Thea Harrison's Blog, page 40
February 14, 2012
Second Valentine's Day present: snippet from Natural Evil (e-novella, Mar 20th)
Really shaken for the first time that evening, Claudia tried to hide the impact that Luis in his human form had on her.
He was so tall, she noticed he had to be careful that he didn’t scrape his head on the trailer’s ceiling. His body was massive, heavy muscles overlaid on strong, sturdy bones, with a wide, powerful chest that tapered to a long, washboard stomach. His smooth brown, silken-looking skin wrapped the whole package like the world’s most extravagant Christmas gift, and that sheet he’d knotted at his lean hips was the bow. He had dark, bitter chocolate eyes, boldly molded features and a mouth that was so full and sensual, it should have looked girlish but didn’t. His thick black, gleaming hair held a hint of curl. It was a touch too long for the style he wore and flopped in his eyes, as though he were a couple weeks’ late in getting it cut.
As he walked toward her, he moved with a fighter’s easy, athletic confidence, and when he brushed her cheek, his mouth was very warm against her chilled skin.
She was used to big, tough men, and experienced with commanding them in combat missions. In some ways, Luis’s physical presence was so damn familiar it was comforting on a visceral level. That was disturbing all on its own, because her gut insisted that she recognized him and his presence filled a hole that had been inside of her ever since she had lost the others in her unit and retired.
As if that weren’t enough to knock her off balance, his presence had an intense vitality filled with a sexuality that ran dark and hot. It was sultry, powerful. It was knowledgeable. He carried that knowledge in his DNA, and it manifested in every languid, graceful move of his body and in those dark, intelligent eyes.
This was a man who’d had a whole lot of sex and he really, really liked it. And why wouldn’t he? By the time he hit puberty, every female he met and probably several of the males would have fallen over in invitation the moment they laid eyes on him.
And she was not immune either to his particular potent brand of alchemy.
He was so tall, she noticed he had to be careful that he didn’t scrape his head on the trailer’s ceiling. His body was massive, heavy muscles overlaid on strong, sturdy bones, with a wide, powerful chest that tapered to a long, washboard stomach. His smooth brown, silken-looking skin wrapped the whole package like the world’s most extravagant Christmas gift, and that sheet he’d knotted at his lean hips was the bow. He had dark, bitter chocolate eyes, boldly molded features and a mouth that was so full and sensual, it should have looked girlish but didn’t. His thick black, gleaming hair held a hint of curl. It was a touch too long for the style he wore and flopped in his eyes, as though he were a couple weeks’ late in getting it cut.
As he walked toward her, he moved with a fighter’s easy, athletic confidence, and when he brushed her cheek, his mouth was very warm against her chilled skin.
She was used to big, tough men, and experienced with commanding them in combat missions. In some ways, Luis’s physical presence was so damn familiar it was comforting on a visceral level. That was disturbing all on its own, because her gut insisted that she recognized him and his presence filled a hole that had been inside of her ever since she had lost the others in her unit and retired.
As if that weren’t enough to knock her off balance, his presence had an intense vitality filled with a sexuality that ran dark and hot. It was sultry, powerful. It was knowledgeable. He carried that knowledge in his DNA, and it manifested in every languid, graceful move of his body and in those dark, intelligent eyes.
This was a man who’d had a whole lot of sex and he really, really liked it. And why wouldn’t he? By the time he hit puberty, every female he met and probably several of the males would have fallen over in invitation the moment they laid eyes on him.
And she was not immune either to his particular potent brand of alchemy.
Two Valentine's Day presents for you today: ONE, excerpt two from Oracle's Moon (Mar 6th)
His hand came around her bicep. She looked sideways at the long, ivory fingers curled around her arm as he eased her back down into her chair. “I do not require refreshment,” he said. “We must discuss what happened this morning.”
She nodded again. He had not removed his hand from her arm, and she decided not to remind him of that. His grip felt heavy and reassuring. She noticed again how hot his touch was, as if his presence was a fire his skin barely contained. With her free hand, she touched her cold, sweating glass then took a quick swallow.
She said, “I’m scared to look at it too closely.”
“Do not be frightened,” Khalil said quietly. “You and the children will be safe. I have said so.”
At that, she turned to face him and met his crystalline gaze.
Those ageless, inhuman eyes held such piercing clarity, when she looked into them she felt as if she fell into forever. She couldn’t look away, and he didn’t. With the whole of her attention on him, she felt her own energy settle into alignment with his, and it was an entirely new experience that felt right somehow, comforting and good. It held a completeness she had never known before, his maleness to her femaleness, his Power touching the Oracle’s Power that resided inside her, along with her own, unique Power of the spirit. She felt enfolded, warmed, almost as if he had physically reached out to put his arms around her. A strange expression flickered across his face. He frowned slightly, tilting his head as he stared at her.
