Taste of Kiwi

The topic for this week is food. As much as I enjoy food and cooking, I don’t have many foodie scenes. Most of them are picnic scenes. In the end I chose this scene from Lynx to the Pharaoh, a historical romance with a feline shapeshifter hero.

Lynx to the Pharaoh by Shelley Munro

“I’d love to visit the oasis,” Charlotte said, ignoring the feminine pride inside warning her she would not look her best after sleeping in her clothes. And the knowledge that she shouldn’t go anywhere with a man she didn’t know. She risked another glance at him, and the silent gleam of approval in his eyes warmed her all over. This early in the morning, she couldn’t blame the heat of the sun.

They passed the camp, and as Sethmet had said, no one stirred apart from the servants. Charlotte told herself her brother would never know. They arrived at the edge of the oasis more quickly than she would have liked. Countless questions trembled at the tip of her tongue. Curious as a cat. That’s what George used to say, always in a chiding manner. Could she help it if she liked to learn new things and gain knowledge?

Sethmet stopped by the edge of the lake, in a small private spot screened from the main path, glad Lady Charlotte had agreed to accompany him.

A gentle breeze played a musical tune as it blew through the reeds. Not far from them a heron stabbed the water with its beak and came up with a wriggling silver fish.

He placed his basket down and helped Charlotte sit on a flat rock. Her lack of primping and fussing gained his approval, not that she needed to preen. Sethmet opened his woven basket. He had to stop the urgent need to touch, to run his hands across her silky cheek. A bark of laughter escaped at the thought. No doubt the lady would slap his face at the presumption.

“Is something funny?”

“Not a thing,” Sethmet said. “Would you care for flat bread and cheese?” He spread a blue woven cloth on the ground beside them and set out the food. The instinct to serve and nurture Lady Charlotte, or Charlotte as he thought of her, came as a surprise. Most women ran after him, but being with Charlotte felt right. He didn’t feel pressure or hunted for matrimony. He wanted to protect her, even if she came from the English camp and was possibly an enemy.

Charlotte was no longer committed to a man.

Satisfaction swelled within Sethmet along with an urge to kiss her. Hell, he wanted to do more than that. He wanted to claim her as mate. The thought gave him pause because he knew nothing of her. Yet he didn’t worry overly. Swift courtships were normal in his family, and their decisive nature when taking a partner was one of the gifts that came with feline powers. Everyone in his family married for love. They might argue at times, but he had no hesitation about following his heart.

He glanced up from laying out the food and saw Charlotte studied him avidly. For an instant, open desire shimmered in her blue eyes before her lashes lowered to screen the emotion.

Sethmet acted on instinct, going with his gut. He leaned toward her and took possession of her lips in a slow kiss of exploration. When she didn’t object, he deepened the contact, sliding his tongue across her soft, pink lips and urging her to open her mouth so he could taste. She was so soft, tasted so sweet, and he wanted more.

Purchase from Ellora’s Cave or Amazon Kindle

To read more Snippet Saturday excerpts follow the links below:

Mari Carr
Shelley Munro
Vivian Arend
Taige Crenshaw
McKenna Jeffries
Lauren Dane
Jody Wallace
TJ Michaels

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Today’s theme is pets or animals. My Middlemarch books are full of feline shifters. My Talking Dog books feature Killer, the talking dog, but today I have an excerpt from Lynx to the Pharaoh. The hero in Lynx to the Pharaoh is a caracal shifter.

Lynx to the Pharaoh by Shelley Munro

As a caracal, he tested the air. Along with the storm and the myriad scents from the oasis, he smelled the campfires of the English tourists. Sethmet had visited them already in his position as family head, hiring out his guiding services in order to keep an eye on them—a case where his years of education in England helped. Amusement flicked through his mind when he recalled his loud protests about leaving Egypt. Now with a few years of added maturity, he recognized the benefits to both him and his family.

