Annie Anderson's Blog, page 6

Start the Ashes to Ashes series for FREE!!

Want to start the Ashes to Ashes series for FREE?Enter a Giveaway where everyone wins!! We All Fall Down is a collection of short stories from the Ashes to Ashes series. The prize is the first story,Betrayed,and takes place beforeScattered Ashes(Ashes to Ashes, #1).Betrayedis a perfect introduction to the Ashes to Ashes series!!EnterHERE!EDIT:If you had trouble downloading your copy, the error has now been resolved. The Bookfunnel & Mailchimp integration is still very new, and there was an unanticipated kink in the line that we worked together to fix. Download your copyHERE.About the prize:BetrayedThe deck is stacked against Rhys Stevens...His best friend stole the girl he loves, he's pretty sure he has to commit treason, and if things go how he thinks they will, he's going to have to kill a couple of people. And that's the good news...Aurelia Constantine hasn't been one for rules.Don't run, don't be loud, do what you're told... If she listened to all of her mother's rules, she might as well hand over her life right now. But Aurelia is off to make her own life, even if she has to step on some toes to do it.Plans are derailed, blood is spilled, and when the dust settles... the war has just begun.

3 Reasons Why Beards Are the Best...

Annie, why the hell do all your main men always have scruff/beards/facial hair?
Do I have to answer this question? Shouldn't it be obvious? Evidently, there are peeps out there who don't like facial hair. WHAT?!? Yes, my thoughts exactly.  Don't get me wrong, there are some men who cannot pull off the scruff, and for that, dear sirs, I am sorry.

But the ones who can... sigh...

So, why are beards the absolute best? Here are 3 reasons why...

1. It turns boys into men.
I'm not talking emotionally because, let's face it, slapping some facial hair on a chin ain't gonna do it BUT when a guy grows a nice, healthy beard it takes him out of the "boy" category.

2. It's scratchy.
Yes, for that reason alone, beards are the best. I'm not going to go into specifics. You know exactly what I mean. If I have to spell it out, WHAT ARE YOU DOING READING MY BOOKS??
Don't make me call your mother.

3. They take patience.
If a man can grow a beard (and the hubs thankfully can) he can put the time and effort into other things... kinda like dealing with my crazy ass. (I'm not really crazy per se... I'm just... well... spirited. *wink, wink*)

So why all the talk of beards?
The hero in Rising Ashes is a beard-rocking, no-talking, alpha-male which I think is the perfect complement to my jabber-mouth pixie of a heroine.

Rising Ashes
Ashes to Ashes
Book Three

West Carmichael is not my real name.
It is the name I pulled from thin air over five hundred years ago. I don’t come from royalty—I come from the dregs of the ethereal. As the King’s assassin, I have more blood on my hands than most. I don’t deserve her. I don’t deserve anyone. But I will keep her safe.
Even if I die trying.

Evangeline Black.
My name sounds like the heroine of a historical romance novel – not that I read those or anything. My life so far: Dead parents? Check. Broken heart? Check. Evil mistress of darkness, hell-bent on power and thirsty for my death? Big. Honking. Check. But this mess won’t get cleaned up by itself. I’ve got a job to do.

As these two reluctant hearts fight their pull, they must decide if they want to fall apart in the midst of the chaos swarming around them or yield to their hearts…
and rise.

Are you dying to get a better look at the King's Assassin?
You just might...
Need a teaser to whet your pallet?

West
You would think people would know by now.

But they don’t.

People as a whole are dumb, lazy bastards only out for themselves. Maybe it’s just Wraiths that are like this. Maybe outside factions see us as the cockroaches of the ethereal because of the way we act. I think it is probably a few ruining it for the rest of us.

Welcome to the ethereal! Where we don’t give a shit what color you are, but if you have powers we don’t like, well, then fuck you.

I silently chuckle a little to myself.

Yep, the game show host in my head has lost his nut. Good times.

