I’m afraid of heights. It’s not a secret. I hate getting on ladders, won’t get on the roof to hang Christmas lights, hate climbing up the stairs at Reser Stadium at my alma mater, Oregon State University, when I go to a football game. On a plane, heights don’t bother me because 1) I can’t see below the aircraft (thank goodness for FLOORS) and 2) I’m already freaking out because I’m claustrophobic. But put me on an elevator made of glass (OMG the Space Needle in Seattle? I almost threw up on the ride to the top), or ask me to have drinks in a bar at the top of a skyscraper and sit near a window and I’ll politely say no freakin’ way. So when my mother asked me to go on a hot air balloon ride with her to celebrate her retirement, I nearly laughed. But since she was bidding on the excursion at an auction and I was SURE there was no way she’d win, I stupidly said yes.

Note to self: Do not ever agree to something you’re deathly afraid of!

Today was the day of doom. My hubby, my brother, my mom and I headed up to Newberg, Oregon for the dreaded hot air balloon ride. We had to get up at the butt-crack of dawn, and since I’m NOT a morning person and was already starting to stress, you can imagine my mood. The first thing we did when we got there was sign a waver stating we understood all the risks associated with hot air ballooning. My favorite? “Risk of arrest and incarceration” from landing in unauthorized areas. This lightened my mood considerably.

Then they started filling the balloons.

You can just see the excitement radiating from me, can’t you?

Actually, watching the balloons fill was fascinating. First they blew air inside with enormous fans, then heated the air with giant (what my brother called) flame throwers.

Once the balloon was inflated, they tipped the basket up and we all piled in. This was where the nerves kicked in. Our basket was divided into three sections: One for the pilot, then two for passengers. There were 10 passengers in our balloon – the Northwestern, apparently the largest hot air balloon basket in the Pacific Northwest (or so they said). Standing in the basket, watching the other balloons launch was really cool. Until I felt ours lift off. (Enter Xanax…which is a Godsend!)

I was amazed at how fast we lifted off the ground. Within seconds we were a thousand feet up. Surprisingly, the balloons are extremely peaceful. You feel like you’re gliding, which you are. The only time there’s noise is when the pilot turns on the burners for short spurts. I was fine so long as I didn’t look down. Of course, I had a death grip on the padded edge of the basket (like that would have done any good had something gone wrong), but after a few minutes in flight, I found myself enjoying the ride. (And again, I’m sure the Xanax played a big part in that!)

View of the Willamette Valley looking east.

This is one of my favorite shots – over the Willamette River. The sky was hazy from forest fires far off in the Cascades, but an absolutely breathtaking view regardless. My husband (who is not afraid of heights) wasn’t nervous at all until the pilot announced we were going to do a “splash and dash”. Since he doesn’t swim, that freaked him out way more than the flight itself. But for me it was the most relaxing moment of the entire flight!

Yes, what you’re seeing is correct. Our basket is basically sitting on the surface of the Willamette River. I took this shot as we watched another balloon land. We floated downstream with the current for a few minutes then took off again (much to my husband’s relief), leaving a waterfall of water behind as we flew out over manicured fields toward our landing site.

Aside from how quiet the balloon was, the other thing that surprised me was the temperature. I was expecting it to be cold up there in the sky, but between the burner directly above and the inversion layer that was actually warmer than ground level, I was hot. There was no wind, so I didn’t need the hat I’d brought with me, and the landing was a piece of cake. Not even a jolt as the basket touched down in a field miles from where we started. To be honest, the only disappointment to the entire trip was that it didn’t last longer than about an hour. Now who would have ever thought I’d be disappointed the flight was too short?

We piled out of the basket, helped take the balloon down and load it in the trailer, then we crammed ourselves in vans (enter claustrophobia!) and went back to the launch site where they had a champagne brunch laid out for us.

All in all, a perfect day. And one I’m really glad I got to experience. Am I still afraid of heights? You betcha, but I was okay so long as I didn’t look straight down. I have to admit the entire experience was really fun. And you never know…a hot air balloon may wind up in a future book someday!

The winners of the gorgeous Eternal Guardians wine charms are…

Laura (comment #33)

and

Kristin Nelson (comment #15)

Winners, I sent you an email with directions on how to claim your prize. Thanks to all who entered! Follow the uber-talented Joan Swan on twitter (twitter.com/joanswan) for chances to win more of her amazing bookmarks and other goodies!

Thanks to everyone who stopped by on release day and made my contest so much fun! I had a ball celebrating the release of TEMPTED with all of you!

