As a
child, Valerie would often get into trouble for peeking at her mother’s
favorite TV show, Dark Shadows. She can still hear her mother saying “It will
give you nightmares.” She was right of course, but that did not stop Valerie
from watching. As an adult, her love of the fanged creatures never waned. She
would watch any vampire movie she could find.
Being a true romantic, Valerie was thrilled when she discovered the
genre of paranormal romance. Her first read was one of Lara Adrian’s, Midnight
Breed Series and from there she was hooked.
Today, Valerie has decided to take her darker, sensual side and put
it to paper. When she is not busy creating a world full of steamy, hot men and
strong, seductive women, she juggles her time between a full-time job, hubby
and her two German shepherd dogs, in Northern IL.
IMMORTAL GUARDIANS: ETERNAL FLAME
A woman
he cannot have, a man who is only a dream.
When guardian Marcus Dagotto, discovers the Gods have gifted him
with a mate, he is pissed. He has no room for love and even less for a human
who has no idea he exists.
Cassandra Jensen, has a shattered heart and has given up on men.
Only one man can set her body on fire, but he is a fantasy that haunts her
sleep.
Two worlds, one desire.
When the two collide, fate will rip them apart and test their
resolve. Will darkness and evil prevail? Or, will love conquer all?
EXCERPT
She glanced at the clock, it was one a.m. But the last thing she
wanted to do was sleep. She set her glass down and moved off the couch. “I’m
not tired.” She reached for his hand and dug for her courage. She had a feeling
he didn’t want to leave. “Kiss me.”
He pulled her close and ran his fingers down her cheek. He leaned
down and brushed his lips against hers. Gently, he nibbled her bottom lip,
coaxing her mouth open with his tongue. She parted her lips, he took full
advantage, pressed his way deeper into her mouth, held the kiss before he broke
away.
She opened her eyes and let out a sigh. “You’re a good kisser,
Marcus.” She leaned into him and pressed her body against his. Wrapping her
arms around his neck, she pulled him to her, and their lips came together. Her
tongue did a deliberate slow dance across his, making him moan. Her core turned
to lava, the heat almost too much to bear.
He pushed her away. “Cassie. I could stand here and kiss you all
night, but I’d better go before I make an ass of myself and you end up hating
me.”
She reached for his hand, knowing what his aim was. “Why do you
think I would end up hating you?” She worried it might be the other way around.
Would he think her a wanton woman? She tried to cap her desire, but the need to
live what happened in her dreams overruled her common sense.
“I will not lie. I believe in the truth, always. I want you. I want
to lie you on the bed and make passionate love to you until neither of us can
move.”
“Then what’s stopping you?” she whispered.
“Love, did I hear you correctly?” Disbelief was written on his face.
She gazed into his stormy eyes. “I will admit, I’m not the type who
sleeps with a man on the first date.” She looked down at his chest. “Hell, not
even the second or third.” Her eyes moved back up to meet his. “I can’t say
what it is, this connection I feel. I just know I need you.”
He pulled her close, his mouth crushing hers. Their tongues glided
across each other in a play for dominance. Her nipples hardened and strained
against the fabric of her dress. With only the thin layer of material between
them, she felt his cock harden.
She pulled away and gasped for air as she led him to the darkened
bedroom. Her courage wavered for a moment. She’d come this far, there would be
no stopping now. She didn’t want to stop.
“Marcus, I don’t know how to explain it. I trust you, and to be
honest, your touch sets me on fire. I need you, but if this isn’t what you
want, then I’ll understand.” She held her breath and waited for his reaction.
He traced a finger along her cheek. “There’s no way in hell I’m
leaving now, unless of course, you toss me on the street.”
She reached for his shirt, her fingers trembling as she loosened the
first button. He grabbed her wrists. “If at any time you want to stop, tell
me.”
Her head shook and continued with the buttons until they were
completely undone. She pushed the shirt past his shoulders and onto the floor.
