How a piece of Renaissance art influenced a paranormal romance By Juli D. Revezzo

Ask any author about the inspiration behind their works and you’ll get all kinds of answers. Some authors are people-watchers, some let music inspire them, some the muse comes to, uninvited. The reasons for inspiration even vary from book to book, short story to short story.

For me, one of my biggest interests in my life has been mythology, and alongside it, art. I even pursued a degree in art history, lo, many years ago. My favorites pieces were always (no shock to my friends, I’m sure) artists who themselves were inspired by Classical mythology.

So when I began kicking around the idea for what became my debut paranormal romance novel, PASSION’S SACRED DANCE, I wasn’t exactly sure what the story might entail. Poking through my collection of books on Mythology, yes, gave me something of an answer. I knew it was to be a war based on the Second Battle of Mag Tuired, but it was an art piece that really set the book in motion. During those years that I studied for my degree, I fell in love with the art of Sandro Botticelli. I enjoy his work so much, I have a collection of books, postcards and other assorted goodies which his work graces.

 My favorite is his piece La Primavera (or the Birth of Spring). It hangs on my wall even now. In this piece you have various gods, prancing around in an idyllic garden, Venus at its center denoting the world’s interest turning to love with the spring. (You know that old cliché) To her right, the lovely Flora spills flowers from her skirt as she dances. Littering the world with beauty. But it was the three graces, dancing to Venus’s left that always drew my attention. What a wonderful way to celebrate the light side of the year! It does bring to mind maypole dances, and Renaissance fair dancers. I even wrote papers about it in school.

However, if you look to the far left, you will see a figure out of place. This fella I always thought was Mars, the god of War, and what an odd place for him to show up. So that set the wheels in motion, what could War be stirring up in those leaves above and why? So when my characters started chattering in my head about the upcoming beginning of spring, I heard rumblings of war, and wondered why. Aaron and his warrior buddies came along and said, “The ancients knew. They had it right. War’s coming and spring might not. Do you know this girl?” He pointed to the dancers. “And where the heck do we find her?”

(It was hard for me to tell him later that I had the interpretation all wrong. The god’s actually Mercury, not Mars. But messengers are messengers, all the same, right?)

So that’s how Boticelli’s Primavera tied into the Second Battle of Mag Tuired and became PASSION’S SACRED DANCE.

Blurb:

 Passion’s Sacred Dance

Battling mounting debt, Stacy Macken is determined not to lose her historic art gallery. When Aaron Fielding appears and offers to help, she fights to keep the attraction sizzling between them from clouding her judgment. He may be her savior in disguise--but can she trust him?

Aaron intrigues her with tales of the Tuatha dé Danann, sworn warriors who protect humanity from the monsters seeking their destruction. If Aaron can prove what he claims, she would give up anything to help--even the gallery he claims is sacred ground. But with her property set to stage the next epic battle, she needs answers. An old family diary will confirm the ancient legend is true, if only they can find it in time.

If the battle is lost, the enemy will take control of Earth for the next five hundred years. Stacy and Aaron's budding love might only complicate things.

 About Juli D. Revezzo:

Juli D. Revezzo has long been in love with writing, a love built by devouring everything from the Arthurian legends, to the works of Michael Moorcock, and the classics and has a soft spot for classic the “Goths” of the 19th century. Her short fiction has been published in Dark Things II: Cat Crimes, The Scribing Ibis, Eternal Haunted Summer, Twisted Dreams Magazine and Luna Station Quarterly. She also has an article and book review or two out there. But her heart lies in the storytelling. She is a member of Independent Authors Network and Magic Appreciation Tour. Passion’s Sacred Dance is her first romance novel.

If you’d like to read more, PASSION’S SACRED DANCE, from The Wild Rose Press, is available at Amazon (and Amazon.co.uk) in the Select program http://smarturl.it/xc5d7a  and coming soon to other e-tailers.

 Thank you, Vijaya, for inviting me here today!

You can find out more about Juli at her homepage:

http://julidrevezzo.com/

Blog:
http://julidrevezzo.com/blog

Like her on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/JD-Revezzo/233193150037011

Follow her on Author’s Den
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Google+:
https://plus.google.com/u/0/111476709039805267272/posts

On Good Reads:
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5782712.Juli_D_Revezzo

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http://www.shelfari.com/authors/a1002694572/Juli-D-Revezzo/

On twitter: @julidrevezzo

Fragment Fridays Blog Hop - Seducing Sigefroi - Curse of the Lost Isle

Fragment from SEDUCING SIGEFROI

Curse of the Lost Isle Book 3

by Vijaya Schartz

http://amzn.com/B00BO0MYX6

Melusine flicked her serpent tail and dove into the green depths, then surfaced in a pool of pale sunshine near the pile of the stone bridge. 

