Meet @KimKasch and The Viking Princess #PNRThursday

Today is the final Paranormal Thursday post, so please welcome Kimbra Kasch, author of The Viking Princess. This truly sounds like a unique and fascinating paranormal romance.

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Hi everyone!

I’m a romance writer who grew up in a family with 9 kids and only 1 t.v. so I spent my days reading and, later, writing. I love books. . .maybe because I never got to pick t.v. shows we watched. But I’d run home after school to catch the last fifteen minutes of Dark Shadows

I’ve just had my first novel published and am looking to share it with the world. It’s a story I was inspired to write after visiting Hamlet’s Castle and seeing an enormous Viking statue down in the tunnels next to the dungeons.

During the dark ages, the Vikings were more than merely heathen marauders. In truth, they were brave explorers. Men and women who took the original Captain’s Oath, vowing to explore strange new worlds, to seek out new life and new civilizations, to boldly go where no man (or woman) had gone before.

They were not the pillagers that the British portrayed them to be but people searching for new lands and new civilizations and along the way, they faced gripping family sagas that questioned more than their strength, agility and patience. These journeys brought into question alliances and loyal friendships, while testing their faith. And, there was nothing more important than family relationships. If a Viking couldn’t count on his family to help him survive, he perished.

But it wasn’t only the men, these warriors were women as well as men, who stood side by side on the battlefield. Perhaps that is the reason and the truth behind the tales of the Valkyrie and Valhalla, which still haunt the stories of the Vikings.

The VIKING PRINCESS is one such tale of the extraordinary lives and epic adventures of two people: Holger Danske and Morgaine LeFey.

And Holger Danske was not the first Danish Prince to appear on the printed page or to share a well-known castle as his home. Hamlet’s story is set in the same structure that stands on the sound between Denmark and Sweden. Holger’s home is in Kronborg Castle, known to most English speaking people as Hamlet’s Castle.

It was there, inside this Castle that I first was introduced to Holger Danske and the legends surrounding his iconic life. He was a warrior, a Prince destined to become King of all the Norse lands during the time of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round table.

I found it odd that everyone had heard of King Arthur and his magical sword, Excalibur, which he received from the Lade of the Lake (a Norse Goddess) who had also given such a sword to Holger Danske. Holger’s sword was named “Cortana”, and was made from the same metal and magic as Excalibur. Yet no one I talked to outside of Denmark had ever heard of Holger or his sword.

And, even more interesting was the fact that Holger and the Vikings invaded England, yet somehow, even as enemies, Holger and King Arthur’s half-sister, Morgaine LeFey, were able to share a forbidden love.

Viking Princess coverTheirs was a romance that threatened two kingdoms.

THE VIKING PRINCESS has never been told outside of Denmark…until now. Morgaine and Holger faced an attraction more powerful than any sword, stronger than any warrior and more magical than all the powers of Merlin.

Short Excerpt:

He laughed at her, making her senses bristle.

She was not amused. “Am I humorous?”

“I have heard you are many things,” he replied, “but humor has never been cited as one of your virtues.”

“First you laugh at me, and then you belittle me. Is this the way you treat all women?”

He pulled back on the reins. His horse slid to an immediate standstill. Then, burying his face into her hair, he whispered in her ear, “I have shown enormous restraint. Would you like me to show you how I treat all women?”

The burning ember inside her flared to a flame. The muscles low in her belly tightened, as she clenched her legs tighter, wrapping them around his steed. Sucking air into her lungs, she felt the immediate pulse of desire race through the core of her body. She wanted to reach back over her head and wrap her arms around his neck, to pull him even closer.

It was all she could do to hold her tongue and keep from begging him, when all she wanted to say was, “Yes, yes, please show me.”

Her body motionless, she could feel the warmth of him as his hands grew bold, slipping beneath the soft linens covering her, his fingers gently gliding up over her stomach, traveling beneath her breasts and edging up…

A voice whispered inside her head. What are you doing? This man is your enemy. He intends to kill you, your brother, everyone you love…

She grabbed his wrists, holding him still and steady. “You have caught me, kidnapped me, and dragged me here. I may be your prisoner, but do not think that I am interested in your advances.”

