Guest Author Feature: Ciaran Dwynvil

Today I welcome my fellow Hump Day Hook blogger, Ciaran Dwynvil, to share some insight about his gay erotic fantasy novels. Take it away Ciaran!

Thank you, Catherine, for having me as your guest today. I’m very excited to be here to tell you about my newest gay erotic paranormal fantasy, In Blue Poppy Fields. The book will please not only all fans of Belial, the Prince of Trickery, the Lord of Lust and the Antilight… aka Guardian Demon, but all readers who love vampires.

Though… perhaps not all readers as vampire stories differ greatly. Some have gloomy, horror atmosphere, some are full of blood and violence, still others brim with dark sensuality. How should you know ours would be to your liking? Apart from reading a sample chapter on Amazon or Smashwords to get a feel of the tale, you can learn about various aspects of a vampire’s life in our world during In Blue Poppy Fields release tour. Let’s first take a look at the book and then we will move on to our topic for today. The effects of a demon’s blood.

 

 

In Blue Poppy Fields: A victim to another man’s cruelty, talented and beautiful theater actor Adhemar Lebeau learned not to trust and not to love anybody but himself. Falsely accused of his master’s murder, he has to accept assistance of mysterious Count Sanyi Arany to later discover his savior is a vampire. Forced both by a fatal illness and aftershocks of torture experienced during his unjust imprisonment, Adhemar agrees to the only possible cure. Rebirth. 

 

Healed in body but not in mind, he guards his independence, free will and heart. He is not able to give love, only the fulfillment of lust. Yet, satiation of sensuous longing is not enough for his Sire and he knows it. When an eerie malady strikes and seems to deplete Sanyi’s life energy for unknown reasons, Adhemar understands his fears and agrees to keep a street boy, Reyach, as a pet for both of them in hope it will soothe the unspoken worries. 

 

Out of necessity he finds himself in the role of the only hunter in their company, and out of attachment he accepts the responsibility readily. Indulgence in blood and carnal pleasures fill his nights and vampiric powers give him the feeling of safety. Until the evening when he carelessly falls prey to High Demon Belial’s plays that quickly turn into more than either of them has bargained for.

In spite of a hard start, Adhemar feels burning urge deep in his heart and no matter how much he denies it, the cause of the strange sensation is a budding seed of affection brought to life by the insufferable demon. But letting Adhemar learn to love somebody other than him is not what seemingly innocent Reyach plans.

 

 

The blurb has only revealed the book is about vampires. But here in the post we will unravel a secret about blood. 

 

What secret? you might ask. It always looks and tastes the same, doesn’t it? Yes, we all have tried to stop the bleeding of a finger by sucking at it at least once, so I will not describe what blood tastes like to us. And when it comes to our sense of vision: we may be able to see the difference between bleeding from a vein and from an artery. But that is all.

 

A vampire’s understanding of blood is much deeper. After a couple of successful hunts he realizes that its taste differs from victim to victim and that the adrenaline rush and endorphins coursing through one’s veins change it for better. For this reason he will try to hunt regularly though he might find other sources of blood too. While his lovers might become willing donors and the surge of endorphins their veins carry during lovemaking twined with bloodtaking will almost compare to the experience of hunt, it won’t be the same. The fear a prey feels before his death adds an irresistible flavor to his blood. The flavor that will be sought again and again.

 

That’s the relationship with mortal blood every vampire develops quickly. Yet, there are also other crimson treats.

 

A demon’s blood is one of the two most powerful essences a vampire can swallow. And with even a single draught an addiction creeps on him. The blood of a demon is like a drug. It intoxicates the vampire, it engulfs him in incessant craving for more, it makes him dependent on its taste. And as if it is not enough, it arouses him to the point when pleasure mingles with pain. It stretches him on the racks of desire and he can’t ever have enough of its taste and its effects.

 

Why would anybody want to take but a sip of this treacherous, dangerous fluid? Well, not many vampires have ever had the privilege to meet a demon. Much less to take from him. So the effects are not widely known. And when it does happen and the vampire tastes this essence, he doesn’t ever want to break the bond the blood created. He knows he is addicted and doesn’t wish to change anything about the fact. Is it a curse or a blessing? You can judge after reading In Blue Poppy Fields.

