D

D
As many of you may know, our beloved sister hostess SHARON DONOVAN, tragically passed away on 11th April 2012. We who knew her, loved her, and were inspired by her courage and determination to face head on whatever life threw at her. When she could no longer see to paint she turned to writing and showed her amazing talent in the Inspirational Romance and Romantic Suspense genres, and her story 'Charade Of Hearts' was awarded the coveted Predators and Editors Award in January 2011.

This Blog was a source of great delight to her, she was one of the founder hostesses and she contributed to the fun and silliness in her own original way, and was kind enough to let her unique creation, the hunky butler 'Oliver' join us for our Friday romp and prepare 'virtual breakfast' for the guests on the following morning. It's beyond hard to have to go on without her, but we know that she would have been the first to insist that 'the show must go on.' She is, and will always be with us in spirit.
Sharon, dear friend, we will never forget you.
The Author Roast and Toast is part of the legacy you left us. Let's raise a Toast to you as well as all our guests.
***********************************************************

Friday, February 20, 2015

Lilly Gayle celebrates the upcoming release of 'Slightly Noble' with a Victorian ball



“Oh, how lovely.” LaVerne presses a gloved hand to her chest as the open carriage rumbles over the cobblestone drive leading to the sprawling Victorian country manor.

“Wow,” Mac leans over her shoulder for a better view. “It’s beautiful, but can you imagine having to clean all those windows?” An exaggerated shudder rolls over her.


 Lyn laughs. “In Victorian days, the lady of the house would have had a housekeeper and staff to do that sort of thing, Mac.”

“And a good thing, too. I don’t know how anyone could work wearing all this stuff.” An unhappy frown turns Mac’s lips down as she shoves at the yards of material tangling around her legs. “With my luck, I wouldn’t have been gentry. I would’ve been one of those scullery maids, schlepping buckets of sudsy water up countless flights of stairs.”

Mary wears a smug smile as she runs her hand over the silk of her gown’s long skirt. “Well, I definitely would have been part of the gentry. I was born to wear clothes like this.”

“Not me.” Mac shifts on the seat and tugs at the tight bodice. “How the hell did women stand it? Give me jeans and a tank top and I’m happy.”

The carriage comes to a stop and a handsome footman stepsd down from the back to round the carriage and open the door. He holds out his gloved hand to Lyn. She places her hand in his and alights to the ground then turns to the other hostesses with a grin. “Today we’re all gentry. Lilly said so and it’s her party.”

Mary rises gracefully to her feet and flutters her lashes at the footman as she takes his hand to follow Lyn. LaVerne steps from the carriage next while Mac gathers the yards of material she is smothered in to follow.

Excitement stirs as they approach the manor’s large front door. A wrinkle mars Mary’s forehead as she eyes Mac’s dress. “Are you wearing a bustle, Mac?”

“No. Just those four petticoat things that came with the dress.” Mac arches her neck and turns in a half circle as she attempts to check out the back of her gown. “Why, does my butt look big?”

LaVerne snickers “Not big, you just look a little puffier than usual.”

Lyn arches a brow. “My dress didn’t come with a petticoat thing.”

“Mine neither.” Mary bites her lip as if holding back a laugh.

Mac looks at LaVerne, who shakes her head.

“Oh, my God. Am I wearing everyone’s underwear?”

Mary and Lyn exchanged wide-eyed glances and LaVerne covers her mouth with gloved fingers before all three burst out laughing.

“Well, that’s just perfect.” Mac turns and stomps toward the manor. “I’m going to kill Lilly. She’s the expert at all things Victorian. She should have left instructions for getting into these getups.”

Still laughing, the hostesses hurry to follow her. Lyn wraps an arm around her shoulder to give her a comforting squeeze as they pass through the large open doors. “I’m sure there is somewhere you can change.” Mac scowls further when she continues to snicker.



