Good Morning, Booklovers!
Spring has definitely sprung in the Midwest. It’s not quite warm yet—and raining today—but we’re getting there. It will be deck weather soon, and I can hardly wait. But I digress. We have guest author, Daryl Devore, here to chat about books today.
Welcome, Daryl. What can I get you to drink?
DD: I am that person. Yup, that person who doesn’t drink coffee. Never developed a taste for it. When I was young, my grandmother let me try a mouthful of hers. Ugh. Burnt my tongue. Thought it tasted disgusting and that was the end of that.
I have been known to drive early morning diner servers crazy. They keep coming past with the pot and are trying to pour it into my OJ or onto my pancakes – anywhere – they just seem to have to pour coffee!
Since as I write this, the current temperature is -20C (-4ishF), the drink I will choose is hot chocolate. I am old enough to remember getting a certain brand tin of hot chocolate powder and needing a spoon to pop the lid. I have graduated in my taste. Now it is a blend from a well-known chocolatier. YUM. And I drink it in either the mug my mother made for me or one a friend gave me.
When I am feeling frivolous, I’ll pop in a marshmallow. If I’m feeling exotic, I sprinkle in some cinnamon.
Ally: Although the weather has certainly changed since you wrote about the hot chocolate, there is a chill in the air with the rain. And after all, I’m drinking hot coffee. Hot chocolate sounds perfect. White I fix our drinks, please tell readers something about yourself.
Spring has definitely sprung in the Midwest. It’s not quite warm yet—and raining today—but we’re getting there. It will be deck weather soon, and I can hardly wait. But I digress. We have guest author, Daryl Devore, here to chat about books today.
Welcome, Daryl. What can I get you to drink?
DD: I am that person. Yup, that person who doesn’t drink coffee. Never developed a taste for it. When I was young, my grandmother let me try a mouthful of hers. Ugh. Burnt my tongue. Thought it tasted disgusting and that was the end of that.
I have been known to drive early morning diner servers crazy. They keep coming past with the pot and are trying to pour it into my OJ or onto my pancakes – anywhere – they just seem to have to pour coffee!
Since as I write this, the current temperature is -20C (-4ishF), the drink I will choose is hot chocolate. I am old enough to remember getting a certain brand tin of hot chocolate powder and needing a spoon to pop the lid. I have graduated in my taste. Now it is a blend from a well-known chocolatier. YUM. And I drink it in either the mug my mother made for me or one a friend gave me.
When I am feeling frivolous, I’ll pop in a marshmallow. If I’m feeling exotic, I sprinkle in some cinnamon.
Ally: Although the weather has certainly changed since you wrote about the hot chocolate, there is a chill in the air with the rain. And after all, I’m drinking hot coffee. Hot chocolate sounds perfect. White I fix our drinks, please tell readers something about yourself.
BIO:
This my new bio. A friend wrote it. I super like it as it is short and hits it on the nail. I’m the bigger Tigger 😊
Daryl Devoré is an author who spans heat levels from soft and sweet to spicy hot. Each of her characters is so captivating they leave her readers spellbound as they rush to reach the end of her stories.
Daryl lives and works from her home in the gorgeous wilds of Canada. When she’s not writing she spends her spare time gardening, enjoying the tasty homemade bread her hubby bakes, and attending yoga classes where she sometimes hangs from the rafters like a bat.
Something unique about me: “Hmmm. I can’t whistle. Never learned. Lots have tried to teach me but soon give up as we all end up laughing our heads off at the ridiculousness of the situation and from the facial contortions of me trying to get it right.”
Author Contacts:
Blog – Romance – Sweet to Heat
Twitter
Every Other Month Newsletter (always looking for subscribers)
Facebook
This my new bio. A friend wrote it. I super like it as it is short and hits it on the nail. I’m the bigger Tigger 😊
Daryl Devoré is an author who spans heat levels from soft and sweet to spicy hot. Each of her characters is so captivating they leave her readers spellbound as they rush to reach the end of her stories.
Daryl lives and works from her home in the gorgeous wilds of Canada. When she’s not writing she spends her spare time gardening, enjoying the tasty homemade bread her hubby bakes, and attending yoga classes where she sometimes hangs from the rafters like a bat.
