Spotlight:
Coreene
Callahan – Author of The Dragonfury Novels and The Circle of Seven series.
Fury of Fire (Dragonfury Novel, book 1)
Buy links:
Excerpt from Fury
of Fire:
The smell of fresh blood propelled Bastian up
the porch steps and through the open door. Broken glass crunched beneath the
soles of his boots as he crossed over the threshold into the small house.
He
was too late.
The
Razorbacks, the rogue band of dragons that hated humankind and their dependence
on females, had beaten him to the mother and child. He didn’t care that the
infant had been sired by one of them. None of the bastards deserved to be
fathers. To leave the female defenseless and alone—without any understanding of
what was to come—then take the baby a month early? Christ, it was beyond
unthinkable.
The
enormity of his failure hit him like a body shot.
He
should have come sooner. Two days ago when the results of her blood work popped
up on Sloan’s system. Tentacles deeply embedded in human databases, his comrade
could find anything, from medical records to homicide reports.
Fuck. It was Bastian’s fault.
Not
her death—that had been inevitable the moment one of his kind impregnated
her—but the manner of it. The violence in it. The needless suffering. Had he
done his duty, the female would have been comfortable in the end.
With
grim resolve, Bastian followed the scent of death down the narrow corridor. He
inhaled deep and listened hard, sifting to find any trace of the enemy’s trail.
He would honor the woman and then hunt the rogues down; take the child back
before he became polluted by hatred. The last thing he and his warriors needed
was another soldier in the Razorbacks’ ranks.
He
spotted the blood pool on the tile floor from the kitchen doorway and—
“I’m
so sorry…so sorry,” a female said, an agonized hitch in her voice. “Look how
beautiful he is, Caro. All ten fingers and toes. Look how beautiful.”
The
sound of an infant’s cry answered her, rising from behind the island.
Sucking
in a quick breath, Bastian stepped around the edge of the gold-flecked
countertop. He stopped cold, boots rooted to the floor, gaze riveted to the
light-haired female. Pale green hospital scrubs covered in blood, she sat in
devastation, a dead body next to her, a small, coat-wrapped bundle in her arms.
Medical supplies lay scattered around her, the black bag by her side
overflowing with gauze, rubber gloves, and plastic-wrapped packages. But it was
the butcher knife that made him ache for her.
She’d
saved the baby, knowing she couldn’t save the mother. Remarkable. She was
undeniably remarkable. A female with the heart of a warrior.
Bastian
swallowed past the lump in his throat and ditched his leathers, conjuring an
EMT’s uniform. As a nurse, she would respond better to a paramedic, someone of
common skill and experience. He didn’t want her to freak out, but time wasn’t
on his side. The Razorbacks would track them quickly, and he needed her in the
ambulance and rolling before that happened.
Knight Awakened
(Circle of Seven series, book 1)
Buy links:
Excerpt from
Knight Awakened:
The desperate gleam in Xavian’s eyes scared
her to death. The hard press of muscle locked around her and his pace didn’t
help much either. Each long stride took Afina further from safety, into the
cool shadows of the stable and closer to full-blown panic.
Had she overstepped her bounds? Was he
angry with her for interfering?
She bit the inside of her cheek and looked
up into his face. He didn’t seem to be. Anger no longer lined his features. But
then, nothing did. And his contained expression frightened her more than his
fury would have. Something churned just before the surface, suppressed emotion
she couldn’t see but knew was there.
“Xavian?” She kept her voice soft as she
looped her arms around his neck. Startling him wasn’t a good idea. He was wound
too tight, and she was too vulnerable...within striking distance. Not that she
thought he would hurt her. But honestly? Better to be safe than sorry. “Please,
stop.”
He slowed, the echo of his footfalls fading
as he halted in the middle of the aisle. She held her breath, listening to the
thump of his heart as he tightened his grip under her knees and turned his face
into her hair. Each one of his breaths whispered over her temple, the hot rush
sweet with a hint of mint.
Not knowing what else to do, her hand stole
to the nape of his neck, seeking, stroking to ease his tension. He murmured,
pressed closer, curling around her as though he needed her touch as much as he
needed to breathe. A small pang echoed in the center of her chest. Something
was terribly wrong. He was hurting. The strong, brave warrior was in pain, and
she couldn’t stand it. Couldn’t let it continue. The healer in her wouldn’t
allow it.
