Snippet of Jack and Tuesday from Lords of Retribution

Lady Tuesday Inwood, and

Jack Drayton, the Earl of Elveston

A snippet from the soon to be released, Lords of Retribution,

Book 3 of the Lords of Avalon series.

 

 



He bent and picked up her coat.  He threw it at her.  “Put the coat on and button it, please, to your neck!” God forbid he should see those lovely breasts which were outlined quite nicely by the men’s linen shirt she wore.

After Tuesday buttoned her coat, Jack tugged at the back flap to make certain her beautiful bottom was covered. It was impossible to hide those beautiful trouser clad legs. How she ever thought she could pass for a lad, he did not know.  

“We’re not going to eat?” Tuesday motioned toward the meal on the table.

“Take a few bites.  I’ll wrap the bread, cheese and fruit in a cloth.  I have a bad feeling, Tuesday.  We need to leave this place.”

Tuesday frowned then nodded. Charlie had the same types of feelings.  He was usually right. She took a couple bites of beef and took a large sip of his pint as he bundled up some of the food.  She coughed.  “Oh my.”

Jack grinned.  “Take another slower sip, brat.”

“Don’t call me brat.” Tuesday did take a longer sip, she was quite parched. 

“I’ll call you what I want, sweeting.”

“Please don’t call me brat.  Charlie called me brat.” Tuesday looked to him with pleading eyes.

Jack nodded and grinned.  “Very well, Trouble.  Are you finished with the pint?”



 

I am in the editing and polishing stage of Lords of Retribution.  I am still hoping to release Lords of Retribution on Amazon Kindle by the end of March.



An Interview with Micah Wychcombe, Lord Wincanton, from Lords of Honor

K. R. Richards is the author of the Lords of Avalon series: Lord of the Abbey, Lords of Honor, and the first Lords of Avalon series Novella, Lord Greyton's Fall From Grace which are on Amazon.com now.  Book 3 in the Lords of Avalon series, Lords of Retribution, will be released in late February 2013 and book 4, Lords of Atonement, will be out in fall/winter 2013.

Today I am welcoming Micah Wychcombe, Lord Wincanton, one of the heroes of Lords of Honor to the K. R. Richards and the World of Avalon Blog.

K. R.: Hello, Micah I am certain there are many ladies happy to see you here today. You’ve become something of a fan favorite among the Lords of Avalon fans, how do you feel about being a fan favorite?

Micah: I had no idea. I am flattered. I must admit it is a rather odd feeling and something quite unusual for me. Generally, in the past, it has always been Harry, Lyon, Jack, Newt, Lachlan and Luc who were favorites among the ladies in Town and wherever we might be.

K. R.: So you would consider those gentlemen the ladies’ men among the Avalon Society?

Micah: Well, no, not any longer. Harry and Lyon are happily married now, as am I. I do believe Jack can be considered out of the marriage mart. I daresay Luc, Newt and Lachlan are still considered to be ladies’ men in Town and appearances indicate they are indeed still available. Trevan is considered to be the most eligible catch of the upcoming Season, being the Duke of Penrose; his cousin Gabriel is being touted as the most desirable catch. I have heard he is considered among the ladies to be rather good looking. I daresay the pair might also find themselves off the marriage mart and wiped off the books in the clubs before next Season begins. They seem to be heading in that direction as far as I can tell. I do not pry into my colleagues’ personal business, though many of them enjoy prying into mine.

K. R.:  Do you mind telling me who pries into your business, Micah?

Micah: Lyon is the worst. He enjoys bringing up incidents we might not want to be made known to the general public,   especially our new wives. Harry can be rather nosy at times; which I find highly amusing for he is constantly after his lovely wife, and my dear friend, Rowena, for her tendency to make matches. He is forever telling her to let people make their own way when in fact he does not. Trevan enjoys ribbing certain persons about their past transgressions. And Luc, most of you know him as Wyldhurst, has the habit of saying whatever comes to mind even in the company of ladies; which can be harmful, especially when you are married. There are just some things a man does not want his wife to hear about his past, you know. You can trust all of them with serious issues or Avalon Society business, I can say that. I find many of them take great pleasure in bringing up incidents that one might find embarrassing. Charlie was a great prankster as well. I miss him. We all do.

