Suzanne G. Rogers's Blog, page 48
December 15, 2012
Picture This If You Will… BETWEEN by Clarissa Johal
Please welcome author Clarissa Johal to Child of Yden as she talks about her latest release, Between. If you like spooks with a side of romance, put this one on your holiday shopping list! ~ S.G. Rogers
Thank you for hosting me on your blog, Suzanne! (*You are very welcome, Clarissa!*)
Ghosts, Guardians, Death Spirits…and a touch of romantic tension…
Tagline:
How far would you go to redeem yourself?
Blurb:
As a young girl, Lucinda was able to see spirits, a gift that didn’t come without its problems. Now, a dedicated young veterinarian, she is committed to the idea that every life can be saved.
After a devastating accident, Lucinda tries to escape her past by moving to a small town. There, she meets a newcomer and feels an immediate connection with him. But there is another mysterious stranger to the small town, one that stirs within her a mixture of unease and desire.
As Lucinda is drawn into a bitter tug-a-war from the forces around her, she is likewise pulled into a dangerous twist of past and present events. Forced to make difficult choices, she finds that the two men are locked in not only a battle for her life…but a battle for their salvation.
Excerpt:
A young woman stood beside the bed, anguish on her face. She looked vaguely familiar, though Lucinda couldn’t place her. The forgotten colors of her blousy dress had faded into indistinct shades of grey. The woman grasped Lucinda’s hand and pressed a key into it. Lucinda felt the jagged, metal edges pricking her skin. Somewhere in the distance, a car engine roared to life. The woman’s lips moved but the growling engine drowned out all other sound. The sound became louder.
Growling. Darwin was growling.
“Darwin?” Lucinda woke with a start.
The shepherd growled again and hopped off the bed, padding into the living room.
A quiet knock sounded from the front door. Lucinda rolled out of bed to answer it.
Pushing Darwin aside to open the door, she peered sleepily into the moonlit night. A breeze blew across the clearing, stirring the grass. Confused, she shut the door before the breeze could make its way inside.
“Come on back to bed, Darwin. Nobody there.”
As she pulled the blanket up to her chin, the knocking started again.
Lucinda slipped out of bed and walked back into the living room. The sound clearly came from the other side of the door, faint but unmistakable. She slid her hand quietly over the knob. At once, the knocking stopped. Turning the knob slowly, she pulled the door open a crack, heart pounding in her chest.
“Hello?” An icy breeze slipped by her thigh as the scent of ozone assailed her senses. Her heart beat erratically. “Darwin, no!” The dog tried to push past her, growling once more. Rattled, Lucinda closed the door with a bang and locked it.
Lucinda lay in bed and shivered, unable to get warm. A chill slipped under her covers, stealing up her spine. The smell of roses clung to her blanket, the warmth from their scent seemed to be at war with the cold. An hour passed and she finally dropped off to sleep.
For the remainder of the night, the two unseen presences in her room remained at an impasse.
Bio:
Clarissa Johal has worked as a veterinary assistant, zoo-keeper aide and vegetarian chef. Writing has always been her passion. When she’s not listening to the ghosts in her head, she’s dancing or taking photographs of gargoyles.
Clarissa shares her life with her husband, two daughters and every stray animal that darkens the doorstep. One day, she expects that a wayward troll will wander into her yard, but that hasn’t happened yet.
Find Clarissa at her website, Blog, on Facebook, and on Twitter
Between buy link (all formats) at Musa Publishing. Also available at Amazon
December 9, 2012
Muse It Up Specials at Coffee Time Romance
If you’ve been wanting to read my romantic fantasy novellas CYPHER and THE MAGICAL MISPERCEPTION OF MERIDIAN, they are 40% off during December at Coffee Time Romance. The final price is $1.50 apiece. Both stories are appropriate for middle grade readers and up.
Back of Cover: Railing against convention in the kingdom of Meridian, Jona thinks a girl should be able to wear trousers, fight like a boy when necessary, and marry whomever she pleases. She happens upon the queen’s nephew, Lee, who stammers and cannot speak to girls at all…that is, until he meets Jona.
When the queen hires Jona to help her nephew acquire proper social graces, Jona experiences a blissful summer of pure enchantment. Jona and Lee learn to dance, perfect the art of polite conversation, and discover which fork to use at the dinner table. Although they become best friends, Queen Gaia considers Jona a mere servant. At summer’s end, Jona’s job in Meridian is done.
Lee and Jona keep in contact through a set of magical mailboxes given to Lee by the Wizard Farland. When the friends are finally reunited after ten years, their budding romance is torn asunder by an edict from the queen. Against impossible odds, Jona and Lee will fight for an uncertain future. But unspoken secrets and mysteries long in the making have yet to be revealed.
Will true love be denied…or can the differences between commoners and royalty be shown to be just a matter of magical misperception?