And to say thank you…here are the winners!

Prize #1
Bella Andre’s THE LOOK OF LOVE
Comment #17 – Danny

Prize #2
Vanessa Kelly’s MY FAVORITE COUNTESS
Comment #39 – Heather

Prize #3
Alice Sharpe’s WESTIN’S WYOMING
Comment #12 – Lisa B.

Prize #4
Juliana Stone’s HIS DARKEST SALVATION
Comment #49 – Lisa Guertin

Prize #5
Kieran Kramer’s CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF MARRIAGE
Comment #43 – Kristin Nelson

Prize #6
Sophie Jordan’s WICKED IN YOUR ARMS
Comment #19 – Jenyfer

Prize #7
Marie Force’s FATAL AFFAIR
Comment #26 – Yadira A.

Prize #8
Ashley March’s ROMANCING THE COUNTESS
Comment #17 – Jane

Prize #9 (two winners!)
Joyce Lamb’s TRUE VISIONS
Comment #6 – Connie Dingeman
Joyce Lamb’s TRUE COLORS
Comment #16 – Na

Prize #10
Jessa Slade’s VOWED IN SHADOWS
Comment #46 – Kristiana

Prize #11
Lila DiPasqua’s A MIDNIGHT DANCE
Comment #34 – Sherie
Lila DiPasqua’s THE PRINCESS IN HIS BED
Comment #32 – Wendy Thomas

Prize #12
Donna Grant’s UNTAMED HIGHLANDER
Comment #18 – Marlene Breakfield

Prize #13
Kristina McMorris’s LETTERS FROM HOME
Comment #3 – Michelle Santiago

Prize #14
Pamela Clare’s BREAKING POINT
Comment #4 – Wendy Mitchell

Prize #15
Christy Reece’s SWEET JUSTICE
Comment #19 – Eva

Prize #16
Delilah Marvelle’s THE PERFECT SCANDAL
Comment #33 – Sarie Grobler

Prize #17
Julie James’s A LOT LIKE LOVE
Comment #4 – Mariee

Prize #18
Kris Kennedy’s DEFIANT
Comment #15 – Colleen

Prize #19
Shana Galen’s LORD & LADY SPY
Comment #23 – SiNn

Prize #20
ARC of Cynthia Eden’s ANGEL OF DARKNESS
Comment #43 – elaingB

And

The GRAND PRIZE WINNER
(Autographed Eternal Guardians Set, EG mug & trading cards)
Eva!!!!

Congrats to all the winners! Winners, I sent you an email with instructions on how to claim your prize, but just to reiterate…email your snail mail addy to me at elisabeth (at) elisabethnaughton (dot) com and I’ll forward your info to the appropriate authors.

NOTE: Bonus winners of the set(s) of Eternal Guardians wine charms will be posted on Thursday, September 9th (to allow time for evening peeps to enter!)

This was so much fun, I may have to do it again when ENRAPTURED releases in April 2012! (ENRAPTURED is already up for preorder from B&N here!)

In the meantime…if you haven’t gotten your copy of TEMPTED yet…RUN OUT AND BUY IT TODAY!!

WOW, I can’t believe how fun yesterday was! I got such a kick out of the comments left here on all the posts. Thanks for making TEMPTED release day such a kick!

Winners will be posted later today but while I’m busy drawing names, here’s a bonus giveaway…

My uber-awesome CP Joan Swan made these fantastic Eternal Guardian wine charms. Are these not amazing or what? Joan is one of those sickeningly talented people–she writes incredible books (FEVER–her debut book–releases in March 2012 and I’ll be gushing about it lots here in the coming months), she makes fabulous bookmarks, she’s got an eye for design AND because of her past career(s) she knows EVERYTHING. Basically she’s one of those women the rest of us love hate. Except in Joan’s case…you can’t hate her because she’s so damn sweet. If you haven’t heard, she’s hosting her own TEMPTED release week party over at her blog, giving away my books and her beautiful bookmarks every day, and in the process…she’s telling secrets about me. (She loves to do this.) And for my giveaway here, she’s donated these beautiful wine charms.

If you don’t already follow Joan on twitter – DO IT. She’s always posting about giveaways and highlighting authors. www.twitter.com/joanswan.

So…final TEMPTED release day party prize…two sets of these gorgeous wine charms. To be entered to win, just tell me…

Who is your favorite guardian from my Eternal Guardians series?

