Interview and Giveaway with Mary Morgan - Author of Dragon Knight's Sword

I'm thrilled to have fellow Wild Rose Press author Mary Morgan on the Flight Deck today. She has very kindly offered a copy of 'Dragon Knight's Sword to one lucky reader of this post.  So don't forget to leave a comment with your email address when you've read her fascinating interview answers.

 Good morning Mary.  Let's sip a glass of something sparkling, make ourselves comfortable and find out more about your new release: Dragon Knight's Swords, first in series of the Order of the Dragon Knights

PURCHASE LINK
                             

Duncan Mackay will do anything to lift the curse from his family — even forfeit his own life. But his plans change when he encounters the woman from his dreams, literally. She is from the future, somehow has his lost sword, and can talk to the Dragon that is able to lift his family’s curse.

Brigid O'Neill has spent her life listening to the mythological legends from Ireland and Scotland. So, when an ancient sword lands at her doorstep and she starts dreaming of a rugged Highlander, she drops everything and takes on a quest that will alter everything she believes.
Before their journey ends, not only will Duncan and Brigid battle an ancient curse, they must also find the courage to believe in the destiny that brought them together.

Time Travel
Rating: Spicy (PG13)
Page Count: 380
Word Count: 91636
978-1-62830-397-1 Paperback
978-1-62830-398-8 Digital


Excerpt:

He stood next to the waterfall. Beads of water glistened from his dark locks.

Brigid watched as they trailed down his chiseled torso, traveling down to where his tartan was wrapped low on his waist. The wind whipped at the folds of his plaid, the power coiling within and around him, as mystical as the land he stood on.

“Ancient warrior,” she uttered softly.

When she looked up into his eyes, they smoldered with desire, and it startled her. A sensual shiver ran through her, wanting to be crushed within his embrace. The raw desire to be in this man’s arms, touching and tasting him, was so potent, she could feel her heart hammering inside her chest.

He tilted his head to the side, as if studying his prey.

Brigid didn’t know if she should run or step into his massive arms.

He took a step toward her, and her pulse quickened. The very air around her seemed electrified. He then took another...and another, until he stood merely inches in front of her.

Her breathing became labored, as he bent his head leaning close to her ear. She was engulfed in a sensual haze wanting his lips to touch her anywhere and put an end to her torture. His mouth was so close, she could feel a dark lock of his hair against her cheek, and she shuddered.

“Bring me back my sword,” he growled into her ear.

Brigid’s eyes flew open, clutching the sheets as the last fragments of her dream faded.

Oh this sounds like a wonderful read Mary, I need to get this book!  Tell us a bit more about it, and what was your favourite part of writing the book/series?

MM: Dragon Knight’s Sword, which was just released, is the first in The Order of the Dragon Knights. I always thought I was telling the story, but the characters would often lead me down different paths. I had the ending plotted out for a year, but in the end, the hero took over surprising me with his vision.

LOL - the heroine of my first book did that to me, too!  So what comes first in your stories: the plot or the characters?

MM: Definitely the plot. I always have these scenarios running through my mind, and then all of a sudden the characters start to enter the scene.

If someone were to play one of your characters in a movie, which character and actor would it be and why?

MM: Ahh…Richard Armitage. He has this intense look, as if he can see right through you. Yet, there is also a softer, gentler side to him, too. I love the contrast, which is exactly how I envision Duncan. Besides, Richard and Duncan are both very sexy alpha males.

*Squeal* Ooh sorry, it's just that he's one of my favourites too - I couldn't agree more about his intense look - and the softer side. I was crazy about him in the
 Robin Hood series, and although he was even darker in 'Spooks' I loved him in that too.  *Sigh* If he's a model for Duncan I've definitately got to read the book now!

Andy Android - another cool drink please, and lower the atmosphere a notch, Mary and I suddenly feel very warm! :)  Phew let's get back to the interview again. What’s your writing process Mary? Has it changed since writing your first book?

