Nancy Lee Badger is celebrating the release of MY DARK HIGHLANDER ...
My latest book, My Dark Highlander, follows My Lady Highlander in my Kilted Athletes Through Time series. The story starts out in 1603 near the cliffs overlooking the North Sea in northern Scotland, as well as modern-day New England. I enjoy working with people from different times, and have pitted veterinarian Jenny Morgan against Laird Gavin Sinclair.
I refer to him as the acting laird of Clan Sinclair because his evil father was forced out, and Gavin’s older brother, Niall, was lost (though not dead) when he fell from a cliff during a battle. Several sword fights happen on the athletic field, instead of the battlefield, but I include scenes where my heroine is kidnapped, my hero must battle his own father, and where another character gets a bit too infatuated with my heroine, and nearly drowns several characters. My biggest challenge was pitting modern weapons against my sword-carrying warriors.
Here is an example:
Jenny swerved from side to side as she ran. The gun’s blast, followed by the whistle of a bullet passing by her left ear, fueled her feet to run even faster. Once inside, she pulled the doors shut, shoving the long handle of a pitchfork through the doors’ handles. Balfour’s whinnies, loud and filled with terror, made her release him from his stall. She opened Falcon’s stall door and pulled the older horse inside, behind her.
“Easy, Falcon. Gavin will save us.” She patted his rump, and pulled the animals as far back from the barn doors as possible. Several bullets pierced the door, and one slammed into Balfour’s feed bucket with a loud clang. Where was Gavin? What he had said earlier was sobering. Someone wanted her harmed because of him. Why? It wasn’t like they were together. They’d spent one night alone, but it was innocent. Gavin took many women to bed, if she believed the stories. His reputation was the reason she knew she’d never be more than a one night stand. Yet he had not taken advantage of her, and their situation.
“Lass? ‘Tis I. Open the doors.” Falcon whinnied and trotted from the safety of the stall. If he believed the voice was Gavin’s, then she would, too.
Shoving the black warhorse aside, she released the long-handled tool, and pulled the doors open. Gavin stood in the shadows, his face partially lit by the far-away porch light that had managed to survive a gun blast. He was unhurt and naked, except for a huge sword.
“Are we alone?” Jenny asked, then swallowed.
He raised his sword, and smiled. “Aye, he has run off. Pray he does no’ return with reinforcements.” When footsteps crunched the gravel behind Gavin, he whirled around and raised his weapon.
My Dark Highlander is a romance, but I give my characters enough cliffhangers and bumps along the road to happy ever after to make the most romantic readers cringe, then clap. My use of animals, including Highland cows, and horses from New England and Scotland as characters as well, brings a bit of levity to the darkness that consumes my hero.
A little levity goes along way, which brings to mind the recent vote that did not pass concerning Scottish independence. Even so, there is nothing sexier than a warrior in a kilt.
Stranded in 1603 Scotland, veterinarian Jenny Morgan is eager to get home to New England. Hiding her ability to read auras, a powerful witch comes to her aid. All Jenny will miss is the man who stole her heart, one dark night.
Laird Gavin Sinclair has a missing brother, a murderous father, and a dark-eyed beauty on his mind. When Jenny returns to a dangerous future, he sets aside his obligations and searches for her at the New England Highland Games. Jealousy and lust ravage his dark soul, until he and Jenny fight evil together.
Amazon ebook
Nook
Smashwords
All Romance
Amazon Print
More About Nancy Lee Badger
She loves chocolate-chip shortbread, wool plaids wrapped around the trim waist of a Scottish Highlander, the clang of broadswords, and the sound of bagpipes in the air. After growing up in Huntington, New York, and raising two handsome sons in New Hampshire, she moved to North Carolina where she writes full-time. Nancy is a member of Romance Writers of America, Heart of Carolina Romance Writers, Fantasy-Futuristic & Paranormal Romance Writers, Triangle Area Freelancers, and the Celtic Heart Romance Writers.
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1. Leave a comment answering this question: What Scottish weapon scares you?
