Shira Anthony's Blog - Posts Tagged "novel"

The giveaway for the ebook copy of The Melody Thief , the second novel in the Blue Notes Series, ends tonight at midnight. All you need to do to enter is comment on my blog (www.shiraanthony.com). The book will be released on Friday, August 24th and I'll be having a release day party here on my blog. I'll be giving away an ebook copy of the original Blue Notes Series novel, Blue Notes, and a Melody Thief t-shirt with that gorgeous Catt Ford cover you see at the left (love that grin!).

The Melody Thief focuses on the importance of family and commitments, and what it means to be loved and to love someone in return. Cary Redding, a renowned classical cellist, is the melody thief—a man whose painful childhood has left him with nothing but his music. He lives his life without letting himself feel and dulls his pain with anonymous sex and alcohol.

Cary doesn’t mean to fall in love. He doesn’t want to. But when lawyer Antonio Bianchi saves Cary from muggers on a deserted Milan street, Cary finds himself falling hard. Then there’s a “little” complication— Antonio has a five year old son. Cary isn’t ready for a relationship, and he sure as hell isn’t ready for an instant family. But sometimes what you think you aren’t ready for is just what you need. I hope you’ll enjoy Cary’s journey of the heart as he learns to love and let himself be loved.

Want to read an excerpt? Click here and scroll down to click on the "excerpt" tab. Want to win a paperback copy of The Melody Thief? You also have until midnight tonight to win a paperback copy of the novel at Goodreads.com. Good luck! -Shira

My guest today is Dreamspinner Press author Tali Spencer. Tali's book, Sorcerer's Knot , was just released by Dreamspinner Press. It's also queued up on my Kindle (can't wait!). So when I invited Tali and she suggested she blog about tentacle monsters, I said, "Bring it on!" Nothing like sexy men and tentacles. I loved this amazing book! For my review, click here. And, that cover! Nothing like an Anne Cain cover to make me drool.

Welcome, Tali, and congratulations on the new release! -Shira

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Thanks to Shira for having me stop by to talk about my new release, Sorcerer’s Knot. If you turn a sickly shade of green at the thought of rugged cliffs and crashing waves, this might not be the book for you. But if you enjoy magic and wizards and windswept islands, you just might love Sorcerer’s Knot.

You should know going in, though, that the story has a tentacle monster. The publisher didn’t put one on the cover, because the cover wasn’t big enough.

And why does it have a tentacle monster, you might ask? Well, here are the ten top reasons for a writer to put a tentacle monster in their book.

10. Your book will stand out in a crowd. How many books feature vampires? Werewolves? Firefighters? How about tentacle monsters? I rest my case.

9. Tentacle sex.

8. Readers won’t have to worry about a threesome or possible cheating, or whether the relationship happens too quickly. Almost no one expects the usual rules of courtship to apply to a tentacle monster.

7. Negative publicity. It’s better than none.

6. Some readers will try to understand the motives of the tentacle monster and make apologies for it. This is always fun.

5. Describing a tentacle monster is challenging and requires cracking out the old thesaurus so you can dredge up words like membranous, pustule, carapace, squamous, tenebrous, prehensile, and proboscidian. Using such words to describe most villains would be outrageous, but is expected when the villain has tentacles.

4. There’s no question that your protagonist is in trouble when he’s dangling by his ankle in front of a tentacle monster.

3. Great conversation starter for social occasions: “Meet my wife. She writes books about tentacle monsters,” starts a conversation every time.

2. Did I mention tentacle sex?

1. It’s a tentacle monster!

All kidding aside, though…

Sorcerer’s Knot is a dark book, with a gritty love story and grittier plot. It takes place in a world where primal forces still rule and magic can be stolen. The hero may not be who he at first seems. And there’s real danger in unburying secrets.

Blurb: In a world where pleasure unlocks even the best-guarded magic, Cian has a long list of magical talents—and an even longer list of sorcerers he slept with to acquire them. He even seduced a dragon. There’s just one arcane power left for him to master: command over the sea. Now Cian has learned where to find Muir the Scarred, the only man known to have mastered that power—and he is determined to wrest it from him by whatever means necessary.

But completing the task isn’t so easy. First, Cian’s boat is wrecked on the shores of Muir’s desolate island. Then he learns an enchantment will keep him there forever. And when he tries to seduce Muir, he finds himself being seduced by the mysterious sorcerer instead. But the source of the power Cian seeks is also trapped on the island, and it will stop at nothing to break free, even if that means forcing pleasure—and magic—from Cian's unwilling body.

Excerpt:

The sea cradled the moon and shattered against a silvered coastline. Froth churned on rocks that gnashed at the water like teeth. Barely seen on the horizon, a single island, shaped like a horn, lifted above the ink-black surface. Cian saw no way to the beach but to climb down the bluff on which he stood.

There was no way to the island at all.

Sea magic, the most elusive of the seven arcana by which a man might order the elements, was tightly guarded. Fresh water belonged to the sky or the earth, and could be ordered by those who knew their words of power, but the ocean was its own domain, answerable to its own gods. Only one man had ever mastered its secret language.

