This week on Excerpt Thursday we're featuring Unusual Historicals contributor and Kensington author
ZOE ARCHER as she celebrates the release of the first two books in her Victorian "
BLADES OF THE ROSE" series. Last month saw its launch with the Mongolia-set
WARRIOR, and the series continues in October with
SCOUNDREL, which takes place in Greece. Join us on Sunday when Zoe will be here to answer questions and give away goodies! Here's the blurb for
SCOUNDREL:
The Blades of the Rose are sworn to protect the sources of magic in the world. But the work is dangerous--and they can't always protect their own...
READY FOR ACTION...
London Harcourt's father is bent on subjugating the world's magic to British rule. But since London is a mere female, he hasn't bothered to tell her so. He's said only that he's leading a voyage to the Greek isles. No matter, after a smothering marriage and three years of straitlaced widowhood, London jumps at the opportunity--unfortunately, right into the arms of Bennett Day.
RISKING IT ALL...
Bennett is a ladies' man, when he's not dodging lethal attacks to protect the powers of the ancients from men like London's father. Sometimes, he's a ladies' man even when he is dodging them. But the minute he sees London he knows she will require his full attention. The woman is lovely, brilliant, and the only known speaker of a dialect of ancient Greek that holds the key to calling down the wrath of the gods. Bennett will be risking his life again--but around London, what really worries him is the danger to his heart...
***
Publishers Weekly selected
SCOUNDREL as a Pick of the Week!
"Archer follows 2010's
WARRIOR with another delightful tale of an intelligent, competent woman sharing adventure and romance with a formidable partner... London's personal growth paces the adventure story beautifully, and readers will cheer for both the romance and the Blades." ~
Publishers Weekly ***
"How did you know I was from England?" she asked. "The vendor was speaking English to everyone."
"Your posture. English ladies have a particular way of holding themselves, as though a disapproving governess was glaring at them."
"Different than, say, a French or Greek lady?"
"There's bundles more self-imposed Anglican morality in an Englishwoman's stance. I am," he added, with a slow, suggestive smile, "an avid connoisseur of the language of the body."
"Of that, I have no doubt," she said, dry.
His chuckle was low and velvet and very, very carnal. If he was unleashed on polite British society, virgin debutantes and genteel matrons would turn into Bacchae, tearing at their clothes and ripping apart anyone foolish enough to stand between themselves and the object of their desire. She felt much the same uncharacteristic urge.
London busied herself with pretending to admire a gold silk scarf at a booth. As she did this, she sent a cautious glance towards the beautiful English stranger. With a small, internal start, she realized that his stance only appeared to be negligent and easy. He was, in fact, vigilant, ready as if poised for movement. And his eyes, though glittering with a secret amusement, were never at rest. He watched the marketplace, keen as a blade. He was looking for someone.
But who? She dare not ask such an impertinent question, and didn't know if she wanted the answer. There was something, the edge of a darkness, in him, or, at the least, a potential for danger. She wondered if he was armed. Travelers to Greece were advised to bring at least a revolver if they planned on leaving Athens. But this man's strong body would be weapon enough.
"Is it within the rules to ask what brings you to Greece?" London asked.
"Never said there were any rules." A small dimple appeared in the corner of his mouth. London wanted to touch it. Or, better yet, feel it with her lips.
"If there were," she said, "you don't play by them."
He gave an unapologetic shrug. "Following rules means there's no fun or pleasure in life."
She was certain he had both in abundance. "And decorum? Responsibility?"
"Decorum stifles. Women, especially."
London picked up the scarf and draped it around her shoulders, as a lady might at the ballet. "That sounds like a libertine's well-practiced speech to lure women into dalliance."
"There's always truth in seduction. That's why it works." He stepped closer and loosened the scarf from her shoulders, then he gently wrapped it around her waist like a sash. She felt it like an embrace. His deft, long fingers tied the fabric into a decorative knot. "Much better. More Greek," he murmured in approval.
London's pulse sped at his nearness, yet she did not step away. "But what of responsibility?"
