Hooked On Fire and Amulet, Submerged, #mfrwhooks

A few lines from Fire and Amulet using the BookQW "Melt."

To set the stage, Deneas and Trelleir, with their small charge in tow, escape a band of footpads by riding a tree trunk down the steep slope. However, they were not able to stop before being launched airborne. Their improvised ride lands not on the shore of the river, but in the water.

Excerpt:

Rage that he was an air dragon and not a water one surged through his body. While the fire did nothing to warm his body or melt the wall of glacial ice around his soul, it broke the paralysis caused by the repeated traumas. His mind cleared. Dragon senses showed not only the lighter color of the life-giving air far above, but the dark line of the log ... and a chance for survival. The need to reach the surface overwhelmed Trelleir. He struggled against the current to be dragged across an outcropping’s sharp edges.

Agony replaced all thought. Instinct took over. Like bark peeling off a branch, a layer of his spine rolled down to form a tail. His feet lengthened and pushed off his boots.

The scream of abject fear that pierced his mind shattered his control over his transformation. It could only have come from the white-faced Leri who struggled in his grip. Bubbles escaped from between her lips. One last wiggle and she went limp. I will not lose this one, Trelleir vowed.

~ * ~

Having a slayer as a friend is dangerous when you’re a dragon.

Available in Ebook or Paperback at Amazon
Additional sites at Books2Read

AND DON'T MISS, Fire and Redemption, Book 2 of the Tear Stone Collectors.

The rest of the hop is at http://mfrwbookhooks.blogspot.com

Hooked on Fire and Amulet, Wild Ride #mfrwhooks

 A few lines from Fire and Amulet. To set the stage, Deneas and Trelleir, have just rescued a kidnapped child from a band of footpads and are trying to escape. They can't go forward ... or backward. The only option is over the down the mountainside.

Excerpt:

Trelleir turned and raced to the tree. Deneas was already at the front, throwing her weight against a branch. He did the same, and the tree tipped over the edge. Running leaps had them astride the log. A sharp bump and the front part of their makeshift sled lifted, threatening to dump its passengers. It thumped back down when Deneas laid flat and threw her weight forward.

From within the log came a lilting, “Whee.”

Faster and faster, their wooden steed slid down the muddy slope. The wind whistling past his ears brought another sound. Deneas’ sharp, “Hold on.”

The sharp incline they had ridden down ended at a stone ledge jutting out of the mountainside. Beyond it lay nothing but open air. The log hit the flat spot, shuddered, and kept sliding. What seemed like wagon lengths below, white water rushed around jagged rocks. Unlike the earlier part of the ride, Leri didn’t make a sound as the log went airborne. Trelleir reached out and grabbed the child’s flailing hand. His other hand clamped onto a branch in an iron vice. The sense of flight ended. The front of the log hit the water, then dipped beneath the white foam. Trelleir didn’t have time to warn Leri to hold her breath before a wall of water curled above them, submerging the log ... and its riders..

~ * ~

Having a slayer as a friend is dangerous when you’re a dragon.

Available in Ebook or Paperback at Amazon
Additional sites at Books2Read

AND DON'T MISS, Fire and Redemption, Book 2 of the Tear Stone Collectors.

On The Shore, Hatchling's Mate #wewriwa #SundaySnippit

 

  

​ 
Welcome to Weekend Writing Warriors, the weekly hop for everyone who loves to write! Visit the other participants on the list and read, and comment on their 8sunday posts.

​Today's excerpt is from the fantasy romance Hatchling's Mate. To set, the scene, To set the scene, against all orders, Talann attempts to swim across a flooded river to save women and children stranded on a hill. (Crossing Halted).  His ribs are broken by debris. (A Question Answered)  Some help arrives (Unexpected Help), but it isn't enough. (Dive Deep) The crossing continues with unexpected help from dragonkind. (Crossing Continues)

After following the crossing for so long, it wouldn't be fair to you, the reader, not to tell you Talann's future ... at least for now.

And now the Sunday Snippet.

