Category: Elemental Magicae Duology

Rainbow Snippet December 8-9

12/8/2018

It's weekend, and time for more Rainbow Snippets. 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 giving you a snippet from A Dance of Water and Air today because it (and other trans and nonbinary books) are on sale at NineStar for the next few days. And since we unexpectedly got a little snow today (more than flurries but nothing that stuck), here's a little scene with some snow.

Arden emerged from the bathing room as Edmund opened the curtains, flooding the room with light. A little thrill of delight went through him at the sight that greeted him. “It snowed overnight.”

Arden came up beside him, standing close, and peered out. “Only a coating, but it does look pretty,” he said with a sidelong glance at Edmund, as if he knew Edmund’s childlike glee at the snow. Thalassa got little snow and none this early in the year. “I’m happy it waited until after we arrived. It would have been a cold walk otherwise.”

If you'd like to know more about A Dance of Water and Air, you can find it here, and it's 35% off at NineStar through the 11th if you were waiting to give it a try. Thanks for reading!

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Rainbow Snippet November 24-25

11/24/2018

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It's weekend, and time for more Rainbow Snippets. 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 working on edits for A Harmony of Fire and Earth, the second book in the Elemental Magicae duology after A Dance of Water and Air, and I thought I would share a snippet from that with you today. Then I had to find one that didn't have lots of spoilers for Dance! This snippet introduces some new characters to you (and I went over the sentence limit again! Sorry!).

Rhys unwound his scarf as he greeted the tavern owner, smiling and laughing at his greeting. He and his sister had been stopping in this tavern every time they were in Alizarin for years, and their work brought them there often, at least to pass through. The inn they preferred was next door, and the food and drink were always good and reasonably priced here. But there was another reason Rhys liked this particular tavern.

He wished he could say he hadn’t looked as soon as he stepped through the door, but of course he had.

Briallen took his arm and drew him over to a table. She seated herself before he could get to her chair, which was certainly her intention; she also left him the side of the table with the better view of the room—also intentional, if he knew his sister. He gave her a wry look, but she only smiled in return.

“He’s here.”

“I’m aware.” Rhys could do nothing but admit it—Briallen would know he lied if he said he hadn’t seen Gaz seated in the corner.

A Harmony of Fire and Earth should be out from NineStar Press in March 2019, which gives you lots of time for the first book in the series, A Dance of Water and Air. If you haven't read it yet, or you need to catch up on any of my books, they're all on sale this weekend! Find them at Dreamspinner and NineStar. Thanks for reading!

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Rainbow Snippet November 17-18

11/17/2018

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It's weekend, and time for more Rainbow Snippets. 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 have a little more from A Dance of Water and Air for you this week. Edmund has been accused of trying to assassinate the queen and thrown in the dungeon, and Arden is about to help him escape. (I went a little over the sentence limit, but I thought it was necessary this time. Sorry!)

He had no idea how much time had passed when he heard the scrape of a key in the lock. Seren scrambled to her feet with less than her usual grace, but far more quickly than Edmund expected. Edmund was slower to move on legs gone stiff and cold. He squinted into the light as the door swung open. Seren tensed, as if ready to jump at whoever might come through, never mind how well that had worked before. Two figures crowded into the doorway; Edmund had just realized who they were when one of the men spoke.

“Edmund,” Arden gasped. “Are you all right?”

“Arden—”

Arden rushed forward and pulled Edmund into a kiss, a kiss that tasted of fear and desperation and a brilliant sweetness underneath the rest. The suddenness of it, the impulsivity of Arden’s kissing him in front of others—in a dungeon of all places—froze Edmund for half a second, but then he was kissing Arden back, and he never wanted to stop.

If you'd like to know more about A Dance of Water and Air, you can find it here. Thanks for reading!

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Rainbow Snippet - November 10-11

11/10/2018

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It's weekend, and time for more Rainbow Snippets. 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 have a little more from A Dance of Water and Air for you today. I'll probably start snippeting from something else soon (maybe even a bit of A Harmony of Fire and Earth, which I'm working on the first edit of now).

He put a hand on Edmund’s arm, biting back a gasp at how good it felt to touch Edmund, even so innocently. Edmund’s eyes widened, but he didn’t move. “I don’t think you’re being ridiculous, Edmund. Not at all.”

They stood like that for—well, Arden wasn’t sure how long. Just looking at each other, their only contact Arden’s hand on Edmund’s arm. Arden wanted so much to kiss Edmund, ached with the want of it, but he couldn’t. He couldn’t move away either.

You can find out more about A Dance of Water and Air here. Thanks for reading today!

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Rainbow Snippet November 3-4

11/3/2018

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It's weekend, and time for more Rainbow Snippets. 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 have more from A Dance of Water and Air for you today. This is a scene in which Edmund is walking in the gardens of Aither's castle. I went over six sentences, but I thought it needed to be finished out.

He drifted closer to the pond. It was the only body of water he’d seen since arriving, and it wasn’t much of one— far too small for swimming. Suddenly the pang of loss for home and the sea was almost unbearable. He missed his daily swims far more than he’d thought he would. Missed seeing the water every day too. He sat on the low stone wall that surrounded the pond and reached down to dip his fingers into the water.

