Saturday, December 31, 2011

* * * Kindle Contest * * *


Today is the last day to enter to win one of 2 Kindles (or $75 Kindle Gift Cards) I'm giving away to celebrate the release of Night Reigns, the second book in my Immortal Guardians paranormal romance series.  Details are on the Win 2 Kindles! page here on my blog or on the Contest page of my website.

Good luck!  Happy New Year!  And have a wonderful weekend!

Dianne

Friday, December 30, 2011

Favorite Quote Friday #15

Happy Holidays!  Oh the weather outside is frightful . . . and by frightful I mean so foggy we have near zero visibility and a forecast high warm enough you could wear shorts.  Not very holliday-ish.  Where are the crisp temps and the brisk winds? 

Before I get to Favorite Quote Friday, I have some news to share.  I'm extending my blog tour and will be planning more stops.  My visiting family members have departed, leaving the house quiet.  I've gotten some rest and feel human again.  So I'm ready for more fun meet-and-greets.  (I meet the nicest people on blog tours.)  If you're a blogger and would like to participate, just zip me an email:  dianne [at] dianneduvall [dot] com .  Here's a list of the next few stops:
December 30, 2011 - JoAnne Kenrick's Blog
January 5, 2011 - Book Lovers Hideaway

All three will include giveaways!

There are only two days left to enter my big Kindle contest!  The contest ends at midnight tomorrow.  I'm so excited!  You can win one of TWO new Kindles or a $75 Kindle Gift Card if you already have one.  :-)  Details are on the Win 2 Kindles! page here on my blog or on the Contest page of my website.

And now for Favorite Quote Friday!  Today's selection comes from Night Reigns and actually is two quotes in one.  :-)  Ami, the heroine, speaks first, then Marcus, the hero, replies:

“You didn't see that."
 "If you say so, Oh Graceful One.”

 I love that these two tease each other.  :-)

If I don't post again before the 1st . . . Have a Very Happy New Year!  

Dianne

Monday, December 26, 2011

Winners, Books, Swag, and Blog Tour Info.

Good morning!  I hope you're all enjoying the holidays!  I haven't spent much time on the internet for the past week or so because I have family visiting, but I have some news to share.
My author copies of Night Reigns arrived!  Woohoo!  I've already begun to send out signed copies to winners of contests on my blog tour.

Congratulations!
CYP - winner at Ramblings From This Chick
Maria S. - winner at The Jeep Diva
Marie E. - winner at Books and Things
Danielle G. - winner at From the TBR Pile
Megan G. - winner at Paranormal Haven
&
Christine B. - winner at All Things Urban Fantasy

If you haven't already received your books, they're on the way!

Swag
 I also ordered some new bookmarks and mini-bookmarks and will be including them with the books I send to contest winners.  :-)

Blog Tour

I have more stops planned for my Night Reigns Blog Tour this week.

December 29 - The Quillery
December 30 - JoAnne Kenrick

If you missed previous stops, check out my last post.  Some of the contests are still open.  :-)

Kindle Contest Reminder
Just a reminder, there's still time to enter my big kindle contest!  Thank you, everyone who has entered already!  The contest continues through December 31st.  I'm giving away 2 kindles or, if you already have one, a $75 Kindle Gift Card.  Details can be found on the Win 2 Kindles! page here on my blog or on the contest page on my website.

Have a wonderful, wonderful week!

Dianne

Friday, December 9, 2011

This Week's Blog Tour Schedule

Good morning!  I hope you had a wonderful weekend!  I'm still editing Phantom Shadows and the deadline is looming, so I just wanted to pop in and give you this week's blog tour schedule.  The stops will include giveaways, character interviews, and more, so I hope you'll join me!


December 12, 2011 - Paranormal Haven

December 13, 2011 - All Things Urban Fantasy

December 14, 2011 - Bitten by Paranormal Romance

December 15, 2011 - A Life Bound by Books

December 16, 2011 - Bilbliophilic Book Blog

December 18, 2011 - Rabid Reads

Previous Stops 

Author Interview + Giveaway
November 30, 2011 - Ramblings From This Chick

Guest Post + Giveaway:  The New Vampires on the Block
December 1, 2011 - The Jeep Diva

Guest Post + Giveaway:  Light or Dark Paranormal
December 2, 2011 - Books and Things

 Author Interview + Giveaway
December 5, 2011 - Book Monster Reviews

Author Interview + Giveaway
December 5, 2011 - Literal Addiction
Character Interview - Marcus & Ami + Giveaway
Author Interview
December 6, 2011 - Nocturne Romance Reads 

Character Interview - Roland & Sarah + Giveaway
December 7, 2011 - http://parajunkee.com/2011/12/duvallgiveaway.html 

Character Interview - Seth + Giveaway
December 8, 2011 - Lovin' and Livin' Life Reviews 

Updated Immortal Guardians Handbook + Giveaway
December 9, 2011 - From the TBR Pile

Character Interview - Black Friday Event - Darnell + Giveaway

Thank you so much, everyone who has shared in my excitement over Night Reigns' release and joined me on my tour!  And thank you, everyone who has purchased Night Reigns and/or Darkness Dawns!  I hope you'll enjoy them!