Up this close, the shining flame of his own Power was fierce and inexhaustible, a pure, unceasing roar that was…
It was sexy. Not just a little sexy. Awesome, kick in the head sexy.
For the first time in months, she felt a pulse of arousal.
What?
Shocked and disconcerted, she pulled away. His hand fell from her arm. Breathing unevenly, she sat in a rigid, upright position and stared straight ahead. She could feel the blood rush to her cheeks.
His fiercely male presence filled the house, just as it had last night.
And he was no longer entirely indifferent to her.
“Now you have interested me,” murmured Khalil.
She nodded again. He had not removed his hand from her arm, and she decided not to remind him of that. His grip felt heavy and reassuring. She noticed again how hot his touch was, as if his presence was a fire his skin barely contained. With her free hand, she touched her cold, sweating glass then took a quick swallow.
She said, “I’m scared to look at it too closely.”
“Do not be frightened,” Khalil said quietly. “You and the children will be safe. I have said so.”
At that, she turned to face him and met his crystalline gaze.
Those ageless, inhuman eyes held such piercing clarity, when she looked into them she felt as if she fell into forever. She couldn’t look away, and he didn’t. With the whole of her attention on him, she felt her own energy settle into alignment with his, and it was an entirely new experience that felt right somehow, comforting and good. It held a completeness she had never known before, his maleness to her femaleness, his Power touching the Oracle’s Power that resided inside her, along with her own, unique Power of the spirit. She felt enfolded, warmed, almost as if he had physically reached out to put his arms around her. A strange expression flickered across his face. He frowned slightly, tilting his head as he stared at her.
Up this close, the shining flame of his own Power was fierce and inexhaustible, a pure, unceasing roar that was…
It was sexy. Not just a little sexy. Awesome, kick in the head sexy.
For the first time in months, she felt a pulse of arousal.
What?
Shocked and disconcerted, she pulled away. His hand fell from her arm. Breathing unevenly, she sat in a rigid, upright position and stared straight ahead. She could feel the blood rush to her cheeks.
His fiercely male presence filled the house, just as it had last night.
And he was no longer entirely indifferent to her.
“Now you have interested me,” murmured Khalil.
February 13, 2012
Twitter Contest Right Now
Psst, thanks to the awesomeness of my agent Amy Boggs, I'm having an international Twitter contest right now to give away one complete set of the Elder Races series to date,
That's Dragon Bound, Storm's Heart, Serpent's Kiss AND Oracle's Moon, along with a copy of the e-novella True Colors!
The contest ends tomorrow at 12 noon, Mountain time zone (that's 2 pm EST/or 11 am PDT). Read my Twitter feed for contest details, and good luck!!
***UPDATE!!!***
My wonderful Samhain editor is adding an eARC of Natural Evil to the prize even though that story comes out on March 20th, so the winner really will have every story to date!!!
That's Dragon Bound, Storm's Heart, Serpent's Kiss AND Oracle's Moon, along with a copy of the e-novella True Colors!
The contest ends tomorrow at 12 noon, Mountain time zone (that's 2 pm EST/or 11 am PDT). Read my Twitter feed for contest details, and good luck!!
***UPDATE!!!***
My wonderful Samhain editor is adding an eARC of Natural Evil to the prize even though that story comes out on March 20th, so the winner really will have every story to date!!!
All About Romance Reader's Poll
The All About Romance reader poll is in! Thank you, readers, and congratulations to all the other winners. I'm honored that Dragon Bound has been included with such wonderful writers.
http://www.likesbooks.com/AnnualRead...
http://www.likesbooks.com/AnnualRead...
February 12, 2012
ORACLE’S MOON Release Blog Tour
*Several of these blogs will include information about NATURAL EVIL too!*
Romance Books Forum Q&A http://www.romancebooksforum.com/—3/2
Romance at Random http://www.romanceatrandom.com/tag/bl...
Author Sound Relations http://www.authorsoundrelations.blogs...
Supernatural Snark Q&A http://supernaturalsnark.blogspot.com...
The Book Binge http://thebookbinge.com/—3/7
Smexy Books http://www.smexybooks.com/—3/8
Over the Edge Book Reviews Q&A http://www.overtheedgebkreviews.com/—3/9
I’m Loving Books Q&A http://imlovingbooks.com/—3/12
Lynette’s Two Cents Q&A http://lynettestwocents.blogspot.com/...
