The Scholar's Heart, my estranged-friends-to-lovers fantasy romance, came out three years ago today! I can't believe Etan and Tristan have been out in the world for so long.

It's their anniversary, but you probably need a gift. Comment below and tell me your favorite romance trope for a chance to win a copy of The Scholar's Heart. (I'll pick a winner on June 7th.)

It's my birthday today, so I thought you should have gifts as well. And what better gift than a book? Or, at least, I've always thought books make wonderful gifts, and it's my birthday so you can't argue with me. :-)

So, comment with the last book you read and loved for a chance to win one of my backlist books in your choice of paperback or ebook (ebook only for international people. Sorry! International shipping is a bit much now, but I will mail you Tournai postcards if you like). Extra entries if you follow me on Twitter or like my Facebook page. Just let me know in the comments.

Giveaway open through Monday August 21st.

I'm giving away a signed paperback copy of The Sorcerer's Guardian over on Goodreads! US only this time, I'm afraid, but I'll do something for my international readers soon. The giveaway starts today and runs for two weeks. Don't miss out!

Lila Leigh Hunter is here today with her new novella, Dating in Retrospect, part of Dreamspinner's States of Love collection. Thanks for visiting, Lila!

Title: Dating in Retrospect (States of Love)
Author: Lila Leigh Hunter
Cover Artist: L.C. Chase
Publisher:  Dreamspinner Press
Release Date: February 15, 2017
Category: Romance
Genre: Contemporary
Sex Content: Explicit
Pairing: MM
Orientation: Bisexual
Identity: Cisgender
Length: Novella
  Words: 38,800
  Pages: 101

Giving the commencement speech at his alma mater doesn’t fit Clay Keller’s meticulous schedule. As Chief Executive Officer of Travel Mogul—the largest travel connoisseur company on the West Coast—he has no time to get back in touch with his country roots. He left fifteen years ago without a second look, but a medical scare makes him change his mind about the speech and brings him face-to-face with his only regret.
Time always moves slower in Southeastern Iowa, and Aaron Grant loves it. He’s added solar farms to the Grant Lanes portfolio and has been teaching at the local university for a decade. The last thing he needs is to have his tenure application compromised by the return of his ex-boyfriend. If he had known who the commencement speaker would be, he would never have volunteered to be the administration liaison.
A proposal—to date for a year—will help them discover that time changes a person, even when everything else stays the same.

Buy Dating in Retrospect:
Dreamspinner | Amazon US | Amazon UK | Nook | Kobo

Speed Dating: Author’s Edition

​Hi, everyone! I hope you’re having a beautiful Sunday. I want to thank Antonia for letting me stop by today to talk about my States of Love novella set in Iowa, Dating in Retrospect. My characters, Clay and Aaron are dating for the second time and are taking a year to get to know each other again. But since we don’t have that kind of time, I want to do a round of speed dating with you. That way, you get to know a little about me before you start reading my story. It’s a pleasure meeting you all. <3 

Name: Lila Leigh Hunter
Zodiac Sign: Cancer
Siblings: 5 older
Married or Single: Married
Kids: 4
Languages: Spanish & English
Favorite Food: Anything Mexican
Favorite Color: Black
Favorite Number: 11
Favorite Season: Fall
First car: Grand Voyager
Morning or Night person: Morning
Beach or Countryside: Beach
Hobbies: Reading & Photography
Hidden talent: I can fall asleep in less than three minutes
Apple or Windows: Windows
Favorite Author: Isabel Allende
Longest Book Read: 11/22/63 by Stephen King
Favorite MM Romance: Came Upon a Midnight Clear by Katie Porter
Favorite Actor: Kevin Costner
Favorite Movie: The Bodyguard
Favorite TV Character: Duke Crocker – Haven 
Favorite Music App: Spotify
Favorite Soundtrack: Great Expectations (1998)
Fictional boyfriend: Adam Copeland (WWE Edge) 
​

©2017 Lila Leigh Hunter 
All Rights Reserved

Clay—May ’15

Back to the future and all of that were Clay’s first thoughts as he stepped out of the car. The campus looked the same—Midwest Americana at its best. Redbrick buildings and perfectly pruned trees surrounded him, but as if the last fifteen years hadn’t happened, Clay’s world narrowed to the man waiting at the top of the portico stairs. The only thing time had changed? Them. 

