Ah, the last day of the old year. For me, it was a productive and fulfilling year. I hope that my readers can say the same and if not, may the new year bring only happiness. My oldest daughter and my son married their long time sweethearts. What joy. My family dealt with two bouts of cancer, one very rare and the other very common. The prognosis is good for both. A long time friend also is dealing with cancer. My prayers go out to her.

My second book in the Highland trilogy is a finalist in the Eppies. The third and last book, Highland Song, will be out in September of 2008. My writing always takes a back seat this time of year to work. But winter break provides extra time for me.

Yesterday, I left my hero and heroine frolicking in a loch. Now I had some reservations about swimming in a Scottish loch. But as I was in Scotland last summer, I know it is possible although chilly. No more chilly though than swimming in the Rogue or Crater Lake, both of which I have done in my life. I didn't want to give them hypothermia.

Best wishes to my readers for the new year.

Christine

As far as writing goes, yesterday was truly productive. My hero and heroine are momentarily out of the jaws of danger. Oh, but is there a different danger lurking close by? Is the heroine in danger of losing her heart to the hero? Or has she already fallen deeply in love? She wants his heart and soul but he can't see past her history. And she knows she can't let him have her heart until she tell him her deepest darkest secret. Will she tell him? If she tells him, will he despise her and blame her? Will he think that all that has happened was her fault? We shall see.

Will the hero discover that she is true and pure of heart? Will he let his own barricades slip enough to see the love in her eyes? Oh, but if both lovers could erase their past, they might find happiness.

Over the holiday break I had set a goal to post something new everyday. I missed yesterday. So if I post twice today does that make up for missing one day? Maybe, maybe not. Instead of blogging which I had put off until the evening, I watched Oregon State beat Maryland in the Emerald bowl.

I'm still looking for entries in my weather contest. So, send me news of the weather in your part of the country. It's not riaining yet but there is a low fog.

Last night I left my hero trying to blow up a rock bridge so the mercenaries couldn't get across. I know there were explosives in the 18th century, I'm just not sure how he could do this. And I suppose it will have to stop raining bcause the powder will have to be dry. Or not?

Will the hero blow up the bridge or will the mercenaries get across? Stay tuned to the continuing saga of Highland Song.

Christine Young

Because of a high school swim meet and several hours to convert meter times to yard times then post on the high school web sight, Lainie is still hanging by her fingernails on a slippery wet ledge. Will she plunge to the raging river below and make the hero rescue her or will he pull her to safety? Will the horrid English soldiers catch up to them and kidnap Lainie taking her to the English general who has put a bounty on her head?

I'm hope I'll find out tomorrow. Since I write by the second flashing by and not by a very clearly plotted outline sometimes I don't know what is going to happen until it all plays out. I suspect the characters will take over and decide for me.

So, do your characters decide what is going to happen or do you?

Christine

Well, there is a snow advisory and there is still a thin layer of snow on the ground. But enough of the weather. It's time to start writing. My characters are struggling in wet weather, cliffs and raging rivers. Will they survive? The worst of the worst English soldiers are chasing them up the ravine. And Lainie is exhausted past exhaustion if that is possible. Oh, but we know the heroine and the hero must survive but what treacherous times will they have to surmount before they can find true happiness? Tune in later for all the details.

Highland Song will be out in ebook in September 2008.

The next pressing issue for me and my family for the new year is good health. I've always been an exercise fanatic. Even walking the Portland marathon a year and a half ago. So I was surprised to discover my cholesterol was high. Now I'm looking for good cholesterol free recipes and even going as far as turning vegetarian. Any good vegie recipes out there to share?

Christine

For those of you who have snow, snow and more snow, this won't mean anything. But the snow started to fall here about an hour ago and it is actually sticking. Other than the years my family and I spent Christmas in Bend, this is my first white Christmas. I'm in awe. It's sticking to the trees and the deck and the road. I did not believe that I would ever see a white Christmas in the Willamette Valley.

Merry Christmas to all.
Christine

It's so much fun looking at weather from other parts of the country. I was surprised at the response. My contests usually generate one entry so this was fun. It's still raining here in Oregon and the idea that the Willamette Valley would get snow for Christmas would generate a miracle. It's different hearing the news from real people and listening to the weather news on TV. I was wondering what the weather was like in Scotland. My family spent a week on Loch Rannoch last summer. If anyone out there knows what the weather is doing in the Highlands, please post.

Christmas eve day 2007. What a wonderful and joyous time. Happy holiday to everyone.

