Well, don't know how long I'll stick to this, lol! But I'm participating in a Facebook/Twitter project. Snippet Sunday. Writer's post an eight sentence snippet from a book or WIP on his/her blog, add the blog link to the Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/401643826588474/ and then Tweet the link and/or post it on his/her author Facebook page.
Got the idea?
If you're in the market for a new author or exciting book and mine doesn't appeal to you, go to the Facebook link above, check out the other author's pages, and see if you can find a snippet that sounds like a book you'd like to read.
The snippet below is from my paranormal romance, Embrace the Darkness, the second book in my Darkness Series.
Blurb: An experimental vaccine gives vampire Gerard Delaroche hope for the first time in two centuries--until two people are brutally murdered, and he suspects a conspiracy between vampires and mortals. To solve the crime, he must put his trust in a beautiful detective. But is former soldier and MP turned detective, Amber Buckley, a threat to his existence? Or the answer to his prayers?
Amber Buckley and her partner are assigned to do follow up interviews in the Lifeblood of America slayings. Amber believes she and Reid are just new eyes on a cold case. That is, until she meets Gerard Delaroche. Something about him teases long-buried memories Amber would rather not chase. However, the two join together, falling into more than resolution of a murder case. It seems Amber has some dark secrets of her own.
To find their way into the light, Amber and Gerard must first EMBRACE THE DARKNESS.
Setup: Gerard is about to confess he's a vampire.
“Go home, Delaroche. Let the police handle this. If
you have information you’d like to share, Detective
Sheridan and I will talk to you tomorrow.”
“But I need to talk to you now. Alone. Tonight.”
He stepped forward.
She slipped her hand back inside her jacket. Her
fingers never touched her Glock. Fear—or something
else—held her immobile.
Embrace the Darkness, my paranormal romantic suspense and the sequel to Out of the Darkness is now available exclusively on Amazon until June 21, when the book will officially be released in both print and digital formats to ALL on-line retailers, including Barnes & Noble and my publisher, The Wild Rose Press.
In the meantime, I hope to offer excerpts from the book to entice readers into ordering it. Each of these excerpts (see previous two posts) include lines I borrowed from people I know in real life.
Today's "quote from real people" comes from friend, co-worker, and summertime beach buddy, Jennifer. Jennifer's "catch phrase" is the bold print in the excerpt below.
Set up: The heroine is ex-soldier turned detective Amber Buckley. She and her partner are investigating the Lifeblood of America murders. Two employees of the blood and tissue bank turned research facility were brutally murdered and another employee is missing. During the course of the investigation, Amber meets Gerard Delaroche, assistant CEO of the company--a vampire posing as a mortal with a light sensitivity disorder so he can more easily pass as human.
In this excerpt, Amber has already learned Gerard's dark secret and she's soon going to discover some hidden secrets in her own past when she meets a vampire, Nicolas, who's either protecting her or stalking her. But which is it?
Excerpt:
Her pulse quickened. “That’s how Timmons found
out. Isn’t it?”
“He wasn’t a colonel then,” Nicolas said, “but it
was the beginning of his obsession with vampires.”
Gerard had been kidnapped because of her mother.
She’d started this chain of events when she ignited
Timmons’ compulsion to create the perfect soldier. And
a vampire killed her to stop her from telling anyone
else. So much tragedy because her mother tried to do the right thing.
When I first began writing the sequel to Out of the Darkness, I thought it would be easy. I already had my hero and heroine. Gerard and Tina were great secondary characters in the first book. They even had a budding romance. What could be better? It took about ten chapters for me to realize their story wasn't going to work. Tina had a daughter. And Gerard was a vampire.
Why did that bother me so much? Because as the mother of two daughters, I realized a good mother would never put romance ahead of her children. No matter how much Tina was attracted to Gerard, he was a vampire living in a dangerous world between worlds. Would a good mother risk falling in love with a man who's very existence could put her child at risk? Maybe. But would readers respect or even like a woman who did that? I had a hard time respecting her as I wrote their story. In my opinion, if Tina really cared more for her daughter than herself (which is how I feel about my own children) I figured she'd avoid getting involved with Gerard and she'd be upfront with her reasons. And if Gerard was as honorable as I wanted him to be, he'd respect that. So, I had to find another love interest for Gerard. And that's when I came up with what I hope is a gripping opening to the sequel, Embrace the Darkness.
