​The first book I ever bought by myself was The Enchanted Forest, a story of fairies, elves, goblins and witches, written by Ida Rentoul Outhwaite and her husband Grenbry Outhwaite. I bought it at a jumble sale and it was already old. The pages fragile and the cover barely attached. Even at that age I recognised it as something very precious. It still resides on my bookshelf, and despite many readings remains in much the same state as when I first picked it up.
Not only was the story appealing to a young girl, but it was filled with the most beautiful pictures, one of which caught my imagination and held it for many years.
It was a coloured plate entitled ‘The Witch’s Sister on her Black Bat’.
When I began to write the novella Rose Moon, this was the image that set the opening scene. This was the witch who I imagined as my Midnight.
                                ***
Bakke carried his mistress through the summer night’s sky with fluid ease. Midnight threw back her head and laughed, face luminous with the pure joy of anticipation. They had waited so very long for this time to arrive and had just one more day to mark.
Her nipples puckered at the mere thought of it. She allowed her fingers to graze against them through the sheerest layer of white chiffon. It would be so easy to slide her fingers between her thighs and stroke herself into delight, but an orgasm now would weaken her magic, and her sisters would be furious with her.
With a soft sigh of frustration, she flung her arms wide and allowed the movement of the warm air to caress her form. The silver-shot fabric of her diaphanous slip fluttered across her body, dipping and swirling with the slow even beat of the bat’s wings. Raven curls tumbled in a flurry around her pale face.
Half a dozen smaller bats flitted overhead, accompanying their witch on her quest.
“Look, my darlings. See how my moon casts its silver trail on the water below us to guide our way? It won’t be long now, we’re almost there.”
Bakke swooped low over the clumps of bulrushes bordering the edge of the waterway and headed into the depths of the forest. His sinuous flight path through the maze of broad tree trunks tilted upwards to match the rise of the ground beneath them. They flew in darkness until the trees thinned to allow a glimmer of silvery moonlight, then they burst once more into open space. Midnight, Bakke and the bat familiars circled higher until they hovered above the tor that protruded with phallic insolence from the clearing in the surrounding forest.
                                                       ***
A sweet and gentle start, but trust me…the tale gets much darker and mayhem, death and destruction soon follow!
Once again, I’ve teamed up with three other authors, under the expert guidance of Devi Ansevi, to put together a steaming hot addition to the PNRLust Anthologies.
Lust in Summer: Paranormal Erotic Anthology Vol. 7 is available on Amazon for your reading pleasure. Please indulge!

I'm thrilled to share with you that Emmanuelle de Maupassant (one of my favourite authors) has launched her saucy 1920s romance romp: 'Highland Pursuits’.
 
1920s debutante Lady Ophelia Finchingfield is banished to wildest Scotland to come to her senses, having refused a proposal from the Earl of Woldershire. In the care of her eccentric grandmother, Ophelia is soon caught between rugged widower Hamish and the villainous Comte de Montefiore.
 
She’s ready to play with fire, but will she burn more than her fingers?

'Highland Pursuits' draws inspiration from a short story of the same title Emmanuelle wrote for the charity fundraising anthology Because Beards: all proceeds from the anthology were given to the Movember Foundation.
 
This longer, novella, length offers more scope to explore the wonderful characters' eye-popping shenanigans. Hamish and Ophelia were in Emmanuelle’s dreams for many weeks, as she wrote this story. 

 In celebration of the launch, Emmanuelle is not only offering three signed paperback copies, via Goodreads here, but has her entire catalogue on sale for 99c/99p from March 1st-8th: Baby Love, Scarlet, Cautionary Tales and Gentlemen's Club (as recommended by Stylist Magazine)
 
 What readers are saying
 

• I can’t tell you how much I love this book. It was a true delight to read. The author has captured 1920s Britain wonderfully, and her detail is exquisite. – Rachel De Vine 
• As a comedy of manners, this is exceptionally well done. – Fionna Guillaume 
• Highland Pursuits is a wry, clever, incredibly sexy romp… a completely engrossing, utterly enjoyable read. I can't recommend it highly enough…fabulously fun - Malin James
• The scene was set beautifully… I felt like I went back in time to high society Scotland - Christine of Sweet and Spicy Reads

 
  
Find 'Highland Pursuits' on Goodreads  and for sale on Amazon
 
Pssst…  if you enjoy Highland Pursuits, don’t forget to leave a review. Reviews make books more visible online, bringing new eyes. If you're on Twitter or Facebook, tag Emmanuelle in your review post and she'll say hello (she's sweet like that!). 
 
How to find Emmanuelle on Social Media...
 
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