Friday, October 30, 2009

Special Guest, Dariel Raye!

Author Dariel Raye is guest blogging with me today with a blurb and excerpt from her new novella in the Got Wolf? Volume 2 anthology, taming of the Wolf!

Don't you just love that cover? And the stories sound extremely delicious and just in time for Halloween!

And if you come back tomorrow, I have the privelege of interving the shape shifter hero from her story, Raven's Shelter.

“Raven’s Shelter” by Dariel Raye

Local “no-kill” expert, Dr. Karen Marshall, has spent her life learning about animals. When she rescues an extremely large wolf from an untimely death at the animal shelter, she has no idea what she has unleashed...

Hi. I’m Dariel Raye – one of the seven authors in the Got Wolf? anthologies. ”Raven’s Shelter” is a paranormal interracial romance about a veterinarian and a wolf shifter. What? You think this is a match made in heaven, too? Well, let’s just say it doesn’t start out that way. Here’s a peek at “Raven’s Shelter.”

Raven, a sentinel wolf shifter, is captured and locked in his wolf form until Karen, a veterinarian, tries to tame him and unleashes a 6'5" baby blue-eyed surprise.Dr. Karen Marshall is a veterinarian with a calling – save as many stray animals as possible. The only child of wealthy, yet distant parents, she’s convinced that love is not for her. Until…

Raven’s search for his twin sister leads him to Karen. Born into a rare species of wolf shifters whose main purpose is protecting others, he has always been forced to fend for himself, but Karen’s loving, protective nature draws him – and not a moment too soon. Together, they must learn to trust each other enough to overcome a new, deadly enemy.

Here’s an excerpt…

Karen rubbed her patient’s head and removed her surgical gloves. Surgery had gone well and the freshly neutered dog was doing fine. Fia approached her as soon as she stepped into the hallway. Boss, there’s this gorgeous guy here to see you. He says he’s a vet, too. He was asking Auriel if he could look around the clinic.”

“Look around? Dammit, Ron must have sent him.” She stepped into another room, removed her scrubs, and washed her hands. “Where is he? Waiting room?”

“Yep. I must say all the female clients are enjoying the view.”

Karen frowned, genuinely puzzled. “What are you talking about?”

“The view! You know – good looking man – enjoying the view? Even the pets stopped whatever they were doing and looked at this guy when he walked in here.”

Karen shook her head. “Well, view or no view, he’d better not be one of Ron’s minions coming in here to piss me off or he’s gonna get cussed out today.”

“And that would make today different how?”

Karen gave Fia a no you didn’t look. “I don’t cuss every day.”

Fia laughed. “Ahem. Okay. You’re the boss, but I’ve never met another woman who can cry real tears over a dog or cat getting hurt or lost and turn around a minute later and cuss every human around her like a sailor. I’m just sayin’.”

Karen rolled her eyes and started walking back to the waiting area. “Where’s my guest?”

“Dr. Adler?” Fia called Raven to the front counter to meet Karen.

Karen stared as a tall man with wide shoulders and wavy black hair approached the counter. She knew her lips were parted, but couldn’t seem to force her jaw closed as she watched him in awe. He moved with the grace of a predator – slow, sensual movements as if his muscles rolled when he walked.

“Hi doctor.”

A few moments passed before Karen realized that Dr. Adler still held his hand out for her to shake. All suspicions about him working for Ron flew from her mind as her lower abdomen lit up like a furnace and her lower limbs melted from the heat. “Oh, hi doctor. You are from?” She tried to cover, something she seldom had to do. She was not a woman who spent much time thinking about men, let alone falling all over one. She was not accustomed to having to control her reactions.

“I’m from Washington State. I do apologize for keeping you from your patients, but I only…”

Karen found herself staring again, his words dropping to a low hum. His eyes were like water - liquid pools of baby blue in an olive-colored complexion framed by the blackest hair she had ever seen on a white man. He had high cheekbones, full lips, a straight nose, and as he spoke, she could see just a hint of pearl-white pointed incisors. The imperfection made his features perfect.

“Doctor Marshall? Are you alright?”

Karen noticed his entire expression becoming one of concern as the baby blue pools narrowed. She blinked slowly, realizing that he was awaiting a reply from her. She covered again. “Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t get much sleep last night. You were saying?”

“If I could bother you for just a few minutes longer in private.” He smiled.

Bother? His smile gave her an even better view of his imperfect yet perfect white teeth, and she felt as if a light switch had been turned on, causing the fire inside her to flare. “Oh, no bother.” She looked around the waiting room. “Five minutes?”

That smile again. “Five minutes.”


For your copy of Taming of the Wolf, click here. http://www.thewildrosepress.com/taming-of-the-wolf-volume-2-p-3708.html?zenid=4eff7eca79bb8ce8e23e15492f6af076 Also available in print format.
Thanks for stopping by, Dariel! I'm looking forward to that interview tomorrow with the hot Dr. Adler.
And the winner of the TWRP $5.oo gift certificate is Melinda!
Contact me at susanmacatee@aol.com so I can send your prize.

12 comments:

Paisley Kirkpatrick said...

WOW Dariel, you've got me hooked. What a hero!!! He sounds like he could suck the reader right into the pages of the book.

AND, that is a fantastic cover. Best of luck with lots of sales.

Susan Macatee said...

Thanks for stopping by, Paisley! Dariel is having computer problems today, so I don't know when she'll have a chance to stop in. But I've got my print copy of the anthology and can't wait to dive in to all the stories!

Keena Kincaid said...

For a moment there, Dariel, I worried about which patient had gotten neutered, then remembered this is a romance. LOL! Great blurb, and yowza, your hero sounds yummy.

Dariel Raye said...

Thanks so much for having me as your guest, Susan. The site looks great! Thanks for your comments, Paisley and Keena. I finally got to a computer. The technician at work says it'll be Monday before he can get me straight - Aargh! I feel destitute without my computer...

Susan Macatee said...

Glad you finally made it, Dariel! I know how much of a pain computers can be.

And thanks to everyone for stopping by!

Unknown said...

Hi Dariel, Loved this!

P.L. Parker said...

Love wolf stories. Good blog.

Penny Rader said...

Sounds intriguing. I don't think I've about wolf shifters. Are they different from werewolves?

Margaret Tanner said...

Hi Dariel,
Lovely cover and sounds like a great read.
Mega sales I hope.

Dariel Raye said...

Thanks again Susan, and thanks for the great comments! Penny, there's lots of room for interpretation, but generally, shifters have the ability to control when and where they shift to some extent, while weres are more subject to the moon. Raven, a sentinel shifter in "Raven's Shelter," protects the perimeter for a pack of weres.

Debra St. John said...

Hi Susan and Dariel...thanks for the post. I've read your excerpt a couple of times now, and it still gets my heart pounding!

Susan Macatee said...

Thanks for all the comments! Dariel's story sounds like an excellent read!