{"id":12213,"date":"2016-04-27T00:01:50","date_gmt":"2016-04-27T05:01:50","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.melanierobertson-king.com\/wp02\/?p=12213"},"modified":"2016-04-22T05:37:31","modified_gmt":"2016-04-22T10:37:31","slug":"the-dream-catcher-by-marie-laval-dancing-for-the-devil-trilogy-book-1-excerpt-guestpost","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/melanierobertson-king.com\/wp02\/?p=12213","title":{"rendered":"THE DREAM CATCHER by Marie Laval ~ DANCING FOR THE DEVIL TRILOGY \u2013 Book 1 #Excerpt #Guestpost"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Dream<\/p>\n

The Dream Catcher<\/span><\/h1>\n

by<\/span><\/h1>\n

Marie Laval<\/span><\/h1>\n

DANCING FOR THE DEVIL TRILOGY \u2013 Book 1<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Dream<\/p>\n

Genre: <\/strong>Historical Romance (mid nineteenth century)<\/strong><\/p>\n

Release Date: <\/strong>28th Dec 2015<\/strong><\/p>\n

Publisher:\u00a0 \u00c1ccent Press<\/strong><\/p>\n

Can her love heal his haunted heart? – Cape Wrath, Scotland, November 1847.<\/p>\n

Bruce McGunn is a man as brutal and unforgiving as his land. Discharged from the army, he is haunted by the spectres of his fallen comrades and convinced he is going mad. And he is running out of time to save his estate from the machinations of Cameron McRae, heir to the McGunn’s ancestral enemies. When the clipper carrying McRae\u2019s new bride is caught in a violent storm and docks at Wrath harbour, Bruce decides to revert to the old ways and hold the clipper and the woman to ransom. However, far from the spoilt heiress he expected, Rose is genuine, funny and vulnerable \u2013 a ray of sunshine in the long, harsh winter that has become his life.<\/p>\n

Rose is determined to escape Wrath and its proud master \u2013 the man she calls McGlum.<\/p>\n

Will she be reunited with Cameron McRae, the dazzlingly handsome aristocrat she married after a whirlwind romance in Algiers, or will she risk her heart and her honour to help Bruce discover the truth about his past and solve the brutal murders committed on his land?<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

THE DREAM CATCHER (BOOK 1) Excerpt<\/strong><\/p>\n

A giant stepped in front of her. Dressed in black riding boots, black breeches and riding coat, he was so tall and his shoulders so broad the already dark horizon darkened further.<\/p>\n

\u2018Silence.\u2019<\/p>\n

His voice was deep and calm, the voice of a man used to be obeyed. The crowd hushed at once.<\/p>\n

He bent down in front of her.<\/p>\n

\u2018Well, well, who do we have here?\u2019<\/p>\n

Even though she could hardly see his face, she felt his eyes bore into hers, and it was enough to make her mind go blank.<\/p>\n

\u2018Rose\u2026Rose Saintclair.\u2019<\/p>\n

\u2018Where are the others, your servants, your maids?\u2019<\/p>\n

\u2018I\u2026 I don\u2019t have any.\u2019<\/p>\n

\u2018Really? That\u2019s a surprise. All right then, come up.\u2019 He held both his hands out.<\/p>\n

She hesitated a moment before placing her hands in his. He pulled her up and she flew straight into his arms, landing with a bump against his broad, hard chest. He was so tall she had to tilt her face all the way back to look at him. Her heart skipped a beat, then started bumping fast and loud.<\/p>\n

His eyes were grey and framed by dark eyelashes, his nose straight and strong, his cheekbones high and sharp. Thick black stubble covered his cheeks and chin, and his hair flew around his face, the colour of a raven\u2019s wing. There was something dangerous about him, something reminiscent of a brutal warrior from days long gone by.<\/p>\n

She wriggled to free herself but he didn’t let go and his mouth curved into a mocking smile.<\/p>\n

\u2018Well, F\u00e0ilte<\/em>, my sweetheart. \u2018I\u2019ll say this for McRae. If there\u2019s one thing the rascal can do, it\u2019s pick his fancy women.\u2019<\/p>\n

His hand slid from her waist and he patted her bottom.<\/p>\n

Her reaction was instinctive. She swung her arm and lifted her hand to slap him. She didn\u2019t have the chance. Without batting an eyelid he caught her wrist.<\/p>\n

