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Author: Mistral DawnTitle: Bound by the Summer Prince
Pages: 286
Genre: Fantasy Romance
Date published: February 25, 2015
Synopsis:
The Summer Court is in an uproar. The king has just been executed for unpardonable crimes, and the queen is prostrate with grief over his loss. This leaves the Summer kingdom bereft of true leadership; a problem which is compounded by the fact that the laws of Fairie require balance to be maintained by having a male and a female ruler for both Season Courts at all times. Uaine, the Summer prince, is the only one who can put things right, but he is without a mate. Knowing that he must take a bride quickly, for the sake of his people, even though he is struggling with his own feelings of pain and anger over his father's treachery, he goes for a walk in a forest near the palace to try to clear his head and determine how best to choose a female to rule beside him.
While walking Uaine discovers a human female running loose in Fairie, which is against the most basic tenets of Fae law. Furious at one more problem he must deal with, he takes her prisoner and locks her in the dungeon; only to discover later that she is his soul-mate. The magical bond between them means they are meant to be together forever, but humans can't feel the magic of Fairie. Will Uaine be able to win her heart and convince her that she can trust him to keep her safe from all the dangers of Fairie...including himself?
Roni is a human con woman and petty thief. Having run afoul of the local crime syndicate in the city where she is staying, she finds herself running for her life. Trouble is no stranger to her, but when she falls through a hole in a wall and finds herself in a world with carnivorous trees and rocks that eat people she realizes she may have found more of it than she can deal with. Rescued/arrested by the prince of the Summer Court, it doesn't take long for her to formulate a plan to use him to get herself home. Unfortunately for her, she soon finds that her heart, which she had thought long ago turned to stone, has begun to feel the love she has been playing at. Will she be able to overcome a lifetime of caution and allow herself to follow her heart? Can a criminal love a cop?
Please be aware that this book contains explicit sexual scenes, depictions of BDSM, and anal play. If these things disturb you, then this may not be the book for you.
Excerpt
He opened his eyes just as Roni leaned back to rest on her arms and re-crossed her legs in the other direction. Again, he found he could not unglue his eyes from her body.Roni crossed and re-crossed her legs, wishing she had worn a skirt instead of the jeans. Still, her actions seemed to be having the desired effect. "Was there anything else?"Uaine cleared his throat. "Yes! Yes, you will likely find that some members of the Court are not yet ready to accept you. You must be very careful to guard your words, no matter what they may say to you, because it is almost certain there are those who will try to provoke you.""And why is that?""Because they had hoped to occupy the position which now belongs to you," said Uaine distractedly. He still found himself unable to remove his gaze from his Anamchara's legs. If only she would cease moving them against each other so sensually! It was maddening to see, when all he wanted was to slide his hands, and other things, between them.Roni waved her hand over her legs and then moved it up to her face, making sure to cover all of the area in between, and snapped her fingers. "Yo! I'm up here, dude!"Uaine looked up, confused. "Dude?"Roni slowly slid from the bed, making sure to undulate her body to its maximum potential, and slinked across the floor to stand in front of the prince. She put her hands on her hips and looked up at him. "I'll make a bet with you."Uaine swallowed against a suddenly dry throat. "A bet?""Yes, I'll bet you that if I make it through the dinner without saying or doing anything embarrassing then you'll take me on a tour around the area outside the castle grounds. Jillian told me I can't go without guards, and the guards don't know me well enough to listen to me yet, so you'll arrange for a tour, with or without guards. Agreed?"Looking down into the determined expression on his Anamchara's face, he gulped. "It would be better if you delayed such an outing until you are more familiar with our ways.""Nevertheless, if I win you'll take me out. Agreed?" she purred, leaning closer to him."And what do I get if I get if I 'win'?" he rasped.She took one hand off of her hip and reached up to crook a finger at him, motioning him towards her. When he leaned down, she wrapped both arms around his neck and pressed her body against his. Putting a hand behind his head and pulling his ear down next to her lips, she breathed against his neck, "You'll get what you've been fantasizing about during this whole conversation."