I stay in the shadows, not too hard up here on the cliff top, crouched in the darkness of a yawning crevasse and watch as Wraiths in fancy funeral dresses and tuxes prepare to fight a battle they can’t win. A few haul long-range precision rifles from narrow, padded gun cases.

I guess they aren’t fucking around anymore.

They are dressed very differently from me. While they look refined and out of place as they spoil for a fight, I look right at home with the prospect of a good, old fashioned blood bath in my black fighting leathers and body armor.Luck favors the prepared, so the saying goes, and I am very, very lucky.

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Raid Asher's Bookshelf

I Raided Asher's Bookshelf...
So if you don't hear from me again, I'm telling you now, it was worth it.

Asher loves to read.
LOVES it.
Every time he has a spare minute and he's not in his workshop, he's reading. There are bookshelves all over the house filled with books - mostly sci-fi and horror, but also autobiographies, historical fiction, and a bit of romance.

These are my top ten picks from Asher's bookshelf:
Needful Things - Steven King
The Demon's Lexicon - Sarah Rees Brennan
Days Gone Bad - Eric Asher
The Hunger Games - Suzanne Collins
Grave Sight - Charlaine Harris
The Restorer - Amanda Stevens
Grave Witch - Kalayna Price
Forgotten Sins - Rebecca Zanetti
The Martian - Andy Weir
Skinwalker - Faith Hunter

Now, I noticed that Mena had a bookshelf all to herself filled - FILLED, I tell you - with romance novels. Historical, Sci-Fi, Mysteries, Thrillers, Contemporary... All of the romance.

Here are my top ten picks from Mena's shelf:
Heart-Shaped Hack - Tracey Garvis-Graves
Grin and Beard It - Penny Reid
Wild & Free - Kristen Ashley
Play - Kylie Scott
Dark Lover - J.R. Ward
Bait - M. Mabie
The Understatement of the Year - Sarina Bowen
Crushing Misery - Kinsey Taylor
The One - Danielle Allen
Making Faces - Amy Harmon

Go check out all of these awesome books, and let me know what you think!

Falling Ashes
Ashes to Ashes
Book Two

Asher
Trying to hold onto a pissed off, scared-out-of-his-mind Cam is like trying to grip a wet fish – fucking impossible. West is no help because Evan has gone from the focused, linear-thinking, happy-go-lucky woman I’ve known all her life to a half-mad she-cat on steroids. Forcing Evan to do anything is like signing your own death warrant, so West is attempting to calm her down gently, but he’s not making much headway.

I’m focusing on keeping everyone calm, but I feel this pull, this hook in my chest, and I can’t stay downstairs playing babysitter. Out of everyone, I should be the staid one. I should be the one that is constant – that follows orders – but it’s me who breaks rank first and heads upstairs before anyone can grab me. For some insane reason, I take the stairs instead of traveling, and when I open the doors, I think I’ll probably regret that sixty-second trip for the rest of my life.

I don’t remember growling. I don’t remember moving, but when Mena looks up at me, I’m already trying to get to her – trying to get her away from that darkness clutched in her fist. I see the decision cross her face as soon as she makes it, she’ll do anything to save the people she loves, and somehow that includes me.

No, no, no!

“Mena!” I roar, forgetting my purpose, for-getting my oath to John, only knowing that I’ll follow her down to the depths of hell if I have to.

CLICK HERE TO SEE WHAT HAPPENS NEXT!

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Falling Ashes

Let Me Just Borrow That Chisel...

I pried some answers from Asher.
You’re welcome.

I met with Mr. Crane in his workshop at his home in Evergreen, CO. He was in the middle of carving a tree-of-life table top with some rather deadly looking chisels so I promised to be on my best behavior, but I’m throwing in the caveat that my PA Barb Shuler provided most of these questions. (Sorry, Barb, I’m not getting killed for your curiosity, woman.)

Your house – where you kept yourself from time to time – was it a place of solace or a place to find yourself?
A bit of both, I think. More than anything I think it was a place to recharge and have some time to myself. I can only stand Cam for just so long before I want to kill him, so getting some space helps.