Back of Cover: Although she has no memories before the quake that destroyed the kingdom of Augury, Cypher McCall holds a steadfast hatred of the repressive Cauldian regime now ruling the country. Because her magical gifts are deemed subversive, she does her best to avoid detection. Unfortunately for Cypher, however, she’s too beautiful to ignore. After a Cauldian contingent arrives in her hometown, a chance encounter leaves her repulsed by the arrogant Prince Ewan and attracted to his distant cousin, Lord Joss.
When she learns Prince Ewan plans to tear down the ruins of nearby Castle Augur, Cypher vows to stop him. Although handsome Lord Joss tries to protect her from his vindictive cousin, Cypher can’t bring herself to trust the enemy. At the same time, nightmares and dreams nudge her toward reclaiming childhood memories. She stumbles across a silver key she hopes will unlock her past, but first she must confront a long repressed horror at the Castle Augur ruins.
Can Cypher evade Prince Ewan long enough to recover her memories? Is Lord Joss all that he seems or is his charm a ruse to ensnare the unwary? Finally, will the knowledge of her true identity tear Cypher apart or empower her to restore everything she ever loved?
December 6, 2012
Finding the Spirit of Christmas – Flash Fiction
As an increasingly heavy snow shower drifted down over the wintry country landscape, the dark outline of a rectangular-shaped portal formed. A well-dressed man stepped through the blackness, promptly skidded on a patch of ice and landed in a deep snowdrift. The man pushed himself upright, dismayed to find the moist snow clinging to his face and expensive clothes. He glanced back at the portal, but it had disappeared.
“What are you doing out in the middle of nowhere, dressed like that?” a voice rang out.
The man wiped crystals from his eyelashes so he could see. A very pretty woman stood on a path nearby, bundled against the cold.
“Um…I’m looking for something,” he said.
“In the snow?”
“No, er, that was an accident.” He shivered.
“Well…you’d better come inside before you freeze.”
The woman whistled just then and a fluffy tan dog came bounding over. The woman and dog began to walk toward a stone cottage on top of a hill, without looking back. The man turned up his coat collar, hunched his shoulders and followed.
A few moments later he was grateful to be inside, where a fragrant fire was crackling in the fireplace and the smell of baking gingerbread made his mouth water. The room was decorated for the holidays, with a cheerful evergreen garland hanging from the mantle. A fat Christmas tree, twinkling with lights, filled the corner next to the window, and the dining table was covered with a festive cherry red cloth.
“Why don’t you hang your wet things by the door?” the woman suggested.
The man found a hook for his coat, but when the woman went into the kitchen to check on the gingerbread, he used a spell to dry himself off. Nevertheless, his feet were icy cold, so he removed his shoes and sat next to the fire. The dog trotted over to curl up at his feet. The woman came out of the kitchen. She’d shed her outerwear and he finally got a good look at her. She had snowy white skin with cheeks reddened by the cold, and her heart-shaped face was framed by waves of nutmeg colored curls. He gulped.
“What’s your name, Detective?” she asked.
The man peered at her, startled. “How did you—”
The woman laughed and pointed to the badge hanging from his belt. “You’re a wizard detective. I’ve heard of them before.”
“The name is Nick.”
“Okay, Nick, I’m Christine. The dog is called Joy.” She handed him a cup of cocoa and sat down on the raised hearth. “So what are you looking for?”
“Ah…this is rather awkward, but the Spirit of Christmas has gone missing in my dimension. Our best wizards discovered a breach in the energy barrier…it’s kind of technical. Anyway, I’m here to find it.” He sipped the cocoa, savoring the rich flavor.
Christine frowned. “What does this Spirit look like?”
“It can take different shapes.”
“Wow. I guess you have your work cut out for you. Let me get you some gingerbread.”
“That would be great,” Nick said. “This cocoa is really delicious, by the way.”
A few minutes later, Christine and Nick were sharing a slice of the fresh, warm cake. Nick balanced his plate on his knee. “Mmm. This brings back good memories.”
Christine put down her fork. “Once you find the Spirit, what happens next?”
“I ask her to come home.”
“And what if she doesn’t want to go? What if she’s tired of being neglected?” A sudden surge of emotion made Christine’s eyes sparkle.
Nick set his plate aside and pulled her to her feet. “Come home.” He wrapped her in his arms. “Things haven’t been the same since you left. I intend to love, honor and keep you in my heart forever, just like the day we were married.”
She looked into his handsome face. “You had to work hard to find me. I’m impressed.” A smile tugged at her lips.
“I went to every dimension on the map, but I never gave up.” Nick gave Christine a long, romantic kiss. “Tell me you’ll come home? Tomorrow’s Christmas Eve.”
Christine returned the kiss. “I’m afraid we’re snowed in tonight.”