Something unique about me: “Hmmm. I can’t whistle. Never learned. Lots have tried to teach me but soon give up as we all end up laughing our heads off at the ridiculousness of the situation and from the facial contortions of me trying to get it right.”
Author Contacts:
Blog – Romance – Sweet to Heat
Every Other Month Newsletter (always looking for subscribers)
INTERVIEW:
DD: I brought along my medieval fantasy romance – The Last Dragon. Even though I am more known as a hot romance writer, this book is definitely in the sweet heat rating.
Ally: A perfect lead to my first question. Who or what inspired your featured book, The Last Dragon?
DD: A bit of both. Both a “who” and a “what”. I wrote a hot medieval romance, and someone commented they expected a dragon to pop into the story. I’d never written fantasy before, so I dismissed the idea. A few years later, there is dragon flying around in my head, demanding to have its story written.
Ally: Are you self-published or traditionally published? How did you make the decision?
DD: Yes and no. LOL. I’m being really wish-washy today. I was traditionally published – agent and all that. Left that. Then had an e-publisher, but also did my own indie publishing. Left both epublishers and now I am solely an indie. It’s a long-involved story about editors and myself and I think I don’t play well with others. My sweet books, I did not want an editor to work on them. I found they removed my voice and soul in my hot romance books. I love my sweet books too much to let that happen.
Ally: Do you use critique groups or beta readers? Do you find them valuable?
DD: Yes, I have some wonderful CPs (critique partners). One who doesn’t let me get away with passive verbs, floating body parts and that sort of thing. The other can ask the most annoying questions. Solving the questions always seems to make the story even better. Questions like – well, why didn’t he just… She’s usually right.
My beta is amazing. She constantly refers back in the book to check every little detail and make sure every plot twist moves the story along.
Ally: Do you write from an outline?
DD: Nope. Card carrying pantser. A few years ago, I was asked to join a group of wonderful authors that was writing a box set. The theme of the set was Lawbreakers. My whole plot outline was – Lawbreaker – should be her. And from that I wrote a twisted fairy tale based on Robin Hood. Which I swear, I did not know I was going to do until I got to the end of the first chapter and the main character announced her name.
Ally: Do you read reviews of your books? Do you respond to them? Are you affected by them?
DD: This is a touchy topic. Writers need reviews to get their books noticed. People have opinions and they will express those opinions. I get not everyone will like my books, so I ignore the reviews marked less than 4 stars. I use the 4- and 5-star ones for tweets and in book teasers.
I don’t read the lower rated ones. They hurt my feelings or they trigger my temper and there is nothing I can do but yell at my computer.
I’ve also had reviewers give away the end of the book. Thanks a lot!! – said in a very sarcastic tone.
Ally: What is your next writing project? Anticipated release date?
DD: Well, as my next release date is for a hot romance – I will skip that one and jump to the next which is probably April. It is a new adult romance for older teens. A dancer, horses and a bad boy get mixed together.
Oh, and I am nearing the end of another sweet medieval fantasy romance. This one has fairies, imps and the occasional troll.
Ally: Which of the trivia questions did you choose?
DD: I brought along my medieval fantasy romance – The Last Dragon. Even though I am more known as a hot romance writer, this book is definitely in the sweet heat rating.
Ally: A perfect lead to my first question. Who or what inspired your featured book, The Last Dragon?
DD: A bit of both. Both a “who” and a “what”. I wrote a hot medieval romance, and someone commented they expected a dragon to pop into the story. I’d never written fantasy before, so I dismissed the idea. A few years later, there is dragon flying around in my head, demanding to have its story written.
Ally: Are you self-published or traditionally published? How did you make the decision?
DD: Yes and no. LOL. I’m being really wish-washy today. I was traditionally published – agent and all that. Left that. Then had an e-publisher, but also did my own indie publishing. Left both epublishers and now I am solely an indie. It’s a long-involved story about editors and myself and I think I don’t play well with others. My sweet books, I did not want an editor to work on them. I found they removed my voice and soul in my hot romance books. I love my sweet books too much to let that happen.
