Weekend Writing Warriors #24

August 9, 2014 by Alexis Duran

Welcome to another installment of Weekend Writing Warriors, where bold writers of all genres and styles share their work with the world. I’m so excited as the editing process begins on To Catch a Threeve. I so want to make this book the best it can be and participating in this hop certainly helps. Thanks for all your input.

This week I’m continuing where I left off with To Catch a Threeve. Axel nearly fell asleep and realized whoever’s been stalking him had cast a spell over him and his deputy, Drummond.

***

Axel carefully flexed his muscles to make sure he had control of them, closed his eyes to slits and waited.

He’d positioned the bag that held the gem between where he lay and Drummond sat. A bold thief indeed would be required to enter their little circle, but the sleeping spell would give him misguided confidence. Damn good thing Axel had protected himself against such mischief. There was always the chance that the sneak might try to plunge a knife in his back.

His muscles ached with the tension of remaining perfectly still while near silent footsteps crept out of the trees behind him. The sneak paused for a long time, no doubt watching Axel with a careful eye to see if he twitched or if his soft breathing broke its rhythm. It took all of Axel’s self control not to leap up and give chase, but he’d be sure to lose his quarry if he acted prematurely.

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This post is part of an ongoing blog hop hosted by Weekend Writing Warriors. Every Sunday, participating authors post eight sentences from a published work or perhaps their current work in progress. Then we hop to our fellow warriors’ blogs and check out all the fabulous fiction that’s happening! I heartily invite you to participate as a reader, writer, or both. It’s a great way to discover your next favorite book. Click here or copy & paste this address: http://www.wewriwa.com

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Unofficial Blurb for To Catch a Threeve

To Catch a Threeve is an m/m erotic fantasy that takes place in the medieval land of Lacknor. Constable Axel Blackwood catches a thief and is astounded to see that he closely resembles the love he lost seven years ago in an attack by the evil woodland folk known as threeves. He quickly realizes he’s fallen prey to dark magic, but can’t help becoming infatuated with his prisoner and is overwhelmed with the hope that he can at last bring his lost lover home. Bryn Darrow, the half-threeve, half human orphan sent to trick Axel and rob him of much more than a simple gem finds himself equally as fascinated with his handsome human captor and the lure of some place to call home, but believes that the constable is in love with a dangerous illusion.

My Sexy Saturday #2 ~ Dark Heart

August 9, 2014 by Alexis Duran

Welcome to my second outing on the My Sexy Saturday Blog Hop, a gathering of writers and readers who love romance in its many splendorous forms.

This week’s theme is characters who know they’re sexy. I rifled through my many stories for the character who’s most confident, most assured of his power to attract and came upon Zeke here from my current WIP, the contemporary fantasy Dark Heart. Ezekiel knows what he wants and he knows how to get it. Last week I went with seven words, this time I swing the other way with seven paragraphs, which happens to fit the entire opening scene! Hope you enjoy it.

Dark Heart

Even as the first haunting cords drifted up the cement stairwell, Ezekiel detected a nibble on his bait. He pressed his bow more firmly to the strings on his violin and pulled his elbow back. His prey drew closer.

He’d had his doubts about setting up in midday and in such a busy, public spot, but a tug at his instincts had guided him here. He’d learned over the centuries to never ignore that tug. The music echoed nicely, penetrating the dull roar of the Pike Street Market above and the viaduct below. From the open staircase, he had a partial view of the waterfront and Puget Sound beyond.

He’d set up on a landing below street level on the stairs that led from the waterfront to the market. On a rainy Tuesday in February, the market wasn’t the teeming morass of humans that it was normally and Zeke easily sensed the motions of the Liosa as it descended the stairs.

He threw a little more passion into Smetana’s symphonic poem, Vltava. The lines cast out by the music shimmered darkly in the dull light. Like the strings on his violin, the lines vibrated and cast sounds that only he could hear. The Liosa’s thoughts whispered in his ear. It was cautious, but curious. Untrained. Zeke detected no magical protections and thanked his lucky stars for this gift.