A burst of wind whistled over the hill. A sandstorm fast approached, allowing the bloody moon to play peekaboo behind the clouds. The air sizzled with tension, communicating unease and something out of tune with nature. His eyes scanned the vicinity for anything suspicious. He listened. Nothing. Apart from the coming storm, all seemed as it should.

Sethmet’s slow trot hastened into a full-out run, just for the pleasure of feeling his muscles work and for the heady rush of air blowing through his coat. He rounded the end of a rolling dune, his sharp eyes picking up the Englishmen’s camp at the base of the next sand hill. The tents rattled faintly, the white canvas billowing with the building storm. The flicker of a lamp caught his attention, moving slowly away from the glowing embers of the campfire. Sethmet checked the air, smelling for danger again and paused in surprise. Subtle perfume—flowers of the lilac. Woman.

Sethmet sat on his haunches, blinking while he considered this new development. It was unusual for Englishwomen to come to his family’s oasis because it was so far from the big towns, several long days of riding camels that tested the temperament of a strong man let alone a delicate female. Perhaps she came with one of the local men. A wife or a lover. He hadn’t seen nor smelled evidence of her in the camp when he’d visited earlier. Not that the Englishmen had welcomed him with open arms.

Secretive bastards. He knew they were treasure hunters, intent on raping the pharaoh’s tomb. The greedy expression in their eyes when they thought no one noticed gave them away. No, they hadn’t made him welcome. They’d conducted business, looking down their sharp English noses at him. Sethmet blinked, thoughts of the treasure hunters dissolving as the light moved farther away. The steady retreat of the light piqued his curiosity.

On the unprotected side of the dunes, the wind tugged his fur, blew particles of sand in his eyes, bringing discomfort. He never considered ending his pursuit because something inside the cat urged him to keep following the bobbing light. A flash of white petticoat told him he’d almost caught the woman. His heart beat harder, faster.

Would she take fright at seeing the cat? Probably. Shifting wasn’t an option, not with an Englishwoman present. Nudity made them nervous. They didn’t even like to look at their own bodies. No, shifting wouldn’t work.

His ears flicked back and forth while he determined a course of action. Even if she had a link to the treasure hunters, the ones intent on finding the lost tombs, the approaching storm presented a danger to her. What was her protector thinking?

A powerful gust of wind, the dull roar of the swirling sands and the startled squeak from the Englishwoman made up his mind. Sethmet padded up to her swaying form, intent on herding her to safety.

Long ebony hair streamed out behind her while black skirts blew up and outward, baring her legs and white frilly undergarments. Her seductive scent filled his nostrils—flowers and woman. His heart jumped, astonishing both beast and man. The urge to shift and claim her sprang into his mind, shivered the length of his body. Suddenly, he wanted to sink into the warm softness a woman. This woman. The need to touch her velvet skin beat like an urgent drum inside his head. A soft snarl erupted in protest from his feline side.

The woman heard, despite the wail of the wind. She whirled, her blue eyes widening in astonishment.

But not fear, Sethmet thought with a sense of pride. He knew then this woman would be a worthy consort for the man who claimed her.

Purchase from Ellora’s Cave

To read more Snippet Saturday excerpts follow the links below:

McKenna Jeffries
Ashley Ladd
Shelley Munro
Taige Crenshaw
Mari Carr
Shelli Stevens
Jody Wallace
Victoria Janssen

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The theme for this week is setting. Since I live in New Zealand many of my books are set in my home country because I enjoy showcasing it. Shades of Peter Jackson and Lord of the Rings. I like to think of setting as another character and definitely an important part of any book.

Although I usually use New Zealand as my setting, I’ve used India in Wanderlust and today I’m doing a spotlight on Lynx to the Pharaoh, which is set in Egypt. Don’t forget to check out my photo album (link above) for photos to stir your imagination.

Lynx to the Pharaoh by Shelley Munro

A blood-red moon shone over the desert, tinting the rocks and sand scarlet. An omen, the locals whispered as they bolted for their camel-skin tents, dropped the flaps and hid from the fearsome sight.