K. R.: Do you have anything you wish to tell on any of them? 

Micah: (After a pause, he grins.) Yes, well why not. Harry certainly told on the rest of us didn’t he?  Wyldhurst is forever getting himself into trouble with the ladies. It is primarily because he prefers variety and keeps quite a few ladies in the wings at all times. At a large ball two years ago, three of his mistresses were all present and he had professed to all of them in the throes of passion that each one of them was the only one. It was quite an interesting evening, as you can well imagine. He was kept very busy. He managed to talk both Lyon and Jack into helping him, ah, entertain the others while he would appease one. In the end, the three ladies caught on; and they ganged up on him. To make a long story very short, Luc was caught in the study, with his trousers down, in a sort of, um, compromising condition, with a scarf tied about his eyes, and was completely alone in the room. There was not another soul present. He was caught by one of the most notorious gossips in Town. Although we thought his reputation might be irreparably ruined; this was not the case. For some inexplicable reason ladies adore Lucien Saintmaur, Lord Wyldhurst, even though they know he is a thorough and self-admitted rake. They flocked to him in droves after the incident. Of course, the notorious gossip did describe his, shall we say, nude portions in great and vivid detail. Lyon told me that most of his paramours gift him with expensive scarves since that time. I’ve heard he has an extensive collection. Of scarves.

K. R.: I have never heard that story, thank you for sharing, Micah! That is definitely something to consider for Luc’s story whenever that time comes. What of Harry and Lyon?

Micah: Well, they are married. My wife would be unhappy with me if their wives, who are now Libby’s close friends, were upset by something I said. I will refrain from telling tales on them. I can say Newt has a similar effect on women as Wyldhurst does, though he never says much of anything. They just follow him and hang on the few words he does speak. I have heard a few rumors about why that is, but I cannot repeat those rumors in mixed company. Lachlan also attracts flocks of women. Of course, he is a flatterer and has a great deal of charm. His brogue always thickens in the presence of beautiful women. They seem to like it, and he knows it. The ladies love all of the Trevelyans as well; August, his brother Arthur and their cousin Marcus. There is some old Cornish Folk Tale about the devilish good looks of the Trevelyans.  

K. R.: You mentioned that since some of you have married or may be close to it that your ladies have all become friends. I remember in Lords of Honor when your wife Libby and Rowena were giving, shall we say, marital advice to Sophia. Apparently Jack overheard. How did you feel about that incident?

Micah: I thought it was very sweet. Libby was trying to be helpful to Sophia, as was Rowena. The ladies were a tad embarrassed that Jack overheard them; yet they managed to laugh about it. I found it very amusing. It was difficult not to laugh in front of them but I did accomplish it, as did Charlie. As for the ladies being friends, we have all much been in each other’s company during these continuing attacks upon us by the Knights of the Brown Order. And due to the danger, the ladies must often stay indoors. They have become fine friends. I think it is wonderful for them all. They have truly banded together. Harry says they are a force to be reckoned with; yet I think he says that because he seems to believe his wife, Rowena, is the ring leader often times. I don’t think that is true. I think the other ladies naturally turn to her because she was the first wife among our inner circle of Avalon Society members, and she was in Glastonbury with us where this whole business began.  

K. R. One reader wants to know if you Avalon Society members ever play pranks upon one another.

Micah:  Not so much lately, since some of us have married. In years past, yes, we were forever playing pranks upon one another; especially when the majority of us were at University together. Often times we joined forces and played pranks on other students as well. Even in Town following our University days, we did play some devilish pranks on each other. I cannot speak of them in mixed company, and I do not wish my wife to hear of certain things I did in those times. These are definitely some of those activities that it is best not to repeat.

K. R.: Ah, I see. You’ve been in London, and are currently in Cornwall. Do you miss Horethorne Hall in Templecombe?  I have gathered that in the past you were a homebody.   