The road rumbled with the gallop of horses. Melusine's wet skin quivered and her heart stumbled in her chest. Dear Goddess! If mortals saw her in serpent form, the priests and bishops would hunt her, torture her, then sentence her to burn at the stake like a demonic creature.

The hoof beats slowed as the riders approached the bridge. Closing her eyes, she focused her mind upon her inward gift of sight. Aye, two knights in full armor, and a young squire. The destriers halted.

Scabbards flapped on leather trappings, and metal clinked as the men dismounted. Boots rang on hard stone.

Waist high in the river, under the arch, Melusine held her breath. She dared not move or make a sound. On the changing patterns of the water surface, she spied the reflection of the approaching men. A huge black destrier snorted at Melusine's scent, but she calmed the warhorse with a soothing thought.

"What did I tell you?" The tall knight with the commanding voice removed his helmet and pushed back the mail hauberk to shake a full head of flaming red hair. A smile lit the strong planes of his clean shaven face. He stared at the little fort, atop the rocky cliff across the river. "This is the most magnificent promontory I've ever beheld!"

Daring Damsels - the medieval bargain of the season

At 99cts, four complete novels for your kindle, you can't miss this Bargain!

When I learned that four of my favorite medieval authors were getting together to offer a box set at such an incredible price, I squealed. Here they are, for your reading pleasure.

A LADY'S CHARADE by Eliza Knight

A Scottish Lady, abandoned and in disguise.  A Knight who wants her dead.  But he could be her only savior in England—as long as he never discovers her identity.

DANCE OF DESIRE by Catherine Kean

One veiled Lady dances to save her brother's life. One Lord sheriff, tormented by barbaric secrets, claims her as his bride. The more she learns of him the harder it is to deny his love.

MIDNIGHT SHADOW by Laurel O'Donnell

A Lady dons a mask and cloak to right the wrongs and save her people from oppression.  A Lord, torn between the woman he longs to trust and the outlaw he is determined to hang, vows to discover the truth. 

SPRING'S FURY  by Denise Domning

A woman trained to wield a sword, plots revenge against the man who killed her sire—a Knight who is claiming her land as his own.  If they are to survive the hungry season it will take every bit of his talent for taming wild creatures.

What reviewers are saying:

"Denise Domning directs a riveting presentation of rollicking action with a marvelous cast of characters in a superb plot line, headlining two unforgettable lovers that are sure to find a lasting place in your heart." ~Lori Wright, © 1994-97 Literary Times, Inc, all rights reserved (about Spring's Fury by Denise Domning)

"Medieval romance fans will fall in love with this lively battle of wills story.  Laurel O'Donnell has crafted a wondrous and captivating story." ~Romantic Times (about Midnight Shadow by Laurel O'Donnell)

"This is a fast-paced tale and Kean successfully uses all the senses to draw readers in. Rexana is a strong woman with inner passions, while Fane must fight the demons of his own haunted past. The secondary characters, from the servants to the peasants, are finely drawn, too, and help bring this tale to life." ~Romantic Times Book Reviews, 4.5 stars (about Dance of Desire by Catherine Kean)

"This was definitely a great romance novel! I enjoyed it from beginning to end." ~Historical Fiction Obsession (about A Lady's Charade by Eliza Knight)

Find this bargain-priced boxed set:

In the US Kindle Store  In the UK Kindle Store  In the CA Kindle Store

Cover Reveal for Little Witch

Jill Hughey is about to release her medieval romance novella, Little Witch, the fifth installment in the Evolution Series, and here is the lovely cover by Rae Monet. You can see from the banner below it how nicely the new cover fits in with the three main novels of the series. Little Witch is 49,000 words so it is just skirting along the lower end of a novel's word count. The book features the stableboy introduced in Vain. We get to see Nox as an adult where he is still part of the Lord of Ribeauville's world.

If you want to get started on the Evolution Series, the first two books are available in a bundle on most ebook vendors, which is like getting one FREE!  Evolution Series Bundle on Amazon

A few lines from BRIDE OF THE BAJA by Jane Toombs

BRIDE OF THE BAJA
by Jane Toombs
Coming soon from Books We Love
(no cover yet)

After a long ride Alitha was untied, pulled down from the horse and carried to a hut, where she was pushed inside and left alone in the darkness. She lay huddled on the ground for a moment listening to the sounds around her—the pounding of the surf, the drunken shouts of the men, the neighing of horses, the barking of dogs.
 

Coming Soon! Find this title and Jane's other books at:

  http://bookswelove.net/janetoombs.php

Find other books by Jane Toombs on her Amazon page HERE

A few lines from "His Shadowed Heart" by Hazel Statham

here are a few lines from:

HIS SHADOWED HEART
by Hazel Statham
From Books We Love
http://amzn.com/B00AWBHHDU

Can a shadowed heart be healed? Can love grow where least expected? The Earl of Waverly believes not. How wrong can he be!

