Get Lost in the Sensual, Mysterious World of Dr. Exeter

There is something about Paris in the fall that brings out the devil in Dr. Exeter...

...and the beast in mild-mannered Mia, whose animal urges transform her into a gorgeous panther at the most inconvenient times. While there is no cure for her condition, there are techniques to alleviate the physical urges and inappropriate behavior. Much to Exeter's distress, it is up to him to help Mia through this difficult time of transition. 

The Miss Education of Dr. Exeter, is the third novel in the Phaeton Black, Paranormal Investigator series. readers who have enjoyed books one and two are well aware that The Moonstone and Miss Jones ends on a cliffhanger––Phaeton lost in an alternate universe known as the Outremer.

In book three, physical reality continues to unravel on both sides of the cosmic rift, and  it is up to the good doctor to extract Phaeton Black from the clutches of a diabolical techno-wizard—or both he and Phaeton could lose the women they love to love…forever. To accomplish Phaeton's release the doctor must let loose forces he has long kept under control, including his attraction to Mia.  Get ready for a moody tale of forbidden passion, romance and daring adventure!

“An arousing erotic romance wearing a skimpy steampunk dress…tension-filled sex scenes in a variety of unusual locations will satisfy readers who like to dog-ear the pages.” 

–Publishers Weekly

Click for a free chapter one, pdf download: The Miss Education of Dr. Exeter.

Jillian Stone is the author of The Phaeton Black, Paranormal Investigator series, which includes The Seduction of Phaeton Black,  The Moonstone and Miss Jones and the just released, The Miss Education of Doctor Exeter. Jillian is also the author of The Gentlemen of Scotland Yard series. She is thrilled that two of the novels, An Affair with Mr. Kennedy, and A Dangerous Liaison with Detective Lewis, are both 2013 Daphne du Maurier finalists!

You have been quoted as saying that the Phaeton Black books are an acquired taste. What do you mean by that?

Jillian: From the day The Seduction of Phaeton Black released I could tell these books were either going to be maligned or praised. Phaeton is a dark, Byronic hero and if readers do not recognize a kindred spirit in Phaeton, then all his humor and charm are lost on them. Romance readers are often looking for a champion––a super hero nice guy. The funny thing is, Phaeton is all of those wonderful things and more, it's just that those traits aren't so obvious––he makes you reach a little to find the hero in him. These books are not romance in the traditional sense, they are immorality plays with a conscience, or wickedly sensual adult fantasies. Even I'm not sure what to call them. Lol!

Are all the Phaeton Black books as sensual as Dr Exeter? 

Jillian: RT lists all the books as scorchers, while other reviews/readers refer to them as erotic romance. All three novels have a number of steamy love scenes, but I have to say that there is an abundance of forbidden erotic tension in The Miss Education of Dr. Exeter. 

This is a tricky love story between Exeter and Mia. What were some of the pitfalls? 

Jillian: Well, the fact that Mia has been his ward since she was a child, makes the love story difficult, but it also gives it tension and a darker edge. Mia has grown into a beautiful young woman who is very much attracted to her guardian, Dr. Exeter. She's loved him since she was a child, but her feelings have shifted in disturbing new ways. As the book opens, Mia struggles with her inner wild cat, as well as her adult feelings for Exeter––is it that cat or Mia or both? 

And what about Exeter?  How does he deal with Mia?  

Mia as panther.

Jillian: Not very well, at first. He is torn between his duties as her guardian, his desire to help her gain control over the panther, and his growing physical attraction to her. 

At least half the book takes place in Paris, France––what kinds of adventures do Dr. Exeter, Mia and the Nightshades encounter there? 

Jillian: There are two parallel worlds in the novels, one circa 1890 and the other is closer to 2013. In The Miss Education of Dr. Exeter, they find out that Paris, has two dimensions as well. I really enjoyed researching the Paris catacombs, the miles of underground quarry and the nightclubs, bistros and couturiers of 1890 Paris! There is also an authentic 1890 fetish party at the climax––but I can say no more! 

Wizardry is a much maligned
profession.

What about this techno wizard, Prospero? Where does he fit into the picture? Prospero is one of my best antagonists yet. And I hope to do a good deal more with him in future novels. He's the tortured messiah of great inter-dimensional empire, but I can't reveal much more than that at the moment. He is going to put readers through a number of changes in the next three books––for awhile readers are not going to know if he's a good guy, a bad guy or just plain mad.

For me, the joy of writing has to do with spinning a tale that reaches into the mythology of the culture. One that strives to be both mesmerizing and enthralling. I don't want readers to be able to guess the ending or know everything there is to know about a character. Maybe I just love surprises, which translates into surprising readers!

Do Exeter and Mia find a way to work it out? 

Jillian: Is there is a happily ever after? I'm not telling! For those of you who hated the cliffhanger in book two, I will say that there is a satisfying ending––though as in all the books, there are hints of more to come.

Presenting the whimsical, often misunderstood covers of the Phaeton Black series. I applaud my editors at Kensington Brava for trying. I think they understood that these books are adult fantasy (for mature audience only).