Have a great week!

Dianne

Monday, December 5, 2011

This Week's Events

Happy Monday!  I am loving the weather here!  It rained all night and has been cold and dreary all day.  You can't beat that after months and months of heat and extreme drought!

Tomorrow is the big day:  Night Reigns will be released on the 6th!  Finally!!!!  And all kinds of fun things are happening this week.
Night Reigns has been chosen for Book of the Month over at Reading Between the Wines Book Club, where it received a wonderful review:  

Dianne Duvall delivers scorching romance, gut-wrenching emotions, 
and heart-racing danger and suspense in her latest 
Immortal Guardian’s novel, Night Reigns!
Night Reigns was given another fantastic review

"Dianne Duvall . . . has accomplished another wonderful book in the Immortal Guardian series! The romance is swoon worthy and can be easily devoured in one sitting due to the impact this book puts on the reader."
I'm giving away 6 signed copies of Night Reigns this week on my blog tour, which will include character interviews.  Here's the schedule:

December 5, 2011 - Book Monster Reviews

December 5, 2011 - Literal Addiction


December 6, 2011 - Nocturne Romance Reads

December 7, 2011 - Parajunkee's View


December 9, 2011 - From the TBR Pile


Last Week's Stops

November 30, 2011 - Ramblings From This Chick
December 1, 2011 - The Jeep Diva
December 2, 2011 - Books and Things

Don't forget to enter my Kindle Contest for a chance to win one of two Kindles I'm giving away OR a $75 Kindle Gift Card if you already have one.  :-)  Details can be found here on my blog or on my website.
Thank you so much, everyone who has pre-ordered Night Reigns!  I can't wait to hear what you think of it!

Have a fantastic week!

Dianne

Friday, December 2, 2011

Favorite Quote Friday #14
Night Reigns Deleted Scene

Happy Friday!  This week really flew past (except when I was grumbling over internet service issues).  My Blog Tour began.  Night Reigns received some fantastic reviews.  And I launched my big Kindle Contest.  I'm also still editing Phantom Shadows, Book 3 in my Immortal Guardians series, which is coming along nicely and must be turned in later this month. 

As busy as things have been lately, however, I didn't forget a promise I made.  Night Reigns will be released on Tuesday, the 6th.  And, some time ago, I said I would post another deleted scene before then.  So . . . today is the day!  :-)

Favorite Quote Friday

Deleted Scene
The deleted scene I'm sharing with you today was originally intended to be a Prologue for Night Reigns.  I cut it for two reasons.  The first was word count.  I needed to pare Nights Reigns down a few thousand words after writing it.  The second reason was I worried that, because it isn't an action scene, it may not intrigue readers who hadn't read Darkness Dawns and weren't familiar with Marcus and Seth enough to be effective as a first scene.

On a side note, this scene was actually taken from a time travel romance entitled Rendezvous With Yesterday (not yet published) that I wrote before Darkness Dawns.  Seth and Marcus both appear in that one.  Seth has a small role.  Marcus, however, appears far more often as both a mortal teenaged squire to the hero in the 13th century and as an immortal (and the heroine's next-door neighbor) in the present.  Which is why he's one of my favorite characters.  I've seen him as a courageous boy on the threshold of manhood and as a powerful immortal.  :-)

* * * Darkness Dawns Spoiler Alert * * *

All but one tiny bit of information revealed in this deleted scene is revealed in Darkness Dawns, so you might want to skip it if you haven't read Darkness Dawns.  The tiny bit that wasn't revealed previously doesn't affect the plot of Night Reigns in any way, so I don't really consider it a spoiler for that one.
Night Reigns
Prologue

Houston, Texas

Rhythmic thumping and muted laughter filtered in from outside and broke the quiet of the master bedroom on the second floor of Marcus's modest two-story home. Peeling back the curtains of the window that overlooked the front yard, he carefully avoided the scorching afternoon sunlight and remained in the shadows while he watched the activity below.

Bethany, Josh, and Grant were attempting to teach Robert how to play basketball.

Beth and her older brother Josh had been Marcus's next-door neighbors ever since he had purchased this house twelve years ago. Grant was a close friend of all three of them and lived down the street. Robert . . .

Lord Robert, Earl of Fosterly, was the man who had trained Marcus in all aspects of chivalry and warfare over eight hundred years ago.