MM: Absolutely! In the beginning, all I had to focus on was the writing. Now, I have to find the balance between the business of promoting and the writing. I find that it’s easier to take care of the business side in the early mornings and focus on the writing in the early to late evening. Of course, I have to find time for my husband, too – chuckling here. 

Ooh, the dreaded promotion - it can be a real time suck! Do you listen to music when you write and if so, what kind of music – or do you find it distracts you?

MM: I definitely listen to music when writing. It’s a huge part of my inspiration and contributes immensely to my writing. I listen to a lot of Celtic instrumental, since my books are steeped in Celtic mythology. With Dragon Knight’s Sword, I listened to Michael Flatley’s Lord of the Dance. No matter how often I hear this piece, it helps to open up the well of creativity.

A lady after my own heart. I love Celtic instrumentals too, and of course being a Celt myself, I love Celtic mythology.What sort of research do you do for your books and what’s your favourite source of information?

MM: I love delving into the research for a book. It’s positively fascinating finding out information to add or support to my writing. I tend to have many resources for research – from books, magazines to historical sites on the internet. At the moment, my favorite is Google Earth! I love whisking myself over to the ruins at Urquhart. I can almost touch the stones.

Yes, Google Earth is amazing isn't it.  And I've been to Urquhart myself, a beautiful part of Scotland! What is your personal definition of success?

MM: If you can feel my story, then I have accomplished what I set out to do – tell a great story. I have been successful in the “telling of the tale.”

Absolutely! Is there any advice, as a new writer, that you were either given, or wish you had been given.

MM: If you want to write, then write every day. It doesn’t matter if it’s 100 words, or 1,000, just write. It helps to keep the creativity flowing.

Great Advice Mary, and finally, before you board the shuttle back to Earth,  if you were an animal, which one do you think you would be, and why?

MM:I would want to be a falcon. I could watch them all day, jealous of their capacity to fly. It would be so freeing to soar to any destination. Perhaps, that is why I love to travel in planes. I probably was a falcon in my past life. 

LOL wouldn't it be just wonderful to fly like a bird of prey!  Well thank you so much for being my guest, Mary, and for your fascinating answers to my questions.  I  can't wait to read your book myself.  Before you leave, can you tell us where we can buy 'Dragon Knight's Sword'?

You can purchase it from

TheWild Rose Press

Amazon

Barnes&Noble

Thanks again Mary - and wishing you much success.

AUTHOR BIO

I am a constant daydreamer and have been told quite often to remove my head from the clouds. Yet, this is where I find the magic to write my stories. Not only do I love to weave a good tale, but I have a voracious appetite for reading. I worked for Borders Books for almost fourteen years. Imagine my delight to be surrounded by so many books, talking to others about them, and getting paid.

Pure bliss!

I have traveled to England, Scotland, Ireland, and France. There are those who know me well when I say, "My heart is in the Highlands." I believe I have left it there, or maybe in Ireland.

When not writing, I enjoy playing in my garden-another place where magic grows. Of course, there is time spent with my family. They are the ones that keep me grounded.

You can visit my website: http://www.marymorganromancewriter.com

Rhiannon goddess of the moon and protector of horses in Celtic mythology

Continuing with my legends of Wales, Rhiannon is one of the characters who appears in The Mabinogion, a collection of Welsh-language tales which  Lady Charlotte Guest translated into English, and which were first published in three volumes between 1838  and 1849. The original stories were to be found mainly in two collections of medieval manuscripts known as the White Book of Rhydderch (c.1350) and the Red Book of Herge.

I share Rhiannon's love of horses, so it is only fitting that she features on my blog!

