Paranormal author Annette McCleave tried her hand at banking, financial advising, and high tech marketing before finally figuring out how important writing was to her life. Her debut, Drawn into Darkness (formerly Soul Provider), won the prestigious RWA Golden Heart Award for Best Paranormal Romance in 2008! Welcome Annette McCleave to The Romance Dish!
I Heart Paperback Heroes
As I watched the news unfold on the TV these past few days, I was reminded why I read and write the books I do: To spend more time with heroes. This has been a difficult year for many people—and it hardly comes as a shock to end it on such a difficult note. But of all the reports I heard, the one phrase that stuck with me was “subdued by passengers and crew”.
Heroes exist in the real world—they remind us of their presence with their daily acts of bravery—and we need them. They give us hope and bolster our own wavering courage. They make us proud to be human at the very times we doubt the value of our race.
Is it any wonder that we want to recapture those feelings by visiting with heroes in the pages of a novel? Heroes that can save the world—or at least our hearts? :) Heroes who fight against overwhelming odds armed with only the strength of their convictions?
In paranormal romance and urban fantasy novels, evil is extremely powerful and is often a challenge to identify, let alone conquer. Yet, our heroes and heroines leap in, guns ablazing or swords aswinging, determined to do everything they must to beat back the darkness. And they succeed. Good defeats evil, if only temporarily, and love conquers all.
While they are only fictional, these paperback heroes succeed in doing something very real—they remind us that the darkness can be pushed back and that trying circumstances can create heroes out of ordinary people. Information the news only occasionally confirms, but we know in our hearts is true.
Do you think we’re all capable of heroism, given the right circumstance?
In Drawn into Darkness, my heroine Rachel Lewis is an ordinary woman with no special paranormal skills. Yet, when she’s thrust into a world of demons and Soul Gatherers with the life of her teenage daughter at stake, she displays more courage than she thought possible...
Rachel’s breathing had slowed, but her heart still pounded. And it was her heart that refused to let her dismiss the truth. “I can’t leave him to face Drew alone.”
“He won’t be alone,” Brian pointed out. “I’ll be here.”
“Here doesn’t really help him, though, does it?” Rachel scrambled to her feet. “You can’t pass through the barrier. I can.”
Stefan stepped toward her, shaking his head. “What can you possibly hope to accomplish? You are an ordinary woman.”
“I don’t know. I just know I can’t let him do it alone.”
The Romany mage exchanged a pained look with Brian, then sighed. “All right, return to him if you must. But I can’t let you go unarmed. Repeat after me, Irst am dol marga volumchis.”
She mouthed the awkward sounds twice, just to make sure she got them right. “What does that mean?”
“It’s an augmentation spell. If you get within a hundred feet of MacGregor, close your eyes, picture a thick shield encasing his body, and say those words.” He shrugged. “Can’t hurt.”
His eyes dropped to Rachel’s small leather purse, which by force of habit still hung over her shoulder.
“Any spare change in there?”
She shook the purse and numerous coins rattled.
“Good,” said the mage. “If you get really stuck, toss some coins in the air, say, Figa gi bovismir, and imagine them whipping toward Drusus.”
“And here’s a couple of extra crosses,” Brian said, draping more silver chains around her neck. “I just wish I could cover you from head to toe.”
She smiled at the two men, grateful. Then, unable to prevent a brief mental jag into the future, she grabbed the young Gatherer’s hand. “Go with them, Brian, please. Save my little girl.”
His gaze met hers over the flashlight. For once, his eyes were serious. “If it’s in my power, I will. Good luck, Rachel.”
She took a deep breath, hugged her purse to her chest like a life preserver, and dove back through the barrier spell in search of Lachlan.
One of today’s commenters will have chance to win a copy of Drawn into Darkness and spend some quality time with a few of my own paperback heroes. A winner will be chosen at random tomorrow morning.
Thank you for stopping by, and Happy New Year!
I Heart Paperback HeroesAs I watched the news unfold on the TV these past few days, I was reminded why I read and write the books I do: To spend more time with heroes. This has been a difficult year for many people—and it hardly comes as a shock to end it on such a difficult note. But of all the reports I heard, the one phrase that stuck with me was “subdued by passengers and crew”.
Heroes exist in the real world—they remind us of their presence with their daily acts of bravery—and we need them. They give us hope and bolster our own wavering courage. They make us proud to be human at the very times we doubt the value of our race.
Is it any wonder that we want to recapture those feelings by visiting with heroes in the pages of a novel? Heroes that can save the world—or at least our hearts? :) Heroes who fight against overwhelming odds armed with only the strength of their convictions?
In paranormal romance and urban fantasy novels, evil is extremely powerful and is often a challenge to identify, let alone conquer. Yet, our heroes and heroines leap in, guns ablazing or swords aswinging, determined to do everything they must to beat back the darkness. And they succeed. Good defeats evil, if only temporarily, and love conquers all.
While they are only fictional, these paperback heroes succeed in doing something very real—they remind us that the darkness can be pushed back and that trying circumstances can create heroes out of ordinary people. Information the news only occasionally confirms, but we know in our hearts is true.
Do you think we’re all capable of heroism, given the right circumstance?
In Drawn into Darkness, my heroine Rachel Lewis is an ordinary woman with no special paranormal skills. Yet, when she’s thrust into a world of demons and Soul Gatherers with the life of her teenage daughter at stake, she displays more courage than she thought possible...
Rachel’s breathing had slowed, but her heart still pounded. And it was her heart that refused to let her dismiss the truth. “I can’t leave him to face Drew alone.”
“He won’t be alone,” Brian pointed out. “I’ll be here.”
“Here doesn’t really help him, though, does it?” Rachel scrambled to her feet. “You can’t pass through the barrier. I can.”
Stefan stepped toward her, shaking his head. “What can you possibly hope to accomplish? You are an ordinary woman.”
“I don’t know. I just know I can’t let him do it alone.”
The Romany mage exchanged a pained look with Brian, then sighed. “All right, return to him if you must. But I can’t let you go unarmed. Repeat after me, Irst am dol marga volumchis.”
She mouthed the awkward sounds twice, just to make sure she got them right. “What does that mean?”
“It’s an augmentation spell. If you get within a hundred feet of MacGregor, close your eyes, picture a thick shield encasing his body, and say those words.” He shrugged. “Can’t hurt.”
His eyes dropped to Rachel’s small leather purse, which by force of habit still hung over her shoulder.
“Any spare change in there?”
She shook the purse and numerous coins rattled.
“Good,” said the mage. “If you get really stuck, toss some coins in the air, say, Figa gi bovismir, and imagine them whipping toward Drusus.”
“And here’s a couple of extra crosses,” Brian said, draping more silver chains around her neck. “I just wish I could cover you from head to toe.”
She smiled at the two men, grateful. Then, unable to prevent a brief mental jag into the future, she grabbed the young Gatherer’s hand. “Go with them, Brian, please. Save my little girl.”
His gaze met hers over the flashlight. For once, his eyes were serious. “If it’s in my power, I will. Good luck, Rachel.”She took a deep breath, hugged her purse to her chest like a life preserver, and dove back through the barrier spell in search of Lachlan.
One of today’s commenters will have chance to win a copy of Drawn into Darkness and spend some quality time with a few of my own paperback heroes. A winner will be chosen at random tomorrow morning.
Thank you for stopping by, and Happy New Year!
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