Seraphina Donavan's Blog: Newsletter! , page 2

Time, Time, Time...

As usual, I've bitten off more than I can chew. I'm working on Justin's book, the third and final installment of The DuChamps' Dynasty Series. I'm also working on Ronan's book for all you fans of the Casanova Series. Tentatively titled, A Royal for Ronan. Yes, he's guarding a princess now.  It's going to be fantastic. What else? I decided in the midst of those two projects that I would spearhead an anthology with some other author friends of mine… Which meant organizing contracts, dates, then the participants changed, so had to do all of that all over again! But it's done now. The story, not the anthology. I've also committed to attempt a third installment of Dragon's Lair. I'll write it, submit it to Cobblestone and see if they go for it, but I can't make any promises there.

So here's a rundown of what I hope my release schedule will look like, at least for the first six months of 2014.

January 31st: Stranded With the Billionaire, Boxed Set Anthology
February 10th: I'll Take Care of You, Book 3, DuChamps Dynasty Series
March 15th: A Royal for Ronan
April 25th: Unredeeming a Rake (published as Chasity Bowlin, my persona for Regencies)
June 30th: Wrong for Ms. Wright, the continuation of the short story featured in the Stranded Anthology.

Somewhere in the midst of all that will be work on Dragon's Lair 3, getting the contract back on my first Regency with Wild Rose Press, the Haunting of a Duke, self publishing it, and finishing the second book in that series, The Redemption of a Rogue.

And still having my job, and needing sleep at some point in time, this is going to be interesting. If I survive it with my sanity intact, it will be a blessed miracle.


So enough about all that!  Here's a snippet from the anthology short I did, "Wrong For Ms. Wright--The Prelude" and few pics of the ever gorgeous Henry Cavill who is my inspiration for the hero, Sam Kirkland.


And another gorgeous pic of Henry.

 



















And this lovely lady is plus size model Chloe Marshall.  I think she's divinely gorgeous.













If you'd like to see more of my inspiration for all of my novels and short stories, check out my boards on Pinterest. I do one for each story, even the ones I haven't written yet!

http://www.pinterest.com/seraphinadon...

Work In Progress

Update on I'll Take Care Of You….

Character Profile: Rosalee Davenport

Since I did a character profile of Justin, I thought I'd do one of Rosalee. If ever there was a steel magnolia, it is Rosalee Davenport. She dropped out of the Savannah College of Art and Design at the age of 19, when she discovered she was pregnant. Abandoned by her ex, she's raised their daughter, Addie, on her own, with only the help of her grandmother, Maeve.

Addie is the light and joy of her life, but even the joy her daughter brings to her can't ease her mind of the financial burden their small family is facing.  Their ancestral home is a mess, falling into ruin before their eyes while they live in a smaller house on the property.

It was desperation and an iron will to hold onto what was hers that prompted Rosalee to go to Thomas DuChamps for help.  Thomas agreed to finance the renovations of the house and assist her in turning it into an inn, and he would hold a 50% share of the business, until she could afford to buy him out for his investment. But then Thomas became ill, and eventually succumbed.

Unsure of what to expect of Justin, the younger DuChamps, Rosalee deals with the uncertainty the only way she knows how. She just puts her head down and plows through.

 The only things she's had in abundance in her life are problems and pride.  It's hard for her to admit that she needs help and it's even harder to take it when it's offered. She's so used to not counting on anyone but herself that she doesn't quite know what to do with a man who wants to take care of things for her.


It doesn't help that Justin is the best looking man she's laid eyes on in a long time, or that her eccentric grandmother is using every matchmaking scheme on the planet to throw them together. Rosalee has one philosophy when it comes to men, if she wants them, they must be bad for her. The history of the Davenport women is proof that not a one of them can choose a decent man.  



Taking a chance on a man who may or may not stick just isn't in the cards for her.  There's too much at stake and too many people counting on her to hold it together for her to make such a risky bet.

And even though she keeps telling herself that, time and time again, he's there. Helping her whether she asks for it or not, and tempting her more than anyone has a right to. Afraid to trust, afraid to give an inch, terrified to need anyone, that doesn't stop her from wanting him.  When she looks at Justin, she sees the same desire and fear mirrored back at her in his eyes. She's never been a coward, but there's never been so much at stake.