“That’s too bad,” Nick said…but the twinkle in his eye said otherwise. At the same time, Joy’s tail wagged.
~ S.G. Rogers
December 4, 2012
A Bolton, a Bolton! The White Hawk! – Author David Pilling
If you are a fan of historical fiction, have I got a treat for you! Please welcome British author David Pilling to Child of Yden as he talks about his newest release! ~ S.G. Rogers
Suzanne has kindly allowed me a guest spot to talk about Book On
e of The White Hawk, my new series of novels set during The Wars of the Roses. This period, with its murderous dynastic feuding between the rival Houses of York and Lancaster, is perhaps the most fascinating of the entire medieval period in England. Having lost the Hundred Years War, the English nobility turned on each other in a bitter struggle for the crown, resulting in a spate of beheadings, battles, murders and Gangland-style politics that lasted some thirty years.
Apart from the savage doings of aristocrats, the wars affected people on the lower rungs of society. One minor gentry family in particular, the Pastons of Norfolk, suffered greatly in their attempts to survive and thrive in the feral environment of the late 15th century. They left an invaluable chronicle in their archive of family correspondence, the famous Paston Letters.
The letters provide us with a snapshot of the trials endured by middle-ranking families like the Pastons, and of the measures they took to defend their property from greedy neighbours. One such extract is a frantic plea from the matriarch of the clan, Margaret Paston, begging her son John to return from London:
“I greet you well, letting you know that your brother and his fellowship stand in great jeopardy at Caister… Daubney and Berney are dead and others badly hurt, and gunpowder and arrows are lacking. The place is badly broken down by the guns of the other party, so that unless they have hasty help, they are likely to lose both their lives and the place, which will be the greatest rebuke to you that ever came to any gentleman. For every man in this country marvels greatly that you suffer them to be for so long in great jeopardy without help or other remedy…”
The Paston Letters, together with my general fascination for the era, were the inspiration for The White Hawk. Planned as a series of three novels, TWH will follow the fortunes of a fictional Staffordshire family, the Boltons, from the beginning to the very end of The Wars of the Roses. Unquenchably loyal to the House of Lancaster, their loyalty will have dire consequences for them as law and order breaks down and the kingdom slides into civil war. The ‘white hawk’ of the title is the sigil of the Boltons, and will fly over many a blood-stained battlefield.
The head of the clan at the start of Book One: Revenge is Edward Bolton, an ageing veteran of the French wars. His wife, Dame Elizabeth, is the hard-nosed matriarch. They have three so
ns, Richard, James and Martin, and a daughter, Mary. Richard is heir to the Bolton estates, an impulsive and vengeful young man whose actions during the course of the book almost lead to the destruction of everything he holds dear. The second brother, James, is a drunken chaplain who must master his demons before he can fight for his kin. Martin is a small boy, much affected by the violence he sees all around him. Mary is a strong-willed and intelligent young woman faced with the task of holding everything together in the face of war and calamity.
If all this whets your appetite, then please check out the paperback and Kindle versions of Book One below…
~ David Pilling
The White Hawk – paperback version
To check out David Pilling’s blog, go HERE, find him on Facebook, and/or follow him on Twitter
November 30, 2012
Written For Christmas – Flash Fiction
To kick off the holiday season, here is a reprise of a flash fiction story I wrote last year. Enjoy! ~ S.G. Rogers
Written for Christmas
by S.G. Rogers
Diva hesitated a moment before pulling the gift-wrap from Lorelei’s Larceny. As she gazed at the author photo on the dust jacket, the corners of her mouth turned up in a wistful smile. The lights on the Christmas tree in the corner winked at her and the window beyond revealed a light snow flurry falling outside. She turned the novel over in her hands, wondering if she should brave the elements to walk to the corner coffeehouse. While nursing a couple of peppermint mochas, she could make a pretty good dent in the book. Besides which, she didn’t want to spend Christmas Eve alone.
“I can’t believe you opened that now,” Captain Westerly scolded. “Didn’t you promise Brandon Forster you’d wait until Christmas?”
Diva’s eyes slid over to the miniature pirate as he emerged from the pages of her recently released romance novel, Captain Westerly’s Conquest. The book rested on the table in front of the sofa, next to a Yule candle. “Nobody asked you,” she said. “And besides, Brandon won’t know.”
The dashing captain tilted his head as he examined the dust jacket. “Hey, he resembles me…or perhaps I resemble him.”
A crease of annoyance marred Diva’s brow. “Do you have to leap off the page like that? It’s kind of disconcerting.”
“It’s the way you wrote me, my lady,” Westerly said, with a courtly bow. “Why didn’t you give Brandon a copy of my book? I mean, your book. He would have enjoyed Captain Westerly’s Conquest.”
