Diane’s Book Blog: A New Day at Midnight by Michelle Hiscox: Interview & Giveaway

A New Day at Midnight

The Hearne Family Saga, Book 1

Michelle Hiscox

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Publisher: Bookkus Publishing

Date of Publication: February 14, 2015

ISBN: 0991709497

ASIN: B00TGOODU4

Page Count Print – 264

Page Count Electronic – 268

Word Count: 92,691

Cover Artist: Bookkus Publishing

Book Description:

When Merik Hearne finally lays claim to the woman that betrayed him, she inspires much more than his need for revenge—but is her love worth dying for again?

Condemned to play host to a demon, the scarred Romani leader has amassed a fortune with only one goal in mind—to possess Hannah Worthington, the traitorous beauty that has eluded him for over a decade. With an exchange of coin, everything he has been striving for is within reach but nothing is as he imagined. The tender, sharp-tongued woman he encounters tests the bounds of his convictions and he is torn between the promise of reckoning and longing for a love that once destroyed him.

Exchanged for a purse of gold and informed she is to be a slave, Hannah vows she has not survived a lifetime of loss only to wither under the likes of Merik Hearne. And she will do everything she can to make sure he knows it. Despite his overbearing manner, his fierce scars, and her own determination to escape him, she begins to see that something beautiful might lie beneath…something that belongs only to her. She must discover the angle from which the great lord plays before his dark desires consume them both.

As they struggle to find truth amid pasts marred by sorrow and secrecy, they are unaware that a vengeful apostle orchestrates the rise of a forgotten god—and the end of their chance at a life together.

Available at Amazon Amazon.ca Amazon.co.uk BN

Excerpt

Hannah realized Merik had left her doors unlocked. Again. Did he believe she would stay now that she knew his true name and nature? She dare not utter the real question plaguing her, but it invaded her mind nonetheless.

Is he right? A large ember escaped from the iron latticework in front of the fire, landing on the rug at her feet. She watched it smoulder.

Smoke curled up in delicate tendrils, disappearing before reaching the high ceiling. She stared for several long moments, willing the flame to grow, to consume her. It held the colour of Merik’s eyes, burning gold and crimson. A small flame flickered to life, hungry for progress until she stamped it out with the heel of her foot.

Rising from the fire to flop on her bed, she stopped short as an echo rang through the hall. Certain her battered senses played tricks on her, she pulled back her covers to lay down but heard it again.

Whether it was a call of rage, grief, or agony she could not distinguish. It came from Merik’s quarters, echoing deep within the shadows of the hall. Padding to her door, she warred between anger over his treatment of her and the desire to ease his pain.

She could not ignore the fact he’d told her the truth. Pulling a robe about her shoulders, she kicked off her charred slipper. Without consulting her mind, she made the decision with her heart. She rested her hand on the door, opening the barrier between her and the unknown.

“Shit. Shit, shit, shit. What am I doing? I can stay in my rooms. There is hardly any need to go out there.”

Another tortured cry rose in the air, strengthening her resolve to help Merik.

Lighting a candle, she forced herself to go into the hall. Another cry rang through the air, and as she got closer to Merik’s chamber, she finally understood what he was saying. Her name.

“I’m coming, Merik.” Running to his room, she entered through the open door to see an empty chamber. Desperation overrode the fear hammering her heart against her chest. The room smelled of blood, of sickness. Could Vetala even get sick? Could they die?

“No, please no, not again. Merik? Merik, please call my name.”

He groaned. As she followed the source of the noise, the candle shook in her hand. The hot wax stung her flesh when she stopped several steps in front of a half-open door set in the wall.

“Merik?” The smell of death clung to the entrance and she gagged. The candle wobbled in her hand. She steadied it, saying a quick thanks to God it did not go out. She could not bear to go forth in the darkness without light. Setting the candle on the floor, she swung the door wide. The candle flickered as she picked it up. Fear twisted her guts and no matter how she tried, she could not stop her hands from shaking. She took another step.

“Merik?” It took her eyes several moments to see more than a foot from her face. When she saw him in the dim light, she gasped. He now stood in front of her. It took her several more moments to realize he was not standing of his own volition, but rather restrained by chains embedded in the stone wall. When he lifted his head, she covered her mouth to stifle a scream.

