Scottish Seduction Blog Tour Giveaway!!! Happy Valentines Day!

Valentine's Day wouldn't be Valentine's Day without a little romance, right!?! How about a Hot Scottish Warrior?! How about a pair?! Yes ladies, Happy Valentines Day! Today Chick with Books is hosting a GIVEAWAY courtesy of Forever Romance and Grand Central Publishing! Two lucky Chick with Books readers with win a copy of both Seduction of a Highland Warrior by Sue-Ellen Welfonder and The Chieftain by Margaret Mallory! Both wonderful writers and two great books! Here's my review of them...

The Chieftain by Margaret Mallory... Margaret Mallory never fails to make great hero's. But she also writes wonderful heroines to be with those hero's. Such is the romance between Connor, chieftain of the MacDonalds of sleat, and Ilysa, the humble girl who has grown up in the same household as Connor, who Connor seeks advise from, but whose bloodline is not grand enough to save the clan Connor must now lead after his father and brother are killed. I love their story, but I love the fact that Margaret Mallory always creates strong female characters that can handle themselves and yet are feminine enough to seduce their warrior. The story is one of battle and romance, as rival clans abound and honor and family drive Connor to protect his lands and his people. The story is wonderful, but the writing will seduce you! You feel as though you are back in time, with the people and places so familiar to Connor and Ilysa. He dialogue is believable and so is the setting. Her research is spot on, but she's got a lot of experience with this era and knows her stuff. She always peppers her stories with a bit of humor too. It's a great combination.

If you love romance, and you love Highlander romances (and those hot warriors), Margaret Mallory is your girl. The Chieftain is a great read and you will not be disappointed. You'll have to wait until Feb. 26th for it's official release, BUT courtesy of Forever Romance and Grand Central Publishing you have a chance to win a copy! Details are down below! Don't miss out! You can read more about The Chieftain by Margaret Mallory at her MargaretMallory.com!

Seduction of a Highland Warrior by Sue-Ellen Welfonder... Sue-Ellen was a new author to me, but this isn't her first Highland warrior. Seduction of a Highland Warrior opens with a wonderful setup... letting you know that the the tales of Highland warriors are ancient and full of wonder....

In the beginning of days, before Highland warriors walked heather-clad hills and gazed in awe across moors chased by cloud shadows, old gods ruled the dark and misty realm that would one day be known as Scotland.

 Don't you just love it?! Then we hear about the legend of the MacDonald's and it is fantastic! And of course all good legends eventually lead to the present day, which would be the new Clan Donald Chieftain, Alasdair. Honor is everything to Alasdair, which makes him sizzle all the more, especially to Lady Marjory Mackintosh! 

I really enjoyed the story, the writing and the romance! Sue-Ellen also creates a strong female character in Marjory and it makes the story and the romance all the more convincing. But what makes a great Highlander romance in the end is the authenticity of the surroundings and Sue-Ellen does a great job of creating a historic landscape.

If you love those Highlanders, you have to give Sue-Ellen Welfonder a try. She did a wonderful job with Seduction of a Highland Warrior and I look forward to cracking the spine on more of her books! Seduction of a Highland Warrior is available right now, but courtesty of Forever Romance and Grand Central Publishing YOU have a chance to win a copy right here at Chick with Books! Two lucky readers will win a copy of BOTH Seductions of a Highland Warrior by Sue-Ellen Welfonder and The Chieftain by Margaret Mallory! Here's the details...

Scottish Seduction Blog Tour Giveaway...

This giveaway is for a copy of both The Chieftain by Margaret Mallory and Seduction of a Highland Warrior by Sue-Ellen Welfonder. Two winners will be chosen from all eligible entries. Here's how to enter...

* For one entry just leave a comment here with your email address!

* For an additional entry, blog or tweet about this giveaway and leave me the link in a comment here!

This giveaway is U.S. residents only (NO P.O.Boxes please). These books books will be shipped directly to the winner from the publishers. Contest ends 11:59 on March 2nd, 2013.

CONGRATS to Bethie (lizzi0915@aol.com) and Steve (STPAND)! They each won a copy of these great books! Thanks for EVERYone who entered the giveaway! 

Scottish Seduction Blog Tour... Author Interviews!

Chick with Books would like to welcomeThe Scottish Seduction Blog Tour! As we all know, Scottish warriors are HOT and  2 great authors are celebrating the release of their new Scottish romances! Margaret Mallory, who I just love and has been a favorite romance writer of mine since her first book, Knight of Desire, and Sue-Ellen Welfonder, who has quite a few Scottish warriors under her belt and who I just discovered as a result of hosting this tour and thoroughly enjoyed reading! These wonderful writers have graciously agreed to visit us today and answer a few questions about their books and their warriors! AND as a special treat, we are having a GIVEAWAY tomorrow for Valentines Day!!!! 

Welcome to Chick with Books Margaret!

CWB: I love all your Scottish warriors! What makes Connor special? 

MM: Thanks! I love them all too.   

