God of Fyre Mountain--Guest Renee Wildes--Plus GIVEAWAY!

I met the wonderful Renee Wildes at my first WisRWA conference when I was a publishing noob and shaking in my boots, and she enfolded me in her enthusiasm and kindness. All that and a great storyteller, too. Each tale in her Guardians of Light series is a gem, but I gotta tell you, I think this book is my new favorite :) Please welcome Renee!

  

It’s release day for GOD OF FYRE MOUNTAIN, my newest fantasy romance from Samhain Publishing. First off, I wanted to thank the incomparable Mary Hughes for having me here today. To say I am a huge fan of this lady is a vast understatement, and I am truly honored that she invited me to her cyber-home to share Maili’s and Dax’s story.

God of Fyre Mountain is a twofold story. On the surface it’s a classic adventure story. Exotic locale threatened by a natural disaster and displaced characters trying to return home to stop a royal assassination. Volcanoes are fascinating, awe-inspiring. They create and destroy—truly the power of the gods. They’re dramatic, spectacular, and each one is unique. They are Mother Nature’s ultimate statement of just how small we mortal folk really are. I think they’re beautiful and glorious—in a photo and from a distance. But they can wipe out paradise in the blink of an eye. Just talk to Pompeii. Oh wait, we can’t…

But it’s also the story of the fight between one’s own hopes & dreams against family & society expectations. Like me being the only vet tech in a family of nurses. Like my son coming from a long line of NAVY—and wanting to join the (insert *GASP* here) AIR FORCE. (I totally blame Stargate on this one.)

Princess Maili’s future was set in stone, dictated by her autocratic family—marry the local village bully so he’ll lead their warriors against the enemy Kali. But she dreams of another and dares to hope for a miracle. She’s traded like a chicken to the terrifying fyre god, in order to prevent the end of her world. But Afu’s nothing like she’s imagined. He’s the first person in her life to ask her what SHE wants—and she dares to imagine things might be different than she’d been led to believe.

If Mt. Veamalohi would just go back to sleep, everything would be perfect.

Worst case of mistaken identity EVER…

Guardians of Light, Book 6

As a teacher, Maili is adept at juggling multiple tasks, but this is ridiculous. Erotic dreams make her sleep anything but restful. Her father wants to marry her off to a neighboring chieftain’s son. Her grandmother’s whispered blasphemy about doubting the gods has the local volcano threatening to split wide open.

As she prays in the temple for mercy on her grandmother, Maili expects the mountain to smoke and rumble. She doesn’t expect Afu himself to pop through a dark fissure and squash her flat.

The last thing Dax remembers is vowing to prevent his queen’s assassination. He wakes up in an island paradise, where the primitive natives worship the statue of a troll named Afu. And they expect him—their fyre god incarnate—to stop their cranky volcano from blowing up. As an incentive, they’ve given him a maiden sacrifice/bride, a dark-eyed beauty who’s just as determined to seduce him as he is to return home in one piece.

While she’s less than thrilled to be traded like a chicken, one thing is certain. Dax is the man in her dreams…and she’s hell bent on making them come true. Or her people may die.

Warning: Contains erotic dreams, volcanic-hot love scenes, one edgy F/F interrogation scene and some self-loving. Also treason, black sorcery and an evil witch doctor who shrinks heads.

EXCERPT:

Maili opened her eyes and pushed herself up, hissing from the pain as her wrist protested.

Afu growled, eyes blazing as he stared at her bruises. “Who?”

Maili swallowed at the menace pulsing from his too-still body. Words failed her.

“Who?” His deep voice was a clap of thunder. “Tell me who did this to you.”

Once the floor stopped spinning, she drank, wishing there was more. “Th-Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.” His eyes still flared an eerie red. “Now answer my question.”

She frowned, trying not to notice all those muscles rippling under a vast expanse of scarred, dusky skin. She heard the words in her mind, but his lips formed other shapes. Lotus-petal wine didn’t do that. “You’re not saying the words right. How can I understand you?”

“We connected in your dreams.”

That sounded godlike enough.

“Who hurt you? Those are recent. Give me his name.”

He was like a river dragon with a bone.

“P-Pilipo.” She closed her eyes in dread, then gasped as Afu raised her arm. His lips barely brushed the tender skin of her bruised wrist, the caress like the touch of a butterfly’s wings, like a whisper. She shivered at the unexpected tingle that zinged through her.

“Maili, look at me.”

She couldn’t refuse. His eyes were nearly black; sorrow warred with rage.

“No one has the right to do that. Not to you, not to anyone.”

“I-I was to be his, until you arrived. He doesn’t like being”—she fumbled for the right word—“thwarted.”

“That doesn’t give him the right to take his anger out on you.” Afu glowered. “Your father did naught to intervene?”

“Acourse not. A betrothed’s rule replaces a father’s authority.”

“But not a chieftain’s?”

“A chief doesn’t interfere in personal relationships. It’s beneath him.”

“Unbelievable.” A muscle ticked in his jaw. “I should strangle them both.”

Her eyes widened. How to calm a demon-god whose wrath melted rocks and flung fyre?

To celebrate this new release, God of Fyre Mountain, I thought we’d go back to where Dax’s story began. One lucky commenter will win a copy of Dust of Dreams. Thank you for sharing this very special day with us.
Comment through Friday, January 25, 2013. Include your email if you'd like Renee to contact you directly if you win. Winner announced by Renee Saturday, January 26.

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