Christine

Well, it's the second day of winter break. I'm hoping to get lots of writing done as well as finish my christmas shopping. I'm going to announce a new contest to end in January. I'm asking that everyone give a comment about the weather in their part of the country. I will put all entries into a hat and draw the winner from that.

It's rainy here in Salem, Oregon. Not too cold but yesterday it was really nasty. I'm looking forward to hearing from all of you out there.

I plan on finishing a new book trailer. I've made one for both my Highland books. Now I'm working on one for Rebel Heart. A futuristic romance.

Look for Highland Magic an Eppie finalist at Amazon and at Awe-struck.

Christine

Since Friday I've been sifting through news about the eppies. I can't believe I'm really a finalist. It is such an honor to be recognized for all my efforts as well as seeing my name listed with such great writers. To all who have taken the time out of their busy Christmas schedules to congratulate me and the other awe-struck authors, I thank you. And to all the other finalists, congratulations. Highland Magic was such fun to write and my trip to Scotland this summer was an added bonus. Now I'm looking forward to editing the thrid book in the highland trilogy, Highland Song.

Barbara, I apologize for taking so long with this. Please contact me with your address via this email: achristay@aol.com. I will send you your prizes. Looking forward to hearing from you.

Chris

Look for a new contest coming in November.

Congratulations Barbara! You are the winner of "Name That Dog" contest. I haven't decided if I will use one of your titles, but I do like An Uncomon Thief. It seems to work for both the main character as well as the dog. Please let me know where to send you the prize of doggy treats and a book.

Thanks for entering the contest.
Christine Young

New Contest: Name the book

The running title of this book is Pickpocket Dog. For obvious reasons, I cannot keep this as a title for the upcoming regency. And for the life of me, I cannot think of a title. So...I am putting this out to romance readers everywhere. The contest will run until November 1. If I like a title, I will use it and that person will be the winner. If nothing comes in that I like, the winner will be chosen by a random drawing. The winner will receive a collection of dog related gifts and a book.

The picture of my daughter's dog Rogue is the inspiration for this book. He truly does pick pockets. Visitors beware!

Following is an excerpt from the new book.