Sethmet Khalil stared into the night, sensing the upheaval in the air with every particle of his tense body. Muscles twitched beneath his skin, itching for the freedom of a nocturnal run across the dunes at the edge of the oasis. It was his normal routine, but tonight he resisted, testing the air. Listening.

Evil whispered from the shadows. Menace thrummed in the air, making the night birds jabber uneasily on their roosts. Sethmet sensed danger too but had no intention of running to hide like the villagers. His was a secret duty, sworn in blood many centuries ago and passed down through the generations from father to son. A sacred promise to the pharaoh to protect the tombs of the cat.

The wind picked up, sending the scent of exotic spices and perfumes swirling through the air. The papyrus reeds on the edge of the lake rattled, warning of the approaching storm.

With a loose-boned gait Sethmet walked from the oasis, past the caravanserai—the inn where travelers resided—and past the pens where restless camels were hobbled for the night. When the faint glow of lamps and candlelight faded, he rapidly stripped off his boots and stockings, coat, silk cravat, shirt and finally his trousers. He stuffed them under a rock he’d used in the past and stood for an instant to let the chill of the rising wind caress his body. His broad chest rose and fell and he let the cat take him, reveling in the pleasure-pain of the transformation from man to beast. Bones lengthened, stretched. Hands converted to clawed paws and a fine brownish-red fur formed on his skin. Sethmet dropped to all fours, his large fur-tufted ears twitching with pleasure and the buzz of intensified senses.

As a caracal, he tested the air. Along with the storm and the myriad scents from the oasis, he smelled the campfires of the English tourists. Sethmet had visited them already in his position as family head, hiring out his guiding services in order to keep an eye on them—a case where his years of education in England helped. Amusement flicked through his mind when he recalled his loud protests about leaving Egypt. Now with a few years of added maturity, he recognized the benefits to both him and his family.

A burst of wind whistled over the hill. A sandstorm fast approached, allowing the bloody moon to play peekaboo behind the clouds. The air sizzled with tension, communicating unease and something out of tune with nature. His eyes scanned the vicinity for anything suspicious. He listened. Nothing. Apart from the coming storm, all seemed as it should.

Sethmet’s slow trot hastened into a full-out run, just for the pleasure of feeling his muscles work and for the heady rush of air blowing through his coat. He rounded the end of a rolling dune, his sharp eyes picking up the Englishmen’s camp at the base of the next sand hill. The tents rattled faintly, the white canvas billowing with the building storm. The flicker of a lamp caught his attention, moving slowly away from the glowing embers of the campfire. Sethmet checked the air, smelling for danger again and paused in surprise. Subtle perfume—flowers of the lilac. Woman.

Sethmet sat on his haunches, blinking while he considered this new development. It was unusual for Englishwomen to come to his family’s oasis because it was so far from the big towns, several long days of riding camels that tested the temperament of a strong man let alone a delicate female. Perhaps she came with one of the local men. A wife or a lover. He hadn’t seen nor smelled evidence of her in the camp when he’d visited earlier. Not that the Englishmen had welcomed him with open arms.

Secretive bastards. He knew they were treasure hunters, intent on raping the pharaoh’s tomb. The greedy expression in their eyes when they thought no one noticed gave them away. No, they hadn’t made him welcome. They’d conducted business, looking down their sharp English noses at him. Sethmet blinked, thoughts of the treasure hunters dissolving as the light moved farther away. The steady retreat of the light piqued his curiosity.

On the unprotected side of the dunes, the wind tugged his fur, blew particles of sand in his eyes, bringing discomfort. He never considered ending his pursuit because something inside the cat urged him to keep following the bobbing light. A flash of white petticoat told him he’d almost caught the woman. His heart beat harder, faster.

Would she take fright at seeing the cat? Probably. Shifting wasn’t an option, not with an Englishwoman present. Nudity made them nervous. They didn’t even like to look at their own bodies. No, shifting wouldn’t work….

To purchase a copy of Lynx to the Pharaoh go here.