One of the questions I get asked the most is how old you are. Care to share?
I suppose. I was born in 1696, so I just celebrated my 320th birthday.

So you’re an old man now. Where were you born?
I was born in a very small Wraith village in Ireland. We didn’t have much, but I didn’t want for anything. I started out with a good family and I was accepted into another one.

Speaking of your adopted family, what makes one pledge their life to the King? Is it for honor? Prestige? Or just because you were planning on being an eternal bachelor?
I owed my life to John. I wanted to protect him as he protected me so many years ago. But the Guardian mantle isn’t meant to be forever. Usually when a Guardian takes a mate, they are released from their vow. I just didn’t think I would ever find my mate, so I had no intention of being released.

What was it like when you noticed Mena that first time?
Jarring to say the least. I never thought I would get a mate, and then to get one so late in life, it was a definite surprise. But more than that, no one tells you the almost physical response you have to hearing your mate's voice for the first time. It takes your focus – that was once on your charge or yourself or your family – and turns it to your mate. I wanted to know everything about her – but seeing her in that hospital bed just twisted my heart. I couldn't control my reaction. I don't think anyone in my position would have been able to either.

Thank you so much for answering all of my questions, Asher. Until next time...


Falling Ashes
Ashes to Ashes
Book Two

Asher
Right this second, I want to know who did this to her. I want to know if it was just Iva or a host of her Soldiers. I want to rip the skin and muscle from their bones as they watch. I want to consume them until they are left writhing in the depths of hell.

My brain seems to split in two. I want to maim and murder, but I also want to comfort her. I can almost taste the bitterness of her distress, how much she must hate people looking at her, talking to her after so many years of captivity. I want to see her eyes. I want to know what she’s thinking. I can’t take the waiting, and I move Ian out of the way and then West and then Evan, making my way to the left side of her bed.

I hear the faint sounds of protests and shouts beyond the harsh buzzing in my ears, but I don’t care. I know my hands are taloned, but I can’t think about reining in my phase. I reach out to touch her fidgeting fingers and in surprise, her head finally rises so I can see her face. Her eyes are wide and fringed in black lashes that make her beautiful olive green irises pop. Her forehead and the left side of her face are covered in bruises, and her nose is pert and cute, even if it’s a little swollen. Her cheekbones are high and sharp, and as soon as I can, I’m making her eat until she bursts.

Those eyes that just a second ago were startled, swiftly turn from surprised to angry and in a flash her irises turn from green to gold. The last thought of consciousness I have before she shocks me stupid is how pretty her eyes are when she’s mad.

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Playlists, Pinterest & the Modern Age

Mena has been out of touch for the last fifty years...
Prison will do that to you. She had no idea about the wonders of music from the last 50 years or computers or all the new ways we interact with each other on any given day.

I put together playlists for all my books, but the one for Mena, I took special care to include all of the songs I thought she might like and truly represent how she was feeling in each of the scenes. If you are a music lover and dig book playlists, you are welcome to check out the Falling Ashes Playlist on Spotify.

Here are the highlights:
Locked in a Cage - Brick + Mortar
Blood Hands - Royal Blood
Holding on to Hell - Gin Wigmore
I Will Follow You Into the Dark - Death Cab for Cutie
Running Up That Hill - Placebo
Coming Down - Dum Dum Girls
Family - Noah Gundersen
Way Down We Go - Kaleo
My Body Is a Cage - Arcade Fire
Throne - Bring Me the Horizon

If you want to check out the other songs on the list (and there are about 33) head over to Spotify and check it out.
Yes, I have a song for every single little thing in this book.
Yes, it is so long it isn't even funny.
No, I'm not sorry.
Go and be amazed at my music-picking genius.

You know you've been sucked into a Pinterest-pinning marathon of epic proportions at one point or another.
Don't lie to me. I know.

