Politics got you down? Or up? Read a book!

Today is Election Day in America. I cast my vote weeks ago, since Washington is a vote-by-mail state, so today I'll just be biting my nails, checking all my favorite political blogs during breaks at my day job, and then spending the evening watching the results come in. Depending on the result, I'll be elated or devastated. Either way, I doubt I'll get much sleep tonight.

But I'm not going to talk about that here. You'll notice I didn't even mention which result would elate me and which devastate me. Because I'm declaring this space a politics-free zone. We're here to talk books. No matter how the race turns out, books are the answer!

Don't believe me? Here's how I see it:

Did your chosen candidate win? What better way to celebrate and unwind after the stress of following the race than with a nice, relaxing book!

Did your guy lose? Drown your sorrows and escape your fears for the future in a book!

Recount or the Electoral College tied 269-269? (Please, God, not that!) Well, then, we'll ALL need some nice distractions--like good books!

Citizen of another country? Ignore us and our insane politics by reading a book!

Now, in the interests of full disclosure, I have more reason than normal for hoping lots of people turn to books in the weeks to come. My latest historical romance from Carina, An Infamous Marriage, released yesterday.

Northumberland, 1815

At long last, Britain is at peace, and General Jack Armstrong is coming home to the wife he barely knows. Wed for mutual convenience, their union unconsummated, the couple has exchanged only cold, dutiful letters. With no more wars to fight, Jack is ready to attempt a peace treaty of his own.

Elizabeth Armstrong is on the warpath. She never expected fidelity from the husband she knew for only a week, but his scandalous exploits have made her the object of pity for years. Now that he's back, she has no intention of sharing her bed with him—or providing him with an heir—unless he can earn her forgiveness. No matter what feelings he ignites within her…

Jack is not expecting a spirited, confident woman in place of the meek girl he left behind. As his desire intensifies, he wants much more than a marriage in name only. But winning his wife's love may be the greatest battle he's faced yet.

One commenter here between now and tomorrow at 5 PM Pacific Time will win a download of An Infamous Marriage in the electronic format of their choice, and at the end of the tour I'll be giving away a grand prize of a $50 gift certificate to the winner's choice of Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or Powell's Books to one commenter on the tour as a whole. You get one entry per blog tour stop you comment upon, so check out my blog for the whole schedule! If you'd like to be entered in the drawing, please include your email in the format yourname AT yourhost DOT com

So comment on anything but politics. (Seriously. There are other places for that. Argue politics here, and your comment will be deleted. You'll also be barred from winning the blog tour grand prize.) Have you read anything great lately? What's your favorite kind of book for when you just want to escape? What upcoming releases are you most looking forward to?

Spring Silliness eBook Giveaway

Everyone's talking about their favourite kind of hero this month, must be something in the spring air.

To celebrate every hero out there, in all shapes and forms, breathing and written, we're giving away 6 eBooks. All you have to do is comment on your favourite kind of hero and we'll pick 6 random winners.

To make it more fun, from the winners selected, we'll attempt to match the winner to a book we think they might enjoy the most, based on the favourite kind of hero from their comment.

What I love most about reading is the wide variety available at my fingertips, a hero for every mood and situation. I love 'em all. I often think a certain kind of hero is linked to the plot trope. For eg a Kidnapping the Bride is likely going to have an apha, a Friends to Lovers will usually have a beta. Because I read across all plot types, I'm happy enough to fall in love with all kinds of heroes.

Have you read books where the hero type defies the plot? The heroine having a male best friend who's uber alpha?

If I have to think of my favourite, though, it would have to be the alpha male. I love reading and writing Scottish medieval romances, and in the insane made-up-world that exists inside my mind, these are rough, tough kinda guys who live by the land, war, politics and surviving. They don't even know what true love is, let alone how to find it. They also deserve a heroine who is strong, who can outwit them and, before they know it, they're going soft on the inside and making all kinds of rash out-of-character decisions and don't even know why.

Why do I love the alpha male so much? I think it's the thought of him being brought to his knees, being tamed by love. Now, that's really a love you have to believe in, have to believe it will last through anything.

So, what's your favourite kind of hero? I can't wait to read everyone's thoughts :)

Remember to leave a comment for a chance to win one of our six eBooks up for grabs. The comments will stay open for 2 days and we'll announce the winners here on the 29th March.