Many great mages had tried to find the sea’s master and failed, but Cian hadn’t let that stop him. At the age of six, he had confounded his village’s elders by transmuting iron into gold, a talent that, a few years later, had attracted the attention of an avaricious monk. Sequestered in a mountain monastery, he had toiled in captivity, making gold until he was seized by an even more avaricious king, whose sorcerers had refined his gifts. Under their tutelage, he had learned the keys of magic.

At sixteen he became restless and, sensing that his usefulness was limiting what others allowed him to know, began delving into arts his masters would not teach. With single-minded dedication, he had burned his hours until he had learned the language of dragons, necromancy’s black secrets—and of the sea’s one master.

He had escaped every one of his keepers, and now he was in the full prime of his adulthood. His skills were such that he could draw knowledge through the thick skulls of kings and mages, adding to his trove of lore, but no matter to what land he traveled or what power he touched, the man he sought was never to be found except in the form of a rumor, a myth. At last, from the mind of a sea creature dragged from the ocean’s depths, he learned a name.

Muir the Scarred.

That was the man Cian sought. A man who commanded the oceans, their currents and creatures, whose fell whispers gave birth to whirlpools, storms, and tides. A man who, decades before Cian had been born, had destroyed a great civilization in an hour, sending it to the bottom of the Twice-Gated Sea.

I have found you, old man, Cian exulted as he climbed down to the beach. The sea creature had told him to seek Muir on an island at the edge of creation, the place where the sea had first given birth to land. This was that place. But once on the beach, he stood confounded. A wide channel separated this tongue of primordial headland from the island. Even if he could swim strongly enough to break across swift, dangerous currents and whorls, the water here was too cold for him to survive long.

Muir guarded his island well.

Cian looked around. He might command rock to fill in the channel, but the sea here was deep, the natives said, and it might take the whole headland to do it. Even for him such an endeavor would take many weeks, and such activity would surely attract Muir’s notice. However, the beach was not entirely barren; the tides had left behind drifts of battered wood, planks and masts from ships that had foundered on the rocks.

Form of a boat, he spoke the language of the earth, material of a sail. Wood and seaweed, errant roots and living creatures buried in the sand, released their previous natures and reformed as stout timber, canvas, and rope. The boat was large enough for sea duty and small enough for one man to command. Cian pushed it out past the breakers and hauled his soaked body aboard. Taking the helm and manning the lines, he turned her out to sea.

 

The sea struck before he could reach the island. The water turned furious, hurling black waves at the small boat, spilling over its sides with claws of white spume that threatened to drag it under. Soon the violence would break the masts and weaken the hull. Muir had warded his hiding place against vessels. Cian cursed, though he had predicted the precaution. No matter. The boat had done what he needed: brought him close enough to the island he could now commit his body to the task of reaching its shore. He pulled off his boots and jacket.

As he dove into the water, seeking to distance himself from his sinking boat, he heard the mast snap. There would be more peril, but he did not turn to look. Muir would not content himself with waves; there would be vortices, also. The cold water filled his clothing and threatened to cramp his limbs, but he stroked toward the island that reared before him now like a great black stair. He was a strong swimmer. And he’d learned all there was to know about Muir.

The waves got the best of him. No mere man could overcome the sea, and Cian, in the sea, commanded no magic that could help him. He managed to mouth a spell that created a shell of air in which he might breathe, and it held for a minute, then a wave bigger than all the others pushed him under with such force his bubble struck bottom. The bubble cushioned the impact so his body was spared, but the cold dark currents of the sea ripped it free. Tumbled by currents, Cian flailed desperately in search of the surface until at length his strength gave out and his lungs opened, inhaling water.

This, he thought, was death.

Battered against the sea floor, his body exploded with pain as he tumbled over smooth, eroded rocks and tangled in weeds, rolled over time and again until he lay sprawled in water and opened his eyes to see a man in a billowing black robe, hooded and terrible, striding toward him along a path above which the sea towered on either side, churning white froth. Cian watched black boots treading seaweed and sand underfoot, coming closer and closer; then a giant hand reached for him, and he sank into merciful blackness.

 

Cian awoke from nightmares of drowning to the sweetness of air on his lips and cheek. A welcome warmth and the smell of burning wood let him know he had a fire to thank. He began to whisper the air to moisture on his parched lips when he remembered he should be dead, and his eyes flew open.

He was under a roof, within stone walls. A brazier sat nearby. The man seated beside his bed and illuminated by those coals had black hair and the remote face of a king such as Cian had served and fled. He might even have been handsome once. Now, however, the most striking thing about his appearance was a pattern of ridged, circular scars upon his forehead and left cheek, continuing in a puckered line to his neck. A beard somewhat concealed those on his jaw. The scars, while startling, had been with him long enough to have paled. One scar over the left eye had healed badly and sealed the lid partly closed, but the orb within, as black and penetrating as its twin, peered at him alertly.

“There you are,” the man said. “Well worth the effort.” He had a rough voice, perhaps from disuse.

