Category: Elemental Magicae Duology

Rainbow Snippet February 16-17

2/16/2019

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 sharing another snippet from A Harmony of Fire and Earth this week and also giving you the first look at the cover, designed by the fantastic Natasha Snow! This snippet comes after the last snippet I shared and answers the question of whether Rhys kisses Gaz.

“Do you not want me to kiss you? If so, just say, and I’ll never mention it again.” He silently recited every prayer he knew that Gaz wouldn’t say it.

“It isn’t that I don’t want you to. It’s just—”

Rhys didn’t let Gaz finish, and maybe that was wrong. He didn’t even consciously make the decision to close the distance—only a step or two—between them and press his lips to Gaz’s. It was a whisper of a kiss at first, light and soft. But Rhys was stunned to be kissing Gaz after all this time. Just that fact was glorious.

Gaz’s lips were soft and still under his. Then he made a little noise and stepped into Rhys, bent just a bit, and the kiss became something more.

Isn't that cover beautiful? I'll have more soon about Harmony. In the meantime, check out book one in the Elemental Magicae duology, A Dance of Water and Air. Also, though unrelated to Harmony, the first four books in my Chronicles of Tournai series are 35% off at Dreamspinner right now. Thanks for stopping by and reading!

3 Comments

Rainbow Snippet February 9-10

2/9/2019

7 Comments

Rhys turned to him as they stopped near the stables, just outside the circle of lantern light near the door. He watched Gaz for a moment, nerves making his stomach churn. Could he do this? “And what if what I want to do is kiss you?”

Gaz’s indrawn breath was sharp and loud in the quiet of the night. “Do you?”

“I do.”

“It might not be a good idea.”

“I know. But it might be a very good idea too.”

I'll have more to share (including the cover!) about A Harmony of Fire and Earth soon. For now, you can find out more about A Dance of Water and Air, book one, here. Thanks for reading!

7 Comments

Rainbow Snippet February 2-3

2/2/2019

3 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+.

To start February, I thought I would share a snippet from A Harmony of Fire and Earth, which will be out next month. This is the sequel to A Dance of Water and Air, and I'm trying not to pick snippets with spoilers. Here's a snippet of conversation between Rhys and Gaz that takes place the same night as the last snippet I shared from Harmony (and it's a bit over the sentence limit, but I thought it was necessary—sorry!).

After they finished eating, Rhys and Gaz bundled up against the cold night and left Briallen and Meraud chatting and finishing the wine. Gaz needed to retrieve his and Meraud’s horses from the stables. Rhys went along to check on his and Briallen’s and make sure they’d been made comfortable for the night. He could admit to himself it was just an excuse to spend a few more moments with Gaz. If the others knew, they kindly didn’t mention it.

“So we probably won’t be seeing you for a while, then,” Gaz said after a few moments. They were strolling, despite the chill. Rhys didn’t envy his friends their ride home in the dark. “Since you want to get home before the worst of winter sets in.”

“We don’t really want to have to travel then, so probably not.” As much as he regretted it. There was nothing to say they couldn’t travel, but Aither’s winters meant a lot of snow, even here in the foothills, and it wasn’t pleasant to try to get through it, even though he wanted to see his friends. “It’s best for us to go directly home from this last job.”

“And you miss your greenhouses.” Gaz was smiling when he said it, the look almost fond.

I'll have more for you about A Harmony of Fire and Earth soon. If you haven't read A Dance of Water and Air, you still have time before Harmony comes out. Find more info about it here. Thanks for reading!

3 Comments

Rainbow Snippet January 5-6

1/5/2019

7 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+.

For the first Rainbow Snippet of 2019, I thought I'd share something from A Harmony of Fire and Earth, which is currently with the copy editor and set to be released by NineStar in March. I shared a snippet a couple of months ago, and this one takes place not long after it. Rhys and his sister Briallen have joined Gaz and Meraud, and they're talking about Rhys and Briallen's travels and wanting to get home before the winter snows strand them somewhere.

“I think it’s going to be the last bit of traveling we do for a while.” Briallen grinned, her eyes taking on a mischievous glint. “Rhys needs to get back to his greenhouses. If we keep him away too long, he pines.”

Rhys sputtered. “Oh, you’re one to talk. I know all you want right now is to get back to your books.”

Briallen shrugged. “I never said I didn’t.”

He rolled his eyes at her and shook his head, but a smile was creeping across his face anyway. He loved his sister, even when she was ridiculous. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught sight of Gaz’s lips curving in the smallest of smiles, but there was something sad in his gaze too. Where had that come from? Gaz glanced at him, as if he’d felt him watching, and the sadness disappeared, replaced by his usual inscrutable expression.

More about A Harmony of Fire and Earth soon, but if you'd like to know more about the first book in the Elemental Magicae series in the meantime, you can fine it here. Thanks for reading!

7 Comments

Rainbow Snippet December 8-9

12/8/2018

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+.

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!

5 Comments

Rainbow Snippet November 24-25

11/24/2018

2 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+.

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!

2 Comments

Rainbow Snippet November 17-18

11/17/2018

4 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+.

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!

4 Comments

Rainbow Snippet - November 10-11

11/10/2018

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+.

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!

5 Comments

Rainbow Snippet November 3-4

11/3/2018

5 Comments

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!

5 Comments

Rainbow Snippet October 27-28

10/27/2018

3 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+.

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 February 16-17

Rainbow Snippet February 9-10

Rainbow Snippet February 2-3

Rainbow Snippet January 5-6

Rainbow Snippet December 8-9

Rainbow Snippet November 24-25

Rainbow Snippet November 17-18

Rainbow Snippet - November 10-11

Rainbow Snippet November 3-4

Rainbow Snippet October 27-28

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