Fiona Paul's Blog
February 16, 2016
New Look for the Eternal Rose Books + Free Short Story
Hi :)
Many of you probably know I blog mostly (and by "blog mostly" I mean run a contest about once a month) over at my Paula Stokes website. In fact I'm running an awesome build-a-book-boyfriend contest over there right now where the winner can see their ideal book boy in a future Paula Stokes novel! But today I wanted to reach out to all of the Secrets of the Eternal Rose fans to make sure you knew you could score a free short story prequel called Disastrous Desire. It's full of glamour and mystery and it has a gorgeous sexy cover that will look fabulous on your e-reader or tablet. See:
“A sensual tale where no one can be trusted and passions kill.”
–Andrea Cremer, New York Times bestselling author of the Nightshade series
Eighteen-year-old Mariabella has recently elevated herself from the rank of common prostitute to the status of courtesan, a respected high-class escort for those men in Venetian society who can afford one. Mariabella steps out to attend a party on the arm of her powerful new patron, certain that the night will be filled with glamour, secrets, and adventure—but the world she has immersed herself in is more dangerous than she believes.
Don’t miss this short story prequel set in the thrilling world of Fiona Paul’s Secrets of the Eternal Rose series. This free story also includes four chapters of Venomous Kiss, the first book in a romantic series tinged with true love and heartbreaking betrayal.
Download from Amazon Download from B&N
In fact, the book development team Paper Lantern Lit has renamed and redesigned the entire trilogy, so if you wanted to read this series but you've been struggling to find copies of any of the books, they will be widely available again this spring, starting with the re-release of Venom as Venomous Kiss on March 17, 2016.
In the meantime, feast your eyes on the amazing new covers!
Cassandra Caravello has everything a girl could desire: elegant gowns, sparkling jewels, and a handsome, wealthy fiancé—yet she longs for something more. Ever since her parents’ death, Cassandra has felt trapped, alone in a city of water, where the dark and labyrinthine canals whisper of escape.
When Cass stumbles upon the body of a murdered woman, she’s drawn into the dangerous and tempting world of secret societies, courtesans, killers, and a mysterious street artist named Falco, who could be the most dangerous temptation of them all.
Soon, she finds herself falling for Falco, but his habit of getting into trouble could destroy the perfect life Cassandra has built. Will she find the murderer before he finds her? And will she stay true to her fiancé or succumb to her uncontrollable feelings for Falco?
Formerly published as Venom, Fiona Paul’s first installment of the Secrets of the Eternal Rose is perfect for fans of Libba Bray’s A Great and Terrible Beauty.
In the second installment of the Secrets of the Eternal
Rose series, Cassandra Caravello is trying to forget Falco, the wild artist who ran off with her heart, as she grows closer to her strong, steady fiancé, Luca. But Luca has his own share of secrets. When he’s arrested by soldiers in the middle of the night, Cass’s life is once again thrown into chaos.
So begins her journey to Florence to prove Luca’s innocence. In the city haunted by whispers of vampirism, secret soirees and clandestine meetings of the Order of the Eternal Rose, Cassandra also finds Falco, who is working for the Order’s eerily stunning leader, the Belladonna herself.
Nothing is as it seems in this seductive mystery, where the truth may be the deadliest poison of all.
Formerly published as Belladonna, the second book in the trilogy is perfect for fans of Jennifer Donnelly’s These Shallow Graves. Available April 12, 2016
Cassandra Caravello and Luca are fugitives, on the run from the law and the deadly Order of the Eternal Rose. As they pursue the only evidence that could save them, their worlds—and their romance— are torn apart by spiteful friends and murderous enemies.
When Cass finds herself ensnared in the Order’s twisted plot, Falco emerges once again as her only hope for freedom…but this time, Luca has a shocking scheme of his own.
From ancient mercenaries to sly magicians, clever courtesans and vengeful killers, no one can be trusted. In the breathtaking conclusion to the Secrets of the Eternal Rose trilogy, Cass must confront the Order and decide where her heart lies, once and for all.
Formerly published as Starling, this romantic mystery is perfect for fans of Philippa Gregory’s The Other Boleyn Girl.
Available May 24, 2016
Right now you can pre-order all three titles for .99, 1.99, and 2.99 respectively! That's over 1000 pages of swoony Renaissance mystery for less than $6.00. I'm not sure if these prices will go up, so if you're interested in the books, you might want to snap them up sooner rather than later :)
Many of you probably know I blog mostly (and by "blog mostly" I mean run a contest about once a month) over at my Paula Stokes website. In fact I'm running an awesome build-a-book-boyfriend contest over there right now where the winner can see their ideal book boy in a future Paula Stokes novel! But today I wanted to reach out to all of the Secrets of the Eternal Rose fans to make sure you knew you could score a free short story prequel called Disastrous Desire. It's full of glamour and mystery and it has a gorgeous sexy cover that will look fabulous on your e-reader or tablet. See:
“A sensual tale where no one can be trusted and passions kill.” –Andrea Cremer, New York Times bestselling author of the Nightshade series
Eighteen-year-old Mariabella has recently elevated herself from the rank of common prostitute to the status of courtesan, a respected high-class escort for those men in Venetian society who can afford one. Mariabella steps out to attend a party on the arm of her powerful new patron, certain that the night will be filled with glamour, secrets, and adventure—but the world she has immersed herself in is more dangerous than she believes.
