Antonia Aquilante
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Rainbow Snippets May 20-21

5/21/2023

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 switching over to sharing some snippets from The Artist's Masquerade this month. Cathal is cousin to the crown prince of Tournai and son of a royal duke, and is absolutely shocked when his father tells him he has arranged a marriage for him with a relative of the emperor of Ardunn, who has for some time wanted to add Tournai to his empire. A dutiful son, Cathal goes along with the betrothal despite his misgivings, but when his bride arrives, finds himself more interested in her companion, Flavia. What he doesn't know is that Flavia is really Flavian, an artist fleeing the empire in disguise as his friend's companion. He never expected to have to keep up the charade for so long, but complications keep getting in the way. Cathal and Flavian are pulled reluctantly closer and closer, tumbling into love and trust, but the situation—Cathal's betrothal, spies infiltrating Tournai, secrets and lies—is stacked against them. In this snippet, Flavian has seen where Cathal grew up and begins to wonder about what Cathal was like as a child...and then think about grown-up Cathal.
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​Cathal and his brothers probably hadn’t run wild, not with a father like Umber. No, Cathal had probably always been a serious boy. Grown into a serious man, who could kiss well enough to make Flavian nearly swoon just remembering it.

​​He cursed himself silently. He should not be thinking about Cathal, not in such a way. Not at all. And he certainly would do no swooning, not over Cathal, not over anyone. Ridiculous to even think it.



You can find more about The Artist's Masquerade here. Thanks for reading today!
3 Comments

Rainbow Snippets May 13-14

5/14/2023

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 switching over to sharing some snippets from The Artist's Masquerade this month. Cathal is cousin to the crown prince of Tournai and son of a royal duke, and is absolutely shocked when his father tells him he has arranged a marriage for him with a relative of the emperor of Ardunn, who has for some time wanted to add Tournai to his empire. A dutiful son, Cathal goes along with the betrothal despite his misgivings, but when his bride arrives, finds himself more interested in her companion, Flavia. What he doesn't know is that Flavia is really Flavian, an artist fleeing the empire in disguise as his friend's companion. He never expected to have to keep up the charade for so long, but complications keep getting in the way. Cathal and Flavian are pulled reluctantly closer and closer, tumbling into love and trust, but the situation—Cathal's betrothal, spies infiltrating Tournai, secrets and lies—is stacked against them. Since it's Mother's Day weekend here in the US, I decided to share a snippet of Cathal and his mother. This is back at the beginning of the book when Cathal's has just informed him of the marriage he's arranged for Cathal. (Meriall is Cathal's youngest sister.)
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​“Cathal.” Mother held out her hands to him and tilted her head for his kiss to her cheek. “I didn’t know you were here.”

​
He brushed a kiss over Meriall’s cheek as well. “Father wanted to meet with me.”

Because he was watching, he saw the flash of concern in Mother’s warm-brown eyes. Did she know her husband’s plans for Cathal? “Is everything all right?”

You can find more about The Artist's Masquerade here. Thanks for reading today! 
4 Comments

Rainbow Snippets May 6-7

5/7/2023

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 switching over to sharing some snippets from The Artist's Masquerade this month. Cathal is cousin to the crown prince of Tournai and son of a royal duke, and is absolutely shocked when his father tells him he has arranged a marriage for him with a relative of the emperor of Ardunn, who has for some time wanted to add Tournai to his empire. A dutiful son, Cathal goes along with the betrothal despite his misgivings, but when his bride arrives, finds himself more interested in her companion, Flavia. What he doesn't know is that Flavia is really Flavian, an artist fleeing the empire in disguise as his friend's companion. He never expected to have to keep up the charade for so long, but complications keep getting in the way. Cathal and Flavian are pulled reluctantly closer and closer, tumbling into love and trust, but the situation—Cathal's betrothal, spies infiltrating Tournai, secrets and lies—is stacked against them. Another short jump ahead to this snippet in Flavian's point of view.
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​He watched Cathal, focusing only on 
him, on the way he moved, sinuous and graceful, a bit incongruous for someone so tall and well built. He held his breath as Cathal came near, turning as Cathal passed behind him, a hairsbreadth away. Flavian’s skin prickled at the proximity, and he let out a shuddering breath when Cathal moved away again.

