Antonia Aquilante
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Rainbow Snippets July 29-30

7/30/2023

3 Comments

 
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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.

I'm currently sharing snippets from To Love the Dragon King, which is being proofread while I figure out the details of self-publishing it so I can (finally!) release it into the world this summer. To Love the Dragon King is the first book in a new series, the Dragons of Ivria, which I believe will be a trilogy. In this book, dragon shifter Lysander, the king of Ivria, has come into the knowledge of a treasonous plot against him and the kingdom and has set out to discover the extent of it and its participants. When he arrives to arrest one of the conspirators, he finds Sascha. Sascha was not born with the magic to allow him to transform into a dragon, and therefore, to his (horrible) parents, his only purpose is to enter into a marriage or a contract as a concubine that will benefit his family. To that end, they've contracted him to Jannik, the man Lysander is about to arrest. Sascha  has no knowledge of the plot, or that he's being used in it, or that he's about to be caught up in the orbit of the king and the scheming and danger that revolves around him. This snippet follows directly from last week's.
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​“Well,” Lord Jannik said finally, “your face is as exquisite as they told me. Let’s hope the rest of you is as well.”

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Sascha’s lips parted, but his mind was blank. He could think of nothing to say in response to that greeting. 

Lord Jannik didn’t seem to expect a reply. He turned to his man of business. “Hannes, I need to see you in my study for a few moments.” He directed his next words and his hard gaze back to Sascha. “While I’m in my meeting, you will go upstairs and bathe. No need to dress after. I want a good look at you, and as long as you please me, more than that.”

Sascha still couldn’t seem to conjure a reply, but he gasped when Lord Jannik reached out and gripped his chin firmly.

“Don’t think to keep me waiting, little Sascha. You’re mine now to do with as I will, and you won’t like the consequences if you disobey.” He pressed a hard kiss to Sascha’s closed lips, then released him as abruptly as he’d grabbed him. “A maid will show you up.”

He turned and strode away. Hannes followed on his heels, not sparing a look for Sascha.

You can find out more about To Love the Dragon King here. And don't forget the rest of my books are 50% off at Smashwords through July 31st, so don't miss out! Thanks for reading today!
3 Comments

Wayne Library Author Meet & Greet

7/27/2023

1 Comment

 
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If you're in the Wayne, New Jersey, area, come by the Wayne Library on August 5th to hang out with me and two other local romance authors, Carol Van Den Hende and Miriam Allenson. Hope to see you there!
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Rainbow Snippets July 22-23

7/23/2023

4 Comments

 
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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.

I'm currently sharing snippets from To Love the Dragon King, which is being proofread while I figure out the details of self-publishing it so I can (finally!) release it into the world this summer. To Love the Dragon King is the first book in a new series, the Dragons of Ivria, which I believe will be a trilogy. In this book, dragon shifter Lysander, the king of Ivria, has come into the knowledge of a treasonous plot against him and the kingdom and has set out to discover the extent of it and its participants. When he arrives to arrest one of the conspirators, he finds Sascha. Sascha was not born with the magic to allow him to transform into a dragon, and therefore, to his (horrible) parents, his only purpose is to enter into a marriage or a contract as a concubine that will benefit his family. To that end, they've contracted him to Jannik, the man Lysander is about to arrest. Sascha  has no knowledge of the plot, or that he's being used in it, or that he's about to be caught up in the orbit of the king and the scheming and danger that revolves around him. This snippet follows directly after last week's. 
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​His breathing had sped up and he focused once more on slowing it.

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Had his parents known what they were sending—selling—Sascha into? They couldn’t have. No matter how attractive the contact and connection to a prominent family, they wouldn’t have gone through with it if they’d had any idea of the man they were giving him to. Sascha knew well his role in the family—like that of his sisters—was to make the most advantageous match possible, whether as spouse or concubine, and he’d accepted it long ago. But did the match have to be this one?

Lord Jannik stopped in front of Sascha and scrutinized him head to toe from his position a half a head taller. Sascha had never been so glad for the enveloping cover of his cloak as that gaze slithered over him.

Find more about To Love the Dragon King here. My other books are 50% off at Smashwords through the end of the month—don't miss out on a great sale! Thanks for reading today!
4 Comments

Rainbow Snippets July 15-16

7/16/2023

4 Comments

 
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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.

