Guess what I found in my mailbox yesterday! Predatory cover flats!
Here's the blurb for my Immortal Guardians novella, In Still Darkness:
Immortal Richart d'Alençon can't forget the woman who rewarded him with a sensuous kiss after he saved her from a trio of vampires. While Richart knows that loving a human can only bring trouble, the taste of forbidden lust is too great to resist . . .
Predatory will be released on May 7, 2013 and is now available for Pre-Order at Amazon and Barnes and Noble. :-)
Thank you so much, everyone who entered my Phantom Shadows – 3 Kindle Giveaway! For those who were concerned your ebook purchase/purchases wouldn't be counted: Don't worry. They counted. :-) I used random.org to choose the three winners and have notified them via email. Without further ado, those winners are:
Bridgett O.
Donna S.
&
Jen
Each winner will have her choice of either a new Kindle or a $75 Gift Card.
Todd, a member of the human network that aids Immortal Guardians, is interviewing Bastien and Melanie, the hero and heroine of Phantom Shadows, for Bitten by Paranormal Romance's Characterfest. Drop by and enter to win a signed Immortal Guardians book of your choice + swag. :-)
Happy Friday! I hope you had a good week. I've been working on Immortal Guardians Book 4 and just wrote a scene in which Bastien made me laugh yet again. He says the craziest things sometimes. :-) I'm also narrowing down title possibilities and hope to choose one soon. I'll let you know when I do.
Thank you, everyone who joined me on the Alpha Male Blog Hop!
My Prize Winner:
Cassadnra H.
Congratulations, again! I've already contacted and heard from her.
Grand Prize Winners:
Kindle Fire Winner
Marie Hahn
$130 Amazon Gift Card
Jessica Mange
Swag Pack
Natasha Donoho
Congratulations! And thank you, everyone else who joined in the fun and entered.
The German translation of Darkness Dawnswas sighted in Munich! Look at the wonderful company it's keeping!
It's time again for Favorite Quote Friday. Today's selection is taken from Phantom Shadows, Book 3 in my series. Sheldon, Richart's Second, has really grown on me, so I thought I'd give you a glimpse of him outside of the character interviews he's been conducting on my blog tours. :-)
"Dude, I say go for it," Sheldon said as he strolled down the hall toward them, "Dr. Lipton is smokin' hot and you're . . . you."
I've been mailing packages to blog tour contest winners. If you missed any stops on my Phantom Shadows Blog Tour, some contests are still open, so you can enter to win signed copies of Immortal Guardians books + swag. You can find the schedule HERE.
Today is the last day you can enter to WIN 1 of 3 Kindles I'm giving away to celebrate the release of Phantom Shadows, the third book in my
Immortal Guardians series.
Already have a Kindle? No problem. You have the option of choosing a $75 Kindle Gift Card instead.
Here's How to Enter
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
100 entries: Purchase Phantom Shadows and send me (contest AT dianneduvall DOT com) a copy of the receipt (with all sensitive data blocked out) by midnight (Eastern Standard Time) October 21st 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) October 21st with “Darkness Dawns Purchase Entry” in the subject line.
50 entries: Haven’t read Night Reigns yet or know someone else who hasn’t? 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) October 21st with “Night Reigns Purchase Entry” in the subject line.
25 entries: Repost the above widget on your webpage, send me (contest AT dianneduvall DOT com) a link with “Webpage Entry” in the subject line, and leave it up for the duration of the contest. 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.
25 entries:Have a working blog (one that is already up and running)? Repost the above widget on a sidebar of your blog, send me (contest AT dianneduvall DOT com) a link with “Blog Entry” in the subject line, and leave it up for the duration of the contest. 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.
5 entries: Have a facebook page? Repost the above image on your facebook page, mention the release of Phantom Shadows , and provide a link to my website. Then send me (contest AT dianneduvall DOT com) a link and/or screenshot with “Facebook Entry” in the subject line.
5 entries: Pin the above image on Pinterest. Then send me (contest AT dianneduvall DOT com) a link with “Pinterest Entry” in the subject line.