MM: Connor is the hope of his clan in terrible times, a self-sacrificing hero who puts duty first. After his father and older brother are killed and his clan, Connor becomes chieftain, a responsibility he never expected and one which weighs heavily upon his shoulders. He is destined to a great chieftain, the kind that the bards tell stories about for generations. What makes him more special is that, while he is determined to succeed and protect his people, he is also humble. He never abuses his power, and he cares for the well-being of even the lowliest members of his clan. Of course, he’s quite handsome as well. No wonder Ilysa adores him.

CWB: You do an amazing amount of research to make your books historically correct. Do you do research for every book, or do you come up with your story plots based on your previous research?

MM: I’m always researching! Before I started this series, I researched Scottish history to find an exciting time period with a lot of ready-made conflict for my stories.  Once I found my time period, I researched Highland clans. They all have interesting histories, but the MacDonalds of Sleat were especially intriguing because members of the chieftain’s family were busy murdering each other around the time of my books. Such a find for a writer! ;) 

Even though I did a lot of research before I started the first book in the series, I’m constantly looking things up while I’m writing. One thing often leads to another, and I’ll come across a legend about a historical character or a ghost story associated with a castle in my book. That’s always fun. 


CWB: What makes Scottish warriors so seductive & fun to write about?

MM: The Highland warrior has a larger-than-life quality that makes him great hero material. To survive in his harsh and violent times, a Highlander had to be exceedingly strong, brave, and resourceful. As a modern woman in today’s world, I may not need—or want—a man who is as forceful and physical as the heroes in my books. But take me to 16^th century Scotland in my imagination, and I want that alpha warrior! 

Thank you Margaret for taking the time to share a bit of yourself and your Scottish warrior! Thank you for participating in the Scottish Seduction Blog Tour and letting Chick with Books host a great giveaway that includes a copy of The Chieftan!

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C

Welcome to Chick with Books Sue-Ellen!! 

It’s a pleasure to be here to celebrate Seduction of a Highland Warrior’s Jan. 29th release.  I enjoy meeting readers who are as passionate about Scotland as I am, and I can tell by the questions that this applies here.  So let’s talk about the Highlanders we all love so much!

CWB:  What do you find seductive about Scottish warriors?

SEW:  Aside from their buttery-rich burrs that, in my humble opinion, can be called a verbal orgasm, and also looking away from the kilts that are oh-so-sexy because of what is (or isn’t) beneath them, I believe Highlanders appeal because they are the ultimate Alpha heroes.  Especially medieval Highlanders.  These were big, strong men who were rugged, bold, and absolutely fearless.  They’d face down the devil himself to protect kith and kin, they’d die for honor, and let no man try and take their land.  Hills and glens they loved which such passion even their descendants today feel the soul-deep pull to return.  That yearning burns bright, never diminishing even across centuries and oceans.  Men able to instill and sustain such passion can only have been larger-than-life, legends even more heroic than we can ever pen them.  Let such a man love a woman and the earth shakes.  The very heather catches flame and the Highland mist trembles in awe of his devotion.  As a lover, he’s earthly and everything a woman could desire, sating her so thoroughly she wouldn’t dare dream to even glance at another.  I could go on, but I think you can imagine these were definitely hero-worthy men.

CWB:  What makes Alasdair special?

SEW:  Alasdair is special because he’s waited for Marjory through an entire series.  As a proud clan chieftain, and a MacDonald, he possesses all the qualities noted above.  (The MacDonalds are my personal favorite among all Highland clans and also one to which I have deep ancestral ties.  This connection made Alasdair dear to me on a personal level.)  His love for the land, and the people who look to him for leadership, is boundless.  For nothing in the world would he risk losing his beloved glen or destroying his clan.  Yet to claim Marjory, he must do so.  He’s struggled against his feelings for her, yet when pressed to a wall, he chooses to fight rather than lose the woman he loves.

CWB:  How did Scotland seduce you to become the writer you are today?

SEW:  I loved Scotland before I ever even thought about writing.  My family is Scottish and so I was raised to love and appreciate Scotland and everything my Highland/Hebridean heritage brings with it.  Loving Scotland has always been a strong part of my life and world, and always will be, whether I am writing or not.  I’ve also been visiting Scotland all my life.

Regarding writing, my deep love for Scotland influences the genre I choose to write in.  I believe a story only comes to life when the writer is passionate about her material.  If she isn’t, the words are only ink on the page.  As an example, in recent times there has been worldwide furor over a book I surely don’t need to name.  I might have the writing skills to attempt something in this genre, to jump on the so-called bandwagon.  But if I did so, while the work might be competent, it would lack sparkle.  My heart would not be in the writing because the content doesn’t interest me.  That would show, making the work lackluster.

Yet when I write about Scotland, the place that (literally) runs in my blood and fires the yearning of my heart and soul, making my pulse race and everything in me quicken with excitement, well…  Then you see that passion flow from my heart straight onto the keyboard and into the words.  That is how Scotland influences me.  I’m writing what I love so much and that’s such a blessing.

Thank you so much for having me here today.  It’s always a joy to chat about Highlanders and Scotland.

Highland Blessings!
Sue-Ellen Welfonder

Thank you Sue-Ellen! It was a pleasure having you here at Chick with Books! I appreciate you spending time with us here today AND thank you for also participating in the Scottish Seduction Blog Tour and letting Chick with Books host a great giveaway that includes a copy of Seduction of a Highland Warrior!