Are you a visual person? Me too. I get sucked into Pinterest and keep on pinning into the wee hours of the night. I can live there if I totally forget I have grown-up responsibilities.

Each of the books in the Ashes to Ashes series has a board dedicated to all of the inspiration and ideas for each of the books. The Falling Ashes one is a particular favorite of mine.

If you want to get a peek into my mind, (that's a scary concept) see my cast of characters, and get all the visuals for Falling Ashes, come visit the Pinterest page.

Falling Ashes
Ashes to Ashes
Book Two

Mena
One second I’m trying to mind my manners and be as invisible as possible given the circumstances and the next some huge, black-eyed Wraith is trying to grab my injured hand. My right hand has been smashed and snapped and crushed so many times over the years. And just for kicks, Iva would rub Morganite dust in my open wounds. She was a peach, that woman.

I still can’t move my pinkie finger. I’m pretty sure I never will, and seeing the sharp talons of a fully phased Wraith trying to grab my hand… well, sanctuary or not, I’m damn well going to have my defenses up.

What concerns me the most about this whole situation is that I haven’t been in this house for more than an hour and I’ve already shocked someone. Granted, this time it was on purpose, but I’m genuinely fearful of the next time. I feel it building under my skin. That itch, that urge.

I haven’t felt it in years, but the burn is coming.

“What in the cold depths of hell was that?” I screech as I look over the edge of my hospital bed to peer at the man I just juiced. Everyone seems to have frozen just before things start moving at hyper speed.

Aurelia appears in front of me, looking murderous. Flames are licking up her arms already, and she looks about three seconds from turning the man who tried to touch me to ash.

The dark-haired guard steps in front of the King, ready to tear my head off if necessary. A low, rumbling growl vibrates from his chest. Evan and West look torn between the King and myself, and the brothers, Aidan and Ian, are trying to hold in their snickering. They’re failing, though, and the shorter one, Ian, can’t help doubling over and letting out a roar of laughter.

“She… she… she… well, that’s a crash and burn if I ever saw one,” Ian guffaws. Aidan, who was trying not to lose it, tosses his head back and explodes with a booming laugh.