* * * *

Excerpt
 
Gathering strength, Talann pushed back the redness still clouding his consciousness. One by one, other sensations penetrated his awareness. An iron grip suspended him above the waves, high enough to breathe, although spray stung his eyes. Movement replaced the feeling of weightlessness. Mud sucked at his hands. Pebbles scraped his knuckles and snatched at his feet. Huffs of breath in his ear let Talann know the price of the effort being made to shift his not insubstantial frame up the bank. ...

Muirea laid Talann on the ground beneath a tree with the effortlessness of a woman placing a babe in a cradle.

* * * *

Although safe for now, it is not the end of Talann's experiences with the river. He is still trapped on a hill that is rapidly being flooded by the rising waters. Be sure to read Hatchling's Mate for the next chapters.

Buy Links: / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / More Sales Sites 

Visit the Dragshi's page for more on the Dragshi Chronicles.

​I hope you like the snippet I shared for Talann / Glynnes this week. Be sure to read the other Weekend Writing Warriors blogs and the #SnippetSunday authors for more great reads. 

~till next time, Helen

5Crossing Continues, Hatchling's Mate, #wewriwa

  

​ 
Welcome to Weekend Writing Warriors, the weekly hop for everyone who loves to write! Visit the other participants on the list and read, and comment on their posts. And don't forget to visit the  Sunday Snippet group for their teasers.

​Today's excerpt is from the fantasy romance Hatchling's Mate. To set, the scene, To set the scene, against all orders, Talann attempts to swim across a flooded river to save women and children stranded on a hill. (Crossing Halted).  His ribs are broken by debris. (A Question Answered)  Some help arrives (Unexpected Help), but it isn't enough. (Dive Deep)

The crossing continues with unexpected help from dragonkind.

And now the Sunday Snippet.

* * * *

Excerpt
 
A glow, like that of thousands of fireflies enveloped his body. Confusion did not affect his eager grasp of the potential savior. No human, not even the dragshi had that kind of magic. The ancient ones, the true dragons, controlled such power, but they did not usually help un-bonded humans, only their own kind—and the dragshi.

Dragon-sent energy warmed—and healed—Talann’s body and soul. Could he be a dragshi after all? His pulse sped and frozen muscles thawed. Where before the surface appeared unreachable, within two heartbeats he breached into life-giving air.

Long gasps drew breath deep into his lungs. The burn lessened to be replaced by anger. He could not move. A wave washed over his head, then another.

* * * *

Buy Links: / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / More Sales Sites 

Visit the Dragshi's page for more on the Dragshi Chronicles.

​I hope you like the snippet I shared for Talann / Glynnes this week. Be sure to read the other Weekend Writing Warriors blogs and the #SnippetSunday authors for more great reads. 

~till next time, Helen

Hooked on Fire and Amulet, Last #MFRWhooks

Having a slayer as a friend is dangerous when you’re a dragon.

To get in the mood for the upcoming release of Fire and Redemption, a few lines from Fire and Amulet using the Bookqw "Last."

To set the stage, Trelleir has abandoned his home to join Deneas on her quest to slay a dragon. His cave is sealed to prevent the villagers entering, so he guides Deneas through the underground passages of a hidden exit.

Excerpt:

The circle of pale light that marked the end of the latest tunnel grew larger with each step. It provided just enough brightness to silhouette Trelleir’s frame. “Not long now,” he said.

Deneas barely heard the encouragement above the low rush of water. She breathed a sigh of relief. If it hadn’t been for Trelleir’s stolid support, the journey through the interminable darkness would have been unbearable. Softly voiced directions in her ear and his hand on hers guided her around one last series of stone pillars and onto a narrow ledge. “It will take a moment or two for your eyes to adjust.”

Repeated blinks cleared away some of the haze. Several more revealed that the world outside wasn’t shrouded in fog, she was looking at it through a living curtain of water. The tunnel opening was behind a waterfall. “It’s beautiful,” she whispered.