 The goddess Rhiannon's name meant “Divine Queen” of the fairies, and she loved horses. Rhiannon was promised in marriage to an older man. However, she fell in love with the mortal Prince Pwyll (pronounced Poo-ulch, translated as Paul) She appeared to Pwyll one afternoon while he stood with his companions on a great grass-covered mound in the forest surrounding his castle. The  prince was enchanted by the vision of the beautiful young goddess Rhiannon, dressed in  gold as she galloped by on her graceful white horse. Pwyll sent his servant, riding his swiftest horse to catch her and ask her to return to meet the prince.  But the servant soon returned and reported that she rode so swiftly that it seemed her horse’s feet scarcely touched the ground and that he could not follow her.

 The next day, ignoring his friends’ advice, Pwyll returned alone to the mound and, once more, the Celtic goddess appeared.   Pwyll pursued her but could not overtake her. Although his horse ran even faster than Rhiannon's, the distance between them always remained the same.  When his horse was exhausted,  he stopped and called out for her to wait.   

She allowed him to draw close, saying it would have been much kinder to his horse had he simply called out instead of chasing her. She told him she knew he had come seeking her love, but that they must wait a year. Then she disappeared

One year later, she reappeared on the same tor. She led him to her father’s palace, a magnificent castle surrounded by a lake.   There they were married but at the wedding feast the man she’d once been promised to marry made a scene, saying she should not be allowed to marry outside her own people. 

Rhiannon slipped away from her husband’s side to deal with the situation in her own way. She turned him into a badger and caught him in a bag which she tied up and threw into the lake. They returned to Wales the  next day, with Rhiannon forsaking the fairy kingdom of her childhood, but she had no regrets.

Three years later, she bore Pwyll a son.As was the custom, six women servants were assigned to stay with Rhiannon in her lying-in quarters to help her care for the   infant. However, they fell asleep and the baby disappeared. When they woke to find the cradle empty, they were fearful they would be punished severely for their carelessness. They smeared Rhiannon with the blood of a dead puppy and accused her of eating her own child.

Rhiannon swore her innocence, Pwll refused to divorce her and begged for her life to be spared. Rhiannon’s punishment was announced. For the next seven years she must sit by the castle gate, bent under the heavy weight of a horse collar, greeting guests with the story of her crime and offering to carry them on her back into the castle.


In the autumn of the fourth year three strangers appeared at the gate—a well-dressed nobleman, his wife, and a young boy. The boy handed her a piece of an infant’s gown.  Rhiannon saw that it was cloth that had been woven by her own hands.  The boy then smiled at her, and she realised she was looking at her own son. The nobleman farmer told his story.  Ever year on the 1st May, his mare  foaled and every year the foal disappeared. Four years earlier, he had slashed with his sword at a claw that came through the open window of the stable, to snatch the newborn foal. Running outside, he heard the infant’s cries and found him lying abandoned by the door. He and his wife took the baby in, raising him as if he were their own.

When the rumors of the goddess Rhiannon’s fate reached him, the farmer realized what had happened and set out at once to return the child to his parents. It was rumoured that the  the enraged suitor that Rhiannon had rejected and turned into a badger, had escaped and taken his revenge by kidnapping Rhiannon's infant son.

Rhiannon was restored to her  her place beside her husband.  Although she had suffered immensely at their hands, Rhiannon, she saw that the people who had condemned her were ashamed and forgave them.

In some versions of the legend, Rhiannon was the Celtic goddess who later became Vivienne, best known as the Lady of the Lake. She was the goddess who gave Arthur the sword Excalibur, empowering him to become King in the legends of Camelot.  

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When Camels Fly - Guest post and Giveaway

I'm thrilled to welcome NB Horton to my blog today.   I was intrigued by the fascinating title of her book and asked how she came up with it.  

Over to you, NB:

Questions from bloggers originate from healthy distance about my work. Muddling through the answers makes me a better writer. Lyn’s question, “how did you come up with this intriguing title?” is a great example of a blogger nudging me to consider my books from a different point of view.