Don’t lap at the blood before it is spilled, he cautioned himself. Though he sensed his prey was utterly unaware of the trap, he could be easily spooked if Zeke revealed any of his power too soon. And so he played on, risking only a quick peek from beneath his eyelashes.

The Liosa had paused a few steps up from the landing, just past the wall that blocked the view of the rest of the stairs. He lingered in the shadows, but did not radiate any fear. Zeke caught a glimpse of wind tousled blond hair, large dark eyes, a lumpy grey coat and battered grey sneakers. He pulled some of the Liosa’s essence toward him along the strings and conjured a better picture. A young human male, slim and tasty. His favorite form. He had the dark mocha eyes of the High Wood Alfar, but Zeke recognized no clan markings, no talismans, no link to the past. This was most excellent. No one would miss him. A fresh, unclaimed source of power, his for the taking. Even the dark queen, Ellora, might not be aware of him.

The Liosa had a camera and was about to take Zeke’s photo. He was as good as caught.

***

Dark Heart is nearly finished, so I hope it will be coming to an e-reader near you soon.

This month I’m blog hopping. Stop by one of these sites for a chance to win a gift certificate to Loose Id!

Gabrielle Evans Romance

Redz World Reviews

Weekend Writing Warriors #18

June 29, 2014 by Alexis Duran

Greetings everyone. It’s good to be back. I was in the San Juan Islands last week and missed a Sunday. Can’t wait to catch up on all the fabulous stories unfolding over at the WWW Hop. Due to awesome timing on my part, I was out of town when my book launch occurred, so my self-promotion has been spotty. So, did you hear? Touch of Salar is now available at a fine ebook vendor near you!

On to the snippet! I’m now posting from my recently finished erotic fantasy, To Catch a Threeve, which is sitting in my editor’s submission pile, so I get to chew my nails over this one for several more weeks.

To Catch a Threeve (We last left Constable Axel Blackwood in the forest, aware that he is being stalked by an unknown presence)

Mint and meadow larkspur, a combination often used by hunters to disguise their presence from animals, stood out against the usual smells of the deep forest, alerting Axel to the nearness of the interloper.

Whoever tracked Axel was good. The only reason the constable had noticed he was being followed was thanks to a protective spell he’d learned from the old witch Talesin. A web of magical energy alerted him when the same presence passed through it more than once. This particular, non-animal presence had crossed the web five times since last night. Tonight was the first time Axel had detected him with his ordinary human senses. He suspected his stalker was getting desperate. Tomorrow, Axel and Drummond would reach the fortress of Lord Thorburn and the opportunity for mischief would be lost.

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This post is part of an ongoing blog hop hosted by Weekend Writing Warriors. Every Sunday, participating authors post eight sentences from their current work in progress. Then we hop to our fellow warriors’ blogs and check out all the fabulous fiction that’s happening! I heartily invite you to participate as a reader, writer, or both. It’s a great way to discover your next favorite book. Click here or copy & paste this address: http://www.wewriwa.com

Starry Nights- SFR Brigade Summer Hop

June 21, 2014 by Alexis Duran

Welcome to the SFR Brigade Starry Night Blog Hop! For my part I’ve decided to share an excerpt from my WIP, an erotic space opera. I hope you enjoy reading it and have fun continuing on the hop.

From Mars, With Love

The man in black put his hand on Eli’s shoulder and pushed him forward. “Shall we transport, or do you like it here?”

Eli shrugged the hand off, or tried to. The man squeezed tighter. Eli glared at him, yanked free and moved through the shuttle bay to a newly blowtorched hole where the marines had latched one of their mobile boarding tunnels. He took the chance to look out the wide portals. Camouflaged the color of night, the marine ship was nearly invisible. He could tell it was huge, about ten times the size of the cruiser. Battleship class. He couldn’t identify the subclass. Something new and secret. Maybe that’s why the man in black was there.

