Hi all and welcome to my blog takeover. Many thanks to Delilah Devlin for allowing me and my characters to invade her website.
My name is Claire Davon and I love to write romance, primarily paranormal and contemporary. Starting from a young age I always loved to read the happy ending romances, which in my day were the short Harlequin novels. There was a store at the end of my trolley line in Brookline, Massachusetts that used to stock the slim 180 page Harlequins on a carousel outside for 25 cents a book. I read lord knows how many before I discovered the saucier versions in Rosemary Rogers and the like. I wrote for a lot of years before giving up after being shot down by Harlequin (and I thought it would be so easy) and putting away my pen for a time.
Fast forward several years to more recent years when my stories simply wouldn’t let me alone and I went back to writing. I am proud to say that on June 21st my paranormal romance novel Fire Danger, the first in the Elementals’ Challenge series, is being released by Samhain Publishing. This novel is truly a labor of love. It started ten years ago when I had this idea about four immortal Elementals who were once human trying to save the world. It evolved to what it is today with the basic premise intact. This is the first of five books with each book having a happily ever after. What is romance without that promise of bliss (with a whole lot of spice)? These Elementals have unique powers specific to their station and have to save the world one Challenge at a time, all while facing the most baffling mystery of all—the opposite sex!
All her life, a faint memory of her parents and fire has glowed at the back of Rachel Quinn’s mind. With her parents long dead, there is no one to clarify what it means.
When a gorgeous winged man rescues her from a pack of werewolves, something flares to life inside Rachel. Suddenly she can see the paranormal world around her, a world unseen by mortals. And far more complicated.
Here is an excerpt:
“You’re not serious. Elementals are supposed to save the world.”
Phoenix squared his shoulders and shook his head. His mind was blocked from her, and she had no idea what he was thinking.
“It’s unimportant. What is important is finding out the truth about you.”
The stiffness of his body told her this was not the time to pursue this line of questioning. Unsure whether she should believe him, Rachel filed the comment away for future attention. Then the memory of the car accident drew her back. “Why don’t I remember? Why don’t I know?”
He turned to look at her and his big body almost filled the window, blocking the view.
“Why don’t I have wings if I’m what I saw in that vision? Why don’t I have more…power?” Her body heated again, and part of her wanted to be that winged creature with the power of fire at her command. She yearned for it, like it was a part of her she hadn’t known was missing until this moment.
Phoenix shrugged, his shoulders flexing. “There was something there, interfering, maybe protecting. I’m not sure. As to your wings, not all Ifrit have them.”
“Shouldn’t I look more…different?”
Another shrug.
Heat warmed her face as her temper started to fray. The visions Phoenix had teased from her mind made her feel off-balance, like a wobbling top. She dashed across the room to him, her face heating with anger. “I am so confused.”
Rachel did the only thing she could think of. She kissed him.
Phoenix reacted, his arms immediately closing around her. His tongue sought hers, probing, demanding a response, which she gave, meeting his desire with a hot, burning need of her own. It flared like fire between them, passion that came to life instantly.
He broke off the kiss only to nibble on her ear. His breath was warm, and she shuddered with wanting him. She had to have him. She was projecting desire and she didn’t care.
He chuckled. “Come, Rachel. I want you so much. This Phoenix is hungry.” His hips thrust against hers, leaving her no doubt of his fierce arousal.
“Yes. Now. Now.”
“Hungry Ifrit too.” His laugh was fierce and possessive, tinged with hunger. Phoenix lifted her and kissed her. His lips moved over hers until she let out a breath and opened her lips to his.
With Phoenix she was a queen. All the pent-up passion inside her could finally be expressed without fear. But her desire, her needs, were so intense she thought maybe even an immortal Phoenix couldn’t deal with it.
“I can deal with it, Rachel. Give me everything. I need all you have. I have to have it,” he said on a fervent whisper.
“Aleric.” She leaned against him. “What I feel, it scares me.”
He gathered her body into his arms, pulling her legs around his waist, and started kissing her neck. “It should scare you. I should scare you.”