 

 

 

For now here is a short excerpt full of red bliss that will allow you to catch a glimpse of what it feels like to take from a demon:

 

With a growl worthy of an enraged mountain lion, he bit into the demon’s neck and… almost died in pleasure. What was this?! Blood. But it didn’t taste like ordinary blood. This was the sap of the Tree of Life, this was divine ambrosia, this was a heavy drug flooding all his senses, attacking him from all directions, rushing him relentlessly, forcing him to succumb to the sensation, to the taste, to the feel. And he did so with a quiet moan and body all taut with unknown pleasure.

 

Did the little peek into our world capture your attention? In Blue Poppy Fields is currently available at Amazon and Smashwords.

 

 

It can be read without being familiar with other books in the Guardian Demon Series but you now have an opportunity to win one of the twelve copies of Trails of Love I Crawl Part 1 that opens the beguiling world of this series. Participation is easy enough for anybody over the age of eighteen. The more you help others find me and Guardian Demon Series books, the more chances to win you will have. 

 

What can you do?

• Recommend my books in reader discussions on Goodreads, Shelfari or other platforms you are active at
• Follow my blog, like my FB page, follow me on Twitter
• Rate my books on Goodreads
• Review my books on Amazon, Smashwords, B&N or Goodreads
• Feature my books and your reviews of them on your blog if you have one
• Tell your friends about Guardian Demon Series
• Tweet about In Blue Poppy Fields, FB links to release tour articles, reblog them, Pinterest them, Stumble upon them… whichever platform you fancy is welcome

My giveaway form will give you more suggestions. Winners will be announced on my blog on the 11^th of April. I hope to see your entry in the giveaway and thank you for your help in spreading the word of mouth about Guardian Demon Series.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

With this I hand over Catherine’s blog back to her. It has been my pleasure to be your guest, Catherine. Thank you for having me over today.
 
*Vampire image courtesy of Pinterest*

Hump Day Hook #HDH – The Vampire of Blackpool

Hello and welcome to the Hump Day Hook. Today I will share a snippet from my manuscript for NaNoWriMo 2012. The novel is called The Vampire of Blackpool, and I was quite pleased with the result. I have yet to return to the project for edits, but I certainly plan to have this one published in the future. Enjoy!

In a flash I was out of my bedroom, leaping through the open window and landing softly on the grass below. I flew across the lawn and leaped over the thick hedgerow that bordered my land. Keeping close to the trees, I stepped nimbly over the muddy ground, my feet barely touching the floor. The dry leaves below never felt my weight, and my bare feet did not recognize the cold temperature. I saw the teenagers walking along the lane, approaching the narrow driveway that led to my house. They had a torch, and the light wobbled and bounced on the tarmac in front of them. They walked close together, a boy and a girl, holding hands. I stalked silently behind, deliberately forcing myself to wait, so that I could savour the moment when I tasted their sweet flesh and drank deeply of their youthful blood.

If you enjoyed this one, why not pop over to our dedicated Hump Day Hook blog and peruse some new and exciting authors. We write about romance, love, science fiction, fantasy, erotica and everything in-between, so you are sure to find something that delights the senses. You can also find us on Facebook. Happy Humping!  

*Lady Vampire image courtesy of Pinterest*

Guest Author Feature: Catrina Barton

Today I welcome fellow author Catrina Barton to share a little about herself and her new book Dangerous Temptation. Take it away Kitty!

Catrina Barton is a real go-getter, who in 2006 turned her avid reading addiction since she was three, into a vigorous passion for writing. Especially Young Adult Romances. She draws on her knowledge as a Kung-Fu Instructor to make her fight scenes both realistic, and action packed. When not indulging her fertile imagination to craft stories for your reading pleasures, she enjoys hiking with her family, and amateur belly dancing.
Her love of writing, and her family, rival her exhilaration from helping fellow writers. She is a proud member of many writing, and marketing groups, and an active participant at Critique Circle, and several other critique groups. Catrina  also writes reviews for Safari Heat, and Satin Sheets Romance.
 