5 entries: Tweet about the release of Phantom Shadows and this contest, then send me (contest AT dianneduvall DOT com) a link with “Twitter Entry” in the subject line.
The Rules
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Contest begins October 1, 2012 and will last until October 21, 2012.
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 October 21, 2012.
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 by October 31, 2012. Winners will have one week to respond, otherwise new winners will be chosen.
Happy Friday! It's time again for Favorite Quote Friday. Today's selection is a narrative quote taken from Phantom Shadows:
In that instant, Bastien understood more fully that he ever had the psychotic episodes that gripped vampires, the fury that engulfed them and took control of their bodies in a millisecond.
I just found out that Phantom Shadows made the Amazon Editors' Top Ten Picks of Romance list for October! Woohoo! I also just wrote a scene in Book 4 (I know – I really need to find a title for it) that I think Bastien fans will like. ;-)
This was the last week of my Phantom Shadows Blog Tour, which included a little bit of everything – character interviews, author interviews, guest posts, excerpts, and promo posts – plus many giveaways and chances to win signed books and swag. A lot of those contests have not yet ended. You can find the schedule HERE. I will be updating links as we go. This week's stops were:
And don't forget to enter to win 1 of the 3 Kindles (or $75 Gift Cards) I'm giving away to celebrate Phantom Shadows' release. The contest ends at midnight on Sunday, October 21st! Details can be found HERE.
It's time to celebrate alpha males in The Alpha Male Blog Hop hosted by Carrie Ann Ryan! The hop begins today and continues through October 22nd. Over 200 authors and bloggers are participating, offering up a prize at every stop. But that's not all....
We have THREE grand
prizes. You as a reader can go to EACH blog and comment with your email
address and be entered to win.
1st Grand Prize: A Kindle Fire or Nook Tablet
(International)
2nd Grand Prize: A $130 Amazon or B and N Gift Card
(International)
3rd Grand Prize: The following Swag Pack!
(US Only)
I happen to love alpha males, both as a reader and as a writer. I like their strength, their determination. I like their willingness to do anything and sacrifice everyything to protect those they love. I particularly like alpha males who prefer strong women. I even like the bad boy alpha males.
Sebastien Newcombe, the hero in my latest release – Phantom Shadows, Book 3 in my Immortal Guardians paranormal romance series – has been very bad. So bad, in fact, that he was a villain when my series began. Bastien once raised an army of psychotic vampires and waged war with the Immortal Guardians, powerful immortal warriors who seek to protect humanity by hunting and destroying vampires. Then his world turned upside down and Bastien now must fight alongside the immortals. Needless to say, his entrance into their ranks is not going well. Neither the immortals, nor the humans who aid them, are willing to let him forget his dark past and dark deeds. But much is at stake, and Bastien has never backed down from a challenge. When he refuses to do so now, Dr. Melanie Lipton raises her voice – and her blades – in his defense, fighting by his side and winning the heart he thought had long since died.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
My Prize
(International)
For my prize, I’m offering a signed copy of Phantom Shadows + Immortal Guardians swag.
I hope you'll enjoy Bastien and Melanie's story!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Top Pick
"With a deeply emotional love story, two beautiful, complex main characters and a pulse-pounding adventure that won't let up, this book was haunting and addictive and I loved every page."
~ The Romance Reviews
4.5 stars
“Knowing your enemies is a key concern in the
newest installment of Duvall's excellent Immortal Guardians series.
Vampires, and the virus that drives them insane, have been the primary
threats that our heroes have been fighting against, but there is a new
player in town. With this excellent entry, rising star Duvall is fast
proving to be a major player in paranormal romance!”
RT Book Reviews
Dr. Melanie Lipton is no stranger to the supernatural. She knows
immortals better than they know themselves, right down to their stubborn
little genes. So although a handsome rogue immortal seems suspicious to
her colleagues, Sebastien Newcombe intrigues Melanie. His history is
checkered, his scars are impressive, and his ideas are daring. But it's
not his ideas that have Melanie fighting off surges of desire. . .