Dark Faerie Tales Q&A http://darkfaerietales.com/—3/14
All Things Urban Fantasy Q&A http://allthingsurbanfantasy.blogspot...
Under The Covers Q&A http://underthecoversbookblog.blogspo...
Fresh Fiction http://freshfiction.com/—3/19
Manic Readers http://manicreaders.com/blog/index.ph...
Ruby’s Reads Q&A http://www.rubysreads.com/—3/21
March Madness with romance author Elise Rome Q&A www.eliserome.com/—3/22
Romance Books Forum Q&A http://www.romancebooksforum.com/—3/2
Romance at Random http://www.romanceatrandom.com/tag/bl...
Author Sound Relations http://www.authorsoundrelations.blogs...
Supernatural Snark Q&A http://supernaturalsnark.blogspot.com...
The Book Binge http://thebookbinge.com/—3/7
Smexy Books http://www.smexybooks.com/—3/8
Over the Edge Book Reviews Q&A http://www.overtheedgebkreviews.com/—3/9
I’m Loving Books Q&A http://imlovingbooks.com/—3/12
Lynette’s Two Cents Q&A http://lynettestwocents.blogspot.com/...
Dark Faerie Tales Q&A http://darkfaerietales.com/—3/14
All Things Urban Fantasy Q&A http://allthingsurbanfantasy.blogspot...
Under The Covers Q&A http://underthecoversbookblog.blogspo...
Fresh Fiction http://freshfiction.com/—3/19
Manic Readers http://manicreaders.com/blog/index.ph...
Ruby’s Reads Q&A http://www.rubysreads.com/—3/21
March Madness with romance author Elise Rome Q&A www.eliserome.com/—3/22
February 10, 2012
Tidbit from NATURAL EVIL (Samhain, March 20th)
We're in the copyedit stage for the novella, so I can't post much--but I did want to give you a small tidbit from NATURAL EVIL. Introducing Luis and Claudia:
The woman came down on her hands and knees in front of his face. “Hey,” she said. Her voice was like the rest of her: strong, bright, and clean. “My name is Claudia Hunter. Can you talk to me? I’d like you to tell me who you are, and who did this to you.”
He ignored her.
She said telepathically, Cat got your tongue? Come on, say something. Let me know you understand me.
He closed his eyes.
“Don’t have anything to say? You were such a good boy earlier when you didn’t bite me. What a sweet, good boy, yes you are.” She paused then crooned, “I think I’m going to name you Precious.”
His eyes flared open and shifted toward her in offended startlement.
The woman’s own gaze widened. Her eyes were gorgeous. She whispered, “Bloody hell. You are Wyr.”
The woman came down on her hands and knees in front of his face. “Hey,” she said. Her voice was like the rest of her: strong, bright, and clean. “My name is Claudia Hunter. Can you talk to me? I’d like you to tell me who you are, and who did this to you.”
He ignored her.
She said telepathically, Cat got your tongue? Come on, say something. Let me know you understand me.
He closed his eyes.
“Don’t have anything to say? You were such a good boy earlier when you didn’t bite me. What a sweet, good boy, yes you are.” She paused then crooned, “I think I’m going to name you Precious.”
His eyes flared open and shifted toward her in offended startlement.
The woman’s own gaze widened. Her eyes were gorgeous. She whispered, “Bloody hell. You are Wyr.”
February 7, 2012
Excerpt from ORACLE'S MOON
"Hello, are you still there?” she asked.
Even though she spoke softly, the sound of her own voice shattered the deep, late night silence. She couldn’t sense Khalil’s presence in the house or even on the property, like she had earlier. But now that she had turned her attention toward him, she could feel a tenuous thread of connection that streaked through the air like a vapor trail left from an airplane.
Still, she got no response when she called his name, not even a shift in the air. Terrific. He wasn’t paying attention.
She felt the impulse to pace but stifled it. Pacing had become more trouble than it was worth. Instead, she spun the office chair in circles. Of all the foolishness she had been guilty of in her life, feeling peeved that Khalil didn’t respond when she called him—especially after she had been so insistent that he go away—ranked high on the list.
Maybe he was on a date. Maybe he had a mate. Maybe he had several mates. Maybe he was watching TV. Hell, as far as she knew, maybe he didn’t even need a television set, he just sucked up the information on the airwaves.
She pinched her lower lip and spun in more circles, watching the shadowed room go round and round.
