Mega Giveaway: Saying Goodbye to a Friend

Well, this officially wraps up Paranormal Romance Month. What a great ride it’s been! I reunited with some super authors and met a few for the first time. Every interview was unique; some were done through email, others over IM or phone. What can I tell you? Every single author was fantastic. I’m humbled by the sheer talent. If you have a few minutes, check my blog log. Read over what they had to say. You won’t be disappointed. In fact, I’d be surprised if you didn’t find a new “favorite” amongst the Paranormal Romance Month authors whom visited.

This week was initially supposed to be my feature week before I launched my Spring has Sprung blog event. I was going to promote my latest release, Darkest Memory. While I still intend to do that, the itinerary has changed somewhat.

This week I’m saying goodbye to a dear friend...my faithful writing companion, my dog, Nakita (the Akita). She was there with me through it all. The first time I sat down and put my mind to writing a novel, query letter, synopsis, and rejection letters that followed. She was also there when I was accepted. Through every word, every long night, through every teeth-jarring moment waiting for reviews.

Through all of it, I looked down and saw her lounging by my feet, not concerned in the least. I’m convinced she always had faith in me. I still remember the day I met her, Christmas of 2001. What a hyper, determined little pup she was. I can still see her plowing through a foot of freshly fallen snow in Manchester, nothing but a puffy tail seen zig-zagging across my backyard until she spied the first hole in the chain-link fence. Whoa! Then I was the woman dressed in sweats and slippers tripping and stumbling after to stop her. Dang dog! Sharp as a tack way back then.

All said, I’ve decided to dedicate this week to her. Doing such, I’m going to do something I’ve NEVER done before, in her honor.

I will be giving away a bulk prize. An e-copy of every single story I’ve published while she sat by my side. This includes, The King's Druidess (lead-in to trilogy), Fate’s Monolith (Book I), Destiny’s Denial (Book II), Highland Muse and Darkest Memory. What do you need to do to win? Simple, leave a comment telling me who you consider to be your faithful writing or reading companion. This can be a dog, cat, person, doesn’t matter. Nobody by your side when you write or read? That’s okay. Share with me who inspired you to write, or read as you do─ as one way or another, Nakita did me.

So, as promised, here’s a little about my vampire tale.

Darkest Memory

Calah Arlington lands a career-making interview with billionaire club owner, Gabriel Knight. His dark looks and mysterious nature captivate her. However, looks can be deceiving. Now bizarre things are happening to her. She hears his seductive voice when he hasn't spoken. She's become forgetful and worries when she's unable to remember her own actions. Could the truth behind the strange occurrences be deadly?

Vampire, Gabriel Knight would have waited a thousand centuries for Calah Arlington to return. A stormy night brings her to him. He should've remained a secret — to protect her. Fate has other plans. Making contact under the pretension of an interview, he lures her to his estate to keep her safe from the enemy. However, he underestimates his dark desire for her. Now who will keep her safe from him?

One of the more descriptive excerpts…

When his hand closed over hers, Calah’s breath caught. A surge of energy poured over her. She felt like a beacon of energy in the night and watched with alarm as lightning streaked across the sky again.

Gabriel stepped halfway behind her, his front to her back, his hand never leaving the back of hers. “Don’t be afraid. This won’t hurt,” he murmured close to her ear.

She gasped when he pressed her palm against the pane and wrapped his other arm around her waist. The rain on the glass slid off as if wiped away with a windshield wiper and the wind ceased. Lightning arched and skirted across the black sky toward them. Thunder boomed and echoed in her eardrums. The waves crashing below became louder. She tensed and watched with wide eyes when the lightning danced and jumped even closer, dangerously close.

Again, his cool breath caressed her ear, face close. “Shhh. Relax, ma petite. No harm will come to you. I promise. It is all an illusion.”

He pulled her tighter against him, and she felt his lips brush her neck. “Now you see through my eyes, mon amour,” he whispered. “Through the eyes of a vampire.”

The ebony sky pulsed with life, and she could discern each individual thundercloud. Her eyesight sharpened further, and she could clearly see each droplet of moisture as it rose from the sea and touched the sky. The lightning took on a blue-white hue and appeared to roll forward until it was within feet of the glass. It hovered, a sparkling array of quivering light, before, like a viperous snake, lurched in one solid streak and met the center of her palm on the other side of the glass. It felt as if an icy cold cloth was thrown on her hand and then steamy hot water poured over shortly after.

Speech became impossible. It was glorious. Night was glorious. Had daylight ever looked this good? Talented, eager lips moved lower on her neck, his tongue swirled over her skin. Lightning arched from her fingertips beyond the windowpane. As it did across the sky, it did so across the glass until it covered the whole window. Zigzagging, it moved like heat lightening, brilliant and mesmerizing. A sigh escaped when his lips met the top of her outer collar bone. Head flung back, she watched the white hot-lightning caress the glass. His hand left its protective perch over hers and slid up her arm. Every pore came alive, every single inch of sensitive skin a thrilling burn beneath his touch.

Calah moaned and her eyelids slid shut, still the lightning jetted across her vision as though it followed the path of his hand, of his lips. She turned her head and nuzzled her cheek against his hair. The whisper of his thoughts brushed her mind, the honesty of them. No manipulation remained between them. He responded to her as a man would a woman he found ravishing. Gabriel also responded as a vampire would to lust and blood. He didn’t hide a thing from her. For all she searched for terror within, none could be found.

Thank you for stopping by. Thank you for sharing this post with me. Remember, all you need to do to win is leave a comment about your writing/reading companion or whoever inspired you to write/read by Thursday, April 8th, 9 PM EST.

Best Regards
~Sky