I promised a contest! Be sure to leave a comment today, and you’ll be entered to win a free download of ANY of my Samhain or Ellora’s Cave ebooks! In the meantime, enjoy the excerpt. I had an amazing time writing Ravished by a Viking and it’s sequel (coming this Fall), Enslaved by a Viking. I hope you enjoy the excerpt, even though some of the aspects may feel unfamiliar because you haven’t been deep into the story and learned about the rich world I built. ~DD
“Clash of cultures, clash of myths, clash of powerful personalities…how many authors can bring out on paper the excitement and more-than-willing suspension of disbelief that old fashioned adventure stories once brought us?…a wonderful, action-packed, emotional roller-coaster of a read.”
Alien Places on RAVISHED BY A VIKING
What a Viking wants, a Viking takes.
When his younger brother goes missing, Dagr, Viking warrior and Lord of the Wolfskin Clan, will do whatever it takes to get him back. But nothing could have prepared him for Honora—a feisty, intelligent woman who is nothing like the women of his world—women who are content to serve their men in all things. Drawn to her despite her recalcitrant nature, Dagr is determined to show her who’s boss both in bed and out.
When the two enemies-turned-lovers join forces to find Dagr’s brother they are thrown into a rousing adventure full of danger, intrigue and erotic abandon. Can their passion truly unite them or will their different worlds lead to destruction for them both?
Just as his skiff crunched against the rough edge of the beach, Dagr jumped to the ground, then spun to see how the battle fared. What there was left of a battle, anyway. The action was mostly a retreat—an ignominious run for safety. He counted heads quickly, assuring himself that every one of the men who had accompanied him had made it.
Frakki ran to his side. “Shall we save the bastards?” he said, disgust flavoring his tone. He nodded toward the Consortium soldiers doomed to die if the Vikings didn’t mount a concerted rescue.
Odvarr loped toward him, his chest heaving, his face creased with worry. “Dagr, your woman!” he shouted, pointing toward the open waters.
A woman was on the ice! Dagr turned in time to see a slender figure pitch over the side of a skiff and slide on her belly perilously close to the edge. He didn’t bother asking what Honora was doing there, or, more precisely, what she was doing on the frozen water. He broke into a run, heading for the closest boat, Frakki on his heels.
They both swung up, Frakki taking the steering ropes, and Dagr balanced on his feet at the raised nose of the small craft. He cupped his hands around his mouth. “Stay still, Honora,” he shouted, although the wind, the hollow roars of the beasts, and the screams from the remaining soldiers drowned out his voice.
He ignored the slashes of laser light that pounded the ice around him, dared the soldiers sure to die a gruesome death to kill him because he wasn’t turning back. If the goddess Hel herself reached up from her frozen kingdom to drag him down, he’d fight her.
“Dagr . . .” Frakki said quietly, dread in his voice.
“I know.”
Beneath them, a dozen sea serpents, blue, green, and orange, swam, tracking them like prey, spiraling, shooting away for a few feet, then circling in closer. Read the rest of this entry »
Okay, so other authors, even my sister Delilah Devlin, are doing it. They’re doing it on their blogs, in their newsletters, on Smashwords, in the closet, under the bed… Oops, I digress. My mind hits the gutter way too easily when I’m anywhere near Delilah. Ah the joy of the older sister rubbing off on me.
And what, might you ask, are they doing?
Free Reads!
Good grief. Who wants free reads? Don’t we all want to read books we paid for—spent our hard-earned dollars on to seek a few minutes of escapism? Spew…choke…snort!
Free Reads? Who wants ’em?
We do! We do!
I see your hands up, and finally I’m convinced. So where do I start? What makes a good free read? What does the audience want from a Myla Jackson story? I have to say, I’m stumped and in need of a little help.
Should I write a western with sexy cowboys and strong women, willing to hog-tie their men if that’s what it takes? Or should I craft a contemporary comedy sure to tickle a funny bone here and there. Or maybe a dark paranormal story with shady shifters, vicious vampires or ravenous beasts of all shapes and sizes?
The selections are endless, the time is limited and I’m still on the fence about what to write. It’s not for lack of an idea, it’s drinking from the fire hose of ideas. Sigh…
Such is the nature of the writer’s life. So many stories, so little time. So help me please… Help me by choosing a premise that pleases you, a genre that gets you going, characters that you can’t let go. Step on over to my web of intrigue (my website and my blog ) and let me know your choice of suggestions and you’ll be entered in a drawing for a $20 gift card from Amazon.com. Then join my newsletter to read the installments of the free read you’re going to help me build…
And check out my newest western ménage in the Bound and Tied Series:Duty Bound. Also check out the other contests I have going for a chance to win more gift cards and free books!
**Winner announcement at the bottom of this post!**
I’ll be in Little Rock all day Saturday to attend a holiday party with members of my RWA chapter, so I might not get a chance to respond to you all until this evening. Enjoy! ~DD
In December 4th’s blog, I asked three questions I needed answered by you before I could continue writing my free, serialized story, Bad Moon Rising.