I have a question for commenters! Do you have a favorite shift creature? Name a shifter by species or by name: Vampire, Edward Cullen, demon, werewolf, Jacob Black, panther, dragon?

My giveaway will have three winners, each winner gets their choice of one book in the Phaeton Black series, either a print or e-copy. If you are new to the series, you can start at the beginning, with The Seduction of Phaeton Black or if you'd rather go directly to Dr. Exeter––go for it! And remember to leave your contact information with your comment to be included in the giveaway raffle.

***Note: Offer void where prohibited. Prizes will be mailed to North America  addresses only. If an Advanced Reading Copy (ARC) is available, the author may utilize that option for International participants. Odds of winning vary due to the number of entrants.

Get Lost in Sharon Lynn Fisher's World: Ghost Planet!

READER, BE YE WARNED: There is a big surprise at the end of chapter 1. If you don’t want to know, skip both blurb and excerpt! 

Psychologist Elizabeth Cole prepared for the worst when she accepted a job on a newly discovered world -- a world where every colonist is tethered to an alien who manifests in the form of a dead loved one. But she never expected she'd struggle with the requirement to shun these “ghosts.” She never expected to be so attracted to the charming Irishman assigned as her supervisor. And she certainly never expected to discover she died in a transport crash en route to the planet.

 Reincarnated as a ghost, Elizabeth is symbiotically linked to her supervisor, Murphy -- creator of the Ghost Protocol, which forbids him to acknowledge or interact with her. Confused and alone -- oppressed by her ghost status and tormented by forbidden love - Elizabeth works to unlock the secrets of her own existence.

 But her quest for answers lands her in a tug-of-war between powerful interests, and she soon finds herself a pawn in the struggle for control of the planet…a struggle that could separate her forever from the man she loves.

EXCERPT:

We trotted up half a dozen steps and were passing through the glass doors when Murphy said, “We’ll be scanned by security just inside. I hate them being here, raising people’s anxiety level in a place where we want them to feel safe. But all new arrivals pass through here, and someone decided it was a good idea.”

Thinking about the illicit-substance and weapons scans in all the airports and public buildings back home, I raised my eyebrows. “What’s it for?”
“To get a sort of fingerprint on everyone,” he explained, walking through the doorframe-shaped scanner. “Just to make sure we know who’s who. They can’t do it at the transport terminal because no one has ghosts when they first arrive.”
I followed him through the scanner, and a long beep sounded somewhere off to my left as I joined him inside. Murphy’s head jerked toward the sound. His eyes moved to the glass doors we’d just come through, and slowly back to me. He glanced at the security desk on our right.
“Where is it?” Murphy called to the guard, whose fingers were flying over his keyboard. The guard’s ghost leaned against the wall behind him, little more than a shadow.
The man stopped typing and looked up. “I’m sorry, Dr. Murphy?”
“I heard the alert go off, but I don’t see her. My ghost, Simon,” Murphy added, growing impatient. “Do you see her?”
The guard blinked at him a couple times. Then he cleared his throat. “She’s standing right next to you, Dr. Murphy.” 

*  *  *

Murphy looked at me, startled. He shook his head and walked over to the security desk.
I turned halfway around, searching for the missing Aunt Maeve.
Though the colonists were far from any real understanding of the aliens, Ardagh 1’s scientists had established that they were nearly identical to us physiologically. Only a specialized medical scan could reveal the differences in their insular cortex and limbic structures.
So the security scan was identifying ghosts—creating a record to help keep track of who was and wasn’t human. I joined Murphy at the security desk, and the guard swung the display around so Murphy could see it.
The screen was split into two halves, a picture of me filling one side. Opposite the photo was a crisp 3-D brain scan. Murphy touched the screen to manipulate the image, zooming in on a half dozen small, flashing red patches. He dropped his hand and stood staring at the screen.   
“No question, Dr. Murphy,” said the guard. “This has never happened before. I’ll have to file a report, and I’ll need to do a full workup on this new one. My shift is over at three. Do you have time then for me to ask you some questions?”
Wait. One. Minute. The guard’s face wheeled as the ground lurched under my feet.

Sharon Lynn Fisher is the author of GHOST PLANET, a two-time RWA Golden Heart finalist that Publishers Weekly calls “an absorbing and exciting story full of science, sex, and intriguing plot twists.” She lives in the Pacific Northwest, where she is hard at work on her next Tor novel and battles writerly angst with baked goods, Irish tea, and champagne. You can visit her online at SharonLynnFisher.com.


Jillian: Is there a playlist you’d recommend for reading your latest release?
Sharon: I heart playlists! They help me engage with my characters and story, and even influence my world-building. I compiled one for GHOST PLANET, available on both iTunes and Spotify. The list includes artists such as Swell Season, Snow Patrol, and Ben Harper. There are several Irish artists, as my hero (Murphy) is an Irishman. Also because I heart Ireland as much as I heart playlists.

