Teaser Tuesday and HEEEEELP!

Inner Mongolia by Zoharby

First things first, Happy New Year! I have a teaser for you all today. I'm also asking for your heeeeeelp!

See, I have this really cool thing happening in March to coincide with the release of Book Three, The Force of Wind. From March 5th through 10th I'm doing a whirlwind blog tour with the reviewers over at A Tale of Many Reviews! (Cue confetti! Also, signups are still open if you have a book blog and want to take part.)

I'm very excited, but I need your help! One of the things that I've been asked to do for the blog tour is a "dream cast" for the Elemental Mysteries Books. And here's where you, my lovely readers, come in. (There's also a pretty sweet prize, so keep reading!)

I've always been hesitant to do a dream cast for my books for a couple reasons. One, though I picture the characters in my head, it's rare that one of them is perfectly portrayed by an actor/model/reader's hot cousin. Two, I really love hearing what readers picture in their mind when they read. BUT, I know I have fun reading dream casts from other authors and I know readers like seeing what an author thinks, too. So, what I decided to do is…beg for your help. 

I'll be posting once a week here at the blog and over at Facebook to cast the books. I'll list a character and readers will be able to offer their nominations. At the end, readers will get to vote on the three pictures that I think come closest to what I see for the characters! This way, I get to see what you readers picture (which I love!), you'll get a peek at what I think comes closest, but readers will ultimately decide. Bonus for me? I'll have something to offer any reviewers or bloggers that want a dream cast for the books!

Now, as an incentive for participating, any time you offer a nomination for a character either on the blog or over on Facebook, your name will get put into my very scientific coffee can drawing system. That means, if you offer a nomination for each of the characters (I'm only going to be doing six characters from A Hidden Fire, otherwise it gets too crazy!) you'll be entered six times!

The prize?

An ARC of Book Three, The Force of Wind, of your very own, weeks before the book is released!

I'll be doing this every Thursday and the first character we'll be casting is our main man, Dr. Giovanni Vecchio, himself. (Check out this polyvore set I put together for the man.) So, put your thinking caps on. For the next six weeks, I want to know who you picture when you read about our favorite Italian. We'll also be casting:

Beatrice

Carwyn (hold the squeals, please)

Tenzin

Caspar

and…

Lorenzo! (duh duh duhhhhh)

Now click below the fold to read this week's teaser from The Force of Wind!

Tenzin nodded toward her. "Did I bruise you too much?"

"I'm fine," Beatrice said with a wave.

Tenzin cocked an eyebrow at [Giovanni], as if challenging his cool demeanor, but he didn't rise to the bait.  "She's very good, you know.  When she changes, she'll be formidable.  We should have Baojia give her sword training while she is here.  I have a full practice room with many options."

"Oh," Beatrice perked up.  "Sword training?"

He sat down and waited for Tenzin to stop teasing him.  It wasn't a bad idea.  Because he had such a ready weapon in his fire and rarely needed to behead an enemy, Giovanni wasn't as well-trained in swordsmanship as most vampires were.  He was proficient in fencing and the older Greek and Roman forms, but he knew Beatrice would take to the Asian styles better, considering her background in martial arts.  Baojia, despite Giovanni's personal feelings, would be an excellent teacher.

"I'm sure she'll consider it," he said.  "In the meantime, try not to bruise any internal organs on my woman, Tenzin."

Hope you enjoyed your teaser and start thinking about who YOU would cast as the delicious Dr. Vecchio. All actors/models/super hot cousins are welcome!

Also, here's your playlist peek of the week. Desert Rose by Sting and Cheb Mami:

I dream of rain

I dream of gardens in the desert sand

I wake in vain

I dream of love as time runs through my hand

I dream of fire

Those dreams are tied to a horse that will never tire

And in the flames

Her shadows play in the shape of a man's desire

Thanks for reading,

Elizabeth