Felicity Heaton's Blog, page 105

Heart of Darkness - Vampire Romance Book Blog Tour - updated 4th November

The Heart of Darkness leg of my Paranormal Pandemonium 2011 Blog Tour this week included stops at The Enchanted Book and Satin's Bookish Corner. Next week I'll be dropping by Clover Hill Book Reviews, Madame Ds Boudoir, Ao Bibliosphere, Paromantasy and Ex-Libris so be sure to keep following me on this tour for my vampire romance book Heart of Darkness .

On November 3rd at The Enchanted Book , I talked about the locations I used in Heart of Darkness and why I chose them, including pictures to help you see the world of this vampire romance book more clearly when you read it.

On November 4th at Satin's Bookish Corner , I shared a tasty exclusive excerpt of Heart of Darkness and also a giveaway too!

There are also giveaways in progess at some of my previous tour posts, so hop over and read the posts and enter the giveaways.


Heart of DarknessVampire Romance Book Blog Tour20th October - Talking about writing Heart of Darkness and introducing the book @ Romancing the Darkside
22nd October - Sharing an excerpt from Heart of Darkness @ Romance Book Junkies
25th October - Talking about building the world of Heart of Darkness @ Fangtastic Books
26th October - Interview with Aleksandr @ Bitten by Paranormal Romance 
27th October - Sharing an exclusive excerpt @ Bookin' It Along
28th October - Interview with Elise @ Fade Into Fantasy
3rd November - The importance of location in vampire romances @ The Enchanted Book
4th November - Sharing an exclusive excerpt @ Satin's Bookish Corner



Heart of Darkness
Felicity Heaton
A vampire prince on a four hundred year old mission to avenge his murdered sister...

Aleksandr Nemov won't stop until the last of the vampire hunter's progeny is wiped from the Earth. Each kill has stolen a piece of his humanity, pushing him towards the black abyss all vampires hold within their hearts. Now he is teetering on the edge, close to devolving into a beast, and time is running out as he tracks the last hunter to Prague. There he finds a beautiful woman who could be his one chance for salvation, but is it already too late for him?

A vampire guard who will do whatever it takes to protect those she loves...

Elise is dedicated to her duty. It's the only thing she has left. All that changes when she meets Aleksandr in Prague and her master grants him permission to stay at her bloodline's mansion. She knows all about Aleksandr but none of it prepares her for how she feels when the legendary prince's hunt becomes one for her heart. Elise battles him with all of her strength but can she stop herself from falling for the handsome hunter? When he reveals the depth of the corruption in his soul, will she have the strength to face the pain in her past and do whatever it takes to save him?

ebook price: $3.99
paperback price: $9.99
genre: paranormal vampire romance
length: 130000 words
rating: sultry
released: October 2011

Available in e-book from:
Author's website: http://www.felicityheaton.co.uk/ebooks.php?title=Heart%20of%20Darkness
Amazon Kindle: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005WK6E58/
Amazon Kindle UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B005WK6E58/
All Romance eBooks: http://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-heartofdarkness-620972-139.html
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/97624
Amazon Kindle Germany: http://www.amazon.de/dp/B005WK6E58/
Amazon Kindle France: http://www.amazon.fr/dp/B005WK6E58/

Available in paperback from:
Amazon.com: http://www.amazon.com/dp/1466452897/



I'll keep posting the tour dates and links as they happen! You can see the full schedule for my Paranormal Pandemonium 2011 Blog Tour at my website: http://www.felicityheaton.co.uk/paranormal-pandemonium-blog-tour.php

paranormal romance books reading challenge - four to go

When I became a full-time writer in March this year, I challenged myself via Goodreads to read 24 books this year, all of which were going to be paranormal romance books. So far I've done really well considering that I am a writer and I do spend most of my time writing or doing writing related work that doesn't leave me much time for reading. Add to that the fact that I never read a book when I'm actively working on one of my own books (as in, editing or writing one) it leaves me very little time for reading indeed. I know most of you out there will scoff at a measely 24 books in a year, only two per month (if I'd had a full year), but it's quite the challenge to me and one that has actually got me reading again. I love to read, so I always find it a great shame that I don't have the time for it. Plus, I have a  HUGE TBR pile. It's frighteningly big.

So, I'm trying to figure out what to fill up the rest of my challenge with. I have to read four more books this year but what books should I go for?

I'm already reading Shades of Midnight by Lara Adrian, so that's one book off my list. I love the Midnight Breed series she writes and generally they're worth my time and a great escape from my world of writing.

That leaves me three books. What should they be? I've gone through my TBR pile and these are the ideas I've come up with:



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Or there's always the rest of my TBR pile that you can see on my Goodreads Profile: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1228468.Felicity_E_Heaton

Heart of Darkness - Vampire Romance Book Blog Tour

The Heart of Darkness leg of my Paranormal Pandemonium 2011 Blog Tour continues this week with stops at The Romance Studio, The Enchanted Book and Satin's Bookish Corner! Be sure to check the blog tour page for updates and I'm hosting giveaways with my posts at The Enchanted Book and Satin's Bookish Corner.

There are also giveaways in progess at some of my previous tour posts, so hop over and read the posts and enter the giveaways.


Heart of DarknessVampire Romance Book Blog Tour20th October - Talking about writing Heart of Darkness and introducing the book @ Romancing the Darkside
22nd October - Sharing an excerpt from Heart of Darkness @ Romance Book Junkies
25th October - Talking about building the world of Heart of Darkness @ Fangtastic Books
26th October - Interview with Aleksandr @ Bitten by Paranormal Romance 
27th October - Sharing an exclusive excerpt @ Bookin' It Along
28th October - Interview with Elise @ Fade Into Fantasy



Heart of Darkness
Felicity Heaton
A vampire prince on a four hundred year old mission to avenge his murdered sister...

Aleksandr Nemov won't stop until the last of the vampire hunter's progeny is wiped from the Earth. Each kill has stolen a piece of his humanity, pushing him towards the black abyss all vampires hold within their hearts. Now he is teetering on the edge, close to devolving into a beast, and time is running out as he tracks the last hunter to Prague. There he finds a beautiful woman who could be his one chance for salvation, but is it already too late for him?

A vampire guard who will do whatever it takes to protect those she loves...

Elise is dedicated to her duty. It's the only thing she has left. All that changes when she meets Aleksandr in Prague and her master grants him permission to stay at her bloodline's mansion. She knows all about Aleksandr but none of it prepares her for how she feels when the legendary prince's hunt becomes one for her heart. Elise battles him with all of her strength but can she stop herself from falling for the handsome hunter? When he reveals the depth of the corruption in his soul, will she have the strength to face the pain in her past and do whatever it takes to save him?

ebook price: $3.99
paperback price: $9.99
genre: paranormal vampire romance
length: 130000 words
rating: sultry
released: October 2011

Available in e-book from:
Author's website: http://www.felicityheaton.co.uk/ebooks.php?title=Heart%20of%20Darkness
Amazon Kindle: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005WK6E58/
Amazon Kindle UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B005WK6E58/
All Romance eBooks: http://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-heartofdarkness-620972-139.html
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/97624
Amazon Kindle Germany: http://www.amazon.de/dp/B005WK6E58/
Amazon Kindle France: http://www.amazon.fr/dp/B005WK6E58/

Available in paperback from:
Amazon.com: http://www.amazon.com/dp/1466452897/



I'll keep posting the tour dates and links as they happen! You can see the full schedule for my Paranormal Pandemonium 2011 Blog Tour at my website: http://www.felicityheaton.co.uk/paranormal-pandemonium-blog-tour.php

Halloween Spooktacular - Fade to black

Well, my Halloween Spooktacular has now come to a close and it was awesome, and very hard work! I think all of my events, my year long blog tour included, should come with a warning label. Something about not attempting this yourself and may cause death. I always think these things are going to be a breeze with the right amount of planning and then they swallow me whole!

I'm thrilled by the response it got from readers, and that I've met some new people because of it, and also astounded by the work put in by some bloggers and friends of mine in promoting it. You know who you are. You guys were awesome and I can't thank you enough!