~ * ~

Available in Ebook or Paperback at Amazon
Additional sites at Books2Read

 

Dive Deep, Hatchling's Mate #WeWriWa, #SnippitSunday

 

​ 
Welcome to Weekend Writing Warriors, the weekly hop for everyone who loves to write! Visit the other participants on the list and read, and comment on their 8sunday posts.

​Today's excerpt is from the fantasy romance Hatchling's Mate. To set, the scene, To set the scene, against all orders, Talann attempts to swim across a flooded river to save women and children stranded on a hill. (Crossing Halted).  His ribs are broken by debris. (A Question Answered)  Some help arrives (Unexpected Help), but it isn't enough.

And now the Sunday Snippet.

* * * *

Excerpt
 
Handhold by handhold, he moved along the muck. His lungs burned until the need to suck down anything, even water, overwhelmed. Only his steel-tight grip on his will prevented giving in and he blindly fought toward the next purchase. The filtered daylight did not reach the black object in front of him enough for a clear identification. He couldn’t tell if what blocked his path was the bank he sought, or he feared, a boulder with raging water on the other side.

* * * *

Buy Links: / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / More Sales Sites 

Visit the Dragshi's page for more on the Dragshi Chronicles.

​I hope you like the snippet I shared for Talann / Glynnes this week. Be sure to read the other Weekend Writing Warriors blogs and the #SnippetSunday authors for more great reads. 

~till next time, Helen

Unexpected Help, Hatchling's Mate #WeWriWa, #SnippitSunday

 

​ 
Welcome to Weekend Writing Warriors, the weekly hop for everyone who loves to write! Visit the other participants on the list and read, and comment on their 8sunday posts.

​Today's excerpt is from the fantasy romance Hatchling's Mate. To set, the scene, To set the scene, against all orders, Talann attempts to swim across a flooded river to save women and children stranded on a hill. (Crossing Halted).  His ribs are broken by debris. (A Question Answered)

And now the Sunday Snippet.

* * * *

Excerpt
 
Strength from a source other than his own will surged through Talann’s body. Within a heartbeat, the pain receded to a more manageable level and he pushed away from his floating sanctuary. Where before he had fought a losing battle, now he cleaved through the choppy waves. Each stroke brought him closer to the shadowy figure frantically beckoning him on.

<Dive, Tal. Deep!> Glyn’s command rang in Talann’s head. <Debris will reach you in four... three... two...one.>

The countdown echoing in his head, Talann bent at the waist and, ignoring the pain in his chest, dove until he touched the rocky bottom.

* * * *

Buy Links: / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / More Sales Sites 

Visit the Dragshi's page for more on the Dragshi Chronicles.

​I hope you like the snippet I shared for Talann / Glynnes this week. Be sure to read the other Weekend Writing Warriors blogs and the #SnippetSunday authors for more great reads. 

~till next time, Helen

A Question Answered, Hatchling's Mate #WeWriWa, #SnippitSunday

 

​ 
Welcome to Weekend Writing Warriors, the weekly hop for everyone who loves to write! Visit the other participants on the list and read, and comment on their 8sunday posts.

​Today's excerpt is from the fantasy romance Hatchling's Mate. To set, the scene, To set the scene, against all orders, Talann attempts to swim across a flooded river to save women and children stranded on a hill. Waves knock him against rocks, doing more than knock the breath out of him. On the shore, Glyn sends out a mental question. "How bad are the ribs?"

And now the Sunday Snippet.

* * * *

Excerpt
 
Talann groaned and tightened his grip on the log. Any thought of fabricating disappeared in the instant of its creation. You can’t lie with your mind, Talann’s honesty whispered.

And I never could dissemble with Glyn. With a resigned sigh at the inevitable, he answered the query. <Broken>

* * * *

Buy Links: / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / More Sales Sites 

Visit the Dragshi's page for more on the Dragshi Chronicles.

​I hope you like the snippet I shared for Talann / Glynnes this week. Be sure to read the other Weekend Writing Warriors blogs and the #SnippetSunday authors for more great reads. 