“Where am I?” Cian prompted. Simple questions were the best to start.

Well-shaped lips pulled tight. “You’re on my island; you’re in my house, in fact. The real question is, who are you? No one comes to this island unsummoned, because no one not of this island knows it exists or has the skill to find out that it exists. Yet here you are.”

“My name is Cian. My boat was swept into these waters.”

“The winds and currents usually carry boats away.”

To that Cian said nothing. From what he knew of the island, it was true. He had commanded a change in the wind to get here.

His host turned to a table and lifted a bowl, stirring its contents with a bone spoon. “Soup? I eat plainly, but will share what I have for a day or two.”

Though his body hurt all over, the rich aroma wafting toward him persuaded him to sit. “Many thanks,” he said, accepting the bowl. He had been stripped of his garments—no surprise there, as they’d been soaked and ruined—but had been given a blanket. It slid to his hips and he noticed that the scarred man perused his torso for a long moment before looking back to his face. “I don’t suppose you get many guests.”

“No, not many at all. I prefer people stay away.”

“Why? Aren’t you lonely?”

“Often. I address that on occasion. You ask a lot of questions.”

He had one more. “I told you my name. Will you tell me yours?”

“Muir.” The sorcerer rose and walked away, tall and straight, his long robe displaying a stride that was limber, almost youthful. Cian knew him to be fifty years old at least and had expected a more decrepit man.

