Delilah Devlin's Blog, page 437
November 2, 2013
Flashback and Contest: Dragon’s Desire
Sometimes, we writers write what we think others want. Sometimes, we write what we want. DD is the latter. I love fairy tales—the premises of the stories, anyway. I’m usually disappointed in the execution. I want to know how the curse works, what will break it, what it feels like to walk through life with the affliction. And then of course, I can’t help taking my “what if’s” to their sexy conclusions. That’s what Dragon’s Desire is. A big ole game of “What if…?” Hope you enjoy the excerpt!
I’ll post the winner of today’s contest Monday morning!
Post a comment and you’ll be entered to win a free download of this book!
His need becomes a knight’s quest and a virgin’s gift.
An ancient, cursed creature, Drago, Lord of Drakkenberg, dreads the anniversary that marks the moment he must devour a virgin or visit a plague of destruction on the world around him. Once every century, he becomes a dragon…
Only now that his castle has moved to the U.S. in a vain attempt to break the curse, suitably mature virgins are hard to come by. In the midst of his transformation, he sends his loyal knight, Guy D’Alba, in search of a woman during the Renaissance Faire they are hosting.
Guy understands his duty well, but chafes against the curse that binds him in servitude to the dragon. Until he meets a sweet young reporter who meets his overlord’s requirements—young, blonde and beautiful—and lo and behold, a virgin. But the moment he discovers her fitness, he knows he must relinquish her to Drago or their small mountain community will suffer the dragon’s wrath.
Angela Bowman is smart, young…and a lonely virgin ready to find an adventure. The moment she sees Guy, she falls beneath the spell of his smoldering sensuality. When he asks her to meet Drago, and then produces a blindfold, she finds herself so intrigued she consents.
She’s ready to surrender her innocence—but to which man? The sexy and attentive Guy—or Drago, the mysterious and dominant man she hasn’t yet seen but whose dark aura calls to the woman inside her, yearning to break free?
Ragged wisps of clouds crawled across the face of the full moon, lightening then darkening the barren precipice. Local villagers called it The Dragon’s Atoll. The bürgermeister had given him directions, told him when to begin the climb, warning him the atoll only existed during the full moon before it disappeared for another hundred years.
An hour earlier, the knight had climbed the rocky precipice and now hid behind a stone pillar, sword drawn. He listened to the soft sobs of the girl the villagers had chained to the pillar according to rules handed down for a millennium, or so the elders had said. She was their sacrifice, their gift to the winged demon to pacify its hunger and spare them its wrath.
The knight had silently scoffed at their fear. He didn’t believe in dragons or demons. At least, not mythical beasts. He’d seen enough in his travels to Palestine and back to know evil existed. True evil resided in the hearts of greedy, bloodthirsty men.
Still, the purse filled with gold the villagers offered him to slay the dragon and rid them of their curse convinced him to remain where he was.
“I shall die,” the girl whispered, “savaged by the beast.”
“You will not die,” he whispered, casting her a sideways glance. “’Tis only a tale.”
“You weren’t raised on tales of the horror. Do you think they are only stories told to frighten children?” she said, her voice rising toward the end.
She was a comely thing with golden hair and gentle curves. He’d fought shock and disgust when the old men had cut her clothing from her body to leave her nude. The night was chilly and the sound of her teeth clacking as her body shivered had him reaching for his cloak. If they were bound to wait together, she needn’t freeze.
Come morning, he’d lead her from the mountain and deliver her to her father, the bürgermeister who’d hired him, safe and sound. He stepped around the pillar and bent over to slip the cloak around her.
Instead, she shook her head. “You mustn’t.”
“You are cold.”
“I’ll not be the reason my village suffers.”
He sighed and dropped the cloak, trying not to let his gaze slide down her naked frame but failing. Her nipples were ruched, the tips drawn into tight buds on her round, firm mounds. “How were you so unlucky to be chosen?” he asked quietly, leaning his back against the gray granite rock so he looked out across the atoll rather than at her.
“A lottery of maidens is held. All our names are entered.”
His lips twitched, and he shot her a glance. “And how do the villagers know you are truly virgin?”
A frown drew her pretty brows together. “The midwife examines all the women.”
“If you knew you risked this fate, why did you not lie with a man to render yourself unfit?”
“Because as awful as this fate is, ‘tis worse to cheat the dragon. Every family guards the virtue of their daughters to spare the village a terrible fate.” Her eyelids closed for a moment. When she opened them again, tears threatened to overflow the lower lids. “You shouldn’t be here. My father was wrong to try to end the curse.”
“You would sacrifice yourself willingly?”
“I have a younger brother, cousins, friends.” She shook her head. “I wouldn’t want to see them harmed.”
“What exactly happens when this beast appears?”
She swallowed hard. “He devours the virgin.”
The knight grunted, disbelieving. Why did fairy tale monsters always seek a virgin’s flesh? “It’s likely only feral pigs or wolves you should fear.”
“No wolf or pig would devour a woman whole.”
“How do you know this?”
Her indrawn breath shook. “There is never bone nor blood, hair nor flesh remaining. The creature opens his mouth and swallows his offering in a single gulp.”
Compassion rose and he grasped her cold hand. “I will protect you, whether from dragon or pig. No harm shall come to you.”
“I wish I could believe your vow.” Her eyelids drifted closed.
A sound came from above them. At first, he thought the fluttering must be the wings of a large owl. As the flapping drew closer, his heartbeat slowed and pounded louder, a steady thumping to match the beat of the large wings stirring the air.
