I just started this Highland series last month and I have been devouring if faster than a gallon of ice cream after a break up. I can’t get enough. These time travels are about the MacCoinnich Clan and are set in Scotland and California. Highlander Protector is the story of their youngest daughter, Amber. The MacCoinnichs are Druids and each carries with them a unique gift. Unfortunately Amber’s is on the verge of killing her. Being an empathy has her physically and emotionally drained and nearing the end of her life at an accelerated pace.
Gavin Kincaid is a Druid warrior whose duty in life is to serve and protect the family that he has never met, the MacCoinnichs. After one journey to the Clan’s stronghold he becomes intrigued by a painting of a young woman. When he asks for help in finding out whom the woman is, he not only finds out who she is but is thrown through time to meet her. Will his special Druid gift be able to save her life or has he arrived too late?
I really loved this book. It is a little different than the others as there are no wars going on but you can tell it is building up to another battle in the next book. I also enjoyed catching up with the other family members and characters that I equally loved from the previous books. I’m so glad I was able to read these books at the same time as now I will be impatiently awaiting the next edition. Catherine, you can take me back in time to meet sexy Highland hotties anytime!!

I asked Cathy a few questions about time travel and here are her answers! Also, don’t forget to enter her giveaway at the bottom of this blog!

What was the first time travel book you ever read and what attracted you to writing one?

I honestly don’t remember the first time travel romance I ever read. I do remember having a very early fascination with time travel. I loved all those historical romances and loved placing myself in the role of the heroine. I made up time travel love stories in my head way back in High School. *sigh* It took much longer for me to actually complete an actual book, however.

If you could travel back in time to meet someone or be at a certain event what would it be?

That would be hard. I think if you go back in time and attempt to change history you stand the risk of screwing up everything more. Or, messing up your own history… or… I think I might like to go back in time to see what life was really like in Regency London…or Medieval Scotland. But I would need to be a noble because I sure as heck don’t want to find myself in the wrong end of poverty. Ya know?  

There is so much detail and planning for these book and I love how everything is connected so well. How did you go about planning such a large time travel series?

I didn’t. Seriously, it wasn’t quite planned. The first book went really well and lent itself to book two…and by the time I managed The End on Silent Vows I knew there would be an epic ending in Redeeming Vows. Then my fans kept asking for more and the series continued with the Highland titles. For me, there isn’t so much planning that goes into the books from the beginning because the characters don’t really have a chance to truly come alive until I tell their stories. That isn’t to say that I don’t have a rather clear picture of the next book. I do, but I know that it can change as I’m writing it…and I go with whatever the tide wants me to do. That’s what the characters need or want…and that’s okay with me. I’m just the writer getting their stories out. I know, it sounds like the voices in my head are doing all the talking…and in a way they are.

 I’m comfortable with my psychosis. LOL

Do you have any future plans for time travel books and if so what time period would you choose?

Not to give anything away… but I think I’d like to explore Gavin’s world more. Nuff said.

Who is your favorite Scottish hottie? Can be real or fictional?

I think Fin is my favorite. And yeah, he’s my fictional character. But damn he is hot!

Any plans to ever visit Scotland?

I sure hope so. Scotland is on my bucket list and I see no reason that can’t happen in the next few years. I want to visit the place I’ve tried so hard to create in my stories.

EXCERPT

1686, MacCoinnich Keep Scotland

Fighting with a sword ranked up there with having sex without an orgasm. Holding the damn thing took too much energy and the end-result was anticlimactic and messy. Kincaid’s free hand itched to pull any one of his hidden weapons from the pockets of his modified seventeenth century clothes and finish off his opponent. The man’s death was inevitable. He had no earthly prayer of taking Kincaid. Even without the use of Kincaid’s gift, the kilted Scot had two fatal flaws working against him. One, he underestimated his opponent, never a good thing in battle. Two, Kincaid’s Druid gift would prevent any fatal blow from reaching his skin. He was damn near immortal.

Kincaid missed being skewered by the Scot’s blade by lunging to his right and placing one foot on the edge of the Keep’s massive stairs. Above him, other men fought, some with powers, a few without. Preventing the ancient Keep from falling into any hands that didn’t belong to descendants of the original owners, wasn’t going to happen. These missions were planned and orchestrated with extreme caution and precision.

The Scot advanced again—sweat falling from his brow with the effort of the fight.