To read excerpts from other authors follow the links below:

Beth Kery
Michelle Pillow
Beth Williamson
Eliza Gayle
McKenna Jeffries
Moira Rogers
Shelley Munro
Taige Crenshaw
Vivian Arend
Lauren Dane
Leah Braemel
TJ Michaels
Victoria Janssen
Jody Wallace

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Do you like to travel back in time?
Do you like paranormal romances?
Do you like feline shapeshifters?
Adventure? Treasure-hunting? Curses?

Then I have the book for you. Lynx to the Pharaoh is out at Ellora’s Cave today.

Here’s the blurb:

Sethmet Khalil comes from a line of shapeshifters who protect the pharaoh from tomb robbers. It’s a sacred duty handed down from father to son—a duty he’s determined to carry out successfully so his family retains the shapeshifter powers they cherish. Failure means death at the hands of a deadly curse.

Desperate to escape the strictures of mourning, Charlotte Webster travels to Egypt with her stepbrother. The freedom of Patria Oasis is heady after the stuffy rules of the London season. It’s full of temptation. Sethmet, their guide, is handsome and sparks forbidden desire in Charlotte. Risking censure, she embarks on a passionate affair, secret rendezvous full of lingering caresses and explosive pleasure.

Charlotte pleases both man and feline, but she’s with the men Sethmet suspects are hunting for the pharaoh’s treasure. If Charlotte is involved, he can’t protect her from the pharaoh’s curse and she’ll die with the others. Love, danger and betrayal battle beneath the blood-red desert moon as the lovers steal moments together and fate works its wiles.

Fancy a little adventure in Egypt? Look no further than Lynx to the Pharaoh!

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Congratulations to:

Connie B

You’re the winner of the Lynx to the Pharaoh ARC, and I’ve emailed you about your prize.

Thanks to everyone who visited and commented on my Egypt posts. Don’t forget you’re still entered in my monthly Blog Participation contest, which I’ll draw at the start of July. Keep your fingers crossed. You might still be a winner.

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Egypt is a popular tourist destination with its rich history and culture. During the early 1800s a stream of intrepid travelers visited the country, their accounts of the sights and people finding fascinated readers back in England. Artists such as David Roberts visited and produced art that still stands as a record of Egypt’s past.

Adventurers took art home, and some of the original pieces can still be found in the British Museum, the Louvre in Paris and the Metropolitan Museum in New York.

Around 1860 Thomas Cook started leading organized tours down the Nile while Cairo attracted a large number of foreign businessmen eager to conduct trade and make a huge profit.

Lynx to the Pharaoh takes place in 1835, Egypt in the fictitious oasis of Patria. Lady Charlotte Webster has accompanied her stepbrother William and his friend Justin to Egypt after the death of her husband. Sethmet, our hero suspects the men are searching for the tomb of the cat and want the pharaoh’s treasure—the treasure that he has sworn to protect.

One of the best known tombs is that of Tutankhamun, which Howard Carter discovered in 1922. Archaeologists are still finding lost tombs and other interesting finds, and I’m sure they’ll continue to do so for some time.

There has always been talk of curses involved when it comes to disturbing tombs. In Lynx to the Pharaoh, Sethmet’s family is charged with protecting the pharaoh and his tomb. Failure means death at the hands of a curse and the entire family will lose their feline shape shifter powers.

I can imagine the lure of finding treasure and can understand that experts would discount talk of curses. William and Justin certainly don’t believe in the curse and are determined to find the tomb of the cat. They want the riches and fame the discovery of the tomb will bring.

Imagine you’re a 19th century adventurer and you’ve traveled to Egypt, determined to find a lost tomb. Would a curse scare you off? How long would your determination last? How long would you continue your search before you gave up and went home? And what do you think of Tutankhamun’s mask?