The prologue practically wrote itself. I was on fire. I thought I could just keep typing away until the book was finished. But as soon as I sent a rough draft of the first few chapters to my critique partners, authors Andris Bear and Amy Corwin, I realized writing a sequel wasn't just a matter of picking up where the first story left off. As Amy pointed out, Embrace the Darkness wasn't Vincent and Megan's story. It was Gerard and Amber's story and Vincent and Megan had to take a back seat. And Andris informed me that although I needed to give readers enough information from the first book so the second book would make sense, I couldn't just dump it all in the first few chapters because it would still be backstory dump, which is a big no-no. So, I had to filter in the elements of the first book that would be crucial in the second book the same way I'd filtered backstory into the first book--a little at a time.
Easier said than done!
A lot happened in the first book. There were good vampires, villains, military operatives, a questionably bad vampire, a potential cure...How did I filter the information in without backstory dump? I figured I had to tell the first of the story from Amber's point of view. Amber is a new character. She knew nothing about vampires. So after the prologue, I began writing book two in her POV, and things seemed to click...for awhile. Then my characters took over and changed my plot, which left a lot of holes that needed to be filled.
To fill those plot holes, I had to do more research. And I found the answers I was seeking by researching some little known vampire myths. I finally finished the book in July and submitted it in August. And now I'm happy to report, Embrace the Darkness will be released on June 21, 2013.
For those who haven't read Out of the Darkness, here's what happened:
And for those interested in Embrace the Darkness, this is what you can expect:
Humans have been naming the phases of the moon since there were people. Even before the Native Americans assigned names and meanings to the full moons, the Celtics did it as did the ancient Chinese.
The last full moon of 2012 began last night (Thursday 12/27/12) and peaked at 5:21 am this morning, but it will still be visible tonight. Last night and again tonight, the full moon will follow the sun's path, rising around sunset and setting around sunrise on Saturday. Around midnight, the moon will be in a similar position as the sun during the summer solstice.
In areas where the sky is clear, the moon will be visible from dusk until dawn all over the world. It will be a full moon on a long night in the Northern Hemisphere and will ride low in the sky like the sun in winter in the Southern Hemisphere. North and South of the Arctic Circle where the sun stays below the horizon or there is no sun at all, the moon will mimic the position of the summer sun, hovering just above or below the horizon.
NThe December full moon shines in the center of a star formation known as the Winter Circle, a promise of where the sun will reside six months from now—a promise of longer days and warmer temperatures—a moon for wishes and dreams.
Each year, the Winter Circle is visible around the time of the Winter solstice. But this year, Jupiter is also visible near the star circle. It should be visible near the lower left of the full moon. It will be brighter than Sirius, the brightest star of the nighttime sky.
Throughout the Northern Hemisphere, this is the closest full moon to the December solstice, the longest night of the year. The Native Americans who lived in the United States named the recurring full moons to keep track of the seasons. Colonial Americans called December's full moon The Christmas Moon while others followed Native American customs, calling it the Full Cold Moon or more commonly, the Long Night Moon.
The Long Night Moon was so named because it falls soon after the Winter Solstice, the longest night of the year. It was a great night to attack the enemy. And if you believe in the supernatural, a great night for werewolves, shape shifters, and vampires.
The Long Night Moon shines longer than any other full Moon of the year, brightening the sky as clearly as the sun for those with supernatural vision. And the further north one lives in the Northern Hemisphere, the more dramatic the moon will be. In some areas, there will be three hours and 45 minutes more moonlight than sunlight. So beware! It will be a perfect evening for creatures of the night.
My husband and I recently vacationed in Germany with a side trip to Amsterdam. We went to visit my daughter and her husband who's stationed in Germany. We left on a Tuesday afternoon, flying Jet Blue out of RDU to JFK.
Flying over New York was not what I expected. For one thing, I thought to see tall buildings and crowded streets. I didn't expect to see oceanfront property. Yes, I know New York is a coastal state and that Long Island and Manhattan are, well, islands. But the expanse of sand took me by surprise. So did the empty beaches. It was 80 degrees when we flew over. NC beaches are packed when the temps reach that high. But I could barely see anyone on these beaches. And the sand looked almost concrete. Is it paved like a sidewalk? I don't know. But the view from the air was incredible.
Once we reached JFK, we rushed to our next gate to wait for our connecting flight on Swiss Air that would takes us to Zurich where we'd change planes again. Our experiences on both Jet Blue and Swiss air were great. Planes left on time. The flight attendants were friendly. And the view of New York at night was awe inspiring.