Jillian: Be honest, when reading 1st person...do you miss the hero’s POV? 
Sharon: Since GP is first-person with no hero POV, I guess I better say “no.”  Honestly I don’t, though. I think the reason for that is most of the romance books I read fall more in the “strong romantic elements” category, and it never occurred to me that it can make the romance feel more complete to spend time in the hero’s head. With that said, however, almost all of the stories I’ve worked on since GP have included the hero’s POV. I think GP is a story for which first-person works especially well. I’m not sure I’d go that route again, because I’ve found I really enjoy writing male POVs! (Never say never, eh?)

Jillian: What’s something you’d like to tell your fans?
Sharon: Thanks. Seriously. You guys ROCK. I hope I never let you down. And regarding a second book in the GP world: I hope I will get that opportunity! 

Jillian: What’s the first thing you do when you finish writing a book? 
Sharon: Breathe a ginormous sigh of RELIEF. I don’t know what other people’s muses are like, but mine is more like Golem than the shiny, benevolent being you might envision. I never know what she’s going to get up to. She can disappear for days. WEEKS. With no forwarding address. Sometimes when she comes back she has all kinds of half-baked, half-CRAZY ideas. 

“I hate writing, I love having written,” said Dorothy Parker. I don’t hate writing really, or I wouldn’t do it. Because when you’re in the zone there is nothing that feels better. Almost nothing.  But it can be a lonely, scary journey at times. 

So to finally answer the question, when I finish writing a book, I break out the champagne, and Golem and me crank up the music, precious, and go whirling arm-and-arm around my apartment cackling like the deranged creatures we are.

Jillian: What is your favorite tradition from your childhood that you would love to pass on or did pass on to your children?
Sharon: When I was a little girl, I had a pocket fairy for an imaginary friend. I was painfully shy, and when I was at school, she would hop out of my pocket and sit on the edge of my desk, making it feel like not such a scary place. 

My daughter (6) has the same interest in fairies (though thankfully NOT the shyness). A good friend of mine bought her the book HOW TO SEE FAIRIES, which has a pop-up page with a compartment for leaving them gifts and notes. She has been corresponding with them for a few months now.  
Jillian: Does she know about the fairy doors in the town of Ann Arbor, Michigan? Really, here's a link: http://urban-fairies.com/locationspages/locations.html

Jillian: Do you read reviews of your books? If so, do you pay any attention to them, or let them influence your writing?
Sharon: I do read reviews, yes. Compulsively. (Doesn’t everyone?) When they’re positive I like to roll around in them like a horse does when first loosed into the pasture. When they criticize, I try to hear them with an open mind. Clearly reviews are subjective. One reviewer will praise an aspect another will blast. I think the road to madness lies in taking every criticism to heart. But I think criticisms taken as a whole can point to areas for improvement. 

Jillian: Tea or Coffee? And how do you take it?
Sharon: In Seattle the answer to this question can be complicated. I used to chuckle when I’d overhear in Starbucks, “Grande, extra-hot, nonfat, vanilla latte with double syrup and lots of foam.” I chuckle no longer. My current hot beverage of choice is a tall Irish tea latte made with 1/3 water, 1/3 lactose-free milk, and 1/3 almond milk, no sugar. I could explain why, but seriously? Just chuckle at me. I deserve it.

Jillian: What does it mean to love someone?
Sharon: I love this question, because discovering the answer has been a life-long journey for me. In my current stage of life, I believe true love is about celebrating someone for exactly who they are, and wanting them to be happy, no matter what that means. Once we start loving a person for who we want them to be -- expecting them to be what we think we need -- everyone is unhappy. 

Jillian: What would you say is your most interesting quirk? 
Sharon: My split personality. I feel like I am exactly one half logical and rational and critical-thinking, and one half completely open to everything. Just as an example, if you told me you believed in ghosts, very skeptical feelings would arise in me. If you told me you *didn’t*, I would start working up my argument for their existence. I think this is probably common among the writerly tribe. I think it’s the “open” side that writes and the “rational” side that edits. But damn, it can be unsettling at times. 

On that note, half of me believes in psychic ability, and more specifically, that I have premonitions. I sometimes dream about stuff that happens the next day. Little stuff, like an ad I’ll see on the side of a bus. Never anything useful, like lottery numbers. 

I hope 2013 will be a year of opening up more to that curious and open side of my nature, for the sake of creativity as well as overall happiness.

Jillian: What’s your favorite kid joke?
Sharon: My daughter once looked me in the eye and observed, “Ear boogers don’t taste good.” As opposed to the nose kind, you know. Which are delicious. 
Jillian: HA!

Sharon has a question for commenters: Please share one quirk about yourself, something not many people know about you, or something about yourself that makes you blush! (I promise not to put it in a book. At least not with your name attached. ;)

As an alternate: What thing has happened to you that you consider “magical” in some way? (ESP, ghosts, fairies, or just everyday magic)

Sharon has  a copy of Ghost Planet to give away to one lucky commenter chosen at random. Please leave e-mail contact information if you wish to be included in the drawing.

Sharon's Contact Information: 

http://www.sharonlynnfisher.com/

http://www.facebook.com/sharonlynnfisher

https://twitter.com/sharonfisher

https://plus.google.com/u/0/113082084407415133850/posts

***Note: Offer void where prohibited. Prizes will be mailed to North America  addresses only. If an Advanced Reading Copy (ARC) is available, the author may utilize that option for International participants. Odds of winning vary due to the number of entrants.