First, a confession: I love camels. I ride them every time I’m in the Middle East, such as during my trip in March, 2014. I’m dangerous on horseback, but camels and I have a weird bond. We were meant for each other.

Creative Reasons

When Camels Fly introduces archaeologist Grace Madison, sometimes on camel, in Israel and Jordan. (She temporarily leaves her favorite animal behind in The Brothers’ Keepers, set in Western Europe and releasing November, 2014.)

Grace is an intelligent woman of faith: confident that God has a plan for her, but unafraid to take matters into her own hands and trust her judgment. She is utterly devoted to family, but has taken the opportunity as an “empty nester” to do things she’s always wanted, such as complete her doctorate and participate in archaeological digs. She lives life on her own terms. (The Readers Guide for book clubs encourages readers to engage with her on a deeper level, and explore how they would respond to some of her tough choices.)

As you can imagine, Grace doesn’t have conventional adult children. She raised them to use their gifts and think independently. When those gifts endanger her daughter and son, she canters on camelback to their rescue. She then makes startling discoveries about Mark, her husband of thirty years, and about her elderly professors, whose early lives now endanger everyone she loves.

Most contemporary suspense about the Middle East is written from a male perspective by a male author. When Camels Fly shares aspects of the land and culture to which female readers can relate, while including the adventure and action of comparable novels.

When Camels Fly also explores the complexities of a functional, mature family. Grace’s distant relationship with Mark depicts a marriage gone stale, but in which the individuals still love each other. Sacrifices her children have made in their love lives, and to which Grace responds with pointed humor, represent the reality of today’s young adults, who delay marriage and family for multiple reasons.

Practical Reasons

My background in journalism/advertising/marketing stressed the value of a perfect headline or campaign slogan. But after writing (and rewriting…and rewriting…and rewriting…) eighty-plus-thousand words, I smothered in the adventure as I mentally rode with Grace during her manic undertaking. I also was writing The Brothers’ Keepers, so my creative juices ran low.

The working title wasn’t strong enough, and the story required a title and cover as unique and original as the storyline. Several Big Six publishers were reviewing the work (if I never hear the words, “there’s something here…” again), but eventually decided it didn’t fit within their history of successful genres. (Roughly translated, that means the book was outside their comfort zones.)

Specifically, I owe the title to a brainstorming session with my grown daughter. She’s my partner in crime across five continents; inspiration for one of my major characters; and the person with the greatest impact (via an unstoppable DELUGE of comments) on When Camels Fly and the Parched series.

We had been “title-wrestling” for weeks, usually with a shared pot of strong black tea in The Hermitage (also known as my office). In this instance, we were armed with glasses of champagne, celebrating the end of the Thanksgiving feast. Title proposals became goofier and goofier, interspersed with our usual discussion of politics in the region. This interaction led to a discussion of peace, and one of us commented that peace would occur when “you-know-where froze over.”

She immediately responded that peace was as likely as flying camels, to which I replied, “when camels fly.” We looked at each other, agreed that was it, and toasted the completion of an arduous process. I think we created the consummate title for an unconventional work about a fairly normal woman thrust into extraordinary adventures.

I hope your readers grab the reins and join us!

Thanks for the opportunity to share When Camels Fly on Romance That’s Out of this World, Lyn, and I hope to share The Brothers’ Keepers with you and your readers later this year.

Thank you so for that fascinating explation, NB.  Now let's find out more about this great book:

WHERE CAMELS FLY
A mother’s fatal shot. A daughter’s deadly choice.

In Israel, archaeologist Grace Madison shoots her daughter’s abductor. Seconds later, a handsome shepherd drops from the sky to kill a second assassin. Their world changes in two blinks of an eye.

Unbeknownst to them, a fiercely ambitious evil is destroying everything in its path—the unconventional path Grace and Maggie take. They struggle to right a wrong as old as time, and discover time is running out in the race for their lives. Family and friends are swept into their vortex, extinguishing old flames while igniting new loves.

