Hi Everyone. Please help me welcome Annie Nicholas to AsianCocoa's Secret Garden today! Annie's new novel Omegas In Love which is book 4 in her Vanguards series was released this month.
Asian Shifter Culture
In this book, I’ve introduced a new element to my shifter world. The pure bred shifter. Katrina, my Asian heroine, was born in rural China. Life in the mountains was hard even for shifters. They stayed isolated from humans, in small villages, so they could keep the bloodlines pure. Shifter babies were born human, but they all got turned in their adolescence. She’d never even considered staying human--that option wasn’t available to anyone born in a pack.
She recalled the day her parents sold her to Chen’s father all those years ago. Most shifters in America were those who either changed by choice or by an attack. Just like her Tyler.
Pressed against the wall, she curled in a corner of the bedroom. Nothing could jump her from behind and she had a good view of the door. A thick rug lay under her knees, softening the cold, wooden floor. She ran her fingertips over it. Silky and thick. Her birth pack couldn’t afford such luxuries. She’d never even seen a rug until today.
A large futon lay on the floor at her right. She didn’t hold any false pretenses of her role. Her pack had sold her for breeding. Whoever said beauty was a gift wasn’t born a shifter. It had only given her grief.
Her parents had delivered her to this strange pack. She knew they weren’t given a choice, but that didn’t ease the betrayal.
Pack came first.
She’d be mated to the alpha’s oldest son, Yul. As a child, her friends would whisper stories of soulmates. A shifter tale they wanted to believe. Katrina knew the truth, though. Daughters of pure bloodlines made babies for the highest bidder.
They provided her with a nice bedroom, a small writing desk and a chair. This was more than she’d had with her pack. Her mate could be a nice man. She didn’t even care about him being handsome. She’d give him babies and maybe he’d fall in love with her. Was this too much to ask?
The sliding door to her room cracked open.
She stiffened, unsure what to do next.
A pair of dark, cold eyes met hers. The hungry stare punctured her soul.
He slinked into the room. “You’re more beautiful than I expected.”
“Yul?” She knelt and bowed her head to the floor in submission, as she’d been taught since birth.
“No, that is my brother.” He whispered as he slid the door closed behind him and locked it. “I am here to save you by making you mine.”
by Annie Nicholas
Release Date: March 19, 2012
Some things are best to forget. But what if the past won't be forgotten?
Born in China of a pure shifter bloodline, Katrina was raised with only one purpose--to breed. Abused by her alpha, she runs away to America as soon as she can. With a new pack and her true mate, she thinks the nightmare is behind her, but when she is abducted on the streets of Chinatown, Katrina must face her past and fight for her freedom.
It took Tyler a year to earn Katrina's love, another to build her confidence and pride, and only a moment to lose her. Broken-hearted, Tyler won't give up his search for Katrina. But he never trained as a warrior like the other shifters. What chance does a real estate agent have in the fight for his mate?
WARNING: Explicit shifter sex, heartbroken torment, and an unstoppable shifter in love.
Excerpt
The Asian stranger grabbed Katrina’s arm and yanked her into his embrace.
“Hey!” It took every ounce of Tyler’s control to keep his beast from busting out on the tourist filled streets of China Town. He shoved the stranger from behind, knocking Katrina from his arms.
She stumbled and landed hard on the ground. Tears stained her cheeks. The cold wind blew strands of long, black hair across her face.
“Get your hands off her.” He bent to help her, but the stranger blocked him.
Straightening, Tyler glared at Katrina’s assailant and met a cold, dark stare.
His beast rose closer to the surface and clouded his thoughts. She belonged to him and this male thought to block his way. The only solution was to tear this asshole limb from limb. “Get out of my way.” He spoke each word separately and clearly to get his point across.
“This is none of your concern.” The stranger spoke with a thick accent like Katrina’s.
“You’re on Vasi territory. Anything that happens here is my concern. And she belongs to me.” Tyler pointed to Katrina, then back to himself.
“Chinatown is not Vasi territory. Never has been and never will be. And this female mated me before she ran away.” Crossing his arms, the stranger planted himself in front of Tyler. “She still belongs to me and has never been yours to take.”
Tyler’s jaw hung as if on broken hinges. He shot her a questioning look, but she stared at the ground, not meeting his gaze. Katrina hated to speak about her past. Now, he knew why.
She wiped her face, huddled on the ground, and didn’t deny a thing.
