Epic Romances - now half-price or less!

If you love romances and historical fiction set in the distant, exotic past, then please take a look at these titles. They are now half-price or less and a real bargain.

"Blue Gold" is my epic historical adventure and romance set in ancient Egypt. It's well over 100,000 words and is now just $2.99 at Bookstrand.

 General Fiction, Mainstream Romance, Historical, Historical
Word Count: 124,400
Heat Level: SENSUAL
Published By: Siren-BookStrand, Inc.

This title is offered at a 50% discount. Offer ends midnight CST, February 14th.

[BookStrand Historical Romance]

Ancient Egypt, 1560 B.C.

Ruling Upper Egypt from Thebes, Pharaoh Sekenenre has many enemies. Aweserre, whose grandfather seized the crown of Lower Egypt. Kamose and Ahhotpe, his son and daughter, who plot to rule in his place. And, most dangerous, the storm-god Set.

It is a time of famine. To prosper a man must be civilized and ruthless. Ramose, priest and Vizier, is all of these. Kasa, a farmer, must learn to be like him to survive. Neith, wife of Ramose, is driven, first to drink, then to courage. Hathor, who killed her son, finds love, desertion, then a second chance at love. Tiyi, the gentle masseuse, is desired by many, but desires only one.

Watched by the gods of Egypt, the conflict reaches its climax in war. The pyramids, a thousand years old when the story begins, play a crucial part.

Behind all is the God Set, with his question: 'What am I?'

"The God Set or Seth in ancient Egyptian mythology is a mystery, represented by a strange animal. In 'Blue Gold' I set out to explore this mystery in the most direct and exciting way I could. And I've always loved the pyramids!"

You can see reviews and read excerpts of "Blue Gold" here

Do you love the lush, sensual world of ancient Rome? Then please consider my sexy erotic romance, "Escape to Love," a story I wrote to explore that world. From today it's only $0.99 from

Bookstrand. 

Severus is a slave, dragged from the fields to an uncertain future. Warned to expect no mercy from a mysterious young woman who comes to him in the night, he learns that his natural father is his owner, Calvus, and that he has a half-brother, Thallus.

Thallus has no sexual interest in women but he is desperate for an heir. Severus and Thallus' sexy young wife Lydia, whom Severus recognizes as the mystery woman who warned him, are sent to the family palace at Baiae and expected to breed.

Lydia, used to an unconsummated, loveless marriage, is intrigued by the handsome Severus and appalled by her husband's and father-in-law's treatment of him. She finds herself anticipating their lovemaking. She also wants to help Severus to escape because she knows that once he has served his purpose, Thallus and Calvus will never let him live.

They have just a month to escape.

 This title is offered at a 60% discount. Offer ends midnight CST, December 12th.
Reviews and excerpts here

If the world of ancient Rome and ancient Britain draws you, please try my novel, "Flavia's Secret," set in ancient Roman Bath.
 
"Flavia's Secret." $0.99 from Bookstrand.  A full length novel of 83,000 words for just 99 Cents!

How Far Dare You Trust Your Lover? Especially When He is Also Your Master? 

"Flavia's Secret" is a historical romance novel of 83,000 words. It's a sensual historical romance set in Roman Britain.

Spirited young scribe Flavia hopes for freedom. She and her fellow slaves in Aquae Sulis (modern Bath) have served the Lady Valeria for many years, but their mistress' death brings a threat to Flavia's dream: her new master Marcus Brucetus, a charismatic, widowed officer toughened in the forests of Germania. Flavia finds him overwhelmingly attractive but she is aware of the danger. To save her life and those of her 'family' she has forged a note from her mistress. If her deception is discovered, all the slaves may die.

For his part torn between attraction and respect, Marcus will not force himself on Flavia. Flavia by now knows of his grief over the deaths of his wife Drusilla and child. But how can she match up to the serene, flame-haired Drusilla?

As the wild mid-winter festival of Saturnalia approaches, many lives will be changed forever.

You can see reviews for "Flavia's Secret" and read excerpts here

Lindsay Townsend

DABWAHA 2010

Having been away for a while, I only discovered this morning that Blue Gold was chosen to participate in DABWAHA 2010, run by Dear Author and Smart Bitches, Trashy Books.

Whatever happens, I'm delighted to be nominated in some very strong company. If you want to take part in the voting, here's the link.

New review of 'Blue Gold'

I've recieved an excellent new review of Blue Gold from Steve Donoghue at the Historical Novel Society:

'Early on in Blue Gold, Lindsay Townsend’s fast-paced novel of ancient Egypt in 1560 B.C., the charismatic (and acrobatic) Pharaoh Aweserre shouts in battle: “I’m the best there is! You’re looking at a man who can drive between your wind and your ass — watch!” You can’t really resist that kind of invitation, but you know one thing for sure: Cecil B. DeMille this isn’t.

Townsend’s story centers on the Pharaoh Sekenenre, his scheming wives, his scheming children Kamose and Ahhotpe, and—in the book’s most innovative stroke—the multifaceted Egyptian deities themselves, especially the god of storms and upheavals, Set, whose immortal perceptions add spice to an already plenty spicy narrative:

He [Set] saw the lines of the future mapping out from this tiny room, yet he could not see exactly where they ended. No one, not even Ra, could do that. Endless beginnings: that was one of the gods’ functions.