Don’t miss this short story prequel set in the thrilling world of Fiona Paul’s Secrets of the Eternal Rose series. This free story also includes four chapters of Venomous Kiss, the first book in a romantic series tinged with true love and heartbreaking betrayal.
Download from Amazon Download from B&N
In fact, the book development team Paper Lantern Lit has renamed and redesigned the entire trilogy, so if you wanted to read this series but you've been struggling to find copies of any of the books, they will be widely available again this spring, starting with the re-release of Venom as Venomous Kiss on March 17, 2016.
In the meantime, feast your eyes on the amazing new covers!
Cassandra Caravello has everything a girl could desire: elegant gowns, sparkling jewels, and a handsome, wealthy fiancé—yet she longs for something more. Ever since her parents’ death, Cassandra has felt trapped, alone in a city of water, where the dark and labyrinthine canals whisper of escape.When Cass stumbles upon the body of a murdered woman, she’s drawn into the dangerous and tempting world of secret societies, courtesans, killers, and a mysterious street artist named Falco, who could be the most dangerous temptation of them all.
Soon, she finds herself falling for Falco, but his habit of getting into trouble could destroy the perfect life Cassandra has built. Will she find the murderer before he finds her? And will she stay true to her fiancé or succumb to her uncontrollable feelings for Falco?
Formerly published as Venom, Fiona Paul’s first installment of the Secrets of the Eternal Rose is perfect for fans of Libba Bray’s A Great and Terrible Beauty.
In the second installment of the Secrets of the Eternal
Rose series, Cassandra Caravello is trying to forget Falco, the wild artist who ran off with her heart, as she grows closer to her strong, steady fiancé, Luca. But Luca has his own share of secrets. When he’s arrested by soldiers in the middle of the night, Cass’s life is once again thrown into chaos. So begins her journey to Florence to prove Luca’s innocence. In the city haunted by whispers of vampirism, secret soirees and clandestine meetings of the Order of the Eternal Rose, Cassandra also finds Falco, who is working for the Order’s eerily stunning leader, the Belladonna herself.
Nothing is as it seems in this seductive mystery, where the truth may be the deadliest poison of all.
Formerly published as Belladonna, the second book in the trilogy is perfect for fans of Jennifer Donnelly’s These Shallow Graves. Available April 12, 2016
Cassandra Caravello and Luca are fugitives, on the run from the law and the deadly Order of the Eternal Rose. As they pursue the only evidence that could save them, their worlds—and their romance— are torn apart by spiteful friends and murderous enemies.When Cass finds herself ensnared in the Order’s twisted plot, Falco emerges once again as her only hope for freedom…but this time, Luca has a shocking scheme of his own.
From ancient mercenaries to sly magicians, clever courtesans and vengeful killers, no one can be trusted. In the breathtaking conclusion to the Secrets of the Eternal Rose trilogy, Cass must confront the Order and decide where her heart lies, once and for all.
Formerly published as Starling, this romantic mystery is perfect for fans of Philippa Gregory’s The Other Boleyn Girl.
Available May 24, 2016
Right now you can pre-order all three titles for .99, 1.99, and 2.99 respectively! That's over 1000 pages of swoony Renaissance mystery for less than $6.00. I'm not sure if these prices will go up, so if you're interested in the books, you might want to snap them up sooner rather than later :)
Published on February 16, 2016 02:00
June 10, 2014
Where I've Been...
Heeeeeeey.
I'm not sure how many people are still reading this blog, but you probably know I also write as Paula Stokes. My first YA contemp, THE ART OF LAINEY, released last month, and I now have five more books and a 100-page e-novella coming out under my real name. Pretty epic, right? I think so ;-) I'll be blogging over at Author Paula Stokes mostly from now on. Come see me--I miss you! :-)
I'm not sure how many people are still reading this blog, but you probably know I also write as Paula Stokes. My first YA contemp, THE ART OF LAINEY, released last month, and I now have five more books and a 100-page e-novella coming out under my real name. Pretty epic, right? I think so ;-) I'll be blogging over at Author Paula Stokes mostly from now on. Come see me--I miss you! :-)
Published on June 10, 2014 09:08
March 20, 2014
Happy Birthday STARLING!
Hi hi :)
I'm so excited that STARLING flutters into the world today. If you happen to see it at your local bookalicious place (be that a library or bookstore), snap me a pic and tweet it to @FionawritesYA.
I'd talk all about what it's like to finish a trilogy, but I already did that for my friend Stacee at Too Fond of Books, so look for that post on Monday. Speaking of Monday, Australian STARLING releases then. Go get that pretty dress cover, Aussie-types :)
AND
In honor of both Starling's release and @pstokesbooks finally amassing 1000 twitter followers, I am getting ready to do a dual WHERE IN THE WORLD IS?? contest with both Starling and The Art of Lainey. Be sure to stay tuned for that.
Happy reading and writing!
I'm so excited that STARLING flutters into the world today. If you happen to see it at your local bookalicious place (be that a library or bookstore), snap me a pic and tweet it to @FionawritesYA.
I'd talk all about what it's like to finish a trilogy, but I already did that for my friend Stacee at Too Fond of Books, so look for that post on Monday. Speaking of Monday, Australian STARLING releases then. Go get that pretty dress cover, Aussie-types :)
AND
In honor of both Starling's release and @pstokesbooks finally amassing 1000 twitter followers, I am getting ready to do a dual WHERE IN THE WORLD IS?? contest with both Starling and The Art of Lainey. Be sure to stay tuned for that.
