Forbidden Love? HA! Not anymore!

Hi everyone!

Jaxx Steele here again to wish you all a Happy Valentine’s Day. I for one like Valentine’s Day. I have heard many reasons on how the holiday came to be. Some say the day is a conspiracy made by the candy company to suck money out of people. Others say its conception came from honoring a gruesome massacre that happened somewhere. I think that’s kind of creepy that you would buy gifts for your loved ones to remember a day where so many were killed, but *shrugs* to each his own, right?

Anyway, I don’t care where the idea came from. I like to think some extremely busy guy was slacking on putting in the time needed to keep his lover happy came up with a special day he could put on his calendar and have his secretary remind him to go big with the gifts. LOL Either way I love it.

I love it so much that I wrote A Year-long Valentine (inside Reflections of Love anthology available at Dreamspinners Press), Vegas Valentine (available at Muse it Hot) and Claiming Cupid. That’s the I’ll be focusing on today.

Claiming Cupid is a story is about that forbidden love. You know the ones that are on the off limits list. The best friend, best friend’s sister, your play cousin, brother in all but blood, yeah, all of those people. They’re too close to being family, right? Well, unfortunately you can’t tell the heart what to do. Even if you tried it’s going to do what it wants to do anyway.

Daniel and Max are best friends. Max is the lead singer in a band, a virtual rising star with all the groupies and drama that goes with it. Daniel is sick of hearing about the many episodes with the fly by night lovers, groupie sex and one night stands Max has had. After each one Max comes to him drunk and confusion expressing what he really wants and how hard it is to find it. As Valentine’s Day approaches, Daniel comes up with plan to shake some sense into Max. 

I wrote this book to show that sometimes what you want the most is right in your face, but if you don’t ask, you don’t get. You know, that whole trees for the forest thing. Here is a peek inside Claiming Cupid.   

Daniel was sick and tired of Max’s ‘boyfriends’ dogging him. He thought Max deserved better and wanted him to be his man so he could treat him better, but he was afraid to jeopardize their friendship by making any unwanted moves on. When Max broke up with his latest lover the day before Valentine’s Day, Daniel could take it no more. He put a plan of action in place to claim and protect the heart of his old friend.

Excerpt:

Max chuckled and shook his head. "Clearly you don't know how fine you are, Danny. You are one of the most handsome men I have ever seen. That lean swimmer's body of yours makes everything you wear look sexy. Even what you’ve got on now," he said, gesturing up and down at the simple blue pajama pants and white tee shirt. Then he leaned forward on the table and pointed at Daniel. "You know, I always thought you had the same kind of eyes as my mother's cat."

Daniel's eyes widened a bit before he laughed. "No, no I don't. That would be totally creepy."

Max grinned. "Oh, yes you do. Don't get me wrong: my dislike for cats and the fact I think they're sneaky doesn't extend to you just because your eyes are similar."

"Ooowee, what a relief!"

"Yeah, well, don't get cocky. Yours may be just as brown as your skin, but they're still feline-shaped. So instead of creepy they make you look…" Max's head tilted as he scrutinized Danny further. "I don't know… kind of exotic," he said finally with a shrug. "They look for tall men and you're just as tall as I am. If you wanted, you could have easily been in front of the camera instead of behind it." Max turned his attention back to the drawings.

Daniel was shocked. Max had never said he found him attractive. He didn't even know Max looked at him like that. This news thrilled him and gave him the encouragement he needed to put his plan into action.

"I have the outfits for you to wear on your tour. Whenever you're ready to pick them up."

"Thanks, man. I'll come by after lunch today." Max swallowed the rest of his cocoa and dropped the mug to the table with a soft thud. "Ahh, I love this stuff. Hey, I have a suggestion. Since we're both solo this Valentine's Day, what's say we just hang out together? Me and you, Danny. Just two crazy guys." He rotated his arms in a wide circular motion and bounced in his seat.

Daniel went to the kitchen and took a few deep breaths, then returned with a small pot to refill Max's cup.

"Umm, I may have a date for Valentine's Day."

Max's brows shot up. "Say what?"

"Uh-huh, yeah. As a matter of fact, I wanted to ask you for some advice."

"Advice?"

"Yeah, I need some ideas on how to nab him. I want to make him my boyfriend instead of just a friend."

Max's expression went blank. The color drained from his face, leaving his usually perfectly pink lips a bland pale shade. He lowered his drink to the table with a thud.

"Uh, yeah. Sure. I guess I can do that for you."

Daniel reached out to tap his friend's hand. "Thanks, Max. You're the best."

"Uh-huh. So who is this guy? Do I know him?"

He gave Max an exaggerated shrug. "I don't know. You might. You know lots of people, being a superstar and all."