“Hide!” she whispered, staring upward, her expression tightening with fear.
Body tensing, he ducked behind the pillar, tightened his grip on his sword, and searched the air above. Again, the clouds masked the moon, sending everything into pitch darkness.
A deep, resonant thud shook the ground as a large shadow settled onto the atoll.
The girl whimpered, and her chains rattled against stone. “No, no.”
The knight sprang from around the rock to stand in front of her, sword raised.
A loud, angry roar pierced the silence, hot breath gusting in the knight’s face. The clouds cleared and moonlight shone on a large elongated head, silvered the scales covering the creature he faced—a dragon indeed—with a wingspan that eclipsed the width of the atoll. Those wings flapped, producing gusts of wind so strong he was pushed back against the girl whose chilled body leaned into his as she sobbed. Sweet Mother Mary, his sword seemed a puny weapon against the great beast.
Another roar rent the air. The knight recovered from his shock and struck out with his sword arm, stabbing toward the creature’s chest. A tree-trunk thick limb batted it away with a clatter, and then another limb, fisted, slammed against his chest, toppling him to the side.
Breath whooshed out with the hard thud, and he landed on his back. Before he could regain his breath and think to roll away, a heavy foot pressed against his belly, holding him to the hard ground. For a moment, fear froze his mind.
With the knight helplessly restrained, the dragon turned his head to the girl. He sniffed the air around her. Its tongue flickered out and licked her breast, her belly, then flickered out again to stroke between her legs before retracting between jaws filled with ragged, gnashing teeth.
Thrashing her head, the girl screamed and flattened herself against the pillar, but to no avail. The creature moved closer and lowered its head.
She shut her eyes, but the dragon nuzzled her cheek. Her eyes opened to peek at the beast then widened. The pair stared for a long moment.
Slowly, her body grew lax, her eyes vacant, and then she whimpered and craned her neck to rub a cheek against the dragon’s head.
If there were dragons, there must also be magic at work because the woman’s expression warmed, her eyelids dreamily drifted downward as her head fell back.
Again, the thick tongue struck out and licked her cheek, her neck, then trailed lower until it disappeared between her legs, which she willingly parted. Her body bowed, shuddering as the tongue pushed upward, disappearing as his large snout burrowed between her legs.
The knight shook his head, grabbed the hard-scaled leg, and tried to shove it away. He’d promised he’d save her. Like other promises he’d made, to children cowering under beds as crusaders pillaged their houses, he was helpless to halt what was happening.
But what was happening? No violence occurred, no rending of flesh, and from the way the woman moaned and undulated, she felt only pleasure.
The woman shuddered then gave a faint cry and slumped against the rock, held upright only by the iron manacles encircling her wrists.
The dragon snorted, retracted his tongue, then leaned away from the woman to gaze down at the knight.
The former Templar who’d rejected the pope’s edicts, who’d decried God for the horrors he’d witnessed and participated in, realized in that moment, he’d been wrong all along. Real devils walked this earth.
If he’d had breath, he’d have prayed for his soul, because he was sure he was about to meet his death.
However, the dragon trembled. The foot clamped to the knight’s belly lifted and fell away. In a slow move, the dragon curled inward and the scales began to fall like shards of glass to shatter into dust on the ground around him.
The knight froze, knowing he could reach for his sword, but curious now to understand what was happening to the creature, because the beast diminished in size. Wings flung upward then melted down into shoulders clothed in skin. The large crenellated head bowed between smooth shoulders, then reshaped.
At last, a man, naked as the woman hanging on the pillar, rested on his hands and knees, gasping for breath. Turning his head slowly, he looked to the knight. “Are you harmed?”
Against a dry throat, the knight swallowed. “I am not.”
The man lurched upward, toward the woman. “We must remove her. Have you something to cover her body?”
“A cloak,” the knight said softly. “You do not mean her harm?”
“I required her virgin blood. But not her death.” He flung out an arm, pointing toward the sword lying on the ground. “You’ve a sword. I am defenseless. Do you mean to kill me?”
“Is that what you wish?” he asked, surprised. The creature could have killed him in his former form, and yet now, seemed defeated.
“If it means that I will never cause another fear, then yes, it is what I wish.”
“The woman showed no fear once you…licked her.”
“She saw me as I am now. Not the beast. It was just a bit of magic to soothe her.”
The knight climbed slowly to his feet and gazed down at the man, fully human so far as he could tell. “Are you man or demon?”
“I am cursed,” the man ground out, lips curving downward in disgust.
The knight, who had weathered horrific battles, felt a pang of recognition for the guilt shining in the other man’s eyes. Something in the tenor of the dragon-man’s voice touched his heart. Instead of bending to retrieve his sword, he reached down his hand—not to slay the dragon, but to help him to his feet.
November 1, 2013
Karen Stivali: Leave The Lights On
I’d like to thank Delilah for offering me a guest spot on her blog so I can talk about my new contemporary romance Leave The Lights On.
One of my favorite things about writing romance is that it gives me the opportunity to explore what happens when people get a second chance with someone they crushed on in the past. In this story Parker and Sophie were childhood friends who, for several reasons, never got together when they were younger. Now that they’re adults they find themselves neighbors once again. Their friendship is instantly rekindled, as are the old feelings of longing. Sophie is a wedding planner and she invites Parker to accompany her to a food show. He’s more than happy to have any excuse to spend more time with Sophie, so he accepts, wondering if it’s a date or if they’re just hanging out. After a day of sampling all sorts of decadent creations offered from the vendors at the expo they stop at one final dessert display where Sophie tempts Parker with a chocolate treat. Here’s an exclusive peek at what happens next…
When love throws you a curve, swing for the fences.
