A to Z Blogging Challenge, Day 5: E Is For Emerald Fire

Noon and Wilder Posted on by

Emerald Fire is our first novel with Torquere Press.  We wanted to play with traditional romance tropes and create a world of our own a’la Anne McCaffrey’s Pern series.  She kept a lot of realism in her books, despite having dragons and other fantastical elements; each one was explained in the context of the books and made it feel very real.

On the desert world of Persis, Keeper Teeka hopes to fulfill his dreams. Instead they come crashing around him when his Contract and lover is killed.

 When Hunter Quills steps forward to aid him, Teeka wonders what motivates the solitary, scarred man.

 Is them teaming together to Harvest the valuable Lode for practicality sake? Or is Quill feeling the growing attraction between them like Teeka is?

 With the harsh desert of the Great Valley seeming to sabotage them at every turn, what happens when Teeka discovers sinister foul play is surfacing?

 Will Quill prove to be Teeka’s protector and the answer to his hopes or his worst nightmare under the blazing twin suns of Persis?

What is your favorite trope?  
(A trope is a traditional storyline in a genre.)

Fool for Love Blog Hop with Just Romance.Me!

Noon and Wilder Posted on by

Welcome to the Spring 2014 Fool for Love Blog Hop! If you haven’t participated before, click the banner at the top of this post and check out all the amazing authors we have for you this weekend. The grand prize is an ereader and there are a host of other prizes, including a copy of Noon and Wilder’s latest release, TIGER TIGER.

Since our theme this hop is “Fool for Love,” I thought I’d share something totally new – a scene from our upcoming release from LooseId (which is, coincidentally, the theme of Friday’s A-Z Challenge, with “D for Domovoi“).  Read on, MacDuff!

Excerpt

“I’ve wanted to ask you.” Vanya turned to Ari. “Could you show us your snake form?”

Ari frowned and gazed at him, his clear green eyes quizzical. “Are you serious? Why?”

“I’m curious how your transformation differs from what I’ve read about shifters.”

Vanya kept to himself King’s rant on how dangerous lamiae were when he caught Vanya reading the battered book about them.

Ari shrugged. “Sure.”

He leaned over and set his beer in the holder on the table nearby and stood watching them for a moment. A shimmer appeared in the air and a giant Burmese python sat coiled on the seat and the side of the boat where Ari had been. His tongue tasted the air and he undulated forward to drape himself around Vanya’s shoulders.

Vanya froze, eyes wide. “Um…”

Crap, he’d been curious, but not that curious to see Ari again up close in snake form.

“Don’t move quickly, or you’ll spook him.” Mike smirked as he walked up and sat down. “Don’t scare the kid, Ari.”

Ari’s tail looped around the edge of the boat behind Vanya’s perch and he slithered onto the boat from Vanya’s body, moving with a soft hissing of scales. His head, even with Vanya, wove back and forth with the gentle movement of the boat.

Only one problem. His tail slipped backward off the slanted edge of the boat, dropping toward the water whizzing by below. He didn’t appear to notice it, either, intent on mesmerizing Vanya by weaving his head back and forth in front of Vanya’s face.

“Um, Ari?”

“Hush, now. Don’t interrupt.” Mike’s voice held the flavor of a laugh and he regarded Vanya with twinkling eyes. “He wants to show off for you, let him.”

Nash took a sip from his bottle, hiding his smirk behind it.

“But…” Vanya trailed off, helpless to do anything as more of Ari’s body slithered backward off the edge of the boat. “Do snakes get drunk?”

“All the time.” Mike sounded smug.

“Ari, your tail!” Vanya blurted.

Ari’s eyes widened and he turned to regard his body, but his bulky mass slid with increasing speed off the side of the boat. They hit a swell and bounced and, with a loud splash, Ari disappeared over the side.

Be sure to visit the other authors of the Fool for Love hop and share your love; comments will enter you in the drawing for the grand prize and other prizes.  Enjoy!


— 

“It takes courage to grow up and become who you really are.”
– E.E. Cummings

The Chicagoland Shifters series:
Book 1 BURNING BRIGHT, available from Samhain Publishing.

