Date Published: January 2014
Publisher: Black Poppy Books
A Vampire with a soul. A Huntress with a knife. In Nashville, Blood equals Power.
Will one taste of Josie Hawk cost Keller everything?
Keller shoved off the bar and strode toward the stage, an invisible bond tethering his chest to the singer. Her voice swirled around him, wrapping him in a cocoon made of hunger, desire, and need. A waitress walked by, her drink tray held high over the crowd. Keller reached up and deposited his untouched beverage. Fake blood would never soothe his cravings. For that matter, no blood, human or animal, had ever taken the edge off. He had little doubt that all of that was about to change.
Eyes that had been full of happiness, as if singing was the only thing that kept her alive, narrowed to slits so thin he could no longer make out their color.
She knew.
He’d thought she was human. Perhaps not. A human would never be able to tell he was a night creature. This new development had Keller even more intrigued.
“Hey, buddy, Watch out.”
Keller kept his fangs hidden, briefly looked away from the singer, and reminded himself not to kill the man wearing a ridiculously oversized hat and an even larger belt buckle who was currently blocking his path.
Reaching out, Keller gripped the man’s shoulder, careful not to squeeze hard enough to break his bones. “Move.” One word, infused with the power of persuasion.
The man blinked and rushed off the dance floor. Keller refocused his attention back to his… His what? He hesitated to use the word mate, but everything inside him screamed that’s exactly who this woman was.
“Big brother. You made it.”
Keller clenched his jaw and fought the tension in his body that wanted nothing more than to pounce on the singer and make her his. Once he felt even a modicum of control, he turned and offered Sage a genuine smile. His sister. Biological or not did not matter.
“Of course I made it.” He said. “You know I can’t deny you anything.” He pulled on Sage’s braid. “Pink?”
Sage hugged him tight. The singer continued to sing. He squelched the urge to turn and watch.
“This week, anyway. Eventually my hair will probably fall out from all this dying.” Sage shrugged. “That’s what wigs are for. Just ask Dolly Parton.”
“Dolly who?”
“Never mind,” Sage said, laughing.
Sage grabbed his hand and guided him back to the bar.
Keller positioned himself so he could see the stage as well as Sage. Sage looked good.
Almost peaceful. Almost. A vampire could never truly find peace. Not until the end came, and Keller wondered if far worse awaited on the other side. That depended on which myth one chose to believe.
“So?”
“So, what?” His sister was up to something. Her eyes sparkled. He couldn’t remember the last time he had seen her this happy. Maybe never.
“Do you like her?”
Every muscle in his body stiffened. No. He couldn’t be so transparent that Sage had picked up on his fixation. “Do I like who?” His words were stilted. He cleared his throat.
She swept her arm in a circle. “This place? I’m going to buy it,” she said, bouncing on the balls of her feet.
Keller angled his head. Buying meant staying, didn’t it? “You’re going to buy a pub?”
Sage shoved him playfully. “You’re not in Ireland, Keller. This is Nashville and this pub is called a honkytonk.”
“I’ll try to remember that.”
“But, yes,” she said with a smile. “To answer your question, I am going to buy it. Isn’t it great? We’re going to call it Wolfie’s”
The song ended and the singer stepped down from the stage. Keller tracked her movements as every nerve in his body strained, begging him to act.
Keller cracked his neck. The motion did little to ease his headache. “We? Will I approve of this partner?” He pictured someone taking advantage of Sage’s soft heart. Keller held his words, but he would not allow Sage to buy this place until Keller met her partner and agreed with the terms. Sage was family and her safety trumped her happiness.
The singer marched through the crowd. Her heart beat in time with her footsteps as her boots pounded against the wood floor. Something, probably a knife, glinted under the hem of her skirt. Why the weapon? Her gaze never left his. Keller wore a lazy smile and waited.
Sage jabbed him in the ribs with her elbow. “I hope so, bro. She's awesome.”
He hadn’t considered that Sage’s partner could be a woman. A thought crept in. Keller eased off the bar and straightened his suit jacket. “I look forward to meeting her.”
Deep red hair bounced as the singer planted her feet and crossed her arms over her chest. She smiled at Sage before she turned to him. The smile disappeared as her lips flattened into a thin line.
Keller breathed deeply—something he rarely did—and his heart, along with another vital organ, jerked to attention.