His body tensed and he pulled back his hands, gripping her firmly about the waist. “I, Holger, the prince over all the Norse lands, have never had a woman decline the privilege of being my lover.”

“Prince or pauper, it matters not to me what rank you hold, for I, too, am highborn and accustomed to many privileges,” she snapped back, unwilling to let him bask in his own conceit. “And being your lover is not a privilege I would prize.”

If you want to purchase THE VIKING PRINCESS click on AMAZON or BARNES AND NOBLE,

Visit me at www.kimbrakasch.com

And www.kimkasch.blogspot.com

Other authors participating in the tour:

Carmen Stefanescu: http://shadowspastmystery.blogspot.ro/
Daisy Banks: https://daisybanks.wordpress.com/
Flossie Benton Rogers: http://flossiebentonrogers.com/blog/
M. S. Kaye: http://booksbymsk.com/
Kim Kasch: http://www.kimkasch.blogspot.com
Cassandra Ulrich: http://cassandraulrich.blogspot.com/
Julie Dárcy: http://juliedarcystoryweaver.blogspot.com.au/
Margo Bond Collins: http://www.MargoBondCollins.com
Adrienne Woods: https://woodsadrienne.wordpress.com/
N. N. Light: http://princessofthelight.wordpress.com
Penny Estelle: http://www.pennyestelle.blogspot.com

Welcome Victoria Adams, Exquisite Christmas Author #EQuills

Please welcome my guest blogger, Victoria Adams, one of the authors in the Exquisite Christmas anthology who is sharing some creative gingerbread photos with us.

Exquisite Christmas AdHi, I’m Victoria Adams and I’m so happy to be here today.

I, along with 20 other authors, have recently released a collection of Christmas stories. Some of the stories include a recipe – which brings me to gingerbread.

I, will happily, admit, I love gingerbread. I love the snap of the cookie when I bite the head off (yes, I’m worried I might be a bit twisted). I love the way the flavor bursts into my mouth.

Confession time – I once ate an entire box of ginger snaps when I was working on an essay in university. One hand wrote and the other hand grabbed cookies. While fun at the time, the tummy ache I had later – ouch!

I have a kitchen wall full of cookie cutters – large copper ones – a palm tree, a unicorn, a ballerina and yes, even a gingerbread boy.

But my most cherished gingerbread item is the recipe from an old cookbook in my mother’s collection. The recipe is for 12 dozen cookies. (144 cookies, if you don’t feel like doing the math – lol.)

My worse fault with the cookies – besides binge eating them – is my decorating. I’m terrible at it. Luckily, my daughter is great and it’s a wonderful time when we destroy the kitchen creating cookies.Gingerbread tree

Here are three samples of decorating gingerbread cookies. No they aren’t pictures of my cookies. The thought of pausing long enough to put some on a plate and take a photo is incomprehensible.

Gingerbread men

gingerbread reindeerHow does all this relate to my short story in Exquisite Christmas? Reese, my heroine, is a baker who is about to have her quiet life interrupted and her shattered love affair mended by a gingerbread cookie. And yes, I included the gingerbread recipe in the book.

Exquisite Christmas coverExcerpt –

Reese loosened her grip on the teacup handle and pasted a smile on her lips. The well-dressed, blonde reporter seated across from her droned on about how she’d always wanted to be a chef. The Foodie life looked so glamourous. And sexy.

Glamourous? Sexy? Reese held back a snort. Burn marks on your inner forearms. Cuts on fingers. Splotches of icing decorating your face and white hair, not because of age, but because of flour. And the proverbial icing on the cake was stress.

She cast a glance at a half-iced wedding cake that was due to be delivered in twenty-four hours. Reese cringed, remembering the unfinished order for sixteen dozen Christmas cookies. Not a good time to be interviewed. Maybe if she locked the reporter in the freezer… Mentally slapping herself, Reese took a sip of her chocolate tea.