He finished his soup and the sorcerer took away the bowl, then left him alone while his battered body pulled him back toward sleep. He dreamed of the cold deep, of sinking ships and beaked, ravenous things that moved through the water on boneless limbs.

~~~~~~~~~~~

Thanks for reading and having a little fun with tentacle monsters!

Interested in finding the book? Here are some buy links:

Dreamspinner: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=3183

AllRomance: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-sorcerer039sknot-918294-140.html

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Sorcerers-Knot-ebook/dp/B009138YDW/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1346083175&sr=1-1&keywords=tali+spencer

Interested in finding me? I’ve made it easy.

Email: tali.spencer1@gmail.com

My blog: http://talismania-brilliantdisguise.blogspot.com/

Twitter: @tali_spencer

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tali.spencer

Happy Wednesday everyone! It's a short work week for a lot of us, but somehow those always feel longer to me. I thought I'd mix things up by posting midweek and sharing a bit about the Blue Notes Series in general, then end with an excerpt from book #3 in the series, "Aria," due out in December from Dreamspinner Press. And it's a NSFW excerpt for 18+. My favorite kind! You can find the excerpt here (scroll down to "excerpt" and click on the + sign).

First off, let me share a secret: the Blue Notes Series is a bit of a personal fantasy of mine. A classical music universe (a bit of jazz and rock, too), beautiful men, romance, and happily-ever-afters. Then again, I grew up with lots of romantic fantasies. No surprise, then, that when I finally decided to try writing a novel, it was a romance.

I grew up with music. My mother, sister and I all had careers as professional musicians. I started out as a violinist and, in college, discovered opera. I sang opera professionally for more than ten years. So when I was trying to figure out what to write about for my second MM novel, I thought about what I knew and what I loved. From there, it was an easy decision.

Writing the books, however, was more of a challenge, because each of them deals with issues I myself have had some experience with as a musician: stage fright, long-distance relationships, and letting go so that you can allow your musical soul to shine through, among other things. Difficult issues for me to face, even more difficult to write about. And while I’m not a gay man, most of the men I met while I was singing were gay men. Wonderful men, some of whom I still count as my closest friends.

Each Blue Notes Series novel is a freestanding story and the books can be read in any order, although the main characters in one book may appear as secondary characters in another. The first book in the series, “Blue Notes,” is the story of former pianist Jason Greene, who escapes the pain of a failed relationship by running to Paris. There, he meets a jazz violinist, Jules Bardon, and learns about himself: what makes him happy and how to let go of the pain he’s been harboring for decades.

The second Blue Notes novel, “The Melody Thief,” is the story of cellist Cary Redding, a former child prodigy, sought after by conductors the world over. Underneath the veneer of success, however, Cary hides a world of pain. He escapes his past by drinking too much and seeking out anonymous sexual encounters in seedy bars. But Cary’s dual life comes crashing down around him when he’s rescued by lawyer Antonio Bianchi on a deserted Milan street. With Antonio’s help, Cary is able to overcome his past and become the man he wants to be.

The third novel in the series, “Aria,” to be published in December of 2012, is the story of Sam Ryan, a lawyer, and opera singer Aiden Lind. Sam and Aiden are instantly attracted to each other when they first meet in New York City. But Sam is still grieving the sudden death of his partner of seven years, and Aiden gets an offer to sing in Europe. They go their separate ways, only to meet again, five years later. But managing a relationship in the face of a career where you are nearly always on the road is a challenge for both men. And Sam hasn’t quite gotten over the pain of his loss, either. Together, they must find a way to work with Aiden’s jet-setting lifestyle and for Sam to move on from his grief.

There are at least five more novels planned in the series, including "Prelude" (my current WIP set for tentative publication in April, 2013), which tells the story of conductor David Somers (who appears in every Blue Notes Series book so far) and crossover violinist Alex Bishop. Also planned is "Dissonance," the story of Guy Bardon (brother of Jules Bardon from "Blue Notes") and drummer Henri Duhamel (drummer in Jules Bardon's jazz trio).

The one recurring theme of the Blue Notes Series novels, other than music, is the importance of relationships to character growth. Although there certainly are more fanciful plot twists in the novels, at their heart, they are stories of real human relationships and feelings. Real men. Real relationships. Real emotions. Many of the books are traditional romances, with a happily ever after (HEA) at the end. Others, however, have the HEA earlier on, and focus on the growth of love and overcoming obstacles to love after the HEA.

Each story in the series celebrates romance and love between men, and each story embraces the creative spirit in all of us. To read an excerpt from the next Blue Notes novel, "Aria," click here, then scroll down to "excerpt" and click on the + sign.

I started my last "Guilty Pleasures" post by saying I'd grown up reading Harlequin romances as a kid and talking about some of the romance tropes you find in those books: "friends to lovers," "enemies to lovers," "the misunderstanding," and others. Today, just a little over three weeks out from the release of the first book in my fantasy Mermen of Ea series, I thought I'd talk about romance tropes in the fantasy genre. Don't forget that I'm running a giveaway, so be sure to comment on this post (or the earlier post) to win! Multiple entries are fine. Contest ends Friday August 2nd.

Those of you who know a little about me know that in addition to the traditional contemporary romances I loved to read when I was little, I was also a huge sci fi geek and Trek fan. In addition to Asimov, Heinlein, and the great sci fi writers of the 20th Century, I also loved to read one particular fantasy author: Marion Zimmer Bradley. Zimmer Bradley's best known series was "The Mists of Avalon." I have to admit I never read those books. The series I still love (and re-read) to this day is Zimmer Bradley's "Darkover." An amazing combination of sci fi and fantasy that I keep on my Kindle (I have paperback copies, too!) for those times when I need inspiration.