“Are you kidding? He’s a man. Men don’t read romance,” Diva said.
“I don’t see why not? Brandon’s a handsome devil, even if I say so myself—secure in his masculinity.”
“And furthermore, we’re just friends. There’s simply no way a man like him would be interested in me,” she finished.
Westerly stroked his chin, covered with manly stubble. “I thought we were talking about books.”
“Behave, Captain, or your next story will involve a wife and kids.”
Her decision made, Diva launched herself off the sofa and disappeared into her bedroom. A few moments later, she emerged with her coat and scarf in hand. She stopped short, gaping, as Westerly helped a miniature cat burglar step out of the pages of Lorelei’s Larceny. Clad in a sexy black unitard, the woman bore an uncanny resemblance to Diva.
“You look like me!” Diva exclaimed, wide-eyed.
“It’s the way Brandon Forster wrote me,” Lorelei replied, tossing her glossy sable locks over one shoulder.
Captain Westerly kissed Lorelei’s hand. “Would you care for a tour of my ship, my lady?” he asked. “We’ll toast the season with a glass of rum punch.”
Lorelei raised an eyebrow as she gave the pirate an appraising glance. “Lead on.”
“Wait a minute, you can’t—” Diva began, but the two main characters disappeared into the pages of Captain Westerly’s Conquest without so much as a backward glance.
A knock on the apartment door caused Diva to blanch. She draped her coat and scarf over a chair and went to answer it. Brandon Forster stood there, clutching Captain Westerly’s Conquest. “I hope you don’t mind me s-stopping by,” he stammered. “I, um, had to tell you how much I loved your book.”
Diva’s mouth opened, but no sound would come out. Brandon flushed pink and ran his fingers through his closely cropped hair. “I’m sorry, that was lame. What I mean to say is…do you, er, want to get a cup of coffee?”
“I’d love some coffee,” she said with a slow smile.
Brandon let his breath out in a gust. He glanced at the sprig of mistletoe hung over the door and returned her smile with one of his own.
“How did that get there?” she exclaimed, startled.
A distant foghorn sounded from the vicinity of Captain Westerly’s Conquest, on the table behind her.
“I don’t know, but who am I to buck tradition?” Brandon asked. He leaned forward, his lips hovering over hers.
“Merry Christmas,” she said, before she sealed it with a kiss.
~ S.G. Rogers
Newbie Writers – Episode 61 with S.G. Rogers
UPDATE: For the direct link, go .
I’m guesting at Newbie Writers tonight (Nov. 30) at 5:30 PM (EST) if you’d like to listen in to
the conversation! It’s Episode 61, and I’ll be chatting with Damien,who is very charming and has a lovely Australian accent, and Catharine, who is a writer herself. Newbie Writers is a great website with forums, a newsletter, how-to articles, weekly podcasts, and blog. We’ll discuss the writing process, the fantasy genre… and my strange and unusual Sphynx cats (Houdini and Nikita). Come on over!
~ S.G. Rogers
November 23, 2012
Take the Shot – Excerpt from TOURNAMENT OF CHANCE
The lava tunnel opened halfway up the inner slope of volcanic crater. Heather, Manny, and Shimmer joined Dane and Joe as they peeked out from behind a tree. An impressively large brown dragon sat on a dais of white granite on the crater floor some distance below. A multifaceted Dragonstone rested next to the creature, its obsidian surface glowing with an intense inner light.
“I’ve never seen the Dragonstone shine like that before. It must be fairly bursting with magic,” Dane murmured.
“What say you, Heather?” Shimmer asked. “Can you destroy the Dragonstone from here?”
“We should get closer, old boy. Not even Sir Bast could have made that shot,” Manny said.
“Heather can do it,” Joe said.
Dane gave her an encouraging smile. “I know she can.”
Heather let a little silt drift through her fingertips to check the wind. She glanced at Shimmer and nodded. Nocking an arrow in her bowstring, she sighted her target. “Just say the word.”
An enormous troll suddenly emerged from the stand of trees ringing the lake, with a flaming spear in his fist. He ran toward the dais, roaring. The brown dragon yawned.
“He’s bored,” Manny chuckled.
As the troll threw his spear, the dragon morphed into an elderly man. With a wave of his hand, the spear splintered into a shower of sparks. With another gesture, the graybeard turned the troll into a dragon. The creature twisted into the air and then sped off into the sky.
“That man is a wizard!” Joe exclaimed.
After a long pause, Heather spoke. “Shimmer? Do I take the shot?”
But Shimmer was silent. Heather finally lowered her bow and glanced over. He and Manny were stunned beyond measure, and the color had completely drained from Dane’s face. She glanced at Joe, but he shrugged in bewilderment.
“Will somebody tell us what’s going on?” she asked.
Heather’s skill is archery. King Chance’s skill is treachery. Who will win?
