Tuesday 25 January 2011

Welcome Kimberly Killion!

Today our guest of honour is the wonderful Kimberly Killion, award-winning author of hot and thrilling historical romances. Here she is...

Since this week’s focus is on Scottish men, I wanted to take this opportunity to share a few facts about my favorite Scot, Gerard Butler.

OK, for starters, he’s yummy, delicious, and easy on the eyes. But there’s more to know and love about this man.

1. Gerard Butler was born in 1969, Paisley, Scotland (we are the same age *sigh*)
2. He has both Irish and Scottish heritage. (a hero after my own heart)
3. He stands at 6' 2" (1.88 m). (and as braw as they come)
4. He is a trained lawyer. (Huh! Whodathunit!)
5. He got kicked out of his job as a trainee lawyer due to the fact that he showed up hungover during the big music/theater festival in Scotland. (Baaaad Gerry!)
6. He got his first acting gig at the age of 25.
7. He is known for being really nice to his fans.
8. Among his non-animated movies, the highest ratings belong to 300 and Dear Frankie.
9. Americans and The Scottish pronounce his name very differently.
10. He and P.S I love you co-star Jeffrey Dean Morgan both took guitar lessons prior to their roles.

Now everyone say it with me… *sigh*
Huzzah!
Kimberly
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Check out Kimberly’s website at http://www.kimberlykillion.com/

And here’s a snippet from her newest Scottish release: HIS MAGICK TOUCH, available in the Mammoth Book of Scottish Romance.

You can also purchase this story by itself on Kindle for .99 cents here.

And keep an eye out for Kimberly’s hottest Scottish tale ever, TAMING A HIGHLAND DEVIL.
http://www.jasminejade.com/ps-8962-50-taming-a-highland-devil.aspx

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Excerpt from HIS MAGICK TOUCH

CHAPTER ONE

Scotland, Inner Hebrides – 1587
      
The bastard was finally going to kill her.

Sorcha trembled inside her wool mantle as icy wind thrashed strands of brown hair over her face. The rope binding her wrists stung, and her battered legs ached where Hector had pushed her down the steps of the keep. But none of it compared to the fear clutching her insides. She craned her neck over her shoulder and gawked wide-eyed at the white waves pummeling the base of the cliff.

“Ye destroyed my crops with hail, infested the clan’s meat with maggots, and set the outbuildings afire. ’Tis August, yet snow blankets my land.” Hector pressed her closer to the pebbled edge with his dark glare and intimidating size. He stood a full head taller and easily outweighed her by ten stone. “And now this.” He held up his sword arm covered with lesions of oozing puss. “Ye give me a whore’s disease!”

“I did naught, m’lord. I swear it,” Sorcha pleaded between chattering teeth. She considered reminding him that he hadn’t come to her bed in over two years, but knew ’twas useless to defend herself. Hector had blamed her for every misfortune that befell Clan Ranald since he’d taken her to wife four years past.

“Ye lying bitch!” He struck her hard across the face with the back of his hand.

Sorcha twisted at the waist and landed on her knees and elbows. The pain stinging her cheek was soon forgotten when Hector kicked her in the side. She heard her rib crack just before an unbearable streak of pain shot through her very core. She couldn’t fight, couldn’t think, couldn’t breathe. The coppery tinge of blood spread over her tongue as she rolled onto her stomach. She spit a string of crimson and pulled herself forward by her bound hands.

“Think ye I dinnae hear ye chant your spells in the old language?” Hector wrenched her back to her feet.
If she were half the witch he accused her of being, then she might possess the power to save herself. She wished Da hadn’t ousted Grandmum from the clan before she taught Sorcha the Pagan ways.

“Ye have cursed me and my clan for the last time,” he bellowed over the howling wind.

“If ye kill me,” she panted through the pain, trying to draw upright to stare him in the eye, “my kin will avenge me.” ’Twas a false threat, but she was desperate.

A deep throaty chortle burst from Hector’s pocked face. “Your da died before naming a tanist to reign in his stead. The MacNeils have no chieftain, no bloodline, save for a sixteen-year-old girl. And your sister will be easy to break.”

Sorcha’s heart lodged in her throat. She tried to shake the horrid images of what Hector would do to her sister, but they erupted in her mind’s eye like a nightmare. Peigi would be powerless to defend herself against Hector and his men.

“As soon as I send ye to your Otherworld, I’ll be claiming the Isle of Barra as my own.”

Sorcha looked to the gray sky and pleaded with the king of her gods. Thou Christ of the cross, snatch me from the snares of this evil demon so I might protect my kin.

A bird cawed overhead, circling them. ’Twas a falcon—a white falcon. Mayhap the Goddess Cliodna had come to escort her to the afterlife.

“Fare thee well, Sorcha of Barra. I’ll see ye in Hell.” Hector raised his foot high and drove the sole of his boot into her stomach, sending her reeling over the edge of the cliff.

Shock numbed her insides. She wanted to hold onto something, to scream, but she could do neither. Her body seemed to fall faster than her soul, and for one breathtakingly frightening moment, she felt as though her physical being separated from her spirit.

Through it all, she kept her eyes fixed on that white falcon following her downward to her death.


To have the chance of winning Kimberly's e-books, His Magick Touch, and Educating Aphrodite, tell us who your favourite Scottish actor is, or comment in some other way on Kimberly's post. Her contest will close at midnight tonight EST, and the winner will be announced on this thread.