“Here’s your receipt, Mr. Keller,” the valet said, interrupting Clay’s musings. He didn’t remember being as young as the valet. Mr. Keller was his father, but Clay didn’t feel like correcting the man’s error. 

“Thank you.” 

“Not a problem. The man in the light gray suit is Professor Grant. He will be your escort today.” 

“Perfect,” Clay responded, smiling at the mention of having an escort at his service, especially one whose body he knew well. With a nod and a tip, Clay left the valet behind, turning his attention back to Professor Grant. Professor. Aaron had done it after all. Clay had never doubted it, even after Aaron decided to stay and work at his family’s farm instead of moving with him to LA. Now he needed to find out if he had a chance with Aaron. At least having him there, waiting for him, had to be a good sign. Today was his lucky day indeed. True, he hadn’t expected to see Aaron so soon. He had planned to stop by the farm after the commencement, but he was ready either way. Life had been rough lately, but having the opportunity to see Aaron again was worth coming back to the middle of Nowhere, Iowa. 

He walked casually toward the man he’d left behind many summers ago—a man standing like a prizefighter, waiting for Clay to reach him. With only a couple of feet between them, Clay’s step faltered. Aaron didn’t seem happy to see him, more like he was ready to bolt before Clay got to him. Shaking his head and keeping his eyes on his prey, he closed the distance and extended his hand in greeting.

“Professor Grant, I believe you’re expecting me?” He hoped his smile would ease Aaron’s frown. 

“That I am, Mr. Keller. As the university liaison, it is my pleasure to welcome you back to your alma mater and to convey the president’s and the board of trustees’ deepest regards.” 

“How long did it take you to memorize that spiel? As far as I remember, you weren’t fond of formalities.” Neither of them let go of the other’s hand. Aaron’s touch, familiar and foreign, branded him in seconds. 

“Ass.” 

Aaron didn’t expect the hug that followed. As soon as their bodies touched, Aaron tensed, but Clay held him tighter. 

“Relax, sunshine. It’s been a while.” Clay let Aaron go, but not before he rubbed his trimmed beard against Aaron’s clean-shaven face as he moved back.

(February 9th to February 28th – Winner to be contacted March 1st)
​

Lila Leigh Hunter is the pen name of a Puerto Rican author with a hyphenated surname. Born and raised on the island, Lila grew up making up stories her siblings pretended to like. But no matter what they say, as the youngest of six, she’s still their mom’s favorite. According to the dusty diplomas on her wall, she’s an architectural designer living in Southern Texas with her husband and four military brats.

She spends most of her free time writing homoerotic romances about middle-aged men finding happiness and the rest hiding from pesky house chores. When outside of her cave, she likes to observe people and try to guess their stories. Sometimes she wishes the voices in her head were real; going out with the boys in her books sounds like a plan made in heaven.

Newsletter / Author's Page / Lila's Cabana on Facebook / Facebook Profile / Twitter / Instagram / Pinterest / Goodreads / Website / Email: llhunter.romance@gmail.com
​

Asta Idonea is visiting today to tell us about her new novella. There's a great giveaway too. Welcome, Asta!
​

The death of Oakley’s sister has left his family broken and buried beneath their grief. In an attempt to get out from underneath their pain, they rent an isolated cottage in the Cotswolds. For Oakley, it’s an exercise in futility. He doesn’t see much hope for things to get back to the way they used to be, and he’s bored and restless as he waits out the time until he can return to the city and university. All of that changes when he meets local boy Bobby, and the connection between them is instant. Within a few days, Oakley is ready to walk away from everything to stay with Bobby. However, Bobby has problems of his own, and they might be more than the budding romance can survive. But they might also give Oakley a new perspective on his own situation.

SoundCloud Audio Excerpt
YouTube Audio Excerpt
Tablo Excerpt
Download Media Sheet

Buy Wish You Were Here:
Dreamspinner Press
Amazon US
Amazon UK

I always like to include a little symbolism in my stories, to a varying degree, depending on the style and needs of each piece. Sometimes it only extends to the choice of character names. Other times it runs deeper. Wish You Were Here is one of those other times.