He gazed at her levelly, and in his clear aquatic eyes, she saw a steadiness of purpose that she had not anticipated. "I take my responsibilities seriously."
"They must be the only things you take seriously," she answered.
No mistaking the way he looked at her, how his gaze flicked down to her mouth and held there for more than a moment. "Try me, little troublemaker."
She felt herself standing above the sea, the warm water beckoning her to plunge into its wet, welcoming depths, frolic in its waves. She wanted to jump. She was afraid of the height. "Sir, you are more dangerous than Barbary pirate," she said, after a breathless pause.
Again, he laughed, something he seemed to do readily. A bedroom laugh. Teasing. Intimate. And such a laugh made her body respond without thought. Her skin felt sensitive and a molten heat gathered in her core. Oh, it had been a long time since a man touched her, and not a single, half-hearted caress from Lawrence affected her as one laugh from this stranger did. She recalled how, moments earlier, his fingers had brushed her hand, and the strange, intense response even that minor contact had engendered.
"Know many Barbary pirates?" he asked, one eyebrow raised.
"I do, now."
It was then that she realized something. All this time, he had been speaking to her as his equal. Granted, he was a devil of a flirt, but he did not seem to consider her female sex a liability. He talked truthfully, openly, without the polite phrases or evasions so common to the speech of every other man she knew. And when she answered him, it was as if she'd unlatched a little door inside herself and could meet him on the level ground, confident in herself.
"I think you are the dangerous one," he said, "but you don't know it yet."
Again, their eyes caught and held. No, she was not imagining it. Something hot and knowing in their shared look. And that other thing, that tie that bound them in ways she did not understand.
We have a winner for Zoe Archer's WARRIOR and SCOUNDREL guest blog. A free copy of each goes to:
October is month two of the four-month back-to-back releases of the "Blades of the Rose" series, which means that on October 5, SCOUNDREL will be hitting shelves. But my September release, WARRIOR ("Blades of the Rose" Book One), is still available!
You say that the Blades travel all over the world to protect magic?
Um...I don't think I've ever read a romance like that before.
So Bennett isn't capable of settling down?
As we continue to revamp our contributor line-up, we'd like to introduce another fine author joining our ranks. Please welcome Victorian author Anthea Lawson, the husband-and-wife writing team who penned ALL HE DESIRES and the RITA-nominated PASSIONATE! Here's more about this fantastic addition to our blog:
***
Congratulations to long-time contributor Karen Mercury, who sold a M/M/F story set in during the California gold rush to Siren/Bookstrand. Her new release will hit the shelves in January 2011, title TBD. 
Zoe Archer's WARRIOR has certainly made a splash for its debut last week. The first of the four-part "Blades of the Rose" series received great reviews over at Fresh Fiction (WARRIOR is one of the best books I have read in years.) and The Misadventures of Super Librarian (This is the stuff of old-fashioned Saturday matinees, Errol Flynn movies and Indiana Jones.). Congratulations! 
As part of the New Voices competition and the reopening of Haltwhistle Library celebrations, Michelle Styles will be giving a workshop on "Creating a Page-Turning Read" from 10:30-11:30 am on Saturday, September 18. The workshop is free but limited to 25 spots. Contact the library on 01434 321863 for more details. 
Carrie Lofty will also be giving a workshop on September 18, from 9:30-noon for Mad City Romance Writers in the Middleton Library in Middleton, WI. The topic will be Starting the (Academic) Year off Right. Hope to see you there!
Join us Sunday when Harlequin Historicals author Lila DiPasqua will be here to chat about her debut, a short-story collection based on classic fairy tales called AWAKENED BY A KISS, set in 17th century France. She'll also be giving away a copy to one lucky commenter! Be sure to join us then. 
We'll also draw the winner of Jeannie Lin's "THE TAMING OF MEI LIN" guest appearance on Sunday. You still have time to leave a comment or question for your chance to win.
Lorelie Brown's JAZZ BABY is now available to pre-order in advance of its print release in January. Can't wait!
