Wednesday, January 18, 2017

Guest post: Did you know? Before the Scots, there were the Picts! by Christina Phillips | New Release: Her Vengeful Scot

I love whenever Christina visits the bloggity because she brings with her interesting historical stories and sexy men and this time, it's sexy Highlanders. And who doesn't love a sexy Scot in a kilt, eh? I know my bud, Bambi, loves them. She keeps talking about going to Scotland to find herself a sexy, kilt-wearing Scot. :-)

Please give Christina a very warm welcome.

Did you know? Before the Scots, there were the Picts!

Thanks so much Deanna for having me on your bloggity to chat about my most recent historical romance releases, Her Savage Scot and Her Vengeful Scot, the first two books in The Highland Warrior Chronicles.

I’ve always loved history and, along with English Language, it was my favourite subject at school. Add my fascination with the goddess culture and the mysticism of ancient Scotland and I guess it was inevitable that some day I’d blend all these elements together in a romance!

Funnily enough, though, it was my agent who first suggested I should think about writing a Highlander romance. I spent that weekend researching Scottish history (how I love research! I could do it 24/7 but then I’d get no writing done!) and the further back in time I went, the more intrigued I became.

I already knew Scotland was originally called Pictland (the fierce Picts of Caledonia are mentioned in Tainted, the fourth book of The Druid Chronicles set in the first century AD), but I hadn’t really researched them in any depth. These proud peoples ruled Pictland for over a thousand years and then, suddenly, by the turn of the tenth century, they disappeared from the annals of history.

What happened that an entire race of people could vanish so utterly?

There are several theories and, like much of ancient history, there are also myths and legends woven through, so the whole truth is likely lost forever in the mists of time.

I was hooked. Smiley emoji

In The Highland Warrior Chronicles I have my brave Pictish princesses whose rich culture of gods and goddesses has been the centre of their civilization for generations. And into this ancient land come the Scots from Dal Riada, which was also a part of Pictland at this time, with a proposition to unite in order to defeat the threat of the invading Vikings.

But Kenneth MacAlpin, king of the Scots, has far more in mind than driving the Vikings from Pictland. He wants all of the land for his own, and will go to any lengths in order to secure it.

My tough Highland Warriors, pledged to serve their king and country, find their loyalties divided and convictions tested when, against all the odds, they fall for their foreign princesses. And against the background of political intrigue and devastating betrayal, new alliances form, trust blooms and, in the end, love conquers all. Smiley emoji

Isn't history fascinating?

And now, here's Her Vengeful Scot.


Her Vengeful Scot by Christina Phillips


Her Vengeful Scot
The Highland Warrior Chronicles #2
By: Christina Phillips
Releasing January 10, 2017
Self published

Buy Links:  Amazon | Barnes and Noble | iTunes | Kobo

Her Vengeful Scot by Christina Phillips blurb



 Goodreads | Goodreads series

Excerpt

Scene set up: Although Cameron and Elise have known each other for several months, this is the first time they encounter each other when they’re alone, by the ancient standing stones.

    Cameron MacNeil continued to glare at her, his eyes smoldering with black passion. She tried to ignore the prickles of awareness that burned her flesh beneath his gaze. But her chest constricted and it was hard to breathe, never mind engage in conversation with him.
    That he desired her was obvious. That he hated the fact he wanted her was also painfully obvious. She could only hope he had no idea of the effect he had on her.
    “Why are you out here alone, my lady?” he said, still speaking in his bone-meltingly accented Pictish although it was apparent to them both, she was more fluent in his language than he was in hers.
    But how did he manage to inject so much venom into such a mundane question? If he loathed conversing with her people to this degree then why did he continue to torment her with his unwelcome presence?
    As if to belie her thoughts, her treacherous gaze drank in the way his unbound hair whipped across his face in the Highland breeze. The way his white linen shirt stretched across his broad shoulders. How it molded against his powerful chest beneath the length of plaid slung over his shoulder.
    His presence tormented her. But despite that, it was not unwelcome.
    Fire flooded her veins, warming her cheeks. Goddess, she was blushing like a maid. No man made her blush. She was immune to their charms, no matter how much she enjoyed their company. And even if Cameron MacNeil awoke long dormant desires within her, it was nothing but a cruel contradiction—for she certainly did not enjoy his company.
    Her heart hammered an erratic rhythm as she watched him step closer to her. The sky receded. The earth fell away. He filled the world and stole the air, raised the heat and made it hard to think, to reason.
    He was so close she could feel his uneven breath across her face. Could see the deep brown of his eyes, the intriguing thickness of his lashes. For a fleeting instant, his features softened and she saw beneath the simmering hatred he appeared to hold against her people. And in that moment, the gaping chasm of want and loneliness that corroded his soul slammed through her breast.
    She gasped. A shiver trickled along her spine at the eerie certainty that she had just glimpsed the true man beneath the warrior. For one brief moment, his façade had cracked. And even though now, once again, his countenance was as forbidding as it had always been, she knew the truth.
    His air of fury and his curt words were not intended as a personal affront against her or her people.
    It was an act of self-preservation.

Read Chapter One here.



Author Info

Christina Phillips

Author Links:  Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Newsletter

Highland Warriors Chronicles by Christina Phillips banner


Find Deanna around SOCIAL MEDIA:
blogger  blogger  rss  facebook  twitter  instagram  email  youtube  pinterest  google+  goodreads

8 comments:

  1. Hi Christina

    I have these two books on my must get list because who doesn't love a Scott in a kilt and the steamy relationships and journey to a HEA that is sure to be there woohoo :)But I really need more hours in the day to read all of the books I want to read

    Have Fun
    Helen

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. We all need more hours in the day to read but today Steve and I had a movie date and I really cannot complain about that.

      Delete
  2. Hi Helen, I know exactly what you mean about needing more hours in the day! I hope you enjoy my Highlanders if you get the chance to read them :-)

    ReplyDelete
  3. Thanks so much for having me on your bloggity, Deanna!

    ReplyDelete
  4. great backstory Christina,

    And those kilt covers Mmmmm

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I always love the little bit of history Christina gives us as background to her stories. :-) And a hunky guy in a kilt never hurts.

      Delete