Adult Fantasy Fiction - Blog

Looking Past Labels and Tags: Why I Don't Use the 'M'-Word to Describe the Eye Of The Storm series

Wed, 22 May 2013 14:10:42 GMT

This blog post contains a SPOILER for the first book in the Eye Of The Storm series, Releasing The Wolf.

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I really do think it's a shame that we have to label books because in some ways it spoils the story, and just in case you have missed many of my previous notes and blog posts: I write for the story.

For the purpose of this post, the 'M'-Word = ménage. The Eye Of The Storm series is not a ménage, not at its core. I don't use the 'M'-Word because of that. But yes, there is a ménage element to it.

With all of my stories, I don't think about the sex or the romance when I write (despite the sex scenes) - I am thinking about the plot. In the case of Eye Of The Storm, the plot involves a 'foursome of a relationship', but it is not a ménage. If I were writing a ménage-focused book, there would be threesome / foursome sex in every two or three chapters, but there isn't and I'm not writing erotica or even romance here. So, the focus is not on the ménage. I am writing a dark paranormal fantasy, or call it an urban fantasy if you like - hell, call it a romance if you like, as long as you do so knowing that it's not the focus of the story. Most of my fan base refer to the series as a paranormal romance, but they are used to my writing and understand that the romance is not necessarily the core of what's going on.

If I were to call the series a ménage (or even warn people that there is foursome sex in it - like I'm doing now, but I decided to take the risk), it would first of all spoil the twist of the first story completely, and secondly, it would only attract people who wanted to read a ménage and they would be sorely disappointed! I do realise that there are readers who will get to the ménage bit of the book and be put off because they didn't know it was coming. That is a risk I am prepared to take for the sake of the surprise, and I'm assuming if you've read this far, past the spoiler warning at the top of the page, you are willing to take the risk and spoil your own surprise ;)

The only thing I can say to those new to my writing is PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE try to break out of the labelling frame of mind when you read my books. I've focused on the Eye Of The Storm series for this post, but it goes for all my books: I dislike labels, and I just want to write stories without worrying about how it will fit into what genre or sub-genre. Maybe that means you won't read my work because you need the labels and to know exactly what you're getting - that's fine. But if you like surprises and something a little different, do give it a go :)

I try to make it as clear as I can on my own website and in the notes section of the book descriptions at online retail sites, the type of book you are getting without spoiling the story, and surprise is often a big element of my stories. But I am not going to start labelling my books that specifically. It won't work for the storyline.

A huge thanks to those of you that have let me know you've enjoyed the series so far :) There is a LOT still to come!

Dianna xxx

Yes, it's Release Day!!!

Thu, 18 Apr 2013 11:18:38 GMT

(all links below the photo)

PAPERBACK GIVEAWAYS AT:

Paranormal Pleasures
http://paranormalpleasures.blogspot.co.uk/2013/04/reviews-giveaway-interview-with.html
Bookaholics Book Club
http://bookaholicsbkcl.blogspot.co.uk/2013/04/guest-post-dianna-hardy-vlog-and.html
Close Encounters With The Night Kind
http://closeencounterswiththenightkind.blogspot.co.uk/2013/04/giveaway-and-release-day-party-for-cry.html

Reviewed on Release Day by Bitten By Paranormal Romance http://www.bittenbyparanormalromance.com/2013/04/review-cry-of-wolf-by-dianna-hardy.html

Mentioned as a new release in USA TODAY http://www.usatoday.com/story/happyeverafter/2013/04/18/new-releases-paranormal-romance-april-2013/2091263/

BUY LINKS

Amazon US
http://www.amazon.com/Cry-Wolf-Eye-Storm-ebook/dp/B00CEHHWW6
Amazon UK
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Cry-Wolf-Eye-Storm-ebook/dp/B00CEHHWW6
Smashwords
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/307395

ENJOY THE PARTY, EVERYONE :D ♥

EXCERPT: Cry Of The Wolf

Fri, 05 Apr 2013 20:25:39 GMT

Excerpt, copyright © Dianna Hardy, 2013. All rights reserved.
Do not copy from this website. Please link to this post instead. Thanks.