​In Wish You Were Here I chose the character names for their meaning, but another important symbol is the oak tree around which much of the action takes place. Oaks symbolise strength, endurance, and nobility. They are also often linked to courage, power, and family ties. These qualities are important in light of Oakley and Bobby’s story. It resonates with their individual stories and is also connected to the formation of their close bond. So, through its symbolism, the tree almost becomes a character in its own right.
​

Summer passed England by that year, as if it shared his family’s grief and refused to intrude upon such solemn days with unwanted sunshine. A cool, wet July turned into a blustery August, and now a dismal September loomed. From the window of their rented cottage, there was nothing but gray skies as far as the eye could see. The fields spread out in a patchwork of shortbread and moss. Plentiful rain meant the grass stood tall, but the lack of light filtering through thick, heavy clouds dulled its various shades of green. And this bleak scene was supposed to make everything better?

​Oakley sighed and turned to the sink. He poured himself a glass of water from a spluttering, corroded tap and took a sip. Despite the dubious appearance of the fittings, the water was clean, tasteless, and refreshing. He supposed he should at least be thankful for that. It was likely to be the only pleasant thing this vacation would provide.
​

Prize: 1 x e-copy of my MM Sci-Fi novella Fire Up My Heart
​

Asta Idonea (aka Nicki J Markus) was born in England but now lives in Adelaide, South Australia. She has loved both reading and writing from a young age and is also a keen linguist, having studied several foreign languages.

Asta launched her writing career in 2011 and divides her efforts not only between MM and mainstream works but also between traditional and indie publishing. Her works span the genres, from paranormal to historical and from contemporary to fantasy. It just depends what story and which characters spring into her mind!

​As a day job, Asta works as a freelance editor and proofreader, and in her spare time she enjoys music, theatre, cinema, photography, and sketching. She also loves history, folklore and mythology, pen-palling, and travel, all of which have provided plenty of inspiration for her writing.

Blog / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / Google+ / Goodreads / LinkedIn / Amazon Author US / Amazon Author UK

Today, Anna Butler is visiting with her new book, The Chains of Their Sins, the fourth book in her Taking Shield series. Welcome, Anna!

Earth’s a dead planet, dark for thousands of years; lost for so long no one even knows where the solar system is. Her last known colony, Albion, has grown to be regional galactic power in its own right. But its drive to expand and found colonies of its own has threatened an alien race, the Maess, against whom Albion is now fighting a last-ditch battle for survival in a war that’s dragged on for generations.

Taking Shield charts the missions and adventures of Shield Captain Bennet, scion of a prominent military family. Against the demands of his family’s ‘triple goddess’ of Duty, Honour and Service, is set Bennet’s relationships with lovers and family. When the series opens, Bennet is at odds with his long term partner, Joss, who wants him out of the military and back in an academic, archaeological career. He’s estranged from his father, Caeden, who is the commander of Fleet’s First Flotilla. Events of the first book, in which he is sent to his father’s ship to carry out an infiltration mission behind Maess lines, improve his relationship with Caeden, but bring with them the catalyst that will destroy the one with Joss: one Fleet Lieutenant Flynn, who, over the course of the series, develops into Bennet’s main love interest.

Over the Taking Shield story arc, Bennet will see the extremes to which humanity’s enemies, and his own people, will go to win the war. Some days he isn’t able to tell friend from foe. Some days he doubts everything, including himself, as he strives to ensure Albion’s victory. And some days he isn’t sure, any longer, what victory looks like.
​

Taking Shield 01: Gyrfalcon

Taking Shield 02: Heart Scarab

Taking Shield 03: Makepeace
(2nd place winner, Rainbow Awards 2016)

Shield Captain Bennet arrives on the Gyrfalcon to take up his final year's posting before returning to the Shield Regiment after his rotation out.

On the Gyrfalcon he faces up to the fallout from Makepeace—ethical, political and above all, personal. Will he be able to accept necessity: that knowing what the Maess are up to outweighs the humanitarian issues surrounding the prisoners he rescued from Makepeace? Can he ride out the political furore that follows the loss of the dreadnought Caliban? How will he cope with an entire year of serving under his father, Caeden? And worst of all, how in the name of every god in the Pantheon can he stand to see Flynn every single day, with the Fraternisation Regs standing between them and keeping them apart?

It will be an interesting year. Bennet can hardly wait for it to be over. Of course, things never really do go to plan...