Book 2 TIGER TIGER, available from Samhain Publishing. An All Romance eBooks Bestseller!

The Persis Chronicles:

Check out EMERALD FIRE, available from Torquere Books.

Check out “Seeking Hearts“, available from Torquere Books.


Check out COOK LIKE A WRITER , available from Barnes and Noble.
Check out “Taking a Chance“, available from Torquere Books!

My links: Blog | Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Amazon | LinkedIn | Pandora 

Knoontime Knitting:  Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Ravelry
Noon and Wilder links: Blog | Taurus and Taurus (NSFW) | Website | Facebook
The Writer Zen Garden:  The Writers Retreat Blog | Forum | Facebook | Twitter | Meetup

A to Z Blogging Challenge, Day 4: D Is For Domovoi

Noon and Wilder Posted on by
“Domovoi” by Ivan Bilibin, 1934

In our upcoming release from LooseId, we feature a creature called a domovoi.  Small, generally male, domovoi are a boon to a good housekeeper and a plague to a bad one.  In Russian, the word dom means house.

One of the best parts about writing is being able to incorporate our favorite elements in our stories.  I love mythology and finding references to faeries, the fey, and other folklore.  I adore Russian folklore, full of strange creatures like rusalkas, Baba Yaga and her house on chicken legs, and domovois.

What are your favorite folklore or faerie tales?

A to Z Blogging Challenge, Day 3: C Is For Chance

Noon and Wilder Posted on by

There’s not much in life that Chance can’t have, and for that reason, he’s bored with the ordinary. In Jay, Chance sees a chance to have some fun and to feel young again. When he finds out that Jay isn’t as young as he first thought, and that he will stand up for himself, he realizes there may be more to this twink than he first thought.

“Taking a Chance” is available from Torquere Press.  It was a lot of fun to write, and after the Charity Sip Blitz for which we did it was over, we offered it back to Torquere and are thrilled they decided to take it again.

Chance is a fun character to play with because he’s got everything except the man of his dreams.  Finding out what makes him tick is key to the story and we’re hard at work on the sequel, a novel-length story called Chances Are.

What’s your favorite kind of character in a story?

A to Z Blogging Challenge, Day 2: B Is For Burning Bright!

Noon and Wilder Posted on by

Nothing can beat the sensation of the holidays, surrounded by family, and getting the email with the contract offer from our publisher for our very first book.  The sense of, “Oh, my Gosh, is this really happening,” coupled with, “I’M SO EXCITED I COULD DANCE AROUND THE HOUSE WHOOPING LIKE AN IDIOT!” is not to be downplayed.

We learned a lot from that first process.  Like the first time at anything, you go into it with the best intentions and the thought that you kind of, sort of, know what questions to ask.  It’s never like you imagine it to be and you learn things you never thought you needed to know.

So here’s a question:

What have you had to learn that’s surprised you?

A to Z Blogging Challenge, Day 1: A Is For Aardvark!

Noon and Wilder Posted on by

Let’s face it:  aardvarks are funny-looking.  A cross between an armadillo (Texas speed bumps) and an anteater (my alma mater’s mascot – Zot!) (U.C. Irvine, silly!), they aren’t the most attractive of beasts.

So of course, Rachel and I had to use them as the basis for our fantasy animal, a truffle.

What’s a truffle?

Glad you asked!  It’s a cross between an aardvark and a cocker spaniel.

And they’re featured in our novel, EMERALD FIRE!  Ha!  Betcha didn’t think I was going to manage to segue that into something, huh?

So tell us:  what’s the weirdest-looking animal you can think of?

Happy Birthday, Noon and Wilder!

Noon and Wilder Posted on by
Image Copyright 2013 by Michael Clothier, Wolfshead Photography
Used with Permission

Hello, world!  Noony and Rachel, here.  We decided we really needed a “real” blog to talk about things that make us late for work, and not just the naughty stuff.  Don’t worry, we’re still blogging over at Taurus and Taurus – but we moved the NSFW stuff over there, and the conversation over here!

In celebration, Noony (I’m the one on the left) decided to participate in the April 2014 A to Z blogging challenge – not once but twice!  This way, Rachel and I can share our thoughts, meet new folks, and really launch this blog thing right!