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Sibling Rivalry Is No Joke

I asked Mena some questions...And I was afraid. Very, very afraid.(Not really. She loves me. Kinda. I just don’t want to piss her off)I met with Mena in her home on the outskirts of Evergreen, CO, a mountain town just outside of Denver.You have been touted as the "quiet one" of the Constantine twins. Tell me, how true is this?It’s a little bit true, but usually whatever is falling out of my twin’s mouth has probably passed through my brain at some point. We’re not as different as our parents would have liked to believe.What was it like to know your parents were keeping you and Aurelia apart – even though it was for a good reason?It was a special sort of awful, actually. I felt some serious guilt about it because I knew she was pretty much on her own. I can’t imagine what it was like for her to grow up with no one to talk to. I understand that both my parents had been hiding in plain sight for a very long time, but I regret the choices they made that hurt her. I wish they would have either left the Legion or done something – anything – else.The struggles you’ve endured have been gut wrenching. How did you cope with them all while fighting off Iva and her magic?Don’t go easy on me, Jesus. Well, I had fifty years to cope, so I’d say I did it very, very slowly. Iva thought that solitary confinement was an appropriate punishment, and it gave me time to think about everything that had happened while I was stewing in my cell. There were somethings I just had the time to figure out on my own, and other things only came into focus after I was rescued. It helped that I have a natural ability that kept Iva out of my mind, but also I had hope. Hope that my sister would find me, hope that was thankfully given when I needed it the most.Okay, back to easy. You have recently discovered the NHL. Do you have a team you prefer, and how exactly do you watch TV without blowing it up?Yes! I love hockey. It is so freaking gut-wrenching. I almost can’t handle the stress of watching it. And I’m not allowed within fifteen feet of the TV. I’ve blown up three so far and after the Penguins won the Stanley Cup… I may have fried all of the electronics in the house.Electricians must love you, huh?We have one on speed dial. The poor bastard.How do you get around all the possible hiccups in such a technological age?We’re still working out the kinks. I’m getting better at controlling my Aegis, but I have off days just like everyone else. Asher has been an incredible help with everything, and voice-command technology is becoming more available, so that’s a win.Thank you so much, Mena, for being willing to talk to me. Until next time…Mena was considered the "good sister." Yeah... right.~ Falling Ashes ~Ashes to AshesBook TwoMena Constantine is pissed off.Finally freed from her fifty-year imprisonment by a maniacal leader, she is desperately trying to recover and get her life back. Problem is, the life she had is long gone. Struggling under the weight of her memories and healing from the wounds of her captivity, she can't seem to catch a break. Every waking moment, death seems like a relief she would welcome.Asher Crane is a dead man.As a Guardian to the King, his only purpose in life is to keep the King alive. And he's failing. Miserably. With the King ill, the Queen dying, and zero plans for a successor, he's pretty much screwed. Because if the King dies, the law says Asher dies, too.As these two wounded souls collide in a series of bloody and unfortunate events, they will clutch to the last shreds of life before death beats down their door.Need a teaser to whet your pallet?Look below.~ Falling Ashes ~Ashes to AshesBook TwoMena - 1965Mama always told me never to use my power.Never, ever.Because using it could get me killed. Or worse, she would say, because death is not the worst thing.Death is just a step in life.I roll my mother’s words over in my mind as I try to move without being touched through the throng ofteenagers hell-bent on getting to the movie theater just behind me. One little shock, one little slip, and it’s all over.No more disguise.No more hiding.No more normal life – or normal for me anyway.It is so hard to keep my power leashed. Holding it inside me for days and days, waiting until I can get to a secluded spot in the desert to release this pent up urge. Like the revving of an engine just before the green light, my body thrums, waiting for the press of the pedal.Since maturity, it’s getting harder and harder to hold it, harder to keep inside. That’s all I’ve been doing. Since birth, I’ve been playing normal, while my twin lived a normal life. She never had to bite her tongue or mask her natural reactions. Never had to watch every single step as if one mistake would tip her hand. She never had to hide, and that’s all I’ve ever done.We were born of the same womb, but couldn’t be more different. I’m tall, she’s short. I’m quiet, she’s loud. I think before I speak, she doesn’t.She’s a Seer.I’m an Aegis.I turn my thoughts from my twin, who left me in the hell of my own solitude so many years ago, and try and tamp my emotions down.The bulbs in the marquee are shiny and new, the adolescents giggle and push as they move past. The times change so quickly. Just ten years ago, the girls were wearing poodle skirts and saddle shoes, now they are wearing miniskirts and tall boots. Strange how quickly things can turn on a dime.Want even MORE Legion?Join my Closed FB Group Annie Anderson's Legion for games, giveaways, teasers, memes and random thoughts.Be afraid. Be very, very afraid.JOIN NOW

Birthday Shenanigans AKA: Sales & Giveaways

It's My Birthday Week! (AKA: SALE!)I turn the magical 33 this week, and because of this auspicious occasion (I have a serious love for the number 3) I am putting ALL THREE books in the Ashes to Ashes series onSALE! That's right, Scattered Ashes, Falling Ashes AND the newly released Rising Ashes, are onSALEuntil Labor Day. Get them while you can!Ashes to Ashes Series SALE!I LOVE Gifts (AKA: It's GIVEAWAY TIME!)I will be running several birthday giveaways in my FB group, The Legion during my birthday week. If you'd like to see regular shenanigans and malarkey, plus participate in some awesome giveaways, I'd join if I were you.JOIN THE LEGION FB GROUP HERE!That's all I have for right now, but I reserve the right to bug you later.XOXOAnnie