Delicious scents and soft music wrap around them as they turn  into the grand ball room full of colorfully attired women and smartly dressed men. 
 





The tables are laden with a traditional British feast. Beef Wellington, roast pork, lamb, Roast beef and Yorkshire pudding, hams, smoked salmon and whole chickens. and seafood dishes. 









For desert there are scones with raspberry jam and Devonshire clotted cream, strawberries and fresh cream and assorted cakes, and tea served from a delicate bone china teapot.



“Oh, you’re here! I’m so excited. Isn’t everything lovely?” Lilly wears a huge smile as she floats to a stop, looking gorgeous in her pale pink gown. Dapper in his tuxedo, Oliver stands at her side with a tray of fluted glasses full of sparkling wine.

LaVerne hugs  Lilly and grins “It’s beautiful and the perfect venue to celebrate your new release.”

“Yes, congratulations, Lilly. Everything is fabulous,” Mac growls and holds out her hand. “Oliver, if you wouldn’t mind. I really need one of those.”

Mary laughs and winks at Lilly. “Mac’s having a bit of a wardrobe malfunction.”

Lilly cocks her head and frowns as she eyes Mac’s puffy dress. Lyn grins. “We’ll explain later, but for now,” she accepts the glass Oliver hands her and holds  it up in a toast. “To Lilly and Slightly Noble. Congratulations, my friend.”



This week's introductory 'skit' was written by Mac





American privateer, Captain Jack isn't really an American, but heir to a viscountcy. When his father dies, he leaves everything not entailed with the estate to his worthless cousin. Jack's only hope of inheriting his mother's ancestral home and honoring her dying wish is to marry and produce an heir before his thirty-fifth birthday—in five months. And he doesn't have a single prospect. 
Pregnant and unwed, Abigail Halsey is sent by her father to an Anglican convent until he can find a family to adopt his grandchild or a husband for his daughter. Abby has other plans, but they go awry when she goes into labor early and her rescuer, a pirate captain turned lord, insists on marrying her.

Is Jack too much like his jealous, unforgiving father? Can Abby overcome her fear of men and have a real marriage? Or will she never be anything more than the unwanted wife of a Slightly Noble Viscount? 

Excerpt:

PURCHASE AT AMAZON
She raised her chin. “I am a commoner, but as you have guessed, my father was accepted in certain social circles. Accepted, but not always welcomed.”

“Well, you will be accepted now, Abby. You are a viscountess.” His voice softened, but his eyes shone with disappointment. Was it because he had hoped she would confide in him? Or because she had confessed her humble origins?

Pride stiffened her spine. “I am more than just a viscountess. I am a wife and mother, and if I am to be a good wife, at some point, I must act like a wife.” This meant running a household, not living on a ship. She did not want to argue or have him ask more questions about her past, but she could not bear living aboard ship indefinitely.

He started, his expression surprised. Then a slow smile spread over his face, and his eyes burned as if he had a fever. He leaned over the table, his face mere inches from hers. “A real wife sleeps in her husband’s bed.”

Abby’s breath hitched. Her pulse jumped. Oh Dear! He had taken her meaning all wrong. Heat rushed to her cheeks and her flesh tingled. “What I meant...That is, I should be running your household.”

“We live on a ship.” He leaned back in his chair. He still smiled, but it was now more humorous than...amorous?

She shivered, unable to suppress a brief surge of longing. What would it be like to kiss that hard mouth? To feel his lips pressed against hers?

Dear Lord! What is wrong with me?

After the abuse she had suffered at Lord Drury’s hands, she need no longer wonder about such things. Yet, her skin flushed and her lips tingled.

It must be childbirth fever. Something was putting mad thoughts in her head, and she refused to admit, even to herself, that Jack was responsible for the low-spreading warmth.

About the Author:
Lilly Gayle is a wife, mother of two grown daughters, a new grandmother, and a breast cancer survivor. She lives in North Carolina with her husband and when not working as an x-ray technologist and mammographer, Lilly writes paranormal and historical romances.