Character Profile: Who is Justin DuChamps?

In writing Been Loving You Too Long and then Have A Little Faith In Me, little brother Justin DuChamps was on the periphery. Affable, easy on the eyes, but kind of vague, like he didn't really connect with people.

I hinted around a little that Justin had a past, and in Have A Little Faith In Me, I let it slip that Justin's past was a pretty dark one, but I realized that he wasn't a fully fleshed out character the way so many of them are. Then I realized why. Justin was hiding, even from me.

Justin avoids relationships because relationships lead to drama and drama is a trigger… He's fought hard to regain control of, if not his life, at least himself. Unwilling to let anything jeopardize that, he's a very solitary figure. He experiences life through and channels all his emotions into his photography, because it's safe. No one gets hurt, including him.

Justin is a good man, but he hasn't always been. He did a lot of things and he hurt the people he loved most, over and over again. There's a lot of self loathing there. He might have forgiven his parents, he's forgiven Claude even though he didn't deserve forgiveness, but he hasn't been able to forgive himself.

Justin is alone because there's a part of him that feels he deserves to be.

Right now, I'm working on "I'll Take Care of You".  I'm putting Justin in a situation where being alone isn't an option, forcing him to face his demons and just maybe find the happiness that we all deserve, in spite of our flaws and sins.

Happy Holidays!

To all my wonderful readers and friends, I hope you have a wonderful holiday season filled with warmth, love and laughter.

I've released a short Christmas novella in honor of the holiday season. He's a sneak peek.


Excerpt:  The woman in question was a distraction he couldn’t afford. She’d been working for Bishop’s for ages, longer than he had been. It had been just over a month since he’d stepped into the shoes recently vacated by his beast of a stepmother and they had come with all sorts of complications. Holly, and her soft, shy smile that stirred urges in him he’d thought long buried, were something he needed to avoid, if he could just find the willpower. “I have a business to run, Barbara. Relationships will just have to wait.”
“You don’t need a relationship, Nathan. You need to get laid!”Hearing his nearly seventy year old secretary, a woman who was like a surrogate grandmother to him, utter those words made him cringe. “We are not having this conversation. Just dinner, Barbara. Have a wonderful Christmas and be safe out there. The ice storm that’s coming tonight is supposed to be the worst the city has seen in decades. I will see you the day after tomorrow.”Nathan felt her glaring at him, but he refused to take the bait. Had he bothered to look up, he would have seen the devlish gleam enter her eyes, he would have noted the brisk purpose in her stride as she walked back to her desk. Instead, he stared at a column of numbers on the screen in front of him, and focused on how to save his family business even though their wasn’t a family to leave it to anymore. 
Now available at Amazon and AllRomance.com.Making Merry! 



Nathan Bishop is so focused on keeping his family’s department store afloat that he’s planning to work through the night on Christmas Eve. That kind of dedication to the business leaves no room in his life for anything else. With that in mind, he’s chosen to ignore his growing attraction for Holly Merriweather, the sweet and shy young woman who operates the store’s small coffee shop. 

Little does Nathan know that Holly’s been indulging a few fantasies of her own. Holly thinks Nathan would never notice her and certainly never be attracted to her, so she contents herself with adoring him from afar. When a chance meeting with Nathan’s secretary results in Holly’s admission that she’ll be spending Christmas alone, the plot thickens. 

Nathan’s meddling secretary gets him locked in the store with Holly on Christmas Eve, while a winter storm blankets the city in ice and snow. With no electricity and nowhere to run, there’s only one way to keep warm on a cold winter’s night.

Finally…. Kept By Casanova!

I'm only a couple hours away from finally posting Kept By Casanova to Amazon. Thank you to everyone who has been patiently waiting for this. I'm sorry that I had a creative melt down on these characters, but I just didn't want to put out a book about Gavin and Libby that didn't do justice to them.