When a beautiful commoner enters the Tournament of Chance archery competition, her thwarted victory sparks a revolution in the oppressive kingdom of Destiny. Although Heather never believed the legends about the restoration of Ormaria, after three shape-shifting Ormarian wizards awaken from a long magical slumber, she joins their perilous quest to regain the throne. Heather battles vicious predators and angry trolls to free the wizards’ magic, but at a horrendous cost. She is unexpectedly torn from the arms of the man she loves and hurled back in time to fulfill a prophecy not yet written. The ensuing maelstrom tests Heather’s survival skills, wits, and endurance. Will she become an unwritten footnote in history, or can she trust the magic to lead her back to her one true love?
Now available in all e-formats from Musa Publishing HERE. Also available at and wherever fine e-books are sold.
To return to Sweet Saturday Samples go HERE
November 21, 2012
A Toast to Jane Austen — Author Vonnie Hughes
Regency novels (novels set between 1811 and 1820, when the U.K. was ruled by a Prince Regent) are an immensely popular genre. Jane Austin is perhaps the best-known author of classic Regency fiction, but many modern-day authors write literature set in the Regency period as well. Today, I welcome author Vonnie Hughes to Child of Yden as she tells us about her newest release, CAPTIVE.
~ S.G. Rogers
Tagline:
When Alexandra Tallis sets free the attractive man her sister stupidly tried to hold captive, her actions lead not only to a love she never thought to find, but also to a horrific family secret that threatens that love.
BLURB:
When Alexandra Tallis discovers that her witless sister has imprisoned their father’s nemesis, Theo Crombie in their attic, she quickly frees him, fighting an unladylike impulse to keep him as her own special captive. Despite the brutal beating she receives from her father for her actions, Alexandra continues to yearn for the delicious Mr. Crombie even though she knows that nothing will ever come of her dreams.
Injured and shackled in a stranger’s attic, Theo unexpectedly discovers the woman of his dreams. But how can he pursue those dreams when her bizarre family’s complex relationships threaten the very foundation of his existence? Somehow Theo must find a way through this maze to claim his lady.
EXCERPT:
“Oh, no, Emmaline! Please untie him. Let him go.”
Whatever would her sister do next? At seventeen, she was an eligible man’s worst nightmare. And this latest escapade—
“Don’t be such a bore, Lexie. ’Tis a great joke! For once, Papa will thank us. Especially when he finds out who it is we’ve trussed up.” Emmaline laughed her silvery, seductive laugh that drove men wild and irritated women.
“Thank us? He is more like to beat us. You cannot capture someone and bring him here and…and just tie him up!”
“Of course I can. I already have. I shall lock the two of you in here together and then raise an outcry. Papa and the servants will come running and—,” she waved her pretty hands in the air, “—the rest will take care of itself. Papa’s investment problem will be solved, and with a bit of luck, you might even be married by next week, sister.”
“Are you out of your mind?” rasped an angry voice from the darkest corner of the garret.
“Ah, you’re awake!” trilled Emmaline.
Alexandra Tallis gulped. She was doing her best not to look at the near-naked man half-hidden in the shadows. But her eyes refused to behave. Stripped to the waist he was a wondrous sight, all muscle and taut sinew. His arms tensed and strained as he struggled to escape.
“Get me out of here,” he snarled.
Alexandra blinked and looked more closely, but her eyesight was not the best. She lifted a candle from the wall sconce and took a step forward. And another.
“You’re bleeding!”
He swivelled his head to look in her direction. “Sense at last. Yes, I’m bleeding. I’d be obliged if you’d free me from these bl—these ridiculous bonds.” There was a clank and rattle as he tried to move.
Gracious! Emmaline hadn’t just tied the man up—she had chained him. Alexandra closed her eyes for a few seconds.
“Emmaline! How on earth did you manage—?”
“Davy did it for me. Well, he would fight, so Davy had to subdue him.”
“What did that witless boy do? Shoot the poor man?”
“Yes, actually. He did,” the man muttered.
Bio:
Vonnie Hughes is a New Zealander living in Australia. She loves animals and jogging. Vonnie writes Regencies and romantic suspense novels along with short stories. She is presently working on a romantic suspense, working title: Innocent Hostage and a Regency novella, working title: A Tale of Two Sisters.
Her earlier book Coming Home is about a soldier and a nurse, thrown together during the Napoleonic wars, who find more danger on their return to England than they ever did on the Iberian Peninsula.
The Second Son is actually a prequel to Coming Home. A second son, filled with angst, stands to inherit a title and property through the death of a brother he has always loathed and mistrusted. A young disabled woman teaches him how to find his self-respect and how to love.