​Book Title: Chains of Their Sins
Series: Taking Shield
Publisher: Glass Hat Press
Cover Artist: Adrian Nicholas
Wordcount: c 98,000
Category: Sci Fi, Gay mainstream

More Hornets were out of the tubes, racing to catch up; almost everyone, now. Bennet had the Patroklus squadron on visual, little points of light on his left, speeding towards him. He held the Starboard and Port wings in position, waiting for Patroklus to join him, listening to the continuous stream of inter-ship Comms that gave him the intel he needed on everyone's position. Captain Sergei reported he was in position.

​“Heads up, boys and girls,” Bennet said over the command line. “Bandits will be here in two minutes. Battlecode comm transmissions only.”

All chatter stopped. Everything around him fell silent. It took him a second to realise that the dull muffled thumping that he felt as much as heard, was his own quickening heartbeat. His eyes never stopped moving—to port, ahead, the scanner, to port, ahead, to starboard, ahead, the scanner, ahead, to port…

His gaze flickered to port-side most. His pilots were out there, tackling the outriders to the first wave of fighters. Nothing much to see. The fighters were drones, with no internal atmospheres to give even the briefest flash of light and heat when they were destroyed. If he saw a flash, it would be one of their own.

Port, ahead, the scanner, port, ahead, starboard…

“All advance bandits accounted for,” Kyle said. “No survivors.”

“Casualties?”

“None. Clean strike.”

“Good. Stand by.” Look to port, ahead, the scanner, ahead, to starboard, ahead, the scanner, ahead… “Kyle, you have their left flank. Sergei, their right. Starboard Wing, we're punching right through these guys to take on the second wave.”

“Yes!” The excitement in Kyle’s voice was unmistakable.

“Ready.” Sergei was more subdued.

“We're ready,” Cruz said, steady as ever. “We're all ready.”

Bennet took a split-second to watch them get into position, the usual cold clenching around his guts, knowing they wouldn't all come back. He had the fighters on visual now, a close-packed phalanx of ships, blotting out stars. There had to be more than a hundred of them, with a second wave of at least another hundred, maybe more, behind. A full complement of a battleship's fighters all stacked up against the little Hornets.

Bennet opened his private comline to the Gyrfalcon. “Ten seconds, bridge. We're going in.” He only half-heard Quist's acknowledgement. He'd already keyed into the battle code comline. A deep breath. “All Attack Wings, intercept attackers and engage the enemy. Go!”

Five seconds later the front ranks of Hornets and fighters smacked right into each other.
​

Amazon.com

Amazon.co.uk

Available for pre-order at Kobo.

$25 (or equivalent) Amazon voucher.
Signed copy “Gyrfalcon”, Taking Shield Book 01.
​

​Anna was a communications specialist for many years, working in various UK government departments on everything from marketing employment schemes to organizing conferences for 10,000 civil servants to running an internal TV service. These days, though, she is writing full time. She recently moved out of the ethnic and cultural melting pot of East London to the rather slower environs of a quiet village tucked deep in the Nottinghamshire countryside, where she lives with her husband and the Deputy Editor, aka Molly the cockerpoo.

Website and Blog
Facebook
The Butler’s Pantry (Facebook Group)
Pinterest
Twitter

Sign up for Anna’s quarterly newsletter

​Happy Valentine's Day, everyone! Today I'm participating in an Author Blog Hop and sharing an excerpt from The Sorcerer's Guardian. None of my books (so far!) are Valentine's themed, but I do love writing really emotional, romantic books. I love seeing how my characters will fall in love, and I love every romantic scene, every kiss and hand hand and I-love-you spoken. So often, it seems that kisses are treated only as a lead up to something more, but so much emotion can be packed into a kiss, and first kisses are even more fun to write. Each couple I write is different: Philip and Amory were in so many ways sweet and romantic, Cathal and Flavian far more tense in their interactions at first. Loriot and Savarin went from a place of knowing each other in a professional capacity and pushing their attraction away even though they felt it to antagonizing each other a bit to falling in love (and fighting that somewhat too!). It's a slow burn romance in which two men have to figure out have to build a relationship and a life and a family together, and save the country too. The excerpt I have for you today is the lead up into Loriot and Savarin's first kiss. Read the excerpt below and enter the giveaway, then check out the other author's blogs that are participating in the hop with the links below!

​Savarin, the most powerful sorcerer in Tournai, has honed his Talent through years of study and made magic his life. Among the wealthy and noble circles he moves in, no one would suspect the handsome, refined, and arrogant sorcerer’s humble beginnings, which is how Savarin prefers it. Tournai’s princes task Savarin with studying and strengthening the spells that protect the principality from magical attack. They are complex, centuries old, and exactly the type of puzzle Savarin is eager to solve. To his annoyance, the princes insist Loriot accompanies him.

