Deleted Scene: A Hunter’s Angel

Available everywhere Ebooks are sold July 20

This week is an exciting one for me... On Friday, my first published novel, A Hunter’sAngel, releases! Yay! Throw the confetti! Pop those champagne corks!

Yeah, I’m a little hyper about it all. And I’m having a blast.

Today, just for you all, I’m sharing a special treat.  A deleted scene.  This has not been professionally edited, since I’d cut it long before I submitted it to The Wild Rose Press, so forgive any mistakes...LOL

Hope you enjoy!

Also remember to leave a comment with your email address. I’m running a contest.  (See below for details.)

~~~

Shane watched from under the large oak tree in the side yard of a dilapidated farmhouse. A mixture of blocky plastic toys, rusted farm equipment, and an engine block resting on cinderblocks were strewn over the muddy yard. In an old barn behind the house, a dim light shown between the cracks in the old oak planks. A screech and a thumping of metal hitting metal followed a chorus of curses.

“Fuck it, I’m goin’ to bed. Sheryl will just have to come here to pick ‘em up in the mornin’, if she wants ‘em that damn bad,” grumbled the young man inside the barn.

The boy was alone. The only other heartbeats near came from the old clapboard house—the young, small hearts of children.

He moved to the battered doorway of the barn-turned-garage. The plank doors hung opened, despite the cold night. Aged to twenty-four years, named Johnny Markel, recently divorced from a cheating wife, two kids... Shane ruffled through the boy’s mind further. He worked at a factory he hated, but for his kids he’d put up with the crap from his boss. Someday he’d finish the computer training and get a better job. Maybe go to real college.

Pitiful. Shane backed out of the boy’s mind and allowed him to take notice of him.

“Hey, who the hell are you?” Johnny’s brusqueness didn’t mask his spike of fear.

Shane raised a brow and smirked. “I’m your worst nightmare.”

Before the boy could react, Shane moved in behind Johnny too fast for the boy to see the maneuver. Shane entered Johnny’s mind again and paralyzed him. Panic came to the boy with blinding ferocity.

“It pleases me greatly you aren’t heeding the warnings of the local ineffectual law enforcement. You know the ones—stay inside and don’t go out at night alone.” Shane allowed Johnny control of his facial expressions, and he laughed when the boy’s eyes bugged. “You do know there is a serial killer on the loose, do you not? Oh, what is the media calling me...” Shane circled the boy and pretended to think as he tapped a finger on his cheek. “Ah, yes, the Alleghany Slasher. But trust me. I’m more frightening than any mortal killer.”

“No!” Johnny shouted when Shane gave him control of his voice.

Shane moved behind him again. “Tell me, Johnny,” Shane said near his ear like a lover. Johnny’s shock washed over Shane along with his terror. “I know a great deal more than your name, Johnny. Your simple mind reads like an open book—a very boring and uninspiring one at that. Do you believe in the undead?”

“What the fuck are you talking about? Did you drug me or somethin’?”

“Oh, this modern time can be so despairing.” Again, Shane circled his prey. “Mortals are bombarded every second with information, and science has made people shortsighted and unbelieving in the unexplained, the mystical world.” He stopped and held Johnny’s gaze. “Mortals have no idea how limited their science is.”

Johnny’s mind sent a stronger signal to flee. Shane blocked it, but not before a shudder ran though Johnny’s paralyzed body.

“Why can’t I move? Lemme go!”

“Oh, some fight. I like that. Makes the blood tastier with adrenaline.” Becoming weary of the game, Shane moved in behind him again.

“Blood?” Johnny croaked. Shane let Johnny look over his shoulder, and Shane allowed his eyes to take on the demonic glow of a vampire about to feed. His canines descended. The scream that followed from the boy was piercing.

With Shane’s mental compulsion, Johnny tilted his head, offering his neck. Johnny whimpered, pathetically pleaded, “Please, I have two little kids. Don’t hurt them. They’re all I have.”

“Yes, I can hear their hearts. Dear little children, I’m sure. So innocent, so sweet.” Shane smiled, baring his teeth. The pulse at the base of Johnny’s neck beat erratically, and Shane laughed. “Ha! You didn’t even know you had a worst nightmare until you met me.”

Johnny cried out again as Shane sank his fangs into the warm flesh. Instantly, the boy stopped trying to struggle, and as Shane drained him of life, he writhed in as much complete terror as venom-induced bliss.

Once his heart stopped, Shane slit his throat with an authentic Bowie knife he’d pilfered from a French trapper he’d preyed upon along the northern Mississippi River almost two centuries ago.

He dropped the body and melted into the shadows outside.

