Tuesday, October 20, 2020

A Halloween & Christmas Mashup New Release!

When I started writing my Brimstone Inc. series, I had one plan in mind. I wanted each book to feature a different paranormal creature and to pair that paranormal awesomeness with a fun contemporary romance trope. So far I've had:

  • demigods & nymphs in a billionaire boss romance
  • wolf shifters in an arranged marriage romance
  • witches in a nanny & hidden identity romance
  • ghosts in a brother's best friend romance

Fun right?!? At least I think so. LOL. But I had to find a way to tie all these different folks together, which is how I came up with the series idea. Brimstone Inc. is a firm that deals with supernatural problems. At the heart of the firm is an enigmatic woman named Delilah. Until now, we have no idea what she is or what powers she actually has, because she has many contractors working for her. 

When it comes to solving difficult situations for her supernatural clients, no one does it better than Delilah. Staffing, medical needs, mediation, law, interventions, arranged marriages, new identities… You name it. Delilah  likes a challenge.

Well...Delilah finally gets her own story! Releasing in less than a week, TRY AS I SMITE is a standalone novella (though probably a smidge better if read within the series). And romance readers, boy did I have fun with this one. Halloween meets Christmas in this paranormal romance retelling of A Christmas Carol.

Here's a quick look at the book and an excerpt...


TRY AS I SMITE


Bah humbug just got a lot darker.

Alasdair Blakesley is the head of the Covens Syndicate. He shouldn’t need to look beyond the witches and warlocks he governs, or his own abilities, to solve any problem. But a demon infestation means he can’t trust anyone who may be possessed. The last person he wants to ask for help is also the only person who can fix this, so he sucks up his pride and storms into her office.

And she turns him down cold.

As the owner of Brimstone Inc., Delilah’s passion is helping others with their supernatural problems. But Alasdair is the last man Delilah wants to tangle with. The infuriating man sees too much and demands even more. And did she mention the way he sets her body on fire?

Not that it matters—demons are the only things with which she cannot interfere. Too bad a higher power steps in and sends them both on a crash course of each others’ pasts, presents, and futures.

How is a Christmas Carol nightmare supposed to solve his demon problem without breaking the rules she’s bound by?

PREORDER - COMING 10.26.2020


EXCERPT



“I need your help.”

Delilah paused with her ass halfway to the couch. He did not just say that. The Alasdair Blakesley, who despised her involvement in anything magic related, had not just said those words.

She straightened. “You need my help?” she repeated, deadpan.

“Yes.”

You need my help,” she said again, just to be certain.

“Let’s not make a big deal of it.”

Like she’d pass up this opportunity. “Naiobe,” she raised her voice and called out. “Definitely bring the popcorn. You’re never going to believe this…”

He crossed his arms with a baleful glare. “Hilarious. I’ve never laughed so hard.”

“Really?” She blinked, all wide-eyed innocence. “That’s a surprise. I didn’t think you knew how to laugh.”

He clamped his lips shut.

Score one for her. Because there was no way she believed this request was real. This had to be a test, or his version of some gods-awful joke. But she’d play along for a minute. This night was her most despised of the year, so even a round or two with Alasdair was welcome distraction.

Seating herself without waiting for him when he didn’t bother to join her, she slipped her shoes onto her feet, smoothed her cream-colored skirt over her thighs, then crossed her ankles and settled her hands primly in her lap, fingers laced in a subtle steepling.

Based on the way his gaze flicked to the movement followed by a tightening of his lips, he got the message. She was in charge here.

“So…you need my help?” She couldn’t help saying it one more time.

“I knew this was a bad idea,” he muttered.

“It wasn’t mine.”

“Gods above, will you please listen,” Alasdair snapped.

Whoa. Delilah stilled, taking a closer look.

On the outside he appeared his usual impeccable self. Conservative black custom suit tailored to his broad shoulders, trim hips, and powerful legs to perfection. Jet black hair cropped short, though slightly longer on top, swept to the side, not a follicle out of place. Cleanly shaven jaw which, already sharply angled, appeared closer to the set of granite today.

A tell. She doubted many ever got to see the man this riled.

When she sat quietly and waited, Alasdair’s eyes narrowed as though he didn’t quite trust her. In a casual move at odds with the tension riding his body, he slipped his hands in his pockets and stared at her with bright blue eyes.

Delilah mentally sorted through a list of her recent clients in her head, along with a quick rehash of her last few encounters with this man. What in heavens name had brought him to her in such a state?

Granted, kicking him out of the dance club in Miami where she’d been helping a particularly troubled mermaid, she might’ve gone a teensy bit overboard making her point. No doubt he hadn’t appreciated finding himself teleported to Siberia.

That had been over a week ago.

Thank the powers that Alasdair didn’t know why she’d done that. He’d touched her arm. A casual move, only her body had lit up like fireworks at the new year. From that one tiny, ridiculous contact. Sending him away had been an act of sheer desperation.

The most frustrating part was, she couldn’t See him. See his future or how it impacted hers. See where this troubling wanting when it came to him was going to end. Her most secret and precious gift, her ability as a Seer, allowed her to help her clients in ways no one else ever could.

But Alasdair Blakely was a blank. A black hole of nothing. That never happened except around vampires and ghosts, because, technically, they were dead. He wasn’t one of those.

Meanwhile, he stood statue-still, continuing to stare at her.

Delilah sighed. “Alasdair. I can’t do anything if you don’t tell me why you’ve come—”

“I have a demon problem.” He practically bit each word off.


PREORDER - COMING 10.26.2020


5 comments:

Nancy Gideon said...

One Clicked! Can't wait to read this.

Diane Burton said...

Ooh, this sounds like so much fun. Congrats (a little early) on your new release.

Mary Morgan said...

Loved this post, Abigail! Sounds like another phenomenal story! Happy (early) Release! :)

Maureen said...

I love the combinations - what fun! Looks like a great read- who can resist combining halloween and Christmas :)

Keri Kruspe said...

Holy Guacamole! Can't wait to read Delilah's story!!