It was an overnight flight and I awoke in time to see Paris. Or not. The plane had dropped below its 37,000 feet cruising altitude but we were still too high to see much of anything. And it was cloudy. But I got a glimpse of the Swiss Alps as we entered Switzerland. Seeing the tops of those jagged, snow-capped mountains jutting high above the clouds was a sight I'll never forget. It reminded me of that movie, Alive. Alive is based on the book Alive: The Story of the Andes Survivors and details the events surrounding the Uruaguay rugby team whose plane crashed in the Andes mountains in 1972. A fellow writer posted this blog after hearing one of the survivors of the crash speak at a lecture. http://tonianderson.blogspot.com/2011/03/complaining-is-optional.html It will give you cold chills and make you think.
From Zurich, we caught a connecting flight to Nuremberg where my daughter picked us up. I'm in the process of writing the sequel to Out of the Darkness, my paranormal vampire romance. There's a scene in the book set in a cemetary in Nuremberg. And so, my daughter took us to the cemetary so I could take some pictures. She thought it was creepy, but I love old cemetaries.
I find them incredibly peaceful and beautiful, not like modern cemetaries with the plastic grave markers or flat foot markers. I love the artistry of old grave yards. And there are always beautfiul statues.
And in Germany, there are many gorgeous old churches, some that date back to mideival times.
This particular cemetary had some new graves and some from WWII and older. My daughter said some victims of the plague were buried in mass graves on the church grounds. We did see some family graves and I wasn't sure if they were headstones to mark the family plot, or if they were indeed, mass family graves.
This grave, for instance, had no other markers near it. And nothing that looked like additional plots. So, I can only guess about the Sebald family and how/when they died and were buried.
Visiting cemetaries may seem a bit macabre, but luckily for me, my husband enjoyes it too. He says walking through cemetaries makes him feel grateful he isn't sprawled out in the dirt getting eaten by worms. Then, I remind him he wants to be cremated.
After spending a relaxing afternoon touring the cemetary, we walked through Nuremberg and discussed plans for our week long visit with my daughter and her husband. Nuremberg is a beautiful old city, but I think I like Beyreuth better.
Check back later in the week, when I post day two's adventures in the beautiful city of Beyreuth, Germany.
All this month has been about breast cancer awareness. But today, in celebration of Halloween, I'd like to make readers aware of my friend and critique partner's upcoming new release, Vampire Protector.
Amy Corwin is the author of multiple Regency romances, cozy mysteries, a family cookbook, and now, a super awesome paranormal romance with a twist you won't believe. I don't want to give the book away, but there is one part of the book that gives an explanation for a historical event that is truly imaginative. When I read it, I thought to myself, "Wow! If vampires really existed, this would be terrifying and make perfect sense."
Luckily, vampires are creatures of legends, horror films, Halloween, and some really great paranormal romances. So, without further ado, I give you my friend and critique partner, Amy Corwin.
Lilly-
Welcome Amy! When's Vampire Protector set to be released?
Amy-
Hi Lilly—first, let me thank you for hosting me. It’s a privilege to be here and I’m truly honored. So…Vampire Protector is set to be released on November 12, 2010, and I can’t wait! This is my first paranormal and I’m really excited about it.
Lilly-
I can't wait to see it in paperback. It's a great story. How about a blurb, excerpt, and buy link?
Amy-
Here you go, all the “news that’s fit to print!” There aren’t any buy links, yet, but readers should be able to get their copy on November 12 through The Wild Rose Press, Amazon, and wherever e-books are sold.
Published: Nov 12, 2010, (e-book/paperback: Nov 12, 2010)
Memories may mean survival, but will they help Gwen resist her vampire protector?
Exploring Gwen's long abandoned childhood home in the company of her handsome neighbor, John, sounds like a brilliant way to break her dating dry spell and recover a few missing memories. Unfortunately, that decision may be Gwen’s first mistake. Because John is a vampire and her house is not exactly empty. Secrets—and the dead—won’t stay buried, and her memories aren’t all cupcakes and sunshine. Tragedy and horror struck her family once, and her presence may once more awaken the terrors that lurk in the depths of her house. John’s extraordinary strength and determination may be all that can withstand what awaits them in the dark
.
Reawaking the past may very well destroy all hope of a future.
Lilly-
Wow! That blurb gives me goosebumps. Just the thing for Halloween!
I read the original versions of this story--way back when it was still in the writing and editing phase, and as Amy's critique partner, I can tell you this is a great book. I've already mentioned one of my favorite parts. The big moment when that historical incident is explained. Without spoiling the story, Amy, what is one of your favorite moments in the book?