“Perfect timing,” Sage said. “Keller, I’d like you to meet my partner, and best friend, Josephine Hawk. Josie, this is my brother, Keller.”
The redhead licked her lips and swept her gaze from his head to his feet and back up.
Keller could not hear over the roar in his ears. Yes. Josephine Hawk was indeed the one he had been waiting for.
Eyes that had been full of happiness, as if singing was the only thing that kept her alive, narrowed to slits so thin he could no longer make out their color.
She knew.
He’d thought she was human. Perhaps not. A human would never be able to tell he was a night creature. This new development had Keller even more intrigued.
“Hey, buddy, Watch out.”
Keller kept his fangs hidden, briefly looked away from the singer, and reminded himself not to kill the man wearing a ridiculously oversized hat and an even larger belt buckle who was currently blocking his path.
Reaching out, Keller gripped the man’s shoulder, careful not to squeeze hard enough to break his bones. “Move.” One word, infused with the power of persuasion.
The man blinked and rushed off the dance floor. Keller refocused his attention back to his… His what? He hesitated to use the word mate, but everything inside him screamed that’s exactly who this woman was.
“Big brother. You made it.”
Keller clenched his jaw and fought the tension in his body that wanted nothing more than to pounce on the singer and make her his. Once he felt even a modicum of control, he turned and offered Sage a genuine smile. His sister. Biological or not did not matter.
“Of course I made it.” He said. “You know I can’t deny you anything.” He pulled on Sage’s braid. “Pink?”
Sage hugged him tight. The singer continued to sing. He squelched the urge to turn and watch.
“This week, anyway. Eventually my hair will probably fall out from all this dying.” Sage shrugged. “That’s what wigs are for. Just ask Dolly Parton.”
“Dolly who?”
“Never mind,” Sage said, laughing.
Sage grabbed his hand and guided him back to the bar.
Keller positioned himself so he could see the stage as well as Sage. Sage looked good.
Almost peaceful. Almost. A vampire could never truly find peace. Not until the end came, and Keller wondered if far worse awaited on the other side. That depended on which myth one chose to believe.
“So?”
“So, what?” His sister was up to something. Her eyes sparkled. He couldn’t remember the last time he had seen her this happy. Maybe never.
“Do you like her?”
Every muscle in his body stiffened. No. He couldn’t be so transparent that Sage had picked up on his fixation. “Do I like who?” His words were stilted. He cleared his throat.
She swept her arm in a circle. “This place? I’m going to buy it,” she said, bouncing on the balls of her feet.
Keller angled his head. Buying meant staying, didn’t it? “You’re going to buy a pub?”
Sage shoved him playfully. “You’re not in Ireland, Keller. This is Nashville and this pub is called a honkytonk.”
“I’ll try to remember that.”
“But, yes,” she said with a smile. “To answer your question, I am going to buy it. Isn’t it great? We’re going to call it Wolfie’s”
The song ended and the singer stepped down from the stage. Keller tracked her movements as every nerve in his body strained, begging him to act.
Keller cracked his neck. The motion did little to ease his headache. “We? Will I approve of this partner?” He pictured someone taking advantage of Sage’s soft heart. Keller held his words, but he would not allow Sage to buy this place until Keller met her partner and agreed with the terms. Sage was family and her safety trumped her happiness.
The singer marched through the crowd. Her heart beat in time with her footsteps as her boots pounded against the wood floor. Something, probably a knife, glinted under the hem of her skirt. Why the weapon? Her gaze never left his. Keller wore a lazy smile and waited.
Sage jabbed him in the ribs with her elbow. “I hope so, bro. She's awesome.”
He hadn’t considered that Sage’s partner could be a woman. A thought crept in. Keller eased off the bar and straightened his suit jacket. “I look forward to meeting her.”
Deep red hair bounced as the singer planted her feet and crossed her arms over her chest. She smiled at Sage before she turned to him. The smile disappeared as her lips flattened into a thin line.
Keller breathed deeply—something he rarely did—and his heart, along with another vital organ, jerked to attention.
“Perfect timing,” Sage said. “Keller, I’d like you to meet my partner, and best friend, Josephine Hawk. Josie, this is my brother, Keller.”
The redhead licked her lips and swept her gaze from his head to his feet and back up.
Keller could not hear over the roar in his ears. Yes. Josephine Hawk was indeed the one he had been waiting for.
How long have you been writing?