Set on an Earth-like planet (albeit a lot colder than Earth), the Darkovans are descendents of Earth settlers, some of whom interbred with a native race of powerful beings with psi powers (telepathy, ability to manipulate weather, communicate with animals, etc.). Offhand, it doesn't sound very romantic. But what I particularly loved about these stories was that each one chronicled relationships between men and women (and one notable MM relationship--back to that in a minute) in a very romantic way. Endings were usually happy, courtships were long and very "real," and Zimmer Bradley's descriptions of people and places were at least as romantic as the relationships themselves. When I think "sweeping romance," I think of these books, rather than "Gone with the Wind," or "The Thorn Birds."

In particular, one relationship stayed with me long after I'd devoured the entire series and this one, surprise, surprise, was between two men: Regis Hastur, the ruler of the Darkovan people, and his paxman, Danilo Syrtis. It was a subtle gay relationship, mostly written between the lines, but one of the most enduring of the part of the series set in the "modern" day of the planet's history.

What, do you ask, does that have to do with mermen? Short answer: a ton! When I was writing Stealing the Wind and planning out the series, Marion Zimmer Bradley's books were never far from my mind. Although the main trope of the first mermen book is one I don't remember reading in the Darkover books (souls bound together that survive through time to find each other once again), the heart of Darkover is there. I'm talking about where romance and adventure meet to create a larger story. Taren and Ian's story is very romantic, no doubt. There are captor/captive and "enemies to lovers" tropes to be found in Stealing the Wind, but what makes their story so much like the Darkover books I grew up reading is the way their relationship and their love grows and deepens through their shared adventures. There's a happily-ever-after for Taren and Ian at the end of the first book in the sense that they are together forever, come what may. But the adventure part of their story is far from told when the first book ends.

Which leads me to perhaps my favorite trope, or variation on a trope: lovers, secure in their relationship, who continue to grow through adventure, difficulties, and challenges. They change together, support each other, and in the end achieve something greater than just the two of them. Don't worry! There is an ultimate HEA at the end of the Mermen of Ea books (actually, there are at least 2 of them)! But along the way, I want to take you on a wild ride and have you rooting for Ian and Taren and the other characters in the series, and maybe sitting on the edge of your seat, too!

Your turn now! Tell me what your favorite romantic trope is and you could win your choice of one of my current Dreamspinner Press releases in ebook format or a swag bag (including a t-shirt of a Blue Notes Series cover or the fabulous new cover for Stealing the Wind ). Contest ends on Friday, August 2nd. Guilty pleasures welcome. And if you're interested in checking out the Darkover books, I recommend starting with Heritage and Exile (actually 2 books in one, both tied my favorite, and the part of the series that features a MM romance). -Shira

PS: Want to read more about Stealing the Wind ? You can read a very steamy excerpt from the beginning of the book here (scroll down to the end of the blog post). There’s another excerpt, the opening chapter of the novel, here.

Just a few more days until the first of two new Blue Notes Series releases! Encore , the fifth Blue Notes novel, is chronologically the first. It begins in the 1970s, when Roger Nelson and John Fuchs meet in high school, and ends in the present day. The story of modern day star-crossed lovers, Encore is both a coming of age and, later, an adult romance.

 

I'll be touring the web to celebrate Encore and the Blue Notes holiday novella, Symphony in Blue. On New Year's Eve, December 31st, at midnight, I'll be drawing winners for some really wonderful prizes, so be sure to check back here on release day to find out how to enter to win one! You can enter more than once, and you can get more than one entry for tweeting and posting about the contest, too. Prizes include:


Grand Prize: A Kindle loaded with the first 4 Blue Notes Series books and some of my other back titles
1st Place: A sterling silver music themed necklace
2nd Place: Winner’s choice of one of my back titles in paperback (i.e., not including the 2 new releases)
3rd Place: Blue Notes t-shirt, cover of the winner’s choice


Note: Prizes are for U.S. winners, but I will provide alternate prizes to overseas winners!

Here's a list of the currently planned stops on the tour and the dates of each stop:

November 11th (release day – Encore): Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words (Melanie Marshall)

November 12th: Live Your Life, Buy the Book

November 14th: Michael Rupured’s Blog

November 15th: Joyfully Jay (Blue Notes Cover Art – Interviews with the Artists)

November 18th: Elin Gregory’s blog

November 22nd: Aisling Mancy’s blog

November 26th: Andrew Q. Gordon’s blog

December 6th: Oscar’s Bruised Petals (Sandra Gardia’s blog)

December 10th: Brilliant Disguise (Tali Spencer’s blog)

December 16th: Rebecca Cohen’s blog

December 20th: Purple Rose Teahouse (Charlie Cochet’s blog)

December 23rd: Mrs. Condits and Friends

December 27th: Helen Pattskyn’s blog

Want to read an excerpt from Encore? Click here. You can pre-order Encore at Dreamspinner Press by clicking here.

Blood and Rain is here! Today, Monday December 15th, is release day! Didn't preorder a copy? You can snag the book at Dreamspinner Press, AllromanceEbooks, and Amazon. But the book at Dreamspinner Press right now, and you'll get a 25% discount in the ebook format! Buy it at Dreamspinner Press in paperback, and you could get one a copy with vellum sheets signed by me (first 10 copies only).

