Tudor Tuesdays - Teaser and Giveaway

My stop on the Tudor Tuesday blog tour has finally arrived and I couldn't be more excited to host the fantastic Katherine Longshore and provide a teaser for her second novel Tarnish.

I've read Tarnish and it is beyond fabulous. I can't wait for everyone to get to read it upon it's release so that you can fall in love with it as much as I have.

Today's teaser features a meeting between Anne, and King Henry

“You are well met, Mistress Boleyn.”

I rise from my curtsy, but keep my head down. My face feels hot. Hotter than the rest of me.

“The lute!” he cries, and arrives in front of me in two beats. “Is this one yours?”

“Yes, Your Majesty.” I still can’t look at him. I may never look at him again. He must have heard me playing. Did he recognize himself in the notes?

“I played it last night. It is a fine instrument. You play well.”

“Moderately, Your Majesty.”

“Well, you must play better than your sister.” There is a rise of laughter in his voice. “For she is completely useless on the strings.”

But not in other things. I manage to hold my tongue. George would be proud.

“Anne plays exquisitely, Your Majesty,” Mary interjects. “And sings.”

“A girl after my own heart.”

He raises his hand. I can see it, beringed and bedazzling. His fingers touch my chin and lift delicately. He forces me to look him in the eye.

He is wondrous. His hair blazes and his gray eyes are like sun behind a cloud, the animated features almost seeming to blur because nothing about him is ever still.

“I greet you like a sister,” he says. But there is a hint of mischief in his half smile.

He keeps his fingers on my chin and lowers his mouth to mine. When our lips touch, it is like the alignment of stars. The hint of stubble on his upper lip tickles mine, and I realize, hysterically, that my mouth is bigger than his. The scents of cloves and orange water fill me to drowning, and for one incomparable, darting instant, I taste the sweetness of his tongue.

Katherine also shares her inspiration behind this intriguing scene

The picture we so often see of Henry VIII is of an aging, overweight man with a piercing glare—standing or sitting with arrogance and entitlement.  But as a young man, he was seen as the very picture of majesty—tall and well-built, with bright hair and a handsome face.  He was charming and playful and probably very sexy.  I wanted Anne to be infatuated by this Henry—the rock star, the quarterback.  I wanted to write a Henry we could all fall in love with—in spite of historical hindsight.

The Henry in this novel definitely much more swoon worthy than you may expect, and as Katherine says despite historical hindsight I feel many readers may fall for him right along with Anne.

Now that you've been teased, you're most likely wanting a copy for your very own. We have 2 copies up for grabs. One is a signed copy for US/Canada only. The other is unsigned but is international. Be sure to read the rules and fill out the appropriate rafflecopter. Good luck!


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