Marcus's lips twitched when the ball Robert hurled toward the goal careened off the backboard without so much as brushing the rim.

He was appallingly bad at it and clearly grew frustrated. To a man who could throw an axe or a dagger with astounding precision, sending a rubber ball through a net must appear a simple task to master. His inability to do so, however, was only partly responsible for the frown that creased Robert's brow.

In typical Houston fashion, temperatures rapidly approached the century mark. The heat index hovered a good ten degrees above that. Robert's face was flushed and wet with perspiration, his T-shirt completely saturated. His arms and thickly muscled legs, left bare by the shorts Josh had loaned him, dripped as well. He was definitely having a difficult time adjusting to the new climate and had to pause frequently to guzzle the cool water kept in the shade of the front porch.

While Josh loped off after the ball, Beth smiled up at Robert and offered him advice and encouragement.

What an unlikely couple they were. Born and raised eight centuries apart, they had nevertheless found enough similarities between them to fall deeply in love and marry when, two years ago, Beth had unexpectedly been whisked back in time to the beginning of the thirteenth century and landed in Robert's path. Marcus, a teenager at the time and Robert's devoted squire, had been completed enthralled by her.

Now she was back, having been allowed a brief time to spend with her brother and say her goodbyes before she returned to the Middle Ages, and had brought Robert with her.

In deference to Robert's medieval mind frame, Beth had foregone wearing shorts herself today — Robert balked at her revealing so much tempting bare flesh to others — and instead wore jeans and a T-shirt. Even these, Marcus knew, had spawned some disapproval; and he could understand why.

The jeans were a pale, pale blue and hugged her slender legs and firm, shapely ass like a second skin. They rode low on her hips and allowed teasing glimpses of the soft white skin of her narrow waist and muscled abs every time her T-shirt drifted up. Several damp patches darkened her red shirt, making it cling to her full breasts and small frame in alluring ways. Her dark brown hair was pulled back into a ponytail that jounced and danced with every movement. Damp curls had sprung loose and clung to her temples and the back of her neck.

Her pretty, flushed face glistening, she caught the ball Josh tossed her, flashed Robert a grin, and effortlessly sent the ball sailing through the net.

She was so damned beautiful. Her laughter so musical.

And he had missed her so damned much the two years she had been gone. How could he withstand losing her again when she returned to Robert's time?

“You can't,” a voice spoke behind him where seconds before there had been no one.

Marcus stiffened. “Can't what?”

“Do what you are thinking,” Seth informed him somberly.

For many long moments, Marcus said nothing. He simply continued to stare at the play below.

Robert attempted another free throw, missing the backboard entirely. The ball sailed over the top of it, rebounded off the roof, and flew clear across the street. Swearing foully, Robert stomped down the driveway after it, but made it only halfway before a smiling Bethany leapt onto his back. Laughing, he stumbled forward a couple of steps, then tucked his arms beneath her knees and carried her with him piggyback-style, grinning at her over his shoulder when she pecked him on the cheek.

“Would it be so bad?” Marcus whispered finally, loathing the despair and vulnerability the question revealed.

Seth sighed. An unhappy sound. “You know you cannot tell her who you are.”

“I would not have to,” Marcus pointed out. He had thought it all through very carefully: How he could approach her. What he could say that would produce the desired results without exposing all. “I could—”

“Bethany is an exceptionally bright and perceptive woman as you well know. She would figure it out.”

“Then you go to her.” Desperation driving him, Marcus glanced over his shoulder and located Seth, all six foot eight inches of him, lounging in the darkness just inside the doorway. “You were the one who took her back in time. She knows you possess knowledge the rest of us do not. She would listen to you. You go to her. Then she would not have to know who I am. She would not have to know what I have become. You could—”

“Marcus—”

Let me finish!” Silence descended in the aftermath of his shout. Marcus closed his eyes and mentally swore.

One did not yell at Seth.  He was the eldest immortal.  His power was incalculable. His true age, in what millennium he had been born, where he had been born, remained a mystery. All anyone knew with any certainty was that it was extremely unwise to cross him.

Yet Seth's face, when Marcus dared to look again, remained impassive.

“Very well,” he stated softly. “Continue.”

Marcus strove to moderate his voice and present a calm argument. “As I said, you would not have to tell her who I am. She knows you are gifted. That you can do things, know things others don't. All you would have to do is go to her and tell her you have had a vision or a dream and that she should do all in her power to keep me from journeying to London in September of the year 1213 or a terrible fate shall befall me.”

“If memory serves, she did attempt to prevent you from going to London—”

“Because she missed me and wanted me to visit longer,” Marcus gritted. “If she had thought some harm would befall me she would have fought tooth and nail to keep me at Fosterly. She would have chained me to the damned walls of the dungeon if necessary. So would Lord Robert have. If you tell her now, they will do so.”