An excerpt and interview with Phaeton Black and America Jones

Honestly, would you believe Phaeton’s shanghaied in Shanghai story?

Let me set the scene for you. America Jones has just arrived in London after chasing Phaeton halfway around the world. She receives a wire message from him, asking her to meet him at the old flat. When she arrives, Phaeton is having a nap:

She squinted and a few details emerged from the flat below, including a shadowy figure in the overstuffed chair. A soft snore rumbled its way up the stair––it was Phaeton, all right. She ventured further into the room for a better look.

 He lounged in the chair with his pelvis forward, legs spread. America angled her head, studying him. There was a rough of whiskers on his chin, could he look anymore dashing? She exhaled a sigh. Only if he opened those liquid brown eyes.

“A little lower, darling.” He mumbled, still asleep. It suddenly hit her. He was safe. He was healthy. The bilge rat.

“Darling, is it?” she whispered. Her gaze trailed down his open waistcoat to the buttons on his trousers. As if in answer to her own lascivious thoughts the buttons began to open.

She grinned at first––was this some new kind of power emerging? Something ancient and primal fueled by lust? She had noticed a marked increase in her abilities these last few months, there was no question they were getting stronger. She reached out and her hand was slapped away––by what she had no idea. She tried again and was flung across the flat onto the lumpy old chaise longue.

America sat up and stared. Something tugged at Phaeton’s trousers––something powerful enough to manipulate the physical world and yet remain unseen. Rising to her feet, she strode across the floor and slapped Phaeton hard across the face.

He groaned, still in a deep trace. “Just the tip, Georgiana.”

She slapped him again. “Snap out of it!”

Jarred awake, Phaeton pushed away from her and blinked––several times. She slapped him again. This time he rubbed his jaw and his eyes watered. “America?” Gradually, between squints and blinks, he came around.

Her fists landed on her hips. “Who is Georgiana?”

Phaeton eased back into his chair, though he regarded her with some wariness. “A rather persistent succubus.  And you certainly aren’t one of those––thank God.” If it was possible for a man to have sultry eyes, Phaeton had them. He tilted his chin and studied her like she was a painting in the Louvre. “Though, I must admit the nasty little vixen has me in some discomfort––would you mind?” He gave a nod to the bulge in his trousers.

“Stuff it, Phaeton.”

“Exactly.” A slow grin twitched on the devilish mouth. “I’m just asking.”

“Goodness––separated for less than two months and I had already quite forgotten how exasperating you can be.”

“You followed me––rather sweet of you. I wasn’t sure you would. I thought you would think I jumped ship and sailed off––abandoned you.”

America’s eyes narrowed into cat slits. “According to your wire, which I received just yesterday, you were shanghaied––in Shanghai.”

Phaeton shrugged. “Old joke, not particularly amusing anymore.”

She stared at him. “You must trust me when I say, it was never comical––in the  least.” America shook
her head and moved to the pantry area of the flat. She braced herself against the table edge. “I chased you halfway round the world, Phaeton. I want the truth this time, and not a crafty as you please answer.” She swept an errant curl back into her top knot. “I believe I’ve known eels less slippery.”

Phaeton wore that cajoling half smile. “You’re angry with me.”

“Mad at you? No Phaeton, I’m not angry with you. I’m…I’m furious.” America choked on her own words, or was it the painful and growing lump in her throat that stifled her breath? “I searched for you for in every opium den and every back alley of Shanghai. Only after a great deal of money changed hands was I able to find out you’d cut and run––aboard the Boomerang. Do you have any idea how I worried?”

“I’ve caused you great torment, but I swear to you none of it was my doing. Yes, I was on that ship––in leg irons for more than half the voyage. I was cracked over the head in Blood alley, stuffed in a sack and taken aboard ship. “ Phaeton rolled his eyes a bit. “Turns out the captain was a regular chap, with a good supply of whiskey––nightly card play.”

America shook her head. “How lovely for you. I don’t suppose there was any chance to escape––or any way to get word to me?”

“But I did get word to you, love––darling––” Phaeton appeared rather stricken.

The tears that had welled up, were streaming now. “And while we were separated did you…think of me?”

Phaeton rose from the chair. “Every minute.” He strode toward her slowly. “Of every hour.” He caught her up in his arms. “Of every bleeding day.” His gaze fell to her mouth, and her lips parted. Good God, what a hussy––she was sending him an invitation.

“Have I ever told you I love you––outside of  the throes of passion?”

America shook her head.

“I love you.”

“Too late, we’re in the throes of passion.”

BARNES & NOBLE   AMAZON    BOOK DEPOSITORY

Interview with America Jones, and Phaeton Black heroine and antihero in The Moonstone and Miss Jones.

Jillian: “It wasn't easy creating you, America. I needed a heroine who could hold her own with a character like Phaeton Black, Paranormal Investigator, whose weakness for wicked women is as notorious as his affection for absinthe. What can you tell readers about yourself?

