Antonia Aquilante
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Rainbow Snippets March 25-26

3/26/2023

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​The Rainbow Snippets group on Facebook asks its members to share six sentence snippets from their work each weekend. Check out the group's Facebook page to read all the snippets and add lots of great books to your TBR. You'll find all sorts of books with the common thread that the main character identifies as LGBTQ.

This month, I'm posting snippets from The Prince's Consort, my first published novel and the first book in my Chronicles of Tournai series. This is a prince/commoner romance with lots of magic, secrets, and intrigue. Amory is a commoner with a frankly horrible father, who tries to use him to bargain for more time on a late commission for the Crown Prince. Prince Philip has nothing but disgust for Amory's father but is intrigued by Amory. The two become closer but someone will do anything, even kill, to keep them apart. I've skipped ahead a bit for this snippet. Amory and Philip and now married and on their way back from their short wedding trip. But someone is not happy that they're married.
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“Maybe we should have taken the carriage,” he said.

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Amory glanced at him, his expression quizzical. “I thought you wanted to take advantage of the sunshine. Aren’t you enjoying yourself?” “I am, but I realized we could be enjoying ourselves quite a bit more alone in the carriage.”

Amory stared at him and then laughed, even as a faint blush tinted his cheeks a rosier shade of pink. “You’re terrible.”

“You love it. And this is our wedding trip, for a while longer anyway. 
We should make the most of it.” He let his smile become wicked and winked at Amory.

Amory shook his head fondly. “I think that’s what we’ve been doing since our wedding night, but I suppose we could slow down and wait for the carriage. We didn’t pass it very long ago. There might be enough time to—”

Amory broke off with a shout and a jerk of his shoulder.

“Amory? What—”

Star made a high sound that could only have been caused by pain and reared, dumping Amory, who had been struggling one-handed with the reins, onto the road. Fear coursed through Philip, turning his insides to ice, when Amory fell from his horse--that was before the arrow hit the road next to Amory.


​You can find out more about The Prince's Consort here. Thanks for reading today!
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Rainbow Snippets March 18-19

3/19/2023

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​The Rainbow Snippets group on Facebook asks its members to share six sentence snippets from their work each weekend. Check out the group's Facebook page to read all the snippets and add lots of great books to your TBR. You'll find all sorts of books with the common thread that the main character identifies as LGBTQ.

This month, I'm posting snippets from The Prince's Consort, my first published novel and the first book in my Chronicles of Tournai series. This is a prince/commoner romance with lots of magic, secrets, and intrigue. Amory is a commoner with a frankly horrible father, who tries to use him to bargain for more time on a late commission for the Crown Prince. Prince Philip has nothing but disgust for Amory's father but is intrigued by Amory. The two become closer but someone will do anything, even kill, to keep them apart. In this snippet, Philip shares a secret with Amory. There is a legend in Tournai that states that huge magical cats once saved Tournai from being conquered and will return if the country is ever in danger, but no one knows it's based in truth. Tournai's royal family has magic that they've kept secret for generations—their ability to change into huge cats. Philip decides to trust Amory with the secret, and then show him.
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​Amory gasped. Philip hadn’t lied when he said he turned into 
a big cat, and he was like no cat Amory had seen before. His head would probably come up to Amory’s waist. His body was sleek and looked powerful; his fur a shimmering blue-black. But Amory wasn’t afraid. Philip’s unique eyes looked at him out of the cat’s face, and they still were brimming with worry.

“Is that you in there?”

The cat nodded.

Amory let out a long breath. “You’re gorgeous.”

Philip hesitated and then walked slowly toward Amory. When Amory didn’t move, Philip came right up to him and rubbed his head against Amory’s stomach. Amory let out a half laugh and lifted a hand to Philip’s head. His fur was silky soft, like Philip’s hair. Amory stroked both hands over Philip’s head and neck. The rumbled purr was similar to the sound Philip made when Amory stroked his hair, only louder.

You can find more about The Prince's Consort here. Thanks for reading today, and I hope you're staying safe and well!
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Rainbow Snippets March 11-12

3/12/2023

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The Rainbow Snippets group on Facebook asks its members to share six sentence snippets from their work each weekend. Check out the group's Facebook page to read all the snippets and add lots of great books to your TBR. You'll find all sorts of books with the common thread that the main character identifies as LGBTQ.

This month, I'm posting snippets from The Prince's Consort, my first published novel and the first book in my Chronicles of Tournai series. This is a prince/commoner romance with lots of magic, secrets, and intrigue. Amory is a commoner with a frankly horrible father, who tries to use him to bargain for more time on a late commission for the Crown Prince. Prince Philip has nothing but disgust for Amory's father but is intrigued by Amory. The two become closer but someone will do anything, even kill, to keep them apart. Here's a snippet of a conversation between Amory and his sister Adeline after Amory has been with Philip for a little while. Adeline may see something that Amory isn't ready to acknowledge. 
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​She nodded. “You want to understand so you can know him, so you 
can make his life easier whenever possible. It’s what you do for the people you love.”