“And then?”

Marcus returned his attention to the scene next door. “And then all of this will be wiped away,” he said tonelessly. “None of it will have happened. I would not be as I am and . . .” He shook his head. “All would be as it should be.”

“You cannot change your fate, Marcus.”

“Why can I not? You altered Bethany's fate. She would have died that day had you not plucked her from the present and delivered her to the past. And there is no telling what would have become of Lord Robert without her.”

A series of whoops and shouts erupted below as Robert scored his first basket.

Marcus had not anticipated what seeing Lord Robert again would do to him. The memories it would stir. The longing to recapture the deep abiding friendship and camaraderie they had shared. Robert had been the only real family Marcus had ever had, though they bore no blood relation. When, upon her return to the present, Beth had innocently introduced the two of them, Marcus had damned near broken down and wept.

“You misunderstand,” Seth spoke. “Bethany was always meant to live out her life with Lord Robert in the past. Just as you were always meant to live out your life as you have. I did not in any way alter her fate. Nor can I alter yours.”

“Fate,” Marcus snarled. “How I detest the word. If everything that happens is fated, how can there be free will?”

Seth sighed as if the complaint were not a new one. “The day of Bethany and Lord Robert's nuptials, I watched Lord Dillon engage his toddler son in a foot race.” Sadness flickered through Marcus. He had not thought of Robert's brother, Lord Dillon, or his wife Lady Alyssa in years. “Lord Dillon clearly had the advantage. And yet I knew before the race began that he was going to let his son win.” Seth paused. “Did my knowing ahead of time that Lord Dillon was going to throw the race in any way prevent him from making the decision to do so of his own free will?”

Marcus's fist tightened around the curtains. “No.”

“So it is with fate. You were fated to travel to London in September of 1213—”

“And be transformed against my will.”

“Yes. Some things cannot be changed, Marcus, even when it appears we have the power to do so.” There was great sorrow in Seth's voice. But not nearly as much as that which suffused Marcus.

He shook his head, wanting to scream a denial. It had been foolish to hope. Pointless.

His eyes fixed on Beth, followed her every move. His ears strained to hear every laugh, every teasing comment she made.

“I am weary of this existence,” he whispered despondently. “So incredibly weary that I must struggle to find a reason to rise each evening.”

“Did you rest at all today?” Seth asked in the most gentle voice Marcus had ever heard emerge from him.

“No. I cannot. Not while they are here. Not while she is here. I do not wish to miss a moment of it.” He swallowed hard against the lump that rose in his throat. “I will only have her for a few more days, Seth. What will I do when she is gone?”

Below, Beth squealed when Robert growled and swept her up into his arms, then dangled her upside down in response to her taunts and teases.

“Eight hundred years,” Marcus went on softly. “I have lived for over eight hundred years and the only happiness I ever experienced was during the time I lived at Fosterly as Robert's squire, then his knight . . . and this last decade I have spent living near Beth.”

“Your lifespan is that of a babe's compared to mine.”

Marcus continued as though Seth had not spoken. “There were decades . . . entire centuries really . . . when the only thing that kept me going was the knowledge that I would see her again one day. That if I could just hold out another century — then another and another and another — I would be rewarded with her presence once more. I could see her smile. Hear her laugh. Feel one of her sharp jesting punches to my shoulder. Have her hugs. Her friendship. Her affection.”

“You could have had more than that, had you wished it,” Seth commented cautiously.

Marcus nodded. “Yes. That has been the sweetest torture of all, I think, knowing that she could have been mine.”

Beth, Josh, and Grant began to play a game of twenty-one while Robert took a few minutes to cool down.

“When I was a squire, she told me that she had once had a crush on her next-door neighbor. A crush on me, though she knew it not. I did not realize until we met again all of these centuries later that . . .”

“That she could have loved you.”

Just hearing it spoken aloud was painful. “Not like she loves Robert. Not like he loves her. She could have been content with me. But . . . they belong together. They were made for each other. Even you have admitted that. And I love them both too much to ever betray them by acting on my feelings.”

Robert brought Beth some water and was rewarded with a kiss.

“How I adore her,” Marcus murmured. “She is my light, Seth. My candle in the darkness that has become my existence. When she and Robert return to the thirteenth century a few days hence, that light will be forever extinguished. I will never see her again, will have nothing to look forward to to keep me going. What will I do?”

When next Seth spoke, he sounded infinitely weary. “You will do what we all do, Marcus. You will survive. And perhaps, in time, you will receive another, sweeter reward.”

Beth jumped up and down and cheered when the ball she had just thrown swirled around the rim twice, teetered, then finally fell through the goal.

“There can be none sweeter.”
I hope you'll let me know what you think!

Have a great weekend!