While the scale tips dangerously toward disaster, millions of lives hang in the balance. And the mother-and-daughter team soon realizes nothing is as it seems. Even each other.

Because choosing what’s right is all that’s left.

Agent:  Mary Keeley at Books & Such Literary Management
Category: Contemporary suspense, thread of Romance
Tour Date: May/June, 2014
Available in: Print & ebook, 370 Pages

About NLB Horton:

After an award-winning detour through journalism and marketing and a graduate degree from Dallas Theological Seminary, NLBHorton returned to writing fiction. She has surveyed Israeli archaeological digs accompanied by artillery rounds from Syria and machine gun fire from Lebanon. Explored Machu Picchu after training with an Incan shaman. And consumed afternoon tea across five continents. When Camels Fly is her first novel. Her second, The Brothers’ Keepers, will be available November 2014. Website: http://www.nlbhorton.com 
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/NLB-Horton/289059931145461 
Twitter: https://twitter.com/NLBHorton Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/nlbhorton/

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GIVEAWAY

A copy of the book is available for one lucky commenter on this Blog, in Print or ebook.
Open internationally.  (Print is open to the U.S. only.)

To enter, leave a comment with your email address so that you can be contacted if you're a winner
(Contest on this Blog ends midnight EST June 10th)

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The Legend of Devils Bridge

I love featuring fellow authors, but I think it would be nice to include something myself, more often, so how about some of the folk myths and legends of my native Wales? Wales is full of legends. which have inspired the settings for most of my stories,  and I incorporated some of them into my fantasy novella 'Dancing With Fate'. It's set in 5th Century Wales and the 'Devils Bridge'waterfall in these pictures is just as I picture the fall where my muse, Terpsichore, bathes.

Each Monday, I will try and feature a new myth or legend, or something about Wales  which  I hope you'll find interesting.

 I used to live near a well known beauty spot called Pontarfynach, or Devils Bridge. It is really three bridges, built over a spectacular and beautiful waterfall, which rages down into a deep pool known as the Devils Punchbowl. The first bridge was built by the Monks of Strata Florida, (where the Holy Grail is reputed to have been hidden for a while) in 1075. In the 18th Century it was deemed to be unsafe, and a second bridge was built, over the first. The third bridge being built over that in 1901. I thought it would be nice to share the legend of how the first bridge was built. There are different versions of the legend, but this is my favourite:

 An old woman had a cow of which she was very fond, and which provided her with all the milk she needed. Early one morning she was distraught to find that the cow had somehow managed to cross the river and was now grazing on the bank the other side. The old lady looked at the swirling river and wondered how she would be able to get her cow back. “What the Devil can I do now?” she asked aloud.

At once there was a smell of sulphur and a cloud of thick smoke, out of the middle of which appeared Old Nick himself! “You called?” he smirked. The old lady was made of stern stuff, and after a moment’s hesitation, she explained her predicament. Satan grinned wickedly. “That’s easily sorted,” he said craftily, “I can build you a bridge – but it will cost you.”

“How much?” the old lady asked uneasily. “Oh nothing much, just the soul of the first living thing to cross the bridge,” the Devil stated cunningly, knowing full well that she would have to cross the bridge herself to get her cow.

 “Done!” said the old woman. The Devil waved his arms and there, spanning the falls, was a beautiful new stone bridge. The Devil laughed nastily, “Now for my payment he said smugly. The old lady was not as naïve as she appeared. She put her hand into her apron pocket and drew out a crust of bread which she had put there for her breakfast, and threw it across to the other side of the bridge. Immediately her little dog ran across the bridge and gobbled it up.

Satan knew he had been outwitted, the soul of a dog was of no use to him; he scowled furiously and disappeared in an even bigger cloud of foul smelling black smoke than the first, and was never seen in those parts again. The old woman crossed the lovely new bridge, and having retrieved both her cow and her dog, made her way home, humming softly to herself. The bridge still remains, to this very day. (Although two later bridges have been built above it, and today it has the usual tourist attraction trappings)

Interview with Helen Johannes

It's always a pleasure to welcome a fantasy author to my blog - I love fantasy as much as Science Fiction, and when the author writes delicious romances in this genre, I'm hooked.