America: “My grandmother was a freed slave, and concubine of a French plantation owner. My mother grew up to be a beautiful and powerful Cajun witch, but when I was a child she left me with my  father, a British sea captain, who raised me up. He died shortly before I ran into Phaeton.

Phaeton: You were running all right, from the same men–pirates–who stole your farther's merchant shipping business. Rather mysterious how you found me in that dark alley...Miss Jones...

Jillian: (laughing): “Well, you are a character of loneliness and mystery, scarce seen to smile, and seldom heard to laugh...’

Phaeton: “As pleased as I am to be your Byronic hero, I'm not nearly as disagreeable as say a character like Heathcliff in Wuthering Heights––he can be cruel, malicious, detestable, hardly a cuddly character, and yet critics and readers alike are constantly swooning over him.”

Jillian: (with eyes rolling) “Perhaps, I didn’t punish you enough for your sins––you have too much fun in The Seduction of Phaeton Black.”

America: “Oh, I don’t know, that awful Egyptian Goddess Qadesh nearly drained Phaeton of blood. And he was barely recovered before he was beaten and keel hauled by pirates. That’s quite a lot of abuse, if you ask me.”

Jillian: “And what about you, America. You find such interesting ways to interact with Phaeton throughout the book. As much as you have to put up with his attitude and ill temperament, you still find ways to tease and frustrate him.”

America: “He pretends it annoys him, but really, I get under his skin quite early in the game. Just watching Phaeton deal with the inconvenience of living with a female was a lot of fun for me––and hopefully it is fun for the reader, as well.” 

Phaeton: “What was I supposed to do? The pirates had stolen her merchant ships, burned her warehouse to the ground––I had never roomed with a woman before. I pictured it to be a misery, but I was mistaken about that. America turned out to be quite an astonishing friend, lover and she bakes the most heavenly buns.”

Jillian: At the end of The Seduction of Phaeton Black, I didn’t give you a HEA (happily ever after) ending, but more of an HFN (happy for now). What’s in store for readers in the next episode?

America: “Readers will meet a whole new cast of characters in The Moonstone and Miss Jones. An assortment of horrifying and amusing creatures from 1887 London and an extra dimensional, contemporary London. Not to worry, all your favorites are back, as well. Doctor Exeter, Mr. Ping (Jinn), Edvar the gargoyle.”

Phaeton: “Without giving anything away, at the start of the book two, I get shanghaied in Shanghai, and shipped back to London––I end up rooming at Mrs. Parker’s brothel again. Honestly––where else would I go?” 

America: (grins) “And what was I to think? That he abandoned me in the Orient, of course. I end up chasing him half way around the world. Book two opens just as I am about to catch up to Phaeton. But from the moment I arrive in London, we are tossed into a horrific battle to save 1887 London from unraveling––or disintegrating. Or...whatever you want to call it.” (America winks.) “I’m not giving anything more away, but I must say, Phaeton has many hilarious, and endearing moments in The Moonstone and Miss Jones as well as a very heroic scene at the end–or should I say––to be continued?” 

Jillian: For those readers who’d like to see a visual storyboard of The Moonstone and Miss Jones please visit my Pinterest board: http://pinterest.com/gjillianstone/

America: Or your website. Here’s the link: http://jillianstone.com

Jillian: I invite you all to join Phaeton and America on this sexy supernatural romp–and by the way, America has a question for commenters.

Question for commenters

America: I was being chased down a dark alley by pirates when I ran into Phaeton Black. What is your first meeting story? Can be a funny a story or something sweetly romantic!


Today's giveaway: To celebrate the release of book #2, I will be giving away signed copies of both The Seduction of Phaeton Black and The Moonstone and Miss Jones to one lucky commenter!

MY DEBUT AUTHOR BONUS GIVEAWAY CONTINUES: Leave a comment and earn another chance two win a copy of The Trouble with Cowboys by Melissa Cutler or Lowcountry Boil by Susan E. Boyer, to two lucky commenters!

***Note: Offer void where prohibited. Prizes will be mailed to North America  addresses only. If an Advanced Reading Copy (ARC) is available, the author may utilize that option for International participants. Odds of winning vary due to the number of entrants.

Phaeton and America Part Deux

A Tale of Two Londons

 Jillian Stone

When Phaeton Black is shanghaied in Shanghai, America Jones assumes the worst––that he has abandoned her in the Orient. An angry Miss Jones returns to London, where their spirited partnership takes an unexpected turn. Alarming attacks by strange creatures plague the city, setting the stage for a terrifying future. People and things–well–there's no other way to explain it, but things appear to be unraveling in a parallel, alternate London. With help from the Nightshades, Phaeton and Miss Jones venture into the Outremer to extract the Moonstone and close the rabbit hole between two worlds.

BARNES & NOBLE   AMAZON    BOOK DEPOSITORY

Interview with an Antihero: Phaeton Black, Paranormal Investigator

Since the release of The Seduction of Phaeton Black,  I've been asked by curious fans and readers the most provocative questions about Phaeton! The most frequently asked question is whether he is a hero or an antihero.

This interview will hopefully answer some of your questions about this enigmatic hero.


