Favorite Quote Friday and a Thank You

Happy Friday! I hope you had a good week. I spent mine writing furiously on my latest manuscript and am really enjoying it. This is a story I've been wanting to tell for years. So I'm very excited about it and about where it's taking me. 😉

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Reviews for Death of Darkness continue to roll in. Once more, I want to thank those of you who have taken the time to post one. I appreciate it so much and am always happy to see another reader has enjoyed one my books.

It took me several years to land my first publishing contract. I'm not sure some readers understand all of the elements that have to come together just perfectly for a writer to manage to score a coveted contract. (I'm reminded of one of my characters mentioning the moon and the stars aligning just right...) And while I was writing, querying agents and editors, and tweaking synopses, my goal was always simply to be able to earn a living doing something I genuinely enjoy. (I really do LOVE to write.) I was so focused on that and on not letting the rejection letters dissuade me that I didn't have a chance to think about how amazing it would feel to get my first 5-star review, or my first email from a reader who loved my book, or my first message from someone who was going through a rough time and thanked me for the distraction this or that book provided. And it truly does feel amazing. 

Whether I've had a good day, a bad day, or a super stressful day, popping over to Amazon or Audible and finding a great review posted by someone who enjoyed one of my books makes me feel like I've won the lottery every time. So when I say I appreciate it, I really do mean it. Thank you so much.

Here are some more fabulous reviews Death of Darkness received on Amazon:

★★★★★

“I gave this 5 stars because I can't see how to give it 6. … This is one of my favorite series ever and I highly recommend it.

— Honey Reviews

★★★★★

“Can't say enough about a book that keeps you interested enough you don't want to stop reading. A book that can make you cry one minute and laugh the next. Exceptional!”

— Lorena McCarroll

★★★★★

“This is the best book so far in this series and that is saying something! Run don't walk to get your copy of this fabulous book.”

— diane reinheimer

★★★★★

“All I can say is mind blown!! I’ve absolutely loved everything you’ve written but you outdid yourself with Seth.”

— Dawn

★★★★★

“I loved this book! Nothing to dislike at all. … Could not put it down!”

— Janice Jones

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Immortal Guardians Book 9

A USA Today Bestseller

#1 Audible Paranormal Romance Bestseller

#1 Audible Supernatural Thrillers

#1 Amazon Vampire Thriller

#1 Amazon Vampire Suspense

Ebook

Kindle • Nook • Kobo • iBooks

Amazon UK • AmazonAU • AmazonCA • AmazonDE • AmazonFR

Audiobook

Narrated by Kirsten Potter

Audible • Audio CD

Paperback

Amazon

It's time once more for Favorite Quote Friday! Today I thought I would share a quote from Death of Darkness that features Seth (the hero) and David (his second-in-command):

_______________________________

David waited near the front door, his eyes bright with… mirth?

Seth glanced toward the dining room, surprised to find it empty and the table cleared. “Where is everyone?”

“I sent them away.”

“Let me guess. Zach and Jared were squabbling again.” He looked around. “At least they didn’t break anything this time.” The furniture appeared remarkably unscathed. In fact… “Is it me, or is it neater in here than when I arrived?”

David nodded. “Zach and Roland tidied up a bit.”

Those two? Really? “Why?”

“Someone is coming.”

Seth heard the approach of an automobile but felt no alarm. David wouldn’t be so relaxed if danger lurked outside. “Who is it?” If it was Chris Reordon bringing them bad news, he didn’t want to know, so he refrained from reading the driver’s thoughts.

David’s lips stretched in a smile. “You have a caller.”

Seth stopped short. He must not have heard him right. “What?”

“You have a caller.”

Certain he was still misunderstanding, Seth reached into his back pocket and drew out his cell phone to check messages.

David chuckled. “Not a call. A caller. Leah is here.”

Seth’s heartbeat picked up, something he wished he could hide. “Leah from Little Gifts?”

“Yes.”

His heartbeat quickened even more. “Why is she here?” She sure as hell wasn’t there to call on him as David had suggested.

“To see you.”

After living for thousands of years, very little surprised Seth. But that completely flabbergasted him.

_______________________________

Looks like we're having some wild weather again here in the United States. I hope those who are facing record snowfalls will stay warm and those battling record high temperatures will stay cool.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Dianne

Thank You! — And a Favorite Quote

Happy Friday!! Wow! What a week! Again. LOL. First, I want to thank you all. You made Death of Darkness a USA Today Bestseller!