His hopes Cathal hadn’t noticed were dashed when Cathal glanced at him over his shoulder, a knowing smile curving his full lips. And how he wished the smile didn’t make heat curl through his middle. He could not think of Cathal in such a way, could not let him affect him so much. It was time to leave, to go back to the boring party or, better yet, back to his bedchamber where he didn’t have to deal with anyone.

You can find more about The Artist's Masquerade here. Thanks for reading!
3 Comments

Rainbow Snippets April 29-30

4/30/2023

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 switching over to sharing some snippets from The Artist's Masquerade this month. Cathal is cousin to the crown prince of Tournai and son of a royal duke, and is absolutely shocked when his father tells him he has arranged a marriage for him with a relative of the emperor of Ardunn, who has for some time wanted to add Tournai to his empire. A dutiful son, Cathal goes along with the betrothal despite his misgivings, but when his bride arrives, finds himself more interested in her companion, Flavia. What he doesn't know is that Flavia is really Flavian, an artist fleeing the empire in disguise as his friend's companion. He never expected to have to keep up the charade for so long, but complications keep getting in the way. Cathal and Flavian are pulled reluctantly closer and closer, tumbling into love and trust, but the situation—Cathal's betrothal, spies infiltrating Tournai, secrets and lies—is stacked against them. I've skipped ahead slightly again. This week's snippet is a moment between Cathal and Flavian, as Cathal sits with Flavian while he draws.
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​They lapsed into silence then, and a few minutes later, Flavian began to sketch again. At first, he drew haltingly, glancing at Cathal sideways, but Cathal forced himself to stare out at the sea, and soon Flavian relaxed
--Cathal could see it in the lines of his body and the way his hand flew across the page, confident and sure. As Flavian appeared to lose himself in the drawing, Cathal gave in to temptation and allowed himself to study Flavian surreptitiously.

Flavian drawing was yet another facet of the man Cathal was becoming far too fascinated with. Flavian drawing was calm and focused and more open. Seeing him this way made Cathal want to see more, learn more, discover more of who Flavian was. Cathal shouldn’t have come to Flavian, he knew it before, and he knew it now. He should be at the side of the woman he had to marry, not becoming even more fascinated by the prickly man masquerading as her companion.

You can find more about The Artist's Masquerade here. Thanks for reading today!
2 Comments

Another Late Rainbow Snippet

4/24/2023

1 Comment

 
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I'm late again with this week's Rainbow Snippet, after a busy weekend (one of these days I will manage to plan ahead properly again!).
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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 sharing some snippets from The Artist's Masquerade this month. Cathal is cousin to the crown prince of Tournai and son of a royal duke, and is absolutely shocked when his father tells him he has arranged a marriage for him with a relative of the emperor of Ardunn, who has for some time wanted to add Tournai to his empire. A dutiful son, Cathal goes along with the betrothal despite his misgivings, but when his bride arrives, finds himself more interested in her companion, Flavia. What he doesn't know is that Flavia is really Flavian, an artist fleeing the empire in disguise as his friend's companion. He never expected to have to keep up the charade for so long, but complications keep getting in the way. Cathal and Flavian are pulled reluctantly closer and closer, tumbling into love and trust, but the situation—Cathal's betrothal, spies infiltrating Tournai, secrets and lies—is stacked against them. I've skipped ahead slightly again. After their kiss in last week's snippet, Cathal now knows who Flavian really is and tells his cousin, Prince Philip. Which leads to a serious discussion.
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​"You love who you love, Cathal.”

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“I never said anything about love.” The protest was immediate and vehement. Attraction certainly, but he wasn’t in love with anyone and never had been.

“Say caring then. Connection? Feelings of some kind, because if this was just desire, you would have put it aside like you have every other attraction to a man before this. I’m sure there were some.”

“Of course there were.” Fleeting, momentary attractions ignored without another thought. “But it doesn’t matter now.”