Jillian: You are the most misunderstood character I have ever written. Why is that?
Phaeton: I suspect it’s because you wrote me in the fine tradition of the Byronic hero. To quote Lord Macaulay, he is a “man proud, moody, cynical, with defiance on his brow, and misery in his heart, a scorner of his kind, implacable in revenge, yet...” Phaeton adds with a wink, “capable of deep and strong affection."

Jillian: May I finish the thought in Byron’s own words? “That man of loneliness and mystery, scarce seen to smile, and seldom heard to sigh.” I also gave you a strange profession, paranormal investigator––care to elaborate?
Phaeton: One might say it is my only other area of expertise after absinthe and lovemaking. A dubious sort of skill foisted upon me from birth. I am able to communicate with gorgons and goddesses, wraiths and demons, succubae and seraphim, bloodsuckers, shape shifters. I could go on...

Jillian: Why is it, do you think, that I didn’t give you special super powers to battle these creatures?
Phaeton: I am a man who lives more by his wits than his brawn. I have found that one can negotiate with the darker creatures of the underworld as effectively as one can say...do business with a corporate raider. Recently, after receiving instruction from Doctor Exeter, I have learned to manipulate physical universe using potent aether, but I still rely heavily on my ability to communicate with darker side.

Jillian: Are you aware of me, the author, as I get inside your head? I come from another time and place, you know.
Phaeton: A slow smile lifts the corners of his mouth. “I rather enjoy the idea of you poking about inside my head––please do let me know when you find something naughty and arousing. Since The Moonstone and Miss Jones, I’m adjusting to the idea of life in two worlds––a parallel London, that is.”

Big Splash Banner Ad for The Moonstone and Miss Jones running the month of October at Night Owl Reviews

Jillian: “In order to write a love story for you, I tossed a rather unique young woman at Phaeton Black––how are you holding up?”

Phaeton: “Ah yes, Miss America Jones. Enchanting, young Cajun beauty. You introduced us under rather unique circumstances. I was chasing an apparition down a dark alley off Savoy Row, and she was on the run from the filthy, thieving pirates. As I recall, she pressed a knife to my throat and demanded sex...I did my best to accommodate her.”

Jillian: “A rather shocking experience, wouldn’t you say?”
Phaeton: “Some readers do seem to be rather shocked by it. I found it to be most stimulating, as did Miss Jones, by the way. What continues to astonish me is how we find ways to arouse each other in the sequel, as well.”

Jillian: “You have quite a reputation as a lover. How did you become such a master of the amorous arts?”
Phaeton: “It’s simple, really––giving pleasure to women arouses me nearly as much as receiving it. When a woman is arching her back, writhing and moaning my arms––let’s just say I respond readily to such sweet messages.”

Jillian: “There are essentially three plots interwoven into The Seduction of Phaeton Black. There is a blood sucking Egyptian goddess wreaking havoc all over London. Then there is the added task of getting America’s stolen merchant ships returned to her––as well as the love story. Do you have a favorite part of the novel?”
Phaeton: “Besides the love scenes, I’d have to say I liked the mystery of tracking down Qadesh, the Egyptian goddess, a good deal better than being captured and keel hauled by pirates. As the reader, you can to decide for yourself, of course. This first novel in the series is quite a romantic adventure––at least it was for me, but then I play Phaeton Black, Paranormal Investigator.” 

Jillian: “Which bring us to Phaeton and America, part deux. Without giving too much away, what can you tell me about the newly released, The Moonstone and Miss Jones?”
Phaeton: “As I see it, The Seduction of Phaeton Black as a prequel to The Moonstone and Miss Jones. Book two is a tale of two Londons. There is the dark, often foggy city of 1889, and then there is an alternate disturbing glimpse into future. 
Jillian: I've also introduced a number of new characters in including the Nightshades.
Phaeton: Yes you've written an assortment of horrid creatures, who plague 1889 London. Alternate London is...well, I suppose there's no other way to explain it, but things appear to be unraveling. With help from the Nightshades, Miss Jones and I venture into this alternate London to extract the Moonstone and close the rabbit hole between the two worlds. Plot-wise, this is all I will reveal, but suffice it to say, Miss Jones and I have issues to work out, and the story continues well beyond The Moonstone and Miss Jones...”

Just for Commenters: 

Jillian: “Phaeton, do you have a question for commenters? Something you’ve always wanted to ask the romance reader?”
Phaeton: “I can only imagine the lovely blush of color this will cause, but I can’t resist: Would you prefer a gentleman ask for a kiss or steal one?” 
Jillian: “As a special treat for commenters today, Phaeton Black will be answering your comments––so prepare to blush!” 

To celebrate the release of book #2, I will be giving away signed copies of both The Seduction of Phaeton Black and The Moonstone and Miss Jones to one lucky commenter!  

MY DEBUT AUTHOR BONUS GIVEAWAY:  I am also giving away a copy of The Trouble with Cowboys by Melissa Cutler and Lowcountry Boil by Susan E. Boyer to two lucky commenters. Comment today and tomorrow for two chances to win one of these fabulous new novels!

