Favorite Quote Friday #70

Happy Friday!  I can't believe this is my 70th Favorite Quote Friday post!  :-)  I had a nice, productive week this week and hope you did, too.  I finished reading back through Darkness Rises (Immortal Guardians Book 4 — October 1, 2013) and made a few minor edits.  I really like it, and hope you will, too.  I also put some time in on Immortal Guardians Book 5 and am pleased with the way it's coming along.

 

Thank you, everyone who joined me for the Vampires for Valentines Giveaway Hop!  The winner of my contest is:

Jovhanna C.

Congratulations!  

She will soon receive a signed copy of Phantom Shadows (Immortal Guardians Book 3) + a selection of Immortal Guardians swag.  :-)

Since this is my 70th Favorite Quote Friday, I thought I would return to the first book I quoted here:  Darkness Dawns (Immortal Guardians Book 1).  I love the relationships the heroes and heroines in my series share.  But I think the companionship and familial camaraderie the immortal warriors share with each other is just as important.  And entertaining.  :-)  Roland, the hero of Darkness Dawns, and Marcus, the hero of Night Reigns (Immortal Guardians Book 2) continue to play important roles in Darkness Rises.  And, after eight hundred years of friendship, Roland still seeks to protect Marcus and guard his back.  So today I'm offering a quote from Darkness Dawns that features both of these powerful warriors and gives you a little glimpse into their friendship:

Roland was out of his element here. For the second time today, he found himself faced with someone who needed comfort and he was still uncertain how to render it. “You don’t want a hug, do you?” he asked uneasily.

Marcus’s look seemed to question his sanity. “Hell, no.”

Roland nearly wilted with relief. “Good.”

Shaking his head, Marcus produced a half smile. “I should have said yes and dredged up a few tears just to watch you squirm.”

“I’m surprised you didn’t,” Roland returned sardonically.

Roland has some interesting scenes in Darkness Rises.  ;-)  I can't wait for you to read it!

Have a wonderful weekend!

Dianne

Favorite Quote Friday #69

Happy Friday!  Did you have a nice Valentine's Day?  Mine was great despite a trip to the dentist.  :-)  I've been going through Darkness Rises (Immortal Guardians Book 4 — October 1, 2013) again and can't wait for you to read it.  There's one line in particular that keeps making me laugh, spoken of course by Bastien, hero of Phantom Shadows (Book 3), also known as the black sheep of the Immortal Guardians family.  His character is so much fun to write, because sometimes even I don't know what he's going to say until he says it!

I couldn't remember if I showed you these.  Look what came in the mail!

Woohoo!  Predatory cover flats!  I love that cover! There are less than three months to go until Predatory's release on May 7th!  I'm eager to read the other stories in it, but haven't had the chance yet.  I hope you'll like Richart's story "In Still Darkness"! :-)  

Thank you, everyone who joined me for the Heartbreaker Blog Hop!  And welcome, all new blog followers! The winner of my prize — a signed copy of  Phantom Shadows + swag — is:

Liss M.!

Congratulations!!!  Your package is on the way!

The Grand Prize Winners, chosen by Carrie Ann Ryan using random.org, are:
Kindle Fire — Ashley M.
Amazon Gift Card — Jess987
Swag Pack — Meghan Stith

It's time once more for Favorite Quote Friday!  Since Richart's story is the next one that will be released, today I thought I would offer you a quote from Phantom Shadows in which Richart is bantering with Bastien, the hero:

"Showing your age there, old man," Richart goaded.
"We're damned near the same age, dimwit."

I'm participating in the Vampires for Valentine's Giveaway Hop and will be giving the winner a signed copy of one of the first three Immortal Guardians books (winner's choice) + swag.  The hop lasts through Monday, February 18th.  You can join the fun HERE.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Dianne

Vampires for Valentines Giveaway Hop

Welcome to the Vampires for Valentines Giveaway Hop, hosted by Felicity Heaton, Caris Roane and H. D. Thomson!  We're celebrating Valentine's Day by celebrating the vampires we love . . . or love to hate!  ;-)

As an avid reader, I have been a big fan of vampires since before they first appeared in my beloved paranormal romance genre.  Heinous undead creatures that crept forth from the pages of horror novels.  Villains in movies and on television shows.  Tortured heroes.  Tragic heroes.  Cocky heroes.  I've loved them all.  So, of course, as an author, I had to write about them.