Micah:  There are times I wish Libby and I could have more privacy and quiet time alone but what the Avalon Society is doing in Cornwall currently is very important. There is great historical significance in what we are discovering through our research and searches. We are all like family. For us to be working together so closely again has been a very pleasant experience for us all. Most of us have had to put our own personal projects aside while we are in Cornwall. I do miss my frequent trips up to Cadbury Hill. I have been fascinated with the place since I was a boy. When I learned the hill was believed to be King Arthur’s Camelot, I couldn’t stay away. I imagined myself as King Arthur or Lancelot many times when I was a lad. I have done ongoing research on the Arthurian for the last fifteen years, and I dig at Cadbury whenever I can. I have found some amazing artifacts. Some Celtic and Saxon jewelry I found were probably the most valuable items I’ve discovered. Even pottery shards tell me a great deal about the people who lived at the fortress over the centuries. I am eager to take Libby there when we return to Templecombe. It is beautiful up there in the spring and summer with the wildflowers and grasses. I think she will enjoy it.

K. R.: Is there anything else you’d like to share with us, Micah?

Micah: Oh yes, one thing. Although they are not all members of the Avalon society, we have very much appreciated the members of The Department working with us while in Cornwall. Of course Marrek Penaluna, the Earl of St. Erth is one of our original members of the Avalon Society. We have benefited from working with his colleagues Ruan Menwennick, The Earl of Ince and Creed St. Germans, Lord Roscarrow. We have just met Stephen Johnstone, Lord Lyndhurst, the head of The Department and Francis Nightshade, whom everyone calls simply Shade. Apparently Shade is the Department’s secret weapon of sorts. I don’t quite know why yet, but I’m certain I will find out soon enough. We are very happy to have their help. Thank you for having me today, K. R. and I would like to thank all of your readers. It was a privilege to be here with you today.

K.R.: Thank you, Micah. I’m not certain who will be interviewed on the World of Avalon Blog next time. Are there any requests? 

      

An Interview with Harry Bellingham,
the Earl of Glaston.
By K. R. Richards, author of the Lords of Avalon Series: Lord of the Abbey, Lords of Honor, Lords of Retribution (release date Feb. 2013) and Lords of Atonement (release date Fall.Winter 2013).

K.R.: I appreciate you taking time off from your current duties in Cornwall to speak to us today, Harry. Our readers have given me some questions to ask you. I’ll just get started. What moved you to become a part of the Avalon Society? How did you become the head of the Society?

Harry: It is my pleasure to join you. I’ve always had an interest in history, paranormal subjects, religious relics and ancient or lost relics. My interest came from reading when I was young. I began to seek additional information as I grew older. The Avalon Society began as a small group of friends during our school years. It was more of a social club. There were eleven original members including myself; Micah, Lyon, Owen, Luc – er, rather Lucien, Trevan, Jack, Gabriel, Newt, Marrek and Charlie. With Charlie’s passing our original founding members number only ten.

More of our school chums joined the Society over the years. After we left the University, we kept our group in operation and met in London. We began searching for items and investigating lost relics and paranormal situations. In over a decade, we actually have grown into more than just a private club. We are a center of learning, a business and we have our very own private museum. We are very proud of our accomplishments.

As the Society grew larger, the members voted me the Head of the Society and assigned the other ten original members duties regarding the actual running of the business.

K.R.: What is the most valuable treasure that you have ever found? Also, we would like to know if the Avalon Society members are always in danger when they are on a quest.

Harry: The most historically valuable find to date will be discussed in the upcoming Lords of Retribution. You will hear even more of it in Lords of Atonement.

Aside from the cruets, the Glastonbury sapphire and other items found during the Lord of the Abbey; there was a large historically valuable find some years ago. I, Lyon, Owen, Micah, Charlie and Jack went to Italy to excavate a city buried by a volcano. We were surprised to find some very nice artifacts during that dig. A few of them are quite valuable. They are kept in our private museum because of their historic and monetary value. There was no danger involved on that trip. We were commissioned to do the excavation.

Several years before that, the eleven original members traveled to Egypt and stayed there for three months. We discovered a tomb of someone we believe to have been very important. I must keep the identity of the person secret, for that excavation was very dangerous and we hid our finds. There may be certain persons out there still interested in what we found. The Egypt trip was the most monetary valuable find we made. It was an extremely dangerous trip. We did have to elude several groups of people who coveted our finds. Some of our quests are rather dangerous in some form or another.

We are quite used to being shot at and followed. One of the greatest lessons I have learned in my time with the Avalon Society is that when it comes to items regarded as great treasures, be it historical, religious or simply their monetary worth; there are some men and even a few women who will murder, cheat and steal to possess them. We seem to have run into our fair share of those types of people lately.