Woohoo!! Thank you, too, for the absolutely fabulous reviews you've been posting!! At the time I'm writing this, there are 188 on Amazon alone. And 96% are 5 stars. That's amazing! I hope you know how much it means to me that you're enjoying Seth's book. It has been the most requested book in both series. And I know expectations were high, something many reviewers mentioned. I really wanted to meet those expectations. So I am beyond thrilled by your responses to it. 💕

I wanted to share some more Amazon reviews, but got caught up in writing my next story and didn't have a chance to snag any, so I'll try to do that next week. They have really been keeping a smile on my face. 🙂 

I'm loving the new manuscript, but the way. 😉

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Look what came in the mail: my author copies of the Death of Darkness audiobook!! Yay!! I had already downloaded it from Audible and started listening to it this week, but love having the CDs, too. As usual, Kirsten Potter has done a wonderful job narrating.

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Long and Short Reviews has declared Death of Darkness a Best Book. Their review was so awesome I had trouble deciding which snippet to share with you and ended up picking two. The first is in the image. The second is:

"Do you know there is so much MORE I could write about? Seriously, this story is chockfull of great dialogue, a solid supporting cast and more twists and turns than a pretzel... Thank you, Dianne Duvall, for giving us the perfect HEA for Seth."

Read the full review HERE.

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A quick update on the Death of Darkness's Pre-Order Giveaway: The winners have all been notified. I'm still waiting to hear from one. Then I'll announce them here on my blog. 🙂

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Immortal Guardians Book 9

A USA Today Bestseller

#1 Audible Paranormal Romance Bestseller

#1 Audible Supernatural Thrillers

#1 Amazon Vampire Thriller

#1 Amazon Vampire Suspense

Ebook

Kindle • Nook • Kobo • iBooks

Amazon UK • AmazonAU • AmazonCA • AmazonDE • AmazonFR

Audiobook

Narrated by Kirsten Potter

Audible • Audio CD

Paperback

Amazon

It's time once more for Favorite Quote Friday!! Today I thought I would share another quote from Death of Darkness. This one takes place at David's home, which is the big hangout place for Immortal Guardians in the area. It features David, Seth's second-in-command, and some of the other Immortal Guardians crew:

_____________________________

Turning back to the group by the table, David found them all staring at him in confusion.

“If we aren’t under attack,” Roland said, doubt written all over his ready-for-battle face, “then why do you want us to leave?”

Zach spoke in David’s mind. You’re going to have to tell them.

David sighed. “Seth has a caller.”

They all exchanged puzzled glances.

“A what?” Richart asked.

“A caller,” David repeated. “Seth has a caller.” And probably wouldn’t appreciate them knowing about it.

Étienne’s brow puckered. “Like a…” He looked at his brother, his sister, then David. “Like a woman?” he asked uncertainly.

“Yes!” David declared with a hefty dose of exasperation.

Zach laughed in the kitchen.

_____________________________

If you haven't picked up a copy yet, I hope you'll enjoy Death of Darkness! Have a wonderful weekend!

And for my friends who live in Florida: I hope you will weather this hurricane safely. I've been keeping a close eye on it, worrying it would skip past you and hit here. But it looks like you're going to take a hard hit. Please, stay safe. I'll keep an eye out for your updates on Facebook.


Dianne

Favorite Quote Friday—Death of Darkness

Happy Friday!! Less than a week to go now! Death of Darkness will release in ebook, audiobook, and paperback on Tuesday, August 20th. Woohoo!! I'm so excited. Even more so since reviews have begun to roll in, and they... are... awesome!!!

Death of Darkness received a great 5-star review from eBookObsessed, where you can also join us for a fun Character Interview in which Sheldon interviews Seth.

Lady with a Quill gave Death of Darkness a fabulous 5-star review, too. Sheldon will be interviewing Zach and Lisette there on Wednesday. 

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Thank you, everyone who has pre-ordered Death of Darkness. Pre-orders are so important to authors. 😊 Don't forget, I've launched a Death of Darkness Pre-Order Giveaway as another way of saying thanks. Three prizes will be awarded:

2

Prize Packs

a Death of Darkness pillow

a signed paperback copy of Blade of Darkness

a Death of Darkness coffee mug

an Immortal Guardians pen

13 collector cards

13 bookmarks

5 postcards

1

$50 Amazon Gift Card

So if you pre-order Death of Darkness in ebook or audiobook (so sorry I can't make the paperback available for pre-order) before August 20th, just fill out the form and you will be entered to win.

Death of Darkness Pre-Order Giveaway Entry Form

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Just a reminder: Rendezvous With Yesterday, the second book in my series The Gifted Ones, is on sale for a limited time in ebook—only $1.99 (save 85%)! 