Happy reading and writing!
Published on March 20, 2014 11:04
March 10, 2014
Happy Birthday Nikki: Thoughts on Serendipity
When I was in elementary school, I was obsessed with a series of books by Stephen Cosgrove. One of them was called Serendipity.
Isn't she the cutest? I don't honestly remember the storyline, but I remember this was my introduction to the word serendipity. Even as a seven-year-old, I loved the idea of stumbling across something awesome purely by chance.
This happened to me in June of 2012, at a book event called Teen Author Carnival that took place in NYC. I got invited as Fiona Paul because I was going to be at Book Expo America with the 2012 debut group, the Apocalypsies. I remember being overwhelmed by BEA, being exhausted as I hurried from the conference to the library with a group of other authors. I remember feeling outclassed and outperformed by many of the other writers doing panels with me. They were all so polished, so professional. Me, I was sweaty and shy and scared.
After the panels were over, the authors hung out to sign books. My first book wasn't out yet so I was signing ARCs and bookmarks. One of my editors came up to me and gave me an ARC of Venom that someone had won as part of a box of books but forgotten at the library. "I figured you might want this," she said. My first thought was: Yikes. One more thing to fit in my already overstuffed luggage. But I put it away and kept talking to readers. I was sitting next to Lauren Morrill, another 2012 debut (she's awesome, buy her books!), when a tiny sprite of a girl bounced up to me. "Do you know if they'll be giving away more ARCs of Venom at BEA tomorrow?" she asked.
"I'm not sure." (Authors are usually the last to know anything). I paused. "How old are you?"
"Thirteen," the girl replied.
"Hmm. Venom is technically age 14 and up." I looked at Lauren Morrill. She looked at me. This girl looked younger than thirteen. But she was so cute and enthusiastic and it wasn't like the people at BEA were carding book readers to make sure they were old enough to get the free ARCs. I made one of those split-second decisions. "Here." I pulled out the copy of Venom my editor had just given me. "I just happen to have an ARC with me. You can have it, but if any of the material makes you uncomfortable, just skip over it, okay?"
The girl nodded happily. I signed the ARC for her and she bounded off. That girl was blogger Nikki Wang from the blog Fiction Freak. I didn't think too much about the interaction, aside from praying that I wouldn't get an angry email from Nikki's mom if she found the ARC and deemed it too adult for her daughter.
After I got home from the conference, Nikki emailed me about doing a feature on her blog. I said yes. We got to talking. We got to talking some more. Slowly, via the magic of the interwebz, Nikki and I became friends.
Since then, Nikki has been a such huge motivational and promotional force in my writing career that I wanted to write this happy birthday blog post just to thank her. THANK YOU, NIKKI! Many other bloggers have inspired and promoted and motivated me too, and I am grateful to all of them. But Nikki truly has gone above and beyond, in so many ways. Here's just a smattering of things she is to me:
1. One-girl focus group if I have a question about teenspeak or whether teens do or don't like something.
2. Reviewer extraordinaire. The PenguinTeen catalog even blurbed her:
3a. Epic supporter. She sponsored a readalong with blogger Annabelle from Sparkles and Lightning:
3b. She also made my first fan art for both the Eternal Rose series and The Art of Lainey:
3c. She also personally encouraged her friends to read my books.
3d. She also had me on her blog multiple times to promote my writing.
3e. She's also heading up THE ART OF LAINEY blog tour via the company she started with her friends, Merp Squad.
3f. She's also done a lot of other little things to promote me, like being first to sign up for my street team and tweeting and FB likings and sharing my bookmarks, etc.
4. Graphic designer. She made the banner and button I'll be using as part of a multi-author tour this July. More info on that coming soon.
5. Last, but never least, friend :) Maybe it's weird for a "grownup" to have teens as friends, but I like to think of it as one of the best things about the internet. Cyberspace breaks down barriers that might keep people apart in real life.
I am so glad I made that random serendipitous decision to give my extra copy of Venom to Nikki almost 2 years ago. Whether you're Team Fate or a big believer in free will, I encourage you to remain open to the idea of serendipity. Life hands you amazing things sometimes when you're not even looking for them. You never know--the next person you meet might become your Nikki Wang :)
HAPPY BIRTHDAY NIKKI! <333
Isn't she the cutest? I don't honestly remember the storyline, but I remember this was my introduction to the word serendipity. Even as a seven-year-old, I loved the idea of stumbling across something awesome purely by chance.
This happened to me in June of 2012, at a book event called Teen Author Carnival that took place in NYC. I got invited as Fiona Paul because I was going to be at Book Expo America with the 2012 debut group, the Apocalypsies. I remember being overwhelmed by BEA, being exhausted as I hurried from the conference to the library with a group of other authors. I remember feeling outclassed and outperformed by many of the other writers doing panels with me. They were all so polished, so professional. Me, I was sweaty and shy and scared.
After the panels were over, the authors hung out to sign books. My first book wasn't out yet so I was signing ARCs and bookmarks. One of my editors came up to me and gave me an ARC of Venom that someone had won as part of a box of books but forgotten at the library. "I figured you might want this," she said. My first thought was: Yikes. One more thing to fit in my already overstuffed luggage. But I put it away and kept talking to readers. I was sitting next to Lauren Morrill, another 2012 debut (she's awesome, buy her books!), when a tiny sprite of a girl bounced up to me. "Do you know if they'll be giving away more ARCs of Venom at BEA tomorrow?" she asked.