May contain spoilers for the first book, Releasing The Wolf, so I recommend you read that one first if you haven't already ;)

(The beginning of) Chapter One

How did anyone even begin to make sense of these diagrams?

Lydia stared at the text book in front of her, her brain already faltering from the little she’d read over the past twenty minutes. There’s a reason why I chose not to take Biology at school.

But this? This was just bizarre, seriously … stuff about werewolf sperm and fertilisation, and something about acidity and alkaline levels needing to be balanced – some tie-in as to why their sperm was cool instead of warm – to placate the female when she’s on heat…

Placate. As if we’re wild and unruly just because we’re lusty females, pur-lease!

She shut the heavy book with a slam. This was the most patriarchal bullshit she’d ever heard. Okay, so maybe they were ‘werewolf facts’, but the way these books were written… She looked at the author’s name on the front: Dr T. J. Huntley. Gotta be a man.

Rummaging through the other books Lawrence had left for her to study—and how many books does he think I’m going to get through?—she finally landed on one that looked different to the rest.

She pulled the small, hardcover edition from the pile, barely able to make out the title because it had faded so much: Werewolf Myths & Legends.

“If there are no molecule diagrams in here, I’m game.”

She opened the book and it landed smack in the middle, the binding barely holding the pages together. An ink drawing stared back at her, of some animal that she assumed was a werewolf lying upon a human-looking woman, her head thrown back in ecstasy, her breasts splayed and a full moon in the background. It didn’t take a genius to figure out what they were doing.

Great. Studies in bestiality. She quickly flicked through more pages, uncomfortably aware that the drawing had left her slightly aroused. My life is so fucked.

She stopped at a chapter titled, The Wolf and the Lightning-Bearer.

Once upon a time, before even the dawn of time, Himet, the Great God and Yemet, the Great Goddess, had a fight. In growing knowledge of their status and abilities, one was no longer willing to yield to the other, nor to share the space of the universe they had created together.

One day, their fight was so great, their anger so palpable across the cosmos, that their consumed rage tore them apart forever.

Thrown from each other, Himet soared up and became the sky, the stars, the sun and the moon; Yemet soared down and became the earth, the trees, the plants and the animals that walked upon it. But they were lost without the other, and there was no way to mend the great divide they had brought upon themsel—

An unwelcome scent that she recognised straight away, wafted towards her through her open bedroom door from the downstairs kitchen.

Damn it … Selena. What’s she doing here?

Reluctantly, Lydia closed the book, her wolf rising territorially, and made her way downstairs trying to look unperturbed. That female would just love to know she could rile her up.

She arrived in the kitchen to find her with her strawberry-blonde head in the fridge.

“Can I help you?”

“Oh!” she exclaimed as if she hadn’t been expecting anyone. Then she threw Lydia a grin that anyone else would interpret as friendly – Lydia interpreted it as motive-laden. “I baked you some cookies; I was wondering where to keep them.” She shut the fridge door and pointed to a sealed container on the table. “We got off on the wrong foot. I wanted to apologise.”

“Well … thanks. I’ll find a home for the cookies.”

“Great.”

They stood there in silence, unmoving.

“How are you settling in?” asked Selena, finally.

“Very well, actually, thanks.”

“Oh, good. Can’t be easy keeping three males in check.”

And there it was – the bitterness in her tone. Now we were getting down to it.

“Of course, I grew up in the pack. I can give you some pointers.”

Please don’t.

“We’ve all had our turns with all the males before they mated…”

Oh, god…

“Ryan likes it rough, and – wow – he knows how to make you forget you might die every full moon, you know?”

Bitch.

Jealousy reared its head.

Ignore her.

“Lawrence … well, he’s a bit more detached, but ain’t nothin’ wrong with his equipment – I mean, the guy’s tall and so’s his…” Selena stopped mid-sentence and smirked, and that’s when Lydia realised she was growling. Fuck. So much for remaining unperturbed. She was close to clawing the stupid woman’s face off.

“He always keeps his trousers on though – it’s a little quirk of his. And he never shifts, not even in moments of wild passion – no one’s ever seen his wolf. He never runs with the pack. Ask me anything personal about them; I know all their quirks,” she added, silkily.