After the death of his wife, the Earl of Waverly, believing his heart irreparably damaged, enters into a marriage of convenience. However, he is not prepared for the healing influence his new young bride has on his life. Despite the couple’s new-found happiness, nefarious deeds abound and strange happenings are attributed to the ghost of his former wife. Will their love stand the test or will the perpetrator emerge the victor?

Excerpt:

Taking a branch of candles that had been prepared for his use from the small table set at the base of the staircase, he started up the stairs, finding it necessary to make light use of the rosewood banister to steady his progress.

Traversing the long corridor to his bedchamber, he paused momentarily outside his wife’s door, but as no light shone from beneath, he continued on to his own apartment. Closing the door quietly behind him he paused in the center of the room. All was in darkness except for the pool of light cast by the candles he held and for a moment, their flickering caught the handle to the connecting door. Yielding to an irresistible temptation, he pressed the handle, and finding no resistance there, entered the chamber.

As in his own room, all was in darkness. Turning to where he knew the bed to be, he raised the candles higher so that their glow spread across the room, illuminating the sleeping figure there. Crossing to the bed, he knelt at her side and extinguishing all but one of the flames, placed the candelabra on a small table at the side of the bed.

The shadows of the remaining light played across Caroline’s sleeping form and he smoothed a lock of hair that had strayed across her forehead. He knew the desire that his lips should follow his finger’s course, but even in his state of inebriation, he knew this would be foolish.

For several minutes, he watched his wife sleep, eventually placing his head upon the pillow beside her. His lips curved into a loving smile as his eyes drank in her sleep-softened countenance, and he felt her breath caress his cheek. The longing to hold her became an almost physical thing and his arms ached with the suppressed desire.

Eventually she stirred, muttering incoherently in her sleep, and he raised himself up. What foolishness is this, he thought. I am acting like a callow youth. Immediately he was on his feet. Snatching up the light, he went quickly out of the room, closing the door quietly behind him.

PAGAN QUEEN - Medieval Fantasy by Vijaya Schartz

PAGAN QUEEN

Curse of the Lost Isle Book 2
5-star Medieval Fantasy Romance
by Vijaya Schartz

Available everywhere in all eBook formats - Currently 50% off at Smashwords until July 31, along with Vijaya’s other books there (use code top right of each book page)

Smashwords - Kindle - Nook

EXCERPT:


“You almost died. And our son might have lived if you had not disobeyed.” Elinas slapped Caliburn’s scabbard against his leather trews.
Pressine had not seen him so upset since the first day he’d barged into these very rooms, after she had cleaned and rearranged them, erasing all traces of his departed queen. Even the roaring fire in the hearth did not dispel the chill.
“I did not think the child would suffer. At the time, I had to save the villagers.” Still, the guilt weighed heavily on Pressine’s chest, robbing her of the will to defend herself.
“Endangering your life and his, to confront a pack of hungry beasts... alone?” Jaw twitching, Elinas locked his hands behind the back of his purple coat and paced like a caged wolf, eyes ablaze with simmering fury.
“I had the power to stop the carnage. No one else could.” Heart racing, Pressine smoothed her blue dress, trying to sound convincing. “In my vision the wolves slaughtered many women and children. It was my duty to help.”
Elinas rolled his eyes toward the wide beams holding the ceiling. “Do not talk to me about sacred duty!”
Walking the length of the table, he ignored the untouched breakfast of pea flour bread, boiled duck eggs, and fresh goat cheese. If Elinas infuriated so easily, now would not be the time to tell him that Mattacks had tried to kill her. He would never believe it.
“Maybe you did as you pleased among the Ladies of the Lost Isle...” Elinas turned fiery eyes on Pressine. “But in my castle, I am responsible for your well being. You should never have endangered your life. No duty of yours is worth dying for.”
Pressine’s chest tightened at the harsh tone. Where had all the love and tenderness gone? Was this the same man who had pleasured her all night on this very bed, whispering sweet words in her ear?
“You deliberately endangered your life!” A heavy fist slammed the table.
Pressine jumped along with the breakfast food, the pewter cups, and the ewer of mulled ale. Elinas’ anger hurt so much, she wanted to cry, but she steeled herself against the onslaught.
Although deeply shaken, she managed to keep her voice calm. “I am not just your wife, not just a queen. I am a Priestess of the Lost Isle. I belong to the Great Goddess. I thought you understood, since you have some Fae blood in you.”
“So I am told, but it does not affect my judgment.” Elinas glowered from across the table. His dark stubbled jaw tensed.
Pressine braced herself to weather the storm.
“After three years of marriage, you still remain a mystery to me. What are you really?” The feral eyes narrowed to slits. “How many deadly secrets are you hiding from me? Would you leave me if the Goddess demanded it?”
Pressine remained silent. Would she? Could she?


HAPPY READING!

Vijaya Schartz
Blasters, Swords, Romance with a Kick
http://www.vijayaschartz.com
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