It seems like writing is something I've always done, but that's not the case. I didn't start writing until about 5 or 6 years ago.
What inspired you to write Alabaster Nights?
Keller O'Leary. He is the sexy hero in the Josie Hawk Chronicles series. There's just something about him that speaks to me on so many levels. I wrote Alabaster Nights because I needed him to tell me how he and Josie Hawk met. I needed to know what it was that turned his world upside down and made him who he is today.
When you first started writing Alabaster Nights, did you plan for it to be a series?
Actually, the first story is a novella in the A Celtic Tapestry anthology published by Moon Rose Publishing. When I wrote Crimson Beat, I had no idea the characters and the story would turn into so much more. Josie Hawk resonated with me and readers. Writing a full length was something I had to do. Indigo Dawn of The Josie Hawk Chronicles will be out in Spring 2014.
Which of your characters do you relate to most and why?
That's an easy one. Out of all my characters, I adore Josie Hawk the most. She's spunky and sarcastic. She's fierce and lethal. She's confused and tortured. She's loyal and leery. She lives to protect those she loves. And she rocks out to country music. Yeah, she and I have a little something in common.
What is a secret about you that nobody else knows? To be honest, I don't have many secrets. I'm pretty much an open book. There is something though...even when I'm settled in for the night in my house, I never really feel like I'm at home. I never have and I've lived a lot of places. I hope one day I can find a place that really speaks to me, someplace that whispers in my ear and tells me this is my forever spot.
What book have you read too many times to count?
Not a one. There are so, so many books out there and I want to read them all. I've never read a book a second time, but I have a very hard time parting with all my books because I think someday I just might.
What is the best piece of writing advice you ever received?
Someone once told me that even if I don't feel it I should write anyway. This is so very true. Even if it's just a short paragraph, it keeps me rooted to the story.
If you could hop into the life of any fictional character, who would it be and why?
Jericho Barrons from the Fever series by Karen Marie Moning for many reasons, but mostly because I want to own his book store.
What was one of the most surprising things you learned in creating your books?
I can finish something. I can write Once Upon a Time, all the words in between, and The End. I did it. And I'm very proud of that.
What do you like to do when you're not writing? I like to listen to and sing country music, hang out with friends who like to do the same. I like to laugh and smile. I like to make others laugh. During the holiday season, I'm a little hooked on Hallmark movies.
Are any of the things in your books based on real life experiences or purely all imagination?
I think there is at least a little real life in all my books. Glimpses of people who have made an impact in my life, music, coffee, singing, dancing, anger, sarcasm, hope, sadness, life, death, that feeling of being unsettled and wondering what else is out there, family, love. All of these things that make me who I am. Yes, all of these things are in my stories.
Thank you so much for stopping by! This has been a lot of fun!
Thank you so very much for inviting me into your home today. Your questions have really made me think, and no matter whether the days are light or dark, thinking is always a good thing.
Moonshine and OathsA shot of hooch tossed back with a burning shudder and a squeal of laughter. A promise made in the dark of the night. Winds whip, the fire crackles. Memories are created and revisited. Secrets are shared, advice is aplenty. Plots and plans…together we ban.
You might think I’m talking about witchery. I guess I am. A form of it, anyway. My crew, my pack, my coven…sisters in spirit. Together we fight the evil in our worlds. We pick each other up. We know each other well. We might not chant and mix potions, but we sing loud and, okay, maybe we do mix a potion or two.
“A friend knows the song in my heart and sings it to me when my memory fails.”
~Donna Roberts
I recently admitted to never feeling settled, never feeling as if I’ve truly found my home. I believe I’m a gypsy, a wanderer, a vagabond at heart. Along the way, I’ve been fortunate enough to find fellow gypsies, friends who stick no matter what, no matter where I go. We’ve got our Airstream trip planned and the play list selected. I realize now that my writing reflects my spirit. Every heroine is a little lost and searching for something that is always just a little out of her grasp. She makes lasting connections in her travels. She forms fierce sisterhoods, and she never forgets those who count. Eventually, she discovers who she truly is. Maybe that will happen for me, too. If not, I’ll keep wandering and wondering. But I won’t do it alone.
How about you? How big is your coven?
To learn more about Elle J Rossi and her books, visit her website.You can also find her on Goodreads, Facebook, and Twitter.
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Thank you so much for having me here today! You have a gorgeous home. I've been peeking around and see I have some more books to add to my TBR list!
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