Parker Wood’s dreams of becoming a professional baseball player are shattered when he’s injured in a devastating car crash. After two years in hospitals and physical rehab facilities, he’s ready to move back to his childhood home and take over the family landscaping company. The house and business are his, now that his father has passed.
Sophie Vaughn has suffered through a hellishly public divorce from a husband who couldn’t manage to stay faithful for two months of marriage. Determined not to let her personal drama impact her successful wedding and party planning business, she buys her parents’ old house, hoping the comfort of familiar surroundings will help her heal.
When Parker and Sophie discover they’re neighbors once again, it’s as if time has stood still. Their friendship is quickly rekindled, along with the decade-long crush neither of them ever admitted having. Then the heat between them exposes a long-held secret that threatens to tear them apart…unless they can detach from their painful pasts and move forward—together.
Warning: Contains sultry summer nights, steamy pool-side encounters, and you’ll never look at a jar of peanut butter the same way again.
Excerpt from Leave The Lights On:
Caramel and sea salt flooded his mouth as soon as he bit into the dark chocolate shell. “Jesus. I’ve got to get myself invited to some weddings. This stuff’s amazing.”
Sophie laughed, the shimmery sound sending tingles through Parker’s limbs. “Or you can be extra nice to me, and maybe I’ll bring you home goodie bags from all the ones I go to.”
She grabbed two sample boxes off the table and tucked them into one of the tote bags.
Parker chuckled. “Now there’s officially more food in these bags than in my entire kitchen.”
“That’s just because I haven’t taken you grocery shopping yet. We’ll get your kitchen stocked soon enough.”
“Sounds good.” Anything that involved more time with Sophie sounded good. His gaze was drawn to the saunter of her hips as she made her way through the crowd. Jesus.
“I think we’ve hit every booth. You ready to go?”
“Sure.”
Parker held the door as they left the convention center. As they headed down the street, the sky darkened with deep blue clouds. Thunder rumbled long and deep. “Think we’ll make it to the car before the storm starts?”
No sooner did the words leave his mouth than the sky opened up.
Sophie shrieked, “No. Run.”
They tore down the sidewalk, fat raindrops pelting them faster by the second. One of Sophie’s sandals slipped off, and she started giggling. “Wait, my shoe.”
Parker stopped, slicking his hair back off his face. “Got it?”
“No.” She laughed harder, grabbing Parker’s arm to steady herself as she wiggled her foot back into the shoe. “There.”
Her eyes sparkled as she gazed up at him, her breath coming fast from laughter, her rain-soaked shirt clinging to her every curve. Parker smoothed her wet hair off her cheek. The feel of her skin, warm and inviting, was too much. He couldn’t wait another second.
His lips touched hers mid-giggle, for just a second. He held his breath, his fingers still woven into her hair, waiting to see if she’d pull away. She hesitated, the sweet scent of her making him dizzy, then her mouth was back on his.
Sophie went up on her toes, leaning in toward him, her lips parting beneath his. She tasted like the chocolate they’d had and red wine they hadn’t, a decadent blend of the richest flavors he’d ever savored. He no longer noticed the rain or heard the thunder—his whole world had condensed into the kiss. The only word his brain could form was Sophie.
* * * * *
Author Info for Karen Stivali:
Karen Stivali is a prolific writer, compulsive baker and chocoholic with a penchant for books, movies and fictional British men. She is a multiple award winning author of contemporary and erotic romances for Ellora’s Cave, Turquoise Morning Press and Samhain Publishing.
Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads
Amazon | Barnes and Noble | AllRomanceEbooks
October 31, 2013
Happy Halloween…and a Winner!
Happy Halloween! I hope you all have your candy ready for the Trick-or-Treeting kids. I live in a rural area—behind a gate. If anyone shows up at our door, we’ll think we’re about to be robbed. So, needless to say, we have to take our own kidlets to Halloween “events” in order for them to have some fun. Hopefully, the strong storms we’re expecting today will be gone by tonight… So, tell me your Halloween plans…
October’s Winner
It’s the 31st, which also means it’s the end of my October contest! I promised one lucky winner a bracelet, one I’d make according to her color preferences. The winner can take a look around my Etsy store to see what I do and then we’ll talk. I’ll make a stretchy bracelet, something she’ll love wearing. But who is our lucky winner?
I chose the blog date and the name of the winner using a random number generator. October’s winner is…Danielle Estes (Oct. 12)! Congratulations, Danielle! I’ll be sending you an email!
New Contest for November
Let’s make this super easy. Since Christmas is just around the corner, I’ll help one reader with her gift budget!
What can you win? An Amazon gift card worth $20!
What do you have to do to win? Simple. Comment on my blog—on any posting, from now thru November 30th! I’ll choose a winner at random from among all the comments. Good luck!
October 30, 2013
Cynthia D’Alba: Texas Tango (Contest)
Hi All! Cynthia D’Alba here. Mega thanks to Delilah Devlin for being the Kick-Off blog for my Texas Tango Release Tour.
Today is Halloween Eve. Growing up, Halloween was always one of my favorite holidays. I loved the dressing up, the becoming someone totally different from who you are every day. I’ve been everything from Jeanie from I Dream of Jeanie, to the standard hobo to Ms. Arkansas. Now, I have to confess, the year I played Ms. Arkansas I was twenty-five and teaching at a school of nursing! And before you ask…NO! I was never Ms. Arkansas. My singing and piano playing would have cleared the room…talk about scaring the poor children to death. 