Te Blood Series features three MM couples, and the story has three HEAs (not a surprise, since I won't write a book without one). Of course, that doesn't mean it isn't a long road to get to happiness! The series, three books in all, tells one long story with its main focus on Adrien Gilbert, the youngest son of a French vampire hunter family, and Nicolas Lambert, an ancient (born a vampire, not created) vampire. Adrien's mother was killed by a vampire when Adrien was just a small child, and Adrien has grown to hate vampires because of it. Born a vampire, Nicolas is both powerful and kind. The last thing Adrien expects is to fall for Nicolas Lambert.
Blood and Rain focuses on Adrien's orders to execute the vampire who murdered his brother. In return for his pledge to escort Nicolas to be married--an arranged marriage meant to solidify a shaky peace between vampire clans--Nicolas agrees to help Adrien find his brother's killer. Along the way, Nicolas gives Adrien the gift of immortality. But what good is eternal life if Adrien can't be with Nicolas?

In the second book in the series, Blood and Ghosts, due out in Spring of 2015, Adrien realizes that Nicolas's gift of immortality comes with certain new abilities, including the power to manipulate time. When Nicolas is kidnapped, a pawn in a scheme to create a new world order where vampires are subservient to hunters, Adrien searches for Nicolas in the past and the present.

Release day also means the first day of the Blood and Rain Blog Tour and a very special giveaway. Artist Martin Brodour, the gifted man who made the amazing Ea pendant for the release of Into the Wind, has made another unisex pendant to offer up on the giveaway as the grand prize! Based on the Council of Hunters crest, it features a crescent moon cut in half by a vampire hunter's sword. Second prize is a $10 Dreamspinner Press gift certificate good for any purchase at the DSP store.

a Rafflecopter giveaway
Here's the list of blog tour stops where you can comment and earn entries in the giveaway:



15-Dec
Joyfully Jay


16-Dec
Prism Book Alliance


17-Dec
Rebecca Cohen Writes


17-Dec
Rainbow Gold Reviews


18-Dec
Love Bytes


19-Dec
Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words


22-Dec
Amanda C. Stone


23-Dec
Book Reviews, Rants, and Raves


24-Dec
Emotion in Motion


25-Dec
Molly Lolly


26-Dec
Book Suburbia

******

Blood Series: Book 1

Blood: Book One

Adrien Gilbert has spent several lifetimes searching for the love he lost. Born in the 1800s into a clan of fabled vampire hunters, Adrien once wanted nothing more than to tend his family’s vineyard in southern France or read a good book. But Adrien’s peaceful existence ends abruptly when his older brother, François, is murdered. Bound by his hunter’s oath, Adrien sets out on a path that will forever change his life when he agrees to execute his brother’s killer, the vampire Charles Duvalier.

After months chasing the elusive Charles, Adrien reluctantly makes a bargain with Nicolas Lambert, an ancient vampire. Adrien will escort Nicolas to Paris for his marriage to a rival clanswoman, and Nicolas will help Adrien find Charles. Nicolas’s quiet strength and gentle heart soon convince Adrien that Nicolas is nothing like the vampires he has sworn to destroy. As the wedding date draws nearer, a force intent on destroying the fragile peace between the vampire clans threatens to tear apart both the vampire realm and the world of the hunters. To secure both past and future for those he loves, Adrien must find a way to stop the looming war between hunters and vampires. But first he’ll have to let Nicolas go.

Note: Books in this series must be read in order.

******

Chapter One: On the Edge of Forever

Miami, Florida

Sunset wove fingers of purple and red through bands of clouds and vapor trails that crisscrossed the sky. The scent of exhaust from trucks and cars mingled with the tang of salt from the ocean. People scurried about as they returned from work, trying to finish last-minute errands before dinnertime, all oblivious to the lone figure perched atop the high-rise at the edge of the Miami River.

Adrien Gilbert gazed down at the tiny figures below, vaguely aware of their presence. For more than a century, he had seen generations of humans be born, reach adulthood, start families, grow old, and die as their loved ones watched, helpless to slow time. He had grown numb to the cycle of life—a cycle to which he was immune. He was an immortal, a hunter who had shared the soul of an ancient vampire. His beloved soul.

He closed his eyes, trying to picture that perfect face. It had grown strangely difficult to remember over the years, and yet he could still easily remember the face of his mother, who had been killed when he was just a child.

I won’t forget you… Nicolas.

It would have been far easier to give in, to erase Nicolas from his memory forever. Certainly far less painful than knowing Nicolas was out there somewhere, unable to find the way back to him. Less painful, too, than admitting he couldn’t find his way to Nicolas. He would suffer the pain of knowledge; it was a small price to pay to preserve the memory.

I’m sorry.

The irony that a hunter sworn to protect humankind would suffer the loss of a vampire so keenly was hardly lost on Adrien. He’d believed that in spite of the treaty between hunters and the hunted, vampires were not to be trusted. He’d believed his duty as a hunter was simple, straightforward: kill those who threatened humanity, tolerate those who did not. But that had been before he’d met Nicolas. Before he’d lost his heart. Before Nicolas had given him immortality.

Adrien had everything a human might wish for. The small transportation business he’d started when he moved to the United States over a hundred years ago had blossomed into an international empire with cargo ships, airplanes, trucks, and dozens of storage facilities around the globe. He owned homes in Europe, Thailand, Japan, the US, and a dozen other places he rarely visited. Despite his prosperity, the men with whom he shared his bed—human, vampire, hunter—rarely stayed long. He had seen to that, with his aloof manner and his cold heart. One man had ever touched his soul.

 

 

The evening had started, as it always did, on a far better note. Adrien had stopped by one of his favorite haunts, an upscale martini bar not far from the city center. He’d developed a penchant for gin over the past few decades, enjoying the quick work it made of his long-term memory. Three or four martinis and he could forget, even if only briefly.

The bar was small and full of people. A Sinatra song played in the background as he walked over to the stainless-steel bar, filled with men, some of whom he’d already discarded, others new faces. Eager, all of them. He sensed their eyes on him and felt the hunger they didn’t understand. He understood that hunger. The scent of his blood created it in them. The same irresistible scent that had lured many a human to fall prey to the vampires now drew them to him.