I will certainly consider doing another Halloween Spooktacular next year but maybe with a little less gusto or perhaps allowing the event to last a few days longer. Cramming in around 40 blog posts, plus promotion, into a four day stretch was quite frankly insane. I can see that now.

But hey, it wouldn't be me if it didn't involve some crazy schedule, would it?

I'm leaving the Halloween Spooktacular page up for a couple of weeks to allow everyone time to read the blog posts and see if they missed any, or just generally catch up and read at their leisure. You can access it here: http://www.indieparanormalromancebooks.com/p/halloween-spooktacular-event.html

I am tired now, and behind schedule again. Funnily, it's impossible to get anything done when you're constantly posting and promoting a crazy event. I should have figured that would be the case.

Again, thanks to everyone who came along and made the event a success. Thanks to all the amazing people who left comments and entered the giveaways. And mega thanks to those who took time out of their own busy schedules to be really amazing and promote the event and posts for me. I feel sufficiently loved  and will write you all a new hero to drool over soon :D

Teaseday - A Promise of Passion - vampire romance short story

This week my Teaseday is brought to you by A Promise of Passion, a short vampire romance story that is on sale as an ebook for just $0.99. A bargain at under a dollar and available on Amazon Kindle, Apple iPad and iPhone through the iBookstore, and Barnes and Noble Nook.

Here's the blurb and this week's tease...



A Promise of Passion Felicity Heaton
A dark, sensual and action packed story of two hearts, united in their passion and desire, but divided by their blood, A Promise of Passion is guaranteed to get your heart racing.

Alicia is a vampire hunter, unable to find a man strong enough to love and accept her for who she is. When Kassian, a tall and seductively handsome vampire walks into her life and vows to protect her, she doesn't know what to think or feel. His eyes make promises that his searing touch backs up, but she can't get past the fact that he's a vampire and the fact that he thinks she's someone else.

Kassian is certain from the moment he sets eyes on Alicia that she's the reincarnation of his lost love and sire, and he'll stop at nothing to convince her and make her his again. A taste of her blood makes him realise his mistake but doesn't change his feelings or his resolve to have her.

Their mutual attraction is impossible to resist but a moment of passion places Alicia in the path of danger when Seth, the vampire responsible for murdering Kassian's sire, sets his sights on her. When Alicia is dragged into a game of human sport, how far will Kassian go to protect his love? Can he save her or will history repeat itself?


ebook price: $0.99
genre: paranormal vampire romance
length: 15091 words
rating: sultry
released: October 2008

Available in e-book from:
Author's website: http://www.felicityheaton.co.uk/ebooks.php?title=A%20Promise%20of%20Passion
Amazon Kindle: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0036FU1BE/
Amazon Kindle UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0036FU1BE/
Barnes and Noble: http://search.barnesandnoble.com/A-Promise-of-Passion/Felicity-Heaton/e/2940000802694/
All Romance eBooks: http://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-apromiseofpassion-601074-139.html
Sony Reader Store: http://ebookstore.sony.com/ebook/felicity-heaton/a-promise-of-passion/_/R-400000000000000242325
Kobo Books: http://www.kobobooks.com/ebook/A-Promise-Of-Passion/mix-8tfJoF2dME-QoRlvaLzVag/page1.html
Smashwords: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/8014
Amazon Kindle Germany: http://www.amazon.de/dp/B0036FU1BE/
Amazon Kindle France: http://www.amazon.fr/dp/B0036FU1BE/





EXCERPTKassian surveyed the busy room with a lazy smile. The dance floor was crowded, full of hot bodies grinding against each other to the loud beat of the music. A switch in his focus and the tempting sweet melody of one hundred pounding hearts replaced that beat. His eyes moved to single one out amongst them, his hunger rising by the second, driven by the swirling fragrance of blood in the air and the rush of it through their veins.

So many beautiful women here, but for some reason none of them appealed tonight. Usually he could come here and find one to lure away within seconds. Something was different. The delicate features of the vampire hunter, Alicia, rose to the front of his mind. A taste of her sweet cherry lips had sent desire surging through him in a way he hadn't felt in centuries. The smell of her blood, the beat of her heart and the fragrance of her skin had only heightened their effect. It seemed that no matter how much he tried, he couldn't erase the sensations she'd stirred.

He stretched his arms out along the back of the curved red velvet covered couch and leaned back. When the bar tender looked his way, he raised a hand. The man nodded. It was a matter of seconds before another drink was in front of him, the empty glass whisked away. The vampire who ran the club knew him and knew he'd conduct his business quietly, unlike some of the younger vampires that frequented it. Discretion was something a lot of the new generation lacked. Their frivolous behaviour had made the humans notice his species. Right now it was only a small percentage of the population and they had taken up arms against his kind. If the youth continued to flout the rules, it was only a matter of time before more learned of vampires and then they'd have a war to contend with.

A tall blond man leaned against the wide entrance to the curtained booth, his smile broad and charming.

"Ashton," Kassian said, saluting him by raising his glass. "It has been a while since I saw your face. There are many gathered tonight that have been away."

"It is for Seth's party tomorrow," Ashton said and slid his slim frame into the seat opposite Kassian.

Kassian raised a brow. "A party, tomorrow?"

"You hadn't heard?" There was a laugh to Ashton's voice. It had been a long time since Kassian and Seth had been on good terms. "I am sure he meant to inform you. You are, after all, the second eldest resident vampire in this city. Second only to him."

There was malice in those words. He hadn't been second to Seth at everything. Alice had been his, even though Seth had wanted her for himself.

"I hear he even has a guest planned... some human sport. It sounds delightful."

Kassian's frown deepened. Human sport. He'd seen firsthand what those words meant. Some unfortunate girl was about to live a nightmare, chased by vampires in a sick and twisted game. By the end of the night, she'd be dead, drained by multiple vampires, drugged to comply.

"I will expect to see you there," Ashton said with another charming smile and slid out of the seat, easing his way across the room. Kassian watched him until he disappeared from view.

He hated the idea of attending Seth's party, but to be here tonight and then not attend would only increase the tension between himself and the elder vampire. He had to go, whether he liked it or not. He would keep to himself. Perhaps he'd stay long enough to show his face and then leave to find Alicia.

Alicia. She had been beautiful tonight, the moonlight playing gently on her delicate features. It had made her chocolate brown eyes darker and set them sparkling like black diamonds. He ran a hand over his shoulder length dark hair, smoothing it back into the neat ponytail, and imagined the feel of her hair beneath his fingers. Always so soft. Everything about her was soft and warm, enticing him to touch and taste.

Shunning thoughts of Alicia and forcing her to the back of his mind, he focused on the matter at hand. Feeding. It had been weeks since his last feed. Since the night he'd met Alicia, in fact. He frowned at the way she'd crept back into his thoughts and pushed her out again.

His gaze moved around the room, slow and steady, assessing everyone. It stopped when it fell on a woman at the bar. Short cropped chestnut hair, slim figure with all the right curves, and an empty cocktail glass in front of her.

Alicia.

Either he had driven her to drink or she was a figment of his overwrought imagination.

It had been wrong of him to control her tonight. He'd overstepped the mark. It was a mind control of sorts, an ability to slip into your target's head and take over. Many vampires never spent the required time perfecting it and barged their way in, damaging the delicate human mind beyond repair. Done properly, it was a handy defence against humans and vampires alike.

Regardless of how desperate he'd been for her to listen to him, he still shouldn't have used it on her.

It had betrayed what little trust she had in him.

Curiosity got the better of him and he reached across the room to her mind as he sipped his martini. It was easy to slip in unnoticed this time. The resonance of his mind was still within hers. Each time a vampire controlled another's mind, they left behind a trace of their own, a gateway back in that would disappear over a matter of hours. It made things easier if you were forced out and had to re-enter. Breaking into someone's mind took a lot of effort. He made no attempt to control her this time and left again, as quietly as he'd entered.