Over the years, she's convinced her family to take side trips to museums and historic sites while on vacation. Her daughters never complained—to her face—and thankfully, her husband enjoys those same activities. However, he doesn't seem to enjoy science fiction and the paranormal as much as Lilly would like.

Lilly grew up watching western, science fiction, and paranormal movies and television with her father. Her mother and both grandmothers taught her a love and respect for history, and she credits her love for reading and passion for writing to three wonderful teachers.

***GIVEAWAY***
To win a copy of Lilly's book, all you have to do is just leave a comment and your e-mail address.
Contest ends on Sunday and everyone who comments is eligible.
(We reserve the right to waive the prize in any week when there are not enough contestants for a draw to be deemed fair and unbiased)

45 comments:

  1. Hi Lilly,! *Lyn hugs her sister hostess* Welcome to your own Roast and congratulations on your forthcoming release. It sounds wonderful and what a gorgeous cover!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Good Morning, Lilly, Hostesses. Love the post and the food, right down my alley as good stuff. Congratulations on the release and many sales to you. Patsy

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Miss you Patsy! Come back to us!!

      Delete
    2. Hiya Patsy! *waving frantically* How are you, sweetie? We miss you.

      Delete
  3. Hi Patsy, how are you doing? So glad you could stop by the party, Oliver's grinning from ear to ear he's pleased to see you too!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Patsy! Welcome back. We love having you here. Especially for MY roast! Why, I think you were one of the hostesses when we celebrated the release of my earlier "Slightly" romance. We celebrated the release of Slightly Tarnished on a beach way back in the summer of 2011. And now, here we are for the release of Slightly Noble at this beautiful estate. Jack and Abby are thrilled, especially since you invited Chad and Nikki from Slightly Tarnished. It's going to be such a fun day. Thank you my sister hostesses for planing this lovely soiree on my behalf! *sniffs*

    ReplyDelete
  5. Aw Lilly, it's always a pleasure to hold a party for you! And it's wonderful to see Patsy again too, as you say, I think you're right that she was a hostess when you released 'Slightly Tarnished'!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Everything looks lovely and tastes delicious. I love beef Wellington and many other British foods. Cottage Pie is delicious (but that might be more Irish than British) and I love anything with seafood. But, blood pudding and kidney pie sound kind of nasty. Not sure about spotted dick, but then...I don't see any here today. So, tell me....does it look better than the name implies? lol!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Looks wonderful, Lilly :-) As always, Lyn, Mary, Mac, etc., you've done a great job--and made me smile and LOL. Still hoping Oliver will stop by my house sometime!
    Continued success to all of you lovely ladies! Hugs...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. LOL We're all hoping Oliver will give us a private visit, Diane. Thanks for stopping in.

      Delete
  8. Lilly, you are an amazing author! I think I look better in this dress. My girls are really firm in this torture devise! I hope you sell a ton! I love the sound of this story...

    ReplyDelete
  9. Oh, my, that cover is terrific. Just imagine...

    ReplyDelete
  10. I'd like to look at the spotted dick myself. Just look, not sure about eating it!! LOL

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Mary....I have some thoughts on this spotted dick conversation, but well...this is a PG 13 site. So.....lol!

      Delete
  11. Phew! I'm back, less the extra layers. *waggles brows* I wonder what people will think when they see all that underwear piled on the floor in the powder room. :-)

    ReplyDelete
  12. Oh, Mac at least with all the underwear on, you would stay warm. Could use some extra clothing around here with this sleet and snow. LOL Love your Author Roast and Toast.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. LOL There's a whole pile of extra underwear down the hall. Help yourself, and thanks for popping in, sweetie.

      Delete
  13. Hi Diane, Hi Grannymama!