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He stopped walking and gaped at her. “I didn’t say I love Philip. I haven’t known him long enough for love.”

She tilted her head and looked at him in the knowing way he found so irritating. “Fine, because it’s what you do for the people you care about.”

“Fine.” He accepted her correction and pushed all thoughts of love aside.

You can find more about The Prince's Consort here. Thanks for reading today!
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Another Belated Rainbow Snippet

3/6/2023

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This weekend got away from me again and I didn't get a chance to post a Rainbow Snippet, so you're getting a belated one!

​The Rainbow Snippets group on Facebook asks its members to share six sentence snippets from their work each weekend. Check out the group's Facebook page to read all the snippets and add lots of great books to your TBR. You'll find all sorts of books with the common thread that the main character identifies as LGBTQ.

This month, I'm posting snippets from The Prince's Consort, my first published novel and the first book in my Chronicles of Tournai series. This is a prince/commoner romance with lots of magic, secrets, and intrigue. Amory is a commoner with a frankly horrible father, who tries to use him to bargain for more time on a late commission for the Crown Prince. Prince Philip has nothing but disgust for Amory's father but is intrigued by Amory. The two become closer but someone will do anything, even kill, to keep them apart. For this week's snippet, I'm sharing a first kiss.
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​The prince’s smile lit the room, like the su
n appearing, and Amory reeled, dazzled just looking at him. When he stood and held out a hand, Amory didn’t hesitate to take it and let himself be drawn to his feet. They were close together, so close Amory could feel the heat of the prince’s body. The prince leaned down the few inches separating them and brushed his lips over Amory’s.

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The kiss was light and quick, but utterly stunning. Amory knew his eyes were wide as he stared at the prince, his breath coming faster, a tingle of warmth shimmering over his entire body. All from one chaste kiss. He wondered what would happen when they really kissed.

The prince’s eyes were wide as well as he watched Amory. Had it felt the same to him? It had barely been a kiss, but it felt like a start. Maybe even a promise.

You can find more about The Prince's Consort here. Also, The Prince's Consort and my other books are 50% off through March 11th at Smashwords—don't miss a great sale! Thanks for reading today!
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Read an Ebook Week Sale

3/5/2023

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All of my books are 50% off at Smashwords this week in their Read an Ebook Week Sale. Now is a great time to grab yourself some fantasy romance cheap!
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My February Reading

3/3/2023

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February flew by in the haze of writing and revising that was the JeRoWriMo challenge, and while I'm still shocked that it's March already, I'm really happy with the progress I made on the To Love the Dragon King. But that also seems to mean that I started a lot of books but didn't finish many. My brain just couldn't get into most of them, even though I'm excited to read them and will go back to them at some point. Most of what I did read was in audiobook while cooking, cleaning, or exercising. 

Master of Djinn by P. Djeli Clark (fantasy with F/F romance): This alt-historical fantasy is set in 1912 in an Egypt that has become a world power with the help of the djinn and their magic. The world building is fantastic and compelling, as is the plot. Murder, magic, and intrigue twine through the novel, and Agent Fatma (with her incredible suits) of the Ministry of Alchemy, Enchantments, and Supernatural Entities has to solve the mystery and save the world with the help of her girlfriend Siti and her fellow agents. I read a couple of novellas in the series last year, and now I'm going to eagerly await more books about Fatma, Siti, and their friends solving magical mysteries.

Conduit Crisis by Louisa Masters (M/M paranormal romance): This is the much-awaited (for me at least!) third book in the Ghostly Guardians series. It continues the series arc revolving around the historic hotel and its ghosts and gateway to the demon realm, so you should read the first two books to get the most out of this one. For all the demonic threat looming in the background, the romance is extremely low angst—with some fake dating, friends to lovers fun. Daniel and Skye have been friends for a long time. Skye has known he's in love with Daniel; Daniel just took a while to catch up. As with the other books, the found family is wonderful and the estate's ghosts are hilarious. Now, I'm impatiently waiting for book 4, after this book's cliffhanger.

The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna (M/F paranormal romance): This book is gorgeous. Cozy and comforting and witchy with a beautiful message, so many found family vibes, and a lovely, quiet romance between lonely witch Mika and grumpy, protective librarian Jamie. In the world of this book, witches are always orphans and are meant to stay separated from each other and hide their magic from the world. Mika receives a mysterious message asking her to come to an isolated house and be a tutor to three witch children. There, she finds an odd assortment of people who have built a strong, loving family for these three little girls, a family Mika soon becomes part of too. This book made me laugh and cry and smile. I'm sure I'll be rereading.

​What have you read and loved lately?
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    Antonia is a writer and a reader and a copy editor/proofreader. She loves books, travel, art, photography, baking, pasta, and shoes.

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