26 comments:

  1. What an absolute swine! I hope that Hector gets his just desserts! Fab excerpt, Kimberly!

    So, Mr. Butler is Paisley buddy, eh? That's fairly close to where I was brought up.

    Um - how DO Americans pronounce Gerard Butler? :)

    Marie

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  2. Thanks so much for having me on the blog and for the wonderful presentation. I had forgotten how horrid Hector was until I reread my own excerpt. LOL

    Ummm...yeah, Paisley's got it bad for Gerry. Mayhaps even worse than me. Hehehe. As for as pronunciation...well, I just call him Gerry, since we're so tight ya know. *wink*

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  3. It's a pleasure, Kimberly, thanks for joining us! Pass on my best (and my phone number) to Gerry, won't you? :).

    Marie

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  4. I'm with Kimberly...Gerry gets my vote. Loved him in Phantom of the Opera, too. He can kidnap me anytime

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  5. This is a really tough choice because there are 4 Scottish actors that I'm wild about for different reasons...the original James Bond- Sean Connery is an old favorite, and then new favorites are James McAvoy, Ewan McGregor and John Barrowman....do I really only get to pick one? Well...If I must then I guess I'll pick John Barrowman because he can act and sing:)

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  6. Gerard is yummy but my favorite id David Pennant...I just love him.

    Love the excerpt...what a cliffhanger...can't wait to read more.

    Gigi

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  7. Well! Hector really needs to be taught a lesson. I'm off to the bookstore so I can find out what happens :-)

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  8. My husband's name is Gerard. But I think Gerard Butler is dreamy too.

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  9. Great post. A friend of a friend of mine actually snogged Gerry at a party in Glasgow many years ago. Not sure who my friend kissed :) Paisley is a funny place and it's a small world.

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  10. Thanks for your favourites, everyone! I think I like the thin, intense ones myself - like David Tennant and James McAvoy - but I wouldn't bar any of the others from the party either :).

    Zita, slap Hector for me when you get hold of that book!

    Kelly, that could be useful :)

    Toni, that has to beat everything! Were you at the same party?

    Marie

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  12. When I think of Scottish actors... Sean Connery comes into mind (the young one..he was yummy, little to for me now)....
    Currently I would have to say Gerard Butler *wiping the drool off my face* & Jeffrey Dean Morgan (Love him on Grey's Anatomy)...

    Thank you for sharing....

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  13. I love this conversation! Talking about Hawt Scots always gets my blood boiling. I actually dedicated my february release to Gerard Butler. And that's the God's Honest truth!
    I do hate it when he takes on an American role in a movie. The Ugly Truth was such a dissapointment, but I still watched it 4 times. Hehehe...!

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  14. Hi Kimberly.

    I'm surprised no one's mentioned Robert Carlyle yet. Although I'm torn as far as acting ability goes between him and Robbie Coltrane.

    Just to add to the Edinburgh anecdotes from my previous comments, I have vague memories of drinking in the same pub as Sean Connery, but none of us could come up with a good excuse for going over to talk to him.

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  15. There's sooo many hot Scotts, it's hard to pick just one. If I HAVE to choose, I would pick Gerard Butler too or maybe Craig Furgusson.

    Mindy :)
    Birdsooong@aol.com

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  16. My fav is GERRY!!!! SIGHING along with you.

    He is sooooo delickable!!!!

    Valerie
    in Germany
    valb0302@yahoo.com

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  17. Toni, I'm disappointed :)

    Kelly, I don't know this Jeffrey Dean Morgan... time for research!

    Kimberly, I often wonder, when I see British actors playing Americans, how suthentic their accents really are!

    Stevie, I do like Robert Carlyle - I think he is talented and very good at those quirky roles. Maybe he's not so well known outisde the UK? Robbie Coltrane I did see in a Glasgow pub once - he is one big guy! He was pissed too, and growled at my friends for gawping at him. None of us went to talk to him either :). Do you remember Tutti Frutti? Great fun!

    Marie

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  18. Ok...just went to Amazon and added The Magick Touch to my wish list. The excerpt was perfect!
    I have to give props to the legendary Sean Connery! How many men at the age of 69 could get Sexiest Man of the Century? That is one hot grandpa!
    Dougrey Scott and Ewan McGregor are my younger Hotties.

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  19. I have to go with the ever popular Gerard Butler of course Connery will always have a special place as well.

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  20. I'm with you Gerard Butler being sigh worthy, but I have to go with Sean Connery. His voice has to be the sexiest voice EVER. I love his movies:)

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  21. Thanks all! Sean and Gerry seem to be top of the list :).

    Back soon with Kimberly's winner...

    Marie

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  22. And Kimberly's winners are...

    GABRIELLE LEE, MINDY and LIZZIE!

    Congratulations, ladies,and if you haven't already listed your email address, please send it to me at Marie@MarieTreanor.com.

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  23. Yipee! thank you so much Marie and Kimberly 8D
    Looking forward to reading your books.

    Mindy :)
    Birdsooong@aol.com

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  24. I'm just the messenger, Mindy, but you're welcome :)

    Marie

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  25. Congrats to the winners!!!

    Valerie
    in Germany
    valb0302@yahoo.com

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