~~~

To find out more about A Hunter’s Angel check out my website (http://ceradubois.wordpress.com/a-hunters-angel-the-book-tour/) for a schedule of my blog stops during the book tour. I will be presenting a series of short stories called The Vampire Encounters. Follow me as I interview Ian McHenry, Master Vampire Lucas Pomeroy, Vivian van Dyke Pomeroy, and have a scary run-in with Shane Chamberlain. Hope to see you along the way.

Contest: Please leave a comment and your email address.

Two Lucky Posters will get a PDF copy of Bloodwine. (for info on this short story click)—drawing to happen on July 20.

Stalker Prize: Every Poster will also be entered into a drawing of a $10 gift card from either Amazon or Barnes and Noble (winner’s choice)—drawing to happen on September 1.

(Stalker means that, if you follow my book tour [link to list above], for every comment your name will go into the hat. So, for example, if you comment ten times on ten different blogs, you have ten chances at winning.)

 Good Luck!

That Dirty Word…Promotion

In July, my life as a writer takes on a new and exciting turn. And I will be up to my eyeballs in that dirty word....

Promotion.

My first book, A Hunter’s Angel, book 1 of The Hunter's Dagger Series, comes out on July 20. It’s been a long and exciting road since I first signed the contract in October with The Wild Rose Press. A lot of new things, like working with an editor, getting that first galley and crying when I saw my name on the copyright page, seeing my name on a book cover for the first time—yes, more tears happened here, too--and finally getting that final galley and the release date.

But as the date of my book becomes a reality, I’m beginning to stress. I have a fairly good marketing plan (at least I hope it's a good one) but I wonder if it will be enough. And even scarier, how will I know if it’s working. Unlike with self-publishing, I’ll have no idea if certain things are working and if it’s a waste of time and money.

My plan in a nutshell is a simple one, but hits many different venues—which I hope will produce sales.

1—Promote through a book tour (Bewitching PR) for 1 month. I also have other dates lined up on my own. I’m using several blogging opportunities—interviews, character interviews, excerpt spotlights, articles and hopefully book reviews.  For the articles, I’ve actually started writing a series of short stories using my characters and their back-stories. Which for me isn’t that hard since I also have the tremendous myth that I’ve created surrounding my vampires, the demon that created them, and the guardian angel who hopes to save them. I’ve also plan on writing articles spotlighting my favorite vampire romances, like JR Ward’s Black Dagger Brotherhood (which I discovered AFTER I wrote my Hunter’s Dagger Series by the way) and Amanda Ashley’s vampires, and how my books are similar—but different.

2—Give aways. I have several things planned here. One of the most exciting being the jewelry I’m designing as prizes for commenting on the blogs. Right now I’m working on angel wing earrings and necklaces, but I’d like to add some daggers in the mix, too, and make some charm bracelets to be up for grabs. I’m also going to give away $5.00 gift certificates from The Wild Rose Press. The grand prize I’m hoping to offer at the end of my tour is a basket with a gift card from either Amazon or Barnes and Noble, candles and other goodies common to Pennsylvania, since the book is set here.

3—Street Fairs. I’m planning to participate in a couple local street fairs. I’ll offer signed cards such as rack cards, postcards, and trading cards all with info on my book. I’m also thinking of doing a book drawing in conjunction with this—especially since the first fair I’m going to will be in June and my book doesn’t come out until July. To be eligible to win the free copy, a person will have to go to my website and contact me through there. Even if only a handful take the bite, it will expose them to my writing/website and hopefully they’ll come back for more.

4—Library talks. This is something I really want to do, but am unsure if it will work out. Our local libraries have had some serious budget cuts, and adult programs have been cut drastically. But I have feelers out and am hoping something comes around.

5—Business cards. The simplest thing that I’ve been doing is giving my business card out to anyone who show any kind of interest in my books. I even gave a bunch to my stepmother to give to the curious folks back home, who have been asking about my books.

So, my question is for you who have published, especially those of you who don’t have the freedoms self-publishing gives you (like giving your book away for free on Amazon)—What have you done that works and what hasn’t? What would you suggest we newbies try? What do you wish you had done but didn’t try?