Christmas Treats Giveaway Hop

Welcome to the Christmas Treats Giveaway Hop!  What are our favorite Christmas Treats? Books, of course! So each blog participating in the hop will be giving away fabulous book-related gifts for the Holidays!

When cold weather rolls in, there's nothing quite like toasting your toes in front of a crackling fire as you lose yourself in the pages of a great book.  Alas it will be too warm for a fire here.  BUT I still intend to get in some fun reading time.  :-)  In addition to reading back through my next release (Rendezvous With Yesterday), I'm looking forward to diving into lovely Laurann Dohner's new VLG series, the first book of which releases on December 22nd.  Woohoo!  Perfect timing!  (I love her New Species series).

My Giveaway

For my giveaway, I thought I would warm up your winter with signed paperback copies of my latest releases:  A Sorceress of His Own, The Gifted Ones Book 1 and Shadows Strike, Immortal Guardians Book 6 + a Swag Pack (2 postcards, 8 bookmarks, and 8 trading cards).  If you're new to my Immortal Guardians series, don't worry.  The books can all be read as standalones.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Since the day Lord Dillon earned his spurs, rumors of his savagery on the battlefield have preceded him into every room, stilling tongues and sparking fear. Weary of battle, he wishes only to find a woman he can wed who will approach him not with fear, but with the tenderness that has been absent from his life for so long. Yet only the wisewoman seems invariably at ease in his presence. Perhaps because she garners the same fear in others that he does himself.

For seven years, Alyssa has been by Lord Dillon's side, counseling him from the shadows, healing him with her hands, and staving off the worst of his loneliness while his fearsome reputation keeps others at bay. Blessed—or cursed—with gifts that label her a sorceress, she is forced to conceal her youth and the love she harbors for him beneath umbral robes that lead Dillon and his people to believe she is the same aged wisewoman who served his father.  All is revealed, however, and passions flare when an enemy threatens Dillon's life and Alyssa sacrifices everything to save him. 

U.S. law enforcement agent Heather Lane can read minds. But not the future. The dream of battle and blood that recurs every night must be a fluke, some obscure terror from her own mind. What its significance might be, she can't guess: an attack from seven psychotic vampires at once, only separated from nightmare by an eighth very different immortal. A handsome, brave man fighting at her side, a man she misses when she wakes.

Then the dream comes true. Heather is flung into a war between predators and protectors of humanity, the man from her dreams beside her again. Except now that she's awake, she isn't sure she can trust Ethan, or the shadow organization he represents. The U.S. military doesn't trust either of them. But against an onslaught of evil like the one that's coming, it will take everything they have just to survive...

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Details

The Christmas Treats Giveaway Hop runs from December 19, 2015, 12:00am EST through December 25th, 2015, 11:59pm EST.  My giveaway is open internationally to those who can legally enter.  No purchase necessary.

Mandatory entry

Leave a comment on this post during the hop (please include your email address) and tell me what book or books you're looking forward to reading over the holidays.  :-)  Also mention extra entries.

Extra entries

I'd love to connect with you online.  So 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.  (I like to thank readers with frequent giveaways on Facebook, so if you like my Facebook page you might want to also tell Facebook to show my posts in your feed in the "Liked" menu to ensure you won't miss any.)

+1  Follow me on Twitter.

+1  Follow me on Pinterest.

+1  Follow me on Amazon.

+1  Share my giveaway (on Facebook or Twitter or the like)

Selecting a Winner

I will use random.org to choose my prize winner after verifying all entries and will announce it here by January 1st.  If the winner's email address is included in her/his comment, I will email her/him, too.  The winner will have one week to contact me.

Have Fun on the Hop!

An Excerpt, a Sale, & Exciting News

Happy Friday!  I have exciting news for you:

Phantom Embrace, my Immortal Guardians novella that was released in the On the Hunt anthology, will be released as a solo ebook on June 28, 2016.  It features Yuri as the hero and Bastien's sister Cat as the heroine.  AND it's only $1.99 (USD)!  If you're new to my Immortal Guardians series, don't worry.  Each book and novella can be read as a standalone.  Here are some pre-order links:

Kindle • Nook • Kobo • Amazon UK • Amazon Canada

RT Reviewers' Choice Award Nominee

Best Book — Long & Short Reviews

Top Pick — The Romance Reviews

More great news:  Darkness Dawns, the first book in my Immortal Guardians series, is on sale for a limited time for just $1.99 (USD) in ebook!  See how the series began or, since this is the holiday season, give it as a gift and help another reader discover my Immortal Guardians family.  :-)  Here are the links:

Kindle • iTunes • Nook • Kobo • Amazon UK • Amazon Canada

A USA Today Bestseller

Amazon • Audible • Nook • iTunes • Kobo

BAM! • Walmart • Amazon UK • Amazon Canada

It's time once more for Favorite Quote Friday!  Today I thought I would share an excerpt of my latest release, Shadows Strike.  It features Ethan and Heather, the hero and heroine.  :-)

______________________________

Calling himself six kinds of a fool, he collected the items he’d set on the roof of the car and strode up the wooden stairs. Bending, he set the goods to one side, out of her line of sight. Then, taking a deep, bracing breath, he knocked on the door.

