about you, if all they had to look at was the blurb from your book?

Andrew: I’m a closet romantic and adore Sense and Sensibility, a charming novel I read this last year.

Isabel: (can’t comment because she’s laughing too hard at Andrew’s comment)

Philip (glances around and spies a pianoforte in the corner): Do you mind if I play a little whilst we converse? I find it damned hard to talk to anyone unless I am able to play a bit. (Walks over to the pianoforte and sits; begins playing Lully. He relaxes and faces the interviewer squarely.) My brother is such a romantic that he reads novels. Whereas I am such a romantic, I tried to off myself over a lady. 'Course, that's all water under the bridge, and all that. And my family kept the matter very quiet.

Emma: My dear brother Philip, so misunderstood. (She sighs as she looks away from him and back to her other siblings. Then she locks eyes with Isabel and the two of them double over laughing.) Sense and Sensibility?  I cannot wait to tell Heath!

 And now, tell me a little something about each of your siblings. 

Andrew: I tortured Philip from the moment he was born because I was sure he was trying to ‘do me in’ to take my place as the next duke. Emma reminds me of myself - my better, more capable, straightforward self.  On second thought, what it is about Emma that reminds me of myself is her ability at subterfuge.  Must be why I adore her.  As for Izzy, her knowledge of books far outweighs mine, which is why I run scared every time she tries to pull me into an intellectual debate.  Now if she wants to converse about the finer points of whiskey or the hundred ways to please the woman you love, she need only look as far as my doorstep or Char's ear.  Char would be more than happy to explain all the excellent ways I please her.

Isabel: Well, clearly, Andrew has a healthy respect for me. Philip, well, he’s just troubled, so I try not to make waves there. And Emma, she is and always will be my better half – the half that knows how to dance and needlepoint and do all those other feminine things that I seem to always fail miserably at.

Philip: Did Andrew really torture me? Can't remember, really. (Shifts on the bench and begins playing Chopin). It was of no consequence to me, for I couldn't care less about being a lord. In fact, it kept me from marrying the one I loved many years ago. As for Em and Izzy, they needed to learn how to give a fellow more privacy. Many's the time they walked in on me just as I was being, ahem, affectionate with my beloved Emily.

Emma: Andrew is our troublemaker. If there is a rule, he will find a way to break it. Philip spends more time in his own mind than he does out of it. But he plays so beautifully, doesn’t he? And, of course, there’s Isabel. She’s so sweet, though she denies it. She thinks of herself as very analytical; and though she is that – there is so much more to her. She is the most brilliant person I know.  

Your father, the Marquess of Norland, has the reputation of being a very difficult man to read. What is he like as a father? 

Andrew: Norland was an overbearing father who made my life hell, though mother has tried to tell me he was once a very kind man.

Isabel: Thankfully, I wasn’t the heir – or the spare -- so he wasn’t quite as overbearing with me as he was with Andrew and Philip. Though he is a force to be reckoned with, I know he’s got a rather soft heart beneath it all. It’s Mother who’s always given me the hardest time.

Philip (shrugs and continues with a different Chopin selection): Father's not difficult. In fact, I must say my family acted remarkably well when I tried to kill myself. Can't say a word against any of them, and I dare any man to try it.

Emma: I have never had a problem with either of my parents. I do wish Papa hadn’t discovered me with… (A blush stains her cheeks) Just forget I said that last part, Heath would die of embarrassment if he knew what I almost revealed.

Which sibling are you the closest to? 

Andrew: I’m a consummate diplomat, if nothing else.  I adore all my siblings equally.  I would have to say my closest relative is Edgy.  He’s gotten me out of more trouble than I care to admit, and he dragged my arse across the channel to reunite me with Char.

Isabel: Well, that’s easy, since Emma and I shared a womb. You can’t get much closer than that.

Philip: I love all my family, but Emily—my wife—is the only person in the world who really understands me.