"I'm not sure." (Authors are usually the last to know anything). I paused. "How old are you?"
"Thirteen," the girl replied.
"Hmm. Venom is technically age 14 and up." I looked at Lauren Morrill. She looked at me. This girl looked younger than thirteen. But she was so cute and enthusiastic and it wasn't like the people at BEA were carding book readers to make sure they were old enough to get the free ARCs. I made one of those split-second decisions. "Here." I pulled out the copy of Venom my editor had just given me. "I just happen to have an ARC with me. You can have it, but if any of the material makes you uncomfortable, just skip over it, okay?"
The girl nodded happily. I signed the ARC for her and she bounded off. That girl was blogger Nikki Wang from the blog Fiction Freak. I didn't think too much about the interaction, aside from praying that I wouldn't get an angry email from Nikki's mom if she found the ARC and deemed it too adult for her daughter.After I got home from the conference, Nikki emailed me about doing a feature on her blog. I said yes. We got to talking. We got to talking some more. Slowly, via the magic of the interwebz, Nikki and I became friends.
Since then, Nikki has been a such huge motivational and promotional force in my writing career that I wanted to write this happy birthday blog post just to thank her. THANK YOU, NIKKI! Many other bloggers have inspired and promoted and motivated me too, and I am grateful to all of them. But Nikki truly has gone above and beyond, in so many ways. Here's just a smattering of things she is to me:1. One-girl focus group if I have a question about teenspeak or whether teens do or don't like something.
2. Reviewer extraordinaire. The PenguinTeen catalog even blurbed her:
3a. Epic supporter. She sponsored a readalong with blogger Annabelle from Sparkles and Lightning:
3b. She also made my first fan art for both the Eternal Rose series and The Art of Lainey:
3c. She also personally encouraged her friends to read my books.
3d. She also had me on her blog multiple times to promote my writing.
3e. She's also heading up THE ART OF LAINEY blog tour via the company she started with her friends, Merp Squad.
3f. She's also done a lot of other little things to promote me, like being first to sign up for my street team and tweeting and FB likings and sharing my bookmarks, etc.
4. Graphic designer. She made the banner and button I'll be using as part of a multi-author tour this July. More info on that coming soon.
5. Last, but never least, friend :) Maybe it's weird for a "grownup" to have teens as friends, but I like to think of it as one of the best things about the internet. Cyberspace breaks down barriers that might keep people apart in real life.
I am so glad I made that random serendipitous decision to give my extra copy of Venom to Nikki almost 2 years ago. Whether you're Team Fate or a big believer in free will, I encourage you to remain open to the idea of serendipity. Life hands you amazing things sometimes when you're not even looking for them. You never know--the next person you meet might become your Nikki Wang :)
HAPPY BIRTHDAY NIKKI! <333
Published on March 10, 2014 22:00
The STARLING BLOG TOUR!!
Guys, guys, I can't believe it's finally time for STARLING to release. I finished revising and editing this book over a year ago, so for the longest time it felt so dreamy and distant, almost like it hadn't happened.
But that time has come to an end as the book gets ready to finally hit the shelves. Thanks to Jean and Book Nerd tours for setting up an awesome tour for me. It's full of Q&As, fun guest posts, and GIVEAWAYS! Here's a link so you can follow along with the merriment!
Published on March 10, 2014 08:00
November 17, 2013
Thoughts about STARLING, plus an excerpt!
Hi. There seems to be some confusion about the third book in the Secrets of the Eternal Rose series. Originally the book was called FORBIDDEN. This title was in place before I even began to write the book, and when I was finished my editors and I all believed that the book needed a new title. STARLING was suggested by my Penguin editor, along with two other possibilities, both of which didn't capture the feeling of the narrative arc the way STARLING did.
We all felt STARLING was a good choice, but it was March of 2013 when we made this decision and the VENOM paperbacks were already at the printer. So if you bought a Venom paperback (thanks!) the end of your book will announce the title of book three as FORBIDDEN. That is no longer the title. Apologies for the confusion :-)
Note: many readers believe STARLING to be a spoiler for the end of the trilogy, since that's the nickname that Falco gave her. The reason we went with this title is because it fit Cass's journey of learning to fly, to free herself from the expectations on her under her own terms. It has nothing to do with the romantic resolution.
Here's a short excerpt to give you a little idea of what Cass and Luca are up to at the beginning of the book!
Excerpt from Chapter 4, edited slightly to remove spoilers
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The next day, Luca awoke free of fever and feeling stronger. Cass informed him of everything Narissa had told her.
“Vampire attacks in Venice? Could it be a coincidence?” He stretched his injured shoulder across his chest, massaging his stiff muscles with his other hand.
“I don’t know, but we should find out more before we go to Florence,” she said. “If Belladonna has come to town, it quite possibly means that she believes the book is here.”
Luca looked down and noticed Slipper still curled up on the wool blanket. He petted the cat gently. “What do you recommend?” he asked.
“I suppose we could do like Narissa and eavesdrop at the market,” Cass suggested.
“What about that workshop you told me about, the one with the symbol for the Order? Perhaps we should go by there and see if there’s any obvious activity.”
Cass blanched. She had mentioned Angelo de Gradi’s workshop to Luca but had never told him that she had broken in with Falco. He didn’t know about de Gradi’s collection of body parts or how the physician had nearly caught Cass trespassing. He didn’t know the mere mention of the place terrified her. She scooped Slipper into her arms, nestling the cat against her chest. He blinked sleepily and then started to purr.