K.R.: Harry do you have any amusing anecdotes you would like to share about yourself or your colleagues?

Harry: What would your readers like to know about my colleagues,
K. R.? I truly don’t have any amusing anecdotes about myself.

K.R.: In Lord of the Abbey we heard you possessed the reputation of a rake before stepping into your position as the Earl of Glaston. Is this true?

Harry: I must correct you, K.R. That was my old reputation; I’m a married man now. I adore my lovely wife.  My old reputation was nothing compared to that of Jack, Newt, Lyon, Wyldhurst, or even Micah for that matter.

It is true what Lyon has said before. Women flocked to Micah; before he married his lovely bride, Libby, of course. It was his sad eyes, his dark, mysterious manner and the fact that he swore to never love another that had them chasing him through the streets of London.

K.R.: Chasing him through the streets of London, Harry? Truly?

Harry: Perhaps chase isn’t the right word. But if Micah set foot in a ballroom, he was surrounded by twenty to thirty ladies within minutes. This happened. They all wanted to relieve his loneliness and he used that to his advantage on many occasions. It was his sad eyes. The serious, melancholy look he gave them worked every time. Women pooled at his feet, hung on his every word. They would sigh longingly at everything he said. Lyon often tried to copy that look. It never worked for him.

K.R.: Harry, you realize I’m interviewing Micah next time, don’t you?

Harry: Oh. Well, Micah is reformed now, as is Lyon and Owen since their marriages. Their behavior is saintly; just as mine is.

It is truly Jack who earned the title of the Lusty Lords of Avalon for our Society. Women fall all over him. They follow him. They hide in his shrubbery outside his homes and once a scantily clad young matron hid in his stable and waylaid him as he came to take his morning ride. Women actually swoon when he pays them any notice whatsoever.

A female friend once remarked to Lyon that it was Jack’s grin and his smooth silver tongue that wins over every woman he meets. He has a way of telling the ladies exactly what they want to hear; even when he is in the process of jilting them. Their anger is generally delayed in Jack’s case. The euphoria has to wear off a bit.

Jack, Newt, Wyldhurst and Lachlan have a propensity for becoming entangled with married women, who fall head over heels in love with them. The women become possessive and oft’ times their husbands become involved when the particular lady’s behavior becomes unacceptable to society's standards. This makes things rather messy for the gentlemen; as in the case of the scantily clad Earl’s wife in Jack’s stable. That did cause quite a stir. My colleagues have come out unscathed thus far. We are hoping this luck continues. 

Over brandy and cigars on many a night in the past, at the Society House in London, we decided that it is Jack who is the largest rake. He is followed by Newt and then Luc. In recent years, Lachlan has spent more time in London and he has garnered quite a large following of females.

K.R.: Can you tell us any stories of Newt, Lachlan and Wyldhurst?

Harry: Wyldhurst loves the company of women. Their bedchamber or his, in an out of the way closet; it matters not to him. And the ladies love him. They actually gush over him.

He manages to remain friends with most of his paramours and the man has hordes of them. Most of us find that rather odd. For the rest of the members, once a liaison ends, it generally leaves the woman in question rather bitter.

Newt is a man of few words but that doesn’t seem to bother the ladies. They must be entranced by him, for he doesn’t have to say much at all to whisk them into a dark ante room at a ball or to gain admittance into their bedchamber. A crook of his finger or a suggestive glance is practically all it takes with Newt. We have watched him at work. We have never decided exactly what his secret is. It remains a mystery to us. 

Lachlan, who is still recovering from his serious injuries in London, poor fellow, has a way with the ladies. He is a brute of a man, but his charm and brogue serve him well amongst the ladies of the ton. He has a following amongst the ladies and oddly enough he prefers gardens, woodland walks, beaches and even stables for his trysts. I do not know why. We have found him quite a few times up to mischief in the shrubbery with a lady when we needed him to be doing something else; like keeping watch.

K.R.: Don't you have any stories about the Chynoweths, Trevelyans or Lord St. Erth?

Harry: Tristan has a reputation, as you well know, but he seems to have cooled his heels since he has become interested in my younger sister, Caroline. That is all I wish to say about that.  It is not one of my favorite subjects.