Bastien
is used to being the bad guy. In fact, he can't remember the last time
he had an ally he could trust. But Melanie is different – and under her
calm, professional exterior he senses a passion beyond anything in his
centuries of experience. Giving in to temptation is out of the
question – he can't put her in danger. But she isn't asking him. . .
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Trailer
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Excerpt
She stared at him in silence for so long he began to feel a bit self-conscious. “You can feel other people’s emotions?” she asked finally.
“Yes. And Stuart’s told me he was lying to try to save his ass.”
Again she stared at him.
“What?” he asked when the silence stretched.
“You can feel my emotions? Right now?”
“No. I have to touch you to feel them.”
“So . . .”
He could see her considering it, trying to remember every time he had touched her or she had touched him. At the network. In her car. At David’s. Trying to remember what she might have inadvertently revealed.
“You might have mentioned it. Given me a little warning.”
“Such didn’t occur to me.”
More silence.
“What do you feel when you touch me?” she asked.
Bastien’s attention dropped to her full lips as she licked them anxiously. “Sometimes I feel your concern. Sometimes uncertainty. Clinical detachment. Fear the first time we met.”
“Well, our first meeting was rather . . . explosive.”
That was putting it mildly.
“What else?”
He knew what she sought. “Sometimes my gift tells me you feel what I feel myself every time I look at you. Or think of you. Or touch you.”
Her soft, smooth neck moved with a swallow. “You’re attracted to me.”
“Yes.”
“I’m attracted to you.”
“I know.”
“What are we going to do about it?”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Contest Details
The contest lasts from Today (October 19th) through October 22, 2012. The Kindle prize, Gift Card, and my own prize (book + swag) are international. The Swag Pack is US only.
Mandatory entry
Leave a comment below with your email addressand let me know what you like most about alpha heroes. Or, if you prefer, why you like beta heroes better. :-) Also mention any extra entries.
Extra entries
For extra entries you may do any or all of the following, but be sure to mention them in your comment.
I will use random.org to choose a winner after verifying all entries and will email the winner by October 24th. The winner
will have one week to contact me. The grand prize winners will be notified by Carrie Ann Ryan.
Phantom Shadows, Book 3 in my Immortal Guardians series, hit both the New York Times and USA Today Bestseller lists! I'm so excited!!!! Thank you so much, everyone who helped put it there! I've been so thrilled by readers' and reviewers' responses to it. Finding out I hit the lists was icing on the cake. :-)
It's time again for Favorite Quote Friday. I think almost all of the Phantom Shadows quotes and excerpts I've posted here and on my blog tour have revolved around Bastien and Melanie, the hero and heroine, so today I thought I would give you a glimpse of Roland and Sarah (the hero and heroine of Darkness Dawns) as they appear in Phantom Shadows. In this selection, Sarah is addressing Roland:
"Am I going to have to start strip-searching you to check for wounds after every hunt, or will you tell me the truth from now on?"
"I would prefer the first option."
One of my favorite things about writing a series is being able to continue the stories of previous heroes and heroines. :-)
Just a reminder: My Phantom Shadows Blog Tour is well underway and includes a little bit of everything – character interviews, author interviews, guest posts, excerpts, and promo posts – plus many giveaways and chances to win signed books and swag. You can find the schedule HERE. I will be updating links as we go. This week's stops have included:
And don't forget to enter to win on of the 3 Kindles (or $75 Gift Cards) I'm giving away to celebrate Phantom Shadows' release. Details can be found HERE.
It's time once more for Favorite Quote Friday. To celebrate release week, I thought I would give you another teaser from Phantom Shadows that features Melanie and Bastien, the heroine and hero:
“Now, I know you don’t like to be touched,” she began.
What nit told her that? his inner voice screamed.
“But brace yourself.” She took a step closer. “Because I’m going to give you a hug.”
He stiffened.
Don’t let her touch you! Not now! Not after that weird-ass conversation that left you fixated on her body and feeling all soft and mushy inside because she likes to see you laugh!