Favorite personal quote:
“An author cannot grow without both constructive criticism and encouragement.”

 
Dangerous Temptation:

Seventeen year-old orphan Kaitlin Sinclair’s world gets turned upside down when she’s forced to move half way around the world to Indonesia with her uncle she never knew existed. Things get worse when the demons she left behind in America follow her to the land of intrigue.
Her uncle forces her to attend a celebration where she meets Cadmon, a mysterious, captivating stranger, who reveals that he knew her parents. She uncovers secrets that in the wrong hands could destroy his endangered clan of were-tigers and the entire world.
When Kaitlin dives into a foreign culture, full of mystique and dangers everywhere she turns, keeping her heart safe might prove as impossible as staying alive!

Excerpt:

The clearing fell silent as a man with shaggy, dirty blond hair which reached his shoulders, approached with a wide, purposeful stride. His shoulders were back, head held high and chest out. Piercing green eyes zeroed in on her. Kaitlin inhaled a sharp breath and felt as if his eyes stared through to her soul. She shifted on the balls of her feet, and licked her bottom lip. Ean’s body went rigid. A look of caution crossed his face as the man approached them.

“Evening,” the stranger greeted with a lazy drawl. His eyes never left her face. “Who is this exquisite young lady?”

His eyes settled on Ean’s hands on her hips. To Kaitlin’s chagrin her cheeks heated.

“Why are you here?” Ean moved Kaitlin closer to his body. 

She braced her hands on his chest and gasped. “Who’s this?” She pulled back.

“Cadmon Quinn, madam.” He bowed. ”It’s a pleasure to meet you.” He grabbed her hand and brushed a kiss on the back of it.

Her eyes widened. Butterflies brushed inside her stomach. 

“Smooth.” She slipped her hand free and rubbed it down the side of her dress to stop the tingles and shake off the electric jolt.

“She’s charming.” A corner of his mouth tilted. “Perhaps she will save me a dance?”

“She has a name.” She removed Ean’s hands from her hips and then turned to face Cadmon. “It’s Kate. Use it.” She raised her chin and planted her hands on her hips.

“Call me Cade.” He flashed an amused smile.

“What do you want?” Ean stepped between them and squared his shoulders.

“Couldn't resis introducing myself to your lovely cousin.” Cadmon sidestepped Ean with a smile, and then twirled his forefinger through one of her banana curls. “Interesting choice.” he gave it a loght tug. Her pulse quickened.

“I won’t let you, or my father put her through anything else.” Ean took Kaitlin by the elbow and stormed away.

She glanced back at Cadmon, who continued to watch her as he swaggered over to the elders, and picked up a tall glass of red wine. He saluted her with the drink, then sipped. Kaitlin swallowed and turned around to break the eye contact. Was he a natural charmer, or was it an act? She hadn’t seen him talk to anyone else, so maybe he was the silent type? Ean pressed a cool glass against her hand.

“What did you mean?” Her gaze locked with his as she sipped the fruity drink.

His brow rose.

“Why would they want to hurt me?” She took another sip.

“He and Father are not on friendly terms.” Ean scowled and sipped his glass.

“Why so defensive?” She placed her glass on the table and rested her hands on her hips.

Ean placed his glass down and grabbed her by the arms. “He’s dangerous, and will only bring you trouble.”

Cadmon appeared harmless, but the sheer magnetism of the man told her otherwise. What interest would he have in a girl like her? Was he one of those rich playboys? She frowned.

“Hungry?” Ean's fingers relaxed around her arms.

“I’m going to take a walk.” The thought of food made her stomach queasy.

“Stay on the path, Katie.” He frowned. “Want some company?”

“I need to clear my head.” She walked along the small dirt path that led over to the river. Inhaling the damp air she sat, and tucked her dress beneath her.

She closed her eyes and allowed her fingers to glide through the cool liquid, wishing she could peel off her dress and swim. Her eyes opened and she frowned at her reflection. Laneca would give her a serious earful if she saw how heavy the bags were under her eyes.