Loriot worked his way up the ranks of the royal guard to captain and takes pride in his service. He must obey the princes’ orders to protect Savarin, despite believing his skills would be best used elsewhere. And despite his wariness of magic. UnTalented himself, he has learned not only the benefits of magic but also its potential for harm—and how to counter it. Loriot and Savarin clash during their journey, but there’s another reason for the tension between them, and passion develops into feelings neither expected. But Savarin must still fortify Tournai’s magical barrier, and his only solution endangers both him and the royal family.


​
Buy The Sorcerer's Guardian:
Dreamspinner Press
Amazon
Kobo
Barnes & Noble
Apple

Paperbacks of The Sorcerer's Guardian are currently 25% off at Dreamspinner!

The sound of water splashing came from the other side of the screen, followed by a long sigh. He could picture Savarin stepping into the tub, but he shouldn’t. He turned back to his boots and wrestled them off one by one, dropping them beside Savarin’s. As the splashing from the bath continued, he fought with the rest of his sodden clothes, undoing ties and buttons to remove each layer. He dropped the clothing on the floor and was mildly surprised at how much water remained in it. It pooled around the growing pile of wet fabric. 

​His skin was damp and clammy, and he shivered even though the room was warm. Grabbing the towel from the corner of the screen, he dried himself off. More noise came from the other side of the screen, water being poured into water. 

“The tub is full for you, Loriot,” Savarin called. 

“Thank you.” He wrapped the towel around his waist and gathered his wet clothes from the floor, now puddled with water. When he came out from behind the screen, he found Savarin in the bath, his knees sticking out of the water because his legs were far too long for the tub. It would have been funny seeing the elegant sorcerer scrunched up in the too-small tub if it wasn’t for Loriot’s uncomfortable awareness of Savarin being naked. 

Savarin didn’t seem to have the same problem. 

The maid was back, replenishing their supply of towels and gathering the used ones. She reached for the clothing in his arms. “I’ll take those from you, sir.” 

He relinquished them into her hold. “I’m afraid we’ve made something of a mess. The floor is quite wet from the clothes, and us.” 

“I’ll mop everything up, sir.” She bobbed another quick curtsy and left with the wet clothing and towels, shutting the door behind her. 

Left him alone with Savarin, who seemed to be relaxing, eyes closed, in his cramped bath. “Are you going to use the water they carried up here for you or just stand there all night?” Savarin asked suddenly. 

“I thought you were asleep, though I don’t know how you could be in there.” 

Savarin’s lips quirked into almost a smile. “It isn’t the most comfortable of tubs. The one at home is much larger. I can stretch my legs in it.” 

He didn’t need to think of whatever luxurious tub Savarin had at home or Savarin in it. Was he really expected to just bathe next to Savarin as if it was nothing? 

“Seriously, though. Are you going to use your bath? If not you could add some of the hot water to mine. But you must be cold. It’s summer but it hardly feels like it out in this storm.” Savarin still didn’t open his eyes. 

Irritation rose in Loriot at Savarin’s offhand remark, fed by irritation at his inability to ignore Savarin tonight. “And whose fault is it that we were caught out in it to begin with?” 

Savarin’s eyes flew open, and he glared at Loriot. “Excuse me? How is that my fault?” 

“You were the one taking far too long this afternoon. We would have beaten the storm here if it weren’t for that.” 

Savarin struggled to sit up straighter and twist to face Loriot but seemed to give up when he realized there was no room for him to do so. “What I was doing out there was our whole purpose for being on this journey.” 

“Yes, but then you stopped doing it to think about it and pace around. Which you could have done here and not gotten us soaked by the rain.” 

“The storm arrived far earlier than even the weatherworkers anticipated. I can’t be blamed because it caught us off guard.” 

“But if you had kept the time limit we agreed on, we might not have nearly drowned out in it,” he said through gritted teeth. 

“And now you’re just being overdramatic. We were far from drowning. We got wet.” 

“We could barely see out there! We might have wandered off the road and gotten ourselves killed.” He probably was being ridiculous, but he didn’t care. Savarin had to admit his fault in this. He couldn’t just arrogantly go about doing whatever he pleased. 