Another Regency Historical, Mr. Monfort’s Marriage, has businessman Matthew Monfort inveigled into marrying an earl’s daughter. With good reason he loathes the ton, so his new wife needn’t think she’s going to win him over, even though she’s quite delightful…and intelligent…and sweet…However Verity shows him that not all members of the ton are idle layabouts and that he can do much good with his largesse and with—shock, horror—the unexpected and embarrassing title conferred on him by Prinny.
All of Vonnie’s books are available on Amazon. http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=Vonnie+Hughes&x=18&y=20
Learn more about Vonnie Hughes on her website http://www.vonniehughes.com and blog. http://vonniehughes.blogspot.com.au
Stay connected on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/VonnieJHughes and Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/5605111-vonnie-hughes
November 15, 2012
Magical Worlds – Guest Post by Author Marsha A. Moore
Thank you, Suzanne, for inviting me to be your guest today. I know you and your readers love mythical lands. My writing world has many magical settings. Here’s a glimpse of a few:
The Magical Worlds of the Enchanted Bookstore Legends
by Marsha A. Moore
While writing my epic fantasy romance, Enchanted Bookstore Legends, I particularly enjoyed spending time in some very exotic and unusual magical settings.
When my heroine, Adalyra McCauley opens an enchanted book she confronts a series of quests where 
she is expected to save Dragonspeir from destruction by the evil Black Dragon. In my latest release, Lost Volumes, the third book of the series, Lyra learns residents of Dragonspeir’s Alliance are suffering with a deadly plague at the hand s of the Black Dragon. She doesn’t heed the warnings of her fiancé, wizard Cullen Drake, to remain safe in her human world. After all, she’s the present Scribe—one of five strong women in her ancestry who possessed unique magic, each destined to protect the Alliance against the evil Black Dragon of the Dark Realm. With Cullen dependent upon Alliance power to maintain his immortality, the stakes are doubled for Lyra.
She puts herself at risk for the community afflicted by black magic. To find a cure, she and Cullen travel into the vile, lawless underworld of Terza to strike a bargain with an expert. Their efforts further enrage the Black Dragon, vowing to decimate the Alliance and avenge the murder of his heir.
In order to overpower his efforts, Lyra must secure the three lost volumes of the Book of Dragonspeir. Written by the three earliest Scribes, each book contains energy. Possession of the entire set will enable overthrow of the Dark Realm. Following clues into dangerous lands, Lyra and Cullen seek those volumes. His assistants, Kenzo the tiger owl and Noba the pseudodragon, prove invaluable aids. Only if they succeed, will the Alliance be safe and Lyra reach closer to the immortality she needs to live a life with Cullen.
One of those dangerous places lies underneath Dragonspeir, the world of Terza. The underground land is a vile, lawless place where seedy characters survive on shrewd tricks and trades. Here is a sample of what Lyra sees as she first encounters the residents of Terza:
The figure appeared more human than beast. Simple gray trousers and a tunic of coarse fabric covered the man’s thickly muscled frame. He stood only about four feet tall with a stooped posture. A brown felt hat with a crushed peak sat between his oversized, pointed ears. A wide nose and far-set eyes sat prominent on his flat face. Staring first at Lyra and then Cullen, the man’s coal-black eyes set against an ashen complexion reminded her of the sickly white color of the rats they met earlier.
“Hello,” Lyra said, unable to withstand the stare-down.
Cullen bowed his head. “We’re here seeking advice about your magic. Can you direct us to someone who is an expert?”
The corners of the man’s mouth spread across his wide face, but didn’t lift into a grin. “Go that way. Ask for Goibben.” With stumpy fingers, he pointed to the left tunnel, the way he came. After yanking his hat lower on his brow, he set off to the right, his heavy leather boots thumping against the rocky path.
Lyra and Cullen cautiously turned as directed. She peered over her shoulder to see the man also glancing back at her, grinning ear to ear and cackling to himself. After he turned away, her mouth dropped open. The lights in the stone wall revealed a rat-like pink tail extending from the seat of his pants. She grabbed Cullen’s arm and turned him around. “Look!” she whispered.
“Strange,” he murmured. “Let’s keep going. Stay close.”
The pair walked several minutes more, pausing at intersections to determine which path seemed to be the main corridor. The dripping and clawing noises persisted, setting Lyra’s nerves on edge as she strained to listen for approaching danger.
Finally, they reached a large intersection where many tunnels joined. A cloud of smoke hung in the air, filtering light from windows of dwellings and shops dug out of the stone walls. Streetlights of cast metal held curved arms high above them. White smoke frosted their glass globes. A pungent odor of burning herbs, sharp like sage, stung Lyra’s nose and throat.