A man tapped her shoulder and motioned to the empty barstool beside her. Kassian leaned forwards and lowered his glass to the table. Alicia nodded and smiled politely. No, more than polite. It was verging on congenial. She'd never smiled at him like that. How could she smile at this new vampire that way? His own smile rose to his lips. She hadn't realised that the man wasn't a man at all. She leaned back on her stool, revealing a row of empty glasses. Too many. With that much alcohol inside her, she wouldn't notice the man was a vampire until it was too late.

He'd risen to his feet before he'd even thought about what he was doing and was crossing the room. The vampire laughed at something she'd said and hailed the bartender. Kassian growled. There was no way he was going to sit by and let some other man buy her drinks.

The crowd parted before him and he slid through without touching anyone, intent on his destination. Alicia. Now that he was closer, he could smell her delicate fragrance of lilies. It caressed his senses, sending warmth through him and bringing back the taste of the stolen kiss.

Her shoulders tensed when he was within a few feet, betraying the fact she'd sensed his approach. His hand came to rest lightly on her bare shoulder. She turned slowly and looked up at him with wide eyes.

"There you are, Alicia, I have been searching for you everywhere," he said with a broad smile and then looked at the man. His smile widened until he exposed the tips of his half-extended canines. "It was kind of you to keep my Alicia company. Come along now."

He led her across the room and into his booth, drawing the curtain with one hand while he guided her into the seat with his other.

The small oil lamp on the middle of the table struggled to light the booth. The black curtains stole the light. It only remained on Alicia, warming her skin and adding to her beauty. He slid into the couch opposite her, staying close to the exit in case she tried to escape him. The curtain opened a moment, long enough for one of the waitresses to deposit Alicia's drink, and then closed.

He held her gaze across the table. Her blood reeked of alcohol. What had she been thinking? Coming here was dangerous enough, but drinking was just suicide. Surely she knew that vampires used this place as a hunting ground?

Her eyes held a silent accusation. It told him that she was angry with him for his abuse of her trust earlier this evening and she wasn't impressed with what he'd just done. At least on that front he could defend himself.

"He would have killed you," he said and leaned back into his side of the couch. He pressed the tip of his index and middle finger against the base of his glass, one either side of the stem, and drew it across the table to him. He raised it and then frowned at her. "Is that what you want?"

She blinked slowly and looked at him as though she didn't understand a word he'd said. Either that or she didn't care.

He shot forwards, his hand grabbing hers and holding it tight enough that her face screwed up in pain. It was a rough tactic, but one almost guaranteed to make her come to her senses. Nothing cleared the human mind like panic.

"Is that what you want!" There was a growl to his words that made her flinch. When she opened her eyes again, they were brighter and there was fear in them at last. He lowered his voice so as not to startle her. "I cannot let that happen, even if it is what you want."

She snatched her hand back. "It's not what I want."

Her hand went to her head, fingers raking shakily through her hair, clawing it from her face. She rubbed her eyes and face. Had she only just realised the danger she'd placed herself in?

"You've had too much to drink," he said and stood, extending his hand to her. "Come along."

She stared at it and then up into his eyes.

When she showed no sign of taking his hand, he took hers and hauled her onto her feet.

"Get off me," she muttered and shoved against his chest. He caught her other hand. She struggled. "What do you want?"

"I am going to take you home," he whispered and pulled her close. Before he could restrain her hands, she'd twisted free of his grasp and pushed him backwards. His backside hit the edge of the seat.

"You'll do no such thing. I'm not twelve. I don't need a babysitter." She scooted around the table, placing it between them.

A sigh escaped him. She was difficult enough when sober. Now she was bordering on impossible.

"Would you rather I'd left you out there with that vampire?"

The penny dropped.

Her mouth formed a pretty O at the same time as her eyebrows rose.

There was a soft thud and she was sitting on the couch, her hands planted firmly into it beside her knees. Her eyes never left his. Taking her silence as a sign that she wasn't going to fight him, he sat down again and waited. She grabbed her drink. He took it from her.

"I don't think you need any more of that," he whispered.

She swallowed hard.

"Vampire?" she said in a quiet, strained voice.

"It takes one to know one, clearly." He leaned back into the couch again and stretched his legs out, resting his feet on the opposite side of the horseshoe shape and barricading the exit. Her head hit the table and she groaned.

So she'd made a fool of herself. He'd been here to see her safe. There was no harm done and no need for being overly dramatic. She'd learn her lesson and he'd step up his watch over her. Ensuring her safety was paramount. He wouldn't lose her again.

Her head turned to the side so her cheek was pressed against the dirty sticky black table top. Dark chocolate eyes looked up at him. She looked positively miserable.

Without thinking, he reached across the table to her and pushed her hair behind her ear so he could see her face better. She surprised him by closing her eyes when his fingertips accidentally brushed her cheek. A sigh broke free of her lips, drawing his attention there. Brave fingers danced lower, trembling with anticipation and the feeling of her soft skin and her warmth, until his thumb swept along her lower lip. His insides lightened but became heavy at the same time, his mind dizzy with the feel of her and the growing tightness coiling inside him. He opened his hand and covered her cheek with his palm, his fingers resting along the line of her jaw. His thumb continued to caress her sweet lips. They parted slightly, enough for him to feel her hot breath against his skin.

His heart whispered that any moment now she'd come to her senses and realise what he was doing, and then she'd be fighting him again.

"I died... I mean... she died in your arms," she whispered against his thumb.

His hand left her and curled into a fist against the onslaught of the memory her words had released. A frown knit his dark eyebrows and his eyes narrowed on her.

Her eyes opened, full of questions and fear when they met his. "She did, didn't she?"

His mouth felt horribly dry. The glass was at his lips and drained before she could blink. He closed his eyes against the images of her, her whispered pleas and dying words. So much blood. There hadn't been a damn thing he could do to save her. He'd failed.

"Didn't she?" Her voice was probing, unrelenting. She wanted an answer.

He managed a nod. It was more like a hanging of his head but he knew she'd read it as the answer because she sat up.

"Does that mean I'm really her?" Her voice trembled now, fear lacing it.

When he opened his eyes and met hers, she looked as frightened as she'd sounded.

"No," he whispered, too afraid of stirring his memories and in too much pain to raise his voice any louder. "It is purely resonance of my memories from my earlier attempt to make you listen to me."

"Oh." Her gaze fell to the table. Delicate fingers traced patterns on the dark top. "So I'm not her?"

There was hope in her voice. It cut him deeper than any stake could. She didn't want to be Alice.

Her hand reached for her drink again. He pulled it towards him. "I meant what I said."

He couldn't let her continue drinking. He had to protect her, just as he'd promised.

He'd protect her from anything and with his life if it came to that.



Available in e-book from:
Author's website: http://www.felicityheaton.co.uk/ebooks.php?title=A%20Promise%20of%20Passion
Amazon Kindle: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0036FU1BE/
Amazon Kindle UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0036FU1BE/
Barnes and Noble: http://search.barnesandnoble.com/A-Promise-of-Passion/Felicity-Heaton/e/2940000802694/
All Romance eBooks: http://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-apromiseofpassion-601074-139.html
Sony Reader Store: http://ebookstore.sony.com/ebook/felicity-heaton/a-promise-of-passion/_/R-400000000000000242325
Kobo Books: http://www.kobobooks.com/ebook/A-Promise-Of-Passion/mix-8tfJoF2dME-QoRlvaLzVag/page1.html
Smashwords: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/8014
Amazon Kindle Germany: http://www.amazon.de/dp/B0036FU1BE/
Amazon Kindle France: http://www.amazon.fr/dp/B0036FU1BE/

Interview with a vampire - Venturi

It's time to welcome the slightly-dark lord of the Tenebrae vampires in my Vampires Realm series, Venturi, into my interview room.

Venturi first appeared in Prophecy: Child of Light, which is book one in the Prophecy Trilogy, and was one of the lead vampires in book two and three of the trilogy. He has also made appearances in other Vampires Realm stories, such as Seventh Circle and Spellbound, together with Prophecy and Valentine. More recently, he showed up in Masquerade, which is due out in January 2012.