2. Comments are through Saturday, November 8, 10 pm in Baltmore.
2. Comments are through Saturday, November 8, 10 pm in Baltmore.
3. I’ll post the winner on Sunday, November 9.
Mahalo,
Kim in Baltimore
Aloha Spirit in Charm City
I think they all would scare me, but the claymore is probably the most impressive.
ReplyDeleteNo photo captions, so I want y'all to know that is Thor Bjornsson (The Mountain on Game of Thrones) with my Army-kilted son Sgt. Eric badger at the recent NH Highland Games.
DeleteNancy Lee Badger
I had the same thought as Mary, all of them look like pretty formidable weapons, and I doubt I'd be able to lift any of them, lol. Thanks to the author and her family for their service and sacrifice! Thanks for the spotlight, Kim, looks like a fun story!
ReplyDeleteThe Claymore!!!
ReplyDeleteI have to agree on the claymore. It is pretty scary.
ReplyDeleteThanks for having me here today. I cannot wait to send one of your readers the very first autographed copy of My Dark Highlander!
ReplyDeleteI'd be scared of any weapon pointed at me but of course the claymore is probably the most well known Scottish weapon
ReplyDeleteThe charisma of the sexy, kilted, Highlanders frightens me the most. LOL
ReplyDeleteI agree that the claymore is a pretty nasty looking weapon and scares me to death. Swords scare me too. I've just finished reading a book where the hero highlander just cut his enemy in half with his sword.
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like a really good story which I would love to read. Thank you for the chance to win.
I'm going to have to agree with everyone - the claymore scares me.
ReplyDeleteum... *all* of them!!! Thanks for sharing :)
ReplyDeleteI'm laughing - before I even read any of the comments the thought "claymore" popped into my head as the most nasty sounding weapon. I guess we all agree!
ReplyDeleteBut of course any weapon, if pointed my way, will scare me!
A Scottish Claymore weighed about 5 pounds and was about 50 inches long. It was considered a 2-handed sword. Very unwieldy.
DeleteNancy Lee Badger
I have to go with any weapon too. My husband was also an air force brat who got to travel the world but not Scotland.
ReplyDeleteMy hubby was in high school while his dad was stationed in Germany, and they visited Scotland. He is proud of his Scottish heritage (Gunn clan and MacBean clan) so hopefully we will get there.
DeleteAny type of sword or axe.
ReplyDeleteHi. This sounds good. I the weapon I would not like to be up against is the chain and ball with spikes. Even a club with spikes. They could do some damage.
ReplyDeleteA claymore!
ReplyDeleteDefinitely the claymore. Thank your family for their service.
ReplyDelete(I'm a Marine vet, hubby is an army vet and my mother was in the Navy).
Thanks for the chance to win.
Patricia
I would fear the claymore. I can't imagine that thing coming at you!
ReplyDeleteI have to go with the claymore, although the ball and chain wouldn't be good either.
ReplyDeleteI think that the dirk scares me. If I had one, I would probably stab myself with it.
ReplyDeleteCharlene
gmgypsiesf1@aol.com
The Bow and Arrow, It is something that is to this day still used and still scary. It can kill from any distance.
ReplyDeleteThe humungous swords of the Highlanders called Claymores are pretty scary. I've read that they are so huge it takes a giant of a man to wield one. So my second scariest weapon is the Highlander himself (if he's big enough to wield a Claymore, than he's pretty scary indeed!). Thanks for the interesting question. :-) jdh2690@gmail.com
ReplyDeleteAn axe. They look scary! Thank You!
ReplyDeletewhistleinthewind74@hotmail.com
Have to go with the claymore, too, though love Janice's comment about the Highlander himself :-) Great blog and excerpt, for sure. Also, wonderful pic of your kilted son. Let's hear it for the military! Much success...
ReplyDeleteany of them
ReplyDeleteMay I say that I a kilted warrior, 6ft. 3" would scare me the most. He wouldn't have to be carrying anything!
ReplyDeleteAll of them! Sharp Swords & Axes - do the Scots use those huge hammers & balls on chains with points?
ReplyDeleteMy answer would be all of them! The claymore would probably be the most terrifying.
ReplyDeleteI think an ax because you just don't see maniacs wielding axes these days and if you did they would no doubt be called an ax wielding maniac.
ReplyDelete