Friday, February 21, 2014

The Big Love Letter Event + Giveaway: A.C. Gaughen

It's week three of The Big Love Letter Event, a joint month-long feature hosted by Danny from Bewitched Bookworms and myself, and I hope you guys are having as much fun with these letters as we are. If you haven't yet had the chance, be sure and take a look at the letters from Wendy Higgins, Kasie West and Tiffany Schmidt posted over the past two weeks!

*A note about Danny's letter: She will be posting her letter from the amazing Gena Showalter tomorrow (Saturday, the 22nd), so be sure and check back at Bewitched Bookworms then because you won't want to miss this one!

http://supernaturalsnark.blogspot.com/2014/02/the-big-love-letter-event.html

I'm positively giddy today over the fact that I have author A.C. Gaughen stopping by the blog to share a letter between Rob and Scarlet, two of her extraordinary characters from a series that has quickly become one of my all-time favorites. I read Scarlet last year and I couldn't have loved it more if I tried, I was just in awe of Scarlet's strength and determination, and that love only deepened after reading Lady Thief.

There simply aren't enough positive things I can say about Scarlet herself, she's everything I could ever want in a heroine and I HIGHLY recommend these books to those who have yet to experience them. I'm going to keep this introduction short and sweet because the below letter from Rob truly speaks for itself, and I hope it affects all of you as profoundly as it did me! *starts sobbing*

My Scarlet—

I know the moment when I knew for sure that I loved you. 

It isn’t an easy thing, Scarlet. To know love when your heart is this untrusty object in your chest. My heart went cold and quiet when I was in the war, and I confess I didn’t care much what it had to say. My heart made everything more difficult. 

You, of course, were no exception. I shouldn’t expect anything to ever be easy with you.  My love—my hard-won love. 

It was our first winter together. We’d been living in the tree, and then it got cold, and we found the cave. Then the snow came, and the cave wasn’t warm enough. John never seemed bothered by it—why would he, he’s made in the image of a horse—but you shivered cold every night. You shivered so hard you rattled the hay, and I’d stay awake, listening to the sound, wondering what I was meant to do about it. I tried to leave warm things—cloaks, a blanket—near your pallet but you’d never touch them. I practiced, whispering to the night, what I might say to you—
here, take my blanket. Here, you look cold. Or more likely, Just use the damn blanket, Scarlet. And each attempt I made in my mind you pulled away from me, horrified that I knew you were cold, mortified that somehow you’d let it slip that you might need something from anyone, and I stayed quiet, because I wanted anything but you farther away from me.

Which made me feel like a proper idiot, even in my mind.  More than that—a moony idiot. And an unchivalrous idiot, that I had no idea how to help you.  And a guilty idiot, that I’d dragged you all up to Nottinghamshire and never thought of the damn winter snows. 

But one night when the fire went out and the cold had gotten so bad your teeth were chattering, you were quiet as a mouse as you rolled out of bed and took one of your blankets with you. Silent and still like the thief you are you went over to Much—he was so small back then—and you put your blanket on him. 

And I realized he wasn’t just cold—he was so cold he wouldn’t last many more nights. And I got everyone up and took us to the monastery—thinking it would just be for the night—and they took us in for the winter. 

And I stayed up many more nights, waiting for Much to sleep better, waiting for his chest to clear of the cough he’d gotten, and hating myself with every breath. Hating you, because you’d made me blind. You had filled up so much of my heart I couldn’t see him anymore, and I hadn’t seen his suffering.

I know I was mean to you. Cruel at times—those where the times when I hated myself the most, and it was easy to tell my heart that it was only full of darkness, that any feelings it might offer would only bring pain about in the world. I didn’t know how to love you and have it mean something good. 

And now we’re back in the cave. In a few weeks you’ll begin to shiver and I’ll move us to the monastery, and instead of hating myself, I hate that gold band on your finger. I hate the man who put it there. I hate the dreams that haunt me at night, of every pain and betrayal my heart has seen, and I wonder, Scarlet, if I will ever be free to love you without hate in my heart.

I can’t promise you that. I’m too afraid I’d break that promise—but every day when your gaze catches mine and I remember that I’m the one you love, that your pure heart chose my dark one, you give me hope. 

And hope is all I need to live another day. 
- Rob
*sobbing intensifies*

Do you see why you must read this series now? YOU MUST! I think I just died a little inside reading that and knowing I have to wait a full year before I can find out how things end for the two of them.