Dianne

Thursday, December 1, 2011

News and Reviews

The release of Night Reigns is only 4 days away!  I know I've said this before, but I'm so excited!  The reviews are already beginning to roll in:
"If you love PNR, action, and fun you really need to get into this series."
Books and Things

"Duvall really delivers with this installment . . . I’m looking forward to the next in this vastly different paranormal romance series."
The Jeep Diva

"Complex and captivating mythology, strong and sexy supernatural alpha males, smart and resourceful women, and stories that capture all the dark and dangerous moments that bring them together. "
All Things Urban Fantasy

Night Reigns is December's Book of the Month on Reading Between the wines Book Club!  Here's the schedule of events:




Schedule:
December 1st: Intro & Giveaway
December 4th: My Review of Night Reigns
December 6th: Dianne Duvall Post (Release day!!!)
December 12th: Character Face-Off: Roland vs. Marcus 
December 21st: Special Guest Review of Night Reigns
December 25th: Winner Announcement

My Night Reigns Blog Tour has begun!  Yesterday I was interviewed by Ramblings From This Chick.  Today I'm guest posting on The Jeep Diva.  And tomorrow, I'll guest post on Books and Things.  All three include giveaways, so I hope to see you there!
Have a wonderful day!

Dianne

* * * Kindle Contest * * *

To celebrate the release of Night Reigns, the
second book in my Immortal Guardians series,
I’m giving away TWO brand new Kindles.

Help me spread the word and YOU could win one!

Already have a kindle? No problem. You have the option of choosing a $75 Kindle gift certificate instead.

Here's How to Enter

  • 100 entries:  Purchase Night Reigns and send me (contest AT dianneduvall DOT com) a copy of the receipt (with all sensitive data blocked out) by midnight (Eastern Standard Time) December 31st with “Purchase Entry” in the subject line.
  • 50 entries:  Haven’t read Darkness Dawns yet or know someone else who hasn’t? Purchase Darkness Dawns and send me (contest AT dianneduvall DOT com) a copy of the receipt (with all sensitive data blocked out) by midnight (Eastern Standard Time) December 31st with “Darkness Dawns Purchase Entry” in the subject line.
 
  • 10 entries: Repost the above widget on your webpage and send me (contest AT dianneduvall DOT com) a link with “Webpage Entry” in the subject line. If the Get Widget button doesn't appear, just click on the widget and it will open a window that will allow you to copy the code.
  • 10 entries:  Have a working blog (one that is already up and running)?  Repost the above widget on your blog and send me (contest AT dianneduvall DOT com) a link with “Blog Entry” in the subject line. If the Get Widget button doesn't appear, just click on the widget and it will open a window that will allow you to copy the code.
  • 1 entry:   Have a facebook page? Repost the above image on your facebook page, mention the release of Night Reigns, and provide a link to my website. Then send me (contest AT dianneduvall DOT com) a link and screenshot with “Facebook Entry” in the subject line.
  • 1 entry:   Tweet about the release and contest, then send me (contest AT dianneduvall DOT com) a link with “Twitter Entry” in the subject line.  

The Rules

  • Contest begins December 1, 2011 and will last until December 31, 2011.
  • You must be 18 or older to enter.  By submitting any entry, you are attesting that this is so and giving me permission to list your name as winner.
  • All entries must be received by 11:59pm EST on December 31st.
  • You are welcome to enter in all of the ways listed above.
  • This contest is open worldwide.
  • If you post to a forum or Yahoo Group, please do not violate their rules.
  • Do not post this contest to sweepstakes or contest sites.
  • The winners will be selected using random.org and notified the first week of January. Winners will have one week to respond, otherwise new winners will be chosen.
Good Luck!

Wednesday, November 30, 2011

NIGHT REIGNS Blog Tour

Hi, all!  I'm very excited to announce that my Night Reigns Blog Tour begins today!
I'm being interviewed by Ramblings From This Chick and will give away a signed copy of Night Reigns to celebrate its upcoming release (Dec 6th).

My internet service has been really acting up lately, so I'll post the rest of this week's itinerary below in case I have difficulty getting online later:
December 1, 2011 - The Jeep Diva
December 2, 2011 - Books and Things

I hope I'll see you on some of the stops!

Have a great day!

Dianne






Friday, November 25, 2011

Favorite Quote Friday #13

It's Black Friday!  I hope you had a Happy Thanksgiving!  And, if you were amongst the many, many midnight shoppers last night, I hope you found some great deals and had a safe shopping spree.  :-)  I spent a wonderful day with my family.  Now it's time to get back to work editing Phantom Shadows and working on my Night Reigns Blog Tour.
Congratulations to the winner of the first signed copy of Night Reigns I'm giving away over at The Romance Reviews' Year End Splash (Yes!) Party.  Another copy is still up for grabs.  My next Q&A will be posted on Sunday, November 27th.
I also thought I'd mention that voting will end soon at The Romance ReviewsDarkness Dawns has been nominated for Best Paranormal Romance - Vampire alongside books by some of my favorite authors.  If you have a chance, drop by, check out the nominees, and cast your vote.