Sneaker-clad feet carried Heather to the door.

Good. He hadn’t woken her.

The light behind the peephole darkened. The rattling of bolts being turned and a chain being removed preceded the opening of the front door.

Heather peered up at him. “Ethan. Hi.”

“Hi.” He smiled. She was as beautiful as he remembered. It had been hell, trying to stay away. He had only made it two weeks before he had given in and come to see her. He knew he shouldn’t lure Heather into his world, especially with Chris Reordon waiting in the wings to recruit her, but . . . he had been unable to stop thinking about her.

“What are you doing here?” she asked and looked past him. Not the friendly, flirty response he had hoped for.

His gaze drifted beyond her. Did she have a guest? A male guest?

His hackles rose. “Are you alone?”

“Yes.”

But she neither opened the door wider nor welcomed him inside.

Had he read things wrong with her?

“I was just hunting nearby,” he began.

Alarm swept across her features. “Hunting vampires? You saw more vampires hanging around?”

“No,” he hastened to assure her. “No. You’re safe, Heather.”

She didn’t relax. Nor did she stop visually searching the yard behind him.

“I meant I was hunting in the area and . . . was passing by on my way home and just thought I’d . . .” He rubbed the back of his neck and sighed. “Ah, hell. I suck at this.”

“Suck at what?”

“I wasn’t hunting nearby,” he admitted. “I was hunting forty miles away. But I can’t stop thinking about you and wanted to see you again.” Bending, he retrieved what he hoped she would see as a romantic gesture. When he straightened, he held a newspaper in one hand and a stainless steel coffeepot in the other. He offered her a sheepish smile. “It seemed like a good idea at the time.”

Heather bit her lip. And he did think he saw a little Aww, how sweet enter her pretty brown eyes.

Stepping closer, he leaned against the door frame opposite her. “I’m afraid I don’t really know how to do this.”

He heard her heartbeat pick up. “Do what?”

“Date. I haven’t tried to court a woman in about a century. I don’t know how to get things going and can’t ask Ed or he’ll never let me live it down.” Damned if he didn’t feel like a teenager with his first crush.

Her throat moved in a swallow. “You want to date me?”

“If dating you means spending lots of time with you, getting to know you, and exploring every inch of your delectable body as soon as you’re ready to take things further, then yes. I really want to date you.” He held up his goodies. “I remembered your neighbor with the newspaper analogy and . . .” He released a rueful chuckle. “As I said, I don’t know what I’m doing. I don’t even like coffee. I just liked the idea of it and wanted to see you again.”

“Oh, Ethan. It’s perfect.”

His heart leapt.

“But I really wish you hadn’t come.” Stepping back, Heather opened the door.

Disappointment struck. “Why?” He had been so sure she’d felt the same spark.

She brought the hand he hadn’t realized she had been hiding behind her back around and raised a Walther PPQ 9mm. “Because I dreamed you would.”

As Ethan gaped down at her, she pulled the trigger.

______________________________

Have a wonderful weekend!  And don't forget to join me on My Facebook Page, where I often have Flash Giveaways.  ;-)

Dianne

Favorite Quote Friday

Happy Friday!  We've had the most wonderful cloudy, chilly days here.  Perfect writing weather.  So I've been deeply engrossed in early 13th century England this week, working on Rendezvous With Yesterday, The Gifted Ones Book 2.  :-)

Amazon • Audible • iBooks • Kobo • Nook

Amazon UK • Amazon Canada

Wonderful reviews continue to roll in for the first book in The Gifted Ones series—A Sorceress of His Own.  Here are some of the latest on Amazon:

"Excellent.  Really enjoyed this book.  Very unique.  Well written.  Loved the super-naturalness of it.  Can't wait to read more from Dianne Duvall."

—C. Foster

"Very good story.  This story had it all, love, adventure, and mystery.  Most of all you really liked the main characters.  Thank you Miss Duvall for a wonderful journey!"

—Westdog 

"Wow.  Best book I have read all year, didn't want to put it down.  Was amazing from start to finish.  I am not normally a fan of romance heavy stories but this book was flawless."