“Please, tell me what is wrong,” she
whispered, fingers playing in his hair, sifting through the thickness. Good
goddess, it was a wonder, the softness. She’d never imagined a man could have
such beautiful hair. Not that she was noticing. No, not really. She touched to
reassure, not to—
Drat. Now she was lying to herself.
She ordered her wayward hands to still.
When neither listened, she returned her attention to Xavian. “Let me help you.”
A fine tremor racked his large frame.
She
tightened her grip. “Put me down so I can help.”
“Nay,” he said, his voice half-growl,
half-groan before he shuddered and moved forward, continuing into the interior
of the stable. “You’re mine.”
Mine? Or rather, his? What the devil did that mean?
“Ah, Xavian, I think mayhap...” She trailed
off, catching a glimpse of movement in her periphery. Three stable lads, pitch-
forks hanging from limp hands, gaped at them, mouths wide open. Wonderful. Now
they had an audience. She glanced at Xavian, knowing he wouldn’t approve. He
was having some sort of breakdown, and no man worth his weight would relish wit-
nesses for that.
Afina hung on as he took a sharp right at
the end of the aisle. Two strides later, and he’d walked them through a doorway
and into the tack room beyond. Sacks of grain occupied one corner, fat
companions to the array of bridles hanging on the chamber walls. The long
leather strips hovered above saddle horses, some in use, some patiently
awaiting the weight of their next charge. With little room to maneuver, Xavian
stopped in the center of the room and, one arm still around her, dropped her
feet to the floor.
As she found her balance, he murmured, “La
dracu, you feel good...so warm.”
The whispered words tickled the side of her
neck then rolled like a dark wave down her spine. His voice was decadent. The
resonance one of perfect pitch; deep enough to tie her up, light enough to make
her want to relax and trust and give. But two years of running—of Vladimir—had
ruined any chance of that.
Her hands flat against his chest, she
pushed, needing distance. He tightened his grip, shackling her against him
while he inhaled, burrowing deep to press his lips to her pulse point. The
contact—mouth to neck, skin to skin—hit her like a thunderstorm, and heat
gathered with an alarming rumble.
Afina swallowed. “I, ah...Are you all
right?”
“I’m so cold inside...so cold.”
Cold? Afina frowned and rubbed his upper
arms. Odd, he didn’t feel chilled.
“Xavian, look at me,” she said, her tone
tight.
One arm nestled against her back, he buried
his free hand in her unbound hair, pulling her flush against him. Her fingers
curled, and finding the edge of his sleeveless tunic, she shook him. He raised
his head, blue eyes glowing with unsettling heat. Afina froze. She felt her
eyes widen and heard her lips part on a strangled gasp. Could he be...what...Good
goddess, was he—
“Don’t be afraid. I won’t hurt you.” He
cupped her cheek with a warrior-rough palm. Holding her there, his gaze
half-searched, half-pleaded as he leaned in and kissed her, whisper-soft.
“Please, draga. Warm me...make me forget the cold for a while.”
Afina’s breath got tangled up in the back
of her throat. Wonder nipped at her, drowning out the little voice that
whispered a warning. Somewhere deep inside she knew she should listen, heed the
kernel of fear coiling low in her belly. But the fact he wanted her—the way a
man did a woman—trumped good sense, spinning her into a world filled with new
possibilities.
She wanted them all, craved the moment of
freedom. Longed to let loose, and just once, do what she wanted instead of
pleasing someone else.
And Xavian? His desire was the perfect
foil.
Without shame or seduction, he asked,
leaving the outcome up to her. But what to do...accept his touch or deny her
yearning? Ignoring the lust-filled ache would be safer, but curiosity was a
powerful thing. And as she stared into his eyes, blue as the Danube, warm as a
hot spring, she remembered Bianca.
Ever since her sister had danced across
their small cottage, Afina had wondered about her secret meetings with Bodgan.
Her enjoyment had been obvious, a curious splendor that had left Afina
dissatisfied with her own life.
The restlessness hit her full force. It
wasn’t fair that everyone knew joy except her. Life had dealt her a series of
denials, but not today. Today was about her, about what she needed—what she
wanted—and for once, she followed desire, titled her chin up and invited his
kiss.
INTERVIEW:
Welcome to my corner of the blogging world.
Let's get a little of the formalities out of the way.
Coreene: Hi everyone! A huge thanks to Catherine for having me here
today. I’m really excited to have the opportunity to hang out with you!
Give my readers a cliff note version of you.