Welcome to my TEMPTED Release Day Party! to celebrate the release of TEMPTED, book three in my Eternal Guardians Series, I’m giving away prizes every hour, all day long! The rules are simple: Comment on the post for the prize you want to win. Winners will be chosen at the end of the day. All commenters on every post will be entered into the grand prize drawing–an autographed Eternal Guardians Set (MARKED, ENTWINED & TEMPTED) along with an EG coffee mug and set of romance trading cards!

Up now:

ANGEL OF DARKNESS (ARC)

by
Cynthia Eden

As an angel of death, Keenan’s job is to collect the souls on his list. He’s carried out his duty for two thousand years and never faltered once. Until he meets Nicole St. James.  When the moment of death comes, Keenan hesitates, and instead of taking Nicole, Keenan touches the vampire who’s attacking her.

Cast out of heaven for disobedience, Keenan plummets to earth. Six months later, he finally manages to track Nicole to a bar in Mexico. He’s stunned to discover that the woman he remembers has undergone a dramatic change—she’s become a vampire. And when he realizes that she’s the target of all manner of enemies—other vampires, demons, even shifters—he’ll do whatever it takes to protect her, even if all hell breaks loose…

“Cynthia’s on my must-buy list.”
–NY Times Bestseller Angie Fox

No one writes paranormal romance like Cynthia Eden. To enter to win an advanced reader copy of her December release, ANGEL OF DARKNESS, tell me:

What paranormal creatures would you like to read more about?

Welcome to my TEMPTED Release Day Party! to celebrate the release of TEMPTED, book three in my Eternal Guardians Series, I’m giving away prizes every hour, all day long! The rules are simple: Comment on the post for the prize you want to win. Winners will be chosen at the end of the day. All commenters on every post will be entered into the grand prize drawing–an autographed Eternal Guardians Set (MARKED, ENTWINED & TEMPTED) along with an EG coffee mug and set of romance trading cards!

Up now:

LORD AND LADY SPY

by
Shana Galen

No man can outsmart him…

Lord Adrian Smythe may appear a perfectly boring gentleman, but he leads a thrilling life as one of England’s most preeminent spies, an identity so clandestine even his wife is unaware of it. But he isn’t the only one with secrets…

She’s been outsmarting him for years…

Now that the Napoleonic wars have come to an end, daring secret agent Lady Sophia Smythe can hardly bear the thought of returning home to her tedious husband. Until she discovers in the dark of night that he’s not who she thinks he is after all…

“Galen strikes the perfect balance between dangerous intrigue and sexy romance.”
-Booklist

Shana Galen has taken romance to new heights, writing about what happens AFTER the couple says “I Do”. To win a copy of LORD AND LADY SPY, tell me:

Are you a fan of after-the-wedding romances?

Welcome to my TEMPTED Release Day Party! to celebrate the release of TEMPTED, book three in my Eternal Guardians Series, I’m giving away prizes every hour, all day long! The rules are simple: Comment on the post for the prize you want to win. Winners will be chosen at the end of the day. All commenters on every post will be entered into the grand prize drawing–an autographed Eternal Guardians Set (MARKED, ENTWINED & TEMPTED) along with an EG coffee mug and set of romance trading cards!

Up now:

DEFIANT

by
Kris Kennedy

A rogue knight and an enchanting renegade join forces to right old wrongs in award-winning author Kris Kennedy’s sizzling new medieval romance.

A warrior with questionable intentions . . .

Jamie Lost is the king’s most renowned commander, a fearless lieutenant ordered to kidnap an exiled priest before rebel forces close in. The mission is simple—until he meets a mysterious thief who will steal his quarry and then his heart.

A lady of remarkable courage . . .

Beautiful Eva is also seeking Father Peter, but she intends to protect him from a secret that could cost him his life. She senses that she, too, should fear Jamie—not just for his wickedly sharp sword and dangerously muscular body, but for the powerful longing he ignites within her.

A secret that could overthrow the king.

When a band of mercenaries abducts the priest, Jamie and Eva must form a volatile alliance. As civil war unfolds around them, they embark on an epic journey that betrays the truth about their hidden identities, their unexpected loyalties, and the simmering attraction that could seal their fates forever.

“Kennedy has a way with words, and the witty banter between Jamie and Eva is a great pleasure to read.”
–Publisher’s Weekly

Kris Kennedy has been a favorite of mine sine I read THE IRISH WARRIOR. To win a copy of her latest release, DEFIANT, answer this question:

What historical era is your favorite era to read about?