Even today, I love to dress up in my cowboy hat, boots and denim. Makes this city girl feel just like a real cowgirl.
In TEXAS TANGO, both my hero and heroine are wearing masks to the outside world. Travis, as the long-suffering widower and Caroline, as the happy-go-lucky doctor with nothing to tie her down. Sometimes a costume can be fun, like the one I’m wearing in my picture for a book signing. But other times, the costume and mask are hiding true feelings from the world as well as the wearer, as in TEXAS TANGO. I wanted Travis and Caroline to have to face what they really want out of life and have to confess it to themselves as well as to the world.
TEXAS TANGO releases from Samhain Publishing in one week. It’s the second book in the Texas Montgomery Mavericks Series. Here’s a little more what it’s about.
Their wedding might be fake, but there’s no faking the mutual attraction.
Texas Montgomery Mavericks, Book 2
Dr. Caroline Graham is happy with her nomadic lifestyle fulfilling short-term medical contracts. No emotional commitments, no disappointments. She’s always the one to walk away, never the one left behind.
But now her great-uncle is gone and her grandmother is on her deathbed, more concerned about Caroline’s lack of a husband than her own demise. What’s the harm in a little white lie? If a wedding will give her grandmother peace, then a wedding she shall have.
Travis Montgomery has one dream left—to build the ranch he and his wife planned before he lost her to cancer. There’s just one thing standing between him and the last bit of acreage he needs—a last living heir who has one traveling foot out the door…and an unusual request that challenges his determination to never again place his heart at risk.
The land he wants in exchange for a faux marriage. Everyone wins. Until things start to snowball…and the hearts they stand to lose are their own.
Warning: This book contains a tortured widower who doesn’t want a wife and an independent doctor who doesn’t want a husband. Hot stuff between the sheets and failed efforts to avoid emotional involvements.
Want more? Click HERE for the opening of Chapter One.
TEXAS TANGO can be pre-order now from any of the stores listed below or check your favorite online store to purchase.
Amazon | Samhain | Barnes & Noble | Kobo
Thanks again to the Delicious Delilah Devlin for having me here today. I love love love to hear from readers and there are lots of ways to find me. Online, you can find me most days at my website or my group blog.
Follow me at Facebook, Twitter, Google +, Goodreads or Pinterest. Or email me at cynthia@cynthiadalba.com
To send me snail mail, write to:
Cynthia D’Alba PO Box 2116 Hot Springs, AR71914
Now for the fun stuff! I have an exclusive two-day giveaway running today and tomorrow. Tomorrow I’ll be here. You can sign up both days. So what might you win? Check out the Rafflecopter below! Good luck.
AND as my Release Tour moves into November, I have incredible jewelry prizes and some personalized prizes. So be sure to check my personal blog every day. It’ll remind you where I am that day so you can earn lots of entries.
And last, but not least, I have freebies for the asking. Texas Tango Cowboy Hat jar openers, Texas Two Step Cowboy boot jar openers, pens, postcards, trading cards. Drop by my contact page and let your request there.
One lucky person who leaves a comment here today will pick up a western-themed Christmas ornament, so be sure to leave an email address so I can find you.
Thanks Delilah for inviting me over today! Hope to see some of you on my upcoming tour stops.
October 29, 2013
Ready for NaNoWriMo?
I can’t believe it’s almost November! Where did the year go? And all you writers out there know what November is, right? It’s National Novel Writing Month!
According to NaNoWriMo’s website: “National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) is a fun, seat-of-your-pants approach to creative writing. On November 1, participants begin working towards the goal of writing a 50,000-word novel by 11:59 p.m. on November 30. Valuing enthusiasm, determination, and a deadline, NaNoWriMo is for anyone who has ever thought fleetingly about writing a novel. Here’s a little more about how it all works.”
I love the annual challenge. When I’m dragging my feet about writing those darn words, and letting my confidence sag at the thought of writing a long story, I remind myself about what I learn every year in NaNoWriMo—50,000 words a month is doable. I like breaking it down by day: 50,000 words in 30 days is just 1667 words a day. That doesn’t sound so insurmountable now, right?
I’ve already updated my NaNo page. Yes, if you join the NaNo challenge, you set up a page on their website. I love seeing the NaNo-meter increase every day. And I love seeing my friends’ progress too! If you’re thinking of joining the challenge, be sure to add me. My NaNo name is DelilahDevlin.
Are you joining the challenge? If so, let me know your NaNo name!
October 28, 2013
Winner and a Contest Reminder!
I’m heading to the big city of Little Rock (just kidding, I think it’s only about 100k folks there!), but will be checking back in with y’all later this afternoon.
The winner of Saturday’s Flashback contest is…#14, Rachelle Lerner! Congratulations, Rachelle! I’ll be in touch to arrange delivery of your free download!
Don’t forget, everyone—my monthly blog contest ends this Thursday! Be sure to check out the rules (Pssst! All you have to do to win is comment on a blog!). Stuck for something to say about today’s blog? Just congratulate Rachelle. Or tell me how much you like or dislike Mondays! I sure hate this Monday, because I’ll be stuck in a doctor’s office having her read me the riot act about my weight. 
October 27, 2013
Angelique Armae: Ghosts and Haunted Houses + Giveaway
Let me start by saying thanks to Delilah for having me on the blog today!