Every bit of joy in his life lay with Katrina, but truth’s claws dug into his heart. He didn’t know which hurt more, the lies or the way she hunched on the ground, submitting to this stranger like an omega all over again.
Annie Nicholas hibernates in the rural, green mountains of Vermont, where she dreams of different worlds, heroes, and heroines. When spring arrives the stories pour from her, in hopes to share them with the masses one day.
Mother, daughter, wife are some of the hats she happily wears while trudging after her cubs through the hills and dales. The four seasons an inspiration and muse.
Website: www.annienicholas.com
Group Blog: www.paranormalromantics.blogspot.com
Twitter: @annienicholas
Giveaway:
Annie will be giving away signed copies of the first 3 books in the Vanguard series, and a $10 Amazon or Barnes and Noble gift card to one randomly drawn commenter during the tour. The more comments you leave the better your chances of winning.
Annie will also be giving away an e-copy of one of her books from her back list to one commenter at ever stop on her tour
**BookAttict won the daily prize of an e-copy from Annie's back list. Congratulations!**
**BookAttict won the daily prize of an e-copy from Annie's back list. Congratulations!**
To Enter:
Please leave a comment or question for Annie and include your email address. Good luck!
Be sure to visit the other blogs on this wonderful tour. Click on the tour button below for a list of participating blogs.
Posts
Thank you for explaining your ASIAN SHIFTER CULTURE. Just fascinating.
ReplyDeletemarypres(AT)gmail(DOT)com
Thank you for hosting Annie today.
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like an absolutely fascinating story. I can hardly wait to read it.
ReplyDeleteWell...We just have to root for the underdog here! Come on, Tyler...You can do it!
ReplyDeletecatherinelee100 at gmail dot com
Sounds like a great story, loved the excerpt. This is a new author for me and would love to win and read this book. Thanks for the giveaway.
ReplyDeletechristinebails@yahoo.com
Thanks for hosting me today!
ReplyDeleteThis book sounds like a winner.Can't wait to read it. Thanks for the giveaway.
ReplyDeleteJoanne B
e.balinski(at)att(dot)net
Omegas in Love sounds like a fantastic read! I'm looking forward to checking it out!
ReplyDeleteelizabeth @ bookattict . com
great post.And enjoyed the excerpt.
ReplyDeleteelaing8(at)netscape(dot)net
This book does sound good. I can't wait to read more about the Chinese Vampire culture. Thanks for the post and for the excerpt.
ReplyDeleteJune
manning_j2004 at yahoo dot com
I would love to read this series. It sounds very good. Please enter me in contest. Tore923@aol.com
ReplyDeleteI love this series, but you know that! I'm very excited for Katrina's story
ReplyDeleteI would love the 3 paperbacks that begin the series! I'm not eEnabled, so have to wait for the paperback versions.
ReplyDeletesallans d at yahoo dot com
Annie, that was such an enjoyable post today, very informative and unique perspective on shifters. I am keeping my fingers, toes, eyes and everything else crossed for good luck in winning.
ReplyDeleteluvfuzzzeeefaces at yahoo dot com
Congratulations on the book! The book sounds very good.
ReplyDeletebn100candg(at)hotmail(dot)com
Bookattict, you are yesterday's winner! I'm sending you a note.
ReplyDeleteStankovic ingin tetap bertahan di Inter
ReplyDeleteAgen Bola Luckygol.com melaporkan bahwa pemain Inter Milan, Dejan Stankovic, mengatakan harapannya untuk bertahan di Inter Milan. Dia bertekad membuat pelatih baru Walter Mazzarri memberikan kepercayaan kepadanya.
Menurut berita yang dikutip oleh Luckygol, di musim lalu pemain usia 34 tahun itu harus merasakan terpinggirkan dari tim Andrea Stramaccioni. Selain kalah bersaing, sejumlah masalah cedera kerap melandanya. Alhasil, dia hanya tampil sebanyak tiga kali bagi I Nerazzurri di seluruh ajang.
Namun, harapan dan semangat baru kini menyelimuti dirinya. Dia siap berjuang untuk mendapatkan kepercayaan dari sang allenatore baru.
"Tidak benar aku ingin meninggalkan Inter. Aku ingin memulai musim depan dengan I Nerazzurri. Tapi, kita akan lihat bagaimana pendapat pelatih," ujarnya.
Kontrak Stankovic di Inter sendiri baru akan berakhir pada Juni 2014.