And now . . .it's time for Favorite Quote Friday and another sneak peak into the pages of Night Reigns: 

“I don’t suppose I could talk you into risking Seth and 
Chris popping back in and finding us bare-arsed naked, 
making love on the sofa, could I?”
~ Marcus ~

Night Reigns' release is only 10 days away!  My Night Reigns Blog Tour starts next Wednesday, November 30th, and will include MANY giveaways.  You can find the itinerary here and on my website.  I hope you'll join me!

Have a wonderful weekend!

Dianne

Friday, November 18, 2011

Favorite Quote Friday #12

It's Friday again!  Wow!  This week really flew past!  I hope yours was a good one!  I received some fantastic Immortal Guardians news. 
Darkness Dawns was nominated by RT Book Reviews for the Reviewers' Choice Award for Best Vampire Romance.
 
Darkness Dawns was also nominated by The Romance Reviews for Best PNR of 2011 - VampireVoting for this one continues throughout the month of November, so I hope you'll drop by, check out the nominees, and cast your vote!

I also had the fun task of choosing the winners of TWO contests this week.  Actually, Random.org chose the winners for me, because I wanted everyone who entered to win.  :-)  Proserpine won the Immortal Guardians swag pack I gave away to celebrate my first Immortal Realm guest - Author JoAnne Kenrick.  And in my Get to Know the Immortal Guardians contest, Na won a signed ARC of Night Reigns, while Sherrie and Alainala each won an Immortal Guardians swag pack.

I've joined the fun over at The Romance Reviews for their Year End Splash (Yes!) Party and one of my Q&As  was posted this week.  The next and last one will be posted on November 27th, so I hope you'll drop by.  I'm giving away TWO signed copies of Night Reigns.  :-)

So, now that I've shared some news, it's time for today's edition of Favorite Quote Friday.  Today's quote is once more taken from Night Reigns: 

"I have lived for eight centuries, Ami.  It would be far too humiliating to finally meet my demise in what would undoubtedly become known as the greatest skating catastrophe of the twenty-first century."
~ Marcus ~ 
 
I can't believe Night Reigns will be released in just over 17 days! 

Have a wonderful weekend!

Dianne

Thursday, November 17, 2011

And the Winners Are . . .

Thank you, everyone who entered my Get to Know the Immortal Guardians Crew contest!  You asked so many fabulous questions!  I'll get them to the characters posthaste so they can answer them on my Night Reigns Blog Tour and can't wait to hear their responses!  :-)
And now for the winners:

1st Prize
(Your choice of a signed ARC of Night Reigns 
or a signed copy of Darkness Dawns)
Na

2nd Prize
(An Immortal Guardians swag pack)
alainala

3rd Prize
(An Immortal Guardians swag pack)
Sherrie

I'll email you to request your snail mail addresses.  Thank you, again, everyone who entered!

Dianne

Monday, November 14, 2011

* * * New Contest * * *

Hi, all!  I hope you had a wonderful weekend!  I'm going to begin my week by announcing a new contest!  I've decided to do something different with my Night Reigns Blog Tour.  I'm going to include character interviews similar to the one I did recently on Reading Between the Wines Book Club.  To make things more interesting, I thought I would enlist your aid and find out what you would ask the Immortal Guardians crew if you had the chance.  So here's the contest:


First Prize is your choice of either a signed Night Reigns ARC (my last) or a signed copy of Darkness DawnsSecond and Third Prize winners will be sent Immortal Guardians swag packs.  Below is a list of characters and couples from my Immortal Guardians series.  Choose any of them and ask them questions you'd like them to answer in an interview.  Ask as many questions as you'd like, in one post or multiple posts.  Every question you ask will count as one entry.  Here's the list:

  • Seth (oldest, most powerful immortal and leader of the Immortal Guardians)
  • David (2nd oldest, 2nd most powerful)
  • Darnell (David's Second)
  • Roland (immortal hero, Darkness Dawns, heals with his hands)
  • Sarah (heroine, Darkness Dawns, music theory professor)
  • Roland & Sarah
  • Marcus (immortal hero, Night Reigns, sees ghosts/spirits)
  • Ami (heroine, Night Reigns, Marcus's Second) - ask her anything except what she is ;-) 
  • Marcus & Ami
  • Richart (immortal, teleports)
  • Étienne (immortal, Richart's twin, telepathic)
  • Lisette (immortal, Richart & Étienne's sister, telepathic)
  • Chris Reordon (head of the human network that aids immortals)
  • Sheldon (Richart's Second)
  • Cameron (Étienne's Second)
  • Tracy (Lisette's Second)
  • Cliff, Vincent, & Joe (vampires)
  • Immortals in general
  • Seconds in general
  • Vampires 
I will randomly select winners (using random.org) on Thursday and will mail prizes once the winners send me their snail mail addresses.  So either include your email address in your post or check back here on Thursday (late afternoon or evening).

