Dawn Marie Hamilton: "Just Once in a Verra Blue Moon"

Look who've I got visiting today! Author Dawn Marie Hamilton. I'm thrilled to have her as a guest. I love that she dares us to dream. She's a 2013 RWA® Golden Heart® Finalist who pens Scottish-inspired fantasy and paranormal romance. Some of her tales are rife with mischief-making faeries, brownies, and other fae creatures. More tormented souls—shape shifters, vampires, and maybe a zombie or two—stalk across the pages of other stories. She is a member of The Golden Network, Fantasy, Futuristic & Paranormal, Celtic Hearts, and From the Heart chapters of RWA. When not writing, she’s cooking, gardening, or paddling the local creeks of Southern Maryland with her husband. Make sure you leave a comment today. Follow Dawn's easy-peasy directions to be eligible for her give-away. Whoot!

Thanks for having me, Vonnie. 

Authors are often asked during interviews where they get story ideas. Just Once in a Verra Blue Moon is the second novel in the Highland Gardens series, Scottish time travel romance with faeries. Sometimes the imagination is the best answer for fantasy stories.

Just Once in a Verra Blue Moon occurred while doing research for the first story in the series, Just Beyond the Garden Gate. I planned for gemstones to play a role in the series. In The Power of Gemstones, Precious and Semi-Precious Stones, Healing Powers, and Mystical Properties by Raymond J.L. Walters, I came across a reference to moonstones. Moonstones are believed to possess extreme power. Cool! Among many interesting attributes, they are believed to enable a person to foretell the future.

I could make the heroine in the second book a seer. Then I read further and found an interesting legend. “On the Asian continent, the pale lustrous blue color of the moonstone is considered to resemble moonlight. However, the best of the blue moonstones are washed up by the tides when the Sun and the Moon are in a particular heavenly and harmonious relationship, which occurs every twenty one years (three 7-year cycles of the moon). This event gives rise to the saying that denotes a lengthy period of time—Once in a Blue Moon”.

Instead of Asia, I imagined the stones washing up on the shores of the faerie paradise Tir-nan-Óg—land o’ heart’s desire. No one really knows where Tir-nan-Óg is. Perhaps in Asia. Perhaps in another realm. Oh, and Once in a Blue Moon seemed like a good title. Almost. Just Once in a Verra Blue Moon. Perfect!

Blurb for Just Once in a Verra Blue Moon:
What happens when a twenty-first century business executive is expected to fulfill a prophecy given at the birth of a sixteenth-century seer? Of course, he must raise his sword in her defense.

Believing women only want him for his wealth, Finn MacIntyre doesn't trust any woman to love him. When, during Scottish Highland games, faerie magic sends him back in time to avenge the brutal abduction of his time-traveling cousin, he learns he's the subject of a fae prophecy.

Elspeth MacLachlan, the beloved clan seer, is betrothed to a man she dislikes and dreams of the man prophesized at her birth, only to find him in the most unexpected place—facedown in the mud.

With the help of fae allies, they must overcome the treachery set to destroy them to claim a love that transcends time.

Journey from the lush gardens of the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina to the Scottish Highlands of 1511 with Just Once in a Verra Blue Moon.

Excerpt:

A sweet smile curved the faerie’s lips and the edges of her ageless, green eyes crinkled.

Mairi relaxed against the pillows. The woman didn’t bring warnings of ill fortune. The faerie’s gray silk gown reminded Mairi of the ever-present Highland mists—a thought that made her frown.

“Why so sad, mistress? You have a bonnie wee one in your arms.” The faerie glided to the side of the bed and peered at the bundle Mairi cradled.

Why, indeed? The answer troubled Mairi more than the woman’s sudden appearance. Less than a sennight had passed since their child’s birth, yet her husband left this morn in anger. She hadn’t meant to quarrel with him, but he had set his course.

“My stubborn man is off to meet with the Campbell to secure a contract for the babe to wed one of his grandsons.”

She didn’t want such an arrangement for her bairn. She begged Iain that when the time came for the child to wed, he allow the lass to choose a husband of her own. Mairi wanted wee Elspeth to find love in the marriage bed, as she herself had.

“Be at peace.” The old woman reached down to move the swaddling away from the babe’s face, distracting Mairi from her glum thoughts. The faerie ran a finger along the bairn’s tender cheek. A pleasant smile transformed her as she gazed upon the perfect features of the precious lass. She glanced at Mairi and in a raspy voice said, “Just once in a verra blue moon love will…” The faerie’s brow puckered. “Oh, dear.” She tapped a finger against her wrinkled chin. “I simply cannot remember what I am to say.”

“Ah, yes.” Her face beamed. “When three, seven-year cycles of the moon wane…” The wise one placed her hand on the wee babe’s forehead and gazed into the infant’s eyes. “A strange warrior from an unknown far-off place will come wielding the mighty lost sword of the fae to save you from despair, dear one. Just once in a verra blue moon love will triumph.”

As silently and swiftly as she arrived, the faerie woman disappeared. The only evidence remaining from her visit was the sweet, otherworldly fragrance clinging to the air.

Mairi caressed her daughter’s smooth cheek, and the child cooed. “Well, my wee Elspeth, your da will not be pleased to learn the fae guide your future.”