    Hey Mac, I hope you left those petticoats tidy! We'll need to salvage them and put them on underneath these dresses - crinolines gowns just don't look as good without a good flouncy petticoat to give them some volume. I'm very glad I didn't live in Victorian times really though - I'd have hated to have to wear the hooped whalebone framed petticoats they had then, and they must have been very difficult to sit down in!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. LOL Lyn, I keep picturing Carol Burnett in her drape dress.

      Delete
  14. Oh by the way, spotted dick is actually quite tasty, with plenty of creamy custard poured over. Imagine a pale coloured Christmas pudding, it's just a sponge fruit pudding, that's all. I agree about the blood pudding, Lilly, although I'm a Brit, I've never tried it - it sounds revolting. I hate steak and kidney pie too, can't stand offal of any sort! Like you, I do like a bit of cottage pie myself !

    ReplyDelete
  15. All this talk about food makes me hungry. And there's plenty here. Everyone help yourself.. Oh, and I just love these fruity concoctions Oliver makes. If he ever decides to do home visits, I think we'd all be fighting over him!

    ReplyDelete
  16. How about I share another excerpt? Here's one I find especially intriguing. Hope it makes you want to read more....
    which they had just come.
    Jack raked a hand through his overlong hair,
    dislodging strands from the queue tied at the nape of his
    neck. Then with a curse, he gently nudged the nun aside
    and climbed into the coach. The hot, sour air nearly
    stole his breath.
    As his eyes adjusted to the dim light, he took in the
    woman lying across the squabs, her slender fingers
    moving in concentric circles over her abdomen as she
    moaned low in her throat and chanted. “Don’t let mybaby die. Please don’t let my baby die.”
    Jack offered an encouraging smile, but sweat
    darkened the ash blonde hair hanging over her face,
    concealing her features. Then she raised a stubborn
    chin, piercing him with pain-filled blue eyes—eyes that
    seemed to tug at his soul. Shaking off a sense of déjà
    vu, he bent forward and scooped her into his arms.
    “Put me down. You could jostle the baby,” she
    whimpered, as if afraid the child would drop out onto
    the carriage floor.
    Jack’s stomach churned. Was that even a
    possibility? He looked down, praying he would not see
    a baby dangling from its umbilical cord. He saw blood
    instead. Lots of blood.

    ReplyDelete
  17. How about I share another excerpt? Here's one I find especially intriguing. Hope it makes you want to read more....
    which they had just come.
    Jack raked a hand through his overlong hair,
    dislodging strands from the queue tied at the nape of his
    neck. Then with a curse, he gently nudged the nun aside
    and climbed into the coach. The hot, sour air nearly
    stole his breath.
    As his eyes adjusted to the dim light, he took in the
    woman lying across the squabs, her slender fingers
    moving in concentric circles over her abdomen as she
    moaned low in her throat and chanted. “Don’t let mybaby die. Please don’t let my baby die.”
    Jack offered an encouraging smile, but sweat
    darkened the ash blonde hair hanging over her face,
    concealing her features. Then she raised a stubborn
    chin, piercing him with pain-filled blue eyes—eyes that
    seemed to tug at his soul. Shaking off a sense of déjà
    vu, he bent forward and scooped her into his arms.
    “Put me down. You could jostle the baby,” she
    whimpered, as if afraid the child would drop out onto
    the carriage floor.
    Jack’s stomach churned. Was that even a
    possibility? He looked down, praying he would not see
    a baby dangling from its umbilical cord. He saw blood
    instead. Lots of blood.

    ReplyDelete
  18. Great excerpt Lilly, on my way to buy it!

    ReplyDelete
  19. Oh, my, Lilly. Yeah, that's a good one.

    ReplyDelete
  20. I'm really going to have to add this to my rbr list! Lilly, am I right in thinking it's out now on Amazon but not officially published until next week at TWRP?

    ReplyDelete
  21. I love when we do a roast for one of us. I just wish you could sell a million. Mac, great skit. I wish we were all famous. LOL and making money too!