The sands of Townsend’s Egypt are blood-soaked, and the halls of her palaces echo with lust and intrigue — and yet, the most interesting part of her novel is how real, how human all of her characters feel (even the supernatural ones). Even while you’re booing and hissing her villains, you’re fully informed as to their motives and might even sympathize a little. Part of this effect can be attributed to Townsend’s keen ear for dialogue and phrasing (when two characters kiss we’re told “their lips met with the greedy accuracy of lovers”) — and the effect is so strong that when all the book’s grandstanding and conniving and personal drama has concluded, readers will be mildly shocked to be reminded that the whole delightfully complicated business happened three thousand years ago. That’s praise indeed. -- Steve Donoghue'

The original is here, under the reviews for February 2010.

Lindsay Townsend
http://www.lindsaytownsend.net

Four and a half books for 'Blue Gold' at Long and Short Reviews

Honeysuckle at Long and Short Reviews has given a wonderful review to my ancient Egypt title, Blue Gold.

"What I love most about Ms. Townsend’s prose", she says, "is the ability to give the reader an almost holographic entry into life and times long past. You smell the fear, feel the passion, the frustration and anger, and burn under a hot, unforgiving sun, among other delightful stirrings of the senses."

And there's more! The full review is here.

'Blue Gold' out today

My historical adventure Blue Gold is released today!

http://www.bookstrand.com/product-bluegold-13932-330.html

Here's a summary, followed by a scene to give you a taste of it:

Ancient Egypt, 1560 B.C.

Ruling Upper Egypt from Thebes, Pharaoh Sekenenre has many enemies. Aweserre, whose grandfather seized the crown of Lower Egypt. Kamose and Ahhotpe, his son and daughter, who plot to rule in his place. And, most dangerous, the storm-god Set.

It is a time of famine. To prosper a man must be civilized and ruthless. Ramose, priest and Vizier, is all of these. Kasa, a farmer, must learn to be like him to survive. Neith, wife of Ramose, is driven, first to drink, then to courage. Hathor, who killed her son, finds love, desertion, then a second chance at love. Tiyi, the gentle masseuse, is desired by many, but desires only one.

Watched by the gods of Egypt, the conflict reaches its climax in war. The pyramids, a thousand years old when the story begins, play a crucial part.

Behind all is the God Set, with his question: 'What am I?'

The God Set or Seth in ancient Egyptian mythology is a mystery, represented by a strange animal. In 'Blue Gold' I set out to explore this mystery in the most direct and exciting way I could. And I've always loved the pyramids! ~ Lindsay

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Excerpt


"What a man, my father! He has the speed of a leopard."

"My boy, son of my great wife! What a son for a warrior-Pharaoh!"

Sekenenre and Kamose toasted each other again, and the nobles lifted their own tall goblets and drank, pledging allegiance to both. Torches blazed throughout the banqueting hall as men and women dropped off their wigs and entertainers practiced final flourishes in the odd dark corners. Ahhotpe kissed the cheek of the slave-girl who had brought her another perfume-cone and, with a sigh of pleasure and relief, shook off her own wig.

"Allow me." The Pyramid loomed at her elbow. He placed the cooling cone of perfumed grease on her hair. Ahhotpe shivered as the perfume-cone melted and ran in a delicious fine rain down her face.

"Thank you, my lord." She glanced from Zoser to Sekenenre. Her father and younger brother were very drunk. She was very drunk. She looked again at the Pyramid.

He took her practiced smile as an invitation to join her on the couch. Kamose saw but did nothing. And how could she resist a man so much bigger and stronger than herself? Alive with the wine, Ahhotpe was in a mood to enjoy.

"My arms are full of flowers, and my hair is weighed down with perfumes."

She waited for him to complete the verse, as her father would have done, or to lay his broad head in her lap and have her say the rest of the poem, as Kamose did. The Pyramid merely grunted and tugged on her anklet bangle.

"We're betrothed, little bird. I don't want you to keep staring at Kamose."

"I'll gaze only at you, my lord." His face in the torches seemed sleeker, his dark eyes, lined with malachite, lustrous as the beads of his arm-bracelets. Ahhotpe saw new possibilities for Zoser. Being engaged to the man had its advantages.

Two nobles, shouting and throwing bones at each other in an argument over a Senet game, gave Ahhotpe and the Pyramid their opportunity.

"It's getting to be a real riot."

"Father's drunk. Everyone takes their cue from him." Ahhotpe pushed aside a tipsy slave, who fell giggling against her couch. "Why not come and study the paintings in my room? They're by a Keftian artist, and very fine."

The Pyramid cupped her breasts and licked his lips. "Let's go to my room instead, and trade parts."

"Such a coarse expression for love." Ahhotpe, with a drunken little smile, held up her arms to Zoser. He scooped her from the couch like a barbarian, throwing her over one shoulder.

Raising her jiggling head and squinting back into the hall, Ahhotpe noticed Kamose sprawled on purple cushions, ponderously explaining how he had saved Pharaoh's life. Her father, fondling the Pyramid's mother, smiling at everything Kamose said, talked earnestly to a drunken acrobat. None of them saw her undignified exit.

Ahhotpe lowered her head, feeling the broad flanks rub against her face, and ran her thumbs between the Pyramid's legs.

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