About the Author
Mistral Dawn is a thirty-something gal who has lived on both coasts of the US but somehow never in the middle. She currently resides in the Southeast US with her kitty cats (please spay or neuter! :-)) where she works as a hospital drudge and attends graduate school. Taken By The Huntsman is her first effort at writing fiction and if it is well received she has ideas for several more novels and short-stories in this series.
Giveaway
Interview
What inspired you to become an author?
I woke up with the plot for my first book, Taken By The Huntsman, fully formed in my head. When I texted the idea to a friend, she was kind enough to say it was interesting. I wrote the first couple chapters and emailed them to her and she said she'd like to read the rest. So I wrote it. :-)
I assume all authors also love to read, so what book inspired your love of reading?
I am a sci-fi and fantasy junkie and always have been. I'm dyslexic, so I didn't learn to read at all until I was eight years old. The first book I read was Heir To The Empire by Timothy Zahn, and I credit that book with giving me my love of reading.
How old were you when you wrote your first story?
I wrote a dreadful fan-fiction piece in middle school. Mercifully, that story has been lost to the mists of time. ;-)
Who are some of your favorite authors now?
There are WAY too many to name.
Are you a plotter or a pantser?
A mixture of both. I already know how I want my stories to go when I start writing them, but I don't sit down and formally outline. I've been surprised a couple of times when my stories haven't gone exactly as I expected them to.
Are your characters based on people you know?
A few people have been kind enough to say they'd like to "be" in my stories. I have used their names, or a version of their names, for characters, but the characters themselves are more composites of many people I have known.
What are some of your writing rituals?
I get my cup of coffee ready, then I sit down in my recliner with my laptop, put on my writing music, and see where my fingers lead me. :-)
How do other books influence your writing?
I don't know how to answer this, exactly. Obviously, I don't write in a vacuum. And my stories are certainly based on myths and legends that already exist. But I can't point to any one book that has specifically influenced my writing.
How do you get motivated to sit down and write with all the real world interruptions?
I have to have a routine. If I don't have a routine, I can't function.
Which one of your books is your favorite?
It's kind of a toss-up. I love my first book, Taken By The Huntsman, but my current work-in-progress, Captivated By The Winter King, also tugs at my heartstrings. :-)
If you could have a writing retreat anywhere in the world, where would you want it to be and why?
The northern Oregon coast. Because the weather is perfect and the sea is calming. :-)
If your main character were an alcoholic beverage, which beverage would they be and why?
Ha! Well, it depends on which main character you are talking about. I'd say the Erlking is kind of like an aged, full-bodied whiskey: dark and mysterious with lots of subtleties to explore, but smooth on the surface. Cassie is like a shot of tequila: a little sharp at first but sweet underneath. Roni is like a Bloody Mary: fiery hot and spicy, but with depth of flavor. Uaine is like a good Merlot: a little dry, a little sweet, and very satisfying. Kate is like a really strong, sweet mixed cocktail: sweet and seemingly harmless, but with hidden strength and danger. Ankou is like a dark, rich beer: he's a fallen god of death, so he can seem a little bitter on the surface, but once you get to know him you realize he's got a rich and complex way of looking at things.
If you could live in a fictional world, which world would you choose and why?
Oh, there are so many great ones to choose from!! I don't know how I'd pick. :-)
What’s the best way to hide a body?
Take it to Fairie. I guarantee something there will eat it. ;-)
This or That
Coke or Pepsi? Neither, I don't like soda. :-)
Paperback or e-reader? E-reader, I move too often to collect paperbacks. :-/
Facebook or Twitter? Both have their charms. :-)
Peeta or Gale? Definitely Peeta!
Edward or Jacob? Neither.
Money or love? Love!!
Tattoos or bare? Either, I prefer everyone just be themselves.
Hairy or smooth? Same as above answer. :-)
Call or text? Text, that way I can enjoy it more than once. :-)
Hot or cold? Cold! Not a fan of hot weather. :-)
Harry Potter or Lord of the Rings? Both!
Coffee or Tea? Coffee!!!
Halloween or Christmas? Halloween!! :-)
McDonald’s or Burger King? Neither, not a fan of fast food.
Batman or Spiderman? Don't know enough about either to pick. :-)
Oatmeal raisin or chocolate chip? Oatmeal chocolate chip! ;-)