—Chris

"Excellent.  This was an excellent story, from start to finish.  The hero (arguably maybe two) and the heroine were strong characters.  This is probably one of the nest stories I have ever read and made me cry on more than one occasion.  I look forward to reading future books by this author."

—T. Jennings

Amazon • Audible • Nook • iTunes • Kobo

BAM! • Walmart • Amazon UK • Amazon Canada

Great reviews continue to roll in for Shadows Strike, too.  :-)  Here are some of the latest on Amazon:

"This book was so exciting and romantic.  I was hooked from the beginning.  This is a wonderful paranormal series."

—Glynda H Roy

"Dianne Duvall writes such fun and exciting stories.  A great read!"

—Christy Kennedy

"This is one of the very best series I have ever read.  I absolutely love the story line and the characters the author has created.  Each book just gets better and better.  I want more every time a book ends."

—Niecew

"Ethan and Heather are a wonderful addition to the Immortal Guardians series!!  Dianne did it again and I cannot wait for the next book!"

—Cindy Foreman

It's time once more for Favorite Quote Friday!  Today I thought I would give you a glimpse of some of the secondary characters in A Sorceress of His Own.  :-)

Meghan looked to her grandfather. 

“Go with him.” 

But go with him where?  The man couldn’t sprout wings and fly her there. 

She eyed the stranger uneasily.  Could he? 

His lips twitched.  “There are faster means than even that to convey you.” 

Again her mouth fell open.  Had he read her thoughts? 

“Aye.”  He turned to her grandfather.  “I shall return her anon, and thank you for trusting me to ensure her safety.” 

So saying, he again reached out and touched Meghan’s shoulder. 

Darkness engulfed her, shutting out all light.  Her head swam with dizziness.  Then she found herself standing in a moonlit forest. 

Seth chuckled.  “’Tis a bit unsettling the first time, but ’twill pass.”

For those who haven't read it:  Yes, that's the Seth from my Immortal Guardians series.  There's a bit of crossover.  :-)

Have a wonderful weekend!

Dianne

Thankful For You Blog Hop Winner

Hi, all!  I hope you had a great weekend.  The Thankful for You Blog Hop has come to a close.  So I'd like to announce that the winner of signed paperback copies of A Sorceress of His Own and Shadows Strike + swag is . . .

gamistress66

Congratulations!!  

Thank you, everyone who joined me on the hop.  And thank you again for your support and for all of the smiles you inspire.  I really do appreciate every one of you.

Have a wonderful week!

Dianne

Thankful For You Blog Hop

Welcome to the Thankful for You Blog Hop!  This week we're letting everyone know just what we're thankful for.  And that includes...YOU!  There's a new giveaway at every single stop so be sure to hop around and visit your favorite blogs and find a few new ones to follow too!   

Like many writers, it took me quite a few years and several manuscripts to land my first traditional publishing contract.  While pursuing publication, I often imagined how awesome it would be to "get the call", or to get a fantastic review from RT Book Reviews, or to hit the New York Times and USA Today Bestseller lists.  What I didn't imagine was how thrilling it would be to hear from readers who are enjoying the books I write.  

I've received letters, emails, messages, and comments that shocked me (in a good way), made me laugh, and sometimes touched me so deeply I cried.  I'm not sure readers realize—when they write to thank me because this book or that one helped them through a particularly stressful week at work, or provided the distraction they needed to get through the loss of a loved one, or made them laugh at time when they didn't think they could—that their letters and messages and comments do exactly the same thing for me.  

I'm so thankful for all of the readers who have lured smiles, big grins, or even laughs from me on dark days or made good days even better by simply mentioning looking forward to my next book.  I'm thankful for every reader who has picked up a book by this new-to-her/him author and given it a try.  And I'm thankful for the support, encouragement, and—yes—laughs you continue to deliver.  I hope you know just how much I appreciate you.  :-)

My giveaway for the hop will be signed paperback copies of two of my latest releases:  A Sorceress of His Own and Shadows Strike + swag.  

The Gifted Ones Book 1

Since the day Lord Dillon earned his spurs, rumors of his savagery on the battlefield have preceded him into every room, stilling tongues and sparking fear. Weary of battle, he wishes only to find a woman he can wed who will approach him not with fear, but with the tenderness that has been absent from his life for so long. Yet only the wisewoman seems invariably at ease in his presence. Perhaps because she garners the same fear in others that he does himself.

For seven years, Alyssa has been by Lord Dillon's side, counseling him from the shadows, healing him with her hands, and staving off the worst of his loneliness while his fearsome reputation keeps others at bay. Blessed—or cursed—with gifts that label her a sorceress, she is forced to conceal her youth and the love she harbors for him beneath umbral robes that lead Dillon and his people to believe she is the same aged wisewoman who served his father.  All is revealed, however, and passions flare when an enemy threatens Dillon's life and Alyssa sacrifices everything to save him. 