Since Halloween is right around the corner, I wanted to talk about ghosts and haunted houses. I lived in a haunted house for numerous years. It was a very beautiful, historical house, but never really felt like a true home. Over the years several visitors had said they’d seen or felt the presence of someone standing in their room at night. We didn’t talk much about these events until after I had moved to a new house. That’s when the stories were confirmed by relatives and friends.
There were two places, specifically, that visitors had had these experiences. The first one was the guest room. The door leading to the sitting room was originally an outside door. Everyone who stayed in that room said they’d been awakened in the middle of the night due to hearing the door slam. But it never opened. I had heard the noise myself on numerous nights, but never spoke about it.
The second hot spot in the house was the upstairs. In my bedroom, I ‘felt’ the presence of what I perceived to be a young woman in a long white gown standing by the windows. I also felt her in the master bedroom turret, again by the windows. What confirmed her existence was a conversation I had with my grandmother who lived next door. I had never discussed this ‘woman’ before with anyone. But one day, my grandmother asked me if I had any idea who was the woman in the white gown at the windows. She had seen her. I had only felt her. And despite me never telling my grandmother this, she saw what I had sensed.
There were other ghost tales from the house as well, including a old, bearded man seen in the kitchen, a civil war era ghost in the hallway, and a ghost in my brother’s room.
I had one cat who refused to go into the guest room at night. She would stand at the step leading up to the room from the family room and hiss.
I did discuss the situation of my haunted house, including additional details, with one of the founders of T.A.P.S. / Ghost Hunters. It was a very interesting conversation. He felt the same as I did, that the spirits in the house were not bad, but I did have a connection with them.
Nothing bad was ever felt in the house, but it was strange knowing we weren’t the only family/inhabitants there.
In my book SHADOWS OF THE SOUL I have a little ghost girl. I enjoyed writing her into the plot. Perhaps living in a haunted house sparked the idea for this character.
Do you have a haunted house or ghost story to share? I’d love to hear it.
Thanks for stopping by the blog. Have a Happy Halloween!
SHADOWS OF THE SOUL
(Book 1 of the Paradisian Chronicles)
By Angelique Armae
ISBN: 978-0-9845151-4-1
Publisher: Diversion Books
When Hell’s sexiest bad boy–Nicolai Valentine–defied Lucifer, he lost everything.
Now Heaven’s fearless human warrior–Isabel Heart–has come to Nicolai’s rescue.
When the two meet…
A haunting past is reborn…
Isabel Godfroie Heart is a Paradisian Scholar-an immortal human trained in the ways of Heaven and Hell-who’s suffering from memory loss. During her last battle, a dark force erased specific portions of her past life memories. Now she remembers little of times past, save for the fact she’s a demon slayer mentored by the archangel Gabriel. When ordered to a new post to help translate a volume of ancient text from a forbidden verse, Isabel is forced to work with the dark prince Nicolai Valentine, a soul who may or may not be responsible for her memory loss. If only she didn’t find the tempting creature so hard to resist…
Born to a fallen angel and a mortal mother, Nicolai Valentine is a prince of the Grigorcov, the children of the fallen sons of God. Searching for the lost chalice that will save his kin from eternal damnation, Nicky unknowingly unleashes the Hadean Virus, a dark entity targeting members of the Grigorcov. Now the entity has been unleashed on man’s world and Nicky’s in a race against time to find the antidote that will stop this deadly parasite. But in order to keep the Hadean virus from attacking again, Nicolai must enlist the help of Isabel Godfroie Heart, the Paradisian Scholar he was unable to save from the wrath of Hell centuries ago…
Buy Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
Giveaway: A set of book cover magnets for Shadows of the Soul and The Bride Wore Demon Dust
Send your name and email address to: aarmae@angeliquearmae.com to enter the drawing. Please put ‘magnet contest’ in the subject line. One winner will be chosen at random from the list of entries. US and Canada residents only, please.
Website Links:
Website: http://www.angeliquearmae.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AngeliqueArmaeFans
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AArmae
Author bio:
Angelique Armae is a native New Yorker who’s as zany as the city she grew up in. As a child her favorite toy was Emerald The Witch, a small doll with green eyes, green hair and purple skin.
Miss Armae is published with Diversion Books and ImaJinn Books. Her books have garnered numerous awards and nominations, including the Sapphire Award, P.E.A.R.L. Award and Word Weaving Award. Angelique’s first novel, COME THE NIGHT, made Fictionwise’s Best of the Best list, rounding out the top five best selling dark fantasy books of the year. Her current book SHADOWS OF THE SOUL, a novel about angels, demons, vampires and the humans who interact with them, made Amazon’s Kindle Bestsellers list.
Aside from writing, Angelique also dabbles in digital art. She is the recipient and two time nominee of the Dream Realm Award for best cover art.
When not working, Ms. Armae enjoys traveling, learning about the ancient Celts, exploring history and learning new languages. Angelique studied history and French literature at SkidmoreCollege.
October 26, 2013
Flashback and Contest: First Knight
I’m having a lazy Saturday. No plans other than playing with beads and posting blogs. Maybe I’ll get out of my pajamas. Maybe I won’t. I ran errands all day yesterday and attended an art guild dinner last night. I think I’m ready to return to hermit mode. 
Do you have big plans for the weekend? Or are you like me—enjoying the first really cool weather, cuddling in blankies and sipping hot cocoa? Hope you enjoy the excerpt from First Knight and good luck with the contest! I’ll post the winner Monday morning!
Post a comment and you’ll be entered to win a free download of this book!