 

“You shouldn’t be here alone.” Cadmon held out a plate of food.

“I shouldn’t be here at all.” She stared at the food, then looked away.

“You need to eat.” He passed her the plate and a glass of wine.

 

“Why are you so interested in me?” She sat the drink and plate on the grass.

“Eat.” He sat beside her with one leg stretched out and the other knee bent, with an arm resting on his bent knee.

“I’m not–” her stomach rumbled. She closed her mouth, cheeks stained.

“When is the last time you let someone look after you?” He picked up his plate and bit into his meat.

She twirled the meat-kabob with her fingers.

“Why so quiet?” He raised a brow.

She bit into her meat and closed her eyes as the combined juices of the roasted boar, a hint of ginger and oregano danced over her tongue. She hadn’t realized how hungry she was until she stared at her empty plate.

He chuckled.

She stared at the trees and wondered how the eagle nest back home was. The eggs should hatch any day. One more thing to add to the growing list of things she’d miss.

“How about that dance?” He stood up, holding out his hand.

After a moment she placed her hand in his. He pulled her to her feet and into his arms, then spun her around.

“Why so interested?”

“Are you always this suspicious?” He swayed their bodies to the music and kept one arm around her waist as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

She’d never been held so close while dancing. It felt good to be held again, even by a stranger. She closed her eyes. Something felt familiar about him, as if she’d met him before, desppite that she’d never seen him till tonight. How odd…

 

Inhaling she tried to figure him out. Maybe he wanted a young debutante to hang off his arm? She scowled. It would explain why he’d chosen her to talk to out of all the more sophisticated women in attendance. Was it because she was Ean’s cousin?

“You always this evasive? She gazed into his eyes. They were the most unusual green she’d ever seen, yet seemed to suit him.

He spun her away, then pulled her back, and dipped her as the song’s tempo increased. Her heart rate sped up. She clung to him.  Definitely a first. She’d seen that move in some of the old movies, but had never experienced it until tonight.

 

“Kaitlin!” Her uncle’s voice caused heat to crash on her face as Cadmon righted her.

“Hello, Nigel.” Cadmon kept his arm around her waist, with her pressed tight against his side.

[END]

Do you need more? Find Catrina Barton and her books in the following places:
Kitty’s Inner Thoughts
Facebook
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Amazon
Goodreads
LinkedIn
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Biblio
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The April A-Z Blog Hop #AtoZChallenge

One of my new year’s resolutions for 2013 was to be more active on my blog sites, and post decent quality, interesting articles on a regular basis. So far I think it is working out fairly well, but I needed a little help with inspiration for subject matter. We writers have a lot to say but it often gets jumbled up in our minds, and we sometimes need a little help to coax it out into a coherent format!

Anyway, I decided to join some blog hops. These are organised events where people sign up to write about a particular topic, for example, books and writing. A date is set, and we prepare our material. The idea is that our blogs operate as a networking tool to get our message across to a wider audience. People visit their favourite blogs, see the links for the blog hops their writers have joined, and voila, they hop along to your site and hopefully stick around for a while! 

I got very ambitious and signed up on my personal blog for the April A-Z BlogHop challenge. During the month of April I have to write a post every day (except Sundays), and each day you write about something relating to a letter of the alphabet, in ascending order. I joined the category of books, because I thought that would give me greater scope for the imagination.You can view the posts over at my Wordpress site, but I thought I would share the news here as well.

I have decided to write specifically about my Redcliffe novels. Every day I will talk about a different aspect of the novels, be it characters, location, settings, plot, or even the themes that crop up in the stories. I hope it will be exciting and interesting, and that if you haven’t yet read Love Hurts (A Redcliffe Novel), Love Kills (A RedcliffeNovel) or Love Redeems (A Redcliffe Novel), it will inspire you to try them out… Enjoy!