“Cassandra,” Luca said. “You’ve gone white as a seabird. I don’t mean for us to go inside. I thought we might watch the building for a bit and see if anyone comes or goes.”
She nodded, but the thought of it made her breath go taut and her heart slam against her rib cage. The room with the tin basins appeared before her. She could smell the tinge of balsam in the air. She could feel the fabric of her nightgown catching on the broken shutter.
Angelo de Gradi’s hands reaching out for her...
“Or I could go alone,” Luca offered. “You could wait here for me.”
Cass knew they would be in little danger if they were only going to watch the de Gradi workshop from afar, but she never wanted to go anywhere near that horrible place again if she didn’t have to. But how to explain that without divulging that she had been inside, with Falco?
“What if you go to the workshop and I go to the market,” she suggested, releasing a squirming Slipper to the floor. “Then we can meet back here later and discuss what we’ve found.”
Luca watched as the cat pounced on a ball of dust. “It’s not safe for you to go wandering around the Rialto by yourself.”
“Luca, be reasonable. I’ll borrow a servant’s outfit and no one will even notice me. The market is always crowded. I’ll blend in with the masses.”
He reached out to touch the diamond necklace that hung in the hollow of her throat—a lily. He had given it to her before his arrest. “You’re a little well adorned to be a servant,” he said drily.
Cass tucked the pendant inside her bodice and chemise so that even the chain was hidden. “All better,” she declared. “Besides, consider this: if anyone is still looking for us, there’s a greater chance we’ll be recognized if we stay together, right? It’ll be safer for us to split up.” She wasn’t sure if this was technically true, but it made a logical kind of sense. The Senate knew she and Luca had escaped as a pair. They would most likely be expecting them to still be together.
Luca appeared to be thinking it over. “Just the market?” he asked. “You promise you won’t go anywhere else without me?”
“I promise I won’t do anything foolish,” Cass said. “Between the two of us, perhaps we’ll hear something about Dubois or Belladonna, or if not them, then something about this sudden scourge of vampires. If we don’t, we’ll plan to head to Florence tomorrow.”
Luca frowned. “I know how strong you are, Cassandra, but I hate the thought of leaving your side even for an instant. Perhaps we’re crazy to fight the Order by ourselves. Perhaps you should remain here and I should take the pages we have to the Senate and ask them to hear my testimony.”
Cass shook her head vehemently. “Don’t be ridiculous. Dubois owns the Senate. They wouldn’t hear your testimony. They’d probably execute you immediately.” Leaning close to Luca, she ran her fingers through his hair and then pressed her lips to his cheek. “I risked the world to get you back. I will not lose you again.”
Luca turned toward her. Cradling her face with one hand, he closed the gap between them until his forehead rested against hers. “I never imagined you . . .”
“What?” Cass whispered, the soft word melding with Luca’s breath. The sharp smell of the theriac balm tickled her nose. She could see the beginnings of a beard already growing out on his cheeks. “Wouldn’t want you to die?”
He leaned away so that he could look into her eyes. “That you would look at me as you are, and speak in this manner. Not as if you’d feel responsible if something happened to me, but as if you’d feel . . . lost.”
Cass felt her heart opening. It was like Luca had put into words something she hadn’t been able to herself. “Without you, I would be lost,” she admitted.
Want more STARLING? The book goes on sale March 20, 2014.
We all felt STARLING was a good choice, but it was March of 2013 when we made this decision and the VENOM paperbacks were already at the printer. So if you bought a Venom paperback (thanks!) the end of your book will announce the title of book three as FORBIDDEN. That is no longer the title. Apologies for the confusion :-)
Note: many readers believe STARLING to be a spoiler for the end of the trilogy, since that's the nickname that Falco gave her. The reason we went with this title is because it fit Cass's journey of learning to fly, to free herself from the expectations on her under her own terms. It has nothing to do with the romantic resolution.
Here's a short excerpt to give you a little idea of what Cass and Luca are up to at the beginning of the book!
Excerpt from Chapter 4, edited slightly to remove spoilers
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The next day, Luca awoke free of fever and feeling stronger. Cass informed him of everything Narissa had told her.
“Vampire attacks in Venice? Could it be a coincidence?” He stretched his injured shoulder across his chest, massaging his stiff muscles with his other hand.
“I don’t know, but we should find out more before we go to Florence,” she said. “If Belladonna has come to town, it quite possibly means that she believes the book is here.”
Luca looked down and noticed Slipper still curled up on the wool blanket. He petted the cat gently. “What do you recommend?” he asked.
“I suppose we could do like Narissa and eavesdrop at the market,” Cass suggested.
“What about that workshop you told me about, the one with the symbol for the Order? Perhaps we should go by there and see if there’s any obvious activity.”
Cass blanched. She had mentioned Angelo de Gradi’s workshop to Luca but had never told him that she had broken in with Falco. He didn’t know about de Gradi’s collection of body parts or how the physician had nearly caught Cass trespassing. He didn’t know the mere mention of the place terrified her. She scooped Slipper into her arms, nestling the cat against her chest. He blinked sleepily and then started to purr.
“Cassandra,” Luca said. “You’ve gone white as a seabird. I don’t mean for us to go inside. I thought we might watch the building for a bit and see if anyone comes or goes.”