I look forward to reading your questions!  Good luck!  And have a great week!


Dianne

Friday, November 11, 2011

Favorite Quote Friday #11

It's Friday!  Woohoo!  How was your week?  Mine was very productive.  For those who haven't heard yet, the official title of Book 3 in my Immortal Guardians series will be . . . *drum roll* . . .
Phantom Shadows
As for who the hero and heroine of that one will be . . . I'm going to keep you guessing a little bit longer.  :-)  I'm editing Phantom Shadows now and am pleased with what I've read so far.  Hopefully you will be, too.  I like where the series arc is going, the changes taking place in the Immortal Guardians' world, and the challenges those changes are creating.  I'm very excited.

Outside of writing, I cut a trailer for an independent filmmaker, who really liked it.  Maybe once the composer scores it, the director will let me post it here.  I edited the film itself, too.  It was a fun project to work on, so I'm hoping fervently that the film will land a distributor.

I also did some website creation.  I'm in the process of updating my website and am working on a side project, too, that I'll share with you soon.

So, it's been a big week for me.  :-)  The release of Night Reigns is only 24 days away.  I can't wait!  In a couple of weeks or so, I'm going to post a big deleted scene.  Until then, it's time for this week's installment of Favorite Quote Friday, for which I've chosen another quote from Night Reigns:

"Over eight centuries of living and I still haven't learned 
a bloody thing.  I still want what I can't have."
~ Marcus ~

Just a reminder, there's still time to win the Immortal Guardians swag pack I'm giving away to celebrate the appearance of my first guest -- author JoAnne Kenrick -- here on The Immortal Realm.  Details are in her guest post below.  I'll choose and notify a winner next week.


Also, I'm giving away two signed copies of Night Reigns at The Romance Reviews for their big Year End Splash (Yes!) Party.  My Q&As will be posted on:
November 16th
&
November 27th

Have a wonderful day and a fantastic weekend!

Dianne

Tuesday, November 8, 2011

Guest Post - Author JoAnne Kenrick
& Giveaway


Happy Tuesday!  This is a special day, because I'm very excited to welcome The Immortal Realm's first guest.  JoAnne Kenrick is the author of When A Mullo Loves A Woman, Sweet Irish Kiss, and Rock You Like A Hurricane.  She is also just the nicest person.  :-)  Today JoAnne is here to talk about her latest release, Dracula's Kiss, which has been getting some really great reviews.

Take it away, JoAnne!
Firstly, let me extend a huge thank you to Dianne, for allowing me to chat about my new release, Dracula's Kiss, on her blog. It's a huge honor to be here and I'm totally fighting back a fan-girl squeal here. You know, I just adored Darkness Dawns!
“JoAnne Kenrick writes with passion and excitement. She brings her characters to life through lavish attention to emotions and character. She weaved a tale that entranced my imagination leaving me wanting more.” 

For the setting of this story, I wanted a dark mood and to portray an apt location for a creepy halloween party that would lend itself well to a gothic-esk tale reminiscent of the classic vampire movies. I would say that I chose Slains Castle in Cruden Bay,  Scotland. But I think rather, the castle choose me.

As I wasn't able, physically, to go in search of my perfect location (although a Brit born n bred, I now live in North Carolina), youtube became my best friend. It's amazing the places you can visit through other people's eyes. When I typed in creepy Scottish castle, Dracula was the first word I saw.
Odd as it may sound, but all the search results were from Cruden Bay. I type in that search now, and I get completely different results. And that's why I believe these locations called out to me...or rather my muse.

Here's one of my favorites, that gave a real 'close up' look at Slains Castle.


Cruden Bay and it's surrounding area is home to a few different locations of interest that are perfect for the female lead, Catherine Ela (Cathela), who has what some might say an unhealthy obsession with vampires. Well, her boyfriend Nick would say it's unhealthy. Lucky for her she moves on to more exciting pastures in...Dracula's Kiss.

Ecclesgrieg Castle is located in St Cyurus, near Cruden Bay. It's believed that Bram Stoker visited while staying in the Kilmarnock Arms in Cruden Bay during 1894. This house has an an intriguing history, with legends of curses, smugglers, and ghostly sightings.
Sadly, the building is in need of some serious repair. Author to the rescue, and creative license. With my magic wand, well my keyboard, I renovated it into an impressive five star hotel for the Castillo chain of hotels and resorts featured heavily in the multi-author 1NS series of which Dracula's Kiss is apart of.