Eli’s gaze drifted beyond the void created by the ship. He froze in place. An audible gasp escaped as his mouth dropped open. He couldn’t help it. Earth hung in the abyss of space, a bluish dot approaching the point where it would become just another star.

He’d resented being called a groundling, but that’s what he was. He’d never left earth, barely ever left the surface and had only seen the stars in cheap lounge holos and vids at the library. Very rarely, when the northeastern winds picked up, he’d spotted a few distant lights in the sky beyond the gleam of the domes and towers of the city. That hadn’t stopped him from dreaming of being a pilot. In fact, the distant allure of those lights had encouraged his fantasies of adventures, far above the trash heaps of home.

This was no dream. The diamond specks of distant suns filled the swoop of space. He’d never believed there were so many. All thoughts dropped away as his reality finally hit him. No ground beneath his feet, only unfathomable distance. He expected the man in black to push him again. Instead he stood behind him. Eli could feel the heat radiating off him, a palpable contrast to the stunning emptiness all around them.

“First time off planet?” the man asked.

Eli snorted derisively. “Hardly.” But he still didn’t move. Not until propelled forward by a hand on his back. The touch was gentle this time. Somewhere in the back of his brain, Eli noted this. He’d think about it when he came down off the high of the stars.

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My Giveaway:

Because my recently released novel, Touch of Salar, is fantasy, not science fiction, I decided to giveaway a $10.00 gift certificate to my publisher, Loose Id, so that you, dear reader, could select a steamy SF novel or whatever genre of steamy you like. After the hop ends on the 25th I’ll choose a winner by drawing a random name from everyone who comments on this post. Thanks for stopping by!

SFR Contest:

Click here to enter the Grand Prize Drawing!

Continue the Hop!

Hubble Deep Space – enhanced photo from NASA

Weekend Writing Warriors #16

June 8, 2014 by Alexis Duran

Greetings Warriors, Writers and Readers. I’m continuing on from last week with a selection from my recently completed WIP (yeah!). To Catch a Threeve is an erotic m/m fantasy.

To Catch a Threeve

Axel rested one forearm on the pommel, closed his eyes and listened as old Talesin had taught him. Only a few moments passed before the forest creatures adjusted to his presence. A nighthawk shrieked, four-footed scavengers rustled in the low growing shrubs and night feeding swallows cut and darted in the air above him.

I know you’re still there, he thought, and sank deeper into his listening trance. Axel’s deputy, Drummond Alloway, had fallen behind at the last creek crossing, partly because his mount was not as sure of foot as Axel’s, but also because Axel wanted this time alone and had hurried his pace. Drummond’s horse now pounded along the road in the distance.

The far off creek burbled, its mineral scent rising beneath the pungent bite of ironwood pitch and moldering oak leaves. With his senses sharpened, Axel smelled his stalker before he heard him.

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Weekend Writing Warriors #15

June 1, 2014 by Alexis Duran

And now for something completely different. In celebration of completing my current WIP, I’ve decided to post a few snippets from the first chapter. To Catch A Threeve is high fantasy, with swords, castles, witches, hunky constables, sexy thieves, and oh, yeah, threeves. Stay tuned to find out what the heck a threeve is.

To Catch a Threeve

As the crescent moon sank behind the jagged line of the Lacknor Mountains, shadows merged in the depth of the forest, smothering the last of the light. An oppressive stillness was disturbed only by the thud of hooves on a narrow dirt road. That too ended when the rider reined in his horse and waited, chin lowered to chest.

The man formed a silhouette against the shadows, draped in a black cloak and mounted on a black horse. His boots and hair were also black and his sword sheathed in black leather. If any dared draw close enough, they’d see eyes the shade of storm clouds and a gaze that pierced the dark with an uncanny light.

Constable Axel Blackwood barely breathed as he listened for signs of his stalker. Except for the heavy panting of his horse, the creak of his leather saddle and his own heartbeat, nothing out of place disturbed the quiet.

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