Thursday, May 28, 2015

Dragon Kisses by Michele Zurlo Research for Books & Giveaway

BLURB:

Dragon Kisses #1 (Cassie and Niall)
Waking up in a strange barn was just the tip of the iceberg. Cassie and Niall find themselves transported to another world, one full of dragon shifters who want to possess them. Cassie is claimed by Illion, an electric blue dragon who shifts into five hulking men, and Niall is claimed by Wynn, a lime green dragon who shifts into two men and two women.

The Zmaj feed from the sexual energy of humans, and finding a cache of five in an abandoned barn is a momentous occasion. Convincing them to stay and protecting them from the Inamanida, their sworn enemy, is another task altogether. And falling in love? Zmaj don’t do that.

When Cassie runs away, Illion is forced to confront his prejudices and his brethren in order to save her from a fate worse than death.

Warnings: MMMFF, MMFMMM, light bondage, dominant dragon shifters

Dragon Kisses #2 (Arabella and Jonathan)
Waking with no memory, Arabella finds herself courted by three men claiming to be her mates. Dragon shifters Tobin, Gerrit, and Blakely woo her with sweet words and deeds, convincing her that she’s always lived this fairy tale existence. Life is perfect until the Inamanida King decides the experiment has gone on long enough—and Tobin is ordered to turn Arabella over to be tortured and used by the entire clan.

Meanwhile Jonathan is working to help settle the humans in Zmaj’s outer city. As the son of a prominent human leader, finds himself thrust into a leadership role and having to liaise with creatures he was raised to fear. Soon he falls for Laurel, a beautiful woman recently arrived from Earth, but as secrets emerge, he faces a stark truth that could cost him everything.

Tobin and Jonathan must risk everything and deal with consequences that could cost them the fragile relationships they’ve built with the women they love.

Warnings: MFMM, MF

Dragon Kisses #3 (Laurel, Niall, Jonathan)
In the months following Jonathan’s transformation, Laurel struggles to come to terms with her feelings for him and the horrific memories of time spent as a dragon’s slave. Jonathan struggles to be patient, but Laurel’s fear is breaking his heart. Niall and Cassie open a popular bakery and revel in the bliss of love and their new lives. Arabella pines for Tobin’s aspects to be reunited, and Nora discovers the secret of creating Zmaj offspring.

Meanwhile all Zmaj braces for the Inamanida attack that Tobin warned them about. When it finally comes, the Zmaj find themselves vastly outnumbered by enemy forces. In the violence that follows, everything changes.

Research For Books:
Research is my strong suit. I do it all the time for no apparent reason. I love to read articles and books on anything and everything, especially things related to history, science, or technology. Because I’m constantly seeking to learn new things, I typically write from personal experience and knowledge. The initial idea for Dragon Kisses came about when I wondered what would happen to five humans who found themselves stranded on another planet. Historically when two cultures who are dissimilar and unfamiliar with one another come into contact, bad things happen. One will think they’re superior, and they’ll exploit the one that’s peaceful or less advanced.
Cassie and Niall, the stars of Dragon Kisses 1, are the first to buck against the instant slavery humans find themselves thrust into when they appear on Zmaj, the dragon world. Cassie initially acquiesces because she thinks she’s dreaming, but once she realizes the truth of her situation, she takes steps to fight for equality. Niall resists his Zmaj captors, forcing them to see  him as human before he consents to having a romantic relationship.
Too many cultures are in conflict on this planet, and I wanted to explore what would happen when people are forced to confront their prejudices and admit they were wrong.
Another piece of research I did was looking up the architecture of medieval Europe. The Zmaj city is fashioned very similarly, with an inner city where the wealthy lived and an outer city where the poor resided. When the humans hiding in the caves beneath Zmaj are allowed into the light, their living conditions further illustrate how much ground they have to cover in terms of understanding and accepting their differences.
The Zmaj and humans we come to know in Dragon Kisses delve into our hearts and force us to consider our own preconceived notions about others.


EXCERPT:
Dragon Kisses #1 (Cassie and Niall)
“Cassie.” The deep voice calling my name belonged to the dragon man standing next to the one who had watched over us. “Come.”

Was it wrong that his commanding tone had me close to coming? Nora’s assurance came from, I knew, deep inside my psyche. After all, in a dream all the characters were aspects of myself. Niall was my caution, and Nora was my sense of adventure. I pried myself from Niall’s hold. “We’ll be fine.”

Even facing the weirdest situation and the worst odds, I was an optimist. Before Niall could process what I was doing, I left the safety of the group. Taking those first steps toward a new life was easy when I knew I’d soon wake up in the safety and comfort of my bed, and I figured nothing was to be gained by huddling against a barn. Plus, this would make one hell of a diary entry when I woke up, and it would help keep my mind off Chad, the jerkweasel who’d dumped me yesterday.

Laurel and Oliver followed me. Both of them seemed to be dazed and confused. The blue-haired men morphed into a dragon, and we climbed onto its back. The three of us fit easily. I sat forward of the wings. Oliver situated himself behind me, and Laurel wrapped her arms around his waist.

“Hold onto the scales,” Nora shouted.

I slid my hands around the edges of two blue scales. Each was a large as a dinner plate, but they had ridges on the top which were perfect for holding. One leap, and it took off.

Flying on the back of a dragon was unlike anything I’d experienced. My tummy fluttered from the quick ascent—or from that niggling bit of sense that told me I wasn’t playing it safe, and wind whipped through my hair. I had the feeling the dragon was flying slower than normal, and I appreciated his restraint. Any faster, and I might have freaked out.

Or not. Who could be afraid of heights or strangers in such a wonderful fantasy?

AUTHOR Bio and Links:
I’m Michele Zurlo, author of over 20 romance novels. During the day, I teach English, and in the evenings, romantic tales flow from my fingertips.

I’m not half as interesting as my characters. My childhood dreams tended to stretch no further than the next book in my to-be-read pile, and I aspired to be a librarian so I could read all day. I’m pretty impulsive when it comes to big decisions, especially when it’s something I’ve never done before. Writing is just one in a long line of impulsive decisions that turned out to showcase my great instincts. Find out more at www.michelezurloauthor.com or @MZurloAuthor.

Links:




Twitter: @MZurloAuthor

GIVEAWAY:
Michele will be awarding $10 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. 
The more you comment, the better your chances of winning. The tour dates can be found here: 
a Rafflecopter giveaway

7 comments:

  1. Thanks for having me! It's a pleasure to be here.

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  2. Do you have any strange writing habits (like standing on your head or writing in the shower)?

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    Replies
    1. Hi Mai, I'm not allowed to stand on my head unless supervised, so that's no good for writing. The shower, though, is a great planning place. Water is so conductive for thought. Doing the dishes or kayaking on my pond are also great outlets.

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  3. I really enjoyed reading about the author's research! The cover and title are awesome! Thank you for the great post and contest!

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  4. Enjoyed reading the guest post today

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