Meet Aurelia Constantine

I asked Aurelia some questions...I got to sit down with Rhys over a week ago to get some answers to some hard-hitting questions. Now it is time to meet the woman of the hour - Aurelia Constantine.Again, I have to start with the name bit. Everyone mispronounces your name and it drives me nuts, so can you teach these peeps how to say your name?That's funny because you and I know all about the problems with this pronunciation, don't we?Yes. We do. My oldest daughter was supposed to be named Aurelia, but one of our friends made a crude joke - one I'm sure you've heard once or twice before...Not twice by the same person, that's for sure. My name is pronounced AH-Rail-Ee-Ya. One of Annie's dear friends advised her against the name for her daughter based on the crude jokes middle school and high school boys could make out of her name. I'd heard the joke a few times, so I'm glad your oldest girl has a less-likely-to-be-made-fun-of name.Me too. Okay, that the easy one. On to the hard stuff. What was it that ran through your head when you were attacked in the gallery and Rhys of all people busted in to save the day?About goddamn time? I knew he was outside, I know where Rhys is at all times - I think it's a bond thing as well as the whole Seer stuff, so I knew he was out there. Unfortunately, I didn't know the Soldiers were going to attack. I knew something bad was going to happen, especially after that morning's vision, and then all hell breaks loose in the middle of my show and here he comes after I'd already pretty much handled it. I was pissed, but relieved too. I felt a little safer with him there, which was a mixed bag of awful until I got my shit sorted out.What was it like to trust him, to trust the man that was responsible for so much of your pain, albeit not all of it was his fault.It was hard. In a way, the bond helped us. I felt safer with him, I think that is why I pushed him away for so long. I think in the back of my mind I knew if I let him tell me his side I wouldn’t hate him anymore. And for the longest time the hate was what kept me going. It is one of the things I’m sorry for, but wouldn’t really change. I needed to hate him so I could keep going – keep living. I would have packed it in ages ago without it. Luckily, he doesn’t hate me for blaming him, and that is one of the things I am most grateful for.That bizarrely makes sense. Thank you, Aurelia, for taking the time to talk with me! Until next time!!~Scattered Ashes~Ashes to AshesBook OneRhys“Aurelia, stop!” I shout. But she’s not listening. Of course, she’s not listening.This is going to hurt.As quick as I can, I rush her, hooking my arm around her waist, keeping her from lighting up this whole building like Christmas morning. I flip her over, trying to keep her hands away from me while also trying to keep from knocking her around. I’m only marginally successful, and now we have matching cuts on our left cheek. I’m lucky she didn’t take out my eye. But now we’ve got bigger problems than some piddly little nick.Skippy, the Douche Clown, has reached one of the Eagles, albeit he’s hobbling like an old man. It’s completely possible she damaged his spine in that move. Only he seems to be having trouble concentrating because he is still trying to chamber a round. Seriously? Did Iva send the bottom of the barrel, or what?“Time to go,” I say as I try to scoop her compact little body up, but she’s having none of it.“Don’t touch me, you abominable prick!” she screams at the same time she realizes it’s me. She slaps my hands from her waist.Normally, she’d try and kill me. Again. But I think Skippy is a bigger threat than I am at this point.“I was trying to keep you from frying me. Don’t blame me for attempting to save your Goddamn life. Again”, I growl, irritated I can’t even be the good fucking Samaritan with this woman.“I wasn’t in danger of losing my life, you moron. I am perfectly aware of where I am and the simple fact I’m basically in a fucking metal box. I’m also aware of how the laws of conductivity work as well as a vast number of other laws of motherfucking physics. I’m not trying to kill anyone else, and there are some wounded people still here. I was just going to slit his throat like a good little girl.”Want even MORE Legion?Join my Closed FB Group Annie Anderson's Legion for games, giveaways, teasers, memes and random thoughts.Be afraid. Be very, very afraid.JOIN NOW

Are You Dying to Meet the King's Assassin? You Just Might..