Pick Pocket Dog

London 1801

Thousands of lamps lit the gardens in a vibrant blaze of radiance. A crash of music from the orchestra filled the air. Women paraded in elegant head-dresses of flowers and feathers and the entire place sparkled as did no other place Jocelyne had ever seen.
She looked at the crowds of people then at her trembling hands. “Oy don’t like this, Mr. Roguers, Oy don’t!” A shadow crossed a full moon and caused a shudder of fear to course down her spine. Chills swept through her.
Jocelyne’s hands were icy and stiff. Her hands were the tools of her trade. And they were useless. She flexed them twice in an effort to loosen them then covered her face with them. She couldn’t do this, not tonight—not when the hairs on the back of her neck stood on end and she jumped at every little sound.
Nerves stripped raw, Jocelyne and her dog Rogue wandered through the crowds at Vauxhall and then strolled down a walkway called the Dark Walk. The gardens were beautiful this time of year, and she wished she had the time or the opportunity to enjoy the sights. This evening she had a job to do. Picking pockets was something increasingly distasteful. But the alternatives her mam presented her with were worse.
She kneeled beside her dog roughing his ears as she spoke to him. “Now, Mr. Roguers, we’ve got to get two more ‘andkerchiefs or the mam will box my ears, she will. And then she’ll do wot she threatened this morn. You know wot to do.”
Jocelyn glanced up for just a moment. A man with the eyes the color of warm honey looked down at her. She swallowed hard, and her blood raced as if someone had lit an inferno inside her. For as long as she lived Jocelyne would never forget the sudden leap her heart gave the instant her eyes fell upon this man’s hard, handsome face. He wasn’t the most beautiful man she’d ever seen. The lines of his face were too defined and too inflexible to be beautiful. But there was something so imposing, so arresting, about his lean planed face, the high cheekbones and unyielding jaw that Jocelyne was conscious of a shiver of excitement slithering down her spine. She’d never felt such a thing and it was far different than the chills of fear that usually coursed through her. Quickly she looked away, hiding her face and biting her lower lip. She didn’t look up until she was sure the man would be miles away. She didn’t need for him to remember her face or her dog.
Jocelyn wiped her icy yet sweaty palms on her britches and inhaled a deep breath. “Go on Rougers. Oy’ll wait for you in the usual place.”
The dog set out, his little tailed curled behind him prancing through the crowds as if he didn’t have a nefarious scheme on his mind. Jocelyn set out in a different direction. Looking over her shoulder, her uneasiness grew. The little hairs on the back of her neck standing on end, she sensed the danger. If she could have turned around and raced home this night, she would have. But the ultimatum she’d been given that morning when she left the shabby little room where she lived rang inside her head. Her brothers, Mick and Jon, warned her. She was out growing her disguise. If she didn’t want to be someone’s flash-girl she was going to have to get out of the business.
But there was no way out for her.
Despite her brothers’ wishes, she would end up in a flash-house prostituting herself. She didn’t like stealing, and she knew she wouldn’t like the direction her life was going. With each passing day, she was more conscious of the distasteful foulness around her. She was increasingly knowledgeable of the dreadful youth of some of the whores and harlots she had formerly ignored. And she was far more cognizant of what an appalling destiny waited for her. She inhaled again, clenching her fists and resigning herself to make the best of the situation at hand. The future certainly looked bleak for Jocelyne. One moment at a time was all she had.
Without conscience thought, she moved through the crowds accessing each man and knowing that if she wasn’t perfect as soon as her nimble fingers reached inside a pocket, the man would give chase. She bumped against a red-faced portly man who wheezed while he tried to saunter down the lane. She closed her eyes, and inhaled a deep, steadying breath.
“Bloody hell, watch yourself,” he called out to her as he pulled out a handkerchief and wiped his brow then stuffed it in a pocket inside his lapel. “It’s incorrigible scamps like you—“
“Oy, always watch myself.” She muttered, interrupting him and moved on eyeing each man and lady. She’d once tried to steal one of those little silk purses that the ladies let dangle from their wrists and was rewarded with a slap on her head with a parasol.
She didn’t look for Rogue. She knew where she’d find him when all was finished tonight. Fireworks lit the sky. All eyes turned upward. She heard the collective sighs and exclamations at the sight.
At that moment Jocelyn found her mark. Her heart leapt with anticipation and fear before she stumbled and fell against a stout older man. It was done with grace and skill. The nimble fingers she slipped inside a pocket was done with precision. With two fingers she deftly pulled out a silk handkerchief, a fat money-clip, and a small pendant which instantly found there way into the pockets of her own coat. Jocelyn was almost on the point of congratulating herself when she heard a harsh voice call out.
“What the devil? The damn dog picked my pocket!” The voice rang out from quite a distance away. She couldn’t help herself, she looked up. Of all men to pick, Rogue had picked the man with the honey brown eyes.
Terror sweeping inside and completely aware of her danger Jocelyn tried to regain her emotional balance. Donning the disguise she’d learned early in life, she grinned saucily in the direction of her pigeon and said “Wot you think the commotion is?”
“I don’t think so,” said a cold voice as another gentleman called for the watch. “Hand over my money clip.”
Danger had always dodged Jocelyn’s steps but this predicament eclipsed anything she’d ever encountered before. Her blood ran cold when a few of the dandies her pidgeon had been standing with formed a circle around them. Reminding herself not to panic and to remain calm no matter how bad it seemed, Jocelyne glanced quickly around to see if Rogue had gotten away. And then she looked for Mick and Jon.
She breathed a sigh of relief when she saw the pair lounging against a curricle. Once they saw her, they would come to her rescue. But neither one of them were looking in her direction. Jocelyne’s heart sank.
The shouts down the lane had given away to the sound of thundering feet as the man with the honey brown eyes and his companions chased after her dog. A huge flash of light from the sky sent the men’s attention upward. The fireworks had begun again. She took that moment of confusion to slip away from the circle. She only needed a short distance and within a second she had running room.
Jocelyn darted through the crowds, her feet as agile and as quick as her fingers. She dodged left then right, slipping between the men and women in front of her then blending into the shadows. She found herself in a part of the gardens she had never been before. A man-made cave gave her a place to hide. Slipping into the natural shadows, she held her breath and waited for the fervor to settle down.
The unexpected appearance of her little dog with a handkerchief hanging from his mouth left her with another surge of uneasiness. For a tense, long moment he stood at the mouth of the little cave. Too late, she wrapped her arms around him and pulled him inside.
Suddenly, an iron-fingered hand clamped around her wrist. Before she could utter an exclamation of protest, she found herself hauled from her hiding place. Rouge danced circles around her assailant ramming his pointy little nose at his thighs and barking. The noise brought more spectators.
Her heart pounding madly, Jocelyne made a bold try to brazen her way out of the disastrous situation that had been her nightmare for so long. “Blimey, mister! Oy don’t know wot you’re thinkin’ grabin me like this! Oy ain’t done nothin’ to you.”“Really, I think you know exactly ‘wot’ I’m thinking! Now hand over your dog’s thievery!”