Emma: My heart has always hurt a little for Philip. I never could understand him, no matter how badly I tried. (A beleaguered sigh escapes her.) And Drew – despite the fact that he ALWAYS cheated in hide-and-seek – without him I would have never met my Heath, and so I’ll owe him all of my days. BUT, Izzy is right – we shared a womb and no matter what madcap schemes I’ve come up with over the years, and despite her warnings about each and every scheme – she is my closest and dearest friend and sister. I love her with all my heart.

Where do you see yourself in 5 years? 

Andrew: In bed in Char’s arms.  Is that too much information?  Fine, fine.  I see myself surrounded by my five children, one for every year.  We will, of course, be at the theatre watching my astonishingly beautiful wife perfume in the latest and greatest production.

Isabel: Well, I’m making desperate pleas for Damien to take me on safari in the Serengeti. Perhaps spend some time abroad in a remote part of India or China and study the ancient civilizations of the Shang Dynasty…

Philip: Emily and I have discussed opening a music school in London, so I suppose we will settle there. And though she has one child already—Rose, my sweet little darling—I cannot wait to have more children. I shan't return to Italy for some time. Too many memories there.

Emma: (smiles brightly) In five years, in ten, in twenty – I’m sure I’ll be doing the same things. Loving my dear Heath, raising our children, entertaining as often as possible, and living my life to the absolute fullest.

And if Norland is difficult to read, your grandfather the Duke of Danby is reputed to be downright terrifying. Do you have anything to say about him? Of course, we won’t divulge a word of what you say to His Grace, so feel free to be as honest as possible. 

Andrew: The thing you have to understand about Grandfather is he only wants what is best for his family.  He can be your greatest ally or your greatest enemy, if he thinks you are making a mistake.  Grandfather is a romantic at heart.  He kidnapped Grandmother and forced her to the altar. She detested him, until he got her in the bedchamber.  Shh…no one knows that!

Isabel: Grandpapa has always been my champion, and for that I will be eternally grateful. He never rolled his eyes at me for devouring books or shouted that I needed to be more ladylike. He simply accepted me as I was, which is a rare thing for me.

Philip: I suppose Grandfather is rather baffled by us all—none of us really turned out the way we were supposed to. I married a commoner after becoming a wastrel abroad, for example. But then, the old fellow still wants to be surrounded by us all, despite our flaws. (Stops playing abruptly, stands up, sending the bench scraping backwards.) I'm off. Ready to see my Emily—it's been too long without her. Drew, Izzy, Em—see you at dinner.

Emma: (stares at Philip’s retreating back. Once he’s gone, she turns back to the interviewer.) I don’t know what he’s talking about. I think I turned out exactly as I was supposed to.  (She shakes her head as though to refocus on the question at hand.) You asked about Grandpapa? Well, he can be more than intimidating. He can stop one’s heart with just a glare or the clearing of his throat. I love Grandpapa. I love all my family, and though he can terrify me on occasion, I think I have finally learned how to manage him. Or as close as anyone can possibly claim to do so.  A word of warning, however, should you visit Danby Castle – DO NOT run in the corridors. Doing so makes him extremely cranky.

We hope you have enjoyed this glimpse of the Whitton siblings. Andrew and Emma can be found in A Summons From Yorkshire; Philip and Isabel can be found in A Summons From The Duke. If you have any questions for these siblings, please post it below. Be sure to add your email address so you can be entered into the Regency Christmas Summons Prize Extravaganza. Winners will be drawn during a live chat Thursday December 15^th from 8p-10p Eastern time at LadyScribes.blogspot.com (You do not need to be present to win, but it will be fun if you’re there!)

Today we are also giving away an ebook copy of both A Summons From Yorkshire and A Summons From The Duke. Do you have siblings? If so, are you similar or as different as the Whittons? And if not, do you miss the camaraderie of brothers and/or sisters – or are you glad for your solitude?