Hump Day Hook #HDH – The Darkness of Love

Hello and welcome to another Hump Day Hook. We continue with one more snippet from The Darkness of Love, and here is a little insight into the adventure that awaits our hapless stable boy Marcus Scott, and the young Lady of the Manor, Sarah Stockton…

Gregory watched Sarah and Penelope trot towards the lake, the sunlight helping Sarah’s lustrous hair glow golden, and Penelope’s flanks were silvered, making a nice contrast to her mistress sat resplendent and proud in her pretty blue dress.  Gregory felt his body tighten with anticipation.  It had been a week since he had shared a bed with his wife, and now he needed her desperately.  He had been extremely busy with work, and now was concerned that he may need to spend some time at his offices in London, to put his affairs in order.  What might happen at Stockton Manor in his absence?  Would young Marcus take his chances with the Lady Sarah, or would he continue to resist, even though it was clearly becoming increasingly difficult for him? 

If you enjoyed this one, why not pop over to our dedicated Hump Day Hook blog and peruse some new and exciting authors. We write about romance, love, science fiction, fantasy, erotica and everything in-between, so you are sure to find something that delights the senses. You can also find us on Facebook. Happy Humping!  

*Vampire lovers image courtesy of Pinterest

Business Networking is Good for Book Sales!

I recently attended a couple of business networking events in order to begin the process of physically meeting people that I can develop working relationships with. Up until recently I have focused on social networking and Internet based work, which is brilliant, but I admit I was beginning to feel a little lonely. So, I stepped out of my comfort zone, found some networking events advertised in my local newspaper and on Linked In, and got myself out there.

Initially I was planning to attend the events in the capacity of freelance writer and copy editor. This is the business I am developing in order to raise an income while I do the domestic chores of mothering and housework. I had sort of planned to keep my novels separate, since they do not generate anything like a business income at the moment. I need to build up my reader base and get on the bestseller lists before I see any sort of decent financial return.

Well, there was a huge lesson straight away! I am a writer. That is what I do. Feeling a little self conscious, I tripped along to the first networking event back in February, and told a group of strangers why I was there. It was actually not particularly nerve wracking. I was more concerned about getting my message across and giving the correct ‘elevator pitch’ to quote a technical term. I gave out some business cards, received some in return, and made some contacts that I am currently in the process of developing into business clients.

The second networking event was the one that gave me a lesson in book sales. Lexus of Stoke-on-Trent hosted this event. Their intention was to showcase their new models of cars as designed for the executive buyer. I was very impressed, and they certainly are in the back of my mind for future reference. The main point of this event for me was the speed-networking element. The idea was that we all got to speak to each other, share contacts, and develop our working relationships.

I had decided to take all three of my novels with me to the networking event. While I was there, I showed them to interested people, and discovered at least two or three keen readers who said they would look me up online to stock up their Kindles and e-readers. Then, totally by surprise, I sold a paperback right there at the event! Brilliant! So, in the future, my books will go everywhere with me. Fellow authors, take note. Here is some advice for an alternative sales outlet for your books. Spread the word!

Love Redeems (A Redcliffe Novel) - Buy the Book Now!

I am very pleased to confirm that my third novel Love Redeems (A Redcliffe Novel) is now widely available for sale and can be purchased through the following channels: in paperback format available to order in any UK bookshop; online at Amazon or Barnes and Noble. It is available in eBook format at Amazon and Smashwords.

Adjusting to life with vampires and werewolves, Jessica Stone is learning about being a witch. Love is painful. Life is difficult. It is never boring.
Life has changed forever in Redcliffe, Cornwall. Jessica Stone used to be a normal, happy human. Now she is an angry, conflicted and confused witch. It all happened when she met Detective Jack Mason and his identical twin brother Danny. Jessica almost died twice, fell into a love triangle, and she became a murderer. Now she faces the ultimate challenge as she continues the fight to save the man she loves, while simultaneously struggling with her lust for his werewolf brother and their vampire friend. Can she survive, or will love finally end her life completely?

If you would like to sample the first 3 chapters of Love Redeems (A Redcliffe Novel), or if you are interested in the first two novels Love Hurts (A Redcliffe Novel) and Love Kills (A Redcliffe Novel), they are free to view on Wattpad now.