Dozens of men and women gathered in small conversation groups outside of storefront doorways. The businesses bore plaques with odd-sounding names: Seth’s Strategems; Fang Sharpener Extraordinaire; Lizard Libations; Billias Black, Gambit Broker. Some of the folk were stocky rat-people, like the man they met, with wide pale faces and tails. Others stood a head taller and leaner, almost skeletal, but equally pallid with blue veins visible beneath their thin skin. The men wore faded wash-pants and tunics. Most women appeared equally shabby, but in skirts, their hair bound with long scarves.
One thin man stepped out from a group, his sunken eyes surveying Cullen and Lyra. “You two be strangers here. You be at the edge of Terza. Lost?” A jute rope gathered his pants around his narrow waist, and their too-short length exposed bony ankles above his thick-soled boots. By the fit, they must have been hand-me-downs, originally fashioned for a rat-person.
One of the most enchanting places within Dragonspeir is one of the few n
eutral places—the misty forest of Silva Caliga, governed by neither the Alliance nor the Dark Realm. It’s a world ruled by trees and the spirit creatures that inhabit them. Lyra first travels to this forest while on her bloodswear quest in Heritage Avenged (book two). From a distance, it calls to her. She hears soft music, barely audible, a haunting tune with a harp accompanying a woman’s angelic soprano. Tiny lights flash momentarily, then faded back into the fog. Even during a storm with fierce winds, a mist continually hangs over the forest. Lyra gains valuable knowledge from the Lady of the Forest, Ysmena, and her tiny tree spirits. In my latest release, Lost Volumes, Lyra returns with Cullen, joining those small folk in their spring equinox celebration.
Everywhere, white lights blinked from bends in branches, rested on knobs of roots, and swung on subtle twigs. Ahead in the center of a large glade, Ysmena’s lantern, hanging from the hook of her staff, glowed like a beacon cutting through the mist. Thousands of butterflies flitted around her light, in and out among the low-hanging branches.
The colorful insects were gay and harmless, but reminded Lyra of the black one that followed her in Aunt Jean’s garden before she left. She shivered at the thought of being watched.
Tree spirits, little more than a foot tall, chased after the butterflies. Dressed up for the festival, the tiny circutamina female folk wore dove-colored gowns, and the males wore leggings underneath flowing tunics. Billowing fabric and long white hair swept behind them as they skipped and danced to the lively song. Those who noticed the travelers whispered and cheered in high squeaky voices.
Some had formed a group of musicians. Several blew on pan pipes of various lengths, while two featured players plucked ornately carved harps.
Steaming tureens, heaped platters, and large jugs sat on crude tables formed from slate slabs.
In the center, stood two stately trees. Although trees on the perimeter swayed branches in time to the tunes, that pair remained rigid, slowly rotating in place.
While at that party, Lyra and Cullen discover a clue that takes them into another amazing land in search of one of the lost volumes—the sky world of Aria. Here’s a sample of Lyra’s first encounter with that world:
As moving nebulous wisps cleared, a short, low boat became visible, gliding toward them. Only one person appeared to be on board, a tall broad-shouldered form.
“Kenzo! Noba! Come here now!” Cullen called as he attempted to stand, keeping his knees bent to help his balance on the springy ground of the sky world.
“You’d be better off riding than walking on that pother. Some places you’ll sink down far—very dangerous,” the man on the boat called ahead. “Welcome to Aria.” As he pulled in front of them, his face lit with a bright white smile. Using a golden rope, he fastened the boat to a fluffy knob of cloud material.
Lyra, Cullen, and his assistants have many wonderful and dangerous adventures in these lands as they attempt to find the missing books. Find out more in Lost Volumes: Enchanted Bookstore Legend Three.
Purchase at Amazon
Series Blurb: Enchanted Bookstore Legends
The Enchanted Bookstore Legends are about Lyra McCauley, a woman destined to become one of five strong women in her family who possess unique magical abilities and serve as Scribes in Dragonspeir. The Scribes span a long history, dating from 1200 to present day. Each Scribe is expected to journey through Dragonspeir, both the good and evil factions, then draft a written account. Each book contains magic with vast implications.
Lyra was first introduced to Dragonspeir as a young girl, when she met the high sorcerer, Cullen Drake, through a gift of one of those enchanted books. Using its magic, he escorted her into the parallel world of Dragonspeir. Years later, she lost that volume and forgot the world and Cullen. These legends begin where he finds her again—she is thirty-five, standing in his enchanted bookstore, and Dragonspeir needs her.
When Lyra reopens that enchanted book, she confronts a series of quests where she is expected to save the good Alliance from destruction by the evil Black Dragon. While learning about her role, Lyra and Cullen fall in love. He is 220 years old and kept alive by Dragonspeir magic. Cullen will die if Dragonspeir is taken over by the evil faction…Lyra becomes the Scribe.