RISING ASHES IS FINALLY HERE!!AmazoniBooksKoboI am so excited to bring you the third novel in the Ashes to Ashes series, RISING ASHES!*throws confetti*Rising Ashes was a labor of love for me, and when so many people asked (pleaded, threatened and cajoled, but that's splitting hairs) for Evan & West's story, I had to write it for you guys. I received my marching orders, saluted the computer, and started typing. I fell even more in love with them as I wrote their story, and I hope everyone loves Evan & West as much as do.GET YOUR COPY NOWAmazoniBooksKobo**ENTER TO WIN**You all know I can't release a book without giving something away. It's a sickness, I know.This time I am doing something a bit different. TWO winners will receive a 24" x 18" Rising Ashes Poster as well as a signed Rising Ashes paperback!CLICK HERE TO ENTER!About Rising AshesWest Carmichael is not my real name.It is the name I pulled from thin air over five hundred years ago. I don’t come from royalty—I come from the dregs of the ethereal. As the King’s assassin, I have more blood on my hands than most. I don’t deserve her. I don’t deserve anyone.But I will keep her safe.Even if I die trying.Evangeline Black.My name sounds like the heroine of a historical romance novel – not that I read those or anything. My life so far: Dead parents? Check. Broken heart? Check. Evil mistress of darkness, hell-bent on power and thirsty for my death? Big. Honking. Check. But this mess won’t get cleaned up by itself.I’ve got a job to do.As these two reluctant hearts fight their pull, they must decide if they want to fall apart in the midst of the chaos swarming around them or yield to their hearts…and rise.GET YOUR COPY NOW!AmazoniBooksKoboI can't wait to see what you think about Evan & West's story. Remember, sharing is caring, and reviews are always welcomed. If you have any questions, just reply to this message and I'll do my best to assist you! See you on the flip side...XOXOAnnieThe Ashes to Ashes SeriesAurelia Constantine is having a rough century. Plagued by visions of murder, death and destruction, she has resigned herself to the nightmare her life has become. When an enemy from her past comes to her rescue, she must let go of old wounds and heal the breach so she may survive the evil poisoning her mind.Rhys Stevens is guilty. Murder. Betrayal. Treason. Take your pick; he’s guilty of them all. On the path of redemption, he must beg for forgiveness from the one person he fought to save - the woman he has always loved.Thrown together in the trenches of war, they must work as a team to stop a monstrous puppet master from pulling their strings.Ashes, ashes. We all fall down.Get ready to burn.Mena Constantine is pissed off. Finally freed from her fifty-year imprisonment by a maniacal leader, she is desperately trying to recover and get her life back. Problem is, the life she had is long gone. Struggling under the weight of her memories and healing from the wounds of her captivity, she can't seem to catch a break. Every waking moment, death seems like a relief she would welcome.Asher Crane is a dead man. As a Guardian to the King, his only purpose in life is to keep the King alive. And he's failing. Miserably. With the King ill, the Queen dying, and zero plans for a successor, he's pretty much screwed. Because if the King dies, the law says Asher dies, too.As these two wounded souls collide in a series of bloody and unfortunate events, they will clutch to the last shreds of life before death beats down their door.West Carmichael is not my real name. It is the name I pulled from thin air over five hundred years ago. I don’t come from royalty—I come from the dregs of the ethereal. As the King’s assassin, I have more blood on my hands than most. I don’t deserve her. I don’t deserve anyone. But I will keep her safe.  Even if I die trying.Evangeline Black. My name sounds like the heroine of a historical romance novel – not that I read those or anything. My life so far: Dead parents? Check. Broken heart? Check. Evil mistress of darkness, hell-bent on power and thirsty for my death? Big. Honking. Check. But this mess won’t get cleaned up by itself. I’ve got a job to do. As these two reluctant hearts fight their pull, they must decide if they want to fall apart in the midst of the chaos swarming around them or yield to their hearts…and rise.