Immortal Guardians Book 6

(Can be read as a stand-alone novel

for those who are new to the series.)

U.S. law enforcement agent Heather Lane can read minds. But not the future. The dream of battle and blood that recurs every night must be a fluke, some obscure terror from her own mind. What its significance might be, she can't guess: an attack from seven psychotic vampires at once, only separated from nightmare by an eighth very different immortal. A handsome, brave man fighting at her side, a man she misses when she wakes.

Then the dream comes true. Heather is flung into a war between predators and protectors of humanity, the man from her dreams beside her again. Except now that she's awake, she isn't sure she can trust Ethan, or the shadow organization he represents. The U.S. military doesn't trust either of them. But against an onslaught of evil like the one that's coming, it will take everything they have just to survive...

Details

The Thankful for You Blog Hop runs from November 20, 2015, 12:00am EST through November 27, 2015, 11:59pm EST.  My giveaway is open internationally to those who can legally enter.  No purchase necessary.

Mandatory entry

Leave a comment on this post during the hop (please include your email address) and tell me something you're thankful for—big or small.  :-)  Also mention extra entries.

Extra entries

I'd love to connect with you online.  So 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.  (I like to thank readers with frequent giveaways on Facebook, too, so if you like my Facebook page you might want to also tell Facebook to show my posts in your feed in the "Liked" menu to ensure you won't miss any.)

+1  Follow me on Twitter.

+1  Follow me on Pinterest.

+1  Follow me on Amazon.

Selecting a Winner

I will use random.org to choose my prize winner after verifying all entries and will announce it here by December 1st.  If the winner's email address is included in her/his comment, I will email her/him, too.  The winner will have one week to contact me.

Have Fun on the Hop!

Favorite Quote Friday

Happy Friday!  I've been having fun, working on Robert's story—Rendezvous With Yesterday, The Gifted Ones Book 2.  (I can't wait to share it with you!)

I also had such a nice surprise.  Cocktails and Books is having a great month-long event celebrating Indie Authors that includes lots of fun posts and giveaways.  One such post is by Elizabeth from E-Reading After Midnight, who named me one of her Top 5 Indie Authors.  Woohoo!!  This is what she had to say about my Immortal Guardians:

"The sheer imaginative power behind the Immortal Guardians series absolutely blows me away.  Ms. Duvall has created an entire world that blends the paranormal and romance with a twist I've not seen before."

Drop by to see who the other authors in her Top 5 are and enter to win an e-book!  You can find her post HERE.

A USA Today Bestseller

Kindle • Audible • Nook • iTunes • Kobo

Just a reminder:  Night Unbound, Immortal Guardians Book 5, is on sale for just $1.99 in ebook format for a limited time.  That's 75% off!  If this is your first time hearing about the series, don't worry.  All of my books can be read as stand-alones.  You'll just be more familiar with the secondary characters if you read the series in order.  :-) 

— Join me on Facebook —

I also thought I would remind you to pop over to my Facebook page and join the fun.  This week we chatted about everything from Orlando Bloom as Robert in my The Gifted Ones Dream Cast to "Dali Atomicus" and cat surfing to hilarious ways dogs can invade your personal space.  So you never know what topic we'll tackle next.  :-)

AND I have a giveaway almost every week.  If you do join us, be sure to "Like" my page and—in the "Liked" menu—tell Facebook to notify you of my posts under "Get Notifications" or to see them in your feed under "Posts in News Feed," otherwise there's a good chance Facebook's algorithm will keep you from seeing them.  And I don't want you to miss out on any giveaways.  ;-)

A USA Today Bestseller

Amazon • Audible • iBooks • Kobo • Nook

Amazon UK • Amazon Canada

It's time once more for Favorite Quote Friday!  I heard the best things from readers this week about A Sorceress of His Own, The Gifted Ones Book 1.  Hearing that readers enjoyed it (it even made one reader's Top 5 Books Ever list) and that they're looking forward to Robert's story means so much to me.  I'm SO excited about Robert's story and can't wait to start posting sneak peeks and quotes from it.  

Until then, here is a quote from A Sorceress of His Own that features Lord Dillon and Alyssa—the hero and heroine:

“Good journey, love.” 

Her gaze roaming his face, Alyssa pulled her hood forward once more and left to retrieve her things.  Soon after, she joined Simon and the others assigned to protect her.   

The thunder of hooves accompanied their departure as mud splattered in their wake. 

Left behind in the crowded bailey, Dillon had never felt so alone.

Have a wonderful, wonderful weekend!                                                              

Dianne