Guest Blog: Coffee with Heroines of #Dark Tour & Giveaway - June 9, 2011

The Qwillery is the 6th stop on the #Dark Tour By Erin Kellison and Laurie London. Erin and Laurie are celebrating the releases of new e-novellas: Shadow Touch by Erin and Hidden by Blood by Laurie. Let's listen in as their heroines have coffee.

Coffee with Heroines of #DarkTour

Welcome to #DarkTour, and a big thank you to Sally for hosting us. Laurie London and I have got great prizes to give away— Shadow Bound (book 1 in my Shadow series), Bonded by Blood (book 1 in Laurie’s Sweetblood series), and a bonus book, Ascension, by author Caris Roane. We’ll also be adding bookmarks and romance trading cards to the package. Good, yes? Enter to win by answering the question below.

Today we are spotlighting the heroines of the Shadow and Sweetblood series. To start, Brenna, the heroine of Hidden by Blood, has met up with Ellie, from Shadow Touch, for a coffee and a get-to-know you chat to prepare for #DarkTour.

Brenna tries to keep her gaze on Ellie, but can’t help looking over at Ellie’s nude, disembodied shadow, who is glaring at her. “So,” Brenna asks smiling, “uhh…what’s up with the shadow?”

Ellie glances at her dark self, who is curled on a seat at another table, clearly distrustful of Brenna. Ellie hopes Brenna doesn’t notice that her shadow is on edge, ready to attack, if necessary.

Ellie smiles back, shrugging. “She senses that something is unusual about you, but since I’m split in two, I can’t exactly point any fingers, can I?” Ellie laughs nervously. “My shadow is my deep self, kinda like a Freudian id. Passions and instinct control her. And she’s getting stronger every day.”

Brenna leans forward, sympathetic. “That must be very…”

“… embarrassing?” Ellie interrupts. It’s so much more than that, but impossible to explain to a stranger. Instead, Ellie quips, “You should see her around attractive men. And if she senses I’m in danger…”

Her shadow hisses at Brenna.

“…then she will defend me,” Ellie finishes. “It’s happened before. No one knows, not even me, what she’s capable of.”

“I’m capable of anything,” her shadow says, gaze never leaving Brenna.

Ellie closes her eyes for patience. “I don’t mean that to sound threatening, it’s just…she obviously can tell that you are dangerous in your own right.”

Brenna smiles. “I suppose I am. But you have nothing to worry about.”

Ellie knows Brenna’s telling the truth, because her shadow settles back on her seat, though her glare is just as fierce. “Anyway, I’m determined to put an end to it,” Ellis says, “which is why I’m going to Segue. And I’m not leaving there until someone helps me.”

“What’s Segue?” Brenna asks.

Ellie picks up her coffee mug. Takes a sip. “It’s a paranormal research center. There’s a scientist there, Dr. Cameron Kalamos, who is investigating the unusual properties of shadows. He’s finally agreed to see me, though I’m pretty sure he’s not prepared for the likes of her.” Ellie darts a glance over at her dark self. “I think she’s only accompanying me because Dr. Kalamos is pretty cute.”

“Hot,” her shadow corrects.

Ellie sighs. “Yeah, okay. He’s hot. Anyway, enough about me. …

Brenna tears open a sugar packet, pours it slowly into her mug. “No, really, I don’t mind.”

“You...you don’t?” Ellie’s eyes go wide. “I figured she...we would totally freak you out.”

“Hardly. It’s refreshing, actually.” Brenna smiles as she stirs her latte. “I can totally relate to having a dark nature.”

“Seriously?”

“You’re not the only one with issues, Ellie. As a vampire, my dark nature is a part of me. I struggle with it daily. The urges, the compulsions.” Brenna glances at the shadow who looks ready to spring again. No doubt because the V word has been dropped. “Most of the time I manage pretty well. Working in the medical field like I do, you have to. But it’s especially difficult with one particular man. And yeah, he’s hot.”

“How do you manage?” Ellie glances over at her naked self. “I find it so...overwhelming at times.”

“I’m not saying it’s easy. If it was, no one would want to tell our stories.” Brenna sighs. “In my case, I try to avoid situations where I know I’m going to have...trouble.”

Brenna tenses, expecting some sort of reaction from the shadow, but the dark figure has just noticed the tatted up barista behind the counter.

“So, tell me about this guy,” Ellie prompts.

Brenna takes a sip of her latte and stares at her new friend over the rim. “Finn McKentry is a former Army Ranger who runs his own helicopter business. You know, sight-seeing, corporate outings, that sort of thing. He’s brash, bold, daring with just the faintest touch of a Scottish accent.”

“Mmmm, he does sound hot. So what’s the problem?”

Brenna sighs. “For one thing, he’s a human. But not only that, he’s also a sweetblood. It’s a rare blood type that’s extremely addictive to vampires. One taste and I won’t be able to stop. My dark nature will take over and I’ll kill him. Drain him of his blood and his energies.”