“Delilah Devlin has given us another sizzling hot read with FIRST KNIGHT… First Knight is the perfect erotic paranormal romance… I loved First Knight and it rocked my world.” ~5 Angels, Fallen Angels Reviews
“Delilah Devlin is a wonderful author and First Knight is a good example of her amazing skill with the written word… This is a tale of deep, true love with a little something extra!” ~5 Hearts, The Romance Studio
“This is a truly beautiful love story… This short story has much in it to enjoy and to actually inspire. It is a story about redemption and about finding the “silver lining” in the cloud.” ~4.25. Dr. J’s Book Place
While hiding her true identity, Maddie must seduce the mysterious Lord Garon to cement their marriage contract to ensure she won’t be returned into her lecherous stepfather’s care.
Fresh from Crusade in Palestine, Lord Garon has a secret he must hide, a hunger that must be fed, and a dark and uncertain future. Having shed himself of a fiancée he never met, he’s home to lick his wounds. The only thing he wants is a warm-blooded meal—but the new housekeeper is strangely insistent on giving him much more.
Maddie shivered at the creaks and groans the portcullis made as it slowly rose. The rain-laden wind carried the noises and filled the silences in between with a howling that sounded like the hounds from hell had arrived at the castle gate.
Shouts outside the curtain wall had alerted them only minutes before of Lord Garon d’Albermarle’s arrival. With only a bliaut over her sleeping shift, Maddie stood on the first step of the keep, holding a tray with a goblet of wine, ready to offer a proper greeting to her overlord.
“Are you sure this is the way you wish to go about this, M-Maddie?” Egbert asked, fidgeting at her side.
She swallowed against the sudden dryness in her mouth and nodded.
“It be on your head then,” he said, his always-mournful tone as dire as one of Father Ansel’s Sunday sermons. She sent thanks above that the cranky priest was away or her deception wouldn’t last past the introductions.
The clatter of dozens of hooves on the cobbled bridge beyond the gate filled the castle yard with thunder. From the encroaching darkness, the sounds were as ominous as the dark shapes looming on the gatehouse walls. The torches she’d ordered lit sputtered and flared, distorting and elongating shapes so the men riding through the entrance appeared as tall as giants.
Already tired and on edge because she hadn’t slept since a messenger had arrived, warning the castle of his lordship’s arrival days before, Maddie’s fevered imagination painted them darker and larger still.
“Be they devils?” Egbert asked, his narrow shoulders shaking. “No one travels on a night with nary a speck of light in the sky.”
“Hush!” The storm whipping at her clothing and the fatigue from months of worry over this very moment combined to make her hands shake and blackened an already foul mood.
The horsemen entered the bailey and a large figure separated from the contingent who approached the keep. As he drew closer, her fears weren’t eased one whit. The warrior sat atop a huge black destrier, forcing her to raise her gaze quite high to seek his face.
He wore a helm that left only his square jaw exposed. The darkness cast by the metal nose guard concealed his eyes. Only his mouth gave a hint of his mood—a thin, straight line with the corners crimped downward.
Under his stare, Maddie’s knees trembled but her tray never rattled. She squared her shoulders and shot a glance about her at the castle folk. “Stephen!” she called to the stable master. “See to their horses.”
In moments, boys scrambled to accept reins, and the creak of leather and the clank of iron filled the air.
The stable master himself approached the dark warhorse at the foot of the steps but the mounted warrior’s gaze never left Maddie.
She licked dry lips with an even drier tongue. “Lord Garon?” she asked, although there could be no question who led this contingent. All gazes remained on his intimidating figure. “Please come inside, milord. Your people will see to the comfort of your men.”
His mouth twisted. “And who will see to mine?”
Maddie’s heart leapt to the back of her throat. “I will, milord.”
A long pause indicated he looked her up and down. “And who might you be, madam?” he asked, his voice a deep, hollow rumble.
Maddie remembered to curtsy and then straightened, girding herself to speak the lie aloud. “Your housekeeper. I take care of things now.” The latter, at least, was the truth.
Lord Garon grunted. Without a glance at the stable master, he tossed down his reins and dismounted.
When he turned toward her, Maggie’s breath caught. Lord, he’s a tall man. I thought it was just the horse.
Maddie lifted the ornate chalice from the tray to deliver her much-rehearsed welcome.
Instead, his lordship’s lips pressed into a tighter line and he brushed past her.
She was left gasping on the bottom step. “What a rude ogre!” she exclaimed, annoyed he hadn’t fallen in line with the first step of her plan.
“Watch your tongue, madam,” an accompanying knight said tersely as he followed the lord up the steps. “He has exceptional hearing.”
“M-Maddie?” Egbert said, nodding toward the door.
She shoved the tray at his belly and grasped her skirts high to rush up the steps.
The plan had seemed so simple. All she needed was to get him alone and addle his sight with a little wine or ale so he’d not care she wasn’t the comeliest creature in the keep. Then she would seduce him.
And the sooner, the better. The longer she took losing her virginity, the greater the risk he would discover her identity. The truth was, she would rather copulate with the devil himself than be returned home.
However, this business of copulation, which had seemed a simple, messy, perhaps even enjoyable act, according to the cook, now promised to be a daunting trial.
The lord of the keep turned out to be a giant and as dour as a priest at confession. The thought of being naked with him and accepting his manstaff into her body frankly petrified her.
She rushed through the massive doors, hoping her preparations would meet with his approval. Nothing else could be allowed to mar her well-thought-out plan.