Amy-
Chortle, chortle. Probably that same moment. Is that mysterious enough to drive our readers crazy, or what?
But seriously, I do have other, quieter moments that I adore. Moments such as those when Gwen visits her abandoned, childhood home and remembers her mother cooking in the kitchen. She even seems to smell the delicious aroma of a peach pie wafting through the dusty dining room and hears one of her mother’s LP records playing on the old console stereo…
And while this may seem odd, part of the reason I wrote this book was to help me deal with the death of my parents. Like Gwen, I wanted to relive those days of my childhood in the early sixties when there was always something freshly baked and sitting on the counter in the kitchen when my sister and I got home from school. I miss the way people always “dressed up” and wore dresses, stockings, and hats even to just go shopping! So a great deal of this book deals with memories, nostalgia, family, and overcoming grief in order to find happiness in the present—and future.
Lilly-
Family is everything. I'm lucky to still have my parents and I love them dearly. And I do remember a sort of nostalgia to the story. I liked it. Then again, I liked everything about this book and cannot wait to read the finished product. There's just something about the professional, editorial process that makes a good book sparkle and shine! And The Wild Rose Press has some awesome editors. But you have other publishers and books don't you? Want to mention just a couple of your favorites?
Amy-
In addition to my new contemporary paranormal, I have started a series of historical romantic mysteries set in the early years of the 19th century—the Regency period, to be exact. They feature various hapless and often rascally members of the Archer family. I have two out with The Wild Rose Press and a third coming out from Highland Press in November.
Here are the titles:
I Bid One American, from The Wild Rose Press. An American heiress nobody wants; a duke every woman is after; and a murder no one expects.
The Bricklayer’s Helper, from The Wild Rose Press. A masquerade turns deadly when a murderer discovers the truth behind the disguise.
The Necklace, coming in November from Highland Press. A young woman, a scoundrel, and a family heirloom that might possibly be cursed...
Lilly-
I've read earlier versions of I Bid One American and The Bricklayer's Helper and loved them both. Now I have to get off my tush and order the published versions!
Okay, now that you're published in both paranormal and Regency, can you choose a favorite genre between the two? Or are you like me and love variety in your reading and writing?
Amy-
It’s really impossible to choose between the two—I love history and the paranormal. Maybe that’s why even my paranormals have some historical elements. I think a lot of my interest in both was generated by reading old Gothics like those written by Virginia Coffman, Victoria Holt, and Barbara Michaels. I always wanted to “mash” the historicals together with Barbara Michaels to get a combination of spooky ghosts in the historical settings.
Lilly-
We're a lot a like in our reading and writing tastes. Although I'm only published in the paranormal genre, I have several historicals I'm hoping to publish in the near future. The main difference is that mine are set in Victorian England and the Industrial/Gilded Age (also known as Post Civil War) era America. So, what's next for you Amy. Any new books you're working on or have high hopes for publication?
Amy-
Gosh—I really don’t want to jinx myself, but I have a contemporary mystery, Whacked!, under consideration at the moment. I received an update today indicating that it’s gone to the acquisitions committee, but I’m trying not to get my hopes up too high! As the saying goes, there’s many a slip ’twixt cup and lip. This story is a very light-hearted, cozy mystery set on the shores of North Carolina. It’s the first in what I hope will be a series of mysteries set in that area. But…enough about that…as I said, we’ll just have to wait and see what happens.
Lilly-
And to wrap things up, care to share a particularly scary Halloween story with us? Or maybe just an amusing one.
Amy-
Oh, dear. Scary. We’re just about the most mundane folks anyone would want to meet. That’s why I bought that skeleton for Halloween and hung it up on the tree under the “Beware of Dog” sign. That’s about as scary as it gets around here.
Well, wait, there was that nightlight thing. We had this nightlight with the motion detector that kept going on in the hallway, even though there was no one there to set it off. Even the cats—both of them—were draped over our feet every time it went off. The cats vehemently deny all responsibility. But for several nights running, it flickered on. And then off. And then on. It drove us crazy. If the cats hadn’t awakened us by attacking our feet under the covers several of the times this occurred, we might not have even noticed it.
So I moved the light to my bathroom. Now it behaves beautifully and only goes on when I stumble into the bathroom in the middle of the night to…well, you know. I’m getting older. These things happen when you age. You adjust.
What’s with the hall? No clue. You decide.
Lilly-
Let's just blame the cats. I always blame the cat in my house. The dog is never the culprit. lol!
Thanks so much for stopping by, Amy. And Happy Halloween everyone!