Breath escaped her lungs when the moonlight filtered in the windows and danced
across his chest. He was remarkable, better than her dreams.
He removed the clip that held her hair. Her chestnut curls spilled
around her shoulders. He moaned when his fingers ran through the silky mass.
The dress became a second skin, and she was ready to be rid of it, but before
she could make a move, he reached behind her neck and untied the halter. The
dress fell to her waist, exposing her bare breasts. His eyes became drunk with
desire. He tipped his head down and ran his tongue over her nipple, causing it
to pebble. God, she had almost come undone right there.
“You have too many clothes on,” she said, reaching for the button on
his pants.
He moved off her breast, and she cried out from the ache he left
behind. “I could say the same for you, love.” He kicked off his boots while she
dropped her dress to the floor. She was left standing in a red thong and black
heels. There would be no turning back now.
Grabbing the waistband of his pants, she yanked them to the floor,
and his erection sprung free. Her tongue traced her lips, desperate to savor
him. He was much bigger than she had experienced, but that only heightened her
arousal. She dropped to her knees and ran her tongue over the tip of his shaft.
He tasted of salt and seduction. He wrapped a fist in her hair and groaned. She
sucked him in, taking every inch. Drunk by the pleasure she gave him.
He threw his head back. “Oh gods, Cassie, you feel so good. Don’t
stop.”
As if she could. No, she was a woman possessed, determined to take
him over the edge. At this moment, she wanted nothing more than to make him
scream her name.
BEHIND
THE SCENES
- Is there a word or
phrase you catch yourself overusing?
My husband
tells me I swear like a sailor. I use the word “fuck” often, so needless to say
some of my characters are pretty colorful.
- How do you know
you’ve written a good book?
I have
critique partners and beta readers. I count on them to tell me if something
works or not. I would be truly lost without these wonderful ladies. I can
honestly say, they are real ego boosters and if not for them, I’m not sure I
would ever think my work good enough to publish.
- How do you keep your
characters and stories organized?
I use
Microsoft OneNote. I have a page for each character with their description and
a picture. I have pages for general themes and ideas. I can’t tell you how many
times I have to refer back to these pages. *I also love looking at the sexy
men* Oops, did I say that out loud?
- Are you a Swooper
(write first, edit later,) a Basher (edit each sentence as you go,) or both?
I swoop. I
learned early on that editing as I went took the steam out of my writing and
caused me to lose my muse. I will go back and read/edit if I get to a point
where I’m stuck. This helps me come up with fresh ideas and I can then go back
and pick up where I left off.
- What is the one thing
you must have to be able to write?
I need
quiet, I am easily distracted.
- Did you have any bad
habits when you began writing? How did you correct those habits?
Lol, are
you kidding? I hate commas, I think they are evil little creatures that should
be banished. I had to learn to stop and take a breath in my writing. I still
find myself rambling from time to time.
- What are you
currently working on? How is it different from other books you’ve written?
I’m
actually working on book two of Immortal Guardians right now. However, I did
write an erotic paranormal romance that will be published in November, called
Amazon Heat. Though Eternal Flame has sex, it was different writing something
much steamier.
- What types of scenes
are your favorite to write?
I actually
love dialogue. I know many writers hate it, but I find it fun to flesh out a
character and bring them to life using their own words. I find I can actually
get to know them better through their dialogue.
- When and where can
readers look forward to seeing you this year?
I don’t
have any plans this year, but I hope to be attending RT Book Lovers convention
in New Orleans next May.
- Are you always in the
driver’s seat? Or do your characters drag you along for the ride?
I’d like
to say I’m in control and would never let my characters run the show. With that
said, they have made me rewrite entire chapters. They pester me at the worst
times and are relentless. Have you ever dealt with a Dragon-shifter before?
*rolls eyes* they are demanding to say the least.
- What is your least
favorite part of the writing process?
Edits. I
would much rather scrub the toilet with a toothbrush.
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