I'm currently sharing snippets from To Love the Dragon King, which is being proofread while I figure out the details of self-publishing it so I can (finally!) release it into the world this summer. To Love the Dragon King is the first book in a new series, the Dragons of Ivria, which I believe will be a trilogy. In this book, dragon shifter Lysander, the king of Ivria, has come into the knowledge of a treasonous plot against him and the kingdom and has set out to discover the extent of it and its participants. When he arrives to arrest one of the conspirators, he finds Sascha. Sascha was not born with the magic to allow him to transform into a dragon, and therefore, to his (horrible) parents, his only purpose is to enter into a marriage or a contract as a concubine that will benefit his family. To that end, they've contracted him to Jannik, the man Lysander is about to arrest. Sascha  has no knowledge of the plot, or that he's being used in it, or that he's about to be caught up in the orbit of the king and the scheming and danger that revolves around him. This snippet follows directly after last week's.
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​Physically, he wasn’t imposing. His build was average, and he was older than Sascha’s father. Gray streaked his thick blond hair. But an aura of menace surrounded him. His eyes were hard and cold, his lips set in a mean twist. His movements were sharp and authoritative. This man was in complete control of his household, of his affairs, of all he considered his—and his control would not be kind or fair. 

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Sascha understood Triana’s warning now.

You can find more about To Love the Dragon King here. And don't forget that my other books are all 50% off at Smashwords this month, which is a fantastic sale. Thanks for reading today!
4 Comments

To Love the Dragon King Cover Reveal!

7/14/2023

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I have been waiting so long to share this gorgeous cover with you! My plan had been to finish and publish To Love the Dragon King ages ago, so I've been sitting on this gorgeous cover that the amazing Natasha Snow made for me for what feels like forever. But we're getting much closer now—I don't have a firm release date yet, but the plan is August, which is so very soon. Fingers crossed everything works out as planned. Take a look at the fabulous cover:
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Smashwords Sale!

7/10/2023

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During the Smashwords sale, my books are all 50% off through July. If you missed NineStar Press's Pride Month sale last month, you have another opportunity to grab some fantasy romance at a great price! 
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Rainbow Snippets July 8-9

7/9/2023

2 Comments

 
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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.

I'm currently sharing snippets from To Love the Dragon King, which is being proofread while I figure out the details of self-publishing it so I can (finally!) release it into the world this summer. To Love the Dragon King is the first book in a new series, the Dragons of Ivria, which I believe will be a trilogy. In this book, dragon shifter Lysander, the king of Ivria, has come into the knowledge of a treasonous plot against him and the kingdom and has set out to discover the extent of it and its participants. When he arrives to arrest one of the conspirators, he finds Sascha. Sascha was not born with the magic to allow him to transform into a dragon, and therefore, to his (horrible) parents, his only purpose is to enter into a marriage or a contract as a concubine that will benefit his family. To that end, they've contracted him to Jannik, the man Lysander is about to arrest. Sascha  has no knowledge of the plot, or that he's being used in it, or that he's about to be caught up in the orbit of the king and the scheming and danger that revolves around him. This snippet follows directly after last week's.
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​His resolve didn’t stop him from jumping when a voice bellowed from deeper in the castle. It didn’t stop his hands from trembling when he realized the owner of the bellowing voice was coming closer. And that, from the reaction of the staff, the bellower had to be Lord Jannik. No one had taken Sascha’s cloak, so he clenched his gloved hands together beneath it and strove to regain his tattered self-possession as he was left alone in the center of the hall, the servants scattering, the man of business halting several feet away from him.

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Sascha’s first sight of Jannik did not inspire calm—nor did it inspire feelings like desire or infatuation or even interest, and so he let go of any dream of such things he might’ve had. No, the man who strode into the hall inspired nothing but fear.

Stay tuned this week for the reveal of the gorgeous cover of To Love the Dragon King! In the meantime, check out the Smashwords sale in which all my other books are 50% off through July. Thanks for reading today!
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My June Reading

7/5/2023

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This year has been flying by! Somehow I blinked and it's already July. Does anyone else feel like the year is just speeding along? I had big plans for my reading last month, and as usual, they didn't come to fruition. But I did read some books I want to tell you about:

White Trash Warlock by David R Slayton (Urban fantasy with M/M romance): From the title, it feels like this book is going to be lighthearted, but it's definitely serious in tone and deals with issues of poverty and family trouble. Adam hasn't seen his brother or mother since they had him committed when he was a teenager because he could hear voices. The voices were actually spirits, but his family either didn't believe in his magic or didn't want to deal with it. He checked himself out as soon as he turned eighteen and has been living with a great-aunt with the same gifts as he has in her trailer, working odd jobs ever since. Then his brother calls Adam because his wife is under the influence of a spirit and Adam is the only one he knows who might be able to help. The world building is solid and interesting and the family grievances real and compelling. A great beginning to a series I will be continuing.