Winner of the GraveTells Readers Choice Award

for Best Historical Romance

Top Pick

"I loved this book!  It had pretty much all of my favorite things—medieval times, a kick-ass heroine, a protective hero, magic, and a dash of mayhem."

—The Romance Reviews

"I'm a sucker for time travel stories . . . this one is genius with its delivery."

—Scandalicious Book Reviews

Rendezvous with Yesterday was such a fun time-traveling action-packed romance!"

—Book Munchies

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My Death of Darkness Blog Tour is well underway. Have you joined the fun yet? There are character interviews, author Q and A's, excerpts, a dream cast, favorite quotes, Top 5 lists, reviews, a playlist, and more. There is also a tour-wide giveaway with three prizes:

1

$50 Amazon Gift Card

1

$25 Amazon Gift Card

1

Awesome Immortal Guardians and The Gifted Ones Swag Pack

(a Death of Darkness tote bag, signed paperback copies of Blade of Darkness and Awaken the Darkness, 5 postcards, 13 bookmarks, and 13 trading cards.)

You can find the full schedule on my Blog Tours page and on Author's Taproom. Here are some stops you might have missed this week:

Lady Book Dragon

What's on My TBR List

Jeri’s Book Attic

Death of Darkness Dream Cast

Reading Between the Wines Book Club

Author Q and A

Bookgatherer

A Tantalizing Teaser

EBookObsessed

Character Interview

(Sheldon interviews Seth)

Ramblings From This Chick

Favorite Seth-Related Quotes

Obsessive Reading Disorder

Excerpt

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Also, don't forget: The Night Owl Romance Cupcakes and Books online Reader Scavenger Hunt has begun. Woohoo!! The event will continue through August 22nd. And over $700 in Prizes will be awarded, with over 100 Winners!

1 — Waterproof Kindle Paperwhite Winner
(USA Only)

1 — $50 Amazon Card Winner
(Open to the World)

1 — $25 Amazon Card Winner
(Open to the World)

101 — $5 Amazon Card Winners
(Open to the World)

I hope you'll find some great new books!

Cupcakes and Books online Reader Scavenger Hunt

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Immortal Guardians Book 9

Releasing August 20, 2019

in eBook, Audiobook, and Paperback

Ebook

Special Pre-Order Price—Save $1!

Kindle • Nook • Kobo • iBooks

Amazon UK • AmazonAU • AmazonCA • AmazonDE • AmazonFR

Audiobook

Audible • Audio CD

Paperback

Available on Release Day

It's time once more for Favorite Quote Friday! Wow, this week went by quickly. 😄 I can't believe it's already time to give you another peek into the pages of Death of Darkness. This one features Seth and Leah, the hero and heroine, with a visit from David, Seth's second-in-command:

"I trust I’m not interrupting anything,” David said, a twinkle of amusement lighting his dark eyes. 

Seth smiled. “Correct. We were just resting. What’s up?” 

“Would you and Leah mind meeting me in the study? There’s something I’d like to discuss with you.” 

Seth opened the door wider. “Would you like to talk in here?” 

David shook his head. “The study will do.” Turning, he strode away. 

Curiosity rising, Seth closed the door. 

“Just for future reference,” Leah said as she sat up, “I know I’m not shy, but I would rather not carry on conversations with your friends and family while I’m naked in bed.” 

He winced. “Sorry about that. Force of habit. Usually when someone summons me or wishes to speak with me, time is a factor.” 

Throwing back the covers, she rose. “That sucks. Don’t you get any downtime at all?” 

As usual, his body instantly reacted to the sight of her naked curves. She was so damned beautiful. “What?” 

“Don’t you get any downtime at all?” 

How quickly did David need to speak with them? It hadn’t seemed urgent. He would’ve spoken to them here in the bedroom if that were the case. So maybe they had time to— 

Leah’s laughter disrupted his thoughts. 

Arching his eyebrows in question, Seth watched her approach. “What?” 

Smiling, she rose onto her toes and looped her arms around his neck. “You are too adorable.” 

Now Seth laughed. “I haven’t been described thusly since I was a babe in swaddling clothes.” 

Still smiling, she rubbed her nose against his and pressed a kiss to his lips. “I love to see you laugh.” 

He hugged her closer.

 Have a wonderful weekend!

Dianne

More Immortal Guardians News

Happy Friday!! What a week it has been! I have so much to share with you. There are only four and a half weeks to go until the release of Death of Darkness, Immortal Guardians Book 9, also known as Seth's book. 😊 I'm so excited!! And look what came in the mail:

My Death of Darkness ARCs!! Woohoo!! I think I startled the delivery man in my haste to open the box. They're so big and pretty. 😀 I love them! And I will now start mailing them out to reviewers. I can't wait to hear what they think of Seth's story!