She nodded, but the thought of it made her breath go taut and her heart slam against her rib cage. The room with the tin basins appeared before her. She could smell the tinge of balsam in the air. She could feel the fabric of her nightgown catching on the broken shutter.
Angelo de Gradi’s hands reaching out for her...
“Or I could go alone,” Luca offered. “You could wait here for me.”
Cass knew they would be in little danger if they were only going to watch the de Gradi workshop from afar, but she never wanted to go anywhere near that horrible place again if she didn’t have to. But how to explain that without divulging that she had been inside, with Falco?
“What if you go to the workshop and I go to the market,” she suggested, releasing a squirming Slipper to the floor. “Then we can meet back here later and discuss what we’ve found.”
Luca watched as the cat pounced on a ball of dust. “It’s not safe for you to go wandering around the Rialto by yourself.”
“Luca, be reasonable. I’ll borrow a servant’s outfit and no one will even notice me. The market is always crowded. I’ll blend in with the masses.”
He reached out to touch the diamond necklace that hung in the hollow of her throat—a lily. He had given it to her before his arrest. “You’re a little well adorned to be a servant,” he said drily.
Cass tucked the pendant inside her bodice and chemise so that even the chain was hidden. “All better,” she declared. “Besides, consider this: if anyone is still looking for us, there’s a greater chance we’ll be recognized if we stay together, right? It’ll be safer for us to split up.” She wasn’t sure if this was technically true, but it made a logical kind of sense. The Senate knew she and Luca had escaped as a pair. They would most likely be expecting them to still be together.
Luca appeared to be thinking it over. “Just the market?” he asked. “You promise you won’t go anywhere else without me?”
“I promise I won’t do anything foolish,” Cass said. “Between the two of us, perhaps we’ll hear something about Dubois or Belladonna, or if not them, then something about this sudden scourge of vampires. If we don’t, we’ll plan to head to Florence tomorrow.”
Luca frowned. “I know how strong you are, Cassandra, but I hate the thought of leaving your side even for an instant. Perhaps we’re crazy to fight the Order by ourselves. Perhaps you should remain here and I should take the pages we have to the Senate and ask them to hear my testimony.”
Cass shook her head vehemently. “Don’t be ridiculous. Dubois owns the Senate. They wouldn’t hear your testimony. They’d probably execute you immediately.” Leaning close to Luca, she ran her fingers through his hair and then pressed her lips to his cheek. “I risked the world to get you back. I will not lose you again.”
Luca turned toward her. Cradling her face with one hand, he closed the gap between them until his forehead rested against hers. “I never imagined you . . .”
“What?” Cass whispered, the soft word melding with Luca’s breath. The sharp smell of the theriac balm tickled her nose. She could see the beginnings of a beard already growing out on his cheeks. “Wouldn’t want you to die?”
He leaned away so that he could look into her eyes. “That you would look at me as you are, and speak in this manner. Not as if you’d feel responsible if something happened to me, but as if you’d feel . . . lost.”
Cass felt her heart opening. It was like Luca had put into words something she hadn’t been able to herself. “Without you, I would be lost,” she admitted.
Want more STARLING? The book goes on sale March 20, 2014.
Published on November 17, 2013 08:31
October 6, 2013
The YA Scavenger Hunt is now over
#YASH is now over. Thanks to everyone who participated. I totally loved reading your comments about your favorite part of the hunt. THE RAFFLECOPTER HAS SPOKEN! My winner is Tal R. Tal, if you see this, email me so I can have the people at Powell's email you your gift card. If not, I will hunt you down via the copter information :-)
My post with Leanna Renee Hieber's exclusive content will remain active for another day. However, many of the posts will be removed and the links may no longer work.
Thanks again for visiting and I hope you had a wonderful #YASH :-)
Published on October 06, 2013 12:00
October 3, 2013
YA Scavenger Hunt!!!!
Dudes! I am so excited to be part of the Fall 2013 YA Scavenger Hunt :) GOLD TEAM FTW!!!What's this all about, you ask? YASH is a super-cool blog hop sponsored by Colleen Houck and Beth Revis where you get access to exclusive content from tons of different authors You also get a chance to win lots of books by collecting and adding up secret numbers from each team (gold, red, blue) as you hop from blog to blog, not to mention winning all kinds of swag and whatnot in secondary contests. This YASH goes live on October 3rd at noon Pacific and ends at noon on October 6th, so if you've arrived early, know that my page is loaded so the sponsors can make sure all the links are working and that for the optimal YASH experience you shouldn't start just yet. When it's time, you can start right here (Goooooooooooooold team!) or you can be all proper and begin at the beginning at the YA Scavenger Hunt homepage. That's probably a good plan, especially if you're new to the hunt and need a little more guidance than you've gotten from my crazed ramblings.
I am hosting my awesome Apoca-sis Leanna Renee Hieber who has written all kinds of dark and delicious Gothic books. In fact, I'm pretty sure she's working on at least 5 new ones right now!