Eyes of molten gold and crimson stared back at her. His jaw and facial bones were distended, his hands curled into claws. The changes were much more severe than the few instances she attributed to the loss of her mind.

“I…I…” Stepping back toward the entrance, her gaze never left Merik’s. She turned her back on him to commence a rather spineless retreat, but could not get her feet to cooperate.

“Hannah?” The voice held much more than pain. What? Desperation? Hope? She could not move as her heart and mind waged war. Despite his appearance, she knew beneath the angled bone protruding from his flesh, his distorted face, and the fangs visible in his mouth, Merik stood in front of her. The man she met a decade before. The man looking at her with the same single focused intensity with which he always did. The man she loved.

Taking another step and hearing nothing but her own harsh breathing, she took one more.

Author Bio

Michelle Hiscox is a Paranormal Romance fan and author who hails from Drumheller, Alberta. The dinosaur bones buried in the hills of her hometown inspired the first stories she ever wrote, and she feels blessed to walk those same hills with her daughter today. Crocus flowers and dust bowls full of cactus never fail to inspire.

While her little girl and husband provides many welcome distractions to writing, it's something she always finds her way back to. Michelle is the proud, and slightly crazy, owner of two dogs and three cats, all animals she loves more than she reasonably should. She's been reading voraciously since she was a child and, one night, pulled her nose from a book to start writing her own.

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Interview

Please welcome A New Day at Midnight author Michelle Hiscox to Diane’s Book Blog.

How long did it take you to write A New Day at Midnight?

It took me about 7 years to write A New Day at Midnight, starting from the inception of the idea right to typing the last word. I started writing in 2006, so that 7 years doesn’t include the time it took finding a publisher or working with my editor, Rosa Sophia. Writing is part time for me, simply because regular life such as family and work require so much of my time. My commitment (aka obsession) to writing has grown over the years, so I’ve definitely increased the volume of work I produce in shorter amounts of time.

If you were stranded on a desert island which of your characters do you want by your side?

Probably Merik’s brother, Stephan. He’s cursed to carry a demon within him, but his sense of humor, resourcefulness, and strong supernatural abilities would come in handy. He’s also exceptionally handsome, which doesn’t hurt.

What is your favorite book that you wrote?

A New Day at Midnight is my favorite so far, although my second, Chasing Dawn, is developing into a new love affair. I think that’s likely the way it should go, I want to love whatever I’m writing or I wouldn’t want to write at all.

Who or what inspired you to be a writer?

I think my path to becoming a writer really started with my early life as a reader. My Granny had an old dresser filled with Stephen King and John Saul books. I started reading them very young and never stopped. I was always good at organizing thoughts, and had several teachers who were very encouraging regarding the essays and short stories I wrote. In my twenties I discovered paranormal romance, particularly J.R. Ward, and loved it so much I decided I wanted to write my own.

Who is your favorite author and what is it that really strikes you about their work?

J.R. Ward is one of my favorites. Her work is dark, intense, humorous, and intelligent. I fall hard into her stories and her characters are as unique as her storylines. I really like that she embraces ‘taboo’ or controversial topics and incorporates them into major elements of her writing, seemingly without fear.

What is your typical day like?

It all starts with getting myself and my daughter ready for the day, then her to the bus and myself to work. I’m employed as a Case Manager providing supports to at-risk youth, and my evenings are predominated by running to dance, swimming, and Brownies with my little girl. I take care of 3 cats and 2 dogs, all whom I love dearly. My wonderful husband fits in there somewhere, always there when I need him. Usually at night when the house is quiet, I find my time to write. I squeeze in research and marketing wherever I can, such as lunch breaks.

Can you share a little of your current work with us?

I’m working on Chasing Dawn, the next installment in the Hearne Family Saga. It focuses on Merik’s younger brother, Nicolai, and the trials and triumphs he faces navigating the world as a Vetala (demon). I hope to have it completed by the end of the year.

What do you prefer paperback, hardcover, or ebooks?

I don’t think anything will ever beat holding an actual book in my hand, preferably paperback as it’s easier to read while lying on the couch, but eBooks are growing on me. I also understand they are much better environmentally speaking, and they are so easy to access with just a few clicks of a button.