I caught up with Venturi in my rather lovely interview room... picture dark red walls, wooden floor, crackling log fire with an ornate marble surround, and two very comfy black velvet armchairs and that's my interview room. The best place to lure my paranormal people into.

If you want to get a feel for Venturi, then you can read more about him at the Vampires Realm website: http://www.vampiresrealm.com/vampire_venturi.php



(Venturi stalks into the room, a sour look on his face. As he enters the sphere of light emanating from the fireplace beside me, I notice the cuts and bruises on his handsome face. He slumps into the black velvet armchair opposite me and frowns in my direction.)

FH: It's good to see you again, Venturi. I can see that things have been just as busy as Prophecy and Valentine said they have been for you. Did you pick up those wounds defending the gate?

Venturi: The gate is a pain in my backside. (he scowls) I am tired of having the wretched thing in my home. Each night and day we are fighting to contain the creatures trying to come through the breach. It is draining. I rarely get a chance to leave the castle. They need me there. Whenever I am lucky enough to be able to get away, it is never long before I am called back. (his look brightens) You mentioned Prophecy. She is here then?

FH: (smiles at him) Yes, I've already interviewed her. You must miss her when you're stuck in Romania?

Venturi: I do, deeply, but my role there is an important one, not only for vampirekind. It is your people I am protecting with my life too.

FH: I could remind you that you were once one of us.

Venturi: (laughs) Many long centuries ago. I have forgotten my life as a human with good reason. When I was human, the world was a dark place even if you were lucky enough to be rich. There were so many diseases and plagues. Even the slightest scratch could end your life. Modern humans do not know how lucky they are.

FH: Not quite as fortunate as vampires. You enjoy invulnerability that we could never even dream of achieving. I can't think of a disease that can infect you.

Venturi: Only Nox Noctis. (his look darkens and he combs the tangled threads of his overlong dirty blond hair from his face) That is a plague that we could live without. It is possible for us to contract that devastating sickness and there is little chance of coming back from it if it seizes hold of us.

(Nox Noctis is a terrible disease that can turn vampires and werewolves into mindless demons who are not only a danger to others but also to themselves. They're just as likely to shed their own blood because of the madness that grasps them)

FH: Perhaps we should move onto a brighter subject. You were able to attend the recent centenary masquerade at the Venia mansion. That must have been nice considering that you've been stuck at your castle in Romania. Were you able to see Prophecy there?

Venturi: Yes, we met there. I came straight from a battle and she was kind enough to tend to my wounds for me. I do not think Valentine appreciated my presence. Prophecy had not seen me in many long months and she slipped up, forgetting her place. Valentine made his anger known and I cannot blame him. If Prophecy were mine and she danced with Valentine without my permission, I would have reacted the same way. We deserved to be punished for our actions. I am only glad that he did not take things further than merely reprimanding us before the gathered bloodlines.

FH: It must be very difficult for you to hold back when you're around her these days because you've been intimate with each other in the past, but I understand why you don't want to push Valentine too far.

Venturi: It is better to allow him to set the boundaries and seek his permission and have what little I can of Prophecy than to cross the line and have Valentine take away his approval. As her mate, Valentine is perfectly entitled to revoke the rights he has granted to me and Prophecy. I do not want that to happen. I do not want my touch to cause her pain or to suffer seeing her and knowing I can never kiss her or be near to her again.

FH: You make me want to come over there and give you a big old hug when you look so solemn and as though your heart would break if that ever happened.

Venturi: (smiles to reveal sharp fangs) I would not say no to a little comfort.

FH: (holds my hands up and shakes my head) Not that sort of comfort. We've been through this before. I'm not on the menu. (searches for a way of changing the subject) Prophecy and Valentine mentioned that they might come to help you with the gate problem. The three of you working together again. That should be fun, right?

Venturi: I am certain it will be interesting. I would not call it fun though. The gate is very dangerous and both Valentine and I do not want Prophecy anywhere near it, but she has been having visions about it and it is impossible to keep her away from something like this when she has set her mind on it.

FH: I'm sure that between you and Valentine you can keep Prophecy safe. You managed it at the centenary masquerade.

Venturi: I would give my life to keep her safe. (he glances towards the door)

FH: I can see that now you know that Prophecy is around you want to get away from me and see her. I'll finish up on a few fun questions. What's your favourite colour?

Venturi: Black.

FH: And your favourite smell?

Venturi: The woods near my castle in autumn when the leaves are falling and the first frosts come.

FH: Your favourite possession?

Venturi: I cannot think of anything I truly possess as mine alone. Actually, I have a sword that Prophecy gave to me. I sometimes think it is enchanted.

FH: It wouldn't surprise me. Favourite thing to do?

Venturi: After we have subdued the gate and locked it down so the castle is secure, I like to return to my room and telephone Prophecy. Hearing her voice is comforting in the aftermath of a battle. It takes away the pain.

FH: And finally, what's your favourite time of year?

Venturi: Autumn. The air is full of new smells and the nights draw in, and there's often frosts that make the castle grounds sparkle like diamonds. It is a beautiful time of year.

FH: Thank you for coming to talk with me today. I'll let you get on now. Prophecy is just through that door.

(He grins, rises from the seat and is gone in a flash. With a sigh, I look at my notes.)

FH: Who's next?


If you would like to learn more about Venturi and his story with Valentine and Prophecy, then the first book in the Prophecy Trilogy is available in ebook for just $0.99!


Prophecy: Child of Light [book 1] F E Heaton
A vampire unlike any other, Prophecy lives life in the dark until the night she encounters Valentine, a gorgeous vampire who is both her enemy and the man who will change her life forever.

Convinced that the prophecy about her is wrong and unable to ignore the vision of them that he saw in her blood, Valentine goes against his orders to execute Prophecy and kidnaps her instead. The attraction between them grows as they search for the truth behind the prophecy, battle a dark evil that threatens to destroy the world, and attempt to evade their families and the Law Keepers.

When the truth about her is revealed, will Prophecy be strong enough to face it? Will they discover a way to save the world from Hell? And will they finally see past the hatred bred into them by their families and surrender to their love?

The first novel in the Vampires Realm series, Prophecy: Child of Light, is part one in an epic tale of love and war that is sure to capture your heart and leave you craving more.

ebook price: $0.99
genre: paranormal vampire romance
length: 135000 words
rating: sultry
released: March 2007
Book 1 in the Vampires Realm series

Available in e-book from:
Author's website: http://www.felicityheaton.co.uk/ebooks.php?title=Prophecy:%20Child%20of%20Light%20[book%201]
Amazon Kindle: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0035LDNV4/
Amazon Kindle UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0035LDNV4/
Barnes and Noble: http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Prophecy/Felicity-Heaton/e/2940000801048/
All Romance eBooks: http://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-prophecychildoflight-601470-139.html
Sony Reader Store: http://ebookstore.sony.com/ebook/f-e-heaton/prophecy/_/R-400000000000000248920
Kobo Books: http://www.kobobooks.com/ebook/Prophecy-Child-Of-Light/mix-rDOnD6cECkGermYtAHD9Dw/page1.html
Smashwords: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/7757
Amazon Kindle Germany: http://www.amazon.de/dp/B0035LDNV4/
Amazon Kindle France: http://www.amazon.fr/dp/B0035LDNV4/

Author and Character Q&A Session

Well, my ask a question giveaway was a success and I received some awesome questions for myself and my characters to answer tonight! I've gathered all the required heroes and heroines into my interview room so it's a little cramped now, but everyone seems to be getting along. There are a lot of questions for my heroes so I'm surrounded by a lot of very handsome men right now. Life is hard. :D


I'll start off by answer the questions posed to me as a writer as that means I can keep my heroes hanging around me for longer, and then move on to the questions you've asked my characters.


Questions Posed to Felicity Heaton
Alainala and Katrina W asked me: how many books do you have planned in the angel series?

FH: I get asked this question a lot. The only answer I can give at the moment is that there will definitely be one more novel, Her Demonic Angel, and that will come out in 2012. There is a potential hero for another novel, but I need to see how things pan out with Her Demonic Angel first. If I do write another novel after that one, it will probably come out in 2013.