So put your feet up,  take a glass of something sparkling and welcome to my blog, Helen. Please. tell us about your latest release and what was your favourite part of writing this book?

My latest release is BLOODSTONE, a fantasy romance retelling of the Beauty and the Beast story. If I had to pick a favorite part of writing this book, I’d have to say it was creating two unusual secondary characters. The first, a blind boy, took me out of my comfort zone because I had to turn off the sense I use most as a writer, vision, and turn on my other senses to imagine how he would navigate the world and perceive the other characters. The second character, a Wehrland she-lion, torments my hero with her enigmatic ways. I had so much fun showing their interaction and engaging all my knowledge of cat behavior to portray her.

Oh that sounds such a great story - and Beauty and The Beast is my favourite fairy tale! Tell us more about your latest release and what you think readers will enjoy about it

Well, let’s see. There’s romance, danger, magic, humor, mystery—oh!—and petrified dragon’s blood!

Bloodstones, drops of the legendary last dragon’s blood, are rare, precious, and powerful. Mirianna and her gem-cutter father want these stones to fulfill a jewelry commission. The Shadow Man, a cursed warrior whose unveiled appearance can kill, makes his living in the wilderness collecting bloodstones and other gems. The only source of these gems is a no-man’s land infested by beast-men, dark magic, and a dead—or sleeping?—dragon. Daytime there is dangerous enough, but the night—the dark—has power of its own, linking lovers in dreams long before they meet. Only in this borderland between good and evil would Mirianna believe a lion might speak to her and she might trust her heart to a man she can only see in the dark.

Wow, what an interesting concept. What comes first: the plot or the characters?

     

I’m a “pantser” so I get a vague idea of plot points and a couple of characters, and then I set out with them out on a journey. Along the way, the characters reveal their secrets—often in surprising ways—and the storyline changes from what I originally thought to what will suit the needs of the characters. Secondary characters emerge to take on roles I hadn’t consciously envisioned for them but that prove to be significant to the plot. When there is a “big reveal” in the plot, it’s usually because a hint a character dropped back in chapter two suddenly becomes integral to the plot and has been simmering under the surface all along. Then I go back and enhance that in the revision process.

Do you have a support system? Do you have a writing community? What valuable lessons have you learned from them?

     I belong to Romance Writers of America, and my particular support group is the small group belonging to my local area. Even though we write a variety of romance genres, we are extremely close-knit and stay in contact by email between monthly meetings. If any one of us needs a quick answer to a question or help with a writing problem, someone will quickly reply. We bring a variety of experiences to the table and are willing to share.

The most important lesson I’ve learned is to listen to everyone. We may not always agree with what we hear, but we need to give it consideration. Sometimes the best ideas and insights come from the least likely sources.

I also occasionally serve as a judge for contests, and I’ve learned a lot from reading and critiquing other people’s writing. Sometimes it’s easier to see a flaw in someone else’s work first, and then I can find it in my own.

You are so right there, Helen.  I've found the same thing myself, when judging conests. Is there any advice, as a new writer, that you were either given, or wish you had been given?

It would be nice to say I was an overnight success. Lesson #1 is that most writers aren’t. It can take 5, 10, 15 years or more to break in, so you have to be both persistent and patient. Remember the tortoise and the hare.

Lesson #2 is that you perfect your craft by both writing AND reading. It’s true that you don’t want to be unduly influenced by other authors’ ideas, but I can’t fathom how some people want to publish when they don’t even like to or want to read. And they can’t be bothered with revision. I was always a reader, and I studied the classics, so I learned craft from the best. But, like all newbies, I thought what I wrote in my first draft was golden. I had to learn to ‘kill my darlings’ because sometimes they just had to die. And, oh gosh, adverbs had to go.