Ally: Do you use critique groups or beta readers? Do you find them valuable?
DD: Yes, I have some wonderful CPs (critique partners). One who doesn’t let me get away with passive verbs, floating body parts and that sort of thing. The other can ask the most annoying questions. Solving the questions always seems to make the story even better. Questions like – well, why didn’t he just… She’s usually right.
My beta is amazing. She constantly refers back in the book to check every little detail and make sure every plot twist moves the story along.
Ally: Do you write from an outline?
DD: Nope. Card carrying pantser. A few years ago, I was asked to join a group of wonderful authors that was writing a box set. The theme of the set was Lawbreakers. My whole plot outline was – Lawbreaker – should be her. And from that I wrote a twisted fairy tale based on Robin Hood. Which I swear, I did not know I was going to do until I got to the end of the first chapter and the main character announced her name.
Ally: Do you read reviews of your books? Do you respond to them? Are you affected by them?
DD: This is a touchy topic. Writers need reviews to get their books noticed. People have opinions and they will express those opinions. I get not everyone will like my books, so I ignore the reviews marked less than 4 stars. I use the 4- and 5-star ones for tweets and in book teasers.
I don’t read the lower rated ones. They hurt my feelings or they trigger my temper and there is nothing I can do but yell at my computer.
I’ve also had reviewers give away the end of the book. Thanks a lot!! – said in a very sarcastic tone.
Ally: What is your next writing project? Anticipated release date?
DD: Well, as my next release date is for a hot romance – I will skip that one and jump to the next which is probably April. It is a new adult romance for older teens. A dancer, horses and a bad boy get mixed together.
Oh, and I am nearing the end of another sweet medieval fantasy romance. This one has fairies, imps and the occasional troll.
Ally: Which of the trivia questions did you choose?
- – Memorable book you’ve read: I am Malala by Malala Yousafzai
- – Favorite comfort food: Chocolate
- – Your pets: Cats. Black. Licorice and Ginny-Furr
- – Your hobbies? Gardening. Raks Sharqi (belly dancing)
- – Best place you’ve ever visited: Grand Cayman
Ally: Thank you for chatting with us today, Daryl. Before we finish, please show us your featured book, The Last Dragon.
THE LAST DRAGON
Genre: Medieval fantasy romance
Rating: sweet
What do dragons, knights and romance have in common?
A sorcerer craving dominance merged with a dragon, the power overwhelmed him causing him to split into three dragons. Demora ruled thought, but was lost in time. Yidithe offered protection, shining like the light of the sun. Ayrradex craved chaos, reveling in destroying souls.
Many knights died, attempting to slay the devil beast.
One knight, Prince Hawkyns, did not fear death. He’d lost everything. Away on a mission when Ayrradex attacked his father’s kingdom, Penrythe, Hawkyns returned to find his noble father – feeble and defeated. His wise mother – crazed. His beautiful wife and unborn child – dead. Only a pile of ashes remained for him to bury. He knelt before his King and vowed to slay the devil-beast or be slain
.
Derry was born with powers that terrified her parents. They delivered her to a nunnery to be raised in secret. Jathe, a wise sorceress, discovered the young girl and trained her to one day use the secret hidden in her soul.
Legends spoken around campfires hinted the sole way to destroy Ayrradex was when the hearts of a knight and a golden dragon became one. But after a vicious battle with Ayrradex, the golden dragon was thought to be dead.
Can Prince Hawkyns’s bravery and Derry’s powers end the reign of the devil-beast’s terror?
Buy Links:
Amazon – ebook, paper, hardcover
Amazon – Audio
Audible – audio
BookBub
BookSprout
Pinterest page for THE LAST DRAGON
GoodReads
Genre: Medieval fantasy romance
Rating: sweet
What do dragons, knights and romance have in common?
A sorcerer craving dominance merged with a dragon, the power overwhelmed him causing him to split into three dragons. Demora ruled thought, but was lost in time. Yidithe offered protection, shining like the light of the sun. Ayrradex craved chaos, reveling in destroying souls.
Many knights died, attempting to slay the devil beast.
