Sunday, July 24, 2022

July 24, 2022

WeWriWa: When Sparks Fly . . . BETRAYED BY SHADOWS

Nothing sets up a relationship between hero and heroine better than when sparks fly. Those testy words that evolve from unexpected attraction when it’s least expected . . . or wanted. They say opposites attract, and my hero and heroine in the 7th book in my “By Moonlight” shapeshifter series, are the poster couple in this setting boundaries scene from BETRAYED BY SHADOWS . . .

“I don’t need someone looking out for me, so I’d appreciate you keeping your distance.”

She could see him lounging on the wooden swing, wearing the suit coat over an open-collared white shirt, though well-worn jeans and tennis shoes had replaced their dresser counterparts; a good-looking man in a ruggedly conservative way that usually didn’t appeal to her. She liked pretty men with pretty manners and there was nothing the least bit pretty about Giles St. Clair. His big frame was as relaxed as his tone, making him appear a gentle giant, with those calm blue-gray eyes and easy movements, but she wasn’t fooled by that impression.

“Don’t think for a minute that you can tell me what to do or that I’ll listen to anything you have to say.”

“I didn’t think that even for a second.”

“You do know that you’re just a puny human and I can tear through you like a slice of prime rib.”

His teeth flashed white. “I’ve always considered myself more of a slow-cooked, chuck-roast kind of fellow—meaty, a bit of gristle, but tender if basted properly—and I think I could take you. I know a thing or two about your kind, that you can growl, scratch, and bite, but for the most part, you can’t change into anything more dangerous than the average female.”

“You would wrestle me to the ground, Mr. St. Clair?”

“Only if I had to . . . and I’d try not to enjoy it.”

I didn’t expect Giles and Brigit to become one of my all-time favorite couples out of 70-some books. Their shockingly layered and complex pasts, her ego clashing with his calm determination, their needs taking a back seat (and a bunkbed) to stubborn and very opposing missions combined with sparks of danger and desire created a book that was a dream to write and a delight to read and reread as I prepare to get it back out to readers in a reissue of the series. A true labor of love in this case!

Next week, I’ll be moving (literarily) from New Orleans to Lake Tahoe to introduce the “House of Terriot” in PRINCE OF SHADOWS. In the meantime, I hope you’ll stop by tomorrow, the 25th, to view my post on the Paranormal Romantics page about struggling to get words on the page—another common problem we writers share.

Weekend Writing Warriors is a weekly hop for everyone who loves to write! Share an 8 to 10 sentence snippet of your writing on Sunday. Visit other participants on the list and read, critique, and comment on their #8sunday posts.

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