Guest Post by Author K. Reed with Awesome Post-Apocalypse Giveaway and a Chance to win an iPOD with a simple comment!

The author will award nine Post-apocalypse survival baskets (which include tea, a fan, a shawl, a bracelet and more -- Plus ONE Grand Prize basket will include an iPod Touch) to randomly drawn commenters during the tour and one to the host with the most comments (excluding hers and the host's) - US/Canada only.  COMMENT TO WIN THIS AWESOME PRIZE!

The once glittering ballrooms of Regency England now lay desolate. A plague has ravaged the countryside. The government has fallen. What vestiges of order remained have been consumed by the endless funeral pyres.

Grayson, once the Baron of Harwich, sought only to protect his people. Rescuing a half-dead woman was not among his plans. But something about her pulled at him. Perhaps it was her beauty, still evident beneath the pallor of loss. Perhaps it was the recently fired rifle at her side. Or maybe he was simply tried of death. All he knew was that the plague had taken too much already. He couldn’t let it take her as well.
Lady Juliette Adair had been ready to die with her brother. She didn't expect to be shown mercy in a world that had no room for mercy. When Grayson saved her she questioned his motives but soon found herself intrigued by him, drawn to him.
Societal rules were a thing of the past, dead along with the ton. Juliette had no manner by which to measure her growing closeness to Grayson any longer. But when she discovers he may not be the man she thought she knew more is at stake than just her heart. The secrets she carries could make a king or destroy one.

Summary

Excerpt:

He didn’t know what made him look, what sound captured his attention, but he suddenly knew he was not alone. Cursing his carelessness, he drew his sword and looked around. There, on the opposite side of the bed, pushed against the wall.
She lay on a settee, head resting on one arm, dark hair falling down the side of the sofa. He glanced to the bed, to the man there, and wondered who the dead pair were. She looked to have survived the plague; her face and neck were thin and smooth. Died of neglect, then. The last living being in the house and she couldn’t summon the strength to feed herself.

His eyes locked on the rifle lying just under her reach. Sheathing his sword, it was then he noticed that powder marks blackened her hands and were smudged along her face and neck. He quickly scanned the area, a small bag of powder and a case of shot rested on a nearby chair.

Cautiously walking closer, Grayson crouched before the prone figure and surprised himself by reaching out to touch her. He stopped just short of her cheek, curling his fingers into a fist. He took a brief moment to admire her beauty.
Even in death, she captivated.

Standing, he picked up the rifle and backed away, turning to search the rest of the room before he’d take the powder and shot.

That was when he heard her moan.

Thanks for having me today! So you want to know why I wanted to write a post-apocalyptic Regency romance. It’s simple. Simple-ish.

Almost 200 years after her death, Jane Austen is still incredibly popular. Many authors made and still make a great success for their names writing Regency romances. Harlequin’s historical line is composed of nearly all Regencies. Okay, and I admit it--Regencies have always been a personal favorite. Jane Austen is one of my favorite authors.

One day as I sat at my computer, wondering how to be different in the Regency romance world, how to set myself apart, how to not be one of many, and then inspiration hit. It hit after too much History Channel, entirely too much time staring at the blank page of my computer screen, too much time thinking about this, and possibly too much alcohol one evening.

The idea for Dark Inheritance: Fallen Empire wouldn’t leave me alone. It was certainly different! And certainly one way to set myself apart in the Regency Romance world. But it’s still a big risk. Regency readers expect a certain style, certain elements of the world to be in the story. After all, what’s a Regency without the ton? Or balls, galas, gowns, and nobility?

Dark Inheritance, while it may have some of those elements present, is a very different look at what a Regency romance can be.

Then there’s the risk. How do I present a new version of a Regency romance in such a dystopian world? Risk yes, and excitement! This is a brave new world and I can play with the elements of a traditional Regency and yet turn them on their ear. Put the drama of courtship front and center in a world where the societal rules are either dead or dying.

But this world shows a Regency romance as it would develop in a fractured setting. Here’s an excerpt to whet your appetite, read on and let me know if my risk was worth it!

Author Bio:

Romance author with an historical twist.

Too many post-apocalyptic stories, movies, and what-ifs crowded her head, and K Reed decided to do something about it. So she plotted one out, decided an historical post-apocalyptic romance was the way to go, and wrote that one instead.

A lover of all things historical, of strong heroes with equally strong heroines, and of sexy pirates, she’s going to explore the post-apocalyptic world of plague-ridden 1804 and the gritty criminal element of Victorian England.

Luckily she has an understanding family, supportive friends, and a day job that offers her the flexibility she needs to plot, plan, and write. Sure, one day she’d like to travel the country in search of fantastic storylines and great locale pictures, but for now she’ll stick to the east coast and the internet.

@kreedauthor
http://www.kreedauthor.com/
kreedauthor@yahoo.com

This product or book may have been distributed for review, this in no way affects my opinions or reviews.