Weekly excerpt at Slip Into Something Victorian

I'm posting an excerpt from my Civil War Christmas story over at Slip Into Something Victorian today. Sort of a Christmas in July theme.

This excerpt is from the historical Christmas anthology, An American Rose Christmas.

Two excerpts for the price of one and final day of contest

Since this is the last day of my contest, I thought I'd post my last two excerpts together. The first is from Sweet Redemption, my stand-alone vampire novella, available as an e-book.

The second from my Civil War Christmas novella, part of the An American Rose Christmas anthology. Hope you enjoy both.

Excerpt from Sweet Redemption:

She eyed him coldly. "Sir, I'm not in the habit of taking prisoners."

"Sorry, ma'am." He inspected himself under the blanket. Both his greatcoat and military coat had been removed as well as his belt and revolver. "My things--"

"Are hidden, Captain. It wouldn't be wise to have them on your person if Confederate troops are hereabout."

"I agree with your reasoning, ma'am, but where are they?"

"In a safe place."

He struggled to sit, but his muscles protested, and he slumped back to the floor.

"Easy, Captain. You're very pale. Have you been ill?"

"No, I..." He recalled Arnwolf and the barn. Had that really happened, or had it just been a dream?

"Now you're awake, I'll heat up some broth. You look like you could use some."

"Thank you, ma'am."

She hesitated, a blush coloring her ivory skin. "When I took off your coat, I noticed two raised bumps on your neck. I thought they might be bites."

He fingered the bumps. So, it hadn't been a dream.

"A wild dog attacked me. Out in the woods."

"A wild dog?" She shuddered. "I didn't know there were any around here."

"It's the truth, ma'am." Even as he said it, he cringed inwardly at his lie.

Her gaze narrowed as she studied him. "But when I took off your coat, I didn't see any blood."

No blood? Come to think of it, he hadn't noticed any when he woke in the barn. "I'm not real sure how that happened, ma'am."

She rose, studied him once more, then left the room.

He lay back, reflecting on what had happened. If the man, Reverend Arnwolf was a minister, he must be a fallen one. Like me.

Was that why the creature had come to drag him to his doom? Was God angry that Jon had left the priesthood? This couldn't be a coincidence. Hopefully, the man was gone, and he'd never come across him again. But he couldn't get those glowing red eyes out of his mind.

Satan himself couldn't have frightened him more. He fingered the crucifix.

For more info and to read review, visit my vampire romance page http://susanmacatee.com/myvampireromances.html

To purchase Sweet Redemption http://thewildrosepress.com/sweet-redemption-p-3750.html?zenid=efc2f41ac353b198c6926be0514ff6ab

Excerpt from The Christmas Ball, part of the anthology An American Rose Christmas

Sara closed her eyes and breathed deeply. Doc Ellison's kiss had scattered her senses. For months she'd dreamed of being in his arms. As he reached for the buttons on her shirt, her breath caught. His hands on her body thrilled her. She'd never felt like this before.

After loosening the buttons, he opened the shirt and gazed at her bosom.

She studied him, wondering what he was thinking. Did he like what he saw?

He dropped his hands and half-turned away.

"Please," she gasped. "Don't stop."

Turning back, his gaze roved over her. She tried to read his expression. Was that desire she saw, or disgust?

"We should be going now," he said. His gaze dropped to the hay strewn ground.

"No!" Boldly she reached out and fingered the buttons of his coat. He didn't move as she slowly undid them and parted the material. Her fingers tingled as they brushed over his shirt, feeling hardened muscle beneath.

His breath hitched, but he gently pushed her away. "Miss Brewster, we mustn't..."

"Doc!" A shout from outside, startled her. She jerked away from the doctor and scanned the barn opening.

"Yes," Ellison called. He eyed her. "You'd best go."

She nodded, hurriedly fastening her buttons. One of the other stewards approached. His dark eyes slid from her to the doctor. "They don't need me in the hospital tent, and told me to come on over and give you a hand."

Ellison glanced at Sara. "We're about finished here. I was on my way back."

"All right, Doc," the soldier said. "I'll head back with you."

She swallowed, not sure she could find her voice. "Ah... I'm off duty, so I reckon I'll head back to my tent."

