A Great Writing Challenge ...

Stop! The Judge and Jury Blogfest is Here! Click Here To Sign Up Or To Read More...

EXTENDED TO ALLOW MORE ENTRIES!
NOW UNTIL 9/30!

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FOR THE JUDGE AND JURY BLOGFEST!
SUBMIT YOUR ENTRY 9/5 - 9/10 30
USING THE MR. LINKY AT THE END OF THIS PAGE.

Finally the Judge and Jury Blogfest is here. It started out as a celebration of my first blogoversary, but now I have a few more milestones to celebrate as well!

1. My First Blogoversary
2. Completion of the First Draft of my First Novel
3. My First 100 Followers!

As you'll see below, there is a New Follower booby prize. And someone has already won it. Who better than my 100th Follower, the awesome Hywela Lyn! Congratulations - you have won a $10 gift card from Amazon.com. A special thanks to Rach Harrie, whose platform-building campaign really gave me a big boost to meeting other bloggers. I had 35 followers at the start of her campaign, and now, as of this writing, I have 111!

NOW LET'S HAVE SOME FUN!

All Rise! The Judge (me) enters the courtroom. My Jury consists of the first twelve (12) bloggers to sign up for this Blogfest. Now – Round Up the Usual Suspects and we’ll have a trial!

Everyone who enters the Blogfest is a Suspect (including the Jury – they’re not getting off with a slap on the wrist. But not me – cuz I’m Da Judge). The Jury will vote on the Suspect guilty of writing the best defense scene. Any tie votes will be decided by the Judge.

HOW DO I PLAY?

Every Suspect (remember, this includes the Jury) must write a short defense scene in 300 words or less (a short intro to the scene is acceptable). It can be about anything legal or illegal, minor or major. A stolen kiss, cheating, robbery – even murder! It does not have to involve the law or court. Feel like sharing a scene from your manuscript? Cool! Or maybe a scene from a short story you’ve written? Awesome! It only has to be a scene where someone defends themselves against something.

WHAT ARE THE RULES?

• The blogfest will run from Monday, September 5 – Saturday, September 10.
• At 12:01am Monday, September 5, a linky tool will go live on Run Gwen, Run!
• Post your entry on your blog and then add a direct link to your post to the linky tool on my blog before 11:59 p.m. September 10th.
• Come back on Wednesday, September 14 to see the six finalists (chosen by the Jury), and then again on Saturday, September 17 to see the winners!
• All genres and forms are welcome.

WHAT ELSE SHOULD I DO?

• Copy the Judge and Jury badge and post it as a link in the sidebar of your blog
• Tell all your blogger friends about the blogfest
• Go to the other contestant’s blogs and give them some comment love during the challenge week 9/5 – 9/10.

WHAT ARE THE PRIZES?

• Each of the 12 Jurors will receive a $5 Amazon Gift Card since serving on the Jury is compulsory (According to the Judge, this should in no way be construed as a bribe!)
• A $10 Amazon Gift Card booby prize will be awarded randomly to a new follower – I’ve already picked out the Follower’s number. You may already be a winner!
• Third place prize is a $5 Amazon Gift Card
• Second place prize is a $10 Amazon Gift Card
• FIRST PRIZE is a $15 Amazon Gift Card
• All prizes to be awarded at the completion of the blogfest.

In Defense Of...
'Her Dark Baron - The Baron Gervase Daltrey Of Ayleshind', By Nadja Notariani

(This is the 'hero' in my upcoming historical romance novella...)

"Deny my rights?" Gervase repeated mockingly.  "Do you suppose a man hopes merely to exercise his right upon a woman?"

His gaze landed on Lady Mariel, her downcast eyes and flaming cheeks the proof he needed that the man of the cloth had already instilled in her the idea that her wedding bed was something to be endured.

"Has our dear Father Eames convinced you to bear your cross well, Lady Mariel?" Gervase murmured in her ear.

Her silence spoke loudly, awakening in him a brutal need to silence the reverend's words in her mind.

"Damn you and your false words, Eames," he ground out.

Sweeping Mariel into his arms, Gervase strode to the staircase.  Every soul in the great hall stared in silent astonishment as he carried her away.  Her hands grasped his neck as he alighted the stairs, but she remained tense in his grasp.

"I'll tolerate no martyr in my home, nor in my bed," he growled, kicking the door to the bedchamber open and planting her feet on the floor before him.  "Lock the door, sweetling."

She obeyed and turned to face him again.  The fiery color in her cheeks was gone, replaced with the paleness of fear, her blue eyes wide with nervous emotion.  The tops of her breasts rose and fell, barely peeking their rounded beauty from the modest neckline, offering Gervase a hint of what awaited him beneath the dark emerald gown.

Circling her in wolfish fashion he soothed, "Calm yourself, my lady.  You'll suffer no violence under my hand."  As he reached her ear he murmured, "You'll give the devil his due willingly."

~ Nadja