Author, actress and playwright Leanna Renee Hieber graduated with a BFA in Theatre and a focus in the Victorian Era. Her debut novel, The Strangely Beautiful Tale of Miss Percy Parker, landed on Barnes & Noble's bestseller lists and is in development as a musical theatre production. This series will be reissued by Tor/Macmillan in 2014. DARKER STILL: A Novel of Magic Most Foul, hit the Kid's/YA Indie Next List as a recommended title by the American Booksellers Association and was a "highly recommended" title by Scholastic Book Clubs. THE TWISTED TRAGEDY OF MISS NATALIE STEWART continues the Magic Most Foul series and has been praised by Booklist, RT Book Reviews and more. She is serializing the finale on her blog in true Gothic Victorian fashion. A member of Actors Equity Association and SAG-AFTRA, Leanna works in film and television on shows like Boardwalk Empire. When not writing or on set, she tells ghost stories, frequents Goth clubs, corset shops, channels Narcissa Malfoy, wanders graveyards and adventures in full Victorian regalia. She resides in New York City with her husband and their beloved rescued lab rabbit.
"I'm coming for you."The whispers haunt her dreams and fill her waking hours with dread. Something odd is happening. Something...unnatural.
Possession of the living. Resurrection of the dead. And Natalie Stewart is caught right in the middle. Jonathon, the one person she thought she could trust, has become a double agent for the dark side. But he plays the part so well, Natalie has to wonder just how much he's really acting.
She can't even see what it is she's fighting. But the cost of losing her heart, her sanity...her soul.
Praise for Hieber's DARKER STILL, an Indie Next Selection:
"Original, haunting, and romantic." —YA Bound
"This chilling tale will draw you in and keep you guessing until the very last page." —Seventeen.com
BUY TWISTED TRAGEDY NOW AT B&N
Here's Leanna's EXCLUSIVE BONUS CONTENT:
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DELETED SCENE from THE TWISTED TRAGEDY OF MISS NATALIE STEWART
Leanna: Originally, the heroine of the Magic Most Foul saga, Natalie Stewart, was going to spend a lot more time away from New York City recovering from the dark magic dealt her during DARKER STILL, set in 1880 New York City. In early drafts, while in St. Paul, Natalie began growing closer to Samuel Neuman, a best friend of our hero, Jonathon Whitby, Lord Denbury. But in later drafts, it was clear Natalie had to return more quickly to New York City and so closeness between her and Samuel had to be curtailed. No love triangle for the book. And in the end, I'm glad about that. But here's a deleted scene where Natalie, Samuel and Jonathon share a dream.
The long corridor again. What about my dreams managed to always remain a hallway I couldn’t figure. At the end, the deck where Samuel and I had overlooked the Mississippi. And standing there, was Sam. I moved to join him. But wait. Did this mean now that Sam and I were somehow connected? Being connected to every handsome young man with whom I became acquainted was bound to cause trouble. He spoke: “She’s so far away.” “Who?” I queried. “Elsa.” “Yes,” I said, empathetic. “It’s a particular cruelty that she looks so alive, merely sleeping, and yet she is inaccessible. It must be maddening.” I put a hand on his shoulder, an instinctive response I would do to any friend. But I had to remember, contact between men and women, however friendly or innocent, carried different weights, different consequences. Another voice from behind me, in the hall. At the doorway was Denbury, standing in a fine dark suit, immaculate, and his bright eyes eviscerating. “Hello Natalie, what’s this?” “Sam. And the Mississippi river, the greatest in all our country. It’s a wonderful view, isn’t it?” “Spectacular,” Denbury admitted. He shifted to squint at Sam. “Should I worry that you’re dreaming of him?” I glanced over my shoulder. Sam stood still as if he were a portrait himself, unmoving. I suppose Sam wasn’t active in my dreams as Denbury was, so he was simply placed there by me. But there was no harm in that, was there? “A girl can hardly entirely control her dreams, Lord Denbury,” I used his title when trying to be particularly gracious to him. “But goodness knows I always want you here. Sam and I shared a pleasant day and I suppose I’m fondly recalling it. He was just speaking of his fiancé, Elsa. He is a friend who is here in my waking life. You, my love, are not.” “No. No, I’m in London, haunted and no closer to rhyme or reason as to why there’s a grave with my name on it, a body inside it that isn’t mine. I’m glad it’s sunny and pleasant in Saint Paul.” There was a bitter bite to his tone. I stiffened. “I would have gone with you, Jonathon, gladly, and you know that. But you didn’t want me there. Unburden your troubles, love, let me share them,” I moved to him, he stepped back into the darkness. He seemed fixed upon scowling. I folded my arms. “Sam is your friend. He is now my friend. Can a girl not have friends?” “I’m in London," Jonathon retorted. "I can have plenty of friends, whenever I like.” At that, the hall suddenly filled with pretty ladies, the hallway had lit sconces casting glittering light over glittering jewels. My mouth dropped open. “Is that a threat, Lord Denbury?” He sighed. “Just keep your dreaming focused on what you want, Natalie. I can’t bear or handle any more betrayals-” “As if I’d betray you-” “We are strangers, Natalie, our worlds are now new. I’ve not… dealt with any of this, let alone in loving a girl, being jealous of a girl I didn’t want to leave behind but for her safety.” I placed my hands on my hips. “Well start trusting. Trust your friends. Trust me. Can I trust you?” A girl lavishly draped in green draped herselfover Denbury’s arm. Which of our minds placed that chess piece? I raised an eyebrow. Jonathon stepped forward. When he did, everything else receded into shadow. He spoke with quiet gravity. "Our lives have depended on nothing less."
Leanna: Hope you enjoyed a tidbit of lost Magic Most Foul lore! Check out my blog at leannareneebooks.blogspot.com to see how I am wrapping up the finale of the Magic Most Foul saga in serialized form every Tuesday! Cheers!