Voilà. We have a rendezvous meeting place worthy of our vampire obsessed Cathela and her dark prince, Alec Murray.

Slains Castle (also known as New Slains Castle) is sat on cliff edges, over looking the often rough North Sea. That right there is perfect, without the Dracula connection; I loved cliff-edged buildings in my vampire or ghost stories. The story goes that Bram Stoker visited this castle while vacationing in Cruden Bay. A year later, Dracula was published. Of course, every building Bram Stoker ever visited has been rumored to be the inspiration for locations in his novels. Whether they are, or not, it's still fun to know he walked those lands while writing one of my favorite novels of all time. Yes, there's a little bit of Cathela in me.

Kilmarnock Arms Inn. Bram visited this hotel and pub often during the 1800s, and it is believed he used to use it as a writing retreat. I used this location as the place where Cathela stayed after the Bank's Halloween ball in Slains Castle. It seemed like the obvious choice for Cathela to book a room here. I couldn't see her even considering anywhere else being the die-hard Dracula fan that she is.

So you see. How could I NOT choose Cruden Bay for Dracula's Kiss? I do believe it's a perfect setting for Cathela's encounter with a vampire dressed as Dracula to 'blend in'. Oh the irony.



With sporadically placed candle sconces as the only source of light, she wished she’d worn her glasses. And the uneven floor made her regret the four-inch heel on her patent leather boots. With each step, they caught in the cracks. She took them off and pushed them against the wall, figuring she could pick them up on her way back. Down the narrow and winding steps, she padded. Long dress and bare feet, like a damsel in distress from an old horror movie. Maybe Dracula is on my trail. She giggled. What if I pretend he is? Intoxicated, she struggled to pick up her frock and shorten it so she could run the length of the steps. She glanced back as if being chased, and even let out a little cry for help. I could give Mina Harker a run for her money...and Dracula a run for some fun.

She reached the bottom of the incline.

Left or right? Shame Nick isn’t here with me. It’s deserted and anything could happen down here...if I took the wrong turn. She pointed left but decided on going right, stealing a candle from the wall for light. An adventure, that was what she needed. A Gothic—all be it drunk—adventure.

What’s the worst that could happen? I get lost? The ruins aren’t that big. I’ll have a little wander around then take a taxi back to the Kilmarnock Arms Hotel and sober up.
The ceiling height dropped with every tiny step she took, and she could no longer stretch out her arms without bumping into walls. The tight space terrified her. Heart pounding, she rounded a bend and laughed with the ridiculousness of the situation, unable to believe she had accidentally on purpose arrived at the dungeons. Thick, steel bars still enclosed two of the cells and heavy-duty iron handcuffs were chained to the walls. She crept into the first chamber and glided her finger along the iron of the torturous restraints. Imagining the pain and horrors that must have happened there, she shuddered.

“Have ye been naughty? Do I need tae teach ye a lesson and lock ye up?” A voice penetrated the darkness around her, shattering her little game of pretend cat and mouse. She spun to see who’d followed her. Not wanting to be caught in a drunken state, she prayed it was a stranger. But in the same moment, she hoped for someone she knew who wished her no harm. No one would hear me scream for help.

Her candle snuffed out from a breath, and not her own. The chill exhale kissed her neck and skated down her body like an icicle drip. The horror of it sent her hurtling backward. Had it not been for the wall behind her, she would have landed on her butt.

“Who’s there? Bar dude, is that you?” She pressed herself against the cool stone bricks, too excited to be truly afraid. After all, this was what she wanted. To not know what was going to happen next, and to fully engage in life again. And the way her heart jumped and her chest pounded, she felt alive for the first time in years. “Hello?” She peered down the corridor that donned only a flicker of light from the stairway’s sconces.



JoAnne Kenrick, as ex-Ghost Tour Guide turned Romance Author, is a Welsh lass who has lived in various countries around the world.  She now calls North Carolina her home, where she lives with her husbands, two children and a lazy cat.  When they aren't demanding her attention, she can most likely be found watching a vampire movie, reading or baking up a British favorite in her NC. kitchen.  That is, when she isn't writing or chatting up a storm on social networking sites.
Giveaway

To celebrate my first guest -- Thank you, JoAnne! -- I thought I would give away an Immortal Guardians swag pack (Night Reigns cover flat, Darkness Dawns cover flat, Night Reigns postcard, and Darkness Dawns mini-bookmark).  To enter just post a comment and answer this question:
If you could visit any of the locations 
JoAnne mentioned, which would it be?
Make sure you include your email address in your post if you'd like to enter the contest.  I'll randomly choose a winner next week.

Have a great day!

Dianne