He sat down at an empty barstool and nodded to the bartender, who set to work making the driest martini possible with his most expensive gin, dropping in a tiny bit of lemon peel instead of an olive. He handed Adrien the drink without saying a word, and Adrien brought the glass to his lips.

“Nice,” a male voice said from behind him.

The man was beautiful, tall, with shoulder-length black hair and deep green eyes. He wore pair of tight-fitting jeans and a crisp button-down shirt that emphasized his muscled chest and narrow waist. Late twenties, perhaps. A new face, but a familiar presence.

“It’s not bad.” Adrien took a sip of his drink and pretended not to care. It was easy.

“I wasn’t talking about the drink.” The man lifted his drink to his full lips but watched him intently.

“I wasn’t either,” Adrien replied without missing a beat.

“I’m Cole.”

“So you are.”

They left the bar together for his apartment, where his housekeeper had already set a table for two. A bottle of Puligny-Montrachet chilled in a cooler by the table. Between them, they finished that bottle, although Adrien drank very little. Alcohol affected immortals far more than humans or vampires.

After dinner Cole stood and walked over to the railing, looking out over the river below. “You know what I am.” Cole’s voice was as smooth as the wine.

“Yes. I know what you are.” Adrien had sensed Cole was a vampire the moment he’d seen him. No self-respecting hunter would have missed the subtle electricity in the air or the scent of mingled blood. He lifted Cole’s hair off his neck, then trailed his lips over his silky skin. Cole smelled good—an earthy and primal scent that caused the bloodlust to rise in Adrien. Once, he had embraced his lust for blood.

When he’d first become an immortal, Nicolas’s blood had done far more than sustain him. They had shared their bodies, their blood, and their souls. The blood had been their bond, the bloodlust a welcome reminder of Adrien’s love for Nicolas. Now the lust for blood had nothing to do with Adrien’s heart. It was another bitter reminder that his body would not let him perish, even though he cared nothing for living.

It’s been too long.

Cole moaned. The deep, throaty sound made Adrien’s mouth water in spite of himself. Adrien despised his body’s response, but he’d long ago learned he couldn’t fight it. Once, he had gone nearly twenty years without giving in to the call. He’d been weak, pathetic, barely able to think. He’d prayed he would die. He’d lost consciousness, but he’d awoken to find himself drinking his fill. He’d come perilously close to killing the human whose blood he’d feasted on, but he’d managed to stop. However miserable his existence, Adrien would only feed on vampires—he’d not break the oath he’d taken to protect humans when he’d become a hunter.

Adrien licked the skin of Cole’s neck, feeling the blood pulse there, hearing it call to him. Cole tilted his head in anticipation, opening himself to Adrien.

Adrien buried his teeth in Cole’s skin. Blood flooded his mouth and danced on his tongue, sweet and salty. Too long. His body was far more vampire-like in its craving for blood than when he’d first been given the gift of an ancient vampire’s soul. He wondered if it was the same for other immortals.

Adrien tried to ignore the images that flashed through his mind—the sound of silvery laughter, a mother’s loving caress. Cole’s memories. Adrien despised this forced intimacy, but he’d come to see it as the price of blood. Something to be tolerated.

It hadn’t always been that way. When he’d shared Nicolas’s blood, Adrien had experienced great joy. He’d seen himself through Nicolas’s eyes and felt the depth of Nicolas’s love. Each drop of that precious liquid had opened new doors. Each taste offered insight into Nicolas’s heart and soul. A beloved memory. A mystery—the mystery of Nicolas—unfolding with every swallow.

Adrien drank his fill, then claimed Cole’s mouth. This kind of contact he could stomach. He didn’t need sex to survive, but he enjoyed the release. Cole unbuttoned Adrien’s black silk shirt and his cock swelled against Adrien’s thigh. Adrien moaned as Cole skated his fingertips over his chest.

“I have never known a hunter to crave blood,” Cole whispered in his ear. “I thought only we experienced the bloodlust.”

“You were wrong,” Adrien said as he pulled Cole’s shirt over his head and mouthed a pretty pink nipple. Sex was always better after he fed, and Adrien’s cock was already hard at the thought of fucking such a lovely ass. He drew Cole’s body against his, walked backward into the living room, and pulled Cole with him onto the rug. Soon they were naked and he was no longer a hunter or an immortal, he was simply a man, seeking release, seeking pleasure.

 

 

Adrien lay there afterward, only partially satisfied. Nothing new. Sex was like the bloodlust—it always left him wanting more. Cole brushed his fingers over Adrien’s chest, then his neck. He licked Adrien’s earlobe, then ran his tongue over Adrien’s Adam’s apple.

“May I?” he asked.

“No.” He would willingly share his blood with only one person.

“Too bad.” The vampire was clearly disappointed. “I would have liked to have known the secrets of your blood.”

Adrien watched Cole dress but said nothing.

“Perhaps another time, then.” Cole turned and smiled at him before he walked out the door.

For at least an hour after, Adrien lay on the floor and allowed the night air to caress his bare skin. He closed his eyes and dozed.

“Adrien.”

The voice awakened him. Nicolas’s voice again. Why sleep if it only served to reawaken the pain he sought to suppress?

He stood and pulled on his jeans. He walked onto the balcony in his bare feet, then climbed to the roof of the penthouse.

Pathetic.

Having reached the edge, he spread his arms. He leaned forward and fell unimpeded, riding the wind like a sigh. The glass of the building sailed by him, the breeze buffeting his face. He hit the water and sank into the cold blackness. He wished he could die.

Preorder Blood and Rain now at Dreamspinner Press: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=5805&cPath=1303

Today is release day for Take Two from Dreamspinner Press. I'm so excited to share this new novel with readers - I hope it will leave you with a big smile at the end!

Take Two is a sweet and funny story about getting a second chance at love. Some angst, some adventure, hot sex, and lots of silliness and romance.