Congratulations to Zoe Archer, who sold another historical paranormal series to Kensington! Here's the announcement that ran in Publisher's Weekly: BLADES OF THE ROSE author Zoe Archer's THE HELLRAISERS, a three-book historical paranormal romance series, wherein a group of 18th century English rakes free the Devil from his prison and literally raise hell. 
Remember that we'll be featuring Donna Russo Morin tomorrow, as well as drawing the winner of the France Hunter guest appearance. You still have time to enter for a free copy of THE FAIREST PORTION OF THE GLOBE.
Margaret Mallory's KNIGHT OF DESIRE and KNIGHT OF PLEASURE tied for 1st place historical in The Beacon contest for published authors. Double congratulations!
Zoe Archer is running an exciting new contest to celebrate the upcoming release of her "Blades of the Rose" series from Kensington, which begins with WARRIOR in September. Here are the details: 
After an opening ceremony of music and dancing, the competition begins. Wrestling is a hugely popular event. (Again, look at the costumes.) Men from all parts of Mongolia travel to compete. There are no weight divisions, meaning a big man can go toe-to-toe with a smaller man, and no time limits on bouts. The loser is the man who falls first. Bouts can happen very quickly, or seem to take a very long time as the wrestlers look as if they are standing in an embrace, waiting for the perfect opening to throw their opponent. Then the winner performs the "eagle dance" as his defeated opponent takes off his jacket and walks under the winner's outstretched arm.
Mongols come from a nomadic tradition which is still very much part of Mongolian life. In order to cross huge expanses of steppe, horses are essential, and it is often said that a Mongol child first learns to ride before he or she can walk. Genghis Khan and his descendants relied on their expert horsemanship to create and maintain their vast empire. So it's no surprise that horseback riding is part of the naadam. Horses are ridden cross-country, with the length of each race determined by the horses' age class. The true competitors of the horse racing event are the horses, not the jockeys. In fact, most of the jockeys are between the ages of five (yes, five) and thirteen, ensuring their smallness so as not to tire the horses. Feasting inevitably surrounds the races as spectators eat and cheer their horses to victory.
Archery is another key Mongolian sport. Bow hunting and bow-based warfare are both vital historical aspects of life on the steppe. At the naadam, men and women compete in separate divisions. All the competitors dress in traditional dress. Unlike modern archers' use of compound bows, Mongols vying in the naadam use recurved composite bows of horn, leather and bark. Arrows are made of willow branches with vulture feather fletching. They shoot at round, leather targets. Men stand 75 meters and women 60 meters from the targets. Nearby judges evaluate each shot with a shout of "uukhai" ("bull's-eye") and a raised hand. Winning archers are those who hit the targets the most times. 
Accompanying all these competitions are, of course, celebrations, music, games, dancing and feasts--all the things Mongols love, and they take special delight in celebrating during the brief summer.
How was it that Great Britain came to dominate the global political landscape? There are many answers, yet one factor cannot be ignored: the British soldier.
Officers held the most glamorous positions within the imperial army. Commissions were purchased--often for younger sons of the aristocracy--and the price varied depending on the regiment. A cavalry posting ran up to £800 and could include overseas duty as well as short sojourns in England. If an officer was ambitious, he would request a regimental posting in some hazardous and unstable part of the Empire. This ensured he would be promoted far more quickly, and cheaply, than buying a promotion.
Two British soldiers appear in my upcoming "Blades of the Rose" series. In "The Undying Heart," part of the HALF PAST DEAD anthology (Brava; 01/2010), Major Samuel Reed is a veteran of the Crimea. Gabriel Huntley, the hero of WARRIOR (Zebra; 09/2010), is a rare officer who rises through the ranks, posted in both India and what would be known as Ethiopia. Both of these men are profoundly shaped by their experiences serving in Queen Victoria's army. I was fascinated to discover their stories, as well as the stories of the thousands and thousands of military men who helped create the massive and powerful British Empire.