“The light I made guided us. We wouldn’t have wandered off the road.” Savarin’s eye roll sent Loriot’s irritation shooting into anger. 

“Do you not understand how dangerous that storm is?” As if to punctuate his words, thunder boomed, and he could have sworn the whole building shook. For an instant, everything froze, but the inn didn’t fall down around their ears. “Your friend warned you about how dangerous they would be. It’s why we’ve been planning so carefully. To make sure we were safely here before the storms and not trying to ride around or camp out in them.” 

“I’m quite aware of what Gemella said.” 

He stalked closer to Savarin. “Then why are you being so arrogant and ridiculous about this?” 

“Ridiculous?” Savarin’s voice went quiet, and he stood in the tub, long legs unfolding beneath him. “Did you just call me ridiculous?” 

“I see you have no objection to my calling you arrogant.”

“I’m arrogant? You need to listen to yourself. You arrogant, smug—” Loriot had no idea which of them moved first. Maybe they moved together; he didn’t know. What he did know was that one second Savarin was hurling a litany of insults at him and the next they were kissing. Only kissing was too tame a word for what they were doing. 

He and Savarin were devouring each other. 
​

For a chance to win a Chronicles of Tournai tote bag (suitable for carrying around all your books!), comment and let me know what your favorite thing about Valentine's Day is. I've always liked sending Valentine's cards to my friends and loved ones (and the chocolate too, I won't lie).

​

1.Nicki J Markus / Asta Idonea ( Giveaway)
2.Louise Lyons
3.Anne Barwell 
4.Kelly Jensen
5.DM Roberto
6.Nikka Michaels
7.Cauldron of Eternal Inspiration
8.Drawing Love by Tully Vincent
9.A. E. Wasp - new Veterans Affairs steamy short
​10.Hermit & Star Books
11.Antonia Aquilante
​12.Layla Dorine
13.T. Strange 
​14.Private Passions - Red Deer After Dark

Anna Butler is visiting today with an exclusive excerpt from her new book and a great giveaway. Welcome, Anna!

About Passing Shadows

Man is like a mere breath; His days are like a passing shadow.
Psalm 144:4

Passing Shadows is a trilogy of short stories with a lesbian main character, Li Liang, who is one of the sole surviving witnesses of the destruction of Earth. The stories tell of the beginning of a long exodus across the galaxy looking for a haven where mankind can start again.
​
The stories are:
        Overthrown By Strangers
        Habitation Of Dragons
        Winterlight

​Book Title: Passing Shadows
Publication Date :  12 December 2016
Publisher: Self-published through Glass Hat Press
Cover Artist: Kellie Dennis at Book Cover By Design
Wordcount: c 29,400
Category: Sci Fi, Gay mainstream, Short Story trilogy


Blurb

Li Liang has found a berth to suit her: chief pilot and first officer of the all-female crew of an old space freighter, the Sappho. Then one ordinary, unremarkable morning, Liang retunes the Sappho’s communications systems just in time to catch the breathless, terrible accounts from Mars of the total destruction of Earth.

Earth’s a cinder. The unknown alien race that destroyed it has left Mars, too, in flames and is ravening outward from the solar system, devouring every human colony on the way.

Liang’s one of the few survivors, racing ahead of the Devourers, rescuing as many frightened, shocked people as she can. Will Liang and the pitiful remnants of humanity find a new haven, somewhere to start again? Or will she, too, echo the dreadful last message coming out of their dead home?

​They’re coming. Oh God, they’re coming.

From Habitation of Dragons:

We’re silent for a very long time, just looking out at the city. When Earth went dark, we heard the Martian broadcasts of the attack, heard the despair and the terror. I’m willing to bet that every single one of us has jack-knifed up in bed, roaring up out of nightmare. We hear those anguished screams in our heads and imagine we’re the ones screaming, that we’re trapped there and dying in torment and pain. And I’m willing to bet we’ve done it more than once.

​And now we can see it, or something close to it. This is what a desolate wasteland looks like, when war has burned across it.
I don’t realise I’m crying until Thom’s hand brushes over my face, wiping it clean. His own eyes are wet. I hadn’t even noticed him swopping seats with Penny King, but I’m glad he’s there. I tuck my hand into his and hold on.

“What do you think happened?” Kit isn't usually subdued, but the deserted, desolate city streets must impress even him. He's quiet and withdrawn and that's not usual.