Stepping closer, she slipped her arms around his waist, pressed the front of her delectable body to the front of his, leaned her weight into him, and rested her cheek on his chest.
He closed his eyes. It felt wonderful. She felt wonderful.
Though he willed himself not to give in to temptation, he found himself wrapping his arms around her slight form and holding her tight.
I love their relationship. I admit I'm a sucker for tortured heroes, and Bastien has had a very dark life. Melanie is just what he needed. :-)
Phantom Shadows is NOW AVAILABLE and I am so thrilled by the responses it is already getting from readers and reviewers! Here are some of the reviews pouring in:
"Dianne Duvall has outdone herself this time. Not only my favorite of the Immortal Guardians series to date, this is definitely one of my favorite books of the year. With a deeply emotional love story, two beautiful, complex main characters and a pulse-pounding adventure that won't let up, this book was haunting and addictive and I loved every page."
"With each new installment in the Immortal Guardians series I only fall more in love with the world and the amazing cast of characters . . . Phantom Shadows is a must read for fans of the series, and for those who haven't read the first two installments, I have to ask what are you waiting for? Full of romance, danger, and a heck of a cast of characters, these books cannot possibly disappoint!"
"[Bastien and Melanie falling] in love is beyond charming. I could not help but love the character couple. The end . . . is mind-blowing. Something new is brewing and I am all the more eager to read on . . . I could not place this book down!"
~ LovLivLife Reviews
"I found myself giggling a lot with this book . . . Phantom Shadows quickly became my favorite of the series thus far. I love this series and cannot wait to get my hands on the next book."
~ The Jeep Diva
"This whole series is amazingly creative . . . If you haven't tried it yet, I highly recommend this series!"
"The Immortal Guardian series introduces a new breed of Vampires that you can’t help but be captivated by. The nuances and secrets in Duvall’s mythology make me eager to explore more alongside her Immortal and Vampire characters, and I can't wait for the next installment."
"I have really enjoyed the first two books in Dianna Duvall’s Immortal Guardian series and the third installment – Phantom Shadows was wonderfully fantastic . . . For those out there who love a great paranormal read, pick up the Immortal Guardians. I know I can't wait to see what happens next."
~ A Life Bound by Books "A terrific action-packed thriller"
~ Alternative Worlds
Already have a Kindle? No problem. You have the option
of choosing a $75 Kindle Gift Card instead.
Here's How to Enter
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
100 entries: Purchase Phantom Shadows and send me (contest AT dianneduvall DOT com) a copy of the receipt (with all sensitive data blocked out) by midnight (Eastern Standard Time) October 21st 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) October 21st with “Darkness Dawns Purchase Entry” in the subject line.
50 entries: Haven’t read Night Reigns yet or know someone else who hasn’t? 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) October 21st with “Night Reigns Purchase Entry” in the subject line.
25 entries: Repost the above widget on your webpage, send me (contest AT dianneduvall DOT com) a link with “Webpage Entry” in the subject line, and leave it up for the duration of the contest. 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.
25 entries:Have a working blog (one that is already up and running)? Repost the above widget on a sidebar of your blog, send me (contest AT dianneduvall DOT com) a link with “Blog Entry” in the subject line, and leave it up for the duration of the contest. 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.
5 entries: Have a facebook page? Repost the above image on your facebook page, mention the release of Phantom Shadows , and provide a link to my website. Then send me (contest AT dianneduvall DOT com) a link and/or screenshot with “Facebook Entry” in the subject line.
5 entries: Pin the above image on Pinterest. Then send me (contest AT dianneduvall DOT com) a link with “Pinterest Entry” in the subject line.
5 entries: Tweet about the release of Phantom Shadows and this contest, then send me (contest AT dianneduvall DOT com) a link with “Twitter Entry” in the subject line.
The Rules
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Contest begins October 1, 2012 and will last until October 21, 2012.
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 October 21, 2012.
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 by October 31, 2012. Winners will have one week to respond, otherwise new winners will be chosen.