For those of you who aren't familiar with my Immortal Guardians series, I have decided to return vampires to their villainous roots.  That's right.  Vampires aren't the heroes in my series.  They also aren't undead.  They're infected with a rare virus that gives them incredible strength, speed, and regenerative capabilities coupled with a need for blood.  It also causes brain damage and a descent into madness.  So my Immortal Guardians — powerful warriors infected with the same virus, but protected from the madness by extremely advanced DNA— hunt vampires to prevent them from preying upon humans.

And every Immortal Guardian, whether he knows it or not, needs a strong heroine to fight by his side.  :-)

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My Prize

There are many vampire-related prizes up for grabs in the hop.  Mine is the winner's choice of one of the first three book in my series + Immortal Guardians swag.

Immortal Guardians Book 1

"A thrilling and chilling new paranormal series.  Fantastic!"

4.5 stars, RT Book Reviews

Once, Sarah Bingham's biggest challenge was making her students pay attention in class. Now, after rescuing a wounded stranger, she's landed in the middle of a battle between corrupt vampires and powerful immortals who also need blood to survive. Roland Warbrook is the most compelling man Sarah has ever laid hands on. But his desire for her is mingled with a hunger he can barely control . . .

In his nine centuries of immortal existence, no woman has tempted Roland as much as Sarah. But asking her to love him is impossible -- when it mean forfeiting the world she's always known, and the life he would do anything to protect.

Immortal Guardians Book 2

"This blend of kick-butt action, intriguing plot twists and heartfelt passion is utterly addictive!"

4.5 stars, RT Book Reviews

Ami isn't much for trusting strangers.  She has a hard time trusting anyone.  But she's no coward, and she's no pushover in the protection department either.  So when she comes across a mysterious warrior taking on eight deranged vampires on his own, she doesn't hesitate to save his bacon.  Of course, that was before she realized what one little rescue would get her into . . .

Marcus Grayden has been an immortal protector of humanity for eight hundred years, and at the moment he's not interested in backup.  From the moment Ami arrives in his life, he can't deny that she's strong, smart, and extremely skilled at watching his back.  But she's also destroying his protective solitude and stirring desires he can't bear to awaken.  After all, whatever her secrets -- how can she defeat death itself?

Immortal Guardians Book 3

"With this excellent entry, rising star Duvall is fast proving to be a major player in paranormal romance!"

4.5 stars, 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 . . .

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Details

The Vampires for Valentine's Giveaway Hop runs from February 12th 12:01am through February 18th 11:59pm.  My contest is international.

Mandatory entry

Leave a comment below during the hop, include your email address (feel free to write it out), and let me know who your favorite vampire villain, vampire hero, or vampire hunter is.  :-)  Also mention 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.

+1  Follow my blog. 

+1  Like My Facebook Page.

+1  Follow me on Twitter.

+1  Mention the hop and my giveaway on Twitter.

+1  Share this post on Facebook.

Selecting a Winner

I will use random.org to choose my prize winner after verifying all entries by February 20th and will announce it here in my Favorite Quote Friday post on February 22nd.  If the winner's email address is included in her comment, I will email her, too.  The winner will have one week to contact me.

Good luck!  And have fun on the hop!

Dianne Duvall

Heartbreaker Blog Hop

Welcome to the Heartbreaker Blog Hop!  

Valentine's Day is right around the corner, so we're pondering what makes a hero a heartbreatker.  Is it his good looks?  The broad shoulders and rippling abs?  The gaze that seems to devour the lucky heroine who hooks him?  Or perhaps that hint of vulnerability hiding behind those smoldering eyes?  Is it simply because he's a good guy?  Or a bad guy?  Or a bad guy turned good?