Poll #2 is now closed. The answer to the question concerning why Mason didn’t want to participate in The Prowl is:
Mason detests The Prowl and wants to wait for his True Mate.
So now we have the last question. It requires a little set up…
DiDi’s back at her aunt’s place, but she’s curious about the rest of the property. She hadn’t realized the dock existed that extends over the river where she and Mason last had sex before he took her there. Now, she finds a little flat-bottomed boat at the end of the dock and decides to head across the river/bayou to see what’s on the other side.
What does DiDi find across the river from her house? (You may choose 2 answers!)
Didi finds her aunt's diary which exposes DiDi’s mixed (human/panther) ancestry. (40%, 36 Votes)
Didi finds a talisman with a panther symbol that belonged to her aunt—left for her to find on an altar. It "speaks" to her. (35%, 32 Votes)
Didi finds the diary of a woman who experienced The Prowl and how she survived the ritual. (14%, 13 Votes)
DiDi finds unmarked graves of the human women who didn't survive The Prowl. (9%, 8 Votes)
Didi finds a run-down shack with cat skeletons lying behind it. (2%, 2 Votes)
Total Voters: 52
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I’m offering a $10.00 Amazon.com eCertificate as an incentive to get you to vote. I’d like all the answers to the polls nailed by Tuesday AM. Be sure to POST A COMMENT after you vote so I know who to enter in the contest.
The winner of Cat Tails Poll #2 is…Diane (Thursday’s comment #26)!
Diane, congratulations and email me!
Today’s the last day to enter! AND you can enter again! Just Tweet, Facebook, or blog about this book and send me the link!
So this is the thing I need your help with. I’d like to get this widget spread as far and wide as I can. Read the contest instructions. There are TWO! Your suggestions regarding how to proliferate this over the web for the next three weeks would be appreciated!
**Winner announcement at the bottom of this post!**
In December 4th’s blog, I asked three questions I needed answered by you before I could continue writing my free, serialized story, Bad Moon Rising. Poll #1 is now closed. This is your definition of what The Prowl is:
“The Prowl” is when members of the clan mate, and if a human is caught within their territory, they may be hunted and mated, by force if necessary
We still have two more questions to go.
Mason made a vow to not participate in the prowl, which should have placed DiDi off-limits. Why would Mason make a vow like that in the first place?
Mason detests The Prowl and wants to wait for his True Mate. (47%, 48 Votes)
Mason avoids The Prowl because a woman he mated there a long time ago died. (31%, 32 Votes)
Mason was elected The Protector and is supposed to keep the event safe. (13%, 13 Votes)
Mason made the vow to prove how much control he has. (10%, 10 Votes)
Total Voters: 103
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I’m offering a $10.00 Amazon.com eCertificate as an incentive to get you to vote. I’d like all the answers to the polls nailed by early next week. Be sure to POST A COMMENT after you vote so I know who to enter in the contest.
The winner of Cat Tails Poll #1 is…Loretta! Loretta, congratulations and email me!
I don’t have a child underfoot until late this afternoon. And tomorrow, dd has the day off, so no children until Monday! Wheeeeeee! Not that I don’t love them, but, jeez! Now, maybe, I can get some pages done and figure out how to end my short novella. I managed to get through the Big Black Moment, but now I want a fun ending and can’t find it! Mr. Muse is hiding in sheer terror from the the two-year-old.
So head down. Twitter and Facebook off. Phone on vibrate…. You all have dirty minds! 😉
Got any tried and true ways to attack an exploding in-box?
Winners Announcements!
Thanks, everyone, who offered their two cents regarding what they thought should happen next in my serialized free read Bad Moon Rising! The winner of the $25.00 gift certificate from Amazon is…Ashley! So, Ashley, send me an email to let me know where you want that gift certificate sent!
And to all of you who posted a review of Breaking Leather! Many thanks! Every little bit of postive exposure helps. Authors are forever grateful when a reader takes the time to tell us what they enjoyed about something we spent time and heart creating. The winner of the gift certificate is…Rasha! Rasha, dear, send me an email!
I’m dragging my butt out of bed late. Need coffeeez, said in my best zombie voice.
I do have a winner from yesterday’s Flashback contest. By random number generator, the winner of the free download is…Crystal GB! Congrats, Crystal! And send me the email address you’d like me to use to send your free read.
And since I’m being lazy this morning, I thought I’d put up a photo prompt and see if you all had any thoughts about what sort of story might be lurking inside all those pixels. This photo was taken on my cruise last year with Sasha White. This was at the docks at St. Thomas, but could be anywhere your imagination takes you.
Reminder: Two Contests continue through tomorrow!
1) Give me ideas for the next chapter of Bad Moon Rising. See details here.
2) If you post a review for Breaking Leather on Amazon, Barnes & Noble or the MBaM sites, and send me the link, you’re entered! Prize: $25.00 Amazon or B&N gift certificate.
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