His lordship stood in the center of the hall, hands on hips. Unlike his men, he wore no chain mail, only a leather hauberk to protect his body. He’d removed his headgear, revealing hair as black as midnight and a face as hard as carved granite.
He was everything she’d remembered and more—more frightening, more imposing—and more beautiful because of the differences. Thanks be to God, he hadn’t recognized her.
His gaze narrowed on the hall and she looked around to see what might have displeased him already.
Around him servants scurried, delivering warm food to the men-at-arms as boys eagerly divested them of their armor. If she hadn’t been observing him so closely, she might not have detected the change in his posture. He scarce seemed to notice the din of activity. His mouth lost a little firmness, his hands unclenched on his hips and his chest rose and fell deeply.
In that instant, Maddie lost a measure of her fear. Here was a man savoring his first night home after a long absence. He had a heart and cared for something at least. Perhaps he wouldn’t be a complete troll when making her his wife.
October 25, 2013
G.D. Ogan: Immortal Relations
This snippet is from page 69 of my third in the series, “Immortal Relations Coming Out.” The scene is the wedding of the vampire daughter of Magdalena and Gary whose name is Eviana to the human, Victor (soon to be her husband):
We boarded several limousines which whisked us over to where the marriage ceremony would be held and there we saw many of our old friends who had been there the day Magdalena and I had wed at the same location. Eviana had on the same dress Magdalena had worn the day she and I were married. It had a few minor alterations since Eviana was not quite as tall but had an ample bust and wanted the neckline plunging to show off one of her best features. Aside from these modifications, and the dazzling white color, it had the same haut-couture cut as the light blue, lacy, scalloped, and layered, shape-hugging dress I’d seen Magdalena in the first time I’d met her.
I guess I’d been so overwhelmed by the surprise my friends had prepared in my own wedding to Magdalena that I hadn’t really noticed all the white flowers that I now saw and which smelled so very sweet… I think they were Gardenia’s arranged hanging in twists around and down polls placed alongside as well as in the back and in front of the wedding venue. As I walked Eviana down the aisle, I could hear her thoughts of overwhelming love for Victor and the beauty of it was so intense that it was all I could do to keep from crying. I also could hear Victor’s concern that he might faint due to the picture of loveliness walking toward him and prepared to be his bride. I sent him my thoughts; Steady on young man, the ceremony will be over before you know it and you’ll have a long time to enjoy your life with this wonderful lady. If you can’t read her thoughts right now, I can and I can confirm her deep love for you. I am so very proud to welcome you into the family as my son-in-law! What is it the Brits say, something about keeping a stiff upper-lip? Well, just keep SOMETHING stiff for a little bit longer. Then I smiled at him and he smiled back, or maybe he was smiling as his future bride drew nigh. Whatever it was, he seemed to take courage in the stars he saw in her eyes. At this realization I could feel tears on my own cheeks.
Once again, Vladimir had a gift of a dazzling five carat Red Ruby mounted in a Gold ring. This looked to be a twin to the one he had provided when I wed Magdalena. I was sure this was also one from the Hermitage collection for Victor, the groom, to place on the finger of Eviana, his bride.
There was a reception held afterwards; however I only got a parting glance of Victor and Eviana as food evidently wasn’t on their minds. Vladimir had arranged for them to stay in the bedroom at the Menshikov Palace which was completed in 1721 and was the most luxurious building during the time of Peter the Great.
Soon, Vladimir had corralled us and we were transported to the same palace where we entered a private suite of rooms that had been prepared for us. There we found Vlad, Grandmother and Roger and after hugs and kisses we sat down to discuss the wedding and what we had accomplished at the Canadian Coven.
* * * * *
The cover from the first book, Immortal Relations, showing Gary recently converted to a vampire, Magdalena and Eviana with the fog shrouded Residency Castle in the background (a local art student did this cover for me).
The cover is from the second in the series, Immortal Relations, Love and War, and shows Gary looking protectively at Magdalena and Eviana with the Residency Castle visible in the background. (the same local art student did the cover for the second book).
The third book in the series, Immortal Relations Coming Out, is now published and we hope to have it on Kindle soon. This is the only picture I now have of the cover. It shows Gary’s face (as drawn by our local art student) with a huge asteroid hurtling toward the inner planets. Gary, Magdalena and several other vampires will try to change its course so it doesn’t impact the Earth. Since vampires don’t need oxygen, are immune to radiation, don’t need bulky space suits or food and are many, many times stronger than humans, who better to save mankind from the rogue asteroid?
Author bio: Having grown up on each coast (until my junior year of high school we lived across the river from Washington D.C. in Virginia). I ran track and cross-country and did many of the things slightly abnormal male teens do. When my father left government service we moved to Northern California (talk about a culture shock!) in the early 60′s where I continued running track and cross-country through Los Altos High School and Foothill Junior College receiving an Associate of Arts. Then transferring to Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, Texas to finish my undergraduate degree along with Air Force ROTC, being commissioned upon graduation (I spent a little over 20 years in the Air Force having the opportunity to travel and, as they say, “see the world.” I finished a graduate degree at the European Campus of Ball State University while in the service. I did a little teaching at college level and wrote a book on assessment and treatment of children, adolescents and adults with Attention Deficit while finishing my second graduate degree at Hardin-Simmons University upon leaving the service. I never considered myself good at speaking, especially to large groups, writing seemed like the natural thing to do to express myself. I later went to work for the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (their Prison System) where I wrote treatment programs for inmates to help them get off of drugs. I retired from TDCJ as a psychologist when notified that my father had died and I knew my mother would need my help because of her Alzheimer’s. As the only child, I took care of her in her home (as that was her wish) during the last five years of her life. I wrote many articles on running events I participated in while younger and later did the same with car shows I visited (always being interested in vehicles). The first two pages of “Immortal Relations” discusses the true family event that caused me to start writing the “Immortal Relations” series. (You can read that for free by clicking on the “Look Inside” button above the picture of the cover at http://amzn.com/B006ZCBT6G There you will find the photograph that cause me to start the series.
