Wednesday, September 2, 2015

Love for Sale by Linda Nightingale (VBT, guest post, excerpt and GIVEAWAY) GFT



It is my pleasure to share a guest post from one of the 'roses' in the Wild Rose Press garden, author Linda Nightingale, as she answers the following question:



What would be your dream place to visit and why?

I have many places I’d love to visit: Croatia because of the beauty of the seaside and because one of my favorite pianists is Croatian; Manchester, England because my eldest son lives there; South Africa to take The Blue Train Journey (The Blue Train is synonymous with luxury and personal service); Spain and Portugal for the elegant and beautiful horses; Brazil; Argentina.

I would like to take a trip back in time.

Costa Rica—if I could mingle with the people I knew years ago when I bred and showed Andalusian (Spanish) horses. I bought my stallion from a breeder in Costa Rica named Tomas Batalla. My wonderful horse’s name was Bonito. He was a dark gray with a black mane and tail. The picture is Bonito (I am his humble rider) readying for our musical exhibition to Phantom of the Opera. But I wander.

Once or twice, my then husband and I flew to Costa Rica for the national Andalusian horse show. Tomas invited us into the society of the wealthy. His chief business was raising cattle, the horses his passion. We attended lavish parties at beautiful homes with tiled rooves and luxurious furnishings. We were introduced to the German ambassador and sat with him in the stands the next day at the horse show. The president of the country was making his rounds through the stands, and sitting with the ambassador, he stopped to say hello to us. I was wearing a green and white striped blouse. He said that green and white were the colors of his country. I bit my tongue 0n saying, “Yes, my president is also trying to take my shirt.”

The horses were beautiful, though the weather was hot. Hot was good since we left South Carolina in an icy March to escape reality in Costa Rica. I am of no particular means to have rubbed elbows with presidents and ambassadors, though I did work for a congressman in Atlanta and met Jimmy Carter. Through English friends of ours, we met the British ambassador, and every year we hosted a hunt breakfast to which he and the German ambassador came on occasion.

Those days are only memories now, but I’d like to visit Costa Rica again—if I could go back in time.

Research Andalusian horses (this horse will change your life) and The Blue Train on the internet. You might find you’d like to travel to Spain, Costa Rica, and South Africa, too.



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Love For Sale
by Linda Nightingale


BLURB:

March Morgan still believes in true love, but her faith in finding her soul mate is slowly vanishing. She’s been married but never in love. So, it is a miracle to find that fantasy exists on the last page of a glossy women’s journal. Mayfair Electronics, Ltd., in black and white, offers Love for Sale. The London firm has engineered sentient androids indistinguishable from human. She flies to England and meets the man she has been searching for her entire life.

Christian requires no programming to love March at first sight. He’s handsome, cultured…absolutely perfect…and a little different from the other androids. He has an unexpected independent streak.

March signs on the dotted line, buying her dream man. They return to Houston, but soon her past and his future threaten their Happily Ever After—indeed their lives.

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EXCERPT


At a light touch on her shoulder, she spun. He stood inches from her, the airspace between them electric charged. “Liz was here, and in my bedroom! Why? Were you doing her in my bed?”

“No.” He had the decency to look stunned, his eyes widening and darkening. “She was teaching me to dance. The closet doors are mirrors.”

March resisted the urge to slap his perfect face. “Why? You aren’t going to be a stripper.”

He shrugged. “You don’t trust me.”

“I don’t trust her.” March’s face felt hard and cold. God, how she hated the emotions seething in her. She was almost physically ill.

“She cannot tempt me.” He shook his head slowly, his eyes glittering blue. “Don’t you understand I am attuned to you alone?”

“You weren’t supposed to be able to get angry.” She was unraveling, like a ball of yarn thrown across a room. “You did.”

Her heart shattered as he turned and walked away. Grief winded her. At the door, he glanced over his shoulder, again shaking his head. He was stunningly handsome, looked sad and hurt, but there was no apology in his intense gaze. Hands fisted at her sides, she tried to control the storm of fear, anger, resentment and pain.

“Where the hell are you going?” Her voice came brusque, short.

“For a walk to let you think and cool down.” Light and shadow chiseled his face, and her breaking heart skipped a beat. “I am not going to Liz. I have learned all I need to know from her. I shall never see her again.”

“You can’t walk out. It is impossible for you. You are faulty in some circuit somewhere. I’m going to return you.”

The most beautiful man in the world froze with his hand on the door. “Please don’t. This is a misunderstanding.” He blew out a long breath. “However, if that is what you want, I must advise you that Mayfair Electronics, 21 Dover Street, London, W1S 4LT will accept return of a flawed unit for a full refund.”

“Stop! You sound like a robot.” Her fisted hands struck the air.

He didn’t flinch. “I am a robot. That’s why this is an inane conversation.”

Buy Link:

Wild Rose Press
Amazon
 

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AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Something of a gypsy (actually nothing quite so romantic!) born in South Carolina, Linda has lived in England, Canada, Miami, Ft. Lauderdale, Atlanta and Houston. She’s seen a lot of this country from the windshield of a truck pulling a horse trailer, having bred, trained and showed Andalusian horses for many years.


Linda has won several writing awards, including the Georgia Romance Writers Magnolia Award. She is the mother of two wonderful sons, a retired legal assistant, member of the Houston Symphony League, and enjoys events with her car club. Among her favorite things are her snazzy black convertible and her parlor grand piano. She loves to dress up and host formal dinner parties.



Twitter
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Web Site  – Visit my blog for a free continuing vampire story.
Blog  - Lots of interesting guests & prizes



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GIVEAWAY


a Rafflecopter giveaway


The tour dates can be found here

13 comments:

  1. Have you written any other novels in collaboration with other writers?

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    1. Hello Mai, thanks for visiting and commenting! I haven't written any collaborations with other writers. I do critique with two other authors, one an author with TWRP. I think it is difficult to blend writing styles unless perhaps one writer takes one character, the other a different one, to maintain the difference in voices. Linda

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    2. Great to see you, Mai. Thanks for another thoughtful question, I always look forward to finding out what you're going to ask!

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  2. Thanks for having me as your guest today! I love the background for the blog.

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    1. Thank you for the compliment, Linda. It reminds me of a few of the beautiful sunsets I have had the opportunity to savor. Great to see one of the 'Roses' here, hope the tour is going well! My apologies for taking so long to welcome you, and thank you for interacting with my visitors!

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  3. Beautiful book cover!!---Rae

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  4. Hi Linda. You have such an interesting life! I did as you suggested and looked up Andalusian horses and The Blue Train. I doubt I'll ever have a horse but I definitely want to ride The Blue Train! Thank you for sharing!

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    1. Aren't Andalusians beautiful, Betty? Thanks for visiting!

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  5. When you go travelling you can take me with you. I'll carry your bags.

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    1. Wouldn't that be lovely, Mary? Thanks for popping in!

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