Here in the UK, spring is definitely
on the way. After having come within a couple of streets of being flooded, the rain
has receded, leaving some terrible devastation behind. But we’re here, safe and
we still have all our bits intact, so we’ll soldier on.
This year is the anniversary of the
outbreak of World War One, and there have been some fascinating programs on TV.
I thought “The Great War” was a good one. But I’m not an expert in the period. Too
tragic for me, I’m afraid. I know the Edwardian and inter-war period is
popular, though, but I don’t think I’ll be writing books set at that time.
Although my emphasis recently has been
on the history aspect.
I’ve been offered a contract from
Samhain for the second of the “Even the Gods Make Love” series. You haven’t heard
much about this because it’s a new venture, and I wanted to get everything
ready and make sure everything was working. It’s working. Oh, how it’s working!
It’s a historical, based in my favourite
period of the eighteenth century, and it features the Greek and Roman gods, who
have been living among us all this time, in high society. It started when I read
an article that said that in the eighteenth century, the aristocracy were gods,
and that got me thinking. Not that all of them are, or that they know, but it’s
a superb fit. It concerns the age-old fight between the Titans and the
Olympians, but if I’d called the series “The Olympians” people would have
thought it was about sports!
The first book, “Lightning Strikes”
comes out in May, in time for RT Booklovers, so if you want to know more about
it, do find me and chat. It’s a completely new concept and I’ve been bursting
to talk about it. The gods aren’t all-powerful, they’re not even the same
people they were years ago. The Olympians have long since accepted that free
will is important, and that people should have the power to decide their own
fates. The Titans are after ruling the world. Again.
The first book features Jupiter and
the woman he falls deeply in love with, who has a brother she needs to keep
away from their father. You can also read about Bacchus and Mercury. Bacchus is
the subject of the new book I’ve just contracted, and you’ll forgive me jumping
up and down and going “squee” a lot!
I’ve also signed a contract for the
second in the Thorndykes series from Loose-Id. If you enjoyed “Dispossessed,”
then the next book continues with Nathan’s story. A series about Talents who
need to find sanctuary, or change their lives, the first trilogy is about three
Regency rakes turned vampires or shape-shifters. That will be coming out later in
the year.
The fifth Nightstar book, “Sail to the
Moon” comes out on March 15th, but I’ll post a reminder to the group
and my blog when that happens. That’s from Ellora’s Cave, if you want to
pre-order. It’s Zazz’s story, and one that is dear to my heart. I love the
members of this band like I love my family.
To round off the news for now, “Crystal
Captive” is out with a much lower price and a new cover, but it’s the same
book! In the future I want to continue the Dept 57 series, because there are
several characters without a story of their own. I still get emails asking for
Laurie’s story, for instance.
For that and everything else, don’t
forget to check my website. I’ve redesigned it, or rather refined the existing
design, so that it’s much easier to navigate and it’s so pretty now!
Excerpt:
Crystal
Captive
Laughing,
she let him usher her out the front door of the house, where a limousine with
shaded windows awaited them. The Citroën C6 was discreet, black, and
undoubtedly expensive. The driver, a dark-haired, dour-looking man with
sunglasses on got out to open the back door for them. Nicole gave him a smile,
but Domenici didn’t spare him a glance. The driver took his place behind the
wheel, and Domenici leaned against the leather-upholstered seat and kept his
gaze on her.
Although
she didn’t like being watched in that way, especially the way he heated her
blood, she bore it and sat stiffly upright. Domenici chuckled before he leaned
forward to press the button that erected the privacy screen between them and
the driver. “Come here. I want to touch you.”
His
low tones fired her, but she tried not to show it. She went into his arms and
lifted her face for his kiss.
Cradled
against his shoulder, she felt vulnerable and fragile, something she wasn’t
used to feeling. She wasn’t sure she liked it. But she did like his kiss.
Lingering, he took his time, tracing her lips with his tongue before he touched
her jaw, urging it open so he could feast inside.
Nicole
gave up and grasped his shoulder, which flexed powerfully in the cup of her
hand.
He
explored inside, searching and stroking. When she brought her tongue into play,
caressing his in turn, his low groan found its way from his throat to hers,
reverberating in harmony. Touching him like this, exchanging caresses, Nicole
felt their rightness, their togetherness, but that little voice of reality
inside reminded her that it was nothing of the kind. Ships in the night,
strangers meeting to exchange lonely greetings, desperate for connection. At
least, she was.
He
lifted away but stayed close so she felt the heat of his breath on her damp
lips. “You know what happens next, don’t you?”
“We
go to dinner?” But when she raised her eyes to his, she saw no humor, no
pleasant anticipation. Only gravity and serious intent.
“I’ll
do my best to help you, but I wish you’d trusted me more.”
None
of what he was saying made sense. She’d told him everything, all she knew. “I
was supposed to flirt with you. Gary said to do everything necessary, but when
I did it, when I saw you, I didn’t want to. You became human.”
“You
weren’t just supposed to get an interview, though, were you?”
She
sighed. That must be what he meant. “No. He wanted you to be a regular contact
for the magazine.” She tried to keep the pleading out of her eyes, to just ask
him. “Will you?”
“If
I did that, how long would it be before I was found out?”
She
bit her lip, but he moved closer and licked it. “Every time you do that, I want
to soothe it better.” He smiled. “You’re not what I expected.”
“You
expected me?”
“I
thought you’d be harder, more predatory.”
“I
should be. I usually am.”
He
lifted her and settled her on his lap. She liked it there. His warmth, his
obvious desire for her, made her wish to stay there. “Some of them have
different personas, the ones they show or allow to be discovered, and the ones
they keep to themselves. Some open themselves completely, and they’re the
idiots.”
“Mmm.”
She felt sleepy, her mind drifting.
“That’s
it, baby. Go to sleep now. We’ll see what’s waiting for us on the other side,
hmm?”
Mists
drifted into her mind, and when she opened her eyes, trying for one last bit of
awareness, she could have sworn she saw a curl of smoke in the air. She opened
her eyes wider. Yes, she saw it. Not smoke, some kind of gas. No smoke without
fire. Maybe it was fairy dust.
With
that last, whimsical thought, Nicole gave up and slipped into unconsciousness.
Domenici
settled Nicole more firmly on his lap and breathed the fumes deeply, just
twice, then held his breath. He had to let them render him unconscious, but he
wouldn’t stay that way for as long as they expected. Not long now, and he’d
join her in oblivion. He checked and found the link with Esti Hart, Team
Crystal’s resident Sorcerer. The link disturbed him, although he knew it
necessary, but Domenici kept his inner self strictly alone and apart. Even
being a member of a team made him feel uncomfortable. Relying on others made him
paranoid.
Still,
it was there, though as soon as this operation concluded, he wanted it removed
or obliterated or whatever she did. It should be over soon, because this was
it. He’d let the PHR put him under, knowing he’d come around and knowing that
his team would track him down. Then he could do his job and obliterate the
whole cell. He prayed that didn’t include the woman nestling so sweetly in his
lap.
You can get Crystal Captive here:
http://www.amazon.com/Crystal-Captive-Dept-Lynne-Connolly-ebook/dp/B00IFF3U5E