You have probably noticed, K.R., the Cornishmen are a good deal larger than I am, so I do not have much to say about them. Trevan
has been faithful to his childhood sweetheart for many years, but I will add that this never stopped the ladies from pursuing him while in London. Tremayne is quiet and even tempered, but don’t let that fool you. He has his own good luck with the ladies. Gabriel is in the betting books at all the clubs currently. They say his extreme good looks make him the most sought after bachelor of the upcoming season. He is not a rake, as such. He is quiet, kind and always a gentleman. Lyon and I have conversed many times and it is our belief that the greatest numbers of ladies are drawn to the quiet, unassuming gentlemen who also happen to be handsome in looks. Ladies who are determined to find a good husband will not chase after a blatant rake, such as, um, Lyon; but they will go after a quiet unassuming rake. This is the truth. Lyon and I have witnessed it countless times.

The Trevelyans are known in legend for their devilish good looks and rakish manner, and they certainly live up to that in reputation.  
Of course, you are aware that Marrek Penaluna, Lord St. Erth is with The Department and known to be quite a dangerous man. That in itself attracts many ladies, but I have found him to be nothing other than saintly in his behavior amongst them. He has a sword cane, did you know that?

K.R.: Yes I am aware of that.

Harry: Ah!  It has a very long blade and he is quite skilled with it. Just saying, I haven’t slandered him at all. The man is a saint.

K.R.: Thank you, Harry, for the interesting tidbits. I have noticed that although the members of the Avalon Society argue and tease one another that you seem to be a close-knit group. Why is that, do you think?

Harry: I would have to say it is because of our common love of history and our fascination with myths and legends, ancient relics and what-not. We are all family oriented. We are all of us scholars and open-minded. Most importantly, we have each at one time or another had a special part in building the Avalon Society into what it is now. We all take pride in our work and what we have created. We also have the opportunity to help many people along the way.

K.R.: Thank you so much for joining us today, Harry. I believe our time is up and I hear your wife, Lady Glaston, coming down the hall. Do you have any parting comments? I know you and your wife are expecting your first child.

Harry: I would just like to say that truly the greatest treasure I have discovered in my life is my wife, Rowena. She is my Angel, and I simply adore her. We are both very excited about the impending birth of our child.  

Rowena: There you are. That was so sweet, Harry. Hello, K.R. Good to see you. Are you finished Harry? Micah, Libby, Lyon and Sophia await us in the carriage. We must get back to Menadue at once. We are all needed right away. There is serious trouble there.

Harry: Coming, my love. Duty calls. I must go. Thank you, K.R. and the readers of the Lords of Avalon Series. We will be talking to you all very soon, in February, when Lords of Retribution is released.

K.R.: Aw, they are such a cute couple. I hope you enjoyed the interview with Harry Bellingham, the Earl of Glaston. Next month, K.R. will be interviewing Micah Wychcombe, Lord Wincanton, one of the heros of Lords of Honor. The End. 

 

THE NEXT BIG THING
I was honored when old friend and fellow writer, K.C. Flynn, author of KNOW WHEN TO RUN, invited me to answer the same series of interview questions that she answered at THE NEXT BIG THING BLOG.

What is the title of your book? 
LORDS OF RETRIBUTION; which is the third book in the Lords of Avalon Series, set in nineteenth century England. 


Where did the idea come from for the book?
Wow!  The idea for the Lords of Avalon Series came from a long-time fascination with the myths and legends of Glastonbury, England and Cornwall, England.  The Lords of Avalon are members of the Avalon Society, which is a historical and paranormal society who specialize in ancient secrets and treasures.  The Lords of Avalon were definitely inspired by my love of archaeology, history, mystery, adventure and the paranormal.  The heroes can best be described as Indiana Jones meets Mr. Darcy. Lords of Retribution focuses mainly on the Cornish members of the Avalon Society and is a continuation of the Avalon Society members' quest to find and protect the lost secrets and treasures of Glastonbury Abbey.

What genre does your book fall under?
Historical Romance with a mystery plot, that includes adventure as well as paranormal elements. 