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Look what else arrived in the mail: The first boxes of my Death of Darkness Swag. Soooooo many postcards, bookmarks, and collector cards. I'll show you more goodies next week. 

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Since my swag has arrived, I can now launch my Death of Darkness Pre-Order Giveaway. Woohoo!! Pre-Orders are very important to authors. So I always like to hold a special giveaway just for those who pre-order the book as a way of saying:

 💝💖💝 THANK YOU! 💝💖💝

So here are the deets—there are three prizes: 

2

Prize Packs

a Death of Darkness pillow

a signed paperback copy of Blade of Darkness

a Death of Darkness coffee mug

an Immortal Guardians pen

13 collector cards

13 bookmarks

5 postcards

1

$50 Amazon Gift Card

If you pre-order Death of Darkness in any format before August 20th, just fill out the form and you will be entered to win. Winners will be randomly selected (I use random.org) and notified via email by August 25, 2019.

Death of Darkness Pre-Order Giveaway Entry Form

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There is still time for bloggers/reviewers to join my Death of Darkness Blog Tour. There will be Character Interviews (I'm going to get started on those this weekend), Author Interviews, Excerpts, Reviews, Spotlights, and more. The tour will also include a tour-wide giveaway. So if you'd like to join the fun (and maybe get your hands on a signed paperback ARC of Death of Darkness), you can sign up HERE.

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Immortal Guardians Book 9

Releasing August 20, 2019

in eBook, Audiobook, and Paperback

Ebook

Special Pre-Order Price—$5.99

(Reg. $6.99—Save $1!)

Kindle • Nook • Kobo • iBooks

Amazon UK • AmazonAU • AmazonCA • AmazonDE • AmazonFR

Audiobook & Paperback

—Links Coming Soon—

Seth has led the Immortal Guardians for thousands of years. With them fighting by his side, he has protected humans from psychotic vampires, defeated corrupt mercenary armies, defended military bases under attack, and more. But the latest enemy to rise against the Immortal Guardians has proven to be a formidable one, wielding almost as much power as Seth. His goal is simple. He wants to watch the world burn. And he will use every means at his disposal to accomplish it. Seth and his Immortal Guardians have succeeded thus far in staving off Armageddon despite heartbreaking losses. But they have never before faced such danger. Seth has only one wish: to protect his Immortal Guardians family and ensure the continuation of humanity by defeating his foe. But then Leah walks into his life and sparks a new desire.

Leah Somerson has suffered losses of her own. It has taken her a long time to rebuild her life and find some semblance of peace. Then one night a tall, dark, powerful immortal with what appears to be the weight of the world on his shoulders stumbles into her shop, and everything changes. Peace and contentment are no longer enough. Now she wants more. She wants to find happiness. She wants to erase the darkness in Seth’s eyes and replace it with love and laughter. She knows he’s different in ways that make most fear him. Even some of his immortal brethren keep a careful distance. But Leah will not. Nor will she shy away when danger strikes.

It's time for a special Favorite Quote Friday! Today I will offer you your very first sneak peek into the pages of Seth's book. The only thing I'll say to preface it is that this scene takes place in Leah's shop:

Adira straightened in Seth’s arms and stared at Leah. 

“Hi there, cutie,” Leah said and waggled her fingers. 

Her cheeks plumping with a big grin, Adira thrust her arms out and lunged toward Leah. 

Eyes widening, Leah hurried to catch her, inadvertently trapping Seth’s arm between the toddler and her breasts. “Oh! You gotta give me a little warning before you do that, sweetie,” she said on a laugh. 

“I’m sorry.” Seth wasn’t sure if he should retrieve Adira or relinquish her and extricate his arm. “Shall I take her back?” 

“No, it’s okay,” Leah responded with a good-natured smile. “She likes to sit in my lap when Ami brings her to storytime. So she knows me. Let me just… Here… How’s that?” She held Adira slightly away from her body so Seth could slide his arm out. 

Behind her, David’s face creased with a grin while Seth tried to minimize contact with her as he withdrew his arm. But she had lovely full breasts and hadn’t left him much space. 

Really? David asked telepathically, his dark eyes twinkling with amusement. Trying to cop a feel at your age? 

Seth shook his head. You’ve been spending too much time with Sheldon. 

David’s laughter filled his head.

She really did have beautiful breasts though. Seth was surprised to feel another tingle of awareness slither through him.

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I hope you will enjoy reading or listening to this book as much as I enjoyed writing it. 🥰

Have a wonderful weekend!

Dianne