Shae asked me: I know you have a couple of series, so do you write one book at a time or finish one before you start on another?

FH: I have a lot of series. I always write one book at a time but that doesn't mean I'm not planning multiple books at the same time as I'm writing or editing that one book. I find that it's not too difficult for me to retain my focus on writing or editing if I'm scribbling notes down for another book at the same time. I never write more than one book at a time though. That's a recipe for disaster.


Miki asked me: I would like to know the time (general) between the publication of your ebook and the print book?

FH: At the moment, with my new releases, it's very short. I just released Heart of Darkness on October 22nd and the paperback was available by October 29th, so that's a very small window of time between the two. I try to keep them close together if I can. For my older books, I don't have a schedule. It depends on whether I feel it's worth putting the book into print or whether I'm happy enough with it to put it into print. Some of my books are almost five years old now and if I were to put them into print, I would probably want to polish them beforehand.


Madame D asked me: Are you ever going to write a gay couple to awe us with?

FH: I can honestly say that I don't think I'll ever write a M/M romance. There's a chance of a minor character being gay but I'm not really into writing that genre and prefer to write straight M/F romances, with the occasional love triangle. I don't have anything against the genre or those that write it, but it's just not for me.


Madame D and Brandy B asked me: Where do you get your ideas for these amazing stories, and how do you find the time to write them all down?

FH: Ask the muse where they come from. Lol. They come from anywhere. A song, a passing moment out somewhere, a holiday, a movie, absolutely anywhere. I have a very easily inspired muse, which I am deeply thankful for. My mind is constantly on the lookout for new ideas. If inspiration strikes, I pretty much have to drop everything to write down the idea in my notebook or on my phone. I carry my notebook everywhere with me, even on holiday, and if I don't have it on hand, my phone suffices. It's a bit of a slower method but it still gets the idea locked away in the vault for musing later. If I'm actively working on planning a book, then I can spend hours writing down notes for it. I love to plan my books thoroughly.


Azahlia asked me: What made you start to write and what advice can you give to people who want to become authors?

FH: I first started out in fanfiction, where I read someone's work and thought – I can do that. So I did. I learned as I wrote and improved over time to the point where a fellow author and my husband encouraged me to write something original, with my own characters. I was nervous about it but took the leap and I loved it. My advice to any aspiring author is to write several stories AND learn your craft through courses and books before taking the leap and putting anything out into the world. I was lucky enough to cut my teeth in fanfic where people were doing it for fun, not as a business, so it didn't matter how dire my original few stories were. Out in the big wide world where people are paying, you've got to be sure what you're putting out there is really good or you're damaging your own career before you've got it off the ground. I think a lot of new authors rush into things and throw their first novel out there, and that's just dangerous in my opinion. Every author in the business knows you never release your first few novels. You might think they're great right now, but you'll regret your decision five years down the line when you look back. Readers are quick to put you on your never-buy list. You want to be on their auto-buy list, not the never-buy one, and that means critique groups, honest opinions from friends on your book, and writing a few novels to really get the best out of the third or fourth, which is the one you release if it's good enough.


Michelle, LuAnn and Tonya asked me: What made you decide to write paranormal romances?

FH: I was a great fan of the paranormal from a very young age. I have book reports from when I was six or seven where all the books I was reading were labelled as 'boring' unless they featured vampires, werewolves, monsters, witches and other creatures of the night. That love of the paranormal never left me and it's probably stronger now than ever. If you handed me a contemporary romance I would probably call it boring. Hand me something with a vampire in it, or a shape-shifter, or demon, or a god and then you've got me hooked! Even better, give me a laptop and a couple of weeks away from the world and I'll hand you a vampire, shape-shifter or demon god at the end of it. I really love the paranormal genre. I can't think of anything else I would rather be doing than writing books for it.


Michelle asked me: Do you have a favorite type of paranormal character you like to write about more?

FH: I try my hand at various paranormal species but I always come back to my vampires. I play with their myth though so I produce interesting variants in each stand alone novel or series I write. I find that the vampire myth is so flexible and there's such beautiful scope for darkness in it, and I love to write things dark. I'd like to write more about demon gods or humans with supernatural powers though.


Claire asked me: How do you decide on the names of your characters?

FH: With great deliberation and care. I have a list of names that I add to whenever I come across an interesting one. I hate using names that are common because I find they don't suit my characters. A lot of the time, the names mean something too. With my vampires, I tend to go with names that are local to where the vampire was originally from as a human. It might not be their real name, but it's one that suits them because it matches the accent, the looks, and everything else about them. I think it's very important that a name really suits a character, and also a time period. If a vampire or demon or whatever creature is from 3000 years ago and you've called him something that the celebrities are naming their kids this year, then it's not going to work, not unless you mention that he's changed his name for some reason or his identity to stop people from realising he doesn't age, etc. Because I write books mostly set in Europe, I get a whole variety of beautiful names at my disposal. It's just a case of finding the right one.


Claire asked me: Are you ever tempted to go with one of the big publishing houses or do you like your independence?

FH: If Random House or another big publishing house came along and offered me a book deal, I wouldn't turn them down if the price and deal was right for me. I am happy being an indie author and I love the statement it makes and everything it entails, but I won't hide the fact that I would love to land a major book deal. Would it stop me from being an indie? No, not likely. I would still release books as an indie as well as a published author. I would take the best of both worlds.


Katy Grace asked me: which books and Authors are you a fan of and do you still have time to do some reading even though you are busy writing?

FH: In the paranormal genre, I absolutely adore Lara Adrian, Sherrilyn Kenyon, Gena Showalter, and also like Christine Feehan and J R Ward (I went off her series at Vs book), and also sometimes enjoy Lynsay Sands and other paranormal romance authors. I still have time to read but it's normally when I'm on holiday. I don't read when I'm writing or editing any of my own books as I find it influences my writing too much. Because I don't get much time to read, I'm very selective about what I read and tend to stick with authors I know will provide the best read for my valuable time. That tends to be the first three I mentioned above as they write books much like I write, and those as the books I love to read.


VampireGoddess asked me: If you could be one of your characters for a day who would you choose?

FH: That's a tricky one. I would love to be Prophecy from my Prophecy Trilogy for a day as Valentine is my number 1 hero, but then I wouldn't say no to being Elise from Heart of Darkness as I also adore Aleksandr, or Lauren from Love Immortal because Julian is a total hottie, erm, I mean, he's rather lovely.


Brandy B asked me: Do you have a genre you would like to try but haven't yet?

FH: It's not a genre I haven't tried, but I would love to be able to write more fantasy romances. I don't have time at the moment, but if I did, I would write more books in my Tri-Kingdom series, which is unavailable at the moment, but I was offering The Night which is part of it as a freebie during this event.


Sam Moden asked me: Will there be any more stories involving Prophecy?

FH: Well, Sam, you'll be glad to hear that Prophecy, Valentine and Venturi all feature quite heavily in Masquerade, which is the next book in the Vampires Realm series and I'll be releasing it in January 2012. I'm not sure yet whether there will be another novel with Prophecy as the heroine, and Valentine and Venturi as the heroes, but I would love the opportunity to write about them again in that capacity. It would be awesome.


Jessica asked me: Have you ever thought about writing a book that had other shifters apart from werewolves?

FH: I have written about shape-shifters in the past. The In Heat series features a black panther shape-shifter hero, as well as puma shifters and white tiger shifters.


Andie asked me: What are the best and worst parts of writing for you?

FH: I love to plan books and write the first draft as that's the most exciting part for me. I don't mind editing as I know good editing is essential and I put a lot of effort into that part of the writing experience. I think the worst part is when I've read something on paper and scribbled comments and changes on 400+ pages and then I have to type all those into my word document! I hate that part.


Andie, Beverly and Stephanie asked me: Are any of your characters based on people in your own life? If so, do you try to stay true to the personality traits of that person? Which one do you feel is the most like you?