Meet Rhys Stevens

Rhys is fessing up and answers some hard-hitting questions.I sat down with Rhys a few days ago to get some answers to some questions we're all dying to ask. I met him in a coffee shop in downtown Evergreen, CO, catching him in a rare moment away from his woman.First and foremost, everyone asks me how to say your name, can you school these peeps?It is pronounced like Reece – like Reece’s Pieces. It’s just the Welsh spelling, which if you’ve ever been to Wales, you know there are random letters in pretty much every single word.Okay, that was an easy one. Now for the hard stuff.Uh-oh. Be gentle.Have you met me? Where do you think Aurelia gets her sass from?Okay… Deep breath.Why did you put so much effort to be there for Aurelia when you knew she hated you? Why did you torture yourself with the pain of her rejection?Wow. Starting off evil, I see… Well, the bonding process for a Phoenix changes the very fabric of who we are. It changes the way we think; the way we act. It is why so many Oracles and Soldiers end up husband and wife – because if you had to be near someone for the rest of forever, if you cared more for their life than you did your own, if you felt in your soul when they were sad or angry or happy or content, wouldn’t you want to make sure that they had the very best protection? Wouldn’t it be your life mission to make sure they were safe? Happy?Do you think you were punishing yourself a bit? Because you knew she wasn’t happy?Maybe a little. I took quite a bit away from her to make her hate me. I’d always known this was Iva’s intention, but I did try to tell Aurelia my side of the story. It didn’t work, but I did try. I think I needed absolution from Aurelia, so yes, I think punishing myself was a part of it.You’ve been following Aurelia around for over a century. In that time, what has been your favorite place to live?England and Scotland have been my favorites, but I need to go back to get a gauge of them now that things have changed. When we lived there before, Aurelia and I were at odds, so my experience will most likely be very different now that we are together and not me stalking her all over the globe. I have a serious love for greasy pub food and Guinness, so the UK is the place for me.Do you have any hobbies that we’re not aware of?I have a closet affection for reality TV shows of the home improvement variety. I like watching how they take something completely awful and make it better. I especially love the ones where they rehab older properties. And if you tell my woman I like watching "Fixer Upper," I will end you.My lips are sealed. So, Rhys, you’ve been around for quite a while. What are some of your favorite moments in history?I loved the first space shuttle launch and Neil Armstrong’s walk on the moon. I felt like it was the humans getting that much closer to the Ethereal - close to the magic of the supernatural world that they walk past on any given day.Well, I think I've taken up enough of your time. Rhys, thank you so much for talking with me! Until next time!!Want to see where Rhys and Aurelia started?Need a teaser to whet your pallet?Look below.~Scattered Ashes~Ashes to AshesBook OneRhysGuilt is something I live with on a daily basis, but it gets worse on days like today. Today I get to play stalker to a woman I’ve been in love with for roughly one hundred and seventy years.A woman I cannot have.A woman who hates me with every single fiber of her being.Go me.As her Soldier, I’ve been bound to Aurelia for one hundred and sixty years. I thought as a young man I knew what love was. The inane notion I assumed was love as a boy is nothing compared to the iron chain tying her to me now. I’ll never love another woman. The bond assures that.It also ensures that as long as she hates me, I’ll never be happy. Because that’s what a Soldier is.A guardian, a lover, a husband.And as long as she hates me, I’ll never be what I’m meant to be. But at least I can keep the wolves at bay.I scratch my scruff and use the rearview mirror to keep an eye on the door to the gallery. It’s an awkward angle, and the collar of my shirt is digging into my neck.Fucking tie.I don’t know why I put on the damn thing. I never go into the building. Every single time I come to her openings, I hide in the car and watch the door like a damn pussy. Usually, I borrow a car from a friend, but tonight, I’m stuck in my rusted-out shit-box of a truck with no AC, and I’m in a Goddamn suit. I really should trade up, but this old girl’s been with me for twenty years.Letting women go hasn’t been my strong suit.CLICK HERE TO SEE WHAT HAPPENS NEXTWant even MORE Legion?Join my Closed FB GroupAnnie Anderson's Legionfor games, giveaways, teasers, memes and random thoughts. Be afraid. Be very, very afraid.JOIN NOW