"Whatever, man." Max leaned back, wrapping his arms around his chest. "Do I know this guy or not? I don't want you hooking up with some fool just so you can have a date for Valentine's Day."

Max's sharp tone and change in posture gave Daniel pause. During the course of their friendship, he had seen Max go through many emotions, except for the one he wanted to see the most. As he eyed his friend over the small wooden dining room table, Daniel saw something he didn't recognize. Max's ebony eyes flashed wildly. He couldn't help but wonder if those shiny black discs looked the same way when they danced with passion. Max's nostrils flared as his breath filled, and he emptied his lungs quickly. He was angry, for sure, but if Daniel didn't know better, he could have sworn there was jealousy underlining it. The thought almost put a smile on his face. He cleared his throat and averted his eyes.

"He's not a bad guy, Max. We've been friends for a while."

Max turned on him with a scoff. "What does 'a while' mean?" he asked with a raised brow. "We have been friends for almost ten years and—"

"And what?"

Max pressed his lips together into a tight line of defiance. "And— and I know all of your friends," he said, turning away.

"Well, not all of them. I meet a few people now and then. You know, from the fashion shows. And the fittings. You're not into all that, and—"

"Uh-huh. All right, I'll give you that. So what's his name?"

Daniel blinked as his mind went blank. "Reggie," he blurted out.

"What?" Max screeched, palming the table. "Reggie? That jerk that works at the warehouse you get your fabric from?"

Shit!

"No, no, not him. It's a different Reggie," Daniel retracted swiftly. "You don't know this one."

Max returned to his former position and rolled his eyes. "Uh-huh, and you want my help to snag him? This other Reggie guy?"

"Yeah. I just need a couple of ideas, maybe even a few position ideas that will take him over the edge when I do them. I want something more out of our friendship."

Max's neck turned slowly to land an icy glare that froze Daniel's blood. His voice lowered to a sinister level.

"You're fucking this guy already?"

"No!" Daniel said quickly, shaking his palms in the air. His heart thumped behind his chest at heart-attack rate. "No, nothing like that. Okay, forget the position thing. Just some advice is all I need."

Max's glare became less intense and Daniel released the breath he was holding. He felt dizzy with relief.

 available now at Silver Publishing  

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A SUMMONER'S TALE: the vampire's confessor

BLACK SWAN 3

AUTHOR:                   by Victoria Danann

PUBLISHER:              7th House

ISBN:                          978-1-933320-67-0 ebook      Words: 107,000

                                    978-1-933320-80-9 print        Pages: 350

GENRE:                      vampire romance, paranormal romance, urban fantasy,  paranormal fantasy

RELEASE DATE:     February 14, 2013

BOOK TRAILER:      http://victoriadanann.me/the-summoners-tale/

BUY AT AMAZON: http://www.amazon.com/Summoners-Tale-Vampires-Confessor-ebook/dp/B00BC1SYKE/

This is the third installment in a serial saga intended to be read in order.
DESCRIPTION: A secret society, a witch, a psychic, vampires, modern day knights, heroes, elves, fae, assassins from another dimension, and fairytales come together where emotions intersect. Two souls, joined by a mystical bond, separated by distance, must simultaneously struggle through pain and darkness in an ultimate confrontation with character and an ultimate struggle for life proving that true love waits patiently through lifetimes and finds courage to survive. Even in the strangest places. Even when you're least expecting it. Even when you're far, far from home.

Erotic quotient: A little steam. No menage. No BDSM.

 

 IMPORTANT: Black Swan Books 2 and 3 are available on Amazon.com exclusively as single titles. However, a The Order of the Black Swan COLLECTED TALES, Books 1-3 will also be released on or around Feb. 14th in e-book everywhere.   

This is the story as it was intended to be read - without interruption.

ISBN: 978-1-933320-70-0     313,000 words           

All three books for $6.99. 

INCLUDES:

 Book One - My Familiar Stranger: Romancing the Vampire Hunters (nominated for Reviewers Choice Best Paranormal Romance of 2012)   

Book Two - The Witch's Dream: A Love Letter to Paranormal Romance  

Book Three - A Summoner's Tale: The Vampire's Confessor  

Book Four - Moonlight: Big Bad Wolf  To release late Spring.

WEBSITE: http://www.VictoriaDanann.com

BLOG: http://VictoriaDanann.me

FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/vdanann  

TWITTER: @vdanann

Author Bio: 

For the past fourteen years, Victoria has illustrated and authored Seasons of the Witch calendars and planners and written several non-fiction books on magickal arts. She lives in a town north of Houston known as The Woodlands even though the idea of the witch in the woods may be a cliché.

She owns 7th House Publishing and contributes to its enterprises. In addition to art and writing, she plays Classic Rock music (keys, rhythm guitar, vocals) and manages one of Houston's premier party bands. Married. Four children.