“It does, because I want you to be happy. I want you to have more than a life of duty and responsibility. I want you to have love.” Philip gripped Cathal’s arm, his gaze boring into Cathal.



You can find more about The Artist's Masquerade here. Thanks for reading!
1 Comment

Rainbow Snippets April 15-16

4/16/2023

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 sharing some snippets from The Artist's Masquerade this month. Cathal is cousin to the crown prince of Tournai and son of a royal duke, and is absolutely shocked when his father tells him he has arranged a marriage for him with a relative of the emperor of Ardunn, who has for some time wanted to add Tournai to his empire. A dutiful son, Cathal goes along with the betrothal despite his misgivings, but when his bride arrives, finds himself more interested in her companion, Flavia. What he doesn't know is that Flavia is really Flavian, an artist fleeing the empire in disguise as his friend's companion. He never expected to have to keep up the charade for so long, but complications keep getting in the way. Cathal and Flavian are pulled reluctantly closer and closer, tumbling into love and trust, but the situation—Cathal's betrothal, spies infiltrating Tournai, secrets and lies—is stacked against them. I've skipped ahead this week to Cathal and Flavian's first kiss—complicated by the fact that Cathal doesn't yet know who Flavian really is (though that's about to change) and is still supposed to marry someone else.
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​Flavian froze, his mind going utterly blank the instant Cathal’s lips 
touched his.

​
Because Cathal was kissing him.

Cathal was kissing him. Flavian never, ever, expected it to happen, or for it to be like this. A passionate, uninhibited kiss with Cathal’s firm body pressing against his, pushing him into the unyielding surface of the door. Who would have thought a man like Cathal would kiss like this?

And for an instant Flavian drowned in it
—the feel of Cathal’s smooth lips on his, the firm grip of his hands on Flavian’s waist--as Cathal devoured him.
But then reality came back in a flood. “We can’t do this.”

You can find more about The Artist's Masquerade here. Thanks for reading today!
1 Comment

Rainbow Snippets April 8-9

4/9/2023

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 switching over to sharing some snippets from The Artist's Masquerade this month. Cathal is cousin to the crown prince of Tournai and son of a royal duke, and is absolutely shocked when his father tells him he has arranged a marriage for him with a relative of the emperor of Ardunn, who has for some time wanted to add Tournai to his empire. A dutiful son, Cathal goes along with the betrothal despite his misgivings, but when his bride arrives, finds himself more interested in her companion, Flavia. What he doesn't know is that Flavia is really Flavian, an artist fleeing the empire in disguise as his friend's companion. He never expected to have to keep up the charade for so long, but complications keep getting in the way. Cathal and Flavian are pulled reluctantly closer and closer, tumbling into love and trust, but the situation—Cathal's betrothal, spies infiltrating Tournai, secrets and lies—is stacked against them. In an extremely late snippet last week, I shared Cathal and Flavian's first meeting from Flavian's perspective. This week's snippet is in Cathal's point of view but still during that first meeting.
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​He could have let someone else help Flavia into the carriage. He could have found some reason to step away after helping Velia in. He 
should have let someone else help her. But Cathal didn’t want to. He wanted to know if the heat of their first touch had been an anomaly or if it would happen again.

​
Flavia looked at the hand he held out to her as if she wasn’t sure why he was offering it, but an instant later, she shook her head and smiled, taking his hand. The smile was charming and unexpected; the feeling when they touched was the same as earlier. Something that might have been dismay darkened her eyes. It matched what he felt himself.