~till next time, Helen

A Crossing Halted, Hatchling's Mate #WeWriWa

​ 
Welcome to Weekend Writing Warriors, the weekly hop for everyone who loves to write! Visit the other participants on the list and read, and comment on their 8sunday posts.

​Today's excerpt is from the fantasy romance Hatchling's Mate. To set, the scene, To set the scene, against all orders, Talann attempts to swim across a flooded river to save women and children stranded on a hill. Waves knock him against rocks, doing more than knock the breath out of him. On the shore, Glyn sends out a mental question. "How bad are the ribs?"

And now the Sunday Snippet.

* * * *

Excerpt
 
The lack of response from Talann raised questions as to his true condition. Did he have the reserves necessary to complete the mission? More than his life was at stake. A decision had to be made whether to allow Talann to continue on, or to use the ropes intended to save others to save him. Finally, Glyn cast a silent prayer to her ancestors—and his—to guide her choice, and pressed for a reply.


* * * *

Buy Links: / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / More Sales Sites 

Visit the Dragshi's page for more on the Dragshi Chronicles.

​I hope you like the snippet I shared for Talann / Glynnes this week. Be sure to read the other Weekend Writing Warriors blogs and the #SnippetSunday authors for more great reads. 

~till next time, Helen

Hooked on First Change, Anger #mfrwauthor

 

 This week's excerpt is from "The Unknown Patient," one of the tales recorded in First Change: Legends From The Eyrie. At this point, Falamn still hasn't recovered his memory. But has travelled with Clan Weiss long enough he is participating in a celebration. This post shows a different relationship, the one between a dragon lord and the seidhern that chose him as its rider.

Writing the seidhern that appear in the various tales in the Dragshi Chronicles was fun. Although the seidhern looked like nothing more than a very large horse, they were a magical breed, very loyal to their riders, independent, and sometimes a bit snarky.

To set the scene, Falamn has retreated to the forest to recover from Etianne's unexpected kiss.

Excerpt:

The sound of a heavy body crashing through the brush halted the entertainment. Yells of “Get ’im” were overridden by a beast’s squeal of anger. Falamn ran back to the lantern-lit square where dozen men moved back and forth in an erratic circle, however they weren’t dancing. The object of their attention was a dark-gray horse. Three ropes led from its neck and each had a handful of men hanging on it. Dust lay in a thick layer on the horse’s lathered coat. Ribs pressed against the hide indicated either a long journey or days without meals.  

“Who would treat such an animal so,” Falamn cursed. Despite its emaciated state, the animal fought any attempt at capture. When he dragged one man off his feet, another took the fallen one’s place.

“Lorg,” Falamn yelled. The paralysis left his legs and he raced down the path to the straining men. “Drop the ropes. Leave him be.”

The horse stopped rearing and sniffed the air. He turned his gaze on Falamn. Where before the animal bugled in anger, now it whinnied and headed unerringly towards Falamn.

Although they did not drop the ropes as ordered, the men provided slack and the stallion stumbled forward. He extended his nose to Falamn who absently stroked the soft muzzle. A moment later, the animal nosed into pockets and when nothing was forthcoming added a nudge to his demand for a treat.

Around him Falamn heard the sounds of murmured comments. “He’s crazy. That horse will kill him.”

“No,” said another. “He acts like he knows Falamn.” 

“Sorry, boy,” Falamn said with a laugh. “You won’t find any orange roots down here.”

The snort that followed told the animal’s response. So find one.

“Well, lad,” came a low voice from behind Falamn’s shoulder. He looked back to see Nuanain standing there. The loop of a rope hung loose from his fingers. “Falamn, you may not know your true name, but you sure do his.”

  ~ ~ ~

Buy Links: Links to ebook sellers

Additional excerpts from the three novellas (and two bonus short stories) in First Change. 

Hooked on First Change, Owe #mfrwauthor

 This week's excerpt uses the #bookqw "owe."