Wesley’s a slightly uptight college history professor. Sam is a Hollywood superstar. Entirely different personalities, but they fit well together. At least they did until Sam’s career took him away from Wesley and their life in New York City. Wesley’s the first one to admit he still loves Sam, but his heart has just started to heal and he’s doing his best to move on. Sam, on the other hand, knows he wants Wesley back and he’s willing to grovel if he needs to.

Sam conspires to take a role in a less than D quality movie about a pirate that’s being filmed on location at the North Carolina coast, and manages to trick Wesley into consulting on the movie. But will Sam’s over the top antics to get Wesley back work? Maybe. Maybe not.

I hope Take Two will leave you with a big smile on your face! -Shira

Blurb: Shiver me timbers! When Professor Wesley Coolidge accepts a summer job as a historical consultant to a pirate movie being filmed in North Carolina, the last person he expects to bump into is his soon-to-be-ex, movie star Sander Carson. Just like the flamboyant pirate he’s playing, Sander, aka Sam Carr, is used to getting what he wants, and he makes it clear he wants Wesley back in his life.

Sam acknowledges it’s his fault they split up. He lost Wesley when he left their life in New York City behind for a career in Hollywood. But Wesley has finally managed to put the pieces of his heart back together, and he isn’t interested in Sam and Wesley: The Sequel. Sam soon realizes that convincing Wesley to give their relationship a second chance will take much more than apologies and reminders of good times past. If he wants Wesley back, Sam will have to show Wesley that they really can sail into the sunset together—a real-life happily-ever-after that won’t end once the final credits roll.

Buy Links:

Dreamspinner: https://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/books/take-two-by-shira-anthony-7477-b

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Take-Two-Shira-Anthony-ebook/dp/B01KPU7CU0

ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-taketwo-2089463-149.html

Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/take-two-shira-anthony/1124416760?ean=2940156863518

 

Author Bio: Shira Anthony was a professional opera singer in her last incarnation, performing roles in such operas as Tosca, Pagliacci, and La Traviata, among others. She’s given up TV for evenings spent with her laptop, and she never goes anywhere without a pile of unread M/M romance on her Kindle.

Shira is married with two children and two insane dogs, and when she’s not writing, she is usually in a courtroom trying to make the world safer for children. When she’s not working, she can be found at the Carolina coast aboard Land’s Zen, a 35’ catamaran sailboat, with her favorite sexy captain at the wheel.

Shira can be found on:

Facebook: www.facebook.com/shira.anthony

Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/author/show/4641776.Shira_Anthony

Twitter: @WriterShira

Website: www.shiraanthony.com

E-mail: shiraanthony@hotmail.com

Excerpt from Take Two:

The setup – The night before, Wesley realized Sam set him up. Wesley drank a little too much, and he wakes up on Bald Head Island where the film he’s agreed to consult on is being shot. He doesn’t really remember getting to the island, but he remembers what happened before he passed out....

When Wesley finally made his way to the sink to splash some cold water on his face, he caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror and cringed.

Reminder to self: don’t drink when Sam is around. He repeated this thought several times as he trimmed his beard and mustache. Sam was dangerous enough without the booze.

Wesley made it downstairs a half an hour later, slightly less rickety after having showered and shaved. The smell of coffee grew stronger the closer he got to what he guessed was the kitchen. He walked through the living room into the kitchen and—

“Morning, sunshine!”

Wesley grabbed a countertop to steady himself as his heart slammed against his ribs and his head began to pound again. “Shit. Sam. You scared the crap out of me.”

“Sorry.” Sam appeared only slightly remorseful.

“What are you doing here?”

“Making you coffee?” Sam offered Wesley a large mug, which Wesley took. The coffee smelled incredible, dark with a hint of chicory. Splash of milk, hint of sugar.

Of course he knows what kind of coffee you like—he made it for you every day for years.

“Thank you.” Wesley took a long sip. A few more cups and he’d feel human again.

“One step closer to your happy place?” Sam turned back to the stove.

Wesley ignored the question and drank some more. Sam had always been a morning person. He’d been a night person too, when Wesley really thought about it. Sam was always up. Always happy. Irritatingly so. Then again, if those were pancakes Sam was cooking, Wesley was inclined to forgive him his cheerfulness.

Sure enough, Sam handed him a plate full of Sam’s special sourdough flapjacks. A small bouquet of wildflowers at the center of the table created a burst of color in the otherwise white kitchen. Sam had probably picked them himself. The flowering stalks of rosemary interspersed with the blooms smelled really good.

Fuck. It was hard to complain when Sam was doting on him. “Sam, I really don’t need—”

“I’m just making sure you eat,” Sam said, pointing to the table.

Sam had always worried too much about him, like he was some delicate flower in need of protection. The reality was that Wesley had always been as healthy as a horse, and at six feet tall and 190 pounds, he was hardly a shrinking violet. Maybe compared to Sam’s six-foot-three-inch frame and 230 pounds of muscle, he wasn’t Superman, but…. “Sammy,” Wesley warned.

“I know, I know, I’m leaving,” Sam said with a dismissive wave of his hand. “I’ve got an early makeup call anyhow. I just wanted to make sure you had something to eat.” He set the remaining flapjacks on the table.

Wesley repressed a sigh. “Thank you.” Whatever he and Sam were to each other—or weren’t—Sam was a good man.

“Someone will be by around ten to take you to the set.” Sam was out the door a second later. “See ya!”

Wesley rubbed the bridge of his nose and released a slow breath. If he was going to make it through the summer, he needed to relax. Sam was old news.

Wesley reached for one of the pancakes and nibbled his way around the crispy edge. Fuck. The man can cook. He sighed as he savored the soft interior, allowing the slightly sweet fluffiness to flood his mouth. Heaven. Okay, so Sam was old news, but Wesley could still enjoy the pancakes, couldn’t he?