High Times in the Low Parliament by Kelly Robson (Fantasy with F/F romance): Lana is a brilliant scribe, who also believes herself to be absolutely charming with the ladies. While doing a favor for a fellow scribe, she angers a fairy and is sent to be a scribe at Low Parliament as a punishment. Once there, she finds things are not well and all of Parliament will be drowned if the members can't begin to agree. I'm a little torn about this novella. On the one hand, it was fun and quirky. On the other, I was so confused with the lack of world building. Fairies seem to be overlords of humans in this world, but not rulers really. There was a war at some point in the past that led to this situation and also the rules around Parliament. Also, there are only women in this world, but it's never mentioned why. It is a novella, and the length may account for the lack of world building. But I could have used a bit more. If you can ignore the questions and just go with it, as I said, it's a fun little novella.

Gateway Catastrophe by Louisa Masters (M/M paranormal romance): This was an excellent end to the Ghostly Guardians series, though I am sorry to see the series end (though I am excited to see that there is going to be a spin-off series, especially since it seems that it will involve some intriguing characters introduced in this book). While each book in the series follows a new couple and romance, the overall story carries from book to book, so definitely start this series from the beginning. The paranormal storyline is suspenseful and interesting, the characters and relationships are likable and relatable, and ghosts inhabiting the estate are hilarious.

Lavender House by Lev AC Rosen (Queer historical mystery): Lavender House is described as "Knives Out with a queer historical twist" and I can definitely see the comparison in this noir-ish mystery. In 1952 San Francisco, Andy has been fired from the police force after being caught in a raid at a gay bar. He lost his apartment and is drinking and contemplating suicide when Pearl finds him. She tells him her wife has been murdered and she needs him—a gay investigator—to find out who did it. Andy is introduced to the residents of Lavender House, people who have built a place and a family in which they can be themselves without worrying what the outside world would think of their sexualities or relationships. The mystery is satisfyingly twisty. I suspected who might have done it, but then thought maybe I was wrong several times. I also really loved the characters, Andy especially, and I'm so looking forward to the next book in the series when it comes out in the fall.

Self-Made Boys by Anna-Marie McLemore (YA trans historical romance): Self-Made Boys is a remix of The Great Gatsby, part of a series of classics remixed to be told from the perspective of marginalized identities. Nicolas Caraveo is a young Latino trans man from the Midwest who is a whiz with math. His cousin Daisy persuades his parents to let him move to New York to take a job he's been offered on Wall Street. When he arrives, he finds that Daisy has remade herself and is passing for white to be accepted in society and become engage to Tom (because, as she says, if she has to marry, she's going to do it in a way that benefits her and allows her to help her family). Nick soon meets his mysterious neighbor, Jay Gatsby, who throws lavish parties that bewilder Nick and is also trans. Jay has made himself into someone he hopes Daisy, his lost love, can be with, and Nick agrees to help him get her back, but falls for Jay himself in the process. I love this remix and how Nick's Latinx heritage and trans identity affect his perspective and the course of the story.

What have you read and loved lately?
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Rainbow Snippets July 1-2

7/2/2023

1 Comment

 
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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.

I'm switching over to snippets from To Love the Dragon King, which is currently being proofread while I figure out the details of self-publishing it so I can (finally!) release it into the world. To Love the Dragon King is the first book in a new series, the Dragons of Ivria, which I believe will be a trilogy. In this book, dragon shifter Lysander, the king of Ivria, has come into the knowledge of a treasonous plot against him and the kingdom and has set out to discover the extent of it and its participants. When he arrives to arrest one of the conspirators, he finds Sascha. Sascha was not born with the magic to allow him to transform into a dragon, and therefore, to his (horrible) parents, his only purpose is to enter into a marriage or a contract as a concubine that will benefit his family. To that end, they've contracted him to Jannik, the man Lysander is about to arrest. Sascha  has no knowledge of the plot, or that he's being used in it, or that he's about to be caught up in the orbit of the king and the scheming and danger that revolves around him. This snippet follows directly after last week's.
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​“You need to go inside.” The man’s clipped tone drew Sascha’s attention once more. “You don’t want to keep Lord Jannik waiting.”


Sascha raised his chin a fraction in an effort to appear calm and dignified. “Of course.”

Heart beating wildly, he concentrated on his breathing, on taking measured, graceful steps across the stones and through the open door. His heels clacked loudly on the marble floor, the sound echoing in the large entry hall. He almost flinched at the noise, but servants still hurried around in the wake of his arrival and the departure of the daughter of the house and the stern-faced man had followed him inside—Sascha refused to show such weakness in front of them.
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More info about To Love the Dragon King coming soon! Thanks for reading today!
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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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