In the case of Sebastien Newcombe, the hero of Phantom Shadows, Book 3 in my Immortal Guardians series, it's most of the above.  He's certainly handsome enough to make hearts flutter.  And he's a bad guy turned good.  When my series began, Bastien was a villain.  He even raised an army of psychotic vampires and waged war with the Immortal Guardians (powerful warriors who seek to protect humanity by hunting and destroying vampires).  His actions earned him the hatred of just about everyone — immortals, vampires, and humans alike — except for Dr. Melanie Lipton, who saw in Bastien what the others couldn’t.

Then his world turned upside down and Bastien now must fight alongside the immortals.  To say his entrance into their ranks isn't going well would be a colossal understatement.  Neither the immortals, nor the humans who aid them, are willing to let him forget his dark past.  But much is at stake, and Bastien has never backed down from a challenge.  When he refuses to do so now, Melanie raises both her voice and her blades in his defense.  Can her tenderness heal his many scars?  Will the protective barriers he has constructed around his heart crumble beneath the onslaught of her teasing and kindness?  Find out in Phantom Shadows.  :-)

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

"With this excellent entry, rising star Duvall is fast proving to be a major player in paranormal romance!"

4.5 stars, 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 . . .

Amazon • Kindle • Barnes and Noble • Nook

Almost 300 bloggers have giveaways and posts about the heartbreakers we love!  And we have THREE grand prizes. You can go to each blog, comment with your email address, and be entered to win.

My Prize

A signed copy of Phantom Shadows + Immortal Guardians swag.

The Grand Prizes

1st Grand Prize: A Kindle Fire or Nook Tablet

2nd Grand Prize: A $100 Amazon or B&N Gift Card

3rd Grand Prize: A Swag Pack that contains paperbacks, ebooks, 50+ bookmarks, cover flats, magnets, pens, coffee cozies, and more!

Details

The Heartbreaker Blog Hop runs from February 8th 12:00am EST through February 11th 11:59pm EST and is hosted by Carrie Ann Ryan.   Everything except the swag pack is international.

Mandatory entry

Leave a comment below during the hop, include your email address, and let me know what you think makes a hero a heartbreaker.  :-)  Also mention extra entries.  If you don't include your email address in your comment, you will not be entered to win the grand prizes.   

Extra entries

For extra entries (for my prize) you may do any or all of the following, but be sure to mention them in your comment.

+1  Follow my blog. 

+1  Like My Facebook Page.

+1  Follow me on Twitter.

+1  Mention the hop and my giveaway on Twitter.

+1  Share this post on Facebook.

Selecting a Winner

The grand prize winners will be chosen by Carrie Ann Ryan on February 12th.  I will use random.org to choose my prize winner after verifying all entries and will announce it here by February 15th.  If the winner's email address is included in her comment, I will email her or him, too.  The winner will have one week to contact me.

Go HERE to find the other hoppers!

Good luck!  And have fun!

Dianne Duvall

Favorite Quote Friday #68

Happy Friday!  Whew!  What a busy week!  I heard from my editor, who really really liked Darkness Rises, Book 4 (October 1, 2013).  Woohoo!  Darkness Rises tells Étienne's story and was so much fun to write!  I've also been working on Immortal Guardians Book 5 and am very excited about it.  I won't tell you who it's about, though, until I'm farther into it.  :-)

Look what came in the mail!  Love Letter magazine is a German magazine that revolves around romance novels.  They asked me to write an article about the music found in Darkness Dawns and music I think of or associate with it.  I was very excited to receive my copy, even though I can only read some of it.  I need to brush up on my German.  :-)

I also received author copies of the German translation of Darkness Dawns:  Düstere Zeichen.  Yay!  Another reason to brush up on my German.  ;-)

It's time once more for Favorite Quote Friday!  Today's selection is taken from Phantom Shadows, Immortal Guardians Book 3, and is spoken by Melanie (the heroine) to Bastien (the hero):

"I know as a doctor and a researcher I should find a more clinical way to say this, but that is so cool."

Have wonderful weekend!

Dianne