Lydia forced back her ire and battled the green-eyed monster as best as she could. “Really?” she forced out through gritted teeth. “So tell me about Taylor’s quirks?”

Selena’s smile fell and Lydia’s inner-wolf thumped her tail in triumph.

“Oh, that’s right – you’ve never been with Taylor, have you? In fact, I think I’m the only wolf to have ever been with Taylor.”

“Which means nothing,” she retorted. “He was servicing you, nothing more.”

More moronic terminology she couldn’t stand: servicing. What was she – a car? “And what do you think Ryan, Lawrence and any other male you’ve been with have been doing with you every full moon? You’re right – it means nothing. Unless, of course, you’re mated to them.”

Touché.

Selena’s brown eyes darkened, her cheeks growing pinched, “You’re a greedy hussy, you know that? Every wolf in history has been perfectly happy with one mate, but you – no – you’ve got to have three.” Anger shook her voice. “What about the rest of us? We’re going to die.”

“It wasn’t planned. And they weren’t your mates anyway; you can’t pick and choose—”

“Maybe they could have been … with more time, I don’t know…”

God, do all the females in the pack feel this way? Do they all hate me?

Selena’s eyes shimmered with contempt. “It doesn’t matter now because you’ve ruined everything. And don’t get me started on the rumours flying about from what the pack saw at the warehouse.”

Her blood turned cold. “What do you mean?”

“How you were struck by lightning. How it should have killed you.”

She couldn’t say anything to defend herself against that one. They hadn’t officially told any of the pack members about her being a storm-wielder yet, and she knew there was a chance it would split the group in half. Storm-wielders were feared. No wonder everyone hated her; she’d waltzed right in, taken three of their eligible males – one of them the Alpha – and she posed a threat to all of their safety.

“Selena.”

Both women jumped at the sound of Lawrence’s voice from the open kitchen door.

He leaned against the door frame, assessing the situation, arms crossed, flaxen hair falling to his shoulders… He looked like some kind of Scandinavian god.

Selena immediately shrank back and bowed her head.

Lydia rolled her eyes. “Selena brought me cookies,” she explained, her tone clipped and flat.

“I see,” said Lawrence. “Lydia, it’s half past nine. I need you outside.”

Ah, yes – for training. “I’ll be right there.”

“Was there anything else, Selena?” asked Lawrence.

“No, sir.”

“Right you are then.” He turned and left them to it.

Selena didn’t bother to say anything else, but scurried out after him.

Lydia sighed. She hoped this wasn’t going to be the start of a really long day.

Excerpt, copyright © Dianna Hardy, 2013. All rights reserved.
Do not copy from this website. Please link to this post instead. Thanks.

Cry Of The Wolf will be released in digital format on 18th April, 2013 and then in paperback on 25th April. Add it to your Goodreads list!

Nominated for Best Indie Short Romance, and FREE for you to read!

Sat, 30 Mar 2013 15:14:55 GMT

Nominated for Best Indie Short Romance, and FREE for you to read!!!
VOTE HERE ---> http://indieromanceconvention.blogspot.co.uk - from APRIL 1st if you enjoyed Martin and Claudia's rekindling ;)

Childhood Memories of Henri's Galley, Macau

Sun, 24 Mar 2013 20:37:05 GMT

Memories.... When I was a little girl, this was one of my most favourite places. I think it is the same place - there can only be one "Henri's" in Macau, surely?

Between 1982 and 1987, we used to go here on hot, Saturday afternoons, after a fun-filled morning at the beach: 2pm lunches. YUM. I remember the restaurant owner always, always came out to greet us. I remember that back then they had green umbrellas in the outside eating area, green coasters that icy beer glasses sat on, that I was forever knocking over my milkshakes there, and that they did the BEST BREAD ROLLS IN THE WORLD EVER. Back then, I knew the place as Henri's Cafe - not sure if it was called that or if my parents just referred to it as that.

Places like this made me happy, and they still make me happy. They helped to make my childhood, sunny, happy years, and I look back at those years with fondness and warmth.

I hope my memories are correct - I feel they are. I'm sure this is the place. And from what I can see, the restaurant is still doing very well indeed. If you're planning a trip to Macau, I strongly recommend you eat here :D

Henri's Galley website: http://www.henrisgalley.com.mo/main_en.htm

2 x signed paperbacks of Releasing The Wolf, up for grabs!