The Major looks grim, his mouth drawn down so hard it looks as if nothing will ever make it turn upwards again. “Nothing good. That doesn't look like something that just fell into disrepair. It looks like explosive damage to me.”

He points to a domed building at one end of the plaza. The dome is shattered, great shards of it missing, like an egg shell cracked open, the jagged edges biting up into a smoky sky the colour of ash. Rubble lies scattered across the stone pavement.

Thom shifts in his seat. “Most of the buildings show the same sort of damage.”

“Do you think...?” I stop, shake my head, squeeze my eyes tight shut against the stinging. “Is it like this there? At home? I can’t picture home anymore.”

Thom’s hand tightens on mine. He puts his other arm around my shoulders.

“From everything we heard and saw before Mars went, there won’t be this much left.” Matt Harrington’s voice is cold, his tone a little distant. “This city is a greater memorial to its people than anything we have left.”

“Don’t!” someone says. One of the troopers.

“War, then,” Kit says. "Looks like they're long gone, both the victors and the vanquished."

"Sometimes I wonder if we'd be able to tell which is which." There’s a deep sadness in Thom’s voice.

The city could probably tell. The city of the victors isn’t likely to be this bleak.

​

Buy Links:


Links at Amazon.com  and Amazon.co.uk


Passing Strangers will also be available on Kindle Unlimited.
​

Win $25 (or equivalent) gift card at Amazon
​

Anna was a communications specialist for many years, working in various UK government departments on everything from marketing employment schemes to organizing conferences for 10,000 civil servants to running an internal TV service. These days, though, she is writing full time. She recently moved out of the ethnic and cultural melting pot of East London to the rather slower environs of a quiet village tucked deep in the Nottinghamshire countryside, where she lives with her husband and the Deputy Editor, aka Molly the cockerpoo.

Website and Blog
Facebook
The Butler’s Pantry (Facebook Group)
Pinterest
Twitter

Sign up for Anna’s quarterly newsletter
​

Today I'm at the Dreamspinner Press blog talking about the importance of family in my characters lives. The giveaway is open for a few more days if you haven't entered yet. I hope you've enjoyed following the blog tour, and I hope you enjoy reading The Sorcerer's Guardian. 

​Savarin, the most powerful sorcerer in Tournai, has honed his Talent through years of study and made magic his life. Among the wealthy and noble circles he moves in, no one would suspect the handsome, refined, and arrogant sorcerer’s humble beginnings, which is how Savarin prefers it. Tournai’s princes task Savarin with studying and strengthening the spells that protect the principality from magical attack. They are complex, centuries old, and exactly the type of puzzle Savarin is eager to solve. To his annoyance, the princes insist Loriot accompanies him.

Loriot worked his way up the ranks of the royal guard to captain and takes pride in his service. He must obey the princes’ orders to protect Savarin, despite believing his skills would be best used elsewhere. And despite his wariness of magic. UnTalented himself, he has learned not only the benefits of magic but also its potential for harm—and how to counter it. Loriot and Savarin clash during their journey, but there’s another reason for the tension between them, and passion develops into feelings neither expected. But Savarin must still fortify Tournai’s magical barrier, and his only solution endangers both him and the royal family.


​
Buy The Sorcerer's Guardian:
Dreamspinner Press
Amazon
All Romance
Kobo
Barnes & Noble
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​Savarin, the most powerful sorcerer in Tournai, has honed his Talent through years of study and made magic his life. Among the wealthy and noble circles he moves in, no one would suspect the handsome, refined, and arrogant sorcerer’s humble beginnings, which is how Savarin prefers it. Tournai’s princes task Savarin with studying and strengthening the spells that protect the principality from magical attack. They are complex, centuries old, and exactly the type of puzzle Savarin is eager to solve. To his annoyance, the princes insist Loriot accompanies him.

Loriot worked his way up the ranks of the royal guard to captain and takes pride in his service. He must obey the princes’ orders to protect Savarin, despite believing his skills would be best used elsewhere. And despite his wariness of magic. UnTalented himself, he has learned not only the benefits of magic but also its potential for harm—and how to counter it. Loriot and Savarin clash during their journey, but there’s another reason for the tension between them, and passion develops into feelings neither expected. But Savarin must still fortify Tournai’s magical barrier, and his only solution endangers both him and the royal family.


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