Source: Lonely Planet, Egypt

Both photos taken at Egyptian Museum
Photo 1: jars containing organs i.e. mummy’s organs.
Photo 2: Tutankhamun’s Golden Mask

Note – I’ll announce the winner of the ARC at the end of the day (my day in NZ)

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As you can see from the photos above, we’ve ridden our camels all morning and now it’s time for a lunch stop. It’s a chance to sit out the worst of the day’s heat and relax. I’m sure our heroine, Lady Charlotte will get out her sketchpad and sketch some of the sights. Her stepbrother William and his friend Justin are probably whispering together in a shady corner and checking their maps.

Delicious scents are wafting through the makeshift camp. There’s flat bread and the local white cheese. Today we’re having Fuul, which is mashed fava beans and another dish with eggplant, tomato, garlic, oil and spices. There’s some sort of meat—it looks like strips of lamb. Oh, and there’s fresh oranges and juice along with bottled water and the usual hot tea served with mint.

I tend to have a cast-iron stomach and have only had a stomach bug once during our travels. I was very sick in Turkey and spent an entire night running to the loo. I struck up a friendship with the night guard, and he had the cheek to tell me the next morning that I looked much older than he thought. I ask you – who looks great after running to the loo all night and getting no sleep?

I eat the local food, as long as it’s vegetarian. I’ve eaten some delicious food from little roadside stalls in India, Pakistan, Turkey and of course, Egypt. The trick is to pay careful attention to their cooking and get freshly cooked food. Watch your food being cooked and make sure it isn’t reheated. A good hint is to buy from stalls that the locals frequent.

Do you like to try the local food when you’re visiting an unfamiliar place? Do you prefer to eat food you’re familiar with? Do you travel armed with anti-diarrhea pills? (Don’t forget – every comment on an Egypt post puts you in the draw to win an ARC of Lynx to the Pharaoh.)

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In honor of my upcoming release, Lynx to the Pharaoh which features a caracal shifter hero:

Thirteen Things about Caracals

1. A caracal is related to both the leopard and the lynx.

2. They have large elongated ears with long tufts of hair on the ends, which make them very distinctive.

3. The caracal has a reddish-brown coat and is short-haired.

4. The caracal makes its home in Africa, Arabia, Afghanistan and India.

5. It’s usually nocturnal but can be seen during the day.

6. A caracal is very dangerous if it’s cornered and will attack.

7. The caracal is agile, is a good climber and is known to catch its prey in the air – i.e. it will spring into the air to capture birds on the wing.

8. Men in India and Iran used to capture them and use them to hunt birds.

9. It’s generally a solitary hunter.

10. They occupy varied habitats such as grasslands, plains and rocky hills. My caracal shifter lives in the desert. This is actually not usual, but my hero is not a usual man.

11. Their tail is short.

12. Their eye color ranges from golden or copper to green or grey.

13. Lynx to the Pharaoh is a historical paranormal set in Egypt. It comes out at Ellora’s Cave on 1 July.

Here’s the blurb:

Sethmet Khalil comes from a line of shapeshifters who protect the pharaoh from tomb robbers. It’s a sacred duty handed down from father to son—a duty he’s determined to carry out successfully so his family retain the shapeshifter powers they cherish. Failure means death at the hands of a deadly curse.

Desperate to escape the strictures of mourning, Charlotte Webster travels to Egypt with her stepbrother. The freedom of Patria Oasis is heady after the stuffy rules of the London season. It’s full of temptation. Sethmet, their guide, is handsome and sparks forbidden desire in Charlotte. Risking censure, she embarks on a passionate affair, secret rendezvous full of lingering caresses and explosive pleasure.

Charlotte pleases both man and feline, but she’s with the men Sethmet suspects are hunting for the pharaoh’s treasure. If Charlotte is involved, he can’t protect her from the pharaoh’s curse and she’ll die with the others. Love, danger and betrayal battle beneath the blood-red desert moon as the lovers steal moments together and fate works its wiles.

To read an excerpt.

Win an ARC of Lynx to the Pharaoh – comment on this post or one of the other Egypt posts to come before 29 June and you’ll go into a draw to win an ARC of Lynx to the Pharaoh.

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