To set the scene, the weather is changing and the traders are due to leave the shelter of their winter caves. Falamn had been found by the traders along the trail, unconscious and with no memory of his true self. He had been nursed back to health by Etianne.

And now the snippit from from "The Unknown Patient," one of the tales recorded in First Change: Legends From The Eyrie. 

Excerpt:

Falamn wondered what the pair were leading up to. Word had circulated that with the improved weather the clan would soon leave the caves and return along the secret trails of the Helenet Forest back to their trading route.

The clan leader gestured to his kinsmen now gathered behind him. “Falamn, we have spoken amongst ourselves. Know this, Clan Weiss makes no offer lightly. You owe us neither loyalty nor duty. However, a space in the train is yours if you wish to journey with us.” 

Next to Falamn, Etianne tensed and he wondered the reason for her held breath. He bowed his head in a moment’s reflection. More than anything else he wanted to stay. Not with the clan—with her. But in his heart he knew even if they overcame the objections about the differences in their ages, someday his memory would return. Or someone would claim him—and he would leave. Still, he promised himself, I will cherish every moment we have together.

~ * ~

Buy Links: Links to ebook sellers

Additional excerpts from the three novellas (and two bonus short stories) in First Change.

About First Change

The dragshi are more than just a man or woman. Each are two beings–one a dragon, the other a human–sharing one body in space in time and able to change forms with the other at will. Their world and the adventures of the dragon shifters are recorded in the Dragshi Chronicles.

Within each of the chronicles, the ceoltiers, the keepers of the past and teachers of the present, recount some legend. As with all such tales, some contain larger than life deeds. Others are the simple story of a man or woman doing what must be done, regardless of the cost. Sometimes embellished, the ceoltiers use the stories of times and actions past to educate and inspire.

Unlike the previous works in the series which related to the trader girl Anastasia and Lord Branin Llewlyn, First Change features the real story behind the legends told in the previous volumes. First Change contains five stories of duty and honor, love and loss, happiness and despair from the chronicles. As with all such tales, some contain larger than life deeds. Others are the simple story of a man or woman doing what must be done, regardless of the cost.

Hooked on Hatchling's Mate, Fear, #mfrwhooks

An excerpt from Hatchling's Mate using the #bookqw "Fear." To set the scene, the newest dragon lord, Lady Lexii, and her bodyguard, Glyn, stop to enjoy the idyllic setting of a mountain pasture. But all is not what it seems and mercenaries with orders to kill all dragshi attack. The post "Jump" tells the beginning of the attack. Glyn uses her mount to send the wounded Lexii to safety. Which means, Glyn is now stranded and on foot as the mercenaries close in.

Excerpt:

Six feet of smirking mercenary advanced on Glyn. Light glinted off the sword the raider wove, one-handed, in one figure eight after another. Four more armed men lined up behind their leader. Their comments spoke not only of their intentions, but their prowess. A growled, “Give up now and I will make your end quick,” failed to ruin her focus. From the descriptions circulating throughout the region, these were the same group who, a few days earlier, tried to rape a woman at a local farm.

Glyn knew a swift end would not be her fate if her true sex was uncovered. I will not be used that way. She ignored the flash of the moving sword and concentrated on her opponent’s chest. The words of one of her early weaponsmasters echoed in her ears. “Muscles can’t lie.”

Again her opponent repeated his offer of mercy.

And again Glyn remained silent.

Determination aided by anger and fear quickened Glyn’s reflexes. Timing her counter, she didn’t have blade meet blade, but instead ducked beneath the intended fatal blow. Her sword flicked out. Blood flowed from the man’s side. No longer grinning, he tightened his grip on his sword’s hilt. Without warning, he attacked in a flurry of thrusts.  

~ ~ ~

You'll have to read Hatchling's Mate to see who is victorious.

Hatchling's Mate - From their birth it was expected that Talann’s and Lexii’s destiny would be entwined. However fate had other intentions. Lexii and Talann could not stand to be together.

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Click here for another excerpt and a free read of the first chapter.