Purchase Links for previous books in the series:
Heritage Avenged: Enchanted Bookstore Legend Two ~ available for only $1.29
Seeking a Scribe: Enchanted Bookstore Legend One ~ available for only 99 cents
Author Bio:
Marsha A. Moore is a writer of fantasy romance. The magic of art and nature spark life into her writing. Her creativity also spills into watercolor painting and drawing. After a move from Toledo to Tampa in 2008, she’s happily transforming into a Floridian, in love with the outdoors. Crazy about cycling, she usually passes the 1,000 mile mark yearly. She is learning kayaking and already addicted. She’s been a yoga enthusiast for over a decade and that spiritual quest helps her explore the mystical side of fantasy. She never has enough days spent at the beach, usually scribbling away at new stories with toes wiggling in the sand. Every day at the beach is magical!
Author Links:
Website: http://MarshaAMoore.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/MarshaAMoore
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/marshaamooreauthorpage
Fantasy Faction staff page: http://fantasy-faction.com/staff-members?uid=38
Goodreads author page http://www.goodreads.com/marshaamoore
Google + https://plus.google.com/u/0/100564214132835514192/posts
November 11, 2012
Meet the Merpeople of River Road – Guest Post by Suzanne Johnson
I am pleased to welcome author Suzanne Johnson to Child of Yden as she tells us about her latest release, River Road. Enjoy, and be sure to leave a comment, below, for a chance to win one of Suzanne’s superlative e-books! ~ S.G. Rogers
As an author, it’s always a fun challenge to take a mythology and put a new spin on it. Which parts of the traditional lore do you want to keep, and what do you want to turn on its head?
In River Road, my new urban fantasy (with a dash of romance) that comes out this week, I wanted to take some of the water species—primarily Merpeople—and figure out a way to bring them into my world of a post-Hurricane Katrina New Orleans. It’s a world already peopled with wizards, werewolves, and a species I call the “Historical Undead”—formerly famous New Orleanians kept alive by the magic of human memory. Think that guy walking down the sidewalk looks a lot like the late Louis Armstrong? Are you so sure it isn’t the REAL Louis Armstrong? And the undead pirate Jean Lafitte is everywhere!
These books have a very deep sense of place. You couldn’t uproot the characters and set them down in another city and have the book make any sense. So I wanted to make sure my Merpeople were tightly woven into the fabric of South Louisiana. And what does one find in South Louisiana? Cajuns. Fishermen. Alligators. Swamps.
Meet the Merpeople, River Road-style. They are aquatic shapeshifters (not wereanimals, so they’re not tied to the cycles of the moon and are born, not made). They can shift halfway into the classic human head to waist, with the fishy lower half and the big caudal fin. Or they can fully shift into big fish. Different mer clans shift into different types of fish.
Oh, yeah, and they’re Cajuns who work in the South Louisiana fishing industry, mainstreaming with humans who don’t have a clue. (You know, if you think about that too hard, it’s kind of cannibalistic—LOL.)
I have two feuding clans of Merpeople in River Road, the Delachaises and the Villeres. Merpeople in my world are a little cranky, tend to be on the shortish side (twins Rene and Robert Delachaise, at 5-10, are quite tall for mers), and, well, they like to fight. Diplomacy is not one of their finer-honed skills. They are long-lived but not immortal, and can mate with humans—although their kids will not be mers. (Probably just good swimmers, I’d think!)
And how are the Nymphs different from the Merpeople? Um…let’s just say the local group has unionized into the Greater Mississippi River Nymphs and their human mainstreaming occupation is a French Quarter escort service. Last I heard, they were bringing in some satyrs for the female clientele…
Want to win a copy of Royal Street, book one in the Sentinels of New Orleans series? Leave a comment to win a signed UK edition. (U.S. and Canada.) The winner will be selected on Sunday, November 18th, midnight EST.
BLURB: Hurricane Katrina is long gone, but the preternatural storm rages on in New Orleans. New species from the Beyond moved into Louisiana after the hurricane destroyed the borders between worlds, and it falls to wizard sentinel Drusilla Jaco and her partner, Alex Warin, to keep the preternaturals peaceful and the humans unaware. But a war is brewing between two clans of Cajun merpeople in Plaquemines Parish, and down in the swamp, DJ learns, there’s more stirring than angry mermen and the threat of a weregator.
Wizards are dying, and something—or someone—from the Beyond is poisoning the waters of the mighty Mississippi, threatening the humans who live and work along the river. DJ and Alex must figure out what unearthly source is contaminating the water and who—or what—is killing the wizards. Is it a malcontented merman, the naughty nymph, or some other critter altogether? After all, DJ’s undead suitor, the pirate Jean Lafitte, knows his way around a body or two.
It’s anything but smooth sailing on the bayou in the Sentinels of New Orleans series.
River Road is available through, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and your favorite independent or online bookstore. You can find Suzanne at her blog, on Twitter, or on Facebook.
