Sales Links: Dreamspinner Press | Amazon
Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words is happy to have Ari of Ari McKay here today, back talking about the second story in the Asheville Arcana series, Forged in Fire. Welcome, Ari.
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Hello everyone! I’m Ari, of Ari McKay, and I’m really excited that Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words is hosting us for the very first blog post for the upcoming release of Forged in Fire, book two of the Asheville Arcana series from Dreamspinner Press!
If you read Out of the Ashes, book one in the series, you’re already familiar with one of our boys, Whimsy Hickes. Whimsy is a mage specializing in transformation magic, and he has been “friends with benefits” for a few years with Arden Gilmarin and Julian Schaden. But Arden found his mate, Eli Hammond, in Out of the Ashes, and Julian… well, Julian isn’t exactly the romantic sort. For the first time in a while Whimsy finds himself without the comfort and support of a lover, but he’s not really interested in hook ups. Seeing what Arden and Eli found together, he wants to find someone to love.
Enter Harlan Edgewood. Harlan is a “true” werewolf, rather than being a shapeshifter like Eli and the others. Eli was born a human, and he has bitten by a possessed wolf shifter, which turn him into a cursed creature who painfully transforms every full moon, rather than at will like the others. He’s a man who survives on the border of two worlds, the human and the shifter, without really belonging fully to either.
Harlan meets Whimsy, and Harlan feels himself drawn to the mage, his lupine half taking notice of Whimsy in a way that is both overwhelming and frightening. But it’s not until Julian angers Harlan enough to goad him into an unexpected transformation that Harlan learns the truth — his wolf wants Whimsy as its mate.
Being human, Whimsy doesn’t feel the same pull Harlan does, but he is sympathetic to what Harlan is going through. Plus, he does find Harlan attractive, and he wants to use his magic to make Harlan’s transformations easier. But while the two of them are trying to get to know one another, the danger surrounding Asheville grows stronger. The possessed shifters who attacked the Eli’s pack are back, and this time they’ve managed to possess several bear shifters. At the same time, Whimsy and the others begin to suspect that something is Not Quite Right about the Asheville Paranormal Council, most of whom seem pretty unconcerned that demons are popping up with increasing frequency.
Things quickly and frighteningly spiral out of control when Harlan is hit with a compulsion spell that puts him in mortal peril. Now Whimsy must go up against the most powerful mage in the area, in a life or death battle where not only the fate of the city hangs in the balance, but the soul of the man he’s come to love.
Whew! Lots of action and plenty of UST in this one! We hope you’ll give Forged in Fire a chance — you don’t have to have read Out of the Ashes first, though there are a few in-jokes that are funnier if you have. But if you were hoping and waiting for Whimsy to find his man, this is the story for you! ❤
BLURB:
The magic touch.
Ever since Harlan Edgewood was bitten by a possessed werewolf, his monthly shifts have been agonizing. When he meets Whimsy Hickes—a mage who specializes in transformation—the attraction is mutual. But Harlan believes his curse is too great a burden to inflict on any romantic partner.
Fortunately, Whimsy thinks he can help.
When Harlan is provoked into an unexpected change, Whimsy uses his magic to help ease Harlan’s pain, but with an unexpected consequence. While he’s shifted, Harlan’s wolf claims Whimsy as his mate.
As they draw closer, suspicious events in the Asheville magical community escalate. Shifters are disappearing, others are murdered, and Harlan’s curse makes him an obvious target. It will take all of Whimsy’s magic to force back the rising evil—and if he fails, Harlan will lose not only his life, but his very soul.
About the Authors
Ari McKay is the professional pseudonym for Arionrhod and McKay, who have been writing together for over a decade. Their collaborations encompass a wide variety of romance genres, including contemporary, fantasy, science fiction, gothic, and action/adventure. Their work includes the Blood Bathory series of paranormal novels, the Herc’s Mercs series, as well as two historical Westerns: Heart of Stone and Finding Forgiveness. When not writing, they can often be found scheming over costume designs or binge watching TV shows together.
Arionrhod is a systems engineer by day who is eagerly looking forward to (hopefully) becoming a full time writer in the not-too-distant future. Now that she is an empty-nester, she has turned her attentions to finding the perfect piece of land to build a fortress in preparation for the zombie apocalypse, and baking (and eating) far too many cakes.
McKay is an English teacher who has been writing for one reason or another most of her life. She also enjoys knitting, reading, cooking, and playing video games. She has been known to knit in public. Given she has the survival skills of a gnat, she’s relying on Arionrhod to help her survive the zombie apocalypse.
AUTHOR CONTACTS:
Website: http://arimckay.wordpress.com
Facebook author page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Ari-Mckay/266185570179748
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ari.mckay.7
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AriMcKay1
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6153630.Ari_McKay
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