Firelight (43 page)

But this book isn’t just the product of my imagination. Readers have been so kind, telling me the most amazing stories that have transported me to fascinating places, and I want to take all of you with me!

When someone shared with me the legend of the “Angel of Taylor Street,” I fell in love with the story and couldn’t resist using it myself. The Angel of Taylor Street was a person or persons who for decades did good deeds for strangers without ever asking anything in return. I changed the character to the Saint of Taylor Street in ALL I WANT IS YOU, and now it’s an important part of Venus and Connor’s story.

But that isn’t the only one. Did you know there’s a private gambling club hidden beneath the parking lot of an old Chicago restaurant, one that’s been in business since our gangster days? I didn’t either, until someone tipped me off. Of course it is the site of a fabulous adventure for Venus and Connor. It is just a hint of Chicago’s inglorious past, but this time it has a positive spin—I promise!

I hope you’ll enjoy Venus and Connor’s story in ALL I WANT IS YOU. Please come visit my website at
www.sherrillbodine.com
. I’d love to hear from you!

Xo, Sherrill

From the desk of Kendra Leigh Castle

Dear Reader,

“Dogs and cats living together… mass hysteria!”

I heard the voice of Peter Venkman in my head a lot as I was writing MIDNIGHT RECKONING, the second book in my Dark Dynasties series. That’s because his little quip there is the basis for the story. Well, maybe not the mass hysteria part. But I did want to see what would happen when one of my cat-shifting vampires met a gorgeous woman who wasn’t just out of his reach, but out of his species entirely. This is a tale of cat vamp meets werewolf, and relationships don’t come with more built-in baggage than theirs.

I love a good star-crossed relationship, as long as it works out all right in the end (I still suffer traumatic flashbacks from
Romeo and Juliet
), but writing one turned out to be more difficult than I’d imagined. I’m perfectly happy to torment my characters from time to time, but the deck was so stacked against these two that even I was sometimes left wondering how they could possibly work things out. You see, Jaden Harrison and Lyra Black are natural enemies. In their world, vampires and werewolves don’t mix, period. While the vampires rule the cities, the wolf packs keep to more rural areas, and the enmity between the races is strong despite years of relative peace between them. The wolves think the vampires are arrogant, worthless bloodsuckers; and the vampires think the wolves are wild, unruly, violent beasts. Each race steers clear of the other, so the chances of Jaden and Lyra ever meeting were incredibly slim. But they did… and it left quite an impression.

If you’ve read
Dark Awakening
, you’ll remember the beautiful she-wolf who stalked off after Jaden insulted her. What she was doing in a vampire safe house was left a mystery, but in MIDNIGHT RECKONING, you’ll discover that Lyra has much larger problems than one rude vampire. She’s the only child of her pack’s Alpha, and the natural choice to fill his shoes when he steps down. There’s just one problem: Lyra is female, and werewolf society is patriarchal, with some archaic notions about a woman’s place that would horrify most twenty-first-century women. But this is Lyra’s family, Lyra’s world, and rather than desert them she’s determined to make them see her value. She wants to win the right to lead at the pack’s Proving… but to do so, she’ll need to learn to fight in a way that evens the playing field. Finding someone to teach her seems hopeless as the clock ticks down, until a chance encounter with an unpleasantly familiar face leads to unexpected opportunity… and a very unlikely teacher.

The wolf and the cat together are a volatile mix of confidence and caution, brashness and reserve, unrestrained ferocity and quiet intensity. Their interaction is frowned upon, and a relationship between them is strictly forbidden. But a blue-eyed Cait Sith is hard to resist for even the most stubborn she-wolf, and it isn’t long before both Lyra and Jaden start to wonder if there might not be a way around the traditional “fighting like cats and dogs” arrangement. That is, if the forces working against them from within the pack don’t end Lyra’s chances, and her life, first.

How Lyra and Jaden find their way to each other, and whether Venkman was right about canine/feline love affairs being a harbinger of the apocalypse, is something you’ll have to read the book to find out. But if you’re a fan of the sparks that fly when opposites attract, you’ll want to come along and visit the Pack of the Thorn, where a vampire cat without a cause has finally met his match.

Enjoy!

From the desk of Rochelle Alers

Dear Reader,

You’ve just picked up a very special novel, one that has lingered in my heart for ages.

SANCTUARY COVE, the first book in the Cavanaugh Island series, not only comes from my heart but connects me to my ancestral roots.

Set on a Sea Island in the Carolina lowcountry, SANCTUARY COVE envelops you with the comforting spirit of a small town, where the residents cling to old traditions that assure a slower, more comforting way of life. Drive slowly through quaint Main Street, and you’ll sense a place where time seems to stand still. Step into Jack’s Fish House and be welcomed with warm feelings and comfort food. Sit quietly by the picturesque harbor and listen to the natural ebb and flow of nature.

The Cove draws recently widowed Deborah Robinson into its embrace, offering a fresh start for herself, her teenaged son, and her daughter. Her grandmother’s ancestral home reaches out to her, filled with wonderful childhood memories that give Deborah the strength she needs to face her future.

When Dr. Asa Monroe arrives at the Cove, he’s at a crossroads. The loss of his wife and young son in a tragic accident has devastated his world, sending him on a nomadic journey to find faith and meaning. And as he spends the winter on the Cove, he discovers a world of peace that has eluded him for more than a year. When he meets Deborah, he realizes not only that they are kindred spirits but that fate might grant him a second chance at love. When friendship gives way to passion, Deborah and Asa find their greatest challenge is hiding their love in a town where there is no such thing as a secret.

The residents of the Cove are loving, wonderful, and quirky, just like the relatives we love even when they embarrass us at family reunions. So come on home and meet Asa, Deborah and her children, and a town full of unforgettable characters who will make you laugh, cry, and long for island living. Sit down with a glass of lemonade, put your feet up, and let life move a little slower. Enjoy the magnificent sunsets, the rattle of palmetto leaves in the breeze, and the mouthwatering aroma of lowcountry home cooking. If you listen carefully, you’ll even hear a few folks speak Gullah, a dialect that is a blend of English and African.

And don’t forget to look for
Angels Landing
, the second novel in the Cavanaugh Island series, coming in the fall of 2012.

Read, enjoy, and do let me hear from you!

[email protected]

www.rochellealers.com

Praise for FIRELIGHT

“A sizzling paranormal with dark history and explosive magic! Callihan is an impressive new talent.”

—Larissa Ione,
New York Times
bestselling author of
Immortal Rider

“A dark, delicious tale of secrets, murder, and love, beautifully shrouded in the shadows of Victorian London.”

—Hannah Howell,
New York Times
bestselling author of
If He’s Dangerous

“Inventive and adventurous with complex, witty characters, and snappy writing. Callihan will make you believe in the power of destiny and true love.”

—Shana Abé,
New York Times
bestselling author of
The Time Weaver