\u2018Steady on, sweetheart. You have a nasty little temper.\u2019<\/p>\n

\u2018And you have no right to insult me in this way, you vile brute,\u2019 she hissed. \u2018I am not Lord McRae\u2019s fancy woman<\/em>, as you so elegantly put it, I\u2019m his wife!\u2019<\/p>\n

She had expected at least a shocked response or a groveling apology but he merely smiled.<\/p>\n

\u2018It\u2019s all right, gr\u00e0idheag<\/em>, you don\u2019t have to pretend.\u2019<\/p>\n

\u2018Pretend what?\u2019<\/p>\n

\u2018Pretend you\u2019re married to the man. I don\u2019t care if you\u2019re McRae\u2019s mistress or his laundry maid, if you scrub his back or his dirty shirts.\u2019<\/p>\n

\u2018I am telling the truth, you stubborn macaque,\u2019 she shouted in frustration. \u2018I married Lord McRae in Algiers four weeks ago.\u2019<\/p>\n

\u2018Please don’t scream quite so loud. I heard you the first time. I just don\u2019t believe you.\u2019<\/p>\n

\u2018What?\u2019<\/p>\n

\u2018First you introduce yourself as Rose Saintclair, now you\u2019re spinning me a tale about being married McRae. Make up your mind, sweetie.\u2019<\/p>\n

He glanced at her hand. \u2018I don\u2019t see any wedding band on your finger.\u2019<\/p>\n

\u2018That\u2019s because Cameron wanted to keep the wedding a secret. Never mind, I don\u2019t have to explain anything to you. Now let go of me.\u2019<\/p>\n

She wriggled to break free, but he was still holding her wrist, leaving her no choice but to kick him hard in the shin with the tip of her boot \u2013 the very pointy tip of the fashionable new boots she had made in Algiers.<\/p>\n

\u2018Ouch. Steady on, sweetheart.\u2019<\/p>\n

\u2018Let go of me, you deranged baboon! And stop calling me sweetheart.\u2019<\/p>\n

She kicked him again, harder. He muttered something in a strange, guttural language she didn\u2019t understand and let go of her so suddenly she staggered backward and fell on her bottom on the hard, wet cobbles.<\/p>\n

Her breath caught in her throat, her heart beat hard, erratic. Tears blurred her vision as people sneered and clapped around her. She knew McRaes and McGunns were enemies, but she had nothing to do with their feud, so why did everybody here seem to hate her so much? And why was the big hairy brute intent on humiliating her and not believing a word she said?<\/p>\n

He stepped closer and offered his hand.<\/p>\n

\u2018Come on, now, sweetheart. Let\u2019s start again. I think we got off on the wrong foot.\u2019<\/p>\n

He sounded contrite but she wasn\u2019t ready to forgive to forgive him. Ignoring his hand, she scrambled to her feet, and straightened her back. Attack was the best defence, her brother often said, and Lucas knew what he was talking about. He was the best scout in the whole of the Barbary States \u2013 or Algeria as the French now called her country.<\/p>\n

\u2018Take me to your master immediately,\u2019 she started in a voice as cold and steady she could manage, \u2018so I can ask him to have you whipped for your insolence.\u2019<\/p>\n

There was a collective gasp from the people around them. Not looking in the least impressed, the man crossed his arms on his broad chest and arched his eyebrows.<\/p>\n

\u2018Really?\u2019<\/p>\n

She took another deep breath.<\/p>\n

\u2018That\u2019s what I do to disrespectful servants on my estate, and I can assure you they stop smirking after five lashes.\u2019 That was an outrageous lie, of course, but no one here was to know.<\/p>\n

‘If what you said earlier is true, then I see McRae chose his bride well.\u2019 The man\u2019s eyes were now hard as steel. \u2018You and he are indeed a match made in heaven, or in hell. I\u2019m sure you\u2019ll be very happy together.\u2019 He paused. \u2018I\u2019m sorry to disappoint you, sweetheart, but I don\u2019t approve of whipping people, or beasts, for that matter.\u2019<\/p>\n

\u2018And I don\u2019t care a fig if you approve or not. It is for your master to decide your punishment, and from what I\u2019ve heard of Lord McGunn, he is neither a patient nor compassionate man.\u2019<\/p>\n