*leaves to go eat large amounts of chocolate*

 • • • • • • • • • • 

LADY THIEF


Scarlet’s true identity has been revealed, but her future is uncertain. Her forced marriage to Lord Gisbourne threatens Robin and Scarlet’s love, and as the royal court descends upon Nottingham for the appointment of a new Sheriff, the people of Nottingham hope that Prince John will appoint their beloved Robin Hood. But Prince John has different plans for Nottingham that revolve around a fateful secret from Scarlet’s past even she isn’t yet aware of. Forced to participate at court alongside her ruthless husband, Scarlet must bide her time and act the part of a noblewoman—a worthy sacrifice if it means helping Robin’s cause and a chance at a future with the man she loves. With a fresh line of intrigue and as much passion as ever, the next chapter in Scarlet’s tale will have readers talking once again.


• • • • • • • • • • • 

A.C. GAUGHEN


I’ve been madly in love with writing since I was in kindergarten. Not kidding–some of my earliest memories revolve around books and writing, like reading in front of the class, reading with my mother, and writing a story in first grade that was so funny (it dealt with a gorilla finding someone naked in the shower, and was, sadly, the culmination of my humor writing skills) it got me kicked out of class. Which was also the first and last time for that.
 
No that’s a lie. In third grade I got detention for ripping bark off a tree.
 
I know, I’m a rebel.
 
From there, it was a long road. I wrote all through middle school and starting submitting novels (I hope I still have those very kind, gentle rejection letters somewhere) when I was thirteen. ACK you have no idea how bad those novels looked. All through high school I was writing in a notebook instead of taking class notes (explaining the less than perfect GPA). It was always novels for me–the first time I seriously wrote short stories was at the end of my college career, to get into my graduate program, and it felt awkward and weird.
 
But I got in to grad school, wrote like a fiend, and when I graduated I spent three miserable years as a freelance writer while working on several different novels. I wrote them, prepped them, submitted them, and kept on working, because as far as I can tell, the actual writing is the only thing that I can control, and it’s the part that really makes me happy.


• • • • • • • • • • • 

GIVEAWAY

Danny and I have an amazing giveaway to share with you all, one that will have 14 winners in total!
  • Winners 1 and 2: Each will get a book of their choice from one of the authors featured during the event (open internationally as long as Book Depository ships to you!)
  • Winner 3 : Signed Copy of Crash Into You by Katie McGarry (open US/CAN only) – Prize is provided by the author – A huge thank you to Katie!
  • Winners 4- 14: Sweet Trilogy swag packs from Wendy Higgins (open internationally) - Prize is provided by the author – Thank you so much Wendy!
The giveaway will run until March 7th and you can enter via the Rafflecopter form below!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Don't forget to check back both here and at Bewitched Bookworms every Friday in February for more letters and a whole lot more love from these fantastic authors:

•      Wendy Higgins (Sweet Reckoning)
•      Katie McGarry (Crash Into You)
•      Kasie West (Split Second)
•      Sara B. Larson (Defy)
•      A.C. Gaughen (Lady Thief)
•      Tiffany Schmidt (Bright Before Sunrise)
•      Gena Showalter (The Queen of Zombie Hearts)
•      Nichole Chase (Recklessly Royal)
•      Lorraine Heath (When the Duke Was Wicked)
•      Lynne Matson (Nil)
•      Danielle Paige (Dorothy Must Die)

46 comments:

  1. *sobbing* Gosh that letter is awesome and sad and heartbreaking and ... perfect and .. makes me go and buy the book RIGTH NOW!

    Told you yesterday that I really need to read these books, but this letter totally sold me!

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    1. RIGHT?! I told Annie it made me cry ugly tears the first time I read it. So good:)

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  2. I love the letter. Yes, I do why I need to read this book. I want to know more about Scarlett and Rob.

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    1. YAY! I hope you get a chance to read them Kai, this series is a favorite for sure:)

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  3. After reading the letter I was like, "Why haven't I read this book yet? What is wrong with me?!"
    That was a really heartbreaking letter. I have no idea who Rob is, but I think I'm in love with him :)

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    1. Wasn't it? It's even more heartbreaking if you've read the books. Their both such strong people, I adore them:) And I'm definitely in love with Rob too ;-)

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  4. I think my heart just broke.

    Gosh, that was incredibly sweet and heartening all at once. It also just made my day. Thanks for sharing, Jenny!

    Excuse me while I grab a box of tissues...

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    1. MINE TOO! I had a bag of Cadbury mini eggs in the kitchen but they're all gone now. I eat chocolate when I'm emotional:)

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  5. ALL THE FEELS!!!!! Rob and Scarlet 4-EVAH! What a beautiful letter. Evokes so many good feelings about Rob and his love for Scarlet.

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    1. YES! I LOVE THEM SO MUCH MARY! Book three now, please ;-)

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  6. *melts*
    OK. You've convinced me. I'm getting this when I go book shopping next week.
    Rob sounds such a sweetheart and I think I already love Scarlet.
    Thanks for making my Fridays so much better, Jenny!