Welcome to my TEMPTED Release Day Party! to celebrate the release of TEMPTED, book three in my Eternal Guardians Series, I’m giving away prizes every hour, all day long! The rules are simple: Comment on the post for the prize you want to win. Winners will be chosen at the end of the day. All commenters on every post will be entered into the grand prize drawing–an autographed Eternal Guardians Set (MARKED, ENTWINED & TEMPTED) along with an EG coffee mug and set of romance trading cards!

Up now:

A LOT LIKE LOVE

by
Julie James

THE FBI WANTS HER COOPERATION.

As the daughter of a billionaire and the owner of the city’s top wine store, Jordan Rhodes is invited to the most exclusive parties in Chicago. But there’s only one party the FBI wants to crash: the charity fundraiser of a famous restaurateur, who also happens to launder money for the mob. In exchange for her brother’s release from prison, Jordan is going to be there—with a date supplied by the Bureau.

AGENT MCCALL JUST WANTS HER.

As the top undercover agent in Chicago, Nick McCall has one rule: never get personal. This “date” with Jordan Rhodes is merely an assignment—one they’re both determined to pull off even if they can’t be together for five minutes before the sarcasm and sparks begin to fly. But when Nick’s investigation is compromised, he and Jordan have no choice but to pretend they’re a couple, and what starts out as a simple assignment begins to feel a lot like something more. . .

“You’ll fall head over heels for ‘A Lot Like Love’. . . [a] charming romance.’”
— USA Today

I love books where the main characters pretend to be a couple and eventually find love. To win a copy of A LOT LIKE LOVE, tell me:

What’s the last contemporary romance you read?

Welcome to my TEMPTED Release Day Party! to celebrate the release of TEMPTED, book three in my Eternal Guardians Series, I’m giving away prizes every hour, all day long! The rules are simple: Comment on the post for the prize you want to win. Winners will be chosen at the end of the day. All commenters on every post will be entered into the grand prize drawing–an autographed Eternal Guardians Set (MARKED, ENTWINED & TEMPTED) along with an EG coffee mug and set of romance trading cards!

Up now:

THE PERFECT SCANDAL

by
Delilah Marvelle

If there is anything Tristan Adam Hargrove, fourth Marquis of Moreland, has learned to avoid, it’s scandal. For the dark and dashing lord is not only an honorable gentleman who would never seduce a woman for his own gain, he is also the author of How to Avoid a Scandal, the infamous red book that has swept like wildfire through the better part of London society.

When a raven-haired beauty arrives as his new neighbor, he knows better than to succumb to the desire he feels. He knows little about her—only that she is high born, a protégé of the Crown and completely unsuitable for the base passions he hides from the world. If only he had never glimpsed the vulnerable beauty one fateful night. If only her lips were not so ravishingly red. If only it were not already too late to save her and himself from the untamed passion he is about to unleash in the name of love.

“Ms. Marvelle never fails to create characters that are full of passion and wit.”
–The Long & Short of It

Author Delilah Marvelle writes historical romance with a twisted, scandalous flare. To be entered to win THE PERFECT SCANDAL, simply tell me:

What’s the last shockingly different historical romance you read?

Welcome to my TEMPTED Release Day Party! to celebrate the release of TEMPTED, book three in my Eternal Guardians Series, I’m giving away prizes every hour, all day long! The rules are simple: Comment on the post for the prize you want to win. Winners will be chosen at the end of the day. All commenters on every post will be entered into the grand prize drawing–an autographed Eternal Guardians Set (MARKED, ENTWINED & TEMPTED) along with an EG coffee mug and set of romance trading cards!

Up now:

SWEET JUSTICE

by
Christy Reece

Live for Honor. Die for Love.

Honor Stone is a young, idealistic FBI agent when her path collides with Seth Cavanaugh. For a girl who has never walked on the wild side, the dark and dangerous Seth is a temptation she can’t refuse. But then Seth walks out the door and out of her life. Five years later, Honor is an operative with the elite Last Chance Rescue organization and Seth is a desperate ex-cop searching for his missing niece—one of many young women who have mysteriously vanished from college campuses. Going undercover, Honor will attract the maniacal cult leader behind the kidnappings and find a way to work with Seth—while steering clear of the passion and need that’s just one touch away from explosion. Seth knows he had all the right reasons for the wrong he did five years ago. And from the moment he sees her—and takes her in his arms again—this former undercover man will risk everything for one more chance with Honor.

A truly frightening, twisted villain and an action-packed finale make this one a page-turner.”
–Publishers Weekly

Christy Reece is a master at writing reunion stories that grab on and don’t let go. To win a copy of SWEET JUSTICE, tell me:

What’s your all-time favorite reunion story?