April 18, 2011

Welcome Guest Blogger Loreen Augeri


My book, Tormented Hearts, is about a tortured hero. The manuscript I just finished editing deals with a tormented heroine. I can’t decide which character I most like to write and read about.

I enjoy the suffering hero because I want to reach out and comfort him and help him heal. I long for the heroine to make him whole again. I hope the reader will experience the same feelings when reading my books.

As a female, I can relate to a tortured heroine. I imagine I am her and I experience every emotion she encounters. Since it is a romance, I know everything will work out in the end and the hero and heroine will live happily ever after.

Who do you prefer reading and writing about, a tortured hero or heroine?

Tormented Hearts is a novel in the English Tea Rose line of The Wild Rose Press. Join me at www.loreenaugeri.com to learn more about me or Tormented Hearts.



TORMENTED HEARTS
Loreen Augeri

available now The Wild Rose Press

The world of Brett Armstrong, the Earl of Tremont, collapses when his wife and unborn child die. Determined to punish himself for the part he played in their demise, he turns his back on society and retreats to the country. Hard, physical labor during the day and mind-numbing gin at night help to keep at bay the demons that threaten to devour him. Until Catherine Hammond creeps into his world. Not wishing to resurrect his dormant emotions and the resulting pain, Brett struggles against the sensuality she exudes and battles to defeat his rising desire.

Abused by her aristocratic husband, commoner Catherine Hammond flees from his cruelty. Her hope is to hide and create a new life. She vows to never again associate with the upper classes that have heaped unbearable pain upon her family. Escaping without funds, Catherine is forced to work as a servant in the Earl of Tremont's household. His tantalizing, amorous advances ignite a fire within the cold regions of her heart, but she refuses to fall in love with a man who may destroy her.


As she stalked past him, his fingers grazed her shoulder to halt her. A sizzling warmth pierced her skin and swirled throughout her body. Catherine restrained the gasp that fought to break from her lips. She’d prayed the sensations she experienced last night resulted from the lingering effects of the dream and lack of sleep, but they seared her again.

Brett jerked his hand back as if she scalded him, and it hovered in the air above her shoulder. Unsure, she turned to him. The pulse in his temple beat at a frantic rate, and the muscles in his jaw clenched. It affected him, too. She delved deep into his eyes, and the turmoil that appeared to tear him in different directions caught and captured her.

She yearned for the heat of his fingers to engulf her again, to feel his body pressed against hers like last night, the whisper of his breath on her cheek, the exquisite thrill of not being alone. Her gaze fell to his appealing, moist lips. Not thin and dry like Lord Wallingford’s.

Brett leaned toward her and then withdrew. He swallowed, and his Adam’s apple bobbed before he cleared his throat. “You can stay here with him.”

She blinked as the strange immediacy to be embraced faded away. What had she been thinking? She never wanted another man to touch her. Ever. Especially not one of his station.

16 comments:

Sarah said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Sarah Grimm said...

Wow, what a way to start the day...with Blogger giving me fits. Let's see if it signs me in correctly this time. :)


Loreen-

Happy to have you at my blog today. Tormented Hearts sounds wonderful.

~Sarah

Loreen Augeri said...

Thanks for having me on your blogpp today, Sarah.

Loreen Augeri said...

Let me try that again. Thanks for having me on your blog today, Sarah.

AJ Nuest said...

Hi Loreen! You know, it's funny because pretty much every one of my stories has a tortured heroine. And in fact, I didn't realize this was so "outside" the norm until I received my first review on Jezebel's Wish. The reviewer called it "turn around is fair play". I agree, writing from the heroine's POV and giving her something to lament -- I love it. Great post.

Joanne Stewart said...

I love tortured characters, to read and to write. The last WIP I just finished was a tortured hero. My current WIP, however, has a tortured heroine. She's a first for me, so I enjoy getting to know her.

Emma Lai said...

I think everyone has a little something to be tortured about...makes the characters more realistic. So, I guess I don't have a preference. :)

Karen Michelle Nutt said...

I love reading and writing about tortured souls. I love taking the journey with them as they begin to heal.

Great post.

Loreen Augeri said...

Hello, AJ. I don't read about too many tortured heroines. Writers seem to love torturing their heroes.

Loreen Augeri said...

Hi Joanne. Maybe tortured heroines are making a comeback.Good luck with your heroine and her story.

Loreen Augeri said...

Hello, Emma Lai. I think tortured characters make for great conflict.

Loreen Augeri said...

Hi Karen. I love reading and writing about their journey, too.

Thanks for commenting, AJ, Joanne, Emma Lai and Karen.

Angelyn said...

Tormented Hearts---tormented earl, tormented commoner. Love the combination. I used it in my project--the hero is tormented with guilt because he inherited an earldom that was supposed to go to his niece.

---Angelyn

Autumn Jordon said...

Torture hero and I'm there. Even at this late hour. I love a guy that needs to be loved.

Loreen Augeri said...

Sounds like a great project, Angelyn. Thanks for commenting.

Loreen Augeri said...

Autumn said: I love a guy that needs to be loved.

I agree with you, Autumn. Thanks for your comment.