Social Media: (I don’t spend much time on the sites, but have an excerpt of book one on blogspot).
My blog site: http://immortalrelations.blogspot.com/
My website on Amazon: http://amazon.com/author/guyogan
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/pub/guy-ogan/...
Facebook: http://facebook.com/writervampire
Google+: http://plus.google.com/11648116536467...
Twitter: http://twitter.com/thecarphotoguy1
October 24, 2013
Call for Submissions: Hot Highlanders and Wild Knights–Extended!
Hot Highlanders and Wild Knights
Editor: Delilah Devlin
Publisher: Cleis Press
Deadline: June 14, 2013 December 31, 2013
HOT HIGHLANDERS AND WILD KNIGHTS is open to all authors.
Editor/Author Delilah Devlin is looking for historically-themed stories—of knights and men in kilts—for a romantic erotica anthology tentatively entitled HOT HIGHLANDERS AND WILD KNIGHTS: Erotic Romance for Women.
Let your fantasies run wild to a time where men wearing heavy armor or thick tartans sent a spirited young maiden’s (or salty widow’s) heart fluttering. Imagine a primitive, simpler time where survival required physical strength and men were judged for their fierce loyalty and unshakeable honor.
Don’t feel you have to restrict your imaginings to European “knights” (Crusaders, Highlanders, Normans & Saxons, or tournament fighters)—dream about Vikings, Huns, Persians…or maybe a Samurai. A few time-travel stories may be considered as well.
Delilah will be looking for stories rich in sensory detail that explore women’s forbidden desires. A knight serving a conquering king enters a keep his armor tarnished and smeared with dirt and blood. He scans the great hall until his gaze snags on a woman whose frightened face is nonetheless set into stubborn lines as she meets his piercing gaze… Imagine what happens next…
**NEW ADVICE TO AUTHORS: Don’t neglect the world-building and external plots that should weave throughout your stories. Don’t use excessively flowery or hard to read language. This is medieval romance intended for entertainment. Many of the submissions I received were the familiar arranged marriage concepts. Too many included the “watching the maiden bathe in a river” scene. Also, too many included sexual activity with virgins that happened too soon or with the virgin seemingly too experienced to be believable. Try for something unique about the characters, the premise, or the setting. Much of the sexual activities in the stories I have are very vanilla—some kink would be refreshing! Light paranormal will be considered.
HOT HIGHLANDERS AND WILD KNIGHTS will seek stories to satisfy the reader who craves the romantic idea of that hard but questing man while exploring stories set in the Dark Ages. While most will likely take place in Europe, Ireland and Britain, more exotic international settings will be considered. Traditional themes/tropes can be used, but writers are encouraged to create tales that surprise. Delilah seeks unique stories from authors with strong voices, and above all, she’s looking to be seduced by tales filled with vivid imagery and passion.
Published authors with an established historical world may use that setting for their original short story.
Keeping in mind that this volume is targeted at women, the editor seeks hetero stories, but will consider bisexual or lesbian encounters and polyamorous relationships WITHIN that ultimately hetero relationship. This is erotic romance, so don’t hold back on the heat. Stories can be vanilla or filled with kink, but don’t miss describing the connection between strong-willed individuals learning to trust and love one another. Keep in mind there must be a romantic element with a happy-for-now or happy-ever-after ending. Strong plots, engaging characters, and unique twists are the ultimate goal. Please no reprints. These must be original stories.
How to submit: Prepare your 2,000 to 4,500 words story in a double-spaced, Arial, 12 point, black font Word document with pages numbered (.doc, NOT.docx) OR rich text format. Indent the first line of each paragraph half an inch and double space (regular double spacing, do not add extra lines between paragraphs or do any other irregular spacing). US grammar (double quotation marks around dialogue, etc.) is required.
In your document at the top left of the page, include your legal name (and pseudonym, if applicable), mailing address, and 50 words or less bio in the third person, and send to hothighlanderswildknights@gmail.com. If you are using a pseudonym, please provide your real name and pseudonym and make it clear which one you’d like to be credited as. Authors may submit up to 2 stories. Delilah hopes to respond with decisions in March 2014. The publisher has final approval over the stories included in the manuscript.
Payment will be $50.00 USD and two copies of the published book upon publication. Contributors retain the rights to their work, although the editor requests the courtesy of authors not republishing their work until at least 6 months after the publication of this anthology.
Ms. Devlin has published over a hundred twenty stories in multiple sub-genres and lengths with Atria/Strebor, Avon, Berkley, Black Lace, Cleis Press, Ellora’s Cave, Kensington, Kindle, Montlake Romance, Running Press, and Samhain Publishing. In Fall 2011, she debuted her first anthology with Cleis Press, GIRLS WHO BITE. Since then, she has published SHE SHIFTERS and COWBOY LUST. SMOKIN’ HOT FIREFIGHTERS and HIGH OCTANE HEROES released in 2013.
Direct any questions you have regarding your story or the submission process to Delilah at hothighlanderswildknights@gmail.com.