Ellison reached up and gave her shoulder a squeeze. "I'll see you tomorrow."

She caught his gaze, trying to gauge his thoughts. Would he have allowed her to undress him if they hadn't been interrupted?

The Christmas Ball is part of the American historical Christmas anthology, An American Rose Christmas, available at The Wild Rose Press and discounted for the holidays http://www.thewildrosepress.com/an-american-rose-christmas-p-3807.html?zenid=fbfeb2eb47f18b45e780e54c46f21563

More excerpts and links to reviews are on my website: http://www.susanmacatee.com/

And be sure to check out my post on the Christmas Tree in Victorian America over at Slip Into Something Victorian.

And check back here on the 26th to see who won the TWRP gift certificate.

A Pre-Christmas Treat

Since we're now past Thanksgiving, I thought I'd remind everyone about my novella, The Christmas Ball, from the American historical Christmas anthology, An American Rose Christmas.

The anthology came out a year ago and The Wild Rose Press is offering an e-book copy for the price of $4.20. It's also available in print.

And I've got a new excerpt from my Civil War Christmas story to entice you.

Excerpt from The Christmas Ball:

Sara closed her eyes and breathed deeply. Doc Ellison's kiss had scattered her senses. For months she'd dreamed of being in his arms. As he reached for the buttons on her shirt, her breath caught. His hands on her body thrilled her. She'd never felt like this before.


After loosening the buttons, he opened the shirt and gazed at her bosom.

She studied him, wondering what he was thinking. Did he like what he saw?

He dropped his hands and half-turned away.

"Please," she gasped. "Don't stop."

Turning back, his gaze roved over her. She tried to read his expression. Was that desire she saw, or disgust?

"We should be going now," he said. His gaze dropped to the hay strewn ground.

"No!" Boldly she reached out and fingered the buttons of his coat. He didn't move as she slowly undid them and parted the material. Her fingers tingled as they brushed over his shirt, feeling hardened muscle beneath.

His breath hitched, but he gently pushed her away. "Miss Brewster, we mustn't..."

"Doc!" A shout from outside, startled her. She jerked away from the doctor and scanned the barn opening.

"Yes," Ellison called. He eyed her. "You'd best go."

She nodded, hurriedly fastening her buttons. One of the other stewards approached. His dark eyes slid from her to the doctor. "They don't need me in the hospital tent, and told me to come on over and give you a hand."

Ellison glanced at Sara. "We're about finished here. I was on my way back."

"All right, Doc," the soldier said. "I'll head back with you."

She swallowed, not sure she could find her voice. "Ah... I'm off duty, so I reckon I’ll head back to my tent."

Ellison reached up and gave her shoulder a squeeze. "I'll see you tomorrow."

She caught his gaze, trying to gauge his thoughts. Would he have allowed her to undress him if they hadn't been interrupted?

The Christmas Ball is part of the anthology An American Rose Christmas. For more information visit my website http://susanmacatee.com/americanrosechristmas.html

To purchase from The Wild Rose Press http://www.thewildrosepress.com/an-american-rose-christmas-p-3807.html

Another Gorgeous Cover to Show Off

Look at the beautiful cover Nicola Martinez designed for the American historical Christmas anthology, An American Rose Christmas!!

My story, The Christmas Ball, will be part of this anthology, along with stories by Tori Anne, Donna Dalton, Lauri Robinson, Carol A. Spradling and Beth Trissel.

We don't have an official blurb yet, but here's one for my own story:

Sara Brewster, a young woman disguised as a man to serve as a soldier in the Union army, is secretly in love with camp surgeon, Kirk Ellison. When Sara is wounded, the doctor discovers her secret.

Once the shock of discovering the soldier Kirk thought of as a boy is a young woman, his protective feelings evolve into a growing attraction. When he's transferred to Washington D.C., he arranges for her to be transferred as well, to keep her by his side.

At a lavish ball on Christmas Eve, Sara is transformed into a ballroom beauty, and Kirk’s passions are aroused. He has to have her for his wife. But while farm girl Sara would love to marry the handsome doctor, she doesn’t feel worthy of him, fearing he'll ultimately be ashamed of her when she can’t live up to the task of being the wife of a prominent Washington physician.