Well I was in this small Cessna being flown over Africa and wouldn't you know my luck. It took a nose dive. We all survived of course, but landed in a vast amount of grassland and scrub. (for want of a better word) Fortunately, I was able to rescue my back pack, which included my pith helmet, machete (lord knows what I would want that for) and hiking boots. High heels and designer dresses just don't cut it out here. So with a cheery wave to my fellow survivors, I set off to find my intended quarry. A wild, but lovable creature that never sleeps. As it happens, we were quite close to where we intended to land and if that damn pilot had stayed off the booze we might well have made it. With bottle in one hand, he raises his hat to me in fond farewell as he sinks to the ground to sleep it off.
Geared out in my touristy clothes I begin to trudge over the scrub land, occasionally wondering if I'm mad. My inner voice in true '50 Shades' fashion sez "you know you are woman. Get over it." So critical at times is my inner voice. Anyway it's getting hotter as it's now midday and I stop for a drink from my water flask. Yes it's water, sighs... Looking around I can see a cordoned off area which looks a bit like an animal park. Trekking over that way I become side tracked by the sound of running water. Eventually I come across a waterhole, based at the bottom of a waterfall. It's magnificent and just pouring out from the rock and grass. I sit for a while enjoying the coolness of the water. I can see a small hut close by to the animal park, and I know that I have to check it out. It could of course house my quarry, but only time will tell. Getting closer, I hear a strange clicking sound.With great trepidation I slowly push open the door and there sitting at a desk laden with computer equipment and paperwork is ..... Author Poppet!! Pencil propped behind her ear.
"Hello Tee you found me then. I do like to come out here in the solitude to work from time to time"
After all the usual niceties we got down to business and she updates me on all her past and current work. Poppet has at least 50 books to her name (just Goggle her name) but she was keen to talk about this particular one. A new kid on the block which escaped in August...
Scarlet Vamporium – YA Paranormal Romance
It's an Audiobook, Paperback, and EBook, and Poppet promised to give me the links after I'd read through an excerpt. I thought you might like to have a squiz at it as well, but first take a read of the 'blurb'...
..........Ellie is exiled to Glencoe for misbehaving in Cape Town. On
her first day there she meets Douglas MacLeod and attraction ignites. His
ancestor married a fairy so it's not hard for him to accept that she's
different; his best mate Roddy has other ideas.
Fighting uncles and aunts, demons and angels, Ellie and Douglas forge a love that will last a lifetime in the shadow of his forefather's castle. From Dunvegan Castle to the Devil's Staircase, this Scottish romance will capture your heart. Love is bittersweet, complicated, and heartbreaking. Only a MacLeod can love a vampire like Ellie.
This is a love story with death threats, secret lairs, and a couple who are desperate to stay together no matter how many try to pull them apart........
Fighting uncles and aunts, demons and angels, Ellie and Douglas forge a love that will last a lifetime in the shadow of his forefather's castle. From Dunvegan Castle to the Devil's Staircase, this Scottish romance will capture your heart. Love is bittersweet, complicated, and heartbreaking. Only a MacLeod can love a vampire like Ellie.
This is a love story with death threats, secret lairs, and a couple who are desperate to stay together no matter how many try to pull them apart........
Cool huh? Here is the excerpt:
This day is the longest
I've ever lived. I started it a simple lad and have ended it with a complete
paradigm shift.
Ma
superstitions ha'e been confirmed and instead of terrifying the livin'
daylights outtae me, it exhilarates me.
Lifting
her so her feet dangle, I kiss her until I'm breathless and my hearing is
dulled by oxygen deprivation. It feels right with her arms locked around my
neck, tilting her head back and laughing softly into my mouth.
“You're
going to get me into lots of trouble, I just know it,” she smiles, her voice
lilting with emotion.
“Ah'm
innocent. Don't be accusing me of instigatin'. I just met an unusual lass while
out fishin' and she decided tae turn ma tranquil world upside down.”
Pressing
a last kiss on my mouth, she stokes ma Celtic blood tae near boilin'. “You have
to go or we'll never be awake in time to go cheer Roddie to victory.”
Firmly
kissing her, with all ma might I squeeze her curves in a crush tae me, loathe
tae release her. I finally set her feet back on the ground, refusin' tae say
good-bye. I cannae say how final this feels, or how much I dinnae want tae go.
I dinnae want tae leave her, I want tae take her with me, tae flee her mad
family and escape tae somewhere safe.