You can find more about The Artist's Masquerade here. Thanks for reading today!
2 Comments

An Extremely Late Rainbow Snippet

4/4/2023

0 Comments

 
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The weekend got away from me again, so I'm sharing a very late Rainbow Snippet!
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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 sharing some snippets from The Artist's Masquerade this month. Cathal is cousin to the crown prince of Tournai and son of a royal duke, and is absolutely shocked when his father tells him he has arranged a marriage for him with a relative of the emperor of Ardunn, who has for some time wanted to add Tournai to his empire. A dutiful son, Cathal goes along with the betrothal despite his misgivings, but when his bride arrives, finds himself more interested in her companion, Flavia. What he doesn't know is that Flavia is really Flavian, an artist fleeing the empire in disguise as his friend's companion. He never expected to have to keep up the charade for so long, but complications keep getting in the way. Cathal and Flavian are pulled reluctantly closer and closer, tumbling into love and trust, but the situation—Cathal's betrothal, spies infiltrating Tournai, secrets and lies—is stacked against them. This snippet is from the beginning of the book when Cathal and Flavian first meet.
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​Flavian nearly jumped to find himself the focus of Lord Cathal’s 
unusual gold eyes. Flavian had been so engrossed in studying the man that he must have missed the formal introductions making it around to him.

​
“Lady Flavia.” Cathal’s voice was deep and smooth, and Flavian shivered just hearing it. But the shiver was nothing compared to the heat flaring inside him when Cathal took his hand to bow over it. The heat rushed through his body and left him biting back a gasp. No. Not good. He could not be attracted to Cathal of all men.

You can find more about The Artist's Masquerade here. Thanks for reading today!
0 Comments

Rainbow Snippets May 28-29

5/29/2022

3 Comments

 
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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.

​This month, I'm sharing a few snippets from The Artist's Masquerade, which was released two years ago this month by NineStar Press with gorgeous new cover art. I feel like picking favorites among my books is like picking favorite children and I can't do that, but I do adore The Artist's Masquerade and Cathal and Flavian's story. This is an opposites attract romance between the uptight and duty-bound duke's heir and a sharp-tongued artist who is in disguise and on the run. There are also spies and intrigue and magic and an exploration of family. When the book begins, Cathal's father has informed him that he has arranged a marriage for Cathal with a relative of the emperor of Ardunn. When she arrives, Flavian is with her disguised as her female companion and prepared to slip away as soon as possible. Things do not go to plan. And then Cathal is an added complication—he's supposed to marry Flavian's friend (though the marriage was arranged before either of them met) even as attraction explodes between him and Flavian.
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​“What do you want?” he whispered to Cathal. “What do you need?”

​“You.”


Flavian’s breath caught. Cathal had to only mean what he said at this moment, in bed, but staring into Cathal’s eyes, Flavian wanted it to mean more, wanted Cathal to need him for more than the physical.

“You have me,” he whispered back, trying to ignore the fear lancing through him because those words were true. He was Cathal’s. He didn’t know how it had happened or when, but he was. It was terrifying but also...joyful.

You can find more about The Artist's Masquerade here. Thanks for reading today and I hope you're staying safe and well!
3 Comments

Rainbow Snippets May 21-22

5/22/2022

1 Comment

 
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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.

​This month, I'm sharing a few snippets from The Artist's Masquerade, which was released two years ago this month by NineStar Press with gorgeous new cover art. I feel like picking favorites among my books is like picking favorite children and I can't do that, but I do adore The Artist's Masquerade and Cathal and Flavian's story. This is an opposites attract romance between the uptight and duty-bound duke's heir and a sharp-tongued artist who is in disguise and on the run. There are also spies and intrigue and magic and an exploration of family. When the book begins, Cathal's father has informed him that he has arranged a marriage for Cathal with a relative of the emperor of Ardunn. When she arrives, Flavian is with her disguised as her female companion and prepared to slip away as soon as possible. Things do not go to plan. And then Cathal is an added complication—he's supposed to marry Flavian's friend (though the marriage was arranged before either of them met) even as attraction explodes between him and Flavian.
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​Cathal confused him. So much. His heart still beat too fast as he 
remembered the look in Cathal’s eyes, all simmering heat and impishness. And Flavian liked it, far more than was good for him. He liked other things about Cathal too--flashes of heart and humor that came through at the oddest times, past the outer shell of propriety and rigid adherence to duty. And his smile--not the practiced, polite smile Flavian had seen often, but the real one that had graced Cathal’s lips tonight...it had been beautiful.

You can find more about The Artist's Masquerade here. Thanks for reading today and I hope you're staying safe and well!
1 Comment
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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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