A curious emotion crossed the reporter’s face.

Reese stifled a teenage eye roll. Here it comes. The dreaded question. So, what made you want to become a pastry chef?

The reporter shifted on the wooden stool. “So, what was it like dating Brandon Roberts?”

Reese coughed. “Sorry. Tea went down the wrong…” She cleared her throat. “I thought this interview was about The Christmas Dinner. Not my former…love life.”

The Christmas Dinner was an annual fundraiser. Cat lover, Reese was thrilled because this year the funds would benefit the local Animal Shelter. Chefs’ names were placed into a hat and two were paired up. Together they would create a traditional turkey dinner. One chef prepared the bird and the vegetables. The other created the breads and pies. Reese had already planned out the pies. She was thinking of trying a different mixture of spices for the pumpkin pies. Should I add walnuts to the apple pies? She tapped her fingertips on the counter top.

The reporter giggled. “A bit of juicy back history will add some spice to the story.” She leaned forward. “Did you really live with the Brandon Roberts? The sexiest celebrity chef on the planet.”

“Brandon and I dated.” Reese placed the teacup on the metal counter then folded her hands on her lap. “But it was a long time ago. Now, can we get back to the charity dinner?”

The reporter blinked. “You mean, you don’t know?”

Reese checked the wedding cake and dismissed the vision of smashing it over the reporter’s head. She really didn’t have time to bake and ice another one. She brushed a stray hair off her forehead. “Don’t know what?”

Blurb –

When romance writers give love stories to the world, we do more than entertain – we share our hope for something better. These imaginative moments of happy-ever-after warm the soul and ripple outward. The world needs more love, and every bit helps.

We hope you enjoy this collection of heartwarming seasonal tales and delicious recipes by twenty-one Bestselling, Award-winning, and Multi-Published Authors from the international Exquisite Quills community: Victoria Adams, Rose Anderson, E. Ayers, Beverley Bateman, Lily Bishop, Barb Caffrey, Helena Fairfax, J.D. Faver, Jennifer Garcia, Romy Gemmell, Vonnie Hughs, Susan Jaymes, Gemma Juliana, Jean Lamb, Lyndi Lamont, Zanna Mackenzie, Janis Susan May, Dee Ann Palmer, Jane Leopold Quinn, Kaye Spencer, and M. S. Spencer.

Happy Holidays!

E-book now available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, and coming soon to iBooks and other retailers. Print anthology available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

Author Bio –

Victoria Adams, author of NA contemporary and contemporary romances was born and raised in Ontario, Canada. Victoria lives in the country where she takes long walks on her quiet country road and in the summer tends her flower gardens and vegetable patch and in the winter dreams about them, while they are buried under two feet of snow. Her large farm house now holds only her cat, herself, her husband and a ghost.

Victoria Adams is the alternate pen name to another author – secret identity. She is indie published.

Published works:

Dancing In Circles (Circles Trilogy book 1)
Circles Divided (Circles Trilogy book 2)
Circles Interlocked (Circles Trilogy book 3)
A Guy and A Girl
Red Tulip
Exquisite Christmas (anthology of Christmas Stories)

Where to find me:
Blog – Victoria’s Pages of Romance – http://victoriaadams.blogspot.com
FaceBook – http://www.facebook.com/victoriaadams.romancewriter
Facebook Author Page – http://www.facebook.com/pages/Victoria-Adams/244325918978641
FaceBook page – Books by Victoria Adams – http://www.facebook.com/CirclesTrilogy?ref=hl
Twitter – http://twitter.com/_VictoriaAdams
Google+ – https://plus.google.com/u/0/101309354959026073738
Amazon Author Page – http://www.amazon.com/Victoria-Adams/e/B007DVKQVC/ref=sr_tc_2_0?qid=1434080349&sr=1-2-ent
Wattpad – http://www.wattpad.com/user/VictoriaAdams
Wix – http://victoriaadamsroroman.wix.com/romance-author