So here's the blurb:

Gavin McBray is known as a playboy billionaire and a tech genius. But on his way to the top, he made powerful enemies. Now that he's found the woman he wants to spend his life with, he's having to pay the piper. They're on the run from a deadly assassin…a ruthless killer who isn't above using Libby as leverage.

Libby Jones can't bring herself to trust that Gavin wants her for more than the short term, but that hasn't stopped her from falling in love with him. She'll pay any price to keep him safe, even if it means making the ultimate sacrifice.

Libby's willing to risk her life, but will she be able to risk her heart?


And here's the cover...

Troll-y Yours Paranormal Speed Date Giveaway and Party!!

I'm up!!!!!   Join us in the fun!!!  Sexy Dragon Shifters from Seraphina Donavan!!
Remy--appears 32, actual age 800.  Black hair, black eyes, Cajun drawl, 6'0" and a 190 lbs of lean, hard muscle. Remy is ruthless, determined and will stop at nothing to get what he wants. 
Philippe-appears 32, actual age 800, long blond hair, light blue eyes, a perfectly trimmed goatee, 6'0" tall and 210 lbs of muscle. Remy might be ruthless in business, but when it comes to fighting, Philippe is a warrior through and through. 
Remy and Philippe have been exiled from their Arcadian community, but they've made a home for themselves, running their exclusive club in New Orleans--Dragon's Lair, a place where the wealthy and elite can indulge their kink free from prying eyes. In spite of their hedonistic lifestyle and their continued desire for one another, both Remy and Philippe know that something is missing. That all changes when Lilly Montague shows up. They immediately recognize that she's their mate, and they'll whatever it takes to convince her of it. Individually, they're compelling, but together, they're irresistible.  

Dragon's Lair Blurb:Lilly Montague has spent her life caring for others. Free of her responsibilities, she moves to New Orleans and takes the only job she can get—waiting tables in a sex club. Hopelessly attracted to both Phillipe, the doorman, and to Remy, the club’s very dangerous owner, she can’t hide her disappointment in realizing they are a couple. 
But one night changes everything, and Lilly is confronted with her deepest, darkest desire—to have them both. Remy and Phillipe are far from mere mortal men; however, and indulging her desire garners Lilly more than she bargained for.
Dragon's Lair 2: The Summoning Blurb:As dragon shifters, Remy and Philippe had spent their lives searching for their perfect mate, and in Lilly Montague, they found her. But enemies from their past are threatening their happiness. Dragon law dictates that they must meet the issued challenge and face their enemies in battle. But when Lilly sees them in Dragon form, will she be able to accept them?

Check them out:  http://www.amazon.com/Seraphina-Donav...

Seraphina is giving away a signed print copy of Been Loving You Too Long and a set of Dragon's Lair!!a Rafflecopter giveaway

Have A Little Faith In Me... Now Available.

I know it took way longer than expected, but it's finally up and ready to go.  It looks beautiful!  Print Copy will be available in a day or so.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00G16EIVY/ref=tsm_1_fb_lk

UPDATE ON BOOK TWO OF THE DUCHAMPS' DYNASTY SERIES

Update on Book 2:  Have a Little Faith In Me.

First off, I want to apologize for the delay. In the middle of writing this book, I got a new day job. (I'd been unemployed for a couple of months). So my timeline for completion got pushed back further than I had anticipated or that I liked.

However, I'm happy to announce that I am working on the last chapter of the book now. It will go to my editor this weekend, and hopefully by next weekend, it will be out.  She's already hard at work on the first half of the book.

So, I'm giving you all a sneak peek at the cover art, the blurb and a little snippet from Chapter One.

Kaitlyn has finally met her match!

Seraphina Donavan



BLURB:  On the surface, Kaitlyn DuChamps is everything Grant Ashworth despises—a spoiled heiress with a bad attitude serving out her sentence on the farm as she tries to meet the terms of her uncle’s will. Brat or not, there’s no denying that she’s beautiful. Even as they snap at one another, he wants her, and it doesn’t take long for him to realize that there is far more to Kaitlyn than she wants the world to see.