Giving
her hand a squeeze, I take the four steps tae the car, turning back to drink
her in before leaving.
Hidden
behind the open door I imprint her image in ma soul; hip long thick hair the
colour of spider silk, elegant legs in slinky black jeans, and eyes sparkling
like two clear pools on a starlit night.
This
isnae farewell. It cannae be. I won't let it be.
Blowing
me a kiss with a swollen pout, her smile widens, and then she's gone and I'm
standin' here alone smiling at a tree like a numpty.
The
air blusters and the hairs on the back of ma neck raise. Hinging tae the spot
ma instincts holler from, I spy the two poker red eyes advancing toward me from
the thickets, stampeding through the trees.
I
dinnae ha'e tae even think about it, I dive intae the car, punch the engine
into frantic life, and slam the gear shift intae reverse, scooting backwards
downhill without the lights on, prayin I don't hit anythin'.
The
whack of angry palms on the trunk force me tae jam my foot on the brake, the
lights flaring hellish red intae the dark.
Looking
forward, the dude from her garden is already at the grill, leaning both hefty
arms ontae the hood and glowering at me through the thin glass separation' us.
His
focus flicks tae the front of the car where the other shadow blocks ma escape,
and ma leg starts jitterin' compulsively where it depresses the brake pedal.
The sidhe growl shakes the metal and plastic interior, rippling through the car
like thunder.
Standing
straight, he flicks something at the windscreen, and I duck instinctively,
shunting intae neutral tae prevent stallin', but it dies anyway. Waiting fer
somethin' tae happen, it takes me three seconds tae look back up again,
straight at the card stuck tae the glass.
Looking
back at the other figure, the hulking shadow stumbles around and yanks ma door
open, big hands clamping ontae ma jacket and hauling me out. The car starts
rolling without ma foot on the brake and I struggle against ma assailant,
smashing my forehead intae his nose, my leg coming up of its own volition tae
knee him hard.
His
grasp slackens with the impact and I break free, bolting efter the car, divin'
in and yanking up the hand-brake. I've barely had time tae catch ma breath when
a hand finds purchase in ma jean's waistband and I'm flung backwards with
force, impacting brutally with a tree trunk.
“No
more shite Doug, ye've got some explainin' tae dae.”
Shaking
ma heid, clearing ma vision, I shunt forward using the tree as a brace, ramming
my shoulder intae him, forcing him backwards on the slippery mulch, all the way
back tae the vehicle.
“Get
in. If ye want tae live get the hell intae the car and let's just go!” I yell,
not caring what he does, I'm just trembling tae get away from that man with the
red eyes and deep voice.
Starting
the engine again, flicking the lights on, I pause while I stare at the nine of
diamonds, terror quelling my hope that everythin' will work out with Ellindt.
Roddie
slams his door closed tae glare at me, then he looks at the windscreen.
We
look back at each other not knowing what tae dae.
“Floor
it, Doug.” His voice is shakin' and he's paler than pyre ash.
Swallowing
hard, I nod, slamming the car back intae reverse and zooting backwards down the
rustic path, all the way down, backing ontae the road. Shiftin' intae first
gear, I pump ma foot on the accelerator tae speed away, shunting intae second
gear, then third, my heart racing faster than the pistons.
Darin'
tae look in the rear-view mirror I see them standin' side by side in the middle
of the road, their bright eyes glowing intae the predawn and siphoning the
sanctity out of ma soul.
The
damn nine of diamond's is still stuck on the windscreen and I wind down ma
window, scrabbling tae get it off. Finally gripping it I flop back in ma seat
and quickly close the window, flicking the card ontae the dashboard.
“Who
was that?” Roddie asks me, his voice still trembling, looking behind us while
we race away.
“A
long gruesome death.”
Glancing
from the road to the rear-view mirror, and back tae the card, dread fills ma
body like a deathly opiate.
The
nine of diamonds is the Curse of Scotland. It's the promise of massacre and
death.
Did you enjoy that? I hope so and here is the stunning book cover.
So here are the links from Poppet. I can't make heads nor tails from them but I'm sure you will - Yes! you looking at me as if I'm barking mad.
Audiobook
http://amzn.com/ B00N31WMUY
Paperback Link
http://www.amazon.com/dp/150086983X
Ebook link
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KQ2DSO2
Listen to Poppet reading:
Retail preview of the audiobook
or the embed code:
