UPDATE: The winner is…Mary Preston!
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A long time ago, in a state far, far away from New England, the younger version of me dreamed of being a fairy princess (who didn’t?), a frontier doctor (move over Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman), and a mermaid. I wrote all sorts of stories, and I read so much that I’m pretty sure I strained the limits of the library of my small Minnesota town. Harlequin novels by the wonderful Betty Neels were my gateway drug into romance novels, followed by Julia Quinn, then countless others.

As a fledgling adult, I was lucky enough to live in Europe for a while, which included freezing my buns off as a guest in several drafty French castles, drinking (weak) beer with breakfast before an all-day Belgian festival, and being stranded overnight by a blizzard in Andorra. Then, I threw myself into my studies at one of those iconic-looking Northeastern colleges where the buildings are 50% ivy. Once I experienced the magic of my first Autumn in New England, I never wanted to leave, so I didn’t.  I found my Viking New Englander husband in a coffee shop in Salem, Massachusetts, and now we have two little hellions of our own (cough, cough, I mean children…of course I mean children).

Even while working a series of interesting corporate jobs, I never lost my love for storytelling, and a chance encounter at a wedding prompted me to finish my first full-length novel, which was a Regency romance (as yet unpublished). After a disheartening period of queries and rejections, I took a hiatus, and when I returned to writing, it was paranormal…and very spicy.

My two current series, published by Totally Bound, are both contemporary, involve a lot of glamour, suspense, humor and…you guessed it, heat! If that sounds like your cup of tea (or glass of wine, shot of whisky…I enthusiastically endorse all beverages), my most recent series releases are Guarded by a Hero: Book 3 in the Anywhere and Always series and Mac of All Trades: Book 2 in the Minne-sorta Falling in Love series. They’re both available on Kindle Unlimited, too!

I was totally inspired by the theme of Delilah Devlin’s Silver Soldiers: A Boys Behaving Badly Anthology (older, experienced soldiers are apparently my catnip…rawwrr), and I’m honored and thrilled to have my story, “Handfasted to the Highland Warrior,” included with so many fantastic others. I can’t thank Delilah enough for organizing these amazing anthologies! Writing my story also inspired me to pick up my manuscript for a full-length Highlander romance novel, Wedded to the Highland Beast, which has now been selected as a semifinalist in Dragonblade Publishing’s The Write Track contest, and I’m crossing my fingers that it might be published soon as well.

For a chance to win a $5 gift card to Amazon or B&N, comment with your favorite time period for historical romance!

About the Author

Aurora Russell is originally from the frozen tundra of Minnesota but now loves living in New England with her real-life hero/husband, two wonderfully silly sons, and one of the most extraordinary cats she has ever had the pleasure to meet. She always likes the romantic scenes best in every story.

Her story inside Silver Soldiers: A Boys Behaving Badly Anthology is “Handfasted to the Highland Warrior.”

A hardened warrior reluctantly prepares to release his vivacious bride from their handfasted union…until a sweet, sexy surprise changes everything…