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    1. Mission accomplished:) I think you'll really like them both Nick, I just cant recommend this series enough.

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  7. Oh my gosh I LOVED that. Gah! I already miss Scar and Will. I need the third book!

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    1. Me too Ali, me too. It's going to be a long and painful wait, but I have no doubt it will be worth it.

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  8. WOW...now that is a powerful and heartbreaking letter. I love these two! Now I have to get my hands on the copy of this book. Thanks so much for sharing, Jenny!

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    1. READ IT RUMMANAH! I have so much love for Rob and Scarlet:)

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  9. Too. Much. Beautiful. I knew I wanted to read this before...but now I'm a puddle of goo. Sold. Thanks for sharing this, Jenny! This made me smile :)

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    1. Yessssss. I knew this letter would be convincing as soon as she sent it. I was a sobbing, snotty mess by the end and I loved it.

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  10. Um, I need this series. Now. Like, NOW.

    I want romance!

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  11. These love letters in the month of February are just perfect. Such a clever idea!

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    1. Thank you, thank you:) We're having so much fun with it, I think we might have to turn it into an annual event.

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  12. I think this is my favorite letter yet. It just turned me to goo! So heartbreaking and beautiful!

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    1. Wasn't it gorgeous? I'd die if my husband ever wrote me something like that, but alas, he's not much of a letter writer. Still love him though ;-)

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  13. OMG. I love Robin. Good grief is he romantic. Sigh. The world needs more like him:) Thank you for writing him-- and Scarlet. And Much. And John.... All of them :)

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    1. Right? I may have read it 6 times already. <3 <3 <3

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  14. That letter just reached in and tore up my heart again. I have mad love for this series and I cannot wait for the next book. What a beautiful letter!

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  15. Awwww ... yes, I do realize that I NEED to read this series. I've seen the error of my ways. :D I promise to read them. PROMISE!

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  16. Oh, man!!! I have tears in my eyes and butterflies in my stomach. This was beautiful! Thanks so much for sharing, girls. (I feel like sobbing right now I can't even.)

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  17. Okay, there were times when I so wanted to kick Rob in the arse... hard! for the way he treated her or just didn't open up to her (and she earned it darn it!)... but you give me this letter and all is forgiven. Darn you Rob... you must help Scarlet (or probably more rightly let her help you) give me my HEA. WHERE IS THE NEXT BOOK?! ;)

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  18. That is a beautiful love letter. I think I would instantly fall in love with the man that could write a letter like that, though obviously they've known each other over time. Jenny, I died a little too. I must have chocolate as well. I think Valentine's Day is to remind of us romance, especially those of us that have been married forever, of that way we were when we first started dating. If Rob ever gave Scarlet that letter, I bet she'd read it every day. She'd never need flowers or a Valentine's day!

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  19. This letter...I started SCARLET once, then stopped for a reason even I'm not sure of. But after hearing so many good things about it, I definitely need to start reading it again.

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  20. Aww! I have got to read this book! Thanks for the beautiful letter. One more book for my tbr list. :)

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  21. What a beautiful letter! Oh my gosh, this is a giant kick in the feels. *sniffles* Thank you so much for sharing this. I can't wait for the next book! :-)

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  22. Gads that was beautiful and it just made me "feel" I cannot wait to start this series!!

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  23. This sounds beyond amazing, Jenny, but I am totally waiting until the last book is out so I can read one right after the other. This letter clues me into how much my heart would hurt reading at this point. Lovely post and thank you for the wonderful giveaway! :)

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  24. WOW!!! Thanks so much for such an awesome post and teaser! Thanks for sharing! I'm really looking forward to this book :)

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  25. Mm Gisborne...yup will always think of Armitage

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  26. I have yet to read this series but it sounds amazing and I can't wait to get my hands on the first book

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  27. *swoons* I didn't really like Rob in Scarlet but this letter allows you to better understand him. I like him a lot more now, Jenny!

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  28. Sigh! Scarlet is a favorite for me. Rob and Scar are such amazing characters separately, but together they are unstoppable. I adore them both so much. That letter was definitely tear-inducing. I can't wait to get my hands on Lady Thief. I just know it is going to be added to my favorites, right alongside Scarlet!

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  29. I own Scarlet, I just need to read it. Those covers are absolutely gorgeous! XD

    **Rachelle**

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  30. That excerpt alone has won me over! I must read this series ASAP!

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  31. Cannot wait to read Lady Thief. So glad that there is a second book in the series!

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  32. I was waiting for the last book to come out.
    It's going to be harder than I thought.

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