He arched his eyebrows. \u2018I didn\u2019t know I had such a bad reputation.\u2019<\/p>\n

Rose\u2019s heart stopped. He wasn\u2019t\u2026 he couldn\u2019t be\u2026<\/p>\n

\u2018I realise I failed to introduce myself. I am Bruce McGunn.\u2019 He bowed his head in a military salute.<\/p>\n

\u2018You are?\u2019 The words came out as a squeak.<\/p>\n

His lips stretched into a tight smile that didn\u2019t warm his eyes.<\/p>\n

\u2018At your service, my lady. Now the introductions are over, shall we make our way to the Lodge?\u2019<\/p>\n

BUY LINKS<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

AMAZON UK<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

AMAZON US<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

**********<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

FINDING TIME TO WRITE<\/strong><\/p>\n

by Marie Laval<\/strong><\/p>\n

How I fit writing in around family life and work.<\/p>\n

I am by no mean the only writer who has to fit their writing around family and work, and I really don’t pretend that I know how to achieve the perfect balance – far from it! With three children (OK, two and one at university), and a full-time teaching job, it can be tricky, frustrating and stressful to find time to write. Some things have to go, like watching television or relaxing on the sofa with a cup of tea chatting about nothing in particular, or again going out with friends at the weekend. I know that most of my friends actually find my life incredibly boring, since the only travelling I do these days is on the internet or in my head!<\/p>\n

And then there’s the guilt – the horrible mother’s guilt – because I don’t spend enough time with my children. Because I don’t always listen when they’re telling me about what happened at school or what’s going on in ‘The Next Step’ or ‘Wolf Blood’ – my daughter’s favourite programmes – or \u00a0I don’t take them on enough adventures. As a teacher, however, I know that I am incredibly lucky to have the school holidays to catch up with friends and plan days out with children.<\/p>\n

So what do I do, or not, to fit my writing in my life?<\/p>\n

I write, or to work on my novel every single day, even if it’s just for half an hour at 10pm and I fall asleep at the keyboard.<\/p>\n

I hardly watch any television, and rarely for pure enjoyment (that’s how sad I am!). Having said that I recently watched the wonderful series about Prunella Scales’ and her husband Timothy West’ canal boat trips, and that was lovely!<\/p>\n

\"DreamI take a notebook with me everywhere. It’s incredible how productive a few minutes sitting in the car waiting for the children to get out of school, or their gym, dance, football, rugby etc. training, can be.<\/p>\n

I get up very, very early, at weekends and during the holidays, before the children are up and demand to be fed. It’s usually a great time to edit what I wrote the night before.<\/p>\n

I have adopted a very relaxed approach to housework, one which I know my mother would totally disapprove of. I used to be obsessive with cleaning and tidying the house. It’s taken me several years and three children to admit defeat. Ironing? If I must, I only iron the front of the clothes. I do most of my shopping online too.<\/p>\n

\"DreamI try and find some quiet time to think and dream. Since I do not have my own writing shed at the bottom of the garden – one of my dreams, but for that I will need a bigger garden! – I find that going for a walk on my own early in the morning works well. There is also listening to music when I have the house to myself, which is so rare it’s a lovely treat.<\/p>\n

Everybody’s family and work commitments are different, so what works for me may not work at all for anybody else. And to be honest, it doesn’t really work all that well anyway. There are days when I am very, very, stressed and grumpy. Ask the man in my life!<\/p>\n

ABOUT MARIE LAVAL<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Dream<\/p>\n

Originally from Lyon in France, Marie has lived in the beautiful Rossendale Valley, Lancashire, England, for the past few years and likes nothing more than dreaming up romance stories and handsome, brooding heroes. She writes historical and contemporary romance. Her contemporary romance A SPELL IN PROVENCE, as well as her historical romances, ANGEL HEART, together with the award-winning THE LION’S EMBRACE, and the DANCING FOR THE DEVIL Trilogy (which includes THE DREAM CATCHER, BLUE BONNETS and SWORD DANCE) are all published by \u00c1ccent Press.<\/p>\n

GIVEAWAY<\/span><\/h1>\n

Book 1 in the series<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

a Rafflecopter giveaway<\/a><\/p>\n