Mon, 18 Mar 2013 00:57:08 GMT

Goodreads Book Giveaway

Releasing The Wolf

by Dianna Hardy

Giveaway ends April 14, 2013.

See the giveaway details at Goodreads.

Enter to win

ONE DAY EARLY! 18th April for Cry of The Wolf

Wed, 06 Mar 2013 11:16:22 GMT

ONE DAY EARLIER!
eBook released 18th April (exactly one week before the full moon)
Paperback released 25th April (on the full moon, which will be in my beautiful sign of Scorpio!)
Over 55,000 words - 254 pages - of non-stop werewolf action :D

I'll be ordering my paperback proofs from the States very soon. Then the final proofing stages will take place while the e-ARC copies go out to review bloggers. My ARC readers (who don't have active review blogs) will receive e-copies approx. two weeks before release. And then, before you know it, it'll be just one week before the full moon...

Submission, Torture, Control and What Makes Who You Are.

Tue, 26 Feb 2013 11:37:09 GMT

I thought I'd talk a little about the titles that I've chosen for the Eye Of The Storm series. Hopefully book one should be self-explanatory: Releasing The Wolf. It's a little bit about release, submission, trust and acceptance, and on a more literal level, actual transformation of from human to wolf.

But not just everything happens in one book. Those same themes are carried on into book two, Cry Of The Wolf. What does that mean? Cry Of The Wolf. Well, in this book, as well as the above, we are dealing with control, and healing torturous wounds from the past, looking at how our past can control our present and future if it is not dealt with. The cry of the wolf is one of pain and sorrow, and the need to let go and accept circumstances.

Book three will be titled Heart Of The Wolf, and in this book we will be looking at our true worth - what we're really all about. What really matters in life.

Book four - and there is very likely to be a book four - is as yet untitled.

As you can see from the above, this series deals with themes and characters, rather than couples and relationships per se. Of course the "romantic" relationships are in there strongly, but it's not the focus of the series, at least not in the lovey-dovey way we may be used to. There are huge complications and "happy endings" are not guaranteed.

Not long now until book two is out! And so you know, I have set a tentative date of 31st December, 2013 for Heart Of The Wolf. Tentative because I have to write The Last Dragon next. I have some readers waiting on demons, angels and magic - werewolves will have to wait for a little ;)

Christmas, 2012: A New Ring, and A Promise

Mon, 24 Dec 2012 11:16:04 GMT

It's Christmas Eve, baby!!!

Shocking! Because the year has simply flown by.

I went Christmas shopping yesterday, in a town that was pretty much dead on the last weekend before Christmas (really, High Street shops are disappearing faster than I can blink), and it's very rare that I ever buy anything for myself. I'm not a big shopper. But I saw this ring and it called to me, so I got myself a little treat to symbolise all my achievements this year: the creation of one trilogy, the beginning of a new series, and getting on (and staying on) a Bestseller List with an introduction to a huge story arc that I was worried no one would take to (my werewolves have one crazy, helluva story to tell!).

And even though my writing is starting to take off now, I know there are hard moments to come ahead in 2013. When you have a greater audience, you also have greater expectation placed upon you, not just from others, but also from yourself. I know I shall be giving myself an extra hard time over The Last Dragon.

I saw this hammered sterling silver ring, and felt it perfectly portrayed firstly, my characters: beaten, but not defeated; and secondly, my writing and the outlook I need to remember to adopt in 2013. There are many times when one may feel beaten because a process can take it out of you, or because things don't go as planned, or because your work may not be received as you intended, and so on... But beaten does not have to mean broken. In fact, beaten can create something truly beautiful and unique.

This reminder is my Christmas present to myself, and my promise to keep writing what is true to my heart. It's my commitment to my passion, and I wanted to share it with you :)

I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas full of riches of the heart, as well as all other riches ♥

Merry Christmas, everyone!

Dianna xxx

Give Life A Wedgie

Wed, 12 Dec 2012 09:54:16 GMT

"Life is too short to take seriously. I'd rather grab it by the seat of its pants and give it a wedgie."
- Dianna Hardy