FH: I think I draw bits from everyone I know and everyone I have ever read in a book or seen on TV/movies. Writers are like sponges. We're constantly absorbing and when we then come to create something, we draw on everything we've sucked in whether we realise it or not. There is a lot of my husband in Valentine (not the killer part, but the more human side to him) and other heroes of mine. As for my heroines, I'm not sure who is the most like me. It's probably Lauren from Love Immortal. I actually think there's more of me in my heroes. Lol. Where do you think Lincoln got that fear of death from? I think I draw more on my own emotions than anyone else's. I've always said that I'm a method writer. I feel everything that my characters do, even when it means I end up crying in cafes as I write! Experiencing the emotions my characters are, tapping into that, makes for a better read in my opinion.


Mae asked me: What's your favourite ice cream flavour or sweet treat of choice?

FH: I absolutely love dorayaki made with a custard cream (for those of you who don't know, that's a sort of sandwich of two sweet pancakes with a filling squished between them)! I also love those sweet bean filled pressed dough shapes they do at certain times of year in Japan.


Kristina asked me: I want to know what is your favorite book or series?

FH: My favourite to read? My favourite series is Midnight Breed by Lara Adrian, but my favourite book is Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte or perhaps North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell.


Katrina W asked me: When are you coming to see us in the land of Australia?

FH: Kat, I would love to come back to Cairns! We might be doing something terrible next year and going to New Zealand for three weeks. Forgive me!


Txgrll asked me: Is Hyperion going to have his own book?

FH: Yes, he does have his own story to tell. I have a couple of books in the Vampires Realm series to write first (Ineru's story and Eve's story) and then I'm going to work on Hyperion's.


Txgrll asked me: Out of all your characters/books, which one is your favorites?

FH: My favourite books are Love Immortal, Forbidden Blood, Prophecy Trilogy and Heart of Darkness at the moment. My favourite characters are Valentine from the Prophecy Trilogy / Vampires Realm series, Aleksandr from Heart of Darkness, and Julian from Love Immortal. I also adore Marcus and Veiron from the Her Angel series... and then there's a character or seven in my future series Hades' Boys. My favourite hero in that yet-to-be-written series is brother #3, who I will only refer to by his initial, E, but I absolutely love him and there's a chance he's going to knock Valentine off my top spot!


CrazyAmmoB asked me: If Hyperion and Zsadist would get into a fight, Who would win?

FH: I have to side with Hyperion. Not because he's my own character but because he is over 3000 years old and can probably kill most vampires with a single blow. Zsadist would put up a good fight, but Hyperion is extremely powerful.


Barbara asked me: If you weren't a writer what would you do?

FH: I would be a web developer, which is what I used to do before turning full time author this year.


Anne asked me: Why do you write with 2 Author names (Felicity Heaton and F E Heaton) Are there differences in the type of books that go with each author names?

FH: I write most of my stories as Felicity Heaton but write my Vampires Realm series as F E Heaton. I was also going to write my Tri-Kingdom series under that name too. The only real difference is the series thing. F E Heaton was the name I decided to use for my Vampires Realm series as I had wanted to keep them together and that name linked and recognisable as the author of the series and a darker type of romance. I was writing a lot of stand alone novels as Felicity Heaton, and non-paranormals too. I've done some author housekeeping since then and done away with my historical and contemporary romances, and focused myself on just my sci-fi and paranormal romances.


Laura H asked me: which of your books would be your first choice to have made into a movie? And which actor would you want to play the lead role?

FH: Love Immortal without a doubt. A lot of people who have read that book have come back saying that it could be a movie and that would be awesome. I'm not sure who would play the lead role. There was a discussion on my facebook recently about giving the part to Ian Somerhalder from The Vampire Diaries. It's a possibility. I think there's a chance that someone like Bradley Cooper would be great at playing Julian too. Although, if I had my way, I would find some amazing unknown actors to play the parts. I'd really want them to resemble the characters!



Jkrowyn asked me: What are your thoughts on audio-books? Do you listen to them? Ever want to hear yours available?

FH: It would be amazing to see my books as audio-books. It's so costly to produce them though. I like to have my Kindle read my own books to me when I'm proofing them. Does that count as hearing them? ;)


AmourousVixen asked me: How long did you have your story lines before you started writing them? Did you have any say on book covers? Do the cover models look like what you had in mind for each character?

FH: The length of time my story ideas sit around before I write them varies greatly. I have ideas from around five years ago still waiting to be written. My Hades series which I'm hoping to start writing next year has been with me since 2008. It really does vary. Sometimes I have an idea and write it straight away, sometimes it goes in the vault until I have time or feel inspired by that particular story. I make my own book covers, so I have plenty of say about them and can often choose models that really represent my characters in my mind. It's part of being an indie author that I love!



Questions Posed to my Heroes and Heroines
Ashley asked Hyperion from my Vampires Realm series: you have your crow it shows when you aren't around so I am just wondering can you see what the crow sees even if you are at a far distance from each other?

Hyperion: Well, my little Ashley, my ravens are very dear to me. You are right to assume that I possess the power to see through their eyes. Distance does diminish the strength of the connection between myself and the raven, but I can send them as far as the werewolf bastion without losing contact. As I age, my power grows and so does the distance our connection can span.


Madame D asked Winter from Winter's Kiss: what was it about Nika that drew you to her, and how do you occupy yourself when not with her? When are you coming to visit me?

Winter: (smiles) Nika is beautiful and pure, and brave. Whenever she would pass me, she would single me out and even face me at times. It took courage to stand before a Watchman with a steady heart and question them. I could not answer her, but I admired her bravery and wished I could speak with her and reveal myself and what I was. It was not possible though. Now, because of my own foolishness, I have lost her to the werewolves. It is difficult to be apart from her. My duty occupies me most nights, but there are times when the longing to see her is too strong to ignore and it consumes me. At times like those, I hold the cross she has entrusted me with and look to the distance, to where my little wolf is waiting for me. As for when I can visit you, I am afraid you will have to ask my lord for permission. Perhaps you could visit us? Lord Hyperion does enjoy company.


Madame D asked Lilith from Seventh Circle: how have you been coping as a vampire, and do you feel strong enough to take over the Bloodline yet?

Lilith: I'm not going to lie and say it's been a breeze. Lincoln has made the transition as easy as possible for me. He's so attentive and considerate. I've taken over the bloodline now but most of the time I'm just repeating what Lincoln has said to me when addressing anyone within the bloodline. I'm getting there though. It's easier now that Eve is back with us. She and Lincoln give me the strength I need to be who the bloodline expects me to be.


Madame D asked Valentine from the Prophecy Trilogy: tell us the truth - how do you really feel about sharing Prophecy with Venturi?

Valentine: (growls) As long as he remains within the boundaries I have set out, I have no reason to take his head. If he were to dare break the rules, I would make sure that he suffered the consequences and did not survive to make the same mistake.


Madame D asked Alicia from A Promise of Passion: when is the wedding, and are we all invited?

Alicia: Wedding? Well, it's a little difficult. Technically Kassian can't marry me but I guess we could have a sort of ceremony. I'd really like that and I think I would definitely invite the world when it happened. In fact, I'm off to ask him about it right now. It's a great idea!


Madame D asked Tatyana from Hunter's Moon: how has life been with your gorgeous werewolf?

Tatyana: Exhausting (smiles) I am only joking. Living with Nicolae on the mountain is wonderful but I do still think about my bloodline and the Law Keepers. There is always a chance of them finding us or hearing about us. I have been trying to fit in more with the werewolf pack. Nicolae tells me not to try so hard to get along with them but I know they are important to him, so I try regardless. They can be difficult at times. I think I have more success with the local timber wolves. The humans are also difficult to socialise with. Not because I am often tempted to bite one. It seems there are human females who had an eye on Nicolae and they hold some sort of grudge against me now because he is mine. Life with Nicolae is definitely interesting. Between the timber wolves, the werewolves and the humans, there is never a dull moment on the mountain.


Katy Grace asked Andrej from Heart of Darkness: Would you have ever made a move on Elise if Aleksandr has not arrived?