So what are you waiting for?  ;) Jillian

Two more giveaways to commenters: A copy of Lowcountry Boil and The Trouble with Cowboys to two lucky commenters! 

The Seduction of Phaeton Black

Paranormal Investigator

Phaeton Black is Scotland Yard's secret weapon against things that go bump in the night. His prodigious gifts as a paranormal investigator are as legendary as his skills as a lover, his weakness for wicked women as notorious as his affection for absinthe. But when he's asked to hunt down a fanged femme fatale who drains her victims of blood, he walks right into the arms of the most dangerous woman he's ever known, America Jones.

BARNES & NOBLE   AMAZON   BOOK DEPOSITORY

 

Jillian Stone is the author of The Phaeton Black, Paranormal Investigator series, which includes The Seduction of Phaeton Black, and the just released, The Moonstone and Miss Jones. The third sequel, The Miss Education of Doctor Exeter, is scheduled to release in July of 2013. Jillian is also the author of The Gentlemen of Scotland Yard series. Watch for A Private Duel with Agent Gunn coming in late November!

Jillian Stone Contact Info: 

 Website  Facebook  Twitter

Stop by tomorrow when I interview Miss Jones. She'll share the girly-girly inside scoop on Phaeton Black and The Moonstone and Miss Jones. 

***Note: Offer void where prohibited. Prizes will be mailed to North America  addresses only. If an Advanced Reading Copy (ARC) is available, the author may utilize that option for International participants. Odds of winning vary due to the number of entrants.

On Dec 21, 2012, at 2:12 pm, the sky went dark all over the world...

...and people's lives changed in ways they feared to admit. Thousands died in accidents while others claimed to have seen demons and found themselves locked up in their local psychiatric ward. Scientists explained away the phenomenon, and things seemed to return to normal.

Dark Daze

Ava Delany

After a decade of trying to conceal a power she never expected or wanted, Brie Duval was used to being alone. When life—or more appropriately, a meddling friend, sends her on a blind date with Ian Connors, she discovers she wasn't the only person to gain powers that day.

 They find themselves falling in love while on the run from a creature with eyes that suck in light and a force that controls their wills, but Brie fears their love is a side effect of the menace. In order to survive, they must put aside their fears and embrace the gifts they've fought so hard to deny.

An Interview with Brie Duval and Ian Connor from Dark Daze 
(Taken down by Ava Delany)

Thank you for joining us via the time talker. This futuristic invention is fascinating. Can you tell me some of the other changes we can expect between December 2012 and December 2022? 

Brie: Small changes—like the elimination of folding money in favor of credit and all cars becoming keyless—didn't surprise me, but when the hotels became voice controlled, that took a bit of getting used to.
Ian: I was just relieved when the bathrooms weren't on the new system.
I can imagine. What brought about all these wonderful inventions in such a short time?
Brie: After Dark Day, most people didn't want to talk about the changes, but there were changes. Some people got smarter, some gained physical and mental powers. Even some animals seemed affected.

What is Dark Day?
Brie: The Mayans predicted a big change on December 21, 2012.
Ian: Yeah, if only they'd known how big.
Brie: The world went dark in the afternoon—this inky dark that seemed to suck in all the light. Tens of thousands of people died in accidents. So many people lost family members, like I did . . . I'm sorry but I can't . . .
Ian: It's all right, Brie. Can we move on? Brie's getting upset.

That's okay. We'll move on to something more fun. What's your favorite meal? 
Ian: I'm partial to Bangers and Colcannon. It's a family tradition.
Brie: His Bangers and Colcannon are my new favorite. Probably because it was the first meal we ever made together.
Do you have a favorite cocktail? 
Ian: Anything but beer! I'll be happy if I never see another beer again.
You're obviously not a beer lover. What about coffee? Or do you prefer tea?
Ian: I'm okay with either, but it's all Mocha Lattes for Brie.
Brie: Low fat Mocha Lattes.
Ian: Don't look at me like I forgot your birthday. You don't need low fat lattes. You're beautiful just as you are.

That's sweet. You obviously love each other. Was it love at first sight?
Brie: I think it was, though I thought I couldn't have him because of my secrets.
Ian: I thought the same thing, with so many strange things were happening around me. We were lucky because it turned out we both had secrets and they united us, rather than breaking us apart.

Ooh, secrets! What secrets?
Ian: Secrets are secrets for a reason. I'll say this. Since Dark Day, secrets are paramount. If you go telling everyone everything, you might find yourself in a mental hospital the way so many people did when they claimed animals talked to them or they could read people's thoughts.
Brie: So many people smile and act friendly, but then you look in their eyes and they look terrified.

Aren't these secrets in your book?
Ian: Yes, but that's why we used the time talker to contact a writer earlier in the time stream than we are. We wanted the chance to warn those people who are about to experience Dark Day so that they might be better prepared for what will happen. If we can prepare people for what is to come, it might change the way things are, and we might be able to embrace our secrets, rather than hide them.

