THE LION’S LAIR    –   Released September 2012

2013 Bronze Medal Winner – Global eBook Award – Historical Romance 

The year is 1173.  A remote fief in Northern England has suddenly been invaded by the Scots.  Lord Duncan’s lands are being pillaged and burned, and his only son is abducted by a ruthless band of Scottish knights.  He leaves his castle to secure his son’s release, leaving his strong-willed daughter Katriona behind.  In his absence, a force of knights under the authority of Sir Morgan, known as the king’s lion, seizes the castle, and are mistaken for the invading Scottish.

Feisty Katriona fights a battle of wills with Sir Morgan, the commander of the knights who have invaded her castle home.  Held by his vows to the king, he can tell no one except Lord Duncan of the nature of his mission.  Intrigued by the unorthodox Katriona, Sir Morgan maps out strategies to capture her heart, yet she does not conform to any of his carefully laid plans, defying him at every turn.  Believing him to be the enemy, she seems unable to truly love him.

When the murderous band of Scottish knights returns, accompanied by Katriona’s brother, they descend upon the castle with claims that her father betrothed her to one of them, the vicious Bhaltair.  Sir Morgan makes plans to defend Katriona and the castle, culminating in a dramatic battle that pits him against Bhaltair.  Although Sir Morgan’s battle with the Scots may yet be won, his battle for Katriona’s love is another story.

THE  SEAHAWK’S  SANCTUARY  –  Released February 2011

* 2013 Silver Medal Winner * – Global eBook Award – Historical Romance

2012 Best Book Nominee – The Romance Reviews

2011 Nominated for the Global eBook Award in 2 categories:  Best eBook Cover and Historical Literature – Fiction

Wishing to escape the dull responsibilities of his rice plantation home, Grant Hawthorne sails the seas procuring boycotted goods for the American colonies.  While plundering an British merchant ship, he discovers the captain’s ill-treated cabin boy, Vic, and offers the youth the opportunity to join his crew.  Grant quickly learns, however, that Vic is actually Victoria, a young woman who, for unknown reasons, is fleeing England.  They try keeping her gender a secret from the crew, until a sailor exposes her deception, causing tensions to explode to mutinous proportions.

After several weeks at sea, the ship sets anchor outside the Charles Town harbor and Grant, though intrigued by Victoria’s spirit and beauty, lets her go.  While in port, he is confronted with the fact that a tragic accident has placed all the Hawthorne properties and assets in jeopardy.  He suddenly realizes both Victoria and his home, are too precious to lose.  With a firm determination, Grant initiates a search to locate the mysterious Victoria while he prepares to fight for what is rightfully his.

Editorial Review

A historical fiction that’s easy to read and hard to put down. This novel takes place in 1772, during the brief lull in American history when, for the most part, rebellion is still whispered and loyalties, while questioned, are not, as of yet, tested.

The story opens on the high seas with American pirates swarming over the decks of a ship, while others are bashing down the door of the captain’s quarters. Once they gain entry, the pirate captain is confronted with not only the British captain lying on the floor with a knife in his back, but an abused cabin boy. After offering the boy the opportunity to join his pirate crew, he soon discovers that the cabin boy is, in reality, a young woman fleeing a royal decree.

Weeks later, when the pirate ship finally sets anchor outside the colonial Charles Town harbor, the captain, although intrigued, lets the mysterious woman go. Intertwined with deceptions on the part of the American pirate and the English woman is a love story in which these two strong-willed individuals, with similar convictions yet different perspectives, overcome their differences on a coastal South Carolina rice plantation.