Andrej: I would like to believe I would have. It was my own sense of foolish pride holding me back, masked by the belief that Elise would only desire a male from her own bloodline. I love Elise, but what Aleksandr said to me is right. If I felt true love for her, the sort that lasts forever, I would not have held back. I would have told her. I love her but it was only once Aleksandr entered our lives and threatened to take her away from me that I felt a desire to fight for her. I do not think what I feel for her is true love. Perhaps one day I will find someone I want to fight for.


Mae asked the Her Angel boys, Julian from Love Immortal, Taig from Ascension and Kearn from Forbidden Blood: What's your favourite ice cream flavour or sweet treat of choice?

Marcus: I shall start. Having experienced many flavours of ice cream, I would have to go with mint choc chip.

Apollyon: (claps a hand down on Marcus's shoulder) Wrong as usual. It has to be chocolate of some variety.

Lukas: (shakes head) Vanilla.

Marcus: Rookie, that is just...

Einar: Boring? I think that's the word you're looking for there. I think strawberry shortcake. Taylor loves that flavour.

Lukas: There is nothing wrong with vanilla. Good vanilla ice cream--

Veiron: No one wants to hear about your boring flavour. Ice cream... well... it doesn't exactly travel well to Hell. I have experienced chocolate though, so I'll second the gloomy dark angel's vote. What about you lot?

Kearn: Lot? Is that any way to speak to your superiors?

Veiron: (scoffs) I don't see anyone superior to me around here.

Kearn: I do not have to listen to this. Angels should remain in the demon dimension where they belong. I have a blood only diet. Amber has the sweetest blood I have ever tasted.

Veiron: That's disgusting.

Taig: (slaps his hand down on Veiron's red hair and ruffles it) Let the adults talk for a while, kiddo, and quit shooting your mouth off before it gets you killed. I like any flavour of ice cream where I'm licking it off Lealandra. (grins)

Julian: I am beginning to wonder whether the definition of adult has changed in my lifetime. I am with the silver-haired vampire. I exist on a blood only diet and there is no blood sweeter than that of my love.


Casorb asked Veiron from the Her Angel series: Who do you imagine your ideal woman to be?

Veiron: Curvy, ample and sexy as sin (winks). I used to think Taylor was my ideal woman but things have changed recently. There's a certain woman in my life now who is my whole world and she's the opposite of what I used to think was my type. She's petite, sweet, warm and hasn't got an evil bone in her body.


Did you all enjoy this post? It was great receiving so many questions and a lot of fun answering them for you all!

Interview with a vampire - Lincoln

We heard from his heroine, Lilith, back on Saturday. Now it's time to sit down with Lincoln, the hero of my vampire romance book,  Seventh Circle , and see what he has to say for himself.

(Lincoln strides in, confident as always, and settles himself in the black velvet armchair opposite me. He's a study in darkness with his tailored black shirt and trousers, and his dark hair and eyes a contrast to his pale skin.)

FH: So, Lincoln, you've been busy since we last saw you at the end of your story, Seventh Circle.

LINCOLN: A lot has happened since then. I spent a few restful months with Lilith at the cabin while she acclimatised to being a vampire and became accustomed to the thought of running a bloodline, and then we finally moved to the family mansion in Oslo. We have not had a moment's peace since then. Lilith is slowly coming to terms with her role within the bloodline but I am still handling most of the business for her. I do not think she is ready to take on the full burden of running a bloodline. We did have some time away from the mansion recently though, to attend Lilith's first Creator Day masquerade. It was quite the event. In the end, I am glad that Eve could not attend. I think Lilith might have felt more on edge than she had and Eve would have again come face to face with Section Seven. It was hard enough for Lilith to see them and see familiar faces amongst their ranks.

FH: It must have been very difficult for her. Was it the first time she's come across her old employers and friends?

LINCOLN: (nods solemnly) Yes, it was. I do not think she was prepared for it even though she had said that she was when we were travelling down to Saint Petersburg for the ball. Seeing people she knew, fighting them, disturbed her greatly. When Eve returns to us again, we are all going to head out to the lake where it is peaceful. I wish to take my mate's mind off what happened and I know that she feels relaxed there, away from the bloodline and all it entails.

FH: Isn't it a risk to leave the bloodline unattended?

LINCOLN: It is. I will only be able to leave them for a short period at a time, no more than a day. I will miss Lilith but she will understand, and I know she will appreciate the break and what I am doing for her.

FH: Lilith and Eve will be safe at the cabin though. I'm sure there'll be a certain male vampire there who is more than capable of handling a couple of females and protecting them.

LINCOLN: (smiles but it's strained) I only wish I could remain there with my love like he can. Sometimes being a Chosen Son is nothing short of torture. It keeps me away from Lilith so much when she needs to escape to the cabin. I have to ensure the bloodline is safe.

FH: Your romance certainly doesn't seem to be suffering from any time apart though. You two seem more inseparable than ever.

LINCOLN: I suppose we are. Perhaps it is the time apart that brings us closer. I can sense her through our bond, long to go to her and find it hard to sleep without her at my side. Our bond drives me to return to her and see that she is safe with my own eyes not just my feelings. One day Lilith will finally be comfortable with being the lady of Vehemens and Eve will be comfortable with her new role and life as a vampire, and then perhaps I can take Lilith away to the cabin and leave the bloodline in Eve's hands for a while.

FH: I think you would like that, and I know that Lilith would like it. I think she misses you just as much as you do her when you're apart. It's great to hear that you're getting along though and that Lilith is slowly becoming more comfortable with her new life as your mate, a vampire, and a lady in charge. I have a few silly questions that I like to ask the people I'm interviewing. Firstly, what's your favourite colour?

LINCOLN: Deep red. I never realised that until I gave Lilith a garnet choker and it looked stunning on her.

FH: Perhaps it's just the colour red on your mate's neck you like? (smiles at him) And your favourite smell?

LINCOLN: The scent of the pines and the lake. The smell of nature. It stirs my senses.

FH: Lilith likes the smell of the area around the cabin too, but she added the scent of your aftershave to it. Apparently you give her cuddles by the lake. Very sweet (he scowls at me). Your favourite possession?

LINCOLN: The cabin. It is not technically mine. It belongs to the bloodline but is only used by the ranked members, as in myself, Lilith and now Eve. Lilith says that it is ours. I like it because it is the only place I can truly be alone with her.

FH: Favourite thing to do?

LINCOLN: Would it surprise you if I say that it is visiting the cabin with Lilith?

FH: Not really. I had a suspicion you would say that. And finally, what's your favourite time of year?

LINCOLN: Winter. I like the stillness of it and the long nights.

FH: Lilith said the opposite. She loves summer. I guess opposites attract though. Thank you for letting me interview you. It was great to catch up with you.

LINCOLN: Thank you. I shall see myself out.

(He rises and leaves me alone in the room to study my notes on my next guest)

Did you all enjoy this catch up with Lincoln?

If you're not familiar with Lincoln and his vampire love story, you can read more about it below...


Seventh Circle F E Heaton
Born with powers similar to a vampire's, Lilith has spent her life hunting demons for Section Seven. On the same night as she watches a vampire kill her best friend, she is faced with her worst nightmare—a client who is not only attractive but a vampire.

Lincoln is a powerful pureblood with a problem. He's caught up in a prophecy and has little time left to unravel the mystery of the contract between his lord and the Devil before he dies. When witches foretell that a vampire hunter will save his life, he's prepared to work with his most hated enemy, but he isn't prepared for the forbidden desire he feels when he meets her.

Their mutual attraction becomes difficult to deny as they work together but when Lincoln reveals the truth about her powers, will Lilith find the strength to embrace a side of herself that she wished didn't exist? And when they discover Lilith's role in the prophecy, how far will Lincoln go to save her?