I couldn't agree more.  You learn so much from reading other people's books, and it always makes me want to strive to be as good as they are.  As for revision, I love the whole process and tend to find it hard to know when to stop - and those pesky adverbs are a real challenge!
So...hat do you do for fun when not writing?

I read, watch movies, take walks, and travel as often as I can. I fill my bookshelves with romances (of course), mysteries, and young adult books. My favorite authors include Rick Riordan, Susan Elizabeth Phillips, Nora Roberts, Janet Evanovich, Amanda Quick, Darynda Jones, and Jennifer Crusie, to name just a few. On my keeper shelf you’ll find the Artemis Fowl series, The Wizard of Earthsea, all the Harry Potter books, The Hunt for Red October, Agatha Christie mysteries, Inkheart, and all of the Amelia Peabody Egyptian mysteries, among others. I enjoy being outdoors, especially in the spring, and I love discovering new places and revisiting any place with a castle or beach/ocean access.

That sounds great - you'd love my homeland of Wales, it's full of castles! :)  Thank you so much for being with us today, Helen.  Now while you relax let's have a look at your amazing fantasy novels.

THE PRINCE OF VAL-FEYRIDGE, 2011 EPIC WINNER in Fantasy Romance from The Wild Rose Press - A warrior with a destiny, a woman with a gift. Can loving the enemy restore a broken kingdom?  Or will forbidden love destroy it—and them—first?

BLOODSTONE, 2011 LAUNCHING A STAR WINNER in Fantasy Romance, available now from Amazon and The Wild Rose Press

http://helencjohannes.blogspot.com/

http://www.helencjohannes.com
http://thewildrosepress.com

BLOODSTONE, 2011 Launching a Star Winner in Fantasy Romance, The Wild Rose Press

Blurb:

What if looking at the face of the man you loved meant death?

Years ago, warrior Durren Drakkonwehr was cursed by a mage. Now feared and reviled as the Shadow Man, he keeps to himself, only going to town to trade rare bloodstones—petrified dragon’s blood—for supplies. Though he hides his face, he can’t hide his heart from the woman who haunts his dreams…

Needing bloodstones for a jewelry commission, Mirianna and her father journey across the dreaded Wehrland where the beast-men roam. When their party is attacked, only the Shadow Man can save them. Strangely drawn to him, Mirianna offers herself in return for her father’s rescue.

Living in the ruined fortress with the Shadow Man, Mirianna slowly realizes that a flesh-and-blood man, not a fiend hides there in hoods and darkness. But are love and courage enough to lift the curse and restore the man?

Excerpt:

“What about us? What do we do?”

            Only the hood rotated, cocking with exaggerated deliberation. “Why, you die, old man.”

            Her father blanched. His grip on Mirianna’s arms faltered.

            She saw the Shadow Man turn, saw the muscles of his thighs bunch as he prepared to leap down the hillside, saw, in the corner of her eye, shapes gathering along the tree line below, horrible shapes she’d seen only hours before rushing at her from a darkened clearing. With a shudder, she broke from her father’s grasp.

            “Please!” She reached out to the black sleeve. “Help us!”

            He recoiled at her touch like one snake-bitten. The sudden, sharp focus of his regard staggered her, but she backed no more than a step. No matter how he terrified her, he’d helped her once. She’d been led to him again, and not, her instincts told her, without reason.

            “Please,” she repeated. “Help us. I—we’ll do anything.”

            “Anything?”

            His voice was a whisper that caressed flesh. Mirianna’s stomach quivered. Her breasts tingled. Her mouth grew even drier. Without thinking, she slid her tongue along her lips. Vaguely, she wondered what she’d done. And why time seemed suspended, as if everyone but she and the Shadow Man had been cast in stone and all sound arrested. All sound except the taut, guttural repeat of his question.

