Blog Tour: Starflower (Excerpt)

Welcome to my stop for the Starflower blog tour held by Prism Book Tours. I have an exciting excerpt to share with you today!

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Black Dog and Imraldera/Hri Sora’s Reaction

The child bared its teeth and snarled. With an agile leap, it landed on all fours in the street, crouched and emaciated, its wild eyes flashing. It began to growl.

Imraldera swallowed and discovered her heart once more—it was racing double time. But when the child advanced, still moving on its hands and feet in a grotesque crouch, Imraldera advanced as well. She did not break its gaze. It snarled again, half lunging. She showed her teeth and took another step forward, still not shifting her eyes.

With a wolfish yell, the child barreled at her legs. Imraldera leaped to one side, caught it by the back of the neck, and pushed it firmly down to the ground, holding it there. The child roared and howled and flailed its limbs, but though it struck Imraldera several times, she did not let go. She braced herself, pressing into the little one’s back as well as its neck, keeping it paralyzed. As it struggled, she clucked to it gently, little sounds she had once made to her baby sister. The only sounds she could make, as natural and mild as wind-murmuring branches in a tree.

She could not guess how long it took; at long last, however, the child ceased struggling. Sweat dripped down Imraldera’s forehead. But she did not move. The little urchin lay perfectly still for some time. Then, softly, it moaned. The sound was not human. Imraldera hadn’t expected it to be.

Carefully, she loosened her grip and sat back. The child scrambled up, sitting cross-legged with its hands planted on the ground before it. It shook its head, and even this close, Imraldera could not guess its sex. It turned those snapping yellow eyes upon her, head tilted to one side.

Very slowly, Imraldera put out her hand, palm up. The child leaned forward and sniffed. Half-expecting to be bitten, Imraldera leaned in and gently ran her hand along the top of the little one’s head, down around behind its ear. The child blinked. It pushed into her hand, still whining, still panting.

Then, much to Imraldera’s surprise, it crawled forward, climbed into her lap, and immediately fell asleep. Imraldera scarcely dared to breathe. She wrapped her arms around the scrawny limbs, feeling every bone in the creature’s body. Tears formed in her eyes and escaped in swift drops down her cheeks.

Poor thing, she thought, rocking gently to and fro, as a mother rocks her newborn. Poor, loveless little thing.

*****

“I must be mistaken.”

Hri Sora stood transfixed upon her roof, watching the scene being played out on the streets of Etalpalli. She could not believe her eyes. The fire in her breast flared in her fury at such a picture of tenderness enacted in this place of death. She gnashed her teeth and tore at her own hair, leaving lines of blood streaming through the lank strands.

“I must be mistaken!” she raged. “How can a woman of the Land be . . . be compassionate to one of them? The little monsters! The little fiends! They have his eyes, yet she stretches out her hand to them?”

The fire boiled like sickness inside. She doubled over and vomited flame and ashes that fell from the rooftop down to the street below, burning the stones black.

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Isn’t that good? I’ll be reading this book soon, and am looking forward to it!

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Starflower

Tales of Goldstone Wood #4

by Anne Elisabeth Stengl

Paperback, 400 pages

Published November 1st 2012 by Bethany House

Premise:

When a cursed dragon-witch kidnaps the lovely Lady Gleamdren, Eanrin sets boldly forth on a rescue mission…and a race against his rival for Gleamdren’s favor. Intent upon his quest, the last thing the immortal Faerie needs is to become mixed up with the troubles of an insignificant mortal.

But when he stumbles upon a maiden trapped in an enchanted sleep, he cannot leave her alone in the dangerous Wood Between. One waking kiss later, Eanrin suddenly finds his story entangled with that of young Starflower. A strange link exists between this mortal girl and the dragon-witch. Will Starflower prove the key to Lady Gleamdren’s rescue? Or will the dark power from which she flees destroy both her and her rescuer?
About the Author:

Anne Elisabeth Stengl makes her home in Raleigh, North Carolina, where she lives with her husband, Rohan, a passel of cats, and one long-suffering dog. When she’s not writing, she enjoys Shakespeare, opera, and tea, and studies piano, painting, and pastry baking. She studied illustration at Grace College and English literature at Campbell University. She is the author of HEARTLESS, VEILED ROSE, MOONBLOOD, and STARFLOWER, with DRAGONWITCH due to release in 2013. HEARTLESS and VEILED ROSE have each been honored with a Christy Award.

 

Get Your Copy:

Bethany House

Barnes & Noble

The Book Depository

 

3 – Laura @ Colorimetry – Launch!

3 – Sarah @ Letters to the Cosmos – Review

4 – Kathy @ I Am a Reader, Not a Writer – Excerpt

4 – Kari @ Kari’s Crowded Bookshelf - Review

5 – Aleksandra @ Aleksandra’s Corner – Guest Post – Inspired by Cats I

6 – Lisa @ Bookworm Lisa – Guest Post – Inspired by Cats II

6 – Mandy @ The Reading Diaries – Review

7 – Alicia @ Mortality Bites – Dragonwitch page REVEAL

Catch the Christmas Read-along!

Giveaway:

GRAND PRIZE:  The first four books The Tales of Goldstone Wood: Heartless, Veiled Rose, Moonblood and Starflower + SWAG!  2^nd place is a copy of Starflower + SWAG!

Enter to win until 12/20. Winner to be announced 12/21. Open to anyone who can legally enter. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent’s permission. The winner will be chosen by Rafflecopter and announced here & on Colorimetry as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Void where prohibited by law.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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FTC Disclosure: All items reviewed were either obtained by me for my own enjoyment or sent (from the author, publisher, publicist, via tour sites, etc.) in exchange for an honest review. I receive no monetary compensation for my posts. All opinions expressed are my own. Any exceptions to this are clearly noted in the appropriate posts.

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