Pull up a chair, grab a cuppa, and prepare to be late for work!

—
“It takes courage to grow up and become who you really are.”
– E.E. Cummings

The Chicagoland Shifters series:
Book 1 BURNING BRIGHT, available from Samhain Publishing.
Book 2 TIGER TIGER, available from Samhain Publishing. An All Romance eBooks Bestseller!

The Persis Chronicles:Check out EMERALD FIRE, available from Torquere Books.

Check out “Seeking Hearts“, available from Torquere Books.

Check out COOK LIKE A WRITER , available from Barnes and Noble.
Check out “Taking a Chance“, available from Torquere Books!

My links: Blog | Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Amazon | LinkedIn | Pandora
Knoontime Knitting: Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Ravelry
Noon and Wilder links: Blog | Taurus and Taurus (NSFW) | Website | Facebook
The Writer Zen Garden: The Writers Retreat Blog | Forum | Facebook | Twitter | Meetup
Team Blogs: Nightlight | Nightlight FB Page | Beyond the Veil | BtV FB Page
Publishers: LooseId | Samhain Publishing | Torquere Press

Writing, Writing, Writing

Noon and Wilder Posted on by

Happy Monday!

We are hard at work on editing EMERALD KEEP, the sequel to EMERALD FIRE, and plan to submit it to the publisher by the end of this month.

Also on deck is the next book in the Chicagoland Shifters series, CAT’S CRADLE, starring none other than Mitchell Brayden.  Will he finally settle down?  o.O…

Seeking Hearts, a Charity Sip from Torquere Press

Noon and Wilder Posted on by


Our Bloghop Starts Here: Torquere Press


Happy Autumn!  I know, I know, it’s a tiny bit early.  But the bite of Fall is in the air and that brings us to the best part of all – the release of this year’s Charity Sip Blitz by Torquere Press!  In 2013, all profits will benefit OutServe, which seeks to assist service personnel and the families affected by Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell legislation.  Rachel Wilder and I are pleased to bring you “Seeking Hearts”, our short story that brings us back to the Persis Chronicles.

When Torquere issued the call for stories to focus on men and women in uniform, we considered returning to the world of Jay and Chance from Taking a Chance, our charity sip for 2012.  We have a small town sheriff whose story is begging to be told, but it really will fit a novel-length scope and is actually Book 2 in that series as we have it planned.  We couldn’t get Book 1 done fast enough for the call, so then what?  We batted around some ideas and then hit on Persis.  Why not use our science fantasy world that we created in Emerald Fire?

We’ll grant that it’s not what comes immediately to mind when one says “men and women in uniform,” but we believe that every society has a need for peacekeepers, lawgivers, and warriors.  On Persis, the Seekers are a combination street judge and FBI Agent and have broad authority to pursue wrongdoers.  Much mystery has built up around these people and they’ve attained a legendary status.  But, as they say, “They put their pants on one leg at a time, same as everybody else.”  Granted, that’s not really a Persis saying, but it fits.

And want some even better news?  It’s the Tenth Anniversary of Torquere Books!  Happy Anniversary, Torquere!  In celebration, they are offering a 20% off coupon good through Wednesday, September 18th – coincidentally, the date the Charity Sips release.  Just put ’10years’ in the coupon code box any time you check out at Torquere Books before midnight on Wednesday to get 20% off your order.  You can save when you purchase “Seeking Hearts” and any of the other sips of your choice.

Blurb for “Seeking Hearts:”

On the harsh desert world of Persis, most of the inhabitants flee to the cliff cities during the searing heat of Daymonth. A young hosteller and his grandparents choose to remain in their waystation as caretakers. This proves to be a wise decision, as a Truth Seeker is stranded there with them. Isolated, the Seeker and the hosteller begin to develop feelings for each other, but the discovery that they are not alone could threaten more than their relationship.

Sale good now through Wednesday September 18 at Midnight est.

Discount codes are provided as a courtesy to our customers. Torquere Press Inc. cannot be responsible for discounting purchases made before coupons/sales are announced, and cannot issue discounts to customers who fail to use the coupon or discount code during the purchase process.

The only question left is, which one will you buy, or will you buy the whole set?