Dark, sensual and fast-paced, Seventh Circle is a story of forbidden love so strong that it will save the world.


ebook price: $2.99
paperback price: $9.99
genre: paranormal vampire romance
length: 106112 words
rating: sultry
released: November 2008
Book 7 in the Vampires Realm series

Available in e-book from:
Author's website: http://www.felicityheaton.co.uk/ebooks.php?title=Seventh%20Circle
Amazon Kindle: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0035LDO68/
Amazon Kindle UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0035LDO68/
Barnes and Noble: http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Seventh-Circle/Felicity-Heaton/e/2940000800973/
All Romance eBooks: http://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-seventhcircle-620973-139.html
Sony Reader Store: http://ebookstore.sony.com/ebook/f-e-heaton/seventh-circle/_/R-400000000000000249275
Kobo Books: http://www.kobobooks.com/ebook/Seventh-Circle/mix-ZGYNJZH8-kmDBm5GV0YlJg/page1.html
Smashwords: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/7734
Amazon Kindle Germany: http://www.amazon.de/dp/B0035LDO68/
Amazon Kindle France: http://www.amazon.fr/dp/B0035LDO68/

Available in paperback from:
Amazon.com: http://www.amazon.com/dp/1460978579/
Amazon.co.uk: http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1460978579/
Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/seventh-circle-f-e-heaton/1021362622

werewolf romance flash fiction - Howl

This is the final one of the four flash fiction pieces I wrote for my Halloween Spooktacular!

A flash fiction is a short piece of work, normally around 1000 words long. It's pretty much a single short scene. All of my flash fics this weekend are based in my Vampires Realm world.

This time we're leaping from a flash fic about a vampire  hero and werewolf heroine to one about a werewolf hero and vampire heroine. It's time to catch up with the rugged ex-alpha werewolf Nicolae and his rogue Nocens vampire Tatyana from Hunter's Moon ...

Here's the flash fic...



HOWL

Nicolae's paws pounded the rough earth, his speed picking up  as the plateau ended and the ground dropped away, sloping down towards the  valley. Low level branches of the smaller pine trees whipped at him, snagging  his black fur as he raced onwards. The sound of his own measured pants filled  his ears but didn't obscure the noises of the forest around him.  Day birds moved in the dark trees towering  above him, settling in their nests for the night while their nocturnal brethren  left theirs. An owl hooted as it passed overhead and a wolf howled in the  distance.

The pack.

Nicolae skidded to a halt in the leaf litter, threw his head  back and howled a reply to the timber wolves. Their dialect was different but  the alpha of the pack would understand, as would a few of the older wolves.

Tonight he hunted alone.

A low melancholy howl echoed around the snow-capped  mountains in response to his and inside he smiled to himself. Message received  and understood. The timber wolves would hunt on the other side of the valley.

He tipped his head down and then up again when the thick  blanket of cloud that had swathed the sky all day finally began to break apart.  Inky patches began to show through the heavy grey, some containing the first  stars he had seen since the weather had closed in last week. His amber gaze  sought the moon, eager to see it again. A brighter area of cloud told him that  it was hidden there, waiting to make its presence known to the world, as eager  to reveal itself as he was to see it. The cloud was still thick around it. They  would both have to wait a while longer.

Nicolae huffed and then dragged in a breath. He caught the  scent of his prey again, strong against the subtler undertones of the forest,  standing out amongst the pine, earth, and decaying leaves, and other smaller  creatures.

He lowered his nose to the ground and sniffed, following the  trail, taking pleasure in smelling his prey in his territory. A ripe curse  broke the quiet night. Nicolae lifted his head and sprinted towards it, his  heart pounding, blood telling him to hurry now in case this was no longer a  game. After what had happened to Tatyana when they had first met, he wasn't  taking any chances. She was too precious to him for that.

Nicolae twisted and ducked through the trees and leapt over  fallen logs and rocks to reach her, his pace increasing with each stride,  pushing himself to make it there as quickly as he could in case she was under  attack.

He closed his eyes as he burst through the scrub surrounding  one of the small glades, running blind for a moment, and hit something head on  that shouldn't have been there. There was a snarl as he barrelled into her and  then a short grunt of pain as he landed on top of her on the patchy grass floor  of the glade.

Nicolae looked down at her where she lay beneath him, her  beautiful long wavy fair hair strewn across the ground and her amber eyes full  of surprise.

The moon slowly peeked out from behind the clouds and shone  down on her, bathing her in pale white light that only added to her beauty.

"You are drooling on me," she said with a hint of amusement  in her fiery eyes and Nicolae realised that he was still in his animal form.

He focused and shifted back, growling and snarling as his  bones popped out of their sockets and shifted, elongating into their human  forms. His black fur swept backwards over his body and his face distorted, his  muzzle compressing and ears moving back down into place. His tail shrank and  disappeared. He shook his head as his change ended, sending his unruly black  hair falling down over his face, and then smiled down at Tatyana.

"Don't think this counts as you catching me," she said,  deadly serious.

"What happened?" Nicolae glanced at what he could see of  her. There were no cuts on her black shirt to indicate that she had encountered  hunters or had been wounded and he couldn't smell any blood on her. He on the  other hand was sporting a few scratches from the trees on his bare thighs and  back.

She gave him a look that said she didn't want to talk about  it.

"Tatyana," he murmured and stroked her cheek, resting his  weight on one elbow. She felt so soft beneath him and now that he knew she was  safe, his body was beginning to get some very wicked ideas. It was hard not to  when he was naked and she was lying beneath him. "You can tell me."

She still hesitated, and then she turned her head away from  him and said, "I heard you howl and I panicked. I sprinted back up the hill to  make sure you were alright and I wasn't looking where I was going and I  tripped."

Tatyana held her hands up to reveal her muddied palms.

Nicolae fought to contain his smile so she didn't grow angry  with him. She prided herself on her abilities as a vampire and tripping in a  dark wood was clearly something she felt shouldn't have happened.

"I'm glad you are alright," he whispered and stroked the  hair from her face, smoothing it into the rest.

"What about you?" she said with a small frown and turned her  face towards him again. "You came through those bushes like your tail was on  fire."

He smiled now and looked down into her eyes, absorbing the  fact that she was safe and her only wound was to her pride. It warmed him,  eased away his fears, and made him feel light inside.

"I heard you curse and was afraid someone had attacked you."

"Oh." Her eyebrows rose and then she smiled and it was  beautiful. "I guess we're both as bad as each other."

If by that she meant that she loved him with all of her  heart and couldn't bear the thought of anything happening to him, then she was  right.

"Shall we continue our hunt?" she whispered and the look in  her eyes said that she wasn't thinking about hunting anymore.

Nicolae smiled wickedly, shifted his hands to her wrists and  pinned her to the forest floor. "I have a better idea."

She grinned and he swooped on her lips and captured them  with his own. She responded in an instant, her soft moan driving him on, and he  deepened the kiss, running his tongue over hers and then her fangs. He groaned  when she fought him and then shivered when she brushed the tip of her tongue  over his slightly extended canines. It brought back memories of all the times  they had hunted each other and all the times those hunts had ended like this,  with them making love in the glade where he had first met her.

Tonight had frightened him though. He couldn't bear the  thought of her in danger, at the mercy of hunters. He would never allow it.

This territory belonged to him.

Tatyana belonged to him.

And he would protect her with his life.

Because she meant everything to him.

He lowered his mouth to her neck and kissed the scars there.

Because she was his mate.

So, did you enjoy this hunt between Nicolae and Tatyana?

Fantastic Halloween Spooktacular Giveaway #4

It's time for the fourth and final of my fantastic Halloween Spooktacular daily giveaways! Remember, even if you won a giveaway already, you can still enter this giveaway! We're sticking with angels for the bookmark thong...

Enter Giveaway #4 To Win:1 x signed paperback of your choice! Choose from Seventh Circle, Winter's Kiss, Hunter's Moon, Love Immortal, Forbidden Blood, Ascension, Her Angel (Her Angel books 1-3) or Her Guardian Angel1 x signed book swag as per the picture below!1 x angel heroine beaded bookmark thong made by me! That's right. Hand-made by this paranormal romance author. It doesn't get much more personal and special than that. See the picture below.



This giveaway runs until 00:01 EST on 2nd November 2011.

If the GFC box isn't showing on the left side bar of the blog, hit refresh until it appears. It should be above the NetworkedBlogs box but it's very temperamental.

Remember to click the instructions links so you know exactly what to do to make your entries count!

Enter Now:


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