·
How has Amazon Montlake been to work with?
Coreene: In a word…fantastic! The Montlake team is an incredibly talented and
professional group with years of publishing experience behind them, and it
shows. All my questions get answered, and I am included in many of the
decisions that impact my books. And the Montlake authors? Such an amazing group
of people: supportive, savvy, and generous!
·
What do you think about self publishing?
Coreene: Self publishing has really come on in recent years, and
I’m so glad that it has. It’s an important tool in a writer’s toolbox. The
opportunity to self publishing has opened a lot of doors and given authors more
say than ever, the freedom to control our own destinies, so to speak. And that
is a great gift, particularly when it allows someone to make living doing what
they love...namely, writing.
·
What do you love about being a writer?
Coreene: Oh, so many things. Getting to make stuff up for a living.
Not having to rush out the door to go to work every morning and wearing my PJs
to the office is a big perk. Interacting and chatting with readers everyday. Being
able hang out with my writing buddy, Winston (my golden retriever) all day long.
I could go on! The list is endless, really.
·
What do you hate about being a writer?
Coreene: You know,
there isn’t a thing that I hate about being a writer. I love the job, from
writing the first draft to the revision stages. That isn’t to say that it’s
easy. Some days are unbelievably hard, as though I’m banging my head a brick
wall. But even when the words come hard and the story seems like it’s falling
apart, I love it. The worse day I ever spent writing was still better than a
great day anywhere else.
·
Nearly all romance novels have shhh, sex, in them. How do you
answer the never ending question, Why do you write THAT kind of book? Or even
better… How do you do your RESEARCH?
Coreene: Oh, boy…did someone just set off a bomb in here? My husband
loves to joke that he is the R&D department (Research and Development) for the
sexy scenes in my books. I let him believe it. *grin*
Buy honestly, here’s the real deal…
Sex is an important part of any healthy, romantic relationship. Let’s
face it, we (as human beings) need physical connection to strengthen the
emotional ties we feel for the one we love. We communicate so much through
touch: caring, need, empathy, understanding and, of course, love. No words
necessary. Sometimes the right touch is all we need to feel connected, loved
and respected in return.
So in order for me to create impactful characters—the kind a reader
can identify with—it’s important to not only give a character depth and
dimension, but also to tell the truth. How? By asking relevant questions and
exploring real issues that most people experience every day. Interpersonal
relationships consist of a complex mix of things. But a romantic relationship requires
sexual connection and touch. The strength of that bond is both an important and
natural part of the human experience. A good romance novel sheds light on these
issues. So I’m never embarrassed about creating authentic characters or modeling
healthy sexual relationships, never mind writing the red-hot love scenes you’ll
find in my books.
·
What do you like better, Twitter or Facebook?
Why?
Coreene: I enjoy both, but for different reasons. Facebook is
about longer conversations with more than one person in the mix, which I like
because I’m interested in other people and love to chat. Twitter engages people
in short snippets…connection that is fast and easy to sustain on the fly. I
also find that I connect with different people on each site. A lot of my author
friends are on Twitter, so I’m able to keep up to date with what they are doing,
whereas I chat more with readers and book lovers on Facebook.
·
And the most important question ever... Do you roll your toilet
paper over the roll or under the roll?
Coreene: Over, of course! And if I find a roll that’s “under”? Call
me crazy, but I switch it to roll “over”!
·
Tell us about your latest release and were we can find it.
Coreene: Well, I have two latest releases! And I’m incredibly
excited about both!
FURY OF SEDUCTION (Dragonfury Novel, book 3), is about an ex-homicide
detective turned dragon-shifter and his struggle to not only control the
incredible power he now possesses, but also to protect the woman meant to be
his.
KNIGHT AWAKENED, the first
book in my Circle of Seven series, is about elite assassins in 14th
century Transylvania and the magical order they protect. Dragons show up in
this series too, so get ready for the fallout!
Thanks so much for inviting me to visit today! I had a blast
answering all your questions and hope you enjoyed the excerpts! For
more about the Dragonfury Novels and the Circle of Seven series, please stop by
my website www.CoreeneCallahan.com. I’d love to hear
from you!
1 comment:
Excellent review! I had to laugh at the toilet paper question.. of course now I know, I should never be at the same place as Coreene.. why? Because I too turn the toilet paper around if it is on "wrong" unfortunately, I disagree with Coreene as to what wrong is... I am an under girl *grins*
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