    ReplyDelete
  22. You can pre-order on Amazon but I don't think it will actually download until next week. :(

    ReplyDelete
  23. Thanks Lilly, I'll make a note! Sorry, I'm on my laptop and it won't let me comment as myself for some reason :)
    Lyn

    ReplyDelete
  24. I just ran to my kindle to see if it has downloaded yet, but nope. Still waiting, like all good things :) I adore your writing, Lilly! Loved that excerpt.

    You girls all look amazing in your dresses - and Mac *giggle, snort*. You never fail to make me laugh! :)

    When I was a kid, I loved black pudding, right up until the day I discovered what it was made from *shudder* Haven't touched the stuff since.

    ReplyDelete
  25. Thanks LaVerne. I ate mountain oysters once and loved them. My grandfather was eating them so I wanted one. My dad just kept saying something about not being able to eat them. I couldn't figure out why. He loves seafood. So I asked him. He said, "They're mountain oysters." I said, "I know. They're good. Why don't you want them?"
    He looked at me as if I were quite dense. "Mountain oysters?"
    I said, "Yeah. So, They are oysters from the mountains." (Keep in mind I was about 10) My dad shook his head in disgust. "Think about it. There aren't any oceans in the mountains." I swallowed the last of my delicious, fried mountain oysters, contemplating where they might have come from if not from the ocean. "So, what are they, oysters from a river?" Rivers ran into oceans. Didn't they? My dad just shook his head and with a face as red as a tomato, he said, "They're pig balls, Gayle. Pig balls!" I ran to the bathroom like a dethroned drama queen, gagging and choking. And I haven't eaten one since. So, yeah, I totally understand your not eating black pudding EVER again. lol!

    ReplyDelete
  26. Ugh! I'd be right there puking with you! Nite ladies, hope you sleep well...

    ReplyDelete
  27. Lilly, I don't know which one of your books I like the best, but SLIGHTLY TARNISHED and SLIGHTLY NOBLE are at the top of my list. I love the character Captain Jack for more than one reason, as my husband's name was Jack. Both Jack's were and are rounders. Abby could sure hold her own and proved that she was a strong woman. You are an amazing writer, cuz! Hello to the rest of the roasters, missed you!
    Rebecca

    ReplyDelete
  28. So happy to see you here, Becky! I hope you're having fun at my roast. And I am so happy you enjoyed Slightly Noble as much as you liked Slightly Tarnished. Jack was one of my favorite characters to write.

    ReplyDelete
  29. Love the excerpts! Don't know how wide I'd look in those fashions, so I'll leave them to you, but I will be checking out the desserts!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Good morning Donna! Thanks for stopping by. I'm drooling over the traditional English breakfast, but I'll be skipping the kidney pie and blood pudding. Ewww!

      Delete
  30. Loved the feast and he excerpt. Good luck with the book.

    ReplyDelete
  31. Hi Donna and Marlow, so glad you could join us, glad you enjoyed Lilly's excerpts as much as we did!

    ReplyDelete
  32. *waves* to Becca - I'm sure I did say hello before, but I've no idea what happened to my comment! Blogger ate it I guess!

    ReplyDelete
  33. Looks like the party has finally come to an end. Thank you all so much for coming. And Thank you to my sister hostesses for throwing such a fabulous release party for me!

    ReplyDelete

AUTHOR ROAST AND TOAST

AUTHOR ROAST AND TOAST
authorroast@btinternet.com
WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE OUR GUEST? DO YOU WANT TO PROMOTE YOUR NEW RELEASE OR EVEN AN OLDER ONE?IF YOU FANCY BEING GUEST OF HONOUR AT ONE OF OUR PARTIES JUST EMAIL US AT THE ADDRESS in 'OLIVER'S RULES'!(PLEASE NOTE THIS IS A 'G' RATED BLOG SO NOTHING HIGHER THAN THIS RATING, PLEASE.)