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Okay, it's Fiona hollering at you again. Wasn't that awesome? I dunno, Natalie. I think I might enjoy being connected to every handsome young man with whom I became acquainted ;-)
Now for bonus contests--if you're a writer looking for feedback/freelance editing on your query letter or manuscript, some of my author friends and I have started an editing service! We're running a contest to win a free critique. Check out the deets at Manuscript Critique Services.
And a second bonus contest! Some of you know I've got contemporary books coming out under the name Paula Stokes. In fact, I'll be doing a cover reveal for THE ART OF LAINEY over at Ensconced in YA on October 9th that will involve a contest where you (yes, YOU) can win a cameo role in my book! You know you want to be in my book :-)
In the meantime, I'm doing my very first Rafflecopter as a way to get the word out about both the Fiona Paul books and the Paula Stokes books, so please like/follow/comment about your favorite part of YASH for a chance to win a $25 USD gift card to Powell's Books. They ship all over the world so this contest is INTERNATIONAL!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
TIME TO KEEP YASHING!
Are you ready to hop along to the next stop for more amazing bonus content? Get on over to Suzanne Lazear's blog. Happy hunting!
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Published on October 03, 2013 09:00
September 28, 2013
A few things...
Updates and info and fun stuff--list style:
1. I am starting a critique collaboration with Tara Kelly, Jessica Spotswood, and Elizabeth Richards. We each have two published novels with more on the way. All four of us love to critique query letters and manuscripts. We're offering competitive pricing for a variety of services and even student discounts on full MS critiques. Our official launch date is October 1. Come check us out at Manuscript Critique Services.
2. I am participating in YASH, the YA Scavenger Hunt which will run from Oct 3rd to October 6th. I will be giving away a signed copy of BELLADONNA, as well as running a secondary international contest for a gift card to Powell's Books. My exclusive material is a deleted scene from BELLADONNA, as well as a little teaser from STARLING. There are 60 authors participating this year! If you love books, you don't want to miss YASH.
3. It has come to my attention that some of you have not read the amazing GOING BOVINE, one of my favorite books of all time, so I will be rambling on about its awesomeness on the YA Valentines blog on October 8th. If you have not read it, come find out why you should.
4. My cover reveal for my first contemp, THE ART OF LAINEY, will be on October 9th at Ensconced in YA. I don't want to give away all of the fun details, but let's just say if you ever wanted to be in a book, you should probably stop by and enter the contest :)
5. I will be launching a Paula Stokes website/blog in October. More info on that soon. I will still post relevant Fiona-esque things here.
6. Someone left this random sunflower in the hallway of my building and it brightened my day. I have decided I really like sunflowers :)
That's all I got! Happy reading, writing, and whatever :)
1. I am starting a critique collaboration with Tara Kelly, Jessica Spotswood, and Elizabeth Richards. We each have two published novels with more on the way. All four of us love to critique query letters and manuscripts. We're offering competitive pricing for a variety of services and even student discounts on full MS critiques. Our official launch date is October 1. Come check us out at Manuscript Critique Services.
2. I am participating in YASH, the YA Scavenger Hunt which will run from Oct 3rd to October 6th. I will be giving away a signed copy of BELLADONNA, as well as running a secondary international contest for a gift card to Powell's Books. My exclusive material is a deleted scene from BELLADONNA, as well as a little teaser from STARLING. There are 60 authors participating this year! If you love books, you don't want to miss YASH.
3. It has come to my attention that some of you have not read the amazing GOING BOVINE, one of my favorite books of all time, so I will be rambling on about its awesomeness on the YA Valentines blog on October 8th. If you have not read it, come find out why you should.
4. My cover reveal for my first contemp, THE ART OF LAINEY, will be on October 9th at Ensconced in YA. I don't want to give away all of the fun details, but let's just say if you ever wanted to be in a book, you should probably stop by and enter the contest :)
5. I will be launching a Paula Stokes website/blog in October. More info on that soon. I will still post relevant Fiona-esque things here.
6. Someone left this random sunflower in the hallway of my building and it brightened my day. I have decided I really like sunflowers :)
That's all I got! Happy reading, writing, and whatever :)
Published on September 28, 2013 09:23
July 31, 2013
BELLADONNA playlist
Sorry, I am not linking these, because I worry about linking to websites that are violating copyright.
PRETTY GIRL by Sugarcult
VOODOO by Godsmack
BLOODSTREAM by Stateless
GET OUT ALIVE by 3 Days Grace
DOWN BY THE WATER by PJ Harvey
COSMIC LOVE by Florence and the Machine
AERIALS by System of a Down
PASSIVE by A Perfect Circle
INFECT by Bad Religion
LEAVE by Jojo
LYING FROM YOU by Linkin Park
DOWN IN A HOLE by Alice in Chains
PRETTY GIRL by Sugarcult
VOODOO by Godsmack
BLOODSTREAM by Stateless
GET OUT ALIVE by 3 Days Grace
DOWN BY THE WATER by PJ Harvey
COSMIC LOVE by Florence and the Machine
AERIALS by System of a Down
PASSIVE by A Perfect Circle
INFECT by Bad Religion
LEAVE by Jojo
LYING FROM YOU by Linkin Park
DOWN IN A HOLE by Alice in Chains
Published on July 31, 2013 22:00
Fiona Paul's Blog
- Fiona Paul's profile
- 408 followers
Fiona Paul isn't a Goodreads Author
(yet),
but they
do have a blog,
so here are some recent posts imported from
their feed.