It was shockingly cold, but the tiny hand that wrapped around one of his fingers was even more of a shock. He let out a strangled yelp even as he realized what it must be. A tiny head broke the surface of the pond and looked up at him. Her skin was a pale turquoise, her hair a deeper blue-green, and it spread out around her, long and wavy, on the water.

“Hello, Water Prince,” the undine said in a voice like water tumbling over stones.

You can find more about A Dance of Water and Air here. Thanks for reading today!

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Rainbow Snippet October 27-28

10/27/2018

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It's weekend, and time for more Rainbow Snippets. 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 snippeting from A Dance of Water and Air again this weekend, but I've skipped ahead a little. Arden has been asked by his sister the queen to show Edmund around and acquaint him with Aither's court. Here they are meeting to go for a ride in the area surrounding the castle.

“Prince Edmund, good afternoon,” Arden said with a polite smile. Not warm or familiar, but welcoming, for which Edmund was glad, even if the welcome was only because of Edmund’s title and purpose and not himself.

He returned the smile, putting as much friendliness as he could into it without being impolite, and held out a hand to Arden. “Good afternoon, Prince Arden. Thank you for taking the time for me today.”

Arden blinked quickly but took Edmund’s hand with long fingers tipped in nails painted silver, a fashion that had never quite caught on at the Thalassa court. His grip was firm before his hand slipped away.

You can find more about A Dance of Water and Air here. Thanks for reading!

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Rainbow Snippet October 20-21

10/20/2018

5 Comments

It's weekend, and time for more Rainbow Snippets. 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+.

Last week's snippet was Arden's reaction upon first seeing Edmund in A Dance of Water and Air. This week, I thought I would give you Arden through Edmund's eyes when he first sees him.

Her brother—Arden, Edmund remembered—was equally striking, and Edmund had to force himself to only study him covertly. It wouldn’t do to take his attention from Hollis, but Arden drew it nevertheless. Edmund didn’t think Arden stood as tall as he did, but he had a willowy frame that gave the illusion of height. Arden had dressed in ice blue trimmed in pale silver from head to toe. A sash wrapped around his slender waist and tied at his side; a short cape swept back, hanging from silver clasps at his shoulders. But his face, undeniably lovely and intriguing, drew Edmund in. His skin was alabaster, his eyes wide and green, mouth full and lush. Chin-length copper curls topped his head, a sparkle of diamonds just visible through them at Arden’s ears. The curls were streaked with icy blue-white.

You can find out more about A Dance of Water an Air, including a longer excerpt and buy links, here. Thanks for reading!

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Rainbow Snippet October 13-14

10/13/2018

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The tall doors, polished wood with silver and gold set in a fluid pattern over the entire surface, were pulled open, and Prince Edmund stepped through.

Arden hadn’t expected the punch of instant attraction and didn’t much care for it. He had certainly been attracted to people before and had a couple of discreet liaisons when he’d found a potential lover he could trust, but he’d seldom felt an attraction so sudden and visceral, one that had him wondering what it would be like if he dragged Edmund off to bed.

But this was his sister’s intended—for an alliance marriage that was meant to secure the safety of their kingdom.

Still, Arden understood his own reaction. Edmund was breathtaking.

More information about A Dance of Water and Air, including buy links and a longer excerpt, is here. Thanks for reading today!

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Last Day of the A Dance of Water and Air Blog Tour

10/12/2018

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Today is the last day of the blog tour and you can check out an interview and an excerpt on the last two stops. Don't forget to enter the giveaway too!

Tour Schedule

October 8
Mirrigold: Mutterings and Musings

October 9
Love Bytes Reviews

October 10
Bayou Book Junkie
Divine Magazine

October 11
Boy Meets Boy Reviews

October 12
Valerie Ullmer
AL Boyd

About A Dance of Water and Air

Edmund is heir to the throne of Thalassa and a wielder of Water magic. Devoted to his kingdom and his duty to it, Edmund can do nothing but acquiesce to an arranged marriage with the queen of a neighboring kingdom. The marriage and the child it is required to produce will seal an alliance between Thalassa and Aither that is vital to Thalassa’s safety, and far more important than Edmund’s personal misgivings.

Arden is the younger brother of Aither’s queen and a wielder of Air magic. Raised in the politics of the court to support his sister’s rule, he understands the alliance is important to Aither, even as he worries about his sister marrying someone she’s never met. When Edmund arrives in Aither to prepare for the wedding, Arden is tasked with helping him settle in at court. As they spend more time together, Edmund and Arden develop a close friendship, then stronger feelings, but with Edmund’s wedding approaching, they must hide their feelings, even from themselves.

When someone tries to assassinate the queen, Edmund is blamed, and Arden rescues him before he can be executed for a crime he didn’t commit. To prevent a war between their kingdoms and protect them from a dangerous enemy, Edmund and Arden will have to discover who wants to pit Aither and Thalassa against each other and mend relations between the two kingdoms as they evade those searching for them—all while finding a way to be together.

Add A Dance of Water and Air to your Goodreads shelf.

Buy A Dance of Water and Air:
NineStar Press
Amazon
Apple
Barnes & Noble
Smashwords
Kobo

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Another Stop on the A Dance of Water and Air Blog Tour!

10/11/2018

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I'm visiting Boy Meets Boy Reviews today to talk about the characters in the Elemental Magicae Duology. Check it out and the other posts in the tour below, and don't forget to enter the giveaway!