Which actors would you choose to play your characters in the movie rendition? 
There are actually three romances taking place through Lords of Retribution.  Trevan and Wenna's romance sort of carried over from Lord of the Abbey and Lords of Honor.  I definitely see Trevan as Gerard Butler (complete with the abs he sported in 300) and oddly enough I see Wenna as a young Maureen O'Hara (red-hair and all). Gabriel was a fan favorite in Lords of Honor.  I see him as a younger Robert Downey, Jr. Senny, is definitley dainty and ethereal like Michelle Williams. Jack, hands down, Jude Law!  Tuesday, probably Reese Witherspoon.         

What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?
Three romances going on, three sentences, is that fair? 
Trevan Chynoweth, the Duke of Penrose, is determined to regain the trust of his stubborn-red-headed true love, Wenna Penrose and sets out to repair their broken relationship. Gabriel Chynoweth, the Earl of St. Mabyn, struggles to understand his physical attraction to Senny Penrose, a woman he always looked upon as a sister. Jack Drayton, the Earl of Elveston finally gives in to his inexplicable attraction to Tuesday Inwood, the younger sister of a fellow Avalon Society member.  Add to the end of each of these three sentences: while protecting the Glastonbury treasure from the ruthless Knights of the Brown Order pursuing them and attempting to find the last clue to the remaining piece of the Glastonbury treasure.  That was too long, oh well!

Will your book be self published or represented by an agency?
Lords of Retribution will be self published, just like Lord of the Abbey, Lords of Honor and the first Lords of Avalon Series Novella, Lord Greyton's Fall From Grace.

How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?
It took roughly six months to write the first draft of Lords of Retribution. I am just now starting the editing, revisions and polishing process which generally takes two to three months.  I'm determined to see if I can be finished in six weeks this time.  But, it won't go on until it's ready. It's coming soon!

What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?
This is a tough question.  I don't know of any within my genre to compare it to exactly.  I would say most definitely Lords of Retribution is similar to the Da Vinci Code, by Dan Brown.  There are some underlying similarities to the Lord of the Rings, by J.R.R. Tolkien. There is a slight similarity to some of Amanda Quick's Victorian Paranormal Historicals. Definitely there is the Jane Austen and Regency and Victorian Historical romance flavor.

Who or what inspired you to write this book?
As I mentioned up above, I've had a long-time curiosity of ancient myths and legends, particularly in Glastonbury and Cornwall, England.  When I began to pursue my dream of writing again after a long period of time where I had to put writing aside, I actually started writing a different, contemporary paranormal story and was struggling with it.  I was in the midst of moving and came across the large box containing all of the information and notes I had long collected on Glastonbury and South West England. The minute I opened the box and started going through the information, I realized I should be doing something with that instead of the other story. And the very next day, the idea for the Lords of Avalon Series was born. 

What else about your book might pique the readers interest?
The character of Senny Penrose is unusual in that she is an empath and easily absorbs the feelings and emotions of those around her. She becomes overwhelmed by these sensations very easily, and is very self-conscious of her abilities. She is looked at as an oddity in her community, and many say 'she is away with the fairies'. Other than her family and friends, she is generally ostracized by people around her. Being the mother of a severely autistic son who becomes overwhelmed easily by many things others take for granted, I wrote Senny's character as having this 'thing' be a handicap for her. Something that she must learn to love and accept as part of herself, as part of her uniqueness. In all truth, she could be seen as an empath or as a person with an autism spectrum disorder.  I purposely wrote it that way.

I thank you and K.C. Flynn, author of KNOW WHEN TO RUN, for the opportunity to tell you about Book 3 in the Lords of Avalon Series, LORDS OF RETRIBUTION.  

K. R. Richards Contact Information:
My Amazon Author Page:
http://www.amazon.com/K.-R.-Richards/e/B007JLISB6/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0
My Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/K.R.Richards.author
My e-mail: 
k.r.richards.author@gmail.com and mskimmirichards@hotmail.com
My twitter:
https://twitter.com/kimmirichards  

K. R. Richards is the author of the Lords of Avalon Series. Lord of the Abbey and Lords of Honor are currently on Amazon Kindle along with the first Lords of Avalon Series Novella, Lord Greyton's Fall From Grace.  Lords of Retribution will be released in Jan/Feb 2013 and Lords of Atonement will be out in late summer or early fall of 2013.