Kaitlyn wears her bad attitude like the armor that it is. She forged it herself from the ugliness, from the pain and betrayal of her past. No one gets in, no one sees the real her, and no one gets past her carefully constructed defenses. Even as she gives in to the heat between them, to a passion with Grant unlike anything she has ever experienced, Kaitlyn tries to keep her emotional distance.

But Grant sees through her, digging at her secrets, chipping away at the walls...and when her past comes calling, she has to decide just how much she trusts him. 


And finally, a sneak peek at Chapter One!  Be kind, this is the unedited version.  

CHAPTER ONE:   Grant Ashworth stood in the small crowd of people outside the baggage claim area watching the gate for the latest pain in his ass. He didn’t personally know Kaitlyn DuChamps, but he knew of her. With her face plastered all over the tabloids and her party lifestyle detailed by every vulture on television and every rag at the grocery store check out stand, it was hard not to.
Recalling his promise to his mother that he would be nice, he tried to keep an open mind. It wasn’t easy. As a general rule, and in spite of his own affluence, Grant didn’t really get on with the old money set. Of course, he hadn’t been born to it. When he saw her striding towards him, her heels clicking on the tile floor and her body draped in designer clothes, he had to bite back a curse. She was a princess with a capital P. From her gigantic sunglasses to her pointy toed stilettos, she was a woman made to wreak havoc and misery on men. She would also be his responsibility for the next three months.  “Son of a bitch,” he muttered. With his cowboy hat in one hand, he ran his other hand through his hair in a gesture of annoyance that was as old as time. Steeling himself, he moved towards her. “Ms. DuChamps?” She stopped in her tracks. Even without removing her sunglasses, he could feel her gaze traveling over him. She looked him up and down, and he felt it when she summarily dismissed him. Hell, he knew he didn’t look like much in worn jeans and a T-shirt, with mud still covering his boots and his hair dampened with sweat, but damned if it didn’t rankle to have her look at him like that. “Are you the driver?” she asked. Staring at her flinty eyed and unimpressed, his jaw firmed in resentment. “I’m your host, or rather, my mother is—I’m Grant Ashworth and I was sent here, against my will and better judgement, to see you to Ash Grove Farms.”She dropped her shades, lowering them to peer at him over the top. “Well, Grant Ashworth, Kentucky hospitality isn’t exactly what I expected. What mode of transportation are we taking? Tractor or a monster truck that’s a rolling bit of compensation?”“Is that what you think of Kentucky?” he demanded, stunned by such blatant snobbery.“Not Kentucky, no.  Just you,” she replied. “My bags are over there.” She walked past him, strolling toward the exit on those ridiculous heels. He turned to watch her go, not sure whether to be offended or amused. Regardless of whatever he thought of her personality, her body was poetry in motion.I ought to leave the damn bags, he thought. He wouldn’t, of course. Facing his mother after doing something like that was not high on his list of preferred activities. It didn’t matter that he was thirty five, she could still reduce him to a quivering boy with nothing more than a hard look and a pointed, elegant finger. She and Kaitlyn would probably get along just fine. Grumbling under his breath, he retrieved the two large suitcases, each of them weighing a ton. She was standing outside the doors, her hip cocked and her arms folded across her chest, waiting for him, her full lips pursed in an expression of displeasure. He moved past her, heading toward the parking structure with grim determination. “Didn’t anyone ever tell you your face might freeze like that?”“Is that what happened to yours?” There was a hint of amusement beneath the barb, but her voice was soft and saccharine sweet.He didn’t respond, just kept walking until he reached the truck. Dropping one bag to the pavement, he retrieved the keys and pressed the button to disable the locks.Grant tossed the suitcases, none too gently, into the bed of his truck and waited for her to say something. Her only visible response was a tightening of her jaw, bared by her short, cropped hair. He’d never liked short hair on women, but the cut worked on her. Her bone structure was so undeniably feminine, that the edgy haircut only enhanced it. There was no denying she was beautiful, but in his experience, that kind of beauty rarely went deeper than the surface.Rather than open the door for her, something that he would normally do, he simply climbed behind the wheel and waited. After a few seconds of stunned silence at his rudeness, she opened the door and climbed in beside him. As she moved, the oversized black sweater she wore slipped off her shoulder revealing the lacy edge of a camisole in some color he couldn’t identify. It also revealed the swell of her breast, not large but perfectly shaped. Looking away, he gripped the steering wheel in both hands. “See something you like?” “Not really,” he lied. “Just trying to figure out why you’re so damned full of yourself.”