One knight, Prince Hawkyns, did not fear death. He’d lost everything. Away on a mission when Ayrradex attacked his father’s kingdom, Penrythe, Hawkyns returned to find his noble father – feeble and defeated. His wise mother – crazed. His beautiful wife and unborn child – dead. Only a pile of ashes remained for him to bury. He knelt before his King and vowed to slay the devil-beast or be slain
.
Derry was born with powers that terrified her parents. They delivered her to a nunnery to be raised in secret. Jathe, a wise sorceress, discovered the young girl and trained her to one day use the secret hidden in her soul.
Legends spoken around campfires hinted the sole way to destroy Ayrradex was when the hearts of a knight and a golden dragon became one. But after a vicious battle with Ayrradex, the golden dragon was thought to be dead.
Can Prince Hawkyns’s bravery and Derry’s powers end the reign of the devil-beast’s terror?
Buy Links:
Amazon – ebook, paper, hardcover
Amazon – Audio
Audible – audio
BookBub
BookSprout
Pinterest page for THE LAST DRAGON
GoodReads
Excerpt for Last Dragon (This is the prologue.)
The men’s gazes fixed on the crimson glow of the embers. Twilight too feeble to ward off the soul-freezing sounds drifting out of the woods, weary travellers sat around a campfire with heads bowed and huddled deeper into their cloaks. Strangers to each other, but linked at this shared moment by the need for companionship and the illusion of protection.
The evening grew darker. Clouds blanketed the sky, erasing the stars, dulling the moonlight. A breeze rustled the leaves of the bushes.
Or was it a breeze?
Heads lifted and gazes searched into the darkness for danger. One of the horses tied to the trees reared its head, whinnied and stomped the ground. The wayfarers pushed their hoods back and peered past the startled beast. Two men reached for their swords.
A log dropped deeper into the fire and raised a shower of sparks. Crackles and hisses erupted and faded as the blaze settled. A gust of wind blew curls of smoke meandering around the men, stinging their tired eyes.
Silence fell once more on the huddled group as the travellers shifted their focus back from the world outside the campfire to the one inside their thoughts.
A bard raised his hands towards the heat of the flames, cleared his throat and lifted his voice. “The Legend speaks―in whispers―of an evil dragon who flies in the dark of the moon. The heat of its breath will melt a man’s soul and kill ye alive. Alive yet dead. Never again to taste, touch, love or be loved. Those who obey its commands; their fire burns a man’s flesh and turns his bones to ash.
But, they say, there is a dragon the colour of the sun and a brave prince. When their hearts become one only then can the devil dragon and all loyal to it be slain and their souls banished into the depths of Hell.”
The men’s gazes fixed on the crimson glow of the embers. Twilight too feeble to ward off the soul-freezing sounds drifting out of the woods, weary travellers sat around a campfire with heads bowed and huddled deeper into their cloaks. Strangers to each other, but linked at this shared moment by the need for companionship and the illusion of protection.
The evening grew darker. Clouds blanketed the sky, erasing the stars, dulling the moonlight. A breeze rustled the leaves of the bushes.
Or was it a breeze?
Heads lifted and gazes searched into the darkness for danger. One of the horses tied to the trees reared its head, whinnied and stomped the ground. The wayfarers pushed their hoods back and peered past the startled beast. Two men reached for their swords.
A log dropped deeper into the fire and raised a shower of sparks. Crackles and hisses erupted and faded as the blaze settled. A gust of wind blew curls of smoke meandering around the men, stinging their tired eyes.
Silence fell once more on the huddled group as the travellers shifted their focus back from the world outside the campfire to the one inside their thoughts.
A bard raised his hands towards the heat of the flames, cleared his throat and lifted his voice. “The Legend speaks―in whispers―of an evil dragon who flies in the dark of the moon. The heat of its breath will melt a man’s soul and kill ye alive. Alive yet dead. Never again to taste, touch, love or be loved. Those who obey its commands; their fire burns a man’s flesh and turns his bones to ash.
But, they say, there is a dragon the colour of the sun and a brave prince. When their hearts become one only then can the devil dragon and all loyal to it be slain and their souls banished into the depths of Hell.”