There is a winner! PiperLee AKA Becky has won the famous Scottish people contest. She has all the correct answers. Congratulations Becky! She needs to let me know which book she would like a copy of.

Christine

NEW CONTEST

Win an ebook/your choice of one of the Highland books: Highland Honor or Highland Magic or you can pick Rebel Heart, a science fiction.

All you have to do is identify 10 famous Scottish people from the clues. To win be the first person to identify all 10 Scottish people or by October 4th the person who has the most correct answers will be the winner. If there is a tie the winner will be chosen in a random drawing.

Clues:

1. Sang title song and acted in "To Sir With Love" (1966). Born in Glaswcow.

2. Author who is best known for the creation of the book Peter Pan.

3. Discovered more than 200 plant species including common northwest tree. Died from injuries received haven fallen from into wild bull pit in Hawaii. Born in Scone.

4. Last Roman Catholic monarch of Scotland. Was excecuted for treason.

5. A Scotsman who is the patron saint of Ireland is said to have been born in Kirkpatrick near the river Clyde.

6. Crowned King of Scotland in 1306. Defeated the English King Edward II in 1314 at Bannockburn.

7. Pop singer who is known for the theme for the James Bond film "For Your Eyes Only" and the top 10 hit "9 to 5". Born in Bellshiell.

8. Infamous pirate and privateer who fought as a privateer to protect Anglo-American trade routes in the West Indies. In 1691 was rewarded by New York City. Born in Greenock, Renfrewshire.

9. Author whose works included "Kidnapped" and "Treasure Island".

10. Born in Dumfriesshire. He joined the navy and spent time in Russia and France during the French Revolution. Most notably he established the U.S. Navy.

Wow! Just got back from a fantastic vacation. My family and I spent a three days in Paris, 3 days in London then a week in Scotland. It was sometimes frantic and sometimes very relaxing. We saw so many historic places that it is so overwhelming.

Look for a new contest coming soon.

New Review of Rebel Heart

Rebel Heart
Christine Young
Awe-Struck E-books
ISBN: 978-1-587496-12-7
Fiction, Science Fiction Romance
Reviewed by Jasmina Vallombrosa
TCM Reviews

After Nessa and Tori DeMontville are exiled for their childish disobedience, their father thinks that in time they will grow to understand the dangers of the outside world. While Nessa seems to be on the right course, Tori continues to live life as she wants to. On a chance outing she comes across the infuriatingly sexy Cameron Savage. While she thinks of him as a lowly Thieftaker, she can not stop her heart from beating faster than it has ever done before. Life only becomes more complicated for her as the evil Morray comes into her world in the pursuit for not only her hard-earned research, but also for her hand in marriage. In the midst of the chaos that ensures around her for the battle of her research lab, her path crosses that of the Phantom. As they team up to save their world as they know it, the sexual tensions between them create sparks and with Cameron Savage returning to be her husband, one can only wonder about the possibilities.Filled with drama and suspense, this book will draw you into the mysteries of science fiction. I was pleasantly surprised by Ms. Young’s storytelling talents as she wove not only a wonderful futuristic adventure, but also that of a passionate love story. I loved the main characters as they came to life on the pages. The plot was quite suspenseful and deliciously entertaining. As a result, I had no choice but to keep flipping the pages as I raced to the end. Bravo Ms.Young for such an extraordinary book from cover to cover!

There are two ways to purchase my books in print. The easiest and fastest is to go directly to Amazon and type in my name or the name of my books. The second way is to go to Awe-struck. Click on Earthling press then go to the third page where you will find both Highland books. There will be a place to click on Amazon and that will bring you to my books.

I really appreciate those of you who have supported me and enjoy my books.

Christine

Rebel Heart
Coming June 2007
http://www.awe-struck.net/

Rebel Heart is set five hundred years in the future. The hero and heroine come from very different backgrounds. One is an Outsider and the other a City Dweller, but they are both dedicated scientists. Cameron Savage is a physician. Victoria DeMontville is a research scientist. They are both working to create a vaccine that will work against a deadly virus. Victoria has uncovered another way to help the victims of the virus, genetic surgery. During many of her forays into the musty archives of the city library, she discovers a technique that would give the City Dwellers a gene that would enhance an almost non-existent immune system. The technique is called allele transplant surgery.