 

Just Once in a Verra Blue Moon for Kindle: http://bit.ly/K-BlueMoon

Just Once in a Verra Blue Moon for Nook: http://bit.ly/BN-BlueMoon

Just Beyond the Garden Gate for Kindle: http://bit.ly/K-GardenGate

Just Beyond the Garden Gate for Nook: http://bit.ly/BN-GardenGate

 

Blog: http://dawnmariehamilton.blogspot.com/

Website: http://www.dawnmariehamilton.com/

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/authorDawnMarieHamilton

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/DawnM_Hamilton

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/DawnMarieHamilton

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/author/dawnmariehamilton

 

Giveaway: Dawn Marie will gift a Kindle edition of Just Once in a Verra Blue Moon to a lucky commenter who answers the question: What is your favorite gemstone and why? Be sure to include your email addy. Feeling shy? Email Dawn Marie at Dawn at DawnMarieHamilton dot com. A name will be pulled out of the garden hat on Thursday September 5.

Coffee, Chocolate, and Time Travel

I have a special guest at Vintage Vonnie today and I'm excited to have her. Some of you know I'm trying to write my first paranormal--Scottish shape shifters. So imagne my glee at having Dawn Marie Hamilton as a guest. It's a **SQUEE!!** moment, folks. Dawn Marie Hamilton dares you to dream, so she does. She is a 2013 RWA®Golden Heart® Finalist who pens Scottish-inspired fantasy and paranormal romance. Some of her tales are rife with mischief-making faeries, brownies, and other fae creatures. More tormented souls—shape shifters, vampires, and maybe a zombie or two—stalk across the pages of other stories. She is a member of The Golden Network, Fantasy, Futuristic & Paranormal, Celtic Hearts, and From the Heart chapters of RWA. When not writing, she’s cooking, gardening, or paddling the local creeks with her husband.

 

Thank you, Vonnie, for having me on your blog today.

 

Coffee and chocolate and cabernet sauvignon are some of my favorite things. Can you hear the song from the Sound of Music?

Now, imagine being tossed back in time to a world not your own. Let’s say, the Scottish Highlands of 1509. What? No coffee. No chocolate. Only watered-down sweet wine. What’s a gal to do?

Figure out a way to get home, of course. But, what if there is a hunk worthy guy, wearing a great kilt, showing off gorgeous assets? Oh, yeah, he also kisses like a dream. Makes your toes curl.  

Perhaps you could delay going home. Perhaps you could give up some of your favorite things. Perhaps you could fall in love with your very own Highlander. I would.


      Question to readers: what would you miss if you accidently landed in the past?

Giveaway: A $5 Starbucks e-gift card to one lucky commenting visitor.

 

Just Beyond the Garden Gate, A Highland Gardens Novel

Blurb:

Determined to regain her royal status, a banished faerie princess accepts a challenge from the High-Queen of the Fae to unite an unlikely couple while the clan brownie attempts to thwart her.

Passion ignites when a faerie-shove propels burned-out business consultant Laurie Bernard through the garden gate, back through time, and into the embrace of Patrick MacLachlan. The arrogant clan chief doesn’t know what to make of the lass in his arms, especially when he recognizes the brooch she wears as the one his stepmother wore when she and his father disappeared.

With the fae interfering at every opportunity, the couple must learn to trust one another while they battle an enemy clan, expose a traitor within their midst and discover the true fate of the missing parents. Can they learn the most important truth—love transcends time?

Excerpt:

Laurie opened her eyes a crack. Her head pounded, her pulse raced. This wasn’t good. Those couldn’t be two, huge, leather-clad feet inches from her face.

She opened her eyes wider. Raised her gaze higher.

Those feet—the ones that couldn’t be there—was it possible they were attached to two muscular calves wrapped in soft napped animal skins?

Higher still. Bare knees. Plaid wool and saffron linen.

Farther up, she took in all of the man who towered over her. Piercing blue eyes blinked. Crinkles appeared in the corners. He was grinning. Not outwardly. The perfectly shaped lips remained tight and straight, but something within this gorgeous man was pleased.

She gasped with recognition. This was her man, the one from her heated dreams and visions. The man she didn’t believe existed. The man who made her insides flip-flop.

Unsure what had just happened, she gave her head a firm shake. Mistake. Dizziness hit in waves. She swallowed hard. When the nausea passed, she pushed her palms against the ground and rose to her feet. Unsteady, she swayed. The stranger’s image blurred.

Large calloused hands gripped her arms. A strange though familiar jolt of energy coursed through her, causing her heart to beat too fast.

He quickly released her. He must have felt it too.

Again, she swayed. She reached for his support at the same time he took hold of her upper arms.

She blinked to clear her vision and moistened dry lips. The flash of desire in his eyes made her shiver. He smiled for real this time, leaned forward, placed a hand behind her head, and brushed her lips with his. Gentle at first, then with vigor, his tongue delved into her mouth.

Instinct insisted she struggle. Holding her body rigid, she fisted her hands, which he’d trapped within his embrace. She forced her fingers open and pressed her palms against his hard chest—a vain attempt to push him away.

The current flowing between them became overpoweringly seductive. No man had made her feel this way before. For several moments, she wavered between fighting him—a familiar stranger—and succumbing to the delicious sensations swamping her. He deepened the kiss, and the internal battle ended. Desire won. She clasped hold of the front of his shirt with shaky hands and kissed him back with pent-up passion.

Satiny lips anchored her in a storm of unfamiliar sensation. Pleasure vibrated along her body. She opened her eyes a slit. The intensity of the man’s shocking kiss matched the masculine power burning in his startling blue eyes.

His grip tightened. His fingers burned through her clothing, searing her skin. She closed misty eyes and sank into the reality of her dream lover’s embrace.

 

Links:

 

Buy at Amazon:  http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00CVXMS04

Amazon Author Page:  https://www.amazon.com/author/dawnmariehamilton

Blog:  http://dawnmariehamilton.blogspot.com/

Website:  http://dawnmariehamilton.com/

Twitter:  http://www.twitter.com/dawnm_hamilton