Hello, my lovelies! We've been added as a tour stop...

Hello, my lovelies!  We've been added as a tour stop for the fantastic Grinelda Markowitz, courtesy of BTS Tours!  Are you ready for a magical journey?





Title: The Moon Kissed Chi Author: Grinelda Markowitz
Publisher: Amazon Digital ServicesLength: 120 pagesSub-Genres: Erotica









Blurb:
From the quirkiness of her daughter to the equine escapades of Bezhyanya (her sworn bedmate) and Grayt (her serving woman), Arrinay, ruler of Kalaydan, is faced with many concerns throughout her day which she handles with grace, poise and dignity.  Will she be able to meet the challenges to come?In the City of Kalaydan, Arrinay and Bezhyanya, the senior members of the ruling family, are faced with the early maturation of their daughter, Gayadnae.  She must start the training.  It’s Kalaydan law.  Their daughter has other ideas.  After concocting a plan to avoid responsibility and almost succeeding in carrying it out, Gayadnae’s life takes an unexpected turn.  Grayt, the ever-present serving woman to Arrinay, fills many roles and has her fingers in a number of pies.  There’s definitely more to her than is apparent on the surface.In the city of Kalaydan, Arrinay and Bezhyanya, the senior members of the ruling family, are faced with the early maturation of their daughter, Gayadnae.  She must start the training.  It’s Kalaydan law.  Their daughter has other ideas.  After concocting a plan to avoid responsibility and almost succeeding in carrying it out, Gayadnae’s life takes an unexpected turn.  Grayt, the ever-present serving woman to Arrinay, fills many roles and has her fingers in a number of pies.  There’s definitely more to her than is apparent on the surface.  Along with coordinating activities in the Main House, keeping the young mistress in line, and talking to horses, Grayt has a more secret agenda with a graver responsibilities.A hint of trouble on the horizon and other darker activities weave their way through the backdrop of this delightful tale which takes place in the city of Kalaydan.
Excerpts:
Excerpt 1
Grayt dashed up the stairs lightly.  Running quietly down the dark corridor, she came to the entrance of the receiving room of Arrinay and her family and entered the spacious chamber.  The sound of amorous activity issued from the curtained room ahead.  She walked instead into the room on the right.  The curtains billowed violently, though without sound, into the room in which she stood.  An intense, blue glow radiated from beyond the curtain.It’s happening again.  I don’t know how much more she can take.Grayt stepped behind the curtain into the violence of the churning Gaichi energies and was nearly pulled from her feet.  Moving further into the room, she tripped on a couple of clothing items littering the floor and nearly fell.  The young woman on the bed writhed and contorted in her sleep as the powerful energies circulated through her and around her.  The room stank of perspiration and clothing in need of laundering.  Grayt gripped the crystal which hung about her neck and closed her eyes.  Soon an angry, fire-red energy flared from between her tightly closed fingers.  The light continued to intensify, swirling within the blue energies, only to disappear.  She stretched her arms out to either side and began to turn widdershins.  Her turning quickened and soon became spinning.  She blurred like the turning of a child’s spindle.  The Gaichi followed her into the maelstrom she had created and engulfed her.  Seeming at first to consume the small woman, they were soon absorbed by the red force which had seeped out and wrapped around  both her and the Gaichi.  She was embraced by her own fire-red energy.  As the red force wrapped more tightly around her, Grayt absorbed the Gaichi energies and her crystal reabsorbed her own fire-red energy.  The room became dark as pitch.
Excerpt 2