*~*~*
Links:
Samhain: https://www.samhainpublishing.com/book/5815/fire-danger
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Fire-Danger-Claire-Davon-ebook/dp/B01A0P6FFS?ie=UTF8&keywords=claire%20davon&qid=1465258224&ref_=sr_1_1&sr=8-1
Contest
Want to win a $10 Amazon egift card? Just like my Facebook page between now and June 21 and let me know you have done so. I will draw a name on release day!
Also, if anyone would like to review Fire Danger, please email me and I can provide you with a free review copy in exchange for an honest review.
*~*~*
As a change of pace, I have a sweet fantasy novella that draws from the Elementals world but with characters completely outside of the four main characters in that story arc. This story focuses on a Spanish water woman and the African two-horned mythical beast who needs her help. The story, titled Water Woman was included in Roane Publishing’s “Masked Hearts” anthology released on May 21st, 2016.
Here is an excerpt:
Walking to the front door, she opened it. Concentrating, Isidora bade the lock on the outside gate to release and swing open. When it did so the intruders plunged through, their unshaved faces split with smiles at this unexpected piece of good luck.
Their delight turned to frowns when they saw the woman standing in the doorway. She knew she was not imposing to the untrained eye. All Alojas were small women. Their power did not come from height or strength of their human bodies. It came from within and from the ability to command water.
Hoping that Kimoni had stayed behind to protect his grandfather, Isidora smiled at her intruders.
“Looking for me, tontos?”
The men looked at each other. They appeared to be common street thugs, hired to find a brute force way into her place. Her opponent had underestimated her.
“You are Isidora Marin?” the bigger one asked, moving toward her. Isidora smiled thinly and nodded.
“You have been sent on a fool’s errand,” she said. “Turn around and leave now and no harm will come to you.” Yet. Nobody could try to break into her home and not pay a price. That would come later. Let them think they could walk away now.
The other man grinned, his smile missing a tooth. Poor souls had no idea what they were getting into.
“Come with us and no harm will come to you, bruja,” he countered.
Witch. Well, they knew who she was. That made them twice the fools to come here.
“Why are you here?” she asked. “What do you want of me?”
The bigger man shrugged. “We weren’t paid to ask questions. Just to get in. Come with us and we get a bonus.”
In the distance she heard pounding hooves. They were loud in the quiet early morning of the new day. At this hour the only thing stirring were night creatures, criminals and Kimoni. She could handle these men but her senses stirred at the idea that he was galloping to her rescue. Were the other men following him? She was sure of it. She hoped they did not find his grandfather but it was too late to worry about these things. He was coming. No other horse would be on the street now.
Kimoni, mane flying and eyes wild, plunged through the open door and pivoted to a halt, his hindquarters spinning as he stopped between her and the would-be thieves. Flanks heaving, he snorted, his body across the path of the others. He pawed at the ground with one hoof and lowered his smaller nose horn to the men.
Links:
Roane Publishing: http://www.roanepublishing.com/category-s/203.htm
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01FZPTST8
About Claire
While Claire Davon’s novels focus on romance, Claire likes to write across a wide variety of genres when it comes to short stories. Many of her shorts are set in her Elementals world, a world that will see its first full length novel released on June 21, 2016 by Samhain Publishing. She also has a novella in Roane Publishing’s Masked Hearts anthology and has had over ten short stories in many genres released in the past year. Before signing with Samhain Claire self-published two contemporary romances and a series of urban fantasy novellas. She is a member of RWA as well as her local chapter LARA.
In her spare time Claire likes to read, help animals, enjoy the sunshine and pretend to clean. She moved from Brookline, Massachusetts to Los Angeles and now calls it home.
Want to learn more about Claire? She can be found at the following links and she always loves to hear from people so feel free to sign up for her newsletter on her website or just drop her a line!
Website: www.clairedavon.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ClaireDavonindieauthor/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Bibimarlowe
She hesitated. He was good at brushing people off. Regardless of their world-class evening and morning, he could separate that. He could walk away. Her heart fluttered slightly as she realized perhaps she could not. Or just didn’t want to.
Sharon Hamilton is a NYT and USA/Today bestselling author most known for her SEAL Brotherhood series. She also writes Golden Vampire and Guardian Angel series.