“Kincaid!” He heard his name from the floor above, but didn’t make the mistake of looking up.

“I’m busy.” He blocked his opponent’s sword again, locked the man’s free arm, and attempted to pull it behind his back.

Kincaid was rewarded by taking an elbow in the ribs and having the wind knocked from his lungs.

“Finish him already. We need to move on.”

Moving on was his queue that their time was nearly up.

“I guess…” He shoved the Scot a foot away and lifted his sword high. “That means we’re done here.”

“Your confidence will be your downfall,” the Scot said.

Kincaid motioned the man forward. …said the spider to the fly…

The Scot advanced with a surge of strength and determination.

Kincaid held his ground, threw up his Druid shield, and watched as shock filled the man’s gaze when his sword bounced off the shield and opened him up for Kincaid’s final blow.

Killing never sat well with him. But he was a warrior and killing was part of his soul. Damn shame that.

Kincaid heard his name called again, and he took the familiar stairs two at a time to reach the others. From the corner of his eye, his gaze met a painting on the wall, one he’d not seen before.

His steps faltered as he connected with the haunting gaze of the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen. Didn’t matter that the painting was one dimensional, or that the woman was most likely dead…even in this century. He did a quick inventory of the other images on the walls and recognized only one. The same painting hung in that very space on the wall, so many years in the future. But this one…the picture of the woman with her long dark hair and pained focus as she attempted to smile, beckoned him. This painting he’d never seen.

“Kincaid! Dammit man, get your ass up here!”

Kincaid shook away the woman’s soulful gaze, bounded up the stairs, and trailed his band of men up the spiral staircase of the turret.

As they moved to the privacy of the bricked room, he noticed the small face of one of the Keep’s youngest occupants watching from behind an adjacent door.

Rory moved to close the door when Kincaid motioned toward their witness.

The child, a girl not more than ten years old watched with wide eyes. She didn’t appear frightened in the least.

“Is she…”

Rory lifted his hand, palm up, and from it, a small ball of fire swirled from nothing and hung suspended.

The girl’s wide eyes lifted and a small smile inched at the side of her lips. She lifted her hand and a sputtering of fire sprang from her fingertips.

Kincaid felt his pulse dip as he lifted his finger to his lips “Shh,” he whispered with what he hoped looked like a friendly smile.

Noise from the long staircase met their ears. Rory ushered them inside and closed the door. Before the noise from below became another battle, Kincaid closed his eyes, lifted his shield, and spread it over his small party…then he began to chant and time slid away.

CATHERINE BYBEE

BIO:

New York Times & USA Today bestselling author Catherine Bybee was raised in Washington State, but after graduating high school, she moved to Southern California in hopes of becoming a movie star. After growing bored with waiting tables, she returned to school and became a registered nurse, spending most of her career in urban emergency rooms. She now writes full-time and has penned novels Wife by Wednesday, Married by Monday, and Not Quite Dating. Bybee lives with her husband and two teenage sons in Southern California.  

 

 

CONTACT LINKS:

http://www.catherinebybe.com

catherinebybee@yahoo.com

catherinebybee.blogspot.com

twitter.com/catherinebybee

facebook.com/authorcatherinebybee

 

HIGHLAND PROTECTOR

The MacCoinnich Time Travel Series, Book Five

Paranormal Romance

November 19, 2013, First Edition

Paperback & Ebook

From New York Times Bestselling Author Catherine Bybee comes the long awaited next installment in her MacCoinnich Time Travel Series.

No ordinary hero can save Amber from death…it will take a Highland Protector

Amber MacCoinnich’s survival depends on her traveling to the twenty first century, or so her mother’s premonition told her. Death taunts Amber and offers peace in her endless pain. Without the mysterious savior her mother spoke of, Amber prepares for death only to wake with a handsome, dark stranger in her bed.

Gavin Kincaid spends his life shifting time in order to preserve and protect the MacCoinnich family and their line even though he’s never met one living MacCoinnich. A haunting portrait of a beautiful woman captures his attention and he embarks on a quest to put a name to the picture. When a colleague vanishes, the time-stream forces Kincaid to the twenty first century where he finds his mystifying woman close to death. His Druid gift can save her, but at what price? And when they both find themselves emotionally linked, the truth behind Kincaid’s heritage just might kill them both.

Please click on the following link to enter a fabulous giveaway that Catherine is putting on.  http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/8a854411/