            “Anything?”

THE PRINCE OF VAL-FEYRIDGE, 2011 EPIC Winner in Fantasy Romance, The Wild Rose Press

Blurb:

A warrior with a destiny, a woman with a gift. Can loving the enemy restore a broken kingdom? Or will forbidden love destroy it—and them—first?

Prince Arn has a destiny—an ancient throne—but he’s not waiting for fate to deliver when he can act now, before his enemies organize against him. The healer Aerid longs for her barely remembered homeland. Marked out by her gift and her foreign looks, she insists she is no witch. The swordsman Naed hopes to honorably defend his uncle’s holding, but he harbors a secret fascination for the exotic healer. Prince Arn’s campaign against Aerid’s homeland throws them into a triangle of forbidden love, betrayal, and heartbreak. Only when they realize love is blood-kin to friendship, and neither is possible without risk, can they forge a new alliance and restore a kingdom.

Excerpt:

Aerid could not recall how she came to be in the Great Hall, or how water and bandages materialized on trestle tables there.

Naed sat slumped against the wall while Yormoc tugged off his tunic and armor. Blood painted Naed’s arm, but she could see the wound was only a finger in length.

“Get me up, fool, or ‘tis your hide I’ll line my chair with!” Her master Dranoel sat up, took in the guards at the door, and his ashen face paled further.

Yormoc examined the cloth he had been holding to his gashed jaw. “They haven’t killed us yet. ‘Tis like they don’t mean to.”

Dranoel visibly fought for control. “Mayhap the bastard Prince has some honor, then.”

“Some honor!” Aerid sputtered. Did no one but she understand what they faced? “Belike they’ll be keeping us for their sport, killing us one by one to feed their savage appetites. These be Tolemaks we speak of, and what be they if not barbarians and

their master a Prince of savages!”

Dranoel blanched at her words. Yormoc froze. Even Naed’s head came up. But not a man of them stared at her.

Cold dread filled Aerid. She whirled.

In the doorway stood a scarlet-cloaked figure so tall his ebony hair brushed the cross-beam, so lean Aerid sensed nothing but bone and muscle and will, a will so strong it emanated from the deep-set, stone-gray eyes. High cheekbones gave his face a noble, arrogant look. The curve of his lips mocked her. The scar cutting across the left side of his face from behind the eyebrow to the corner of the chin mocked nothing.

“Pray, go on.” The Prince of Val-Feyridge planted his boot on a bench and rested a hand on the upraised knee. “Or have you lost your nerve?”

Author Bio:

Author Helen C. Johannes lives in the Midwest with her husband and grown children. Growing up, she read fairy tales, Tolkien, The Scarlet Pimpernel, Agatha Christie, Shakespeare, and Ayn Rand, an unusual mix that undoubtedly explains why the themes, characters, and locales in her writing play out in tales of love and adventure. A member of Romance Writers of America, she credits the friends she has made and the critiques she’s received from her chapter members for encouraging her to achieve her dream of publication. When not working on her next writing project, she teaches English, reads all kinds of fiction, enjoys walks, and travels as often as possible.

Blog:  http://helencjohannes.blogspot.com/

Buy Links:

Bloodstone: Amazon: http://amzn.com/B00G8GTHRC

The Prince of Val-Feyridge: Amazon: http://amzn.com/B003JH8CO2

(Available in both print and e-versions from Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and The Wild Rose Press)

THE PRINCE OF VAL-FEYRIDGE, 2011 EPIC WINNER in Fantasy Romance from The Wild Rose Press - A warrior with a destiny, a woman with a gift. Can loving the enemy restore a broken kingdom?  Or will forbidden love destroy it—and them—first?

BLOODSTONE, 2011 LAUNCHING A STAR WINNER in Fantasy Romance, available now from Amazon and The Wild Rose Press

http://helencjohannes.blogspot.com/

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