Meanwhile, in the Jewelers’ guild household, in the Metal Smith’s district of the city, the essence of pawpi rode the breeze through the bedroom window of a young man with dark, curly hair and a forest green crystal about his neck.  The beauty of the stone was in the yellow and silver veins which flowed from one end to the other.He shifted in his sleep and murmured to himself “Who are you?”  He asked the sylphlike woman.  She had silver-white dreads and alabaster skin which sparkled like crushed crystal in the silver moonlight.She smiled with a mouth full of sharp teeth.  Her eyes flashed with a blue and silver fire.“What do you want from me?”  He asked her as he appraised her tall, graceful body with two breasts like round, ripe fruit laden with nectar; each was adorned with a nipple the width of a pinkie-toe.  She swayed gracefully as she walked towards him then turned suddenly to walk away.  Her ample bottom was divided evenly between two wide hips.She turned again to face him then was suddenly standing there in front of him.  She reached out to him just as the breeze, upon which the pawpi fragrance traveled, ceased and his dream faded.The delicate fingers of one of his strong hands cupped his throbbing cod-baby; surrounding it with warmth.“Soon,” he whispered in his sleep, “soon.”
Excerpt 3
Upon entering her room, Gayadnae flounced on her bed once the curtain had closed behind her.  She screamed into the mattress and kicked her legs and arms.  Finally, spent, she rolled over and looked up at the ceiling.Me?  In a robe?  Not on this side of the coldest reaches, ever!Slowly she sat upright and rose to her feet.I’ll show them.  If I can get to the Warriors’ Guild and pledge my services, I’ll have immunity from anything they want me to do.Walking over to the alcove where her clothing was stored, she searched for her battle leathers then yanked the gray leather clothing from the shelf and tossed them on the bed.  She stepped gingerly across the floor, avoiding the stuff strewn about to get to her bathroom and start the water flow in the tub.I’m going to have to remind Grayt, again, to give my room a going over.She sprinkled sayoodsy flakes into the stream of hot water.  The flakes bubbled and flowed with the water around the bottom of the tub.  She dropped her clothes on the floor and stepped into the still-filling tub.Not all of the warrior women have the training.  The ones that do, don’t stopcock.  That’s part of what makes the guild function well in a community of males and females who have no attachments and who are very physical people.  Share and share alike.  I’m sure I’d have more fun anyway.She leaned back on the tub and sighed, content with her plan.  As the sound of flowing water soothed her mind, she planned her escape.  When she was satisfied she could pull it off, she reached for the container she kept tucked behind all the other jars of scented flakes.  The tub was almost full when she sprinkled a small handful of pawpi flakes under the stream of water.Just enough to make the evening bearable.As with each previous time she’d sought an essence dream over the last few mooncycles, she saw him.  He was tall and sylphlike with long, silver-white dreads.  His eyes flashed blue and silver fire.  He had a koq any equine stud would envy.  It stood upright and the head rose above his belly button.  He was well-muscled on a graceful frame and sparkled like crushed glass in the silver moonlight.  He turned as if to leave and started to walk away, then turned again.  His firm, taut buttocks flexed as he turned and walked toward her instead.“Come with me,” he said as he smiled.His voice was like the rarely-chill wind which blew across Kalaydan to herald an oncoming storm.  His smile showed sharp, needle-like teeth.“Do you fear me, my other half?”  He asked.She nodded then shook her head, then nodded again.  Hesitating at first, she stepped forward gingerly.“Who are you?”  She asked with a trembling voice.He stepped forward then retreated quickly as he looked over his shoulder.  Suddenly, he was right before her.“Remember me.  You must complete me.”He took her in his arms and kissed her with lips that were neither cold nor hot yet they aroused in her a longing.  She felt his body press against hers.  His pelvis pressed its throbbing member against her belly.  When he stepped back, she was breathless.  She longed to feel more of his touch but he stepped away from her and turned.  As he walked away from her he faded into nothing, leaving a question on her lips.“How?”She came out of her trance when she heard Grayt’s voice in the distance.“Mistress Gayadnae?  Can I help you prepare?”“Uh, no Grayt.  I’m fine.”
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About The Author:
Grinelda Markowitz writes erotic fiction across multiple genres. She resides in a galaxy far, far away with a trusty pen, a never-ending supply of paper and a fertile imagination. The Moon-Kissed Chi, her first e-published book in the genre of erotic fiction, is available on Amazon and Smashwords.
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