An affinity to things of the spirit meant sometimes going past the teachings from her childhood, to an understanding that resided deep in her gut. She patted along the edges of the connection, learning as she explored the thread. When she was confident she had a good sense of it, she wrapped her awareness around the thread and yanked.
Far in the distance, an immense cyclone whipped around to give her its full, startled attention. She stopped spinning and sat back in her chair as it streamed toward her, spitting with fury.
The cyclone exploded into the house. The window curtains spun into a knot, and all the loose papers on the desk blew around the room. Black smoke seethed in the office and coalesced into the figure of one outraged Djinn.
He wore a dark crimson tunic and trousers, his raven hair pulled ruthlessly back from that elegant, inhuman face. His ivory skin was luminous against the rich red, and his diamond eyes shone brighter than the backlit computer screen, casting the shadowed office into even deeper darkness.
Yeow. He seemed bigger when he was angry.
He snarled, “You dare?”
Well, that experiment went well. She raised her eyebrows and pinched her lower lip again. “Would you rather give me a cell phone number that I can call?”
He gave her an incredulous glare. “How did you know to do that?!”
“I’m good at what I do?” she offered. What exactly had she done? She patted the air, found the thread of connection and gave it another small, experimental tug. Sulfurous anger boiled the air. Okay. Whatever it is, it must be like pulling the tail on a cat.
He bared his teeth and hissed at her. “Stop doing that!”
She muttered, “Also? Apparently sometimes I can be kind of stupid.”
Even though she spoke softly, the sound of her own voice shattered the deep, late night silence. She couldn’t sense Khalil’s presence in the house or even on the property, like she had earlier. But now that she had turned her attention toward him, she could feel a tenuous thread of connection that streaked through the air like a vapor trail left from an airplane.
Still, she got no response when she called his name, not even a shift in the air. Terrific. He wasn’t paying attention.
She felt the impulse to pace but stifled it. Pacing had become more trouble than it was worth. Instead, she spun the office chair in circles. Of all the foolishness she had been guilty of in her life, feeling peeved that Khalil didn’t respond when she called him—especially after she had been so insistent that he go away—ranked high on the list.
Maybe he was on a date. Maybe he had a mate. Maybe he had several mates. Maybe he was watching TV. Hell, as far as she knew, maybe he didn’t even need a television set, he just sucked up the information on the airwaves.
She pinched her lower lip and spun in more circles, watching the shadowed room go round and round.
An affinity to things of the spirit meant sometimes going past the teachings from her childhood, to an understanding that resided deep in her gut. She patted along the edges of the connection, learning as she explored the thread. When she was confident she had a good sense of it, she wrapped her awareness around the thread and yanked.
Far in the distance, an immense cyclone whipped around to give her its full, startled attention. She stopped spinning and sat back in her chair as it streamed toward her, spitting with fury.
The cyclone exploded into the house. The window curtains spun into a knot, and all the loose papers on the desk blew around the room. Black smoke seethed in the office and coalesced into the figure of one outraged Djinn.
He wore a dark crimson tunic and trousers, his raven hair pulled ruthlessly back from that elegant, inhuman face. His ivory skin was luminous against the rich red, and his diamond eyes shone brighter than the backlit computer screen, casting the shadowed office into even deeper darkness.
Yeow. He seemed bigger when he was angry.
He snarled, “You dare?”
Well, that experiment went well. She raised her eyebrows and pinched her lower lip again. “Would you rather give me a cell phone number that I can call?”
He gave her an incredulous glare. “How did you know to do that?!”
“I’m good at what I do?” she offered. What exactly had she done? She patted the air, found the thread of connection and gave it another small, experimental tug. Sulfurous anger boiled the air. Okay. Whatever it is, it must be like pulling the tail on a cat.
He bared his teeth and hissed at her. “Stop doing that!”
She muttered, “Also? Apparently sometimes I can be kind of stupid.”
January 23, 2012
The Reading List ALA 2012
DRAGON BOUND is shortlisted on the American Library Association's 2012 Reading List in Romance! Thank you, ALA!
http://ala.org/rusa/awards/readinglist/
http://ala.org/rusa/awards/readinglist/
January 19, 2012
E-Novella NATURAL EVIL to be published by Samhain
I'm delighted to report that my Elder Races novella NATURAL EVIL will be released as an e-book by Samhain Publishing on March 20th!
NATURAL EVIL focuses on two totally new characters, Claudia and Luis. The story is a touch longer than TRUE COLORS, at around 29,000 words.
NATURAL EVIL focuses on two totally new characters, Claudia and Luis. The story is a touch longer than TRUE COLORS, at around 29,000 words.