Sounds like a heck of a story. Who took it down? 
Ian: I tapped into the computer of a writer named Ava Delany. She listened for hours, and took notes.
Where can readers find more information on her?
She has twitter and facebook accounts, as well as goodreads, but you could check her website for information on our story and several others. www.avadelany.webs.com
Thank you for visiting with us and sharing a little about your story.

Purchase link: Amazon

Here's a question for commenters: Do you enjoy post apocalyptic fiction? Share one of your favorite not quite the end of the world stories. An e-copy of Dark Daze to one lucky commenter.

***Note: Offer void where prohibited. Prizes will be mailed to North America  addresses only. If an Advanced Reading Copy (ARC) is available, the author may utilize that option for International participants. Odds of winning vary due to the number of entrants.

Get Lost in Hearts of Darkness...

....where wraiths and shape-shifters stalk the night and
love redeems even the darkest heart.

Hearts of Darkness
Kira Brady

In the first of a dazzling new romantic trilogy, one woman’s courageous search plunges her into a millennia-old supernatural war—and an irresistible passion…
Nurse Kayla Friday has dedicated her life to science and reason. But for her, Seattle is a place of eerie loss and fragmented, frightening memories. And now the only clue to her sister’s murder reveals a secret battle between two ancient mythologies…and puts Kayla in the sights of lethally-sexy werewolf mercenary Hart. He’ll do whatever it takes to obtain the key to the Gate of the Land of the Dead and free what’s left of his soul. But seducing the determined Kayla is putting them at the mercy of powerful desires neither can control. And as the clock ticks down to hellish catastrophe, the untested bond between Kayla and Hart may lead to the ultimate sacrifice.

More about author, Kira Brady

A native Seattleitte, Kira spent her childhood hiking the rainy forests of the Pacific Northwest and drying out by the fire with a good book and a mug of something hot. She graduated with honors from the University of Pennsylvania, where she met her real life Prince Charming and promptly dragged him back to sunless Seattle. She fell in love with historic, haunted cities in graduate school. Now she writes about the twisted cities of her imagination, where wraiths and shape-shifters stalk the night and love redeems even the darkest heart. When not writing, she can be found drinking inordinately large mugs of Assam tea, knitting wool socks, and raising a wee heroine-in-training. Her website is kirabrady.com.
Jillian: What’s the first book you remember reading?  
Kira: The Disney picture book of Peter Pan, which I had memorized before I turned three. My poor parents were forced to reread that book every night for years. I also listened to the Broadway Peter Pan every night before bed, and eventually graduated to the full length Barrie novel Peter and Wendy. I have a collection of Peter Pan editions. For our first anniversary, the paper anniversary, my husband surprised me with a first edition. Can I say Prince Charming?

Jillian: Describe your favorite kind of hero to read/write?
Kira: Both to read and write, I love a gruff hero with a hidden heart of gold. Perhaps it's that thrill of taming the bad boy or the satisfaction of a long, hard chase. But no matter how bad-ass, antisocial, or sarcastic he is, my favorite heroes all melt for the woman who steals their heart. I think I watched too many reruns of Star Wars and Indiana Jones as a kid, because Harrison Ford always comes to mind. Both Han Solo and Indy are rough around the edges, but their heroines are their kryptonite.

Jillian: What was the first story you remember writing?
Kira: In third grade I started writing a story in a "Cheaper by the Dozen" vein about a large family that goes to Disneyland and has humorous misadventures. The family consisted of myself, my little brother, our two cousins, and my best friend and her two little sisters, all under the parentage of my own dear beleaguered parents. I even drew diagrams of our fantasy house. I always wanted a large family, and I'd never been to Disneyland. I still have it somewhere.

Jillian: Which of your characters would you most/least like to invite to dinner, and why?
Kira: Sven Norgard, the Drekar Regent and all around baddie of Hearts of Darkness. Why ask the villain to dinner? Because he'd be a delightful dinner guests. He could charm the panties off a nun, and I always like dining with someone who can carry the conversation no matter how shy the other guests. He would be fascinating to talk to and could tell stories of his centuries of travel. Plus, he might bring chocolate.

Jillian: Tea or Coffee? And how do you take it?
Kira: Tea please, even though I live in Seattle. I usually take it black, unless I'm out to a fancy Afternoon Tea. If I'm dining like the English, I take it with cream and sugar with a side of scones and Devonshire cream. There is no other way!

Jillian: Which era would you least like to have lived in, fashion-wise and why? Most?
Kira: The 1940s! The fashions were fun, flirty, and feminine. I love the bold prints and the styles that complemented a real hourglass figure. The hairstyles, while time consuming, were so creative. Someday I want to learn how to do a real victory roll. I also like the Victorian fashions to look at, but they didn't let a woman breath or move.

Kira has a question for readers: 

Who is your favorite mythic or Disney hero? (Having just returned from Disneyland, I have Disney on the brain! Mine are Prince Phillip (Sleeping Beauty) and Shang (Mulan) I have a copy of Hearts of Darkness to giveaway to a commenter selected at random.

***Note: Offer void where prohibited. Prizes will be mailed to North America  addresses only. If an Advanced Reading Copy (ARC) is available, the author may utilize that option for International participants. Odds of winning vary due to the number of entrants.