“His energies?” Ellie scowls. “I don’t understand.”

Brenna looks at the shadow who is now rubbing a hand suggestively over her hips as she stares at the barista. Wow, that would be hard to deal with day in and day out. Okay, she’d better be quick about this.

“Give me your hand.”

Ellie tentatively reaches out across the table. Brenna grabs her hand and a jolt of energy shoots up her arm before she lets go. “Did you feel that?”

Ellie looks at her palm, shakes her head.

“Many humans don’t,” Brenna explains. “Because vampires can’t get energy from ultra-violet light like you do, we need to absorb it through physical contact. Often, you’ll just feel tired afterwards. Like you didn’t sleep well. Or, as is the case for many people in the Northwest, you’ll feel as if you’re suffering from Seasonal Affective Disorder and need sunlight.”

Ellie nods then waits a moment before asking, “So, what...ah...happened to the guy?”

Brenna stares into her cup. The heart design the barista had made in the foam is gone. All that is left is a stirred up mess.

“I broke up with him and told my dark self, never again.”


About the e-Novellas and Authors

Hidden By Blood
A Sweetblood e-Novella
(June 1, 2011)

Deep within the forests of the Pacific Northwest, two vampire coalitions battle for supremacy—Guardians who safeguard humanity and Darkbloods, rogues who will stop at nothing to satisfy their craving for the sweetest of human blood.

Now, former Army Ranger Finn McKentry finds himself imprisoned as a blood slave, forced to submit to an enemy more powerful than any he's encountered before. Only Brenna Stewart, the woman he'd loved and lost, can set him free—but the secret she harbors might lead them down the most dangerous path of all…


Amazon : B&N



About Laurie

A graduate of Western Washington University with a BA in Business Administration and a former tester/programmer for a Fortune 500 company, Laurie London now writes from her home near Seattle where she lives with her husband and two children.

When not writing, she can be found running, reading, or riding and showing her horse. Someday she hopes to qualify for the Quarter Horse World Show – that is, if her horse doesn’t get hurt again.

You can find Laurie online here:

Website:  http://www.laurielondonbooks.com/
Facebook:  www.facebook.com/LaurieLondonAuthor
Twitter:  www.twitter.com/LaurieBLondon


Shadow Touch
A Shadow e-Novella
(June 1, 2011)

Magic
It is bleeding into our world, bringing with it banshees, wraiths, fae from the twisting forests of Twilight. But Elllie's problem is a very different kind of phenomenon. . .

Shadow
It ought to be attached to her; instead it has a life of its own. And her dark mirror image is a wild thing, willfully seducing the very man Ellie hoped could help.

Science
Cam has devoted his career to exploring the boundaries between this world and the Hereafter. But nothing could prepare him for the mischief and mayhem of a soul split in two.

Surrender
Who will give in first: the man struggling to unite two halves of one fascinating female; the shadow fighting for freedom to experience the thrill of every emotion; or the woman who is about to discover her own deepest desires?

Amazon : B&N


About Erin

Erin Kellison is the author of the Shadow Series, which includes Shadow Bound and Shadow Fall, as well as the upcoming Shadowman (Sept 2011), and the e-novella Shadow Touch (June 2011). Stories have always been a central part of Erin's life. She attempted her first book in sixth grade, a dark fantasy adventure, and she still has those early hand-written chapters. She graduated summa cum laude with a degree in English Language and Literature and went on for a masters in Cultural Anthropology, focusing on oral storytelling. When she had children, nothing scared her anymore, so her focus shifted to writing fiction.

You can find Erin online here:

Website: http://www.erinkellison.com/
Facebook: www.facebook.com/ErinKellison
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/ekellison


The Giveaway

THE RULES

What:  One commenter will win Shadow Bound (book 1 in Erin's Shadow series), Bonded by Blood (book 1 in Laurie’s Sweetblood series), and a bonus book, Ascension, by author Caris Roane. Erin and Laurie will also be adding bookmarks and romance trading cards to the package.


How:  Leave a comment answering the following question:

What are your favorite fictional characters who fight with their dark side?

Please remember - if you don't answer the question your entry will not be counted.

You may receive additional entries by:

1)  Being a Follower of The Qwillery.

2)  Mentioning the giveaway on Facebook and/or Twitter. Even if you mention the giveaway on both, you will get only one additional entry. You get only one additional entry even if you mention the giveaway on Facebook and/or Twitter multiple times.

There are a total of 3 entries you may receive: Comment (1 entry), Follower (+1 entry), and Facebook and/or Twitter (+ 1 entry). This is subject to change again in the future for future giveaways.

Please leave links for Facebook or Twitter. In addition please leave a way to contact you.

Who and When: The contest is open to all humans on the planet earth with a mailing address. Contest ends at 11:59pm US Eastern Time on Thursday, June  16, 2011. Void where prohibited by law.

*Giveaway rules are subject to change.*